acres of the land is farmed by his son, Robert F. Stead. The land is situated on Secs. 14 and 15. His residence, which is a handsome brick building, and the barns, etc., are on Sec. 14. The place is well stocked. He was married in N. Y. in 1850, to Miss Mary A. Russell, and they have four children, Robert F., Edwin G., Hannah and Elizabeth.

James Sharp, farmer, Burr Oak tp.; was born in Pocahontas Co., W. Va., in 1820, came to Io. in 1855, and settled first in Hesper tp., this Co., where he lived eight years; thence to this place, bought land, and now owns 160 acres in Sec. 16, where he resides; also farms 155 acres in Sec. 15, which he formerly owned, and which now belongs to P. E. Truman. He was married in 1842 in W. Va., to Miss Rachel Moore, and they have eight children living, George, Robert, Martha, Jane, Luvena, Eddie and Prudie. George, the oldest son, assists his father in the management of the farm, and was born in W. Va. in 1843, and came to this Co. with his parents. He resides with his father, and was married in 1875 in this tp., to Miss Susannah Peacock; they have one son, Stewart.

Knudt Salveson, farmer, Hesper tp.; was born in Southern Norway in 1851, came to the U. S. with his parents in 1853, and settled in this tp. His father bought part of his land at government price, and also some of settlers. He thoroughly improved the same, and in 1878 the land came into the possession of its present owner. There is a good residence and barns. The farm is well stocked, and is fine level land. Mr. S. was married in 1875 in Decorah to Miss Anna Siverson, and they have one child, Salve.

Engebret G. Soland, P. O. Decorah; farmer, Sec. 1, Springfield tp.; was born in Norway in 1824, where he remained till 1842, when he emigrated to the U. S., first stopping in Racine Co., Wis., a short time, and thence to Kendall Co., Ill. In 1851 he came to this Co. and in Feb., 1852, came to his present farm, which now contains nearly 700 acres, well improved and with first-class buildings, and is one of the best farms in the Co. Mr. Soland was married to Miss Helen Clement in 1850. She died in Nov., 1879, leaving himself and two sons, Gilbert and Errick, to mourn her loss. Since the death of his wife he has divided the most of his farm between his two sons, and lives with his son Gilbert, who was married to Miss Magdalene Egge, April 25, 1878, and has one daughter, Ella B. Errick was married to Miss Henrietta Hegg, May 21, 1880.

D. E. Shelmidine, nurseryman and florist, proprietor of the "Kendalville Nursery;" was born in Courtland Co., N. Y., Dec. 9, 1817. In 1829 his parents moved to Oil Creek, Crawford Co., Penn., and went into the lumber business. In 1851, after the death of his father, he moved to Io., and arriving at this place he drove stakes, before the tp. was organized. He took the claim he now owns, proved upon the same, and obtained patent; sold the

a

greater portion of the original claim, which was 160 acres, now owning only 33 acres, joining the village of Kendalville, and established the above named nursery thereon in 1872. There are ten acres of timber and the balance is laid out as the nursery. It is rich bottom land, and well fitted with choice nursery stock, including many varieties of apple trees, all varieties of Hybrids; also all varieties of small fruits, and shade and ornamental trees and evergreens. Mr. S. is doing an extensive business. He has good barn and comfortable residence, which latter was erected in 1856, built of logs and boarded. He served one term of two years as member of the board of supervisors in 1861 and 1862. There was one member elected from each tp. in those days, and they received the handsome amount of $1.50 per day as remuneration, receiving pay in warrants worth 65 cents on the $1.00. He was married in 1844 in Penn., to Miss Sarah W. Hunter, who died June 24, 1878, at this place, leaving four children, Melinda, Addie, Allie and Edgar.

Frank B. Snell, farmer, Bluffton tp.; was born in McKeen Co., Penn., in 1837. In the following year his parents moved to McHenry Co., Ill., where they remained seventeen years; then came to Io., and settled where he now resides. They were among the earliest settlers. They bought government land and improved the same. The property now belongs to Frank B., and contains 125 acres, ten acres of which is timber, well improved, good stone residence, and well stocked. It is situated on the Upper Iowa river, on Secs. 4 and 5. He was married in 1863 in Hesper tp., to Miss Ann Mitchell, and has three children, Angeline, George and Maggie.

John Stockman, farmer, Fremont tp.; owns 600 acres, 160 acres being in Howard Co., and the balance in this Co. and tp., on Secs. 31 and 32. He was born in Isle la Mott, Vt., 1833; worked in a quarry and on government work, etc., by day labor. In 1855 he came to Io. and bought land in Howard Co., and also pre-empted a quarter Sec. in this tp., and has since added the rest, which, with the exception of 50 acres of timber, is all improved, having good residences, barns, etc., and well stocked: Mr. Stockman is one of the most extensive farmers and land owners in the Co., and has accumulated his property by hard work, having come to this state poor and worked for about ten years after coming here at day's work, before he could work his own land to advantage. He operates all his land himself, and employs generally three men, and more in the busiest seasons. He has eighteen head of horses and uses five teams; owns 61 head of cattle and a large drove of hogs. Mr. S. has filled many offices of trust in the tp., and is a leading and respected citizen. He was married in 1854 in Vt., to Miss Sarah Eddy; their children are Sobrina, Mary, William, Winfield, Mattie and Lowena.

Leonard Standring, Esq., is a native of Lowille, Lewis Co., N. Y., born on the 1st day of April, 1835. After receiving his education at the Lowille academy, he entered the Bank of Lowille at the age of 14, and remained in that situation six years. Thus at 20 years of age we find him with a broad foundation of useful knowledge and experience on which to build his future career. In Sept., 1855, Mr. Standring immigrated to Io., located at Decorah, and in the same year, in co-partnership with William L. Easton, former president of the Bank of Lowille, and E. E. Cooley, Esq., established the Decorah Bank. This banking house proved eventually to be the germ of the First National Bank. The year of the opening of this bank was noted in the history of Decorah as that of the establishment of the Turkey River branch. of the U. S. land office, in that place. It was a time of great excitement in land speculation; crowds of eager land-buyers gathered here from all the country around, and money poured in in almost fabulous quantities. The office was opened on Christmas day, 1855, and that occasion had caused a good deal of drinking and unusual hilarity on the part of the crowd; so much so as to make it necessary that a sober and trusty custodian should be selected to take care of the money and valuable papers in their possession. Mr. Standring was chosen to fulfill that arduous and responsible duty, but the question now arose, where should a safe deposit be found? A dry goods box was obtained as the best substitute, and into this the motley crowd began to empty their treasures-warrants, money, belts of gold, shot-bags of coin-till all had been deposited; and over this Mr. Standring stood guard till the equilibrium of the crowd had been restored. Out of that box was counted the next morning over half a million dollars in money and warrants. This incident furnishes a good illustration of the estimate placed upon Mr. Standring's integrity at that early day, when settlers in a new country were not always scrupulous as to the character of their acts. In 1859 Mr. Standring withdrew from the bank and the year following purchased forty acres of land near the city limits, and on account of his health commenced farming, which he continued for several years, and as he was very successful he added to his farm from time to time, so that he now owns over six hundred acres adjoining the city. In 1875 Mr. Standring purchased the assets of the Mississippi Valley Iusurance Company, and paid off the stockholders. April 17, 1879, he was appointed the assignee of the firm of Ammon, Scott & Co., and has since been engaged as such. Mr. Standring, in all his public and private life, has maintained the reputation of a strictly honest and reliable man, who does precisely as he agrees. His home is furnished with the applicances and comforts of the best social life, and he has the highest respect of all who know him. He takes no interest in politics further than to perform his duty as a citizen. Mr. Standring was united in marriage

to Miss Mary Protheroe, of Decorah, on the 28th of October, 1858, and now has three daughters, Mary S., Nellie P., and Elsie.

John R. Slack, principal of the Decorah Business College, was born in Ohio in 1824. He was educated at Jefferson College, of Chambersburg, Pa., after which he engaged with his father in the nursery and gardening business. At the age of 25 he commenced book-keeping at Steubenville, his native town. In 1856 he came to Io., and December 19, 1856, entered the Winneshiek County Bank, and was its book-keeper and cashier uutil the spring of 1874; during this time he also served as postmaster for five years. In the fall of 1874 he established the Decorah Business College, and has since conducted the same. Iu 1875 he published a book entitled "Rationale and Practice of Book-keeping, and has since used the same in the college. Mr. Slack is an expert accountant, and is often employed in that capacity. He was married July 24, 1858, to Miss Mariah A. Foley, a native of La Porte, Ind; they have nine children, John, James, Catherine, Hutton, Raphael, Paul, Edward, Leonard and Samuel.

P. S. Smout. This enterprising gentleman is a native of England, and was born in 1839. When he was only two or three years old the famly emigrated to Canada, and in 1856 to Wis. Mr. Smout here engaged in the hardware business, which he continued until 1865, in which year he came to Decorah, and has since been pursuing the same business. In the spring of 1882 he rented the Klein & Johnson brewery, converted the same into a creamery, and is now running the same. He is also senior member of the firm of P. S. Smout & Co., manufacturers of creamery apparatus, etc. Mr. Smout has been twice married-in 1862 to Miss Mary Sloane, by whom he has one son. Frank F.; in 1880 to Amelia Seifert, by whom he has one son, Harry G.

J. C. Strong, President Winneshiek County Bank. The subject of this sketch is a native of the state of N. Y., and was born in 1832. In 1853 he came westward as far as Cleveland, Ohio, and in 1857 to Io. Upon arriving in the Hawkeye state, he soon settled at Fort Atkinson, and engaged in general merchandise. In 1862 he went back to his native state, and until 1865 was engaged in general merchandise at Yorkshire, Erie Co. He then returned to Io., and settled at Decorah. Here he speculated in grain, wool, etc., for one year. The next eight years he was employed as secretary of the Mississippi Valley Insurance Co. In the spring of 1875 Mr. Strong spent a few months east for the purpose of recruiting his health, which had been somewhat affected by his indoor confinement and close attention to business. At the death of H. S. Weiser, his brother-in-law, Mr. Strong and J. M. Williams, in accordance with the will of the deceased, became the executors of the estate, and Mr. Strong was chosen president of the

banking house. Mr. Strong was married in 1857, at Cleveland, Ohio, to Abbie C. Amy, daughter of John and Cyntha G. Smalley Amy. The children are Harry A., John C. and Ř. L.

Michael Steyer, was born in Germany in 1838; learned the trade of stone and marble worker in his native country; also traveled in Belgium and France. In 1867 he came to the U. S. to visit his brother, Joseph Steyer, but upon arriving at Decorah, was so well pleased with the place that he entered into business there. In 1876 he purchased a stone quarry at Decorah, and was the first man to make use of the Decorah fossil stone for monuments, etc. Mr. Steyer was married Jan. 2, 1868, to Miss Celia Lamm, and they now have five children, K. Mary, P. George, J. Louis, Louisa and Lena.

A. G. Seavy, painter, was born in Windsor Co., Vt., in 1830. In 1854 he married Miss Mary J. Brown, and two years later came west and located at Decorah. In 1857 he went to Mower Co., Minn., purchased 160 acres of land and lived on the same about eighteen months. He then returned to Io., and lived in Howard Co. until 1870, in which year he returned to Decorah. His wife died the same year he returned to Decorah, leaving two children, Willie H. and Abbie J. In 1877 he married Mrs. Zilpha A. Wagar. In politics he is republican, and his religious affiliations are with the Methodist Episcopal church.

R. Small, M. D., is a native of Scotland, born in 1828, but while he was yet an infant the family came to the U. S. and settled in Ohio. He received an academic education, and at the age of 20 commenced the study of medicine with Dr. L. D. Vickers, of Lexington, O., as preceptor. In 1852 he entered the Ohio Medical College; in 1856 came to Io. and located at Rossville, Allamakee Co. Subsequently he entered the University of Penn. and graduated in 1861. In 1863 he enlisted in Co. K, 1st O. heavy artillery, and served until the spring of 1864, when he was mustered out to receive a contract as acting assistant surgeon, serving one year. He then again enlisted in the 91st O. inf., and served until the close of the war. After the war Dr. Small returned to Io. and practiced medicine in Fayette Co. until 1868. He then spent several years as a traveling lecturer, and in operating on diseases of the eye, also chronic diseases, &c., since which time he has been at Decorah. Dr. Small in 1853 married Miss Hattie McDow, by whom he has two children. In 1866 he married Henryette Roe, by whom he has two children.

Joseph Steyer is a native of Luxemburg, and was born in 1835. In 1852 he came to the U. S., and for several years traveled in different states, working at his trade, stone-cutting. In 1851 he leveled and laid the corner-stone of the bridge forming the aqueduct at Toledo, O. This privilege was bestowed upon him because he was the youngest man engaged on the work. In 1855 he laid the first cellar wall (laid in lime and mortar) in Lake City,