March, John Francis

MARCH, COOK

Posted By: Linda Ziemann (email)
Date: 6/20/2005 at 20:04:50

John Francis March
Contributed by Susie Robertson, descendant

John Francis March

John Francis March, head of the firm of March & Thorson, druggists, at Akron, this county, and one of the most enterprising and progressive business men in this part of the state, is a native of Wisconsin, but has been a resident of this county since he was seven years of age. He was born on a farm in Lafayette county, Wisconsin, February 4, 1868, son of Littlefair and Elizabeth (Cook) March, both natives of England, who became pioneers of Plymouth county and the former of whom spent his last days here, the latter still living on the old home place north of LeMars.

Littlefair March was born in England in 1842 and was but a child when his parents came to this country, settling in Wisconsin, where he grew to manhood and where he married Elizabeth Cook, who also was but a child when her parents came to this country from England, the Cooks also settling in Wisconsin. After his marriage Littlefair March farmed in Wisconsin and in Illinois until 1875, in which year he came to Iowa and settled in Plymouth county, buying a farm north of LeMars.

There he farmed for a number of years and then opened a general merchandise store, which he conducted for many years, or until his death in 1897. His widow is still living at the old home north of LeMars. Of their six children, the subject of this sketch is the eldest.

As noted above, J.F. March was but a child when his parents came to Plymouth county and he completed his common-school education in the high school at LeMars, supplementing the same by a course in the business college at Wichita, Kansas, from which he was graduated in 1888, after which for some years he was engaged in business with his father. On August 1, 1902, in partnership with his brother, W.L. March, a licensed pharmacist, Mr. March engaged in the drug business at Akron and has ever since been thus engaged. Upon starting in business there the March brothers bought out a restaurant in order to secure the location, sold the restaurant stock and put in a complete new line of drugs and druggists’ sundries. In order further to equip himself for the management of the business, J.F. March presently entered Babcock’s School of Pharmacy at Des Moines, from which he was graduated in 1906, and successfully passed the state examination for licensed pharmacists. In that same year he bought his brother’s interest in the business and conducted the same alone until he formed a partnership with F.O. Thorson, since which time the business has been conducted under the firm name of March & Thorson. The growth of this firm’s business has been steady and the store is now regarded as the best equipped and most completely stocked drug store on the line between Sioux City and Sioux Falls. In addition to his extensive mercantile interests, Mr. March is the owner of a fine home at Akron, the owner of the building occupied by the Silkebakken store and the building formerly occupied by the Button music store in that city; a half interest in a three-hundred-and-twenty acre farm in Plymouth county, and also real-estate holdings in Montana. His residence is one of the best in the county, thoroughly modern in every respect and among its up-to-date equipments is a large billiard room. Mr. March is a Republican, but has not been included in the office-seeking class, though ever attentive to the best administration of local civic affairs.

In 1904, J.F. March was united in marriage to Elizabeth Lake, of Hawarden, this state, and to this union three children have been born, Philip L., John Francis, Jr., and George Littlefair. Mr. March is a Mason of the thirty-second degree, and is past senior warden of his local lodge. He also is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of the Woodmen of the World, while both he and Mrs. March are members of the Order of the Eastern Star, Mrs. March being the past worthy matron of the same. They take a proper interest in the general social activities of their home town and are ever helpful in the work of promoting movements designed to advance the common welfare hereabout.