~ Allen D. Campbell ~

Allen D. Campbell, for many years a resident of Jasper County, and a successful farmer of Independence Township, has been identified with the progress of his community through the entire period of his residence here. The farm which he owns, and upon which he engages in general farming, consists of two hundred and seventy acres, and was entered by him from the Government in 1852. Under his energetic efforts the land has been brought to a high state of cultivation, and the farm now ranks among the finest of the township.

The paternal grandfather of our subject, Allen Campbell, was born in Kentucky, and there owned and operated a farm. Removing to Indiana, he made his home in Jennings County until his death. A man of prominence there, he was elected to a number of local offices, and was active in the ranks of the Whig party. He and his wife reared a family of seven children, all of whom are deceased. Francis, the father of our subject, was born in Kentucky in 1800, and was reared to manhood in the Blue Grass State, whence he removed with his father to Jennings County, Ind., and afterward settled in Rush County, the same state. Purchasing eighty acres in the county last named, he established a home there, in which he spent the remainder of his life, passing away in 1852. A Whig in politics, he was not active in public affairs, preferring to devote his attention to his private duties.

The mother of our subject was Rebecca, daughter of Francis Jeffries, of Kentucky. She had five children, viz.: Allen D., Margaret J., Mary, James and Francis M. The eldest of the family, our subject was born in Jennings County, Ind., February 23, 1827, and spent his boyhood days in the Hoosier State. His educational advantages were meager, and his studies were conducted in the primitive buildings used for "temples of learning." Commencing as an independent farmer, he rented land in Kosciusko County, where he remained from 1849 until 1852. On the 16th of September of the last named year, he loaded his household effects in wagons and started for Iowa. He crossed the Mississippi at Rock Island, and arriving in Jasper County, bought two hundred and seventy acres from the Government, and has here since engaged in farming.

On the 12th of September 1850, Mr. Campbell was united in marriage with Miss Nancy, daughter of William Trammel, a native of South Carolina, now residing in Clear Creek Township, Jasper County. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell became the parents of six children, the eldest of whom died in infancy. The others are: Cynthia E. and Mary A., deceased; Abner B., Coral and James A. The devoted wife and mother passed away in 1885, mourned by her large circle of acquaintances, but especially mourned by her immediate family, to whose welfare she was untiringly devoted. Mr. Campbell is interested in local and national political issued, and gives his support to the Republican Party. Page 363.

~ Lewis J. Carpenter, M. D. ~

Lewis J. Carpenter, M. D. Success in any profession can only be obtained through industry and study, and the good physician must necessarily be the hardest of workers and the best of students. Jasper County is proud to number among her physicians the one with whose name we head this sketch. He is a most conscientious man, and whatever he undertakes is done thoroughly. He keeps apace with every onward movement made in his profession and presents a remarkable example of what may be accomplished by unremitting toil.

A native of Delaware County, Ohio, our subject was born to Daniel and Esther (Jamison) Carpenter April 12, 1838. The father, who was also a native of the Buckeye State, there resided until reaching his twenty-sixth year, at which time he moved to Illinois with his family, there making his permanent home. He was a carpenter by trade and followed that calling throughout life. The mother of our subject, who was a Virginian, moved to Ohio when quite young, and at her death, which occurred in 1846, left a family of five children. Our subject was a child of two and a-half years at the time of the removal or the family to the Prairie State, where the mother died in Coles County. Four years later his father again married, and removed to another portion of the state.

When young Carpenter was a lad of about twelve years, he started out in life on his own account, working on the farm until reaching his majority. Being very desirous of gaining a good education, he employed every spare moment in the study of good books, and when reaching his twenty-first year was qualified to teach school. While thus engaged, for eleven years he also read medicine, and in 1870 he began the practice of that profession. His first course of study was carried on in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Keokuk, where he attended one course. He practiced until about seven years ago, when he entered the Northwestern College at St. Joseph Mo., whence he was graduated in the spring of 1886. Since that time he has practiced in Galesburg, his field covering a large territory.

The marriage of our subject with Miss Sarah Rood was celebrl1ted September 24, 1863. Mrs. Carpenter was born in 1846, in Illinois, where she was residing at the time of her marriage. She was the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Rood, and is a most intellectual and cultured lady, winning friends wherever she goes. By her union with our subject three children have been born. Oscar O. is following in his father's footsteps and is preparing himself to become a physician; although the proprietor of a drug store at Des Moines, he very much prefers to give his time to the practice of medicine and surgery. L. W. Frank, the second son, is a prominent merchant in Buena Vista Township, Jasper County. Fred, the youngest son, is studying pharmacy in Des Moines.

In whatever community Doctor Carpenter has resided he has always taken a prominent part in the management of public affairs. Politically he is an independent Democrat, and socially is a member of the Free & Accepted Masons, and has been identified with Monumental Lodge No. 311 at Galesburg for the past three years. He is deeply interested in this organization, and at the present time holds the office of Treasurer. Mrs. Carpenter is a devoted member of the Christian Church, in the various societies of which she takes a leading part. The Doctor is widely known throughout this county and is exceedingly popular in his community. Gifted by nature with high endowments, he has cultivated these to the utmost, and his indefatigable labor has brought to him the esteem of his fellow men. Page 651.

~ Hans Carstens ~

Hans Carstens, a well-known and representative citizen of Sherman Township, Jasper County, follows farming on section 11. The record of his life is as follows: A native of Schleswig, Germany, he was born on the 29th of September, 1840, unto Henry and Margaret Carstens, who were also natives of the same locality. The days of his boyhood and youth were quietly passed in the usual manner of farmer lads. To his father he gave the benefit of his services upon the home farm until seventeen years of age, when, desiring to follow some other pursuit, he began learning the carpenter's and joiner's trade, at which he served a three years apprenticeship. He followed that business in Germany for several years before his emigration to America. He had acquired a good education in his native tongue, and was also well informed in the English language.

