Past and Present of
Buena Vista County, Iowa
by C. H. Wegerslev and
Thomas Walpole. Chicago : S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1909.
W
Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.
George
M. Walrod, D. V. S.
In a history of
the professional interests in Buena Vista county mention should be made
of Dr. George M. Walrod, who for fifteen years has practiced at Storm
Lake and during this period has given evidence of his ability in his
chosen profession. He was born in De Kalb county, Illinois, in 1854,
and is the eldest son of a family of seven children, whose parents were
Jonas and Eliza (Eaton) Walrod, both of whom were natives of the state
of New York. The father was of German lineage and devoted his life to
the occupation of farming. When a young man he removed westward to Illinois
and settled upon a farm in De Kalb county, where he resided until 1877,
when he took up his abode on a farm in Sac county, Iowa. There he lived
for some time but before his demise removed to Lake View, where his
remaining days were passed in honorable retirement from labor. He had
prospered as the years had gone by, and by his industry and careful
expenditure had gained a handsome competence that enabled him to live
retired in his later years. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal
church, and gave his political support to the republican party. He died
in 1894, at the age of sixty-eight years, while his wife passed away
in October, 1900, at the age of sixty-nine years. She had removed to
Ohio in her girlhood days, but they were married in the state of New
York.
Dr. Walrod was reared
in the usual manner of farmer lads. He attended the country schools
and alternated his time between the schoolroom and the fields for, as
his age and strength increased he assisted more and more largely in
the work of the farm until his marriage. He was about thirty-one years
of age when he withdrew from agricultural life and turned his attention
to commercial pursuits, purchasing a drug store at Lake View, which
he conducted for four years. It was a logical step from that business
to the practice of veterinary surgery, and in preparation therefor he
entered the Ontario College at Toronto, Canada, in 1892, and was graduated
in 1894. The same year he opened an office in Storm Lake, where he has
since engaged in the practice of his profession with good success. He
here conducts a hospital supplied with all modern appliances, and his
ability places him with the ablest representatives of the profession
in Buena Vista county. He is a member of both the State and American
Veterinary Associations.
In 1882 Dr. Walrod
was married to Crilla Wilcox, who was born in the state of New York
in 1862. They are the parents of five children: Cora, wife of G. W.
Foley, connected with railroad interests; Cuthbert; Perry; Eugene; and
Frances. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal church,
in the work of which they take an active and helpful interest. Dr. Walrod
is now serving as a member of the board of stewards and is also active
in the work of the Sunday school. In politics he is somewhat independent,
supporting both the republican and prohibition parties as his judgment
dictates, but he is a man of strong temperance principles as indicated
by his membership in the Independent Order of Good Templars and he likewise
belongs to the Court of Honor.
C. H. Wegerslev,
who for many years was identified with journalistic interests as editor
of the Alta Advertiser, but is now practicing law, was born in Broager,
Schleswig, Germany, February 21, 1874, his parents being Jacob and Christian
(Fisk) Wegerslev, the former of Danish and the latter of Swedish birth.
The father was a carpenter by trade. In the common schools C. H. Wegerslev
began his education and, continuing his studies, was graduated from
the Alta high school with the class of 1890. He also pursued a course
in the Iowa State University and was graduated from the law department
in the class of 1908. He has always been a student of history, political
science and economics. After leaving the public schools he became identified
with the printing business, with which he was associated for fifteen
years, finding the pursuit congenial as well as profitable. He has lived
in Alta since his arrival from Europe in 1884, and was from 1890 until
1905 editor, publisher and printer. After fifteen years' connection
with the Advertiser, however, he sold out in the latter year.
In politics Mr.
Wegerslev has always been an earnest republican, progressive in his
party views and liberal in political creed. The only office that he
has ever filled is that of postmaster of Alta, in which he served for
eight years or from 1898 until 19906. During his business life he contributed
to all the public enterprises of the town, giving active and helpful
support to many measures for the general good.
On the 5th of November,
1899, Mr. Wegerslev was married to Miss Mae Tincknell, and they have
one daughter, Janet, now three and a half years of age. Mr. Wegerslev
is a member of the Knights of Pythias, has filled all of the offices
in the local lodge and is a member of the Iowa grand lodge. He is also
connected with the Masons and the Woodmen. He belongs to no church but
attends religious services and believes in a liberal religion, with
freedom to think as conscience dictates.
John H. Wegerslev,
editor and part owner with C. A. Van Buskirk in the publication of the
Alta Advertiser, has also held the position of postmaster at Alta since
1906. He was born in Broager, Nord Schleswig, Germany, May 20, 1876,
his parents being Jacob and Christina Wegerslev, the former a carpenter
by trade. In October, 1882, he accompanied his father and mother on
their emigration to the United States, the family home being established
in Alta, Buena Vista county, Iowa.
John H. Wegerslev
attended the public schools of Alta until he had attained the age of
fourteen years, when he put aside his text-books to begin work as an
apprentice in the office of the Alta Advertiser, being employed by his
brother, C. H. Wegerslev, who was then in partnership with Thomas Walpole.
After working for ten years as a printer he became a partner of his
brother, C. H. Wegerslev, and together they continued the publication
of the Alta Advertiser until 1900. In 1899 he took a civil service examination
at Omaha and in July of the following year accepted a position in the
census bureau at Washington, D. C. He resigned, however, in 1901 and,
returning to Alta, has since edited and controlled the Advertiser and
is widely recognized as a most successful and prominent representative
of the newspaper interests of the county.
On the 26th of December,
1900, Mr. Wegerslev was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Tincknell,
a daughter of F. G. Tincknell, one of the proprietors of the Bank of
Alta. They now have a daughter, Marion.
