MARSH, OSCAR H.
The world instinctively pays deference to the man whose success has been worthily achieved, who has acquired high reputation along the line toward which his energies have been directed, and whose social prominence is not less the result of an irreproachable life than of the recognized natural gifts. It is a pleasing indulgence to write the biography of a man of this character. The country has produced many brilliant men who in military or civil life have won prominence and honor; most of our noblest and best men are self-made, and Mr. Marsh is a representative of this class, for his life has been devoted to labors wherein wealth and influence availed little or naught, the measure of success depending upon the mentality, intellectual acquirements and broad culture of the individual. Mr. Marsh has left the imprint of his individuality on each place in which, for any length of time, he has resided, and has opened to many the portals of knowledge, wherein memory's casket may be filled with the choicest gems, the only treasurers which we may safely call our own. As an educator and writer he is now widely known, familiarity through the medium of books with the most gifted minds of every nation and of every clime has well qualified him for his incumbency as superintendent of the public school of Mills county.
Oscar Hamdon Marsh is descended from notable ancestry on both his father's and mother's sides, the mother belonging to the well known Snyder family of Pennsylvania, while his father comes from that branch of the Marsh family which gained prominence through the invention of the machine harvester. The subject of this review was born near Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in 1864, and began his education in the district schools. His father's interest in educational matters led the son to read and study much at home. He was provided with good privileges in the line of mental training. When a youth of fifteen he became a student in the preparatory department of what is now Susquehanna University, at Selin's Grove, Pennsylvania, where he studied for four years. He was prominent in literary and historical circles and was the editor of the Philo, one of the society journals, for several years. He continued his education in Pennsylvania College, where he matriculated as a junior in 1883, and at once took high rank in literature, languages and history. While a student in that institution he also acted as president of the Phrenokosmian Literary Society, which he represented on a number of public occasions. He was also a member of the Beta Chapter of the Phi delta Theta fraternity, which he represented with great credit in several oratorical and literary contests.
Professor Marsh's first step after leaving school was to take up the study of law. He devoted his leisure time to a perusal of the most reliable test-books on the science of jurisprudence, and in 1886 was admitted to the bar, after which he successfully engaged in practice for a year. On the expiration of that period, however, he came west to accept the position of principal in the schools of Oakland, Iowa, where he remained for four years, during which time the educational system of that city was largely improved, the schools being placed upon a splendid basis. Three years later, while acting as principal of the schools of Emerson, his success as an educator became so well known that the people of Mills county elected him county superintendent in the fall of 1897. His county is strongly Republican and Professor Marsh is an advocate of the Democracy, but his political opinions seemed to have naught to do with his election to the office, for his fellow citizens recognize his worth and ability in the line of his chosen calling and know that the schools are in efficient hands. His enthusiasm, ability and strong personality have inspired both teachers and pupils to raise the standard of education higher. His efforts have led to an increase of twenty per cent in the salaries of the teachers. Libraries have been placed in every school and the work of the teachers has been rendered much more effective. Professor Marsh is a prominent member of the Teachers' State Association, and in December, 1900, he was elected president of the county superintendents' section of that organization. He is also an active member of the Educational Council and his services are ever in demand as a teacher and lecturer in normal institutes.
Professor Marsh has gained a reputation as the author of some excellent works on American history. He compiled and published a volume entitled Aids in United States History, which is now widely used in Iowa, and he expects soon to issue a unique work entitled Incidents and Anecdotes of American History. He has devoted much of his spare time to the subject and has one of the largest libraries of historical works in the state. His enthusiasm for history amounts to an inspiration and makes him a valuable institute instructor. He is the holder of life diplomas from the states of Pennsylvania and Iowa, and his alma mater conferred upon him the degree of master of arts.
In 1888 Professor Marsh was united in marriage to Miss Stella G. Beebe, of Corry, Pennsylvania, a lady of superior culture and literary refinement. She has also devoted much of her life to educational work and is now one of the most accomplished and efficient primary teachers in the Glenwood schools. Neither the Professor or his wife continue their reading exclusively to the things which pertain to their life work but have given much attention to the subjects of general interest. They are broad-minded people, thoroughly in touch with the advanced thought, progress and movements of the day, and their labors in social and intellectual circles in Mills county have commanded the highest respect and regard of all with whom they have been associated.
MARTIN, JAMES F.
Occupying a prominent position in commercial circles in Hastings is James F. Martin, the well known and popular proprietor of a dry-goods store at that place. He was born in New York, in 1845, and is a son of Fred and Naoma (Dunster) Martin. The father was a native of England and engaged in the cultivation of flowers as a life pursuit and died in Oneida county, New York, at the age of seventy-six years. His wife, who also was born in England, in which country they were married, has likewise departed this life. In their family were two daughters, Mrs. Jane Harmon and Mrs. Esther Smith, both of whom are residents of Utica, New York.
James F. Martin, their only son, was reared and educated in the Empire state. When nineteen years of age he responded to his country's call, enlisting in June, 1864, as a member of Company I, of the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh New York Infantry, at Waterville. He was mustered in at Utica under Captain Briggs and Colonel Brown. He joined his regiment at Baltimore, from which place the troops proceeded to Fort Pulaski, there spending the winter in guarding Rebel officers. Just before Charleston was captured they were ordered to that point and were on their way there when the city fell. On the next day they were placed in transports and taken to Georgetown, and after spending a month or two there proceeded to Florence, South Carolina. In the meantime Mr. Martin participated in the battles of Sumterville, Bowington Mills, Cedar Creek and several minor engagements, and suffered innumerable hardships, even wading waist deep through tangled swamps. Humorous incidents, however, sometimes occurred to relieve the strain and to vary the monotony. When the war was ended and the country no longer needed his services he received an honorable discharge, being mustered out at Syracuse, New York, in July 1865.
