Woodbury County IA

Biographical Sketch of Rev. D.R. Watson

Rev. D.R. Watson was born in Scotland in 1841; came to America in 1852; received his early education at White Star seminary, N.Y. He graduated in the nine years’ course at Madison University in 1868, and at Rochester Theological Seminary in 1871, with the title of A.M. His first pastoral charge was at Lowville, N.Y. He next went to Brandon, Vt., where he spent five years, and then to Wyoming Territory where he remained five months. He came to Sioux City in 1881. In 1876 he married Carlie E. Copeley, and has two children-John R. and Robinson D.

Biographical Sketch of D. Elliott

D. Elliott, dealer in crockery, glass, wood and willowware, house, hotel and steamboat furnishing goods, established this business in 1870; his establishment was destroyed by fire Dec. 5th, 1875; reopened Dec. 7th, of the same year. The building has two stories and basement, all of which he occupies, carrying one of the largest stocks of goods of this description west of Chicago. He was born in Pennsylvania; has been in Iowa twenty years; was formerly in business in Iowa City. H.E.Sawyers, head salesman, for the above firm, has been connected with this house for more than twelve years. He was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Dorman

Thomas Dorman, baker and confectioner-No. 56, Pearl St.-was born in England in 1841; came to America in 1863, and settled in Chicago; removed to Omaha, Neb., 1867. During the late ware he served two years under Gen. Myers. He married Amelia Gibbons, and has two children-Annie and Arthur.

Biographical Sketch of C.W. Hopkins

C.W. Hopkins, carriage and sign painter and grainer-corner of Douglas and 5th Sts.-was born in Pennsylvania, in 1830; moved to Wis., in 1840, and in 1850 removed to Cal.; thence to Australia; thence to London, Eng.; thence to Canada; thence to Wis.; thence to Missouri Valley Junction, Iowa, where he had charge of the R.R. paint shop five years, moving thence to this city.

Biographical Sketch of William Z. Swarts

William Z. Swarts, proprietor of the Red Front auction store, was born in Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in 1840; removed to Wooster, O., in 1844. He enlisted in Co. I, 16th O. regiment, and remained in the army until Jan. 28th, 1866, when he was mustered out; served in the official capacity of orderly sergeant. He moved to Iowa City, Iowa, in 1866; thence to Chicago in 1871, where he was engaged in auctioneering; thence to Sioux City in 1873.

Biographical Sketch of R.C. Barnard

R.C. Barnard, station agent and telegraph operator, was born in the District of Columbia in 1829; removed to Neb. in 1857. He platted the town site of Grand Island; removed to Omaha in 1863, where he was city engineer for several years; in 1868 removed to Council Bluffs, and engaged in the dry goods business, and in 1870 came to Sloan and engaged in the mercantile business with Beal & Evans. In 1873 he took charge of his present office.

Biographical Sketch of J.C.C. Hoskins

J.C.C. Hoskins was born in N.H. in 1820; graduated at Dartmouth college in the class of ’41; was engaged in teaching school five years, and afterward followed his profession, that of civil engineering. He was employed by the Cochituate Water works, and afterward by the B. & O.R.R. Co., until the spring of 1857, when he came to this city. In 1863, he was appointed postmaster of Sioux City, and served in that capacity until June 30th, 1878. He was city engineer from 1858 to 1871; has been mayor of the city, and was justice of the peace twelve years; … Read more

History of Western Iowa

Residence in Odebolt Iowa

This collection consists of 412 brief biographical sketches and 3 short sketches of companies extracted from the History of Western Iowa. It contains sketches from Harrison, Ida, Manona, and Woodbury Counties in Iowa. The sketches are sorted alphabetically by first name.

Biographical Sketch of A. Macready

A. Macready, was born in Scotland in 1821; was raised and educated in Glasgow, where he graduated in 1842; came to America in 1846, and located at Patterson, N.J., where he took the management of two spinning mills. Afterwards he was connected with the banking house of John Thompson, now Thompson Bros. He was then sent to Kentucky as agent of the Breckenridge coal oil companies, which made the first coal oil ever made. Mr. M. sold the first two barrels of oil ever sold in America, in the autumn of 1855. In 1856, he came to this city, where … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Wm. Lubert

Wm. Lubert, tailor, established business in 1850. He was born in Mecklingburg, Schmern, Germany, in 1815; came to America in 1851, and settled in Cleveland, O. He removed to Bellefontaine; thence to Ill.; thence to this city. He married Henrietta Coner, and has four children-Gustavus, Jennie, Amelia and Carrie.