In the spring of 1869 Mr. Carstens set sail for the United States. He took passage on an ocean steamer at Hamburg, and after eleven days spent upon the briny deep first set foot on American soil in New York City. His destination was Jasper County, Iowa, and he at once made his way thither, locating in Newton, where he followed his trade for several years. At length, when he had acquired a sufficient capital, he purchased land and settled upon the farm, which has since been his home. He has materially improved it; making it what it is today, one of the finest farms of Sherman Township. It comprises one hundred and sixty-five acres of good land, which is under a high state of cultivation. The home is one of the most beautiful and commodious residences in tile community.

The lady who now bears the name of Mrs. Carstens and presides over this home was in her maidenhood Miss Dora Pauls. She is a native of Schleswig, Germany. They became the parents of ten children, eight of whom are now living, as follows: Hans, Dora, wife of August Craig, Sophia, wife of Christian Iske, Henry, Lincoln, Mary, Emma, Ernest; Lincoln and Bertha are now deceased. Through the winter season Mr. Carstens engages in preaching the Gospel, although he is not a member of any religious organization. He has led an honorable and upright life, and the confidence and high regard of the entire community is his. In politics he is a supporter of the Prohibition Party, and he has served as School Director. Public- spirited and progressive, he takes an active interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of the community, and is ever found in the front ranks of those enterprises calculated to prove of public benefit. He is charitable and benevolent, and the poor and needy have found in him a friend. In his business career he has met with signal success, and his diligence and good management have made him the owner of a good farm and the possessor of a comfortable competence. He loves his adopted country, and the community recognizes in him a valued citizen. Page 316.

~ Charles Charlesworth ~

Enshrined in the affections of the people of Jasper County is the name, which the subjects of this sketch bore so worthily. For many years prior to his death he resided in Palo Alto Township, with the history of which he was closely identified. He owned one hundred and twenty acres, all under good cultivation, and embellished with substantial buildings. His career was that of a good man, and his life was well rounded and honorable, illumined by the benignant light of genuine goodness. To the world and to those who bear his name he leaves the priceless legacy of a blameless and unsullied life.

On the 18th of April 1821, the home of Nathaniel and Hannah Charlesworth was blessed by the birth of a son, whom they named Charles. In the parental home in Yorkshire, England, he grew to manhood, and thence, in 1845, he immigrated to America, the voyage being made on a sailing vessel. After landing in Quebec, he came through Canada to Indiana, in company with his father, who met him soon after his arrival. He resided in Henry County until during the Civil War, when he removed to Jasper County, Iowa, and settled in Palo Alto Township. During the greater part of his active life lie followed the trade of a blacksmith, and for a number of years engaged in farming in connection with his trade. He died while in business at Newton, Iowa, September 30,1863.

On the 23d of November 1846, our subject married Miss Sarah S. Charlesworth, who was born in Maryland, May 14, 1832. Mrs. Charlesworth is a daughter of Solomon and Mary (McVicar) Charlesworth, natives respectively of England and Maryland. When three years old she accompanied her parents to Indiana, and was reared to womanhood in Henry County, where she married. She received her education in the subscription schools of Indiana, but did not have the advantages now enjoyed by young ladies, not having an opportunity to attend school after the age of eleven. Mr. and Mrs. Charlesworth became the parents of seven children, of whom four now survive, namely: Charles N., Arthur L., George N. and Coe M. On the 13th of June 1866, Mrs. Charlesworth married W. M. Kitchen, and this marriage resulted in the birth of two children: Laura M., wife of Charles McDuff, and Mary H.

In his political belief Mr. Charlesworth was independent, voting for principles and not for party. He was identified with the Presbyterian Church, in which faith he died. He was a good husband and father, an obliging neighbor and kind friend, and his word was considered as good as his bond. In his demise Jasper County lost a law-abiding and upright citizen, who by an unvarying course of industry, energy and perseverance won success in life, and deservedly received the high regard of the community.

~ James Charlesworth ~

James Charlesworth, a resident of Palo Alto Township, Jasper County, was born in Yorkshire, England, on the 29th of April 1819, being a son of Nathaniel and Hannah Charlesworth, natives of England. Reared to manhood in the land of his birth, he has from his youth been engaged in the occupation of farming. His education was gained in the pay schools of England, though the knowledge he now possesses is the result of self-culture and thoughtful reading, rather than instruction in school.

In December 1845, James Charlesworth was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Letherbarrow, who was born in England, December 31, 1820, being a daughter of Thomas and Aunt Letherbarrow, natives of England. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Charlesworth, five of whom are living, viz.: Charles, William, Merritt; Sarah, wife of William Hill, and Hannah, who married James Vance. The deceased are George, Ann, Mary A. and one that died in infancy. Taking passage on a steamboat at Liverpool in 1858, Mr. Charlesworth immigrated with his family to America, arriving in New York City after a voyage of nine days. In the fall of the same year he came to Jasper County and settled upon his present farm, in Palo Alto Township. As the result of energy and diligent effort he has acquired the ownership of three hundred and ninety-eight acres on section 27, where he engages in general farming. During the early years of his residence here, he endured all the hardships incident to a life in a new country, but notwithstanding adverse circumstances he never became discouraged. He remembers having seen Indians here, as well as numerous wild animals. Wolves and wild cats were especially plentiful, and often during the nighttime their cries could be heard by the pioneer in his lonely house as they wandered through the surrounding forests, or, growing bold, threatened to invade the frontier home.

With his wife and children to bless his home, and surrounded by all the comforts, which his untiring labors have secured, Mr. Charlesworth is passing the twilight of his useful existence. He is well known among the venerable pioneers of Jasper County, and has the regard of all who know him. His broad acres and fine farm buildings are a standing monument to his energy and perseverance. In politics he is a Republican, and his sons are also of that political belief. He and his wife are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has officiated as Steward for nine years. Page 402.

