Albert Lloyd Bartholomew, b. 19 Jun 1841

SHERMAN, BECKWITH, CUSHING

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/21/2004 at 12:22:18

This gentleman is one of those favorite sons of nature upon whom she has showered her choicest gifts. Just past the meridian of life, of fine personal appearance, and blest with a countenance indicating the qualities of the man, his appearance alone inspires confidence and respect in all with whom he comes in contact. He has been endowed with a strong constitution and unusually fine physique, and his entire make-up indicates the possession of an especially well-balanced organization. Lavishly as nature has endowed him, both mentally and physically, still other influences have entered into his life to form the man and to fit him for the leading position he occupies in the village of Preston, of which he was the first resident. Among these causes and influences, the operations of the well-known laws of heredity bear a prominent part. He is descended in a straight line from ancestors who for centuries have been prominent in their native land, occupying a high position in Church and State, and the qualities thus naturally developed and enlarged have been transmitted to their descendants.

Authentic records of the family go back to the year 1555, and tradition and family legend extend far beyond that. In the year mentioned three brothers, bearing the names of John, Robert, and Richard, lived at Warboro, Oxfordshire, England, and all were prominently connected with the Church of England. These brothers were the progenitors of a race whose influence has been felt in both Hemispheres, and who, both as English and American citizens, have ever exercised a wide influence in the communities of which they were component parts.

Of the descendants of the brothers mentioned, William, born at Burford, England, in 1602, was the forefather of the present large Bartholomew family in this country. He was a man of marked characteristics, of a strong individuality, and is on records as having been a well-educated man, who was very successful in all his business transactions, and, after his settlement in this country, became very popular and a leading man among the Colonists, serving on the special Grand Juries at Boston, and being three times chosen to represent his fellow Colonists in the General Court at Boston, which exercised supreme jurisdiction over the Massachusetts Bay Colony. William Bartholomew had arrived in the Colony Sept. 18, 1634, in the ship "Griffin," in company with the Rev. Zachary Symms, Mrs. Anne Hutchinson, and John Lothrop. It will thus be seen that our subject is a descendant of one of America's first families, as William Bartholomew arrived here but fourteen years after the arrival of the Pilgrims in the "Mayflower."

From that day on, the descendants of this old Puritan have exercised a wide influence, especially in New England, in which section of the country they are still very numerous.

In Hartford, Conn., June 19, 1841, A. L. Bartholomew first saw the light of day. His parents were Eli and Portia (Sherman) Bartholomew, who later removed to Cleveland, Ohio, where our subject passed his earlier years. While still young he gave marked evidence of strong intellectual capacity, and his father gave him every possible education advantage. When but fourteen years of age he was graduated from the Central High School of Cleveland, and the year following completed a commercial course in Bryant and Stratton's Business College in that city. He was soon thereafter engaged in the office of Tappan, McKillop & Co., at Cincinnati, Ohio, and assisted in writing up the first set of Commerical Agency books for the city of Chicago, a difficult and laborious task. His father had been a successful broker after taking up his residence in Cleveland, but at this time was engaged in the marble business. Young Bartholomew, always thirsting for knowledge of any kind, had made himself acquainted with the different grades and qualities of the stone, and with marble-cutting tools and their uses, and, on completing his work for the Commercial Agency, repaired to Belvidere, Ill., and, with his brother Charles, already settled there engaged in the marble business, in 1859. The following year he went to New York City, where for two years he was in mercantile business. Returning to Belvidere in 1862, he purchased his brother's business and stock. All this was before he had reached his majority, and it was not long before he found himself at the head of a large and prosperous business.

During our subject's residence in Belvidere he met, wooed, and wedded the lady who has since been to him an efficient and affectionate helpmate, rounding out and completing his life. Her maiden name was Mary Jane Beckwith, and she is the daughter of John B. and Susan (Cushing) Beckwith, both natives of Cheshire County, N.H., who were married at Alstead, in their native county, and there followed farming. David, the father of Susan Cushing, was an own cousin of the celebrated Caleb Cushing. In 1855, the family removed to Belvidere, the father giving his attention to farming. He and his wife had six children born to them while in New Hampshire, namely: Mary Jane, Susan A., Milton J., Helen M., Matilda A., and Augusta M. After their removal to Illinois they became the parents of four more children - Joseph C., David B., Charles E., and Carrie B. With the exception of Susan A., a resident of Savanna, Ill., and Matilda, living at Belvidere, the children are all residents of Iowa. Mrs. Bartholomew's first recollections are of the place of her birth in far away New Hampshire, where she passed the happy days of her childhood and girlhood. Their residence was on a well-known place called the Grant farm, from the porch of which they could overlook the city of Keene, and the great Monadnock Mountains, down whose rugged sides tumble the streams, which, gathering force in their course, become the mighty current of the Merrimac, which sets in motion the hundreds of thousands of spindles of Lowell, and gives power for the hundreds of factories which crowd that busy region.

