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A glimpse into the past...
241 A glimpse into the past...
To the Bohrofen Family, Keota is truly home.
Horatio, the oldest child of James and Sarah Brock, was born at Knoxville, Illinois, November 19, 1869, making the trip to Iowa at age three. He married Matilda C. Jelly, daughter of Richard and Sarah Jelly, born October 19, 1869. They were united in marriage at Iowa City, July 30, 1897. They spent their first year together on a farm in the Lexington Community, moving to Keota in 1901. To this union three children were born: Pearl, Harry, and Blanche. Horatio was a member I.O.O.F. for 50 years, and was a Past Noble Grand. Matilda was a 25-year member of the Rebekahs. They became members of the Christian Church in 1912. They observed their Golden Anniversary in 1947. Horatio S. passed away at his home in Keota, November 6, 1955, of a cerebral hemorrage. Matilda C. passed away at the home of her daughter Pearl in Keota, January 7, 1960.
Bryson Family J. K. Bryson and wife came to Iowa in 185 [sic] from Pennsylvania. They migrated by boat down the Ohio River and up the Mississippi River to Keokuk, Iowa. There J. K. offloaded his wagon, assembled it, loaded up his possessions and drove northward along the Des Moines River to Van Buren County where he lived among his cousins and rented a farm for four years. In the spring of 1861 they bought the south half of the southwest quarter of Section 28 in 76 Township, now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Aller. Mr. Bryson went to work breaking the virgin prairie sod, putting in crops, fencing, planting a maple windbreak for his large apple orchard and began building a house. A few of the maple trees are still there. For several years the shopping was done by farm wagon at Washington, Iowa, going by the "Prairie Road" or "Timber Road." Church was attended at a country church which was along the prairie road. The early Brysons were Scotch-Irish Presbyterian. J. K. and other related Brysons became Baptists. The Baptist Church in Keota was the first church built in the town and the Brysons were charter members. J. K. served the church as a Deacon and Trustee. The family attended "Covenant Meetings" every Saturday afternoon in the church when most farmers were doing their shopping in town. J. K. ran his farm as usual raising hogs which he sold to Warren Stewart and sometimes at West Chester. He sold his fattening steers for the Chicago Stock Yards (now no longer in existence), raised his own horses, sometimes exhibiting in the Washington County Fair for which he won a blue ribbon once. He faithfully attended the World Fairs in New Orleans in 1876; Philadelphia in 1900 and St. Louis in 1904. He was a life-lon g Democrat. In 1893-1894 J. K. Bryson and Son erected the "Bryson Block" in Keota. It was a fine two-story brick building which housed the Columbian Hotel, Eaton and Holmes Drug Store on the corner and the barber shop of Sherman and Carris in the room adjoining the hotel. Mr. E. E. Neal operated the Photographic Studio upstairs for 46 years. The Long Branch is the location in 1973 of the old Bryson Block. J. K. d ied in 1909 and his wife in 1914. Both are buried in the Keota Cemetery. They had eight children. Three passed away when small. Ida Mae married Thomas Nycum; Nettie married Professor Douglas, a Professor at Parsons College, Fairfield, Iowa; LaRue married Dr. Chas. Trumbauer who practiced in Keota for a number of years about the turn of the century; Frances married Dr. Ross Crawford who practiced dentistry at Baxter, Iowa; and John married and lived in Washington, Iowa. By — Mrs. Earl Chambers
Conklin Family George A. Conklin was the son of Joseph and Martha Gano Conklin originally from Champaign County, Unionville, Ohio. He moved with his parents to Illinois when a small boy and from there to Iowa when a young man settling at Talleyrand, and a year later moved to Keota. Among the earliest residents of Keota were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Conklin. Joseph served with the Ohio Regiment in the Civil War from 1861 to 1865. Joseph was a carpenter and taught that trade to his son, George A. Conklin, who worked with him in literally building the new town; homes, stores, churches, took form under their hammers. On December 19, 1873, when Keota was little more than a year old, the first marriage to occur in the town was performed by Rev. Mr. Gortner, pastor of the Methodist Church. The ceremony took place in the hall above the Smock Wagon shop. The bride and bride-groom were Isadora Fulton and George A. Conklin. The next year when the Methodist Church was built she and Mr. Conklin were among the first to enroll as members. Isadora Fulton was born on a farm near Fairfield, Iowa, April 10, 1855. The young couple began housekeeping in one room and lived there while Mr. Conklin built a four-room cottage as a nucleus for the house which was to be their home for the remainder of their lives. They bought a lot in west Keota where they raised a garden the first summer. They expected to build there, but changed their minds before the year was over and built in the east part of Keota. Theirs was the third house in the east part of town and there was no well closer than Singmaster's barn, where they got all their water. They established themselves in a new home in 1874 and it was there that their family of six sons and three daughters were born and reared. As the family grew in size, the house kept pace. The father, building two additions, working to the completion of the original plan. Thus- the house became a home in an unusual sense. At the present time this house is owned by Mrs. LaRue (Jim) Conklin.
