SAMUEL RUTTER

In Des Moines county there are many inhabitants of foreign birth, who, attracted by more progressive institutions, broader educational facilities, and the superior advantages of making a living, have come here with their families and means, intending to found a home in the new country. These valuable additions to the native population have by their industry, economy, and honorable methods become essential factors in the growth of a city. Of such a class Samuel Rutter was a representative. He came from England, and here, by his upright and exemplary life, won for himself an honored name, and gained many friends who entertained for him the highest regard, and who felt the deepest regret when he was called from this life. Mr. Rutter was born in the city of Sheffield, England, Dec. 26, 1840, a son of Frederick D. and Catherine (Paschley) Rutter. His parents were both natives of England, the father being a silversmith of great ability, making many useful and ornamental articles. Mr. and Mrs. Rutter were the parents of eight children, of which Samuel was the youngest. The names of them are: George, Frederick, William, John, Reuben, Ann, Sarah, and Samuel. In 1847, William, the third son, came to America, locating in Burlington, Iowa, where he secured work on the farm of Hon. John Patterson. When our subject was only five years old, his mother died, and was buried in Sheffield, England. In 1850 Mr. Rutter decided to bring the seven motherless children to America, and made the trip in an old-time sailing vessel, coming by way of New York, and being three long, tedious months on the great Atlantic. They came at once to Burlington, and while on the Ohio River, Reuben fell overboard and was drowned, which cast a great sadness over them all, and was a painful ending to their summer trip. Upon reaching Burlington, in the fall of 1850, the father began to work for the city, hauling rock and other material with which to make the levee. After a residence of twelve years, in which he did general teaming, Mr. Rutter removed to Benton township where he bought a farm of forty acres from Anderson Earl. Here he was engaged in general farming and stock-raising till his death, which occurred Jan. 20, 1873. In politics he was a strong Democrat, and in Christian belief was a member of the Church of England. He was an honest man, and one full of energy and high morality, thus commanding the respect and regard of all. His daughter, Sarah, who deserves a great deal of credit for keeping house for her father, brothers, and sister for so long a time, and who married William Wirt, a prosperous farmer of Lovilia, Monroe county, Iowa, is the only surviving member of her father’s family. Our subject was educated in the North Hill school, of Burlington, where Miss Lizzie Richie was one of his early teachers. Upon leaving school he entered the higher and broader school of life, and began to battle for himself. For several years he was employed by the city in making the levee. He then bought a team, and worked with his father hauling for the stone- and brick-masons, who kept him busy the greater part of the season. When his father located in Benton township, Samuel went with him, but remained only about a year on the farm, when he was seized with a great desire to go West. In company with Fred Riepe, of Burlington, and Bert Hillhouse, brother of A. J. Hillhouse, of the same city, he started overland to California. Mr. Rutter was the trusted driver of the four spirited white horses all the way. They met many Indians on the plains, who were very friendly and kind to them. He remained in California for two years, being engaged in hauling ore from Virginia City to the government mint in San Francisco. It took the party three months to make this trip, but they came back by water in a much less time. On the way home, Mr. Rutter stopped at Pittsburg, where his brother George then resided. On returning to Burlington he was married to Miss Harriet Dearlove, April 22, 1867. Mrs. Rutter is a daughter of Richard and Agnes (Barnes) Dearlove, and was born on Brown Street, London, England, Nov. 12, 1848 and was christened in St. Paul’s cathedral. Her father was born in London, and her mother in Devonshire, England, where the former had a milk-walk. Mr. and Mrs. Dearlove were blessed with nine children, two being born in England and the others in America: Agnes; Harriet, wife of our subject; Elizabeth; John; Lydia Ann; Mary; George; Cora; and Julia. George, Mrs. Rutter, and Mary, who married John Tee, all reside in Benton township, Des Moines county, Iowa; while Cora, who married Jerry Sullivan, of New York, lives in Burlington. The other children have passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Dearlove came to America in 1851, and this voyage was one long to be remembered, as they were detained some three weeks in the English channel on account of the lack