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father-in-law, Wm. Welsh, started the first pottery in 1845. Started a horse sawmill in September, 1845. He was elected the first coroner, and by virtue of his office acted as the first sheriff of Marion county. Bought an interest in Joseph Porter's first sawmill in Pella, and in 1851 he opened the Franklin House in Pella, running it for four years. He commenced the mercantile business at the same time and was thus employed for ten years. Next started the first perpetual lime kiln in Iowa and made lime for several years. He furnished, free, all the lime for Central University, and in money and materials contributed over one thousand dollars to the building of that institution. This was in a day when one thousand dollars was a small fortune. In 1875 he built the Nossaman Hotel, north of the old depot, which he operated until the fall of 1880, when he rented it to his son-in-law, Jacob Todd. Mr. and Mrs. Todd were members of the Baptist church of Pella, and were among those who founded it.
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HON. GREEN T. CLARK, MRS. MARY BUTTS, MRS. MARY TODD.
Taken on the 60th birthday anniversary of Mrs. Todd and Mrs. Butts.
Three survivors of the pioneers of 1843.
GREEN T. CLARK. One of the best known and highly respected of a past generation in Lake Prairie township, Marion county, was Green T. Clark. He was a successful farmer and stock raiser and took a prominent part in the pioneer life and the later development of the community. He was born on the 25th of March, 1823, in White county, Tennessee, and was taken to Illinois by his parents when six years of age. Removed to Lee county, Iowa, 1834, and from there to Marion county in 1843. He settled a few miles southeast of Pella and at one time his farm consisted of 700 acres of valuable land. He was elected assessor at the first election ever held in the county. In 1854 he was elected a member of the Fifth General Assembly of Iowa, and was re-elected in 1856. He was again elected in 1874 and re-elected in 1876. He held the office of justice of the peace and also served as a member of the county board of supervisors. Commencing life as a poor boy, was the architect of his own fortunes, and one of the most successful men in Marion county. He married Miss Nancy Wilson, a native of Kentucky, in 1846. Two children died in early youth and four lived to maturity