245 A glimpse into the past... The Conklin children were John S., Bert, Charles, Anna (Mrs. Roy White), Earl D., and Pearl (Mrs. H. B. Crawford), (twins) Eddie, Rollie, and Grace (Mrs. Archie Miller). All are deceased except Eddie, living at Fairfield, and Mrs. Grace Miller of Keota. At times the family seemed to have more than the allotted tragedies. John was extensively burned by the explosion of a gasoline stove and then later, at the age of 16, received a skull fracture and lacerated head when thrown from a horse enroute to his work in the country. Then many months were spent in confinement for the family as they suffered with scarlet fever one by one. Mr. Conklin continued supporting the family, living in the woodshed or as commonly called then, the summer kitchen, bringing in daily supplies. After Joseph's death in 1900, his son George carried on the occupation of carpentering and also did much of the architecture and drew his own blue prints for many houses and buildings in Keota. Working with him was his brother (Link) William Lincoln Conklin (the father of Mrs. Bess Lantry and the late Mrs. Alma Mound of Keota). In 1900, George Conklin the Contractor, and his crew, built the Singmaster barn located in the east part of downtown Keota. It took approximately 2 1/2 months to build the structure and it was completed the first week in August. The barn was built at the cost of $4,500. There were 78 doors and 49 windows in the building which had a hay mow that would hold 110 tons of hay. There were also living quarters in the front part of the upper story consisting of four rooms. The barn at that time was lit at night by electricity with 22 lights of 32 CP. each. The barn was built that Singmaster might have a place to conveniently exhibit their stock to those coming here for that purpose. Also Mr. Conklin constructed many or most of additional barns and buildings for the Singmasters both in town and northwest of town at what was known as Maplehurst Ranch. He built the Tom Singmaster house occupied by the John Flynn family, and Charley Singmaster house occupied by the Dr. Richard Carmichael family, and other Singmaster homes now destroyed. It would be impossible to enumerate many of the houses and buildings which are still landmarks in the town. It seems well to mention the many buildings he erected for the Stewart families, including the present site of Lagos Acres Club. His contracting work served the area within a 40-mile radius of Keota. Three of George's sons, — John, Charley and Earl — worked with their father. Earl continued the trade the greater part of his life until he went to the Harper Gas booster station. Charley continued in the trade until he retired. Today the traditional trade of George Conklin is being carried on by two grandsons, Wayne and Lyle Miller, sons of Mrs. Grace Miller. The only member of the family carrying the Conklin name living in Keota or vicinity is Clifford L. Conklin, son of Charles and Bertha Conklin. The late Charles Conklin's greatest unfulfilled hope and wish was to live to help celebrate the Centennial in Keota. A quote from an item in The Keota Eagle in about 1929: "Mrs. George Conklin says she and her husband became subscribers to The Eagle from its first issue in December of 1875 and their subscription has been a continuous one for almost fifty-four years now. There may be and probably are a few others who have taken The Eagle just as long but there is no subscriber who has been a better friend to The Eagle or a more faithful reader throughout the years than Mrs. Conklin." A great deal of the foregoing information and history was obtained from family records and articles clipped and saved from The Keota Eagle by John Conklin and handed down to his daughter Harriett Conklin of Fairfield.
