The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 104

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn
Number of Pages: 1058

USA > Iowa > Pocahontas County > The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 104

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).

the estate organization of real agency as the Allen Land & Loan

He was a kind and affectionate Company (p. 761.) and greatly in- father, and manifested a desire to creased its capital stock. To these keep his family together as much as important business interests he has possible. He was a lifelong republi- been devoting his time and talents, can and a zealous defender of the and has had the privilege of seeing rights of the negro in the south. He them greatly prosper under his skill- was a staunch advocate of the cause ful management. In 1891 he per- of prohibition and gave liberally to- formed a leading part in the estab- ward the suppression of the saloon. lishment of the Allen bank at Poca- He belonged to the Hicksite Friends hontas, that the next year was incor- by birthright and when possible at- porated as the State Bank of Poca- tended their services. The gener- hontas but was discontinued Decem- osity of his nature was manifested by

ber 31, 1896. He is the owner of a his words of sympathy to those who large amount of real estate in the were in trouble and by numerous vicinity of Laurens and in 1898 built gi ts of charity to the needy. He one of the finest residences in that was unassuming in manner but ag- town. He has been a trustee and gressive in spirit, and manifested a liberal supporter of the M. E. church genuine interest in the public welfare of Laurens since its organization in of Laurens. He left a legacy of $1,000 1891 and a loyal republican.

to assist in establishing an Orphan's Home in the city of Laurens

In 1881 he married Martha E. Stew. ard of Marshall county and has a fam-

His family consisted of eight chil- ily of six children, Burritt S, Eliza- dren. All of them were born in Mar- beth, a Laurens graduate in 1902, shall county, Iowa, and two of them died in childhood.

William J., Charles F., Martha Lucile and Eleanor Máy.

Charles Sumner (b. 1856), banker, Benjamin Lot, (b. 1858.) banker and Laurens, is a native of Marshall coun- dealer in real estate, Laurens, is a ty, where he grew to manhood and, native of Marshall county where he after acquiring an academic and busi- grew to manhood and received his ness course of study at the Iowa education.

State University, devoted his atten- tion to farming and stockraising.

February 1, 1886, he located at Lau- rens. where he co-operated with his

February 1, 1886, four years after father and brother, Charles, in the the founding of the town, he and his establishment of the Exchange, now brother, Benjamin L. Allen, located at the State bank and a real estate

Laurens. Aided by their father, agency. He has been a cashier of the Daniel J. Allen, they purchased and bank at Laurens since it was founded united the separate banking interests and has been personally identified with of George W. Leverich and M. B. Cas- all of the business interests establish- well in the Exchange Bank of Lau- ed by D. J. Allen & Sons at Laurens,

773

SWAN LAKE TOWNSHIP.

Pocahontas and Ware. He is presi- Their family consists of one daughter, dent of the Savings Bank of Ware and Rachel Elizabeth. its organization in February 1901 was

Joseph Holmes (6. 1870), a regent largely due to his influence and lead- of the Iowa State University, and ership. In 1891 he succeeded his banker at Pocahontas, is a native of father as a member of the Laurens Marshall county. He received his ear- town council and served six years, ly education in the public schools of 1891-96. He is a republican and is al- Marshalltown and graduated from the ways ready to do his part in promot- high school there in 1889. Hle then ing the public welfare of his home came to Pocahontas County and be- town, Laurens.

In 1887 he married Lulu, daughter of Senator Mills, of Marshall county and before the end of the next year she died of diptheria. In 1892 he married Addie Coulson, of Hinkley, Ill. His family consists of three ment in 1895. children, Lenore, Thorena and Wil- mont.

Byron J., (b. 1863, d. 1892.) after graduating from the law department of the Iowa State University in 1887, came to Pocahontas county that year and located at Pocahontas, where he the began the practice of law and became local manager of the real estate and banking business of D. J. Allen & Sons. In 1888 he became the republi- can nominee for the office of County Attorney and, as the second incum-

gan to fill a position in the land office of his father and brothers at Pocahon- tas at $50.00 a month. Two years la- ter he entered the Iowa State Uni- versity, completed the college course and graduated from its law depart-

At the University he enjoyed the honor of being chosen one of the de- baters of the Irving society in the in- tercollegiate contest, editor-in-chief of the Hawkeye, the College Annual, and represented that institution in

all-around Western Football team.

