Benjamin Sawyer

It is fact, although not easily explained, that wherever we find a man who hails from the Sucker state we discover one of the decidedly progressive men of the community, this being especially true in regard to agricultural pursuits. They seem to have learned well man's primal art of existence - farming - and are always up and doing. One such is Benjamin Sawyer, of LeGrand township, Marshall county, who was born in LaSalle county, Illinois, November 11, 1854. He is the son of Thore O. and Madalene (Govig) Sawyer, both natives of Norway, the former being born on January 7, 1818. They were married in 1843, and they came to LaSalle county, Illinois, in 1846. There the mother died in December, 1862, and in July, 1864, the father married Anna Anderson, who came with the family from the old country. The elder Sawyer moved to Marshall county, Iowa, in 1869 and here spent the remaining years of his life, dying on December 10, 1909, at the advanced age of ninety-two years. He settled on a good farm of one hundred and forty acres which he improved and on which he made a very comfortable living. He was a man whom everybody respected and was useful in his community. He was a Republican but never aspired to public office. He belonged to the Friends church. In his family were twelve children, nine of whom are living.

Benjamin Sawyer grew to maturity on the farm and was put to work in the fields when quite young. He was educated in the public schools of Illinois and in Marshall county, Iowa, and applying himself very assiduously to his studies, gained a very good education. He was fourteen years old when he came to the latter county. He has devoted his entire life to farming and has been very successful, being now the owner of one of the choice farms of Greencastle township, consisting of two hundred and forty acres three miles north of Gilman, which he has placed under excellent improvements and which has yielded a large income from year to year. Mr. Sawyer has, in connection with general farming, handled good grades of live stock. He has retired from active farming, having moved to LeGrand in 1903, where he has eleven acres of valuable land within the corporate limits and on which he has an attractive and substantial brick dwelling which is elegantly furnished and neatly kept and which is known to be a place of hospitality to the many friends of the family. He has been very successful as a business man, being of keen perception and sound judgment, and the straightforward and honest methods he has ever carried into his every day life have won for him the confidence and respect of all classes. He was one of the principal organizers of the LeGrand Savings Bank, and is at present very ably and satisfactorily discharging the duties of president of this popular and sound institution.

Politically, Mr. Sawyer is a Republican, but he has never found time to take a very active part in political affairs, though his support can always be depended upon in furthering all laudable movements for the general good of his community and county. He is at present one of the trustees and a member of the local school board at LeGrand. Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Gilman, Iowa.

On December 3, 1890, Mr. Sawyer was united in marriage with Bertha Huseboe, who was born in Norway on August 19, 1858. She is the daughter of Mathias and Helen Huseboe, who were early settlers of LeGrand township. To Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer two children have been born, Harriet M. and Theodore Myron, both graduates from the public schools and now both attending college, the boy at Grinnell College and the girl at Palmer College, where they are making excellent records in scholarship.

Levi Saylor submitted by Dick Barton

Marshall county has had no better or more useful men than the late Levi Saylor, who for many years was engaged in agricultural pursuits, but spent the latter part of his life engaged in the ministry, in which he did a noble and, in fact, great work, endearing himself to thousands who have been helped by coming into contact with him or by listening to his earnest and strong appeal for wholesome living and higher ideals, and although he is now serenely sleeping in "the low, green tent those curtains never outward swing," his influence continues to pervade the lives of those who knew him best and his light still shines on the darkened pathways of men. Mr. Saylor was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, July 21, 1825, the son of George and Mary (Firestein) Saylor, both natives of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, the father born in 1781 and the mother in 1785. He died in Miami county, Ohio, February 22, 1846, and her death occurred on December 8, 1859. They were German Baptist Brethren in their religious views. Their family consisted of seven children, all now deceased.

The son, Levi, was educated in the schools of Pennsylvania and Ohio, having moved to the latter state with his parents in 1836, and in 1858 he emigrated to Marshall county, Iowa, and settled on a rented farm in Marion township. In 1860 he bought a farm of sixty acres, adding eighty acres to the same in 1862. He improved this farm with fencing, dwelling and outbuildings; in fact, developed it from the wild state to an excellent farm. About 1879 he entered the ministry of the German Baptist Brethren church and continued thus until his death, December 3, 1908. He was one of the best preacher of his denomination in this locality and his services were in great demand. He was a forceful and logical speaker, always entertaining and instructing his audiences in an able manner and in many ways did a great work or the Master. Politically, he was a Republican, holding a number of local offices, such as supervisor and assessor, also school director.

On April 5, 1846, Mr. Saylor was united in marriage with Sarah Hill, by which union one son was born, John, who married and who now lives in Republican county, Kansas. The wife and mother passed away on January 1, 1849, and Mr. Saylor was married on March 11, 1852, to Elizabeth Stevens, a native of Miami county, Ohio, where she was born in 1830, the daughter of Jacob and Mary (Long) Stevens, both natives of Ohio, whose parents came from Germany. They died, the father in Ohio and the mother in Pennsylvania. The maternal grandparents, Frederick and Elizabeth Long, settled in Pennsylvania. The paternal grandparents, Edgar and Mary Stevens, lived in Ohio.