Conrad Family Liborius Anton Conrad was born in 1806 at Neukirchen, Konigreich, Beiren, Europe, and came to America when he was 26 years old. He settled in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, and in 1845 was married to Rachel Macinson. Rachel was born in Pennsylvania of Danish parents in 1810, but nothing can be found as to when her ancestors came to America. Liborius and Rachel were the parents of two children—Mary Margaret born in 1847 and Liborius Anton Jr. born in 1849. Liborius Anton Conrad, Jr., came to Iowa with his family and settled on a farm north of Talleyrand in 1862 when he was thirteen. Four years later in 1866 his sister, Mary Margaret, who had never enjoyed good health, died. His father died in 1879 and his mother lived until 1896. Liborius, Jr., married Margaret Vogel, November 10, 1891. Margaret was the daughter of John and Otellea (Greiner) Vogel, and they continued farming in the Talleyrand area. They were the parents of seven children—Mrs. Frank (Mary) Osweiler, Mrs. Elmer (Otellea) Kiracofe, Liborius Anton III , Rosalie Anna, Mrs. James (Rena) Monaghan, Leo, and Mrs. Maynard (Naomi) Forwald. Two of the children survive and are residents of communities near Keota—Rena lives on a farm north of Kinross and Naomi lives in Lone Tree. Liborius, Jr., died July 16, 1924, and Margaret died May 16, 1944. The family name of Liborius Anton was passed on to the eldest son of each generation. When Liborius Anton III was born May 1, 1895, his grandmother gave him an 80 acre farm for being named in the family tradition, and she gave a comparable amount of cash to his two older sisters. The Conrad family Bible dating back to 1855 records the vital information of the family, and a family ledger lists business transactions, buying and selling of products and merchandise, employees, etc., from the family's early days in Pennsylvania. Liborius Anton III married Leona Kiefer December 26, 1917. Leona was the daughter of Nickolas and Anna (Horras)
246 A glimpse into the past... Kiefer who also descended from early residents of the Keota and Clear Creek areas. They became the parents of four daughters, and one, Mrs. James (Isabelle) Flander lives south of Keota. Liborius III and Leona farmed for several years on the family farm north of Talleyrand before moving to the Blackhawk area east of Lancaster where they continued farming until retirement in 1957. Liborius III died June 20, 1968. Leona lives in Sigourney. In addition to the daughter of Liborius III, three other f ourth generation descendants live in the Keota area. They are Mrs. James (Lillian) Coffman, Cyril Osweiler, and Mrs. Paul (Marlene) Sieren, all of whom are children of Mary (Conrad) Osweiler. There are 13 fifth generation descendants of Liborius, Sr., and Rachel Conrad that presently live in the Keota area, and one from the sixth generation—Chris Lillig, son of Michael and Jane (Coffman) Lillig. Nehemiah Newton Conrad was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Apri l7, 1839. He served in the Civil War as Private, Company B, 16th Regular Infantry, in West Virginia. He came to Iowa in 1866 and was married to Rebecca Singrnaster. February 12, 1864. She was the daughter of Charles and Eliza LeHeist Singmaster. Mr. Conrad was a retired farmer. He died Jul y 12, 1915. Rebecca, his wife, died March 29, 1910. They were the parents of five girls and one boy. Mr. and Mrs. Conrad were the grandparents of Mrs. Andy Sheetz.
