USA > Iowa > Lee County > Story of Lee County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 30
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DAVID J. AYRES.
While four years have come and gone since David J. Ayres passed away he is yet remembered by the great majority of Keokuk's citi- zens as a leading business man and representative citizen closely as- sociated with public interests for many years. For an extended period he was identified with the jewelry firm of T. R. J. Ayres & Sons at Keokuk, coming of a family long closely identified with the jewelry trade. His parents were Thomas Robinson Jamison and Sarah (Smith) Ayres, the former a grandson of William Ayres and a son of Samuel Ayres, who was born in Danville, Virginia, in 1767, and learned and followed the jeweler's trade. Removing to Lexing- ton, Kentucky, he there opened a jewelry store in 1795 and subse- quently conducted a jewelry business in Danville, Kentucky, where
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he remained to the time of his death in 1824. He won a state-wide reputation as an expert watch maker and jeweler and it was under his guidance that his son, T. R. J. Ayres, learned the trade. He re- mained in association with his father in business until the latter's death and then succeeded to the ownership of the store. In 1857 he removed to Lewis county, Missouri, where he resided for about eight years, coming to Keokuk in 1865. For eighteen years thereafter he was a resident of this city and was an active, prominent and honored factor in its commercial circles, here conducting a jewelry business to the time of his death, which occurred in 1883. He left his busi- ness to his two sons, David J. and Joseph J.
The former was born on the 2d of February, 1845, in Danville, Kentucky, and when twelve years of age accompanied his parents on their removal to Canton, Missouri, in 1857. Six years afterward he went to St. Louis and took a course in bookkeeping at Joseph's Busi- ness College and in the early '6os came to Keokuk, arriving in this city before his father. He purchased a little jewelry store which was destined to grow into a large and prosperous concern. He bent every energy toward the upbuilding of the trade and his enterpris- ing methods, his persistency and his thoroughly reliable dealing were features in his growing success. He was afterward joined by his father and following his father's death he and his brother, Joseph J. Ayres, became proprietors of the business, with which David J. Ayres was continuously connected until his demise. He was an expert workman in the jewelry trade and, morcover, was acquainted with every phase of the business so that he knew how to make judicious purchases. He always carried a large and well selected line and his efforts to please his patrons, combined with the integrity of his business methods, secured him a very gratifying patronage. Beside being president of the jewelry firm of T. R. J. Ayres & Sons he was a director of the State Central Savings Bank and a director of the Keokuk & Hamilton Water Power Company.
On the Ist of February, 1883, Mr. Ayres was united in marriage to Miss Virginia Burkitt, a daughter of Dr. William Burkitt, and unto them were born a son and a daughter. Mr. Ayres gave his po- litical allegiance to the democratic party and was one of its recog- nized leaders in Lee county. He served as mayor of Keokuk, was also postmaster, and for two terms filled the office of alderman, ex- ercising his official prerogatives in support of various measures and movements for the public good, his efforts being a tangible asset in municipal progress. When mayor of the city he introduced various needed reforms and improvements and gave to Keokuk a very busi-
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ness-like administration. In politics he was a stanch democrat, and he enjoyed the distinction of being one of the very few members of that party who were elected aldermen of the first ward, which is the republican stronghold. His popularity as a politician was shown in 1880, when he overcame a large majority and was elected alder- man on the democratic ticket. After serving two years he became the popular choice for mayor and in 1882 he was elected by an over- whelming majority. That he retained his strength in politics after deserting that field was shown a few years since, when he again carried the ward for alderman. In the council he was a tower of strength and his opinion was always sought. Had he desired he could have climbed the ladder of politics and ascended to the highest rung. Not only was he a prominent democrat in this city and Lee county, but his popularity extended throughout the state. Several times he was a delegate to democratic national conventions and he was always the choice of the members of his party as a delegate to the city, county and state conventions. So, in the death of David J. Ayres, Keokuk lost one of her strongest and most influential citi- zens. He was a man of strong convictions, well posted and able to present his opinion intelligently and without the least hesitation. In business he was a success; in politics he was a success. In fact. in every venture he emerged victorious. And so it was that during his administration the city prospered and all business enterprises flourished under his care.
