USA > Iowa > Warren County > The history of Warren County, Iowa, from its Earliest Settlementto 1908 > Part 73
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In his political views Mr. Sayre was a republican and always kept informed on the questions and issues of the day. He held some minor offices, but was never a politieian in the sense of office seeking. The Methodist Episcopal church found him a constant and helpful member and one whose loyalty was manifested in many tangible ways. In his business life he made a notable record. He was for years president of the Iowa State bank at Osceola and was an extensive farmer and cattle-breeder. In all he undertook he won success and continued one of the foremost representatives of agrienltural life in Warren county, until called to his final rest January 9, 1901. In his
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
attitude everywhere was manifested the true spirit of altriism and although aggressive in every sense of the word, he always avoided even the semblance of that popular tendency so detrimental to the welfare of the community, mainly the sacrifice of friendship or principle for the promulgation of selfish interests.
EDWIN RUTINVEN MCKEE.
Edwin Ruthven MeKee, deceased, was for many years one of the promi- ment and inthiential citizens of Indianola. He was born on a farm seven miles from Neweastle, Indiana, in 1842, and was the son of Tabor W. and Sarah (Elliott) McKee. The birth of the father ocenrred on land which is now with- in the city limits of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the mother was a native of North Carolina. Our subject 's grandfather was a soldier of the Revolutionary war and also participated in the war of 1812, serving under General Anthony Wayne. At an early day Tabor W. McKee removed to Indiana, where he entered a tract of wild land and, in the midst of the forest, cleared and improved a farm. Ile became a very prosperous agriculturist and a large landowner. He was also prominent in public affairs and held a number of political offices. In 1852 he came to Iowa and first located in Des Moines but, not liking the city, he removed to Indianola and located on the place now occupied by the widow of our subject. Here he was engaged in mercantile business for a time, but later his attention was principally devoted to his official duties. He served as sheriff of the county for some years, and also county treasurer. No trust reposed in him was ever betrayed, and he met with success in all of his under- takings. By birthright he was a member of the Society of Friends. After a useful and well spent life he passed away in 1871 and his wife died in 1885. They were the parents of four children, of whom our subject is the youngest.
Edwin R. McKee received a good common-school education, and was twelve years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Indianola. Leaving school at that time he entered the treasurer's office, serving as deputy under his father, and was later cashier in the First National Bank. Subsequently he engaged in the nursery business in connection with .J. T. Lacey, and later turned his attention to the shoe business, meeting with success in all of his ventures.
Mr. McKee was quite prominent socially, being an honored member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In politics he was a strong republican and took a very active and prominent part in public affairs. His fellow citizens, recognizing his worth and ability, called upon him to serve as mayor of Indianola and he also was city clerk for a number of years, a member of the civic council and held other minor offices of honor and trust. He died February 2. 1897. respected and esteemed by all who knew him.
On the 24th of December. 1863. in Indianola. Mr. McKee married Miss Emma Bundy, who was born in Farmington. Iowa. on the 24th of December,
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
1846, the daughter of John W. and Sarah Maria Bundy. Her father was a miller by trade. During her childhood the family removed to Quiney, Illinois, and later to Oskaloosa, lowa, and from there came to Indianola, arriving here on the 8th of March, 1856. She attended the public schools of this city and subsequently was a student at Blue Bird Seminary, which was afterward merged into Simpson College.
Mr. and Mrs. MeKee became the parents of four children, of whom William O., born October 4, 1864, died in 1882, and a son and daughter died in infancy. The only one now living is Pearl K. MeKee, who was born February 17, 1874, and is now sueeessfully engaged in the elothing business in Indianola. £
He married Miss Nellie Bradshaw and they have two sons, Edd R. and Leonard W.
Mrs. McKee is quite prominent soeially and is an active member of the Rebekah lodge and the Degree of Honor, the auxiliary of the United Workmen, passing through all the ehairs in both of these bodies. She is an earnest and faithful member of the First Baptist church and the Baptist Young People's Union and is also eonneeted with the James Whitcomb Riley Club, whose object is to cheer and brighten the lives of old people, to visit them and remember them on their birthdays and in sickness to eare for them. The distressed and unfortunate have always found in her a friend and her motto is, "Do all the good you can, in every way you can and wherever you ean." She is always ready to visit the sick and afflieted and she is loved and respeeted by rieh and poor, young and old, alike. Pleasant and genial at all times, she makes many friends and no enemies and she is welcomed in the best society wherever she goes.
