USA > Iowa > Lee County > Story of Lee County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 11
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Mr. Hesse has always been a member of St. Joseph's Catholic church, is active in its work and generous in its support. He also belongs to St. Joseph's Society and is a charter member of the Knights of Columbus. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party, but he has never sought nor desired office as a reward for party fealty. In Fort Madison not to know Bernard B. Hesse, Sr., is to argue one's self unknown, so long and prominently has he been iden- tified with business affairs of the city. He certainly deserves much credit for what he has accomplished, for he has been the architect of
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his own fortunes and has builded wisely and well, being now in pos- session of a handsome competence which has come to him as the merited reward of his labors.
DAVID KOLLER.
David Koller, whose demise occurred January 27, 1914, when he had attained the age of almost eighty years, was one of the highly esteemed citizens and representative agriculturists of Denmark township, where he had made his home for a period covering fifty- seven years. He was born in Rhenish Bavaria, Germany, on the 9th of June, 1834. His father, the Rev. Henry Koller, was a Mennon- ite minister, who also owned and operated a farm and who passed away in Germany.
David Koller was the seventh in order of birth in a family of eight sons and two daughters and was the only one who established his home in the new world. He was also the last surviving member of the family. In his youth he espoused the Mennonite faith but in the later years of his life attended the Congregational church. In 1857, when a young man of twenty-three years, he crossed the Atlan- tic to the United States and made his way direct to Lee county, Iowa, locating in Denmark township, where he spent the remainder of his life. He first bought a tract of eighty acres which he cleared of the timber and improved and subsequently extended the bound- aries of his farm by additional purchase. Thereon he continued to reside until his demise, devoting his attention to general agricul- tural pursuits with excellent results and winning a gratifying meas- ure of prosperity in his undertakings.
On the 5th of April, 1866, Mr. Koller was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Herstein, who was born near Viele, Lee county, Iowa, August 20, 1845, and was reared in Franklin township. It was in the early '4os that her parents emigrated to America from Germany, where one of their children was born, the others being natives of this county. To Mr. and Mrs. Koller were born nine children, eight of whom grew to maturity and still survive. Dan- iel is an agriculturist by occupation and makes his home in Don- nellson, Lee county. Mrs. Emma Van Hynning resides with her husband on a farm two miles south of Denmark. Henry, who oper- ates his farm of one hundred and sixty-five acres adjoining the old home place, wedded Miss Anna Christensen, a sister of Helena
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Christensen, who married his brother, John C. Koller, on the same date. Mrs. Henry Koller had one child who died in infancy, while her demise occurred on the 2d of April, 1910. Lizzie Koller still resides at home. John C., of whom a sketch appears on another page of this work, is an agriculturist residing on section 21, Den- mark township. Edward A., a farmer living at Havelock. North Dakota, wedded Miss Emma Herstein, by whom he has two chil- dren, a son and daughter. Anna Mae Koller is at home. William A. married Miss Fannie Wilder and has two daughters.
David Koller gave his political allegiance to the republican party, loyally supporting its men and measures at the polls. It is generally conceded that in his passing the community lost one of its most esteemed, valued and venerable citizens.
JAMES W. SUMMERS.
James W. Summers is well remembered among the general con- tractors of Keokuk during the last quarter of the nineteenth century, although his last days were spent in southwestern Kansas. He was born in Virginia, November 12, 1835, a son of Andrew and Jane (McCall) Summers, who about 1840 brought their family to Lee county, settling where the poor farm is now located. This was sev- eral years before the admission of the state into the Union and the work of progress and development seemed scarcely begun. James W. Summers lived to witness many remarkable changes although his. residence in this section was not continuous. The family removed from Lee county to Clark county, Missouri, where the parents spent . their remaining days.
James W. Summers was educated in the public schools of Clark county, Missouri, and also in the public schools of Troy, Iowa. He then went to Alexandria, Missouri, and was associated with the gen- eral store of Maxwell & Johnson. Later he turned his attention to general contracting and in 1879 he came to Keokuk, where he con- tinued in the contracting business for some time. He later turned his attention to ranching in southwestern Kansas and was so engaged at the time of his death, which occurred on the 3d of May, 1896, at Burlington, as the result of a railroad accident.