His first earnings of $500 in 1890 were invested as a payment on a half section of land in Emmet County; and this investment, suplemented by the earnings received during vacations, bent in that office, served this coun- enabled him to defray the expenses ty two years, 1889-90.

of his university courses and left him

In 1890 he married Anna Jackson a surplus of several thousand dollars. and died at 29 in 1892, after an illness of three days from appendicitis at Fort Dodge, leaving one child, Eliza- beth G.

Mary (b. 1861) in 1882 married Byron E. Whalen, a banker and dealer in merchandise and live stock. They live at Galva and have a family of four children, Edna, Bessie. Ralph Pocahontas county, going to Cedar and Grace.

Purchasing then a lot of stock in the Allen Land & Loan Co. he was elected president of it and gave the manage- ment of its affairs his closest atten- tion until June 21, 1898, when in re- sponse to the call of the president for volunteers in the Spanish American war he and nine other young men of

Rapids, became members of the Tip-

Sarah, (b. 1867.) a skillful account- ton company (F) of the 49th Iowa, and ant, after rendering seven years of rendered ten months of service at Jacksonville, Fla., Savannah, Ga., and faithful service as head bookkeeper and assistant cashier in the Laurens Havana, Cuba. Previous to his en- Exchange Bank, in 1895 married Rev. listment he had received from the George F. Whitfield, a member of the governor of Iowa, L. M. Shaw, permis- Northwest Iowa M. E. Conference sion to raise a company in this county. and is now located at Ruthven. He did this but as no call was made

774

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

for additional companies he enlisted ticipated in the battle of Chicamauga. and served as a private soldier. Sept. 19-20, 1863, and was there taken

In 1900 he located at Pocahontas, prisoner by the confederates. He was On Jan. 1. 1901, with the co-op- confined in Pemberton Castle and al- eration of his brothers, Charles S. so in Libby prison, which were on op- posite sides of the same street in and Benjamin L., he re-established the Allen Bros.' bank at Pocahontas, Richmond, until Dec. 1, 1863, and then, and built for it one of the finest bank buildings in this state. The next year they built a large brick hotel at that place. He has also built a fine residence. 'Through these and other

with most of the prisoners there, he was sent to Danville, Va. Here he was assigned the charge of the small- pox hospital and, during the following winter, cared for more than 600 pa- recent improvements he has contrib- tients. In March in company with uted greatly to the upbuilding of Po- others from the hospital he was parol- cahontas, our county seat.

In 1900 he was the delegate from this 10th congressional district in the Castle he was tied up by the thumbs national convention at Philadelphia that renominated President McKin- ley, and in January 1902 he was ap- pointed a regent of the Iowa State berton Castle. He belonged to the University by the General Assembly Army of the Cumberland and served under General Rosecrans. of Iowa.

He is a young man, well equipped physically, intellectually, and morally for the best performance of the duties of life, public or private. He possess- es that sagacity that is needed to in- the mercantile business. He was im- mediately appointed post master at that place with a salary of $36 a year. In 1877, owing to ill health he sold his interest in the store and engaged in farming.

sure success in business and the cour- age to perform his duty conscientious- ly in any station.

In 1899 he married Grace, daughter of Prof. James C. Gilchrist. After completing her education at Wellesley College, Mass., she engaged in teach- ing and became a favorite in musical circles. His family consists of one child, Byron Gilchrist.

In 1882 he came to Pocahontas coun- ty, and located on the syset sec. 11, Marshall township, which he was the first to occupy and improve. His household goods and stock were the first freight goods unloaded at the Laurens station. There were only two buildings at the station, which

Atkinson, William F. (b. 1840), county recorder and postmaster, Lau- rens, is a native of Palatine, Cook Co., Ill., the son of Thomas and Elizabeth was merely a freight car, in what is Furness Atkinson. He lived with now the thriving and prosperous city his parents, working on the farm in of Laurens. Prarie wolves then sneak- summer and attending public school ed through the tall grass at twilight until he became of age.

in search of stray pigs and pullets, and, sitting on the hill tops, made the that never fade from the memory of

Feb. 28, 1862 he became a member of Co. G., 18th, Ill. Inf., and continued night hideous with long drawn wails, to render military service until March 15, 1865, when he was honorably dis- the early settler. charged at Annapolis, Md, He par- On the farm he kept a dairy of

ed and sent to Annapolis, Md. Dur- ing his imprisonment in Pemberton half an hour for refusing to give the names of other prisoners who tunneled a hole through under the wall of Pem-

In the fall of 1865, having formed a partnership with Thomas Atkinson, his father, they came to Norway, Benton county, Iowa, and engaged in

775

SWAN LAKE TOWNSHIP.

twenty cows and achieved good suc- Pocahontas county, a graduate of the cess as a stock-raiser. He let the Laurens high school in 1902 and is now calves do their own milking until pursuing a business course in the Capi- they were old enough to be separated tal City Commercial College, Des from the cow, and thus secured as Moines.

good cattle at two years of age as Bovee, Cassius Jacob (b. 1846), many of those raised on skim-milk are lumber dealer, Laurens, is a native of at three. Caledonia Co., Vt., the son of Moses

He served four years as county re- and Helen Warden Bovee. He was corder, 1887-90, and has been serving raised on a farm and received his as postmaster at Laurens since Oct. 1, education in the public school. 1897.

