The history of Warren County, Iowa, from its Earliest Settlementto 1908, Part 81

Author: Union Historical Company
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Des Moines : Union historical company
Number of Pages: 1010


USA > Iowa > Warren County > The history of Warren County, Iowa, from its Earliest Settlementto 1908 > Part 81


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On the 10th of November, 1879, Mr. Price was united in marriage to Miss Nannie A. King, whose birth oceurred in Decatur eounty, Iowa. Her father. John A. King, was killed in the battle of Altoona. Mrs. Price passed away in 1887. leaving three children to mourn her loss: John A .. who is deceased; E.


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Roxy, the wife of Harry E. Ramay, who is connected with the Polk County Abstract Company at Des Moines; and Clint, Jr., who has also passed away. On the 13th of May, 1889, Mr. Price was again married, his second union being with Miss Ida M. St. John, who was barn in Boone, Iowa, her parents being O. and Mary St. John. Her father is a shoemaker by trade, and eame to Warren county in the '90s. Unto our subject and his second wife have been born four children, namely : E. Gladys; Helen O .; Hugh, who died in infancy ; and Hulda Dorothy.


In his political views Mr. Price is a stalwart demoerat and has taken an active interest in the work of the party. He served as town elerk of Milo, and for three years acted as mayor of Wapello, while at both plaecs he served as postmaster. In 1907 he was elected from Warren county to the lower branch of the state legislature, and is now chairman of the Warren county demoeratie central committee. He has been a member from the seventh distriet of the democratic state central committee and also secretary of the seventh district congressional committee. He is likewise chairman of the democratic state committee. His party fealty is not grounded on partisan prejudice, and he enjoys the respeet and confidence of all his associates, irrespective of party. Of the great issues which divide the two parties, with their roots extending down to the very bedrock of the foundation of the republic, he has the true statesman's grasp. Well grounded in the political maxims of the schools, he has also studied the lessons of actual life, arriving at his conclusions as a result of what may be called his post-graduate studies in the school of affairs. Such men, whether in office or out, are the natural leaders of whichever party they may be identified with, especially in that movement toward higher polities which is common to both parties, and which constitutes the most hopeful political sign of the period. Fraternally Mr. Price is connected with the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Modern Woodmen of America, Mutual Benevolent Association and the Yeomen. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episeo- pal church, in the work of which she is actively and helpfully interested.


GEORGE W. TAYLOR.


George W. Taylor, who was born in Indiana, February 3, 1853, is reeog- nized as one of the leading farmers of Virginia township, and is of English descent, his parents being natives of England, cmigrating to the United States some years after their marriage. He is the son of George and Margaret Taylor, who on coming to America first settled in Ohio, but later removed to Indiana, where the father died at the age of forty-five years, leaving a widow, who survived him for some years, and six children, three of whom were born in England, and three in Ameriea. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Taylor went to Louisville, Kentucky, where she made her home with her daughter up to the time of her death.


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George W. Taylor was but six years of age at the time of his father's death and as his mother was in humble eiremustances he was early thrown upon his own resources. His inherent fondness for agricultural pursuits led him to seek the country for a livelihood, and for many years he worked for wages on a farm. From this occupation it was but a step to engaging in farming in his own behalf in which his most successful ventures were first made in Warren county, Ilinois. Here he accumulated sufficient means to buy a farmi in Nebraska, which, however, he never worked, trading it in 1898 for his present farm. Ile now owns four hundred and eleven acres of land in sections 2, 3, 10 and 11, Virginia township, this county. He has attained his present position of independence and comparative affluence entirely through his own efforts, due to his habits of thrift and industry; as no outside assistance has ever been rendered him he can truly say that he has never acquired a dollar for which he did not give value received in the form of expended energy and effort. He has remodeled the house on his present place and built a substantial barn, and on another portion of the farm has erected a full set of buildings which are occupied by a married son, still Mr. Taylor regards his plaee as being only partially improved. He contemplates adding more buildings in the future and bringing it under a still higher state of cultivation.


In 1881 Mr. Taylor was married to Lydia Ann Shoop, a native of Illinois. To this union have been born five ehildren. The firstborn died in infaney. George Chester is married to Fern Fulmer and works part of his father's farm, reference to which has been previously made. Gertrude is the wife of Hart Shoop, who is engaged in farming in Illinois, and Ward Wesley and Fern live at home with their parents. Both Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics Mr. Taylor is a republican and is now serving his second term as township trustee, being eleeted thereto on this tieket.


SAMUEL J. TRUEBLOOD.


Samuel J. Trueblood, who is living on seetion 12, Belmont township, is the owner of a valuable farm which gives to him a gratifying ineome. He was born Mareh 23, 1860, in Washington county, Indiana, his parents being Oliver and Mary (Harned) Trueblood, both of whom were natives of Indiana. Coming to Iowa, they settled in Belmont township, Warren county, in the spring of 1868. Further mention of them is made in connection with the sketeh of Mrs. Oliver Trueblood on another page of this work. Mr. Trueblood is one of eight children : Ella, now the wife of Louis Turner; Sibbie, the wife of Arthur Bailey, a resident of Milo; Charles E., who married Lillie Randolph and after her death wedded Della Graham, while he now makes his home in Winterset, Iowa, where he is engaged in preaching as a Methodist minister ; Samuel J .; Allen, deceased; Curtis H., who married Izora Smith, and resides in Belmont; Clara B., the wife of Charles Tener, a resident of Kansas; and


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Ernest A., who married Addie MeClelland and resides in Milo, being associated with the firm of MeClelland & Company, dealers in general merchandise.


Samuel J. Trueblood was reared upon the home farm and early beeame acquainted with all of the tasks incident to the development of the fields. He started out for himself when about twenty years of age, having in the mean- time acquired a fair English education in the publie schools, while on the home farm he had gained intimate knowledge of the best methods of tilling the soil. His first business enterprise was the renting of a farm, which he conducted sneeessfully for about two years, and with the eapital he had acquired through his industry and careful expenditure he was then able to purchase a place for himself and became owner of a traet of land in Belmont township which he brought under a high state of cultivation. Here he has resided continuously since and is known as one of the suecessful farmers of Warren county. He carries on general agricultural pursuits, raising the erops best adapted to soil and elimate, and is also engaged in raising stoek. The farm contains one hundred and sixty aeres, situated about six and a half miles from Milo, and is splendidly improved, giving evidenee in its well kept appearance of the careful supervision of the owner.


Mr. Trueblood was married November 20, 1890. to Miss Effie Crew, a daughter of David and Lydia (Smith) Crew, who were natives of Ohio, the latter of German descent. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Samuel J. Trueblood have been born five children, but Blanehe died in ehildhood. The others, Osear C., Ethel, David Elton and Clarenee A. are all at home. The parents are members of the Society of Friends, who own a niee chureh building in the neighborhood. Mr. Trueblood has always voted with the republican party until within the last few years, when he has given his support to the prohibition party, because it embodies his ideas on the temperance question. He has been a sehool direetor for a number of terms and is one of the progressive young men of his township, highly esteemed for his personal traits of character as well as his business enterprise, integrity and ability.


WILLIAM ROMINE.


William Romine, son of Ross and Meda (Olliver) Romine, was born in Indiana on the 9th of February, 1843. Both parents died when he was but a little boy and he was reared by an older sister until old enough to eare for himself, when, at an early age, he ventured forth to fight life's battles in his own behalf. His father had been a farmer and, following in his footsteps, he sought this field of labor, working for monthly wages. In response to a eall for volunteers at the time of the opening of the Civil war he was among the first who hurried to the defense of the Union, enlisting August 8, 1861, as a private in Company I, Thirty-seeond Ohio Volunteer Infantry. On the expira- tion of his term of serviee he reenlisted and in all served four years and twelve days, participating in Sherman's march to the sea and the grand review


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at Washington at the close of the war. He was present at many important engagements, among which may be mentioned Champion Hill; the siege of Vicksburg: siege of Atlanta, Georgia; engagements of Cheat Mountain, Vir- ginia : Rich Hill, Virginia; Harpers Ferry, and several others. At Harpers Ferry he was taken prisoner, but was paroled. He was never in prison nor wounded, although he had his clothing pierced by bullets. Probably, because they made so deep an impression on his mind, Mr. Romine recalls the events of these stirring times much more vividly than he does the happenings of more recent years and it is entertaining and instructive to hear him converse upon this subject.


