History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo Counties, Iowa
Springfield, Ill: Union Publishing Co.,
1883.
Cerro Gordo County
R
Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.
HEMAN M. REDINGTON was a pioneer farmer of Cerro Gordo county, where he located in 1855 on section 8, Falls township. Soon after he moved to section 7, where he died in 1865. He was born Nov. 25, l796, in the State of New York , and was married in 1819 to Christian Aurenger, also a native of New York , born in 1799. In 1842 the family moved to Illinois , where Mr. Redington bought a farm in Boone county, where he resided until he moved to Iowa . Mrs. Redington yet survives and lives with her daughter at Rock Falls . Two sons, Martin and William, are residents of the same village. The first was the pioneer blacksmith of the town. A daughter, Clarissa Redington, was married in 1854 to James Wright and settled in Falls. He died in 1859 in Kansas . His widow was married in 1863 to John D. Massy, the proprietor of the hotel at Rock Falls . George B. Rockwell, one of the representative men of
Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa, came to Geneseo township in 1864, and purchased the farm
of J. J. Rogers. He brought his
family there in December, of that year. The
farm which he purchased of Mr. Rogers was the first farm settled in what is now
Geneseo township, and includes the present town plat of the village or Rockwell.
Mr. Rockwell is the proprietor of the town plat, and the town was named
in his honor. He was born in the
town of West Milton, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Dec. 6, 1828.
When he was four years of age his parents removed to Orleans county, and
when seven years old, to Erie county, same State, and settled near the village
of Akron, where his father died in 1874. George
B. Rockwell received a good common school education at the grammar and high
school at Akron, and at the age of nineteen he commenced teaching.
He taught several terms in his native State, and in 1850 went to Walworth
Co., Wis., and taught school the following winter.
In February, 1851, he came to Allamakee Co., Iowa, where he bought land
and taught during the summer of 1851, at Guttenberg, Clayton county[.]
He was married Aug. 31, 1853, in Erie Co., N. Y., to Elizabeth Jackson,
of Erie county, same State. After
his marriage he returned with his wife to Allamakee county, where he owned 200
acres of land, which he soon after sold and removed to Kane Co., Il., purchased
a farm and resided there for eleven years, at which time he came to Geneseo
township. He is a man of more than ordinary ability, energetic and
fearless in maintaining what he believes right as well as opposing wrong[.]
The cause of temperance finds in him an able advocate, and intemperance a
determined and unrelenting foe. To
him the town of Rockwell is indebted for its exemption from saloons and the
liquor traffic. In early life Mr. Rockwell was a democrat, but has been a
republican since the formation of that party, yet does not allow party ties to
interfere with his sense of duty and justice.
By choice and occupation he is a farmer. His homestead, known as Grasdale farm, contains about 600
acres, and is one of the finest in the county, and is specially adapted to the
cultivation of grain and the raising of stock.
He makes a specialty of shorthorn cattle, and has a number of fine
specimens of that valuable class of stock.
He is editor of the agricultural department of the Phonograph.
Mr. and Mrs. Rockwell have three daughters - Mary E., wife of J. A.
Felthous, born in Blackberry, Illinois; Julia Ruth and Grace.
The two eldest were born in Illinois, and the youngest in this township.
Their second child and only son, David W., was born in Illinois, where he
died in infancy.
William A. Rugg, editor and proprietor of the
Phonograph, was a native of Winnebago Co., Ill., born in 1854.
He was brought up on a farm, where he remained until of age.
He came to Iowa in 1875, lived in Floyd county, at Rockford, for two or
three years, and removed to Rockwell in 1879, and at once became connected with
the Phonograph. He is a good
writer, well educated and posted, and is popular among all classes.
Duncan Rule was elected clerk of court in 1880, and
re-elected two years later. The
term which he is now serving will expire Jan. 1, 1885.
Duncan Rule, clerk of court, was born in Dodge
county, near Fox Lake, Feb. 19, 1856. His
parents, James and Mary Rule, were Scotch descent and the father was a farmer.
Duncan was raised on the farm until fourteen, receiving a fair common
school education, and afterward spent three years at the Iowa State University.
In 1881 he married Huldah Thompson, daughter of James Thompson, of Mason
City. She was born in 1856.
Mr. Rule is a staunch republican, and a hard worker for his party.
He was one of the charter members of the Mason City Lodge, K. of P. Mrs. Rule is a member of the Baptist Church.
Mr. Rule is now serving his second term as clerk of court.
He makes an efficient, accommodating and satisfactory official.
James Rule
In 1873 James Rule was elected county treasurer, and
being re-elected in 1875 and 1877 served six years.
He is now vice-president of the Mason City Bank. He came to Cerro Gordo
county in 1864, and worked on a farm summers and taught school winters.
He became a resident of Mason City in 1868, commenced mason work, and in
1870 was appointed deputy treasurer of the county.
He was elected to the office of treasurer in 1873 and re-elected in 1875
and 1877. In 1880 he formed his
present business relations with Emsley and Denison in the City Bank.
Mr. Rule was born in Greene Lake Co., Wis., June 11, 1846.
His parents, James and Mary (Cameron) Rule, were natives of Scotland, and
came to the United States in 1844, locating at Fox Lake, Wis.
The father engaged in agriculture. Mr.
Rule acquired his education there, and when about sixteen years of age enlisted
and went to St. Louis, where he was rejected on account of his youth.
Mr. Rule was determined not to return home, and the officials finally
assigned him to a position in the ordnance department, second division army of
the frontier, under Gen. Herron, where he served about six months, and, on
receiving his discharge, returned to Wisconsin.
In 1871 he was married to Jennie Gale.
They have two sons - Arthur L. and Vernie H.
Mr. Rule belongs to the Masonic Order, Chapter and Commandery.
JOHN RUSSELL
In 1855 John Russell came to Cerro Gordo county, removing from Jackson Co., Iowa, with seven or eight yoke of oxen, and at the same time bringing about forty head of cattle. When he arrived in the county he purchased more stock, thus increasing his herd to over sixty head. The following winter, 1855-6, was very severe and as his stock was not properly sheltered over forty head perished in the storms. Mr. Russell first settled in the timber near Line creek in a log cabin 20x32 feet. It was covered with the fashionable roofing of that day, shakes, which was made by himself. This spacious cabin had a wide doorway so as to admit a yoke of yearling steers, with which he used to haul large logs into the cabin to be burned in the fire-place. In 1856 he came to Lime Creek township and settled on section 30; one year later he removed to section 29. He now resides in Mason City.
JOHN RUSSELL has been a resident of Iowa since 1853. In that year he came to Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa, to enter land, and in 1855 moved his family, settling in Lime Creek township. He came to this county in company with David and Edward Wright. He built a log cabin in which his household resided a few years. It had a shed roof and no floor, and the fire place extended across one end of the building. In common with pioneer testimony, both Mr. and Mrs. Russell say they never experienced happier days than there, when everybody tried to make the best of everything. The nearest trading post was Independence, 150 miles distant, a trip to which, made with an ox team, occupied two weeks, and the family left behind were in a region infested with Indians. Mr. Russell walked to Des Moines to enter his land, carrying with him $4,000 to enter land for other parties. The houses on the route were few and far between, and Mr. Russell had several times to sleep in the brushwood. He was born in Westmoreland Co., Penn., Feb. 15, 1809. His father, John Russell, was a native of Scotland and emigrated to America early in life, with his parents. The grandfather of Mr. Russell was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and died at the age of 104 years. His father was a pioneer of Ohio, and he received his first rudimentary education in a log school house in the Buckeye State, which building was lighted through an aperture cut in the logs and shaded by greased paper. Slabs were used for floor and seats. Mr. Russell was married in 1831 to Matilda Ferguson. Her father was a native of England and her mother of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Russell was born in Ohio. She became the mother of ten children. Four of her sons were soldiers for the Union, and two gave their lives defending their flag. Following is the list - McCollum, of Polk Co., Oregon; Harrison P., Jacob, Joseph A., deceased; Elizabeth, deceased; William, died near Vicksburg; Emily, wife of Dr. Harris; Sarah O., Mrs. Thomas Hodges, and Samantha.
JOHN J. RUSSELL is the son of John and Matilda (Ferguson) Russell, pioneers of Cerro Gordo county. He was born in Knox Co., Ohio, Nov. 5, 1838. His parents became residents of Iowa, and he reached man's estate under the personal care and guidance of his father. In October, 1861, Mr. Russell made the cause of the Union his own, by enlisting in the 14th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. His command went to Fort Randall, Dakota. In 1864 he was transferred to the 41st Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and later to the 7th Iowa Cavalry. He received an honorable discharge Oct. 31, 1864, and returned to his home. In 1867 he located upon the farm he has since occupied, on the northwest quarter of section 33, in Lime Creek township. He was married in 1866 to Miss Hartshorn, of DeKalb Co., Ill. William Arthur, Hester J., Charity, Mary E., Nannie, Julia and Bettie are the names of their seven promising children. Mr. Russell has been several times chosen by the votes of his townsmen to fill offices of trust, and is the present assessor. |
