David Matthew Rowland, 1899 bio

ROWLAND EVANS HILL

Posted By: Stephen D. Williams (email)
Date: 10/28/2009 at 20:04:03

Title: Biographies and portraits of the progressive men of Iowa: leaders in business, politics and the professions; together with an original and authentic history of the state, 2 volumes
Authors Benjamin F. Gue (ex-Lieutenant-Governor), Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh, Publisher Conaway & Shaw, 1899. Pages 377-378

ROWLAND, David Matthew, a prominent citizen of Marengo, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, April 23, 1848, coming to Iowa with his parents when six years old. His parents were natives of Wales. His father, William Rowland, and his mother, Mary Evans Rowland, were married in Columbus, Ohio, in 1846. His father was a machinist by trade, a physician by profession. He had such a love for mechanics that he spent his younger days in the mills and machine shops of Ohio and Iowa, but the last twenty years of his life he devoted to his profession. He was a republican and a member of the first republican convention held in Iowa county. He assisted in the organization of Troy township, Iowa county, and was its first clerk.

Mr. Rowland was educated in the schools of Williamsburg and Oskaloosa, spending one year and a half in Oskaloosa College after he was twenty years of age. At the age of twenty he was a farmer and a miller. His ambition was to be a lawyer and he studied law one year in the office of Seevers & Cutts. He abandoned this, however, to engage in business. After serving as clerk for various firms in Oskaloosa he established the marble business in Marengo in 1877. Having made insurance a study for several

[photograph of David Rowland]

years, in 1884 he organized and incoporated the Northwestern Legion of Honor, a benevolent insurance fraternity. Since the organization he has held the office of Grand Secretary, and practically the entire management of the society has been in his hands and he is entitled to the greatest credit for the success it attained.

Mr. Rowland is a sound republican and is recognized as one of the leading men of the State in party affairs. He has been chairman and secretary of the county republican central committee many times. In 1888 he was appointed by President Harrison postmaster of Marengo, serving four years and three months. His administration as postmaster was distinguished by his securing for the office a substantial home in Masonic Block and separating the office from all other forms of business. As a recognition of his services, a very large majority of the business and professional men of the city supported him for a second term, and in compliance with their expressed wish Hon. "George M. Curtis, Congressman from the Second district, recommended Mr. Rowland. He took possession September 1, For a number of years he was secretary of the Iowa County Agricultural Society. He was a leader in the organization of the Knights of Pythias fourteen years ago and is a member of Marengo Lodge No. 114, A. F. and A. M. and Jerusalem Chapter No. 72, R. A. M., having served as secretary of the Chapter from 1891 to 1899. He has also served as Worthy Patron of Marengo Chapter No. 123, O. E. S. His wife is also Worthy Matron of the same Chapter. He has served in offical capacity in the A. L. of H., Iowa Legion of Honor, A. O. U. W. and M. W. of A. He was married October 30, 1870, to Miss Benine Hill of Springfield, Keokuk county. They have nine children: Snowden Hill, born August 31, 1871; Mary, born May 2, 1873; Francis William, born January 4, 1875; Grace, born December 8, 1876; Sumner Evans, born January 21, 1879; Lincoln Garfield, born January 29, 1881; Robert Blaine, born December 7, 1882; Faith, born December 8, 1885, and David Allison, born November 22, 1887.