History of Manchester, (Delaware County) Iowa United States of America

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Biographies:

Norris, William Henry, of Manchester, is a native of Massachusetts, although he came to Iowa as early as 1861. He has been prominent in political affairs of the state for a number of years, having been elected a delegate to the republican national convention at Chicago in 1884; more recently a member of the Twenty-fourth General Assembly, and in 1890, a member of the state central committee. This position he occupied for four years and during the last two was chairman of the executive committee. In 1894 he was chosen a member of Governor Jackson's staff, with rank of lieutenant-colonel, and served in that capacity during the governor's term of office.

Mr Norris was born at Stoneham, Mass., February 3, 1857, and is of Scotch Irish descent. His father, Thomas Norris, was a farmer, and in 1861 removed to Delaware county, Iowa, with his family. In 1864 he removed to Linn county. William secured his early training in the public school and completed a course of study at a business college in Davenport. From there he went to Cornell college and finally to the State university, where he graduated from the law department in 1882. Here he was chosen by the faculty as one of ten members, out of a graduating class of about 130, to represent the class in the commencement exercises. One year after graduation he was chosen a member of the examining committee, selected to pass upon the fitness of the members of the class of 1883, for graduation, and in 1892 was again selected by the supreme court of Iowa to act as a member of this committee. While a student at Iowa City he was a member of ?Irving Institute,? one of the old literary societies of the university. Mr. Norris commenced the practice of law in 1882, locating at Manchester, and soon after formed a partnership with Judge A. S. Blair, with whom he was associated for a number of years. In 1893 Judge Blair was elected district judge and Mr. Norris associated himself with George W. Dunham. Although actively engaged in the practice of law, he is a director in the First National bank of Manchester, and is interested in many other enterprises. Prior to 1891 Mr. Norris held the office of city solicitor for two terms and that year he was elected mayor of Manchester, which position he resigned when elected to the legislature. While a member of the Twenty-fourth General Assembly he was made chairman of the house committee on appropriations, an unusual honor for a first term member. At this session of the legislature he introduced the Australian ballot bill which was passed and became the law of the state. Mr. Norris is a prominent Mason, having taken all the York rite degrees, and the Scottish rite up to and including the thirty-second degree, being a member of DeMolay Consistory No. 1, located at Clinton. He is a Shriner, K. of P. and a member of the I. O. O. F. He has been master of Manchester Lodge No. 165, A. F. and A. M.; H. P. of Olive Branch Chapter No. 48, R. A. M.; E. Com. of Nazareth Commandery No. 33, K. T., and is now grand patron of the Iowa Grand Chapter, O. E. S., and grand captain-general of the Grand Commandery of Iowa Knights Templar.

March 15, 1886, Mr. Norris was married to Martha B. Toogood, of Manchester. They have three children, Carleton Howard, born July 2, 1887, Laura Marie, born August 16, 1889, and Thomas Toogood, born June 21, 1898. Mrs. Norris has always taken an active interest in club and society affairs. She is a member of the P. E. O. sisterhood and has been president of the local chapter of Manchester. She is now P. W. Matron of Orient Chapter No. 15, Order of the Eastern Star.

SOURCE: Biographies and Portraits of the Progressive Men of Iowa published by Conway and Shaw, Des Moines: 1899.

Edward M. Carr is a native of New York; born June 28, 1850, in Cattaraugus county. John Carr, his father, was born in Ireland and came to this country when quite young. He became a prosperous farmer in New York state, and was a soldier in the Mexican war. He married Anna Keane in New York city, who was a well educated lady, and a sister of Captain Keane, of the British navy.

In 1856 the family removed from New York to Iowa and located on a farm in Buchanan county. At that time the county was very new and there were no school facilities near them, but his mother, who was a ripe scholar, taught him the rudiments of a good education in their Iowa prairie home. Afterwards he attended several winter terms of a district school, and the graded school at Independence, helping his father on the farm summer seasons. This he continued to do until he was 17 years of age, when he began teaching school, giving the very best satisfaction wherever he was employed. In April, 1871, he entered the State university at Iowa City, and three days before attaining his majority graduated from the law department, receiving the degree of bachelor of laws and a certificate of admission to practice before the supreme court. Immediately thereafter he located at Manchester and became a member of the law firm of Griffin, Crosby & Carr. This partnership lasted until 1875, when he aided in establishing the Manchester Democrat. In 1877 Charles E. Bronson and himself became sole owners and editors of the paper. Messrs. Bronson & Carr have been partners since that date in nearly all their business enterprises. A lucrative law practice has enabled the firm to purchase, among other things, a large stock farm near the town, where some good horses and choice herds of Shorthorns and Jerseys are kept. Mr. Carr is a director of the First National bank of Manchester, and is identified with several other business enterprises in the place.

