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| LEANDER DELONG Prominent among the citizens of Keokuk county who have witnessed the marvelous development of the state in the past half century, and who have taken an active part in its development and progress, is the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch, a well known and prosperous farmer of German township. Mr. Delong is a son of David and Jane (Law) Delong, and was born in Perry county, Ohio, February 12, 1829. He passed the early days of his boyhood and youth on the farm, and attended a district school, where he acquired his elementary education. Arriving at maturity, in 1850 he crossed the plains with an ox team to California, where he remained for a period of a year engaged in an attempt to secure some of the gold dust that had been discovered at the famous Sutter's Mill. He, however, was not very successful in this attempt, and after a twelve months' trial returned to civilization by way of the Isthmus. His trip home took him to the island of Cuba, and from thence by way of New Orleans he came home to Washington county. Remaining here for a period of about a year, he settled in Keokuk county, the year being 1856. His farm here consists of three hundred acres of land, most of which he cleared and broke himself, and has himself placed all of the valuable improvements which are to be found on the farm. The marriage of Mr. Delong occurred in the year 1856 in Keokuk county, the lady's name being Sarah Brannan. This lady was born in Canada. Her people later settled in the Keystone state, her father's name being Dennis Brannan and her mother's being Sarah. They were both natives of Ireland. Mrs. Delong was reared in the Keystone state, and early in the fifties came to Keokuk county with her parents. Mr. Delong is looked upon as one of the leading agriculturists in Keokuk county, and worthy in every respect of the esteem in which he is held by a host of admiring friends. Mentioning the salient points in the family history of Mr. Delong, his father was David Delong, as stated above, a native of Kentucky, who settled in Ohio on a farm in Guernsey county. After a short residence there the family moved to Perry county, he first contracting marriage in Guernsey county with Miss Jane Law, the date being 1811. She was born in Wheehng, West Virginia, from which point her parents removed in her girlhood to Guernsey county, Ohio. Mr. Delong is a member of a family of eight boys and three girls, all but two of whom grew to maturity. In 1841 the parents removed to Washington county, Iowa, where they settled on a farm, and continued to reside there until their death.  HENRY T. DILDINE Coming to Keokuk county at the age of twenty-three years, as a young man without capital, wishing to take advantage of business opportunities in the west, Mr. Dildine to-day occupies a creditable position as a banker in Kinross and is also the mayor of the town. Prominent in business and political affairs, he justly deserves mention among the representative citizens of Keokuk county. He was born in Louisa county, Iowa, November 16, 1857, and comes of a family of French origin. His father, Abraham T. Dildine, was a native of New Jersey and was there reared. By occupation he was a farmer and in 1856 he emigrated westward to Iowa, locating upon a farm in Louisa county. There he lived for a time, after which he removed to Muscatine county, Iowa, and in 1881 came to Keokuk county, where he died at the age of seventy years. He was a life-long Democrat and was ever found faithful to the principles in which he believed. His wife, Mrs. Sarah E. Dildine, was also a native of New Jersey and died when more than seventy-eight years of age. They were the parents of two children, the daughter being Anna M., the wife of E. B. Brown, of Keota. Henry T. Dildine, the only son of the family, obtained his education in the graded schools near his home and arrived in Keokuk county at the age of twenty-three years. He then became connected with farming interests in Liberty township and successfully carried on agricultural pursuits until the spring of 1901, placing his land under a high state of cultivation, so that he annually garnered rich harvests and upon the market he found ready sales for his products. On leaving the farm he took up his abode in Kinross and erected the only brick business block in the town, being associated in this enterprise with M. A. Fisher. In 1900 the Kinross Savings Bank was established and Mr. Dildine became its vice-president, in which capacity he has since been acting with the institution. The bank has behind it other business men of reliability, who give it an excellent standing in financial circles, and already a large patronage has been acquired. Mr. Dildine is one of the extensive landowners in this locality, having a very valuable farm of two hundred and forty acres in Keokuk county and one hundred and sixty acres in Johnson county, in addition to his property interests in Kinross and his stock in the bank. The bank building comprises the hotel, the bank and three other business rooms, which are now occupied by two general stores and one drugstore. A popular and valued member of the Masonic lodge at Kinross, Mr. Dildine exemplifies in his life the teachings of the