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 LOUISA COUNTY. IOWA 
 
 CONTAINIHC 
 
 Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent 
 and Rci)resentative Citizens of the County, 
 
 TOCETHEH WITH 
 
 PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES OF AUL THE GOVERNORS OF THE STATE, AND 
 OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 
 
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 UK greatest of Kiiglish historians, Macau^ev, and one of tlic most brilliant writers 
 of till' |):i.st century, has said: "The historj' of a country is liest told In a record of tlic 
 lives of its people." In conformity with this idea the PouriiAiT ash 15ioi;KAniicAi, 
 Ai.uiM of this county has been prepared. Instead of going to must}' records, and 
 taking therefrom drj' statistical matter that can be appreciated by but few, our 
 corps of writers have gone to the people, the men and women who have, by their 
 enterprise and industry, brought the count}' to a rank second to none among those 
 comprising ti>is great and nob'e State, and from their lips have the story of their life 
 struggles. Xu more interesting or instructive matter could be jn't'sented to an intelli- 
 gent public. In this vohnne will be found a record of many whose lives are worthy the 
 imitation of ct)ming generations. It tells how some, commencing life in poverty, by 
 industry and economy have accumulated wealth. It tells iiow others, with limited 
 advantages for securing an education, have become learned men ami women, with an 
 iiilluence extending throughout the length and lircadth of the land. It tells of men who 
 liiive risen from the lower walks of life to eminence as statesmen, and wjiose names have 
 become famous. It tells of those in everj' walk in life who have striven to succeed, and 
 records how that success has usually crowned their efforts. It tells also of many, very 
 manv, who, not seeking the applause of the world, have pursued "the even tenor of their way," content 
 to have it said of them as Christ saidof the woman performing a deed of mercy — '-they have done what 
 tlicy could." It U'lls how that many in tlie pride and strength of young manhood left the plow and the 
 anvil, the lawyer's ollice and the counting-room, left every trade and ()rofession, and at their country's 
 call went forth valiantly "to do or die," and how through their efforts the Union was restored and peace 
 once more reigned in the land. In the life of every man and of every woman is a lesson that should not 
 be lost uiion those wlu) follow after. 
 
 Coming genci-ations will appreciate this volume and preserve it as a sacred treasure, from the fact 
 that it contiiins so much that woidd never lind its way into public records, and which would olherwisc be 
 in.accessible. Great care has been taken in the compilation of the work and every opportunity possible 
 given to those represented to in.sure correctness in what has been written, and the publishers Halter them- 
 selves that they give to their readers a work with few errors of consequence. In addition to the bi(»graph- 
 ical sketches, portraits of a number of reprc-^entative citizens are given. 
 
 The faces of some, and biographical sketches of many, will be missed in this volinne. Kor this tin: 
 publishers are not to blame. Not having a projjcr conception of the work, some refu.'-ed to give Ihe 
 information necessary to compile a sketch, while others were indifferent. (Jccasionall}' some member of 
 the famil}' would oppose the enterprise, and on account of such oi)position the support of the interested 
 one would be withheld. In a few instances men could never be found, though rci>eated calls were made 
 at their residence or place of business. 
 
 .VCMK I'l I'.I.IMII.M; CO. 
 
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 CiiiCAOO, .lanuar\-, 1881*. 
 
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 FIRST r RESIDENT. 
 
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 J HE Father of our Countr)' was 
 *i horn in 
 
 Westmorland Co., Va., 
 
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 [©^ I |Agy ^' Feb. 22, 1732. His parents 
 TX) m. \^'-_ % were Augustine and Mary 
 (Ball) Washington. The family 
 to which he belonged has not 
 been satisfactorily traced in 
 England. His great-grand- 
 father, John Washington, em- 
 igrated to Virginia about 1657, 
 and became a prosperous 
 planter. He had two sons, 
 Lawrence and John. The 
 ^t; former married Mildred Warner 
 and had three children, John, 
 Augustine and Mildred. Augus- 
 tine, the father of (leorge, first 
 married Jane Butler, who bore 
 him four children, two of whom, 
 Lawrence and Augustine, reached 
 maturity. Of six children by his 
 second marriage, George was the 
 eldest, the others beinu Betty, 
 Samuel, John Augustine, Charles 
 and Mildred. 
 .\ugustine Washington, the father of George, died 
 in 1743, leaving a large landed property. To his 
 eldest son, Lawrence, he bequeathed an estate on 
 the Patomac, afterwards known as Mount Vernon, 
 and to George he left the parental residence. George 
 received only such education as the neighliorhood 
 sch(K)ls afforded, save for a short time after he left 
 school, when he received private instruction in 
 mathematics. His spelling was rather defective. 
 
 -^•^ 
 
 Remarkable stories are tuld of his great physical 
 strength and development at an early age. He was 
 an acknowledged lender among his companions, and 
 was early noted for tliat nobleness of character, fair- 
 ness and veracity which characterized his whole life. 
 
 When George was 1 4 years old he had a desire to go to 
 sea, and a midsliipman's warrant was secured for iiim, 
 but through the opposition of his mother the idea was 
 abandoned. Two years later he was appointed 
 surveyor to the immense estate of Lord Fairfax. In 
 this business he spent three years in a rough frontier 
 life, gaining experience which afterwards proved very 
 essential to him. In 175 i, though only 19 years of 
 age, he was apjiointed adjutant with the rank of 
 major in the Virginia militia, then being trained for 
 active service against the French and Indians. Soon 
 after this he sailed to the West Indies with his brother 
 Lawrence, who went there to restore his health. They 
 soon returned, and in the summer of 1752 Lawrence 
 died, leaving a large fortune to an infant daughter 
 who did not long survive him. On her demise the 
 estate of Mount Vernon was given to George. 
 
 Uixjn the arrival of Robert Dinwiddie, as Lieuten- 
 ant-Governor of Virginia, in 1752, the militia was 
 reorganized, and the province divided into four mili- 
 tary districts, of which the northern was assigned to 
 Washington as adjutant general. Shortly after this 
 a very perilous mission was assigned him and ac- 
 cepted, which others had refused. This was to pro- 
 ceed to the French jxjst near Lake Erie in North- 
 western Pennsylvania. The distance to be traversed 
 was between 500 and 600 miles. Winter was at hand, 
 and the journey was to be made without military 
 escort, through a territory occupied by Indians. The 
 
 »» 
 
 i 
 
u 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON. 
 
 ^•►Hh-4» 
 
 trip was a perilous one, and several limes he came near 
 losing his life, yet he returned in safety and furnished 
 a full and useful report of liis expedition. A regiment 
 of 300 men was raised in Virginia and put in com- 
 mand of Col. Joshua Fry, and Major Washington was 
 commissioned lieutenant-colonel. Active war was 
 then begun against the French and Indians, in which 
 Washington took a most inifwrtant part. In the 
 memorable event of July 9, 1755, known as Brad- 
 dock's defeat, Washington was almost the only officer 
 of distinction who escaped from the calamities of the 
 day with life and honor. The other aids of Braddock 
 ivere disabled early in the action, and Wasliington 
 alone was left in that capacity on the field. In a letter 
 to his brother he says: "1 had four bullets through 
 my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet I escaped 
 unhurt, though death was levelino my companions 
 on every side." An Indian sharpshooter said he was 
 not born to be killed by a bullet, for he had taken 
 direct aim at him seventeen times, and failed to hit 
 him. 
 
 After having been five years in the military service, 
 and vainly sought promotion in the royal army, he 
 look advantage of the fall of Fort Duiiuesne and the 
 ex[nilsion of the French from the valley of the Ohio, 
 10 resign his commission. Soon after he entered the 
 Legislature, where, although not a leader, he took an 
 active and imi)ortant part. January 17, 1759, he 
 married Mrs. Martha (I)andridge) Custis, the wealthy 
 widow of John Parke Custis. 
 
 AVhen the British Parliament had closed the port 
 »)f Boston, the cry went up throughout the provinces 
 that "The cause of Boston is the cause of us all." 
 It was tlien, at the suggestion of Virginia, that a Con- 
 gress of all the colonies was called to meet at Phila- 
 delphia.Sept. 5, 1774, to secure their common liberties, 
 peaceably if ixjssible. To this Congress Col. Wash- 
 ington was sent as a delegate. On May 10, 1775, the 
 Congress re-assembled, when the hostile intentions of 
 England were plainly apparent. The battles of Con- 
 cord and Lexington had been fought, .^mong the 
 first acts of this Congress was the election of a com- 
 mander-in-chief of the colonial forces. This high and 
 responsible office was conferred u|)on Wasliington, 
 who was still a meml)er of the Congress. He accepted 
 it on June 19, but u]ion the express condition that he 
 receive no salary. He would keep an exact account 
 of expenses and expect Congress lo pay them and 
 nothing more. It is not the object of this sketch to 
 trace the military acts of Washington, to whom the 
 foftunes and liberties of the people of this country 
 were so long confided. The war was conducted by 
 him under every possible disadvantage, and while his 
 forces often met with reverses, yet he overcame every 
 obstacle, and after seven years of heroic devotion 
 and matchless skill he gained liberty for the greatest 
 nation of earth. On Dec. 23, 1783, Washington, in 
 a parting address of surpassing beauty, resigned his 
 
 A* 
 
 commission as commander-in-chief of the army to 
 
 to the Continental Congress sitting at Annajxjlis. He 
 retired immediately to Mount Vernon and resumed 
 his occupation as a fanner and planter, shunning all 
 connection with [(ublic life. 
 
 In February, 17 89, Washington was unanimously 
 elected President. In his presidential career ht was 
 subject to the peculiar trials incidental to a new 
 government ; trials from lack of confidence on the part 
 of other governments; trials from want of harmony 
 between the different sections of our own country; 
 trials from the imixjverished condition of the country, 
 owing to the war and want of credit; trials from the 
 beginnings of party strife. He was no partisan. His 
 clear judgment Could discern the golden mean; and 
 while perhaps this alone kept our government from 
 sinking at the very outset, it left him exi)osed to 
 attacks from both sides, which were often bitter and 
 very annoying. 
 
 .\t the expiration of his first term he was unani- 
 mously re-elected. At the end of this term many 
 were anxious that he be re-elected, but he absolutely 
 refused a third nomination. On the fourth of March, 
 1797, at the exi)iraton of his second term as Presi- 
 dent, he returned to his home, hoping to pass there 
 his few remaining years free from the annoyances of 
 public life. Later in the year, however, his re|X)se 
 seemed likely to be interrupted by war with France. 
 At the prospect of such a war he was again urged to 
 take command of the armies. He chose his sub- 
 ordinate officers and left to them the charge of mat- 
 ters in the field, which he superintended from his 
 home. In accepting the command he made the 
 reservation that he was not to be in the field until 
 it was necessary. In the midst of these preparations 
 his life was suddenly cut off. December 12, he took 
 a severe cold from a ride in the rain, which, settling 
 in his throat, produced inflammation, and terminated 
 fatally on the night of the fourteenth. On the eigh- 
 teenth his body was borne with military honors to its 
 final resting jilace, and interred in the family vault at 
 Mount Vernon. 
 
 Of the character of Washington it is imiwssible to 
 spe.ak but in terms of the highest respect and ad- 
 miration. The more we see of the operations of 
 our government, and the more deeply we feel the 
 difficulty of uniting all opinions in a common interest, 
 the more highly we must estimate the force of his tal- 
 ent and character, which have been able to challenge 
 the reverence of all parties, and princij)les, and na- 
 tions, and to win a fame as extended as the limits 
 of the globe, and which we cannot hut believe will 
 be as lasting as the existence of man. 
 
 The person of Washington was unusally tan, erect 
 and well proiwrtioned. His muscular strength was 
 great. His features were of a beautiful symmetr)'. 
 He commanded respect without any appearance of 
 haughtiness, and ever serious without being dull. 
 
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 SECOND PRESIDENT. 
 
 23 
 
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 OHN ADAMS, the second 
 .President and the first Vice- 
 President of the United States, 
 was l)orn in Braintree ( now 
 Quincy ),Mass., and about ten 
 "^^ miles from Boston, Oct. 19, 
 1735. His great-grandfather, Henry 
 Adams, emigrated from England 
 about 1640, with a family of eight 
 sons, and settled at Braintree. The 
 parents of John were John and 
 Susannah (Boylston) Adams. His 
 father was a farmer of limited 
 means, to which he added the bus- 
 iness of shoemaking. He gave his 
 eldest son, John, a classical educa- 
 ' tion at Harvard College. Jolm 
 
 graduated in 1755, and at once took charge of the 
 school in Worcester, Mass. This lie found but a 
 "school of affliction," from which he endeavored to 
 gain relief by devoting himself, in addition, to the 
 study of law. For this purjose he placed himself 
 under the tuition of the only lawyer in the town. He 
 had thought seriously of the clerical profession 
 but seems to have been turned from this by what he 
 termed " the frightful engines of ecclesiastical coun- 
 cils, of dialx)lical malice, and Calvanistic good nature," 
 of the oi)erations of which he had been a witness in 
 his native town. He was well fitted for the legal 
 profession, possessing a olear, sonorous voice, being 
 ready and fluent of speech, and having quick i)ercei> 
 live jxjwers. He gradually gained practice, and in 
 1764 married .\bigail Smith, a daughter of a minister, 
 and a lady of superior intelligence. Shortly after his 
 marriage, (1765), the attempt of Parliamentary taxa- 
 tion turned him from law to jwlitics. He took initial 
 Steps toward holding a town meeting, and the resolu- 
 
 tions he offered on the subject became very popular 
 throughout the Province, and were adopted word for 
 word by over forty different towns. He moved to Bos- 
 ton in 1768, and became one of the most courageous 
 and prominent advocatesof the popular cause, and 
 was chosen a member of the General Court (the l.eg- 
 lislature) in 1770. 
 
 Mr. Adams was chosen one of the first delegates 
 from Massachusetts to the first Continental Congress, 
 which rr.et in 1774. Here he distinguished himself 
 by his capacity for business and for debate, and ad- 
 vocated tlie movement for independence against the 
 majority of the members. In May, 1776, he moved 
 and carried a resolution in Congress that the Colonies 
 should assume tlie duties of self-govermnent. He 
 was a prominent niember of the committee of five 
 apixjinted June 11, to prepare a declaration of inde- 
 l)endencc. This article was drawn by Jefferson, but 
 on .\dams devolved the task of battling it through 
 Congress in a three days debate. 
 
 On the day after the Declaration of Jndei)endencc 
 was passed, while his soul was yet warm with the 
 glow of excited feeling, he wrote a letter to his wife, 
 which, as we read it now, seems to have been dictated 
 by the si)irit of projihecy. "^■esterday,■' he says, "the 
 greatest question was decided that ever was debated 
 in .Nnierica; and greater, i)erhaps, never was or will 
 be decided among men. A resolution was passed 
 without one dissenting colony, ' that these United 
 States are. and of right ought to be, free and inde- 
 pendent states.' The day is passed. The fourth of 
 July, 1776, will be a memorable epoch in the history 
 of America. I am apt to believe it will be celebrated 
 by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary 
 festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of 
 deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to Almighty 
 God. It ought to b<; solemnized with \omy, shows* 
 
 > ■ <• 
 
-U 
 
 ••► 
 
 2A 
 
 JOHN ADAMS. 
 
 I 
 
 games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations 
 from one end of the continent to the other, from this 
 time forward for ever. Vou will think me transiwrted 
 with enthusiasm, but I am not. 1 am well aware of 
 tiie toil, and blood and treasure, that it will cost to 
 maintain this declaration, and supiKirt and defend 
 these States; yet, through all the gloom, I can seethe 
 rays of light and glory. I can see that the end is 
 worth more than all the means; and that posterity 
 will triumph, although you and I may rue, which I 
 ho[)e we shall not." 
 
 In November, 1777, Mr. .Vdams was appointed a 
 delegate to France and lo co-operate with Bemjamin 
 Franklin and Artlnir Lee, who were then in Paris, in 
 the endeavor to obtain assistance in arms and money 
 from the French Government. This was a severe trial 
 to his patriotism, as it separated him from his home, 
 compelled him to cross the ocean in winter, and ex- 
 posed him to great peril of capture by the British cruis- 
 ers, wlio were seeking him. He left France June 17, 
 1779, In September of the same year he was again 
 chosen to go to Paris, and there hold himself in readi- 
 ness to negotiate a treaty of peace and of commerce 
 with Great Britian, as soon as the British Cabinet 
 might l)e found willing to listen to such pioposels. He 
 sailed for France in November, from there he went to 
 Holland, where he negotiated imiiortant loans and 
 formed imjjortant commercial treaties. 
 
 Finally a treaty of peace with England was signed 
 Jan. 21, 1 7 S3. The re-action from the excitement, 
 toil and anxiety through which Mr. , Adams had passed 
 threw him into a fever. .After suffering from a con- 
 tinued fever and becoming feeble and emaciated he 
 was advised to go to England to drink the waters of 
 Bath. While in England, still drooping anddesixind- 
 ing, he received dispatches from his own government 
 urging the necessity of his going to Amsterdam to 
 negotiate another loan. It was winter, his health was 
 delicate, yet he immediately set out, and through 
 storm, on sea, on horseback and foot,he made the tri|). 
 
 Fetiruary 24, 1785, C^ongress ap)X)inted Mr. Adams 
 envoy to the Court of St. James. Here he met face 
 to face the King of England, who had so long re- 
 garded him as a traitor. .\s England did not 
 condescend to appoint a minister to the United 
 States, and as Mr. .Adams felt that he was accom- 
 plishing but little, he sought permission to return to 
 his own covmtry, where he arrived in June, 1788. 
 
 When Washington was first chosen President, John 
 .\danis, rendered ilhistiions by his signal services at 
 home and abroad, was chosen Vice President. .Again 
 at the second election of Washington as President, 
 .Adams was chosen Vice President. In 1796, Wasli- 
 ington retiretl from public life, and Mr. Adams was 
 elected President, though not without nnich Oj))X)sition. 
 Serving in this office four years,he was succeeded by 
 -Mr. Jefferson, his opponent in politics. 
 
 While Mr. .Adams was Vice President the great 
 
 French Revolution shook the continent of Europe, 
 and it was upon this [xjint which he was at issue witli 
 the majority of his countrj'men led by Mr. Jefferson. 
 Mr. .Adams felt no sympathy with the French people 
 in their struggle, for he had no confidence in their 
 power of self-government, and he utterly abhored the 
 classof atheist philoso[)hers who he claimed caused it. 
 On the other hand Jefferson's sympathies were strongly 
 enlisted in behalf of the French people. Hence or- 
 iginated the alienation between these distinguishetl 
 men, and two jxywerful parties were thus soon organ- 
 ized, .Adams at the head of the one whose sympathies 
 were with England and Jefferson led the other in 
 sympathy with F'rance. 
 
 The world has seldom seen a sitectacle of more 
 moral beauty and grandeur, than was presented by the 
 old age of Mr. Adams. The violence of party feeling 
 had died away, and he had begun to receive that just 
 appreciation which, lo most men, is not accorded till 
 after death. No one could look uixin his venerable 
 form, and think of what he had done and suffered, 
 and how he had given up all the prime and strength 
 of his life to the public good, without the deepest 
 emotion of gratitude and respect. It was his peculiar 
 good fortune to witness the complete success of the 
 institution which he had lieen so active in creating and 
 supixirting. In 1S24, his cup of happiness was filled 
 to the brim, by seeing his son elevated to the highest 
 station in the gift of the jjeople. 
 
 The fourth of July, 1826, which comi)leted the half 
 century since the signing of the Declaration of Inde- 
 pendence, arrived, and there were but three of the 
 signers of that immortal instrument left upon the 
 earth to hail its morning light. And, as it is 
 well known, on that day two of these finished their 
 earthly [lilgrimage, a coincidence so remarkable as 
 to seem miraculous. For a few days before Mr. 
 Adams had been rapidly failing, and on the morning 
 of the fourth he found himself too weak to rise from 
 his bed. On being rei [nested to name a toast for the 
 customary celebration of the day, he exclaimed " In- 
 dkpkndf.ni:f. forever." When the day was ushered 
 in, by the ringing of bells and the firing of cannons, 
 he was asked by one of his attendants if he knew 
 what day it was? He replied, "O yes; it is the glor- 
 ious fourth of July — Ciod bless it — God bless you all." 
 In the course of the day he said, "It is a great and 
 glorious day." The last words he uttered were, 
 "Jefferson survives." But he had, at one o'clock, re- 
 signed his spiiit into the hands of his God. 
 
 The i)ersonal appearance and manners of Mr. 
 .Adams were not ])articularly prejiossessing. His face, 
 as his ])ortrait manifests.was intellectual ard ex])res- 
 sive, but his figure was low and ungraceful, and his 
 manners were frecpiently abrupt and uncourteous. 
 He had neither the lofty dignity of Washington, nor 
 the engaging elegance and jjrarefulness which marked 
 the manners and address of Jefferson. 
 
M 
 
 't^TZ^ 
 
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 THIRD I'RKSIDEKT. 
 
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 (^ 
 
 (^ Til DMAS JEPfl'i's?)?^"7''':f' 
 
 Vip 
 
 HONfAS JEFFERSON was 
 burn April 2, 1743, at Sliad- 
 |*well, Albermarle county, Va. 
 His parents were I'eter and 
 Jane ( Randoli)h) Jefferson, 
 the former a native of Wales, 
 and the latter born in Ixin- 
 don. Tu them were born six 
 daughters and two sons, of 
 whom Thomas was the elder. 
 When 14 years of age his 
 father died. He received a 
 most liberal education, hav- 
 ng been kept diligently at scIickjI 
 from the time he was five years of 
 age. In 1760 he entered William 
 and Mary College. Williamsburg was then the seat 
 of the Colonial Court, and it was the olwde of fashion 
 a.id splendor. Young Jefferson, who was then 17 
 years old, lived somewhat expensively, keeping fine 
 horses, and much caressed by gay society, yet he 
 was earnestly devoted to his studies, and irrejjroacha- 
 able in his morals. It is strange, however, under 
 such influences, that he was not ruined. In the sec- 
 ond year of his college course, moved by some un- 
 explained inward impulse, he discarded his horses, 
 society, and even his favorite violin, to which he had 
 previously given much time. He often devoted fifteen 
 hours a day to hard study, allowing himself for ex- 
 ercise only a run in the evening twilight of a mile out 
 of the city and back again. He thus attained very 
 high intellectual culture, alike excellence in philoso- 
 phy and the languages. The most difficult Latin and 
 (Ireek authors he read with facility. A more finished 
 scholar has seldom gone forth from college halls : and 
 ' l|i _ ' 
 
 there was not to he found, perhaps, in all Virginia, a 
 more pureminded, upright, gentlemanly young man. 
 
 Immediately upon leaving college he began the 
 study of law. For the short time he continued in the 
 practice of his profession he rose rapidly and distin- 
 guished himself by his energy and accuteness as a 
 lawyer. But the times called for greater action. 
 The policy of England had awakened the spirit of 
 resistance of the American Colonies, and the enlarged 
 views which Jefferson had ever entertained, soon led 
 him into active [xjlitical life. In 1769 he was chosen 
 a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. In 
 1772 he married .Mrs. Martha Skelton, a very beauti- 
 ful, wealthy and highly accomplished young widow. 
 
 UlKjn Mr. Jefferson's large estate at Shadwell, there 
 was a majestic swell of land, called .Monticello, which 
 commanded a prospect of wonderful extent and 
 beauty. This siiot Mr. Jefferson selected for his new 
 home; and here he reared a mansion of modest yet 
 elegant architecture, which, ne.vt to Mount Vernon, 
 became the most distinguished resort in our land. 
 
 In 1775 he was sent to the Colonial Congress, 
 where, though a silent member, his abilities as a 
 writer and a reasoner soon become known, and he 
 was placed uiwn a number of im|xjrtant committees, 
 and was chairman of the one appointed for the draw- 
 ing up of a declaration of independence. This com- 
 mittee consisted of Thomas Jefferson, John .\dams. 
 Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert R. 
 Livingston. Jefferson, as chairman, was apixjinted 
 to draw up the paper. Franklin and.\dams suggested 
 a few verbal changes before it was submitted to Con- 
 gress. On June 28, a few slight changes were made 
 in it by Congress, and it was passed and signed July 
 4, 177O. What must have been the feelings of that 
 
 i 
 
 n 
 
28 
 
 THOMAS JEFFERSON. 
 
 inan — what the emotions that swelled his breast — 
 who was charged with the preparation of that Dec- 
 laration, which, while it made known the wrongs of 
 America, was also to publish her to the world, free, 
 soverign and independent. It is one of the most re- 
 markable papers ever written ; and did no other effort 
 of tlie mind of its author exist, that alone would be 
 sufficient to stamp his name with immortality. 
 
 In 1779 Mr. Jefferson was elected successor to 
 Patrick Henry, as Governor of Virginia. At one time 
 the British officer, Tarleton, sent a secret expedition to 
 Monticello, to capture the {.Governor. Scarcely five 
 minutes ela|)sed after tire hurried escape of Mr. Jef- 
 ferson and his family, ere his mansion was in posses- 
 sion of the British troops. His wife's health, never 
 very good, was much injured by tliis excitement, and 
 in the summer of 1782 slie died. 
 
 Mr. Jefferson was elected to Congress in 1783. 
 Two years later he was api)ointed Minister Pleniix)- 
 tentiary to France. Returning to the United States 
 in September, 1789, he became Secretary of State 
 in Washington's cabinet. This position he resigned 
 Jan. I, 1794. In 1797, he was chosen Vice Presi- 
 dent, and four years later was elected President over 
 Mr. Adams, with Aaron Burr as Vice President. In 
 1804 he was re-elected with wonderful unanimity, 
 and George Clinton, Vice Pres^ident. 
 
 The early part of Mr. Jefferson's second adminstra- 
 tion was disturbed by an event wliich threatened the 
 trantpiility and peace of the Union; this was tlie con- 
 spiracy of Aaron Burr. Defeated in the late election 
 to the Vice Presidency, and led on by an unprincipled 
 ambition, this extraordinary man formed the plan of a 
 military expedition into the Spanish territories on our 
 southwestern frontier, for the purjxjse of forming there 
 a new republic. This has been generally supposed 
 was a mere pretext ; and although it has not been 
 generally known what his real plans were, there is no 
 doubt that they were of a far more dangerous 
 character. 
 
 In 1809, at the expiration of the second term for 
 which Mr. Jefferson had been elected, he determined 
 to retire from ix)litical life. For a period of nearly 
 forty years, he had been continually before the pub- 
 lic, and all that time had been employed in offices of 
 the greatest trust and resjXDnsibility. Having thus de- 
 voted the best part of his life to the service of his 
 country, he now felt desirous of that rest which his 
 declining years required, and \x\yo\\ the organization of 
 the new administration, in March, 1809, he bid fare- 
 well forever to ])ublic life, and retired to Monticello. 
 
 Mr. Jefferson was profuse in his hospitality. Whole 
 families came in their coaches with their horses, — 
 fathers and mothers, boys and girls, babies and 
 nurses, — and remained three and even six months. 
 Life at Monticello, for years, resembled that at a 
 fashionable watering-place. 
 
 The fourth of July, 1826, being the fiftieth anniver- 
 
 sary of the Declaration of American Independence, 
 great preparations were made in every part of the 
 Union for its celebration, as the nation's jubilee, and 
 the citizens of Washington, to add to the solemnitx 
 of the occasion, invited Mr. Jefferson, as the framer. 
 and one of the few surviving signers of the Declara- 
 tion, to participate in their festivities. But an ill- 
 ness, which had been of several weeks duration, and 
 had been continually increasing, compelled him to 
 decline the invitation. 
 
 On the second of July, the disease under which 
 he was laboring left him, but in such a reduced 
 state that his medical attendants, entertained no 
 hope of his recovery. From this time he was jjerfectly 
 sensible that his last hour was at hand. On the next 
 d;iy, which was Monday, he asked of those around 
 him, the day of tlie month, and on being told it was 
 the third of July, he expressed the earnest wish that 
 he might be permitted to breathe the airof the fiftieth 
 anniversary. His prayer was heard — that day, whose 
 dawn was hailed with such rapture through our land, 
 burst upon his eyes, and then they were closed for- 
 ever. And what a noble consummation of a noble 
 life ! To die on that day, — the birthday of a nation,- - 
 the day which his own name and his own act had 
 rendered glorious; to die amidst the rejoicings and 
 festivities of a whole nation, who looked up to him, 
 as the author, under God, of their greatest blessings, 
 was all that was wanting to fill up the record his life. 
 
 Almost at the same hour of his death, the kin- 
 dred spirit of the venerable Adams, as if to bear 
 him company, left the scene of his earthly honors. 
 Hand in hand they had stood forth, the champions of 
 freedom; hand in hand, during the dark and desjjer- 
 ate struggle of the Revolurion, they had cheered and 
 animated their desixjnding countrymen; for half a 
 century they had labored together for the good of 
 the country; and now hand in hand they dei)art. 
 In their lives they had been united in the same great 
 cause of liberty, and in tlieir deaths they were not 
 divided. 
 
 In person Mr. Jefferson was tall and thin, rather 
 above six feet in height, but well formed; his eyes 
 were light, his hair originally red, in after life became 
 white and silvery; his complexion was fair, his fore- 
 head broad, and his whole countenance intelligent and 
 thoughtful. He [wssessed great fortitude of mind as 
 well as personal courage ; and his command of tem- 
 per was such that his oldest and most intimate friends 
 never recollected to have seen him in a passion. 
 His manners, though dignified, were simple and un- 
 affected, and his hospitality was so unbounded that 
 all found at his house a ready welcome. In conver- 
 sation he was fluent, eloquent and enthusiastic; and 
 his language was remarkably pure and correct. He 
 was a finished classical scholar, and in his writings is 
 discernable the care with which he formed his style 
 upon the best models of antiquity. 
 
 n 
 
/ (2yO(-'^'^ -^'•'^ 
 
 if-^cC^ cTK, 
 
_t 
 
 FOURTH PRESIDENT. 
 
 3" 
 
 1JW& ni:/iDisoi]. 
 
 ®^:.- 
 
 ;? AMES MADISf)N, "Father 
 ,^, of the Constitution," and fourth 
 ^'President of the United States, 
 was born March i6, 1757, and 
 died at his liome in Virginia, 
 Y'-'^S/ liine 28, 1S36. The name of 
 James Madison is inseparably con- 
 nected with most of the im|X)rtant 
 events in that heroic period of our 
 country during whicli tlie founda- 
 tions of this great repubUc were 
 laid. He was the last of the founders 
 of the Constitution of the United 
 States to be called to his eternal 
 reward. 
 
 The Madison family were among 
 the early emigrants to the New World, 
 landing ujx)!! the shores of the Chesa- 
 peake but 15 years after the settle- 
 ment of Jamestown. The father of 
 James Madison was an opulent 
 planter, residing uix)n a very fine es- 
 tate called "Montpelier," Orange Co., 
 Va. The mansion was situated in 
 the midst of scenery highly pictur- 
 esque and romantic, on the west side 
 of South-west Mountain, at the foot of 
 Blue Ridge. It was but 25 miles from the home of 
 Jefferson at .Nfonticello. The closest personal and 
 l»olitical attachment existed between these illustrious 
 men, from their early youth until death. 
 
 The early education of Mr. Madison was conducted 
 mostly at home under a private tutor. At the age of 
 18 he was sent to Princeton College, in New Jersey. 
 Here he applied himself to study with the most im- 
 
 prudent zeal; allowing himself, for months, but three 
 hours' sleep out of the 24. His health thus became so 
 seriously impaired that he never recovered any vigor 
 of constitution. He graduated in 1771, with a feeble 
 body, with a character of utmost purity, and with a 
 mind Jiighly disciplined and richly stored with learning 
 which embellisiied and gave proficiency to his subsf 
 (juent career. 
 
 Returning to Virginia, he commenced the study of 
 law and a course of extensive and systematic reading. 
 This educational course, the spirit of the times in 
 which he lived, and the society with which he asso- 
 ciated, all combined to inspire him with a strong 
 love of liberty, and to train him for his life-work of 
 a statesman. Being naturally of a religious turn of 
 mind, and his frail health leading him to think that 
 his life was not to l)e long, he directed esi>ecial atten- 
 tion to theological studies. Endowed with a mind 
 singularly free from passion and prejudice, and with 
 almost une(iualled iwwers of reasoning, he weighed 
 all the arguments for and against revealed religion, 
 until his faith became so established as never to 
 be shaken. 
 
 In tiie si)ring of 1776, when 26 years of age, he 
 was elected a member of the Virginia Convention, to 
 frame the constitution of the Stale. The next year 
 (1777), lie was a candidate for the General Assembly. 
 He refused to treat tlie whisky-lovir.g voters, and 
 conseiiuently tost his election; but those who had 
 witnessed the talent, energy and pui)lic spirit of the 
 modest young man, enlisted themselves in his behalf, 
 and he was appointed to the Executive Council. 
 
 Both Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson were 
 Governors of Virginia while Mr. Madison remained 
 member of the Council;- and ilieir a|)preciation of his 
 
 » W ^ \ 
 
 T 
 
4^ 
 
 32 
 
 JAMES MADISON. 
 
 intclkclual, social and moral worth, contributed not 
 a litde to his subsequent eminence. In the year 
 1780, he was elected a member of the Continental 
 Congress. Here he met the most illustrious men in 
 our land, and he was immediately assigned to one of 
 the most conspicuous jxisitions among them. 
 
 For three years Mr. Madison continued in Con- 
 gress, one of its most active and influential members. 
 In the year 1784, his term having exjjired, he was 
 elected a member of the Virginia Legislature. 
 
 No man felt more deeply than Mr. Madison the 
 utter inefficiency of the old confederacy, with no na- 
 tional government, with no ]X)wer to form treaties 
 which would be binding, or to enforce law. There 
 was not any State more prominent than Virginia in 
 the declaration, that an efficient national government 
 must be formed. In January, 1786, Mr. Madison 
 carried a resolution through the Ceneral Assembly of 
 Virginia, inviting the other States to apiwint commis- 
 sioners to meet in convention at Annaix>lis to discuss 
 this subject. Five States only were represented. The 
 convention, however, issued another call, drawn up 
 by Mr. Madison, urging all the States to send their 
 delegates to Philadelphia, in May, 1787, to draft 
 a Constitution for the United States, to take the place 
 of that Confederate League. The delegates met at 
 the time ai)ix)inted. Every State but Rhode Island 
 was represented. George Washington was chosen 
 [jresident of the convention; and the i)resent Consti- 
 tution of the United States was then and there formed. 
 There was, perhaps, no mind and no pen more ac- 
 tive in framing this immortal document than the mind 
 and the pen of James Madison. 
 
 The Constitution, adopted by a vote 81 to 79, was 
 to be presented to the several States for acceptance. 
 But grave solicitude was felt. Should it be rejected 
 we should be left but a conglomeration of independent 
 States, with but little jxjwer at home and little respect 
 abroad. Mr. Madison was selected by the conven- 
 tion to draw up an address to the people of the United 
 States, expounding the principles of the Constitution, 
 and urging its adoption. There was great opixjsition 
 to it at first, but it at length triumphed over all, and 
 went into effect in 1789. 
 
 Mr. Madison was elected to the House of Repre- 
 vientatives in the first Congress, and soon became the 
 avowed leader of the Republican party. While in 
 New York attending Congress, he met Mrs. Todd, a 
 young widow of remarkable ]X)wer of fascination, 
 whom he married. She was in person and character 
 queenly, and probably no lady has thus far occupied 
 so prominent a ]X)sition in the very i)eculiar society 
 which has constituted our republican court as Mrs. 
 Madison. 
 
 Mr. Madison served as Secretary of State under 
 Jefferson, and at the close of his administration 
 was chosen President. At this time the encroach- 
 ments of F.ngland had brought us to the verge of war. 
 
 British orders in council destioyed our commerce, and 
 our flag was exixjsed to constant insult. Mr. Madison 
 was a man of peace. Scholarly in his taste, retiring 
 in hisdis^wsition, war had no charms for him. But the 
 meekest spirit can be roused. It makes one's blood 
 boil, even now, to think of an American ship brought 
 to, iqwn the ocean, by the guns of an F^nglish cruiser. 
 A young lieutenant steps on board and orders the 
 crew to be paraded before him. With great nonchal- 
 ance he selects any number whom he may please to 
 designate as British subjects ; orders them down the 
 ship's side into his boat ; and places them on tlie gun- 
 deck of his man-of-war, to fight, by comi)ulsion, the 
 battles of F^ngland. This right of search and im- 
 pressment, no efforts of our Government could induce 
 the British cabinet to relinquish. 
 
 On the 1 8th of June, 181 2, President Madison gave 
 his approval to an act of Congress declaring war 
 against Great Britain. Notwithstanding the bitter 
 hostility of the Federal party to the war, the country 
 in general approved; and Mr. Madison, on the 4th 
 of March, i8i3> was re-elected by a large majority, 
 and entered upon his second term of office. This is 
 not the place to describe the various adventures of 
 this war on the land and on the water. Our infant 
 navy then laid the foundations of its renown in grap- 
 pling wiih the most formidable jxjwer which ever 
 swept the seas. The contest commenced in earnest 
 by the ai)pearance of a British fleet, early in February, 
 18T3, in Chesapeake Bay, declaring nearly the whole 
 coast of the United States under blockade. 
 
 The iMnperor of Russia offered his services as me 
 ditator. America accepted ; England refused. A Brit- 
 ish force of five thousand men landed on the banks 
 of the Patu.xet River, near its entrance into Chesa- 
 peake Bay, and marched rapidly, by way of Bladens- 
 burg, uix)n Washington. 
 
 The straggling little city of Washington was thrown 
 into consternation. The cannon of tlie brief conflict 
 at Bladensburg echoed through the streets of the 
 metro]X)lis. The wliole |)opulaticn fled from the city. 
 The President, leaving Mrs. Madison in the White 
 House, with her carriage drawn up at the door to 
 await his speedy return, hurried to meet the officers 
 in a council of war. He met our troops utterly routed, 
 and he could not go back without danger of l)eing 
 captured. But few hours elapsed ere the Presidential 
 Mansion, the Capitol, and all the public buildings in 
 Washington were in flames. 
 
 The war closed after two years of fighting, and on 
 Feb. 13, 1 8 15, the treaty of peace was signed at Ghent. 
 
 On the 4th of March, 1817, his second term of 
 office expired, and he resigned the Presidential chair 
 to his friend, James Monroe. He retired to his beau- 
 tiful home at Montpelier, and there passed the re- 
 mainder of his days. On June 28, 1S36, then at the 
 age of 85 years, he fell asleep in death. Mrs. Madi- 
 son died July 12, 1849. 
 
 ' 1 
 
vt^?^^ /^-^-^i^^Z^^/- ^S'^^ 
 
4^ 
 
 FIFTH PRESIDENT. 
 
 35 
 
 ^M\ 
 
 pirjES ll]OI]ItOE. 
 
 '^^^'ISCWT^'F' 
 
 IT will 
 
 AMES MUNROK, the fifth 
 I'residentof The United States, 
 was iKjrn in \\'estnioreland Co., 
 Va., April 28, 1758. His early 
 life was passed at the place of 
 nativity. His ancestors had for 
 "', ,j many years resided in tiie jjrov- 
 ince in which he was born. When, 
 at 17 years of age, in the process 
 i> of completing his education at 
 William and Mary College, the Co- 
 lonial Congress assembled at Phila- 
 del|)hia to deliberate uixjn the un- 
 just and manifold oppressions of 
 Great Uritian, declared the separa- 
 tion of the Colonies, and promul- 
 gated the Declaration of Inde|)en- 
 dence. Had he been born ten years before it is highly 
 probable that he would have been one of tiie signers 
 of that celebrated instrument. At this time he left 
 school and enlisted among the patriots. 
 
 He joined the army when everything looked hope- 
 less and gloomy. The number of deserters increased 
 from day to day. The invading armies came ixjuring 
 in; and the tories not only favored the cause of the 
 mother country, but disheartened the new recruits, 
 who were sufficiently terrified at the pros])ect of con- 
 tending with an enemy whom they had been taught 
 to deem invincible. To such brave spirits as James 
 Monroe, who went right onward, undismayed through 
 difficulty and danger, the United States owe their 
 ix>litical emancipation. The young cadet joined the 
 ranks, and esiwused the cause of his injured country, 
 with a firm determination to live or die with her strife 
 
 for liberty. Firmly yet sadly he shared in the mel- 
 ancholy retreat from Harleam Heights and White 
 Plains, and accompanied the dispirited army as it fled 
 before its foes through New Jersey. In four months 
 after the Declaration of Independence, the patriots 
 had been lieaten in seven battles. At the battle of 
 Trenton he led the vanguard, and, in the act of charg- 
 ing ujKjn the enemy he received a wound in the left 
 shoulder. 
 
 As a reward for his bravery, Mr. Monroe was i>ro- 
 moted a captain of infantry; and, having recovered 
 from his wound, he rejoined the army. He, however, 
 receded from the line of promotion, by becoming an 
 officer in the staff of I^rd Steriing. During the cam- 
 paigns of 1777 and 1778, in the actions of Brandy 
 wine, Ciermantown and Monmouth, he continued 
 aid-de-canip; but becoming desirous to regain his 
 position in the army, he exerted himself to collect a 
 regiment for the Virginia line. Tliis scheme failed 
 owing to the exhausted condition of the State. Upon 
 this failure he entered the office of Mr. Jefferson, at 
 that ])eriod Covernor, and pursued, with considerable 
 ardor, the study of common law. He did not, however, 
 entirely lay aside the knapsack for the green bag; 
 but on the invasions of the enemy, served as a volun- 
 teer, during the two years of his legal pursuits. 
 
 In 17S2, he was elected from King George county, 
 a member of the Leglislature of Virginia, and by that 
 lx)dy he was elevated to a seat in the Kxecutive 
 Council. He was thus honored with the confidence 
 of his fellow citizens at 23 years of age ; and having 
 at this early period displayed some of that ability 
 and aptitude for legisl.ition, which were afterwards 
 employed with unremitting energy for the public good, 
 

 ••► 
 
 JAMES MONROE. 
 
 J|^. 
 
 he was in the succeeding year chosen a member of 
 ihe Congress of the United States. 
 Deeplyas Mr. Monroefelt the imperfectionsof theold 
 •'onfederacy, he was opixjsed to the new Constitution, 
 thinking, with many others of the Republican party, 
 that it gave too much jxiwcr to the Central Government, 
 and not enough to the individual States. Still he re- 
 tained the esteem of his friends who were its warm 
 supix)rters, and who, notwithstanding his opposition 
 secured its adoption. In 1789, he became a member 
 of the United States Senate ; which office he held for 
 four years. Every month the line of distinction be- 
 tween the two great parties wliich divided the nation, 
 the Federal and the Rei)ublican, was growing more 
 distinct. The two prominent ideas which now sei> 
 arated them were, that the Republican party was in 
 sympathy with France, and also in favor of such a 
 strict construction of the Constitution as to give the 
 Central Government as little jxiwer, and the State 
 (lovernments as much iwwer, as the Constitution would 
 warrant. The Federalists sympathized witii England, 
 and were in favor of a liberal construction of the Con- 
 stitution, which would give as much jwwer to the 
 Central Government as that document could possibly 
 authorize. 
 
 The leading Federalists and Republicans were 
 alike noble men, consecrating all their energies to the 
 good of the nation. Two more honest men or more 
 pure patriots than John Adams the Federalist, and 
 James Monroe the Republican, never breathed. In 
 i)uilding up this majestic nation, which is destined 
 to eclipse all Grecian and Assyrian greatness, the com- 
 bination of their antagonism was needed to create the 
 light equilibrium. And yet each in his day was de- 
 nounced as almost a demon. 
 
 Washington was then President. England had es- 
 poused the cause of tlie Bourbons against the princi- 
 ples of the French Revolution. All Europe was drawn 
 into the conflict. We were feeble and far away. 
 Washington issued a proclamation of neutrality be- 
 tween these contending jjowers. France had helped 
 us in the struggle for our liberties. All the despotisms 
 of Euro[)e were now combined to prevent the French 
 from escaping from a tyranny a thousand-fold worse 
 than that which we had endured Col. Monroe, more 
 magnanimous than prudent, was anxious that, at 
 whatever hazard, we should help our old allies in 
 their extremity. It was the impulse of a generous 
 and noble nature. He violently opjiosed tlie Pres- 
 ident's ])roclaroation as ungrateful and wanting in 
 magnanimity. 
 
 Washington, who could appreciate such a character, 
 developed his calm, serene, almost divine greatness, 
 by appointing that very James Monroe, who was de- 
 nouncing the ix>licy of the Government, as the minister 
 of that Government to the Republic of France. Mr. 
 Monroe was welcomed by the National Convention 
 in France with the most enthusiastic demonstrations. 
 
 Shortly after his return to this country, Mr. Mon- 
 roe was elected Governor of Virginia, and held the 
 office for three yeais. He was again sent to France to 
 co-operate with Chancellor Livingston in obtaining 
 the vast territory then known as the Province of 
 Louisiana, which France had but shortly before ob- 
 tained from Spain. Their united efforts were suc- 
 cessful. For the comparatively small sum of fifteen 
 millions of dollars, the entire territorj' of Orleans and 
 district of Louisiana were added to the United States. 
 This was probably the largest transfer of real estate 
 which was ever made in all the history of the world 
 
 From France Mr. Monroe went to England to ob- 
 tain from that country' some recognition of our 
 rights as neutrals, and to remonstrate against those 
 odious impressments of our seamen. but Eng- 
 land was unrelenting. He agam returned to Eng- 
 land on the same mission, but could receive no 
 redress. He returned to his home and was again 
 chosen Governor of Virginia. This he soon resigned 
 to accept the jwsition of Secretary of State under 
 Madison. While in this office war with England was 
 declared, the Secretary of War resigned, and during 
 these trying times, the duties of the War Department 
 were also put u[x)n him. He was truly the armor- 
 bearer of President Madison, and the most efficient 
 business man in his cabinet. Uiwn the return ol 
 peace he resigned the Deiiartment of War, but con- 
 tinued in the office of Secretary of State until the e.\- 
 piration of Mr. Madison's adminstration. At the elec- 
 tion held the previous autumn Mr. Monroe himself had 
 been chosen President with but little opjjosition, and 
 uixjn March 4, 1817, was inaugurated. Four years 
 later he was elected for a second tenii. 
 
 Among the important measures of his Presidency 
 were the cession of Florida to the United States; the 
 Missouri Compromise, and the " Monroe doctrine.'' 
 
 This famous doctrine, since known as the " Monroe 
 doctrine," was enunciated by him in 1823. \K that 
 time the Ihiited States had recognized the independ- 
 ence of the South American states, and did not wish 
 to have European [xjwers longer attempting to sub- 
 due |)ortions of the American Continent. The doctrine 
 is as follows: "That we should consider any attempt 
 on the part of European jwwers to extend their sys- 
 tem to any jwrtion of this hemisphere as dangerous 
 to our peace and safety," and "that we could not 
 view any interixjsition for the ])uri)0se of oppressing 
 or controlling American governments or provinces in 
 any other light than as a manifestation by European 
 IX)wers of an unfriendly dis]X)sition toward the I'nited 
 States." This doctrine immediately affected the course 
 of foreign governments, and has become the approved 
 sentiment of the United States. 
 
 At the end of his f econd term Mr. Monroe retired 
 to his home in Virginia, where he lived until 1830, 
 when he went to New Vork to live with his son-in- 
 law. In that city he died, on the 4th of July, 1831. 
 
 n 
 
J. 5, At 
 
 CUryyJ 
 
u 
 
 S/X TH PRESIDENT. 
 
 39 
 
 It 
 
 • K T - .- •P-Zi- T^.it* v--,;v^ "T^/i.-* V'-ii^TP;...^ 'y-,..TV'-..-*s*^-,,^ •s*^,::.-^ v-.ix^ v^^:»>. vt,\-. v^^.^c^p^,.*^ t 
 
 
 ^ OHN QUINCY ADAMS, the 
 Ml ^ixth President of the United 
 ;§^States, was horn in tiie rural 
 
 lionie of his honored father, 
 Jolin Adams, in (^iiincy, Mass., 
 r^v^ on the I ith of July, 1767. His 
 mother, a woman of exahed 
 . worth, watched over his cliildhood 
 during the ahiiost constant ajj- 
 sence of his father. When but 
 eight years of age, he stood witli 
 ' his mother on an eminence, hsten- 
 ing to tile booming of the great bat- 
 tle on Bunker's Hill, and gazing on 
 uixjn the smoke and flames billow- 
 ing up from the conflagration of 
 Charlestown. 
 
 When but eleven years old he 
 took a tearful adieu of his mother, 
 to sail with his father for Euroi)e, 
 through a fleet of hostile British cruisers. The bright, 
 animated l)oy spent a year and a half in I'aris, where 
 his father was associated with Franklin and Lee as 
 minister pieni|X)tentiary. His intelligence attracted 
 the notice of these distinguished men, and he received 
 from them flattering marks of attention. 
 
 Mr. John Adams had scarcely returned to this 
 countr)', in 1779, ere he was again sent abroad. .Vgain 
 John (^uincy accompanied his father. At Paris he 
 applied himself with great diligence, for six months, 
 to study; then accomi)ained his father to Ffoliand, 
 where he entered, first a school in .Amsterdam, then 
 the I'niversity at I.eyden. About a year from this 
 time, in 1781, when the manly boy was but fourteen 
 years of age, he was selected by Mr. Dana, our min- 
 ister to the Russian court, as his private secretary. 
 
 In this school of incessant lalxjr and of enobling 
 culture he spent fourteen months, and then returned 
 to Holland through Sweden, Denmark, Hamburg and 
 Bremen. This long journey he took alone, in the 
 winter, when in his sixteenth year. Again he resumed 
 his studies, under a private tutor, at Hague. Thence, 
 
 \\\ the spring of 1782, he accompanied his f.ithor to 
 Paris, traveling leisurely, and forming acquaintance 
 with the most distinguished men on the Con;inent; 
 examining arcliitectural remains, galleries of paintings, 
 and all renowned works of art. At Paris he again 
 became associated with the most illustrious men of 
 all lands in the contem])lations of thcToftiest temjioral 
 themes which can engross the human mind. After 
 a short visit to Kngland he returned to Paris, and 
 consecrated all his energies to study until May, 1785, 
 when he returned to .\merica. To a brilliant young 
 man of eighteen, who had seen much of the world, 
 and who was familiar with the eti<piette of courts, a 
 residence with his father in London, under sut h cir- 
 cumstances, must have been extremely attractive; 
 init with judgment very rare in one of his age, he pre- 
 ferred to return to .America to com[)lete his education 
 in an American college. He wished then to study 
 law, that with an honorable profession, he might be 
 able to obtain an independent supjiort. 
 
 U|X)n leaving Harvard College, at the age of twenty, 
 he studietl law for thiee years. In June, 1794, be- 
 ing then but twenty-seven years of age, he was ap- 
 pointed by Washington, resident minister at the 
 Netherlands. Sailing from Boston in July, he reached 
 Ixjndon in October, where he was innnediately admit- 
 ted to the deliberations of Messrs. Jay antl Pinckney, 
 assisting them in negotiating a commercial treaty with 
 Ciieat Brilian. After thus sjiending a fortnight in 
 Ix)ndon, he proceeded to the Hague. 
 
 In July, 1797, he left the Hague to go to I'ortugal as 
 minister iilenijKitentiary. On his way to Portugal, 
 uiK>n arriving in London, he met with despatches 
 directing him to the court of Berlin, but requesting 
 him to remain in I.on<lon until he should receive his 
 instructions. While waiting he was married to an 
 American lady to whom he had been ])reviously en- 
 gaged, — Miss Louisa Catherine Johnson, daughter 
 of Mr. Joshua Johnson, American consul in I.omion ; 
 a lady endowntl with that beauty and those ar( oni- 
 jilishment which emiiieiilly filled her to move in the 
 elevated sphere for which siie was destined. 
 
-4^ 
 
 4d 
 
 JOHN QUlNCV ADAMS. 
 
 He reached Berlin with his wile in November, 1797 ; 
 where he remained until July, 1799, when, having ful- 
 filled all the puriwses of his mission, he solicited his 
 recall. 
 
 Soon after his return, in 1802, he was chosen to 
 the Senate of Massachusetts, from Boston, and then 
 was elected Senator of the United States for six years, 
 from the 4th of March, 1804. His reputation, his 
 ability and his experience, placed him immediately 
 among the most prominent and influential meml)ers 
 ofthatlwdy. Especially did he sustain the (Govern- 
 ment in its measures of resistance to the encroach- 
 ments of England, destroying our commerce and in- 
 sulting our flag. There was no man in America more 
 familiar with the arrogance of the British court upon 
 these points, and no one more resolved to present 
 a firm resistance. 
 
 In 1809, Madison succeeded Jefferson in the Pres- 
 idential chair, and he immediately nominated John 
 Quincy Adams minister to St. Petersburg. Resign- 
 ing his professorship in Harvard College, he embarked 
 at Boston, in August, 1S09. 
 
 While in Russia, Mr. Adams was an intense stu- 
 dent. He devoted his attention to the language and 
 history of Russia; to the Chinese trade; to tlie 
 European system of weights, measures, and coins ; to 
 the climate and astronomical observations ; while he 
 Kept up a familiar acquaintance with the Creek and 
 Latin classics. In all the universities of Europe, a 
 more accomplished scholar could scarcely be found. 
 All through life the Bible constituted an imix)rtant 
 part of his studies. It was his rule to read five 
 chapters every day. 
 
 On the 4th of March, 1817, Mr. Monroe took the 
 Presidential chair, and immediately ai)i)ointed Mr. 
 Adams Secretary of State. Taking leave of his num- 
 erous friends in public and private life in Europe, he 
 sailed in June, 1819, for the United States. On the 
 iStli of August, he again crossed the threshold of his 
 home in Quincy. During the eight years of Mr. Mon- 
 roe's administration, Mr. Adams continued Secretary 
 of State. 
 
 Some time before the close of Mr. Monroe's second 
 term of office, new candidates began to be presented 
 for the Presidency. The friends of Mr. .Vdams brought 
 forward his name. It was an exciting campaign. 
 Party spirit was never more bitter. Two hundred and 
 sixty electoral votes were cast. .Andrew Jackson re- 
 (•eivcd ninety-nine; John Quincy .\dams, eighty-four; 
 William H. Crawford, forty-one; Henry Clay, thirty- 
 seven. As there was no choice by the people, the 
 (|uestion went to the House of Representatives. Mr. 
 Clay gave the vote of Kentucky to Mr. Adams, and 
 he was elected. 
 
 The friends of all the disappointed candidates now 
 combined in a venomous and persistent assault upon 
 Mr. Adams. There is nothing more disgraceful in 
 the past history of our country than the abuse which 
 
 was poured in one uninterrupted stream, ujx)n this 
 high-minded, upright, patriotic man. There never was 
 an administration more pure in principles, more con- 
 scientiously devoted to the best interests of the coun- 
 try, than that of John Quincy Adams; and never, per- 
 haps, was there an administration more unscrupu- 
 lously and outrageously assailed. 
 
 Mr. Adams was, to a very remarkable degree, ab- 
 stemious and temperate in his habits; always rising 
 early, and taking much exercise. When at his honiein 
 Quincy, he has been known to walk, before breakfast, 
 seven miles to Boston. In Washington, it was said 
 that he was tlie first man up in the city, lighting his 
 own fire and applying himself to work in his library 
 often long before dawn. 
 
 On the 4th of March, 1829, Mr. Adams retired 
 from the Presidency, and was succeeded by .Andrew 
 Jackson. John C. Calhoun was elected \'ice Presi- 
 dent. The slavery ([uestion now began to assume 
 lx)rtentous magnitude. Mr. Adams returned to 
 Quincy and to his studies, which he jjursued with un- 
 abated zeal. But he was not long permitted to re- 
 main in retirement. In November, 1830, he was 
 elected representative to Congress. For seventeen 
 years, until his death, he occupied the jwst as repre- 
 sentative, towering above all his peers, ever ready to 
 do brave battle' for freedom, and winning the title of 
 " the old man eloipient." Viyon taking his seat in 
 the House, he announced that he should hold him- 
 self bound to no party. Probably there never was a 
 member more devoted to his duties. He was usually 
 the first in his place in the morning, and the last to 
 leave his seat in the evening. Not a measure could 
 be brought forward and escai)e his scrutiny. The 
 battle whii:h Mr. .\danis fought, almost singly, against 
 the proslavery party in the Government, was sublime 
 in Its moral daring and heroism. For i)ersisting in 
 presenting petitions for the abolition of slavery, he 
 was threatened with indictment by the grand jury, 
 with exi)ulsion from the House, with assassination; 
 but no threats could intimidate him, and his final 
 triumph was complete. 
 
 It has been said of President Adams, that when his 
 body was bent and his hair silvered by the lapse of 
 fourscore years, yielding to the simple faith of a little 
 child, he was accustomed to repeat every night, before 
 he slept, the prajer which his mother taught him in 
 his infant years. 
 
 On the 2 1 St of February, 1848, he rose on the tloor 
 of Congress, with a paper in his hand, to address the 
 speaker. Suddenly he fell, again stricken by par.ily- 
 sis, and was caught in the arms of those around him. 
 For a time he was senseless, as he was conveyed to 
 the sofa in the rotunda. With reviving conscious- 
 ness, he opened his eyes, looked calmly around and 
 said " This is the end of tar th ."then after a moment's 
 pause he added, '' I am eon/en/." These were the 
 last words of the grand "Old Man Eloquent." 
 
 
^ 
 
 SEVENTH PRESIDENT. 
 
 43 
 
 -^ciicx-"(Si®-va,*i!L«e 
 
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 jaiafc^^-SI^WWZrjv. 
 
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 ^iiXi^-ii&" '''^**< ♦ 
 
 t 
 
 NDRKW JACKSON, the 
 venth President of the 
 iiited States, was horn in 
 Waxhaw settlement, N. (;., 
 Marcli 15, 1767, a few days 
 after his father's death. His 
 parents were ]XX)r emigrants 
 from Ireland, and took up 
 their abode in Waxhaw set- 
 tlement, where they lived in 
 deepest |X)verty. 
 Andrew, or Andy, as he was 
 universally called, grew uj) a very 
 rough, rude, turbulent boy. His 
 features were coarse, his form un- 
 gainly; and there was but very 
 little in his character, made visible, which was at- 
 tractive. 
 
 When only thirteen years old he joined the volun- 
 teers of Carolina against the British invasion. In 
 1781, he and his brother Robert were captured and 
 imprisoned for a time at Camden. A British officer 
 ordered him to brush his mud-spattered boots. " I am 
 a prisoner of war, not your servant," was the reply of 
 the dauntless boy. 
 
 The brute drew his sword, and aimed a desperate 
 Wow at the head of the helpless young i)risoner. 
 .\ndrew raised his hand, and thus received two fear- 
 ful gashes, — one on the hand and the other u|X)n the 
 head. The officer then turned to his brother Robert 
 with the same demand. He also refused, and re- 
 ceived a blow from the keen-edged sabre, which ipiite 
 disabled him, and which probably soon after caused 
 his death. They suffered much other ill-treatment, and 
 were finally stricken with the small-ixjx. Their 
 mother was successful in obtaining their exchange, 
 
 •^p^c^^--^''^ 
 
 and took her sick Ixjys home. After a long illness 
 .\ndrew recovered, and the death of his mother soon 
 left him entirely friendless. 
 
 .\ndrew sui)[K)rtetl himself in various ways, such as 
 working at the saddler's trade, teaching school and 
 clerking in a general store, until 1784, wlien lie 
 entered a law office at Salisbury, N. C. He, however, 
 gave more attention to the wild amusements of the 
 times than to his studies. In 1788, he was ap|)ointed 
 solicitor for the western district of North Carolina, of 
 wiiich Tennessee was then a part. This involved 
 many long and tedious journeys amid dangers of 
 every kind, but .Andrew [ackson never knew fear, 
 and the Indians had no desire to repeat a skirmish 
 witn the Sharp Knife. 
 
 In 1791, Mr. Jackson was married to a woman who 
 supjxjsed herself divorced from her former husband. 
 Great was the surprise of both parties, two years later, 
 to find that the conditionsof the divorce had just been 
 definitely settled by the first husband. The marriage 
 ceremony was performed a second time, but the occur- 
 rence was often used by his enemies to bring Mr. 
 lackson into disfavor. 
 
 During these years he worked hard at his profes- 
 sion, and freipiently had one or more duels on hand, 
 one of which, when he killed Diikenson, was espec- 
 ially disgraceful. 
 
 In January, 1796, the Territory of Tennessee then 
 containing nearly eighty thousand inhabitants, the 
 people met in convention at Knoxville to frame a con- 
 stitution. Five were sent from each of the eleven 
 < ounties. .\ndrew Jackson was one of the delegates. 
 The new State was entitled to but one member in 
 the National House of Representatives. .Andrew lack- 
 son was chosen that member. Mounting his horse he 
 rotle to Philedelphi.T, where Congress then held its 
 
 ^ m ^» 
 
-4*- 
 
 44 
 
 
 ANDREW JACKSON. 
 
 sessions, — a distance of about eight hundred miles. 
 
 Jackson was an earnest advocate of the Demo- 
 cratic party. Jefferson was liis idol. He admired 
 Bonaparte, loved France and hated Kngland. .\s Mr. 
 Jackson took his seat, Oen. Washington, whose 
 second term uf office was then e.vpiiing, delivered his 
 last speech lo Congress. .\ committee drew up a 
 conii)liinentary address in reply. Andrew Jackson 
 did not approve of the address, and was one of the 
 twelve who voted against it. He was not willing to 
 say that tieii. W'ashingtons adminstration had been 
 '" wise, firm and patriotic." 
 
 Mr. Jackson was elected lo llie United States 
 Senate in 1797, butscxin resigned and returned home. 
 Soon after he was chosen Judge of the Supreme Court 
 of his State, which ]K)sition he held fjr six years. 
 
 When the war of 1812 with (Ireat Britian com- 
 menced, Madison occupied the Presidential chair. 
 Aaron Burr sent word to the President that there was 
 an unknown man in the West, .Vndrew Jackson, who 
 woidd do credit to a commission if one were con- 
 ferred uix)n him. Just at that time Cen. Jackson 
 offered his services and those of twenty-five hundred 
 volunteers. His offer was accepted, and the troops 
 were assembled at Nashville. 
 
 As the Britisli were hourly expected to make an at- 
 tack i'.[)On New Orleans, where Gen. Wilkinson was 
 in command, he was ordered to descend the river 
 with fifteen hundred troops to aid Wilkinson. The 
 expedition reached Natchez; and after a delay of sev- 
 eral weeks there, without accom|)lishing anything, 
 the men were ordered b.ack to their homes. But the 
 energy lien. Jackson had displayed, and liis entire 
 devotion to the comrfort of his soldiers, won him 
 golden opinions; and he became the most |)opular 
 man in the State. It was in this expedition that his 
 toughness gave him the nickname of " Old Hickory." 
 
 Soon after this, while attempting to horsewhip Col. 
 Thomas H. Benton, for a remark that gentleman 
 made about his taking a part as second in a duel, in 
 which a younger brother of Benton's was engaged, 
 he received two severe pistol wounds. While he was 
 lingering uixm a bed of suffering ne«s came that the 
 Indians, who had combined under Tecumseh from 
 I'lorida to the Lakes, to exterminate the white set- 
 tlers, were committing the most awful ravages. De- 
 cisive action became necessary. Cien. Jackson, with 
 his fractured bone just beginning to heal, his arm in 
 a sling, and unable to mount his horse without assis- 
 tance, gave his amazing energies to tlie r.nising of an 
 army to rendezvous at Favettesville, .Alabama. 
 
 The Creek Indians h.ad established a strong fori on 
 one of the bendsof theTallauoosa River, near the cen- 
 ter of Alabama, about fifty miles below Fort Strother. 
 With an army of two thousand men, Cen. Jackson 
 traversed the pathless wilderness in a march of eleven 
 (lays. He reached their fort, called Tohopeka or 
 Horse-shoe, on the 27th of March. i8j4- I'hc bend 
 
 -4» 
 
 of the river enclosed nearly one hundred acres of 
 tangled forest and wild ravine. Across the narrow 
 neck the Indians had constructed a formidable breast- 
 work of logs and brush. liere nine hundred warriors, 
 with an ample suplyof arms were assembled. 
 
 The fort was stormed. The fight was utterly des- 
 perate. Not an Indian would accept of quarter. When 
 bleeding and dying, they would fight those who en- 
 deavored to spare their lives. From ten in the morn- 
 ing until dark, the battle raged. Fhe carnage was 
 awful and revolting. Some threw themselves into the 
 river; but the unerring bullet struck their heads as 
 they swam. Nearly everyone of the nine hundred war- 
 rios were killed A few probably, in the night, swam 
 the river and escaped. 'Fhis ended the war. The 
 [jower of the (Greeks was broken forever. This bold 
 plunge into the wilderness, with its terriffic slaughter, 
 so appalled the savages, that the haggard remnants 
 of the bands came to the camp, begging for peace. 
 
 This closing of the Creek war enabled us to con- 
 centrate all our militia uiKjn the British, who were the 
 allies of the Indians No man of less resolute will 
 ihan Cien. Jackson could have conducted this Indian 
 campaign to so successful an issue Immediately he 
 was apjxjinted major-general. 
 
 Late in .Vugust, with an army of two thousand 
 men, on a rushing march, Gen. Jackson came to 
 Mobile. .\ British fleet came from Pensacola, landed 
 a force \\\m\\ the beach, anchored near the little fort, 
 and from both ship and shore commenced a furions 
 assault The battle was long and doubtful. M length 
 one of the ships was blown u}) and the rest retired. 
 
 (Garrisoning Mobile, where he had taken his little 
 army, he moved his troops to New Orleans, 
 .\nd the battle of New Orleans which soon ensued, 
 was in reality a very arduous campaign. This won 
 for Gen. Jackson an imperishable name. Here his 
 troops, which numbered about four thousand men, 
 won a signal victory over the British army of aliout 
 nine thousand. His loss was but thirteen, while the 
 loss of the British was two thousand six hundred. 
 
 The name of Gen. Jackson soon began to be men- 
 tioned in connection with the Presidency, but, in i<S24, 
 he was defeated by Mr. .\dams. He was, however, 
 successful in the election of 1828, and was re-elected 
 for a second term in 1832. In 1829, just before he 
 assumed the reins of the government, he met with 
 the most terrible affliction of his life in the death of 
 his wife, whom he had loved with a devotion which has 
 perhaps never been surpassed. From the shock of 
 her death he never recovered. 
 
 His .administration was one of the most memorable 
 in the annals of our country; applauded by one party, 
 condemned by the other. No man had more bitter 
 enemies or warmer friends. .Xt the expiration of his 
 two terms of office he retired to the Hermitage, where 
 he died |une 8, 1845. The last years of Mr. Jack 
 son's life were that of a devoted Christian man 
 
 i 
 
Oll'^XlJO^^^z^Ju^.^^z^^ 
 
^ 
 
 EIGHTH PRESIDENT. 
 
 47 
 
 
 ^m » 
 
 
 ARTIN VAN BUREN, the 
 
 eighth President of the 
 United States, was born at 
 Kinderhook, N. Y., Dec. 5, 
 17S2. Fie died at the same 
 place, July 24, 1862. His 
 body rests in the cemetery 
 at Kinderhook. Al)ove it is 
 lain granite shaft fifteen feet 
 high, bearing a simple inscription 
 alxDut half way up on one face. 
 The lot is unfenced, unbordered 
 or unbounded by shrub or flower. 
 
 There is but l.ittle in the life of Martin Van Huren 
 of romantic interest. He fought no battles, engaged 
 in no wild adventures. Though his life was stormy in 
 jxilitical and intellectual conflicts, and he gained many 
 signal victories, his days passed uneventful in those 
 incidents which give zest to biography. His an- 
 cestors, as his name indicates, were of Dutch origin, 
 and were among tiie earliest emigrants from Holland 
 to the banks of the Hudson. His father was a farmer, 
 residing in the old town of Kinderhook. His mother, 
 also of Dutch lineage, was a woman of superior intel- 
 ligence and e.xemplary \jiety. 
 
 He was decidedly a precocious boy, developing un- 
 usual activity, vigor and strength of mind. At the 
 age of fourteen, he had finished his academic studies 
 in his native village, and commenced the study of 
 law. As he had not a collegiate education, seven 
 years of study in a law-office were required of him 
 before he could be admitted to the bar. Insiiired with 
 a lofty ambition, and conscious of his |X)wers, he pur- 
 sued his studies with indefatigable industry. After 
 spending six years in an office in his native village. 
 
 he went to the city of \ew York, and prosecuted liis 
 studies for the seventh year. 
 
 In 1803, .Mr. Van Buren, then twenty-one yeais of 
 age, commenced the practice of law in his native vil- 
 lage. The great conflict between the I'edcral and 
 Republican party was then at its height. Mr. Van 
 Buren was from the Ijeginning a ix)litician. He had, 
 perhaps, imbibed that spirit while listening to the 
 many discussions which had been carried on in his 
 father's hotel. He was in cordial symi)athy with 
 JefTerson, and earnestly and eloquently esi^used the 
 cause of State Rights; though at that time the l-'ed- 
 eral party held the supremacy both in his town 
 and State. 
 
 His success and increasing ruputation led him 
 after six years of practice, to remove to Hudson, th. 
 county seat of his county. Here he spent seven years 
 constantly gaining strength by contending in the 
 courts with some of the ablest men who have adorned 
 the bar of his State. 
 
 Just before leaving Kinderhook for Hudson, Mi. 
 Van Buren married a lady alike distinguished for 
 beauty and accomplishments, .^f^er twelve short 
 years she sank into tiie grave, the victim of consun)])- 
 tion, leaving her husband and four sons to weep over 
 her loss. For twenty-five years, Mr. Van Buren was 
 an earnest, successful, assiduous lawyer. The record 
 of those years is barren in items of public interest. 
 In 1812, when thirty years of age, he was chosen to 
 the State Senate, and gave his strenuous supixjrt to 
 Mr. Madison's adminstration. In 1815, he was ap- 
 [Kjinted .Vttorney-deneral, and the next year moved 
 to Albany, the capital of the Slate. 
 
 While he was acknowledged as one of the most 
 prominent leaders of the Democratic party, he had 
 
li 48 
 
 ■•► 
 
 MARTIN VAN BUREN. 
 
 A 
 
 the moral courage to avow that true democracy did 
 not require that " universal suffrage" which admits 
 the vile, the degraded, the ignorant, to the right of 
 governing the State. In true consistency with his 
 democratic principles, he contended that, while the 
 path leading to the privilege of voting should be open 
 to every man without distinction, no one sliould he 
 invested with that sacred prerogative, unless he were 
 in some degree qualified for it by intelligence, virtue 
 and some property interests in tlie welfare of tlie 
 State. 
 
 In 182 I he was elected a member of the United 
 States Senate; and in the same year, lie took a seat 
 in the convention to revise the constitution of his 
 native State. His course in this convention secured 
 the approval of men of all parties. No one could 
 doubt the singleness of his endeavors to promote the 
 interests of all classes in the community. In the 
 Senate of the United States, lie rose at once to a 
 conspicuous ixjsition as anactive and useful legislator. 
 
 In 1827, John Quincy Adams being then in the 
 Presidential chair, Mr. Van Buren was re-elected to 
 the Senate. He had been from the beginning a de- 
 termined o[)poser of the .Xdministration, adopting the 
 "State Rights" view in opposition to what was 
 deemed the Federal proclivities of Mr. Adams. 
 
 .Soon after this, in 1828, he was cliosen Ciovernorof 
 the State of New N'ork, and accordingly resigned his 
 seat in the Senate. Probably no one in tlie United 
 States contributed so much towards ejecting John Q. 
 Adams from the Presidential chair, and placing in it 
 Andrew Jackson, as did Martin Van Buren. Whether 
 entitled to the reputation or not, he certainly was re- 
 garded throughout tiie United States as one of the 
 most skillful, sagacious and cunning of politicians. 
 It was supixjsed that no one knew so well as he how 
 to touch the secret springs of action; how to pull all 
 the wires to put his machinery in motion; and how to 
 organize a political army which would, secretly and 
 stealthily accomplish the most gigantic results. By 
 these lowers it is said that lie outv/itted Mr. Adams, 
 Mr. Clay, Mr. Webster, and secured results which 
 few thought then could be accomplished. 
 
 When .Andrew Jackson was elected President he 
 apiK^inted Mr. Van Buren Secretary of State. This 
 position he resigned in 1831, and was immediately 
 apiwinted Minister to England, where he went the 
 same autumn. The Senate, however, when it met, 
 refused to ratify the nomination, and he returned 
 
 home, apparently untroubled; was nominated Vice 
 President in the place of Calhoun, at the re-election 
 of President Jackson ; and with smiles for all and 
 frowns for none, he took his place at the head of that 
 Senate which had refused to confirm his nomination 
 as ambassador. 
 
 His rejection l)y the Si;nate roused all the zeal of 
 President Jackson in behalf of his repudiated favor- 
 ite; and this, probably mure than any other cause, 
 secured his elevation to the chair of the Chief Execu- 
 tive. On the 2olhof May, 1836, Mr. Van Buren re- 
 <:eived the Democratic nomination to succeed Gen. 
 Jackson as President of the United States. He was 
 elected by a handsome majority, to the delight of the 
 retiring President. " Leaving New York out of the 
 canvass," says Mr. Parton, "the election of Mr. Van 
 Buren to tlie Presidency was as much the act of Gen. 
 Jackson as though the Constitution had conferred 
 iqxjn him the ix)wer to appoint a successor. ' 
 
 His administration was filled with exciting events. 
 The insurrection in Canada, which threatened to in- 
 volve tliis country in war with England, the agitation 
 of the slavery question, and finally the great commer- 
 cial panic which siiread over the country, all were 
 trials to his wisdom. The financial distress was at- 
 tributed to the management of the Democratic party, 
 and brought the President into such disfavor that he 
 failed of re-election. 
 
 With the exception of being nominated for the 
 Presidency by the "Free Soil" Democrats, in 1848, 
 .Mr. Van Buren lived quietly u[)on his estate until 
 his death. 
 
 He liad ever been a prudent man, of frugal habits, 
 and living within his income, had now fortunately a 
 competence for his declining years. His unblemished 
 character, his commanding abilities, his unquestioned 
 patriotism, and the distinguished ix)sitions which he 
 had occui)ied in the government of our country, se- 
 cured to him not only the homage of his party, but 
 the respect ot the whole community. It was on the 
 4th of March, 1841, that Mr. Van Buren retired from 
 the presidency. From his fine estate at Lindenwald, 
 he still exerted a powerful infiuence ujxjn the politics 
 of the country. From this time until his deatli, on 
 the 24th of July, 1862, at the age of eighty years, he 
 resided at Lindenwald, a gentleman of leisure, of 
 culture and of wealth; enjoying in a healthy old 
 age, probably far more happiness than he had before 
 experienced amid the stormy scenes of his active life. 
 •► 
 
 T 
 
^'r /t^^o^o^i^ 
 
 ■K-^ 
 
t 
 
 -^*- 
 
 NINTH PRESIDENT. 
 
 
 t 
 
 ILLIAM HENRY HARRI- 
 SON, the ninth President of 
 the United States, was born 
 at Herkeley, \'a., Feb. 9, 1773. 
 His father, Benjamin Harri- 
 son, was in comparatively op- 
 ulent circumstances, and was 
 one of the most distinguished 
 men of his day. He was an 
 intimate friend of George 
 Washington, w as early elected 
 a member of the Continental 
 Congress, and was conspicuous 
 amoiig the patriots of Virginia in 
 resisting the encroachments of the 
 British crown. In the celebrated 
 Congress of 1775, Benjamin Har- 
 rison and John Hancock were 
 both candidates for the office of 
 speaker. 
 
 Mr Harrison was subsequently 
 chosen Governor of Virginia, and 
 was twice re-elected. His son, 
 William Henry, of course enjoyed 
 in childhood all the advantages which wealth and 
 intellectual and cultivated society could give. Hav- 
 ing received a thorough comn)on-school education, he 
 entered Ham|xlen Sidney College, where he graduated 
 with honor soon after the death of his father. He 
 then repaired to Philadeli)hia to study medicine under 
 the instructions of Dr. Rush and the guardianshi[) of 
 Robert Morris, l)oth of whom were, with his father, 
 signers of the Declaration of Indejiendence. 
 
 Upon the outbreak of the Indian troubles, and not- 
 withstanding the remonstrances of his friends, he 
 abandoned his medical studies and entered the army, 
 having obtained a commission of Ensign from Presi- 
 
 I 
 
 dent Washington. He was then but 19 years old. 
 From that time he passed gradually upward in rank 
 until he became aid to General Wayne, after whose 
 death he resigned his commission. He was then ai>- 
 lK>inted Secretary of the Nortii-western Territory. This 
 Territory was then entitled to but one member in 
 Congress and Capt. Harrison was chosen to fill that 
 lX)sition. 
 
 In the spring of 1800 the North-western Territory 
 was divided by Congress into two [wrtions. The 
 eastern jwrtion, comprising the region now embraced 
 in the State of Ohio, was called " The Territory 
 north-west of the Ohio." The western jwrtion, which 
 included what is now called Indiana, Illinois and 
 Wisconsin, was called the "Indiana Territory." Wil- 
 liam Henry Harrison, then 27 years of age, was ajv 
 ix)inted by John Adams, Governor of the Indiana 
 Territory, and immediately after, also Governor of 
 Upper Louisiana. He was thus ruler over almost as 
 extensive a realm as any sovereign \\\io\\. the globe. He 
 was Superintendent of Indian Affairs, and was in- 
 vested with jwwers nearly dictatorial over the now 
 rapidly increasing white iwpulation. The ability and 
 fidelity with which he discharged these resi)onsil)le 
 duties may be inferred from the fact that he was four 
 times appointed to this office — first by John .Adams, 
 twice by Thomas Jefferson and afterwards by Presi- 
 dent Madison. 
 
 ^\'henhe began his adminstration there were but 
 threewhitesettlementsin that ahiiosi boundless region, 
 now crowded with cities and resounding with all the 
 tumult of wealth and traffic. Oneof these settlements 
 was on the Ohio, nearly opixjsite Louisville; one at 
 Vincennes, on the Wabash, and the thiid a French 
 settlement. 
 
 The vasr wilderness over which Ciov. Harrison 
 reigned was filled with many tribesof Indians About 
 
 ^ ■ » 
 
i 
 
 -^- 
 
 s^ 
 
 WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON. 
 
 the year 1806, two extraordinary men, twin brothers, 
 of the Shawnese tribe, rose among them. One of 
 these was called Tecumseh, or " Tiie Croucliing 
 Panther;" the other, OUiwacheca, or "The Prophet." 
 Tecumseh was not only an Indian warrior, but a man 
 of great sagacity, far-reaching foresight and indomit- 
 able perseverance in any enterprise in which he might 
 engage. He was inspired with the highest enthusiasm, 
 and had long regarded with dread and with hatred 
 the encroachment of the whites upon the hunting- 
 grounds of his fathers. His brother, the Prophet, was 
 anorator, who could sway the feelings of the untutored 
 Indian as the gale tossed the tree-tops beneath whicli 
 they dwelt. 
 
 But the Prophet was not merely an orator : he was, 
 in the superstitious minds of tlie Indians, invested 
 with the superhuman dignity of a medicine-man or a 
 magician. With an enthusiasm unsurpassed by Peter 
 the Hermit rousing Europe to the crusades, he went 
 from tribe to tribe, assuming that he was sjiecially sent 
 by the Great Spirit. 
 
 Gov. Harrison made many attempts to conciliate 
 the Indians, but at last the war came, and at Tippe- 
 canoe the Indians were routed with great slaughter. 
 October 28, 1812, his army began its march. When 
 near the Prophet's town three Indians of rank made 
 their appearance and inquired why Gov. Harrison was 
 approaching them in so hostile an attitude. After a 
 short conference, arrangements were made for a meet- 
 ing the next day, to agree u[X)n terms of peace. 
 
 But Gov. Harrison was too well acquainted with 
 the Indian character to be deceived by such jtrotes- 
 tations. .Selecting a favorable sjxjt for his night's en- 
 campment, he took every precaution against surprise. 
 His troops were posted in a hollow square, and slept 
 UiXjn their arms. 
 
 The troops threw themselves upon the ground for 
 rest; but every man had his accourtrements on, his 
 loaded musket by his side, and his bayonet fixed. The 
 wakeful Governor, between three and four o'clock in 
 the morning, had risen, and was sitting in conversa- 
 tion with his aids by the embers of a waning fire. It 
 was a chill, cloudy morning with a drizzling rain. In 
 the darkness, the Indians had crept as near as ix)ssi- 
 ble, and just then, with a savage yell, rushed, with all 
 tiie desperation wiiich superstition and passion most 
 highly inflamed could give, u|X)n the left flank of the 
 little army. The savages had been amply provided 
 with guns and ammunition by the English. Their 
 war-whoop was accompained by a shower of bullets. 
 
 The camp-fires were instantly extinguished, as the 
 light aided the Indians in their aim. With hide- 
 DUS yells, the Indinn bands rushed on, not doubting a 
 s|)eedy and an entire victory. But Gen. Harrison's 
 troops stood as immovable as the rocks around them 
 until day dawned : they then made a simultaneous 
 charge with the bayonet, and swept every thing be- 
 fore them, and completely routing th«» foe, 
 
 Ciov. Harrison now had all his energies tasked 
 to the utmost. The British descending from the Can - 
 adas, were of themselves a very formidable force ; but 
 with their savage allies, rushing like wolves from the 
 forest, searching out every remote farm-house, burn- 
 ing, plundering, scalping, tortoring, the wide frontier 
 was plunged into a state of consternation wiiich even 
 the most vivid imaginati(jn can but faintly conceive. 
 The war-whoop was resounding everywhere in the 
 forest. The horizon was illuminated with the conflagra- 
 tion of the cabins of the settlers. Gen Hull had made 
 the ignominious surrender of his forces at Detroit. 
 L'nder these despairing circumstances. Gov. Harrison 
 was apiwinted by President Madison commander-in- 
 chief of the North-western army, with orders to retake 
 Detroit, and to protect tiie frontiers. 
 
 It would be difficult to place a man in a situation 
 demanding more energy, sagacity and courage; bin 
 (leneral Harrison was found equal to the position, 
 and nobly and triumphantly did he meet all the re 
 sponsiliilities. 
 
 He won the love of his soldiers by always sharing, 
 with them their fatigue. His whole baggage, while 
 pursuing the foe up the Thames, was carried in a 
 valise; and his bedding consisted of a single blanket 
 lashed over his saddle. Thirty-five British officers, 
 his prisoners of war, supped with him after the battle. 
 The only fare he could give them was beef roasted 
 before the fire, without bread or salt. 
 
 In 18 1 6, Gen. Harrison was chosen a member of 
 tlie National House of Representatives, to represent 
 the District of Ohio. In Congress he proved an 
 active member; and whenever he six)ke, it was with 
 force of reason and power of eloquence, which arrested 
 the attention of all the members. 
 
 In 1 819, Harrison was elected to the Senate of 
 Ohio; and in 1824, as one of the presidential electors 
 of that State, he gave his vote for Henry Clay. The 
 same year he was chosen to tlie United .States Senate. 
 
 In 1S36, the friends of (ien. Harrison brought him 
 forward as a candidate for the Presidency against 
 Van Buren, but he was defeated. .-Vt the close of 
 Mr. Van Buren's term, he was re -nominated by his 
 party, and Mr. Harrison was unanimously nominated 
 by the Whigs, with John Tyler lor the Vice Presidency. 
 The contest was very animated, (ien. Jackson gave 
 all his influence to prevent Harrison's election ; but 
 his triumph was signal. 
 
 The cabinet which he formed, with Daniel Webster 
 at its head as Secretary of State, was one of the most 
 brilliant with which any President had ever been 
 surrounded. Never were the ]>rospects of an admin- 
 istration more flattering, or the hopes of the country 
 more sanguine. In the midst of these bright and 
 joyous prospects. Gen. Harrison was seized by a 
 pleurisy-fever and after a few days of violent sick- 
 ness, died on the 4th of .•Xpril ; just one month after 
 his inauguration as President of the United States. 
 
 i' 
 
»-^- 
 
 TENTH PRESIDENT. 
 
 55 
 
 » .TO JIK T¥LEIR . 
 
 m 
 
 i 
 
 N OHN TYLER, the tenth 
 ■' ^ , I'residentof the United States. 
 He was born in Charles-city 
 Co., Va., March 29, 1790. He 
 was the favored child of af- 
 fluence and high social \>o- 
 sition. At the early age of 
 twelve, John entered William 
 and Mary College and grad- 
 uated with much honor when 
 but seventeen years old. After 
 graduating, he devoted him- 
 self with great assiduity to the 
 study of law, partly with his 
 father and partly with Edmund 
 Randolph, one of the most distin- 
 guished lawyers of Virginia. 
 
 At nineteen years of age, ne 
 commenced the practice of law. 
 His success was rapid and aston- 
 ishing. It is said that three 
 months had not elapsed ere there 
 was scarcely a case on the dock- 
 et of the court in wliich he was 
 not retained. When liut twenty-one years of age, he 
 was almost unanimously elected to a seat in the State 
 Legislature. He connected himself with the Demo- 
 cratic party, and warmly advocated the measures of 
 Jefferson and Madison. For five successive years he 
 was elected to the Legislature, receiving nearly the 
 unanimous vote or his county. 
 
 When but twenty-six years of age, he was elected 
 a member of Congress. Here he acted earnestly and 
 ai)ly with the Democratic party, op|)Osinp a national 
 bank, internal imj)rovemcnts by tlie (leneral '.iOV«;rn- 
 
 ment, a protective tariff, and advocating a strict con- 
 struction of the Constitution, and the most careful 
 vigilance over State rights. His labors in Congress 
 were so arduous that before the close of his second 
 term he found it necessary to resign and retire to his 
 estate in Charles-city Co., to recruit his health. He, 
 however, soon after consented to take his seat in the 
 State Legislature, where his influence was ixjwerful 
 in promoting public works of great utility. With a 
 reputation thus canstantly increasing, he was chosen 
 by a very large majority of votes, Governor of his 
 native State. His administration was signally a suc- 
 cessful one. His i)opularity secured his re-election. 
 
 John Randolph, a brilliant, erratic, half-crazed 
 man, then represented Virginia in the Senate of the 
 United States. \ iX)rtion of the Democratic party 
 was displeased witli Mr. Randolph's wayward course, 
 and brought forward John Tyler as his opiwnent, 
 considering him the only man in Virginia of sufficient 
 popularity to succeed against the renowned orator of 
 Roanoke. Mr. T)ler was the victor. 
 
 In accordance with his professions, u|X)n taking his 
 seat in the Senate, he joined the ranks of the op|K)si- 
 tion. He opposed the tariff; he spoke against and 
 voted against the bank as unconstitutional ; he strcn- - 
 uously opjKised all restrictions upon slavery, resist- 
 ing all projects of internal improvements by the Gen- 
 eral Government, and avowed his sympathy with Mr. 
 Calhoun's view of nullification ; he declared that Gen. 
 Jackson, by his opjiosition to the nullifiers, had 
 abandoned the principles of the Democratic party. 
 Such was Mr. Tyler's record in Congress, — a record 
 in perfect accordance with the principles which he 
 had always avowed. 
 
 Returning to Virginia, he resumed the practice of 
 his profession. There was a rplit in the Democraiic 
 
i 
 
 •«► 
 
 JOHN TYLER. 
 
 U 
 i 
 
 party. His friends still regarded him as a true Jef- 
 fersonian, gave him a dinner, and showered compli- 
 ments upon him. He had now attained the age of 
 forty-six. His career had been very brilliant. In con- 
 sequence of his devotion to public business, his pri- 
 vate affairs had fallen into some disorder; and it was 
 not without satisfaction that he resumed the practice 
 of law, and devoted himself to the culture of his plan- 
 tation. Soon after tiiis he removed to Williamsburg, 
 for the better education of his children ; and he again 
 took his seat in the Legislature of Virginia. 
 
 By the Southern Whigs, he was sent to the national 
 convention at Harrisburg to nominate a President in 
 1839. The majority of votes were given to Gen. Har- 
 rison, a genuine Whig, much to the disapjxsintmentot 
 the South, who wished for Henry Clay. To concili- 
 ate the Southern Whigs and to secure their vote, the 
 convention then nominated John Tyler for Vice Pres- 
 ident. It was well known that he was not in sympa- 
 thy with the Whig party in the North : but the Vice 
 President has but very little power in the Govern- 
 ment, his main and almost only duty being to pre- 
 side over the meetings of the Senate. Thus it hap- 
 pened that a Whig President, and, in reality, a 
 Democratic Vice President were chosen. 
 
 In r84i, Mr. Tyler was inaugurated Vice Presi- 
 dent of the United States. In one short month from 
 that time, President Harrison died, and Mr. Tyler 
 thus found himself, to his own surprise and that of 
 the whole Nation, an occupant of the Presidential 
 chair. This was a new test of the stability of our 
 institutions, as it was the first time in the history of our 
 country that such an event had occured. Mr. Tyler 
 was at home in Williamslnirg when he received the 
 une.xpected tidings of the death of President Harri- 
 son. He hastened to Washington, and on the 6th of 
 ,\pril was inaugurated to the high and responsible 
 office. He was placed in a (wsition of exceeding 
 delicacy and difficulty. All his longlife he had been 
 opix)sed to the main principles of the party which had 
 brought him into power. He had ever been a con- 
 sistent, honest man, with an unblemished record. 
 Gen. Harrison had selected a Whig cabinet. Should 
 he retain them, and thus surround himself with coun- 
 sellors whose views were antagonistic to his own? or, 
 on the other hand, should he turn against the party 
 which had elected him and select a cabinet in har- 
 mony with himself, and which would o|)i>ose all those 
 views which the \Vhigs deemed essential to the juib- 
 lic welfare? This was his fearful dilemma. He in- 
 vited the cabinet which President Harrison had 
 selected to retain their seats. He reicommended a 
 day of fasting and prayer, that God would guide and 
 bless us. 
 
 The Whigs carried through (Congress a bill for the 
 incor|X)ration of a fiscal bank of the United States. 
 The President, after ten days' delay, returned it with 
 his veto. He suirqested, however, that he >voiild 
 
 approve of a biil drawn up upon such a plan as he 
 proiX)sed. Such a bill was accordingly prepared, and 
 privately submitted to him. He gave it his approval. 
 It was passed without alteration, and he sent it back 
 with his veto. Here commenced the open rupture. 
 It is said that Mr. Tyler was provoked to this meas- 
 ure by a published letter from the Hon. John M. 
 Botts, a distinguished V'irginia Whig, who severely 
 touched the pride of the President. 
 
 The opposition now exultingly received the Presi- 
 dent into their arms. The party which elected him 
 denounced him bitterly. AH the members of his 
 cabinet, excepting Mr. Webster, resigned. The Whigs 
 of Congress, both the Senate and the House, held a 
 meeting and issued an address to the people of the 
 United States, proclaiming that all political alliance 
 between the Whigs and President Tyler were at 
 an end. 
 
 Still the President attempted to conciliate. He 
 apjxjinted a new cabinet of distinguished Whigs and 
 Conservatives, carefully leaving out all strong party 
 men. Mr. Webster soon found it necessary to resign, 
 forced out by the pressure of his Whig friends. Thus 
 the four years of Mr. Tyler's unfortunate administra- 
 tion passed sadly away. No one was satisfied. The 
 land was filled with murmurs and vituj)eration. Whigs 
 and Democrats alike assailed him. More and more, 
 however, he brought himself into sympathy with his 
 old friends, the Democrats, until at the close of his term, 
 he gave his whole influence to the support of Mr. 
 Polk, the Democratie candidate for his successor. 
 
 On the 4th of March, 1845, he retired from the 
 harassments of office, to the regret of neither party, and 
 probably to his own unsjjeakable relief. His first wife. 
 Miss Letitia Christian, died in Washington, in 1842; 
 and in June, 1844, President Tyler was again married, 
 at New York, to Miss Julia Gardiner, a young lady of 
 many personal and intellectual accomplishments. 
 
 The remainder of his days Mr. Tyler passed mainly 
 in retirement at his beautiful home, — Sherwood For- 
 est, Charles-city Co., Va. A polished gentleman in 
 his manners, richly furnished with tnformation from 
 books and experience in the world, and jxjssessing 
 brilliant powers of conversation, his family circle was 
 the scene of unusual attractions. With srrfficient 
 moans for the exercise of a generous hosjiitality, he 
 might have enjoyed a serene old age with the few 
 friends who gathered around him, were it not for the 
 storms of ci\il war which his own principles and 
 jx)licy had heli)ed to introduce. 
 
 When the great Rebellion rose, which the State- 
 rights and nullifying doctrines of Mr. John C. ('al- 
 houn had inaitgurated. President Tyler renounced his 
 allegiance to the United States, and joined the Confed- 
 erates. He was chosen a member of their Congress; 
 and while engaged in active measures to destroy, by 
 force of arms, the Government over which he had 
 once presided, he was taken sick and soon died. 
 
^A-^ 
 
 J J 
 
-4*- 
 
 ■•►HI- 
 
 ELEVENTH PRKSIDENT. 
 
 1 
 
 59 iO 
 
 JAMES K, PDILK, 
 
 
 '?^>:^'".;r ^^^^^M^^ 
 
 '% 
 
 W 
 
 AMES K. POLK, the eleventh 
 
 iPresident of the United States, 
 
 was Ixjrii in Mecklenburg Co., 
 
 N. C.Nov. 2, 1795. His jiar- 
 
 ents were Samuel and Jane 
 
 ■(Knox) Polk, the former a son 
 
 of Col. Thomas I'olk, who located 
 
 at the above place, as one of the 
 
 first pioneers, in 1735. 
 
 In the year 1S06, with liis wife 
 and children, and soon after fol- 
 lowed by most of the members of 
 tlie I'olk famly, Samuel Polk emi- 
 grated some two or three hundred 
 miles farther west, to the rich valley 
 of tiic Duck River. Here in the 
 midst of the wilderness, in a region 
 wliich was subsequently called Mau- 
 ry Co., they reared their lou huts, 
 and established their homes. In the 
 hard toil of a new farm in the wil- 
 derness, James K. Polk spent the 
 early years of liis childliood and 
 youth. His father, adding the (lur- 
 suit of a surveyor to that of a farmer, 
 gradually increased in wealth until 
 he became one of the leading men of the region. His 
 mother was a superior woman, of strong lomnum 
 sense and earnest piety. 
 
 Very early in life, James developed a taste for 
 reading and exjjressed the strongest desire to obtain 
 a liberal education. His mother's training had made 
 him methodical in his habits, had taught him punct- 
 uality and industry, and had ins])ired him with lofty 
 principles of morality. His health was frail ; and his 
 father, fearing that he might not be able to endure a 
 
 sedentary life, got a situation for him behind the 
 counter, hojung to fit him for commercial pursuits. 
 
 This was to James a bitter disapixjintnient. He 
 had no taste for these duties, and his daily tasks 
 were irksome in the extreme. He remained in this 
 uncongenial occupation but a few weeks, when at his 
 earnest solicitation his father removed him, and made 
 arrangements for him to prosecute his studies. Soon 
 after he sent him to Murfreesboro Academy. With 
 ardor which could scarcely be suri)assed, he pressed 
 forward in his studies, and in less than two and a half 
 years, in the autumn of 181 5, entered the sophomore 
 class in the University of North Carolina, at Chapel 
 Hill. Here he was one of the most exemplary of 
 scholars, inmctual in every exercise, never allowing 
 himself to be absent from a recitation or a religious 
 service. 
 
 He graduated in 1818, with the highest honors, be- 
 ing deemed the best scholar of his class, both in 
 mathematics and the classics. He was then twenty- 
 three years of age. Mr. Polk's health was at this 
 time much impaired by the assiduity with which he 
 had prosecuted his studies. After a short season of 
 rela.xation he went to Nasiiville, and entered the 
 office of Felix Grundy, to study law. Here Mr. I'olk 
 renewed his acquaintance with .Andrew Jackson, who 
 resided on his plantation, tlie Hermitage, but a few 
 miles from Nashville. They had probably been 
 slightly accpiainted before. 
 
 Mr. Polk's father was a Jeffersonian Republican, 
 and James K. Polk ever adhered to the same politi- 
 cal faith. He was a i)opular jiublic s()eaker, and was 
 constantly called uiwn to address the meetings of his 
 party friends. His skill as a speaker was such that 
 he was jxjpularly called the Naixaleon of the stump. 
 He was a man of unblemished morals, genial and 
 
 I 
 
60 
 
 JAMBS K. POLK. 
 
 i^^h-^ 
 
 4 
 
 courteous in his bearing, and with that sympathetic 
 nature in the joys and griefs of others which ever gave 
 him troops of friends. In 1823, Mr. Polk was elected 
 to the Legislature of Tennessee. Here he gave his 
 strong influence towards the election of his friend, 
 Mr. Jackson, to the Presidency of the United States. 
 
 In January, 1824, Mr. Polk married Miss Sarah 
 Childress, of Rutherford Co., Tenn. His bride was 
 altogether worthy of him, — a lady of beauty and cul- 
 ture. In the fall of 1825, Mr. Polk was chosen a 
 member of Congress. The satisfaction which he gave 
 to his constituents may be inferred from the fact, that 
 for fourteen successive years, until 1 839, he was con- 
 tinued in that office. He then voluntarily withdrew, 
 only that he might accept the Gubernatorial chair 
 of Tennessee. In Congress he was a laborious 
 member, a frequent and a popular speaker. He was 
 always in his seat, always courteous ; and whenever 
 he s|X)ke it was always to the point, and without any 
 ambitious rhetorical display. 
 
 During five sessions of Congress, Mr. Polk was 
 Speaker of the House Strong passions were roused, 
 and stormy scenes were witnessed ; but Mr. Polk per- 
 formed his arduous duties to a very general satisfac- 
 tion, and a unanimous vote of thanks to him was 
 passed by the House as he withdrew on the 4th of 
 March, 1839. 
 
 In accordance with Southern usage, Mr. Polk, as a 
 candidate for Governor, canvassed the State. He was 
 elected by a large majority, and on the 1 4th of Octo- 
 ber, 1839, took the oath of office at Nashville. In 1841, 
 his term of office expired, and he was again the can- 
 didate of the Democratic party, but was defeated. 
 
 On the 4th of March, iS45,Mr. Polk was inaugur- 
 ated President of the United States. The verdict of 
 the country in favor of the annexation of Texas, exerted 
 its influence upon Congress ; and the last act of the 
 administration of President Tyler was to affix his sig- 
 nature to a joint resolution of Congress, passed on the 
 3d of March, approving of the annexation of Texas to 
 the American Union. As Mexico still claimed Texas 
 as one of her provinces, the Mexican minister, 
 Almonte, immediately demanded his passixirts and 
 left the country, declaring the act of the annexation 
 to be an act hostile to Mexico. 
 
 In his first message. President Polk urged that 
 Texas should immediately, by act of Congress, be re- 
 ceived into the Union on the same footing with the 
 Other States. In the meantime, Gen. Taylor was sent 
 
 with an army into Texas to hold the country. He was 
 sent first to Nueces, which the Mexicans said was the 
 western boundary of Texas. Then he was sent nearly 
 two hundred miles further west, to the Rio Grande, 
 where he erected batteries which commanded the 
 Mexican city of Matamoras, which was situated on 
 the western banks. 
 
 The anticipated collision soon took place, and war 
 was declared against Mexico by President Polk. The 
 war was pushed forward by Mr. Polk's administration 
 with great vigor. Gen. Taylor, whose army was first 
 called one of "observation," then of "occupation," 
 then of " invasion, "was sent forward to Monterey. The 
 feeble Mexicans, in ever)' encounter, were hopelessly 
 and awfully slaughtered. The day of judgement 
 alone can reveal the misery which this war caused. 
 It v/as by the ingenuity of Mr. Polk's administration 
 that the war was brought on. 
 
 'To the victors belong the spoils." Mexico was 
 prostrate before us. Her capital was in our hands. 
 We now consented to peace upon the condition that 
 Mexico should surrender to us, in addition to Texas, 
 all of New Mexico, and all of Upper and Lower Cal- 
 ifornia. This new demand embraced, exclusive of 
 Texas, eight hundred thousand square miles. This 
 was an extent of territory equal to nine States of the 
 size of New York. Tiius slavery was securing eighteen 
 majestic States to be added to the Union. There were 
 some Americans who thought it all right : there were 
 others who thought it all wrong. In the prosecution 
 of this war, we expended twenty thousand lives and 
 more than a hundred million of dollars. Of this 
 money fifteen millions were paid to Mexico. 
 
 On the 3d of March, 1849, Mr. Polk retired from 
 office, having served one term. The next day was 
 Sunday. On the 5th, Gen. Taylor was inaugurated 
 as his successor. Mr. Polk rode to the Capitol in the 
 same carriage with Gen. Taylor; and the same even- 
 ing, with Mis. Polk, he commenced his return to 
 Tennessee. He was then but fifty-four years of age. 
 He had ever been strictly temiierate in all his habits, 
 and his health was good. With an ample fortune, 
 a choice library, a cultivated mind, and domestic ties 
 of the dearest nature, it seemed as though long years 
 of traiK|uility and happiness were before him. But the 
 cholera — that fearful scourge— was then sweeping up 
 the \'alley of the Mississippi. This he contracted, 
 and died on the 15th of June, 1849, in the fifty-fourth 
 year of his age, greatly mourned by his countrymen. 
 
 n 
 
'T/x^c/ic^f^^'^y/ya^-^'- 
 
TWELFTH PRESIDENT, 
 
 /ACMAI^y lAYJUC^X^. 
 
 
 ^5 
 
 "S^ 
 
 ;; ACHARV TAYLOR, twclith 
 4^ President of tlic I'nitcci Stales, 
 I^Twas born on the 241!) of Nov., 
 
 f 
 
 1784, in Orange Co., Va. 
 lather, Colonel Taylor, 
 
 His 
 was 
 :']' a N'irginian of note, and a dis- 
 tinguished i)atriot and soldier of 
 the Revolution. When Zachary 
 was an infant, his father with his 
 wife and two children, emigrated 
 to Kentucky, wliere he settled in 
 the pathless wilderness, a few 
 miles from Louisville. In this front- 
 ?<iC^ ier home, away from civilization and 
 I all its refinements, young Zachary 
 could enjoy but few social and educational advan- 
 tages. When six years of age he attended a i omnion 
 school, and was then regarded as a bright, active boy, 
 rather remarkable for bluntness and decision of char- 
 acter He was strong, feailess and self-reliant, and 
 oianifested a strong desire to enter the army to fight 
 the Indians who were ravaging the frontiers. There 
 is little to be recorded of the uneventful years of his 
 childhood on his father's large but lonely plantation. 
 In 1808, his father succeeded in obtaining for him 
 the commission of lieutenant in the United States 
 army ; and he joined the troops which were stationed 
 at New Orleans under den. Wilkinson. Soon after 
 this he married Miss Margaret Smith, a young lady 
 from one of the first families of Maryland. 
 
 Immediately after the declaration of war with Eng- 
 land, in 18 1 2, Ca[)t. Taylor (for he had then been 
 l)romoted to that rank) was put in command of I'ort 
 Harrison, on the Wabash, alx)ut fifty miles above 
 Vincennes. This fort had been built in the wilder- 
 ness by Gen. Harrison, on his march to Tipi)ecanoe. 
 It was one of the first jx)ints of attack by the Indians, 
 led by Tecumseh. Its garrison consisted of a broken 
 
 ,t 
 
 63 
 
 company of infantry numbering fifty men, many of 
 whom were sick. 
 
 Earl) in the autumn of 181. •, tlie Indians, stealthily, 
 and ii\ large numbers, moved uijon the fort. Their 
 approach was first indicated by the murder of two 
 soldiers just outside of the stockade. Capt. Taylor 
 made every possible preparation to meet the antici- 
 pated assault. On the 4th of September, a band of 
 forty painted and plumed savages came to the fort, 
 waving a white flag, and informed Capt. Taylor that 
 in the morning their chief would come to have a talk 
 with him. It was evident that their object was merely 
 to ascertain the state of things at the fort, and Capt. 
 Taylor, well versed in the wiles of the savages, kept 
 them at a distance. 
 
 The sun went down; the savages disappeared, the 
 garrison slept \\\io\\ their arms. One hour before 
 midnight the war-whoop burst from a thousand li[)s 
 in the forest around, followed by the discharge of 
 musketry, and the rush of the foe. Every man, sick 
 and well, sprang to his jxast. Every man knew that 
 defeat was not merely death, but in the case of caj)- 
 ture, death by the most agonizing and prolonged tor- 
 ture. No pen can describe, no immagination can 
 conceive the scenes which ensued. The savages suc- 
 ceeded in setting fire to one of the block-houses- 
 Until si.\ o'clock in the morning, this awful conflict 
 continued. The savages tiien, baffled at every [wint, 
 and gnashing their teeth with rage, retired. Capt. 
 Taylor, for this gallant defence, was promoted to the 
 rank of major l)y brevet. 
 
 Until the close of the war, MajorTaylor was placed 
 in sucii situations that he saw but little more of active 
 service. He was sent far away into the depthsof the 
 wilderness, to Port Crawford, on I'ox River, which 
 empties into (Ireen I?ay. Here there was but little 
 to be done but to wear away the tedious hours as one 
 best could. There were no lxx)ks, no society, no in- 
 
 *T 
 
64 
 
 ZACHARY TAYLOR. 
 
 tellectual stimulus. Thus with him the uneventful 
 years rolled ou Gradually he rose to the rank of 
 colonel. In the Black-Hawk war, which resulted in 
 the capture of that renowned chieftain, Col Taylor 
 took a subordinate but a brave and efficient part. 
 
 For twenty-four years Col. Taylor was engaged in 
 the defence of the frontiers, in scenes so remote, and in 
 employments so obscure, that his name was unknown 
 beyond the limits of his own immediate acciuaintance. 
 In the year 1836, he was sent to Florida to comjjel 
 the Seminole Indians to vacate that region and re- 
 tire beyond the Mississippi, as their chiefs by treaty, 
 had promised they should do. The services rendered 
 here secured for Col. Taylor the high appreciation of 
 the Government; and as a reward, he was elevated 
 to the rank of brigadier-general by brevet ; and soon 
 after, in May, 1838, was appointed to the chief com- 
 mand of the United States troops in Florida. 
 
 After two years of such wearisome employment 
 amidst the everglades of the peninsula. Gen. Taylor 
 obtained, at his own request, a change of command, 
 and was stationed over the Department of the .South- 
 west. This field embraced Louisiana, Mississippi, 
 Alabama and Georgia. Establishing his headquarters 
 at Fort Jessup, in Louisiana, he removed his family 
 to a plantation which he purchased, near Baton Rogue. 
 Here he remained for five years, buried, as it were, 
 from the world, but faithfully discharging every duty 
 imposed uixjn him. 
 
 In 1846, Gen. Taylor was sent to guard the land 
 between the Nueces and Rio (irande, the latter river 
 being the boundary of Texas, which was then claimed 
 by the United States. Soon the war with Me.xico 
 was brought on, and at Palo Alto and Resaca dc la 
 Palma, Gen. Taylor won brilliant victories over the 
 Me.xicans. The rank of major-general by brevet 
 was then conferred u[X)n Gen. Taylor, and his name 
 was received with enthusiasm almost everywhere in 
 the Nation. Then came the battles of Monterey and 
 Buena Vista in which he won signal victories over 
 forces much larger than he commanded. 
 
 His careless habits of dress and his unaffected 
 simplicity, secured for Gen. Taylor among his troops, 
 \\\^ sobriquet of "Old Rough and Ready.' 
 
 The tidings of tlie brilliant victory of Buena Vista 
 spread the wildest enthusiasm over the country. The 
 name of Gen. Taylor was on every one's lips. The 
 Whig party decided to take advantage of this wonder- 
 ful popularity in bringing forward the unpolished, un- 
 lettered, honest soldier as their candidate for the 
 Presidency. Gen. Taylor was astonished at the an- 
 nouncement, and for a time would not listen toil; de- 
 claring that he was not at all qualified for such an 
 office. So little interest had he taken in politics that, 
 for forty years, he had not cast a vote. It was not 
 without chagrin that several distinguished statesmen 
 who had been long years in the public service- found 
 their claims set aside in behalf of one whose name 
 
 had never been heard of, save in connection with Palo 
 Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterey and Buena 
 Vista. It Is said that Daniel Webster, in his haste re- 
 marked, " It is a nomination not fit to be made." 
 
 Gen. Taylor was not an eloquent speaker nor a fine 
 writer His friends took possession of him, and pre- 
 pared such few communications as it was needful 
 should be presented to the public. The ixjpularity of 
 the successful warrior swept the land. He was tri- 
 umphantly elected over two opjxising candidates, — 
 Gen. Cass and E.\-President Martin Van Buren. 
 Though he selected an excellent cabinet, the good 
 old man found himself in a very uncongenial ix)sition, 
 and was, at times, sorely perplexed and harassed. 
 His mental sufferings were very severe, and probably 
 tended to hasten his death. The pro-slavery party 
 was pushing its claims with tireless energy , expedi- 
 tions were fitting out to capture Cuba; California was 
 pleading for admission to the Union, while slavery 
 stood at the door to bar her out. Gen. Taylor found 
 the (wlitical conflicts in Washington to be far more 
 trying to the nerves than battles with Mexicans or 
 Indians. 
 
 In the midst of all these troubles, Gen. Taylor, 
 after he had occupied the Presidential chair but little 
 over a year, took cold, and after a brief sickness of 
 but little over five days, died on the glh of July, 1850. 
 His last words were, " I am not afraid to die. I am 
 ready. I have endeavored to do ni)- duty." He died 
 universally respected and beloved. An honest, un- 
 pretending man, he had been steadily growing in the 
 affections of the peoi)le; and the Nation bitterly la- 
 mented his death. 
 
 Gen. Scott, who was thoroughly acquainted with 
 Gen. Taylor, gave the following graphic and truthful 
 description of his character: — "With a good store of 
 common sense, Cien. Taylor's mind h.nd not been en- 
 larged and refreshed by reading, or much converse 
 with the world. Rigidity of ideas was the conse- 
 quence. The frontiers and small military jjosts had 
 been his home. Hence he was quite ignorant for his 
 rank, and (luite bigoted in his ignorance. His sim- 
 plicity was child-like, and with innumerable \)reju- 
 dices, amusing and incorrigible, well suited to the 
 tender age. Thus, if a man, however respectable, 
 chanced to wear a coat of an unusual color, or his hat 
 a little on one side of his head; or an officer to leave 
 a corner of his handkerchief dangling from an out- 
 side pocket, — in any such case, this critic held the 
 offender to be a coxcomb (perhajw something worse), 
 whom he would not, to use his oft repeated ])hrase, 
 'touch with a pair of tongs.' 
 
 ".\ny allusion to literature beyond good old Dil- 
 worth's spelling-book, on the part of one wearing a 
 sword, was evidence, with the same judge, of utter 
 unfitness for heavy marchings and combats. In short, 
 few men have ever had a more comfortable, labor- 
 saving contempt for learnirg of every kind." 
 
 t 
 
M^ 
 
 THIRTEENTIf PRESIDENT. 
 
 '^ -1 
 
 ^MILLARn FILLMORE."^ 
 
 f^:S'f»s:;HK:-:5*S;S-*S!S*i:is-*s:s- 
 
 ^r:;r*i: 
 
 "t 
 
 
 '1 
 
 
 >!5 
 
 ^:ig-*^: 
 
 si^ 
 
 ILLARD FILLMORE, thir- 
 teenth J'residentof the United 
 States, was l)orn at Sunimer 
 Hill, Cayuga Co., N. Y ., on 
 the 7th of January, 1800. His 
 father was a farmer, and ow- 
 •: ing to misfortune, in humhle cir- 
 cumstances. Of his mother, the 
 daughter of Dr. Abiathar Millard, 
 of Pittsfield, Mass., it has been 
 :>.iid that she [wssessed an intellect 
 of very high order, united with much 
 personal loveliness, sweetness of dis- 
 IK)sition, graceful manners and ex- 
 quisite sensibilities. She died in 
 1831 ; having lived to see her son a 
 ' young man of distinguished prom- 
 ise, though she was not permitted to witness the high 
 dignity which he finally attained. 
 
 In consequence of the secluded home and limited 
 means of his father, Millard enjoyed but slender ad- 
 vantages for education in his early years. The com- 
 mon schools, which he occasionally attended were 
 very imperfect iiistitutions; and books were scarce 
 and expensive. There was nothing then in his char- 
 acter to indicate the brilliant career uixjn which he 1 
 was about to enter. He was a plain farmer's boy ; 
 intelligent, good-looking, kind-hearted. The sacred 
 influences of home had taught him to revere the Hible, 
 and had laid the foundations of an u()right character. 
 When fourteen years of age, his father sent him 
 some hundred miles from home, to the then wilds of 
 Livingston County, to learn the trade of a clothier. 
 Near the mill there was a small villiage, where some 
 
 enterprising man had commenced the collection of a 
 village librar)-. This ])roved an inestimable blessing 
 to young Fillmore. His evenings were spent in read- 
 ing. .Soon every leisure moment was occupied with 
 books. His thirst for knowledge became insatiate : 
 and the selections which he made were continually 
 more elevating and instructive. He read histor)', 
 biography, oratory, and thus gradually there was en- 
 kindled in his heart a desire to be something more 
 than a mere worker with his hands; and lie was be- 
 coming, almost unknown to himself, a well-informed, 
 educated man. 
 
 The young clothier had now attained the age of 
 nineteen years, and was of fine personal api)earance 
 and of gentlemanly demeanor. It so hap])ened thai 
 there was a gentleman in the neighborhood of ample 
 pecuniary means and of benevolence, — Judge Walter 
 Wood, — ^who was struck with the prejwssessing ai>- 
 pearance of young Fillmore. He made his acquaint- 
 ance, and was so much impressed witli his ability and 
 attainments that he advised him to abandon his 
 trade and devote himself to the study of the law. The 
 young man replied, that ho had no means of his own, 
 no friends to help him and that his previous educa- 
 tion had been very imperfect. But Judge Wood had 
 so much confidence in him that he kindly offered to 
 take him into his own office, and to loan him such 
 money as he needed. Most gratefully the generous 
 offer was accepted. 
 
 There is in many minds a strange delusion al>out 
 a collegiate education. A young man is supposed to 
 be liberally educated if he has graduated at some col- 
 lege. But many a l)oy loiters through university halls 
 ^nd then enters a law office, who is by no means as 
 
 I 
 
 \^<*- 
 
 as T 
 
 4- 
 
-4^ 
 68 
 
 MILLARD PILLMORE. 
 
 well prepared to prosecute his legal studies as was 
 
 Millard Fillmore when he graduated at the clothing- 
 mill at the end of four years of manual labor, during 
 which every leisure moment had been devoted to in- 
 tense mental culture. 
 
 In 1823, when twenty-three years of age, he v/as 
 admitted to the Court of Common Pleas. He then 
 went to the village of Aurora, and commenced the 
 practice of law. In this secluded, peaceful region, 
 his practice of course was limited, and there was no 
 opportunity for a sudden rise in fortune or in fame. 
 Here, in the year 1826, he married a lady of great 
 moral worth, and one capable of adorning any station 
 she might be called to fill, — Miss Abigail Powers. 
 
 His elevation of character, his untiring industry, 
 his legal acquirements, and his skill as an advocate, 
 gradually attracted attention ; and he was invited to 
 enter into partnership under highly advantageous 
 circumstances, with an elder member of the bar in 
 Buffalo. Just before removing to Buffalo, in 1829, 
 he took his seat in the House of Assembly, of the 
 State of New York, as a representative from Erie 
 County. Though he had never taken a very active 
 part in politics, his vote and his sympathies were with 
 the Whig party. The State was then Democratic, 
 and he found himself in a helpless minority in the 
 Legislature , still the testimony comes from all parlies, 
 that his courtesy, ability and integrity, won, to a very 
 unusual degn e the respect of his associates. 
 
 In the autumn of 1832, he was elected to a seat in 
 the United States Congress He entered that troubled 
 irena in some of the most tumultuous hours of our 
 national history. The great conflict respecting the 
 national bank and the removal of the deposits, was 
 then raging. 
 
 His term of two years closed ; and he returned to 
 his profession, which he pursued with increasing rep- 
 utation and success. After a lapse of two years 
 he again became a candidate for Congress ; was re- 
 elected, and took his seat in 1837. His past expe- 
 rience as a representative gave him strength and 
 confidence. The first term of service in Congress to 
 any man can be but little more than an introduction. 
 He was now pre|>ared for active duty. All his ener- 
 gies were brought to bear uiwn the public good. Every 
 measure received his impress. 
 
 Mr. Fillmore was now a man of wide repute, and 
 his |X)pularity filled the State, and in the year 1847, 
 .he was elected Comptroller of the State, 
 
 Mr. Fillmore had attained the age of forty-seven 
 years. His labors at the bar, in the Legislature, in 
 Congress and as Comptroller, had given him very con- 
 siderable fame. The Whigs were casting about to 
 find suitable candidates for President and Vice-Presi- 
 dent at the approaching election. Far away, on the 
 waters of the Rio Grande, there was a rough old 
 soldier, who had fought one or two successful battles 
 with the Mexicans, which had caused his name to be 
 ])roclaimed in tiumpet-tones all over the land. But 
 it was necessary to associate with him on the same 
 ticket some man of reputation as a statesman. 
 
 Under the influence of these considerations, the 
 namesofZachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore became 
 the rallying-cry of the Whigs, as their candidates for 
 President and Vice-Peesident. The Whig ticket was 
 signally triumphant, (^n the 4th of March, 1849, 
 (ien. Taylor was inaugurated President, and Millard 
 Fillmore Vice-President, of the United States. 
 
 On the 9th of July, 1850, President Taylor, but 
 about one year and four months after his inaugura- 
 tion, was suddenly taken sick and died. By the Con- 
 stitution, Vice-President Fillmore thus became Presi- 
 dent. He appointed a very able cabinet, of which 
 the illustrious Daniel Webster was Secretary of State. 
 
 Mr. Fillmore had very serious difficulties to contend 
 with, since the opiX)sition had a majority in both 
 Houses. He did everything in his power to conciliate 
 tlie South ; but the pro-slaver)' party in the South felt 
 the inadequacyof all measuresof transient conciliation. 
 The jMspulation of the free States was so rapidly in- 
 creasing over that of the slave States that it was in- 
 evitable that the power of the Government should 
 soon i)ass into the hands of the free States. The 
 famous compromise measures were adopted under Mr. 
 Fillmcre's adminstration, and the Japan Expedition 
 was sent out. On the 4th of March, 1853, Mr. Fill- 
 more, having served one term, retired. 
 
 In 1856, Mr. Fillmore was nominated for the Pres- 
 idency by the " Know Nothing " ])arty, but was beaten 
 by Mr. Buchanan. After that Mr. I'illmore lived in 
 retirement. During the terrible conflict of civil war, 
 he was mostly silent. It was generally supfXDsed that 
 his sympathies were rather with those who were en- 
 deavoring to overthrow our institutions. President 
 Fillmore kept aloof from the conflict, without any 
 cordial words of cheer to the one party or the other. 
 He was thus forgotten by both. He lived to a rii)e 
 old age, and died in Buffalo. N. Y., March 8, 1874. 
 
 '•¥-m-^ 
 
-4»- 
 
 FOURTEENTH PRESIDENT. 
 
 7' 
 
 
 ^FRANKLIN PIERCE.^ 
 
 ^'^^^^♦g ■■:•.■% .*. .t .t .t»t. j-,.t«..-i;..t..t. .t„.t. A .-i^. .t .t .t..t. .t..t .t. .t. >t.»t.-.t«.fc .-!•.. .t .\..t,.-t ,t..t..t>A i;Ut..t.^. .t..t. 
 
 \ 
 
 R.\NKLIN PIERCE, the 
 fourteenth President of the 
 *L"nited States, was born in 
 Hillsborough, N. H., Nov. 
 23, 1804. His father was a 
 Revolutionary soldier, who, 
 with his own strong arm, 
 hewed out a home in the 
 wilderness. He was a man 
 of inflexible integrity; of 
 strong, though uncultivated 
 mind, and an uncompromis- 
 ing Democrat. The mother of 
 Franklin Pierce was all that a son 
 could desire, — an intelligent, pru- 
 dent, affectionate, Christian wom- 
 an. Franklin was the sixth of eight children. 
 
