USA > Iowa > Jones County > The history of Jones County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., biographical sketches of citizens history of the Northwest, history of Iowa > Part 83
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ALFRED S. MILLER, farmer, Sec. 12 ; P. O. Monticello ; was born in Marion Co., Ohio, in 1836 ; he is a son of James Miller, aud brother of Isaae A. Miller. His father died in June, 1863. Mr. Miller was married to Jane Rolston, whose parents were early settlers of Jones Co .; they have six children. He enlisted in the 17th I. V. I., but was soon after discharged by reason of disability. Has 107 acres of land where he lives, also 87 aeres in Richland Township.
ISAAC A. MILLER. farmer, Sec. 12: P. O. Monticello ; was born in Ohio in 1810; his father. James Miller, removed to Cedar Co .. Iowa, in 1844, and to Monticello Township in the spring of 1846, where he died in June, 1863. Mr. Miller was married to Cornelia Mundinger : they have five children. He enlisted, in 1861. in the 9th I. V. I .; served two years ; was severely wounded at the battle of Pea Ridge ; participated in many other engagements of the war. He has 156 aeres of land.
W. A. MIRICK, homeopathie physician and surgeon, Monticello; is a native of Otsego Co., N. Y., and was born Jan. 8. 1853; his parents came to Iowa when he was only 5 years of age, in 1857, and located in Jones Co .; he grew up and attended school here, and entered Cornell College at Mount Vernon, where he
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completed his literary education. He studied medicine. and graduated at Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, in the winter of 1876 and 1877, and since then he has suc- cessfully practiced his profession here.
A. J. MONROE, attorney at law. Monticello; is a native of Williamstown, Berkshire Co., Mass., and was born Oet. 7, 1806; when 11 years of age, his parents removed to Cayuga Co., N. Y., and he grew up to manhood and lived there until 1942. then removed to Pennsylvania ; he studied law in New York and Pennsylvania, and was admitted to the bar in 1843. nearly forty years ago. He was the first Representa- tive of the old Whig party elected to the State Legislature from the Wilmot District, in 1849; the following year, he was appointed Prosecuting Attorney from that district ; he practiced law in Pennsylvania until Augu-t, 1859. when he came to Jones Co .. and since then has practiced here : he held the office of Assistant Assessor of Internal Rev- enue, and holds the office of Justice of the Peace ; he is the oldest attorney in practice in Monticello. In 1843. he was united in marriage to Adelia Wood. from Putnam Co., N. Y .; they have five children-Augustus. Clarence, Herman, William and Edward. and has one son-Eugene, by a former wife ; he had three sons that served in the army-Eugene. Clarence and Augustus.
JOHN HOODY. senior member of the firm of J. Moody & Sons, proprietors of the Red Star Creamerics and dealers in fine creamery and dairy butter, Monticello; is a native of Yorkshire, Eng., and was born Dec. 24, 1821 ; when 14 years of age, he came to America ; he came to Illinois and grew up to manhood there ; in 1863, he came to Iowa and located in Delaware Co .; in 1868, he came to Jones Co. and engaged in buy- ing and shipping butter and eggs ; in the winter of 1878, he established the Red Star Creameries ; his butter has an established reputation and is shipped to Eastern markets ; during last year, he paid out for butter and eggs, at his place of business, 863,000. In 1844, Mr. Moody was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Adams, from Illinois; they have four sons and six daughters.
JOSEPH S. HOODY. of the firm of Moody Bros., dealers in dry-goods. notions and millinery, corner First and Cedar streets, Monticello: is a native of Illinois and was born in Cook Co. April 23. 1853 ; he grew up and attended school there, and came to Jones Co. and located in Monticello in 1-72; he was in the post office for a time, and afterward entered the bank as book-keeper; in April, 1877, he associated with his brother and engaged in their present business ; they are the only exclusive dry-goods honse in Monticello, and are building up a large trade. In 1878, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Julia Carpenter, daughter of Capt. M. L. Carpenter, President of the Monticello Bank.
