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J. A. TURBOTT is a farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 28, Oregon Township. He is a native of Ohio, born in Harrison County in 1841, and is the son of Peter and Margaret (Sands) Turbott, both natives of Ohio, the former of Scotch-Irish, and the latter of Scotch-English descent. They emigrated to this county in 1864 and settled in Jackson Township, where the father died in 1886, at the age of seventy-six years. The mother is still residing in Jackson Township. They reared a family of nine children, eight of whom are still living in this county.
The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in his native State, was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools. He came to this county in 1864, and first settled in Highland Township, where he remained until March, 1887, when he removed to his present farm. He was married in Coshocton County, Ohio, in 1864, just previous to his removal to Iowa, to Jane Karr, daughter of John and Maria Karr, the former of Scotch and the latter of Irish descent. The former died in Ohio, while the latter
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is still living in that State. Mr. Turbott was born in Ohio in 1841.
Mr. Turbott has made farming his life-long business, and for some years, in addition to general farming, he has been engaged in stock-raising, and also in buying and shipping stock. At present he is occupied in raising Norman horses. He is a member of Orient Lodge No. 365, A.F. & A.M., and also of the I.O.O.F., being a member of Washington Lodge No. 101. Politically, he is a Republican, and believes strongly in the principles advocated by that party. Though never blessed with children of their own, Mr. and Mrs. Turbott have adopted two of their nieces, Maud B. and Iona M., daughters of N. R. and Nancy J. Morrison.
 SENECA B. DEWEY, the leading jeweler of Washington, and a portrait of whom appears on the opposite page, is a native of Washington County, and was born in Brighton, Dec. 16, 1853. He is the son of Ralph and Lucinda (Miller) Dewey, both of whom are natives of Ohio, but who emigrated to Washington County in an early day. (See sketch of Ralph Dewey.) The subject of this sketch was reared in his native county and educated in the High School of Washington. After leaving school in 1870, he went to Ohio and worked there on a dairy farm one year, and then went to Albia, Monroe Co., Iowa, and for one year was engaged with his brother as clerk in his hat store. He then taught school one term. In 1874, when he reached his majority, he entered the jewelry store of D. Hess, at Washington, to learn the trade of jeweler. After serving for three years, he purchased the stock of his employer and has since conducted the business. He carries one of the finest stocks, in his line of trade, of any similar house in this section of the State, including watches, clocks, jewelry, silver-plated ware and spectacles.
Our subject first commenced business on the southeast corner of the square, in 1878, from which place he moved to the south side. In 1882, he purchased his present site on the west side, on which was a frame building in which he moved. This building, with his stock, was burned in the big fire of 1883, when he immediately commenced the erection of his present brick structure, valued at $6,500. In this he moved after fitting the store room up in a most handsome manner. Mr. Dewey is a practical jeweler, one who thoroughly understands his business, and has built up a very substantial trade, which is constantly on the increase. In addition to his mercantile trade, he is the owner of a fine farm of 160 acres in Franklin Township, known as the Cedar Stock Farm, where he has bred some fine roadsters, but is now engaged in breeding Norman and Clydesdale stock. He has fifteen head of the fine mares, and a roadster, a nephew to Maud S., which bids fair to make his mark.
Mr. Dewey was married, Jan. 12, 1882, in Washington, Iowa, to Nora Smouse, a daughter of H. D. Smouse, a retired merchant of this city. By this union there have been two children, one dying in infancy. The living one is Arthur Claire. In politics, Mr. Dewey is a Republican, and, while holding no political office, he keeps himself posted in the affairs of the county. As yet comparatively a young man, he has made a success in business of which he may well be proud, and is numbered among the well-to-do business men of Washington. He is enterprising in all things, and is ever ready to lend a helping hand to every enterprise calculated to build up the city in which he resides, and the county in which he was born.
CURTIS R. WELLS resides on section 12, Dutch Creek Township, and is engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He is a native to the manor born, first seeing the light of day in this county, March 12, 1850, and is the son of W. W. and Rebecca (Jackson) Wells. (See sketch of W. W. Wells in another part of this volume.) The boyhood and youth of Curtis were spent upon his father's farm and in attendance at the district schools in the neighborhood in which the family resided. In addition to the district schools he attended a select school in Washington, Iowa, two terms, receiving a liberal education.
