man. His views differ greatly from most nursery men, but his success proves that his judgment is in the main correct. He does not believe in pruning trees, and to substantiate his belief he can show many trees in his nursery which have been allowed to grow according to the dictates of nature's laws. He has a Concord grape vine planted in 1863, but which for two years was trampled down by cattle, since which time it has been cared for by Mr. B., and although it has never been touched by a pruning knife, or fertilized, it now has five branches, each forty feet in length. It has stood the weather at 44 degrees below zero, and for a number of years has grown from 200 to 1,000 pounds of grapes annually. He now has about twenty-five acres of nursery, and the largest stock of fruit and ornamental trees in this section.

H. J. Bentley, dealer in jewelry, watches, clocks, etc., was born in Freeport, Illinois, in 1853. He came to this county in 1858 with his father (Jas. Bentley, whose biography appears elsewhere). He married Jennie Reed, a native of New York. They have one

son.

L. M. Bearce, Clerk of the Courts, was born in Maine in 1837. He removed from there to Massachusetts, thence in 1852 to Iowa, and settled near Waukon in this county. He subsequently engaged in the mercantile business in Waukon. In 1880 he was elected to his present position. He married Maria Israel, a native of Pennsylvania. They have two children, a son and daughter. George H. Bryant, County Treasurer, was born in Otsego county, N. Y., in 1837, came west in 1863, and located in Lansing, and for five years was employed as clerk. He subsequently engaged in the boot and shoe trade, which he continued until elected to his present position. He married Martha Dennis, a native of Indiana. They have one son and three daughters.

James W. Burhans, of the firm of Burhans Brothers, proprieetors of the Burlington House, Postville, was born in Nov., 1824, in New York, came to Rock County, Wisconsin, in 1845, remaining till 1865, when he returned to New York, and in 1868 moved to Camden, Missouri, where he engaged in farming six years; after which, in company with a brother, he engaged in general merchandising. In the winter of 1882 he came to Postville and engaged as above. He married Miss Mary M. Davis, of New York, in 1848. She died in Missouri in 1873, leaving one daughter, Ella E.

J. H. Burhans, of the firm of Burhans Bros., proprietors of the Burlington House, Postville, was born in 1831, in Otsego Co., N. Y.; emigrated with parents to Rock Co., Wis., in 1845, from there to Ossian, Winneshiek Co., Io., in 1855, and in April, 1857, moved to Clayton Co., the roads being blocked with snow, it having been a very severe winter. In the fall of 1862 he enlisted in Co. L, 6th Io. Cav. Their operations were confined to the northwest, protecting the frontier from the Indians. He was discharged

in October, 1865, returned home, and was mostly engaged working at his trade, carpenter and joiner. In 1876 he came to Postville, still following his trade. In the winter of 1882 he purchased the Burlington House in company with his brother, J. W. Burhans. He married Sarah A. D. cut, in 1854; they have one son, John D. the Masonic Order.

a native of ConnectiMr. B. is a member of

M. Beucher, Postville, dealer in hardware, stoves and tinware, also proprietor of billiard hall; born in 1830 in Germany, emigrated to the U. S. in Aug. 1854, and located in Allamakee Co., following farming for nine years; the came to Postville and engaged in brewing beer, continuing four years, after which he engaged in his present business. He married Miss Louisa Koevenig, a native of Germany, in 1861; they have one son, Joseph. Mr. B. is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and A. O. U. W.

H. T. Ballman, P. O. Postville; farmer, sec. 8; owns a farm of 270 acres, valued at $25 per acre. He was born in Muskingum Co., Ohio, in 1835, his parents emigrating to this county in 1855, remaing here till their death. His father died in 1870, and mother in 1874. Mr. B. was married to Miss Adaline V. Minert in 1859. She was born in Indiana. Their children are Benjamin F., Emma L., Daniel G., Lillie E., Henry S., Jennie A. and Harry B. They have lost two, Alice L., and Charles E. He is a member of the M. E. church.

W. N. Burdick, editor and publisher of Review, was born in New York in 1837, and in 1839 his parents immigrated to Kane Co., Ill.; thence to West Union, Fayette Co., Io., in 1852, where he followed farming till 1856, when he engaged in a printing office at Decorah, and subsequently at Cresco for a short time, when he again resumed farming for two years, and then engaged in the mercantile business. He served as postmaster at Cresco nearly seven years. In 1873 he purchased an interest in the Winneshiek Register, at Decorah, and soon after the whole interest. In 1875 he sold out and purchased the Review, at Postville. He married Amy E. Halsted in 1860. She was born in Ohio. They have three children, Edward L., Albert E. and Arthur S. They have lost two sons.