It was on the 14th of December, 1881, that Mr. Summers was united in marriage to Miss Emma G. Weaver, a daughter of Clark and Nancy (Page) Weaver, who were residents of Clark county,
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Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Summers were not members of any re- ligious organization, but attended the Episcopal church and their lives were guided by high and honorable principles. In politics Mr. Summers was a democrat but not an office seeker, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business. Although he devoted some years to general contracting he was more interested in farming. In the former connection, however, he built levees between Warsaw and Quincy and was otherwise associated with the improvement and development of the section in which he made his home. He pos- sessed a social nature and won friends wherever he went, but he never allowed social activities to interfere with his duty to home and busi- ness. He displayed many sterling traits of character and those who knew him speak of him in terms of high regard. His widow survives him and makes her home in Keokuk.
BENJAMIN B. JEWELL.
Benjamin B. Jewell, who is now spending the evening of life in honorable retirement at Keokuk, where he has made his home for almost six decades, was long identified with financial interests as stockholder and director of the Keokuk Savings Bank and previous to his connection therewith devoted his attention for a number of years to the conduct of a wholesale grocery establishment.
His birth occurred in Madison, Jefferson county, Indiana, on the 10th of July, 1839, his parents being William J. and Eliza A. ( Black- iston) Jewell. The former, who was born in Baltimore, Maryland, October 1, 1812, wedded Miss Blackiston at New Albany, Indiana, on the 27th of May, 1834, and on November 1, 1855, came to Lee county, Iowa, locating in Keokuk. William J. Jewell was a painter by trade and followed that occupation throughout his active business career. He painted steamboats while in Cincinnati, but in Keokuk was engaged in house painting. In politics he was a republican, but never sought nor desired office as a reward for his party fealty. His demise occurred on the 12th of April, 1891, after a residence of more than a third of a century in Keokuk, where he had gained a wide and favorable acquaintance. His wife died on the 19th of December, 1884, passing away in the faith of the Methodist church. Their children were seven in number, as follows: Harriet Eliza, Benjamin Blackiston, Charles William, Sarah Elizabeth, Mary Margaret, John and James Edward.
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Benjamin B. Jewell left school at the age of thirteen years and secured a position as clerk in a retail store. He was a youth of six- teen when his parents established their home in Keokuk, and in April, 1857, accepted a position as bookkeeper in a wholesale grocery store. On the ist of January, 1865, he became a member of a whole- sale grocery firm and remained actively and successfully engaged in its conduct until November, 1889, when the business was discon- tinued. In 1890 he became general bookkeeper of the Keokuk Sav- ings Bank and continued with the institution as stockholder and di- rector for twenty-two consecutive years. For more than two decades he was likewise a director of the Lee County Loan & Building Asso- ciation and the Keokuk Loan & Building Association. He is now living retired. His residence is at No. 315 High street, Keokuk.
Mr. Jewell is a public-spirited and loyal citizen who manifests a helpful interest in movements instituted to promote the general welfare and in public affairs of importance. He made a creditable record in the office of city treasurer and for a period of thirty-five years was connected with the Library Association, acting as its vice president and for twenty-eight years as chairman of its book and catalogue committee. Mr. Jewell is a man of genial nature and cordial disposition who easily wins friends, while his many good qualities enable him to retain the high regard once gained. He has now passed the seventy-fifth milestone on life's journey, and his career has ever been such that he can look back upon the past without regret and forward to the future without fear.
E. P. HAZEN, D. D. S.
Dentistry is unique among the professions inasmuch as its fol- lowers if successful must possess three distinct qualities, mechanical ingenuity, scientific knowledge and the business ability which enables one to capably manage the financial interests of an undertaking. Well qualified in these particulars and especially well versed in the learn- ing of his profession, Dr. Hazen is regarded as one of the capable practitioners of dentistry in Fort Madison. He was born in Pennsyl- vania, November 22, 1857, and is a son of S. M. and Mary (Ney) Hazen, the former a farmer by occupation.
