WILLIAM McINTOSH. Near the town of Dundee, Scotland, on the thirteenth day
of November, 1830, was born William McIntosh, whose biography here follows, being
inserted in this work to perpetuate his memory in connection with the personal
histories of the people among whom he has lived now for more than thirty-five years—the
worthy citizens of Delaware county.
Mr.
McIntosh comes of Scotch blood, pure and unmixed; not only his parents, but his
grandparents and more remote ancestors having been born and reared in Scotland,
and remaining residents also of their native country throughout life. His people
belonged to the industrial classes, and led lives of usefulness in the several spheres
of action which they filled. His father, whose
Christian name was also William, was a stone-cutter by trade, and devoted a
somewhat long life to the arduous labors connected with his calling, dying, in
1877, at the age of seventy-five. The mother bore the maiden name of Mary
Miller. She was an industrious housewife and devoted parent, dying, in 1874, at
the ago of seventy.
William and
Mary Mclntosh were the parents of six children, of
whom our subject is next to the youngest. Four of these came to America, two of them dying here and two
still surviving. The eldest child, David, died in Brownstown, Ind., in 1854, soon after coming to this
country. William died at the age of ten in his native place. Mary,
now the. widow of Henry Ellis, resides in Washington, District of Columbia. Belle died the wife of George Souter, in Philadelphia, Pa., aged twenty-eight. John died in
southern Africa in 1872.
Our subject
was reared in his native place, and there resided till he reached his
twenty-second year. He learned the trade of a stone-cutter in his youth and
worked at his trade after growing up. He sailed for America in 1852, coming alone and, like
most others of his countrymen who sought these shores at that time, he came in search of his fortunes. This will be more
apparent when it is stated that on reaching New York city his worldly possessions consisted
of even one shilling. He went to work immediately at his trade in New York and re-mained
there for fourteen months. He afterwards went to Philadelphia, and then to Chicago, in each of which places he found employment
at his trade, and finally, in March, 1854, he came to Delaware county, Iowa. Remaining in this county but a short
time, he returned to Dubuque, where he remained till that summer engaged at his
trade, when, coming again to Delaware county, he married a young lady whom he
had formerly met here — Miss Jane Love—and after a few weeks absence in Chicago
he settled down to farming in this county, following that for a period of two
years. Returning to his trade at the end of that time he followed it uninterruptedly
till 1862, when he engaged in contracting and building. He was at this for
fifteen years, and during that time put up some of the principal buildings of Manchester
— business blocks and residences. In the fall of 1876 he bought out the marble
works of Reuben Durrin, which he took immediate
possession of and has operated since, devoting to this business his whole time,
much of which he spends on the road, making contracts and placing work.
Mr. Mclntosh is a man of marked industry and strict business
methods. Beginning with one shilling thirty-eight years ago he has succeeded in
amassing a fair amount of property, and he has done this without aid or
encouragement from others. Better than that, what he has made is the fruit of
intelligent labor, and not the result of speculation or short cuts in business.
He has added to the solid wealth and prosperity of the community where he
resides by helping to build it up, furnishing its citizens with substantial
business buildings and comfortable homes. He has never sought to be more than
a man of affairs, devoting himself earnestly to his own business and
discharging his duties faithfully as a citizen. Having had to deal most of his
life with that which is strong, solid and durable, he has learned to value,
more than does the average man, these qualities also in character, and he has
therefore sought to eliminate from himself at least all of those elements which
do not stand the test as to strength, solidity and durability. He is honest
with himself and exacts honesty from others; he is plain in manner and
unpretentious in address; active and energetic in disposition, thrifty in
business, careful in his calculations and resolute in all things. To his family
and his business he is wholly devoted, and he has made each well deserving of the
attentions he bestows on it.
Mr.
McIntosh married on the twenty fifth of July, 1854, taking to wife a daughter of one
of the first settlers of
Manchester, and still an honored citizen of
that place, Allen Love, a sketch of whom appears in this work. Mrs. McIntosh
was born in Glasgow, Scotland, February 7, 1838, and was, therefore, a girl
only a little past her fourteenth year when her parents came to Delaware
county. She has passed by far the greater part of her life in the community where
she now resides. Mr. and Mrs. McIntosh are the parents of eight children, all
but two of whom are now living, and some of whom are
married and themselves the heads of families. Their eldest is a son, Robert
Love, who was born May 16, 1855; married July
11, 1877,
Janet Crinklaw, by whom he has had three children—Maggie,
William and Robert— and now resides in Bonham county,
S. Dak.
William David, the second child, was born October
13, 1856,
and is now one of the representative business men of Manchester. Mary E., the eldest daughter, was
born August 15, 1859, and died January
5, 1879.
Allen A. was born March 24, 1863, married Hattie Cruise March, 1884, by whom he
has had two children—John and Hazel, and resides at Coggan,
Iowa. John O. was born October 14, 1867, and died May 17, 1882. Elizabeth
Lillie was born January 10, 1868, Was married to Fred
L. Durey, February, 1886, by whom she has had one
child, Alfred, and resides with her husband in Manchester. Isabel P. was born September 19, 1878, and
Jeanie F. January 5, 1883, and both are still at home with their parents.
Mr.
McIntosh is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Ancient Order of
United Workmen, in both of which he takes much interest. He and his wife are also members of the
Baptist church and in proportion to their means give liberally to all
charitable purposes.
In politics
Mr. McIntosh votes with the republicans but restricts his interest in political
matters to the exercise of his franchise as a citizen.
Back
to Biographies
Back to Main Page
Back to Iowa AHGP
Back to AHGP