USA > Iowa > Warren County > The history of Warren County, Iowa, from its Earliest Settlementto 1908 > Part 49
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90
Both Mr. and Mrs. Seroggs are loyal to their professions as members of the Presbyterian church, and in the community are highly esteemed. In politics he is a stalwart republican and he maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades as a member of James Randolph Post, G. A. R. Through days of peace he has been as loyal to his country and its welfare as he was in times of war and his interest in local advancement and national progress has always been a salient feature in his career.
SAMUEL SHAW.
Samuel Shaw is one of the most prominent and influential citizens of Milo. where he is now practically living retired, superintending his affairs but leaving the active management to others. He was born at Salem, Columbiana county, Ohio, March 18. 1842, and during his childhood removed to Logan county, that state, with his parents, Benjamin and Barbara Shaw. They were natives of Pennsylvania, the former born in 1811 and the latter in 1820, and in early life removed to Ohio, where their marriage was celebrated. There the father engaged in farming until his death, which occurred when he was forty- eight years of age, and the mother died at the age of sixty-four years.
Samuel Shaw grew to manhood in Logan county. Ohio, and received a good common-school education at Zanesfield. His father died leaving a large family dependent upon him for support and thus carly in life he was called upon to take up the burdens which usually come to one later in their career. He at once turned his attention to farming and stock-raising and continued to follow those occupations throughout his active business life. On leaving Logan county, Ohio, he came to Warren county, Iowa, in December. 1867. and located on a farm in Belmont township, where he made his home until coming to Milo in the spring of 1893. He has dealt quite extensively in real estate and has been actively engaged in the banking business, and is at present the owner of fifteen hundred acres of land. Starting ont in life in limited eirem- stanees, his success is due entirely to his own industry, sound judgment and good management in business affairs, and he well deserves the prosperity that has erowned his efforts. The most envions could hardly grudge him his snecess, so honorably has it been won.
yours Truly 1
Samuel Show.
JAMES GILBERT
521
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
On the 21st of January, 1864, in Warren county, Mr. Shaw married Miss Emily Gilbert, who was born in Staffordshire, England, on the 26th of January, 1842, and is the oldest of a family of thirteen children, eleven sons and two daughters. She was only six years of age when brought to Ameriea. Mr. and Mrs. Shaw are the parents of four children: William A., who married Virginia A. Dnnn ; Cora Edna, who married Dr. J. T. Fellows, of Des Moines, and died leaving a daughter, E. Josephine, who is a graduate of the Milo high school and makes her home with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Shaw ; Nellie, the deceased wife of Lon Dunn; and R. A., who is a graduate of Simpson College and is now bookkeeper in the Citizens Bank of Milo, making his home with his parents. The older son lives in Arkansas, where he has fourteen hun- dred and forty aeres of land, and is engaged in raising rice.
During the dark days of the Rebellion, Mr. Shaw entered the United States service from Ohio, enlisting about the 1st of May, 1864, as a private in Company T, One Hundred and Thirty-seeond Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served four and one-half months. He is now an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic and has served as commander of Milo Post, No. 275, Department of Iowa, for several years. Religiously he holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church and gives liberally of his means for the advancement of all church work, never withholding his aid from any enter- prise which he believes will promote the moral, intellectual or material welfare of the community. The republican party has always found in him a staneh supporter of its principles and he has filled various municipal and school offiees, ineluding that of mayor of Milo. He has always been found true to any trust reposed in him, whether public or private, and he is justly ranked among the leading and representative eitizens of his adopted county.
J. E. SANDY.
This well known and honored citizen of Union township, now residing on section 33, is familiarly called Uncle Joe by numerous friends throughout the county. He is one of the early settlers, dating his residenee here from 1853, and for many years he was actively identified with farming, but is now practically living retired although he still owns one hundred and sixty acres in Union township and oversees its cultivation.
