HON. LEMUEL DWELLE

HON. LEMUEL DWELLE

On the 8th of February, 1917, Hon. Lemuel Dwelle passed away, and thus was closed the life record of one who had been a most active and valued factor in the business development and substantial progress of Northwood and of Worth county. His worth was widely acknowledged, for he stood as champion of public progress and improvement and at the same time conducted business interests which were of general value and also constituted a source of gratifying personal revenue. His life, ever honorable and upright, commanded for him the respect and goodwill of all, and the example which he leaves behind is well worthy of emulation, causing his memory to be enshrined in the hearts of all who knew him.

Mr. Dwelle had reached the age of ninety-two years when called to his final rest. He was born at Greenwich, Washington county, New York, August 16, 1824, his parents being Alphonso and Elizabeth (Tefft) Dwelle, who were likewise natives of Washington county. The father, who was born May 3, 1800, became the owner of an extensive farm in Washington county and devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits throughout his entire life. He was a son of Abner Dwelle, a native of Massachusetts, who followed the sea and was captain of a vessel for several years. In 1792 he removed to Washington county, New York, where he secured one hundred and sixty acres of land, after which he devoted his attention to farming. He married a Miss Martin, whose people were among the earliest settlers of Washington county, and there he reared his family, passing away in the year 1829. It was upon the old homestead of his father that Alphonso Dwelle spent the last years of his life, passing away March 13, 1884, while his wife, who was born in November, 1802, departed this life in 1869.

Lemuel Dwelle, reared upon the old home farm, early displayed marked aptitude in his studies and devoted himself untiringly to those branches of learning which were taught in the common schools of his locality. When not occupied with his text books he worked in the fields and continued upon the home farm until 1848, when he put aside agricultural activities and learned the carpenter's and joiner's trade, which he followed for about nine years. Attracted by the opportunities of the growing west he then left the Empire state for Iowa, establishing his home in Worth county on the 2nd of December, 1856, at which time Northwood contained but two houses. The great, broad prairies of Iowa gave splendid chances to the settler who desired to devote his attention to farming. Mr. Dwelle, realizing his opportunities for judicious investment, purchased in partnership with his brother, Albert J. Dwelle, several hundred acres of land, eighty acres of which they laid out in town lots in Northwood, which city he named in the spring of 1857. For two years he engaged in survey work over this section of the state and in 1859 they built a gristmill and sawmill at Northwood, putting forth earnest effort to promote the growth of the town so that other settlers would be attracted thereto. The mills met a need in the developing community and the brothers continued their operation through the period of the Civil war and on to the year 1874. In the meantime they also engaged in dealing in land and in loaning money until the death of Albert J. Dwelle in 1902, after which his brother carried on the business alone until the time of his death: Their business interests rapidly developed and their intelligent direction of their investments and their activities brought to them substantial success. Their money-loan business led them naturally to consider the field of banking in all its branches as an attractive one for their activities and in 1890 in company with William F. Andrews, B. H. Beckett and H. T. Toye they organized the Worth County State Bank, which was capitalized for sixty thousand dollars. Mr. Beckett became the first president, in which position he was succeeded by A. J. Dwelle, who continued to act as president until his death in 1902. In the meantime Lemuel Dwelle continued as a prominent factor in the real estate and loan business and also gave considerable time to the management of their several farms, successfully conducting business along those lines until 1902, when he was elected to the presidency of the bank, remaining as its chief executive officer until 1905, when impaired health caused him to resign, and he was succeeded by H. T. Toye, who alone survives his associates in the organization of the bank. Mr. Dwelle, after his resignation, concentrated his attention upon the real estate and loan business, to some extent directing his business operations from his home, but in his later years largely lived retired, although his annual loans yet amounted to two hundred thousand dollars. In the evening of his days, by reason of his early activity, his keen business discernment and his enterprise, he was able to enjoy all of the comforts of life, his prosperity being the direct result of his indefatigable energy and judicious investments.

