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Allamakee County >> 1913 Index Past and Present of Allamakee County Iowa R Unless otherwise specified, these biographies are submitted by Dick Barton. Ole
L. Rema owns and operates a highly improved farm of one hundred and
ninety-five acres on section 34, Center township, which is the old
family homestead.
He has remained within the borders of Allamakee
county from his birth to the present time, having been born in Paint
Creek township of the 3d of October, 1851.
His parents, L. O. and Guri
(Opheim) Rema, were natives of Aal, Praestehjeld, Hallingdal, Norway,
and were married in that country in 1836.
The father's birth occurred
on the 15th of September, 1805, while the mother's natal day was
February 12, 1811.
Four daughters were born to them in Norway.
In 1849
they crossed the Atlantic to the United States, spending two years in
Rock county, Wisconsin.
In 1851 they came to Allamakee county, Iowa,
and during the first summer lived on what is now the Swenson farm in
Paint Creek township.
L. O. Rema then homesteaded a tract of eighty
acres in Center township, which is now included within the boundaries of
his son's farm.
That place remained his home during the remainder of
his life and in its operation he won a gratifying and well merited
measure of success.
His son-in-law, John S. Bryson, in compiling a
genealogical record of the Bryson and Rema families, wrote of the
latter:
"They saw hard times of pioneer life, but by hard work and
economy made a good home and succeeded in raising and educating a family
of four girls and a boy."
Mr. Rema gave his political allegiance to the
republican party, while his religious faith was indicated by his
membership in the Lutheran church, to which his wife also belonged.
His
demise occurred at Village Creek on the 18th of March, 1885, while his
wife passed away on the old home farm on the 2d of February, 1892, the
community thus losing two of its respected pioneer settlers and
representative residents.
Their children were as follows: Julia L.,
born in Norway on the 13th of December, 1837, who wedded Paul Halverson
on the 26th of April, 1857, and is now a widow residing in Baudette,
Minnesota;
Margaret L., born in Norway on the 13th of July, 1840, who
is the widow of Andrew Strand; Tilda L., whose birth occurred in Norway
on the 7th of April, 1844, and who is the widow of John S. Bryson;
Cecile L., born in Norway on the 5th of August, 1846, who wedded
Stengrim Hesla and after his demise gave her hand in marriage to David
Skinner, of Sioux Rapids, Iowa;
Ole L., of this review; and Tolef B.,
who was born in Center township on the 1st of May, 1854, and died there
on the 9th of November, 1858.
Ole
L. Rema attended the district schools in the acquirement of an
education and after attaining his majority came into possession of the
old family homestead.
His holdings now embrace one hundred and ninety- five acres of rich and
productive land on section 34, Center township.
General agricultural pursuits have claimed his attention throughout his
entire business career and his efforts in this direction have been
attended with excellent results.
His land is well improved in every
particular and annually yields good crops which find a ready sale on the
market.
In
Allamakee county, on the 13th of June, 1871, Mr. Rema was united in
marriage to Miss Bertha J. Swain, a native of Norway, by whom he has
five children, namely:
Julia, the wife of Gilbert Jeglum, of Paint
Creek township; John T. and Henrietta, both at home; Emeline, the wife
of Gilbert Leikvold, of Taylor township; and Leonard S., who is still
under the parental roof.
The last named and his brother John T. now own
a valuable tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land in North Dakota.
Mr.
Rema is a democrat in politics and during the years 1907, 1908 and
1909 did able service as a member of the county board of supervisors,
making a creditable and enviable record in that connection.
In 1913 he
was once more elected to the office and will again assume its duties on
the 1st of January, 1914.
He and his family are devoted members of the
Lutheran church.
Mr. Rema is widely known in the county where his
entire life has been spent and the sterling qualities which he has
displayed in his social and business relations have gained him a high
place in the regard and good-will of his fellow townsmen.
Returning
from service in the Civil war with a creditable military
record, Calvin Augustus Robey purchased one hundred and three acres of
land on section 32, Paint Creek township, and upon this property he has
since carried on the work of improvement and development, making it
today one of the model farms of the locality.
In the course of years he
has gained success, prominence and a substantial fortune and he is
ranked today among the representative and able citizens of this part of
Iowa.
He was born in Monongalia county, West Virginia, September 27,
1843, and is a son of Hezekiah and Caroline (Porter) Robey, the former a
native of Ohio, born in 1812, the latter a native of West Virginia.
The
grandfather of C. A. Robey was Loyd Robey, who emigrated direct from
Scotland to Ohio, in an early day.
The subject of this sketch came to
Allamakee county with his parents in 1855, and the father farmed on
rented land until his death, four years later.
His wife survived him
many years, dying in Jefferson township at the age of eighty.
To them
were born seven children: Calvin A., of this review;
M. L., Sarah and
J. C., all of whom have passed away;
E. W., of Dickinson county, Iowa;
James, deceased;
and one who died in infancy.
Calvin
A. Robey acquired a grammar-school education in his native state
and in Allamakee county, and while still pursuing his studies enlisted
at Rossville in Company K, First Iowa Cavalry, and went south with his
regiment.
He spent two and one-half years in the Western Army, engaging
in scouting and in charging on towns, firing on the rebels and expelling
them from their strongholds, and with a creditable military record
returned to Allamakee county after peace was declared.
He purchased one
hundred and three acres of land in Paint Creek township containing a few
log buildings but destitute of other improvements.
With characteristic
energy Mr. Robey set himself to develop this property and has carried
forward the work throughout the intervening years, his farm being today
one of the model properties of this vicinity.
In addition to it he owns
a controlling interest in three hundred acres of fine timber land in
Linton township, probably the largest tract of the kind in Iowa.
