WXYZ

Emmet County, Iowa
Biographies
W, X, Y, Z

Unless otherwise noted, these biographies were taken from the History of Emmet County and Dickinson County Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, The Pioneer Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1917.

W, X, Y, Z

Wallace, Amanda
Weir, David
Weir, Donald
Weir, Elmer A.
Weir, George A.
Weir, Paul B.
Wertz, William
Williams, Bird
Young, Oscar N.

Additional Emmet County Biographies: A-B, C-D, E-F, G-H, I-J, K-L, M-N, O-P, Q-R, S,T,U,V. Return to Biography Index

WALLACE, Amanda

One of the oldest graves in the Armstrong Grove Cemetery contains the remains of Amanda M. [Locke] Wallace. She was buried just six years after the city of Armstrong was founded, just east of the internal roadway near the Madden Chapel. It is quite unusual for members of six generations of a family to be buried in a single cemetery, and she represented the first generation of these six generations to be buried in the Armstrong Grove Cemetery. She died in Iowa Lake Township of Emmet County on the 7th of March 1898, 63 years, 2 months and 2 days after her birth to her parents, Captain James Locke and Betsy Glidden; this occurred on 12 December 1834. She was raised near Moriah, Essex County, New York, near the western shores of Lake Champlain and near the historic Revolutionary War landmarks of Crown Point and Ticonderoga.

Amanda had one elder sibling, a sister, Laura, who was about four years older and who married James H. Barnett (son of Asa Waterman Barnet and Hannah Lamson of Crown Point, New York). The Barnett's lived their last years in Iowa Lake Township, near the Minnesota-Iowa border, and are both buried in the Tenhassen Cemetery in Martin County, Minnesota. Amanda and Laura also had two younger siblings, the first of whom was Daniel Locke, who died at the age of about one year on the 4th of July in 1836, sixty years after the founding of our nation. The second was James Locke, who was born four months later in October 1836. He lived only three years, and died on the 14th of March 1840.

Amanda's Mother passed away at the age of thirty-two on 29 March 1842, leaving Amanda, aged 7, and Laura, aged 11, without a mother. Less than three weeks later, Josiah Glidden, Amanda's uncle, her mother's brother, also died at the young age of thirty-two. As frequently happens when a young mother dies with young children to raise, a family member steps forward to assume the responsibility of raising the children. This was the case with Amanda and Laura Locke. This situation will be addressed in a later paragraph below.

Both Amanda's paternal and maternal ancestral lines are well documented and originated in England. And both lines participated in the Revolutionary War, many battles of which were waged in the immediate region where they lived.

The Charles Glidden family was first established in this country at Strawberry Bank near present-day Portsmouth, NH. His direct descendant and Amanda's maternal great grandfather, Jonathan Glidden, was a Revolutionary soldier.

The Locke family also had its origins in England and the first member to arrive in this country was William Locke, a young boy from the Stepney Parish in London, who was born on the 13th of December in 1628. He left London in a sailing vessel known as The Planter on April 11, 1635 and arrived at Boston on 7 June 1635, with other family members. He settled in Woburn, a suburb of Boston and lived his entire life there and became a Deacon of the Woburn Church. Four generations later his descendant, Abraham Locke became a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Abraham was a private in Capt. Benjamin Brown's Company, of the 37th Massachusetts Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Bond. Abraham was also Amanda's great grandfather.

By about 1810 Abraham Locke's son, Daniel P. Locke, Amanda's paternal grandfather moved to Moriah in Essex County, NY just in time to participate in the War of 1812. Here he fought in the Battle of Plattsburg, September 11, 1814, as a private, in Capt. Thomas Winslow's Company. Abraham, Amanda's mother, Amanda's two infant brothers, and other family members were buried in the Spear Cemetery south of Moriah.

