has one daughter, Frances C. Upon arriving and settling on American soil, he at once took measures for the acquirement of citizenship, and as soon as possible became a citizen. He has been connected with the Decorah fire department since its organization, and has been chief of the same since April, 1881.

Geo. Phelps, capitalist. This successful business man is a native of Wales, born in 1834; emigrated to the U.S. in 1851; lived near Chicago until 1854, in which year he settled in Decorah. He at once engaged in manufacturing, and built the first wagons and buggies in Winneshiek Co. A few years subsequently he added a stock of carriage hardware, in which line he afterwards did a wholesale as well as retail business. He also dealt very heavily in farming implements and machinery, so that his business amounted to $125,000 annually. This he continued until 1872, since which time he has been doing a brokerage business. He also owns large amounts of real estate in Io., Minn. and Dakota. Mr. Phelps has traveled over a great part of the U. S. and Europe, having crossed the Atlantic a great many times, and has resided about two years in Chicago. He is plain and unassuming in his manners, and always attends strictly to his own business. He has been twice married-in 1851 to Miss E. M. Smith, who died in Nov., 1860, leaving one son, S. G. D. Phelps, of Grand Forks, Dak.; in 1876 to Miss A. M. Evans.

John W. Protheroe, firm of Gear & Protheroe, city 'bus and dray line, Decorah; is a son of Ira and Zilpha Protheroe, and was born in Allegany Co., N. Y., in 1844. He came with his parents to Decorah in 1857. Mr. Protheroe was educated in the schools of Decorah, after which he followed railroading three years, since which time he has been in his present business. In 1873 he married Miss Ida M. Bary; they have two children, Katie and Grace.

W. A. Pinkham, firm of Chase & Pinkham, was born in Erie Co., N. Y., in 1857, and removed with his parents to Fond du Lac, Wis. He commenced work at his trade as marble worker with his father, and afterwards worked in many of our large cities, and in 1881 settled at Decorah. Mr. Pinkham was married in 1878 to Miss Lulu Knotts.

Osten Peterson, farmer, Hesper tp.; owns 320 acres fine tillable land and 60 acres of timber; was born in Hollingdahl Valley, Norway, in 1822, and was a dealer in stock and produce in a small way. In 1847 he came to America, and settled first in Wis.; lived three years in Rock Co.; then came to Io., locating in Allamakee Co. in 1850. The Co. was then unsettled and destitute of cultivation; there were no farms in the Co. then of any account. He bought land about twelve miles from the Mississippi River; lived there four years; then sold it and bought land in Minn. just across the line; lived there ten years; sold out, moved across the line again and bought where he now resides, one mile from the state line. He has thoroughly improved the farm, built a hand

some residence and very large and handsome barn at a cost of about $4,000. His farm is well stocked and all under fence. Mr. P. was married in Wis. in 1849 to Miss Margaret Gulling, and they have a son and daughter.

Lafayette Packard, blacksmith, was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., in 1826; spent the earlier part of his life on a farm, and and learned his trade previous to coming to Frankville in July, 1856: established business here at once and found it good and profitable, as in those days there was a great deal of travel through to McGregor, the nearest shipping point, and Frankville was a great deal larger town than now, and the largest in the Co. Mr. P. has filled the office of justice of the peace for several years. He was married in N. Y. in May, 1853, to Miss Emelia Doty, and has six children living and three deceased.

Ira Protheroe, P. O. Decorah; farmer, Sec. 14, Decorah tp.; was born June 25, 1816, in Herkimer Co., N. Y. In 1843 he engaged in the hotel business at Castile, Wyoming Co., continuing several years; he then moved to Hume in Allegany Co., and engaged in the same business for about three years; then removed to Waterville, in same Co., and again engaged in the same business about three years, after which he went to Belfast, same Co., and ran a hotel there about seven years. In the fall 1857 he came to Io., locating in Decorah, having bought a livery stock and opened up a livery business in company with the Curtin Bros. In Feb., 1858, he opened a hotel in what was known as the Tremont House (where the Arlington house now stands), continuing in the same till 1865, when he engaged in farming on his present farm, which now contains 206 acres, valued at $35 per acre. Mr. Protheroe was married to Miss Zilpha F. Williams, a native of Wyoming Co., N. Y. Their children are Mary, now the wife of Leonard Standing; Helen, wife of Charles Allison, and John W., proprietor of the Decorah 'bus and dray line.