Fraternally Mr. Ayres was connected with the Elks and his re- ligious faith was that of the Episcopal church. His life in all its relations measured up to high standards and commanded for him the respect and esteem of all who knew him. In his death, which oc- curred on the 9th of December, 1909, Keokuk recognized the fact that she had lost one of her most useful citizens and those with whom he was associated in close ties of friendship felt that their loss was indeed great.
REV. EDWARD H. RUDD, S. T. D.
Rev. Edward H. Rudd, S. T. D., who since 1903 has been rector of St. Luke's church of Fort Madison, was born in Kenosha, Wis- consin, and was graduated from Racine College in 1869 with first honors, receiving the degree of B. A. at that time and the degree of M. A. in 1872. In the latter year he was graduated from Nashotah
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with the degree of B. D., and was ordained a deacon in old St. Paul's church of Milwaukee on the 28th of May, that year, by Bishop Ar- mitage. He was a member of Bishop Armitage's brotherhood and in charge of Christ church, Milwaukee, in 1872-3, and of St. John's church of Elkhorn, Wisconsin, in 1873-4. In the latter year he was made deacon in charge of St. Paul's church of Plymouth, Wiscon- sin, and was a member of the convention at the organization of the diocese of Fond du Lac.
Dr. Rudd was ordained a priest at the cathedral at Milwaukee in 1874, this being the first ordination of Bishop Wells. Two years later he was made assistant at St. Paul's church, Detroit, with Rev. Dr. Pitkin as rector. In 1877 he was received into the diocese of Illinois and became rector of St. John's church of Knoxville and chaplain of St. Mary's school at the same place. He was a member of the primary convention of the diocese of Quincy, December 11, 1877, and two years later became rector of St. John's church in Ke- wanee, Illinois, and in charge of St. Matthew's church at Cambridge, that state. In 1881 he was again appointed chaplain of St. Mary's school, which position he filled until coming to Fort Madison in 1903.
Dr. Rudd has held every office in the gift of the convention of the diocese of Quincy and was appointed one of the examining chaplains by Bishop Burgess at the organization of the diocese, which office he held until 1903. He was the first secretary of the Board of Missions and represented the diocese in three general conventions, being a pro- visional deputy for all other years. He was secretary of the diocesan convention up to 1903 and was also secretary of the standing com- mittee from 1891 and has been a member of the provincial synod since its organization in 1880, serving as its secretary for many years. In 1901 he was elected president of the standing committee. It was in 1890 that he received the degree of S. T. D. from Racine College, his alma mater. As previously stated, Dr. Rudd came to Fort Madi- son, Iowa, in 1903 to take the position of rector of St. Luke's church, and he has since been very active in the diocese of Iowa, which he has represented on several occasions in the department missionary conferences. He has been examining chaplain since coming to the diocese and is a member of the standing committee. He has also been dean of the Muscatine deanery and for several years chairman of the committee on constitutions and canons of the diocesan conven- tion.
In 1879 Dr. Rudd was united in marriage to Miss Anna Francis, a native of England, who came to this country in childhood and was a teacher in St. Mary's school at Knoxville, Illinois. There they
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worked together for some time and are widely known by a large number of graduates from that institution. They have one son, Harold Huntington, who was born in Kewanee, Illinois, in 1880 and is now connected with the Westinghouse Electric Works at Pitts- burgh, Pennsylvania. There is a grandchild, Ann Francis, who was born in 1914.
Since coming to Fort Madison Dr. Rudd has taken active interest in the affairs of the city, especially along moral lines, and has been ready at all times with voice and pen to favor every good work. He is prominent in several organizations, being the present chaplain of the Elks lodge at this place and also chaplain of the state organiza- tion. He has always been a leader in the Knight Templars and has been prelate or eminent commander of the local commandery during his entire residence here, holding the latter office at the present time. His influence is widely felt and he is today regarded as one of the most prominent ministers of the Episcopal church in Iowa.
MAJOR MONTGOMERY MEIGS.