PERRY FRY.
With the farmning and stock-raising interests of Allen township Perry Fry has now been closely identified for almost forty years, his home being on section 9, where he owns and operates a good farm of one hundred acres. This farm, the home place, originally consisted of one hundred and forty aeres, but forty of these he has given to his son, who is working it.
He was born on the 6th of June, 1849, in Morgan county, Indiana, and is a son of Joseph Fry, whose birth oeeurred in the same eounty in 1815, his paternal grandfather, William F. Fry, being one of the pioneers of that region, where in the midst of the wilderness he hewed out a farm. He was of German parentage. Joseph Fry was a boat builder by trade and he also engaged in boating on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, being thus engaged when he lost his life in 1851. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Susan Wall, was also born and reared in Indiana. Perry is the youngest of their five sons, the others being: William F., a veteran of the Civil war, who was engaged in farming in Indiana for some years but is now a resident of Lucas county, Towa; George W., who enlisted in the Twenty-first Indiana Heavy Artillery during the rebellion and was killed at Baton Rouge, Louisiana; John S., who
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
was a member of the Thirty-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry and is now a resident of Martinsville, Indiana; and F. M., who served throughout the war as a member of the Twenty-first Indiana Volunteer Infantry and now makes his home near Carlisle in Polk comty, lowa. It will thus be seen that the family was well represented in the Guion army during the dark days of the rebellion and one of the brothers laid down his life on the altar of his country.
During his boyhood and youth Perry Fry attended the common and graded schools of his native county and was a young man of twenty-years when he left Indiana and came to Iowa. locating in Warren county, where he first. engaged in farming upon rented land. On the 22d of June. 1870, he married Miss Emeline Stumbo, who belonged to one of the honored pioneer families of this county, and for about five years thereafter he operated the Stmnbo farm. He then purchased his present place, consisting of one hundred and forty acres on seetion 9, Allen township, and to its further improvement and cultivation he has sinee devoted his energies with good results. He built a good two-story residenee, two barns and has set out shade and ornamental trees and thus converting the place into one of the most attractive farms of the locality. He also bought an adjoining forty aeres on section 7. He has given con- siderable attention to the raising of high-grade stock, making a specialty of pure blooded shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs, and standard bred draft horses. He fattens considerable stock for market, feeding about a carload of eattle and one carload of hogs annually.
Mr. Fry has one son. W. C. Fry, who married Gelene Baldwin, a native of Mahaska county, Iowa, and a daughter of Sylvester Baldwin, of Carlisle, and they have a daughter, Audra. In his political views our subject is a repub- lican and he has served as a delegate to conventions of his party. He has always taken an active and commendable interest in public affairs, serving as township trustee and a member of the school board for some years, and he has ever given an earnest support to all measures which he believes calculated to advance the publie welfare.
JAMES N. CASADY.
James N. Casady is the well known and popular cashier of the Norwalk bank, which was organized in 1895 by Simon Casady & Company, bankers, the other officers being Simon Casady, president ; and I. I. Good, assistant cashier. The bank has a paid up capital of twenty-five thousand dollars and is in a flourishing and prosperous condition. ranking as one of the most substantial banking institutions of the county. Its officers are well known. reliable busi- ness men, who have the confidence of the public.