The son, spending his boyhood and youth under the parental roof, supplemented his public-school education by a course in the Pennsyl- vania State Normal. He decided upon the practice of dentistry as
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a life work and to this end entered the Philadelphia Dental College, from which he was graduated in the spring of 1883. For four years prior to his graduation, however, he had engaged in active practice under a permit from the state and had thus had broad and valuable experience before he came to the middle west. In January, 1884, he arrived in Fort Madison, where he has since remained. He now has a large and well equipped dental office supplied with the latest improved dental appliances and instruments which greatly facili- tate his work. He is an expert and painstaking operator and his ability has brought to him a liberal and growing practice. While many years have passed since his graduation he has kept abreast with the progress of the profession through wide reading and as a member of the Iowa State and National Dental Associations. He has been chairman of the county in connection with the state society. At one time he was half owner of the American College of Den- tistry, which sold out to the Northwestern University. For many years he was one of the lecturers in the Keokuk Dental College and became widely known as an able educator as well as practitioner.
On the Ist of February, 1880, Dr. Hazen was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Campbell, of Pennsylvania, and unto them have been born two daughters, Edna G. and L. Lala. Fraternally Dr. Hazen is a Mason, belonging to both the blue lodge and chapter, and he is also connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. In politics he is a republican where national issues are in- volved but casts an independent local ballot, supporting the candi- dates whom he deems best qualified for office without regard to party affiliations. He holds membership in the Presbyterian church, and his influence is always on the side of progress and improvement, whether in connection with his profession or in relation to public affairs.
HENRY WALLJASPER.
Henry Walljasper is a retired carpenter and builder, owning and occupying a farm of fifty acres situated on the western border of West Point. He was formerly the owner of a farm of one hundred and eighty-five acres adjoining the city on the west, but has recently sold this property to his son Anton, who is now cultivating the land. His farm extended altogether a mile east and west.
Mr. Walljasper is one of the early settlers of Lee county, having come here in 1851 with his two brothers and their parents. He was
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born in the province of Westphalen, Prussia, Germany, December 6, 1837, and is, therefore, in the seventy-seventh year of his age. He is a son of Otto and Katherine ( Hackenkamp) Walljasper, both of whom were also natives of Westphalen, where they were reared and married. It was in the year 1846 that they bade adieu to that country and sailed for the new world, settling first in St. Louis, where they arrived in January, 1847. They resided in that city for five years, the father there working at the painter's trade, and in the fall of 1851 they came to West Point. The father engaged in painting signs, in lettering and doing other similar work. He died about twenty- eight years ago, having reached the age of seventy-four years and eight months. His wife passed away forty-eight years ago and was then fifty-six years of age. In their family were three children: Henry and Stephen, both of whom were born in Germany; and John, a native of West Point.
From the age of fourteen years Henry Walljasper has resided at West Point. He can well remember incidents of the voyage to the new world and of their residence in St. Louis. He worked with his father at the painter's trade and later took up carpentering, which he mastered. Subsequently he formed a partnership with his brother Stephen for carpenter and contract work, and they erected the school- house and many other buildings at West Point, becoming recognized leaders in their line, a position which they maintained for many years in this vicinity and in nearby towns. Henry Walljasper was thus actively engaged in business for half a century and many of the substantial structures of West Point and the surrounding country stand as monuments to his skill and ability.
In the fall of 1865, at West Point, Mr. Walljasper was united in marriage to Miss Mary Roterick, who was born in Westphalen, Germany, in 1840, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Helleford) Roterick, who came to Lee county about 1847 and took up their abode near St. Paul, which is located on a part of the old home farm. Both the father and mother passed away upon that place. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Walljasper have been born five children, two of whom died in infancy. Katie is the wife of Frank Ussenbrink, a carpenter and builder, and they have two children, Henry and Albert. Mary is the wife of Frank Friedel, a farmer of Pleasant Ridge township, and they have one son, Leonard. Anton married Miss Katie Ding- man, a daughter of Barney and Margaret Dingman, and they have five children, Margaret, Alvin, Mary Agnes, Karl and Katie.
