W. C. Pollock
The admirable qualities of thrift and industry which characterize the Scotch race are exemplified in the career of W. C. Pollock, who, by his unaided efforts has acquired an independent position in the country of his adoption and is today one of the leading farmers and stock-breeders of Crawford county.
He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, September 13, 1856, a son of John and Ellen (Cook) Pollock, both of whom were natives of Ayrshire, Scotland, where the father spent his entire life. The mother came to the United States in 1880, locating in Chicago, where she died. They were the parents of eight children, seven of whom survive as follows: John, James, Joseph, Jessie, and Ellen, all of whom reside at home in Chicago; Adam, who is living in San Antonio, Texas; and W. C, the subject of this sketch.
W. C Pollock had such educational advantages as were accessible in the public schools of Glasgow until he was fourteen years of age, when he came to the United States and made his home with an aunt who lived in Kane county, Illinois, upon whose farm he remained for two years. When twenty-two years old he came to Crawford county, Iowa, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, to which in 1904 he added another tract of one hundred and thirty-six acres, upon which he now resides, his other property lying just north of the home place. Although his original intention was to devote his time to agriculture he subsequently turned his attention to live stock and has made a specialty of raising Percheron horses, graded cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs.
For the past fourteen years he has been exhibiting the latter at county fairs and stock shows and in 1909 had the honor of taking first prize at the county fair. He purchased from S. E. Morton & Son, of Camden, Ohio, a hog named King of Colonials, and the two hogs now at the head of the herd are from this one and are called Arion Wonder No. 90509, and King of Colonials Again No. 80267. Mr. Pollock is one of the extensive breeders of hogs in Crawford county, has spent much time and study in perfecting one particular strain and for the past ten years has been laboring to secure a uniform color, in which he has so far succeeded that among a herd of sixty head there is not one that varies in shade.
In 1877, when Mr. Pollock was twenty-one years old, he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Duff, who was born in Kane county, Illinois, and was of Scotch descent. They became the parents of six children, as follows: Hattie, deceased; Mabel, who became the wife of Edward Granger, a prosperous fanner of Crawford county; Nellie, who is a school teacher of Boise city, Idaho; Joseph C, the owner of a farm in Dixon county, Nebraska; John, whose farm lies near Bloomfield, Nebraska; Ernest, who aids his father in the management of the home farm.
In politics Mr. Pollock casts his vote with the republicans and has served ten years as central committeeman. In their religious views Mr. and Mrs. Pollock are followers of the Presbyterian church. He is in every essential a selfmade man, having started with nothing and worked himself up to his present position among the successful business men of Crawford county, and he possesses the confidence and respect of all with whom he comes in contact.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.