IowaJones/Biographies/B. W. Streeper

B. W. Streeper–P. E. Strong

Bernhard W. Streeper
Born December 28, 1860

Bernhard W. Streeper one of the native farmers of Jones county who has attained a success of no mean proportions in the vocation he has pursued diligently for a number of years in Clay township, was born December 28, 1860. His father, Stephen Russell Streeper, became one of the prominent and well known men of this county, to which he came in the pioneering days. Born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, January 14, 1820, he was married there July 1, 1843. to Miss Isabel H. Todd, also a native of that county, born March 17, 1822. Shortly after their union, in 1844, the couple removed to Indiana. where they lived for about sixteen years, coming to Iowa in 1860. Several years before that date in 1854, Mr. Streeper had come to Jones county, where he entered the tract of government land on which his son Bernhard W. now lives. Although the hardships of the first years after he took up his residence here were those which usually fall to the lot of the men who brave the difficulties of pioneer life, yet Mr. Streeper overcame these and made success of his life's work. He was able to give his children the best educational advantages the public schools afforded in those days and became a man highly regarded in his locality. He had learned the trade of a stone-mason in early manhood, and after his sons were of an age to assume some of the responsibilities of the farm, he worked at it to a considerable extent. A republican in his political views, he was elected on its ticket to the positions of township trustee, school director and school treasurer, in which capacities he served for a number of years, always with honor to himself and to the satisfaction of those who had wisely placed confidence in his judgment, honesty and discrimination. In the work of the Presbyterian church he was very active, being a constant attendant upon its services and an elder for a number of years. He died March 11, 1896, leaving eight children, eighteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He and his wife were the parents of eight. Mrs. Hannah M. Johnson, deceased; William, a resident of South Dakota, who first married Miss Jennie Gowing and after her death married Emma Taylor; James M., who wedded Miss Sadie Coder and lives in North Dakota; Stephen P., who married Miss Wealtha Smith and lives in Hancock, Iowa; Arabelia H., who became the wife of Merritt Osborn and makes her home in Minnesota; Robert H., who wedded Miss Etta Coburn, and resides in this county; Bernhard W., the subject of this sketch; and Sheridan Grant, who married Miss Emma Coburn and also lives in this county. Mrs. Streeper died February 10, 1908.

Bernhard W. Streeper was reared under the parental roof, entering the public schools, from which he derived his first training in the English branches. Later he spent one year at Onslow and another at Hopkinton, completing his education in the latter place. When he entered upon the serious business of life he chose farming as his vocation and has pursued it ever since. For a number of years he worked in the western part of the state but in 1895 he returned to the old homestead, which he operated during the remaining years of his father's life, caring for him with filial solicitude. After his death he managed the farm for his mother, and finally, April 12, 1908, bought it from the other heirs. It embraces one hundred and sixty acres, and at the time of its purchase, in 1854, Mr. Streeper's father had paid a dollar and a quarter an acre for it. Today it is worth just one hundred times that price, for it has been improved according to the best methods, is a rich and arable tract that makes large returns for the amount of thoughtful labor expended upon it. In addition to his purely agricultural interests, Mr. Streeper handles a large number of cattle and horses, from which he derives a most gratifying income. He has attained a pronounced success; his farm is one of the valuable tracts of Clay township. His prosperity and his good fortune have been obtained solely through his own efforts, through a persistence and industry that cannot fail to derive the very best results from the cultivation of the soil.

Mr. Streeper was married November 28, 1900, to Miss Sadie Orr, who was born in Jones county, May 26, 1871, and they now have two children, Mabel and Mildred, twins, born November 27, 1904. Although the record of his life is one that bespeaks the unwearying devotion of Mr. Streeper to his own concerns, he has not been without a large measure of public spirit and generosity, for he has served his township most efficiently during a long period as trustee and as school treasurer. A republican in his political views, he has received the support of the voters of that party when he expressed a willingness to devote some of his time to the interest of his fellow citizens. His religious adherence is given to the Presbyterian faith.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 411.

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Stephen R. Streeper
Born January 14, 1819

STEPHEN R. STREEPER, farmer, Clay Twp., Sec. 31; P.O. Onslow; was born in Montgomery, Penn., January 14, 1819. He was married, July 1, 1843, to Isabella H. Todd, who was born in Montgomery Co. in 1821. They removed to Indiana in 1844, where they lived about sixteen years; they came to Jones Co. in 1860 and settled on present farm, which Mr. Streeper had entered in 1854; they have eight children—Hannah M. (now Mrs. J. T. Johnson), resides in Guthrie Go., Iowa; William T. (married Miss Jennie Gowing), lives in Guthrie Go.; James M. (married Miss Sade Coder), resides in Hancock Co., Iowa; Stephen P.; Arabella H. (married Mr. Merritt Osborn), lives in Minnesota; Robert H., Bernard W. and Sheridan Grant. Mr. Streeper is one of the substantial farmers of Jones Co.; his farm contains 155 acres. He and wife belong to the Presbyterian Church.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 704.

