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Jasper County, Iowa
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John
M. Fales Probably
no citizen of Newton has triumphed over greater difficulties and adversities
than has John M. Fales, of Newton, Jasper County. The story of his life reads like fiction.
He dates his lineage back to 1600, in which year James Fales emigrated
from England and settled in Walpole, Massachusetts, married Anna Brock in 1635
fought in King Philip's War, which commenced in 1675 and died in 1708. There
were eight children in his family, the fourth of whom was named Peter, born in
1668, and died August 10, 1725. His
wife, Abigail Robbins, bore him eight children, the first a son, also named
Peter, born April 18, 1690. He
married Sarah Unity Allen July 30, 1724. Eight children came by this union, and
the fourth was named Peter, born December 16, 1732. On August 4, 1726 he married
Avis Bicknell. Ten children were
born to them, the seventh being named Peter.
Thus for four generations in the direct lineage of the subject comes the
name Peter. The latter, who was born October 14, 1778, married Hannah Shepherd,
and was married a second time to Judith Pole. He was born at Attleborough,
Massachusetts, lived at different places, including Maine, Buffalo, New York,
and died in Ohio, September 20, 1857, at the advanced age of eighty years.
He was the father of sixteen children, the sixth being Ellis, the father
of the subject. Ellis Fales was
born in Union, Maine, July 9, 1809. He
received a limited education in the common schools of Maine, and when he reached
his majority married Julia Ann Avery in Sheldon, New York.
They afterward removed to Trumbull County, Ohio, but in a short time
pushed farther west and located in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin.
Nine children were born to this union, three of whom and the mother died
of typhoid fever in Wisconsin. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Fales
married Electa Tolman in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, by whom he had three children.
For his third wife he married in Chickasaw County, Iowa, Mary Ann Tucker,
which union resulted in the birth of four children. The
family later moved to Missouri, and again returned to Iowa, and in a short time
migrated to Norton County, Kansas, where they remained until the father's death,
on September 16, 1888. Mr. Ellis
was a blacksmith by trade and, although never having the advantages of a school
education, by constant reading at home, became a well posted man, and was able
to hold his own in debates with men much better educated than he. John
M. Fales, of this review, was the sixth son of Ellis and Julia Ann (Avery) Fales,
and he was born near Farmington, Ohio, April 17, 1843, and with his parents, who
pushed westward at an early date, experienced many of the hardships coincident
to pioneer life. On February 12, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, Sixteenth
United States Infantry, Second Battalion. They were sent to headquarters at
Columbus, Ohio, and later to Columbus, Kentucky; here the subject remained,
doing guard duty at headquarters until February 1864, when he was ordered to
join his regiment at Chattanooga, Tennessee. He participated in the battles of
Buzzard Roost, Resaca, New Hope Church, Kenesaw Mountain, July 4, 1864, Peach
Tree Creek, Atlanta and Jonesboro, and subsequently, under the command of
General Sherman, marched to the rear of Atlanta and was under fire most of the
war. When Sherman started for the sea, Mr. Fales, with his brigade, was sent
back to Lockout Mountain, where he was honorably discharged, February 12, 1865.
Returning home, he located in Chickasaw County, Iowa, and invested what money he
had saved from the pay of his service in the army in land, buying seventy acres.
At this time, September 1865, he was united in marriage with Sarah J. Sisson.
Shortly after their marriage her step-mother died and her father, James
Sisson, who was then well advanced in years, was left alone. They took him into
their family and he agreed to make them a deed to forty acres of land which he
owned if they would take care of him the rest of his life.
Agreeing to this, they sold their own place and moved to the home of her
father, but this not proving to be a happy arrangement, the deed was returned to
Mr. Sisson, giving him back his land, and leaving them nearly penniless. Thus
Mr. Fales and his wife and little babe were turned out into the world by Mr.
Sisson without anything. Mr.
Fales then moved to Jasper County, Missouri, in 1870, but soon returned to
northern Iowa. Here, at Fredericksburg, he operated a wagon shop and at this
time his father-in-law again became a member of his family, Mr. Sisson now being
without funds, having deeded away his property and got nothing for it to some
one who was to give him a home during the rest of his life, but becoming
dissatisfied and homeless Mr. Fales, forgiving the harsh treatment he had
received at his hand, took him again to his home and took care of him from that
time until his death, which occurred in Newton in 1873, at the age of
seventy-seven years. At this time
Mr. Fales was in very reduced circumstances.
He moved to Newton in 1873 and on May 20, 1875 his wife died after a long
period of failing health, leaving five small children. During her illness and at
her death, Mr. Fales' circumstances were such that he was compelled to accept
outside assistance, and after her death homes were found for the two youngest
children. One died shortly
afterwards, but the other was reared by John Lamb and wife.