Mrs. Bartholomew's first school experience was in her native county. Here in winter time she often witnessed the scenes similar to those immortalized by our Quaker poet, Whittier, in his beautiful poem "Snow Bound." In the heavy snow-storms which are frequent in that hilly region, her father often took six or seven yoke of oxen to break a road to take his children to school. When her parents removed to Belvidere she was a girl of twelve years, and there she grew to a winning womanhood. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Bartholomew has been blest by the birth of three children - George E., Eugene A., and Gertrude. Both the sons are married, and living in Preston. The daughter, a charming young lady of fifteen, is still under the parental roof, the joy and pride of her loving parents.

In 1864, Mr. Bartholomew removed his business to Lyons, and the following year located in Van Buren Township, Jackson Co., Iowa. While successfully conducting his marble business, he was devoting every spare moment to the study of law, to the practice of which he had a strong inclination. He was admitted to the bar in 1868. In December, 1870, he purchased some lots in Preston, and built the first residence in the village the following year. In this year he established the first bank in Preston, of which he is still the trusted head.

With the qualifications he possesses, it is not strange that Mr. Bartholomew has reached a high position in his profession. He was admitted to the Supreme Court of Iowa in 1872, and in 1874 was admitted to practice in the United States District Court. In 1875 he became Attorney for the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway Company, and for many years has filled that onerous position in a manner highly creditable to himself and satisfactory to the officers of that corporation, and still occupies that position. No better testimonial to his efficiency can perhaps be given than the following language used by Supt. D. A. Olin, of the road, after Mr. Bartholomew had for fourteen years been connected with the company: "In my opinion, Mr. A. L. Bartholomew is one of the ablest, most efficient, and most successful attorneys ever connected with our road."

Our subject has never been a politician or office-seeker. The honorable positions he has held have come to him unsought and unsolicited. In his profession he ranks with the foremost, and the citizens of Preston would each and all regard his removal from their midst as a personal loss. He has done much to advance the interests of the town, and has given liberally to all worthy public enterprises. He organized and built the first telephone system of this county, and was President of the Bell Telephone company of this county until a short time since, when he disposed of his interest, and the plant was transferred to the present company. The spacious opera house over his bank building is owned by him and Mr. R.M. Essick, and is a credit to the town. In politics, Mr. Bartholomew is a Republican. He has also always taken an active part in all charitable and benevolent societies. As a Mason, he was for years Master of Astral Lodge No. 324, A.F. & A.M.; is a member of Bath-Kol Chapter No. 94, Tancred Commandery No. 40, Knights Demplar; DeMolay Consistory; Sublime Princes, Royal Secret 32d degree, and of El Kahir Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

Mr. Bartholomew's home is beautifully situated in the southeastern part of the village, and is made happy by the presence of the devoted wife, who has for so many years shared his joys and sorrows, and still stands by his side as truly a helpmate, as in their younger and less prosperous days. His domestic character is no doubt largely due to the influence of the beloved wife, who makes his home for him the dearest spot on earth. How much of his success and good fortune is due to this estimable lady it would be difficult perhaps to estimate, but her husband certainly has good reason to bless the day when first they met. Their house is a splendid type of the happy American home, and is the scene of much domestic happiness.

Though having reached such a high point in his profession, Mr. Bartholomew is still a student, and devotes a considerable portion of his income to increasing his splendid law library, and to further and deeper research into the intricacies of his profession. The most desirable earthly attainments he believes to be honor, honesty, and intelligence - attributes possessed by himself in a marked degree. Though time has silvered his head, it has not abated his robust manhood, and years of study and experience have but strengthened his intellect, and developed his riper judgment. May he long be spared to be the central figure of the town, for which he has done so much.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois)