WARREN, JAMES H.

WARREN, HORTON, WATERHOUSE

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/16/2004 at 14:45:21

Biography reproduced from page 427 of the History of Kossuth and Humboldt Counties, Iowa published in 1884:

James H. Warren was born in Eden, Eric Co., N. Y., Sept. 4, 1820. From five to eleven years of age he attended the district school, which was the extent of his education. When fourteen years of age he removed with his parents to Cherry Valley, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, where his elder brother had gone the year previous to open up a farm in the heavy timber land in that portion of the State. James worked hard on the farm until 1845, when, with his widowed mother, two brothers and two sisters, he emigrated to the territory of Wisconsin. He selected his home in Hurlbud township, Dodge county, being an early settler there, and taking great interest in the development of the county. He was chosen town clerk at the first town meeting held, and from that time until the spring of 1859 was elected to fill some office every year. Mr. Warren was married Sept. 16, 1846, to Augusta B. Horton, then only fifteen years of age. This union has been blessed with three children—Eliza L., the wife of Hugh Waterhouse, of Kossuth county; Robert B. and Edward H., both of whom are printers. Robert B. is proprietor and editor of the Upper Des Moines, office at Algona, and Edward H. is foreman of the same. From 1849 to 1866 Mr. Warren worked principally at the carpenter and millwright trades. In June, 1859, he removed to Arcadia, Trempealeau Co., Wis., remaining four years. While living there his home with all its contents was destroyed by fire, including his history of Dodge county, which was then in manuscript. He also had a choice and carefully selected library of over 400 volumes, a number of which were then out of print and which he has never been able to replace. This fire was a loss of several thousand dollars to him. In March, 1862, he removed to Eau Claire, Wis., being employed in the summer season as a millwright in the extensive mills of Daniel Shaw & Co., and in the winter in the pineries. In 1866 he sold his possessions in Eau Claire, built a flat boat of sufficient size to carry his family and goods down the Chippewa to the Mississippi, and thence to Dubuque, Iowa. There he sold his boat and traveled by rail from there to Iowa Falls, and came by wagons to Algona. Upon arriving at Algona Mr. Warren purchased for his son, Robert B., the Upper Des Moines office, for which he paid $600. Previous to that date Mr. Warren had never written more than two or three newspaper articles. He, however, threw his whole energies into the enterprise, and with the faithful labors of his son, who took charge of the mechanical department, he succeeded in making an excellent paper. He enlarged the print from time to time, as necessity required. In 1872 he sold the old Washington press, it being the first press brought to Iowa, and replaced it with a $2,000 power press. He also procured a job press with all other necessary furniture. In 1875 Mr. Warren sold this office with fixtures and good will. In July, 1869, he was appointed postmaster, holding the office three years. He was a master Mason, a member of Prudence Lodge, NO. 205. Mr. Warren was a charter member of Algona Lodge, No. 234, I. O. O. F., being a member of that order for nearly forty years.