Keokuk County Iowa IAGenWeb - 1903 Biography

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JOHN O. KEEP

Among the farmers of Keokuk county who after years of close connection with the business interests of thi« portion of the state are now living retired, is numbered John O. Keep, who was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, on the 9th of August, 1840, but sought in the west the business opportunities which have enabled him to attain to a position of affluence. His father, Marcena Keep, was also born in the Keystone state and there spent his early childhood. He followed the occupation of farming and in 1823 was united in marriage, in Pennsylvania, to Polly Hewitt, a native of one of the New England states. They became the parents of eleven children, nine sons and two daughters, as follows: Abner N.; Oliver D., deceased; Prosper J., who has also passed away; Amos K. deceased; Asa H.; Reuben F.; Sally L.; Alsinus, deceasad; John O., of this review; Olive R., and Edmund E. The father of this family passed away in Pennsylvania on the 7th of August, 1876, at the age of seventy-four years. He was a stalwart supporter of the Republican party and at one time held membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, while later he became identified with the Wesleyan Methodist church. Subsequently, however, he returned to the denomination with which he was first identified. He ever lived an earnest, Christian life and commanded the respect of his fellow men by his fairness, justice and loyalty to truth.

John O. Keep was reared in Pennsylvania, where he remained until April, 1861, and then sought a home in the Mississippi valley, making his way to LaSalle county, Illinois. On the 23d of the same month he ofifered his services to the government, responding almost immediately to his country's call for troops after the fall of Fort Sumter. This company, however, was disbanded and he later enlisted on the 1st of June, 1861, as a member of Company H, Twentieth Illinois Infantry, serving with his regiment until the battle of Fort Donaldson, where he was wounded and taken to the hospital. Being disabled for further field service, he was mustered out on the 22d of July, 1862.

After his discharge Mr. Keep returned to Illinois, where he remained for a short time, and then went back to Pennsylvania, where on the 8th of November, 1862, he was married. He then brought his bride to Iowa, taking up his abode in Keokuk county. He has lived in various localities in this part of the state and in the spring of 1864 he settled upon the farm where he now makes his home, it having been his place of residence for thirty-eight years. The lady who bears his name was in her maidenhood Miss Amelia A. Stoddard, a native of Pennsylvania. Three children, a son and two daughters, were born unto them: Inez M., who died in infancy; Nellie B., the wife of George Skidmore; and Richard O.

Mr. Keep has always been a staunch advocate of the Republican party since its organization, and keeps well informed on the issues and questions of the day. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Springfield, and his life has ever been in consistent harmony with his professions. Both he and his wife enjoy the highest regard of all who know them. Having long resided in Keokuk county, they have a very wide acquaintance here. Mr. Keep has always carried on agricultural pursuits as a source of livelihood, and his farm, neat and attractive in appearance, indicates the careful supervision of the progressive owner. He is now largely leaving its cultivation to others while he is enjoying a well-merited rest.

KEISER BROS.

A firm that has indeed gained an enviable reputation as importers and sellers of high-class draft stallions of the Percheron and Shire breeds for the most part, is that of Keiser Bros. of Keota, Keokuk county, Iowa. The firm was established in 1897. The preference of the firm was for Percherons, for the reason that Percherons seemed to meet the demands of the entire country. They began importing horses in a limited way, and by enterprise, hard work and fair dealing have from year to year gradually broadened their business, increased their importations, extended their sales and improved the character of the horses which they handle until they have become prominent among the leading and best known horse importers of this country, and the firm name of Keiser Bros. has become a power in the draft horse business.