James N. Casady is a native of Warren county, born July 14, 1872, and is a son of Wier and Hannah (Hart) Casady, both of whom were born in Indiana. After acquiring his preliminary education in the publie schools here, he at- tended Drake University at Des Moines, and on leaving that institution was
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INTERIOR OF NORWALK BANK
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
well fitted for life's practical duties. For a time he was employed as clerk in the Des Moines Savings Bank at Des Moines and then accepted the position of cashier of the Norwalk Bank, becoming a member of the firm of Simon Casady & Company, bankers, at that time. He is a very energetic, enterpris- ing business man and to his able management the bank owes not a little of its success. Simon Casady & Company own the following banks, all in War- ren county : Norwalk Bank, Simon Casady, president; J. N. Casady, cashier; Cumming Bank, Simon Casady, president; J. N. Casady, vice president ; W. H. Glynn, cashier; Spring Hill Bank, Simon Casady, president; J. N. Casady, vice president. C. C. Ash. cashier; Citizens Savings Bank at New Virginia. Simon Casady. president, J. N. Casady, vice president, F. C. Stiffler, cashier, G. L. Nine, assistant cashier
In 1892 Mr. Casady was nuited in marriage to Miss Minnie L. Blakely, a native of Indianola, Iowa, and to them have been born two sons, Wier and Wayne. In his social relations Mr. Casady is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World. and in politics is identified with the republican party.
ELIAS SHUTT.
After years of active labor, mainly devoted to agricultural pursuits, Elias Shutt is now living a retired life in Indianola, Iowa, enjoying a well-earned rest, surrounded by all the comforts which go to make life worth the living. He was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1832, and is the son of Ben- jamin and Barbara (Houtz) Shutt, who were also natives of Berks county and of German descent. The father was a farmer by occupation and spent his last days in Indiana. Both he and his wife were faithful members of the Lutheran church. In their family were six children, of whom our subject is the fifth in the order of birth.
Elias Shutt was reared upon the home farm and attended the country schools of the neighborhood. On leaving his native state he accompanied his parents on their removal to Montgomery county, Ohio, in 1845, and made his home there until 1851, when he removed to Tippecanoe county, Indiana. Four years later he came to Iowa and took up his residence in Warren county, making the journey with horse teams before the railroad was built through this section. He followed the occupation of farming in Richland township from 1856 until 1872. In the latter year he located in Jasper county, Iowa, and in 1884 beeame a resident of Fonda, Pocahontas county. Return- ing to Warren county in 1893 he settled in Indianola, and has since lived retired. In his farming operations he met with excellent success and now in the evening of life can enjoy the fruits of former toil in ease and quiet. He is the owner of land in both North Dakota and South Dakota.
On the 11th of June, 1857. Mr. Shutt was united in marriage to Miss Mar- garet Brown, a native of Indiana. who died November 10. 1862, and he was
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again married November 19, 1861, his second union being with Mrs. Margaret (Yount ) Pendry, who was born in Tippecanoe county, Indiana, January 21, 1542. She was the widow of J. A. Pendry and a daughter of George and Martha (Brown) Yount, of ludiana. She lost her mother when ouly three years of age and in 1853 came to Warren county, lowa, with her father, who located in Allen township. Mr. and Mrs. Shutt have three children, namely : Mary Bell. now the wife of George AA. Moore, of Lincoln township; Carrie Effie, who is now engaged in teaching; and Cora Frances, the wife of J. A. Pendry, a farmer of Richland township.
The republican party has always found Mr. Shutt a stanch supporter of its principles and he has been deeply interested in public affairs. A useful and well spent life has not only gained him a comfortable competence, but has secured for him many friends who esteem him highly for his sterling worth. His estimable wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
CASWELL BEAUCHAMP.
Prominent among the business men of Warren county is Caswell Beau- champ, who has been engaged in general merchandising at Carlisle since 1888, and has been closely identified with the upbuilding and development of the city. He is a worthy representative of an old and honored family of this county. A native of Indiana, he was born in Huntington county, July 21. 1856, and is a son of John and Levina (Dille) Beauchamp, the father a native of Indiana, and the mother of Ohio; the former born in 1821 and the latter in 1828. In early life the father followed farming in the Hoosier state and on coming to Iowa in 1865 located in Richland township, Warren county, where he continued to engage in agricultural pursuits for a number of years, but retired from active labor a quarter of a century ago. In his family are three sons : Isaac, William HI. and Caswell, and two daughters: Mary, the wife of B. F. Huckleberry, a farmer of Allen township; and Anna, wife of Rev. Bertch, a minister of the United Brethren church, and now located in Kansas.
