Fales, John M.

FALES, ROBBINS, ALLEN, BICKNELL, SHEPHERD, POLE, AVERY, TOLMAN, TUCKER, SISSON, LAMB, METZ, GIFFORD, BARKER, GARY, ANDERSON, MATHEWS, CARLESTON

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/22/2009 at 14:32:11

Fales, John M.

Probably no citizen of Newton has triumphed over greater difficulties and adversities than has John M. Fales, of Newton, Jasper County. The story of his life reads like fiction. He dates his lineage back to 1600, in which year James Fales emigrated from England and settled in Walpole, Massachusetts, married Anna Brock in 1635 fought in King Philip's War, which commenced in 1675 and died in 1708. There were eight children in his family, the fourth of whom was named Peter, born in 1668, and died August 10, 1725. His wife, Abigail Robbins, bore him eight children, the first a son, also named Peter, born April 18, 1690. He married Sarah Unity Allen July 30, 1724. Eight children came by this union, and the fourth was named Peter, born December 16, 1732. On August 4, 1726 he married Avis Bicknell. Ten children were born to them, the seventh being named Peter. Thus for four generations in the direct lineage of the subject comes the name Peter. The latter, who was born October 14, 1778, married Hannah Shepherd, and was married a second time to Judith Pole. He was born at Attleborough, Massachusetts, lived at different places, including Maine, Buffalo, New York, and died in Ohio, September 20, 1857, at the advanced age of eighty years. He was the father of sixteen children, the sixth being Ellis, the father of the subject. Ellis Fales was born in Union, Maine, July 9, 1809. He received a limited education in the common schools of Maine, and when he reached his majority married Julia Ann Avery in Sheldon, New York. They afterward removed to Trumbull County, Ohio, but in a short time pushed farther west and located in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. Nine children were born to this union, three of whom and the mother died of typhoid fever in Wisconsin. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Fales married Electa Tolman in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, by whom he had three children. For his third wife he married in Chickasaw County, Iowa, Mary Ann Tucker, which union resulted in the birth of four children.

The family later moved to Missouri, and again returned to Iowa, and in a short time migrated to Norton County, Kansas, where they remained until the father's death, on September 16, 1888. Mr. Ellis was a blacksmith by trade and, although never having the advantages of a school education, by constant reading at home, became a well posted man, and was able to hold his own in debates with men much better educated than he.

John M. Fales, of this review, was the sixth son of Ellis and Julia Ann (Avery) Fales, and he was born near Farmington, Ohio, April 17, 1843, and with his parents, who pushed westward at an early date, experienced many of the hardships coincident to pioneer life. On February 12, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, Sixteenth United States Infantry, Second Battalion. They were sent to headquarters at Columbus, Ohio, and later to Columbus, Kentucky; here the subject remained, doing guard duty at headquarters until February 1864, when he was ordered to join his regiment at Chattanooga, Tennessee. He participated in the battles of Buzzard Roost, Resaca, New Hope Church, Kenesaw Mountain, July 4, 1864, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta and Jonesboro, and subsequently, under the command of General Sherman, marched to the rear of Atlanta and was under fire most of the war. When Sherman started for the sea, Mr. Fales, with his brigade, was sent back to Lockout Mountain, where he was honorably discharged, February 12, 1865. Returning home, he located in Chickasaw County, Iowa, and invested what money he had saved from the pay of his service in the army in land, buying seventy acres. At this time, September 1865, he was united in marriage with Sarah J. Sisson. Shortly after their marriage her stepmother died and her father, James Sisson, who was then well advanced in years, was left alone. They took him into their family and he agreed to make them a deed to forty acres of land, which he owned if they would take care of him the rest of his life. Agreeing to this, they sold their own place and moved to the home of her father, but this not proving to be a happy arrangement, the deed was returned to Mr. Sisson, giving him back his land, and leaving them nearly penniless. Thus, Mr. Fales and his wife and little babe were turned out into the world by Mr. Sisson without anything.

Mr. Fales then moved to Jasper County, Missouri, in 1870, but soon returned to northern Iowa. Here, at Fredericksburg, he operated a wagon shop and at this time his father-in-law again became a member of his family, Mr. Sisson now being without funds, having deeded away his property and got nothing for it to some one who was to give him a home during the rest of his life, but becoming dissatisfied and homeless Mr. Fales, forgiving the harsh treatment he had received at his hand, took him again to his home and took care of him from that time until his death, which occurred in Newton in 1873, at the age of seventy-seven years. At this time Mr. Fales was in very reduced circumstances. He moved to Newton in 1873 and on May 20, 1875 his wife died after a long period of failing health, leaving five small children. During her illness and at her death, Mr. Fales' circumstances were such that he was compelled to accept outside assistance, and after her death homes were found for the two youngest children. One died shortly afterwards, but the other was reared by John Lamb and wife. The four children now living are Anna D., wife of Henry Metz, living in Idaho on a farm; Cora, wife of Charles Gifford, lives at Cunningham, Washington; Sidney M. is engaged in the meat market business at Rigby, Idaho; he also owns a farm near there; A. L. lives in New Mexico, engaged in missionary work.

On April 2, 1876, Mr. Fales was united in marriage with Mrs. Betsey Barker, a native of Pennsylvania, the daughter of Hiram and Eliza Gary. She was born November 16, 1848. To this union two children were born, both now deceased, as is the mother, whose death occurred on August 24, 1895. During the latter years of his life Hiram Gary, father of the second Mrs. Fales, was an inmate of their home, and he died at the age of eighty years.

