USA > Iowa > Lee County > Story of Lee County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 28
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of October, 1819. She passed away a few months before her hus- band's death, her demise occurring May 21, 1900. She was the second in a family of six children and had come to Lee county on the 19th of June, 1840, in company with her parents, Shepherd and Ann (McDaniel) Johnson, the former a native of Long Island, New York, and the latter of Pennsylvania. Both lived in Iowa until called to their final rest. The father, however, died September 19, 1840, only two weeks after his arrival in Green Bay township. His wife survived him for four years, her death occurring April 23, 1844, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Rogers. Unto Milward H. and Susan (Johnson) Rogers there were born eight children: Milward H., now living in Alberta, Canada; Johnson, whose home is in Green Bay township; George E .; Arthur, who is living near Red Deer, Alberta, Canada; Milward S., who died in infancy; Monroe, who passed away at the age of twenty-five years; Rebecca, who died at the age of three years ; and Thomas, who died in childhood.
George E. Rogers has been a lifelong resident of Green Bay town- ship and followed farming until October, 1913, when he removed to Wever. He then disposed of two hundred and forty acres of land among his children and now retains the ownership of one hundred acres. While in active business he largely engaged in raising grain and for twenty-four years he owned and operated a threshing machine. His work at all times was carefully and systematically done, and the neat and thrifty appearance of his place indicated his careful super- vision and his practical methods.
On the 22d of March, 1880, Mr. Rogers was joined in wedlock to Miss Cordelia May Vogt, who was born in Hancock county, Illinois, near Nauvoo, on the 1 1th of October, 1860. When she was five years of age her parents removed to Lee county, Iowa, settling in Montrose township, where she lived until her marriage. She is a daughter of Samuel H. and Elizabeth (McGregor) Vogt, the former born in Switzerland in 1835 and the latter in Coshocton county, Ohio, Sep- tember 1, 1831. Mrs. Vogt went with her father to Illinois about 1850 and when seventeen years of age Mr. Vogt had come from Switzerland to the new world, making his way direct to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he was married on the ist of January, 1857. Both he and his wife passed away in Green Bay township, his death occurring December 5, 1899, while his wife died on the 22d of February, 1903. They had three children : Mrs. Rogers; Anna, who died August 19, 1881, at the age of fifteen years; and James F., who died August 15, 1881, at the age of thirteen years. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers have a family of four children. Roy V., residing at Kramer, North Dakota,
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married Clara Kaeding, and they have three sons, Vance E., Donald F. and George R. Cora Elizabeth is the wife of William Sweeney, who occupies her father's farm in Green Bay township, and they have five children, George W., Millard, Edgar, Rosalie and Mildred. Frank K., residing on a part of the old homestead, married Millie A. Liddle, and they have a daughter, Helen M. Charley Bruce mar- ried Cheryl B. Massie, and they, too, occupy a part of the old home place.
Mr. Rogers has been a lifelong democrat and at one time was a candidate for sheriff. He has held a number of township offices and has ever discharged his duties with promptness and fidelity. His wife is a member of the Christian church, and both are members of the Grange. Mr. Rogers belongs also to the Elks lodge at Fort Madi- son, is a Royal Arch Mason and is a member of both the subordinate lodge and encampment of Odd Fellows. His membership is in Wever Lodge, No. 552, I. O. O. F., and in the encampment at Fort Madison. He has passed through all of the chairs in the lodge and for four years was elected to represent his county in the grand lodge. His life has been one of unfaltering activity. He was early trained to habits of industry and economy, and his early experience consti- tuted the foundation upon which he has built his later success. For fifty-six years he has lived in Lee county, witnessing its growth and progress, and he takes great delight in what has been accomplished. While he has many pleasant recollections of pioneer times, he has no wish to return to the "good old days," which were fraught with many hardships and privations. The opportunities which came to him he has improved, and today he is numbered among the prosperous citizens of his native county.
HARMON WILLIAM WENKE.
