Captain S. B. Evans. History of Wapello County, Iowa, and Representative Citizens. Template:Missing. (Chicago, Illinois: Biographical Publishing Company, 1901) Internet Archive
(https://archive.org/details/historyofwapello00evan : accessed 28 June 2014)
Excerpts
M. H. ABERNATHY, one of the best known business men of Blakesburg, Wapello county, Iowa, has been engaged in the mercantile business there since 1879, and is very successful. He is enterprising and progressive, and has always had the best interests of the town at heart.
M. H. Abernathy was born at Agency, Wapello county, Iowa, in 1850, and received only such mental training as could be obtained in the district schools. By the time he reached the age of twenty years he had decided to engage in some line of business, and as a result moved to Blakesburg, where he embarked in the stock business, buying and shipping extensively for a period of four years. He conceived the idea of entering the mercantile business, and in 1879 established a store in Blakesburg, which he has since conducted in a most successful manner. He built a large store in 1893, and has it well stocked with a complete line of goods, such as one would expect to find only in a larger city. He was appointed postmaster by President McKinley, and erected a building which he fitted up especially for use as a postoffice. It is conveniently located for the public, and his daughter acts in a capacity of assistant postmaster. In 1898 a bank was established at Blakesburg, and he became one of the stockholders and directors, and has since continued as such.
In 1879 Mr. Abernathy was united in marriage with Louisa Fritz, a daughter of Benedict Fritz. The latter was born in Germany, and was a young man when he came to this country. The first few years of his stay where were spent mining in California, which proved very successful. He came to Blakesburg, purchased land and conducted a general store, becoming one of the town's most prosperous merchants. Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy became the parents of four children, as follows: Achsa, born June 7, 1880; Clara C., born December 26, 1882; and infant who died at birth; and Moses W. F., born August 4, 1898. Politically, the subject of this sketch was a Democrat until Horace Greeley became a candidate for president. He then became a Republican, and is still affiliated with that party.
(Excerpted from pages 486 and 489.)
[Walter Abegg] remained on [his father's] farm until his associates started the Blakesburg Savings Bank, which was organized on June 18, 1900, by the following substantial business men: ... M. H. Abernathy, ... David Jay, ... William Fritz, ... . The officers elected were as follows: ... David Jay, vice-president; ... . The directors are as follows: ... David Jay, ... W. H. Abernathy ... .
(Excerpted from pages 499.)
HENRY FRITZ is the proprietor of the general store at Blakesburg, Wapello county, Iowa, which was established by his father at a very early day. He carried a complete line of general merchandise,---the largest line kept by any store in town, and enjoys the patronage of the leading citizens of the vicinity. He was born in Adams township, Wapello county, and is the third son of Benjamin Fritz.
Benjamin Fritz was born in Germany, and at a very early age determined to seek a fortune in America. After completing his schooling he came to the United States at a time when the gold fever was raging; contracting the fever, he crossed the plains to the gold regions of California. He mined and saved for a few years, and after accumulating a sufficiency to establish him in a safe line of business, in 1857, he returned to the East. Believing the West afforded the best opportunities, he moved to Iowa, and his first investment was in a farm in Adams township, Wapello county,---the old homestead which is still in possession of the family. After improving the land, building a house, and completing every arrangement for settling down, he went to St. Louis to marry a lady with whom he had been acquainted for some time. They returned to the farm, and raised a family of four sons and four daughters. Soon after his marriage he decided to give up farming, as he was better qualified to be a merchant. He went to Blakesburg, purchased a site, and soon became the leading merchant of that prosperous town. He kept in this store almost everything for which there was a demand, and worked up a large patronage. His trade with farmers was especially large, and he traded with this for stock and produce. When the hard times came on he stood by the farmers, and kept them supplied with what they needed to life on until better times should come,---no worthy customer ever being turned away by him. It is doubtful if any other man had the number of friends in the community that he did. He and his wife died in Blakesburg.
Henry, as soon as he was old enough, went into his father's store and clerked for a few years, saving a large portion of his wages, so that when his father decided to retire he was enabled to buy the business. He purchased the stock and store in 1887, which were consumed by fire in 1895. He immediately rebuilt, and now has one of the largest general merchandise stores in Wapello county. He has continued as a worthy successor of his father, and is still doing the largest business of the kind in the town.
In 1887 Mr. Fritz was united in marriage with Milly Barnes, a daughter of Wright and Ellen (Redding) Barnes. Her father was an old settler of Wapello county, and her mother was a descendant of Governor Redding, of Indiana. Two children blessed this union: Ella Fay, born January 7, 1892; and Ona May, born July 18, 1896. Mr. Fritz has always been a Democrat in politics. He is liberal in his religious views, and is a generous supporter of all charitable undertakings in the community.
(Excerpted from pages 509 and 510. This portion incorrectly gives the name Benjamin for Henry's father. His name was Benedict.)