USA > Ohio > Greene County > Biographical and historical record of Greene and Carroll counties, Iowa. Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each; portraits and biographies of the governors of the state and a concise history of the two counties and their cities and villages > Part 33
USA > Ohio > Carroll County > Biographical and historical record of Greene and Carroll counties, Iowa. Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each; portraits and biographies of the governors of the state and a concise history of the two counties and their cities and villages > Part 33
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ARLAN N. LIVERMORE, an active and energetic agriculturist of Dawson Township, engaged in farming and stock-raising on section 32, was born in the State. of Vermont July 26, 1850, the only son of N. and Mary (Chapin) Livermore, who were natives of the same State. Ilis mother died in his infancy, and in 1852 his father married Sarah F. Thayer, and to them were born one son and three daughters. Ifis father being a farmer, he was reared to the same avocation. In 1855 he was taken by his parents to Waupaca County, Wisconsin, and there he grew to manhood, remaining there till 1873. He received a fair education in his youth, and subsequently engaged in teaching school for a short time. He was united in marriage September 23, 1872. to Miss Julia E. Dunham, a native of Maine, born June 17, 1849, a daughter of John and Tempa Dunham, who were also born in the State of Maine. In 1873 Mr. Livermore opened a railroad restaurant at Amherst Junetion, Wisconsin, which he carried on till 1879, when his buildings were destroyed by fire. Shortly after he came to Greene County, Iowa, settling in Dawson Township, where
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in 1882 he erected his present fine residence and other farin buildings to correspond. In connection with his general farming he is engaged in raising thoroughbred short-horn cattle, Poland-China and Duroc-Jersey logs, mammoth bronze turkeys and Plymouth Rock and Wyandotte chickens, all stock of the purest and best strains. Mr. Livermore is a member in good standing of the Masonie Lodge at Paton. and also of the Odd Fellows Lodge at Jefferson. Iowa. Politically he is a staunch Republican. Postoffice Jefferson, Iowa.
- EORGE A. HUFFMAN, foreman of Grand Junction Headlight, and assistant postmaster, was born in Medina, Medina County, Ohio, April 17, 1861. His father, Jacob F. Huffman, of Ithaca, Michigan, is a native of Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and removed to Michigan in 1867, and engaged in contracting and building, a business he still follows. His mother, Lydia (Vaughn) - Huffman, died in 1867. Ile was educated in the schools of Ithaca, and in 1876 entered HARLEY C. METZGER, proprietor of the meat market at Grand Junction, was born in Baden, Germany, Novem- ber 1, 1836. His father, Jacob Metzger, also a native of Germany, came to the United States January 7, 1855, and lived two years in Crawford County, Ohio. In the fall of 1856 the family came to Cedar County, Iowa, where our subject lived until 1870, then came to Grand Junction and engaged in his present business. IIe is the pioneer butcher of Greene County. He was married Novem- ber 19, 1872, to Miss Carrie J. Richter, daughter of Charles Richter, of this place. They have six children-William F., Charley E., Sarah T., Frank E .. Theresa M. and Guy the Gratiot County Journal office as com- positor, having worked in that capacity morn- ings, evenings and Saturdays while in school. He remained in that office until the fall of 1880, then went to Wellington, Kansas, and entered the office of the Sumner County Democrat as compositor. Three months later the name was changed to the Welling- toniun, and Mr. lluffman was made solicitor. Ile remained three months longer, then took a trip through Missouri, Arkansas, Missis- sippi, Indian Territory and Texas, then back to Kansas and Nebraska, through Iowa and back to Michigan. In October, 1882, lie entered the Journal office again as compositor, and soon was promoted to foreman, which | A. Mr. Metzger served as township trustee
position he held until April, 1884, when he went to Duluth, Minnesota. and worked on the morning Daily Tribune. He remained there two months, then went to Port Arthur, Canada, working three months on the Daily Sentinel; thence back to Duluth; thence on an excursion to Glendive, Montana Territory, stopping at the principal towns along the ronte. Returning to St. Paul he started for Omaha. Being delayed two hours at Grand Junction he entered the Headlight office, found the editor sick, and accepted the situa- tion of foreman of the office. This was October 1, 1884, and Mr. Huffman still re- mains in the Headlight office. When the editor, S. C. Maynard, was appointed post- master he was made assistant, and still holds that position. He is a member of the society of Odd Fellows, and of the Printer's Union at East Saginaw, Michigan. He was married December 16, 1886, to Miss Lettie G. Miller, daughter of Philo W. Miller, of Grand June- tion.