Mr.
Robey has engaged in the lumber business for a number of years and has
cut, sawed and piled about four hundred thousand feet of good hardwood
lumber.
At the age of seventy he is still active and hearty and
accomplishes every day work which would be a credit to a man twenty
years his junior.
In
Allamakee county Mr. Robey was united in marriage, May 13, 1866, to
Miss Isabelle Dunn, who was born in West Virginia, a daughter of William
Dunn, an early settler in Allamakee county, where he located in 1852.
Mrs. Robey passed away December 21, 1911.
She was a devout member of
the Baptist church, which she joined as a girl of fourteen, and was a
lady of many exemplary qualities of character and highly respected and
esteemed wherever she was known.
She became the mother of eleven
children:
Angie, the wife of J. L. Kelly, of Paint Creek township;
Edith, who married O. B. Kelly, of Jefferson township;
B. L., a farmer
of Jefferson township, who married Lois M. Lovelace, a Baptist
minister's daughter;
Bertha G., the wife of S. H. Reeve, of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
Ray C., who married Hazel Henderson, a
native of Jefferson township;
Ella W., the deceased wife of A. L.
McClintock;
Harry, who was killed by a horse when he was twelve years
of age;
William Dudley, who died at about the same age;
Edna, who
passed away at thirteen; and two children who died in infancy.
A
progressive and public-spirited citizen, Mr. Robey has always taken an
intelligent interest in community affairs and, representing the
republican party, has held various positions of trust and
responsibility.
He twice took the census of Paint Creek township and
indeed held all of the important township offices, his public career
being varied in service and faultless in honor.
Although he received
only a common school education, he is today a well informed and cultured
man, having throughout his entire life been a wide reader and a deep
thinker.
His home had always been supplied with numerous and well
selected books and a spirit of refinement has pervaded it.
Mr. Robey
has been an extensive traveler and while his wife was living she
accompanied him on various journeys through the eastern and western
states.
In 1913 he took a trip to Philadelphia in order to visit his
daughter who resides there and also to attend the reunion of the Grand
Army of the Republic held on the Gettysburg battlefield.
Since 1868 he
has kept a diary of all the important events in the township and county
and is thoroughly familiar with this section of Iowa from pioneer times
to the present. He has been closely identified with Allamakee county in
its upbuilding and prosperity and is justly accounted a progressive and
representative citizen.
From time to time he has given hearty
cooperation to many movements for the public good and has contributed in
a substantial measure to the development and growth of one of the
greatest counties in Iowa.
Ulrich
William Rood, a worthy native son of Allamakee county, is the
owner of an excellent farm of one hundred and thirty-three acres on
section 6, Paint Creek township, and enjoys an enviable reputation as a
progressive agriculturist and enterprising citizen of his community.
The farm which is now in his possession as remained his home from his
birth to the present time, his natal day being March 31, 1870.
His
father, Peter Rood, was born in Norway, on the 31st of August, 1816,
and emigrated to the United States in 1853, when thirty-seven years of
age.
He located first in Rock county, Wisconsin, but later in the same
year came to Allamakee county, Iowa purchasing one hundred and thirty-
three acres of unimproved land in Paint Creek and Jefferson townships.
He first erected a log cabin, which was subsequently replaced by a stone
house that is still standing.
As the years passed by he brought his
fields under a high state of cultivation and improved his property to a
considerable extent, successfully carrying on general agricultural
pursuits until called to his final rest on the 15th of September, 1890.
On the 21st of October, 1861, in this county, he wedded Miss Nicholena
Christoferson Jensvold, whose birth occurred in Nordre Land, Norway, on
the 20th of July, 1825, and who emigrated to the United States in young
womanhood, being employed as a domestic in Stillwater and St. Paul,
Minnesota.
She survived her husband for a number of years, passing away
on the home farm on the 15th of February, 1913.
Mr. and Mrs. Rood
assisted in the organization of the Lutheran church and remained
consistent members thereof during their lives.
Their children were four
in number, as follows: Emma Charlotta, who was born on the 9th of
August, 1863, and passed away November 10, 1890; Gilbert C., whose birth
occurred on the 11th of March, 1866, and who died June 22, 1890; Ida
Hendricka, at home; and Ulrich William, of this review.
The
last named attended the district schools in the acquirement of an
education and early became familiar with the duties and labors that fall
to the lot of the agriculturist as he assisted his father in the work of
the home farm.
Eventually he came into possession of the property and
has been actively engaged in its cultivation during his entire business
career.
He is an up-to-date and progressive agriculturist and his
efforts have been attended with excellent results.
In addition to the
production of cereals best adopted to soil and climate he has raised
full blooded shorthorn cattle for several years past.
As
a companion and helpmate on the journey of life Mr. Rood chose Miss
Nicholena Leikvold, a daughter of Ole and Margaret (Roe) Leikvold, who
were early settlers of Paint Creek township.
The father is deceased but
the mother is still living.
Mr. and Mrs. Rood have five children,
namely:
Paul G., Ova C., Martha N., Eddie H. and Norman H.
One child,
Martha C., passed away at the age of five years.
Mr.
Rood is a republican in his political views and is widely recognized
as a loyal and public-spirited citizen whose aid and cooperation can be
counted upon to further and movement or measure instituted to promote
the general welfare.
He was instrumental in the organization of the
telephone company and worked for two years to bring it about.
His
religious faith is that of the Lutheran church and he and his family are
devoted members thereof.
Genial and kindly in nature, he fully
appreciates his obligations to his fellowmen, and his honorable
principles and upright manhood have won for him the high regard,
confidence and goodwill of all with whom he has come in contact.
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