On the 6th of April, 1863. Mr. Romine was married to Miss Mary McQuillen, of Ohio, who was born in that State on the 18th of October, 1848. To this union have been born seven children, six of whom are still living. Their names, respectively, are as follows: Clara. the wife of Davis Hughes, a merchant at Spring Hill; Charles Curtis. a farmer of Virginia township, a sketch of whose life appears elsewhere in this volume; John, who married Anna Schutt and died July 16. 1894; Oliver. a farmer of Polk county, Iowa, who married Grace Britten ; Oscar. who married Dora Shigley ; and Fannie, the wife of John Shigley, both of whom reside on farms in North Dakota; and Edward, who resides at home with his parents and runs the farm.


Five years after his marriage. in 1868. Mr. Romine removed from Ohio to Towa, where he bought eighty acres of land southwest of Indianola, on which he built a residence and lived there for about sixteen years. He then went to Saunders county. Nebraska. and farmed until 1898. when he returned to Warren county and bought his present place, upon which he has erected a comfortable residence equipped with all modern conveniences. The house is surrounded with beautiful grounds and the environments are such as to pro- mote peace on earth and good will toward all men, a sentiment which is dispensed freely from this hospitable home. Mr. Romine is not a member of any church, though his sympathy and support are given the Methodist Episco- pal church, to which his wife belongs. In politics he has been a lifelong republican, believing the principles of this party to be sound and conducive to good government.


CHARLES CURTIS ROMINE.


Charles Curtis Romine, a progressive and well-to-do farmer of Virginia township. was born in Ashland county, Ohio, May 3. 1866. and is the son of William and Mary (McQuillen) Romine. He was but two years of age when his parents removed from Ohio to Warren county. and settled there on a farm. He was educated in the district schools which he attended regularly through- out the winter months, while his summers were given over to asisting in the work on his father's farm. At the age of twenty-one years he engaged in farm-


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ing for himself, buying forty acres of land near his father's place on which he built a home and there resided until 1903, when he came to his present home, the William Kent farm. Mr. Romine now owns one hundred and twenty acres of land which is in a high state of cultivation and yields him excellent returns for his investment. He has remodeled the house, built a large barn, and altogether has added such further conveniences and made such improvements as are necessary for the profitable conduct of his business.


Mr. Romine has been ably assisted in the acquirement of his present home by the cooperation of his wife, who was Miss Ellen Schutt, the daugh- ter of Harrison and Catherine (Black) Seliutt, living in Jackson township, this county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Romine have been born six children, namely : William Harrison, Henry Curtis, Fannie May, Daisy Dean, Charles Overton and Floyd. Mrs. Romine is a member of the Dunkard's church.


Mr. Romine's political support is given to the republican party, and, while in no sense of the word a politician, he has always taken an active interest in its workings, believing its principles to be founded on the right basis. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.


S. C. HEMPHILL.


The agricultural interests of Lincoln township have a worthy representa- tive in S. C. Hemphill, whose home is on section 31. He was born in Mont- gomery county, Indiana, on the 8th of February, 1834, and is a son of Newton and Mary (Irvin) Hemphill, natives of North Carolina, where they were reared and married and where two children were born to them ere their removal to the Hoosier state. They located in Montgomery county and there spent the remainder of their lives. By occupation the father was a distiller. In the family were three sons and three daughters but only two are now living : S. C., of this review, and Mrs. Margaret Hoover, a widow, residing in Indiana.


During his boyhood and youth S. C. Hemphill attended the publie schools near his home and he also acquired an excellent knowledge of farm work as he aided in the improvement and cultivation of the home plaee. He remained under the parental roof until coming to Iowa in 1855. He first located in Hamilton county, where he engaged in farming for about five years, and in 1867 came to Warren county, where he has since made his home. His first purchase consisted of one hundred and fifty-eight acres of land in Lineoln township, which he commenced to improve and cultivate, erecting thereon a good residence, substantial barns and other outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. As time passed and he prospered in his undertakings he added to his property until he had two hundred and sixty-five acres of land, and now has three sets of farm buildings upon his land. Stock-raising has also claimed mueh of his attention and he has met with excellent success in all that he has undertaken.