Returning to the Empire state Mr. Martin there continued to reside until 1873, when he came to Iowa and purchased land in Indian Creek Township, Mills county. Here he turned his attention to farming and during the winter months he was employed in stores in Glendale (sic) and Hastings, but with the return of spring he again assumed his agricultural labors. During this time he was employed by Mr. Heinsheimer, an extensive merchant of Glenwood. In 1876 he accepted a position in Hastings in a general store owned by E. P. Bosbyshell & Company, the store occupying the location near where our subject now carried on business. Later Mr. Bosbyshell sold the store. Mr. Martin continuing with the successor for a year, and in 1893, he began business on his own account. He is now the proprietor of the largest and best equipped dry-goods establishment in the eastern half of Mills county, carrying an extensive stock suited to the demands of both town and country. By diligence, enterprise, honorable dealing and an earnest desire to please his customers he has secured a large patronage, which is constantly increasing and which brings to him a very gratifying income. He is also the owner of his original farm, to which he has added until he now owns two hundred and forty acres of rich land well improved. It is pleasantly situated a little to the north of east of Hastings and thereon are found substantial buildings and good grades of stock.
Mr. Martin has been twice married. In the Empire state in 1877 he was joined in wedlock to Miss Hattie W. Springer. His present wife bore the maiden name of Hattie Birdsall. Their marriage was celebrated in 1895, in Mills county, and Mrs. Martin is a representative of one of the prominent families in this locality. Our subject now has two children: Fred J. and Mabel. He and his wife hold membership in the Methodist church in Hastings and take an active interest in its work and growth. In politics he has always been a Republican and has been honored with a number of local offices. He has served on the school board for several years and has been a member of the city council, being re-elected to that position in the spring of 1900. Fraternally he is identified with the Odd Fellows society. He is a man of quiet disposition and modest demeanor who is enterprising and public spirited. At the early age of nine years he started out in life on his own account, and his history illustrates in an excellent manner what it is possible to accomplish when perseverance and determination form the keynote to a man's life. His record is one of which he may be justly proud. Success is not measured by the heights which one may chance to occupy, but by the distance between the starting point and the altitude he has reached; therefore Mr. Martin has gained a most brilliant success, a just reward of meritorious, honorable effort which commands the respect and admiration of all.
MARTIN, MILTON J.
An old resident and prominent farmer of Mills county, Iowa, who has been established here since 1853, is Milton J. Martin, the subject of this sketch. He was born in Jackson county, Ohio, August 2, 1828, and was a son of William and Jane (McClintock) Martin, natives of Virginia. The paternal grandfather was George I. Martin, his ancestry being English-Scotch, and it was with him that our subject grew to manhood. The maternal grandparents were William and Agnes (Hanna) McClintock, natives of Virginia, who came to Wapello county, Iowa, at an early day and there founded a family which is respected throughout the state.
Our subject was deprived of his father when he was but a small boy and in his grandfather's home he was reared and sent to school. Until 1848 he remained in Ohio, coming then to Wapello county, Iowa, and in this section of the state he lived until 1853, when he removed to Glenwood, Mills county, and entered his farm of one hundred and sixty acres of land in Platteville township in 1854.
Our subject was married in 1854 to Miss Elizabeth Parnell, a daughter of William Parnell, a native of Pennsylvania, who lived to the advanced age of ninety-five. Mr. Martin has one sister, Mrs. Cynthia Gibbons, who is a resident of Des Moines, Iowa. He is a leading and valued member of the Methodist church, to which he has been a liberal and willing contributor, and was the founder of the neat little chapel which bears his name. This was erected in 1888 and is located near his home.
Mr. Martin has engaged extensively in general farming and in the raising of stock, becoming one of the substantial citizens of Mills county but he will be best remembered on account of his personal character. His benevolence is known far and wide, the recipients of his charity numbering many who would have suffered had he not come to their rescue in true Christian spirit. He has been an industrious man all his life, but has never forgotten that it is more blessed to give than receive and has willingly divided his substance with those in misfortune. He has been a true Republican all his life, casting his first presidential vote, as a Whig, for William Henry Harrison.
MASON, LYNN K.
The subject of this sketch, Lynn K. Mason, well represents the business of life insurance, in Hastings, Iowa. He was born in Madison county, New York, in 1850. He was a son of Levi and Emily (Hammon) Mason, the former of whom could trace his ancestry directly back to the founder of his family, Sampson Mason, the line being, - Levi, Ezra, Isaac, Oliver, Isaac, and Sampson, who settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 1649. This seventeenth century ancestor served under the great Cromwell in the parliamentary army during the stormy days of the English Revolution. He left Dorchester and became a man of prominence and wealth in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, and his name appears in the list of founders of the town of Swansea, Massachusetts. The family has grown and is widely scattered, many of them influential in all walks of life.
Among those may be mentioned Pelatiah Mason, a collateral ancestor, who served in the Revolutionary war. The late Judge Oliver P. Mason, of Lincoln, Nebraska, a distinguished jurist, was an uncle of our subject; and Senator William E. Mason, of Illinois, is a member of this family. One of the brothers of our subject, Arthur H., was a soldier of the Civil War. Almost all of the paternal ancestors have been engaged in professional life, and our subject's father was a man of culture and influence in his old home in Oneida county, New York, his death taking place in Hawarden, Iowa, in 1893, and the mother dying in Oneida county, New York.
Mr. Mason of this sketch, received his education in New York state, where he attended excellent schools. He was married in Clayville, Oneida county, New York, in 1872, to Miss Ida Mason, whom he has but lately discovered to be a sixth cousin. She was the daughter of George L. Mason, who was born in Connecticut and died in California, where he had gone with the gold hunters in 1849. Mrs. Mason, the mother of Mrs. Lynn Mason, had been Miss Amanda White, who is a native of New York and now a resident of Hastings, a beloved and charming lady of eighty-four years who is an inmate of the home of our subject. The great-great grandfather of Mrs. Mason was the Pelatiah Mason mentioned in the earlier part of this sketch. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Mason are: Ruth M., George L., Ina L., Walter H. and Helen K.