The personnel of the firm is composed of Samuel I. and Charles O. Keiser. The brothers are natives of Keokuk county, Iowa, and both had had experience in the horse business before the formation of the firm of Keiser Bros. Samuel I., the older brother, makes it his special business to visit France as often as necessary to keep their barns supplied with horses of the best type, while Charles O. has charge of the sale of the horses. Among the American horse buyers that visit France, Samuel I. Keiser has gained the reputation of being among the best, if not the best, horse buyer and importer of this country. His well known ability has been amply recognized by the officials of the International Live Stock Show, where for the past two years he has been called upon to act in the difficult capacity of one of the judges. It has been well said that a horse "well bought is half sold," and perhaps to this may be attributed no little of the success of Keiser Bros. in disposing of their importations, as few buyers who have visited France have had the success as a buyer which has come to Samuel I. Keiser. His long experience in the horse business and his pleasant way of treating those with whom he comes in contact have certainly well qualified him for the position. The best evidence of his success in this is shown by the exceptional demand that Messrs. Keiser Bros. have enjoyed for their importations. No less credit, however, should be given to Charles O. Keiser, as he handles the sales of the importations in a way that marks him as a master of this line of the business.

It has been the policy of this firm to handle only high-class horses, and in so doing they have established a trade that is a decided compliment to their efforts along this line, and they have followed the principle of keeping the prices wholly within the reach of buyers of a high class of Percheron, Shire and French Coach stallions. While the Percherons predominate at the Keiser barns, there are also a splendid lot of Shire stallions on hand, as well as a few Belgians and a few French Coachers. The horses generally are of good style, well coupled, having long, well set quarters, good muscle, wide, full chests and well set shoulders. They sell either privately or to companies, and their fair dealing has gained for them the confidence of horse buyers and breeders. The firm has enjoyed a constantly increasing business from the first, and stands to-day among the leading importers of the country. Keota is the residence town of the brothers, and among their fellow-citizens they are held in high repute.

DAVID KEISER

The story of the discovery of gold in California and early mining experiences there now read almost like a romance, so different are the present conditions of that state from those existing when the first rush was made to the gold fields. David Keiser was among those who at that early day sought a fortune on the Pacific coast and has many interesting incidents to relate of his life in California. Three times he made the trip to the coast, but eventually he turned his attention to farming in Keokuk county, Iowa, and having prospered in his undertakings so that he won a handsome competence, he is now living a retired life in Keota.

Mr. Keiser is a native of Perry county, Pennsylvania, born May 4, 1828, and comes of an old family of German lineage that was founded in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, prior to the Revolutionary war. Isaac Keiser, the father of our subject, was born in Lancaster county, but was reared and married in Perry county. A blacksmith by trade, for a number of years he conducted a shop in Bloomfield, Perry county, and when he sold his smithy he purchased a farm in that county, making it his home until 1846, when he came to Iowa, locating in Des Moines county near Burlington. His last days were spent in that city, where he died at the age of seventy-five years. The mother of our subject died when he was but two weeks old, he being the youngest of six children. The father afterward married a Miss Bower and to them were born three children. Of these nine children but two are now living: David and his half-brother, Samuel Keiser, who lives in New London, Henry county, Iowa.

David Keiser was eighteen years of age when he came to Iowa with his father. He worked in Burlington for two years at the wagonmaker's trade and for about a year was employed in the pineries of Michigan. In 1849, attracted by the discovery of gold in California, he made the long journey across the hot and arid sand plains and through the mountain passes with an ox-team, and after reaching his destination he worked in the mines for five years, meeting with splendid success and taking out as high as five thousand dollars in a single day. He also went through the experiencei of mining life there which now seem so marvelous, and the story of that five years is now an interesting chapter in his life's history.

In 1854 Mr. Keiser returned to Iowa and the following year was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Singmaster, a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Sweetwood) Singmaster. Her father was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and in 1846 came to Iowa, casting his lot with the pioneer settlers of Keokuk county, Iowa. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-one years, while his wife, who was a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, reached the age of eighty-four years. They were the parents of nine children: Charles F., Sarah, Eliza, Thomas, James, Marietta, William, and two who died in infancy. Mrs. Keiser is the second child and eldest daughter and was born in Perry county, I'ennsylvania, January 15, 1836. She was ten years of age when she came to Keokuk county, where she has since made her home. The wedding trip of Mr. and Mrs. Keiser consisted of a journey to California, and they were gone from home for six months. They went by the way of New York and returned by the Nicaragua route. On again reaching Iowa they located in Burlington.