For many years Major Montgomery Mcigs has been in the gov- ernment service, doing important work in various sections of the country. His duties for an extended period have kept him on the Mississippi river, and he is now a valued and esteemed resident of Keokuk. He was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1847, a son of Cap- tain M. C. Meigs, of the United States Corps of Engineers. When the son was but three years of age the father removed to Rouses Point, New York, building a fort at the outlet of Lake Champlain, close to the boundary between the United States and Canada. Later he went to Washington, D. C., which remained the seat of his activ- ities until his death. He built the Washington aqueduct and various public works, and at the time of the Civil war was selected as quar- termaster general, filling that position until his retirement at the age of sixty-six years. He married a daughter of Commodore John Rodgers of the United States navy, who for a number of years was ranking officer of the naval station at Washington. He served as a soldier in the War of 1812 and he was the builder of the house in President Square in which the attempt to assassinate W. H. Seward was made by one of the members of the secession gang who killed Abraham Lincoln.
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Major Meigs of this review was educated in private schools in Washington and in Philadelphia, and afterward went to Harvard University, where he pursued a two years' course in engineering. He then went abroad and at Stuttgart, Germany, attended the Royal Polytechnic for two years. Upon his return home he accepted a position with the Northern Pacific Railway Company, then engaged in pioneer work from Lake Superior to Puget Sound. He located and built the track of the Northern Pacific from Jamestown to Bis- marck, North Dakota, and laid out the first squares of Bismarck so that lots could be sold. During three years spent with the Northern Pacific, Major Meigs was with two surveying expeditions up the Yellowstone river, being with the Stanley expedition, which pene- trated as far as the Musselshell and up past the mouth of the Little Big Horn, where the Custer massacre occurred. During these ex- peditions Major Meigs saw some Indian fighting. The country was then in a wild state, being largely unsettled. It was full of buf- falo, elk and other big game, and much personal bravery and deter- mination were required to face conditions which existed in the northwest at that day.
In 1873 the failure of Jay Cook & Company of the Northern Pacific brought on a financial panic, resulting in the dispersing of the engineering corps, and Major Meigs joined his father at Rock Island and proceeded with him through to the western coast. On the way they stopped at Sidney, Nebraska, which was then a frontier post, and went on a buffalo hunt through the South Platte district, where they found a great herd of buffalo. The animals were quiet and curious enough, feeding peacefully with Texas cattle and roam- ing over the plains. The party killed some buffalo and then pro- ceeded on to San Francisco. At that point they boarded a steamer for Portland, Oregon, and thence made the trip up the Columbia river to the Cascades on the last boat which made the trip that season, for two days later the river froze over-a rare occurrence. Subse- quently, Major Meigs returned to Washington and was employed for a few months in the coast survey office in the Bureau of Weights and Standards. He was next appointed by the secretary of war United States civil engineer and stationed at Rock Island, and from that time to the present has been on the Mississippi.
In 1876 Major Meigs was united in marriage to Miss Grace Lynde, of Rock Island, now deceased, and unto them were born six children, all of whom are yet living. On the Ist of January, 1882, Major Meigs was assigned to Keokuk, in charge of the river improve- ments from Burlington, Iowa, to Hannibal, Missouri. His task
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also included the completion of the old Des Moines Rapids canal and he lived to see it submerged under Lake Cooper. In 1889 he built a dry dock adjacent to the middle lock of the canal and it was in use until 1913. He has built many steamboats, dredges and mis- cellaneous parts of a floating plant, all used in the river improvement of the government. He has had the local supervision of all building for the Mississippi River Power Company and of the locks and dry docks which they built. He has been continuously in the active service of the government since 1877, or for thirty-seven years, which fact is indicative of his faithfulness, capability and unfaltering allegiance.
Major Meigs served for one term and part of another on the Keokuk school board. He was president of the old Keokuk Bicycle Club, afterward merged into the Keokuk Country and Golf Club and now about to celebrate the opening of its beautiful new home at Price's Creek. Major Meigs' duties have called him into various sections of the country and made him largely familiar with its his- tory and upbuilding. All who have been familiar with his career recognize his absolute loyalty to duty as well as to his thorough understanding of the great scientific principles which underlie his work and which have enabled him to execute the practical phases of the work in most capable manner.
