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History of
Cass County, Iowa D - E Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton. Jonathon Du Bois lives on section 35 [Pymosa twp], where he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in 1867. He now owns eighty-five acres. He was the first occupant of his farm. He was born in Ulster county, New York, in 1816, and lived there until thirty-five years of age. He was there married to Anna E. Dickerson, a native of that State. Mr. Du Bois removed with his family to Virginia, where he lived about five years, thence to Illinois. They improved a farm in Stark county, and remained in that State until they came to Cass county, in 1867. He began making improvements on his land the same year, breaking about sixty acres, and building his present residence. Mr. and Mrs. Du Bois have six children - Mathusalem, William H., Alice M., Catherine J., Jonathan C. and Thomas C. The children were all born before the family removed to this county. Mr. Du Bois is a Democrat politically. He is a descendant of Louis Du Bois, who emigrated from France to New York in 1760. Dr. J. M. EMMERT was born in Washington county, Maryland, June 13, 1846, and is the son of Joshua and Anna G. (Funk) Emmert. His mother is a native of Pennsylvania, her people having settled in the southeastern part of that State in 1745, and some still reside there. Her father was a large farmer of that State, and was a member of the State Legislature when Thaddeus Stevens offered the first bill to establish fall schools. Grandfather Emmert moved to Illinois about the year 1845, and was one of the pioneers of Lee county. He was a minister of the German Baptist faith, and erected the first Baptist church in that county, at an early day, almost entirely from his own resources. Dr. Emmert spent his early life in Washington county, Maryland, and was educated at Mechanicsburg and Millersville State Normal school, Pennsylvania. He graduated at Jefferson Medical college, Philadelphia, March 9, 1872, but had taught school prior to the study of medicine. A short time after graduating he came west to Iowa, locating at Hamburg, Fremont county, in June, 1872, and was married October 28, 1873, to Miss Ida Washabaugh, a native of Franklin county, Pennsylvania. March 16, 1874, he removed to Atlantic, Iowa, where he has since achieved good success in the practice of his profession. He is a member of the State Medical society and the American Medical association, to which latter body he has twice been a delegate. He has been a member of the committee on micrology and arrangements several times, and in 1876 was a delegate to the International Medical Congress, in Philadelphia. He has held the position of assistant surgeon for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad since 1874, and has also filled important local offices of Atlantic, including city clerk, president of school board and health physician. He is the Worshipful Master of the Masonic Lodge, a member of the Chapter and Prelate of Commandery. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F. and A. O. U. W. societies, and an elder of the First Presbyterian church of Atlantic. In May, 1882, he lost two children from diphtheria - Blanche, aged five years, and Dale, three years of age. There is one son left, Max, aged one year. He owns a drug store in Marne, Cass county, and has acquired considerable property, having been financially successful in all his undertakings. In 1881 he was a candidate for representative on the Democratic ticket, from Cass county, which had a Republican majority of over one thousand, and was defeated by but ninety-nine votes in the county, which proves conclusively his popularity and standing among the people as a man of ability and eminence. He was also a delegate from the Ninth congressional district to the Democratic National convention, at Chicago, in 1884, which placed in nomination the successful candidate.
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