USA > Iowa > Warren County > The history of Warren County, Iowa, from its Earliest Settlementto 1908 > Part 39
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As school director, Mr. Morris has done much to promote educational interests in his community, and he never withholds his support from any enter- prise which he believes will promote the moral and social welfare of his town- ship and county. Both he and his estimable wife are members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church.
BENJAMIN BARNETT PYLE.
With the farming and stock-raising interests of Palmyra township Benjamin B. Pyle is identified. his home being on section 19, where he has a good farm of eighty acres. He was born in Morgan county, Indiana, June 16, 1845. and is descended from a family of English origin that was founded in Virginia at an early day in the development of this country. His father, G. T. Pyle. was born in the city of Richmond, Virginia, in 1800. and in early man- hood married Naney Gordon, also a native of the Old Dominion. Learning the wagonmaker's trade, he followed that occupation during his active business life. IIe remained a resident of Virginia until after the birth of two of his children, and then removed to Morgan county. Indiana, where four sons were added to the family. In 1855 he came to Towa and took up his residence in Hartford, where he carried on business as a wagonmaker for many years. He died there JJanuary 16, 1881, and his wife passed away in 1887. After her husband's death she lived with a daughter, Mrs. Harriet Pendry.
Benjamin B. Pyle was a lad of ten years when the family came to Iowa, and he attended the common schools of Hartford. Later he learned the painter's trade, which he followed for twenty years. Since then he has devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits, first in Richland township, this county. and later in Polk county. Towa, where he spent five years, but for the past fifteen years he has made his home on his present farm in Palmyra town- ship. He has made many good and substantial improvements upon the place and he keeps a high grade of horses, cattle and hogs, fattening about eighty hogs yearly.
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On the 5th of January. 1892. Mr. Pyle was married in Des Moines, to Miss Clara Shutterly, who was born, reared and educated in this county, her parents being JJ. H. and Phebe (Carzott) Shutterly, natives of Indiana and Ohio re- spectively. Her father is a pioneer of Warren county, having located here in 1849. and he spent his last years on his farm in Richland township. Mrs. Pyle has one brother living. Abraham Shutterly, a farmer of Pratt county. Kansas. The only child born to Mr. and Mrs. Pyle was Martha, who died in infancy.
Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise, Mr. Pyle has been a supporter of the republican party, and east his first presidential vote for Gen- eral U. S. Grant. He has served as a delegate to the county conventions of his party and has also served on the petit jury, but has never cared for political office. He gives to the support of the churches of Hartford, and his wife holds membership in the Baptist church. Wherever known they are held in high regard, and they have a host of friends throughout Warren county.
OSWELL CHASE BROWN.
Oswell Chase Brown, by the consensus of public opinion and by the proof of the legal records of the state, is accorded a place among the distinguished lawyers of his district and has made a particularly enviable record in his practice before the supreme court. He was born in Coshocton county. Ohio. September 17, 1855, of the marriage of George J. aud Lorinda (Parrott) Brown, the former a native of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, boru October 7, 1825, while the latter was born in New Brunswick. August 13, 1833. ( The Brown family is of English origin, while the Parrott family is of Irish descent. George J. Brown traced his ancestry back to Richard Brown, of the Seventh Maryland Continental troops in the Revolutionary war. In his early days George J. Brown engaged in teaching bookkeeping and commercial law in Washington and Jefferson College and later in life followed merchandising. in which business he met with gratifying prosperity. He was a man of ability
and wielded a wide influence in his community. Hle possessed clear insight into questions of general importance, was sound in his views, correct in his conelnsions and loyal and progressive in his citizenship. He became one of the organizers of the republican party in Ohio and always remained one of its stalwart champions. Both he and his wife were devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mrs. Brown acquired an academic education and was a lady of culture and refinement. The death of the father occurred in 1902 at West Bedford, Ohio, when he had reached the advanced age of seventy-nine years, and his wife has also passed away.
