Mills County, Iowa
The Silver City Community History
Biographies 1879-1979
Silver City Community History Book Committee
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JACKSON, J.C.
James Campbell Jackson (Jan. 24, 1851-Dec. 28, 1932) was a native of
Washington County, Pa. and son of Robert and Margaret (Snodgrass) Jackson;
he married Mary Ann Denman (Oct. 11, 1851-Aug. 14, 1936) also of
Pennsylvania on Oct. 2, 1873. In 1881 this couple moved West to Silver
City to operate the Silver Star Hotel for a number of years. Mr. Jackson
also owned and operated one of the first livery stables as well as
following the plumbing trade. He also recognized the need for an
undertaker in the community and served in that capacity up to his
retirement. In terms of years of service in the community, he was one of
the oldest business men. This couple had one daughter, Lyda, who remained
in Pennsylvania with her aunt to finish her education when her parents
came to Iowa. She was a talented vocalist and was generous with her talent
in whatever place she could contribute to her community; she also had a
flair for coaching good plays that was her pleasure to give for her town’s
winter entertainment; Lyda was a scholar in Latin and was paid by the
Catholic Church in Imogene to give the Chants in Latin at services. After
coming to Silver City, Lyda married Marion VanKirk. They had one daughter
Ann, (b. July 1896) and a graduate of S.C. High School and Drake
University. She was a very talented musician. Ann married Scott Pidgeon of
Des Moines, a Banker, now deceased. There are two daughters: Marion (b.
Oct. 19, 1918) married Robert McCluskey, lives in Des Moines, and their
children are Robert Jr. working with Educational TV of Iowa, and Anne who
is a teacher; the second daughter, Jean Pidgeon (b. Jan. 2, 1921) married
Jean W. Lange of Sac City, Iowa; their children: Gene (b. July 31, 1947),
a lawyer in Washington, D.C. and he has children, Gene (b. Dec. 14, 1975)
and Elliot (b. Mar. 29, 1977); other sons of Jean are Thomas (b. Nov. 28,
1952) married and employed in Banking business in Kansas City, and John
(b. Aug. 1, 1958) student of University of Arizona. Marion VanKirk died
Jan. 15, 1901. Lyda married Clarence Virtue and they had one son, Clarence
(b. Sept. 26, 1903) is a graduate of Silver City High School and the
University of Nebraska School of Law; he and his wife, Mildred, who has an
outstanding career in the business world, have lived a number of years in
Fresno, California and where Clarence (“Bruff” as Silver City friends call
him) is still an active lawyer; they have no children. Lyda later married
Harry W. Anderson (see his history) and they had one daughter, Dorothy,
now Mrs. Harry Gilmore of Glenwood, and has a daughter Mary Helen, now
Mrs. James Kinney and a granddaughter, Shannon LeeAnn Kinney: a son Ardath
Long, Jr. is deceased. Lyda was born Oct. 12, 1875 and died August 10,
1957.
JONES, ALLEN P.
Allen P. Jones, born August 27, 1830 at Green, Ohio, married Frances
Caroline Smith at Valparaiso, Indiana, on November 6, 1850. After his
service in the Civil War, they lived in Indiana and later moved to Silver
City where they farmed. Allen died on October 28, 1902 and Frances died
March 14, 1918. Both are buried at the Silver City Cemetery. They had
seven children, Adeline, Alonso, Cassins, Jane, India, William and
Charles.
Alonso and Cassins remained in Indiana and their families are there today.
Adeline see George Soliday history
Jane married Heck and lived in Council Bluffs.
India married W. Walker and had six children.
William — see William Jones history
Charles married Minnie Gobel and had two girls and lived in Council
Bluffs.
JONES, ALLEN P.
Allen P. Jones, son of William and Martha Hammer Jones, was born June 29,
1910 in Silver City. On June 23, 1928 he married Wilma M. Deitchler, born
February 9, 1909, the daughter of Louie and Helen Kay Deitchier of Mineola.
