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Charles Alonzo Husband

Among the public spirited citizens of Fayette county who have finished their earthly labors and gone to their reward, few were as well known or as highly esteemed as the broad minded scholar and enterprising business man whose name introduces this review. Charles Alonzo Husband, late of Waucoma, where for some years he was a member of the firm of Burnside & Husband, was born August 6, 1851, in Washington county, Iowa, and spent his childhood and youth in the town of Crawfordsville, where his parents, William C. and Anna (Viall) Husband, natives of Pennsylvania, were then living. When fourteen years old he accompanied his father and mother upon their removal to Sumner, Bremer county, this state, where he grew to manhood, in the meantime receiving an elementary education in the public schools and later the Upper Iowa University at Fayette, from which he was graduated in 1879 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Previous to finishing his studies in that institution he taught at Fayette and while thus engaged devoted a part of his vacations to the drug business, in which he acquired much more than ordinary proficiency and skill. With money earned by teaching and working in a drug store he defrayed the expenses of his college course and after receiving his degree was chosen principal of the public schools of Fayette, which position he filled with marked ability and credit as long as he continued in educational work.

In 1880 Mr. Husband came to Waucoma as clerk with the drug firm of Bullock & Whitney, in whose employ he continued until purchasing an interest in the business and a few years later he became associated with J. M. Burnside in the same line of trade, the firm of Burnside & Husband lasting until the subject’s lamented death.

Mr. Husband was a diligent student, a profound thinker and a close observer, and during his active years he became familiar with many subjects and achieved considerable distinction as a scholar. He made a specialty of pharmacy and became an expert. He was often consulted as an authority on matters relating to the same. In connection with his business and professional interests, he devoted considerable attention to agriculture and stock raising, for which he manifested a decided liking, and for some years prior to his death derived great satisfaction from his farm, where he spent nearly all of his leisure time. Mr. Husband’s habits and tastes naturally led him to investigate all matters coming before the people and few were as well informed as he on the questions and issues of the times. He was always in touch with current events and kept his fingers on the pulse of modern thought and, as a Republican, wielded a strong influence for his party, as an adviser in its councils, as a leader in the ranks and as a delegate to various municipal, county and state conventions, in all of which his voice was heard and his influence felt. He was an active member of the Masonic fraternity, serving his lodge in various official capacities, and by all laudable means at his command assisted in building up the town in which he resided and never lost interest in the social and moral welfare of his fellow men.

Mr. Husband’s domestic life commenced on January 3, 1882, when he entered the marriage relation with Margaret Anna Tait, whose parents, Andrew and Lillias (Lindsay) Tait, were natives of England and Scotland respectively. The grandparents (Lindsays) came to the United States and in the year 1853 they removed to Fayette county, Iowa, and settled near Waucoma, where they resided. Alexander Lindsay, father of Andrew, emigrated from Scotland in 1851 and settled in Illinois, removing from that state to Iowa in 1853 or ’54. He married in his native land Jane Burns and on coming to this country had several children who accompanied him across the ocean. He was a farmer by occupation, and died near Waucoma at the age of sixty-five years.

Mrs. Husband spent her early life in her grandfather’s home, a short distance from Waucoma, and after attending the schools of that town until completing the common branches, continued her studies. She then turned her attention to educational work and for six terms taught in the public schools of Fayette county, gaining an enviable reputation for her success in the training of children. She is a lady of intelligence, culture and refinement, popular in the social circles and a zealous member of the Congregational church, a religious body to which her husband also belonged and in which he served for some years as an official, besides taking a leading part in the erection of the present house of worship in Waucoma. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Husband was blessed with two children, Mabel, who conducts a millinery store in Waucoma, and Lois, a pupil in the public schools of the town.

Mr. Husband’s relations with his fellow men were always honorable and above reproach and he lived a life singularly free from criticism. He stood high in the esteem of the community, being a well rounded, symmetrically developed Christian gentleman, and his death, which occurred on the 9th day of March, 1906, was greatly deplored by all who enjoyed the favor of his acquaintance.

~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Tom & Sharon Dorland