Jameson, Wm. J. (1847-1901)

JAMESON

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/23/2019 at 00:00:26

William J. Jameson
Aug 23, 1847 - Nov 3, 1901

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.507)
W. J. JAMESON. The JAMESON family finds its origin in Scotland, the founders of the family name in this country being Nathaniel and Mary JAMESON, who came to America about the year 1826, locating in Carlton County, New Brunswick. They remained there a short time, and then crossed the line to Aroostook County, Maine, where the father died, in 1868, at about the age of eighty-five years; his wife died in 1847 at the age of forty-five years. They had a family of six children, all of whom are deceased but one, C.S., the father of our subject. He was born in Scotland in 1820, and came to this country with his parents. He is and has been a farmer all his life, and was always a quiet and unassuming man. He was married in 1846 to Miss Jane McINTYRE, a native of New Brunswick, born in 1826, and is still living. They had six children, five boys and one girl: William J., the eldest, born August 23, 1847; Mary J., wife of George E. TRACY, of Carlton County, New Brunswick, was born March 24, 1850; Henry N., a resident of New Brunswick, was born July 1853; John H., also a resident of New Brunswick, was born January 28, 1855; Charles O., born March 7, 1858, is a resident of Council Bluffs; Dr. G.L.S., a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was born August 25, 1861. The mother's family originated in Ireland, her parents being Patrick and Jane (SCOTT) McINTYRE, the latter a sister of General Winfield SCOTT. Mr. And Mrs. McINTYRE came to America in 1890, locating in New Brunswick, where they still reside, at the advanced age of ninety-four and ninety-one years respectively. They had a family of thirteen children, all of whom are living but two, and all are residents of New Brunswick and Maine, except one, who resides in Montana. They were farmers by vocation.
William JAMESON, our subject, was reared in New Brunswick, until he was twenty-one years of age, and his education was received by dint of hard labor and close application. When he was a small boy, the bears were so thick that it was dangerous to venture out alone, and he was therefore deprived of much of his early schooling. In 1870, he came west to Creston, Iowa, where he remained eighteen years, and while there was employed on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, after which he came to Council Bluffs. In January 1888, he took the position of Secretary and Treasurer of the largest Masonic Association in the world that confines its membership to the fraternity. This organization was incorporated in 1884, but commenced business in 1886, and in four years has written up over 10,000 applications. December 1, 1888, the assets on hand were $84,238.55; income during the year 1888, $161,686.21; total during 1889, $139,346.75; total assets on hand December 31, 1889, $106,578.01; assets December 31, 1890, $129,311.61; total amount of death losses paid since organization, $300,772.22; total amount of actual insurance in force, $22,000,000. The annual report of the association is verified by the Iowa State Commission of Insurance. This association was founded by the exertions of our subject, William JAMESON, and it is through his efforts that the association stands where it does today. During the first two years of its existence, he could give it but a small part of his attention, as he was still in the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, but in 1888 he turned his whole attention to the same, and his presence is wonderfully felt. The Board of Directors are: Hon. Joseph R. REED, President; W. O. WIRT, Vice President; William J. JAMESON, Secretary and Treasurer; T. B. LACEY, Medical Director; Fred H. BROWN, Manager of Agencies, and a resident of Chicago, Illinois. The office is located in rooms two and three, Masonic Temple, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
He is a member of the A.F.&A.M., No. 71; Bluff City Royal Arch Chapter, No. 77; of Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 17; El Kahir Temple of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; of the Mystic Shrine; of the I.O.O.F.; of the K. of P.; also of the I.O. of R.M. Pottawattamie Tribe, No. 21, and also Chicago Nest, No. 9, I.I.O. of Owls.
Politically he affiliates with the Democratic Party. He was married in 1873 to Hattie M. WING of East Saginaw, Michigan, and they had a family of three children: Charles P., Guy B., and Gertrude Jane. The mother died in February 1884, and Mr. JAMESON was married to Miss Ella A. GLASS in 1885, a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was born in 1860 and they have one child, Vesta E.