James Brown McWilliams
James Brown McWilliams
With the passing of James Brown McWilliams on March 11, 1896,
Allamakee county lost one of its valued pioneers. His career
furnished a link between the past, when crude conditions still
prevailed, and the more modern era of the coming civilization of
the twentieth century. A sturdy agriculturist, he passed
practically his entire life in that vocation and attained to
success by reason of his industry and energy. Although over
seventeen years have passed since his demise his memory is still
cherished by the older generation and the seed he has sown as one
of those who have been prominent in the agricultural development
of his district is still bearing fruit.
James B. McWilliams was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania,
near Masontown, February 6, 1832, a son of Samuel and Sarah
(Huston) McWilliams, both natives of Pennsylvania, in which state
they passed their entire lives. The father was an agriculturist
by occupation and prominent in his district. James B. McWilliams
attended school in his native state and there was reared and grew
to young manhood, marrying on March 15, 1860, Sarah E. Neeling,
who was born at Mount Vernon, Chester county, Pennsylvania, June
22, 1840, a daughter of James and Anna (Cameron) Neeling. The
father was also born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, but the
mother called Maryland her native state. The father always
followed agricultural pursuits and they came to Iowa in 1854,
locating at National, Clayton county, where he engaged in the
hotel business. Later the parents moved to Algona and invested in
land which the father cultivated with such good success that he
was enabled to spend the latter part of his life in retirement in
Algona, where he and his wife passed away.
The father of our subject had died in his native state when Mr.
McWilliams was but two years of age and when about twenty-two, he
came to Iowa accompanied by a brother and his wife. He first
located at Colesburg, in southern Iowa, but after a few years
returned to Pennsylvania. A year later, however, he and a brother
returned to Clayton county, Iowa, taking up land in Meadow
township, and there he continued until he came to Postville,
where for five years he made his home, when a removal was made to
a farm near this city, to the cultivation of which he gave the
rest of his life. For thirty-seven years he made his home in this
district and during that long residence gained a reputation as a
straightforward, reliable and honorable man in all of his
dealings. He built up a substantial fortune and upon his death
left his wife and children sufficient to set them up
independently in life. Mr. and Mrs. McWilliams became the parents
of ten children, of whom six, four sons and two daughters,
survive. Those born to this union were: Huston, who died at the
age of eleven months; George, a resident of Medicine Hat,
Alberta, Canada, where he is engaged in the real-estate business
and is a large landowner; May, the widow of Edward Clough,
residing in Eureka, Montana; Edgar, who passed away in June,
1896, at the age of twenty-five years; Minnie, who died at the
age of five; Zilla, whose death occurred at the age of three
years; Vergil, an assistant bank cashier, who resides at Chester,
Iowa; Carey, a druggist of that city; Emmet, cashier of the
German Savings Bank of Chester; and Ethel, the wife of F. J.
Thoma, who is engaged in the grocery business at Postville.
The death of Mr. McWilliams occurred on March 11, 1896, and was
caused by a lamentable accident brought about through ptomaine
poisoning. All of the family were taken sick but Mr. McWilliams
was afflicted so severely that he was unable to withstand the
shock and after two weeks’ illness passed away, deeply
mourned by his immediate family and a large circle of friends who
had learned to esteem him for his manly qualities of character,
his sturdiness, his straightforwardness and for what he had done
in promoting advancement and development. His political adherence
was at first given to the democratic party but he later
affiliated with the republicans, always keeping intelligently
informed upon all public questions, although he never desired
public office. Fraternally he was a member of the Masonic lodge
at Garnavillo and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. It was
on March 13, 1896, that the last remains of Mr. McWilliams were
laid to rest in the Postville cemetery, the reverend L. S. Hand
officiating. A large gathering of friends and neighbors had come
to do the last honors to one who had been much to them and who
had ever had their full esteem and confidence. Mrs. McWilliams
survives and now makes her home in Postville, where she is highly
esteemed and respected for her womanly qualities of character and
that sweet, charitable view of life which makes her beloved by
all who know her.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by
Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Linda Earnheart
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