Hi Tom, I read your remark about enjoying looking up historical facts etc.

I have a Waltham Mod. 57 KW private label marked: J. F. Sargeant, Mountain Home, Iowa.

I would appreciate anything you could find out about this person.

It really adds a lot of interest to any watch to know something about the original merchant or owner.
Thanks in advance for your trouble...Keith

Hi Keith

Thanks for the name to research. So far he is being stubborn about revealing his history.

The only thing so for was a 1863 US IRS Tax Assessment for May 1863-May 1864, it just shows the name, district 1 Iowa in Mt Pleasant & he is show as a retail merchant.

I will keep looking. Would like to see photos of the watch if possible.

Tom

Keith

'Iowa Gazetteer and Business directory 1884 - 1885':

Mount Pleasant, Henry county, James F Sargent, jeweler

Regards,
Gerald

Biographical review of Henry County, Iowa

JAMES FRANKLIN SARGENT.

James Franklin Sargent, deceased, who in the years of an active business life, won the full trust, confidence and respect of his fellow citizens and-became known as one of the representative residents of Mount Pleasant, was born in Plymouth, New Hampshire, June 11, 1829. He was descended from New England ancestry of some prominence. His father served as a member of the New Hampshire legislature and James F. Sargent was of the eighth generation in the line of descent from William Sargent, who settled in Amesbury, New Hampshire, at a very early period in the colonization of America. His father was a farmer and teacher and gave to his son good educational privileges for those days. When a youth of twelve years James F. Sargent went to an academy to live and study and he spent his summer months in Waltham, Massachusetts, in learning the jeweler's trade. In the autumn he would again enter school and he thus continued to divide his time between the acquirement of an education and the knowledge of the jeweler's business until he had finished his school life. He then went to New York in search of a location, and while there he was advised by a friend to seek employment with the firm of Taylor & Main in Utica, New York. He did so and was given a good position with that house, continuing there for five or six years. After a year, desiring to go home on a visit, his firm allowed him his vacation time, and on reaching the post office he found a letter from the firm enclosing a fifty-dollar check with the request that he accept it as a token of their appreciation of his valuable service. After six years spent with Taylor & Main he resigned, to the deep regret of his employers.

Seeming trivial things often prove of utmost importance in the life of the individual, and so it happened in the case of Mr. Sargent, who one day heard the Rev. Dr. Stewart, a Presbyterian clergyman, then of Mount Clemens, telling the firm of Taylor & Main that the Iowa town in which he lived did not have a jeweler and that the citizens of Mount Pleasant were therefore obliged to go to Burlington for everything that they needed. Thinking that it might prove an advantageous field for him, Mr. Sargent made arrangements to come to the west, and after reaching Mount Pleasant sought Dr. Stewart, who gave him such assistance as he could in making a start here. He located in Henry county in 1855, when Mount Pleasant was yet a new town, and opened a jewelry store, his first location being in the west side of the square. He occupied one-half of the store of Mr. Brasleton, who used the other half for banking purposes. Subsequently Mr. Sargent removed to what is known as the Tiffany corner, and there he conducted a fine store and enjoyed a large trade until 1875, when he removed to a store which he purchased on the north side of the square and which is still owned by Mrs. Sargent. There he conducted business until his retirement about twelve years before his death. He was long recognized as one of the leading and representative merchants of the city. He always carried a large and well selected stock of goods thoroughly up-to-date, and his earnest desire to please his patrons and his honorable business methods secured him a trade that made his labor very profitable.

Mr. Sargent was united in marriage to Miss Mary Maling, of Mount Pleasant, who died leaving no children. In 1864 he built a fine brick residence on North Main street, where he lived until his death. After losing his first wife, he was married on the 28th of October, 1880, to Miss Emma Christina Kelson, of Mount Pleasant, and they had one daughter, Birdie Eleanora, who pursued her early education in the public schools, is a graduate of the Conservatory of Music, and is now the wife of James I. Payne, of Chicago.

