IOWA
ITS HISTORY AND TRADITION
VOLUME III
1804-1926

J. H. GAMMON

One of the notable figures in commercial circles of Palo Alto county was the late James H. Gammon, who passed from the scene of life's activities in 1917, at the comparatively early age of forty-one years.  For more than a score of years he was closely identified with the business interests of Graettinger and was widely known as one of the representative men of his section of the state.  Mr. Gammon was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in May, 1876, and was a son of George H. and Jane E. (Knight) Gammon, the former a native of Boston, Massachusetts, and the latter of Brooklyn.  His father having been accidentally killed in Boston, George H. Gammon, at the age of seven years, was taken to New York city by his mother, and was there reared.  Later he came to Iowa and engaged in the lumber business at Laurens, Pocahontas county.  Selling out there he subsequently came to Graettinger, Palo Alto county, and established a lumber yard, in which he was successful, the business being now managed by his grandson, L. Calvin Gammon, under the name of the J. H. Gammon Estate.  George H. and Jane E. Gammon have long been retired from active affairs and are now living in Pasadena, California, the father being eighty-five years old and the mother seventy-eight.

James H. Gammon was reared in New York city to his fifteenth year, when the family removed to Laurens, Iowa, where he graduated from high school.  Later he entered his father's lumber business and about 1897 bought the business, which he profitably conducted to the time of his death, which was directly due to an injury received while repairing an automobile on the road.

On January 1, 1898, Mr. Gammon was married to Miss Grace R. Kent, who is a daughter of Prof. D. A. Kent, who was known throughout this stare as the father of the Iowa drainage law.  He was born  near Steubenville, Ohio, whence the family moved to Polk county, Iowa.  After completing the public school course, he entered the Iowa State Agricultural College, at Ames, where he was graduated, and then for several years served as superintendent of schools at Des Moines.  Later he was made assistant professor of agriculture at the state College at Ames.  He then bought Mud lake, in Hamilton county, which he drained, divided into farms and sold.  After completing his drainage project, he spent two years in Des Moines in getting a drainage bill through the legislature, from which fact he is generally known as the father of the drainage law.  Some time later he was called to Texas to assist in solving the problems of drainage and development of the Rio Grande valley.  His strenuous labors resulted in a physical breakdown, his death occurring in October, 1916.

To Mr. and Mrs. Gammon were born five children, of whom three survive:  L. Calvin, who is manager of the J. H. Gammon Estate lumber yard; Helen Genevieve, who is at home; and James William, who graduated from the Graettinger high school in 1926.  Mrs. Gammon is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, is president of the Graettinger branch of the State Teachers' Association, and is president of the Ladies' Auxiliary to the American Legion.  She takes an active interest in local charitable and benevolent work, and works in church, club and social affairs of the city.  Mr. Gammon was a man of strong mental endowment, coupled with an honesty of purpose that gained for him the confidence and esteem of all who knew him, his death being universally regarded as a distinct loss to the community which had been honored by his residence.  He was essentially a man of affairs, sound of judgment and far-seeing in what he undertook, and was regarded as one of the representative men of Palo Alto county.

H. L. BRERTON

Dr. Harold L. Brereton, of Emmetsburg, a veteran of the World war and a graduate of Rush Medical College, has risen rapidly in public favor and esteem and is today numbered among the leaders in his profession in Palto Alto county.  Born in Creston, Illinois, on the 17th of July, 1885, he is a son of Rev. James Edwin and Mary Louise (Linhoff) Brereton.  For many years the father was one of the leading preachers of Iowa, having served sixteen years as pastor of the First Congregational church of Emmetsburg, in which city he is now living, having been compelled by failing health to retire from the active work of the ministry.  He was born in Will county, Illinois, October 6, 1857, and is a son of Peter and Martha (Marshall) Brereton, both of whom were born near Manchester, England, where they were reared and married.  In 1857 they embarked in a sailing vessel for the United States, being six weeks on the sea and landing at New York city.  They came directly west to Will county, Illinois, where the father engaged in farming, though prior to coming to this country he had been employed in cotton mills at Manchester.  Eventually he moved to Clinton county, Illinois, which was his home for forty-seven years, his death occurring there in 1905, at the age of seventy-three years.