Like many of our best citizens, Mr. Sandy is a native of Indiana, born near Gosport, in Owen county, June 22, 1836, and is a son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth (Goss) Sandy, natives of Tennessee and North Carolina respectively. The father was one of the pioneers of Owen county, Indiana, there still being a great many Indians in that region when he located there, in fact, sixteen hundred red men eneamped near his home the first winter. In 1848 he came to Towa and entered land in Warren county, but did not move his family to this loeality until 1853. He owned about three hundred and forty acres of land where the village of Sandyville is now situated and here he spent his
522
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
remaining days. Throughout life he made farming his occupation, and in business affairs he prospered.
J. E. Sandy attended the common schools of his native state and was about seventeen years of age when the family removed to this county. On reaching manhood he was married in Sandyville to Miss Marietta Burges, who was born in Canada but was reared in Illinois and came to Iowa in 1854. They began their domestic life on a farm and on the 15th of April, 1865. Mr. Sandy purchased his present place on section 33. Union township, which at that time was all wild land. He broke it with ox-teams and a twenty-four inch breaking plow, and for several years engaged in breaking land for others, thus preparing five hundred acres for cultivation. His farm was first fenced with rails, it requiring eighteen hundred. He set out an orchard and made many other useful and valuable improvements, including the erection of a large residence and good outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. For some years he engaged in shipping cattle and hogs which he had fattened for market. Besides his farm of one hundred and sixty acres in this county, he owns a quarter section of land in North Dakota, which he has improved and now rents. There he has spent his summers for eight seasons.
Mr. Sandy lost his first wife, who died in this county. in June. 1880. Unto them were born the following children: Charles, who died in 1888, at the age of twenty-four years; Elbert J., who died in 1884, at the age of twenty-two; Henry B., whose sketch follows this; Elizabeth, the wife of John Trotter, a farmer of Belmont township, by whom she has sis sons ; and Julia F .. the wife of J. H. Trimble. of Westhope. North Carolina. by whom she has five daughters and one son. Mr. Sandy was again married at Indianola in 1896 to Mrs. Margaret Darnell. a widow, who died in 1900. and he has since made his home with his son most of the time while looking after his farming interests.
The republican party has found in Mr. Sandy a stanch supporter of its principles since casting his first vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. and he has filled the offices of township trustee and school treasurer, serving in the latter capacity for eight years. He is an earnest and consistent member of the Union Christian church, and is a charter member of Sandyville lodge. A. F. & A. M .. of which he is past master, and the only one of the original members now living. He is connected with the Eastern Star, to which his wife also belonged, and he has filled all the offices in his lodge.
HENRY B. SANDY.
Henry B. Sandy. one of the representative farmers of Union township. has spent his entire life in the locality where he now lives, for he was born on the old Sandy homestead in that township. November 22. 1874. a son of J. E. Sandy, whose sketch is given above. During his boyhood and youth he attended the public schools of Milo and Ackworth, and also assisted his father in the labors of the farm. thus acquiring a good practical knowledge of the occupation
523
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
which he now follows. He was married on the 1st of March, 1894, to Miss Agnes Reeves, a native of this county, and a daughter of Robert Reeves. They now have two children : Frank J. and Goldie M.
After his marriage Mr. Sandy engaged in farming on rented land for six years and then purchased eighty acres of his present farm on seetion 33, Union township. Later he went to North Dakota, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he proved up and cultivated for two years. He then sold that place and bought eighty acres adjoining his original tract in this county. He has sinee remodeled the house and made many other improve- ments upon the place and has added to it until he now has a fine farm of two hundred and twenty acres under excellent cultivation. He raises and feeds considerable stoek, usually shipping from two to three carloads of cattle and hogs ammally. He is a very wide-awake and energetic young farmer and is meeting with excellent success in business affairs. His political support is given the republican party.
W. H. CAIN.
Since 1851 W. H. Cain has been a resident of Warren county and through- ont the years of his manhood he has been prominently identified with its development especially along agricultural lines. He was born in Meigs county, Ohio, on the 15th of October, 1845, and was only four years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Iowa, two years being spent at Ottumwa before they located in Warren county. Here his father followed both farming and carpentering and both he and his wife died in this county.
