DUANE E. KOHL

View Portrait of Mr. & Mrs. D. E. Kohl

Although of eastern birth, Iowa has during the greater part of his life been the home of Duane E. Kohl, and the state of his adoption has ever found him a worthy and valued citizen. Brought to Iowa in infancy, he has therefore grown up with the district, has watched its growth and has taken a helpful part in its further development. He was born in Pennsylvania, near Reading, on the 21st of July, 1853, a son of William and Hannah (Fetterling) Kohl, both natives of that state. The father was a farmer by occupation, and was engaged in agricultural pursuits in the Keystone state until 1855, when, attracted by the advantages offered by the west which was entering upon a period of substantial yet rapid growth, he became a resident of Iowa, locating in Jones county. There he purchased a farm, upon which but few improvements had been made and upon which stood a log house and log stable. The farm consisted of one hundred and sixty-five acres, of which only a small tract had been broken. With characteristic energy, however, he began its cultivation and soon the wild land was transformed into productive fields, yielding readily to the care and attention bestowed upon them. He became prosperous in his undertaking and continued actively in agricultural pursuits until called to his final rest on the 3d of June, 1901, having survived his wife for about twenty-three years, her death occurring in May, 1887. On June 3, 1860, all of the buildings on his farm were swept away by a tornado and although no lives were lost, Duane E. and his father were badly injured.

The family of Mr. and Mrs. William Kohl consisted of thirteen children, seven sons and six daughters, of whom six sons and four daughters are still living. Of this number three sons enlisted for service in the Civil war. D. F. Kohl, a retired farmer now residing in Lisbon, Iowa, enlisted in 1861 as a member of the Thirteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, serving for three years. Later he veteranized and served until the close of the war. He participated in a large number of important battles and took part in Sherman’s march to the sea. J. D. Kohl, who also resides in Lisbon, was a member of the Eighth Iowa Cavalry and served for two years, or until the close of hostilities. S. F. Kohl, likewise a member of the Eighth Iowa Cavalry, served until the close of the war and is now making his home in Shelby county, Iowa.

No event of especial importance came to vary the routine of life for Duane E. Kohl during the period of his boyhood and youth, which was spent on the home farm in Jones county. He attended the common schools near his father’s home, and when not busy with his text-books assisted in the work of the fields, early becoming familiar with the best methods of plowing, planting and harvesting. He remained at home, assisting his father, until reaching man’s estate, when he established home relations of his own through his marriage in Jones county, December 22, 1875, to Miss Laura Scott, who was born and reared in that county. She is a daughter of Joseph Scott, a native of Iowa, where the Scott family settled at an early day. He was a son of Colonel Prior Scott, one of the pioneers of Iowa, who was born in Kentucky on the 4th of November, 1798. Subsequently the family removed to Scioto county, Ohio, where Colonel Scott was reared to manhood, when another removal was made to Indiana. Later they returned to Ohio, where Prior Scott was united in marriage to Miss Ruth Caraway, after which he again went to Indiana, locating in Montgomery county. The year 1837 witnessed his arrival in Iowa, which was yet under territorial rule, and here Prior Scott was the first colonel of militia appointed by Governor Dodge, the first governor of the territory of Iowa. He took up his abode in Cedar county and not only was numbered among the pioneers of this district but became a well known and prominent man throughout the entire state. His son, Joseph Scott, spent almost his entire life in Jones county, where he was residing at the time of his death, June 4, 1910. His wife, who in her maidenhood was Margaret Boyles, was a native of Pennsylvania, where she was reared and educated.

After his marriage Duane E. Kohl, of this review, continued to operate the old Kohl homestead for about three years and then purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres of land in Fremont township, Cedar county. Here he remained for about three years, after which he sold out and removed to Pioneer township, where he bought a tract of one hundred and seventy acres. Upon this place he made his home for almost two decades, and in the meantime, through careful management and well directed effort, he brought the farm under a high state of cultivation. As the years passed and he prospered he added many improvements, erecting a fine large brick residence, good barns and substantial outbuildings. He set out a good grove and orchard, enclosed the fields with woven wire fence and thoroughly tilled the ground, thus making it one of the well improved and valuable properties of that section of the county. There he carried on general agriculturalpursuits and also gave considerable attention to the raising and feeding of stock, and was thus engaged with increasing prosperity until 1900, when, on the 20th of February, deciding to try the advantages of city life, he removed to Mechanicsville, where he has since continued to make his home. Here he directed his efforts to buying and shipping stock for about four years, after which he was engaged for one year in the restaurant business. For the past five years, however, he had dealt in poultry, butter and eggs, in which he has built up a most successful business and he also superintends, from this point, the operation of his farm. He has likewise directed his efforts into other channels and became one of the organizers of the Mechanicsville Savings Bank and one of the promoters of the Mechanicsville Telephone Company, of which he is now a stockholder.

As the years passed four sons and one daughter were born to Mr. and Mrs. Kohl, namely: Oscar J., a business man of Clinton, Iowa, who is married and has two children, Albro and Hazel; Joseph A., who is married and is engaged in farming in Pioneer township; Thomas D., a farmer of Pioneer township, who is also married and has a son, Glen; Alvin H., a druggist and pharmacist; and Mae, who is the wife of Fred Staab, a farmer of Pioneer township, and has one child, Mary.

Mr. Kohl is a progressive republican in politics, serving, while residing on the farm, as assessor for four consecutive years and also as township trustee for two terms. He has also represented his party as a delegate to county conventions and served on the petit jury in both Jones and Cedar counties. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the work of which they are deeply interested, and Mr. Kohl is a member of Independent Order of Odd Fellows, joining the fraternity in 1884. He has filled the chairs twice and also acted as past grand. He is also identified with the Masonic body, holding membership in the blue lodge of Mechanicsville. He and his wife are both identified with the Rebekahs, in which Mrs. Kohl has filled all of the chairs, has acted as past grand and also as delegate to the state lodge. Both are well known in social circles and have a wide circle of friends which is almost coextensive with the circle of their acquaintance. A man of good business ability, whose salient characteristics are energy, industry and perseverance, Mr. Kohl has during his business career by unremitting toil and well directed labor attained to a degree of prosperity which ranks him among the successful and substantial men of his district. At all times honorable and upright in his dealings with his fellowmen, he has proven that prosperity and an honored name may be won simultaneously, and he is now recognized as one of the respected and valued citizens of Cedar county.