Captain James Locke, Amanda's father, spent most of his formative years near the shores of Lake Champlain and became closely associated with shipboard life. Family lore reports that at one time he was master of a clipper ship that sailed to the West Indies and bought rum and then sold it for "a penny a gill" on the New Bedford wharf. He also sailed on Lake Champlain, the Great Lakes, and mastered canal boats on the Erie Canal. When he finally retired from the water, he settled in Peru Township of Dunn County, Wisconsin Territory. Here he married his second wife, Clarissa Ewer in about 1845, three years before Wisconsin joined the Union. They had eight children: Betsy A. [wife of William E. Crandall], Emily A., Emma Isadore, Francis E. [wife of Warren Ayres], Marian Amelia [wife of Dr. Franklin Drinkwine, DVM], Harriett Louise [wife of Herbert Samuel Benjamin], and Rosa Locke [wife of Edgar W. Benjamin], and an unnamed son. The youngest, Rosa, was born when James was about 58 years of age. Captain James Locke died on 31 August 1882 at the age of 77 and was buried on land that he donated as the Peru Township Cemetery, also known as the Locke Cemetery in Dunn County, Wisconsin.

After the death of Amanda's mother in March of 1842, Amanda, age 7, and her older sister Laura, age 11, were raised by two aunts, Laura [Locke] Spear, [wife of Aldin Spear] and Eunice [Glidden] Mills, [wife of James Mills]. Six years later, in 1848, James Mills obtained a contract to rebuild a sawmill on the south end of Treat's Island in the middle of the Des Plaines River, south of Joliet, Illinois in Channahon Township. Moving with him was his wife, Eunice [Glidden] Mills, Amanda, now aged 14, and Laura Locke, now aged 18, and Eunice's brother Stephen Glidden. Stephen Glidden soon purchased the mill and operated it for five years. He became quite successful and owned twelve hundred acres of land in the area.

Today, an atlas of the area shows that the land adjacent to and east of Treat's Island, is known as "Millsdale", apparently named after James Mills, and is the site of a chemical plant known as "Stepan Chemicals". It manufactures industrial cationic and anionic surfactants, synthetic soaps, and ingredients for the hair care market, as well as many others.
Some of the former Stephen Glidden holdings are on or just north of what was previously known as the "Joliet Arsenal", on the east side of the Des Plaines River. A new National Cemetery resides in the area of the Arsenal today. North, up the river a few miles is a modern day gambling Casino, which services the city of Joliet. No land bridge today is available to
access Treat's island, which appears to be abandoned.

In 1848 the nearby city of Chicago was less than twenty years old, and was growing at a very rapid rate. It was the hub of commerce for the lumber, cattle and agricultural industries of the West, which provided these commodities to the growing city of Chicago and to the cities of the East. Railroads had not yet been introduced to the area; thus in order to facilitate the movement of goods from the rich prairies of Illinois to the East via Lake Michigan, a canal was constructed from Ottawa on the Illinois River eastward ninety miles to Bridgeport, a community of Chicago. This canal, started in 1836, was named the Illinois and Michigan Canal and it passed through Channahon Township as it opened for business in 1848.

The booming economic development of this area attracted many from the East who sought to increase their wealth and position in life. One such individual was William A. Wallace, son of John and Mary Wallace, of Essex County, NY. Although he was a stonemason in New York, he found employment as a master of canal boats on the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The first record of his employment was on 21 March 1851 when he signed the toll receipt for the canal boat "Mary", as it moved through Lockport, Illinois enroute from Bridgeport to Ottawa. It is likely that Amanda met William, her future husband, as a consequence of the fact that these canal boats passed through Channahon.

Since William's parents and some of his siblings were still living in Ticonderoga in Essex County, New York, Amanda and William returned there to marry on the 8th of August 1854. Here in Ticonderoga, a Baptist clergyman named Rev. Wright, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Tift and son, married them.