THOMAS A. HOODY, of the firm of Moody Bros., dealers in dry goods, notions and millinery, Monticello; is a native of Cook County, Ill., and was born August 10, 1847 ; he grew up to manhood in Illinois; he came to Iowa and located in Monticello, and, in April, 1877 he associated with his brother in their present business.
M. M. HOULTON, Monticello; is a native of Sandwich, Carroll Co., N. H .: was born Jan. 12, 1832 ; he grew up to manhood and received his education in that State: after reaching manhood, he came West to Dixon. Ill., and remained two years, and. in 1956, he came to Iowa and located in Jones Co .; the following spring he came to Monticello. On Dec. 10, 1858, he was united in marriage to Miss Amelia McDonald, from Peter- boro, Province of Ontario; she came to Iowa in 1856. Mr. Moulton engaged in the insurance business ; he was appointed United States Commissioner in 1867, and was admitted to the bar in 1869; he was elected Mayor in 1869, and was re-elected in 1870, without opposition ; since 1858, when the new school law was adopted. he has been connected continuously with the School Board over twenty-one years ; he was the first Secretary of the Board, in 1958, and has also served as President of the Board; very few men have been so closely identified with the educational interests of the city ; he holds the office of City Marshal, and is serving his fourth term. Mr. and Mrs. Moulton have six children, three sons and three daughters-Frank R., Amelia C., Mary E., George M., Montgomery M. and Jessie W.
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ALBERT NULL. proprietor of saloon, Monticello ; is a native of Germany, and was born June 7. 1848 ; he came to America in 1857. when 9 years of age; he came to Iowa in 1863, and since then has lived in Jones Co .; he engaged in his present business in 1876. He married Miss Kate Wilson, from Philadelphia, in 1869; they have three children-Emma. Johnnie and Albert.
REV. P. J. O'CONNOR, Pastor of the Church of the Sacred Heart, Monticello; is a native of Eaton, Preble Co., Ohio, and was born June 2, 1854; he grew up and attended school in that State, and completed his education at the Semi- nary of Our Lady of Angels, at Niagara; he was Assistant Pastor of St. Mary's Church, at Clinton ; he came to Monticello Dec. 14, 1878, and since then has been Pastor of the Church here.
BERNARD D. PAINE. Mayor of Monticello, and member of the firm of Palmer & Paine, dealers in hardware, stoves and house-furnishing goods, Monticello; is a native of Herkimer Co., N. Y., and was born April 21. 1839; he grew up to manhood and lived there until 1860, when he came to Iowa and located in Delaware Co. and engaged in farming ; he came to Jones Co. in 1876, and located in Monticello, and associated with MIr. L. Palmer in the hardware trade. He holds the office of Mayor of the city ; was elected in March, 1879; he has also served in the City Coun- cil. Upon the breaking-out of the rebellion, he enlisted Oct. 8, 1861, in the 1st N. Y. Light Artillery, and served three years; he was in the battle of Fair Oaks, and in the seven days' fight, siege of Suffolk and the battle of Yorktown. He was united in marriage to Miss Lucy Stanring, a native of Herkimer Co., N. Y., Sept. 20, 1865 ; they have had two sons, only one of whom is living-Fillmore Ellsworth, born Aug. 17, 1873, died Feb. 26, 1879; Howard, born July 4, 1874.
LEMAN PALMER. of the firm of Palmer & Paine, dealers in hardware and house-furnishing goods, Monticello ; is a native of Canaan, Litchfield Co., Conn., and was born Dee. S, 1516; when 11 years of age his parents removed to Trumbull Co., Ohio . he grew up and lived there until 1862, when he came to Iowa and located in Jones Co., and engaged in farming and dairying for four years; then engaged in business in Anamosa for three years, when he came to Monticello, and since then he has been successfully engaged in business here and has built up a large trade. MIr. Palmer has held the offices of County Supervisor, City Treasurer and City Alderman. Mr. Palmer married Miss Priscilla Faunce, from North Carver, Mass.
