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

Transcribed by Sharon Elijah November 1, 2020

Four generations of Saul family

It has been sixteen years since William C. Saul began the practice of law at Carroll and the test of time has demonstrated that he made no mistake when he decided to apply himself to the legal profession. He now enjoys a large clientage and an income that assures him of a competency for himself and family. He was born at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, December 21, 1862, and is a son James Saul. The father was born in County Wicklow, Ireland, and is of English descent, and his father, Thomas Saul, was an excise man of the English government. James Saul learned the shoemaker’s trade in his native country but, believing that America possessed advantages he could scarcely hope to find on the Emerald isle, came to the United States in 1849 and lived a while in New Jersey. Early in the ‘50s he arrived in Cedar Rapids, where he followed his trade accumulating sufficient capital to purchase land in Iowa county, upon which he took up his residence. In 1879 he removed to Crawford county and engaged successfully in farming until 1900, when he retired with his wife at Denison. He has for many years been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he was formerly an officer. Politically he gives his support to the republican party. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Maria Charles. She was born near Belfast, Ireland, and came to the United States with her mother about 1849. She was married in New Jersey to Mr. Saul, is a member of the Methodist church, and is now seventy-five years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Saul are the parents of six children: Thomas, who is engaged in the van and moving business at Fargo, North Dakota; Margaret, the wife of John McLean, a farmer of Liberty, Nebraska; James C., of Denison, Iowa, engaged in ranching in Wyoming; William C., of this review; and Henry C. and Willard A., twins, who are interested with their brother in the Wyoming ranch near Douglas.

William C. Saul attended the public schools in his boyhood and later was a student at Cornell College at Mount Vernon. He taught school several terms and for eleven years was identified with the United States railway mail service. In the meantime he had taken up the study of law under Judge F. M. Powers, of Carroll, and in 1895 was admitted by examination to the bar of this state. He has since engaged in practice at Carroll and is known as one of the most prominent members of the Carroll county bar. He has been interested in much important litigations in this part of the state and is now serving as general attorney for the American Nobles, a widely known fraternal organization of Waterloo. About 1895 he opened a set of abstract books and has since conducted what is known as the Carroll County Abstract Company. He is the owner of lands in Canada and in his business as well as his professional work has met with gratifying returns.

On the 9th of July, 1885, Mr. Saul was married to Miss Elida J. Thomas, who was born at Eagle, Wisconsin, November 27, 1862, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Thomas. The parents are living on a farm near Dow City, in Crawford county, Iowa. The family is of Welsh ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. Saul have five children: W. Irving, who is editor of The Carroll Herald of which our subject is the owner: Leslie T., who was engaged in the study of law but is now a cadet at West Point; Lois E., Donald S. and Dean F., all of whom are attending school. W. Irvin Saul was born at Denison, January 25, 1887, and married Miss Leola Williams. They have two children, Helen and Robert.

The record of Mr. Saul cannot fail to prove an incentive to ambitious young men who are desirous of accomplishing a worthy object in life and are obliged to depend upon their own exertions while doing so. He allowed no obstacles to dampen his ardor or to stand in the way of his advancement and by courage, self confidence and force of character has won a position among the acknowledged leaders in Carroll county. He and his wife are connected with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is an active worker, being a member of the board of trustees. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order, the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America and other organizations whose object it is to promote good fellowship among men. In politics he gives his support to the republican party.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~