Feltz Family John Rhineart came to this county from France and in August 1850 purchased a farm in Dutch Creek Township, Washington County, Iowa. When he came to this country he was accompanied by his daughter, Theresa, and her husband, John Feltz. They were the parents of six children, three of whom were born in Alsace Lorain in France. Son Firmin Feltz was the first of the children born in the United States on this farm. The second son born in the United States was Frank. He remained on the land, became president of the Rubio Savings Bank when it was organized, and retired from that position a few years before his death in 1949. Eventually the farm became the property of Francis R. Feltz, a great-grandson, of the original owner. Mr. Feltz is now a resident of Keota but the farm is still in the Feltz family after 119 years.
Flander Family Nickolas Flander was born in Sehndorf, Rheinsprovinz, Germany, September 9, 1856, the son of John and Katherine (Theobold) Flander. The family emigrated to America in 1871 when Nickolas was 15 years old and settled two miles west of Keota on the Keota-Harper road in Keokuk County. John and Katherine were the parents of four boys and three girls. One of the reasons the family left Germany was because of the strict military obligations placed on the
247 A glimpse into the past... young men at that time. In 1886 Nickolas married Anna Lutz who was the daughter of Frank and Catherine (Conrad) Lutz. Anna was born June 10, 1862, in Peoria, Illinois, and came from a family of three boys and seven girls. She and her family came to Keokuk County in 1865 and settled southwest of Clear Creek. Nickolas and Anna f irst made their home on a farm two and one-half miles south of Keota before buying the farm in 1894 that is still owned by members of the Flander family. They purchased 320 acres of flat marshy ground at a time when the most desirable farms were rolling because of the drainage problem. Their ground had to be tiled, but once that was done it developed into a most productive farm. Nickol as remained on the farm until his death February 8, 1924, and Anna stayed until 1929 when she moved into her home in Keota, living there until a few years before her death March 21, 1959. Nickolas and Anna were the parents of ten children—Mrs. Pete (Katie) Hammen, William, Edward, Mrs. Wynn (Margaret) Gretter, John, Mrs. Edd (Burga) Peiffer, Mrs. Carl (Mary) Foster, Frank, Mrs. Vera Jackson, and Mrs. Bob (Elizabeth) Singmaster. Five of the children survive—Mary and Vera live in Riverside, California, while Burga, Frank, and Elizabeth are residents of the Keota area. In 1943 Anna sold her farm to two of her sons, John and Frank, both of whom had been renting from her since the death of their father, John taking the east half of the farm and Frank the west half. Frank and his wife, M. Lillian (Singmaster) still live on the home place, having changed it somewhat by the construction of new out buildings through the years, and in 1951 they built a new home. Their farmstead was featured on the 1962 Iowa map published by the Iowa Highway Commission, and their home was pictured in Successful Farming Magazine in 1954. After their marriage, Frank and Lillian were kept very busy farming the Flander farm and also land Lillian had inherited from her father, Thomas Singmaster. Frank and Lillian are the parents of three children—Jo Ellen is married to Richard Cruse, has six children, and lives in Fresno, California; James is married to Isabelle (Conrad), has four living children—Murray, Gary, Randy, and Melinda and one deceased daughter Victoria, and lives south of Keota; Thomas was born December 10, 1937, and was killed in an auto crash September 22, 1962.