When Mr. Sargent came to Mount Pleasant he had been accustomed to attend the Presbyterian church and he sang in its choir. He gave liberally toward the building of the new church which was erected here soon after his arrival, and with others he arranged for a good organ and music for the dedication, but some of the deacons, disproving of organs in churches, made them take it out. Mr. Sargent never again entered that church. Nevertheless, throughout his entire life he manifested broad humanitarian principles and a helpful, kindly spirit, and many there are who have benefited by his generous assistance. He passed away March 27, 1899, at the age of seventy-one years, respected by all who knew him. Mount Pleasant mourned the loss of one of its representative men, who throughout an active business career had contributed to the general prosperity as well as to his individual success. He was interested in all that pertained to the welfare of the city and was the champion of many of its progressive measures. His life was honorable, his actions manly and sincere and he was ever fearless in defense of & course which he believed to be right. Following the death of her husband, Mrs. Sargent sold the large home and built a pleasant residence on West Monroe street, where she is now living.

Tom

Tom,

What can you find on Howard Middlesworth?

Steve

Steve

Do you have a city, county or state? Was he a jeweler?

Tom

Boy Steve, I am a little slow today, after I asked the question & went to look for him, I thought wait a minute that is Steve's last name.

A little more info would help narrow down the search, there are quite a few Howard Middlesworths.
Tom

Tom,

I believe his middle name was Vaughn and lved in Berea, OH as well as Ann Arbor MI.

Steve

Wow you guys are amazing! I apoligize for giving you some bum information but my watchmaker has the watch and my memory at 78 years is not the best.

Tom As soon as I get the watch back I will post some pictures. Thanks again.......Keith

Hi Keith

I couldn't locate any where on the web of a Mountain Home Iowa, so I was hoping it was Mount Pleasant.

Tom

Tom,

I was mistaken and his first name was Vaughn...sorry.

Steve

Steve
I don't know if this is the one you are looking for:

J. Vaughn Middlesworth, second child and only son of George W. and Annie Artemisia (Moser) Midlesworth, was born July 31 1884, on his father's farm in the northern part of Richland Co., Ohio.

Regards,
Gerald

Steve

Does this sound like the guy, Vaughn 1880 in Ohio he was an accountant for a railroad, was married to Jennie who was a school teacher. They had a daughter Naoma, son Vance, Vaughan was born about 1885 in Ohio.

Tom

Tom and Gerald,

You are both correct. That was my grandfather. I was talking to my sister on the phone when you both posted and your information led into another half hour of talking on the phone.

Tom, my father Vance had one other sister named Portia who apparently did not make the list.

I know he was working for a railroad when he lived in Ann Arbor, MI but I don't know which one it would have been.

I thank you both for the information, it has been quite helpful.

Steve

Steve

If you like I can email you copies of the census & whatever else I find.

His WWI Draft card shows he was a clerk for a railroad & it looks like it is NYC it is hard to read but the employers address looks like 713 (two letter word?) St & St. Cleielloe (guess at writing) Cleveland Ohio. At the time he & his wife were living at 1522 E. 19th St. Cleveland Ohio. It shows his dob as July 31, 1884

Tom

Steve

Portia Ann Middlesworth was born about 1927

The railroad your grandfather worked for was probably the Ann Arbor Railroad

Regards,
Gerald

Portia did make onto the 1930 census

He is a sad story about you grandfathers sister.

Children of Annie Artamissa (Moser) Middlesworth

Catherine Faye Middlesworth, was born Nov.
8, 1880, on her father's farm in the northern part of Richland Co., Ohio.

She died July 6. 1898, a victim of the Shelby bridge disaster of July Fourth.

On July 4, 1898, the community witnessed its greatest disaster: the collapse of the Main Street Bridge. Seven died and 400 were injured after a wedding performed on the structure.

She is buried in Edwards Grove Cemeterv, Ripley Tp., Huron Co., Ohio.

J. Vaughn Middlesworth, second child and only son was born July 31, 1884, on his father's farm in the northern part of Richland Co., Ohio.

