This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: katwoman1114 Surnames: Classification: biography Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.downing/2204.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Compiled and submitted by Katherine Whittington,GGG-grandaughter of Robert Downing cir.1820 Reminiscences of Newcastle, Iowa 1848: A History of the Founding of Webster City, Iowa. Des Moines: Historical Department of Iowa, 1921. Narrated by Sarah BREWER-Bonebright - Daughter of Wilson BREWER and Margaret Moore-BREWER Written by her daughter Harriet Bonebright-Closz.The narrative by Mrs. Bonebright, daughter of the founder of Newcastle, or Webster City, as it is now called, is written by her daughter, Harriet Closz WILSON BREWER - Founder of Newcastle, IA, which became Webster City, IA 28 REMINISCENSES OF NEWCASTLE IOWA Early in 1852 Zeb Perkins Amos BREWER Peter Lyon Jim Phipps Sam Judy and others came to our town and a little later in the season our numbers were increased by the arrival of the Turnham Crosclose Russell Doty FRAKES Bellville Barkus Fall DOWNING and Prime families 38 REMINISCENSES OF NEWCASTLE, IOWA Jack BREWER assisted in all the work of cabin building until his death in February, 1857. The broad-ax so well used by him in the early work in Newcastle still is in the possession of his son, Andrew BREWER. The implement was kept carefully by the maternal grandfather, 2aPatrick FRAKES, and given to Andrew on his twenty-first birthday. Our own family broad-ax is a rusty relic of the past, but is preserved by my son, Frank Bonebright. 51 REMINISCENSES OF NEWCASTLE IOWA- PREPARATION FOR FARMING - Frakes Family Work. The family of 2aPatrick FRAKES seemed to enjoy their every day work in the woods regardless of the hard labor of rail splitting After meals pap with three or four of his boys would lead the procession to the timber Several trees would be selected Two choppers one on either side were assigned to each tree and there ensued a merry rivalry in falling them When the trees were down the boys hopped upon the trunk as lively as crickets and trimmed until the body was shorn of its limbs and the rail cuts then were severed Pap removed his boots that he might stand more firmly the log In his sock feet with ax in hands he began on the bull cut When a small opening had been made in the end of the log a steel wedge was inserted and two boys struck it alternate licks with their mauls As the split widened two more choppers repeated the operation further along the section Pap returned to the opening cleft set in the glut a short thick wooden wedge and the log soon was parted in half It was t! he habit of the FRAKES family to work in the woods bareheaded and nearly always barehanded Their fingers often became numb with cold and they were rubbed briskly with snow until the circulation was restored The same drastic measures served for chilled feet The boys never tired of telling jokes on one another or what happened or might have happened and withal they were an agreeable happy and hospitable family In my mind's eye I behold 2aPatrick FRAKES in mature manhood His shock of silvered hair was thrown well back from his weather worn brow and his figure was erect virile unshrinking Standing upon a fallen tree trunk with ax at rest he seemed an incarnation of the Roman gladiator at the close of a victorious conflict His unwavering look searched the soul of his comrades and his enquiring mind probed a subject for the cause of things He accepted no ready made opinions conformed to no rules that his reason rejected and he expressed his unfaltering faith in the beneficence an! d justice of Natural Law 104 CHAPTER IX - REMINISCENSES OF NEWCASTLE IOWA - PLATTING or NEWCASTLE IMPROVEMENTS AMUSEMENTS The Town Plat Newcastle was laid out during the early summer of 1853 by my father 2Wilson BREWER and a nephew Amos BREWER who was a surveyor and had come west for the work at the solicitation of father The town was located on land owned by us on the NW 14 of the NW M of Section 6 Township 88 Range 25 The name Newcastle was a reminder of the old Virginia homestead Highcastle on the James Father often referred to our town as Newcastle on the Boone. The recorder's books show that Newcastle was platted by 2Wilson BREWER and 1William FRAKES October 27 1854 the surveyor named is SC Wood. Considerable time elapsed before the county seat was located at Newcastle Correcting and later platting of additions may have confused the names of the surveyors and account for the mistake. As before stated however Amos BREWER was the surveyor of the original Newcastle plat. The spring after the platting a part of the town site was to 1William FRAKES which may account for the additional error that the platting was done jointly by 2Wilson BREWER and 1William FRAKES. Months sometimes elapsed before property purchased by settlers was legally recorded Hundreds of parcels of land claims town lots or timber tracts were swapped several times without legal record Delaying transfer gave the traders and short time holders opportunity to turn land without the bother and expense of legal routine When record finally was made if the intermediate dealers requested their names were omitted from the deeds and the documents showed only the names of the original holders and the latest purchasers. 165 REMINISCENCES OF NEWCASTLE IOWA- Accidents, Births, Weddings, Deaths. Other early weddings included the names of Stanley-Drought already recorded; Lyon-Holmes; Prime-Stanley; Haviland-Kent; Wheeler-Snyder and FRAKES-BREWER. 221 REMINISCENCES OF NEWCASTLE IOWA-Death by Freezing. Soon after the arrival of the DOWNINGs one of the family lost his life while hunting near the head waters of the Boone. 2My father and Bob DOWNING, in a liesurely trip, had followed the river northward into Hancock county. They pitched their tents, trailed game through the day and returned to camp at nightfall. The weather had been squally- cloudy, spitting snow, clearing and clouding again. Toward sunset, while they were some miles from camp, the sky became lightly overcast and the directions were confused by DOWNING. Father said: "Bob, it would be a mighty good evening for tracking, but I'm tired ; maybe we'd better turn around and pull into camp." "Turn around!" laughed Bob. "Well, we're headed straight for camp now. The treats are on you, Wils, for you're on the wrong trail." "Not much," replied father; "I never was lost before, and I'm not lost now. If you think our camp is in front of us, it's you who are lost; and I'll stake my life on my accuracy of location." "All right," returned Bob, "I'm as sure of my location as you are of yours, so you can take your chance and I'll take mine, and we'll talk it over tomorrow." They jokingly parted company. 2My father, retracing his steps, reached camp in safety but DOWNING did not return. Unfortunately a "skift" of snow fell during the night effectually obliterating the footprints of the wandering hunter, and although father persevered in the lonely search for several days the snow-mantled prairies and the immensity of space to be covered precluded the possibility of finding his comrade and the search was reluctantly abandoned. We hoped for many weeks, for a report that DOWNING had located a hunter's camp or had been picked up by a band of Indians, but the report did not come. A few seasons later some human bones, a number of brass buttons, powder-flask, bullet-bottle and a gun with weather-worn stock were found beneath a lone tree on the bank of the Boone. The conviction that DOWNING had been frozen to death was confirmed. History of Kossuth County, Iowa, Volume 1, By Benjamin F. Reed There were at least three white men in the county in the winter of 1852-3 and one of them disappeared, never to be heard of again. 1William FRAKES, Robert DOWNING and 2another man came up from Hamilton county that winter, on a hunting trip, into the northern part of this county. While in the region of where Swea City is, a mild snow storm came and they started towards a grove for shelter. They separated while hunting along the way with the understanding that they should all meet at the grove. The storm soon increased until it was furious. 1FRAKES and the other man finally arrived at the designated spot, but DOWNING failed to appear. When it became evident that the situation was serious, the two companions began firing their guns in the hope of attracting DOWNING to them. They kept firing until all their ammunition was gone. When morning came they began searching for the missing man and kept at it until they gave up in despair. Their ammunition being gone and their food suppl! y getting low, they returned to Hamilton county and told the sad news. The next day after their return, DOWNING's dog came home from the north. Not willing to give up the search, 1FRAKES and his companion returned to this county with the dog and took him to the point where the three separated; but they again failed to discover any trace of the lost DOWNING. He had simply disappeared and was taking his last long sleep in the snow