USA > Iowa > Clayton County > Portrait and biographical record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton counties, Iowa. Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 53
USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > Portrait and biographical record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton counties, Iowa. Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 53
USA > Iowa > Jones County > Portrait and biographical record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton counties, Iowa. Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 53
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A RTHUR A. SCHMIDT, M. D. The study of medicine affords to the student in that science a never-ending source for investi- gation and experiments. New remedies are being constantly discovered, steady progress is being made in surgery and new diseases are presenting them- selves under varying forms of eivilization. In the noble army of workers in this great field Dr. Schmidt takes a prominent place. He is a popular young physician of Garnavillo, Clayton County, and was born January 22, 1872, in Guttenberg, Iowa, the son of Dr. Henry and Catherine (Schulte) Schmidt. His father was born in Breslau, Germany, February 28, 1819. At the age of nine years he went to Edinburg, where he took a elassieal course and afterwards a course of study in Edinburg Med- ieal College. After finishing his education he was appointed Medieal Director in the English armny and went to Australia; he remained there about two years, then went to San Francisco, Cal. In 1860 he returned to Breslau, his birthplace, to visit liis brother and sister. After a visit of several years he returned to the United States and located in Brooklyn, N. Y., where he practiced at his profes- sion for one year. In the year 1869 he eame to Guttenberg, Iowa, where he made his home for
five years, and from there he went to Mankato, Minn., where he resided for six years. In 1880 he moved to Richmond. Minn .. where he spent the remainder of his days. He died of con- sumption in 1893. He was known as one of the best surgeons belonging to the State Medical Society and was the first Mayor of Richimond for two years. He also served as Coroner at the same place for six years. He was married in 1870 to . Miss Catherine Schulte, a daughter of William Schulte, who died here in 1878. The mother of our subject is still living at Richmond, Minn. She was born in Mareh, 1850. She has only one child and that is our subjeet. His maternal grandmother is still living and resides in this township.
At the age of nine years Dr. Arthur Schmidt en- tered St. John's University at Collegeville, Minn., where he remained six years. He then spent two years in the State Normal at St. Cloud, Minn., after which he entered the medical department of the State University at Minneapolis, where he re- mained one year. He spent the next three years at the Medical College of Keokuk, Iowa, where he graduated March 7, 1893. He returned to Rieh- mond, Minn., where he praetieed his profession for the first time. January 20, 1894, he came to Garna- villo, where he has since made his home. He makes surgery a specialty and has a large and extensive practice throughout the county. In his religious belief lie is a Catholie and a member of that church at Garnavillo. Politieally a Demoerat, he takes a deep interest in the success of liis party. The Doe- tor is very popular in the community, and the eir- ele of his friendship is wide and constantly on the inerease.
F RANK J. ZAPF, a prominent business man, and at present Postmaster of Elkport, was born in Volga Township, Clayton County, Iowa. He is the son of Maxmillion and Eliza- beth (Bauer) Zapf, who were natives of Germany. They sailed from the Old Country in 1864 and landed in New York, where they remained two
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years; they later went to Dayton, Ohio. He found employment in a stonc-quarry, where he occupied the position of foreman for five years. In 1870 he emigrated to Kansas and engaged in agricultural pursuits for one year, but not being satisfied with that state he returned to Ohio. Shortly after his rc- turn he, with some relatives, decided to seck his fort- une in Iowa. They located in Clayton County, where they purchased eighty acres of land on which they made their home for five years. At the end of that time he bought one hundred acres of land in Volga Township and procecded to make a home for himself and family. He became a very success- ful farmer, and soon increased liis possessions to three hundred and sixty-seven acres. He still re- sides in the same placc. He has five children liv- ing and two dead: Mike, John, deceased, Christ, Joc, Helena, Louis, deceased, and Frank, our sub- ject. Mr. Zapf served as School Director for four years. He is a Catholic in his religious belief, and a life-long Democrat.
Our subject received a common school education and remained with his parents until the age of cighteen, when he started out in the world to make a living for himself. He first went to work in a blacksmith shop, where lic learned the trade, and worked at that arduous though honest labor for eighteen months. . He then found a position as clerk in a store of general merchandise, where he remained for two years, becoming popular and gaining the respect of the numerous customers that patronized the establishment. After that he went into business for himself. He bought a saloon and ran it successfully for nine months; he then sold out and embarked in the mercantile business with L. E. Zearley as his partner. Everything went along smoothly for six months, when they met with a very serious disaster, everything being destroyed by fire; but being plucky and not easily discouraged, Mr. Zapf soon went into business again, and is now thie proprietor of one of the finest stores in Elkport.
