The History of Clinton County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its., Part 83

Author: Western Historical Co , Western Historical Company
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 807

USA > Iowa > Clinton County > The History of Clinton County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its. > Part 83

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

EDWARD A. ARLEN, of the firm of Arlen & Son; was born in She- boygan, Wis., Aug. 26, 1849; he lived there and in Fond du Lac until 1865, when he came with his parents to Clinton ; he has been engaged in business with his father since 1868, and has charge of the manufacturing department of the business. He married Miss Eliza Fisher, a native of Vienna, Aug. 28, 1871 ; they have three children- Charles A., Francis L. and Edith F .; they lost one daughter-Carrie,

GEORGE ARNOLD, engineer of passenger train on C. & N. W. Railroad; residence Second avenue, west of Fifth street; is a native of England, and was born Sept. 14, 1836; he came to America when 16 years of age. He came West to Chicago in 1853, and entered the employ of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad, and lived at Babcock's Grove, now Lombard, near Chicago. He came to Clinton in 1864, and since then, for fifteen years, has run an engine on this division of the road ; he has been in the employ of the road for twenty-five years, and he was never laid off a day, since run- ning on the road, through misconduct ; he runs passenger train from Clinton to Boone. He belongs to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Knights of Pythias, and the Order of Workmen. In January, 1859, he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Con- ner, from New York ; they have four children-Mary, Robert, Nellie, Eddie.

E. S. BAILEY, attorney and counselor at law, Post Office Block ; is a native of Ashtabula, Ohio; he attended school there ; entered Union College, and graduated in 1849 ; he studied law at Hamilton and Syracuse, N. Y., and was admit- ted to the bar in 1853 ; he came to Iowa, and located in Clinton Co., Nov. 10, 1855, and engaged in the practice of law at De Witt. During the war, he was commissioned Paymaster in the army, and served three years, and was mustered out April 30, 1866; he returned to Clinton Co., and since then, has practiced law here. Maj. Bailey has been attorney for the C. & N. W. R. R. since 1867.

P. S. BANNISTER, of the firm of Bannister Bros., proprietors of the Oriental Mills, is a native of Lawrence Co., N. Y .; born in 1841; when 15 years of age, his parents removed to Whiteside Co., Ill., where he lived until coming to Clinton, in 1870; he engaged in the grain and pork trade; the following year engaged in the milling business; they do both custom and merchant business, and have built up a good trade. Mr. Bannister enlisted in the 75th Regt., Ill. V. I., Co. C; served in the Army of the Cumberland, and was in every battle of the regiment, among them, Perryville, Resaca, Chickamauga, Stone River, Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge and Atlanta.

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He went out as Sergeant of the company ; was promoted to First Lieutenant. In 1877, Mr. Bannister married Miss Sadie Bentley, a native of Syracuse, N. Y.

GEORGE G. BAUDER, of the firm of Smith & Bauder, law and real estate, Toll Block ; is a native of Bridgeport, Conn., but was brought up in Rochester, N. Y. ; he came to Iowa and located in Clinton in December, 1868, and entered the employ of J. C. Bucher as book-keeper; he afterward engaged in the crockery busi- ness, and has been in his present business for the past six years; he is also engaged in manufacturing spring-beds, of the firm of Bauder & Co., on Front street; they are building up a large trade. Mr. Bauder married Miss Sue Bucher Feb. 14, 1878; she is a native of this county ; was the second child born in Clinton ; is a daughter of the late J. C. Bucher.