 Franklin was a very bright and handsome boy, gen- 
 erous, warm-hearted and brave. He won alike the 
 love of old and young. The boys on the play-ground 
 loved him. His teachers loved him. The neighbors 
 looked upon him with pride and aflfection. He was 
 by instinct a gentleman; always speaking kind words, 
 doing kind deeds, with a peculiar unstudied tact 
 which taught him what was agreeable. Without de- 
 veloping any precocity of genius, or any unnatural 
 devotion to books, he was a good scholar ; in body, 
 in mind, in affections, a finely-developed boy. 
 
 When si.xteeii years of age, in the year 1820, he 
 entered Bowdoin College, at Brunswick, Me. He was 
 one of the most popular young men in the college. 
 The purity of his moral character, the unvarying 
 courtesy of his demeanor, his rank as a schol.u. and 
 
 i;enial nature, rendered him a universal favorite. 
 There was something very peculiarly winning in his 
 address, and it was evidently not in the slightest de- 
 gree studied : it was the simple outgushing of his 
 own magnanimous and loving nature. 
 
 Uixjn graduating, in the year 1824, Franklin Pierce 
 commenced tlie study of law in the office of Judge 
 Woodbury, one of the most distinguished lawyers of 
 the State, and a man of great private worth. The 
 eminent social qualities of the young lawyer, his 
 father's prominence as a public man, and the brilliant 
 jXilitical career into which Judge Woodbury was en- 
 tering, all tended to entice Mr. Pierce into the faci- 
 nating yet perilous path of ix)litical life. With all 
 the ardor of his nature he es|)oiised the cause of Gen. 
 Jackson for the Presidency. He commenced the 
 practice of law in Hillsborough, and was soon elected 
 to represent the town in the State Legislature. Here 
 he served for four yeais. The last two years he was 
 chosen speaker of the house by a very large vote. 
 
 In 1833, at the age of twenty-nine, he was elected 
 a member of Congress. Without taking an active 
 part in deiiates, he was faithful and l.iliorious in duty, 
 and ever rising in the estimation of those with whom 
 he was associatad. 
 
 In 1837, being then but thirty-three years of age, 
 he was elected to the Senate of the United States; 
 taking his seat just as Mr. Van Buren commenced 
 his administration. He was the youngest member in 
 the Senate. In the year 1834, he married Miss Jane 
 Means Appleton, a lady of rare beauty and accom- 
 plishments, and one admirably fitted to adorn ever)- 
 station with which her husband was honoied. Of the 
 
 I 
 
i 
 
 72 
 
 FRANKLIN PIERCE. 
 
 three sons who were born to them, all now sleep with 
 their parents in the grave. 
 
 In the year 1838, Mr. Pierce, with growing fame 
 and increasing business as a lawyer, took up his 
 residence in Concord, the capital of New Hampshire. 
 President Polk, upon his accession to office, appointed 
 Mr. Pierce attorney-general of the United States; but 
 the offer was declined, in consequence of numerous 
 professional engagements at home, and the precariuos 
 state of Mrs. Pierce's health. He also, about the 
 same time declined tlie nomination for governor by the 
 Democratic party. The war with Mexico called Mr. 
 Pierce in the army. Receiving the appointment of 
 brigadier-general, he embarked, with a portion of his 
 troops, at Newport, R. I., on the 27th of May, 1847. 
 He took an im|X)rtant part in this war, proving him- 
 self a brave and true soldier. 
 
 When Gen. Pierce reached his home in his native 
 State, he was received enthusiastically by the advo- 
 cates of the Mexican war, and coldly by his oppo- 
 nents. He resumed the practice of his profession, 
 very frequently taking an active part in political ques- 
 tions, giving his cordial support to the pro-slavery 
 wing of the Democratic party. The compromise 
 measures met cordially with his approval ; and he 
 strenuously advocated the enforcement of the infa- 
 mous fugitive-slave law, which so shocked the religious 
 sensibilities of tlie North. He thus became distin- 
 guished as a "Northern man with Southern principles.'' 
 The strong partisans of slavery in the South conse- 
 quently regarded him as a man whom they could 
 safely trust in office to carry out their plans. 
 
 On the i2th of June, 1852, the Democratic conven- 
 tion met in Baltimore to nominate a candidate for the 
 Presidency. For four days they continued in session, 
 and in thirty-five ballotings no one had obtained a 
 two-thirds vote. Not a vote thus far had been thrown 
 for Gen. Pierce. Then the Virginia delegation 
 brought forward his name. There were fourteen 
 more ballotings, during which Gen. Pierce constantly 
 gained strength, until, at the forty-ninth ballot, he 
 received two hundred and eighty-two votes, and all 
 other candidates eleven. Gen. Winfield Scott was 
 the Whig candidate. Gen. Pierce was chosen with 
 great unanimity. Only four States — Vermont, Mas- 
 sachusetts, Kentucky and Tennessee — cast their 
 electoral votes against him Gen. Franklin Pierce 
 was therefore inaugurated President of the United 
 States on the 4th of March, 1853. 
 
 His administration proved one of the most stormy our 
 country had ever experienced. The controversy be- 
 tween slavery and freedom was then approaching its 
 culminating point. It became evident tliat there was 
 an "irrepressible conflict " between them, and that 
 this Nation could not long exist " half slave and half 
 free." President Pierce, during the whole of his ad- 
 ministration, did every thing he could to conciliate 
 the South ; but it was all in vain. The conflict every 
 year grew more violent, and threats of the dissolution 
 of the Union were borne to the North on every South- 
 ern breeze. 
 
 Such was the condition of affairs when President 
 Pierce approached the close of his four-years' temi 
 of office. Tlie North had become thoroughly alien- 
 ated from him. The anti-slavery sentiment, goaded 
 by great outrages, had been rapidly increasing; all 
 the intellectual ability and social worth of President 
 Pierce were forgotten in deep reprehension of his ad- 
 ministrative acts. The slaveholders of the South, also, 
 unmindful of the fidelity with which he had advo- 
 cated those. measures of Government which they ap- 
 proved, and perhaps, also, feeling that he had 
 rendered himself so unixjpular as no longer to be 
 able acceptably to serve them, ungratefully dropped 
 him, and nominated James Buchanan to succeed him. 
 
 On the 4th of March, 1857, President Pierce re- 
 tired to his home in Concord. Of three children, two 
 had died, and his only surviving child had been 
 killed before his eyes by a railroad accident ; and his 
 wife, one of the most estimable and accomplished of 
 ladies, was rapidly sinking in consumption. The 
 hour of dreadful gloom soon came, and he was left 
 alone in the world, without wife or child. 
 
 When the terrible Rebellion burst forth, which di- 
 vided our country into two parties, and two only, Mr. 
 Pierce remained steadfast in the principles which he 
 had always cherished, and gave his sympathies to 
 that pro-slavery party with which he had ever been 
 allied. He declined to do anything, either by voice 
 or pen, to strengthen the hand of the National Gov- 
 ernment. He continued to reside in Concord until 
 the lime of his death, which occurred in October, 
 1869. He was one of the most genial and social of 
 men, an honored communicant of the Episcopal 
 Church, and one of the kindest of neighbors. Gen- 
 erous to a fault, he contributed liberally for the al- 
 leviation of suffering and want, and many of his towns- 
 people were often gladened by his material bounty. 
 
 n 
 
I 
 
 <*• 
 
 I'IFTEENTH PRESIDENT 
 
 
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 miBIFTATl 
 
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 ^^ 
 
 AMES BUCHANAN, the fif- 
 teenth President of the United 
 States, was horn in a small 
 frontier town, at the foot of the 
 eastern ridge of the Allegha- 
 nies, in Franklin Co., l'enn.,on 
 J> the 23d of April, 1791. The ;.'lace 
 I where the humble cabin of his 
 I father stood was called Stony 
 ^ Batter. It was a wild and ro- 
 mantic sjwt in a gorge of the moun- 
 tains, with towering summits rising 
 grandly all around. His father 
 was a native of the north of Ireland ; 
 a ixxsr man, who had emigrated in 
 1783, with little property save his 
 own strong arms. Five years afterwards he married 
 Klizabelh Spear, the daughter of a respectable farmer, 
 and, with his young bride, plunged into the wilder- 
 ness, staked his claim, reared his log-hut, opened a 
 clearing with his axe, and settled down there to per- 
 form his obscure part in the d-rania of life. In this se- 
 cluded home, where James was born, lie remained 
 for eight years, enjoying but few social or intellectual 
 advantages. When James was eight years of age, his 
 father removed to the village of Mercersburg, where 
 iiis son was placed at school, and commenced a 
 course of study in English, Latin and Greek. His 
 progress was rapid, and at the age of fourteen, he 
 entered Dickinson College, at Carlisle. Here he de- 
 velojied remarkable talent, and took his stand among 
 the first scholars in the institution. His application 
 to study was intense, and yet his native powers en- 
 
 abled hini to master the most abstruse subjects with 
 facility. 
 
 In the year I. S09, lie graduated witli the highest 
 honors of his class. He was then eighteen years of 
 age; tall and graceful, vigonaus in health, fond of 
 athletic six)rt, an unerring shot, and enlivened with 
 an exuberant flow of annual spirits. He immediately 
 commenced the study of law in the city of Lancaster, 
 and was admitted to the bar in 1812, when he was 
 but twenty-one years of age. Very rapidly he rose 
 in his profession, and at once took undisputed stand 
 with the ablest lawyers of the State. When but 
 twenty-six years of age, unaided by counsel, he suc- 
 cessfully defended before the State Senate 01 e of the 
 judges of the State, who was tried upon articles of 
 impeachment. .\t the age of thirty it was generally 
 admitted that he stood at the head of the bar; and 
 there was no lawyer in the State who had a more lu- 
 crative practice. 
 
 In 1820, he reluctantly consented to run as a 
 candidate for Congress. He was elected, and for 
 ten years he remained a member of the Lower House. 
 During the vacations of Congress, he occasionally 
 tried some imiwrtant case. In 1831, he retired 
 altogether from the toils of his profession, liaving ac- 
 quired an ample fortune. 
 
 Gen. Jackson, uiKjn hiselevalion to the ['residency, 
 apixjinted Mr. Buchanan minister to Russia. The 
 duties of his mission he performed with ability, which 
 gave satisfaction to all parties. U|x)n his return, in 
 1833, he was elected to a seat in the United States 
 Senate. He there met, as his associates, Webster, 
 Clay, Wright and Calhoun. He advo< ated the meas- 
 ures proposed l)y rresideal Jackson, of making repri- 
 
t 
 
 76 
 
 JAMES BUCHANAN. 
 
 sals against France, to enforce the payment of our 
 claims against that country ; and defended the course 
 of the President in his unprecedented and wliolesale 
 removal from office of those who were not tlie sup- 
 porters of his administration. U|)on this (piestion he 
 was brought into direct collision with Henry Clay. 
 He also, witli voice and vote, advocated e.v|)unging 
 from the journal of the Senate the vote of censure 
 against (ien. Jackson for removing the deiKJsits. 
 Earnestly he opjxjsed the abolition of slavery in the 
 District of Columbia, and urged the prohibition of the 
 circulation of anti-slavery documents by the United 
 States mails. 
 
 As to ijetitions on the subject of slavery, he advo- 
 cated that they should be respectfully received ; and 
 that the reply should be returned, that Congress had 
 no ixDwer to legislate upon the subject. " Congress," 
 said he, " might as well undertake to interfere with 
 slavery under a foreign government as in any of the 
 States where it now e.xists." 
 
 U|X)n Mr. Polk's accession to the Presidency, Mr. 
 Buchanan became Secretary of State, and as such, 
 took his share of the res|X)nsil)ility in the conduct of 
 tlie Mexican War. .Mr. Polk assumed that crossing 
 the Nueces by tlie American troops into the disputed 
 territory was not wrong, but for the Mexicans to cross 
 the Rio (irande into that territory was a declaration 
 of war. No candid man can read with i)leasure the 
 account of the course our Government pursued in that 
 movement. 
 
 Mr. Buchanan identified himself thoroughly with 
 the party devoted to the pi^rpetuation and extension 
 of slavery, and brought all the energies of his mind 
 to bear against the Wilniot Proviso. He gave his 
 cordial approval to tlie compromise measures of 1050, 
 which included the fugitive-slave law. Mr. Pierce, 
 upon his election to tlie Presidency, honored Mr. 
 Buchanan with the mission to England. 
 
 In the year 1S56, a national Democratic conven- 
 tion nominated ^Ir. P.uchanan for the Presidency. The 
 political conflict was one of the most severe in which 
 our country has ever engaged. All the friends of 
 slavery were on one side; ail the advocates of its re- 
 striction and final abolition, on the other. Mr. Fre- 
 mont, the candidate of the enemies of slavery, re- 
 ceived 1 14 electoral votes. Mr. Buchanan received 
 174, and was elected. The [mpular vote stood 
 1,340,618, for Fremont, 1,224,750 for Buchanan. On 
 March 4th, 1857, Mr. Buchanan was inaugurated. 
 
 Mr. Buchanan was far advanced in life. Only four 
 years were wanting to fill up his tiireescore years and 
 ten. His own friends, those with wiioni he had been 
 allied in |X)litical princijjles and action for years, were 
 seeking the destruction of the Oovernment, that they 
 might rear upon the ruins of our free institutions a 
 nation whose corner-stone should be human slavery. 
 [n this emergency, Mr. Buchanan was hopelessly be- 
 vnWered He could not, with his long-avowed prin- 
 
 <■ 
 
 ciples, consistently oppose the State-rights party in 
 their assumptions. As President of the United States, 
 bound by his oath faithfully to administer the laws, 
 lie could not, without perjury of the grossest kind, 
 unite with those endeavoring to overthrow the repub- 
 lic. He therefore did nothing. 
 
 Tlie opponents of Mr. Buchanan's administration 
 nominated .Abraham Lincoln as their standard bearer 
 in the next Presidential canvass. The pro-slavery 
 party declared, that if he were elected, and the con- 
 trol of the Government were thus taken from their 
 hands, they would secede from the Union, taking 
 with them, as they retired, the National Capitol at 
 Washington, and the lion's share of the territory of 
 the United States. 
 
 Mr. Buchanan's sympathy with the pro-slaverj' 
 party was such, that he had been willing to offer them 
 far more than they had ventured to claim. All the 
 South had professed to ask of the North was non- 
 intervention upon the subject of slavery. Mr. Bu- 
 chanan had been ready to offer them the active co- 
 operation of the Government to defend and extend 
 the institution. 
 
 As the storm increased in violence, the slaveholders 
 claiming the right to secede, and Mr. Buchanan avow- 
 ing that Congress had no jxjwer to prevent it, one of 
 the most |)itiable exhibitions of governmental im- 
 becility was exhibited the world has ever seen. He 
 declared that Congress had no ix)wer to enforce its 
 laws in any .State wliich had withdrawn, or which 
 was attempting to witiidraw from the Union. Tiiis 
 was not the doctrine of Andrew Jackson, when, with 
 his hand uixsn his sword-hilt, he exclaimed, " The 
 Union must and shall be preserved!" 
 
 South Carolina seceded in December, i860; nearly 
 three montlis before the inauguration of President 
 Lincoln. Mr. Buchanan looked on in listless despair. 
 The rebel flag was raised in Charleston ; FortSiimpter 
 was besieged; our forts, navy-yards and arsenals 
 were seized ; our deixjts of military stores were i)lun- 
 dered ; and our custom-houses and post-offices were 
 appropriated by the rebels. 
 
 The energy of the rebels, and the imbecility of our 
 Executive, were alike marvelous. The Nation looked 
 on in agony, waiting for the slow weeks to glide away, 
 and close the administration, so terrible in its weak- 
 ness At length the long-looked-for hour of deliver- 
 ance came, when Abraham Lincoln was to receive the 
 scepter. 
 
 The administration of President Buchanan was 
 certainly the most calamitous our country has ex- 
 perienced. His best friends cannot recall it with 
 pleasure. .\nd still more deplorable it is (or his fame, 
 that in that dreadful conflict which rolled its billows 
 of flame and blood over our whole land, no word came 
 from his lips to indicate his wish that our country's 
 banner should triumph over the flag of the rebellion. 
 He died at his Wheatland retreat, June 1, 1868. 
 
 ■•►HI 
 
 \ 
 
•X \ ] 
 
 p^yy^^C^ <i<^-d^ 
 
L. 
 
 SIXTEENTH PRESIDEiVT. 
 
 79 
 
 ■'?^. 
 
 'a 
 
 \y 
 
 ■^83^ 
 
 ^1 < ABRAHAM 1> ^|>f KM < LINCOLN. > 
 
 
 ^?^ 
 
 I 
 
 
 HRAHAM LINCOLN, the 
 sixteentli President of the 
 United States, was l>orn in 
 Hardin Co., Ky., Feb. 12, 
 1 809. About the year 1 7 So, a 
 man by the name of Abraiiani 
 Lincohi left \'irginia witli his 
 family and moved into the then 
 wilds of Kentucky. Only two jears 
 after this emigration, still a young 
 man, while working one day in a 
 field, was stealthily approached by 
 an Indian and shot dead. His widow 
 was left in extreme [joverty witii five 
 little children, three boys and two 
 girls. Thomas, the youngest of the 
 hoys, was four years of age at his 
 father's death. This Thomas was 
 the father of .\braham Lincoln, the 
 President of the United States 
 whose name must henceforth foi-ever be enrolled 
 with the most prominent in the annals of our world. 
 Of coarse no record has been kept of the life 
 of one so lowly as Thomas Lincoln. He was among 
 the jxxsrest of the itoor. His home was a wretched 
 log -cabin; his food the coarsest and the meanest. 
 Education he had none; he could never either read 
 or write. .\s soon as he was able to do anything for 
 himself, he was compelled to leave the cabin of his 
 starving mother, and push out into the world, a friend- 
 less, wandering boy, seeking work. He hired him- 
 self out, and thus spent the whole of his youth as a 
 laborer in the fields of others. 
 
 When twenty-eight years of age he buill a log- 
 cabin of his own, and married Nancy Hanks, the 
 daughter of another family of poor Kentucky emi- 
 grants, who had also come from Virginia. Their 
 second child was .Abraham Lincoln, the subject of 
 this sketch. The mother of Abraham was a noiilc 
 woman, gentle, loving, pensive, created to adorn 
 a palace, doomed to toil and jtine, and die in a hovel. 
 "All that I am, or hojie to be," exclaims the grate- 
 ful son " I owe to my angel-mother. " 
 
 When he was eight years of age, his father sold his 
 Mf» 
 
 cabin and small farm, and moveil to Indiana. Where 
 two years later liis mother died. 
 
 Abraham soon Ijecanie the scribe of the uneducated 
 community around him. He could not have had a 
 better school than this to teach iiim to put thoughts 
 into words. He also became an eager reader. 'I'he 
 l)Ooks he could obtain were few; i)ut these he read 
 and re-read until they were almost conimitttil to 
 memory. 
 
 -Xs the years rolled on, the lot of this lowly family 
 was the usual lot of humanity. Tiicre were joys and 
 griefs, weddings and funerals. Abraham's sister 
 Sarah, to whom he was tenderly attached, was mar- 
 ried when a child of but fourteen years of age, and 
 soon died. The family was gradually scattered. Mr. 
 'I'homas Lincoln sold out his squatter's claim in 1830, 
 and emigrated to .Macon Co., 111. 
 
 .\braham Lincoln was then twenty-one years of age. 
 Willi vigorous hands he aided his father in rearing 
 another log-cabin. .Abraham worked diligently at this 
 until he saw the family comfortably settled, and their 
 small lot of enclosed prairie planted with corn, when 
 he announced to his father his intention to leave 
 home, and to go out into the world and seek his for- 
 tune. Little did he or his friends imagine how bril- 
 liant that fortune was to be. He saw the value of 
 education and was intensely earnest to imitrove his 
 mind to the utmost of his ix)wer. He saw the ruin 
 which ardent spirits were causing, and bcame 
 strictly temiierate; refusing to allow a drop of ii,u>xi- 
 cating liqu.ir to pass his lips. And he had read in 
 Cod's word, "Thou shalt not take the name of the 
 Ixjrd thy Cod in vain;" and a jirofane expression he 
 was never heard to utter. Religion he revered. His 
 morals were pure, and he was uncontaminated by a 
 single vice. 
 
 N'oimg Abraham woiked for a lime as a hired laborer 
 among the farmers. Then he went to Springfield, 
 where he was employed in building a large flat-l)oal. 
 In this he took a herd of swine, floated them down 
 the Sangamon to the Illinois, and thence by the Mis- 
 sissijipi to New Orleans. Whati.-vcr Abraham Lin- 
 coln undertook, he performed so faithfully as to give 
 great satisfaction to his employers. In this .idveii- 
 
•^ iC^ 
 
 -4 
 
 80 
 
 ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 
 
 ture l)is employers were so well pleased, that uix)n 
 his return they placed a store and niill under his care. 
 
 In 1832, at the outbreak of the Black Hawk war, he 
 enlisted and was chosen captain of a company. He 
 returned to Sangamon County, and although only 23 
 years of age, was a candidate for the Legislature, but 
 was defeated. He soon after received from Andrew 
 Jackson the appointment of Postmaster of New Salem, 
 His only post-office was his hat. All the letters he 
 received he carried there ready to deliver to those 
 he chanced to meet. He studied surveying, and soon 
 made this his business. In 1834 he again became a 
 candidate for the Legislature, and was elected Mr. 
 Stuart, of Sijringiield, advised hiui to study law. He 
 walked from New Salem to Springfield, borrowed of 
 Mr. Stuart a load (jf books, carried them back and 
 began his legal studies. When the Legislature as- 
 sembled he trudged on fool with his pack on his back 
 one hundred miles to Vandalia, then the capital. In 
 1836 he was re-elected to the Legislature. Here it 
 was he first met Stephen A. Douglas. In 1839 he re- 
 moved to Springfield and began the practice of law. 
 His success with the jury was so great that he was 
 soon engaged in almost every noted case in the circuit. 
 
 In 1854 Ihe great discussion began between Mr. 
 Lincoln and Mr. Douglas, on the slavery cpiestion. 
 In the organization of the Republican party in Illinois, 
 in 1856, he took an active part, and at once became 
 one of the leaders in that party. Mr. Lincoln's 
 speeches in opix)sition to Senator Douglas in the con- 
 test in 1858 for a seat in the Senate, form a most 
 notable part of his history. The issue was on the 
 slavery question, and he took the broad ground of 
 .he Declaration of Independence, that all men are 
 created eipial. Mr. Lincoln was defeated in this con- 
 test, but won a far higher prize. 
 
 The great Republican Convention met at Chicago 
 on the i6ih ot June, i860. The delegates and 
 strangers who crowded the city amounted to twenty- 
 five thousand. An immense building called "The 
 Wigwam," was reared to accommodate the Conven- 
 tion. There were eleven candidates for whom votes 
 were thrown. William H. Seward, a man whose fame 
 as a statesman had long filled the land, was the most 
 orominent. It was generally supixjsed he would be 
 the nominee .\braham Lincoln, however, received 
 the nomination on the third ballot. Little did he then 
 dream of the weary years of toil and care, and the 
 bloody death, to which that nomination doomed him: 
 and as little did he dream that he was to render services 
 to his country, which would fix upon him the eyes of 
 the whole civilized world, and which would give him 
 a place in the affections of his countrymen, second 
 only, if second, to that of Washington. 
 
 Election day came and Mr. Lincoln received 180 
 electoral votes out of 203 cast, and was, therefore, 
 constitutionally elected President of the United States. 
 The tirade of abuse that was [xjured ujwn this good 
 
 and merciful man, especially by the slaveholders, was 
 greater than upon any other man ever elected to this 
 high [josition. In February, 1861, Mr. Lincoln started 
 for Washington, stopping in all the large cities ori his 
 way making speeches. Thewiiule journey was frouglu 
 with much danger. .Many of the Southern States had 
 already seceded, and several attempts at assassination 
 were afterwards brought to light. .\ g'l'ig i" Balti- 
 more had arranged, upon his arrival to" get up a row," 
 and in the confusion to make sure of his death with 
 revolvers and hand-grenades. .\ detective unravelled 
 the plot. .\ secret and special train was provided to 
 take him from Harrislnirg, through Baltimore, at an 
 une.xi)ected hour of the night. The train started at 
 half-past ten ; and to prevent any possible communi- 
 cation on the part ot the Secessionists with theirCon- 
 federate gang in Baltimore, as soon as the train had 
 started the telegra[)h-wires were cut. Mr. Lincoln 
 reached Washington in safety and was inaugurated, 
 although great anxiety was felt by all loyal people. 
 In the selection of his cabinet Mr. Lincoln gave 
 to Mr Seward the Department of State, and to other 
 prominent opponents before the convention he gave 
 important positions. 
 
 During no other administration have the duties 
 devolving upon the President been so manifold, and 
 the res[)onsibilities so great, as those which fell to 
 the lot of President Lincoln. Knowing this, and 
 feeling his own weakness and inability to meet, and in 
 his own strength to cope with, the difficulties, he 
 learned early to seek Divine wisdom and guidance in 
 determining his plans, and Divine comfort in all his 
 trials, bo'h personal and national Contrary to his 
 own estimate of himself, Mr. Lincoln was one of the 
 most courageous of men. He went directly into the 
 rebel cai)ital just as the retreating foe was leaving, 
 with no guard but a few sailors. From the time he 
 had left Springfield, in 1861, however, plans had been 
 made for his assassination, and he at last fell a victim 
 tooneofthem April 14, 1865, he, with Gen. Grant, 
 was urgently invited to attend Fords' Theater. It 
 was announced that they would Le present. Gen. 
 (irant, however, left the city. President Lincoln, feel- 
 ing, witn his characteristic kindliness of heart, that 
 it would be a disapix)intnient if he should fail them, 
 very reluctantly consented to go. While listening to 
 the ])lay an actor by the name of John Wilkes Booth 
 entered the box where the President and family were 
 seated, and fired a bullet into his brains. He died the 
 next mcjrning at seven o'clock. 
 
 Never before, in the history of the world was a nation 
 plunged into such deep grief by the death of its ruler. 
 Strong men met in the streets and wept in si>eechless 
 anguish. It is not too much to say that a nation was 
 in tears. His was a life which will fitly become a 
 model. His name as the savior of his comitry will 
 live with that of W^ashington's, its father; his<ountry- 
 men being unable to decide which is the greater. 
 .^ •► 
 
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 '<J-C^/t 
 
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 ••»• 
 
 SEVENTEENTH PRESIDENT. 
 
 83 
 
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 ;^\i>r o u w'iSK >rr) r(l\:i^}^^r 
 
 J I m i lA i ij g 
 
 %'• -;\;.vS:. 
 
 "*<•" 
 
 xVDREW JOHNSON, seven- 
 teenth President of the United 
 States. The early life of 
 Andrew Johnson contains but 
 the record of poverty, destitu- 
 tion and friendlessness. He 
 was born December 29, 1808, 
 in Raleigh, N. C. His parents, 
 belonging to the class of the 
 "poor whites " of the Soiiili, were 
 il in such circumstances, that tliey 
 could not confer even the slight- 
 est advantages of education ujxjn 
 their child. When Andrew was five 
 years of age, his father accidentally 
 lost his life while herorically endeavoring to save a 
 friend from drowning. Until ten years of age, .\iidrew 
 was a ragged boy about the streets, supiKsrted by tlie 
 lalxjr of his mother, who obtained her living with 
 her own hands. 
 
 He then, having never attended a school one day, 
 and being unable either to read or write, was ap- 
 prenticed to a tailor in his native town. A gentleman 
 was in the habit of going to the tailor's shop occasion- 
 ally, and reading to the boys at work there. He often 
 read from the sjieeches of distinguished British states- 
 men. Andrew, who was endowed with a mind of more 
 than ordinary native ability, became much interested 
 in these speeches ; his ambition was roused, and he 
 was inspired with a strong desire to learn to read. 
 
 He accordingly applied himself to the alphabet, and 
 with the assistance of some of his fellow-workmen, 
 learned his letters. He then called upon the gentle- 
 man to borrow the book of speeches. The owner, 
 
 r 
 
 pleased with his zeal, not only gave him the book, 
 but assisted him in learning to combine the letters 
 into words. Under such difficulties he pressed on- 
 ward laboriously, spending usually ten or twelve hours 
 at work in the shop, and then robbing himself of rest 
 and recreation to devote such lime as he could to 
 reading. 
 
 He went to Tennessee in 1826, and located at 
 Greenville, where he married a young lady who pos- 
 sessed some education. Under her instructions he 
 learned to write and cipher. He became prominent 
 in the village debating society, and a favorite with 
 the students of Greenville College. In 1828, he or- 
 ganized a working man's party, which elected him 
 aldeniian, and in 1830 elected him mayor, which 
 position he held three years. 
 
 He now began to take a lively interest in jx)litical 
 affairs; identifying himself with the working-classes, 
 to which he belonged. In 1835, he was elected a 
 member of the House of Representatives of Tennes- 
 see. He was then just twenty-seven years of age. 
 He became a very active member of the legislature, 
 gave his adhesion to the Democratic party, and in 
 1840 "stumped the State," advocating Martin Van 
 Buren's claims to the Presidency, in opposition to those 
 of Gen. Harrison. In this campaign he acquired much 
 readiness as a speaker, and extended and increased 
 his reputation. 
 
 In 1841, he was elected State Senator; in 1843, he 
 was elected a member of Congress, and by successive 
 elections, held that imjxjrtant \)ost for ten years. In 
 1853, he was elected Governor of Tennessee, and 
 was re-elected in 1855. In all these resiXDnsible posi- 
 tions, he discharged his duties with distinguished abii- 
 
 »► , ■ ^' 
 
I 
 
 84 
 
 ANDREW JOHNSON. 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ity, and proved himself the warm friend of the work- 
 ing classes. In 1857, Mr. Johnson was elected 
 United States Senator. 
 
 Years before, in 1845, he had warmly advocated 
 the annexation of Texas, stating however, as his 
 reason, that he thought this annexation would prob- 
 ably prove " to be the gateway out of which the sable 
 sons of Africa are to pass from bondage to freedom, 
 and become merged in a population congenial to 
 themselves." In 1850, he also supported the com- 
 promise measures, the two essential features of which 
 were, that the white people of the Territories should 
 be permitted to decide for themselves whether they 
 would enslave the colored people or not, and that 
 the free States of the North should return to the 
 South persons who attempted to escape from slavery. 
 
 Mr. Johnson was neverashamedof his lowly origin: 
 on the contrary, he often took pride in avowing that 
 he owed his distinction to his own exertions. "Sir," 
 said he on the floor of the Senate, " I do not forget 
 that I am a mechanic ; neither do I forget that Adam 
 was a tailor and sewed fig-leaves, and that our Sav- 
 ior was the son of a carpenter." 
 
 In the Charleston-B.altimore convention of 1800, ne 
 was the choice of the Tennessee Democrats for the 
 Presidency. In 1861, when the purpose of the South- 
 ern Democracy became apparent, he took a decided 
 stand in favor of the Union, and held that " slavery 
 must be held subordinate to the Union at whatever 
 cost." He returned to Tennessee, and repeatedly 
 imperiled his own life to protect the Unionists of 
 Tennesee. Tennessee having seceded from the 
 Union, President Lincoln, on March 4th, 1862, ap- 
 pointed him Military Governor of the State, and he 
 established the most stringent military rule. His 
 numerous proclamations attracted wide attention. In 
 
 1864, he was elected Vice-President of the United 
 States, and ujxjn the death of Mr. Lincoln, April 15, 
 
 1865, became President. In a speech two days later 
 he said, " The American people must be taught, if 
 they do not already feel, that treason is a crime and 
 must be punished; that the Government will not 
 always bear with its enemies ; that it is strong not 
 only to protect, but to punish. * * The people 
 must understand that it (treason) is the blackest of 
 crimes, and will surely be punished." Yet his whole 
 administration, the history of which is so well known, 
 was in utter inconsistency with, and the most violent 
 
 opposition to, the principles laid down in that speech. 
 
 In his loose policy of reconstruction and general 
 amnesty, he was opposed by Congress ; and he char- 
 acterized Congress as a new rebellion, and lawlessly 
 defied it, in everything possible, to the utmost. In 
 the beginning of 1868, on account of "high crimes 
 and misdemeanors," the principal of which was the 
 removal of Secretary Stanton, in violation of the Ten- 
 ure of Office Act, articles of impeachment were pre- 
 ferred against him, and the trial began March 23. 
 
 It was very tedious, continuing for nearly three 
 months. A test article of the impeachment was at 
 length submitted to the court for its action. It was 
 certain that as the court voted upon that article so 
 would it vote upon all. Thirty-four voices pronounced 
 the President guilty. As a two-thirds vote was neces- 
 sary to his condemnation, he was pronounced ac- 
 quitted, notwithstanding the great majority against 
 him. The change of one vote from the not guilty 
 side would have sustained the impeachment. 
 
 The President, for the remainder of his term, was 
 but little regarded. He continued, though impotently, 
 his conflict with Congress. His own party did not 
 think it expedient to renominate him for the Presi- 
 dency. The Nation rallied, with enthusiasm unpar- 
 alleled since the days of Washington, around the name 
 of Gen. Grant. Andrew Johnson was forgotten. 
 The bullet of the assassin introduced him to the 
 President's chair. Notwithstanding this, never was 
 there presented to a man a better opportunity to im- 
 mortalize his name, and to win the gratitude of a 
 nation. He failed utterly. He retired to his home 
 in Greenville, Tenn., taking no very active part in 
 politics until 1875. On Jan. 26, after an exciting 
 struggle, he was chosen by the Legislature of Ten- 
 nessee, United States Senator in the forty-fourth Con- 
 gress, and took his seat in that body, at the special 
 session convened by President Cirant, on the 5th of 
 March. On the 27th of July, 1875, the ex-President 
 made a visit to his daughter's home, near Carter 
 Station, Tenn. When he started on his journey, he was 
 apparently in his usual vigorous health, but on reach- 
 ing the residence of his child the following day, was 
 stricken with paralysis, rendering him unconscious. 
 He rallied occasionally, but finally passed away at 
 2 A.M., July 31, aged sixty-seven years. His fun- 
 eral was attended at Geenville, on the 3d of August, 
 with every demonstration of respect. 
 
\ 
 
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 :t7 
 
i- 
 
 EIGH TEENTH PRESIDENT. ' 
 
 87 
 
 !i, eighteenth President of the 
 
 ^United States, was born on 
 
 the 29th of Ai)ril, 1822, of 
 
 , Christian parents, in a humble 
 
 '^ILwV. ifl-f'^'^ home, at Point Pleasant, on the 
 
 ^ banks of the Ohio. Shortly after 
 
 his father moved to George- 
 town, Brown Co., O. In this re- 
 mote frontier hamlet, Ulysses 
 received a common-school edu- 
 cation. At the age of seven- 
 teen, in the year 1839, he entered 
 the Military Academy at West 
 Point. Here he was regarded as a 
 solid, sensible young man of fair abilities, and of 
 sturdy, honest character. He took respectable rank 
 as a scholar. In June, 1843, he graduated, about the 
 middle in his class, and was sent as lieutenant of in- 
 fantry to one of the distant military posts in the Mis- 
 souri Territory. Two years he past in these dreary 
 solitudes, watching the vagabond and exasperating 
 Indians. 
 
 The war with Mexico came. Lieut. Orant was 
 sent with his regiment to Corpus Christi. His first 
 battle was at Palo Alto. There was no chance here 
 for the exhibition of either skill or heroism, nor at 
 Resaca de la Palma, his second battle. At the battle 
 of Monterey, his third engagement, it is said that 
 he j)erformed a signal service of daring and skillful 
 horsemanship. His brigade had exhausted its am- 
 munition. .'\ messenger must be sent for more, along 
 a route exposed to the bullets of the foe. Lieut. 
 (Irani, adopting an expedient learned of the Indians, 
 grasped the mane of his horse, and hanging upon one 
 sid»^ of the anir»,al, ran the gauntlet in entire safety. 
 
 From Monterey he was sent, with the fourth infantry, 
 ro aid Gen. Scott, at the siege of Vera Cruz. In 
 preparation for the march to the city of Mexico, he 
 was apiwinted quartermaster of his regiment. .At the 
 battle of Molino del Rey, he was promoted to a 
 first lieutenancy, and was brevetted captain at Cha- 
 pultepec. 
 
 .\l the close of the Mexican War, Ca])t. Grant re- 
 turned with his regiment to New York, and was agaiti 
 sent to one of the military posts on the frontier. The 
 discovery of gold in California causing an immense 
 tide of emigration to flow to the Pacific shores, Capt. 
 Grant was sent with a battalion to Fort Dallas, in 
 Oregon, for the i)rotection of the interests of the im- 
 migrants. Life was wearisome in those wilds. Capt. 
 Grant resigned his commission and returned to the 
 States; and having married, entered upon the cultiva- 
 tion of a small farm near St. Louis, Mo. He had but 
 little skill as a farmer. Finding his toil not re- 
 munerative, he turned to mercantile life, entering into 
 the leather business, with a younger brother, at Ga- 
 lena, 111. This was in the year i860. .As the tidings 
 of the rebels firing on Fort Sumpter reached the ears 
 of Capt. Grant in his counting-room, he said, — 
 "Uncle Sam has educated me for the army; though 
 I have served him through one war, I do not feel that 
 I have yet repaid the debt. 1 am still ready to discharge 
 my obligations. I shall therefore buckle on my sword 
 and see Uncle Sam through this war too." 
 
 He went into the streets, raised a company of vol- 
 unteers, and led them as their captain to Springfield, 
 the capital of the State, where their services were 
 offered to Gov. Yates. The Governor, impressed by 
 the zeal and straightforward executive ability of Capt. 
 Cirant, gave him a desk in his office, to assist in the 
 volunteer organization that was being formed in the 
 State in behalf of the (Jovernment. On the 15th of 
 
 ►^■^^*- 
 
 I 
 
 »» M ^ 
 
^ 
 
 88 
 
 UL VSS/iS S. GRA NT. 
 
 Tune, 1 86 1, Capt. Grant received a commission as 
 Colonel of the Twenty-first Regiment of Illinois Vol- 
 unteers. His merits as a West Point graduate, who 
 had served for 15 years in the regular army, were such 
 that he was soon promoted to the rank of Brigadier- 
 (ieneraland was ]jlaced in command at Cairo. The 
 rebels raised their banner at Paducah, near the mouth 
 of the Tennessee River. Scarcely had its folds ap- 
 peared in the breeze ere Gen. Grant was there. Tlic 
 rebels fled. Their banner fell, and the star and 
 stripes were unfurled in its stead. 
 
 He entered the service with great determination 
 and immediately began active duty. This was the be- 
 ginning, and until the surrender of Lee at Richmond 
 lie was ever pushing tlie enemy with great vigor and 
 effectiveness. At Belmont, a few days later, he sur- 
 prised and routed the rebels, then at Fort Henry 
 won another victory. Then came the brilliant fight 
 at Fort Donelson. The nation was electrified by the 
 victory, and the brave leader of the boys in blue was 
 immediately made a Major-General, and the military 
 district of Tennessee was assigned to him. 
 
 Like all great captains, (ien. Grant knew well how 
 to secure the results of victory. He immediately 
 pushed on to the enemies' lines. Then came the 
 terrible battles of Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, and tlie 
 siege of Vicksburg, where Gen. Pemberton made an 
 unconditional surrender of the city with over thirty 
 thousand men and one-hundred and seventy-two can- 
 non. The fall of Vicksburg was by far the most 
 severe blow which the rebels had thus far encountered, 
 and opened up the Mississippi from Cairo to the Gulf. 
 
 (}en. Grant was next ordered to co-operate with 
 Gen. Banks in a movement upon Texas, and pro- 
 ceeded to New Orleans, where he was thrown from 
 his horse, and received severe injuries, from which he 
 was laid up for months. He then rushed to the aid 
 of Gens. Rosecrans and Thomas at Chattanooga, and 
 by a wonderful series of strategic and technical meas- 
 ures put the Union Army in fighting condition. Then 
 followed the bloody battles at Chattanooga, Lookout 
 Mountain and Missionary Ridge, in which the rebels 
 were routed witli great loss. This won for him un- 
 bounded praise in the North. On the 4lh of Febru- 
 ary, 1864, Congress revived the grade of lieutenant- 
 general, and the rank was conferred on Gen. Grant. 
 He repaired to Washington to receive his credentials 
 and enter upon the duties of his new office. 
 
 n 
 
 Gen. Grant decided as soon as he took charge of 
 the army to concentrate the widely-dispersed Natioual 
 troops for an attack ujx)n Richmond, the nominal 
 capital of the Rebellion, and endeavor there to de- 
 stroy the rebel armies which would be promptly as- 
 sembled from all quarters for its defence. The whole 
 continent seemed to tremble under the tramp of these 
 majestic armies, rushing to the decisive battle field. 
 Steamers were crowded with troops. Railway trains 
 were burdened with closely packed thousands. His 
 plans were comprehensive and involved a series of 
 campaigns, which were executed with remarkable en- 
 ergy and ability, and were consummated at the sur- 
 render of Lee, April 9, 1S65. 
 
 The war was ended. The Union was saved. The 
 almost unanimous voice of the Nation declared Gen. 
 Grant to be the most prominent instrument in its sal- 
 vation. The eminent services he had thus rendered 
 the (ountry brought him conspicuously forward as the 
 Republican candidate for the Presidential chair. 
 
 At the Republican Convention held at Chicago, 
 May 21, 1868, he was unanimously nominated for the 
 Presidency, and at the autumn election received a 
 majority of the ]X)pular vote, and 214 out of 294 
 electoral votes. 
 
 The National Couvention of the Republican party 
 which met at Philadelphia on the 5th of June, 1872, 
 placed Gen. Grant in nomination for a second term 
 by a unanimous vote. The selection was emphati- 
 cally indorsed by the people five months later, 292 
 electoral votes being cast for him. 
 
 Soon after the close of his second term, (ien. Grant 
 started upon his famous trip around the world. He 
 visited almost every country of the civilized world, 
 and was everywhere received with such ovations 
 and demonstrations of respect and honor, i)rivate 
 as well as public and official, as were never before 
 bestowed uixm any citizen of the United States. 
 
 He was the most prominent candidate before the 
 Republican National Convention in 1880 for a re- 
 nomination for President. He went to New York and 
 embarked in the brokerage business under the firm 
 nameof (Irant & Ward. The latter proved a villain, 
 wrecked Grant's fortune, and for larceny was sent to 
 the penitentiary. The (General was attacked with 
 cancer in the throat, but suffered in his stoic-like 
 manner, never complaining. He was re-instated as 
 General of the Army and retired by Congress. The 
 cancer soon finished its deadly work, and July 23, 
 1885, the n.aion went in mourning over the death of 
 the illustrious Gt^neral, 
 
 4 
 
s 
 
 Ly^-'^^,^.^ji_^- 
 
 ± 
 
 ^ 
 
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 NINETEENTH PRESIDENT. 
 
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 ?i^(^c\Jc',.\''.,U'\,\'''^\'^i''^^t\<'i'\^y:'<:\' :'i'<:'\':^'^^^^^ 
 
 S RUTHERi:ORIJ B. HiLYES. 
 
 y r eiio 
 
 UiHKRFORl) B. HAYES, 
 the nineteenth President of 
 the United States, was born in 
 Delaware, t)., Oct. 4, 1822, al- 
 most three months after the 
 death of his father, Rutherford 
 Hayes. His ancestry on both 
 the paternal and maternal sides, 
 was of the most honorable char- 
 acter. It can be traced, it is said, 
 as far back as 1280, when Hayes and 
 Rutherford were two Scottish chief- 
 tains, fighting side by side with 
 Baliol, William Wallace and Robert 
 Hruce. Both families l)elonged to the 
 nobility, owned extensive estates, 
 ' and had a large following. Misfor- 
 tune overtaking the family, George Hayes left Scot- 
 land in 1680, and settled in Windsor, ("onn. His son 
 George was born in Windsor, and remained there 
 during his life. Daniel Hayes, son of the latter, mar- 
 ried Sarah Lee, and lived from the time of iiis mar- 
 riage until his death in Simsbury, Conn. Ezekiel, 
 son of Daniel, was born in 1724, and was a manufac- 
 turer of scythes at Bradford, C"onn. Rutherford Hayes, 
 sonof E/.ekiel and grandfather of President Hayes, was 
 born in New Haven, in August, 1756. He was a farmer, 
 blacksmith and tavern-keeper. He emigrated to 
 Vermont at an unknown date, settling in Brattleboro, 
 where he established a hotel. Here his son Ruth- 
 erford Hayes the father of President Hayes, was 
 
 born. He was married, in September, 1813, to Sophia 
 Birchard, of Wilmington, Vt., whose ancestors emi- 
 grated thither from Connecticut, they having been 
 among the wealthiest and best famlies of Norwich. 
 Her ancestry on the male side are traced back to 
 1635, to John Birchard, one of the principal founders 
 of Norwich. Both of her grandfathers were soldiers 
 in the Revolutionary War. 
 
 The father of President Hayes was an industrious, 
 frugal and opened-hearted man. He was of a me- 
 chanical turn, and could mend a plow, knit a stock- 
 ing, or do almost anything else that he choose to 
 undertake. He was a member of the Church, active 
 in all the benevolent enterprises of the town, and con- 
 ducted his business on Christian principles. After 
 the close of the war of 181 2, for reasons inexplicable 
 to his neighbors, he resolved to emigrate to Ohio. 
 
 The journey from Vermont to Ohio in that day, 
 when there were no canals, steamers, nor railways, 
 was a very serious affair. A tour of inspection was 
 first made, occupying four months. Mr. Hayes deter- 
 mined to move to Delaware, where tiie family arrived 
 in 1817. He died July 22, 1822, a victim of malarial 
 fever, less than three months before the birth of the 
 son, of whom we now write. Mrs. Hayes, in her sore be- 
 reavement, found the support she so much needed in 
 her brother Sardis, who had been a member of the 
 household from the day of its departure from Ver~ 
 mont, and in an orphan girl whom she had adopted 
 some time before as an act of charity. 
 
 Mrs. Hayes at this period was very weak, and the 
 
•►Hl^^^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 92 
 
 kUTJIERFORD B. HAYES. 
 
 subject of this sketch was so feeble at birth that he 
 was not expected to live beyond a month or two at 
 most. As the months went by he grew weaker and 
 weaker, so that the neighbors were in the habit of in- 
 (luiringfrom time to time " if Mrs. Hayes' baby died 
 last night." On one occasion a neighbor, who was on 
 familiar terms with the family, after alluding to the 
 boy's big head, and the mother's assiduous care of 
 him, said in a bantering way, " That's right! Stick to 
 him. You have got him along so far, and I shouldn't 
 wonder if he would really come to something yet." 
 
 " You need not laugh," said Mrs. Hayes. " You 
 wait and see. You can't tell but I shall make him 
 Pre.sident of the United States yet." The boy lived, 
 in spite of the universal predictions of his speedy 
 death; and when, in 1825, his older brother was 
 drowned, he became, if possible, still dearer to his 
 mother. 
 
 The boy was seven years old before he went to 
 school. His education, however, was not neglected. 
 He probably learned as much from his mother and 
 sister as he would have dune at school. His sports 
 were almost wholly within doors, his playmates being 
 his sister and her associates. These circumstances 
 tended, no doulit, to foster that gentleness of dispo- 
 sition, and that delicate consideration for the feelings 
 of others, which are marked traits of his character. 
 
 His uncle Sardis Birchard took the deepest interest 
 in his education; and as the boy's health had im- 
 proved, and he was making good progress in his 
 studies, he projiosed to send him to college. His pre- 
 paration commenced with a tutor at home; but he 
 was afterwards sent for one year to a professor in the 
 Wesleyan University, in Middletown, Conn. He en- 
 tered Kenyon College in 1838, at the age of sixteen, 
 and was graduated at the head of his class in 1842. 
 
 Immediately after his graduation he began the 
 study of law in the office of Thomas Sparrow, Esq., 
 in Columbus. Finding his opportunities for study in 
 Columbus somewhat limited, he determined to enter 
 the Law School at Cambridge, Mass., where he re- 
 mained two years. 
 
 In 1845, after graduating at the Law School, he was 
 admitted to the bar at Marietta, Ohio, and shortly 
 afterward went into practice as an attorney-at-law 
 with Ralph P. B\ickland, of Fremont. Here he re- 
 mained three years, accpiiring but a limited ])ractice, 
 and apparently vmambitious of distinction in his i)ro- 
 fession. 
 
 In 1849 he moved to Cincmnati, where his ambi- 
 tion found a new stimulus. For several years, how- 
 ever, his progress was slow. Two events, occurring at 
 this period, had a jiowerful influence upon his subse- 
 quent life. One of these was his marrage with Miss 
 Lucy Wyre Webb, daugliter of Or. James Webl), of 
 Chilicothe; the other was his introduction to the Cin- 
 cinnati Literary ("lub, a body embracing among its 
 members suck men as '"hief Justice Salmon P. ('base, 
 
 Gen. John Pope, Gov. Edward F. Noyes, and many 
 others hardly less distinguished in after life. The 
 marriage was a fortunate one in every respect, as 
 everybody knows. Not one of all the wives of our 
 Presidents was more universally admired, reverenced 
 and beloved than was Mrs. Hayes, and no one did 
 more than she to reflect honor ujjon American woman- 
 hood. Tile Literary Cluo brought Mr. Hayes into 
 constant association with young men of high char- 
 acter and noble aims, and lured liim lu dis[)lay the 
 qualities so long hidden by his bashfulness and 
 modesty. 
 
 In 1856 he was nominated to the oftice of Judge of 
 the Court of Common Pleas ; but he declined to ac- 
 cept the nomination. Two years later, the office of 
 city solicitor becoming vacant, the City Council 
 elected him for the unexpired term. 
 
 In 1 86 1, when the Rebellion broke out, he was at 
 the zenith of his professional life. His rank at the 
 bar was among the the first. But the news of the 
 attack on Fort Sumpter found him eager to take up 
 arms for the defense of his country. 
 
 His military record was bright and illustrious. In 
 October, 1861, he was made Lieutenant-Colonel, and 
 in August, 1862, promoted Colonel of the 79th Ohio 
 regiment, but he refused to leave his old comrades 
 and go among strangers. Subsequently, however, he 
 was made Colonel of his old regiment. At the battle 
 of South Mountain he received a wound, and while 
 faint and bleeding displayed courage and fortitude 
 that won admiration from all. 
 
 Col. Hayes was detached from his regiment, after 
 his recovery, to act as Brigadier-General, and placed 
 in command of the celebrated Kanawha division, 
 and for gallant and meritorious services in tlie battles 
 of Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, he was 
 promoted Brigadier-Creneral. He was also brevetted 
 Major-General, "for gallant and distinguished services 
 during the campaigns of 1864, in West Virginia." In 
 the course of his arduous services, four horses were 
 shot from under him, and he was wounded four times. 
 
 In 1864, (len. Hayes was elected to Congress, from 
 the Second Ohio District, which had long been Dem- 
 ocratic. He was not i)resent during the campaign, 
 and after his election was im[)ortuned to resign his 
 commission in the army ; liut he finally declared, " 1 
 shall never come to Washington until I can come by 
 the way of Richmond." He was re-elected in 1S66. 
 
 In 1867, Gen Hayes was elected Governor of Ohio, 
 over Hon. .Mien G. Thurman, a jwpular Democrat. 
 In 1869 was re-elected over George H. Pendleton. 
 He was elected Governor for the third term in 1875. 
 
 In 1876 he was the standard bearer of the Repub- 
 lican Party in the Presidential contest, and after a 
 hard long contest was chosen President, and was in 
 augurated Monday, March 5, 1875. He served his 
 full term, not, Iv wever, with satisfaction to his ]'arty, 
 but his adinirvstration was an average on. . 
 
 ■•►Hi— 
 
 T 
 
^t 
 
 TiVENTIErn PRESIDENT. 
 
 95 
 
 
 
 MV"S'7))^F 
 
 U£. 
 
 AMES A. GARFIELD, twen- 
 tieth President of the United 
 Stales, was born Nov. 19, 
 I S3 1, in the woods of Orange, 
 
 Cuyahoga Co., O His 
 ents were Abram and 
 
 par- 
 Eliza 
 
 (Ballon) Garfield, both of New 
 
 England ancestry and from fami- 
 '-'•tj'.^l lies well known in the early his- 
 ■f^^^ tory of that section of our coun- 
 try, but had moved to the Western 
 Reserve, in Ohio, early in its settle- 
 ment. 
 
 The house in which James A. was 
 l)orn was not unlike the houses of 
 poor Ohio farmers of that day. It 
 .,ds about 20x30 feet, built of logs, with the spaces be- 
 tween the logs filled with clay. His father was a 
 nard working farmer, and he soon had his fields 
 .:leared, an orchard planted, and a log barn built. 
 The household comprised the father and mother and 
 iheir four children — Mehetal)cl, Tliomas, Mary and 
 James. In May, 1823, the father, from a cold con- 
 tracted in helping to i)ut out a forest' fire, died. At 
 diis time James was about eighteen montlis old, and 
 Thomas about ten years old. No one, perhaps, can 
 tell iiow much James was indebted to his biother's 
 toil and self sacrifice during the twenty years suc- 
 ceeding his father's death, but undoul)teiily very 
 much. He now lives in Michigan, and the two sis- 
 cers live in Solon, O., near their birthi)lace. 
 
 The early educational advantages young Garfield 
 enjoyed were very limited, yet he made the most of 
 tiiein. He labored at farm work for others, did car- 
 penter work, choijped wood, or did anything that 
 would bring in a few dollars to aid his widowed 
 mother in he' -^trnggles to keep the little family to- 
 
 gether. Nor was Gen. Garfield ever ashamed of his 
 origin, and he never forgot the friends of his strug- 
 gling childhood, youth and manhood, neither did they 
 ever forget him. When in the highest seats of honor, 
 the humblest fiiend of his boyhood was as kindly 
 greeted as ever. The ixjorest laborer was sure of the 
 sympathy of one who had known all the bitterness 
 of want and the sweetness of bread earned by the 
 sweat of the brow. He was ever the simple, plain, 
 modest gentleman. 
 
 The highest ambition of young Garfield until he 
 was about si.xteen years old was to be a captain of 
 a vessel on Lake Erie. He was anxious to go aboard 
 a vessel, which his mother strongly opposed. She 
 finally consented to his going to Cleveland, with the 
 understanding, however, that he should try to obtain 
 some other kind of employment. He walked all the 
 way to Cleveland. This was his first visit to the city. 
 .■\fier making many applications for work, and trying 
 to get aboard a lake vessel, and not meeting with 
 success, he engaged as a driver for his cousin, Amos 
 Letcher, on the Ohio iv: Pennsylvania Canal. He re- 
 mained at this work but a short time when he went 
 home, and attended the seminary at Chester for 
 about three years, when he entered Hiram and the 
 Eclectic Institute, teaching a few terms of school in 
 tlie meantime, and doing other work. This school 
 was started by the Disciples of Christ in 1850, of 
 which churcli he was then a member. He became 
 janitor and bell-ringer in order to help pay his way. 
 He then became both teacher and pupil. He soon 
 " exhausted Hiram " and needed more; hence, in the 
 fall of 1854, he entered Williams College, from which 
 he graduated in 1856, taking one t)f the highest hon- 
 ors of his class. He afterwards relumed 10 Hiram 
 College as its Presii'ent. As above slated, he early 
 united with the Christian or Diciplcs Church at 
 Hiram, and was ever after a devoted, zealous mem- 
 ber, often jjreaching in its |)ulpit and places where 
 he iiaiipened to be. Dr. Noah Porter, President of 
 Vale College, says of him in reference to his religion: 
 
 ■^ 
 
96 
 
 JAMES A. GARFIELD. 
 
 i 
 
 " President Garfield was more than a man of 
 strong moral and religious convictions. His whole 
 history, from boyhood to the last, shows that duty to 
 man and to God, and devotion to Christ and life and 
 faith and spiritual commission were controlling springs 
 of his beiiig, and to a more than usual degree. In 
 my judgment there is no more interesting feature of 
 his character than his loyal allegiance to the body of 
 Christians in which he was trained, and the fervent 
 sympathy which he ever showed in their Christian 
 communion. Not many of the few 'wise and mighty 
 and noble who are called' show a similar loyalty to 
 the less stately and cultured Christian communions 
 in which they have been reared. Too often it is true 
 that as they step upward in social and political sig- 
 nificance they step upward from one degree to 
 another in some of the many types of fashionable 
 Christianity. President Garfield adhered to the 
 church of his mother, the church in which he was 
 trained, and in which he served as a pillar and an 
 evangelist, and yet with the largest and most unsec- 
 tarian charity for all 'who loveour Lord in sincerity.'" 
 
 Mr. Garfield was united in marriage with Miss 
 Lucretia Rudolph, Nov. 1 1, 1858, who proved herself 
 worthy as the wife of one whom all the world loved and 
 mourned. To them were born seven children, five of 
 whom are still living, four boys and one girl. 
 
 Mr. Garfield made his first political speeches in 1856, 
 in Hiram and the neighboring villages, and three 
 years later he began to speak at county mass-meet- 
 ings, and became the favorite speaker wherever he 
 was. During tiiis year he was elected to the Ohio 
 Senate. He also began to study law at Cleveland, 
 and in i86i was admitted to the bar. The great 
 Rebellion broke out in the early part of this year, 
 and Mr. Garfield at once resolved to fight as he had 
 talked, and enlisted to defend the old flag. He re- 
 ceived his commission as Lieut. -Colonel of the Forty- 
 second Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Aug. 
 14, 1861. He was immediately put into active ser- 
 vice, and before he had ever seen a gun fired in action, 
 was placed in command of four regiments of infantry 
 and eight companies of cavalry, charged with the 
 work of driving out of his native State the officer 
 (Humphrey Marshall) reputed to be the ablest of 
 those, not educated to war whom Kentucky had given 
 to the RebelHon. This work was bravely and speed- 
 ily accomplislied, although against great odds. Pres- 
 ident Lincoln, on his success commissioned him 
 Brigadier-General, Jan. ro, 1862; and as "he had 
 been the youngest man in the Ohio Senate two years 
 before, so now he was the youngest General in the 
 army." He was with Gen. Buell's army at Shiloh, 
 in its operations around Corinth and its march through 
 Alabama. He was tlien detailed as a memberof tiie 
 General Couit-Martial for the trial of Gen. Fitz-John 
 Porter. He w.is then ordered to re[)ort to Gen. Rose- 
 crans, and was assigned to tiie "Cliief of Staff." 
 
 The military b'story of Gen. Garfield closed with 
 
 his brilliant services at Chickamauga, where he won 
 the stars of the Major-General. 
 
 Without an effort on his part Gen. Garfield was 
 elected to Congress in the fall of 1862 from the 
 Nineteenth District of Ohio. This section of Ohio 
 had been represented in Congress for sixty years 
 mainly by two men — Elisha Whittlesey and Joshua 
 K. Giddings. It was not without a struggle that he 
 resigned his place in the army. At the time he en- 
 tered Congress he was the youngest member in that 
 body. There he remained by successive re- 
 elections until he was elected President in 1880. 
 Of his labors in Congress Senator Hoar says : " Since 
 the year 1864 you cannot think of a question wliich 
 has been debated in Congress, or discussed before a 
 tribunel of the American people, in regard to which 
 you will not find, if you wish mstruction, the argu- 
 ment on one side stated, in almost every instance 
 better than by anybody else, in some speech made in 
 the House of Representatives or on the hustings by 
 Mr. Garfield." 
 
 Uix)n Jan. r4. 1880, (Ven. Garfield was elected to 
 the U. S. Senate, and on the eighth of June, of the 
 same year, was nominated as the candidate of his 
 party for President at the great Chicago Convention. 
 He was elected in the following November, and on 
 March 4, 1881, was inaugurated. Probably no ad- 
 ministration ever opened its existence under brighter 
 auspices than that of President Garfield, and every 
 day it grew in favo: with the people, and by the first 
 of July he had completed all the initiatory and pre- 
 liminary work of his administration and was prepar- 
 ing to leave the city to meet his friends at Williams 
 College. While on his way and at the dejwt, in com- 
 pany with Secretary Blaine, a man stepped behind 
 him, drew a revolver, and fired directly at his back. 
 The President tottered and fell, and as he did so the 
 assassin fired a second shot, the bullet cutting the 
 left coat sleeve of his victim, but in.licting no farther 
 injury. It has been very truthfully said that this was 
 " the shot that was heard round the world " Never 
 before in the history of the Nation had anything oc- 
 curred which so nearly froze the blood of the people 
 for the moment, as this awful deed. He was smit- 
 ten on the brightest, gladdest day of all his life, and 
 was at the summit of his power and hope. For eighty 
 days, all during tlie hot months of July and August, 
 he lingered and suffered. He, however, remained 
 master of himself till the last, and by his magnificent 
 bearing was teaching the country and the world the 
 noblest of human lessons — how to live grandly in the 
 very clutch of death. Great in life, he was surpass- 
 ingly great in death. He i)assed serenely away Sept. 
 19, 1883, at Elberon, N. J., on the very bank of the 
 ocean, where he had been taken shortly jjrevious. The 
 world wept at his death, as it never had done on the 
 death of any other man who had ever lived upon it. 
 The murderer was duly tried, found guilty and exe- 
 cuted, in one year after he committed the foul deea. 
 
 t 
 
/ 
 
-4•- 
 
 TWENTY-FIRST PRESIDENT. 
 
 99 
 
 
 HKSTF.R A. ARTHUR, 
 
 twenty-first PresiXvUi of the 
 
 United States was l)orn in 
 
 Franklin Cour ty, \'ermont, on 
 
 thefifthofOciober, 1830, and is 
 
 the oldest of a family of two 
 
 sons and five daughters. His 
 
 father was the Rev. Dr. William 
 
 Arthur, a Baptist d'.rgyman, who 
 
 emigrated to tb.s country from 
 
 the county Ant.-im, Ireland, in 
 
 his 18th year, and died in 1875, in 
 
 Newtonville, neai Albany, after a 
 
 long and successful ministry. 
 
 Young Arthur was educated at 
 Union College, S( henectady, where 
 he excelled in all his studies. Af- 
 ter his graduation he taught school 
 ;j 1 in V^ermont for two years, and at 
 the e.xpiration cf that time came to 
 New York, with $500 in his iwcket, 
 and entered the oflfice of ex-Judge 
 E. D. Culver as student. After 
 I being admitted to the bar he formed 
 a partnership with his intimate friend and room-mate, 
 Henry 1). Gardiner, with the intention of practicing 
 in the West, and for three months they roamed about 
 in the Western States in search of an eligible site, 
 but in the end returned to New York, where they 
 hung out their shingle, and entered upon a success- 
 ful career almost from the start. Cleneral Arthur 
 ^ ' soon afterward 'ivirr''~d the daughter of Lieutenant 
 
 
 Herndon, of the United States Navy, who was lost at 
 sea. Congress voted a gold medal to his widow in 
 recognition of the bravery he displayed on that occa- 
 sion. Mrs. Arthur died shortly before Mr. Arthur's 
 nomination to the Vice Presidency, leaving two 
 children. 
 
 (len. Arthur obtained considerable legal celebrity 
 in his first great case, the famous Lemmon suit, 
 brought to recover possession of eight slaves who had 
 been declared free by Judge Paine, of the Sinierioi 
 Court of New York City. It was in 1852 that Jon, 
 athan Lemmon, of Virginia, went to New York with 
 his slaves, intending to ship them to 'i'exas, when 
 they were discovered and freed. The Judge decided 
 that they could not be held by the owner under the 
 Fugitive Slave Law. A howl of rage went up from 
 the South, and the Virginia Legislature authorized the 
 Attorney General of that State to assist in an appeal. 
 Wm. M. Evarts and Chester A. Arthur were employed 
 to represent the People, and they won their case, 
 which then went to the Supreme Court of the United 
 States. Charles O'Conor here esjxDused the cause 
 of the slave-holders, but he too was beaten by Messrs. 
 Evarts and .\rthur, and a long step was taken toward 
 the emancipation of the black race. 
 
 Another great service was rendered by General 
 Arthur in the same cause in 1856. Lizzie Jennings, 
 a respectable colored woman, was put off a Fourth 
 .■\ venue car with violence after she had paid her fare. 
 General Arthur sued on her behalf, and secured a 
 verdict of $500 damages. The next day the compa- 
 ny issued an order to admit colored persons to ride 
 on their cars, and the other car companies quickly 
 
 n 
 
IJUii^ 
 
 -A- 
 
 CHESTER A. ARTHUK. 
 
 followed their example. Before that the Sixth Ave- 
 nue Company ran a few special cars for colored per- 
 sons and the other lines refused to let them ride at all. 
 
 General Arthur was a delegate to the Convention 
 at Saratoga that founded the Republican party. 
 Previous to the war he was Judge-Advocate of the 
 Second Brigade of the State of New York, and Gov- 
 ernor Morgan, of that State, appointed him Engineer- 
 in-Chief of his staff. In 1861, he was made Inspec- 
 tor General, and soon afterward became Quartermas- 
 ter-General. In each of these offices he rendered 
 great service to the Government during the war. At 
 the end of Governor Morgan's term he resumed the 
 practice of the law, forming a partnership with Mr. 
 Ransom, and then Mr. Phelps, the District Attorney 
 of New Yoik, was added to the firm. The legal prac- 
 tice of this well-known firm was very large and lucra- 
 tive, each of the gentlemen comjxDsing it were able 
 lawyers, and possessed a splendid local reputation, if 
 not indeed one of national extent. 
 
 He always took a leading part in State and city 
 ix)litics. He was apixjinted Collector of the Port of 
 New York by President Grant, Nov. 21 1872, to suc- 
 ceed Thomas Murphy, and held the office until July, 
 20, 1878, when he was succeeded by Collector Merritt. 
 
 Mr. Arthur was nominated on the Presidential 
 ticket, with Gen. James A. Garfield, at the famous 
 National Republican Convention held at Chicago in 
 June, 1880. This was perhaps the greatest political 
 convention that ever assembled on thecontinent. It 
 was composed of the leading iwliticians of the Re- 
 publican party, all able men, and each stood firm and 
 fought vigorously and with signal tenacity for their 
 respective candidates that were Ijefore the conven- 
 tion for the nomination. I'inally Gen. Garfield re- 
 ceived the nomination for President and Gen. Arthur 
 for Vice-President. The campaign which followed 
 was one of the most animated known in the history of 
 our country. Gen. Hancock, the standard-bearer of 
 the Democratic party, was a ixjpular man, and his 
 j)arty made a valiant fight for his election. 
 
 Finally the election came and the country's choice 
 was Garfield and Arthur. They were inaugurated 
 March 4, 1881, as President and Vice-President. 
 A few months only had passed ere the newly chosen 
 President was the victim of the assassin's bullet. Then 
 came terrible weeks of suffering, — those moments of 
 ar.xious suspense, when the hearts of all civilized na- 
 
 tions were throbbing in unison, longing for the re- 
 covery of the noble, the good President. The remark- 
 able patience that he manifested during those hours 
 and weeks, and even months, of the most terrible suf- 
 fering man has often been called \x\)0\\ to endure, was 
 seemingly more than human. It was certainly God- 
 like. During all this period of deepest anxiety Mr. 
 Arthur's every move was watched, and be it said to his 
 credit that his every action displayed only an earnest 
 desire that the suffering Garfield might recover, to 
 serve the remainder of the tenn he had so auspi- 
 ciously begun. Not a selfish feeling was manifested 
 in deed or look of this man, even though the most 
 honored )X)sition in the world was at any moment 
 likely to fall to him. 
 
 At last (iod in his mercy relieved President Gar- 
 field from further suffering, and the world, as never 
 before in its history over the death of any other 
 man, wept at his bier. Then it became the duty of 
 the Vice President to assume the res^wnsibilities of 
 the high office, and he took the oath in New York, 
 Sept. 20, 1881. The jwsition was an embarrassing 
 one to him, made doubly so from the facts that all 
 eyes were on him, anxious to know what he would do, 
 what policy he would pursue, and who he would se- 
 lect as advisers. The duties of the office had been 
 greatly neglected during the President's long illness, 
 and many important measures were to be immediately 
 decided by him ; and still farther to embarrass him he 
 did not fail to realize under what circumstances he 
 became President, and knew the feelings of many on 
 this point. ITnder these trying circumstances President 
 Arthur took the reins of the Government in his own 
 hands ; and, as embarrassing as were the condition of 
 affairs, he happily surprised the nation, acting so 
 wisely that but few criticised his administration. 
 He served the nation well and faithfully, until the 
 close of his administration, March 4, 1885, and was 
 a popular candidate before his party for a second 
 term. His name was ably presented before the con- 
 vention at Chicago, and was received with great 
 favor, and doubtless but for the personal popularity 
 of one of the opposing candidates, he would have 
 been selected as the standard-bearer of his party 
 for another campaign. He retired to private life car- 
 rying witli him the best wishes of the American peo- 
 ple, whom he had served in a manner satisfjciory 
 to them and with credit to himself. 
 
 •►Hh-*- 
 
 *t 
 
^x^-r.6^ 
 
-^^ 
 
 TWENTY-SECOND PRESIDENT. 
 
 4 
 
 ■3 -n 
 
 
 i* ®r0^^er %\v^t\mA. 
 
 ^■s<*»i:::r*i::s^#^::s-«'g:s-~^:;3-*^;:j*£;s-H^is-#ai^#«!^ 
 
 
 OOP ^ 
 
 "oSo" 
 
 -^ 
 
 TEPHEN GROVER CLEVE- 
 LAND,the twenty-second Pres- 
 ident of the United States, was 
 born in 1837, in the obscure 
 town of Caldwell, Essex Co., 
 N. J., and in a little two-and-a- 
 half-story white house which is still 
 standing, characteristically to mark 
 the humble birth-place of one of 
 America's great men in striking con- 
 trast with the Old World, where all 
 men high in office must be high in 
 origin and born in the cradle of 
 wealth. When the subject of this 
 sketch was three years of age, his 
 father, who was a Presbyterian min- 
 ister, with a large family and a small salary, moved, 
 by way of the Hudson River and Erie Canal, to 
 Fayetteville, in search of an increased income and a 
 larger field of work. Fayetteville was then the most 
 straggling of country villages, about five miles from 
 Poinpey Hill, where Governor Seymour was born. 
 
 At the last mentioned place young Grover com- 
 menced going to school in the "good, old-fashioned 
 way," and presumably distinguished himself after the 
 manner of all village boys, in doing the things he 
 ought not to do. Such is the distinguishing trait of 
 all geniuses and independent thinkers. When he 
 arrived at the age of 14 years, he had outgrown the 
 rapacity of the villag,; school and expressed a most 
 ^«_ 
 
 emphatic desire to be sent to an academy. To this 
 his father decidedly objected. Academies in those 
 days cost money; besides, his father wanted him to 
 become self-supporting by the quickest possible 
 means, and this at that time in Fayetteville seemed 
 to be a position in a country store, where his father 
 and the large family on his hands had considerable 
 influence. Grover was to be paid $50 for his services 
 the first year, and if he proved trustworthy he was to 
 receive $100 the second year. Here the lad com- 
 menced his career as salesman, and in two years he 
 had earned so good a reputation for trustworthiness 
 that his employers desired to retain him for an in- 
 definite length of time. Otherwise he did not ex- 
 hibit as yet any particular " flashes of genius " or 
 eccentricities of talent. He was simply a good boy. 
 Bat instead of remaining with this firm in Fayette- 
 ville, he went with the family in their removal to 
 Clinton, where he had an opportunity of attending a 
 high school. Here he industriously pursued his 
 studies until the family removed with him to a point 
 on Black River known as the " Holland Patent," a 
 village of 500 or 600 people, 15 miles north of Utica, 
 N. Y. At this place his father died, after jjreaching 
 but three Sundays. This event broke up the family, 
 and Grover set out for New York City to accept, at a 
 small salary, the [wsition of " under-teacher " in an 
 asylum for the blind. He taught faithfidly for two 
 years, and although he obtained a good reputation in 
 this capacity, he concluded that teaching was not his 
 
 ^nr 
 
■<^ 
 
 104 
 
 i 
 
 S. GROVER CLEVELAND. 
 
 calling for life, and, reversing the traditional order, 
 he left the city to seek his fortune, instead of going 
 to a city. He first thought of Cleveland, Ohio, as 
 there was some charm in that name for him; but 
 before proceeding to that place he went to Buffalo to 
 usk the advice of his uncle, Lewis F. Allan, a noted 
 stock-breeder of that place. The latter did not 
 speak enthusiastically. " What is it you want to do, 
 my boy?" he asked. "Well, sir, I want to study 
 law," was the reply. " Good gracious ! " remarked 
 the old gentleman ; " do you, indeed .' What ever put 
 that into your head? How much money have you 
 got?" "Well, sir, to tell the truth, I haven't got 
 any. 
 
 After a long consultation, his uncle offered him a 
 place temporarily as assistant herd-keeper, at $50 a 
 year, wiiile he could " look around." One day soon 
 afterward he boldly walked into the office of Rogers, 
 IJowen & Rogers, of Buffalo, and told them what he 
 wanted. A number of young men were already en- 
 gaged in the office, but Grover's persistency won, and 
 he was finally permitted to come as an office boy and 
 have the use of the law library, for the nominal sum 
 of $3 or $4 a week. Out of this he had to pay for 
 his board and washing. The walk to and from his 
 uncle's was a long and rugged one; and, although 
 the first winter was a memorably severe one, his 
 shoes were out of repair and his overcoat — he hail 
 none — yet he was nevertheless prompt and regular. 
 On the first day of his service here, his senior em- 
 ployer threw down a copy of Blackstone before him 
 with a bang that made the dust fly, saying "Thai's 
 where they all begin." A titter ran around the little 
 circle of clerks and students, as they thought that 
 was enough to scare young Grover out of his plans ; 
 but indue time he mastered that cumbersome volume. 
 Then, as ever afterward, however, Mr. Cleveland 
 exhibited a talent for executiveness rather than for 
 chasing principles through all their metaphysical 
 possibilities. " Let us quit talking and go and do 
 it," was practically his motto. 
 
 The first public office to v^hich Mr. Cleveland was 
 elected was that of Sheriff of Erie Co., N. Y., in 
 which Buffalo is situated; and in such capacity it fell 
 to his duty to infiict capital punishment upon two 
 criminals. Li 1881 he was elected Mayor of the 
 City of Buffalo, on the Democratic ticket, with es- 
 pcv ial reference to the bringing about certain reforms 
 
 in the administration of the municipal affairs of that 
 city. In this office, as well as that of Sheriff, his" 
 performance of duty has generally been considered 
 fair, with possibly a few exceptions which were fer- 
 reted out and magnified during the last Presidential 
 campaign. As a specimen of his plain language in 
 a veto message, we quote from one vetoing an iniqui- 
 tous street-cleaning contract : " This is a time for 
 plain speech, and my objection to your action shall 
 be plainly stated. I regard it as the culmination of 
 a mos' bare-faced, impudent and shameless scheme 
 to betray the interests of the people and to worse 
 than squander the people's money." The New York 
 Sun afterward very highly commended Mr. Cleve- 
 land's administration as Mayor of Buffalo, and there- 
 upon recommended him for Governor of the Empire 
 State. To the latter office he was elected in 1882, 
 and his administration of the affairs of State was 
 generally satisfactory. The mistakes he made, if 
 any, were made very public throughout the nation 
 after he was nominated for President of the United 
 States. For this high office he was nominated July 
 11, 1884, by the National Democratic Convention at 
 Chicago, when other competitors were Thomas F. 
 Bayard, Roswell P. Flower, Thomas A. Hendricks, 
 Benjamin F. Butler, Allen G. Thurman, etc.; and he 
 was elected by the people, by a majority of about a 
 thousand, over the brilliant and long-tried Repub- 
 lican statesman, James G. Blaine. President Cleve- 
 land resigned his office as Governor of New York in 
 January, 1885, in order to prepare for his duties as 
 the Chief Executive of the United St.ates, in which 
 capacity his term commenced at noon on the 4th of 
 March, 1885. For his Cabinet officers he selected 
 tlie following gentlemen: For Secretary of State, 
 Thomas F. Bayard, of Delaware ; Secretary of the 
 Treasury, Daniel Manning, of New York ; Secretary 
 of War, William C. Endicott, of Massachusetts ; 
 Secretary of the Navy, William C. Whitney, of New 
 York ; Secretary of the Interior, L. Q. C. Lamar, of 
 Mississippi ; Postmaster-General, William F. Vilas, 
 of Wisconsin ; Attorney-General, A. H. Garland, of 
 .Arkansas. 
 
 The silver question precipitated a controversy be- 
 tween those who were in favor of the continuance of 
 silver coinage and those who were opposed, Mr. 
 Cleveland answering for the latter, even before his 
 inauguration. 
 
 •^Hf^: 
 
■,;- 
 
 \ 
 
 T 
 
 
 
-•► 
 
 GOVERNORS OF IOWA. 
 
 Ill 
 
 G^^e§#<5)^VV( 
 
 y2H^^m^\^^^^^:^^'^^^^<im 
 
 ckSo" 
 
 XSKL RRir;GS, the first 
 iloiitli'llKiii rliusi'ii ti> till till' 
 jiuljcriiatiirial cliair "f Iowa 
 after its organizaliun as a 
 ^. State, was a native (if Ver- 
 mont, ami was liorn Fel). .'!, 
 1H0(). Ills i)aront,s, who likewise 
 were New Englanders, were 15en- 
 jaiiiin and Electa IJriggs. The 
 biiylioo<l of uiir siiliject was 
 |)asseil in his native Slate, and in at- 
 tendance upon the common seliools 
 he received a fair eilucatiim wliicli 
 was suliseqneiitly iniproved liy a 
 term at Norwich Academy. When 
 a young man he removed with his 
 |)arents to (amhridirc. Guernsey Co.. Ohio, where 
 young Hriggs engaged in the work of establishing 
 sUige lines. He also here eniliarkeil in political 
 .affairs and as a Whig run for the odice of County 
 Auditor lint was defeated liy .loini Ferguson, a 
 .lacUsou Democrat. 
 
 .Vfter remaining in Ohio for six years, the glow- 
 ing accounts of the tairlields and the fertile praiiies 
 of the Ti-rritory of Iowa, led him westward across 
 the F.ather of Waters, lie iiad pieviously united 
 his fortunes in life with Nancy M. Dunl.Mp. d;iugh- 
 ter of .Major Dunlap, an otiicer in the War of 1H12. 
 Even prior to this marriage he had chosen a wife, 
 a lady who was liorn on the sanu' ilay and yeai' as 
 himself, hut of whom he w.-is soon bereft. He 
 brought with him to Iowa his little family and lo- 
 cated at Andrew, iu Jaclcson County. Seeing the 
 
 opportunity liere for resuming his former business, 
 he Ijegan opening U)) stage lines, frequently driving 
 the old stage co.'icli himself. He made several con- 
 tracts with the I'ostollice Department for carrying 
 the I'nited States mails weekly between Dubucpie 
 and Davenport, Dubucpie and Iowa City and other 
 routes, thus oi)ening uj) and carrying on a very im- 
 IMvrtant enterprise. Politically, (Jov. Briggs was a 
 Democrat, and on coming to low.i identilied him- 
 self with that party. In 18 12 he was chosen a 
 member of the Territorial House of Representatives 
 from Jackson County, and sulisequently was elected 
 SlierifT of the same county. He had taken a lead- 
 ing part in i)ublic affairs, and upon the format ion of 
 the State (iovernment iu 184(), he became a prom- 
 inent canilidate for (iovernor, and though his com- 
 petitors in his own party were distinguished and 
 w<'ll-known citizens, Jlr. liriggs received the nom- 
 ination. The convention wa* held in Iowa City, 
 on Thursday, Sejit. 24. is 1(1, and assembled to 
 nominate Stiite oflicers and two Congressmen. It 
 was called to order by F. I). Mills, of Dcs Moines 
 Comity. William Thomii-son, of Henry Count}', 
 |)resided, and .1. T. F.ales, of Hulnnpie, was Secre- 
 Uiry. Tlui vote for Governor in llie convention 
 stood: Hriggs, sixty-two; Jesse AVilliams, thirty- 
 two, and William Thompson, thirty-one. The two 
 latter withdrew, .and Briggs was then chosen by ac- 
 clamation. Elisha Culler, Jr., of Van Buren Coun- 
 ty, was nominated for Secretary of State; Joseph 
 T. Fales, of Linn, for Auditor, and Morgan Reno, 
 of .lohnson, for Treasurer. S. C. Hastings and 
 Sheperd Leffler were nominated for Congiess. The 
 
i 
 
 112 
 
 ANSEL BRIGGS. 
 
 4 
 
 election wns held Oct. 28, 1846, the entire Demo- 
 cratic ticket being successful. Briggs received 
 7,(J'2G votes and his competitor. Thomas McKniglit, 
 the Whig candidate, 7,379. giving Briggs a major- 
 ity of 247. 
 
 The principal question between the two leading 
 parties, the Democratic and tlie Whig, at this period, 
 xvas that of tlie banking system. It is related that 
 • I short time prior to the meeting of the conven- 
 Jion which nominated ^Ir. Briggs, that in offering 
 I toast at a banquet, he struck the key-note which 
 made him tlie p<ppnlar man of the hour. He said, 
 " No l)anks Imt earth and Ihey well tilled." This 
 was at once caught up by his party and itilid more 
 to secure him the nomination than anything else. 
 His adnlini^trati^)n was one void of any sjjccial in- 
 terest. He labored in harmonious accord with his 
 party, yet frei|nciitly exhibited an independence of 
 principle. cliarM<teristic of his nature. The Jlis- 
 soiiri boundary ([uestion which caused a great deal 
 of excited controversy at this period, and even a 
 determintition to resort to arms, was handled l)y 
 iiini with great ability. 
 
 On his election as Executive of the State. (lov. 
 Briggs sold out his mail contract, l)ut afti'r the ex- 
 piration of his term of service lie continue(l his 
 residence in .Jackson County. In ls70 he removed 
 to Council Bluffs. He had visited the western 
 part of the State l)cfore the ilay of railroads in that 
 section, making tlie trip by carriage. On the occa- 
 sion he enrolk'd himself as one of the founders of 
 the town of Kloreni'c on tlie Nebraska side of the 
 river and six miles above Council I'.lutfs, and which 
 for a time was a vigorous rival of Omaha. Dur- 
 ing the mining excitement, in l.stld. he made a trip 
 to Colorado, and three years l.-iter, in company 
 with his son .bilni and a large party, went to 
 Montana, where he remained until the year 
 
 1865, when he returned to his home in Iowa. 
 
 As above stated, Gov. Briggs was twice ni;',rrie<l, 
 his first wife being his companion for a brief lime 
 only. His second wife bore him eight children, all 
 of whom died in infancy save two. and of these lat- 
 ter. Ansel. .Ir.. died May 15, ixiw, aged twenty- 
 fivt- years. John S. Briggs, the only survivor of 
 the family, is editor of the lilalio IIcnilrL i>ulili>lied 
 at Blackfoot, Idaho Territory. ^Irs. Briggs died 
 Dec. 30, 1847. while her husband was Governor of 
 the State. She was a devoted ('hri>tian lady, a 
 .--ti'icl niembiT of llic rresbyterian ( hurcli. ;ind a 
 woman of strong domestic tastes. She was highly 
 educated, and endowed by nature witii that 
 womanly tact and giace which enabled her toailoin 
 the high position her husband had attained. 
 She dispensed a lionnteous hospitality, though her 
 home was in a log hon>e. ami was highly esteemed 
 and admired by all who met her. 
 
 (Jov. Briggs went in and out among his |icoplc 
 for many ye.-irs after his retirement from the execu- 
 tive olliee. .and even after his rettnn from the Mon 
 tana cxiiedition. He was admiri'd for his able 
 seivices rendered so unsellisliiy during the pioneer 
 period of the now great and populous State. His 
 last illness, ulceration of the stom.ach. was of brief 
 duration, lasting only live weeks, indeed only three 
 days before his death he was able to be out. His 
 demise occurred at the residence of his .«on. .lohn 
 S. Brigg>, in Omaha. Neb., at half-past three of tlii' 
 morning of May 5. 18.S1. His death was greatly 
 mourned all over the Slate. Upon the following 
 dav, ( iov. (icar issneil a proclamation reciting his 
 services to the State, ordering half-hour guns to be 
 lired and the national Hag on tlu> State capitol to 
 he put at h:ilf-ma>l during the day upon which 
 the funeral wa^ held, which was the following Sun- 
 day succeeding his death. 
 
 J,t*^ 
 
 -I 
 
:^ 
 
 GOVf:RNORS OF IOWA. 
 
 115 
 
 eittps'tQad. 
 
 i<SV''^W^-'^ *' 
 
 
 --^>-^-^^:^^^^^^f^y<^^-^ 
 
 I'EPIIEX ITEIMPSTEAD, see- 
 i>n(l Gov<'nHir uf Iowa, is a 
 native of Coniu'cticut, wIutc, 
 .it New London, lie was horn 
 Oct. 1, ISl-i. lie ivsi.lcd in 
 /■J% that State with liis pai'i-nts 
 until l.s^S, wJK'n the family 
 oanic Wi'st, hK'ating ii|)on a faiin 
 near Saint I.oiiis. 'I'lii-. was tlie 
 home of yoiiuii' StcphiMi nnlil 1 H;i(), 
 wlicn he went to (iah'Ua. III., wliiTO 
 iu' si'ivfd in till- capacity of a clerk 
 ill M commission house for a time, 
 lie was there dm'injii; the excitinj^ 
 peiiod of the l)iaci< llawU trouliles, 
 aiiil was an otiieer in an artillery 
 coni|iany wliii-li iiad heen ors^anized for the protec- 
 tion of ( ialena. After the <lefeat of I'.lack Hawk 
 and the consccpient termination of Indian trouliles, 
 he entered the Illinois CoUesje at .I.aeksonville, 
 where lie leinained for alioiil two years. On ac- 
 eouiit of dittliMilties which he i(ot into ahout 
 seetarianisni and aliolitioni>ni, he left the colleije 
 and returned to Missouri. He shortly afterwanl 
 entered the office of Charles S. IIemi)stead. a prom- 
 inent lawyer of (ialena, and heg-iin the study of the 
 profession in which he afterward liecanie ipiite pro- 
 
 ficient. In 183fi he was admitted to pr.actice in all 
 the courts of the Territory of Wisconsin, which at 
 the time embraced the Territory of Iowa, and tlie 
 same year located at IJuliucpie, being the first law- 
 yer who began the practice of his pnjfession at tliat 
 place. 
 
 As might be expected in a territory but thinly 
 jiopnlated, but one which was rapidly settling up, 
 the services of an aliie attorney would lie in de- 
 mand in order to diaft the laws. L i)on the organ- 
 ization of till' Territorial (iovernment of Iowa in 
 18.38, he was, with (o'u. Warner Lewis, elected to 
 represi'ut the northern portion of the Territory in 
 tlu! Legislative Council, which assendiled in liin- 
 lington tiiat year. lie \\:is Chaiiinan of the Com- 
 mittee .Indiciary, and at tlie x-cond se.N-.ioii of that 
 liody was eleeteil its rre.Nideiit. lie was again 
 elected a niemlier of llie Coniieil. in 1845, over 
 wlii<'h he al.so presided. In 1.S44 he was elected 
 one of the delegates of Duluupie County, for the 
 lirst convention to frame a constitution for the 
 State. In ISIS, in company with Judge Cnarles 
 Mason and W . (i. Woodward, he was ap|X)inted 
 liy the Legislature Commissioni-r to revise the laws 
 of tiie State, wliich revision, with a few amend- 
 ments, was adojited as the code of Iowa in 1851. 
 
 In Is.'iO Mr. Hempstead was elected C-overuor of 
 
 - ► ■— 
 
 t 
 
•^r 
 
 116 
 
 STEPHEN HEMPSTEAD. 
 
 n 
 
 tlic State, and served with aliility for fmir 3'ears, 
 that being tlie full term under the Constitution at 
 the time, lie received 1:>,4S() votes nyaiusl 11,- 
 4(i;5 east for iiis opiHuicnl. .lames L. Thoni|isui\. 
 After the vole had been canvassed a committee 
 was appointed to inform the Governor-elect that 
 the two Houses of the Legislature were readj' to re- 
 ceive him in joint convention, in order that he 
 migiit receive tlie (;ath prescribed liy the Constitu- 
 tion, (iov. Hempstead, accompanied by the retir- 
 ing Executive, (iov. P.riggs. tlie .Iudg«'s of the Su- 
 preme Court and tlie ollicers of State, entered tin' 
 hall of the House wliere the Governor-elect deliv- 
 ered ins inaugural message, after whicii the oatii 
 was administered by the Ciiief .Fustice of tlie Su- 
 preme Court. This was an important period in the 
 history of the State, being at a time when the ]>ul)- 
 lic affairs were assuming delinite shape, anil indeed 
 it was what migiit be termed tlie formative period. 
 The session of the Legislature i)assed many imjwrt- 
 ant acts whicli were ap]iroved by the Governor, and 
 during his term there were lifty-two new counties 
 fornie(l. (lo\-. Hempstead in his message to the 
 Fourth General Assi'iiibly in Deceml)er, 185'2, 
 stated that among other things, the [)opulation of 
 the State according to the Federal census was lit2,- 
 214, and that the State census showed an incre'ase 
 for one year of .'w.T.SG. He also stated that there- 
 sources of the State for the coming two j-ears 
 would be sullicient to ciuicrl all that part of funded 
 debt which was payable at its option. 
 
 Among the luimcious <'ounties orgain'zed was one 
 jiameil IJuncombe, which received its name in the 
 following way: The Legislature was composed of a 
 large majoiity favoring stringent corporation laws 
 and the lial)ility of individual stockholders for cor- 
 parate debts. This sentinu-nt, on account of the 
 agitation of railroad enterprises then being inaugu- 
 rated, brought a large nundier of i>rominent men 
 to the capital. To have an effect >i|)on the Legis- 
 lature, they organized a "loliby Legislature" and 
 elected as (iovernor, N'erplank \'au Antwerp, who 
 delivered to the self-constituted body a lengthy 
 message in which he shaiply criticized the regular 
 General As.sembly. Some of the members of the 
 latter were in the habit of making long and useful 
 speeches much to the hindrance of business. To 
 
 these he especially referred, charging them with 
 speaking for •■ P>nncombe," and recommended that 
 as !i lasting memorial a county should be called by 
 that name. This suggestion was readily seizcil on 
 by the Legislature, and the county of P>uucondie 
 was created with few dissenting voices. However, 
 the General Assembly, in 1802, changed the name 
 to Lyon, in honor of (ien. Nathaniel Lyon who was 
 killed in the early part of the Civil War. 
 
 The season of 1851 was one of great disappoint- 
 ment to the pioneers of Iowa, and much suffering 
 was the i-esult of the bad season of that year. By 
 the year 1854, the State had fully recovered from 
 the depression thus produced. an<l that year as well 
 as the follo,wing, thi- emigration from the East was 
 unprecedented. The prairies of Illinois were lined 
 day after day with a continuous caravan <jf emi- 
 grants pushing on toward Iowa. During a single 
 month 1743 wagons bound for Iowa passed through 
 Peoria. So remarkable had l>een the intluxof peo- 
 ple into the State, that in an issue of the Burling- 
 tcm Telegraph appeared the following statement : 
 '■Twenty thousand enngrants have passed through 
 the city within the last thirty days, and they are 
 still crossing the Mississippi at the rate of GOO a day." 
 
 At the exi)iration of his term of service, which 
 occurred in the latter part of the year 1H.")4, (Jov. 
 Hempstead returned to his old home :il Dnbuipie. 
 In 18,').') he was elected County .ludge of Dubuque 
 County, and .so acceptably did he serve the people 
 that for twelve years he was chosen lo lill that posi- 
 tion. I'nder his administration the prineii)al 
 county building, including the jail, poorhouse, as 
 well as some vahialde liridges, were erected. 
 Owing to ill-health he was compelled to retire from 
 public life, passing the remainder of his days in 
 (luietude and repose at Dubuque. There he liveil 
 until Fel). 10, IXH.i, when, at his home, the light of 
 his long and eventfid life went out. The record 
 he has made, which was an lio]ioral)le and distin- 
 guished one, was closed, and Iowa was c.allecl upon 
 to mourn the loss of one of her most distinguished 
 pioneer citizens. He ha<l been an unusually useful 
 man of the State and his services, whi<-h were able 
 and wise, were rendered in that unselfish spiiil 
 which <listinguished so man_y of the earlj' residents 
 of this now prosperous State. 
 
■<*• 
 
 GOVKRNORS OF IOWA. 
 
 il;t 
 
 
 4= A i. .+e*.t«t«fe*2'**"*-+<-1' *'*-T--t.i.t.. A-A^^^^^ 
 
 ji^it:^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 *PieT»^- 
 
 =b^. '^^S^ 
 
 t»P3jS" 
 
 A.AIES AV. ORTINIES. tlio 
 third gentleiiiMii Id till tlic 
 Kxocutive C'li:iir <>f tlic Slate 
 if Iowa, was lioni in tlic 
 town of Deering, lliilshor- 
 ougli Co., Js. H., Oct. •->(), 
 \MC). His parents, .lolni and 
 Eiizalieth (Wilson) (Jrinics. were 
 also natives of tlie same town. 
 « 'I'hc foimer was born on the 11th 
 of August. 1772, and the mother 
 March lil, 177.'!. They liecanie the 
 jiarents of eight children, of whom 
 James was the yonngol and lie- 
 came one of the most distinguishcil 
 citi/ens of Iowa. He attende(l Ihc 
 district schools, and in early chilcliKiiid evinced an 
 unusnal taste fo|- learning. liesides attending the 
 district schools, the village j)astor instineted him 
 in (ireek and Latin, .\fter completing his |ire|iaT- 
 ations for coUegi'. which he diil at Hampton Acad- 
 emy, he entercil Daitmontli College, in .\ngn>t, 
 1m;!-J, which wa> in the sixteenth year of his age. 
 He was a hard student, advanced laiiidlv. and in 
 Feliruary, IK,!.'., hid adieu to the college halls, .and 
 •with .lames Walker, of I'eterhorongh, N. H,, Ik; be- 
 gan tl;-' study of his chosen profession. 
 
 Feeling that his native State afforded too limile(l 
 .•1(1 vantages, and, in fact, lieiiig of a rather .adviMit- 
 urous disiiosition, as well as andiitious, he desired 
 broader lields in which to carve for himself a fort- 
 une, lie accdi'diugly left the home thai ha<l 
 sheltered him dni-hig his boyhood days, ami turn- 
 ing his face Westward proceeiled until he had 
 crossed the great FatluT of \Vater>, It was in 
 IS.'ii;, and young (irinu's was indeed young to thus 
 take upon himself such responsibilities; lint pos- 
 •sessing business lact. clelei-min.-ilidn and Icnacitv, 
 as well as .an excellent profession.al training, he de- 
 tcrnune(l to open .an ollice in the then new town of 
 I'lMillnuion, l(iu;i. Ilei'e he liinig out hi- >liinglc, 
 and ere long had established a reputation wliicli 
 cxtendeil fai' lieyon<l the confines <if the little city. 
 
 In April, 1 .s;;7, he was .-ippoinleil City .Soliciiur, 
 and entering upon the duties of that othce he 
 assisted in <lr;Mving up the liist jiolicc laws of that 
 town. In ls;l,S he was appointed .Iii.stiee of the 
 I'eace, and became a law p;irtner of William W. 
 Chapman, I'nileil Stale> District .\lt<irne\ fo|- 
 Wisconsin 'rcrrit<iry. In tlic earl\ part of the vear 
 IHII he formeil ;i pari nei'>hip with Henry W.Starr, 
 Ks<|,, which conliiuied twelve years. This linn 
 stood at Ihc head of llie lci;:il professioTi in Iowa. 
 .Mr. (iiinu'S was widciv known as a counselor with 
 
•¥^fMi^ 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 120 
 
 .TAMES W. (J RIMES. 
 
 superior knowledge of tlie law. and with a eiear 
 sense of truth and justice. He was cliosen one of 
 tlie Representatives of Des Moines County in tlie 
 first Legislative Asseuilily of the Territory of Iowa, 
 whifh convened at IJurlinutoii, Nov. 12. 183.S; in 
 Ihe sixth, at Iowa City. Dec. 4. IS-i.); and in the 
 fourth General Asseni1)ly of the State, at Iowa City, 
 Dec. ('). 1S.')2. He early took front rank amono: the 
 l>uliHc men of Iowa. He was Chairman of the 
 .Tudici.ny Committee hi t!ic llo\i>i' of Representa- 
 tives of the first Lcjiislativc Asscnilily of the 'IVr- 
 ritorv. and all l;i«s for the new Territory passed 
 tlnoiiah his li:ind>. 
 
 Mr. (i rimes iiad hecomP prominently identified 
 with the ^^'llii>■ party, and heiuL; disliiiuiiisheil as an 
 alile lawver. as well as a falr-miii<led. conscientious 
 mau, he was a |iromiiicnt caii<lidatc for (lovernor 
 jicfore the convciilion whicii met in Fehruary. IS,") I. 
 It was till' laru'csl conM'Mtion of that paity evei' 
 held iu Iowa and the last. He was chosen asa nom- 
 inee for (lovernor. was duly elected, and in Decem- 
 jii'r, ls.")4, assumed tiic duties of the otiicc. Shortly 
 after his election it was [iroposcd that he should go 
 to tiie IJnited States Senate, hut he yave his ad- 
 mii'cvs to understaml that lie w:is dctei'niincd to lill 
 the term of otiicc for which he had licen chosen. 
 This he did, scrvinu- the full term to the entire sat- 
 i-lacti(in of all parties. lie w;is .-i faithful i)art\- 
 leader, and so alile were his scrvici-s that, while at 
 the time of his election as (lovernor Democracy 
 rciiiucd sii|iicnii' in Ihi- Slate .-ukI its representatives 
 iu Conuress were allie(l to the slave power, he 
 tunieil the State over to the Ucpuhlican paity. 
 
 His term of ollice cxpireil .l;in. II. 1 S,")S, when 
 he retired from the l^xecutiM' Chair, only, how- 
 ever, to assume the rcsponsihilities of a I'liited 
 States Senator. Upon the llh of .\Iar<'h of the fol- 
 lowing year he took his scat in the Senate and was 
 lilaced upon the Committee on Naval Affairs, upon 
 which he remained diiiinu lii> Senatorial career, 
 servinu' as Chairman of that important committee 
 fi-om Deccmlpcr, ISCI. .Ian. Hi. ISCI. Mr. Crimes 
 w:is ;iir:iin cliosen to represi'iil Iowa in the Seiiati' 
 of the I'liited States, reicivinii- all hut six of the 
 Votes of the Ceneral Assemlily in joint eomeiition. 
 
 His counsel was often songlit in matters of great 
 moment, and in cases of peculiar cljiriculty. .\l- 
 
 ^0 
 
 ways ready to promote the welfare of the .State, he 
 gave, unsolicited, land worth §i().000 to the Congre- 
 gational College, at (irinnell. It constitutes the 
 '• (Jrimes foundation." and "is to lie applied to the 
 estilhlishment and maintenance in Iowa College, 
 forever, of four scholarships, to he awarded hy the 
 Trustees, on the reet>mmendation of tlie faculty, to 
 the best scholars, and the most promising, in aii\ 
 department, who m.ay need and seek such aid. and 
 without any regard to the religious tenets or opin- 
 ions entertained hy any ijerscTn seeking either of 
 .said scholarships." These terms were imposed l>y 
 iMr. (!rime>. and assumed July 20. 180.'), hy the 
 Tiiistt'cs. He received the lionorarv degree of 
 LL.D. in 1S(!.') from Dartnumth College, and also 
 from Iowa College. He also aided in f<junding a 
 puhlie lihrarv in Uiirlington. donating ijso.OOO. whieii 
 was expciideil in the purchase of costly hooks, and 
 suhse(|uently sent from Kiirope 2.')(; volumes in the 
 (Icrmaii language, and also contriluited lilHl vol- 
 umes of piililic documents. 
 
 In .laiiii.-iiy. isd'.l. he made a donation of ^").0()() 
 to Dartmouth College, and -sl.dOUto the "Social 
 Friend." a literary society of which he was a mem- 
 lier wlu'li in college. 
 
 His health failing. 'Slv. Crimes saileil for Europe. 
 Ajiril 14, ISIlil. rcmainiiig ahroad two yi:ii~. 
 reaching home Sept. 22. ISTl. M|ipaicntly in im- 
 proved health and spirits. in Xo\cmlicr he cele- 
 hrated his silver wedding, and spent the ijo^ini; 
 months of his life with his laiiiily. He voted at 
 the city election, Eeh. Ti, 1S72. and was suddenly 
 attacked with severe pains in tin' region of tlie 
 heart, and died after a few short liours of intense 
 suffering. 
 
 .Senator (i rimes was united in marriage at Uiir- 
 lington. la.. Nov. :). ISICi. with .Miss .Sarah Kli/.aheth 
 Neally. Mr. Crimes stood in the foremost ranks 
 among the men of his time, not only in the Slate 
 hut of tlie nation. 'l"he young attorney who left 
 (he granite hills of New Hampshire for the I'ertile 
 prairies of the West, distinguished himself hotli :is 
 an atloriicN and a st.alesiiian. His personal history 
 is so inseparahly interwoven in that of the history 
 of the State that a sketch of his life is inileed hut a 
 record of the history of his adopted State during 
 the years of his niaiihood and vigor. 
 
 f 
 
-4^ 
 
 (iOVEKNOKS OF IOWA. 
 
 4- 
 
 123 I i\ 
 
 m^ 
 
 4^ 
 
 •■0«0.(§Jv>V®-o*O" 
 
 r^^|(' *v.Al,l'll r. I.OWK. ih.' louilli 
 
 Iowa, was l)oni in ( »liio in 
 llic year ISd.s. ami likf many 
 otlii'is of till' (listin<;uislH'(l 
 men of Iowa, came within her 
 liorilcis in early |)ionoor 
 times, lie was a yoiiiifr man 
 but a little over tliirty years 
 of .n<vo when lie fio.ssed the yreat 
 Father of Waters, settlinu' upon its 
 western bank at the tiien Miiall \ ill- 
 age of Muscatine. lie at oiiee 
 identilied himself with the interests 
 of the "jrowing city, ami ere long 
 became (luite proniiiient in loeal 
 affah's !inil of reeognizeil ability in 
 (jiu'stions of iMililie policy. lie was shortly ;ifter- 
 wanl ehoseu as a represeiit:itive from ]Museatiue 
 C'ouuty to the Constitutional Convi'iition of 1S44, 
 wliicli fiameil tlic Constitution which was rejected 
 by the people. 
 
 After this coustilul ional convention. ^Ir. Lowe 
 took iio further pari in pnMic mattci's for a num- 
 ber of years. He removeil to Lee County about 
 ISl!) or '.")tl, where he became District .Indge as a 
 siieeessor to (leorge IJ. Williams, wiio was after- 
 ward famous as President <! rant's Attorney Oen- 
 eral. He was District Judge five years, from 1852 
 to l.Si)7, being suoceeded by .Tiidge Claggett. In 
 the siiniiner of 1 )S.')7 he was nominated by the He- 
 publicans for (lovernor of Iowa, with Oraii Faville 
 ', for Lieutenant-Governor. The Democracy j)ut in 
 
 the held llcnjamin M. Saniiiels for (iovernor and 
 (Jeorge (Jillaspy for Lieiileiiaiit-( iovernor. There 
 was a third ticket in the lield, sniiporteil liy the 
 American or " Know-Xotliing " party, and lic.uing 
 tlie names of T. I''. Henry .and Faston Morris. 
 The election was held in October. 1S.")7, anil gave 
 Mv. Lowe ;;.S,1S)S votes, against .">(;,(>«« for ^Ir. 
 .Samuels, and I.IKK! for Mr. Henry. 
 
 Hitherto tlie term of ollice had been four years, 
 but by an anicndnient to the Coustitiition this was 
 luiw reduced to two. (lov. Lowe was inaug- 
 urated Jan. 1 I, IM.'iS, and at once sent Ills lirst 
 inessage to the Legislature. Among tiie iiu'a?uri's 
 passed by this Legislature were bills to incorporate 
 the State Hank of Iowa; to jirovide for an agricult- 
 ural college; to authorize the business of banking; 
 disposing of the land grant made by Congress tci 
 the Des Moines A'allej- Uailroad : to providi' tor 
 the erection of an institution for the education vi 
 the blind, and to provide for taking a State census. 
 
 No events of importance occurred during liie 
 administration of (iov. Lowe, but it was not a 
 period of uninterru|)t<Ml prosperity. Tlie ( Jovernor 
 .saiil in liis biennial me.ssjige of Jan. Id. ISild. 
 reviewing the iireceediug two years: ■•The perit.d 
 that has elapsi'il since the last biennial session has 
 been one of great disturbing causes, anil of an.xious 
 solicitude to all ehisses of our fellow-citizens. The 
 lirst vear of this period was visited with heavy ;uid 
 continuous i;iin>. whicli icdnced the measure tif 
 our lield crops below one-half of tlic usual product, 
 whilst the linancial revulsion which commenced 
 uix)n the Atlantic coast in the autumn of 1857, did 
 
 ^l^ 
 
•►Hl^ 
 
 ,t 
 
 12 
 
 RALPH P. LOW?:. 
 
 not rcacli il> cliiiwix for evil in our borders until 
 liu- yt"ir just past." 
 
 He referred at ienylli lo the ilaim of tlie Stale 
 ■liiainst tlie Federal (ioverunient. and >aict that he 
 had appeah'd in vain to tile St-eretary of the Inte- 
 rior for tlie payment of tlie '> per eeiit upon the 
 military land warrants that tiie State is justly en- 
 titled to, Avhieli then approximated to a luillion of 
 dollars. The pa\'nu'nt of this fund, he said, ''is 
 not a mere favor whieh is asked of the (Jeneral 
 Government. Iiiiti a sulisistin<i riyht which eould he 
 enff)reed in a court of justice, were there a trilmnal 
 of this kind ciothcil witii tlie recpiisite jurisdiction." 
 
 The subject of the I)es .Moines Hivir <;iant re- 
 ceived from the (iovernor special attention, ami he 
 gave a history of the operations of the State author- 
 ities in reference to obtaining the resi(bie of the 
 lands to which the State was entitled, and other in- 
 formation as to the progress of the work. He also 
 reniarke<l •• that under the act authorizing the (lov- 
 ernor to raise a couipany of inonnted men for de- 
 fense and protection of our frontier. a)iiiro\('d 
 Feb. 'J, l.SjS, a company of thirty sucii men, known 
 as the Frontier (!uards, armed and e(piipped as re- 
 <]uired, were organizeil and mustered into service 
 under the command of (apt. Henry 1!. Martin, of 
 Webster City, about the 1st tif ilareli then follow- 
 ing, and were divided into two companies, one 
 stationed on the LittU' Sioux Kiver, the other at 
 Spirit Lake. Their presence afforded security and 
 gave ipiict to the settlements in that region, and 
 after a service of four mouths they were disb.anded. 
 
 " Late in the full of the ^car, however, great 
 
 alarm and consternation was again felt in the 
 region of Spirit Lake and Sioux River .settlemeuls. 
 ]iroduced by the appearance of large numbers of 
 Indians on the border, whose bearing was insolent 
 and inenaciug, and who were chargi'd witii clan- 
 destinely running off the stock oi the settlers. 
 The most urgent apjx'als came from these settlers, 
 invoking again the protection of the Stat<'. Frcnn 
 representations made of the imminence of their 
 danger and the losses already sustained, the (iov- 
 ernor summoned into the field once more the 
 frontier guards, .\fter a service of four or live 
 inonlhs they wei'c again ilischargcd, and paid in the 
 manner ]irescribed in the act under which they were 
 called out." 
 
 (tov. Lowe was beaten for the renomination 
 by Ilfm. S. ,1. Kirkwood. who was considered 
 much the stronger man. To i-ompensate him for 
 his defeat \<.>v the second term. (Jov. Lowe 
 was appointed one of the three .Indges under the 
 new Constitution, lie drew the short ti'ini. which 
 expired in Isdl.but was returned and served, all 
 told, eight years. He then returned to the i>rac- 
 tice of law. gradually working into a claim busi- 
 ness .at Washington, to which city he removed 
 about 1><74. In that city he died, on Saturday, 
 Dec. 2-2, l>ss;;. He had a large family. CaHeton, 
 one of his sous, was an ollieer in tiie Third Iowa 
 Cavalry during the war. 
 
 (Jov. Lowe was a man of detail, accurate and 
 industrious. lu private and public life he was 
 pure, upright and honest. lu religious faith he 
 was inclined to bo a !>piritualist. 
 
 4 
 
 *t 
 
C/<^:^i^' 
 
-4•- 
 
 GOVEliNORS OF IOWA. 
 
 
 ^ ^^ / /!a a \- /^a. 
 
 
 
 '->-!><-- 
 
 
 HE fifth Governor of Jowa 
 was Samuel J. Kirkwooil. 
 Ill' was liorn in Hartford 
 Ciiimly, JNIil., on his father's 
 farm. Hoc. 20, l.Slo. His 
 father was twice married, 
 / first to a. lady named C'oulson, 
 who became the mother of two 
 sons. After the death of this 
 companifin. the elder Kirkwood 
 was united in marriage with 
 Jhuy Alexander, who horc liini 
 three children, all of wiiom were 
 sons. Of this little family .Samuel 
 was the yoinigest, and when ten 
 years of age was sent to Washington City to at- 
 tend a school taught by John 'McLeod, a relative of 
 the family. Here he remained for four years, giv- 
 ing diligent attention to his studies, at the close of 
 which time he entered a drug store at AVashington 
 as clerk. In this cajiacity he continued with the 
 exception of eighteen months, until he reached his 
 majority. During the interval referred to, ,young 
 Kirkwood was living the life of a pedagogue in 
 York County, Pa. 
 
 In the year 1835, Samuel quit Washington and 
 came westward to Hi<'liland County, Ohio. His 
 fatlier and lirulhcr Ii.'kI preceded him from Mary- 
 land, locating upon a tiniliered farm in the Huckeye 
 State. Here .Sainuel lent them valualile assistance 
 in clearing the farm. He was ambitious to enter 
 the legal profession, and in the year 1841. an oi)por- 
 
 tunity was afforded him to enter the office of 
 Thomas W. Bartley, afterwanl (iovernor of Ohio. 
 The following two years he gave diligent applica- 
 tion to his liooks, and in 1843, was admitted to 
 ])ractice by the Supreme Court of Ohio. lie was 
 then fortunate enough to form an association in 
 the practice of his profession with his former pre- 
 ceptor, which relations continued for eight years. 
 
 From 1845 to 184!) he served as Pro-secuting 
 Attorney of his county. In 184',i he was elected 
 as a Democrat to rejiresent his county and district 
 in the Constitutional Convention. In 1851 Mr. 
 Bartley, his partner, having been elected to the 
 Supreme Judiciary of the State, Kirkwood formed 
 a partnership with Barnabas Barns, with whom he 
 continued to practice until the spring of 1855, 
 when he removed to the West. 
 
 Up to 1854 Mr. Kirkwood had .acted with the 
 Democratic party. But the measures proposed and 
 sustained that year by the Democracy in Congress, 
 concentrated in what was known as the Kansas- 
 Nebraska Act, drove him with hosts of anti-slavery 
 Democrats out of the party. He was besought by 
 llie o|)position in the "Richland District" to be- 
 come their candidate for Congi-ess, but declined. 
 In 1855 he came to Iowa and settled two miles 
 northwest of Iowa City, entering into a partnership 
 with his brother-in-law, Kzekiel Clark, in the mill- 
 ing business, and kei)t aloof from jinblic affairs. 
 He coidd not hmg conceal his record and abilities 
 from his neighbors, however, and in 1856 he was 
 elected to the State Senate from the district com- 
 
 ■► 
 
-^*- 
 
 128 
 
 SAMUKL J. KIHKWOOI). 
 
 4 
 
 posed of the counties of Iowa ami Johnson, and 
 served in the last session of the J>e<iisl:itnie held at 
 Iowa City and the first nur lul<l at I)«-s Moines. 
 
 In l.S.J!» ^Ir. KirkwiMid was iiiaile tlie standard- 
 bearer of the Ho|)iililieans of Iowa, ami tliougii lie 
 had as able and [lopnlar a coniiictitor as Gen. A. 
 C. Dodge, he was elected (Jovernor of Iowa hy a 
 majority of over o.OOO. lie was iiiaujiu rated Jan. 
 11, 18G0. Before tiie exiiiiation of his first term 
 came the great Civil War. As (iovernor. during 
 the darkest days of tlie Rclu'llion, he iKnforined an 
 exceedingly iniixirtant duty. He .■■eciued a promjit 
 response by voliniteers to all re(pusitinns by the 
 F"ederal (;o\ernnienl on the State for troojjs, so 
 tiiat during Ids (iovernor>iiip no "draft" tooi< 
 l)laee in Iowa, and no regiment, except tlie first, 
 enlisted for less than three years. At the same 
 time he maintaiueil the State's fiiiaiiriid credit. 
 The Legislature, at its extra session in 18G1, 
 authorized the sale of *8()().()0() in bonds, to assist 
 in arming and i(| nipping troops. So frugally was 
 this work done, that but ^.'iOO,!)!)!) of the bonds 
 were sold, and the remaining «!.')()(),0()() not having 
 been required, the bond; rei)resenting this amount 
 were destroyed by order of the succeeding Legis- 
 lature. 
 
 In October, lS(il,(iov. Kiikwooil was, with com- 
 paratively little opposition, re-elected — an honor 
 accorded for the first time in the history of the 
 State. His majority was about 18. 000. During 
 his second term he was appointed liy I're.-idcnt 
 Lincoln to be Minister to Denmark, but he declined 
 to enter upon hi> diplomatic duties until the ex[iii'- 
 •ition of his term as (Iovernor. The [xisiticm was 
 kept open for him until that time, but, when it 
 came, pressing private business compelled a declin- 
 ation of the oHlce altogether. 
 
 In January, 18GG, he was a iironiinent candidate 
 before the Legislature for liiiled States Scnatoi-. 
 Senat(,>r Harlan had resigned the Senatiir>hip upon 
 
 his ai)pointnieiit to the ofik^e of Secretary of the 
 Interior by President Lincoln, just before his 
 death, but had withdrawn from the cabinet soon 
 .•ifter the accession of Mr. Johnson to the I'lc-i- 
 dencN. lu this way it happened that the Legishi- 
 tuic had luo terms of L'nited States Senator to fill, 
 a short term of two j-ears, to fill Harlan's unexpired 
 term, and a long term of six years to imnu'diately 
 succeed this; and Harhm had now become a candi- 
 date for his own successorship, to whiih Kirkwood 
 also aspired, ritimately, Kirkwood was clci-ted 
 for the first and Harlan for the second term. Dur- 
 ing his brief Senatorial service. Kirkwood did not 
 hesitate to measure swords with Senator Sumner, 
 whose natural egotism had begotten in him an ar- 
 rogant and dictatorial manner, borne with humbly 
 until then by his colleagues, in deference to his 
 long experience and eminent al)ility, but uupalata- 
 lile to an independent Wotern Senator like Kirk- 
 wood. 
 
 At the choc of his Senatorial term. March I, 
 18(i7, he resumed tlie practice of law, whieh a few 
 3'ears later he reliiupiishcd to accept the I'residency 
 of the Iowa City Savings r.ank. In 187.") he was 
 again electe<l (U>veriior, and was inaugurated Jan. 
 l;i, 187(1. He served but little over a year, as 
 eailv in 1877 he was cho.-.cn L'nitcd States .Senator. 
 He filled this position four years, resigning to be- 
 come Secretary of the Interior in I'resident (iar- 
 I lield's Cabinet. In this ottice he was succeeded, 
 April 17, 188-i, by Henry .M. Teller, of C<ilora<lo. 
 
 (Jov. Kirkwood ii'turued to Iowa City, his home, 
 where he >till l■e^ides, being now advanced in years. 
 He was m.arried in 181.), to .Mis~ Jane Clark, a na- 
 tive of ( )hio. 
 
 In 188(1 Mr. Kirkwood was nominated for Con- 
 gress by the Republicans of his district. Consider- 
 able interest was manifested in the contest, as both 
 the Labor and Democratic parties had popular can- 
 didates ill the held. 
 
 "' '-^^Ml^y^^ ' 
 
 ^h^ 
 
 4 
 
^4 
 
 c^k2: 
 
u 
 
 GOVERNORS OF IOWA. 
 
 ^i^h-* 
 
 131 
 
 ••o*o..@^<^..ofo.. 
 
 ILLJA.M M. STONE, the 
 !ii\tl> (iovenior of Iowa, was 
 ►1 horn Oct. 11, 1.S-J7. His 
 ,^ IKUTiits, Tiuiiuni :iii(l La- 
 [M t ^ '"'^ (North) Stone, who 
 f^ well' of Knjili>li ancestry, 
 moved to Lewis County, N. 
 Y., wlien William was l)ut a 
 year old. William's grandfather, Aaron 
 Stone, was in the secf)nd war with En- 
 gland. M'hen our subject was six j'ears 
 of age his parents moved into Ohio, lo- 
 cating ill Coshoctoii County. Like many 
 other self-made men, William M. had few 
 j^?-V advantages, lie never attended a school 
 >f any kind more than twelve months. 
 In hoyhood he was for two seasons a team-driver 
 on the Ohio Canal. At seventeen he was appren- 
 ticed to the chairm.'iker's trade, and lie followed 
 that Inisiness until he was twenty-threi? years of 
 age, reading law meantime <liiiing his span; hours, 
 wherever he happeiieil to he. lie commenced at 
 Coshocton, with .lames Mathews, who afterward 
 hecanie his fatlu'i-in-law; contiinu'd liis reading 
 with (len. Lucius \' . Pierce, of Akron, and lini>hed 
 with Ezra 15. Taylor, of Ravenna. He was adniltled 
 to the bar in August, l^i.jl, l)y I'eter Hitchcock 
 and Rnfns V. Ranney, Supreme Judges, holding a 
 term of court at Ravenna. 
 ..4m 
 
 After practicing three years at Coshocton with 
 his old [ireceptor. James Mathews, he. in Novemher, 
 1.S.J4, settled in Knoxville, which has remained his 
 home since. The 3^ear after locating here Mr. 
 Stone i)urchased the Knoxville Journal, and was 
 one of the prime movers in forming the Repuhlican 
 party in Iowa, being the first editor to suggest a 
 State Convention, which met Feb. 22, 18o(!. and 
 completed the organization. In the autimin of the 
 same year he was a Presidential electtir on the Re- 
 publican ticket. 
 
 In AiM'il, 1857, Mr. Stone was chosen Judge of 
 the Eleventh Judicial District. He was elected 
 Judge of the Sixth Judicial District when the new 
 Constitution went into operation in Is.'iS, ;ind was 
 serving on the bench when the American Hag was 
 stricken down at Fort Sumter. At that time, 
 .Vpiil, isiil, he was holding court in Faiilield, 
 .letTersoii County, and when the news came of the 
 insult to the old Hag lie immediately adjourned 
 court ami [irepared for what he believed to be more 
 important duties — duties to his coiinlry. 
 
 In May he enlisted as a private; was made Cap- 
 lain of Co. H, Third Iowa Inf., an<l was subse- 
 iiuently promoted to .Major. Willi that regiment 
 he was at the liattle of ISlue ^lill. Mo., in Septem- 
 ber, ISiil, where he was wounded. At Shiloh, the 
 folhiwing spring, he eommanded thi' regiment and 
 was taken piisouer. By order of Jeffersou Davia 
 
-4»- 
 
 132 
 
 4- 
 
 WILLIAM M. STONE. 
 
 he was paneled for the time of forty chiys. with 
 orders to repair to Washington, and if possible 
 secure an agreement for a cartel for a general ex- 
 change of prisoners, and to return as a i)risoner if 
 he did not succeed. Failing to secure that result 
 within the jieriod specified, he returned to Rich- 
 mond and had his parole extended fifteen days ; re- 
 pairing again to Washington, he effected his pur- 
 ))Ose and was exchanged. 
 
