~ Benjamin M. Failor, M.D. ~

Benjamin M. Failor, M.D., of Newton, I was born in Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio, February 21, 1831, and is a son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Moyer) Failor. His father was born in Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pa., March 17, 1799, and was the Son of Andrew Failor, Sr., a native of the same locality in the Keystone State. The great-grandfather of our subject was born on the Rhine, either in France or Switzerland, and immigrated to America about 1760, settling in Cumberland County, Pa., where he remained until death. The family adheres to the Lutheran faith and has been identified principally with the farming class.

Andrew Failor, Jr., Was a man of liberal education and a civil engineer by profession, in which capacity he was in the employ of the Government. For fourteen years he was an Associate Judge in Crawford County, Ohio, where his death occurred in 1849. He had married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Abraham Moyer, who was born in Pennsylvania, July 4, 1776, and whose father, Samuel, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War under General Washington, serving with that famous general in various campaigns, and with him spending the memorable winter at Valley Forge. The Moyer family originated in Holland, and came to America with the Mennonite Colony about 1711, settling in York County, Pa. They became one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the Keystone State.

The mother of our subject was born in Pennsylvania in 1800. She had two brothers, George and Samuel, the former of whom retained the name of Moyer, while the latter changed his to Myers. This act greatly offended the father, Abraham Moyer, who, in speaking of the matter, would say, "Myers! Myers! That is a Yankee name. I am a Dutchman, and my name is Abraham Moyer, and if that is good enough for me, it is good enough for my 'poy.'" George Moyer joined Joseph Smith, the noted Mormon leader, and but little is known of his subsequent history, except that he died in that faith; his descendants are Mormons and live in Salt Lake City. Another brother of our subject's mother, A. H., was a Lutheran minister, and was the first preacher of that faith in San Francisco, Cal.

Longevity has been a characteristic of the Moyer family. Abraham Moyer lived to be eighty, and would no doubt have lived much longer had it not been for an accident that caused his death. A sister of his lived to be one hundred and four years old. The mother of our subject attained ninety years, but at that age she fell and broke her hip, dying from the effects of the injury. One of her brothers was thrown from a stage when a very old man, breaking his neck. It became a common saying that none of the Moyers died until they were killed. They were principally Lutherans in religious belief, and for more than a century were members of the General Synod of the English Lutheran Church.

The Doctor had three brothers and four sisters. Andrew, the eldest, is living in Newton, at seventy-one years of age (1893). A. Jefferson died in 1864, aged forty years, leaving four sons and one daughter. Margaret J. married J. F. Mitchell, and died leaving one daughter, who is now the wife of Robert Winn, of Newton. Samuel, a resident of Kellogg, is a tinner by trade, and has a family of five sons. Mary married J. H. Lyday, late President of the First National Bank of Newton; she has three sons and two daughters, and has continued to reside in Newton since the death of her husband, one of her sons being Cashier of the First National Bank. Elizabeth married D. L. Fullerton, a wealthy hardware merchant of Augusta, Ga. Celia is the wife of the Rev. H. S. Cook, a prominent Lutheran minister residing in Waynesboro, Pa.; they are the parents of two daughters and one son.

Prior to the age of sixteen years, the subject of this sketch attended school at Bucyrus, Ohio, at which time he entered Wittenberg College, in Springfield, Ohio. It was his father's desire to have him become a preacher, but that profession not suiting his taste, he left the college after two years of study. Proceeding to Indianapolis, he secured a position as clerk in a drug store, where he remained for eighteen months. His leisure hours were devoted to the study of medicine, after which he studied for a time in Bucyrus, Ohio. Later he entered Jefferson Medical College, of Philadelphia, and was graduated from that institution in 1855.

Returning to Bucyrus in May 1855, the young Doctor married Miss Sarah J. Picking, a native of Adams County, Pa., and a high school graduate. Her father, Samuel Picking, at the time of her marriage was a hotelkeeper in Bucyrus. Two of her brothers, Daniel and John, became very wealthy hardware merchants. At once after his marriage, Doctor Failor hung out his shingle in Bucyrus, where he remained until the opening of the Civil War. On the 3rd of October 1861, he received the appointment of Surgeon of the Nineteenth Ohio Infantry, and was for some time on detached duty in the hospitals at Murfreesboro and in No.1 at Nashville, Tenn. He served as Division Field Surgeon at the battles of Stone River, Murfreesboro and Chickamauga, an in the winter of 1863-64 came home on a furlough. Upon his return to the army, he was, March 10, 1864, placed m charge of the Division Hospital of the Atlanta campaign, and served until April 1, 1865. During his long service he ministered to thousands of sick and wounded soldiers, and his work for humanity and his country cannot be overestimated.

