The history of Clinton County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns &c., biographical sketches of citizens, Part 85

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western historical company
Number of Pages: 812

USA > Iowa > Clinton County > The history of Clinton County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns &c., biographical sketches of citizens > Part 85

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W. B. LEFFINGWELL, Clerk of the Courts of Clinton Co .; one of the oldest native-born settlers of Clinton Co. now living here ; son of Hon. William E. Leffingwell, one of the early settlers of this county; Bruce attended school here, then entered college, where he remained two years, then entered his father's law office, and was admitted to the bar in March, 1872. He practiced law in De Witt until the fall of 1874, when he was elected Clerk of the Courts of Clinton Co .; he was re-elected in the fall of 1876, and again in the fall of 1878, and is now serving his third term. Mr. Leffingwell married Miss Lida Wallace, a native of Illinois ; they have three children- Robert Bruce, Hugh Wallace and Earl.

REV. JOSIAH LEONARD ; residence, Seventh avenue, east of Third street ; is a native of Johnstown, Fulton Co., N. Y ; he grew up and received his edu- cation there and studied for the ministry ; after completing his theological studies, he began preaching in 1840; he came West to Fulton, Whiteside Co., Ill., in 1856, and became Pastor of the Presbyterian Church ; he continued preaching in Fulton and Garden Plains for twelve years; since then, he has had no pastoral charge, though he has preached regularly ; he preached at Newton and Albany for four years, and is now supplying the church at Spring Valley, near Fulton. Mr. Leonard has been preaching since 1840, and has had an experience of nearly a quarter of a century in church and pastoral work on the bank of the Mississippi River, and, during that length of time, there are few pastors who have been and are more familiar with the needs of the people and the church than he. He married Miss Eliza Isham, a native of Ulster Co., N. Y .; they have two children-James R., living in Belvidere, Ill., and Mary C., now Mrs. George S. Brintnell, of Chicago.

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JAMES LESLIE, of the firm of Leslie, Dunham & Co., dealers in grocer- ies and provisions, Fifth avenue; is a native of Scotland; was born in 1845; when 6 years of age, his parents came to America ; they lived in New York until 1855, then came to Iowa, and located here before the town was laid out ; when Mr. Leslie was only 13 years of age, he entered the store of J. C. Bucher, one of the earliest merchants of Clinton ; in 1866, Mr. Leslie engaged in the mercantile business, the firm being W. W. Leslie & Co., afterward James Leslie & Co. ; he is now senior member of the firm of Leslie, Dunham & Co. He has been connected with the mercantile trade here as long as any merchant now in Clinton. He is prominently connected with several Lodges here. In the fall of 1869, Mr. Leslie married Miss Martha McGregor, a native of Massachusetts ; they have three children-Gertrude Evelyn, James McGregor and Robert Jay.

GEORGE T. MCCLURE. foreman of Lamb & Son's saw-mill, Riverside ; was born in Terre Haute, Ind., in 1831 ; he was brought up there, and came to Iowa in November, 1855, to Charlotte, Clinton Co .; in 1859, he came to Clinton and entered the employ of C. Lamb, and, with the exception of one year, he has been with Mr. Lamb and Lamb & Sons since then, and is one of the oldest employes in the mills. He married Mary S. McLenahan, from Ohio, in 1872 ; they have one son-George F. ; he has five children by a former wife-John D. C., William W., Franklin J., Ella and Maria B.

HENRY MCCORMICK, physician and surgeon, Third street; is a native of Harrisburg, Dauphin Co. Penn., and was born Jan. 10, 1827 ; when 16 years of age, his father removed to Springfield, Ohio ; he received his education in Pennsylvania and Ohio ; afterward studied medicine and graduated at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, in the spring of 1856 ; he came to Iowa and located here and engaged in the practice of medicine, and has practiced longer than any physician in Clinton. Dr. McCormick was a member of the first School Board in Clinton, but that closed his official life for he afterward refused to serve officially in church, State or society. In 1856, he married Miss Amanda Williams, of Fort Wayne, Ind. They have six chil- dren, three sons and three daughters.

