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Minn. In 1861 he superintended the building of the bridge at Elkader, Io. He located at Decorah Feb. 8, 1865, and has since been in the saloon business, and has met with marked success. In 1868, accompanied by his wite, he took a trip to Europe. In 1870 he built the Steyer Opera House, and two years subsequently enlarged the same to its present size. The cost of this building was about $53,000. Mr. Steyer was married April 22, 1860, to Miss Mary Lamm. They have had two children, both deceased.

Michael Sherry, farmer, owns 200 acres of tillable land and 10 acres of timber in Frankville tp., and 40 acres of timber in Glenwood tp.; is a native of Ireland, and came to the U. S. with his parents in 1853; settled first in DuPage Co., Ills., and in 1856 came to Io. His father, Michael Sherry, sr., purchased the farm at that time; he died in 1862, and Michael and his brother Hugh have since conducted the same. Their land is located in Secs. 16 and 17, and is fine rolling prairie, well improved, and with good, comfortable buildings. James Sherry, a brother, enlisted in the 117th Ills. inf., served three years in the rebellion, was imprisoned in Libby Prison, and died shortly after being released.

William H. Smith, dealer in general merchandise, Frankville, Io., was born in the city of New York in 1842; was educated there and remained until 1861, when he gratified his desire to come west, by accepting a position as clerk in the store of Frank Teabout. In 1868, in partnership with a Mr. Samons, he bought the store and business of his employer, and in 1872 bought the interest of his partner, and has conducted the business himself ever since. His success is the result of close attention to business and careful management. Besides his mercantile interests he has fine farm property; owns a farm of 260 acres near the village of Frankville, also a fine residence and property in town. Mr. Smith is W. M. of the A. F. & A. M. lodge at Frankville, which is one of the oldest in the state, being No. 66. He was married in 1871 at Frankville to Miss Ellen Cutler, of the same place, and they have two daughters.

A. Snyder, P. M. of Freeport P. O., dealer in general merchandise, was born in Ohio in 1835; his parents emigrated to Ind. in 1841, and to this Co. in 1857, locating at Freeport. Mr. S. followed farming principally until in 1879 he established his present business in connection with George Pennington, of Decorah. He married Miss C. M. Strayer, a native of Mo.; they have one child, D. A. Snyder.

John Stortz, P. O. Decorah; farmer; Sec. 33, Canoe tp.; son of Lorenz and Johanna Stortz; was born in Wirtemburg, Germany, Dec. 27, 1842; his parents emigrated to the U. S. in 1849, and located at Racine, Wis., and in the fall of 1859 came to this Co. and tp., where they still reside. He enlisted in Co. A, 16th U. S. inf., in Apr., 1862. He was with Sherman's army in his march to the sea, and was captured by the rebels at Atlanta, Ga., July

23, 1864, was immediately taken to Andersonville, where he was kept till the 10th of Sept., when he with several others was taken to Florence, S. C. While there he with four others escaped, but after being out a few days were all recaptured and taken to Goldsboro, where he again escaped with a companion, but they were pursued by the rebels with bloodhounds, and were overtaken near a stream; he preferring to take the chances in the water rather than face the hounds; so he leaped in and swam the river, never afterwards seeing or hearing of his companion. He was soon recaptured, but was still determined upon escaping, which he soon did, but was again recaptured through the perfidy of a colored man, to whom he had applied for assistance in getting something to eat. The negro, pretending to befriend them, went for some food, but instead brought his master with others, and they were again taken into captivity. But he soon escaped the fourth time and was again captured. Shortly afterwards he again escapedthis being the fifth time-when he succeeded in reaching the Union lines at Strawberry Plains in Tenn. on the 22d of December, 1864, and soon reached his regiment at Lookout Mountain, where he remained till in the spring of 1865 he was discharged, when he returned home. He married Miss Emily Headington, of Ohio, Oct. 2, 1871, and in the same fall he moved on to his present farm. He now owns 120 acres, valued at $40 per acre. Mr. S. is a thoroughgoing, enterprising farmer; his war record indicates a man of perseverance and energy. His children are Jennie E., Josephine, Ida M., James L., Emma D., Clement A., and an infant.

George Sieh, P. O. Conover; proprietor of St. Charles Hotel and livery; was born in Germany in 1847, and at the age of 19 came to America. At Chicago, Ills., he was engaged in the employ of the C., B. & Q. R. R. Co. one year, after which he went out on the Union Pacific railroad, where he engaged in the saloon business at different points along the railroad to beyond Utah. In the fall of 1869 he returned and went to Prairie du Chien, Wis., remaining some three or four years there; went to Clayton, Io., remaining one year, and in 1874 was married to a Miss Louisa Christoph, of Prairie du Chien. The following year he came to Conover and purchased his present property. He also owns a building and lot at Spillville, worth $1,000. His children are Emma C., George and Louisa. They have lost by death one son. Mr. S. is a member of the I. O. O. F. at Ossian, lodge No.

177.

E. P. Sandager, P. O. Conover; farmer, Sec. 22; was born in Norway in 1826. In the spring of 1850 he shipped in a sail vessel for the U. S., and was nine weeks and three days making the trip to N. Y. He then came to Buffalo and via the great lakes to Milwaukee, Wis., thence by private conveyance to Winnesheik Co. in the fall of 1850, his brother Thore having preceded him

some three months with his father-in-law, T. Larson, who were the first settlers of Calmar tp., the subject of this sketch being the next. He first purchased 40 acres of land from the government, to which by economy, industry and perseverance he has added, until he now owns 900 acres, one of the best farms in the tp. He was married in 1855 to Miss Rena Guttermson, who came to this country in 1853. They have eight children, Peter, Gilbert, Andrew, Hans T., Gusta, Martha, Eliza and Emma, and lost one daughter, Eliza. Mr. S. has taken special care to give his children good educations, both in their native language and in English, and is a member of the Lutheran church.

Charles Sydow, P. O. Conover; dealer in grain, lumber, stock, etc; was born in Germany in 1833. He received a liberal education in his native language and was engaged as a clerk and accountant several years prior to coming to the U. S., which was in 1856. He first came to Milwaukee, Wis., where he had friends; remained there but a short time, first making a tour through many of the Southern states and Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. He then came to Io., stopping in Clayton Co., where he remained till the breaking out of the rebellion, and espousing the cause of the Union, in Aug., 1862, he enlisted as a private in Co. D, 27th Io. inf., participating in most of the battles in which his company were engaged, and for meritorious conduct and bravery at the battle of Pleasant Hill, La., he was promoted to the office of second lieutenant of his company; was mustered out at Clinton, Io., at the close of the war in 1865, after which he returned to Clayton Co. He was married to Miss Mary N. Klein, of Prairie du Chien, Wis., in 1867, and the same year came to Conover and engaged in his present business. Their children are Bertie, Hedwig, Amelia, Clara, Otelia and Emma. Mr. S. has served as a member of the board of supervisors of his Co., was also elected the first recorder of the town of Conover, has served as justice of the peace, assessor, etc., and is a member of the Blue Lodge Chapter and Encampment of the Masonic order at Decorah.

A. E. Stiles, of the firm of McEwen & Stiles, dealers in drugs, medicines, paints, oils, etc., was born in Allegany, N. Y., in 1854, and came to Postville, Io., in 1855, with his parents, where he has since resided, with the exception of two years spent in Batavia, N. Y., learning the drug trade. He established his pres

ent business in 1879.

John Scott, dealer in general merchandise, postmaster and agent for U. S. Express Co., was born in Schoharie Co., N. Y., in 1828. In 1846 he came to Racine Co., Wis., and in 1852 went to California, returning in 1860. Four years later he came to Calmar and established his present business. Mr. S. has been mayor several terms, and has held other offices of public trust. He married Helen M. Tower, also of Schoharie Co., N. Y.; they have one son, Starring C.

S. A. Sutton, farmer, section 19, P. O. Cresco; owns 157 acres of land, valued at $25 per acre; was born in N. Y., in 1845; is the oldest son of R. T. and Mary E. Sutton; resided in N. Y. until eleven years of age, when he removed with his parents to Io., locating at Postville, where he stayed two years; then moved into Howard Co., and after a short stay there finally located in Winneshiek Co. in 1875, and has been a resident of that County ever since.

Schreiber & Foreman, dealers in general merchandise, Fort Atkinson. Mr. Schreiber, the senior member, is a native of this vicinity, and Mr. Foreman of Penn., the latter coming to this Co. in 1856. They had both been in the employ of W. Taylor, at Spillville, as clerks in the store; came to this place in 1876, and in partnership bought the building and stock of G. Weaver, who had established the business under the firm name of Weaver & Leaman, in 1870. The building is 24x62 ft., two stories, and they carry a complete line of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, hats and caps, crockery, etc. They have established an extensive and lucrative business.

Samuel Strous, farmer, Washington tp.; owns 280 acres of land in sections 17 and 18; was born in Somerset, Somerset Co., Penn., in 1830; his parents soon after moved to Ohio, and resided in New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas Co.; his father was a carpenter and joiner. They moved to Ogle Co., Ill., in 1848 In April, 1850 he came to Io., and bought land in Jackson tp., this Co., and remained until 1864; then purchased this place, where he has resided ever since. He has thoroughly improved the farm, which is one of the finest in the tp. There are a good large residence, barns, etc. The farm is well stocked; he has a few head of good grade cattle, eleven head of horses and colts, besides a fine drove of hogs. Mr. Strous is a popular citizen, and has filled many offices of trust in tp. affairs. He is a member of Hope Stone Lodge, No. 316, A. F. & 4. M. He was married in October, 1853, at Beloit, Wis., to Miss Mary Ann Hutchins, of Guilford, Ill., and they have six children, Judson, Emma, Willis, Amasa, Anuie and George..

William H. Smith, Fort Atkinson; was born 1825, in Brown Co., N. Y. His parents moved to Medina Co., Ohio, in 1835. He there learned the trade of wagon-maker, and remained there until 1859, when he came to Io., located at this place, established business as a wagon-maker, and remained in business only four years, being obliged to discontinue on account of health, having suffered greatly from hemorrhage of the lungs. He owns a comfortable property in town, and is one of the town's first settlers; was postmaster four years; the office was near the old fort on the hill. He was married at Litchfield, Ohio, to Miss Lenora B. Stillman; they have three children, Sarah W., Edwin A. and Martha. F.

W. R. Toye is a native of Canada, and was born in 1853. He was reared on a farm. In 1872 he came to Decorah, and for three years was engaged in teaching. He then formed a partnership with Dr. W. F. Coleman, and engaged in the drug business until 1877, when the store and stock were destroyed by fire. Mr. Toye is at present city clerk and justice of the peace. He was married in 1877 to Miss Viola Coleman, daughter of Dr. W. F. Coleman. O. P. Thompson is a native of Norway, born in 1834, emigrated to the U. S., and first located in Clayton, Io.; followed farming one year, and then commenced mercantile life as clerk, and in 1863 he came to Decorah, and has since been a member of the firm of Olson & Thompson. Mr. Thompson was married in 1859 to Miss Thonete Simons. The children are Nellie, Edward, Charles, Albert and Fred.

Charles Trzcinski, barber, hair dresser and manufacturer, wholesale and retail dealer of ladies' hair goods. Mr. T. was born in Poland in 1851; came with his parents to the U. S., and settled at Washington, Wis., in 1854. Here he grew up and learned the barber's trade. He subsequently spent three years in Chicago, from which city he came to Decorah, in March, 1877. Mr. Trzcinski, in 1879, married Miss Jennie Zuckmayer; they have two children, John J. and Charles E.

A. Tracy, retired; was born in Orange Co., Vt., March 7, 1820, received an academic education, taught school, and subsequently engaged in farming, making sheep breeding a specialty. In 1856 he moved to Ill., and in 1858 to Io., settling in Sumner tp., Winneshiek Co. Here Mr. Tracy followed farming. He owned over 600 Merino sheep, which formed the best flock in the Co. In 1875 his two sons, aged 20 and 27, were taken with scarlet fever and suddenly died. He therefore, two years later, left his farm and removed to Decorah. Mr. Tracy, in 1843, married Miss Phoebe Hutchinson, and they now have two daughters living, Adelaide and Emma, the latter now the wife of Louis Blodgett. Mr. Tracy is a republican in politics; has held local offices; also served as trustee of the State Agricultural College one term.

Nils Tronson, farmer, Glenwood tp.; owns 130 acres of tillable land and 30 acres of timber; was born in 1825, in Walders, Norway; came to the U. S. in 1848, and settled in Wis. In 1850 he came to Io., and bought 120 acres, where he now resides and has since bought 40 acres. The land is principally fine rolling prairie, with some good grass land; is well improved and well stocked. Mr. Tronson's wife died in July, 1878.

Henry R. Thomas, farmer, section 19, P. O. Decorah; owns 260 acres of land, valued at $40 per acre; was born in Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., in 1831; came west in 1854 and located in Decorah. In 1858 he, in company with John Greer, started a plow factory for the purpose of manufacturing breaking plows. In 1868 Mr. Thomas sold his interest to Ammon, Greer & Co.; subsequently

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