Allen P. worked for the Wabash R.R. as foreman and the Norfolk and Western
as track inspector for 45 years. He was a former Mayor, Councilman and
served on the Silver City School board. He also is a member of the Masons
and Iowa Odd Fellows. Wilma is active in the Eastern Star, Rebekah and
American Legion Auxiliary. Both of them belong to the Western Star
Encampment and the United Methodist Church. In 1978 Allen and Wilma
celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
They had three children, Alene Marie, Jay Allen and Alyce Ann.
Alene — see Harvey Ord history
Jay was born January 13, 1934 in Silver City. He graduated Silver City
High School and attended Radio and Television Engineering School in Omaha.
On January 1955, Jay married Joan Fergenson of Bloomington, Indiana. He
has two sons, Randy and Ricky. Jay worked for RCA in Bloomington, Indiana
and later moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where he owns his own television
shop.
Alyce was born May 14, 1941 in Mineola. She graduated from Silver City
High School and worked for Mutual of Omaha. On September 1958 she married
Larry Tannahill. They had four children, Kelley Ann, Kerry Pam, Kathy Sue
and Brett Lawrence. Alyce now resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
JONES, ELLSWORTH
Ellsworth Elmer Jones, son of William and Martha Hammer Jones, married
Sadie Mae Deitchler, daughter of Louie and Helen Kay Deitchler. Ellsworth
died in 1960 and Sadie died in 1937. They had four children, Eleanor,
Carole, Ellsworth Jr. and Nadine.
Eleanor Mae, born January 24, 1928, married Keith McClure of Malvern and
are now living in Council Bluffs. They had one son, Gary. Gary married
Patricia Glosser of Council Bluffs and they have one daughter, Heather.
Carole Darlene, born January 10, 1930, married Frank Lane of Council
Bluffs. Carole is a Silver City Grad of 1947. They have one daughter,
Deborah Sue married to Kurtis Knox. Deborah and Kurtis have two sons,
Christopher K. and Timothy L.
Ellsworth E. born January 8, 1932, married Marian Wittrock of Manning. He
is a Silver City Grad of 1950, a University of Omaha Grad and retired as
Captain from the U.S. Air Force in May 1979. They are now living in
Colorado Springs. They have one son Michael, who is married to Christine
Gillespie. Michael and Christine have two daughters, Patricia and Nancy.
Nadine Martha, born May 24, 1935, married Robert Fuhs of Council Bluffs.
They are now living in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Nadine is an Abraham
Lincoln Grad. They have two sons, Craig and David and one daughter Diane.
Craig is married to Lynn Forti, and Diane is married to Scott McWaters.
JONES, GERALD D.
Gerald D. Jones is the son of the late Alva R. Jones and Letha I. Bachman
Jones. His grandparents Roy and Sadie Bachman and William and Martha Jones
lived in the Silver City community with grandfather William farming and
grandfather Roy employed by the Wabash Railroad Company.
Gerald was born south of Silver City on January 11, 1933 and at an early
age the family moved into Silver City. He has two brothers, Willard and
Lee Roy (see Harry Adams history) and one sister Jean Jones Conner. Gerald
attended elementary and secondary school in Silver City and graduated in
May of 1950 with his nine classmates. Upon graduation from high school he
attended college in Omaha, Nebraska.
A tragedy hit the Alva Jones family on July 1, 1946. The family was on a
well earned vacation, when, only a few miles from Silver City they were
involved in an automobile accident that took the life of Alva and a great
Uncle Milton Bachman. Gerald received a compound fracture of the left leg
and multiple cuts to the right leg. Also injured in the accident were his
mother Letha and brother Lee Roy. The family life style changed at this
point with Letha moving to California to join her sister. Gerald and Lee
Roy remained in Silver City to complete their education.
In November of 1952 Gerald enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he was to
remain for four years. This was during the period of the Korean conflict.
On June 18, 1955 and during the period of time while he was in the Air
Force, Gerald took a wife (also from Silver City) Janet M. Schroeder, the
daughter of the late Herman P. Schroeder and Vera E. Bendt Schroeder. She
has one sister Judy Schroeder Roenfeldt. (see Kenton Roenfeldt history.)