Harmon William Wenke, deceased, was for many years one of the leading farmers of Washington township, his home being on section 25. He was born in Prussia, Germany, April 9, 1840, and was a son of John Theodore and Mary Elizabeth Wenke, who emigrated to the new world in 1847 and became residents of Lee county, Iowa. They spent the remainder of their lives upon a farm in Washington town- ship. In their family were the following children : Frank, who went to sea at the age of seventeen years and was never heard from again; William, deceased; Harmon, of this review; Benjamin, a resident of
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Missouri ; Mrs. Elizabeth Arens, deceased; and Mrs. Lena Albers, of Kansas.
Harmon W. Wenke was only seven years of age when he crossed the Atlantic with his parents and became a resident of Lee county, Iowa. Here he was reared and educated in much the usual manner of farmer boys. When the Civil war broke out he was in Louisiana and was impressed in the Southern army, serving about nine months. At the end of that time he escaped and enlisted in the Northern army, becoming a member of Company C, Sixteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until hostilities ceased. He received a bullet wound in each arm and was in a hospital for some time. After participating in many important engagements he was honorably discharged and returned to his home in this county. Here he followed farming throughout his active business life and became the owner of two hundred and fifty acres in Green Bay bot- toms and one hundred and fifty acres in the home place on the bluffs in Washington township, where his widow now resides. He erected a good residence upon his farm and made other improvements which added to its value and attractiveness. In connection with general farming he gave considerable attention to the raising of stock.
On January 14, 1868, Mr. Wenke was united in marriage to Miss Louise Reichelt, also a native of Prussia, who was born August I, 1850, and came to this country with her parents at the age of seven vears. Her father, John Reichelt, was born in Prussia in 1820 and was there married to Marie Heince, whose birth occurred in 1824. On their emigration to America in 1857 they located upon a farm in Washington township, this county, where both died, the father in 1876 and the mother in 1886. In his native land Mr. Reichelt had followed the brickmaker's trade and after coming to this locality con- tinued to engage in that occupation in connection with farming. establishing a brick yard here in 1865. He also owned and operated two hundred acres of land and became quite well-to-do. In politics he was a republican, and in religious faith a Catholic. His children were: John, now a resident of Chicago; Louise, now Mrs. Wenke; August, who lives on the home farm in Washington township; Frances, the wife of Hugo Artz, of the same township; Pauline, the wife of Samuel Boovier, of Denver, Colorado; Julius, also a farmer of Washington township; and Ida, the wife of Henry Wiebler, of Washington township. All of the children were born in Prussia with the exception of the last two, who were born in this county.
Mr. and Mrs. Wenke became the parents of ten children, as fol- lows : John, a resident of Washington township; August, who died at
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the age of eighteen years; Ida, the wife of James Tebbs of Fort Madison; Frances, the wife of James Carney of Green Bay township; Harmon, of Washington township; Marie, the wife of Benjamin Mansheim of the same township; Pauline, the wife of Henry Gibler of Washington township; Louise, at home; Julius, at home; and Josephine, the wife of Fred Schroeder of Washington township.
After a useful and well spent life the father of this family passed away on Decoration Day, 1900. He was a devout member of St. Joseph's Catholic church of Fort Madison and by his ballot sup- ported the men and measures of the democratic party. His widow now occupies the old home farm, on section 25, Washington township, and the family is one of prominence in the community.
MAJOR DAVID B. HAMILL.
Major David B. Hamill belongs to one of the old and honored families of Lee county, where he has been a resident for over sixty- five years. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in March, 1843, and is a son of Smith and Nancy (McCandless) Hamill, of whom extended mention is made in another part of this work. He came here with his parents when six years of age and since the year 1852 has been a resident of Keokuk. After completing his primary educa- tion in the public schools of that city, he took a course in Monmouth College at Monmouth, Illinois, and was then employed in his father's wholesale grocery establishment in Keokuk. In 1864, when he was twenty-one years of age, he espoused the cause of the Union, offering his services to his country by enlisting in Company -C, Forty-fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered into service as first lieutenant and during most of the time of his enlistment was active captain of his company, continuing as such until honorably dis- charged.
Mr. Hamill has since been identified with the S. Hamill Company, wholesale grocers of Keokuk, whose establishment has ranked among the foremost business houses of the city for over sixty years. Mr. Hamill, although he is now past seventy-one years of age, is still very active in commercial affairs and has proven himself throughout life a far-sighted, sagacious, enterprising and determined business man. While he has attained to individual success, he has ever been considerate of the interests of others and has made many sacrifices in order to promote the general welfare.
