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The
Biographical Record of Clinton
County, Iowa H Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton. Among the worthy citizens of Clinton who are in some way connected with the railroad interests of this state, is W. B. Henyan, who for twenty years has been a most faithful and capable employe of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway. He was born on the 1st of October, 1861, three miles east of Solon, Johnson county, Iowa, in an old log house, which was built by his grandfather, Bradford Henyan, who located there in 1842, being one of the first three settlers taking up his residence in that section of the state. At that time the nearest gristmills and trading boats were at Dubuque, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois, and the Indians were far more numerous than the white settlers. By occupation the grandfather was a farmer, and prior to coming to Iowa he followed that pursuit in Indiana. There he married his wife, who died in 1901, having long survived her husband, his death occurring in 1879. The parents of our subject were O. C. and Clarissa (Styles) Henyan, both of whom were natives of Johnson county, the former being born in the same house where our subject's birth occurred, while the latter was born three miles north of that place. She died in 1881, but the father is still living, and now makes his home in Clinton county. Their children were: W. B., of this review; G. W., who is now in the employ of the Southern Texas Ra[i]lroad; Alice, wife of A. Jennings, Perry, Iowa; L. S., a brakeman on the Chicago & Northwestern Railway; Mary, wife of Charles Ott, Jr.; and C. O., a farmer of Rock Island county, Illinois. W. B. Henyan passed the days of his boyhood and youth in Johnson and Iowa counties, and is indebted to their public schools for his educational privileges. His early life being spent upon a farm, he assisted in its operation, and later clerked in the Gillen House, at Anamosa, until 1881, when, on account of ill health, he was obliged to resign his position. He then entered the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company as brakeman on the Midland division, running from Clinton to Anamosa, but sixty days later was transferred to the main line from Clinton to Belle Plaine, Iowa. At that time it was the rule of the road that no train should be run down hill faster than fifteen miles an hour. On the 15th of September, 1884, Mr. Henyan was promoted to conductor, and was on the run to Belle Plaine until the division was changed, and since then his run has been from Clinton to Boone. He has now had a regular freight run for thirteen years, with the exception of the time he was running a passenger train during the World's Fair, in 1893. He was in one rear end collision but escaped uninjured, and has never been disabled for service during his entire railroad career, except two weeks. September 14, 1887, Mr. Henyan was married to Miss Amanda Ott, a native of Clinton, and a daughter of Charles Ott, of that place. Mr. Ott was born in Switzerland, but came to the United States when but ten years of age, and to Clinton county in 1866. He married Emma Peterson, at Geneva, Illinois, who was born in Sweden, but who was brought to this country a child of nine years, the family locating in Geneva, Illinois. For many years he was in the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, but for the last twenty-five years he has been in the transfer business at Clinton, where he still resides. Since 1884 Mr. Henyan has been a member of the Order of Railway Conductors, and has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1894. He also belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a great lover of dogs and horses and athletic sports. During his connection with the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, Mr. Henyan has made it his rule to care for the company's property as though it were his own, and in doing this has won credit for himself and the gratitude of the corporation. He further holds that no man can be addicted to the use of intoxicants and give his employers the best benefits of his service, and a man who drinks does an injustice to his employers as well as to himself and family. Both Mr. and Mrs. Henyan are members of the Baptist church. Prominent
among the professional men of Clinton, Iowa, is this well- known physician and
surgeon, who is a native of this county, born on a farm near DeWitt, December 7, 1860, and is a son of William
and Sarah (McDougall) Hullinger,
and grandson of John and Olivia (Coe) Hullinger. The family name was originally spelled Hollinger, and was changed
by the grandfather of our subject.
the first to come to America
was Joseph Hollinger, a native of
Switzerland, who crossed the Atlantic in 1710, and settled in Pennsylvania.
He was the father of twelve sons and seven daughters, including three pair of twins, and the family has
become very prominent in that
state. John
Hullinger, the Doctor's grandfather, was born in Pennsylvania, and at
an early day removed to Ohio. In
1832 he again started westward, and with
ox teams removed to La Salle county, Illinois, locating at Vermilionville,
where he died of cholera the same year at the age of forty-four. His
wife departed this life in 1836, at the age of forty- nine years.
They were the parents of the following named children: John D.,
Martin H., Harvey C., William S., Maria, Barbara and Caroline. William
S. Hullinger, the father of our subject, was born in Champaign county
Ohio, on the 25th of September, 1829, and being
left an orphan at an early age, he
was reared by Mr. Coke on a farm in Illinois.
He married Miss Sarah
McDougall, a native of Syracuse, New York, and a daughter
of John and Elvira (Uran) McDougall. Her
father was born in Aberdeen,
Scotland, while her mother was born in Quebec, Canada, and was descended from the royal family of France.