Janet was born near Glenwood, Iowa and spent her early childhood in
Council Bluffs, Silver City and Mineola, Iowa. She completed the eighth
grade in Silver City and graduated as Valedictorian in May of 1952. Upon
graduation she took employment in Omaha until her marriage.
Gerald and Janet spent their first year of marriage in Michigan. In
November of 1956, they returned to Silver City where they purchased a
house from the Anna Miller Estate. In 1968 they built a new home across
from the “School House” where they presently reside.
In May 1957, Gerald began a career as Insurance Underwriter with Grain
Dealers Mutual Insurance Company where he is still employed. He has held
Local and State Offices and appointments in the field of Insurance and his
business has taken him to both coasts to schools, meetings and to serve on
various Insurance Boards and Committees. In November of 1966, he was
elected as Mayor of Silver City, which he held for eight years. In 1978 he
was re-elected as Mayor of Silver City and is presently holding that
office.
Janet earned a Diploma in Cosmetology and owned and operated a Beauty
Salon in Silver City from 1959 to 1975. At this time she is employed at
Boys Town Institution in charge of accounts receivable.
They have two children; Julie Renee and Judson Craig.
Julie Renee was born in December of 1959. She graduated from Glenwood
Community High School in May of 1978 and is now attending Creighton
University in Omaha with a major in Art. The majority of the art work for
the Centennial Celebration of Silver City was done by Julie.
Judson Craig was born June 1, 1966. He was given recognition for his high
scholastic standing upon completing the seventh grade in May of 1979.
Judson is very active in sports and band. His ambition is to attend
Creighton University and to graduate from that University with a degree in
Medicine.
Gerald and Janet have high expectations for the city of Silver City and
are planning to open a restaurant in the very near future. The restaurant
will be located in the Bank Building on Main Street. (The Mills County
Bank will be relocating in a new facility north of the Post Office.)
JONES, WILLIAM
William Jones, son of Allen P. and Frances Smith Jones, was born May 20,
1872 in Porter County, Indiana. He came to Mills County with his parents.
William married Martha Hammer, daughter of Charlie and Anna Deitchler
Hammer, on December 29, 1894 and farmed for many years. They later moved
into Silver City where he died on November 2, 1926 and she died in 1956.
Both are buried in the Silver City Cemetery. They had six children, Lottie,
Charles, Alva, Ellsworth, Adah and Allen P.
Lottie married Thurman Nelson and had six children. She now lives in
Glenwood.
Charles married Minnie Nelson, now both deceased. They had two children.
Adah married E. M. Hiatt, now both deceased. They had four children.
Alva — see Gerald Jones history
Ellsworth — see Ellsworth Jones history
Allen P. — see Allen P. Jones history
JUDSON, ALBERT B.
Albert B. Judson was born May 23, 1856 at Vicksburg, Michigan, the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Albert B. Judson, Sr. He came to Silver City in 1880 and
married Ida Mandigo, also a native of Vicksburg, Michigan on January 9,
1882. He was a successful farmer, stockman, and merchant at Balfour, Iowa.
He was a member of Silver Grange and was Master of Iowa State Grange for
25 years. He was also a prominent member of Mills County Farm Bureau and a
substantial supporter of the Methodist Church of which Mrs. Judson was a
member. Mrs. Judson died May 20, 1919 and Mr. Judson died January 17,
1941. They had one daughter who died young and two foster daughters, Ida
Schawler and Cleva Graham.
Ida married John Reed Graves and lived on a farm near Balfour for many
years. After Mr. Graves death. she moved to Glenwood. They had a son
Kenneth and a daughter, Joan. Kenneth married Mildred Moses and live in
Glenwood. Joan married Max Hammers and has two children, Debbie and Doug.
Cleva married Claude Brooks and lived on the Brooks homestead for many
years. After the death of her husband, she moved to Glenwood. They had one
daughter, Irene, who married Faye McManigal,
a prominent farmer near
Glenwood. They had two sons, Judson and Charles.
Transcribed and contributed by Roseanna Zehner and Darlene Jacoby, 2010