PETER BENT, proprietor of the Iowa Central House; is a native of Lewis Co., N. Y., where he was brought up and received his education; with his father, he was engaged in manufacturing checse; they operated three large factories in Lewis and St. Lawrence Cos., taking the milk from 500 to 1,000 cows at each factory; they car- ried on the business more extensively than any firm in Northern New York ; during the winter season, they were engaged in dealing in furs. Mr. Bent came to Iowa in 1869, and located in Clarence, Cedar Co., and engaged in banking; established the house of Bent & Cotrell; he continued in the business with Mr. Cotrell until recently ; in 1876, they came in possession of the Iowa Central House, and it became necessary for Mr. Bent to come here in the interest of their investment; he has remained here since then, still retaining his interest in the bank until June of the present year, when he retired from the firm, and became sole owner of the Iowa Central House, the largest hotel in this section of the State. Mr. Bent married Miss Nancy M. Cotrell, a native of Lewis Co., N. Y .; they have one son-Byron D .; he is in a bank in Cedar Rapids.

C. M. BICE, attorney at law, Toll Block ; is a native of Canada; he was brought up and attended school there, and went through the B. A. course; during his collegiate course, he also took an honorary course, and received his degree; in 1870, he entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and graduated in 1872; after grad- uating, he was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of Michigan; he came to Iowa the same year and located at Clinton, and since then has practiced his profession here ; he is attorney for the Perpetual Building Association. Mr. Bice married Miss Anna Bothwell, of Dubuque, Dec. 29, 1874; they have one son-Edward M.

S. J. BISHOP, proprietor of the Farmers' Mills; was born in Cortland Co., N. Y., Jan. 23, 1835 ; he was brought up and lived there until 1864, when he came to Iowa, and located in Clinton, and engaged in the grocery trade for several years, and then engaged in the milling business ; he does both custom and merchant work, and has built up a good trade; it is the oldest mill in Clinton. Mr. Bishop has held the office of School Director, and was a member of the City Council four years. He married Miss E. A. Woodruff, of Onondaga Co., N. Y .; they have two children-Alletta E. and Willie C.

HENRY F. BOWERS, law, real estate and abstracts; is a native of Baltimore, Md., and was born in 1837 ; he was brought up and attended school there ; after reaching manhood, he came to Iowa and located in Clinton County; the railroad was then completed as far as De Witt; he says he went on the railroad as far as he could and jumped off; engaged in farming until 1860, then engaged in the cabinet busi- ness, and entered the office of Clerk of the Courts, and afterward served as Deputy Recorder ; in 1870, he was elected Recorder of Clinton County, and was, in 1872, re-elected by the largest majority on a party vote with one exception (Mr. Chase) ; he holds special commission as Aid-de-Camp on the Governor's staff, with rank of Lieu- tenant Colonel of cavalry. Mr. Bowers married Miss Emma V. Crawford, a native of Belmont Co., Ohio, Oct. 25, 1870; she died Oct. 23, 1878, leaving three children- Clyde C., Homer R., Emma V. Mr. Bowers has given much attention to the study of geology ; has one of the finest collections of geological and mineralogical and fossil specimens in the State.

J. W. BRENTLINGER, manager of the Union Iron Works; a native of Pittsburgh, Penn., and resided there until 1861. Enlisted in the Friend Rifles, of

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Pittsburgh, a company armed and equipped at their own expense; by vote, joined Sickle's Brigade (Co. E), 70th N. Y. S. V. He was in all the battles from Williams- burg to Gettysburg and a number of others; was in the service over three y. ars ; be came to Iowa, and was in Adjutant Baker's office in Davenport for two years, and then engaged in the iron and machinists' trade; he has had the management of the Union Iron Works for several years past ; they do a large business, employing about fifty men; they manufacture saw-mill machinery largely, and do an extensive business. Mr. Brentlinger married Miss Annie Robinson, a native of Pittsburgh ; they have five children, all sons.

B. C. BROWN, foreman of the large lower mill of W. J. Young & Co .; is a native of New York State, and was born at Elton, near Buff.l ., March 19, 1840 ; he grew up to manhood there, and, in 1860, went to Fond du Lac, Wis., and remained there five years; he returned to Rochester, N. Y., and came to Iowa and located at Clinton in 1865, and has been connected with the mills since then ; he has held the position of foreman of Mr. Young's mill since 1872. The spalt and shingle mill in use in this mill, and in all the mills here, was invented and patented by Mr. Brown in January, 1877 ; it is acknowledged to be the best in use by such men as W. J. Young & Co., C. Lamb & Sons, and the Clinton Lumber Co. Mr. Brown has also made improvements in several other machines now in use in the mills. He married Miss Mary Wilber, a native of Rochester, N. Y., in 1865.