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Our subject remained at home assisting his father on the farm until twenty-three years of age, when he was united in marriage with Miss Missouri E. Shaffer, born May 27, 1857, in Somerset County, Pa., a daughter of William and Nancy (Johnson) Shaffer, who were natives of Pennsylvania, but who removed to Dutch Creek Township, this county, in 1860. Mr. and Mrs. Wells have become the parents of six children: William W., born Jan. 5, 1875, died in infancy; James E., born Jan. 18, 1877; Walter W., born Dec. 1, 1878, died in infancy; Marion R., born July 21, 1881; Charles Roy, Feb. 6, 1883; Allie B., June 18, 1885.
On the 13th of May, 1874, Mr. Wells moved to the farm where he now lives, at that time renting, but subsequently purchasing 120 acres to which he has added by subsequent purchases from time to time, until he now owns 360 acres of fine farming land together with fifteen acres of timber. On the premises is a good dwelling-house, and such barns and other out-buildings as are essential in conducting a well-regulated and general stock farm. For the past few years Mr. Wells has been turning his attention to the improvement of his stock, and has now some of the best breeds of cattle, horses and hogs in Washington County. He is a young man of excellent business habits, and with that energy characteristic of his family, he will doubtless take a much higher rank among the more prosperous farmers of Washington County.
ANDREW J. CUMMINGS, a farmer of Iowa Township, was born in Pownal, Bennington Co., Vt., in 1827, and is a son of William and Sybil (Haley) Cummings. Both were natives of Vermont, he of Scotch and she of Irish descent. William Cummings was the son of John Cummings, who fought throughout the Revolutionary War, being at the time of his enlistment only fifteen years of age. His father fought by his side, but further than this specific history is not obtainable. John Cummings was later engaged in the War of 1812, and afterward became a farmer in Vermont. HIs father settled in Rhode Island when that country was under English rule, and was among the first settlers. He was a blacksmith by trade, and lived and died in that State. His son John reared a family of seven children, who were principally farmers of merchants. Of these William, the father of our subject, wedded Sybil Haley, and lived and died in Vermont. His death occurred by accident when sixty-two years of age. He rented a farm there, and was the father of seven children—Betsy, Alonzo, Nancy, Lydia, Eliza, Andrew J. and Lyman. Of these all are married except Lydia and Lyman, and with the exception of our subject all are residents of Eastern States.
In February, 1854, A. J. Cummings came west and located on the tract of land on which he now resides, and later entered contiguous lands in company with his brother-in-law, who afterward sold Mr. Cummings his interests and returned to his home in Massachusetts. Upon the quarter section which our subject purchased was a small house, now long since removed. Mr. Cummings worked one year for Nathaniel McClure, and in April, 1855, Miss Phoebe A. Myers became his wife. Her parents were Joseph and Mary (Greg) Myers, who were married in Pittsburgh, Pa., and were residents of Greene County, that State. They removed to near Salem, Ohio, in 1835, and in 1836 went to Peoria County, and then to Fulton County, Ill., in which latter county Mrs. Cummings was born.
Joseph Myers was three times married. His first wife was Mary Gregg, who bore five children, and after her death her cousin, Mary Gregg, became his wife. She bore seven children, of whom three are living. Hester Bennett became his third wife, and was the mother of two children, but neither of the parents mentioned are living. The Myers family came to Washington County in 1852, having been residents and the original owners of the site of Des Moines. This land Mr. Meyers first purchased the claim for and afterward entered. He had owned other lands, but decided to remove to Washington County, where he lived the remainder of his life. His last wife died and was buried in this county.
After the marriage of our subject, the young couple began domestic life in the little cabin before mentioned, where they resided until 1866, when a new and commodious residence was completed, in which they yet reside. In the old cabin their six
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eldest children were born. There the prosperity of our subject really began. He gradually added more lands to his original purchase, and now owns one section in this township, and over these broad acres great herds of cattle and other stock thrive year after year. Five children were born after they moved to their new house. The names of all are respectively: Mary E., Byron W. and William A. are deceased; Lillie M. is the wife of Steward Alcorn; Charles S. and Joseph E.; Rosa B., Winnie, Wilmot, Irwin and Arthur A., all died in infancy. The family circle has oft been broken, but the three living children are all in robust health.