Amanda's uncle, Stephen Glidden, was now beginning to accumulate considerable wealth from his endeavors back in Channahon Township in Will County, Illinois and offered William and Amanda an opportunity to return to Illinois and to assist in Stephen's farming operation. This offer was accepted and they moved to Channahon. By the end of 1860, William and Mary had started a family in Channahon, which included the following children: Eunice Elenora [Ella] Wallace [age 5], J. Levi Glidden [Lee] Wallace [age 4], Lora Wallace [age 1], and Charlotte Amanda Wallace [age 1month].

Her first daughter, Eunice Elenora, or Ella as she was called, was likely named after the aunt that raised Amanda, Eunice [Glidden] Mills. Ella later became the wife of Bertine P. Clark [son of Chester Rockwell Clark and Jane Newman]. Bertine and Ella are also buried in the Armstrong Grove Cemetery.

Another son, William Locke Wallace, was born to Amanda and William in February 1861, two months prior to the rebel attack on Fort Sumter. The events of April 1861 echoed across the land and threatened to tear the Nation apart. President Lincoln called for leaders of communities and counties to organize regiments of men dedicated to the preservation of the
Union. William Wallace and many of his friends and neighbors heard the call and enlisted at Wilmington, Illinois in the Will County Regiment on the 5th of August 1862. Lieutenant Knox mustered the Regiment at the Fairgrounds in Joliet on 20 August 1862. William was thirty-eight years of age at the time of his enlistment, but falsified his age as just twenty-eight.

The Will County Regiment became known at the Illinois 100th Volunteer Regimental Infantry and participated in battles at Stones River, Mission Ridge and Chickamauga. He was assigned to Company I as a private and served until 25 March 1865 when he was discharged at Mound City, Illinois.

Sometime after William departed for the War from Joliet on a troop train, Amanda gave birth to a child she called Bessie. Bessie never lived long enough to see her father return from the War. Amanda lost contact with William through the months and years and assumed he was dead. In order to educate her children she taught them herself in her home. As her sister
Laura Barnett and her family lived nearby, both families of children were included in the education. They had fixed up a room of her house for a schoolhouse. One day while teaching, one of the Barnett boys was restless, got up and walked around and looked out the window. Finally he shouted, "Here comes Uncle Willy! Here comes Uncle Willy!" There was William, walking down the road in a faded uniform and a pack on his back."

The following year in 1866 Amanda gave birth to their seventh child, J. Frank Wallace. While he was still an infant Amanda and William placed their household goods in a covered wagon and moved with their six children north across the prairies of Illinois and Wisconsin. William and Amanda settled on a farm on Cranberry Creek, west of Rock Falls, Dunn County, Wisconsin. [This area is immediately west of Eau Clair, Wisconsin.] Amanda's father, James Locke, was living with his second family in Peru Township at that time, so Amanda had family nearby. Amanda and William purchased the farm at Cranberry Creek from a Mr. James Swan, and lived in an old log house until 1882. Here in the old log house, Amanda gave birth to four additional children: Lillian May, Nina Etta, Edith Pamela, and Cora. Cora, her eleventh and last child lived less than a year and died on 20 September 1878. Amanda was now forty-eight years of age. In 1882 they built a new home at Cranberry Creek to replace the log house and since William was a stonemason, he built the basement.

William and his sons continued their farming operation for the next twelve years until William passed away on 27 July 1894. J. Levi Glidden [aka Lee] Wallace then continued the farming operation. William was buried in the Rock Falls Cemetery with full military honors. Amanda
then moved to Armstrong to be near several of her children who lived nearby and to be near her sister who lived in Iowa Lake Township. Among her children who were living near Armstrong were: Eunice Elenora [Ella] Wallace [wife of Bertine P. Clark], William Locke Wallace [He married Martha Graham and they lived in Fairmont], Charlotte Amanda Wallace, [She married Morris Follett. They lived at Truman, MN], and Edith Pamela Wallace [She married Clayton Follett].