GEORGE BRYANT, of the firm of Drake & Bryant, carriage and wagon making, Second street, was born in Norwich, Windsor Co., Vt., Nov. 29, 1824. When 16 years of age, he went to New York, where he learned his trade of his pres- ent partner, Mr. Drake. Mr. Bryant came to Iowa and arrived in Clinton March 1, 1856, and engaged in his present business; his first shop was on Front street, corner of Third avenue. He has been in this business longer than any one in Clinton ; there were only a few houses here when he came. He married Elizabeth Abbey, of Onon- daga Co., N. Y., Dec. 13, 1866; they have had two sons and one daughter and lost them all-Milo, aged 4 years 8 months and 12 days; William, 2 years 4 mouths and 10 days; Alice, 1 year 8 months and 20 days.

JOHN BYNG, retired; Riverside; is a native of England, and was born in 1820 ; he grew up to manhood there, and came to America in 1842. He went to Wisconsin and engaged in farming for a short time, then returned to England. In the spring of 1850, he again came to America ; he came to Iowa the same year and located in Clinton Co., about seven miles west of Camanche. He engaged in farming until 1868, when he bought an interest in the mills at Riverside, and the firm became Lamb, Byng & Co .; they continued in the business until January, 1878, when he disposed of his interest to C. Lamb & Son. Since then, he has retired from active business. He married Elizabeth Bird, from England, and they lived together until her death in Febru- ary, 1874, leaving one son, Enoch F. In October, 1876, he married Emma Hu'me, a native of England. Mr. Byng had nothing when he began life, and his success is owing to the industry and good management of himself and wife. Enoch F. Byng, his son, was in the army ; he enlisted in the Twenty-sixth Regiment Iowa Infantry ; he was wounded before Atlanta; he resigned his commission of First Lieutenant on account of the wounds he received there. Af er his return, he was in the County Treasurer's office for one year; he was with his father in the mills here, and was foreman of the yard; he went to Paducah in 1877, and is now engaged in the saw-mill business there.

ED. H. CALLENDER, dealer in guns, revolvers, fishing-tackle, etc., No. 215 Fifth avenue, Clinton ; is a native of Michigan and was born Aug. 16, 1850; his parents came to Fulton in 1851, and in 1853 they removed across the river to Lyons, where he was brought up. There are few persons of his age now living in Clinton Co. that have been here as long as he has ; he has been engaged in business here since 1872; he is connected with the Knights of Pythias Endowment Rank, and also is connected with the Order of Workmen. On the 28th of November, 1872, he married Miss Carrie A. Evans, a native of New Hampshire; they have two children- Lilly Belle and Carrie E.

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JOHN O. CHAPMAN, Master Mechanic of the Iowa Division of the Chicago Division of the Chicago & North-Western R. R .; is a native of Hartford, Conn., and was born Aug. 19, 1832. He learned the trade of machinist ; after serving an apprenticeship of five years, he ran a locomotive for some years; he held the posi- tion of Master Mechanic of the Hartford & New Haven Railroad, and also held the position of Superintendent of the Woodruff Iron Works. He has letters from the management of both of these corporations, testifying to his superior ability as a mechan- ical engineer. He came West and accepted the position of Chief Engineer of the famous Calumet and Hecla Copper Mine at Lake Superior, Mich., and the first heavy machinery in that mine was placed there under his direction. He became connected with the North-Western Railroad in February, 1877, for one year having charge of the shops at Boone, and the following year was transferred to Clinton as general Master Mechanic of the Iowa Division of the C. & N .- W. R. R. He is a self-made man, and has earned his position by his own efforts. He married Miss Louisa Martinson, a native of the city of New York, June 13, 1857 ; they have three sons and two daughters.

