Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 598
BRUCE C. STARLIN

The whole career of Bruce C. STARLIN, the proprietor of the Missouri Valley Granite Works, has been spent in this city. His grandfather was one of the early settlers of Harrison county and a prominent citizen of La Grange township for many years. Mr. STARLIN learned the marble cutter's trade in his father's shop and since 1906 has been managing the business which his father established in Missouri Valley. He turns out as fine monumental work as can be found in the state, and has one of the flourishing business concerns of the city.

Bruce C. STARLIN, the son of John A. and Nellie (BULLARD) STARLIN, was born in Missouri Valley, Iowa, July 25, 1880. His father was born in Athens county, Ohio, and his mother in Greensboro, North Carolina. John A. STARLIN came to Harrison county, Iowa, when he was about twelve years of age with his father, George STARLIN, who first settled near Beebeetown, in La Grange township. George STARLIN is said to have been the second man to vote the Republican ticket in that township. George STARLIN was a farmer and later moved to Missouri Valley, where his death occurred in 1884, and his body is buried in Missouri Valley cemetery.

John A. STARLIN was born on a farm and moved west with his parents, who lived for awhile at St. Joseph, Missouri, and later came by ox team to Harrison county, Iowa. In 1877 John A. STARLIN established a monument business in Missouri Valley, having learned the trade with William Thomas, who is now located at Omaha, Nebraska. He continued the monument business at Missouri Valley for nearly thirty years, retiring in the spring of 1906, at which time he turned the business over to his son, Bruce C., and went to the state of Washington, where he is now living on a claim about sixty miles north of Spokane. He expects to move to Spokane as soon as he proves up his timber claim. The other two children of John A. STARLIN and wife, John Mortin and Jessie, are living with their parents in Washington.

Bruce C. STARLIN was educated in the high school at Missouri Valley, and as soon as he left the public schools began to work with his father in the monument shop. Upon the removal of his father to Spokane, Washington, in 1906, he took complete charge of the business in Missouri Valley and has since been conducting it in a manner which shows that he is thoroughly acquainted with every detail of the business. His shop is equipped with the latest machinery and tools for doing high-class work of all kinds. He has a complete equipment of pneumatic tools and the work turned out of his shop is not excelled in any other shop in the state. He employs two men the year round and during the busy season hires extra help in order to take care of his business.

Mr. STARLIN was married April 2, 1902, to Mary Belle TERRY, of Little Sioux, Iowa, a daughter of Erastus TERRY and wife, and to this union two sons have been born, TERRY, born January 21, 1903, and Clement, born November 6, 1910.

Mr. STARLIN is a member of the Republican party, but has never taken an active part in political affairs, although he is a believer in good government and does all he can to further its interests. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member of the Izzer Society, the monument dealers' association, which was organized for looking after the interests of monument dealers. Mr. STARLIN is a wide-awake and public-spirited citizen and well represents the younger type of business men in Harrison county.

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