craft. In politics he was a Democrat until 1896, when, being unable to endorse the free-silver plank of the Democratic and Populistic platform, he joined the ranks of the Republican party, of which he is now a staunch adherent. At the present time he is serving as mayor of the town, and his administration is practical and business-like, so that it promotes the best interests of Kinross along substantial lines of improvement. Mr. Dildine is widely known as a man of genuine worth in business, political and social circles, and well deserves mention in the history of his adopted county. DANIEL DILL Among the active, energetic and enterprising business men of Kinross is Daniel Dill, the president of the Savings Bank here. He is numbered among the old settlers of the county and was long classed among the prominent farmers, his home being yet on section 36, Liberty township. He was born in Ohio, April 7, 1839. His father, John Dill, was also a native of that state and a farmer by occupation. The paternal grandfather, Peter Dill, was born in Pennsylvania, but at an early day in the development of the Buckeye state took up his abode there. John Dill remained in Ohio until 1846, when he, too, emigrated westward to become a factor in pioneeer settlement, establishing his home in Keokuk county east of the Black Hawk mill in Clear Creek township. There he transformed a tract of wild land into a richly improved farm. He lived in northern Iowa for about twelve years and died in Greenfield, Adair county, Iowa, at the age of seyenty-four. In her maidenhood the mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Margaret Shires, and her death occurred during the early boyhood of Daniel Dill. Daniel was the second son and the sixth child in a family of thirteen children. During his infancy his parents removed from Ohio to Illinois, settling in Sangamon county, and he was a lad of seven summers when the family came to Keokuk county, where his youth was passed amid pioneer scenes. He pursued his studies in a log schoolhouse and lived upon the home farm until nineteen years of age, assisting in the work of clearing and cultivating the fields. He then started out for himself, working by the month as a farm hand. Saving his money he at length acquired a little capital. As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life he chose Susan F. Greenlee, a native of Kentucky. She lived in Qhio during her early girlhood and when about eight years of age was brought to Keokuk cpunty, Iowa, by her parents, John and Nancy (Blue) Greenlee, pioneers of this locality. She was reared in Clear Creek township and in 1863 gave her hand in inarriage to Mr. Dill. The young couple located in Richland township, beginning their domestic life upon a farm which Mr. Dill rented for about three years. He then removed to Clear Creek township, where he resided until 1875, when he came to Liberty township and bought the farm which is yet his home. There were no improvements upon the place when it came into his possession, all was raw land, and he turned the first furrows in the fields and harvested the first crops raised on the soil. He divided the farm into fields of convenient size by building good fences, and he also erected a substantial residence and good barns. He is the owner of six hundred and eighty-eight acres of valuable land here, which he now rents, giving his attention to other business affairs, although he still maintains his residence upon the farm. He is the president of the Kinross Savings Bank, which was organized in 1899, and to his present office he was chosen at that time. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Dill has been blessed with four children who are yet living and they also have lost three, Emma E., Effie May, and George W. The two sons and two daughters who still survive are as follows: Allen, who married Halley Westfall and resides in Lafayette township; Albert, a twin brother of Allen, married Carrie Palmer and is also living in Lafayette township; Ottie A., who is the wife of Amos Weaver, a pioneer farmer of Liberty township; and Lulu Belle, the wife of Perry Palmer of Keota. Mr. and Mrs. Dill are now at home alone, their living children all having married and gone to homes of their own. With the Democratic party Mr. Dill voted for many years, but is now a Republican, and he is known as one of the representative men of Keokuk county. He has been a hard worker, not waiting for fortunate circumstances or influential friends to aid him, but advancing steadily through his own energy; guided by resistless will power, sound business judgment and unquestioned integrity, he has gained success and high standing in the business world. SAMUEL DINGS, M.D. Among the medical practitioners of Keota is numbered Dr. Samuel Dings, who is accorded a liberal and lucrative patronage by reason of his ability in the life work he has chosen. He Was born in Washington county, New York, October 23, 1857. His father, John Dings, was also a native of the Empire state and there the grandfather, Adam Dings, was likewise born. The family is of English lineage and was early established in New York. John Dings became a carpenter and farmer and for many years resided in Argyle, New York. He wedded Margaret McFadden, a native of the Empire state and of