Frank Family The town of Paris (Valley) in Dutch Creek Township was laid out by Eleazar Kincade (who donated the land) while Iowa was still a territory. Marcus Hull, surveyor of Washington County, territory of Iowa, surveyed and platted the town on April 23, 1846. The first building was a blacksmith shop built by George Frank who was born in 1821. He married Margaretta Triebel who was born November 3, 1828, in Suhl, Germany, and came with her parents to America, to Dutch Creek Township, Washington County, Iowa. In the year 1849 they moved to Paris, later known as Valley, Iowa. Mrs. Frank was the only member of the St. Paul's Church present at the dedication of the first church building of the congregation in 1857. Mr. Frank died in 1874 and Mrs. Frank in 1909. They were the parents of 13 children. Mr. Frank made many of his own tools; hammers and nails. He also made plows, wagons, horseshoes, oxen shoes, etc. During the gold rush to California in 1849, the people had trouble getting wagons that were strong enough to cross the desert. The dry hot sand would dry the wood and make them rot and fall to pieces. Mr. Frank made a wagon which withstood the dry hot sands and it was the only one of the caravan that reached the gold fields all intact. The Indians stopped the caravan, rummaged through their belongings, slitthe feather-beds and after scattering the feathers they let them go on unharmed. Mr. Shipley had a store and saloon in the building just north of the church. Other stores were owned by Jim Jenks and William Hollingsworth. Henry V. Frank, son of George and Margaretta, was born March 11, 1863. He married Eliza Conrad in July 1887 and she died one year later. He then married Cora B. Conrad, December 27, 1893. She died December 24, 1901. They were both daughters of Newton Conrad and Rebecca Singmaster. Henry Frank bought the Christian Church building and started in the grocery business while he was going over the country giving music lessons. He bought a barrel of oil and a few sacks of f lour and kept adding to his stock until he had a general merchandise business started. He managed the grocery store for over 50 years. The post office was located in the store. Some of the post-masters were: Charles Singmaster, Frank Singmaster, Mort Young, John Frank. Henry was assistant postmaster until his brother John moved away. Henry then was appointed postmaster on May 5, 1885, by William F. Vilas, Postmaster General.
Greiner Family
Mr. Fred Greiner Sr. purchased a farm seven miles south of Keota in Clear Creek Township in 1854 from the government. After his death his son, Fred Greiner, Jr., became the owner of the land and at his death his son, William J. Greiner, became the owner. He still lives on the same farm making a total of 119 years that this farm has been in the same family.
248 A glimpse into the past... Gregory Family
Hammes Family Peter Hammes, born in Fryen, Germany, came to the United States with his father, four sisters and five brothers in 1868. His mother passed away a few weeks before leaving Germany. An older brother, Nick, came a year earlier. The family located one mile north-west of SS. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church, Clear Creek Township. Most of the children located in the western part of Iowa, with the exception of Nick and wife, Kate (Bohr) who located on the Hammes homestead. Jake and wife, Mary (Weber), owned and ran a shoe store in Keota for a number of years, later moving to Terril, Iowa, to continue his shoe business there. Peter and wife, Anna (Buch), lived on several farms locating six miles south of Harper. They became parents of 11 children: Lena (Mrs. Pete Greiner); Katie died in infancy; Nick; Constant; Pete; Anna (Mrs. Jake Vogel); Mathias; Mike; Cecelia (Mrs. Mike A. Hammes); Zeno and Margaret (Mrs. Walter Reed). Constant P., besides farming, also was a carpenter. One of the f irst houses he built was the Charles Kreger home south of Keota in 1906. He boarded at the American Boarding House in Keota, now the location of McNurlen Produce. He drove a pair of buckskin ponies hitched to a spring wagon or "Democrat" as it was called in those days. Constant, with his four men that were working for him, Sam Grabner, Frank Vogel, Will and Mike Hammes, drove back and forth to work. The ponies were put up at night at the livery stable in Keota and fed during the day at Kregers.