After marriage our subject brought his bride to Iowa on a wedding trip, coming immediately to Mills county. For five years he was employed as bookkeeper for E. P. Bosbyshell, one of the old merchants of Hastings, and later became interested in the grain business, at which he continued for fifteen years. Mr. Mason has done some farming and has dealt largely in land, but whatever he undertakes is well done. He has always been a man of affairs, keeping up an active interest in commercial life and has been recognized as an important factor in the business circles of Hastings. Several years ago he entered into the life insurance business and through his wide and influential acquaintance with the citizens of southwestern Iowa, he has been very successful, writing two hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of insurance per year.
In politics Mr. Mason takes an independent attitude. He inherited Democratic principles, but four years since voted the Republican ticket, on account of its financial features. He is a fine example of the good, wholesome American citizen, sound in mind and body. He devotes his vacations to fishing, photography and hunting, taking a great pleasure in the latter. He has hunted large game in the far west and at his pleasant home in Hastings has many trophies of his success in that direction.
Both he and his wife are members of the Congregational church, to which he has been a conscientious contributor, of time and means.
MASS, JOHN J.
Germany has furnished to the United States an element in its citizenship which has been potent in its tendency for progress and prosperity. German thrift has brought success in every community in which it has been planted, and Iowa is justly proud of her honest and industrious citizens of that nationality. Mills county has a fair proportion of such, and among the most prominent of the class is John J. Mass, the well known stockman of Ingraham township, the owner of four hundred and eighty acres on sections 8 and 9.
John J. Mass was born at Swansen, Germany, December 7, 1849, a son of Caz Mass and his wife, who was Katie Quorman; and came alone to America in 1870, at the age of twenty-one years. He made his way directly to Pottawattamie county, Iowa, where he had a cousin and where he arrived July 2d. Four years later his father and mother and brothers and sisters came. The family, originally consisted of nine children, of whom John J. Mass was the first born. Mr. Mass located at Silver City and three of his sons and five of his daughters, each married and with a family are settled nearby.
John J. Mass received a good education in his native land and has acquired a good knowledge of English since he came to America. When he arrived at Council Bluffs on his way to his cousins, he had fifteen dollars in money, which he spent for a suit of what he called American clothes, discarding the outfit he had worn from the fatherland. His father was a cooper in Germany and, though he was the owner of three acres of land, was in humble circumstances and was not able to start him out in better shape financially. He had devoted his time from his fifteenth to his twenty-first year to learning the blacksmith's trade, and during that time he had saved only thirty-seven dollars, with which small capital he had come to America, not only to better his fortunes, but to avoid conscription in the German army. He began his active career in Iowa, working by the month as a farm hand, and his first landed possession was eighty acres of wild and unbroken prairie, to which he added subsequent purchases until he owned two hundred and sixty acres in Pottawattamie county, where he farmed successfully until 1887, when he came to Silver City, Mills county, and conducted a meat market for four years. Meantime, in the fall of 1881, he bought his farm of four hundred and eighty acres, now worth sixty-five dollars an acre, in Ingraham township. He owns altogether four hundred and eighty acres of good farm land, giving personal attention to his Mills county farm and having tenants on his two farms in Pottawattamie county. He has become prominent as a stock farmer and gives special attention to the breeding of cattle, horses, mules and hogs. He breeds Herefords of pure blood and keeps from sixty to two hundred head on hands most of the time. He usually keeps from sixty to seventy-five cows and raises their calves, and from twenty-five to sixty head of horses and mules are to be found on his farm at almost any time. Of hogs he sells from one hundred to two hundred and fifty a year, raising Poland Chinas for the market. He feeds all his crops, except wheat, to his stock and buys some feed each year. His farm is well supplied with barns, stables and granaries and other outbuildings. His residence was destroyed by fire in 1899 and his present commodious brick and frame house was built immediately after.
Politically Mr. Mass is a Democrat and he has filled the office of road supervisor in his township for four years. He and his family are members of the Lutheran church. He was married May 8, 1876, to Sophia Voss, a native of Holstein, Germany, and a daughter of Louis and Sophia (Lowe) Voss, who came to America at the age of eleven years with her parents, who are farmers in Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Mass have had nine children, eight of whom are living: William, aged twenty; Sarah, aged eighteen; Otto, aged sixteen; Ella, who is a woman grown at thirteen years; Lena, aged eleven; Laura, aged nine; Mary, aged six; and Bertha, who is one of the brightest two-year old children in the county. Mr. Mass is a man of public spirit, who has given the same attention to official duties as to his private business, and has demonstrated his good citizenship in many ways.
MERRITT, RUFUS L.
Among the progressive and prominent farmers of Mills county, Iowa, is Rufus L. Merritt, the subject of this biographical sketch. He was born in North Carolina, February 15, 1835, and was a son of Benjamin Franklin and Edna (Combs) Merritt, both natives of North Carolina. The Merritt family is a long lived race, the paternal grandfather attaining a great age. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and held the rank of captain in the war of 1812. In 1842 the family removed to Kentucky, where they remained until 1849, when the surviving members came to Lyons township, Mills county, Iowa, where the father died at the age of forty nine. The venerated and beloved mother is still living at the advanced age of ninety four. She is the most honored member of her son's family and although somewhat of a cripple from an accident which occurred sixteen years ago, she enjoys a quiet life, in her favored corner, surrounded with all the care and comfort that loving hands can bestow. It will be a sad day when she is missed from the rocking chair where she has passed so many years, and the old Bible will be treasured because she has read its pages so long. Mrs. Merritt was the fourth in order of birth, in a family of eight children, and is now the only living member. Her father died when she was but six years old, and when she came to Mills county in 1849, in company with her husband, there was not a single house on the whole Missouri bottom. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Merritt have all passed away with the exception of our subject.