Scotch lineage. The Doctor is the second of their four children, two daughters and two sons, all of whom are yet living. The father, however, passed away in Argyle, New York at age of sixty-five years, while the mother died in Crawfordsville, Iowa, when thirty-three years of age. Dr. Dings is the only member of the family living in this state. He is indebted to the public school system of New York for the early educational privileges he enjoyed, having pursued his studies in Washington county. He afterward attended Howe's Academy, at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and also the academy in Washington, Iowa. He came to this state in 1876, locating in Washington county, and here he engaged in teaching to some extent. In 1882 he went to Kansas, locating in Nortonville, where he engaged in farming for about five years, and on the expiration of that period, having determined to enter the medical profession, he took up the study of medicine in 1886. In 1887 he matriculated in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of Keokuk, Iowa, and on completing the regular course was graduated with the class of 1889. The same year he located for practice in Keota, where he has since remained. Whatever tends to promote the interests of his profession and place before man the key to the mystery of that complex problem which we call "life" at once attracts the interest and co-operation of Dr. Dings. He is an extremely busy and successful practitioner, many professional as well as social demands being made upon his services. In 1881 occurred the marriage of Dr. Dings and Miss Ida May Hood, a daughter of Samuel Hood, who was born and reared in Louisa county, Iowa, and pursued her education there. Unto them have been born two children: Samuel E. and Harold H. Both the Doctor and his wife hold membership in the United Presbyterian church, take an active part in its work and at the present time the Doctor is serving as superintendent of the Sunday-school. He is a Republican in politics with strong Prohibition tendencies. In the line of his profession he is connected with the county medical society and the Eastern Iowa District Medical Society, and through the interchange of thought and experience in the brotherhood of these organizations he is continually broadening liis knowledge concerning the medical profession and the methods of practice in vogue with the members of the fraternity. His own research, experience and experimenting as well as careful observation have also heightened his skill, and he now enjoys a liberal practice in Keota and the surrounding country. EUGENE DOGGETT One of the prominent farmers in Keokuk county, Iowa, resides on section 27, Lancaster township, and was born on the farm which he now owns and operates on December 8, 1856. He is a son of A. J. and Mary (Gilliland) Doggett, who for many years were most highly respected residents of this county. Early in the settlement of Keokuk county, when no more than nine families had yet dared the certain privations of pioneer life in what was then a wilderness, Presley Doggett came from his Kentucky home and located a small claim on a tract adjoining our subject's present farm. Here he built his cabin and cleared his fields, rearing a family and offering a welcome to the faithful preacher who made his circuit through the woods on his mission, for Mr. Doggett was one of the founders of the Baptist church in this locaHty. His life did not extend over fifty-seven years. The father of our subject, son of this early pioneer, was sixteen years old when he came to Keokuk county, and he later located on our subject's present farm, where he engaged in extensive stock raising, buying and selling the same also, and shipping more than almost any other resident of the township at that time. He died at the age of seventy years to the day. In politics a strong Democrat, he was equally staunch in his adherence to the tenets of the Baptist church. The mother of our subject was born in Indiana and was reared there until the age of fifteen years, when she accompanied her parents to Keokuk county, Iowa. She is a daughter of James and Susan Gilliland, both of whom were natives of Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Doggett had born to them a family of twelve children, eight daughters and four sons; of these, six daughters and our subject alone survive. Eugene Doggett received his education in the common schools of Lancaster township and grew to manhood, assisting on the farm and gradually becoming financially interested in the handling and shipping of horses. He now owns a large and productive farm, comprising four hundred and sixty acres of well cultivated land, and is justly regarded as one of the leading men of substance in this locality. He carries on a general line of farming, does some stock raising and rents a portion of his land. On January 26, 1889, Mr. Doggett was married to Phronia Myers, who was born in Keokuk county, Iowa, and was a daughter of Asa and Rachel Myers, a family of early settlers. Mrs. Doggett died May 9, 1898, leaving a family of three children, namely: Myrtle, Bruce and Blanche. The second marriage of our subject was to Mary Jackson, who was born in Jackson township, Keokuk county, and to this union have been born two sons, Howard