IowaJones/Biographies/H. G. A. Harper

H. G. A. Harper–P. Hartman

Herbert G. A. Harper
Born December 30, 1873

On the roster of county officials appears the name of Herbert G. A. Harper, who is now acceptably filling the position of county clerk and his record is in harmony with all that makes for good citizenship and for loyalty and progressiveness in public affairs. His life record began in Buckhannon, Upshur county, West Virginia, on the 30th of December, 1873, his parents being the Rev. Enoch and Jane (Heckert) Harper, who were also natives of West Virginia. In the year 1886 they removed to Colorado where they remained for about four years and in 1890 came to Iowa, settling in Olin, where they resided until 1897. Subsequently they were located in different parts of the state and are now living at Julian, Nebraska. Rev. Harper has recently completed his forty-sixth successive year in the ministry and for the past three years has been presiding elder of the North Nebraska conference of the United Brethren church. His influence in behalf of moral progress has been of no restricted order and his labors have not been denied the full harvest nor the aftermath. The family numbered but two children, the elder being William O., who married Myrtle Legler, the adopted daughter of J. J. Legler, of Muscatine, Iowa, and they now reside at Aurora, Nebraska.

At seventeen years of age Herbert G. A. Harper assumed the responsibilities of life. He had attended the public schools and also enjoyed the benefits of a course of study in the West Virginia Academy at Buckhannon during the year of 1885-86. The family then removed to Colorado, after which he attended the public schools there for two winters. The summer months were devoted to farm work in Colorado for about four years. In the meantime, however, he had continued his education by entering the Western College at Toledo, Ohio, in 1889 and was graduated from the commercial department of this school in June, 1891. After his education was completed he secured employment in the general store of Lamb Brothers at Olin, remaining in their employ from 1891 until 1897. In the latter year he went to Chicago and secured employment in the wholesale produce commission house of Gregson, Easterly & Company. He remained with that firm until October, 1903, when be came to Jones county and has since made his home in Anamosa.

Here he was appointed a guard at the Iowa State Penitentiary and in May, 1905, was made turnkey of the institution, which position he held until the 13th of September, of that year. On that date he received appointment to the position of deputy clerk of the district court of Jones county and in November, 1908, was elected clerk of the court, which position he is now filling. In all places of public trust his record has been characterized by the utmost fidelity to duty and by unswerving allegiance to all that which is best in public service. His political support is given to the republican party for he has firm belief in the efficiency and value of its principles as factors in good government.

On the 9th of February, 1897, at Olin, Iowa, Mr. Harper was united in marriage to Miss Ada Belle Easterly, a daughter of Jonathan and Sarah Jane (McConkie) Easterly, who were natives of Ohio and came to Iowa at an early date, settling in Jones county near the town of Olin. The father died in 1907 at the age of eighty-five years, while the mother still resides at Olin. Mr. and Mrs. Harper have but one child, Eugene Austin, who was born April 9, 1800, in Chicago, Illinois. In his fraternal relations Mr. Harper is a Mason, belonging to Anamosa Lodge, No. 46, A.F.&A.M., and De Molay Consistory, No. 1, of Clinton, Iowa. He joined the lodge in 1907 and in 1908 was appointed senior deacon and in 1909 was elected senior warden. He is also connected with the Mystic Workers, his membership being in Anamosa Lodge, No. 171. He and his family attend the Congregational church and he is now serving as director of the choir. His salient qualities are those of honorable manhood and progressive citizenship, and he is held in high regard wherever he is known and most of all where he is best known.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 83.

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S. G. Harris
Born February 3, 1833

S. G. HARRIS, proprietor Burnet House, Monticello; is a native of Massachusetts, and was born in the city of Boston June 23, 1831. He grew up to manhood there, and, on the 9th of October, 1854, he was united in marriage to Miss Frances T. Green, from Chelsea, Vt. They came West to Illinois in 1858, and located at Port Byron, and lived there until 1868, then removed to Davenport. Mr. Harris has been connected with the boot and shoe trade for thirty years, and most of the time (for twenty years) was on the road selling goods. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace, Town Clerk, Township Assessor—and other town and school offices. He came to Monticello and opened the Burnet House in May, 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Harris have four children—Charles G. (living in Davenport), Nathaniel (at home), George (living in Davenport), Malcolm (attending lectures at Rush Medical College, Chicago).