Rufus L. Merritt was married June 15, 1854, to Miss Nancy Grizzle, a daughter of William and Rachel (Berger) Grizzle, natives of Tennessee, and they have had four children; Edna B, now Mrs. Sheldon Hubbard, of Sarpy county, Nebraska; Mary Elizabeth, now Mrs. William Snuffin, of Glenwood, Iowa; John L. and George A., residents of Lyons township.
Mr. Merritt is a large land owner, his farm of two hundred and forty acres being well situated and very productive. He has introduced many progressive methods of farming which have displayed his good judgement and have served to make his land still more valuable. Personally he is popular in his community and possesses the esteem of all with whom business or social life throws him into contact.
MICKELWAIT, WILBUR W.
Fortunate is the man who has back of him, an ancestry honorable and distinguished; and of the families from which he is descended. Mr. Mickelwait has every reason to be proud, for among them are numbered men who have become prominent in the early annals of the county. They have acted an important part in the events which have framed our colonial history and have been honored pioneers, carrying into the newly settled regions the works and customs of civilization. His ancestors were distinguished early settlers of Virginia, Kentucky and of Ohio and at a later date members of the family have been prominent in molding the destiny of the great commonwealth in which our subject now resides. Not only has he seen southwestern Iowa grow from a wild country with only a few white inhabitants to a rich agricultural country, containing thousands of good homes and scores of growing towns, inhabited by an industrious, prosperous, enlightened and progressive people, but also he has participated in and assisted the heavy and wearisome work of development which was necessary to produce a change so complete as to be popularly referred to as magical.
Among the native sons of Mills county is numbered Wilbur W. Mickelwait, who was born on the old family homestead where he yet resides. It is a magnificent estate of six hundred and forty acres and is situated two miles west from Hillsdale. It is a monument to the enterprising and progressive spirit of the pioneers who became possessors of the land at an early day and transformed it into a valuable estate. There the subject of this review first opened his eyes to the light of day August 16, 1864. His father, Hon. James Mickelwait, was a native of England, born in York, and when only four or five years of age was brought to the United States. He was a son of Willoughby and Susannah (Woods) Mickelwait, both of whom were natives of England, whence they came with their family to the new world. In 1851 he cast in his lot with the pioneer settlers of Mills county, Iowa, and secured his present family homestead, which was then a tract of wild land, upon which not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made. As the years passed he wrought great transformation in the appearance of his land, for under the processes of cultivation the wild prairie was changed into blossoming fields, giving promise of abundant harvests. All modern accessories and improvements were added to the farm, which is now one of the best in the entire state.
Mr. Mickelwait was a man of marked individuality and strong character and was recognized as a leader of public thought and movement. He was known as one of the distinguished residents of southwestern Iowa, and his fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, had at different periods called him to fill minor local offices of trust. Higher honors, however, awaited him and in 1874 he was elected to represent his district in the state legislature, becoming a member of the fifteenth general assembly of Iowa. He was a man of sound judgment whose opinions were relied upon in all matters of public importance, and his loyalty and fidelity to the best interests of his county, state and nation was ever above question. He died February 9, 1892.
James Mickelwait was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Bayles, a representative of an eminent Ohio family whose ancestors are famous for the prominent part they took in reclaiming the wilderness of Kentucky and the western reserve of Ohio for the purpose of civilization. Her father was Joseph Bayles, a native of Virginia who when about ten or twelve years of age become a resident of Ohio, living among its early settlers engaged in the work of carrying civilization into the wild districts of the then far west. He remained in the Buckeye state until 1845, when he removed to Iowa, where his last days were passed. He died at an advanced age, his birth having taken place in 1760. His wife, who bore the name of Anne Arrow Smith, was born in Maryland, in 1766, and died in Lee county, Iowa. She, too, represented a family distinguished in colonial history. The maternal great-grandmother of our subject was Miss Kenton, a sister of the famous General Simon Kenton, who was born in Virginia in 1755, and his name figures conspicuously in the annals of Kentucky as an associate of Daniel Boone and George Rogers Clark in the Indian wars which occurred in that state and gave to that portion of the country the name of the "dark and bloody ground" Simon Kenton also took an active part in conquering the wilderness, making it habitable for the white race and was a loyal soldier in the war of 1812. The histories of Ohio have much to say concerning General Kenton's capture by the Indians, his daring exploit in escaping by running the gauntlet and of his numerous other deeds of bravery. He had the faculty of making friends with the Indians and on one occasion defended them against an attack of the white people of Urbana, Ohio, in which town he was then living. By his foresight in this matter he saved the white settlers from massacre by the red men, for the revengeful spirit of the Indians would have led to a massacre in the natural course of events if the white men had been allowed to carry out their designs against the red race. General Kenton died in 1836, at the advanced age of eighty-one years. some of the oldest residents of Urabana still remember him as one of the bravest soldiers of the times. The Kentons lived in Kentucky throughout the stirring scenes connected with the establishment of the first settlements of the white race there, and emigrated from Kentucky to Ohio in the year 1801. In this state they encountered similar experiences, and the work which they did in carrying civilization forward into the wilds of the west cannot be estimted, but humanity certainly owes them a debt of gratitude which can never be repaid.
The Bayles family was also prominent as pioneer settlers. David Bayles, the maternal great-grandfather of our subject, was born in England and died in Ohio, in 1836, at the age of seventy-five years. His people settled originally in Virginia. William Bayles, a cousin of Mrs. Mickelwait, was killed at the battle of Buena Vista in the Mexican war. Two of her brother were soldiers in the Civil war, loyally defending their country at the time when the Union was threatened by the rebellion of the south. One of these is Mason Bayles, now a resident of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and the other is Jesse W. Bayles, who makes his home in California. Mrs. Mickelwait is still living at the old homestead in Mills county, at the age of seventy-three years, and is a very interesting woman, conversing entertainingly upon many events connected with pioneer life in the states where she has resided. She had three children: Wilbur W., of this review; Mrs. Lizzie M. Coates, of Mills county and James M., living in El Paso, Texas.