To Mr. and Mrs. Levi Saylor the following children were born: Mary, who birth occurred on December 4, 1852, lives at home; Sarah, born July 16, 1854, is the wife of Frank Bretchbill, of Grundy county, Iowa; Susan, born December 28, 1855, is the wife of Henry Walters, of O'Brien county, Iowa; Nancy Ellen, born October 17, 1857, is the wife of Dan H. Gish, of Republican county, Kansas; Charles F., born December 14, 1859; Martha Jane, born October 1, 1861; William L., born July 21, 1866, died march 29, 1891. The five daughters met in the spring of 1911 for the first time in twenty-seven years.

ROBERT WARDEN STEVENS submitted by Dick Barton

The name of Robert Warden Stevens, of Marshalltown , needs no introduction to the people of this locality, for it has long stood for progress and clean living. He is one of the worthy native sons of Marshall county and the scion of an excellent old pioneer family, long influential in various walks of life, and he has kept untarnished the fair escutcheon of the family.

Mr. Stevens was born in Logan township, this county, August 23, 1870 , and he is the son of Xerxes C. and Elizabeth ( Harvey ) Stevens, the father a native of Barnet , Vermont , and the mother of Caledonia county, near Barnet, that state, born July 9, 1827 . There they grew to maturity and were married, later moving to Titusville, Pennsylvania, where they lived several years, in the oil fields; then they moved to Rochester, New York, where Mr. Stevens followed gardening for a short time, then went to Lacon, Illinois, in 1867, moving to Marshall county, Iowa, in 1868, and in 1870 went to Nebraska and took up a homestead, on which he lived until his death, in 1876, his widow surviving him many years, reaching an advanced age, dying in Grafton, Nebraska, July 10, 1905. He was a harness-maker by trade early in life, later followed farming. Politically, he was a Republican, and took an interest in political affairs. He served as sheriff in Caledonia county, Vermont , at one time. His family consisted of five children, two of whom are living, three dying in infancy. Xerxes C. Stevens was a Freemason and a member of the Congregational church.

The maternal great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch was a native of Scotland , from which country he came to the United States in 1776, and the maternal grandfather of the subject lived and died in Vermont . The paternal grandfather was Solomon Stevens, and his father was Dr. Phineas Stevens, who was of English descent. The paternal grandmother of the subject, Sallie Cushman, was a cousin of Charlotte Cushman, the actress. Her ancestors were in the Revolutionary war, consequently the children of the subject are eligible members of the well known organization, Daughters of the Revolution.

Xerxes C. Stevens enlisted in Company F, Fifteenth Vermont Volunteer Infantry, in 1861, and was elected captain of his company, and his wife went to the front as nurse. The maternal great-grandfather, Alexander Harvey, was founder of the Scotch colony in Vermont , owning considerable property in the vicinity of Harvey 's Mountain and Harvey 's Pond, and some of this property is now owned by the Harvey family. The mother of the subject was educated at Peacham Academy and she taught school for some time, also taught drawing, painting and music. Xerxes C. Stevens named Logan township in Marshall county in honor of Gen. John A. Logan. He organized the first Sunday school in Bennet township, Fillmore county, Nebraska , and was superintendent of that school for some time. He proved himself a good and useful man wherever he lived.

Robert Warden Stevens was educated in Grafton , Nebraska , from the time he was six until he was twenty-one years of age, though two years of this time was spent in Vermont , having passed through the public schools and the high school at Grafton. He came to Marshalltown and was employed in the Marshalltown State Bank, with which he remained for a period of twelve years, and he was exchange clerk at the time he came to the county treasurer's office as deputy under J. B. Cooper in January, 1904, remaining as deputy county treasurer until January, 1909, when he took the office of county treasurer, being at this writing on the first year of his second term. As a public official he has given eminent satisfaction to all concerned and proved himself worthy of the trust reposed in him.

Mr. Stevens and his sister own the old homestead in Nebraska which the father entered in Fillmore county. In politics he is a Republican, and has long been active in party affairs. Fraternally, he is a member of Marshall Lodge No. 108, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and the Modern Woodmen of America. He and his family are members of the Congregational church. Mr. Stevens is treasurer of the Marshall County Historical Society.

On July 12, 1899 , Mr. Stevens was united in marriage with Maud C. Drum, a native of Marshall county and the daughter of Charles and Anna (Windish) Drum, a pioneer family of Marshalltown , where the father was a merchant for a number of years. He now resides at No. 108 North First street . To Mr. and Mrs. Stevens two daughters have been born, namely: Elizabeth Anna and Katherine Louise.