~ Lewis Clark ~

A glance at the lives of the representative men whose names appear in this volume will reveal many sketches of honorable and influential citizens who have resided many years in this county, but among them none are more worthy or more deserving of mention than Lewis Clark, who is a type of a successful Iowa farmer. His fine farm is kept in the best condition, and Mr. Clark thoroughly understands every thing connected with agricultural pursuits. He was born in Guilford County, NC, on the 16th of October 1820, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Anderson) Clark, natives of Maryland. The father was born in 1782. In 1822 the latter went to the Hoosier State and settled in Owen County. He and his family started on this journey in a cart, but this gave out and they were obliged to make the remainder of the distance on horseback and on foot. The mother died in Indiana in 1854, and the father in 1874.

Our subject was one of eight children, four sons and tour daughters, three of whom besides our subject are now living. Peter D. went to Missouri in 1844, and resides there now and is well to do; Irene married R. H. Hatcher, who died in 1883, and she is now living with our subject; and Emily, who married twice, is now living on a part of the old homestead in Indiana. Our subject grew to manhood amid the rude surroundings of pioneer life, assisting in clearing the farm, and his education was received in the common schools. After reaching mature years he worked out, receiving as compensation $8 per month, and then began working on a canal where he received better pay.

In the year 1852 be came to Iowa and settled in Polk County, near the Jasper County line. He made the journey by team from Indiana, and remained on that farm until 1865, when be sold out and located on his present property, south of Prairie City. He was married in Indiana October 18, 1840, to Miss Malinda Shaffer, a native of Indiana, and the daughter of Joseph Shaffer, who was born July 10, 1791, and who lived to be ninety-one years of age. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. Her grandfather, Frederick Shaffer, was a Virginian, and died at the advanced age of ninety-six. Mrs. Clark had two brothers and four sisters, Frederick died in Iowa October 23, 1855, and was a prosperous farmer; George, who was born April 5, 1828, went to Missouri at an early date; Lucinda, who was born June 7, 1818, makes her home with our subject; Mahala, who was born July 29, 1820, was twice married, but is now a widow and resides in Cincinnati, Ohio; Julia, who was born June 28, 1826, is now the wife of Henry Worley and lives in O'Brien County, Iowa; and Sarah, who was born May 6, 1830, is a widow and resides in Wisconsin.

To Mr. and Mrs. Clark have been born ten children, nine of whom are living. Samantha, born July 6, 1841, married Isaac L. Rerick and makes her home in O'Brien County, Iowa; Nancy E., born January 10, 1843, married James W. Stype, and lives in South Dakota; Marsaile, born February 17,1845, married William J. Stewart, and they now live in O'Brien County; Mary Ann, born December 20, 1846, married Adam Means, and they make their home in Guthrie Center, Iowa; John A., born February 8, 1849, is a farmer in Adams County, Iowa; he married Miss Martha J. Gelborough; George W., born March 20, 1851, married Miss Ellen Miller, and makes his home in Prairie City; Charles, born November 20, 1853, married Miss E. Miller and lives in Prairie City; Rosa Ellen, born February 8, 1856, has been twice married, the last time to William Donely, and resides in Prairie City; Lewis H., born April 6, 1859, married Belle Leeper and lives on his father's farm, and Winfield Scott, born March 2,1861, died June 21, 1863.

Mr. Clark has been one of the foremost citizens of his township and has accumulated a comfortable fortune. He has held a number of local offices, is one of the present Board of Trustees, and has been President of the Old Settlers' Association. During the days of slavery he was a noted Abolitionist and was a station agent on the Underground Railway. Many a poor Negro found in him a true friend. He was one of the first to join the Republican Party upon its organization, and he has been true to this party ever since. Mr. and Mrs. Clark are members of the Christian Church. He has been a Mason since 1857, and was one of the charter members of the lodge at Prairie City. p. 161.

~ W. G. Clements ~

W. G. CLEMENTS, a well-known lawyer of Newton, and formerly Attorney of Jasper County, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, near the village of Flushing, January 2, 1847. His father, John R., also a native of the Buckeye State, was the son of James Clements, who was born in Pennsylvania about the year 1790 and settled in Ohio in 1798. The family is of Scotch-Irish descent, and was first represented in America by the great-grandfather of our subject, who became a well-to-do farmer in Pennsylvania. Grandfather Clements became one of the early settlers of Ohio, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits, and also owned and operated a mill, which was one of the first erected in the state and was located on the home farm.

The Mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Malinda Ramage, and traced her ancestry to the North of Ireland. Her father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and a brother of his was a prominent lawyer and politician, serving several terms in the Ohio Legislature. Aside from these facts, we have but little information relative to the Ramage and Clements families. W. G. was the eldest of a family of six children, five sons and one daughter. The latter died at the age of twenty years. The brothers are all living, and are sketched as follows: Judge James M. is a prominent attorney at Helena, Mont., where he was on the Bench for two years; L. R. is a successful merchant of Des Moines, Iowa; O. J. is engaged in farming near Pierre, S. Dak.; J. S. is a railroad agent at Rands, in Calhoun County, Iowa.

At the age of eight years, our subject accompanied his parents to Iowa and located on a farm near Newton, where his father died November 16, 1888. His mother is still living, and makes her home in Newton. His early life was spent on his father's farm, and his primary education was obtained in the common schools and in the select school at the College Farm, near Newton. At the age of eighteen he entered Iowa College, at Grinnell, where his literary education was completed. Subsequently he followed the profession of a teacher for a time, employing his leisure hours in the study of law. After two years of study he passed an examination and was admitted to the Bar.

In 1869 Mr. Clements went to Nebraska and spent one year in that state, returning to Iowa in 1870, and locating at Prairie City, Jasper County, in the fall of that year. While there he served as City Attorney and as Mayor, in which positions he was enabled to secure the advancement of various measures for the promotion of the interests of the people. He also occupied other local offices, and for seventeen years served as a member of the Board of Education. In 1876 he formed a partnership with Hon. B. C. Ward, which connection still continues, Mr. Ward having charge of the Prairie City office, while Mr. Clements manages the office at Newton. This office was established in 1887, since which time the practice of the firm II has materially increased.

