History of
Fremont and Mills County, Iowa
Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1901.
F
Austin G. Fisher
Since an early period in the pioneer development
of Fremont county, Austin G. Fisher has been a resident of this portion of the
state, where he is known as a representative farmer and stock-raiser.
He is a descendant of sturdy New England ancestry and was born November
1, 1817, in Washington county, Ohio. His
grandfather, Daniel Fisher, was colonel of a Massachusetts regiment in the war
of the Revolution, and about 1800 he removed to Ohio, becoming a resident of
that section of the country before the Buckeye state was admitted to the Union.
He located in Washington county, purchased a tract of land and continued
the development of his farm throughout his remaining days.
He lived a quiet and unassuming but honest and upright life, commanding
the respect of those with whom he was associated.
In his family were the following children, namely: Andrew; Seth; Austin;
Deborah, who became Mrs. Gilman; Mrs. Draper; Mrs. Fuller and Mrs. Frances Dana.
Andrew Fisher, the father of our subject, was
born in Dedham, Massachusetts, and spent his time there till early manhood when
he moved to Ohio. He was married
first in Washington county, that state, in the year 1806, to Miss Mary Gray, a
daughter of Captain Gray, who was engaged in the siege and storming of Stony
Point and served throughout the war which brought independence to the nation.
Subsequently he removed to Washington county, Ohio, locating at Waterford
Landing on the Muskingum river, where he spent his remaining days, his time and
energies being devoted to agricultural pursuits.
In his family were six children, namely: Mrs. Rebecca Hayward, Mrs.
Charlotte Hayward, Mrs. Clara Hart, Mrs. Mary Fisher, William and Hanford.
Andrew Fisher and his wife, Mary, resided in Washington county, Ohio,
until her death, which occurred about 1822.
She left the following named children: Maria, who became the wife of J.
Loring; Amanda, wife of William M. Dodge; Mrs. Elizabeth Root; Mary, the wife of
C. R. Ames; Theodore A.; and Austin G. After
the mother of this family had passed away, Mr. Fisher, the father, wedded Mrs.
Barris, a widow, and they had one daughter, Mrs. Sibyl Patton.
After the death of his first wife Mr. Fisher removed to Athens county,
Ohio, where he spent his remaining days. He
was a hatter by trade, but in his early life he took keelboats down the Ohio and
Mississippi rivers, trading produce to the coast people.
In his religious faith he was a Universalist.
As the father left but a small estate Austin G.
Fisher and the other members of the family were early forced to start out in
life on their own account. After his mother's death our subject resided with relatives
and friends and when old enough engaged in farm work. He is truly a self-made man, for everything that he possesses
has been acquired through his well-directed efforts. His education was obtained in the public schools, but his
mental training was somewhat limited, owing to the necessity of his providing
for his own support. He remained in
Ohio until he had attained his majority when he made his way to Illinois.
Subsequently he traveled to some extent and followed boating.
When he arrived in the Prairie state he took up his abode in Monroe
county and engaged in the cooper's trade. It
was customary for people of that time to cut the trees that grew on government
land and this he did. He also
engaged in coopering to some extent and followed any pursuit that would yield
him an honest living. He had
nothing to lose and a fortune to make. From
Monroe county he removed to Morgan county, where he engaged in clerking in a
store for one year, after which he took up his abode in Peoria, Illinois, where
he was also employed as a salesman for about a year.
In 1841-42 a financial panic was felt throughout the country and his
employers lost everything they had so that Mr. Fisher was left without work.
He then made his way to his old home in Washington county, Ohio, and
spent the winter there, after which he engaged to go down the river on a
flatboat to New Orleans. From that city he worked his passage back on a steamboat and
during three or four months he certainly experienced very hard service.
Steamboat work at that time was anything but desirable for white men who
were employed side by side with the negroes and were treated no better.
As Mr. Fisher expresses it "he saw the elephant from head to
heels." Such surroundings were
extremely humiliating to Mr. Fisher and he therefore determined to enter some
other walk of life. Arriving at St.
Louis dirty and ragged, he would not allow any of his acquaintances to see him
before he had had opportunity to change his clothing and dress more in
accordance with the surroundings which he felt were his rightful environments.
Returning to Morgan county, Illinois, Mr. Fisher
entered the service of a huckster to drive teams and gather produce.
There he remained for about a year when he secured a position in the
service of a doctor in Mason county, who employed him to carry on his farm.