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In 1863 Mr. Hemphill was nited in marriage to Miss Margaret Hill, who was born in Virginia but spent her girlhood in Iowa. To them have been born four children who are still living, namely: Jane, the wife of William Stewart, a farmer living near Milo, by whom she has two children, Ethel and Lena; James F., a merchant of Summerset, lowa, who is married and has one son, Keith ; Leonard 1., on the home farm, who is married and has four children, Elsie, Don. Ray and Virgil ; and Ina, who is at home with her parents. They also lost three daughters: Eveline, who died at about the age of twelve years; and Ida and Allie, who died in early childhood.


Sinee casting his first presidential vote for James Buchanan, Mr. Hemphill has never wavered in his allegiance to the democratic party, but he has never eared for politieal positions. For forty years he served as school treasurer in his district and now his son Leonard J. fills that office. An upright, honorable life has gained for him many friends throughout Warren county, and wherever known he is held in the highest regard.


JAMES L. POLING.


The gentleman whose name introduces this record is entitled to mention in this volume from the fact that he is one of Warren county's oldest set- thers. having made his home here for almost a half century, and also from the fact that he is one of its wealthiest landowners, owning and operating a farm of three hundred and seventy-two and a half acres, situated on sections 7, 8. 17 and 18. White Breast township. He was born in Randolph county, West Virginia, February 25. 1854, a son of John and Susan (Parsons) Poling, the former a native of Virginia, where he was reared and married. About 1855 he made his way westward to Iowa, first locating in Mahaska county, where he spent about a year, while in 1856 he took up his abode in Warren county. passing away here September 8, 1858. His wife survived him for many years.


James L. Poling was but two years of age at the time of the removal of the family to Iowa and was but four years of age at the time of his father's demise. He was therefore. thrown upon his own resources at a very early age. He remained with his mother after his father's death and at the age of twelve years engaged in teaming on his own account. From that time he helped in the care of his mother, with whom he remained until he had reached the age of twenty-four years. At that time he established a home of his own by his marriage in Knoxville, Iowa, November 25. 1875. to Miss Lizzie Anna Shupe, who was born in Ohio but came to this state at the age of eight years and was here reared and educated. She is a daughter of Jacob Shupe, one of the early settlers of the state.


Following his marriage Mr. Poling took his young bride to Indianola. where he spent a year, after which he located on a part of his present farm. this being in the spring of 1877. The place then comprised but forty aeres of land, of which only fifteen aeres had been broken. With characteristic


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J. L. POLING AND FAMILY


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energy he began the work of breaking the prairie. In the course of time he had placed the fields under a high state of cultivation, so that each year he harvested good crops as a reward for the care and labor bestowed upon the land. He also built a log cabin, in which he lived for some time. As his financial resources increased he added to his landed possessions from tim .. to time until his place today embraces three hundred seventy-two and a halı aeres. He has tiled and feneed his land, has replaced the old log cabin with a commodions and modern residence, supplied with all conveniences and ae- cessories, and he has also creeted a second residence and has two complete sets of barns and outbuildings. He is here engaged very extensively in general farming and stock-raising, feeding annually two carloads of cattle and one of hogs, which he ships to the city markets. He certainly deserves great credit for what he has acomplished, for all that he today possesses has been acquired through hard labor and well directed effort.


The marriage of Mr and Mrs. Poling has been blessed with four sons and five daughters, namely: Walter E., who owns and operates one hundred and twenty acres of land adjoining his father, is married and has three sons, Gerold L., Allen and Alfred. R. B., who follows farming in North Dakota, is married and has four children, Ila, Ilene, Delmer, and an infant. C. L., who is with his brother in North Dakota, is married and has three sons, James, Calvin and an infant. Ina May, who engaged in teaching for a time is now the wife of Robert Wolcott, a farmer of White Breast township, by whom she has one son, Pearl B. Catherine, also engaged in teaching for a time. Bertha, Paul and Florence are still at home; Zeta M., died at the age of three years.