In 1865 he moved with his parents to Green Mountain, Marshall county, Iowa, and there found employment

During the period of his service as recorder he discovered that there were several small pieces of unpatent- in a hardware store. In 1878 he mar- ed lands in this county and secured ried Anna, daughter of Daniel Will- one of them containing 40 acres on the iams, a prominent farmer of that sec- set sec. 4, Marshall township, under tion, and located on a farm. Two the timber culture act. In 1891 he years later he moved to Marshalltown located on sec. 16, Swan Lake town- and served two years as clerk in a ship and is now a resident of Laurens. hardware store. In the spring of 1882 He was a gallant soldier and has he located on a farm in Marshall been faithful and efficient as a public officer. township, this county, improved and occupied it the next ten years.

In 1867 while keeping store at Nor- way, he married Ellen, (b. Joliet, Il]., 1848) daughter of O. P. and Elizabeth Phillips, and she has faithfully shared with him since the trials In 1892 he became a resident of Lau- rens, where, associated with M. Hakes, he became an extensive dealer in lumber, coal, brick and tile. He and had extensive facilities for carrying a triumphs of life. Their family con- large stock of building materials, and, sists of five children. Paul W. (b. as a purchaser, acquired the happy 1869.), a farmer in 1902 married Minnie faculty of anticipating the coming Thornton and is now a resident of needs of the local market. He is a Clavis county, New Mexico. . Ada E. well built man physically aud morally in 1890 married Alfred H. Richey and has a laudable ambition to confer (see Richey) and now resides at a lasting benefit on the community by Laurens. Charles D. (b. 1877) after furnishing the people the largest pos- graduating from the law school at sible amount of the best building ma- Dixon, Ill , in 1900 located at Poca- terials.

In 1900 he built a new resi- hontas and began the practice of law. dence in Laurens and his son, Daniel, In 1902 he was chosen chairman of the became a member of the firm in place Republican County Central Commit- of M. Hakes, who then withdrew. tee and in November that year went Jan. 1, 1903, they sold the business to to Washington, D. C. to fill a position the Lane-Moore Lumber Co.

in the office of the Clerk of the House

During his residence in Marshall of Representatives. Previous to his township he served as president of the departure he married Vina, daughter school board one year and six years as of Mrs. Mary E. (John W.) Wallace of a trustee. At Laurens he has been Pocahontas. Elizabeth E. (b. 1880) is president of the school board one year now assistant postmaster at Laurens. and a member of the council during Oliver Perry (b. 1883.) is a native of the last eight years.

776

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

He has one son, Daniel W., a Lau- & Co., who had established the first, rens graduate in 1898, and a teacher. and to that date, the only lumber

Carroll, Joseph M., Dr. (b. 1848) yard at Laurens. A few months later Laurens, is a native of Laporte, Ind. he sold his interests at Laurens to B. He moved with his parents to Illinois E. Allen, and, moving to Rolfe, open- in his boyhood and to a farm near ed a new lumber yard at that place. Iowa City in 1855. After several years At the end of a year he returned to devoted to study at Iowa City he. be- Laurens and resumed work as a con- gan the practice of medicine, locating tractor and builder. In 1887 he mov- in 1873 in Fonda and the next year in ed to Pocahontas and became the suc- Pomeroy. In 1874 he married Eva J. cessor of J. F. Harlan in the abstract Brock of Calhoun county and in 1879 and loan business. In 1890 he relin- graduated from the Medical Depart- quished his interests at Pocahontas to ment of the Iowa State University. L. C. Thornton, and moved to Grand In 1882, after a residence of nine years Junction where he has since been en- at Pomeroy, he located at Laurens, a gaged in the clothing business.