ABNER PALMER FLETCHER.
Abner Palmer Fletcher is the owner of Maple Mound Farm, which is one of the best improved and most valuable agricultural properties of the county. He engages in the breeding and selling of stock and also ships grain and seed to the markets of the middle west, and is signally successful in all of his activities.
The Fletcher family is of Scotch origin and five generations back the ancestors of Mr. Fletcher came to the United States from Acadia. The grandfather of Abner P. Fletcher was born in a log cabin in Ohio, which was also the birthplace of his son, John A., the father of the subject of this review. John A. Fletcher served four years in the Civil war and died at the age of seventy-two years, rich in the honor and esteem of his fellowmen. His wife, who in her maidenhood was Elizabeth Palmer, still survives and is now seventy- four years of age. She makes her home in Hancock county, Illinois, and is still active and enjoys good health, doing her own work. She
MR. AND MRS. ABNER P. FLETCHER
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became the mother of eight children as follows: Roy, also a resident of Hancock county; May, the wife of Willis Ervin, a farmer of the same county; Edward, a horse buyer in that county and also the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of land; Abner Palmer, of this review; Mina, the wife of P. D. Myers, a farmer and stock- raiser of Hancock county, Illinois; Knox, a farmer and horse buyer, owning one hundred and twenty acres in Missouri; Winnie, who is Mrs. Frank Craig, of Viola, Iowa; and one who died in infancy.
Abner Palmer Fletcher was born in Hancock county, Illinois, November 28, 1871, and completed the course in the public schools of that county and for two terms was a student at Carthage College. He subsequently took a business course and was graduated from Na- tional Penart Hall of Delaware, Ohio. He was for one year con- nected with educational work as a professor at Hall Institute at Sharon, Pennsylvania. At the end of that time he became overseer of a rolling mill, but later returned to Illinois and rented a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, which he cultivated for three years. He then rented another farm and gradually became interested in stock-raising, in which he successfully engaged in Illinois for eight years. In 1904 he purchased his present farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Lee county, Iowa, paying for it the highest price ever received for farm land in the county. He has made a number of improvements on the place since it came into his possession, among other things draining the whole farm, and a crop failure is a thing unknown to him. He feeds much of his grain raised to his stock and is known as one of the extensive stock raisers and shippers of the county. In 1913 he fed and sold over four hundred hogs, all of which were in fine condition and which brought a good price upon the market. He also buys cattle and grain and ships the same to Chicago, doing an extensive and profitable business in that line. In 1912 his business aggregated seven hundred and fifty-five thousand dollars, which sum is the best evidence of his ability in his chosen line of work and of his material prosperity.
On the 2d of April, 1893, Mr. Fletcher was united in marriage to Miss Martha E. Conn, a daughter of Isaac and Louisa Conn, of Muskingum county, Ohio, born March 24, 1867. Her father is liv- ing but her mother passed away about ten years ago. Mrs. Fletcher was a successful teacher for eleven years previous to her marriage .. She has become the mother of five daughters as follows: Ada, born August 9, 1895; Georgia, whose birth occurred January 13, 1897. and who passed away in 1911 ; Lena, born March 2, 1901 ; Alice, No- vember 27, 1902; and Blanche, March 5, 1906. Vol. II-20
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The family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Fletcher is fraternally a member of the Masonic order, belonging to the blue lodge, and of the Elks and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a member of the board of trustees of Pleasant Ridge township. In 1909 the family residence burned down on Sunday morning while everyone was away at church, but Mr. Fletcher and his youngest child, who were resting in the yard under a tree. Suddenly he saw flames breaking out from the house and in a short time the building was but an ash heap. In its place he erected a fine large house, up-to-date in every particular, being supplied with such modern conveniences as hot water heat, bath-room and run- ning water. Mr. Fletcher is an enthusiastic believer in the oppor- tunities offered by farm life and is recognized as one of the most successful and most progressive of the agriculturists of Lee county. He has not only won individual prosperity but has done much to raise the standard of farming throughout his locality, thus con- tributing to the general welfare.
AUSTIN D. STORMS.
