USA > Iowa > Lee County > Story of Lee County, Iowa, Volume II > Part 9
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Mr. and Mrs. Brinck had thirteen children, namely: Theodore, Henry, Mary, Elizabeth, Kathrine, Lulu, Anna, Rose, Bernard, Josephine, William, Alois and Edward. Three of the daughters have passed away, Kathrine dying at the age of three months, while Mary and Anna died at the ages of twenty-four and eighteen years respectively. A sketch of Theodore appears elsewhere in this vol- ume. Henry, who is now living in Quincy, Illinois, and is secretary of the W. T. Duker Dry Goods Company, married Miss Alma Keifer and has one child, Helen. Mary became the wife of Charles Ewers. Elizabeth is the wife of Frank Schroeder, manager of the furniture department in the store of John Bresmer & Company at Springfield, Illinois, and they have one daughter, Margaret. Lulu is at home. Rose is the wife of Joseph Reinstein, a cigar manufac-
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turer of West Point, and they have one child, Karl. Bernard mar- ried Miss Laura Link and has one child, Adrian. Josephine is a teacher at Spring Grove, Illinois. William and Alois are both con- nected with the Brinck department store. Edward, who is also with the firm of Bresmer & Company at Springfield, Illinois, wedded Mary Brusing and they have one child, Mary Margaret.
As previously stated, it was in 1859 that Herman Brinck was married and two years later he became associated with commercial interests at West Point in the purchase of a stock of merchandise. Since that time the Brinck store has been one of the important mer- cantile features of the town and was long conducted by Herman Brinck, who eventually, however, turned the business over to his son, Theodore. In 1863 he started the pork packing business, which he carried on for about nine years. In 1864 he secured possession of the West point flour mills, which he successfully operated in con- nection with his pork packing. A year later he opened a brewery and such was the success of that enterprise that he did a business amounting to one hundred and twenty-five thousands dollars annu- ally. Owing to changes brought about by the building of the Bur- lington & Southwestern Railroad contiguous to this vicinity, busi- ness of all kinds was depressed and Mr. Brinck suffered great loss in common with others. Finally he abandoned all of his projects except merchandising. The failure to build the railroad through West Point was the greatest disaster that has ever occurred to the people of this community. No one has done more for the upbuild- ing, development and improvement of the town of West Point than Mr. Brinck, who has ever been justly regarded as one of her fore- most citizens. For two consecutive terms he served as mayor and his administration was businesslike and effective, bringing about needed reforms and public improvements.
HIRAM J. ALVIS.
Among the citizens of Lee county who were followers of the old flag when war divided the country Hiram J. Alvis was numbered and his splendid military record as well as his other substantial quali- ties made him a valued resident of this part of the state. He was born on the old Alvis homestead farm in Montrose township, Octo- ber 28, 1842, and was reared to manhood there with the usual experi- ences of the farm lad. He early became familiar with all of the
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duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturists, but at the age of nineteen years all thought of farm work was put aside in the all-absorbing interest in war, for the old flag had been fired upon at Fort Sumter and the country had become involved in a strife that was to continue through four years.
In 1861 Mr. Alvis enlisted, becoming a private in Company I, Twenty-first Missouri Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Moore. He veteranized on the expiration of his three years' term and served at the front until the close of hostilities. On one occasion he was struck a glancing blow on the right temple by a 60-pound shell. He had been on the skirmish line all night and in the morning he retired, others taking his place. Utterly worn out, he went to sleep in a ditch and the shell struck him. He was sent to a hospital, where his injuries were treated, and when he had recovered he returned to his regiment. He participated in many hotly contested engage- ments both before and after he was wounded. In fact he experi- enced all of the hardships and privations of war, taking part in the long, hard marches and campaigns which led up to the final victory that crowned the Union arms.
At the close of the war Mr. Alvis returned home and on the 28th of October, 1868, married Miss Nancy J. Wheatley, who was born September 26, 1846, in Adams county, Ohio, and came by boat to Iowa with her parents. She attended school near Montrose, being a pupil in one of the old-time log schoolhouses with crude benches, an immense fireplace and other primitive furnishings. In such a school she pursued her education to the age of eighteen years. Her father, Caleb Wheatley, was born in Maryland and when young was taken to Ohio. He made farming his life work and spent his last days in Lee county, Iowa, where he owned a small farm. He was sixty-five years of age at the time of his death.
Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Alvis located on a farm of one hundred and ten acres in Montrose township and Mrs. Alvis also owns sixty acres in Des Moines township. Upon their home- stead property Mr. Alvis made many improvements with the assist- ance and advice of his wife, who was indeed a helpmate to him. She still occupies the old home farm, which is being operated by two sons. The oldest son, John, who married Miss Nannie Hardy, is living in Montrose. The other two, Hugh and Arthur, are prac- tical and representative farmers of this part of the state. The former married Grace Foutz and the latter wedded Miss Amelia Hersheler.
Mr. Alvis belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for many years and was ever loyal to its teachings. In his political
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views he was a republican from the time that age conferred upon him the right of franchise. His wife belongs to the Baptist church, and while he was not a member of any religious body he lived the life of a good Christian man, doing his part in all public affairs, proving loyal and helpful in friendship and devoted to his family.
REV. HENRY L. HENN.
Rev. Henry L. Henn, a retired minister of the Methodist Epis- copal church, resides in the village of Denmark, where he operates a forty-acre fruit farm, producing principally apples and pears. His birth occurred in Washington county, Iowa, on the 10th of Novem- ber, 1868, his parents being William and Elizabeth (Schmitt) Henn, both of whom were natives of Germany, the former born September 23, 1834, and the latter in 1837. William Henn, a farmer and stock- man by occupation, crossed the Atlantic to the United States in 1853, landing in New York. A few years later he came to Iowa, locating in Washington county, where he engaged in stock-raising and where he has remained continuously to the present time. His wife, who took up her abode in Washington county, this state, in the 'sos, was called to her final rest in the year 1898. They became the parents of ten children, as follows: William, Jr., who follows farming in
Oklahoma; Elizabeth, who gave her hand in marriage to S. S. Tate, an agriculturist of Oklahoma; Henry L., of this review; Emma, who is the wife of G. F. Smith and resides on the old Henn homestead in Washington county, Iowa; Lydia, who lives at home; Frederick, a carpenter of Denmark, Iowa; Mary, who follows the profession of teaching in Washington county, Iowa; John, a carpenter residing at Wellman, Iowa; Anna, who wedded S. M. Young and lives in New Mexico; and Edward, who operates the old home farm.
Henry L. Henn spent his youth largely in the county of his nativ- ity and there obtained a high-school education. In 1891 he entered college at Mount Pleasant and after completing a four years' course joined the Oklahoma conference of the Methodist Episcopal church in 1895. He remained in that state for about six years, preaching the gospel and leading many to a better conception of the higher life. Since 1902 he has made his home in Denmark, Lee county, Iowa, where he is now successfully engaged in the cultivation of a fruit farm, devoting his attention principally to the growing of apples and pears.
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On the Ist of January, 1896, Rev. Henn was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Houston, who was born in January, 1864, and passed away on the 4th of January, 1900. They had one son, Samuel, who is now sixteen years of age and attends school in Denmark. On the 23d of April, 1902, Rev. Henn was again married, his second union being with Miss Hattie E. Houston, a cousin of Carrie. A sketch of her parents, Ira and Olivia P. Houston, is given on another page of this volume.
WILSON W. HOLMES, M. D.
Dr. Wilson W. Holmes, who has been successfully engaged in the practice of medicine at Keokuk for the past twenty-two years, is numbered among the leading and able representatives of the profes- sion in Lee county. His birth occurred in Mercer county, Illinois, on the 30th of June, 1868, his parents being John N. and Ellen W. (Holmes) Holmes, natives of Somerset county, Maine. Though of the same name, they were not related. Their respective parents took up their abode in Mercer county, Illinois, just prior to the Civil war. John N. Holmes, the father of our subject, was a youth of seventeen when he enlisted for service in the Union army with his two brothers, who, however, did not join the same command. He served as a soldier for about four years, and went with Sherman on his memor- able march to the sea. When hostilities had ceased he returned to Mercer county, Illinois, and turned his attention to general agricul- tural pursuits. His demise occurred in that county in January, 1878, when he was but thirty-four years of age. Unto him and his wife were born four children, all of whom still survive.