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In 1870 Major Hamill married Miss Louise M. Sullivan, of Evansville, Indiana, and they are parents of two daughters, Louise D. and Emily N., and a son, Smith. The family are communicants of the First Westminster Presbyterian church and have generously contributed to that organization.
Mr. Hamill was commissioned major of the Iowa State Guard and is entitled to that prefix to his name. He is one of Keokuk's most enterprising citizens and has many friends, being admired for his simplicity of manner, the purity of his motives, his kindness toward his fellowmen and his public-spirited patriotism. By his activities he has brought honor to his city and in just retribution is honored by all those who know him. He is just and kind, determined and gentle, and, while he is most exacting in passing judgment upon any of his own actions, he is lenient in judging those of his fellow- men, ever ready to extend a helping hand to those who seek his help and whose burdens of life seem too heavy to carry.
ERNEST LANGE.
The attractive and well cultivated farm owned and operated by Ernest Lange on section 16, Green Bay township, testifies to his skill and ability in his chosen occupation. Like many of the leading citizens of this locality, his early home was on the other side of the Atlantic, for he was born in Prussia, Germany, on the 29th of Sep- tember, 1845, a son of Herman and Christina ( Bettelthon) Lange. The father was born near Gultz, in Wunschendorf, Germany, in 1820, and the mother's birth occurred on the 2d of February, 1821. Decid- ing to try their fortune in the new world, they crossed the ocean and arrived in Burlington, Iowa, on the 4th of August, 1851. From there they proceeded by wagon to Fort Madison, and took up their abode upon a farm in Green Bay township, this county.
Throughout his active business life Herman Lange followed farm- ing and became the owner of several hundred acres of very valuable and productive land. In connection with its cultivation he engaged in the buying and selling of cattle for a time and the success that he achieved was due entirely to his own unaided efforts, for he came to this country empty-handed. He died at the age of seventy-two years, but the mother of our subject still survives at the advanced age of ninety-three. He was a democrat in politics, and both he and his wife were members of the German Lutheran church. Their family
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numbered eight children as follows: Paulina, who is living with her mother; Ernest, of this review; Ernestina; Augusta, the wife of August Schubert, of Washington township; Robert, of Green Bay township; Anna, the wife of John Pletcher, of Dover, Iowa; Alice, the wife of John Meisel of Green Bay township; and Herman E., also a resident of that township.
Since coming to this locality, in 1851, Ernest Lange has made his home in Green Bay township. He was only six years of age at the time of his arrival here and his education has therefore been acquired in the public schools of the county. Under the able direction of his father he soon became familiar with agricultural pursuits and since attaining manhood has followed farming with good success. He and his wife at one time owned one hundred and twenty-two acres, but have since disposed of a part of this to the Power Company and now have ninety-five acres on section 16, Green Bay township, which he has placed under excellent cultivation.
In 1876 Mr. Lange married Miss Allie Craig, who was born in Indiana in 1856 and came here with her parents when about six years old. Seven children were born of this union, namely: Clara, the wife of Charles Hunger of Burlington; Charles, a resident of Green Bay township; Robert, who died at the age of six years; Lydia, the wife of Samuel Tucker of Green Bay township; Hulda and Ernest, both at home; and Golda, now in Burlington.
The democratic party finds in Mr. Lange a stanch supporter of its principles, and he has efficiently filled both school and road offices. He and his family hold membership in the Evangelical Lutheran church of Fort Madison, and he is also connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
SMITH HAMILL.
Smith Hamill, who came to Lee county in 1846 and located in Keokuk in 1852, was a man of unusual force of character and left an indelible impress for good on all with whom he came in contact. Born July 23, 1815, in Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, a son of John Hamill, his early life was spent at hard work on the home farm, attending the neighboring schools to a limited extent. Perhaps the rigid training of his youth had much to do with his success in life; possibly, too, the wise counsel of God-fearing parents entered into this, but coupled with it all was the spirit that dared to do and to do
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right. He came west and settled on a farm in Jackson township, Lee county, Iowa, in 1846, being engaged in its operation for six years. It was during this time that his worth was recognized by his election to the first legislature of the state of Iowa, held at lowa City. While always interested in public matters, Mr. Hamill was in no sense a politician, his liking being for commerce and for the pleasures of home. He removed from the farm to Keokuk in 1852 and founded the wholesale grocery house that yet bears his name. While new to business, his keen foresight enabled him to successfully surmount the panic of 1857 and subsequent panics with honor and unimpaired credit. His history was a part of the formative period of Keokuk.