THOMAS J. PEAK. Monticello ; one of the oldest settlers in this section of Jones Co .; is a native of Cheshire Co., N. H., and was born Sept. 9, 1813; when 7 years of age, he went to Vermont and grew up to manhood in that State ; coming West at an early age, he settled in Illinois, where- he remained until 1837, when he came to Iowa with B. Beardsley; they located claims in what is now Castle Grove Township; they returned to Illinois for the winter, and in the following April they returned and took permment possession of their claims. On Christmas Day. 1939, MIr. Peak was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca M. Beardsley, a native of Delaware Co., N. Y., and the daughter of B. Beardsley ; they were the first conple married in Jones Co .; a marriage license was not as easily procured then as it is now ; Mr. Peak had to go to Sugar Grove, Cedar Co., sixty-five miles, taking him four days to procure his license, but he felt well paid for his trouble; they lived on the farm until the spring of 1864, then came to Monticello and engaged in mercantile business and buying stock and grain for a few years ; after being in the lumber business a short time, he engaged in the grocery trade ; since coming to Monticello, he has visited at one time and another nearly every county in Iowa ; the result of his travels were presented at the time to the readers of the Monticello Express in several well-written and interesting letters. Mr. and Mrs. Peak have had five children-Francis, Maria A., now Mrs. Rosa, living in Chicago ; Rosalia E. and Andrew J .; they lost their oldest son -- William W .; when the war broke out, he enlisted in 1861, in the 4th I. V. C .; after being in the service about one year he came home, on account of sickness; he remained an invalid for three years and died of consumption in June, 1865, aged 26 years. There are only two others now living in this part of the county who have been here as long as MIr.
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Peak; he has carried dressed pork to Dubuque and sold it for $1 per hundred, and wheat for 374 cents per bushel ; there were plenty of Indians here when he first came, and he used to talk the Indian language; there are few men of his age as active as lie is who have been through the hardships of pioneer life.
HI. F. PIERCE, of the firm of H. D. Sherman & Co., proprietors of the Diamond Creameries, Monticello ; is a native of Tioga Co., N. Y., and was born Dee. 24, 1837 ; his parents removed to Ohio when he was very young, where he lived until 15 years of age, then came to Michigan ; in 1859, he came to lowa and located in Black Hawk Co. and lived there eight years, and, in 1867. he came to Jones Co. and located at Monticello in 1874; he associated with Mr. H. D. Sherman in 1874, and since then they have carried on the butter and creamery business ; the Diamond Cream- eries have an enviable reputation and took the first prize against all competitors, at the International Dairy Fair. Mr. Pierce was in the army during the war ; he enlisted in the 31st I. V. I .. Co. C: he was in the service three years. He married Miss Kate C. Smith, from Albany Co., N. Y., Jan. 25, 1859; they have four children-Joseph A., Eugene H., George L. and Eva L.
F. G. PODHASKI. manufacturer of harness, Monticello; was born in Austria June 20, 1844 ; he grew up there until 17 years of age, and emigrated to America in 1861 ; he came to lowa and located in Cedar Rapids, and learned his trade of harness-maker there; lived there eight years, and came to Jones Co. and located in Monticello July 6, 1869. and engaged in manufacturing harness, and he has built up a successful business; he only had very little when he began business; he now owns two houses and lots. and he built the store he now occupies in carrying on his business, during the present year-1879 ; his success is owing to his industry and good man- agement. He belongs to the Order of Workmen. He married Miss Annie Simberski. a native of Austria, July 22, 1868; they have four children-Frank, Joe, Willie and Eddie.
F. REICHENBACH, dealer in boots and shoes, Monticello; is a native of Switzerland, and was born July 8, 1843; his father emigrated to this country in 1851, and came to Iowa, and. five years later, he followed him, and came to this State, and arrived in Dubuque June 21, 1857 ; he came to Jones Co. the same year. and grew up in Richland Township; in 1865, he came to Monticello, and learned the boot and shoe business ; in March, 1873, he engaged in business for himself, and has con- tinued since then, and has built up a good trade. He married Miss Mary A. Ogden, from Monticello, Oct. 20. 1875.
GILBERT RICE, farmer. Sec. 21 ; P. O. Monticello; was born in Onon- daga Co., N. Y., in 1806. He was married in Alleghany Co., to Remembrance Jones, born in Cortland Co., N. Y .; they removed to Illinois in 1854; came to Monticello in 1855; settled on present farm in 1862; has eight sons and two daughters; the youngest son, Norwin, born in 1852. now residing at the homestead with his father, married Mary Anthony. of Wisconsin ; they have two children-John and Ralph.