Wilson W. Holmes acquired his primary education in the district schools of his native county and continued his studies in the Northern Illinois Normal School at Fulton, later completing his literary train- ing at Lombard College of Galesburg. In 1890 he entered Keokuk Medical College, which institution conferred upon him the degree of M. D. in March, 1892. Throughout the intervening twenty-two vears he has continuously maintained an office in Keokuk and has been accorded a liberal and lucrative practice, early demonstrating his ability in the field of his chosen calling. In 1896 he pursued a post-graduate course at the Chicago Polyclinic, and he keeps in close touch with the progress of the profession through his membership in the Lee County Medical Society, the Iowa State Medical Society
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and the American Medical Association. Dr. Holmes now serves as president of the board of pension examiners.
On the 29th of March, 1892, Dr. Holmes was united in marriage to Miss Jessie Dickie, a daughter of John and Jane ( McClintock) Dickie. He is a popular member of the Keokuk Club and has a very extensive circle of friends and acquaintances throughout the community.
WILLIAM SCHULTE.
No history of West Point would be complete without extended reference to William Schulte, who has long been an active business man of the town and is now engaged successfully in dealing in gro- ceries, poultry, cream, etc. He was born in Pleasant Ridge town- ship, this county, August 16, 1856, and is a son of Diedrich and Eliza- beth (Arns) Schulte. The father's birth occurred in Prussia, Ger- many, and he passed away in Lee county in February, 1901, when about seventy-five years of age. He was a son of Diedrich Schulte, Sr., who brought his family to Lee county at an early day, being among the first of the pioneers. The great state of Iowa was then still largely an undeveloped wilderness. There were a few settlements along the river, but the great prairies ot middle and western Iowa were still unclaimed and uncultivated and even Lee county was just in the opening stages of its development.
Diedrich Schulte, father of William Schulte, was only about twenty-one years of age when he arrived in this state. He followed steamboating on the river for one season, but afterward turned his attention to farming in Pleasant Ridge township and for many years actively and successfully carried on general agricultural pursuits, de- voting his time to farming until his death, which occurred on the old homestead. This farm is now owned and operated by his son Ben Schulte.
Diedrich Schulte, Jr., was united in marriage to Elizabeth Arns, who was born in Hanover, Germany, and who was about twelve or thirteen years of age when the family emigrated to America. Mak- ing their way to Fort Madison, they soon afterward settled in Marion township, Lee county, near St. Paul. Elizabeth Arns was a daugh- ter of Henry and Elizabeth Arns, who afterward removed to Kansas, establishing their home near Nortonville, where their remaining days
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were passed. The mother's death occurred in October, 1906, when she was more than seventy years of age. For some time she had survived her husband. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Diedrich Schulte, Jr., were nine children: Rosalia, who became the wife of Stephen Walljasper and is now deceased; William, of this review; Henry, Maggie and Theodore, all of whom have passed away ; Mary, the wife of Henry Pohlmiller, of Pleasant Ridge township; Annie, the wife of Stephen Pohlmiller, of this county; Ben, who is living in Pleasant Ridge township; and Katherine, the wife of John Box, of Houghton, Iowa.
William Schulte spent his youthful days under the parental roof and shared with the family in the usual experiences and hardships of frontier life. He was educated in a parochial school at West Point and afterward engaged in farming until he reached the age of twenty- three years, subsequent to which time he became a huckster. This was the initial step which has brought him to his present position as a progressive and enterprising business man of West Point, where he is now successfully engaged in dealing in groceries, poultry and cream. He has a well appointed store and he has conducted his creamery and engaged in making butter longer than any other dealer in the county, having commenced in the creamery business on his farm in Pleasant Ridge township in 1881. He began gathering cream for Thomas Currier of Denmark, Iowa, and at the same time engaged in huckstering over this section for a number of years. After two years he formed a partnership with Gerard Pollenkemper and established a creamery at West Point. He had teams upon the road gathering cream. He also acted as butter maker and operated that branch of the business for about a year, at the end of which time he turned the business over to Mr. Currier of Denmark for about a year. At the end of that time Mr. Schulte individually rented the old brewery building at West Point, fitted it up with churns and neces- sary machinery and resumed business, in which he continued for a year and a half. He then purchased the lot where the present store is now located and erected there in 1885 a substantial business block, in which he installed a small stock of groceries. He removed the butter making machinery to the rear of the store and conducted the creamery with success until ten or twelve years ago. He also con- tinued the store and the huckstering business, keeping three or four teams employed in that connection. He does not do any huckstering now, but manages the store and buys all sorts of produce, carrying a heavy line of groceries. He is also senior partner in the firm of William Schulte & Son, dealers in clothing, shoes and men's furnish-
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ings, their store being conducted by the junior partner, William D. Schulte.