After his return from the army, Doctor Failor came to Newton, Iowa, where he bas since continuously engaged in the practice of his chosen profession. He is a member of the Capital District Medical Society, the Des Moines Valley and Iowa State Medical Societies, and is now Secretary of the Pension Board. From 1866 until 1885 he was Examining Surgeon for the Government, and was again appointed to that position in 1889. Socially, he is a Mason and a Knight Templar. He is Commander of the Grand Army post at Newton, and is also its surgeon. At this writing he is Medical Director of the Grand Army Department of the State.

In politics the Doctor belongs to a Democratic family, but he early in life became a Whig, and upon the organization of the Republican Party became identified with its platform and principles, which he still supports. He has but one child, Anna, a talented lady, and one of the finest musicians of Iowa. She was educated at Hazel Dell Academy and in a private school. She is the wife Ottis Grandstaff, of Burlington, where she resides and where she is organist of the First Presbyterian Church, as well as Secretary and Treasurer of the Iowa State Musical Association. Page 277.

~ John Fales ~

John M. Fales, residing on section 15, Palo Alto Township, is one of the successful farmers of Jasper County. He owns and occupies a farm comprising two hundred and forty acres of fertile land, upon which he has erected suitable buildings and introduced all the improvements of a model estate. In connection with general farming, he engages successfully in the raising of a good grade of stock. As an agriculturist he is keen to discern every opportunity and quick to avail himself of it, and the prosperity he has attained may be attributed to his shrewd discernment, excellent judgment and strict integrity.

Born in Steuben County, Ohio, in April 1843, our subject is the son of Ellis and Julia A. (Avery) Fales, natives of New York. At the age of ten years he accompanied his parents to Wisconsin, where, a short time afterward, the mother died. Later, in company with his father and the other members of the family, he removed to Marquette County, the same state, where he remained for several years. Thence he went to Crawford County, WI, where he made a short sojourn. He received a limited education in the common schools, but did not have the advantages now offered the young.

In his nineteenth year Mr. Fales enlisted in the Union Army, becoming a member of Company A, Second Battalion, Sixteenth United States Infantry. Immediately after enlistment, February 12, 1862, he, with other recruits, was sent to the headquarters at Columbus, Ohio, whence, a short time afterward, be was ordered to Columbus, KY. There he remained in the capacity of a guard at headquarters until February 1864, when he was ordered to join his regiment at Chattanooga, TN. He participated in the battle of Buzzard's Roost, and subsequently, under the command of General Sherman, marched from Chattanooga to Jonesboro in the rear of Atlanta, being under fire most of the time. When General Sherman marched to the sea, our subject and the regular brigade were sent back to Lockout Mountain. He was honorably discharged February 12, 1865, and on account of disability now receives a pension of $l2 per month.

After the war Mr. Fales removed to Chickasaw County, Iowa, whence in 1870 he went to Jasper County, MO, and from there came back to Iowa during the following year. He resided for a time in the northern part of the state, returning to Jasper County, Iowa, in 1873. In September 1866, be married Miss Sarah J. Sisson, and they became the parents of five children, four of whom are now living, namely: Annie D., wife of Henry Metz, L. A.; Cora, wife of Charles Gibford; and Sidney M. Anson is deceased. In 1878 Mr. Fales was united in marriage with Mrs. Betsey Barker, and their union resulted in the birth of two children, both now deceased.

In politics Mr. Fales is a Republican, with Prohibition sympathies. For three years he served as Trustee of Palo Alto Township, and has also filled the position of Road Supervisor. In those offices, as well as in every position to which be has been elected; he has shown good judgment and fidelity in the discharge of his duties and obligations. In his religious connections he is identified with the United Brethren Church, in which lie has served as Steward. He has also officiated as Secretary of the quarterly conference. p. 158

~ Erwin Forbes ~

Erwin Forbes, who carries of general farming on section 17, Palo Alto Township, is numbered among the early settlers of Jasper County of 1866, his residence therefore covering a period of twenty-seven years. He was born in Steuben County, N. Y., October 3, 1844, and is the son of Moses and Abigail M. (Redfield) Forbes, who were also natives of the Empire State. The paternal grandfather was probably in soldier in the Revolutionary War. When Erwin was a lad of six summers he removed with his parents to Bureau County, Ill., locating about nine miles south of Princeton. The family was early settlers of that community. Our subject was there reared to manhood amid the scenes of pioneer life, and was early inured to the arduous task of developing a new farm. His educational privileges were those afforded by the common schools of the neighborhood. To his father he gave the benefit of his services until twenty years of age, when in February 1865, he left home to enter the services of his country, becoming a member of Company K, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry. He was at once sent to Middle Tennessee, where he was engaged principally in patrolling railroads. After the war was over he was honorably discharged, in October 1865, and immediately returned to his Illinois home.