In 1846 Mr. Fisher married and continued to conduct the farm until he had
saved enough money to purchase a tract of land of his own.
In 1850 his wife died. He
afterward engaged in teaching school two winters and was then again married and
resumed work upon his farm, which he had secured by locating Mexican land
warrants. He improved his land,
making it a valuable tract. He saw
a great development in the county, for when he located here there were only four
hundred votes within its borders. In
1852 he was nominated as a candidate to represent
Mason and Logan counties in the legislature, but was defeated by
forty-four votes. In politics he
was then Whig and afterward he became a strong Republican.
While in Mason county he served as a justice of the peace and since
coming to Fremont county he has filled the office of township trustee. He remained, however, in
Illinois until after all but one of his children were born.
In 1874 he sold his property and came to Iowa, taking up his abode upon
the farm where he yet lives. He
bought one hundred and sixty acres of land.
The farm was fenced and land broken, and soon well developed fields
brought to him a good return for his labors.
He also erected a commodious two-story frame residence, in which he yet
resides, and with characteristic energy continued the work of the farm, which
has brought to him an excellent financial return.
To his landed possessions he has added until the homestead comprises four
hundred and thirty acres. He also
purchased and improved another farm, which he gave to his daughter.
Mr. Fisher has been twice married.
He first wedded Miss Elizabeth Kemp, who was born in Mason county,
Illinois, a daughter of Abel Kemp, a native of New York and one of the early
settlers of Mason county, where he located in 1836.
In the east he had followed shoemaking, but after emigrating westward he
became the owner of a large tract of land and engaged in the tilling of the soil
through a long period. Subsequently
he removed to Wisconsin, where he retired from active life, making his home
among his children until he was called to his final rest.
He was the father of six children, namely: Mrs. Fisher, James, Daniel,
Mrs. Mary Simpson, Sarah, who died at the age of fifteen years, and N. J.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Fisher were born three children: Amanda, the wife of G.
B. Cluett, of Troy, New York; Maria, the wife of C. W. Newell, of Nebraska; and
Frank, who is also living in that state. The
mother of this family passed away and Mr. Fisher afterward married Miss Euphame
Brown, a native of New York and a daughter of Joseph Brown, of the Empire state,
who came to Illinois about 1848 and followed farming until his death, which
occurred in Mason county. He had
six children: DeWitt C., a resident of Mason county, Illinois; Mrs. Harriet
Eldred, who died in Wisconsin; Robert; Jane, the wife of A. S. Blakeley; Mrs.
Emily P. Mulford, now deceased; and Euphame, deceased.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Fisher was blessed with eight children:
Alice, the wife of Joseph Cope, now living in Arizona; Albert, of Iowa; Clara,
the wife of E. G. Newell, of Nebraska; Mrs. Fanny Gilbert, of Fremont county;
Jessie, at home; A. G. who is managing the old homestead farm; Bertha, at home;
and Lydia E., who is now employed as a stenographer in the city of New York. The mother of this family died December 22, 1895, respected
by all who knew her.
In the evening of life Mr. Fisher is comfortably
situated in a very pleasant home amidst his children and friends, who entertain
for him the highest respect and esteem. His
has been an honorable and useful career, and as one of the most venerable
citizens of sterling worth he well deserves mention in this volume.
David L. Foster
A very prominent and progressive farmer residing
in Fremont county, Iowa, is David L. Foster, the subject of this sketch.
He was born in Nodaway county, Missouri, October 11, 1860, and was a son
of Thomas A. Foster, who was born in Kentucky in 1837, and died in Missouri in
1863, leaving a widow and two children, one of whom is Rosetta, the wife of
Charles Wylie, a resident of this township.
Mrs. Foster married Jacob Drumm still living in Scott township.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was Henry
Foster, who emigrated from Kentucky to Nodaway county, Missouri, at an early day
and became possessed of much land, dying there in 1896, at the age of
eighty-three. Our subject was
reared by his grandfather from the age of five years until he was fourteen,
going then to the home of his uncle Thomas, where he remained until he had
attained his majority. He then
started to gain his own livelihood, his capital consisting of a healthy body,
strong hands and a stout heart. His
first attempt was upon a farm and later he went to Omaha, where employment was
secured in a mineral water factory for over three years.
This was not easy work, but it was the best he could then find.