When Amanda died on 7 March 1898 she was buried in the Follett burial plot beside her granddaughter, Fern Charlotte Follett, infant daughter of Edith Pamela Wallace and Clayton Clarence Follett.

Source: James M. Richmond, Naperville, Illinois, unpublished research. November 2004.

At the beginning of this biography it was stated that Amanda was the first of six generations of her family to be buried in the Armstrong Grove Cemetery. Some of Amanda's five generations of descendants that are also buried in the Armstrong Grove Cemetery include the following: Edith Pamela [Wallace] Follett, and Eunice Eleanor [Ella] [Wallace] Clark, daughters; Fern Charlotte Follett and Grace Eleanor [Clark] Richmond, grand daughters; Bert Lee Clark, grandson; Matthew Wallace Richmond, Wayne Clark Richmond, and Wilbert Walter Richmond, great grandsons; John William Richmond, great great grandson; Mary Elizabeth Grussing, great great great grand daughter; and Jay Walter Richmond, great great great grandson.

The above paragraph also contributed by James M. Richmond, This biography in its entirety was recently published in the Armstrong Journal, page 5, Armstrong, Iowa, February 9, 2005.

WEIR, David

David Weir was born October 24, 1829, in Belfast North Ireland, and immigrated to Canada as a young man. Christina Richmond was born May 3, 1832, in Ayr, Scotland, and immigrated with her family to Canada.

David Weir married Christina Richmond April 19, 1855, in Ayr, Ontario, Canada. Six children were born in Canada: William John, April 6, 1856; Samuel Brocon, May 14, 1857; Robert, February 14, 1859; David James, August 3, 1863; Matthew Richmond, September 9, 1865; and George A., July 5, 1868.

David Weir and his family moved to Iowa in 1869, and purchased a farm in Armstrong Grove Township where they farmed for eight years. This farm was sold, and the family moved to a farm near Eagle Lake. Three additional children were born: Hugh Henry, September 15, 1870; Annie Christina, April 6, 1873; and Valentine Alexander, February 14, 1877.

David Weir was a wagon maker and farmer. He was instrumental in organizing the First Presbyterian Church in Estherville in 1881, and was an ordained Elder.

Christina Weir died June 23, 1899 and David Weir died December 29, 1899.

Contributed by: James M. Richmond . Source: "History of Emmet County, Iowa, Vol. III", Compiled by the Emmet County Historical Society as a Bicentennial Project., Inter-Collegiate Press, Inc., Shawnee Mission, Kansas, 1976, pages 440-441.

CC Note: see Emmet County obituary page for obituary of David Weir.

WEIR, Donald

Donald, fourth son of George A. and Carrie Bemis Weir, was born July 30, 1901 in Dunnell, Minnesota.

He was married August 16, 1927 to Mary Elizabeth McGill, daughter of William Douglas and Martha McCartney McGill at the Lisbon United Presbyterian Church, near Sussex, Wisconsin.

Donald received his education, grades 1-6, Lincoln School, Estherville, 7 and 8th grades Emmet Township Rural school #4, Willa Van Eman teacher; 9th grade Redwood Falls, Minn, 10-12th grades Estherville, graduated 1919; Kansas State and Iowa State College, B.S. degree, 1924; Graduate work at University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin-Master of Science, University of Wisconsin, 1929, other advanced work at Drake University and University of Iowa.

Mary Elizabeth was educated at Lisbon Township rural school; high school in Waukesha, Wisconsin, graduated, 1920; B.A. Carroll College, Waukesha, 1924. Advanced work University of Wisconsin. Library training at Mankato State College and University of Minnesota.

Donald taught at Little Rock and Welton, Iowa; superintendent of schools at Lakota, Burt, Adel, and Jefferson for total of twenty five years, then textbook salesman for Prentice-Hall, Inc., for twenty years. He retired in 1967.

Mary Elizabeth was a high school teacher at Waupaca, Wisconsin, for three years; also taught in Superior, Estherville and Forest City then school librarian in Fulda, Minnesota for nine years. She retired in June, 1967.

Their residence since July, 1947 has been at 708 North Eighth Street, Estherville, Iowa.

Their children are: Dr. Donald Douglas Weir, M.D., internist, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He graduated from Adel High School, Drake University, University of Iowa Medical School and John Hopkins University. He married Donna Gail Johnson. They have three children: Shawnee, Shay, and Janna Lee.

Janice Rae Weir Weaver, is the wife of Dr. Robert Weaver, Chairman Science Department, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. Janice graduated from Estherville High School, then from Drake University with B. A. in Fine Arts. They have four children Rob, Nicholas, Laura and Lynda.

Kathleen Kay Weir Scott, wife of Gene Scott formerly of Estherville is now a Junior High School teacher in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. She is an Estherville high school graduate, with a B. A. degree in Home Economics from Mankato State College. They have two children Julie Kay and John Walter.

All three, Donald, Janice and Kathleen were good students and members of the National Honor Society.

Their hobbies and interests have been church work, Donald, an elder and deacon and Mary, all of her life in young peoples' and womens' work; Masonic, Eastern Star and Past Matrons; knitting, needlepoint flowers, various handicrafts; lapidary and collecting field rocks; for about 15 years they have collected used clothing and donated it to Indians and others in the Rapid City area, with two large shipments a year.

They are nominally Republican, but usually independent.

It would take a large volume to enumerate the important events in their lives, but these stand out; watching their children all graduate from college; watching each and a granddaughter be married; hearing Janices' children play Zuzuki violins; trips to Colorado and Black Hills; Mary's 50th Class reunion at Carroll College in 1974.

Donald had four brothers: Paul, Lynn, Gene and Lee. Mary Elizabeth had one brother, Charles.

Contributed by: James M. Richmond . Source: "History of Emmet County, Iowa, Vol. III", Compiled by the Emmet County Historical Society as a Bicentennial Project., Inter-Collegiate Press, Inc., Shawnee Mission, Kansas, 1976, pages 441.

WEIR, Elmer A.

Elmer A. Weir, son of Paul B. and Elma C. Weir, was born June 18, 1926, at Estherville, Iowa. Janice Elna Lilland, daughter of Ole and Selma Lilland, was born January 11, 1923, at Armstrong, Iowa. Elmer and Janice were married at Estherville November 27,1969.

Elmer grew up on the family farm, attended Emmet Consolidated School and graduated from Estherville High School. Janice attended and graduated Emmet Consolidated School. Elmer attended Iowa State University at Ames and graduated in 1952. He then taught Vocational Agriculture, and was a County Extension Director before returning to Iowa Lake Community College in 1968 to establish the Farm Management and Farm Veteran Programs.

He was a veteran of World War II and a member of the Iowa Air National Guard, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel with 25 year service credit.

Elmer and Janice are presently farming the home farm (Homesteaded in 1866 by great-grandfather John Crumb) with emphasis on corn production and hogs. Elmer is presently serving as a director of the Emmet County Swine Producers, Board member of the Estherville Community School District, and Emmet Township Clerk. Life member of Emmet County Historical Society and The State Historical Society of Iowa.

Children by former marriages, Gregory A. Weir, Gay Elaine Weir, Roger Edwin Burt, Barbara Jean Nelson, Bradley John Nelson.

WEIR, George A.

George A. Weir was born in Toronto, Canada, on July 5, 1867, and moved with his parents to a farm in Armstrong Grove Township in 1869. Carrie A. Bemis was born December 16, 1866, in Estherville, Iowa.

George A. Weir and Carrie A. Bemis were married September 3,1891, at Estherville.

They were parents of five sons: Paul Burton, April 12, 1892; Lynn G., June 2, 1895; Francis Gene, July 19, 1898; Donald, July 30, 1901; Lee Douglas, March 3, 1907.

George farmed several years and later was the manager of the grain elevator in Dunnell, Minnesota. He was an Elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Estherville.

George died in 1948 and Carrie died in 1958.

WEIR, Paul B.

Paul B. Weir, son of George A. Weir, was born April 12, 1893. Elma Crumb, daughter of Elmer E. Crumb was born December 16, 1895. Paul and Elma were married April 1, 1917, and one son, Elmer A. was born June 18,1926.

Paul and Elma farmed in the Estherville community all their lives, moving to the home farm in 1936. They were general crop and livestock farmers, and remained active farmers until the late 1950's. Paul died December 7, 1965. Elma lived on the farm until her death November 15, 1973.

Paul and Elma were active in the First Presbyterian Church, Paul being an Elder. Elma was Cradle Roll Superintendent for a number of years. Each had antique collection as a hobby and enjoyed many friends in this endeavor. Paul collected many bells, one of particular importance, this being the original Estherville Fire Bell, which will be placed on display at our new Emmet County Historical Society building.

Elma was an active D. A. R. member (50 year member) and was the local chapter Regent one term. She was a member of the Triple E Club of Emmet Township. Both were active in the Estherville Trail Riders and were active members of the Emmet County Historical Society.

WERTZ, William

William Wertz was well known in Emmet county and his death on 12th of November, 1909, was widely regretted and was recognized as a loss to his community. His birth occurred in Knox county, Ohio, December 16, 1839, but when seven years of age he was taken by his parents to Scott county, Iowa, where he remained until 1879. He then removed to the vicinity of West Branch, in Cedar county, and seven-years later, or in 1896, came to Emmet county, where he remained until his death. He was a man of ability and energy and his well directed efforts were rewarded by a gratifying success. He was laid to rest in the cemetery in Iowa City.

In 1870 Mr. Wertz married Miss Julia A. Waldron, who was born in Pennsylvania. Her parents, John L. and Elizabeth (Stewart) Waldron, were natives respectively of the Keystone state and of Ohio, but in 1856 removed to the vicinity of Iowa City, Iowa, where both passed away. To them were born six children and by her marriage Mrs. Wertz became the mother of five children, all of whom survive. She is a woman of fine business ability and now owns and manages the Dolliver Telephone Company. She is thoroughly conversant with the details of the business and keeps in close touch with what is being done in all phases of the work. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal and her support can be counted upon to further movements seeking the moral advancement of the community.

WILLIAMS, Bird

The Bird Williams family came to Emmet County in 1912. They moved to a farm ten and a half miles northeast of Estherville, Iowa. Bird Williams came from Illinois and his wife Carrie Messner came to America from Germany, when she was three years old. They came by train to Estherville from Madison County, then by lumber wagon to their farm.

They had eight children: three boys and five girls.

Oscar married Alice Andrews of Council Bluffs; they had one daughter, Ruth Ackerman; Oscar lives with her in Wyoming.

Walter was married to Ethel Thorp. They had seven children: three girls and four boys. They lived in California until Walter's death in 1959.

Emma was married to L. E. Rider; she lives in Omaha, Nebraska.

Helen was married to Arnold Eisenhower; they had two daughters: Alice, Mrs. George Moeckley; had a boy and a girl. Gladys, Mrs. Eldon Sabin had three boys and a daughter and Gladys and Alice live in Montezuma, Iowa.

Arnold lived in Estherville until his death in 1972. Helen still lives in Estherville.

Rachel Williams was married to Allen Morris; they had three daughters and now farm near Winterset, Iowa. Their daughters live in Des Moines.

Stroud Williams is a farmer near Winterset, Iowa. They had two sons and three daughters.

Ruby Williams died at the age of five and a half years in 1918 during the flu epidemic.

John Griffith moved a barn from Estherville to the Williams farm with teams of oxen. The Williams children walked one and a half miles to attend the one room country school, called the Reimer School.

