For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 754
HOWARD M. BARTLETT....The life record of Howard M. Bartlett stands in contradistinction to the old adage that " A prophet is never without honor save in his own country," for in Muscatine, the city of his nativity, Mr. Bartlett has won recognition as an able, capable lawyer---a splendid representative of the profession to which life, liberty, right and property must look for protection.He was born October 13, 1875, the elder of the two children of Martin and Sultana ( Fulliam ) Bartlett, his brother being Jerome F. Bartlett. The father was born in Virginia, but the mother is a native of Muscatine and a representative of one of the old pioneer families here. The paternal grandfather, also a native of the Old Dominion, followed farming there but died at a comparatively early age. He had married a Miss Metz and their children were George W., Thomas, Matthew, Trevanial, and Martin. The maternal grandfather, Dr.George W. Fulliam, married a Miss Morford and died when but thirty-five years of age, leaving two children, Sultana and Elizabeth. For his second wife Mr. Fulliam wedded Miss Van Natta, and their children were George W., Jr., Dr. Edmond B., Dr. Jefferson D., Stonewall., Etta, and Alberta. Of this number the eldest is now deceased.
Martin Bartlett was reared to the occupation of farming, which he followed in young manhood, but later turned his attention to pork-packing, becoming the owner of five factories in Muscatine. He made his way westward to this city about 1849 and for almost a half century continued a worthy and valued resident here. His death occurred in 1896 when he was sixty-five years of age. He took an active interest in politics, supporting the green-back party, and at all times was loyal to his honest belief. Mrs. Bartlett, who survives her husband, is a member of the Episcopal church.
Spending his boyhood and youth in his parent's home, Howard M. Bartlett was sent at the usual age to the public schools and afterward attended the Wentworth Military Academy at Lexington, Missouri, from which he was graduated in 1892. He was not content even then to consider his education complete and became a student in the West Chester ( Pennsylvania ) State Normal School, where he pursued a special course, being graduated in 1894. He afterward entered Dickinson College at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he pursued a preparatory law course and next matriculated in the Northwestern University at Ada, Ohio, being graduated from the law department in 1897. The same year he was admitted to practice before the Ohio bar, after which he opened a law office in Muscatine. Here he has made steady progress in his profession and is regarded as one of the leading young lawyers of his native city. He doesn't concentrate his energies entirely, however, upon his profession but has other and important business interests. He has erected a large number of houses in Muscatine, and his real-estate business is extensive. He has also laid out two additions to the city and is interested in property elsewhere, being the owner of four farms near the city, comprising four hundred acres of land in Iowa, while in Mexico he owns about ten thousand acres. He also conducts a storage business, having the only fireproof storage building in Muscatine.
On the 28th of April, 1909, was celebrated the Marriage of Mr. Bartlett and Miss Helen Block, a native of this city, while her parents, David and Yetta ( Hib ) Block, were natives of Germany. In the early ' 50s they arrived in Muscatine where the father established a clothing business which he carried on here for forty years or more. He was one of the highly honored merchants of the city, and his well directed energy in business brought him substantial and well merited success. He died in 1892 and is still survived by his wife. Their family numbered seven children, of whom four are now living : Jennie, the wife Isaac Hoffman ; Frances, who married a Mr. Rosenbaum ; Ida, and Helen H., the wife of Mr. Bartlett.
Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett reside at No. 509 Chestnut street. The hospitality of the best homes of the city is freely accorded them, and they have an extensive circle of warm friends here. In his political views Mr. Bartlett is an earnest democrat but not an office seeker. He belongs to the Excelsior Hose Company of Muscatine ; The Muscatine Lodge, B. P. O. E.; and to Eagle Lodge, No 815. He is also a member of the Commercial Club and was the organizer of the Muscatine Launch Club, two of the prominent and social organizations of the city.
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