The Bather Family of Clinton County, Iowa

JOHN R. BATHER.

Among the well remembered and highly respected citizens of Clinton, Iowa, who deserve conspicuous mention in a work of this nature was the late John R. Bather, well known for many years as a popular florist and a man of high characteristics, a man who won the confidence and friendship of his fellow men because he was scrupulously honest, obliging and courteous in all his relations with them.

Mr. Bather was born at Alanchester, England, on November 7, 1828, and there he spent his youth and received a good education. He was the son of Thomas and Agnes (Killett) Bather, a couple of many praiseworthy characteristics, who spent their early life in England, emigrating to America in 1848 and settled in Albany, New York, and they soon had a very comfortable home established in this country. Thomas Bather's death occurred at the

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John R. Bather was a young man when he came to America and here he became well established in business early in life. He came to Clinton, Iowa, in 1859 and engaged in business as a florist with his brother, Andrew. They soon had an extensive trade, which continued to increase and which was carried on most successfully for a period of thirty years, during which time the subject became known as one of the leading florists of eastern Iowa, being profoundly Aersed in all branches of floriculture and maintaining a large, well equipijed and popular greenhouse. After these brothers had carried on their business thirty-years, they dissolved partnership and divided the property. The subject accumulated a competency by his thrift and good management and had a very comfortable home in Clinton.

John R. Bather was first married in England to Mary Moody, who died on the ocean while emigrating to this country, and he was later married to Jane Maria Sipperly, a native of Troy, New York, whose death occurred on November 7, 1896. at the age of fifty-four years, having survived her husband, the subject, three years, he having been called to his reward on November 15. 1803. This worthy couple were the parents of twelve children, namely: Frank, deceased; Agnes, deceased wife of William Norman; Jessie: Mary, wife of N. Underwood; Fred, married B Labour, of Des Moines;

Walter, deceased; Ernest was born April 10. 1871, in Clinton. Iowa, and received a good common school education and he has beem a florist all his life, having assisted his father from the time he was a small boy. On August 24, iqio, he was married to Mary Christian, a full sketch of her father appearing elsewhere in this work; Ruth Bather, deceased; Arthur Bather, who is engaged as a florist also in Clinton, was born September 16, 1876. in this city, and here he received a good common school education and. like his brother, has devoted his life to floriculture, taking up the work of their worth father in this line of endeavor, and the grounds which the_\- occupy cover three acres; they make a specialty of cut flowers, plants, and funeral wreaths, always enjoying an extensive trade. He was married on June 23, 1908, to Glenn Crapser, of Clinton; Roy Bather, w ho married Gertrude Taylor, is a machinist; Carrie, deceased; Fannie is the wife of F. Dowhower.

Upon the death of the father, Jessie Bather, his daughter, mentioned above, succeeded to the business and has been conducting the same with rare tact and business ability, building it up to extensive proportions and increasing to a great degree the already firmly established standing of the firm.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

The subject of this sketch, who is a popular florist, nurseryman and gardener, of Clinton, Iowa, has been connected with the business affairs of the city since 1857, and in his undertaking has met with excellent success. He was born in Manchester, England, July 22, 1840, and is a son of Thomas and Agnes (Killett) Bather, who brought their family to the new world in 1849, and settled in Albany, New York, where the father was engaged in his chosen occupation, that of landscape gardener, until called to his final rest, in March, 1859, at the age of fifty-nine years. His wife died April 5, 1866, at the age of sixty-six years. Of the children born to them, all but three died young, those who reached maturity were: John R., Emma M., and Andrew. As previously stated, Andrew Bather came to Clinton in 1857, and for a year was engaged in market gardening on the Aiken farm, located on the Bluff road, but this place has since been laid off in town lots, with Third and Fourth avenues running through it. In 1859 he formed a partnership with his brother, John R., and together they leased one hundred and twenty-five acres of land from the Iowa Land Company, and another twenty-five-acre piece adjoining. They successfully engaged in farming, gardening and the nursery business for some time, and subsequently purchased twenty acres of that tract which they had previously rented. They established what was known as the Sunnyside Nursery, and commenced making a specialty of seeds and fine nursery goods. They also carried on general gardening, and first built upon their place two greenhouses, one sixteen by sixty feet in dimensions, the other eight by sixty. This was added to until at the time the firm was discontinued they had over nine thousand square feet of glass. "When the partnership was dissolved John took the greenhouses, and our subject the nursery and garden, but the latter has since built greenhouses upon his place, and now has fifty-five hundred square feet under glass. He raises a choice variety of bedded plants, and is prepared to furnish all kinds of cut flowers for weddings, banquets and funerals. making a specialty of set pieces. He ships his flowers in every direction, and was the first florist to send cut flowers and plants to the cities of Iowa, and is to-day the oldest established florist in the state. For the past five years he has had fine salesrooms on Fifth avenue, which are artistically arranged, and besides having on sale all kinds of flowers, he also carries a good line of jardiniere, etc. He has sold considerable property, which has been divided into town lots and is now all built up. Over half of the shade and ornamental trees in the city of Clinton have been handled by Mr. Bather, ood the city is one of the most beautifully shaded in the state. He has also personally superintended the making of most of the beautiful lawns of Clinton, which are to be seen on every hand.

