1914 Biographies
M

History of Franklin County, Iowa by I. L. Stuart. 2 vols. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1914.
Transcribed by Don Turner, former coordinator of this website.

Peter Madson

Peter Madson, connected with mercantile interests of Coulter as a dealer in implements and automobiles, was born in De Kalb county, Illinois, February 27, 1878. He is a son of Soren and Marie (Knudsen) Madson, natives of Denmark, who came to America in 1868. They came to Franklin county, this state, in 1883, and located in Hamilton township, where the father engaged in farming for many years. He afterward removed to Montana, where he now resides, having survived his wife since 1905. To their union were born four children: Peter, of this review; Marie, who married J. Oleson, of Montana; Celia, the wife of J. Olesen, of Eugene, Oregon; and Carl, of the same city.

Peter Madson supplemented his public school education by one year in college at Elkhorn, Iowa. After he laid aside his books he turned his attention to farming and in 1901 purchased two hundred acres of land in Hamilton township which he sold after his return from Oregon, having spent some time in that state and North Dakota. In 1910 he came to Coulter and here established himself in the implement and automobile business, in which he has since continued. He has a fine modern store, forty-eight by eighty feet in dimensions, and controls a large patronage, for his business methods are upright and honorable and his prices reasonable. He owns in addition a comfortable home in Coulter and a one hundred and sixty acre farm in Hampton township.

On the 4th of April, 1900, Mr. Madson married Miss Minnie Hansen, a daughter of Jense Hansen, and to them have been born four children: Anita, Gilberta, Leon and Vera. Mr. Madson is a member of the Lutheran church and gives his political support to the republican party. He has served as township clerk and school director and has proven capable and reliable in positions of public trust and responsibility. He is one of the progressive and able men of Coulter and through his ability and energy has acquired a high standing in commercial circles.

~*~*~

Ernest S. Manatt, D. O.

Dr. Ernest S. Manatt

Ernest S. Manatt, the pioneer osteopathic physician of Franklin county, now practicing in Hampton, was born in Poweshiek county, Iowa, on the 26th of September, 1878. He represents one of the old families of the state. His father, James Manatt, was for a half century a resident of Poweshiek county where death called him to the home beyond. He was born in Somerset county Pennsylvania, in February, 1827, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Manatt, both of Irish descent. Robert Manatt was born in County Down, Ireland, and in 1812 became a resident of Pennsylvania. Some years afterward he removed with his family to Holmes county, Ohio, where his wife died. Later he brought his children to Iowa, living for a time in Washington county and afterward in Brooklyn, Poweshiek county, where he passed away in 1863 James Manatt attended district schools of Ohio and Iowa and at twenty years of age was married and began farming. In time he became one of the most extensive landowners of the county. In 1880 he removed to Brooklyn, where he passed away in February, 1911. He was twice married. He first wedded Livina Snook of Warren township, Poweshiek county, and they had six children. For his second wife he chose Miss Cornelia Squires, a daughter of Sumner L. and Parizode (Payne) Squires. The latter was a descendant of Sir Simon Fiske, and belonged to one of the oldest and best known cultured families of Vermont. Mrs. Squires was born in Highgate, Vermont, and was a liberally educated woman. Both Mr. and Mrs. Squires engaged in teaching in the east in early life. In 1855 they became residents of Poweshiek county, Iowa, and for thirty years remained upon the old homestead, but spent their last days in Brooklyn, the father dying in February, 1892, and the mother in April, 1904. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Manatt were born four children: Earl L., who became a physician of Newcastle, Indiana, was born in 1877 and died in April, 1907; Ernest S., is the next of the family. Rex Irving is living in Hampton, and Horace J. T. was accidentally killed at play in 1898.

Dr. Ernest S. Manatt spent his youthful days under the parental roof, and as he approached manhood he became interested in the science and practice of osteopathy which he determined to make his life work. Accordingly he supplemented his public school education by a course in the American School of Osteopathy at KirksviIle, Missouri, from which he was graduated on the 31st of January, 1901. In the following March he came to Franklin county and has since been located in Hampton, being the oldest osteopathic practitioner of the county. He has been quite successful, his ability being attested by those who have come under his professional care.

Dr. Manatt was united in marriage to Miss Maude Kratchovil, a native of this county, and unto them has been born a son, Earl, now three and a half years of age. In politics Dr. Manatt is a republican but has never been an office seeker, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his private professional interests, with leisure for the enjoyment of home and social pleasures. He belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and his religious faith is that of the Congregational church, of which he is a consistent member.

~*~*~

C. F. Manifold

Since March, 1880, C. F. Manifold has been connected with agricultural interests of Franklin county and is today recognized as one of the most substantial and progressive farmers of this locality. He owns three hundred and twenty acres on sections 28 and 29, Hamilton township, and has made his home upon this property since 1895. He was born in Henry county, Indiana, March 4, 1863, and is a son of Sheppard and Lydia M. (Sears) Manifold, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Ohio. The father grew to manhood in Indiana. Both parents have passed away. They had eight children: William and Robert, both residents of Henry county, Indiana; Jehu, of Newcastle, Indiana; Nancy M., the wife of J. L. Koons, of Mason City, Iowa; J. H., of Hamilton township; C. F., of this review; Ulysses G., deceased; and Finley A., of Wright county, Iowa.

C. F. Manifold remained in Indiana until he was sixteen years of age and then moved to Geneva, Iowa, locating in this state in March, 1880. In 1895 he removed to Hamilton township, this county, and purchased two hundred and forty acres on sections 28 and 29. To this property he has since added from time to time and his holdings now comprise six hundred and forty acres all in Hamilton township. Upon this excellent property Mr. Manifold engages in general farming and is also interested to a great extent in feeding sheep and other stock, his interests along this line being of growing importance.

On the 31st Of December, 1890, Mr. Manifold was united in marriage to Miss Etta March, a native of Wisconsin and one of the early residents of Geneva township. She is a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Howsley) March, natives of England, the former of whom came to America as a young man. He settled in Geneva township, Franklin county, March 1, 1877, and there died February 21, 1911. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, five of whom lived to maturity, as follows: Elizabeth J., who has passed away; Mary H., the wife of James A. Dovey, of Ingham township; Thomas E., a resident of Geneva township; Etta, wife of the subject of this review; and Emma, who married T. D. Jones, of Hamilton township.

Mr. Manifold gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He is interested in the growth and welfare of the community where he has resided for many years and where he is held in high esteem as a progressive and representative citizen.

~*~*~

Gideon A. Marken

Gideon A. Marken, a prosperous and progressive farmer of Reeve township, owning and operating two hundred and five acres of land on sections 16, 17 and 20, was born in Peru, Indiana, January 5, 1877, a son of Gideon and Sarah (Silvious) Marken, natives of Maryland and Pennsylvania respectively. The father engaged in farming during the entire period of his active life and is now living retired in Peru, Indiana. The mother passed away February 3, 1887. To their union were born fourteen children: John W., of Apache, Arizona; Jacob, a resident of Toledo, Iowa; Joseph, deceased; Rebecca, the wife of D. M. Butt, of Peru, Indiana; Matilda, who married A. L. Meyers, of Moravia, California; Milo, Eli, Jane, the widow of William Butt, of Peru, Indiana, and Lydia, all of whom have passed away; Laura, the wife of Edward J. Miller, of Apache, Arizona; Daniel, of Sand Point, Idaho; Gideon A., of this review; Edith, deceased; and Edward, of Lane, South Dakota. After the death of his first wife the father of the subject of this review married Miss Amanda Daniels, and they became the parents of three children: Pearl, the wife of Charles Fost, of Peru, Indiana; Aaron, deceased; and Raymond, also of Peru.

When Gideon A. Marken was sixteen years of age he left home and began his independent career. In 1895 he came to Hampton, Iowa, and two years later turned his attention to farming, renting one hundred and sixty acres of land in Reeve township. At the end of six years he rented another farm of two hundred and five acres on sections 16, 17 and 20 and two years later bought this property, which he has since operated along practical lines, making it today one of the finest farms in his locality.

On July 1, 1897, Mr. Marken was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Doidge, a daughter of Thomas and Caroline (Jolly) Doidge, natives of England, who came to America in 1868, locating in Warren, Illinois. In 1887 they moved to Franklin county, Iowa, where the father engaged in farming until his death, which occurred .October 1, 1904. His wife survives him and makes her home in Hampton. To their union were born ten children: Arthur and William, deceased; Arthur, second of the name, a resident of Corinth, Iowa; Frederick, of Hampton; Harry, who makes his home in Dumont; Hattie, the wife of A. B. Atkinson, of Hampton; Ida, deceased; Mary E., wife of the subject of this review; Willis, deceased; and Albert, of Hampton. Mr. and Mrs. Marken have become the parents of three children, Esther E., who was born September 22, 1900; Ralph W., born January 8, 1904; and A. J., born January 8, 1911.

