MALLETTE, Charles D.
MALLETTE, SAWYER, LANSDALE, GRISWOLD, MANNEY, SMITH
Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/11/2014 at 21:49:12
History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith
Supervising EditorsThe S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. Pp. 171-74. Chicago. 1915.
CHARLES D. MALLETTE
Charles D. Mallette, who owns two hundred and thirty acres of excellent land in Garden Grove township, was born on the 17th of November, 1849, in Huron county, Ohio, of the marriage of Charles E. and Dorothy (Sawyer) Mallette. The birth of the father occurred in 1817, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and that of the mother in Kent, Sussex county, England, in 1818. When but five years of age she accompanied her parents, Stephen and Elizabeth (Lansdale) Sawyer, natives of England on their emigration to the United States, the family first locating in Connecticut. A short time later they removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, and after residing there for a year took up their residence in Huron county, Ohio, where their family of eleven children grew to maturity. All but one became connected with agricultural pursuits. The paternal great-grandfather of our subject emigrated to the United States from France in 1699 and his son, Stephen, was a farmer by occupation and the father of eleven children. His son, Charles E. Mallette, went to Huron county, Ohio, when twenty-one years of age and there taught school for several terms, after which he became a farmer. He passed away on the 16th of December, 1888, and was survived until the 16th of February, 1892, by his widow. Both were communicants of the Episcopal church and were estimable people. They were the parents of nine children, three of whom died in infancy, the others being: Stephen; Betsey A., who married Henry Griswold, a grandson of Governor Griswold, of Connecticut; Isaac; Charles D.; Sylvanus; and Angeline.
Charles D. Mallette at the usual age became a student in the public schools in Huron county and in his youth attended the Western Reserve Normal College for two years and Oberlin College for one year. He then taught school for several terms in Ohio but in 1870 removed to Decatur county, Iowa, and here rented a farm, which he cultivated for three years, after which he purchased land in Wayne county, this state. He was identified with agricultural pursuits there until 1881, when he returned to Decatur county and bought his present farm, comprising two hundred and thirty acres of very rich and productive land. He has carried on general farming for eighteen or twenty years. He has also given much time and attention to dairying and the manufacture of cheese, as he established and for twenty years operated the Garden Grove Cheese factory, whose product found a ready sale upon the market, and for which he took second premium at the National Dairy Association meet at Dubuque. He also specialized to some extent in buying and raising stock, handling Holstein and Dutch Belted cattle, which he shipped to various states in the Union, including the far southwest and to Mexico. His farm is well managed and he derives a handsome income from his land. The initiative and sound business judgment which enabled him to build up a market for his cheese and which were factors in his success as a stock shipper are manifested in the care which he takes in keeping everything about his place in splendid condition. He realizes that such things as good fences, adequate buildings for the shelter of grain, stock and machinery - and the utilization of the most improved farm implements are factors of no little importance in securing financial success for the farmer and stock-raiser but in his zeal to secure everythmg that will make his work more efficient he has not neglected his residence, which is one of the comfortable and attractive farm homes of his locality.
On the 17th of January, 1884, Mr. Mallette married Miss Emeline A. Manney, a daughter of Francis G. and Ann Kendall (Smith) Manney. The father was born in Vermont on the 28th of February, 1806, and the mother at Sheldon, that state, on the 22d of April, 1818. Both passed away in Garden Grove township, Decatur county, the former on the 23d of January, 1887, and the latter on the 10th of January, 1877. The maternal great-great-grandfather of Mrs. Mallette bore the name of Elihu Smith and was an ensign in the War of the Revolution, performing well his part in the great work of freeing the colonies from England. For seventeen years he served as a member of the state legislature of Vermont and displayed as much ability as a lawmaker as he had bravery as a soldier. He was of English birth and parentage, but his whole sympathy was with the patriot cause. His son, Daniel Smith, married Sarah Emmons, of Vermont, and they were the parents of twelve children. The father of Mrs. Mallette, Francis G. Manney, resided for a number of years in Canada and served in the army during some trouble in that country. He was a member of the Masonic order and was also a communicant of the Episcopal church. To him and his wife were born ten children, Eunice, Mary J., Frederick A., Sarah G., Alice, Daniel S., Emeline A., Francis J., Johnson S. and Laura E.
Mrs. Mallette was born in Plymouth, Wisconsin, and was educated in the Garden Grove schools. For eight years she taught in the public schools and was so successful and popular that in the fall of 1882 she was chosen county superintendent of schools of Decatur county, winning the election by a good majority although the party on whose ticket she ran was normally in the minority. Her election to the office was therefore a personal tribute to her ability and an evidence of the confidence which the people of the county reposed in her. She was successful in promoting the interests of the public schools and during the two years that she held the office demonstrated her ability as an executive. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and belongs to the Woman's Relief Corps. Everything relating to the work of the Episcopal church, of which she is a communicant, is a matter of interest to her and she has taken an active part in the furthering of its aims and purposes. For several years she has taught the Bible class known as the Town class and is associated with many movements that seek the moral advancement of her community. Mr. and Mrs. Mallette have a son, Francis G., who was educated in the public schools and in the State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts at Ames. He is a civil engineer by profession and is now serving as county engineer of Decatur county, proving accurate and trustworthy in the discharge of the duties incumbent upon him.
Mr. Mallette is a republican in his political belief and for eighteen years served Garden Grove township well as its trustee, while for several years he was a member of the school board. He is identified with the Episcopal church and for several years served on the official board thereof, giving the church the benefit of his business judgment and experience in the management of the material affairs of the parish. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, in the local lodge of which he has held all of the offices, and he is loyal to the best interests of the order. In carrying out his plans and in attaining the financial success which is now his he has not only won a high place for himself among the farmers, dairymen and stock-raisers of Decatur county but has contributed in no small degree to the development of his county along those lines.
NOTE: Charles died in 1937. Emeline Anne (Manney) Mallette was born in 1855, and died in 1920. Francis "Frank" Mallette, was born November 12, 1884, served as a captain of Motor Transportation Corps during World War I, and died on May 26, 1971. Interments were made at Garden Grove Cemetery, Garden Grove IA.
Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, February of 2014
Decatur Biographies maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen