Bartholomew, George M. (1825-1910)

BARTHOLOMEW

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 10/30/2017 at 21:09:58

BARTHOLOMEW, GEORGE M., Palmyra Township, merchant, Palmyra; was born in Indiana, in 1825, but was raised in Illinois, from a small boy; his parents died when he was young; he located in this county, in 1852, in October, and that same year he engaged in the mercantile business, and has been connected with it since; October 2, 1878, he was burned out, and his loss is estimated at about seven thousand dollars, but he rebuilt as soon as possible; he married in Illinois, in 1849, to Miss Mary Flesher, of that State; they have seven children: W. N., Ezra, Laura, Noah, James, Joseph and Minnie; he enlisted in the one hundred day service, in Co. A, Forty-eighth Iowa, but served for five months; he owns 142 acres of land, and follows farming to quite an extent; was appointed postmaster at Palmyra, 1859.
Source: History of Warren County, Iowa, containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, & etc., Union Historical Co.; Des Moines, IA, 1879, p.708

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.526
GEORGE M. BARTHOLOMEW
George M. Bartholomew is one of the few remaining early settlers of Warren County and one of its prominent business men, having been actively engaged in merchandising in Palmyra for a third of a century. He was born at Spencer, Owen County, Indiana, on the 25th of July 1825, and was but a child when his father, John Bartholomew, died in that state. In 1830 his mother removed with her family to Illinois and located in McLean County, where he grew to manhood, being provided with fair educational advantages. He began his business career as clerk in a store and there received good prac­tical business training.
On the 15th of September 1848, Mr. Bartholomew was united in marriage to Miss Mary Flesher, who was born in Ohio but was reared in McLean County, Illinois, and they became the parents of the following children: W. N., now a prominent business man of Indianola, who is represented elsewhere in this work; Ezra, who grew to manhood and married but is now deceased; James, who is now living in South Dakota; Joseph, who was a prominent business man and was also married at the time of his death; Mrs. Laura Morris, a widow residing in Des Moines; and Minnie May, at home. All were given good educations.
It was in 1852 that Mr. Bartholomew came to Iowa and took up his residence in Palmyra, which at that time formed a part of Polk County. Here he erected a large store building of hewn logs and opened up a stock of general merchandise, this being the only store in the town at that time, though there had been a small store at a previous date. His goods were hauled all the way from Keokuk. A few years later he built a good frame business house, which was subsequently destroyed by fire, and a third store was erected on the same site. He enjoyed an excellent trade, people coming from miles around to trade at his store, and he continued actively in business for thirty-three years or until 1885, when he sold out. In the meantime he had become interested in real estate, buying and selling considerable land, and he still owns two good farms.
While engaged in merchandising, Mr. Bartholomew was appointed post­master of Palmyra during President Pierce's administration and he served continuously in that office for twenty-eight years under both Democratic and Republican presidents. He has held various other positions of honor and trust, serving as school treasurer for forty years and also as township trustee and he has been a delegate to the county and state conventions of his party. Originally he was an old line Whig but has been a staunch Republican since the organization of that party, voting for John C. Fremont in 1856. As a public-spirited and progressive citizen, he has done much toward the up building of the town of Palmyra and to advance the interests of the community. He is a charter member of Palmyra lodge, I. 0. 0. F., and has passed through all the chairs, being now past grand, and he has also represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge of the state. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church and are people of prominence in the community which has now been their home for fifty-six years. Mr. Bartholomew has led a very active and useful life and well merits the high regard in which he is held.