The first tractor Bird owned was called a Bates Steel Mule. He owned a threshing machine and threshed oats and barley for several neighbors. His first car was an E. M. T. It had no doors and the steering wheel was on the right side.

The family picked corn by hand using husking pegs. They had a big garden and canned all their vegetables and fruit. They churned butter in a barrel churn. They made their own soap in an iron kettle.

The family attended the Christian Church in Estherville, driving a team of horses, summer and winter for many years.

Contributed by: Mary Lou (Ziemer) Grymyr. Source: "History of Emmet County, Iowa Vol.III" Page 447, 1976.

YOUNG, Oscar N.

The feeling of deep sorrow that spread through Emmet county when it was learned that Oscar N. Young had passed away, showed that death had removed one whom the community could ill afford to lose. His splendid qualities of manhood and of citizenship had given him high place in public regard, and his work was of substantial worth to the district in which he lived, contributing to general development and progress as well as to individual success. A native of Mahaska county, Iowa, he was born June 24, 1859, of the marriage of Amos T. and Sarah J. (Sleeth) Young, who with wagon and ox team removed from Indiana to Iowa, casting in their lot among the pioneer settlers of Mahaska county, where the father followed farming for many years. Both he and his wife lie buried at Lacey in that county.

Oscar N. Young, who was one of a family of six children divided his time between farm work and attendance at the district school until seventeen years of age, after which his entire attention was given to the work of the fields on the old home place for four years longer. On attaining his majority he rented a farm in his native county and subsequently purchased land there, which he cultivated until 1896. In that year he arrived in Emmet county and purchased a farm in Jack Creek township which at that time was a tract of raw prairie without improvements. His labors wrought an immediate transformation in the appearance of the place whereon he remained until 1905, when he removed to Ringsted to give his children the better opportunities of the public schools. In 1908 he returned to the farm but again took up his abode in Ringsted, after which he spent his winters in the city and the summer months on his farm near Winnipeg, Canada. He was one of the original directors of the Hoprig Creamery and his business judgment was a contributing element to the success of that undertaking. He was also a member of the board of directors of the Emmet County Mutual Insurance Company. His farm interests were carefully and wisely managed, bringing to him substantial success. He was a man of too great energy to be content without some business interest, and following his removal to Ringsted, having purchased a large amount of stock in the Ringsted Bank, he was elected to its presidency and so continued until his demise.

On the 12th of February, 1888, Mr. Young was married to Miss Ada B. Kelly, a daughter of John and Kathryn (Gross) Kelly, who lived in Henry county, Iowa, for a considerable period but afterward removed to Mahaska county. Her father passed away but her mother still survives. Mr. and Mrs. Young became the parents of three children: Edith, the wife of H. W. Jensen, of Ringsted; Blanche, a teacher in the public schools of Sioux Falls; and Harry L., who is a student in the Iowa College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts at Ames.

Mr. Young was a stalwart supporter of the republican party and held a number of township offices, although he was not a politician, preferring to give the greater part of his time and attention to the mange of his business affairs. Since her husband's death Mrs. Young has had the management of his interests, in which work she displays most creditable ability. She owns a half section of land twelve miles from Winnipeg, Canada, besides the interests left her in Emmet county. The death of Mr. Young occurred on the 16th of July, 1915. He was then a man in the prime of life and it seemed that he should have been spared for years to come. One of the local papers wrote of him: "He was a man of generous impulses and never forgot the hospitable ways of the pioneer. He had borne adversity bravely and enjoyed prosperity quietly. In the relations of son, brother, husband, father and friend he had met every duty and obligation. At all times and under all circumstances he walked in the well beaten path of righteousness, and from the beauty of his life one may well gain inspiration."

CC Note: Oscar Newton Young (died 20 Jul 1915 ) and wife Ada are buried in the Armstrong Grove cemetery.

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