| Appanoose County >> 1903 Index Biographical and Genealogical History of Appanoose and Monroe Counties, Iowa. H Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Polly Eckles. This gentleman was born in Muskingum county, Ohio , near Zanesville , February 6, 1833 , the son of Jacob and Elizabeth Hammond. Grandfather Hammond came to Ohio at an early day; he was a farmer, a Republican in politics and a Methodist, and his death occurred in Marion county, Ohio . His son Jacob was a native of Pennsylvania , and he and his wife came to Iowa in 1854, where he died in February, 1882, at the age of seventy-two, and his wife died in 1876. The children were: Henry J., Daniel W., Greenville C., who died in the army of Illinois ; Butler , deceased; James, Emeline, Catheryn, Nancy Hattie, and Elizabeth, deceased. Henry J. Hammond remained in Ohio till he was twenty-one years old, where he received a fair education and also became acquainted with farming, which was the principal occupation of his life. In 1862 he enlisted for the war at Knoxville , Iowa , and served through the struggle in Company A, Thirty-third Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered out at New Orleans and discharged at Davenport , Iowa , and is now a pensioner. In 1860 Mr. Hammond was married to Mary M. Copeland, the daughter of James and Jane Copeland, the former from Kentucky and the latter of Indiana . The children of this union were Samuel B., Joseph F., John C., Elizabeth, deceased, Josephine C., Clayton, deceased, and Mary Emeline, deceased. Mrs. Hammond died in April, 1882, and is buried in Marion county; she was a member of the Methodist church. Mr. Hammond is a Republican, has been a Mason since 1862 and is a member of the Methodist church. His son, Joseph F., assists him in carrying on the home place. To the superficial observer it often seems that worldly success is the result of some inherited talent which has given an individual the start of mankind or is the result of some adventitious circumstances usually designated as luck, but when studied from the standpoint of universal history the open sesame which unlocks the door of success is found to be nothing more nor less than industry and perseverance, qualities before which the most obstinate obstacles gradually yield and open the road to golden gain. And this rule is exemplified in the case of the subject of this sketch, who, starting with only the knowledge of a trade, has worked himself to a place of prominence in his city. His father, Isaac Hardenbrook, was born in Ohio , February 22, 1823 , and died March 12, 1888 ; he married Mary A. Kelly, who was born in Jefferson county, Ohio , September 15, 1823 , and later came to Morrow county, Ohio , with her parents, where her marriage occurred in 1843. Isaac Hardenbrook was actively engaged in farming during the earlier part of his life and later operated a flouring mill; he disposed of his farm near Albia , Iowa , in 1874, and moved to La Villa, where he ran a flouring mill until 1886, when he retired from active pursuits. After his death his wife made her home in Kansas for three years and then resided in Albia with her daughter until her death, January 13, 1903 . Of the nine children born to these parents four are now living. One of the sons of the above parents was William, who was born in Mount Gilead , Morrow county, Ohio , November 9, 1844 . His boyhood was spent on the farm of his birth until he was twelve years old, and on May 8, 1856, he came with his parents to Monroe county, Iowa, and lived on his father's farm five miles north of Albia. His education was received in the town school of Mount Gilead and in the country schools of Monroe county. William remained with his parents until July, 1862, when the Civil war summoned him into the ranks, and he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-second Iowa Infantry, under Captain R.M. Wilson; he spent nine months in the service and then received an honorable discharge on account of physical disability. After his return he went to Osceola , Iowa , where three years were spent in learning the harness trade; having thoroughly mastered the business he worked for three years at this trade in Henry county, Illinois ; he then spent about a year in Albia and in 1871 went to Minneapolis . On November 1, 1874 , Mr. Hardenbrook opened a harness shop on the southeast corner of the square in Albia and since that time has rapidly extended his business and increased his influence in the various affairs of the city until he is now recognized as one of the leaders. He located in his present convenient and commodious store in 1887. Mr. Hardenbrook has been very influential in the councils of the Republican party; he has been a member of the city council and has been chief of the fire department; in 1897 he was nominated and elected to the office of mayor and such has been the satisfaction with his administration that he is now serving his third term. He is a member of various organizations, the Grand Army of the Republic, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Woodmen of the World, the Ancient Order of the United Workmen and the Elks. In 1876 Mr. Hardenbrook was married to Julia B. Mount, who was born in West Virginia , June 21, 1854 ; her parents, John and Mary Mount, became residents of Fairfield , Iowa , and spent their declining days in Albia; John Mount was a cabinet maker by trade and at one time owned a store in Albia. One child, Carrie M., was born to Mr. and Mrs. Hardenbrook, and she resides at home with her parents. After a somewhat stormy life, the gentleman above named is now taking things more quietly at his home in Albia. He is an interesting man to know, and one of those who, when well known, it is impossible not to esteem. A shattered arm bears mute testimony that he was well at the front during the national peril, and that he did not hesitate to bare his breast to the leaden storm that was hurled from the south against the defenders of the Union . Mr. Hickenlooper has many thrilling stories to tell of those troubled times, in which he shared his full part of the dangers and bore his portion of the burdens in order, as the great President Lincoln said, �that this nation might live.