It was on the 28th of April, 1885, that William Schulte was united in marriage to Miss Mary N. Meyers, who was born in Allegan county, Michigan, July 12, 1860, a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Geppert) Meyers, who in 1869 became residents of West Point, Iowa. Her father died October 16, 1894, when sixty-two years of age, but her mother is still living on the home farm near West Point and has reached the advanced age of seventy-nine years. Mrs. Schulte is the second in order of birth in their family of eight children, seven of whom are yet living, while Joseph has passed away. Those who still survive are: J. E., now of Oklahoma; George, a resident of Omaha, Nebraska; Effie, the widow of Louis Strothman, of Okla- homa; Mrs. Anna Lohman, of West Point; Dorothy, the wife of Stephen Schroeder, of West Point; and Rose, the wife of Henry Schroeder, a farmer of this county.
Mr. and Mrs. Schulte have become the parents of seven children : William D., born July 31, 1886; Euphrosine, who was born January 28, 1889, and is a graduate nurse, now connected with Mercy Hos- pital of Chicago; George, born August 24, 1892; Louise, December 14, 1894; Marie, May 2, 1897; Isabel, March 1, 1899; and Dorothy, May 5, 1903.
Politically Mr. Schulte is a democrat and always votes the party ticket, yet has never been an aspirant for public office. He is a mem- ber of St. Mary's church at West Point and of the Mutual Protective Society. He has long been recognized as a most active, enterprising and energetic business man and through his efforts has contributed much to the development and commercial prosperity of the com- munity.
FRIEDOLIN ANSCHUTZ.
Friedolin Anschutz, deceased, was for many years a resident of Lee county, a worthy representative of that type of German-Amer- ican citizenship which has been such an important and valuable ele- ment in promoting the interests and upbuilding of the county. He was born at Zella, Coburg-Gotha, Germany, in 1825 and during his boyhood days he left the fatherland and crossed the Atlantic to America. The first seven years of his life on this continent were passed in Sauk City and in Madison, Wisconsin. He was a gunsmith by trade and followed that business in early manhood, but his father
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sent from the old country means sufficient to establish a sawmill. This he did and conducted it for a brief period, but soon abandoned it and in 1857 came to Lec county, where he established a brewery, which he managed for about twenty-four years, or until it was de- stroyed by fire in 1881. He did not rebuild it but concentrated his efforts upon the management of other interests.
Mr. Anschutz was married to Miss Augusta Diemar, and five of their children reached adult age. The wife and mother passed away in April, 1914, having long survived Mr. Anschutz, who departed this life on the ist of August, 1889. Mr. Anschutz was the originator of the idea and donated freely of his time and means for the construc- tion of Anschutz Hill, which was named in his honor. His political indorsement was given the democratic party and he was much inter- ested in public affairs, cooperating in many movements for the gen- eral good. His religious faith was that of the German Lutheran Church, and fraternally he was connected with the Masons and the Odd Fellows. His military record covered an early connection with the German army before he crossed the Atlantic to the new world. He never regretted his determination to try his fortune on this side the Atlantic, for here he found good business opportunities and in their improvement gradually worked his way upward, attaining a substantial measure of success.
HERMAN M. ANSCHUTZ.
Herman M. Anschutz, son of Friedolin Anschutz, was born in Keokuk, November 2, 1869, and the public schools of the city af- forded him his educational privileges. When quite young he took up the study of photography under the direction of his brother-in- law, George Hassall, and subsequently he purchased the business and has since been alone. He is today at the head of the largest photo- graphic establishment in the state, and the work done in his gallery is of superior order. In 1910 he built his present fine studio, which is splendidly equipped with all the modern facilities and accessories that make for efficient, high-grade art. Possessing himself an artistic temperament, he readily recognizes the value of light and shade, of pose and of all the other things that feature as scientific forces in producing the best photographic results.