James E. Brereton attended the public schools of Clinton  county, Illinois, and pursued a classical course in the University of Illinois.  He was prepared for the ministry in the Chicago Theological Seminary, where he was graduated, with the degree of Bachelor of Divinity, in 1884.  On May 1st of that year he was ordained to the ministry and was appointed to the charge at Creston, Illinois, where he ministered for four years.  He then went to Ashland, Nebraska, where he served for six years, after which he was appointed secretary of Doane College, at Crete, Nebraska.  One year later he re-entered the active pastorate at Geneva, Nebraska, where he remained three years, and in 1895 he became pastor of the church at Waverley, Iowa, where he remained in active service for twelve years.  In March, 1908, he came to Emmetsburg as pastor of the First Congregational church and for sixteen years faithfully and ably served the interests of this church, his retirement from the active pastorate being only at the insistence of his medical advisor.  He has for many years held a position in the forefront of the successful and effective preachers of the Gospel in northwestern Iowa and his pastorate at Emmetsburg was marked by a devotion and zeal that impelled him to work far beyond his strength.  A forceful and earnest speaker, a man of the highest Christian ideals and of cordial and social nature, he has long held the love and affection of his people and the confidence and respect of the entire community.

On August 5, 1884, Rev. Brereton was married to Miss Mary Louise Linhoff, of Clinton county, Illinois, and they became the parents of four children, two sons and two daughters, namely:  Harold L.; Loring D., a paving contractor of Emmetsburg; Winifred May, who is the wife of Harold Hall, of Iowa Falls; and Mary Helen, who is the wife of Herbert C. Baker, a real estate broker at Lake Worth, Florida.  Rev. Brereton is a member of Earnest Lodge No. 399, A. F/ & A. M.; Earnest Chapter, No. 108, R. A. M.; and Holy Grail Commandery, No. 70, K. T.

Harold L. Brereton attended the public schools, graduating from the Waverley, Iowa, high school in 1904.  In the fall of 1905 he entered Grinnell College, where he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science in 1909.  During the ensuing winter he served as instructor in science at the Worthington (Minn.) high school, and in the fall of 1910 matriculated in Rush Medical College, of the University of Chicago, where he was graduated, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1914.   He then served as intern for eighteen months in the Cook County Hospital, Chicago, and in September, 1916, began the practice of his profession in Redwood Falls, Minnesota, in association with Drs. Pease and Flinn.  A year later, on the entrance of the United States into the World war, Dr. Brereton enlisted in the Medical Corps, in which he was commissioned a first lieutenant.  He was first assigned to the base hospital at Camp Upton, Long Island, New York, and in March, 1918, was transferred to Camp Dix, New Jersey, where he was appointed camp surgeon to the Thirteenth Battalion of the One Hundred and Thirteenth Depot Brigade.  He was honorably discharged in January, 1919, and then came to Emmetsburg and engaged in the practice of medicine.  He has been more than ordinarily successful and has built up a large and representative practice throughout this section of the county and has the respect of his professional colleagues.

In April, 1918, Dr. Brereton was married to Miss Isabelle C. Bayne, of Fergus, Ontario, Canada, whose death occurred in June, 1919.  Fraternally he is a member of Earnest Lodge, No. 399, A. F. & A. M.; Earnest Chapter, No. 108, R. A. M.; Holy Grail Commandery, No. 70, K. T.; and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.  He also belongs to the Phi Beta Phi medical fraternity, the Palo Alto County Medical Society, the Upper Des Moines Medical Society, of which he is now president, the Iowa State Medical Society and the American Medical Association.  He is now serving as city physician of Emmetsburg.  He is affiliated with the First Congregational church and is a member of its board of deacons.  Personally the Doctor is candid and straightforward in all of his relations, is kindly and genial and the circle of his friends is almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintances.

J.A. BERG

Progress and improvement may well be said to have formed the keynote to the character of John A. Berg, who was a well-known merchant of Ruthven and one of Palo Alto county's representative citizens.  Though devoted to the advancement of his own interests, he endeavored in straightforward manner to perform the duties of progressive citizenship, his support being always depended upon in the furtherance of any laudable movement for public betterment.  Thus his worth as a man and citizen was realized and his death, which occurred September 26, 1928, was the occasion of widespread regret.  Mr. Berg was born in Norway on the 18th of November, 1863, son of Andrew and Christina (Stokke) Berg, both of whom were lifelong residents of that country, but are now deceased.  The father was a stonecutter by trade.