new town founded that year. He In 1883 he married Anna, daughter established a drug store and office, of John O'Niel, of Lizard township, the first in the town, and has enlarged and has two children, Flossie and them from time to time with the Glenn. growth of the place. 'l'he building @aswell, William E, (b. 1856) now occupied is a two story brick brother of Elbert, carpenter and erected in 1893. He carries a large salesman, Laurens, is a native of Sus- stock of goods and has acquired a very quehanna Co , Pa , where he grew to lucrative practice. He cared for all manhood. In 1879 he came to Sac the sufferers in the track of the tor- county, Iowa, and in May, 1882, to the nado in Colfax township in April, new town of Laurens where he found 1878, and was medical examiner dur- employment as a carpenter. He has ing Cleveland's last administration. continued to reside at Laurens since He served several years as county that date, except two years, 1888 coroner, as treasurer of Swan Lake and 1889, which he spent in Colorado. township and as the health physician He has been a salesman in the lumber for Laurens and the two adjoining yard of Beardsley & Allen during the townships. . He owns a fine residence, last eleven years. He has been located at the corner of the road member of the Laurens school board south of Laurens.

two terms and of the city council the

His family consisted of two children last twelve years.

both of whom are married.

in 1884 he married Annie, daughter

Alma in 1897 married Edmund of T. J. Nelson, and has three chil- Plumb, a farmer, and lives in Colora- dren, Alma E., Carleton A., and Fan- do. nie C.

Flora B. in 1896 married Floyd Tool, Caswell, Miles B., brother of El- a barber, lives at Laurens and has one bert, in 1884 came from Pennsylvania child, Helen.

to Laurens and established the bank

Caswell, Elbert A., one of the of Laurens. Two years later he sold pioneer lumber dealers at Laurens, lo- the bank to D. J. Allen & Sons, went to Colorado and died there in 1889.

cated there in the spring of 1882 and found employment as a contractor

Clifton, Jesse S. (b. 1852) painter and builder. In the spring of 1883, he and justice, Laurens, is a native of formed a partnership with L. D. Whiteside Co., Ill., where he grew to Beardsley and bought out J. H. Queal manhood. In 1878 he married Ida

777

SWAN LAKE TOWNSHIP.

Dietz and engaged in farming and tiated a small loan to pay traveling teaching school. In 1887 he came to expenses, packed his grip and came Pocahontas county and located in west, stopping at Rock Valley, Sioux Sherman township, and two years county, Iowa. Here he found employ- later in Laurens, where, as a member ment in the harvest fields and later of the firm of Cook & Clifton, he en- "struck a job" on an elevator in pro- gaged in the implement business. At cess of erection. After its completion the end of the first year he severed he worked for the grain buyer a short his connection with this firm and has time and then became manager of an since devoted his time to painting and elevator at Inwood, Lyon county. an office business as justice of the While thus engaged he was offered peace. He became very popular as a and accepted a position as bookkeeper justice, held the office a long term of in the State bank of Hull, and seven years, and served as secretary of the months later became assistant cashier school board of Laurens nine years, of the State bank of Rock Valley, 1893-1901.

He owns a good residence and has a family of four children, Leroy E., Guy E., Ethel B., and Merritt Melvin.

DeWolf, Merton E. Hon. (b. July 23, 1867), grain dealer, Laurens, and representative 1898-99, is a native of Cambria, Hillsdale Co., Mich., the son of S. P. and Martha J. De Wolf.

He attended district school until he was fourteen, and then began to work on a farm at $7 a month. This was a very satisfactory compensation and two of the lighter forms of employ- ment, incident to this situation, con- sisted in running a bucksaw and pick- ing stones from the fields. After one year's employment on the farm, an uncle, like a prince in disguise, afford- ed him an opportunity to attend the Hillsdale High school, by working evenings and mornings at his home for his board. The excellent course of study in this school placed it on the university list, so that its gradu- ates were admitted, without exami- nation, to the academic department of the State University at Ann Arbor. By close and faithful application he completed the three years course in this institution in two years, and taught school during the winters.

where he remained eighteen months. Through the favorable mention of the state bank examiner, who was greatly pleased with the thoroughness of his work, he was offered several good po- sitions and at the end of eighteen months became cashier of the Savings bank at Marathon. In 1895, at the end of four years of service, he formed a partnership with A. J. Wilson, president of the bank, and engaged in the grain business at Laurens, un- der the name of Wilson & De Wolf, with the principal office at Laurens. During the seven years of their part- nership he enlarged the field of their operations so that on Oct. 1, 1902, when Hon. A. J. Wilson sold his in- terests to Anson E. Wells, they were operating seven elevators and one bank. In the spring of 1902 a new elevator was built at Laurens having a capacity for 60,000 bushels, modern hopper bins, conveniences for eleva- ting corn in the ear and a sheller that can shell 500 bushels in an hour. The new firm of DeWolf & Wells has its principal office at Laurens. It has cther elevators at Havelock, Mara- thon, Varina, Albert City, Webb and Curlew.

