Mr.
Mallory was born in Yates County, New York, December 2, 1835, and is the eldest
son of Hon. Smith L. Mallory, a prominent citizen of Yates County and the
grandson of Meredith Mallory. The family is of English origin; but the mother of
our subject, who bore the maiden name of Jane Henderson, was a representative of
a Scotch-Irish family. Her father was born in the north of Ireland, of
Scotch-Irish parentage, and coming to America served as a teamster in the
Revolutionary war.
In 1850 Mr. Mallory of this sketch removed from the county of his nativity to
Batavia, Illinois, and soon after to St. Charles, that State, where he secured a
position as clerk. In 1851 he joined an engineer corps on the Galena & Chicago
Union Railroad, which was being built west from Elgin, Illinois, serving first
as ax man and soon afterward becoming rodman in the survey of the Chicago,
Burlington &Quincy Railroad west of Aurora. Soon after the completion of that
road to Burlington, Iowa, he was appointed its engineer, which position he held
until 1857, when he resigned and went to Fairfield, Iowa, where he engaged in
the real-estate business for one year. He was then appointed division engineer
of that part of the Burlington & Missouri road between Rome and Ottumwa, and a
little later was made road master of the line, and removed to Burlington. In
1861 he was engineer on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy from Chicago to Aurora,
having his headquarters in Chicago. In the fall of 1865 he contracted to build
the bridges from Ottumwa to Chariton, and afterward all the bridges on the main
line to Plattsmouth, and also on the Nebraska City branch for the same road.
Upon the completion of the road to Plattsmouth Mr. Mallory was appointed
assistant superintendent and afterward chief engineer of the road, which
position he resigned in 1873 to engage in railroad contracting, in which
business he was phenomenally successful. He has steadily worked his way upward,
his ability, skill and fidelity to his employers' interest winning him constant
promotion.
In 1867 Mr. Mallory came to Chariton and has since been actively interested in
the up building of the city. Whatever tends to benefit the community never seeks
his aid in vain, and his support is ever given to worthy enterprises that
promote public progress. He owns extensive landed interests in Lucas County and
some valuable city property in Chariton, including the opera-house which bears
his name, a steam elevator and several business houses. The financial interests
of the place have been greatly promoted by him, and he is a worthy
representative of the financial world. He is president of the First National
Bank, one of the solid moneyed institutions of the State. It was organized in
1870, and the first charter, expiring in 1890, was renewed for twenty years. The
history of this bank is very closely connected with the best interests of Lucas
County, of which it has been the financial agent for a quarter of a century. It
has been lenient in extending aid to public enterprises and private industries,
and though millions of dollars have passed over its counters in the transaction
of business, no individual has ever lost a dollar through the institution. Its
deposits are heavier than those of any other bank in the State in a city of
similar size. Its high standing is due largely to its president, whose personal
worth and integrity, which is above question, is a sufficient guarantee of
straight-forward, honorable dealing in the First National. Mr. Mallory is also
extensively interested in banking in Creston, and has large monetary interests
at other points along the line of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad and
its branches.
Mr. Mallory married Miss Annie L. Ogden, daughter of Hon. Mordecai Ogden, of
Elmira, New York. They have but one child, Jessie 0., who is now the wife of D.
J. Thayer. She and her husband still reside at her parents' home. Mr. Thayer is
a civil engineer by profession and associated with Mr. Mallory in his
railroading interests. The home of this family is a palatial country residence
called the Ilion, and is the finest in Lucas County, and few in the State are
more commodious and beautiful. Built in a style of modern architecture, with a
view to convenience and comfort as well as beauty, it is certainly an ideal
home. The furnishing and surroundings are in keeping with the exterior, and
indicate a refined and cultured taste which has secured all the advantages which
can be obtained through wealth. Ilion is pleasantly situated adjoining the city
limits of Chariton, and, retired from the hurry and rush of the city, Mr.
Mallory spends many hours there. He finds one of his chief sources of pleasure
in his farming, for he personally superintends the cultivation of his land and
also is engaged in the breeding of fine standard-bred horses. He is a lover of
the noble steed and therefore has many fine specimens on his farm.
Mr. Mallory has always been a stanch Democrat in his political views, and is
deeply interested in the growth and success of his party, but his many business
cares have prevented him from taking a prominent part in politics had he so
desired. In 1877, however, he was elected to the Legislature and served for one
term, where he indicated his loyalty as an American citizen by faithfully
laboring for those measures which he believed best calculated to benefit the
greatest number. He has served for some time as a director of the State
Agricultural Society and was president of the Iowa Board of Centennial Managers.
When the court-house of Lucas County was completed he generously donated a
splendid tower clock, manufactured by the Seth Thomas Clock Company. It stands
as a lasting monument to his beneficence and public spirit, and as the hours
pass by tells the tale of his interest in public affairs. The clock is enclosed
in a dust-proof case, seven by ten feet, made of heavy plate glass, and the
engraved plate upon it hears the inscription, "Presented to Lucas County by S.
H. Mallory, January 1, 1894. It started running May 27, 1894." Mr. Mallory was
chairman of the executive committee of the Iowa Commission of the World's Fair,
in which capacity he served for about a year, devoting his entire time to the
work of securing for Iowa a creditable exhibit, and his efforts were certainly
very successful; for the fine building and its contents were equal to any State
building on the grounds. In order to perform his work in a satisfactory manner
Mr. Mallory rented a house in Chicago and removing his family to that city spent
his entire time there for more than six months. The slight remuneration which he
received did not pay his expenses, but he gave his time, energies and money
freely in the interest of the State, which well numbers him among its most
valued citizens and honored representatives.
In manner Mr. Mallory is pleasant and genial, courteous and agreeable. He is a
member of the Masonic fraternity, having taken the Knights Templar degree, and
also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His daughter is connected
with the order known as Daughters of the Revolution, and the family are members
of the Episcopal Church. Although his life has been a very busy one Mr. Mallory
has taken time
for pleasure and recreation through travel, and accompanied by his family has
visited many points of beauty and interest in this country and abroad. They
spent an entire year in Europe among the capitals of the old world, its places
of historic interest, and among the mountains and vales which make its scenery
so famous.