drifts of Northern Kossuth. The truth of this story is vouched for by the relatives of 1William FRAKES, one of whom is 2bJohn P. FRAKES of Swea City, others are living in Wright and Hamilton counties. They say that 1William FRAKES located at Marshalltown in the year 1852, and that he came to Hamilton county that fall and preempted the land on which Webster City is located. While at that place, a short time since, the writer learned from the records that 1FRAKES did own the site of the city, as the relatives claim. An early history of that county, however, places the date of the coming of 1FRAKES one year later than is given in the above account. It is also silent about the loss of DOWNING. That, however, is no evidence that the story of his disappearance is not true; for that history may have been written by someone wholly unacquainted with the very early history of Hamilton county. CHAPTER XXV OVERFLOW HISTORICAL TOPICS DEATHS FROM FREEZING So far as known only seven deaths have resulted from freezing in county notwithstanding the innumerable times the early settlers were in raging blizzards when there was nothing to obstruct the drifting snow to modify the intensity of the cold. A couple of others had their legs so badly frozen that amputation became necessary Henry Hauzerman lost one leg in this way and Solomon Hand lost both of his These two met that fate the cold winter of 1856-7 The latter at that time lived in the Humboldt portion of this county The first fatal loss by freezing that occurred was at a date prior to any settlement in the county Robert DOWNING in the winter of 1852-3 or 1853-4 while up from Webster City on a hunting expedition to the northern part of this county with 1William FRAKES and 2another man became separated from the others in a blinding storm and was never seen again. A more detailed account of this incident has been presented in the chapter Long Ago Journeys Across Kossuth under th! e sub head Other Presettlement Visitors to which the reader is referred. ===== Our trail took us through Hardin and Marshall counties across the west fork of the Iowa and Skunk rivers to the Boone where Webster City now stands. A man by the name of 2BREWER owned a claim here which he called New Castle. He proposed to make it a county seat but later sold to Funk and the Wilsons. Our road from New Castle took us west to Homer. Here we found a cluster of eight or ten log cabins on a flat prairie a straight path from door to door proving the sociability of the housewives The most noticeable object however was the head of old Two Fingers or Sidominadotah the Indian chief killed by Lott which was stuck on a pole standing against the side of the hostelry the black hair clotted with blood and the gruesome face turned towards the road. Whether this was to show the hospitality meted out to the guests or simply an outside decoration I never learned. *********************************************************** 274 -BIOGRAPHICAL BECORD AND PORTRAIT ALBUM OF WEBSTER AND HAMILTON COUNTIES, IOWA. AND 274 BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD AND PORTRAIT ALBUM OF HAMILTON AND WRIGHT, IOWA 2aPATRICK FRAKES, deceased, was one of the early pioneers of Hamilton County. He was a native of Ohio, a son of 1William FRAKES, who was of Irish parentage. From Ohio 2aPatrick FRAKES moved to Illinois, and thence in 1853 to Hamilton County. He lived a short time near the present site of Webster City, and then moved to section 17, Cass Township, where he entered 240 acres of government land, which lie improved and made his home until his death. He was twice married. First in Ohio, and to this marriage were born two children; William and Mary, both deceased. He was married the second time in Illinois to Anna Jacaway, who was of French parentage. To them were born ten childrenŽŽ Eliza J., deceased, wife of B. R. BREWER; Harriet E., widow of J. N. Lee; Matilda, wife of Thomas May, of Nebraska; W. B.,of "Wright County, Iowa; L. "W., of Nebraska; Betsey, deceased, second wife of B. R. BREWER; John, twin of Betsey, lives in Wright County; Robert, of Hamilton County; Martha, who di! ed in childhood, and A. J., of Hamilton County. Mr. FRAKES died in 1874, and his widow now lives in Wright County. ********************************************************** 436 BIOGRAPICAL RECORD AND PORTRAIT ALBUM HAMILTON AND WRIGHT COUNTIES, IOWA 2a1JOHN FRAKES, section 32, Woolstock Township, is one of the well-known enterprising men of Wright County. He is a son of 2aPatrick FRAKES, a prominent pioneer of Cass