� Like most of the other veterans, Mr. Hickenlooper proved himself as useful in peace as he had been brave in war, and when it was all over took up the threads of life where he had dropped them to enlist, and joined the busy workers at home, who were engaged with the various vocations of a prosperous commonwealth. So far back that �the memory of man runneth not to the contrary,� as the law writers say, the Hickenlooper family were established in Pennsylvania , and for many generations identified with its agricultural development. For the purposes of this sketch the genealogy will begin with Thomas Hickenlooper, who was born in western Pennsylvania in 1793, and in early manhood engaged in the manufacture of salt. He married Julia A. Hawkins, also of the Keystone state, and in 1846 emigrated with his family to Iowa , where he located on a farm in Monroe county. The father died in 1881, the mother in 1890, and of their ten children all but three are living. Harrison Hickenlooper was born in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania , April 21, 1840 , and consequently was six years old when his parents came to this state. He grew up in Monroe county and was still living at home when the outbreak of the Civil war drove all thoughts from his mind save the single determination to join the throng then rushing to the defense of the Union . In May, 1861, he enlisted in Company E, Sixth Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Henry Sanders, and with this command took part in all the early campaigns of the western army. During this period he participated in the battles of Shiloh , Black River , Jackson , the sieges of Corinth and Vicksburg , not to mention the many intervening engagements of a minor nature. At the battle of Missionary Ridge Mr. Hickenlooper received a gunshot wound in the arm, which so badly shattered that member as to necessitate his removal to the hospital at Chattanooga , from which place he was taken to Nashville . Up to the time of this accident he had not lost a moment's time from his company, but reported promptly for duty every day after his enlistment. The injury above mentioned, however, was so severe as to incapacitate him for future duty, and received his discharge for disability after a faithful service of two years and nine months. After his release from the army Mr. Hickenlooper returned home and put in a crop on his father's farm. Later he taught school a while, and in the fall of 1865 was elected treasurer of the county, in which office he served four years. When his time expired he kept a bookstore, and then acted as agent for the American Express Company until his re-election to the county treasurership in 1874. After serving the term of two years he was again elected and finished his career in this office in 1880, but afterward was appointed deputy treasurer and has served several years in that capacity. He has always been a active Republican and recalls with pride the fact that his first presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln, when that great patriot and statesman was making the race for his second term. Besides his long tenure of the office of county treasurer, he served six years in the office of justice of the peace, and has been a local leader of his party ever since he returned from the army. November 13, 1867 , Mr. Hickenlooper was married to Sarah J., daughter of Samuel and Jane(George) Wallace, natives of Virginia , who came to Iowa in 1854. Mrs. Hickenlooper was born in Virginia , March 7, 1845 , and died at Albia, February 24, 1900 . She was a devoted member of the United Presbyterian church, and all who knew her intimately speak highly of her virtues as a woman, wife and mother. Of the four children of Mr. and Mrs. Hickenlooper, Clara died in Albia at the age of twenty-four years; Mildred married Albert F. Ewers and has one daughter, Edna; Wallace, civil engineer, who graduated from the Iowa university, is in business at Pittsburg , Pennsylvania , and Edna remains at home with her father. Mr. Hickenlooper is a member of the Knights of Pythias, has been an Odd Fellow for thirty years, and belongs to Orman Post, Grand Army of the Republic. He was a charter member of the last mentioned order and has been honored by his old war comrades with all the offices in local organization. Monroe county, Iowa , would seem to be a good place for young men ambitious of official honors, as will be attested by an examination of the biographies in this volume. The present treasurer was elected about the completion of his thirty-seventh year, the auditor was first chosen before he was twenty-five years old and Mr. Hickenlooper found himself