Caswell Beauchamp was only eleven years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to this state and in Warren county he was reared and educated. attending the common schools. On starting out in life for him- self he become interested in merchandising and purchased an interest in a store already established. Two years later he bought out his partner and was alone for a number of years, but has since formed another partnership which still continues. They carry a large and well selected stock of dry goods, clothing, boots, shoes and groceries, and by fair and honorable dealing he has built up an excellent trade. Besides his business in Carlisle, Mr. Beau- champ established and conducted a grocery in Des Moines for some years, and he has also been extensively engaged in the real-estate business, erecting several residences and business houses in Carlisle, some of which he still owns.
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
Here Mr. Beauchamp was married in the spring of 1886 to Miss Luhu Roberts, who was born, reared and educated in Carlisle and is a daughter of W. V. Roberts, one of the early settlers of Richland township. They have four children living: May, now the wife of Oren Carey, of Ackworth; Ward. Minnie and John C. One son. Glenn, died August 24, 1906.
Mr. and Mrs. Beauchamp are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he is also connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Carlisle. Since attaining his majority he has affiliated with the republican party and he has been called upon to serve as township trustee for eight years He is publie-spirited. giving his cooperation to every movement which tends to promote the moral. intellectual and material welfare of the community. He possesses the enterprising spirit of the west. which has been the dominant factor in producing the wonderful development of this section of the country.
JOHN L. TILTON.
Throughout his active business life John L. Tilton has been prominently identified with educational work and has been one of the professors at Simp- son College for the past twenty years. He is a native of New Hampshire, born at Nashua, on the 11th of January. 1863. and was graduated from the high school of that city in 1881, receiving one of the Noyes prize medals. After his graduation from Wesleyan University. Middletown, Connecticut, in 1885, he served one year as principal of the schools of Niantic, Connecticut, from which place he returned to Wesleyan University as assistant in natural history and a post-graduate student, remaining there two years. In 1887 he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa and the following year was given the master's degree.
Professor Tilton then accepted an eleetion to the chair of natural seiences at Simpson College. Indianola, Iowa, which position he still retains though two other professors now share in the work of the department. In August, 1892. he passed the competitive examinations for a position as teacher of sciences in the high schools of Chicago, receiving an election, but finally gave up the opportunity for advancement because of the unwillingness of the trustees to let him go so near the beginning of the college year. This prevented his enter- ing upon graduate work in geology at the University of Chicago at that time. that being a part of his plan. A year's leave of absence (1894-95) he spent in geology at Harvard University, from which institution he received a mas- ter's degree in 1895. A second year's absence (1902-03) he spent as a fellow in geology at the University of Chicago, at which institution he has now prac- tieally completed his work for a doctor's degree.
While serving as an assistant in natural history he spent parts of three summers at biologieal laboratories at the sea shore. After election to Simpson College he spent part of a summer taking the course in quantitative analysis at Harvard (since at first he had to teach chemistry along with other sub-
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jeets and a part of the summer in further preparation in electricity at Wes- levan. In 1890 he took the summer course in electrical engineering at Har- vard. Several sommers between 1890 and 1897 he spent in work on the lowa geological survey. The summer of 1897 he spent in traveling in southwestern Colorado, and the summer of 1901 in lecturing in western lowa. The smmers of 1903. 1901 and 1905 were wholly given to geological field work.
Professor Tilton holds membership in Phi Beta Kappa; the American Society of Naturalists; the American Association for the Advancement of Seience, and the Towa Academy of Sciences, of which he was the president in 1908. He has published the following papers : "The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Annual Reports of the Curators of the Museum of Wesleyan University, Mid- dletown. Connectient :" "Geological Section Along Middle River in Central lowa :" "On the Southwestern Part of the Boston Basin :" "The Area of Slate Near Nashna, New Hampshire:" "The Geology of Warren County, lowa;" part of "The Geology of Madison County, lowa :" "Engineering Problems in a Course in Physics :" "The Switchboard and Arrangement of Storage Battery at Simpson College;" "A Problem in Municipal Waterworks for a Small City :" and a few shorter papers. He is now engaged in the preparation of a detailed report on "The Pleistocene Deposits of Warren County, lowa." . Within the last few years he has delivered as many as thirty-six public lec- tures and addresses.