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M. D. Julia
yo Gulick
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six years, and has also been a member of the town council. He belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workinen, and himself and wife are members of the Presbyterian church.
OIIN P. GULICK, farmer, Grand Junc- tion, was born in Northumberland Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, September 18, 1810, son of Abram Gulick, born in Sussex County, New Jersey, who was a soldier in the war of 1812, and now deceased. He was reared on a farm, and educated in the subscription school, in a small frame house covered with slabs, slab benches, and a board fastened to the wall for a desk; a huge fire-place in one end, a long window on one side, two rows of lights, and a four-light window for the teacher. In 1843 he removed to Three Rivers, Michi- gan, being in search of a fair young damsel whom he had met in Pennsylvania. He traveled through Illinois to Iowa, and back to White Pigeon, Michigan, and found her in the person of Mary D. Kownover, whom he married October 29, 1844. She was a dangh- ter of Richard L. Kownover, of New Jersey, and was born in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. July 4, 1844, our subject drove a reaper and thresher combined, on prairie round, drawn by fourteen horses. The machine had on it a liberty pole, bearing the names of "Polk and Dallas." That day they cut and sacked twenty-eight aeres of wheat with that machine. Mr. and Mrs. Guliek have had eight children, six of whom are living ---- William B., Emma J., Charley M., Kate, Margaret M. and Addie L. They have an adopted child-Maude. In 1846 they returned to Luzerne County, Pennsylva- nia, thence to Northumberland County, Vir- ginia, in 1852, and returned to Pennsylvania in 1862. They spent about four years in 26
Washington, D. C., Mr. Gulick being in the employ of the United States four years. IIe was Captain of a squad of the Sixteenth New York. under Colonel Nickelson, sent by Gen- eral Auger to capture Booth, the assassinator of Lincoln. He rendered valuable service to the Government during the war; being a sailor, he gave information which led to the capture of many rebel vessels. In 1866 he removed to St. Joseph County, Indiana, thence to this county in 1873, where he has since lived. He conducted the Ashley House over three years. He belongs to the Masonie and Odd Fellows societies, and is a member of the Presbyterian church. The family are Baptists.
ILLIAM G. CROWDER, farmer, section 4, Paton Township, was born in Canada, forty miles above Corn- wall, November 15, 1841. His father, Paul Crowder, now a resident of Winnebago County, Illinois, is also a native of Canada, and removed to Illinois in 1852. He came to this county in June, 1876, settling on his present farm the following fall. At the time of his settlement here there were but two or three houses in sight, but twenty-eight were built that season. He has operated or helped to operate a threshing machine every season since he was eighteen years old. He was married January 10, 1860, to Miss Eliza C. Otto, daughter of Peter Otto, now deceased. She is also a native of Canada. Seven of their eight children are living -- Frank W., George W., Sherman A. and Sheridan H. (twins), Louisa A., Fannie M. and Ralph D. Ross F. died in his third year. Mr. Crowder owns 120 acres of land, and devotes his time to farming and stock-raising, giving consider- able attention to graded stock. IIe has held
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
a few local offices, is a member of the Odd Fellows order, the Good Templars, and be- longs to the Methodist church. Ilis son Sheridan is a prominent teacher in this county. Fannie is also a teacher. In April, 1882, a cyclone tore his house to pieces, de- stroying nearly all its contents. There were five persons in the house at the time, but no one was seriously injured. Sheridan was the only one that could extrieate himself, and he assisted the others. The loss was abont $600.