Mr. Marken is a member of the Christian church and is connected fraternally with the Modern Brotherhood of America. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party and is at present township trustee, serving in a capable and public-spirited manner. He is a man of force, ambition and enterprise, and he holds the esteem and confidence of all with whom he has official, social or business relations.

~*~*~

Henry E. Marty

Henry E. Marty, one of the extensive landowners and progressive farmers of Franklin county, owning and operating five hundred and thirty acres of land lying in Geneva and Ingham townships, is a native of this part of Iowa, born March 8, 1871. He is a son of John J. and Hannah (Zell) Marty, the former a native of Switzerland and the latter of Prussia, Germany. They came to America in 163 and located in Wisconsin, whence they removed to Hardin county, Iowa, in 1866. Three years later they came to Franklin county and located on a farm in Geneva township, where the father resided until his death, which occurred October 15, 1891. His wife survives him and lives in Franklin county. John J. Marty had been twice married, wedding first Miss Barbara Baumgardner, by whom he had three children: Jacob J., of Butler county; John E., a resident of Franklin county; and a son who died in infancy. By his second union John J. Marty had five children: Henry E., of this review; George, deceased; George, second of the name, a resident of North Dakota; Frank, deceased; and Ollie, the wife of John Blum, of Reeve township.

Henry E. Marty was reared in Geneva township and acquired his education in the district schools. His entire active life has been devoted to agricultural pursuits. His first tract of land--two hundred and sixty acres--was given him by his father and he has since added to this from time to time until he now owns five hundred and thirty acres, one hundred and seventy-one of which lie in Ingham township and the remainder in Geneva. Mr. Marty engages in general farming and stock-raising and has been remarkably successful along both lines.

On the 14th of March, 1895, Mr. Marty was united in marriage to Miss Maggie Pfaltzgraff, a native of Germany, and they have become the parents of four children: Earl E., born August 6, 1897; a son who died in infancy; Edith Lily, born November 15, 1900; and Ray Harold, born June 14, 1903.

Mr. Marty is a member of the Evangelical church and a republican in his political views. His worth is widely acknowledged, his business enterprise having gained him a high place in agricultural circles and his integrity standing as an unassailable fact in his life record.

~*~*~

G. A. Mayer

G. A. Mayer, who has been numbered among the citizens of Franklin county for the past quarter of a century, operates one of the most highly improved farms in Ross township, on section 32, his holdings embracing one hundred and thirty-four acres of land in Ross and Mott townships. He is likewise the vice president of the Chapin Savings Bank, which institution as assisted in organizing. His birth occurred in Washington county, Iowa, on the 26th of November, 1860, his father being John Mayer, a native of Germany. The latter crossed the Atlantic to the United States as a young man and in Burlington, Iowa, wedded Miss Catherine Neff, who was born in Pennsylvania. John Mayer purchased an unimproved farm of one hundred and sixty-nine acres in Washington county, Iowa, and gave his attention to its development and cultivation throughout the remainder of his life. Both he and his wife passed away in that county.

G. A. Mayer spent his boyhood in his native county and acquired only a limited education, his assistance being necessary in the work of the home farm. He remained under the parental roof until twenty years of age and subsequently worked as a farm hand for others until 1888. In that year he was married and came to Franklin county, Iowa, locating on a tract of eighty acres in Mott township, which his wife had inherited. Mr. Mayer improved the property and was busily engaged in its Operation until 1896, when he took up his abode on his present farm on section 32, Ross township. The place was devoid of improvements with the exception of a barn, but during the years which have since elapsed our subject has enhanced its value in various ways until it is now one of the most highly improved farms in Ross township. His holdings embrace one hundred and thirty-four acres of land in Ross and Mott townships, and he devotes his attention to general farming with excellent results, enjoying an enviable reputation as one of the prosperous and representative citizens of the community. His is a beautiful home, and an evergreen grove adds much to the attractive appearance of the place. Mr. Mayer was one of the organizers of the Chapin Savings Bank and has since served as a member of its board of directors, likewise holding the office of vice president at the present time.

In Washington county, Iowa, Mr. Mayer was united in marriage to Miss Ella V. Brenton, a native of that county and a daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Dillon) Brenton, both of whom are deceased. Our subject and his wife have, three children: Ethel, Everett and Vera, all at home. Mr. Mayer gives his political allegiance to the democracy and has served as a trustee for three terms, while for sixteen years he has been a member of the school board. He is a stalwart friend of the cause of education and, in fact, is known throughout the entire community as a representative agriculturist and a citizen whose support can be counted upon to further any measure or movement that will promote the welfare and prosperity of the county.

~*~*~

N. B. McClintock

N. B. McClintock, a successful and enterprising agriculturist of Franklin county, owns and operates a well improved farm of eighty acres on section 32, Ross township, and for several years has been making a specialty of the raising of registered Poland China hogs. He has resided in this county continuously for a period of thirty-five years and has improved two farms. His birth occurred in Pennsylvania on the 7th of July, 1850, his parents being Francis M. and Susan (Baird) McClintock, the former born in Pennsylvania, of Irish descent, and the latter, a native of Scotland. Their marriage was celebrated in the Keystone state. In 1851 they came to Iowa, settling in Clinton county, where they spent the remainder of their lives on a farm.

N. B. McClintock spent his boyhood on the home farm in Clinton county, Iowa, and attended the common schools in the acquirement of his early education, while subsequently he pursued a course of study in Cornell College of Mount Vernon. He then took up the profession of school teaching and taught in Clinton and Franklin counties for thirty terms, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge that he had acquired. It was in the spring of 1878 that he came to this county. He purchased one hundred and twenty acres of raw land in Richland township and began the arduous task of improving the property. There he successfully carried on farming until 1900 and then disposed of the place, purchasing an unimproved tract of land comprising eighty acres on section 32, Ross township. He has developed the property until it is now valuable and productive and has erected thereon a set of commodious and substantial buildings. For several years past he has made a specialty of registered Poland China hogs, raising an average of fifty head annually, which he sells for breeding purposes. He is a well educated man of untiring energy and keen intellect who has always worked hard and been wise in his expenditures. He has been enabled to provide his children with excellent educational advantages and has every reason to be proud of them.

In Clinton county Mr. McClintock was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth E. Pray, a native of Illinois, by whom he has four children. Francis N., a graduate of the Iowa State Teachers' College at Cedar Falls, is engaged in the profession of teaching at Coulter, Iowa. Alice L., who likewise attended the Iowa State Teachers' College and taught for a time, is now employed as operator and station agent at Chapin by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway. Gordon B. is in the service of the Northern Pacific Railway at Seattle, Washington. Stanley H. McClintock is farming in partnership with his father.

In his political views Mr. McClintock is independent, supporting men and measures rather than party. He has held a township office of one kind or another during the entire period of his residence here and has ever discharged his public duties in a prompt and capable manner. He has served as clerk in both Richland and Ross townships and is now a justice of the peace in the latter. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Congregational church at Chapin, in the work of which he takes an active and helpful interest. In matters of citizenship he is intensely loyal and public spirited and gives his unqualified endorsement and cooperation to every movement inaugurated that will promote the welfare of the community along the various lines of human activity.

~*~*~

Thomas E. McCoy

Since 1883 Thomas E. McCoy has been connected with agricultural interests of Franklin county and since 1899 has lived upon his present farm of two hundred and forty acres on section 35, Hamilton township. He was born in Wayne county, Ohio, September 17, 1862, and is a son of William I. and Ruth (McClellan) McCoy, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. They removed to Indiana and thence to Wisconsin, where the father passed away. To them were born six children: James, deceased; John, of Minnesota; Thomas E., of this review; Nelson, of Wisconsin; Belle and Mary, deceased.

Thomas E. McCoy came to Franklin county in 1883 and turned his attention to farming here. In 1888 he bought one hundred and fifty-one acres of land and improved and operated this farm until 1899, when he disposed of it. Two years previously he had bought two hundred and forty acres on section 35, Hamilton township. When he sold his first farm he removed to Iowa Falls, but later to this property, where he has since resided. His farm is in excellent condition, reflecting the many years of intelligent care and labor which he has bestowed upon it.

Mr. McCoy married Miss Lucilla Stockdale, a native of Franklin county and a daughter of Thomas and Katherine (Hamilton) Stockdale, pioneers of Hamilton township. Her father was born in Ireland in 1833 and emigrated to America in 1851, making his home for three years in New York state, where he engaged in farming. From there he removed to Wisconsin and in 1859 came to Franklin county, Iowa. In politics he was a republican. He was twice married, his first wife being Katherine Hamilton, who died in 1877, leaving four children, Stewart, Charles, Lucilla and Aaron. His second wife was Caroline Killious, by whom he had six children, Fred, Maggie, Arthur, Clinton, Edith and Vera. Mr. and Mrs. McCoy have two children, twins, Willis and Wiltsey, born in 1898.