C. W. CHASE, attorney at law, of the firm of Chase & Monroe, Post Office Block ; is a native of Loudon, N. H. He received his education in that State, gradu- ating at New Hampton Seminary and entered Dartmouth College in 1858. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1862. He enlisted in the 12th N. H. V. I., and was commissioned Captain of Co. G .; was wounded in the battle of Fredericksburg; he remained in the service about three years. He came to Iowa in 1865, located in Clin- ton, and engaged in the practice of law ; in 1870, he was elected Clerk of the Courts of Clinton Co .; re-elected in 1872, holding that office four years ; since then, he bas practiced his profession here; he has also held town and school offices. He married Miss Susan M. Coe, of Lake Village, N. H., in 1862; they have four children-Kate M., Charles P., Annie Laurie and a little girl not named.

W. F. COAN, President of the Clinton National Bank ; is a native of Seneca Co., N. Y., a son of Dr. C. C. Coan and Sarah M. Coan, who are both still living at Ovid, in that county. Mr. Coan grew up to manhood there, came to Iowa and located in Clinton in August, 1856; he engaged in real estate and banking until 1865, when he organized the Clinton National Bank ; he was elected President of the bank, and has served in that position since its organization ; he has been actively identified with the interests of the city and county since 1856. Mr. Coan married Miss Catharine L. Peck,. of Trumansburg, Tompkins Co., N. Y., in 1842; they have five children-Francis L. (now Mrs. Judge Hayes), Stella (now Mrs. A. G. Ewing), Claudine H., Claudius C. and William F., Jr., at home.

JESSE J. COLE, firm of Harroun & Cole, blacksmiths, Fifth avenue; was born in Madison Co., N. Y., in 1835; lived there until 20 years of age; he came to Iowa and located in Clinton in March, 1856, and learned his trade here ; he served in the army two years, in the 20th I. V. I. ; he has been engaged in business here since 1870. He married Miss Margaret Gilmore, of this city, in 1865.

CAPT. S. C. COMSTOCK, yard master of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad at Clinton ; is a native of Philadelphia, Jefferson Co., N. Y .; was born in 1835 ; he began railroading at an early age; he came West, and was connected with the Illinois Central Railroad for some years ; he was conductor of a passenger train on that road when the war broke out; he resigned his position and enlisted in the Railroad Regiment-89th Ill. V. I., and was commissioned Captain Co. I; he was wounded May 27, 1864, and was also slightly wounded at the battle of Stone River; after the war, he returned, was given his old position as conductor on the Illinois Central Railroad, but was obliged to give it up on account of injuries received from an accident on his train ; he engaged in contracting and building the Houston & Great Northern Railroad in Texas ; also, had a contract on the Chicago & Alton Railroad; he was appointed to his present position Dec. 2, 1876. He married Miss Fidelia L. Evans, of New Hampshire ; they have one daughter-May.

E. CONANT, Street Commissioner ; is a native of Susquehanna Co., Penn., and was born Feb. 26, 1825; he was raised in Lockport, N. Y .; came to Illinois in 1852, and was conductor on the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad; he ran the first

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passenger train that reached Fulton City Dec. 5, 1855; in March, 1857, he began to run a steamboat across the river to Fulton for the old Iowa & Nebraska Railroad ; con- tinued four years ; he engaged in the milling business with Mr. Hofman, running a small mill for six years; then bought the stone mill and rebuilt it and sold it to Mr. Lamb; in the summer of 1867, with others, he built the Farmers' Mills, at a cost of over $20,000, and ran the mills, with his partner, until 1878. Mr. Conant has served as City Alderman five years, Town Trustee five years, and Poor Director. In 1845, he married Miss Harriet E. Webb; she was born in Ohio, but was brought up in New York ; they have one daughter-Edna L.

AYLETT R. COTTON, attorney and counselor at law, Opera-House Block; native of Trumbull Co., Ohio; born Nov. 29, 1826; attended school there ; attended Cottage Hill Academy at Ellsworth, Ohio, two years; when 17 years of age, came with his parents to Iowa ; they landed in Davenport May 5, 1844; came to Clin- ton Co. June 18, 1844; fall of same year, he returned to Ohio and taught school ; the following summer, entered Alleghany College at Meadville, Penn. ; engaged in teaching in Fayette Co .. Tenn., for two years ; returned to Clinton Co. and read law; admitted to the bar in 1848: spring of 1849, went overland to California ; returned in 1851, and engaged in law practice at De Witt; August, 1851, was elected County Judge; resigned in 1853; following year he removed to Lyons; was elected Prosecuting Attor- ney ; held office of Mayor of Lyons from December, 1855, until 1857; was member of the State Constitutional Convention in 1857 ; member of House of Representatives of Iowa in 1868 and 1870; during the last term, was Speaker of the House ; was Repre- sentative from this district to the Forty-second Congress; re-elected to the Forty-third Congress. He married Miss Hattie E. Walker; she was born in Pennsylvania ; her parents came to Iowa when she was an infant.

W. P. CUBBAGE (retired), residence, Ninth avenue; is a native of Kent Co., Del., and was born Sept. 12, 1812; he was brought up and lived there until 1837, when he started for the West; he walked all the way through the State of Pennsylvania, and came up the river as far as Galena; he landed there April 17, 1837; he arrived there without money or friends, without education and experience ; but he says he had something, and that was the " bilious fever "; in 1840, he came to Jack- son Co., Iowa, and made a claim in Washington Township, and began making a farm ; he was one of the earliest settlers in that county ; he returned to Galena, and, after clerking in a store two years, he started in business for himself with a cash capital of $93; he remained there thirteen years, and came, in 1855, to Jackson Co., and was engaged in mercantile business and farming, and carried on a brick-yard, and remained there until 1868, when he sold his property and retired from active business, and removed to Clinton, and since then has resided here. He is Vice President of the Fourth street Building Association, and has held the office of Assessor. Mr. Cubbage owes his success in life to his own efforts. He has been married three times ; he has four daughters, two of whom are married.

GEORGE M. CURTIS, of the firm of Curtis Bros. & Co., manufactur- ers of sash, doors, blinds and moldings, corner Second street and Thirteenth avenue; is a native of Oxford, Chenango Co., N. Y., and was born April 1, 1844 ; he came to III- inois in 1856; he came to lowa, and located in Clinton in 1867, and established their present business. They began business in the small building adjoining the Farmers' Mills; in 1869, they purchased of Toll & Ankeny the mill property they now occupy; they have built up a large business, which extends throughout the West and South; they manufacture more extensively than any similar house in the State, and employ from 175 to 200 hands; they also dispose of the entire product of building-paper made by the Lyons Paper Company. Mr. Curtis married Miss Ettie Lewis, of Michigan, Sept. 4, 1872; they have one son-Lewis, born Aug. 23, 1878.

CHRIS DAHM, manager for J. H. C. Peterson & Sons, dry goods house, 218 Fifth avenue; is a native of Schleswig, Germany; was born Feb. 22, 1849; he came to America in March, 1874; he engaged in the mercantile business in Moline, Ill., having the management of the business there three years ; he came to Clinton in April, 1879; while living in Moline, he was elected President of the Scandinavian

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Co-operative Home Association, an organization chartered by the State for the purpose of buying land farther west, to establish a colony. He is connected with the Swedish Olive Lodge, I. O. O. F. ; upon leaving Moline, he was presented by the Lodge with a handsome ebouy, gold-headed cane, inscribed-" Presented to C. Dahm by the members of Swedish Olive Lodge, No. 583, I. O. O. F."