ILLIAM RENNER, seetion 2, Jnne- tion Township, was born in Baden, Germany, June 28, 1829, a son of Casper Renner. In 1848 he accompanied his father to the United States, and lived nearly two years in Rochester, New York, and from there removed to Racine, Wisconsin, where they lived two years. In 1852 they went to Walworth County, where the father still lives. In 1855 our subjeet went to Jefferson County, Wisconsin, where he lived until 1875, when he came to Iowa, and settled on the farm in Greene County, where he still lives. Mr. Renner was married November 22, 1854, to Jane Riekemann, daughter of Charles L. Riekemann. They have four children-Sarah J., George W., William H. and Charles L. Mr. Renner owns a fine farm of 300 acres, making a specialty of stoek-raising. IIe and his wife are members of the Evangelical Association.
EV. JOSEPH MANNING, of Jefferson, has resided in that eity since October, 1866. Ile laid out an addition to the northeast part of the town, which bears his name. Ile is a minister of the Methodist
Episcopal church, and one of the pioneers of this part of the State. He was born in Abing- ton, Wayne County, Indiana, April 7, 1824, where he was reared to manhood. His father, Thomas Manning, was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and one of the early settlers of Wayne County, Indiana, where he lived until his de- eease. Mr. Manning entered the itineracy of the United Brethren church when only twenty years of age, his field of labor being in the White River Conference. Later, he was transferred to the Wabash Conference, where he remained five years, thence to the Iowa Conference, his field of labor being in the eastern part of the State. He traveled five years in the Iowa Conference, in the in- terests of the Western College, and two years as presiding elder and one year as station preacher at Lisbon. When he came to Jef- ferson there was no United Brethren society in the place, and he decided to unite with the Methodists. In the fall of 1868 he joined the conference at Conneil Bluff's and engaged in itinerant work of the Methodist church. He organized a church at Carroll in 1869, and at Glidden the same year. In 1870 he or- ganized the first Methodist Episcopal church at Grand Junetion. This is but a small por- tion of the work accomplished by Mr. Man- ning; he has devoted time and energies to ministerial work for many years. He was married in 1846, in Preble County, Ohio, to Miss Jane Bonebrake, of that county, born in 1828. Her father, George Bonebrake, was a minister of the United Brethren church. He came to Iowa from Indiana, and many years later went to Topeka, Kansas, where he died in 1865. The mother, Eliza (Adams) Bone- brake, died in Indiana before her husband eame to this State. Mr. and Mrs. Manning have four children. The eldest son, Orlando H., is a man of mnch distinction. Ile ob- tained his education at Western and Cornell
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Colleges, Iowa; studied law with Head & Russell, at Jefferson; later, located at Carroll, where he practiced law until the fall of 1881, when he removed to Council Bluffs, and later settled in Topeka, Kansas. Ile served two terms in the Iowa Legislature, from Car- roll and Greene Counties; was elected Lieu- tenant-Governor of Iowa in 1881, and re- elected in 1883. He is at present attorney for the Central National Bank, of Topeka, and also for the Loan Investment Company; he is a man of marked ability. Their second child, Jennie, is the wife of Alfred A. Kear- ney, of Stanton, Nebraska, an attorney of that place. Their third child, George B., is with his brother in Topeka; and May L. is en- gaged in teaching. Mr. Manning has spent the best portion of his life in the ministry, and has been an advocate of all principles tending to the advancement of religion and the moral interests of mankind.