In 1903 Mr. Anschutz was married to Miss Grace C. Smith, a daughter of John Smith, a pioneer settler of Lee county, and they
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have two children, Adelaide and John. The parents are members of the Methodist church and Mr. Anschutz also holds membership in the Masonic fraternity. In these two associations are found the rules which govern his conduct and the principles which guide him in every relation of life. He is a man of noble purpose, commanding the respect and confidence of all who know him. In private life, as in his professional career, he stands for the highest efficiency obtain- able. In the field of photography he has won a most enviable repu- tation, his studio largely setting the standard of photographic art in this state.
CHARLES L. BEVERING.
Charles L. Bevering, deceased, was one of the early settlers of Lee county and a well-known brick contractor. He came to Keokuk in 1854 when it was merely a bustling river town and he built many of the earlier homes and business houses in the city. His birth occurred in Menden, Germany, in 1828, and he attended school until he was fourteen years of age, after which he learned the brick mason's trade. He came to the United States and about 1849 or 1850 located in St. Louis, where he worked at his trade for a number of years, but about 1854 came to Keokuk and purchased a lot, on which he later erected a residence. He and his wife permanently settled in Keokuk in 1855 and he completed his dwelling the fol- lowing year. As he was a stone mason as well as a brick contractor, he did all of the work upon his residence. At that time the land as far as the present site of the high school was covered with hazel bushes and it was not until several years later that it was cleared and settled. Mr. Bevering worked on a number of the leading buildings in Keokuk, including the Estes House.
Mr. Bevering was married in St. Louis to Miss Mina Hiden, who was born in Menden, Germany, about 1834. Her parents died when she was quite small and she came to the United States when but a girl, joining her sister who was married and living in St. Louis. Mr. and Mrs. Bevering became the parents of eight children, the eldest being Minnie A. August H. is a ranchman of Clay county, Texas, where he owns four thousand acres of land, upon which he raises stock. He married Miss Nellie Hooker and they have seven children, William, Frank, John, Merrill, Edward, Minnie and Sadie. Charles L. is also a resident of Texas. William F. resides
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in Fairfield, Iowa, where he is engaged in the manufacture of cigars. He married Miss Sadie Roomer and they have two daughters, Elain and Virginia. Nellie is the wife of George Neyens, of Keo- kuk, and they have two children, Carl and Grace. Edward J. was born in Keokuk June 20, 1868, and attended St. Mary's parochial school in the acquirement of an education. He learned the cigar- making business under Fred Koechling and is successfully engaged in that occupation. He married Mary S. Gorman, of Keokuk, a daughter of John and Catherine (McGuire) Gorman, and they are members of St. Mary's Catholic church. Fraternally Edward J. Bevering belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Eagles, the Modern Woodmen and St. Joseph's Society, the latter a Roman Catholic mutual organization. He has seven children as follows: Mary C., Edward J., Carl Gorman, Margaret Theresa, Elizabeth Agnes, Alphonsina and 'Francis Joseph. The seventh child of Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Bevering is George H., a native of Keokuk, where he is still residing. He received his education in St. Mary's school and is now assistant foreman at the Hubinger Elastic Starch Works. He married Clara Code of Keokuk, and they have three children, Kenneth, Corinne and Esther. Grace H. is now the wife of John Joyce of Keokuk.
Charles L. Bevering was a consistent member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic church. His death occurred in 1884 and his pass- ing was much regretted by a host of friends. His wife survived until 1911, dying April 6th of that year.
FRANK M. GEESE.
Frank M. Geese is a farmer and stockman operating two hun- dred acres of land in Cedar township, of which he owns sixty acres on section 25, although his residence is on section 26. He is a suc- cessful breeder of Percheron horses and raises cattle and hogs for the market in addition to the cultivation of his fields. He was born at Columbus, Ohio, May 2, 1862, a son of W. A. and Clarissa (Powell) Geese, the former a native of Allegheny county, Penn- sylvania, and the latter of Franklin county, Ohio. The father was taken to Coshocton county, Ohio, when but a child and was reared there. His marriage occurred in Franklin county, Ohio, and after that event he removed to the vicinity of Columbus, but in 1865 he and his family came to Lee county, Iowa, locating on section 26,
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