USA > Iowa > Lee County > Story of Lee County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 36
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Mr. Keethler has taken an active part in local politics as a sup- porter of the republican party and was local committeeman for thirty years. doing much to shape the policy of the party and promote its success in the locality in which he makes his home. He is a member of Torrence Post, G. A. R., of Keokuk, in which he has served as vice commander, and he is a loyal and consistent member of the Christian church, exemplifying its teachings in his upright life. He has led an active, busy, useful and honorable life and to him is ac- corded the respect and good-will of all who know him.
ROBERT N. JOHNSON.
Robert N. Johnson, a well known representative of the legal pro- fession in Fort Madison, has practiced here continuously since 1898. He was born in this city on the 6th of April, 1875, and is a son of Nelson and Nancy ( Porter) Johnson, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Kentucky. The father came to Lee county in 1854 and here his father, Seth Johnson, purchased a farm. Nelson John- son was then quite young. He took up the profession of teaching in early manhood and for ten years was superintendent of the schools of Fort Madison, proving a capable educator with the ability to impart clearly and readily to others the knowledge that he had acquired. He afterward established Johnson's Business College, which he conducted successfully for thirty years. This institution met a long-felt want in the community in preparing young people for the duties and responsibilities of business life and many of the graduates of the school are now active and prominent in the business world. At the termination of thirty years' connection with this school Mr. Johnson retired. He was married in this county to Miss Nancy Porter, who on removing to Iowa purchased a farm near
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Fort Madison. Unto them were born two children: Sarah Z., now the wife of Dr. J. M. Casey; and Robert N.
The last named is a graduate of his father's school and also of the University of Michigan. Having determined to make the prac- tice of law his life work, he entered that institution and completed his course with the class of 1898. He then returned to Fort Madison and opened an office and his record is a contradiction of the old say- ing that a prophet is not without honor save in his own country, for in the city of his birth, where his entire life has been passed, Mr. Johnson has made continuous progress and is today one of the most capable and successful lawyers of Fort Madison, having worked his way steadily upward in a calling where advancement depends en- tirely upon merit and ability. He has ever prepared his cases with thoroughness and care and readily recognizes the relation of cause and effect, so that he is seldom if ever at fault in the application of legal principles. He served as deputy county attorney from 1905 until 1909.
On the 3d of January, 1900, Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Miss Mabel Morrison, a daughter of J. B. Morrison, of Fort Madison, and they became the parents of six children : Joseph and Genevieve, twins, both of whom have passed away; and Margaret, Sara, Robert and Virginia. In his political views Mr. Johnson has always been a republican. He belongs to the Benevolent Progres- sive Order of Elks, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is always concerned in matters relative to the welfare and upbuilding of the community and his worth is acknowledged as a man, as a lawyer and as a citizen, his fellow townsmen bearing testimony to his ability, his loyalty and his straightforward and honorable purpose.
JOEL CALVIN WALKER.
One of the distinguished citizens of Fort Madison and eminent politicians of Iowa at an early day was Dr. Joel Calvin Walker, who was born in Springfield, Ohio, February 7, 1812, and came of an old and honored family, being a son of Joel and Margaret (Arm- strong) Walker, both natives of Virginia. His father was born in Rockbridge county and his mother in Bath county. The former was a son of Samuel and Jane (Patterson) Walker, also natives of the Old Dominion. The parents of Samuel Walker were John and
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Katharine (Rutherford) Walker, who were born in Wigtown, Scot- land, where they were reared and where they were married January 7, 1702. They subsequently came to America, leaving the old country in May, 1726, stopping first in Pennsylvania and from there remov- ing to Virginia. Elizabeth Graham Walker, the eldest child of Joel and Margaret Walker, was born near Natural Bridge, in Rock- bridge county, Virginia, June 14, 1793, and at a very early day she and her sister Jane traveled on horseback three hundred miles when the family moved to Ohio. It was on account of slavery that John Walker left his native state and went to Ohio, which was a free state.