Mr. McCoy is a member of the Methodist church and gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He is interested in the development of the county, where he has lived for thirty years, and his influence has been a tangible force for good in the community.

~*~*~

John McGrath

John McGrath, a prosperous and progressive farmer of Franklin county, owning and operating two hundred acres of well improved land on section 21, West Fork township, was born in Canada and is a son of Michael and Mary (Hogan) McGrath, natives of Ireland. The father came to America when he was twenty years of age and the mother at the age of thirteen and their marriage occurred in Canada, where Michael McGrath owned land. They came to Franklin county in 1872 after having spent one and a half years in Vermont, and they settled on section 8 on what is now Marion township. The father purchased eighty acres of wild land for three hundred dollars and operated and developed this property until his death, which occurred in 1876. His wife passed away in Ackley just before the family removed to the Franklin county farm. In this family were seven children, of whom five grew to maturity as follows: James, who owns two farms in West Fork township, but who makes his home in Mason City; Mrs. Catherine Roaner, a widow living with her daughter in Adrian, Minnesota; John, of this review; and Mrs. John T. Kenefick and Mrs. J. H. Ochs, both of whom have passed away.

John McGrath was twelve years of age when he began herding cattle on the Iowa prairies, and he later secured a position as a farm hand working for twenty-three years thereafter for A. M. Mott, a large landowner and prosperous farmer of Franklin county. Mr. McGrath managed Mr. Mott's farms for a number of years, resigning his position in 1903 in order to become an independent agriculturist. He bought one hundred and sixty acres on section 21, West Fork township and to this has since added until he owns two hundred acres. The land is in a high state of cultivation and is provided with excellent buildings and modern machinery.

Mr. McGrath is a member of the Catholic church. He served as a member of the county board of supervisors for three years and in matters of citizenship is helpful and progressive, cooperating heartily in measures for the general advancement and growth. He enjoys in full measure the friendship of those with whom he has been brought in contact and a life of well directed activity has gained for him a high place in agricultural circles.

~*~*~

Duncan J. McMillan

Duncan J. McMillan, formerly engaged in general farming upon two hundred and forty acres of excellent land in Geneva township, but now living retired, was born in Dodge countv, Wisconsin, November 5, 1854. He is a son of John and Christiana (Gunn) McMillan, natives of Scotland. The father moved to Nova Scotia when he was three years of age and in 1844 went to Wisconsin, where he resided until 1872. In that year he moved to Franklin county, Iowa, and located on section 21, Geneva township, where his death occurred. He and his wife became the parents of eleven children: William, of South Dakota; Ella, the wife of William E. Jones, of Geneva; John, deceased; Isabel, the wife of Jacob Sellers, of South Dakota; Alfred, of California; Jessie, deceased; Duncan J., of this review; and Daniel, Jennie, Samuel and Maggie, who have passed away.

Duncan J. McMillan accompanied his parents to Franklin county in 1872 and assisted for some time thereafter with the operation of the homestead. This has since come into his possession, and he has developed it along practical and modern lines, making it one of the finest properties in this locality. He engaged in general farming and was likewise extensively interested in stock-raising. In January, 1910, Mr. McMillan retired from active farming and now lives in a beautiful home in Geneva.

On the 15th of July, 1891, Mr. McMillan was united in marriage to Miss Hattie M. Crider, a native of Pennsylvania, and they have become the parents of four children: Clinton, who is connected with the Fine Arts Academy in Chicago; and Annie Laurie, Esmerelda and Bert, at home.

Mr. McMillan attends the Methodist Episcopal church while his wife is a member thereof. He is a republican in his political views and is connected fraternally with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. During the period of his residence in Franklin county he has proven himself thoroughly reliable in all business dealings and in matters of citizenship helpful and progressive, giving his aid and influence to many measures for the public good.

~*~*~

Charles F. Meier

Charles F. Meier, prominently connected with business interests of Hampton as secretary and treasurer of the Hampton Mercantile Company, Incorporated, was born in Germany, October 13, 1860, a son of William and Elizabeth Meier. He came to America in 1882 and located in Waverly, Iowa, where he engaged in the general merchandise business until 1898, when he moved to Hampton. Here in 1902 he assumed the management of the business conducted by the Hampton Mercantile Company, Incorporated, and he has since been secretary and treasurer of this concern, the president being Dr. J. C. Powers. The company controls one of the largest general mercantile establishments in Hampton, and under Mr. Meier's competent and intelligent management its interests have grown steadily. Its business has increased in volume and importance and has reached gratifying proportions at the present time.

Mr. Meier married Miss Maggie Hoddel, and they have two children, Louis and Lenora. Mr. Meier is well known in business circles of Hampton as a man of force, experience and capacity and he occupies a high place among representative and valued citizens.

~*~*~

Dietrich Mensing

Dietrich Mensing is well known in Franklin county as an extensive stock feeder and shipper. He owns one hundred and sixty-three acres of excellent land on section 7, Marion township, and through his intelligent cultivation of this property has made it one of the valuable farms of the locality. He was born in Germany, March 1, 1869, and is a son of Dietrich and Wilhelmina (Dohrman) Mensing, also natives of Germany, who came to America in 1887. They resided in Cook county, Illinois, for three years, and then moved to Franklin county, Iowa, locating on section 7, Marion township. Both have passed away. To them were born four children: Dietrich, of this review; Fred, of Mott township; Henry, a missionary in Australia; and Louisa, who married John Schnable, of Marion township.

Dietrich Mensing came with his parents to Franklin county and he has lived upon the home farm in Marion township since that time. In 1897 he bought the property, which comprises one hundred and sixty-three acres on section 7, and here he engages in general farming, specializing in the breeding of blooded percheron horses. He is a stock feeder and shipper on an extensive scale and is recognized as an expert judge of stock values.

On the 10th of February, 1898, Mr. Mensing was united in marriage, to Miss Louisa Hoffmeier, a native of Cedar county, Iowa, and they have become the parents of five children, Herman, Lydia, Theodore, Hubert and Victor. Mr. Mensing is a member of the Lutheran church and a republican in his political beliefs, serving for several years as school director. He is widely known throughout the county as a representative citizen and commands the confidence and respect of the entire community.

~*~*~

Fred Mensing

Fred Mensing, carrying on general farming and stock-raising upon one hundred and one acres of excellent land on section 19, Mott township, was born in Germany, November 5, 1875. He is a son of Dietrich and Wilhelmina (Dohrman) Mensing, also natives of Germany, who came to America in April, 1888, and located on a farm near Chicago, Illinois. From there they moved to Franklin county, Iowa, in 1891, and the father engaged in farming upon property north of Latimer until his death, which occurred September 6, 1901. He had survived his wife since April 27, 1893. To their union were born four children: Dietrich, who is operating the old homestead; Fred, of this review; Henry, a Lutheran minister of Australia; and Louise, who married John Schnabel, of Marion township.

Fred Mensing remained at home until he was twenty-four years of age, aiding in the operation of his father's farm. He then purchased one hundred and one acres of land on section 19, Mott township, and here he has since resided giving his attention to general farming and stock-raising. Under his able management his farm has become a productive and valuable property, and his success places him among the representative and prominent agriculturists of this vicinity.

On the 22d of February, 1900, Mr. Mensing was united in marriage to Miss Charlotte Hoffmeier, a native of Cedar county, Iowa , and they have become the parents of five children: Wilma, born December 26, 1903; Julia, born November 3, 1905; Paul G., who was born September 11, 1908; and Gerhardt and Gertrude, twins, born February 17, 1912. Mr. Mensing is a member of the Lutheran church and gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He occupies an enviable position in the esteem of his neighbors and friends and is widely known throughout the community.

~*~*~

William Mensing

William Mensing, operating a fine farm of eighty acres on section 8, Marion township, was born in Du Page county, Illinois, July 15, 1885. His mother was twice married and had two children by her first union, namely, the subject of this review and his sister, Bertha, now the wife of Henry Norton of Cook county, Illinois. The mother afterward wedded Henry Block and had two children by this marriage: Harry, connected with the United States navy; and Edwin, of Cook county, Illinois.

When William Mensing was two years old he was adopted by his aunt, Mrs. Minnie Malvitz, of Du Page county, Illinois, and with her he made his home until he was thirteen years of age. He afterward worked on a farm belonging to his uncle for seven years and then, in 1906, came to Franklin county, Iowa, where he has since been connected with agricultural interests. In 1910 he bought eighty acres of land on section 8, Marion township, and this he has since operated, making it a productive and valuable property. He has risen to a high place in agricultural circles.