Mr. Keiser there engaged in the milling business, operating what was known as the Farmers' Grist-mill. About 1864, however, he sold that mill and again crossed the plains to California, with a pony train, visiting the Golden state and also Oregon. In the spring he returned by way of Oregon and Idaho, making the trip from the latter state to Iowa on horseback. He and his brothers were the discoverers of two deep mines at Georgetown and Mammaluke Hills, which became known as the Keiser mines, and have yielded much gold. On the return from his third trip to California, Mr. Keiser purchased a farm about seven miles west of Burlington, where he was engaged in general farming and stock-raising for seven years. He then came to LaFayette township, Keokuk county, where he purchased a farm, which he conducted successfully until 1901, when he retired from active farm life and removed to Keota, where he is now living. He still owns three hundred and twenty acres in the home place and has in all about five hundred acres of valuable land in this county.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Keiser has been blessed with six children: William S., a prominent farmer of South Dakota; Samuel I. and Charles O.. who are representative citizens of this county and are mentioned elsewhere in this work; Allie U., at home; Lola I., the wife of E. Gilbert of Keota ; and John D., who is operating the home farm. The parents are earnest and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which Mr. Keiser is serving as trustee, and he belongs to Adelphi Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Mason of Keota. He is a stalwart Republican in his political views and is widely known as a leading and highly respected citizen of the county. His residence in the state covers more than half a century and thus he has been a witness of much of its growth and development. His has been a somewhat eventful career in which there have been some exciting chapters, but wherever he has been and in whatever condition of life, Mr. Keiser has commanded esteem by his sterling worth and won friends by his genial nature and kindly disposition.

WILLIAM R. KELLEY

William R. Kelley, a prominent agriculturist of Lancaster township, stands as a type of man who has achieved success by constant and unflinching adherence to one line of business in life. Reared to farm work, he has for the most part followed this occupation. Only once has he swerved from his pupose, and then it was for the laudable cause of serving his country in its struggle for the preservation of the Union. As a soldier he did his duty nobly, and as a citizen he has made the best of the opportunities that life has offered him.

Mr. Kelley comes of a family of agriculturists. His grandfather, William Kelley, was for many years a prominent Pennsylvania farmer. He was born and reared in that state, and upon reaching manhood there married Elizabeth Frampton, also of Pennsylvania, and they had twelve children, all of whom grew to maturity: William, George and John, who are now deceased; Permelia; Tamasine; Fannie and Salley, now deceased; Elizabeth, deceased; Zephaniah, father of subject; and three others whose names are not recalled. Besides farming Mr. Kelley followed weaving for awhile. He was a man of influence in his community,and in politics he affiliated with the party from which the present Democracy is derived.

Zephaniah Kelley, father of William, won his place in life by keeping in touch with the agricultural movement and venturing out into newly settled regions. He was born in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, in 1816, and there obtained his education. During his young manhood he married Mary Berlin, who was born in Pennsylvania, daughter of David and Nancy (Koffman) Berlin, who were of German descent. To Mr. and Mrs. Kelley were born five children: Reuben B., now deceased ; William R., who is mentioned below; Mary M., now deceased; Sarah J.; and George W. The first three were born in Pennsylvania; the two youngest in Illinois. Some years after his marriage Mr. Kelley moved his family to the fertile district of Illinois, where, settling upon a farm, he engaged in agriculture very successfully for many years. As a skillful and untiring workman he succeeded in making his land yield large and profitable crops, and in time became a man of considerable means. In 1885 he disposed of his Illinois property and came to Keokuk county, Iowa, locating at Ollie, in Jackson township. ;After a few years' residence here he went to live with his son, WilHam R., where he spent his last days. He died December 7, 1893. Mr. Kelley was one of the leading men in his community, and was a Republican, an earnest Christian and belonged to the Baptist church. Fraternally he affiliated with the Free and Accepted Masons.