On February 26, 1896, Mr. Fales was united in marriage with Mary C. Anderson. She was born in 1861 in Sweden, and she is the daughter of Andrew and Margaret (Mathews) Anderson, both natives of Sweden. She was twenty-two years old when she accompanied her parents to America, in 1883, and a brother, Victor, also came at that time. He is now engaged in farming and looks after a farm belonging to the subject of this sketch in Palo Alto Township. There were six children in the Anderson family, all of whom came to America. Only three are now living. A sister, Anna Carleston, lives at Galvey, Illinois. Her father died ten years ago at the age of seventy-four years. The mother is still living and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Fales, of this review. She is now eighty-five years old.

To Mr. Fales' last union two children have been born, John Melvin: born June 27, 1897, and Peter Emery, born May 1, 1912. It will be noticed that the name "Peter" again appears, after skipping two generations, Mr. Fales believing that the name ought to be perpetuated in the family.

John M. Fales is now one of Newton's substantial citizens, being worth over fifty thousand dollars. He is a fine type of the self-made American citizen. The story of his early struggles and his gradual rise to affluence is one to make the younger generation take notice, proving that strong hands, clear brain and an honest heart can make stepping-stones of adversities and achieve large results in the face of obstacles. Before coming to Newton, Mr. Fales was engaged in the wagon making and repairing business, as above stated, in Fredericksburg. Once he sold a wagon to a man, taking in part pay an old wagon worth about ten dollars. He made a new wagon, using the irons of the old one and traded this for a young horse; he already owned a horse and therefore had a team. Soon after this trade he decided to move to Newton, so, loading up his family and earthly belongings, he drove through with his team, which he sold soon after his arrival, for sixty-five dollars, and purchased two lots in north Newton with the money. Later he was enabled to purchase enough lumber to build a house on them. This was some time after the death of his first wife when he was beginning to get on his feet again. Not long afterwards he traded the house and lots for one hundred and twenty acres of land in Cherokee County, Iowa, without seeing the land This proved to be a good trade and after holding the land for some time sold it for fifteen hundred and sixty dollars, and with twelve hundred and twenty dollars of that amount purchased eighty acres near Newton, leaving him a balance of three hundred and forty dollars, which paid for the lumber he had used in building the house on the lots, also included the price of the lots. Thus it will be seen by his various trades, which he takes pride in tracing starting with the old set of wagon wheels, he was now twelve hundred and twenty dollars "to the good." This eighty acres was sold some years afterwards for forty dollars per acre, and with the money Mr. Fales purchased ninety-one and one-half acres of fine land in Fairview Township and this he still holds. The second Mrs. Fales inherited eleven hundred dollars upon the death of her father, and forty-six and one-half acres was purchased in Wild Cat Grove with this amount. This was unimproved and Mr. Fales and his faithful wife worked very hard in placing it under cultivation, and it is now a splendid little farm, worth probably two hundred and fifty dollars per acre. Mr. Fales has since added five acres to it, thus making fifty-one and one-half acres. In all he owns in Fairview and Palo Alto Townships three hundred and sixty-five acres and two good residence properties in Newton, and he is also part owner of one of Newton's best business blocks. He is now retired from the active duties of life and lives quietly in his beautiful modern home in Newton, where his two little boys attend school. He is a member of the Baptist Church, while his wife affiliates with the Presbyterians. He is very grateful that God has prospered him and believes that "honesty is the best policy."

Mr. Fales relates in an interesting manner his early experiences in Iowa, which were characterized by hardships, privations and labor of the most strenuous nature. Among these experiences he tells in the following words of his efforts to build his first house: "Soon after I came from the army I purchased a small piece of wild land near Fredericksburg, Chickasaw County, Iowa, paying for it with the money I had saved in the army service, using all my means in this purchase. I now needed a house, but, having no money, I worked for a Mr. Martin for ten days, for which I received one thousand feet of native lumber, delivered at the sawmill. Then I gleaned around and got about seven hundred more feet of native lumber and hauled it to the mill. I then went to Mr. Paden, who owned the mill, and bargained with him to saw my logs at ten dollars a thousand, paying him in work by the day. I then got some logs and hewed my sills, eight inches square. Needing shingles, I went to Mr. Martin and bought a large black oak shingle tree for four dollars, to be paid at harvest time. I had the tree sawed into shingle blocks and hauled them to the shingle factory. I paid for the making of the shingles by work at the shingle factory. When I had the materials on the ground and ready to start the building I went to a Mr. Conner to help me put up the little house, which was to be fourteen by eighteen feet, eight feet high. He was too busy to help me, but said he could show me how so that I could do the work as well as he could. When ready to raise the building I went to town to buy some nails. I had in my pockets but thirty-five cents and went to a hardware store to buy two dollars' worth of nails. Being a stranger, they did not want to trust me, but said they would let me have the stuff if my father would say it was all right. Going to see my father, I found he had gone to the country, so I went back to the store. While there a man came in who was doing some mason work for the store people and said he wanted them to get him a workman. I spoke up and asked for the job, which I secured, and after working two days was able to buy my two dollars' worth of nails. I found a man who had a window he did not need and worked for him until I had paid for the window.

My wife being anxious to get into the house, we moved in the spring of 1866, with but one side of the roof on, one window in, a blanket doing service for a door and the floor only temporarily laid. This is the way I built my first house. We were both happy in this home of our own, though it was ever so humble, and when the building was completed it was a very comfortable house. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 544.