J. S. DARLING, attorney at law, Post Office Block, Fifth avenue; is a native of Niagara, Canada; born March 3, 1830; when 10 years of age, his father removed to the London District, near St. Thomas; he received a common-school education, and, when 18 years of age, he went to Oberlin, Ohio, and studied two years, then returned to Canada, and commenced reading law ; in 1850, he came with his parents to lowa, and located in Jackson Co .; he went east with his brother, Thomas C. Darling, now of Kansas, and attended the State and National Law School, at Ballston Spa, and also attended the same institution, after its removal to Poughkeepsie; he was admitted to the bar Aug. 11, 1853, and was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State at the same time; he returned to Iowa, and located at Sabula, where he practiced law until 1870, then came to Clinton, and since then has practiced here. He was elected County Judge of Jackson Co. in 1867, and served two years. He married Miss . Charlotte F. Cheney, a native of Essex Co., N. Y. ; they have one son-Douglass Jer- rold, now in the law department of the State University.

E. M. DAVIS, owner of Davis' Opera House, and Davis' Opera House Block, corner Second street and Sixth avenue ; is a native of Pottsville, Schuylkill Co., Penn. ; he was left an orphan when 4 years of age, and had not a relative in the world. He was apprenticed to the machinist's trade, studying nights, and learning what he could in that way ; when 19 years of age, he ran an engine. In 1852, he came West to Indiana ; in the following year came to Chicago, and was engineer on the old Galena & Chicago Union Railroad. He held the position of master mechanic of the New Albany & Salem Railroad for some years; when he resigned his position, he was presented by the employes of the road with an elegant English chronometer gold watch and chain, inscribed as follows : " Presented to E. M. Davis, master mechanic of the New Albany & Salem Railroad, by the employes, as a token of their regard ; Michigan City, Ind., Aug. 21, 1858." He was in the army during the war, and served over three years, and was connected with the railroad transportation department. In October, 1845, he mar- ried Miss Margaret Waters, from Schuylkill Co., Penn. They came to Clinton, Novem- ber, 1865; since coming here, Mr. Davis has been very successful in his investments ; in 1876, he built, on the corner of Sixth avenue and Second street, the finest business block in Clinton Co .; it fronts ninety-five feet on Second street, and eighty-seven feet on Sixth avenue, and is five stories in height; there is a high stone basement under the whole building extending out under the sidewalk all round ; the first floor is finished off in five stores, all occupied ; the second floor is finished off in offices, all large and com- modious, and finely frescoed; there is also a nice Music Hall, with ante-rooms adjoining, on the south side of this floor, in the rear of the front offices ; the Opera House occu- pies the third and fourth floors of the building, and it is one of the finest audience-rooms in the West, and will seat 2,000 persons ; there is not a pillar or post, or an obstruction of any kind on the first floor or gallery ; the gallery is held up by strong iron rods from the top of the building, attached to the main trusses that span the building ; the dome in the center of the hall is finely frescoed, and paintings representing the four seasons ; outside of the dome, the portraits of celebrated authors are represented, and on either side of the drop-curtain are the portraits of Shakespeare and Forrest ; the drop-curtain represents a fine scene on Lake Como, Italy ; the hall is lighted with the sun-burner, with eighty-one jets, the same kind that is used in McCormick's Hall, Chicago; the hall contains a Hallett & Davis orchestra grand piano, made expressly for the Opera Hall at a cost of $1,500 ; the hall has a large and commodious stage with four dressing-rooms attached ; there is a large plug with pipe attached, to be used in case of fire; there is still another floor above the Opera Hall; the hall is well ventilated, the chimneys being double with an eight-inch space for ventilation ; the building is complete throughout, in every respect, and is a credit to any city in the West. Judge Brannan pronounced it the best building of the kind in the State. It reflects great credit on the energy and

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The History of Clinton County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its., Part 83

Author: Western Historical Co , Western Historical Company Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co. Number of Pages: 807

Author: Western Historical Co , Western Historical Company
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 807