W. H. Cain grew to manhood upon a farm and acquired his edueation in the local schools. Although only sixteen years of age he joined the boys in blue, enlisting on the 8th of August, 1861, as a private in Company B, Tenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and his first engagement was at Charleston, Missouri. He was in thirty-one important battles, including some of the most hard-fought engagements of the war, and was severely wounded at Corinth, being confined in a hospital for three weeks. He then rejoined his regiment and remained at the front until hostilities ceased, being honorably discharged at Little Rock, Arkansas, in August, 1865. After his return home he worked on a farm by the month for several years.
Mr. Cain married Lavena Myrick, who was born and reared in this county, being a daughter of Eli Myrick, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume. To them has been born one daughter, Edith, and by a former marriage Mrs. Cain has a son, James E. Sandy, who is now a farmer of Milestone, Canada.
Mr. and Mrs. Cain have a nice home in Hartford, where they also own four lots. and a good farm of sixty acres adjoining the village. Throughout his active business life he has engaged in agricultural pursuits and has met with well deserved success. He has been called upon to fill various loeal offices and
524
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
is a staneh supporter of the republican party. He is a prominent member of O. P. Lewis Post. No. 169. G. A. R., of Hartford, of which he is the present commander, having served in that capacity for ten years, and both he and his wife are consistent and faithful members of the Presbyterian church.
WILLIAM S. HARROD.
William S. Harrod. a retired farmer of Norwalk. lowa, was born in Scott county, Indiana, January 29. 1837, the son of Isaac and Sarah (MeCreary) Harrod. Isaae Harrod was a native of Kentucky. but being opposed to slavery he removed to Indiana to get away from it. He was of Scotch-Irish descent and possessed all the force of character that is characteristie of this ancestry. He was a good marksman and a soldier in the war of 1812. He died in Indiana, September 20, 1855. aged sixty-six years. His wife, Sarah McCreary, was of Irish descent, and a native of Kentucky. She survived her husband by a number of years, passing away. as did her husband, at the age of sixty-six years. They were the parents of nine children.
When a young man nearly twenty-one years of age, William S. Harrod accompanied his mother on a visit from Indiana to Des Moines, where lived a brother and two brother-in-laws who were in business there. He liked the place and there began working at the carpenter's trade for one of his brother- in-laws. He followed that trade in Des Moines for seven years. during which time he managed to accumulate considerable means. When a youth he had invested in Kansas land and at one time owned over one hundred aeres in what is now Lyon county. During the seven years spent at Des Moines he invested in two hundred and eighty aeres of land in Greenfield township. Warren county, where he lived for many years, and in addition to this pur- chased two hundred acres elsewhere in Iowa. He was fortunate in securing this land at a time when its valuation was low compared to the merits of its soil, and its consequent growth in value added materially to his pros- perity. A favorable opportunity presenting itself for its sale. he disposed of it some years ago and bought with a part of the proceeds a farm adjoining the village of Norwalk, which is now well worth one hundred and twenty- five dollars an acre. For eight years Mr. Harrod has lived in the village re- tired from the active work of the farm and the leisure thus afforded him has enabled him to look into the merits of various propositions which have been presented to him, many of which he has seen good reasons for rejecting. while in others he has seen a sonree of profitable investment. His most approved idea of an assured income is that of making loans on first mortgages, which he is enabled to do by reason of his early habits of thrift, industry and economy.
In February, 1872, occurred the marriage of William S. Harrod and Miss Barbara Beery, a native of Ohio, and daughter of David Beery. deceased. one of Warren county's carly pioneers. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Harrod has been
525
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
born one son, Irvin C. Harrod, who is married to Miss Emily Garow and is engaged in real-estate business in Des Moines.
Mrs. Harrod is a member of the Methodist church. Mr. Harrod was formerly a member of the Christian church. In politics he is a republican and while in no sense of the word is he a politician, yet he takes an active interests in the questions and issues of the day, and in making his decisions in this, as in all other matters, that he is actuated by the highest principles of justice and integrity is doubted by none.
