Justus Rew, resident of Mt. Pleasant Twp. is the senior member of the firm of Rew & Thompson, real-estate and loan agents at Grundy Center, Iowa. He was born May 3, 1811 in the township of Orwll, Rutland To VT. He is the son of Henry and Anna 9Benson) rew, and when he was eight years of age his parents removed to the township of Sullivan, in Tioga Co PA where the father and mother both died. Their family included two sons, Benjamin, the younger was a farmer in Sullivan Twp. and died there in 1883. The father was the second man who mined coal in the now extensive field fo Blossburg PA when he died in 1818.
Mr. Rew of this sketch, passed ihs boyhood and later youth in PA and in 1833 he came West to Portage OH where he remained three years. In 1836 he proceeded thence to WI, where he engaged in farming near the city of Milwaukee. In 1839 he decided on a return to PA where he remained until 1845, and was variously employed while there as a carpenter, blacksmith and farmer.
In 1845 Mr. Rew determined to establish his home permanently in the then far West, and he came with that intent to Whiteside County. He bought 200 acres of land in the townshp of Lyndon of which he took possession and entered and proved his claim when it came into market. He remained its occupant until 1877 and had converted it into a fine and valuable farm, having excellent buildings and all necessary farm equipments. The death of his wife in 1877 set aside the necessity and inclination to maintain a home in his changed circumstances, and he sold the place that had been for over 30 years the object of his efforts, and on which he had expended the best energies of his manhood's prime. He has since been an inmate of the families of friends in Mt. Pleasant Twp.
In 1881 Mr. Rew formed a partnership with Samuel Wilkinson of Morrison, and I.G. Johnson and they established a banking institution at Ordway, Brown Co., D.T., which they continued to operate until the spring of 1884. In Feb. 1883, Mr. Rew entered into his present relations with M.J. Thompson, of Grendy Center, Iowa, and they are engaged in an extensive traffic in real estate and are operating with success as loan agents. He was one of the corporatoin in the construction of the Rockford, Rock Island and St. Louis RR and also one of its directors. He was also a director of the Rockford and Rock Island RR. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity at Morrison. He is a Democrat and acted as supervisor of Lyndon Township seven terms, officiating one year as Chariman of the Board.
His height is six feet and four inches, his frame is firmly and compactly built; he has the brawn and sinew of the ideal pioneer, fitted to contend successfully with the condition of pioneer existence.
Portraits & Biographical 1885 Pg 663