Elected Attorney of Jasper County in 1889, Mr. Clements was re-elected two years later, filling the position for four years. His service in that capacity was characterized by marked ability, and he was a terror to lawbreakers. He was reared under the influence of an Abolitionist, his father having been one of the prominent men of that party. Therefore it is not strange that be has been a life-long Republican. In his religious belief he is identified with the Congregational Church. Socially he is a Mason, being a member of the Knights Templar order. By his unaided exertions he has worked his way upward and onward until he now stands at the head of the legal profession of Jasper County. His life furnishes another illustration of the self-made and self-educated man, and his example is well worthy the emulation of the young.

The marriage of Mr. Clements occurred February 6,1871, at which time he was united with Miss Harriet I. Halferty, a native of Richland County, Ohio, and a daughter of James Halferty, who now resides in Washington County, Iowa. They are the parents of one child, a son, Frank H., who is now (1893) twenty-one years of age, and is a student in Iowa College at the present time. Page 259.

~ Conover, Levi ~

Levi Conover, the prosperous owner of a handsome estate in Lynn Grove Township, Jasper County, is held in good repute by his many sincere friends throughout the county. He is a native of Cass County Ill., where he was born June 8, 1828, to Peter and Elizabeth (Marshall) Conover.

The father was a native of Kentucky, and was born May 20, 1802. He gave his entire attention to farming, and in 1825 settled in Morgan County, Ill., on Government land. After about thirty years he moved near Decatur, and died there when eighty-three years old. His parents were Levi and Jane Conover, also natives of Kentucky, and of Dutch ancestry. They had born to them five children. Levi was a soldier in the Revolutionary War when sixteen years old, serving his country five years. The mother of our subject died when in her twenty-second year, leaving tow children, of whom Levi is the survivor. She was a daughter of James Marshall, of Scotland, and was one of a family of eight children.

Our subject was reared on the home farm, and when but twenty years old started for California with an ox team, and was five months on the way. Remaining in the Golden State about four years engaged in mining and teaming, he returned to his home in Illinois. In 1853, he came to Iowa, bought one hundred and fifty acres of land, and commenced farming. A log cabin was the abode of the family for three years, when he was enabled to erect something better. A frame structure was built, 16x32 feet, and in this they lived until 1872, when the present large and elegant house was built, having every convenience and comfort possible. Its value is estimated at $5,000. He has one of the largest and best improved farms in the vicinity, which formerly comprised over seven hundred broad and productive acres, on which are to be seen good and substantial buildings, well kept fences and all necessary farm machinery. Having divided with his children, he still owns three hundred and sixty acres.

Mr. Conover was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Mathews March 1, 1855. Mrs. Conover was born March 1, 1833, in Cass County, Ill., and died February 15, 1882. She was an active member of the Methodist Protestant Church. She bore her husband eight children, who are all living but one. Thomas J. is married to Louise Johnson, and has three children. John R. married Hannah Osborne, and their only child died at the age of two years. Laura Alice is the wife of Frank Hukill and is the mother of two children. Ida C. married William Johnson, and they have four children. Anna L., Louetta and Frank are at home with their father.

Our subject and his family are all members of the Methodist Protestant Church, and they contribute liberally to its support. Politically, Mr. Conover cast his first vote for James Buchanan, and remained with the Democracy until the war; since then he has been a strong supporter of the Republican platform and principles. Page 270.

~ Levi Cope ~

Levi Cope, who for many years has been prominently identified with the progress and development of the resources of Newton Township, was born in Cumberland County, Pa., November 22, 1831, and was next to the eldest in a family of six sons and three daughters. Of these children we note the following: George was in the engineer corps during the Civil War and died during his service. Israel served three years in the Union Army, being Corporal of the One Hundred and Seventh Illinois Infantry, but was a Captain when he was discharged; he died several years ago. William, the youngest brother, now lives in Ohio. Elizabeth, wife of J. N. Creviston, lives ill Chicago. Mary, who is unmarried, resides in Lexington, Ill. Annie married Charles Hanke, a farmer living near Lexington, Ill.

The parents of our subject were George and, Elizabeth (Heminger) Cope. The father was born in Cumberland County, Pa., in 1800, and was the son of John Cope, who was born in Berks County, Pa. The family dates back in the history of Pennsylvania to the days of William Penn. In religious affiliation they were Lutherans, and by occupation were farmers so far as is now known. The Heminger family removed from the eastern part of the Keystone State to Cumberland County, with the history of which they were identified for many years.

In 1847 George Cope removed with his family to Ohio locating at Mansfield and later settling upon a farm, receiving in the meantime a fair education in the district schools. At the age of eighteen years he commenced to learn the wagon maker's trade at Mansfield, Ohio, following that occupation for three years in that city and Bellefontaine. In 1854 he went to Connersville, Ind., and two years later removed to Clinton, Ill., where he and a brother engaged in carriage manufacturing until 1870, when he disposed of his interest in the concern.

The marriage of Mr. Cope occurred in 1859 find united him with Miss Sarah Clagg, a native of Ohio and a daughter of William Clagg, who was born in Bedford County, Va., in 1807, and is now (1893) living in the home of Mr. Cope, at eighty-six years of age. His father, James Clagg, was also born in Virginia, and was a soldier in the War of 1812. The Clagg family originated in England. William Clagg was identified with the Masonic fraternity for nearly a half-century, and was a member of the Baptist Church for three-score years. A brother of Mrs. Cope, William Clagg, was a soldier in the Civil War, serving as Lieutenant in the One Hundred and Seventh Illinois Infantry. He now resides at La Mars, Iowa. Coming to Newton in 1871, Mr. Cope soon afterward located upon the farm where he has since made his home. He and his wife have had seven children, one of whom died at the age of two years. Elizabeth married Eugene Bigelow, who is a farmer living near Harrison, Sioux County, Neb. Francis married Miss Etta Henne, and is engaged in the hardware business at Centreville, S. Dak. Mary is the wife of James B. Morton, who is a partner in the hardware business with Francis Cope. Delmer also resides in Centreville, being an employee in the hardware store of his brother and brother-in-law. Lillian, an accomplished young lady, and Maude, a bright child of eight years reside with their parents. The elder children were educated at Hazel Dell Academy, of Newton.