Dr. Walker was the eleventh child of a family of twelve children, ten of whom came to Fort Madison, but he was the first to arrive here, making the journey from Ohio on horseback in January, 1836. He returned, however, to Ohio on a visit in 1841, traveling in the same manner. From 1836 until his death, which occurred on the 17th of October, 1888, he made his home in Fort Madison and was regarded as one of its most prominent citizens. After acquiring his literary education he took up the study of medicine in the office of Drs. Olds and Gibson at Circleville, Ohio, and attended lectures at the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia for some time. He was engaged in practice for only a short time in Fort Madison, however, as he early became prominently identified with public affairs, serving as clerk of Lee county and collector of internal revenue, being the first collector of the first district of this state, under appointment by President Lincoln. He became one of the organizers of the republican party in Iowa and was a delegate to the national convention at Chicago, where the martyred president was nominated. Previous to this time he had been an anti-slavery democrat and had visited the home of Andrew Jackson. He also attended the con- vention where James K. Polk was nominated for the presidency and was present when that executive was inaugurated. The greater part of his life was devoted to politics, and he was a recognized leader in public affairs. He was a man of wide intelligence, a constant reader of retentive memory and remained active throughout his entire life. He was reading a paper at the time of his death, just seven days after the fiftieth anniversary of his marriage. He and his wife were charter members of what is now the Union Presbyterian church of Fort Madison, which was organized in March, 1838, and of which he was an elder for many years, and he was a liberal contributor to its support as well as to other enterprises which he deemed would prove of public benefit. The bridging of the Mississippi river at
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this point was a project the consummation of which he much desired to see and he contributed seven hundred dollars to the fund given the Santa Fe Railroad as an inducement for it to construct its line through Fort Madison.
It was on the 10th of October, 1838, in Fort Madison, Iowa, that Dr. Walker was united in marriage to Miss Martha Maria Stewart, who was born in Florisant, Missouri, January 20, 1820. Her grand- father, Abram Stewart, was born in Scotland in 1742. Her father, also Abram Stewart, was a native of Vermont and was assistant sur- geon in the United States army at St. Louis. He died in Hannibal, Missouri, in October, 1834, and subsequently his widow, Mrs. Emily (Ayres) Stewart, born in Marietta, Ohio, January 22, 1795, came to Fort Madison with her children, Joseph Buffon and Martha Maria, who subsequently became Mrs. Walker. Here Mrs. Stewart joined her father, Ebenezer Ayres, who had located here in May, 1834, and had taken up government land. His wife bore the maiden name of Deborah Davenport and was a representative of an old Connecticut family. They were members of the Connecticut colony who settled in Marietta, Ohio, in 1793. Mrs. Ayres died in St. Charles county, Missouri. Mrs. Stewart died in Fort Madison, July 18. 1879. She became a charter member of the Presbyterian church in March, 1838. She had come to this city in October, 1835, at which time there was only one frame house and three log houses in the place.
Six children were born to Dr. and Mrs. Walker. James Douglas was born January 3, 1841, and died in infancy. He was named for the Doctor's brother-in-law, who was the first postmaster of Fort Madison and who was killed on the boat Moselle at Cincinnati April 27, 1838, while on a business trip to secure his reappointment as post- master of Fort Madison. He was the father of Mrs. John Van Val- kenburg. Emily Stewart Walker, the next of the family, is now the widow of George D. Stewart, D. D., and resides in the old home, which has been the family residence since April, 1864. Miss Mar- garet Armstrong Walker is also a resident of Fort Madison. Chal- mers and Helen both died in infancy. Buffon Stewart Walker is a resident of Des Moines and is vice president of the Chamber of Commerce, of which he was president for two years, and is a man of great public spirit, interested in all philanthropic and civic matters. Mrs. Martha M. Walker, the widow of Dr. G. C. Walker, died May 14, 1905. "Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also and he praiseth her."
