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Clarence A. Pierce, one of the well known and
successful insurance men of Manchester, was born on a farm in Delhi township,
January 21, 1858, a son of Montraville Pierce, who was a native of Mount Holly,
Vermont. He left that town and for one year resided in the state of New York and
for two or three years lived in Kane county, Illinois, near Aurora. After his
marriage, which occurred in that county, he came to this county and took up his
abode in Delhi township on a farm located on the boundary line that separates
Delhi from Oneida township. After residing there for about five years he removed
to Oneida township, where he made his home for thirty years. Finally he took up
his abode in Manchester, where he lived retired until his death, which occurred
April 27, 1903. He was married in Kane county, Illinois, to Miss Barbara
Garfield, who died in September, 1893. She was a native of Mount Holly, Vermont,
and a descendant of the Garfield family, her great grandfather and the great
great grandfather of James A. Garfield being brothers. Seven children were born
to Mr. and Mrs. Montraville Pierce, those besides the subject of this review
being: Hattie, deceased; Lillie Z., a resident of Los Angeles; Edna, the wife of
W. D. Mclntosh, of Manchester, Iowa; Robert and Jennie, deceased; and Juliette,
who is a high school teacher in Los Angeles, California.
Clarence A. Pierce completed a public school
course and later spent one term as a student in Lenox College at Hopkinton.
After leaving school he engaged in farming in Oneida township and also taught
school for three years during the winter months. In 1892 he was elected
secretary of the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Association, a Delaware county
corporation, and held that office for eight years, during which time the
business of the company was trebled. In 1900 he came to Manchester and engaged
in the insurance business, in which he has since continued, meeting with
deserved success. He is a director of the Iowa Assessment Mutual Insurance
Association at Dewitt, Iowa, in connection with his Manchester business, and for
five years he was secretary and manager of the Delaware Cooperative Creamery
Company, during which time the concern met with a substantial measure of
prosperity.
Mr. Pierce was married September 16, 1888, to Miss Meda L.
Millen, who was born at Greeley, Iowa, a daughter of Henry and Sarah (Drybread)
Millen, both of whom are deceased, Mr. Millen surviving his wife several years
and passing away in Earlville in August, 1913, in his ninety first year. Six
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Pierce, namely: Angie and Alice, twins,
the former of whom is a high school teacher and the latter the wife of Cecil L.
Adams, of Ocheyedan, Iowa; Barbara, a high school teacher; Henry, a senior in
the high school; Helen, also a high school student; and Norman, attending
school.
Mr. Pierce is a republican in his political belief, and served as
a justice of the peace and was school director for twelve years, doing much in
that time to secure the best interests of the public schools. Mr. Pierce holds
membership with the Modern Brotherhood of America. He is a man who in every
relation of life has been true to the trust reposed in him, has ever met his
obligations and discharged his duties. His record is a creditable one, winning
for him high regard and placing him among the substantial and valued residents
of his city. |
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