Baskins, Clark H.

ROSE, MICKLE, NUTTING, FULLER

Posted By: BCGS
Date: 1/14/2010 at 11:08:39

Probably no man is better known in the middle west as a judge of stock and as a stock breeder and dealer on an extensive scale than Clark H. Baskins, who has been connected with this line of business since he was fifteen years of age, building success and promince upon experience, ability and enterprise. A representative of one of the pioneer families of Bremer county, he was born four miles east of Waverly, May 21, 1863, a son of Abner K. and Arrenna (Rose) Baskins, the former born in Richland county, Ohio, February 14, 1836, and the latter in Delaware, May 29, 1842. Their marriage occurred in Janesville, this county, whither Abner K. Baskins had come in 1852 with his father, Abner B. Baskins, who settled four miles east of Waverly, in Jefferson township, taking up government land. Abner K. Baskins engaged in farming during the early part of his active career but in 1882 moved to Waverly, where he engaged in the sawmill business, operating this enterprise for ten or twelve years, after which he retired from active life. He still makes his home in Waverly but is now on a visit to his daughter in Long Beach, California. He was one of the pioneers in this part of Iowa and can remember the time when elk were so plentiful upon the prairies that he could kill more than he could haul in an hour's hunt. He never sought nor desired public office although he served with credid and ability as justice of the peace for about twnety-five years. He and his wife became the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this review is the second in order of birth.

Clark H. Baskins was reared at home and acquired his education in the district schools of Jefferson township. At the age of fifteen he became a stock buyer for J.H. Mickle, of Waverly, and he continued in this positon for eight years, becoming familiar with the details of the occupation which he has made his life work. He was afterward employed by the Bremer County Horse Importing Company as both buyer and salesman and he remained with this firm for thirteen years, during which time he made about twenty-five trips abroad buying horses for his company. He afterward engaged in buying and shipping cattle on his own account and in 1900 imported a load of Percheron horses upon which he realized an excellent profit. In the following year he imported some fancy stock for an organization of farmers in Tama county and after successfully completing this project again turned his attention to the stock business, operating in Waverly. He deals principally in horses, shipping many carloads each year to the eastern markets, where they obtain a ready sale. Mr. Baskins is known as one of the best judges of horse flesh in this part of the country and this expert knowledge, combined with his business discrimination and resourcefulness, has brought him a gratifying and well deserved success.

On the 24th of June, 1908, Mr. Baskins married Miss Effie Nutting, who was born in Horton, Bremer county, a daughter of Albert O. and Florence (Fuller) Nutting, the former a native of Lake county, Illinois, and the latter of Baldwinsville, New York. In early life the father was a farmer and he afterwards turned his attention to the butcher business. He has been a resident of Bremer county since he was five years of age, his family having located on a farm near Horton in pioneer times. In 1891 he removed to Waverly and after engaging in business there for a number of years retired from active life.

Mr. Baskins is connected fraternally with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and gives his political allegiance to the democratic party. He is widely and favorably known in Waverly and throughout the surrounding country, for he has proved himself reliable and capable in business and progressive and public-spirited in matter of citizenship - a native son of whom Bremer county has every reason to be proud.

History of Bremer County, Iowa Vol. II 1914