At local elections Mr. Poling cases an independent ballot, but where state and national issues are involved, votes for the man and measures of democraey. He was elected and served as trustec of his township for a few years and has been identified with the school board for a long period. He is a Master Mason, belonging to the blue lodge at Lacona. Character and ability will eome to the front anywhere. As boy and man, many a man has been buffeted by fortune and has almost insurmountable obstacles thrust in his path but perseverance has cleared them away and he has gone on to sneeess. This Mr. Poling has done, for from the early age of twleve years he started out to make his own way in the world and today his valuable farm stands as one of the best evidence of what he has aeeomplished and no citizen of the county won the proud Ameriean title of a self-made man.


DANIEL K. JONES.


For thirty-seven years Daniel K. Jones has been a resident of Warren county and is a veteran coal dealer of Indianola. He has lived in Towa since 1852. The state had only a few years before been admitted to the Union and there were still vast tracts of territory unelaimed and uncultivated. Mr. Jones has lived to witness a remarkable transformation here as through suc-


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ressive stages of growth and progress lowa has reached a place among the leading states of the Union.


A native of Wales Mr. Jones was born August 4. 1840. His father. Henry, who was likewise born in that country was a coal miner by trade and was also a preacher in the church of the Latter Day Saints. His wife, Mrs. Anna Jones, died in Wales in 1850, leaving D. K. Jones the only child. In the Fear 1852 the father and son came to America, the latter being then a youth of twelve years. They crossed from Liverpool to New Orleans on a sailing vessel, requiring them eight weeks to make the trip, for the winds died down and for some time they were becalmed and could make no progress. Even- tually, however, they reached their destination in safety and proceeded north- ward to Keokuk, Iowa, and thenee to Van Buren county, where they lived for one year. the father engaging in preaching there. It was the intention of the father to go to Salt Lake City and join the colony of Latter Day Saints at that point. D. K. Jones then left his father and went to the lead mines in Franklin county. Missouri, where he worked for two years and in 1856 be- eame a resident of Atehison. Kansas. He hired out as a cattle and freight driver across the plains and made one trip, after which he took the long journey across the plains to California. The wagon train with which he traveled was attacked by hundreds of Indians on the Humboldt river in Nevada and two of the party were killed. Mr. Jones was then but sixteen years of age. However. he managed to make his escape from the Indians and proceeding on his way he walked one hundred and seventy miles in seven days with nothing to eat. With some of his comrades of the party he also walked aeross the desert of forty miles, to Carson river. and then too late to eross the mountains as they could not make their way through the passes in the winter. they remained there and Mr. Jones worked for his board. There were only five families il that valley at the time. In the following spring he continued his trip to California and went to work in the gold mines as an experienced miner. He owned and operated mines there for ten years, meeting with considerable success in his undertaking. He was only seventeen years of age at the time he arrived in that state. He had had practically no chance in his youth and could neither read nor write. Feeling the necessity for education, he at- tended school for one year and acquired a knowledge of some of the elemen- tary branches of learning, but later in the school of experience he has learned many valuable lessons that have made him a practical business man and have brought him considerable information of a general character.


In Sacramento, in 1864, Mr. Jones enlisted as a soldier of the Union army. became a member of Company A of the Second California Volunteer Cavalry. He was bugler of his regiment, with which he went to southern California to quell the riots in that part of the country. He was in the service for nearly two years and was mustered out at San Francisco, where he was also honorably discharged. Mr. Jones then returned to Sacramento for three months after which he went to Panama, in 1866. He paid twenty-five dollars to ride forty-seven miles across the isthmus, then to Havana where he spent a few days, after which he took passage for New York. whenee he returned


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to Chicago by way of Canada, and then to Newton, Iowa, November, 1866. There he engaged in digging coal for three years, after which he returned to Des Moines and operated a coal bank there. He was also prominent in com- munity affairs and served for two years as supervisor. On his removal to Warren county he settled near Summerset, where he operated a mine for thirty- two years, opening it up and carrying on the work of taking the mineral from the soil and placing it on the market. When almost one-third of a century had thus passed he came to Indianola and established a coal business in 1897.




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