Guthrie County >> 1884 Index

History of Guthrie and Adair Counties, Iowa
Springfield, Ill: Continental Hist. Co., 1884.

Bagley
Transcribed by Bobbi Pohl

John R. Barnum, born April 11, 1839, in Carroll parish, Virginia, is the son of James M. and Mary (Rogers) Barum. With his parents he moved to Jennings county, Indiana, in 1841, and six years afterward, they went to Rock county, Wisconsin, where his father followed farming, and still makes his home. His mother died in Carroll parish, Virgina. John went to Sacramento and Marysville, California, and while in the latter place, enlisted as regimental doctor and blacksmith, in May, 1862, in the 2d California cavalry. He took part in a fight with indians on Bear river, Utah. He was mustered out of the army at Sacramento in 1865, and remained there till the next year, following the occupation of a blacksmith, which trade he learned in Janesville, Wisconsin. In 1866 he returned to Wisconsin, remaining there till he came to this state, in the fall of 1867, locating in Nevada, Story county. Coming to Iowa Center in 1869, he went from there to Sheldahl when the narrow gauge railroad was built between Des Moines and Ames. After this he went to Colorado where he remained two years, and then returned to Story county. He was married in December, 1867 in Nevada, to Melvina Taylor, daughter of George and Amanda (Terrell) Taylor. The have one child--Nellie M. Mr. Barnum came to Dodge township in Guthrie county, September 9, 1882, where he is now doing a flourishing business [blacksmith in Bagley]. He belongs to May's Post, No. 200, G. A. R.

Albert C. Ferguson came to Bagley in January, 1884, where he came to learn the trade of blacksmith with John R. Barnum. He is the son of C. A. and Margaret (Balwin) Ferguson, and was born in Marengo, Iowa county, Iowa, December 8, 1861. He left Marengo in August, 1877, going to Audubon county, where he worked on a farm for a short time, and then learned the trade of a painter. In March, 1878, he went to Storm Lake, Buena Vista county, where he worked at his trade until 1878, when he went to Green Briar township, Greene county, and then to his present location. He was married in December, 1883, to Miss Maud C. Ferrel, daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Claver) Ferrel. Albert's parents moved to West Fork township, Woodbury county, Iowa, where they now reside.

Ansel Fletcher, manager of the lumber company in Bagley, was born October 22, 1853, in Cass county, Michigan. He is the son of Thomas E. and Charlotte (Lee) Fletcher, and, with his parents, came to Polk county, Iowa, in 1856, where he gave his attention to farming, staying there two years. Calhoun county was their next home, and in 1861 they moved to Dallas, near Perry, where they still reside. Thomas E. Fletcher is in the cooper business in Perry. Two of his sons, Lewis and Francis S., did faithful service during the late war. Lewis enlisted in the fall of 1862 in company A, 23d Ohio infantry, and was mustered out in 1865. He took part in engagements at Fort Gibson, siege of Vicksburg, Milliken's Bend and several other places. He died in April, 1874, leaving a widow and two children, now residing in Omaha. Francis S. enlisted in April 1863, in company E., 4th Iowa infantry, and was mustered out in 1865. He took part in several important battles. He now lives in Des Moines. In 1866 he was married to Miss Anna Carnes, of Boone county, Iowa, his wife dying January 23, 1883, and leaving two children--Eddie and Alice. In June, 1883, Ansel Fletcher, the subject of this sketch, came to Bagley and took the management of the Bagley lumber company. He learned the lumber business with Holmes and Durfee, of Perry, working with them for three years. Formerly he followed the occupations of farming ang teaching. He is a member of the Bagley Pioneer lodge, No. 142, Legion of Honor. Since the writing of this sketch he has been married.

John E. Goetz, son of John and Rosalie (Graffennaurer) Goetz, was born in Bavaria, Germany, February 16, 1849. He emigrated with his parents to America in May, 1854. They went to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he remained about six months, then coming to Iowa city, Iowa. His father was in the mercantile business until the year 1865, when he established a saw-mill and wood yard at that place. He has now retired from business, located still in Iowa City. The subject of this sketch left Iowa City in the spring of 1872, going to West Liberty, Muscatine county, Iowa, where he was engaged in the mercantile business, remaining there until 1878, when he traded his stock of goods for a farm in Polk county, where he followed farming until the fall of 1882. He then sold his farm and came to Bagley and established his present business, keeping a large stock of dry goods, clothing, grocieries, boots, shoes, etc. He was married in West Liberty, February 2, 1876, to Miss India D. Maxson, daughter of William and Hannah B. (Kiesler) Maxson. Mrs. Goetz was born in Cedar county, Iowa, and moved with her parents to West Liberty in 1867, where she was married. They have tree children--Charles J., Melville and Mabel. He is a charter member of the pioneer lodge No. 142, legion of honor. When it was first organized he was financial secretary, and is at present usher.

Martin H. Johnson, son of John and Ann (fox) Johnson, was born in Walworth, New York, on the 13th of June, 1854. His mother died, and he moved with his father to Iowa City, Iowa, in 1867. Here he learned the trade of a blacksmith, and after remaining there a short time they went to Kellogg, Jasper county, where they remained two years, and then came to Panora. He worked at his trade there some time, when they came to Dodge township, locating on section 11. He removed to Babley in the fall of 1881, and established his present business, and working at his trade from that time hence. His father remained in this county about two years, and then went to Peoria, where he died in 1883. Martin was married on the 13th of August, 1876, to Miss Mary Kelso, daughter of William and Diantha (Moon) Kelso. They have three children--James Arthur, Mary Myrtle, and Mabel. He is a charter member of the Pioneer Legion of Honor, No. 142. He is at present sentinal of that lodge.

John C. McConnell was born July 10, 1837, in Shockton county, Ohio. He is the son of Thomas and Sybil (Thompson) McConnell, who moved to Bartholomew county, Indiana, in 1842, where his father followed farming. His mother died in 1847. Removing to Chickasaw county, Iowa, in 1855, Mr. Thomas McConnell died there in 1875. In 1867 the subject of this sketch turned his attention to farming, in Greene county, Iowa, from whence in 1882, he came to Bagley, establishing himself in his present occupation [groceries and provisions]. He was married September 5, 1870, to Miss Eliza Heater, daughter of Jacob and Sarah A. (McElroy) Heater. Mrs. McElroy was born in Champaign county, Illinois, and came with her parents in 1855 to Greene county, where she was married. They have four children--Ada A., Herbert, Clarence and Mabel. John C. McConnell enlisted in Chickasaw county, August 1, 1862, in Company G, 27th Iowa volunteer infantry, and was present at the engagements of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, Nashville, Fort Blakely, Little Rock, Fort DeRusse, Yellow Bayou, Meridian, Mississippi, and at Old Town Creek, Mississippi. At Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, he had a narrow escape, six bullets having grazed his blanket.

Francis McElroy, a brother of Henry, was born March 17, 1839, in county Farmanth, Ireland. With his parents he emigrated to the United States in March, 1844, settling in Bureau county, Illinois, where his parents both died. He was married March 24, 1861, to Miss Sophia Naylor, a daughter of Robert and Elisabeth (Allen) Naylor. Two children have blessed their union--Edward and Emma. Francis came to Iowa county, Iowa, in 1870, and moved to Atlantic, Cass county in 1879. In May, 1881, he came to Dodge township, settling on section 2, and at one time owned the land on which the town of Bagley now lies. During the late war he was a teamster for six months at Little Rock, Arkansas. He owns over three hundred acres of land in Guthrie county, and is also a land speculator.

Henry B. McElroy was born October 10, 1850, in Bureau county, Illinois, and is the son of James and Mary A. (Boardman) McElroy. His father followed farming up to the time of his death, in 1874, his mother having died previous to this. Henry came to Guthrie county in May, 1866, and stopping at Panora, remained there during the summer, when he went to what is now known as De Soto, where he built the first railroad shanty. From here he went to Des Moines, staying there during the winter of 1866 and 1867. His next home was in Jasper county, where he stayed two years farming, after which, in the spring of 1869, he engaged for seven years in buying and improving land, and selling the same, in Iowa county. He again came to this county in May, 1879, and from there to Cass in 1880, returning in May, 1881, to Guthrie county, and settling at Bagley, where he now resides, on section 2. He has been very successful in accumulating property, and is now one of the first land owners in the neighborhood.

Edward McKee, son of David and Sarah (Delevergne) McKee. He came to Bagley in 1883, where he became road supervisor and also proprietor of the livery stable. He was born in Boone county, Illinois, April 23, 1856. He moved with his parents to De Kalb county in 1860, where they remained but a short time, when they went to Nebraska, where his father died in 1866. He and his mother moved back to De Kalb county, where they remained until 1877, when they came to Guthrie county, settling in Richland township, where his mother still resides. He moved to Dodge township in 1882, and then to his present location [Bagley, livery stable proprietor]. he was married in March, 1881, to Miss Ida Woodworth, daughter of H. M. and S. M. (Miller) Woodworth. They have two children--Carl B. and Guy.

Rev. S. S. Todd, son of William and Margaret (Stuat) Todd, was born in Knox county, Ohio, August 1, 1838. He moved with his parents to Hancock county, Ohio, in 1843, where his father followed cabinet-making. They remained there until 1862, when they came to Pioneer Grove, Cedar county, Iowa. While there he enlisted in Company B, 24th Iowa Infantry. He was mustered out August, 1865. He took part in the engagements at Magnolia Hill, Mississippi, Champion Hill, Mississippi, Black river bridge, Siege of Vicksburg, Shreveport, Louisiana, Pleasant Hill, Yellow Bayou, Hall Town, Virginia, Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, or New Town, and a number of skirmishes. While still in Cedar county he attended Cornell university and in 1878 took charge of the first Methodist Episcopal church in Guthrie Center, and remained in that charge till the following October, when he moved to Bear Grove township, where he remained two years. From there he went to Oakland, Pottawattamie county, where he remained one year, and then went to Brdgeport, Boone county, where he remained one year. He came to Bagley in October, 1882, where he still resides. He was married in November, 1871, in Juliet, Illinois, to Miss M. D. Rigby, of Cedar county, Iowa. Mrs. Todd was born in Stark county, Ohio. She came with her parents to Cedar county, 1851. They have had three children--Maggie May, Winifred Blanche, born in September, 1873, died in August 1873; and Florence Belle.