Mr. Bather has been twice married, his first wife being Miss Martha A. Beaumont, a native of Brooklyn, New York, and a daughter of John H. Beaumont. She died, leaving one child, Martha A., who is now the wife of Arthur D. Burdick, and has one son, LeRoy. Mr. Bather then married Charlotte A. Beaumont, the sister of his first wife, and to them were born five children, namely: Leo H., who is his father's assistant; John E.; Ralph J.; Agnes H.; and Edith E. The family have a very pleasant home.

In his social relations Mr. Bather is a member of the Odd Fellow's lodge, of which he is past grand; the Rebekah branch of that order; the Modern Woodmen of America; the Knights and Ladies of Honor; the Golden Security; and the Good Templars. Lie is also an active member of the First Baptist church, and his upright:, honorable life has gained for him the respect and confidence of all with whom he has come in contact. Prior to the war of the Rebellion he was an abolitionist, and his home was a station on the famous "underground railroad," by which means he assisted many a slave on his way to Canada, helping as many as twelve at one time.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

MISS JESSIE BATHER.

Miss Jessie Bather is' now proprietor of the J. R. Bather greenhouse on Camanche avenue, Clinton, and a good store on Second street, where are on sale a choice variety of cut flowers, potted plants and jardiniere. She was born in this city, and is a daughter of John R. Bather, who for many years was one of its leading business men. Her paternal grandparents were Thomas and Agnes (Killett) Bather, who came to this country from England in 1848, and settled in Albany, Xew York. The grandfather died at the age of fifty-five years, his wife at the age of sixty-eight. They had three children who reached years of maturity, namely: John R., Emma M. and Andrew, while the others died young.

John R. Bather, our subject's father, was a native of Manchester, England, where he grew to manhood and wedded Miss Mary Moody, who died on the voyage when coming to this country, at the age of twenty-two years. It was in 1848 that Mr. Bather en issued the Atlantic with his parents and located in Albany, Xew York, where both he and his father engaged in landscape gardening. In 1859 he came to Clinton, Iowa, where he was successfully engaged in the flower and nursery business with his brother Andrew. They built up a large trade and continued in business together thirty years, but in 1889 the partnership was dissolved and the property divided, John R. taking the greenhouse, which he enlarged until he had eight thousand square feet under glass. He continued in successful business up to the rime of his death, receiving orders for cut flowers from long distances. In 1871 he built a large brick house, which was his home until called to the world beyond in 1893, at the age of sixty-seven years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Jane Maria Sipperly and was a native of Troy, New York, died in 1896, at the age of fifty-four years.

This worthy couple were the parents of twelve children, namely: Frank, who assists our subject in business; Agnes, deceased wife of William Norman; Jessie, of this review; Mary, wife of N. Underwood: Fred, a resident of California; Walter, deceased; Ernest, a florist; Ruth, who is clerking in the store of her sister; Arthur, a florist: Roy, a machinist; Carrie; and Fannie, wife of F. Dogher.

On the death of her father Miss Jessie Bather succeeded to the business, and has since added to the greenhouses until she now has ten thousand square feet under glass, it being the largest greenhouse in this section of the state. She also has a fine office and sample rooms, and is prepared to furnish any kind of a made piece of the finest flowers for all occasions, such as funerals, weddings, parties, etc. She is artistic in taste, which is an essential qualification of one who is successfully engaged in-her line of business, and is a woman of good business and executive ability.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.