These years were not idle ones, for he saved
enough out of his small salary to purchase his first fifty acres of land, which
is a part of his present beautiful farm. This
was in 1882, and the cash required was three hundred and fifty dollars; and it
is safe to say that no money ever seemed so precious to our subject as this
which he had saved with so much self denial.
The marriage of Mr. Foster took place May 26,
1889, to Miss Elizabeth Allbritton, a daughter of Thomas Allbritton, a farmer
who now resides in Washington. Our subject began domestic life at this location, where his
wife had lived, and began general farming and the raising of fine stock.
Mr. Foster has a fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres, having added
to the original tract, and is now very successfully carrying on an extensive
business. He owns Poland China hogs, many horses and different grades
of cattle, although he is pleased with the Hereford cattle, which he is engaged
in breeding now, proposing to make this his leading strain.
The home life of Mr. Foster is a very pleasant
one, his baby, a bright child, not yet having attained the first
anniversary of its birthday, and the others being Ernest, May and Hazel, all
intelligent and interesting children. In
his political opinions Mr. Foster favors the Democratic party, but is a just man
and disputes with no one, believing everybody is entitled to his own opinion. He is also connected with the K. of P., where he is an active
member. One of the principles upon
which our subject has depended is that anything that is worth doing at all
deserves to be well done; hence his success and prosperity.
Sidney Fowler is a prominent Mason of Hamburg,
Iowa, and a well-known railroad man, having been in railroad service in this
portion of the state for a quarter of a century.
A native of Illinois, he was born in Schuyler county, February 3, 1849,
his parents being Josiah and Misniah (Dunning) Fowler, both of whom were natives
of Kentucky. The father belonged to
one of the old families of that state, while the mother's people were from South
Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Fowler
became well-known residents of Schuyler county, Illinois, and as people of
sterling worth they are held in high esteem.
The father gave his time and attention to agricultural pursuits and in
that manner provided a livelihood for his family.
His death occurred in 1876, and his wife passed away in 1865.
Sidney Fowler, the immediate subject of this
sketch, was reared in Illinois and in Kansas.
When twenty years of age he entered the railroad service, with which he
has been connected for thirty years, this long period being characterized by the
utmost fidelity to duty. He is well
known in railroad circles in southwestern Iowa and northwestern Missouri and for
eighteen years has been the foreman on section 29 of the Kansas City, St. Joseph
& Council Bluffs Railroad at Hamburg, Iowa.
During this time he has never met with an accident, owing to his capable
management, his close application and his thorough understanding of the work
entrusted to him.
In the year 1875 Mr. Fowler was united in
marriage in Doniphan, Kansas, to Miss Martha Hughes,who to him has been a
faithful companion on the journey of life. She is a native of Missouri but was reared and educated in
Miami county, Kansas, her parents being William and Martha (Terry) Hughes.
The father is still living in southern Missouri, but the mother died at
the age of sixty-two years. Unto
Mr. and Mrs. Fowler have been born two children, Roy Eddie and Nondas Frances,
aged respectively thirteen and seven years. Mr. Fowler exercises his right of
franchise in support of the men and measures of the Democracy, and for eight
years has served as a councilman of Hamburg county.
He keeps well-informed on the issues of the day
and is thus enabled to support his
political position by intelligent argument.
He is well known and deservedly prominent in Masonic circles, for his
life exemplifies the beneficent principles of the fraternity.
He is now serving as the master of Jerusalem Lodge, No. 253, F. &
A.M., of Hamburg, with which he has been identified for thirteen years.
He was made a Master Mason in Rushville, Missouri, in 1880.
He also belongs to Olive Council, has taken the chapter degrees, and both
he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star.
William C. Fugitt, who since pioneer days has
been a resident of Fremont county, was born on the old family homestead in
Madison township, July 26, 1854, His
father, Townsend F. Fugitt, was one of the prominent early settlers of this
portion of the state, coming here in 1848, when this part of Iowa was first
opened up to civilization. He was
born in Platte county, Missouri, in 1824, and his father, Hiram Fugitt, was one
of the pioneer settlers of the Platte purchase, where he established his home
about 1822. He was born in Kentucky
and was of French extraction. His
wife, Martha, was also a native of that state and represented a good family
there. They were married in
Missouri, and the grandmother of our subject died in Clay county, while Hiram
Fugitt passed to his final rest in 1873, at the age of seventy-seven years,
while living on the old homestead.
Townsend F. Fugitt was reared in Clay county,
Missouri, amid the wild scenes of the frontier.