and Homer. Mr. Doggett has spent his whole hfe in Lancaster township and is widely known as a man of reliability and uprightness. He has been a life-long Democrat, but he has never sought office, his large agricultural interests engaging his time and attention. HENRY FREDERICK DUENSING Henry Frederick Duensing, a prominent farmer and old settler of German township, Keokuk county, Iowa, owning a fine farm in section 6, was born in Hanover, Germany, March 14, 1844, and is a son of Christian and Dorethe (Voltmer) Duensing, both of whom were natives of Germany. Prior to coming to America in 1845 Christian Duensing was a farmer and oil mill operator in his native land. He landed in New Orleans, where he spent six months, and then came up the river as far as St. Louis, Missouri, but three weeks later came on to Keokuk county, Iowa, and settled in German township, in May, 1846. Here he took up one hundred and eighty acres of government land, built a log house on it and moved his family there. This log cabin has a historic interest as it was the second house erected in German township and still stands on the farm which our subject now owns. There the family lived until the father later built a second log house, as the family was increased by the birth of three more children, consisting then of three sons and three daughters. The father died in 1879, in his sixty-ninth year. The mother lived until she was seventy-six years of age. Both parents were most worthy, industrious and kindhearted people who were esteemed by all who knew them; they were pioneers who were of great value to German township. Of their children three daughters and one son, our subject, grew to maturity. Henry Frederick Duensing was the fourth child and the second son born to his parents, and was two years and two months old when his father came to Keokuk county, making him one of the old residents. His education was obtained in the log schoolhouse with its puncheon floor, and the writing lesson was given to the pupils as they rested on their knees and made desks out of their slab seats. He also attended a German school for a time and thus acquired an excellent knowledge of all the necessary branches. He began to assist on the farm as soon as he was old enough and has always been interested in agricultural matters. On December 27, 1867, Mr. Duensing was united in marriage with Adeline Bruns, who was also boi'n in Germany, March 6, 1851, and came to America when not quite seventeen years of age and joined her sister in Keokuk county, Iowa. After marriage they settled on the old homestead, which is a fine farm of three hundred and forty acres, and in addition to this he owns another valuable tract, comprising one hundred and fifty acres, in Lancaster township. Not only has he been a very successful farmer, but he is one of the largest stock raisers in tlie township, making a specialty of sheep and cattle raising. His farms are generally acknowledged to be the finest in Keokuk county. During his fifty-six years' residence in German township he has seen many changes, and can recall the time when there were but three houses in Sigourney, which is now a thrifty town of about two thousand population. The twelve children born to our subject and wife were as follows: Christian, deceased; Anna, the wife of John Seger, of Idaho; Mary, the wife of Henry Speiss, of Keokuk county; Henry Ferdinand, married Kate Reck, of Keokuk county; Dorethe W., the wife of Arthur Goeldner of German township; Katherine E., single, at home; as are also John C. G., Fred D., Hannah W., Adeline M., Sophia L., and Arthur L. Mr. Duensing has been a life-long Democrat and has held many of the local offices in the township, being one of its most honest and upright citizens. He has long been a member and a very liberal supporter of the Evangelical church, of which the family also are members. H. E. DUKE Much of the phenomenal growth which has attended the city of Hedrick since 1888 is due to the active interest taken in its welfare by the above named gentleman, a well-to-do real estate man and representative of the agricultural interests, who has had his residence in the city since that date. During this time he has been exceedingly active in everything that promised for the welfare of the city, and can be depended upon at any time to further its interests. He is a comparatively young man and is a native of Keokuk county, where he was born in Richland township, August 12, 1865. His father was David Duke, in his turn a native of the Old Dominion state, who after attaining his majority settled in Logan county, Ohio. He later removed with his family to Richland township, where he has since been engaged actively in agricultural pursuits. The mother of Mr. Duke was Phoebe Hone, a native of Logan county, Ohio, and is still living, the mother of seven children, five sons and two daughters. These children are all married and are worthy citizens in their respective communities. The eldest, William, resides in Clark county; Walter, residing on the old homestead; Artie, wife of Eli Emery, Richland township; H. E., the subject of this sketch; Minnie, the wife of James Douglas, residing in Indiana; Frank and Fred were twins; Frank is a farmer living in Missouri, and Fred is a traveling man with the Deering