In his political
views Mr. Wegerslev is a stanch republican and takes an active part
in county, district and state politics. In 1906 he received the appointment
of postmaster at Alta, in which position he has since capably and efficiently
served. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons and has taken the
chapter degrees, while in the Knights of Pythias order he has passed
through the chairs and is a past chancellor and a member of the grand
lodge of Iowa. Though born across the water he is thoroughly American
in spirit and interests and the county of Buena Vista, where he has
now made his home for a quarter of a century, numbers him among its
substantial and valued citizens.
Alfred
A. Wells, owner of the Marathon Telephone Company and widely recognized as a
representative and prosperous citizen of Buena Vista county, was born in
Columbia county, Wisconsin, in 1861, his parents being Walter and Jane
(Robinson) Wells, natives of Vermont and Liverpool, England, respectively. The
father, who has now attained the age of eighty-four years, makes his home in
Marathon.
The
year 1870 witnessed the arrival of Alfred A. Wells in Buena Vista County, Iowa.
When a young man he entered business circles as a dealer in grain lumber and
coal, being a member of the firm of Wells Brothers, and was thus successfully
engaged until 1894, when he disposed of the store and established the hardware
business which he has since conducted. In 1898 he first became interested in
telephone lines but subsequently sold out and in 1906 purchased and built the
Marathon Telephone Company, of which he has been the owner to the present time.
His connection with any undertaking insures a prosperous outcome of the same,
for it is in his nature to carry forward to successful completion whatever he is
associated with. He has earned for himself an enviable reputation as a careful
man of business, and in his dealings is known for his prompt and honorable
methods, which have won him the deserved and unbounded confidence of his
fellowmen.
In
1900 Mr. Wells was united in marriage to Miss Mattie Todd, a daughter [of] W. J.
Todd, a native of Ohio. They now have six children: Ward L., Alfred Albert,
Edward Anson, Mary Belle, Dorothy Agnes and Catherine Jane, all at home.
Mr.
Wells is a stalwart republican in his political views, while fraternally
he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His loyalty
to the public good is above question, being continually manifest in
his cooperation with various movements tending to promote the moral,
intellectual and material welfare of the community. He has now made
his home in this county for thirty-eight years and that his life has
ever been an upright and honorable one is indicated by the fact that
the associates of his boyhood and youth are still numbered among his
stanch friends and admirers.
JOHN WILCOX, a retired
agriculturist residing on section 28, Scott township, was born in Fountain
county, Indiana, December 6, 1834. He has the genealogical record of
the family, showing that representatives of the name emigrated to the
United States in 1734. The father, Levi V. Wilcox, who was a native
of Essex county, New Jersey, was a hotel proprietor in early manhood
but later purchased a farm of five hundred and seventy acres in Warren
county, Indiana, on which his demise occurred in the year 1853. His
wife, who bore the maiden name of Hulda Crane, was also born in New
Jersey and was called to her final rest in 1837. Unto this worthy couple
were born ten children but only two of the number survive, John and
Frank. The latter is married and makes his home in Champaign, Illinois.
Like his brother, he was a loyal defender of the Union at the time of
the Civil war, was made major of the Sixty-third Regiment and later
was promoted to the rank of colonel of the Fifteenth Infantry.
John Wilcox received
but limited educational advantages, for he began work as a cowboy when
only fourteen years of age, herding cattle on the Grand prairie in Indiana
and also in Illinois for four years. Subsequently he was employed on
a farm in Warren county, Indiana, and in 1856 removed to Winterset,
Iowa, where he resided for two years. On the expiration of that period
he went to Colorado and for two years hunted buffaloes on the plains
and deer and sheep on the mountains. He afterward went to Mound City,
Kansas, and there enlisted in Company D, Seventh Kansas Cavalry, with
which command he served for three years and twenty-five days. He was
ever a brave and loyal soldier, faltering in the performance of no task
to which he was assigned, and there is still imbedded in his limb a
piece of lead which he received in battle. After the close of hostilities
he went to Winterset, Iowa, and subsequently came to Buena Vista county.
In 1869 he homesteaded eighty acres of the farm on which he now resides
on section 28, Scott township, and later purchased an additional tract
of eighty acres When he erected his little shanty there was not another
structure of any kind in sight, for the district was but sparsely settled
and bore little resemblance to the prosperous and thickly settled region
of today. Mr. Wilcox made all the improvements on his place, set out
the trees and brought the fields under a high state of cultivation.
He still resides on the farm but is now living retired, enjoying in
well earned rest the fruits of his well directed labor in former years.
On the 13th of October,
1863, at Winterset, Iowa, Mr. Wilcox was united in marriage to Miss
Susanna Loy Bard, a native of Trumbull county, Ohio, and a daughter
of William H. and Nancy (Caldwell) Bard. In 1856 Mrs. Wilcox accompanied
her parents on their removal to Madison county, Iowa. Unto our subject
and his wife have been born four children, namely: Mary E., the wife
of William Bice, an agriculturist of Buena Vista county; William L.,
who wedded Miss Mary Larson and operates the home farm; Laura M., the
wife of Harry A. Mack, who follows farming in Minnesota; and John E.,
who married Miss Alice Harden and resides in Oliver county, North Dakota.
Mr. Wilcox gives
his political allegiance to the republican party and has capably served
as assessor for two terms and also as justice of the peace. He still
maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades through his
membership in the G. A. R. He is numbered among the worthy pioneer settlers
of the county and moreover receives the veneration and respect which
should always be accorded one who has traveled thus far on life's journey
and whose career has ever been upright and honorable.
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