ALBERT R. McCOY, attorney at law, office in Toll's Block, corner of Fifth avenue and Second street ; is a native of Fulton, Whiteside Co., Ill, and was born Sept. 24, 1846 ; he is the son of James and Elizabeth Russell McCoy ; his father, Hon. James McCoy, is a native of Greenbrier Co., Va., and came to Fulton City May 9, 1837 ; he was one of the earliest settlers in Whiteside Co., and has practiced his pro- fession there since 1840. There are very few persons who have been more actively identified with the interests of that county and the whole section of Northern Illinois than Judge McCoy. Albert R. was brought up and attended school in Fulton, com- pleting his education at Western Union College; he afterward entered the law office of his father, and commenced reading law ; he completed his law studies and was admitted to the bar in June, 1869, and engaged in the practice of law ; he held the office of Supervisor in Whiteside Co., and was chosen Chairman of the Board for two years ; he was elected to the State Legislature in the fall of 1874; he removed to Clinton in 1875, and since then he has successfully practiced his profession here; he holds the office of City Solicitor. In December, 1870, he was united in marriage to Miss Fanny A. Conger, a native of New York ; they have one son-Russell B., born in November, 1871.

REV. E. J. MCLAUGHLIN, Pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church ; is a native of Ireland, and came with his parents, in infancy, to America ; they came to Dubuque, Iowa; he was brought up and received part of his education there, then went East and entered the seminary of "Our Lady of Angels," at Suspension Bridge, Niagara Falls ; he then entered Notre Dame University, at South Bend, Ind., and grad- uated, taking the degree of A. B. ; he completed his theological studies at St. Francis Seminary, near Milwaukee, Wis; he was ordained Priest by Bishop Hennessy, at the Cathedral in Dubuque, May 26, 1878; his first charge was at Sigourney, where he remained only a short time, and upon the death of his brother, Rev. P. V. McLaugh- lin, he was appointed to succeed him in the Pastorate of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Clinton, Jan. 17, 1879.

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REV. P. V. MCLAUGHLIN, deceased, Pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church ; was a native of Ireland, and came with his parents to America, when only 9 years of age ; they came to Dubuque; he received his education at Bardstown, Ky., and then entered St. Vincent Seminary, at Cape Girardeau, Mo., and completed his theological studies at St. Francis Seminary, near Milwaukee ; he was appointed Pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Clinton, in May, 1867 ; he labored acceptably and suc- cesstully in the interests of the church and schools ; founded the Temperance Society of the church, and was greatly beloved by his people ; he died Jan. 16, 1879, and was buried in the church.

B. S. MARVIN, passenger conductor on the C. & N. W. R. R. ; is a native of Orange Co., N. Y., and was born May 27, 1825 ; he was brought up there and learned the trade of wagon-maker ; he came to Illinois in 1855 ; he came to Iowa and located in Clinton Co., at De Witt ; was there two and a half years, and then came to Clinton, and has lived here since then, except a few years in Cedar Rapids ; he began railroading in 1852, on the Eastern Division of the New York & Erie Railroad; he has run longer than any conductor now on the N. W. R. R .; has been conductor on passenger train since 1870, and runs from Clinton to Boone, and has only lost three months' time in seventeen years. He married Miss Letitia Lum, a native of Brooklyn, N. Y. ; they have one daughter-Hannah, now Mrs. Temple, living in Clinton.

B. F. MATTISON, saw-filer in Lamb & Son's Stone Mill; was born in Oswego, N. Y., March 25, 1844 ; he was brought up in that State ; he was in the army, enlisted in Co. D, 81st Regt. N. Y. V. I .; served three years ; came to Clinton in 1865, and entered the employ of Lamb & Son, and has been filer in their mills for eleven years. He married Miss Helen C. Eaton, of Oswego, New York, in 1869; they have one.son-George E. Mr. Matteson was Secretary of the Mercantile Association for two years.