The following winter Mr. Forbes attended school, and in the spring of 1866 he came to Iowa, locating in Jasper County. Here he settled upon his present farm and has made it his home continuously since, devoting his time and attention entirely to its cultivation. He has been very successful in his operation, and has made additional purchases of land until he now owns six hundred and eighty acres, the greater part of which is under a high state of cultivation and yields to the owner a golden tribute. He began life empty handed, and when he came to Jasper County he had only $1,000, but by industry, enterprise and good management he has steadily increased his property until he is now one of the wealthy citizens of the community. He engages quite extensively in raising fine stock, making a specialty of good grades of cattle. He also raises Poland-China hogs and a good grade of horses.

The lady who now bears the name of Mrs. Forbes was in her maidenhood as Wilda McDonald. She was born in southern Iowa, and is a daughter of William J. McDonald. Their union was celebrated February 22, 1872, and unto them have been born six children: Pearl, Eugene, Jay, Lee, Don and Ida. The children have been provided with good educational advantages, for Mr. Forbes is a stanch friend of the public schools, and in fact gives his support and co-operation to whatever enterprise he believes is calculated to prove of public benefit. Politically our subject is connected with the People's Party, but is not an office seeker. Socially, he is connected with the Grand Army post of Newton, and in religious belief both he and his wife are Baptists, belonging to the church at Newton. His possessions stand as monuments to his enterprise and labor and are the reward of a useful and well spent life. Page 288.

~ C. S. Frazier ~

C. S. Frazier, the owner and occupant of a fine farm on section 21, Washington Township, is numbered among the progressive stock-raisers and farmers of Jasper County. His estate comprises eighty fertile acres, bearing good improvements, and is devoted to the purposes of general farming. A man of marked enterprise and financial ability, in his business and social relations his energetic character and practical sagacity find ample field for exercise. He has made a specialty of stock raising, in which he has met with well-deserved success, the cattle, hogs and horses that are raised being of a high standard.

A native of Marion County, Ind., our subject was born near the city of Indianapolis, April 13, 1858, and is therefore at this time (1893) in life's prime. He is the son of Jesse Frazier, a native of Marion County, Ind., and a descendant of Scotch ancestors. Coming to Iowa in 1859, he located one and one-quarter miles west of Prairie City, Jasper County, where, six years before, he had entered a tract of land. For some time he devoted his attention assiduously to the clearing and improving of his farm, which he placed under a fine state of cultivation. He is now a resident of O'Brien County, Iowa.

The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Mary J. McGuire, and was born in Ohio, where she resided until twelve years of age. She is of Irish and Dutch descent. There were two daughters and four sons in the parental family, our subject being the eldest of the number. He was reared to manhood in Jasper County, and received a good common-school education in the district schools. The knowledge thus obtained he supplemented by a course of reading, which resulted in his securing a fine fund of information upon all general topics.

August 26, 1879, Mr. Frazier was united in marriage with Miss Ida, daughter of H. J. Shearer. Mrs. Frazier was born in Des Moines Township, Jasper County, Iowa, in 1859, and is the second in order of birth of her father's family. She is the mother of four daughters: Flossie T., Emma C., Ethel May and Mildred. About the time of his marriage, Mr. Frazier located upon the farm where he has since made his home. Here he engages in the buying, feeding and selling of stock, an enterprise in which he has met with flattering success. At the present time he has on his place sixty-one head of cattle and forty-five hogs. Notwithstanding the fact that his own personal interests have demanded much time and thought, Mr. Frazier has always been a liberal-minded and public-spirited citizen, giving his moral and financial support to all enterprises having for their object the welfare of the people around him. Politically he is a stanch supporter of Republican principles, but he has never sought office, preferring to devote his leisure hours to the quiet enjoyment of domestic happiness. He served for some time as Assessor of his township, and in various ways has proved a valuable addition to the citizenship of the community. Besides materially assisting in the development of the agricultural resources of Washington Township, he has been an influence for good as a man of sound sense, unswerving integrity and thoughtful disposition, which make him just and considerate in his dealings with others. Page 425.

