Progressive Men of Iowa
1899

AINEY, Daniel Webster, now located on a farm near Lohrville, Calhoun county, started in life as a poor boy, working as a farm hand to get a little start in life, and to get an education. His father, Seth Ainey, was born in Warren county, N. J., of parents who came from Baden, Germany.  The son, Daniel, left home at the early age of 13, to work for his schooling, and was placed on his own resources the balance of his life. His ancestors have been for many years prominent in business and politics in Pennsylvania. He was born September 8,1856, in Susquehanna county, Pa. His mother's name was Harriet (Bennett) Ainey.

He first attended country district school, and later a short time at the high school at Montrose, in his native state. His education, however, was very limited when he came to Iowa in 1877, at the age of 21. He stopped the first year in Grundy county, and worked on a farm by the month for a year. He then went to Polk county and entered the Mitchell seminary, where he alternated between attending school and teaching for several years. Such was his determination to secure an education that he did janitor work to supplement his meager earnings in country school teaching, to enable him to pay for his board and tuition. During this period he spent his vacations on the farm of J. M. Chaffee, doing farm work. In the fall of 1881 he entered the Southern Iowa Normal school at Bloomfield, for a course of normal training, to prepare him for higher grade teaching, and also to take a course in elocution. It was but a few weeks, however, till the elocution department was put under his charge, and so remained while he was there. He studied German under Prof. O. H. Longwell during this time. In 1882 he was elected as principal of the schools at Altoona, and taught one year. In 1883 he was employed to teach higher English, Latin and commercial law, in the Archibald Business college at Minneapolis. His health failed at this period and he was compelled to quit the schoolroom. He accordingly left his work at Minneapolis and returned to Altoona, Iowa, and entered into partnership with J. W. Rider in the hardware business. After two years he sold out and went onto a farm for two years, after which he moved to the Pacific coast, but did not find matters as he had expected from reports, so returned in a few months to Des Moines, and organized the Crescent Supply company, but soon sold his interest and engaged in the general merchandise business at Altoona. Subsequently he traded his store for land in Calhoun county, and moved there and engaged in farming.  In 1896 he sold out, feeling that his health would compel him to retire, but his determination got the better of him and he bought the Lohrville Enterprise, but was soon forced to retire on account of failing health. His farm, however, soon came back upon his hands, and he retired thereon in 1897, and is now engaged in stock raising. He is a republican, and has been called upon to fill many minor offices, such as school director, township recorder, justice of the peace, etc. He is continually representing his township and county in county and state conventions, but does not seek or desire a political office. He is a Mason and has occupied several official positions in his local lodge. He belongs to the church organization known as the Disciples of Christ. He was married December 25, 1883, to Kate M. Baker, of Altoona. and four children have been born to them, one of whom is dead.

ALLISON, George R., of Rockwell City, was born at Oriskany, Oneida county, N. Y., August 3, 1842. His father, Robert Allison, was a noted chemist and druggist, and for thirteen years was connected with the Leeds infirmary in England. He came to this country in 1840 and settled in central New York. Farther down the line on the father's side, the ancestors were prosperous English farmers, and direct descendants of Richard Baxter, an eminent English divine. On the maternal side the family for generations engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods on a large scale. 

George R. Allison attended the common schools until 16 years of age, when he engaged as clerk in a country store in Oriskany, N. Y. For his services during the first year he received a salary of per month, without board. But as his parents furnished the board and provided the clothing, the lad had nearly the whole of his salary remaining at the end of the year. That he made himself useful, notwithstanding his meager salary, would appear from the fact that he remained with the firm for ten years, and at the time of resigning the position was receiving a much larger salary than is usually paid for like work. His next position was with the Oriskany Knitting Mill company, as bookkeeper, where he remained for one year, and then removed to Illinois, and purchased an interest in a general store in the town of Turner, near Chicago. After four years of prosperous business, the interests in Turner were disposed of, and he engaged in merchandising in Manson, Iowa, where for eleven years he carried on a business of such proportions as is rarely built up in a small town.  In speaking of the incidents in his money-making career which remain lastingly with him, Mr. Allison relates that his first dollar was earned in sawing and splitting four cords of wood for a neighbor. He still insists that it was the longest and highest and broadest pile of wood that was ever piled together.