 In August, 1«G2, lie was a[)[)ointed bj- Gov. 
 Kirkwooil Colonel of the Twenty-second Iowa 
 Infantry, which rendezvoused and organized at 
 Camp Pope, Iowa Citj% liic same month. The 
 regiment was occupied for several months in guard- 
 ing suiiply stores and tlic railroad, and escorting 
 sui>i)iy trains to the Army of the Southeast Mis- 
 souri until Jan. 27, IJSOS, when it received orders 
 to join the army under (ien. Davidson, at West 
 Plains, yio. ^Vftcr a march of five days it reached 
 its destination, and was brigaded with the Twenty- 
 first and Twenty-third Iowa icgiments. Col. Stone 
 commanding, and was designated the First Brigade, 
 First Division, Army of Soutiicast Missouri. Ai)ril 
 I found Col. Stone at Millikcn's IJcnd, La., to assist 
 (Jrant in the caiitnre of N'ickslmrg. lie was now 
 in immediate command of his regiment, which 
 formeil a ])art of a brigade under Col. C. L. Harris, 
 of the Eleventh Wisconsin. In the advance upon 
 Port (iibson Col. Harris was taken siek. and Col. 
 Stone was again in charge of a brigade. In the 
 battle of Port (iibson liie Colonel ;ind his com- 
 mand distinguished thtuuselves, and were successful. 
 
 The brigade was in the reserve at Champion Hills, 
 and in active skirmish at Black River. 
 
 On the evening of Ma\' 21 Col. Stone received 
 Gen. (irant's order for a general assault on thi' 
 enemy's lines at 10 A. M. on the 22d. In tiiis 
 charge, which was unsuccessfid. Col. Stone was 
 again wounded, receiving a gunshot in tln' left 
 forearm. Col. Stone commanded a brigade until 
 the last of August, when, being ordered to the Gulf 
 Department, he resigned. He liad lieeonie very 
 pojjular with the i)eo[)!e of k>wa. 
 
 He was nominated in a Republican convention, 
 held at Des Jloines in .Tnr.c. LSt;;!. and was elected 
 by a very large majority. He was breveted Brig- 
 adier-General in 18(>4. during !iis first year as Gov- 
 ernor. He was inaugurated Jan. 14, 18G4,and was 
 re-elected in 18().'), his four years in office closing 
 Jan. 10, 1868. His majority ir. 1863 was nearly 
 30,000, and in 186,') about 16,.")00. His diminished 
 vote in 1865 was due to the fact that he was very 
 strongly committed in favor of negro suffrage. 
 
 (Jov. Stone made a verj- energetic and iflieient 
 Executive. Since the expiration of his gubernatorial 
 term he has sought to escape the i>ublic notice, and 
 has given his time to his private l)usiness interests. 
 He is in partnershi]) with Hon. O. B. .Vyres, of 
 Knoxville. in legal i)ractice. 
 
 He was elected to the General Assembly in 1877. 
 and served one term. 
 
 In May. I8.')7. Iienuirried Miss Carloaet Mathews, 
 M native of Ohio, then residing in Kno.vvillc. They 
 have one son — William A 
 
 ^^Mj^, 
 
 •> m ^ 
 
 "^^^T^ 
 
,t 
 
 GOVERNORS OF IOWA. 
 
 13.". 
 
 ^>rTs3r' 
 
 /;?\v\K.^a. 
 
 
 
 ''K 
 
 ^ iN^''^>^^ F 
 
 >>-- 
 
 ..o*o..@X1q)..o»o.. 
 
 AMl'EL I\[ERRILL.rTOvernor 
 
 fnmi l.sii.sto 1S72, was horn 
 } ill Oxfonl t'omitv, Maine, 
 Aiiif. 7, 1H22. He is a dc- 
 v> sccndant iin liis motlicr's si<lt> 
 c <il' I'ctfi' Hill, will) canic fruiii 
 l-jiiilaiiil and si'tUcd in Maine 
 in 1 (;.").!. Fioin tins anccstiv iiavc 
 piling most of till' Hills in Anicii- 
 ca. On his fatiicr's side lie is a de- 
 ccndant of Xallianicl .MciTill, who 
 caino from iMi.^land in Kl.id.and lo- 
 cated in .Massaclinselts. Xatlianiel 
 had a son. Daniel, who in turn had 
 .'I son nanieil .lolin. ;iiid he in tnrn 
 lieiiat a son called Thonias. The 
 latter w.-is l)orn !)(■<■. IS. ITd.S. On the 1th of Ang- 
 ii~l. 172S. was lioni to him a son. S.-iiiiiiel, who was 
 married and had a family of twelve children, one of 
 whom. AIk'I. was t.iken by his fallier to Koston in 
 1 7.")0. Aliel was marrieil to Kli/.alielh Paye, who 
 had five children, one of whom, Abel. .Ir.. was the 
 lather of oiir snl>ject. He married Aliifi'.ail Hill 
 .Inne 'J.'i. I so;), and to them were born eitrlit chil- 
 dren, Samiiel beiiiy the yoiinncst but one. At the 
 ajr<' ">f sixteen Saninel moved with his parents to 
 IJnxlon. .Maine, the native place of his mother, 
 where his lime was employed in turns in teachinii: 
 and attendiiifj school until he attained his majority. 
 Having <let<'ni)ined to make teaching a profe.s.si<>n, 
 and feelinjj tli.at the South offered better oi)portu- 
 nities, he iinine(|iatelv set out for that section. He 
 
 remained, however, but a short time, iis lie says " he 
 was born too far North." Siisiiicion iiavinij lieen 
 raised as to his aliolition principles ;iiid lindiiiLC the 
 element not altoii'ctiier conjj'enial, he soon abandoned 
 the sunny South and went to the old (Jranite State, 
 where the next .several years were spent in tanning'. 
 In 1S47 he moved to 'ramwortli, N. H., where lie 
 engaged in the mercantile business in coinp.aiiy with 
 a brother, in which he w;is (piite successful. Not 
 being sati.stieil with the limite<l resources of North- 
 ern New JMigl.-iud he <leterinined to try his good 
 fortune on the broad prairies of the fertile West. 
 
 It was in the year 1S.")(; that Mr. Merrill turned 
 his face toward the setting sun, linding a desirable 
 location near McGregor, Iowa, where h<' ot.ililishcd 
 a liranch house of the ohl firm. The popnialioii in- 
 creased, as also did their trade. :ind their house be- 
 came one of the most, extensive wholesale eslabli.-ll- 
 meuts on the I'ltpei' .Mississippi. Duriugall these 
 years of business Mr. .Merrill look ;in .■ictive part in 
 politi<'s. In 1 s.'i 1 he w;is chosen on the aliolition 
 ticket to the Legislature of New Hampshire. The 
 following year he was again retnrnc<l |o the Legis- 
 lature, and doubtless had hi' ii'inaiiicil in that Strife 
 would have risen still higln'r. Incoming to Iowa, 
 his experience ami ability were demanded b\' his 
 neigllbc>rs, and he was here calh'd into public ser\ - 
 ice. He was sent to the Legislature, .'iiid though 
 assembled with the most distingnishi'd men of Ids 
 time, took a leading i)art in the important services 
 (h'ln.'inded of that body. The Legisl:itnre was con- 
 vened in an extra .ses<ioii of isdl, to provi<)e for 
 
 ■» 
 
4 
 
 136 
 
 SAMUEL MERRILL. 
 
 the exigencies of the Reliellion, and in its deliber- 
 ;iti(ins ^[r. Merrill took an active i)ai't. 
 
 In tlie siinnner of l.s(i2. Jlr. Merrill was commis- 
 sioned Colonel of the 2 1st. Iowa Infantry, and im- 
 mediately went to the front. At the time Marma- 
 duke was nienacinji the Uni<m forces in Missouri, 
 which called for promjjt action on the part of the 
 ITnion (Jenerals, Col. Merrill was placed in com- 
 mand, with detachments of the 21st Iowa and !(l)th 
 Illinois, a portion of the .">d Iowa Caxalry and two 
 l)ieces of .artillery, with orders to make a forced 
 march to Sprinjilicld. he lieing' at the time eii>iity 
 miles distant. On the morning of .Ian. II. ISO:!, 
 he came across a body of Confederates who were 
 advancing in heavy force. Immediate preparations 
 for battle were made by Col. Merrill, and after brisk- 
 ly firing for an hour, the enemy fell back. Merrill 
 then moved in the direction of Hartvillc, where he 
 found the enemy in force under Marmaduke, being 
 about eight thousand strong, while Merrill had but 
 one-tenth of that number. A hot struggle ensued 
 in which the Twenty-first distinguished itself. The 
 Confederate loss was several oflicers and three hun- 
 dred men killed and wounded, while the Union loss 
 was but seven killed and sixty-four wounded. The 
 following winter the regiment performed active 
 service, taking-part in the campaign of \icksburg. 
 It fought under ^McClernand at Port (iib.son, and 
 while making the famous ciiarge of Black River 
 Iiridge. Col. Alerrill was severely wounded thi'ough 
 the hip. He was laid up IVoiii tiie 17th of May to 
 .lauuary. when he again joiiu'd his regiment in 
 Texas, and in .lunc. l!S(;4, on account of suffering 
 from ills wound, resigned and returned to Mc- 
 (•regor. Ill lK(i7 Mr. Merrill was chosen (iov- 
 crnor of the State, being elected upon the Kcjaib- 
 liean ticket. lie served with such satisfaction, that 
 in 18(J!» he was rc-nominated and accordingly 
 elected. 
 
 Under the administration of Gov. Merrill, 
 the movement for the erection of the new State 
 House was inangiiiated. The Thirteenth (icneial 
 A.ssenil)ly [irovided for the building at a cost of 
 ijil ,r)()(),()()0, and made an appro|iri;ition with which 
 to begin the work of *1.')0,00(). With this sum the 
 work was begun, and Nov. 2.'5, l.sTl, the corner 
 st(jne was laid in the presence of citizens from all 
 .^t- ii^— — — .^^^— _— ^— _ 
 
 parts of the State. On this occasion the (Jovcrnor 
 delivered the address. It was an historical view of 
 the incidents culminating in the labors of the day. 
 It was replete with historical facts, showed patient 
 research, was logical and argumentative, and at times 
 eloquent with the fire and genius of American pa- 
 triotism. It is a pajjer worthy of the occasion, 
 and does justice to the head and heart that cnu- 
 ceived it. 
 
 During the gubernatorial career of Gov. Mer- 
 rill, extending through two terms, from Janu- 
 ary, 18G8, to .lanuary. 1872, he was .actively en- 
 gaged in the discharge of his oflicial duties, and 
 probably no incumbent of that office ever devoted 
 himself more earnestly to the public good, stand- 
 ing by the .side of (iov. Fairchild, of Wisconsin. 
 The two were instrumental in placing the slack- 
 water navigation betwei'ii the Mississippi .•ind the 
 Lakes in the way of ultimate and certain success. 
 The Governor treated this subject to great length 
 and with marked ability in his message to the Thir- 
 teenth General Assembly, and so earnest was he in 
 behalf of this imi)rovemeiit, that he again discussecl 
 it in his message to the Fourteenth (Jeueral .Vssem- 
 bly. In the instigation of the work the (ioverimrs 
 of the different States interested, called (•onventiou>. 
 and through the deliberations of these assemblies 
 the aid of the (Jeneral (iovernmeut was secured. 
 
 Samuel Merrill was first marrie<l to C;itlierine 
 Thomas, who died in 1 S 17, fourteen months after 
 their marriage. In .l.iiniMiy, l.s.'il.he was united 
 in marriage with a Miss Hill, of liuxton, Maine. 
 She liecame the mother of four children, three of 
 wlioiii <lie<l young, the eldi'st living to be only two 
 anil a half years old. 
 
 After the expiration of his public M'r\ ice he re- 
 turned to McGregor, but shortly .'ifterward removed 
 to l)es Moines, where he is now residing, and is 
 I'resident of the Citizens' National l>aiik. 
 
 Thus brii'llv have been poiute(l nut the leading 
 features in the life of one of Iowa's nio>l promi- 
 nent citizens, and one who h;is made an honorable 
 record both in public po>itions and private enter- 
 prises. He is highly esteemed in the city where he 
 resides and is regarded as one of the faithful rep- 
 resentatives of the sons of New England. In stat- 
 ure he is fully six feet high and finely proporliouivl. 
 
 ^—^ •► 
 
'^/S'r&e^^^ 
 
-4^ 
 
 GOVERNORS OP IOWA. 
 
 139 
 
 
 rj^f^'i^^ d^^if gcti^^^^^ 
 
 ^4s?--^ 
 
 YRUS CLAY CAHPENTER, 
 
 Governurof lowiifi-om l!^72 
 
 . to 1S7."), iiiclusivi', was horn 
 
 L in SusqiU'lianna County, ]^a., 
 
 Fm Nov. 21, is-_'i). lU-w.is left 
 
 ^ ~^sj'> ■'" "''l''''"i "t "" >"ii'Iy ai>(', lii.s 
 
 -vit«-fc.' iiiutluT (lyinji- wlion lie was at 
 
 -^>*<-^ 
 
 -SC-~^ 
 
 j 1-^ till. ;|iro of ten years, and his father two 
 li-4. vi.Mi-s later. He was left in destitute 
 eireiiuistanees, and went lirst to learn 
 W^WK) the trade of a elothiei-, which, however, 
 lie abandoned after a few mouths, and 
 enjjasred with a fanner, ijiviuy a term 
 in the winter, however, to attendance 
 n|)on the district s<lioiil. When eiijhteeu 
 he Iiejjan teaciiiny' school, and the fol- 
 lowiiiij four years divided his time lietween teach- 
 injj and altendiiiu; the academy at Hartford. At 
 the conclusion of this jieriod he went t(j Ohio, 
 wheie he I'm^aifecl as a teacher for a year and a 
 half, siieudinic the summer at farm work. 
 
 In the yi'ar 1 s.'i I Mr. Car|)enter came further 
 westward, visiting many points in Illinois and 
 Iowa, arriving at Des Moines, then a village of 
 some 1,200 inhaliitants. This place, however, not 
 ottering a favondile location, he jiroceeded on his 
 journey, arriving in Eort Dodge .June 28, 1854. 
 Owing to his lieing without funds In- w.as coniitelled 
 to travel on foot, in wliicli w.ay the journey to Fort 
 Dodge was made, with his entire worldly jiosscs- 
 sions in a carpet-sack which he carried in his hand, 
 lie sotjn fouu<l emi)loynient at Fort Dodge, as as- 
 sistant to a Government surveyor. This work be- 
 
 ing completed, yonng Carpenter assisted his land- 
 loril in cutting h:iy, but soon secured another 
 position as a surveyor's assistant. In the early 
 part of the following .lanuary he engaged in teach- 
 ing school at Fort Dodge, but in the spring was 
 employc<l to take charge of a set of surveyors in 
 surveying the counties of Emmet and Kossuth. 
 
 On his I'eturu to Fort Dodge he found the lan<l- 
 oflice, which had been esb-dilishcd at. that pliU'c, 
 was al)out to open for the sali' of land. Heing 
 familiar with the country and the location of the 
 l)est land, he openeil a piivate land-office, and 
 found constant and prolitable emjiloynient for the 
 following three years, in [ilatting aii<l surveying 
 lau<ls for those seeking homes. During this period 
 he became extensively known, and, being an active 
 Republican, he was chosen as a standard-bearer for 
 his section of the Slate, lie was ek'cted to the 
 Legislature in the autumn of |.s.'>7. In l.stil, on 
 the lireaking out of the Kcbelliou. he voluuteeicd 
 and was assigmed to <luty as Commissary of Sub- 
 sistence, much of the time being Chief Commissary 
 of the left wing of the Kith Army Corps. In ISCl 
 he was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel and assignci) 
 to duty on the statT of Gen. Logan, as Chief Com- 
 niissar}' of the l.'ith Arm3' Corps. lie continued in 
 the service until the close of the war. and in 
 August, IHO.'), was mustered out. 
 
 Upon the close of his service to his I'ountry he 
 returned to his home at Fort Dodge, but, owing to 
 so many changes which had taken i)lace, and such 
 an influx of enterprising men into the city, he 
 found his once prosperous business in the lianda of 
 
 -••■ 
 
 ■•► 
 
•^1^^^ 
 
 I to 
 
 CYRUS CLAY CARPENTER. 
 
 others. He turned hi:* attention to the improve- 
 ment of a piece of land, where he remained until 
 his election, in the aulunui of 18G(J, :is Register of 
 the State Land-Otiice. He was re-elected in IXIjS, 
 and refused the nomination in 1870. This position 
 took him to Des Moines, hut in 1870 he returned 
 to Fort Dodge. During the summer of the follow- 
 ing year he was nominated b^' the Republican part}' 
 for Governor. He was elected, and inaugurated as 
 Chief Executive of Iowa Jan. 11,1872. In 187:3 
 he Wiis renominated by his i)arty, and October 14 
 of that year was re-elected, his inauguration taking 
 place Jan. 27, 1874. Gov. Carpenter was an able, 
 jjopular and faithful Executive, and was regarded 
 as one of the most honest, prominent and unselfish 
 oHicials the State ever had. Plain, unassuming, 
 modest, he won his public position more through 
 the enthusiasm of his friends than by any personal 
 effort or desire of his own. Everywhere, at all 
 times and upon all occasions, he demonstrated that 
 the confidence of his friends was justified. He took 
 an active part in the great (lucslion of monopolies 
 and transportation evils, which during his adminis- 
 tration were so prominent, doing much to secure 
 wise legislation in these respects. 
 
 Gov. Carpenter has been regarded as a public 
 speaker of more than ordinary ability, and has 
 \\l»m many occasions been the orator, and always 
 ai)i)rcciated b3' the jieople. 
 
 At the expiration of his second term as Governor 
 Mr. Ca;pentcr was ai)poiuted Second Comptroller 
 of the United States Treasury, which jiosition he 
 resigned after a service of fifteen months. This 
 step was an evidence of his unselfishness, as it was 
 taken because another Bureau olilcer was to be dis- 
 missed, as it was held that Iowa had more heads of 
 Bureaus than she was entitled to, and his resigning 
 an office of the higher grade savetl the position to 
 another. In 1881 he was elected to Congress, and 
 served with ability, and in the Twentieth General 
 Assendjly of Iowa he represented Webster County. 
 
 Gov. Carpenter was married, in March, 18C4, to 
 Miss Susan Burkholder, of Port Dodge. No chil- 
 dren have been born to them, but they have reared 
 a niece of Mrs. Carpenter's. 
 
 During his entire life Mr. Carpenter ha- been de- 
 voted to the principles of Keform and the best 
 
 interests of all chisses of citizens who, by adoDtion 
 or by birth-right, are entitled to a home uix>n our 
 soil and the [n'otection of our laws, under the great 
 charter of " Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Hap- 
 piness." In an address in 1852 he took advanced 
 views upon the leading subjects of public interest. 
 He had already laid the foundation for that love of 
 freedom which afterwards found an ample field of 
 labor with the Republican party. There was notli- 
 ing chimerical in his views. He looked at ever^' 
 strata of human society, and, from the wants of the 
 masses, wisely devined dutj' and prophesied destiny. 
 He would have the people of a free Republic edu- 
 cated in the spirit of the civilization of the age. 
 Instead of cultivating a taste f< .■ a species of liter- 
 ature tending directly" to degrade the mind antl 
 deprave the heart, thereby leading back to a state 
 of superstition and consequent liarbarisin, he w.^uld 
 cultivate princijjles of temperance, industry' and 
 economy in every youthful mind, as the indispens- 
 able ingredients of good citizens, or subjects ujion 
 whose bar.ner will be inscribed Liberty, Ecpiality. 
 Fraternit3'. 
 
 Thus early in life Mr. Carpenter saw the destineo 
 tendency of our American institutions, and the ad- 
 vancing civilization of the age. He saw it in the 
 peace congress, whose deliberations have made the 
 Rhine thrice immortid. He saw it in the prospect- 
 ive railway, which he believed would one day 
 unite the shores of the Atlantic with those of the 
 Pacific — a fact realized bj- the construction of the 
 great continentivl railway. 
 
 It was thus early that he began to study the 
 wants of the world, and with what clearness and 
 din'ctiiess may be seen by the correctness of his 
 vision and the acconiplisiuaent of what he consid- 
 ered an iueviUible necessit}'. 
 
 Thus, growing up into manhood, and passing on- 
 ward in the rugged i)athway of time, disciplined in 
 political econom}' and civil ethics in the stern 
 school of experience, he was prepared to meet every 
 emergency with a steady hand; to bring order out 
 of discord, and insure harmony and prosiierit^". 
 
 (iov. Carpenter is now engaged in the quiet pur- 
 suits of farm life, residing at Fort Dodge, where 
 he is highly esteemed as one of her purest minde<l 
 and most upright citizens. 
 
 •►HH^ 
 
■^•- 
 
 fiOVERNORS OF IOWA. 
 
 14:1 
 
 OSnUA 0. NEWBOLI), the 
 
 ninth (iovcrnor of Iowa, is 
 ;i niitivi" of Pennsylvania. 
 He conifs from tiiat cxfpllpnt 
 stock known a.s tiio Frienrls, 
 wild vi'i-y early settlcil in 
 New .lersey. .loshiia (1. is the 
 son of Barzilla and Catherine 
 (House) Newbold, and was born 
 in Fayette County, May 12, 
 iH.'iO. He was horn a farnier'.s 
 lioy and was reared in tiie vigor- 
 ous enii>Ioynient of farm work. 
 When he was eiijlit years of age the 
 family moved to \\'estnioreland 
 County. I'a., where, in the eomnion 
 schools and in a select school or acailemy, young 
 Xewliold received his education. W'licii sixteen 
 years of age he a<'coni|)anie(l tiie family on llieir re- 
 turn to Fayj'tte County. Here for tlie following 
 eight years he assistcil iiis fatiicr in running a llour- 
 ing-mill as well as devoting nuich of iiis time to 
 teaching school. When alniut nineteen years of 
 .age our subject began the .study of medicine, de- 
 voting nnu-h of his time while teaching to his nu'd- 
 ical books. He, however, aluuidoned the idea of 
 becoming a physician and turned his .•Utention to 
 different walks in life. 
 
 In till" mouth of March, IS.'i t, Mr. Xewbold re- 
 movc<l to biwa, locating on a farm, now ji.'irtl^' in 
 the corix)ration of M(junt Tleasant, Henry Count}'. 
 
 ■<^ 
 
 At the end of one yrar he removed to Cedar 
 Township, \:u\ IJurcn County, tiicre merchandising 
 •and f;u-niing til! aliout ISIIO, wiien lie removed t<» 
 HillsI)oro, Henry County, and ])ursued llu- same 
 callings. 
 
 In l.S(;2, wiieu llu" call was made for (UIO.DOll nu'U 
 to fniish the work of crushing !he Relieliion, Mr. 
 Newbold left his farm in the hands of his family 
 and his store in charge of his partuer, and went into 
 the army as Captain of Company C. 2.")th Regiment 
 of Iowa Infantry. He served nearly three years, 
 resigning just before tiie war closed, on .•icconnt of 
 disaliility. During tlie last two or three months he 
 served at the South lie lilicd the position of .Indge 
 Advocate, witli lic;id(|Marters at \VoodviIU', Ala. 
 
 His regiment was one of those that made Iowa 
 troops famous. It arrived at Helena. Ark., in 
 Novend>er, ISd-i, and sailed in Dcccmlicr following 
 on the expedition ag;unst N'ickshurg bv wav of 
 Chickasaw l>ayou. At the l:ittcr placi- w.as its first 
 engagement. Its second was at .Vrkausas I'ost. .Miid 
 there it suffered severely, losing in killed .-lud 
 wounded more than sixty. 
 
 After Lookout Mountain it joined in the pur>uit 
 of IJr.agg's flying forces to Ringifold, where it en- 
 gaged the enemy in their strong works Xovendier 
 27, losing twenty-nine wouuilc<l. The following 
 year it joined Shernuui it\ his .Vllanta Campaign, 
 then on the famous march to the sea and through 
 the C.arolinas. 
 
 On returning to Iowa he continued in the mer- 
 
 •> ^m M» 
 
4= 
 
 144 
 
 ^ 
 
 JOSHUA G. NEWBOLD. 
 
 cantile trade at Ilillsboro for three or fimr years, 
 and then sold out, giving thereafter his whole at- 
 tention to agriculture, stock-raising and stock-deal- 
 ing, making the st<jek department an important 
 factor in his business for several years. iNIr. New- 
 liold was a member of the \'Mi, 14th and l.jth (len- 
 eral Assenil)lies. rejjresenting Henry t'onnty, and 
 was Chairman of the School Committee in the 14th, 
 and of the committee on aiJ]iropiiations in the lath 
 (General Asseml)ly. Fn the I'llh (1.S74) he was ti'Ui- 
 jiorarv Speaker during the deadlock in organizing 
 the llonse. In 1S7.') he was elected Lieutenant 
 (ioveriKiron the Hepnlilican ticket wilh Samuel .1. 
 Kirk wood. 
 
 His Democratic conipeiitor was E. I). Woodward, 
 who received ",):i,n(;0 votes. Mr. Newbold received 
 l.'i4,i()(l, or a majority of 31,100. Cioveruor Kirk- 
 wood lieing elected United States Senator during 
 that session, Mr. Newbold Iiecame Oovernor, taking 
 the chair Feb. 1, 1H77, and vacating it for (J<»v. 
 (!ear in January, l*^7.s. 
 
 (iov. Newbold's message to the Leg;sl;itin-e 
 in 1H7.S, shows painstaking care and a clear, )iu>i- 
 ncss-likc view (if the interests of the State. His 
 recommendations were carefully consi<lcred and 
 largely a<loptcil. The State's linanci's were then in 
 a less creditalilc condition than ever before or 
 since, as there was an increasing lloating delit. then 
 amounting to ij<;!4l),.S-J(;..')r,. more than *'.l(),<l()() in 
 excess of the ('oust it utional limitation. Said (iov. 
 Ncwlidld in his message: "The commonwealth 
 ought not to set an example of <lilat(ii'incss 
 in meeting its (ibligations. Of all forms of indebt- 
 edness, that of a tloaling charactei' is the most ob- 
 jectionable. The uncertainty as to its amount will 
 
 invari.'dily enter into any computation made \>y per- 
 sons contracting with the State for supplii-s. mater- 
 ial or labor. To rcmovi' the present dilliculty. and 
 to avert its lecnrrence, I look upon as the most im- 
 portant work that will demand your attention." 
 
 One of the greatest problems Ijefore statesmen is 
 that of ecpial and just taxation. The following 
 recommendation shows that Oov. Newbold wa> 
 alireast with foremost thinkers, for it proposes a 
 step which yeaily finds more favor with the iH'oiik-: 
 '• The inequalities of the pcrsonal-iiidperty valu- 
 ations of the several <-ounties suggest to my mind 
 the propriety of so adjusting the State's levy as o> 
 re(piiri' the counties to \wy into the State treasury 
 only the tax on realty, leaving the corresponding 
 tax on personalty in the county treasury. This 
 would rest with each county the adjustment of its 
 own i)ersonal property valuations, without fear that 
 they might be so high as to work injustice to itself 
 in comparison with other counties." 
 
 (iov. Ncwiiold lias .-duays .-illiliated with the 
 Rci)ublican party, and holds t<i its great caiilinal 
 doctrines, having once cnd)raced them, with tlu' 
 same sincerity and honesty that he cherishes his re- 
 ligiijus scnliments. He has been a Christian for 
 something like twenty-five years, his C(»nuection be- 
 ing with the Free-Will Baptist Clunvh. lb' found 
 his wife, Rachel Faripihar, in Fayette County, Pa., 
 their union t.-ikiug place on the 2d of M.ay, ls.'>((. 
 4'hcy h;i\c had li\i' children and lo>t two. The 
 names of the living are Mary AUene, Emma 
 Irene and ( icorge C. 
 
 4'hc (ioNcrnor is not yet an old man. .-ind m:iy 
 serve his Stale or county in other ta|iacitic> in the 
 coming years. 
 
 
 H 
 
Jh^^^ 
 
 -Ce^-^^ 
 
4* 
 
 flOVERXOR.S OF IOWA. 
 
 
 -XS"N f V 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^i OHX II. (;EAI{, the tciitli 
 iTi'iitlciM.-m ti) ofciipy llic 
 f; I'lxociitive Chair "f Iowa, is 
 .still a ri'siilcnt of liiii'liiiiiton. 
 I If is a iialivc of llic Kiniiirc 
 State, Avlu'ie in the city of 
 Itliica, ApvilT, lS2."),lio waslioni. 
 Ivcv. E. (<. ficai, liis fatliiT, was 
 born in New London, t'onn., in 
 17!)2, and bccinieadistingnislu'd 
 cli'i-gyinan of the Protestant 
 Ei)iscoi)al C'lnireh. His family had 
 removed with him, while he was 
 still yonny, to Vittsfiold, IMass.,and 
 in the year ISHi, after his ordina- 
 tion as a clergyman of the Episeo- 
 ])al Chnrch, he wiiil to Xew York 
 and located at Onondaga Hill near 
 the city of Syraense. Shortly after 
 this settlement, the yonng ministiT 
 was nnit<'(l in marriage with ]\Iiss 
 Miranda E. Cook. After serving 
 varions congregations in AVestern 
 New York for many years, he de- 
 termined to Ijecome a pioneer in 
 Norilurn Illinois, which at the time, in the year 
 Is.iCi, was lieing rapiiUy settled up. He found a 
 desiralile location at (Jalena where he remained un- 
 til 1838, when he received the appointment as 
 Chaplain in tlie United States army while located 
 at Fort Snelling, Minn. He- lived a long and act- 
 ive life, doing much good, quitting his labors in 
 
 the year 187 f. at the advanced ago of eighty-two 
 years. 
 
 The only sou born to ^Ir. ami Mrs. E. CJ. Gear 
 was J. II., afterward Hie distinguishe<l (Jovernor of 
 Iowa. As aliove stated tlu' birtli o<'''nrred in I 8 •2.'). 
 In lS4.'j, when still a young man, he came AVest to 
 ISinlington, where lu^ has since continne(l to I'eside, 
 her most distinguished citizen. Shortly after his 
 arrival in the young city, ho embarked in ids nu'r- 
 cantile career, engaging at the time with the lirm 
 of Bridgman tfc IJros., in the capacity of a clerk. 
 Remaining with this lirm for a little over .a year, 
 he left them for an engagement with AV. V. Cool- 
 liaugh, who at one time was President of the 
 I'uion National IJank, of Chicago, ami who at that 
 early pei'ioil was the leading merch.aut of Ivistern 
 Iowa. He serveil Mr. Coolbangh so faithfally.and 
 with .such marked ability for the following live 
 years, that, when desiions of .a partner in his busi- 
 ness, the wealthy nicrcliant. <'oiili| liiid uo one in 
 whom he could place greater conHdeiice aiid witli 
 whom he could trust his extensive business rela- 
 tions that pleased him better than the yonng clerk. 
 Accordingly he was associated as .a partiur under 
 the firm name of AY. E. Coolbangh & Co. Under 
 this arrangement the firm did a i)ros;x'rons busi- 
 ness for the following live years, when Mr. dear 
 purchased the entire business, which he carried on 
 with marked success until he became known as tlie 
 oldest wholesale grocer in the St;ite. He 'sat present, 
 besides filling t)ther prominent busine.'^s velatiims, 
 President of the Rolling .Alill Co., of Gulesburg. 
 
148 
 
 .nuiN n. OEAR. 
 
 Mr.Ocar has been honored Ijy his Ic-ilow-citizons 
 with man}' positions of trust. In 1832 he was 
 elected Alderman; in 18G3 was elected Ma_yor 
 over A. W. Carpenter, being the first Kepuljlican 
 up to that time who had been elected in Rnrlington 
 on a party issue. In 1M7 the lUirlington, Cedar 
 Ro.pids & ]\Iinnesota TJailroad Company was organ- 
 ized, and he was chosen as its President. His ef- 
 foitj highly contributed to the success of the enter- 
 prise, which did nuich for Burlington. He was 
 also active in promoting the linrlington <fe South- 
 western Railwaj', as well as the Burlington & North- 
 western narrow-gauge road. 
 
 He has alwaj's acted with the Republican partj', 
 and in 1871 w.as nominated and elected a member 
 of the House C)f Representatives of the 14th 
 General Assembly. In 1873 he was elected to the 
 l.'ith General Assembly. The Republican cau- 
 cus of the House nominated him for Speaker liy 
 acclamation, and after a contest of two weeks he 
 w:i^ chosen over his opponent, J. W. Dixon. He 
 filled the position of Speaker very acceptably, and 
 at the close of the session all the members of the 
 House, independent of party afiiliations, joined in 
 signing their names to a resolution of thanks, which 
 was engraved and presented to him. In 187u he 
 was the third time nominated to the Assembl}' bj^ 
 the Re|)ublican party, and while his county gave a 
 large liemocratic vote he was again elected. He 
 was also again nomin.ated for Speaker liy the Re- 
 ])ublican caucus, and was elected liy a handsome 
 majority f)ver his competitor, Hon. .lohn Y. Stone. 
 He is the only man in the State wlio ever had tiie 
 hon(»r of being chosen to this high position a sec- 
 ond time. He enjoys the reputation of being an 
 able ])arliamentarian, his rulings never having been 
 a|)pealed from. At the close of the .sessi(m he 
 again received the unanimous thanks of the House 
 of Rei)resentatives for his courtesy and im])artiality, 
 and for the able and satisfactory manner in which 
 lie had i)reside<l over that body. 
 
 In 1877 he was nominated for Governor by the 
 Rei)nblican convention which met at Des Moines, 
 June 28, and at the election held the following 
 October he received 121,540 votes, against 79,353 
 for John P. Irish, 10,039 for Elias Jessup and 38,- 
 ■?2S for U. P. Stubbs. His plurality over Irish 
 
 was 42,193. He was inaugurated Jan. 17, 1878, 
 and served four years, being re-elected in 1879 liy 
 tiie following handsome vote: Gear, 157,")71; 
 Trimble, .h:),O,")0; Campbell, 45,439; Dung.an, 3,25K, 
 Gear's majority over all competitors, 23,828. His 
 second inauguration occurred in Januar}- of the 
 year 1880. 
 
 Gov. Gear's business habits enabled him to dis. 
 charge the duties of his office with marked aliility. 
 He found the financial condition of the State at a 
 low ebb, but raised low.a's credit to that of tlie 
 best of our States. In his last biennial message he 
 was able to report: "The warrants out-standing, 
 but not bearing interest, Sept. 30, 1881, amounted 
 to -$22,093.74, and there ai'e now in the treasury 
 ample funds to meet the current expenses of the 
 State. The war and defense debt has been paid, 
 except the warrants for $125,000 negotiated by the 
 Executive, Auditor and Treasurer, under the l:nv 
 of the 18th General Assembly, and ^2,500 ot 
 the original bonds not j'et presented for pay- 
 ment. The onh' other debt owing by the State 
 amounts to 1245,435.19, due to the iiermanent 
 school fund, a p(jrtion of which is miule irredeeni 
 able by the Constitution. These facts i)lace Iowa 
 practically among the Stiites which have no debt, 
 a consideration which nuist add much to her repu 
 tation. The expenses of the State for the last two 
 years are less than those of any other period since 
 ISO'.), and this notwithstanding tiie fact that the 
 State is to-daj' sust;iining several institutions not 
 then in existence; namely, the ho.spital at Inde- 
 pendence, the additional penitentiary, the Normal 
 School and tiie asylum for the feeble-minded chil- 
 dren, besides the girl's department of the reform 
 school. The State also, at present, makes provision 
 for fish culture, for a useful weather service, ^or 
 sanitary siiiiervision by a Board of Health, for en- 
 couraging immigration to the State, for the inspec- 
 tion of coal mines by a State Inspector, and liber- 
 ally for the military arm of the Government." 
 
 Gov. Gear is now in the sixty-first year of his 
 age, and is in the full vigor of both his mental and 
 physical faculties. He was married in 1852 to 
 Harriet S. Foot, forincriy of the town of Jliddlc- 
 bury, Vermont, by whom he has had four children, 
 two of whom are living. 
 
 
 ■•► 
 
 f 
 
(jj. OF. /At^^y% 
 
 ^^{yZ''^ 
 
■^•■ 
 
 ••»> 
 
 (iOVEHNOKS OF IOWA. 
 
 151 
 
 s fcfiJ>->,^. •- ^ 
 
 -•^'•- .^.aiaE^'i 
 
 <^ ^'^Tg))y-t.tA.t>.t. A.t..t.<.» .t».t>.t..1..f»A.T...t«.^^ ■'; -^i 
 
 jr^j-XK of tlio ino#t distinytii.slKMl 
 
 ijentk'iiK'ii wlio AVMS ever 
 
 lu inured with tlii' positiuii 
 
 of Chief Kxccutive of the 
 
 State is Buren R. Sheriiiiiii. 
 
 V G"^ the ek'vcntli (loveriior of 
 
 c> J 
 i:^ Iowa, who is a native of \ow Torl\. 
 
 >^(L?.0 It was in the town of I'helps, in On- 
 tario County, that he was horn to his 
 %!i!^J) l''ii't'»ts, I'hinoas L. anil Eveline 
 (Rohinson) Sherman, on llie 2Stli of 
 May, IH.'JCi, and was the tliird son of 
 ^^ a <listin,;,'nisiied family of children. 
 His ])arents were likewise natives of 
 the Knipire State. Bnren R. attende<l the j)iiMie 
 selionjs of his neinhliorliiHid, lint was snliseciuentlv 
 jfiven ad\:int;iu('S of the sehoiils at .VIniira, X. Y.. 
 wjiere Ik- aecpiired a very tiioroutfh knuwledyc; of 
 the English branehes. Ills father, wiio was a ine- 
 eiianie, ad\ ised him at tiie close of his studies to 
 ainirentiee himself to learn sonic traile. He ae- 
 eordingly made such arrangements with S. .Vyers, of 
 Almira, to learu the trade of a watehniaker. In 
 I s.'i.'i, however, he left this |io>ition and jdiiied his 
 family on their removal to the then new State of 
 Iowa. They settled upon a jiieeeof unliroken jirai- 
 rie land on what is now Geneseo 'I ownship, Tama 
 ■^»- 
 
 County, his father having previously jjurehascd 
 land from the Government. Here Buren R. labored 
 diligently in developing his father's fields, devoting, 
 however, leisure hours whiehhe was granted, to the 
 study fif law. Before leaving his Eastern home he 
 had decided upon that Jjrofession ai;<l began its 
 study while yet in Almira. He s<ion secured a. jio- 
 sition as a book-keeper in a neighlioring town, and 
 with the wages earned there, materially assi.wted his 
 father in the development of their Imme farm, lu 
 the meantime he had ap|)lieil himself diligently to 
 the stmly of his bo<iks, and .so studious had he 
 been that in the summer < if 1 s."il), he was en.abled 
 t(^ pass a creditable exaniinalionand to be admitted 
 to the bar. The following spring the young attor- 
 ney moved to \'inton, hung out his shingle and be- 
 gan the practiceof his ])rofession. He was associated 
 with Hon. William Smytli, formerly Distriet.Iudge, 
 and J. C. Tracr, under the firm name of Smyth, 
 Traer ik Sherm.an. The new lirm rapidly grew into 
 prominence, building up a jirosperous practice, 
 when Mr. Sherman withdrew to tender his services 
 to the (iovernment in defense of her integrity and 
 honor. 
 
 It was early in ! sill , directly alter the enemy lia<I 
 assaulted the American flag on Sumter, th.at the 
 young attorney enlisted in C<i. fJ, 13th Iowa A'ol. 
 
-4*- 
 
 /52 
 
 BrKi:N U. SIIKKMAN. 
 
 Inf., and immediately- went to tlie front. He 
 entered the service as Seeond Serjreant. and in 
 Fehruar}', 18()"2, was made .^ecund Lieutenant of 
 Company E. On the (ith of Aiirii following he w:is 
 ^'erv severely wounded at thi' liattle of Pittsliurgh 
 Landing', and while in the liospital was iiromoted to 
 the rank of C';i|>tain. He returned to his eompan}- 
 while yet ol)liged to use his erutehes, and remained 
 (in duty till the summer of l.sii;!, when, liy ri'ason of 
 his wound, he was eonipeiied to resign and return 
 home. Soon after returning fi'om the army he was 
 elected (ouuty .hidge of lienlon County, and re- 
 elected without opposition in 1 .sti.'j. In the autumn 
 of IHfU; he resigned his judgeship and accepted the 
 olhee of Clerk of the District Court, to which lie 
 was re-elected in l.stiis, 1h7(I and 1872, and in 
 Deeeniher. 1 87 L resigned in order to accept the 
 otlice of Au<litor of State, to whicii oltice he had 
 been elected by a majority of ^.'^.li.j over ,J. M. 
 King, the '■anti-monopoly " candidate. In 1871! he 
 was renominated and received j(l,272 moi'c votes 
 than AV. tJrowneweg (Democrat) and Leonard 
 Hrowne ((Irccnbaek) together. In 1878 he was 
 ag:iiu chosen to re|)resent the Uepubliciui partly 
 in that olliee, and this time received a major- 
 ity of 7.ir)4 over the combined votes of Col. 
 Kiboeck ( Deniocr.-it ) and ( ;. \'. Sweaivnger ((Jreen- 
 back). In the six years that he held this ofiice, he 
 was untiring in his faithful applic.-ition to routine 
 Work and devotion to his special share , if the State's 
 iiusini'ss. He retired with such an enviable record 
 that it was with no surprise the jieople learned, 
 .Itine 27, ISHl, that he was the nominee of the Ke- 
 publican party for (iovernoi'. 
 
 The campiiign was an exciting one. The Ceneral 
 A.S.sembly had submitted to tlie people the prohibi- 
 tory amendment to the Constitution. This, while 
 not a partisan (piestion, became uppermost in the 
 mind of the public. Mr. Sherni:ui received 1.'53,- 
 .'J.'JU voti's, against s.'!.2H for Kinne anil 28,1 12 for 
 1). M. Clark, or .-i phuidity <if "lO.osd uiid a niajor- 
 :tyof 2I.'.>7 1. In I s.s;i he was re-noniinateil by 
 the Hepulilicans, as well as L. (i. Kinne by the 
 Democrats. The National party offered d. B. 
 Weaver. During the campaign these candidates 
 held a numl)er of joint discussions at different 
 points in the State. At the election the vote was: 
 
 Sherman, 104,182; Kinne, 1. •50,093; AVcaver, 2.5,. 
 08!); Sherman's plurality, 2.j,08'.) ; majority. 2,000. 
 In his second Inaugural Gov. Sherman said: 
 
 "In assuming, for the second time, the <itl!ce ol 
 Chief >Magistr:ite for the State, I fully re:di/.e nsy 
 grateful obligations to the iieojile of Iowa, through 
 whose generous confidence I :im here. I .:m aware 
 of the duties and grave responsibilities of this ex- 
 alted ))osition. and as well wlnit is expected of )Me 
 therein. As in the past I have given my undivided 
 time and serious attention thereto, so i!> the future 
 I promise the most earnest devotion :uid untiring 
 effort in the faithful ixnformanee of my o(lici:d re- 
 (piirenients. I h.ive seen the State grow frimi in- 
 fiuicy to m:itnre manhood, and each \e:ii' one of 
 substantiid betterment of its pri'vious position. 
 
 •• With more railriiads than any State, save two; 
 with a scIkioI iuteiest the grandest .inil strongest, 
 whicli commands the su;)])ori aii<l eoididence of all 
 the ijcople, and :i popul.-ition, which in its entirety 
 is supt'rior to any other in the sisterhooil, it is 
 not strange the jiride which attaches to our people. 
 When we remember that the results of our efforts in 
 tlu' directi<>:i <if gfiod government have been 
 crowned v.ith such magnilicent success, :ind to-day 
 we have a S;,ate in most perfect piiysicai :ind finan- 
 cial conditi<in. no won<ler oc.r lie:irts swell in honest 
 pride as we conteinpi:ite the p:ist and so confidently 
 hope for tlie future. What we m:iy become de- 
 pends on oui' own effoi'ts. .uid to that future I look 
 with earnest and abiding confidence." 
 
 (Joy. Shei'm:in"s term <if olliee continued until -Ian. 
 I 4, 1^811, when he was sui'ceedcd by Williani Lari'a- 
 bee, and he is now, t<'mpor;ii-ily. pi'rhaps, enjoying 
 a well-e;irned rest. He has been a IJepublican since 
 the oig:ini/.alion of tli;i( p;iit\-, and his services as a 
 eam[)aign speaker have lieen for many ycjirs in 
 great demand. As an ollicer he has lieen able to 
 make an en\ i;ib|e reeoid. Himself honorable aixl 
 thon^ugh, his management of public business has 
 lieen of the same character, anil such as has com- 
 meudeil him to the Mpproval of his fellow-eiti/.ens. 
 
 He was married, Aug. 20. 1802, to Mi.ss Lena 
 Kendall, of Vinton, Iowa, a young lady ot rare :ie- 
 complishments ;ind strength of ch.aracter. Their 
 union has been luippy in every respect. They have 
 two children— Lena Kendall and Oscar Kugene. 
 
 i 
 
■<- 
 
 •«i^ 
 
 (.()\i:rnurs of IOWA. 
 
 I :..•) 
 
 ^4J^ ^ 
 
 
 ^lUicLi^ ^a-T^cLbe© 
 
 
 •.•^ly' 
 
 or> o , 
 
 ^ V 
 
 ILLIAM I.ARRAHKE, the 
 in'fsJOiit able (ioviTiKH- of 
 "^ l(>w;i,:ui(T tlio twelflli gon- 
 tloiiiMii sck'fU'd by tlio 
 pcdiili' !is the Chief Magis- 
 tiate (if the great C'oni- 
 iiKiinvcalth. is a native of 
 ('iiinu'cliciit. His ancestors 
 were among the Frencii Huguenots who 
 eanic to Anu'ri<'a early in the seventeentli 
 century ami loialcd in Connoetient. At 
 that time the}' bore tlie name of il'Larra- 
 1(00. Adam Larralu'i", the father of AVill- 
 iani. was born .M.-udi I I, ITsT, and was 
 one of the larly grailnates of the West 
 Point Military Aeadeniy. lie serve(l his 
 rounlry during tlie A\'ar of ISli', with dislinction, 
 holdiugtlie position of Second Lieutenant, to whieli 
 hi' was commissioned Maich 1, isil. He was jjro- 
 motcd to tlie Captaincy of his company Feb. ], 
 l«ll, andou the .'idlh of the following .March, at 
 the battle of Lacole ^Hlls. during Cen. Wilkinson's 
 campaign on the Saint Lawrence River, he wa~ 
 severely woinideil in the lung. lie eventually re- 
 covered from the inj\ny and was united in mar- 
 riage to Hannah (!. Lester. This much esteemed 
 l;iily was liorn June ."i. 1 Tils, and <lied on the 1 .jlh of 
 March. 1HS7. Cajit. Larrabee lived to an ad- 
 vanced age, dying in 1869, at the age of eighty- 
 two years. 
 
 As above nientionei), William, our subject, was 
 
 born in Connecticut, the town of Lcdyar<l being 
 the place of his birth and .Ian. 20, I.s;i2, the date. 
 He was the seventh child in a f.'unilyof nine chil- 
 <lren, and passed the early years of his life n[)on a 
 rugged New Kngland f.niii. enjoying very meager 
 educational advantages. He attendeil, during the 
 winter seasons, the neighboring district schools 
 until he reached the age of nineteen years, when, 
 during the following two winters, he lilh'<l the posi- 
 tion of schoolmaster. He was ambitious to <lo 
 something in life f<(r liini.self that would bring fort- 
 une and distinction, but in making his pl;nis for the 
 future he was endiarrassed by a misfortune whi<-h 
 befell him when fourteen years of age. In being 
 trained to the use of firearms nndcr his father's 
 direction, an acci<lental discharge resultecl in the 
 loss of the sight in the I'ight eye. This conse- 
 quently inilitted hiui for many ciniiloymcnts nsnally 
 sought by ambitions young nu'U. The f;niiily 
 lived near the seashore, only two inilcs aw.iy. and 
 in that neighborhood it wa.- tiie cusloui for at least 
 one sou in each family to go ujion the sea as a 
 ~Milor. The two cldi'st bi'othcrs of our subject h:id 
 choM'n this occupation \\hile the third rcm.iine<l in 
 charge of the home farm. William was thus left 
 free to chose for him.H'lf and, like many of liic 
 youths of that day, he wisely turned his face ^\'c^t- 
 ward. The year 1 S,');] fomnl liiui on this journey 
 toward the setting sun, stojiping only when lu' 
 came to the broad and fertile jirairies of the new 
 State of If)wa. He first joined his elder sister, ^Ir-j 
 
 f 
 
156 
 
 a 
 
 WILLIAM LARRABEE. 
 
 E. II. "Williams, who was at that time living at 
 Ganiavillo, Clayton County. It was tliis cireum- 
 stance which led the j'ouug boy from Connecticut 
 to select his future home in the northeastern por- 
 tion of Iowa. He rcsumetl his occupation :is a 
 pedagogue, teaching, however, Imt one winter, 
 which was passed at Hardin. The following three 
 ye:irs he was enii)l(^3'ed in the cai)acit}' of foreman 
 on the (irand Meadow farm of his hrother-in-law, 
 Judge Williams. 
 
 In 1M.')7 he bought a one-thii'd interest in tlie 
 Clermont Mills, and located at Clermont, Fayette 
 Count}'. He soon was able to bu}' tiie other two- 
 tiiirds, and within a year found himself sole owner. 
 He ojjcratcd this mill until 1S71 when he .sold to 
 S. M. Leach. On the breaking out of the war he 
 offered to enlist, but was rejected on account of 
 the loss of his right eye. Being informed he might 
 possilily be admitted as a commissioned officer, he 
 raised a iH>mpany and received a c<jmmission as 
 First Lieutenant, but was again rejected for the 
 same disability. 
 
 After selling the mill >Mr. Larrabee devoted him- 
 self to farming, and started a private bank at Cler- 
 mont. He also, exiierimentally, started a large 
 nursery, but this resulted onl\- in contirming the 
 belief tliat Northern Iowa has too rigorous a cli- 
 mate for fruit-raising. 
 
 Mr. Larrabee did not begin his iiolitical career 
 until 1SG7. He was reared as a Whig and liecanie 
 a Republican on the organization of that i)arty. 
 While interested in politics he generally refused 
 local olHccs, serving <jnly its Treasiuer of the 
 School I?(jard prior to I.SOT. In the autumn of 
 tli.'it year, on the Ivei)idilican ticket, he was elected 
 to n^present his county in the State Senate. To 
 this high position he was re-elected from time to 
 time, so that he served as Senator continuously for 
 eighteen j-ears before Ijcing promoted to the high- 
 est office in the State. He was so popular at home 
 that he was generally' re-nominated liy acclamation, 
 and for some years the Democrats did not even 
 
 make nominations. During the whole eighteen 
 years Senator Larrabee was a member of the prin- 
 eiiMil committee, that on Ways and Means, of which 
 he was generally Chairman, and was also a nu'mljer 
 of other committees. In the pursuit of the duties 
 thus devolving upon him, he was indefatigable. 
 It is sail! that he never missed a ct)mmitteo meet- 
 ing. >sot alone in this, but in private and j)ublic 
 business of all kinds, his uniform habit is that of 
 close ai)plication to work. Many of the imjxirtaiit 
 measures pa.ssed by the Legislature owe their ex- 
 istence or present form to him. 
 
 He was a candidate for the gubernatorial nomiua- 
 tiou in IS.Sl.but entered the contest too late, as 
 (iov. Sherman's following had been successfully 
 organized. In ISS") it was generally conceded be- 
 fore the meeting iif the convention that he would 
 be nominati'd, which lie was, and his election fol- 
 lowed as a matter of course. He was inaugurated 
 Jan. 14, 1 HHC), and so far has made an excellent 
 (iovernor. His position in legard to the liipior 
 (piestion, that on which i>olitical fortunes are made 
 and lost in Iowa, is that the majority should rule. 
 He was pei'soually in favor of high license, but 
 having lieen elected (Iovernor, and sworn to up- 
 hold the Constitution anil execute the laws, he jiro- 
 poses to do so. 
 
 A .Senator who sat beside him in the Senate de- 
 clares him to be "a man of the broadest compre- 
 hension and information, an extraordinarily clear 
 rea.s<mer, fair and conscientious in his couclusii)ns, 
 and of S[)artaii tirinness in his matured judgment," 
 and says that "he brings the practical facts and 
 l)hilosopliy of hinuan nature, the science and his- 
 tory of law, to aid in his decisions, .Mud adheres with 
 the earnestness of Jefferson ami Si.mner to the 
 fundamental [iriuciples of the peopK>"s rights." 
 
 (Jov. Larrabee was married Sept. 1 2, 1 S(! 1 , at Cler- 
 mont, to .\niia M. -Vppelman, daughter of ('apt. 
 (t. a. Appelman. (lov. Larrabee has seven chil- 
 dren — Charles. Augusta, Julia, Anna, William, 
 Frederic and lleleu. 
 
 >► w ^ r 
 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 IOWA. 
 
 t 
 
 -i^ 
 
.» ir « ^ 
 
 I*' 
 
 -<r- 
 
 
-•t^ 
 
 INTRODUCT^ORY. 
 
 ^y 
 
 5HE time has arrived when it 
 becomes the duty of the 
 people of this county to per- 
 petuate the names of their 
 pioneers, to furnish a record 
 of their early settlement, 
 and relate the story of their 
 progress. The civilization of our 
 day, the enlightenment of the age 
 and the duty that men of the pres- 
 ent time owe to their ancestors, to 
 themselves and to their posterity, 
 demand that a record of their lives 
 and deeds should be made. In bio- 
 graphical history is found a power 
 ■/TifC^^Tu '" mstruct man by precedent, to 
 <^ .^ K-i' enliven the mental faculties, and 
 to waft down the river of time a 
 safe vessel in wliich the names and actions of the 
 people who contributed to raise this country from its 
 primitive state may be preserved. Surely and rapidly 
 the great and aged men, who in their jirime entered 
 the wilderness and claimed the virgin soil as their 
 heritage, are passing to their graves. The number re- 
 maining who can relate the incidents of the first days 
 jf settlement is becoming small indeed, so that an 
 actual necessity exists for the collection and preser- 
 vation of evenis without delay, before all the early 
 settlers are cut down liy the scythe of Time. 
 
 To be forgotten has been the great dread of mankind 
 from remotest a^es. All will be forgotten soon enough, 
 in spite of their l)est works and the most earnest 
 efforts of their friends to perserve the memory of 
 their live-*. The means employed to prevent oblivion 
 and to perpetuate their memory has been in propor- 
 tion to the ajnount of intelligence they possessed. 
 The pyramids of Kgypt were built to perpetuate the 
 names and deeds of their great rulers. The exhu- 
 mations made by the archeologists of Kgypt from 
 liuried Men-.phis indicate a desire of those people 
 
 ■^If' 
 
 >^s- ^ i— 'O^ 
 
 to perpetuate the memory of their achievements 
 The erection of the great obelisks were for the same 
 purpose. Coming down to a later period, we find the 
 Greeks and Romans erecting mausoleums and monu- 
 ments, and carving out statues to chronicle their 
 great acliievements and carry them down the ages. 
 It is also evident that the Mound-builders, in piling 
 up their great mounds of earth, had but this idea — 
 to leave something to show that they had lived. All 
 these work's, though many ot them costly in the ex- 
 treme, give but a faint idea of the lives and charac- 
 ters of those whose memory they were intended to 
 perpetuate, and scarcely anything of the masses of 
 the people that then lived. The great pyramids and 
 some of the obelisks remain objects only of curiosity ; 
 the mausoleums, monuments and statues are crum- 
 bling into dust. 
 
 It was left to modern ages to establish an intelli- 
 gent, undecaying, immutable method of perpetuating 
 a full history — immutable in that it is almost un- 
 limited in extent and perpetual in its action; and 
 this is througii the art of printing. 
 
 To the present generation, however, we are in- 
 debted for the introduction of the admiraljle system 
 of local biography. By this system every man, though 
 he has not achieved what the world calls greatness, 
 has the means to perpetuate his life, his history, 
 through the coming ages. 
 
 The scythe of Time cuts down all ; nothing of the 
 physical man is left. The monument which his chil- 
 dren or friends may erect to his memory in the ceme- 
 tery will crumble into dust and pass away; but his 
 life, his achievements, the work he has accomplished, 
 which otherwise would be forgotten, is perpetuated 
 by a record of this kind. 
 
 To preserve the lineaments of our companions we 
 engrave their portraits, for the same reason we col- 
 lect the attainable facts of their history. Nor do we 
 think it necessary, as we speak only truth of them, to 
 wait until they are dead, or until those who know 
 them are gone: to do this we are ashamed only to 
 publish to the world the history of those wlu)se lives 
 are unworthy of public record. 
 
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 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 1G5 
 
 i^'V^f€f^>^^^^^^'^ 
 
 ;-*ip 
 
 %0 
 
 ON. FRANCIS SPRINGER, 
 a distinguished pioneer 
 of Louisa County, of 
 1838, and now an honored 
 resident of Colum bus 
 City, was born in Maine, 
 on the 15th of April, 1811. His 
 father, Nathaniel Springer, a ship- 
 builder by occupation, was also a 
 native of Maine, and descended 
 from .Swedish ancestors, who settled 
 in New England prior to the War 
 of the Revolution. His niotiier, 
 whose maiden name was Mary 
 Clarke, was a daughter of Capt. 
 Jolin Clarice, of Connecticut, who was a. member of 
 an old New England family. His parents, when 
 our subject was about eleven years of age, had re- 
 moved from Portland to Poitsniouth, N. H., and 
 there he was separated from tiiem and went to live 
 with a farmer's familj' some thirty miles in the 
 country, with whom he had his home about ten 
 years, the first six of which lie worked on a farm in 
 summer, and attended the common school in the 
 winter months. In his eighteenth year he attended 
 the fall term of the RochesU r (N. H.) Academj', 
 and received from its preceptor a certificate of 
 qiialificalion for teaching. That ivinter he taught 
 his first term of school attUt per tnontli, "boarding 
 around" among the families of his pupils. After 
 attending another term at the academy', and further 
 
 b--^ 
 
 pursuing his studies by himself, teaching a term of 
 school from time to time, three more terms in all, 
 but of course at better pay, he returned, in 1834, 
 to Portland, where he began to read law in the 
 office of William Goodenow, a highly respected 
 lawyer of that city. To help meet current ex- 
 penses, he served at oild times as assistant editor 
 on the Portland Courier, whose editor ami pioprie- 
 tor was Seba Smith, the gifted author of the cele- 
 brated "Jack Downing Letters." 
 
 Mr. Springer was admitted to the bar in 1838. 
 The Great West was then attr.acting the notice of 
 young professional men by its wonderful resources 
 and great inducements to emigrants, where cities 
 were springing into existence on every hand, in- 
 viting talent and energy to seek a footing and grow 
 up with the country. Following the popular im- 
 pulse, our young attorney emigrated from Maine 
 to Iowa, in comi)any with his friend, Edward H. 
 Thomas, who was also a disciple of Blackstone, 
 reaching Kurlington, and afterward Wapello, in De- 
 cember, 1838, where a liberal practice awaited 
 them. In politics they were Whigs, and soon won 
 prominence in puhlic matters. 
 
 In 1840 Mr. Springer was elected a member of 
 the Territorial Senate for the term of two years, 
 from the district composed t)f the counties of Louisa 
 and Washington, .and the territory west which had 
 tlieii hut lately been reclaimed froin the Indians, 
 lie was lo-electcci to the same position at the snc- 
 ceetiing election of 1842. In 184G he was elected 
 
 ■■► ,■ < • 
 
u 
 
 •a^i 
 
 i 
 
 166 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 to the State Senate for four years, from the district 
 which was then composed alone of the counties of 
 Louisa and Washington. In 1849, and again in 
 1850, he \Yas appointed special agent of the post- 
 ottice department, charged with the duty of visit- 
 ing the post-offices of Wisconsin, transferring the 
 Government money in those offices to St. Louis, 
 which he successfully accomplished. In May, 1851, 
 he was appointed by President Fillmore Register 
 of the United States Land Office at Fairfield, Iowa, 
 and served until May, 1853. 
 
 Mr. Springer returned to Wapello in November, 
 185a, but his health being somewhat impaired, he 
 removed in December of the same year to Colum- 
 bus City Township, wliere, taking rooms in the 
 house of his friend, James Manle^', he became en- 
 gaged in improving and opening two farms on his 
 land in that township, one adjoining Mr. Mauley 
 on the north, afterward known as the Morgan 
 farm, on which he had erected by the fall of 1854 
 a dwelling, in which he moved and continued to oc- 
 cupy until the spring of 18G0, when, having in the 
 preceding years opened and improved a farm of 
 800 acres a half-mile south of C'olumbus City, he 
 look up his abode in its line mansion house in May, 
 1 860, and It thereafter became the family home- 
 stead. Since 1881 this homestead farm has been 
 the property and residence of his son-in-law, Hilton 
 M. Letts, the present Chairman of the Louisa 
 Count}' Board of Su|)ervisors. In the meantime 
 Mr. Springer had not entire!}' suspended his law 
 practice. In 1854 he w.ts elected to the office of 
 Prosecuting Attorney of Louisa Countj', and, on the 
 death of Judge Wrigiit Williams, became ex-offlcio 
 County Judge, to wliicli office he was elected in 
 1855. In 1856 our sul)ject was elected a mem- 
 l)er of the Constitutional Convention, and by 
 that body was elected its President. In 1858 he 
 was elected Judge of the District Court, and was 
 re-elected in 1862 and 1866. He resigned that 
 office in 1869, and accepted the appointment of 
 Internal Revenue Collector, tendered him by Gen. 
 Grant. In that office he served until 1877, since 
 which time he has practically lived a retired life. 
 
 In December, 1842, Mr. Springer was married to 
 Miss Nancy R. Coleman, daughter of Hon. John M. 
 Coleman, of Iowa City, her father a native of Ken- 
 
 tuck}' and her mother of Ireland. She was born in 
 Terre Haute, Ind., Jan. 8, 1825, and died of 
 pneumonia, at Cimarron, N. M., Nov. 19, 1871. 
 while on a visit to her son Frank. Mrs. Springer 
 was a lad}- admired for liei- intellectual qualities, as 
 well as for her loveliness of character. By their 
 union seven children were born, six sons and one 
 daughter. Two of the sons first born died in in- 
 fancy. 
 
 Frank Springer, the third son, was born in Wa- 
 pello, June 17, 1848. In his years from eight to 
 twelve he attended the Columbus City district school, 
 later, a year or more, the Baptist College in Bur- 
 lington, completing his collegiate education at the 
 State University at Iowa City, where he was gradu- 
 ated in 1867, with the highest honors of his class. 
 He received a legal education in the office of Strong 
 it Smythe, in 15urlington, and later at the law 
 school of the State Iniversity. He was admitted 
 to the bar in 1809, and began practice as a partner 
 of Hon. Henry Strong in Burlington. In Februaiy, 
 1873, he removed to the Territory of New Mexico, 
 where, i)ursuing his law i)ractice, he became attorney 
 for the Mexican Land (irant Company, and one of 
 the attorne}s of the Atchison, Topeka it Santa Fe 
 Railroad Company. His present residence is Las 
 Vegas, N. M. As a lawyer he ranks high in the 
 courts of that Territory, and in recent years has won 
 much distinction at the bar of the federal courts. 
 He w.as the attorney-in-chief in the celebrated case 
 of the United States cs. the Maxwell Land Grant 
 Company, a case involving the title to a million and 
 a half acres of land, heard on an appeal in the Su- 
 preme Court of the United States, in Washington, 
 in ISIarch, 1887. What was thought at Washington 
 of Mr. Springer's argument of the case may be seen 
 from the following extracts from congratulatory 
 letters received by Judge Sjiringer, one from Hon. 
 Henry Strong, written on the day the argument had 
 been made, the other from Justice Samuel F. Mil- 
 ler, of the United States Supreme Court, written 
 after the decision of the court had been announced. 
 
 Extract of letter from Hon. Henry Strong : 
 
 ••W.\siiixorox, D. C, March 11, 1887. 
 '•My df.ak Judge .Springer: 
 
 "Your paternal heart would have swelled with 
 pride had you heard Frank for past two days in 
 
-■► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 16; 
 
 the United States Suprenic Court. I have never 
 seen counsel appear to better advantage; I liave 
 never heard an abler, clearer, more convincing ar- 
 gument in snpportof the legal positions taken. The 
 court was interested, instructed, and most tlatter- 
 ingly attentive. Frank's manners and deliver}' arc 
 also admirahle. * * * * * 
 
 "I write this without notice to Frank or his eon- 
 sent, as I know j-ou would be gratified to hear of 
 his success. * * ***** 
 ••Faithfully yours, 
 
 •• II. Stkon,,.- 
 
 Extract of letter from Justice Samuel F. Miller: 
 
 ••Si THKMr. C'oruT OK riir; I'niti'.I) Statks. ) 
 "W.vsiiiMrroN, I). C. April lU 1887. ) 
 •'I/on. /•'. ^Sjiriii'jfr: 
 
 ••Mv oKAU oM) FuiKNii: — Ever since your son 
 Frank argued before our court the Maxwell Land 
 (irant case, I have had a strong desire to write to 
 you and tell how much 1 w:is impressed by the skill 
 and ability of the argument. lie w,as given an ex- 
 tension of time and justified the indulgence of the 
 court by the manner in which he used it. 
 
 '•It was not onlj' the force of the reasoning which 
 pleased me, but the easy and graceful manner, the 
 absence of rant and over-strained voice, and the 
 orderly arrangement of what he had to s.a}', which 
 is so seldom seen from our AVestern young men. 
 
 •'The other Judges were also well pleased, though 
 the}' had not the personal interest that I had in the 
 s|)eaker, as the son of an old friend, long loved and 
 respected. ******* 
 
 ••The judgment of the court w.as unanimous. 
 
 •(■ -r- -><- -:* --t -^t -:i- 
 
 ••I am, my dear Judge, your affectionate friend, 
 "Samuki, F. Mii.i.Kii." 
 
 Frank Springer was married in New Mexico some 
 twelve 3ears ago to Miss Josephine Bishop, a lady 
 from Wisconsin. They have si.x children, four 
 daughters and two sons. He has the honor of hav- 
 ing had Springer, the county seat of Colfax Count}-, 
 named for him. 
 
 ^\■arren C. Springer, the fourth son, born in Fair- 
 field. Sept. 25, 18.53, educated at IJurlington ;uid 
 Iowa City, but not a graduate, a bright young man, 
 much lovcil by all who knew him, for his kind- 
 hearted, genial (pialities, was drowned March 28, 
 1872, in the Iow;i River, while hunting in company 
 with his friend John Reiner. 
 
 Arthur Springer, the fifth son, was born on what 
 is known as the Morgan farm, already mentioned, 
 
 Sept. 30, 1855, also educated at Burlington and at 
 the State University, being graduatc<l from the law 
 department in the class of '77, is now practicing in 
 Columbus Junction. lie was married, Sept. 15, 
 1880, to Miss Jselia C. Carpenter, to whom were 
 born three children, two sons and a daughter, two of 
 whom, Arthur and Eilith, are living. The first- 
 born son, Frank, died in his fifth year. 
 
 Charles, the youngest son, was born on the Mor- 
 gan farm, Dec. 1!). 1857, also educated at Burling- 
 ton and the State University, and has resided in 
 New Mexico since 1 881 , engaged in the stock ranch 
 business. lt\ 188 1 he married Miss Lottie Chase, 
 daughter of .M. M. Chase, a prominent and wealthy 
 ranchman in Colfax County, th.at Territory. 
 
 Nellie, the only daughter, born Dec. 8, 1800, on 
 the homestead plantation south of Columbus City, 
 (ulucated at Burlington, Iowa, Galcsburg, 111., and 
 Ottumwa, Iowa, is the wife of Hilton M. Letts, and 
 is mistivss of the fine residence in which she was 
 born, and the mother of two daughters, of the ages 
 respectively of seven and two years. 
 
 A fine portrait of the Judge accompanies this 
 sketch. 
 
 I ILO J. SMITH, I'rcsident of the Wapello 
 C:nining Comijany, w.as born in IVoria 
 County. III., May 20, 1851, and is a son of 
 Edson F. and Sarah ( Ilungerford ) Smith. 
 He was reared on a farm in his native comity, re- 
 ceiving a liberal education, and in 1870 came to 
 Iowa with liis parents, settling in Morning Sun 
 Township, where he w;is engaged in farming until 
 Januar}-, 1878, when, his father having been elected 
 Treasurer of Louisa County, he came to Wapello 
 and served .as his clerk. He continued in that 
 capacit}- for four years, and was elected County 
 Treasurer in the fall of 1881. Iteing re-elected, he 
 held that ollice from .lanuary. 1882, until Jan- 
 uary, 1888, and during that time also serveil as 
 Secretary of the Louisa Count}' Mutual Insurance 
 Company for two years. 
 
 In Louisa County, Iowa, on the 2(ltli of Jan- 
 uary, 1876, the marriage of Mr. Smith and Mi.ss 
 Kate C. Herrick was celebrated. She was born in 
 Wapello Township, where her parent*, D. W. and 
 
 ■» 
 
■» B^^ 
 
 j 
 
 168 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Zirelda (Jamison) Herrick, were among the early 
 settlers. Four children were born of their union, 
 three sons and a daughter — Walter H., Edson F., 
 Fred M. and Josephine. 
 
 In politics Mr. Smith is a Republican. He is also 
 a member of two life insurance orders, the V. A. S. 
 and the Legion of Honor. He was one of the first 
 to agitate the starting of the canning factory at 
 Wapello, and on the organization of the companj', 
 in June, 1888. he was chosen President. A sketch 
 of this company appears elsewhere in this work. 
 
 ROF. WALLACE B. MOFFETT, Principal 
 
 of the public schools of Morning Sun, was 
 born in DeKalb County, 111., Dec. 20, 
 1861, and is the son of Rev. William T. 
 Moffett, whose sketch appears on another page of 
 this work. At the age of ten years he commenced 
 life's battle for himself as a farm hand, and contin- 
 ued that employment until 1878, when he came 
 with his parents to Morning Sun, Iowa. During the 
 fall of 1879 he purchased the Morning Sun Sentinel, 
 which he published in that town for a year, and 
 then removed his press to Dexter, Dallas Co., Iowa, 
 where lie edited a paper for about the same length 
 of time, and then sold out, returning shortly after- 
 ward to Morning Sun. He next engaged in f.arm- 
 ing for about three j'ears, when he sold out his 
 stock and implements with the intention of going 
 further west, but in 1886 was employed as Princi- 
 pal of the High School of Morning Sun, which po- 
 sition he still holds. In his school duties Prof. 
 Moffett has ever aimed to teach that which will be 
 of practical benefit, believing that the great object 
 in public education is to train the pupils in honest 
 study, clear thinking, direct expression and good 
 habits, both of body and mind, so that the State 
 will be furnished with relialilc .ind trustworthy 
 citizens. 
 
 In 1880 Mr. Moffett was united in marriage with 
 Miss Jessie Stewart, a daughter of John C. and Jane 
 (Patterson) Stewart, who were early settlers of this 
 county. The early educational advantages of Prof. 
 Moffett were limited, but possessing a retentive 
 memory and being of a studious nature, he has 
 
 gained a practical knowledge of men and events, far 
 better than mere theory could be. In his political 
 views he is a Republican, and takes an active part 
 in local affairs He and his wife are members of 
 the United Presbyterian Church. 
 
 ENRY LIEBERKNECHT, a leading farmer 
 I) residing on section 4, Grand View Town- 
 ship, has there spent his entire life. He was 
 born in 1852, being the fifth in a famil3- of 
 nine children, six boys and three girls. The parents, 
 Nicholas and Catherine E. (Reibold) Lieberknecht, 
 were natives of Hesse-Darmstadt, German}', and 
 in their early \'ears left their native land to make a 
 home in the New W^orld. Settling in Chambersbiirg, 
 Pa., they there resided until 1851, when they came 
 to Louisa Count}'. 
 
 Our subject w.os reared upon his father's farm, 
 and like so manj' thousands of others received his 
 education in the district schools, after which he 
 commenced earning his own livelihood by working 
 at the occupation of farming. In 1875 he was 
 united in marriage with Saloma Wie<lerrecht. one 
 of Louisa County's fair daughters. Her parents, 
 George and Saloma (Sulzberger) Wicderrecht, were 
 natives of Baden, Germany, and after their emi- 
 gration to America came directly to Louisa Count}', 
 settling in Jefferson Township. The young couple 
 began their domestic life upon the farm where they 
 yet reside, it now comprising 388 acres, fifty-eight 
 of which are timber land, the rem.ainder being arable 
 land, all liighly cultivated. The farm is also stocked 
 with a good grade of Hereford cattle and Norman 
 horses, and the latest improvements of the day. 
 Mr. Lieberknecht casts his vote with the Republican 
 party, and though never having been an otlice- 
 seeker, has held several local positions of trust, at 
 present being Township Trustee. He has also 
 served as School Director for a number of terms, 
 and is now President of tiie Co-operative Store at 
 Letts. His home is pleasantly situated about one 
 and three-fourth miles from that village, and 
 throughout the community he is regarded as one 
 of the most |)iogressive farmers and worthy citizens. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Lieberknecht are members of the 
 
 •►HI-** 
 
 -•► 
 
 i 
 
I* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 169 
 
 German Congregational Clmrcli, in whicii lie holds 
 the ofliee of Deacon, and arc the parents of seven 
 children, though only four are now living — Mary 
 Daisy, Ernest W., IIenr3' Arthur and Irena May, 
 all at home. Albert George, Klizabetli Pearl and 
 another cliild, unnamed, died in infanej'. 
 
 C. WAGNER, residing on section 21, 
 Grand ^'iew Township, about one mile 
 ^ from the vill.age of Grand View, w.as born 
 in York County. Pa., in 1820, and is the 
 3'oungest of a family of eight children born to 
 Philip and Ellen (Cover) Wagner. He is of Ger- 
 man descent, his grandfather being a native of Ger- 
 many, though his father, who was a farmer by 
 occupation, was born and reared in Pennsylvania, 
 residing in that State until his death, which occurred 
 in l«4(j, at the age of sixtj'-fivc jears. The mother 
 of our subject departed this life in 187G, at the ad- 
 vanced age of eighty. 
 
 The boyhood da3's of P. C. Wagner were spent 
 upon a farm, but at the age of sixteen years he 
 left home in order that he might learn the trade of 
 a carpenter and joiner, at which he afterward 
 worked for about forty-five years in Pennsylvania 
 and Iowa. Also learning cabinet-making, he fol- 
 lowed that vocation for some time, and for thirty- 
 flve years past has engaged in undertaking. In 
 1855 he first came to the State of Iowa, settling in 
 Louisa County, where he purchased a small farm 
 of twenty acres of unimproved land, a p.irt of his 
 l)resent home. The work of developing the wild, 
 unbroken prairie was at once begun, and from time 
 to time other land has been added, until now he 
 has a nice farm which is eighty-two acres in ex- 
 tent, thirtj'-seven and one-half of which are situated 
 very near the village of Grand View. For a part 
 of this tract he paid §05 per acre. A comfortable 
 residence has long since been erected, a nice barn 
 has been built, and other improvements which are 
 necessary to a well-regulated farm have been made. 
 In his political views Mr. Wagner is a Republican, 
 and an active worker for the interests of that party, 
 having cast his first Presidential vote for William 
 Henry Harrison, in 1840. He has served as School 
 
 Director for a number of terms, and is one of the 
 enterprising men of the township. 
 
 In 1842 BIr. W.igner was united in marriage with 
 Miss Catherine Straw, a native of Pennsylvania, 
 where their union was celebrated. She is a daugh- 
 ter of .John and Elizabeth (Martin) Straw, who 
 were born, reared and married in the same St;ite, 
 and there the death of both occurred many years 
 ago. After their marriage the 3'oung couple be- 
 gan their domestic life upon a farm in her native 
 State, making that their home until emigrating to 
 Iowa, where thej' have since resided. Thej' are 
 both members of the Evangelical Church at Grand 
 View, in wliich Mr. Wagner holds the olfice of 
 Trustee, .and their union h.as been blessed with a 
 family of eight children, though oid^' four are now 
 living: Elizabeth died in infancy ; Ellen, who was 
 the wife of Henry Lang, departed this life in Au- 
 gust, 1887; Mary Ann, now Mrs. Wabnitz, is a 
 resident of Muscatine County, Iowa; Jt)hn, who is 
 married, makes his home at Wilton, Muscatine 
 County; Anna was called to her final home in 1883, 
 at the age of twenty-eight years; Lizzie died at 
 Los Angeles, Cal., in 1887, and was the wife of 
 Isr.ael Keck; Alice, now Mrs. Lowe, is a resident 
 of Concord Tow^nship; Charley is single, and still 
 resides with his parents. Mr. Wagner has always 
 been a friend to educational institutions, and was 
 formerly one of the stockholders of the academy 
 at Grand View. An enterprising and prominent 
 f.armer, he is held in high esteem by a large circle 
 of friends and acquaintances. 
 
 B. SHELLABARGER. who resides on a 
 pleasant farm situated about six miles from 
 Columbus Junction, on section 19, Grand 
 View Township, was born in Clarke County, Ohio, 
 in 1816, and is a son of Jacob and Jane (Beard) 
 Shellabarger, the former a native of Pennsylvania 
 and the latter of New Jereey. To them were born 
 eight children, of whom our subject was the fifth. 
 They were among the early pioneers of Ohio, set- 
 tling in Clarke County in 1811, where Mr. Shella- 
 barger owned a number of farms. They resided in 
 that county until June IC, 1838, when they became 
 
 ■► jm <• 
 
-4^ 
 
 170 
 
 4 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 hai 
 
 residents of Grand View Township, Louisa Co., 
 Iowa. Tlie year previous tiie husl)anil had made a 
 trip to tliis .State, and lieing pleased with Louisa 
 County entered a claim on section 13, Grand View 
 Township, which was to be their future home, but 
 the mother was only permitted to remain in the new 
 country for about two 3'ears, lier death occurring 
 in June, 1838. After the death of his wife Mr. 
 .Sheilabarger went to Ohio, where he died in 1839, 
 :ind vvas buried there. 
 
 The bt)yh(>od d.nys of our subject were spent 
 upon the farm in his native State, where he received 
 such education as the <listrict schools of that earl}' 
 day afforded. lie came to Iowa in December, 
 1837, and having attained his majority, commenced 
 farming for himself. In 1837, in Louisa County, 
 Iowa, Mr. Shellaliarger was united in marriage with 
 Matilda Browning, a native of New .Terse}', and a 
 daughter of William and Grace (Fish) Browning, 
 who were also born in that State, Ilcr parents 
 emigrated to JInscatinc County, but in 1839 be- 
 came residents of Louisa County, where Mr. Brown- 
 ing eng.iged in farming until his death, which oc- 
 curred many years ago. His wife has also long 
 since been called tu her final home. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. ShelLabarger 
 settled upon a farm in Grand View Township, 
 though they removed to their present home on sec- 
 tion 19 in 1862. Seven cliildren graced the union 
 of this worthy couple: Jlatilda Jane, while attend- 
 ing the seminar}- at (irand ^'iew, completing her 
 last term before graduation, was stricken with ty- 
 phoid fever, and died Aug. 4, 18()7. at the age of 
 seventeen years, nine montlis and five d.ays; .Jacob 
 L. is married, and now resides in Grand N'iew Town- 
 ship; Charley B., William 11. an<] Thomas are all 
 married, and now make their homes in Concord 
 Township; Kossuth, residing in Kansas, is also mar- 
 ried ; IL M. is married, and resides on the home 
 farm. 
 
 Mr. Siiellabarger is one of the most successful 
 farmers of Grand View Township; 260 broad acres 
 pay a golden tribute to his care and c\iltivation. 
 Besides this land in Grand View Township, he is 
 also the owner of fifty acres in Concord Township. 
 His farm is well stocked with a good grade of Dur- 
 ham, Polled-Angus and Jersey cattle, and many ex- 
 
 cellent horses of the Norman and Clydesdale stock. 
 Jlr. Sheilabarger takes an active interest in politi- 
 cal affairs, casting his vote with the Democratic 
 party. He assisted in organizing the township in 
 which he now resides, and also aided in the organi- 
 zation of several of the school districts. He took 
 part in the Missouri War, and both he and his wife 
 are members of the United Brethren Church at 
 (irand View. 
 
 For over half a century Mr. Sheilabarger has 
 been a resident of Louisa County, during which 
 time he has witnessed almost its entire growth. On 
 his arrival the country was one wild and unlinikcu 
 prairie, where the wild deer roamed and bands of 
 red men might frequently be seen. To the early 
 settlers who aided in transforming the prairie into 
 beautiful farms, assisted in buihling churches and 
 .school-houses, and were ever ready to support any 
 enterprise for the public good, much credit is due, 
 and we are pleased to record the sketch of Jlr. 
 Sheilabarger, who is one of the worthiest pioneers 
 of Louisa County. 
 
 UGH L. CREIGHTON, a leading farmer re- 
 siding on section 35, Elliott Township, was 
 liorn in Louisa County, Iowa, Jan. 27, 1837. 
 He was reared upon his father's farm, and 
 remained an inmate of the parental home until 
 eighteen years of age, when he went to Kossuth, 
 Iowa, and there attended the Yellow Springs Col- 
 lege. He then engaged in teaching and farming 
 until the breaking out of the late war, when he re- 
 sponded to his country's first call for troops, and 
 immediately after the firing upon of Ft. Sumter, 
 in April, 1861 . enlisted in the 1st Iowa Infantry, 
 serving four months. On the 9th of August, 1862, 
 he re-enlisted, in the 30th Iowa Inf.intry, Company 
 C. and was commissioned Second Lieutenant. With 
 his regiment he participated in the battles of Wil- 
 son's Creek, Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, the 
 entire siege of Vicksburg. Cherokee Station, Look- 
 out Mountain, Missionary Ividge, Ringgold and Ke- 
 saca. He was slightly wounded at the battle of 
 Arkansas Post by a musket ball. At Vicksburg he 
 was promoted to First Lieutenant, and at Chero- 
 
 / 
 
-^•- 
 
 LOl ISA COUNTY. 
 
 171 
 
 f 
 
 kee Station to the rank of Captnin, being mustered 
 out as Captain of Company C, 30tli Iowa Infantry. 
 He was also elected Major. Imt was not commis- 
 sioned on .account of tlie reduced numbers of the 
 regiment. For three years with tiie boys in blue 
 he gallantly defended the old tlag, and was alw.ays 
 found at his post of duty. 
 
 After his discharge Capt. Crcighton returned to 
 his home, and then purchased an interest in a farm 
 in l)es Mt)ines County, upon which he lived for 
 six years. At the expiration of tiiat time he re- 
 ceived 100 acres on section 35, Elliott Township, 
 Louisa Count}', from his father's estate, ujion which 
 he has made his home continuous!}' since, and his 
 farm now comprises 130 acres, which are highl}' 
 improved. On the 20th of January, 18GG, he led 
 to the marriage altar Emil}' A. Osborne, a native of 
 Ohio, and a daughter of J. Osborne. Tlieir union 
 is blessed with three children, one son and two 
 ilaughters — William .1., Winifred and Pearl. Mr. 
 Creighton and his wife are members of the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Ciiiirch. He has held various town- 
 ship ollices, is at present Townshii) Clerk, and a 
 stalwart Republican in politics, earnestly ^advocat- 
 ing the princiiiles of that part}'. Almost his en- 
 tire life has been passed in Louisa County, where 
 he is cue of the most enterprising and progressive 
 ' farmers. 
 
 ^f? EWIS CASS WONNELL, carri.age and 
 I (® liouse painter, of Wa])ello, was l)orn in Port 
 jl LJ^ Clinton, Ohio, Kel>. 13, 18-18, .and is the son 
 of .lames and .lulia (Streetcr) Wonuell. His father 
 was horn in Maryland, and his mother in Vermont. 
 Lewis received his primary education in the com- 
 mon school, and took a two-years scientific course 
 at Adrian College, of Adrian, Mich. He was reared 
 on a farm on the shores of Lake Erie, and learned 
 the carriage painter's trade at Sandusky, Ohio. He 
 came to Wapello, Iowa, in ISOII, and worked at his 
 trade in the carriage factory of George Erbes, of 
 this city, for several years, and has subsequently 
 worked both at carriage and house painting. He 
 was married at Wapello, Dec. 31, 1874, to Miss 
 Anna B. Mincher, (buighter of Edward and Eliza I. 
 Mincher. iMrs. Wonnell was liorn at Wa|)ello, anil 
 
 her mother was a daughter of Mr. Key, one of 
 the early pioneers of the county. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Wonnell have one child, a son. Charles Lyman, 
 born at Wapello, Aug. 8, 1880. 
 
 For several years Mrs. Wonnell has carried on 
 the millinery business, and has had the only es- 
 tablishment in her line in the city since 187'.t. Mr. 
 Wonnell is a Democrat in politics, and a prominent 
 Mason, being a mend)er of Wapello Lodge No. 5, 
 A. F. & A. M., of which he has held every ollice, 
 and is now Secretary. 
 
 r^EV. CHARLES DE WITT TRUMHULL 
 Itnv 1'''^*''*^"" '^^ ''''*' I'^Pformed Presliyterian Church 
 /fc'A, at Morning Sun, Iowa, is a n.ative of East 
 \^Craftsbury, Orleans Co., Xt, born A))ril 1, 
 1837, and is a son of .John K. and Laura (Duiil)ar) 
 Trumbull, both of whom were natives of the same 
 State, the former lioni Scpl. !.'>, 1800, the latter, 
 M.arch 17, 1811. In 1841 the family removed 
 from Craftsbury. \'t., to Georgeville, Canada, and 
 thence to Logan County, Ohio, in 1851. .Inhu 
 Trumbull was a farmer by occupation, and was one 
 of the first to espouse the cause of the slave, beinw 
 never afraid of the term abolitionist as applied to 
 himself. lAtr years his house w;is a station on the 
 famous "underground railroad." and many a poor 
 negro, escaping from bondage, found there a place 
 of rest, and was assisted by Mr. Trumbull on his 
 way to freedom. The family consisted of four chil- 
 dren: Charles D., the subject of this sketch; Au- 
 gustus G., senior partner of Tniuibull, Reynolds i 
 Allen, de.ale-rs in agricultural implements, of Kan- 
 sas City, Mo.; Helen M., wife of James F. True, 
 a resident of Newman, Jefferson Co, Kan.; and 
 James S., who died Aug. 18, 1880, at the age of 
 thirty-six years. Mr. and Mrs. Trumludl were mem- 
 bers of the Covenanter Church, and gave liberally 
 toward its support. The former died in Logan 
 County, Ohio, in August, 1S74, the latter in Au- 
 gust, 187G. 
 
 While yet residing in Canada the subject of this 
 sketch attended the common schools, and on the re- 
 moval to Northwood. Logan Co., Ohio, entered 
 Geneva College, where he remained initi! his senior 
 
 •> j m ^' 
 
-^*- 
 
 172 
 
 t 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 year. It was for the purpose of giving his children 
 good educations that Mr. Trumbull removed to 
 Northwood, the college there being under the control 
 of the Covenanter Church, and the teachers all com- 
 petent instructors. Leaving Geneva College, he 
 entered Jefferson College at Cannonsburg, Pa., from 
 which institution he was graduated in ISiiS. For 
 the two succeeding j'ears Mr. Trumbull was em- 
 ployed as a teacher and assistiint principal of Ge- 
 neva College. While yet engaged in teaching, having 
 an earnest desire to enter the ministry, he began the 
 study of theology, reciting privately to his pastor, 
 Rev. William Milro}-. In November, 1860, he en- 
 tered the theological seminar3- of the Reformed 
 Presbyterian Church, in Allegheny', Pa., finishing 
 the course in March, 1863, and was licensed to 
 preach by the Lakes Presbytery on the 21st of 
 April, 1863. He began pastoral work at the Re- 
 formed Presbyterian Church, of Lind Grove, Des 
 Moines Co., Iowa, being ordained by the Iowa 
 Presbyter}' on the 29th of January, 1864. For a 
 period of eleven years he ministered to that congre- 
 gation, but April 1. 1874. resigned, accepted a call, 
 and was installed as pastor of the Reformed Presb}'- 
 terian Church at Morning fSun, on the 14th of the 
 same month, and has since been in charge of the 
 work at this i)lace. When he was installed as pas- 
 tor, the membersliip of the church was but forty- 
 six, since which time there have been added 207 
 members, 133 of whom have either died or moved 
 away, leaving the present membership 120. 
 
 Wliile pursuing his studies in the theological 
 school in Allegheny, Mr. Trumbull formed the ac- 
 quaintance of Miss Marj- Sproull, the daughter of 
 Thom.is .Sproull, D. D. and LL. D., then Professor 
 of Theology, with whom he was united in marriage 
 June 8, 1864. Their union has been blessed with 
 six children, two sons and four daughters — Thomas 
 S., Laura A., Lena W., Mary II., Jolin C. and 
 Lois A. 
 
 In addition to his ministerial labors Mr. Trum- 
 bull has been an occasional contributor to the 
 various publications of the church, several of bis 
 sermons being found in tiie church mag.azines. He 
 has also contributed a number of articles of histori- 
 cal value, and as Chairman of several boards and 
 committees he has rendered efHuient service. In 
 
 1878 he was unanimousl}' elected Moderator of the 
 Synod, the highest court of the Reformed Presby- 
 terian Church. Few men enjoy the respect and 
 confidence [of the people, both as a minister and 
 citizen, more than Rev. C. D. Trumbull. For a 
 quarter of a century he has been pastor of the Re- 
 formed Presbyterian Church at Morning Sun, and 
 its sister church at Lind Grove, and it is not to be 
 wondered at that in that time he has made many 
 warm friends, both in and out of the Church, many 
 of whom he has brought into the Kingdom. 
 
 ^ .^^ ^ 
 
 •¥ i ^- 
 
 "S) H. F. L. E. WEBER, dealer in general mer- 
 I chandise at Wapello, and a pioneer settler of 
 Louisa County, is a native of Germany, and 
 was born Sept. 28, 1840. His parents were 
 John Henry and Johanna Margaret (Hirt) Weber, 
 with whom he emigrated to America in 1848, com- 
 ing directl}' to Wapello. His father was a bl.ack- 
 smith b}- trade, and o|)ene(l a shop in this city. 
 Frederick attended school until the fall of 18r)2, 
 when the family removed to a farm in Wapello 
 Township, where he was trained to farm work, and 
 when arrived at man's estate he followed that vo- 
 cation for himself. 
 
 On the 28tli of February, 1861, Mr. Weber was 
 united in marriage with Miss Margaret Reif, a na- 
 tive of Ohio, and a daughter of Franz Reif. Three 
 children were born of their marriage, two sor.s and 
 a daughter: Henrv Albert, who married Miss Louisa 
 C. Keck, and is now an exi)ress agent at Wapello; 
 the daughter, Amamla Johanna, and the younger 
 son. John Frederick, are at home. Mrs. Weber 
 died Oct. 1. 1879. 
 
 Mr. Weber remained on his farm until 1881, 
 when he sold out and engaged in his present busi- 
 ness at Wapello. Hi; occupies the first Uoor of the 
 new Masonic building on Second street, where he 
 carries an average stock of general merchandise of 
 the value of from ifC.OOO to 4;8.000. He has a 
 large and well-arranged store, and has l)uilt up a 
 good trade. 
 
 On the 4th of June, 1880, Mr. Weber was again 
 married, to Miss Louisa Reif, a sister of his former 
 wife. They have one child i>y this union, a son, 
 
i. 
 
 ■^•- 
 
 LOOISA COUNTY. 
 
 -t^ 
 
 173 
 
 -h 
 
 Osctir George. Mr. and Jlrs. Weber .arc members 
 of the German Methodist Episcopal Church. He is 
 a member of Wapello Lodge No. 212, A. O. U. W. ; 
 is a Rciuiblican in politics, and has held various town- 
 ship and school ofllces. Mr. Weber's parents both 
 died on the farm, the mother's death occurring May 
 9, 1852, the father surviving her until July, 1874. 
 Both were highly respected and worthy people. 
 
 ^ ^H-^ 
 
 lENJAMIN F. SPAFFORD, one of the sol- 
 diers of the late war, and a pioneer of Louisa 
 County, now residing lu Morning Sun, was 
 born near Madison, Ind., June 5, 1836, and 
 is a son of Orlando O. and Jane (Patton) Spafiford, 
 the former a native of New York and the latter of 
 North Carolina. In their j'outh botli parents re- 
 moved to Jefferson County, Ind., where thej' be- 
 came acquainted and were married. Mr. Spafford 
 served as a soldier during the War of 1812, par- 
 ticipating in the battle of Plattsburg. He had a 
 family of ten children, and four of his sons served 
 in the late Rebellion, as did also a grandson, who 
 made his home with him. The children were: 
 Cordelia, widow of Samuel Warren, who now re- 
 sides in Pierce County, AVis. ; Matthew W., who 
 served in the Mexican War, died from disease con- 
 tracted while at Jalapa; Charlotte, wife of Zadok 
 Jarvis, whose sketch appears in this work; Andrew 
 J. enlisted in the 2oth Iowa Infantry, and died at 
 Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, from disease con- 
 tracted in the service; Alvira is the wife of Jesse 
 Phillips, of Columbus City, Louisa County ; Caro- 
 line died at the age of twenty; Benjamin F., of this 
 sketch, is the next in order of birth; Julius F., a 
 member of the 5th Iowa Infantry, Company C, 
 DOW lives at Elsworth, Wis.; William IL II. , of the 
 8th Iowa Infantry, Company K, served throughout 
 the entire war, and is now living at Winona, Wis.; 
 and two children died in infancj', Harriet and one 
 unnamed. The grandson, James W. Spafford, who 
 served in the war, was a member of the 5th Iowa 
 Infantry, enlisted in 18G2, and served until the 
 close of hostilities. 
 
 Orlando Spafford was an old-line Whig, politi- 
 cally, was a great reader, and was always well in- 
 
 4 » 
 
 formed on ever}' subject of general interest. In 
 1842 he emigrated with his family to Louisa 
 County, Iowa, settling in Morning Sun Township, 
 and being a carjjcnter by trade, he erected manj' of 
 the residences of the early settlers. He was an 
 energetic business man, and his work was alwa3's 
 done in aCfirst-cIass manner. His death occurred 
 in this county, Sept. 21, 1882. Thus one by one 
 the pioneers are passing away, until now but few 
 are left to tell the story of the hardships and trials, 
 the privations and difliculties of the early days of 
 the countj'. Mrs. Spafford died in 1871. She was 
 a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and 
 a most estimable ladj-, loved and respected by all. 
 
 When six years old our subject came to Louisa 
 Count}' with his parents, and here received his 
 education in the common schools. He was reared 
 upon a farm, and after .attaining his majority com- 
 menced farming for himself. In 1858 he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Mary J. Brown, 
 daughter of Thomas and Sarah Brown. While on 
 his waj' to Iowa, in 1851, her father was attacked 
 with the cholera, and died at St. Louis. The stricken 
 wife took her family to Dubuque County, and 
 there labored for their support, keeping her chil- 
 dren all together, and ably performing the arduous 
 duties which devolved upon her. She is now re- 
 siding in Cascade, Dul)uque Co., Iowa, and is a 
 member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. 
 and ftlrs. Spafford are the parents of seven living 
 children: Sarah, wife of Henry Rouse, of Mt. 
 Pleasant, Iowa; INlilo, a farmer residing near Blan- 
 dinsville, 111. ; ILittie, wife of Henry Swanson, of 
 Cheyenne County, Neb.; Anna is still at home; 
 Alzina, wife of Milo Robertson, of Mt. Pleasant, 
 Iowa; Lorin, who is living in Chej'enne Count}*, 
 Neb.; and Nora, who is at home. 
 
 In 18(i2 Mr. Spafford responded to his country's 
 call for volunteers, becoming a member of Com- 
 pany F, 25th Iowa Infantry, and was mustered in 
 at Mt. Pleasant, in Camp McKean, under Col. Stone; 
 the regiment remained at Mt. Pleasant for aljout 
 three months, after which it was sent to St. Louis. 
 
 While performing guard duty at the Last-named 
 city, Mr. Spafford received injuries which have 
 disabled him for life. He lay in the hospital for 
 about three months, and when discharged could 
 
M^ 
 
 174 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 not walk. After returning to his lionic it was some 
 time before he was able to perform any labor, and 
 tlie care of the familj- devolved upon his wife. 
 Those indeed were dark days in his history, but 
 he has now somewhat recovered from his injuries, 
 and also receives a pension from the Government 
 of ^-24 per month. For over forty -five years he 
 has been a resident of Louisa County, during which 
 time lie has not only witnessed, but has participated 
 and aided in the great changes which have placed 
 Louisa County in the front rank in this great com- 
 monwealth. We are pleased to record the sketch 
 of this worthy i)ioneer in the history of his adopted 
 county, for as a citizen lie is true and worth}-, and 
 receives the respect of nil. 
 
 \fiOIIN BKH(;iN VAL'GIIN, one of the early 
 settlers ui Louisa County, ami an honored 
 citizen, now deceased, was born in Harrison 
 County, Ky.. March 17, 1810, and was a son 
 of Isaac N'augiiu. Ills fatlier served as a soldier 
 duriuij; liie War of LSI 2, and in after years became 
 a minister of tlie Baptist Church. He wedded 
 Margaret Jones, a native of Maryland, and when 
 our subject w.as eight years of age removed with 
 iiis family to 'Wasliin'ilon County. Ind., where John 
 grew U> manhood, and resided there until 1826^ 
 when lie removed to Hartholomew County. In the 
 fall of iw;)3 he was united in marriage with Miss 
 J)eboraii Mason, a daugiiter of Daniel and Mar\' 
 Mason, of New Jersey, who emigrated to Lidiana 
 in 1.S2S. She was one of a family of twelve chil- 
 dren, of whom three are yet living: Reuben, a resi- 
 dent of Clarinda, Page Co., Iowa; and Sarah A., 
 widow of Robert Davis. ]Mr. and Mrs. Mason died 
 in I'lartholomew County, Ind. He was in early life a 
 mend)er of the Methodist Church, but a few years 
 prior to his death joined the Christian Church. 
 
 After their marriage l^Ir. ami Mrs. Vaughn 
 began their domestic life in Johnson County, Ind., 
 where they continued to resi<le until 1842, when 
 they emigrated to Iowa, settling in Des Moines 
 County, where they made their home on a farm for 
 nine vears. Selling out in 1 8,"(1 , they removed to 
 
 a farm on section 27, Morning Sun Township, 
 where Mrs. Vaughn is still living. There was a little 
 log cabin situated upon the land, and into this the 
 family moved, braving all the trials and privations 
 of pioneer life that they might make a home. With 
 an cnergj' which characterized all his work through 
 life, Mr. A'aughn liegan to clear the land, and in 
 a short time had his farm all under cultivation. At 
 the time of his death he owned 240 acres of fine 
 land, thus leaving his family in comfortable cir- 
 cumstances. At the time of their arrival Mr. 
 Vaughn was obliged to go to Skunk River to mill, 
 and often several days were required in making the 
 trip. Bands of Indians were scattered all over the 
 countr}', and the nearest neighbors were miles away. 
 Pork at that time sold for «!l.25 per htindred pounds, 
 wheat brought Ijut thirty-seven and one-half cents 
 per Inishel in Burlington, and then had to be taken 
 out in trade. Times were hard, ad vant,ages few, and 
 money so scarce that enough could hardly be ob- 
 tained to p.ay taxes, but at length success crowned 
 tlie persevering efforts of our pioneer, and iiisl.-diors 
 brought their reward. 
 
 To. Mr. and J^Iis. Vaughn w.as born a family of 
 thirteen children, nine of whom reached maturity: 
 Jeremiah died in 1880; Mary E. is the wife of Co- 
 lumbus McCray, a resident of this county; Mar- 
 garet became the wife of Jefferson Laiighlin, ami 
 after his death married Apollos Laughlin, but both 
 are now deceased; Hannah K., wife of John Barton, 
 died in Union County, Iowa; Rachel is the wife of 
 Joim Jamison, of this county; Isaac, who now 
 sleeps in a soldier's grave on a .Southern battle-field, 
 was killed by a guiisliot through his lungs bj' a 
 guerrilla, and died near Memphis, Tenn. ; William 
 J. is now deceased; Aurelia wedded (Jeorge Mason, 
 of Louisa County ; Jesse became the husband of 
 M.aggie W.alter, and is living in this county; four 
 children died in infancy'. 
 
 In the inoiith of March, 1885, after over half a 
 century of happy married life, Mr. A'aughn was 
 called to his final home. Honest, straiglitforwanl 
 and just in all his dealings, he won the confidence 
 of evcr^'one with whom business or pleasure brought 
 him in contact, and all were his well-wishers. His 
 widow is still living on the old homestead, but her 
 life work is uearlv ended, and she is patii-ntly wait- 
 '■ •► 
 
Edward H .Thomas. 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 177 i i 
 
 U\g tlu' call (if bcr MiisU-r, wlien she will cross the 
 (lark river and once iimre join her luisliaml. She 
 was reared in the faith of the Christian Church, and 
 that has been her belief throujjhout life. 
 
 DWARD IL THOMA.S. This work would 
 fe) be incomplete were tlie sketch of this hon- 
 ored pioneer to be omitted from its pages. 
 He was born in Portland, Me., on the 1st of Janu- 
 ary, 181 3, and his parents were Klias and Elizabeth 
 (Widgerj') Thomas. They were among the best 
 and most highly respected families of the .State of 
 Maine. His father, who was of Welsh descent, was 
 born in Portland, that State, Jan. 14, 1772, and 
 after a useful and honored life, died in that city on 
 the oth of August, 1872, at the advanced age of 
 one hundred jears and five months. In his earlier 
 years he was cng.iged in commerce, but later held 
 various positions of public trust, among which was 
 the otiice of State Treasurer, which he held for a 
 number of years, resigning and retiring from public 
 life in order to give personal attention to his busi- 
 ness affairs. 
 
 Mrs. Thomas, tlie mother of our subject, was of 
 English descent, and the only daughter of William 
 AVidger}', a m.an greatly distinguished in his time 
 for his talents and force of character, as well as for 
 the ability he manifested in the various public posi- 
 tions he held. He served as Member of Congress, 
 as a member of the Constitutional Convention of 
 Massachusetts, and for man}- years was one of the 
 Judges of the Court of Common Pleas. The char- 
 acteristic traits of the father would seem to have 
 descended to the daughter, for she was a lady of 
 remarkable abilit}', thought and action. She died 
 in Portland, Me., Jul}' 2, 1861, at the age of sixty- 
 two years. 
 
 Edw.ard H. Thomas, our subject, received a colle- 
 giate education in Bowdoin College, being gradu- 
 ated from that celebrated institution in the class of 
 '31. He studied law in the oflice of Stephen Long- 
 fellow, father of II. W. Longfellow, America's loved 
 poet, in Portland, Me., where he w.as admitted to 
 the bar in 183.'). In company with his friend, 
 
 Judge Springer, he emigrated to Iowa in 1838, and 
 settled in this county in December of that j'ear. 
 He remained a citizen of Iowa some twent}' years 
 or more, residing in Louisa County for thirteen 
 years, and in l)es Moines County for about seven 
 or eight 3'ears. 
 
 Mr. Thomas spent the time between the years 
 1851 and 1854 in traveling over this and other 
 countries, seven months being passed, in company 
 wit.h his sister Charlotte, among the interesting and 
 historical scenes of Europe. He then returned to 
 Des Moines County, locating in Burlington. He 
 was an accomplished lawyer, though probalil}' the 
 practice was not always entirely- to his taste, since 
 after he had left Wapello he became, in 1854, a 
 member of the banking firm of Green, Thomas & 
 Co., of Burlington. He seemed to care little for 
 ofHci.al position, though in 1854 he accei)ted the 
 appointment tendered him by Gov. Chambers, of 
 District Attornej' for the .Aliddle Judicial District of 
 Iowa, comprising eight counties, which oflicc he held 
 for two years. 
 
 In 1855. in Poughkeepsie, N. .Y., Mr. Thomas 
 was united in marriage with Miss Charlotte A. Du- 
 bois, a lady of French descent. The}' had two chil- 
 dren — Edward II. and Charles. Edward w.as l)orn 
 in Burlington, Iowa, Dec. 28, 1855, and died in the 
 same city. May 9, 1859; Charles was also horn in 
 Burlington, on the 9th of June, ISGO. The death 
 of Mrs. Thomas occurred in Burlington, Dec. 28, 
 1861. and soon afterward Mr. Thomas left Iowa 
 for Portland, Me., placing his infant son in charge 
 of his sister Charlotte, a lady inheriting the inde- 
 pendent traits of her grandfather Widg'ery, blended 
 with theactive, but unobtrusive, benevolence of her 
 mother. The good training which Charles received 
 at the hands of this lady has been manifested in 
 his later years. He is a bright young man, a fine 
 critical writer, and possessed of much executive 
 ability in business matters. 
 
 Mr. Thomas is numbered among the honored pio- 
 neers of this county. He w.as deservedly popular 
 with the early settlers, for they knew him to be 
 a genial, generous, true-hearted man. .Scholarly, 
 witty, conscientious, true to his convictions of right 
 and duty, always a star in the social circle, he would 
 have been considered a valuable .acquisition to any 
 
 i» 
 
 t 
 
178 
 
 ;i^H4 
 
 LOULSA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 comnuinitj'. As an amntcur mu-iician. ho had few 
 equals. His favorite instnimeiit was the flute, 
 though he could plaj' well on other instruments, 
 and he possessed the additional charm of a rich 
 bass voice. Since 1863 Mr. Thoraas has resided in 
 his native city, Portland, doubly afflicted for a 
 number of years past by the loss of his eyesiglitand 
 partial loss of hearing. His old settler and other 
 friends will, however, be glad to know that he bears 
 his misfortunes like a philosopher, as he is; that he 
 appears almost as cheerful as ever, and is in fair 
 general health at this writing, in September, 1888. 
 He seems to enjoy life, and keeps well posted in 
 current literature and in the news of the daj'. A 
 lady is employed to read magazines and books to 
 him one day in each week, and his attendant and 
 relatives read the morning and evening papers to 
 him. He takes considerable exercise indoors and 
 out, walking miles a day in pleasant weather, going 
 on excursions, attending public nieetingsand others 
 places of interest. He still retains a warm regard 
 for his Iowa friends, and an undiminished interest 
 in Iowa affairs. 
 
 It is with pleasure that the i)ortrait of this good 
 man is presented to the readers of the Ai.blm. 
 
 y;ILLIAM R. WILLIAMS, one of the early 
 settlers of Louisa County, is a farmer and 
 stock-raiser, residing on section 13, Wa- 
 l)ello Township. He was born in Morgan County, 
 Ind., Oct. 5, 182G, and was the only child bo n to 
 ■\Villiam and Mary (Coons) AVilliams, who were 
 natives of Kentucky. The father engaged in farm- 
 ing until his death, which occurred in Indiana about 
 the year 1 830. The mother was again married, be- 
 coming the wife of J. P. Maxwell. By their union 
 eight children were ^)orn, though only one is now 
 living, Thomas, a farmer of Muscatine County, 
 Iowa. In 1845 William came with his mother and 
 step-father to Louisa Count3', where the death of 
 Mr. Maxwell occurred in 1849, the mother surviv- 
 ing her husband until 1858. They were both highly 
 respected people in tlie community where they re- 
 sided. 
 
 Mr. Williams had received his education in at- 
 
 tendance at the subscription schools of his native 
 count}'. After coming to Iowa, as before stated, 
 he worked upon Mr. Maxwell's farm until 1847, 
 when he returned to Morgan County, and was there 
 united in marriage with Margaret Roberts, who was 
 born Jlay 10, 1826, in Morgan County. The ladj' 
 is a daughter of Benjamin and IMary (Turpen) Rob- 
 erts, who were born in Kentucky, and were the par- 
 ents of thirteen children, eleven of whom grew to 
 maturitj-. and nine are yet living: Humphrey, aged 
 sixty-eight years, is living in Indiana; Benjamin, 
 a carpenter by trade, is residing in Troy, Neb.; 
 Mrs. Williams; Mrs. Mary Ilickiin, who is living 
 in Warren County, Iowa; Mrs. Melinda Norman, 
 whose home is iu Indiana; Mrs. INIary Carter, of 
 Dallas County, Iowa; Mrs. Eliza Linlej'; Mrs. Sa- 
 mantha Hartman and Martin Roberts. The par- 
 ents of these children both died in Morgan County, 
 Ind. 
 
 After his n)arriage Mr. Williams, accompanied 
 by his young bride, came to Louisa County, where 
 he entered forty acres of land on the Iowa River, 
 in Oakland T(jwnship. After farming that for a 
 year he sold out, and in 1 850 purchased 1 00 acres 
 of partly improved land, on which a little log cabin 
 had been built, and into it the family moved. He 
 started out with only a team and an old wagon, but 
 immediately beginning to cultivate his land, he now 
 has one of the best farms in the county, with a 
 commodious two-story residence, 26x26 feet, with 
 an L 12x16 feet. His barns and out-buildings are 
 ip the best condition, and the farm 1ms been in- 
 creased in extent until it now comprises 144 acres. 
 The union of Mr. and Mrs. Williams has been 
 blessed with a family of eight children: Mar}' L., 
 born Nov. 22, 1848, died June 4, 1851 ; Nancy E., 
 born Eel). 1 1, 1850, is the wife of Alonzo Wilson, a 
 farmer of (iosper County, Neb. ; Cassa, born Dec. 
 3, 1851, wedded G. W. Scofield, a farmer of Louisa 
 County; Edward, born .Ian. 3, 1851, married Mrs. 
 Julia Ilindle, and is a farmer of Weld County, Col. : 
 William N., born March 19, 1855, is engaged in 
 farming in Sheridan County, Kan.; Rosa, born May 
 8, 1858, died Aug. 25, 1804; Albert N. and Alice 
 A. (twins), were born Oct. 1, 1861; Albert died 
 Sept. 6 and Alice Sept. 11, 18r)4. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Williams are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
 
 —•^ 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ^^h^ 
 
 179 
 
 Cluircli.arid arc sincere Cliristian people. Tliey have 
 always taken great interest in the work of the church, 
 give liberally of their means to its support, and in all 
 possible wa^'s aid in the advancement of the cause 
 of Christ. During the forty-five years of their resi- 
 dence in Louisa County their support has ever been 
 given toward the advancement of any enterprise 
 for the good of the coramunitj', and in tlie social 
 world they rank high. In his political views Mr. 
 Williams is a supporter of the Republican party. 
 
 ij^^^iiit>rt-j* 
 
 JACOB LIEBERKNECHT, a farmer residing 
 on section 2.5, Concord Township, was born 
 in Pennsylvania in IK40, and is the eldest 
 in a family' of nine children, who were born 
 to Nicholas and Catlierine (Reibold) Lieberknecht, 
 who were natives of Ilesse-Darmstadt, German^'. 
 In 1840 they bade good-by to their native land and 
 set sail for America. Locating in the town of 
 Chambersburg, Pa., Nicholas Leiberknecht there 
 followed his trade of shoemaker until 1851, when 
 he came to Louisa County, Iowa, locating on 
 a farm of 110 acres which he purchased on section 
 16, Grand View Township. He improved this 
 farm until he had one of the best in the township, 
 adding to it until it was 800 acres in extent. The 
 death of Nicholas Lieberknecht occurred in 1 X72, at 
 about the age of fifty-six years. His excellent 
 wife still survives him, and resides on the old home- 
 stead. 
 
 Our subject was reared to farm life and educated 
 in the district schools of Pennsylvania and Louisa 
 County, Iowa. Early in life he commenced farm- 
 ing for himself in this county, where he was united 
 in marriage, in 1875, with Rosa Rlauer, who is a na- 
 tive of Switzerland, and a daughter of Frederick 
 and Aiuia (Rubi) Blauer, who were also born in the 
 same country. She came to America with her par- 
 ents in 1802, and at once became a resident of 
 Grand View Township, Louisa Co., Iowa, where her 
 father is still engaged in farming, though he and 
 bis wife now make their home with a daughter in 
 Port Louisa Township, and are quite advanced in 
 years. 
 
 After their marriage the J'oung couple began 
 
 their domestic life upon the farm where they 3'et 
 reside, and which now consists of 440 acres of fine, 
 arable land in a good state of cultivation. To Mr. 
 and Mrs. Lieberknecht have been born three chil- 
 dren — Hilton Frederick, William Herbert and Leila 
 Mabel. AViien they attain a sudicient age the par- 
 ents intend giving them good educational advan- 
 tages, such as will fit them for an}' position in life 
 which they may be called upon to fill. In his 
 political views Mr. Lieberknecht is a supporter of 
 the Republican parly, and an active worker for its 
 interests. He assisted in reorganizing some of the 
 school districts in his township, served as a mem- 
 ber of the Board of Trustees in Grand View Town- 
 ship, and in Concord Township has served as 
 Justice of the Peace for two j'ears, and as School 
 Director for a numlier of terms. He has seen the 
 greater part of the growth of Louisa County, takes 
 an active interest in everything for the good of the 
 community in which he resides, and both he and 
 his wife are highly respected b}' the i)eople of 
 Louisa County. Mrs. Lieberknecht is a member 
 of the German Congregational Church, at Grand 
 View. 
 
 J^LBERT W. WILLIAMSON, a f.irmer re- 
 
 @EJIi siding on section 30, Grand View Town- 
 1!' ship, was burn in Port Louisa, this count}', 
 in 1853, and was the second in a family of 
 five children born to .John H. and Esther Ann 
 (Townsley) Williamson, who were natives of Ohio. 
 His father emigrated to Illinois in 1830, settling 
 near Moiimoulli, Warren County, where the pa- 
 ternal grandfather located two years later. In the 
 year 1835 John came to Iowa, settling in Grand 
 View Township, Louisa County, where he located 
 a claim and remained a short time, but later re- 
 turned to Illinois. He came back in the spring of 
 1836, and bought from the Government a 160-acre 
 tr.act of land on section 3. He was then a single 
 man, but forming the acquaintance of Miss Towns- 
 ley, they were united in marriage in Greene County. 
 Ohio, in 1840. They remained there for some years, 
 but later returned to Illinois, making that their 
 home for some time, but once more became resi- 
 
 • ^ m ^' 
 
180 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 dents of Iowa. In 1845 or ISJG Mr. AVillinmson 
 again purchased a farm in Port Louisa Township 
 of 100 acres, which he greatly improved, but after- 
 ward sold it and became the owner of 400 acres on 
 section 3. Grand View Township, wliere he resided 
 until bis death, which occurred Dee. 25, 1883, at 
 the age of sixt3--nine j'ears. His estimable wife 
 survived him for a little more than one year, she 
 departing this life in June, 1885, when sixty-four 
 J- ears of age. 
 
 Our sulijectwas reared to farm life, and received 
 liis education in the district school of this count3'. 
 He was here united in marriage, in 1876, with 
 Emma Winders, who was born in Grand View 
 Township, and is a daughter of David and Ann 
 (Ilolliday) Winders, who were natives of Ohio, and 
 came to Iowa in 1840, settling in Grand View 
 Townsliip, where Mr. Winders engaged in farming 
 for awhile, but later kept a grocery store. His death 
 occurred in 1885, at the age of sixty-five years. His 
 excellent wife still survives him, and resides in 
 Grand View Township. 
 
 After his marriage our subject took ujj his resi- 
 dence upon his present farm, which now consists of 
 100 acres of fine, aialile land in good cultivation. 
 Mr. Williamson is independent in polities. He and 
 his wife belong to the church called the Body of 
 Christ. To them have been born seven children: 
 Everett, Pearly, Roy, Noah, Reuben. Ruth and 
 John, all of whom are at home attending school. 
 Although comparatively a young man. Mr. Will- 
 iamson is a most successful farmer, and is highly 
 esteemed by tlie citizens of Louisa County. 
 
 •«4efi;©^J- 
 
 -»©fs<ra»»<~ 
 
 Ji" ACOH 8. ANDREWS, an early settler of 
 I Wapello, Louisa County, now residing at 
 I Wichita, Kan., was born in NorthumberLand 
 _ !' County, Pa., AprillO, 1817, and is the son 
 of Christoi)her and Marj- (Shipman) Andrews. His 
 jiarents were born in New Jersey, and on his 
 father's side were of English origin, and on his 
 mother's were of German descent. Our subject 
 was reared on a farm, and received a common- 
 school education. AVhen twenty-one j'ears of age 
 
 he removed with his parents to Chicago. 111., reach- 
 ing that cit}' in July. 1838. He resided in Chicago 
 and vicinit\' until 1849, and then went to Rush 
 County, Ind., where he was married in the spring 
 of that year. Miss Emil^' Wright becoming his wife. 
 She was a daughter of William Wright, and was 
 born in Union County, Ind. 
 
 Until 1857 Mr. Andrews engaged in farming and 
 merchandising in Rush County, Ind., when he came 
 to Wapello. Iowa, and purchased a farm now con- 
 taining 320 acres, situated a mile south of the city. 
 He subsequently bought another tract on the oppo- 
 site side of the river, of 240 acres, and another of 
 100 acres, all situated near the city of Wapello, 
 aggregating 720 acres, which he still owns. Mr. 
 Andrews engaged extensively in farming and stock- 
 raising, and also did a l.nrge business in buying, 
 feeding and shipping stock. He also represented 
 for many years the McCormick Reaper interest, and 
 purchased for them the tract of land near Wapello 
 known as the McCormick farm. For some time he 
 was engaged in the hardware and agricultural im- 
 plement business, at Wapello, and is still the owner 
 of the storehouse in the Phccnix Block. 
 
 Mrs. Andrews departed this life Jul3' 2S, 18G4, 
 and Mr. Andrews was again married, March 9, 
 1865, to Miss Elizabeth I). Wright, a daughter of 
 S. M. Wright, and a cousin of his former wife. 
 Mrs. Andrews was born in Rush Count}', Ind.. and 
 seven children graced their union, four sons and 
 three daughtei-s, of vvhom tlie four sons and one 
 daugliter are still living: Emma, the eldest, died 
 in infancy; those living are William S., John G., 
 Mary Lula, Silas W. and Rex. Anna Pearl, the 
 youngest, died at the age of three years. 
 
 Mr. Andrews continued to reside in Wapello 
 Township until April, 1885, when he went with his 
 familj' to Wichita, Sedgwick Co., Kan., where he 
 still resides. Mrs. Andrews survived her change 
 of residence but a short time, and died Sept. 24, 
 1886. On removing to Kansas he retained the 
 ownership of his Louisa County property, and still 
 continues to visit Wapello in the care of it. He in- 
 vested in valuable city property in Wichita, and in 
 farming lands in Kansas. IMr. Andrews was a Whig 
 in early life, and joined the Republican partj' on 
 its organization in 1850, since which time he has 
 
-4«- 
 
 ••► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 181 
 
 heen an earnest supporter of its principles. His 
 religious views led him in early life to membership 
 in the Presbyterian Church, which he has since 
 retained. Both the late Mre. Andrews and her 
 cousin, the former wife, were consistent members 
 of the same denomination, and were highly re- 
 spected and warmly esteemed. Mr. Andrevvs is a 
 gentleman of broad views and superior mental 
 force. He is well preserved, both physically and 
 mentally, and having been a close observer and 
 possessing a decision of character, is ripe in prac- 
 tical experience and knowledge of the world. Ge- 
 nial and courteous in manners, he is entertaining 
 and instructive in conversation, and possesses the 
 ha|)p3' faculty of winning the regard and respect of 
 all with whom he comes in contact. 
 
 <| I^ILLIAM W. WILLIAMS, a general farmer 
 \/iJ// '■'^^''''"o ^'^ section 20, Columbus City 
 W^ Township, was born in the North of AVales, 
 in 1847, and is a son of William and Margaret 
 (Evans) Williams, who were also natives of that 
 country. He was reared upon his father's farm, 
 and remained under the parental roof until he was 
 ten years of age, and worked out as a farm hand 
 until of age. In 1871, thinking that the New World 
 would probably furnish a better field for his labors, 
 he femigrated to America, settling first near Utica, 
 in Oneida County, N. Y., where he w.as employed 
 .as a farm hand for four years. Returning to Wales 
 on a visit, he there remained for three months, 
 when he came to Louisa County, Iowa, in 1870, 
 and secured emplojMnent on a farm. He followed 
 that line of business for two years, when he bought 
 eighty acres of prairie land and nineteen acres of 
 tiniljer land on section 20, Columljus City Town- 
 ship. By his good management and industry he 
 has added to this until his farm now comprises 142 
 acres, nicely cultivated. 
 