William R. Kelley was born in Clarion county, Pennsylvania, May 30, 1842, and there resided until he was seven years old. Then he moved with his parents to the Illinois farm, where he was mainly reared and educated. His training was that of the ordinary farm boy of his day, a few months' attendance upon a country school for a number of years, and a great deal of vigorous farm work. After leaving school he engaged regularly in active duties on the home place until he was twenty-one. Then the Civil war was raging, and in 1863 he enlisted in the Thirty-fourth Illinois Infantry and went to the front. He fought in several hot skirmishes, and in the hard battle of Kenesaw Mountain. Here, June 27, 1864, he was wounded. He remained in service, however, a year longer, and June 2, 1865, was discharged at Davenport, Iowa. Returning to Illinois, he there engaged in farming until 1871, earning for himself a very comfortable competence. In that year he married in Illinois Martha J. Jones, who was born in Holmes county, Ohio, in 1845, and was there reared and educated. Her parents, John J. and Sarah (Flack) Jones, were of Welsh and Scotch-Irish descent. To Mr. and Mrs. Kelley have been born five children: Florence A.; Lucy G.; Ralph W.; John H.; and Jennie G. Mrs. Kelley died May 29, 1900, and Mr. Kelley has since, May 4, 1902, married Mrs. J. H. Davis, who was bom in Kentucky, in 1845.

In the year of his first marriage, 1871, Mr. Kelley disposed of much of his belongings, and taking some with him, joined the emigrant trains so frequent in those days and moved to Montgomery county, Iowa. Here setthng upon a farm he remained for two years, becoming during this time well acquainted with the region and the best farming districts. At the end of the period, however, he returned to Illinois, where he remained for about a year, settling up his business. Then, in 1875, he came back to Iowa and purchased the farm in the township of Lancaster where he has since remained. This property consists of ninety acres of excellent farming land, much of which he has himself cleared. He has made many improvements upon the place, and has it well under cultivation, and he is still carrying on here a flourishing industry. Mr. Kelley is considered a man of enterprise and thrift, and is well known throughout the county. In politics he is a Republican and takes an active interest in local affairs. As a Civil war veteran he belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic of Sigourney.

JOHN J. KELLY

John J. Kelly was born in Ireland, November 24, 1826. He was the son of John and Catherine (Griffin) Kelly. The mother died when John J. was a boy of eight years and some time later the father entered upon a second marriage. At the age of fifteen John J. left home, went to England, where he worked in the coal mines, and five years after, in 1846, came to America. He settled in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, worked as a miner in the coal fields of that district and became later a contractor in coal mine and railroad construction work. In the fall of 1863 he went west, spent the winter at coal mining in Illinois and in April, 1864, took his family to Liberty township, Keokuk county, Iowa. There he successfully engaged in farming for many years, devoting considerable time to stock raising and cattle buying.

About 1853 hs married Bridget Lagan, who had come to Pennsylvania from Ireland with her parents when she was a girl of thirteen years. She died in May, 1890, aged fifty-seven years. Of his marriage six children were born, namely: Thomas; Patrick, a farmer in Keokuk county; John, who died at the age of about thirty-three, leaving a wife and three children; Mary, a resident of Chicago; Anthony, who lives on the old homestead; and Bridget, wife of Andrew Hayes, a farmer of Liberty township, this county. John J. Kelly died in Sigourney, Iowa, October 17, 1898. He was a Roman Catholic and reared his children in the faith of his fathers.

THOMAS KELLY

Thomas Kelly was born in Pennsylvania, June 26, 1854, son of John J. and Bridget (Lagan) Kelly. He was reared on the farm and after completing the course in the common school he went to Dubuque, Iowa, for two years of training at St. Joseph's College. He returned to the farm and for three years he worked in the fields in the summer time and taught school in winter. He was then appointed deputy county treasurer, and at the end of two years went into the general merchandise business at Kinross, Keokuk county. The following year, 1890, he was elected county recorder and returned by his party for a second term. In 1894 he was appointed assistant cashier of the Sigourney Savings Bank, a position which he has held ever since. Thomas Kelly is a Democrat and an active man in his party. He was delegate from his congressional district to the national Democratic convention at Kansas City in 1900. Mr. Kelly was married in 1879 to Miss Anastasia Slattery, a native of Keokuk county, and the marriage has given issue to nine children.