The marriage of Mr. Zapf took place September 28, 1892, uniting him with Miss Anna B. Foley. She was a native of Iowa and was one of five chil- dren. Her father and mother were John and Mary Foley, who now reside in Manchester, Iowa.
Mr. and Mrs. Zapf are the happy parents of one cluld, a beautiful little boy, John P., who was born in Elkport, Iowa, May 26, 1894. Our subject was appointed Postmaster under President Cleveland in 1893. In religious matters he has not departed from the faith in which he was brought up, but like his parents, has ever been a true Catholic. Politically he is a Democrat, and takes a deep in- terest in the welfare of that party. For his quali- ties of integrity and truc worth he justly deserves the high respect in which he is held by one and all, and with his excellent wife occupies a high po- sition in the 'social circle and has secured the uni- versal esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens.
OHN H. WELCH, one of Clayton County's successful and influential agriculturists, was born at St. Johns in Lower Canada, Decem- ber 2, 1835. He is of Irish descent, his pa- ternal grandfather, Abraham Welch, having been a native of the North of Ireland. His parents were Samuel and Elizabeth (Waite) Welch, the former born in New Hampshire and the latter in Dutchess County, N. Y. J. H. was one of a family of ten children; his father died when he was a mere child and he afterward made his home with his grand- father. His educational advantages were very lim- ited, but by observation lie supplemented the infor- mation gained in schools, and is now a well m- formed man.
At the age of thirteen ycars Mr. Welch started out to make his own way in the world. For a time he was employed on a farm in the north- ern part of Vermont, and later worked on the Vermont Central Railroad, which was then being built. In the year 1858 he came westward, be- lieving that this part of the country offered bet- ter opportunities than the overcrowded cast. For about eight months he sojourned in Dodge Coun- ty, Wis., where one of his brothers resided. At the expiration of this time he went to Olmsted County, Minn., where he remained five years. In
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the spring of 1860 he came to Iowa and purchased a tract consisting of eighty acres situated in Sperry Township, Clayton County.
Soon after coming to Iowa Mr. Welch established a home of his own. October 2, 1862, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Rachel A. (Nichols) Chilson, and they continued to make their home upon the Sperry Township farm until 1877, at which time they bought a farm in Lodomillo Township.
Spending some years upon that place, they sold it in 1891 and bought their present farm in Cass Township. This estate consists of two hundred acres, upon which have been placed first-class im- provements, including a set of substantial farm buildings. The soil is under a high state of culti- vation, and everything upon the place indicates the thrift of the owner.
With the local affairs of the township Mr. Welch has been closely identified since coming to liis pres- ent place, and lie was also influential in the locali- ties wliere he previously resided. In 1884 he was elected one of the three supervisors which com- posed the County Board of Clayton County, and served for three years in that capacity. In 1888 he was again chosen for this office and again served for a period of three years. For more than two years he was Chairman of the Board. He is one of the stockholders in tlie Strawberry Point Cream- ery and has other important interests. Socially he is a Master Mason and is one of the charter mem- bers of Mountain Shade Lodge No. 279, of Volga, of which he was the first Master, having filled that Office three terms. He has also been Master of the Strawberry Point Lodge two terms.
As above stated, Mr. Welch is one of ten chil- dren. His oldest brother left home when young and has never been heard of since. Another brotli- er, Edward D., is a retired farmer living at Volga; Samuel D. is engaged in the mercantile business at Zumbro Falls, Minn., and is a veteran of the late war; Benjamin F. is an agriculturist of Washing- ton. Mr. and Mrs. Welch have had six sons, as follows: Oscar, who married Lenora Stonlaker, and is operating his father's farm; Rufus R., man- ager of a creamery near Austin, Minn., who married Miss Jennie E., daughter of A. O. Kingsley, of Strawberry Point; John M., who chose as his wife
Miss Myrtie Smith and is engaged in farming and in the creamery business; Frederick A., a graduate of the Dixon (Ill.) Normal School and a success- ful teacher; Arthur D., who was educated in the schools of Strawberry Point and is engaged in teaching; and William H., now attending sehool at Strawberry Point. Mr. and Mrs. Welchi also adopt- ed a child, Ethel Viola, whom they took at the age of three months, and who is now seven years old. The family is one of highi social standing and is highly respected throughout this community.