He has been accustomed to attend the county conventions of the republi- can party since he became of age, and had the good fortune to be elected to

In the fall of 1888, being under the necessity of replenishing his treasury and assisting some relatives, he nego- the first office to which he aspired

778

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

representative in the General Assem- a classmate of his high school days, bly of Iowa. He had the honor to and his family consists of four chil- represent the 76th district, composed dren, Maris, Hester, Mabel and Gail. of Pocahontas and Humboldt counties in the 27th assembly of Iowa during the years 1898-99; and in 1900 was a formidable candidate for congress in this district.

Dubbert, Fred (b. 1856) is a native of Germany. In 1872 he came to America and located in Wisconsin, where he married Lottie Roewe. In 1883 he located on the nwł sec. 36, He early learned the importance of Swan Lake township. He was the performing every duty in the very first to occupy this farm. He has im- best manner and always enjoyed the proved it with large and well con- utmost confidence of his employers. structed buildings, and surrounded In the managementof business activi- them with a large grove. In 1889 he ties he has discovered the possession increased the farm to 320 acres. He of that sagacity and executive ability served as assessor four years and has that insures successful achievement. been secretary of the school board

He is a man whose hands are clean whose ambitions have been noble and

since 1896. He is a member of the M. E. church and has a family of four praiseworthy and whose sense of hon- children, Louisa, Bernhard, Ulrich or and uprightness has been manifest and Frederic.

in the good record he has made.

Farson, John H. (b. 1837-1895),

During his service in the legislature doctor, Laurens, was a native of West he received considerable notice from

Virginia, the son of William and the public press of the state as a man Susan C. Farson. At eighteen he "whose pleasing yet forceful person- moved with his parents to Madison ality and strong, vigorous style of de- county, Iowa. After completing the bate raise him above the level of leg- islators, as a towering peak lifts itself above a plain. He is not only potent and graceful in debate, but there is an atmosphere of cleanliness, method common school course he pursued his education as a private student. In 1863 he was drafted and served until the close of the civil war, as a mem- ber of Co. I, 15th Iowa. During this and goodness of purpose, that even period he served considerable time as a nurse and often performed the duties of the chaplain. He possessed considerable natural ability, and,

those, who differ with him in his views, accord him the recognition of sincerity. His argument on the build-

ing and loan bill was conceded to be after the war, engaged in the practice the strongest, most lucid and well ar- of medicine in Madison county. In ranged of any during the discussion that preceded the passage of that bill."-Register, March 8, 1898.

His rapid rise from an humble and contented farm hand to successful achievement in business, and to the honor of occupying a seat in the legis- lature of Iowa at thirty, is a good

1884 he located in the new town of Laurens and continued the practice of medicine until his death at 58 in 1895. He was affable and pleasing in his manners and was highly esteemed. by those who knew him.

In 1859 he married Susan Kesler, who died leaving two children, John practical illustration of the possibili- Wesley, a carpenter, who in 1884 mar-

ties before our American youth ried Nancy O. Clanton, and lives at in this section of our beloved country. Laurens; and Elizabeth Ann, who in

In 1891, during his residence at Rock 1880 married Stephen Clanton, a Valley, he married Elizabeth Prentice, farmer, Laurens. In 1892, Dr. Farson

779

SWAN LAKE TOWNSHIP.

married Louisa Bradshaw, who, with der the name of G. J. Hakes & Son. one daughter, Florence, survives him Jan. 1, 1890 his brother, James R. and lives at Laurens.

Hakes, became a member of the firm Frost, Rachel D., wife of Robert S. Frost and widow of John Pettit, was a native of New Jersey. At thirteen she moved to Saratoga county, N. Y. where in 1835 she married John Pettit who died in 1874. Their family con- sisted of ten children and six of them in place of his father, and the name of the firm was changed to Hakes Bros. They have continued in the mercan- tile business until the present time save the brief period required to re- build after the great fire in 1898. They sustained a loss on that occasion are settled in this county. In 1878 of $20,000. This was a serious dis- couragement. They wasted no time, however, whining over their sad loss, but, rebuilding, they resumed with renewed vigor, the struggle, for com- mercial supremacy. Their efforts have been handsomely rewarded. The volume of their merchant trade, that

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.

The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 104

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846 Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn
Number of Pages: 1058