Mr. Mickelwait, whose name introduces this record, has spent his entire life on the old family homestead and early became familiar with the labors of the farm in its various departments. He is practical and progressive in his farming methods and is a wide-awake, enterprising business man, conducting one of the largest and finest farms in the entire state. every thing about the place is neat and thrifty in appearance, bearing testimony of his careful supervision. The fields are highly cultivated and he makes a specialty of the raising of highbred cattle and hogs. He is also extensively engaged in dairying and in both branches of his business is meeting with success, owning to his well directed efforts, sound business judgment and honorable dealing. At Omaha at the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in 1898, he received a diploma and bronze medal for scoring over ninety-five points in butter-making. He is also the vice president of the State Bank at Tabor, Iowa, and a director in the State Bank at Macedonia.
The lady who bears the name of Mrs. Mickelwait and presides with graceful hospitality over their pleasant home, was in her maidenhood Miss May Pitzer. She was born in Nebraska in 1867. They have four children: Nellie B., Mabel C., Claude B. and Edna. The parents hold membership in the Hillsdale Methodist church, contributing liberally to its support, and take an active part in its work. Mr. Mickelwait is a Prohibitionist in politics and is now serving as a school director, and the cause of education finds in him a warm friend. His cooperation is heartily given to every movement calculated to prove a benefit along material, social, intellectual and moral lines, and he is justly numbered among the most valued and respected citizens of the community.
MILLER, G. B.
Among the native sons of Mills county, Iowa, is numbered G. B. Miller, who was born about seven miles south of his present home in Center township. He is now thirty-five years of age and throughout this period has been identified with the interests of his native locality. His father, Isaac Miller, was born in Tennessee. He had atwo brothers who were killed in battle in the Civil war. He belonged to a family of eleven children, namely: Alfred, Pleasant, Gavin, Jacob, Rufus, Frederick, John, Lucy, Elizabeth, Rachel and Cynthia. reared to the occupation of a farmer, Isaac Miller has followed agricultural pursuits as a life work and in that line of endeavor has met with gratifying success. He came to Mills county, Iowa from Tennessee about 1852 and has since made his home in this locality, being now a resident of Fremont, Nebraska, and having attained the ripe old age of seventy-five years. He married Miss Martha McPherron, a native of Tennessee, in which state their wedding was celebrated. they made the journey to Iowa with a team of oxen, traveling across the country in true pioneer style, for that was before the era of railroad building in this section of the state. The father entered a tract of land in Mills county and with characteristic energy began the cultivation of the fields, planting crops which in the course of time brought to him good harvests. The mother of our subject is now deceased.
G. B. Miller pursued his education in the common schools and was thus fitted for practical and responsible duties of life. He early became familiar with the work of the home farm and his training in that direction well qualified him to carry on business on his own account. He today owns one hundred and sixty acres of the rich and productive land in Center township, where he carries on general farming. His place is improved with all the modern accessories and conveniences and he has one of the most beautiful and imposing homes in the county, being equaled by but few city residences. He has telephone connection with the outside world and has numerous other modern conveniences which make it an ideal abode.
The lady who presides over this pleasant home was, in her maidenhood, Miss Eva Mickelwait, a representative of one of the prominent and honored families of this county. In 1889 she gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Miller and their marriage has been blessed with two sons, Dale and Kyle. In his social relations Mr. Miller is a Mason and a Knight of Pythias, belonging to the local lodges of these orders in Glenwood. Nothing has swerved him from his allegiance to the Republican party and he does all in his power to promote its upbuilding and success. He has held the office of township trustee in Center township. He is a wide-awake and progressive young man, broad-minded, courteous and genial in disposition, and with a large circle of friends he is very popular.
MILLER, JOSEPH M.
The specific history of the west was made by the pioneers; it was emblazoned on the forest trees by the strength of sturdy arms and gleaming ax, and written on the surface of the earth by the track of the primitive plow. These were strong men and true that came to found the empire of the west - these hardy settlers who, building their rude domiciles, grappled with the giants of the forest or the tough sod of the prairie and from the primitive wilds evolved the fertile and productive fields which have these many years been furrowed by the plowshare. The red man in his motley garb stalked through the dim woody avenues or the almost invisible ravines of the prairie, and the wild beasts disputed his dominion. The trackless prairie was made to yield its tribute under the effective endeavors of the pioneer, and slowly but surely were laid the steadfast foundations upon which has been built the magnificent superstructure of an opulent and enlightened commonwealth. To establish a home amid such surroundings and to cope with the many privations and hardships which were the inevitable concomitants, demanded an invincible courage and fortitude, strong hearts and willing hands. All these were characteristics of the pioneers, whose names and deeds should be held in perpetual reverence by those who enjoy the fruits of their toil.
Among the honored pioneers of Mills county is Joseph M. Miller. He was born in Buchanan county, Missouri, in 1840, upon a farm and is a son of Jesse Miller, whose birth occurred in Knox county, Tennessee. Having arrived at years of maturity, the latter married Miss Martha Layman, whose people were Virginians and were farmers by occupation. the marriage occurred in Indiana, and from that state the parents of our subject emigrated in a covered wagon, drawn by a team of oxen, to Illinois, whence they later made their way to Missouri and afterward to Mills county, Iowa, taking up their abode in Center township, where they arrived in 1853. At that time the country was wild and sparsely settled. There were no railroads and the public highways were in poor condition. The people lived in typical frontier style until the country became more thickly settled and the comforts of civilization were added. They purchased claims, as the land was not then opened to entry. With primitive implements they developed their farms and thus laid broad and deep the foundation for the present prosperity and progress of the county. These worthy pioneers are certainly deserving of great credit, and to them the present generation owes a debt of gratitude. On the wild western frontier the Millers lived, the father devoting his energies to agricultural pursuits throughout a long period. He died in Glenwood, Iowa, in 1895, respected by all who knew him. The children of the family were: Mrs. Nancy Hummell, who died in Mills county, in 1858; George W., also deceased; Mrs. Rachel Clark, who is living in Woodbine, Iowa; Jesse N., who is married and resides at Council Bluffs, Iowa; and Joseph M.