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A UGUST H. KREGEL, one of the leading agriculturists and stockmen of Clayton County, is a native of the county and well known as the son of an old pioneer. The prosperity of a place depends in such a great measure upon the business men who reside there, that the sketch of a prominent man is at all times an agreeable thing to read, especially when he has won success in his chosen line of work.
Our subject was born in Garnavillo Township, this county, October 18, 1857, and is the son of John D. Kregel, a native of Germany, having been born in Hanover in 1825. The elder Mr. Kregel was a lad of seven years when he was brought by his parents to America, and made his home for a time in Ohio. Later they came to Iowa, and after attaining mature years the father of our subject purchased a farm in Garnavillo Township. He is still living and regarded as one of the substantial residents of Garnavillo Township.
The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Helen Kaiser, was also born in the Fatherland, and is still living at the age of sixty-three years. By her union with J. D. Kregel she became the mother of eight children, five of whom survive. A. H. was the fourth in order of birth, and was reared in his native township and acquired a good education in both the German and English lan- guages.
The original of this sketch remained at home assisting his father in the cultivation of the old
SELDEN CANDEE.
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homestead until his marriage, which important event was celebrated Marelı 22, 1882. The lady on this occasion was Miss Mary Bonker, also a na- tive of Clayton County, whose parents were early settlers in this loeality, whither they emigrated from Germany. They were farmers by occupation and are both now deeeased.
When ready to establish a home of his own Mr. Kregel made a settlement on the farm which he is now oeeupying, and which includes one hundred and eighty acres of valuable land. He is enter- prising and progressive, and the first-elass build- ings and various other improvements which he has placed on his estate is eonelusive evidence of his skill and good judgment. In 1890 Mr. Kregel completed a fine brick residence at a cost of $2,700, together with a good barn, which will permit of the storing of a large amount of grain and shelter many head of stoek.
In polities our subjeet is a believer in and a supporter of Republiean principles. He is con- neeted by membership with the Lutheran Church, and is deeply interested in all movements which promise to advanee the material or moral prosper- ity of the eitizens.
S ELDEN CANDEE. Probably no one among the early pioneers is better known in Clay- ton and adjoining counties than the sub- ject of this article. From his early years he has led a very active life; he came west when a young man, crossing the Mississippi River on ice in 1838. He made the journey from Toledo to Rock Island on foot, and in 1849 crossed the plains to Califor- nia, leaving Galena, Ill., on the 1st of Mareh, and arriving at his destination September 15. He walked all the distance from a point two hundred miles west of the Missouri River. Sinee the spring of 1851, with the exception of a few years, he has been a resident of this county, and has been greatly interested in the development of this lo- cality.
Asa Candee, the father of our subject, was born
in New Haven, Conn., and was a soldier in the War of 1812. His father, whose given name was Giddeon, was also a native of Connecticut, where the family had resided for several genera- tions, the founders of the family in the United States having emigrated in the seventeenth cell- tury from England. They were patriots and were devoted to this their adopted land, and Giddeon Candee carried a musket for seven years in the War of the Revolution. The wife of Asa Candee before her marriage was Mary MeAlpin, her birth having oceurred in Seotland. Their union was celebrated in Oswego County, N. Y., and there they resided until 1834, when Mrs. Candee died, during the cholera plague of that year. Soon afterward Asa Candee removed to Michigan, set- tling not far from Toledo, Ohio, ou wild timber land. He made a permanent home on that traet of land, which is still in the possession of the fam- ily, and Selden was the first white man to fell a tree on that farm. The father and mother were members of the Presbyterian Church. Politically he was originally a Demoerat, and later a Repub- lican.
Of the thirteen children of Asa and Mary Can- dee, only six are now living. Alta, Mrs. Wilson, lives near Toledo, Ohio, and has one son; Ara, who has three children, resides in Hardin, Clayton County; George and Hulta were twins, the former being a resident of Toledo, and the latter, Mrs. George Cassaday, lives in Luana; Orinda, Mrs. Siddall, who has five sons, makes her home in Ober- lin, Ohio; Selden Candee was born December 8, 1816, in Oswego County, N. Y., and received only a limited edueation. When twenty years of age he started to make his own livelihood and to try his fortunes in the then far west. He proceeded to Rock Island, working for his board as lie went, as he was entirely without means. In the spring of 1839 he reached Galena, Ill., where he was en- gaged in lead mining for the suceeeding ten years.
