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History of Clayton County,
Iowa:... M Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton. It has been within the powers and ambition of Horace Allen Mallory to gain and maintain secure place as one of the representative agriculturists and stock-growers of Clayton county, and special interest attaches to his career by reason of his being a scion of one of the early pioneer families of this section of the Hawkeye state. Though the most of his life thus far has been passed in Clayton county, he was born at Colesburg, Delaware county, this state, and the date of his nativity was February 13, 1865. He is a son of Augustus H. and Rose (Knee) Mallory, the former of whom was born in Genesee county, New York, and the latter in Blair county, Pennsylvania. Augustus H. Mallory was a lad of thirteen years when he came with his parents to Iowa, in 1839, and the family home was established in what is now Section 33 of Mallory township, Clayton county, a township that was named in honor of this well known pioneer family. Augustus H. Mallory gained ample experience in connection with the arduous labors incidental to reclaiming a frontier farm, and later he learned the blacksmith's trade, as an expert workman at which he conducted a successful business at Colesburg, Delaware county, for several years. After his retirement from this business he became the owner of one of the extensive farms of Clayton county, and he continued his residence on this old homestead until his death, which occurred at an advanced age. His widow long survived him and was summoned to eternal rest on the 18th of February, 1916, venerable in years and held in high regard by all who had come within the compass of her gracious influence. Augustus H. Mallory was a man of sturdy independence, was well fortified in his convictions and was a staunch supporter of the cause of the Republican party. In a fraternal way he was for many years in active affiliation with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Of the children the first born was William, deceased; Samuel G. remains on the old homestead farm he and his only surviving brother, Horace A., of this review, having purchased the entire landed property that had been accumulated by their father; Catherine is the wife of John Palmer, of Mallory township; Horace A. was the fourth child; Alta Mae is the wife of Reuben Smith, of Elk township; Lettie is the wife of Harry Brown, of Elk township; and Bess is the wife of Walter A. Lee, of Britt, this state. Horace Allen Mallory acquired his youthful education in the district schools of Mallory township and remained at the parental home as an active associate in the work of the farm until his father retired, when he and his brother Samuel G. rented the homestead, into the ownership of which they came by the purchase of the interests of the other heirs. Horace A. individually owns three hundred and twenty acres, constituting one of the fine farms of Clayton county, and the substantial and modern buildings that in themselves give evidence of thrift and prosperity have been erected by the present owner. Mr. Mallory has not only carried forward his agricultural operations with the progressiveness that implies the utilization of the most modern appliances and the approved scientific methods, but he has also been specially successful in the raising of high-grade live-stock, including Durham cattle and Jersey Red swine. He has not hedged himself in with the interests of mere personal advancement but has shown a loyal and public spirited concern in all things pertinent to the communal welfare, the while he has been distinctively influential in public affairs in his township and county. His political allegiance is given to the Republican party, and he was for two years a member of the board of county supervisors, on which he served with characteristic discrimination and loyalty, as did he also in the offices of township clerk and assessor and in that of secretary of the school board of his district. At Colesburg he is affiliated with the lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and in the time-honored Masonic fraternity he is affiliated also with the chapter of Royal Arch Masons at Greeley and with the consistory of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in the city of Clinton. The name of Mr. Mallory is still enrolled on the list of eligible bachelors in Clayton county. Knudt
E. Mork needs no further proof of his distinctive thrift and prosperity than
that afforded in the general appearance of his fine farm of two hundred and
twenty-five acres, the major part of which is situated in Section 21, Marion
township. The spirit of determined enterprise and progressiveness has
characterized his entire career and through his well directed endeavors he has
become one of the substantial farmers of his native township, the while his
course has been such as to retain to him the unqualified confidence and good
will of his fellow men. Mr. Work was born in Marion township on the 1st of
January, 1860, and is a scion of a family that was founded in this county more
than sixty years ago. His parents, Embreck and Rachel (Olson) Mork, were born in
Norway. As a young man the father immigrated to America, in 1854, and he
remained in Wisconsin until the following year, when he came to Clayton county
and became one of the pioneer farmers of Marion township. Here he reclaimed his
land to cultivation and here he continued his industrious activities as a farmer
until his death, which occurred in 1880. His wife survived him by a number of
years and both were consistent members of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Halver,
the eldest of their children, is now a resident of Clear Lake, this state; Sarah
S. is the wife of T. H. Olson, of Marion township; Ole is prosperous farmer in
that township; Peter E. resides at Gunder, Iowa; Thomas is another of the
substantial farmers of Marion township; and the subject of this review is the
youngest of the number. Knudt E. Mork gained his early education in the pioneer
schools of Clayton county and continued his association with the work of the
home farm until he was eighteen years of age. He then served as apprenticeship
to the carpenter's trade, and as a skilled carpenter and builder he continued to
follow his trade successfully for a term of about fifteen years. He then
purchased ninety-three acres of land in his native township, and from this he
has developed his present valuable landed estate of two hundred and twenty-five
acres, as he continued to make additions to his farm from time to time, in
consonance with the increasing prosperity that attended his energetic activities
as an agriculturist and stock-grower. He has made the best of permanent
improvements on his farm, the buildings being kept in the best of repair and
everything about the place giving evidence of careful and effective management.
Among the modern improvements is a substantial silo of ninety tons' capacity.
Mr. York is undeviating in his allegiance to the Republican party, has been
liberal and influential in public affairs of a local order, has served with
marked efficiency as a [member] of the school board of his district and since
1914 he has been the valued incumbent of the office of treasurer of his native
township. Both he and his wife are earnest communicants of the Norwegian
Lutheran church, in the faith of which they were reared and with which their own
children are actively identified. The attractive family home, known for its
generous hospitality, receives mail service on rural route No. 5, from the
neighboring village of Elgin. On the 15th of February, 1890, was recorded the
marriage of Mr. Mork to Miss Betsy Olson, who likewise was born and reared in
this county, and of their interesting family of twelve children all remain at
the parental home except the eldest two - Rosina, who is the wife of Christ
Anderson, of Marion township; and Anna, who is the wife of William Nelson, of
Grand Meadow township. The names of the children who remain members of the
cheery home circle are here entered in the respective order of birth: Enoch,
Sophia, Clara, Abel, Henry, Reuben, Ida, Emma, Ruth and Kenneth. |