The four children now living are Anna D., wife of Henry Metz, living in
Idaho on a farm; Cora, wife of Charles Gifford, lives at Cunningham, Washington;
Sidney M. is engaged in the meat market business at Rigby, Idaho; he also owns a
farm near there; A. L. lives in New Mexico, engaged in missionary work. On
April 2, 1876, Mr. Fales was united in marriage with Mrs. Betsey Barker, a
native of Pennsylvania, the daughter of Hiram and Eliza Gary. She was born
November 16, 1848. To this union
two children were born, both now deceased, as is the mother, whose death
occurred on August 24, 1895. During the latter years of his life Hiram Gary,
father of the second Mrs. Fales, was an inmate of their home, and he died at the
age of eighty years. On
February 26, 1896, Mr. Fales was united in marriage with Mary C. Anderson.
She was born in 1861 in Sweden, and she is the daughter of Andrew and
Margaret (Mathews) Anderson, both natives of Sweden. She was twenty-two years
old when she accompanied her parents to America, in 1883, and a brother, Victor,
also came at that time. He is now engaged in farming and looks after a farm belonging
to the subject of this sketch in Palo Alto Township. There were six children in
the Anderson family, all of whom came to America. Only three are now living. A
sister, Anna Carleston, lives at Galvey, Illinois. Her father died ten years ago
at the age of seventy-four years. The
mother is still living and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Fales, of this
review. She is now eighty-five
years old. To
Mr. Fales' last union two children have been born, John Melvin: born June 27,
1897. and Peter Emery, born May 1, 1901. It
will be noticed that the name "Peter" again appears, after skipping
two generations, Mr. Fales believing that the name ought to be perpetuated in
the family. John
M. Fales is now one of Newton's substantial citizens, being worth over fifty
thousand dollars. He is a fine type
of the self-made American citizen. The
story of his early struggles and his gradual rise to affluence is one to make
the younger generation take notice, proving that strong hands, clear brain and
an honest heart can make stepping-stones of adversities and achieve large
results in the face of obstacles. Before
coming to Newton, Mr. Fales was engaged in the wagon making and repairing
business, as above stated, in Fredericksburg.
Once he sold a wagon to a man, taking in part pay an old wagon worth
about ten dollars. He made a new wagon, using the irons of the old one and
traded this for a young horse; he already owned a horse and therefore had a
team. Soon after this trade he
decided to move to Newton, so, loading up his family and earthly belongings, he
drove through with his team, which he sold soon after his arrival, for
sixty-five dollars, and purchased two lots in north Newton with the money. Later he was enabled to purchase enough lumber to build a
house on them. This was some time
after the death of his first wife when he was beginning to get on his feet
again. Not long afterwards he
traded the house and lots for one hundred and twenty acres of land in Cherokee
County, Iowa, without seeing the land This proved to be a good trade and after
holding the land for some time sold it for fifteen hundred and sixty dollars,
and with twelve hundred and twenty dollars of that amount purchased eighty acres
near Newton, leaving him a balance of three hundred and forty dollars, which
paid for the lumber he had used in building the house on the lots, also included
the price of the lots. Thus it will be seen by his various trades, which he
takes pride in tracing starting with the old set of wagon wheels, he was now
twelve hundred and twenty dollars "to the good."
This eighty acres was sold some years afterwards for forty dollars per
acre, and with the money Mr. Fales purchased ninety-one and one-half acres of
fine land in Fairview Township and this he still holds. The second Mrs. Fales
inherited eleven hundred dollars upon the death of her father, and forty-six and
one-half acres was purchased in Wild Cat Grove with this amount. This was
unimproved and Mr. Fales and his faithful wife worked very hard in placing it
under cultivation, and it is now a splendid little farm, worth probably two
hundred and fifty dollars per acre. Mr.
Fales has since added five acres to it, thus making fifty-one and one-half
acres. In all he owns in Fairview
and Palo Alto Townships three hundred and sixty-five acres and two good
residence properties in Newton, and he is also part owner of one of Newton's
best business blocks. He is now retired from the active duties of life and lives
quietly in his beautiful modern home in Newton, where his two little boys attend
school. He is a member of the
Baptist Church, while his wife affiliates with the Presbyterians.
He is very grateful that God has prospered him and believes that
"honesty is the best policy." Mr.
Fales relates in an interesting manner his early experiences in Iowa, which were
characterized by hardships, privations and labor of the most strenuous nature.
Among these experiences he tells in the following words of his efforts to build
his first house: "Soon after I
came from the army I purchased a small piece of wild land near Fredericksburg,
Chickasaw County, Iowa, paying for it with the money I had saved in the army
service, using all my means in this purchase.
