Chase, Elliston F. 1867 - 1958

CHASE, GOVE, GORMAN, TODD

Posted By: Bill Waters (email)
Date: 4/19/2014 at 10:53:43

Elliston F. Chase, one of the enterprising and representative agriculturists of Winneshiek County, owns an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 15, Fremont Township, which he has operated continuously for the past thirteen years. His birth occurred in Springwater, this county, August 11, 1867, his parents being Lindley M. and Mary C. (Gove) Chase, natives of Weare, New Hampshire. The father was born in 1823 and was thirty years of age on coming to Iowa in 1853. He remained for a short time in Muscatine, coming to Winneshiek County in 1855. He made his home in Canoe Township and taught school in West Decorah in 1857, being the only teacher employed at that time. In 1862 he went to St. Anthony, Minnesota, as a passenger on a river boat to St. Paul and remained in St. Anthony one season sawing shingles. After his return to Winneshiek County he was married, in 1863, to Miss Mary C. Gove, who was born in 1833. In 1870 he removed to Clay county, Iowa, and took up a homestead of eighty acres near Spencer, which he improved, and was engaged in its operation for six years. On the expiration of that time he returned to Winneshiek County and resumed farming. From 1878 until January, 1885, he had charge of the county poor farm at Freeport and then engaged in the cultivation of rented land in this county until 1894, when he went back to Clay County, there purchasing a farm which he operated until 1910. Selling that place, he removed to Spencer, where he now makes his home. Besides filling the office of steward of the poor farm he was also assessor of Canoe Township, this county, for two years and tax collector for the same length of time.

Elliston F. Chase was reared and educated in Winneshiek County, obtaining his early training in the district schools and subsequently attending Breckenridge Institute of Decorah for two years. He then taught in the country schools for three years and on the expiration of that period went to Lansing, Minnesota, where he spent two years as a teacher in the town school. During the following year he was engaged as an instructor at Racine, Minnesota, and then taught school at Barnum, that state, for five months, while later he spent three months as teacher in his own private school. Returning to Winneshiek County, he was here married and took up his abode on his wife's farm in Fremont Township, which he improved and has operated continuously since or for a period of thirteen years. The property embraces one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 15 and is devoted to the cultivation of cereals. Mr. Chase likewise raises thoroughbred recorded shorthorn cattle and in all of his undertakings has met with well merited success, being numbered among the substantial and representative citizens of his community.

On the 8th of November, 1899, Mr. Chase was united in marriage to Miss Ella Todd, a daughter of Christopher and Jane (Gorman) Todd, both of whom were natives of Ireland. Her father emigrated to the United States in the early '50s and for a short time resided in Elgin but subsequently came to Winneshiek county, Iowa, and entered the land which is now in possession of Mrs. Chase. He improved the property and was busily engaged in its cultivation until the period of the Civil war. In September, 1862, at Decorah, he joined Company D of the Thirty-eighth Iowa Infantry and served with that command until the cessation of hostilities. After returning from the war he devoted his attention to the operation of his farm until called to his final rest in August, 1893. His wife had passed away in June of the same year.

In politics Mr. Chase is an adherent of the new progressive party, while his religious faith is that of the Methodist church. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons at Canton, Minnesota, and the Modern Woodmen of America at Harmony, that state. As a patriotic citizen he keeps well informed on national and local affairs and his constant aim while advancing his own interest is also to promote to the extent of his ability the general welfare of the community. Both Mr. and Mrs. Chase are well and favorably known here, the circle of their friends being almost coextensive with the circle of their acquaintances.

Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark publishing Company 1913

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