In Fort Madison, October 4, 1864, Miss Emily Stewart Walker was united in marriage to Rev. George D. Stewart, pastor of the
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First Presbyterian church of Burlington, Iowa, and in the latter city they made their home for six and a half years. He then became pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Omaha, Nebraska, and on the ist of April, 1877, came to Fort Madison as pastor of the Union Presbyterian church here. He continued to fill that pulpit until entering his eightieth year, having for over a quarter of a century devoted his life to the moral development of this community. He passed away April 1, 1910, and his death was widely and sincerely mourned. Mrs. Stewart was born in Fort Madison, July 8, 1843, and began her education in private schools here, but after the public schools were established attended them for a time. Subsequently she was a student at Denmark Academy and in 1857 entered the female seminary at Steubenville, Ohio, established by Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Beatty and one of the oldest schools for girls west of the Alle- ghenies. She was graduated there in March, 1860. In 1901 she made a tour of Europe as a guest of one of Dr. Stewart's former parishioners in Omaha. Four years later she and her husband visited the Holy Land and Egypt, while she spent the winter of 1910-11 with her daughter Anna in Italy. She has also traveled extensively over the United States and has thus broadened her knowledge of places and events, as only travel can do. She has always taken an active interest in literary affairs and is one of the charter members of the Monday Afternoon Club as well as the Woman's Missionary Society of the Presbyterian church. She still occupies the old family residence at No. 833 Third street, where she was mar- ried and which has been the family home for over fifty years. Here she is surrounded by a host of warm friends and is prominent in both social and literary circles.
Dr. and Mrs. Stewart became the parents of four children, George Bourdillion, Helen Walker, Anna and Miriam. Helen Walker died when five years of age, December 29, 1872, at Omaha, Nebraska. George B. Stewart received his general education at the Denmark Academy, Iowa, and Cheltenham Academy, near Philadelphia, and the University of Pennsylvania, and subsequently took a law course at the State University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, graduating in the class of 1888. He has since practiced his profession in this city. He married Miss Adele Kretsinger and they became the parents of two sons: Kretsinger, who died when four months old; and Alan, who is attending school at Lake Forest, Illinois. Miss Anna Stewart attended the high school of Fort Madison, was a student in the Berk- ley school at Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also at Rockford College in Illinois. She has made several trips to Europe. On October I,
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1903, Miriam married Thomas P. Hollowell, who was for eight years postmaster of Fort Madison and is now the proprietor of the Fort Madison Gem City, an evening daily. They have two sons, Thomas Patrick Hollowell 3d and George Stewart Hollowell.
NELSON COMMINS ROBERTS.
Nelson Commins Roberts has been a resident of Lee county, Iowa, since three years of age and, so far as his personal recollection goes, has never known any other home than this. His birth occurred in Otsego, Michigan, on the 11th of October, 1856, his parents being Dr. Abel C. and Emily (Cole) Roberts, who in 1859 established their home at Fort Madison, Iowa. There the father practiced medi- cine, became actively identified with newspaper work, held public office and otherwise became prominent and influential.
Nelson C. Roberts grew to manhood at Fort Madison and acquired his early education in private schools and in the old acad- emy, which has since passed out of existence. In 1874, when a young man of eighteen years, he began his journalistic carcer on the Fort Madison Democrat and, having determined to devote his life to the "art preservative," he gradually mastered every detail of the news- paper work. In 1893, by appointment of President Cleveland, he became postmaster at Fort Madison, holding that position for four years. On the expiration of that period he spent about a year as business manager of the Keokuk Constitution-Democrat and then became the active directing head of the Fort Madison Democrat, a daily and weekly publication which has remained under his manage- ment to the present time. Summarizing his career, it is not too much to say of Mr. Roberts that his influence has invariably been for the best interests of Lee county, regardless of religion, politics or frater- nalism. He has been a decided factor in helping to mold public opinion and his potentiality for good is recognized far beyond the confines of the county of his adoption. For years he has realized the importance of rescuing the early history of Lee county that was fast passing into oblivion with the deaths of the early settlers, and many characteristic sketches of pioneer life have appeared from his pen and been eagerly read by an appreciative public.
Mr. Roberts is happily married and is the father of three chil- dren. In spite of his many activities he has found time to cultivate the gentler amenities of life by identifying himself with various be-
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nevolent organizations, clubs and fraternities. He is a prominent figure in Masonic circles, being a member of Claypoole Lodge, No. 13, Free and Accepted Masons; Potowonok Chapter, No. 28, Royal Arch Masons; Delta Commandery, No. 51, Knights Templars, all of Fort Madison; Zarepath Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, and Kaaba Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mys- tic Shrine, of Davenport. He is also a member of Fort Madison Lodge, No. 374, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and holds membership in the Episcopal church. He is at present serv- ing his second term as mayor of Keokuk.
ROBERT H. HART.