JAMES A. MASON.
James A. Mason, residing on section 18, Richland township, where he owns and operates two hundred and twelve acres of highly improved land, was born on the farm where he now resides, on May 22, 1864, the son of William and Jane (Neal) Mason. His father was a native of New Jersey, where he passed the days of his boyhood and youth, and followed the occu- pation of sailor until he came to Van Buren county, Iowa, in 1843. From there he went to Des Moines, in which city he resided for a short time, and he helped to build the United States army barracks at that place. He took up a squatter's claim and, it is said, broke the first soil in Warren county, using an ox-team for this purpose. He married Miss Jane Neal, a native of Tennessee, who came to Iowa with her parents in 1844. Unto this union were born six children, five sons and one daughter, of whom James A., of this review, is the youngest. The father had accumulated here some eight hundred and sixty acres of land. He died October 5, 1895, at the age of eighty-one years, six months and six days.
James A. Mason completed his school work in the old Ackworth Academy and early entered upon the active duties connected with agricultural pur- suits. He aided his father in his extensive farming operations and on first branching out for himself bought sixty-seven acres of land in Palmyra town- ship. In the settlement of his father's estate he acquired one hundred and forty-five acres of the home property on which the old homestead was located, making two hundred and twelve acres which he now owns. Mr. Mason ap- preciates the fact that farming is a science calling for the greatest exercise of judgment and keen perception, and the respectful attention and study he has ever accorded his occupation is manifested in the high degree of perfec- tion which he has attained in the cultivation of cereals, particularly corn, and the superior grade of live stock which he owns. He carried off the grand sweepstake prize on corn for Iowa and the world, and took the world's honors on corn in 1907 through the Iowa State Fair and State Agricultural College at Ames. In live stock, he raises thoroughbred Jersey cattle, regis- tered Poland China hogs, 'and standard bred horses. His entry of stock and grain is always a conspicuous feature of the Iowa State Fair and he has taken several first premiums. The family prize as a valued souvenir some seed
526
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
corn which they possess that was found on the road between Tennessee and here by their grandfather in 1844 and from which the first corn in Warren county was grown. It is in keeping with the intelligent direction that he has ever given his affairs that he has erected good buildings, has fenced and cross fenced the place and has done everything that was necessary to further the interests of his business and to enable him to carry it on to the best pos- sible advantage.
On February 1, 1886, was celebrated the marriage of James A. Mason and Miss Cora Patterson, a daughter of Thompson Patterson and native of Dallas county, lowa. Unto this union has been born one daughter, Ermile, who is a graduate of the Carlisle high school.
Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Mason has been a stanch republican. Though not an aspirant for public office he has ever taken an active interest in party principles and has served as delegate to several state and county conventions. Fraternally, he is a member of the old Hartford Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of which his father was a charter member. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Hartford. Mrs. Mason is a member of the Eastern Star, the ladies' auxiliary of the Masonic fraternity, in which order she has held various offices. The family attend the Friends church.
GEORGE M. BARTHOLOMEW.
George M. Bartholomew is one of the few remaining early settlers of Warren county and one of its prominent business men, having been actively engaged in merchandising in Palmyra for a third of a century. He was born at Spencer, Owen county, Indiana, on the 25th of July, 1825, and was but a child when his father, John Bartholomew, died in that state. In 1830 his mother removed with her family to Illinois and located in McLean county, where he grew to manhood, being provided with fair educational advantages. He began his business career as clerk in a store and there received a good prac- tical business training.
On the 15th of September, 1848, Mr. Bartholomew was united in marriage to Miss Mary Flesher, who was born in Ohio but was reared in MeLean county. Illinois, and they became the parents of the following children : W. N., now a prominent business man of Indianola, who is represented elsewhere in this work ; Ezra, who grew to manhood and married but is now deceased : James, who is now living in South Dakota ; Joseph, who was a prominent business man and was also married at the time of his death; Mrs. Lanra Morris, a widow residing in Des Moines; and Minnie May, at home. All were given good educations.