It is but a fitting tribute to one of the old residents of a county to say that from a child he has been ranked among the best citizens of the township. From our subject's first location until the present time, in a social and financial sense, he has been an honorable and upright man. From beginning with $600 in 1854, he has made the capital multiply itself many times. And as the years increase, and gray hairs crown their heads, these good old people of whom we write can realize that the county is better for their having lived in it. Mr. Cummings has given agriculture his entire attention, and success greater than he ever dreamed of when young, is his. With pleasure this sketch is given to our readers, adding another name to the list of early settlers and successful families of Washington County.
ARCHIBALD JACKSON, proprietor of the Jackson House, at Crawfordsville, was born in Schuyler, Herkimer Co., N.Y., Feb. 17, 1808, his parents being Archibald and Nancy (Widwich) Jackson, also natives of that county, the latter of German origin. Archibald Jackson, Sr., was a large dealer in horses, and during his life made that his principal business. During the War of 1812 he was Captain of Artillery, but his death occurred while yet a young man. Our subject was the only child, and when a mere lad his mother, then a widow, was again married, to Samuel Cromwell, of Canada, in which country her son grew to manhood, and learned both the carpenter and millwright trades.
Our subject's marriage was celebrated in 1843, Miss Jane Niblock becoming his wife. Her parents, Thomas and Jane (Sanderson) Niblock, had seven children—John, William, Mary Ann, Isabella, Samuel, Jane and Sarah. Both parents were born, reared and married in County Monaghan, in the North of Ireland and their children were all born in that country prior to their emigration in 1826 to Canada, where they located in the county of Leeds, and there resided at the time of our subject's marriage. Mr. Jackson engaged in the mercantile business for several years in Farmersville and five children were born in Canada prior to their removal to Iowa—Andrew J.; Alfred W., deceased; Jennie, Nettie, and Emma.
In 1855 the family emigrated to Iowa, locating in Crawfordsville, and after engaging in farm work for one year, Mr. Jackson opened a general stock of merchandise, which business he engaged in for a quarter of a century, disposing of the same in 1881, on account of advanced age. In 1857 they moved into their present home, where their children were reared, and four of them were married. Two children were born in Iowa: Anna, deceased, and Frank A. The eldest son was a volunteer in Co. I, 25th Iowa Vol. Inf., enlisting when eighteen years of age, and serving during the entire war. Nettie wedded Frank Seber, a dealer in stock and real-estate; they are the parents of three children—Harry, Lena and Henry. Jennie became the wife of John Titus, whose death occurredin 1882, at his country residence; one daughter, Edith, graced their union, whose mother now resides with her parents in Crawfordsville. Emma wedded Dr. Theophilus Bennett, of Lenos, Iowa; Frank is an expert telegraph operator, resides in Omaha, and is the husband of Lizzie Rout; one son was born in 1887.
For more than a quarter of a century Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have kept hotel in Crawfordsville, and despite his advanced age, Mr. Jackson is still a popular landlord. His liberality while in business decreased his capital, but a long lifetime of fair dealing has given him the confidence of the entire community. His good wife, now sixty-five years
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of age, is as blithe and merry as a girl of twenty. Her large family have been well cared for and carefully educated. Jennie was for several terms a teacher in the schools of this village.
Mr. Jackson is one of the oldest and most worthy citizens of the township. He has been a working member of the Baptist Church for twenty-eight years, and Mrs. Jackson of the same for forty-two years. Three years ago Mrs. Jackson changed her views the Presbyterians. Who can not recall the kindly word of sympathy which "Auntie" Jackson always has for those who most need it? May bereaved parents who in the hour of their deepest grief at the loss of their loved ones, have been consoled by her fervent prayer to the Giver of all blessings to heal their sorrows, and as her tender hands gently closed the eyes which were sleeping that dreamless sleep from which none awaken, have oft remarked that her motherly counsel and Christian graces made their grief more bearable. Deacon Jackson is none the less idolized by his old neighbors and friends, and his prayer of faith may be heard morning, noon and night, as his family gather about the well-spread board. Wedded in faith, mind and heart, these good people have grown old together. As they journey down the hillside of life, hand in hand, loving and trusting each other,devoted to God and their children, it seems that they have been spared as examples for others to follow, both in social and in Christian life.