of a proper wind to carry them safely from the rocks. During this tie-up the passengers suffered greatly for food. After being on the water three months they landed in New Orleans, and proceeded to Burlington, Iowa. Here the father was engineer for two years at the Sunderland-Marchant mill, when he accepted a similar position with the Parkingson & Joy Plow Company. Later he conducted a grocery for a number of years, when he traded it and his home for eighty acres of farm land in Benton township, where he operated a good farm for many years. Mrs. Dearlove died April 14, 1883, in Kingston, Iowa and Mr. Dearlove passed away July 29, 1903. They are both buried in the Kingston cemetery. They, too, were members of the Church of England, but never identified themselves with any denomination in their adopted country. In politics Mr. Dearlove was a Democrat. He and his worthy wife were much loved, and their memories are still green in the hearts of those who knew and loved them best. Mrs. Rutter received her education in Burlington, first attending the private school of Miss Mercy Lewis, who was a thorough teacher and disciplinarian, and a lady of great dignity, whose life was full of good, charitable deeds done in behalf of others. She next was a pupil in the school conducted by Miss Lloyd, and later pursued her studies in the North Hill school under the principalship of Professor Dows. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rutter six children were born, as follows: Dora Agnes, born Jan. 31, 1868, married Lynas Brockway, a farmer of Benton township, and has three daughters, Libbie Mabel, Harriet, and Hazel; Louisa Ann, born Oct. 19, 1871, was accidently killed Oct. 8, 1874, by a barrel of ashes falling on her; Reuben William, born April 13, 1875, and died July 14, 1883; Grace J., born Oct. 1, 1876, is the wife of John Brockway, a farmer of Huron township, and has three children, Cora, Claude, and Blanche; Herbert Hayden, born Sept. 26, 1879, married Miss Ada Brockway, and has one daughter, Olive; Mary Catherine, the youngest child, born Sept. 26, 1885, married Harry Gibbs, and resides in Benton township. These children received their education in the Kingston schools and the Limestone school, just out of Kingston. Mr. and Mrs. Rutter established their first home on the William Rutter farm of eighty acres in Benton township, which they bought, and were very materially aided by the late Cornelius Bernard, of Burlington. After farming here for seven years, they sold the place, and purchased a home in Kinston, and for many years Mr. Rutter worked the farm owned by Mr. Henry Haight. In 1885 he was greatly afflicted with a paralytic stroke, thus causing Mrs. Rutter to become the bread-winner for the family. Through the great kindness of her neighbor, Mrs. Haight, Mr. James F. Klein, and the Pilger Grocery Company, both of Burlington, she was enabled to start a grocery in the village of Kingston, where for ten long years she conducted this store and cared for her afflicted husband. In 1895 she sold the grocery to Frank Volkmer, and bought eighty acres of land in Huron township from Simeon Russell, of Burlington. With the aid of her son Herbert she was able to carry on general farming, and ever found a ready sale for her produce in Burlington. She had much to contend with at first while on this farm, as high water overtook her, and her corn crop was washed away several seasons. After the rip-rapping of the river, however, the land increased greatly in value; and as Mr. Rutter had another stroke, in 1898 she sold her farm, to good advantage, and again moved to Kingston, where she bought a small home. Here she devoted all her time to her invalid husband, who gradually grew worse till death claimed him, Sept. 26, 1903. She laid him to rest in the Kingston cemetery beside his father. Mr. Rutter was a Democrat, but never cared to hold office. He and Mrs. Rutter were members of the Presbyterian church, but owing to his affliction he was denied the privilege of attending regularly. Mr. Rutter was of a very retiring disposition, but one strong in all that was just and right, and was a synonym for honorable dealing. His younger days were rounded out with the greatest of activity. He was a large, warm-hearted friend, a good husband, loving father, and a man who left his family something better than great riches – an untarnished name. His widow still resides in the home in Kingston, and her son Herbert lives with her. Mrs. Rutter is of a very happy and sunny disposition, and through all the many hardships she has been called upon to endure she has never been known to murmur or complain. She justly appreciates a kindness, as this record shows, and possesses great business ability. She deserves great credit for her labors of the past; and when she too, is called to meet her Lord, we have the assurance she will receive a place at his right hand.