On the 29th of December, 1875, Mr. Dwelle was married to Miss Hattie Edwards, who was born in East Troy, Wisconsin, July 12, 1842, a daughter of Simon Buell and Betsy Ann (Wheeler) Edwards, who were married March 8, 1838. Her father was born November 10,1816, in Broome county, New York, and died in August, 1893, while the mother was born in Chenango county, New York, April 8, 1818, and passed away in November, 1880. Jasper Edwards, the great grandfather of Mrs. Dwelle, served as a captain in the Revolutionary war and was at Trenton and Valley Forge. His son, Joseph Edwards, was born in Dutchess county, New York, and married Abigail Smith Buell, also a native of that county. In 1838 they removed westward to Wisconsin, where Joseph Edwards followed farming. In 1836, his son, Simon Buell Edwards, journeyed to the west, passing through Chicago when there were but three houses in that city. He settled at East Troy, Wisconsin, and met the usual hardships, trials and privations of pioneer life, aiding in reclaiming his district for the purposes of civilization. He became an extensive farmer and acquired a gratifying competence. He had a brother, F. S. Edwards, who was United States senator from New York about the time of the Civil war. Hattie Edwards was one of a family of six daughters and one son, and by her marriage to Lemuel Dwelle she became the mother of one child, Hattie A., who was born April 28, 1877, and died in infancy.

In his political views Mr. Dwelle was a republican, giving stalwart support to the party which in 1867 called upon him to represent Worth county in the state legislature. In 1876 and again in 1878 he was a member of the state senate, and was an active and valued member of various important committees, serving as chairman of the committees on manufacture and on agriculture and as a member of the committee on horticulture. He was identified with much constructive legislation and his public service was ever actuated by a spirit of progress.

Throughout his entire life his Christian faith constituted a dominant force in his activities. It is said that the first twenty dollars that he earned was given for the erection of the Baptist church at Greenwich, New York, and he likewise paid one third of the running expenses of the Baptist church at Northwood. He contributed many thousands of dollars to church and charitable institutions, nor was he bound by the spirit of narrow denominationalism, for he gave generously to all those agencies which he believed would uplift the individual and advance the betterment of the community. His gift to the Methodist Episcopal church of Northwood was fourteen hundred dollars, to the Presbyterian church twelve hundred dollars, to the Lutheran church four hundred dollars, and to the New Baptist church, six thousand dollars, besides a legacy of five thousand dollars to maintain it. He gave the land on which the courthouse in Northwood stands, and contributed four thousand dollars in cash toward the erection of the building, and recently gave the land on which the new Masonic temple is erected. His contributions to the Des Moines Baptist College of two thousand dollars, and to the Cedar Valley Seminary of Osage of four hundred dollars, indicated his deep interest in the cause of education. He met one half of the expense of securing a city park in Northwood, and in this connection a contemporary biographer said, while he was still an active factor in the world's work: "His generosity is prompted not merely by his sense of duty but by a sincere interest in the welfare of his fellowmen, and he cooperates heartily in every plan and project for the public good and for the uplift of humanity. He is always approachable, always genial, courteous and kindly. The simplicity and beauty of his daily life balance up with his splendid business principles, and his generous sympathy and benevolence have made him uniformly loved. His career has indeed been a force for good in his section of the state, and he well merits the respect and honor so widely accorded him.

Mr. Dwelle reached an honored old age but "the weary wheels of life at length were still." He much more than rounded out the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten, for he was ninety-two years of age at the time of his demise, and with most appropriate and impressive funeral services, with the Masonic and Eastern Star bodies, as well as many friends in attendance, he was laid to rest. His memory, however, remains as a blessed benediction to all who knew him and time will serve to heighten his fame and win appreciation of his worth as the founder, builder and promoter of Northwood.

SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Pages 198-203

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, September 22, 2006