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Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

Biographies - 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa

Page Fifty Three

Howarth | Kelley | Patterson | G Rathbun | H Rathbun | Stern | Boeis


HOWARTH - William D. HOWARTH, was born in Harrison County in January, 1865, and has been a constant resident of the county ever since. He clerked for KILBER Bros., at Woodbine for about eight years and then formed a partnership with W. J. CALLENDER, in the grocery business. He was married to Miss Cora McGARVER, of Shelby County, Iowa, in 1884. By this union two children were born�Bessie and Harry.

Edward HOWARTH, father of our subject, was one of the early settlers of Harrison County; he came in the autumn of 1851, and settled in what is now Douglas Township. His mother died when he was a small boy and he lived with his father, Daniel HOWARTH, until he was sixteen years of age, and then went to work by the month.

Daniel HOWARTH entered one hundred and sixty acres of land in Douglas Township, which his son Edward purchased of his father in about 1866.

Edward was born in Athens County, Ohio, in 1837, and came to Harrison County with his father Daniel, in 1851. Edward married Betty C. ARMSTRONG of Harrison County, in 1864, and they are the parents of seven children�William D., Fannie B., Cora E., Sylva V., Luettie O., Albert E., and Florence M.

Mrs. Edward HOWARTH was born in Illinois, in June, 1846, and came to Harrison County, with her father's family, who located in Six-Mile Grove, where she remained until the date of her marriage.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.444-445
Family Researcher: NA
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KELLEY - James B. KELLEY, physician, surgeon and druggist at Modale, came to Harrison County in May, 1888, and located at Modale and commenced the practice of medicine. In December, 1888, he purchased Dr. Drew'' drug business and has been thus engaged ever since. He was born in Perry County, Ohio, May 30, 1859. He is the son of Henry F. and Sophia (STRAIT) KELLEY, both natives of the Buckeye State. He remained at home with his parents on the farm until he was nineteen years of age, when he went to teaching school, which he followed six years prior to coming to Iowa to locate; however, he had been to Polk County in the spring of 1882, as he attended lectures in Des Moines in the winters of 1882-83. He attended the State University at Iowa City, in the winter of 1883-84, and received his certificate from the State Board of Pharmacy. He received his diploma from the State Board of Examiners at Des Moines, in the spring of 1886. He engaged in the drug business at St. Charles, Iowa, in 1884, and was also a practicing physician until he came to Harrison County in the spring of 1888.

The Doctor was united in marriage in Polk County, Iowa, September 3, 1884, to Miss Emma BOOTH, by which marriage union one child has been born�Callie L., November 16, 1885.

The Doctor and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs to the Masonic order, having become a member at St. Charles, Iowa.

Emma (BOOTH) KELLEY was born in Jasper County, Iowa, September 9, 1863. Her mother died when she was young and when she was fourteen years of age she went to live with her brother, Dr. W. H. BOOTH, at Altoona, Polk County, Iowa, where she remained until the date of her marriage. She is a family of six children, two sisters and three brothers.

Our subject is one of a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters, he being the fourth child. He received his early education at the High School at New Lexington, Perry County, Ohio. In his political choice he is identified with the Republican party.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.435
Family Researcher: NA
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PATTERSON - J. B. PATTERSON, a successful merchant at Dunlap, will form the subject of this biographical notice. He is a native of Athens County, Ohio, born December 6, 1848, the son of Joseph and Martha (VAN PELT) PATTERSON, who were also natives of the Buckeye State, who descended from the pioneers of New England, and were of the Quaker faith. Our subject was of a family of ten children, he being the only member of the family in Harrison County. His early life was spent on a farm, and when about ten years old, his father removed to Annsville, where he engaged in general mercantile business. Here our subject spent most of his time, until he was thirteen years of age, when his father removed from New England to Athens County, Ohio. Here our subject assisted his father in a store, of which he was the proprietor.

At the age of sixteen, Mr. PATTERSON ENLISTED IN Company A., Eighteenth Ohio Infantry; and served until the fall of 1865, entering the service in October, 1863. He participated in the battles of Nashville, Tenn., FRANKLIN and several minor engagements. After leaving the service he remained in Ohio, at his old home, for about one year, and then came to Dunlap in September 1867. Upon arriving he had but $50 as his capital with which to commence life in the new country. The first six months he was in Harrison County; he worked at haying and harvesting, after which he entered the employment of R. B. HILLAS in his mercantile establishment, where he was engaged for two years, when he entered the employ of MITCHELL & BRYAN, who were also running a general store on the same lot, occupied at present by our subject. With this firm he remained eight years, and then embarked in business for himself, as a member of the firm of PATTERSON, DALLEY & Co., who carried a general merchandise stock. This co-partnership existed for six years, when Mr. PATTERSON disposed of his interest. At first they carried a stock of $4,000, but at the time our subject retired, they carried $16,000.

After being out of business three months, Mr. PATTERSON formed a partnership with H. E. McELROY. This establishment was conducted for twenty months, during which time H.C. LAUB, of Denison, had purchased the stock of the former establishment, of which our subject had been a member, and in January, 1890, H. C. LAUB and our subject purchased McELROY'S interest and consolidated the two firms under the firm name of J. B. PATTERSON & Co., Mr. PATTERSON assuming control. They carry a general stock, and have an average of $50,000 annual sales. Their store is a model of neatness, while the best quality of goods is found on their shelves. They keep a force of four clerks.

Politically, Mr. PATTERSON is a Republican, and has served his town by holding most of the local offices, and is at this time President of the School Board, where he has proven himself the right man in the right place. He is a member of SHIELD'S Post No. 83, G. A. R., also of Lodge No. 284, K. of P.

He was united in marriage in November, 1871, to Miss Maggie FERREN, daughter of Peter and Margaret FERREN. Our subject's wife was born in the old Dominion State�Virginia�and of Irish ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. PATTERSON have a family of four children�Louis J., with his father in the store; Pearl H., at home; John Leo., at home; Tessa, deceased at the age of six months; Cassius, at home.

The family are members of the St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, of Dunlap.

Remarkable indeed, has been the career of this business man, who came to Harrison County with the paltry sum of $50, but possessing the genuine spirit of industry, coupled with the fact that he was a citizen of the best country for a man of small means to rise in the financial scale, of which the history of the world is acquainted, has enabled him to take first rank among the business men of Harrison County.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.447-448
Family Researcher: NA
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RATHBUN - George H. RATHBUN, who is engaged in the dairy business and the breeding of Holstein cattle in Boyer Township, was born in Otsego County, N. Y., April 13, 1845, and has remained with his parents to the present time. He was married to Celia WHITE, in Delaware County, N. Y., October 10, 1866. His wife was a native of that county, born June 1, 1844, and remained with her parents until the date of her marriage.

In the autumn of 1860 of subject commenced a three year course at Franklin, Delaware County, N. Y., in the Delaware Literary Institute, but on account of ill-health was compelled to close after two and one-half years.

Mr. RATHBUN, in company with his father, Henry H. TATHBUN, owns one hundred and twenty and twenty acres of land on section 22, Boyer Township, which has come to be a finely improved and valuable tract of land. They also have forty acres of pasture land on section 15, and are doing a good dairy and stock business. Politically Mr. RATHBUN votes with the Democratic party. He belongs to Lodge 259, .A. O.U. W., at Woodbine, and in religious matters favors the Episcopalian Church.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.433
Family Researcher: NA
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RATHBUN - Henry H. RATHBUN came to Harrison County in the fall of 1878, and settled at Woodbine, but in the spring of 1879 moved to a forty-acre farm on section 22, of Boyer township, where he built a frame house, the upright of which was 16x 32 feet, and two stories high, and with two additions 12x14 feet. He was born in Oswego County, N. Y., September 13, 1817, and remained there until 1836, and then emigrated to LaPorte County, Ind., where he remained three years and then returned to the Empire State and remained until he came to Harrison County.

Our subject was married to Miss Morgeanna RATHBUN in Otsego County, N. Y., in 1844. She was born April 13, 1825, and remained at home until the date of her marriage. By this union one child was born�George H., born April 13, 1845.

Mr. RATHBUN is the son of Samuel and Beulah RATHBUN. The father and mother were both natives of Connecticut and reared a family of eight children�four sons and four daughters, our subject being the youngest child. One son and two daughters are living�one daughter in Kansas and one in New York.

Our subject is a member of the Masonic fraternity and politically he votes with the Democratic party.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.433-434
Family Researcher: NA
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STERN - PHILIP A STERN, a clothing merchant at Missouri Valley, came to the place in 1868, and engaged in the clothing business on Sixth Street, continuing two or three years, when the firm was known as STERN & ALTSCHULER, when they removed to Erie Street and there conducted a store until 1880, when Mr.STERN removed to Marshalltown, Iowa, where he is still engaged in trade as well as at Missouri Valley, doing a business of about $60,000 per annum in clothing and dry-goods. In September, 1891, he opened his present clothing house in the HERM Block.

PHILIP A. STERN came from Prussia, Germany, in 1866, directly to Missouri Valley, and has been identified with the business interests of the place ever since. He is a son of Abraham STERN, of Germany.

Philip was united in marriage to Miss. Gertrude ALTSCHULER, a native of Germany, in 1871, and their home has been Marshalltown, Iowa, ever since removing from Missouri Valley in 1880.

Mr. STERN is noted for his business enterprise and sagacity, as well as for his liberality, in all that goes for the upbuilding of Missouri Valley and Marshalltown.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.428
Family Researcher: NA
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BOIES - Edward A. BOIES, of Missouri Valley, came to Harrison County in 1867, and for two years made it his home at Magnolia, where he worked at the tinsmith trade. In 1869 he went to Missouri Valley, entered the employ of HARRIS & McGAVREN, hardware dealers, with whom he was associated until the spring f 1973, when CARLISLE Bros., purchased the hardware store of HARRIS & McGAVREN. He continued to work for CARLISLE Bros., until 1875, when he engaged in the hardware trade on his own account, but one year later sold out to Mr. CHEEVER, and moved to California. In September, 1876, he returned to Missouri Valley and remained one year and a half, then with his family moved to Portland, Ore., but not liking that country, again went to California, where he remained six months, and again returned to Missouri Valley. For two years he did not engage in any business, owing to ill health, but in May, 1881, he engaged in the hardware business and continued until the autumn of 1890. January 10, 1887, he formed a co-partnership with John ANDERSON, which existed until July 28, 1890, at which time our subject sold his interest to Mr. ANDERSON.

Mr. BOIES was born January 2, 1847, at Newberg, Ohio. He is the son of Jeremiah and Eliza (MOFFET) BOIES. The BOIES family is of Irish descent. Our subject's father is living at Laramie City, Wyo., at the advanced age of eighty-five years. The MOFFET family was a large one, and came from Bucyrus, Ohio. Our subject was the youngest of a family of five children�three of whom are now living. One brother lives in Woodbine, and his sister is a Mrs. SHERER, who resides at Mt. Jackson, Pa. Our subject'' mother died in 1854, and was buried at Poland, Ohio.

The grandfather BOIES was in the War of 1812, and many of his ancestors were engaged in the Revolutionary War.

Our subject's early education was received in Wisconsin. When he was about eight years of age, his father left him at a sister's, in Ohio, and moved to Wisconsin, and two years later our subject joined his father, in the Badger State. Six months later his father went to Pike's Peak. From the time our subject was ten years of age, he has made his own way through life. In August, 1864, he enlisted in Company B, Forty-third Wisconsin Infantry, and was mostly employed doing guard duty. Was around Nashville, and was in the Johnsonville fight. He received an honorable discharge in July, 1865, after which he returned to Wisconsin, remained two years, and then came to Harrison County. Politically, Mr. BOIES has always been a Republican, of the outspoken stripe. Since living in Missouri Valley, he has served as a member of the Town Council, and has always taken much interest in the general welfare of the place.

He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, and for fifteen years belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and also belongs to Lodge No. 232, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri Valley.

He was united in marriage May 8, 1872, in old St. John's, at the residence of his wife's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert McGAVREN. He married their only daughter, Mary E., an extended sketch of whose father appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. BOIES are the parents of two children�Orley M., who died when two years and a half of age, and was buried in St. John's Cemetery; and Harry, born December 20, 1882.

Mrs. BOIES is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and is a devoted Christian lady, active in every good work. She is also a member of the Woman's Relief Corps, Ladies' Aid Society, and Eastern Star.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.460-461
Family Researcher: NA
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