Welcome to
Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
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Among
the native-born residents of Jasper County who have reached well merited success
must certainly be included the name of Charles H. Bridges, well-known young
businessman of Newton. He
represents one of the County's old and influential families, and honesty and
fair dealing having been his watchwords, these twin virtues having ever been
personified in his active life. He
has kept unsullied the fair name of his forbears and is in every way deserving
of the high respect which is accorded him by all his acquaintances. Mr.
Bridges was born in Newton Township, this County, April 16, 1877. He is the son
of Absolom Green Bridges, commonly known as "Green” Bridges.
He was born in Indiana and he married Sarah A. Reynolds, native of
Kentucky, who came to Iowa when twelve years of age, her parents having come
direct to Jasper County from Kentucky in 1833. Green Bridge was also young when
he came to this County, his advent here being in 1845 or 1846.
He came with his mother and first wife, who died a few years after
locating here. Here the parents of Charles H. Bridges, of this review, met
and married. They devoted their
lives to farming, their parents also having been farmers on both sides of the
house. By thrift and untiring
industry Green Bridges became one of the leading farmers of the County, at one
time owning five hundred and forty acres of valuable land, all in Newton
Township. Later, through his too
generous nature and his kindness of heart and faith in his fellow men, he lost a
considerable portion of this property. He
was ever willing to heed the story of another's misfortunes and always willing
to help. He frequently gave
assistance that was not properly appreciated, and lost by so doing.
He was a sturdy, true, likable character and few men in the country were
better liked. A man of strong
convictions, he was deeply interested in educational and church work serving the
church and his Township in many capacities. For years he was superintendent of the Sunday school and was
always working to ameliorate local conditions, to make his fellow men better.
Once he left the farm and came to Newton, where he conducted a general store for
three years, but returned to the farm when he sold the store, dying soon
afterwards at the age of sixty years. In politics he was a Republican and was
active in party affairs, in fact, he was a local leader in his party and served
it in many ways. By
his first marriage Green Bridges became the father of three children, but one of
whom, Emoline, wife of Joseph Reynolds, of Des Moines, is living. Twelve
children were born of his second union, five of whom are now living, namely:
Freddy and Etta died when children; Oliver Perry died in Newton when
twenty-six years of age; Hayden died on the home farm when twenty-five years of
age; Absolom G. died there when twenty-four years old; Carrie May died at home
when seventeen years old; Rilla Maud died at the age of fifteen.
Those living are: Rebecca, wife of John W. Foreman, lives in Newton;
Jennie is the wife of W. E. Smith, of Newburg, Iowa; Joseph M. lives in
Plankinton, South Dakota; Charles H., of this review; Frank G., the youngest,
lives with his mother in Newton. All
the children by the second marriage were born in Newton Township and all but two
in the same house. After
the death of the father Charles H. Bridges was left to care for the home farm,
and he managed the same very successfully for a period of five years, although a
mere youth. He left the same when
eighteen years old and came to Newton and engaged in the livery business. After
about three years he added a transfer business, which combination was continued
for eight years, at the end of which time, the transfer business becoming so
large, he disposed of the livery business, and now devotes his attention
exclusively to his transfer work, his patronage ever increasing.
He handles all kinds of baggage and freight, moves household goods and
pianos, and he is well equipped for prompt and first class service in every
respect. He has only reliable and
competent assistance and he has made a great success in this line by his
courteous and fair dealing with the public.
During the past four years, however, he has been agent at Newton for the
American Express Company. On
October 3, 1906, Mr. Bridges was united in marriage with Pauline Nugteren,
daughter of Peter Nugteren, a native of Holland. Both parents are living near Prairie City.
Mrs. Bridges was born near Pella, Iowa.
She is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Newton.
Mr. Bridges and wife have one child. Earl LeRoy, who was born December
11, 1900. Politically,
Mr. Bridges is a Republican and fraternally he belongs to the Delta Lodge No.
53, Knights of Pythias, of Newton, being at present second lieutenant in the
Uniform Rank. He was for four years
a member of the Newton volunteer fire department. The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. 602. |
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