Rumery, Josiah L.

RUMERY, LIBBIE, WEBB, ANDERSON, KURWIN, ANGUISH, ANGUISH

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 2/14/2003 at 15:38:40

JOSIAH L. RUMERY. 

For many years the subject of this review was successfully engaged in the grocery business in Clinton, but is now living a retired life. He was born in Lockport, Niagara county, New York, July 8, 1830, a son of Jonathan and Eunice (Libbie) Rumery, both natives of Maine, and a grandson of Jonathan and Priscilla Rumery, who were also born in the old Pine Tree state. The grandfather was a soldier of the Revolutionary war. He was quite a successful man and spent his last days in Niagara county, New York, where he owned and operated a farm. He died when about ninety years of age, and his wife was two years younger at the time of her death. Their children were: Jonathan, Ezra, Moses, Priscilla and Margaret.

At an early day the father of our subject walked from his old home in Maine to Niagara county, New York, in search of a suitable location, and there purchased of the Holland land agents one hundred and fifteen acres of land. This included a marshy tract, for which he paid three dollars per acre, while for the remainder he paid five dollars per acre. He walked to Batavia, New York, to pay for this property. After improving his farm he found that the marshy tract was the most valuable, and at his death the place was sold for eighty dollars per acre. He was so well pleased with his investment that he persuaded his father and others to remove to the same locality. He died at the age of seventy-two years, honored and respected by all who knew him. His first wife died when about fifty years old, leaving six children, namely: Jeremiah, Silsberry, Jonathan D., Solomon, Ruth A., and Josiah Libbie, our subject. For his second wife the father married Mrs. Eunice Webb, a daughter of Leander Anderson. She had two sons and three daughters by her former marriage. Angeline Webb, one of the daughters, became the wife of our subject. Mrs. Rumery was previously married, her first husband being Peter Kurwin, who died, leaving one daughter, Luella, now the wife of Z. D. Anguish, of Chicago, by whom she had two children, Nellie and Maud. Mrs. Rumery died in California, in 1898, at the age of sixty-three years.

At the age of twenty-five our subject came to Iowa on a visit, and was so well pleased with the country that he came west to live five years later. He was employed on the Galena Railway as brakeman for a short time, but not liking that occupation, he went to Montana, where he was engaged in mining for two years. In 1863 he came to Clinton, Iowa, where he was first employed as clerk in a grocery store, and in 1869 embarked in the same line of business on his own account in partnership with his son-in-law, Z. D. Anguish. They conducted a store on Second street, between Sixth and Seventh avenues. While engaged in clerking Mr. Rumery bought the lot on which the Weston block now stands, and built a house and store for the millinery business. When Mr. Anguish retired from the firm Mr. Rumery, continued the business alone until 1888, when he took in a Mr. Illiman, and they continued in active business till 1893. They sold out and our subject has since lived retired. He has a nice residence at 234 Sixth avenue, while the house which he erected on the site of the Weston block was moved to the south part of the city and converted into a private dwelling. By his untiring industry and sound business judgment he has won a merited success in life, and is in all respects worthy the high regard in which he is held by his fellow men. In politics Mr. Rumery supports the Republican party, but has never cared for public office, preferring to devote his entire time to his business interests.
Source: The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.