Sampson C. Bever

As printed in 1887

AMPSON C. BEVER. Prominent among the old pioneers of this county, those who have witnessed its remarkable development and borne a conspicuous part in the great work necessary to such an achievement; who endured the toil and hardships of pioneer life without a murder or complaint, is Mr. Sampson C. Bever.: He was closely identified with the noble and heroic pioneer men and women who have left their im- press upon all the surroundings, and many of whom: yet live to look over these broad prairies covered: with beautiful homes, with growing cities and vil-: lages, school-houses, colleges and churches, and realize with a just satisfaction, that they had a hand in this magnificent development.

Mr. Bever came here from Ohio in 1851, and since then has made an honorable record, lending his means, counsel and enterprise toward the upholding, not only of the city of Cedar Rapids where he resides, but of the county.

Mr. Bever was born on the east side of Columbiana County, Ohio, July 31, 1808, and is the son of James and Euphemia (Imbrie) Bever, natives of 8 Washington County, Pa. The father of James was Sampson Bever, who came to this country from Germany during the Revolutionary War, and lived in Washington County, Pa. There he was actively engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, lie had three children, of whom James moved to the interior of Ohio in is 10 and secured 160 acres of land which was the site of the town of the Winnebago Indians, who had burned it upon leaving that section. Here he erected a log cabin and began the improvement of his place. His over-zealousness it. to prepare a home for himself and family, and his

Wm mm hard labor brought on a disease which caused his death at the early age of twenty-seven. He had two sons, Sampson C., our subject, and James.

The subject of this notice remained on his father's farm in Ohio until he was fifteen years of I age. He then held the position of clerk in the store of II. Sweitzer, of Brownsville, Pa., for five years, after which he went to work at a glass factory owned by Bowman, Sweitzer & Bowman. After remaining there one year as clerk and manager, he became the proprietor of the works. The history of this period of his life we take from the United States Biographical Dictionary:

"At the age of twenty he took charge of the Albany Glass Works, near Brownsville, at the mouth of the Little Redstone Creek, for Bowman, Sweitzer & Bowman, receiving a compensation of $150 a year. They were men of large means, entirely independent, and soon turned over to Mr. Bever the store, goods, glass works, coal bank — everything they had there; he taking a partner, William Eberhart. an experienced glass-lower, the firm being S. C. Bever & Co. The business prospered, and in two years the firm had paid the indebtedness to the old firm, and had a remunerative surplus left. Upon Mr. Eberhart's retirement from the business George B. Woltz joined with Mr. Bever for the term of four years, but died before its close: the business, however, continued under the name of Bever & Woltz to the end of four years. During this time President Jackson was making war on the United States Bank, and Mr. Bever, though highly prospered, saw tile cloud gathering in the financial heavens, and sold out. The parties to whom he disposed of his interests in the glass-works lost all they had in the course of two or three years."

In the autumn of L836, Mr. Bever formed a partnership with Goodloe II. Bowman, one of his former employers Inil at that time Cashier of the Monon-

RiSElfcSJ gahela Bank, of Brownsville. They opened a mercantile house at Coshocton, Ohio, and the firm of Bever & Bowman flourished for ten years.

He then moved to Mi Herburg, now in Holmes County, Ohio, and there sold goods for the following six years. The location was near the old homestead and the rustic graveyard where his father was laid to rest more than seventy years ago whose remains filial love prompted the son to remove to Cedar Rapids twenty-five years since. Mr. Bever built himself a beautiful home at Millersburg, but afterward determined to " go West," and accordingly sold his homestead and, after prospecting in the States on the Mississippi and Cedar Rivers, settled with his family in Cedar Rapids, where he arrived after a circuitous route by the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and by private conveyance on the 4th of April, 1852. Here he purchased 600 acres of land close to the city, and entered nearly 4.000 acres more, all within a few miles of the present city. After one year of farm life, he c 'hides that such was not his vocation, and purchased a store on the corner of First avenue and First street, and conducted the business five years, when he sold his goods but retained the building.

Mr. Beyer, during this time, engaged in building the C. I. At N. R. R. from Clinton to Cedar Rapids, and obtained the first charter in Cedar Rapids for a. national bank, having previously been engaged in private banking under the firm name of S. C. Bever & Sons. This soon merged into the City National Bank, capital 8100,000, which he has since continued. He erected his present bank building in 1871, and has built several block. also five large houses for his children and a number of tenement houses. He is interested in the Savings Bank, and owns stock in two different railroads, also stock in the street railway, lie is a stock-holder in the Water-Works, Oil and Paint Works. Oil Mill, and in the Woolen Factory. His residence is situated on the corner of First avenue and Fifth street, and is one of the finest in the city.