ONATHAN HUTCHINSON, deceased, late of Washington Township, was born near Trenton, New Jersey, in 1815. Ile came to this county in 1853, settling in Washington Township, and was among the first settlers in the township. The country was then in its primitive condition, and abounded in deer, elk, wolves, wildcats, and other wild animals. Mr. HIntchinson was a skillful hunter and killed great quantities of wild game. He suffered all the hardships and privations of pioneer life, but was brave and persevering amid all his trials. He was married in December, 1839, to Miss Dorothy Burgess, a daughter of Jacob Burgess, and to this union were born five children, only three of whom are living-Barzilla B., Joseph W. and Sabra J. Two sons, Smith and Madison N., lost their lives while fighting in defense
of the Union. Mr. Hutchinson died in 1861. He was a man that was greatly respected by all that knew him, and his death east a gloom over the whole community. He was a kind and affectionate Imsband, a tender parent and an obliging neighbor. In his death the connty lost a valuable citizen.
B. BARKER, senior member of the firm of Barker & Sons, proprietors of the Valley Farm, and dealers in and breeders of thorough-bred stock, established their business in 1880, and it is one of the leading firms in Greene County engaged in the rearing of Ilereford cattle. Mr. Barker was born in Oneida County, New York, De- cember 18, 1823, where he was reared and educated. In 1844 he removed to Illinois, where he worked at the carpenter's trade abont four years in Chicago and in the vicinity of that city, and in 1847 returned to his native State. In 1850 he was united in marriage with Miss E. A. Stantial, a native of New York, and soon after settled in Will County, Illinois, where he was engaged in contracting and building until 1862, then engaged in agrienlture. In 1872 he em- barked in the drug and grocery business, under the firm name of A. B. Barker & Son. Mr. and Mrs. Barker have three children -- HI. S., H. F. and Mattie E. H. F. Barker, the junior member of the firm, was reared in Will County, Illinois, where he received his education. He was married in 1880 to Miss Annie McGlashan, and to this union have been born three children-Corlis, Vera and Willie. The Barker residence is a fine two- story building, and everything about the farm indicates thrift and enterprise. Their hierds are Nos. 10,807 and 15,143, and are second to none in central Iowa. The firm owns 240
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acres of well-improved land, and is one of the largest farms in the county. The barn is 60 x 96 feet, and will hold 100 head of cat- tle and 150 tons of hay. They have all the modern conveniences for the care and handling of stock. They are devoting all their time and a great deal of money in the rearing of Herefords.
meal was legal tender. Mr. Rhoad was married July 5, 1835, to Miss Martha Me- Curdy, daughter of Hugh MeCurdy, now deceased. She was born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Her mother's maiden name was Martha McAllister. Mr. and Mrs. Rhoad had eight children, four of whom are living-Andrew, Josephine, wife of P. M. Fitz Patrick, of this county; Hannah, wife of J. C. Beaman, of Washington Township, and Martha J., who lives at home. Mrs. Rhoad
- AMUEL RHOAD, farmer, section 28, , died August 19, 1871. She was a consistent Washington Township, was born in member of the Presbyterian church, and was aged fifty-eight years, having been born March 25, 1813. Mr. Rhoad owns 240 acres of land, which is worked by a tenant. He is a member of the Presbyterian church. Highland County, Ohio, June 27, 1806. His father, Phillip Rhoad, was born in Penn- sylvania, and taken by his father, Jacob Rhoad, to Shenandoah County, Virginia, in infancy, where he was reared, and removed to Highland County, Ohio, in 1805. His mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Stols. Samuel Rhoad's mother's maiden name was EO FREUND, one of the early and re- spected citizens of Jefferson. located in that city in January, 1871. He at that time engaged in the manufacture of cigars, having the first and only cigar factory in the town. In 1873 he bought five acres of tim- cleared and then put out a grapery. He also erected a residence, kept a saloon, and mann- factured wine. About 1880 he returned to the city and engaged in the saloon business. JIe was born in Germany in 1846, and came to America in 1863. Ile lived in Venango County, Pennsylvania, for some time, then removed to Pittsburg in 1869, traveling con- siderably in the meantime. In the winter of 1870-'71 he started westward, intending to go