History of Warren County, Iowa - 1908 - S

Warren County >> 1908 Index

History of Warren County, Iowa ... to 1908
by Rev. W. C. Martin, D. D. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1908.

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Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.

George W. Saylor, a successful farmer and dairyman residing in section 3, Greenfield township, is a native of this state, having been born near Taylorville, in Polk county, March 12, 1854, the son of J. P. and Martha (Bales) Saylor. His paternal grandfather, Benjamin Saylor, removed to the state of Iowa in 1845 from Indiana, his home being near Logansport, and settled in Polk county.

There J. P. Saylor, the father of our subject, grew up and entered land from the government. There he was married to Miss Martha Bales, who was a native of Logansport, Indiana. In 1870 he removed to Osage county, Kansas, where he entered land and improved it, remaining there for three years, and during this time he conducted a livery barn in conjunction with his farming operations. He sold out in 1873 and went to Des Moines, Iowa, buying a property there which two years later he traded for the farm on which our subject now resides. Here the father spent his remaining year and died in 1881, aged fifty-nine. The mother is still living at the advanced age of seventy-eight years and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Fox, in Des Moines. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Saylor were born six children, as follows: Frank A., born on February 4, 1852, spent twelve years on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in this county, and later went to Des Moines, where for twenty years he was connected with the Utica Clothing Store, of that city. At present he divides his time between the home of his sister in Des Moines and the home of George W. of this review. Lydia is the wife of E. H. Fox, of Des Moines. Alice died at the age of three years. Nellie, who was a graduate of the Des Moines high school, and engaged in teaching, died at the age of twenty-nine years. Edgar is an instructor of vocal music in San Francisco and has a troupe of his own on the road engaged in musical comedy. George W., the subject of this sketch, is the third in the order of birth.

George W. Saylor completed his education in the Baptist College of Des Moines and then returned home. On the 7th of April, 1887 he was married in Bloomfield township, Polk county, to Miss Mattie Hays, daughter of William Hays, an old settler of Polk county, and a native of Davess county, Missouri. For ten years the young couple continued to reside in the house in which his parents had lived, prior to the building of their present modern comfortable home. In addition to the residence Mr. Saylor has also built barns and the necessary outbuildings for the proper conduct of his work. He is conveniently located within five miles of the city of Des Moines, where he finds a ready and profitable sale for the products of his farm. Mr. Saylor keeps a herd of ten thoroughbred Jersey cows and employs a cream separator in the manufacture of his butter, all of which he has sold to private trade for the past nineteen years. He utilizes the by-product of his dairy in the raising of hogs.

In national politics Mr. Saylor is a republican, though in local affairs he is independent, voting for men and measures rather than for party. Fraternally he is a member of Grant's Camp M. W. A. He enjoys an extensive acquaintanceship throughout Warren and Polk counties, as well as in the city of Des Moines, having spent his entire life in this locality.

CHRISTIAN SCHREIBER is now practically living retired in Indianola, deriving his income, however, from good business property and other investments.  His life record is a notable example of the self-made man of foreign birth who improves the opportunities offered in the new world for business advancement and by the utilization of his advantages and by persistent, untiring effort wins a goodly measure of success.  He was born in Germany in 1851, his parents being Christian and Rosina (Hokl) Schreiber.  The mother came to the United States in 1884, and died in Forest, Illinois, at the age of seventy-two years.  The family numbered nine children, all of whom came to America, and one brother, Jacob Schreiber, is now a blacksmith of Indianola.
 
Christian Schreiber acquired a common-school education in Germany, and learned the trade of blacksmithing there. Favorable reports reached him concerning America and its business conditions, and, believing that he could more rapidly acquire a competence in this country than in the old world, he sailed for the United States in the fall of 1871.  In the spring of 1872 he became a resident of Indianola, where he has since remained.  As his financial resources were limited, rendering immediate employment a necessity, he entered the shops of Joseph Jacoby.  He afterward worked for John Olive, and later opened a shop on his own account in 1878, continuing the business for almost three decades, or until March, 1907.  He was an expert workman in his line, was industrious and secured a large patronage, which in course of years made him a prosperous citizen.  In 1907 he began dealing in automobiles, but is practically living retired, owning good business property and other interests which return to him a gratifying annual income.  He is also the owner of an attractive modern home here.
 
In 1874, Mr. Schreiber was married to Miss Martha A. Hahn, who was born in Germany in 1857, and came to the United States in 1871, with her grandmother.  the marriage was celebrated in Indianola, and unto them have been born five children, namely:  Lizzie, the wife of Otto Smith, by whom she has three children, Mr. Smith being associated in business with our subject; Lena, who is the wife of S. G. Myer, a lawyer of Des Moines; Christina, the wife of Carl Minier, who follows farming, ten miles north of Indianola; Cecil, at home; and Martha, deceased.
 
Both Mr. and Mrs. Schreiber are faithful members of the Presbyterian church, and he is also connected through membership relations with the Odd Fellows, the Yeoman, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.  His political endorsement is given to the republican party but honors and emoluments of office have had no attraction for him.  He has preferred to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs.  There is in the anxious, laborious struggle of the business man in the workaday world something that is of interest to the thoughtful student, for the course which he follows indicates methods that may be honorably pursued in the achievement of success.  He has never had occasion to regret his determination to seek a home in the new world, for here he found the opportunities which he sought and, realizing that energy and activity are the basis of all success, he worked long and persistently to achieve the prosperity which has at length crowned his labors.

JAMES SHEEHEY is one of the self made men  of Warren county for through his own industry and good management he has acquired a comfortable competence and is today the owner of a fine farm on section 11, Jefferson township, where he now makes his home.  He is a native of Ireland and on his emigration to this country in 1867 came direct to Iowa, first locating at Des Moines, where he commenced work for the Rock Island Railroad Company.  At the end of two years he was made section boss on the Des Moines and Winterset branch of that road and on the 12th of February, 1872, became a resident of Warren County, making his home in Lothrop while filling that position for thirty years.

Mr. Sheehey was first married in this county to Miss Mary Wood and to them was born one daughter, Margaret.  After the death of that wife he married Miss Anna Macken, by whom he had one son, James, who worked for the Rock Island Railroad for some years and is now at home with his father.  For his third wife Mr. Sheehey wedded Miss Mary Dewitt, and they became the parents of three sons and three daughters, namely:  Edward, Michael, Leo, Alice, Mamie and Catherine.

Mr. Sheehey’s first purchase of land consisted of twelve acres in Jefferson township but as time has passed and his financial resources have increased, he has added to his property until he now owns three hundred and forty acres of land, divided into two farms.  Upon one of these he located on his retirement from the railroad service in 1901 and he now devotes his energies to farming and stock raising.  His home place is well improved with good buildings and as an agriculturist he is meeting with excellent success.  He is a very energetic, industrious man, of good business ability and sound judgment and to his own unaided efforts he owes his prosperity for he commenced life in the new world empty-handed.  Politically he has been a lifelong democrat of the Cleveland type.