CHARLES F. KENDALL

From an early epoch in the development of Keokuk county Charles F. Kendall has made his home here and is now well known as a leading and successful farmer of Warren township. He was born in Monmouth, Warren county, Illinois, August 4, 1842. His father, Francis G. Kendall, was a native of Penns3dvania, born in 1811. He spent his early childhood there and acquired his education in the public schools, remaining with his parents until he had attained his majority. When a young man he emigrated westward to Warren county, Illinois, and was married in Monmouth to Jane E. Merrifield, a native of Ohio, who spent her girlhood days in Cincinnati. They became the parents of seven children, three sons and four daughters, and of this number two daughters and a son are yet living. The family record is as follows: Selurus W., deceased; Louisa Jane; Charles F. ; Clark A., deceased; Sarah Adelaide, deceased ; Mary E. and Emma A., deceased. The last two were twins. It was in the year 1844 that the father of these children came to Iowa, settling first at Grand View, Louisa county, where he remained until 1856. He then removed to Keokuk county, locating on a farm of two hundred and thirty acres, which he purchased. It was raw prairie land at that time, but soon his labors wrought a transformation and the tract became well improved and productive. Upon the farm he remained until 1885, when he removed to What Cheer, Iowa, there making his home until within a short time prior to his death. He died at the home of his daughter in What Cheer, in February, 1894, when eighty-three years of age. A member of the Democratic party, he kept well informed on political issues, but was never an office-seeker. At one time he held membership in the United Presbyterian church.

Charles F. Kendall was only two years of age when his parents became citizens of Louisa county, Iowa, and there he remained until about sixteen years of age, when he accompanied them to Keokuk county in February, 1856. He continued to assist in the cultivation of his father's land until eighteen years of age, when on the 21st of October, 1861, he responded to his country's call for aid, enlisting in Company D, Thirteenth Iowa Infantry, being mustered in at Davenport. He served for three years and nine months as a loyal defender of the old flag and the cause it represented and was mustered out on the 4th of July, 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky. He had participated in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg, Atlanta, Nashville, and Kingston in North Carolina. He was wounded three times, but was not disabled for any great length of time. He was mustered out as seventh corporal. He had command of Company A, First (Battalion, Second Brigade, of the Army of the Tennessee) was in command about six months and during that period his company was engaged in the battles of Nashville, Tennessee, and Kingston, North Carolina. His company was captured, but he being wounded at that time was prevented from being with his company and he thus escaped a term of imprisonment in Andersonville prison. After receiving an honorable discharge, having faithfully performed every duty devolving upon him in army life, he returned to his home and resumed the occupation of farming. He purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Washington township, Keokuk county, which he cultivated and improved, and the well tilled fields yielded to him in return rich and abundant harvests.

On the 29th of December, 1868, Mr. Kendell was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Vickrey, a native of Keokuk county, and a daughter of Cyrus Vickrey, a pioneer settler of Keokuk county, who was born in Highland county, Ohio, February 21, 1827. His father was of Scotch and his mother of English descent, tracing their ancestry to the family of Sir Walter Raleigh. Mr. and Mrs. Kendall became the parents of four children, three sons and one daughter, as follows: Cyrus G., now residing in western Colorado; William Franklin, who is living in Warren township; Sarah Adelade, the deceased wife of F. A. Black; and Freddie X., at home with his parents. Mr. Kendall resided upon the farm which he improved for eleven years. He then sold it and went to Colorado, where he engaged in teaming for about four years. On the expiration of that period he returned and located on a farm in Warren township. This farm comprised nine hundred acres, which he purchased. He still owns of this eight hundred and forty-five acres, all under a high state of cultivation. He resided upon this farm until about 1899. He then built the attractive and substantial home in Delta where he now resides. He is sixty years of age and his wife is fifty. His careful supervision of his farming interests has brought him splendid i^eturns and he is one of the influential men of his community, where he is also honored and respected for the good he has accomplished, the many acts of kindness shown toward those in need, and his well spent life, which has been spent in strict accord with the principles of truth and right.

He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Delta, Chicago Lodge No. 385, and is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, whereby he maintains pleasant relations with his old comrades who, with their hearts filled with love and honor for their country, wore the blue upon southern battlefields and fought so nobly for the preservation of the Union. Mr. Kendall is a Democrat in his political views and indicates his religious faith by membership in the Christian church of Delta, his wife also being a member of this church. He and his wife have many friends in the community where they reside and both are valued and respected citizens.