John A. Berg attended the public schools of Norway and then took a high school course at a private school.  In March, 1883, when in his twentieth year, he came to the United States, and joined an uncle in Webster county, Iowa, near Fort Dodge.  The uncle was a farmer, but Mr. Berg did not care for that line of work and during the first summer he ran a cream wagon, while during the winter he attended school.  In the following year he drove a delivery wagon for a grocery store in Fort Dodge and later secured a position as clerk in a shoe store in that city. In 1892 he established a mercantile business in Callender, Iowa, but in 1895 sold out there and, in January, 1896, he came to Ruthven, Palo Alto county, where, in partnership with E. L. Furlong, he bought out the business of J. E. Mulroney & Company, which they conducted under the firm name of Furlong & Berg.  Later Mr. Berg bought his partner's interest and carried the business on under his own name until his demise. By close and intelligent attention to his trade, he won a large and representative patronage, the community thus expressing its appreciation of his square dealing, his courtesy and his excellent service.
In 1894 Mr. Berg was united in marriage to Miss Christina Haatvedt, a native of Webster county, Iowa, and to them were born eight children:  Arthur E., who was graduated in electrical engineering at the Iowa State College in 1920, is a veteran of the World war.  He was sent to the artillery officers' training school at St. Louis, where he was commissioned a second lieutenant of field artillery, but the Armistice was signed before he received orders to go overseas.  He is now associated with the General Electric Company at Chicago, Illinois.  Lucille H., who graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1918, is now teaching in a private school of music in Chicago.  Olga E., who attended the University of Wisconsin and graduated from Drake University in 1924, is a teacher of music in the public schools of Waukon, Iowa.  Kathleen, who is a graduate of Iowa State College, is a teacher in the consolidated schools at Luana, Iowa.  John H. is assisting in the store.  Cyril N. is a student in Iowa State University. Harold is also in the State University.  Robert Q., in the grade school, completes the family.

Politically Mr. Berg was a republican and in 1920 was his party's candidate for the legislature, but was defeated by a narrow margin.  He was a member of Highland Lodge, No. 487, A. F. and A. M.; Clay Chapter, No. 112, R. A M.; Sioux City Consistory, No. 5, A. A. S. R.; and Za-Ga-Zig Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Des Moines.  He was actively and effectively interested in local public affairs, having served as a member of the school board for fifteen years, with one short interval, while he was also a member of the town council two terms.

 He was vice-president and a director of the First National Bank of Ruthven.  He belonged to the Lutheran church, to which he gave liberal support.  His career was characterized by duty faithfully performed in all the relations of life and because of this, and his generous and kindly nature, he long enjoyed the good will and esteem of all who knew him.

E.P. BARRINGER

Emmet P. Barringer, of Ruthven, has long been identified with the general business interests of this section of the state and is widely known as one of its leading financiers, being president of the Farmers' Savings Bank. 

 Equally noted as a citizen whose useful career has conferred credit on his community and whose marked abilities and sterling qualities have won for him much more than local repute, he holds distinctive precedence as one of the most progressive men who have ever inaugurated and carried to successful consummation large and important undertakings in this locality.  He was born in Big Springs, Adams county, Wisconsin, on the 6th of April, 1857, and is a son of Peter E. and Amanda (Ward) Barringer, the former born in New York state, while the latter was a native of Ohio.  In 1873 they left Big Springs, Wisconsin, and came to Iowa, settling in Palo Alto county, about four miles east of Ruthven.  The mother died on that farm in 1891, and the father was later married to Miss Mary Pease.  Soon afterwards they moved to Ruthven, where the father died in 1909, at the age of eighty-six years.

Emmet P. Barringer received his education in the district schools of Wisconsin, and in 1872 came to Iowa, preceding his parents one year.  He worked on the Palo Alto farm during the summers and attended school during the winters.  In 1874 he entered the Emmetsburg high school, attending two years.  After the first term, he took up teaching and taught fourteen terms of school.  In 1887 he spent six months as land inspector for the American Investment Company of Emmetsburg, and in December of that year was appointed deputy county treasurer, in which position he served two years.  In 1892 he was elected county supervisor and was twice re-elected to the office, resigning during the last year of his third term in order to run for the legislature.  He was elected in one of the hardest-fought district fights ever seen in the state.  Mr. Barringer ran on the straight republican ticket and was opposed by a free-silver republican and a free-silver democrat, over whom he had a plurality of over six hundred, while he also ran far ahead of his ticket.  Prior to this he had served four years as chairman of the republican county committee.  While in the legislature, he became one of the incorporators of the American Life Insurance Company, of Des Moines, of which he was made vice president, in which position he served for many years.