JOHN I. MULLANY, attorney at law, Opera House block ; was born in Ireland, April 1, 1847 ; his parents came to America when he was very young, and located at La Salle, Ill. ; when he was ten years of age, his parents came to Dubuque, Iowa, in 1857, where he was brought up; he received his education there and in New York ; he studied law in Dubuque, and was admitted to the bar in 1872 ; he practiced law there until February, 1876, when he came to Clinton, and since then has practiced his profession here. He married Miss Aggie C. Murphy, from Chicago, May 3, 1877 ; hey have one son-Robert E., born July 21, 1878.

CHRISTIAN MULLER, saloon, Fifth avenue ; was born in Saxony, Germany, May 7, 1826 ; he was brought up there and learned the shoemaker's trade ; in 1852, he emigrated to America, and worked at his trade in Brooklyn for three years, then came to Illinois, and lived in Aurora eleven years; was foreman and cutter in a boot and shoe store ; he came to Clinton in 1866; worked at his trade two years; in January, 1868, he was burned out ; he owns the building he now occupies, which he built two years ago; when he came to this county and began keeping house, he only had 75 cents. He married Henrietta Schodt; she was born in Germany in 1851; they have seven children-Augustus, Charles, Vietor, Oscar, Rosa, Bertha and Louise ; have lost four children. Augustus enlisted in the regular army and served in Co. F, 6th Regt. U. S. troops.

W. H. O'DONNELL, of the firm of W. H. O'Donnell & Co., dealers in groceries and provisions, corner of Fourth street and Thirteenth avenue ; was born in Elgin, Kane Co., Ill., Feb. 24, 1851 ; his parents came to Clinton when he was very young ; are old settlers ; he received his education here, and has been engaged in busi- ness here for the past six years, and has built up a large trade. He married Miss Delia Hannaher, daughter of P. Hannaher, of Lyons; they have one daughter- Winnie.

WM. O'DONNELL, section boss on the C. & N. W. R. R .; residence on Tenth avenue, west of Third street ; is a native of Ireland, and was born in 1819; he grew up to manhood there, and emigrated to America in 1849; he came to Chicago and entered the employ of Col. Smith, on the Galena & Chicago Union R. R., in 1851 ; he was section boss and had charge of the track at Cottage Hill, Elgir., Belvidere,

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Cherry Valley ; he came to Clinton in 1856, and is the oldest employe on this division of the road ; he is one of the early settlers of Clinton, coming the next year after the town started. Mr. O'Donnell has been a member of the City Council for twelve years, and is also a member of the School Board. He married Winnifred Leahy, a native of Ireland, in 1849 ; they have five children-William H., David J., Mary, Winnie, Joseph H. ; they attend the Catholic Church.

EDWARD OWENS, of the firm of Owens & Allen, proprietors of the Clinton Boiler Works; was born in England, in 1840; when 12 years of age, he came to America and learned his trade in the works of the Baltimore & Ohio R. R., at Cumberland, Md. ; in 1861, he came to Peoria, Ill., and became foreman of the shops of the Chicago & Rock Island R. R. at that place ; he made a record, while there, of driving a larger number of rivets in one day than any machinist in Illinois ; he came to Iowa in 1871, and established the boiler works in Clinton. Mr. Owens has earned a deservedly high reputation for the character of his work ; he employs from ten to twenty men ; the Government Inspector testifies that the best boilers on the river are made at the Clinton Boiler Works; during the war, he enlisted, but at that time the regulars could not get arms, and he did not go in the field ; his father and two brothers were in the army. In 1862, Mr. Owens married Miss Catharine Long, of St. Louis; they have had six children ; five survive-three sons and two daughters.'

D. A. PARSONS, foreman of Lamb & Son's Brick Saw-Mill ; is a native of Vermont, and was born in 1829; he was brought up in New York State, at Ticon- deroga ; he came to Iowa and located in Clinton, in 1856; he entered the employ of Mr. Lamb, and, with the exception of two years, has been connected with the mills since he came ; he has occupied the position of foreman about sixteen years; he has held the office of City Alderman. He married Miss Lucy J. Walling, a native of Steuben Co., N. Y. ; they have two children-Sophia M., now Mrs. B. F. Holway, of Lemars, Plymouth Co., Iowa ; Olive J., now Mrs. John Shafer, of this city.