Harvesting Company. Of this family Mr. Duke is the fourth child. He was brought up to habits of economy and industry on the old farm, acquiring his rudimentary education in the district school, which was supplemented by a course at the academy in Pleasant Plain and by a business course at a college in Burlington, Iowa. After completing this course he went to Chicago and engaged with Swift and Company as bookkeeper for a period of one year. He then settled in the town of Hedrick, where he has since resided. For a period he was engaged in the hardware business, having been in partnership with J. M. Brady, which firm continued to do business until 1896. He then traded his interest in the business for a farm, and was then the representative of the Rhodes Carmean Buggy Company of Marshalltown, Iowa, for a period of one year. He then came back to Hedrick and continued the same business in conjunction with Mr. John Ebelsheiser, in which he continued for a period of two years. A brother of the subject was then taken into the firm, and the business was conducted under the firm name of Duke Brothers and Company. In 1900 Mr. H. E. Duke retired from the firm and has since been engaged in the real estate business with Mr. C. L. Dean, the firm name being Dean & Duke. Our subject has been most of the time actively engaged in agriculture, also, on a farm of one hundred and seventy-six acres near Hedrick. He also owns one hundred and forty acres of land in the northern part of Steady Run township. Mr. Duke is a man who is popular among his associates in business and takes an active interest in the public life of the community in which he resides. He is a past master Mason, being a member of Garfield Lodge, No. 485; he is also a member of the Chapter and a Knight Templar, having his membership in Ottumwa. In political faith he supports the principles of the Democratic party. Mr. Duke is a gentleman who has had the felicity of seeing a large number of his ventures succeed in a financial way, and although a young man, he is looked upon as one of the most substantial residents of his enterprising little city. He married December 5, 1896, the lady being Miss Minnie Hagan, daughter of J. M. and Ellen (Barnes) Hagan. This family was one of the early settlers of Keokuk county. This marriage has been blessed with two bright children, Walter E. and Marcella. Mr. and Mrs. Duke are worthy members of the society of their community, where they are held in high respect by a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. JONATHAN DUNCAN Speaking from an historical point of view, it is only a short time since the region west of the Allegheny mountains was a "howling" wilderness and the land producing nothing beneficial to civilization. And men who came to the middle west even in the middle of the last century are looked upon as old settlers and almost patriarchs of the country. The subject of this sketch has been in Iowa ever since 1854, locating in Washington county, where he engaged in farming, and is one of the old and respected farmers of Keokuk county, having lived here a good many years ago, and two years ago he removed here again from Washington county. The grandfather of Jonathan Duncan was of Scotch descent, as the name indicates, and was a native of Pennsylvania and lived during the struggle of the colonies for independence. William Duncan, the father of Jonathan, was born in Pennsylvania in 1776, and was reared and educated on a farm and in the schools of the times, followed the occupation of a farmer, and in politics belonged to the old Whig party. His first wife was Jane Drennen, who was the mother of six children: William, James, David, Mary, Eliza and Eliza Ann, all of whom are deceased. His second wife, the mother of our subject, was Mary Kinsie, born and reared in Pennsylvania. They had five children, of whom Jonathan was the eldest. The others were: Samuel (deceased), Hiram, Rachel (deceased) and Sarah (deceased), all born and reared in Pennsylvania. Jonathan Duncan was born on the 30th of March, 1824; he learned the trade of a blacksmith and after serving an apprenticeship of three years went into business on his own account. At the age of thirty he decided to go west, and accordingly came to Iowa in 1854 and settled on a farm in Washington county; here he remained a short time and then came to Keokuk county, where he conducted a farm for twenty years. In 1874 he returned to Washington county and carried on farming there for some time, but finally returned to this county and has since been living in Keota. Mr. Duncan's first marriage was to Elizabeth Moore, a native of Pennsylvania; this took place in 1861, and she died in 1872, the mother of four children, William, Ida, Mattie and Charles. In 1875 he again married, and his wife was Mary Tennent, who was born in New York city and came with her parents to Ohio when she was about ten years old and was there educated. Her parents, John and Mary Tennent, were natives of Ireland, coming to Ohio at an early day, and there they died. Mr. Duncan was a believer in the principles of the Whig party while that organization was in existence and he later became a Republican. He is a member of the United Presbyterian church of Keota, and is an influential and upright citizen of his community. |