Starting out in life for himself in limited circumstances, Austin D. Storms has gradually worked his way upward to prosperity and is today a wealthy lumber broker of Fort Madison. In this city he has spent his entire life, being born here March 24, 1866, and he is a son of Jacob D. and Minnie A. (Wallace) Storms, both natives of Ohio. The mother was born in Columbus, November 11, 1839, and came to Fort Madison in 1854 with a sister and brother-in-law, the latter being B. R. Essex, who came here to install the first ma- chinery in the state prison. Her parents were at that time dead. Our subject's father was born on a farm near Cincinnati and in early life learned the printer's trade. After coming to Fort Madison he was connected for some time with the Democrat and Plain Dealer and became widely known as a newspaper man in this locality. He died in Fort Madison in 1888, at the age of fifty-seven years, but the mother of our subject is still living and now makes her home at No. 1411 Fifth street. In their family were seven children, three of whom died in early childhood, the others being: Austin D .; Charles W., of Fort Madison ; Katharine K., of Valley City, North Dakota; and Minnie A., who lives with her mother.
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Having spent his entire life in Fort Madison, Austin D. Storms is indebted to its public schools for the early educational privileges he enjoyed. Being in limited circumstances and unable to pursue his studies further, he took up stenography at home and eventually perfected himself in that art, being later employed in a lumber office as a stenographer for cleven years. Throughout his business career he has practically been identified with the lumber business, serving as city salesman for a time and afterward as a traveling salesman for a lumber firm. For four years he was connected with the lowa Farming Tool Company in their office and as traveling salesman, but in 1904 he embarked in business on his own account as a lumber broker. Each week he spends a part of the time on the road, cover- ing local territory, and he has met with remarkable success in his undertaking. He is thoroughly familiar with the lumber business in all its departments and has become identified with a number of different concerns, being now vice president of the Midland Lumber Company of Freeport, Illinois, which owns fourteen lumber yards at the present time, and he is a member of its board of directors. He is also a stockholder of the German-American State Bank of Fort Madison.
In 1898 Mr. Storms married Miss Jane E. Hannum, who was born in Burlington, lowa, January 5, 1873. Two children have been born to them, Lucy K. and Mary L. Mrs. Storms is an active member of the Presbyterian church and prominently identified with its affairs as secretary of the Ladies' Aid Society. She is also a member of the King's Daughters. Politically Mr. Storms is a pro- gressive republican, but he has never cared for official honors, pre- ferring to devote his undivided attention to his business interests. The success that he has achieved in life is certainly well merited, for it has been due entirely to his own energy, industry and progressive methods.
HERMAN VOGT.
Herman Vogt is a representative of one of the pioneer families of Lee county and is now engaged in farming on section 36, Wash- ington township, owning a good tract of land which is situated on the Burlington road, about two miles from Fort Madison. His birth occurred December 29, 1859, in Green Bay township, his parents being William and Caroline (Goethert) Vogt, both of whom were natives of Prussia. The mother was born in 1831 and came with her
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brother, Ernest, to the new world in 1853. Here she gave her hand in marriage to William Vogt, and they took up their abode upon a farm in Green Bay township. The father was a cabinetmaker by trade and followed that pursuit in Fort Madison and in Burlington before purchasing land. Subsequently, however, he saved from his earnings a sum sufficient to enable him to invest in farm property and his life, therefore, was given to general agricultural pursuits. His wife died at the age of forty-eight years, and he passed away at the age of seventy-eight years. In their family were ten children : Bertha, now the wife of Julius Schubert, of Seattle, Washington; Herman; Henry and William, who are residents of Washington township, this county; Minnie, the wife of C. C. Cooney of Fort Madison; Gus, who was a railroad man and died July 23, 1903, at the age of thirty-six years; Mary, the wife of William C. Stemple of Leon, Iowa; Robert, whose home is in the city of Oklahoma; Emma, who lives with her brother, William, upon the old home place; and Caroline, who is now the wife of Edward Brady of Long Beach, California. She was graduated from the Fort Madison high school with the class of 1896 and taught school until she reached the age of thirty-three years, when she was married in Victoria, British Columbia.
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