 Mr. Williams was married in 1876, becoming the 
 husband of Mrs. Jane Davis, widow of Evan Davis, 
 and daughter of William Arthur, who was one of 
 the pioneer settlers of Louisa County, of 1844. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Williams have been born four clul- 
 drcn — Maggie, William A., Ebenezcr and Kutii. 
 
 M* 
 
 The parents are members of the Welsh Calvinistic 
 Church, and politically, Mr. Williams is a Repub- 
 lican. His occupation tin-ough life has been' that of 
 farming, and his farm in Columlius Cit}' Townshij) 
 is one of neatness and system. 
 
 
 ^t---. KNRY S. TODD, one of the leading farmers 
 
 Qij of Louisa Count}-, residing on section 30, 
 Union Township, was born in Pittsburgh, 
 Pa., and is a son of Robert and Mary (Stur- 
 geon) Todd, the fatiier a native of New York, born 
 of Irish parentage, and the mother of Pennsylvania, 
 born of German ancestry. Robert Todd engaged 
 in mercantile business in Pittsburgh, in earl}' life, but 
 later engaged in farming in Lawrence County, Pa., 
 where he resided until 1851, when he emigrated to 
 Muscatine County, Iowa. The following j-ear he 
 came to Louisa County, locating on section 30, 
 Union Township, where he continued to reside un- 
 til his death, which occurred in October, 1854, at 
 the age of sixty years. Mrs. Todd died in Penn- 
 sylvania, in the fall of 1850. The}' were the par- 
 ents of seven chiiilren who grew to man anil 
 womanhood; Lydia, who died siiorily after coming 
 to this county; Mary, who makes her home with 
 our subject; R. II., a resident of Columbus Junc- 
 tion; Oliver, who was a soldier in the War for the 
 Union, serving four years as a member of Comi)any 
 C, 11th Iowa Infantry, died in 1867 from the ef- 
 fects of his long service, leaving two children: Ed- 
 gar, who makes his home with our subject, and 
 Ollie, who is living with S. S. Wilcox, at Columbus 
 Junction. Henry and Minerva are also living with 
 our subject, who is the youngest of the faniijy. 
 The parents were both members of the Old-School 
 Presbyterian Church, and were people of sterling 
 worth, respected for tiieir many excellencies of 
 character. 
 
 The boyhood days of our subject were spent 
 upon liis father's farm, and his education was re- 
 ceived in the common schools. He is now one of 
 the leading citizens of Union Township, is a syste . 
 niatic and progressive farmer, owning in connection 
 with his sisters 220 acres of tine land, and every- 
 
•►Hl^^^ 
 
 "^M^ 
 
 182 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 tiling aljoiit the place denotes thrift and enterprise. 
 lie tikes jrreat interest in political affairs, and is a 
 stalwart Republican, unswerving in his allegiance lo 
 the principles of that part}-. He and bis sisters are 
 members of the Reform Church. Mr Todd takes a 
 prominent part in promoting any enterprise for the 
 public welfare, and Louisa Countj' has no worthier 
 citizen. 
 
 ^^ HARLES WABNITZ, Sn., a rei)resentative 
 l|( „ farmer, residing on section '2, Port Louisa 
 ^^^ Township, was born Oct. 27, 1821, in Baden, 
 Germany, and his parents, Daniel and Hannah (Ruff) 
 Wabnitz, were also natives of that country, the 
 father being born in Baden, and the mother in Wur- 
 temberg. On the 12th of April, 1844, he was 
 uniteil in marriage with Elizabeth Weeks, who w.is 
 also a native of Baden, and a daughter of Jacob 
 and Mar}- (Schaffer) Weeks. Four days after their 
 marriage, in compan}- with Mr. AVabnitz's jiarents, 
 the young couple bade good-by to their native 
 land, and set sail for America. After thirty daj-s 
 the sailing-vessel "Serick," in which they had em- 
 barked, reached the harbor of New York. The 
 party then proceeded to Porlsmoulh, Ohio, via 
 Buffalo, but finally settled near Cincinnati, Hamil- 
 ton Co., Ohio, where the father and son both pur- 
 chased farms. The fii'St summer after their arrival 
 in Ohio Mr. Wabnitz worked upon his father's 
 farm, after which he moved to the city of Cincin- 
 nati, where he secured employment in a |)ork ])ack- 
 ing house for six months. He and his wife then 
 secured employment at a farmer's near the cit}', 
 engaging with him for seven months, at the end of 
 which time Mr. Wabnitz purchased ten acres of 
 land which was partly improved. Upon this they 
 lived for two years and then sold, purchasing thirty 
 acres, which he also improved, and in connection 
 with his farming made charcoal for the market. In 
 1852 Mr. Wabnitz sold liis land for $40 per acre, 
 and with his family came directly to Louisa County, 
 going down the Ohio River to St. Louis, and then 
 l)y steamboat u|) the Mississippi to Port Louisa. 
 Purchasing 120 acres of land, forty of which were 
 timber, lliey moved into the small log cabin upon 
 it, and there resided until 1809, when a more com- 
 
 modious residence «-as erected at a cost of ill, 200. 
 A fine barn was also built, costing ¥2.500. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Wabnitz are the pai-ents of two 
 children: Elizabeth, now the wife of Rudolph 
 Dubs, a bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; 
 and Charles F., a prominent farmer and stock-raiser 
 of Muscatine County, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Wabnitz 
 are members of tjhe Evangelical Lutheran Church, 
 in which they are active workers, he having been a 
 Class-Leader since his twent3'-seventh j-ear. He is 
 a Republican in politics, and also a strong temper- 
 ance man, believing in the strict enforcement of 
 the prohibitory laws. One of the self-made men of 
 the county, starting in life with nothing but a 
 strong determination to succeed, he has b}' patient 
 and persevering labor gained a comfortable com- 
 petency, and is now the owner of 320 acres of fine 
 land. As a citizen and gentleman, he is well known 
 and highly esteemed throughout the county. 
 
 -♦« 
 
 N>Sr 
 
 ^^EORGE SIVERLY, residing on section 9. 
 Ill (^^ Oaklan<l Township, is a pioneer, and of him 
 ^^/^ it m.iy be said what is true of but few others 
 of his age, he was born in Louisa County, in 1844. 
 His early life was passed in an almost unsettled 
 wilderness, the prairies were uncultivated, all kinds 
 of wild game abounded, ami the Indian wigwams 
 might be seen scattered irregularl}- over the coun- 
 trj'. His parents, E. W. and JS'anc}- (Jordan) Siv- 
 erl}'. had a family of fifteen children, of whom 
 our subject was the fifth in order of birth. When 
 a young man. the father removed to Ohio, but 
 afterward returned to Pennsylvania, where he en- 
 g.aged in the lumber business. At one time, while 
 floating a raft of lumber dow-n the river, he formed 
 the acquaintance of Miss Nancy Jordan, a native 
 of Hamilton County, Ohio, and their marriage was 
 subsequently celebrated. In the spring of 1839 
 they came West, locating in Morning Sun Town- 
 ship, Louisa Co., Iowa. Mr. Siverlj- purchased 
 the land at the Burlington land sales, and improved 
 a farm, but later removed to Wapello Township, 
 where, with his wife, he yet resides. 
 
 The boyhood daysof our subject were sjjcnt upon 
 
 =f 
 
M^ 
 
 4- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 183 
 
 a farm, ami liis education was received in tlie dis- 
 trict schools of Wapello Township. He comraenced 
 faruiiiinr for himself in this county, and as soon as 
 he had attained suliicient age to be permitted to en- 
 list, he responded to bis country's call for troops, 
 enteriiiof the service in 18G4, as one of the 100-days 
 men of Company II, 4,')th Iowa InfantrJ^ He was 
 mustered into service at Keokuk, and later sent to 
 Memphis, Tenn., where he was kept on garrison 
 duty. lie was honorably' discharged at Keokuk, 
 Oct. 11, 186-1, after which he returned to his home 
 in Louisa Countj'. 
 
 In 18GG Mr. Siverly was united in marriage 
 with Miss Mar}' Furn.is, Iheir union being cele- 
 brated in Grand A'iew, in the month of October. 
 The lady is a native of Ohio, and a daughter of 
 Wilkinson and Maria (Boolier) Furnas, who were 
 also born in that State, and came to Iowa in 1854, 
 locating in Grand View Township, where the}' both 
 yet reside on a finely cultivated farm. The young 
 couple began tlieir domestic life upon a farm in 
 Marshall Township, where the}' resided until 1872, 
 at which time they removed to section 9, Oakland 
 Townshi[). He there purchased forty acres of raw 
 prairie land, to which he has since added until he 
 now owns 170 acres, comprising one of the best 
 farms in the township. The work of improvement 
 and cultivation was immediately begun, a good 
 barn and nice dwelling have been erected, a fine 
 orchard, and many beautiful shade trees have been 
 set out. A good grade of stock will be found upon 
 the farm, and everything denotes the thrift and 
 enterprise of the owner. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Siverly are the parents of five 
 children — Delia M., Olive, Edward, Maud and Isa- 
 bel — all at home. They also have two adopted 
 children — Einma Itamer and Charlie Neal. Mr. 
 Siverly is giving his children all good educations, 
 such as will tit them for the practical duties of life. 
 He and his wife are members of the Christian 
 Church. Politically, he is an ardent supporter of 
 the principles of the Republican party, and does all 
 in his power to advance its interests. For the past 
 ten years he has lieen a meml»er of the County 
 Central Committee of the Republican party, and 
 has held many odiccs of public trust, in fact has 
 served in every oliicial position in the town.ship 
 
 f 
 
 with the exception of Clerk. An honored pioneer 
 and citizen, he receives the respect an<l confidence 
 of all who know him, and we are pleased to record 
 his sketch in the history of Louisa County. 
 
 •* — -J»s>-»^^»ff!<; h 
 
 JB. WOLFORD, a farmer residing on sec- 
 tion 3. Oakland Township, w.as born in Mary- 
 land on the 3d of Jlay. 1837. He is a son 
 of Benjamin and Ailcy (Davidson) Wol- 
 ford, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the 
 latter of Maryland. They were the parents of thir- 
 teen children, and emigrated to Coshocton County, 
 Ohio, in 1855, Mr. Wolford there engaging in 
 farming until his death, which occurred ten years 
 later, at the age of fifty-nine. His excellent wife 
 still survives him. and finds a happy home with our 
 subject. She is now seventy-three years of age. 
 
 Our subject was reared to farm life, and after 
 completing his education, which was received in 
 the district schools of his native State, he followed 
 that occupation. In the fall of 18G9 he first landed 
 in Louisa County, Iowa, settling on section 3, Oak- 
 land Township, where he now owns an undivided 
 half of ICO acres of fine, arable land, which is in a 
 good state of cultivation, though he docs not make 
 a specialty of farming. He buys and sells some 
 stock, and also trades in various other commodities. 
 He casts his vote with the Democratic party, but 
 has never taken an active part in political affairs. 
 He is ever ready to aid in the uplniilding of the 
 county, and does all in his power to advance any 
 interest for the public welfare. 
 
 In the month of August, 1878, in West Liberty, 
 IMuscatine County, Mr. Wolford was united in 
 marriage with Jlrs. Louisa Wallingsford, widow of 
 Hugh Bc.icon Wallingsford, who was a native of 
 Ohio. His death occurred in INIuscaline County, 
 March 17, 1877, at the .age of thirty years, eight 
 months and three days. By their union one child 
 was born, Willie, who died April 23, 1877, at the 
 age of three years and seven months. Mrs. Wol- 
 ford is a daughter of .Joseph and Kli/.abeth (Mead- 
 ows) Cave, the former a native of Ohio, and the 
 latter of Knox County, III. When a lad Mr. Pave 
 removed to Knox County, where he was later mar- 
 
 ~^ 
 
 I 
 
^ 
 
 184 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ried, and there engaged In farming until 1867, 
 when he removed to Johnson Count}'. Iowa. lie 
 there also improved a farm, making it his home 
 until 1884, since which time he has resided in Allen 
 Count}'. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Wol- 
 ford began their domestic life upon the farm on 
 section 3, Oakland Township, where they yet reside. 
 They are both members of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church at Conesville, and though thej' have no 
 children of their own, are bringing up an adopted 
 daughter. 
 
 ^^^EORGE F. THOMAS, a worthy pioneer of. 
 Louisa County tif 1838, and a resident of 
 Wapello for nearly fifty jxars, was born in 
 Chester County, Pa., Aug. 1, 1816, and was the 
 eldest of eleven children, whose parents were Isaac 
 L. and Mary Ann (Fink) Thomas. His ancestors 
 were among the early settlers of Pennsylvania in 
 Colonial daj's, and his maternal grandfather, Mi- 
 chael Fink, was one of the chosen sixty who accom- 
 panied Gen. Washington throughout the entire 
 War of the Revolution. Tlie father of our subject 
 was a farmer bj' occupation, and he and his wife 
 were people of superior intelligence aud earnest 
 jjiety. They passed tiieir lives in their native 
 State, removing to Mercer Count}-, Pa., in middle 
 life, where the mother died in 18G7 and the father 
 in 1858. 
 
 Our subject received a common-school educa- 
 tion, and learned the business of a merchant tailor, 
 in which he was engaged in Athens, Huntingdon 
 Co., Pa. He was united in marriage in that city, 
 June 8, 1837, with Miss Elizabeth R. Minton, 
 daughter of Hon. Jacob Minton, subsequently a 
 pioneer of Louisa County, Iowa, and a representa- 
 tive of the State Legislature. Mr. Thomas emi- 
 grated to Iowa in 1838, locating at Wapello, 
 where he engaged in business as a merchant tailor. 
 Mrs. Thomas, an estimable and highly respected 
 lady, died in March, 1865, leaving five children, 
 three sons and two daughters, all of whom are 
 living: Mary R. is the wife of A'. B. White, of 
 New Castle, Pa.; Alice L. is now a resident of Wa- 
 pello, Iowa; Cliarles II., the present foreman of the 
 Daily Ej-press, of Buffalo, N. Y., married Miss 
 
 Mattie Cannon; Albert C. wedded Miss Nettie 
 Yeomans, and is foreman of the News, of Kansas 
 City. Mo.; George W. married Miss Jennie Smith, 
 and is the present Clerk of the District Court at 
 W^apello, Iowa. 
 
 On the 14th of August, 1872, ]Mr. Thomas was 
 again married, to Mrs. M. M. Jefferis, widow of 
 Emory Jefferis, and daughter of Joshua Merrill. 
 Mrs. Thomas was born in Highland County, Ohio, 
 and is a sister of the eminent divine, Bishop Mer- 
 rill, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. One 
 child, a daughter, was born of the latter marriage, 
 Grace M., who is now a student. 
 
 Mr. Thomas continued to carry on the merchant 
 tailoring business at Wapello until 1854, when, 
 finding his health becoming impaired by the neces- 
 sarily confining character of his vocation, he aban- 
 doned it and never again resumed the business. 
 He was called upon to fill various public positions 
 of honor and trust, the different duties of which he 
 discharged with ability and fl<lellty. In 1839, 
 within one year of the date of his settlement in 
 Louisa County, he was elected Treasurer of the 
 county, and w.as re-elected six consecutive times, 
 holding the office from 1839 to 1846. On the 23d 
 of August, 1862, he was appointed Postmaster at 
 Wapello by President Lincoln, and held that posi- 
 tion twenty-three years, lacking but a few d.ays, 
 retiring Aug. 8, 1885, after the change of adminis- 
 tr.atiou. Mr. Thomas held that office as long .is the 
 combined terms of his predecessors, and made a 
 most efficient and popular officer. In 1867 he was 
 elected Justice of the Peace, and was re-elected 
 and served until 1873. 
 
 Mr. Thomas united with the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church in his youth, and h.as always maintained 
 active relations with that denomination. He has 
 served as Class-Leader and Superintendent of the 
 Sunday-school during a greater part of the many 
 years of his connection with the church, and has 
 always been liberal and public-spirited in advanc> 
 ing the interests of the Christian religion. In 
 early life he was a Whig in political sentiment, 
 entertaining strong anti-slavery opinions, conse- 
 quently was among the first to join in the forma- 
 tion of the Republican Jiarty. and has been zealou.s 
 in the support of that organization continuously 
 
 — ^ ■» 
 
Mrs.PhilipWagner 
 
Phi LIP Wagner. 
 
-4^ 
 
 4- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 187 
 
 since. During the d.nrk fl.i3's in the history of the 
 country, when civil w.ir tineatened the destruction 
 of the Government, he was earnest and outspoken 
 in patriotic sentiment, and did all in his power to 
 encourage enlistments for the army, and otherwise 
 assist in maintaining the Union. In all the rela- 
 tions of life, both j)ul)lic and private, before and 
 during the half-century that IMr. Thomas has been 
 a resident of AVajiello, he bore an unblemished 
 character, was efficient and faithful in the discharge 
 of public trusts, conscientious and upriglit in his 
 priTate business, and always possessed the utmost 
 conlidence, warm regard and highest respect of all 
 with whom he came in contact. He is a man of 
 superior intelligence, genial and cordial in manner, 
 and possesses in a marked degree that rare faculty 
 of winning and holding the esteem and friendship 
 of iiis fellow-citizens. On his removal to Mediapo- 
 lis. his present place of residence, in 1887, Mr. 
 'i'lioinas was parted with by his old neighbors with 
 sincere rec;ret. 
 
 HILIP WAGNER, deceased, one of the 
 pioneers of Louisa Count}', was born in 
 Guernsey County, Ohio, March 3, 1808, 
 and was a son of John and Esther (Crull) 
 Wagner. His father was born in Rockingham 
 County, Va., in 1778, while his mother was a native 
 of New York, though l)orn of German parentage. 
 In 1800 John Wagner removed to Butler County, 
 Ohio, where he became acquainted with Miss Crull, 
 and in 1806 thej' were united in marriage. By 
 their union eleven children were born, seven sons 
 and four daughters, all of whom grew to man and 
 womanhood, with the exception of John, who <licd 
 at the age of eleven years. Mr. Wagner was a 
 pniiip-maker by trade, but followed farming during 
 man}- yeai-s of his life. 
 
 Our subject also learned the trade of pump-mak- 
 ing. In his boyhood days common schools were 
 few and inellicient, but believing that an education 
 \v:is neccssar}' to success in life, he studied by him- 
 self the common branches, and became an apt 
 scholar in his day. He was often called upon to 
 sellle up the estates of others, and the [jcople of 
 
 the community in which he resided often went to 
 him for advice and counsel. In 1824, when sixteen 
 }'ears of age, Mr. Wagner removed with his par- 
 ents from Guernse}' County, Ohio, to Wayne 
 County, Ind., and there formed the acquaintance of 
 Miss Sarah Williams, who on the 25th of Decem- 
 ber, 1834, became his wife. To them was born 
 one son, John Calvin, who now resides in San Fran- 
 cisco, Cal. After about one j'ear and one month of 
 happy married life had passed away, Mrs. AVagner 
 was called to her last rest, d^'ing in January, 183t). 
 On the 2d of January, 1844, Mr. Wagner led to the 
 marriage altar Miss Elizabeth Gower, and shortly 
 afterward the j'oung couple emigrated to the Terri- 
 tory of Iowa, settling in Louisa Count}', where he 
 secured a quarter-section of land. To this he 
 added from time to time until he at length owned 
 over 2,000 acres of the finest land in that section. 
 B}' the second union of Mr. Wagner five children 
 were born, one son and four daughters: Lucinda, 
 who became the wife of Alexander Hidlebaugh; 
 Melinda, who married D. II. Westbrook; George 
 W., who is living on the old homestead, and wedded 
 Martha E. Small; Louisa, who died in infanc}', and 
 Clarinda, who died at the age of nine years. Mr. 
 AV.'igner was one of Louisa County's prominent 
 pioneers, and a self-made man. With cbar.acteristic 
 energy he started out to succeed, and availing him- 
 self of every laudable opportunity, at length be- 
 came one of the prosperous men of the community. 
 He held several local offices of trust, including those 
 of School Director, Road Supervisor, Township 
 Trustee and Count}' Supervisor. He was ever ready 
 to assist in the advancement of the country and 
 community in which he lived, and was held in the 
 highest esteem by all who knew him. In early life 
 in his political views Mr. Wagner was an old-line 
 Whig, but when the Rei)ublican party si)rang into 
 existence he joined its ranks, and was ever one of 
 its stanch supporters, always taking an active part 
 in the political campaigns. He lived to see his 
 children grown and settled comfortably in homes 
 of their own. On the 18th of March, 1884, he 
 laid to rest the companion who had shared his joys 
 and sorrows for forty years, but when little more 
 than a year had passed he was laid by her side, his 
 death occurring April 20, 1885, at tin; age of 
 
 ^ 
 
»► f <i' 
 
 188 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4- 
 
 seventv-seven years, one month and seventeen days. 
 His pilgrim.ige of life was ended, but liis death 
 proved a sad loss to his famiij-, his friends, and the 
 entire community. His kindliness of heart and 
 Lis upright life had won him an enviable place in 
 the hearts of the people, and he made friends wher- 
 ever he went. 
 
 Portraits of this worth}' couple are here given, 
 and their appearance in this volume will be a source 
 of satisfaction to every patron of the work. 
 
 ^ D WIN B. LACEY, an early settler of Louisa 
 •^ County, Iowa, now residing at Grand View, 
 Lsi ) was born at Loui.sville, K3'., Oct. 1, 1820, 
 and is a son of Daniel and Susan (Bullard) Lacey, 
 the former a native of Massachusetts, but reared in 
 Vermont, and the latter a native of New Y'ork 
 State. His education was received in Louisville 
 and vicinity', and on the 5th of April, 1843. he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Sarah C. Wilcox, who 
 was born at Broadalbin, N. V., A|)ril 3, 1822, and 
 is a daughter of Lemuel and Rhoda (Noylh) AVil- 
 cox. For several years the}' resided in Iliiicklej-, 
 near Cleveland, Oiiio, but on the loth of Septem- 
 ber, 1856, came to Iowa, locating at Burlington, 
 where they resided until the 30th of December fol- 
 lowing. The}' then removed to Louisa County, 
 taking up their residence in the village of Grand 
 View, where Mr. Lacej' worked at the mason's 
 trade, which he had previously learned. On the 1 1 Ih 
 of August, 1862, he responded to the country's 
 call for troops, enlisting .as a private in Com- 
 pany F, of the 3oth Iowa liifantry, and served un- 
 til Sept. 3, 1863, when he was discharged on account 
 of ill-health, at Bear Creek, Miss. During his serv- 
 ice in the army he participated in the siege of 
 Vicksburg, also in various skirmishes and scouting 
 expeditions. 
 
 While residing in Ohio six children were born 
 to Mr. and Mrs. Lacey: Curtis P., born Dec. 20, 
 1843, served as a soldier of the late war as a mem- 
 ber of the 55th Illinois Infantry, and is now the 
 husband of Lydia Hale, they making their home at 
 Wapello, Iowa; Rhoda, who was born July IC, 
 1845, is the wife of R. M. Spiague, of Council 
 
 Bluffs, Iowa; Palemon married Emma Hoglebauni, 
 and resides at Mediapolis, Des Moines County, 
 where he is widely known as the blind musician, 
 ■whose skill in his art is ver}' remarkable consider- 
 ing his physical misfortune. His ability in finding 
 his way without assistance in any town he has once 
 been in is surprising, and illustrates the fact that 
 the perceptive faculties through the sense of touch 
 and liearing may be developed to a remarkable de- 
 gree. The fourth child is Charlotte A., who was 
 born Sept. 15, 1850, and died at the age of one 
 year; Harry, born Aug. 16, 1851, married Clara 
 Bunker, and is now an altorney-at-law at Sioux 
 Falls, Dak. ; Susan A., born July 25, 1855, is the 
 wife of W. H. Letts, a farmer of Grand View 
 Township; Edwin R.. born at Grand View, Oct. 18, 
 1858, married Etta S. Thompson, daughter of Phil- 
 lip Thompson, of Columbus Junction, and is the 
 assistant cashier of tlie Louisa Count)' National 
 Bank of that pl.ace, he having entered the bank in 
 April, 1874, as janitor and assistant book-keeper, 
 bnt was elected assistant cashier on the 13th of 
 January, ly80, which position he still holds; Charles 
 W., born Nov. 3, 1860, is a resident of Dakota; 
 Frank E., the youngest child, was born March G, 
 1867, and died March 26, 1868. 
 
 Mr. Lacey is a Republican in politics, and from 
 1872 until 1876 served as Sheriff of Louisa County, 
 proving an ellicient officer. He and his wife are 
 members of the Presbyterian Church, of Grand 
 View, and are highly esteemed and worth}' citi- 
 zens of that town. 
 
 -3-*~ 
 
 ^^EORGE SCILMIDT, of the firm of Schmidt 
 III (—. & Will, blacksmiths, horse-shoers and re- 
 '^^J! pairers of farm machinery, of Columbus 
 City, was born in SIcswick-IIolstein, Germany, 
 March 2, 1848, and is a son of Sonke and Anna 
 Marie (Bonsen) Schmidt. Our subject received a 
 liberal education, and learned the trade of a black- 
 smith in his native country, serving a regular appren- 
 ticeship. Thinking that the New World would 
 furnish a belter lifld for his labor, he bade good-by 
 to home and friends, and in 186'J emigrated to 
 
 ■^ 
 
 t 
 
•^^f^4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 189 
 
 f 
 
 America, locating at Newark, N. J., where he worked 
 as a joiirneyman until the spring of 1870, and then 
 came to Columbus Citj', Iowa, arriving in this town 
 on the oth of April. He worked at his trade 
 as a journeyman until March, 1877, when he opened 
 a shop for himself, and by industry and good 
 workmanship has built up an excellent business. 
 
 On the 10th of January, 1873, at Columbus City, 
 Mr. Schmidt was united in marriage with Miss 
 Annie Spaeth, daughter of Claus and Catherine 
 Spaeth. Mi'S. Schmidt was born in the same county 
 in German}' of which her husband was a native, and 
 emigrated from that country to America the same 
 3'ear, but a month in advance of him. She is a 
 member of the United Brethren Church, and a most 
 estimable lad}-. Mr. Schmidt is a Republican in 
 politics, and is now serving his second term as 
 Maj'or of Columbus City, having been elected to 
 that office in 1885 and re-elected in 1888. 
 
 Mr. Schmidt has carried on a general blaeksmithing 
 business since 1877, and in March, 1886, formed the 
 existing partnership with John Will. They make 
 a siJecialty of horse-shoeing, but do everything in 
 their line, including a large amount of farm machin- 
 ery repairs. Mr. Schmidt is a member of Colum- 
 bus Cit}- Lodge No. 24G, I. O. O. F., and is always to 
 be depended upon to act in accordance with the 
 principles of the order. He is a man of superior 
 mental attainments and high mural principle, and 
 enjoys as he deserves the warmest regard and un- 
 qualified respect of his fellow-citizens. 
 
 -*3= 
 
 'jfj' EVIW 
 
 'jf/ EVI WOODRUFF, a farmer residing on sec- 
 28, Orand View Township, was born 
 lartford County, Conn., in the town of 
 Southington, Dec. 19, 1818. To his parents, Bush- 
 nell and Harriet (Johnson) Woodruff, who were 
 also natives of Connecticut, were born twelve chil- 
 dren, of whom Levi was the sixth in order of birth. 
 His father was a farmer by occupation, and remained 
 in his native State until his death, which occurre<l 
 April 12, 1849, in the seventy-fifth year of his age. 
 The mother jirecedcd her husband but a short time, 
 departing this life Dec. 11, 18 48, in the fifty-seventh 
 
 year of her age. The maternal grandfather of our 
 subject fought in the Revolutionary War. 
 
 Levi Woodruff spent his boyhood days upon the 
 farm and in attendance at the district schools in 
 Connecticut, but later learned the blacksmith's 
 trade, which he followed for some years. He sub- 
 sequentl}' entered the employ of Case & Co. as a 
 traveling salesman, selling cloaks in Pennsylvania, 
 Ohio and Tennessee, and later was employed bj- an- 
 other firm in the same line, traveling through Ken- 
 tuck}', Illinois. Indiana and Missouri. In 1850 he 
 took up his residence in Louisa County, settling on 
 section 28, Grand View Township, where he bought 
 160 acres of partly im])roved land. He immediately 
 began its further cultivation, and later added to 
 his original purchase, until he now owns 253 acres 
 of fine, arable land, in a good state of cultivation. 
 His farm is stocked with a good grade of horses 
 and Durham cattle, and is one of the best in the 
 township. 
 
 In 1847, in Louisa Count}', Iowa, Mr. Woodruff 
 led to the marriage altar Miss Sarah M. Gibboney, 
 a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Ben- 
 jamin and Margaret (Kendall) Gibboney, whose 
 birthplace was also in the Quaker State. In the 
 year 1837 the family emigrated to Licking County, 
 Ohio, where they made their home until 1846, and 
 then became residents of Louisa County, Iowa, 
 settling in Grand View Township, where Mr. Gib- 
 boney bought and improved a farm, and later kept 
 a tavern in the village of Grand View. Mrs. Gib- 
 boney died on the 5th of September, 1878, her hus- 
 band having preceded her many years, he having 
 departed this life June 26, 1850. 
 
 Shortly after their marriage our subject and his 
 young wife began their domestic life upon the farm 
 which for nearly forty years has been their home. 
 Eleven children came to grace their union, eight of 
 whom are still living: Frank died at the age of 
 fifteen months, in 1850; Albert died Aug. K, 1852; 
 William departed this life May 31. 1862; Kdgar is 
 now married, and resides in Cherokee County, Kan. ; 
 Harriet II., now Mrs. King, is living in Grand View; 
 Orplia, now Mrs. Hunter, resides in Grand ^'iew 
 Township; Sadie, Levi. Eva, David and Vinnie are 
 still inmates of the paternal home. 
 
 Mr. Woodruff has always Uiken an active jiart in 
 
-4^ 
 190 
 
 .t 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 political affairs, and is an ardent supporter of the 
 Republican partj'. He has held the office of Town- 
 ship Trustee, and was one of the stockholders in the 
 seminary at Grand View, which finallj' came under 
 the control of the United Presbyterian Church. 
 Mrs. Woodruff is in fellowship with the Brethren 
 Church at Grand View. Our subject is practically 
 a self-made man, having gained all that he now 
 possesses by his own industry-. Not afraid of labor, 
 he has earnestly and honestly striven to gain a 
 comfortable competence, and has received the re- 
 ward of honest toil. As a i)ioneer and a citizen, he 
 receives the highest respect of the people of Louisa 
 Count}". 
 
 W EVI STEPHEN, deceased, one of the early 
 I (?S) pioneers of Louisa County, was born Jan. 
 /I L^ 1, 18i2, in Preble Count3% Ohio, and was a 
 sou of Richard and Lettie (Bailey) Stephen, the 
 father being of Welsh ancestry, and the mother a 
 native of Pennsylvania, though of Irish descent. 
 They were early settlers of Preble County, where 
 the father engaged in farming, and there eight chil- 
 dren were born to them : Rebecca, wife of R. B. 
 Hays, of Dublin, Ind., died in August, 1887; Mary 
 wedded Silas Peters, a resident of Soraerville, 
 Ohio; Levi, our subject, was the third in order of 
 birth; Isaiah is now a resident of Southern Illinois; 
 John R. is an attorney, of Eaton, Ohio; Morton B. 
 died when a young man; and Bazil is now living 
 on the old homestead in Butler County, Ohio. The 
 father was a man of high moral standing, strong 
 in his convictions, yet generous and kind-hearted. 
 He was a great friend of uU institutions of learning, 
 and educated his children as well as his means and 
 the advantages of that day and age afforded. 
 
 In 1830, at the age of twenty-live years, Levi 
 Stephen emigrated to Louisa County, Iowa, settling 
 on section 13, Port Louisa Township, where he en- 
 tered a claim of 160 acres of raw, uncultivated 
 land. The work of improvement was immediately 
 begun, and from the unbroken prairie was soon de- 
 veloped a fine farm. By his enterprise and economy 
 Mr. Stephen added to his possessions from time to 
 time until at his death he was the owner of SCO 
 acres in I>ouisa Count}', and also several tracts of 
 
 land in Kansas. On the 22d of December, 1841, 
 his marriage with Jane Dickinson was celebrated. 
 Mrs. Stephen is a native of Sleuben Count}-, N. Y., 
 and a daughter of David and Anna (Gilbert) Dick- 
 inson, both of whom were natives of Massachusetts, 
 though the father was of Scotch descent, and the 
 mother of English ancestry. Six children graced 
 the union of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen: Carrie, wife 
 of John M. Creswell, a resident of Port Louisa 
 Township; Anna L., who died at tlie age of seven- 
 teen years; Josephine, who is at home; John F., 
 who has charge of the farm ; Nannie J., a teacher 
 in the public schools of Louisa County; and Jessie 
 S.,wife of Charles Blaul, a wholesale grocer, of Bur- 
 lington, Iowa. They also supported and educated 
 William Hubbard, taking him when two and a half 
 years olil, and caring for him as their own until he 
 was of age. 
 
 Mr. Stephen and his wife were both members of 
 the United Presbyterian Church. He was a sincere 
 Christian gentleman, a great helper in the work of 
 the churcli, and a liberal contributer to its support. 
 A close and keen observer, he was well informed 
 on all the issues of the day, taking a lively interest 
 in all affairs that were for the public good, and al- 
 though very unassuming in his manner, his influence 
 was very marked, his judgment unexcelled, and his 
 honesty unquestioned. 
 
 In his political views Mr. Stephen wasastrong sup- 
 porter of the Republican party. He had alw.ays been 
 opposed to the institution of slavery, so when a 
 party sprang into existence that favored its aboli- 
 tion, he immediately joined its ranks. Although 
 he never desired office of any kind, and frequently 
 refusetl to allow his name to be used, still for thirty 
 years he held the office of Township Treasurer, re- 
 signing just the year previous to his death. He 
 was also a member of the Board of County Super- 
 visors for several terms. His death, which occurred 
 Sept. C, 1887, was caused by strangulated hernia, the 
 result of an accident, and was sincerely mourned by 
 a large circle of friends, for he was universally re- 
 spected and loved by the people of Louisa County. 
 For fifty years he had been one of their number, 
 and his kindness to those in necil, his sympathy for 
 those in distress, and his liberality to all enterprises 
 which would benefit the public, won all hearts. He 
 
 •►^hr?r 
 
-4»- 
 
 4- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 lyi < ' 
 
 W!is a self-made man fiiiniifially, fommptioing life a 
 pour l)oy, yet by liis own clToit-s. his untiring zeal 
 an<l iionesly. lie "on a comfortable competence for 
 the widow and children left behind. Mrs. Stephen, 
 who is a most estimable la<]y, still resides on the 
 old homestead, which is one of the finest farms of 
 Louisa County, and is situated on section 13, Port 
 Louisa Townt-liip. 
 
 JOHN C. BEATTY, a farmer and stock-raiser, 
 residing on section 'J. Port Louisa Township, 
 was born Jan. 10, 184S, in Ireland, and is a 
 son of Elisha and Kliza .1. (Rosborough) 
 Beatty, who were also born in the Emerald Isle. 
 AVhcn two years of age he came with his i)arents to 
 America, and here was reared to farm life, receiv- 
 ing his e(bication in the graded schools of Burling- 
 ton, in which city he made his home with an aunt, 
 and subsequently attended the academy at Grand 
 View. After completing his education he engaged 
 in teaching one winter t)n Muscatine Island, but 
 that profession not being to his taste, he abandoned 
 it, since which time he has engaged in farming and 
 stock-raising. His fine farm comprises 200 acres of 
 rich land, all liighly cultivated, and his stock is of 
 the best grades, including Durham cattle. 
 
 Mr. Beatty is greatl3' interested in political af- 
 fairs, votes with the Republican party, and at pres- 
 ent is Justice of the Peace. He has also been Road 
 Commissioner, and to all educational work he gives 
 his support. He is a member of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, near Fruitland, has served as 
 its .Steward, and is now I'rcsident of the Board of 
 Trustees. For manj- years he was the organist, 
 and is now a,ssistant organist, and holds the ollice of 
 Superintendent of the SabbatL-school, and is a pro- 
 moter of all church interests. 
 
 1 ■ 
 
 ir^, OBERT MeKINNEY, a prominent farmer 
 
 ]f^ of Louisa County, residing on Muscatine 
 
 Island, section 17, Port Louisa Township, 
 
 ijwas born in Ireland in 1825, and was the 
 
 lifth child born to John and Mary (Murphy) Mc- 
 
 Kinney, who were also natives of the Emerald Isle, 
 though of Scotch descent. The father was a farmer 
 bj' occupation, and died in his native land. The 
 mother, accompanied b}' our subject and four 
 daughters, bade good-by to her home and friends 
 and emigrated to America in 1845, settling in At- 
 tica, N. Y., where her death occurred a number of 
 years .ago. 
 
 Robert had received his education in the district 
 schools before coming to the United States, and 
 after his arrival worked in a foundry', learning to 
 be a molder. In 1 8.V2, in the Empire State, he 
 was united in marriage with .Sarah McBride, also a 
 native of Ireland, but of .Scotch descent, and a 
 daughter of David and Elizabeth (Hall) McBride. 
 Her father dying when she was three 3'ears old. and 
 her mother departing this life in 1863, when oidy 
 eighteen years of age she came to this country 
 alone, embarking in the sailing-vessel "Chimera," 
 which set sail from Belfast. The voj'age was ex- 
 ceedingly rough, and on the way she witnessed two 
 shipwrecks, one vessel sinking, though the crew- 
 was saved. Landing at New Orleans, from there 
 she proceeded to St. Louis, next became a resident 
 of Hennepin, III., later removed to Elgin, and then 
 went to New York, where her marriage occurred. 
 For three 3'ears they resided in New York, after 
 which they removed to Canada, making that their 
 home until 1857, ^yhen they became residents of 
 Elgin, 111., .and in the fall of 18G0 emigrated to 
 Louisa County, Iowa, settling in Port Louisa 
 Township, where Mr. McKinney purchased forty 
 acres of raw prairie land in l.si;."), and now has a 
 fine farm. 
 
 On the 2'Jth of November, 18G2, our subject en- 
 listed in Company F, 37th Iowa infantr}', being 
 mustered into service at Mu.scatine. With the 
 regiment he was sent to St. Louis, and did garrison' 
 duty the greater part of the time, though he par- 
 ticipated in the battles of Memphis and Holl^' 
 Springs, and wsis discharged at Davenport, May 28, 
 1865. At the close of hostilities he returned to 
 his home in Iowa, and again cngjiged in farming. 
 He afterward added to his original purchase sixty 
 acres of land, fortj' of prairie and twenty of tim- 
 ber, making an aggregate of 100 acres. His barns 
 and out-buildings are all of the best, and the ma- 
 
 ■► 
 
192 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 chinery of the latest improved kinds. In 1885 Mr. 
 McKinnej' sutfered considerable loss by fire, his 
 farm residence being burned. He has, erer since 
 the organization of tiie party, voted with the Re- 
 publicans, lie takes an active interest in every- 
 thing for the good of the community, and is a 
 member of Shelby Norman Post No. 231, at Mus- 
 catine. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. McKinney have been born 
 eleven children, four of whom are living: Mary 
 J.ane, now Mrs. Contriman, resides in Santa Rosa, 
 C.al. ; Katie resides in St. Louis, and is the wife of 
 Mr. Coleman, a traveling salesman; Maggie, now 
 Mrs Colie, is living in Elgin, 111.; and Edward is 
 at home. Those deceased are: John, who died when 
 only four days old; Robert Henry, who died in 
 18G4, at the age of nine years; John died at the 
 age of six j'ears, in 1864; Samuel and David, twins, 
 died in 18G4. atthe age of two 3'ears, all of the 
 above dying of diphtheria. Emma died at the age 
 of two months, in 18G8, and Ida died in 1871, 
 when a year old. 
 
 ■^i AMES HALL, deceased, a prominent citizen 
 of Louisa County, was born in Eastern Vir- 
 ginia, Nov. 29, 182.5, and was a son of Rob- 
 ert and Melinda (Bibb) Hall, the father a 
 native of Ireland, and the mother of Virginia. 
 Robert came to tliis country when he was but 
 eigiit years old, and grew to manhood in the native 
 Slate of our subject, where he was engaged in 
 farming. James Hall was reared upon his father's 
 farm, receiving his education in the common schools 
 of his native Slate, and at the age of twenty-one 
 left the parental roof to make his own way in the 
 world, beginning life as a salesman. In 18.58 he 
 led to the marriage altar Miss Z. A. 15. Houston, 
 who was born in the Shenandoah Vallej', in Vir- 
 ginia, and is a daughter of William and Nancy 
 (ILirrison) Houston. Her father was a native of 
 Maryland, and her mother of Virginia. William 
 Houston was a relative of the celebrated Gen. 
 Houston, of Texas. He was a minister of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, and was connected 
 with the Hallimore Conference at tlie time of his 
 
 death, which occurred April 27, 1852. His wife 
 survived him ten years, dying May 4, 18G2. Both 
 were greatly loved and respected. One child 
 graces the union of Mr. and ]M:-s. Hall, a daughter, 
 Ora L., who resides with her mother. 
 
 In 1860 Mr. Hall established a store of general 
 merchandise in Putnam County, Va., which he car- 
 ried on until 1861, when the breaking out of the 
 Civil War was the cause of his removal. He emi- 
 grated to Iowa in 1865. settling in Elliott Town- 
 sliip, Louisa County, where he purchased 640 acres 
 of land which was but partially improved, but he 
 immediatelj- began its cultivation, and soon devel- 
 oped a fine farm, the estate at the time of his death 
 comprising 640 acres of land. In connection with 
 farming he was also engaged in operating a mill for 
 several years. In his political views Mr. Hall was 
 a Democrat, while socially, he was a member of the 
 A. F. & A. M. His influence was alwa3'S exerted 
 for good, and he aided largelj' in any enterprise 
 which would benefit the public. Not only in the 
 township where he resided, but throughout the 
 county, he was universally esteemed and highly re- 
 spected. IIisdeathoccurredAug.il, 1881. His 
 widow and daughter still reside upon the old home- 
 stead in Elliott Township, and tliej' have many 
 warm friends in the community. Mrs. Hall is a 
 member of the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 Philip Harrison, an uncle of Mrs. Hall, was one 
 of the very earliest settlers of Louisa County, be- 
 coming one of ils residents in 1835, and locating 
 upon the farm Where his niece now makes her home. 
 He removed to Texas in 1840, and his death oc- 
 ■;urred in that State. 
 
 V. STROH, proprietor of the Cottage House, 
 situated at the corner of Second and Wal- 
 nut streets, has been a resident of Colum- 
 ous Junction, Iowa, for about six years, 
 though he has lived in the State since 1878. In 
 connection with the above-mentioned business he 
 is also a dealer in organs, sewing-machines and 
 buggies, and is the proprietor of a livery and board- 
 ing stable. He was born at Harrisburg, Pa., Oct. 
 30, 1848, and is a son of Frederick and Catherine 
 •^ 
 
» 11 ^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 (Wnjjncr) Stroll. On the patornal side tlie family 
 (laics its origin back lo the Colonial days, when the 
 ancestors resided in Pennsylvania. B. F. left 
 his native State for Ohio, and after residing for 
 awhile in Michigan spent four years in travel, after 
 which he located at Grand View, Louisa Co., Iowa, 
 where he worked at the carpenter's trade. 
 
 In the fall of 18«;J, at Wapello, Iowa, Mr. Stroh 
 was united in marriage with Miss Minerva Cary, 
 daughter of Aden Cary, ami a native of this county, 
 where lier parents were pioneer settlers. One child 
 has been born of their union, Dallas F., born April 
 5, 1886. lunnediately after their marriage Mr. 
 Stroll and his wife removed to Columbus .lunctiou, 
 since which time he has been engaged in his pres- 
 ent business. He has refitted and refurnished his 
 hotel, which contains twenty rooms, and has it in 
 the best of order. In addition to his other busi- 
 ness he has a livery and boarding stable, where he 
 will furnish rigs at reasonable prices to those who 
 are bent on pleasure or business. 
 
 -i- 
 
 
 -5- 
 
 -^ 
 
 <if)OSEPII SCOFIKLD, a farmer resi.ling on 
 .section 24, Port Louisa Towiishi|), was born 
 in Manchester, England, Nov. 11, 1807, and 
 is a son of Samuel and Jlary (Harrison) 
 Scofleld, who were also natives of the same place. 
 The father was a cotton manuf.acturer, as was also 
 the grandfather, Joshua .Scoficld. Six children were 
 born to .Samuel and Mary Scoficld: John, now de- 
 ceased; William, who died when a young man; 
 Fannie became the wife of John Bennison, and died 
 in England; Samuel also died in his native land; 
 Mary, wife of John Bennison, also died there; 
 James, a half-brother, came to America, and died 
 in this count3^ leaving a faniilj'. 
 
 Our subject spent his boyhood daj's in a factory 
 and learned the trade of spinning. On the 26th of 
 M.-i}', 1831, he was united in marriage with Char- 
 lotte Sinister, a native of Manchester, England. In 
 1 839 the young couple bade good-by to their friends 
 and home, and sot sail for America on the 7th of 
 September, reaching America after a forty-two days' 
 voyage. They went to Philadelphia, Pa., where 
 they remained for four days, and then proceeded 
 
 by rail to Johnstown, Pa., thence to Pittsburgh, 
 where they took a llatboat for Cincinnati, Ohio, 
 and then went to Franklin Countj', Ind., wiiere Mr. 
 .Scoficld iiiircliased forty acres of land. He lived 
 upon that farm until the spring of 1852, when he 
 sold out and emigrated to Iowa, landing at Port 
 Louisa, where a house was rented until a suitable 
 location could be found. Section 24, Port Louisa 
 Township, was finally agreed upon, and there they 
 purchased 320 acres of land, most of which was 
 uncultivated, and here he has made his home until 
 the present time. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Scoficld there have been born 
 nine children: Aaron, who is now engaged in farm- 
 ing in Minnesota; Elizabeth, who became the wife 
 of Matthew C. McClung, and after his death, of 
 Elislia Dobbs, a resident of this county; Isaac, now 
 living in Nebraska; Thomas, who died in infancy; 
 Mary became the wife of William Ilerron, who is 
 now deceased, and then wedded W. H. Tucker, of 
 Pawnee County, Neb. ; G. W. is farming on the old 
 home place; Charlotte died at the age of twenty- 
 two years; Samuel died in 1857, when thirteen 
 years of age; Emma, who is now the wife of G. J. 
 Rausher, a resident of this county. In 1882 the 
 mother of this family was called to her final home, 
 at the age of seventy-five j'ears. She was a devoted 
 member of the United Presb^'terian Church, to 
 which Mr. Scoficld also belongs. In his political 
 views he is a Republican, and has held various 
 township offices. His business is that of general 
 farming. Mr. Scofleld is one of the self-made men 
 of Louisa County'. He came to America a poor 
 man, and his success in life is all due to his energy, 
 enterprise and good management. 
 
 oro 
 
 I I^ILLIAM S. RUSSE 
 
 \aJII *"fl progressive far 
 
 Vtn^ residing on section 
 
 ILLIAM S. RUSSELL, one of the leading 
 rmers of Louisa County, 
 ion 35, Elliott Township, 
 was born in Des Moines County, Iowa, Feb. 12, 
 1842. His parents were David and Mary (Smith) 
 Russell, the former a native of Tennessee and the 
 latter of the Buckeye .State. David Russell was 
 among the earliest jtioneers of Des Moines County, 
 having located in Huron To'^nship in 1835, where 
 
 t 
 
M^ 
 
 ■•► 
 
 rj4 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 he still continues to resides. Oiir subject grew to 
 ui.inliood upon th.it farm, and received his edu- 
 cation in the common schools of the county. At 
 the age of nineteen 3-ears he enlisted among the 
 brave boys in blue of the 2d Iowa Cavalr}', becom- 
 ing a member of Company K, and participating in 
 the battles of Montroy, Mask Battery. Farmington 
 charge, the Booneville raid, Black Land, luka, Pat- 
 ton's Mills, Corinlh, the entire campaign in INIissis- 
 sippi under Gen. Grant, Holly Springs, Yockeney 
 River, Coflfeeville, the bridge burning raid in Mis- 
 sissippi, Grierson's raid, Misncr's raid to Palona, the 
 battle of Jackson (Tenn.), Collierville, Coldwater, 
 Salisbury skirmish. Moscow, Tuttle raid and West 
 Point. After a three j-ears and two months' serv- 
 ice, during which he participated in some of the 
 hardest fought battles of the war, Mr. Russell re- 
 ceived his discharge on the 9th of September, 1864. 
 Returning to his home in Des Moines County', 
 Iowa, our sidiject remained upon his father's f.arm 
 until lH67,and then purchased land in that count}', 
 whicli lie farmed until 1880. At that time he be- 
 came the owner of a farm on the river bottom in 
 Huron Townsliii), making it his home until the 4th 
 of March. 188.5, when lie became the owner of 150 
 acres of land on sections 3o and 3G, Elliott Town- 
 ship, where he is still residing. On the 12th of 
 February, 1867, he was united in marriage with 
 Isabel Kurts. a native of Pennsjivania. Three 
 children grace their union — Alva. M.iy and Myrtle. 
 Politically. Mr. Russell is a stalwart Republican, 
 and at present holds the office of Township Trustee. 
 
 ■€-*■ 
 
 -t 
 
 ^Yi OIIJs WILSON, deceased, an honored pio- 
 neer of Louisa County, was born in Ireland, 
 Dec. y, )784, and there resided until his 
 eighth year, when he emigrated with his par- 
 ents to America, t.aking passage in a sailing-vessel, 
 which was three months in making the trip, and 
 landed in Charleston, S. C. The family first lo- 
 cated in Newberry, S. C, and in 1811 removed 
 to Preble County, Ohio, where they were among 
 the earliest settlers. The country was then one vast 
 wilderness, but from the heavilj' timbered land 
 Mr. Wilson made a farm. After the breaking out 
 
 of the AVar of 1812, our subject volunteered liis 
 services, was accepted, and served with honor until 
 the close of hostilities. In 1818 he was joined in 
 wedlock with Miss Isabella McClure, who was born 
 in South Carolina in 1797, and in the spring of 
 1838 they left Preble County. Ohio, for the West, 
 going to Washington County, III., where they spent 
 one winter, and the following spring proceeded to 
 Louisa Count}', Iowa, locating on section 28, Morn- 
 ing Sun Township. The first place which they 
 called home was a log cabin 16x16 feet, in which 
 the family, consisting of eleven persons, lived for 
 one year. Such were the inconveniences to which 
 pioneers were subjected, and the trials and priva- 
 tions which tliey endured can never be told. At 
 that time thecountr}' was not called Louisa County, 
 but formed a part of the Territory of Iowa, and the 
 prairies were one vast waste. There was not a 
 single settlement to mark the site of the present 
 town of Morning Sun, but men aiid women with 
 brave hearts and willing hands came to make their 
 homes; the vast prairies have been converted into 
 beautiful farms, and more modern buildings, one 
 bj' one, have taken tiie places of the log cabins 
 until now there is hardly a relic of frontier life re- 
 maining. 
 
 Mr and Mrs. Wilson were the parents of eight 
 children who lived to be adults: John M., who is 
 living in Pawnee, Neb. ; Margaret, whose home is 
 in Morning Sun; N.incj', who died at the age of 
 twentj'; Mary J., wife of James Bell, of Nebraska: 
 James H., who is located at Morning Sun; Eliza- 
 beth A., whose place of residence is- unknown; 
 William M., whose sketch appears in this work, and 
 Thomas R., whose history is also given within 
 these pages. P(.>litically, in early life, Mr. Wilson 
 was an old-line Whig, but at the dissolution of 
 that party lie joined the Republican party, and ever 
 afterward supported its principles. He lived under* 
 all the administrations from AVashington to Hayes, 
 witnessing many of tiie most im|)ortant events of 
 our history. His death occurred Dec. 27, 1878, at 
 the age of ninet3'-three, and Mrs. Wilson died in 
 M.ay, 186G. They were both sincere and consistent 
 Christians and members of the United Presbyterian 
 Church, in which Mr. Wilson served as Ruling 
 Elder for man}- years. He was a man well posted 
 : m^ 
 

 '^Ihy.yVKyC/ ^ o-fA^^^-^AX^^ 
 
•<^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 197 i i 
 
 in tlic affairs of both Stato and comity, and was hon- 
 ored witli several local odiccs. including Justice of 
 the Peace. He discharged his various duties with 
 fidelity, anil was iiuown throughout the nciglibor- 
 hood as Esquire Wilson. He was a man of strict 
 integrity, uncomproniising Christian principles, and 
 his word was as good as his bond. As a Christian, 
 he was true and faitiiful; as a neighbor, friendly 
 and accommodating, and as a husband, kind and 
 affectionate. 
 
 ^ .^>^ ^ 
 
 ^^^ YRIL CARPENTER, a pioneer farmer of 
 (I ,, Louisa County, of wliicii lie became a resi- 
 ^^^J dent Oct. 17. 1840, was born in Clienango 
 County, N. Y., on the 25th of March, 1824, and is 
 a son of Cyril and Amanda (Mason) Carpenter. He 
 is descended from an old New England family. 
 When thirteen years of age he left liis native State, 
 and went to Crown Point, Ind., where he remained 
 three years, but at the expiration of that time, be- 
 ing desirous of seeking his fortune in the then dis- 
 tant West, he engaged to drive an ox-team to 
 Iowa, reaching Louisa Countj' on the 17th of 
 October, 1840. lie located in Oakland Township, 
 where he subsequently entered a large amount of 
 Government land, and as he accumulated capital 
 speculated in real estate on a large scale until at 
 one time he had over 3,000 acres of land in Iowa. 
 He is now the owner of 1 ,800 acres. 
 
 On the 24th of March, 1848, in Oakland Town- 
 ship, Louisa County, Mr. Carpenter was united in 
 marriage with Miss Mary A. Ulake, a daughter of 
 Joseph Blake, for whom he drove the ox-team from 
 Indiana to Iowa, working for him ten years after 
 reaching this State. Mrs. Carpenter died March 13, 
 18.59, leaving one child, a daughter, Myra, now tiie 
 wife of Horace A. Stickiicy, of Steele, Dak. On 
 the 15tli of January, 1860, Mr. Carpenter was again 
 married, Miss Calista E. Sticknej' Iiecoming his 
 wife. She was born Jan. 14, 1840, at Harrison, 
 Port Louisa Township, and \i a daughter of Albert 
 and Cornelia R. (Trask) Stickney. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter have nine children, five 
 sons and four daughters : Cornelia, born Oct. 9, 1 SCO, 
 is the wife of Arthur S|)ringer, an attorney of Co- 
 <■ _ 
 
 lumbiis Junction, Iowa; Julia, born April 9, 18G2. 
 was the wife of J. W. Lewis, and died Feb. 14, 
 1887; Charles Albert, born in Oakland Township, 
 Jan. 12, 18G4, wedded Miss Grace A. Wolverton, 
 a daughter of Josopli Wolverton, Esq., and is now 
 an attorney of Columbus Junction; Cyril C, born 
 Feb. 8, 18()C, died in the month of September fol- 
 lowing; M.ary, born Feb. 23, 1868; Henry M., Aug. 
 16, 1870; Arthur E., Jan. 5, 1876; Cyril, Dee. 25, 
 1877, and Calista, on the 23d of August, 1882, 
 are all at home. The name C^'ril h.ae always been 
 a famil}' name with the Carpenters, so that after the 
 death of the fust child of that name it was given 
 to another child. 
 
 In early life Mr. Carpenter was a Democrat, but 
 on the breaking oufe of the late war, in the spring 
 of 1861, lie joined the Republicans, and has since 
 worked with that party. He was elected a member 
 of the Board of Supervisors of Louisa County in 
 1871, was re-elected, and served six years. His 
 place of resilience is in Oakland Township, on sec- 
 tion 36, township 76, range 5, and his post-office is 
 Columbus Junction. 
 
 A portrait of this okl pioneer, who for almost 
 half a century has been an honored citizen of this 
 count}', will be found on the opposite page. 
 
 >HOMAS R. WILSON, a farmer residing on 
 (S^^ section 28, Mcuniug Sun Township, is a 
 ^^f' Hawkeye by birth, born in Louisa County, 
 March 17, 1841. He is a sou of John and Isabella 
 Wilson, whose sketch will be found on another page 
 of this work. He was reared upon a farm in this 
 county, anil like thousands of others received his 
 education in the tyjiical log school-house. As soon 
 as he was old enough he began working upon the 
 farm, remaining at home until attaining his major- 
 ity, when he went to Oregon Territory', where he 
 was eng.aged in driving team and freighting through 
 the rough and unsettled country. Not being satis- 
 fied with this manner of life, he returned to Louisa 
 County after four ^x-ars, and w.as united in mar- 
 riage, in 1866, with Miss Mary A. Brown, daughter 
 of Hamilton and Sarah (Ramsey) Brown, whose 
 sketch appears in this work. \iy this union there 
 were seven children: .Sarah I., born Oct. 22, 1867; 
 
•^1^=^ 
 
 108 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Frances E., Sept. 19, 18G9; Cora E., Nov. 4, 1872; 
 Lillie May, Jan. 21, 1875; Mary M., July 21, 1870; 
 Lena B., Aug. 21, 1883, and Zora B., March 9, 
 1887. 
 
 Mr. AV^ilson's business is that of general fanning. 
 He is a Republican in politics, an ardent supporter 
 of the principles of that party, and has held several 
 local offices of trust. He and his wife are members 
 of the United I'resbj'terian Cliurch, are liberal con- 
 tributors tovvaril its support, and active workers for 
 its interests. As a citizen, Mr. Wilson is true and 
 worthy, as a neighbor, friendly and aceoramodating, 
 as a husband and father, kind and affectionate, as a 
 Christian, devoted and faithful. 
 
 J I? AMES McMANEMOX. a farmer residing on 
 I section 3, Oakland Townshi]), w.as born in 
 \\ County Leitrim, Ireland, .in 1818, and was 
 ^Jj the third in a family of nine children who 
 were born to Thomas and Bridget (Kelley) Mc- 
 Manemon, who were natives of the same country. 
 The father spent his entire life in farming. In 
 1800, with his family, lie embarked from Sligo in a 
 sailing-vessel, the "David Clinton," and after a fair 
 voyage of tliirty daj's landed at New York, where 
 he remained for a j'ear. At the expiration of that 
 time he removed to Wayne County, Ind., tiiere 
 making his home for two 3X'ars, and in 18.54, fol- 
 lowing the westward course of emigration, settled 
 in Muscatine Countj', Iowa, where his death oc- 
 curred in ISG4. His wife had preceded him to her 
 final rest several years. 
 
 James was reared to farm life, and received his 
 education in the sciiools of his native land. With 
 his parents he came to America, and while residing 
 in Wayne County, Ind.. was united in marriage, 
 in 1852, with Miss Mary Fical, a native of Ireland, 
 and the daughter of Patrick and Bridget (Braiiir) 
 Freal. In 1850, with two sisters, she left her home 
 and came to this country, making her home in 
 the Stale of Indiana. Her parents remained in 
 Ireland, where both died several years ago. After 
 their marriage the young couple began their do- 
 mestic life upon a farm in Wayne County, Ind., 
 where thej' made their home until 1854. at which 
 time they removed to Muscatine County, Iowa, 
 
 where Mr. McManemon rented land. In 18G2 he 
 came to Louisa Couiit3-, settling in Oakland Town- 
 ship, renting a farm until 1865, when he made his 
 first purchase, consisting of eighty acres of raw 
 prairie land. He immediately began its improve- 
 ment and cultivation, and built a little log cabin 
 into which the family moved, though it has long 
 since given place to a more commodious residence. 
 As time has passed, by frugality, industry and 
 good management, he has been enabled to add to 
 his original purchase until he is now Ihe owner of 
 160 acres in Louisa County, and eighty .acres in 
 Johnson County, most of which is under cultiva- 
 tion. He also raises a good gr.ade of stock, in- 
 cluding Durham cattle. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. McManemon are the p.ircnts of six 
 children, though only three are now living: John 
 is married, and resides in Greene County, Iowa; 
 Michael is at home; Anna died in 1863, at the age 
 of six years; Ellen died in 1863, at the age of four 
 years; James died in 1880, when eighteen years of 
 age; and Maggie is still with her parents. Politi- 
 cally, Mr. McJIanemon is a Democrat. He has as- 
 sisted in organizing the school districts of his 
 township, and he and his wife are members of the 
 Catholic Church at Lone Tree, Johnson County. 
 He is one of Louisa County's most wortliy citizens, 
 and is highly esteemed by many warm friends. 
 
 f^iA AFFORD F. SMALL, County Commis- 
 ^^^ sioner and farmer, residing on section 9, 
 (ll/ll) Wapello Township, is a native ofVerraont, 
 and w.as born in Chittenden Count}-, Nov. 
 6, 1844. His parents were natives of the same 
 county, and his fatiicr, who was burn in 1808. is 
 still living there, tiiough the mother died in 1862. 
 The subject of our sketcli was brought u[) on his 
 father's farm, receiving a common-school educa- 
 tion. He enlisted in 1863, in Company K, 7th 
 Vermont Infantry, and served in the Army of the 
 Gulf. He took part in the siege of Mobile, where 
 he received a gunshot wound in the right side, on 
 the 24th of March, 18(;5, and was captured the 
 same day and taken to Meridian, and from there to 
 •lackson, Miss., where he was jiaroled after being 
 
-#»■ 
 
 ,t 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 199 
 
 liold prisoner one month, ami was disehafgcd in 
 April, 18G5. On being mustered out of the service 
 Mr. .Small returned to Vermont, and in 1867 came 
 to Louisa County, Iowa, where he engaged in farm- 
 ing. He now has a well-improved farm of 275 
 acres, all of which, with the exception of twenty 
 acres, lies in Wapello Township. His residence is 
 on section 9 and his post-offlce is Wapello. 
 
 Mr. Small was united in marriage to Miss Eliza 
 A. Umphries, June 24, 1867. Mrs. Small w.as born 
 in Benton Townshii), Des Moines Co., Iowa, and is 
 the daughter of James G. and Nancy F. Umphries, 
 who were earl^- settlers of this county. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Small are the parents of the following chil- 
 dren, — Daniel B., Hannah I., James G., Sherman, 
 Nora and Chester. 
 
 Mr. Small is an uncompromising Kepublican, 
 and was elected a member of the Board of County 
 Commissioners of Louisa County in 1884, being 
 re-elected in 1887, and is now serving his fourth 
 j-ear. He has proved a faithful and competent 
 officer, and has exercised good judgment in the dis- 
 charge of the responsible duties devolving upon 
 him. He is an active member of the G. A. R., 
 and is a member of A. M. Taj'lor Post No. 153. 
 
 > n < «l ) * 
 
 ^1*^ 
 
 OH. P. LINN, who is engaged in the furniture 
 business, and is also proprietor of the Ononwa 
 House, and owner of the feed stable of Letts, 
 
 Louisa Co., Iowa, was born in Mercer County, Pa., 
 in 1830, and w.is descende(I from old Revolutionary 
 stock, both of his grandfathers having served in the 
 war for independence. His paternal grandparents 
 were David and Susanna (Co^'le) Linn, natives of 
 Pennsylvania, and the maternal grandparents were 
 James and Jane Williamson, also born in Pennsj'l- 
 vania. At the age of eighteen years Mr. AVilliam- 
 son entered the service of his country, serving 
 seven years and holding the rank of Cai)tain. The 
 parents of our subject were James and Anna (Will- 
 iamson) Linn, and both were born, reared and 
 married in the Keystone State, where the deatli of 
 the mother occurred in 1849, and of the father in 
 1855. 
 
 O. II. P. Linn was reared upon a farm, and re- 
 
 ceived such edu'cation as the district schools of his 
 native State afforded. There he was united in mar- 
 riage, in 1852, with Eliza Thompson, who w.asborn 
 in Pennsylvania, of wliicli State her parents, Adam 
 and Elizabeth (Hill)jThompson, were also natives. 
 He had learned the carpenter's trade some years 
 previously, working at it until his removal to Iowa, 
 and .again after reaching Letts, in November, 1856, 
 resumed his chosen occupation. His first work 
 after arriving in this count}' was on the very build- 
 ing which he now owns. He continued to work at 
 the carpenter trade until 1862, when he enlisted, 
 and was mustered into service at Muscatine, in the 
 month of August, becoming a member of Company 
 F, 35th Iowa Infantry. Going to Cairo with his 
 regiment, he there did garrison duty until the fol- 
 lowing spring, when, under the command of Grant, 
 the regiment participated in the battles of Raymond, 
 Jackson, and the siege of Vicksburg. The follow- 
 ing spring it engaged in the Red River campaign, 
 being under fire at Pleasant Hill, Yellow Bayou, 
 and Old River Lake, and during the summer of 
 1864 engaged in the hard-fought battles of Tupelo, 
 Nashville, the siege and capture of Mobile, lasting 
 thirteen days, the capture of Ft. Blakely, and at 
 the time of the ass.assiuation of Piesident Lincoln 
 was at Montgomery, Ala. He was ordered home 
 from Selma, Al.a., and honorably discharged at 
 Davenport, Iowa. Aug. 16, 1865. 
 
 Returning to Letts at the close of hostilities, Mr. 
 Linn again worked at his trade of carpentering 
 until within the past eight years, since which time 
 he has engaged in the furniture business, carrvin<'' 
 a fine assortment of the latest styles of furniture, 
 and in connection with that has for about four 
 years been proprietor of the hotel and owner of the 
 feed stable. The Ononwa House is a large, roomy 
 building, with good accommodations for entertain- 
 ing the wayfarer. Mr. Linn in politics is a Re- 
 publican, and takes great interest in the local 
 elections, and also in attending the conventions of 
 the party, and taking |)art in the primary elections. 
 In 1 883 he was elected to the Twentieth General As- 
 sembl}" of the Iowa Legislature, which convened in 
 1884, and is at present Mayor of the town of Letts. 
 Socially, he is a member of Caldwell Post, G. A. 
 R., at Letts, and also belongs to the A. F. it A. M. < 
 
 ■ »^ B ^» 
 
•f^fMi^ 
 
 200 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Lodge, in which he holds llie office of Chnplain. A 
 member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he is 
 one of its most active workers, doing everything in 
 his power to advance the Waster's cause. He has 
 served as Superintendent of the Sunday-school, and 
 is now President of the Louisa County Sunday 
 School Association, visiting as far as possible all 
 the schools of the county, though he makes a spe- 
 cialty of visiting the country rather than the city 
 schools, and aiding or encouraging those who need 
 his assistance. Much good has been accomplished 
 ill this line, and his efforts made in other directions 
 for the good of the community are in nowise to be 
 overlooked. 
 
 The death of Mrs. Linn occurred in 1881. her dis- 
 ease being heart trouble. She was a most excellent 
 lady, beloved by all. and her death was sincerely 
 mourned by a large circle of friends and acquaint- 
 ances. In 1884 Mr. Linn was again united in 
 marriage. Miss Emma Reiner, a native of Ohio, be- 
 coming his wife. She is a member of the Christian 
 Ciiurch, and a daughter of John F. and Harriet 
 (Maxwell) Reiner, her father being a native of 
 Peiuisylvania and her mother of Ohio. Her parents 
 came to Iowa in 1853, settling in W.ishington 
 County, but at present are residents of Columbus 
 City. Mr. and Mrs. Linn are widely known 
 throughout the county, and are highly respected in 
 the community where they reside. 
 
 ENRY LINTOK SMITH, a resident of Wa- 
 ] pello, Iowa, was born in Rockbridge County, 
 \'a., Oct. 7, 183C. and is a son of Fran(;is 
 'i^ R. and Margaret (Holmes) Smith, both par- 
 ents being natives of Virginia. The father emi- 
 grated to Miami County, Ohio, in 1844, where he 
 engaged in farming and shocmaking. He and his 
 wife reared a family of nine children, seven sons 
 and two daughter.s: William P., who served as a 
 soldier in the late war, died in Ohio after its close; 
 Jeanette, wife of Jesse Sherwood, a resident of Illi- 
 nois; John C, a resident of Columbus Junction, 
 Jowa, whose sketch ap[)ears elsewhere; Caroline, 
 who wedded James Lyon, of Ohio; James, a con- 
 tractor of Rock I^l!llld, 111., ilied in 18i>f>; our sub- 
 
 ject: Givens R., a railroad employe in Michigan; 
 Francis K., also a resident of that State; Samuel 
 AV., a railroad employe, whose home is in Michi- 
 gan. The father of this family, who was of Irish 
 descent, was a man well informed on .all questions 
 of the day, .ind one who took an active part in the 
 political affairs of the neighborhood. In early life 
 he was a Whig, but at the organization of the Re- 
 publican party joined its ranks, and was one of its 
 ardent supporters until his death, which occurred in 
 April, 1854. He reared his family well, gave his 
 children all good educations, and lived to .see them 
 respected men and women, who do honor to his 
 name. The mother was a devoted member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, and exerted an influ- 
 ence for the right over her children which will re- 
 main with them throughout their lives. .She was 
 also of Irish descent, and her death occurred in 
 1849. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm in Miami 
 Count}', Ohio, and was educated at the common 
 schools. At the .ige of eighteen he left the parental 
 roof and went to Mercer County, 111., where he 
 was employed as foreman on a large farm for five 
 years. In the spring of 1861, equipped with an 
 ox-team, he started .across the plains to Oregon, 
 and was five months and twenty d.ays in making the 
 trip, landing at Dallas Sept. 20, 1861. He liiere 
 engaged in freighting and mining until 1867, with 
 the exception of two years spent in the service of 
 his country. He became a member of the 1st Ore- 
 gon Infantry, Company A, and was eng.aged in 
 skirmishes on the frontiers of Oregon, Washington 
 Territory and Idaho. In 1867 he went to Cali for- 
 nia, where he remained one year, and then returned 
 to Ohio by way of the Isthmus of Panama and 
 New York City. He remained in the SUile during 
 the winter of 18C8-G9, engaging in the wood busi- 
 ness at Piqua. Miami County. During the follow- 
 ing spring he became a resident of Louisa County, 
 Iowa, settling at Grand View, where he engaged in 
 buying and selling horses for two years, and in 
 1871 removed to Wapello, where he has since re- 
 sided. Most of the time he has been engaged in 
 the hotel business, and has had charge of every hotel 
 in the city. 
 
 On the 12th of October, 187'J, Mr. Smilli led to 
 
 t 
 
M^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 •201 
 
 4- 
 
 tlie marriage altar Harriet Christina Vantlevort, a 
 native of Louisa County, and a (laughter of J. 
 M. Vanflevort. They have been the parents of 
 three cliiklren — Carrie Belle, Cliester Linton, and 
 Harvey, who died in infancy. Mr. Smith has been 
 a member of the Town Council, and politically, he 
 is a stanch supporter of the Republican party. He 
 is well known and universally respected throughout 
 the count}'. 
 
 ^iOSEPH WAGNER, a prominent and repre- 
 sentative farmer residing on section 6, Grand 
 View Township, Louisa County, was born in 
 Wayne County, Ind., on the 6th of Maj', 
 1825, and is a son of John and Ester (CruU) "Wag- 
 ner. His father was a native of Rockingham 
 County, Va., born in 1778, while his mother was a 
 native of Pennsylvania, though born of German 
 parentage. In 1800 John Wagner removed to But- 
 ler Count}', Ohio, where he formed the .acquaintance 
 of Miss Crull, and in 180G he led her to the mar- 
 riage altar. By their union eleven children were 
 born, seven sons and four daughters, our subject 
 being the ninth in oriler of birth, and all grew to 
 man and womanhood with the exception of John, 
 who died at the age of eleven years. Mr." Wagner 
 was a pump-maker by trade, but when our subject 
 was about thirteen years of age he removed to Elk- 
 hart Count}', Ind., settling on a farm, and in con- 
 nection with pump-making followed the occui)ation 
 of farming. In the year 1845 his death occurred. 
 Mrs. Wagner later removed to Iowa, making her 
 home with her sons until her death, on the 2d of 
 February, 1872. 
 
 The boyhooil d.ays of our subject were spent in 
 his n.ative county, but at the age of thirteen he re- 
 moved with his parents to Elkhart County, Ind., 
 there assisting in the labors of the farm until 1852, 
 when he emigrated to Iowa. Locating in Louisa 
 County he secured employment as a farm band for 
 S12 per nunilh. and from this meager sum s.aved 
 enough to purch.aso the farm upon which he yet 
 lives. He came to the county a single man, but 
 here formed llii' acquaintance of Miss Martha Jack- 
 son, and their union was celel)rated on the 1 llh of 
 
 October, 1855. She was the fifth child of Thomas 
 and Sarah (Gower) J.ackson, the father a Virginian 
 by birth, and the mother a native of Maryland. To 
 this worthy couple have been born five children: 
 Lizzie A., Ester E., Kate L., William W., and one 
 child who died in infancy. 
 
 Mr. Wagner is one of the self-made men of 
 Louisa County. He received only such education 
 as could be obtained in the pioneer school-house, 
 but believing that education was necessary to suc- 
 cess in life, he improved his every leisure moment 
 at home until he acquired a pr.actical knowledge 
 which could not have been obtained from the study 
 of any theory. He is now one of the promi- 
 nent farmers of Louisa County, and his farm, now 
 consisting of eighty-three acres of highly improved 
 land, was obtained by his own hard labor and 
 economy. He also owns twenty acres of timber 
 land in Muscatine County, and a house and two 
 lots in Lettsville. He takes great pride in raising 
 fine stock, and has a fine grade of cattle, including 
 the Durham, Polled-Angus and G.alloway breeds. 
 His horses are of the Norman and Clydesdale stock, 
 while his hogs are of the Jersey Red and Chester 
 AV^hite breeds. His home is the abode of hospittility 
 and good-will, where all may be sure of a hearty 
 welcome from warm and sympathizing hearts. Mr. 
 Wagner has never sought for public office, prefer- 
 ring to devote his attention to his farm and family. 
 His wife and daughters are members of the United 
 Brethren Church at Letts. For thirty-six years he 
 has been a resident of Louisa County, during which 
 time his honest, upright life has won him the entire 
 respect and esteem of the community, while as a 
 citizen he is ranked among the highest. Politically, 
 he is a Republican. 
 
 ^fACOB W. ELRICK, a prominent farmer rc- 
 I siding on section 28, Elliott Township, is a 
 I ] native of Westmoreland County, Pa., and a 
 1^7/ son of Frederick and Margaret (Caton) El- 
 rick, the father of French and Gorman descent, 
 the mother of Scotch-Irish ancestry. The paternal 
 grandfather of our subject served as a soldier in 
 the Ucvolutionarv War. Frederick was a tanner 
 
 • in 
 ner w 
 
 4 
 
"► 11 ^^ 
 
 202 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 i= 
 
 l)y trade, anrl to liini and liis excellent wife were 
 born ten children: Elizabeth, wife of Alex Mc- 
 Chesney, a capitalist, of AVestmoreland Count}', Pa. ; 
 our subject; Samuel, who died in Pennsylvania at 
 the .<ige of flft\'-flve years; George, who also dc- 
 jjarted this life in that State; AVashington, whose 
 death occurred in Eureka. Nev., in 1876; Clark, 
 who died in childhood; John, a practicing phy- 
 sician of Butler County, Pa.; Robert, whose home 
 is in Weslinoreland Count}-, that State; Wallace, 
 a locomotive engineer residing in Mason City, 
 Iowa; and Ann. wife of AV'illiam Bergman, of 
 Westmoreland Count}-, Pa. Tlie parents of this 
 family were mendjers of the Presbyterian Church. 
 The father died in 1875, aged seventy-live years, 
 and the mother departed this life in 1880, at the 
 age of eighty-three years. 
 
 The early years of our subject were spent upon 
 a farm, but at the age of fourteen he served an ap- 
 prenticeshii) to the tailor's trade, in Blairsville, Pa., 
 and after his three-years terra of service had ex- 
 pired went to Philadelphia, Pa., where he worked 
 one summer. Returning home, he there remained 
 for a short time, and then started out as a jour- 
 neyman tailor, traveling through Pennsylvania, 
 Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama, for seven 
 years, when he returned to his native State in 1842, 
 making a short visit, and then going to Muskingum 
 County, Ohio. 
 
 In April, 1843, Mr. Elrick wedded Catherine 
 Wycoff. a native of Ohio, and a daughter of John 
 Wycoff. After their marriage they remained in 
 Muskingum County until 1855, when they removed 
 to Mercer County, III., Mr. Elrick there following 
 his trade of tailoring.- in Keithsburg, for ten years- 
 He then purchased a farm in Mercer County, and 
 engaged in its cultivation until 1878, when, with 
 his family, he removed to Louisa County, settling 
 in Elliott Township, where he purchased 280 acres 
 of land on sections 28 and 29, and has there made 
 his home continuously since. 
 
 Twelve children have been born to Mr. Elrick 
 and his estimable wife: Aeoles, a stock-raiser re- 
 siding near Denver, Col., who served one year as a 
 soldier in the 120th Illinois Infantry during the 
 late war; Leonidas, a dry -goods mcrchimt of Clear- 
 field, Taylor Co., Iowa; George, who w.as one of 
 4« 
 
 the boys in lilue, died in New Orleans; Herbert, a 
 merchant of .Seaton, 111.; Kate, wife of Joseph Ogle, 
 a resident farmer of Mercer County. 111.; Fred- 
 erick, a merchant of Elrick, Iowa; James, who is 
 also engaged in the same business at Elrick; Eliza- 
 beth, wife of James Berry, whose home is in Oska- 
 loosa, Iowa; Alice, who wedded Tuttle Jameson, a 
 resident of Wapello Township, Louisa County; 
 Susan, who is at home; and two children who died 
 in infancy. Mr. Elrick and his wife are l)oth mem- 
 bers of the Presbyterian Church. He has held the 
 office of School Treasurer of Elliott Township for 
 five years. Every enterprise which has for its ob- 
 ject the public good receives his hearty support, and 
 in 1883 he donated the ground on which the pres- 
 ent town of Elrick is situated. Politically, he is a 
 Greenbacker, and one of the leading and represent- 
 ative farmers of Elliott Township. 
 
 J" ESSE WAGNER, one of the early settlers of 
 Concord Township, now residing on section 
 I 4, was born in Dauphin County, Pa., in 1834. 
 ' His parents, Henry and Hannah (Martin) 
 Wagner, who were also natives of Pennsylvania, 
 had a family of eight children, of whom he was 
 second in order of birth. His father was a farmer 
 by occupation, and in 184U emigrated to Iowa, 
 settling in Grand View Township, Louisa County, 
 where he bought a partly improved farm of eighty 
 acres, but afterward traded it for one in Concord 
 Township on section 4. He there resided until his 
 death, which occurred in 1881, at the age of seven- 
 ty-five years. His wife also died in Louisa County, 
 in 1870, at the age of fifty-six years. 
 
 Jesse was educated in the district schools, and 
 grew to manhood upon his father's farm, residing 
 under the parental roof until he began farming for 
 himself. In 185C, in Grand View Townshi]), he 
 was united in marriage with Fannie Gipple, daugh- 
 ter of John and Christina (Stroh) Gipple, who 
 were natives of Dauphin County, Pa., where they 
 died many years ago. Mrs. Wagner came with her 
 sister to Louisa County during the early days of its 
 history. Six children were born unto 5Ir. and Mrs. 
 Wagner: Martha, now Mrs. George, who is living 
 
 ■► 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 203 
 
 ill Pliillips Count}', Kan. ; Maggie, now Mrs. Liiplon, 
 wliose home is in Audubon County. Iowa; Josephine 
 is the wife of Mr. Johnson, of Concord Townsiiip; 
 Cynthia, now Mrs. Lee, is also living in Concord 
 Township; Lavina is at home; Henry married 
 Marietta Snider, who was born and reared in Fre- 
 donia, and the young couple reside with his parents. 
 After his marriage Mr. Wagner located on a farm i 
 of fort}' acres which had previously been entered 
 for him b\- Nicliolas Brown, for whom he worked. 
 He commenced the improvement of his land, and 
 as time has passed lias added to it until he now 
 owns 2.']li .acres, coniprisiug one of the best cul- 
 tivated farms in tiie townsiiip. The stock which 
 he raises is of tlie best grailes, and includes the 
 ToUed-Angus cattle. Mr. Wagner takes great in- 
 terest in political affairs, and is an ardent supporter 
 of the Republican party. lie does ail in his power 
 to promote the interests of education in his neigh- 
 borhood, and for the past thirteen years ha.s served 
 on the School Board. He was one of the first set- 
 tlers in Concord Township, and at the time of his 
 arrival the nearest market was at Muscatine, to 
 which place he hauled corn, selling it for ten cents 
 per bushel in order to buy siding for his house. 
 Tliere was not a single railroad in the county, .and 
 tlie settlements were few and far between. He has 
 not only witnessed, but has participated in the 
 rapid ch.anges which have placed Louisa County on 
 a par with an}' in the State, and has ever been 
 prominent in the promotion of^iny enterprise for 
 the public welfare. He and his wife are members 
 of the Ciiurch of God, and are highly respected 
 throughout the community where they reside. 
 
 ^^LIVER V. MICKEY, one of the prominent 
 and well-to-do farmers, and an honored pio- 
 *^gJf^ neer of Louisa County, residing on section 
 2G. AVai)ell() Township, was born in Westmoreland 
 County, I'a., Dec. i;J, 1822, and is a son of John 
 and Elizabeth (Gearhart) Mickey. His father was 
 born in Westmoreland County, and his mother in 
 Lancaster Count}', luit their marriage was cele- 
 brated ill the former. To them was born a family 
 
 of four children: Oliver P.. of this sketch; Mary, 
 wife of Benjamin Custer, died in l.s,s.">. but Mr. 
 Custer is still living in Custer, Washington Co., 
 Iowa; Jane, who wedded John Esly, and after his 
 death married a Mr. Fanner, who is now living in 
 Washington County, Iowa; .Fohn is now living in 
 Osceola, I'olk Co., Neb. Mr. Mickey w.as a man 
 of more than ordinary ability, and in political 
 sentiment was a Democrat. He learned the trade 
 of a hatter, and did an e.vtensivc l)usiness in that 
 line in his day. He died in 1830, and shortly after 
 Mrs. Mickey removed with her family to the West, 
 and died in Henry County, Iowa, in 18.S2. She 
 was a member of the Presbj'terian Church, a kind 
 friend and neighbor, a loving wife and mother, and 
 a sincere Christian lady. 
 
 The boyhood days of our subject were spent in 
 his native .State, where he received his education in 
 the common schools, and at the age of fourteen he 
 went to Shelbyville, Ind., where he resided until 
 1830, when he came to Iowa, making his home with 
 his uncle, Ste|>lien Gearhart, for nine years. In the 
 autumn of 1844 he wediled Miss Betsy Davison, a 
 sister of Mark Davison, and a native of Pennsyl- 
 vania, born in 182.ii. After his marriage Mr. 
 Mickey settled upon a farm in Des Moines County, 
 and there engaged in its cultivation until 1847, 
 when he removed to Louisa County, renting the 
 farm where David Dotson now lives. The follow- 
 ing year he purchased land on section 2G, Wapello 
 Township, began its improvement, and for forty 
 years has there continued to reside. Tlie pioneer 
 home was gladdened by the presence of nine chil- 
 dren, namely: John, wlio became a soldier in the 
 late Rebellion, serving two and one-half years as a 
 member of the Stli Iowa Cavalry, and is now liv- 
 ing in Polk County, Neb.; George, who died in 
 Polk County; Adeline, wife of Leander Bl.ake, of 
 Des Moines County, Iowa; Albert P., who is living 
 in Polk County, Neb.; Weston, who died in child- 
 hood; Bazzlc, a resident farmer of Louisa County; 
 Thomas, who was drowned in the Iowa River when 
 twenty-two years of age; lona, wife of Isaac Jami- 
 son; and William, who is at home. 
 
 On coming to this county Mr. Mickey was in 
 limited circumstances, but by hard labor, economi- 
 cal living and fair dealing, he has gained a com- 
 
 •►HH-^- 
 
-^^ 
 
 -■► 
 
 204 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 fortable piopeitj-, ard bis fine farm, consisting of 
 •288 acres of wcU-ciiltivatcd land, is one of tbe best 
 in the townsUip. In politics, in earlj' life, he was a 
 Democrat, but when Abraham Lincoln was the 
 candidate of the Republican part}- for the second 
 time, he cast his vote for him, and has since been a 
 firm supporter of the Republican party, though is 
 not what could be termed a politici.nn, as he has 
 never sought for or desired public oflice. He and 
 his wife are members of the Protestant Methodist 
 Church, of Wapello Township, and are numbered 
 among the honored pioneers of Louisa County. 
 For over half a century Mr. Mickey has made his 
 home in this great commonwealth, during which 
 time he has gained the good-will, love and esteem 
 of a large circle of friends and acquaintances. 
 
 •f 
 
 li^ ENRY A. PLITT, pharmacist and druggist, 
 iTj] of Wapello, Iowa, was born in Bullitt 
 1^^ County, Ky., July 3, 18.52, and is a son of 
 (^ George D. and Marianne R. (Graff) Plitt. 
 His father is a native of Germany, was born in 
 Hesse-Darmstadt, and emigrated to America in 
 1845. His mother was born in Roniont, Canton of 
 Bern, Switzerland, and came to America in child- 
 hood. In 1856 Henry A. came to Wapello. Iowa, 
 with his parents, was educated at the city High 
 School, and studied pharmacy under M. P. Van 
 Loon, of the city, as preceptor, beginning in 1 868. He 
 took two courses at the National Institute of Phar- 
 macy of Chicago, passed a satisfactory examination 
 in botany, materia niedica and chemistry, and re- 
 ceived his diploma July 15, 1878. On the 10th of 
 February, 1 880, he was admitted to membership in 
 the Iowa State Pharmaceutical Association, and 
 July 28-, 1880, was granted a commission of phar- 
 macy for the Stale of Iowa. In August, 1878, Mr. 
 Plitt began business at Wapello as a druggist, which 
 he has carried on continuously since. His first 
 place of business was on the east side of Second 
 street, south of Van Burcn, where he remained un- 
 til 1888. He erected the elegant brick biiiUling 
 which he now occupies in 1887, and which is situ- 
 ated on the west side of Second street, one door 
 north of Van Huren street. The building is "L" 
 
 shaped, fronting on both Second and Van Buren 
 streets, with an average ground floor 20x86 feet, 
 and two stories in height, with a large cellar. The 
 lot cost $1,000. and the building $3,000. The 
 upper, front is occupied as offices by physicians, 
 while the rear of the upper floor is used by Mr. 
 Plitt in his business. He has a most elegant and 
 tasty store, which for convenience is divided into 
 departments, and his stock consists of a full line of 
 drugs, medicines, books, stationery, toilet articles, 
 wall-paper, tobacco and groceries. Special atten- 
 tion is given to the filling of prescriptions and com- 
 pounding of medicines. By close attention to the 
 wants of his customers, Mr. Plitt has built up a 
 flourishing and i)rosperous business. 
 
 On the 16th of November, 1876, at Wapello, 
 Iowa, Mr. Plitt was united in marriage with Miss 
 Minnie Lindeman, daughter of John and Mar}' 
 (Buttermiller) Lindeman. Mrs. Plitt was born in 
 this cit}', and is a member of the German Methodist 
 Episcopal Church. Two children grace their union, 
 a daughter and sou : Josephine Minnie, born Sept. 
 3, 1877, and John Henry, May 30, 1881. Mr. 
 Plitt is a Democrat in political sentiment, and so- 
 cially, is a Mason, an Odd Fellow, and a member of 
 the A. O. U. AV. He belongs to Wai)ello Lodge 
 No. 5, A. F. <fe A. M. ; Louisa Lodge No. 19, I. O. 
 O. F.;aMd of Wapello Lodge No. 212, A. O.U. W. 
 His high standing both from a business and social 
 standpoint among the citizens of Louisa County, 
 where he has resided since childhood, is too well 
 known to make comment. 
 
 ■ » — ■.*>/».- 
 
 DWIN M'lLLIAMS, the proprietor of the 
 Onouwa House, at Letts, was born in Wayne 
 County, N. Y., in 1837, and is the son of 
 Jeremiah and Betsy (Bodsworth) Williams, the 
 former a native of M.assachusetts, and the latter of 
 Providence, R. I. The occupation of the father 
 was that of farming, which he followed in tbe State 
 of New York until his death, which occurred May 
 20, 1843. 
 
 In the fall of 1855 our subject, accompanied by 
 his mother, emigrated to Illinois, there spending 
 the winter in the city of Joliet. Tbe following 
 
 t 
 
Y^-^ 
 
 /T 
 
-4•- 
 
 •*^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 207 
 
 spring the}' removed to Louisa County, Iowa, be- 
 coming: residents of Grand View Township, where 
 Mr. AViilinuis at once engaged in farming. The 
 deaiii of liis mother occurred in Louisa County in 
 1873, at tiie age of sixty-two years and four days. 
 In ISGl he w.as united in marriage with Miss Fannie 
 C. White, a native of Ohio. Tlieir union was cele- 
 brated in this county, and one ciiihl, Ciiarlotte 
 Klizahetii, lias been born to them. The parents 
 of Mrs. Williams, John and Charlotte Elizabeth 
 (Dodds) White, were also natives of Ohio, where 
 the father was engaged in merchandising until his 
 death, which occurred in Warren County some 
 years ago. Her mother is still living, and is a 
 resident of Lebanon County. 
 
 After their marriage the j'oung couple began 
 their domestic life upon a farm near Letts, but 
 about seventeen years ago Mr. Williams gave up 
 that occujiation and removed to the village, where, 
 in com|)any with Mr. Linn, he opened a meat-ni.ar- 
 ket. Later he embarked in the livery business 
 with Dr. Thompson, and also engaged in buying 
 and selling horses. He is now engaged in buying 
 stock for other parties, and has also had charge of 
 the Ononwa Hotel since the month of April. 1884. 
 He talics an interest in political affairs, votes with 
 the Republican part}', and has held various ofHces 
 in the county. For a number of j'ears he served 
 as Constable, was a member of the Town Council of 
 Letts, and has also held the oflice of Marshall for 
 several terms. His wife is a member of the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church, and the daughter of the 
 United Brethren Church. When Mr. Williams re- 
 moved to the village of Letts it contained but a 
 few residences. He has witnessed almost its entire 
 growth, has aided in its progress, and is one of its 
 prominent citizens. 
 
 (^s^ C. CURTIS, a prominent and representative 
 
 ^^^ farmer of Louisa County, residing on sec- 
 
 (fl/^) tion 22, Concord Township, was born Sept. 
 
 9, 1820, in Steuben County, N. Y..aud was 
 
 the eighth in a family' of twelve children, seven 
 
 sons and five daughters, who were born to Simeon 
 
 and Patience (Hill) Curtis, the father a native of 
 
 New Hampshire, and the mother of Rhode Island. 
 
 T 
 
 His parents were married in the latter State, where 
 the father worked at the trade of a carpenter and 
 joiner, and also followed that occupation in New 
 York and after his removal to Constantine. St. 
 Joseph Co., Mich., in 1844. In that place he re- 
 sided until his death, which occurred in 185G, 
 at the age of seventy-three years, his wife dying in 
 1851, at si.xty-five years of age. The father was a 
 soldier of tiie War of 1812, and participated in the 
 b.attles of Lake Champlain and Plattsburg. 
 
 The paternal grandparents of our subject, Noah 
 and Rhoda (Cook) Curtis, were natives of New 
 Hampshire, where the former engaged in farming 
 and teaching school until his death, which occurred 
 many years ago. Tiie maternal grandparents, Henry 
 and Patience (Knight) Hill, lived in New York, 
 though the former was a native of England and the 
 latter of Wales. 
 
 S. C. Curtis was reared to farm life, and received 
 his education in the district schools of his native 
 State. In 1844 he removed with his parents to St. 
 Joseph County, Mich., where he was emplo^-ed at 
 clearing land and chopping wood, working by llie 
 month. While in that county, in March. 1852, he 
 was united in marriage, becoming the husban<l of 
 Harriet Briggs, a native of Lincolnshire, Eingland, 
 and a daughter of Edward and Maria Briggs, who 
 were also born in th.at country. She emigrated to 
 America with her parents, settling in St. Joseph 
 County, Mich., in 1844, where the father engaged 
 in farming, and there both parents died in 18.t1. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Curtis were born eight children, 
 Ave of whom are now living: Edward S.,a resident 
 of Concord Township; Frances Minerva, now Mrs. 
 Hull, of Bedford, Taylor Co.. Iowa; William L. is 
 married, and resides at Fredonia, where he is Station 
 Agent, and also a dealer in general merchandise; 
 T. J. L. is married, and living in Concord Town- 
 ship; Nellie F., wife of Mr. Murdock, resides on 
 the home farm. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Curtis was engaged at 
 railroad contracting on the Chicago, Burlington & 
 Quinc3' Railroad, making his home at Somonauk, 
 DeKalb Co., 111. He took contracts on different 
 lines of roads, but lived in that State for about 
 two years, and then came West, settling in Musca- 
 tine County, Iowa, in l.S51,wliei-e he again cngageil 
 
 »► 
 
■► i r^ r 
 
 ,t 
 
 208 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 in railroad eontracting:, which he carried on for 
 eight or ten years. In 18.55 he removed to Louisa 
 County, where lie worked on what is now the Chi- 
 cago, Rock Island <k Pacific, then called the Missis- 
 sippi & Missouri Railroad. His first purchase of 
 land was in Grand View Township, but he after- 
 ward sold that and bought 1 GO acres, which were 
 part!}' improved, on sections 16 and 17 of the same 
 township, where he resided for eight j'ears, at the 
 expiration of which time he sold that farm, and in 
 March, 1868, removed to his present home. It is 
 situated on section 22, Concord Township, four 
 miles from the cit}' of Columbus Junction. He first 
 bought 400 acres, but from time to time has added 
 to this until he now owns G40 acres of fine land in a 
 good state of cultivation. He makes a specialtj'of 
 raising stock, in which he is quite successful, and has 
 one of the best stock farms in the county. He annu- 
 ally buj-s and feeds from 100 to 140 head of cattle, 
 and his horses are of the Norman breed. Mr. Curtis 
 casts his vote with the Republican part^', and takes 
 an active interest in political affairs. He and his 
 wife are members of the Methodist Kpiscopal 
 Church at Fredonia. in which he has served as .Stew- 
 ard, and is at preseut one of the Trustees. He is a 
 member of Columbus City Lodge No. 107, A. F. 
 (fe A. M., of Columbus Junction, having belonged 
 to the order for many 3-ears. In connection with 
 his large farming interests he has been associated 
 with the Louisa County National Bank, having 
 served as its second President, and also as one of 
 the Directors. A man of good business ability, 
 strict integrity and genial manner, he has been 
 quite successful, and has won many friends, both 
 in the business and social world. For eight 3'ears 
 he has served as a member of the Board of County 
 Supervisors, and as a citizen he ranks among the 
 foremost. 
 
 On a preceding page will be found a portrait of 
 this worthy citizen of Louisa County. 
 
 y^i^-^ 
 
 Ir^)OBKRT D. JAMISON, one of the progress- 
 |L*^ ive and leading farmers of this count}', re- 
 siding on section 16, Wapello Township, 
 ^was born .Sept. 27, \xi)3, in the township in 
 which he still resides. His parents, William and 
 
 Emeline (Delzell) Jamison, whose sketch appears 
 elsewhere in this volume, came to this county in 
 1840. Robert D. was reared to farm life, and his 
 primary education, which was received in the com- 
 mon schools of the county, was supplemented by a 
 course in Howe's Academj- at, Mt. Pleasant. After 
 his school days were over he returned to his home, 
 and again resumed farming, which occupation he 
 has followed continuouslj^ since. At the death of 
 his father, in 1884, he took charge of the home- 
 stead, comprising 613 acres of fine land, situated 
 both in Wapello and Morning Sun Townships, and 
 has been very successful in its management, having 
 one of the finest improved farms of the county. He 
 raises a good grade of all kinds of stock, and feeds 
 from fifty to seventy-five head of cattle annually. 
 Mr. Jamison in his political views is a supporter 
 of the Democratic part}'. He has always identified 
 himself with matters of public interest, and as a 
 citizen none ranks higher. A j'oung man of sober, 
 industrious habits, he h.is won the entire confidence 
 of the community, and is an honor to his widowed 
 mother, who is numbered among the pioneers. 
 
 ,^^\ ATTHEW S. McGREW, one of the enter- 
 prising and progressive farmers of Louisa 
 County, now residing on section 12, Port 
 Louisa Township, was born in Richland 
 Count}', Ohio, in 1842, and is a son of Archibald 
 and Hester (Pifer) McGrew. In 1851, when a 
 young lad, he came to this count}' with his parents, 
 and was here reared on a farm, receiving his educa- 
 tion in the district schools. At the age of twenty- 
 three years he enlisted in the 184th Ohio Infantry, 
 and served until the close of the war as a private. 
 After his discharge he returned to Louisa Count}', 
 where he engaged in farming. 
 
 In 1806 the marriage of Matthew S. McGrew 
 and Sarah Hurst w.as celcbratecl in Louisa County. 
 Mrs. McGrew was born in this county, and is a 
 daughter of A. Hurst, one of the early pioneers, 
 who is now living in Holtou, Kan. The young 
 couple began their domestic life upon a rented farm, 
 where they lived for twelve years, but in 1878 he 
 purchased 120 acres of lanil on section 12. Port 
 
 -t 
 
■<*• 
 
 ^*^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 209 
 
 Louisa Township, where they have since resided, i 
 and now iuive a. well-iniproved farm. Twelve chil- 
 dren have been born to this worthy couple, onlj' one 
 of whom is dead. (Irani, who died at the age of 
 nine months: Hilton, Willis, Ilarrj', John, Edwin, 
 Archibald, Charles, Oliver P., Katie, Ruby and 
 Clarence Logan, are all at home. 
 
 Mr. INIcGrew is one of the leading citizens of 
 Port Louisa Township. At present he is serving his 
 third term as Trustee, and in all public affairs takes 
 an active part. lie is well posted on both State 
 and National questions of tlie day, and in polities 
 IS an ardent supporter of the Republican party, do- 
 ing all in his power to advance its interest. So- 
 cially, he is a member of the G. A. R. Post. 
 
 JAMES MARTIN, a farmer and stock-raiser, 
 ! residing on section 22. Grand View Town- 
 ship, was born in Ilarrisburg, Pa., in 1846, 
 and was the fifth child in a family of seven 
 born to Joseph and Mary (Stingle) Martin, who 
 were also natives of Pennsylvania. In 1852 the 
 father, accompanied by his famil}% came to Louisa 
 County, settling in Grand A'iew, where his death 
 occurred in 1883. 
 
 The boyhood days of our subject were spent upon 
 a farm. an<l he receiveil a, liberal education in the 
 Grand View Seminary. When seventeen yeai-s of 
 age he enlisted in the War for the Union, in De- 
 cember, 1862, at Davenport, Iowa, where he was 
 mustered into service, and assigned to Company K, 
 of the 8th Iowa Infantry. The regiment was or- 
 dered to the front, and under the command of Gen. 
 Grant, participated in the siege of Vicksburg, the 
 battle of Jackson, and the battle of Brandon, where 
 Mr. Martin received a shell wound in the leg just 
 above the knee. He received his discharge on the 
 31st of December, 1863, at PocahonUis, but imme- 
 diatel}' re-enlisted in the same regiment, as a veter- 
 anized volunteer, engaging in the siege and charge 
 on Sp;mish Fort, and doing guard dut}^ at Memphis 
 about nine months. He received his final discharge 
 April 20, 186G, arriving home on the !)tli of Ma}', 
 after which he .again engaged in farming. 
 
 On the 31st of December, after his return, Mr. 
 
 -4* 
 
 Martin was united in marriage, at Grand View, with 
 Angeline Winder, a native of Louisa County, and 
 a daughter of David and Annie B. (Ilolliday) Win- 
 der, wiio were born in Ohio, and came to Iowa at an 
 earlj' day. settling in Grand View, where the father 
 engaged in farming for about thirteen years, was 
 also Postmaster for the same period, and the owner 
 of a store. His death occurred in 1 884. at the age of 
 sixty-five, and his wife is still living at her old home. 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Martin have been born five chil- 
 dren, three of whom are living: Harry, Nellie and 
 Vinnie, who are at home, attending school in the 
 village of Grand View; William died Feb. 2, 186!), 
 at the age of five months; Burt died June 1 1, 1877, 
 aged five months. 
 
 After their raarri.age the |)arenls first resided in 
 Grand View for two years, then lived in the south- 
 western part of the township for seven years, after 
 which they moved to the eastern part, making that 
 their home for three years, and in the spring of 
 1 879 moved to the county farm, of which Mr. Mar- 
 tin had charge for the seven succeeding years. In 
 the month of November, 1885. he purchased 237 
 acres of fine, arable land, highl}' cultivated, upon 
 which is a fine residence and also barns and out-build- 
 ings, which are models of convenience. In January', 
 1886, they removed to the farm, which he now has 
 well stocked with a good grade of Durham and Here- 
 ford cattle, and Norman and Clyde horses. He has 
 assisted in organizing some of the school districts of 
 the county. In politics he is a Republican; he be- 
 longs to Isaiah Dodfler Post No. 47, at Grand View, 
 and is one of the prominent farmers of the town- 
 ship. 
 
 f--;*!^- 
 
 ^<i^Il^ 
 
 ^«Sc^* 
 
 OUGLAS D. PARSONS, a farmer and 
 stock-raiser of Louisa County, resides on 
 section 5, Jefferson Townsliip. He was 
 born Dec. 1, 1861, in the township where 
 he yet resides, and is a son of Joseph J. and Mary E. 
 (Coleman) Parsons, a sketch of whom appears else- 
 where in this volume. Our subject was reared 
 upon a farm and received his education in the dis- 
 trict schools. On the 12th of October, 1881, he 
 was united in marriage with Miss Jessie S. Hook, 
 
 :?^r#-* 
 
•^1^^ 
 
 210 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 one of Louisa County's fair daughters. On another 
 page of this work the sketch of her parents, George 
 W. and Emily (Bly) Hook, will be found. Two 
 children grace the union of Mr. and Mrs. Parsons — 
 Talma Bly and Mary Pearl. 
 
 Although a young man Mr. Parsons is one of the 
 most successful, enterprising and progressive far- 
 mers of Jefiferson Township. He makes a specialty 
 of raising the Gallowa}' hornless cattle, and is the 
 owner of 240 broad acres, which pay a golden trib- 
 ute to his care and cultivation. In his political 
 views he is a Republican, though very liberal. Mrs. 
 Parsons is a member of the Baptist Church. 
 
 •°'" g ' 3 ' l « S - | ' — " 
 
 ^t" C. martin, a leading farmer of Louisa 
 v @/4! l County, residing on section 1 7, Port Louisa 
 (s Township, was born in Harrison County, 
 Ind., in 1840, and is a son of John and 
 Jane Martin, natives of Virginia. The father was 
 a millwright by trade, and his death occurred in In- 
 diana many years ago. Our subject was reared to 
 farm life, and received his education in tiie district 
 schools of Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. His mother 
 having also died when he was quite young, he re- 
 moved with a family by the name of Funk to 
 Mercer County, 111., residing there until 1861, when 
 he became a resident of Muscatine Count}', Iowa, 
 though he h.ad previously visited the State in 1850. 
 On the 21st of July, 1861, he responded to the 
 country's call for troops, enlisting at Muscatine, 
 and was .assigned to Company A, 7th Iowa Infantry', 
 being mustered into service at Burlington. He 
 was engaged in the battle of Belmont, the capture 
 of Fts. Henry and Donelson, the battle of Shiloh. 
 Corinth, the siege of Corinth, and wnsa member of 
 the Hornet's Nest Brigade. He received his dis- 
 charge at Louisville, Ky., Aug. 12, 1864, after 
 which he returned to Iowa, and in 1866, in partner- 
 ship with Mr. Funk, bought eighty acres of raw 
 prairie land, and commenced its improvement. In 
 1872 he i)urchased eighty acres of improved land, 
 and now has a farm comprising 210 acres, 140 of 
 which are under cultivation, sixty being grass laud, 
 and ten timber land. 
 
 In Ivouisa County, Iowa, in 1870, Mr. Martin was 
 
 united in marriage with Laura A. Wilson, a native 
 of Indiana, and a daughter of Henrj- and Clarissa 
 A. (Hamilton) Wilson, the former a native of Penn- 
 sylvania, and the latter of Indiana, in which State 
 the mother died. In 1856 the father came to Mus- 
 catine Count3% where he bought and improved a 
 farm, and his death occurred in 1869. 
 
 After their marriage the j'oung couple took up 
 their residence on the farm which is still their home. 
 To them have been born seven children — Frederic, 
 Alice, Francis, Charles, Bertha, Chester and Roland, 
 all 3'et at home. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are mem- 
 bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In his po- 
 litical sentiments he is a Republican, and socially, 
 is a member of William Vaile Post No. 447, G. A. 
 R., at Fruitland. For the past ten years he has 
 held the office of Township Trustee, is the present 
 incumbent, and has sewed as Road Commissioner. 
 He is a member of the School Board in his district, 
 and takes a great interest in procuring efficient 
 teachers and providing a good school. 
 
 ^ H. CREIGHTON, merchant, and Postmaster 
 of Oakville, Iowa, was born in this county, 
 in 1844, and is a son of W. H. and Emily 
 (Hedges) Creighton, both of whom were na- 
 tives of Ohio. W. H. Creighton came to this county 
 in the fall of 1835, being among its very earliest 
 pioneers, and settled on section 35, Elliott Town- 
 ship, where he laid claim to 640 acres of land. 
 When he came to tliis county he moved into an In- 
 dian wigwam, which was made of bark, and tiiere 
 lived until a cabin could be erected. He purchased 
 his land at the Government land sale in 1838, and 
 during his entire residence in this county was al- 
 ways one of its honored citizens, ever willing to 
 aid in the advancement of the county or forward 
 anj' enterprise which had for its object the public 
 g(jod. 
 
 Our sul)ject has p.assed almost his entire life in 
 Louisa County, and remained uu<ler the parental 
 roof until the 7th of August, 18C2, when he enlisted 
 in Company C, 30th Iowa Infantry, as a musician. 
 He served until June 13, 1865, and participated in 
 the battles of Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, 
 
 ' ' 
 
■^•■ 
 
 ••► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 211 
 
 Grand Gulf, .lacksdii. Miss., the sieyie of Vicksluirg, 
 wlieix- lie was uikUt lire fully -two ila^'s, the second 
 battle of Jackson, Miss.. Black River, J-ookout 
 Motintiun. CliatUiiioO};a. Missionary' Ridge, and the 
 entire Atlanta campaign, ninety days of which lie 
 was under fire. lie w.as with Sherman on the far- 
 famed march to the sea. during which he engaged 
 in tiie battles of Columbia. Macon, Ga., Benton- 
 ville. Kenesaw Mountain, and was mustered out of 
 service June 5. l^Co. at Wnsiiington, D. C. 
 
 After his discharge Mr. Creighton returned to 
 Louisa Count}', and worked for his father for about 
 three years, and then purchased some of his land. 
 On the 22d of November following his return from 
 the battle-tields of the .South, our subject was united 
 in marriage with Sarah K. Staige.a native of Louisa 
 Count}', and a daughter of James E. Staige, who 
 was born in the Buckej'e .State. 
 
 Mr. Creighton's first purchase of land consisted 
 of 100 acres on section 35. Elliott Township, where 
 lie made iiis home until 1886, since which time he 
 has resided in Oakville. He is now the owner of 
 260 acres of fine, arable land, in addition to consid- 
 erable town propertj', including his store and resi- 
 dence in Oakville. He is a member of the A. F. 
 <fe A. M., and also of the G. A. R. Post. Politi- 
 call}'. he is a Republican, and one of the stalwart 
 supporters of the party. In 1884 Mr. Creighton 
 was appointed Postmaster of Oakville, and in 188G 
 established his present business. 
 
 To our subject and his excellent wife have been 
 born seven children: Charles E., Mary Jane, Will- 
 iam II. and Emily I., arc all at home; James Ed- 
 ward dieil at the age of eighteen months; John T. 
 and Joseph F. are also with their parents. 
 
 — — - S > f ^^^4-i~i^ 
 
 1= 
 
 .^p^EORGE H. MOSIER, a retired raerch.ant 
 of Toolsboro, Iowa, was born at Fairfield, 
 Ohio, in 1831, and is a son of J.acob and 
 Indiana (Rush) Mosier. the father a native of Vir- 
 ginia, and the mother of Pennsylvania. Her death 
 occurred in 1833. .She was a sincere Christian 
 woman, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church; our subject was hor onlj- child. The father 
 was again married, in 1836, to Mar}' Cook, a na- 
 
 tive of New Jersey, and by that union six children 
 were born, all of whom are living. Al)Out the year 
 1836 Mr. Mosier emigrated to Southern Illinois, 
 where he cng.igcd in farming for three years, and 
 in 1839 emigrated to Holt County, Mo., where he 
 improved a farm and lived until his death, which 
 occurred in 1877. 
 
 The death of his mother occurring when he was 
 about two years old. our subject was taken by his 
 uncle. Dr. L. B. Rush, of Fairfield. Ohio, who re- 
 moved to South Bend, Ind.. in 1836. George maile 
 his home there until 1843, when the death of his 
 uncle occurred. Dr. Rush was one of the leading 
 men of Indiana, and one term served as a rnemher 
 of the Legislature of the State, being elected by St. 
 Joseph Count}'. He was eminent as a physician 
 and surgeon, having gained an enviable record 
 throughout the community. In his political views 
 he was a Whig, and the first candidate elected by 
 that party to the Legislature. He never had any 
 children of his own. but reared two adopted chil- 
 dren, our subject and a niece, Hannah M. DeMott, 
 upon whom he lavished all the love and care of a 
 true parent. His niece afterward w.is united in 
 marriage with Charles ,W. Brees. who is now an at- 
 torney at New Boston, III. 
 
 George Mosier, our subject, received his educa- 
 tion in the city schools of South Bend, Ind., and in 
 1844 went to Holt County. Mo., and worked upon 
 his father's farm for four years. At the expiration 
 of that time he returned to South Bend, Ind., and 
 attended school for a year, and in 1850 went to 
 Newville, DeKalb County, of the same State, where 
 he was emiiloyed as a clerk for a year, and then 
 again went to South Bend, where he taught school 
 and clerked until 1851. That year he was united 
 in marri.age with Amanda A. Denio, a native of 
 New York, and a daughter of David Denio. In 
 1852 the young couple came to Louisjx County, 
 Iowa, settling in Toolsboro, where they estab- 
 lished and carried on a store of general merchan- 
 dise. Mr. Mosier continued this occupation until 
 1882, since which time he has been living a retired 
 life. 
 
 To this worthy couple have been born two chil- 
 dren : Charles Leonard, a farmer of Jefferson Town- 
 ship, and Sarah L., who died in 1857, at the age of 
 
 . ^i ^' 
 
4^ 
 
 212 
 
 ■•► 
 
 ,t 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 three years. The}' also have an adopted daughter, 
 Laura Trible, who lives at home. Political!}', Mr. 
 Mosier is a Repuhlicau. He held the Office of 
 Postmaster of Toolsboro for twentj'-fivc years, and 
 takes an active part in all political or public affairs 
 of the count}'. He is a self-made man financially, 
 having commenced life with nothing but a strong 
 determination to succeed, which, together with his 
 energy, abilitj' and hard labor, has gained for him a 
 comfortable competency', he now owning 1,.500 
 acres of land and considerable town property. Mr. 
 Mosier is well known throughout the county, where 
 he is one of the leading citizens, and receives the 
 highest respect of the whole comniunitj'. 
 
 -^^B- 
 
 ^?=^EORGK W. SCOFlfc:LD w.as born in Frank- 
 jll |— J, lin County, Ind., March 12, 1841, and came 
 ^^11 to this county in 1852, with his parents, 
 Joseph and Cliarlolle (Sinister) .Scoficid, of whom 
 see sketch on another page of this volume. He 
 w.as reared to farm life and remained under the 
 ])arental roof until Jan. 4, 1804, when he enlisted 
 in Company K, 4th Iowa Cavalry, and served until 
 August, 1865. He participated in the battles of 
 Guntown, was on the entire Price raid, and w.is 
 engaged in the battles of Salem, Columbus and 
 Macon, Ga., receiving a slight wound in the heel 
 at the close of the war. He was mustered out of 
 service at Atlanta, Aug. 10, 1865, and discharged 
 at Davenport on the 24th of the same month. 
 After his discharge he returned to his father's farm, 
 where he has made his home ever since. 
 
 On the 18th of April, 1888, Mr. ScoGeld was 
 unite<i in marriage with Cassie Williams, a native 
 of this county, and a daughter of VV. R. Williams, 
 one of the early pioneers. Mr. Scofield is engaged 
 in general farming and stock-raising, and has charge 
 of his father's farm. He has held various township 
 offices, among which were Townsliip Clerk and 
 Assessor, and in politics is a Republican. lie takes 
 an active interest in public affairs, and is an active 
 worker in anj' enterprise for the good of the com- 
 munit}'. lie is a member of the United Presby- 
 terian Church, and everything about his farm shows 
 him to be a thrifty and enterprising farmer. 
 
 Isjuic, who now lives in Nebraska, and is a brother 
 of Mr. Scofield, was a soldier of Company C, .5th 
 Iowa Infantrj', and served five years, |)articipating 
 in the battles of Island No. 10, luka, Corinth, Chat- 
 tanooga, Lookout Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain 
 and Jackson, Miss., where he w.is wounded and 
 taken prisoner. 
 
 -'»<iic£/©i@««^^^T.@f.SWT2ni'»N--i 
 
 ■tt) OSEPII J. PARSONS, deceased, was one of 
 the leading men of Louisa County, and came 
 to the count}' in 1836. His father, brother 
 and himself were united in partnership in 
 farming and stock-raising, in which they were quite 
 successful. On the death of the father the brothers 
 inherited the property, and continued the past in- 
 dustry. On the 1st of May, 1851, Mr. Parsons 
 was united in marriage with Martha A. Smith, who 
 w!is a native of Kentucky, but after four years of 
 married life she was called to her last rest, her 
 death occurring on the 1st of August, 1855. On 
 the 14th of July, 1856, our subject was again 
 united in marriage, with Sarah E. Smith, a sis- 
 ter of his former wife, but her death occurred No- 
 vember 21 of the following year. Rlr. Parsons was 
 married Oct. 27, 1859, Miss Mary E. Colinan be- 
 coming his wife. She was a native of Virginia, 
 and a daughter of Flemming and Lydia A. (Smith) 
 Colman, her father a native of \'irginia, and her 
 mother of Ohio. In the year 1852 the parents emi- 
 grated to Louisa County, residing here for fiftQen 
 years, and then became residents of Wctmore, 
 Col. Mrs. Colman died March 3, 1861. She was 
 a member of the Metlio<list Episcopal Church. 
 Only two of the family are now residing in this 
 county, Mrs. Parsons and David F. Colman, whose 
 home is in Toolsboro. 
 
 Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Par- 
 sons: Douglas D., a resident farmer of Louisa 
 County, Iowa; Olive L., wife of Will C. .Smith, 
 who is engaged in farming in this county; Asruble 
 H., who is also a farmer of Louisa County ; Walter 
 F. died Aug. 1, 1872, at the .ige of two years and 
 twenty-four d.iys. On the 4th of February, 1880, 
 the death of Joseph Parsons occurred at the age of 
 sixty years. lie was a member of the Methodist 
 
 •►- 
 
-4»- 
 
 ■•^HH* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 213 
 
 Episcopal Churcli. nnd an activo worker in the 
 cause. Like liis lirotlier and father, he was ever a 
 lending man in the county which was for so long 
 his home, doing everything in his power for its ad- 
 vancement and interest. 
 
 The estate held in common between the two 
 brothers remained intact until Aug. 20. 1885, when 
 it was divided, the children of Joseph receiving as 
 their share 300 acres of land. The widow yet re- 
 mains on the old homestead, and with her lives her 
 aged father, now seventy-sis years of .age. Ilcr 
 brother-in-law, H. J. N. Pai-sons, also makes this 
 his home. 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 JB. COUTANT, carriage-maker and general 
 blacksmith, of Letts, this coiintj-, was born in 
 Ulster Countj-, N. Y.. and is a son of Will- 
 iam M. and Nargaret Coutant, who were 
 also n.atives of the Empire State. The father wjis 
 a dealer in lime and cement in that .State for many 
 years, but is now living a retired life. Our subject 
 was reared in New York, and received his educa- 
 tion in the district schools, but when a young man 
 emigrated to Indiana, locating in Dearborn Couut^'. 
 .Subsequently going to Cincinnati, Ohio, he there 
 began learning the trades of carriage-maker and 
 blacksmith. 
 
 Wiien the war broke out our subject left his 
 work to enlist at the President's first call for 75,000 
 volunteers to serve three months. lie became a 
 member of Company' A, 7lh Indiana Infantry, and 
 was mustered into service at Inilianapolis, being 
 assigned to tlie command of Gen. McClellan, under 
 whotn he participated in the battles of rhillifipi, 
 Carrick's Ford and Rich Mountain. At tlie expira- 
 tion of his term of service he was discharged, but 
 re-enlisted, in Company E of the same regiment, 
 for three years' service, and was retained in West- 
 ern Virginia, engaging in the battles of Greenbrier, 
 Winchester, Cedar Mountain, second battle of Hull 
 Run, and a number of skirmishes, after which he 
 was discharged at Indianapolis, in 1862, on account 
 of i>liysical disability. 
 
 Returning to Cincinnati, our subject finished 
 learning his trade, at which he afterward worked in 
 
 that city and in various towns in Indiana until his 
 removal to Iowa. In 1871 he came West, settling 
 in Cedar Rapids, where he engaged at his trade for 
 about four or five 3'ears, and in 187G removed to 
 Letts, where he opened his present business. 
 
 In 1880, in Muscatine County, Iowa, the mar- 
 ri.age of .1. 15. Coutant and Miss Sarah Bailey was 
 celebrated. The Iad3' is a native of Pennsylvania, 
 and a daughter of John and Julia Bailey. Since 
 their marriage they have resided in Letts, and both 
 are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 Politicall^s Mr. Coutant is a Republican, while 
 socially, he is a member of the G. A. R. Post. He 
 gives much of his time and attention to the raising 
 of thoroughbred poultry, which he has on exhibi- 
 tion at all the regular [wultry exhibits in both Iowa 
 and Illinois. His poultry is of the silver-laced and 
 white Wj'andotte breed, on which he has received 
 several premiums, and at Bonaparte, Iowa, he won 
 a §25 silver cup. He also keeps eggs and stock on 
 hand ready for any order tliat he may receive from 
 time to time. 
 
 !>HOMAS STRONACH, a retired farmer, and 
 y a worth}' pioneer of Louisa County of June, 
 ^ 1840, now residing in Columbus Cit}', was 
 born in Baltimore County, Md., Oct. 20. 1822, and 
 is a son of William and Sarah (McBec) .Stron.ach. 
 His father was born in Scotland, in 1799, and after 
 his emigration to America in 1818, made his home 
 near Baltimore, where he w.as united in marriage 
 with Miss Sarah McBec, a native of Maryland. In 
 1837 Thom.as removed with his parent*) to Colum- 
 bus, lOhio, and three years later came to Louisa 
 County, the family settling on a farm two and a 
 half miles south of Columbus City, where the father 
 purchased a claim, and engaged in farming until his 
 death, which occurred April 30, 1875. The mother 
 survived her husband, dying in the fall of 1879. 
 In early life William Slronach w.is a Whig in po- 
 litical sentiment, but later became a Republican. 
 Both parents were members of the Congregational 
 Church, and were worthy Christian people. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm, and has 
 made farming the avocation of his life. Siuce 
 
 h 
 
4= 
 
 <^ 
 
 214 
 
 I 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 1840 he has continued to reside in Louisa County, 
 and of late years has made his home at Columbus 
 City. Li politics he is a Grecnbacker, and is 
 opposed to all monopolies and trusts. He takes 
 broad and liberal grounds both in political matters 
 and in religion, and rates peoi)le as he finds them 
 rather than from that which they profess, having 
 an intense dislike and contempt for all shams and 
 shallow |)retensions. While his life has been un- 
 eventful, Mr. Stronach has done his part in improv- 
 ing and devoloping this new countr}'. His life has 
 been such that all with whom business or pleasure 
 have brought him in contact, can testify to the innate 
 goodness of his heart, and to his plain, unassuming 
 honesty. Columbus City may have men who make 
 more noise and greater pretensions to piety and 
 godliness, but deep down in the inner consciousness 
 of every man, woman or child, who knows the sub- 
 ject of this sketch, there rests an assurance that he 
 is the peer of many in all that goes to make up a 
 true man. 
 