LUCIAN RICE. farmer. Sec. 12; P. O. Bowen's Prairie; was born in Worcester Co., Mass., in 1808; he engaged in teaching when a young man. and fol- lowed this occupation as a profession till 44 years of age. He went to Kentucky in 1839; in 1843, he came to Fort Madison, Iowa, where he was engaged in teaching for four years ; thence to Dubuque, for five years ; he came to his present location in 1:52, and engaged in farming. His first wife was Elizabeth Allen. of Worcester, Mass .; she died in 1866. His present wife was Mrs. Hannah Hall, whose maiden name was Sar- gent, born in New Hampshire. MIr. Rice has four children by his first marriage -- Mary E. A. Averill, Kate Conditt. George F. and Charles C .; has two daughters by his second marriage-Carrie E. and Josephine C. Has 152 acres of land. He and wife are Methodists.
DAVID ROLSTON, farmer, Sec. 14; P. O. Monticello ; born in Rock- ingham Co., Va., Dec. 18, 1814; he went to Montgomery Co., Ohio, in 1835. He married in 1837 to Phebe Climmer, who was born in Montgomery Co .; in January, 1838, . they removed to Kosciusko Co., Ind., where they lived fifteen years; came to Jones
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Peak ; he has carried dressed pork to Dubuque and sold it for $1 per hundred, and wheat for 37} cents per bushel ; there were plenty of Indians here when he first came, and be used to talk the Indian language; there are few men of his age as active as he is who have been through the hardships of pioneer life.
I. F. PIERCE, of the firm of H. D. Sherman & Co., proprietors of the Diamond Creameries, Monticello : is a native of Tioga Co., N. Y., and was born Dee. 24, 1837 ; his parents removed to Ohio when he was very young, where he lived until 15 years of age, then came to Michigan ; in 1859, he came to Iowa and located in Black Hawk Co. and lived there eight years, and, in 1867, he came to Jones Co. and located at Monticello in 1874; he associated with Mr. H. D. Sherman in 1874, and since then they have carried on the butter and creamery business ; the Diamond Cream- eries have an enviable reputation and took the first prize against all competitors, at the International Dairy Fair. Mr. Pierce was in the army during the war ; he enlisted in the 31st I. V. I .. Co. C: he was in the service three years. He married Miss Kate C. Smith, from Albany Co., N. Y., Jan. 25, 1859; they have four children-Joseph A., Eugene H., George L. and Eva L.
F. G. PODHASKI, manufacturer of harness, Monticello; was born in Austria June 20, 1844 ; he grew up there until 17 years of age, and emigrated to America in 1861 ; he came to Iowa and located in Cedar Rapids, and learned his trade of harness-maker there; lived there eight years, and came to Jones Co. and located in Monticello July 6, 1969, and engaged in manufacturing harness, and he has built up a successful business ; he only had very little when he began business ; he now owns two houses and lots, and he built the store he now occupies in carrying on his business, during the present year-1879; his success is owing to his industry and good man- agement. He belongs to the Order of Workmen. Ile married Miss Annie Simberski. a native of Austria, July 22, 1868; they have four children-Frank, Joe, Willie and Eddie.
F. REICHENBACH. dealer in boots and shoes, Monticello; is a native of Switzerland, and was born July 8, 1843; his father emigrated to this country in 1851, and came to Iowa, and. five years later, he followed him, and came to this State, and arrived in Dubuque June 21, 1857 ; he came to Jones Co. the same year, and grew up in Richland Township; in 1865, he came to Monticello, and learned the boot and shoe business ; in March, 1873. he engaged in business for himself, and has con- tinued since then, and has built up a good trade. He married Miss Mary A. Ogden, from Monticello, Oct. 20. 1875.
