Carroll County IAGenWeb

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY IOWA

A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement

VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1912

Transcriptions by Mona Sarratt Knight placed on this site with her permission.

Among the representative and honored citizens of Iowa is Craton Cortice Colclo, former editor and publisher of the Carroll Sentinel. He is a native of Putnam County, Ohio, born November 2, 1851, a son of James H. and Hannah J. (Cretsinger) Colclo, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter in West Virginia. The father came to Carroll County in 1856 and took up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres just east of Coon Rapids in Union township, being one of the pioneers of the county. He continued upon his farm until 1865 and then removed to Carrollton, the old county seat, where he engaged in the hotel business. After three years he settled at Carroll and followed the same line of business until his death, which occurred in 1884. His wife died ten years later. They were both consistent members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Colclo was quite prominent in politics and was sheriff of the county when the county seat was moved to Carroll, serving most acceptably for two terms. In the early days he carried mail by stage between Panora and Sioux City and acquired quite a reputation as a mail carrier. There were seven children in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Colclo, six of whom grew to maturity: Lodema, who became the wife of Dr. H. H. Hoagland and is now deceased; Eliza, who married Boone Hampton and is also deceased; Craton Cortice, the subject of this review; Anna, now the wife of W. F. Steigerwalt, of Ames, Iowa; June, the wife of A. U. Quint, of Chicago; and Flora, who married Carl Caswell and is now deceased.

Craton Cortice Colclo was born in a log cabin in Putnam County, Ohio, and was two years old when he came with his parents to Madison County, Iowa. Two years later the family moved to Carroll County where he grew to manhood. Living in Carroll since 1869, he has made his home in this city longer than any other resident. He attended the public schools and graduated in 1870, after which he went to work for J. B. Cook and received an injury to his left hand that caused him to lose the use of that member. In the spring of 1874 he entered the State Agricultural College at Ames, graduating in the same class with John B. Hungerford, in 1877. Having made a thorough preparation for a useful life, he became assistant principal of the Carroll public schools, continuing in this position two years. He was then elected county superintendent, holding this office until 1885, when he was appointed postmaster of Carroll and for four years served in that position. In the fall of 1889 he was again elected county superintendent but retired from this line of work two years later, having purchased a half-interest in the Carroll Sentinel and being associated with J. L. Powers, who is now connected with the Cedar Rapids Republican. They were together until 1889 when Mr. Colclo was elected a member of the legislature from Carroll County and served four years, being present at three sessions of that body. On the 1st of July 1906, he bought the entire plant of the Sentinel and conducted the same until August 1, 1911, as editor and publisher. Under his management the paper grew in circulation and influence and was one of the well-established democratic organs of the state.

On the 24th day of November 1889, Mr. Colclo was united in marriage to Mrs. Sadie E. (Kail) Snyder, widow of James Snyder, and a daughter of John and Margaret Kail. She was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, November 9, 1862, her parents being natives of that state. They came to Carroll about 1887. The father died in 1891 and the mother in 1908, having then arrived at the age of seventy-four years. Of their children seven are now living: Thomas B.; John F.; Inga, the wife of Harry Johnson, of Terre Haute; Virginia, the wife of J. F. Ford, of Des Moines, Iowa; Sadie E., now Mrs. Craton C. Colclo; Mrs. Wanita Wagner of Minneapolis; and Grace, the wife of E. C. Kempton, of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Mr. Colclo is not identified with any religious denomination but his wife is a member of the Presbyterian Church. He belongs to Signet Lodge No. 264, A. F. & A. M., and to Copestone Chapter, No. 78, R. A. M., of Carroll. He is active in Masonic work and also in other lines, serving at the present time as president of the Citizens' Commercial Club. Ever since arriving at the age of manhood he has been an earnest supporter of the Democratic Party and was a delegate to the democratic national convention at Chicago in 1896, which nominated William Jennings Bryan for president. His record is one of which he and his friends may justly be proud as it has been marked by progress and free from the errors into which many public men fall. Born in a log cabin, he has won recognition as a safe leader in a wide section of one of the most advanced states of the Union and that is honor enough for any ordinary individual.

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