William Wareham

As printed in 1916

William Wareham, the popular proprietor of a well equipped billiard and pool hall and bowling alley in the village of Strawberry Point, has been a resident of Clayton county from the time of his birth, which here occurred on the 25th of January, 1882, and he is a son of Lyman and Melissa (Wood) Wareham, who likewise were born and reared in this county, where the respective families settled in the early pioneer period of the county's history. The subject of this sketch was fourth in order of birth in a family of six children and the eldest is Conrad, who is now a resident of Dysart, Tama county; Mollie died young and the next child was a son who died in infancy; Hannah resides at Timber Lake, South Dakota, and John F. is now a resident of Reinbeck, Grundy county, Iowa. William

Wareham continued his studies in the public schools until he had profited by the facilities of the high school at Elkader, and when about seventeen years of age he left the parental home and went to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he remained one year. He passed the following year in Sioux City, Iowa, from which place he went to Madison, South Dakota, whence, two years later, he returned to his native county and became associated with his father's mercantile business at Strawberry Point. This alliance continued five years and for seven months thereafter he was connected with a similar line of enterprise at Arlington, Fayette county. Thereafter he passed one year at Lamont, Buchanan county, and eighteen months at Crandall, South Dakota. For a period of about three years he resided at Florence, South Dakota, and he then returned to Strawberry Point, where, on the ist of April, 1915, he established the business and amusement enterprise which he has since successfully conducted. Mr. Wareham has had no desire to participate in the practical activities of politics but gives a loyal support to the cause of the Democratic party. On the 4th of July, 1909, he wedded Miss Elizabeth Irene Manley, who was born and reared in Buchanan county, this state, and their two children are Irene Elizabeth and Conrad Lyman.

Charles W. Washburn owns and resides upon the fine old homestead farm which has represented his abiding place since his boyhood days and he has established vantage-ground as one of the substantial agriculturists and influential citizens of Mendon township, where he gives his close attention to the various operations of a well improved farm of one hundred and twenty acres. He is properly to be designated as a schon of one of the sterling pioneer families of Clayton county and is a citizen well worthy of representation in this publication. Mr. Washburn was born in the town of Pittsburg, Coos county, New Hampshire, on the 5th of December, 1848, and is of staunch old New England lineage on the material side. He is a son of James and Betsey (Wright) Washburn, the former a native of Toronto, Canada, and the latter of Bradford, Vermont. James Washburn continued his association with agricultural pursuits in the old Granite state until he came, in the early '60s to Iowa and numbered himself among the pioneers of this commonwealth. He resided for a time in Fayette county, whence he came to Clayton county in 1865. Here he purchased a tract of land in Mendon township, where he developed a productive farm, and on this old homestead, now owned by their son, Charles of this review, he and his devoted wife passed the remainder of their lives, as well known and highly esteemed citizens of the county. Mr. Washburn was a stalwart Republican, was influential in public affairs of a local order and he served for a number of years as justice of the peace in Mendon township. Of the nine children the first was Anna, who did not live to attain adult age; Phoebe is the wife of Andy S. Barnes, and they reside in the city of Oberlin. Ohio; Alalia A. and Etta are deceased; Hiram P. resides in the city of Seattle, Washington; Charles W., of this review, was the next in order of birth; George remains in Clayton county and is one of the prosperous farmers of Giard township; Edward E. resides at West Union, Fayette county, and James is deceased. Charles W. Washburn was about five years old at the time of the family removal to Clayton county, and was reared to manhood on the homestead farm which he now owns, his educational advantages having been those afforded in the public schools of the locality and period, and his association with the basic industries of agriculture and stock-growing having continued to the present time. Since he purchased the old homestead farm he has added materially to the improvements on the same and had made it one of the fine farms of this section of the county, his attention being successfully given to diversified agriculture and to the raising of good grades of live stock. He is a progressive man of affairs and a public-spirited citizen who shows local interest in all things relative to the communal welfare. He has had no ambition for public office and has held no preferment of this order save that of school director. He is found aligned as a staunch and loyal advocate of the cause of the Republican party. On the 23d of January, 1878, Mr. Washburn wedded Miss Anne Schriver, daughter of Charles and Laura (Wood) Schriver, of McGregor, this county. The parents of Mrs. Washburn were born and reared in the state of New York, where their marriage was solemnized, and they came in an early day to Clayton county, where they passed the residue of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Washburn became the parents of six children, the first-born, Elmer, having died in childhood; Herbert L. resides at Savannah, Illinois, is married and has one son, John Arthur; Alta is the wife of Charles Chamberlain, of Oelwein, Fayette county, Iowa; and Floyd, Verne and Pearl remain at the parental home.

As printed in History of Clayton County, Iowa : from the earliest historical times down to the present : including a genealogical and biographical record of many representative families, prepared from data obtained (1916). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.