USA > Iowa > Boone County > The history of Boone County, Iowa, containing biographical sketches war records of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men, history of the Northwest, history of Iowa, map of Boone county etc. > Part 75
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REYNOLDS, LORAN W., of the firm of Holmes & Reynolds, at- torneys, Boone; was born in La Porte county, Indiana, on the 4th day of May, 1846; his early life was spent on a farın and he was educated at the New Carlisle Literary Insti- tute, and attended the State Univers- ity of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and was graduated from the law depart- ment in 1867, receiving the degree of LL. B .; he practiced his profes- sion in Chariton, Lucas county, and was afterwards associated with Judge Conklin, of Benton county, anthor of the Iowa Treatise, and one of Iowa's most eminent attorneys; from Benton county he removed to Car- roll county and in 1871 settled in Boone, since which time he has been actively engaged in the prac- tice of his profession; Mr. R. is em- inently a self-made man, having se- cured an education by his own en- ergy, and his example is a worthy one for the youth of Boone county to imitate; he was married in 1871 to Miss Florence Bowman, a resi- dent of Greene county, Iowa, but a native of Ohio; they have three children: Florence C., Jno. Jr. and Joseph F.
REYNOLDSON, ROBERT, farmer and stock-raiser; Sec. 36: P. O. Boone; was born in England November 11, 1847, and emigrated to Toronto, Canada, when twelve years of age; was educated in the common schools in England, and since living there has not attended school; in the fall of 1865 he camne to the United States and located in Boone, and went to work in the Northwestern Mills, remaining there about three years; after five years
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more he went to Nebraska, but not liking the country he returned here, and in the fall of, 1867 he bought and moved upon his present farm of 180 acres; Jannary 1, 1871, Le mar- ried Miss Olive, daughter of Jesse Jones ; she is a native of Ohio; they have four children : Fred. W., Jesse, Mary and Eddie, all living.
RHOADS, G. S., city marshal, Boone; was born March 12, 1830, in Onondago county, New York, where he resided until he was twenty years of age, when he took up his resi- dence in Dunkirk, where he re- mained for two years, and then went to New York City; from that place he went to Michigan, and after stopping there a short time he re- moved to Chicago, remaining there until 1867, when he came to Boone; he was married in 1862 to Anna E. Zimmerman; she died in 1877 leav- ing three children: Mary A., John A., and Charles A .; in 1878 he was married to Ruby E. Mayo; during · the war he was a member of compa- ny C, Seventy-seventh Illinois, infan- try, enlisting in Angust, 1862; served until the close of the war, and par- ticipated in the battles of Vicksburg, Champion's Hill and Mobile, be- sides being in various smaller en- gagements; in 1870 he was elected marshal of Boone, which position he held for eight years, when he re- signed for the purpose of accepting the position of deputy sheriff, nnder Sheriff Burley; he was afterward appointed constable for Des Moines township, and in the fall of 1879 was elected to the same position which he resigned in March, 1880, for the purpose of again assuming the duties of marshal; that he makes an efficient and worthy officer is guaranteed from the fact of his so long holding the position.
RICE, L. J., druggist, Boone; was born in Jefferson county, New York, on the 12th day of March, 1828; his early life was that of a
farmer boy, and until fifteen years of age his time was divided between attending school and assisting in the management of the farm; he then commenced his mercantile ex- perience, and'in 1855 came to Boonesboro, Iowa, and engaged in the milling business, the enterprise proving a profitable one; he then moved to Illinois and remained there until the close of the war, and again came to this county and en- gaged in his present business, in which he has been eminently suc- cessful; and while his private busi- ness is large and requiring well di- rected and indomitable industry to manage with success, he has an ever ready and willing hand to encourage and assist every worthy public enter- prise, and anything that gives reas- onable promise of being of present or permanent value to the commu- nity, never fails to receive from him that encouragement its importance demands; there are lives more sen- sational in their career, but none confer greater benefit in society or are more honored than the successful self-made man; he was married to Miss Jennie Moffatt in 1852; she was born in New York; they have one son : Clarence E.