 '^»->ii^^^?:5<^ 
 
 ON. DAMON NOBLE SPRAGUE,'a leading 
 lawyer of Louisa County, Iowa, was born 
 on the 21st of March, 1»32, near Coopers- 
 town, Otsego Co., N. Y., and is the son of 
 Dr. Jenks S. and I'rudia (Noble) Sprague. He was 
 educated at Hartwich Seminary, and at Delaware 
 Collegiate Institute, of New Yoik. He entered 
 upon the stinly of law in the oflice of Spencer & 
 Kernan. of Utica, who were among the most promi- 
 nent jurists of the great State of New Y''ork, and 
 who had the honor of acting in a like capacity for 
 the Hon. Iloscoe Conkling. Mr. Sprague was ad- 
 mitted to the bar in September, 1 854, and like 
 many another newly-fledged Eastern lawyer of those 
 days, sought the West as a field for future opera- 
 tions. He came to Wapello, Iowa, April 1, 1855, 
 and entered upon the [iracticc of his profession. 
 The following year he formed a law partnersiiip 
 with Col. John Bird, under the firm name of Bird 
 &' S|)rag\ie, which connection continued until 18(U). 
 Mr. Sprague was elected a l{e|>resentative to the 
 Lower House of the Iowa Legislature, Eleventh 
 General Assembly, during 18C7 and IfeGS, and 
 
 served on important committees. In 1870 he was 
 elected District Attorney when the district com- 
 prised four counties, was re-elected, and served 
 twelve years in all. 
 
 On the 25th of June, 1863, at Wapello, Iowa, 
 INIr. Sprague was united in marriage with Miss Mary 
 I. Isett. Mrs. Sprague was born in Alleghen}' 
 County, Pa., and came to Wapello, Iowa, with her 
 parents in early childhood. But one child was born 
 to them, a daughter, Helen, who died at the age of 
 four and a-half years. Mr. and Mrs. Sprague are 
 members of the Protestant Episcopal Church. 
 
 In 1872 Mr. Si)rague removed to Keokuk, where 
 he practiced his profession until 1886, when he re- 
 turned to Wapello, and has since continued to make 
 this city his home. He is the owner of two farms 
 situated near the city; one of forty acres lies ad- 
 joining the town, while the other, comprising 120 
 acres, is but one and a-half miles distant. Both 
 are well improved, and stocked with blooded cattle 
 and horses. In politics Mr. Sprague has always 
 acted with the Democratic party. When the late 
 war broke out, like all true Democrats who believed 
 in preserving the Union and the Constitution, he 
 took a prompt and decided stand in support of the 
 Government, and was the first to make a war speech 
 on the public square of Wapello on that trying 
 occasion. As he did not believe that the Constitu- 
 tion of the United States "was leagued with hell 
 and a covenant of the devil," and was not in favor 
 of "letting tiie wayward sisters go in peace," he 
 took strong grounds in favor of prompt and strin- 
 gent measures to put down armed resistance to the 
 laws. His whole course during the war was consist- 
 tent with the purest patriotism and highest public 
 spirit. His fellow-citizens paid him the compli- 
 ment of recognizing that fact, when, during the 
 heat of a political campaign his opponent, who was 
 ignorant of his antecedents, undertook to cast a 
 slur upon his record, and found when the votes 
 were counted that where he was known best Mr. 
 Sprague had benefited largely by the uncalled for 
 attack. His vote in his home town was the largest 
 ever given for a Democratic candidate. As a law- 
 yer he is well up in his profession, and after thirty- 
 three years' practice in Iowa hjis won a foremost 
 place among the leading members of the bar. 
 

-^^ 
 
 ^^►4l-4< 
 
 LOL I.SA COUNTY. 
 
 I'l; 
 
 S^.lIOM AS DOWSOX, a farmer and stock-miser 
 residinjif on section 15, Concord Tovvnsliip, 
 ->^^- Lonisa Co.. Iowa, was l)orn in Cumber- 
 land, Kngl.md, in 1.S22, lieinjf the eldest child horn 
 to John and Elizahetii (ICIiot) Dowson, who were 
 also natives of Cumberland. The fatlier was a far- 
 mer by occupation, and remained in his native 
 country, where his death occui-red in 18.54. His 
 wife survived him many years, and died in 1875. 
 
 The boyhood days of our subject were si)ent upon 
 a farm, but at the age of fifteen he left home and 
 learned the carpenter's and joiner's trade, and April 
 IG, 1844, entered the navy, enlisting on Iler Maj- 
 esty's sliip "Trafalgar," where he remained over four 
 3'ears, being discharged June 30. 1848. He sailed 
 over the Mediterranean .Sea, visiting Naiiles, Malta 
 and Lisbon, and w.as on board 120 gunships, with 
 1,000 men on board. 
 
 Returning to his native land, Mr. Dowson, in 
 1849, was united in marriage with Miss Mary Robe- 
 son, who was also born in that country, and is a 
 daughter of Robert and .lane Robeson, who were 
 natives of Sunderland, Durham County, England. 
 The father w.as a tailor by trade, and remaineil in 
 England until his death, which occurred a number 
 of years ago. The wedding tour of tlie young 
 couple was their journey to America. Embarking on 
 the American sailing-vessel '• Andrew Foster," after 
 a pleasant voyage of twenty-six days they landed 
 at >sew York, and tlience proceeded to St. Louis, 
 reaching that city sliortly after the great fire, 
 where he worked at his trade of joiner for four 
 years. Coming to Louisa County, Iowa, in 185;i. 
 they settled in Concord Township, on section 10, 
 where Mr. Dowson [)urchased forty acres of Gt>v- 
 ernment land, began its improvement, and then 
 added another forty, but later sold that farm, and 
 purch.ased, in 1872, 200 acres of partly improved 
 land on sections 15 and 23. He innnediatel}' began 
 its cultivation, and as time p.ossed has added to it 
 until he now has 400 acres, which arc highly culti- 
 vated and iin[)roved. He makes a specially of rais- 
 ing stock, which is all of the best grades, and feeds 
 about 100 head per year. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Dowson are the parents of seven 
 chiiihcn: Jane, now Mrs. lionnichsen, resides in 
 WashiiigU>n ('ounty, Iowa; Mary is tlie wife of 
 
 TlK)mas Newell, who is engaged in farming in Con- 
 cord Townsiiip; Robeson is married and I'esides in 
 Cheyeiuie, Wyo. ; .John is at home; William is 
 man-ied and resides in Concord T(jwnship; Charles 
 Henry and Florence Elizabeth are also at home; 
 Mary attended the university at Iowa City, and en- 
 g.aged in teaching in Louisa County for several 
 terms. 
 
 Mr. Dowson takes great interest in political af- 
 fairs, casts his vote with the Republican party, has 
 served as Township Trustee, was .School Director, 
 and is now School Treasurer, which office he hiis 
 held for several years. He is a promoter of all edu- 
 cational institutions, and has given his children 
 good educational advantages. An earlj' settler of 
 Louisa County, Mr. Dowson has witnessed almost 
 its entire growth and development, has seen the 
 prairies over which the deer roamed and where 
 game abounded, transformed into well-cultivated 
 and improved farms, and to all enterprises bene- 
 ficial to the public has given his support. His 
 ple.isant home is situated about four miles from 
 Columbus Junction and six miles from Letts, and 
 we are pleased to record his sketch among the wor- 
 thy citizens of the county, and also pleased to pre- 
 sent excellent portraits of himself and wife, which 
 appear upon the opiwsite page. 
 
 ACOB C. BOLTZ, contractor and builder, 
 of Morning Sun, Louisa Co.. Iowa, was 
 born in Lebanon County. Pa., Feb. 5, 1821). 
 / and is a sijn of .loliii and Catherine (Boltz) 
 Boltz, who, though of tlie same uame, were of no 
 connection. The motiier died when our subject 
 was nine years old, and lie nia<l(' liis iiomc with his 
 grandparents. At tlie age of lifleen he was appren- 
 ticed to tlie cabinet-maker's trade, and served a 
 liMiii of one year. In 1.S57 he was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss H. .1. .binu'son, a daughter of John 
 and Margaret (Riple) James(ni, and the same year 
 they came to Morning Sun. where Mr. Boltz opened 
 the first cabinet-shop. Ho had a partner, Mr. 
 Reistine, for a year, at the eml of which time they 
 dissolved partnership, and lie carried on the business 
 alone for ten years. At the cx|>iration of that time 
 
 ■> 
 
J. 
 
 !18 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 he embarked in contracting and building, at 
 which he still continues. In politics he is very 
 liberal, voting for the man whom he thinks will best 
 fill the office and not for the partj". 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Boltz are the parents of seven chil- 
 dren, two sons and five daughters: Laura Belle, born 
 Jan. 25, 1858; Lenora E., July 28, 18G0; John E. 
 E.. Nov. 11, 1863; Nellie O.. Dec. 20. 18G5; Jen- 
 nie, March 14, 1869; Delia, Jan. 17, 1878; Katie, 
 who died in infancy; and AVilliam G., born Dec. 
 26, 1883. 
 
 Mr. Boltz settled in Blorning Sun, Iowa, when it 
 contained but a few houses, and the country was 
 almost new. He has lived to see the many great 
 changes which have taken place, and has aided 
 much in the progress and development of the 
 county. lie has a nice hume and is comfortably 
 located in Morning Sun, where he is highly respected 
 by all its citizens. 
 
 John Jameson, the father of Mrs. Boltz, vvas born 
 in Huntingdon County, Pa., and was unitdd in mar- 
 riage with Margaret Riple. They were the parents 
 of five children: Mary E., wife of George W. 
 Rouse, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; Evaline, wife of 
 Alex Rouse, of Huntingdon County, Pa.; Rebecca, 
 wife of Caleb Robinson, of Penns^'lvania; William, 
 a resident of Kansas. IMr. Jameson died in 1863. 
 His wife is still living, at the advanced age of 
 seventy-five years. 
 
 —^ ^^#" '^ 
 
 .^^'^EORGE ERBES, wagon and carriage manu- 
 llj (—J facturer. of Wapello, Iowa, established busi- 
 '^^11 ness at this place in March. 1867, in a small 
 way, and has extended and increased his facilities 
 as his trade increased, until he now has an extensive 
 establishment. His factory covers 3,172 square 
 feet, ground floor, and a greater part of it is two 
 stories in height. He employs from eight to four- 
 teen hands, and turns out 150 new jobs annually, 
 besides a largo amount of repairs, which is an im- 
 ))ortant pari of his business. He employs .steam- 
 power machinery, has a sixteen horse-power engine, 
 and a boiler of twent}' horse-power capacity. His 
 trade lies largely in Louisa, Des Moines and Mus- 
 catine Counties, but he has made several shipments 
 
 to Nebraska and Kansas. By doing none but the 
 best of work. Mr. Erbes has made a reputation that 
 gives him the controlling trade in a large portion 
 of the Iowa counties named. He receives a large 
 trade from the immediate neighborhood of other 
 factories, owing to the superiority of his work. 
 Recently he has nearly ujonoi)olized the wagon 
 trade in Louisa Count}' and the northern part of 
 Des Moines County. 
 
 Mr. Erbes was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Ger- 
 many, March 16, 1842, and is the son of Ludwig 
 and Katharina (Boetz) Erbes. He was educated 
 in his native country, and served a regular appren- 
 ticeship to the wagon-maker's trade. By the advice 
 of his maternal grandfather, who was a retired 
 government officer, he emigrated to America in 
 1863, reaching this country in the midst of the late 
 war. He worked at his trade in Albany, N. Y., 
 until July, 1864, when he enlisted in the Quarter- 
 master's department, was detailed on mechanical 
 work, and stationed at Nasliville, Tenn., and later 
 at Vicksburg, Miss., where he remained until the 
 2d of August, 1865, when he was mustered out of 
 service. He then came to Iowa, anrl worked at his 
 trade at Burlington until March, 1867, when he 
 took up his residence in Wapello, and began his 
 present business. 
 
 On the 14th of April, 1866, at Burlington, Iowa, 
 the union of George Erbes and Miss Mary Stroth- 
 mann, daughter of John and Hannah Strothmann. 
 w.is celebrated. Mrs. Erbes was born in Little York, 
 Pa., Aug. 20. 1849. They are the parents of eight 
 children, six sons and two daughters, all of whom 
 are living except one daughter, and all were born 
 in Wapello except the eldest, Lewis Charles, who 
 was born at Burlington, Iowa, Feb. 2, 1867, and is 
 now in Los Angeles, Cal. ; George Edward was 
 born Nov. 20, 1868; John II., Nov. 2. 1870; 
 Martha Rosa, born Aug. 22, 1872, died Oct. 15, 
 1873; Philip Arthur, born Aug. 11.1874; William 
 Oscar, May 15,1877; Omer Frank, April 26,1879; 
 Emma Ardena, June 18. 1884. 
 
 Mr. Erbes is a Republican in politics, and is a 
 member of the I. O. O. F., Louisa Lodge No. 19, 
 of Wapello. He and iiis wife are members of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Erbes is an in- 
 dustrious, hard-working man, a thorough master of 
 
 i 
 
•^f^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 2 : '.) 
 
 his business, and conscientiously parlieul.nr that his 
 woiiv shall be of the very best in every iiislanee, 
 and one job sold in a neighborhood alwaj's brings 
 more, for the people have learned that a wagon 
 from Erbes' sho|) will not drop its tires, or fail in 
 the first two or three 3ears of use. The wagon and 
 carnage shops of Mr. Erbes constitute the most im- 
 portant manufacturing interests of Louisa Count}', 
 and itii proprietor is esteemed one of the leading 
 business men of town, and one of the most respected 
 citizens. Manj- of Mr. Erbes' wagons have beer, 
 in use for upward of twenty years, and are still in 
 perfect order. 
 
 'f ox. ALHERT ELLIS, a resident of Morn- 
 ing Sun. Iowa, was born in Highland County, 
 '!^)^^ Ohio, Sept. 9, 1835, and is a son of Job atid 
 ■f^} Hannah (.Tob) Ellis, who were pioneer set- 
 tlers of Louisa County, Iowa. lie came to this 
 county when twelve years of age and assisted his 
 father in developing a farm. His educational ad- 
 vantages were limited, but being blessed with a re- 
 tentive memory and being a close observer and 
 student, he has gained a g<iod education. At the 
 breaking out of the Rebellion he assisted in rais- 
 ing a company for the 5th Iowa Infantry, and en- 
 listed as a private, but at the mustering of the State 
 service was elected as Second Lieutenant. The 
 coujpany was sent to Camp Warren at Burlington, 
 where it was found that they had not the required 
 numljer of men. A part of the com|)an}' had been 
 raised in Lee County by a man of the name of 
 rallerson, who agree<l to join this regiment if he 
 coubl hold a commission, so rather than have the 
 organization broken up Mr. Ellis gave w.ay and 
 took his |>lace in the ranks, with the understanding 
 that he should receive the first promotion. The 
 i-egiment was mustered into the United States serv- 
 ice at IJurlington, wiiere they remained but a short 
 time and then went to Benton Barracks. Thenc ; 
 tliey were sent to Booneville, where they were joined 
 l)y Gen. Eremont's forces; from there they pro- 
 ceeded to Kew Madrid and Island No. 10, where 
 they were first under fire. Next they joined Pope's 
 forces and were to operate against Ft. Pillow, but 
 
 the battle of Shiloli was brought on and they were 
 ordered to that point, arriving two da3's after the 
 engagement iiad taken place. From there the regi- 
 ment went to Corinth, where they remained until 
 Se|)tember, and then joined Rosecrans, fighting llie 
 battle of Iid<a, going in with bsi men, and lost, in 
 killed and wounded, 210 ; Company C went with 
 fifty-two men. and lost thirty-one while supporting 
 the 1 1th Ohio Battery. They returned to Corinth, 
 participating in the second battle at that place; from 
 there sent on an expedition to Holly Springs, but 
 were cut off bv Van Dorn and ordered to Memphis. 
 
 In the following spring they broke camp and 
 joined Grant, going to Yazoo Pass and Milliken's 
 Bend, parti(Mpating in the battles in the rear of 
 Vicksburg, and also in its seige and capture. They 
 followed Johnst(jn as far as .Jackson, where they 
 were ordered l)ack to Vicksburg and went into 
 camp, remaining until August, when they went to 
 Helena; while there word came of Rosecrans' de- 
 feat at Chattanooga, and the regiment was sent to 
 reinforce him. The}- there saw some sharp fight- 
 ing, being engaged in the battle of Missionary 
 Ridge, after which they were ordered to do guard 
 duty on the railroad between Huntsville and 
 Stevenson. While there the terra of service ex- 
 pired, and al>out 200 re-enlisted as veterans, form- 
 ing two companies, and were transferred to the 5th 
 Iowa Cavalry, iMr. Ellis being transferied to Com- 
 pany Ci. The companies were sent to N.ashville, 
 where they were mounted and joiniMi Tlidmas' 
 command. On account of poor health our subject 
 was mustered out Aug. U, ISU-l. As stated he went 
 into the service as a private, but was promoted 
 Second LieuteiiMnt, Nov. 1, 1801; First Lieutenant, 
 June 29, 1S02, and Captiiin of Company C, March 
 15, 18G3. On March 1, 1 804, he was presented bj- 
 his company with a handsome sword. During his 
 long term of service he gallantly did his duty, and 
 was promoted from a private to the raid<of Captain 
 for his valiant conduct on the batlle-lii'Id. 
 
 Politically, Capt. Ellis is a Republican, and has 
 been honored by his district as a Representative, 
 having been elected to the Legislature in 1M08. 
 In 1875 he was elected as Sheriff of the county, 
 being re-elected in 1877 and 1870. serving six years, 
 and was twice elected as Supervisor of the county 
 
 n 
 
»► 11^ ^ 
 
 220 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 In 1882 he made a business trip to Europe, travel- 
 ing over Irelnnd and England. In 18G4 Capt. El- 
 lis was united in marriage with Alice E. Nichols, 
 who was born in Louisa County', Sept. 8, 1845. 
 The}' are the parents of five children: Delia, wife 
 of Park .larvis, of this county; Ona M.. Nellie F., 
 Maud H. and Eoscoe A. Mr. Ellis is a member of 
 the G. A. R., Blake Post, of Morning Sun. 
 
 4 
 
 -^^ 
 
 eHARLES FURNAS, a prominent fanner of 
 Louisa County, Iowa, residing on section 5, 
 Grand View Township, was born in Mont- 
 gomerj' County, Ohio, Nov. 1,5, 1829. Mr. Fur- 
 nas traces his descent from .John Furnas, who 
 married Marj- Wilkinson in W'igton, ICngland, in 
 1762. Their eldest son, Joseph, was our siil)jecl's 
 grandfather. His parents were Benjamin and Mary 
 (Patty) Furnas, both of whom were natives of 
 Ohio. They reared a family of ten children, seven 
 of whom lived to nialuritj', our sul>jeet being the 
 second in order of birth. The father followed farm- 
 ing in Ohio until 1857, when with his family he 
 removed to Louisa County, Iowa, settling in Grand 
 View Townsliip, near the town of Letts. lie pur- 
 chased fort}' acres of land at Government prices, 
 also 120 acres near that, at §3 i)er acre, and an im- 
 proved farm of eiglity acres, at ?;25 per acre, mak- 
 ing in all 240 acres. He iramcdiatelj' began the 
 improvement of his land, and since his original 
 l)ureliases has become tlie owner of 120 acres of 
 timber land, situated in tiiis and jMuscatine Coun- 
 ties. From the wild, unbroken prairie ho soon de- 
 veloped a fine farm, and made numerous otiicr 
 improvements which go to make up a well-regu- 
 lated farm. ISIr. Furnas' death occurred May 20, 
 1880. at tlie age of seventy-six years, his wife hav- 
 ing preceiled him to iier final home, she having 
 departed this life in 1867, at the age of fifty-nine 
 years. 
 
 Our sul)ject was reared to farm life and received 
 his education in the district schools of Ohio. Be- 
 ing of a studious character, he fitted himself for 
 teaching, and began the practice of his chosen pro- 
 fession at the age of eighteen years, teaching for 
 two or three winters in Ohio. IIo was united in 
 
 -<*■ 
 
 marriage in that State, in 1849, with Ann Elizabeth 
 Earhart, who is of German descent, but was born 
 in the Buckeye State, and is the daughter of Jacob 
 and Elizabeth Earhart, both of whom were natives 
 of Pennsj'lvania, and who went to Ohio at an early 
 day, settling near Dayton, where they both re- 
 mained during the remainder of their lives. The 
 father died many j-ears ago, but his wife survived 
 him for a long time, dying at the ripe old .age of 
 eight}' years. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Furnas purchased a farm 
 in Ohio, where he remained until 1853. Then sell- 
 ing out, he came to Louisa County and bought 200 
 acres of land on section 5, Grand View Township, 
 and eighty acres of limber in Muscatine County, 
 but afterward sold the latter. The work of im- 
 provement was immediately begun, and as time 
 p.assed he added more land, until he at present has 
 225 acres, all of which is under a fine slate of 
 cultivation. He has nearly two acres of peat bog, 
 and his farm has been partially tiled, having one 
 tile ditch that opens into his barnyard, furnishing 
 plenty of water for his slock. Upon his farm m.ay 
 be found a good grade of Durham cattle, Norman 
 horses, Duroek and Chester- White hogs, and South- 
 down sheep. He has one of the best farms in the 
 township, is a most successfid farmer, and every- 
 thing about his place denotes the thrift and in- 
 dustry wilii which it is managed. 
 
 In his political views Mr. Furnas is a supporter 
 of the Republican party. He served a,s Justice of 
 the Peace in 18G0 and 1880, held the office of 
 Township Trustee ten years in succession, has also 
 served as Road Commissioner, and assisted in the 
 township organization. He has taught school in 
 Louisa County during the winter for many years, 
 being a successful teacher, and h.as also been a 
 corresp( ndent for the Muscatine Jmirnal for many 
 years, and also for the Columbus Safe Guard and 
 Wapello Republican. Mr. Furnas and his wife are 
 members of the United Brethren Church, and while 
 their new house of worship was being built at 
 Letts ville, he took an active part in soliciting for 
 and collecting the funds. He holds the o(fioe of 
 President of its Board of Trustees, and is Chairman 
 of its committee for i)urchasing a parsonage for 
 the Lcttsville circuit. An active worker in the 
 
t 
 
 -•► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 221 
 
 Sunday- -school, he was chosen the first Superintend- 
 ent, ami has filled the position frequently" since. 
 Ail educational, social or moral interests find in 
 Mr. Fiu-nas a ready sup|)orter, and an}' enterprise 
 started for the public good receive; his influence 
 and aid. 
 
 Seven children grace the union of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Furnas: Clayton, who is married, and resides in 
 Stor}- Count}-, Iowa, where he is the owner of a 
 200-acre farm; Adeline, wife of C. N. Ilollida}', 
 who resides near the old homestead on the McVay 
 farm; Annette, still residing at home; Belle is the 
 wife of Frank E. Longstreth, who resides on a 100- 
 acre farm in Hall Count}-, Neb.; Emma C. is a 
 teacher of music, being engaged in that profession 
 at Columbus Junction ; Clark and Elmer are still 
 inmates of the paternal home. Mr. Furnas has 
 given all his children good educational advantages, 
 and Belle and Adeline have both been successful 
 teachers in this county. By his own industry, 
 frugalitj' and good management Mr. Furnas has 
 gained the greater part of that which he now pos- 
 sesses. His honesty and integrit}' in all matters of 
 public or private dealing have won him the con- 
 fidence of all, and as a citizen he is highl}' respected. 
 
 AVID FLACK, deceased, was a pioneer of 
 Louisa County, Iowa, of April, 1839, and 
 w.as numbered among her most honored 
 citizens. He w.as born near the site of 
 the present city of Columbus, Ohio, in 1801. and 
 a son of Robert and Nancy (Leonard) F'lack, who 
 were natives of Scotland. When David was quite 
 3'oung, his parents removed to Union County, Ind., 
 where he was reared upon a farm. Possessing a 
 retentive memory and being of a naturally' inquir- 
 ing turn of mind, he acquired a good education, 
 but was never permitted to enjoy the privileges of 
 free schools now furnished all over this country. 
 On the 1st of March, 1.827, he was united in mar- 
 riage with Marj' Harris, and to them were born four 
 children: Sophia J., who died at the :ige of eight- 
 een years; William L., who was born Aug. 25, 1829, 
 is now a farmer of Columbus City Township ; James 
 M., who enlisted as a soldier in Company C, 11th 
 
 Iowa Infantry, participated in all the battles of his 
 regiment until after the battle of Atlanta, where he 
 was mortally wounded, his death occurring fourteen 
 days later; Mary C, the youngest child, is now 
 the wife of C. C. Hunter, a resident of Columbus 
 City Township. The mother of these children died 
 Dec. 22, 1833. Mr. Flack w.as again married Jan. 
 20, 1835, becoming the husband of Mary Hall, and 
 by their union one child was born. Robert F. M., 
 who is also a farmer of Columbus City Township. 
 The death of Mr. Flack occurred March 23, 1878, 
 his wife surviving him until July 28, 1886, when 
 she too departed this life. 
 
 David Flack was one of the prominent citizens 
 of Louisa County, Iowa. Healw.ays took an .active 
 part in promoting the interests of the community, 
 aided greatly in its upbuilding, and was a friend to 
 all educational institutions. In early life he was a 
 Whig, but at the dissolution of that party joined 
 the Republican party, and continued one of its linn 
 supporters until his death. He owned a fine farm 
 of 200 acres, which he accumulated through his own 
 efforts. He witnessed many great changes in the 
 county, which transformed it from a wild prairie 
 into a land of fertility and fruilfulness. and was an 
 active participant in the grand work. 
 
 William L. Flack was born in Union County, Ind., 
 in 1829, and is a son of David and Mar}- (Harris) 
 Flack. With his [jarents became to Louisa County 
 in 1839, and was here reared upon a farm. Learn- 
 ing the art of photography, he engaged in that line 
 of work for two years at Columbus City. His edu- 
 cation was acquired with great difficulty, having to 
 walk three and a half miles to school on crutches, 
 but with that energy that characterizes his every 
 action he determined to secure an education, and 
 is now one of the well-informed men of the county. 
 
 On the nth of December, 1«79, Mr. Flack led to 
 the marriage altar Miss Ruth Jones, a native of 
 Muscatine Count}', Iowa, and a daughter of Ilwdi 
 and Sarah Jones, the former a native of Wales. 
 By their union three children were born: David 
 and John, who arc at home; and Sarah L., who is 
 living with her grandmother. On the 12th of 
 April, 1888, Mr. Flack was called upon to mourn 
 the death of his wife, who died at Lhe age of Ihirlv- 
 two years. She was a devoted member oi the Re- 
 
 ^ 
 
^i^h-* 
 
 222 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 form Church, a loviiic; wife .and teiuler mother, and 
 her death jiroved a sad loss not only tf> the com- 
 mniiity but to a large circle of friends and acquaint- 
 ances. For twelve years jirevious to his niarri.age 
 Mr. Flack was engaged in buying and selling stock. 
 He is now a general farmer, and in connection with 
 bis brother owns ;56.S acres of land. In i)(>litics he 
 is a stalwart su|)porter of the Republican partj', and 
 has served as Township Assessor for three terms. 
 He is well known and universally respected through- 
 out the county, where he is numbered among the 
 most worthy citizens. 
 
 tr'^*~ i^ 
 
 -^ 
 
 •T 
 
 ■tllOHN THOMAS THOMPSON, an extensive 
 stock-raiser of Louisa County, Iowa, residing 
 on section 2, Grand View Township, was 
 born in this county in 1858. and was the 
 fourth child in a family of nine who were born to 
 Philip and Rebecca A. Thompson, who were natives 
 of Illinois. In his native State the father engaged 
 in farming, and .again resumed that occui)ation for 
 some years in Grand View Township after his re- 
 moval to Louisa County, but for the past ten or 
 twelve years has been engaged in the hardware and 
 implement business at Columbus Junction. 
 
 The boyhood days of our subject were spent 
 upon a farm, and his education was received at the 
 Seminary of Grand View. In Louisa County he 
 ■was united in marriage with Mary A. Estle, their 
 union being celebrated Aug. 7, 1873. The lad^- is 
 a n.ative of this county, and a daughter of Thomas 
 and Susan (Shellabnrger) Kstle, the former born in 
 New Jersey, and the latter in Ohio. They were 
 among the pioneer settlers of Muscatine County of 
 183S. and there the father died several years ago, 
 and the mother June 1.5, 1888. 
 
 Mr. Thompson and his young bride began their 
 domestic life ujion the farm on section 2, Grand 
 View Township, where they yet reside. By their 
 union two children were born, Gertrude and Edna, 
 both at home. The farm is pleasantly situated 
 about three-fourths of a mile fioni Letts, thus fur- 
 nishing good school, market and shipping facilities. 
 It consists of IGO acres, which .'it the lime of pur- 
 chase was raw prairie land, but Mr. Thompson at 
 
 4* 
 
 once began its cultivatinn. erecting a nice farm resi- 
 dence, and in 1887 building a large barn. As time 
 has passed he has added to the original purchase 
 until he now owns 240 acres of fine arable land, 
 which is highl3- cultivated and improved, and com- 
 prises one of the best farms in the county. It is 
 ■well watered by a never-failing spring, is all under 
 fence, and so admirably' tiled that every foot is 
 tillable. Mr. Thompson's stock is all of the best 
 grades, and he makes a specialty of raising Short- 
 horn cattle; he also raises fine draft horses, and has 
 some full-blooded Norman horses, while his hogs 
 are of the Poland-China and Chester-White breeds. 
 He also raises fine colts for the market, and has a 
 full-blooded Norman June colt. He has six other 
 fidl-bloode<l colts and eight fine brood mares. lie 
 takes great interest in raising tine stock, and has 
 done much to advance the grade in the countj'. 
 
 Mr. Thompson takes an .active interest in politi- 
 cal affairs, and casts his vote with the Greenl)ack 
 party. His wife is a member of tl(f Episcopal 
 Church. The greater part of his life has been si)ent 
 in Louisa County, and he has witnessed many of 
 its most important changes, participating in its de- 
 velopment, and aiding in its progress. He is num- 
 bered among the highly respected citizens of the 
 community, and is known throughout the county 
 as an energetic and leading farmer. 
 
 WILLIAM EDMOND.SON, deceased, one of 
 the early settlers of Louisa Count}', was 
 born on the l.ithof March, 1815. in Blount 
 Countj', Tenn., and was the son of David and 
 Jennette (Wilson) Edmondson, who were of Irish 
 descent. His boyhood days were passed upon a 
 farm, and on the 31st of January', i 839. he wedded 
 Mary Walker, a native of Tennessee, and a daugh- 
 ter of David Walker, who was born in the North of 
 Ireland. To them were born a family of ten chil- 
 dren, though only four are .now living: Eliza J., 
 widow of S. D. Johnson, resides in Columbus City 
 Township; M.aggie J. is the wife of George W. 
 rtiucan, a resident farmer of Union Township; 
 Amanda C. is still living at home; and Robert R. 
 is engaged in farming in Union Townshii). The 
 
 :?^r#^ 
 
a. 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 223 
 
 cJealh of Jlr. Edmoii<lson occurred June 5, 1887, 
 at tlie age of seventy-two years, and was sincerely 
 mourned by many friends. His wife was called to 
 her final home several years previously', dying May 
 22, 1874, when fifty-eight years of age. She was a 
 niemlier of the United Preslij'terian Church, and 
 her kindliness and sj-mpathy won the hearts of all. 
 Mr. Edmondson was a conservative man, though 
 I)()ssessed of many excellencies of character, and 
 highlj' respected. In his political views he was a 
 Kepuhlican, having joined that party on its organi- 
 zation. He came to Louisa Country at an earl}' 
 day, made a home for his family, and was the 
 owner of eighty acres of land at the time of his 
 death. 
 
 Robert F. Edmondson, a representative farmer of 
 Union Township, Louisa Co., Iowa, residing on 
 section 7, was born in Monroe County, Tenn., and 
 when a lad emigrated to Iowa with his parents. In 
 this countj' he was reared upon a farm and attended 
 the district schools. On the 9th of September, 
 1880, his marriage with Marietta Duncan, daughter 
 of F. A. Duncan, of Columbus Junction, w.as cele- 
 brated, and they are now the parents of tiiree chil- 
 dren, two daughters and one son — Marj' A., Nellie 
 and William F. 
 
 Religiously-, Mr. Edmondson and his wife are 
 members of the United Presbyterian Church. He 
 has served as Township Assessor for two terms, was 
 Clerk of the township for one term, and in political 
 sentiment is a Republican. He is the ovvner of 180 
 acres of land, and operates 240 acres, which under 
 bis able management produces excellent crops. 
 
 
 ON. CHARLES MONROE FULTON, the 
 l)li Mayor of Columbus Junction, Iowa, Jus- 
 tice of the Peace, and general insurance, 
 loan and collection agent, was born atShclbj-, 
 Richland Co., Ohio, on the 20th of August, 1 83G, 
 and is the son of Hugh and Maria Althier (Webb) 
 Fulton. His father was born near Lake Ontario, 
 in Ontario County, N. Y., June 6, 1807, and was 
 of Scotch-Irish descent. On coming to America 
 the farail}' originally settled in Maryland. The 
 mother of our subject was born in Connecticut, and 
 
 on her father's side was descended from the tarl}' 
 Puritans. Her mother was of French descent. Mr. 
 Fulton, Sr., moved from New York to Ohio with 
 his family in 1832, and from there to Louisa County, 
 Iowa, in 1854, locating on a farm in Marshall Town- 
 ship. Later they removed to Mt. Pleasant, Hour}- 
 Co., Iowa, where Mrs. Fulton died in 1866. The 
 husband and father departed this life at Fairfield, 
 Iowa, in 1883. 
 
 Charles M. w:is reared on a farm anil received a 
 common-school education. When twenty-one years 
 of age he went to New York Citj', clerking for a 
 year for Ray W. Potter, and the succeeding two 
 j'ears with A. T. Stewart, in his wholesale house. 
 Returning to Iowa he again engaged in farming in 
 Louisa County. On the 19th of April, 1860, he 
 was united in marriage with Miss Anna E. Humis- 
 ton, daughter Of Charles and Lucy Humiston. Mrs. 
 Fulton was born at AVallingford, Conn., and five 
 living children grfice their union, two sons and 
 three daughters : Chester Irwin, now a practicing 
 ph3'sician of Columbus Junction, Iowa; Edward 
 Hugh is a printer, emploj'ed at his trade at Leaven- 
 worth, Kan. ; Fannie F. is the wife of Benjamin Van 
 Dyke, and resides in Marion County, Kan. ; Alm,% 
 Blanche and Eva May reside with their parents. 
 
 In 1873 Mr. Fulton engaged in the mercantile 
 business at Columbus Junction, which he carried 
 on until 1878. In April, 1874, he was apjiointed 
 Postmaster at Columbus Junction, and held that 
 position for twelve years, or until the change of ad- 
 ministration caused a change in incumbents in the 
 office, and he retired in September, 1886. He then 
 began the insurance, loan and collection business, 
 in companj- with J.J. Russell, and in January, 1888, 
 was appointed Justice of the Peace to fill a v.acancy. 
 He has been a member of the Town Council several 
 times, w'as elected the first Mayor of the town in 
 1874, served one term, and was re-elected to the 
 same office in March, 1888. In 1876 he was chosen 
 a member of the Board of Trustees of the Eastern 
 Iowa Normal School, and has held that position con- 
 tinuously since. In Ma}', 1888, Mr. Russell sold 
 out to O. E. Hobble, and the existing partnership 
 of Fulton & Hobbie was formed. Mr. Fulton is a 
 member of the Knights of Pythias, Lodge No. 22, 
 and has been a consistent meiul)er of the Rcpub- 
 
 i» 
 
 f 
 
-^^ 
 
 224 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 lican part)' since its organization. During all the 
 years that lie has served the people in an official 
 c-a])acity, lie has been found prompt, competent 
 and faithful in the discharge of every duty, and 
 always courteous to both great and small. 
 
 •f 
 
 JW. CRADDOCK, residing on section 5. 
 Port Louisa Township, on Muscatine Island, 
 was born in Ypsilanli, "Washtenaw Co., Mich, 
 in 1><38. and was the second in a family of 
 eight children born to Abraham and Mary (Wat- 
 ling) Craddock. The parents were natives of En- 
 gland, and after their migration to America settled 
 ill Ypsilanti, where the father engaged in the boot 
 and slioe business. "While residing there he became 
 quite wealthy, being the owner of a number of 
 buildings in the city, but in 1849 incurred a serious 
 loss bj' fire, after which he went to California, re- 
 maining five 3-ears. On the 22d of November, 1856, 
 he landed in Louisa Count}', Iowa, settling on the 
 island, where he purchased sixty acres of land, 
 thounh afterward increasing his farm, and giving 
 great care to its cultivation. Mis death occurred in 
 1,S7I, but his wife is still living, and resides on the 
 old homestead. 
 
 Our subject received his education in the graded 
 schools of Ypsilanti, and remained in his native 
 State until nineteen years of age, when with his par- 
 ents he came to Louisa County, Iowa, and engaged 
 in fanning. On the ICth of June, 1862, he enlisted 
 in the War for the Union at Muscatine, and was 
 assigned to Company E, 18th Iowa Infantry, being 
 mustered in at Clinton. He w.is engaged in many 
 skirmishes, but left the regiment at Sedalia, and was 
 discharged at Jefferson Cily in December, 1863, 
 on .account of disabilit)'. After his discharge he 
 was confined in the hospital for sometime, but later 
 returned to his home. 
 
 On the 22(1 of November, 1866, in Louisa 
 County, Iowa, the marriage of J. \V. Craddock and 
 ■Sarah Wainsley, a native of Muscatine Countj', was 
 celebrated. The lady is a daughter of Abraham 
 and Catherine (C.arder) Wamsley, both of whom 
 were born in Virginia, and came to Iowa atan early 
 d.ay, setlliiig in Muscatine Count)-, where the father 
 
 4» 
 
 died some yeai-s ago, aged thirty-five years. Her 
 mother is still living, and is now the wife of Elisha 
 Beatl)-. Mr. and Mrs. Craddock are the parents of 
 two children, Arthur and Jesse, both at home. The 
 farm of our subject is pleasantly situated about 
 three miles from Fruitland. on the island, and seven 
 miles from the city of Muscatine, and comprises 
 100 acres of fine, arable land, all highly cultivated 
 and improved. Though not an oHice-secker. Mr. 
 Craddock takes great interest in political affairs, 
 and is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, 
 while socially, he is a member of William Vaile 
 Post No. 447, G. A. R.. at Fruitland. He is a 
 member of the Presbyterian Church, and his wife 
 belongs to the Meihodist Episcopal Church. He 
 came to Muscatine Island when it contained but a 
 few settlers, and for over thirty 3'eais has been one 
 of its prominent and progressive citizens, ever 
 ready to aid in public enterprises, and is highly 
 esteemed l)y all. 
 
 Sfl "W. STRAUSE, a resident of Louisa County. 
 |l Iowa, is the manager of the Green Hill 
 I, Mineral Springs, which are situated two 
 (^^ miles northeast of Grand View, and is one 
 of the finest summer resorts in the West. These 
 springs are noted for their great medicinal qualities, 
 and many invalids 3'early drink of their healing wa- 
 ters. He has recently opened here a fine hotel, 
 which has been thoroughl_v refilled and repaired for 
 the visitors who come to this beautiful locality, an<l 
 who may be assured of courteous treatment and 
 kind attentions from the genial host. 
 
 Mr. Strause is a native of Pennsylvania, born in 
 1838, and a son of John and Sarah (Gass) Strause, 
 whose birthplace was also in that State, who were 
 the parents of fifteen children, five of whom are 
 yet living. In 1866 they came West, settling in 
 Ohio, where the death of the mother occurred in 
 1868. In that Slate the father engaged in farming 
 and also followed the trade of a millwright until 
 after his wife died, when he became a resident of 
 W.ayne County, Mich., making it his home until 
 1878, when he too w.as called to his final rest. 
 
 The boyhood days of our subject were spent 
 
 t 
 
u 
 
 LOUISA UUUNTY. 
 
 2l>7 ' ^ 
 
 upon a farm and in attendance at the district 
 schools of liis native Slate. His marriage with 
 Susan Lowniiler was celebrated in I'eiinsylvania, 
 and lie there engaged in farming until IKGC. Mrs. 
 Strause's i)arents were Adam and Catherine (Baker) 
 Lowrailer. who were natives of IViinsylvania. where 
 the father is still living, but the niollier was called 
 to her final home some years ago. 
 
 After his removal to the lUiokeye Stale Mr. 
 Strause engaged in farming, and also carried on a 
 meat-market near Gallon. In 18{!7 he was called 
 upon to mourn the death of his excellent wife, who 
 died after a short illness. They- were the parents 
 of four children, all daughters, though only two 
 are now living: Jemima, now Mrs. G oils, a resi- 
 dent of Wayne County, Mich.; and Sarah A., wife 
 of William A. Loojie, of Muscatine County, Iowa. 
 Margaret C. the eldest child, died in Pennsylvania 
 in lbG3 at the age of five years; and Ellen M., the 
 youngest, died very suddenly in 1883, aged seven- 
 teen years. After the death of the wife and 
 mother the familj- lemoved to AVayne County, 
 ]\Iich.. the children keeping house for the father, 
 and endeavoring, as far as possible, to fill the place 
 of the lost one. In that county Mr. Strause en- 
 gaged in general merchandising at Strasburg and 
 also at Shelton's Corner, in both of which places he 
 served as Postmaster. In 1877 he went to Cansida, 
 where the following year he was united in marriage 
 with Plwebe Van Horn, a native of that country, 
 and a daughter of Cornelius and Koblin (Greeley) 
 Van Horn, the mother being a second cousin to 
 Horace Greeley. After engaging in farming for 
 two years in Canada, he came directly to Iowa, set- 
 tling on Muscatine Island in 1880, purchasing forty 
 acres of land, all under cultivation, upon which he 
 raises a great many melons and sweet potatoes, 
 having the pjist year shipped twenty-two carloads 
 of the former product. He is an active worker in 
 political affairs and casts liis ballot with the Demo- 
 cratic party. While residing in the East he held 
 many oflicial iiositions, in all of which he proved an 
 elliclent officer, discharging his duties with great 
 credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his con- 
 stituents. 
 
 To Mr. Strause and his excellent wife have been 
 born an interesting family of five children — Cally 
 
 .Serada, John William, Viola Bell, Vesta Clio and 
 Howard Cleveland, all at home. One of the broth- 
 ers of Mr. Strause at the breaking out of the Civil 
 War wiis among its youngest soldiers, entering the 
 service when only sixteen years of age, in which he 
 fought until the closing of hostilities. 
 
 A fine view of Mineral Springs is given upon the 
 preceding page. 
 
 A. CHAPMAN, an early settler of Louisa 
 li County, Iowa, residing on section 20, Con- 
 
 cord Township, was born in Connecticut, 
 in 1830, and was the fourth in a family of 
 six children, four sons and two daughters, who were 
 born to Ambrose and Permelia (Williams) Chap- 
 man, who were also natives of Connecticut. The 
 father was a farmer by occupation, and removed to 
 Ohio in 1835, settling in Richland County, where he 
 remained four years, and in 1839 removei) to Lee 
 County, Iowa, taking up his residence at Montrose. 
 Remaining there for only about a year, he went to 
 Mercer County, 111., where he engage<l in farming 
 for seven years, and next went to Lake County, 
 Ind., where his death occurred in 1878, at the age 
 of seventy-five. His wife died while they were re- 
 siding in Mercer County, III., in 1844, at the age of 
 forty-seven years. 
 
 The earlier years of our subject were spent upon 
 his father's farm, and his education was received in 
 the district schools of Iowa. He went with his par- 
 ents to Indiana, but returned to this State in I8.>1, 
 and four years later, in Louisa County, Iowa, wed- 
 ded Rhoda A. Spurgeon, a native of Ohio, and a 
 daughter of Jeremiah and Nancy (Walls) Spurgeon. 
 who came to Louisa County. They here set- 
 tled upon a farm in Concord Township, where the 
 death of the father occurred Oct. 10, 1845, at the 
 age of fifty-seven years, the mother having died 
 about a_j-ear before, Sept. 27, 1844, at the age of 
 forty-nine. Mr. and Mrs. Chapman are the par- 
 ents of but one child. Flora, now Mrs. Low, a resi- 
 dent of Concord Township. 
 
 In 1872 our subject [lurchased a farm, which 
 consisted of 1 1 1 acres of partly improved laud near 
 Fredonia. He immediately began its cultivation. 
 
M 
 
 .t 
 
 4 
 
 228 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 erected a comfortable residence, and is now the 
 owner of a good farm of 119 acres, which is well 
 stocked with a good grade of Durham cattle and 
 Bashaw and C'li^de horses. It is pleasantl}' situated, 
 only about a mile from Columbus Junction, but 
 when he first came to this country his nearest market 
 place was twentj- miles away, rolilicallj-, Mr. 
 Chapman is a Greenhacker, and has held various 
 townshii) offices of public trust. As a citizen he is 
 liiglil3' respected in Louisa Countj', where for man}' 
 years he has made his home, and witnessed its 
 development and progress. 
 
 ARBIN H. FUNK, a farmer residing on 
 Muscatine Island on section 17, Port Louisa 
 Township, was born in Harrison County, 
 Ind., March 19, 182C. and was the young- 
 est in a family of three children born to Abraham 
 and Elizabeth (Summors) Funk, the father a native 
 of Virginia, and the mother of Kentucky'. They 
 settled in Indiana in 1808, when it was a part of 
 the Northwest Territory, and there the death of the 
 father, who was a soldier in the AVar of 1812, oc- 
 curred in 1851. The mother afterward became a 
 resident of Illinois, settling in fiercer County, 
 where her death occurred in 1855. 
 
 Our subject was reared upim a fiirm,and received 
 his education in the district schools of his native 
 State, where, in 1840, his marriage with Miss Martha 
 Applegate was celebrated. She was born in Indi- 
 ana, and was a daughter of Andrew and Julia 
 (Harris) Applegate, her father being a native of 
 Pennsylvania, and her mother of North Carolina. 
 After residing in Indiana for several years the 
 young couple removed to Illinois, in 1855, the two 
 succeeding years being passed there, and then be- 
 came residents of Louisa County, settling on Mus- 
 catine Island. At that time the city of Muscatine, 
 which now contains over 10,000 inhabitants, was 
 but a village, whose residents numbered but 600. 
 The settlements on the island were then very few, 
 but the land long since has become inhabited, and 
 is now one of the richest portions of the county. 
 Mr. Funk purchased eiglitj- acres of unimproved 
 land, commenced its cultivation, and as the years 
 
 passed added to it until his farm is now 280 acres 
 in extent, 200 of which are under cultivation. The 
 staple crops are sweet potatoes and water melons, to 
 the raising of which he pays especial attention, and, 
 though shipping to all points in Iowa from Fruit- 
 liind, the principal market is Minneapolis. 
 
 In 1877. after a short illness, the death of Mrs. 
 Funk occurred, leaving a family of six children to 
 mourn their loss. Adaline, now Mrs. Richards, who 
 resides on Muscatine Island in Muscatine Count}'; 
 Isabelle, now Mrs. De Camp, also living on the 
 island in Port Louisa Township; Julia, who is at 
 home; Eunice, wife of Mr. Hummel, who lives on 
 the island in Muscatine County; Henrietta and 
 Charles, yet residing with their father. In 1885 
 Mr. Funk was .again united in marriage, Regina 
 Walton becoming his wife. This lady is a native of 
 Germanj% and a daughter of Henr}' Vincent and 
 Regina R. (Becker) Budman, who were also born in 
 German}-, and came to America in 1845, settling in 
 New York, but the following year remove<l to Mus- 
 catine, Iowa, where the mother departed this life in 
 1858, at the age of thirty-eight years. The father, 
 who was a tailor by trade, crossed the dark river in 
 1878, when sevent}' years of age. 
 
 Mr. Funk takes an active interest in political af- 
 fairs, and casts his vote with the Republican part}'. 
 He is one of the prominent men of the township, 
 where he has been a resident for over thirty years. 
 
 ■^fi OHN ELLIOTT, a resident of Morning Sun, 
 Iowa, was born on the Juniata River, Pa., 
 May 11, 1798. When a boy he went to 
 Elizabeth, Allegheny County, where he 
 learned the trade of shoemaking, and followed that 
 occupation for a livelihood. On the 25th of Novem- 
 ber, 1823, at Pittsburgh, Pa., he was united in mar- 
 riage witli Miss Rachel Camblin, who w.as born in 
 1803, and for a few years after their marriage they 
 remained in that city, but afterward removed to 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Elliott were the parents of twelve 
 children, eight of whom are living: Jane, wife of 
 James Parkhill, of Fayette County, Pa.; John, 
 whose home is in Youngstown, Ohio; James, a resi- 
 
 ■•► 
 
 1 
 
-4•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 220 
 
 f 
 
 dent of Pittsbingli; Nancy, wife of John AVilson. a 
 resident of . Des Moines County, luna; Sarah, who 
 weiMpil S. E. Wilson, of the same county; Maiy 
 anil Uaciiel are bolli residing at IMorning Sun, 
 lown. anil Maggie is the wife of Joseph Montgomery, 
 of Jewel! County, Kan. The death of Mrs. Elliott 
 occurred Aug. 22. lt<72. She was a member of the 
 Covenanter Church, and a woman highly respected 
 fur her many excellent qualities. ISIr. Elliott, al- 
 though being so advanced in years, is 3-et hale and 
 hearty, and may j'et live for n long time. In 1881, 
 at the age of eighty-three years, he made himself a 
 l)air of boots, which is the last work he has done. 
 He joined the Covenanter Church when twentj'- 
 scven years of age. and has afliliated with the same 
 ever since, being an ardent believer in its te.aciiings, 
 and an earnest worker in its behalf. 
 
 •^--ftr??: 
 
 fl/_^ ON. GEORGE JAMISON resides on sec- 
 '•'^^^ lion 27, Wapello Townsliii). Among the 
 !<^ substantial business men of Louisa County 
 none deserves more notice in this work than 
 our subject, who is numbered among the pioneers 
 of 1840. He has not only witnessed the remark- 
 able growth of town and county, but has contrib- 
 uted to its development as much as an^' other man 
 within its borders. He was born Aug. 25, 1817, 
 in Ross Count}-, Ohio, but was reared in F.ayette 
 County. His educational advantages were limited 
 indeed, being obtained principally in the old log 
 school-house, with its well-known firephuu'. occu|)3'- 
 ing almost one entire end of the building, its pun- 
 cheon floor, slab seats, writing-desk around the 
 wall, and the birch rod, that terror to evil-doers, 
 just above the master's desk. A description of the 
 old log school-houses, which were then so common, 
 affords amusement to those educated in the more 
 modern institutions, but in just such buildings have 
 many of the most noted men of our nation been 
 educated, and the scanty knowledge there acquired 
 has often served as the basis of more extended 
 readings, culminating in the well-read lawj'er, the 
 minister, llie physician, or the business man. As in 
 the case of many others, so it has been with Mr. 
 Jamison; he has made a proper use of all the 
 
 means within his re.aeh. until he possesses a prac- 
 tical knowledge of men and events which could 
 not l)e obtained in text-books. On coming to Iowa 
 he determined to obtain for himself a farm of 100 
 acres with good improvements, hut when this de- 
 sire was .accomplished he w.as not yet satisfied, but 
 continued to add to his original farm until he now 
 owns more than 4,000 acres of land, which is at 
 present stocked with 1,000 head of cattle. 
 
 On the 2d of September. 1840, Mr. Jamison was 
 married to Hulda A. Ilerrick, a native of New 
 York, who emigrated with her parents to Ohio when 
 a mere child. liy their union there are four chil- 
 dren, who are now comfortably settled around the 
 parents, namely: John AV., Jacob II., Merit L. and 
 Oregon B. I-n educational matters Mr. Jamison 
 has always been greatl}' interested, and in piilitic;d 
 sentiment is a Democrat. He was honored with an 
 election to the Seventeenth tieueral Asseml)ly, over- 
 coming a majorit}' of 800 on the Republican side. 
 
 In 1840, at the time of Mr. Jamison's arrival in 
 Louisa County, it was but sparsely' settled, only a 
 few of the pioneers being, located in the timber. 
 There were no railroads, and the whistle of the en- 
 gine did not break the native stillness. Everything 
 had to be hauled in wagons, times were hard and 
 money scarce. Tiie nearest trading-pt)st was at Bur- 
 lington, to which Mr. J. hauled dressed pork, selling 
 it for $1.25 per 100 pounds. Wheat brought only 
 thirty-seven and a half cents per bushel, and two- 
 thirds of that jtricc had to be taken out in trade. 
 The home that Mr. Jamison enjoys, and all that he 
 possesses in life, was acquired by his own exertions 
 and the aid of his faithful wife. They both enjoy 
 the respect of the entire communit}', and h.'ive the 
 confidence and good-will of many warm friends. 
 
 J' ACOB HOUSE, a leading farmer residing 
 on section 7, Grand View Township, was 
 Ijorn in Butler County, Ohio, in 1813, 
 and is a son of Jacob and Susanna (Tanner) 
 House, who liad a family of nine children, of whom 
 he was the seventh. The}' were natives of Virginia, 
 and emigrated to Ohio at an early day, first setllinj: 
 
 =f 
 
-4^ 
 
 230 
 
 -•► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 near the citj' of Cincinnati, where tlie father en- 
 gaged in farming aiul Itlauksmithing. He liad 
 served as a soldier in tiie War of 1812, and his 
 death occurred in Oiiio in 1838, his excellent wife 
 surviving him for about twenty j'ears. 
 
 Our suhjeet grew to manhood upon a farm in his 
 native .State, and received his education in its dis- 
 trict schools. In 1837, in Butler County, he be- 
 came the husband of Marilla A. Ayers, who was 
 liorn in Ohio, and is a daughter of Michael and 
 Baigal (Williams) Ayers, the father a native of 
 Pennsylvania, and the mother of the Buckeye State. 
 Her father served as Justice of the Peace for eight- 
 een years in Ohio, and followed the occupation of 
 farming. Mrs. Williams was reared in Cincinnati 
 when it was but a village, and had to be guarded 
 to protect it from the hostile Indians. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. House settled 
 in .Shell)}' County, Oliio, where the husband pur- 
 chased wild land of the Government and partly- im- 
 proved it, but owing to failing health was compelled 
 to rent his farm and remove to Kentucky, where 
 he engaged in stock-raising for six j-ears. Return- 
 ing to his native State he purchased a farm in 
 AVarren County, which he cultivated until his re- 
 moval to Iowa, which occurred in 1856. He pur- 
 chased eighty-seven acres of [):utly improved land, 
 and seventeen acres of timber, in Grand View Town- 
 ship, immediately beginning its cultivation, plant- 
 ing the fielils with grain, setting out orchards, and 
 having the buildings erected necessary to well-regu- 
 lated farms. Two good houses are upon his land; 
 his stock is all of a good grade, and his farm is one 
 of the best in the township. He held the office of 
 Justice of the Peace for one term, and is independent 
 in politics. Being an carlj' settler he has witnessed 
 almost the entire growth of Louisa County, and has 
 aided in the promotion of enterprises beneficial to 
 tlie comn)unity. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. House are the parents of nine chil- 
 dren, eight of whom are living: Loretta, now Mrs. 
 J(jhns()n, is living in ALarsh. Louisa Count}': Mar- 
 tiia Jane, wife of Mr. Kemp, resides in Port Louisa 
 Township; Mary, now Mrs. McCaw, makes her 
 home in Wajiollo Count}', Iowa; Josephine, who 
 had taught successfully in both Iowa and Kansas 
 for several years, died in 1880, at the age of twentj'- 
 
 eight; Franklin is married, and resides on the home 
 farm; Priscilla, now Mrs. Sala, is living in Mus- 
 catine; Lawrence W. is married, and lives in Con- 
 cord Township; Alexander IL. of Wapello County, 
 is also married, and Arthur Elmer is living on a 
 claim in Washington Territory, where he is en- 
 gaged in teaching. Mr. House has always been a 
 friend to education, promoting its interests when- 
 ever possible, and has given his children good ad- 
 vantages in that line, four of them having been 
 successful teachers in Louisa County. He and his 
 wife arc meml)ers of the Presb3'terian Church. 
 
 ZUA B. TUCKER, of the firm of Gniy & 
 |i^ Tucker, attorneys-at-law, of Columbus Junc- 
 If' — ^ tion, Iowa, was born in Brighton Township, 
 Kenosha Co., Wis., Oct. 1 2, 1 853, and is a son of 
 William and Jane (Gilbert) Tucker. His father 
 was born in England, and his motlier w.as also a 
 native of the same country, born near the city of 
 Liverpool, and both of them came to America in 
 youth. William Tucker was a minister by pro- 
 fession, and one of the earl}' preachers of Mineral 
 Point, Wis. His death occurre<l when our subject 
 was but two years old, and in childhood Ezra re- 
 moved to Racine County, Wis., and attended the 
 public schools of Rochester for four terms. In 
 March, 1874, he came to Iowa, and in tlie autumn 
 of 1875 entered upon the study of law at the State 
 University, being graduated in June of the following 
 year. On the 7th of August, 187G, with Mr. Gray 
 as a partner, he began the i)ractice of his chosen 
 profession at Columbus Junction, which he has car- 
 ried on continuously since. They have built up 
 quite an extensive pr.ictice in the county and State 
 courts, both being men of ability, and are quite 
 successful. 
 
 On the 14tli of June, 1881, at Grand View, Iowa, 
 Mr. Tucker leil to the marriage altar Miss L. Irene 
 Gray, daughter of James A. and Harriet C. Gr.ay. 
 The lady was born in Grand A'iew, and her parents 
 were pioneer settlers of Louisa County, of 1840. 
 Two children have been born unto them: Ralph, 
 born May 12. 1882, and an infant son Oct. II, 
 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Tucker are members of the 
 
 t 
 
-4•- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 231 f 
 
 -f 
 
 Presbyterian Church. lie is a Republican in poli- 
 tics, and was elected by t''"'' P^^'t}' to the ollice 
 of County Altorney in 1886. Socially, he is a 
 member of Columbus City Lodge No. 107, A. F. & 
 A. M.. and of Composite Chapter No. 91, R. A. iM., 
 liolh of Columbus Junction. Mr. Tucker was one 
 of the orijrinal stockholders and organizers of the 
 Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Columbus Junc- 
 tion, and was a member of the first Board of Di- 
 rectors of that institution, lie is also interested with 
 his partner in a set of abstract books of Louisa 
 County, they doing an extensive business in mak- 
 iug out abstracts of titles. Mr. Tucker is one of the 
 leading and influential citizens of Columbus Junc- 
 tion, and is highly respected. 
 
 ARTON GARRETT, an early settler and 
 respected citizen of Louisa County, Iowa, 
 residing on section 11, Concord Township, 
 was born in Kentucky in 1828, and was the 
 sixth in a family of eight children, who were born 
 to Middleton and Jane (Hendrick) Garrett, the for- 
 mer also a native of Kentucky, the latter of Vir- 
 ginia. The father was a farmer, and in 1833 
 departed this life, leaving the care of a large fam- 
 ily to his wife. Nobly did she perform the duties 
 devolving upon her, watching over her children, 
 providing for their wants, and training them to be 
 true and upright men an<l women. Accompanied 
 by her family she came to Iowa in 1853, and here 
 purchased land. She did the spinningand weaving 
 of the cloth with which tlicy were clothed, and 
 though her tasks were many and arduous she never 
 faltered. The death of this most estimable lady 
 occurred in March, 18.So, l>ut her memory will ever 
 be held sacred by her children. 
 
 The entire life of our subject has been spent upon 
 a farm. Ilis education was receive<l in the district 
 schools of his native State, and in 18,'j2 he came to 
 Iowa a single man, settling in Muscatine Count}', 
 wluMC^ he planted and harvested one crop, but the 
 following spring removed to Louisa County. Buy- 
 ing 160 acres of raw prairie laud, only tliree acres 
 l]e:ng l)n)ken, on section 11 of Concord Township, 
 lit immediately began its imi»rovemcnt, erecting a 
 
 4^ 
 
 house, setting out trees and planting the grain. 
 Two years later, in 1856, Mr. (iarrett w.as united 
 in marriage with Elizabeth Fiidey, a native of Ohio, 
 and a daughter of Alexander and Margaret (New- 
 ell) Finley, who were also born in the Buckeye 
 State. Her father was a oabinet-maker, Itut in con- 
 nection with his work in that line he engaged in 
 farming. In the pioneer days of Louisa County 
 he became one of its residents, entered and held 
 lan<l until it came into market, when he purchased 
 it at the l>urlington land sale of 183U. This un- 
 cultivated tract was soon transformed into a beau- 
 tiful farm, upon which the father resided until his 
 death, which occurred a number of years ago. The 
 mother died in 1872. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Garrett began their domestic life 
 upon the farm which he had purchased on coming 
 to the county. Since that time he has added to tlie 
 original tract' until his farm now comprises 126 
 acres of fine arable land, and is one of the best in 
 the township. It is pleasantly situated about two 
 and one-half miles from Letts, and has all the latest 
 improvements. Our subject has always taken a 
 prominent part in political affairs, is aGreenbacker, 
 and has held various oflices of trust in the town- 
 ship and count}', now serving his third term as 
 County Commissioner, lie has done all in his power 
 to advance the educational interests, and is a mem- 
 ber of the A. F. it A. M., Triangular Lodge No. 
 245, at Letts. 
 
 In 1870 the death of Mrs. Garrett occurred, after 
 a lingering illness of three years with consumption. 
 Four children had been born of that uni(ui, three 
 of whom are now living. Alexander M. is married 
 and resides in Concord Township; I'lricli is also 
 married and lives in Concord Township; .1. M. 
 makes his home in Nebraska; and Barton, the 
 youngest, died in 1867 at the age of two years. 
 
 In November, 1873, in Louisa County, Mr. 
 Garrett was again united in mariiage. 3\Iiss Susanna 
 M. Dodder, who was born in New Jersey, becom- 
 ing his wife. This lady is a daughter of Joseph \V. 
 and Sarah (Yoemans) Dodder, who were natives of 
 New Jersey and who came to Iowa in IM.'iCi. set- 
 tling near the village of (irantl \w\\, where the 
 father engaged in farming until his death, which oc- 
 curred in 1884, the mother dying Aug. 15, 1886. 
 
-4*- 
 
 232 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 By this second union one cliiUl has been born, a 
 son, Joseph II., who is attending school. The par- 
 ents are both members of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church at Letts, and are highly esteemed by 
 a large circle of friends and acquaintances. 
 
 ^^-'OUNTAIN CRADDOCK, residing on sec- 
 
 P(i tion 5, Port Louisa Township, was born in 
 Washtenaw County, Mich., in 1851, and was 
 the seventli in a family of eight children born to 
 Abraham and Jlar^' (Watling) Craddock, both of 
 whom were natives of England, and whose history 
 appears in the sketch of J. W. Craddock on another 
 page of this work. At an early age our subject 
 came to Louisa County, where he received his edu- 
 cation in the district schools, and was reared to 
 farm life. In tiie year 1880 he was united in mar- 
 riage with Belle Graj-. a native of this county, 
 where their union was celebrated, and a daughter of 
 Samuel and Rebecca (Porter) Gra}', who were born 
 in Ohio, and were pioneers of Iowa, having lo- 
 cated in Louisa County in 1839, where they are j-et 
 residing, their home being in the village of Grand 
 View. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Craddock began their domestic 
 life upon the farm where they yet reside, and there 
 lliieo children have been born to them: Oscar and 
 Clyde are both with their parents, Init Clinton died 
 ,Iul}' 9, 1888, at the age of eight months and seven 
 days. The home farm of our subject comprises 
 122-J acres of fine land, :ill in a good state of culti- 
 vation, and the stock, of which he has a groat manj' 
 head, is of the best grades. Mr. Craddock is a 
 Republican in politics, while his wife is a member 
 of the Presliyterian Church, and both are highly 
 resiiected people, held in higii esteem by a large 
 circle of friends and acquaintances. 
 
 ^ AMUEL JAMI.SON, deceased, was born in 
 Ross Count}', Ohio, in March. 1810. and 
 came to Louisa County in llie j-ear 1 8.'}9, be. 
 ing one of its earliest settlers. lie was united 
 in marriage to Miss Susan McClure, a native of 
 
 Highland County, Ohio, and by their union a fam- 
 ily of five chihlren were born, four of whom are 
 3'et living: Elizabeth, widow of Benjamin Shultz; 
 John D., who is living upon the old homestead; 
 James B., who resides in Louisa County, Iowa; 
 Susanna, wife of Thomas S. Thompson, whose home 
 is in Bird City, Kan. After the death of Mrs. 
 Jamison our subject was again married, but his 
 second wife dying, he wedded Miss Dobbens. His 
 fourth wife was Miss Harriet Lipe, and unto them 
 were born nine children, six of whom are deceased, 
 and those living are Mortimer S., Norman F. and 
 Charles, all residents of this county. 
 
 Religiously, Mr. Jamison was a Methodist, while 
 politically, he was a supporter of the Democratic 
 parlj', and served as County Commissioner for sev- 
 eral years. When he came to this county he was 
 in limited circumstances, but b\' energy, hard labor 
 and good management, he became one of the wealth}' 
 men, owning 1,400 acres of land at the time of his 
 death. He was one of the honored pioneers to 
 whom Louisa County owes much of her present 
 prosperit}', and in the comnuinity where he resided 
 he had the confidence and good-will of all. 
 
 1' 
 
 GRACE UPSON, dealer in agricultural im- 
 III ,., plements, of Jlorning .Sun, Iowa, was born 
 (■^^ near Randolph, Portage Co., Ohio, Nov. 
 1^3' ^•i' 183,5, and is a son of Baldwin and Ann 
 (Hall) Upson. .She was a daughter of Samuel Hall, 
 a soldier of the War of 1812. Among the first to 
 settle in Portage County, Ohio, was Arad Ujison, 
 the grandfather of our subject, one of whose chil- 
 dren was the first white child born in this county. 
 
 In 1842 Baldwin Upson and his family removed 
 to Knox County, 111., where his death occurred 
 soon after. There were si.\ children in the family, 
 four of whom are living: George, residing at Can- 
 ton, III.; Sylvia, wife of G. W. Enke, of Nebraska; 
 Horace, of Morning Sun; Silence, wife of William 
 Rucc, of Loui.sa County. Mrs. Upson is still resid- 
 ing in this county, at the .a<lvanced .age of eighty- 
 two, years. 
 
 The subject of this sketch went with his |)arent8 
 to Knox County, III., when seven years old, and 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 •2:v.i 
 
 tliere grew to manhood, receiving a coniinoii-scliool 
 education. In 18G4 lie enlisted in the 2d Iowa 
 Cavidry. and joined liis regiinentat Mcmpiiis, Tenn., 
 tiiey partieipaling in liie second raid nnder (Jricr- 
 son, enir.aged in several skirmishes, after which liie 
 oonipati}' served as bodyguard for Oen. Grierson. 
 iMr. Upson served until Octolier, 18()5, and then 
 ■was mustered out of service at Selma, Ala. Relum- 
 ing to Knox County, III., he there remained until 
 the following spring, when he came to Louisa County 
 and embarked in farming, winih he continued until 
 liic spring of 18,S,S, since which time he has dealt in 
 agricultural implements. 
 
 In 18;J6, in Knox County, III.. Mr. I'pson and 
 Miss Sarah K. Enke,a native of Ohio, were married. 
 Five children have graced this union, four of whom 
 are now living, viz: William C. ; Ada, wife of 
 Jackson Trolnian, of Morning Sun : Eva and Iliram. 
 Frank L. died at the age of twent^'^-three 3'ears. 
 Politicalh', Mr. Upson is a stanch Republican, and 
 cast his first Presidential vt)te for Abraham Lincoln. 
 He is not what would be called a politician, but has 
 held several local offices of trust, having served as 
 Constable and a meml)er of the Cilj' Board. He 
 belongs to the Grand Armj' Post at Morning Sun. 
 Mr. Upson is not a member of any church but at- 
 tends the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which his 
 wife belongs. 
 
 s-'^-s 
 
 ffZ_^ OMER Z. BARNES, deceased, was born at 
 iTji New Hartford, Conn., Jan. 14, 1832. and is 
 '^^^ a son of Zenas and Flora (Goodwin) Barnes. 
 {^) His grandfather was a member of the State 
 Legislature, and a man of influence and prominence 
 in the community where he resided. When our 
 subject was quitq 3'oung his parents emigrated to 
 Iluntsburg, Geauga Co., Ohio, several of his father's 
 brothers having settled in that vicinity. He w.as j 
 educated in the public schools, and was reared 
 upon a farm, where he worked until he was twenty- 
 five years of age. His marriage with Amelia A. 
 Gould was celebrated at Painesvillc, Ohio, July 1, 
 18(il. The lad^' is a daughter of Harris and Ata- 
 resta (Wright) Goidd, her mother, who was born in 
 the town of Chester, Vt., being descended from an 
 
 i 
 
 old New England family, who afterward settled in 
 Burton. Ohio. Her father, who was of English de- 
 scent, was born in Canada, though reai-ed in New 
 York, and was a large land-owner. Mrs. Barnes was 
 born at Burton, Ohio, and received her education 
 in the High Schools of the State. After his mar- 
 riage Mr. Harnes spent a year and a half at Hunts- 
 burg, and then went to West Liberty, Iowa, where 
 he engaged in the grocery and grain business for 
 three years. Having poor health he sold out, and went 
 to Texas to engage in buying cattle. This did not 
 prove a pr(i(ital)lc move, as he was detained in the 
 Indian Nation during the hot weather, on account 
 of a law just then enforced, prohibiting the driving 
 of Texas cattle through the States for fear of con- 
 taminating the native cattle with the fever. He con- 
 sequently lost heavMy, not only in money, but in 
 health as well, which to him was a mucii nn^'e im- 
 portant consideration. 
 
 In 1 867 Mr. Barnes went to Lansing, Mich., where 
 he engaged in the lumber business. At the expir- 
 ation of seven years he returned to Ohio for a 
 short time, and in January, 1877, came to Columbus 
 Junction, Iowa. He was engaged in the grocery 
 business in this city until 1882, when, on .account 
 of failing health, he w.is obliged to abandon mer- 
 cantile pursuits. During his residence of eleven 
 years in this city he took an .active interest in local 
 affairs, and held the offices of Councilman and 
 JIayor, and w.as serving his third term as Justice of 
 the Peace at the time of his death, which occurred 
 Jan. 14, 1888. 
 
 Mr. Barnes was one of the Trustees of the Nor- 
 mal School, which he had helped to organize, and 
 politically, was a stanch Republican, an ardent sup- 
 porter of the princii)les of that party. He was 
 reared in the Congregational Church, and in his 
 younger days was both a M.ason and an Odd Fel- 
 low. Mr. Barnes was always a man of great will 
 power and energy, and although an invalid for 
 many years was active and hopeful, the prospect of 
 death never seeming to cause him any alarm, an<l 
 to the very last he seemed confident of a hinger 
 lease of life. Possessing superior natural ability 
 and mental force, he won the respect and regard of 
 all with whom business or pleasure brought him in 
 contiict. Mad his physical condition cfjualed his 
 
 9^^ 
 
LOUISA COUNTY, 
 
 mental powers, he would have inarle much more of 
 his opportunities than was possible in the state of 
 invaliclism in which he was unfortunately placed. 
 His estimable wife, who is a member of thePresb^'- 
 terian Church, survives him, and is still a resident 
 of Columbus Junction, where she is most highly 
 respected and esteemed. She enjoj's the distinction 
 of having been one of the first two ladies elected 
 to membership in the Board of Education in the in- 
 dependent district of Columbus Junction. Mrs. 
 AV. H. Gray, now deceased, and Mrs. Barnes were 
 elected members of tlie School Board March 14. 
 1881, and entered upon the duties of the office on 
 the 22d of the same month, doing efficient service. 
 It was during their term of office that the present 
 elegant school-house was built. Mrs. Gray died 
 April 4, 1882, and was succeeded by Mrs. L. G. 
 Murdock, who has since served two terms as County 
 Superintendent of Schools of Louisa Count}'. These 
 ladies were zealous in their efforts to secure the 
 ver3' best educational advantages for the children of 
 their district, and were eminently successful. 
 
 HI LIP THOMSON, senior partner of the 
 '* firm of Philip Thomson & Co., dealers in 
 
 shelf and heavy hardware, stoves, tinware 
 an<l farm machinerj', at Columbus Junction, 
 was born in Ross County, Ohio, May 20, 1821, and 
 is a son of Oswald and Catherine Thomson. His 
 father was a native of Ireland, and emigrated to 
 America prior to the War of the Revolution, in 
 which 111' took an active [mrt. He was married in 
 this country', and settled in Ross Count}', Ohio, 
 where he was one of its early pioneers. His wife 
 came to America when a young lady, and it is said 
 that when she made the acquaintance of her future 
 husband she could not speak English, nor did 
 he know the German language, consequentl}' their 
 courtship must have been carried on under difficul- 
 ties. In 1827, when Philip w.is but six years of age, 
 they emigrated from Ohio to what was then Mor- 
 gan County. III., the section in which they settled, 
 however, afterward being incori)orated into Cass 
 
 County. While a resident of Ohio Mr. Thom- 
 son had accumulated considerable property, but 
 through some misfortune lost nearly everything, 
 and when he landed in Illinois had but a half dol- 
 lar in money. Provisions were dear, and had to be 
 brought from a long distance; the country was so 
 sparsely settled that there was but one neighbor in 
 a radius of five miles. With his fifty cents he 
 went to the nearest mill, which was about twenty 
 miles away, to buy flour, leaving his family camped 
 in their w.agon, and the elder sons at work culling 
 and preparing logs with which to build a house. 
 Being a practical miller Mr. Thomson obtained 
 work at the mill, having to work at nights in order 
 to accommodate the rush of customers, many of 
 whom had come from long distances. The miller 
 very kindly advanced him supplies for the imme- 
 diate wants of the family, and allowed him time to 
 build a shanty, and though everything was done in 
 the usual backwoods style a comfortable home was 
 secured. 
 
 Under such circuinslances were the ehihlhood and 
 youth of our subject passed, without advantages of 
 either schools or books. He was reared to habits 
 of industry and frugality, and chose farming for his 
 occupation. On the 2d of September, 1841, he was 
 united in marri.age, in Cass County, III., with Miss 
 Rebecca Henderson, who was born Oct. 18, 1825, 
 and is a daughter of David and Abigail Hender- 
 son, the father a native of New Jersey, and the 
 mother of Ohio. In August, 1847, Mr. Thomson 
 came to Louisa Count}', Iowa, purchasing what was 
 known as the old .Shellabarger. place of 340 acres, 
 situated in the township of Grand View, on which 
 llicre was a small log cabin, and fifty acres of the 
 land was broken. He returned to Illinois, moved 
 his family to their new home the following winter, 
 crossing the Iowa River at Wapello on the 1st of 
 February, 1848, and reaching the farm the follow- 
 ing day. Mr. Thomson worked hard, assisted by 
 his wife and children, and rapidly improved his 
 place and increased his worldly possessions. A 
 substantial frame house took the place of the old 
 log cabin, and the acreage was increased to CGO.GOO 
 of which were eventually under cultivation. Dur- 
 ing the earl}- d.ays the nearest mill was at Mt. Pleas- 
 ant, which was forty miles distant, but all the trials 
 

L()i:iSA COUNTY. 
 
 ■2.il 
 
 and privations of tliose pioneer daj's were cheer- 
 fully endured, and tiip lulior soon brouglit its re- 
 wind. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Thomson were l)iessed witii a large 
 family, numbering eleven children, six sons and live 
 daughters, of whom four sons and all the daughters 
 reached maturity : Frances, the eldest, is the wife 
 of .Tolin Crum. a resident of Augusta, Butler Co., 
 Kan.; .lames 11., who married Amanda Colbert, is 
 engaged in farming in Concord Township; .Jose- 
 ))liinc wedded William Hook, and resides in Musca- 
 tine, Iowa; John T. wedded Marj- Kslell, and is a 
 resident farmer of Grand View Township; Jane is 
 the wife of John Harvey, a resident of Sew.ard, 
 Neb. ; David Oswold married Ida Shellabarger, and 
 makes his home in Chicago; Zelie is the wife of 
 Joseph Webber, a banker of Keokuk, Iowa ; Etta 
 E. is the wife of E. R. Lacey, assistant cashier of 
 the Louisa Count3' Nation.al Bank, of Columbus 
 Junction ; Scott w.as married to Ida Lamberson, and 
 is in company with his father in the hardware busi- 
 ness, at Columbus Junction; Albert M. and a son 
 unnamed died in infancy. 
 
 On the 15th of May, 1876, Mr. Thomson removed 
 to Columbus Junction, and engaged in bu3-ing and 
 shipping stock, but began the business at a dull sea- 
 son, and in three years lost over $10,000. On the 
 15th of July, 1879, he assisted his son, D. O., to 
 start in the hardware and farm machinery business 
 at Columbus Junction, and in September, 1884, 
 bought him out, the business having since been con- 
 ducted by himself and his s<jn Scott, under the liim 
 name of Philip Thomson & Co. They carry an 
 average stock of $4,000 in value, and do an exten- 
 sive business in farm machinery, their specialty being 
 the Minneapolis Harvesters and Binders, of which 
 they have sold over 400 in this county. They also 
 sell the Champion and Excelsior Mowers, and carry 
 a full line of machineri' supplies, of which their 
 stock will average $1,000 in value. Theirs is the 
 only establishment in the cit}' that keeps a full line 
 of repairs in slock. 
 
 Mr. Thomson has been a lifehjug Democrat, and 
 has never wavered in his devc^tion to the principles 
 of the party. He and his wife were reared under 
 the auspices of the United Brethren Church, and 
 maintained meinbershii) in that society while living 
 
 where thc}^ had a church, but now thej- attend the 
 Presbyterian Church. For a period including over 
 forty years Mr. Thomson has been a resident of 
 Louisa Count}', where he is widely and favorably 
 known as a good citizen and an honorable and up- 
 right gentlera.an. Both he and his wife are highly 
 esteemed in their community' as being among its 
 most worthy citizens. 
 
 -^ 
 
 -— -H 
 
 EV. DAVID THOMPSON CAMPBELL, 
 one of the fifst pastors of the Presbyterian 
 Church, of Morning Sun, Iowa, was born 
 ^ near Sharon. Mercer Co.. Pa., on the (Jth 
 of December, 1829, and is a son of James and 
 Nancy (Thompson) Campbell. The father was 
 born May 22, 1800, in Washington County, Pa., 
 of Scotch parentage, while the mother was born in 
 Mercer County, May 2, 1808, of Irish origin. The 
 father w.as a farmer, and they reared a family- of 
 five children: Edwin M., an extensive farmer of 
 Greenville, Mercer Co.. Pa.; David Thompson, of 
 this sketch; Margaret J., wife of J. JI. I't'litt. an 
 insurance agent of Greenville, Pa. ; William B., a 
 fai-mer and stock-raiser, living in Mercer County; 
 Adaline, wife of Elijah Satterlield, of Mercer County, 
 died April 21. 18G3. Mrs. Campbell was a lifelong 
 member of the Presbyterian Church. Though not 
 a member himself. Mi'. Campbell gave liberally tt) 
 the support of the church to which his wile be- 
 longed. In his |)olitical views he was an old-line 
 Democrat, and held the ollice of Justice of the 
 Peace, being known throughout the communit}' in 
 which he resided as Esquire Campbell. Kind, con- 
 siderate, and a friend to all, he was one of the 
 prominent men of his neighborhood, where he was 
 highly esteemed by a large circle of acquaintances. 
 The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in 
 his native county, and his primary' education was 
 there received, though supplemented by a course in 
 the Poland Academy, of Pulaiid, Ohio, where he 
 liiok a [)reparatory course for college. Then enter- 
 ing .lelTerson College, C'amioiisburg. Pa., in 1 H'tH, he 
 pursued his sIikHcs for three years, l)cing graduated 
 
• > l f<p- 
 
 238 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 in tlic class of '50. Desiring to enter tlie ministry, 
 lie attended the Theological Academy at Prince- 
 ton, N. J., and was graduated froin that institu- 
 tion in 1 H.OO, after wliicli he preached in that section 
 for a 3-car. ]n April, 18()1, he emigrated to Iowa, 
 locating in Morning Sun, and in Sefitemher of that 
 year was ordained by the Tresliytery. and installed 
 as pastor of the church at Morning Sun, which 
 position he held until April, 1877. While in that 
 city he also sujiplied the jiuliiits of the church in 
 AVapello. Oakland, Winfield and Columbus Junc- 
 tion. In 1873 he was elected to the office of 
 Counlj' Superintendent of Schools, and has always 
 been an active worker fOr the good of the commu- 
 nity. He was strongli' in favor of the constitutional 
 amendment, and was the first to cast a vote for it 
 in Morning Sun. His labors in the church have 
 been earnest and effective, and his unassuming, up- 
 right life has won many friends. Rev. Campbell 
 has a comfortable property, owning 340 acres of 
 land in Morning S\in Township, and in his political 
 views is independent. 
 
 A portrait of Mr. Campbell may be seen upon 
 a preceding page. 
 
 AVIU DENNIS HAMILTON, a railroad 
 contractor of Morning Sun, Iowa, was born 
 in Louisa County, on the 3d of February, 
 1850, and is a son of Samuel Hamilton, 
 whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. He 
 grew to manhood in this county, and for a time 
 attended the cotninon schools, but is principally self- 
 educated. Being of a studious nature and possess- 
 ing a retentive memorj', he gives his undivided 
 attention to any matter which he wishes to consider, 
 and is one of the best informed men on matters of 
 general interest in tiie count}'. His early life was 
 spent upon a farm, but after his removal to Morn- 
 ing Sun, when not otherwise engaged, he assisted 
 his father in the office, though for several years 
 past he has been engaged in supplying the Burling- 
 ton, Cedar Unpids it Northern and the Central Rail- 
 load with ties, sometimes employing as high as 100 
 men. In connection with this line of business he is the 
 owner of a stock farm of 41)0 acres in Marshall 
 
 Township, and makes a specialty of breeding Gal- 
 loway and Polled Angus cattle. Besides that farm 
 he has 500 acres of timber land in Mercer County, 
 111., commonlj' known as Bay Island. 
 
 In November, 1885, Mr. Hamilton led to the 
 marriage altar Miss Callie Hunt, a daughter of 
 Stephen Hunt, one of the pioneers and well-to-do 
 farmers of this county. Two children have been 
 born to them: Samuel, who died Nov. 13, 1887, 
 and Frances Maud, born Oct. 19, 1888. Politically, 
 Mr. Hamilton is a Democrat, and a stanch sup- 
 porter of Jeffersonian principles. 
 
 -«iifii'.»!S-^»«^^^>*®fa/ZWjr»,.i 
 
 ^^ APT. AUGUST GILBERT, proprietor of 
 |l( the Gilbert House, of Columbus Junction, 
 
 ^^^f> Iowa, and its first settler, came to this place 
 Dec. 29, 1869, prospecting for a site for business. 
 He decided on the plot of ground near where his 
 present hotel is situated, and returning to Muscatine 
 prepared material for a building already framed, 
 which he brought by I'ail, and had unloaded from 
 the cars at what is now known as Old Clifton, then 
 a station situated on the Mississippi & Missouri 
 Railroad, now the Chicago ct Rock Island, it being 
 about two miles west of the junction with the Bur- 
 lington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad. His 
 lumber was hauled from Clifton to the junction, 
 or what was then known as the Sand Bank, by team, 
 and Capt. Gilbert erected the first building at that 
 point, vvhich he designed for a restaurant and board- 
 ing-house. The structure was 18x24 feet, and a 
 story and a half in height, but an addition was sub- 
 sequently added to it, and the Captain did an ex- 
 tensive business feeding the hungry crowd that the 
 railroads brought to his door. 
 
 Our subject is a German by birth, having been 
 born in Saxony, Oct. 22, 1820, and his parents, 
 Goothief and Sophia (LefHer) Gilbert, were also 
 natives of that countr}'. He was educated in his 
 native land in a military engineering school, and in 
 1845 bade good-bj- to Germany, crossed the broad 
 Atlantic, and landed in the United States. On the 
 breaking out of the war with Mexico he enlisted, 
 July 1, 184C. in the 2d United States Light Artillery. 
 Battery JI, under Cai>t. Bragg, with Gen. Zai.'hary 
 
 -«»■ 
 
 -•► 
 
"^*" 
 
 LOUISA COUKTY. 
 
 
 Taylor in fomiuiiii<l. IIi' participated in all tlie 
 battles anil skirn)isiies fought liy liis coinpanj', was 
 wounded Feb. 8, 1847, at the battle of Bnena Vista, 
 byajrunsliot in the left leg, and had two horsesshot 
 from under him on that oeeasion. It was in this 
 battle that 20,000 Mexicans were routed by Taj'- 
 lor's army of 5.000 Americans, and here also Gen. 
 'J'aylor's memorable command, "(iive them a little 
 more grape, Capt. Bragg," was given. 
 
 After the close of the war Capt. Gdbert spent 
 eleven months in California, after which he em- 
 barked on a sailing-vessel for Chili, South America, 
 locating at Caltera, where he was em|)luye(l in bis 
 profession as engineer. From South America he 
 returned to the United States in April, 1851, and 
 landing at New York, went to Wisconsin, where he 
 was engaged as contnictor in the construction of 
 the Milwaukee & LaCrosse Railroad. He was em- 
 ployed on the main line, and the Portage & La 
 Crosse Division, also on the Hastings & Dakota 
 Division, continuing his connection with the com- 
 pany until the breaking out of the late war, when 
 he raised a companj', and was commissioned Cap- 
 lain by Gov. Salomon, of Wisconsin. He entered 
 the service as Captain of Company Iv, Dth Wiscon- 
 sin Infantr3\ serving in that capacity- until the close 
 of the war, and participating in many hard-fought 
 battles. He was offered a Colonel's commission by 
 his old-time friend. Gov. Salomon, which he leftised, 
 as he had promised his men when they went into 
 the field that he would stay with them. On be- 
 ing mustered out of the service in April, 1805, he 
 returned to Wisconsin, and in October of that year 
 returned to his native country. 
 
 While visiting the scenes of his boyhood Capt. 
 Gilbert was united in marriage, on the 2d of .June, 
 18(iC. with Miss Anna Kckhardt, daughter of John 
 Eckhardt, who was l)orn and reared in Saxony. 
 Returning to America with his young bride, he took 
 up his residence in Houston County, Minn., w^here 
 he was CTigaged in merchandising until September, 
 1867, and then came to Iowa, locating at Musca- 
 tine, where he carried on a boarding-house until his 
 reuKj^val to what is now Columbus .Junction, in Feb- 
 ruary, 1870, as mentioned at the beginning of this 
 sketch. In April. 1870, he erected the present 
 (Jilbert House, situated o|)|)oslle the railroaii depot, 
 ^» — ^— ^^— — — ^_— _ 
 
 which is a frame structure 10x00 feet, twf) and a 
 half stories in height with a basement, and contain- 
 ing twenty -six rooms. Until 1880 he carried on 
 the business at that pl.-ice, and then leased his house 
 for four years, going to Sioux City, Iowa, where he 
 was engaged in brewing for a year and a half, after 
 which he became a resident of Chamberlain. Dak., 
 where he remained until ISSl. The lease on his 
 hotel at Columbus .lunction having expired, he 
 returned to that town without disposing of his Da- 
 kota property, and has carried on his i)resent busi- 
 ness continuously since. 
 
 Cairt. Gilbert and his wife are the parents of four 
 children, three sons and one d.aughter: August, who 
 was liorn in Houston County, Minn., July 24, 1867; 
 Charles, born at Muscatine, Iowa, Nov. 23, 1808; 
 Carrie, born at Columbus Junction, Louisa County, 
 M.a3' 15, 1870, was the first white clidd born in that 
 city; Willie, born at Columbus .lunction, Aug. 15, 
 1873. The parents are both members of the Lu- 
 theran Cluircli. The Captain is independent in 
 politics, and has held several local offices, having 
 been a member of the Board of Supervisors aiul 
 Justice of the Peace while a resident of Colunil)la 
 County, Wis. Frotn the fact of his having been the 
 very first settler of Columbus Junction, he is known 
 as the father of the town. He is a man of wide 
 and varied exi)erionce of life, whose historj' if writ- 
 ten out fully would make an interesting story of 
 itself. Self-reliant under all circumstances, positive 
 in opinion where he li.as reason to feel assured of 
 the correctness of his position, perhaps his marked 
 peculiarity is an earnestness of pur|)ose, and as a 
 citizen Capt. Gilbert possesses the respect of the 
 community where he has so long resided. 
 
 to ' it ■ tti 
 
 '^AMES U. ALLKN, one of the systematic 
 farmers of Louisa C\)unty, now residing on 
 section 25. Columbus City Township, was 
 ' born Sept. 10, 1830, in Harrison County, 
 Ohio, and is a son of Reuben and Joanna (McMil- 
 lan) Allen. Both parents were natives of .Mary- 
 land, though the father was of English desi'enl. 
 while the mother w.-is of Welsh pai'enlage. When 
 a young man Reuben Allen learned the trade of a 
 
 
•^^f^^ 
 
 240 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 cabinet-maker, but during the greater part of his 
 life followed the occupation of farming. He was 
 born in 1782, and died in Harrison Count}', Ohio, 
 at the ripe old age of ninety-three j-ears. His wife, 
 the mother of our subject, died at the age of seven- 
 t3'-eight. They were both members of tlie Society 
 of Friends. 
 
 James M. Allen was reared upon a farm in his 
 native State, where he received a common-school 
 education, and in 1801 was united in marriage with 
 Miss Belle J. Ma}', a daughter of Stephen and Ma- 
 linda (Harper) May, and sister of H. P. May, the 
 well-known nurseryman of this count}-. The young 
 couple began their domestic life upon a farm in 
 Harrison County, Ohio, which Mr. Allen h.ad pre- 
 viously purchased, and there resided until the fall 
 of 1872, when he sold out and emigrated to Iowa, 
 locating in Louisa County. For a year after his 
 arrival he engaged in the hardware business in Co- 
 lumbus City, when selling out, he purchased a farm 
 of 120 acres adjoining the city limits. This land 
 is situated on section 25 of Columbus City Town- 
 ship, and is well improved. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Allen are the parents of seven chil- 
 dren: Alice, now the wife of Benjamin J.Barthole- 
 mevv, of Memphis, Tenn. ; Malinda, wife of Hall 
 Neal, who lives in Columbus City; Minton R., re- 
 siding at home; Emlon H., who is now a resident 
 of AVaitsburg, W. T. ; Willoby W., who is at home; 
 Emma R. and lUion, also at home. Mrs. Allen is a 
 member of the Christian Church, of Columbus City, 
 and, politically, Mr. Allen is a Republican. They 
 are respected citizens in tiie community where they 
 reside, and arc held in high esteem by a large circle 
 of friends. 
 
 (17 UGH T. ARTHUR, a pioneer 
 llfl* County, Iowa, of 1844, residinc 
 
 leer of Louisa 
 ity, Iowa, of 1844, residing on section 
 32, Columbus City Township, was born in 
 (^^ North Wales. June 7, 1837, and is a son of 
 William and Catharine (Tudor) Arthur, who were 
 also natives of the same country. In June, 1844, 
 when a lad of seven years, he emigrated to Amer- 
 ica will) lii.s parents, and the following month came 
 to Louisa County, wliere the father purchased 120 
 
 acres of land on section 32, Columbus City Town- 
 shii). This farm William Arthur cultivated and im- 
 proved, m.aking it his home until his death, which 
 occurred in 1809, leaving five children: Ann, now 
 the wife of John Richards, of this county; Hugh 
 T., tlie subject of this sketch; Jane, who wedded 
 William Williams, a farmer of Louisa County ; Cath- 
 erine, wife of Samuel Jones, whose home is in Mont- 
 gomery County, Iowa, and Elizabeth, wife^of Henry 
 Thomas, also of Montgomery County. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon the farm which still 
 continues to be his liorae, and on the 27th of Sep- 
 tember, 1866, was united in marriage with Eliza- 
 beth J. Jones, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a 
 daugliter of Hum|)hrey Jones, who w.-js born in 
 Wales. They are the parents of eight children, 
 five of whom are living — William, Evan H., John 
 Richard and Katie Ann, all at home. Those de- 
 ceased are Sarah Jane, Humphrey and an infant. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Arthur are members of the Welsh 
 Calvinistic Church, in which he served as one of 
 the excess committee, and in all the work of that 
 organization they take great interest. In his politi- 
 cal views he is a Republican. He is the owner of 
 288 acres of land, while Mrs. Arthur has 158 acres 
 in her name. They are both highly respected citi- 
 zens of Columbus City Township, .and held in high 
 esteem by a large circle of friends. 
 
 LEX. HAMILTON, a farmer residing on 
 11 section 35, Wapello Township, and a pio- 
 
 neer of Louisa County of 1841, was born 
 in Fayette County, Ohio, Aug. 14, 1831, 
 and is a son of Samuel aud Mary Hamilton. When 
 a lad of ten years he came with his parents to 
 Louisa County, where he has made his home con- 
 tinuously since. Here he attended school in a 
 little log school-house, whose dimensions were 14x 
 16 feet. It was built of round logs, contained a pun- 
 chon floor, a fireplace occupying almost one entire 
 side of the building, and the windows were made by 
 cutting a piece from a log and covering the aper- 
 ture with greased paper. During the summer 
 months he assisted his fiithcr upon the farm, re- 
 maining under the [larenlal roof until 1856, when 
 
t 
 
 -4»- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 211 
 
 he was united in marriage with Miss Susanna Dot- 
 son, a (laughter of Bazzle S. and Maiy (Davison) 
 Dotson, early settlers of Louisa Count}-. Their 
 union was celebrated in Wapello Tiwnship, and to 
 thetQ have been born nine children, all yet living in 
 this county : Annalitta; Davilla, wife of William 
 Torode; Alonzo, Thomas. Adeline, Bertha, Frank, 
 George and Charles. 
 
 In 18G0 INIr. Hamilton purchased the farm where 
 he yet continues to reside. Since his arrival in 
 this county he has witnessed the rapid changes 
 which have taken i)lace, and has made the once wild 
 and unsettled country blossom like the rose, a net- 
 work of railroads crosses and recrosses the land, and 
 towns and cities have been built. The rude log 
 cabin into which the family first moved has long 
 since given pl.ace to a more commodious residence. 
 Commencing at the lowest round of the ladder, 
 step by step Mr. Hamilton has worked his way up, 
 until now success crowns his efforts, and his hard 
 labor receives its reward. He is the owner of 1 20 
 acres of land, ninety of which are under the highest 
 cultivation, and pa}^ a golden tribute to his cave 
 and improvement. Politically, he is a Democrat, 
 and a stanch supporter of the part}'. His wife is a 
 member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He 
 is a man well informed on all matters of general 
 interest, takes an active part in the promotion of 
 any enterprise for the public welfare, and receives 
 the highest respect of the citizens of the community 
 in which he resides. 
 
 ^t^-^M^^^^- 
 
 f 
 
 J~OHN HUFF, attorney-at-law, of Wapello, 
 and a resident of Louisa County since 1851, 
 IS the son of Charles and Mary (Colicl) Huff, 
 and was born at Oyster's Point, Cumberland 
 Co.. Pa.. Aug. 16, 1828. In the spring of 1832 his 
 father moved to Wooster. Wayne Co., Ohio, and 
 engaged in the wagon-m.aking business. John was 
 given the benefit of a common-school education, 
 and was required to serve an apprenticeship in his 
 father's shop. In 1851 the family emigrated to 
 Iowa, and located on a farm near Grand View, in 
 Louisa County. 
 
 The following year, on the 25lh of August, Mr. 
 
 Huff was united in marriage with Miss Cynthia 
 Robins, who was born near AVooster. Ohio, and whose 
 father, Jonathan Robins, w.os also a native of the 
 same State. Mr. Iluflf opened a wagon-shop at 
 Grand View, which he carried on successfull}' for 
 nineteen years. In the summer of 1870 he took 
 the United States Census for that year, and at the 
 fall election was chosen Clerk of the Court for 
 Louisa County, was re-elected, and held that office 
 for six consecutive terms, covering a period of 
 twelve years, terminating in Januarj', 1883. The 
 experience acquired in the ollice led to the study of 
 law, and he was admitted to the bar at the close of 
 his last term. He at onee established himself in 
 practice at Wapello, making a specialty of probate 
 business, real estate and collections. Mr. Huff has 
 conducted a large and lucrative business, and is 
 classed as one of ' the successful lawyers of Louisa 
 County. He was a Free-Soiler in political senti- 
 ment in earl}' manhood, and cast his first vote for 
 John P. Hale for President, in 1852. On the for- 
 mation of the Republican party he joined that or- 
 ganization and voted for Fremont iii 1856, since 
 which time he has actively identified himself with 
 that party. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Huff have had two children, daugh- 
 ters: Mary E. is the wife of J. E. Saunders, of St. 
 Joseph. Mo., and Mary M. was the wife of G. W. 
 Thora.as, the present Clerk of Court; her death oc- 
 curred April 9. 1885. Mr. and Mrs. Huff are mem- 
 bers of the Church of CJod. and are activelj' 
 identified with that denomination. In the tem- 
 perance cause Mr. Huff has alwaj's been an earnest 
 advocate, and he is ahv.ays a prominent worker in 
 the Sunday-school. The Methodist E|)iscopal Sun- 
 day-school, of which he is the Superintendent, 
 under his able management has become among the 
 largest and most prosperous .Snndaj-sehools in the 
 county. 
 
 Mr. Huff has now been a resident of Louisa 
 County for thirty-seven 3'cars, during which time 
 he has been in active business, either in a private 
 or public capacity, and during that time has es- 
 tablished an extensive acquaintance throughout 
 the county. His record as a public odicer shows 
 him to have been competent, prom|)t and reliable 
 in the discharge of duty, and courteous and accom- 
 
1 
 
 «<*■ 
 
 •242 
 
 -«► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 niorlatin;; tmdcr all ciiciinistances. In the discharge 
 of his iiiivato Imsiness he is known as a painstaking, 
 conscientious, business man, wlio can always be 
 i(>lierl on to do that which he believes to be right 
 aTid just, without fear or favor. As an_ earnest 
 Christian he has been indefatigable in his efforts to 
 promote the interests of religion, and especially 
 active in behalf of the Sunday-school. In con- 
 clusion, it is but just to say of him that he enjoys, 
 as he well <leservcs to. the esteem and respect of his 
 fellow-citizens in the fidlest sense. 
 
 •f 
 
 <j|p^ C. MAXSON, a farmer residing on section 
 1^ 20, Concord Townsliip, was born in Cattarau- 
 /|L-^ gus County, N. Y., Dec. 15. 1832. and is the 
 eldest of a faniil}- of eiglit children liorn to Enoch 
 K. and Lorinda (Darling) Maxson, the former a 
 native of Vermont, the latter of New York. The 
 father w%as a physician and surgeon, a graduate of 
 the Medical College of Louisville, Ky., and the 
 Medical Ciillege of Cincinnati, Ohio, and practiced 
 his profession both in New York and Ohio previous 
 to his removal to Louisa County. In June, 1837, 
 ho settled in Fredonia, where he engaged in general 
 merchandising for several yeais in connection with 
 the (jractice of his profession. Ills death occurred 
 in 1844, but his excellent wife still survives him, 
 and is now residing at Oskaloosa, Iowa, at the ad- 
 vanced age of eighty-two. On coming to this 
 county he purchased a claim of 100 acres, which he 
 partly improved. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon his father's farm and 
 his younger days were spent in hunting and fishing. 
 Many Indians lived in the neighborhood, both of 
 the Sac and Fox tribes, and he leained their lan- 
 guage. His education was received in the district 
 schools of Fre(k>nia, and in 18.j(;, m Louisa Countj^ 
 he was united in marriage with Nancy Spurgeon, a 
 native of Ohio, in which State her parents, John 
 and Mary Spurgeon, were also born. The family 
 came to Louisa County at an early d.aj', where the 
 father eng.aged in f.arming, and both died m.auy 
 years ago. 
 
 The young couple began their domestic life upon 
 the farm where Mr. Maxson now resides. In con- 
 
 nection with the cultivation of his land he ran a 
 ferry, of which he was the owner, across the Iowa 
 River at Fredonia. His first purchase of land, 
 which was made in 1859, consisted of 160 acres, 
 upon which he laid out the town of Alameda, and 
 sold a great many lots. All of the town north of 
 the railroad was Alameda, and through his and his 
 brother's influence the switch was laid to that 
 place. They gave the ties and furnished much of 
 the wood necessary for the work, and in the town 
 built a storeroom, in which they engaged in gen- 
 eral merchandising from 1859 to I8G2. On account 
 of the failing health of his wife, her disease being 
 consumption, at the latter date Mr. Maxson crossed 
 the plains to California, being three months in mak- 
 ing the trip. Reaching Stockton, Cal., he remained 
 there three months, and then removed to the 
 mountains, where he engaged in mining. The 
 change of climate did not prove beneficial to Mrs. 
 Maxson, and her death occurred on the 28th of 
 Maj', 18G3. He returned to Louisa Count}' in the 
 fall of that year, going b^- w.ay of New York, with 
 his two children, John K. and Ruby. The elder is 
 now a physician and surgeon of Lincoln, Neb.; 
 while Ruby, now Mrs. Davenport, is a resident of 
 Marshalltown, Iowa. 
 
 After his return to his home Mr. Maxson again 
 engaged in farming, but subsequently again went 
 to the West at several different times, twice going 
 to California, once to Colorado, and again to Idaho. 
 He is the owner of 200 acres of fine arable land, in 
 a good state of cultivation, in this count}', and is 
 also the owner of seventj' acres of limber land. 
 Ilis farm is well stocked with a good grade of horses 
 and cattle, and is one of the best in the township. 
 Politically, he is a Republican, has served as Justice 
 of the Peace for two terms, and also assisted in 
 organizing the school districts in his townshi|i; 
 while socially, he is a member of Columbus .Junc- 
 tion Loilge No. 107, A. F. & A. M., of Columbus 
 Junction, having been made a Mason in Columbus 
 City in 1857. 
 
 In Louisa County, Iowa, in 18G4, ^Ir. Maxson and 
 Caroline F. Hudler were married. The lady is a na- 
 tive of North Carolina, and a daughter of Lemuel 
 and .Mary Hudler, who were also born in that State, 
 where the father followed farming until his removal 
 
 -t 
 
I 
 
 ^ m 4* 
 
 ^^►Hl-^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNT y. 
 
 •213 
 
 V 
 
 to Louisa County. Iowa, in 1855. Settling on sec- 
 tion 3, Concord Township, he bought a p.artly im- 
 proved f.nrm, u|)(>n which he resided until his death 
 in 1877, which occurred at the age of seventy -seven 
 j-ears. Hiswife still survives him, and is living in 
 Frcdunia. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Maxson have been born eleven 
 children, seven of whom are now living. Ina died 
 at the .age of six months; Ava, who taught school 
 successfull3' in Louisa Count}', is now in Omaha, 
 Neb. ; Urva Dewitt is clerking in a drug-store at 
 Cameron. Mo. ; Osta has been attending school at 
 the Normal at Columbus Junction; and the other 
 children are Junior Clinton; Olga; an infant who 
 is deceased; Dcla, Minnie, Fanny and Willie May. 
 Mrs. Maxson is a member of the Meihoilist Episco- 
 pal Church, at Fredonia. 
 
 A pioneer of Louisa County of 1837. Mr. ISIax- 
 son h.as witnessed its entire growtli. On his arrival 
 the settlements of the white man were few and far 
 between, but the Indians were very numerous, wild 
 game was found in abundance, and wolves might 
 be heard howling at night. To such pioneers as 
 our subject, who has aided in her upliuilding, her 
 growtli, development and cultivation, Louisa County 
 owes her present prosperity, and we are pleased to 
 record his sketch among others of rank and promi- 
 nence. 
 
 •^^' 
 
 eARODEN McDANIEL, one of the leading 
 young farmers of Louisa County, Iowa, now 
 residing on section 28, Concord Township, 
 ■was born in this county in March, 1857. His pater- 
 nal gramlfather was a soldier in the War of 1812. 
 His |)arents, Simeon and Mary (Kiser) McDaniel, 
 had a familj' of six children, of whom he was the 
 j'oungest. The father was a native of Virginia, the 
 mother of Ohio, and in 1853 they emigrated from 
 the latter State to Louisa County, Iowa, settling in 
 Concord Township, where Mr. McDaniel engaged 
 in farming. He is 3'ot residing on the old home- 
 stead, but his wife died in 1869, at the age of forty- 
 three years. 
 
 Our sul)ject w.as reared upon a farm in Concord 
 Township, and received his education in the district 
 schools of the county. In 18H(), in Muscatine 
 
 County, the marriage of Caroden McDaniel and 
 Miss Nancy J. Edraondson was celebrated. The 
 lad}- is a daughter of R. H. aixl Jane (Reeder) Ed- 
 raondson, the father a native of Tennessee, and the 
 mother a native of Ohio. Accompanied by his 
 famil}', Mr. Ivlmondson removed to Louisa County 
 at an earl}' d.ay, settling in Concord Township, 
 where he is one of the prominent farmers and re- 
 spected citizens. After their marriage the young 
 couple began their domestic life iijion the farm in 
 Concord Township, which still continues to be their 
 home. It comprises 100 acres of fine arable land, 
 highly cultivated and improved, and is stocked with 
 a good grade of Durham cattle, Norman and Cl3-des- 
 dile horses. 
 
 One child graces the union of Mr. and Mrs. Mc- 
 Daniel, Robert Simeon. Politicall}', our subject is 
 a Democrat, and takes an active part in political 
 affaii-s. His home is pleasantly situated about two 
 miles from Columbus Junction, and one mile from 
 Fredonia. 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ON. JOHN HALE, attorney-at-law, of Wa- 
 pello, a member of the law firm of Hurley 
 L>^ & Hale, and a jjioneer of this county of 
 J^ 1839, was born in Greene County, Ohio, 
 on the 8th of August, 1825, in that corner de- 
 tached from the southwest by Mad River, and lo- 
 cally known as "Ilomin}' Ridge." His parents were 
 John and Asenath (Searl) Hale. His father was 
 born in Bedford County, Va., and was a carpenter 
 by trade. Our subject spent the first ten years of 
 his life in and about his native place. In 1835 the 
 famil}' removed to Putnam Count}', III., locating 
 at Hennepin, subsequently living in the counties 
 now known as Bureau and Marshall, until December, 
 1839, when they came to Iowa, Joiin having come 
 three months before, arriving in this State on the 
 29th of September. They settled at Toolsboro 
 Village, Louisa County. Until the time of his com- 
 ing to Iowa John had no opportunities of obtain- 
 ing an education, except, perhaps, a few months' 
 attendance in a district school, and here it w.as out 
 of the question. He had to work hard, early and 
 late, learning to be a mechanic, working at carpen- 
 
 h 
 
-4»- 
 
 •24 + 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 •t 
 
 ter work, cabinet-making, or anj- sort of mechanical 
 work in wood that came hand}', at which he could 
 earn a dollar. His advantages of education were 
 limited, but by availing himself of every oppor- 
 tunity', and sometimes making opportunities, he ac- 
 quired a fair English education. 
 
 Having mastered his trade. Mr. Hale, realizing 
 one of the best observed truths of Holy Writ, "that 
 it is not well for man to live alone," took unto 
 himself a helpmate in the person of Miss Esther 
 Palmer, daughter of Nathaniel G. and Elizabeth 
 (Colburn) Palmer, to whom he was married July 
 2, 1848. The}' reared four children, two sons and 
 two daughters: Lydia is the wife of C. P. Uacey, 
 of Wapello; Izola married James G. Seehorn. and 
 resides at Muscatine, Iowa; Rusli, the eldest son. is 
 the husband of Miss May Silverthorn. and resides 
 at San Diego, Cal. ; Lauren is the husband of Miss 
 Esther Garner, and makes his home at Longton, 
 Kan. Mrs. Hale, an estimable lad}', died April 4, 
 18G;5. Mr. Hale continued to reside at Toolsboro 
 until 1850, when he was elected Clerk of the Court 
 for Louisa County, and removed to AVapello, the 
 county seat, there entering upon the discharge of 
 his ollicial duties, which were performed so satis- 
 factorily to his constituents that they re-elected him 
 at each succeeding election until 187L He began 
 the study of the law some years previous, and his 
 continued experience in legal proceedings incident 
 to his office aiding him, he was admitted to the 
 bar in December. 1870. He at once entered upon 
 the practice of his profession at Wapello, and in 
 August, 1871, formed the existing partnership with 
 James S. Hurley, which h.as continued without in- 
 terruption for eighteen years. 
 
 On the 1st of March, 186G, Mr. Hale was again 
 united in marriage. Miss Clara Rhodes becoming his 
 wife. Mrs. Hale is a daughter of Grafton Rhodes, 
 an early pioneer of Des Jloines County, Iowa, and 
 is a native of Perry County, Ohio. There are four 
 children living who were born of their union: Os- 
 car is a graduate of Easton Normal .School, of Val- 
 paraiso, Ind., where he tf)ok a scientific course, and 
 is now a law student in his father's office; Hal is a 
 student at the Normal .School at Valparaiso, and 
 has been a teacher; Jay and Nellie are yet children. 
 Mrs. Hale is a member of the Presbyterian Church, 
 
 while Mr. Hale is a liberal Christian, with a strong 
 leaning toward Universalism. In early life he was 
 a Whig in politics, but since the organization of 
 the Republican party has been a strong and positive 
 adherent to the principles of that institution. He 
 is a zealous Odd Fellow and a prominent Mason, 
 and was actively identified with the project of the 
 erection of the new Masonic building, which is a 
 credit to the order and an ornament to the city. 
 As a lawyer, Mr. Hale has been successful, and the 
 firm of which he is a member ranks among the 
 leaders of the Louisa County bar. In regard to 
 the early history of Louisa County and its people, 
 few, if any, are better informed than Mr. Hale. 
 The writer is under obligations to this gentleman 
 for many favors in this direction, while in ''search 
 for information under difjjculties." 
 
 Mr. Hale has alw.ays been of a studious turu of 
 mind, is an original thinker, and possesses a liberal 
 fund of general information. In his youth he de- 
 veloped a talent for poetical composition, and the 
 snows of many winters have not quenched the fires 
 of the muse in his soul, as is shown by his frequent 
 contributions to the campaign music of his l)arty. 
 Possessing a keen sense of humor and the faculty 
 of impersonating character, Mr. Hale is never at a 
 loss for a story or an apt illustration. While not 
 possessing the peculiar characteristics of a success- 
 ful accumulator of wealtii, his integrity is above 
 question, and he has maile the comfort of his fam- 
 ily and the proper education of his child len para- 
 mount to the desire for worldly wealth. As a 
 citizen, Mr. Hale is public-spirited and progressive, 
 while as a neighbor and friend, he is genial, warm- 
 hearted and always reliable, whether in sunshine or 
 in storm. 
 
 — •' fe ' ^ 'l*^*'"^ 
 
 LVAH MORSE, a prominent farmer resid- 
 ing on section IG, Oakland Township, was 
 born in Chenango County, N. Y., in 1820, 
 and was the fifth in a family of eight chil- 
 dren, whose parents were Joel and Susanna (Mun- 
 ger) Morse, the former a native of Vermont, and 
 the Latter of Massachusetts. When a young man 
 Joel Morse went to Massachusetts, where he became 
 
'"^^fc*^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
i 
 
 •4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 217 
 
 acquainterl with, wooed and won Susanna Munger. 
 AfU'i- tlii'ir marriage tliey began their domestic life 
 upon a f:\rni in CluMi.Tngo County, where tliej' were 
 nuinl)erc(l jiinoiiij its ijioneers. In 18.')4Mr. Morse 
 removed to Whiteside County-, 111., settling on Rock 
 Hiver, near Rock Falls, where he engaged in farm- 
 ing until his death, whieh occurred in 18G0. His 
 excellent vvife died in New York in ISoi. 
 
 Our suliject was reared to farm life, receiving his 
 education in the district schools of liis native .State. 
 When a young man he started for the West, going 
 first to Pennsylvania, thence to Ohio, after which 
 he went down the Ohio River, and up the Jlissis- 
 sippi to Iowa. In 1848 he first landed in this State, 
 settling in Muscatine, where he worked at daj's' 
 labor until the fall of 1850, when he came to Loui.sa 
 County. The year previous he liad purchased 233 
 acres of raw prairie and tind)er land on section IG, 
 Oakland Towiisliip. situated in that set apart by the 
 Government for school purposes. He had pre- 
 viousl}" expended some labor upon it, and at tiie 
 time of his removal had about twenty acres broken. 
 Upon the farm he erected a log cabin, which still 
 stands, being one of the few relics of pioneer days 
 which ii.as withstood the wear and tear of time. 
 
 In the month of May, 1851, in Muscatine County, 
 Mr. Morse w.as united in marriage with Jane Camp- 
 bell, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of 
 James and Sarah Campbell. She came with her 
 sister to Muscatine County in 1849, and Mr. Morse 
 there met her. Their acquaintance ripened into 
 love, and their union was celebrated in 1851. The 
 young couple began their domestic life upon the 
 farm where they yet reside, and eleven children 
 were there born to them, though onl^' five are yet 
 living: .lohn O., who is now married, and resides 
 in Muscatine Count}'; Jerome, who is married, and 
 is living in Johnson Countj", Iowa; Cosena, Willie 
 and Carrie, who are at home. 
 
 For the past thirty-eight years Mr. Morse has 
 lieen a resident of Oakland Township, .Hud during 
 that time has witnessed man}' great changes in 
 Louisa Count}'. He has seen its wild prairies de- 
 veloped into beautiful farms and homes, cities and 
 villages sjjring up, and the little log cabins replaced 
 by elegant residences. His iiomc farm now com- 
 f jirises 207 acres, 100 of which is line arable land. 
 
 the remainder being timber and pasture land. Since 
 the organization of the Republican party Mr. Morse 
 has supported it bj' his ballot. Ilehashebl various 
 ollices of public trust, was Justice of the Peace for 
 many years, and has acted as Township Trustee and 
 School Director. He and his wife are meml)ers of 
 the Christian Church, and rank among the highly 
 respected people of Louisa County. 
 
 -^ 
 
 €3^ 
 
 -i- 
 
 
 ^OHN WILSON, a farmer residing on section 
 10, Concord Township, Louisa Co, Iowa, 
 was born in County Armagh, Ireland, and 
 was the seventh in a family of eight children 
 born to William and Ann (Long) Wilson, who 
 were also natives of County Arm.'igh. The father 
 was a farmer by occupation, and died in his native 
 land in 1853. Three weeks later his excel ent wife 
 also died. Our subject was reared to farm life, and 
 received his education in Ireland, where he was 
 married in 1844, l)econiing the husband of Maria 
 Courtney, a native of Ireland, and a daughter of 
 Christian and Elizabeth (Barnes) Courtney, who 
 were also born in that land. Her father engaged in 
 farming, and there resided until his death, which 
 occurred in 1864. Her mother had departed this 
 life several 3'ears previously, dying in 1849. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Wilson settled upon a 
 farm, engaging in its cultivation until his emigra- 
 tion to America. In the spring of 1874 he set 
 sail from Derr}', landing at New York, whence 
 he came direcll}' to Louisa County. Iowa, locating 
 upon the farm where he now resides. He had pre- 
 viously purchased this land, consisting of eighty 
 acres of prairie and twenty-one acres of timber, and 
 since his arrival has added forty acres, making in 
 all 141 acres, which is flue aral)le laud, underahigh 
 state of cultivation. He also raises considerable 
 stock of good grade, and in 188'2 erected an elegant 
 residence upon his farm, which is pleasantly situ- 
 ated about six miles from Columbus Junction. Me 
 casts Ills vote for the Repnl)licau party, and is 
 prominent in the promotion of any enterprise for 
 the public good. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have been born four 
 chililren, all yet living: Robert is married, and 
 
 r 
 
f 
 
 248 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 resides near the old homestead ; William is also 
 married, and lives in Louisa Count}' ; John is mar- 
 ried, and now engaged in merchandiiiing in the city 
 of Muscatine; and Lizzie, now Mrs. Neal, resides 
 in Osage Count}'. Kan. 
 
 Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson appear in con- 
 nection with tliis sketch. 
 
 \]|f^. OBERT C0URTNP:Y. a farmer, resides on 
 Ij^v' section 10, Concord Township, his home be- 
 /L W, ing pleasant!}- situated about five miles from 
 ^@ Columbus Junction, and four miles from 
 Letts. He was born in County Armagh, Ireland, in 
 1821, and his parents. Christopher .and Elizabeth 
 (Barnes) Courtney, were also natives of the same 
 country. The father followe<l farming in his native 
 land, residing there until his death, which occurred 
 in 1874. at the advanced age of ninety -one years. 
 His wife died when our subject w.as only about ten 
 years old. 
 
 Robert grew to manhood upon the farm, and 
 received his education in his native country. De- 
 termining to try his fortune in the New World, in 
 1840, at the age of nineteen, he set sail from Liver- 
 pool on the sailing-vessel "Victoria," landing in New 
 York after being upon the water for forty-five days. 
 Going directly to Pennsylvania, lie made his home 
 near Columbia, Lancaster County, for about a 
 month, when he removed to Wheeling, W. Ya., and 
 there engaged in farming for three years. In 1844 
 he went to the city of Cincinnati, whore he operated 
 a •sawmill for four years, but at the expiration of 
 that time went to Floyd County, Ky., where he 
 embarked in the same iiusiness. 
 
 While residing in Floyd County the marriage of 
 Mr. Courtney and Elizabeth Garrett was celebrated 
 in 1850. She is a native of Kentucky, and a 
 daughter of Middleton and Jane (Ilendric) Garrett, 
 her father being also of that State, and her mother 
 of Campbell County, Va., though an early settler of 
 Kentucky. Mr. Garrett engaged in farming in his 
 native State until his death in 1833, which occurred 
 at the age of forty-two years. His excellent wife, 
 wiio survived him for a long time, came to Louisa 
 County, Iowa, in 18.53, living with her children 
 
 •» P ^V 
 
 during the remainder of her life. She died in 
 March, 1885, at the age of eighty-nine years. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Courtney 
 began their domestic life in Kentucky, remaining 
 there until the spring of 1857. when they came 
 West to Muscatine, Iowa, and thence- to Louisa 
 County. A farm of eighty acres of unbroken 
 land, with no improvements but a little log cabin, 
 containing but one room, was purchased, and into 
 this they moved, living in true pioneer style. The 
 first labor performed on the new farm was to plant 
 a crop, next a fence was built around the land, 
 after which an orchard was set out. and thus one by 
 one improvements were made and the work of cul- 
 tivation continued: other lands were added until 
 now the farm consists of 100 acres, and is one of 
 the best in the township. It is well stocked with a 
 good griide of horses and cattle, and Mv. Courtney 
 also owns some timber laud in Muscatine County. 
 On his .arrival in Louisa County he had found the 
 country wild and unbroken, his nearest market 
 place was Muscatine, and his neighbors were few, 
 but with characteristic energy he set to work to 
 make for himself a home, and his earnest and un- 
 ceasing efforts were eminently successful. To^uch 
 men Louisa County owes her present prosperity and 
 high standing in the State of Iowa. In his political 
 views Mr. Courtney alliliates with the Republican 
 party, and though never having sought public office, 
 has been elected to the position of Assessor for one 
 or two terms. He and his wife are members of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church at Letts, in which he 
 is one of the Stewards, and both are earnest workers 
 in the promotion of the church interests. Their 
 daughter, now Mrs. Wilson, lives on section 10. 
 One child died in infancy. 
 
 kEWIS BEIKE. residing on section 2, Port 
 Louisa Township, is a native of Baden, Ger- 
 many, and is a .«on of Frederick and Sarah 
 (.Schneider) Beike, both of whom were also natives 
 of that country. The family emigrated to America 
 in 1845. an<l Lewis came to Louisa County with his 
 parents in 184G, where he was reared upon a farm. 
 On the 14th of February, 1864, he was united in 
 
4* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 249 
 
 innrrin<re with Miss Lovcj' Godfrey, a native of 
 Indiana, and a ilaugbter of Lemuel and Nettie 
 Godfrey, 'i'iiree cliildrcn grace this union — Nettie, 
 Luella and ALay. 
 