I now needed a house, but, having no money, I worked for a Mr. Martin for
ten days, for which I received one thousand feet of native lumber, delivered at
the saw-mill. Then I gleaned around
and got about seven hundred more feet
of native lumber and hauled
it to the mill. I then went to Mr.
Paden, who owned the mill, and bargained with him to saw my logs at ten dollars
a thousand, paying him in work by the day.
I then got some logs and hewed my sills, eight inches square.
Needing shingles, I went to Mr. Martin and bought a large black oak
shingle tree for four dollars, to be paid at harvest time.
I had the tree sawed into shingle blocks and hauled them to the shingle
factory. I paid for the making of the shingles by work at the shingle factory.
When I had the materials on the ground and ready to start the building I went to
a Mr. Conner to help me put up the little house, which was to be fourteen by
eighteen feet, eight feet high. He
was too busy to help me, but said he could show me how so that I could do the
work as well as he could. When ready to raise the building I went to town to buy
some nails. I had in my pockets but
thirty-five cents and went to a hardware store to buy two dollars' worth of
nails. Being a stranger, they did
not want to trust me, but said they would let me have the stuff if my father
would say it was all right. Going to see my father, I found he had gone to the
country, so I went back to the store. While there a man came in who was doing
some mason work for the store people and said he wanted them to get him a
workman. I spoke up and asked for the job, which I secured, and after working
two days was able to buy my two dollars' worth of nails.
I found a man who had a window he did not need and worked for him until I
had paid for the window. My
wife being anxious to get into the house, we moved in in the spring of 1866,
with but one side of the roof on, one window in, a blanket doing service for a
door and the floor only temporarily laid. This
is the way I built my first house. We were both happy in this home of our own,
though it was ever so humble, and when the building was completed it was a very
comfortable house. The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. 544. John
M. Fales, residing on section 15, Palo Alto Township, is one of the successful
farmers of Jasper County. He owns
and occupies a farm comprising two hundred
and forty acres of fertile land, upon which He has erected suitable buildings
and introduced all the improvements of a model estate. In connection with
general farming, he engages successfully in the raising of a good grade of
stock. As an agriculturist he is keen to discern every opportunity
and quick to avail himself of it, and the prosperity he has attained may be
attributed to his shrewd discernment, excellent judgment and strict integrity.
Born
in Steuben County, Ohio, in April 1843, our subject is the son of Ellis and
Julia A. (Avery) Fales, natives of New York.
At the age of ten years he accompanied his parents to Wisconsin, where, a
short time afterward, the mother died. Later, in company with his father and the
other members of the family, he removed to Marquette County, the same state,
where he remained for several years. Thence he went to Crawford County, WI,
where he made a short sojourn. He
received a limited education in the common schools, but did not have the
advantages now offered the young. In
his nineteenth year Mr. Fales enlisted in the Union Army, becoming a member of
Company A, Second Battalion, Sixteenth United States Infantry.
Immediately after enlistment, February 12,1862, he, with other recruits,
was sent to the headquarters at Columbus, Ohio, whence, a short time afterward,
be was ordered to Columbus, KY. There he remained in the capacity of a guard at
headquarters until February 1864, when he was ordered to join his regiment at
Chattanooga, TN. He participated in
the battle of Buzzard’s Roost, and subsequently, under the command of General
Sherman, marched from Chattanooga to Jonesboro in the rear of Atlanta, being
under fire most of the time. When General Sherman marched to the sea, our
subject and the regular brigade were sent back to Lockout Mountain. He was honorably discharged February 12, 1865, and on account
of disability now receives a pension of $l2 per month. After
the war Mr. Fales removed to Chickasaw County, Iowa, whence in 1870 he went to
Jasper County, MO, and from there came back to Iowa during the following year. He resided for a time in the northern part of the state,
returning to Jasper County, Iowa, in 1873.
In September 1866, be married Miss Sarah J. Sisson, and they became the
parents of five children, four of whom are now living, namely: Annie D., wife of
Henry Metz, L. A.; Cora, wife of Charles Gibford; and Sidney M. Anson is
deceased. In 1878 Mr. Fales was united in marriage with Mrs. Betsey Barker, and
their union resulted in the birth of two children, both now deceased. In politics Mr.
Pales is a Republican, with Prohibition sympathies.
For three years he served as Trustee of Palo Alto Township, and has also
filled the position of Road Supervisor. In
those offices, as well as in every position to which be has been elected; he has
shown good judgment and fidelity in the discharge of his duties and obligations.
In his religious connections he is identified with the United Brethren
Church, in which lie has served as Steward.
He has also officiated as Secretary of the quarterly conference. Portrait and Biographical Record, Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, IA, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, IL, 1894, p. 158. |
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