Mr. Miller, whose name introduces this record, spent the first thirteen years of his life in the state of his nativity and then accompanied his parents to Iowa. He attended school for several terms in this county, although educational privileges were rather meager, school being conducted on the subscription plan. However, he was an eager and earnest student and with limited facilities managed to acquire a good education, which has been supplemented by reading, study and investigation in later years.
When the trouble over the slavery question involved the country in Civil war, enrollments were made at the school-house in Silver Creek township, Mills county, and Joseph M. Miller placed his name among those who offered their services to their government, enlisting on the 13th of August, 1862, as a member of Company B, which soon became a part of the Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry. The company was commanded by Captain M. L. Andrews, and the regiment by Colonel Thomas A. Benton, a son of the famous Missouri statesman. They rendezvoused at Council Bluffs and proceeded thence to St. Joseph, Missouri, in December, 1862. On leaving that point they made their way to St. Louis, and after a few days went to Columbus, Kentucky and later on an expedition up the White river. At Duvall's Bluff Mr. Miller participated in the first skirmish of any importance, the Union troops capturing that place. the first pitched battle in which he took part was at Helena, Arkansas, in July, 1863, and he also participated in the Yazoo Pass expedition, which was an effort to invade Vicksburg from that side. He aided in the battle and capture of Little Rock, suffering all the hardships incident to that affair. He was with his regiment on what is known as the Camden expedition which also was fraught with much danger and hardship. When returning to Little Rock the troops were attacked by rebels at Saline river and over one hundred and fifty of the Twenty-ninth Iowa were killed and wounded. Mr. Miller was at the capture of Mobile, from which place the Union forces went across the gulf to the mouth of the Rio Grande and thence to Brownsville, where they remained until the latter part of July, 1865. At New Orleans they were discharged and at Davenport, Iowa, were mustered out, for the labors of the gallant soldiers of the north had resulted in preserving the Union in its integrity.
Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Harriet E. Graves, a native of Tennessee and a representative of an old Virginia family. Her paternal grandfather served in the war of 1812, and her maternal grandfather was one of the Revolutionary heroes, and was rescued by his wife from the hands of the British soldiers by whom he had been taken prisoner. She walked for sixty miles with this object in view, her way leading through the country infested by the Tories and British soldiers, and the journey being thus fraught with great danger; but her desire to rescue her husband led her to forget her own peril, and with marked bravery she accomplished the task. William W. Graves, the father of Mrs. Miller, was born in 1818 and made farming his life work. His wife bore the maiden name of Mahala P. Graves, but was not a relative. Five children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Miller, but three of the number are now deceased, namely: Joseph L., William H. and Charles H. The surviving children are: Miraetta W., and Ada P., who are still with their parents. The mother and daughters are members of the Methodist church at Hillsdale and are people of sterling worth, occupying an enviable position in social circles in their community.
In his political views Mr. Miller is an earnest Republican, having supported the party since casting his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his ability and worth, have called him to public office and for seven years he has been the assessor of Center township. For fifteen years he has been school director and secretary of the board, and the cause of education finds in him a warm friend, doing all in his power to promote the efficiency of the school. Throughout his entire business career he has carried on farming, and is now the owner of a fine country home, surrounded with beautiful evergreen and other ornamental trees, flowers and shrubs. It is an ideal place, in which comfort and hospitality reigns. He carries on general farming, and his well-directed labors and thorough understanding of farming methods have made him one of the prosperous citizens of the community.
MOGRIDGE, M. D.
An example of a self-made American citizen and an exemplification of the progress that an ambitious foreigner can make in this country of unbounded opportunities, is shown in the case of Dr. George Mogridge, of Glenwood, Iowa, one of the leading English-American residents of Iowa. His success is due to his own energy and the high ideal which his lofty and laudable ambition places before him. Success in any walk of life is an indication of earnest endeavor and preserving effort, characteristics that Dr. Mogridge possesses in an eminent degree.
He was born in Salford, England, June 3, 1856. The Mogridge family is of French origin. The ancestors were Huguenots who were ejected from France or were forced to leave there on account of religious persecutions. They settled in London and engaged in the early silk-weaving industries in that city. John Mogridge, the grandfather of our subject, was born in London, and married a Miss Blackmore, whose parents were allied with the Society of Friends. She also was a native of London, and both she and her husband died in the world's metropolis. He was a silk-weaver by trade, following his vocation throughout life. Their son, Edwin Mogridge, was born in London, England, in 1824, and by occupation was a furrier in his early years, and later a dry-salter.
He spent his entire life in his native land, his death occurring in Manchester in 1876. He married Hannah Chapman, a daughter of George Chapman, who served for forty years in the British army, in the Second Dragoon Guards, and during this long period of service he saw active service in many parts of the British dominion. He was a member of the York Lodge, A.F. & A.M., the most ancient Masonic lodge in the world. He died in Manchester, England and his wife's death occurred in Norwich. Their Yorkshire ancestry can be traced back through many generations. Their daughter Hannah was married to Edwin Mogridge, in 1853, in the historic church of St. Nicholas, Cole Abbey, in London. She was born in Norwich, England, her death occurring when she was sixty-three years of age.
