Page 49 - Armstrong Bloodline - ebook_Neat

years, and during this time he was also appointed Deputy United States Marshal for the southern district of
Illinois and in that capacity, through Captain R. N. Pollock, who was Chief of Police and United States Marshal,
he came frequently in touch with the Pinkerton Detective Agency, acting as private detective and special
policeman. Having opportunities to become familiar with legal proceedings he was urged by his friends to enter
the profession of law, but he was deterred by what he considered a limited education.

In 1858 Mr. Armstrong came to Iowa as a representative of the Ellwanger & Barry Nurseries of Rochester, New
York. Three years later, on account of his health, he returned to Illinois, rented a tract of land, bought horses and
farm machinery and began farming, but in July following he suffered a sunstroke, which terminated his efforts
along agricultural lines. In the fall of that year he returned to Michigan to consult his father relative to his eyes,
having almost entirely lost his sight. His father gave him no encouragement and he then went to Detroit and
consulted a specialist, who treated him with but little benefit. For two years he was nearly blind. However, in
June 1862, he went to Corunna, Michigan where he engaged in the harness business with an experienced
workman named Norman Philips (while he lived there, two of his daughters--Grace B. and Orah A--were born).
Soon Mr. Armstrong acquired the entire business and became an expert harness maker. He then quit that line of
business on account of his health and settled near New Windsor, Illinois in 1870, where he opened a shop. The
following spring he started westward for Emporia, Kansas, and on a visit to his brother- in-law in southwestern
Iowa (Sidney Heath and his sister Olive), but became attracted by the opportunities and advantages offered in
Page County. The beauties of the valley of the Nishma made such an impression upon him that he purchased one
hundred and sixty acres of school land near what is now Shenandoah and began to improve his farm. The
following spring he removed to his new home, erecting a dwelling and breaking the sod. When he came to
Shenandoah the first two buildings were being erected, these including the old depot which Mr. Armstrong now
owns. He then decided to return to Illinois where he once again engaged in the harness business before returning
to Shenandoah to settle for good. Shortly after his return, he opened a harness making shop, but lost everything
he possessed in the most disastrous fire in the history of the town. His spirit was not daunted, however, and in
thirty six hours he had another building erected and seven workmen at the bench. He subsequently opened
another shop in Coin. For thirty-four years he continued in the harness business, successfully conducting his trade
along well defined lines of labor, his energy and ability bringing to him well merited success.

Mr. Armstrong early began to secure Page County real estate, and devoted much of his time to improving
several farms. He had one farm where he bred and feeds large numbers of cattle and hogs each year; he also has
a farm of 210 acres in Hamilton County, Nebraska, and another valuable tract in Box Butte County. He also had
one of the most desirable residences in Shenandoah.

While Mr. Armstrong became locally well known in mercantile lines, he gained a world-wide reputation in
connection with the propagation of corn. While in Michigan he began studying and experimenting along that
line and after coming to Iowa and seeing one crop of corn matured which was the best he had ever seen up to
that time, he took up the study of further improvement and has delved deeper and deeper into the work,
studying and reading everything to be found upon the subject and putting forth many new, original and valuable
ideas. The president of Ames College recently made a statement that the methods now taught in the college in
the propagation of corn were the methods advocated and developed by Mr. Armstrong years ago, who at that
time was fifteen years ahead of the times. It has been said by those who are competent to speak on the subject
that there is not an acre of corn now grown in Iowa that does not have the Armstrong strain in it. From this
beginning Mr. Armstrong gradually drifted to the seed business (interesting choice of words). As he became
master in the work of propagating corn, in 1888 he began advertising his seed corn and thus started, he has
since developed his present extensive business until today Shenandoah is recognized as the greatest seed corn
center in the world. This is due entirely to the energy of Mr. Armstrong and his success along this line and his
work of developing corn. Today Shenandoah ships seed corn all over the world and the name of Armstrong is

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