RINGLAND, W. W., of the firm of Moninger & Ringland, dealers in lumber and agricultural implements, Boone; was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, on the 18th of Angust, 1831, and was raised there on a farm; in 1862 he removed to Marshall county, Iowa, and thence to this county in 1866 and engaged in his present business as successor to G. A. Lowe, and is the pioneer house in this line in the city, and his success is an evidence of his pop- ularity as a business man; in connec- tion with his partner, he is extens- ively engaged in stock-raising in Marshall county, and their opera- tions in this direction have proved very profitable; as a man, he is np-
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right, honorable and reliable, and he may well be termed one of the lead- ing business men of Boone county; he has never been a political aspir- ant, but has steadfastly devoted his time to his legitimate business; he was married in June, 1870, to Miss D. M. Swaine, a native of Wiscon- sin; they have a family of five chil- dren: Annie M., James M., Neddie A., Gay I. and an infant.
ROBERTS, EDWARD D., in- spector of mines for Boone county; P. O. Boonesboro; was born in Me- rionythishire, North Wales, October 15, 1832, and in 1842 came with his parents to the United States, set- tling in Oneida county, New York, where they lived until 1846, and then moved to Luzerne county Penn- sylvania, where he lived until 1859; then to Vermillion county, Illinois, residing there until November, 1861, when at his country's call he enlisted in company F, Thirty-fifth Iowa volunteer infantry, and served with his regiment until the expira- tion of his term of service, when he was discharged December 30, 1864; he participated in the battles of Pea Ridge, Stone River, Lookout Moun- tain, Atlanta and several others, be- sides many skirmishes; in 1865 he came to this county and has been actively engaged in mining since, being superintendent of the largest coal mine in the county for upwards of twelve years, and was county coal inspector in 1878-9, which he discharged with great ability; to this gentleman belongs the credit of working a coal mine on the "long wall system," the first in the State; he was married October 14, 1866, to Mrs. Catharine Williams, of Win- terset; by this union they have five children : John L., William H., (twins) Viola, Ida and Kate; Mrs. Roberts has three children by a former marriage: Saphirona (wife of J. M. Pope), Edward M. and An- gus.
ROGERS, JOHN, boiler-maker, Boone; was born in Dublin, Ire- land, January 19, 1830, and was there raised; when eighteen years of age he came to the United States and after traveling around for two years, living for a short time in va- rious places, he settled in LaPorte, Indiana, where he resided for nine years, and then removed to Illinois, where remained nine years, and in March, 1869, came to Boone; in 1853 he was united in marriage with Mary Bartley, of La Porte, Indiana ; they have twelve children: Edward W., John, Maggie, James, Mary, Simon, Thomas, Alice, Frank, Miles, Catharine and Joseph.
ROWE, DR. G. D., physician; among the successful medical prac- titioners of Boone may be mention- ed the subject of this sketch, who was born in Grafton county, New Hampshire, in October, 1845; his early life was spent on his father's farm; he received an academical ed- ucation at Newberry, Vermont, and attended medical lectures first at the Maine Medical School, connected with Bowdoin College and at Har- vard University, and was graduated from the latter institution in 1868, and the same year came to Boone county, where he has since practiced with satisfactory results; to the most thorough qualifications as a physician, he adds promptness and energy in professional duty, and is ever ready, regardless of distance or weather, to render immediate atten- tion to calls, and his kindly nature makes him a welcome visitor in the sick room; he married Miss Alice Clark in 1879; she was born in Hillsdale, Michigan, and is the granddaughter of Hon. Judge How- ell, of that State.
S AVAGE, T. J., Boone; is one
of the oldest employes of the Chicago & Northwestern R. R., and at the present time passenger engi- neer on the western division; was
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born in Ireland on the 23d day of November, 1840, and emigrated to the United States in 1845 and set- tled at Dubuque; when he was sev- enteen years of age his parents went to farmning, and he assisted in the management of the farm for two years, and then learned the trade of blacksmith, serving three years; April 1st, 1864, he enlisted in the war and served until his regiment was mustered out; the same year he came to Clinton and commenced firing on an engine, and continued until he was promoted to his present position; he has been connected with the road for sixteen years; he married Miss Anna O'Connor on the 9th day of February, 1867; she was born in Lyons, Iowa; they have two children living: Lewis P. and Sadie C .; they have lost three: John- ny, Eugene and Frank.