Township, Hamilton County, Iowa, whose sketch appears on another page. 2a1John was the sixth child of nine children. He was born in Logan County, Illinois, April 6, 1850, and was about four years of age when his father came to Hamilton County. He was reared in Cass Township, on the old homestead. His youth was passed at farm work and in receiving an education in the primitive schools of those early days. When he was twenty-one years of age he married Miss Ida A. Doolittle, who was born in Wisconsin, a daughter of S. and Olive (Kellogg) Doolittle. After his marriage our subject resided in Cass Township, engaged In farming until 1871, when he bought 160 acres of wild land, where he now lives. Mr. FRAKES has improved the farm and added to it and he now owns 320 acres, and the FRAKES farm is known as one of the best farms in the township. Mr. FRAKES has a fine house, good barn and other farm buildings, and a wind mill furnishes water for house use and for his stock; everything about the place shows the thrift and prosperity of the owner. Mr. and Mrs. FRAKES are the parents of three children, viz.: Elizabeth Olive, Sadie Belle, and llo P. They lost one by death, Lotta, when two years old. In politics our subject is a Democrat. He is a man cordial to all, honorable in all business transactions, and is numbered, financially, among the best men of the township. ********************************************************** 272 BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD AND PORTRAIT ALBUM OF HAMILTON AND WRIGHT, IOWA 2a2A.J. FRAKES, farmer and stock-raiser, Cass Township, was born in Logan County, Illinois, May 7, 1840, a son of 2aPatrick and Anna (Jacaway) FRAKES. When he was thirteen years old his parents moved to Iowa and he walked from Logan County and drove eight cows. His youth was spent in assisting his father on the farm, his educational advantages being limited, August 15, 1862, he enlisted, in answer to the call for 300,000 men, to assist in putting down the Rebellion, and was assigned to Company K, Thirty-second Iowa Infantry, and served three years and nine days. He was wounded and taken prisoner at Pleasant Hill, April 9, 1864, and was in the prison at Mansfield, Louisiana, until June 17, when he was paroled and sent to the Marine Hospital at New Orleans. Three weeks later he returned home on a furlough, and then rejoined his regiment, and subsequently was in the battle at Nashville. He was discharged August 23, 1865. After his return home he again engaged in farming, and located on section 16, Cass Township, where he improved eighty acres of land. In 1872 he sold that farm and moved to the farm where he now lives, which contains 285 acres of good land, well improved, with a good residence and farm buildings. Mr. FRAKES was married in September, 1861, to Sarah FRAKES, a daughter of Dawson FRAKES. She lived but a few months after her Marriage. March 21, 1867, he married Mary A. Calkins, a native of New York State, daughter of John K. and Maria (Smith) Calkins. They have had eleven children, eight of whom are living - Anna, wife of A. Bain; Hattie E., wife of F. Doolittle; "Wesley W., Andrew J., Charles A., Fanny J., Cora E., Frankie Folsom. Mary A., Jesse and Clara Belle died in childhood. In Politics Mr. FRAKES is a Democrat. He is a member of Winfield Scott Post, No. 66, G.A.R. ------ Biography reproduced from page 720 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913: 2bJohn P. FRAKES, who for more than ten years was identified with the business interests of Swea City, is now living retired. He was born in Logan county, Illinois, on the 4th of June, 1846, a son of 1William and Sarah (England) FRAKES, who were natives of Illinois, the latter also born in Logan county and of American descent. The father, however, was of Irish extraction. Mrs. FRAKES passed away when our subject was a lad of three years. He was the only child born of this marriage but two years after the death of his wife, 1Mr. FRAKES married Miss Hannah DeMint, also of Logan county, and to them were born four children, as follows: Phoebe, the wife of James Carmony, a veteran of the Civil war, who is engaged in farming in Oklahoma; Mary, the widow of Fred Carpenter, also a veteran of the Civil war, who is a carpenter of Oklahoma; Martha, the widow of William McFeren, who is residing in Kansas City, Missouri; and William, a retired farmer and merchant of Oklahoma. 