Judson Henry Force

FORCE THOMAS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 8/27/2010 at 23:11:02

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Judson Henry Force
By Robert N Force

Judson’s father, Isaac Newton Force, was born in Stockbridge Township, Ingham County, Michigan, on December 18, 1844. His parentage is being traced back to early settlers in the mid 1600’s, in Long Island and New Amsterdam. Isaac worked on the family farm until Febraury 22, 1862, at which time he enrolled in Company K, 14th Regiment, Michigan Infantry. He served with them until the end of the Civil War, being at one time with Sherman’s march to the sea. On May 24, 1865, he marched in the Grand Review in Washington, D.C. A few years on the family farm and then to Iowa Falls, Iowa about 1870. He married Priscilla Ella Thomas in Iowa Falls on October 24, 1873. He died in Boone, Iowa, on September 10, 1924.

Judson’s mother, Priscilla, was born in Scales Mound, Illinois, on September 19, 1855. Her parents were from Kentucky and Virginia. Their lines are associated with several ministerial families. Her family moved to Iowa Falls shortly after the war, and there she met Isaac N Force.

Their three children were: Edith, born in Iowa Falls, November 12, 1875; Judson Henry, born in Carroll, Iowa, October 15, 1882; and Charles, born in Marshalltown, Iowa, October 3, 1885. The family to Boone, Iowa, about 1890. Priscilla died thre on March 8, 1935.

As a young boy, one of Judson’s first jobs was an engineer wiper in the railraod yards. Boone being one of the large centers, at that time. From letters and correspondence, we next find him form 1904 to 1908, in the vicinity of Fremont and Ord, Nebraska, as a sign writer. Following this, he is traveling with various tent shows as a trapeze performer and on a revolving ladder.

In the years of 1911 and 1912, he traveled nationwide and in Canada and Mexico on the Vaudeville Circuit. His main act, with several partners, was a ‘tramp’ act. With appropriate backdrops of a hobo camp site, beside the C.A.N. Railroad, ‘LaForce’ would draw fast sketches and caricatures with colored chalk, while his partners would sing songs. We find in press clippings that he visited nearly every ste in the United States and was in New York City in 1912.

He returned to Iowa, shortly thereafter, and was a short time in Boone before moving to Davenport, Iowa. There he was employed as a signwriter and where he met H. Mae Bendixen. She was born in Dixon, Scott County, Iowa, on May 30, 1891. Her parents were Asmus Albrecht Bendixen, born June 10, 1849, in Gelting, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and Emilie Schlesser, born in Scott County, Iowa, on February 2, 1855.

They were married in Davenport, Iowa, on April 12, 1913. Moving to Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa, later that year.

On arrival in Sioux City, he was employed, at various times, by some of the established sign painting firms. In the late 1920’s, he opened his own firm, the Royal Sign Service. One of the principal locations was on Douglas Street where the East entrance to the United States Post Office is now located.

He continued here, in the sign business until 1942, at which time he moved to Long Beach, California. While thre he was employed at Cal-Ship as a painting foreman, building and outfitting Liberty Ships.

Returning to Sioux City, he resumed his sign painting operation, until his death on August 29, 1957. His wfie and co-workers with him in business, passed away in Sioux City on July 6, 1962. They are both buried in the cemetery at Graceland Park.

Children of this couple were: Dorothy Marian, born July 8, 1914, died January 17, 1931; Ruth Priscilla, born January 2, 1916, died January 11, 1916; Robert Newton, born February 12, 1918, living as yet; Edward Donald, born March 9, 1920, served in the Arm Air Force during World War Ii, married Genevieve Johnson on May 30, 1947, adopted her two children of a previous marriage and died Janaury 21, 1953; Betty Jeanne, born on January 28, 1923, married Curtis H Buck in California, April 19, 1947 and now residing in Elk River, Minnesota.

The narrator of this biography is Robert N Force, who married on June 25, 1938, Madeline Mary Heine in Sioux City, Iowa. She the daughter of Joseph and Luise (Hess) Heine, who emigrated t o the United States form Nordrhein-Westphalen, Germany in 1910.

Childen of Robert and Madeline were: Patricia Marie, born January 21, 1940, dying that same day; Ronald Wayne, born September 7, 1941, married to JoEllen Hitch at Conrad, Iowa, on May 31, 1964. (They have two adopted daughters, Emily Louise and Alicia Marie); Judith Mae, born August 15, 1943, married February 29, 1960, to Frederick S Erbes, Jr, parents of Mitchell Leigh, Jonathan Craig and Kristen Marie. (Jonathan is married and recently became the father of a girl); Barbara Ann, born August 12, 1948=9, married Darrell F Stansbury on July 31, 1971 and their three sons are Ryan Todd, Brent Erin and Brad Alan; Ellen Louise, born July 14, 1956, married James Alan Kalkwarf on October 31, 1983 at Parkersburg, Iowa.