DANIEL H. PEARCE, deceased ; was one of the earliest settlers of Clin- ton Co. ; he was born in Rhode Island, in 1815 ; he emigrated to Iowa and located in Clinton, in 1838. On the 11th of June, 1845, he was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Ferguson, a native of New York; she came to Lyons, Iowa, when only 11 years of age ; there are very few who have lived in Clinton Co. as many years as they have, until the death of Mr. Pearce, which occurred in 1878; he left five children- Emma I., Wallace H., Albert E., Jasper K., Incz B .; Mrs. Pearce is still living on the home place in Clinton.

JONATHAN L. PEARCE, farmer and gardener ; was born in Wash- ington Co., R. I., May 1, 1816 ; when 17 years of age, he went to Fall River, Mass., and lived five years ; when 22 years of age, he came, with his parents, to Iowa; in 1838, they located where Clinton now stands, and were among the earliest settlers in this county ; there are few persons now living who were here when he came. In April, 1850, he married Miss Helen E. Aiken, a native of Cleveland, Ohio ; her parents came to Iowa in 1845. Mr. and Mrs. Pearce have three children-Lura, Delia and Alice. Jonathan Pearce, Sr., the father of Mr. Pearce, died Jan. 15, 1857; his wife, the mother of Mr. Pearce, died July 4, 1879; they had nine children; of these, six sur- vive.

WALLACE PECK, of the firm of Peck & Flanagan, manufacturers of carriages, Fifth avenue ; was born in Dix, Oncida Co., N. Y., in 1841 ; he learned his trade there ; he was in the army during the war; enlisted in the 161st N. Y. V. I., Co. B ; he was in the service three years, and was honorably discharged ; he held the offices of Postmaster and Treasurer of Dix, N. Y .; he came to Clinton in 1872, and, for the past three years, has been associated with Mr. Flanagin in their present business, and are building up a good trade. He married Miss Lydia Burghard, of New York, in 1874. Mr. Peck's father was an early settler in New York ; he has lived in Dix since 1805, and is still living.

J. T. PIERSON, capitalist ; residence cor. Fourth street and Seventh ave .; is a native of Orange Co., N. Y .; was born Dec. 5, 1806 ; when his father died and he being the only son, the care of the family devolved upon him ; he hired out for $16 a

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month : he was engaged in building in Auburn, N. Y., and afterward engaged in mer- cantile business in Buffalo. He married Miss Mary C. Woodruff, a native of Suffolk Co., N. Y., in 1832. They came to Illinois at an early day and located at Crystal Lake, MeHenry Co., in 1840 ; he was one of the early settlers there engaged in mercantile business and farming ; he lived there over thirty years, and during that time he built up an enviable reputation for business ability and sterling integrity, and was honored by the people with offices of honor and trust. He held the office of County Treasurer for four years and was elected Representative to the State Legislature, and held the office of Justice of the Peace for twenty years. He came to Iowa and located in Clinton in 1872, and engaged in building and has made some of the most substantial improvements in Clinton. He was elected Mayor of the city in 1876, and in 1877 was elected City Treasurer. He is senior member of the dry goods house of Pierson & Inscho, but does not give his attention to the business ; he began life with only $350, and owes his suc- cess to his own efforts ; and, although over 70 years of age, looks more than ten years younger.

CHARLES PIPPING. wholesale and retail dealer in fresh, salted and smoked meats, hams and lard, cor. Second street and Sixth avenue; was born in Germany July 23, 1827 ; he emigrated to America in 1852 ; he came to Illinois, and lived in Aurora and Oswego over nine years ; he came to Iowa in 1866 and located in Clinton, since then has been engaged in his present business and has built up a large trade. He married Miss Theresa Riesner, a native of Germany ; they have six children -Frank, Charles, William, Lewis, Matilda, Lillie ; they lost one daughter.