1Mr. FRAKES! , who was a wagon-maker by trade, removed with his family to Iowa in the spring of 1852. They passed the summer in the vicinity of Marshalltown, but in the fall they continued their journey to Hamilton county. There the father purchased a farm, located on the present site of Webster City, for which he paid one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. He erected a blacksmith shop on his place, which he conducted while engaged in preparing his land for cultivation. He prospered in his agricultural pursuits and extended his holdings until he became the owner of several hundred acres of excellent land. This portion of Iowa was but sparsely settled at that period, and the woods still abounded with wild game of all kinds, while an abundance of fish were to be found in the streams. In the fall of 1852, 1Mr. FRAKES, accompanied by Robert DOWNING and 2another friend, came to Kossuth county from Hamilton county on a hunting expedition. During a heavy snow storm they started to go from ! one grove to another, but Mr. DOWNING evidently lost the path, as he b ecame separated from the other two. They subsequently missed him and although they called repeatedly and fired off guns, they failed to elicit any response. As they were alone and the storm was increasing in intensity, it was futile to institute a search, so they returned to camp. Soon after Mr. DOWNING's dog came in and the men started back with him, hoping to find their friend, but they were never able to find the slightest trace of him. It is supposed that he died from exposure and that his body was eaten by wolves. This occurred a few miles from the present site of Swea City. 1William FRAKES only lived about seven years after his removal to Iowa, having died on his farm in Hamilton county, in 1859. He was long survived by his wife, the step-mother of our subject, who was living with her daughter in Kansas City, when she passed away in 1907. As he was only a child of six years when he accompanied his father on his removal to Iowa, 2bJohn P. FRAKES has passed practically his entire life in this state. His boyhood and early youth were passed on the family homestead in the vicinity of Webster City, and there he began his education in the first school established in Hamilton county, which was located three miles north of Webster City. He was only a lad of thirteen years when his father died, but he was already assisting with the work of the fields and the care of the stock. He remained at home with his step-mother until he was sixteen, when he started to make his own way in the world. During the succeeding two years he worked as a farm hand, but at the expiration of that time he responded to his country's call for troops, and on the 7th of May, 1864, enlisted as a private in Company A, Forty-eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, at Webster City, under Colonel Scott. His regiment was sent to Camp McClelland, near Davenport! , and was later assigned to guard duty at the Rock Island barracks, where large numbers of Confederate prisoners were detained. At the opening of the convention in Chicago in the fall of 1864, they were sent there to protect the citizens in case of possible riot. Their services were not required, however, and they subsequently returned to Rock Island, where 2bMr. FRAKES did guard duty until the expiration of his period of enlistment. He was mustered out on the 20th of October, 1864, and returning to Hamilton county he resumed the duties of civil life. He continued to work as a farm hand until he was married, after which he settled on the land he inherited from his father. The cultivation and improvement of this engaged his attention until 1879, when he disposed of it and removed to Rooks county, Kansas. There he homesteaded a quarter section of land in the vicinity of Stockton, upon which he resided for thirteen years. At the end of that time he sold it and returned to Hami! lton county. He located in Kamrar and worked at the carpenter's trade until 1901, and on the 13th of September, that year, he came to Swea City and purchased the livery stable of William Ferguson. He conducted this with success for more than ten years, but having acquired sufficient means to enable him to live in comfort, on the 10th of January, 1912, he sold his business and retired. On the 4th of March, 1866, was celebrated the marriage of 2bMr. FRAKES and Miss Fannie G. Calkins, a daughter of John K. and Maria (Smith) Calkins. Her father, who was a native of New York state, was of German extraction, while the mother was of Yankee descent. John K. Calkins was for many years engaged in mercantile pursuits in Brewerton, New York, but he subsequently withdrew