Fred George Pike

Mr. and Mrs. Fred G. Pike

Fred George Pike, who carries on general farming on section 23, Deer Creek township, was born in England on the 27th of June, 1870, his parents being, Edwin and Diana (Sumption) Pike, of whom mention is made on another page of this work. During his infancy he was brought from England to the United States by his parents and the public schools of Grove township, Worth county, provided him with his educational opportunities. When not busy with his textbooks he worked in the fields, early becoming familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. He continued to reside upon the home farm with his father until after he attained his majority and was an active worker in the further development of the home place. Later he and his brother Albert purchased one hundred and sixty acres of prairie land which they cultivated together for a time, but at length Fred G. Pike sold his interest to his brother and purchased his present farm, comprising one hundred and sixty acres situated on sections 3, Deer Creek township. After a time he added to his landed posses­sions by the purchase of an eighty acre tract and still another quarter of a section, which he purchased from his father and mother. He thus had four hundred acres of rich and valuable land in Worth county and the cultivation of his fields has brought to him substantial and growing success. He is very practical as well as progressive in all that he undertakes and he keeps in touch with the most ad­vanced methods of scientific farming. He studies the nature of the soil, climatic conditions and all that has to do with crop production and his intelligently directed labors have brought to him a gratifying measure of prosperity.

On the 1st of November, 1893, Mr. Pike was united in marriage to Miss Mary Nixon, a daughter of William and Mary Nixon. She was born in Wisconsin, while her parents were natives of England. Her death occurred in 1899 and three children, George Walter, Ada May and Myrtie Evelyn, were left to mourn the loss of their mother.

In all that pertains to community affairs Mr. Pike takes a deep interest and he exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the demo­cratic party. He has served as secretary of the school board and believes in the continued improvement of the school system, that the children may be well quali­fied for life's practical and responsible duties. He is a man of determined purpose, carrying forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes and his business affairs, wisely directed, have brought to him a substantial competence, so that he now ranks with the representative farmers and men of affluence in Worth county.

SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Pages 386-389

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, October 3, 2005 (picture added 11/21/06)