Carlat, R. J.

CARLAT, HEINEMAN, STALEY, OHLSTANCE, MCBRIDE, BARRETT, CROUCH, SUTTON, THOMPSON, TEETERS, TREMBLE, FRITCHCRAFT, ERNEST, ROUSH, HAWKINS, THOMPSON, BURGOYNE, SCOTT

Posted By: Volunteer Subscribers
Date: 4/15/2003 at 18:25:39

Source: "The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated" published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

R. J. CARLAT.

Among the leading citizens and representative farmers of Brookfield township is numbered R. J. Carlat, who resides on section thirteen. He was born in Perryville, Missouri, September 3, 1857, and is a son of Claud Carlat, whose birth occurred in Paris, France. In that country the father grew to manhood and married. Early in the year 1842 he came to the United States, and entered one hundred and sixty acres of land in what is now the central part of St. Louis, Missouri, which property is still held by his heirs, although the deed to the same has been stolen. From 1860 until 1872 he made his home near Muscatine, Iowa, where he owned a quarter section of land, and then sold that tract and located upon his son’s farm near Kansas City, Missouri, where the following seven years were passed. He next resided with his son Louis at Blue Springs, Missouri, where he died February 22, 1892, at the advanced age of eighty-eight years, eight months and eight days, his remains being interred there. He was a devout member of the Roman Catholic church, and a stanch supporter of the Democratic party. He was twice married, and by the first union had four children: John, who wedded Mary Heineman and died in Denison, Texas, in the summer of 1899; Eugene, who married Cassie Heineman, a sister of his brother’s wife, and is now conducting an undertaking establishment and shoe store in Kansas City; Charles, a liveryman of Chicago; and Lizzie, wife of Dr. Staley, of Texas. For his second wife the father wedded Miss Mary Ohlstance, also a native of France, who is now living with her son Louis. By this union there were six children, namely: Julius, who wedded Margaret McBride and follows farming near Topeka, Kansas; Louis, who married Mary Heineman and resides in Blue Springs, Missouri; R. J., our subject; Mary, widow of James McBride, and a resident of Le Summit, Missouri; Sistene, wife of John Barrett, who lives near Topeka, Kansas; and Alphia, who married and resides in Le Summit, Missouri.

During his boyhood R. J. Carlat had but limited educational advantages. He attended school in Muscatine for a short time, but his services were needed at home, and at the age of fourteen he started out in life for himself by working in a livery stable in St. Louis for four months. When his employer removed to Memphis, Tennessee, he accompanied him, remaining with him some time. Later he was conductor on a street car in that city until the summer of 1877, when the yellow fever was raging there. He went to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he remained during harvest, and in the fall of 1877 came to Clinton county, Iowa, working as a farm hand by the month in Brookfield township for two years.

On the 14th of December, 1879, in Delmar, he married Miss Phoebe Crouch, who was born in Noble county, Ohio, May 4, 1858. Her father, Ebenezer Crouch, was born in Harrison county, Ohio, June 17, 1825, and in that state married Miss Sarah Sutton, who was born February 23, 1826, in Fayette, Pennsylvania, near the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains. Mrs. Crouch was a daughter of James and Martha (Thompson) Sutton, the former born in Scotland, in 1801, the latter in Pennsylvania in 1804. Their marriage was celebrated in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. For about sixteen years they made their home in Morgan county, Ohio, and from there removed to Uniontown, that state. In 1851 they came to Iowa, and Mr. Sutton bought over three hundred and forty acres of heavily timbered land on the north fork of the Maquoketa river in Jackson county, where he made his home until called to his final rest April 15, 1 879. His wife died October 6, 1892, and both were buried in Sutton cemetery, which he donated to his township. They had twelve children, namely: Tacey, wife of Washington Teeters, who lives on a part of the old homestead near Fulton, Iowa; Susan, widow of William Tremble and a resident of Fairfield, Iowa; Sarah, mother of Mrs. Carlat; Samuel, who married Sarah Fritchcraft and died near Fulton in January, 1900; Eliza, deceased wife of Samuel Ernest, of Keith’s, Ohio; Robert and Edward, who both died in Pennsylvania during infancy; William, who married Annie Roush and died on the old homestead where his widow now resides; James, who died near St. Louis while in the service of his country during the Civil war; Harvey, who wedded Mary A. Hawkins and died in Maquoketa in 1869; Isaac, who died unmarried, at the age of twenty-five years; and Martha, wife of John S. Thompson, who lives near Fulton, Iowa. On the 10th of October, 1860, Mr. and Mrs. Crouch joined her parents in Jackson county, Iowa, and he engaged in farming upon rented land until 1865, when he bought eighty acres in Bloomfield township, Clinton county. This was his home until the spring of 1894, when he retired from active labor and removed to Delmar. Selling his farm, he purchased six acres in the village, which he has since laid off in town lots. Politically he is a Republican, and religiously both he and his estimable wife are members of the Seventh Day Adventist church. Unto them were born four children, namely: Martha, who married Jacob Teeters and died in Jackson county, December 26, 1877; Phoebe, wife of our subject; Harriet, wife of John Burgoyne, of Delmar; and Sarah M., who is the widow of George Scott and resides on a farm in Bloomfield township, Clinton county. Mr. and Mrs. Carlat have two children: Corine, born September 17, 1880; and Pearl May, born August 30, 1886.

After his marriage Mr. Carlat continued to work by the month for two years, and then rented Marsh Fenton’s farm one year. During the succeeding six years he rented the Marvin Finton farm, and then spent five years on the William Gillett farm near Preston. At the end of that period he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land on section thirteen, Brookfield township, this county, and has since made a number of improvements upon the place. He raises Poland-China hogs, and buys and feeds a high grade of cattle and horses for market. He is what the world terms a self-made man, for his success is due entirely to his own well-directed and energetic efforts. He is industrious, energetic and progressive, and well merits the prosperity which he has achieved. Politically he is identified with the Republican party, and socially affiliates with Camp No. 4119, M. W. A., of Elwood.