On the 12th of September, 1907, Mr. Mensing was united in marriage to Miss Malinda Schirmer, a native of Franklin county, and they have three children: Louis, who was born July 27, 1908; Hilda, born April 17, 1910; and Herbert, born March 20, 1912.

Mr. Mensing is a member of the Evangelical church and gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He is now serving as township assessor and school director and is interested in everything that pertains 'to the growth and advancement of the community. He is a young man of ambition, energy and enterprise and will undoubtedly be carried forward into important relations with agricultural interests of his locality.

~*~*~

Adam Messelheiser

Adam Messelheiser

Adam Messelheiser, occupying an enviable position in financial and business circles of Franklin county, is now president of the State Savings Bank of Hampton, a position to which he has attained through laudable ambition, ability and energy. He was born in Wisconsin in 1851, a son of John A. and Mary Messelheiser, who in the year 1868 brought their family to Iowa. The father purchased land adjoining Hampton, becoming the owner of two hundred acres, which he converted into rich and productive fields, the cultivation of the farm resulting in the acquirement of a good living for the family. Both he and his wife remained residents of this county until called to their final rest. They had a family of seven children, of whom three are now deceased.

The public schools of Wisconsin and Iowa afforded Adam Messelheiser his educational opportunities. He spent his youthful days under the parental roof and was seventeen years of age when he came with the family to Iowa, where he has since remained. He had been reared to the occupation of farming, early becoming familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. As the years passed on he continued to engage in general agricultural pursuits until 1902, when he put aside farm work and removed to Hampton, since which time he has rented his land. He built an attractive home in the city which he now occupies and is. here comfortably located, largely living retired, although he has a decisive voice in the management of the bank and gives personal supervision to the control of his property. In all business affairs his judgment is sound and reliable, and his connection with the State Savings Bank has been a factor in making it the strong and reliable financial institution which it is today.

Mr. Messelheiser was married in 1877 to Miss Otillie Kugler of West Fork township, whose people were among the pioneers of Franklin county. Mr. and Mrs. Messelheiser had six children, but lost one. Those still living are: Cora, the wife of Fred Schmitz, a resident of Idaho; Otto, who is engaged in the abstract business and makes his home in Portland, Oregon; Winnifred, the wife of Clarence Loose, living in Washington, Iowa; A. R., who is attending school at Evanston, Illinois; and Anita, now at Iowa City College.

The parents and children are members of the Evangelical church and the influence of the family has always been on the side of right, progress, truth and reform. In politics Mr. Messelheiser is a progressive republican and keeps well informed on the issues of the day and the attitude of the leading parties in respect to vital questions. He displays little personal prejudice in his outlook over the important phases of life as affecting the material, intellectual, political and moral welfare and endeavors at all times to assist the community in ways of public betterment.

~*~*~

Adolph Meyer

Adolph Meyer is today the only one of the pioneer merchants remaining in Hampton and has been appointed postmaster for a term of years by President Wilson. For a long period he has been connected with commercial pursuits here, and the success he has achieved is the logical outcome and the merited reward of persistent, earnest and intelligently directed effort. He was born in Wisconsin, March 12, 1851, and is a son of Henry and Sophia (Baumgardner) Meyer, both of whom were natives of Switzerland. Coming to the new world, they settled in Missouri, and subsequently went to Wisconsin, whence in 1857 they arrived in Franklin county Iowa. They took up their abode in West Fork township, where they lived until Mr. Meyer was elected county recorder, at which time they removed to Hampton, where their remaining days were passed. As a pioneer settler he took an active and helpful interest in the development and material progress of the county and as a citizen was interested in all that pertained to Its welfare and upbuilding. To him and his wife were born ten children, of whom four are vet living. Adolph Meyer, the youngest of the family, was twenty years of age when he left home and went to Wichita, Kansas, where he continued for a year. He then returned to Franklin county and was thereafter engaged in farming for two years. He next embarked in general merchandising, which he has since followed. He has purchased a fine brick building, which he occupies with a large and attractive line of goods, and he is today the only pioneer merchant remaining in Hampton. His store is liberally patronized, and at all times he keeps in touch with enterprising business methods and has ever been found thoroughly honorable and reliable.

On the 3d of March, 1873, Mr. Meyer married Miss Sarah L. Gilchrist, a native of Pennsylvania, and to them have been born three children: Cora, now deceased; Ethel, the wife of W. F. Locke, of Spencer, Iowa; and Coral, at home. Mr. Meyer gives his political allegiance to the democratic party but has never been an office seeker. However, his worth has been recognized by his appointment, by President Wilson, as postmaster for a term of four years.

The cause of education finds in him a stalwart friend and for eleven years he has served as school director. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and to the Knights of Pythias fraternity and his religious faith is evidenced in his membership in the Methodist church. His has been an upright, honorable life, characterized by energy and enterprise in business affairs and by loyalty in friendship.

~*~*~

Fred L. Meyer

Fred L. Meyer, a native son of Franklin county and during the entire period of his active life connected with agricultural interests here, was born on the farm he now operates December 1, 1880. He is a son of William and Emily (Surles) Meyer, the former a native of Bavaria, Germany, born in 1841, and the latter of Hardin county, Iowa. The father came to America with his parents when he was ten years of age and settled in Illinois, whence he afterward moved to Grundy county, Iowa. Later he took up his residence in Franklin county, this state, buying a half section of land on sections 10, 15 and 16, Grant township. This property he improved and operated, carrying on general farming and stock-raising until within three years of his death, which occurred April 11, 1906. He and his wife became the parents of four children: Fred L., of this review; a son who died in infancy; Clara the wife of Lars H. Green of Grant township; and Anthony Wayne.

Fred L. Meyer was reared at home and acquired his education in the public schools of Grant township. At the age of twenty-two he took charge of the homestead, which comprises a half section of land on sections 10, 15 and 16. He has met with most gratifying success in the conduct of his farming interests and takes rank with the most progressive and representative agriculturists of the vicinity.

He married Miss Clara Christman, a native of Stephenson county, Illinois, and they have become the parents of three children: Lavern Arthur, who was born July 15, 1904; Nina Lucile, born October 17, 1908; and Thelma May, born May 6, 1913.

Mr. Meyer is a member of the Christian church and connected fraternally with the Modern Woodmen of America. He gives his political allegiance to the democratic party and is at present serving as township trustee. Although still a young man, he has already been carried forward into important relations with agricultural interests, and his record is a credit to a name that has long been an honored one in his locality.

~*~*~

Henry Meyer

For a period of thirty-six years Henry Meyer has been connected with agricultural interests of Franklin county and during that time has made many substantial contributions to general growth and development, winning also an individual success which places him among the representative and progressive farmers of this locality. He was born in Germany, November 22, 1856, and is a son of Henry and Dorothea (Hener) Meyer, also natives of Germany, where the mother passed away. The father came to America in 1877 and located in Marion township, Franklin county, Iowa, where he died in 1890.

Henry Meyer came to America in 1876 and in the same year bought eighty acres of land on section 15, Marion township. This forms a portion of his present homestead, but he has added to his holdings from time to time, owning today two hundred and forty acres of excellent land. Upon this he engages in general farming and stock-raising and has met with gratifying and well deserved success.

On the 9th of December, 1877, Mr. Meyer married Miss Doris Gottschalk, and to them were born five children: Alwine the wife of F. Lubkeman of Marion township; Doris, who married August Meyer of Reeve township; Augusta, the wife of W. T. Burmester; Herman and Emma, at home.

Mr. Meyer is a member of the Lutheran church and gives his political allegiance to the republican party. During the thirty-six years of his residence in Franklin, county he has contributed materially to its growth and development and is now recognized, not only as one of the substantial farmers of the community but also as one of the representative citizens of the township.

~*~*~

Milf Meyer

Milf Meyer, one of the extensive landowners and prosperous farmers of Franklin county, owning and operating three hundred acres on section 9, Grant township, was born in Germany, September 17, 1867. He is a son of Lambert and Angie (Rabenburg) Mever, also natives of the fatherland. They came to America in 1881 and located in Grundy county, Iowa, where the father died March 20, 1889, and where the mother still resides. To their union were born four children: Milf, of this review; Tonjes, a resident of Grundy county; Heska, the widow of August Steinmeyer, of Grundy county; and Wort, of Grundy county.

Milf Meyer came to America with his parents in 1881 and aided in the operation of the homestead during his father's lifetime. After the father's death he assumed charge of its operation, conducting. it until 1897, when he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of the property. This he developed and improved along progressive and modern lines until 1912, when he moved to Franklin county, buying three hundred acres on, section 9, Grant township. He here engages in general farming and stock-raising and has met with that success which always follows persistent and intelligently directed labor.