 Mr. Beike is the owner of 200 acres of land, all 
 liiuddy iuiiiroved, upon wliieli ho has had erected a 
 eoMifortabie home, costing $1,000. He is one of 
 the enterprising and progressive farmers of Louisa 
 County, everything about the place denoting the 
 thrift and industry' of the owner. Mr. Beike is a 
 Republican in his political sentiments. 
 
 Lemuel Godfrey was one of the earliest pioneers 
 of Louisa County, having settled in Grand View 
 Township about 1840. lie was born in Maryland 
 in 1800, and about the year 1824 was united in 
 marriage with Ninett HoUoway, who was also a 
 native of that State. Mr. Godfrey developed a fine 
 farm in Grand View TownshiiK which comjirised 
 200 acres, and continued to be his home until his 
 death, which occurred Feb. 7, 1874. His wife, who 
 was an earnest and devoted member of the Uiiited 
 Brethren Church, was called to her final rest April 
 2, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Godfrej' were the parents 
 of five chihlren : Maria, wife of Edward Freelaud, 
 a resident farmer of Wiishington County, Iowa; 
 Frances, who wedded Jesse Dickerson. and both 
 are now deceased ; Elizabeth, widow of Sylvester 
 Rice, resides in Grand View Township; Joseph died 
 in childhood, and Lovey, the wife of Lewis Beike. 
 
 ■fpl OBERT E. ARCHIBALD, Auditor of Louita 
 \i!\ Countj', Iowa, and an early settler of Wa- 
 (Ai 'A\ pello, was born in Cecil County, Rid., M.arch 
 ^P 1 7, 1 832, and is a son of Robert and Le- 
 viiia (Trump) Archibald. The father was born in 
 the same county, but w.as of Irish descent, his 
 ancestors first settling in America prior to the Rev- 
 olutionary War. The mother of our subject was 
 born in Lancaster County, Pa., of Holland origin, 
 her ancestors being of the old Knickerbocker Col- 
 on}- of New York, and the name, which was well 
 known in the early history of the State, was Van 
 Tiuinp. The Pennsylvania branch of the family 
 
 subsequently dropped the "Van," leaving it plain 
 Trump. 
 
 Robert E. Archibald received a common-school 
 education, and was em|jloyeil as a merchant's clerk 
 in his native State till he migrated to Louisa County, 
 Iowa, with his parents in 18.52, arriving at Wapello 
 October 1 of that year. The family located in 
 this city, where the parents p.assed the remainder of 
 their lives, the mother dying March 1 1, 18(38, and 
 the father in September. 1«72. There were originally 
 nine sons and one daughter in the family, of whcmi 
 only three are now living — Robert E., Rofus M. 
 and William W. The former resides at Wapello 
 and the latter at Burlington, Iowa. 
 
 After coming to this county' .our subject was 
 engaged as merchant's clerk till September, 1861, 
 when he enlisted as a private in Company K, 8th 
 Iowa Infantry-, and was detailed as Hospital Steward 
 and stationed in the General IIos|)ital of Leaven- 
 worth, Kan., from which he was discharged in Feb- 
 ruary, 1863, for physical disability. He re-enlisted 
 May 14. 1864, in Company II, 4oth Iowa Infantry, 
 in the 100-days service, was promoted .Second 
 Dut}^ Sergeant, served the term of his enlistment, 
 and was mustered out Sept. 30, 1864. Returning 
 to Wapello, he was employed as merchant's clerk till 
 1870, when he formed a partnership with T. L. 
 Garrett in the general mercantile business, under the 
 firm name of Garrett & Archiliald. That connec- 
 tion continued till 1873, when Mr. Archibald, in 
 company- with F. G. Anderson, under the firm name 
 of Archibald & Anderson, opened a hardware store. 
 In 1875 he sold out, and was engaged in clerking 
 till October, 1883, when he was ai)pointed Auditor 
 of Louisa Count}' to fill a vacancy. He was elected 
 to the same office that fall, and was re-elected in 
 1885, again in 1887, and is now serving his third 
 term. 
 
 Mr. Archibald was married in Wapello, Iowa, 
 May 19. 1868, to Miss Mary F. Crilly, daughter of 
 Michael and Elizabeth Crilly. Mrs. Archiabld was 
 born in Licking County, Ohio, Nov. 17, 1839. 
 Five children grace their union, four sons and one 
 daughter: P'rank D., born Feb. 20, 1869; Ed L., 
 April 15, 1870; Will C, Dec. 1, 1871 ; Addie May. 
 June 3, 1873, and Harry R., M.-iy 13, 1876. All 
 were born at Wapello, Iowa. Mr. Archibald is a 
 
 v 
 
t 
 
 2o0 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Republican in politics, and has held minoroffices in 
 addition to the aiiditorship of the county. He is a 
 ineaiber of Wapello Lodge No. 5, A. F. & A. M. ; 
 of A. M. Taylor Post No. 153, G. A. R., and of 
 AVapello Lodge No. 1 12, A. O. U. W. Mr. Archi- 
 bald has proved a faithful, industrious and compe- 
 tent Auditor, and the citizens of Louisa County 
 have shown their appreciation of his services by 
 retaininsf him in the ofHce the third term. 
 
 ■''ocJZ/mS^ 
 
 1^4— --3fa<Z73»»>^ 
 
 O.SES R. McKEAN, one of the self-made 
 men of Louisa Count\', now residing on 
 & section 22, Oakland Township, was born in 
 White County, Ind., Jan. 23, 1838, and 
 was the third in a family of four children born to 
 .lames and busiinna (Beauchamp) McKean, the 
 father a native of Maryland, and the mother of 
 Ohio. The paternal grandfather served as a soldier 
 during the War of 1812. When seven years of age, 
 .lames McKean became a resident of Ohio, in which 
 Slate he became acquainted with and married Susan 
 Beauchamp. He was a farmer by occupation, and 
 settled on the Piqua prairie in Ohio, wliere he made 
 his home until his removal to Indiana, where he 
 bought and improved a farm. In tlie fall of 1852 
 he emigrated to Iowa, locating in Iowa Citj". In 
 March, 1853, he became a resident of Scott Town- 
 ship, Henry County, where he improved a farm, 
 and in the fall of 1865, selling out, came to Louisa 
 Countj'. lie settled on section 10. Oakland Town- 
 ship, where he purchased a partly improved f.arm of 
 140 acres, making it his home until his death, which 
 occurred April 2G, 1879, at the age of eighty-one 
 years, lie died from the effects of an injur}' re- 
 ceived from being thrown from a bugg}' b}- a run- 
 away team. Mrs. McKean died in February, 1884, 
 at the age of seventy-nine years. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood upon the farm and 
 was educated in the subscription schools of Indiana 
 and Iowa. Coming West with his parents, he at- 
 tended the schools of Henry County, and later re- 
 moved to Muscatine County, where he remained 
 for two j'cars. While residing in Ilenrj- Count}', 
 Mr. McKean wasuniteil in marriage with Miss Mary 
 
 -^•- 
 
 E. Swank, their union being celebrated Dec. 27, 
 1857. The lady isa native of Muskingum County. 
 Ohio, and is a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Hoo- 
 ver) Swank, who were born in the same State. Her 
 father was a farmer by occupation, and emigrated 
 to Illinois, locating on La Salle prairie in Peoria 
 County. In 1855 he emigrated to Muscatine 
 County, purchasing raw prairie land, from which he 
 developed a farm. Selling out he went to Missouri 
 in 1809, making that his home for a year, then re- 
 moved to Schuyler County, but returned to Iowa 
 in 1885, settling in Louisa County, where he made 
 his home for two years, and in 1887 went to W.ash- 
 ington County. In the month of August he died, 
 and five d.iys later his wife also departed this life, 
 Mr. Swank being then seventy-five years of age, 
 and his wife seventy-three. 
 
 Mr. McKean and his young bride began their 
 domestic life upon a farm in Henry County, but in 
 1865 removed to Muscatine County, and three 
 years later came to Louisa County. He purchased 
 a farm of 110 acres, upon which was a little log 
 cabin, but by his industry and enterprise he has 
 added to it until he now owns 309 acres of fine, 
 arable land, situated on either side of the Iowa River. 
 It is well cultivated and is stocked with a high 
 gr.ade of Durham cattle, Norman and Clydesdale 
 horses. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. McKean have been born seven 
 children: Jennie, now Mrs. Morse, is residing in 
 Johnson County, Iowa; Joseph Albert is living in 
 Union Township; Francis Edward is living in 
 Grand View Townslii|); Anna E.,now Mrs. Corbett, 
 is living in Ivanhoe, Haskell Co., Kan.; William H., 
 Mary Susanna and Charley Rush are yet under the 
 parental roof. Mr. McKean is greatly interested in 
 political affairs, and is a strong supporter of the 
 princi|iles advocated by the Republican party. He 
 assisted in organizing the school districts in his 
 township, for nine years served as School Director, 
 and has always done all in his power to advance the 
 cause of education. He also served as Township 
 Trustee for several years, proving an ellicient officer. 
 He has witnessed almost the entire growth of both 
 Muscatine anil Louisa Comities. Ho has seen the 
 wild, uncultivated prairies transformed into beauti- 
 ful farms, and the Indian wigwam replaced by fine 
 
 t 
 
4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ••»> 
 
 2ol 
 
 residences. At the time of liis arrival in Louisa 
 County, iiis nearest niariict place was Muscatine or 
 h)wa City ; tiiere were no railroads to carr\' the prod- 
 uce, and Mr. McKean's niotiier did the spinning 
 and weaving for iier family. 
 
 '\f;AMK.S L. BROWN, a farmer residing on 
 section 17, Concord Township, was boru in 
 Union County, Ind., April 12, 1829, and is 
 ' a son of INLitthew and Julia (Bruraage) 
 Brown, the father a native of Indiana, and the 
 mother of Virginia. The paternal grandfather, 
 Thomas Brown, was born in South Carolina, and 
 engaged in surveying. Being alwaj's opposed to 
 the institution of slavery, he left his native State 
 and became one of the pioneers of Indiana, settling 
 in that State in 1802. He was among the first 
 Abolitionists, and though reared in a slave State 
 was alwaj's opposed to the holding of man in bond- 
 age. After going to Indiana he entered a claim 
 and improved a farm, upon which he resided until 
 his death in 1839. He was a man of influence and 
 great prominence in Indiana, and for many years 
 served as a member of the State Legislature, being 
 elected to that body by the Whig party. 
 
 The father of our subject was born in Union 
 County, Ind., receiving a limited education, such 
 as the schools of that new country afforded. He 
 there grew to manhood, and in 1827 was united in 
 marriage with .Julia Bruinage. They were the par- 
 ents of seven children: James, our subject, was 
 the eldest; Emily C. became the wife of William 
 Marslir.ll, of Jackson County, Wis. ; Thomas M., 
 who served as First Sergeant of Company F, 35th 
 Iowa Infantr3', for three years and three months 
 during the late war, now resides in Muscatine 
 Count}', Iowa; Hugh I', is also living in Muscatine 
 County; Newton J. makes his home in Dallas 
 Ccjuuty, Iowa; Elizabeth died in 18.51, and Bon- 
 ficld died at the age of eight. In 1851 the parents 
 of these children came to Iowa, Mr. Brown engag- 
 ing in survej'ing in Muscatine and Louisa Coun- 
 ties. He first settled in Cedar Township, of the 
 former county, where he purch.ascd 160 acres of 
 land which had formerly' belonged to the noted 
 
 Indian chief, Black Hawk. He there resided for 
 five years, when he moved his family to another 
 farm, and there resided until his death, which oc- 
 curred in 1842. Our subject being the eldest child, 
 resided with his mother and managed the farm until 
 1855, when she married John Morehead, and still 
 lives in Muscatine Count}'. In that year James 
 went to Bureau County, 111., where he rented a 
 farm for five years, and then returned to Musca- 
 tine County, where he made his home for ten years. 
 At the expiration of that time he came to Louisa 
 County, and purchased eighty acres of land on sec- 
 tion 17, Concord Township, to which he has added 
 from time to time until he has a fine farm of 276 
 acres, well improved. 
 
 On the 3d of September, 1855, Mr. Brown was 
 united in marriage with Cynthia Coulter, who was 
 born in Brown County, Ohio, and is a daughter of 
 Joseph Coulter, also a native of the Buckeye State. 
 To them three children have been born : Alice, wife 
 of Henry Bedwell, a resident of Concord Town- 
 ship; Charley Lee, now clerk of a railroad station 
 in Lincoln, Neb., and L. Grant, who is at home. 
 In his political views Mr. Brown is a Greenbacker. 
 lie is one of the leading farmers of Concord 
 Township, and one of the best citizens of that 
 community. 
 
 \f)OSEFH L.ALLEN, a merchant of Columbus 
 Junction, successor to W. P. Paugli, dealer 
 in general merchandise, was boru in Louisa 
 Count}' on the 13th of August, 18G2, and is 
 a son of William M. and Mary (CogI) Allen. His 
 parents were natives of Ireland, born in County 
 Armagh, and emigrated to America in 1847,s|)end- 
 ing one year in New York, after which they came 
 to Iowa, settling in Columlnis City, where they still 
 reside. Our subject w.as educateil in the city schools, 
 and in 1881 began his business career as a clerk for 
 Utt, McConnell & Co., merchants of Columbus 
 City, continuing with that house for five years. At 
 the end of that time he engaged in the same capac- 
 ity with W. P. Pangh, of Columbus Junction, buy- 
 ing out his employer in July, 1887, since which 
 time he has carried on the business at that place. 
 
 ■r 
 
M^ 
 
 •io-Z 
 
 UJU l.SA COUNTY. 
 
 He carries a well-selected stock of general merchan- 
 dise, of which (lr3'-goods and notions are the lead- 
 ing features. It averages $5,000 in value, and is 
 selected with care and a view to meet the wants of 
 his customers. Mr. Allen enjo3S a fine trade, and 
 although comparatively new in business, his long 
 service as salesman in this line among the people of 
 Louisa County' has given him the advantage of an 
 extensive acquaintance and a knowledge of the in- 
 dividual wants. 
 
 On the 14th of July, 1887, in Elm Grove Town 
 ship, Louisa County, Mr. Allen was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Lina Bemis, a daugiiter of .S. L. 
 Bemis, who is a prominent farmer and an earl}- set- 
 tler of Elm Grove Township. Mrs. Allen was born 
 and reared in this locality, and is a member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. One child graces 
 their union, William E., born March 15, 1888. 
 
 In his political views Mr. Allen is a Republican, 
 and socially, is a member of the Xnights of I'ythias, 
 belonging to Liberty Lodge No. 22, of Columbus 
 Junction. He is an energetic, i)r.actical business 
 juan, one who enjoys the confidence and respect of 
 a wide circle of acquaintances. 
 
 : REDERICK BEIKE, deceased, was born in 
 Baden, Germany. April 4, 180G. and was a 
 j^ son of Martin Beike. He was reared upon 
 his father's farm, and at the age of twenty -six j'ears 
 was united in marriage with .Sarah .Schneider, who 
 was also a native of B.aden, Germany, born Sept. 
 5, 1805. Bidding good-by to friends and native 
 land, Mr. and Mrs. Beike set sail for America, 
 landing at New York July 5. 1845. From there 
 they went to Buffalo, where the husband pur- 
 ch.ased a farm of twenty acres. After making 
 that their home for a year they emigrated to Iowa, 
 settling in Port Louisa Township, this county, on 
 the 18th of August, 184G. In this county Mr. 
 Beike purchased 182 acres of land, which he greatly 
 improved, and made his home until his death, when 
 he was the owner of 030 acres of land. 
 
 Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Beike: 
 Frederick, who was born in Germany; Jacob, born 
 there Aug. 7, 18.'i4; Saiali, born in 1H36, is the 
 
 widow of Daniel Bane, and resides in Muscatine; 
 Lewis, born in Germany in 18.'}8. is a resident far- 
 mer of Port Louisa Township; George, also born 
 in German}', Aug. 18. 1839, is a farmer in the same 
 township; and Catherine is the wile of George 
 Schneider, of Muscatine, Iowa. The p irents were 
 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in 
 which they were active workers. The father re- 
 ceived a splendid education in his native land, and 
 when a j'oung man was employed by the German 
 Government as forester. He was a Republican in 
 politics, and his death occurred Aug. 23, 1884, his 
 wife having died Dec. 13, 1882. 
 
 Vl ACOB BEIKE, one of the leading farmers 
 of Louisa Count}', rcsiiling on section 2, 
 Port Louisa Township, came to this country 
 with his parents when a boy. On the 18th 
 of June. 1863, he was united in marriage with 
 Emma H. J.ackson, a native of Ohio, but her death 
 occurred Nov. 12, 1875. B}' that marriage were 
 born four children — Charles F., Mollie, Frank L. 
 and John J., all of whom are at home. The father 
 was again married Aug. 23, 1877, Miss Alverda A. 
 Handlj' becoming his wife. She was a native of 
 New Boston, l)orn March 30, 1853, and four chil- 
 dren gr.ace that union — Emma G., Katie B.. Arthur 
 K. and Grace E. 
 
 Mr. Beike is the owner of 280 acres of fineiand, 
 which is all under cultivation, and in 1883 he had 
 a fine residence erected at a cost of $2,500. He is 
 a sj'stematic farmer an<l stock-raiser, and ships 
 about twent}' head of cattle i)er j'car. Politically, 
 he is a Republican. His wife is a member of the 
 Evangelical Church. For forty-two years Mr. Beike 
 has been a resident and one of Louisa County's re- 
 s[)ected citizens. 
 
 .s^sm^^ 
 
 « I^ILLIAM W. EC 
 ^/^ bus Junction, s 
 
 MLLIAM W. ECKMAN. President of the 
 Merchants' Bank, of Colum- 
 and senior partner of the 
 firm of Eckuian & Baldwin, lumljer merchants, is a 
 native of Lancaster County, Pa., born Marcii 4, 
 
u 
 
 ^•i^HK-^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 2.".:i 
 
 1844. His parents, Kiltzer and Susan (VVcstcott) 
 Kcknian, were also natives of the same county, the 
 fatlier being of German and the mother of Scotoii 
 descent. Our subject was reared on a farm and is 
 larjiel}' self-educated, as the circumstances of liis 
 early life admitted of but a brief attendance at the 
 l)ublic schools. When twenty-one years of .ifre lie 
 went to Illinois, spending a short time at CJuincy, 
 and then removed to l\ayson, where he was mar- 
 ried .Jan. 19, 18G9, Miss Lina Sinnock, daughter of 
 George Sinnock, becoming his wife. She was born 
 and reared at Payson, 111., and one child graces 
 their union, a daughter, Lillie V. 
 
 Mr. Eckman removed to Greenfield, and from 
 tiiere to Virden, 111., where he was engaged in the 
 drj' -goods business for about four j'eai-s, and then 
 formed a partnership witli his present partner, F. 
 IM. lialdwin. in the grain and lumber business. They 
 had yards and elevators at both Virden and Atwa- 
 ter. III., Mr. Eckman conducting the business at 
 the former place and Mr. Baldwin at the latter. In 
 May, 1884, they sold out, and bought, into their 
 present business at Columbus Junction and removed 
 to this city. Mi-. Eckman was one of the incor- 
 porators of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of 
 that city, which was put in operation in March, 
 1888, he being one of the Directors and is the first 
 President. 
 
 Mr. Eckman and wife are members of the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church. In politics he is a Demo- 
 crat, and is also connected with the Masonic frater- 
 nity, being a member of Virden Lodge No. 162, 
 A. F. & A. M. An enterprising, energetic business 
 man. Mr. Eckman ranks among the foremost citi- 
 zens of the town. 
 
 W. THOMP.SON, residing on section 29, 
 Grand View Township, is one of the earli- 
 f^))|; est pioneers of Louisa County. Iowa. Al- 
 most his entire life has been spent in this 
 count}-, and he has witnessed the changes that have 
 transformed the once wild and uncultivated land 
 into beautiful farms, and has aided largely in the 
 work of development which places Louisa County 
 on a par with the others which form the gicat State 
 
 of Iowa. Mr. Thompson was born in Ross County, 
 Ohio, in 1836. His parents, .John and Mary (Nich- 
 olas) Thompson, had a famil}- of four children, of 
 whom he was the youngest. They were both 
 natives of Ohio. . When our subject was but four 
 weeks old the death of his mother occurred. 'I lie 
 father was again married, in Ross County, and in 
 1839 emigrated to lovva, landing at Muscatine, 
 from which place he came directly to Louisa 
 County. He entered a claim on section 29, Grand 
 View Township, which was entirely unimproved, 
 and bought the land from the (Government. From 
 this wild, uncultivjited prairie, by his skill and 
 labor he soon (Jeveloped a fine farm, upon which he 
 made his home for a number of years, and then 
 removed to Henry County, Iowa, where he still 
 resides. His second wife was called to her final 
 rest in 1 882. 
 
 AVlien but three years of age our subject came 
 to this county with his father, and was here reared 
 on a farm, receiving his education in the district 
 schools of the county. Early in life he com- 
 menced farming for himself, but when the war 
 broke out, threatening destruction to the whole 
 country, he responded to his country's call for 
 troops, and enlisted in Company I, 11th Iowa In- 
 fantry, for a term of three years, and was mustered 
 into service at Davenport. The regiment was then 
 ordered to the front, and Mr. Thomjjson partici- 
 pated in the battles of Sliiloh, the siege of Corinth, 
 the battle of luka, and then made an attempt to go 
 to Vicksbiirg. The army went into winter quar- 
 ters at Memphis, and the following 3'ear he took 
 part in the siege of Vicksbiirg. After its surren- 
 der, his time having expired, he re-enlisted, in 
 Company C, 1st Missouri Light Artillery, for the 
 remaiijder of the war, and was engaged in the battle 
 of Nashville, Teiiii. Previous to this time he had 
 followed Sherman to Atlanti, Ga., but was left at 
 Marietta to guard supplies, from whence he re- 
 turned to Nashville, lii .July, 1865, .at St. Louis, 
 Mo., he was honorably discharged, after four years 
 of hard fighting on the battle-fields of the .South. 
 
 At the close of the war Mr. Thompson returned 
 to his home in Iowa. II"' had previously had eighty 
 acres of his present farm willed to him b\^ his 
 grandfather Thompson, in about 1847, his grand- 
 
 T 
 
M^ 
 
 2.U 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 father having settled in this county in 1839. He 
 immediately commenced its cultivation, and from 
 time to time lias added to his original possessions 
 until he is now the owner of 200 acres of finelj' 
 improved land, which is highly cultivated and 
 stocked with a gooil grade of Durham cattle and 
 Norman horses. Mr. Thompson is an ardent sup- 
 porter of the principles of the Repuhlican party, 
 and does all in his power to advance its interests. 
 He has held the office of School Director in his dis- 
 trict for a number of j'ears. 
 
 In Muscatine. Iowa, in 18G7, Mr. Thompson and 
 Miss Emma Huff were united in marriage. She is 
 a native of the Bucke^-e State, and her parents, 
 Charles and Mary (Coble) Huff, were born in Penn- 
 sylvania. They came to Iowa in 1851, settling in 
 Louisa County, where Mr. Huff purchased an im- 
 proved farm. The death of his wife occurred in 
 188'2, when aboutseventy 3'ears of age, and his death 
 occurred in this county in May, 1888, at the ripe 
 old age of eighty-eight years. 
 
 Mr. Thompson and his young bride began their 
 domestic life upon the farm where they yet reside. 
 Five children have been born to this worthy couple 
 — Mary E.. Eva N., Lula O., John F. and May, 
 and the family circle yet remains unbroken. The 
 two eldest children are both successful teachers in 
 the county, where they have taught for a number of 
 years, and the other children have also been care- 
 fully educated. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are mem- 
 bers of the Church of God, and their pleasant home 
 is situated about two and a half miles from the vil- 
 lage of Grand View and eight miles from Colum- 
 bus Junction. 
 
 J(JIIN HAYS, a farmer residing in Jefferson 
 Township, was born in Prussia, Germany, 
 Aug. 27, 1829, and is a son of Nicholas 
 and Catherine (Long) Ila^'S. who were also 
 natives of the same country. When our subject 
 was twelve years old his jjarents removed to the 
 West India Islands, and there resided for three 
 years. In that country tlic death of the father oc- 
 currt^d, after which the motiier wilh her children 
 eturncd to Prussi.'i and lived for four years. They 
 
 then decided to make their home in the New 
 World, so came to America, landing at a port in 
 Maryland, where thej" remained for a year. In 
 18-47 they came to Iowa, settling in Louisa County, 
 where the mother died in 1853. She had three 
 children: Felden, who died in 1850, at the age of 
 twenty-eight j'ears; our subject; and Catherine, the 
 wife of Matliias Kramer, a merchant of Muscatine, 
 Iowa. The parents were members of the Catholic 
 Church. 
 
 Our subject was reared u|)on a farm, and came to 
 Louisa County in 1847, whei-e his mother rented 
 land, which he and his brother farmed for two j'ears. 
 On the 10th of Ma}', 1849, he was united in mar- 
 riage with Margaret A. Keever, a native of Ver- 
 million County, Ind., born Ma^' 29, 1832. She was 
 a daughter of Elias Keever, who was one of the 
 earliest pioneers of Louisa County, and the second 
 settler of Jefferson Township. He was born in 
 Georgia, and was a son of Peter and Christina 
 (Rogers) Keever, who were natives of Wales. He 
 was reared upon a farm, and they were among the 
 pioneer settlers of Vermillion County, Ind. Jlr. 
 Keever remained at home until about 1827, when 
 he was united in marriage with Marj^ P. Shaw, a 
 native of Maine. In the spring of 1832 they came 
 to Iowa, settling in Jefferson Township, where the 
 husband took a claim and made his home until his 
 death in 1840. The mother died si.\ months later, 
 on the 19th of May. At the time of his death Mr. 
 Keever owned 520 acres of land. He w.asa thorough 
 business man. a great worker, and one wlio look an 
 active interest in public affairs. Politically, he 
 affiliated with the Democratic party. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Keever were the parents of five children, two of 
 whom are still living: Mrs. Hays, the wife of our 
 subject, and W. O. P. Keever, now a farmer of 
 Nodaway County, Mo.; he was a soldier in the war 
 for the union. 
 
 Mrs. Hays was only nine j-ears old wlien her 
 mother died, and she was taken by one of the ad- 
 ministrators of her father's estate, Janes Guest, to 
 his home, and she there re.side<l until her marriage, 
 with the exception of eight months spent in iittcnd- 
 ing school in Iowa City. Mi-. and Mrs. Ha3-s have 
 been the pai'ents of eleven children: Mary, wife of 
 George W. Spitznogle, a resident of Jefferson 
 
ii^v:^Msi 
 
 V-" 
 
 ■.M, 
 
 c 
 
 ISH 
 
 {I 
 
 V 
 
 \ ^^ 
 
-#•- 
 
 LOIISA COUNTY. 
 
 257 
 
 Townsliip; Miranila, wife of Nathan McClicsncy, of 
 Harrison County, Mo.; .loliaii O., at iionie; Louric, 
 who died at the age of five years; William P., who 
 died in infanoy ; .loseph M. and Amanda C. (twins), 
 j'et residing: with their parents; Kdward ')., also at 
 home; William O., who died in iiifanc}'; Hiram F., 
 still an inmate of the i)arental home, and Elias N., 
 who died in childhood, rolitically, Mr. Hays is a 
 Republican. He is the owner of 290 acres of land, 
 and is one of the leading and progressive farmers 
 of Jefferson Township. He is well known and uni- 
 versall}- respected throughout Louisa County, where 
 he has resided for over forty j^ears. 
 
 — —•' I ' S ' l ' S ' l' ""- 
 
 t 
 
 ^ li^ILLlAM A. COLTON, M. D., Cashier of 
 \/jJ/l the First National Bank, of Columbus Junc- 
 V\7 t'oii- "■•''s born in Jersey Citj-, N. J., May 
 21, 1826. His parents, who were worth}' pioneers 
 of Louisa Count\', were Patrick and Hannah (Tim- 
 mon}') Colton, natives of the North of Ireland. 
 (See sketch of Patrick Colton elsewhere in this 
 work.) William A. removed with his parents to 
 Adams County, Pa., in childhood, and in 1842 
 came with them to Iowa. They located in Colum- 
 bus City Township in that portion which afterward 
 became Union Township. In 18-49 he began the 
 study of medicine with Dr. H. Ilowey, of Wapello, 
 but the gold fever of that period excited his ambi- 
 tion to suddenlj- achieve wealth, and he joined a 
 party of California eQ)igrants, and crossed the plains 
 to that land of high hopes and manj' disappoint- 
 ments. After spending three years in the gold 
 fields in mining with rather indifferent success, he 
 returned to Iowa in 1853, and formed a partnership 
 with Dr. AVilliam M. Clark in thedrng business, under 
 the firm n.-vme of Clark & Colton. He resumed the 
 study of medicine, attended lectures at the College 
 of Physicians and Surgeons, of Keokuk, Iowa, was 
 graduated in the cl.iss of '55, and then entered upon 
 the practice of his profession at Columbus Citj'. In 
 1802 Dr. Clark decided to remove to Colorado, 
 and sold his interest in the drug business to Dr. 
 Colton, who carried on the business alone until 
 18()7, when he sold out and removed to Des Moines, 
 where he was engaged in the drug business nine 
 
 years. In 1S7G he came to Columbus Junction, 
 and was engaged in the same business at that place 
 until he was elected to the po.^itionof cashier of the 
 Louisa County National Hank, on the 1 Ith of Janu- 
 ary, 1878, which position he has held continuously 
 since, with credit to himself and profit to the bank. 
 (See history of the bank elsewhere in tliis work). 
 
 Mr. Colton was twice married, first at Columl)us 
 City, in July, 185G. to Miss Mary A. Weir, daughter 
 of Samuel Weir, of Lee County. Iowa. One child, 
 a son, was born of tiieir union, William H., born 
 Julj' 13, 1857, now employed in the Louisa Count}' 
 National Hank. Mrs. Colton's death occurred in 
 April, 1872. Dr. Colton was married again in 
 November, 1873. to Miss Matilda Harrison, a 
 daughter of Joseph Harrison. Mrs. Colton was 
 born at Hye. N. Y. ; she is a mendier of the Episcopal 
 Church. One child was born to them, a son, Joseph, 
 born Aug. 4, 1881. 
 
 Dr. Colton is a Democrat in political sentiments, 
 and has held various official positions of lujnor and 
 trust. He was elected Clerk of Columbus City 
 To"nshi|) in 1854, and chosen Count}' Treasurer of 
 Louisa County for the term of 1858-59. He was 
 elected to the Eighteenth C.eneral Assembly of the 
 Iowa Legislature in the Kepulilicau district, and 
 served with honor to himself and fiilelily to the 
 best interests of the people. Dr. Colton has taken a 
 warm interest in educational mattei-s, and has served 
 six years as School District Treasurer. He is also 
 Town Treasurer, and has held that position con- 
 tinuously since 1880, covering a period of eight 
 years. 
 
 Dr. Colton is an earnest and consistent Mason, and 
 has for years been the recognized leader of the fra- 
 ternity in the city where he resides. He was made 
 a Mason in Columbus City Lodge No. 107, at Co- 
 lumbus City, Iowa, and received the blaster degree 
 at the regular communication of July 1 2, 1 858. His 
 interest in the fraternity and proficiency in the work 
 led to his rapid promotit)n from subordinate positions 
 to the Master's chair in 1860. He was re-elected at 
 each succeeding election and served until 1H67, in- 
 clusive, with the exception of one year, when he 
 declined to serve as Master and was chosen Tyler. 
 C)n his removal to Des Moines in IH67 he deniitled 
 from Columbus City Lodge, and w<as admitted to 
 
 ••■ 
 
 n 
 
4= 
 
 <»■ 
 
 25*S 
 
 • ^m ' 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 membership in Pioneer Lodge No. 2, A. F. & A. 
 M., of that city, in which he served two 3'ears as 
 Master. On his return to Louisa County he re- 
 sumed memljership with his old lodge, of which 
 he was elected Master the following year, 1 877, and 
 h.is been elected to that position at each succeeding 
 election to the present time, or for eleven terms. 
 The Doctor served one term as Treasurer of the 
 Masonic Grand Lodge of Iowa, and one term as 
 .Senior G. D. 
 
 During his connection with the Louisa County 
 National Bank, Dr. Colton has proved himself a 
 comi)etent and faithful officer, who has devoted his 
 entire time and attention to advancing the interests 
 of that institution. Were it not for fear of giving of- 
 fense by the appearance of flattery, the writer would 
 take pleasure in paying a fitting tribute to the high 
 standing and many excellencies of character of so 
 worth}' a gentleman. 
 
 It is with pleasure we present the fine life-like 
 portrait of the Doctor in this connection. 
 
 J f AMES TURKINGTON, a farmer residing 
 on section 10, Concord Township, was born 
 in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 184G. His 
 parents, James and Margaret Ann (Court- 
 ney) Turkington, who were natives of Ireland, had 
 a family of live children, of whom he was the 
 youngest. Ilis father was a farmer b^' occuijation. 
 and died in Ireland when our snbject was about 
 two years of age. In 1855 James came with his 
 mother to America, they making the trij) in a sail- 
 ing-vessel, starting from Liverpool, and were forty- 
 five days on the water. After landing at New 
 York, he came direct!}' to Louisa County, settling 
 on the same section where he yet resides. Mis 
 mother, who is now seventy-six years of age, still 
 finds with him a ha])py hon)e, and two brothersand 
 two sisters of the family are also living in this 
 country: Eliza, now Mrs. Iteany; Sarah, wife of 
 Samuel Heauy. a resilient of Concord Township; 
 Christopher, who resides in Elm Grove Township; 
 and Samuel, whose home is in Washington County. 
 James was rcjired to farm life, and received his edu- 
 cation in the district schools of Louisa County. In 
 
 1874, in Muscatine Count}-, Iowa, he was united in 
 marriage wiih Caroline Melissa Griffin, who was 
 born in that county, and is a daughter of Henry 
 and i;mily (Garrett) Griffin, the former a native 
 of New York and the latter of Kentucky. Her pa- 
 ternal grandparents were also natives of New York. 
 Henry S. Gritlin was a Corporal in Company C, 
 4th Indiana Infantry, under command of Capt. M. 
 L. Payne, during the war with Mexico. He was 
 enrolled May 8, 1 847, and discharged July 20, 1 848. 
 For his services in that war he now receives a pen- 
 sion from the General Government. With his fam- 
 ily he emigrated to Iowa at an early day, and here 
 engaged in farming. He had also learned the trade 
 of a carpenter and joiner, and worked at cabinet- 
 making for several years. Both Mr. and Mrs. 
 Griffin are yet living, and reside in Cedar Town- 
 ship, Muscatine County, Mr. Griffin being sixty- 
 three years of age. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Turkington brought his 
 young bride to the home in which they yet reside. 
 He is now the owner of a fine farm on section 10, 
 Concord Township, comprising 203 acres of land, 
 and also has some timber land in Muscatine County. 
 His land is highly cultivated, and in 1882 he built a 
 good residence, and his barns and out-buildings are 
 all built on the most convenient plan. He raises 
 considerable stock, which is all of a good grade, 
 raising Durham cattle and Clyde horses. He has 
 one stallion, "Prince of Lester Path," which cost 
 $1,800, and took the first prize at the Iowa .State 
 Fair. He also raises brood mares, and intends 
 making a specialty of raising colts for the market, 
 having already sold some very fine ones, one colt 
 having brought *G00. Mr. Turkington takes great 
 interest in ))olitical affairs, and casts his ballot for 
 the Republican party. He has served as Town- 
 ship Trustee, and has held other offices of public 
 trust. He and his wife are members of the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Ciiurch,at Fredoni.T, in which he has 
 served as Trustee and .Steward. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Turkington are the parents of four 
 children — .Samuel IL, Edward Clyde, Effie Bell and 
 Nellie May, all at home. Mr. Turkington has 
 given his children all good educational advantages, 
 such as will fit them for the practical duties of life. 
 Ilis home is centrally situated, about four miles 
 
-^»- 
 
 4 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 •2.->y 
 
 from Columbus .lunction, five miles from Letts, and 
 three miles from Fredouia. He is practically a 
 self-made man. C'ommcncin<j life without financial 
 aid, he has by industry, frugality and good man- 
 agement, secured a comfortable competency, and is 
 one of the respected citizens of the township. 
 
 J i) AMES IIKLVERSON, Jit., one of the pio- 
 I neers of Louisa County, Iowa, of 1841, now 
 I, residing on section 26, Wapello Township, 
 f/ was born in Montgomery Count}-, Ind., near 
 Crawfordsville, Sept. 4, 1831, and is a son of James 
 and Sally (Fitzpatrick) Helverson. His father was 
 a native of Virginia, and went to Ohio at an early 
 day, while his mother was born in Kentuck}'. Their 
 union was celebrated in the Buckeye State, and 
 they subsequently went to Montgomery Countj', 
 Ind., where they were numbered au)ong its pioneer 
 settlers. Soon after their arrival in that county 
 Mr. Helverson was appointed Register of Deeds in 
 a land-oflice, which position he held for several 
 years. In 1841, accompanied b}' his family-, he 
 emigrated to Louisa County, settling in Wapello 
 Township, on section 35. There was a little log 
 cabin upon the land, and into this the family 
 moved. Its dimensions were only 14x14 feet, the 
 door and roof were made of clapboards, and it 
 contained a puncheon floor. One small window 
 lighted the building, and on the east end of the 
 house was a chimney built of mud and sticks, and 
 when th<; east winds of winter were roaring the 
 smoke was blown back into the little room, almost 
 suffocating the inmates. Soon after coming to the 
 count}' Mr. Helverson received a call to teach a 
 subscription school in what was known as the Mus- 
 call School-house, which he accepted. He was a 
 man of intellect, and during the first winter organ- 
 ized a debating socict}-, [)robably the first in the 
 State. He himself was a fluent speaker, and the 
 times of meeting were gala days in the neighbor- 
 hood. Politically, Mr. Helverson was a Democrat, 
 and served as the first Assessor of the count}-. He 
 made its first tract book, in fact he was the only 
 man who could have done the work. He organized 
 
 all the districts in his township, and to him Louisa 
 Count}' owes much of her present prosperity. Of a 
 jovial, genial nature, his home was the abode of 
 hospitality, and all were sure of a cheery welcome. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Helverson were the parents of four 
 children, who came to Iowa: Henry, now living in 
 Louisa County ; Emily, wife of Andy Carl, of Adair 
 County; James, of this sketch, and William, who 
 died at the age of twenty-three. The parents were 
 both members of the Christian Church. Mr. Hel- 
 verson died in 1865, and his wife ten years pre- 
 viously. 
 
 James Helverson, Jr., came to Louisa County 
 with his parents when ten years of age, and though 
 he attended the district schools for a time his edu- 
 cation has mostly been attained by observation and 
 careful study. In 1855 his union with Miss Mis- 
 souri Brazell was celebrated, and they became the 
 parents of two sons: Sebastian, a resident of Louisa 
 County, and Douglas, of Adair County, Iowa. 
 After the death of his first wife Mr. Helverson was 
 united in marriage with Mrs. Elizabeth Wiser, 
 widow of John Wiser, who died in 1865, and a 
 daughter of Peter Laml)ert. She is a native of 
 Virginia, and three children grace their union — 
 Christina, Julia and Betsy. By her former niarri;igc 
 Mrs. Helverson had two children — Lydia A. and 
 Samantha. 
 
 In 1862 Mr. Helverson responded to the Presi- 
 dent's call for troops, enlisting in the 36th Iowa 
 Infantry, and was assigned to Company C. He was 
 mustered into service at Keokuk, and from there 
 was sent to St. Louis, and then went to Helena, 
 Ark., where he engaged in tlie battle between the 
 Union and rebel armies under Gens. Price, Marma- 
 duke and Shelby, in which 1,500 of the enemy were 
 taken prisoners. Previous to this he had partici- 
 pated in the raid through Teimcssee, which was for 
 the purpose of keeping the enemy from Vicksburg. 
 After the battle of Helena, under Gen. .Steele, he 
 aided in the capture of Little Rock during the fall 
 of 1863, and in the spring of 1864 was sent to sup- 
 port Gen. Banks on the Red River campaign. He 
 w.as woundiMl near Marks' Mills by a gunshot in the 
 left arm, after which ho w.as sent to Little Rock, 
 where he was muslcrud out of the service in the 
 spring of 1865. Returning to his home, he once 
 
 4^ 
 
•► i r^ 
 
 200 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 more engagerl in farming, and now owns ninet}'- 
 five acres of land in a fine state of eullivation. Po- 
 litically, lie is a Republican, while religiousl}-, he 
 and his wife are both members of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church. 
 
 ^ #>#^ — 
 
 W)ILLIAM J. HKAVITT, one of the pioneers 
 of Louisa County, Iowa, and a leading 
 farmer of Morning Sun Township, now re- 
 siding on section 29, was born in Butler County, 
 Ohio, July 13, 1820, and is a son of Jonathan and 
 Jane (Brown) Hewitt, who were natives of Ireland. 
 His parents emigrated to the United States in 1818, 
 first locating in Butler County, Ohio, and sub- 
 sequently removing to Treble County. They were 
 the parents of nine children: Hamilton, who died 
 in Louisa County, was the husband of Priscilla 
 Steel, who lives in Morning Sun, and to them were 
 born four children; Margaret A., widow of Andrew 
 Hamilton, is living in Louisa County; ■\Villiain J., 
 of this sketch ; Robert, who became the husband of 
 Margaret A. Morrison, resides in Morning Sun; 
 Thomas, of Preble County, Ohio; Irvin. who lives 
 in Rice County, Kan., is the husband of Elizabeth 
 Wilkins; Susan was the wife of Joshua Skinner, who 
 died during service in the late Rebellion; she lives 
 in Morning Sun, Iowa. James, the husband of Mar- 
 tha Swan, is living in Polk County, Neb.; and Mary 
 J., the wife of Christopher Giewell, lives in Hunt 
 Countj', 'J'ex. In 1840 Mr. Hewitt came with his 
 family to the West, locating in Keokuk, Iowa, where 
 his death occuired in 1841. He was, politically, 
 an ohUline IJeniocnt, and a man highl}' respected 
 by all. In 1844 his widow came to Van Buren 
 County, Iowa, where she died in 1840. She was a 
 lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood in Preble County, 
 Ohio, and there his education was received, though 
 as soon as he had attained sudicient age and strength 
 he w.as obliged to aid in the labor of the farm. Dur- 
 ing the winter nuinths he attended a log school- 
 house, with i)unclieon floor, slab seats, the writing 
 desk against the wall, greased paper windows and 
 an old-fashioned fireplace, and had to walk three 
 miles for such poor advantages as could there be 
 
 obtained. In 1843 he came to Louisa County, 
 where he has since resided. He had previously 
 learned the carpenter's trade, which he here followed 
 for a few j-ears, putting up almost all of the first 
 buildings in Morning Sun Township, and also many 
 others in the county, including the Presbyterian 
 Church, the Covenanter Church, and also construct- 
 ing the woodwork of the United Presbyterian 
 Church. 
 
 On the Cth of February, 1845, Mr. Hewitt wedded 
 Miss Nancj' Stewart, and one child was born of 
 their union, Josiah, who died Feb. 13, 1865, at the 
 age tf fourteen years. The de.ith of the mother 
 occurred Oct. 4, 1852, and Mr. Hewitt was again 
 married, Sept. 28, 1854, becoming the husband of 
 Miss Amy A. Bergen, a daughter of George and 
 Deliorah (Rj'ker) Bergen, who were natives of Ken- 
 tucky. At an early day they emigrated to Jack- 
 son County, Ind., later became residents of Jefferson 
 County, that State, where they resided until 1840, 
 when they removed to Iowa, spending the first 
 winter at West Point, after which they went to 
 Kossuth, where Mr. Bergen improved a farm. He 
 was one of the first settlers on the prairie, and his 
 home was known as the "white house on the prai- 
 rie." He served in the War of 1812 for a year, 
 and he and his wife were the parents of eight chil- 
 dren, four now living: Christopher C, a resident 
 of Kossuth, Iowa; Samuel, who is living in Pine- 
 ville, Mo.; Margaret J., wife of Alah Rice, of 
 Franklin, Neb.; and Amy A., wife of our subject. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Bergen were members of the Pres- 
 byterian Clnirch, while in political sentiment he 
 was a Whig, and a great admirer of Henry Cla}'. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. Hewitt and his ^-oung 
 wife began their domestic life upon a farm in Morn- 
 ing Sun Township, situated on Honey Creek, where 
 they commenced to make for themselves a home, 
 living in the true pioneer stj'le. At that time In- 
 dians were scattered all over the county, wild 
 game of .all kinds was plentiful, the settlements 
 were few and far between, and the mill at which 
 they had their grain ground was a great distance 
 off. At that time money w.as very scarce in the 
 county, and Mr. Hewitt was obliged to sell his 
 pork at $1.50 per hundred, and half of that was to 
 betaken out in trade, but with a determination to sue- 
 
 t 
 
-4»- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 -t^ 
 
 261 
 
 ¥ 
 
 ceed. combined with that cncrgj" whicii characterizes 
 all iiis actions, he overcame all obstacles, and now 
 has a comfortable property, owning 390 acres of 
 fine farming land in Morning Sun Wwnship. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Hewitt have been born eight 
 children, six sons and two daughters: Cyrus F., 
 who is living in Elbert County, Col. ; Mary; George 
 I., who is at home; Alah II, living in Colorado; 
 William Thomas, Charles E., John T. and Nina D. 
 Mr. Hewitt is one of the Prohibitionists of Iowa, 
 and he and his wife are among the early settlers of 
 the county. They arc also among the first Pres- 
 byterians, and are people who rank high in the 
 coraniunity. 
 
 lEORGE W. GIPPLE, an early settler of 
 Louisa County. Iowa, now residing in Letts, 
 was born in Pennsylvania in 1827, and is 
 the son of George and Mary A. (Stroh) Gipple, 
 who were also natives of Penns^'lvaiiia. The father 
 was a farmer, and, accompanied by his family-, came 
 to Iowa in 1852, settling in Grand View Township, 
 where he remained until his death, in 1855. The 
 mother still resides on the old homestead. Ihey 
 were both members of the Evangelical Church, and 
 during the early days of the county the services of 
 that church were held at Ihuir home, and the camp- 
 meeting convened in a grove adjoining. 
 
 George was reared upon a farm, and in the dis- 
 trict schools of his native State received his educa- 
 tion. In 1847 he was united in marriage with 
 Mar^' Ellen Hrooks. a native of Pennsylvania, and 
 a daughter of Alexander and Anna (Barnes) Brooks, 
 who were also natives of tliat State. The father 
 there followed farming, and his dcatli occurred sev- 
 eral 3'ears ago. The young couple began their do- 
 mestic life upon a farm in Pennsylvania, where they 
 resided until their removal to this county, in 1852. 
 Locating in Grand View Township, near the village 
 of that name, Mr. Gipple purchased forty acres of 
 raw (irairie, which he developed into a farm and 
 also added to it. Selling, he purchased 120 acres 
 of fine land in Cedar Township, Muscatine County, 
 which he still owns and has under a high state of 
 cultivation. In February, 1888, he removctl to the 
 
 town of Letts, where he is now residing. lie casts 
 his vote with the Republican |)arty, and takes great 
 interest in political affairs. lie held various olfices 
 while residing in Muscatine County, serving as 
 Trustee, Justice of the Peace for five years, and 
 School Director for a number of years. To every 
 enterprise which has for its ol)ject the public good 
 he gives assistance, and when the academy at 
 Grand View was an institution of learning of 
 note, he was one of its stockholders. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Gipple have been born ten 
 children, eight of whom are living: Emma P., wife 
 of Mr. Sharp, of Auilubon County, Iowa; Anna 
 M., now Mrs. Iludler, a resident of Audubon 
 County; Cynthia J., now Mrs. Dollahide, is also a 
 resident of Audubon County ; Charles W. became 
 the husband of Ellle Jones, and makes his home in 
 that county; Edward B. and Harvey W. are both 
 married and living in Audubon County; Carrie 
 M.. now Mrs. Iloltz, resides near Sweetland Center, 
 Muscatine County; Lincoln U. is clerking in a 
 store in Audubon, Iowa. James A. died in Penn- 
 sylvania in infancy, as did also Ilattie E. 
 
 s AVID R. HUGHES, a leading farmer re- 
 V siding on section 2i), Columbus City Town- 
 ship, was born in Wales, and is a son of 
 the Rev. Richard Hughes, a AV^elsh Cal- 
 vinistic minister, whose sketch appears on another 
 page of this volume. In 1870 David left his native 
 land an<l crossed the Atlantic with his parents. He 
 had previously attended school in Wales, but com- 
 pleted his education in the graded schools of Co- 
 lumbus City, Louisa Count}'. At the age of twenlj-- 
 two he left the parental roof to become the mana- 
 ger of a co-operative store, which carried a full 
 line of general merchandise, and pursued this line 
 of business for two years. In 1876 his marriage 
 with Miss Elizabeth Ann Evans, a native of this 
 county, was celebrateil, and the young couple be- 
 gan their domestic life upon a farm in Columbus 
 City Township, which still continues to be his home. 
 It is situated on section 29, and now comi)rises 290 
 acres, which arc finely improved. A comfortable 
 
-•► 
 
 262 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 residence has been erected at a cost of SI. 000, and 
 a barn has been built which also cost $1,000. 
 
 By the union of Mr. and Mrs. Hughes two chil- 
 dren have been born : Thomas, wlio died in infancy, 
 and Richard David. The parents are members of 
 the Welsh Calvinistic Church, and in his political 
 sentiments he is a supporter of the Republican party. 
 lie believes in the strict enforcement of the proliib- 
 itory law, and is one of the well-known and re- 
 spected citizens of Columbus City Township. 
 
 i 
 
 iJ W. HILL, one of the settlers of Louisa County, 
 Iowa, of 1852, now residing on section 13, Oak- 
 land Township, was born in Ohio, on the loth 
 of May, 1835. He was the eighth in a famil3' of 
 ten children, who were born to Francis an<l Eliza- 
 beth (Truss) Ilili, natives of New Jersey. His 
 parents removed to Ohio at an early daj-, thence 
 went to Illinois in 1887, the father engaging in 
 farming in Fulton County. Making that his home 
 until 1852, accompanied by his family he came to 
 Louisa County, locating on section 12, Oakland 
 Township, where he bought eighty acres of Gov- 
 ernment land. He was one of the first settlers on 
 the prairie in that section of the country. Until the 
 time of his death, which occurred in 1 800, at the 
 age of eighty- ^-ears, lie w;is ever identified with the 
 history of the township, and did much toward ad- 
 vancing its interests and molding its character. 
 His excellent wife survived him several years, dy- 
 ing on the old homestead at the age of sevent}'- 
 seven. 
 
 Our subject was reared to farm life, and received 
 his education in the district schools of Illinois and 
 Iowa. With iiis i>arcntvS he came to this county in 
 1852, and his boyhood days were passed upon its 
 almost unbroken prairies. In the month of Octo- 
 ber, 1805, in this county, he was united in inarri.agc 
 with Elizabeth Bead^-, who was born in Ohio, and 
 is a daughter of William and Mary (Price) Bead^', 
 who were natives of Kentucky, and came to Iowa 
 in 1H5G, settling in Wapello Township, where they 
 passed the remainder of their days. 
 
 The j-oung couple began their domestic life on 
 section 12, Oakland Townshi|), where they resided 
 
 -4* 
 
 until 1879, removing at that time to section 13. 
 By their union a famil}- of ten children have been 
 born, eight of whom are living — Herbert M., .Sam- 
 uel, John C, Lillie May, Robert, Adda Dell, Bessie 
 and Jessie. 
 
 Mr. Hill's first purchase of land consisted of 
 eighty acres, which was in a wild, uncultivated 
 state. He immediately began its improvement, 
 and from lime to time has added to the original 
 purchase, until he now owns 320 acres of fine, ara- 
 ble land, 140 of which are highly cultivated and 
 improved. Mr. Hill also raises considerable stock, 
 including a good grade of horses and cattle. He 
 takes an active part in the political affairs of the com- 
 munity, and casts his vote with the Republican 
 party, being a strong advocate of the principles 
 which it inculcates. A friend to education, he has 
 done all in his power to advance its interests, and 
 assisted in organizing many of the school districts 
 of the county. Mr. Hill was one of the earliest 
 settlers in Oakland Township, and has witnessed 
 the many changes which have taken place in the 
 count}-. His nearest neighbors were then three 
 and four miles distint, the nearest mill was fifty 
 miles away, and it required three or four d.ays to 
 make the trip to it. The people then often had a 
 small handmill at their homes, and the mortar and 
 ])estlc were also in use. The mother of Mr. Hill 
 had her spinning-wheel, and wove the cloth which 
 furnished the garments for her family. Mone^' was 
 scarce, times were hard, and often Mr. Hill would 
 haul corn to Muscatine, for which he received but 
 eight cents per bushel. To the early settlers who 
 thus endured the trials, dilliculties and hardships 
 incident to frontier life, Louisa Count}- owes much 
 of her present prosperity-, and they deserve espe- 
 cial mention in her liistor}'. 
 
 =>^.' NDREW O. THOMPSON, a druggist of 
 ^flM Columbus Junction, Iowa, was born in 
 Polk Countj', Iowa, Jan. 21, 1 8(52, and is 
 a son of O. E. and Bertha (Braland) Thomp- 
 son. His parents were born in Norway, but have been 
 residents of America since childhood, and both are 
 now living in Polk County. Our subject was reared 
 
 t 
 
t 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 -•► 
 
 263 
 
 II 
 
 T 
 
 on a farm and received his education in tlie public 
 scliools of Dcs Moines, having attendeii the High 
 .School in that city. Wiien twenty years of age he 
 entered the drug-store of .Schmucker & Loper, of 
 Des Moines, continuing with them for two years, 
 and then came to Columbus .lunclioii in March, 
 1884, securing employment with G. A. Salmon & 
 Co., druggists. He remained with them until No- 
 vember, 1886, and then eiig.iged in business for 
 himself in Des Moines until July 14,1888, when 
 he bought out the stock of W. F. Hall. He carries 
 a full line of drugs, i)atent medicines, toilet articles, 
 smokers' goods and artists' materials. 
 
 On the 18th of April. 1888, at Columbus Junc- 
 tion, Iowa, the marriage of Andrew O. Thompson 
 and Miss Jessie Colton w.is celebrated. She was 
 born in Union Township, of this county, and is a 
 danghter of Edwaril Colton. Mr. Thompson is a 
 Knight Templar Mason, a member of Columbus 
 City Lodge No. 107; of Antioch Chapter No. 210, 
 East bcs Moines; of Temple Comniandery No. 4, 
 of Des Moines; and Mystic Shrine (Elkaher) of 
 Cedar Rapids. Politically, he is a Democrat. Mr. 
 Thompson has had six j^ears' experience in his busi- 
 ness, and is now the owner of a well-stocked and 
 tasty store situated in the Murdock House Block. 
 A gentleman of pleasing address, he is rapidly' win- 
 ning his way to popular favor. 
 
 AVID GREGORY, a prominent pioneer of 
 Louisa County, Iowa, of 1840, now resid- 
 ing on section 20, Morning Sun Township, 
 was born in Morgan County, Ind., March 
 12, 1820, and is a son of William and Lucy (Jones) 
 Gregory. His father w.as a soldier of the War of 
 1812, and served under Gen. Tipton. His moliier 
 was a native of Kentuckj', but they were married 
 in Harrison County, Ind., and in 1820 removed to 
 Morgan County, where they were numbered among 
 its earliest settlers. Mr. Gregory there purchased 
 land, and developed a farm in tlie midst of the wil- 
 derness, on which he resiiled until 1840, when he 
 removed to Louisa County, Iowa, locating upon a 
 place where his son Dennis now resides. To Mr. 
 and Mrs. Gregory were born twelve cliildrcn, four 
 
 of wh6m are living: Dennis; David, the subject of 
 this sketch; Eliza, wife of William Edwards, of In- 
 diana, and Milton, whose homo is also in the IIoo- 
 sier State. In 18,")8 the death of Mr. Gregory 
 occurred in this county, he having survived his 
 wife, who died in 1832. many years. Tliey were 
 members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and 
 were earnest Christian people. Mr. Gregory was a 
 pioneer of Kentucky, Indiana and Iowa, and lived 
 in the Territory* of Wisconsin, the Territory of 
 Iowa, and the State of Iowa, all the while residing 
 in one house. 
 
 When eighteen j'ears of age our subject came to 
 Iowa in search of a location, and after traveling all 
 over this Slate concluded to make Louisa Count}' 
 his future home. He had been educated in the 
 schools of a wild and almost unsettled country, 
 though by observation and experience in later j'ears 
 he gained much knowledge which was of great pr.ic- 
 tical benefit to him. In 1839, in Morgan County, 
 Ind., he was united in the holy bonds of matrimony 
 with Miss Saniantha Askew, and soon afterward 
 took up his permanent residence in this countj', 
 whicli he has never left, except at one time when 
 he made .-i short trip to California. By their union 
 three children were born, but all are now deceased. 
 Mrs. Gregory died in 1854, and he was again mar- 
 ried. Miss Mar}' E. Huniphrej-s becoming his wife. 
 She was born in Peoria Count}', III., and is the eld- 
 est daughter of James G. and Nancy (Bovans) 
 Humphreys, the former a native of Kenluck}- and 
 the latter of Ohio. They have been the parents of 
 four children, three now living: Jennie, wife of 
 George L. Swan, a resident farmer of Louisa County ; 
 Grant and James, who are also numbered among 
 its residents. 
 
 Mr. Gregory is an ardent supporter of the Repub- 
 lican part}'. He cast his first Presidential vote for 
 Gen. William H. Harrison, and in tlie fall of 1888 
 he voted for Benjamin Harrison, the honored grand- 
 son of that illustrious man. His capital on coming 
 to this county consisted only of a good constitution 
 and a determination to make liis life a success, so 
 with a brave heart and ready hand he went to work, 
 and, as time has passed, has accumulated a large 
 property. In the earlier <lays times were hard, and 
 money could scarcely be obtained, Mr. (ircgory 
 
 f 
 
••► 
 
 2G4 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 havino: often hauled wood to Wapello, for which 
 lie received Imt thirty cents per load, and it took 
 two da5-s' labor to get it to town. Possessinp; good 
 business abilitj-. and making the most of every op- 
 portunity, Mr. Gregory luas succeeded far bettor 
 than he first expected, and now owns 410 acres of fine 
 land, which is well cultivated and improved. He is 
 genial, kindly, and his home is the abode of hospi- 
 tality. The old settlers can relate many instances 
 of his kind acts during pioneer d.nys, and that same 
 desire to .assist a fellow creature is still one of his 
 chief characteristics. Mrs. Gregory is a member 
 of the Christian Church. 
 
 ^. : :S^^WM^c : .^ 
 
 Vfi<^ENNIS B. HAMMOND, a prominent .and 
 I )| leading farmer residing on section 10, Co- 
 ^a, [^ lumbus City Towushii), and one of the 
 ^^ settlers of 1850, was born May 4, 1821, in 
 Hamilton County, Ohio, on the site of the present 
 beautiful city of Cincinnati. His parents, John and 
 Charlolta (IJennett) Hammond, reared a family of 
 seven children: Denton, born Jan. 1, 1820, is a 
 resident of Indiana; Dennis B. ; Amos, a resident 
 farmer of Columbus City Township; Jehial. who 
 was a member of an Illinois artillery company 
 during the late Rebellion, died in Illinois in 1866; 
 Jane, the widow of 'William Little, is living near 
 Wichita, Kan.; Julia A. is the wife of James Rich- 
 ards, a farnur of Cooper County, Mo.; Eliz.abeth 
 wedded Ik-iijamin Sl(jddard, but both are now de- 
 ceased. The father of this family was a native of 
 .Maryland, though of Scotch parentage, his father 
 having emigrated to America in company with a 
 brother (jrior to the Revolutionary War, in which 
 tlie brother took part. The mother was a native 
 of New York. John Hammond was a miller by 
 tr.ade, and followed that occupation during his 
 life. From Hamilton County, Ohio, the family re- 
 moved to Jefferson County, Ind., where he en- 
 gaged in milling, and was there one of the pioneers. 
 He was a strong advocate of the Democratic part}-, 
 and was a man highly respected in the community 
 where he resided. He made his home in Madison, 
 Ind.. until about ten years before his death, which 
 occurred in 1853, in Switzerland County. His 
 
 4» 
 
 wife, who was a lifelong member of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, died in Switzerland County-, 
 Ind.. July 4, 1832. 
 
 Our subject was earl^- forced to begin life's battle 
 for himself. Receiving no advanUiges of schools, 
 he obtained his education mostly by observation. 
 When only ten years of age he entereii a mill, 
 where he was emploj'ed for three and a half years, 
 receiving only his clothes as compensation for his 
 labor. At the end of that time, having acquired 
 an excellent knowledge of the business, he secured 
 a position as miller in Rising Sun, Ind., where he 
 remained for about three 3'ears, and then went to 
 Indian Creek, where he also had charge of a mill, 
 remaining there until 1850; he then came to Iowa. 
 Being honest and trustworthy, and a first-class work- 
 man, his services were always in demand, and he 
 was never idle. 
 
 On the 23(1 of January, 1840, Mr. Hammond and 
 Miss Hannah P.adgett were united in marriage. 
 She was born in New Jersey, Aug. 11, 1821, and is 
 a daughter of William and Sarah (Piffer) Padgett, 
 her father of English, and her mother of German 
 ancestry. Of their union twelve children have been 
 born, all of whom have reached maturit3': William 
 P., who was a member of the 10th Iowa Infantry, 
 serving four years, and participating in all the en- 
 gagements of his regiment, was never in a hospital 
 during all his term of service, but was alw.iys found 
 at his post, and is now a farmer in Nebraska ; Char- 
 lotta is the wife of James Tanzy, of Riverside, 
 Washington Co.. Iowa; John, who served in the 
 late war in the 25lh Illinois Infantry, is now a resi- 
 dent of Dakota; Oliver P. is engaged in farming 
 in Ringgold County, Iowa; George runs a sawmill 
 in Decatur County, Iowa; Lewis, a farmer by occu- 
 pation, is in Ringgold County; Violaiis tiie wife of 
 Benjamin Daniels, whose home is in Dallas County, 
 Iowa; Sarah, who was born in Washington Count}', 
 Iowa, wedded John Wheeler, of Louisa County; 
 Eliza became the wife of Harry Huff, a farmer of 
 Dallas County; Benjamin S. is .also living in Dal- 
 las County; Joseph is engaged in farming in Louisa 
 County, and Albert is at home. Mr. Hammond has 
 given all his children good educations, and may 
 well be proud of his large f.amily, who are now re 
 spccted men and women, comfortably settled in 
 
 I 
 
^iTis/ ^^ 
 
■^•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 2C7 , , 
 
 happy lioines. Tlioiigli all but one have left the 
 l)arental roof, none have been called away by death, 
 and hy their unions he has now about twenty 
 grandchildren. 
 
 On loming to Iowa, Mr. Hammond took charge 
 of a mill near Riverside, in F^nglish (now Washing- 
 ton) County, where he remained until 18G2, and 
 then removed to the farm which he now owns on sec- 
 lions 3, 9 and Li, in Columbus City Township. The 
 farm comprises 170 acres, all under a high state of 
 cultivation, and in connection with the improve- 
 ment of his laud he has carried on stock-raising, in 
 which he has been quite successful. .Starting out in 
 life at the age of ten, he has since made his own 
 way ill the world, and his life is well worthy of 
 emulation. When the Burlington, Cedar Uapids 
 <fe Nortliern Railroad was Iniilt through the count3', 
 he would often work late at night making ties for 
 that njad, and in all other enterprises for the good 
 of the community he has labored a.s earnestly and 
 faithfully. He and his wife have been members of 
 the Methodist Ivpiscopal Church for many 3'eurs, 
 and in his political sentiments he is a Republican. 
 Js'ot only as an early settler is Mr. ILimraond hon- 
 ored, but as a citizen, friend and neighbor he re- 
 ceives the res|)ect and esteem of the community. 
 
 ANIEL W. OVERIIOLT, physician .ind 
 surgeon, whose home is in Columbus Citj', 
 though his office is in Columbus .Junction, 
 was born in Medina County, Ohio, Sept. 
 11, 1838. His father, Dr. John Overholt, who is a 
 native of Pennsj-lvania, was one of the early jjhysi- 
 cians of Louisa County. His wife was former!}' 
 Esther Krieder, and she too was born in Pennsyl- 
 vania. When our subject was four years of age he 
 went with his parents to W.iyne County, Ohio, and 
 ten years later came with them to Louisa County, 
 Iowa, making his home at Columbus City. His 
 primary education, which was received at the public 
 schools, was supplemented by a course at the Gr.ind 
 View Academy, of Louisa Count}', then an institu- 
 ti(jn of learning of considerable note. He took his 
 first course of lectures in the winter of 1860-61, at 
 
 -^•- 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio, and was graduated from the Col- 
 lege of Physicians and Surgeons, at Keokuk, Iowa, 
 in the class of '07. He began the practice of his 
 chosen profession in Columbus City Townsliip, 
 where he made his home until the fall of 1 872, 
 when he went to Leavenworth, Kan., where he 
 again eng.iged in practice. Previously he had been 
 a resident of that city for a short time, and there, 
 on the 21st of April, 18G1, wedded Miss Isabella 
 Latta, who was born in Grand View, Louisa County, 
 and is a daughter of Judge S. N. Latta, who was 
 one of the very earliest settlers of that locality. 
 
 Dr. Overholt and his wife spent one year of their 
 married life at Leavenworth, but on going to that 
 city in 1872. remained there only for about a year, 
 when they returned to Columbus City. Iowa. In 
 the session of 1872-73, the Doctor took a course of 
 lectures at the Bellevue IIosi)ilal Medical College, 
 of New York City, and was graduated in the spring 
 of 1873. In the fall he established his office at 
 Columbus Junction, which is less than two miles 
 from his i>lace of residence in Columbus City, an<l 
 has continued to practice his profession from that 
 place. 
 
 To our subject and his excellent wife have been 
 born seven children : John L., who was graduated 
 from the medical department of the Iowa Slate L^ni- 
 versity, in the class of '87, married Miss Marian V. 
 McFarland, and is practicing his profession at Co- 
 lumbus Junction in comp.TU}' with his father, under 
 the firm name of D. W. Overholt it .Son; the sec- 
 ond child is a daughter, Rowena Belle; Samuel N.; 
 Robert Willie, who died at the age of eight months; 
 Frank Warren, who died at the age of two years; 
 Nellie E. and Roscoe E. Dr. Overholt and his son 
 are members of the Louisa Count}' .Medical .Society, 
 the Eastern Iowa, the Iowa State and the Ameri- 
 can Medical Associations, and supporters of the 
 Republican party. He is a Knight Templar M.ison 
 belonging to C'olumbus City J>odge No. 107, A. F. 
 <fe A. M.; to Composite Chapter No. 91, R. A. M., 
 of which he has been High Priest since the second 
 year of its organization, and of Bethlehem Com- 
 mander}' No. 43, the two former of Columbus 
 Junction, anil the latter of Washington, Iowa. He 
 is also Piesident of the I>ouisa County Medical So- 
 ciety for the present year (1888), of which he has 
 
 •P j m 4* 
 
♦ i r ^r 
 
 t 
 
 268 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 been a inemher man}- years. The Doctor has now 
 been practicing in Louisa County for over a quar- 
 ter of a century, during which time lie has acquired 
 an extensive and lucrative practice, and for many 
 3'ears has been at the head of Ills profession in the 
 county. 
 
 An excellent portrait of the Doctor will be found 
 on an accompanying page. 
 
 -^,'ARON DOAVNS HURLKY, an honored 
 m/UV pioneer of Louisa County of 1840, was 
 born near Urbana, Cliami)aign Co., Ohio, 
 on the 17th of July, 1817, and is the sec- 
 ond son of David and Elizabeth (Downs) Hurley. 
 His father was born in Kew Jersey, and his sketch 
 appears elsewhere in this volume. Our subject was 
 reared to agricultural pursuits, receiving his educa- 
 tion in the public scliools. He emigrated with his 
 parents and family to Iowa in September, 1840, and 
 located in what was then the township of Florence, 
 since changed to Wapello. Tlieir pioneer home 
 was situated on section 23, township 73 north, 
 range 3 west. Mr. Hurley engaged in farming and 
 stock-raising, and was married, May 7, 1848, to 
 Miss Sarah Drake, daughter of John and Mary 
 (Clark) Drake, pioneers of Louisa County, of Feb- 
 ruary, 1838. Mrs. Hurley was born in Sullivan 
 County, Ind., Nov. 5, 1826, and came with her 
 family, whose sketch appears elsewhere, to this 
 county in 1838, as above stated. 
 
 In the spring of 1 850 Mr. Hurley joined a party 
 of which his father-in-law, Mr. Drake, was a mem- 
 ber, and started overland for the gold fields of 
 California; traveling with ox-teams, they were five 
 and a half mouths on the road. Mr. Hurley was 
 engaged in mining until the summer of 1851, when 
 he returned to his home by way of the Isthmus and 
 New Orleans. His trip up the Mississippi River 
 was the worst part of his journey, as the chol- 
 era broke out on board of the steamer, which 
 was crowded with passengers, and many were 
 stricken down, dying within a few hours. The 
 dead were placed in rude boxes, and piled on the 
 hurricane deck until night, when the boat would be 
 run ashore, and the bodies buried. This was re- 
 
 peated day after day, and often those who were in 
 good health in the morning were buried the follow- 
 ing night. By good luck Mr. Hurley escaped 
 without contracting the dread dise.ise. On arriving 
 at his home he again resumed farming and stock- 
 raising, at which he was actively engaged until 
 1882, when, having built his tasty and commodious 
 residence in AVapcUo, he leased his farms, and 
 removed to that citj-. In addition to his valuable 
 and improved farms, aggregating over 700 acres of 
 land, Mr. Ilurle}' owns several lots and buildings 
 in the city of Wapello, In 1 887 he erected the fine 
 brick block at the northwest corner of Second and 
 Van Buren streets, which cost, including the lot, 
 $2,500. The first floor is leased for a general store, 
 while the ui>i)er floor is used for offices. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Hurley have been blessed with a 
 family of nine children, six sons and three daugh- 
 ters, six of whom are living at this date: David 
 L., the eldest, is a teacher and farmer; John Win- 
 field is engaged in the livery business at Wapello, 
 Iowa; William S. died in infancy; Aaron D. for- 
 merly operated a bank at Morning Sun, Iowa, al)out 
 a year and a half for Mr. Mark Davison, but is now 
 engaged in teaching in Denver, Col.; Mary Eliza- 
 beth died aged two years; Ed Kinsey is engaged 
 in farming, and has been a builder of iron bridges; 
 Charles D. died when five years of age, and Flor- 
 ence, the j-oungest, is a student. All were born in 
 Wapello Township, none are married, and all the 
 living are at home except Aaron D., who is at 
 Denver, Col. 
 
 Mr. Hurley was a AVhig in early life, but on the 
 disruption of that party he joined in the organiza- 
 tion of the Republican party, with which he has 
 since been associated. He has never sought or 
 desired public office, and is not strongly (jartisan in 
 his views, but is rather disposed to be independent. 
 While not affiliating with any particular religious 
 denomination. Mr. Hurley has always lived a tem- 
 perate, moral, upright and useful life. He h.as 
 always been a man of industrious habits, and possess- 
 ing su|)erior business ability and good judgment, 
 hiis prospered in his affairs until he is considered 
 one of the wealthy men of the county. While con- 
 servative in his methods he h.is also been progress- 
 ive, and in addition to the important improvements 
 
 t 
 
i 
 
 -^•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 2G9 
 
 he has aildcfl to the county on his farm, he has since 
 his lesidcncc in Wapello af'dcil materially bj' liis 
 enterprise to the beauty and growtii of the city. 
 Mr. Hurley has now been a resident of Louisa 
 County for over forty-eight years, almost half a 
 centur}-. During the early years of his residence 
 here lie knew nearly every man in the county, being 
 in 1844 elected County Surveyor, and serving sev- 
 eral years, thus bringing him in contact with people 
 in all sections of the county. He was always readj- 
 to aid and encourage the newcomers who were los- 
 ing hope through home-sickuess or temporary 
 embarrassment, and to many among the old settlers 
 this brief sketch will revive pleasant memories of 
 the days of pioneer times. 
 
 ' ^ - cj ^ *— 
 
 -J- 
 
 EV. UICHARD IIUGIIE.S, a resident of Co- 
 lumbus City Township, was born in Carmar- 
 thenshire, South Wales, May 8,1825, and is 
 ^^a son of Rev. David and Ann (Davis) 
 Hughes, who were also natives of the same county. 
 Mrs. Hughes was a daughter of Kev. Richard Davis, 
 a noted minister of Wales. Our subject received 
 his education in his native land, and was mostly in- 
 structed in the study of the ministry by his father. 
 In August, 1858, he was ordained bj' the Welsh 
 Calvinistic Church, an<l his first charge was over 
 three churches, Llangendeule, Llandyviolog and 
 Bankycapel, of which he remained pastor for ten 
 years. At the end of that time he left his native 
 land and emigrated to America in May, 1870, and 
 took charge of two churches in Le .Sueur Count}', 
 Minn., where he remained for f(jur years. Receiv- 
 ing a call from the church in Columbus Cit^', he 
 there began his pastoral duties in Ma^, 1874, con- 
 tinuing his cf)nnection with the .Salem Church for 
 ten years, when he entered upon the work of the 
 Bethel Churcli in Columbus City Township. For 
 twenty-two j-«ars he engaged in preaching the Gos- 
 ])el in Wales, where he was highly appreciated, and 
 in connection with the church work of his congre- 
 gation in Louisa CViunty he is President of the 
 Welsh Calvinistic Missionary .Society of America, 
 and .Superintendent of the Welsh Missions west of 
 the Mississi|)pi River. lie has traveled extensively 
 
 in the West in the performance of his duties, and 
 has done effective work in that line. 
 
 On the 21st of May, 1847, Rev. Huglies was 
 united in marriage with Miss Sarah Rees, a native 
 of Carmarthenshire, Wales, and who is a daughter of 
 William Rees, also of that country. To them have 
 been born a family of nine children: William 11., a 
 commercial traveler, residing at Columbus Junction ; 
 Ann, wife of Thomas J. Jones, of Cl.iy County, 
 Iowa; David R.. a resident farmer of Columbus 
 City Township; Mary, wife of William R. Jones, 
 who is engaged in fanning in Le Sueur County, 
 Minn.; Elizal)eth, a teacher, residing at home; Rich- 
 ard J., who has charge of the home farm; Rachel 
 and Sarah are also both teachers; and Ebenezer, a 
 printer, is emploj-ed in Emporia, Kan. 
 
 Mr. Hughes owns a small farm of ninety-three 
 acres of land. He is a strong advocate of prohibi- 
 tion principles, and by his influence and labors has 
 aided the temperance work since his tenth year. 
 Politically, he is a Republican, and takes great in- 
 terest in political and public affairs. He has reared 
 a family of children who are now all Christian men 
 and women, and are an honor to his name. His 
 life has been devoted to church work. His earnest 
 efforts in the cause of right have done much toward 
 bettering the condition of the world, and his own 
 life, as far as it is possible to make it, is an example 
 of the cause which he advocates. His Christian in- 
 fluence is felt throughout the community, where he 
 is universall}' beloved and respected. 
 
 •^^^ 
 
 ^^=-^REDERlCK GA.ST, a miller of Grand View, 
 
 Pji and a prominent citizen of Louisa County, 
 is a native of German}-, born in 1816. His 
 parents, Christopher and Mary (IJIshop) Gast, were 
 also natives of tliat country. lie received his edu- 
 cation in his native land, and during his youth 
 learned the trade of a millwright. Thinking that 
 the New World would furnish a better field for his 
 future labors, in 1 850 he set sail for America. After 
 reaching the United States he worked at his trade 
 for four years in the State of New York. Coming 
 to Louisa County, Iowa, in 1855, he settled in the 
 village of Grand View, where he worked at the car- 
 
 -^^ 
 
270 
 
 .t 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 penter's trade for eight years, but in 1863 aban- 
 doned tiiat occupation and purchased a farm. This 
 land, which was situated on section 14, Grand View 
 Townsliip, he greatly improved, making it his home 
 until 1879, when once more he became a resident 
 of the village, and has made it his home continu- 
 ously since. At that time he purchased the mill, 
 which, with the aid of his son Herman, he still 
 operates. 
 
 In 1842, before leaving Germany, Mr. Gast was 
 united in marriage with Emclia Stoke, who is a 
 daughter of Adam and Mary Stoke, also natives of 
 Germany. Four children have been born of their 
 union: Emeline, whoilied in infancy; Augusta, who 
 became the wife of Zacharias Manheart; Herman, 
 who wedded Sarah Steinman; and Henrietta, who 
 married David Young, and was the mother of five 
 children, but her death occurred Dec. 27, 1876, at 
 the age of twenty-nine years. 
 
 Mr. Gast and his entire family are members of 
 the Congregational Church. He has ever been an 
 active worker in his Master's cause, and for many 
 years was a teacher in the Sunday-school. A quiet, 
 unassuming man, though one wlio has the best in- 
 terests of tlie community at lieart, he is liighlj' re- 
 spected and esteemed b3' his fellow-citizens. 
 
 ~<iac^©-^-'-^^^'«fsW)OT>- 
 
 (^--?AIBA KREMER, a prominent and represent- 
 /i/ ative farmer of Louisa County, Iowa, resid- 
 /mL=^ ing on section 14, Columbus City Township, 
 was born in Luzerne County, Pa., April 15. 1819, 
 and is a son of Peter and Marg.iret (Smith) Kremer, 
 the father a native of New Jersey, and the mother 
 of Pennsylvania. 'J'hey were the parents of eleven 
 children, six sons and five daughters: Amelia, born 
 Nov. 21, 1808, is the wife of Jlr. Sleppy, a farmer 
 of Marshall County, Kan.; Eliza, born Oct. 25, 
 1812, is now Mrs. Wright, and resides in Minnesota; 
 Martha, born Oct. 21, 181,"), is the widow of Robert 
 Colts, and also resides in Minnesota; Rebecca, now 
 living in Arkans.is, is tiie widow of James Jackson; 
 George, born Sept. 20, 1804, died June 16, 1858, 
 in Pennsylvania; Jacob, born Feb. 12, 1806, died 
 in Louisa County. June 7, 18G7; Augustus, born 
 Nov. 4, 1810, died June 11, 1879: William and 
 
 Edward (twins), born May 7, 1821, in Luzerne 
 County, Pa., are both now deceased, William dying 
 Oct. 23, 1865, and Edward April 9, 1873, at Pitts- 
 burgh, Pa. ; Mary, born April 9, 1825, died Aug. 21, 
 1842. The parents of these children both died in 
 Luzerne County, Pa., the father July 10, 1834, and 
 the mother Dec. 3, 1841. She was a member of the 
 Metliodist Episcopal Church, and a sincere Chris- 
 tian woman. Mr. Kremer voted with the Demo- 
 cratic part3', and took great interest in political 
 affairs. 
 
 The subject of this sketch attended the common 
 schools of his native county, and, as did the other 
 boys of the family, learned the tanner's trade from 
 his father. They had atanyard in Luzerne Count}', 
 and for thirty' years he was its manager. Following 
 that occupation until 1865, Mr. Kremer then sold 
 out the business, and in 1869 came to Louisa 
 Counlj', where he has since continued to reside. 
 On the 31st of December, 1842, he was united in 
 marriage, becoming the husband of Miss Isabella 
 Fairchild, who was born in Luzerne County, Pa., 
 June 16, 1825, and is a daughter of Solomon Fair- 
 child. Nine children have been born of this union, 
 all born in Luzerne County, and eight are yet liv- 
 ing: Drusilla, born Aug. 30, 1843, is the wife of 
 G. B. Stewart, a meclianic and locomotive engineer; 
 Alzina M., born Nov. 16, 1845, wedded E. W. Tad- 
 lock, of Wapello, Iowa; Cynthia E.,boru Sept. 18, 
 1847, is the wife of A. J. Louder, a resident 
 of Wilkesboro, Pa.; Violetta M.. born Dec. 31, 
 1849, is the wife of C. P. Woodruff; Philena M., 
 born Nov. 3, 1851, wedded Monroe Woodruff, a 
 farmer of Monroe County, Iowa; Malona U., born 
 July 7, 1855, is the widow of Henry Adye; Alice 
 F. died in infancy, in 1857; Eva, born June 11, 
 1859, is the wife of Dr. W. J. Woodruff, who is 
 living in Webb City, Mo.; Virginia, born Oct. 4, 
 1864, is the wife of Frank Peters, a farmer of 
 Anselmo, Neb. 
 
 In 1867 Mr. Kremer made his first purchase of 
 land in Louisa County, consisting of eighty acres 
 on section 14, Columbus City Township, since 
 which time he has given his attention to farming 
 and raising of small fruits, in both of which lines of 
 business he has been quite successful, and by his 
 ecojioniy and industry has secured an ample com- 
 
 
■<- 
 
 -*H|--* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 271 
 
 T 
 
 lietency for declining age. In 1834 he united 
 with the Metiiodist Episcopal Ciiurch, during a re- 
 vival in Pennsylvania, .iiul in 1837 liis wife became 
 a member of the same denomination. I''or over 
 half a century they have devoted their lives to the 
 cause of their blaster, and have always siijjportcd, 
 both by inlluencc and money, the advancement of 
 religious work in the community in which they re- 
 side. Mr. Kremer has held all the different olHecs 
 of the churih; for twenty years he was Recording 
 Steward of the Wyoming Conference in Pennsyl- 
 vania, and is at i)resent Class- Leader and Steward of 
 the church in which he now has his membership- 
 He is also prominent in the promotion of the tem- 
 perance reform, and .ns a citizen is held in universal 
 esteem. 
 
 JL. KENT, a farmer of Louisa County, Iowa, 
 residing on section 3, Port Louisa Town- 
 ship, came to Wapello, Iowa, with his par- 
 ents in 1848. His father, Amos Kent, was 
 a native of New Jersey and a shoemaker by trade. 
 He emigrated to Licking County, Ohio, where he 
 resided for six or eight years, working at his trade, 
 and then in 1848 became a resident of Wapello, 
 Louisa County, where he engaged at shoemaking 
 until his death, which occurred Aug. 21, 1873, when 
 seventy-one years of age. His wife still survives 
 him. and is now residing in California. They 
 reared a faniil}- of eigh.t children, three of whom 
 are still living: Nancy, wife of R. M. Beach, of 
 Los Angeles, Cal. ; J. L., the subject of this sketch; 
 John G., a shoemaker, now residing in Grand 
 View. 
 
 Our subject learned the shoemaker's trade with 
 his father, and remained a resident of Wapello from 
 1848 until Marcii, 18.74, when with his parents he 
 removed to Grand View. He lived there until 
 April, 18C1, when, responding to the country's first 
 call for volunteers, he enlisted in the 1st Iowa In- 
 fantry for three-months service. When his term 
 expired he returned to Louisa County, where he 
 reniaiucd one year, and then went to Newark, N. J., 
 on a visit. While in that State he again enlisted 
 in the late war, becoming a member of the 13th 
 New Jersey Infantry in 1804, and served until 
 
 peace was declared. He participated in the battles 
 of Wilson's Creek and Bentonville, and numerous 
 skirmishes, and w.as with Sherman on his famous 
 march to the sea. 
 
 Returning to Grand View in November, 1805, 
 Mr. Kent then engaged at his trade of shoemaking 
 for about three years, when in 18G8 he purcluised 
 sixty acres of land on section 3, Port Louisa Town- 
 ship, where he has resided continuously since, hav- 
 ing added to his possessions until he is now the 
 owner of 120 acres, which are finely cultivated and 
 highly improved. 
 
 In the month of .June, 1868, the marriage of J. 
 L. Kent and Loretta J. Blanck, a native of Louisa 
 Count}', was celebrated. Mrs. Kent is a daughter 
 of William Blanck, one of the pioneers of the 
 count}'. Three children have been born of their 
 union — Carrie S., Nettie and Belle, all of whom are 
 3'et at home. Socially, Mr. Kent is a member of 
 the G. A. R. Post, while politically, he is a supporter 
 of the Republican part}'. He has held various 
 school ofHces, and is now serving his third term as 
 Justice of the Peace. He is a man who takes an 
 active interest in public affairs, and is one of the 
 leading men of Port Louisa Township. 
 
 -i^^t^^Qj^-'^^ 
 
 ENRY P. MAY, an eaily settler and leading 
 farmer of Columbus City Township, resid- 
 ing on section 2.5, is a native of Montgom- 
 ery County, Ind., and a son of Sleiilien au<l 
 Malinda (Harper) iSLiy. In 1832 he emigrated to 
 Clark County, 111., with his parents, where he re- 
 sided for ten years, and then came to Louisa County, 
 in 1842. He was reared on his father's farm in Co- 
 lumbus City Township, received his education in 
 the common schools, and was married in Louisa 
 County, on the 13th of December, 18,55, becoming 
 the husband of Miss Lydia Jeffries, daughter of 
 Mifflin Jeffries. Mrs. JL-iy is a native of Fayette 
 County, Pa., and eight chihlren were born of their 
 union, five sons and three daughters: Nealy, the 
 eldest, died Oct. 27, 1873; Hermie married Miss 
 Clara Platter, and lives in Columbus City Town- 
 ship; Eva is the wife of W. L. Ayrcs, of Columbus 
 Junction; Clara wedded Charles Whitney, of Co- 
 
 
■^^ 
 
 272 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY, 
 
 ,t 
 
 liimbusCit3'; Florence is at home; Ernest rlied Aug. 
 27, 1887; John and Lester are yet at home with 
 their parents. 
 
 Mr. Maj- has a well-improved farm of eighty 
 acres adjoining Columbus City, five acres of which 
 are planteil in nursery stock, including large and 
 small fruit, shade and ornamental trees. He has 
 carried on the nursery- business at this place for the 
 past thirty j'ears, under the name of the Columbus 
 Nursery of Columbus Cit}', H. P. May, proprietor. 
 Mr. May has made his home at his present place of 
 residence since 18G6. lie is independent in politics, 
 and devotes his undivided attention to farming and 
 horticulture. 
 
 -^ 
 
 JOHN L. MERRILL, a merchant of Columbus 
 .lunction, Iowa, was born at Lisbon, Grafton 
 Co, N. H., March 11, 1831, and his parents 
 were Peter and Hannah (Locke) Merrill. 
 His father was born in Vermont, and was of English 
 descent, while his mother, who was a native of New 
 Hampshire, was a lineal descendant of the historic 
 family of that name of the original Plj'mouth 
 Colonj', her ancestors having come from England 
 to America in 1636. 
 
 Mr. Merrill's parents removed to the town of 
 Craftsbur^-, Orleans Co., Yt., where he w.is reared 
 on a farm, and on the loth of October, 1855, at Al- 
 bany, Vt., he was united in marriage with Miss 
 Alice M. Might, a daughter of John N. Hight, who 
 was a native of that city. Mr. Merrill and his 
 young bride left for the Weston their wedding day, 
 and came to Columbus City Township, Louisa 
 County, locating upon a farm which he had made a 
 trip to i)urc'liasc the previous spring, and prei)ared 
 for their reception. 'I'hey conlinueil to make that 
 their home for many years, and there five children 
 were born to them, one son and four daughters, all 
 living with the exce()tion of one daughter: Flora. 
 the eldest, is the wife of Theodore Iiimmclreich,and 
 lives on the old homestead; Emma L. died in Feb- 
 ruar}^ 18C4, aged three and a half years; Willie A. 
 is engaged with his father in the store; Nettie E. 
 and Ida A. are with tiieir parents. 
 
 Mr. Merrill continued farming until the autumn 
 
 of 1873, when, having been elected County Treas- 
 urer, he entereil upon the duties of his office Jan. 
 1, 1874, serving two years. On the 16th of June 
 of the following year, he moved his family to Co- 
 lumbus Junction, where he h.as since resided, and in 
 April, 1879, embarked in his present business, deal- 
 ing in groceries, provisions and queensware, though 
 still retaining his ownership of the farm. In addi- 
 tion to his official service as County Treasurer, he 
 has held various minor offices, such as that of mem- 
 ber of the Town Council, and of the School Board, 
 of which he has served as President for several 
 j-ears. Mr. 3Ierrill also owns a third interest in the 
 JMarsden Horse Company. His farm in Columbus 
 Citj' Township contains 130 acres, while he has 
 twentj'-two lots where he resides, and two lots at 
 his place of business. His mother died in the East, 
 and his father afterward marrying, came to Co- 
 lumljus City Township, where his death occurred 
 Oct. 8, 1864. Four of his sons were soldiers of the 
 late war, one of whom gave his life in defense of 
 the Union. 
 
 Mr. Merrill is a Republican in politics, and a mem- 
 ber of Columbus Junction Lodge No. 10, A. O. 
 U. W. He is one of the prominent businessmen of 
 Columbus Junction, and is highly respected through- 
 out Louisa County. 
 
 -v^ 
 
 ^-^=^^i;Hit?<-^^^ 
 
 |t-^ENRY HIMMELREICH, a leading farmer 
 '~l residing on section 29, Columbus Cit}' Town- 
 ship, is a native of Union County, Pa., where 
 he was born Jan. 1, 1823, and is a son of 
 George and Sarah (Stener) Himmelteich, whose 
 birthplace was also in thatState. When he was twelve 
 years of age his parents removed to Wayne Count}', 
 Ohio, where the death of the father occurred in 
 18G9; the mother, who was a member of the Lu- 
 theran Church, having been called to her final home 
 several years before. 
 
 Henry was reared upon a farm and received his 
 education at the district schools. Being the eldest 
 of the family the management of the farm devolved 
 upon him, and he remained at home until twenty- 
 five years of age. In 1844 he was united in mar- 
 riage with Eilith Sigafoos, a native of Ohio, born in 
 1^ 
 
-4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 •*^ 
 
 273 
 
 V 
 
 Holmes County, and a daugliler of Frederick Siga- 
 foos. The young couple began their doniestic life 
 upon a I'entod farm, where they resided until 1853, 
 and then migrated to Louisa County, Iowa, purchas- 
 ing a farm on section 29,Colunal)us City Township, 
 consisting of 120 acres. This hind was in a wild, 
 unbroken state, but Mr. Ilininielreich iniinediately 
 began its cultivation, and to-day has one of the 
 finest farms of the township. 
 
 The union of this worthy couple was blessed with 
 a family of nine children: George W., who died in 
 childhood; Emma (deceased), wife of John Mc- 
 Culley, who is a resident of this county; Charit}-, 
 who is a successful teacher of the county, resides 
 with her parents; Khodie died at the age of twentj'- 
 two; Wdliam died when eighteen years of age; 
 Pleasant Ann, who departed this life at the age of 
 twenty; Cora, wife of R. O. Johnston, a resident 
 farmer of Columbus City Township, and John F., 
 who died at the age of twenty-four, while in Da- 
 kota. The mother of this family was also called to 
 her final home, June 15, 1886, at the age of fifty- 
 eight years. She w.is a devoted member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, a kind and affection- 
 ate wife and mother, and a most estimable lady. 
 
 Mr. Himmelreich has held various township of- 
 fices, and in his political views is a Democrat. One 
 of the self-made men of the county, who has gained 
 a comfortable competency by his own enterprise and 
 good management, he is held in high esteem b}^ his 
 fellow-citizens, and is one of Louisa County's most 
 enterprising farmers. 
 
 J^fOHN S. LIMBOCKER, one of the leading 
 fanners and stock-raisers of Louisa County, 
 residing on section 9, Columbus Citj' Town- 
 ship, was born in Jackson County, Ind., Jan. 
 19. 1834, and is a son of Alfred Limbocker. This 
 is the only family of this name in the United States, 
 the name having originated in Germany where the 
 ancestors lived. John was about eleven years of 
 age when he came to Iowa. His early education 
 had been received in his native county', where he 
 and his father made a wagon, in which they maile 
 
 the trip to Iowa. Reaching the Mississippi River, 
 they crossed on a ferry at the then village of Hur- 
 lington, this being their first introduction to the 
 State. Continuing their journey u!itil they reached 
 Louisa County, our subject began working upon the 
 farm which his father had rented from \V. W. 
 Garner, and in the county finished his education in 
 the district schools. Since his arrival, lie has not 
 only witnessed but has been a participant in the de- 
 velopment which has transformed the wild, unbroken 
 and uncultivated land iiit(j farms of fertility and 
 great richness, for which the great State of Iowa, 
 now ranking the eleventh in poiJuhition, and second 
 to none in agricultural products, is noted. 
 
 On the 10th of March, 1858, Mr. Limbocker 
 wedded Miss Amanda Fish, who was born April 2, 
 1839, in Henry County, Ind., and is a daughter of 
 Tilman Fish. Her mother died when she was a 
 small child. They are the parents of eight children ; 
 Anna, wife of W. A. Henderson, a druggist of Clar- 
 inda, Iowa; Eva, widow of N. F. Windal, now re- 
 sides in Clay County, Tex.; Carrie, Harry, Ella, 
 Lee and Clyde Herman, all at home ; and one child 
 died in 18G4. 
 
 In 1865 Mr. Limbocker bought a farm of 120 
 acres in Columbus City Township, and at once be- 
 gan its improvement. His early farming life in 
 this county was spent in breaking the wild prairie 
 land, and as he was the eldest son, the management 
 of the Limbocker estate was largely' left in his care 
 and judgment. For about twenty-five years he h.as 
 run a threshing-machine in the fall, and he bought 
 and shipped the first separator in this section of the 
 count}'. In 1884 he sold his first purchase of land, 
 and bought 160 acres on section 9, Columbus City 
 Township, where he has one of the most linel}' im- 
 proved farms of the county. His buildings have 
 all been designed by himself, and are models of 
 convenience and comfort. His home is a nive 
 story and a half frame residence. His barn is 28x 
 48 feet, and the stock tu be found upon his farm is 
 all of tlic best grades. 
 
 In his earl}' life Mr. Limbocker was a Whig, but 
 ui)on the organization of the Re|jul>lican party, he 
 identified himself with that body, and has ever 
 since been an ardent sujiporter of its principles. 
 He and his wife are both membci°s of the Methodist 
 
4= 
 
 4*- 
 
 274 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Episcopal Church. The name of Limbocker is one 
 honored and respected tiiroughout the county, and 
 the old home of tiie familj^ was always the abiding- 
 place of the Methodist Episcopal ministers when 
 traveling their circuit in that community. 
 
 -" " ' I ' S ' ff; * ! * !" — - 
 
 hA ^^^^^ ^- LIMBOCKKR, who is engaged 
 ///ill '" general farming and stock-raising on 
 ll 1^ section 9, Columbus City Township, is one 
 v of the leading and enterjirising young men 
 
 of Louisa County, where he was born Oct. 9, 1849. 
 His birth occurred on the old homestead, of which 
 he owns a part, and which was located by his father, 
 Alfred Lirabocker, whose sketch appears on another 
 page of this work. Tiie early education of our sub- 
 ject was received in the district schools of his na- 
 tive township, he afterward attending the schools 
 of Columbus Cit}', and subsequently took a three- 
 years course in the Iowa Weslej'an University of 
 Mt. Pleasant. He entered that instiUition with tiie 
 intention of taking a full classical course, but on 
 account of failing health was compelled to abandon 
 his studies, so, leaving the school-room, he spent the 
 following year in travel through the Slates of Kan- 
 sas and Missouri. Returning to the old iioniestcad 
 in 1 809, lie there followed farming for several 3'oars, 
 but in 1875 sold his stock and went to Southeastern 
 Kansas, where he engaged in buying and shipping 
 cattle. Once more he returned to the old farm, 
 coming back in 1877. 
 
 The following j'ear Mr. Limbocker was united 
 in marriage with Miss Dora Buflington, who was 
 born in Lucas Count3', Iowa, Aug. 10, 1863, and is 
 a daughter of Philip and Delilah (Lumbeck) Buf- 
 fington, who are residents of Elm Grove Township. 
 By their union an interesting family of four children 
 have been born — Alfred N., Ethel D., Lizzie B. and 
 Mabel. In the fall of 1879 Mr. Limbocker entered 
 into partnership with his father in farming and 
 stock-raising, which connection continued until the 
 death of the latter in 1882. By his father's will he 
 was appointed executor of the cslale, which was 
 settled satisfactorily to all, and the old homestead 
 being sohl, he bought back 320 acres of it, upon 
 which he has continued to reside since 1882. He 
 
 turned his attention to the raising of pedigreed 
 Short-horn cattle, of which he now makes a spe- 
 cialty, and intends to devote all his energies to the 
 breeding of fine stock. Being a practical farmer 
 and stock-raiser, and a man of good business abil- 
 ity, we predict success for him in this enterprise. 
 As a citizen, none ranks higher, and several times he 
 has been honored by the residents of the township 
 by being jilaccd in official position. For man^ 
 3'ears he has been one of the Townsliip Trustees, and 
 has always taken a deep interest in that which per- 
 tains to the advancement of tiie community. He 
 has been a lifelong supporter of the principles of 
 the Republican part}', and although not a member 
 of any church, gives liberally to the support of re- 
 ligious institutions, and believes in the doctrines 
 taught b}' the Methodist Episcopal Church. So- 
 ciallj', he is a member of the A. F. <fe A. M., belong- 
 ing to Royal Arch Chapter, of Columbus Junction. 
 His home is situated on the old mail route, which 
 extended from Burlington to Iowa Cit}', which 
 was then the Slate capital. Mr. Limbocker is a man 
 of more than ordinary ability, and whatever enter-, 
 prise or work he turns his attention to is sure to be 
 successful, if unceasing labor and the energy which 
 characterizes his every action can accomplish suc- 
 cess. 
 
 AMILTON BROWN, Sk., now deceased, one 
 of the pioneers of Louisa Count}', was born 
 in Ireland, and there resided until his tenth 
 year, when, with his iiarents, he left his na- 
 tive land and came to America, locating in Preble 
 County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood. He 
 there formed the acquaintance of Miss Sarah Ram- 
 sey, who was born in the Buckeye State, and who 
 afterward became his wife. He entered land in 
 Preble Count}', cut down the trees, cleared away 
 the brush, plowed the ground, jilanted his crops, 
 and in the midst of the dense wilderness developed 
 one of the first farms in that region. Making liis 
 home in Preble County until 1840, lie then came 
 with his family to Louisa County, locating on sec- 
 tion 32, Morning Sun Township, where he made his 
 home for forty-two years. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Brown was born a family of 
 
-<^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 277 
 
 fifteen children: John mid .I;mu'S, botli now de- 
 ceased; Kliza, wife of Juliii Steriolt. of Morning 
 Sun Townsliip; Robert, wlio died at the early age 
 of two year.s; Tiionias. wlio enlisted in the 1st luwa 
 Battery, and died from disease contracted while in 
 tiie service; llannaii. wife of David P"erris, of Bur- 
 lington, Iowa; Mary A., wife of Thomas R. AVil- 
 son ; Martha, the deceased wife of .lohn McCaw; 
 Nancy, who is single; J.anies, a resideiit of Polk 
 County, Neb.; IClla, the deceased wife of Josiah 
 Ferris; ,Margaret, who died in infancy; Frances, 
 wife of Isaiah Ferris, wiio is living in Des Moines 
 County; William, a resident of Morning Sun, and 
 I'reston, now dece.ased. 
 
 In early life Mr. and Mrs. Brown were members 
 of the old-school Presbyterian Church, but in later 
 years joined the United Presbyterians. Thej' were 
 always active in church work, and he served as 
 Ruling Klder for many years. Mis death occurred 
 April 21, IMiSS, and his wife departed this life 
 March 31, 1884. He was a man of sound judg- 
 ment, unswerving integritj', and was well posted in 
 the affairs of the country. 
 
 ON. LEWIS A. REILEY, of Wapello, Iowa, 
 '^ "i prominent member of the Louisa County 
 
 bar, and the present Representative of the 
 Twenty-second District, was born in- Holmes 
 County, Ohio, March 1, 184.i, and is a son of 
 James and Ann (Hague) Reile}-. His father w.as 
 born in Fayette County, Pa., March 26. 1805, of 
 Irish descent, and was married to Miss Ann Hague, 
 Jan. 24, 1827. Mrs. Reiley was also born in Fay- 
 ette Count}', Pa., and was descended from Scotch 
 ancestry. They lemoved to Holmes County, Ohio, 
 in 18:J'J, and from there to Louisa County, Iowa, in 
 1853. They were the parents of ten children, four 
 sons aid six daiig4iters. of whom three sons and 
 four daughters arc now living. Air. Reiley was 
 engaged in farming until his death, which occurred 
 April 2, 1855. His wife survived him several 
 years, her death occurring in 18C8. 
 
 Lewis A. was reared on his father's farm, receiv- 
 ing his primary education at the 'district scIkkjIs. 
 At twelve years of age he entered the Columbus 
 <■ 
 
 City High School, which ho attended four 3'ears, 
 after wiiich he spent two years at home in the man- 
 agement of the farm, am! siil)sequently attendeil 
 school a short time at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. He 
 next took a business course at Eastman's Com- 
 mercial College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and was 
 graduated in the class of '05. He then enterecl 
 Knox College, at (ialesl)urg. III., where he took a 
 two-years scientific course, at the close of which he 
 returned to Iowa and engaged in teaching school. 
 In 18()1) Mr. Reiley was elected Count}' Superin- 
 dent of Schools, and entered upon a course of legal 
 studies as he found leisure from official dut}'. He 
 subsequently read l;iw with the Hon. D. N. Sprague, 
 of Wapello, then serving as District Attorney. Mr. 
 Reile}' was admitted to the bar in April, 1871, and 
 at once formed a law partnership with his i)receptor, 
 Mr. Sprague, which connection continued until 
 1879, since which time he has been alone in prac- 
 tice. 
 
 In Louisa County, Iowa, April 24, 1872, Mr. 
 Reiley was united in marriage with Miss Carrie L. 
 Newell, a daughter of Robert F. Newell, and a na- 
 tive of Concord Township, this county. Her father 
 was born in Holmes County. Ohio, ami settled in 
 Concord Township in 18,'5!). Mr. and Mrs. Reiley 
 have one child, a son, Robert Leroy, born at \\':\- 
 pello, Feb. 21, 1873. 
 
 Mr. Reilej' is an earnest Republican in politics, 
 and a Universalist in religious belief. He was 
 elected Representative to the Iowa Legislature from 
 the Twenty-second District in 1885. was re-elected 
 in 1887, and is now serving his second term. He 
 has proved an able and useful re()reseiitative, and 
 has won prominence by his course in the case of 
 the im|)eachmont trial of State Auditor ,101111 L. 
 Brown, and as the author of the present Grand 
 Jury law of the State. He framed the law and 
 engineered its passage, under which the Legisla- 
 ture organized as a court of impeachment in the 
 John L. Brown trial, of which the expen.^c to the 
 State was reduced $34,000. The bill had tiie phe- 
 nomenal record of having passed both Houses, and 
 received the signature of the (lovcrnor within 
 twent3'-six hours of its presentation in the Lower 
 House. The present (ilrand Jury law, which was 
 framed by Mr. Reiley, has proved a wonderful iin- 
 
 ■» 
 
 i 
 
«► i r^ 
 
 278 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 provement on the former sj'stem, and has been of 
 marked benefit to both the courts and the people, 
 saving upward of ^00,000 annuallj-. Mr. Reilej- is 
 an able lawyer, and is conceded to be entitled to rank 
 among the leading members of the Iowa bar. He 
 is a 32d degree M.nson, a member of Wapello Lodge 
 No. 5. A. F. & A. M.; of St. Omer Commandery, of 
 Burlington, and of DeMolay Consistory, of Lyonsj 
 Iowa. 
 
 A portrait of Mr. Keilcy appears in connection 
 with this sketch. 
 
 j^ADOK .TARVIS. deceased. In recording the 
 sketch uf Mr. Jarvis we furnish an item of 
 interest to the readers of the Album, not 
 only of this generation, but of coming generations, 
 he being one of tiie most prominent pioneers of 
 Louisa Count}-. He was born in Rowan Count}', N- 
 C, Dec. 28, 1809, but when he was twelve years of 
 age the family removed to Union Count}', Ind.. 
 making that their home until 1847, when they 
 removed to Louisa County, Iowa. In 1832 Mr. 
 Jarvis went to Cass County, Mich., and while in 
 that county was united in marriage with Jane Gard- 
 ner, a native of IMiftlin County, Pa., and a daugh- 
 ter of Hugh ami Mary (Mcl-'adden) Gardner, the 
 mother a native of Pennsylvania, and the father of 
 Ireland. The marriage of Mr. Jarvis and Miss 
 Gardner was celebrated in 1836, and the following 
 year he brought his young wife to Louisa County, 
 Iowa, locating on the west side of Virginia Grove, 
 on what is now section 22, Morning Sun Township, 
 the present owner being Hugh Gardner. There 
 they began in earnest life's work, subjected to all 
 the hardshiiis and inconveniences, trials au<l priv.a- 
 tions of pioneer life. After eight years of happy 
 married life the wife was called to her final rest, 
 Feb. (5, 1844. She was the mother of five chil- 
 dren, only two of whom are now living: Mrs. 
 James N. Chapman, of Morning Sun Township, and 
 Mrs. J. T. Gawthrop, of Burlington. In 1847 Mr. 
 Jarvis was again married, Charlotte Sp.afford be- 
 coming his wife. She is a daughter of Orlin .Spaf- 
 ford, one of the early aiul respected settlers of the 
 county. Of the six children born of the second 
 
 marri.age four are still living, three sons and one 
 daughter: Margaret L., now Mrs. John Wood, of 
 Nebraska; John R. and Leander M., of Morning 
 Sun, and Edward E.. supposed to be in Kans.as. 
 
 In many respects Mr. Jarvis was a remarkable 
 man. Deprived of the advantages of acquiring 
 even a common-school education, he yet had been 
 endowed by nature with superior judgment and 
 considerable talent. As a business man he devel- 
 oped splendid executive abilities, which were every- 
 where recognized, and his wise counsel was sought 
 for by his neighbors far and near. Always generous 
 to a fault, the home of this plain and honest man 
 was for years in the early history of the county the 
 abode of genr.ine hospitality. Sterling integrity 
 was another of his striking cliaracleristics, his word 
 being as good as his bond, and although through 
 business entanglements with others he suffered 
 financial misfortune, his honor and his good name 
 through all the varying scenes of a busy life ever 
 remained unstained, and in him one could see a 
 fulfillment of the "noblest work of God — an honest 
 man." Mr. J.arvis was always a Democrat, firmly 
 clinging to his political convictions, yet cheerfully 
 acceding to others the right of opinion, a trait pre- 
 cious on .account of its scarcity in this age of parti- 
 san bitterness. 
 
 In 1870 Mr. Jarvis united with the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, and lived a consistent member 
 of that, body until his death, which occurred June 
 24, 1886. When the news of the death of this good 
 old man became known, while not unexpected, a 
 feeling of universal sorrow was manifested on every 
 h.and. His long-cDntinued illness, with his old age, 
 gave his friends little hope for any other result, 
 though everything that medical skill coidd cm))loy 
 or loving hands provide was brought into requisi- 
 tion for his relief, but it was evident that the sands 
 of life had about run out. He fell peacefully 
 asleep, and without an ai)parent struggle his spirit 
 passed to Him Who gave it. In his death the county 
 lost one of her best and truest citizens. None 
 knew him but to love him, for his many acts of 
 kindness shown to those in distress, need or sorrow, 
 could not but win the hearts of all. Although sur- 
 rounded by trials and diHicullies, he always over- 
 came every obstacle and came out conqueror in the 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 
 ^79 
 
 end. On his arrival in tiiis county he had ^.303 in 
 money witli liim. Leaving iiis family in tlieir tent 
 a siiort distance above Wapello, he started out on 
 foot to find a suitable location, and staid all night 
 upon the farm that he purchased. He took his 
 money with him, and after paying for the claim liad 
 but ^'.i left. B^' the time the trade was completed 
 night came on, and not wishing to return to his 
 familj'. a distance of ten miles on foot, he accepted 
 the invitation to stay all night with the man from 
 whom he had bought the land. During the night 
 while asleep he was robbed of the §3. lie always 
 supposed his host was the thief. 
 
 In after years Mr. Jarvis accumulated consider- 
 able property, but he was often heard to remark 
 that the happiest daj-s of his life were spent in the 
 old log cabin, when the children would make the 
 old house ring with their merry shouts and laughter, 
 and when the friends and neighbors lived for one 
 another. But as "time and tide wait for no man," 
 the old pioneers one by one are passing away, and 
 only a few of the honored ones of forty or fifty 
 years ago are left to tell the story of the trials and 
 hardships of the early du^s of pioneer life of Louisa 
 Pount}-. 
 
 ^,, NDREW DUNCAN, deceased, an iionorcd 
 (^^1 pioneer of Louisa Countj'. Iowa, was born 
 ill Washington County, Tenn., March 9, 
 17S7. His parents were of Scotch-Irish 
 descent and were strict Presb3'terians. He was 
 reared to agricultural pursuits, and removed to 
 Blount County, Tenn., at an earl3- day. IMr. Dun- 
 can was twice married, his first wife being Miss 
 Wallace, by whom he had one son, .Joseph, who 
 moved to Missouri, and there died some years ago. 
 He was subsequently- united in marriage to Miss 
 Margaret Alexander, a daughter of Francis Alex- 
 ander, and a native of Tennessee. Mrs. Duncan's 
 ancestors were from Scotland, and her birth occurred 
 Nov. IG, 1809. Eleven children were born to Mr. 
 and Mrs. Duncan, four sons and seven daughters: 
 Janet, the widow of William Allen, resides in Wash- 
 ington County, Iowa; Eliza w.is the wife of .Sam- 
 uel Edmondson, and both are now deceased; Mary 
 
 A. wedded James Harmon, now living in Columbus 
 City, Iowa; Francis A. was twice married, his first 
 wife being Miss Mary A. Shaw, and his present 
 wife Miss Ella Easton; he has served in the Assem- 
 bly and Senate of the Iowa Legislature, is a farmer 
 by occupation, and resides at Columbus Junction. 
 (See his sketch elsewhere in this work). James A. 
 married Miss jMelinda Duncan, and resides in Co- 
 lumbus Citj" Township; Margaret was the wife of 
 Calvin Ritchie, and both are now dead ; Nancy is 
 the wife of Thomas Baird, of Wayne County, Iowa; 
 Lucinda wedded Frank Moore, of Columbus City 
 Township; Russell married Miss Catherine Johnson, 
 and resides in Wayne County, Iowa; Lovinia was 
 the wife of James Atchison, but is now deceased; 
 Samuel married Miss Mary Duncan ; he was a soldier 
 of the late war, being a member of Company (J, 
 11th lotva Infantry, and resides in Wayne County, 
 Iowa. 
 
 Mr. Duncan was engaged ia faiining in Tennessee 
 until 1844, when, in company with his wife and chil- 
 dren, he emigrated from their Tennessee home to 
 Iowa. Several of his daughters were married at 
 the time, and their families, together with a few 
 friends, made up quite a colony. Their manner of 
 conveyance was by flatboat down the Tennessee 
 River to the Ohio, thence to the Mississippi, wliere 
 they took a steamer for their destination. They 
 landed at Port Louisa, Iowa, on a dark, rainy night, 
 the 13th of April, 1844. The river was swollen by 
 the spring freshets, and a landing was effected witii 
 considerable dilliculty and great discomfort. On 
 reaching shore, they found that there was not suffi- 
 cient house room at the |)ort to accommodate their 
 part}' and protect their goods. A temporary shelter 
 for the latter was made of loose boards, and the 
 party crowded themselves into the limited space 
 afforded them. ]\Ir. Duncan and family uft'ected a 
 settlement at Columbus City, Louisa County, where 
 they spent the first year of tlieir settlement in luwa, 
 but the following spring moved to their claiins on 
 sections 33 and 34, of that township. Each ineiiiliri- 
 of the little colonj' who was legally qiialilicd niadf 
 a claim and secured a home. A few of the oliler 
 ones and many of the descendants of otiiers aiv still 
 residents of Louisa Countv. 
 
 Mr. Duncan was a man of great [iliysical power 
 
 =t 
 
■► i r^ 
 
 280 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 anri inental force, positive in his convictions and 
 strict in his religious views. He was a consistent 
 member of theSeceders' Church of the Presbyterian 
 denomination, and was earnest and liberal in the 
 support of that societj'. Politically, he was an old- 
 line Whig in early life and of strong anti-slavery 
 convictions. His hostility- to that institution was 
 a priinar}- cause of his removal with his family from 
 a slave-holding to a free State. His death occurred 
 June 22, 1849. His good wife departed this life 
 Jan. 30, 1852. He was a man of sterling qualities, 
 upright and conscientiously just in all the relations 
 of life, and enjoyed the respect of all with whom 
 he came in contact. As time rolls on, this brief 
 sketch will serve to perpetuate the memory of the 
 founder of the Duncan family in Louisa C'ount3-, 
 and will grow in interest among his descendants 
 with advancing years. 
 
 s^'^ AMUEL CRAIGKR, a retired farmer now 
 residing on section 12, Oakland Township, 
 was born in New Jersey in 1826, and was 
 the fourth in a f.aniily of seven children, 
 who were born to Jacob and Elizabeth (Acor) 
 Craiger, the father a native of New Jersej', and the 
 mother of Pennsylvania. Jacob Craiger was a 
 shoemaker by trade, and in 1848 left his native 
 State, removing to Peoria County, 111., settling in 
 F^lmwood Township, where he engaged in farming. 
 He there bought a partly improved farm, and im- 
 mediately began its cultivation, making it his home 
 until his death, which occurred in 1870, at the age 
 of seventy-nine years. His wife, the mother of our 
 subject, died in 1862, when seventy-two years of 
 age. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood upon a farm, and 
 under the instructions of his father learned the 
 shoemaker's trade. In the spring of ISoS became 
 to Louisa County, Iowa, and the following fall en- 
 tered 240 acres of land. Man}' improvements have 
 since been made, the farm is now highly cultivated, 
 and comprises 450 acres. This lanil he now rents, 
 • as he has retired from active life. It is pleasantly 
 situated about three-fourths of a mile from Cones- 
 ville, and eight miles frtun Columbus Junction. 
 
 Mr. Craiger takes great interest in political affairs, 
 and votes with the Democratic party. He has 
 never been an office-seeker, but twice was elected 
 and served as Road Commissioner. He lias wit- 
 nessed manj- changes since his arrival in the count}', 
 has seen the wild prairies transformed into beauti- 
 ful homes and farms, and the iron track of the lo- 
 comotive take the place of the Indian trail. Mr. 
 Craiger lias always remained single, and his perma- 
 nent home is on section 12, Oakland Township. 
 
 JAMES TV. MORGAN, M. D., a popular phy- 
 I sician of Columbus City, is a native of Wales, 
 I and was born at Merthj'r T^'dvil, April 22, 
 ' 1854. His parents. John and Jane (Jones) 
 Morgan, were also natives of Wales, and emigrated 
 to America in 1858, settling near Mineral Point, 
 Wis., where our subject lost his mother in 1860. 
 After her death the family- went to Galva, 111., and 
 in 1863 removed to Louisa Count}', Iowa, settling 
 in Columbus Citj' Township, where the father still 
 resides, and is engaged in farming. 
 
 Our subject received his primary educntii>n in the 
 High School of Columbus City, and later took an 
 academic course of two 3'ears at the Iowa State Uni- 
 versit}'. Desiring to become a ph3sician, he entered 
 upon the study of medicine at the .State Medical Col- 
 lege of Indianapolis, Ind., where he attendeil one 
 course of lectures and then entered the .Stale ftledi- 
 cal College of Iowa, being graduated at Keokuk in 
 the class of '84. On receiving his degree he began 
 the practice of his ])rofessinn at Columbus City, 
 which he has continued with marked success to this 
 date. In the spring of 1886 Dr. Morgan purch.ised 
 tiie drug business of Dr. A. B. McCandless, at Co- 
 lumbus Cit}', which he conducts with the assistance 
 of an experienced clerk. He has the only drug- 
 store in the city, and is doing a good business in 
 that line in addition to his extensive practice. 
 
 On the oth of July, 1873, at Columbus City, Dr. 
 Morgan was united in marriage willi Miss Jerusha 
 Donaldson, a daughter of Amziantl Aluiira Donald- 
 son. She w'as born in Columbus City Township, 
 where her parents, who were most highly respected, 
 had settled in 1843. IJoth are now deceased. To 
 
 -<»■ 
 
••»- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 281 ' ^ 
 
 the Doctor and his excellent wife have been born 
 two daughters. Ruth and Mabel, though the elder 
 died in infancy. In religious sentiment tlie parents 
 are Baptists, and belong to the churiuh of tiiat de- 
 nomination in Columbus City. In his political 
 opinions he is a Republican, and has .alwaj's voted 
 in support of that party. While comparatively 
 young in his profession, he has deservedly won a 
 foremost place among the able physicians and sur- 
 geons of the county-. 
 
 ®|,S<^2rB>.-'vvv» 
 
 -nnn.-ttierf^iS' 
 
 JOHN A. BROWN, a furniture dealer of 
 Morning Sun, Iowa, was born in Preble 
 County, Ohio, .lul3' 1, 1>H28, and is a son of 
 Nathan and Elizabeth (Mitchell) Brown, the 
 former a native of South Carolina, and the latter 
 of Kentuckj'. The paternal grandfather, James 
 Brown, was born in South Carolina, but at an earl}' 
 da3' left the South on account of slavery, not wish- 
 ing to rear his children under its influence. In 
 1808 he emigrated to Preble Count}', Ohio, where 
 he was one of the first settlers, and at the breaking 
 out of tlie War of 1812 enlisted and served with 
 honor until its close. 
 
 The parents of our subject reared a familj' of 
 eight children: Elizabeth, the wife of Hon. James 
 Thompson, who died in Monmouth, 111. ; Rev. Mitch- 
 ell M., a minister of the United Presbyterian Church, 
 of New Wilmington, Pa.; Mary J., wife of Dr. 
 Graham, a resident of Morning Sun; Rev. James 
 R., a minister of the Presbyterian Church, now lo- 
 cated at Emerson, Neb. ; John A., of this sketch; 
 , Julia A., wife of Rev. Nelson Norton, a ministerof 
 the Prosl)yterian Churcii ; Rev. Nathan H., a min- 
 ister of the United Presbyterian Church, of Coin, 
 Page Co., Iowa; William C, who is engaged in the 
 intelligence oflice of Burlington. In early life the 
 father of these cliildren was a Whig. He was among 
 the first of Preble County, Ohio, to espouse the 
 cause of the slave, and many he assisted on their 
 way to freedom, his house being a station of what 
 was known a-s the " underground railroad." In 1854 
 he emigrated to Warren County, 111., where his wife 
 died in 1859, and after her death he came to Louisa 
 County, where he p:issed the remainder of his days. 
 
 dying in 1882, at the advanced age of ninety-three. 
 Both Mr. and Mrs. Brown werti lifelong members 
 of the United Presbyterian Church, and were highly 
 respected people wherever they resided. 
 
 Our subject grew to maiiiiood upon a farm, re- 
 ceiving his education in tiie con)mon scliuols. and 
 in 1.SJ4 was married, becoming the luisliand of 
 Margaret L. Stewart, a daughter of Joseph Stewart, 
 of Preble Count}', Ohio. Soon after their marriage 
 the J'oung couple came to Iowa, locating in the 
 northern part of Des Moines County, and in 1856 
 came to Morning Sun, where Mr. Brown embarked 
 in the mercantile business, which he continued for 
 about seven years. In 1863 he was appointed 
 Deputy Sheriff under Mv. McCltirken, serving two 
 3'ears, and after the expiration of the Sheriff's term 
 of service he received an appointment as deputy un- 
 der B. F. Coe, who w.as County Treasurer. In 18G7 
 he was elected County Recorder, re-elected in 1869, 
 and served four years, performing his duties with 
 promptness and fidelit}'. He was next appointed 
 Deput}' Treasurer under John L. Merrill, and in 
 1877 removed to Morning Sun, wiiere he has since 
 been engaged in the furniture business. B}' fair 
 dealing and his efforts to please his customers he 
 has built up a line trade, which he well deserves. 
 He and his wife are members of the United Pres- 
 byterian Church, and they have one child living, 
 Frank M., a grocer, of Morning Sun, Iowa. 
 
