Iowa

Biographical Sketch of Dr. E.C. Heilman

Dr. E.C. Heilman was born on July 18, 1856, in Cedar County, Iowa, to Samuel and Mary Heilman. He graduated from the Medical College of Ohio in March 1877 and moved to Ida Grove, Iowa, on August 20, 1877. Heilman began his medical career in partnership with Dr. F.D. Seeber, later working with Dr. Giles Moorehead. He served as County Treasurer in 1883, then returned to practice in 1888. He married Nancy J. Blazer on September 20, 1877, and they had three children.

Biographical Sketch of Edward Eckman

Edward Eckman, born in Sweden in 1858, was a prominent figure in Hayes Township, Ida County, Iowa. After moving to Illinois in 1875, he purchased a farm in Hayes Township in 1876 and took on various civic roles, including Road Supervisor, Constable, and Assessor. He married Ida Johnson in 1885, also of Swedish descent, and they had two children, Roy and Hazel. Edward’s family included siblings Peter, Augusta, Christine, and Swanter, reflecting his deep roots in both Sweden and America.

Biographical Sketch of Enoch Jones

Enoch Jones, born on March 6, 1825, in Bourbon County, Kentucky, moved to Iowa in 1852. He settled in Scott’s Grove, Jones County, where he farmed and operated a thresher. In 1874, he purchased land in Ida County and later moved to Battle Creek in 1883 to manage his real estate. Jones was also engaged in general merchandise in Monticello from 1863 to 1873 and later specialized in buying and selling horses, acquiring notable breeds like Union Jack and Randolph.

Biographical Sketch of I. V. Miller

I. V. Miller was the owner of the Rink Livery, Sale, and Feed Barn in Battle Creek, Iowa, known for his quality service and a selection of carriages and horses. Born on September 24, 1858, in Wisconsin, he was the second of seven children and received education in local schools. After working as a traveling salesman, he settled in Battle Creek. In 1881, he married Ada Usher, with whom he had six children.

Biography of Alytte R. Dunn

Alytte R. Dunn, known as Ale, was a prominent farmer and stock-raiser in Ida County, Iowa. Born in 1854 in Scott County, IA, he settled in Logan township after acquiring land in the late 1870s and married Cora Andre in 1877. Dunn diligently improved his farm and participated in local politics as a Republican. Tragically, he was killed by a train on January 17, 1907, while returning from a public sale. His funeral drew a large crowd, reflecting his esteemed status in the community.

Biographical Sketch of James Anderson

James Anderson, born on November 12, 1838, in Tyrone County, Ireland, was the eldest of eight children. He received his education in Ireland before immigrating to America in 1871. Initially settling in Delaware County, Iowa, for five years, he later moved to Ida County, where he became a successful stock raiser and acquired a 640-acre farm. He and his wife had four children: Margaretta Jane, Mary, William James, and Thomas Andrew.

Biographical Sketch of Peter Morrison

Peter Morrison, originally from New York, learned carpentry and engaged in railroad contracting before moving to Iowa in 1867. He settled in Battle Creek in 1874 and began his own contracting business. A Civil War veteran, he served in the 8th Wisconsin Infantry, participating in key battles and suffering two wounds during his five years of service. Peter and his wife, Emma, raised six children: James, Sarah, Martha, Matilda, Mary, and George. He was a member of the Mathew Gray Post in Ida Grove.

Biographical Sketch of James H. Fair

James H. Fair, born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1853, immigrated to the United States at age 20 and settled in Delaware County, Iowa, in 1873. He married Miss Lindsay in 1877, and they initially lived in Silver Creek Township before establishing a farm on untamed prairie land. The couple raised eight children: Thomas, Edward, Sarah Ann, Lillie Jane, Margaret Maud, James Graham, William Andrew, and Martha Theresse.

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Crane

Thomas Crane, born on March 25, 1844, in the Isle of Man, immigrated to America at age eleven after his father’s death. He settled in Iowa in 1877, bringing minimal possessions but establishing a successful farm in Maple Township. Crane became a prominent veterinary surgeon, dehorning the first 6,000 cattle in the area. He married Elizabeth Jones in 1864 and they had eight children. Crane actively participated in his community as a School Board member and Township Trustee.

Biographical Sketch of Joseph Rinehart

Hotel Rinehart, located near the railroad depot in Battle Creek, Iowa, offered 14 comfortable rooms and a restaurant serving quality meals and temperance drinks, catering to weary travelers. Joseph Rinehart, born on February 21, 1859, in Frederick County, Maryland, migrated west in 1882, working in various capacities within the Bowman Lumber Company across Iowa. In 1892, he purchased the Hotel Hopkins and later operated it with his wife, Elizabeth Estep, and their two children, Hazel Pearl and Jennie Cecil.

Biographical Sketch of A. A. Barrick

A. A. Barrick, born June 5, 1852, in Chicago, Illinois, became a prominent businessman in Battle Creek, Iowa, since 1881. He married Hannah Gillmore in 1878, with whom he had two sons, Roy and Archie. After serving an apprenticeship in blacksmithing and working in Kansas, he established his business in Battle Creek, first focusing on blacksmithing and later selling farming implements. Barrick also served six years on the City Council, contributing to local governance.

Biographical Sketch of R. C. Newland

R. C. Newland and Catherine J. Swan were married on March 20, 1856, in their birthplace of Bedford, Indiana. They had five children and moved to Galva, Illinois, in 1864, before relocating to Ida County, Iowa, in 1881. Their daughter, Mrs. B. M. Miller, played a role in renaming Clarendon, Iowa, to Galva. R. C. Newland was born on December 24, 1836, while Catherine was born on August 17, 1834.

Biographical Sketch of J. O. Crawford

James O. Crawford, born February 17, 1828, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, was the son of Alexander and Mary Crawford. He worked in various trades before joining the police force in Glasgow. In 1879, he emigrated to the United States, settling near Cascade, Iowa. By 1882, he acquired 620 acres in Garfield Township, Ida County, where he developed a productive farm with modern amenities. Crawford married Janet Scott, with whom he had eight children, many of whom later established their own families in Iowa.

Biographical Sketch of James J. Rogers

James J. Rogers was born on December 21, 1835, in Muskingum County, Ohio, and moved to Battle Township, Ida County, Iowa, in 1883. He was educated in a log schoolhouse and married Agnes Miller, with whom he had five children. His father, Henry Rogers, originally from Pennsylvania, migrated west and settled in Iowa in 1838, where he became known for his hospitality towards visiting pioneer preachers. The Rogers family included several prominent descendants in the region.

Biographical Sketches of Sac County Iowa

Residence in Odebolt Iowa

The early settlement of Sac County, Iowa, began with Otho Williams in 1854, who relocated from Michigan. He and his family were the first white inhabitants, but left after a few years due to growing neighborly density. By 1855, several other families established homes in the region. Notably, William Lane built the first mill in 1856, during a notoriously harsh winter. The settlers united in 1858 to secure land against speculators, showcasing their cooperative spirit in this nascent community.