OLIVER W. MACY, photographer, gallery located near S. H. Watson & Son's Bank, Vinton, is a
son of John G. and Mary A. (Pearson) Macy, and was born in Miami County, Ohio, July 15, 1850. His
father was a native of North Carolina, a carpenter and cabinet-maker by trade, and also a farmer.
He died in Iowa County, Iowa, in 1867, where he had a farm of 217 acres. His mother is a native
of Ohio, in which State they were married. She resides with her children. There were fourteen
children, seven of whom are now living, the subject of this sketch being the ninth.
Mr. Macy was reared on a farm and received a common-school education. In 1870 he came to Vinton
and took instructions in photography, and also at Marshalltown. He located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa,
in company with H. A. Jordan, where he remained about one year, then traveled with a portable
gallery, after which he located at Belle Plaine, where he remained two years, after which, in
1880, he came to Vinton, where he opened a gallery and has ever since been engaged in the
business. He has worked up a business of about $2,500 annually. He also has a branch gallery at
Dysart, Tama County.
Mr. Macy was married while in business at Cedar Falls, at Greenville, Bond Co., Ill., to Miss
Fraida Robert, daughter of James Robert, a farmer of that county, and a native of Switzerland. Four
children were born to this union, three of whom are now living — Eva L., Laura M. and
Robert J.; the deceased was Owen E. Mr. Macy's wife died Jan. 31, 1884. He was again married in
this county, near Belle Plaine, June 25, 1885, to Miss Lillian Wengert, daughter of Jacob and
Elizabeth Wengert, born in Whiteside County, Ill., March 13, 1864. They have one child —
Fraida. Mrs. Macy's parents are both old settlers of this county, and still reside near Belle
Plaine, on their fine farm.
Source Citation: "1887 Benton County, Iowa Biographies" [database online] Benton County IAGenWeb Project. <http://iagenweb.org/benton/>
Original data: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Benton County, Iowa." Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887, p. 341-342.
Transcribed by: Sue Soden. Submitted to the Benton County IAGenWeb Project on February 18th, 2009. Copyright © 2009 The IAGenWeb Project.