Oswell C. Brown, the oldest in their family of nine children, attended the West Bedford (Ohio) Academy and was also a student in Simpson College. On the 15th of April, 1876, he arrived at Indianola, lowa, and became a law student in the office and under the direction of the firm of Williamson &
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Parrott, well known attorneys here. On the 22d of August, 1878, he was ad- mitted to the bar before Judge Leonard, who theu sat upon the district bench, and after teaching school for a year or two he entered upon the practice of his profession in Indiauola. About three years later he was appointed deputy auditor under W. F. Warthen and filled that position for three years, on the expiration of which period, in 1885, he was elected to the office of auditor of Warren county on the republican ticket, and received publie endorsement of his capable service in a reelection in 1885. Upon his retirement from that position he resumed the private practice of law, in which he has continued to the present time. He has, however, been called to different offices. In 1890 he was elected county attorney of Warren county and was reelected for a second term, thus holding this position for four years. He was also elected to the office of city solicitor of Indianola, in 1888, and as in the other instances, he was reelected to a second term to this position. He has been and is a very successful lawyer, his elientage connecting him with the most important interests in the court. He has practiced extensively before the supreme court of the state and enjoys the fullest respect of the judges of that court. He has much natural ability and is a man of wide reading and scholarly attainments. IIe is a hard student and is never contented until he has mastered every detail of his cases. He is a believer in the maxim, "there is no excellence without great labor." and he follows it closely. He is never surprised by any unfore- seen discovery by an opposing lawyer, for in his mind he weighs every point in his preparation of cases and fortifies himself as well for defeuse as for attack. There are few lawyers who win a larger percentage of their cases before either judge or jury than he does. He convinces by his concise statements of law and facts rather than by attempts at word painting and so high is the respect for his legal ability and integrity that his assertions in court are accepted and are seldom questioned seriously. He has achieved this position at the bar by his individual effort, united with habits of untiring industry and the devotion of his best service to his elients' interests. As a counselor he deservedly takes high rank and his accurate knowledge of the law is conceded by the members of his profession whom he meets in the practice.
On the 24th of April, 1879, Mr. Brown was married to Miss Jennie Hamilton, who was born at Long Point, Illinois, October 25, 1859, and came with her parents, James and Minerva (Hallam) Hamilton, to Warren county, Iowa, in 1860. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have become the parents of three children. Robert C., the eldest, died October 10, 1901, in his twenty-first year. He was a member of the class of 1902 in Simpson College, where he was pur- suing the classical course. He possessed much natural intellectual force and well developed talents, and was considered especially proficient as a Greek
scholar. Gertrude, born August 25, 1883, is now the wife of James C. Smith, a druggist of Lohrville, Iowa, and is a graduate of Simpson College. Margaret H., born April 18, 1885, is at home. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one child. Margaret D., three years of age.
In his political views a stalwart republican, Mr. Brown was for many years active in the interests of his party and has delivered many strong and
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able campaign addresses. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the degrees of capitular Masonry and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
EBENEZER WILLIAMS HARTMAN.
Ebenezer Williams Hartman has devoted many years of his life to public service and since April. 1908, has served as mayor of Indianola. Opposed to anything like misrule in public affairs, his official reeord will bear the closest investigation and scrutiny, and while his administration may not be without mistakes-for who is-free from them-it has on the whole been char- acterized by progress, reform and improvement, his official aets being at all times prompted by a desire to promote the publie welfare.