Robert H. Hart, who has served as superintendent of the county home for the past decade, is a well known and respected citizen of Lee county, where he has resided continuously throughout the past thirty-five years. His birth occurred in Sangamon county, Illinois, on the 21st of May. 1865, his parents being Samuel B. and P. J. Hart, both of whom were natives of that state. They came to Lec county, Iowa, in 1879 and here the father passed away six years later. Throughout his active life Samuel B. Hart followed the profession of school teaching. His widow, who is now in her seventy- fourth year, makes her home with her sons in Keokuk. To them were born five children, as follows: two daughters, who died in infancy; Robert H., of this review; Curtis M., who now serves as . clerk of the district court of Lee county; and Otis S., who is a resi- dent of Keokuk, Iowa. L. N. Hahn, a half brother of our subject, is engaged in the insurance business at Keokuk.
Robert H. Hart acquired his education in the common schools and was seventeen years of age when in 1883 he began working on the county farm here. In 1904 he was made superintendent and has since had full charge of the farm and home, displaying in its able management excellent executive ability and a thorough knowledge of the best methods of agriculture.
Mr. Hart was united in marriage to Miss Hannah B. Laurinson, a native of Lee county and a daughter of William and Melissa Laurinson, who were born in England and Clermont county, Ohio, respectively. Emigrating to the United States, the father first took up his abode in Ohio, where he was married and continued to reside until some time in the carly '5os, when he settled on a farm in Lee
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county, Iowa. William Laurinson passed away in 1868 and his wife, long surviving him, was called to her final rest in 1911, when seventy- four years of age. They became the parents of eight children, as follows: Mary E., who is the wife of George N. Wright; Elizabeth, who gave her hand in marriage to John Dupy and makes her home in Oklahoma; Britton, who is a resident of Oregon; Mrs. Hannah B. Hart; and four who are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Hart have two children: Sherman E., born August 3, 1886, who is married and works on the county farm as assistant manager ; and Hazel H.,'born March 28, 1888, who is the wife of Clifford H. Bear of Keokuk, Iowa. Our subject also has four grandchildren, two boys and two girls, namely: Vernette Hart, Dora B. Hart, Robert Hart Bear and Bonnie May Bear.
Mr. Hart gives his political allegiance to the democracy and has served as a delegate to conventions for the past ten years, being an active worker in the local ranks of the party. Fraternally he is identified with the following organizations: Montrose Lodge, No. 136, A. F. & A. M., of Montrose; Chapter No. 7, R. A. M., of Keokuk, Iowa; Lodge No. 106, B. P. O. E .; Lodge No. 704, L. O. M., of Keokuk; Camp No. 4594, M. W. A .; and the A. H. T. A. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Baptist church, to which his wife also belongs. In all matters of citizen- ship relating to the material, intellectual and moral welfare of the community he is deeply interested, and his efforts have been a sub- stantial element in bringing about desired results.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN DROLLINGER.
Benjamin Franklin Drollinger, a well known farmer and a highly respected citizen of Jefferson township, was born January 16, 1869, on the farm where he still resides, it comprising two hundred and forty acres on sections 11 and 12. Besides this property, he also owns forty acres two miles northwest of that place in Jefferson township. His father was Benjamin Wesley Drollinger, who was born in In- diana, December 4, 1830, and was a son of a Mormon preacher. When four years of age the father was taken by his parents to Mis- souri and at the age of thirteen removed to Illinois. His father had died in Clay county, Missouri, and for some time Benjamin Wesley Drollinger lived with his mother in Quincy, Illinois, and later in Nauvoo, that state.