Mr. Meyer has been twice married. He wedded first Miss Lena Kramer, who died January 1 1902, leaving five children, Annie, Harm, Lambert, Fannie and Milf, Jr. On the 8th of February, 1905, Mr. Meyer was again married, his second union being with Miss Minnie Kromminga, a native of Germany. To this union have been born four children: Tonjes; Minnie, deceased; Heska; and Amos. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer are members of the Lutheran church, and he gives his political allegiance to the democratic party, serving at the present time as school director. Well known in Franklin county by reason of the extent of his interests here, he is accounted one of the active workers and progressive farmers of Grant township, .and he has the unqualified confidence and esteem of the entire community.

~*~*~

William Meyer

Agricultural interests of Franklin county lost a progressive and worthy representative when William Meyer died in Iowa Falls in 1906. He had long been numbered. among the progressive farmers of his locality and had made many substantial contributions to its development during the period of his residence here. He was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1841 and came to America with his parents when he was ten years of age, the family settling in Illinois. Mr. Meyer afterward moved to Grundy county, Iowa, where he lived unti 1869 when he went west, spending ten years in Montana, Wyoming and Colorado as a cowboy. In 1879 he returned to Iowa coming to Franklin county where he bought three hundred and twenty acres on sections 10, 15 and 16, Grant township, and upon this property resided until 1903, meeting every year with increasing success. In that year he retired to Iowa Falls. He made many improvements upon his farm, erecting substantial buildings and installing modern machinery, and he gave a great deal of his time and attention to its development. His efforts being practical and well directed, he met with a gratifying measure of success and at the time of his death was the owner of one of the best farms in this township.

Mr. Meyer married Miss Emily Surles, a native of Hardin county, and they became the parents of four children: Fred L., a farmer of Grant township; a son who died, in infancy; Clara the wife of Lars H. Green of Grant township; and Anthony Wayne. Mr. Meyer's son-in-law, Lars H. Green, was born in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, August 23, 1883. He is a son of Joseph and Louise (Krell) Green, also natives of that county, who came to Iowa in 1891, locating in Grant township, this county. They are now living retired in Iowa Falls. Mr. and Mrs. Green have become the parents of a son, Millard W., who was born April 1, 1908. Mr. Green belongs to the Christian church, is connected fraternally with the Mystic Workers and gives his political allegiance to the republican party.

William Meyer attended the Christian church and was a democrat in his political views. He held a number of local offices and as a public-spirited and progressive citizen took an intelligent interest in public affairs, cooperating heartily in all measures and projects for community advancement. He became very well known throughout Franklin county, and his death was widely and deeply regretted.

~*~*~

Peter Miller

Peter Miller, who since 1892 has been connected in an influential way with farming interests of Franklin county and whose enterprise has contributed much toward the agricultural development of the community, was born in Denmark, March 9, 1852, a son of Mogens and Karen Marie (Beck) Miller, also natives of that country. The parents came to America in 1883 and located in Grundy county, Iowa, whence they moved to Franklin county in 1886, locating in Morgan township. The father afterward purchased land in section 10, Hamilton township, and upon that property passed away on the 14th of March, 1910. The mother died July 2, 1909. They had celebrated both their golden and diamond wedding anniversaries upon their homestead in Hamilton township. To their union were born five children: Jens, of Withee, Wisconsin; Peter, of this review; Frederick, deceased; Ann Elizabeth; and Ann Elizabeth, second of the name, both of whom have passed away.

Peter Miller remained in his native country until 1871 and then crossed the Atlantic to America, landing in New York on November 28th of that year. For four years afterward he engaged in carpentering there, after which he moved to Cedar Falls, Iowa, and first rented a farm for five years and later purchased land in the vicinity of the city, following farming there for ten years. In 1892 he moved to Franklin county and bought one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 10, Hamilton township. To this he has since added another one hundred and twenty acre tract on section 11 and upon this fine property carries on general farming and stock-raising, making a specialty of feeding cattle. He has an excellent set of buildings upon the place, including a modern silo, and the entire farm is in excellent condition, showing the care and supervision of an able agriculturist. In addition to his farming interests Mr. Miller is president of the Hamilton Creamery Company of Coulter and has held this position with credit and ability for the past twenty years.

On March 8, 1877, Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Kirsten Jensen, a native of Denmark, who died July 11, 1913. To their union were born eleven children: Frederick, deceased; Jens, principal of a school in Bruno, Minnesota; Karen, who married Andrew Jorgensen, of Hamilton township; Mette, who married Peter Lund, of Hamilton township; Dagmar, engaged in teaching in Franklin county; Anna and Benjamin, at home; Esther, teaching in the public schools of Franklin county; Ida, who is also engaged in teaching; and Ruth and Ezra, at home. Mr. Miller is a member of the Lutheran church and gives his political allegiance to the democratic party. He is a man who takes a deep interest in the general welfare of the community, and he commands the respect, and confidence of his fellow citizens.

~*~*~

Evin Millet

Evin Millet, one of the valued and representative citizens of Bradford, living in retirement after many years of close connection with agricultural interests of Franklin county, was born in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, September 24, 1856. He is a son of Andrew and Lovern (Henderson) Millet, natives of Ohio, who came to Franklin county in 1870, locating in Reeve township. The father died here in January, 1909, and his widow makes her home in Hampton. To their union were born six children: Albert, a resident of Hampton; Evin, of this review; Ellen, deceased; Sarah, the wife of James Osborn, of Illinois; and Alma and George, deceased.

Evin Millet's entire active life was devoted to farming. He was reared upon his father's homestead and aided in its operation for some time, becoming familiar at an early age with the details of farm operation. When he left home he purchased land of his own and has owned farms in various parts of the county. These properties he managed always in a capable and progressive way and became well known as a successful and representative agriculturist. He is now living in Bradford in practical retirement, although he owns seven acres of improved land just outside the town limits.

Mr. Millet married Miss Dana Pickering, a native of Illinois, and they have become the parents of five children: Charles, a resident of Dows, Iowa; Mabel, the wife of W. I. Stockdale; Arthur, at home; Jessie, the wife of John Hickther, of Lee township; and Emma, who married Edward Fits, also of Lee township. Mr. Millet is a member of the Methodist church and gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He is well known throughout the county for his many excellent traits of character and has commanded the respect and confidence of his neighbors and friends.

~*~*~

Joseph Mitchell

Joseph Mitchell, who has resided within the borders of Franklin county for the past forty-five years, has devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits with excellent success throughout his entire business career and is now living in honorable retirement at Chapin, having recently leased his farm of one hundred and eighty-five acres on section 1, Ross township. His birth occurred in Hazel Green, Grant county, Wisconsin, on the 30th of September, 1853, his parents being Joseph and Mary Ann (Crase) Mitchell, both of whom were natives of England. They emigrated to the United States in early manhood and young womanhood and were married in Wisconsin. In 1868 they established their home in Franklin county, Iowa, Joseph Mitchell, Sr., who was an agriculturist by occupation, purchasing one hundred and eighty-five acres of land on section 31, Ross township, on which stood a little house. He made a number of substantial improvements on the property and continued its operation throughout the remainder of his life, passing away in February, 1907, at the, age of eighty-three years. His demise was the occasion of deep and widespread regret, for he had gained an extensive circle of friends during the period of his residence in this county, which covered almost four decades. For a number of years he had survived his wife, who passed away at the age, of sixty-eight, in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which Mr. Mitchell also belonged. They were the parents of four children, as follows: Eliza Jane, who is the wife of Dr. Ross and resides in Hampton; Joseph, of this review; Mary, who gave her hand in marriage to T. M. Hamilton, of Chapin; and William, who died at the age of fifteen years.

Joseph Mitchell, who was a youth of fifteen when he came to this county with his parents, remained on the old home farm in Ross township and eventually came into possession of the property. After the death of his mother he kept bachelor's hall with his father for a number of years and has been alone since the latter's demise. In the conduct of his agricultural interests he has won a well, merited measure of prosperity, the well tilled fields annually yielding golden harvests in return for the care and labor which he bestowed upon them. He has recently leased the farm and erected a residence in Chapin, where he is now living retired in the enjoyment of the fruits of his former toil. Mr. Mitchell is well known and highly esteemed throughout the community in which he has so long resided and is justly entitled. to representation among its best citizens.

~*~*~

E. M. Moore

E. M. Moore is an enterprising and representative young citizen of Franklin county who has for a number of years devoted his attention to general agricultural pursuits and still owns two hundred and forty acres of valuable land on section 25, Ross township, but is now planning to give all of his time to the real-estate business at Chapin, having found this a congenial and profitable field of endeavor. His birth occurred in Stokes county, North Carolina, on the 22d of February, 1881, his parents being W. H. and Annie (Martin) Moore, likewise natives of that state. The family is of Scotch and Irish descent in the paternal line but has been represented in the United States for several generations. The parents of our subject recently came to Franklin county and are now residing in Marion township.