In politics the Cope family for several generations has affiliated with the old-line Whigs. Our subject was a Republican from the time the party was organized until a number of years ago, when he cast his lot with the Greenback Party, and later transferred his support to the People's Party. He has never been solicitous for official honors and has held no public position except as a member of the School Board. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church, in which he has been a Trustee for many years. Socially he is identified with the Masonic fraternity, which he joined in 1856. While a resident of Connersville, Ind., he was Master of De Witt Lodge and was a representative to the Grand Lodge. Page 313.

~ George Cotton ~

George Cotton, a well known and prosperous citizen of Jasper County, residing on section 15, Palo Alto Township, is a native of Yorkshire, England, and was born July 1, 1848. He is a son of Thomas and Charlotte Cotton, likewise natives of England. At the age of eleven years he was orphaned by the death of his father, and soon afterward commenced to earn his own living. He was twelve years old when he began mining for coal, in which occupation he was engaged until 1869, when, in company with his mother and sister, he emigrated to America, arriving in New York City after a voyage of twelve days.

At once after landing, our subject proceeded westward to Indiana, and sojourned in Putnam County for ten months, after which he came to Iowa. He resided in Newton for a short time, and then settled on the farm where he has since resided. As a farmer he is energetic and progressive, and has brought to a high state of cultivation the sixty-five acres which, he owns, embellishing the farm with a substantial set of buildings and introducing the most modern machinery. He exercises good judgment in the fertilization of the soil and rotation of crops, and is recognized as one of the most progressive farmers of the county.

The marriage of Mr. Cotton occurred on tile 6th of April 1875, uniting him with Miss Sarah C. Russell. They are the parents of seven children, namely: Jerome H., Mary E., Editha, Agnes G., George C., Raymond and James. The children are pupils in the district school, and are intelligent and talented. Mr. Cotton is a stanch advocate of public schools, and while serving as a member of the Board of School Directors was instrumental in promoting the interests of the common schools and advancing the grade of scholarship. His education was limited to a short attendance in the pay schools of England, and the knowledge he now possesses is the result of studious application on his part and self-culture and observation.

All the great issues of the present age have received the thoughtful consideration of Mr. Cotton, and he is one of the foremost advocates of the Democratic Party in this community. Not only in a financial sense has he been successful, but he has also gained the esteem of his associates and the regard of all with whom he has had business or social relations. His life has been such as to win the commendation of all who know him, and he is a fair representative of the energetic and thrifty Englishmen who have gained prosperity in the United States. Page 443.

~ R. B. Couch ~

The bustling towns, thriving villages and cultivated farms of Jasper County, Iowa, have so long been common objects to us, that it seems almost beyond belief that we have in our midst an honored citizen who was one of those hardy pioneers who saw this county when it was a primeval wilderness. Mr. Couch was born in Wayne, now Ashland County, Ohio, June 21, 1832, and was the sixth in order of birth of eight children born to the union of Barnabas and Clarissa (Beard) Couch, natives respectively of Massachusetts and Vermont. They settled in Ohio previous to their marriage. The Couch family settled in Ohio at an early date, and the Beards were among the first settlers of the Buckeye State.

Barnabas Couch was a saddler and harness maker by trade, and he was married in Ohio to Miss Beard, who was one of the first teachers of that state. She wall one of eight children, as follows: Acy, Calvin, Osiah; Annie, wife of Luther Freeman; Sarah, wife of John Finley; Charlotte, wife of Milton Edy; and Louisa, wife of Clark Cornel. To Mr. and Mrs. Couch were born seven children. Emily, who is deceased, was the wife of Hugh Rhinehardt; Curtis H. resides in Henry County, Ohio; Sarah, the widow of C. W. Johnson, resides in Mansfield, Ohio; Danvers S. makes his home in Colfax, Iowa; R. B. is our subject; K. G., who is deceased, was killed in the Shenandoah Valley, Va., during the war; he held the rank of Second Lieutenant of the Fifth New York Heavy Artillery; and Mary A. is the wife of Cumings Post, of Chicago, Ill. the father of these children died in Ashland County, Ohio, about 1839, and his widow died in 1853.

R. B. Couch was educated in the country schools of Ohio, and while still young learned the shoemaker's trade, which he worked at in Ohio for four years. August 12, 1862, he enlisted in Company K, One Hundred and First Ohio Infantry, under Capt. Montgomery Noble and Col. Leander Stemm. This regiment was composed of the following companies: Erie, Crawford, Wyandott, Seneca and Huron, and was mustered into service at Monroeville August 3, 1862. Our subject participated in the following battles: Perryville, Ky.; Knox Gap, Stone River, Tullahoma and Liberty Gap, Tenn.; Chickamauga, Rocky Face Ridge, Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Kingston, Kennesaw Mountain, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Lovejoy Station, Franklin and Nashville, besides numerous skirmishes. Of his regiment, seventy-seven were killed, one hundred and sixty-nine wounded in action, and one hundred and sixty died of disease and wounds, making four hundred and six in all out of one thousand and eighty-eight men and officers. Mr. Couch was never wounded, never taken prisoner and was never in the hospital. He enlisted and served as a private.

Returning to Ohio after the war, he remained in that state until 1867, when he came to Jasper County, Iowa. For two years he resided near Newton and rented land from that time until 1877, for he came to the county with little means. He is now the owner of nearly three hundred and three acres in one body, and sixty acres of timber, for which he paid $25 per acre. Of this he now has two hundred and forty-five acres under a fine state of cultivation, and his buildings are all in first-class condition. In connection with farming he raises a fine grade of stock, and all his farming operations are conducted in a thorough and systematic manner. In his political views Mr. Couch has always been a firm Democrat.