In 1902 Mr. Barringer, in company with M. L. Brown, of Emmetsburg, went into Saskatchewan, Canada, and bought thirty thousand acres of land, after which they formed a corporation, the American Colonization Company, of which he was made vice president and general manager.  The company was incorporated for a millon dollars and had a paid-up capital of one hundred and ninety-two thousand dollars.  They were successful in this enterprise and continued to buy and sell land until they had bought over fifty-six thousand acres.  In 1909 this corporation was dissolved and the Brown & Barringer Syndicate, organized for the purpose, took over the holdings and are still conducting the business.  In 1892 Mr. Barringer became identified with the banking business of Palo Alto county, founding the Ruthven Savings Bank, of which he was elected president.  In 1894 a private bank at Ayrshire failed and Mr. Barringer was appointed assignee.  Immediately thereafter, in association with M. L. Brown, he opened a private bank at that place, and in 1896 it was incorporated as the First National Bank of Ayrshire.  Mr. Barringer was the cashier of this bank for several years and is still a member of its board of directors.  He also served one year as a director of the First National Bank of Emmetsburg.  In later years he opened a private bank in Ruthven but it was later incorporated as the Farmers SAvings Bank, since which time he has been its president.  About 1918 Mr. Barringer became actively identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen of Iowa and became chairman of the finance committee of the grand lodge, in which position he has served continuously to the present time.  Two years after assuming that position, he was elected a member of the board of director of the farm loan board and is the holder of extensive landed interests in California and other places.

Mr. Barringer was married in 1882 to Miss Margaret G. Ruthven, and to them were born three children:  Orie Irene; Ray E., who is a farmer in Palo Alto county;  and Harold E., also a farmer of this county.  On April 8, 1918, Mr. Barringer was married to Mrs. Della Karsch.  He is a member of Highland Lodge, A. F. & A. M.; Earnest Chapter, No. 152, R. A. M.; Ruthven Lodge, I. O. O. F.; and Esterville Lodge, B. P. O. E.  His activities have been most varied in character.  His extensive business interests are but the legitimate outcome of consecutive effort, directed and controlled by good judgment.  Strong mental powers and an invincible courage have so entered into his makeup as to render him a dominating power in the business world and a leader of men in important enterprises.  He has not only been interested in the advancement of his individual affairs, but his influence has also been felt in a very definite way in the advancement of the community which has so long been honored by his citizenship.

H. R. POWERS

Among the younger members of the medical profession in northwestern Iowa who are rapidly gaining distinction because of ability and success, none takes precedence over Dr. H. Roberts Powers, of Emmetsburg, who is receiving marked recognition because of his remarkable skill in surgery, in which branch of the healing art he specializes.  Doctor Powers is a native of Emmetsburg, born on the 15th of October, 1892, and is a son of Dr. Henry A. Powers, who has long ranked as one of the leading physicians of this section of the state.

Pursuing his early education in the public schools of Emmetsburg and graduating from high school in 1910, Dr. H. Roberts Powers then entered Iowa State University, where he was graduated, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, in 1915,  He next matriculated in Rush Medical College, Chicago, where he was graduated with the class of 1919.  His university work was completed the previous year, but Rush required a year of intern work before issuing a diploma.  Doctor Powers then went to the General Hospital and Medical College, in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he served eighteen months.  On January 1, 1920, he began the practice of his profession at Emmetsburg, in association with his father, but in 1922 he went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and took two years of post-graduate work in surgery in the Pennsylvania Graduate School of Medicine, where he was awarded the degree of Master of Medical Science of Surgery.  In 1924 he returned home and again took up his practice, giving his attention almost wholly to surgical work, while his father gives his attention to internal medicine.  The Doctor has already distinguished himself as a surgeon, having successfully performed a number of extremely difficult and dangerous operations, and by older members of the profession here is held in very high regard.  He is a member of Ernest Lodge, No. 299, A. F. & A. M., and throughout the range of his acquaintance is held in the highest measure of confidence and esteem, both for his professional success and for his worth as a man and citizen.