Dr. George Mogridge was their only child. That he was surrounded by tender care in his youth is indicated by the manner in which he cherishes the memory of his parents. He obtained his early education in the common schools of Manchester, and when fourteen years of age his father died and it then became necessary that he should provide for his own support. Accordingly he entered the service of a law firm. During the earlier years that he was in their employ he supplemented his education by attending evening classes at the Mechanics' Institute and other evening schools in Manchester.
At the age of twenty-four, in 1880, he came to the United States, believing that he might have better opportunities in the new world. He made his way direct to Cass county, Iowa, where he worked by the day or month, principally following agricultural pursuits, yet scorning no employment that would yield him an honorable living. He desired, however, to make the practice of medicine his life work, and ultimately, as the result of his industry and economy, he was enabled to matriculate in the Omaha Medical College, in which institution he was graduated with the class of 1894. Prior to that time he had become connected with the State Institution for Feeble Minded Children. His first employment there was in having charge of a class of children. His observation and experience there fitted him somewhat for the profession which he wished to follow as a life work, and as soon as he found opportunity he took up his studies in the Omaha Medical College, where he remained until his graduation in 1894. After receiving his diploma he was made chief assistant to Dr. Powell, who stands at the head of the institution and has since filled that important position in a most capable and worthy manner. His knowledge of medicine is comprehensive and accurate and he displays marked ability in applying its principles to the needs of those who are under his care. He has that broad humanitarian spirit without which the physician can never be successful. He is most patient and painstaking in his care of the unfortunate ones who come under his care and supervision, and his work has been attended with most excellent results.
On the 7th of May, 1895. Mr. Mogridge was united in marriage to Miss Lillian E. Robinson, who was born in Livingston county, New York, a daughter of Martin V. and Almira Robinson, natives of New York state. He died in Dixon, Illinois, in 1894; his wife had previously died in Warsaw, New York.
In his political affiliations Dr. Mogridge has been a Republican since coming to the United States, his first vote having been cast for Benjamin Harrison. He is a member of various societies, including the Masonic and Knights, of Pythias fraternities. He is also identified with the Modern Woodmen of America, and in the line of his profession is connected with the Medical Society of Southwestern Iowa, the Missouri Valley Medical Society, the Society of Medical Officers of Institutions for Feeble Minded Persons, and also a member of the National Conference of Charities and Corrections and of the Iowa State Conference of Charities and Corrections. He is likewise a lecturer on mental diseases of children in the Omaha Medical College.
He and his wife hold membership in the Episcopal church, take an active part in its work and cooperate heartily with all lines of church activity. He is serving both as warden and lay reader in the church. The Doctor's record is one worthy of the highest commendation. Less than ten years ago he worked upon a farm in Mills county, today he is the second officer in one of the leading eleemosynary institutions of the state, and as he is a representative of a profession where advancement depends upon individual merit, it is evident that he possesses superior ability and that he is devoting himself entirely to his chosen calling. It is perfectly characteristic of the man that his religious life is simply sincere and yet undemonstrative, but the depth of his convictions shows itself in his daily walk. With the passing years his circle of friends is constantly growing, and is limited only by the circle of his acquaintances. As a citizen he is most loyal and patriotic, a thorough American, although an adopted son, upholding with ardor the principles and institutions of republican government. His fellow townsmen respect him for his genuine worth and admire him for what he has accomplished and throughout the community he is spoken of in terms of the highest commendation.
MORGAN, WILLIAM H.
On the roster of the county officials of Mills county appears the name of William H. Morgan, who is filling the office of sheriff and is proving most competent and faithful in the discharge of his duty. Such an officer is a safeguard to the law abiding citizens and is an object of terror to those not amenable to the rules which govern the conduct of man in his relations with his fellow man.
Mr. Morgan is a native of Iowa, his birth having occurred in Johnson county, near Iowa City, on the 1st of July 1868, his parents being James and Jane Morgan. The father was born in Pennsylvania and came to this state in 1846. Subsequently he removed to Oxford, Nebraska, where he died at the age of sixty-four years. He was a physician and became the owner of considerable land, also had other investments and business interests. His wife died in Emerson, when the subject of this review was five years of age, and he and his brother lived with an aunt until he was about sixteen years of age. His educational privileges were those afforded by the schools of Emerson, Mills county, but in the broader school of experience he has learned many valuable lessons which have made him well qualified for the duties of citizenship and for the responsibilities of business life.
At the age of seventeen Mr. Morgan started on an extensive tour of the west and was for some time in the mines on the Pacific coast. He was also employed on a farm in California. Later he returned to Glenwood and secured a position as a farm hand with General Stone. While thus employed he assisted in planting the greater part of the large orchard on that celebrated farm and continued his service there until 1896. In that year he was made deputy sheriff under Hon. W. L. Tubbs, and served in that capacity until elected sheriff of the county in 1899. He has always been a Republican since casting his first presidential vote for General Harrison, and it was on that ticket that he was chosen to the office. He has ever taken a deep interest in the political issues of the day and in the success of his party, doing all in his power to promote its growth and secure the adoption of its principles. He has long been recognized as an active leader in local politics.
On the 25th of June, 1889, Mr. Morgan was united in marriage to Miss Maude L. White, a daughter of Hon. R. C. White, the present postmaster of Glenwood. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan now have one son, Guy, who was born March 4, 1890, on the General Stone farm where our subject was working. Mr. Morgan is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge and is also a member of the State and International Associations of Sheriffs. In the discharge of his duties he is entirely fearless and shows neither partiality nor favor. His reliability and promptness have won him the high commendation of the better class of citizens of Mills county and he is justly numbered among her representative citizens.
MUFFLEY, DANIEL C.