clerk of the district court when scarce twenty-four years of age and but one year from his legal studies. While this makes a very creditable showing for the rising generation in Monroe , it also gives pleasant testimony to the willingness of the older element to help forward deserving young men by a generous support of their worthy ambitions. The young gentleman who was taken from his law books to be made clerk of courts at Albia is genealogically speaking a mixture of German and Irish. His grandfather, after marrying and rearing a family in the east, came to Iowa in the same year that statehood was conferred upon this new western commonwealth. Thomas Hickenlooper settled in Monroe township, Monroe county, and engaged in farming, which he pursued with success until 1881, when he died, about eighty-eight years old. His children were: William, now dead; George, Charles, Theophilas, deceased; Cyrus, Simon, Caroline, deceased; Rebecca, Harrison and Thomas. Theophilas Hickenlooper, who was born in 1829, near Pittsburg , Pennsylvania , after his arrival in Monroe county married Margaret Gray of Indiana , settled with his bride on a farm and spent his life in agricultural pursuits. He died in 1887, and his widow is at present a resident of Albia. Their five children were Mary, Frank, Harry, Ella, deceased, and Thomas. Thomas Hickenlooper, youngest of this family, was born on his father's farm in Monroe county, Iowa , July 23, 1876 , and supplemented his common school education by taking a commercial course. When twenty-one years old he left the farm to study law, and after two years spent in mastering the principles of this profession was admitted to the bar in October, 1889. He entered immediately into practice, but had been so engaged only a year when elected clerk of the district court in the fall of 1900. In 1902 he was renominated on the Republican ticket, and at the fall election in that year was re-elected for a second term, which furnishes ample proof of the efficiency with which he had discharged his duties. In 1901 Mr. Hickenlooper was united in marriage with Miss Nora Floyd of Kirksville , Missouri , and is at present residing in Albia. Mr. Hickenlooper is regarded as one of the rising young Republicans, whose popularity and ability place him in line for promotion to higher honors. He is active in the social and fraternal life of the city, holding membership in the Modern Woodmen of America, the Foresters and the Brotherhood of American Yeomen. Solomon G. Hickman is one of the substantial farmers of Troy township, Monroe county, Iowa , who have helped to bring the county into prominence as an agricultural section. Grandfather Solomon was a native of Scotland . The father, also named Solomon, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania , was reared on a farm, and married Elizabeth Cary, a daughter of a soldier of the war of 1812. They both died in Greene county of their native state, the former at the age of ninety-four, the latter aged eighty-three. Solomon, Sr., was a Democrat in politics and a Universalist in faith, while his wife was a Presbyterian. Seven children were born to them: Charles was a soldier and is now deceased; Stephen is deceased; Anna is deceased; Solomon G.; Archibald was a soldier and lives on the old farm in Pennsylvania ; Abel lives in California ; William is deceased. Solomon G. Hickman was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania , near Waynesburg, November 30, 1840 , was reared to manhood on the home farm, there imbibing many of the wholesome principles which were to guide him in his future. For some years he taught school in that part of Virginia which is now comprised in West Virginia , near Morgantown . This he continued till 1866, when he made his way to the west, settling in Monroe county, Iowa . After remaining here a few years and taking a partner for life's journey, he went to what is now South Dakota and took a homestead in Clay county, where he remained four years. Returning to Iowa , he bought forty acres of his present fine farm of one hundred and ten acres from the man who had obtained it from the government. He has since added the balance. He has a well furnished house, a good orchard, large barn and feed lots, surrounded with beautiful shade trees, and the whole place evidences thrift and prosperity. On September 5, 1869 , Mr. Hickman married Miss Mary C. Seaman, a lady of much intelligence, who has proved an excellent companion to him; she was born, reared and educated in this county. Her father, William R. Seaman, was one of the early settlers, coming to the state in 1845 from New York . His wife was Drusilla Ross, a native of Illinois , and they had five children: Minerva, deceased; Sarah Ann, Mary C., Eliza E. and Nelson J. The parents, who were farmers, members of the Methodist church and excellent people, are both deceased, the father at the age of sixty-five, the mother aged sixty. Mr. and Mrs. Hickman became the parents of seven children: Alice, the wife of G.G. Robinson, of Laurel, Iowa; Solomon, a medical student of the Keokuk Medical College; John, who is one of the prominent teachers of the county, the principal of the public schools of Avery; Mack, also a medical student at Keokuk; Arthur, who is a mail carrier on route No. 5, rural free delivery, at Albia; Charles S. is a student in the junior class of the Albia High school, and Philip, who is fifteen years old. John, Mack and Solomon