S. H. KIRKPATRICK

S. H. Kirkpatrick, who carries on general farming in Liberty township and is one of the old residents of this section of Keokuk county, claims Virginia as the state of his nativity, his birth having occurred in Rockingham county of the Old Dominion on the 9th of February, 1856. His father, Thomas Kirkpatrick, was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, but was reared in Shenandoah county, where he spent his childhood and acquired his education, receiving good instruction in both English and German. In early manhood he turned his attention to farming but later engaged in the business of auctioneering and cried at many sales in his portion of the state. He was married in Rockingham county to Polly Bowers, also a native of the Old Dominion, and they became the parents of eight children, seven sons and one daughter, as follows: Elizabeth, John J., Thomas J., Benjamin F., George W., Martin V., William Penn, and S. H., of this review. The mother of these children died m Virginia and Mr. Kirkpatrick was again married about 1860, his second union being with Abbie Lamb, also a native of the Old Dominion. They became the parents of seven children, five sons and two daughters: Andrew J., Luther A., Perry Hunter, Hugh, Mary, Sally, and Josephus, Of this number all are yet living with the exception of Sallie. The father remained on the old homestead in Virginia until just prior to his death when he removed to another farm in Rockingham county. There he died in 1877 at the age of seventy-six years. He was always an advocate of the Democracy and both he and his wife were consistent members of the Brethren church.

S. H. Kirkpatrick of this review spent the first seventeen years of his life in his native state and then started westward, locating in Champaign county, Illinois, where he reniained for four years. On the expiration of that period he returned to Virginia, where he spent one year and then again started for the Mississippi valley. This time he settled in Liberty township, Keokuk county, Iowa, where he was employed for three years as a farm laborer, attending school in the winter months during this period. In 1879 he went to Nevada, where he remained for one season, but returned to Keokuk county, Iowa, in the fall of that year. He was married the following winter to Miss Anna B. Flory, a daughter of Samuel Flory, of Liberty township, the marriage being celebrated on the 27th of January, 1880. Their union has been blessed with eight children, five sons and three daughters: Dessa V. S., Everett L., Orson F., S. Merle, Mary Pearl, John J., Venus B., and Homer Faustain Main. They also lost two children in infancy.

Mr. Kirkpatrick has always followed the occupation of farming. After his marriage he purchased sixty-five acres of land in Liberty township and later traded that property for a farm in Minnesota, removing his family to the latter state, where he remained for a year. Realizing that he had more fondness for Iowa as a place of residence he then returned to Keokuk county and settled upon part of the old homestead, which is now his place of residence. In his farm work he has prospered and now is the owner of a good tract of land, which is under a high state of cultivation and returns to him golden harvests for his labors. Socially he is connected with the Mystic Toilers, an organization which was recently formed in this state. At different times he has given his political support to the Demiocracy and to the Republican party, but at the present time he is a Republican. Although he has traveled quite extensively Mr. Kirkpatrick says that he has found no place he likes as well as Iowa and is content to here make his home. Through his enerprise and industry he has become one of the well-to-do and substantial citizens and agriculturists of Liberty township.

WADE KIRKPATRICK

The city of Hedrick is one of the latest additions to the galaxy of municipal stars in Keokuk county, but in the short period of its existence has shown such vigorous growth as to bid fair to outstrip its older competitors. Its phenomenal increase in population and the metropolitan character that it has rapidly taken on has been due to the stirring up-to-date class of citizens which have been in control of its municipal organization. We are privileged here to present the name of one of the gentlemen who has had much to do with the development of this sturdy little city, and who is ready at all times to sacrifice time and money in its progress. He is at the present time justice of the peace and mayor of Hedrick, and is a man of sterhng worth and character in the community.