As previously stated, our subjeet started for the Pacific Slope in the spring of 1849, and on his ar- rival there worked for fifteen months in the mines, obtaining enough money to pay his expenses and returning by way of Panama. In the spring of 1851 he settled on a farm a mile east of this place,
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where he resided for a year. Later he became in- terested in building a sawmill on the Yellow River at Volney, which village he laid out and named. In 1855 he went to Winona County, Minn., operating a farm there for two years, and then returned to the Yellow River, where he pur- chased six hundred acres of wild land, which he settled upon and made his home for many years, greatly improving it and placing good buildings on the place. In 1877 he became the owner of a farm in Monona Township, which he also im- proved, and some eleven years later retired to his present home. His life has been filled with honest and industrious toil, and he has literally been a pioncer all his days. Possessed of a rugged con- stitution, and having lived an outdoor life, he has been remarkably healthy, and last year, for the first time in four decades, required the services of a physician. When seventy-cight years of age hc painted the roof of his house and blacksmith shop, and is not content even now to remain in idlc- ness.
In 1859 Mr. Candee married Elcnor J. Bowles, a native of Maryland, of which state her parents, Thomas C. and Jane ( Rodgers) Bowles, were like- wise natives. The former, who was a soldier in the War of 1812, was an early settler in Holmes County, Ohio, and in 1852 became a resident of this township, where his death occurred. His wife was born April 17, 1798, and died April 18, 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Candee never had any children of their own, but adopted Jennic, daughter of Joshua and Lucretia (Bowles) Reese, who were early set- tlers of McGregor, Iowa, and are both now de- ceased.
During the war Selden Candee was a member of the Union League, and one of his brothers, Erdlcy, died in the service during the war with Mexico. Our subject, who has been a Republican since the organization of the party, has frequently been a delegate to conventions. In 1860 he was elected Supervisor of Franklin Township, Allamakee County, serving as such for about six years, and later was County Supervisor for one term. In various other official capacities he has acted, hav- ing been Road Supervisor, Township Trustee and Township Treasurer. At one time he was con-
nected with the County Fair Association, and whenever any new undertaking or enterprise las been started his influence has always been in de- mand.
ILLIAM SCHULTE, deceased, was born March 22, 1808, in Prussia, Germany. He was reared on a farm and came to this country in 1837, settling first in St. Louis, Mo., where he remained for one year. He then came to Dubuque, Iowa, and made that his home' until 1841, when he rented a farm northeast of what is now known as the town of Garnavillo. He remained therc two ycars, after which he pur- chased the farm on which our subject now lives. In February, 1841, he bought five hundred acres of land on sections 24 and 25 for which he paid $1.25 per acre.
November 16, 1840, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Catherina Strockhoff. She was born September 26, 1821, and was the daughter of Werner and Elizabeth (Meyer) Strockhoff. She was one of eight children and was the seventh in order of their birth. Mr. and Mrs. Schulte were the parents of eleven children. S. H. Frank, born December 5, 1841, married Mary Kann, and is a farmer living in Clayton County. Sarah Ann, born April 18, 1843, is the widow of James Uriell. Edmond, born August 14, 1845, was killed by a runaway team. Herman, born December 10, 1848, married Kattie Kann, a cousin of his bro- ther Frank's wife. He is a prosperous farmer living in Read Township. Catherine, born April 27, 1851, is the wife of Dr. Henry Schmidt, whose son's sketch appears elsewhere in this work. The sixth and seventh children died in infancy, un- named. William was born July 24, 1854, lic mar- ried Amelia Pahlas and is living in Farmersburg Township. Henry was born February 8, 1857; he is the husband of Louisa Korte, who was born March 21, 1863, and whose parents are living in McGregor, this county. Her father has been engaged in farming until recently, but is now living a retired
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life. Henry has four children, Georgiana, Veron- ica, Maria and William Leo. John Edward, the tenth child of our subject, was born December 15, 1859. He married Amanda Boesccker, of Gutten- berg. They make their home in Black Hills, S. Dak. Julius C. was born May 28, 1862, and dicd July 17, 1863. Our subject was a Democrat in politics and was sixty-nine years old at the time of his death, which occurred October 8, 1876. He and his family were all members of the Roman Catholic Church.