are all graduates of the Albia high school and wee successful teachers. Mr. Hickman is a Prohibitionist in politics and a member of the Friends church, while the balance of the family belong to the United Brethren church. He has the reputation of being a reliable business man, is frank and genial and has many qualities which make him influential in the township. The name borne by this gentleman has been a familiar one in Appanoose and Monroe counties ever since their organization as bodies politic, and the Hilton family has been an influential one in this section from the time that Iowa was admitted into the Union as a state. In fact, the history of the founder is largely a history of Monroe county, as he came here when the Indians were still in possession, and only three years after Iowa was given existence as a territory. No apology therefore is necessary for dwelling at some length upon the biographical details of this early pioneer, as they will prove interesting to all who enjoy stories of the �olden time.� James Hilton, who was destined to become such a prominent citizen of the future Iowa , was born in Orange county, New York , July 9, 1816 . Nine years later he was taken by his parents to New York city , there grew to manhood and in October, 1841, left his native state to identify himself permanently with the rapidly developing region beyond the Mississippi . Travel then was mostly by the rivers, and after a tedious journey across intervening states the young voyager found himself on one of the small steamers used at that time for navigating the great �Father of Water.� On this boat he ascended the Mississippi to a little town called Keokuk and situated in what was then known as the Black Hawk Purchase. The landing at this point was made on the 20 th of November, 1841 , or only three years after Iowa territory had been organized, and when white men were not allowed to occupy the land west of the Purchase. What is now Monroe county was at that time the hunting grounds of roving tribes or red men. Owing to the unsettled condition of affairs young Hilton went to Missouri and remained there until September, 1842, when he returned to be present at the Iowa Indian agency when the treaty was negotiated between the national government and the Sac and Fox Indian tribes. The negotiations resulted in the purchase and throwing open for settlement of all the territory extending from the west line of Jefferson to the Missouri river, comprising more than two-thirds of the present state of Iowa. The young easterner was much impressed with what he saw on this occasion, and often in after life detailed the circumstances to parties of friends. The aboriginal owners of the land, yielding to inexorable fate and overwhelming odds, were assembled to bargain away under duress their hereditary homes and yield the land they loved to the hated pale face. The chieftains present at these negotiations bore names that have been perpetuated throughout Iowa to designate different political divisions of the state, but this is all that remains of that romantic race which roamed at will over all the boundless prairies of the west. Among the mighty chiefs taking part in this sad and solemn ceremony were Keokuk, Mahaska, Powshiek, Wapello, Pashpaho, Hardfish and Appanoose. After the conclusion of this historic treaty, young Hilton returned to Missouri and remained there until May, 1843, in which time the Indians were to vacate so much of the territory as extended westward to a line agreeing with the west line of what is now Monroe county. He then came back, and the picture presented on his return so impressed his imagination that it remained a vivid recollection to his dying day. The country was still in all its virgin newness and wild grandeur. Herds and flocks of wild game, the great open country without habitation, houses, fences or any other indication of civilization�such was the panorama unfolded before James Hilton in the spring of 1843. But this young man was there for practical rather than sentimental purposes, and the urgencies of the situation left him little time for moralizing; the main thing was to secure a home, and he at once made claim to a tract of excellent land, containing at that time two hundred and eight acres, on which he soon had erected the small log cabin so characteristic of as well as so indispensable to the early pioneer. On this place, which, however, underwent many changes in the way of buildings and other improvements, James Hilton resided during the long period that intervened between his first coming and his final call to rest nearly sixty years later. These years were marked by great activity both in public life, and during the time he held many offices of trust, which were administered with ability and unswerving integrity. He was the first clerk of the district court of Monroe county, having been appointed by Judge Charles Mason, in March, 1846. In April, 1857, he was elected judge of Monroe county, which necessitated his removal to Albia, where he resided for several years in a hewed log house in West Benton street . While occupying the position of judge he built the court house at a cost of about ten thousand dollars, and was warmly commended by the people for the economic judgment displayed in its construction. In October, 1871, he was elected to represent Monroe county in the fourteenth general assembly and acquitted himself as a legislator with the same