Tom

A sad story and a sad picture:

Gerald

Boy Gerald, we make quite a team!

Tom

Tom and Jerry !

Gerald

Tom and Jerry,

I had thought about referring to you two as those comical cartoon characters but your efforts were no joke. Outstanding research guys.

As I was talking to my sister earliar she referred to Faye and how my fathers family never celebrated the 4th of July because of that incident. It truly was a sad occasion for them.

She also told me of Annie, my great grandmother, was quite the activist and and really did a lot of pushing for education and maybe even some womens rights as well.

I really appreciate all you efforts and have enjoyed immensly the information you have enlightened me with.

And Tom, email me what you have found, I would enjoy seeing it.

Steve

Tom, I'd still like to know if you could find something on my Great Uncle whose watch is in this thread.
https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/f...86047761/m/479106751

Regards! Mark

Mark

I guess I missed seeing your post before, sometimes these slip past me.

Do you have any other info on him, his wife's name etc. So far I see at least four guys by that name living in Ohio with different dobs.

Tom

Mark

I see from looking at the other posts, he was thought to be an attorney & worked for the railroad. So far out of 4 or 5 John Mittendorf's I have found one that is only listed as retired, several that were farm laborers & one that was a clerk on a railroad. Could you possibly give me other relatives of John & also an idea on when he might have been born.

Thanks

Tom

The only other name I can give you is my great grandmother's, which was Lydia, and was his sister. Other than that, unfortunately, that's all I can offer. I do know he was born in Germany and they supposedly came to the U. S. through Canada.

That's the problem....no one in my family ever TALKED about anyone (my great grandfather on my grandmothers side actually was quoted saying 'we're not ancester worshippers', so very little was kept, and very little was talked about.)

If it hadn't been for my Mom, I wouldn't have THAT much. Everyone else is gone.

The man must have had some money, based on this watch, as it's solid 14k gold, an adjusted 17j railroad grade movement, and was regularily serviced. Based on what little I can tell looking at the case wear, he must have only worn it in a vest pocket, as the usual wear and tear of a trouser pocket just isn't there.

So, if anything, I'm kind of voting for the railroad clerk who may have worked his way up the ladder.

Thanks for anything you can find (or not, as it were), Tom. I really appreciate it!

Regard! Mark

Hi Mark

I think we have to ride the horse backwards.
Would you like to give us the birth name of your grandmother and possible brothers and sisters of her? They might be filed as children in the old census records and make it possible to find out the right John M.

Regards
Gerald

Mark

I did find a family with a John & a Lydia, does any of this sound possible;
1880 census for Dayton Montgomery county Ohio
William Mittendorf born about 1831 in Oldendorf, Kingdom of Hannover Germany Minister
Lizzie " born about 1857 daughter
Charles " born about 1858 son printer
Louis " born about 1862 son printer
Harmon " born about 1863 son cabinet maker
John " born about 1865 son printer
Lydia " born about 1868 daughter
Anna " born about 1871 daughter

All the children were born in Ohio except Anna who is listed as Illinois.

Tom

It looks like the above listed John shows the following in 1930 living in Cincinnati Ohio
John retired parents born in Germany
Rose M. is his wife she was born about 1869 in Ohio & her parents were from Germany.

Tom

WOW! That might be him! I vaguely remember the name 'Harmon' in family discussions. Cincinnati?

Printer? That's VERY interesting.....

Thank you so VERY much, Tom! This is more information than I've ever read before about my great grandparents/aunts/uncles.

Regards! Mark

Mark

Does the date of birth seem right for your grandmother?

Can you tell me her husbands name?

Tom

Mark

I don't think the above people are your family.

I just found a Lydia Hannah Mittendorf born in October 1871 in Ohio who married a Pleasant Everett Cross (1872-1960, they had Edna, Henry, Theodosia, Frederick, Walter, Ethel, Arthur, Dudley, Robert, Alice, George, Edna.

Does that look right?

Mark

If this is your Lydia, I found your John then. I will wait to hear back from you before I put up more.

Tom