Sampson C. Bever was manic. 1 in 1833, to Miss Mary Blythe, a native of Fayette County, Pa., and a daughter of John and Ellen Blythe. she became the mother of nine children, five of whom arc-till living: Jane F. married Alex 11. Spangler (deceased), a resident of Cedar Rapids, and is the mother of one son, David; james L. married Miss Lovenia Silliman, and has three children: Mary, Lewis I and Lorenzo; George W. married Miss Ada Taylor; Ellen, Mrs. I'. C. Blake, is the mother of three children, james. Genevieve and Georgia; John B. married Miss Charlotte Morton. The three sons of Mr. Bever are in the Bank; the eldest son,.james L. is Cashier; George W., Vice President, and John B., Teller. His children are provided with fine homes, and their surroundings are all that could be desired. Mr-. Bever departed this life June 14, lS.s.j, loved and mourned by all who knew her.

Politically our subject is a Republican, and has been a member of the City Council, lie and his family are members of the Episcopal Church. Mr. B Bever is truly a self-made man. having started out in life without means but with perseverance, a: desire to do well what was to be done, and an evident determination to win his way in the great battle of life. He has succeeded beyond his fondest expectations, and every year but adds to his store, lie is not only one of the prominent business men of Cedar Rapids, but is honored and respected wherever known, and we therefore take pleasure in presenting his portrait in this work.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

The household circle of James McClelland. Sr., and his wife was completed by the birth of ten children, of whom the subject of our notice was the eldest. Margaret married Joseph Robinson, and died in Franklin Township; Thomas died at Toledo, Tama County; William died in Franklin Township; and also John; Archibald went to California in 1851, and never returned; Sidney, the twin sister of our subject, married Thomas Donohue, and they live in Oregon; Jane became the wife of Thomas Baldwin, and they also live in Oregon; George died in California; Eliza married Irvin Wilcox, and she lives in Kansas, Mr. Wilcox having died in Iowa. All of these children, excepting the eldest son, our subject, were born in Pennsylvania.

James McClelland was but an infant when he crossed the Atlantic with his parents. He grew to manhood in Pennsylvania, was reared on the farm and educated in the subscription school. He came to the Territory of Iowa with his parents, and soon after their arrival in Dubuque he engaged to assist in building the military road then being laid out between that place and Iowa City. In the fall of the 3'ear his work took him into Linn County, and being pleased with the " lay of the land," he concluded to locate there, and consequently made a claim. The land hail not been surveyed, but his claim after the survey was found to be on sections 25 and 3G of township 82 north, range 5 west, now Franklin Township. He was still unmarried, and boarded until L 841, when his parents joined him and he built a log house, into which the family moved.

At this time Dubuque was the nearest market, and was seventy miles away. This included only miscellaneous farm produce, there being no market for grain for several years after. He commenced his farming operations with an ox-team, and which also served as a means of transportation to market. At one time he went four miles below Davenport to mill with fifty bushels of wheat, drawn by two yoke of oxen, and was ten days making the trip. f. Wild game was plenty, and deer ran l:ry the door. The nearest post-office was at Ivanhoe, five miles i distant, the mail being carried on horseback.

The marriage of James McClelland and Miss Emeline Stine was celebrated in November, 1844. She was a native of Ureene County, Pa. To this union were born fourteen children: Thomas lives in Lisbon; John in Wyoming Territory; Irena and George in Franklin County, Iowa; Ftlie, Oma and Lou Emma are living with their father; Elma died aged nineteen years, and six others died in infancy. The wife and mother departed this life March 14,

The second marriage of Mr. McClelland occurred in 1874, the lady of his choice being Mrs. Mary (Green) Albon. She was born in Washington County, Ohio, and is the daughter of Eli and Barbara (Moore) Green, and widow of Joseph Albon. By her first marriage she became the mother of two children — Eva Young, who lives in Phillips County, Kan., and Volie, deceased.

Eli Green, the father of Mrs. McClelland, was a native of the Empire State, as also was her grandfather, Duty Green. The mother of Mrs. McClelland was a native of Washington County, Ohio. Her husband removed to Ohio while a young man. and their marriage occurred in her native county He was a ship carpenter, and followed his trade until 1847, when they removed to Iowa. They made their first location at Ft. Madison, and remained there nine years, then removed to Mercer County, Ill., where they purchased a farm and were occupied in agricultural pursuits until L867. They then crossed the Father of Waters again, going into.Missouri and settling in Bates County, where the life of the father terminated in 1809.

The mother still survives and resides with her daughter. Mrs. Sarah Pheran, in Springville. this county.

Mr. and Mrs. McClelland are highly esteemed in their community, and are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Mc- Clelland occupies an enviable position as a citizen, and takes pardonable pride in having done his share toward the building up of his township and county. He has watched its progress with interest and rejoices in its prosperity.

As printed in Portrait and biographical album of Linn County, Iowa (1887). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.