Davenport Iowa

Biography of Harry P. Simpson

Harry P. Simpson, editor of the Rock Island Argues, was born in Davenport, Iowa, on July 6, 1863, and moved to Rock Island in 1887. He attended the public schools in his native city, and while yet in high school he developed a decided taste for newspaper work, serving as reporter on a society paper called the Saturday Afternoon People. His work attracted attention and he was offered a position on the staff of the Davenport Gazette, which he accepted, representing that paper in a reportorial capacity in Rock Island and Moline. A little later he was made city editor … Read more

Biography of Paul E. Havens

Paul E. Havens. The late Paul E. Havens, one of the pioneers of Leavenworth, and whose name is closely interwoven with the material growth and prosperity of the city, was a man of unusual force of character. He was born at Ephratah, Fulton County, New York, May 4, 1839, and was a son of C. D. P. and Eleanor (Frey) Havens, a grandson of Paul and Anne (Kennedy) Havens, and a great-grandson of Daniel and Elizabeth (Bostwick) Havens. The progenitor of this family in America was William Havens, a native of Wales, who located at Portsmouth, Rhode Island, in 1636. … Read more

Biography of Peter Fries

Man whose personality was strongly A impressed on Rock Island County, was Peter Fries, distiller, banker, and man of affairs. Mr. Fries was born May 4, 1822, on the family estate known as “Guss-Hof,” situated on the River Main, in Bavaria, Germany. He died July 20, 1902, in Rock Island, Illinois. His father’s name was Johann, his mother’s, Gertrude (nee Brand), of Reistenhausen. Johann Fries was the owner of the Guss-Hof, the estate which had descended from father to son for many generations, and was situated near Stadt Prozelten. Peter Fries, the subject of this sketch, was the youngest of … Read more

Biography of Patterson S. McGlynn

Patterson S. McGlynn, one of the proprietors of the Daily Dispatch, was born in Connecticut in 1850, of Irish parentage. He was educated by his father to read and write and to be appalled by the multiplication table before being sent to country schools in Iowa, commencing at Washington in the State named, “graduating” to a printing office when he was thirteen years old, and then at the age of sixteen going back to school in the old stone school in Davenport, where his printing-office education raced him through to graduation to the high school. But his education may be … Read more

Biography of Samuel Baughman

Samuel Baughman. In the career of Samuel Baughman, now one of the leading real estate and insurance men of Chanute, there are found those qualities which make for success in business life. Industry, perseverance, a wise direction of talents and a quick grasp of opportunities have always characterized his actions, and throughout his life he has governed his operations by principles of fair dealing, so that his reputation in business matters is one which places him in an enviable position. He has been interested in a number of lines of endeavor, and in each has made a success, and the … Read more

Biography of H. E. Casteel

Herbert E. Casteel, one of Rock Island County’s most enterprising and highly regarded citizens, prominent in banking and business circles and a self made man, was born in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa, March 15, 1860, and was the son of Appleton and Elizabeth Gardner Casteel. Mr. Casteel’s strides to prominence are the result of hard toiling and struggle in his early days and his keen business methods and perseverance in later years. Terminating his studies in the public schools of Davenport, he was not any too well provided with education with which to enter the great field of business struggle, … Read more

Biography of Theodore C. Van Epps

THEODORE C. VAN EPPS. – Mr. Van Epps, a portrait of whom is placed among the illustrations of this work, is one of the best known men in Washington’s capital city. He was born in New Scotland, eight miles west of Albany, New York, February 15, 1847, and is the son of Charles and Angelica (Vedder) Van Epps, both of whom were born in New York of Holland parentage, his mother being a cousin of ex-President Martin Van Buren. His great-grandfather was from Holland, and founded the town of Amsterdam in New York State. At the age of six Theodore … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William A. C. Smith

Smith, William A. C.; pres. The Ohio Quarries Co.; born, Chebanse, Ill., Dec. 15, 1876; son of William and Frances M. Rice Smith; educated, public schools, Chebanse, Ill., and one year at Academy, North-Western University, Evanston, Ill.; married, Davenport, Ia., Sept. 12, 1889, Nettie Grant; issue, three children, Janet, 11, Helen, 6, Richard Murray, 4; two years clerked in general store; two years in Chicago National Bank; 1901-1906, salesman, auditor, sec’y and treas. The Bedford Quarries Co. of Chicago; 1903-1906, treas. The Ohio Quarries Co.; 1907, moved to Cleveland as gen. mgr. of the Ohio Quarries Co.; in 1910, made … Read more

Volknennant, Herman C. – Obituary

Herman C. Volknennant, a former resident of this city and a resident of this vicinity for the past thirty-five years, died in Portland last Saturday and the body was shipped to Baker. The funeral took place from the chapel of West and Co. Tuesday afternoon under the auspices of Baker I.O.O.F. Lodge, Rev. Samuel Gregg of the Christian church officiating. The deceased was a native of Germany and came to this section from Davenport, Iowa, when a young man and engaged in the saloon business in North Powder, where he lived until several years ago. For the past three years … Read more

Biography of Paul Carroll Schnoebelen, M.D.