from this in order to try his fortune in the west. Later he joined an excursion party, composed of about five hundred people, who were making a journey from Syracuse, New York, to the railway terminal, then located at Marshalltown, Iowa. There he purchased a wagon and ox team and went overland to Sioux City. He only remained there a year, then settled on a farm east of Webster City, where he resided until his death in 1884. The mother passed away in 1899, at Hawarden, Iowa. 2bMr. and Mrs. FRAKES have had ten children, eight of whom are living, while they have twenty grandchildren and one great-grandch! ild. Their two eldest children, Minnie and Sadie, died in infancy. R. V, the next in order of birth, is a farmer at Bird Island, Minnesota. He first married Della Maloney of Stockton, Kansas, who is deceased, and to them were born five children: Ethel, James, Royden, Gertrude and Mae. In 1902, he married Bertha Proctor of New Hampton, Iowa, and to them have likewise been born five children: Harold, Mariam, Walter, Pearl and Clare. Jennie, the wife of Eben Wooden, of Stockton, Kansas, has had six children: Fleda, the wife of John Lawson, by whom she has had one child, Thelma, the only great-grandchild in the FRAKES family; Roy; Earl; Russell; Everett; and Arvid. Aurelia married Fred Lakin, a stock buyer and shipper of Ellsworth, Kansas, and they have one child, Jessie. William, who is a farmer at Elmore, Minnesota, married Martha Seamons of Kamrar, Iowa, and they have one child, Earl. Edward E., who is the next in order of birth, is a carpenter at Ellensburg, Washington. Grace mar! ried Peter Eckholm, an implement dealer at Swea City, and they have two children, Wendel and Madelyn Alice. John, is an electrician at Emmetsburg, Iowa. Stram A., who is the youngest member of the family, is living at home with his parents. The family attend the Baptist church, in which Mrs. FRAKES holds membership and she also belongs to the Ladies Guild of the Baptist church of Swea City. 2bMr. FRAKES is an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic and his wife belongs to the Women's Relief Corps, of Stockton, Kansas, while his support is given to the republican party, but he has never held an official position. He is held in favorable regard by his fellow townsmen to whose respect he has demonstrated his claim by his integrity and honorable methods in business transactions. ****** BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD AND PORTRAIT ALBUM OF HAMILTON AND WRIGHT, IOWA 2WILLSON BREWER, one of the first settlers of Hamilton County, was a native of Virginia, but when four years old his parents moved to Henry County, Indiana, where he was reared and was there married to Margaret Moore, a native of Henry County. In 1850 they came to Iowa and settled in Hamilton County, Mr. BREWER entering Government land ten miles south of the present town of Webster City. He died in 1857, leaving a widow and eleven children, five of whom are living - Benjamin R., Sarah Jane, William, Walter and Margaret. Jackson, John Thomas, Julia and Nancy are deceased. Mrs. BREWER is still a resident of Webster City, where she has made her home for so many years. ----- BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD AND PORTRAIT ALBUM OF HAMILTON AND WRIGHT, IOWA A.J. BREWER, farmer and stock-raiser, section 21, Cass Township, is a representative of two of the pioneer families of the county, the BREWERs and the FRAKES, both of whom came in an early day. He was born in Webster City February 24, 1857, a son of A. J., Sr., and Harriet (FRAKES) BREWER. When he was a babe his father died, and he was reared by his mother on the farm in Cass Township, receiving his education in the district schools. He was married September 1, 1877, to Sarah Pringle, a daughter of Thomas and Nancy (Welch) Pringle. After his marriage he settled on the farm where he now lives, which was at that time under good cultivation and well improved. It is well adapted to both stock and grain, being watered by White Fox Creek. In politics Mr. BREWER is independent. In religion he and his wife are members of the United Brethren church. ----- BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD AND PORTRAIT ALBUM OF HAMILTON AND WRIGHT, IOWA JOHN W. LEE, deceased, was one of Cass Township's early pioneers. He was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, March 12,1835, a son of Daniel and Maria (Enley) Lee. He was reared in his native country, and in 1858 came to Iowa with a team, and settled in Cass Township, Hamilton