Abridged: James Lincoln Agler, son of Peter and Sarah Agler, was born on a farm on January 22, 1862 in Ringgold, Iowa near Mt. Ayr. James was the youngest of four children. His father served in the Union Army during the Civil War, became ill and died in service in February 1862. He was buried at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Later, the mother married John Conner. To the union were born three children. While on a trip out west, the father became ill and died.
In 1886, the family homesteaded in Holt County, 12 miles southwest of Chambers. It was while there, Mr Agler met Olive Eastman and they were married in O'Neill on November 26, 1890. She was the daughter of Stephen and Mary Ann Eastman and was born on February 28, 1866 at Monfort, Wisconsin. Her favorite recreation was dancing and Mr. Agler played the fiddle.
In 1892, they moved to Elgin where he worked on a farm for Andy Perry. They moved to town in 1900 where he went into the mercantile business in 1902. Mr. Agler had several different partners over the next 24 years when he sold the business. In 1930 he opened a grocery store and operated it until 1943, selling the store because of illness.
James and Olive had two children, Goldie and Velma. Goldie worked in the store and Velma became a teacher and taught for 42 years. James died in Norfolk on December 23, 1946. After his death, Olive and Goldie spent the winter months in Fremont with Velma. Olive passed away in Fremont.
Source Unknown: Originally submitted for this website in June 2007