Mr. Walljasper built a new set of buildings upon his farm. He still lives at the old home and finds that in the management of his
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small place he has all that he cares to do. His has been an active and useful life, crowned with a substantial measure of success, and he always displayed good qualities, which have won for him high re- gard. Politically he is a democrat, and, while he has not sought or held political office, he has served for several years at various times as school director. He is a member of St. Mary's Catholic church and his life has been guided by his religious faith.
RUFUS HENRY YOUNKIN.
Rufus Henry Younkin, president of the Montrose Savings Bank and a retired farmer of Montrose township, was born August 17, 1836, in the town of Grayshot, not far from Zanesville, Muskingum county, Ohio. His paternal grandfather, Ralph Younkin, was a native of Virginia and spent his last days near Uniontown, Ohio. His son Joseph Younkin was born near Fortress Monroe, Virginia, and accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio. He married Susan Meek and about 1846 removed with his family to Iowa, both he and his wife spending their last days in Montrose township, Lee county.
Rufus Henry Younkin began his education in one of the old-time log schoolhouses common in frontier districts. When ten years of age he accompanied his parents to Iowa, most of the journey being made by boat by way of St. Louis and Peoria, Illinois. The family home was established at Farmington, Iowa, where in 1849 the father purchased a farm of one hundred and ten acres, upon which he lived for fifteen years. In 1864 a removal was made to Montrose town- ship, Lee county. Rufus H. Younkin completed his education in the public schools of Farmington, which he attended through the winter seasons to the age of nineteen years, devoting the summer months to work in the fields upon his father's farm.
On the 31st of March, 1870, Mr. Younkin was united in mar- riage, in Montrose township, to Miss Blanch A. Sawyer, a daughter of Thomas and Eliza (Snodgrass) Sawyer. Following their mar- riage the young couple began their domestic life upon a farm in Montrose township and for thirty-five years Mr. Younkin continued to devote his energies to general agricultural pursuits and became the owner of an excellent farm of two hundred acres, which is still in his possession. He brought the fields to a high state of cultiva- tion and added all modern accessories and equipments to his farm.
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At length, however, in 1905, he removed to the town of Montrose and retired from active connection with agricultural interests. He is now president of the Montrose Savings Bank, of which he was one of the organizers. This bank was established in February, 1902, with a capital of ten thousand dollars, which was increased in 19!1 to twenty thousand dollars. The present bank building was erected in 1912. The institution is now in a flourishing condition and is re- garded as one of the strong financial enterprises of the county.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Younkin have been born five children: Joseph S., who is living in Arkansas City, Kansas; Thomas S., de- ceased; Ralph A., who makes his home in Tacoma, Washington ; Katy, deceased; and Susan, now the wife of Harry Wardlaw, of Montrose. In his political views Mr. Younkin has long been a stalwart republican and has served as town councilman. His re- ligious faith is indicated by his membership in the Presbyterian church, in which he formerly held office. His life has been guided by high and honorable principles, and upon his industry and his per- severance he has builded the success which now crowns his efforts.
JOHN W. MEDDAUGH.
Too much honor cannot be paid to the veterans of that great con- flict which decided once for all that the Union was indeed indissolu- ble, and as a veteran of the Civil war John W. Meddaugh is entitled to the veneration of those who today are enjoying the peace and se- curity won in the '6os. He resides on his farm on section 10, Cedar township, and as his former labor enabled him to secure a compe- tence, he now lives practically retired, doing a little farm work when- ever he so desires.
His birth occurred at Farmington, Van Buren county, Iowa, on the 9th of July, 1847, and his parents were Benjamin and Eliza (Stevenson) Meddaugh. The father was born in New York in 1816 and, coming to Lee county, Iowa, in 1849, he farmed in Cedar township and devoted some attention to stock-raising as well. He passed away in 1911. The mother of our subject was born in Mary- land in 1821 and later removed to Ohio when the family home was established in that state. Her marriage occurred in Indiana, whence she again moved to Ohio and later to Iowa.
