Signs, John W.

SIGNS, KINTZ, LONG, WILEY, DEETER, DODD

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 10/21/2009 at 07:39:39

Signs, John W.

The career of John W. Signs, one of our worthy native sons, illustrates forcibly the possibilities to the young men who are content to spend their lives in their home districts, if they are men of earnest purpose, integrity and sterling business qualities. A well-spent life and an honorable career constitute his record, and, like the other members of the old pioneer family from which he springs, he has a wide circle of friends in this locality.

Mr. Signs was born in Clear Creek Township, this county, on February 14, 1864. Here he grew to manhood, received his education in the public schools and assisted with the general work on the home place in his boyhood, in fact, he has always been identified with the agricultural pursuits of this vicinity until within the past few years.

The subject is the son of James and Sarah (Kintz) Signs. The father was born in Wayne County, Ohio, on August 18, 1831, and the mother was born in Summit County, Ohio, on June 12, 1835. James Signs settled in Iowa in 1854 and in Clear Creek Township, Jasper County, in 1857, in which he is still living, on the old home place with his son, J. Lee Signs. He has lived to see this section develop from a wild prairie to one of the chief agricultural communities of the state and he has taken no small part in this work of transformation. He has made a success as a tiller of the soil and is widely known here. His wife died on October 23, 1903. Their family consisted of four sons and one daughter, namely: J: Emery, born March 1, 1859, lives in Clear Creek Township; Mrs. John W. Long lives in Eden Township, Marshall County; Charles C., born January 8, 1862, of Olathe, Kansas; John W., of this sketch; and J. Lee, of Clear Creek Township.

John W. Signs was married on September 5, 1885, to Mary Wiley, who was born in Clear Creek Township, this county, September 6, 1868. Here she grew up and received her education. Her parents, James and Julia (Deeter) Wiley, were among the earliest settlers in this Township. The father was born in Indiana, March 13, 1845, is living in South Dakota, and the mother, who was born in Ohio, died when thirty-five years of age, in April 1880. There were four daughters in the Wiley family, namely: Mary, wife of the subject of this sketch; Clara, born in Clear Creek Township, February 12, 1872, is the wife of J. Lee Signs, of this Township; Mrs. Belle Dodd, born August 11, 1876, lives in Lowrie City, Missouri.

To Mr. and Mrs. Signs have been born two daughters, namely: Clara B., born May 24, 1887, is attending, the common schools near her home and the Collins graded schools, from which she was graduated with the class of 1907, and she was a student at Highland Park College, Des Moines, for one year; she is at present teaching the grammar department of the Collins high school and is giving eminent satisfaction. Maude, the younger daughter, was born August 22, 1889, and died September 17, 1891.

Politically, Mr. Signs is a Democrat, and he belongs to Unit Lodge No. 520, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Baxter. He and his wife are members of Sunbeam Lodge No. 181, Mystic Workers, at Collins.

A few years ago Mr. Signs moved to Collins and for some time conducted the hotel there, later returning to the farm, but remained only a year, then moved back to Collins, where he is now engaged principally in teaming. For a number of years he bought and sold horses, in fact, he was one of the heaviest dealers in this community. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1327.