SCHLEITER, OSCAR, of the firm of Schleiter Bros., dealers in general merchandise, Boone; was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1837, and lived there until 1852, and then emigrated to the United States and settled in Ohio and remained there one year and removed to Lyons, Clinton county, Iowa, when, after a residence of five years, he went to Mitchell county and engaged in business and lived four years, and thence to Iowa county, where he did business three years, and, in 1865, came to Boone county and establish- ed his present business in company with his brother, and their house is among the oldest in the county; he is a self-made man; commencing with little means, he has succeeded in building up a prosperous busi- ness by pursuing a straightforward, true, honest and upright course; he has always shown a worthy public spiritedness and been identified with the best interest and substantial growth of the city; he was married in 1878 to Miss Carrie Hazlett, a native of Ohio.
SCHLEITER, A., of the firm of Schleiter Bros., dealers in general merchandise, Boone; is a native of Hanover, Germany, and was born in 1843; he was raised there until fif- teen years of age, with good educa- tional advantages; he then emigrat- ed to the United States and settled in Mitchell county, Iowa, and thence to Missouri; he enlisted in the Third lowa Infantry, company I, and served three years and three months; after the close of the war he settled in St. Louis and engaged in the iron and foundry business, and in June, 1866, came to this coun- ty and engaged in his present avoca- tion and in which he has been high- ly successful; he has been twice married; first, to Miss Eva Hin- man, 1869; she was .a native of Ohio; Mrs. S. died in 1877, leaving three children: Lulu, Mamie and Frankie; he married for his second wife Miss Nellie Whitaker in 1878; she was born in Pennsylvania; they have, by this union, one child.
SCHOONOVER, CHARLES, carpenter and contractor, Boone; was born in 1829, Jannary 19th, in Tioga county, New York, and when twelve years of age his parents re- moved to Hardin county, Ohio, where he was raised and learned his trade ; in 1854 he came to Iowa, set- tling in Oskaloosa, where he resided until 1856, when he removed to Ne- vada, Story county, remaining there for eleven years; in 1867 he came to Boone; he has worked at his trade since he was sixteen years of age, with the exception of two years, when he was in California, from 1850 to 1852, having taken the over- land route in 1850; has been inter- ested in the contracting of all the main buildings of Boone and, in fact, has had the contract for nearly half the buildings of the place, both business houses and dwellings; in 1875 he was elected city assessor and has held the position continuously
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since, notwithstanding the fact of his being a Democrat and the city of Boone being overwhelmingly Re- publican, which certainly speaks well for the esteem in which he is held by the citizens of the city; February 14th, 1856, he was mar- ried to Sarah Downing, a native of Pickaway county, Ohio; they have two children living: Minnie and Jennie; have lost two: Emma and Mattie.
SCHANDELMEIER, G. JACOB, Boone; we have had occasion to record sketches of the lives of those connected with the different vocations of life, but none that may be more imperfect in its nature, on the account of briefness, than the following one; although it has not been sensational in its nature it has cast pleasant reflections upon his friends that will not be forgotten; he was born in Baden, Germany, on the 16th day of June, 1839, and when only a small boy his parents came to the United States and set- tled first at Altoona, Pennsylvania, and here he served a three years' apprenticeship at the blacksmith trade, and to-day commands the best of wages when he feels disposed to engage at it; in 1865 he located in Lafayette, Indiana, and engaged at his trade, where he resided till the following year, 1866; he then came to this State and located in Story county, when he engaged in agri- cultural pursuits, until the latter part of 1868, when he removed to his present location and worked for three years in the machine shops of the Northwestern Railroad; in 1871 he engaged in his present calling, which he has since followed; he found a wife in the person of Miss Elizabetlı Galligher, of Altoona, Pennsylvania, whom he married on the 11th of December, 1862; they have, by this union, a family of three living: Mary C., Wm. J. and Jno. G .; they have lost three: John
George, Caroline and an infant; dur- ing the late war of the rebellion he served in company E, Third Penn- sylvania infantry; he is a man of a congenial disposition and possesses qualifications that has made for him many friends.