Thomas Swearingen

An early settler of Marshall county and the representative of a prominent old family of Iowa township is Thomas Swearingen, who was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, September 27, 1826. He was reared on the farm and educated in the old-time subscription schools. He is the son of John and Nancy (Luellen) Swearingen, she a native of Virginia and he of Pennsylvania. The father was born in 1802, having been the son of Thomas Swearingen, also born in Pennsylvania, where he devoted his life to farming and from there he moved to Adams county, Ohio, and the father of the subject removed to Ohio two years later. The earliest progenitor of this family of which we have definite record was Captain Von Swearingen, of the nobility of Holland, who, as captain of a Holland government vessel, came to America in 1500, settling on Long Island, later he and other members of his family settled in Maryland. The paternal great-grandfather of the subject emigrated from Maryland to Pennsylvania, where he built a fort against the hostile Indians, which he occupied with his family; later his three sons were captured by the Indians while hunting. Marmaduke, the oldest son, told the Indians that if they would send the two youngest children home, he would willingly go and live with them, which was agreed to. He wore a blue hunting shirt, and later they made him chief, calling him Chief Blue Jacket. He remained with the red men and his descendants are yet among that tribe, the Shawnees. The Swearingen family has been identified with all branches of the settling up of America. Thomas Swearingen grew up in Pennsylvania, moving to Ohio in 1820 where he assisted in starting the moral and physical development and lay the foundations for good government. When a young man in Pennsylvania he filled many offices and was prominently identified with public business, but after becoming a resident of Ohio he gave most of his attention to farming and owned two good farrms, and there his death occurred. He was a Democrat, a strictly moral man, but he belonged to no church; his wife was a Presbyterian. They were the parents of eight children, John, father of the subject, being the oldest. He was born and reared in Pennsylvania from which state he moved to Ohio where he improved a farm from timbered land and became a successful general farmer and stock raiser, and there he spent the balance of his life. He was a Democrat, but never held office. He belonged to no church but his wife was a Missionary Baptist. She was the daughter of John Luellen, a native of Virginia, in which state he devoted his life to farming. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John Swearingen, namely: Thomas, of this review; John, Rebecca, Druzilla, Andrew J., Benjamin K., William A., Minerva, Sarah and Nancy E.

Thomas Swearingen remained under the parental roof-tree until he reached man's estate, and when but a boy he transacted much business for his father, such as marketing his live stock and products of the farm. He drove hogs to Cincinnati. After he became of age his father paid him one hundred dollars per year and he continued to work on the place five years, when he bought a farm in his native county, giving in part payment a horse which his father had given him. He remained on that place until 1855 when he came to Iowa, located in Marshall county and invested in lands which he still holds, originally owning four hundred and fifty acres. He has added to this until he now has six hundred acres of fine land in his home farm, which is well improved and under a high state of cultivation, and is one of the model farms of the county. He also owns another farm of four hundred acres, also very valuable land. He has a beautiful home, commodious and neatly kept and well furnished, and large barns and good outbuildings in general. He has been a very successful business man and he has wisely invested his earnings and surplus income in lands, having bought and sold a good many farms. He is also the owner of a half section of land in Nebraska, also owns some choice property in the village of Albion, and he is a stockholder in the Albion Bank, and is vice-president and director in the same, having assisted in organizing the same, and much of its popularity is due to his wise counsel and judicious management. The Albion Savings Bank was organized under the state laws with a capital stock of fourteen thousand dollars, and does a general banking business, buying and selling exchange; its deposits range from fifty to fifty-five thousand dollars, and it is regarded as one of the sound and safe institutions of central Iowa. Mr. Swearingen has been connected with many enterprises and he has been very successful in whatever he has turned his attention to. He is today one of the substantial and influential business men of the county, and, owing to the fact that he has made what he has unaided and in a scrupulously honest manner, he is deserving of a great deal of credit for what he has accomplished. He has aleways been a liberal contributor to all charitable, benevolent and educational interests. Always deeply interested in the advancement of education, he has done much to promote the interests of the county along this line, in fact, he has been largely instrumental in making Albion the best school town in the county. He was one of the organizers and founders of the Lutheran Evangelical College at Albion, which recently became the Iowa township high school and is one of the few county high schools in Iowa. He has been school director and a member of the school board for a half century, a remarkable record. He is a worthy member of the Presbyterian church, and belongs to the Good Templar and Granger lodges.

Mr. Swearingen married Amanda Dunlap, of Pennsylvania, from which state she came to Ohio with her parents when sixteen years of age and there she grew to maturity and was educated, marrying in Brown county, that state, in 1854. She was the daughter of John Dunlap, of Pennsylvania, who in his younger days was a boatman on the Ohio river, and later in life was a farmer. He moved to Illinois in 1857 where he settled on a farm, where he lived until his death. He was of Scotch descent. There were eight children in his family, the wife of the subject being the second in order of birth. The death of Mrs. Swearingen occurred on February 19, 1908; she was a woman of many beautiful traits of character and beloved by a wide circle of friends.

Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Swearingen, namely: Alice M. married John Roberts, now deceased, and she is living in California; Jesse B. married George Blanchard; Ida M., who was the wife of Henry Corsen, is now deceased; Murtis I. married Adley Randall, of Conrad; Ellen A., married F. Hearne, both now deceased; Emmitt L., is in the implement business in Albion; Margaret F., married John C. Mickle, a farmer; Frank P., is farming; Raymond G. died in California.