J. M. Streeter
Born September 21, 1812

J. M. STREETER, farmer, Jackson Twp., Sec. 36; P.O. Anamosa; born September 21, 1812, in Bradford Co., Penn.; in 1823, came to Seneca Co., N.Y.; thence to Tioga Co., N.Y.; in 1863, he came to Jones Co., Iowa. He owns 165 acres of land. Married Elizabeth Devoe in 1835; she was born in Yates Co., N.Y.; had ten children, eight living-D. C., E. M., A. L., Harriet, Victoria, Capitola, Sarah H, and J. L. Republican.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 613.

Dr. D. E. Strevell
Born 1849

DR. D. E. STREVELL, dealer in drugs and medicines, Oxford Mills; born in New York in 1849, and came to Iowa in 1871. He was married, in 1867, to Miss Julia Rorick, of Jones Co., and has one child—George. Politics, Democrat; religion, Liberal.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 596.

Piatt Strieby
Born February 7, 1871

Piatt Strieby, a farmer of Rome township, was born in Pennsylvania, February 7, 1871, his parents being A. L. and Joan (Sedam) Strieby, also natives of the Keystone state, and the father never left that part of the country but died and was buried in the place of his birth. The mother, on the other hand, came west to Iowa when several of her children had found that the opportunities for life here were better than in the east. She is now living in Cedar county and is in the sixtieth year of her age. To Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Strieby were born six children: Piatt, of this review; W. J., of Olathe, Colorado; Maggie, who is the wife of A. A. Schick, of Cedar county, Iowa; S. S., who lives in Texas; B. B., who lives in Michigan; and Helen, who makes her home in Cedar county.

Piatt Strieby received a fair education in the common schools and remained with his parents until he was twenty-two years of age, when he began life for himself. He came to Iowa to obtain his start and for a year worked in Cedar county as a farm hand. He then found employment in a tile factory and after two years' experience was made foreman of a party of workmen, a position he held for six years. In 1904 he rented a farm for three years and on the expiration of his lease bought the eighty acres in Rome township on which he is living today. It is a tract of good land lying on section 36, where Mr. Strieby pursues general farming with much profit to himself.

In 1894 Mr. Strieby was united in marriage to Miss Estella Rummel, who was born in 1874 in Cedar county, Iowa, and is a daughter of Josiah and Isabel (Stew-ard) Rummel. Her parents were both natives of Ohio, the father born in Rich-land county, the mother in Delaware county, but came to Iowa with their respec-tive parents in 1850 and were married in 1863. They lived together in Jones county until the mother passed away December 3, 1900. Mr. Rummel is still liv-ing and makes his home in Olin. Six children were born to him and his wife: Nancy J., who is the wife of William Oberton, of Cedar county, Iowa; one who died in infancy; Sarah J., deceased; Charles P., of Brazoria, Texas; Estella B., who married Mr. Strieby; and David H., who lives at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Strieby have five children: Alfred L., Inez M., Howard R., Ilah F. and William J. They are members of the United Presbyterian church and are rearing their children in conformance to its doctrines. Fraternally Mr. Strieby enjoys congenial relations with the Modern Woodmen of America at Stanwood, Iowa, while in politics he gives his support to the Democratic Party and is a stanch supporter of its principles.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 99.

P. E. Strong
Born March 28, 1852

Among the progressive farmers for which Madison township is distinguished is P. E. Strong, who was born in Scotland, March 28, 1852, and is the only son of Peter and Margaret (Smith) Strong. His father dying shortly after his birth, his mother joined her parents and brothers and sisters when, in 1855, they set out to make a home for themselves in the United States. They settled first in Columbiana county, Ohio, and then, three years later, came to this county, locating near Center junction. There Mrs. Strong met and married Andrew McDonald, and P. E. Strong was taken by an uncle, Peter Strong, by whom he was reared to manhood.

The education P. E. Strong received in the district schools was amply supplemented by careful training in the cultivation of the soil to which his uncle sub-jected him, so that when, at the age of twenty-three, he was anxious to embark in business for himself he was fully equipped to meet the problems that would confront him and to attain a marked success in his chosen line of work. Until 1897 he farmed as a renter and then purchased his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres, a fine tract of land, known in earlier years as the Sommerby homestead. On it he pursues a general line of agriculture and has been very successful in his operations, for he has proceeded along scientific lines, has made a study of the soil and the principle of the rotation of crops and has spared no labor nor expense which would contribute to the improvement of his fields and the increase in the value of his crops.

On the 15th of December, 1876, were pronounced the words that made P. E. Strong and Miss Amanda Letze man and wife. At the time of their marriage Mrs. Strong was living in Scotch Grove, this county, but she was a native of Pennsylvania, which was the home of her parents until after the close of the Civil war when they came to Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Strong have been born five chil-dren: Mary Ellen, who lives at home; William E., who is a farmer of Madison township; John D., also a farmer of that township; and Edna May and Hattie Ruth, who are at home. Mr. Strong, his wife and eldest daughter are members of the Presbyterian Church and are active in its work. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and with the Modern Wood-men of America, being a member of the Wyoming Camp, No. 183, of the latter organization. His sympathies in political matters are with the Republican Party, and he is ever stanch in his support of its candidates, but he is not an office seeker. He is one of the leading and representative citizens of his township, whose life, filled with earnest endeavor, has won the respect of his fellowman, while his success, the result of his own efforts, has gained for him their admira-tion. Frugal, industrious and progressive, he stands for the best type of agricul-turist of today.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 526.