John W. Meddaugh is indebted to the public-school system for his educational advantages, and at the age of sixteen he enlisted in Com-
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pany C, Eighth Iowa Cavalry Volunteers under the command of Captain E. Pickett, of Farmington, lowa. He saw active service for two years and three months, being in a number of skirmishes and battles. He had the honor of becoming a personal friend of General Grant and often shared the commander's tent. He was mustered out at the end of the war at Clinton, Iowa, and then re- turned home. He has followed farming and stock-raising and has been very successful at those occupations. He owns seventy acres of productive land situated on section 10, Cedar township, and the farm is in an excellent condition. Besides this property he has one hun- dred and twenty acres in St. Louis county, Minnesota. As previously stated, Mr. Meddaugh is now practically living retired, enjoying the comforts of life which his long years of labor made possible.
Mr. Meddaugh was united in marriage to Miss Mary Annis Doane, who was born in Salem, Henry county, Iowa, on the 17th of July, 1849, a daughter of Robert and Rachel (Doane) Doane. Her father was a native of North Carolina, born in 1817, and her mother was born in Indiana in 1821. They were married in the latter state, but came to Lee county, Iowa, in 1851, the mother pass- ing away the following year. Mr. and Mrs. Meddaugh now reside on the old Doane homestead. They are the parents of a son, Robert Lee, whose natal day was July 28, 1873. He is now a resident of South America. Mr. Meddaugh is one of the most respected citi- zens of Lee county and his declining years are made bright by the consciousness of a life of usefulness and by the friendship of many.
ERNEST CORSEPIUS.
One of the most prominent figures in business circles of Fort Madison is Ernest Corsepius, who has promoted and successfully conducted a number of important commercial and industrial enter- prises. He also figures prominently in boat-racing circles and alto- gether is a popular citizen, highly esteemed wherever he-is known and most of all where he is best known. He was born in Germany in 1867 and is a son of Ernest and Elizabeth Corsepius, who came to the United States in 1870, making their way to Rock Island, Illi- nois, where the father engaged in business as a contractor and builder. He was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, however, but passed away in 1873. His widow survived him for about six years, dying in 1879.
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Start of race between the "Minnie ( the 2nd" and "Independence of St. Louis" on Mississippi River at Fort Madison in 1908. Won by Ernest Corsepins, owner and driver of "Minnie C the 2nd."
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Ernest Corsepius, who was one of a family of three sons, was but three years of age when the family crossed the Atlantic to the United States. His educational privileges were such as the public schools afforded but his opportunities in that direction were some- what limited, for at the age of thirteen years he went upon the river as a cabin boy. He spent six years on the river and then went from Dubuque, Iowa, to Memphis, Tennessee, in a skiff. He next worked in Arkansas for one winter and was employed at Cairo, Illinois, for a year and a half at bridge building. On the expiration of that period he removed to Galesburg, Illinois, and entered the employ of the Purington Paving Brick Company in the capacity of mill- wright. He was next with the Glenwood Ice Company in the re- sponsible position of manager for nine years and before the expira- tion of that period also engaged in the building and contracting business, in which he was quite successful, contributing in large measure to the improvement of the city as well as to individual prosperity. He laid out the Corsepius subdivision of Galesburg.
At length he decided to try his fortune in Iowa and took up his abode in Fort Madison in 1901. Here he embarked in the whole- sale ice business, which he is now conducting on an extensive scale, shipping from four hundred to nine hundred cars per year. He as- sisted in organizing the Fort Madison Sand & Gravel Company in 1910, and in 1908 he organized the Auto Supply & Engine Com- pany, a business which has proved a success from its inception. He has the best garage and repair shop in Fort Madison, employing twelve first-class mechanics in the conduct of the business. There is also a paint department which is equally well conducted. He is a man of undaunted energy and early came to a recognition of the fact that persistent energy can overcome any difficulty or obstacle. He has thus worked his way steadily upward until he is today one of the most important factors in the business activity of his city.
Mr. Corsepius helped to organize the Mississippi Power Boat Association and has been very active in connection with the racing- boat business. He has himself been connected with many notable racing events and held the championship of the Mississippi river for two years, building his own boats and operating them himself. He has also won eight different championship cups and an interest in four others. In 1914 Mr. Corsepius was elected president of the Fort Madison Commercial Club and as its head has instituted many movements tending to the material development of the city.
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