GILBERT RICE, farmer, See. 21 ; P. O. Monticello; was born in Onon- daga Co., N. Y., in 1806. He was married in Alleghany Co., to Remembrance Jones, born in Cortland Co., N. Y .; they removed to Illinois in 1854; came to Monticello in 1855; settled on present farm in 1862; has eight sons and two daughters; the youngest son, Norwin, born in 1852. now residing at the homestead with his father, married Mary Anthony. of Wisconsin ; they have two children-John and Ralph.
LUCIAN RICE, farmer. Sec. 12; P. O. Bowen's Prairie; was born in Worcester Co., Mass., in 1808: he engaged in teaching when a young man. and fol- lowed this occupation as a profession till 44 years of age. He went to Kentucky in 1839; in 1843, he came to Fort Madison, Iowa, where he was engaged in teaching for four years ; thence to Dubuque, for five years ; he came to his present location in 1852, and engaged in farming. His first wife was Elizabeth Allen, of Worcester, Mass .; she died in 1866. His present wife was Mrs. Hannah Hall, whose maiden name was Sar- gent, born in New Hampshire. Mr. Rice has four children by his first marriage- Mary E. A. Averill, Kate Conditt, George F. and Charles C .; has two daughters by bis second marriage-Carrie E. and Josephine C. Has 152 acres of land. He and wife are Methodists.
DAVID ROLSTON, farmer, Sec. 14; P. O. Monticello ; born in Roek- ingham Co., Va., Dec. 18, 1814; he went to Montgomery Co., Ohio, in 1835. He married in 1837 to Phebe Climmer, who was born in Montgomery Co .; in January, 1838, . they removed to Kosciusko Co., Ind., where they lived fifteen years; came to Jones
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Co. in the fall of 1853, and settled on the farm now owned by Mr. Hofacre, of Mon- ticello Township ; also bought and improved the farm now owned by Elias Smith ; set- tled on present farm in 1865. Have seven children-Martha J., David, John, Ellen, Julia A., Mary A. V. and William ; lost three children-Jacob (enlisted in the 17th I. V. I., and was killed at battle of Mission Ridge) ; lost two daughters, Eliza J. and Sarah. Mr. and Mrs. Rolston belong to the United Brethren Church.
JONATHAN B. ROSS. farmer, See. 12; P. O. Monticello ; was horn in Herkimer Co., N. Y., Dec. 27, 1811 ; in the spring of 1855, he came to Jones Co. and settled on the farm now owned by Mr. John Huntoon, of Richland Township ; afterward built the house where Mr. Joseph Hickman now lives, and which he con- dueted as a hotel for four or five years ; settled where he now lives in the spring of 1867; was for many years engaged in the dairying and cheese business. His wife was Elizabeth A. Kinney, of Herkimer Co .; she died in July, 1864; Mr. Ross has twelve children-five sons and seven daughters.
ISAAC RUSSELL. physician and surgeon, Monticello; is a native of Scotland and was born Oet. 8, 1823, about six miles north of the Roman Wall, built by the Romans, between the Frith of Forth and the Frith of Clyde; he received his aca- demie education at the Perth Academy, and his collegiate education at the Edinburgh University ; he was very fond of study and graduated with the first honors of his class; he studied medicine there and graduated in 1843; immediately thereafter, he was appointed House Surgeon of the Royal Infirmary, and filled that position for six years ; he held the position of Staff Surgeun for Gen. Bem during the Hungarian war ; in 1851, he came to America in company with Gen. Bem and Louis Kossuth, return- ing to Scotland the same year ; in 1853, he again returned to America and located in Brooklyn, N. Y., less than one year ; he also lived in Buffalo, Chicago and Rockford. and in June, 1855, came to Iowa and located in Dubuque; in 1857, he located near Independence, in Buchanan Co .; in 1860, he came to Jones Co. and located at Monti- cello, and since then has successfully practiced his profession here. In 1860, Dr. Rus- sell was united in marriage to Miss Agnes Hay, a native of Scotland. When Dr. Russell first came to Iowa there was but one regular pharmacist in the whole State, and he was in the employ of Timothy Mason, of Dubuque.