Ever since he commenced the practice of law, Mr. Carr has taken an active interest in politics, and, during that time, has attended, as a delegate or alternate, nearly every national and Iowa state convention held by his party. For nearly a score of years he has served continuously upon political committees, but has never sought or desired a political office for himself, and, with the exception of a few positions which did not interfere with his law and editorial work, he has refused to allow his friends to nominate him for any place Although at all times an uncompromising democrat, his political battles have been waged in such a spirit of fairness that, at no time, has he forfeited the confidence or respect of those who were opposed to him. Reference to a few instances will show the extent of this feeling. In May, 1879, Governor Gear commissioned him major and judge advocate of division, Iowa National guard, at that time one of the most prominent positions in the Iowa militia. This appointment came without solicitation, or even knowledge on his part that such a step was contemplated. And, again, about eighteen years ago, the republican judge of his district appointed him a commissioner of insanity, an office which, through successive appointments, he still continues to hold. But it was not until the city election of 1891, in his own town, that he was made the recipient, in a small way, of about as gracious a compliment as is ever passed over the garden wall of politics. Manchester has always been a republican stronghold. Twenty years ago the vote of that party was nearly unanimous, and even now its supporters outnumber the democrats nearly two to one. Notwithstanding this, Mr. Carr's neighbors, who know him as a wise adviser and able defender, laid aside their politics long enough to unanimously elect him to the office of city attorney, a position which he continued to hold for three successive terms. This much can be said of Mr. Carr: He has made a success of every business he has undertaken and has given good satisfaction in every position of trust which he has held. Mr. Carr was permanent chairman of the democratic state convention, held in Dubuque in 1896, and secretary of the democratic state committee in the memorable campaign of that year, and, on account of the illness of the chairman, almost the entire burden of the work was thrown upon him.

He was married to Miss Emma Preussner, October 18, 1873. His only son, Hubert Carr, is now 21 years of age, and married to the youngest daughter of Hon. Lore Alford, of Waterloo.

SOURCE: Biographies and Portraits of the Progressive Men of Iowa published by Conway and Shaw, Des Moines: 1899.

Willard Gibbs Kenyon, one of the prominent citizens of Manchester, is a native of New York. He was born in Jefferson county, near Sackett's Harbor, August 3, 1836. His father, John Kenyon, was a farmer, and was born in Vermont in 1808. He was the youngest of a large family, all of whom moved to Jefferson and Oswego counties, N. Y., and became farmers, when that part of the state was very new. They were industrious, sober and law-abiding citizens and usually lived to a good old age. The mother, Sophronia Jenne, was born in Jefferson county, N. Y., in 1818. Her grandfather came from England to America and her father was a brave soldier in the war of 1812.

Willard's early education was limited because of his having to assist his father with the farm work, but he attended the district school for several winters. In 1857 he started west and May 12th reached Dubuque, Iowa, with only a few shillings in his pocket. He secured work in the wholesale grocery house of Munn, Clough, Merriam & Tucker, who were all from his own state of New York. Later he was in the employ of Smith & Stevens, manufacturers of confectionery, and he remained in Dubuque for nearly three years. Early in the year 1860 he started for Colorado, and while on his way, at a point in Kansas, opposite to the city of St. Joseph, he saw the first railway train which entered that state. It consisted of a construction engine and four flat cars. Arriving in Colorado he worked at prospecting and mining for two years and a half, with many ups and downs, until he secured a claim of 250 feet on the Justice of Williams' lode in Lake Gulch, Gilpin county, Colo. Having [p.201] contracted rheumatism by working in the mines he returned in December, 1862, to Manchester, Iowa, and opened the first exclusive grocery store in that town. About two years after his return from Colorado he had a chance to sell his claim in Lake Gulch and sent to his attorney a deed of the property for that purpose. The attorney died soon after getting the deed and the administrator of his estate sold Mr. Kenyon's claim for $20,000 and kept the money, he never being able to recover a dollar.

Mr. Kenyon started in life as a democrat but the war of the rebellion made him a republican and he has remained with that party until this day. He has never held any office or allowed his name to go on a ticket as a candidate. He is a Mason of long standing and a member of the Methodist church. He was married December 31, 1862, to Mary Elizabeth Marvin, and they have three children: Annie R., born January 21, 1864; Harry M., born May 22, 1873, and Mary E., born July 18, 1876.

In February, 1896, Mr. Kenyon sold his grocery business to Messrs. Cobb & Cobb, and he is now president of the Manchester Lumber company and takes an active part in the management of the business.

Mr. B. H. Keller and W. G. Kenyon laid the first sidewalk in Manchester. It consisted of two planks, one foot apart, where now stands substantial brick blocks and cement walks.

SOURCE: Biographies and Portraits of the Progressive Men of Iowa published by Conway and Shaw, Des Moines: 1899.