Charles Frederick Wardall
For many years Charles Frederick Wardall was a representative and prominent farmer of Worth county, living on section 18, Grove township, where he passed away in 1901 at the age of forty-five years. He was born in Mitchell county, Iowa, May 14, 1856, a son of Charles and Sarah (Hewitt) Wardall. The father was born in Lancashire, England, in December, 1816, and his parents were Thomas and Frances (Melton) Wardall, who emigrated to the United States in 1827, settling in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they reared their family of eleven children. Charles Wardall, father of Charles Frederick Wardall, spent his boyhood and youth upon the home farm, and there he acquired a common school education. In 1857 he became a resident of Grove township, Worth county, Iowa, and in company with Lemuel Dwelle and Dr. Franklin, laid out the town of Northwood, buying out G. O. Mellem. Mr. Wardall built the first mill in the county, grinding some wheat and corn and also sawing the lumber out of which many of the first cabins were built. He was identified with the interests of the county for many years, taking an active part in its development and progress, and for a long period he lived to witness the prosperity that came as time passed on. He was married twice, his first union being with Miss Sarah Wise, a niece of Ex-Governor Wise, of Virginia. She passed away in 1839 and the two children of their marriage died in infancy. Later Mr. Wardall wedded Mrs. Sarah Williams, who was born in Oxford, England, in 1816, and in 1822 removed with her parents, Thomas and Elizabeth Hewitt, to London, England, where she became the wife of George A. Williams in May, 1836. In August of that year they emigrated to the United States, settling in Brooklyn, New York, and afterward went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Mr. Williams died. In August, 1840, Mrs. Williams became the wife of Charles Wardall, and they removed to Ripley county, Indiana. In 1842 they became residents of Rock county, Wisconsin, and from 1844 until 1855 resided at Union, Rock county. For a year thereafter they lived at Springfield, Illinois, and for a brief period in Mitchell county, Iowa, before coming to Worth county in 1857. In 1869 Mr. Wardall purchased one hundred and sixty acres of good farm land and for a number of years devoted his attention to its cultivation. He was a Master Mason and also a member of the Royal Arch Chapter at Osage. In his later life he lived retired, spending a number of years at Monrovia, California, after which he returned to Northwood and died at the home of Mrs. Beckett in 1906 at the age of ninety years. His wife also passed away in Northwood. Charles Frederick Wardall spent his youthful days in Northwood, where he was educated, and afterward located with his family upon a farm where his widow now resides. He bought the place from Mr. Hitchcock, and later sold it to his brother, Thomas Wardall, but subsequently repurchased it from his brother and continued thereon throughout the remainder of his life.
In 1878 Mr. Wardall was married to Miss Mary L. Blighton, a daughter of Permeno Adam and Eliza E. (Malcolm) Blighton. Mrs. Wardall was born in Grove township near the farm upon which she still lives. Her father came from near Albany, New York, and removing west with his parents, settled in Dana county, Wisconsin, where land was purchased, developed and improved. While there residing Mr. Blighton married Eliza E. Malcolm, who was from Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Removing to Worth county, Iowa, he and his father homesteaded the farm upon which Mrs. Wardall now resides, built thereon a log cabin and improved the place, continuing the cultivation of the land for a number of years. The grandfather, with the family, later returned to Dane county, Wisconsin, but at a subsequent period they again took up their abode in Worth county, Iowa, settling north of Mrs. Wardall's farm in Grove township. Mr. Blighton there built a log cabin and for a number of years remained upon that place. He afterward lived west of Northwood and still later in Kingsbury county, South Dakota, where both he and his wife passed away.
Mrs. Wardall now has in her possession the homestead entry signed by James Buchanan, then president of the United States. Her grandfather, Elikim Malcolm, was a government surveyor of Ontario, Canada, and her great-grandfather was a captain in the immediate service of Queen Victoria.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wardall were born ten children, Grace, William, Ella, Donna, Gertrude, Charles, Carrie, Bessie, Minnie and Hewitt. Their farm is known as the Homewood Stock Farm, and in addition to tilling the soil they make a specialty of raising registered Hereford cattle. How highly valued their stock is is indicated in the fact that at the Association sale on December 3, 1917, they received three thousand five hundred dollars for one animal and sold two for over twelve hundred dollars, one of them being a calf only seven months old. Mr. Wardall was a progressive agriculturist and his sons have followed in his footsteps. His political allegiance was given to the democratic party and he served as township clerk and township trustee. He belonged to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and his religious faith was that of the Baptist church. His life was well spent. He was honorable and upright in every relation and in business affairs was thoroughly reliable, never taking advantage of the necessities of his fellowmen in any transaction. He enjoyed the goodwill and confidence of all and his death was, therefore, the occasion of deep regret to many friends as well as to his immediate family.
SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Pages 295-297
Transcribed by Gordon Felland, July 14, 2006