to California, but being pleased with Jef- ferson, decided to locate there. Mr. Freund is one of the highly-respected citizens of Jef- ferson. If all who follow the same business that he has pursued for many years were equally conscientious and careful in conduct- Mary Magdalene Wendel. He was reared on a farm and received a limited education in the subscription schools, which were held in the old pioneer log cabin. The cabins had split logs for seats, paper windows, puncheon floors, linge fire places and board roofs. Ile . ber land on the Jefferson Mill road, which he and General Jacob Amman, who was a cadet at West Point, were schoolinates, attending school in an old still-house, with curtains to separate the school-room from the engine and boiler. He was born and reared on the old homestead, married and lived there until he had six children. In 1850 he came to Wapello County, Iowa, thence to Greene County, in 1855, settling upon his present farm, which was then wild land. There was but one log cabin in sight. There were many wolves, deer, wildcats and a few elk. He went to Panora and Elk Rapids to mill, a distance of twenty miles or more, and fre- quently went to Des Moines to trade. Corn bread was then the " staff of life," and corn- |
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ing the same, the prohibitory law of Iowa would be unnecessary. No arrests were ever made in his house, he was never before the grand jury, and never cost the county a dol- lar as the result of his business.
ILLIAM HI. RENNER, manufacturer of harness and dealer in trunks, valises, ete., at Grand Junction, was born in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, March 16, 1861, son of William Renner, of Junc- tion Township. He was reared on a farm until seventeen years of age. He came with his parents to this county, settling in June- tion Township, and served an apprenticeship of two years with A. Marquart, in Grand Junetion, then went to Chicago and worked at his trade five years. IIe then returned to his home, and in January, 1886, bought Mr. Marquart's stock of goods aud built his present shop. He manufactures all kinds of light and heavy harness, and carries a capital stoek of 81,500. He is doing a good busi- ness and is well worthy of patronage. He is a member of the Royal Areanum, of Chicago (the II. W. Longfellow Council), and belongs to the German Evangelical Association of Grand Junetion.
EORGE W. DAY, of Jefferson, became a resident of that city in January, 1878, and has been a resident of Greene County since 1870. At that time he bought a farm on seetion 16, upon which he lived until he settled in Jefferson. In 1880 he organized a detective association, of which he was manager for five years. He achieved a high reputation as a detective, being sneeess- fully employed in a number of important
eases. He was also deputy sheriff for four years. At present he represents the Pitts Manufacturing Company, of Marseilles, Illi- nois, being employed as a traveling salesman. Mr. Day was born in Troy, New York, in 1844. His parents, Joseph and Eliza Day, died when he was an infant. In 1847, when but three years old, he was taken to Dane County, Wisconsin, by a man named ()s- trander, who died when George was nine years of age, and from that time he was thrown upon his own resources, working his way without assistance. He entered the military State service of Wisconsin in July, 1861, at Madison. In November of that year he re-enlisted in Company I, Twelfth Wisconsin Infantry. December 23, 1863, he again re-enlisted at Natchez, Mississippi, and was discharged July 16, 1865, at Louis- ville, Kentucky. He participated in the siege of Vicksburg, siege of Jackson, Miss- issippi, battle of Baker's Creek, capture of Fort Alexander, in Louisiana, and the Mer- iden expedition. He came home on fur- lough in March, 1864. Returning by way of Cairo, with the Seventeenth Corps, he joined General Sherman, and was captured near Kenesaw Mountain while on picket duty. Ile was kept a prisoner until May 5, 1865, and was first confined in a Confederate prison at Talladega, Alabama, thence to Sel- ma, where he succeeded in escaping from his guard, in company with three others, but was recaptured after twelve hours and returned to prison. About the 20th of December he was taken to the prison at Meridian, Miss- issippi. After a confinement of a few weeks at this point he, with two others, Charles Lewis, Thirteenth Illinois, and Charles Broz- ier, Sixty-fourth Illinois, succeeded in eom- pleting a tunnel and made their escape. They eluded their pursuers for six days, and were then recaptured and returned to prison.