George V. Punteney, proprietor of Plymouth Rock Mills, Plymouth Rock, Io.; was born in Monongahela Co., Va., in Feb., 1820. In 1829 his parents moved to southeastern Ind. In 1851 Geo. V. came to Io., and settled in this Co., and commenced the erection of a saw mill for Beard & Cutler, on the Canoe river. In June, 1852, he moved to Cold Water, three miles east of this place, and took a claim. The land was not surveyed. In 1854 he married Mary E. Pridmore, at Garnavillo, Clayton Co., Io., and then moved on to his claim, which he entered at the land office when it came into market in 1853. He had worked there three years previously on the Bluffton mills, being a millwright and carpenter by trade. He built a house on his claim and commenced clearing the land, and also built a saw mill and operated the same for three years and improved the farm. His wife died at that place in 1866, and in the same year he moved to Hardin Co., Io., and remained there five years; then returned to his farm here, but did not operate the

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mill, it being run down and out of repair. In May, 1876, he moved to this place, having previously purchased an interest in the mill, which he now owns exclusively. The erection of the mill was commenced in 1852, the dam being built and saw mill established on government land, then not surveyed, and a few years later the flouring mill was built, and the saw mill discontinued, by Mattock & Kelly, who sold to Bean Bros., and eventually it came into the hands of the present owner, as he purchased an interest of them, and aftewards by process of law, the matter being in litigation, obtained entire possession. The mill is 40x40 ft., and 40 ft. high, fitted with three run of buhrs and the latest machinery, and fitted for patent process flour-good water power, four Decorah patent water wheels, etc.; employs a competent miller, L. P. Sanborn, of many years experience, and does custom work. The farm, which Mr. P. still operates, is well stocked, and employs two teams; he owns six head of horses, besides good cattle and hogs. Mr. P. was married to his second wife, Miss Sarah Freeman, in 1873. The children of his first wife are Ladora J., Arthur C., Weldon V., Nellie C. and Charles Emmert; the last mentioned died in June, 1881.

S. Pike was born in Clinton Co., N. Y., in 1831, and is a son of Jesse and Elizabeth Niles Pike; his parents being farmers, he was raised in that avocation. He entered the employ of the railroad company at an early age, which he continued at intervals until the breaking out of the rebellion in 1861, when he became interested in raising the 96th N. Y. regiment; he enrolled fortytwo men, a greater number than any other man. He was taken sick soon after his regiment was enrolled, and was unable to accept the position of captain, which had been previously offered him. In 1863 he came west, and located in Frankville, this Co., and began farming, which proved rather unsuccessful; he then removed to Calmar, again entering the employ of the railroad company, and in 1866 came to Ridgeway, still in the employ of the railroad company, a position which he held until 1870. Of Mr. Pike's ancestors his father's family are of Irish extraction, and his mother's of the old Anglo Saxon stock, his grandfathers on both sides being soldiers in the revolutionary war. Mr. Pike married Elizabeth B. Way, a native of Grand Isle Co., Vt.; they have but one child living, David Emmett, having lost their youngest son, Delbert.

J. C. Rollins, farmer, Burr Oak tp.; born in St. Albans, Somerset Co., Me., in 1826, and followed farming and lumbering. In 1848 he moved to Union, Rock Co., Wis., where he engaged in farming; remained there one year; thence to Adams Co., Wis., and two years later to Washara Co., Wis.; afterwards to Portage City, Wis., where he engaged in the livery and stage business for about three years, and then came to Io., settling where he now resides. He bought the land in the fall of 1864. The land was par