My Genealogy Home Page:Information about William Southern
William Southern (d. date unknown)
Notes for William Southern:
WILLIAM SOUTHERN.
William Southern is engaged in merchandising at Honey Creek, where he carries a large stock of goods and is meeting with gratifying success. He was born in Yorkshire, England, January 30, 1863, and in that country his parents are still living, but the favorable reports which he heard concerning America and her opportunities led him to try his fortune in the new world. At the age of eighteen years therefore he bade adieu to home, friends and family and sailed for America. He went first to Canada, where he remained a short time, and then came to Pottawattamie county, Iowa, and worked by the month as a farm hand for a year and a half. On the expiration of that period he began farming on his own account, being thus engaged until 1898, when he leased the store of Sievert Rief, his father-in-law, and conducted it for four years. He then bought a store in Honey Creek and conducted this for eighteen months, after which he sold out. A year later, however, he again engaged in business, purchasing five lots on the west side of the street. On one of these he erected a small building and put in a stock of goods. He has been quite successful in his commercial interests and now owns other buildings and has added to his stock until he now has an extensive store, keeping everything in the line of groceries, dry goods, notions, glassware, farm implements and lumber. At times his stock is worth as high as four thousand dollars and his check book shows two thousand dollars' worth of business each month, in addition to which there are hundreds of dollars of which he keeps no record. He closely studies the needs and the wishes of the public, is watchful of the market as well and introduces goods of the latest character. In manner he is genial and courteous, and his earnest efforts to please his patrons have resulted in making for him a very large and gratifying business.
in 1890 Mr. Southern was united in marriage to Miss Julia M. Rief, a daughter of Sievert Rief, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Southern have become the parents of five children: Martha L., Dora E., Ralph S., Raymond W. and Margaret, all yet at home.
Mr. Southern has never sought to figure prominently in public affairs, but on the contrary has preferred to concentrated his time and energies on his business. His capital was limited when he came to America, but in this country, where labor is unhampered by caste or class, he soon gained a good start, and as the years have gone by has so conducted his commercial interests that he is now one of the prosperous business men of his community.