~ Abner Fry ~

There are persons in every community out of health, from a great many causes. One has indigestion, another rheumatism, another liver trouble, and others suffer from their kidneys. All are anxious to find relief, but do not know where or how to seek it. The mineral springs at Colfax, Jasper County, Iowa, offer a ready cure for all these ills. These springs are no experiment, but have been tested by thousands, who have found their curative and recuperative properties almost miraculous.

Abner Fry, proprietor of the Fry Son's Hotel and Mineral Springs at Colfax, is a man who has a great amount of magnetism in his makeup, and he has hundreds of testimonials from men and women whom he has almost restored to life by the use of electrical treatment and hand magnetism. Now with the tonic aid of the magnetic water of the mineral springs he feels that hardly a case of chronic rheumatism, paralysis, dropsy or dyspepsia need go away from his home uncured. The hotel is one of the best in the city. It is situated on a hillside nearly surrounded by forests, and there are many pastime sports arranged for in and out of doors. The table is provided with an abundance of well-cooked food, and be has comfortable rooms for at least one hundred persons. Doctor Fry is a whole souled, jolly person, and if any of his guests get the blues, he can relieve them speedily.

Our subject is a native of Richland County, Ohio, born May 21, 1837, and is one of eight children born to Daniel and Nancy (Hiskey) Fry, natives of Pennsylvania. The Fry family came to America from Germany at a period long antedating the Revolutionary War, and Grandfather Fry was a soldier in the War of 1812. The Hiskey family also originated in Germany, and its members were early settlers of the Keystone State. Daniel Fry was a tanner by occupation, and shortly after his marriage moved to Ohio, where be engaged in farming for many years. From that state he moved to Marion County, Iowa, took up timberland and began at once to clear and improve it. Later he moved to Monroe, Jasper County, where he resided until a short time before his death, when he came to his son Doctor Fry's, and died here in March 1885, when eighty-two years of age. His wife survived him three years, dying when in her eighty-third year.

Of the eight children born to this couple, four grew to mature years. Margaret, deceased, was the wife of N. Caple; Charlotte is deceased; Abner is our subject, and Hattie, deceased, was the wife of Jacob Rutter. Abner Fry, the original of this notice, received but a limited education in Red Rock, Iowa, and commenced life for himself when twenty years of age. He started out in life for himself with limited means, and for a number of years followed farming. Later he engaged in general merchandising in Monroe, Iowa, but finally merged that into the grocery business. Finding that he was not succeeding very well in this, he turned his attention to the real-estate business, in which he met with fair success. He engaged in the livestock business about the close of the war and continued this until 1874. From 1874 until 1875 he was employed by the Singer Sewing Machine Company to settle their business throughout the state, and during the latter part of 1875, he was employed by the celebrated Dr. Paul Caster, of Ottumwa, Iowa. Doctor Caster was the renowned magnetic healer who erected a large sanitarium in Ottumwa. With him Doctor Fry remained for five years, and after the first year he had entire control of the sanitarium until the death of Doctor Caster in 1881. The same year Doctor Fry came to Colfax with $1,100 in cash, and for some time was employed by Mr. Mason, of the Mason House, having control of the electric department.

Soon afterward Doctor Fry was employed by a Mr. Cole, and occupied a like position for some time. In the spring of 1882 he purchased the site of his present sanitarium, then consisting of two acres, and in June of that year he began to bore for mineral water, which he struck bountifully at the depth of three hundred and fifteen feet. During the spring of l883, he commenced to erect his present handsome hotel, and subsequently bought enough land to make a nice park of ten acres, he moved into his present property and carried on the hotel until August 1884, when he sold to Mr. Sterling. In June 1885, he purchased Mr. Sterling's interest in the hotel, and made many improvements in it.

Doctor Fry was married in the year 1858 to Miss Susan Rutter, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Andrew and Susan (Gipson) Rutter. Mr. Rutter was a farmer and moved to Iowa in 1849, settling near Eddyville. He and his wife both passed away in Monroe, Jasper County, Iowa. They reared a family of seven children, as follows: Lizzie, deceased, was the wife of Jacob Hankins; Jacob resides in Rockwell City, Iowa; James resides in Boulder, Colo.; John died in the army; David lives in Adams County, Iowa; Annie is the wife of S. L. Easterly, and Susan is the wife of our subject. To Doctor and Mrs. Fry have been born four children, one dying in infancy. Those living are I. H., a physician of Marshalltown; Daniel C. and Abbie. Daniel C. Fry is a partner with his father in the hotel. He is a member of the Ancient Free And Accepted Masons. In his political views the Doctor has been a life-long Republican. p. 165.