Indians still lived in the neighborhood and all kinds of wild game could
be found. In 1848 Mr. Fugitt came
to Fremont county and secured a claim of government land.
He married Eliza McKissick, a young woman who had been the housekeeper
for his brother Jacob, one of the first settlers of the county, living at
McKissick's Grove. She was born in
Missouri and was a daughter of William and Eliza McKissick.
With characteristic energy Townsend Fugitt gave his attention to the
cultivation and improvement of his land, and developed one of the best farms in
the township. Upon it he erected a
fine residence, substantial barns and made many other improvements.
His blue-grass pastures rivaled those of Kentucky, and everything about
his place was neat, thrifty and attractive in appearance.
He became the owner of four hundred acres of land and in addition to the
cultivation of the fields engaged extensively and successfully in the raising
of horses and cattle. He
took quite an active interest in public affairs and was a wide-awake,
enterprising citizen who withheld his support from no measure which he believed
would prove of general good. His
political support was given at different times to the Democracy and to the
Greenback party, and for years he
was very active in political circles, doing all in his power to secure the
adoption of the principles in which he believed.
He was one of the early Masons of the county and his life exemplified the
beneficent spirit of the fraternity. In
personal appearance he was striking, being six feet in height and weighing two
hundred and fifteen pounds. His
manner was always cordial, genial and unaffected, and the latch-string of his
home always hung out, hospitality being extended to the weary and the hungry as
well as to the immediate friends of the family.
His life was permeated by his Christian belief as a member of the
Cumberland Presbyterian church and his word was ever as good as his bond.
Both he and his wife were loved by all who knew them.
This worthy couple were the parents of nine
children, four sons and five daughters, of whom five are yet living, namely;
William C; Sally, the wife of John McClellan of Shenandoah, Iowa; Ed H., of
Hamburg; and Effie and John, who reside in Broken Bow, Nebraska.
Those who have passed away are Henry Clay, who died at the age of sixteen
years; Mrs. Nancy Nelson, who died in Shenandoah, Iowa; Martha, who died on the
old homestead; and Mrs. Betty Finnell, whose death occurred in Atchison county,
Missouri. The mother passed away at
the age of forty-eight years and the father died at the age of sixty-four.
William C. Fugitt spent the days of his childhood
and youth on the old family homestead and in early boyhood took his place in the
fields to assist in their cultivation. The
habits of industry which he then formed have been a salient feature in his
success in later life. He acquired
his education in the public schools and continued at home until twenty-three
years of age, when he began farming on his own account on a tract of wild land
in the eastern part of Madison township. There
he opened up a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres which he still owns.
At the age of twenty-six he secured a companion and helpmate on life's
journey by his marriage to Miss Martha Ackerman, who was born, reared and
educated in Fremont county, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. Ackermann, of Madison
township. Four children were born of their union, of whom two are yet
living; Ernest, now nineteen years of age, and Pearl, the wife of J. S. Johnson,
of Fremont county. One daughter
Goldy Ethelyn, died at the age of twelve years.
The mother of these children was called to her final rest on the 19th of
May, 1893, at the age of thirty-two years.
She was a consistent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church and had
a large circle of warm friends who deeply mourned her loss.
On the 1st of November, 1894, Mr. Fugitt was united in marriage to
Florence Mary Harris, whose birth occurred May 6, 1870.
She was born in Maine, but was reared and educated in Fremont county, and
is a daughter of A. F. Harris, who came to this county in 1872.
In the east he engaged in merchandising.
He married Ellen E. Poor, also a native of the Pine Tree state, and unto
them were born seven children, but only two are now living - Thomas H. and Mrs.
Fugitt. The father is a member of
the Christian church, the mother of the Unitarian church.
By the second marriage of Mr. Fugitt there are two children - Ellen May
and Oliver Townsend.
Mr. Fugitt owns and operates a fine farm of sixty
two acres adjoining Riverton. His home is built in a modern style of architecture,
furnished in good taste and stands in the midst of a well-kept lawn.
He also owns his farm of two hundred and forty acres in Madison township,
and this is well improved with substantial buildings, and everything about the
place is kept in good condition. In
his political views he is a Democrat, strongly supporting Bryan.
For a number of years he has served on the school board, and the cause of
education, temperance and religion find in him a warm friend. For a number of years he served as an elder in the Cumberland
Presbyterian church and is deeply interested in all that pertains to the welfare
of his community and to the uplifting of man. Both he and his wife are honored and respected by all who
know them.
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