 E MICHAEL, a prominent farmer of Louisa 
 County, residing on section 6, Port Louisa 
 Township, was born in Dauphin Count}', 
 Pa., in 1839. To his parents, Jacob and F^lizabeth 
 (Straw) Michael, natives of Pennsylvania, were born 
 ten children, of whom our subject was the seventh 
 in order of birth. Jacob Mich.ael followed the oc- 
 cupation of weaving in his native State, and there 
 remained until his death, which occurred in 1875. 
 His excellent wife survived him for about nine 
 years. The boyhooil days of our subject were spent 
 upon his father's farm and in attendance at the dis- 
 trict schools of Pennsylvania. In 1859 he went to 
 Indiana, settling in Steuben Count}', and there re- 
 mained until 1862, when he went to Coldwater, and 
 
 i' 
 
 • ^^m ■^» 
 
u 
 
 ••► 
 
 282 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 enlisted in December, 1862. for three years' service, 
 becoming a member of Conipanj' I, 9tli Micliigan 
 Cavalr3'. He was there mustered into service, after 
 which he marched to tiie front and participated in 
 the siege of Knoxville. Tenn., the Morgan raid, 
 the battles of Chattanooga and Atlanta, the siege 
 of Savannah, and was with Sherman on the famous 
 march to the sea. He was also engaged in the 
 Carolina campaign, being discharged at Raleigh, 
 Aug. 2.5. 1865. 
 
 After receiving his disciiarge Mr. Michael re- 
 turned to Jackson, Mich., where he was eng.«iged at 
 working on a farm in Branch Couiit3'. In 1866 he 
 removed to Louisa Couiitj', Iowa, where he again 
 worked on a farm for about eighteen months. In 
 1868 his inarri.ige was celebrated in Louisa County, 
 Miss Anna Schneider becoming his wife. She is a 
 native of Iowa, and a daughter of Jacob and Lydia 
 (Zimmerman) Schneider, the father a native of 
 Germany, and the mother of Pennsylvania. They 
 came to Louisa County in 1837, being among the 
 earliest settlers of Grand View Township. Mrs. 
 Schneider died some years ago, and Mr. Schneider 
 now rcsiiles in Grand View Township on the old 
 homestead. 
 
 After liis marriage Mr. Michael settled upon a 
 farm near Letts, which he had purchased a short 
 time previously. After making that his home for 
 seven years he sold it, and became the owner of 
 348 acres on section 6, Port Louisa Township, 
 ■which were' partially improved. He immediately 
 began the improvement of the land, which is now 
 finel}' cultivated, and upon which a good barn and 
 three farm residences have been erected. The farm 
 is stocked with a high grade of Durham and PoUed- 
 Angus cattle, and also the favorablj- known JCor- 
 man and Clyde horses. Everything about the pKace 
 denotes his thrift and industry, showing him to 
 be u lirst-class farmer. In his political views Mr. 
 Michael is a Uepuldican, and though not an office- 
 seeker has been elected to the position of Road 
 Supervisor. Socially, he is a member of the G. A. 
 R., Duddredge Post, at Grand View, Iowa, and 
 both he and his wife belong to the Kvangolical 
 Church. Services are conducted at their home 
 every two weeks, and Sundaj- -school every Sundaj'. 
 Mr. Michael Uikes an active part in all church work, 
 
 assists in supporting both the German and Evan- 
 gelical Churches, serves as .Steward, and has been 
 Superintendent of the Sunday-school for five years. 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Michael there have been born 
 seven children, five of whom are living: Clara, now 
 Mrs. Connor, resides in Port Louisa Township; 
 Minnie, Lilly, Ly<lia and Zola are all attending 
 school. Those deceased are Jacob, the second 
 child, who died in September, 1879. at the age of 
 eight years, four months and nine da3-s; and Pearl, 
 the youngest, who died in Januarj', 188G.aged four 
 years and fifteen days. Mr. Michael and his fam- 
 ily are ple.isanll}' situated about seven miles from 
 Wapello jind thirteen miles from Muscatine. 
 
 jb^' '^-•j^l^^i^rt^ 
 
 \T OMN K. JOIIKSTON, deceased, was a native 
 II of Tennessee, born Nov. 29, 1829, and a son 
 ll of Francis H. and Jane (Ferguson) Johnston, 
 j^^) who were also natives of Tennessee. Their 
 marri.age was celebrated in Madisonville, March 9, 
 Q_825^ and in 1855 the}' came to Louisa County, set- 
 tling near Columbus Cit}-, where they passed the 
 remainder of their lives. The mother was a mem- 
 ber of the Uniteil Presbyterian Church. 
 
 Our subject was reared to farm life, grew to man- 
 hood in his niitive State, and in 1H54 came to this 
 county and bought a farm in Columbus City Town- 
 ship. On the 17th of March, 1858, he led to the 
 marriage altar ]\Iis6 Margaret A. Orr, a native of 
 Tennessee, in which Slate her ]iarents, Samuel F. and 
 Jane P. (Henderson) Orr, were also born. They 
 came to this county in 1843, locating near Colum- 
 bus City, Mr. Orr purchasing a farm, upon which 
 he made his home until his death, which occurred 
 in October, 1864, at the age of fifty-four years. He 
 was a wagon-maker by tr.ide. but engaged in farm- 
 ing after his emigration to this county. Mrs. Orr 
 still survives her husband, and resides in Washing- 
 ton, Iowa. They were members of the Seceder 
 Church. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Johnston were the parents of nine 
 children, all of whom are yet living: Francis H., 
 a resident farmer of Columbus City Township; 
 Charles N.. who has the management of the home 
 farm ; Armina, James R., Carrie M., Jennie A., 
 
 •^tr^ 
 
 f 
 
I 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 283 
 
 Chester L., Thomas A. and Blanche. On the 14th 
 of November, 1886, the death of Mr. Johnston oc- 
 curred, when fiftj-'Seven years of age. Public- 
 spirited, and a man of inllueiiee and kindliness of 
 heart, his death wjis severely felt, not only by the 
 family, but by a large circle of friends. At the 
 time of his death he wjis the owner of 230 acres of 
 land, wiiicli he had gained by his own efforts. He 
 was a devoted member of the United Presbyterian 
 Church, took an active interest in the church work, 
 and was ever ready to aid in the advancement of 
 the cause of education. He was alw.ays well in- 
 formed on all questions of the da}-, both State and 
 National; also took great interest in local affairs. 
 Politically, he was a Republican. 
 
 ^ 
 
 I 
 
 ENRY C. BLAKE, deceased, was one of the 
 honored pioneers of Louisa Countj', born in. 
 Muskingum Count}', Ohio, July 11, 1819, 
 and was a son of Nehemiah and Elizabeth 
 (Pagett) Blake. His father was a soldier in the 
 War of 1812, and was at the surrender of Hull; he 
 also participated in the late Rebellion, enlisting in 
 the old '*Graybeard" regiment of Iowa, He had 
 previously become a resident of this State, having 
 located in Louisa Count}' in 1.S47, where his <leath 
 occurred on the 28th of March, 187G. Mrs. Blake 
 departed this life when Henry was but a small 
 child, and he was reared by Judge Chamberlain, a 
 relative of the family, residing in Cattaraugus 
 County, N. Y.. where he received a liberal educa- 
 tion. He subsequently returned to Ohio, locating 
 in Preble County, where he became acquainted 
 with and married Miss Ann Wilson, their union 
 being celebrated May 18, 1843. She is a daughter 
 of Daniel and Catherine (Rock) Wilson, natives of 
 South Carolina. Her parents being opposed to 
 slavery, and not wishing to rear a family under the 
 influences of that institution, emigrated to Ohio 
 about 1821. They were the parents of nine chil- 
 dren, seven of whom are still living: Mary A., 
 widow of H. C. Blake, of this sketch ; John R., of 
 Louisa County; IJavid S.. a resident of Preble 
 County, Ohio; William, whose home is in Louisa 
 County, Iowa; Rosanna, wife of A. P. Pa.xton, of 
 
 Preble County, Ohio; Thomas, who is residing in 
 Warren County, Iowa, and Sarah, who wedded J. 
 M. Lee, of Furnas County, Neb. Mr. Wilson's 
 death occurred in 1845, his wife surviving him 
 until 1877. She was a member of the Covenanter 
 Church, and both were highly respected people. 
 
 Henry C. Blake migrated to Morning Sun, Iowa, 
 in 1845, and purchased a farm north of the village. 
 On the 2d of June, 18t;i, he enlisted in Company 
 C, 1st Iowa Cavalry, participated in several en- 
 gagements, and served for three years, when he was 
 honorably discharged, at Davenport. Iowa, Sept. 9, 
 1864. He was a brave, true soldier, and could 
 always be' found at his post. After being mustered 
 out of service he returned to his family in Morning 
 Sun, broken down in health, which he never again 
 recovered, his death occurring Ai)ril 9, 1876. He 
 was honored and revered by his comrades, who 
 named the organization of the Grand Army Post 
 in Morning Sun for him and his father. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Blake were the parents of three 
 children: William E., now an attorney-at-law, of 
 the firm of Newman & Blake, of Burlington, Iowa; 
 Wilson W., editor of the Two l{e2^ublics. of the 
 City of Mexico, and Melville E., an attorney-at- 
 law, also of the above-named firm. Henry C. Blake 
 was an honored pioneer, an enterprising citizen, a 
 consistent Christian, and was liighly respected. His 
 widow still resides at Morning Sun, where she has 
 many warm friends. 
 
 ellARLES ALBERT CARPENTER, attor- 
 ney-at-law, of Columbus Junction, Iowa, is 
 a native of Louisa County, and was born in 
 Oakland Township, Jan. 12, 1804. His parents are 
 Cyril and Calista E. (Stickney) Carpenter, the 
 father being one of the pioneer settlers of Lc)uisa 
 County of 1840, and the mother a native of this 
 county, her family having settled in Port Louisa 
 Township in 1839. 
 
 Albert w.as educated in the Iowa State Univer- 
 sit}', being graduated from the law deiiartment of 
 that institution in the class of '84, and h.as since 
 Oct 1, 1885, practiced liis profession at Columbus 
 Junction. On the 22d of September, 1885, he was 
 
 f 
 
■^•■ 
 
 J84 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 united in marriage witii Sliss Grace A. Wolverton, 
 a (laughter of Joseph Wolvorton. and two children 
 have been born of their union. Marj- M. and Calista, 
 both liorn at Cohinibus Junction. ISIr. Carpenter 
 is the present City Attornej' of that place, and is a 
 Republican in politics. 
 
 _j^<^ii^^. 
 ^^,^<i^ 
 
 
 kEVI WILLIT.S MYERS, of the firm of L. W. 
 it O. P. Myers, editors and publishers of the 
 Wapello llepuhlican. a Republican weekly 
 journal of Wapello, is a native of Indiana and was 
 born in AVayne County. July 1.5, 1830. His par- 
 ents were Col. Andrew and Mary (Lloyd) Myers, of 
 Pennsylvania. Col. Andrew Myers was born in 
 Northumberland County, Pa., June 11,1796, and 
 died in 1883. He was a farmer by occupation. and 
 received the title of Colonel Lhrough his connection 
 with the militia. Possess^ing a martial spirit, he took 
 great pleasure in miliUiry affairs, being instrumental 
 in organizing and equipping a regiment of militia 
 in Mercer County. III., of which he was commissioned 
 Colonel. The paternal sid« of the f.imily.of which 
 our subject is a member, isundoubtedly of German 
 origin, but the first settlement of the family in 
 America is of so remote a date that the i)re.seut 
 members have no authentic account of it. On the 
 mother's side, as the name indicates, the family was 
 of Welsh origin, but that is also several generations 
 remote. 
 
 Mr. L. W. Myers removed with his parents to 
 Mercer County, 111., in 183G, when he was but a 
 child, and when that country was just being opened 
 to civilization. He was reared on a farm and re- 
 ceived his primary education at the district schools, 
 though later in life he atttended Knox College at 
 Galesburg, III., but left that institution before com- 
 pleting the course. In 1853 he bought an interest 
 in the Golden Aije, a journal of New Boston, and 
 learned the printer's trade in that office. He con- 
 tinued to publish the Golden Age until the fall of 
 1 8.56, when he sold out, going to New York City, 
 where he entered upon a course of study for the 
 medical profession at the llygien TheraiK-utic Col- 
 lege of that city, and was graduated in the spring 
 
 of 1857. Returning to New Boston, 111., Mr. Mj'ci-s 
 there engaged in practice until the Presidential 
 campaign of 1860. when he took an active i)art in 
 polities as a Republican. On the breaking out of 
 the war he became a newspaper correspondent, 
 writing for the St. Louis Globe Democrat, and for 
 certain Cincinnati and New York pajjcrs. In June, 
 1862, be went to Cairo as war correspondent for the 
 associated press, but in the fall of 186.3 he resigned 
 that position to .accept the position of financial and 
 commercial editor of the Daily Dispatch of Ht. Louis, 
 which place he held until the fall of 1865, when he 
 resigned. In A]n-\\ of the following year he came 
 to Wapello and i)urcl)ased an interest in the Rejmh- 
 licaii, which he has continued to publish to this 
 date, having his son, O. P. INIyers, associated with 
 him since 1885. 
 
 On the 8th of June, 1854, at New Boston, 
 Mercer Co., 111., the marriage of Mr. Mayers and 
 Miss Rosetla C. Prentiss was celebrated. Mrs. 
 Mj'ers was born in Meigs County, Oliio, Aug. 21, 
 1830, and is a daughter of Stanton Prentiss. They 
 have had two children, a son and a daughter: the 
 daughter Flora died in infancy; the son. Oak Pren- 
 tiss, was born at St. Louis, Mo., March 18, 1864, 
 was educated at Wapello, learned the printer's trade 
 in his father's otlice at Wapello, and was admitted 
 to partnership in 1885. He was married in this city, 
 Dec. 7, 1886, to Miss Alice Bcane, daughter of V. 
 B. Beane, the present County Recorder. Mrs. 
 Myers was born in Dauphin Count\', Pa., and one 
 child graced then- union, a son, Mj'ron Kendig, born 
 a£ AYapello, Iowa. 
 
 L. W. Myers w.as a Whig in early life, and hav- 
 ing strong anti-slavery opinions, he was among the 
 first to join in the organization of the Rciiublican 
 party, of which the main plank was that which ex- 
 pressed opposition to the extension of slavery. He 
 was a delegate to the convention of 1856 at Bloom- 
 ington, 111., where the part}' was organized in tiiat 
 State, and was a colleague of Abraham Lincoln, 
 Owen Lovejo}', Richard Yates and John Wentworth 
 on that momentous occasion. lie has taken an act- 
 ive part in political matters ever since, and has 
 done good service in the cause of the Republican 
 part}'. In 1888 Mr. Myers was chosen a delegate 
 alternate to the Republican National Convention at 
 
 •T 
 
fe 
 
 (^^. ^^iy^^.1^ 
 
4^ 
 
 -■►Hh-^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 287 
 
 Chicago, where Harrison and Morton were nomin- 
 ated, and at the Iowa State Convention following 
 was chosen Klector for the First District. In the 
 siimnicr of 1888 Mr. Slyers made a cruise over the 
 Northern Pacific Railroad to Oregon and AVashing- 
 ton Territor}-, visiting British Coluiuhia in his trav- 
 els, and llie chief points of attraction in that region. 
 His letters descri|)tive of the country, wliich were 
 l)ulilislie<l in the Wapello liepublkan, were inter- 
 esting and instructive. Mr. Myers is an easy writer, 
 and possesses literary abilitj* of a su|)crior ordei'. 
 As a citizen he is justly held in high esteem for his 
 many excellencies of character. His son, on whom 
 the business of the office devolves, is a young man 
 of superior ability and bright promise. 
 
 M. GARRKTT. a prominent stock-dealer 
 Louisa County, Iowa, was born in Con- 
 
 cord Township in 1857, and now resides 
 on section .35. He was the eldest in a fam- 
 ily of four children born to liartou and Elizabeth 
 (Finley) (iarrett, the father a native of Kentucky, 
 and the mother of Ohio. In about the year 1 854 
 the parents emigrated to Louisa Count3% Iowa, lo- 
 cating in Concord Township, where Mr. Garrett is 
 still engaged in farming. His wife died in 1870, 
 at the age of thirty-four years. 
 
 The primary education of our subject was re- 
 ceived in the district schools of Louisa County, 
 supplemented by a course in the graded schools of 
 Letts. He wjis reared to farm life» and in 1879, in 
 INIuscatine County, was united in marriage with 
 Laura .S. Dill, who was born in this county, and is 
 a daughter of Solomon and Klizabeth Jane (Fowler) 
 Dill, who were born in Ohio, and who came to 
 Louisa County in 1854. Her father w.as one of the 
 prominent physicians of the count}', and his death 
 occurred in 1883, at the age of lifty-seven years, 
 nine months and seventeen days. His excellent 
 wife departed this life in 18C9, at the age of thirty- 
 four j'ears. 
 
 The 3'oung couple began their domestic life upon 
 a farm in Concord Township, and to them have 
 been born an interesting family of three children : 
 Jacob Bertram, Elizabeth Jane and Augusta May, 
 
 the two elder children now attending school in the 
 Washington district. 
 
 Mr. Garrett is one of the most extensive stock- 
 buj-ers of Louisa County, buying and selling 
 throughout the State. He feeds about 100 head of 
 cattle annually, atid is a member of the note<l firm 
 of Garrett I'.ros., who also deal quite extensively 
 in grain at Letts. In connection with his brother 
 he purchased the fine farm of 380 acres to which he 
 removed in 18H2. It is now highly improved, and 
 a fine creek which (lows through it furnishes an 
 abundant supply of water for the stock. The 
 energy which characterizes all his actions has also 
 made his present business a success, and he is now 
 one of the well-to-do farmers of the county. Mr. 
 Garrett generally voles with the Greenback part}', 
 though he has never taken an active part in political 
 affairs. Socially, he is a Freemason, a member of 
 Triangular Lodge No. 231, at Letts, and also of 
 Composite Chapter No. 17, of Columbus Junction. 
 He and his wife are members of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, at Fredonia, and none hold a 
 higher social position or are more esteemed than 
 they. On the opposite page will be found a por- 
 trait of Mr. Garrett. 
 
 WILLIAM ANWYL, a farmer of Columbus 
 City Tc)wnship, residing on sectit)n 34, is 
 one of the early settlers, and was born ni 
 the North of AVales in 1835. His parents, Evan 
 and Elizabeth (Owens) Anwyl, were also natives of 
 AVales. In 1852, with their family, they left their 
 native land and emigrated to America, locating first 
 in the Slate of New York, where they m.ade their 
 home until the fall of 1853, when they removed to 
 Louisa County, Iowa, locating in Columbus City 
 Township, on the county line between this and 
 Washington County. They were the parents of 
 four children, William, oursubject, being the eldest; 
 Thomas, who is now engaged in farming c>n the old 
 homestead; Margaret, wife of D. N. Jone^, who is 
 living in Columbus City Township; and Mary, wife 
 of Evan Morgan, a farmer of Columbus Cit}' Town- 
 ship. 
 
 The boyhood d.ays of our subject were spent 
 
 f 
 
288 
 
 =4 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 upon a farm in his native land, and in 1852 he 
 emigrated to this country witii his parents. In the 
 autumn of 1859 he was united in marriage with 
 Miss Mar}- Griflith, a native of Wales, and a daugh- 
 ter of Arthur Griffith. By their union two children 
 have been born: Edward G., who is now traveling 
 salesman for a firm in Davenport, Iowa, and Mar- 
 garet K., at home. 
 
 In 1868 Mr. Anwyl made his first purchase of 
 land in this county, consisting of sixty acres on sec- 
 tion 34 of Columbus City Township, where he still 
 makes his home. He and his wife are members of 
 the Congregational Church, and in his political 
 views he is a supporter of the Republican party. 
 Since 1853, with the exception of a trip to the 
 mountains, where be remained for six months, Mr- 
 Anwyl has resided continuously in Louisa Count}', 
 and during that time has witnessed its many great 
 changes. 
 
 It'" 
 
 fAN BUREN BEANE, Recorder of Louisa 
 County, Iowa, is a native of Maryland, and 
 was born in Washington Count}', Dec. 4, 
 1834, his parents being Thomas and Elizabeth (Ri- 
 denour) Beane, the fatiier a native of Franklin 
 County. Pa., of English descent, and the mother 
 also of Pennsylvania, descended from German an- 
 cestors. Her death occurred in 1852, and Mr. 
 Beane departed this life in 1876, at the age of 
 sixty -seven years. In 1853 our subject removed 
 with his father to Lancaster County, Pa., where he 
 was employed on his father's farm, and also at- 
 tended the i)ublie schools. He began teaching in 
 1855, and subsequently attended the State Normal 
 School at Millersville. Pa. He pursued the voca- 
 tion of teacher in Pennsylvania, principally at 
 Miildletown, Daupliin County, and was married at 
 that place, in October, 18G2, to Miss Elizabeth Ken- 
 dig, daughter of Martin Kendig, and a native of 
 Middletown. Nine childien were born of their 
 union, four sons and five daughters, of whom seven 
 are living: Horace is with C. M. Wright, an at- 
 torney and pension agent of Wapello; Alice is the 
 wife of O. P. Myers, of the Wapello liepubJican ; 
 Kendig is engaged .as a clerk in Burlington; Harriet 
 is a teacher; Van Buren, Jr., is a printer by trade; 
 
 Cora and America are at home. Two children 
 died in infancy. 
 
 Mr. Beane continued to reside at Middletown, 
 Pa., until 1871, when he removed to Columbus 
 City, Louisa Co., Iowa, where he was employed in 
 teaching, and was also engaged in the grocery busi- 
 ness. He was chosen to various local offices, and 
 remained in business at Columbus City until he was 
 elected Recorder for Louisa County in the fall of 
 1884, when he sold out and removed to Wapello, 
 where he has since resided. Mr. Beane was re- 
 elected Recorder in tlie fall of 1886, and was again 
 re-elected in November, 1888; he is now serving his 
 fourth year in that office, and will commence on 
 his third term Jan. 1, 1889. He is a Republican 
 in politics, and has always supported that party 
 since its organization. 
 
 In the discharge of official duty Mr. Beane is 
 methodical and exact, and has proved an efficient 
 and accommodating officer. As a citizen, he is es- 
 teemed for his upriglit character and courteous 
 manner. Mrs. Beane and secon<l daughter are 
 members of the Presbyterian Church, of Wapello, 
 and the eldest daugliter is a member of the Chris- 
 tian Church at Columbus City. Mr. Beane at- 
 tends the Presbyterian Church regularly, and has 
 been active in Suud.ay-school work, both in Colum- 
 bus City and in Wapello. He was Superintendent 
 of the school at Columbus City for seven years, and 
 was Superintendent in Wapello for one year, then 
 declined to serve further in that cap.acity. He is 
 an Ancient Odd Fellow, having joined that order 
 at Middletown, Pa., iu 1867, and has been a mem- 
 ber of the Knights of Pythias, Liberty Lodge No. 
 22, of Columbus Junction, since 1873. 
 
 ^AMES K. BLAIU, one of the leading busi. 
 ness men of Clifton, Iowa, is a native of 
 Tennessee, born in 1846, and is a son of 
 William T. and .Sarah A. (Duncan) Blair, the 
 father a native of Loudon County, Tenn., and the 
 mother of Washington County. The family came 
 to Louisa County in 1852, settling near Columbus 
 City. The father was a farmer by occupation, and 
 was a man highly respected in the community 
 
'4- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 289 
 
 where lie resided. His death occurred in 1875. 
 Tlie mother still survives her husband, and is now 
 living in Columbus Junction. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm, and received 
 his education in the common schools. In 1868 he 
 led to the marriage altar Miss Mary Ogier, who was 
 born in Ohio, and is a daughter of Thomas Ogier, 
 a native of tliat State. They are now the parents 
 of three children: Thomas, Blanche and James, .all 
 yet at home. Mrs. Blair is a member of the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church. Fraternally, Mr. Blair is a 
 member of the A. F. & A. M., while politically, he 
 is a Democrat. In 1885 he established himself 
 in the mercantile business at Clifton, forming a 
 partnership with E. W. Kelley. The business is 
 now in a flourishing condition, the gentlemen hav- 
 ing gained by their fair dealing and earnest desire 
 to please their customers, the entire confidence and 
 good-will of the community, and now receive a 
 liberal share of the patronage. In connection with 
 mercantile business, Mr. Blair has a farm of 160 
 acres in Washington County, lie is a go-ahead, 
 enter|)ri.sing citizen, alive to the interests of his 
 town and county, and active in the promotion of 
 its enterprises. He was one of the leaders in es- 
 tablishing the Clifton Creamery, an institution of 
 much worth to the farming community. He is 
 deservedl}' popular as a merchant and citizen, and 
 is universally respected by all who know him. 
 
 J AME.S H. WILSON, one of the pioneers of 
 Louisa Countj', Iowa, was born in New 
 York City, Julj' 24, 1815, and is the son of 
 
 I .Tolin and Margaret (Clyde) Wilson. Shortly 
 after his birth his parents moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., 
 where his mother died in 1810. lie was then taken 
 to Washington County, Pa., where he lived on a 
 farm with a family by the name of Toner until he 
 reached his tenth year, and there received most 
 of his education. In the fall of 1824 he accompa- 
 nied his father to Preble Count}', Ohio, where they 
 spent the winter. AVhile living there his father 
 married Miss Jane McMillen. Of their family of 
 five children but one is now living, Archibald, a 
 resident of Liberty, Ind. IMr. and Mrs. Wilson were 
 
 members of tlie Reformed Presbyterian Church. 
 The former departed this life in Louisa Count\', 
 Iowa, in 1856, and the latter died at Liberty, Ind., 
 some years later. 
 
 In the spring of 1825 the family settled in Union 
 County, Ind., where our subject grew to manhood. 
 In 1840 he came West for the purpose of looking 
 up a location, and being well pleased with Louisa 
 County he made a claim. Returning to Indiana he 
 again shorll}' afterward came to this county and 
 began brickmaking, manufacturing the first brick 
 in this county. On the 1st of June, 1843. he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Martha E. Miller, a 
 daughter of John Miller, who w.as a native of Penn- 
 sylvania. In the following spring Mr. Wilson 
 brought his young wife to the wilds of Iowa, where 
 he had made a claim of fort}' acres, on which he 
 built a brick house, being among the first that was 
 built in the county, and there he lived for forty- 
 two years. To the original forty acres he has since 
 added until he now has a fine farm of 207 acres, 
 most of which is under a high state of cultivation. 
 
 The union of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson has been 
 blessed with eight children: John W., of Talma, 
 Republic Co., Kan., was asoldier in the late Rebell- 
 ion, serving in the 19th Iowa Infantry; Mary E., 
 wife of George M. Simpson, of Cloud County, Kan. ; 
 Margaret J., wife of John J. Wilson, a soldier of 
 the late war, who died in 1875, is a resident of 
 Louisa Count}'; Cynthia E. is a graduate of Mon- 
 mouth College, Monmouth. 111. In 1875 she was 
 sent as a missionary to India, being appointed by 
 the church, and in August, 1 886, returned to her 
 old home, but again went back to her work Oct. 
 20, 1887. She has become familiar with the Hindoo 
 language, and is a te.acher among the native people 
 of India. George B. is a graduate of the commer- 
 cial department of Monmouth College, and is now 
 employed in a life insurance company, his head- 
 quarters being at Rock Island, 111.; William G. is 
 engaged in farming in this county; Rosanna T., 
 who was also educated in Monmouth College, is a 
 teacher in India, where she went in 1886; Charles 
 B. has charge of the old home farm. 
 
 Politically, Mr. Wilson is a Republican, being 
 well posted on all the affairs of the country, and no 
 man is a greater friend to education than he. Mr. 
 
 -•► 
 
t 
 
 290 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Wilson and his wife are members of the United 
 Presb3-terian Church, of Morning Sun, and have 
 always taken their part in the work and in keeping 
 up the expenses. Thej' came to this count}' with 
 nothing but a strong determination to succeed, but 
 immediately went to work, and bj- good manage- 
 ment have accumulated a comfortable competency, 
 and to-day are resting from their hard labor, living 
 a retired life in Morning Sun. 
 
 *t 
 
 JAMES N. CHAPMAN, one of the earliest 
 pioneers of Louisa County, Iowa, now resid- 
 ing on section 16, Morning Sun Township, 
 was boru in Hartford County, Conn., Aug. 
 •2'J, 1827, and is a son of Ambrose and Permelia 
 (Williams) Chapman, the father being a native of 
 Connecticut, and the mother of Ohio. James is de- 
 scended from the good old Revolutionary stock, 
 his paternal grandfather being one of the men who 
 so gallantly fought to free this countrj' from Brit- 
 ish tyranny. The family was originally from a 
 family of Chapraans, which settled in America in 
 Colonial days, and our subject was one of a family 
 of six children: Amaret, who became the wife of 
 William Farmer, and both are now deceased ; they 
 left a family of three children, the eldest of whom, 
 James, has m.ade his home with our subject for the 
 past twelve 5'ears. Elizabeth, who wedded Benja- 
 min Kellogg, and died about four months after her 
 marriage, in 1845; our subject was third in order 
 of birth; Daniel is engaged in farming in Concord 
 Township; George is a resident farmer of Johnson 
 County, Kiin. ; and John, who is also a farmer, lives 
 in Mornitig Sun Township. 
 
 In 1 835 the family removed from Connecticut to 
 Uichlaiid County. Ohio, settling in the town then 
 called Trucksville, now Ganges, Ohio. In that 
 town Ambrose Chapman followed blacksmithing 
 until 1839, when he moved with his family to Lee 
 Count}', Iowa, settling at Montrose, but the follow- 
 ing year returned East, settling in Jlercer County, 
 111., remaining there until the fall of the year 1847. 
 In that year the family removed to Lake County, 
 Iiid., where the father remained until his death, 
 which occurred in 1875 or 1870. He was a man 
 
 who took an active part in political affairs, and was 
 highly respected in the community where he re- 
 sided. His wife died in Mercer County, 111., in the 
 fall of 1845. 
 
 The early education of our subject was received 
 in the primitive school-house of pioneer days, one 
 built of logs and furnished with slab seats. He re- 
 mained at home with his parents upon the farm 
 until reaching his m.iturity. In 1848, deciding to 
 seek his fortune in the new State of Iowa, he settled 
 in Washington County, but soon afterward came 
 to Louisa County, and for one year worked upon 
 the farm of Zadok Jarvis for J9 per month. At the 
 time of his arrival in Louisa County his cash capi- 
 tal consisted of fifty cents, and his wardrobe of a 
 pocket handkerchief. Starting thus poorly in life, 
 he little by little increased his possessions. At the 
 end of two years he was able to purchase an outfit 
 for breaking [)rairie with five or six yoke of oxen, 
 and for six seasons he continued to break land for 
 the people in that community. Mr. Chapman was 
 the first man in that section to p.ay $100 for a yoke 
 of oxen, that being considered an exorbitant price 
 in those days. At that lime he was making his 
 home with Mr. Jarvis, who on hearing of the pur- 
 chase thought James had been cheated and felt very 
 sorry for him, but on seeing the team he offered 
 the price paid for them. 
 
 On the 1 1th of February, 1857, Mr. Chapman 
 was united in marriage with the daughter of his 
 former employer and friend, Mary J. Jarvis, who 
 was said to be the first female child born in Louisa 
 County, the date of her birth being Oct. 30, 1837. 
 This was when the county formed a part of the 
 Territory of Wisconsin, her father having located 
 in this section in 1837. He was one of the honor- 
 able, upright men, who aided largely in the devel- 
 opment of the county, and his m.any noble acts and 
 deeds will long be remembered by his friends and 
 their posterity. 
 
 Previous to his marriage Mr. Chapman had en- 
 tereil eighty acres of land in Louisa and the same 
 amount in Hardin County, but later sold them, and 
 in 1856 purchased 220 acres on sections 16 and 17, 
 where he now resides. Immediately after their 
 marriage he and his young wife took possession of 
 a little frame building, 16x18 feet, which was situ- 
 
4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 -•► 
 
 2!)1 
 
 atcd on their farni, and immediately began the 
 woriv of improvement. Fruit and shade trees were 
 set out, the fields were planted, and a fine hedge 
 fence was set out. which nearl_v surrounded the farm. 
 Long since tlic little cabin gave way to the comfort- 
 able two-storj' residence, which was built in 1870. 
 The main jiart of the building is 16x30 feet, and 
 the L is 14x16 feet. Ample shelter has been pro- 
 vided for the stock in a roomy barn, 40x50 feet, 
 with 18-feet posts, and a basement under almost 
 the entire building. 
 
 AVhen Mr. Chapman first came to Virginia Grove, 
 in Morning Sun Township, with no capital in his 
 pocket and seeing only strangers around him, and 
 realized the fact that there was no one within miles 
 whom he could call a friend, the prospect did not 
 indeed look lose coloreil, but filled with a deter- 
 mination to be the owner of a good farm, he at 
 once set to work, and the success which he achieved 
 maj' well encourage others to' labor cheerfully and 
 manfull}'. He has been honored In' his fullow-eiti- 
 zens with various township olllces, which he has 
 creditably filled. lie has always identified himself 
 with the Democratic party. His wife is a member 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Chap- 
 man is ever readj' to give of his means to the up- 
 building of all social, educational and moral inter- 
 ests. AVhatever enter|)rise is started for the public 
 good, he is its ready supporter, and to the building 
 of railroads through the country he has contributed 
 largel}'. We are pleased to record this sketch of 
 Louisa County's prominent pioneer and worthy 
 citizen, who receives the highest respect of young 
 and old, rich and poor. 
 
 -^1, DAM CKIM, one of the early settlers and 
 ( @/y| lionored citizens of Louisa Countj', Iowa, 
 * now residing on section 31, Union Town- 
 ship, was born in Loudoun County, Vn., 
 June 25, 1813, and is a son of Charles and Christian 
 (Able) Crim, who were also natives of that count}'. 
 Both grand[)arenls, Charles Crim ami (ieorge Able, 
 who were natives of Germany, emigrated to Amer- 
 ica prior to the Revolutionary War, and aided the 
 Colonists in their struggle for independence. The 
 
 father of onr subject was a soldier in the War of 
 1812, and about 1826 removed to Carroll County, 
 Ohio, where in the midst of the heavy forest he 
 developed a farm, and there p.assed the remainder 
 of his days, ciying on the 30th of August, 1860, 
 when seventy-three years of age. Mrs. Crim sur- 
 vived her husband about eleven years, dying in 
 1871. They were both members of the Lutheran 
 Church, were highly resi)ected people, and reared 
 a family of twelve children, seven of whom are 
 now living. 
 
 Our subject w-as the eldest of his father's family-, 
 and was reared upon a farm, receiving his educa- 
 tion in the subscription schools. He remained 
 under the parental roof until twentj'-five j'ears of 
 age, when, on the IDth of April, 1838, he was united 
 in marriage with Catherine Albaugh, who was born 
 in Carroll County, Ohio, and is a daughter of 
 Morris Albaugh. After their marriage he was en- 
 gaged in farming upon the land of his father-in- 
 law during the summer, and in the winter time was 
 employed in teaching school. He was very success- 
 ful in that profession, always giving good satisfac- 
 tion wherever engaged. Living a life of industry 
 and economy,' he was soon enabled to purchase 131 
 acres of land, upon which he made his home for ten 
 years. But selling out in 1851, he emigrated to 
 Iowa, and located in Louisa County. He here pur- 
 chased 120 acres of land, which was then entirely 
 uncultivated, on section 19, Union Township, and 
 by subsequent purchase added to that until he 
 owned a fine farm of 371 acres, which was highly' 
 improved and cultivated. He there continued to 
 reside until 1883, when he divided the laml among 
 his children, and bought the farm of eighty acres 
 on section 31, Union Township, upon which he still 
 resides. 
 
 By the union of Mr. and Mrs. Crim ten children 
 were born: Lemuel, who is now engaged in farm- 
 ing in Adams County, Iowa; Morris, who was a 
 soldier of the 25th Iowa Infantry during the late 
 war, and is now a farmer of Nebraska ; Margaret, 
 wife of George Raymond, of Oregon; Charles, who 
 is living a retired life in Columbus .Innctiou; 
 George W., who is now engaged in farming in 
 Union Township; Catherine, wife of Benjamin 
 , Tatman, of Union Township; Robinson W.. also a 
 
 h 
 
4= 
 
 29-2 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 resident farmer of Uiium Township; Raciiel, wife 
 of Rilej' Carr, of Union Township; Adam, who is 
 engaged in farming in Oregon; and Jane, wife of 
 Klmer Todd. On the 29th of December, 1883, at 
 the age of sixtj'-oue 3'ears, Mrs. C'rim departed this 
 life. She was a sincere Christian lady, and was a 
 member of the Reform Church, to which Mr. Crim 
 also belongs. PoJiticall3% he has been a lifelong 
 Democrat, and has held various township offices, 
 having served as Assessor, as a member of the 
 School Board, and was Justice of tiie Peace for five 
 years while living in Bruwn Township, Athens 
 Co., Ohio. 
 
 Mr. Crim is one of the self-made men of Louisa 
 County, and his life has been one of success. In 
 his earlier 3-ears he labored iiard and patiently', but 
 fortune at length smiled upon his efforts. He has 
 ever been liberal with his children, gave them all a 
 start in life, and has lived to see them all respectable 
 men and women, of whom he maj' justly feel proud. 
 He is now an old man, his life worii has been suc- 
 cessfully acconiplishorl, and he may now rest from 
 his labors, knowing that they have not been in vain. 
 During the thirtj'-seven years of his residence in 
 this county he has won the respect and confidence 
 of the entire community. As a citizen, he is true 
 and loyal, as a neighbor and friend, kind and affec- 
 tionate, as a father, tender and loving. 
 
 ♦^ 
 
 B, CONNOR, who is residing on section 9, 
 jWf Port Louisa Township, was born in Orange 
 County, N. Y., in 1834, and was the elder 
 ^^of two children who were born to Hezekiah 
 and Rhoda (Bull) Connor, both of whom were also 
 natives of the limpire St^ite. The mother died in 
 1836, but the father is still living in New York. 
 Our subject was reared to farm life, received his 
 education in the district schools of his native Slate, 
 and in 18.55 emigrated to Louisa County, Iowa, 
 settling on Muscatine Island in Port Louisa Town- 
 ship. During the following winter he was employed 
 as teacher of one of the schools, and subsequently 
 taught successfully for several winters in the countj'. 
 lie sjjent two years in Kans.is, 18,')Gand 18.57, being 
 there during the Jim Lane trouble, but returned to 
 
 ■^•^ 
 
 Iowa during the winter months. In Muscatine 
 Count}', Iowa, in 1861, he was united in marriage 
 with Martha Corbin, who was born in Pennsylvania, 
 of which State her parents, Levi and Margaret 
 (Campbell) Corbin. were also natives. They came 
 to Iowa in 1851, settling in Muscatine Country, 
 where the mother died some years ago. The father 
 is still living, and resides in the village of Grand 
 View. 
 
 After their marriage the 3"0ung couple began 
 their domestic life upon the farm which continues 
 to be their home to the present daj-. There seven 
 children have been born to them; Jennie, now Mrs. 
 Spring, resides in Muscatine County; Henry be- 
 came the husband of Millie Storms. and is living on 
 Muscatine Island; Charley married Clara E.Mi- 
 chael, and also resides on the island ; Mar^- is the wife 
 of Charles Hardman, whose home is in Muscatine 
 Count}'; Olivia and John are residing with their 
 father, and Maggie is now dead. In the month of 
 September, 1872, after a short illness, the death of 
 tiie mother occurred, since which time the daughters 
 have kept house for their father. Mr Connor since 
 his arrival in this count}- has witnessed many ch.inges. 
 When he first came all kinds of game, such as deer, 
 turkeys and ducks, abounded, the country was a 
 wild prairie or unbroken timber, while the island 
 was a sea of grass. He has watched and aiiied in 
 the development. an<l his own farm on the island is 
 one of the best in the section. It consists of fort}' 
 acres, and contains the latest improvements. The 
 first Presidential vote of Mr. Connor was cast in 
 1856 for John C. Fremont, and ever since that lime 
 he has supported the Republican party. 
 
 C. VIBBER, a general merchant of Grand 
 View, came to Louisa County in 1857, first 
 locating on a farm in Grand ^'iew Town- 
 ^ship, where he purchased thirty acres of land. 
 This tract he improved, and afterward added to it, 
 until he had a farm of sixty-seven and a iialf acres, 
 upon which he resided until his removal to the vil- 
 lage of Grand View in 1881. He is a member of 
 the firm of Vibber & Krahl, dealers in general mer- 
 chandise, the store being located on Main street. 
 
 a^ 
 
u 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 293 
 
 Mr. Vibber was born May 12, 1834, in Wyan- 
 dot Count}-, Ohio, and is a son of Russell and 
 Mary (Zabriskie) Vibber. The father was a native 
 of Connecticut, and the mother of New Jersey, and 
 they were pioneers of the Buckeye State. Russell 
 Vibber was a millwright and carpenter by trade, 
 and in his famiij' were seven children, five of whom 
 grew to manhood and womanhood. 
 
 The boyiiood days of our subject were spent upon 
 his father's farm, and his education was received in 
 the common schools of Ohio. He came to Iowa a 
 single man, but six years after his arrival in this 
 county was united in marriasje witiiMiss Catherine 
 Steinman, of Grand View, their union being cele- 
 brated on the IGth of November, 18G3. The lady 
 is a daughter of Philip and Margaret (Buster) 
 Steinman, who were natives of German}", first set- 
 tling in Pennsylvania after their emigration to 
 America, subsequently removing to Ohio, and later 
 becoming residents of Iowa, where the death of 
 both occurred. They were tlie parents of ten chil- 
 dren, all of whom are living but two. Six children 
 were born to Mr. and Mrs. Vibber, only one of 
 whom is deceased, Ilarlcy, who died in infancy; 
 George, Thedolha, Mary; Harry and Carry, who 
 are twins. In his political views Mr. Vibber is a 
 Republican, and has held the office of Township 
 Trustee. His wife is a member of the Evangelical 
 Church, and both are respected citizens in the com- 
 munity wliere they reside. 
 
 -3«^ 
 
 J' P. WALKKR, a representative farmer of 
 Louisa (,'ounty. residing on section 27, Grand 
 View Township, was born in Scotland, in 
 1824, and is the eldest child of William and 
 Barbara (Patterson) Walker, who were also natives 
 of Scotland. His father died in his native land, 
 and his mother and her father afterward came to 
 this country in 1827, settling in Trumbull County, 
 Ohio, where they remained until 1838, and then re- 
 moved to Mercer County, III., settling upon lands 
 which they purchased at the public land sales at 
 Galena. Mrs. Walker w.-is again united in mar- 
 riage, but her husband died in Mercer County, 111., 
 
 in 1857. She then came to Iowa, making her home 
 with our subject until her death, which occurred 
 May 3, 187G. 
 
 The boyhood days of our subject were spent upon 
 farms in Ohio and Illinois, he receiving his educa- 
 tion in the former State. When about sixteen years 
 of age he came to Iowa, settling in Grand View 
 Township in 1840, the countr}' then being almost a 
 wilderness, and the settlements few and far be- 
 tween. Five years later he purch.ased 1 20 acres of 
 raw prairie and timber land, and added to it until 
 he owned 205 acres of good, arable laud, some of 
 which he afterward sold, his farm now being 120 
 acres in extent, and highly improved. He has also 
 dealt quite largely in stock. 
 
 On the 23d of July, 1840, in Louisa Count}', 
 Iowa, Mr. Walker w.os united in marriage with Mrs. 
 Rachel Ann McClearriiy, widow of John McClear- 
 ray, and a daughter of William and Sarah Ann 
 (Truman) Dickey, who were natives of Pennsyl- 
 vania, and who came to this county in 1844, where 
 the father engaged in farming until his death, which 
 occurred in 185(5. His wife preceded him to her 
 final rest, dying in 1844. 
 
 After his nuirri.age Mr. Walker settled upon the 
 farm where he now resides, and has now ma<le it his 
 home for forty-two years. Both he and his wife are 
 members of the United Presbyterian Church, and to 
 them have been born five children, four of whom 
 are living — William, Daniel W., Ann and Emma. 
 William is married, .and resides in Louisa County, 
 being the manager of the Puoi' Farm ; Daniel resides 
 in Floyd County, Iowa; Elmiradied Dec. 25, 1858, 
 at the age of seven years. ]\Ir. Walker has always 
 taken an active interest in i)olitical affairs, casts his 
 vote with the Republican party, and has held the 
 office of Township Trustee for thirty -one or thirty- 
 two years. He was one of the original stockholders 
 in the Seminary at (Jrand \'iew, and was very 
 active in its upbuilding. The sch()t)l soon gained a 
 good reputation, and drew many pu|)ils from the 
 surrounding country, while many of the graduates 
 are now filling important positions. The school 
 was under the control of the United Presbyterian 
 Church, of which organization Mr. Walker is a mem- 
 ber, and has served as Trustee and as one of the 
 I Board of Directors. 
 
 f 
 
-4^ 
 
 294 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 On the 10th of Se()tember, 1880. .ifter a liiiger- 
 ii)g ilhiess of two months, Mrs. Walker was calied to 
 her final home. Mr. AValker w.-is again married, at 
 Grand View, Dec. 20, 1881, ISIrs. K. K. Jones, 
 widow of Dr. Jones, of Wapello, becoming his wife. 
 She is a daughter of John and Martha (Killough) 
 Ronald, the former being a native of Vermont, and 
 tiie latter of South Carolina. In 183C they came 
 to Iowa, settling in Louisa County, Mrs. AValker be- 
 ing the first girl l)orn in the county, and her cousin. 
 Carvalho Gilv}' Gilbert Killough, who was killed in 
 the late Rebellion, is thought to have been the first 
 male child born in the countv. One child graces her 
 former union, May, vvho is still living with her 
 mother. Mr. Walker is pleasantly situated near the 
 village of Grand View, his farm adjoining the town 
 plat, and being centrally located between Letts, 
 Columbus Junction, Wapello and Muscatine. 
 
 { ^\ M. AXTELL, tile and brick manufacturer, 
 |1 of Port Louisa Township, was born in Knox 
 County, Ohio, Dec. 15, 1834, and is a son 
 of Bennoni and Amanda (Bonham) Axtell, 
 the father a native of Pennsylvania, horn of Ger- 
 man descent, and the mother a native of Ohio, of 
 Irish parentage. His father was a carpenter, and 
 our subject learning the trade, worked fur him. His 
 l)arents came to Iowa in the fall of 1852, settling 
 in Iowa City, where thej' lived until the father's 
 death, which occurred in 1871. His wife survived 
 him about eleven years, her death occurring in 
 1882. They were both devoted members of the 
 Cumberland Presbyterian Church. 
 
 Our subject resided with his parents until his 
 marriage, which occurred on the 27lh of August, 
 1854, Miss Ester A. Ross, a daughter of Robert 
 Ross, becoming his wife. Mrs. Axtell is a native 
 of Franklin County, Ohio, and was born Jan. 12, 
 1836. Nine children grace the union of this worthy' 
 couple: Martin E., whose residence is unknown; 
 Amanda, the deceased wife of J:is|K'r Pantzens: 
 Elizabeth, who wedded James Shannon, of Repuli- 
 lic County, Kan. ; Alice O., wife of Peter Wilson, of 
 AVapello, Iowa; Filelus R., Pcn-y E., Minnie B., 
 Lottie and JClccta (twins) are all residing at home. 
 
 On the 14th day of August, 1861, Mr. Axtell 
 responded to his country's call for troops, and en- 
 listed in the war for the Union, becomiuga member 
 of Company II. 2d Iowa Cavalr3% and serving until 
 the month of September, 1865. He participated in 
 the following battles: Farmington, luka, Corinth, 
 Nashville, tint] about thirtj- others of less impor- 
 tance. He held the rank of Sergeant, and during his 
 four years of service did his dut}' nobly and well. 
 After his discharge he returned to his home in 
 Iowa. 
 
 In 1871 Mr. Axtell became a resident of Louisa 
 County, locating at Clifton, where he engaged at 
 blacksmithing. He afterward became a resident of 
 Morning Sun, where he worked in a planing-mill 
 until his removal to Linton, Des Moines Count}', 
 where he agaiu worked at his regular trade. In 
 the year 1880 Mr. A. returned to Louisa County, 
 taking up his residence in Wapello, where he en- 
 gaged at his trade until he established his present 
 business of manufacturing tile and brick, in 1885. 
 He makes all sizes of drain tile, from three to eight 
 inches in diameter, which is red in color, and a 
 good qualit}'. He uses steam power, employs five 
 hands, and has a capacity of §.),000 worth per 3ear. 
 His sales are in the immediate neighborhood, and 
 the demand for the brick is also constantly increas- 
 ing, he having more during 1887 than any year pre- 
 vious, lu the fall of 18iS8 he erected a sawmill, and 
 added machinery for the manufacture of barrel 
 hoops. The capacity of the sawmill is 5,000 feet 
 per day, while he turns out in the same time 3,000 
 to 5,000 hoops. 
 
 Mr. Axtell is a member of the A. F. <fe A. M.. 
 and of the G. A. R. Post. He takes an active in- 
 terest in political affairs, and is a strong supporter 
 of the Republican part}'. 
 
 _ ^ ^.^ ^ 
 
 ■jijGNATIUS C. BROWN, M. D., of Columbus 
 I Junction, Iowa, was born in Roane County, 
 iW Tenn., Ma}' 10, 1835, and is a son of the Rev. 
 Thomas and Jane (McDowell Pattou) Brown. His 
 parents were born in Virginia, anil were of Scotch- 
 Irish descent. Ignatius wjis educated at Mary ville 
 College, at Mary ville, Tenn., and pursued his medical 
 — •>> 
 
4= 
 
 LOi;iSA COUNTY. 
 
 ^•^^4r* 
 
 297 
 
 course at the Jefferson Me(lic:il College of Pliiladel- 
 pliiix, Lieiiig gr:i(l limed in the class of 'Gl. He liegan 
 praclice in Eastern Tennessee, at a place called Phila- 
 <lel|)hia, and in the sprinir of 1863 removed to 
 Uaiivilie, Ind., where he remained one year, after 
 whicli he became a resident of Columbus City. Iowa, 
 where he pursued the practice of his profession for 
 a term of two j-ears. He next established himself 
 at Clifton, then a thriving station on the Chicago 
 <t Hock Island Railroad, in Louisa County, since 
 nearly' abandoned, and now known as Old Clifton. 
 Dr. Hrown was the first established physician at 
 that i)oint, where he remained in practice until 1870, 
 and then removed to Columbus Junction, his pres- 
 ent place of residence. 
 
 At Danville, Ind., in the month of January, 1864, 
 the Doctor was united in marriage with Miss Ruth 
 A. Hamlet, who w.is born at Danville, and is a 
 daughter of William Hamlet. Ksq. Four children 
 were born of their union, one daughter and three 
 sons: Octavia J. is the wife of AValter F. Hall, of 
 Columbus Junction; the sons, William Thomas, 
 Harry L. and Hadley C, make their home with 
 their parents. 
 
 Jir. Brown and his wife are members of the Cen- 
 tral Presl)yterian Church. In political sentiment 
 he was formerly a Whig, but since its organization 
 has Ijeen a supporter of the Republican party. So- 
 cially, he is a member of the orders of the K. of 
 P., the A. O. U. W.and the I. L. of H. Dr. Brown 
 has now been in successful practice in Louisa Count}' 
 for nearly- u quarter of a century, and has won a 
 safe place in the estimation of his fellow-citizens, 
 both i>rofessionally and socially. 
 
 (^^ LITTREL. a prominent farmer of Con- 
 ^^^ cord Township. Louisa Count}', residing on 
 (|/^ section 2, was born in Union County. Ind., 
 in 1814, and was the eldest in a famil}- of 
 nine children born to John and Sarah (Asher) Lit- 
 trel, natives of Tennessee, though the mother was 
 of Irish descent. His father was born March 10, 
 17'.);J, and his mother March 3, ]![)[). They were 
 married in Tennessee, and almost immediately after- 
 ward moved to Indiana, which was then a Terri- 
 
 tory. and which was just beginning to be settled. 
 In this wilderness, which it llien was, they resided 
 until their death, the former dying on the evening 
 of July 24, 183.'), and the latter the following morn- 
 ing. United in life, in death they were not sei)a- 
 rated. Both were buried in one grave. 
 
 Our suliject grew to manhood in his native State, 
 receiving his education in the common schools. 
 The year following the death of his jiarents, when 
 twenty-two years old, he settled in Mercer County, 
 III., where he engaged in breaking prairie for sev- 
 eral years. In that county, in 1841, he was united 
 in marriage with Margaret A. Noble, who was born 
 in Indiana, and is a daughter of Daniel and Bar- 
 bara A. (Fruit) Noble, the former a native of 
 North Carolina, the latter of Pennsylvania. They 
 went to Indiana when it was a Teirilory, the father 
 there entering Government land, which he im- 
 proved, and on which he lived until his removal to 
 Mercer County, III., in 1830. The father died in 
 that count}' in 1879, at the age of ninety-three 
 years, and the death of the mother occurred in 
 1874, at the age of eighty-eight years. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. Littrel and his young 
 wife settled in Mercer County, III., but removed to 
 Muscatine County, Iowa, in February, 1844, where 
 he bought land and improved a farm of 100 acres. 
 Residing in Muscatine County until 18()3, he then 
 came to Louisa County, where he inirchased an im- 
 proved farm of 100 acres in Concord Townshi(j, 
 which he now has under a high state t)f cultivation. 
 In 1881 a nice farm residence w:is erected, which 
 he still makes his home, though renting the land. 
 This farm is pleasantly situated about two and 
 three-fourth miles from Letts, in one of the finest 
 farming districts of the country. Politically, Mr. 
 Littrel is a Re|)ublican, and in 1840 voted for 
 William Heniy Harrison. 4Ie assisted in organiz- 
 ing some of the school districts of his township, has 
 served as School Directijr for a number of years, 
 and is one of the highly respected citizens of the 
 community. 
 
 Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. 
 Littrel, four of whom are living: Anderson died 
 of consumi)tion in 1862, at the age of twenty years 
 and four months; Barbara Orinda. now .Mrs. Rey- 
 iKjlds, resides in Los Angeles, C:d. ; P:irris died at 
 
 ■ ► 
 
4 
 
 29« 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 the age of twentj^-tliree years, in 1867; John mar- 
 ried Mar}' M. Molej', and resides on the home 
 farm : James Albert, who is single, lives in Mon- 
 tana; Ann IMj-ra died in 1881, when nearly twenty- 
 seven years of age; Bennard became the husband 
 of Etta Chapman in 1877, and makes his home in 
 Muscatine County. 
 
 The portraits of tliis worthy pioneer couple will 
 be found on an acconipanj'ing page. 
 
 4 
 
 ^Y; OSEPII BOLTZ, one of the enterprising far- 
 mers and stoek-raiscrsof Morning Sun Town- 
 ship, residing on section 33, was born in 
 Lebanon County, Pa., on the 20lh of June, 
 1834, and is a son of Joseph and Llizabetii (Shires) 
 Boltz, who were natives of the same county, the 
 father born in 1808, the mother in 1810. They 
 were married in Lebanon County, and tlicre a fam- 
 ily of ten children was born to them, eight of whom 
 readied maturity: Simeon, who is living in Colum- 
 biana County, Oliio; Joseph, a resident of Louisa 
 Couiity ; ■\Viiiiaui. v\ho^t heme is in Dauphin County 
 Pa. ; John, who was among the first to respond to 
 the country's call for volunteers during the late 
 war, and served until its close, is now living in 
 Lebanon County, Pa.; Rebecca, wife of Ephraim 
 Moelnner, of Berks County, Pa.; Catherine, wife of 
 Samuel Clark, of Lebanon, Pa.; Mary, wife of R. 
 R. Suavely, of Leb.anon County, Pa.; Fannie, wife 
 of William Elliott, also of Lebanon County. In 
 earl}' life Mr. Boltz was a Wliig. and a great ad- 
 mirer of Henry Clay, and at the organization of 
 the Republican party joined its ranks, being one of 
 its ardent supporters until his death, which occurred 
 in 1881. Mrs. Boltz died Aug. 18, 1888, in Leb- 
 anon County, Pa. They were bolli nieiubers of the 
 German Reform Church. 
 
 The subject of our sketch was reared upon a 
 farm, and received his education in the district 
 schools and in an .acadcmj' of Pennsylvania, which 
 he attended one term. In the spring of 1857 he 
 came to Burlington, Iowa, whence he crossed the 
 plains to Denver, which was then less than a year 
 
 old. In June, 18G1, he enlisted in the 1st Iowa Cav- 
 alry, being mustered into the United States service 
 at Burlington, where the regiment was stationed 
 until the 1st of September, and in the winter of 
 1801-62 was engaged with the four companies, 
 A, F, G and I, in scouting expeditions along the 
 Missouri & Pacific Railroad; Com|)anies B and D 
 were stationed at Lexington, C and H were at 
 Jefferson City, while E, K, L and M remained at 
 St. Louis under the command of Col. Warren. In 
 March, 1862, the Colonel was ordered to establish 
 his headquarters at some point in the State, and 
 cut off the supplies that were constantl}' being sent 
 to Price's army in the South, so during the latter . 
 part of March the companies of the regiment were 
 united at Sedalia, and on the 8th of April head- 
 quarters were established at Butler and Batts, while 
 detachments were stationed at Osceola and Clinton. 
 On the 2d of May, Col. Warren with 200 men, and 
 a part of the 1st Missouri Artillerj', inarched to 
 ]Marudes Cygnes, where he captured thirty pris- 
 oners and a quantity of powder and lead which had 
 been buried. On the 9th all the serviceable men 
 of Companies A, G, H and M, with a small body of 
 Missouri cavalry, all under Maj. J. O. Gower, struck 
 the trail of Quanlrell's band, four miles west of 
 Pleasant Hill, in Cass County, and soon found them 
 well stationed in the timber cliffs of Big Creek. 
 Maj. Gower attacked the enemy with great energy, 
 and after a spirited contest completely' routed them, 
 killing and wounding a hirge number. On the 2d 
 of August, a detachment from Companies E, L and 
 M, under Capt. Caldwell, encountered a band of 
 guerrillas, in the timber on Clear Creek, in St. Clair 
 County. The outlaws were well armed and under 
 couiraaud of the notorious Clowers. After a brief 
 and desperate struggle, in which eleven of the en- 
 era}' were killed, the Union troops being greati}' 
 outnumbered, withdrew to the ])rairie to await re- 
 inforcement, and ill the meantime the enemy with- 
 drew and no further action took place. The posts 
 at Butler and Osceola were now broken up, and the 
 regiment returned to Clinton, where for the first 
 time after leaving Burlington all the companies were 
 united again. Early in Sejitember Coi. Warren re- 
 signed to accepta commission as Brigadier General; 
 Lieut. Col. Gower was promoted to Colonel; Maj. 
 
=pj- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 2 'J 'J 
 
 Biyan to Lieutenant Colonel, and Capt. Caldwell 
 to Major. On the 'iOth the regiment broke camp 
 at Clinton, taking a line of m.arch to Springfield, 
 Mo., where for the first time it was .assigned to a 
 brigade. The service of the regiment up to this 
 time h.ad been of the most distasteful character, be- 
 ing principally' engaged in hunting guerrillas and 
 bushwhackers. From .Springfield it marched through 
 Jollification to Newtonia, thence through GladHy 
 to Cassville, and on the 1 8th of October crossed 
 the Pea Kidge battle-ground at Klkhorn Tavern, 
 and camped on .Sugar Creek, near l?eiitonville. Ark. 
 On the 20lh, at 5 o'clock P. ]\L, tlie regiment 
 broke camp, marched all night, and the next day 
 "stood to horse" on White Uiver. On the 22d it 
 marched all night to Huntsville, then back to camp, 
 next day to Mudtown and return, and then to Cross 
 Hollows, to camp at Vallev' Springs. On the morning 
 of December 3 a dispatch w.as received from Gen. 
 Blunt, who was at Cane Hill, Ark., s.aying that he 
 was threatened b}' a large force of the enemy under 
 Gen. Hindnian. The 1st Iowa, 7th Illinois, 6th, 7th 
 and 8th Missouri Regiments, and the 2d Battalion 
 of the 2d Wisconsin Cavalry, were sent forward at 
 once, all under command of Col. Wiekersham of the 
 10th Illinois, and reached Gen. Blunt on the Gth, 
 at midnight, having been eighteen consecutive 
 hours in the saddle. The next day the liattie of 
 Prairie Grove was fought, in which the 1st Iowa 
 participated, and reca|)tured a howitzer lost by the 
 10th Illinois. In the j'ear 1863 the regiment wiis 
 ordered to Missouri again. The 3d Division moved 
 from P'orsyth to Lake Springs, near Holla, and here 
 for the first time the 1st Iowa was fully armed. 
 On tiie 20th of A|)ril GOO men of the regiment were 
 sent into Southeastern Missouri to meet (ieii. Mar- 
 maduke. A night attack was planned, and the 1st 
 Iowa designated to execute it. The enemy was 
 completel}- surprised and routed, while the loss on 
 the Union si<le was but live wounded men. The 
 regiment returned on the loth of May, having 
 marched over 500 miles, suffering greatly from 
 want of provisions and clothing. About this time 
 the Ami}' of the Frontier was broken uj), (Jen Iler- 
 ron taking all the infantry and artillery to join in 
 the siege of Vicksburg. A division of cavalr}' was 
 formed under command of Brig. f!en. Davidson, 
 
 to which tlie 1st Iowa was .assigned. (Jen. Steele 
 was at that time organizing a force to penetrate 
 the he.art of Arkansas, making Little Rock the ob- 
 jective point, and Gen. Davidson was ordered to 
 join him witii his cavalry on White River, above 
 Helena. Then commenced that terrible niarch 
 through the swamps of .Southeastern Missouri and 
 Arkansas; miles of corduroy bridges li.ad to be 
 built, the b.agg.age w.as reduced to the smallest pos- 
 sible volume, and there the men learned to use d.ay 
 tents. A junction was formed with Steele's forces 
 at Clarendon, where they crossed White River, and 
 they soon afterward engaged in the battle of Bayou 
 Metan. in which the 1st Iowa took a leading part, 
 and the engagement resulted in the capture of 
 Little Rock. During that battle Mr. Boltz w.as 
 twice wounded, in the left leg and the right shoul- 
 der, and carries the rebel lead to this daj'. Early 
 in 1864 the men veieranized, more than one-half of 
 the regiment re-enlisting. They were then entitled 
 to a furlough of thirty days, but as Gen. Steele was 
 fitting out an expedition to unite with Gen. Banks 
 on Red River, the veterans waived their right to 
 return home at that time, and joined the 7th Corps 
 in the Camden campaign. On account of the scarc- 
 ity of forage many horses died, and nearly 400 of 
 the men had to march on foot. They left Little 
 Rock on the 22d of March, Lieut. Col. Cahhvell 
 commanding the brigade, and Capt. Crosby the 
 regiment. On the 30th they had an engagement 
 at Spoonville, ami on the 2d of April, meeting the 
 enemy at Antoiiie, had a running fight for five 
 miles. On the 4th they encountered the force of 
 Gen. Price at Little Missouri, completely routing 
 it. After the Red River expedition the veterans 
 received furloughs for thirty days, after which they 
 re-assembled at Davenport, Iowa. About that time 
 Price commenced his last raid into Missouii, aii<i 
 the veterans were i)rdered to Jefferson City, were 
 assigned to dut}' at (ion. Rosecrans' liead<]uart(is. 
 an<l participated in all the marclies against the reliel 
 (ieneral. There was not much more to he said vv 
 done. The w;ir was al .■m end, and the reginient 
 was lilletl with hoi)eful thoughts of an early dis- 
 charge, but an or<ler was received from Lieut. tJen. 
 Custer, ordering it to Texas, which was a great 
 disappoinlnieul to the men. It was at length mus- 
 ■» 
 
•^^fMi- 
 
 300 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 tered out at Austin, Tex., Feb. 15, 18G5, and left 
 on the 19tb for Davenport, where the inen were 
 finall}- discharged. 
 
 After the close of the war Mr. Boltz returned to 
 his home in Louisa County, where he was married, 
 in June, 1865, to Miss Elizabetli S. P^d wards, who 
 ■was born in New York, Aug. 5. 1845. Mrs. Boltz 
 is a daughter of Hugh and Eleanor (Williams) Ed- 
 wards, who were both natives of Lancaster County, 
 AVales, and emigrated to America in 1840, and 
 are now residing in Morning Sun. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Boltz are the parents of five children now living: 
 Joseph E., William S., Nancy E., Mary E. and 
 Kenerick O. In politics Mr. Boltz is a Republican, 
 and has held several local offices of trust, and for 
 the past twenty-one years has been Treasurer of 
 the School Board. He is at present Commander of 
 Blake Post No. 114, G. A. R., of Morning Sun, 
 and is the owucrof a good farm of 105 acres, under 
 a fine state of cultivation. 
 
 ENRY' A. WEBER is agent of the United 
 States Express Company, of Wapello, Iowa, 
 and also dealer in clothing, hats, caps and 
 IJ^ gents' furiiisliiiig goods. Mr. Weber occu- 
 pies the new brick block owned by A. D. Hurley, 
 at the northwest corner of Van Buren and Second 
 sti-eets, has a finely arranged store, and is doing a 
 good business, carrying a $2,500 stock. He began 
 l)usiness Feb. 1, 1888, and has been the express 
 agent of the United States Exjjress Companj' since 
 Maj' 1, 1886, though virtually having charge of 
 the latter business for four 3'ears i)revious. Mr. 
 Weber is also engaged in the insurance business, 
 and represents the following-named companies : The 
 State, of Des Moines; the Germania, of New York; 
 the Rockford, of Illinois, and the Western Home, 
 of Sioux City. He began business in this line in 
 Felnuary, 1887. 
 
 Mr. Weber is a son of Frederick and Margaret 
 (Heif) Weber, and ' was born in the township of 
 Wapello, Louisa County. Aug. 11), 1803. He was 
 educated at the Iowa Wesleyan University', of Mt. 
 Pleasant, Iowa, and at Elliott's Business College, of 
 Burlington, after which he was employed as clerk 
 
 in his father's store until he began his present busi- 
 ness. Mr. Weber was married. May 13, 1886, to 
 Miss Louisa C. Keck, daughter of Philip Keck, an 
 old settler of Louisa County. The^' are the par- 
 ents of one child, a daughter, Mary M., born July 
 2, 1887. They are members of the German Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church. In politics Mr. Weber is a 
 Republican. 
 
 ■— :>'^;^^VHf?:5<-^ 
 
 -«-v- 
 
 H. WESTBROOK, a general farmer re- 
 siding on section 4, Grand View Town- 
 ship, was born in Chemung County, N. Y''. 
 in 1841, and is a son of James and Clarissa 
 (Scott) Westbrook, both of whom were also natives 
 of the Empire State. The occupation of James 
 Westbrook was farming, which he followed in New 
 Y''ork until 1857, at which time he emigrated to Illi- 
 nois, settling in DeKalb County, near Sycamore, 
 where he engaged in farming, and there remained 
 for a number of years. In 1871 he became a resi- 
 dent of AVaverly, Bremer Co., Iowa, where he re- 
 mained until 1883, and then removed to Letts, 
 Louisa County, where he still makes his home. 
 
 The boyhood days of our subject were spent 
 upon a farm, and his education was received in the 
 district schools of New Y'ork. and also in the 
 graded schools of Sycamore, 111. He first settled in 
 Iowa in 1863, becoming a resident of Muscatine 
 County, where he engaged in farming for three 
 j'ears, and then removed to Louisa County, in 
 January, 1866. On the Olh of the month he w.as 
 united in marriage with Melinda Wagner, a native 
 of Louisa County, and a daughter of Philip and 
 Elizabeth (Gower) Wagner, the former a native of 
 Ohio, and the latter of Maryland. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. Westbrook ami his 
 bride l)egan their domestic life upon the farm on 
 section 4, Grand View Township, on which they 
 jet reside. The original farm was an unin)prt)ved 
 tract of timber land consisting of I'JO acres, hut 
 from this almost unbroken wilderness, by his untir- 
 ing labor, Mr. Westbrook soon developed a fine 
 farm. Since then an elegant residence has been 
 erected, and a large barn has been built. To iiis 
 original tract has been added, both by will and 
 
 4^ 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 301 
 
 =L. 
 
 subsequent purchase, until lie now owns 1,075 acres 
 of the tiiu'st land in Louisii and Muscatine Counties, 
 all of which is under fence, being partly' cultivated 
 and the remainder used for pastnrasc. A consid- 
 erable portion has been tiled, and all improve- 
 ments necessary to a well-regulated farm have been 
 built. Mr. "Westbrook raises a great many head of 
 PoUed-Angus and Short-horn cattle, which he ships 
 directly to Chicago, and also has a good grade of 
 horsfs. He has an apiary upon his farm, and in 
 1885 shipped about five tons of honey to Chicago, 
 Kansas City, St. Paul and other points. He has 
 also a fine dairy, and manufactures and ships a 
 large amount of butter annually. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Westbrook have been born nine 
 children, seven of whom are living — KWa.. Philip 
 W., Bessie F., James Howard, Emma, Martha and 
 Fred Scott, all j'et at home except Ella, who mar- 
 ried Lemuel G. Dickinson, Aug. 29, 1888. George 
 W. died Ma^' 5, 1874, when only one year old, and 
 another child died in infancy. 
 
 Mr. Westbrook's home is pleasantlj' situated 
 about two and a half miles from Letts, and is also 
 centrally located about eleven miles from Colum- 
 bus Junction and Muscatine, the latter pl.ace being 
 their market. In his political views he is a Re- 
 publican. He takes great interest in all educational 
 matters, has served as School Director for a num- 
 ber of terms, and is at present School Treasurer. 
 A farmer by profession, he takes pride in his call- 
 ing, and with that push and enterprise that seem 
 to be inborn, he has achieved success, and is recog- 
 nized as one of Louisa County's best citizens. 
 
 « 1^1 LLl 
 
 ^1LLIAM WALL, a farmer of Louisa Coun- 
 lowa, residing on section 3, Oakland 
 I'ownship, was born in Somersetshire, En- 
 gland, in 1831 , and w.as the fifth in a familj' of eight 
 children, the parents being Gable and Ann Wall, 
 also natives of Somersetshire. The father was a 
 farmer by occupation. He once came to America 
 on a visit to his brother, but never located per- 
 manently, and it is not known whether he or his 
 wife are yet living, though one son and two 
 daughters of the family' j'ct reside in their native 
 
 land. Our subject received his education in the 
 district schools of Eugl.and. Wishing to make 
 America his future home he set sail from Liverpool 
 in 1851, embarking on a sailing-vessel, and after a 
 pleasant voj'age of thirty-eight da^-s reached the 
 harbor of New York. Going directly to Ohio he 
 there engaged in teaming for two j'ears, after which, 
 in 1853, he came to Louisa County, and began 
 working by the month. In 1863 he responded to 
 the country's call for troops, enlisting at Oakland 
 in Company A, 2d Iowa Cavalry, and was mus- 
 tered into service at Davenport. He participated 
 in the battles of Nashville and Guntuwn, and also 
 in several skirmishes. He was honurabi}' (ILscharged 
 at Selraa, Ala., in 1865, mustered out at Daven- 
 port, after which he returned to his home. During 
 his entire service he was always on duty, having 
 never been sick a single day. 
 
 In 1858 Mr. Wall made his first purchase of land, 
 consisting of eight}- acres, and after his return from 
 the war again engaged in farming. In 1S56, in 
 Louisa Count}', Iowa, he was united in marriage 
 with Miss Eliza Lawrence, who was born in Pike 
 County, Ohio, and is a daughter of John Lawrence, 
 a prominent farmer of that State. His death oc- 
 curred several years ago. The j'oung couple began 
 their domestic life upon a farm which they rented 
 for two years, and then removed to the farm on 
 section 3, Oakland Township. Five children were 
 born of their union: William, who is married, and 
 resides in this county; Isaac, Albert, George and 
 Andrew. After a short illness the death of Mrs. 
 Wall occurred in 1873, at the age of thirty-five 
 3'ears. In 1874 Mr. Wall was again married, Eliza- 
 beth Hill becoming his wife. This lady is a native 
 of Indiana, and a daughter of Daniel and Mary 
 Hill, who were also natives of that State, but came 
 to Iowa during the early days of its history. They 
 located in Oakland Township, Louisa County, 
 where Mr. Hill engaged in farming for si)nie time. 
 He then removed to Kansas, where he still resides. 
 His wife died several years ago. By the second 
 union of Mr. Wall two children have been born — 
 Maud and Ella. 
 
 The occupation of our subject is general farming, 
 and he nowowns 227 acres of fine, arable land, under 
 a high state of cultivation. Many si)li'ndi(l improve- 
 
 h 
 
u 
 
 302 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ments have I>een made, anil his possessions have all 
 been gained liy his own honest industry, enter()rise 
 and economy- He takes great interest in every 
 enterprise wiiicli lias for its object llie puhlic good, 
 and is numl)ered among Louisa County's best citi- 
 zens. He is well informed on all the leading issues 
 of tlie day, and in political sentiments is a Democrat. 
 
 ILLIAM TODD, an honored [)ioneer of 
 Louisa County, Iowa, of 1838. now resid- 
 ing in Columbus Junction, was born in 
 New Jersey, Oct. 20, 1 805, and is a son of John 
 and Ann (Phenix) Todd, both of whom were born 
 in New Jersej'. of German descent. When William 
 was four years of age the famil3' removed to Ham- 
 ilton County, Ohio, where he was reared upon a 
 farm, and when of suitable age learned the brick- 
 layer's trade. Going to Mississippi, he there worked 
 for a few years, after which he went to Illinois, and 
 later came to Iowa in the fall of 1830. He spent a 
 short lime at Jluscaline, then returned to Illinois, 
 where he remained until the spring of 1837, when 
 OTice more he went to Muscatine, and in 1838 came 
 to Louisa Count3", making his home in Fredonia. 
 He made a claim where he now lives, on section 19, 
 township 7."i, range 4, and the year following the 
 land .sales at Burlington he settled upon it. 
 
 In 1840, at his place, Mr. Todd was united in 
 marriage with Mrs. Lucinda Bliven, nee Wheelock, 
 sister of Marvel Wheelock, a well-known pioneer of 
 Columbus City Township. Mrs. Todd was born in 
 Connecticut, and two children graced their union, a 
 son and a daughter, but lioth are now deceased. 
 The son, James, was a soldier in the late war, and 
 served in the 2.')th Iowa Infantry. His death oc- 
 curi-ed in February, 18(;(), from disease contracted 
 in the field during the siege of Vicksburg. The 
 daughter. Sophia, was the wife of Walter Gillett, 
 of Columbus Junction, and died in 1881, leaving 
 two children. 
 
 In 1857 Mr. Tod. I platted the village of Hills- 
 l)oro on the south bank of the Iowa River, at 
 the point now crossed by the Burlington, Cedar 
 Kapids it N(jrtliern Hailroad. just north of thejunc- 
 r tion of that road with tlie Chicago <t Rock Island. 
 
 -f 
 
 4*- 
 
 Several business house? were erected and trade es- 
 tablisheil, while a ferry was put in operation across 
 the river at that point by Mr. Todd. (See history 
 of Hillsboro.) He was the first regular licensed 
 ferryman at that place, and continued to run the 
 ferry until the present wagon road bridge was built 
 in 1879. Mr. Todd has continued to make his home 
 at the site of his first location to this date, covering 
 a period of nearly half a centurj-. In the meantime 
 he has seen his hopes of seeing a town grow out of 
 his early efforts fade away, as the young town in the 
 course of years disappeared, building by building. 
 His good wife, who was a member of the Methodist 
 Episcoi)al Church, survived the loss of her children, 
 and died in March, 1888. Mr. Todd is a Repub- 
 lican in politics, and at the ripe old age of eighty- 
 three years is quite active and cheerful. 
 
 -^^' 
 
 ERMAN GAST, a miller of Grand View, 
 Louisa Co.. Iowa, was born in Germany, in 
 1844, and is a son of Frederick and Emelia 
 ■!i^l Gast, whose sketch api)ears on another page 
 of this work. When but a lad he emigrated to 
 America with his parents, who first settled in New 
 York, but came to Iowa in 1855. On the 18th of 
 January. 1870, the marriage of Herman Gast and 
 Miss Sarah E. Steinman, of Grand View, w.as cele- 
 brated. The lady was born in Berlin, Erie Co., 
 Ohio, in 1845, and is a daughter of Philip and JL-ir- 
 garet (Buster) Steinman, both of whom were 
 natives of Germany, but in early life emigrated to 
 America, settling in Ohio, where they remained until 
 they moved to Iowa. Mr. Stciinnan engaged in 
 farming for some time, but afterward became a 
 miller. Thej' had a family of ten children, four 
 boys and six girls. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Gast have been horn an inter- 
 esting family of four children: Farrie, ^Margaret, 
 Rush and Ora, all of whom are at liome. Mrs. Gast 
 is a member of the Evangelical Church, of Grand 
 View. .Socially. Mr. (i. is a member of the G. A. R. 
 When the late war broke out he responded to his 
 country's call for troojw, enlisting in August, 18C2, 
 as a member of the IDlh Iowa Infantry. He par- 
 ticipated in the battle of Prairie (irove, where he 
 
 f 
 
-^•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 303 
 
 was woiindfd in the left shoulder and also in the 
 right hi|), was under fire for many days at the siege 
 of Vic'ksburg, took part in tlic capture of Span- 
 ish Fort, and was also engaged in nuiuerous minor 
 shirraishes. After three years' hard fighting upon 
 tiie Soutiiern battle-fields, lie received his discharge 
 at Mobile, Ala., and was mustered out of service at 
 Davenport in August, 1865. Mr. Gast has served 
 as Justice of the Peace for four 3"ears, and has also 
 held the otlico of l'resi<lent of tiie School Board. 
 He casts his vote with the Republican part3-,and to 
 all worthy enterprises he gives his earnest support. 
 
 '^ FRANK HOLIDAY, one of the leading 
 merchants of Morning Sun, Iowa, engaged 
 in the drug business, w;is born in Columbus, 
 Ohio, Oct. 22, 1852, and is a son of John 
 P. Holiday, who was born in Cincinnati, in 1822. 
 In early life his father learned the trade of a car- 
 penter and joiner, which he followed for man}' 
 years, but subsequently engaged in the milling 
 business. In 1 828 he was united in marriage with 
 Frances Wright, a native of Baltimore, Md., and by 
 their union seven children were born: Joshua W., 
 now one of the prominent practicing phj'sicians of 
 Burlington, Iowa; Charles, a conductor on the Wa- 
 bash <fc Pacific Railroad; J. Frank, of this sketch; 
 James F., now in the emplo}- of the Consolidated 
 Tank Line Company, with headquarters at Decatur, 
 III.; Chester 1)., a dealer in hardware and agricult- 
 ural implements, of Blue Mound, 111.; Harry, a 
 conductor on the Wabash Railroad; Fannie, wife 
 of Lyman Crosthwait, who is also engaged with the 
 Tank Line CoTni)any at Decatur, III. 
 
 In 1855 John Holiday emigrated with his family 
 to Jefferson County, Iowa, locating in the city of 
 Fairfield, wliere he built many of the first build- 
 ings. He also engaged in milling, purchasing the 
 Round Prairie Mills, wiiich he operated for some 
 time. In 18G8 the family removed to Decatur, 
 III., where the parents j'et reside. Mr. Holiday in 
 early life wjis a strong anti-slavery man, never 
 asliameil ti^ be known by the term Aliolitionist. and 
 was among the first to advocate the temperance 
 cause in his neighlKirhiMxI. While in Ohio he was 
 
 honored by several local offices, holding the office 
 of Justice of the Peace for several years. He was 
 reared in the Presbyterian faith, but for many years 
 h.as been an active member in the Methodist Kpis- 
 copal Church. As a neighbor, he has always been 
 true and accommodating, as a father and husband, 
 kind and affectionate, as a Christian, earnest and 
 faithful. 
 
 The subject of our sketch came to Iowa with his 
 parents when three 3'ears of age, and received a 
 lil)eral education in the district schools and at Mt. 
 Pleasant, Iowa. In 18G8 he went to Decatur. III., 
 where he engaged as a salesman in the mercantile 
 business for David Bennett, and in 1874 returned 
 to Louisa Couutj', locating at Morning .Sun. where 
 he embarked in the drug business with his brother, 
 Dr. J. W. Holidiiy. Selling out his interest in that 
 firm, he was then employed as a clerk by J. H. 
 Delzell, whose stock he subsequently purchased, 
 and has built up a trade of which he may well feel 
 proud. 
 
 In the month of .June, KS7G, Mr. Holiday w.as 
 joined in wedlock with Miss Sarah M. Delzell, whose 
 parents were early settlers of Louisa Count}'. He 
 has continued to reside in Morning Sun since 1874, 
 and is one of the leading business men of the 
 place, who by close attention to the wants of his 
 customers, has secured a well-deserved and liberal 
 patron.age. Politicall}', Mr. Holiday is a Repub- 
 lican, and has held several local offices of trust. 
 
 'ii^'RANKLIN P. HOUSE, a leading farmer 
 ||-H@\ residing on section 7, Onind 'View Town- 
 l^ shii), was born in 185;i, in the State of Ohio, 
 and is the sixth in a famil}' of nine children born 
 to Jacob and Marrilla (Ayers) House, both of whom 
 were also natives of Ohio, but long since emigrated 
 to Louisa County, where they yet reside. Our 
 subject was reared to farm life, and in the dis- 
 trict schools of Iowa received his education. In 
 1876, in Louisa County, he was united in marriage 
 with Miss Matilda Crow, a native of Iowa, and a 
 daughter of Henry and Jane ((libboney) Crow, 
 who were boni in ()lii(i. 'I'hcy were pioneer set- 
 
 i' 
 
••»• 
 
 304 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 tiers of Louisa County, to which the}' emigrated 
 ill 183C, the father here purchasing and improving 
 a farm, upon which he lived until his death, which 
 occurred in 1884. The mother is still living, and 
 resides in Concord Township. 
 
 After their marriage the young couple hegan 
 their domestic life upon the farm of J. H. Letts, 
 but subsequently removed to Morning Sun, where 
 they resided ten years. At the expiration of that 
 time they went to Dakota, there living upon a 
 claim, but soon returned to Iowa, and since March, 
 1887, have resided upon the old homestead. Mr. 
 House takes great interest in political affairs, and 
 casts his ballot with the Republican party, of which 
 he is a strong supporter. He and his estimable 
 wife are members of the United Presbyterian 
 Church, of Columbus Junction, and are ranked 
 among Louisa County's best citizens. Their home 
 is pleasantly situated about two and one-half miles 
 from the village of Letts. 
 
 JOSEPH W. BOZMAN, a general farmer and 
 stock-raiser, residing on section 8, Wapello 
 Township, was born in Muskingum County, 
 Ohio, June 18, 1827. and is a son of Ben- 
 jamin and Priscilla (Brady) Bozman, the father a 
 native of Virginia, and the mother of Maryland. 
 They were the parents of twelve children, four of 
 whom are yet living : Lewis, a farmer of this county ; 
 James B., who is engaged in farming in Nebraska; 
 Eliza, widow of Benjamin Norris, now living in 
 Lexington, Perry Co., Ohio; and Joseph. Benja- 
 min Bozman was a weaver by trade, following 
 that occupation until his marriage, after which he 
 eng.aged in farming. His death occurred about the 
 year 1861, his wife dying the year following. Both 
 were members of the Baptist Church. 
 
 Oursubject received his education in the common 
 schools of bis native county, and since early life has 
 followed the occupation of farming. He was united 
 in marriage with Miss Nancj' A. Orrison, their 
 union being celebrated Nov. 10, 1853. The lady 
 was born June 10, 1833, in Perry County, Ohio, 
 and is a daughter of Payton and Ruth (Tipton) 
 
 Orrison, the father a native of Virginia, and the 
 mother of Maryland. Mr. Orrison died when Mrs. 
 Bozman was but a small child, and the death of her 
 mother occurred in 1852. The union of our sub- 
 ject and his wife h.as been blessed with a family of 
 ten children, six of whom were horn to them in 
 Perry County, Ohio, namely: Albert H.,agraduate 
 of Howe's Academy of Mt. Pleasant, now a teacher 
 of recognized abilit}' in Louisa County; Minerva, 
 who is also a graduate of Howe's Acidemj', and was 
 a teacher in the county, is now the wife of Isaiah 
 Down, a farjner of Wapello Township; Isadore M. 
 is the wife of E. M. .Sprinkle, who is engaged in farm- 
 ing in Jeflferson Township; Almeda M. died when 
 twenty-three j-ears of age; Ul^'sses G. and George 
 S., at home. The remaining children, John F., 
 Norris. AVilliam and Lulu M., were born in Louisa 
 County. Iowa. 
 
 In his native countj' Mr. Bozman w.i,s the owner 
 of 170 acres of land, 100 of which were under cul- 
 tivation, but not being satisfied with the localitj', 
 and having a chance to sell, he disposed of his 
 property, and came directly to Louisa County, 
 where he purchased 200 acres of land on sections 7 
 and 8 in Wapello Township. This tract was in a 
 comparatively raw condition, only about thirty 
 acres being under cultivation, but he immediately 
 began its improvement and h.as made a fine farm. 
 He has since added fort}' acres to his original pur- 
 chase, and everything about the pl.ace denotes him 
 to be a man of enterprise and progress. Financially, 
 he is a self-made man. Beginning life with no 
 capital but a strong arm and a determination to 
 make his waj' in the world, with that energy which 
 characterizes his every action he has made his life a 
 success. For his first labor he received but twenty- 
 five cents per day. and afterward secured employ- 
 ment at rail cutting, receiving twenty-five cents for 
 ever}' 100 rails cut. Being a man of strength and 
 muscular power, he was able to prepare 250 rails 
 per d.iy. Thus, little by little, he earned the money 
 which enabled him to purchase a farm, and now has 
 a comfortable competency laid up for old age. He 
 has given his children good educations, giving them 
 the advant-igcs of the higher branches in academies 
 or colleges as they have attained sullicient .age. 
 For many years Mr. Bozman has been a member of 
 
 -^ 
 
 n- 
 

 ,i:.4 
 
 K^ 
 
JU 
 
 ^^~1 1~"^* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 307 
 
 the Christian Church, while his wife belongs to the 
 Church of God. lie lias iiold various township 
 offices Willi credit to himself and to the satisfaction 
 of his constituents, and in his political sentiments 
 is a Republican. He cast his firat Presidential vote 
 for P'ranklin Pierce, Imt after the organization of 
 the Hepublican party joined its ranks, and has since 
 been a strong advocate of its jirinciples. He has 
 always been prominent in the promotion of the 
 moral and social interests of the community, and is 
 an honored and respected citizen of Louisa Countj'. 
 
 ^. HAKLKS W. EDWARDS, one of the lead- 
 Ill n '"o farmers and stock-raisers of this county, 
 ^^J'J residing on section 36, Elliott Township, 
 was born in Oneida County, N. Y., in 1822, and is 
 a son of Elijah and Catherine (Van Buren) Ed- 
 wards, the father a native of Connecticut, and the 
 mother, who was a second cousin of Martin Van 
 Buren, the eighth President of the United States, 
 w.as born in Columbia County, N. Y. The father's 
 occu|)ation was farming, and in early life, prior to 
 the War of 1812, in wiiich he served, he emigrated 
 to Oneida County. To Mr. and Mrs. Edwards 
 were born five children: Nicholas, who is engaged 
 in farming in Oneida County; John, a capitalist of 
 Xcnia, Ohio; Catherine, whose home is in Oneida 
 County, N. Y. ; Charles W., the subject of this 
 sketch, and Charlotte, wife of Joiin Vanduson, of 
 Howell, Mich. The parents were members of the 
 Baptist Church. The father was a most successful 
 and enterprising farmer, and his death occurred in 
 the spring of 1863, at the age of seventy 3'ears, 
 Mrs. Edwards being called to her final rest three 
 years later, in 18C6, .it the age of seventy-six 
 years. 
 
 Tiie boyhood days of our subject were passed 
 upon a farm, and he received his education in the 
 common schools. At the age of nineteen he left 
 home, and eng.aged in buying and selling stock, 
 which he continued until the autumn of 1862, when 
 he went to Peoria to feed cattle in the distilleries, 
 where he remained two years. At the expiration 
 of that time, in 1 86-t, he came to Louisa County, 
 and purchased 1,067 acres of land, partly in Des 
 
 ■<• 
 
 Moines County, and partly situated on section 36, 
 Elliott Township. This tr.ict was only partly im- 
 proved, but he immediately began its cultivation, 
 and now owns 2,000 acres, all of which arc under 
 fence. Their magnificent home, which was erected 
 in 1876, and the large barn, one of the best in the 
 county, together with other improvements, cost 
 Mr. Edwjirds over 820.000. 
 
 In 18.i3 Mr. Edwards was united in marriage 
 with Lucia Loinis, a native of Oneida County, N. 
 Y., and one child was born unto them, Charley, who 
 died at tiie ago of ten months. The death of the 
 mother occurred in 18.5;'), and on the 3d of July, 
 1860, Mr. Edwards led to the marriage altar J^elia 
 Merriam, a native of Oswego County, N. Y. They 
 have an interesting family of three children — Fred- 
 erick C, William E. and Daisy L. 
 
 Mr. Edwards makes a s|)ecialty of raising stock, 
 all of which is of the best grade. He now owns 
 about 100 head of PoUed-Angus cattle, and ships 
 about 200 head per j'ear. He is one of the ener- 
 getic and prc)gressive farmers of Louisa County, 
 where he is universally known and highly esteemed 
 as one of its best citi/.ens. The portraits of Mr. 
 and Mrs. Edwards are given on an accompanying 
 page. 
 
 j^> \RUS MORGAN, of Wapello, who isa dealer 
 in hardware, stoves and tinware, was born in 
 
 ^^f/ .South Charleston, Clarke Co., Ohio, Sept. 13, 
 1833, and is the son of David and Catherine (Davi- 
 son) Morgan. His fallier was born in Ilagerstown, 
 Md., and his mother in Greene County', Ohio, their 
 sketch appearing elsewhere in this work. Our subject 
 received a common-schoiil education, and came to 
 Wapello with his parents in 18.)8. He learned the 
 h.arness-raaker's trade in his father's shop, and after 
 his death, which occurred in October, 18.59, Cyrus 
 joined his brothers in carrying on the business, con- 
 tinuing with them until 1873, when he sold out and 
 opened his i)resent store. 
 
 Mr. Morgan was married at Wapello, Iowa, Sept. 
 29, 1864, to Miss Clarissa Drake, daughter of John 
 and Mary (Clark) Drake, pioneers of W:ipelIo of 
 1837. Mrs. Morgan was born and reared in this 
 city, and is a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. 
 
 
308 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 and Mrs. Morgan are the parents of three children, 
 two sons and one daughter: William C, Frank R. 
 and Marj' Drake, all born in Wapello. Mr. Mor- 
 gan is independent in politics, and has been a 
 member of the Wapello City Council. He is a 
 worthy citizen and is highly respected. 
 
 !ktM ILTON CARPENTER, a farmer residing 
 on section 1, Oakland Township, is one of 
 the settlers of Louisa County of 1851. He 
 was born in Tompkins County, N. Y., Aug. 
 17, 1826, and is the fifth in a family of ten children, 
 who were born to Cyril and Amanda (Mason) Car- 
 penter, the former a native of Vermont, and the lat- 
 ter of Connecticut. The ancestry as far back as can 
 be traced lived in these two States. Accompanied 
 by his family, in 1837, Cyril Carpenter emigrated to 
 Lake County, Ind., where he engaged in farming, 
 and there passed the remainder of his life, his 
 death occurring in February', 1847, at the age of 
 fifty years. During tiie War of 1812 he was 
 drafted as a soldier, but sent a substitute. His 
 wife survived him for seven j'ears, dying in 1854. 
 Our subject was reared to farm life, receiving 
 his education in the district schools of New York 
 and Indiana, and later engaged in the lumber 
 business near Crown Point, Lake Co., Ind., for 
 several years. Making that his home until 1851, 
 he then resolved to try his fortune in the West, and 
 came to Louisa County, settling on section 1, Oak- 
 land T()wnshii>. Tlie following year he purchased 
 fort}' acres of raw land, which he immediately be- 
 gan to improve, and from lime to time lias added 
 to that tract until he now owns about 200 acres, 
 situated in one of tlic finest farming districts of the 
 State. All the improvcineiits necessary to the 
 model farm of the nineteenth century have been 
 made, a nice residence has been erected, and the 
 farm stocked with the best grade of Short-horn 
 cattle. 
 
 In 1859 Mr. Carpenter made an overland trip to 
 California. While en route, on the 20ili d.iy of 
 August, tiie party of which he was a member was 
 attacked liy the Indians, and tlie entire train was 
 burned, four iiieii being wounded, and one, Abel L. 
 
 Root, the partner of our subject, killed. Imme- 
 diately joining another train of emigrants, Mr. Car- 
 penter left tiie scene of the disaster, which occurred 
 150 miles north of Salt Lake City, and completed 
 the trip. He remained in California until 18C0, 
 when he returned to his home by way of the Isth- 
 mus of Panama. During the late war he served as 
 Captain of the home guard. His brother Charles, 
 who enlisted in the lOtli Iowa Infantry, at AVa- 
 pello, for three years' service, was shot at the battle 
 of Chipola, La., in 1862, and died from the effects 
 of iiis wound. 
 
 On the 3d of Jul}^ 1848, in Lake Count}', Ind., 
 Mr. Carpenter was united in marriage with Eleanor 
 Hungerford, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of 
 David and Eunice (Bostwick) Hungerford, who 
 were also natives of that State. Her father was a 
 farmer liy occupation, and in 1854 emigrated to 
 Louisa County. Iowa, settling in Oakland Town- 
 ship, where he resided until his death, which oc- 
 curred in 1856. His wife was called to her final 
 home in 1863. By the union of Mr. and Mrs. Car- 
 penter, three children were born: Adelaide A., 
 now Mrs. Ilesser, resides in Cla}- Center. Kan.; Ida 
 is the wife of Mr. Nicholson, Judge of the Probate 
 Court of Ness County, Kan.; and Effie A., now 
 Mrs. Morgan, also resides at Clay Center. In 
 1858 Mr. Carpenter was called upon to mourn the 
 death of his wife, who died after an illness of two 
 months. He was again married, in Washington 
 Count}^ Feb. 22, 1862, Mary Farley becoming his 
 wife. She is a native of Ohio, and a daughter of 
 James and Ellen (Taylor) Farley, the father a na- 
 tive of Pennsylvania, and the mother of England. 
 In 1854 the parents emigrated to Winnebago 
 County, 111., where Mr. Farley, who is now nearly 
 ninety years of age. makes his home with his chil- 
 dren. His wife died in 1880, at the age of seventy 
 years. Bj' the second union seven children were 
 horn, three of whom .are living: James Elmer, 
 Charles Oscar and Arthur Alferd, who are at home. 
 Those deceased are an infant, who died in Illinois, 
 in 1865; Bertha, who died at the age of two years, 
 five months and fifteen days, in 1876, and Roj', 
 who died at the age of eleven months, in 1879. 
 
 Mr. Carpenter is one of the prominent and pro- 
 gressive farmers of Oakland Towiisliii>. In 1865 
 
 ■»► ■-< 
 
 t 
 
h 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 =4- 
 
 309 , , 
 
 lie built his present residence, nnd everything about 
 his place shows him to be a num of thrift and 
 enterprise. lie takes great interest in political af- 
 fairs, casting his ballot witli the Democratic part}', 
 and has held several otlices of public trust. For 
 the past twenty-two years he has held the office of 
 Secrctarj- of the School Hoard, and Is now Town- 
 ship Clerk. He assisted in organizing some of the 
 school districts in his township, and has been promi- 
 nent in the promotion of any enterprise for the 
 public welfare. Since his arrival in the county he 
 has witnessed many of its most important changes, 
 and has ever been regarded as one of its most wor- 
 thy citizens. Mrs. Carpenter, who is a most esti- 
 mable lady, is a member of the Christian Church 
 at Columbus City. 
 
 -5- 
 
 -^3- 
 
 ^^ 
 
 -i— 
 
 Vfi'OSHUA LUCKY, one of the leading farmers 
 of Union Township, and an early .settler of 
 Louisa County, is a native of Athens Count}', 
 fj Oliio, and a son of .lames and Nancy (Speed) 
 Lucky, both of whom were born in Pennsylvania. 
 The father was of Irish descent, and the paternal 
 grandfather, William Lucky, was born on board a 
 vessel while his parents were en route for America. 
 The matcrTial grandfather, Simon Speed, was born 
 in London, Kngland, and was asilk weaver by trade. 
 When a young man, prior to the Revolutionary 
 War, he emigrated to America, settling in Penn- 
 sylvania, and when the Colonies ('ould no longer 
 submit to British fjppression, true t<j his patriotic 
 instincts, he enlisted in their defense, and served 
 during a greater part of the war. 
 
 .lames Luck}', the father of our subject, was 
 reared u|)on a farm, and when a young lad removed 
 with his parents to Ohio, settling in Athens County. 
 In that new and almost unl)roken coinitry he grew 
 to manhood, and there wedded Nancy .Speed. To 
 them w.as born a family of sixteen children, four- 
 teen of wlK)m lived to be adults, an<l six are now 
 living: William, born Oct. 31 , 1807, is a blacksmith 
 living in Eugene City, Lane Co., Ore. ; .Sarah, widow 
 of .losiah Mcrritt, whose home is in Washington 
 Territory ; .bi^lnia; Lucy, widow of Edward Palmer, 
 now living in Michigan; Nancy F., who wedded 
 
 -^ 
 
 David Hougland, of Adams County, Iowa; and 
 James C, a farmer of Warren County, Iowa. 
 
 Our subject was born .Ian. 27, 1817, and his 
 boyhood days were passed upon his father's farm. 
 At the age f>f twenty he left the parental roof, and 
 came to Iowa in 1837, locating in Des Moines 
 County, where he worked in the mill in Augusta 
 from March until October. Going to Vicksburgat 
 the end of that time, he was there employed in 
 chopping cordwood for about four months, after 
 which he returned to his native State, and there 
 remained until 1853. In the meantime he was 
 united in m.'irriage with Margaret Means, their 
 union being celebrated Oct. 26, 1841. The lady 
 was born in Washington County, Pa., Dec. 14, 
 1823, and is the only daughter of George and 
 Agnes (Cubbison) Means, who were also natives of 
 the Keystone State. By their union six children 
 have been born: Jeremiah, who is a farmerof Cher- 
 okee County, Kan.; Mary Jane, now the wife of 
 Reuben Fisher, a capitalist of Ottawa, Franklin 
 Co., Kan.; James M., who is clerking in a bnnk in 
 Melvern, Kan.; Joseph C, who is engaged in farm- 
 ing in Washington County, Iowa; William, a car- 
 riage manufacturer, of Washington, Iowa; Sarah 
 E., wife of William McGuire, of Barber County, 
 Kan. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Lucky rented a farm in 
 Ohio until 18;')3, when he emigrated to Louisa 
 County, Iowa, settling on section 18, Union Town- 
 ship, where he bought 110 acres of raw land. Im- 
 mediately beginning its improvement, and sparing 
 neither ex|)ense nor labor, he h.as now one of the 
 best farms in the county, and has added to his 
 original purchase until at present it comprises 400 
 acres. Since 18G2 Mrs. Lucky has been a devoted 
 member of the Church of God, and is one of its 
 most liberal contributors and active workers. Po- 
 litically, Mr. Lucky is a Republican, having sup- 
 ported that party ever since its organization. 
 He was alw.ays strongly opposed to slavery, and 
 earnestly advocated its abolition, lie is one of the 
 prosperous farmers of the county, for success comes 
 to those who earnestly labor for it. He commenced 
 life as a day laborer, but by good management, 
 f.'iir deiding and enterprise, and the assist:uice of 
 his estimable wife, he has gained a comfortable 
 
 1*^:4-^ 
 
_t 
 
 '4— 
 310 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 competence. Tliej' have roared a family of chil- 
 dren of whom they m.ay justly be proud, as they 
 are all respected men and women, and are a credit 
 to the honored name of Lucky. As a citizen, Mr. 
 Lucky is highly respected, and though his life has 
 been quiet and uneventful, his years have been 
 passed in honest toil, such as has won for him the 
 confidence and good-will t)f the coramunit}'. 
 
 The paternal grandfather of our suljject was one 
 of the early settlers of Pennsylvania, and often the 
 settlers had trouble with tiie Indians. At onetime 
 his son Samuel, an uncle of Joshua, was captured 
 by the savages when about eight years of age, and 
 held in captivity for about ten years, but did not 
 succeed in finding his father's family until he was 
 about twenty-four yeais of age. 
 
 ^^-^ 
 
 -V- 
 
 -^,, LFRED LIMBOCKER, deceased, who was 
 ( ©//jI i one of the honored pioneers of Louisa 
 Count}', was born June 9, 181 1, in Genesee 
 County, N. V. He vvas of luimble parent- 
 age and one of a large family of children. Having 
 butliraited educational advantages at his command, 
 iiis education was mosti}' acquired by experience 
 and observation of the ways of life and the actions 
 of men. He was a niillvvright by trade, but fol- 
 lowed farming during his early life. His first trip 
 from his native county was made to Dunkirk, N.Y., 
 where he aided in the erection of the first light- 
 house. At the earl}' age of ten he began life's bat- 
 tle for himself. Securing work he gave most of his 
 earnings to his father to help support the large 
 family. Leaving the parental roof when quite 3'oung, 
 lie went as a raftsman down to Jackson County, 
 Ind., where he formed the acquaintance of Jliss 
 Lueinlha M. Morrison, a native of Tennessee; the 
 acquaintance ripened into love, and on the 8th 
 of February, 1832, their union was celebrated. Mr. 
 Limbocker then located in Jennings County, and 
 in the nii<ist of the heavj' timber developed a farm. 
 He was also engaged in the cultivation of another 
 farm in that county, and was there for some time 
 engaged in the mercantile business, and also in 
 keeping a hotel. 
 
 Desiring to come West our subject set to work 
 
 -^•- 
 
 to provide the means of transportation, as there were 
 no railroads at that time. He made the woodwork 
 for two wagons, and then traded a cow for the iron 
 necessary to complete them. Having four small 
 horses he loaded his household effects into the 
 wagons, and followed the tide of emigration, which 
 was steadilj' flowing westward. He reached the 
 Territory of Iowa in 184.5, and landing in Louisa 
 County, rented a farm of Col. W. W. Garner for 
 three years. Starting with but a cash capital of $7, 
 little by little he added to it until he became one 
 of the prosperous and well-to-do farmers of the 
 county. F'or three 3'ears he rented land, but in 
 1848 bought 120 acres of timber land and eighty 
 acres of prairie on section 9, Columbus City Town- 
 ship, which he immediately began to improve and 
 convert into a home. In 1851 he added another 
 80-acre tract to his original purchase, it also being 
 situated on section 9, and soon afterward he re- 
 moved to that portion of the farm, where he made 
 his home until the time of his death. By his energy, 
 enterprise, fair dealing and good management, as 
 time passed he was enabled to add to his farm, until 
 he owned over 600 acres of land in Columbus City 
 Township. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Limbocker were the parents of ten 
 children: John S.,a leading farmer and stock-raiser 
 residing in Columbus City Township; William E., 
 who died near Ottawa, Kan., in 1882; Alfred S., 
 who was a member of the 11th Iowa Infantry, died 
 at Shiloh just after the battle which had there taken 
 place; Jeremiah M., who enlisted as a private in the 
 oth Iowa Cavalry, was promoted to the Captainc}', 
 and is now living in Ft. Scott, Kan.; Mary A. is de- 
 ceased; George W., who was the First Lieutenant 
 of Company C, lllh Iowa Infantry, died in March, 
 1865; Cynthia is the wife of John W. Hawes, a 
 farmer of Columbus City Township; Sarah G. died 
 in infancy ; Marcus N., a resident farmer of Colum- 
 bus City Township, and Alliert V. complete the 
 family. 
 
 Mr. Limbocker died Oct. 20, 1882. He was a 
 man honored and loved for his many kind acts, his 
 ' charitableness and willingness to help a friend in 
 need. A member of the Method isl Episcopal Church, 
 he gave liberally to its support, took great interest 
 in its welfare, and in the advancement of his Mas- 
 
■^•■ 
 
 •*^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 311 
 
 t- 
 
 ter's cause. In his death the coiinty lost one of her 
 most valued and respected citizens, who was one of 
 Nature's n»)blenien. He had served as one of the 
 Supervisors of the county, and was a member of the 
 hoard for several j'ears. Mrs. Liinbocker, who was 
 also a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Chnrch, and a lady beloved for her manj' excel- 
 lencies of character, died on the 23d of March, 1863. 
 
 IjOBERT F. NEWELL, an honored pioneer 
 of Louisa County, Iowa, residing on see- 
 tion 23, Concord Tt)wnship, was born in 
 ^^Ilolmes and reared in Wayne (now Ashland) 
 County, Ohio, in 1818, and was the youngest in a 
 familj' of six children born to Thomas and Harriet 
 (Flahertj) Newell, his father being a native of 
 Washington County, Pa., and the mother of Freder- 
 ick Countj-, Md. The paternal grandparents, James 
 and Mary Newell, at an early day settled in prox- 
 imity to the fort, near the present city of Wheel- 
 ing, W. Va., in what is now the State of Ohio. The 
 grandfather was a native of Irelan<i, and after his 
 emigration to America he engaged in farming in 
 Ohio. Tlie maternal grandparents, Amasa and 
 Mary (Ridgley) Flaherty, were natives of Mary- 
 land. The grandfather was in the RevoUitionary 
 War under the command of Gen. Washington for 
 six years and seven months, and for his services 
 received a pension. He died at a ripe old age in 
 Richland Countj', Ohio, where the death of his wife 
 also occurred. 
 
 The parents of our subject went to Ohio in 1 787, 
 when cliiliircn, at a time when there were but few 
 settlements, and the towns and cities were not 
 built. The father was a soldier in the War of 1812, 
 and bought and improved a faiin in Wayne County, 
 Ohio, making it his home until 183'J, when, accom- 
 panied by his family, he settled on section 23, Con- 
 cord Township, and entered 400 acres of land. 
 He carried on farming until his death, which oc- 
 curred in i 8.i8. at the age of seventy-five years and 
 three months. His excellent wife <Hed in 1840, at 
 tlie age of fifty-seven years, and both were held in 
 liigh esteem in the communitj' where they resided. 
 
 Rol)ert F. Newell has spent his entire life since 
 
 1839 in Louisa Countj', Iowa. He had previously 
 received his education in the district schools of 
 Ohio, and since attaining his majority has followed 
 the occupation of farming. In Wapello County, 
 in an Indian trading-post, near Eddyville, he w.as 
 united in marri.age with Christina Newell, their 
 union being celebrated on the 31st of December, 
 1843. She is a native of Logan County, Ohio, and 
 adaughterof Hug!) and Elizabeth (McNcy) Newell, 
 who were born in Kentucky. Her father was a far- 
 mer and moved to Ohio, where he engaged in farm- 
 ing until his death, which occurred in 18,53, at the 
 age of seventy-four years. His estimable wife sur- 
 vived him until 18G3, when she too departed this 
 life, at the age of seventy-four years. 
 
 After their marriage the young couple Iiegan 
 their domestic life upon the farm in Concord Town- 
 ship, which still continues to be their home, and for 
 almost fort3'-five years have shared life's joys and 
 sorrows, its pleasures and pains, which come alike 
 to all. Nine children have there been born to them, 
 and eight are yet living: Elizabeth, now Mrs. 
 Cushman, is living in Wyoming; Thomas is mar- 
 ried and resides in Concord Township; Caroline, 
 wife of L. A. Riley, makes her home in Wapello; 
 Hugh died Sept. 16, 1851, at the age of eighteen 
 months; Mary, now Mrs. Curtis, is living in Con- 
 cord Township; John is married, and resides in Al- 
 bany County, Wyo. ; William, who is also married, 
 is living in Albany Countj'; Robert is married, and 
 makes his home in Wyoming; Harriet C. now Mrs. 
 Sidman, is living in Norton County, Kan. Mr. 
 Newell and his wife have given their children good 
 educations, such as would fit them for the practical 
 duties of this life, and Lhey are now all respected 
 men and women. 
 
 Mr. Newell is the owner of 443 acres of land in 
 Concord 'I'ownsliip, 400 of which are under cultiva- 
 tion and highly improved. The farm is pleasantly 
 situated al)out four and one-half miles from Colum- 
 bus Junction, and four miles from Letts, and is well 
 stocked with a good grade of horses and cattle. 
 Politically, he is a Democrat, and hijs held various 
 offices in the township and comity, having been 
 Justice of the Peace, Constable, Assessor, Super- 
 visor and County Commissioner, and he has also as- 
 sisted in organizing some of the school districts of 
 
312 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 the townsliip. Socially, Mr. Newell is a raeraber of 
 Triangular Lodge No. 24.i, A. F. & A. M., is one 
 of its charter members, and held the office of Sec- 
 retary for a number of j'ears. He was one of the 
 very earliest settlers of Concord Towiishi|). it re- 
 quiring all of the citizens of that time to raise his 
 log cabin. He has seen the full development of the 
 count}', and endured all the trials and privations 
 incident to pioneer life. The winter of 1842-43 
 was one of great severit}', but all such hardships 
 were cheerfully borne, and to such men Louisa 
 County owes its present prosperity and high rank 
 in the great State of Iowa. 
 
 J" OSEPH F. HIGBEE, residing on section 33, 
 I Marshall Township, is now the oldest settler 
 I living on the south side of the Iowa River 
 / in Louisa County. lie was born in Ontario 
 County, N. Y., Feb. 18, 180G, and is the son of 
 James and Mary (Finten) Iligbee. lie resided in 
 his native count}' until 1823, there receiving his 
 education, but at that date removed with the fam- 
 ily to Crawford County, Ohio. After making that 
 their home for a time they removed to Berrien 
 Count}', Mich., where the death of the parents oc- 
 curred, the father departing this life in 1844, and 
 the mother the year following. 
 
 On the 2d of July, 1829. Mr. Higbee was united 
 in marriage with Miss Rachel G. Matthews, who 
 was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, Jan. 15, 
 1813. She is a daughter of Isaac and Nanc}' 
 (Hamilton) Matthews, her father a native of Trum- 
 bull County, Ohio, and her mother of New Jersej'. 
 Not being pleased with the State of Michigan, our 
 subject resolved to make his home in Iowa. He 
 crossed the river at Burlington Sept. 1, 183G, and 
 on the Dth of that month settled upon a farm of 
 227 acres on what is now section 4. Marshall Town- 
 ship. At the land sale in Burlington in November, 
 1838, he purchased the claim, and immediately be- 
 gan the improvement of the land, which was at that 
 time entirely uncultivated. At the time of his ar- 
 rival the Indians were the owners of the county- 
 seat, now called Wa|)ello, and they gave to Jlr. 
 Higbee the name of "Good Sheinoka Man," moan- 
 
 ing good white man, and to Mrs. Higbee '"Good 
 Squaw." They were frequent visitors of the cot- 
 tage, some of them stopping there nearly every 
 da}'. On one occasion, while Mrs. Higbee was wash- 
 ing, an ohl Indian who was under the influence of 
 liquor, accompanied by his squaw, came to the 
 cabin and asked Mr. Higbee how he would like to 
 swap squaws, but our subject, feeling entirely con- 
 tent with the lady of his choice, declined to make 
 the trade. Long since the Indians, who were then 
 so numerous, have died or been driven westward by 
 the ever advancing white man, and one by one the 
 old settlers answer the call of Him Who doeth all 
 things well, until Mr. and Mrs. Higbee are almost 
 the only pioneers of the days of the "thirties" who 
 are still living. The little cabin into which they 
 moved on their arrival in Louisa County, and where 
 so many happy days were passed, has long since 
 given way to a more commodious residence. Even 
 the old timber that stood upon the homestead has 
 died, and a new growth has taken its place. Nature 
 te.aehing us the lesson of life and death, of one gen- 
 eration giving place to another; but though the old 
 pioneers will p.iss aw.ay. their works and deeds are 
 not forgotten. 
 
 On the 2d of July, 1888, Mr. Iligbee and his 
 wife saw the close of fifty-nine years of wedded life, 
 wiiich has been full of sunshine and happiness, <lark- 
 ness and sorrow, such as come to all in this world. 
 Fifteen children were born to this worthy couple, 
 making glad the hearts of the parents: Mary A., 
 who w.as born Sept. 2, 1830, is now the wife of Jo- 
 seph Story, a resident of Parsons, Kan.; Joshua 
 W. was born Dec. 9, 1831; Jonathan was born 
 June 12, 1833; Emmarancy, born June 13, 1835, is 
 now the wife of William Miller, who owns the old 
 hfimestead of the family; James was born Nov. 7, 
 1836, and his sketch appears elsewhere in this work; 
 Rebecca, born Nov. 16, 1838. is the wife of Will- 
 iam Skinner, a resident farmer of Marshall Town- 
 ship; Jose|ih, a merchant of Morning Sun, Iowa, 
 was born Sept. 19, 1840; Minerva, born Aug. 14, 
 1842, is the wife of Martin Ranshenberger, a broker 
 residing in Cherokee County, Iowa; Julius, born 
 Aug. 6, 1844, died in 1853 at the age of nine years; 
 Clarissa, born Jan. 24, 1847, died on the 3il of 
 March following; William, born April 3, 1848, is 
 
•<- 
 
 LOUISA cou^Tl^ 
 
 313 f 
 
 a resident farmer of Cherokee Count}', Towa; Lo- 
 vina Clarissa, born May lU, 18;')0, died March 23, 
 18G4; Uriah, born Sept. 25, 1852, is engaged in 
 farniinji: in Washin<rtoii County, Col. ; Sylvester, 
 born May 3, 1854, died Feb. li), 1876; Susan, born 
 March 29, 185(), is the wife of Thonnas Martin, a 
 farmer of Marshall Township. 
 
 Allhoiigli Mr. and Mrs. lligbee have long passed 
 the meridian of life, they are both remarkably well 
 preserved. Seven years ago Mrs. Higbee received 
 a paralytic stroke, from which she has never recov- 
 ered, yet she bears her trial with contentment and 
 isan example of Christian [jatience. Mr. Higbee is 
 now in his eighth-third year, yet he retains his phy- 
 sical and mental powers in a wonderful degree. In 
 1833 these old people united with the Christian 
 Church, and for fiftj'-seven j-ears have nobl}' es- 
 poused the cause of their Master. Mr. lligbee has 
 filled all the township offices, and in all matters of 
 public or private trust has been the soid of honor. 
 In his political views lie has ever supported the 
 principles of the Democratic party. Not only as 
 the oldest living pioneer south of the Iowa River, 
 but as a citizen, neighbor and friend, does Mr. llig- 
 bee receive the respect and esteem of the com- 
 munity. 
 
 ON. JAMIiS SIMPSON HURLEY, an hon- 
 ored pioneer of Louisa County, and a promi- 
 nent member of the Iowa bar, was born in 
 Ciiampaign County, Oiiio, on the 18th of 
 May, 1829, and is a son of David and Elizabeth 
 (Downs) Iltirle}'. His father was a native of New 
 Jersey, born ahout 1793, and the paternal grand- 
 fallicr of our subject was an earnest patriot of the 
 American Revolution, bearing a conspicuous part 
 in that great struggle which rcsidted in founding 
 the grandest nation on the face of the earth. The 
 noble principle of patriotism that animated the 
 hero of 1M70 has been tran.smitted to his posterity, 
 and the Hurleys of the nineteenth century have 
 never lieen found wanting in devotion to their 
 country'. 
 
 The mother of our subject was born in New 
 Jersey, and was a woman of superior mental powers, 
 liberal education, and possessed many excellencies 
 
 of character that eminently fitted her for the care 
 of her children in a country devoid of the atlvan- 
 tages of education and society. It was to her un- 
 remitting care and instruction that J. S. Hurley is 
 indebted for the material education of his youth, 
 and the inculcation of the moral principles that 
 formed his character, and which have governed his 
 actions tluougii a long life of activity and useful- 
 ness. 
 
 David Hurley, a sketch of whose life appears 
 elsewhere in this work, was a pioneer of Champaign 
 County, Ohio, and a member of the Society of 
 Friends, or Quakers, !is commonlj' known. He 
 emigrated to Louisa County, Iowa, in 1840, with 
 his family-, and settled on a farm near Wapello. 
 James S., then a lad of eleven years, worked on his 
 father's farm, and four years later began attending 
 the district schools, which had then become an 
 estahlished fact, and wliere he had the .advantag,* of 
 such instruction as the pioneer schoolmaster could 
 impart. F"'rom the death of his father, in March, 
 1846, until 1852, he devoted himself to the care of 
 the farm, and aided in maintaining the family. He 
 then entered upon an academic course at Knox 
 College, Galcsburg, III., but six months later was 
 obliged to return to the farm and assume its man- 
 agement. In the meantime he entered upon a 
 course of reading for the legal ijrofessioii, under 
 the preceptorship of B. F. Wright, and during the 
 winter of 1853-54 attended the law school at 
 Dubuque. He was admitted to the bar in the 
 spring of 1854, and at once entered u|)on the prac- 
 tice of his profession at Wapello. In 1855 Mr. 
 Hurley was elected Prosecuting Attorney' for Louis:» 
 Count}", which ollice also involved the duties of 
 the County Judge during the absence of that 
 official. His first election was to fill a vacancy, 
 which was followed by an election for the full term 
 of two years, and during a portion of such term of 
 service he was required to perform the duties of 
 those offices. At the close of his term he continued 
 the practice of his profession at Wapello, and in the 
 fall of 1861 was elected b}' the Republicans to 
 rei>rcsent the Fourteenth District in the State .Sen- 
 ate for the term of four years, beginning in Janu- 
 aiy in the year lK(i2. During the first session of 
 that Legislature the most important committee ou 
 
 I- 
 
*► ir^ 
 
 311 
 
 LOL'LSA COUNTY. 
 
 which he was called to serve was that of Schools 
 and Universities, and among otiiers that on New 
 Counties and on Commerce. It was during that 
 session that Mr. Hurley- introduced and managed 
 the bill for the settlement of claims for swami) 
 lands, which were given the State by Act of Con- 
 gress of 1850. By the provisions of that bill a 
 vast amount of valuable land was reclaimed by the 
 State. There were two regular and one special 
 session during these four years. In the regular 
 session of 18G4 Mr. Hurley was on the Committee 
 on Incorporation and on Banks, and was Chairman 
 of the Committee on the State Library. In the 
 latter committee he had charge of the bill which 
 finally became a law, placing this librar}- upon a 
 substantial basis, and it now stands the fourth best 
 in the United States, the tabular statement of State 
 Libraries being: New York, M.assachusetts, Penns}'!- 
 vania, Iowa and California. For his earnest cham- 
 pionship of this bill Mr. Hurley was bitterly assailed 
 b^' the partisan press for the expense incurred, but 
 the wisdom of the measure is now universally con- 
 ceded, and the possession of the library is the pride 
 of the State. 
 
 In 180G INIr. Ilurlej' was elected President of the 
 Agricultural Society of Louisa County, which at 
 that time did not possess a dollar's worth of i)rop- 
 erty. At the expiration of four j'ears, when he 
 retired, the association was the owner of projjert}' 
 to the amount of $4,000. In 18G8 he conceived 
 the idea of building a railroad from Biiilington to 
 Cedar Rapids, to connect with the road then being 
 built from the latier city northward. At a meet- 
 ing called at Burlington for the purpose of organ- 
 izing the coujpany, Mr. Hurley presented articles of 
 incorporation, which were adopted, and the com- " 
 panj' was formed. He w.as elected a Director and 
 a member of the Executive Committee, and served 
 in both capacities until the completion of the road. 
 In the fall of 1809 he was again elected to the .State 
 Senate for a term of four years, and during the lirst 
 session was appointed on the Judiciary, Constitu- 
 tional Amendments and Bank Committees, and was 
 Chairman of the Committee on Public Lands. In 
 the second session, commencing in January, 1872, 
 he was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and 
 member of the Committee on Elections, Congres- 1 
 
 sional Districts, and compensation of public officers. 
 During that session he introduced the bill enlarg- 
 ing the powers of the Circuit Judges, reducing the 
 number in each judicial district, and enlarging their 
 salaries, which bill became a law; he also intro- 
 duced a bill for the increase of the salaries of the 
 Judges of the Sui)reme Court, which likewise be- 
 came a law. This regular session adjourned for the 
 consideration of the revision of the laws, which 
 resulted in what is known as the code of 1873. In 
 strict justice to Mr. Hurley it should be said that 
 he was indefatigable in the discharge of his legisla- 
 tive duties, and was the author of important bills 
 which have proved of great value to the common- 
 wealth. During the term of eight j'ears of service 
 as a Legislator, he was ever true to the best interests 
 of the people, always ready to promote wise and 
 useful legisl.ation, and on retiring left a record 
 of which his constituents and friends are deservedly 
 proud. 
 