In 1852 our subject was married to Miss Mary Mallow, of Ohio, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Doukman) Mallow, who were the parents of eight children. George lives in Ohio; Mary is the wife of our subject; Stephen and Martha are deceased; Robert resides in Ohio; Jane is the wife of Jacob Everhart; Malinda, who is deceased, was the wife of John Miller; and Arramena completes the list. The parents of these children died in the Buckeye State. To Mr. and Mrs. Couch were born nine children. D. H. was born in Ohio, on the 18th of May 1853, and resides in this county; Clara E., the wife of R. E. Topper, of Colfax, was born on the 14th of May 1855; Amanda, born in Ohio September 13, 1857, married Orville Wheeler, and is a resident of this county; James B. was born in Ohio in 1859, and died in 1869 from a rattlesnake bite; Charles W. was born in Ohio in 1861; Andrew was born in Ohio in 1866; Frank and Morren (twins), were born in this county in 1868; and W. A. was born in this county in 1872. Page 622.

~ William P. Coutts ~

A successful news paper is usually representative of the people of the place in which it is located, and Its value to a community is beyond estimate. In Jasper County there are a number of papers, and they have materially aided in promoting the interests of the county in every useful way. Prominent among this number may be mentioned the Enterprise, which is published weekly at Kellogg and of which Mr. Coutts is editor.

A native of Scotland, our subject possesses the traits of industry and thrift for which the people of that country are noted. His ancestors for many generations lived and died in the "land of the thistles." His paternal grandfather, James Coutts, passed his entire life in that country, where his eyes were closed in death. The father of our subject, Adam Coutts, was born in Scotland, whence in 1875 he immigrated to America and located in Poweshiek County, Iowa, where seven weeks afterward he was called from earth. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Ellen Anderson and was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The parental family comprised eight children, all but one of whom are still living. They are named as follows: Elizabeth, wife of Alexander Beattie, of Aberdeen, Scotland: Anna, Mrs. John Souter, who died in Poweshiek County in May1875; Margaret, wife of John Lee, a resident of Grinnell, Iowa; Alexander, who follows the occupation of a stonecutter and has no fixed abode; Robert, who is a contractor by trade and resides in Grinnell, Iowa; William P., of this sketch; James, who is on the editorial staff of the Britt Tribune, in Hancock County, Iowa; and Mary, who is unmarried and resides with her mother in Pleasant, Poweshiek County.

The natal day of our subject was August 1, 1858, and he is therefore now in the prime of manhood. He was reared in Aberdeen, Scotland, and for a time was a student of a grammar school at Insch. It was during the year 1875 that he accompanied his father to America and located in Poweshiek County, where for twelve months he worked on a farm. In January 1876, he entered the office of the Montezuma Republican, where he remained for two year~, until the death of the editor. From there he proceeded to Malcolm, and did typographical work on the Malcolm Gazette, a paper that had recently been established by J. H. Duffus.

After remaining for two years on the force of the Gazette, our subject visited his native land, where for three months he remained in delightful association with the scenes and friends of childhood days. Returning to the United States, he came to Kellogg in 1880, and for eight months was on the staff of the Kellogg Post. Later he formed a partnership with J. W. Burke, and in April 1880, established the Kellogg Enterprise. The partnership lasted for six years, since which time Mr. Coutts has conducted the paper alone. The Enterprise is the organ of the Democratic Party in this section of the country, but is not partisan in opinions, aiming rather to promote the progress of the community along general lines of development.

December 14, 1882, Mr. Coutts married Miss Eva B. Wasson, who was born at Peoria, Ill., in 1858. Her father, Ebenezer Wasson, was for some time a member of the police force of Peoria, but about 1863, removed from that city to Poweshiek County, Iowa, where he engaged in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Coutts are the parents of two children: Glancha, who was born January 26, 1887, and Clifford Glen, born May 25, 1893. In his financial undertakings, our subject has been prospered, and if now the owner of a comfortable residence in Kellogg, as well as his printing office and other valuable real estate. His success is due not to fortuitous circumstances or to what people vaguely call luck, but to diligence, probity and the energetic conduct of his business affairs. He has served the citizens of Kellogg as Town Treasurer, and at one time filled the position of Justice of the Peace.

In his religious convictions he is a believer in the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church and is a member of that denomination. Page 312.

~ Capt. F. W. Cozad ~

Capt. F. W. Cozad, of Newton, was born in Lewis County, W. Va., February 17, 1827, and is a son of Jacob W. and Betsy (Beeman) Cozad. The family is of French ancestry, but the forefathers left France during the Revolution in that country and settled in Germany, from which country they immigrated to America. The name of the original emigrant or the exact date of emigration we are unable to give, but it is probable it was the great-grandfather of the Captain, who, it is supposed, settled in Virginia. The family belonged to the farming class, and in religious matters affiliated with the Baptist Church. Grandfather Cozad was born about the close of the Revolutionary War, and at the age of about nine years he and three younger brothers were one day playing not far from home when a band of Indians swooped down on them, taking them captive, and plunged into the woods with them. The youngest was so small that he was not able to keep up with the others, whom he followed, crying bitterly. To rid themselves of this encumbrance the Indians tomahawked him in the presence of the others. The names of the three who were spared were Jacob (our subject's grandfather), Samuel and Benjamin.

The boys were compelled to travel away into the Indian country, and although a party of settlers gave pursuit they were unable to rescue them. For four long years they were held in captivity and had been given up long before as dead, their family and friends thinking they had met with the same fate as the little one whose lifeless body had been found where he was murdered but a short distance from the house. After four years they learned, doubtless through a friendly Indian, that the other three children were alive and with the Indians in their country. Meantime the red men had become more friendly and the father penetrated their country and there found the long-lost boys. But four years had made a great change in the little ones. The Indians had become greatly attached to them and very reluctantly agreed to surrender them to their parents. The boys also had become attached to the tribe, and being but children when taken into captivity, had forgotten their father and mother. It was their choice to remain with the tribe, who had been kind to them, and continue the life they had learned to like, but they finally consented to return to their former home.