County. His first location was on section'16, but he afterward sold this and located on section 8, where he had at the time of his death a fine farm of 362 acres. In his early life he was a school teacher and taught some of the first schools in Hamilton County. He was married November 4, 1859, to Mrs. Harriet E. BREWER, widow of A. J. BREWER, and mother of A. J. BREWER, of Cass Township, and Albert BREWER, of Illinois. To Mr. and Mrs. Lee were born three children - P. W., Jesse L. 3,nd Q. N. In politics Mr. Lee was a Republican. He filled the most of the township offices, being secretary of the school board nineteen years, county supervisor and county superintendent of schools several years. He was decided in his connections of right and wrong, and firmly upheld his principles. He was one of the prominent and influential men of his township, and his death, which occurred March 4, 1884, was regretted by all who knew him. ------ BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD AND PORTRAIT ALBUM OF HAMILTON AND WRIGHT, IOWA J.K. CALKINS is a native of Saratoga County, New York, born November 16, 1826, a son of Marion and Fanny (Barrows) Calkins, natives of Connecticut, and descendants of the Puritan Fathers. The father was a carpenter and the sons naturally followed the same trade, and when seventeen years old our subject was apprenticed to an older brother and served three years. He then served an apprenticeship of two years in the Blood Scythe factory in Saratoga, and followed that business fifteen years. On account of his health he left the shop, and for six years worked on a farm, and in 1864 came west with a homestead colony. They arrived in Sioux City in May, 1864, and he remained there until the following February, when he came to Hamilton County and bought eighty acres of wild land six miles north of Webster City, for which he paid $5 per acre. He planted an orchard, set out groves and otherwise improved his land and lived on it two and a half years, when he sold it and the following winter lived in Webster City. In January, 1870, he bought another eighty acre tract of wild land and again began to improve a farm. To this he has added until he now has 220 acres of good land all well improved. He was married August 3, 1848, to Maria Smith, a native of Saratoga County, New York, daughter of Richard and Charlotte (Thompson) Smith. To this union have been born eleven children, nine of whom are living- Mary A., wife of A. J. FRAKES; Fanny G., wife of 2bJ. P. FRAKES; O. D., of Kansas City, Missouri; Thomas; John; Ida, wife of James Howard; Stephen E., Delbert and Lottie. Marion and John S. are deceased. In politics Mr. Calkins is independent, voting for men not party. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church. ------ 282 BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD AND PORTRAIT ALBUM OF HAMILTON AND WRIGHT, IOWA THOMAS B. BONEBRIGHT, one of the prominent pioneers of Hamilton County, is a native of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, born September 29, 1836, a son of Frederick and Maria (Blackwell) Bonebright. In 1846 his parents moved to Stephenson County, Illinois, being among the first settlers of Freeport. Thomas was reared on a farm and received but limited educational advantages. In 1856 he started for Hamilton County, Iowa, driving a team for Washington Saulsbury, and the first year in the State worked for him. The next year he worked for George McClure in a saw-mill, and in the spring of 1857 joined the Spirit Lake expedition company and assisted in burying the dead killed by the Indians at that place. In 1859 he went to Wright County, and lived four years, when he returned to Webster City and for several years worked at the carpenter's trade. In 1882 he was employed as mechanic on the Northwestern Railroad, and later superintended the water department on the western branch of the road, having charge of all the pumps and engines. He has a pleasant home in the southern part of Webster City. Mr. Bonebright was married, May 2, 1859, to Sarah Jane BREWER, a daughter of Willson BREWER, a pioneer of Hamilton County. Mr. and Mrs. Bonebright have had six children, .five of whom are living - George W., Harriet M., wife of Theodore Cl! ose; William Wallace, Frank A. and Ella Belle. A daughter, Adella, died, aged eleven years. In politics Mr. Bonebright is a Republican. He is a member of the Iowa Legion of Honor, and the Knights of Labor. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. 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