SHEPARD, W. C., secretary, treasurer and manager of the Low- er Vein Coal Company, Boone; was born in Cattaraugas county, New York, on the 22d day of June, 1845, and in early life came to Clin- ton county, Iowa, where he was raised a farmer with a mercantile ex- perience; 1867 and 1868 he spent in the Rocky Mountains, supplying the Union Pacific Railroad with ties from Cheyenne west, for a consider- able distance; he was a resident for some time of Calhoun county, and was engaged largely in the real es- tate business; in 1874 he came to this county and has been actively en- gaged in working the coal lands of the above company, in which he is largely interested, and mention of which is made in another part of this work; to Mr. Shepard belongs the credit of introducing negro min- ers in the State to take the place of the striking miners, in which other companies in different parts of the State have followed his example; in his early farming life he formed a taste for the stock business, and he has given it a great deal of atten- tion; his latest operations in this line have been the organization of the Western Land and Stock Raising Association, with a capital of $25,- 000, divided in shares of $25 each, bringing it within the reach of per- sons of limited means and which cannot fail in being a source of large profit to the shareholders; as a busi- ness man he is endowed with rare business qualifications and receives and merits the success that has at- tended his career; he was united in marriage with Miss C. Clark in 1876; she was a native of West-
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moreland county, Pennsylvania; he has one child: May (by a former marriage.
SHERMAN, CHARLES A., president of the Iowa Railway Coal and Manufacturing Company, Boonesboro; was born September 22, 1830, in Bennington county, Vermont, where he resided until fif- teen years of age, then moved to Lowell, Massachusetts, and made that place his home for eight years, during the most of whichi time he was employed as teller in the Apple- ton Bank, at that place; in Septem- ber, 1855, he came to Iowa, locating at Fort Dodge, where he engaged in the banking and land agency business, following the same until 1861, then enlisted as a private in company A, going direct to Wash- ington, D. C., where his company was assigned to the Eleventh Penn- sylvania cavalry in Washington; he was appointed as sergeant of his company and in April, 1862, was made quartermaster of the regi- ment; that position he held until he was mustered ont of the service at the close of the war, having served nearly four years; in July, 1865, he came to this county, locating in Boonesboro, and there engaged in banking, and after following that for some time he retired for the purpose of engaging in railroading, and op- erating in coal; in 1858 he married Tirzah Vincent, a daughter of one of the first settlers of Fort Dodge; by this union they had two children, both of whom are deceased; Julia L. (died in December, 1859), and Ka- tie M. (who, together with her mnoth- er and Mr. Sherman's mother, was drowned April 24, 1862, while cross- ing the Boone river); he married again in May, 1866, to Mary A. Wood, a native of Erie county, Pennsylvania, born January 11, 1842; have two children living: Phebe V. and Chas. Bethnel; he resides on his farm adjoining Boones-
boro on the west and has a fine brick residence with substantial outbuild- ings.
SIGLER, J. H., farmer and stock-raiser; Sec. 34; P. O. Boone; was born in Licking county, Ohio, July 11, 1838, and there spent his youth; in the year of 1864 he came to this State and located where he now lives, owning a farm of 118 acres; he was raised on a farm and has followed it as an occupation all his life, and his homestead is well improved. etc .; March 10, 1864, he married Miss Lucia A. Hull, a na- tive of Indiana; they have two chil- dren living: Mary S., and Eddie J .; one: Lizzie May, died when seven years of age.
SLATER, E., capitalist, Boone; was born in Madison county, New York, on the 2d day of July, 1808, and was raised there in early life on a farm; he learned the trade of chair-making and painting; in 1829 he removed to Buffalo and followed building as an occupation; he mar- ried Miss Emaline Topliff in 1831; she was born in Windsor county, Vermont; Mrs. Slater died in July, 1869, leaving two daughters: Abby M., and Angela E. T .; after the death of his wife, owing to the im- paired health of his daughter, he thought it advisable to make a tem- porary change, and so came West, and after a short residence in Boone became so well pleased he has re- mained, and although he has made several visits to his old home, he is always glad to return to his adopted State, where he has important in- terests.
SMITH, REV. PATRICK, pas- tor of St. Patrick's Church, Boones- boro; was born in Dublin, Ireland, April 5, 1851, and was there raised; he was educated for the ministry at Carlow College, having attended school there for eleven years; in September, 1874, he came to the United States and settled in this
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State, at Waverly, where he re- mained for one year; he then took charge of the church at Cedar Falls, continning there for three years; in 1878 he came to Boonesboro, and has since had charge of the Catho- lic Church, it being one of the strongest churches in this portion of the State.