E. M. Moore was reared in the state of his nativity and attended the common schools in the acquirement of an education. Since putting aside his text-books he has been engaged in the work of the fields. About thirteen years ago he came to Iowa and secured employment by the month as a farm hand in Hardin county. When he had accumulated sufficient capital he purchased a tract of eighty acres in that county and subsequently bought a farm of similar size in Franklin county. Two years ago he came into possession of the old Randolph farm, comprising one hundred and forty-four acres on section 31, Ross township, which he has recently sold. He next purchased two hundred and forty acres on section 25, Ross township, but has already put this on sale and is preparing to establish himself In the real-estate business at Chapin. Mr. Moore has done considerable buying and selling of realty with gratifying results and believes that in this field he will find greater, opportunity for the exercise of his business ability and judgment. Industry and energy are among his salient characteristics and augur well for a successful future.

In Hardin county, Iowa, Mr. Moore was united in marriage to Miss Florence Fowler, a native of that county and a daughter of J. W. and Arena (Clemens) Fowler, the former born in Ohio and the latter in Hardin county, Iowa. Our subject and his wife have two children: Clarence and Johnnie.

Mr. Moore gives his political allegiance to the prohibition party and is a total abstainer from all alcoholic beverages, believing that the liquor traffic is one of the worst evils which besets the nation. Mrs. Moore is a member of the Friends church while Mr. Moore's religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Baptist church. His religion is an active and vital force in his life and has given to an upright and honest business man the added qualification of a worthy and honorable Christian gentleman.

~*~*~

John Moore

John Moore

For a period of thirty-six years John Moore was connected with agricultural interests of Franklin county and during that time contributed substantially to agricultural development and growth while winning an individual success which placed him among the representative and substantial farmers of his locality. His death, therefore, which occurred November 7, 1913, when he was sixty-three years of age, was widely and deeply regretted, being considered a distinct loss to agricultural interests. Mr. Moore was born in England, November 8, 1850, and was a son of John and Sarah (Hospital) Moore, also natives of England, where the father engaged in farming during his entire active life, dying in March, 1872. He had survived his wife several years, her death occurring in 1864. Sixteen children were born to their union, of whom two are still living: Eliza, the wife of Robert Cobble, of Dows, Wright county, Iowa; and Dennis, who resides in England.

John Moore acquired his education in the public schools of his native country and there remained until 1872. In that year he came to America and settled in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming on rented land for five years. In 1877 he came to Franklin county, this state, and located on section 2, Hamilton township, where he resided until his death. He bought first eighty acres of land and to this added from time to time, accumulating finally two hundred and eighty-five acres. He carried forward the work of improvement and development along practical lines and made the property at length a well equipped and highly cultivated farm. General farming and stock-raising commanded his attention, and he was especially interested in raising blooded cattle and hogs.

On the 29th of March, 1880, Mr. Moore was united in marriage to Miss Cyrene Justus, a native of St. Clair county, Missouri, and a daughter of Isaac Justus, who was born in Pennsylvania, July 13, 1821. He came to Franklin county, Iowa, in 1857 but after a few months moved to Missouri, where he remained for about two years. At the end of that time he returned to Franklin county and located in Hampton, remaining until he enlisted in Company H, Thirty-second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, for service in the Civil war. He was at the front for twenty-four months and was then discharged on account of disability. Following this he returned to Franklin county and engaged in farming and carpentering until his death, which occurred July 16, 1905. He and his wife became the parents of four children: Cyrene, who married John Moore, of this review; Mary, the wife of William Meyers, of Galena, Illinois; Mercy, deceased; and Hayes, of Seattle, Washington.

Mr. and Mrs. Moore became the parents of four children: Sarah, deceased; Della, the wife of John Brandt, of Hamilton township; Guy, of Lee township; and Opha Claire, at home. Mr. Moore was a member of the Methodist church and gave his political allegiance to the republican party. He held a number of township offices and took a great interest in the advancement and growth of the community, where he was long numbered among the public-spirited and representative citizens. During his life he enjoyed an excellent reputation throughout the county for industry, honesty and good judgment, qualities which gained him the esteem and confidence of an extensive circle of friends.

~*~*~

L. Clarence Moore

L. Clarence Moore, a well known business man of Hampton connected with commercial interests as the proprietor of a large livery, was born in Audrain county, Missouri, March 16, 1881. He is a son of Leander and Florence Jennie (Warren) Moore, natives of Kentucky. The father engaged in farming during the entire period of his active life and is now living retired. In his family were five children: Ollie, the wife of H. Utterback, of Clayton, New Mexico; Effie, who married F. M. Brashears, of Laddonia, Missouri; Arthur, a resident of San Francisco, California; L. Clarence, of this review; and Hubert, of Franklin county.

When L. Clarence Moore was twenty years of age he came to Franklin county, Iowa, and turned his attention to farming, following this occupation for four years. At the end of that time he moved to Missouri but after two years returned to Franklin county, where he lived upon a farm belonging to his father-in-law for three years. He then moved into Hampton and established himself in the livery business, with which he has since been connected. He is ambitious, enterprising and energetic and has built up a large and profitable patronage, for his prices are reasonable and his service prompt.

On November 23, 1903, Mr. Moore married Miss Bessie Eberhart, a native of Illinois, and they became the parents of two children: Helen, who died in infancy; and Orville, born May 23, 1910. Mr. Moore is a member of the Christian church and gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He is an active, intelligent and progressive business man and one of the valued and representative citizens of Hampton.

~*~*~

J. F. Morehouse

J. F. Morehouse, who has lived retired in Sheffield for the past four years, was a successful agriculturist of Franklin county throughout his active business career and owns one of the well improved and valuable farms of the district. He was born in Oakland county, Michigan, on the 7th of January, 1856. His father, Hiram Morehouse, whose birth occurred in Canada in 1832, was a son of John and Clarissa Morehouse and accompanied his parents on their removal to the United States in 1838, the family home being established in Oakland county, Michigan. There he was reared to manhood and wedded a Miss DeHaven, who passed away when our subject was but four months old. For his second wife Hiram Morehouse chose Harriet M. Davis. In 1856 he removed to Illinois and four years later came to Franklin county, Iowa, locating on two hundred and sixty acres of wild land on section 3, West Fork township. There he carried on general agricultural pursuits until 1881, when he took up his abode in the town of Sheffield and became identified with his son Elmer in the conduct of a store. His last days, however, were spent in honorable retirement, his demise occurring when he had attained the age of fifty-seven years. He was one of the pioneer settlers of West Fork township and continued a substantial and esteemed citizen of Franklin county for about three decades. For two years, in 1864 and 1865, he carried mail between Hampton and Cedar Falls. His wife is likewise deceased. Hiram Morehouse was the father of four sons, as follows: J. F., of this review; Lorenzo, who was a retired agriculturist residing in Hampton at the time of his demise; George L., who follows farming in Richland township; and Elmer E., now deceased, who was for many years engaged in business as a merchant of Sheffield.

J. F. Morehouse spent his boyhood on his father's farm in West Fork township and early became familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. When twenty-five years of age he bought a tract of land in West Fork township, where he carried on farming for a decade. On the expiration of that period he purchased a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Richland township, operating the same continuously and successfully for twenty years. He still owns the property, which constitutes one of the well improved farms in Franklin county. During the past four. years he has lived retired in Sheffield, enjoying the fruits of his former toil in well earned ease.

Mr. Morehouse has been twice married. He first wedded Miss Esther A. Bokes, a native of Illinois, by whom he had three children, namely: Clyde, who is married and resides on his father's farm in Richland township; Ethel, who gave her hand in marriage to Elwood Walker, a farmer of Ingham township; and Rexford C., who is married and devotes his attention to general agricultural pursuits in Ross township. Subsequent to the demise of the wife and mother. Mr. Morehouse wedded Mrs. Frances Ashworth, a native of Whiteside county, Illinois.

In politics Mr. Morehouse is a staunch republican and at the present time is serving as a member of the Sheffield city council. He acted as township trustee for several years, while living on the farm, and, for many years also served as a school director, ever discharging his public duties in a most commendable manner. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, to which his wife also belongs and in which he serves as steward. The period of his residence in Franklin county covers more than a half century, and he has long enjoyed an enviable reputation as one of its prosperous, respected and representative citizens.

~*~*~

Delos W. Mott

Delos W. Mott

Delos W. Mott ranked with the pioneer settlers of Iowa and with the most progressive citizens whose activity and enterprise have been the chief factors in bringing about the upbuilding and present prosperity of the state. From the time of his arrival here until his death he was engaged in commercial and agricultural pursuits, and such was his force of character and undaunted enterprise that he carried forward to successful completion whatever he undertook.