discretion he always exhibited on the bench. He was an authority on all things relating to the early settlers and the history of Monroe county, and it was a rare treat to hear him relate stories and describe incidents of the remarkable times which have long since passed away never more to be seen of men. In the spring of 1860 Judge Hilton gave up his residence at Albia and returned to his beloved home in the country, where death overtook him on the 9 th day of January, 1902, more than sixty years after he first set foot on the soil of Monroe county. In September, 1845, Judge Hilton was married to Mary E. Rankin of Davis county, with whom he lived in utmost harmony and affection until she was called from the scenes of earth in 1875. The union proved as fruitful as it was happy and of the twelve children all of the seven sons and three of the five daughters are still living. It is with Albert Hilton, one of the elder sons, that this biography is more immediately concerned, and some particulars concerning him will now be given. He was born in the old historic homestead in Monroe county, Iowa , April 8, 1853 , and was trained to farm life under the excellent instruction of his honored father. He received a good education as he grew up, and upon reaching manhood was well qualified fort he duties which it was his destiny to discharge during his lifetime. His ambition had always been to succeed in the higher branches of agriculture, and his wishes in this respect have been amply fulfilled. After securing a home of his own and one hundred and sixty acres of land as a basis of operations, Mr. Hilton soon developed his qualities as a farmer and breeder. Turning his attention to blooded stock, he soon had one of those fine thoroughbred herds for which Iowa has so long been famous, and to-day he ranks as one of the most successful breeders of Monroe county. He has never aspired to office, but devoted all his time to the prosecution of his agricultural interests, and is a pronounced Democrat, but in local affairs votes for the best man. May 15, 1884, Mr. Hilton married Miss Mary A. Arnold, a member of another of the old and highly respected families of Monroe county. Her father, Willis Arnold, was born in Franklin county, Kentucky, October 13, 1809, being the ninth child of a family of twelve sons and one daughter, all of whom grew up, married and had families; the last survivor is Mrs. Eliza J. Deal, a widow, who lived for some time with a daughter at Magnolia, Iowa. In 1816 Willis Arnold went with his parents to Washington county, Indiana, and later removed to near the town of Greencastle , where in 1835 he was married to Martha Rice Reed. There were nine children by this union, the three survivors being Elizabeth A. Noble, Eliza J. Sylvester, both residing at Albia, and Marcus T. Arnold, a prominent business man of Burlington, Kansas. In the fall of 1850 Willis Arnold came with his family to Albia and in the fall of 1853, was elected to the office of sheriff of Monroe county. He joined the Christian church at Greencastle , Indiana , in 1835, and at his house in Albia the first Christian organization was made. His first wife died a few months after this event, and in 1853 Mr. Arnold married Zerelda Robinson, of Indiana, by whom he had four children, and the three now living are Mrs. Mary ( Arnold ) Hilton, Martha L. Waugh of Lucas county, and Albert G. Arnold of Fairfield, Nebraska. The father died February 24, 1899 , at his home in Albia, when well advanced in the ninetieth year of his age. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Hilton have one son, Carl A., who was born January 6, 1888, has developed already into a zealous student and gives promise of a career in life that will reflect credit upon his honored ancestry. The family are members of the Christian church and highly respected in the best social circles of the county, as well on their own merits as because of the respect felt by all the people for the memory of their pioneer fathers. This gentleman was born near Campbellsville , Kentucky , the son of John and Nancy ( Ship ) Hoagland. The former was also a native of Kentucky and a farmer and breeder of fine horses. His wife was a native Kentuckian. In 1837 they moved to Indiana and settled eighteen miles south of Indianapolis in Johnson county, where they remained till their deaths, he passing away in 1889 at the age of eighty-eight, and his wife was also eighty-eight years old at the time of her death. Their children were Malinda Jane, deceased; James S.; Eliza Ann; John, Isaac, deceased; George; and Nancy. The sons, with the exception of James S., are living in Johnson county, Indiana, and Marian and Nancy also live there, while Eliza Ann is a resident of Iowa. James S. Hoagland remained in Kentucky until he was fourteen years old, where he received a common school education. After going to Indiana he attended Franklin College , where he was graduated in 1846 and was then chosen assistant surveyor on the Miami reserve having taken a civil engineering course in college. He was next resident engineer on the Franklin and Martinsville Railroad, and in 1885 was connected with the management of the construction of the line from Jeffersonville to Indianapolis , and also sketched the topography of the Peru and Indianapolis line. On November 23, 1848 , Mr. Hoagland was married to Miss Mary Ann Woods, of Morgantown , Indiana , the daughter of William and Elizabeth Woods, natives of Tennessee . On account of his wife's ill health he moved to Iowa and settled on a quarter-section of land which he had entered in 1848 in Monroe county. On this be began the raising of live stock and general farming, and he also acquired land in Wayne township. He has made several moves since coming to the county, but now resides on his farm in Cedar township, where he held the office of supervisor for twelve years shortly after coming here, and was also a justice of the peace. He was nominated three times for the legislature, but refused till the last time, when he was elected, and served during the session of 1884. His wife died December 31, 1887 , and was buried at Eden Chapel cemetery. Her children were Elvirely R.; Fremont, deceased; Hernon; Jerome, deceased; John, deceased; Peter; Marius; Laura, deceased; and Mary Ann. Mr. Hoagland was an ardent Democrat till the formation of the Greenback party, when he joined its ranks, and it was on that ticket that he was elected a member of the twentieth assembly, which was the first session held in the new capitol building. He is a member of the United Brethren church, as was his wife, and her brother, the Rev. Woods, is a prominent minister in the Methodist church, being a presiding elder, with his residence at Indianapolis , Indiana . Sanford Hoffman, who carries on general farming on section I, Taylor township, where he has ninety-seven acres of good land, has been a resident of Appanoose county since 1875, and is residence in the state dates from 1870, for in that year he settled in Monroe county. He was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania , November 24, 1834 , and is a son of Henry Hoffman, whose birth occurred in Pennsylvania , and who represented one of the old Pennsylvania , and who represented one of the old Pennsylvania German families noted for industry and integrity. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Higgins, and she, too, was born in the Keystone state, of Pennsylvania German parentage. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman died in Greene county, where the father had followed the occupation of farming as a life work. In politics he was a Republican and was a member of the Church of God . In the family were thirteen children, eleven of whom reached years of maturity, while three were soldiers of the Civil war, Bryce being a member of a Pennsylvania regiment, while Layton joined a West Virginia regiment. Sanford Hoffman spent his boyhood days in the county of his nativity, and his parents impressed upon his mind lessons of industry and perseverance. His literary training was received in the public schools, and at the age of twenty-three years he was married, Miss Rachel Plantz becoming his wife. She was born and reared in Greene county, Pennsylvania , a daughter of George and Catherine ( Stollen ) Plantz, both of whom died in Iowa . It was in 1864 that Mr. Hoffman offered his services to the government, enlisting in the Sixth West Virginia Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged. He then returned to farm life in Pennsylvania and in 1870 moved westward to Iowa , settling in Monroe county, where he carried on farming until 1875. In that year he came to Appanoose county, and has since lived upon his present farm in section I, Taylor township, where he has ninety-seven acres of rich and productive land. It is well watered by a creek, and there are good pastures and meadows together with plowed land. He keeps a high grade of Polled Angus cattle and draft horses of English breed, and both in his stock-raising and in his general agricultural pursuits he is meeting with success for as the years pass his income gradually increases. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman were born seven children: Franklin M. resides in this county. Jervis Leroy, who carries on farming here and is now serving as justice of the peace, was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania , in 1862, and was therefore eight years of age when the family came to Iowa . He was here reared, obtaining a good education, and for a number of years was successfully engaged in teaching. On the 27 th of May, 1897 , he wedded Miss Lizzie Stoops, who was born in Monroe county, Iowa , a daughter of William and Judith ( Wright ) Stoops. Her father was a soldier of the Thirteenth Iowa Infantry during the Civil war. J.L. Hoffman and his wife have two sons, Charles and Harold. The other children of our subject and his wife are: Mrs. Ollie Hampton, of York , Nebraska ; and Mrs. Mary Faber, of Monroe county, Iowa . They also lost three children, Libbie and Harvey, who were successful teachers, and an infant named Jane. Mr. Hoffman exerts his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party. He belongs to Moravia Post, G.A.R., and is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In matters of business he is straightforward and reliable and when called upon to aid in any measure or improvement of benefit to the community his co-operation is not withheld. Dentistry, like many other professions, has reached its present high point of development within the past few years and now rests on a scientific basis, requiring besides the qualities that are common to all professions remarkable care and accuracy and patience. The town of Albia, Monroe county, Iowa, is fortunate in having among her professional men one of the leaders in this important branch of modern aids to the increase of physical health and comfort, and it is the purpose of this sketch to briefly narrate some of the main facts of his career which will be of interest to the many readers of this historical volume. The parents of our subject were John C. and Mary ( Wintermote ) Hoover; the father was a native of Germany and the mother of New Jersey; the former, who was a farmer through the years of his business activity, was a soldier in the Civil war, having been a member of the Fortieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; he returned from the service shattered in health, and as a result died at the early age of thirty, December 24, 1869, leaving two children. John C. Hoover was his wife's second husband; her first husband was Ferdinand Hoover, by whom she had two children; her third husband is Dennis Druley, of which union there were no children; they now live in Boston , Indiana . Born of the above parents in Greenville , Ohio , on the 23 rd of April, 1867, was Charles G. Hoover. He was reared in his native state and acquired his preliminary education in the public schools of the vicinity and of Yellow Springs , Ohio , also gaining much of the strength necessary for his life work on his father's farm. Having decided to study dentistry he attended the Indiana Dental School at Indianapolis and in 1891 received his degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. For two years following his graduation he worked in a dental office at Manitowoc , Wisconsin , and in 1893 came to Albia and established an office, where he has ever since continued with success that has been gratifying to himself and friends. He keeps up with the progress of his profession and is a member of the Iowa Dental Society and of the Southwestern Iowa Dental Society. In 1894 Mr. Hoover was married to Miss Olive M. Wright, the daughter of Samuel W. and Marietta ( Hancock ) Wright, of Albia. Two children are now in their home, Harry Kenneth and Wendell Wright. Mr. and Mrs. Hoover are members of the Christian church, and he is a chapter Mason and Royal Arch Mason. Mr. Hoover claims especial distinction from the fact that he is a self-made man, having had few of the favoring winds of fickle fortune to carry him to success, but having become what he is by his diligent and personal application. William Huston is now living a retired life in Avery, and for many years has been a respected and worthy citizen of the county, using his influence and giving his aid for the promotion of measures and movements for the general good and the county' upbuilding. He came to the county in 1865. His birth occurred in Monongahela , Washington county, Pennsylvania , September 22, 1817 , and his father, John Huston, was also a native of the Keystone state. The grandfather, Daniel Huston, was born in the north of Ireland and was a Protestant, belonging to a Scotch-Irish family of Presbyterian faith. He was reared in the place of his nativity until twenty years of age, when he boarded a sailing vessel bound for the new world, and when the Revolutionary war broke out he joined the continental army and fought under General Washington. His death occurred in Pennsylvania when he had attained to a good old age. John Huston was reared upon the home farm in the Keystone state and there married Mrs. Nancy ( Barr ) Gibson, a widow, who had two children, John and Betsy Gibson. She was born on the ocean while her parents were coming to the United States , as members of a colony composed of the Burrs, Crawfords, Harpers, and other families, who located in Pennsylvania . All were of Protestant faith. To John and Nancy Huston were born the following named: Mary, now deceased; Nancy; William; and Daniel, who was drowned when a boy. The father died at the age of eighty-two years and the mother passed away at the age of seventy-four. For many years he was an elder in the Presbyterian church and was an earnest Christian gentleman, a faithful friend and a devoted husband and father, and his excellent qualities won for him the trust and confidence of all with whom he came in contact. William Huston was reared in Washington county, Pennsylvania , and when quite young was instructed concerning the value of honesty and industry in the active affairs of life. The schools of the county afforded him opportunity for mental discipline, and when twenty-six years of age he made preparation for having a home of his own by his marriage to Miss Sarah Louderbeck, a native of Pennsylvania and a representative of one of the old Dutch families of the state. Her father, Thomas Louderbeck, was born there and married Jemima Berryman, also a native of that state, where both lived until called to the home beyond. Mr. and Mrs. Huston began their domestic life in the east, remaining in the state of their nativity until 1865, when, attracted by the business possibilities of the west, they came to Iowa , where Mr. Huston purchased the Gossage farm of one hundred and twenty acres, adding thereto till he now has one hundred and seventy-five acres. The years have seen added improvements made, barns have been built, and there are now rich pastures of bluegrass and highly cultivated fields, while an orchard yields choice varieties of apples and other fruit. This farm is a very valuable one and its value is enhance because it is underlaid with coal. Mr. Huston has a fine brick residence on his farm, and this is situated in the village of Avery , where he has lived since coming to Iowa . Eight children have been born to him and his wife: Joseph, who for a number of years was a successful teacher, is now living in Atchison county, Missouri ; he married Miss Martha Elder and has seven sons and seven daughters. Agnes is the wife of D. Nichol, of Albia , Iowa . John, formerly a farmer living in the village of Avery , is now a traveling salesman with his home in Albia. Oliver C. is an agriculturist. Mrs. Elizabeth Love makes her home in Seattle . Mrs. Mary McMillan died in Monroe county. Daniel, who was a well known and capable physician of Wayne county, Iowa , died leaving a widow. William died at the age of fourteen years. The children have been well educated and are honored and respected wherever they are known. Mr. Huston's farm is operated by his sons, who are successful and progressive agriculturists and stock-raisers. In 1871 Mr. Huston returned to his old home in Pennsylvania upon a visit, and he also visited Seattle , Washington , and other points on the Pacific coast. A member of the Reformed Presbyterian church, he served as one of its elders for many years, and his Christian faith has been manifest in his upright life, for he has so lived as to command the respect and good will of his fellow men. He has now reached the eighty-fifth milestone on life's journey and has therefore been a witness of much of the growth and development of the country through the nineteenth century, while in Monroe county he has borne his share in planting an advanced civilization here. He is now a venerable man who in the evening of life can look back over the past without regret, for honor and integrity have been the guiding elements in his conduct. One of the busiest, most energetic and progressive business men of Monroe county is P.H. Hynes of Avery, the secretary of the Smoky Hollow Coal company, and in his official capacity he controls the operations of six hundred men employed in the mines, besides a large number of bookkeepers and other employed in clerical capacities. From a humble financial position he has gradually worked his way upward through close application, unremitting diligence and honorable methods, and today occupies an enviable position as a leader of industrial interests in this part of Iowa, and his example is one well worthy of emulation. Mr. Hynes is a native of Champaign county, Ohio , born in 1865, a son of Patrick and Mary Hynes. His mother died in 1890. His father, who was born of Irish parentage, died in 1869. The son, P.H. Hynes, was reared in Keokuk county, Iowa , and his school privileges were supplemented by study at home and by knowledge gained in the school of experience. Possessing an observing eye and retentive memory he has continually added to his knowledge until he has made it a potent factor in his successful business career. When a boy he began work in the coal fields in a humble way, but his earnest labor and close application won the attention of those who employed him and he was promoted from time to time. He lived successively in Lee county, Mahaska and Monroe counties, and as the years passed gradually progressed in the business world until for the past ten years he has filled the responsible position of secretary of the Smoky Hollow Coal Company, of which Mr. Evans is the president. Mr. Hynes is virtually in control of the business and his practical understanding of every department of coal mining from the time the shafts are sunk until the product is placed upon the market makes him splendidly qualified for the supervision of the extensive interest of the company. More than six hundred miners are employed, together with superintendents, bookkeepers and other clerks, and one thousand tons of coal are taken from the earth and prepared for distribution throughout the country. The company pays good wages, has done much for its men in providing comfortable homes, and the treatment of employees is always just and fair, so that the feeling is one of general satisfaction, and the men entertain genuine respect for the officers of the company. In 1894, in Monroe county, Mr. Hynes was married to Miss May Appleman, a lady whose many social qualities and intellectual worth have endeared her to those with whom she has been brought in contact. She was educated in this state and is a daughter of W.S. Appleman, for many years a well known citizen of Avery. Mr. and Mrs. Hynes now have one son, P.H., Jr. In his political views Mr. Hynes is a Republican and is regarded as one of the leading workers of the party in his town. He has frequently served as a delegate to party conventions and does all in his power to promote the growth and secure the success of the organization. Socially he is connected with the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America. In manner he is genial, pleasant and easily approachable and always gives courteous attention to those who seek an audience with him in business hours, while in social circles he is known as a companionable and popular gentleman. He is also a man of fine personal appearance, being six feet in height and well proportioned. He has in Avery a beautiful home, furnished with many evidences of refined taste and culture. He is widely known in business, social and political circles in the state, and has high standing, because of his strong personality, his unquestioned integrity and sterling manhood.
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