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Benjamin W. Drollinger married in Lee county December 14, 1850, Susan L. Wilson, who was born in Hancock county, January 13, 1834, and they became the parents of nine children, of whom two died in infancy. The others are: George Monroe, a resident of Clark county, Missouri; Burrel Perry, of Kalispell, Montana; Emma Louisa, the wife of Frank Holmes of Jefferson township; Frances Ellen, the wife of C. W. Stewart of Kahoka, Clark county, Missouri; Mary Melvina, the wife of L. P. Conlee of the same county; Benjamin Franklin, of this review; and Anna Letitia, the wife of Fred B. Kent. During the pioneer days the mother of these children spun, wove and made all of their clothes by hand and per- formed many other arduous tasks that the housewife of the present day is not called upon to do. She was familiar with Indian manners and customs, as her early life was spent upon the frontier. She was a daughter of George and Rebecca Wilson. The father of our sub- ject came to Lee county in 1844 when only fourteen years of age. His father had died previous to this time and his mother accom- panied the Mormons on their removal from Nauvoo to Utah. On becoming a resident of this county he worked at anything that he could find to do and attended school when the opportunity presented itself. For a time he was employed on steamboats plying up and down the river and learned the plasterer's trade with Josiah Kent, to which occupation he continued to devote his attention until his marriage, when he located on a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits. As a farmer he met with most excellent success and even- tually became the owner of over sixteen hundred acres of valuable land in this state and in Missouri. After a well spent and useful life he passed away on the 29th of September, 1906. His wife survived him a few years, dying June 3, 1912.
Benjamin Franklin Drollinger was reared and educated in the usual manner of farm lads and since attaining his manhood has de- voted his attention to general farming and stock-raising. He is one of the most progressive agriculturists of his county and success has attended his well directed efforts. On the 10th of September, 1891, he wedded Miss Mary Alora Bullard, who was born in Jefferson township, January 6, 1871, and they have become parents of five children, namely: Lucret, Pauline, Pearl, Mildred and Marion. Like her husband, Mrs. Drollinger comes of an old and honored family of Lee county, being a daughter of Alexander and Martha (Dodson) Bullard. Her father was born in Putnam county, In- diana, December 25, 1835, and was only two years of age when brought to Lee county by his parents, the family locating on a farm
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two and a half miles from Fort Madison. There he was reared and on reaching manhood was married. He died on his farm in Jeffer- son county in 1900, and his widow now makes her home in Fort Madison.
ARTHUR SANFORD STEVENS.
Arthur Sanford Stevens is a well known and highly respected farmer of Des Moines township, who owns and occupies a farm of eighty acres on section 2. He was born upon the old family home- stead, just over the line in Jackson township, November 6, 1863, a son of Manning Winchell and Julia (Wadsworth) Stevens, both representatives of worthy old New England families. The mother was educated in Mount Holyoke College and was a daughter of John P. and Minerva (Stoddard) Wadsworth. The most famed New England poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, was a representative of one branch of the family.
At the usual age Arthur Sanford Stevens was sent to the public schools near his home and pursued his studies to the age of cighteen years, after which he concentrated his energies upon the work of assisting his father upon the home place. He had previously had training in farm work during the periods of vacation and after school hours and made a hand in the field when a youth of but ten years. In school he was an apt pupil and the same studious habits have characterized him throughout life. He has read broadly, thinks deeply and arrives at just conclusions.
On the 5th of September, 1888, Mr. Stevens was united in mar- riage to Miss Elizabeth Coit, who was born in Americus, Georgia, and became a resident of Illinois when seven years of age. Her father, Rev. George Coit, was a Presbyterian minister and accord- ing to the custom of the church moved around from place to place. Eventually he became president of Columbia College at Columbia, South Carolina, and was closely associated with the educational and moral progress of the communities in which he lived. His daugh- ter Mrs. Stevens taught school for a few years in Collinsville, Illi- nois, prior to her marriage.
Mr. and Mrs. Stevens began their domestic life upon the farm which is still their home, the property being purchased from Ernest Haisch. In 1899 he erected a fine new residence, and he has made other substantial improvements upon the place, adding all the mod-
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ern equipments and accessories that are usually found upon a model farm of the twentieth century.
To Mr. and Mrs. Stevens were born seven children: Carolyn, at home; Elizabeth, who was graduated from the Keokuk high school with the class of 1912 and is now a teacher in the schools of Lee county; Arthur, who died when fourteen years of age; Vera, at home; Lois, who is attending the high school of Keokuk; Gladys, who is also in school; and Richard, who died in infancy. Mrs. Stevens passed away on the 29th of December, 1907. The family are members of the Presbyterian church of Keokuk and its teach- ings are the guiding principles of their lives. In the church work they take an active interest and to its support contribute generously. In politics Mr. Stevens is a stanch republican and keeps well versed on the questions and issues of the day. His attention, however, has been concentrated upon his business affairs, and he stands as one of the representative and progressive farmers of Lee county.
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