On the 4th of September. 1890. Professor Tilton was united in marriage to Miss Ida M. Hoyt, of Nashua. New Hampshire, and they have one child, Bessie Swinburne Tilton, born June 15, 1891. On his conversion at the age of thirteen years he joined the Methodist church and has since taken an active interest in church work. Publie spirited and progressive, he is now serving as a member of the Indianola library and park boards. and he never withholds his support from any enterprise which he believes will promote the public welfare or advance the interests of his city and county.
IIENRY LONG.
Henry Long, who operates his farm of two hundred acres on section 27. Otter township, has resided in Warren county for over half a century and in his present home for over thirty-five years. Ile was born in Peoria county. Illinois, in 1844, the son of John and Jane (McNamer) Long. His father was born in Tennessee in 1816. He removed to Kentucky, and from there to Ham- ilton county, Illinois, where he was married. Later. in 1843. he went to Peoria county. Illinois. where he owned and operated a one hundred acre farm, residing there some ten or eleven years. In 1854 he removed to Warren county, Iowa, where he entered eighty acres of land on what was at that time section 36. Otter township. He also entered one hundred and sixty acres in Belmont township, one hundred and sixty acres in Liberty township. one Indred and sixty acres in White Breast township. and elsewhere. He sold
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
those farms to various parties and dealt in real estate, and also engaged in stock trading, and taken altogether was a very successful man. He served several terms as township clerk, as well as in other local offices. During the last fourteen years of his life he suffered from paralysis and was consequent- ly incapacitated for any active career. He died on a farm north of Milo in 1881. Both himself and wife were members of the Methodist church. Mrs. Long was born and reared in North Carolina, her birth occurring in the year 1818. She removed with her parents to Kentucky and later to Hamilton connty, Illinois, where she met and married Mr. Long. Her aged mother made her home with her in Peoria county, Ilinois, until the time of her death. Mrs. Long passed away in 1880.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. John Long were born ten children, of whom three: Jeannette, James and an infant, are deceased. Those living are : Alexander, a farmer of Peoria county, Illinois; Lydia, the wife of William Michaels, a farm- er residing in Clarke county, near Ashland; Henry, of this review ; Jeremiah, who resides in Dakota and has been engaged in various pursuits; Manece Ellen, the wife of Lewis Schee, of Indianola; John, residing in Belmont township, north of Milo; and Theodore, engaged in farming at Sheridan, Wyoming.
Heury Long spent the days of his boyhood and youth under the parental roof and early received the training in agricultural pursuits which has en- abled him to sneceed so admirably in his work in later years. He has made most of the improvements on his present home place and his sueeess in life has been largely due to his own efforts and the sound judgment he has shown in matters pertaining to his business.
In his success he has been ably assisted and seconded by his wife, who was Miss Celia Benge, to whom he was married in 1865. Mrs. Long is the daughter of Thomas and Dorcas (Bales) Benge. Her father was born in Clay county. Kentucky, in 1801 and died in 1879, aged seventy-eight years. He was a soldier of the Black Hawk war and with the land warrant he received for his services he entered forty acres of land. When a youth of eighteen or nineteen years of age Mr. Benge went to Warren county. Indiana, where he engaged in farming. He was married in Putnam connty, Indiana, to Miss Bales. They came to Warren county, Iowa, in 1849, locating on the farm now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Long. Mr. Benge entered and owned over one thousand aeres of land, mainly in Otter township, although he had some land in White Breast township. He improved a small tract, but his health failing he retired and removed to Hammondsburg, where he died. His wife, Doreas Bales. was born in Kentucky in 1799 and died at the home of a daughter in Squaw township, in October. 1886. She and her husband are buried at Hammondsburg. She embraced the faith of the Baptist church and was immersed in Otter creek. after she was eighty years of age. Her parents removed from Kentucky to Putnam county. Indiana, when she was but a child and it was there that she met and married Mr. Benge.
Mrs. Long was but eight years of age when the family came to Warren county. Iowa. At that time game of all kinds was plentiful. deer being seen in droves of sometimes fifty. besides an abundance of feathered game. Wolves
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