Mr. Kirkpatrick is a native of the state of Ohio, having been born in Madison county, November 9, 1846. He is the son of Minor and Hannah (Godfrey) Kirkpatrick. The Kirkpatricks are originally from Virginia, the father having been born there, and at age of fifteen years removed to Madison county, Ohio. He was by occupation a farmer, and in the great wave of emigration that came into Iowa about the close of the Mexican war, he came to the state, the date being 1848. In 1850 he returned to Ohio and brought his family to Wapello countgy, locating at a point four miles south of the present city of Hedrick. Here he lived until 1885, engaged in agricultural pursuits. He died in the city of Ottumwa in 1894, at the age of seventy-eight years. Grandfather Thomas Kirkpatrick was also a native of the Old Dominion state and was an early settler in Madison county, Ohio, the date of his removal there being about 1830. The Kirkpatricks are of Scotch-Irish extraction, our subject's great-grandfather, Hugh Kirkpatrick, having been the original ancestor, who came to America about the time of the Revolutionary war, in which as a young man he participated. It is also noted of the grandfather, Thomas Kirkpatrick, that he took a creditable part in the war of 1812. On the maternal side of the family, the Godfreys were also from the Old Dominion state, moving into Ohio at about the same time with the Kirkpatricks. Our subject's maternal grandfather was Lewis Godfrey. The marriage of our subject's parents took place about the year 1840, and they became the parents of seven children, of which family our subject is the third child.

He was but four years old when he came to Wapello county, and is therefore entitled to be considered almost a native of Iowa. He was reared and educated on the farm, receiving a fair common school education, and being taught at home habits of economy and industry. He was but a lad when the war cloud burst with its destructive effect over the country, and he chafed restlessly under the restraint of home influences during the early period of that sanguinary struggle, for the patriotism of the boy was such that he longed to be at the front defending Old Glory. His opportunity came, however, and in 1864 he enlisted as a private soldier in Company K, of the Second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and was immediately sent to the front, arriving in time to participate in the Atlanta campaign. Here Mr. Kirkpatrick had the misfortune to receive a severe wound in the left leg, which caused amputation of the same and incapacitated him for further service. He received his honorable discharge in March, 1865, after which time he returned home.

After the war he entered a harness shop, and learned that trade, which he worked at for the following seven years, chiefly in the city of Ottumwa. In 1872 he was elected county recorder of Wapello county, which office he held for a period of eight years and administered with entire satisfaction to his constituency, having received re-election three difljerent times. Upon retiring from this office, from the period of 1881 to 1888 he engaged in agriculture on a farm three miles south of Hedrick. In the latter year he gave up his farming pursuits and moved into the city of Hedrick, where he has since resided. Here, as before stated, he has been very intimately connected with the public life of the community, and has manifested a most commendable degree of activity in its interests. Mr. Kirkpatrick is of a social, jovial disposition, and enters into the fraternal life of the community with zest. He is a member of the Masonic order, and is prominently identified with the Grand Army of the Republic, being past commander of J. M. Hedrick Post, No. 424. In political faith, Mr. Kirkpatrick is a Republican.

Our subject was married in 1875 to Lydia J. Spilman, and to this marriage were born three children, two of whom died in infancy. The other, Wade Thomas Kirkpatrick, now nineteen years of age, is a student in the Iowa State College at Ames, Iowa. Mrs. Kirkpatrick died in 1887. Mr. Kirkpatrick was again married, to a Miss Lucinda V. Neff, who died in 1893. In 1896 Mr. Kirkpatrick was married to Miss Anna B. Hill, a native of Wapello county, Iowa, and daughter of N. C. and Mary (Blake) Hill, a prominent pioneer family of Wapello county. Mrs. Kirkpatrick was born in 1853 and was reared and educated in the county above stated, where she was for many years a popular and successful school teacher. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Hedrick, Iowa.