Mr. Hartman is a native of Mansfield, Ohio, born January 24, 1834. His father, John D. Hartman, was born in Pennsylvania and comes of German an- cestry. Through his aetive career he followed farming and merchandising. After living for some time in Ohio. he came to Warren county, Iowa, in 1846, and settled in Richland township, where he entered a tract of land from the government and laid out the town of Hartford. His attention was divided between agricultural pursuits, milling and merchandising, his mill and store being located in Richland. He prospered in his undertakings by reason of his capable management and keen discernment and had aceumulated a comfortable competenee when in October, 1878, he was called to his final rest, at the age of sixty-seven years. Of the Baptist church he was an active, influential and loyal member and he was equally faithful as a follower of the Odd Fellows society. His political views were in harmony with the principles of the demo- eratic party and he held several local offices. His wife, who in her maidenhood was Margaret Parker, was born in Pennsylvania in 1816. was also of German descent and died in 1898. They were the parents of six children, five of whom are living and one who died in infancy. The others are: Ebenezer W .; William H., who was a member of Company G. of the Thirtieth lowa Infantry, in the civil war and is now a merchant and farmer of Clarkson, Iowa ; Sarah Jane, the deceased wife of T. J. Deacon, a farmer of Jasper county, Towa : David H., who was a member of the Twelfth Missouri cavalry and is now a retired merchant living in Missouri ; and Viana M .. the wife of J. E. Deacon. of Napa, California.
Ebenezer W. Hartman remained upon the home farm until thirteen years of age and from that time until his marriage engaged in elerking in his father's store. Following his marriage he carried on merchandising on his own account until the spring of 1862, when he removed to Indianola. He was at that time deputy sheriff and changed his residence for the more convenient discharge of his official duties. During the greater part of his life he has been in public office, has served as justice of the peace and in the year 1869 was elected mayor of Indianola. For about fifteen years he filled the office of
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city clerk and certainly discharged his duties capably and promptly, else he would not have been retained in the position for so long a time. In March, 1907, he was again elected mayor and is now filling the office. He has also been known as a member of the Warren county bar. He read law with Lewis Todhunter, of Indianola, was admitted to practice in the Iowa courts in 1873, and then formed a partnership with his former preceptor, with whom he con- tinucd until Mr. Todhunter retired. In his practice he has demonstrated his ability to bring to successful solution intricate problems of the law, preparing his cases with great thoroughness and presenting them with clearness and force. He has considerable landed interests in Warren county and from his judicious investments derives a gratifying income.
In December, 1858, Mr. Hartman was married to Miss Celia Mckinney, who was born in Highland county, Iowa, and died in 1863. Of their two chil- dren one died in infancy, while the other. Charles W., is now in the employ of the street railway company at Los Angeles, California. After losing his first wife. Mr. Hartman wedded Sarah McKee, of Indiana, and their children are: Estella, of Indianola; Ida, deceased; and Harry H., who is clerk of the district court and an attorney of Fort Collins, Colorado. The present wife of Mr. Hartman was formerly Mrs. Anna R. Dale and is a native of West Virginia. Her son, H. M. Dale, is a successful physician of Los Angeles, California. Mr. Hartman is a member of the Baptist church, while his wife holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. For over a half century he has been con- nected with the Odd Fellows and has enjoyed all the honors the state lodge can confer. For six years he was a member of the Sovereign Grand lodge. In politics he has always been a stalwart republican and it has been upon the ticket of this party that he has been again and again called to office, thus receiving the recognition and commendation of the public for his excellent qualities of citizenship and of administrative ability.
AARON VAN SCOY PROUDFOOT.
Aaron Van Scoy Prondfoot, numbered among the members of the India- nola bar and also engaged in the abstract business, was born in Liberty, Clarke county, Iowa, June 13, 1862. He comes of Scotch-Irish ancestry, the progenitor of the family in America being Thomas Proudfoot, who came from the high- lands of Scotland to the United States and settled in Virginia. Thomas Proudfoot, Jr., son of the American progenitor, was the father of Jacob Proudfoot, who was born in Barbour county, West Virginia. The last named became a blacksmith, following that pursuit np to the time of his death, or for more than sixty years. He removed by wagon from West Virginia to Iowa in 1855, and took up his abode on Hoosier Row in White Oak township, Warren connty. In the following spring, however, he went to Liberty, Clarke county, where his remaining days were passed. There he built a blacksmith shop, which is still standing, having been a landmark of the community for
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more than a half century. By unfaltering industry and enterprise he became prosperous and as his financial resources increased he invested in land. ITis life was permeated by religious belief and he was a member and class leader of the Methodist Episcopal church. His family were all identified with that denomination. ITis political allegiance was given to the republican party, and various official honors were conferred upon him. He served as a member of the board of supervisors and was a member of the sixteenth general assembly. which legislature provided for the present capitol building. He was also justice of the peace and postmaster of Liberty, and was regarded in his community as a man of excellent judgment and of untarnished character, to whom his neighbors often came for advice and connsel, knowing that he would advise them honestly and to the best of his ability.