Mr. Mott was a son of Jonathan and Charlotte (Crumb) Mott, the latter a daughter of John W. Crumb. Her death occurred April 15, 1848, and for his second wife Jonathan Mott chose Elinda Colburn, who died in 1882. There were four sons of the first marriage and Delos W., the second in order of birth, was born in Otsego county, New York, November 11, 1832. He attended the district schools and also spent one year in the Maysville Academy. He engaged in teaching in Ellery, Chautauqua county, New York, and also in a high school in South New Berlin, New York, where he remained until 1853. He afterward taught in Columbus, Chenango county, and went to Indiana for a short time. After a visit home he returned to Indiana, and in 1856 he started for Iowa, making his way partly on foot and partly by stage to Fort Dodge. He walked altogether more than two hundred miles to Iowa Falls, meeting with many hardships and privations but persevering until his purpose was accomplished. In 1863 he and his brother, Albert Mott, embarked in the grain business and later became active factors in the cattle trade. In 1865, in company with two others, they started by steamboat upon a trip to sell merchandise, visiting points along and near the river. In this way was laid the foundation for the prosperity that afterward attended Delos W. Mott, Sr., and his brother. They had many narrow escapes from being raided by the guerrilla bands. During most of their trips Mrs. Mott accompanied her husband and had many thrilling experiences to recount later on. The business of the two brothers increased and at one time they were the owners of three stores, one at Caroline Ledge, one at Leota Ledge and a third at Lake Washington. They also became extensively engaged in cotton planting in 1868. Subsequently they returned to Iowa and bought land, owning large tracts at one time and becoming leading farmers of their section of the state. Mr. Mott belonged to that practical and progressive type of men who embody the spirit of advancement in all that they undertake. He was interested in the progress that should be made in the farming communities and for two terms he acted as a trustee of the Agricultural College at Ames, Iowa. His life was, indeed, a busy, useful and active one. He came to Franklin county in 1856, but after a short stay went to Cedar Falls, where he remained for thirteen years, when, in 1869, he again came to Franklin county, taking up his permanent abode here. He was in the eightieth year of his age when death called him, for his birth occurred on the 11th of November, 1832, and he passed away in Hampton on the 29th of November, 1911. For eighteen years he had survived his wife, who died July 12, 1893. It was on the 12th of June, 1859, that they were married. Mrs. Mott was a daughter of H. P. Jones, of New Haven, Connecticut, who was proprietor of a hotel in that city but afterward came to the middle west, settling at Cedar Falls, Iowa, where he occupied the position of principal of the schools. Mrs. Mott returned to Cedar Falls and there Delos Wells Mott was born October 18, 1868. The only daughter of the family died in infancy. Mrs. Mott was a remarkable woman, possessing may splendid traits of character, her good qualities of heart and mind endearing her to all with whom she was brought in contact. She died on the 12th of July, 1893, and in 1895 Mr. Mott wedded Harriet Ankeny, of Polk county, who survives.

Delos Wells Mott, the only son of Delos W. Mott, Sr., is one of the extensive landowners of Franklin county, his holdings embracing two thousand acres. He resides in Hampton and from that point superintends his investments and farming interests. Iowa numbers him among her native sons and classes him with those citizens of whom she has every reason to be proud. He was born in Cedar Falls on the 18th of October, 1868. He entered the public schools at the usual age and therein pursued his education until 1886, when, at the age of seventeen years, he became a student in Ames College, which he attended for one term. The greater part of his training, however, was of the practical character, received under the direction of his father, whom he always assisted in the work and management of the farm until the father retired from active business life. Delos Wells Mott married about that time and took charge of the farm of forty-two hundred acres. He is now the owner of two thousand acres of valuable land in Franklin county-land which returns to him a most gratifying annual income. He purchased the fine home of Senator Harriman and is now most pleasantly located in Hampton, his attention being given to the supervision of his invested interests.

On the 26th of November, 1899, Mr. Mott was united in marriage to Miss Mary Kelly, a native of Scotland, and unto them has been born a son, Delos, who is the pride and life of the household. The parents hold membership in the Congregational church, and theirs is a hospitable home, whose good cheer is largely enjoyed by their many friends. Mr. Mott belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity and has many friends in that organization as well as in other relations of life. He is a native son of Iowa, possessing the enterprising spirit characteristic of the middle west, and in all of his business affairs he brooks no obstacles that can be overcome by earnest, persistent and honorable effort.

~*~*~

David Muir

David Muir is a retired farmer now living in Hampton. Activity and enterprise in business brought him the success which enables him to enjoy the comforts of life without further recourse to labor. He was born in Waukesha county, Wisconsin, April 7, 1844, a son of John and Margaret (Watt) Muir, both of whom were natives of Scotland. They came to America in 1842, settling in Wisconsin, where they remained until called to the home beyond, the father following the occupation of farming in order to provide for his family of nine children, three of whom are yet living. He died in the year 1856 and his wife, long surviving him, passed away in 1875.

David Muir was the fifth in order of birth in the family. He was reared upon the old homestead farm until he reached the age of fourteen years and in 1872 he came to West Fork township, Franklin county, Iowa, then a young man of twenty-eight years. He had been educated in the public schools and had received ample training in all farm work. Following his arrival here he purchased eighty acres of land, which he still owns. He has, however, increased his holdings from time to time until his landed possessions now aggregate six hundred and forty acres of rich and productive prairie land in this county. In 1895 he retired from the farm and removed to Hampton, purchasing a fine home and five acres of land on Bridge street where he now resides.

In 1868 Mr. Muir was united in marriage to Miss Martha Botsford, a native of Wisconsin, in which state the wedding was celebrated. To them were born four children; but David, William and John are all now deceased. The only surviving child is a daughter, Myrtle, now the wife of F. A.. Proctor, living on the old home place. The wife and mother passed away on the 27th of August, 19I3. Her death was sincerely mourned throughout the community. She was born in Waukesha county, Wisconsin, December 29, 1847, and since 1872 had lived, in this county, she and her husband settling on a farm in West Fork township, where they resided for many years before taking up their abode in Hampton. Mrs. Muir was greatly respected by all who knew her. Her sunny disposition and unselfish devotion to the interests of others were always in evidence, and her life was fraught with many good deeds.

Mr. Muir is a member of the Congregational church and his, too, has been an upright, honorable life. For five years he has served on the school board, being its president for three years, taking an active and helpful part in all that pertains to the cause of education here. He is one of. the pioneer settlers of the county, having lived here for forty-one years, during which time many changes have occurred, while many improvements have been wrought. He has ever borne his part in the work of general advancement and is a public-spirited, progressive citizen.

~*~*~

Isaac Wenger Myers

Mr. & Mrs. Isaac W. Myers

No tribute high enough can be paid to Isaac Wenger Myers, pioneer of Franklin county and one of its foremost citizens. A patriotic American and a true Christian gentleman, Mr. Myers has led a life that may well be called exemplary. His efforts have resulted in prosperity, and he has contributed toward progress and advancement in various walks of endeavor. Not only has he given much attention to the dairying industry, but he has been one of the foremost teachers of youth, has contributed toward the growth of Hampton by building operations and has done valuable and uplifting work in the spread of Christianity.

Isaac Wenger Myers, familiarly known as "I. W.," was born in Waterloo county, Ontario, Canada, November 20, 1839. His parents were Pennsylvanians. His father's genealogy, as given in the old German family Bible, begins with Christian Meyer, of Springfield township, York county, Pennsylvania, who was born December 10, 1708, and died in 1779. He lies buried in the family cemetery on his own estate. His wife was Elizabeth Kauffman. The sketch given below is gleaned from the Myers family history, compiled by the Rev. A. J. Fretz., of Milton, New Jersey.

"Christian Meyer was a minister of the Gospel in the German Baptist Brethren church. Two of his sons, John and Andrew, became ministers of the same church, Andrew attaining to the office of bishop. Both were born on their father's estate, John in 1748, and Andrew in 1753. John was married to Barbara Kauffman and Andrew to Magdalena Keller. Each became owner of half the father's estate and both were buried in the family cemetery. The patent to John's part of the estate was made by the commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1811. His name in that indenture was given as John Myers. From this time on, three forms of spelling the family name were used., viz., Meyer, Myers and Meyers. John's son, born on the estate in 1778, was John Myers, second. He married Barbara Negley. he oldest son of this union was John Myers, third, father of I. W. Myers. He was born August 21, 1808, on the same estate. He left his father's home at the age of twenty-one and found work grading the railroad bed, then building from Baltimore to Ellicott's mill, the first railroad built in the United States. His next move was to Waterloo county, Ontario, Canada, arriving there in April, 1832. Here he was married to Mary Wenger, of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, who had preceded him to the province with her widowed mother. In 1834, he purchased the north half of lot No. 27 (one hundred and eighty acres) of the German Company. tract in the township of Woolwich. Four years later he moved into the log house of this forest-hidden home (which became the birthplace of "I. W."), one mile east of Heidelburg. He had been one of Her Majesty's magistrates for several years, when, in 1841, he was elected a member of the council of the district of Wellington. He represented Woolwich township and the entire "Queen's Bush" territory to Lake Huron. Later, when county authority was established, he represented Woolwich in the county council till 1863. He had six sons and seven daughters. At his death, which occurred in 1883, his estate was valued at $43,000. The stone residence which he built on his homestead, remains a monument to his rugged industry.