SMITH, C. F. F., of the firm of Smith & Co., manufacturers of pot- tery, Boonesboro; was born in Erie county, New York, March 27, 1855, and lived there until thirteen years of age, when he came to Marshall county, this State; he enjoyed good educational advantages, having at- tended the Central University and Albion Seminary; in 1874 he com- menced teaching, which he followed for four years; his education was acquired by his own efforts, as he paid his tuition by teaching and other work; in 1875 he came to this county and followed teaching, also engaging in farming, which he con- tinued until the spring of 1880, when he engaged upon his present enterprise; November 5, 1879, he married Miss Clara Mauck, of Boonesboro, a lady of refinement and highly educated; Mr. Smith's father, Chas. Wesley Smith, was the inventor of the Swift & Courtney parlor matches, also the inventor of lighting gas by electricity, and found a new method of making nails and screws; besides these he was associ- ate editor of the " Scientific Ameri- can."
SPARKS, ISAAC, Boonesboro; was born in Fayette county, Penn- sylvania, June 17, 1811; his father moved to eastern Ohio, locating in Tuscarawas county, where the sub- ject of this sketch was raised, that being then the western border of civilization; he was raised a farmer, and as that portion of Ohio was then a forest, it took both time and work to develop a farm; in 1856 he removed to Hardin county, the same
State, and there remained for ten years, during which time he lived on a farm adjoining the town of Henton; in 1860 he came to Boone county, locating on a farm in Jack- son township; in 1876 he moved to Boonesboro, where he has since re- sided; in February, 1833 he married Miss Catharine McCrary in Tusca- rawas connty, Ohio; she was born in that county December 9, 1811; they have six children living: Ma- randa A. (now Mrs. John Herron), Sarah A. (now Mrs. C.W.McCaskey), Rosa A. (now Mrs. J. D. Mathews), W. S., Alden B. and James W.
SPEER, A. L., mayor and justice of the peace, Boonesboro; was born in Philadelphia, April 25, 1821; his paternal grandparents came from Ireland to that city in an early day; when about two years of age he accompanied his father to Chester county, Pennsylvania, and in 1831 moved to Pittsburgh, same State; in 1832 he came to Harrison county, Ohio, where he spent his youth and early inanhood, and when fourteen years old he left his home, working as a farm boy for two years, then worked in a mill for the same length of time, and then engaged in the carpenter and builder's trade, in the mean time attending school winters; when twenty-one years of age he made choice of the mason trade and followed that occupation until 1878; May 24, 1854, he came to this county and spent the winter on Sec. 4, Worth township, and the following spring he built a house in Boonesboro, there being but six buildings there at that time; the first plastering done in the county was done by him in the fall of 1854; in 1855 he was elected school-fund commissioner of the county, the office at that time being quite an important one, having under its con- trol all school lands, site of school- houses, etc .; he held that position until it was abolished, and for ten
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years past has been justice of the peace; was elected mayor in 1878, and still retains that office; in the fall of 1861 he was elected to the State legislature and the honor was well conferred on him, as his actions there in the war measures were com- mendable, etc; he was married in May,1851, to Miss Sarah E. Ferguson, a native of Ohio; they have six chil- dren living: Ophelia, (wife of J. S. Johnston, of Boone), Clara, Dora, Florence, Rachel May and Alfred Ellsworth; Mr. Speer is one of twelve children, eleven of whom are living, and there have been no deathis in the last generation; he has been school director and president of the board, and has been closely identified with all school interests; he has done as much, if not more, toward the advancement of educa- tional matters than any other man in the county.
STEVENS, JACOB, proprietor of meat market and stock dealer, Boone; was born in Franklin coun- ty, Pennsylvania, on the 26th day of May, 1835, and when an infant was taken by his parents to Wayne county, Ohio, where he was raised until seventeen years of age, and then removed to Lucas county, where he followed his present busi- ness; he came to Boone county in 1865, and established his present business, and is one of Boone's most prosperous business men; he owns, besides his business interests, 475 acres of well-improved land, and owns the farm on which the first breaking was done in the county; he was married to Miss Lucretia C. Brown, in 1855; she was born in Vermont; they have a family of six children; Luella (wife of LeRoy D. Sparks), Ida J., George E., Mary L., Jacob Z. and Abbie.
T HORMAHLEN, H., druggist; was born in Germany, October 19th, 1855, and was raised and edu- cated in his native country; in 1871
he emigrated to the United States and settled in Wheatland, Clinton county, Iowa, and lived there until he came to this county, in April, 1879; he is a thoroughly educated druggist, and has succeeded in build- ing up a good business, and as a straightforward business man, com- mands the respect of his fellow-citi- zens; he married Miss Mary Grell, in 1876; she was a native of Ger- many.
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