RICHARD MOORE, deceased, was one of the first settlers of Washington County, and was truly a pioneer. He was born near Savannah, Ga., on the 7th of September, 1786.When quite young he went to Ohio, and Sept. 22, 1806, there married Rebecca Embrey, also a native of Georgia, born Dec. 25, 1788, and who likewise settled in Ohio at an early day. In 1821 they moved to Putnam County, Ind., where Mr. Moore took up land in the heavy timber on the river bottom, where he improved a farm and remained fifteen years. In the spring of 1836 he visited Washington County, and selected a claim on section 33, of what is now Washington Township. He then returned to Indiana, and in October following brought his family to their new home where he erected a substantial log cabin, and remained until the spring of 1837, when he was driven of by the Indians. Leaving Washington County he went to Henry County, and there remained until 1839, at which time the Indians had finally left the country. He returned to his old claim which he found in fair order, but little damage having been done by the Indians.
At the time Mr. Moore made his settlement in Washington County, there was but one other family residing within its boundaries. Burlington was his nearest trading point, and it was with difficulty that supplies of any kind could be obtained. But Richard Moore had been a pioneer in Indiana, and therefore knew of what pioneer life consisted. The first mill at which any grain could be ground was at Augusta, which was nothing more than a corn-cracker. During the first winter they ground their corn on a hand-mill of his own construction, assisted by Mr. Maulsby, which they used for two months. On returning to Washington County, Mr. Moore was elected one of the three County Commissioners, and on the location of the county seat at Washington, was sent to Burlington to enter the land for county seat purposes. The first Commissioner's Court is thought to have been held at his house.
Mr. and Mrs. Moore were the parents of eleven children, nine of whom lived to be adults: James, now deceased; Sarah C., Mrs. J. C. Maulsby; Alice, the wife of Matthew Cole, of Putnam County, Ind.; Amos E., of this county; Thaddeus, residing at Lead City, Wyo.; Rebecca, the wife of William Fancher, of Audubon County, Iowa; Averilla E. died in Keokuk County, Iowa; William, who died in this county on the old homestead; Jesse, of Gove County, Kan.; Nancy and Richard, deceased. Mr. Moore died April 29, 1855, and Mrs. Moore Dec. 23, 1870. They were devoted members of the Christian Church.
Politically, Mr. Moore was a Democrat. In addition to the office of County Commissioner, he held several local offices in his township. Mr. Moore was a man greatly esteemed for his many social qualities. HIs latch-string always hung out,
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and the weary traveler could always find at his house a place of rest. In his death the county lost not only its oldest, but one of its best citizens.
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RESIDENCE, BRICK AND TILE FACTORY
of F. E. SWIFT, WASHINGTON, IA.
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FRANK E. SWIFT, one of the live business men of Washington, is a native of Washington County, Iowa, born Feb. 7, 1855, and is the son of Edward and Mary (Schevhler) Swift, the former of Irish parentage, and the latter of French. They emigrated to America in 1844. They became the parents of twelve children, ten of whom are now living—Mary E., Henry L., John V., Nicholas W., Frank E., Joseph E., Elizabeth C., Honore J., Amelia and Lewis. Mr. and Mrs. Swift were among the earliest settlers of Washington County, and remained here until 1876, when the moved to Denver, Col., where they now reside. They are members of the Catholic Church, and in politics he is a Democrat.
The subject of this sketch was reared in this county, and was educated in the commons schools. In 1876 he went West with his parents, and in Cheyenne, Wyo., learned the trade of brickmaking, and there remained two years. In February, 1878, he was married to Margaret Wonbocher, who was also a native of this county. In 1879 Mr. Swift started in the business of a brick manufacturer at Washington, and made the brick used in the construction of the county hospital. In 1880 he went to Denver, Col., where he also engaged in brick manufacturing, employing in the yards more than fifty men. In addition to this he ran two gangs of brick-masons, laying his own brick. During this time his payroll amounted to from $500 to $1,000 per week. In the fall of 1881 he returned to Washington County, Iowa, and located at Riverside, where he also engaged in brick manufacturing, and where he remained until the fall of 1885, when he came to Washington and established his present business of brick and tile manufacturing, in the southwestern part of the city, which is not only one of the largest, but without doubt one of the best in the county.
Mr. Swift is regarded as one of the best business men of Washington, one who thoroughly understands his business. He commenced life without means, but by industry and economy has acquired a good property, and is now recognized as one of the well-to-do business men of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Swift are the parents of three children—Edward A., Belle and Alvira. The family are members of the Catholic Church. In politics, he is a Democrat. A view of the tile factory and Mr. Swift's residence is presented in connection with this brief sketch.
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