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 669.

Walker D. Hart
Born March 28, 1870

Walker D. Hart, a member of the Olin Lumber Company, of Olin, Iowa, is one of the representative men of the county, and is associated in business with Hans Jorgensen and his son, Fred Jorgensen, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. Hart was born in Fremont township, Cedar county, Iowa, near Mechanicsville, March 28, 1870, son of Lewis and Lucy A. (Sefton) Hart, natives of Michigan and Ontario, Canada, respectively. They were married in Illinois and later came to Cedar county, Iowa, where the mother died June 5, 1905, aged sixty-five, having been born in 1840. The father, who survives her and is living at Stanwood, was born in 1837. They had six children: Thomas, who died at the age of three years; Nettie, who passed away when six months old; Ellen, who died in 1901; Horace, who lives in Cedar county; Walker D., of this review; Wallace, who is also a resident of Cedar county. Walker and Wallace are twins. Ellen married first Ernest C. Chase and afterward became the wife of James Elmer Moore.

Walker D. Hart resided in Cedar county until the spring of 1893, when he came to Jones county, locating on a farm of eighty acres in Rome township, south of Olin. Later he added to it until he had one hundred and twenty acres on section 35, which he improved until it is now worth one hundred and fifty dollars per acre. Here he resided until December, 1908, when he removed to Olin and entered the Olin Lumber Company, January 1, 1909. The company owns two yards and controls the lumber business of the locality. The three partners form a strong firm, each member being specially fitted for the duties assigned to him, and the volume of their trade is steadily increasing.

In 1891 Mr. Hart married Ellen E. Coppess, who was born in December, 1869, a daughter of Harvey Coppess. She was brought to Jones county when two years old. Mr. Hart is a republican but has not taken any active part in politics. He is a member of the Reformed church, and fraternally he is connected with Ancient Landmark Lodge, No. 20, A.F.&A.M., of Olin, and the consistory at Clinton, Iowa. He is an excellent farmer and solid, reliable business man whose aim is to faithfully discharge any obligation he assumes. Although a new resident of Olin he has convinced the people here of his sincerity and has many friends, some of whom he had gained before settling within the city limits.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 464.

H. C. Hartman
Born 1844

H. C. HARTMAN, farmer, Wayne Twp., Sec. 26; P.O. Amber; born in Ohio in 1844; came to Jones Co. in 1852, with his parents; has been a Road Supervisor for four or five years; owns 120 acres in Sec. 26, and 39 in Sec. 34. Wife's maiden name was Elizabeth Bailey, a native of New York; they were married in March, 1866; have had five children; four are living—Tilghman Harrison, Frank Theodore, Henry Clay and Addie May; the one dead was named Allen Charles. Mr. Hartman is a Republican.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 625.

Peter Hartman
Born 1842

PETER HARTMAN, farmer, Wayne Twp., Sec. 34; P.O. Amber; born in Butler Co., Ohio, in 1842; came to Jones Co. in 1852; owns eighty acres in Sec. 34 and forty acres in Sec. 35; is also in the grain business with William H. Sanford, in Amber; was, in the late war of the rebellion, a member of Co. H, 14th I.V.I.; enlisted in the fall of 1861; discharged in the fall of 1864; held the office of Corporal; was in the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, and in the Red River expedition under Gen. Banks, and in some smaller engagements during the service; was taken prisoner at Shiloh by Gen. Beauregard, and held about two months; there were 3,000 men captured at the same time he was taken; was, some of the time, at Macon. Wife's maiden name was Brown, a native of New York; they were married January 1, 1865; have seven children—Louis P., Edward F., Dora E., Thomas E., Joshua A., Maggie F. and Eleanor. Mr. Hartman is a Republican.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 625.