The latter lived to the extreme
old age of one hundred and seven years. Unto
Mr. and Mrs. Hullinger were born
seven children, namely: William E.,
an engineer on the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, residing in Clinton, who wedded Mary Dague,
and has one son, William E., Jr.; Sarah
E., wife of John R. Anderson, pf
Clinton, has one son, James William; Millie
A., wife of Charles S. Hullinger,
of the same place, has one daughter, Ealeanor E.; John
D., the subject of this sketch; James C., a dentist of Clinton, who died
in 1894; Ida C., wife of Ira W. Hullinger, of Clinton, has one son, Cecil
W.; and Olive Belle, a teacher of
DeWitt. The father came to this
country in 1852 by team, and purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty
acres at one dollar and a quarter per acre.
He owned a fine violin, made
in 1711, and handed down by his ancestors, and with it he earned
money to pay for eighty acres of his land, playing principally for
dances. He was one of the best
violinists of his day in this part of
the country, and his services were sought far and near.
His first home in this
county was a small log cabin, which in later years was replaced
by a fine residence. On starting
out in life for himself he was in
limited circumstances, but met with success in his farming operations and became quite well-to-do, owning two large farms
and two smaller ones in this
county, besides some good property in DeWitt, where he and his wife are now living.
He removed to that place in 1888 and has since lived a retired life, enjoying the fruits of former
toil. He is public-spirited and progressive, but has never been an
office seeker, although he has held
several minor positions in his township. Dr.
Hullinger grew to manhood on the home farm, and became thoroughly familiar
with every detail of farm work. He
completed his literary education at
the Northern Illinois Normal School at Dixon, where he was graduated
in 1889. He had previously taught
school during the winter while
attending the Normal at Dixon during the summer, and for lack of means
to continue his medical studies he resumed teaching, following that
profession from 1886 until 1890. He
was principal of the schools at
Onslow, Iowa, in 1890, and while there he was united in marriage with Miss
Carrie Holmes, a primary teacher and the youngest daughter of Robert
Holmes, of that place. they have
one child, Nellie Gertrude, born
June 7, 1891. Carrie Holmes was
born at Maquoketa, Iowa, on a farm,
January 28, 1863. Her father spent
five years in the English army,
became a Philadelphia merchant and later proprietor of a store at Freeport,
Illinois. Mrs. Hullinger is a
college-bred lady, having been educated
at Cornell College, Mount Vernon and Epworth, Iowa, Seminary, graduating
in the scientific course of last named college in 1884.
She was a successful teacher
in Jones county, Iowa, schools for eight years, two
of which were spent teaching in the city schools at Anamosa and one in
Onslow village school. By
teaching school and music Dr. Hullinger made enough money to complete his
medical studies and was graduated from the medical department of the State
University of Iowa in 1893, with the degree of M. D. His brother James
also educated himself by teaching, but overwork broke down his health
and he died at the early age of twenty-nine.
While teaching the Doctor
made a specialty of writing and became one of the finest masters of
the Spencerian hand, while he is still an excellent penman.
He began the practice of his chosen profession at Chancy, which was
then a suburb of Clinton, but is
now a part of the city, and it was not long before his
skill and ability were recognized and gained for him a large and lucrative
practice. He is a close and thorough student, as well as a progressive
physician, who keeps abreast with the latest discoveries and theories
known to the science. Outside of
his general practice he gives special
attention to obstetrics. He is
examining physician for sixteen insurance
companies and a large number of fraternal orders, including the
following: The Prudential and the Registered Life Insurance Companies,
the Mystic Workers of the World, the Modern Brotherhood of America,
the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and the Knights and Ladies of Golden
Precept. He is a
member and secretary of the Board of United States Pension Examiners, ex-secretary
of the Clinton County Medical Society and a member of Western
Star Lodge, No. 100, A. F. & A. M., while both he and his wife belong
to the Order of the Eastern Star. At
one time he was also a member of
the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. The Doctor was a member
of the Republican county central committee for seven years, and takes
an active interest in public affairs. As
a physician he ranks among the best
in the city, and as a citizen is quite popular and influential. Since
1897 he has had an office in the Toll block, and in 1892 erected a fine residence at 1101 Camanche avenue, and in
1900 remodeled it into a
thirteen-room residence, where he also has a fine residence
office, supplied with all modern appliances known to his profession.
In
1884 the Doctor took up the study of instrumental music and has received
a diploma from a Society Musical Course at Dixon, Illinois, in 1888.
since taking up music he has organized and taught nine different bands.
At Iowa City, while attending medical college, he organized and instructed
the F. M. B. A. band, composed of eighteen members, and also taught a ladies' band of twelve members. He was also one of the organizers
of the DeWitt band; organized the Onslow band and German cornet
band at Bryant. He also helped to
organize the Camanche Avenue band,
of Clinton, but owing to his professional duties is not an active member. Dr.
and Mrs. Hullinger are both active members of the Methodist Episcopal
church, and the Doctor is a member of the official board of stewards.
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