His wife, Cyrena (Van Scoy) Proudfoot, was born in Barbour county, West Virginia, March 3, 1826, and is still living, being remarkably vigorous mentally. She, too, is of German descent and for many years has been a de- voted member of the Methodist Episcopal church. By her marriage she has become the mother of seven children: Hester Anne, who married Joseph h. Tedrow, now a retired merchant of Hastings, Nebraska; Leah, who died in March, 1908; Overton T., a farmer of Liberty; William D., a fruit-grower at Walla Walla, Washington ; Samuel N., chief train dispatcher for the Colorado Midland Railroad at Colorado Springs; Charles F., of Osceola, who is in the railway mail service on the Burlington road; and Aaron Van Scov.
The last named attended school at Liberty and then entered Simpson College in September. 1881, pursuing a four years' course in that institution. He afterward turned his attention to the real-estate and abstract business as an employe in the office of Creighton & Hays. Subsequently he was in the office of Edward Hall, with whom he read law ._ and finally was with E. W. Hartman, with whom he spent eight years, having charge of his abstract books and also reading law. Mr. Proudfoot was admitted to the bar October 5. 1898, and began practice in Indianola. Here he has been very successful. having a large clientage, which has connected him with much important litiga- tion. He also has a complete set of abstract books of Warren county, and does a large business in that line.
On the 10th day of May, 1885. Mr. Proudfoot was married to Miss Louie L. Posegate, who was born in Indianola. October 16, 1862. and is a daughter of Eli and Rebecca V. (Haworth) Posegate. Mr. and Mrs. Proudfoot now have three children : Charity M., a student in Simpson College: Paul D., attending the same institution ; and Edwin V. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which Mr. Proudfoot is serving as an officer. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and is past grand master. In polities an earnest republican, he was elected clerk of the district court in 1892 and served for three consecutive terms. He is recognized as one of the prominent representatives of the republican party in this county, has been chairman of the county committee, and in 1904 was presidential elector for the seventh congressional district. He was nominee for state senator from the eleventh senatorial distriet, consisting of Clarke and Warren counties. He
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has made substantial progress, not because of any special advantages at the outset of his career, or through the aid of influential friends, but because he has applied himself closely to the duties in hand, has made the most of his advantages and has not been afraid of that close and laborions attention to business which is so essential to honorable success.
G. W. PEARSON.
G. W. Pearson is one of the prosperous farmers, stock-raisers and dairymen of Warren county, where he owns a good tract of land of one hundred and twenty acres on section 28, Lincoln township. It is pleasantly situated, about three miles from Indianola, so that he has a good market for his products. He has lived in the county since 1869, or for a period of almost forty years. He was born in Fauquier county, Virginia, near Bull Run, April 2, 1839. His father, Barnett Pearson, was also a native of the Old Dominion aud belonged to one of the first families of Virginia, of English lineage. Barnett Pearson was reared in the state of his nativity and after arriving at years of maturity he married Lucy Finch, who was also born and reared in Virginia. Mr. Pearson was a planter there for a number of years, but thinking to find better business opportunities in the middle west, he made his way to Illinois in 1857 and settled in Schuyler county, where he opened up a farm and reared his family.