ROBERT A. RYNERSON. fermer, Sec. 1; P. O. Bowen's Prairie; was born in Mereer Co., Ky., in 1823; his father, Jacob Rynerson. removed from Ken- tucky to Indiana in 1832; Mr. Rynerson went to Grant Co., Wis., April, 1845; in August of that year, he came to Richland Township, Jones Co., and entered a tract of' land on Sec. 4, where he established a nursery ; this was one of the finest nurseries in the State, and the first one north of Davenport. In 1819, he removed his nursery to his present location, which he had purchased in the fall of 1847; he has always been deeply interested in fruit culture, and has contributed his full share, both in theory and practice, toward making fruit-growing in this part of the State a success. He was married in 1853 to Rachel J. McVay, a native of Ohio and of Quaker parentage ; they have seven children-Thomas J., Frances A., Laura C., Cassius Clay, Mary I., Edith A. and Luella; lost four children in infancy. MIr. Rynerson has 360 acres of land ; is engaged in farming and stock-raising.
S. E. SARLES, of the firm of S. E. Sarles & Co., dealers in lumber, shin- gles, sash, doors and blinds, Monticello; is a native of Dutchess Co., N. Y., and was born Nov. 18, 1839 ; he came West at an early age, to Wisconsin. and grew up to man- hood in that State; he came to Jones Co. and located in Monticello in the spring of 1877, and engaged in the lumber business and is building up a good trade; he has been connected with the lumber business since 1856. During the war, he enlisted and served in the 46th Ill. V. I. He holds the office of City Councilman. He mar- ried Miss Sarah Patterson, from Necedah, Wis., Nov. 1, 1877; they have one son- Fred P.
H. SCHIPMAN, merchant tailor, Monticello, is a native "of Germany and was born Nov. 6, 1852; when 15 years of age he emigrated to America, in 1867; he catne West to Wisconsin and grew up to manhood and learned the business of merchant
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tailor ; he came to Jones Co. and located in Monticello May 17, 1878, and engaged in his present business and built up a good trade. In December, 1877, he married Mi-s Mary Minkner, from Wisconsin.
HI. D. SHERMAN, of the firm of H. D. Sherman & Co., proprietors of the Diamond Creameries, Monticello; is a native of Litchfield Co., Conn., and was born Oct. S. 1824; he grew up to manhood and received his education in that State. completing it at the State Normal School; he then engaged in teaching, and taught seven years in Connecticut, and also taught in New Jersey, Ohio and Illinois ; he came 10 Jones Co., in 1859, and taught school in Anamosa for two years, and, in 1861, he calle to Monticello and engaged in teaching for some years; he was elected Superintendent of Schools for Jones Co., and held that office for two years; in 1863, he engaged in buy- ing and shipping butter and eggs, and for three years, while teaching, he handled. mornings, evenings, and Saturdays, all the butter and eggs that came to Monticello ; he established his first creamery four years ago, and he now operates three creameries receiving 27,000 pounds of milk and making 1,100 pounds of butter daily. The butter made at his Diamond Creamery received the first premium at the international fair against all competitors from the United States, Canada and Great Britain. H. D. Sherman was united in marriage, April 6, 1863, to Miss Sarah Sechrist, a native of Indiana ; she is a daughter of Joseph A. Sechrist, one of the early settlers of Jones Co. Mr. and Mrs. Sherman have one son and one daughter-Ernest A. and Edith A.
JOHN W. SKELLY, farmer, stock-raiser and dairyman, Sec. 22; P. O. Monticello ; is a native of Indianapolis, Ind., and was born in 1828; his parents came , to Iowa in 1842, and settled in Jones Co., on the place where he now lives ; they were early settlers here ; there were only two log houses in Mouticello at that time; he grew up to manhood here, and when only 19 years of age, began for himself and began mak- ing a farm, and since then has been engaged in farming and stock-raising; he is now largely engaged in the dairy business, and milks from seventy-five to one hundred cows ; when he began life, he had but very little, but, by industry and good management, he has been very successful, and now owns 500 acres of good land, well improved, and also owns several houses and lots in Monticello; he lost several thousand dollars by the tor nado, which occurred in October. 1878; he has held the office of Township Trustee. Iu 1859, he married Miss Cornelia Webster, from St. Joseph Co., Ind .; they have six children -- Elizabeth. John, Lilly. Evalina, Nevada and Ernest.
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