Scott County IA

Biographical Sketch of John W. Thompson

It is always a pleasure to outline the career of an honest, upright and progressive man, who has left the more thickly settled portions of the country, pressing out into the regions of wildness to bring them under the sway of civilization’s uplifting influences, spending, meanwhile, sturdy effort and drawing upon an exhaustless store of courage and determination to accomplish this worthy end and so we turn with zest to chronicle the events in the life of the capable and worthy citizen, whose name initiates this paragraph, since he has displayed qualities that are priceless, and manifested virtues and abilities … Read more

Biography of Henry J. Frick

The life record of Henry J. Frick, the subject of our present sketch, is that of a self-made man; a man who through his unflagging industry and undaunted perseverance has achieved for himself not only a comfortable competence, but an enviable reputation for unswerving integrity and uncompromising honor. He was born August 31, 1858, at Rock Island, and this city has been his home ever since, with the exception of one and one-half years spent in Scott County, Iowa. His parents were William and Caroline (Dietrich) Frick. Both were natives of Germany. They emigrated to the United States in 1851. … Read more

Biography of L. S. McCabe

L. S. McCabe has been a factor in the commercial history of Rock Island County since 1868. He is a native of Delaware County, New York, and was educated in the common schools and academies of that locality. Coming west in his young manhood, Mr McCabe took up his residence in Rock Island County. He taught school for two terms in the southern part of this county during the time that the Hon. W. H. Gest, the present circuit judge, was county superintendent of schools. In 1870 his business career as a Rock Island merchant was begun, and his steadily … Read more

Harry Washington Todd of Davenport IA

Harry Washington Todd9, (Ira8, Ira7, Jehiel6, Stephen5, Stephen4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born July 9, 1856, in Vermillionville, Ill., married Nov. 13, 1899, Neva L. Dimmitt, who was born April 5, 1876, in Kansas. They lived in Urbana, Ill., where he was an instructor in the Illinois Agricultural College. Both of their children were born in Lasalle, Ill. He is now (1920) living in Davenport, Iowa. Children: 2611. Isabel Washburn, b. Sept. 7, 1900. 2612. George Eldred, b. June 26, 1902.

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 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 Alytte R. Dunn

Alytte R. Dunn, known as Ale, a farmer and stock-raiser of section 23, Logan township, Ida County, was born in Scott County, Iowa, in 1854, a son of A.R. and Margaret (Grace) Dunn, natives of Ohio and New York, respectively. When a young man the father located in Allen’s Grove, Scott Co., IA, and at that time Davenport contained only seven log houses. He was married in that county, where he was engaged in farming until 1890, and in that year the parents went to California. They still reside in that State. The grandparents of our subject, John and Eleanor … 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 John Russell Stewart

John Russell Stewart. As a citizen who for many years was closely identified with journalism and local affairs in Champaign County, the people of this section feel a corresponding interest in the personality and career of John Russell Stewart. As supervising editor of this publication, the publishers feel that this interest should be gratified by the inclusion of a brief personal biography. He was born on his father’s farm in Butler County, Pennsylvania, November 6, 1840, a son of William and Eliza Jane (Gibson) Stewart, who were both of direct Scotch-Irish descent. Mr. Stewart received his education in the local … Read more

Iowa Death Records by County

Many experts recommend starting your research with the death records first. The death record is the most recent record, so it will more likely be available to you. Death records are kept in the state where your ancestor died, not where they were buried. However these records can provide a burial location. Death records are especially helpful because they may provide important information on a person’s birth, spouse, and parents. Some researchers look first for death records because there are often death records for persons who have no birth or marriage records. Early death records, like cemetery records, generally give … Read more

Biography of Hon. William Payne

Farmers who have been elected to positions of trust and honor are not by any means few in America, but it is the exception that the tiller of the soil continues to be such long after he has won success in any sphere outside his regular calling. The allurements of city life in the great majority of cases quickly overcome the inborn love of nature unadorned and the farmer is known by another name. Honorable William Payne has been one of the few. After terms of service in county offices and through twelve years in which he held membership in … 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 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

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

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 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