FRANK PIPPING, proprietor of meat market, Fifth avenue; was born in Oswego, Kendall Co., Ill., in 1856; when 10 years of age, his parents removed to Iowa, located in Clinton and he was brought up here; he has been engaged in business here for the past four years, and is building up a good trade. He belongs to the Ger- man Workman Society, and also is a member of the Wapsie Boat Club.

WALDO M. POTTER, proprietor of Clinton Herald.

RICHARD PRICE, manufacturer of brick ; is a native of England ; born Aug. 13, 1824 ; he emigrated to America in 1842 ; lived in Ohio, and went to Galena, Ill., in 1845. He served in the Mexican war; enlisted in the 8th Regt. U. S. Infantry, Co. A, the grenadier company of the regiment ; served two years. He came to Sabula, Iowa, in 1853, to Clinton in May, 1859, and engaged in manufacturing brick. He has held the office of City Alderman for eleven years, and was Chairman of Streets and Alleys, for eight years. He married Louisa M. Neff, a native of Ohio, in September, 1852; they have seven children-Henry Clay, Thomas J., Bertha, Richard, Stella, Willie and Ada ; they have lost three children.

C. D. PULFORD, dealer in foreign and domestic fruits, manufacturer of cigars, and jobber in teas, oysters and tobacco, Second street ; was born in Cazenovia, N. Y., in 1845; he came to Iowa in 1867 ; he was connected with the Chicago & North-West. ern R. R. for eight years ; he was baggage-master from Clinton to Boone ; while run- ning on the road, he built up a large cigar trade ; he established his business here and gave up his position on the road, devoting his whole time to his business, and is build- ing up a large trade, making a specialty of teas, cigars, oysters and fruits ; he is agent for Booth's oysters, and does the largest oyster and fruit trade in Clinton. He was in the army during the war ; he enlisted in the 41st Regt. Wis. V. I., Co. C, and after- ward served in the 29th Regt. Wis. V. I., Co. A ; he was wounded at Memphis dur- ing Gen. Forrest's raid on that city. Mr. Pulford married Miss Lizzie Ash, of Des Moines, Iowa; they have three children-Edna, Frank and Baby.

E. M. PURCELL, Sheriff of Clinton Co .; is a native of Pittsburgh, Penn., and was born Feb. 20, 1836; when 17 years of age, he came with his parents to Iowa, in 1853; they lived in Scott Co. until the following year ; came to Clinton Co. in June, 1854, and located in Orange Township, on Section 29 ; he remained on the farm four- teen years, teaching school some during the winter season; in February, 1868, he removed to De Witt and engaged in mercantile business for a short time, then engaged in contracting in building the Davenport & St. Paul R. R. While living in De Witt, he was burned out and lost several thousand dollars ; he was engaged in building bridges

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for the county for two or three years; he afterward went to New York City, and grad- uated in the school of Mental Science. In the fall of 1875, Mr. Purcell was elected Sheriff of Clinton Co. ; served two years, and was re-elected in 1877 ; he has also held town and school offices. Mr. Purcell has been twice married ; he married Miss Cath- erine Scallan, from Dubuque, in May, 1862 ; she died Oct. 26, 1872, leaving three daughters -Mary, Catherine and Alice. In September, 1878, he married Miss Kate Hudson, a native of Canada. She was formerly Superintendent of schools of this county.

ISAAC T. RAMSEY, carpenter and builder ; is a native of Lawrence Co., Penn. ; born in 1809; he learned the trade of carpenter and joiner; he lived in that State until 1856, when he came to Iowa, and located at Bellevue ; in February, 1866, he came to Clinton, and since then has been engaged in building. He married Miss Mary Jordan, of Lawrence Co., Penn., Oct. 25, 1830; they have had eight children ; seven survive.

C. S. RAYMOND, jeweler, Post Office Block ; is a native of Vermont; he was brought up there until 18 years of age; he lived in New York and in Chicago, and came to Iowa in 1871; he has been engaged in business here for the past seven years, and has built up a leading trade. Married Miss E. E. Shattuck, a native of Vermont, July 30, 1874; they have one son-Burt C., born Sept. 14, 1875.

