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Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
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John
S. Holtz A
highly honored citizen of Newton, who has long had the interests of Jasper
County at heart and whose career has been one of usefulness and characterized by
lofty purpose, is John S. Holtz, for many years a leading farmer but now living
retired. He was born near
Morristown, Belmont County, Ohio, October 14, 1838. He is the son of Jacob and Eleanor (Douglas) Holtz, the
father a native of St. Clairsville, Belmont County, Ohio, while the mother was a
native of Maryland. The former
spent his life on a farm in Ohio, dying at the advanced age of ninety-three
years, his wife reaching the age of ninety-two; they were a remarkable old
couple and highly honored in their community.
The Holtz family is of German stock. Grandfather Holtz having emigrated
from Germany to the state of Pennsylvania, where he died at the age of
seventy-three years. Great-grandmother
Holtz reached the remarkable age of one hundred and three years. Fourteen children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Holtz,
seven of whom are living: Otha W. is a practicing physician in Missouri; John
S., of this review; D. F., of Cambridge, Ohio, is a minister in the Methodist
church; Earl D. is a Doctor of Divinity, a great lecturer and traveler, making
his home at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where he has a church; J. M. is a
practicing physician in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Caroline E. Bowles is a
resident of Fairview, Ohio; Mrs. Mary Hood lives at Cambridge, Ohio. John
S. Holtz was reared on the home farm in Ohio and when but a boy he knew the
meaning of hard work. He received a
good common school education, and when the tocsin of war sounded, calling the
loyal sons of the old flag to rally in its defense, he unhesitatingly offered
his services, enlisting in Company K, Fifth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, in which he
served nearly four years in a most faithful and gallant manner, participating in
over one hundred battles and skirmishes, including Shiloh, Corinth, Iuka,
Chattanooga and the numerous ones in the Atlanta campaign; he was with Sherman
on his march to the sea and was also with him through the Carolinas, and he was
taken prisoner near Fayetteville, North Carolina, and sent to Libby Prison,
where he remained only a few weeks, this having been about the close of the war.
He received an honorable discharge at Columbus, Ohio.
Two brothers were also in the Union army. Their father was an officer in
the Ohio militia in his day. John
S. Holtz was married first on August 9, 1866, to Cora J. Richmond, who was born
in Kentucky, but was reared in Iowa, and to this union seven children were born,
namely: Ellen died when two years of age; Albert C. lives on a farm near Ira,
Jasper County; William E. is a carpenter at Central City, Nebraska; Mrs.
Florence Shrider, of Zanesville, Ohio; James B. of Boone, Iowa, where he is
president and manager of a glove manufacturing concern; Effie died when one year
old; Mrs. Beryl Gearhart lives near Goddard, Jasper County. Mr.
Holtz came to Jasper County at the close of the war in 1865 and settled north of
Newton, where the village of Baxter is now located.
After living there about ten years, he moved to Adair County, Iowa, where
he improved two farms and lived seven years, then returned to near Baxter,
Jasper County, again and there continued to reside until the spring of 1889,
when he removed to northwestern Nebraska and there became the owner of four
hundred and eighty acres. After living there seven years, he again returned to Jasper
County, Iowa, locating in Newton, where he has since lived, with the exception
of one trip made back to Nebraska for his wife's health.
When he came back he rented a farm which he worked one year, then bought
ten acres near Newton and went to gardening and raising small fruits, which he
continued for some time there, and then, about twelve years ago, he bought his
present valuable place in Newton and he has continued in the gardening and small
fruit business, having been very successful in this line of endeavor.
He has a valuable and neatly kept place and has been very successful in
whatever he has turned his attention to, having always been a hard worker and a
good manager. Mr.
Holtz was married in January 1904, to Mrs. Ava Lloyd, who was born in Jasper
County, Iowa, of a highly respected old family, and here she grew to maturity
and was educated. Mr. and Mrs. Holtz are members of the Baptist church.
He served as trustee of the church for ten years.
He is independent in politics, and is a member of the local post of the
Grand Army of the Republic. He is a
Prohibitionist. Mr.
Holtz is an interesting man to meet, genial, honest and kindly disposed.
He talks entertainingly of the pioneer days in Jasper County and of the
wonderful subsequent growth of the same. He
has always been a keen observer. He
had a personal acquaintance with Gen. U. S. Grant and has seen a large number of
the great men of a former generation. The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. 651. |
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