In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1907) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1856
From History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, from the earliest historic times to 1907 (1907), Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies ... history of Iowa, with ... biographies of the gove (1891)
ILLIAM D. HARDIN, whose father was one of the pioneers of Pottawattamie County, is engaged in the realestate and loan business in Council Bluffs. Mr. Hardin is also City Assessor, to which petition he was elected at the spring election of 1890. He is a native of Council Bluffs, where he was born in October, 1856. He was educated in the public schools of this city. He beij;an business for himself as a messenger boy, for the Omaha Bridge Transfer Company. With this company he continued two years. He was then employed by J. P. and J. N. Casady, real-estate agents and abstracters, for about two years and for about six years was employed as one of the Deputy County Treasurers of Pottawattamie County. He then engaged in his present business, in which he has since continued.
He is one of the representative young men of Council Bluffs, and is an esteemed and worthy citizen.
fOHN C. BLOOM, one of the prominent merchants of Minden, dealing in hardware, furniture, agricultural implements, etc., and also an undertaker, was born near Berlin, Prussia, the son of Christian Bloom, who was a farmer by occupation. He came to America in 1861 with his wife, whose maiden name was Fredrica Schmidt. He settled in Scott County, Iowa, and is the father of seven living children, namely: John C, Herman, William, Robert, Ferdinand, Christian and Matilda. Mr. Bloom is still living, on his farm, at the age of fifty nine years. Politically he is a Democrat, and is a straight-forward and honorable citizen.
Mr. J. C. Bloom, a son of the above and the subject of this sketch, was born July 24, 1856, and was but five years of age when he was brought by his parents to America. He learned the trade of carpenter, and in 1880 boucrht a farm three miles north of Minden, which he conducted for three years. In 1883 he bought the hardware store of J. C. Garmong, which was then a small stock of $4,- 040, but which he has since increased to over $9,000, and is doing a flourishing business. Politically Mr. Bloom is a Republican. He is a self-made man, having obtained his property by his own unaided efforts. He is a prominent and reliable business man, who owes his success in life to his own method of dealing and personal character. He was married in 1880, to Miss Margarita Engler, who died in May, 1881. Ho was again married in 1884, to Teresa Geiger, and they are the parents of three children: Matilda, Teresa fESSE D. GAULT, one of the well-known citizens and successful farmers of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, came here in 1879, and is located in section 36, Washington Township. He was born in Worcester County, Maryland, near the Virginia line, July 8, 1828. His father, Obed Ga>ilt, was born in Maryland, son of Archibald Gault, a Scotchman. Archibald Gault was a sea captain. Retiring from the high sea he married and settled in Maryland. Mr. Gault's mother was Nancy (Burroughs) Gault, daughter of Henry Burroughs, a descendant of Scotch-Welsh ancestry. She was born and reared in Maryland. Obed and Nancy Gault were the parents of fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters. They removed from Maryland to Ripley County, Indiana, where tiiey spent the residue of their lives, the father dying at the age of seventy-live, and the mother at the age of ninety-one years. Mr. Gault was a farmer all his life; cast his vote with the Republican party, and worshiped with the Methodist Church, of which he was an honored member. Jesse D. Gault received his education in the common schools of his native State, and remained in Maryland until he was twenty-three years old. At the age of thirty-five he married Isabella Ilnynes, and by her had two sons. The older, Albert Morton, was born in Ripley County, Indiana, August 28,1865. He married a lady of Des Moines, Iowa, and is now residing in Sacramento, California, where he has an excellent position as freight agent. He recently built a home in that city, which cost him $3,200. The second son, James E., was killed by accident November 4. 1890, at the age ot twenty-two years and five months. He was an expert mechanic and received good wages. He left a wife and one child. In 1870 Mr. Gault married Rebecca Sulton, who was born in Ripley County, Indiana, daughter of William Sulton. Her death occurred in Mills County, Iowa. She was a consistent member of the Methodist Church. December 4, 1884, Mr. Gault wedded Mrs. Eliza M. Hanks, a native of Union County, Indiana, and a lady of intelligence and refinement, who is his present companion. Her father, Andrew Dunbar, was born in Mason County, Kentucky, and died in Indiana at the age of seventy-two years; her mother, nee Sarah Stover, was born in Carter County, Tennessee, and is still living at the age of eighty-two years. Mrs. Gault was first married in Decatur County, Indiana, to Albert G. Hanks, a native of Woodford County, Kentucky. Ry him she had two children, viz.: Lellye Hutier, of Decatur County, Indiana, and Menter O. Hanks, of Silver City, Iowa. Mr. Hanks died in 1873, in Decatur County, Indiana.