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They were barefoot and nearly naked. The season was midwinter, and traveling through the swamps was almost impossible, even nn- der the most favorable circumstances. The water being frozen hard enough to bear their weight, and again breaking through by the force of their weight, their bare feet and al- most naked bodies suffered almost beyond endurance. They were followed by hounds, and a recapture was the result, as before stated. Their food during the six days of their terrible experience was corn and pump- kins, which they found in the fields, and ate raw. A severe illness followed, and Mr. Day continued sick during the remainder of his imprisonment. Imagination can not depict the horrors of that awful experience in a Southern prison, and words are inadequate to describe it. After a time he was returned to Cahaba and thence to Selma. At the latter place he was paroled, and conducted to the Union lines near Vicksburg, then transferred by steamer to St. Louis, thence to his home, arriving there May 11, 1865. His discharge followed in July. Mr. Day has never re- covered from the effects of his prison life. After the war he engaged in farming in Wis- consin, where he remained until he came to Iowa. Hle was married in Wisconsin to Miss Addie J. Wilson, daughter of William Wilson. They have four children-Willie C., Nellie E., Rufus A. and Archie L.
ANIEL WESSLING, farmer, section 25, Paton Township, was born in North- field, Cook County, Illinois, November 17, 1855. His father, Ilenry Wessling, deceased, was a native of Hanover, Germany, and came to America in 1838, settling in Cook County. Daniel was reared a farmer, and received his elementary education in the
common schools, and later, attended school at Naperville, Illinois. He came to this county in February, 1884, and settled where he now resides. He was married June 3, 1880, to Julia A. Rockenbach, dangliter of Philip Rockenbach, of Lake County, Illinois, and they have four children-Clarence L., Della I., Mamie M. and D. Raymond. Mr. Wessling owns 240 acres of land. He is school director, and road supervisor. He and his wife are members of the Evangelical Association, and he has been Sunday-school superintendent two years; was also secretary of the Farmner's Alliance.
AMES BURKE, of Kendrick Township, was born in Ireland, October 10, 1834, son of Miles and Ellen Burke. When he was twelve years of age his parents emi- grated to America, locating in Cayuga Conn- ty, New York. In 1855 he removed to Clark County, Wisconsin, where he resided until the breaking out of the Rebellion, when he enlisted, Angust 23. 1861, in the First Wisconsin Battery Light Artillery, Colonel Jacob T. Foster commanding. December 23, 1864, lic re-enlisted, and served until the close of the war. He took an active part in many of the historical battles of the war, and was in General Banks' Red River Expedi- tion. IIe was honorably discharged July 18, 1865, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and returned to his home in Clark County, where he remained three months. He then removed to Hancock County, Mississippi, where he was engaged in lumbering and in railroad work for five years In 1870 he removed to Johnson County, Iowa, living there one year. March 23, 1871, he was married to Miss Sarahı Eason of that county, who was born in Wayne County, Ohio, a daughter of Alexan-
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der and Mary Eason. During that same year he came to Greene County, locating near the Garland school-house in Kendrick Township, where he lived until 1879, then settled upon the farm where he now resides. His farm contains fifty acres of as good land as can be found in Greene County, and it is in a good state of cultivation. IIe has a one- and-a-half-story modern residence, well fur- nished and surronnded with shade trees. IIe has a large and commodious barn for stock and grain, a fine orchard and a native grove. Mr. and Mrs. Burke have one daughter, Ada May, born January 11, 1872. Politically Mr. Burke affiiliates with the Republican party, and he is a member of the N. II. Powers Post, No. 111, G. A. R., at Scranton.
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