N. J. Beedy, mayor of Postville, was born in New York in 1826; learned the carpenter and joiner trade in early life, emigrated to Winnebago Co., Ill., in 1850, and in 1852 to Allamakee Co., Ia., engaging in farming and working at his trade. In 1865 he came to Postville and engaged in the grain and produce business till the spring of 1881, when he retired from active business. He has served as councilman, and is now serving his secoud term as mayor and county supervisor. He married Mary E. Barnes, of New York, in 1850. She died in 1867. He was again married to Lucy Hall, also a native of New York, in Nov., 1869. He has

three children by his first marriage, Fred:, Ida M. and Carrie F., and one by his second marriage, Mabel. He is a member of the A. O. U. W.

Charles C. Blumm, postoffice, Rossville, dealer in general merchandise and manufacturer of harness, was born in Germany, April 29th, 1848, near the River Rhine. His parents emigrated to the United States in 1850, stopping at Toledo, Ohio, where his father died of cholera in 1854. The following year, 1855, the family came to this county, locating at Rossville. In 1865 he went to Prairie du Chien and engaged to learn the harnessmaker's trade, working at that till the latter part of 1866, when he returned to Rossville and opened a harness shop, continuing but a short time, when he closed out his business and spent about a year traveling and working at journey work. He returned to Rossville and purchased the homestead of his mother and again opened a harness shop, soon after adding groceries, and, in 1873, dry goods. In December, 1876, he formed a co-partnership with Jas. M. Ross, adding drugs, which continued till February, 1880, when he purchased Mr. Ross' interest. He was married to Miss Mary Sencebaugh, May 30th, 1875. She was a native of West Virginia. Their children are Charles A. and Daisy P. They have lost one son, Robert H. Mr. Blumm is a member of the I. O. O. F.

W. H. Burtis, retired farmer, postoffice, Rossville, son of Henry and Mary Burtis; was born October 11, 1825, in the district of Prince Edwards, Canada. He learned the shoemaker's trade in early life, at which he worked principally, till 1847, when he came to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he worked at his trade during the winters, and farmed during the summer. In the fall of 1859, he went to Lake County, Illinois, where he remained till 1868, when he came to Allamakee County, Iowa, stopping in Ludlow township till 1876, he came to Rossville, where he now resides. He was married to Miss Louisa Ross, October 5, 1869. She is a sister of O. A. Ross, and was born in Pennsylvania. Mr. Burtis owns a farm of 120 acres three miles from Rossville, also seven acres within the village of Rossville; his wife also owns a farm of 80 acres some three miles from Rossville.

Jeptha Beebe, postoffice, Waukon; farmer, section 8; son of Hezekiah and Sarah Beebe; born in Chemung County, New York. His parents moved to La Grange County, Indiana, in 1837. In 1850 he emigrated to Crawford County, Wisconsin, where he engaged in lumbering till in 1853, he came to Allamakee County, Iowa, locating at Waterville, and purchased the corn cracker mill of Riley Ellis, to which he added a saw mill the same year. His brother, N. A. Beebe, building a grist mill in 1854. Soon after it was completed, he became a partner in the grist mill with his brother, but soon sold his interest to Mr. J. Spooner, continuing the saw mill till the fall of 1857, when he sold out

his brother, N. A. Beebe, and purchased a farm two miles and a half west of Rossville. Soon after he engaged as contractor of a stage line, from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, to Chatfield, Minnesota. The route being discontinued in 1858 by order of James Buchanan, through the Postmaster General, which left him with a large amount of stage property on his hands which he then took to Kansas, and securing another stage line soon after traded his interest for a steam saw mill, some fifteen miles south from Topeka, which took fire and was burned in 1860 with quite an amount of lumber and logs, all being a total loss. He re-built the mill and sold to other parties, and came back to Allamakee County and rented the saw mill at Waterville one year; then rented a farm near Rossville for one year, and then bought a saw mill on Yellow River, which he ran till 1867, then sold out and turned his attention to farming. In the spring of 1869 he purchased his present farm. Mr. B., upon his return from Kansas to this county, found himself $3,700 in debt, all of which he has paid. He was married to Miss Mary A. Coffman, in 1854. She was also a native of Pennsylvania. They have six children: William E., Henry H., Leon E., Laura M., Edith A. and Edna E., and have lost two-Lottie S. and Alden S. Mr. Beebe has served as Justice of the Peace in his township and is a Greenbacker in politics.

James Briar, P. O. Rossville; farmer, sec. 27; son of James and Margaret Briar; born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., in 1839, where he remained till, in 1855, he came to Iowa, stopping in the northern part of this township. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Co. A, 27th Ia. Inf., participating in most of the battles in which the company was engaged, till the close of the war. He then returned home, and was married the same year to Miss Sarah Gates. She was born in Decatur Co., Ind.; they have seven children: Wm. H., Samuel D., Joseph A., Julia A., James E., Charles S. and Delia M., and have lost one daughter, Eliza. Mr. B. moved to his present farm of 160 acres in 1876. It is a good farm, well improved, with good buildings upon it, and worth $40 per acre.

John C. Beedy, P. O. Waukon, farmer, sec. 13; owns 80 acres of land, valued at $40 per acre. He was born in 1835 in Piscataquis Co., Me. In 1850 he went to Natic, Mass., where he commenced learning the shoemaker's trade, continuing about a year, after which he was engaged on the sea in vessels doing a coast trade up as far as Nova Scotia, during summers, and at his trade during winters. In 1857 he immigrated to Iowa and located in Makee tp., this county, and in 1862 came on to his present farm. He married Miss Angie Gaslin, of Maine, in 1857. She died in 1876, leaving him with a family of seven children. The children are: Arthur, Leroy, Edgar, Angie, Cora, Nellie and Albert. He was again married to Mary Ryan, 1878, by whom he has three children: Lizzie, John and William. He is a member of the I. O. O. F.

Willard Bacon, P. O. Village Creek, farmer, sec. 22; son of John and Betsey Bacon; born in Orange Co., Vt.; learned the carpenter and joiner's trade in early life; went to Massachusetts in 1843, where he engaged in house building for three years; then engaged in railroad bridge building for several different companies, and was for six years in the employ of the N. Y. & N. H. R. R. Co. In 1855 he came to Allamakee Co., Ia., and purchased his present farm of 140 acres, at the head of one of the branches of Village Creek, it being mostly bottom land, and very productive, and upon which he has good buildings, pleasantly situated and sheltered from the winds. Mr. B. was married to Miss Harriet Poore, of Vermont. They have three childreen: Idelia, whose husband's name is Aldrich; Wilhimena and Hattie.

James Bryson, of Jefferson tp., was born in Perthshire, Scotland, Aug., 1802. Has always been a prominent man wherever he lived. Was an elder in the Presbyterian church in Scotland, as also in Connecticut, where he located, after four years in Canada. In his native country his occupation was running a linen factory, and after coming to America was overseer of woolen mills. Settled in Paint Creek tp. in 1850, where he held various township offices, and represented that and Jefferson tp. in the Board of Supervisors at different times. Was the first representative from Allamakee Co. in the State Legislature. He was a man of firm and just character, and in his prime took an active part in reforms. Was a strong Abolitionist, and a personal friend of John B. Gough and others. In 1824 he married Miss Margaret Scott, who died in 1873, at Rossville. She was of an exceedingly good family, had received a very liberal education, and was a remarkable woman. When they came to this country they had four children living: Elizabeth (now dead), Isabel, John S. and Jane. Four children were born after reaching this country: William, died before the war; James, of Chicago; Alexander, of Ackley; and Margaret, who married John Henderson. James and Alexander were in Co. I, 27th Regt. Io. Vols.

John S. Bryson, farmer, sec. 17, born in Dundee, Scotland, in 1831, and was brought to Canada West in 1836 by his parents who removed to Connecticut in 1840, where he received his first six months schooling, and was put to carding and spinning in a woolen factory of which his father was overseer. The family came west to Wisconsin in 1849, but returned east to York State, whence they came to Iowa in 1850, and located here on the 11th day of May of that year; and on the 15th of the same month John assisted in breaking the first sod in what is now Paint Creek township, where he now owns 240 acres. Later in the summer the first grist mill in Allamakee Co.-a simple corn-cracker-was put in about four miles below Mr. Bryson's place, and he run this most of the time during the first eight months. At the first election of Township Officers in April, 1853, Mr. Bryson was elect