Biographical Sketch of James Puck

James Puck, proprietor of the Davenport House, which was erected in 1881 at a cost of $5,000. This house is a brick structure, and newly furnished; has a barn in connection 4th St., between Virginia and Court Sts. Mr. Puck was born in Germany in 1835; came to America in 1853, and settled in Davenport, Iowa In 1869 he came to Sioux City and engaged in farming; then became one of the proprietors of the Chicago House, where he remained three years.

Biographical Sketch of A. Akin

A. Akin, of the firm of Akin & Shulson, dealers in staple and fancy groceries, confectionery, etc., Chicago House, 4th St., Sioux City, Ia., was born in Otsego County, N.Y., March 8th, 1810. In 1827, he moved to Penn.; removed to Belvidere, Ill., in 1844; thence to Elgin, and from there to Chicago in 1852, where he served as justice of the peace and police magistrate for seven years, and also practiced law. He received a commission from President Lincoln to recruit. In 1864, he moved to Kansas, where he was for several years register in the U. S. land … Read more

Biographical Sketch of H.J. Merrill

H.J. Merrill, proprietor of the Blue Front livery barn, (keeps first class turnouts), was born in Otsego County, N.Y., in 1838; removed to DeKalb County, Ill., in 1861, and thence to Sioux City. He served in the U.S.A. as sergeant of his brigade in Co. C., 105th Ill., under Captain Warner.

Biographical Sketch of W.H. Corrigan

W.H. Corrigan, proprietor of sample room, No. 26 Pearl St., was born in Ozaukee Co., Wis., in 1850; came to this place in 1874, and entered the employ of the proprietor of the Washington House. He married Emma Shiable, of Sioux City. They have one child-Willie.

J. Franz & Co.

J. Franz & Co., brewers. The business of this firm is conducted by Mrs. M. Franz and Mrs. Kate Hensler, the widows of the former proprietors, both of whom died in the spring of 1881. The brewery was built in 1868, is 150×40 ft., and has a capacity of 10,000 barrels per year, and has bottling works connected with it, whose capacity is about 250,000 bottles per year. The foreman, John Arensdorf is a practical brewer, having learned the business at Sedan France, and is in every respect well fitted for the position, which he now holds. The financial affairs … Read more

Biographical Sketch of G.W. Goowin

G.W. Goowin is of the firm of Goodwin & Mousseau, proprietors of the steam bakery. They are manufactures of crackers, and jobbers in confectionery-capacity, 60 Bbls. per day-and the inventors of the cracker factory machine-made bread, which they find a ready sale for throughout this western country. He was born in Pennsylvania, in 1833; removed to Ill., in 1853, and settled at Dixon; then removed to Vinton, Iowa, where he was engaged in the bakery business, under the name of Goodwin Bros. He served in the U.S.A. three years in Battery F., 1st Ill. L.A., under Maj. T. Cheney. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of M.E. Bedford

M.E. Bedford, of the firm of Bedford Brothers, dentists, began the practice of dentistry in Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1866; in 1872, located in Worthington, Minn., and engaged in the practice in Sioux City in 1876, with his brother, L.N. Bedford, who, with his assistant, R.F. Merrick, travels in Southern Minn., Northern Iowa, Southeastern Dakota and Eastern Neb., in the practice of dentistry in all its branches.

Biographical Sketch of John Harrison

John Harrison, one of the early pioneers of Douglas Township, Ida County, Iowa, was born in County Monaghan, Ireland, in December, 1824, a son of James and Elizabeth (Clendening) Harrison, natives also of that county. He moved to Scotland with his parents when a lad and was raised and educated there. In 1845, John was united in marriage to Jeanette Stevenson at Argyleshire, Scotland, near Glasgow. Her father was Peter Stevenson. In 1855, he came to the United States, locating in New York, but afterwards he engaged in a sawmill for J. Irvin at Savanna, Carroll Co., Illinois. In 1864, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Haner

John Haner, dealer in hardware-lower Fourth Street-established business in 1881. He came to Sioux City in 1861; was employed as a clerk in the Groninger hardware store. He enlisted in this city in the 14th I., under Col. Pattee, and served in the U.S.A. all through the rebellion; was commissary sergeant most of the time, also clerk in the commissary department. He married Julia Reinke, and has five children Lena Tillie, Willie, Otto and Emma.

Biographical Sketch of Hon. S.T. Davis

Hon. S.T. Davis, attorney at law and dealer in real estate, was born in Pennsylvania in 1828; was educated at Alleghany College, at Meadowville, Pennsylvania; came to Sioux City in 1856, and has been identified with many leading enterprises for the benefit of his adopted city. He was the founder of the Sioux City Journal, and with others organized the S.C.&P.R.R., and has taken an active interest in the construction of other roads leading into the city. He was appointed by President Lincoln register of the U.S. land office, which position he held for eighteen months. He was elected to … Read more