History of Wapello County, Iowa - 1878

History of Wapello County, Iowa
Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1878.

Unless otherwise noted, all biographies were submitted by Dick Barton.

BAKER, J. K., Sec. 26; P. O. Highland Center; born in Will Co., Ill., Aug. 8, 1855; came to Wapello Co. in 1868, where he is farming and raising stock; owns an interest in 405 acres of land, valued at $30 per acre. Republican.

BALLINGALL, PETER G., is a native of Scotland; born in Glasgow March 3, 1830; when about seven years old, he came to America and began his active, self-reliant career as an errand boy, in the Province of Ontario; before he was 11 years old he walked from Coburg, seventy-three miles below Toronto, to Chicago, by a roundabout way, a distance of seven or eight hundred miles; he served in various capacities in different hotels in Chicago, and was finally appointed receiver of the Lake House, which place he filled very acceptably to the guests until 1855; soon after this he traveled through most of the Southern States; upon his return, he became steward of the Briggs' House, Chicago, and soon after the proprietor of the Haskall House, Galesburg; subsequently, had charge of the Ivin's House, Keokuk, Iowa, and of the Ashland House at Bentonsport; he was also concerned in hotels at Fairfield and Agency City; came to Ottumwa in 1858; for nine years was proprietor of a stage-line from this place to Bloomfield, and in 1866 built the Ballingall House, which is the leading hotel in Ottumwa; he is also proprietor of the Depot Hotel; he has been active in all public measures. Was commissioned Major of the 5th Regiment of the Iowa National Guards on the 20th of May,, 1876, and was presented, by the Sheridan Guards, with a handsome gold-mounted sword; he was commissioned Colonel on the 10th of April, 1877, and has received the nomination from nearly all the companies in the State for Major General; he has been the recipient of a large number of valuable testimonials from various public sources, and has been unvaryingly enterprising, public-spirited and energetic.

BEDWELL, THOMAS, Sec. 18; born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, Oct. 14, 1826; parents moved to Morgan Co., Ill., in 1827; Oct. 6, 1843, he came to Sec. 24, Agency Tp., in this county; in 1868, came to Ottumwa; in 1868 and 1869, was Sheriff of the county; in the livery and grocery business until 1875, when he moved to the farm which he now carries on. While a resident of Agency, was three years a member of the County Board of Supervisors; held various other township offices. Married Eleanor De Ford Oct. 12, 1848; born in Indiana; had six children - one son died in infancy; five living - George T., Emma, Charles E., Brepilda and Rachel Eleanor. Mrs. Bedwell is a member of the First M. E. Church. Mr. Bedwell owns a fruit-farm of forty-four acres on Sec. 18, in common with John Gray; 440 acres in Keokuk Tp., and Ottumwa City property - all valued at $9,000.

BELL, A. W., saw-mill and far., S. 6; P. O. Chillicothe; number of acres, 167-1/2; value, $33-1/3 per acre. Born in Marion Co., Ind., in 1831; came to Iowa in 1846, to Wapello Co. Married Mary J. McGlothlen in 1859; she was born in Indiana; they have six children living - Minerva C., Addie M., Lucy J., Buckley, Nellie V. and N. T.; lost three children. Mr. Bell has been Justice two terms, Township Trustee and served on the Grand Jury. Members of the Christian Church. Democrat.

BELL, B. F. born in Marion Co., Ind., Aug. 23, 1837; came to Wapello Co. in 1845; went to California in 1859; returned in 1862: went to Montana in 1864; returned in 1867. Married Miss Harriet Williams Sept. 1, 1867. Mr. Bell crossed the plains three times, taking with him each time a drove of horses. Mrs. Bell was born Aug. 22, 1848; have four children - Lloyd, Myrtle, Celia and Cessie. and one dead, Elmer. Mr. B. owns 152 acres of land, valued at $3,500. Democrat.

BELL, N., born in Butler Co., Ohio, in 1805; one of the first settlers in Putnam Co., Ohio. Married Miss Celia Wright in 1894, she was born in North Carolina in 1803. Mr. Bell came to Wapello Co. in 1845; here he has since lived.

BONNIFIELD, W. B., was born in Randolph Co., W. Va., Feb. 23, 1827; removed with his parents to Jefferson Co., Iowa, in the spring of 1837; lived on a farm, nine miles east of Fairfield; was there when the county was surveyed, and remained until 1843, when he attended school at Mt. Pleasant for a year and a half; taught school near Burlington; was engaged in teaching and farming until 1849, when he attended Alleghany College, Meadville, Penn., for two and a half years; in the fall of 1857, he went to Kentucky, and taught for two years; afterward, to Missouri, and taught one year; in 1854, he went to California and engaged in mining and stock-raising, until April, 1860, when he came to Ottumwa; here he engaged in private banking, under the firm of Bonnifield Bros, from Oct. 15, 1861, until the organization of the First National Bank, Oct. 19, 1863, the first national bank in this section of the State; he was appointed as Cashier, and soon after, as President, which position he has held ever since, with the exception of one year, during which time Mr. Hawley filled that place; Mr. Bonnifield was President and Treasurer of the Iowa Central Coal Co., at Oskaloosa, for one year; he was Treasurer of the St. Louis & Cedar Rapids R. R. Co., about six years, until the road was sold out, and has always been prominently identified with railroads and other public enterprises likely to improve the material interests of Ottumwa; he has been President of the Ottumwa Water-Power Co., from 1875 up to date. Married to Alcinda Inskeep Oct. 28, 1862 ; she was born at Hillsboro , Ohio , Sept. 30, 1833 ; have three children - Mary T., Lizzie B. and Willie B. Members of the First M. E. Church.

BRADLEY, FRANCIS, Superintendent of County Poor Farm, Sec. 33, Center Tp.; contains 149 acres; born Oct. 26, 1817, in Ireland; in 1836, came to Butler Co., Penn.; in 1837, to Indiana; in 1840, to Ohio, and kept a dairy in the vicinity of Cincinnati for about fifteen years; in 1865, came to Jefferson Co., Iowa; the following year removed to Wapello Co. Owns ninety acres of land in Richmond Tp.; fifteen acres in Centre Tp., also five acres in Hammond's Addition to Ottumwa. Married Julia Downey Oct. 13, 1856 ; she was born Feb. 14, 1830 , in Ireland . Catholic; Democrat.

BRADLEY, JAMES, bakery, Eldon; born Feb. 28, 1833, in Ireland; in 1854, came to New York; in 1870, removed to Eldon; owns his bakery and other property in town. Enlisted in 1863 in Co. A, 7th Ill. V. C., and served about one year. Has been two years a member of the Council. Married Johanna Shahan in 1855; she was born in 1828 in Ireland ; have four children - Mary, Ellen, Edmund and John. Catholic.

BRADLEY, OCTAVIA, Mrs., daughter of James Daniels, and widow of Thomas W. Bradley, Agency City; she owns 244 acres of land in Wapello Co.; he was born Nov. 9, 1806, in Ohio; came to Wapello Co., in 1837, and died Dec. 17, 1858; she was born Nov. 13, 1806, in England; came to Indiana in 1830; in 1843, came to Agency City. They were married Oct. 23, 1845 , in Agency City ; had two children, one living - Addie E., now Mrs. Streblow.