Dr. Paul Carroll Schnoebelen, a prominent and most successful young representative of the medical profession in St. Louis, specializing in internal medicine and diagnosis, was born at Riverside, Iowa, on the 15th of January, 1890, a son of Sigsmund W. and Mary (Carroll) Schnoebelen. The father is a descendant of the merchant prince Weber of Holland, whose daughter and her husband, Dominie Everadus Bogardus, arrived in New York in the seventeenth century and built the original Trinity church of New York city, now at the head of Wall street. The mother is descended from John Carroll of Carrollton. Paul C. … Read more

Biography of Horace Everett Boynton, D.C., Ph. C.

HORACE EVERETT BOYNTON, D. C., Ph. C. – In the younger group of professional men in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, Dr. Horace Everett Boynton is taking a leading position and his activities are reflecting credit not only upon himself but upon the school of healing of which he is a representative. A native of the State of Massachusetts, but for some years a resident of New Hampshire, Mr. Boynton is a member of a family long prominent in New England. He is a son of John Boynton, and a grandson of Joshua Boynton, the family tracing back through many generations of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hugh A. J. McDonald

Mr. McDonald was born in the City of Rock Island, Illinois, November 13, 1862, the son of H. A. J. and Sarah J. McDonald, of Scotch-Irish descent. He was married to Mary C. Gall June 5, 1889, in Rock Island, Illinois. The offspring of this union are Hugh Earl and George Hobart McDonald, both resident in Rock Island. Mr. McDonald was a member of the State Infantry of Illinois, Company A, Sixth Regiment, from 1884 until 1893, when he resigned with the rank of Captain, which he had held during the last eighteen months of his service. He was manager … Read more

Biography of George S. Brooke

GEORGE S. BROOKE. – This gentleman is the cashier of the First National Bank of Sprague, and is also a director and one of the largest shareholders. Mr. Brooke comes of cavalier stock. On his father’s side, he is a descendant of the Brookes of Maryland. In the year 1650, Robert Brooke, of England, having brought out a colony consisting of his wife, ten children and servants, forty persons in all, settled on the east shore of the Patuxent river. The settlement was called De La Brooke. The founder had a patent direct from Lord Baltimore. He was a member … Read more

Biography of Judson D. Metzgar

One of Moline’s younger attorneys, who has achieved success in his profession, and who has acquired a lucrative office and probate practice, is Judson D. Metzgar. He was born at Port Byron, Illinois, December 5, 1870, and here his parents, Marcellus R. and Mary E. (Brown) Metzgar, resided until he was ten years of age, when they removed to Davenport, Iowa, where they remained three years, going from thence to Moline, which has since been his home. His early education was obtained in the common schools of Port Byron, the Moline High School of which he is a graduate, as … Read more

Biography of Dr. Hiempsal S. Dodd

DR. HIEMPSAL S. DODD. Totheperson who closely applies himself to any occupation which he has chosen as his calling in life, there can only come one result, that of success and a high place in the esteem of those among whom his lot has been cast. Dr. Dodd is no exception to this rule, and he has also at all times manifested much interest in the building up of the sections in which he has made his home, and has given liberally of his means to this end. He is a native of Wooster, Ohio, born in 1828, a son … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Claus Rochau

Claus Rochau of Galva Township, Ida County, Ia. resides on Section 3. He has been a resident of the township since 1877, and is one of the old settlers. He was born in Germany, near Holstein, in 1842. He was the son of Hans and Catherine Rochau, both natives of Germany. In 1860, Claus crossed the great waters to America. He married Minnie Bower in Davenport, a native of Germany. She came to America with her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Carl Bower, when quite young. Claus and Minnie had 10 children: Gusta, Herman, Annie, Lizzie, Minnie, Emma, Willie, John, Katy, … Read more

Biography of Walter Johnson

Mr. Walter Johnson, the subject of this sketch, died in Rock Island, November 23, 1903. He was for a third of a century one of the vital forces of the community. For twenty-seven years he occupied the editorial chair of the Daily Union, in which position he at all times was an able and courageous champion of that which he considered right, and calculated to make the community better. His editorial utterances carried weight not only because of their intrinsic merit and evident fairness in the presentation of the subjects under discussion, but because it was recognized throughout the community … Read more

Biography of Rev. O. I. Bennett

Rev. O. I. Bennett, pastor of the Christian Church at Boynton and for many years an earnest worker in a vocation which is recognized as the noblest occupation of man, is also ministering to the physical needs of the body as a chiropractor, and along both spiritual and material lines his efforts have been productive of much good. He was born in Cone, Louisa County, Iowa, September 13, 1867, a son of J. W. and Mary Arm (Manley) Bennett, natives of Indiana and of Irish descent. In 1849, when six years of age, the father was taken by his parents … Read more