Triumphantly the father returned home with his sons. Imagine for a moment the joy of the mother upon once more seeing the faces of her long-lost dear ones! The eldest of these, Jacob, afterward became a wealthy farmer, owning some fifteen hundred acres of land. He was also a local preacher and a large slave owner, but at his death he gave his slaves their freedom and bequeathed them $500 each. He was twice married, his second wife being a member of the Beeman family, one of the most prominent in the Old Dominion. It is a strange coincidence that two of his sons, John W. being one of them, married sisters of his second wife, and thus father and sons became brothers-in-law.

The mother of the Captain was born in Virginia and was a member of an old Puritan family, who early removed from Vermont to Virginia. About 1831 the Cozad family settled near Lebanon, Ohio. The Captain was the eldest of three children. His brother Jacob was born in 1832, the mother dying at his birth. He afterward became a soldier in Company D, Fortieth Iowa Infantry, and died in 1863, while in active service. The sister Cecelia married Jacob B. Pifer, who died several years ago. She is now living in Virginia, not far from the place of her birth. Our subject was a child of some four years when his father removed to Ohio, and he traveled the entire distance on horseback with his mother. Upon his father's farm he grew to robust manhood, receiving limited educational advantages. At the age of thirteen he commenced to learn the trade of a blacksmith, and four years later went to St. Louis, Mo., where he secured employment in a carriage shop.

Until twenty-one years old, our subject worked in carriage shops in St. Louis, Louisville and Cincinnati, and afterward, in company with others, he established a carriage manufactory in Cincinnati. A year later, in 1849, the gold fever from California swept over the plains. He took the fever, dropped his tools, abandoned his business and sailed for San Francisco. Embarking in mining, he made some money, though he failed to secure the coveted fortune. Discerning an opportunity to make more money in other ways than mining, he opened a shop to sharpen picks for the miners. In this enterprise he prospered. Later he started a carriage shop, and he built the first buggy ever run in the streets of San Francisco.

After spending three years in California, Captain Cozad returned to Ohio with a snug fortune, which about a year later he invested in a section of land near Dwight, Ill. He also traveled through Iowa, and bought some property in Newton. He had left a large sum of money with parties in Cincinnati, through whose failure he met with heavy reverses. In 1855 he came to Newton, where he embarked in the mercantile business in company with A. K. Emerson, under the firm name of Emerson & Cozad. After two years he sold his interest in the concern, but after another two years he bought the business again, and continued to superintend the establishment until August 1862.

The excitement of the Civil War was then at its height, and our subject, closing the doors of his store, within four days organized a company of which he was commissioned Captain. This was Company D of the Fortieth Iowa Infantry. In December 1862, they penetrated the enemy's country in Kentucky and were stationed at Columbus, that state, until March 1863. They then proceeded to Paducah, Ky., and from there to Vicksburg, remaining in the rear of that place until after its surrender. After that the Captain was stationed on duty much of the time in Arkansas, until March 27, 1865, when he was honorably discharged. His health was greatly impaired from his long service, and for some time after his discharge he was not able to attend to business. Finally he embarked in the insurance business, in which he continued until 1874. He then returned to merchandising, in which he remained until December 1882, since which time he has been an insurance agent.

In April 1856, the Captain married Miss Sarah A. Scott, a native of Richmond, Va. Her father, Bennett Scott, was born in Maryland and died when she was sixteen years old, her mother having died some eight years previous. After the demise of her mother she made her home with a cousin in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she was educated. Mr. and Mrs. Cozad have had three children. Harriet C. died at the age of four years. Ida V. had the advantage of a fine musical education and is an accomplished young lady she married George B. McCulley, a merchant or Jefferson, Greene County, Iowa, and they have two children. Benjamin Bennett, our subject's only surviving son, is a druggist in Prairie City, Iowa, and is also extensively engaged in raising fine-blooded stock.

Socially, the Captain is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he bas attained the third degree. In religious belief he is identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which his wife also belongs. Born and reared a Democrat, he joined the Republican Party in 1856 and has ever since been true to the principles of that political organization. Though never an aspirant for office, he has served in various positions of trust and has been a member of the Common Council and the Board of Education. Page 350.

~ Cragan, Phineas H. ~

Phineas H. Cragan, an influential and leading attorney of Colfax, was born in Tioga County, N. Y., near the city of Binghamton, September 27, 1852. He is the son of Peter Cragan, a native of Schoharie County, N. Y., who was there reared to years of maturity, meantime learning the trade of a millwright. In 1855 he came to Illinois, and located upon a farm in Knox County, where he remained until the outbreak of the Civil War. In August 1861, he enlisted as a member of Company B, Thirty-seventh Illinois Infantry, and was promoted from the ranks to the position of Sergeant. A brave soldier, he participated in many of the most desperate conflicts of the war, and was several times wounded. He was with General Grant at Vicksburg, and at the close of the war he was discharged at Chicago.

Coming to Iowa in 1869, Peter Cragan located upon a farm near Colfax, Jasper County, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, March 6, 1888. In his social affiliations he was prominently identified with the Grand Army of the Republic. But little is known concerning his ancestry further than the fact that his father, James Cragan, was a native of Ireland, and emigrated to the United States in early manhood. During the War of 1812 he enlisted in the army, and participated in a number of the most important battles of that conflict.

The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Catherine E. Lyke, and was born and reared in New York, of which state her father Samuel Lyke, was also a native. The Lyke family is of German ancestry. The parents of our subject had a family of two sons, Charles E. and Phineas H., who are in partnership in the law business at Colfax. The younger brother, our subject, was only three years old when he was taken by his parents to Illinois, and his primary education was obtained in the schools of that state. Later he was a student in the Central University of Iowa, from which institution he was graduated.