"On the mother's side of his ancestry, I. W. Myers appears, according to a history compiled by J. G. Wenger, of Rittman, Ohio, as one of the fifth generation of the descendants of Christian Wenger, who, when a young man, landed at Philadelphia in the ship Molley, on September 30, 1727, and located in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He married Eve Grabiel. Their son, John Wenger, born in 1731, who married Anna Sherk, was I. W. Myers' great-grandfather, and John's son, Joseph Wenger, born in 1769, who married Elizabeth Zimmerman, was his grandfather. Joseph's daughter, Mary Wenger, born in 1814, was Mr. Myers' mother.

"Christian was a descendant of the Wengers who occupied the scenic 'Wenger Alps' in Switzerland, and who moved from there to the Palatinate, then to Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, the cause of each move being religious persecution."

I. W. Myers lived with his parents until eighteen years of age, working on the father's farm in the summer and attending district school during the winter. Early recognizing the value of an education, he began at the age of fourteen a system of self culture as an evening pastime. Among the books used were Smith's Illustrated Astronomy, Kirkham's Grammar, Davie's Algebra and the Sacred Melodeon, which contributed largely to the beginning of his education. Mr. Myers organized and taught in his father's home evening classes, composed of his brothers and sisters and the youth of :the neighborhood. Twice his father permitted him to attend for a term the Galt Collegiate Institute, to prepare himself for the position of a common-school teacher. This career began at the age of eighteen in his home district, where he spent two years. He then became principal of the St. Jacobs (Ontario) school. At the close of a three-year term he went to Lena, Jo Daviess county, Illinois, arriving there in January, 1864. In the fall of that year President Lincoln issued a call for three hundred thousand more volunteers and in many cases men of families enlisted to avoid the draft. It was at this time that I. W. Myers showed his true spirit by tearing up the papers which he brought from Canada and which proved him to be a British subject and hence would have exempted him from the draft. He enlisted from Jo Daviess county for one year, serving to the end of the war, as a private in Company G, One Hundred and Forty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, First Brigade, Second Division, the Army of the Cumberland, under General Thomas. The chief work of the regiment was to clear northern Georgia of its guerrilla bands.

At the close of the Civil war Mr. Myers was taken sick with typhoid fever. He was treated in the Brigade Hospital, in the brick courthouse, at Calhoun, Georgia, and in a series of hospitals until he reached the United States Marine Hospital, at Chicago, from which he was honorably discharged, on August 3, 1865. His service entitled him to immediate citizenship.

During the following year he taught school where Stockton, Illinois, is now located, and the next year was principal of the Lena school, and in the following year, of the Davis (Illinois) school. While teaching at Lena he was married on October 28, 1866, to Miss Alice Francisco, a daughter of the late Charles Francisco, of McHenry county, Illinois.

It was in the fall of 1868 that Mr. Myers moved to Franklin county, Iowa, purchasing and locating on the east half of section 24, in Hamilton township. He broke the tract and farmed it successfully for ten years, teaching school during the winter months. At various times he held the office of assessor, township clerk and justice of the peace. He was also elected county superintendent of schools, serving a two-year term in that office while living on his farm. Later he was again chosen to the office and moved to Hampton, where he has ever since made his home. At the close. of his term, January 1, 1880, he began, the development of the creamery interests of the county. He built and operated the Hampton Creamery and at the urgent request of a leading Sheffield merchant, he built one in that town. Under similar conditions he built a creamery at Latimer, and later another at Geneva. The scarcity of milk and cream often created hardships in the business. However, on the whole, his enterprises proved successful and returns were satisfactory. When milk became more plentiful, the wave of cooperative creameries swept over the country and with it were swept away Mr. Myers' establishments, his health and his prosperity. He was then fifty-six. years of age. In the hope of regaining his health and beginning life over again, he spent part of his time for many years as traveling agent for W. B. Lunn's Sons, of New York city, and during this period he built the Myers block in 1901, and to this he added the corner building in 1912, so that the entire building now constitutes the corner block, occupying the entire front of lot 8, block 9, on North Reeve street, Hampton.

As soon as his health permitted, Mr. Myers returned to his favorite occupation. At the age of sixty-five he passed an examination and obtained a first-grade teacher's certificate, taking over a school in his old township. The following year he taught in Bradford and in the fall of 1908 was elected principal of the school at Earling, Iowa. After teaching for three years there the state granted him a life certificate, good anywhere in the state.

Mr. Myers is the possessor of the World's Fair medal, a diploma earned at the Chicago Columbian Exposition in 1893 by his exhibits of dairy products. He keeps in touch with his comrades who participated in the great struggle for the preservation of the Union as a member of the Grand Army, and is now adjutant and past commander of J. W. McKenzie Post, No. 81, department of Iowa. He is also an ex-staff officer of the department. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Hampton and takes a deep interest in all church affairs. Politically, he has ever been a republican but when the party rent itself in twain he followed the Roosevelt wing.

Alice (Francisco) Myers, the wife of I. W. Myers, was born July 30, 1845, at Woodstock, Illinois. Through her mother, Helen M. (Clark) Francisco, who was a great-granddaughter of Beaumont Clark, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, she is eligible to membership in the D. A. R. Society. She is active in the Woman's Relief Corps work, in church and missionary work and in other equally laudable efforts. She has been a life-long Sunday-school teacher. In early life she taught school and was so engaged at Lena and Davis, Illinois, with her husband, and also in Franklin county during the pioneer days.

Mr. and Mrs. Myers had seven children, all of whom are graduates of the Hampton high school, except Garfield, who died in infancy. Some are graduates of higher institutions. Alice Inez Myers was born August 28, 1868, at Warren, Illinois. She was married August 16, 1900, to Edwin Henry Bither, of Estherville, Iowa. Their son and only child is Harold Edwin Bither, born October 3, 1903. Orson Francisco Myers was born March 28, 1870, at Hampton, Iowa. He married August 3, 1898, Miss Helen L. Hickman, and their children are: Alice Virginia, born August 6, 1903; Irving Willis, born May 29, 1905; and Orson Frank, born September 24, 1912. John Percival Myers was born at Hampton, on July 23, 1872. He was married August 23, 1900, to Miss Lulu S. Krag. Irving Aaron Myers was born October 11, 1874, at Hampton. He was married March 23, 1910, at Bovey, Minnesota, to Miss Rosabelle May Carlson. Their children are Allen Percival and Earl Franklin, twins, born January 1, 1911; and Harry Irving, born September 25, 1912. Helen Marie Myers was born August 14, 1876, at Hampton. She was married on July 26, 1905, to Dr. Walter Smith Kyes. Their children are: Marjorie Vivian, born May 31, 1908, at Parker, South Dakota; and Frank Myers, born May 13, 1909, at the same place. Garfield Myers, born July 22, 1881, died July 21, 1882. Ruth Marian Myers, born September 24, 1883, at Hampton, Iowa, was married July 10, 1907, in this city, to Arthur H. Peterson, cashier of the State Savings Bank, at Mandan, North Dakota. Their children are: Margaret Ruth Peterson, born July 19, 1908; and Arthur H. Peterson, born November 18, 1912.

Mr. Myers has devoted practically his whole life to the education of the young, being still engaged in teaching at the age of seventy-four, and his efforts have been of great value to the district in which he has resided. His whole life has been one of devotion to his country. He has ever interested himself in the higher things of life and has aided in those efforts which make for a higher moral and intellectual plane. Along material lines he has contributed toward the establishment of that great industry-dairying--which is now the source of so much wealth in the middle west. In the Myers block he has given to Hampton one of its business structures which stamp it a modern and progressive city, In times of war he fought for the preservation of the Union and in times of peace he has helped to make the Union that American domicile of freedom which was the ideal of Washington when he tore loose from British oppression. Although born in Canada, Mr. Myers is a thorough American, for he has in this country found appreciation and that field of labor in which he could be of greatest usefulness. His record is not one of gathering material wealth but one of riches in the hearts of his countrymen who appreciate in him a noble-minded, unselfish citizen. Both he and his wife are venerated by all who know them, and their monument of honor is the love which they receive on all sides. True contentment lies in a life well spent and such contentment must be Mr. and Mrs. Myers.

~*~*~

1914 Biography Index

This page was last modified on November 14, 2006
©2006 by IAGenWeb & the various submitters.