Daniel C. Muffley, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Mills county, was born on the 3d of February, 1850, in Dekalb county, Missouri, his parents being George Muffley, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and Mary Ann (nee Laymon), who was a native of Kentucky. The family is of German lineage and is noted for longevity. The maternal grandmother died at the age of one hundred and six years in Buchanan county, Missouri. Mrs. Laymon, the maternal grandmother, and Mrs. Muffley, the paternal grandmother, both died on the same day. George Muffley, the father of our subject, removed from Buchanan county, Missouri, in 1849, and the following year took up his abode in Daviess county. He was a cooper and wagon-maker by trade, following those pursuits throughout the greater part of his life. He died in March, 1855, at the age of forty years, and his wife passed away in Mills county, in 1873, at the age of fifty years having made her home with her son Daniel, after her husband's death. They were the parents of seven children, of whom our subject is the fourth in order of birth. His brother, Joseph Madison Muffley, was a soldier in the Civil war, was wounded at the battle of Shiloh, was taken prisoner and died four days after his capture.
Mr. Muffley, whose name forms the caption of this article, started out in life for himself at an early age and has since been dependent upon his own resources for a living. He came to Mills county in the fall of 1868 and for about four years was a resident of Center township. He then went to the Pacific coast, resided for about four years in Oregon and then again became a resident of Center township in 1879. On the 14th of March of the following year he was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Wright, a daughter of Alexander Wright, a native of Ohio. Five children have been born unto them: George D., Joseph E., Effie May, John and Frank.
In 1880 Mr. Muffley removed to Johnson county, Nebraska, but the same year returned to Center township, and on the 11th of March, 1882, became a resident of Rawles township. After two years he removed to Pottawattamie county, Iowa. Three years subsequently and for the fourth time he returned to Center township, where he continued to reside for fourteen years, when he (there is a mixup in lines here cm.)....Platteville township, where he has resided since the 1st of March 1900. He owns two hundred and eighteen acres of land and is extensively engaged in buying and selling stock, and is cultivating his fields, both branches of his business proving to him a profitable source of income. He is a most energetic farmer, diligence and enterprise being numbered among his most marked characteristics. He votes with the Republican party but has never been an aspirant for office, preferring to give his attention to his business affairs.
MUNSINGER, ALBERT J.
Albert J. Munsinger is numbered among the native sons of Mills county, his birth having occurred near the city of Tabor, Iowa, on the 4th of May, 1861. His parents, Joseph and Martha (Stany) Munsinger, were both natives of Ohio, but in the year 1852 they emigrated westward, taking up their abode in Tabor, where they have since resided. Under the parental roof their son Albert J. spent the days of his childhood, and the common schools of Tabor, afforded him his early educational privileges. He was graduated in the high school at the age of eighteen years and then entered the scientific course in Tabor College, where he was graduated in the class of 1885. After leaving that institution he engaged in teaching for two years, being employed in that way at Strahan and on the Missouri bottoms. He now devotes his energies to agricultural pursuits, having followed farming since 1887, and since September, 1900, has been in the clothing and furnishing goods business in Tabor.
On the 24th of March, 1897, Mr. Munsinger was united in marriage to Miss Cora Shell, and they now have three children, Blake and the twins, Clyde and Hazel. They hold membership in the Congregational church, and in his political views Mr. Munsinger is a Republican. He takes an active interest in the work of the county and has been honored with offices, holding every township position except that of trustee. He was assessor for four years, was justice of the peace for four years and was township clerk for two years, and in these offices discharged his duties with promptness and fidelity that won him the commendation of all concerned.
MUNSINGER, CHARLES
We are now permitted to touch briefly upon the life history of one who has retained a personal association with the affairs of the state of Iowa for a number of years, whose connection therewith covers much of the period of development and progress of Mills county. His life has been one of interest and earnest endeavor and due success has not been denied him. He has reached the venerable age of eighty years but time rests lightly upon him, and though eight decades have passed since first his eyes opened to the light of day, he is still hale and hearty, a type of the active old age, which like fruit, grows better as time passes.
Mr. Munsinger is a native of Muhlbach, Germany, born December 17, 1820, his parents being Chris and Eve (Kirk) Munsinger. The father was a wealthy farmer and came to America in 1824, locating first in New York, whence he removed to Lorain county, Ohio. There he purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, but was deceived in the property, as he found in the following spring that the land was entirely covered with water and was worthless for farming purposes. He had made a small payment on the place, but concluded to abandon it. His next venture in the purchase of a farm was also rather unfortunate, as he found soon after the contract had been made that there was a mortgage of five hundred dollars against the place. He then went to work in a ship-yard and made enough money to clear off the indebtedness, after which he sold the property and bought a farm in the southern part of Lorain county. Some time later he made a trip to Germany for the purpose of looking after a dowry interest in the estate. Returning to America, the family accompanied him on his removal to Mills county, Iowa. Here the parents spent their remaining days, the father dying at the age of sixty-two years, the mother in April, 1878, when eighty-nine years of age.
On coming to Iowa with the family, Charles Munsinger took up his abode upon the farm which he has since occupied. He was married on the 23d of October, 1819, to Miss Electa Northrop, a daughter of John Wesley and Almira (Knight) Northrop, natives of New York. Throughout the period of his active business career Mr. Munsinger has been continuously engaged in agricultural pursuits and his life has been one of industry and usefulness. He started out for himself with a very limited capital, but has prospered in his undertakings, his unflagging perseverance and energy enabling him to continually add to his capital. He has met with two very serious accidents on the farm which have disabled him to a considerable extent, but at the age of eighty years he is still active and aside from his farming operations he represents five different insurance companies, among which are the North British, the Continental and the Hartford. His life shows forth the power of industry in gaining success, and his example should serve as a source of encouragement to others. Since becoming an American citizen he has always voted the Republican ticket, supporting each presidential nominee of the party. He is a member of the Congregational church, and Christian principles have permeated his life, making his career an honorable one which has gained for him the unqualified regard of his fellow men.
copyright © 1998-2007 Cay Merryman