Mr. Allison has been frequently honored with elective positions of trust and responsibility. He was the first recorder of the incorporated town of Manson, was supervisor of Calhoun county for three years, and subsequently served as county treasurer for six years. At present he is engaged in the real estate, loan and abstract business, having purchased a one-half interest in the Pioneer Abstracting company of that county. In politics he is a republican, and has held the several offices heretofore mentioned, at the hands of that party. He is a Mason; has been warden, secretary and treasurer of his home lodge. In religion he is of the Protestant Episcopal faith.  June 9, 1870, he was married to Miss Emma P. Seaman, and from that union there have resulted four children: Emma F., Mary E., Robert S., and Cary J. Allison.

FRICK, Maxwell W., of Rockwell City, was born October 27, 1859, in a log house on the prairie near the present site of Booneville, in Dallas county. He is the son of John A. Frick, who came to Iowa from Westmoreland county, Pa., in 1856 and settled in Dallas county. He was a farmer during all his active life, in comfortable circumstances, though not wealthy.  He is now retired. The mother is a native of Pennsylvania, being born near Connellsville, where she grew up and was married.  Her maiden name was Eliza M. Work. She is of Scotch-Irish descent, with a mixture of Welsh and English blood, and her ancestors served with distinction in the revolutionary war. The father is of German origin, his people being of that sturdy and prosperous class known as Pennsylvania Dutch.

The early education of Maxwell W.  Frick was acquired in the district school, but before reaching the age when pupils are usually placed in school he was fairly started on the way through home teaching Evincing a remarkable precociousness he soon led the classes in the few departments of learning in the district school, and to give him the opportunity to advance, not offered in the home district, he was sent to the high school at Adel. Before he had graduated he entered the schools of Des Moines. He there became proficient in stenography, but concluded to fit himself for admission to the bar. Following a period of private study he entered the law school in Des Moines, then being conducted by Judge Miller, where he remained until it suspended, then entered the office of M.  H. Baugh, a very able, though financially unfortunate, lawyer of Adel. He purchased an interest in the practice sub rosa with the understanding that as soon as he should be admitted to the bar his name was to appear in the firm. Applying himself closely, he passed the examination before the circuit court of Dallas county, February 3, 1881, under Judge Calvert, with marked honors.

After his admission to the bar he became the junior member of the firm of Baugh & Frick, as had been previously arranged; but he disposed of his interests there and the following summer he followed the rush to Rockwell City, then a promising new town on a proposed line of railroad. He located in practice there, and made arrangements with Harlan & Rude, real estate dealers at Perry, to conduct for them a branch office. Although the town was then experiencing the effects of a boom, business did not prove very remunerative for a time, but the young man kept up courage and remained, a course for which he is now very glad.

He was married to Miss Kate M. Marsh, of Adel, November 3, 1881. A few months subsequent to that event his existing real estate business relations were dissolved and another partnership formed under the style of Harlan & Company, consisting of W. H. Harlan, now a mail carrier in Des Moines, and himself. This was continued until 1882, when it was dissolved, since which time Mr. Frick has been in business alone. About this time, he and his wife, having learned of the C. L. S.  C., took up the course of reading, pursued ft together, and both graduated. He gives particular attention to commercial and real estate law and does a large general practice. In 1886 be added to his business a farm loan department and began a greater prosperity. His practice and brokerage business so increased that in 1891 he found it necessary to employ a stenographer and collector, and the three are kept busy. For several years he has been the attorney for R. G. Dun & Company, for Calhoun county.

In politics he is a republican, but his time is so completely employed in the conduct of his business that he finds little time for other work. He has served as justice of the peace and town assessor.  He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and A.  O. U. W., being past master of the last named. He has been president of the Westminster Christian Endeavor Union, of the Ft Dodge Presbytery, and is a ruling elder in the Presbyterian church. He was a member of the general assembly of that church which met at Detroit in 1891 and tried Dr.  Charles A. Briggs for heresy, and of the one which met at Winona, Ind., in 1897. His election to both these assemblies was not only unsolicited but un-known to him, each a spontaneous tribute of his fellow Presbyterians. He is active in church work, and largely through his efforts the denomination of his faith at Rockwell City has been freed from debt.

His reputation for business capacity caused his selection, in the spring of 1897, as a trustee of Buena Vista college, a promising institution of learning located at Storm Lake, Iowa. It is the testimony of his associates in this work, that in the short time he has been connected with it he has proven the wisdom of his selection.  On the night of August 11 and 12, 1898, he met the greatest trial of his life. His wife died suddenly of apoplexy, after an illness of but little more than two hours, succeeding a day of unusual enjoyment.

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