Mr. Hamill was a man of strong character. He belonged to the United Presbyterian church, in which for years he was an elder. A strong advocate of the temperance cause, he was an example in prac- ticing what he preached. For a long time he was a member of the Keokuk school board. Of the many that benefited by his counsel and sound advice was the Iowa State Insurance Company, of which he was president for a considerable length of time. His death, which occurred November 8, 1895, was a distinct loss to the city and county. The house he founded over sixty years ago is now being continued by his sons, D. B. and L. A. Hamill, under the name of the S. Hamill Company.
ROBERT LANGE.
One of the most prosperous agriculturists of Green Bay township is Robert Lange, whose elegant home is located on section 8. He was born in the township where he still resides on the 4th of Octo- ber, 1854, and is a son of Herman and Christina ( Bettelthon) Lange, who emigrated to the new world in 1851. At that time the family were in very limited circumstances and the father afterward remarked that he hardly knew where his first meal in America was to come from. Success attended his well directed efforts, and he eventually became the owner of several hundred acres of very valuable and productive land in Green Bay township. In connection with its cul- tivation he also bought and sold cattle to some extent. He held mem- bership in the German Lutheran church and by his ballot supported the men and measures of the democratic party. He served as town- ship trustee for two terms and was honored and respected by all who knew him. He was born December 18, 1820, and passed away
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more than two decades ago, but his widow, who was born on the 2d of February, 1821, is still living and continues to make her home in this county. Their children were: Paulina, who makes her home with her mother; Ernest, a farmer of Green Bay township; Ernes- tina; Augusta, the wife of August Schubert; Robert, of this review ; Anna, the wife of John Pletcher, of Dover, lowa; Alice, the wife of John Meisel; and Herman E., whose sketch appears upon another page of this volume.
Reared upon the homestead farm, Robert Lange carly gained an excellent knowledge of agricultural pursuits, to which he has de- voted his life .. In connection with general farming, however, he has engaged in the threshing business, in baling hay and straw and in feeding cattle for the market. He is today the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and sixty-nine acres near Wever and upon the place has recently completed a fine home at a cost of eight thousand dollars. It is an eight-room residence, supplied with all modern conveniences, including electric lights, for which purpose he has his own electric light and power plant. This plant also pumps the water for his stock and supplies power for the washing machine, cream separator and churn. Upon the place is a barn forty by sixty-two feet, with twenty-foot posts, and it is forty feet from the ground to the gable. In this barn twenty head of horses can be accommodated and there is room for one hundred tons of hay, and there are two carriers which can handle two loads of hay at the same time. Mr. Lange keeps on hand twenty-five head of horses and mules, about thirty head of cattle and fifty head of hogs. He and his three sons do all the work upon the farm, and he has run as high as three gang plows and six cultivators at one time. He has upon the place three sets of buildings, two of which he rents.
On the 25th of September, 1887, Mr. Lange was united in mar- riage to Miss Ellen Mueller, who was born in Burlington, Iowa, November 3, 1863, of German parentage. Her father died while on a visit to the old country, but her mother is still living here. In the Lange family were ten children, of whom Alpha, the seventh in order of birth, died in infancy. The others are: Carl A., Harry F., Caroline, Robert, Herbert, Edna, Nelson, Arthur and Mabel. The two eldest sons are operating a farm of two hundred and forty acres, upon which the family lived until 1913, when Mr. Lange sold the place to the Water Power Company and bought his present farm. He is regarded as one of the most enterprising and progressive farm- ers of his community and is a man highly esteemed by all who know him.
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He has filled all of the chairs in Wever Lodge, No. 552, I. O. O. F., and is also connected with the Rebekah lodge and the Grange. His religious faith is that of the German Lutheran church and since attaining his majority he has never faltered in his adherence to the democratic party. He has served as township trustee and road com- missioner and never withholds his support from any enterprise which he believes calculated to prove of public benefit.
