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WILLIAM G. ROSE, a very prosperous and successful farmer of Florence township, Benton county, was born October 18, 1856, in DeKalb county, Illinois. His father, George Rose, a native of Vermont, came to Illinois as a young man and settled on a farm. He married, in Vermont, Lucy Stickle, of that state, and William was their only child. The father died when but thirty-three years of age of pneumonia, and his widow removed to Iowa after her husband's death, and married again. She died in 1899, in Marengo, Iowa.
William G. Rose spent his childhood in Benton county on a farm, and there received his early education. Later he attended Iowa State College at Ames, Iowa, and then took a business course at Keokuk. He taught school one year and at the age of twenty-one years purchased eighty acres of land, where he now resides, and lately added seventy acres to his farm, making in all one hundred and fifty acres.
Mr. Rose has always paid close attention to his farming, and is a shrewd, practical man of business, making the most of his opportunities. He is also interested in other enterprises, is secretary of the Farmers' Elevator Company, of Norway, and stockholder in the First National Bank of Norway. He has made many improvements in his farm, and has a comfortable, modern residence. He is courteous and genial, keeps well informed on general topics, and has a large circle of friends. He is an ardent Republican and actively interested in public affairs. He served seven years as justice of the peace, twelve years as assessor, six years as treasurer of the township school board and six years as its secretary, and is now serving his second term as township clerk. Mr. Rose belongs to Florence Lodge No. 404, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and to the Modern Brotherhood of America, Lodge No. 285, both at Norway.
June 5, 1884, Mr. Rose married Mary, daughter of Alexander and Hannah Montague, of Benton county, and to this union six children have been born, namely: John, a farmer of Benton county; William G., also of Benton county; Marian A., at home; Porter L., of Benton county; and Rena G. and Howard A. at home.
Mr. Rose sold his farm March 1, 1910, and purposes to remove to a farm which he owns in Polk county, Wisconsin.
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