Cerro Gordo County >> 1910 IndexHistory of Cerro Gordo County,
Iowa E Biographies submitted by Kay Ehlers. For nearly a quarter of a century a resident of Cerro Gordo county, John S. Edgar, who operates an elevator and conducts a coal business at Rock Falls, has been an important factor in the development of this part of the state and in the advancement of its welfare. A son of William Edgar, he was born, July 12, 1842 , in Dalkeith , Scotland , the home of his ancestors for many generations. William Edgar was born and bred in Dumfries , Scotland , and there married. Coming with his family to this country in 1837, he spent about five years in Brooklyn , New York , where as a landscape gardner [sic] he laid out many beautiful grounds in and around New York city , including Greenwood and Rockaway. Returning to the old country in 1842, he remained there ten years. In the spring of 1852, he came again to America, bringing his wife and children with him, and six months later located in Janesville, Wisconsin. He engaged in farming and gardening, continuing thus employed until after the breaking out of the Civil war. He subsequently enlisted in the Twenty-second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until the close of the conflict. Returning home, he died in the fall of 1865, from diseases contracted while in the army, aged sixty-two years. The maiden name of his wife was Helen Simm. She was born in Dalkeith, Scotland, October 23, 1807, and died, March 5, 1907, having almost rounded out a full century of life. Her husband was a Scotch Presbyterian in religion and in the later years of her life she was affiliated with the Methodist church. Their seven children were all born in Scotland , and three of them are still living, namely : Archibald, of Imperial, California ; Mrs. J. G. Wray, of Janesville , Wisconsin ; and John S. One son, William Edgar, served in the Second New York Heavy Artillery during the Civil war. Reared in Wisconsin , John S. Edgar was educated in the public schools, and during the Civil war was engaged as a teamster in Missouri and Arkansas for nine months, but had to return home to care for his mother and the farm. In 1867, desirous of broadening his field of action, Mr. Edgar came to Iowa , locating first in Mitchell county, where he followed farming four years. Going to Worth county in 1871, he continued as an agriculturist until 1886. He then established an elevator at Rock Falls , and this he has since conducted successfully, at the same time having built up an extensive and remunerative coal business and being interested also in quarrying. Mr. Edgar married, in Wisconsin in 1866, Elizabeth Woolliscroft [sic], who was born in Staffordshire, England, December 2, 1845 ; her father, William B. Wooliscroft [sic], was born in England in 1816, came with his wife and seven children to the United States in 1859, locating in Janesville, Wisconsin, and he died in 1898 in California. He married Hannah Buckston, who was born in England in 1819 and was accidentally killed in July, 1868, in Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Woolliscroft [sic] reared nine children, seven of whom live in California, one in Washington, while Mrs. Edgar is in Iowa. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Edgar, namely : Mrs. Annie Blakeley, of Mason City ; Mrs. Vinnie Cook, of Waterloo ; Mrs. May White, of Rock Falls ; William David, of Rock Falls ; Thomas B., of California ; Ray; Glen W., of Rock Falls ; and John Sim, Jr., who lived but nine years. Politically Mr. Edgar, although he cast his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont and afterwards for Abraham Lincoln for president, has always been a Democrat. Thomas G. Emsley, deceased, was a resident of Cerro Gordo county, Iowa , from 1858 until his death, June 7, 1886 , and was prominently identified with its interests. A review of his life and that of his helpmate is appropriately presented in this work. Thomas G. Emsley was born in Carroll county, Ohio , December 23, 1843 , son of W. W. and Beatrice H. (Donaldson) Emsley, the former a native of Yorkshire , England , the latter of Vermont and of Scotch descent. The death of his father in 1849 left Thomas G. an orphan at the age of six years, and from his early boyhood he made his own way in the world. When he was fifteen he came to Iowa . Here at the outbreak of the Civil war his sympathies were aroused in favor of the north, and in 1864, on reaching his majority, he showed his loyalty to his country by offering his service to help defend it. He enlisted in Company I, Second Iowa Cavalry, the fortunes of which he shared until the war was over and he was honorably discharged. Returning to Mason City , Iowa , in 1865, Mr. Emsley was that year elected treasurer of Cerro Gordo county, and on December 19th of the same year he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Church, daughter of Rev. Jesse E. Church. She was born and lived at Spring, Pennsylvania , until she came to Mason City , Iowa , in the summer of 1864 to spend a year as a visitor with her brother, J. S. Church, who then resided here. While on this visit she began to work in the postoffice for her brother. The attractions of a new country for a boy or girl who were willing to take advantage of the opportunity for self reliance appealed so strongly to her independent nature that she gained her father's consent to remain longer than she had at first expected, and from working in the office she turned her attention to teaching, and taught a few terms at twenty-five dollars a month. Living with her brother, he expenses were comparatively nothing, and she saved her earnings and made investment. Her first venture in speculation was buying tax title land, and in this way a hundred and sixty acres of wild prairie land came into her possession. At the time of their marriage the young couple had this land and four hundred dollars in money. They went to housekeeping in a two-room rented house, and every year thereafter found their assets somewhat increased. Mr. Emsley held the office of treasurer for four years. This gave him familiarity with all the land in Cerro Gordo county, also in adjoining counties, and for ten years he bought a sold land to advantage, until, for this country, they found themselves in reasonably good circumstances. In connection with his real estate, in 1873, Mr. Emsley, seeing an opening for a banking business at Mason City , established the City Bank. Both he and his enterprising wife worked hard to make this a success, he as president, she as cashier. The City National Bank is the outcome of their efforts. After the death of Mr. Emsley, which occurred in 1886, she managed the business and estate. She succeeded him as president of the bank, and continued as such until its re-organization and the formation of City National Bank. In all that pertains to the welfare of Mason City , both educational and otherwise, she has contributed according to her means. For many years she gave her best efforts toward the establishment of a free public library. Her creed is that of the Unitarian church, and she is an outspoken equal suffragist. On March 9, 1905 , Mrs. Emsley became the wife of Charles A. Adams, ex-county recorder and court reporter of Cerro Gordo county, having served in the last named capacity for over thirty years. Mr. Adams was born at Worcester , Massachusetts , in 1844, and when about nine years old came west with his parents. They stopped for a time in Illinois , and from there came to Iowa and settled at Mason City . Here Mr. Adams grew to manhood. During the Civil war he was a member of Company B., Thirty-second Infantry, and most of his service was as a clerk at headquarters. He is a member of Huntly Post, G. A. R., and is also identified with the Masons and the Elks. Mrs. Adams has membership in the O. E. S. at Mason City , and also in Maria Mitchell Club, the oldest woman's club in the town. By her first marriage, Mrs. Adams has two daughters, Mrs. Mabel Emsley Gale and Mrs. Lillie Emsley Markley.
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