After our subject's death Henry Schulte took charge of the farm, which consists of six hundred acres, four hundred of which are under a high state of cultivation, and the remaining two hundred are all fine timber land. This was one of the first farms settled in this township, Clayton County, and was cleared and improved by our subject, William Schulte. Henry Schulte and his family are all members of Father Readler's Catholic Church, and like his father he is a strong Democrat in politics.
ILLIAM H. DUNNING, the owner of valuable farming property in Monona Township, Clayton County, was born in Ashtabula, Ashtabula County, Ohio, October 25, 1840. Little is known definitely concerning the gencalogical history of the family, other than that they were of Welsh and English descent. His father, Vine Dunning, was born in Vermont, re- moved thence to Ohio, and about 1849 took his family to Lime Rock County, Wis. Four years later he settled in Franklin Township, Allamakee County, Iowa, where his death occurred at the age of sixty-five years. He was a man of liberal edu- cation and was anxions that his children should have every possible advantage; when a school was opened in the village of Hardin he built a house there, in which his children lived while attending the school.
The lady who in 1829 became the wife of Vine Dunning bore the maiden name of Rebecca Ann
Peet, and was born in Massachusetts, November 24, 1809, being of English descent. When a child she accompanied her parents to New York. At an advanced age she had the misfortune to fall and break her hip, and the injury thus received re- sulted in her death July 9, 1891. Her last days were spent on the old home farm in Franklin Township. Our subject was one of nine children, there being five sons and four daughters.
The eldest of the family, F. A., for many years Trustec of Franklin Township, still occupies the old homestead there; Juliette C. died unmarried; Mary E., who was three times married, had but one child, Frank Hall, now living near Manchester, Iowa; William II .; Marvin B. is a farmer in Delaware County; Martha is the wife of G. H. Atwood, of Northwood, Worth County, Iowa; Edward H. is a stockman at Luana, Clayton County, Iowa; Harriet is the wife of Edgar Young, of Dakota; George, the youngest of the household, is engaged as a farmer in Gentry County, Mo.
At the time of the removal to Iowa the subject of this sketch was about thirteen years of age. He attended the school at Hardin, but with that cx- ception remained on the home farin assisting his father until he attained his majority. During the last year spent at home his father paid him wages. After working as a farm hand one year he bought a farm adjoining his father's place, and to this new home, in 1862, he brought his bride, Emeline Jemison, a native of Greene County, Pa. Her grandfather, John Jemison, was a soldier in the War of 1812. Her father, David, was born in Greene County in 1821, and in 1849 came to Iowa, settling on a farm in Postville Township, Allamakee County, where his death occurred. The wife and inother, Sarah (Burge) Jemison, was born in Pennsylvania and now makes her home at Mt. Vernon, Iowa.
Mrs. Dunning is the eldest of nine children, of whom seven werc daughters and two sons. The others are, Isabelle, who married Edward H. Dun- ning and died at the age of twenty-eight; John, of Indianola, Warren County, Iowa; Mary, wife of Edward Henry, a real-estate dealer in Chicago; Sarah, wife of Lawrence Rosicr, of Labette County, Kan., where he is a incrchant; Margaret J., who
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married James Harris, now a retired farmer of Post- ville, Iowa; Frances, who married David Eaton at twenty years of age and died when twenty-five; Virginia, who died at the age of two and one-half ycars; and David, the youngest of the family.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dunning. David Vine was educated at the Upper Iowa University and is now superinten ding a farm in Franklin Township; he married Jane Lytle and has one child, Roy; Herbert, who is single, resides with his parents and is connected with a creamery; Henry married Mattie Pcarson, and they have one child, Harrison. He is tilling the soil of the farm in Postville Township that his mother inherited from her father's estatc. The only daughter, Emma, an accomplished young lady, has considerable musical ability and has been given a fine cducation in that art. '
Settling upon their present farm in Monona Township in 1880, Mr. and Mrs. Dunning have since made this place their home. By careful management they have acquired the ownership of one hundred and ninety-three acres, all of which is highly cultivated. Politically Mr. Dunning is a firm Republican; he has advocated the princi- ples of the party since its organization, but has never aspired to political honors, preferring to devote his attention to private enterprises.
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