G. W. Pearson spent the first nineteen years of his life in his native state and then went with his parents to Illinois, where he assisted his father in developing and improving a new farm. He arrived in lowa in 1869, coming at once to Warren county, where he rented land and carried on farming for four years. He was married in this county in September, 1871, to Miss Eliza Hewitt, who was born and reared in Indiana and was a daughter of Moses Hewitt, one of the early settlers here. When Mr. Pearson had made some start in the business world, gaining a small capital through his operations of rented land, he made investment in property, becoming the owner of two hundred acres in Otter township, which he cultivated for three years. He made this a nice place, but later sold and located on his present farm in 1890. He has made extensive repairs and improvements here, has fenced the fields, tilled the land and transformed the farm into a valuable property. Here he has carried on a successful dairy business, being well known for a number of years as a prosperous buttermaker.
Mr. and Mrs. Pearson are the parents of Ralph, who is now a business man of Seattle, Washington; Paul, who is pursuing a medical course in Simpson College; Mabel, who has been engaged in teaching in Watertown, South Dakota, for two years; Bertha, who is a vocal teacher and possesses musical talent of high order, singing for various lyeenm bureans and chautauquas; Minnie, a teacher of this county; and Nellie, at home. They also lost four sons who died in childhood, and who were older than the members of the family above mentioned.
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Politically Mr. Pearson is a Bryan democrat, and keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day. He has served as school trustee and as a member of the school board, but has never sought office. The cause of edu- cation, however, finds in him a warm friend and an effectitve champion of its interests. Socially he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, has served through the chairs of the Indianola lodge and is now a past district deputy. His entire life has been devoted to farming, yet in his chosen field of labor he has displayed energy and ability that have made him one of the prosperous citizens of the community.
WILLIAM II. BERRY.
William H. Berry, whose life record is regarded as a valuable asset in the history of the bar of Iowa, has for more than a third of a century been num- bered among the practitioners at Indianola and has easily taken rank with its foremost representatives. Ile was born in Cass county, Illinois, October 23, 1849, a son of Benjamin C. Berry and a grandson of William S. Berry. The last named, in 1833, removed with his family from Virginia to Illinois, settling in Cass county, where he entered land from the government and also purchased land. Only the year before had the Black Hawk war occurred and great see- tions of the state were still uninhabited by the white man, while other districts gave but little evidence that the seeds of civilization had been planted. Ben- jamin C. Berry was a native of Virginia, probably of Orange county, and the family is of Welsh lineage. That the early representatives of the name in Ameriea came here in colonial days is indicated by the fact that William S. Berry was a soldier of the war of 1812.
Benjamin C. Berry was but a boy when his parents removed to Illinois, and there amid the wild scenes of frontier life he was reared. h 1869 he eame to Iowa with his son, William HI. Berry, and settled on the farm which he had purchased near Indianola. There he resided until two years prior to his death, when he retired from active business life and took up his abode in Indianola, where he remained until called to the home beyond. His widow still resides there. She bore the maiden name of Isabella Van Eaton, and is a daughter of Joseph and Marian Van Eaton. She lost her mother when only four or five years of age, and her father died in 1880. Benjamin C. Berry was an enterprising farmer and good business man and bore an unassailable reputa- tion for commercial integrity. The Methodist Episcopal church found in him a most devoted and zealons member, and for many years he served as chairman of its board of trustees. His early political allegiance was given to the whig party, but being thoroughly in sympathy with the principles which gave rise to the republican party, he joined its ranks on its organization and continued to march under its banners during the remainder of his life. He was a member of the board of supervisors and acted as its chairman.
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At the time of the Civil war Benjamin C. Berry espoused the Union cause, enlisting on the 15th of August, 1862, as a member of the One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He went to the front with Company D and for three years defended the stars and stripes, being mustered out in March, 1865. He had organized the company at Virginia, Illinois, and was elected its captain. At the time he was mustered out, however, he had been disabled by a gunshot wound in the wrist and had resigned his commission. For some time on active duty, he participated in the siege of Vicksburg, in the battles of Nashville, Guntown and Tupelo, and at the last named was wounded. Ile was also in a number of skirmishes and raids, including the raid on Jack- son, Mississippi. Throughout the period of his residence in Warren county he was as loyal to the interests of local advancement and national progress as he was when he followed the nation's starry banner on the battlefields of the south. His death occurred on the 8th of April, 1894.
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