Small, George A.

SMALL, CLEMONS, OVERSTREET, MEEK, FLOCK, HAYMOND, SEWELL, HOPSON, MCKINZIE

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 10/21/2009 at 13:26:29

Small, George A.

Those who belong to the respectable middle classes of society, being early taught the necessity of relying upon their own exertions, will be more apt to acquire that information and those business habits which alone can fit them for the discharge of life's duties, and, indeed, it has long been a noticeable fact that our great men in nearly all walks of life in America spring from this class. The gentleman whose life history we herewith delineate is a worthy representative of the class from which the true noblemen of the republic spring, and while he has never achieved wide notoriety, or, indeed, cared for the admiring plaudits of his fellow men, he has played well his part as a citizen and done much for the localities where he has lived.

George A. Small, the genial and popular proprietor of the Commercial Hotel at Baxter, Iowa, hails from the dark and bloody ground country, his birth having occurred in Jefferson County, Kentucky, September 27, 1849, and he was quite young when his parents, who were pioneers of that state, left there and moved to Macoupin County, Illinois, being among the early settlers there; they began farming and the subject assisted in developing the same, helped build the rail fence that surrounded it and there became acquainted with hard manual labor. There the family lived until the fall of 1870, when they moved to Jasper County, Iowa, locating about two and one half miles west of Monroe on the Prairie City road and there secured a good farm and home.

The parents, George W. and Julia Ann (Clemons) Small, were both natives of Kentucky, the mother born in Jefferson County. They both died in Prairie City, Iowa. There were thirteen children in their family, namely: Ella Overstreet, deceased; George A., of this review; James C., residence unknown; Richard L., deceased; E. S., deceased; Edwin E. lives in Dallas County, Iowa; William is deceased; Forney lives in St. Paul, Minnesota; the others died in infancy.

In May 1871, George A. Small was united in marriage with Laura J. Meek, who was born in Jasper County, Iowa, in 1850, and whose death occurred in April 1876. There were two children born to this union, namely: Mattie Zella Clutter, born May 17, 1872, is living at home; after completing the common school work she was graduated from the Omaha high school, and she taught school a number of years very successfully. The youngest child died in infancy.

Mr. Small was again married at Newton, Iowa, on September 12, 1883, to Emma Flock, who was born in Jasper County, Iowa, February 15, 1859, the daughter of John and Catharine (Haymond) Flock, the father a native of New Jersey, who emigrated first to Ohio, then to Iowa, dying in Jasper County; the mother was a native of Maryland; they came to Jasper County about sixty years ago. Their family consisted of the following children: Charles Flock; Emma, wife of Mr. Small, of this review; Lena died about fifteen years ago; Catharine Sewell lives in Clear Creek Township, this county.

To Mr. and Mrs. Small two daughters have been born, also one son, namely: Verda Rey Hopson, born September 20, 1885, married September 24, 1903, residing in Des Moines; John A., born November 8, 1888, attended the common schools, was employed about three years as telegraph operator for the Chicago Great Western Railway, and he is now operator at Baxter; Gertrude Leona, born April 18, 1891, is now Mrs. James McKinzie, and lives in Baxter. These children were born and reared in Jasper County.

From 1871 to 1876 the family resided near Monroe, thence moved to Prairie City, where the first Mrs. Small's death occurred. Mr. Small moved to Colfax and engaged in various business enterprises and traveled extensively. After his second marriage he engaged in farming until 1891, then conducted a restaurant in Colfax. In 1902 he purchased the restaurant at Baxter, which he sold in 1909 and bought the Commercial Hotel here, which he is still conducting, his son, John, managing the restaurant. His aim is to make this one of the best hotels in every respect in central Iowa. It has been entirely refitted and is now first class in every respect, and, being convenient to both the business district and the depot, it is popular with the traveling public. Guests find in Mr. Small a genial, obliging and courteous gentleman who spares no pains in making them comfortable and his trade is rapidly increasing.

Politically, Mr. Small is a Democrat and Mrs. Small belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Small and his son, John, are members of Baxter Lodge No. 168, Knights of Pythias. The former was at one time a member of the Knights of Honor at Colfax.

Like his father, John Small is popular and well liked wherever he is known and he is proving to be a successful businessman. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1096.