In 1879 Mr. Gault came to his present location from Mills County, Iowa. Fortyfive acres of his farm had been broken, but there was not a buildii'.g on the place. With the characteristic energy of the western pioneer he went to work to make improvements. He now has a good cottage home, a grove and orchard, stables and other necessary outbuildings and good fences. He is making a specialty of stock-raising, having seven horses and yearlings of a good breed, some fine cows and swine. Politically Mr. Ganlt is a Republican. Mrs. Gault has been a member of the Christian Church, from which she now holds a good letter.
fUGENE W. PETERSOxN, a native of Gulosburg, Illinois, was born August 26, 1857, son of Lewis M. and Caroline Peterson, natives of Sweden. The father came to America when about ten years old, in the year 1843 or 1844, with his parents, locating at Galesburg with a colony, remaining there for a time. Lewis Peterson was married in Galesburg and lived three for a number of years. In 1861 he entered the United States' service in the Quartermaster's Department, serving until the close of the war. During the latter part of that time he was stationed at St. Louis, where he removed his family and where he died about 1880. Previous to the war he was a druggist, but afterward he engaged in the grocery business at St. Louis. He went back to Galesburg and lived there until a short time before his death, when he returned to St. Louis. His widow still resides in the latter city. They reared a family of four children: Frank, wiio is a teller in a St. Louis bank; Eugene, the subject of this sketch, a resident of Council Bluffs; and Albert and Roy, deceased.
Mr. Peterson was educated in the common schools and also in the high school of Galesburg, Illinois. He went to St. Louis, where, at the age of fourteen, he entered the employ of R. G. Dun & Co., and has constantly been employed by that company since with the exception of a few months. He started in as a messenger boy, but was soon promoted to the corres]ionding department, where he remained until he was twenty-one. He then took field work, traveling for the company until 1885. In May of that year he took charge of the Lincoln, Nebraska, office, remaining there until July, 1887. In the fall of the same year lie assumed charge of the Omahacorre8pondingdepartmeiit,from which he came to his present office in April, 1888.
He was married April 1, 1879, to Carrie S. Kerr, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Kerr, of St. Louis. She was born in Canada, of Scotch origin, June 15, 1857. Their family consists of two children: Eugene Willie, Jr., born April 14, 1880; and Winniford M., born March 25, 1883. They lost an infant daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are members of the Brethren Church. Politically he is non-partisan. He has purchased a fine property on Park avenue. Council Bluffs, and also owns property in Lincoln, Nebraska. Mr. Peterson has made his own way from the bottom, and his success is due to his close application to business and his ability to transact the same. He is to-day considered one of the ablest men in the employ of R. G. Dun & Co.'s commercial agency, of which business a short sketch is appended.
The Council Bluffs office occupies rooms 205 and 206, Sapp block, with Mr. Peterson as manager. This business was established in 1841 by B. Douglas & Co., and in 1850 was transferred to R. G. Dun & Co. It is now considered the oldest and largest mer catitile agency in the world. It publishes its reference books in January, March, July and September of each year. The Jannary edition of 1890 contained 1,176,988 names of traders, etc., of the United States and Canada. The average added rating, new names and changes will aggregate 2,619 for each business day. The office in this city was established in 1888 by W. H. Myers, who was succeeded by J. H. Hubbard, then by O. S. Stanbro, the present manager taking charge in 1888. Undar his management the business has prospered, and his ability is fully appreciated by the company. Mr. Peterson is a genial, whole-souled fellow and will make friends wherever he goes.
orders, and in politics affiliates with the Republican party.
tj. CHAMBERS, lawyer, is a resident of Council Bluffs, and has been iden- tilled with the interests of Pottawattamie County since the year 1878; is a native of Michigan, born at Utica, Macomb County; is the son of Rev. W. A. and Sarah M. (Wright) Chambers, natives of New York, and of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Mr. Chambers came to Iowa in the fall of 1SG5 with his parents, who located at Osaye, Mitchell County, at which place the father filled the position of clergyman to the Methodist denomination. A graduate of the State University at Iowa City, in both tue classics and law, the former in 1876, and the latter in 1878; came to Avoca in the year 1878, engaged in the practice of his chosen profession, and continued the practice until the fall of 1884, at which date he was elected to the office of Recorder of Deeds and Mortgages for Pottawattamie County, in which he served one term; in the fall of 1888, Mr. Chambers was elected to the office of Clerk of the District Court of his county, which office he now tills.
He was married December 2, 1880, to Miss Ida Fitch, a native of Newton, Iowa, and daughter of Edward and Clara (Sloan) Fitch, who were formerly from New York, and of English descent. Mr. and Mrs. Chambers have two children: a daughter Claribel, aged five years, and Fred, a little boy aged three years; they have lost one child, Eddie W., aged four years. Mr. Chambers is a member of several secret
As printed in Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies ... history of Iowa, with ... biographies of the gove (1891). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
WILLIAM DAVIS HARDIN.
William Davis Hardin, the well known city assessor, has been a life-long resident of Council Bluffs. He was born here on the 13th of October, 1856, and is a worthy representative of an honored pioneer family, being a grandson of Davis Hardin, the first whit*' man to locate in Pottawattamie county, where he was sent by President Van Huron to teach the Indians.
During his boyhood our subjeel acquired a good practical education in the city schools and on laying aside his text-books at the age of fifteen years he became a messenger boy for the Omaha Bridge Transfer Company, being thus employed for two years. He next worked in the abstract and real-estate office of J. P. & J. N. Casady for about the same length of time, and then accepted a position in the county treasurer's office, serving as one of the deputies for two years. During the following three years he was connected with a men's furnishing goods establishment, after which he returned to the county treasurer's office and remained there five years.
