RULE, William H.

RULE, WOOD, COLUMBUS, MCCARTY, GODDARD, BATES, BREWSTER, KINGNAN, PARSONS

Posted By: Nettie Mae
Date: 1/18/2003 at 15:25:42

SOURCE: "Biographical history of Crawford, Ida and Sac Counties, Iowa" Lewis Pub. Co., Chicago, 1893

WILLIAM H. RULE, who resides in Paradise township, Crawford county, his post office
address being Bell, is one of the well-known and influential men of his community. As a
representative citizen and farmer of the township he is entitled to some personal mention
in this work, and it is with pleasure we present the following sketch of his life.

William H. Rule was born in Canada, November 8, 1851. His father, George Rule,
was born in Scotland in 1829, son of William and Jean (Wood) Rule, both natives of
Scotland, was six years old when the family came to this country and settled in St.
Lawrence county, New York. Both William and his son George were millers by trade. In
1854 the Rules came West and settled in Clinton county, Iowa, being among the early
pioneers of the county. Grandfather Rule had extensive milling interests there for many
years. He lived to be eighty-one years old and died in Clinton county. Grandmother Rule
passed away at the age of seventy-six. Both were worthy member of the Presbyterian
Church. They had four children: George, John, William and Jeanette, wife of Captain
Hall.

George Rule was also extensively engaged in milling in Clinton county. He was a
leading politician there, and was elected to the State Legislature of the Fourteenth General
Assembly. He was one of the most active workers in securing the right of railroads in the
county. At one time he was a railroad director. In 1876 he came to Dow City and bought
an interest in the gristmill of Dow & Graves, and remodeled and refitted the same. He did
a large business in it for some years. In 1879 he settled on a farm, where he died
September 18, 1892. He was married in Canada to Miss Ellen A. Columbus, a daughter
of William Columbus who was descended from the discover of our country. Her mother
nee Nancy McCarty, was born in Ireland and reared and educated in Canada. Her parent
both died in Canada. They had a family of two sons, Isaac and James; and four daughters,
Ellen M., Martha, Anna and Elisabeth. George Rule and his wife had had nine children,
eight of whom are living, viz.: William H., whose name appears at the head of this article;
Agnes J. Goddard, of Dow City; John E., of Arizona; George C., who is in a commission
house in Omaha; Thomas J., at home; Ellen M., at home; Andrew L., of Charter Oak,
Iowa; Lincoln A., a conductor on the Northwestern railroad. George Rule is a member of
the Masonic fraternity.

William H. Rule, like his father and Grandfather before him, learned the trade of a
miller in his youth. He received a good education, and was for a time successfully
engaged in teaching. Previous to his coming to Crawford county, in 1879, he was
engaged in milling in Clinton county. After locating here he clerked awhile for L. E.
Hardy, of Dow City. He then ran the Dunlap Mills for four years and a half, after which
he was bookkeeper in the Eagle Mills at Petersburg, Illinois, one year. Returning to this
county at the end f that time, he settled on his present farm of 120 acres of fine land in
Paradise township. This was in 1892. His two-story residence is 20x 36 feet in
dimensions, and is located on a natural building site. His barn, cribs, fences, etc., are all
in good order and indicate the owner to be a thrifty and prosperous farmer.

Mr. Rule was married at Big Rock, Iowa, November 29, 1877, to Helen Bates, a
native of Hampshire county, Massachusetts, and a lady of culture and refinement who,
previous to her marriage, was successfully engaged in teaching. Her father, Clark Bates,
was born in the same county, son of Henry Bates, a member of a prominent family of
Massachussetts. Her mother, nee Lucy Brewster, also a native of Massachussetts, was a
daughter of Honorable E. H. Brewster and Sophrona (Kingnan) Brewster. Mrs. Rule's
father died when she was seven years old, and her mother was subsequently married to F.
J.. Parsons of Clinton county, Iowa. She died in that county. Mr. and Mrs. Rule have six
children, vix.: George Clark, born at silver Creek Mills, Clinton county, Iowa, December
19, 1878; James Garfield, at Dow City, November 28, 1880; Emma Jeannette, at Dow
City, September 23, 1882; William H., at Dow City, August 20, 1884; Fred Andrew, at
Dunlap Mills, Dunlap, Iowa, December 5, 1886; and Thomas Winthrop, at Petersurg,
Illinois, March 27, 1891.

Mr. Rule affiliates with the Republican party, and is now serving as Township
Clerk. Socially, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen. He and his wife are member
of the Presbyterian Church.