249 A glimpse into the past... Jake Hammes, whose shoe store was located where Central Cafe is now, made leather shoes and boots besides the ready-made footwear. He sold many shoes on credit and for payment from one of his creditors he became the owner of the buckskin ponies mentioned above, which he sold to his brother Peter. These were the ponies C.P. (as he was often called) drove to work. C.P. has built many homes and farm buildings in and around Keota. Mrs. Walter Reed and Paul Hammes are descendants living in Keota. By Mrs. Walter (Margaret) Reed
Hanno Prentice Newton Family Hanno Prentice Newton was born September 17, 1838, at Hinsdale, New Hampshire, and passed away at his home in Keota, Iowa, January 22, 1929, at the age of 90 years. He was the only child of Hosea Newton and Mary Ann Fisk Newton. In 1856, when he was 18 years old he came with his parents to Lafayette Township, Keokuk County, Iowa, and settled on a tract of land of 160 A. which his father had purchased from the government and located one mile west of the town of Keota. The nearest points were Talleyrand on the stage route to the south and Lafayette Center on the north. For anything to buy as common purchases, trips were made to Iowa City and Burlington. Neighbors helped them raise the barn the first fall and the family lived in the barn through the winter. In the spring a house was built from hewn logs being used for the frame work. The finishing lumber was from Iowa City. His father was an expert cabinet maker. Some of the neighbors were the Wilsons, Battersons, Shermans, Aliens, Wilkins, DeBerards, Carrises, Gilberts and the McClouds. He recorded his own marriage to Maria DeBerard on Wednesday, February 5, 1862. The first rails for the railroad were laid in this county February 8, 1872. H. P. and his Father H. N. and J. Sherman were on hand to have the honor of fastening the first rails. On February 26th Mr. Newton took a ride on the new cars over the new Clear Creek Bridge. The entire family was on hand to hear Reverend D. V. Smock deliver the first sermon preached in Keota. In 1896 Mr. and Mrs. Newton retired from the farm and moved to Keota. He was appointed Postmaster and served for several years. He also conducted an insurance business and was secretary of the Keokuk County Farmers Mutual Insurance Association for 34 years, relinquishing that position in 1921 to George Lyle, whom he had recently taken into partnership. He was a faithful member of the Methodist Church from the time it was organized. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge in Talleyrand in 1864 and in 1865 became a Charter Member of the Keota Lodge being the last Charter Member to survive. He was a Master for two years and Secretary for 28 years; also a Charter Member of the Order of the Eastern Star, and secretary of Star for three years, Worthy Patron for three years. Athe [sic] age 86 he joined the Harned Chapter, Royal Arch Masons at Richland. He was a long-time member of the Odd Fellows and held all the principal offices of that Lodge. His wife died in 1904.
Heisdorffer Family In 1866, the late Michael Heisdorffer was married to Margaret Baker. They began housekeeping on a farm five miles southwest of Keota in a log cabin. Later in 1872 a house was built at the cost of $800.00. In 1903 a son, Michael A. Heisdorffer, was married to Mary A. Redlinger, and they began the second generation to farm the land and to occupy the home. They later remodeled and added to the home, but today five of the original rooms still remain. M. A. Heisdorffer and his seven children were all born in this home. His children: Harry, Alvie, Edward , Milo, Leo, Gertrude and Valburga, are all residing in the Keota-Washington, area. For 70 years Mr. Heisdorffer farmed and lived on the same place, until he retired and moved to Keota. He sold the farm to his son, Leo W. Heisdorffer, and his wife, Dorothy. This began the third generation to farm the land and occupy the home. The fourth generation to live in the home are their children: Mike, Tom, Steve, Mary Pat. The sons are farming the four-generation farm. By Valburga Heisdorffer
Henderson Family The first "Squire" Henderson set foot on North America alongside of Henry Hudson, accompanying him in the small vessel, making the precarious crossing in the year of 1610. For the next 200 years this family grew and filled its part in colonization and several westward movements that took place at this time. In the ensuing years the Henderson name came west to Madison County, Ohio, with a group of settlers looking for more room to grow and prosper. On October 8, 1855, H.T.D. Henderson was born to the parents of William W. and Priscilla M. (Becks) Henderson, natives of the state of Virginia and North Carolina respectively. The year of 1878 found H.T.D. arriving in Iowa where he worked as a farm laborer and on the railroad until he rented and later bought a farm in Seventy-six Township of Washington County. Along with grain crops he raised Chester White hogs and some of the best Short-horn cattle in the area. In 1882 Mr. Henderson was married to Miss Mary Ann
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