In 1869 Mr. Cragan accompanied his father to Iowa, where he has since resided. In 1874 he embarked in the mercantile business as a member of the firm of Wilson & Cragan, and continued in that connection for three years. Afterward he turned his attention to the study of the law, and was admitted to the Bar in 1882, since which time he has conducted an extensive practice in Colfax. A pronounced and enthusiastic Republican, he has been elected to various positions of honor and trust on his party ticket. For one year he served as Mayor of Colfax, for eight years was a member of the Council, and served on the School Board for nine years. He also filled the position of Acting Postmaster for a short time.

The lady who on the 4th of July 1875 became the wife of Mr. Cragan bore the maiden name of Narcissa Jenks, and is a native of Indiana. One child has blessed the union, a daughter, Grace E.

Mr. Cragan is a stockholder in the Citizens' Bank, and is identified with other prominent enterprises of the city and county. Socially he affiliates with Riverside Lodge No. 889, A. F. & A. M. In his religious connections he is a member of the Presbyterian Church, in which he is one of the most active workers. He is endowed with a keen resolute nature, and by systematic methods has become the possessor of a competence. Page 345.

~ Rev. B. F. W. Crozier ~

Rev. B. F. W. Cozier, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Colfax, was born in Gettysburg, Adams County, Pa., on the 24th of September 1836. The family of which he is an honored member originated in Germany, and the name was originally spelled Koser. His paternal grandparents were Christian and Esther Koser. His maternal grandfather, Henry Spangler, was a native of Adams County, Pa., and a descendant of one of three brothers who emigrated from Germany to America prior to the Revolutionary War. The family was represented in the Union army during the Civil War, and one of the historic spots of Gettysburg is "Spangler's Spring," where the Confederate and Union soldiers met for water under a suspension of hostilities.

The father of our subject, Daniel Cozier, was born in Berks County, Pa., in 1801, and in his youth learned the trade of a cabinet-maker, which he followed throughout his entire active life. When a young man he removed to Adams County, and there in 1825 he married Miss Mary Spangler, who was born in that county in 1801. In 1836 he removed from the Keystone State to Ohio and located in Hardin County, near Kenton, the county seat, where he engaged at his trade for a short time. In 1837 he settled in Marseilles, Wyandotte County, Ohio, where he conducted an extensive business as a cabinet-maker until his death in 1855.

In the family of Daniel and Mary Cozier there were four sons and four daughters, all of whom reached maturity, married and reared children. They are: Amelia A., the wife of James Lumbard; Theodore S., a resident of Ohio; John H. M., who was killed in West Virginia while serving in the Union army; Anna Mary, who is the wife of George Modd, a farmer living in Wyandotte County, Ohio; Jemima, Mrs. Knibloe, deceased; Paul E., who is engaged in carriage manufacturing at Bellefontaine, Ohio; B. F. W., of this sketch; and Hester Ann, wife of Carlton Livenspire, of Kenton, Hardin County, Ohio.

The subject of this sketch is next to the youngest member of the parental family. He was reared in the Buckeye State and gained the rudiments of his education in the common schools. At the age of nineteen years he entered the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, and in 1857, at the age of twenty-one, entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, becoming a member of the Central Ohio Conference. His first charge was at Pleasantville (now McComb), Hancock County, and from there he was transferred to the church at Ft. Seneca, Seneca County. Later he accepted the pastorate of the church at Bluffton, Allen County.

In the latter part of the year 1860, Rev. Mr. Cozier was united in marriage with Miss Zelore A. Carter, who was born in Norwalk, Huron County, Ohio, in 1838. She was the fourth among six children comprising the family of William and Anna (Van Orsdall) Carter, natives respectively of Connecticut and New York. After completing her education in the seminary at Norwalk, she engaged for a time in teaching school and met with success in that profession, being a proficient and thorough instructor. Mr. and Mrs. Cozier are the parents of four children: George E., a telegraph operator in the employ of the Rio Grande & Western Railroad; Emily H., Mrs. H. C. Shaver, an editor of Moscow, Idaho; Marshall, a railroad man living in Denver, Colo., and Robert V., who is a graduate of Simpson College and also of Washington Law School, St. Louis, Mo., and who is now an attorney residing in Blackfoot, Idaho.

After his marriage Mr. Cozier resided in Arcadia, Ohio, until the breaking out of the Civil War, when he removed to Evansport, and from there went to Elmore. He enlisted in the Third Ohio Cavalry, which he served as Chaplain until three months after the close of the war. He participated in the Atlanta campaign and was for six weeks confined in the hospital at that place. He was with General Thomas in the battle of Nashville, and had some very narrow escapes both in that engagement and in other battles. He was mustered out of service at Columbus, Ohio, on the 5th of August 1865.

The next pastorates held by Mr. Cozier were at Arcanum, Clarke County; De Graff, Logan County, and Wapakoneta, Auglaize County (all in Ohio). In 1870 he came to Iowa, where he accepted a charge at Atlantic, Cass County. From that city he removed to Sioux City, thence to Winterset, and then to Boone. Later he was appointed Presiding Elder to the Council Bluffs District, then transferred to the Corning District. After holding the pastorate of the church at Clarinda, Iowa, and at Chariton he became Presiding Elder of the Boone District, occupying that position for four years. Subsequently he officiated as pastor of the Grace Methodist Episcopal Church at Des Moines for three years, and from that city came to Colfax in 1891.

In his social connections, Rev. Mr. Cozier is identified with E. D. Duncan Post, G. A. R., of which he has served as Commander. He was Chaplain of Crocker Post at Des Moines for two years, and in every place he has resided has taken an active part in Grand Army affairs. In the Masonic order he has attained the Royal Arch degree and is a prominent worker in that organization. His attention is principally devoted to the welfare of his congregation, and as pastor he has gained a high place in the esteem of his parishioners. As a speaker he is earnest, eloquent and entertaining, and such has been his success in winning the hearts of his hearers to the claims of the Gospel that it may truly be said of him, as of Goldsmith's "Village Preacher" that "those who came to scoff, remained to pray." Page 374.