J. M. Killam

As printed in 1915

J. M. KILLAM.

J. M. Killam, senior member of the Hall & Killam Lumber Company, of Truro, Iowa, is a successful and highly esteemed business man and a public-spirited citizen. He was born in Clayton county, Iowa, on the 30th of June, 1847, a son of Timothy and Rebecca Ingram (Billings) Killam, who were married in Hartford, Connecticut. The birth of the father occurred in that state and his wife was also of Yankee stock. Following their marriage they settled in Clayton county, Iowa, and were among the very earliest residents of that section of the state, as they were the third family to locate between Dubuque and McGregor, then known as Fort McGregor. The father preempted land and the family continued to live there for about twenty-three years. In 1867, however, a removal was made to Madison county and they settled on Coon Divide, south of Van Meter. Later that place was sold and they removed to Adair county, where the father passed away about 1896. In their family were six children, four sons and two daughters, being in order of birth as follows: Maria, the wife of Goodliff Brooker, of Earlham; Elizabeth, the wife of George Brooker, of Van Meter, Iowa; J. M., of this review; C. D., a resident of Morningside, Sioux City; T. I., of St. Charles; and George M., of Denver, Colorado.

J. M. Killam attended district schools in Clayton county, Iowa, and the Upper Iowa L'university at Fayette. During the Civil war he served for seven months in the LTnion army in the commissary department, and after leaving the Federal service located in Delaware county, Iowa, but the next year came to this county and entered the mercantile field at Patterson. A year later he removed his store to St. Charles, where he was in business for seven years. At the end of that time he purchased a farm and in partnership with his brother, C. D. Killam, also engaged in the lumber business in St. Charles. Fifteen years later he sold out his interests and removed to New Wirginia, where for two and a half years he conducted a lumber business, selling out at the end of that time to the Lee Lumber Company. His next removal was to Truro, where he opened a lumber yard, conducting the business alone until March, 1912, and then took his son-in-law, Ray Hall, into partnership under the firm name of the Hall & Killam Lumber Company. Mr. Hall was made manager of the concern, Mr. Killam retiring from active business. Since that time he has been the silent member of the well known firm, which has a gratifying patronage in its line. The business community of Truro holds Mr. Killam in high respect, as he has many times demonstrated his

TTTF v:v vov: PUBLIC UlX:.

ASroH. LEX'OX AND

As printed in History of Madison County, Iowa, and its people (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.