In the spring election of 1890 Mr. Hardin was first elected city assessor of Council Bluffs and so satisfactorily did he discharge the duties of that office that he has been several times re-elected, serving for ten consecutive years. For four years thereafter he was connected with the tax department of the Union Pacific Railroad and was then again chosen to the position of city assessor, in which he has now served for four \ ears, being the present incumbent in that office. Although a strong democrat and an active worker in the ranks of the party he received a majority of eight hundred and fifty at the last election in a city that usually elects a republican ticket. This fact plainly indicates his personal popularity and the confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens as well as the able manner in which he had previously filled the office. Socially he is a member of the Royal Arcanum and is a man whose true worth and fidelity to duty are widely recognized.
william r. Mcdowell.
William R. McDowell, engaged in farming and stock-raising, his time and energies being devoted to the further development and improvement of two eighty-acre tracts of land in Grove township, came to this county in the fall of 1863, from Clayton county, Iowa. Almost forty-five years have since come and gone and the changes which have occurred have transformed this from a western frontier district into one of the leading counties of this great commonwealth.
Mr. McDowell, as one of Iowa's native sons, has been most deeply interested in all that has tertained to its progress and improvement. He was born near Epworth, Dubuque county, on the 15th of May, 1854, his parents being Daniel and Barbara (Rice) McDowell, natives of Missouri and Ohio respectively. For many years the father resided in Dubuque county. He was a surveyor and largely assisted in the surveys of the state and was closely associated with its early development. In 1863 he removed to Pottawattamie county and became the owner of the farm of one hundred and twenty acres of land in Grove township, which is the present home of A. H. Ives. Here his wife died in the spring of 1864. Some time afterward he started for Kansas but became ill and passed away before reaching his destination, his death occurring at Rock Island, Illinois, when about forty-four years of age. In their family were the following children: U. G, Mrs. Susan Chapman, Mrs. Angie Romig, David, Daniel and Lewis.
The other member of the family is William R. McDowell of this review, who has spent the greater part of his active life in Pottawattamie county. He has always lived in this state and since 1882 has been closely associated with its agricultural interests, following farming as a means of livelihood. At one time he owned a thresher operated by horse power and during the past eight years he has owned a steam thresher, doing much threshing in this part of the state. His life has been one of activity and enterprise and, realizing the value of these qualities in business life, he has steadily worked his way upward until he is now one of the substantial residents of his community.
In 1884 Mr. McDowell was married to Miss Alice Stidham, who was born in Pottawattamie county in 1864, a daughter of David G. and Susan (Winegar) Stidham, who came to this county in the '40s, settling in what is now Grove township. The father entered a part of his farm from the government and for the portion which he purchased from a former owner he paid a dollar and a quarter per acre. Throughout his entire life he followed general agricultural pursuits. The family were among the earliest settlers of this part of the state and shared in all of the hardships and privations which are the invariable accompaniment of pioneer life. Mrs. Stidham did much of her trading at Council Bluffs in early times, the trip requiring some days. They went to Salt Lake City with the Mormons but, becoming dissatisfied then-, deserted the party and returned home, enduring many hardships and facing many dangers on the backward trail. They then continued residents of Pottawattamie county until called to their final rest, Mr. Stidham passing away in 1880 at the age of seventy-two years, while his wife died in 1890 at the age of seventy-three years. He was a man highly esteemed and respected throughout the community and his personal worth found public recognition in his selection for various offices and positions of public trust. While in office about 1868 a Mr. Bradway was brought to his house to remain over night while on his way to Council Bluffs for trial. That night while under guard he was shot through the window and killed, nine buck-hot lodging in his head and the same number in one arm. There were several people in the room at the time and Mr. Bradway was trading pipes with a young man and joking with him when shot. It was never proven who the murderer was although the people were almost positive who did it. Mr. Stidman's family cumbered nine daughters and a son. name!): Mrs. Ethoda Gallup, now deceased; Ruth, who became the wife of Mr. Osier and after his death married Mr. Wickersham but is now deceased; Matilda, who died in childhood; Mrs. Caroline Johnson; Mrs. Ellen Dillard; Melissa, who became Mr-. McCullough and after Losing her first husband became Mrs. Pershall; Mrs. Joan Harkness; Mrs. Delia DeHart: Mrs. Alice Mc- Dowell; and Samuel, deceased.
Mrs. McDowell was born and reared in Grove township, where she has spent her entire life. By her marriage she has become the mother of the following: Glenn, who is an engineer in South Dakota: Susan, at home; Leonard, of South Dakota; Elmer, at home; Isabelle, deceased; one who died in infancy; and Vera, at home.
In his political views Mr. McDowell is a republican and keepwell informed on the questions and issues of the day. as every true American citizen should do, but has never been an office seeker. He was elected justice of the peace but would not qualify. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern "Woodmen of America, and he and his wife are members of the Christian church. They are well known as pioneer residents of the community and well deserve prominent mention among the early settlers.
As printed in History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, from the earliest historic times to 1907 (1907). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1907. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.