It was in 1852 that Mr. Bartholomew came to lowa and took up his residence in Palmyra, which at that time Formed a part of Polk county. Here he erected a large store building of hewn logs and opened up a stock of
MR. AND MRS. G. M. BARTHOLOMEW
529
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
general merchandise, this being the only store in the town at that time, though there had been a small store at a previous date. His goods were hauled all the way from Keokuk. A few years later he built a good frame business house, which was subsequently destroyed by fire, and a third store was erected on the same site. He enjoyed an excellent trade, people coming from miles around to trade at his store, and he continued actively in business for thirty-three years or until 1885, when he sold out. In the meantime he had become interested in real estate, buying and selling considerable land, and he still owns two good farnıs.
While engaged in merchandising, Mr. Bartholomew was appointed post- master of Palmyra during President Pierce's administration and he served continuously in that office for twenty-eight years under both democratic and republican presidents. He has held various other positions of honor and trust, serving as school treasurer for forty years and also as township trustee, and he has been a delegate to the county and state conventions of his party. Originally he was an old line whig but has been a stanch republican since the organization of that party, voting for John C. Fremont in 1856. As a public- spirited and progressive citizen, he has done much toward the upbuilding of the town of Palmyra and to advance the interests of the community. He is a charter member of Palmyra lodge, I. O. O. F., and has passed through all the chairs, being now past grand, and he has also represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge of the state. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church and are people of prominence in the community which has now been their home for fifty-six years. Mr. Bartholomew has led a very active and useful life and well merits the high regard in which he is held.
J. CLARK MORTON.
J. Clark Morton, living on section 33, Lincoln township, has for almost forty years been a witness of the changes which have occurred whereby War- ren county has been developed from a pioneer distriet into a center of civ- ilization, which makes it one of the leading counties of this great common- wealth. He arrived here December 1, 1869, to find a streteh of broad prairie largely untilled and unimproved. He was then a young man of about eigli- teen years, energetic and determined, and as the years passed by he bore a helpful part in the work of general development.
Mr. Morton was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, August 15, 1851. His father, Richard Morton, was a native of that county and lived and died in that district. His entire life was devoted to general farming and thus he provided a good living for his family. He was married there to Miss Harriett Clark, a native of Washington county and they became the parents of two daughters and a son. One of the daughters, Sarah J., died at the age of thirteen years; Mary A., was the wife of George E. Brown and her death occurred in this eounty.
530
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
J. Clark Morton, the only son, acquired a public school education while spending his boyhood days under the parental roof. His father died in 1868, when sixty-three years of age, and the following year the mother came with her family to Iowa. Her death occurred here in 1887 when she was seventy- two years of age. She purchased the farm upon which her son, Clark, now resides comprising three hundred and twenty acres of land, and with char- acteristic energy he began to develop and improve it. His labor changed raw prairie into rich and productive fields. Not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made on the farm at the time of their arrival, but he worked energetically and diligently to cultivate the fields so that he might annually gather larger erops. In the course of time golden harvests rewarded his labor and for many years he has been numbered among the substantial agriculturists of the community. Ile has erected a good two-story residence, a commodious and substantial barn and other outbuildings which afford good shelter to grain and stoek. Ilis land holdings today embrace five hun- dred and twenty acres, for in addition to the home farm of three hundred and sixty acres on section 33, Lincoln township, he has one hundred and sixty acres in White Oak township. He has made a specialty of raising pure- blooded Poland China hogs and twenty-five times in thirty years he has made exhibits at the county fairs, where he has won many premiums on his hogs. Ile has also raised thoroughbred shorthorn cattle for twenty years and an- nually feeds from four to five carloads of cattle and from two to three car- loads of hogs. He has also raised Angora goats for nine years and markets the wool direet in Sanford, Maine. Another branch of his business is the raising of high-grade Norman Percheron horses, and in fact he is recognized as one of the prominent stock-dealers of this part of the state.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.