GEORGE W. VAN HYNING.
George W. Van Hyning, now engaged in merchandising at Sawyer, has practically spent his entire life in Lee county, for he was born in West Point township, January 17, 1847, his parents being Van Rensselaer and Susan (Burgman) Van Hyning. He has a genealogical record of the Van Hyning family dating back to the seventeenth century, and his great grandparents were heirs to the Anneke Jans Bogardus estate through Hanna Brower, a daughter of Michael Brower. In the early settlement of New York his ancestors came to the new world and located in lower Manhattan. His grand- father, Thomas Van Hyning, removed to Ohio in pioneer days and from that state came to Lee county, Iowa, with the parents of our subject in 1844, the family locating upon a farm here. The grand- father died of cholera in the '50s.
Van Rensselaer Van Hyning underwent the usual privations and experiences of the pioneer farmer and in connection with the develop- ment of his land he also conducted a cooper shop on his farm, leaving the greater part of the cultivation of the place to his sons. He was a great Sunday school worker in the Methodist Episcopal church. He took great pleasure in hunting, killing many deer and a large amount of other game in those early days. His father had served as a soldier in the Mexican war and for a number of years his mother received a pension. Van Rensselaer Van Hyning was born in Warren county, Ohio, and on reaching manhood married Susan Burgman, a native of Ontario, Canada, who removed to the Buckeye state with her parents during childhood. She died on the home farm in West Point township, this county, and he passed away at the home of a son in Des Moines. George W. Van Hyning is the eldest of their three children, the others being : A. O., who died in Edwardsville, Illinois; and Thompson, who was for a number of years assistant curator in the museum department at Des Moines and is now connected with
.
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the State University of Florida at Gainesville. A. O. Van Hyning is survived by his five children, all of whom are married and residents of Illinois, namely: Rolland, Mrs. Maud Wellington, Pearl, Ray- mond and Roy.
George W. Van Hyning is indebted to the public schools of this county for the early educational privileges which he enjoyed, and here he has continued to make his home with the exception of one year spent in Nebraska in 1871. He then returned home and took care of his parents while engaged in farming until 1895. In that year he established a store at Sawyer, where he has since carried on business, and he also served as postmaster at that place until the office was discontinued on establishing a free rural delivery here. Besides his business he also owns a good home and with him now resides the family of his brother, Thompson, who married Mattie Pachaly of Lee county. They have five sons, namely, Clio, Arca, Oather, Emil and George, the first and second being named after species of shells, in which their father takes a great interest. Mr. Van Hyning has quite an extensive and well selected library and has gathered a valu- able collection of Indian relics and fossils in this locality. Although he never had the advantages of a higher education, both he and his brother have always taken great pleasure in the work of the naturalist. In politics he is a republican, and fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America.
HERMAN E. LANGE.
With the farming and stock-raising interests of Green Bay town- ship Herman E. Lange has been prominently identified since reach- ing manhood, and he now makes his home on section 10. He was born in that township on the 28th of February, 1862, and is the youngest of the eight children born to Herman and Christina (Bet- telthon) Lange, of whom extended mention is made in the sketch of Robert Lange on another page of this volume.
During his boyhood our subject attended the common schools of the neighborhood and aided in the work of the home farm. On leaving the parental roof he engaged in farming upon rented land for three years and at the end of that time purchased eighty acres, which he operated until about 1903. He then sold out and bought Big Island, consisting of four hundred and ninety-five acres on the Mississippi river, belonging to Green Bay township. In the pur-
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chase of this property he was in partnership with H. D. McCahn, and to its cultivation and management he devoted his attention for three years. He then disposed of that property to the Water Power Company and has since operated a farm of three hundred acres belonging to his mother-in-law. He had previously cultivated this place, however, in connection with the Island and has always engaged in farming on quite an extensive scale. He has also given con- siderable attention to the raising of stock and now has twenty-five head of horses, the same number of cattle and about one hundred and fifty hogs upon his place. He raises over eight thousand bushels of corn annually. He now owns two hundred acres of land and three acres inside the city limits at Milburn, Oklahoma, which property is among the Chickasaw Indians, and he expects to locate thereon in 1915.
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