JAMES H. REED, photographi artist, Fifth avenue ; he was born in Joliet, Ill., Jan. 26, 1836, and was educated in Galesburg and Fulton, Ill., to which latter place his family moved in 1838. He is a photographic artist of unusual ability, and is a leading member of the National Photographic Association of the United States. He has been more or less identified with the interests of Clinton from its foundation to the present time, part of the time making his home just across the river in Fulton, Ill., but for the past seven years a permanent resident of Clinton. He married Miss Anna A. Pomeroy, of Milwaukee, Wis., on the 25th of February, 1871, and has two children- Mabel W. and Ralph ; his family are members and regular attendants of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He was a poor man when he commenced business with a borrowed capital of $300, and is now worth from $15,000 to $20,000, with unlimited credit.

THOMAS RICHARDSON, barber and Secretary of the Union Building Association, Fourth street ; is a native of England, born in 1836 ; when 6 years of age, his parents came to America, and he was brought up in Missouri ; he lived in Central Illinois for six years, and came to Clinton County in 1865, and engaged in his present business ; he has been connected with the Union Building Association since it was organized, Sept. 26, 1873, holding the office of Secretary. Mr. Richardson had noth- ing when he began life; never went to school after he was 11 years old; is now worth over $8,000; he is the first charter member of both the Walhalla Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Clinton, and Schiller Lodge, A. O. U. W .; although an Englishman, he speaks German very fluently. In 1858, he married Miss F. M. Kraus ; she lived in Missouri, but is a native of Germany ; they have five children-John, George, Henry, Anna C., Sarah.

SYLVESTER RYDER, farmer, Sec. 1; P. O. Clinton ; was born in Ashtabula Co., Ohio, in 1823, residing and attending school there till about 12 years old, when his parents removed thence to Illinois ; he remained there till 1850, in which year he came to Iowa, locating at Clinton. Mr. R. married, in 1850, before leaving Illinois, Miss Marcia A. Chaffee, a native of Vermont ; she came to Illinois, with her parents, in 1839; they have six children-Lillian C. (now Mrs. Martin), Hattie A. (now Mrs. Duncan), Edmond S., Flora M., Chester and Burney W. Mr. R. has a fine farm of sixty acres ; his occupation is that of horticulturist.

HENRY SABIN, Superintendent of Public Schools; is a native of Con- necticut, and was born in 1829; graduated at Amherst College, in 1852; came to Clin- ton in 1871.

LEWIS SAMCO, proprietor of " The Fair," Second street, between Sixth and Seventh avenues ; is a native of Germany, and was born May 21, 1846 ; his parents came to this country in 1849, and he was brought up in Buffalo, N. Y .; during the war, he enlisted and served in the 33d N. Y. Battery, under Capt. Wheeler ; he came to Iowa and located at Clinton, in 1873; he engaged in business here June 14 of that

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year, and has built up a good trade. He married Miss Marietta Mason, a native of New York, in 1872; they have two children-Nannie and Mason.

A. J. SANTEE, dealer in books, stationery, sheet music and wall paper, No. 204 Fifth avenue; is a native of Luzerne Co., Penn., and was born Jan. 1, 1840; when 15 years of age, his parents came to Illinois and lived there eleven years ; he came to Iowa in 1865, and entered a store as clerk ; he was afterward connected with the Express Company ; in April, 1869, he engaged in his present business, and has built up a large and leading trade in this branch of business. In 1870, Mr. Santee married Miss Minnie Ramsey, a native of Pennsylvania ; they have two children-Ruth and a little boy not named; they attend the Presbyterian Church. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and is Vice Chancellor of the Lodge, and a member of the Ancient Order of Workmen, and is Master Workman of Clinton Lodge; has taken 32 degrees; belongs to Emulation Lodge No. 255, Keystone Chapter No. 32, Commandery No. 10 and De Ma Lay No. 5.

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The history of Clinton County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns &c., biographical sketches of citizens, Part 85

Author: Western Historical Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : Western historical company Number of Pages: 812

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western historical company
Number of Pages: 812