GOTTLIEB E. KLEINSCHMIDT

Gottlieb E. Kleinschmidt was not quite seven years old when his parents and four children left Prussia, Germany, and settled in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1854. Nicholas Kleinschmidt, the father, had no brothers; his only sister and his parents remained in the fatherland. He was born in Prussia, April 14, 1816, received a fair education and learned the trade of a wagon-maker. At the age of twenty-two he marriad Dora Schacht, who was born in Prussia, April 6, 1815. They had five children: August, who died in Dakota in 1891; Amelia, wife of George Pennington of Morgan county, Indiana; Gottlieb E.; William C., a farmer in Keokuk county, Iowa; and Louis, a farmer of Washington county, Iowa. The first four were born in Germany; Louis in America. The family lived in St. Louis two years, where the father worked at his trade. In the fall of 1855 he went to Sigourney, bought a lot and built a house for his family, who moved into the new home the following April. He opened a blacksmith and carriage shop and conducted his business with great success. In 1883 he gave the management to his son, Gottheb, though for a few years longer he continued to take an interest in the business. He died December 18, 1901; his wife, on June 6, 1883. They were members of the Lutheran church and trained their family according to the doctrines of their faith. He was a Republican in politics. His life was a personification of faithful, continued labor, frugality, honesty and wisdom. He was a thoroughly successful business man.

His son Gottlieb has carried on the business established on worthy principles of fair dealing and efficient service. He learned the business of wagon-making and blacksmithing from his father, with whom he worked and whom he superseded as head of the establishment in 1883. He has associated with him his own son, George, who since 1900 has charge of the affairs.

Gottlieb E. Kleinschmidt was born in Prussia, Germany, December 28, 1847. He obtained a common school education, worked hard at his trade and in 1884 took an active interest in the organization of the Keokuk County State Bank. He was made a director at the time and has continued in that position ever since. He was for ten years vice-president of the board and in 1899 he was elected president of the bank. Since 1899 the bank has done an increasingly large business, due in great measure to the efforts to Mr. Kleinschmidt.

In 1875 he married Miss Sophia, daughter of Charles and Sophia (Voltmer) Backhous. She is a native of Keokuk county. Mr. and Mrs. Kleinschmidt have ten children: five daughters and five sons. He belongs to the Democratic party, but has never held office. Fraternally he is a member of the local chapter of Independent Order of Odd Fellows and he affiliates with Webb Lodge, No. 182, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Sigourney.

NICHOLAS KRAMER

It is an evidence of stability of character when a man has remained and been successful throughout his life in one place, and it is upon sucli men that the nation's faith and strength depend. Such a man is Nicholas Kramer, who was born in Keokuk county and has lived here for more than fifty years. His father, John Peter Kramer, was a German, and received his training in the excellent institutions of that sturdy nation. In 1840, when he was about thirty years of age, he emigrated to America and took up his abode first in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, but in 1843 he moved westward and settled in Lafayette township, Keokuk county, Iowa, before this now great state had been admitted to the Union. Here he entered three hundred and twenty acres of raw land from the government and by industrious toil soon possessed an improved and highly cultivated farm. He also entered and enclosed four hundred acres more. He was then one of the earliest settlers of Keokuk county; his political views were Democratic and his church membership was with the Roman Catholic church in Clear Creek township. He died in this county about 1887. In 1844, in Keokuk county, he was married to Anna Kelson, who was born and reared in Germany and came to this country soon after Mr. Kramer did. Mr. and Mrs. Kramer were the parents of two children: Nicholas, our subject; and Lena, who was reared in Keokuk county, but is now deceased; the latter was the wife of John Bermel, whose sketch will be found in another part of this book.

Nicholas Kramer was born on his father's farm in this county on September 22, 1850. Like the other boys of the neighborhood he attended the district schools during the winter and worked on the farm in the summer. On leaving school at the age of eighteen, he helped his father and was instrumental in clearing the farm. He continued with his father until his marriage, when he moved to the north of the old homestead and in 1876 settled on two hundred acres of mostly new land and has since improved and added to it until he now has two hundred and eighty acres, all improved. In 1875 Mr. Kramer wedded Josephine Conrad, who was born in Pennsylvania, but soon went to Wisconsin, where she lived until she was eight years old; she then came to Keokuk county with her parents and there grew to womanhood. Her parents were Jacob Conrad and Margueretta Wilhelme, natives of Germany. To Mr. and Mrs. Kramer were born three children : John Peter, deceased; Margueretta; and Threasa C. Mr. Kramer belongs to the Democratic party and has held several local township offices, for ten years being supervisor. He is a zealous member of the Harper Catholic church and is active in church affairs, being on the church board, and he also helped to build the church. Respected and esteemed by all, he is a valuable citizen.