 In the practice of his profession Mr. Hurley has 
 won a foremost place among the many able lawyers 
 of Iowa. In 1871 he formed a partnership with 
 John Hale, under the firm name of Hurley & Hale, 
 which connection has continued seventeen 3ears, 
 and the firm has a large [)ractice which extends to 
 all the State and Federal courts of Iowa. In early 
 life Mr. Hurley alliliated with the Whig party, but 
 on the disintegration of that organization he was 
 among the first to join in the formation of the 
 Hel)ublican itarty, of which he has since been an 
 earnest .-ind consistent member. In 1880 he had 
 the honor of being chosen a district delegate to 
 represent Iowa at the National Bepublican Conven- 
 tion, at Chicago, and participated in the nomina- 
 tion of James A. Garfield for President. 
 
 In May, 18.")7, at Garrettsville, Portage Co., Ohio. 
 Mr. Hurley was uniled in marriage with Miss Mar- 
 tha N. Garrett, who was born in that city, which 
 was named in lionor of her paternal grandfather. 
 She is a daughter of Elisha and Nancy (Eiclier) 
 Garrett. Nine children have been born to them, 
 five sons and four daughters, of whom all the 
 daughters and one son are yet living. 
 
 Forty-eight years have passed since Mr. Hurley, 
 a lad of eleven years u{ age, first set f<JOt within 
 the bounds of Louisa County, then a wilderness 
 

 
 
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 z 
 a: 
 
 3 
 
 q: 
 
 < 
 
 
 ■ t 
 
 si. 
 
 V 
 
 to 
 < 
 
 Z 
 
 3 
 
-^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 3i: 
 
 just opening to the influence of civilization. Here 
 he grew to uinnliooil, iissuniiiig the duties and re- 
 sponsiljilities of a man, an<l here has pivssed the 
 eventful portion of iiis life. Mis course has been 
 sucli that it has received the cordial indorsement of 
 his old neighbors and fellow-citizens, who, appreci- 
 ating his ability, strict integrity and sterling worth, 
 have frequently chosen him to public positions f)f 
 honor and trust, and thus have testified to their 
 esteem, respect and confidence. 
 
 1'^"^. 
 ."^i^* 
 
 ylLKIN.SON FURNAS, residing on section 
 7, Grand View Township, is the eldest son 
 W^ of Benjamin and Mary (Patty) Kurnas, 
 and WHS born in Montgomery County, Ohio, in 
 1S27. His parents were natives of that State, and 
 there the father engaged in farming until 1857, 
 when he came to Louisa County, Iowa, settling 
 near Letts. His <leath occurred on the 2()lh day 
 of May, 1880, at the age of seventy -six years, and 
 the mother died in 18(J7, at the age of fifty-nine 
 years. 
 
 Wilkinson Furnas wjis reared to farm life and 
 attended the district schools of his native State. He 
 was uniteil in marriage with Maria Hoolier in 1846, 
 in Montgomery County, Ohio, of which county she 
 was a native. Her parents, Samuel and Mary 
 (IJead.'^hear) IJooher, were born in Tennsj-lvania, 
 and after their marriage they moved to the State of 
 Ohio when the country was all new and unculti- 
 vated. They settled on a farm near Dayton, where 
 the father resided until his death, which occurred 
 in Seplenil)er, I.S77, at the age of seventy-eight 
 3'ears. His wife died when she was quite young. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Furnas began their domestic life 
 in Montgomerj- County, Ohio, but later moved to 
 Shelby County, where they remained until the 
 spring of 18.53, and then came to Iowa, locating iu 
 Muscatine for a short time, until Mr. Furnas could 
 find a more suitaljle location. He soon purchased 
 a farm of ;j2() acres of partly im|)roved land on 
 seeliou 17, Grand View Township, Louisa County, 
 where he lived for seven or eight years, and then 
 traded for a tract of 100 acres on section 7 of the 
 
 same township, and forty acres in Concord Town- 
 ship. He now is the owner of a good farm of 200 
 acres in Grand View and Concord Townships, and 
 also twenty-four acres within the cor|)oration of 
 Letts. This land is highly cultivated, and com- 
 prises one of the best farms in the township. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Furn.as have been born nine 
 children — George B., ISLuy Ann, Mark P., Maria 
 Jane, Samuel B., Sarah E., Kmma Isabel, Edgar El- 
 wood and William Ilenr}-. Mary Ann is now Mrs. 
 Siverl^-, and resides in Oakland Township, Louisa 
 Count}'; Mark P., who is engiiged in farming, is 
 married and lives in Letts; George resides at home, 
 but works at his trade of wagon-makiug in Letts; 
 Maria J., now Mrs. Watson, resides in Johnson 
 Count}', Iowa; Samuel, who is married and living 
 in Story County, luwa, is a traveling salesman; 
 Sarah K., now Mrs. Kliast)n, is living in Muscatine 
 County, Iowa; Euinr.i Isabel has been engaged in 
 teaching music for the past five years, and is ver}' 
 successful. The other children are all .Mt lidnie, and 
 there is also an adopted daughter, a little girl. 
 
 Mr. Furnas is not an active ])olilielan, but casts 
 his vote with the liepublican party. His wife' is a 
 member of the Methodist Episcopal Chureli, of 
 Letts. During the thirty-five years' residence of 
 !Mr. and Mrs. Furnas, the great tiu'rent of lunnau 
 migration and improvement has been making in- 
 cessant changes in Louisa County. Since their set- 
 tlement the land wlicre the village o{ Letts is now- 
 situated was entered, and other improvenieuts have 
 rapidly been made. Mr. Furnas assisted in organ- 
 izing part of the school districts in this townshi[), 
 and the first school was taught on his farm in a log 
 cabin for two terms. He exauiiuecl the lirsl teacher, 
 and after the war erected a school building, which 
 wasalso used for preachiui!;. .Sund.ay-school and sing- 
 ing-school. Mr. Furnas always keeps the hueslaud 
 best improved farm machiiu'ry on hiind, and lias 
 ample buildings provideil for its |irotecliou from the 
 weather. He is the owner of a sheller and feed- 
 mill couibiueil, being alile to shell anil do feed 
 grinding at the same time, at the rale of fifty bushels 
 an hour. It is enclosed and placed on wheels, he 
 hauling it iron) farm to faiiu and doing all the 
 work in the neighboihood. He also has a fraction 
 engine, which docs shelling and thre^hing ihiough- 
 •^ 
 
•»^l^^ 
 
 318 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 out the neighborhood, anrl he and his son are now 
 building a threshing-machine on the farm. 
 
 The publishers take pleasure in presenting tlie 
 portraits of Mr. Furnas and his estimable wife on 
 a preceding page.. 
 
 ylLLIAM W. WILLEY, a representative 
 farmer of Louisa Countj'. Iowa, residing 
 on section 7, Union Township, is a native 
 of Morgan County, Ohio, born April 13, 1830, and 
 a son of George and Nancy (Wescott) Wille^'. The 
 paternal grandfather of our subject, "William P. 
 Willcy, was a native of Delaware, and a house car- 
 penter by trade, but after going to Ohio, which 
 he did at an early day. engaged in farming. En- 
 tering a large tract of land, lie developed a farm in 
 the midst of the forest, and there resided until his 
 death, which occurred in 1865, at the age of eighty 
 3'ears. 
 
 George Willey, was born in "West Virginia, of 
 German ancestr3', and when a lad removed with his 
 parents to Ohio about the year 1815. He was one 
 of the pioneers of th.at State, and aided in its im- 
 provement and development. By trade he was a 
 miller, but in later life engaged in farming. In 
 the new country which became his home he formed 
 the acquaintance of Miss Nancy Wescott, who w.as 
 born in Providence, R. I., of English descent, and 
 there their union was celebrated. After his mar- 
 riage Mr. Willoy obtained a farm in Ohio, and en- 
 gaged in its cultivation for several years. In 1 833 
 he began milling, but the later years of his life 
 were spent in merchandising in Hopkinsville, Ohio. 
 His death occurred Jan. 3, 1857, at the age of fifty 
 3'ears, and bis wife died in 1883, when eighty 3'ears 
 of age. 
 
 To George "Willey and his wife was born a family 
 of seven children: William W. is the first in order 
 of birth; Henr3' is a minister of the United Breth- 
 ren Church, and belongs to the Des Moines Con- 
 ference; Sylvester S. is a farmer of Noble County, 
 Ohio; George E., who is a mechanic, resides in 
 Stanislaus Count3'. Cal.; Abbie is the wife of Will- 
 iam Fulkerth, also of Stanislaus County; Sarah 
 wedded .lohn Coyl, whose home is in Vinton County, 
 
 Ohio, and Austin is also living in Stanislaus County. 
 The parents of these children were both members 
 of the Methodist Protestant Church. Mr. Willey 
 was a man strong in his convictions, prominent in 
 the promotion of temjierance, and a great friend to 
 education. In his political views he was a Demo- 
 crat, one who took great interest in political affairs, 
 and was well informed on all the leading questions 
 of the day, both State and National. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood in his native .State, 
 and there learned the miller's trade. He received 
 his education at the common schools, and at the 
 age of twent3' left the parental roof, and for several 
 3'ears worked at the carpenter's trade. On the 3d 
 of August, 1854, he led to the marriage altar Miss 
 Eliza J. Geddes, a native of Ohio, and a daugh- 
 ter of James Geddes, who was born in Scotland. 
 Her mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth 
 Conkle, was of German descent. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. AVilley have been born thirteen 
 chihlren, and nine of that number are 3'et living: 
 Ira G., who is engaged in farming in Washington 
 Count3', Iowa; John W., also a farmer of that 
 count3'; Ora S., at home; Nellie, wife of H. L. 
 Orris, of Washington Count3'; Nannie, James Har- 
 lan, Charles, Frank and Walter Vincent. 3'et reside 
 with their parents. Those deceased are: Ruth, who 
 died in infancy; Elmanda, who died when three 
 years old ; Mary E., who died in childhood ; and 
 Elberla, who died March 7, 1883, at the age of 
 twenty-two years. 
 
 In 1856 Mr. Wille3- first became a resident of 
 Iowa, locating at that time in Washington Count3', 
 where he made his home for three 3'ears, and then 
 came to Louisa Count3'. Purchasing seventy acres 
 of raw land on section 7, Union Township, he im- 
 mediatel3' began its improvement, and has added to 
 it until he now owns 240 acres, which are in a fine 
 state of cultivation, and comprise one of the best 
 farms in the count3'. His fine residence was erected 
 at tt cost of 12.000, and his barn and other out- 
 buildings ncccssar3' to a well-regulated farm are 
 models of convenience. 
 
 Mr. Willey has served as Justice of the Peace for 
 several terms, and has also held other township of- 
 fices, in which he has jjrovcd an ellicient ofHeer, dis- 
 charging his duties with promptness and fidelity. 
 
 
-^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 311) 
 
 t 
 
 He and his wife are members of the Methodist 
 Kpiscoiial Chuifh, in which lie has served as Class- 
 Leader. He is an active worker in the .Sunday- 
 school, in which he is a successful teacher, and does 
 all in his power to advance its interests. He casts 
 his ballot for the Republican parly, and is in favor 
 of the prohibitory law. He is a correspondent of 
 the Safetjuanl, over the nom de plume of Vance, is 
 well informed on all matters of general interest, 
 and is highl3' respected both as a citizen and friend 
 b}- all who know him. 
 
 i BISSINGER, a farmer and stock-raiser, 
 residing on section o'i. Jefferson Township, 
 was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1825. 
 His parents, George and Margaret Bissin- 
 gcr, had a family of four children, of whom our 
 subject was the youngest. The father was a car- 
 penter by trade, and died in his native land in 
 1853, aged eighty-two years. His good wife died 
 at the age of forty-five 3'ears, in 1835. 
 
 Our subject received his education in his native 
 land, and in accordance with its laws he entered the 
 army at the age of twenty-one, and was in the 
 service for six years. Thinking that the New World 
 furnished a better field for his labors, Mr. Bissin- 
 ger, in 1855, boarded the vessel "Concordia," at 
 Bremen, in August, and after a rough voyage which 
 lasted forty-two days landed at New York. Going 
 directly to St. Clair, Mich., he was there employed 
 in a foundry, having previously learned the black- 
 smith'.s trade in Germany. In M:iy, 1856, he came 
 to Louisa County, Iowa, where he worked at his 
 trade for awhile, and then |)urchased forty acres of 
 land on section 32, in 18G0, which furnished the 
 foundation for his present farm. 
 
 On the 4th of September, I8(;i. Mr. Bissinger 
 responded to the country's call for troops, and en- 
 listed for a three-years service, becoming a mem- 
 ber of Company K, Engineers of the West. This 
 regiment was all composed of mechanics, and was 
 mustered into service at St. Louis. Its duty was to 
 build and destroy. It was engaged in the battles at 
 Island No. 10, New .Madrid and Vicksl)urg, then 
 constructed the railroad from .lohnsonvillc to Nash- 
 
 ville, after which it proceede<l to Lookout Mount- 
 ain, was engaged in the battle of Chattanooga, and 
 was with Sherman on the march to the sea. At 
 Corinth Mr. Bissinger was taken sick and confined 
 in the hospital for some time. He was mustered 
 out of service at Atlanta in 1804. He has never 
 j'et fully recovered his health, an<l is not able to 
 work more than half the time. 
 
 Keturning to Louisa Countj" after the close of 
 the war, our sul)ject immediately began the im- 
 provement of his farm, which he has increased in 
 extent until he now owns 240 acres, all under culti- 
 vation. He raises Polaixl-China hogs, Polled-An- 
 gus and Durham cattle, and also has a good grade 
 of horses upon his farm. He takes an active interest 
 in political matters, and casts his vote with the 
 Republican parl^'. He has served as Road Super- 
 visor and School Director, and assisted in organiz- 
 ing the school district in his township. 
 
 In .September, 18(15. Mr. Bissinger was united in 
 marriage with Magdalene Path, a native of Ger- 
 many, who came to America when two years of age 
 with her parents, Ciiristian and Rosanna (Keiser) 
 Path, who, after landing in America, settled in 
 Louisa Count}', where they made their home until 
 their death. Mr. and Mrs. Bissinger are members 
 of the German Methodist Episcopal Clun-ch, at 
 Wapello. Seven living children grace their union 
 — George, Lydia, Anna, Charley, Esther, Jacob and 
 Oretta, who are all at home. Rosanna, their eldest, 
 died Jan. 24, 1873. Our subject is pleasantly situ- 
 ated five miles from the cit}' of Wapello, and is one 
 of the respecteil citizens of the county. He takes 
 an active interest in every enterprise for the good 
 of the corauuinitj'. and is a member of Taylor Post 
 No. 153, G. A. R. 
 
 JOHN H. CROW, a general farmer of Loni>a 
 County, residing in Port Louisa Township, 
 was born Aug. 26, 183«, at Mt. Plea.sant. 
 Henry County, and is a son of William and 
 Catherine Crow, the father a native of Ohio, and 
 the mother of Virginia. His father w!is among the 
 l)ioueers of Louisa County. When our subject was 
 i)nt ten years old the death of his mother occuired, 
 
 =t 
 
■► ir^ 
 
 =4- 
 
 320 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 after which he went to live witli his grandparents. 
 AVIien the first call for troops to serve three months 
 was made by the Government in 1861, John Crow- 
 was among those who responded, and he became a 
 member of Company C, 1st Iowa Infantry. At the 
 expiration of that time he re-enlisted, in the 33cl 
 Iowa Infantry, becoming a mem'ier of Company B. 
 and serving three years as Sergeant. He partici- 
 pated in the following battles: Springfield, Mo.; 
 Helena, Ark.; Little Rock, Saline River, Spanish 
 Fort, Mobile, Ala., and various skirmishes. Though 
 serving for over thiee years he never lost a day 
 through sickness, but always gallantly did his duty 
 in defense of the old flag that now floats so proudly 
 over the united countr3-. After receiving his dis- 
 charge lie returned to his home and worked upon a 
 farm, which he rented for a number of years. 
 
 During the autumn of 1866 Mr. Crow was united 
 in marriage with Mrs. Hester .Snyder, widow of 
 Philip Snyder, and daughter of IMr. McGrew. Seven 
 children have been born of this union : Martha S., 
 wife of J. C. McCleary, a resident of Muscatine. 
 Iowa; Frank V., Archibald, Charles E., Frederick, 
 Everett and Russell, are j'et inmates of the paternal 
 home. By her first marriage Mrs. Crow had one 
 son. H. H. Snyder, now residing with our subject. 
 Mr. Crow's occupittion is that of general farming, 
 and he now owns fort}' acres of land. He has held 
 various township otfices of trust, and politicall}', is 
 a strong supporter of the princi|)les of the Repub- 
 lican party. He takes an active interest in public 
 affairs, is alwaj's ready to aid in the advancement of 
 an^' cnter()rise for the good of the comraunit}', and 
 is one of the respected citizens of Port Louisa 
 Township. 
 
 ^ .^3^ ^ 
 
 ■^ C. WOLFORD, a farmer residing on sec- 
 tion 3, Oaklanil Township, was born in Al- 
 leghany County, Md., in 1842. His parents, 
 Ik'ujaniin and Elsie (Davison) Wolford, 
 liad a family of thirteen children, of whom he was 
 the sixth in order of birth. His father was a na- 
 tive of Bedford County. Pa., while his mother was 
 born in Alleghaii}- Count}', Md., wiiere their union 
 was celebrated. Benjamin Wolford spent his en- 
 
 <• 
 
 tire life in farming. In 1855, accompanied by his 
 family, he emigrated to Ohio, settling in Coshocton 
 County, where he bought and improved a farm, 
 upon which he made his home until his death, in 
 the fall of 1865. at the age of fifty-nine years. 
 His excellent wife still survives, and now makes 
 her home with one of her sons. She is now seventv- 
 three years of age, and is in good health. 
 
 The boyhood d.ays of our subject were spent 
 upon a farm, and his education was received in the 
 district sc^hools of Maryland and Ohio. He en- 
 listed, Aug. 5, 1862, in defense of the Union, be- 
 coming a member of Compan}' H, 95th Ohio 
 Infantry. He was mustered into service at Camp 
 j Zanesville, Ohio, whence he proceeded to the front. 
 He participated in the battles of Stone River, Mis- 
 sionarj- Ridge. Atlanta, was with Sherman on the 
 march to the sea, the battles of Franklin and Nash- 
 ville. After three .years' service he was honorably 
 discharged at Columbus, Ohio, June 21, 1865. 
 Being mustered out of service he returned to Co- 
 shocton County, Ohio, and thence removed to Iowa, 
 settling in Oakland Township, Louisa County, in 
 1865, where he secured emploj-ment as a farm la- 
 borer by the month. 
 
 On the 9th of January, 1868, in Muscatine, Iowa, 
 Mr. AVolford led to the marriage altar Miss Lizzie 
 Van Horn, who was born in Pennsylvania, and is 
 a daughter of Samuel and Nancy (Baughman) A'an 
 Horn, who w'ere also natives of the Ke\'slonc State. 
 The father was a farmer by occupation, and in 1850 
 removed to Muskingum County, Ohio, making that 
 his home until coming to Iowa, in the spring of 
 1865. He located on section 23, Oakland Town- 
 ship, there residing until his death, which occurred 
 Sept. 18, 1874, at the advanced age of seventy-five 
 years. His wife, who is a most estimable lady-, 
 makes her home iiyith our subject, and is now eiglit}'- 
 six years of age. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Wolford arc the parents of six 
 children: William II.. Edwin C, Anna Laura, Dora 
 Belle, Charles Francis and Essa M.a^', all at home. 
 After his marriage Mr. Wolford settled upon the 
 farm where he now resides. With his brother he 
 bougiit 160 acres of raw prairie, and immediatel}' 
 began its development. Man}' improvements have 
 since been made, and the land now comprises one 
 
tt^ 
 
 ^•^K-4* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 321 
 
 of the best farms in tlie township. It is pleasantly 
 situated about five miles from Conesville, and ten 
 miles from Columbus JuiK'ti(jn, and is well stocked 
 with a good grade of Durham cattle and Poland- 
 China hogs. Politically, Mr. Wolford is a Demo- 
 crat. He has held various offices of trust, served 
 as Township Trustee for nine years, and is now 
 serving as Justice of the Peace. He assisted in 
 oi'ganizing some of the sciiool districts of his town- 
 ship, and takes great interest in promoting all en- 
 terprises for the public benefit. He ranks among 
 the highly respected and enterprising farmers of 
 Louisa Count}'. 
 
 ■~w-4ea2/©f@ 
 
 .@§,Sl/;7OT>vwv» 
 
 R. JOHN BELL was the first phj'sician who 
 settled in Morning Sun Township, lie tak- 
 ing up his residence there in 1840. Little 
 is known of his history except that he was 
 a very eccentric man, always whistling or singing 
 while driving across the wild pr.airie to make a call. 
 His first sleigh, sledge or pung was considered a 
 great curiosity, being a large dry-goods box for a 
 body, with a trap door, and a small aperture cut in 
 front through which the lines were placed. From 
 Morning Sun he went to Wapello, Iowa, where his 
 death occurred. 
 
 W AUREN P. WELLS, dealer in flour and 
 II (^ feed at Wapello, is a native of New York, 
 /IL^, and was born at Canton, St. Lawrence 
 County, on the 14th of January, 1825. His parents 
 were Russell and Chloe (Paddock) Wells. The 
 father was born in Rhode Island, and removed to 
 St. Lawrence County. N. Y.,in early life, where he 
 was engaged in farming. The mother was a native 
 of Bennington, Vt. Our subject w.as reared on his 
 fatiier's farm, receiving a liberal education, and 
 when twenty-two jears of age went to Angola, 
 Ind., where he was employed in teaching school 
 and in farn)ing for two years. From Indiana he 
 returned to New York, spending aboutsix years in 
 Syracuse in various undertakings, and in 185.0 came 
 to Iowa, locating in Wapello, where he has resided 
 
 eontinuonslj' since. On coming to this city Mr. 
 Wells bought out the Wapello JnteUkjencer, an in- 
 dependent journal, which lie conducted for two 
 years, when he sold out and engaged in merchandis- 
 ing, continuing in that line of business until 1878. 
 He then sold outand again engaged in. journalism, 
 buying out the AVapello Times, which he published 
 as a Democratic paper until July, 1882, when, not 
 being satisfied with the financial prospects of the 
 concern, he 'sold out and engaged in his i)rcsent 
 business. 
 
 On the 12th of December, 1858, at Wapello, 
 Iowa, Mr. Wells was united in marriage with Miss 
 Eliza A. Leland, daughter of Gale Leland, of the 
 Western Reserve, Ohio, formerly of New York. 
 Mrs. AVells was born in Central New York, but 
 was reared in Ohio. Three children -were born of 
 this union, all daughters: Helen Virginia is book- 
 keeper and cashier for the Cedar Falls Paper Mill 
 Company; Laura Edna is engaged as a teacher in 
 the Cedar Falls schools, and P^ugenia Blanche is a 
 clerk in the Wapello post-office. 
 
 Mr. Wells is a veteran Democrat, whom neither 
 fear nor favor ever diverted from the defense of his 
 honest political opinions. During the dark and 
 trying days of the late war, when in Iowa to be a 
 Democrat was considered the next thing to being a 
 criminal, Mr. Wells and Jesse Harris frequently 
 constituted the entire delegation to the Democratic 
 County Convention. Nothing daunted, they or- 
 ganized the convention, nominated a ticket, and 
 had it printed and circulated throughout thecount}', 
 Mr. Wells has lived to see the principles for which 
 he contended vindicated, with his party in posses- 
 sion of the executive department of the Govern- 
 ment, having a fair majority in the Lower House and 
 a tie in the Upper House of Congress, while a promi- 
 nent and eminent Democratic lawyer has recently 
 been appointed to the Chief-Justiceship of the Su- 
 preme Court of the United States. At home the 
 changes have been equally' gratifying, and at this 
 writing, when the Louisa County Democratic Con- 
 vention meets, instead of the two old veterans, a 
 hundred or more earnest delegates are present, often 
 indulging in pretty hot strife for the nominations. 
 
 Mr. Wells is as earnest a Mason as he is a Demo- 
 crat, having been an active wt)rker in the order 
 
 _ *► ■ < • 
 
" ■i T^ B I 
 
 322 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 since bceoinirif: a member of AVa|)ello Lodge No. 5. 
 He lias serveil as Master Mason fourteen terms, and 
 is conceded b3- all to be the best authority on the 
 subject of Masonry in the lodge, and the most ex- 
 pert in conducting its operations. lie has also been 
 a niemljer of Louisa Lodge No. 19, I. O. O. F., 
 for many years. Mr. Wells has held manj- local 
 offices of honor and trust. He has been chosen 
 Mayor of Wapello several times, and served with 
 fidelity to the bei-t interests of the city. During his 
 administration in that cajjacit}' he particularl}' dis- 
 tinguished himself in rivalling Gov. Larrabee in the 
 matter of proclamations on the enforcement of the 
 prohibitorj' law. As a neighbor and business man, 
 Mr. AVells deserves and enjoys the respect and es- 
 teem of his fellow-citizens. 
 
 J. JONES, a farmer residing on section 11, 
 1 Concord Township, was born in Ross Coun- 
 
 ty, Ohio, in 1829, and is a son of John 
 and Hannah (Kean) Jones, the father a 
 native of Tennessee and tiie mother of New Jersey. 
 Her parents moved to Ohio at an oarlj- day, her 
 father there engaging in farming until his death, 
 which occurred in 1833, when our subject was about 
 three years old. His excellent wife still survives 
 him, and is now the widow of Jacob Storms. She 
 now resides in Muscatine County, and is in good 
 health for a lady of her age. 
 
 Our subject was reared to farm life, and has fol- 
 lowed that occupation ever since attaining his ma- 
 jority'. He was educated in the district schools of 
 his native State, and in 1.S.52, in Ross County, was 
 united in marriage with Mary Ann Crute, who was 
 born in Brown County, and was a daughterof James 
 and Sarah (Bennington) Crute, who were natives of 
 Ohio. Her father was a fanner l)y occupation, and 
 resided in his native State until his death, which 
 occurred several ^ears ago. After his marriage Mr. 
 Jones located upon the old homestead in Ross Coun- 
 ty, where he resided until the fall of 18G.5, when he 
 made an overland trip to Louisa County, Iowa. He 
 was twenty-one days on the road, and after reaching 
 his destination settled on section 1 1, Concord Town- 
 ship, where he engaged in farnn'ng for four years. 
 4* 
 
 In 1868 he purchased twelve acres of improved 
 land on section 14, also renting land for some time, 
 and in 1880 purchased another tract of forty acres 
 on section 11 of the same township. He has since 
 invested his mone^- in town proi)erty in the village 
 of Letts. 
 
 In 1872 Mr. Jones was called upon to mourn the 
 death of his wife, who died after a short illness, at 
 the age of forty-five years. B3' their union three 
 children were liorn, all yet living: Sarah Ann, now 
 Mrs. Storms, of Dallas Count}', Iowa; Caroline, now 
 Mrs. Manning, who lives in Muscatine Countj', and 
 Effle, now Mrs. Gipple, resides in Audubon Count}', 
 Iowa. After the death of his first wife Mr. Jones 
 was again married, in Louisa County, in 1873, be- 
 coming the husband of Aletta Beard, a native of 
 Ohio, and a daughter of Joseph and Adrienna 
 (Nevis) Beard, who were born in New Jerse}'. and 
 who came to Louisa Count}' in 1838, settling on 
 section 14, Concord Township. The father entered 
 and purchased a considerable tract of land, butonly 
 lived twenty days after his arrival in the county. 
 Upon his wife devolved the responsibility of rear- 
 ing and caring for her children, but nobly did she 
 perform her arduous duties. She is yet living at 
 the advanced age of ninety-one years. Mrs. Jones 
 was the widow of James Madison Garrett, who was 
 a native of Kentucky, but came to Iowa at an early 
 day. After his marriage he located upon a farm 
 on section 12, Concord Township, where he bought 
 eighly acres of prairie land, which he greatly im- 
 proved and made his home until the time of his 
 death, which occurred in 1861, at the age of thirty- 
 five years. To Mr. and Mrs. Garrett were born 
 two children : Middleton, who died at the age of 
 three years and eight months, and Elenora, yet liv- 
 ing with her mother. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. .lones located upon the 
 farm where he yet resides. He takes an active in- 
 terest in political aflfairs, voting with the Demo- 
 cratic party, and a stanch supporter of its principles. 
 He has held several offices of public trust, and sev- 
 eral times has l>een elected a delegate to different 
 conventions. His home is pleasantly situated about 
 two and three-fourths miles from Letts. Mrs. 
 Jones has witnessed many changes in both Louisa 
 and Muscatine Counties, having spent the greater 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 323 
 
 V 
 
 part of her life in this vicinil}'. At the time of her 
 arrival the present flourishing city of Muscatine 
 w:is known as Blooniington, and contained but two 
 or three log cabins. Thoy had to go forty or fifty 
 miles to mill, taking nearly a whole week to make 
 the trip. Bands of Indians were seen strolling over 
 the prairies, and all kinds of wild game abounded. 
 
 J)OIIN L. JARVIS, a farmer and stock-raiser 
 residing on section "26, Morning Sun Tovvn- 
 I ship, was born in AVayne County, Ind., April 
 ' 22, 1843. and is a son of John B. and Char- 
 lotte \V. (Burgess) Jarvis, the former a native of 
 North Carolina and the latter of Kentucky. The 
 father left his native State at the age of fourteen, 
 locating in Wa^Mie County, Ind., where lie became 
 acquainted with and married Miss Charlotte W. 
 Burgess. April 28, 1835. He then engaged in farm- 
 ing and teaming in that county until 1847. F"ive 
 children were born unto them there: Walter S.. 
 who died in infancy; Caroline M., born Ma3' 17, 
 1837. died Oct. 21, 186G. in Louisa Countj'. and 
 was buried in Morning .Sun Ceineteiy; Saraii E., 
 born Jan. 11, 1839, became the wife of Eugene C. 
 Lyman, a farmer of Henry County, Iowa, and her 
 death occurred Dec. 29, 1871 ; James M., born Jan_ 
 29, 1841, and now residing in Pueblo, Col., was 
 united in niarri.ige, Jul}' 31, 1877, in Mason Count}', 
 111., with .Susan Ismael, but her death occurred 
 April 19, 1883. 
 
 In 1847, Joiin B. Jarvis, accompanied by his 
 family, emigrated to Louisa Count}'. Iowa, and for 
 three or four months after their arrival lived in the 
 home of Zadok Jarvis. In the meantime a cabin 
 was being erected on tlie farm on section 2G, where 
 our subject now resides. On coming to this county 
 tiie father purchased 320 acres of land, where he 
 lived until his deatii, wliich occurred Feb. 10,1880, 
 at tbe age of seventj'-two years, four months and 
 twent^'-eight da\'s. His wife had passed to her last 
 rest Jul}' 11, 1873, at the .age of sixty -six years, 
 four months and sixteen days. Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis 
 were members of tlie Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 being liberal in its support and active workers in 
 its interest. ISIr. Jarvis was a public-spirited man, 
 
 and in his political views was a supporter of the 
 Democratic party. 
 
 The subject of tliis sketch came lo Louisa Count}' 
 with his parents when four years of age. Here he 
 received his education in the log school-house that 
 stood on a plot of ground adjoining his fatlier's 
 land, thougli he attended school for one term in 
 Morning Sun and one in Burlington. On his ar- 
 rival in this county there were but thirteen houses 
 from tbe south point of Virginia Grove, which re- 
 ceived its name from a number of men who settled 
 there in 1835, who formerly were residents of Vir- 
 ginia. In that year Mr. Guinii was selling a tract 
 of land, and on making the deed was asked how the 
 article should be headed, .ind decided that they 
 should call it A'irginia Grove. 
 
 For forty-one years Mr. Jarvis has lived upon 
 the old homestead. On the 10th of June, 18G9, 
 he was united in marriage with Miss .Samantha 
 Siverly, who was born Dec. 18, 1845, in Morning 
 Sun, Louisa Co., Iowa. Seven children graced this 
 union: The first died in infancy; Charlotte I., born 
 Oct. 17, 1871; Amanda M., July 29, 1873; John 
 M., Nov. 4, 1874; Wilbur L., June 20, 1880; Aus- 
 tin C, Aug. 7, 1881, and Wesley R., born June 1, 
 1884, died August 2 of the same year. Mrs. Jar- 
 vis is a consistent and esteemed member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Jarvis is now 
 the owner of 378^ .acres of land, all in one body in 
 Morning Sun Township, 300 of which is tillable 
 and highly cultivated. All the improvements nec- 
 essary to a well-regulated farm have been made, 
 and upon his land may be found good grades of all 
 kinds of stock. In politics Mr. J;irvis h.as always 
 identified himself with tlie Democratic party. He 
 is ever ready to aid in the u|)buildiiig of the com. 
 munity in which he resides, and is a man of ster- 
 ling worth, who receives the respect and esteem of 
 the entire community. 
 
 ^t^'^i^- 
 
 AMD WALTER Hl-niRICK, deceased. 
 
 was a pioneer farmer of Wapello Township, 
 
 of 1847. and w;is born near Watertown, 
 
 N. v., Dec. (•>, 1821. Hi.-^ parents were 
 
 .lolin and Catherine (Van Schaick) Herrick. The 
 
■^^ 
 
 ■t^ 
 
 3-24 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 i= 
 
 father was a native of New York, born of English 
 parentage, and served as a soldier dining the War 
 of 1812. The grandfather of our subject on the 
 paternal side served in the patriot army in the Revo- 
 lution. On the mother's side the family was of 
 Holland origin, being among the old Knickerbocker 
 stock of New York. 
 
 David W. Herrick was reared to agricultural 
 pursuits, and received a common-school education. 
 He removed to Ohio in early life, and from there 
 to Louisa County, Iowa, in 1S47, settling in Wa- 
 pello Township. On the 13th of November, 1848, 
 at New Boston, III., he was united in marriage with 
 MissZirelda Jamison, daugliter of Men-itl Jamison, 
 who was a native of Fayette County, Ohio, and 
 an early settler of Louisa Count}', Iowa. Four- 
 teen children were born of their union, only three 
 of whom lived to maturity — Kate C. Samuel J. 
 and Anna Z. Kate C. is the wife of Milo J. Smith, 
 President of the Wapello Canning Factory at Wa- 
 Ijelio, Iowa; Samuel J. married Miss Lou Rabold, 
 and is engaged in the hardware and farm machinery 
 business at Wajjcllo; Anna Z. resides at Muscatine, 
 Iowa. 
 
 Mr. Herrick was engaged in farming and stock- 
 raising, and had a finely improved farm of 480 
 acres. He made a specialty of breeding blooded 
 cattle, in which business he was quite successful. 
 He was a Democrat in politics, and a Universalist 
 in his religious views. His death occurred at his 
 home Aug. 7, 1883. His good wife, who was a 
 member of tlie same church to which her husband 
 belonged, survived him, and died April 13, 188G. 
 Mr. Herrick was a jiractical and successful farmer, 
 an upright, honorable man, and was highly respected 
 by all who knew him. 
 
 Vfiifev AVID HURLKY, deceased. Among the 
 highly respected pioneers of Louisa County 
 none deserves more honorable mention than 
 the subject of this sketch. He was born 
 near Camden, N. J., about 17'J3, and his father, 
 who was of .Scotch descent, w.as an earnest patriot 
 and bi;rc a consii)cuons part in the War of the Revo- 
 lution. Our subject served an api)renticeship to 
 
 4» 
 
 the blacksmith's trade, and removed to Champaign 
 County, Ohio, during the early settlement of that 
 region. After working at his trade in that county 
 for a few years, he gave up blacksmithing and en- 
 gaged in farming and stock-raising. Later he l)e- 
 carae a stock-dealer .and drover, buying horses and 
 cattle, which he would drive to Thiladelphia or 
 Baltimore to market. 
 
 About the year 1814. in Champaign County, 
 Ohio, Jlr. Hurley was united in marri.age with Miss 
 Elizabeth Downs, a l.ady of good education, pos- 
 sessed of superior mental attainments and many 
 excellencies of character. Mrs. Hurley was a native 
 of New Jersey, and ten children were born of their 
 union, four sons and six daughters, who were all 
 born in Ohio, and came to Iowa with their parents 
 in 1840. Jolui, who was a physician, married 
 Miss Jane Heron, and both are now deceased, he 
 having died June 20. 1880; Aaron D. married 
 Miss Sarah Drake, daughter of John Drake, a pio- 
 neer of Wapello of 1838, and resides in that cit}'; 
 Huldah, wife of John R. Springsteen, died in 1887; 
 Elizabeth, widow of Lewis Kiusej', resides at Ana- 
 mosa, Iowa; Sarah wedded John II. Bragg, of .St. 
 Louis, JNIo. ; Rebecca is the wife of L. L. B. Miller, 
 of Beardstown, 111.; James S. married Martha N. 
 Garrett, of Ohio, and is an attorney of Wapello; 
 Angeline became the wife of Harvey K. Robinson, 
 and her death occurred in 18G8; David Crocket 
 married Sarah Jones, and resides in Nodaw.iy 
 County, Mo.; Mary L., the youngest, died in child- 
 hood. 
 
 On coming lo Louisa County in 1840 with his 
 family, Mr. Hurley settled in the townshii) of 
 Florence, where he was engaged in farming until 
 his death, which occurred March 3, 1846. His 
 good wife survived him, and died at Wa|)ell(), Aug. 
 3, 1872. She vvas brought up under the intluences 
 of religious tniining in the Baptist Church, and lived 
 a faithful Christian life, training her large family 
 of children to habits of usefulness, honesty and 
 morality. Mr. Hurley was reared under the auspices 
 of the Society of Friends or Quakers, and alw.ays 
 retained some of the peculiarities of that sect. He 
 was a Whig in political sentiment, and while a 
 strong partisan was never an office-seeker. He was 
 chosen one of the first Assessors of Louisa Count}', 
 
 9^ 
 
^' 
 
 X 
 
 4 
 
u 
 
 ■•►HK-4* 
 
 LOULSA COUNTY. 
 
 327 
 
 and served several years as .lusticc of the Peace in 
 Ohio. Ever a stron<^ anti-shivery man, lie pre- 
 dicted the downfall of that institution at no dis- 
 tant day. He was made a Mason at Urbana, Ohio, 
 and was one of the charier members of Wapello 
 Lodge No. 5, the first JIasonic lodge instituted in 
 Iowa under the authority of the Grand Lodge of 
 the State. When the lo<lge was organized he was 
 chosen Senior Deacon, in which position he was a 
 superior ollicer. and was retained therein during the 
 remainder of his life. Mr. Hurley was a man of 
 superior mental f^)rce. cool and <Ulil>erate in judg- 
 ment, positive in his convictions, and wiiile natur- 
 ally stern and strict in the management of his 
 famil}', be was always just and kind. 
 
 I'^OSEl'II L. MURRAY, Postmaster and gen- 
 eral merchant at Cairo, Iowa, was born Oct- 
 25, 1840, in Lancaster County, Pa., and is a 
 son of Kev. Henry and Rebecca (Lininger) 
 Murray, both of Pennsylvania. When he was but 
 six months old, his parents removed to SUirk County, 
 Ohio, where the father had charge of a church, and 
 remained there until 185.5. Joseph received his 
 early education in that cfounty, and in 1855, at the 
 age of fifteen, came with his father to Louisa Countj% 
 locating two and a half miles southwest of Cairo. 
 Remaining under the parental roof until attaining 
 his majority, he then enlisted, Jan. 21, 1862, in the 
 l^nion Army for throe years' service, and was mus- 
 tered in at Davenport. After being assigned to the 
 IGth Iowa Infantry he was sent to .St. Louis, from 
 there to Pittsburg Landing, and later participated 
 in the battles of Shiloh and Corinth, where he re- 
 mained for some time, and then went to IJolivar, 
 Tenn. Returning to Corinth, the regiment was 
 subse(]uently sent to luka, in which battle they par- 
 ticipated, then back to Corinth, and engaged in the 
 fight when Price and Van Dorn undertook to again 
 capture the city, but the brave Union boys repulsed 
 thoin, following up the rcljels until they captured 
 all their equi|)nients. The regiment of which Mr. 
 Jlurray was a member then started for Vicksburg, 
 and on the w.'iy ftjught the battles of Oxford and 
 Holly .Springs, where the enemy captured the train, 
 
 and aliuost succeeded in taking the whole army 
 prisoners. The regiment then returned to Memphis, 
 and went down the river by transports to X'icks- 
 burg, where it received orders to cut a canal from 
 the Mississippi River to Lake Providence. After 
 digging about a mile and a half, the men then went 
 by way of Milliken's Bend to Grand Gulf, seventy 
 miles below Vicksburg, there crossing the river, and 
 coming up on the Mississippi side. Landing at 
 Vicksburg, tlic^- jiarticipated in the entire siege on 
 that citj', and were then engaged on the Meridian 
 raid, which lasted forty-five days, after whicl; they 
 again returned to Vicksburg. There the gallant 
 soldiers of the IGth Iowa Infantry re-enlisted, in 
 August, 18G4. Mr. Murray then obtained a leave 
 of absence, and came home on a thirty-days fur- 
 lough, returning to the regiment at Davenport, 
 Iowa, from which place it was sent to Chattanooga, 
 Tenn. From there he went to Nashville, and then 
 started with Gen. Sherman on the famous march to 
 the sea. At Tallahatchie he received a slight wound 
 in his right hand, and at Tallahatchie Creek was 
 wounded in the right shoulder, but notwithstanding 
 he remained with the company. From that place a 
 recommendation was sent to the Governor of Iowa 
 for his promotion to the rank of Second Lieutenant 
 of Company E. The commission was signed and 
 sent back by w.ay of Marietta, Ga., to Atlanta, but 
 before reaching that city, at the battle of Peach- 
 tree Creek, where Gen. Benjamin Harrison won his 
 star, he was entirely disabled for field service. From 
 Atlanta he was sent back to JM arietta, thence to 
 Nashville, and while there gangrene set in on his 
 wound. From Nashville he w.as sent to Chicago, 
 from there to Davenport, where he Lay in the hos- 
 pital for some time. He had enlisted for a certain 
 term of service, and determined to .serve his time 
 out, so he returned to the South and joined the regi- 
 ment at Louisville, Ky. In August, 18G5, at Daven- 
 port, Iowa, he was mustered out of service, still 
 walking with a cane. For almost four years he 
 fought in defense of the starsand stripes, which now 
 float so proudly over the united Nation, and dur- 
 ing that time was always found at his post of duty. 
 After the cessation of hostilities Mr. Murray re- 
 turned to his home, and again engaged in farmiii", 
 which he continued until 181)7, but on account of 
 
-4*- 
 
 328 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ill-health caused from the wound received in the 
 army, he was obliged to abandon that occupation, 
 and engaged in mercantile business for two j'ears. 
 At the end of that time he sold out, and did not en- 
 gage in any business until 1871, when he opened a 
 general merchandise store, and has since followed 
 that i)ursuit. He is a member of the firm of Mur- 
 ray Bros., of Cairo, Iowa, and carries a full and 
 complete stock of goods. For fourteen j'ears Mr. 
 Murray has served as Postmaster of the town, al- 
 though differing in politics from the present admin- 
 istration. In connection with his other business 
 interests he has the management of his farm of 100 
 acres. In all public matters he takes an active 
 part, and he and his wife are both devoted mem- 
 bers of the Church of God. By his fair dealing 
 and courtesy he has gained the confidence and good- 
 will of his patrons, and as a citizen, he is highly 
 esteemed. 
 
 On the 21st of January-, 1867, the marriage of 
 Joseph Murray and Miss Sarah J. Allen was cele- 
 brated. The lady is a native of Belmont County, 
 Ohio, and a daughter of Benjamin and Surali (Bales) 
 Allen. By their union three children have been 
 born: Sadie, who is now deceased; Joseph B. and 
 Lulu, whu are both at home. 
 
 Politically, Mr. Murray is a stalwart Republican, 
 and takes pride in the fact that he not only helped to 
 win the star of Benjamin Harrison, but helped to 
 make him the standard bearer of his party, and the 
 successful candidate for President. .See portraits 
 of this honored citizen and his estimable wife. 
 
 ^ ^-*-^- 
 
 |ICHARD JENKINS, a farmer residing on 
 section 28, Columbus City Township, was 
 born in Wales, in the month of September, 
 ^^1847, and is a son of William and Jane 
 (Uees) Jenkins, wiio were also natives of AVales. 
 In 186'J, bidding good-by to his native land. Richard 
 crossed the ocean and landed in America, settling 
 in this county, where he secured employment as a 
 farm hand. He engaged in this line of business 
 until 1877, when he made liis first purchase of land, 
 consisting of 120 acres on section 34 of Columbus 
 City Township. Por six years he made that farm 
 
 his home, when he sold out. and bought 240i- acres, 
 eighty of which are on section 28 of the same town- 
 ship, where he still continues to reside. 
 
 In 1876 the marriage of Richard Jenkins and 
 Miss Catherine Rees, daughter of John A. Rees, 
 whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume, was 
 celebrated, and to this happy couple have been 
 born two children, a daughter and a son — Elizabeth 
 J. and John. Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins are members 
 of the Calvinistic Church, and, political!}', he is a 
 supporter of the Republican party. Mr. Jenkins is 
 financially one of the self-made men of the county. 
 Nineteen years ago, a stranger in a strange land, he 
 is now one of the well-to-do farmers of the com- 
 munity; his energy and ceaseless activity' overcame 
 all obstacles, and his honesty and fair dealing won 
 him the confidence of all, and he is now one of the 
 respected citizens of Louisa Count}'. 
 
 EORGE WIEDERRECHT is pleasantly sit- 
 uated on a farm four miles from Wapello, 
 on section 29, Jefferson Township. He was 
 born in Baden, Germany, in 1825, and is a son of 
 Philip and Catherine (Antiiony) Wiederrecht, who 
 were natives of German}', and the parents of ten 
 children, of whom our subject was second in order 
 of birth. The parents lived and died in their na- 
 tive land, the mother departing this life in 1838, 
 and the father in 1842. At the age of twenty-two 
 years our subject took p.ass.age in an American sail- 
 ing-vessel, the "Independent," and after a pleasant 
 voj'age of thirt}' daj's landed in New York City. 
 Going direct to Buffalo he was engaged at various 
 labors in and around that city for eight j'ears. On 
 the Oth of January, 1853, at Buffalo, N. Y., he led 
 to the marriage altar Miss Saloma Sulzberger, a 
 native of Baden, German}', of which place her par- 
 ents, Jacob and Lizzie (Schaefer) Sulzberger, were 
 also natives. Her father was a ropeniaker by trade, 
 and both parents died in the Fatherland. Mrs. 
 Wiederrecht made the trip to America alone, and 
 settled for a short time near Buffalo, N. Y. 
 
 In the month of November, 1854, t)ur subject 
 emigrated to Louisa County, Iowa, where he rented 
 a farm in I'ort Louisa Townslii|> Uiv eight years. 
 
 -*•- 
 
h 
 
 4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 329 
 
 4* 
 
 At the expiration of that time he piirchasetl forty 
 acres of unbroken land, wliicli he immediately be- 
 gan to clear, and from which he developed a fine 
 farm. By perseverance and indnstry Mr. Wiedcr- 
 recht was enabled to add tfv this until he now has 
 379 acres of wcll-cidtivated land. He has some 
 pasture land which is stocked with Durham cattle, 
 Poland-China hogs, and a good grade of horses. 
 In his political views our subject votes with the 
 Republican party. He has been School Director 
 for a number of terms, and is'a friend to all edu- 
 cational institutions. He and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the Congregational Church at Grand View. 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Wiederrecht have been born 
 six children: George is married, and resides in Jef- 
 ferson Township, this county; .Salonia, now Mrs. 
 Lieberknecht, lives in Grand View Township ; Louis 
 is married, and resides near the home farm; Eliza- 
 beth is the wife of Mr. Kreiuer; and Frederick and 
 Katherine are still under the parental roof. 
 
 (^ RMAN E. HOBBIE, of the firm of Fulton & 
 Holibie, insurance, real-estate, loan and col- 
 lection agents, of Columbus Junction, was 
 born in Delaware County, N. Y., Dec. 28, 18;i4, 
 ami is a son of Joshua K. and Eliza (Reynolds) 
 Hobbic. His father was a native of the same State 
 and county, and his mother was also born in Dela- 
 ware County, N. Y. Our subject w.as brought up 
 on his father's farm and received an academic edu- 
 cation. In October, 185G, he went to Rock Count}-, 
 Wis., and engaged in teaching school. The follow- 
 ing spring he went to Minneapolis, remaining there 
 only a few months, when he went to Rock Island. 
 III., and again engaged in teaching in Rock Island 
 County until March, 1860, when the gold ex- 
 citement of Pike's Peak attracted his attention, 
 and he joined a partj' which made the journey to 
 that region. Remaining in the mountains until the 
 following October, he then returned to the States, 
 locating in Taylor County, Iowa, where he taught 
 school the following winter. In the spring of 1861 
 Mr. Hobbie removed to Jefferson County, Iowa, 
 wiiere he engaged in farming, spending the two 
 succeeding winters in teaching the .Salina school. 
 
 He next went to Ottumwa, Iowa, where he was en- 
 gaged in the live-stock and butchering business, and 
 later waseniployed by J. J. Millard ife Co. in the lum- 
 ber business until the spring of 1870, when he came 
 to Columbus Junction and established a lumber- 
 yard, known under the firm name of George Millard 
 (k Co., which he ct)nducted for six years. This was 
 the first lumber-j'ard at this point. Mr. Hobbie was 
 next engaged in the grain and live-stock business 
 until the spring of 1880, when he went to Lenora, 
 Kan., there engaging in the live-stock and lumber 
 trade until August, 1887. Returning to Columbiis 
 Junction, he h.as since been one of its prominent 
 residents. In May, 1888, he bought Mr. Russell's 
 interest in the insurance business, and formed the 
 existing partnership with C. M. Fulton. 
 
 On the 15th of March, 1864, in Jefferson County, 
 Iowa, Mr. Hobbie was united in marriage with Miss 
 Harriet C. Chandler, a native of Wisconsin, a daugh- 
 ter of Orlando Chandler, and a member of the 
 ^Icthodist Episcopal Church. They have three 
 children, daughters — Montie E.,01aE. and May E. 
 In his political sentiments Mr. Hobbie is a Repub- 
 lican, and socially, is a Knight Templar Mason, a 
 member of Columbus Cit}^ Lodge No. 107, A. F. 
 & A. M., of Columbus City; of Composite Chapter 
 No. 91, R. A. INI., and of DeMolay Commandery 
 No. 1, K. T., of Muscatine, Iowa. 
 
 \|^'RED COURTS, Jn., attorney-at-law, of 
 lUnfe] Morning Sun, Iowa, was born in Dcs JMoines 
 lli County, Feb. 2, 18.58, and is a son of Fred 
 
 Courts, who was horn in Prussia, Germany, Ma.y 
 24, 1827, and who there grew to manhood, but in 
 1848 crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and after landing 
 in America went directly to Des Moines Countj', 
 locating in Henton Township. In 1853 he was 
 married to Mrs. .Sarah Miller, a daughter of Joseph 
 Mitchell, and a native of Indiana, born in 1826. 
 She came to Des Moines County, Iowa, in an early 
 day, and three children blcsscil this union: Minnie, 
 wife of M. C. Van Hall, now a resident of Quinc^', 
 III.: Fred, our subject; and Sarah, who wedded 
 William J. Cox, of Norlhlicld, Iowa. 
 
 Mr. Courts, Sr., had received a liberal education 
 
 r 
 
 4^ 
 
 :?^:#-^ 
 
,t 
 
 -4«- 
 330 
 
 ••►HI- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 {'■ 
 
 in his native country, and was a man of more than 
 ordinary al)ility. Politically, he was first a Demo- 
 crat, but soon joined the Repuljlican party, and 
 ever since has affiliated with that organization. 
 Mrs. Courts was called to her final home in 1872; 
 she and her husband were both members of the 
 Methodist Church, and lived consistent Christian 
 lives. 
 
 Our subject received no advantages for acquiring 
 an education, except such as were afforded by the 
 public schools of our day, but is an entirely self-edu- 
 cated man. While working on his father's farm, after 
 the day's lalior was finished, he would get books 
 and study at night, and having a retentive memory, 
 soon mastered Blackstone. In 1876 and 1877 he 
 attended Bryant & Stratton's Business College, of 
 Burlington, Iowa, where his parents had previously 
 removed in 1870, and from that institution he was 
 graduated. On the 30tli of January, 1883, he was 
 admitte<l to the l)ar at Wapello, since which time 
 he has been in active practice. He located in 
 Morning Sun in .January, 1882. 
 
 Mr. Courts was joined in wedlock, Nov. 16, 
 1878, with Miss S.ilinda Stewart, a daughter of 
 William Stewart, of Des Moines County, where she 
 was born Oct. 29, 18.0.5. One child graces this 
 union — Norma. Mr. Courts is one of the ardent 
 supporters of the Republican party. He is a mem- 
 ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and one of 
 Louisa County's best citizens, and is fast gaining a 
 reputation at the bar which many an older lawyer 
 might well env}'. 
 
 « — ...s»!a>-i^^.^«^ h 
 
 ERDINAND F. CURRAN, one of the pio- 
 
 Pneers of Louisa County, now residing in 
 Morning Sun, was born in Carroll County, 
 Md., April 16, 1830, and is a sou of Fr.ancis Cur- 
 ran, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1800. Fran- 
 cis there grew to manhood and was united in 
 marriage with Mary M. Dell, who was born in Car- 
 roll County in 1805. He le.arned the saddler's 
 trade in his youth, and followed that occupation 
 in Maryland after his marriage until his emigration 
 to Iowa. In 1 837 he started for the West, making 
 the trip from Pittsburgh by water, and located in 
 
 Morning Sun Township, in what was then Virginia 
 Grove. The State then formed part of the Terri- 
 tory of Wisconsin, and was very thinly settled. 
 Mr. Curran obtained a large tract of land, cleared 
 away the brush, plowed the ground, planted his 
 crops, and soon developed a fine farm. At th.at 
 time he had to go to Burlington for his supplies, 
 and the nearest mill was on the Skunk River. The 
 first winter there w.as a band of Indians numbering 
 800 encamped within a shjrt distance of his cabin, 
 but thej' were friendly, and the boj' Ferdinand F. 
 spent much of his time plaj-ing with the Indian 
 children. All kinds of wild game were plentiful, 
 and there were as many as twenty-eight deer some- 
 times seen in a herd. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Curran was born a family of 
 eight children, five of whom are yet living: Ferdi- 
 nand F., the eldest ; Peter D., a farmer resiiling in Os- 
 borne County, Kan.; Josephine, wife of Stephen G. 
 Hunt, of Louisa Count}'; John S., who is residing 
 on the old homestead ; Caroline F., who wedded 
 William Delzel, of this county; and Sarah A., wife 
 of Isaac Millinger. The parents were both mem- 
 bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, gave lib- 
 erally to its support, and the first meeting of that 
 denomin.ition was held at their home. In his po- 
 litical views Mr. Curran was an old-line Whig, a 
 great admirer of Henry Cla}-, and although taking 
 an interest in public affairs was never what could 
 be termed a politician. His death occurred in 
 1854, his wife surviving him until 1884. They 
 were well known throughout the count}' and held 
 in high esteem by all. 
 
 When seven years of age our subject came to 
 this county with his parents, and received his edu- 
 cation in attendance at the log school-house of 
 those da3-s during the winter months, having to 
 work upon the farm during the summer time. In 
 1863 he was united in marriage with Miss Augusta 
 Siverly. a daughter of E. W. and Nancy Siverly. 
 She was born in Louisa County in 1842, her par- 
 ents, who were natives of Pennsylvania, being pio- 
 neers of the county of 1839. Mr. and Mrs. Curran 
 are the parents of five living children — Florence, 
 Charles W., Herbert E., Nellie G. and John S. 
 
 In 1852, after the discovery of gold in California, 
 our subject crossed the plains with an ox-team to 
 
 ■» 
 
tT^ 
 
 4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 331 > f 
 
 that laiul. At that time tlie now populous city of 
 Omaiin consisted of a few Indian camps. After 
 traveling for .six months lie reached his destination, 
 and engaged in lumbering in California for two 
 j-ears, after which he entered the mines. Remain- 
 ing in that State until 1859, he then returned to 
 his home in Iowa, coming b}' way of the Isthmus 
 of Panama and New York City, and once more en- 
 gaged in farming, which occupation he carried on 
 until the fall of 1878, since which time he has been 
 residing in Morning Sun. In his political views 
 Mr. Curran is a Republican, and was elected by 
 that partj- to the of lice of Justice of the Peace in 
 1880. Being re-elected at each succeeding elec- 
 tion, he served in all six years. He held the posi- 
 tion of Notary Public for five j'ears, proving an 
 eflicient ofHcer, and discharging his duties with 
 fidelity' and promptness. He has been identified 
 with the history of the county for over half a cent- 
 ury, and is one of its self-made men. Receiving 
 but a limited education in the schools, by habits of 
 observation of men and events he has gained a 
 knowledge of great practical value to him ; begin- 
 ning life without financial aid, by judicious man- 
 agement and industr3- he has accumulated a com- 
 fortable competency. He is one of the few left to 
 tell the story of pioneer life, and we are pleased to 
 record his sketch in the history of his adopted 
 county. 
 
 _SS22_ 
 
 UL. CURTIS, one of the leading young 
 business men of Louisa County, who is 
 ^5^^ now Station Agent and grain dealer at Fre- 
 donia, established business in 1882. During the 
 year 1887 he shipped from Fredonia thirty car- 
 loads of cattle, nine of hogs, twenti'-seven of corn, 
 six of rye and twelve of oats, while the shipments 
 of this year, 1888, up to August exceed those of 
 the entire year just passed. In the month of Janu- 
 ary he shipped twenty-five carloads, in the month 
 of March seven were sent out, and in May fourteen 
 loads were shipped, thus showing a greater incre.ise 
 in business, which is still continued. In coinicction 
 with his other interests he engages in general raer- 
 chandising, carrying a fine line of dry-goods, gro- 
 ' ceries, boots and shoes. He does the largest busi- 
 
 ness in the place, and well deserves the liberal 
 patron.age of the people. 
 
 Mr. Curtis is a native of Louisa County, born in 
 Grand View Township, Feb. 8, 1861, and is the 
 fourth in a family of eight children, who were born 
 to S. C. and Harriet (Briggs) Curtis, the former a 
 native of New York, anil the latter of Lancashire, 
 England. After their marriage his parents removed 
 to St. Joseph Count3% Mich., and thence came di- 
 rectly to Louisa County, where they now reside in 
 Concord Townsliip. Our subject was reared upon 
 a farm, and received a liberal education, first at- 
 tending the graded schools of Columbus Junction, 
 after which he went to the Davenport Business 
 College, from which he was graduated in the winter 
 of 1882. After completing his education he re- 
 turned to his home and established himself in busi- 
 ness at Fredonia, where he has since resided. 
 
 On the 20th of June, 1888, in Port Louisa Town- 
 ship, the marriage of W. L. Curtis and Florence 
 E. McDill was celebrated. The lady is a native of 
 Louisa Count\', and a (laughter of Joseph and 
 Martha (Ron.alds) McDill, the formera native of Illi- 
 nois and the latter of Ohio. They came to Louisa 
 County at an early d.ay, and now resiile in Port 
 Louisa Township on a farm which they have im- 
 proved. 
 
 Socially, Mr. Curtis belongs to the M.asonic fra- 
 ternity, and is a member of Belhlehem Coinmand- 
 ery No. 45, of Washington, Iowa; Columbus Cit}^ 
 Lodge No. 107, and Composite Chapter No. 91, 
 both of Columbus Junction. He holds the office 
 of Senior Deacon in Columbus City Lodge, and is 
 Captain of 2d V. in the Composite Chapter. In 
 his political views he is a Repiililican, and has held 
 several offices of public trust in the past, among 
 which was Treasurer of the Town Board. IMr. 
 Curtis takes great interest in the promotion of anj' 
 enterprise which has for its object the public good, 
 and is a young man of fine business ability, who, 
 we predict, will have a int)st successful future. 
 
 aF. BUTLER, an early settler of Louisa 
 County, Iowa, of 18i")(j, now residing in 
 Clifton, has been in the railroad enii)loy- 
 ment since 1804. He is a native of Fleming 
 
 •^ M 4* 
 
^ 
 
 332 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 County, K3'., born in 1830, and is a son of Robert 
 and Paulina (Finley) Butler, who were also natives 
 of Kentucky, though the father was descended 
 from a Pennsylvania familj', and the mother from 
 old Virginian stock. At the age of twenty-six 
 our subject left home and emigrated to Iowa, set- 
 tling at Columbus City, where he was engaged in 
 the construction of the Rock Island Railroad, as 
 foreman of a gang of men for two years. For the 
 following four years he was employed as Station 
 Agent of Old Clifton, after which he taught school 
 for one term near that town. He then re-entered 
 the employ of the railroad, and has continued with 
 them since that time with the exception of one 
 year. No higher testimonial of his ability and 
 faithful service could be given than the statement 
 that for nearly a quarter of a century he has been 
 engaged by the same company. 
 
 In 1866 Mr. Butler was united in marriage with 
 Sarah A. Thorle}', a native of Oiiio, and a daughter 
 of Samuel Thorley. By their union five children 
 have been horn, only four of whom are now living, 
 viz: Robert C. who is engaged as bill clerk on the 
 Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, at Musca- 
 tine; Arthur, Martha A. and Grace, who are at 
 home. Mar3' I., the third child, died at the age of 
 sixteen years. Mr. Butler and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the Christian Church. Politically, he is a 
 Democrat, and takes great interest in the local 
 elections. He is a strong advocate of temperance 
 principles, is a great friend to education, and does 
 all in his power toward the advancement of any en- 
 terprise of public benefit. He is a man well in- 
 formed on all issues of the day. both State and 
 National, and w.as employed as a teacher in tiie 
 schools of Kentucky before emigrating to Iowa. 
 He owns a rp^idence in Columbus Junction, and is 
 widely known throughout the county, winning the 
 respect and esteem of all who know him. 
 
 ■€-*^- 
 
 -^ 
 
 sill 
 
 WIILLIA.M II. JOHNSTON, one of the old 
 ' settlers of Louisa County, Iowa, now resid- 
 ing on section 21, Columbus City Town- 
 slii|), was born in (^ueenstown, Canada, April 17, 
 1K19, anil is a sou of Alexander and Amorat 
 
 (Hamm) Johnston. His paternal grandfather was a 
 native of Scotland, and his parents, both of whom 
 were born in Barnet Township, Caledonia Co., Vt., 
 removed to Canada shortly after their marriage. 
 At the birth of our subject the mother died, and he 
 was taken to Vermont, where he was reared upon a 
 farm until fifteen years of age, when he served an 
 apprenticeship with his father at the carpenter's trade. 
 After a term of three yeai-s he received wages for 
 his labor, working at his trade during the summer 
 and teaching school during the winter months. He 
 taught twenty-two terms of school in his native 
 State, continuing this alternate emploj'ment until 
 responding to his country's call for troops during 
 the late war. 
 
 In the fall of 1849 Mr. Johnston started to make 
 an overland trip to California, and ])roceeded as 
 far as Kansas Cit}', where he met a company of men 
 who were engaged in freighting from there to Santa 
 Fe, N. M. Engaging with that company the}- 
 started for the latter city, but when having gone 
 about 400 miles they were snowbound. The storms 
 were very violent. 180 head of cattle being lost 
 in the snow, and for five months the men were 
 forced to encamp on the snowbound ])rairie, in 
 constiint danger of losing their lives at the hands 
 of the red men, with whom they had several skir- 
 mishes. When the summer sun melted the snow 
 enough to make travel possible, the company pro- 
 ceeded on their way to Santa Fe, where Mr. John- 
 ston worked at his trade for three months, and then 
 returned to his home in Vermont, where he resided 
 until the breaking out of the late Civil War. In 
 the fall of 1S62 he enlisted in the loth Vermont 
 Infantr}-, and was chosen Captain of Company I, 
 serving in tliat capacity for six months, when he 
 was forced to resign on account of phj-sical dis- 
 abilit3^ 
 
 After his return to Vermont Mr. Johnston again 
 worked at his trade until his removal to this county 
 in 18G5. After coining to Louisa County he pur- 
 chased eighty acres of land on section 21. Colum- 
 bus City Township, and, as it was in a wild, unbroken 
 state, immediately begun its improvement. He has 
 since added to his original possessions until he is 
 now the owner of 135 acres, comprising one of the 
 best farms in the township, u|)on which may be 
 
-u 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 2r.i 
 
 found all the latest improvements, which show that 
 the owner is a man of progress and enterprise. 
 
 In 1843 Mr. Johnston was united in marri.ige 
 with Jliss Emily A. Hight, a native of the Green 
 Mountain State, and a daughter of John N. and 
 Laura (Livingston) Hight, who were also born in 
 Vermont. Their union has been blessed with three 
 children : Laura, wife of Asa Merrill, of Columbus 
 City; Clara, who is clerking in Mr. Merrill's store; 
 and A. Orlo, who resides upon the home farm, and is 
 the husband of Cora Hinimelriech, they being the 
 parents of three children — Myrtle, Charles and Riiy. 
 Politically, Mr. Johnston is a starch Repul)lican. 
 He is alwaj's well informed on public affairs, and is 
 universall}^ known and highly" esteemed throughout 
 the community. 
 
 •^;»t!9> 
 
 ^ 
 
 ■<5«» 
 
 JAMES C. BROAVN, one of the pioneers of 
 Louisa County, Iowa, was born in Madison, 
 Jefferson Co., Ind., April 14, 1825. His 
 parents were William P. and Alice C. (Craw- 
 ford) Brown. Our subject received his education in 
 his native county , attending a log cahin school-house, 
 with its puncheon floor, slab seats, greased paper 
 windows and immense fireplace. In 1840 he came 
 with his parents to Louisa County, Iowa, where he 
 assisted his father in breaking prairie and develop- 
 ing a large farm. The countrj' was then new, and 
 at that time there was no mill for grinding wheat, 
 thus necessitating a journey to Farmington, a dis- 
 tance of fifty miles, their team l)eing a yoke of 
 oxen. There were no roads or bridges, the streams 
 had to be forded, and often bands of red men roam- 
 ing over the prairie were met, and on this journey 
 two nights had to be spent in the wagon. On the 
 10th of August, 1850, Mr. Brown opened the first 
 store in the township, the location now Ijcing within 
 the incorporated limits of Morning Sun. His first 
 goods were hauled in wagons from Burlington, as 
 was his whole stock until the building of the rail- 
 road about liic year 1870. Mr. Brown was a lead- 
 ing spirit in the upbuilding and development of 
 Morning Sun, where he was engaged iu the mercan- 
 tile business for thirty ^-cars, buying also grain. 
 
 stock and lumber for many 3'ears. In 1858 Morn- 
 ing Sun w^as incorporated, and he w.is elected the 
 first Mayor, being also the second Postmaster of the 
 village. 
 
 In Des Moines County, Iowa, in October, 1850, 
 Mr. Brown was united in marri.age with Miss Mary 
 Jane McClure, a daughter of William and Plia-be 
 McClure, who were natives of Pennsylvania, and 
 settled in that count}' in 1840. Mrs. Brown was 
 born in Pennsylvania in 18o2, andby this union 
 nine children have been born: Irene, now the wife 
 of William Cooper, of Kansas; Elizabeth, wife of L. 
 J. Ochiltree, of Morning Sun; Kcrenhn|)pueh, who 
 wedded James D. .Sweeney, of Burton, Kan. ; William 
 P., of North Bend, Neb.; Joseph M., who is living 
 in Atlantic, Iowa; Ermina and James C, who are at 
 home; Jennie, wife of S. B. Wilkins, a commercial 
 traveler, of Atlantic, Iowa; and Cora. Besides their 
 nine children Mr. and, Mrs. Brown have thirteen 
 grandcliildren to cheer thcui in their old age. They 
 are both members of the Presbyterian Church, and 
 are earnest, sincere Christians. In earlj' life Mr. 
 Brown was a Democrat, but is now a member of the 
 Republican party, antl during his entire life has 
 neither used liquor nor tobacco. He did much 
 toward the building of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids 
 & Northern Railroad, having given $2,000 cash 
 toward that institution, besides assisting in bu3Mng 
 the depot grounds. He and his wife are among the 
 most highly respected people of Louisa County. 
 
 s^ ILAS P. BROGAX, one of the pioneers of 
 Louisa County, Iowa, now residing on sec- 
 tion 27, Wapello Township, was born in 
 Holmes County, Ohio. Aug. 18, 1832, and 
 is a sou of James and Barbara Ann (Plants) Brogan. 
 Their union was celebrated in Pennsylvania, and 
 shortly' after thej- removed to Ohio, settling in 
 what is now known as Holmes County, where they 
 resided until the year 1838. and then emigrated 
 to Henderson Count}', III., locating near the city 
 of Oquawka. Keb. 1, 1830, they came to Louisa 
 County, Iowa, and look up liioir residence in 
 Wapello Township, on section 27, where Mr. Brogan 
 built a log cabin, and inijjroved the land. Making 
 
 f 
 
-4«- 
 
 334 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 that his home until 1841, he next removed to the 
 laml on which the town of Newport is now situated, 
 and entered forty acres. His market place at this 
 time was at Burlington, Des Moines Count}', and 
 he built the first house between that city and Flint. 
 Mr. Brogan was a weaver l)j' trade, and followed 
 that occupation for several years. In his political 
 views he was a Jackson Democrat, and his death 
 occurred May 26, 1848. His wife, who was a mem- 
 ber of the Christian Church, died Jan. 9. 1S79. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Brogan were the i)arents of eight 
 children, four of whom are still living: James, who 
 is living in Shelb}', Polk Co.. Neb. ; William and 
 Silas P. are residents of Louisa Countj', Iowa, and 
 Louisa, wife of William A. Hall, of Leon, Decatur 
 Co.. Iowa. 
 
 When but six years old our subject came to 
 Louisa County, Iowa, with his parents, and for 
 nearly fifty years has been one of its residents. He 
 received his education in the public schools of the 
 count}', and ^rew to manhood upon his father's farm. 
 He is at present eng.iged in the grocery business, 
 and his postoHice is at Newport, Iowa. During the 
 half-century of his life which he has passed in the 
 community he has won the respect of its citizens, 
 and is ranked among the honored pioneers. 
 
 r«»F- 
 
 ^Y)0SEPII martin, deceased, a pioneer settler 
 of Louisa County, of 1838. was born in 
 Pennsylvania, Dec. 9, 1814. He grew to 
 / manhood in his native State, and on the 12th 
 of April, 1837, w.as united in marri.age with Miss 
 Mary .Stingle. also a native of Pennsylvania, born 
 Dec. 11, 1815. She is a daughter of Jacob and 
 Lizzie (Pifer) Stingle, who were natives of Ger- 
 many, and the parents of five children. The fol- 
 lowing year after his marriage Mr. Martin came to 
 Louisa County, and bought a house in Grand View. 
 Later he became the owner of a farm about one 
 mile east of that village, which he cultivated for 
 six years, but on account of failing health was 
 forced to abandon that occupation, and so returned 
 to Grand View. He formed a partnership with his 
 son-in-law, Thornton Latta, and operated a saw- 
 
 mill, but after the death of Mr. Latta he entered 
 into mercantile business, forming a partnership with 
 another son-in-law, Isaac Freeland. He was also an 
 insurance agent, and held various otfices. He was 
 elected and served as Justice of the Peace; was 
 Notary Public of Grand View, and held several 
 township offices. In his political views Mr. Martin 
 was a Republican, and both he and his wife were 
 members of the Evangelical Church, of which he 
 served as Cl.ass-Leader for many years. His death 
 occurred Oct. 1.5, 1879. Thus one more of the pio- 
 neers of Louisa County passed away. Little can 
 the present generation realize the hardships and 
 trials endured by their parents in order to make 
 homes in the new country. To such men as Mr. 
 Martin, who was always ready to aid in the support 
 of enterprises for the public welfare, Louisa County 
 owes her present prosperit}', and to them especial 
 praise is due. 
 
 Seven children were born of llie union of Joseph 
 Martin and Mary Stingle: Julia Ann married Isaac 
 Freeland, a resident of Letts; Ackson enlisted in 
 Company K, 8th Iowa Infantr}', .at Davenport, in 
 October, 1861, for three years' service, but after 
 about a year was honorably discharged, at Scdalia, 
 Mo., on account of failing health. After somewhat 
 regaining his strength he re-enlisted at Grand View 
 for three years' service in the 9th Iowa Cavalry, 
 but was confined in a smallpox hospital on the 
 island before St. Louis, and there his death occurred 
 in 1863. The tliird child was Margaret, wife of 
 David Steinman; James became the husband of 
 Angeline Winters; Nancy is the wife of William 
 Walker; Jacob wedded Mclinda Ilolliday, and El- 
 mira is the wife of D. M. Bridges. Mrs. Martin is 
 still living in the village of Grand View. 
 
 »jfr|i-< ; . X I* «°« 
 
 M. BRIDGES is a blacksmith and wagon- 
 maker, of Grand View, Iowa. He came 
 jgvJ^ to Louisa Count}' in 1865, began his pres- 
 ent business at Grand View, and has since 
 worked at the trade continuously. He was born in 
 Rock Island County. III.. Feb. 2, 1858. and is a 
 son of Jackson and Mary (Dry) Bridges, the former 
 a native of Tennessee, and the latter of North 
 •►- 
 
1 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 33;1 
 
 Carolina. Tlicy eiiiij;rate<l to Illinois at an ear!}' 
 daj'. wlierc the father worked at liis trade of wngon- 
 makin<.>. In their famil}- were nine children, of 
 whom our sul)jeet was the third in onler of birth. 
 lie was reared in Illinois, and received his educa- 
 tion in the common schools. In December, 1880, 
 he was united in marriage. bcx:'oming the husband 
 of Miss Elmira Martin, of Grand View, who is a 
 daughter of Joseph .ind Mary Martin, whose sketcli 
 appears on another page of this work. To them 
 have lieen born an interesting family of five chil- 
 dren — Arthur, Edna, Clarence. Morris and Laura. 
 
 In his political views Air. Bridges is a Repub- 
 lican, and an active worker for that |)arty. He keeps 
 himself well informed on all subjects of the da}', 
 both local and National. Besides his property in 
 the village of Grand View, he is the owner of 120 
 acres of land in Woodbury Countj-, Iowa, and in 
 his business has been quite successful. Doing only 
 first-class work in a fair, honest wa}-, his tr.ade con- 
 stantly increases, and although a j'oung man he 
 bids fair to gain a comfortable competency. 
 
 -^ ' ^ - 4 ^' ^^ 
 
 01. .lAMISOX, editor and publisher of the 
 Columbus Gazette, of Columbus Juiurtion, 
 was liorn in Pickaway County, Ohio, .Ian. 12, 
 1845, and is a son of William D. and Isabella 
 (Seeds) .lainison. His father was born in M.adison 
 County. Ohio, in 1814, and was descended from 
 Scotch-Irish ancestry, while his mother was born in 
 Penns^'lvania, in 1812, of Irish descent. In 18.^4 
 our subject came to Iowa with his parents, the 
 familj- settling in Wapello Township, this county, 
 where his youth was passed on a farm. His pri- 
 marj- education wr.s rcceiveil in the public schools, 
 supplemented by u course in the Iowa Wesle3'an 
 University of Mt. Pleasant. In 1868 he secured a 
 position as teacher in the schools of Wapello, and 
 there taught for two years, after which he spent a 
 year or two in the live-stock business in Texas and 
 iMissouri. 
 
 On the 12th of January, 1H72, Jlr. .laniison was 
 married to Miss Mary J. Gillis. who was born in 
 Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Ridgewav H. 
 ami .Maigaret (McBain) Gillis, and a granddaughter 
 
 of Gen. McBain, of the Briti.«h arm}', who fought 
 in the battle of Waterloo. Her paternal grandfather 
 fought in the famous battle of Lun<ly'8 Lane as an 
 American patriot. Mr. and Mrs. Jamison have one 
 child, a son, William D., who was born in 1873, is 
 a practical printer in his father's offlce, and an ex- 
 pert compositor. 
 
 Soon after his marriage Mr. Jamison engaged in 
 farming in Wapello Township, carrying on that 
 occu|)ation until 1878, when he again became Prin- 
 cipal of the Wapello schools, which he taught from 
 that date until 1883. He then bought the Wapello 
 Times, a weekly Democratic |)ai)er, which he con- 
 ducted at Wajiello until 1884. when he moved the 
 ofHce to Columbus Junction, and changed the nirae 
 of the pai)er to the Louisa Cminty Times, under 
 which name he published it until Jan. 1, 188G, 
 when he sold it to George P. Neal, the present 
 Postmaster of Columbus Junction. In September, 
 1887, he again bought the paper, the name of which 
 had been changed in the meantime to the Columbus 
 Gazette, and has since continued its publication. 
 This is the only Democratic paper in Louisa County, 
 and is a newsy, wide-awake journal, true to its 
 name in advocating a just and equable system of 
 general and local government in o|)position to 
 class legislation in the interest of capital, monopolies 
 and trusts, and under the delusive pretense of pro- 
 tection to labor. Mr. Jamison is a thorough Demo- 
 crat, a fluent and easy writer, and is doing gooil 
 work in the interest of Loui.sa County and his party. 
 He has a well-equipped job ollice, and is securing 
 a fair share of the business in that place. 
 
 ^?=5?) BARSTOW WILLIAMS, a prominent far- 
 llj (=7 I'er resiiling on section 1 1, Columbus City 
 '^^11 Township, is an honored pioneer of I^ouisa 
 County. He is a n.ative of Fayette County. Ind.. 
 and a son of Robert and Klizabelh (Wright) Will- 
 iams, who were born in the State of New York. 
 The father w.-is a farmer by occupation, and mi- 
 grated to Indiana about 181 ."), .settling in Fayette 
 County, where he entered 1 GO acres of laixl, an<l 
 improving it made it his home until 1828, when he 
 sold out and bought another faru), upon whieli he 
 
 ••► 
 
•^1^^ 
 
 33G 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 resided until 1836. Emigrating to Iowa at that 
 time lie became one of the earl3' settlers of Louisa 
 Count}', where he bought 160 acres of land in Wa- 
 pello Township, where he resided until his death, 
 which occurred in 18,5;j,at the age of seventj'- three 
 years. The mother having died in 1824. when our 
 subject was seven years old. Robert Williams was 
 again married, becoming the husband of Elizabeth 
 Hart, who was also born in the Empire State. Mr. 
 AVilliaras reared a family of twenty children, ten of 
 whom were born of his first union, namely : Mary, 
 who became the-wife of Aaron McCrae, and after his 
 death married Nathaniel Dunham, is now deceased; 
 Sarah married George Jones, of Conuersville, Lid., 
 and both have passed aw.ay ; Wright, who died in 
 Louisa County, was Judge of the Count}' Court, 
 served as a member of the Legislature, aided in 
 framing the Constitution of the State of Iowa in 
 1846, and his death occurred in 1857; Dennis, who 
 had served as Recorder of Louisa County, died in 
 Missouri in 1873; Electa became tlie wife of Leon- 
 ard Robinson, and both are now dead: Amelia 
 married Thomas Stoddard, and both are deceased; 
 Mercy became the wife of William Nicholson, and 
 both are also deceased; Zebina, who died in Kansas 
 in 1871, was formerly a prominent citizen of Louisa 
 County. The iibove-menlioned children were born 
 in New York, and after Mr. Williams removed to 
 Indiana the following children were born: G. Bar- 
 stow; Charles, a resident farmer of Putnam County, 
 Mo. By the second union there were: Robert, who 
 died in childhood; Cynthia became the wife of 
 Robert Gregory, and is a resident of Colorado; 
 Sarah is the wife of James Ilickler, of this county; 
 Louie Ann is the widow of a Mr. Alexander, and 
 lives in AVapello; Louisa, deceased wife of Mr. Jil- 
 lett; Emeline. wife of Mr. Weston, of Wapello; 
 Oliver, deceased ; RLarietta died in childhood, and 
 two other children died in infancy. The father was 
 a member of the Christian Church, and a Whig in 
 politics. Conservative, yet just to all, he was not 
 only honored as a pioneer, but was highly esteemed 
 as a citizen. 
 
 G. Barstow Williams, our subject, was born ou 
 the 12lh of September, 1 HI 7, and was reared u[)on 
 a farm, receiving his education in the common 
 schools of a new country. With his parents he mi- 
 
 grated to Louisa County, Iowa, in 1 836, and entered 
 a claim on section 33, Columbus City Township, of 
 200 .lores, which he parti}' improved. At that time 
 the nearest settlement was the Swank settlement in 
 the Mississippi bottom, from which he was twenty- 
 five miles distant. Several times he had great trouble 
 with the Indians, who were very numerous in those 
 pioneer days. During his first winter's residence in 
 Louisa County they stole all his provisions and his 
 only coat, and he was forced to walk twenty-five 
 miles in his shirt sleeves through the biting cold. 
 At another time an Indian stole his mittens, but 
 Mr. Williams gave pursuit, chased him to his home, 
 and took the mittens by force. In order to make 
 a livelihood he was forced to cut rails at fifty cents 
 per hundred, but the hivrdships and trials which 
 con)e to those who make homes in a new county 
 were endured with patience, and his hard labors 
 were at length rewarded. He lived upon his first 
 claim for about three years, and afterward purchased 
 of his brother Zebina 191 acres ou section 11, Co- 
 lumbus City Township, which still continues to be 
 his home. 
 
 On the 14lh of November, 1837, Mr. Williams 
 was united in mari'iage with Miss Ann Hall, a na- 
 tive of Pennsylvania, and established his bride as 
 the mistress of the pioneer cabin. By their union 
 six children were born: Wright, a i)hysician, now 
 residing in Putnam County, Mo.; Lucy, wife of 
 Elijah M. Strauser, of Newtown, Mo.; Warren, a 
 stockman of the Indian 'lY-rritory: Thomas, who is 
 engaged in farming in Edwards County. Kan.; Mil- 
 lie, wife of Joseph Caldwell. Jr., of Colorado, and 
 Alice, wife of Jacob Getts. whose home is in Ed. 
 wards County, Kan. In 1853 death visited the 
 pioneer home, and took as its victim the wife and 
 mother. Mr. Williams was again married in 1854. 
 becoming the husband of Cordelia Spafford, a na- 
 tive of Potter County, Pa., and by their marriage 
 four children were born: Augusta, who is now the 
 wife of Ed Watts, a resident of Cairo, Louisa Co.. 
 Iowa; Elizabeth, now deceased; Fr.'iuk, proprietor 
 of the Parker Mineral Wells, of Potter County, Pa., 
 and Lawrence, whose home is in Columbus City, 
 Iowa. The mother of these children departed this 
 life Sept. 23, 1806. and Mr. Williams was the third 
 time married. May 27, 186"J, the lady of his choice 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ^S^* 
 
 3;}? 
 
 Ueing Eliza Rhodes, who was lioni in Hanover. Oiiio, 
 and is a daii<>hler of .It-hu Rhodes. The lad}' liad 
 forineily lioeii nianied. and was the widow of H. F. 
 St. Clair. Two children had been born of her 
 former marriage, only one now living, Harrj', a tele- 
 graph oiJerator, of Bloomer, Miss. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Williams are the parents of two children, Nellie and 
 Arthur, both at home. 
 
 For forty-seven years Mr. Williams has been a 
 member of the Christian Church, in which he holds 
 the office of Deacon, and is one of the earnest and 
 untiring workers. Ilis wife, who is a most esti- 
 mable lady, also belongs to that denomination. In 
 his political views he is a supporter of the Repub- 
 lican part}'. For fifly-two years he has been a resi- 
 dent of Louisa County, and is a pioneer in every 
 sense of the word. He has aided in the develop- 
 ment of the county', has transformed the wild and 
 unbroken prairies into farms of the greatest fertil- 
 ity, has aided in every enterprise for the good of 
 the conimunil}', and lias alwaj's been ready to ad- 
 vance the educational, social and moral interests. 
 As a citizen, he is reliable and trustworthy, as a 
 neighbor and friend, is hospitable and kind, and as 
 a father and husband, is loving and considerate. 
 His life has been a blessing to the community, and 
 we are pleased to record his sketch among the 
 other pioneers who have |)laced Louisa County in 
 the front rank in the great State of Iowa. 
 
 Mr. Williams is at this time (1888) the oldest 
 living settler in the county. He still has in his pos- 
 session the stump from which he cut the first tree 
 with which he built his first cam[) fire after his arrival 
 here, on the 4th of .Inly, 1836. 
 
 ylLLIAM J. CRAM.MONI), agent for the 
 Council Bluffs Insurance Company, a resi- 
 W^ dent of Columbus Junction, was born at 
 Putnam. Washington Co., N. Y., on the 31st of 
 October, 1«4;), and is a son of .James B. anil .Sar:di 
 R. (Calkins) Crammond. His futiicr, who was liorn 
 May 7, ISl."}, at Putnam, N. Y., was a son of .lames 
 Crammond. who emigrated from lOngland to Amer- 
 ica iti 181 I, and settleil in that city. The mother 
 was a native of the Green Mountain .Stale, though 
 
 she early became a resident of New York, and her 
 
 death occurred at Columbus City, Iowa, in 1858. 
 
 In 18.5.) our subject came to Iowa with his par- 
 ents, the family settling at Columbus City, Louisa 
 County, where Mrs. Crammond died Sept. 10, 1858, 
 and where the father worked at his trade, that of 
 carpenter and joiner, until within a few yeai-s, since 
 which time he has been engaged in farming near 
 Cairo, Marshall Township, where he still resides. 
 William J. received a common-school education, 
 and in December, 1803, enlisted in the late war as 
 a member of Company C, llth Iowa Infantry. He 
 had previously offered his services, but on account 
 of his insufficient age had been refused admission 
 to the ranks. He served in the Army of the Ten- 
 nessee under Sherman, and was mustered out May 
 17, 1865. While in the hospital at Keokuk during 
 the war, he attended commercial college, thus se- 
 curing a business education, and on his return from' 
 the army learned the harness trade at Columbus 
 City. One year later he went to Kossuth County, 
 Iowa, where he spent a j'car on a claim, living in a 
 sod shanty, and enduring more privations than he 
 did while in the service. Provisions were scarce in 
 the countr}' and could not be had either for love or 
 money, even when most needed. While living in 
 his shanty Mr. Crammond [kM 811.50 for 100 
 pounds of flour, and $3 per bushel for corn. One 
 year on the claim satisfied his desire for that sort 
 of life, and at the earliesL opi)ortnnity he returned 
 to civilization, becoming a resident of Dakotah, 
 Humboldt Co., Iowa, iti April, 1867. wlieriy he 
 worked at his trade of harness- making for six 
 years. 
 
 In 1873 our subject left Dakotaii, and went to 
 Algona, Kossuth Co., Iowa, where he again engaged 
 in farming, but owing to the grasshoppers having 
 destroyed his entire crop, he became discourageil. 
 and abandoned that occupation at the end of one 
 year, and returned to his trade, going into bii>ii)i!-< 
 on hisown account, and continuing for about twi Ivc 
 years, tluring which time he was successful in ac- 
 cumulating a good property, consisting of 1 20 acres 
 of good hind in Livingston Township, Ki>>siiih 
 County. In April, 18h7. he located at C"luinbii> 
 .Junction, forming a partnership with Andrew B. 
 .Shipman, who was also a soldier of Ihe late war, 
 
 ■«H^I-4» 
 
•►Hl^^ 
 
 =4 
 
 338 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 serving as a member of llie 2d Wisconsin Cavalry. 
 This partnership was desolved in 1888, and he is 
 now in the insurance business. 
 
 On the 4th of October. 1873. the marriage of 
 Mr. Craramond and ^liss Josephine L. Green was 
 celebrated. She is a daughter of James G. Green, 
 a pioneer settler of Kossuth County, Iowa, .and w.as 
 born in Mercer County. Pa.. July 29. 18.)2. With 
 her parents she went to Kossuth Countj' in 1854, 
 wlien it w.os a wilderness, her father building the 
 first house, on the prairie in his township, lie is 
 now one of the Ic-Kling farmers of that section of 
 the State. Two children were born of their union : 
 James Louis, who is now fourteen j-ears of age; 
 and Charles Chester, aged ten. On the 3d of June, 
 1882, Mr. Crammond joined the Masons, becoming 
 a member of Prudcnoe Lodge Xo. 205. of Algona, 
 Iowa; and Sept. 6, 1887. he joined the G. A. R., 
 and is a member of Joe Neal Post No. 129, Colum- 
 bus City, Iowa, lieing its present Adjutant. Politi- 
 cally, he affiliates with the Republican party. 
 
 f/OIIN HUNTER, who was a soldier of the Late 
 war, and is a resident of Grand View, was 
 born in Columbia County. Pa.. Oct. 17, 1817. 
 He is a son of Philip and Mary (Nangle) 
 Hunter, who were both natives of Pennsylvania, 
 though of German descent. The grandparents were 
 natives of German}-, but came to America at an 
 early day, and settled in PennsjMvania, in which 
 .State they lived and died. 
 
 In 1854, in his native c<tunty. Mr. Hunter w.as 
 united in marriage with Miss Matild.a Wagner, a 
 daughter of John and Mary Wagner, who were also 
 natives of Germany. Four years later he removed 
 t(j Louisa County, locating in Port Louisa Town- 
 ship, where he worked at his tr.ade of atailor, which 
 he hail previously learned in his native State. 
 When the war broke out he enlisted in the arniy of 
 the Union, and was assigned to the 5th Iowa In- 
 fantry, in which he served three j-ears. He partici- 
 pated in the battles of luka, Corinth, the siege and 
 battle of Vicksburg, and numerous other eng.age- 
 ments. being muslered out at Chicago, July 19, 
 1864. Returning to his home, he again worked at 
 
 his trade for awhile, but is now living a retired life 
 in the vill.age of Grand View. 
 
 Socially, Mr. Hunter is a member of the G. A. 
 R. Post, while politically, he has always supported 
 the Democratic party. He has held the office of Jus- 
 tice of the Peace, and also served as Constable for 
 a terra of ten years. To him and his estimable 
 wife have been born three children: Marcellus, 
 who married Orpha Woodruff, is a graduate of the 
 Eastern Normal .School, has taught some of the best 
 schools of the county, and is now Principal of the 
 graded schools of Grand View; Lillie is also a grad- 
 uate of the Eastern Normal College, and is a teacher 
 of recognized ability; Nevada, the youngest child, 
 is at home. 
 
 ATRICK HENRY COLLINS, a merciiant 
 I) of Columbus Junction, Iowa, was born at 
 Bombay, Franklin Co., N. Y., April 22, 
 1831, an<l is the son of Michael and Mar- 
 garet (Cotter) Collins, who were natives of Irel.anfl 
 and emigrated to America in 1828. Our subject 
 was reared on a farm until sixteen years of age, 
 when he removed to Will County, 111., where he 
 worked at carpenter work until 1853, and then went 
 to Muscatine, Iowa. He there associated with his 
 brother, John L., in railroad construction on the 
 Mississippi & Missouri Railroad, since changed to 
 the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific. He came to 
 Louisa County in 1855 with the extension of the 
 railroad, and in the fall of 1858 went to Kansas. 
 Two years later he returned to Iowa, and joined 
 his brother J. L. in mercantile business at Clifton, 
 Louisa County. That connection w.as continued 
 until March, 18G8, when he returned to Kansas, 
 there engaging in the cattle business untd the au- 
 tumn of 1 869, when once more he became a resident 
 of Iowa, locating in Fremont County, where he 
 was engaged in farming for three years. He again 
 went to Kansas, and engaged in cattle raising in 
 Graham Count}' untd 1883, then came to Iowa and 
 again joined his brother in mercantile business, this 
 time at Columbus Junction. On the 28tli of .May, 
 1888, he separated his business interests from his 
 brother's, he taking the dr^'-goods and grocerj- de- 
 p.artment of their large double store, J. L. retaining 
 
 

 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 839 A 
 
 the hardware business. Mr. Collins carries a stock 
 of from ill 2,000 to 115,000 in value. Tbe general 
 niana<ioinenl of his extensive establishment is and 
 long has been under the management of H. D. 
 Rifenberg, who does all the buying for the house, 
 making two trips a year to New York for that ]Hir- 
 l)ose. Mr. Rifenberg is an expert in his business, 
 and under his able management the large stock of 
 the house is always up to the times in quality and 
 assortment. Mr. Collins is an old-line Democrat in 
 politics, and is highly respecte<l !U> a business man 
 and citizen. 
 
 J^iRANClS F. PAISLKY, proprietor of a liv- 
 J-^@> erj' and feed stable of Morning Sun, Iowa, 
 l^ was born in Muskingum County', Ohio, Aug. 
 10, 1844, and is a son of Hugii C. and Mary 
 A. (Haines) Paisle}', who emigrated to Louisa 
 County in 1850. They were the parents of nine 
 children: .Samuel, who enlisted in the ICthlowaln- 
 fantry, died from a disease contracted while at 
 Pittsburg Landing; Isaiah enlisted In the same regi- 
 ment, and served for three 3'ears, after which he 
 became a veteran soldier; Ezra, who is living in 
 Shelby County, Neb. ; Ira, whose residence is un- 
 known; Eliza J., wife of B. Dotson,of Polk Countj', 
 Neb.; John, whose home is in Texas; Mary became 
 the wife of a Mr. Lockhart, of Polk County, Neb.; 
 and Aniia is the wife of John Peel, of Illinois. Mrs. 
 Paisley, the mother of these children, died in Des 
 Moines Count}', Iowa, in 18G4. Mr. Paisley is still 
 living, and resides in Polk County, Neb. 
 
 When six years of age Francis F. Paislej' came 
 to this count}' with his parents, and in the common 
 schools was educated. In 18G3, when nineteen 
 years of age, he enlisted in the 8th Iowa Cavalry, 
 Conn)any -M. anil was mustered into the United .States 
 service at Davenport, whence he went to Louis- 
 ville, Ky., and later to Tennessee, where he spent 
 the winter. During the following spring he wtent 
 with the command to Chattanooga, and partici|)ated 
 in his first engagement at .Snake Gap, where several 
 men of the company were killed and \voun<led. He 
 then engaged in the battle of Uesaca, after which 
 he participated in all the engagements of the rcgi- 
 
 4* 
 
 ment until the siege of Atlanta, and was constantly 
 under fire for more than forty days. Before reach- 
 ing Atlanta he was taken [jrisoner, and with 800 
 others, was confined in the loathsome i)ris<in at An- 
 dersonville for three months. At the end of that 
 time there was an exchange of prisoners, but as 
 orders came not to exchange cavalrymen, he had 
 to pretend to be one of the infantry in order to ob- 
 tain his liberty. He w.as sent with the remainder 
 of the soldiers to Atlanta, thence to Nashville, 
 where the regiment was encamped, and while Sher- 
 man was on his march to the sea was engaged in 
 watching the movements of Hood. His regiment 
 was the first to receive that General when he crossed 
 the Tennessee River, and in the l)attle which ensued 
 he was wounded in the shoulder, where he jet car- 
 ries the rebel lead. He w.as sent to Port Pulaski, a 
 distance of 100 miles, before his wound was dressed. 
 Hood then came uj), and with others he was sent to 
 Nashville, after which he was mustered out at Ma- 
 con, Ga., Aug. 10, 1865, and received his discharge 
 at Clinton, Iowa, on the 18th (]ay of the same 
 month, after which he returned home. 
 
 In Louisa County, Iowa, Mr. Paisley was united 
 in niarriiige with Miss Jane Keller, and to them 
 h.ave been born an interesting family of five chil- 
 dren — Addie, Ella, Fiankie. Hugh and Susie. In 
 his political views Mr. Paisley alliliates with the 
 Republican party, and socially, is a member of the 
 G. A. R., Blake Post No. 114. of Morning Sun. 
 
 -vw -\«jiLej2'®i@~^^^>»^^^OTTr»v. 
 
 TF^OBERT CALDWELL, a prominent attor- 
 im^ ney-at-law of Columbus Junction, Iowa, 
 (JvW, was born in Butler County, Ohio, Dec. 20, 
 ^p!183H. and is a son of Robert and Catherine 
 (Irwin) Caldwell. His father was born in .South 
 Carolina, of Irish descent, and the paternal grand- 
 father, William Caldwell, an emigrant from the 
 North of Ireland, wjia the first of the familj* to come 
 to America. The mother of our subject was born 
 in Kentucky, of Scotch-Irish parenUage. 
 
 Robert Caldwell w.as educated at Miami Univer- 
 sity, where he took a scientific course, but left the 
 school at the close of the sophomore year. He 
 then entered upon the .study of law with Judge 
 
u. 
 
 u 
 
 340 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 James Clarke, of Hamilton. Ohio, and was firadiiated 
 at tlie Cincinnati Law School in the class of '61. 
 On the completion of his law course he l)e<j;an prac- 
 tice at Hamilton, Ohio, continuing there until 18C3, 
 when he went to Cleveland, and conducted a law 
 practice in that city until the latter part of 186G, 
 when he removed to Cameron, Mo., ami was in 
 practice tliere untH the spring of 1872. Going to 
 Kansas City in the autumn of that j'car, he ma<le 
 it his home until the following spring, and then 
 went to Monmouth. III., hut only remained there 
 until Jul}', at which time he became a resident of 
 Columbus Junction. Iowa. Mr. Caldwell has pur- 
 sued the practice of his profession at that city alone 
 to this date, with the exception of two 3'ears, from 
 1882 to 1884, when he had P. F. Forbes as his 
 partner. 
 
 On the 21st of April, 1879, Mr. Caldwell was 
 married, at Lancaster, Mo., to Miss Isabella, daugh- 
 ter of James Smith, and a native of Pennsylvania. 
 They have two children, a son and a daughter: 
 Catherine E., aged seven years, and Robert Calvin, 
 aged five years. In politics Mr. Caldwell is a 
 Democrat, and not being on the poi)ular side has 
 never figured conspicuously in public affairs. He 
 is well up in his profession, and ranks as one of the 
 leading lawyers of Louisa Count}'. 
 
 =^KORGE W. BHENEMAN, proprietor of the 
 oldest established meat-market at Columbus 
 Junction, Iowa, was born in Lancaster 
 Count}'. Pa., Jan. 2,'j, 1840, and is a son of Jacob 
 and liarbara Breneman. He was reared ujwn a 
 farm, rcceiveil a common-school education, and on 
 the 26tli of April. 1 Sfil, enlisted as one of the "boys 
 in blue," on the President's first call for troops to 
 defend the Union. He was mustered into service 
 as a private of Company A, 10th Pennsylvania 
 Volunteers, for three months' service, and served 
 the term of his enlistment. In May, \HCr2, he re-en- 
 listed, and was assigned to the lrans|)ortation service 
 under Gen. George B. McClellan, and continued 
 in that line of duty until the fall of 1863, when the 
 department was abolished. He then engaged in 
 
 boating on the Pennsylvania Canal until the fall 
 of 1866. when he engaged in the butchering busi- 
 ness at Bainbridge, Lancaster Co., Pa., until the 
 fall of 1870, and the following spring removed to 
 Iowa, locating at Columbus City, Louisa County, 
 where he ost-tblished and carried on a meat-market 
 until the fall of 1876. In the meanwhile he h:ul 
 opened a market in the then new town of Columbus 
 Junction, in the fall of 1872, which, with the excep- 
 tion of an interval of a few months, he has carried 
 on continuously since. In the winter of 1872-73 
 Mr. Breneman began putting up ice, first for bis 
 own convenience and to supply a limited local cus- 
 tom, but the trade increased with the growth of the 
 to^vn, and in the fall of 1883 he contracted to sup- 
 plj' the Armour refrigerator cars in transit between 
 Kansas Cit}-, St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minn. At 
 one time he supplied as many as 250 cars a year, 
 but the business of late has been somewhat reduced. 
 He puts up an average of 1,000 tons of ice for his 
 own use and the city supply, of which he has the 
 exclusive trade. 
 
 On the 26th of August, 1862, Mr. Breneman was 
 united in marriage, in Lancaster County, Pa., with 
 Miss Elmira Grosh, daughter of Samuel Grosh,and 
 a native of the count}' in which she was married. 
 Three children were born of their union, two of 
 whom are living: Cora is the eldest; Minnie died 
 at the age of three years; and Gc(>rge B, the 
 youngest, was born Oct. 22, 1867, at Bainbridge, 
 Lanc.ister Co., Pa. 
 
 In Pennsylvania Jlr. Breneman joined the Odd 
 Fellows, as a member of Bainbridge Lodge No. 627, 
 I. O. O. F., and on coming to Iowa took a with- 
 drawal card from that lodge and helpe<l to organize 
 Columbus Junction Lodge No. 365, of which he 
 is still a member. He was initiated a member 
 of Inland City Lodge No. 88, K. of P.. of Lan- 
 caster, Pa., but shortly after removing to Co- 
 lumbus City he joined E. M. Sargent and others 
 in sUirling Liberty Lodge No. 22, K. of P., of that 
 place. He was one of its charter members, and has 
 maintained his connection with the lodge since. 
 In fact Mr. Breneman Ikis been most .active in ad- 
 vancing its interests, having held prominent |)osi- 
 tions in the order, and after serving in the principal 
 offices of Liberty Lotlge he was elected Ueprescnt- 
 
 -— ■— — >» 
 
■•^^i K"^^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 341 
 
 alive of Iowa, ami later was chosen an oflieer of 
 that body, being now Deputy Grand Chancellor, 
 haviiifj hel<l tiiat position for several years. While 
 a resident of Pennsylvania he was a member of the 
 order of American Mechanics, an institution of con- 
 siderable importance at one time, and he also j'et 
 retains membership in an Odd Fellows' Camp at 
 Middletown, Pa. Mr. Breneman is a Republican in 
 politics, having voted with that party since he be- 
 came a voter. He is a reliable business man, and 
 one of Louisa County's highly respected and wor- 
 thy citizens. 
 
 /M\ ^^^^ "• ^'OCHRAN, druggist and express 
 agent, of Morning Sun, Iowa, was born in 
 Rush County. Ind., Dec. 22, 1842, and is a 
 son of John D. Cochran, a native of Abbe- 
 ville, S. C. When a lad John D. Cochran emi- 
 grated with his parents to Indiana, then an unsettled 
 countrj', and there grew to manhood. In that State 
 his marriage with Miss Sarah P. McGaw was cele- 
 brated, and in 1851 thej' emigrated with their 
 family to Henderson County, III., where he still 
 resides. By their union three children were born 
 who lived to be adults: Moses H., the subject of 
 our sketch; Sarah E.. wife of G. C. Foster, of Hen- 
 derson County. III., and Mary J., who wedded G. 
 F. Urton, a resident of Haiicock County, 111. Mrs. 
 Cochran died March 22, 1858. She was a member 
 of the United Presbyterian Church, and was highly 
 respected in the comnninity where she lived. The 
 husband was again married, to Miss Rachel Whit- 
 man, and they became the parents of four children, 
 three of whom are living — William H., James L. 
 and M.aggie E. 
 
 When nine j'cars old the subject of our sketch 
 went with his parents to Illinois, where he received 
 a common-school education, his time from 1851 
 until 18C2 being siient in Henderson Count\'. Dur- 
 ing the latter 3-ear he enlisted in the 84th Illinois 
 Infantry, but wsis rejected. At the call for 500,000 
 troops made by President Lincoln in 1803, he again 
 enlisted, in the lltli Illinois Cavalry, and was mus- 
 tered in at .Springfield, whcie he remained about a 
 week, and was then sent to Vicksbnrg to join his 
 
 regiment, whicii w.as a part of the 17th Corps, 
 and served under Gen. Sherniun. Mr. Cochran 
 participated in several siiarp engagements, among 
 which were those of Woodville and Egyi)t Station. 
 He participated in the second raid of Grierson, in 
 which the}' were on the move for twenty-two days. 
 He was mustered out of service at Memphis, Tenn., 
 Sept. 30, 1865, and immediately returned to his 
 home. 
 
 Soon after his arrival at lionieMr. Cochran em- 
 barked in the grocery business in Hancock County, 
 III., which he carried on for sixteen 3'ears, ami then 
 came to Morning Sun. Iowa, where he is at present 
 engaged in the drug trade as a member of the firm 
 of Cochran & McCormick. Mr. Cochran is a mem- 
 ber of the G. A. R. Post, has held the office of 
 Commander, and is now the Adjutant. He also 
 belongs to the Legion of Honor, in which he holds 
 the office of Financial Secretary'. Politically, he is 
 one of the stanch supporters of the Republican 
 party, and is a man well posted in the affairs of the 
 county. 
 
 In Hancock County, III., in KSC", Mr. Cochran 
 was united in marriage with Miss .S. E. McKnight, 
 a daughter of David McKnight, of Ohio. Their 
 union has been blessed with two children — John F. 
 atid Ra^'. 
 
 [t-. ENRY MARSDKN, deceased, a pioneer of 
 Louisa County, Iowa, of 1839, was born in 
 Blackburn, England, Jan. 26, 1811, and is a 
 _ son of William and Betsy Marsden. In 
 1817, when six years of age, he emigrated to Amer- 
 ica witii his father, who located near Baltimore. 
 Md., where he learned the trade of cotton weavinir 
 When a young man he removed to Columbus, Ohio, 
 where he established a meat-market, carrying on 
 that business until 1839, when he cirae to Louisa 
 County. He located five miles southwest of Colum- 
 bus Cit3', in the township bearing that name, where 
 he secured about 400 acres of Government land. 
 This land was entirely uncultivated, but from the 
 raw |)rairie he soon developed a farm. 
 
 In 1850, at .Spring Run, in this count}', Mr. 
 Marsden was united in niarri;fge with Miss Margaret 
 Moore, a native of Couutv Antrim, Ireland, though 
 
342 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 she was reared in Englarnl.and emigrated from that 
 country to America. Eight children have been horn 
 to them, five sons and tiiree daughters: William .)., 
 a member of the Marsden Horse Company, of 
 Columbus City; Mary A., Betsy J. and Harry A. 
 are the only four now living. 
 
 After his arrival in Louisa County, which was 
 then almost a wilderness, Mr. Marsden lived in 
 true pioneer style, enduring all the trials and hard- 
 ships which come to those who make homes upon 
 the frontiers. In the work of progress and devel- 
 opment he nobly did his part, and until his death, 
 which occurred in October, liS8.5, he was one of tlie 
 leading and iiitluenlial citizens of the county. His 
 wife died in April, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Marsden 
 were members of the Congregational Church until 
 the dealli of the latter, when, from that time on, 
 he belonged to the Central Presbyterian Church 
 until his own death. Mr. Marsden was a Repub- 
 lican in politics, and was highly respected by all 
 with whom he came in contact. W. J. Marsden, 
 his son, one of the i)roprietors and the manager 
 of the JIarsden Horse Company, was reared on a 
 farm, and is still interested in the homestead, of 
 which he has had charge since his father's death. 
 
 •f 
 
 ^ IKILLIAM A. LESTER. Superintendent of 
 m/y/l Schools for Louisa County, Iowa, residing at 
 wHi Wapello, was born in .Schenectady County, 
 N. 1 ., April 16, 1853, and is a son of Alanson and 
 Mary A. (Robins) Lester. His father was born in 
 Albanj', N. Y., and his mother in Warren Countj', 
 the same State, both being descende<l from old 
 American families of Colonial times. His father 
 was a teacher and .Superintendent of Schools, and 
 was also engaged in farming. The family emigrated 
 to Grant County. Wis., when William was but a 
 child. For ten years his father was a lecturer on 
 scientiSo subjects, but is now engaged in farming 
 in Osborne County. Kan. 
 
 Our subject had no special advantages for educa- 
 tion, as he was thrown upon his own resources when 
 ten years of age. Working at whatever he could 
 finil to do, he availed hini.-ielf of whatever chance he 
 
 could get to obtain an education. In 1873 he 
 went from Grant County', Wis., to Missouri, and 
 later took up his residence in Muscatine County, 
 Iowa, where he began teaching school in 1876. 
 Subsequently he took a regular course of study at 
 the Eastern Iowa Normal College, of Grand View, 
 Iowa, then a flourishing institution of learning, being 
 graduated in the cl.ass of '7!J. Mr. Lester continued 
 teaching as a professit>n, and among the schools 
 taught by him may bementionerl the graded school 
 of three departments at Grand View, this county ; 
 the graded school of two departments at Cairo, of 
 the same countj', and the Morning Sun grammar 
 school, which he taught one and a half years. In 
 the fall of 1887 Mr. Lester was elected Superin- 
 tendent of Schools of Louisa County, and entered 
 upon the discharge of his duties Jan. 1. 1888, and 
 has resided at Wapello since April of that year. 
 
 On the 22d of March, 1880, at Grand View, Iowa, 
 the marriage of Mr. Lester and Miss V. Grace 
 Lockwood was celebrated. Mrs. Lester was born 
 at Port Louisa, in this county, Feb. 1, 1855, and is 
 a daughter of Ilirani and Thirza (R.iyniond) Lock- 
 wood, who were among the early settlers of Port 
 Louisa Township, having located therein 184!(,and 
 both are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Lester are the 
 parents of two children : Faith Uarda was born Jan. 
 28, 1883; John Fr.incis was born Aug. 16, 1886; 
 both were born in Louisa County, Iowa. Mr. 
 Lester is a Republican in politics, and has alwaj-s 
 supported that party since becoming a voter. He 
 has devoted almost his entire adult life to the cause 
 of education, and is acknowledged to be an eflicient 
 and faithful Superintendent. 
 
 <| IkKLLINGTON BIRD LAMBER.SON, who 
 \jjj// is a ixipular druggist and registered phar- 
 ^/sfl macist of Columbus Junction, was born in 
 Northumberland County, Pa., Aug. 29," 1835, and is 
 a son of Nicholas and Frances (Kimball) Lamber- 
 son, who were also natives of Pennsylvania. Our 
 subject was educated at the common schools of his 
 native State, and in December, 1858, came to Iowa, 
 settling near Mt. Pleasant, where he wjis engaged in 
 farming for a period of five years, after which he 
 
 =T 
 
■^•■ 
 
 -■► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 343 
 
 went into mercantile business at Mt. Pleasant, keep- 
 ing: a jirocery and wholesale notion house, which he 
 carried on for three years. W.iyhnul, Iowa, was 
 his next place of residence, he there engaging in 
 general merchandising for three years, then subse- 
 quently removed to Washington, Iowa, following 
 the vocation of a druggist for two years, and was 
 then ill the grocer\' business until the month of 
 May, 1?<81, when he came to C'uhiinbiis Junction 
 and opened his present store. 
 
 In the spring of 1858, in Northumberland County. 
 Pa., the marriage of Mr. Lainberson and Miss Caro- 
 line Dalesman was celebrated. She w:is a native of 
 Northampton County, Pa., anil a daughter of Jacob 
 Datesman, and is a member of the Presbyterian 
 Church. Eight children were born of their union, 
 two sons and six daughters : Ida. the eldest, is the 
 wife of Scott Thompson, a hardware merchant of 
 Columbus Junction, Iowa; Fannie, wife of Charles 
 Gardner, of l'>mmetsburg, Iowa; AVillie died in in- 
 fancy; Justin, the only surviving son, resides at 
 Columbus Junction; Lulu died in the S|)ring of 
 1886, at the age of twenty-one years: the three 
 younger members of the family — Kate, May and 
 Carrie — are with their parents. Mr. Lamberson is a 
 member of Columbus City Lodge No. 107, A. F. 
 <fe A. M. He is a liepublican in politics, and cast 
 his first vote for President for Gen. John C. Fre- 
 mont. 
 
 ••tCtG/iS^g-''— i>^| 
 
 ^4^4— »-^^CZW»>^ 
 
 ^^^EORGE CUNNINGHAM, one of the promi- 
 l( '^¥? "^"'' "'6''<^'l''i"''* t*f Morning .Sun, Iowa, was 
 ^^ij born in Guernsey County, Ohio, on the Gth 
 of December, 1828, and is a son of William Cun- 
 ningham. His father was born in Ireland, though 
 of Scotch descent, and received a liberal education 
 in his native country. When a young man he emi- 
 grated to America, crossing the broad Atlantic, and 
 settling in Westmoreland County, Pa., where he be- 
 came acquainted with and wedded Miss Mar^' Ann 
 Sleith, who was born in that State. About the 
 year 1813 they emigrated to Guernsey County, 
 Ohio, where Mr. Cunningham took a claim, and in 
 the midst of the forest developed a farm, under- 
 going all the hardships of |)ioneer life. At that 
 
 time the country was full of Indians, and the nights 
 were made hideous by the howls of wild animals. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham were the parents of 
 eight children, who grew to manhood and woman- 
 hood, and four are yet living: .Samuel died in 
 Guernsey County, Ohio, in liS8.5; James is a promi- 
 nent farmer of Guernsey Count}', Ohio; John, who 
 settled in Des Moines County in 184.5, died al)out 
 18(32; Mary Ann was the wife of Henry McKeown, 
 who settled in Des Moines County in 1840, but she 
 died the following year; William served as a Cap- 
 tain during the late liebellion; George, of this 
 sketch, is the next in order of birth; Allen, a sol- 
 dier of the late war, who served with honor until 
 its close, is at present located in Los Angeles, Cal. ; 
 Thomas, who was also a soldier, died from disease 
 contracted after two months' service in the Army of 
 the Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Cunninghani were 
 people who stood high in the social world, and both 
 were members of the Associate Presbyterian Church, 
 in which he served as an Elder for many years. 
 His first wife died in 1834, and Mr. Cunningham 
 was again married, taking for his wife Miss Sarah 
 Lawrence, who died in 1843. His death occurred 
 in Guernse}' Count}', Ohio, in l(S(jl, the count}' 
 thereby losing one of its best citizens. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm in his native 
 county, being principally educated in the pioneer 
 school-house, built of logs, so common at that day. 
 In 1850 he led to the marriage altar Miss Margaret 
 J. Cunningham, who was born in Guernsey County 
 in 1820, and one child graced that union, Maggie. 
 The mother died soon after the birth of her daugh- 
 ter, and in 1853 Mr. Cunningham wedded Miss 
 Mary A. Keed. Two children, yet living, have been 
 born to them: Lizzie, wife of W. T. Graham, a 
 real-estate dealer of Omaha, Neb.; and Emma, who 
 is at home. Both have received liberal educations, 
 being graduates of the Monmouth College, of Mon- 
 mouth, 111. 
 
 In 1855 Mr. Cuiniingham became a resident of 
 Louisa County, which was then sparsely settled, lo- 
 cating in Morning Sun Township, where he spent 
 ten years engaged in farming. At the expir:itioii 
 of that time he sold out .and purchased a farm in 
 Yellow Spring Township, in Des Moines County, 
 where he m;ide his home for twelve years, and then 
 
-4^ 
 
 ,t 
 
 344 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 once more returned to Louisa County, locating in 
 Morning ISun. where he enibariied in the mercantile 
 business, carrying a stock of groceries, bouts and 
 shoes. Giving strict attention to his business, and 
 desiring to please his customers, he has by fair deal- 
 ing built up a good trade, and is one of the leading 
 merchants of Louisa Count}'. At the age of twenty- 
 one he joine<l tlie Associate Presl)yterian Church, 
 but after a few years became a member of the Re- 
 form Presbyterian Church, with which he has affili- 
 ated since, and for the past fifteen years he has 
 held the position of Elder in the church at Morning 
 Sun. Mr. Cunningliam is a strong temperance man, 
 and is a supporter of everj' cause pertaining to the 
 public good. 
 
 ILLIAM BROGAN, one of the pioneers of 
 11 Louisa Count}', Iowa, now residing on sec- 
 lion 23, Wapello Township, was born in 
 Holmes County, Ohio, on the 27th day of June, 
 1827. and is a son of James and Barbara A. (Plants) 
 Brogan. His father was born in Chester County. 
 Pa., April 4, 1 776, a few days before the beginning 
 of the Revolutionaiy War, while his mother was a 
 native of Washington Count}', Pa. James Brogan 
 served with credit as a soldier in the War of 1812, 
 and in an early day emigrated to Holmes County, 
 Ohio, where he resided until the fall of 1838, when, 
 accompanied by his family, he went to Henderson 
 County, 111. The elder boys of the family later 
 came to Louisa County, where they entered a claim, 
 and in Februar}', 183l», the family took up their 
 residence here, the farm being near that of George 
 Jamison. To Mr. and Mrs. Brogan were born 
 eight children, vvho reached maturit}', four of whom 
 are yet living : William, the subject of this sketch ; 
 Silas P.. who resides in Louisa County; Louisa, 
 widow of William Hall, a soldier of the late Rebell- 
 ion, belonging to the 19th Iowa Infantrj', who was 
 wounded at Prairie Grove, and died from the 
 effects; James, who is now living in Polk County, 
 Neb. Politically, Mr. Brogan was a Democrat, 
 though never a politician. He held the office of 
 Justice of the Peace in Ohio, and was everywhere 
 known as '.Squire Brogan. lie jind his wife were 
 both membeis of the C'hristian Chuicli, and his 
 
 death occurred in this counlj' in 1846, while Mrs. 
 Brogan died in 1879. They were people widely 
 known and highly respected throughout the com- 
 munity. 
 
 When twelve years of age our subject came to 
 this county with his parents, and was educated in 
 the pioneer log school-house, which is alwaj's to be 
 found in a nevv country. As soon as he was old 
 enough he was required to aid in the labors of the 
 farm, and- on the 4th of March, 1864, was united in 
 marriage with Miss Lucinda Bayne, a daughter of 
 William Bayne, who is one of the carl}' settlers of 
 the county. To them have been born a family of 
 eight children, five of whom are yet living — Ida 
 May, Candace E., James M., Annie and George W. 
 
 At the time Mr. Brogan came with his father's 
 family to Louisa County, the nearest market was 
 at Burlington, to which place he would haul his 
 grain, pork and other produce, though it brought 
 very low prices and often luul to be taken out 
 in trade. Mr. Brogan began life in limited cir- 
 cumstances, but by indomitable energy and hard 
 labor has accumulated a comfortable property, and 
 has a nice farm residence. His land comprises 
 about 200 acres, 125 of which are under a high 
 state of cultivation, and pay a golden tribute to his 
 care and improvement. In his political sentiments 
 he is a Democrat, and has held various offices in the 
 township. For almost a half-century he has been 
 a resident in the county, during which time he has 
 witnesssed almost its entire growth, has participated 
 in its many clianges, and has aiiled greatly in its 
 development and progress, while his upright man- 
 ner of living has won iiim the confidence and good- 
 will of the entire community. 
 
 AVID P. CURRAN, deceased. We take 
 
 )J pleasure in mentioning the name of Mr. 
 Curran as one of the prominent and repre- 
 sentative pioneers of Louisa County, of 
 which he became a resident in 1835, when the 
 county formed a part of the Territory of Michigan. 
 He was born in Carroll County, Md.,Oct. 16, 1826, 
 and is a son of Francis and Mary (Dell) Curran^ 
 both of whom were also natives of Maryland, and 
 
 ■>► ■-" 
 
 1 
 
-^•- 
 
 -*HK-4» 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 345 
 
 were prominent citizens of that State. The subject 
 of this sketch commenced liis sciiool days in liis na- 
 tive State. l)nt at tiie age of nine j'ears came with 
 his parents to Lonisa County, thej' settling in 
 Morning Sun Township, where the^- were among 
 the [tioneer settlers. Being a 3'Oiing lad full of en- 
 erg3' and also a close observer, fond of study, he 
 early fitted himself for a teacher, and although not 
 a grM<liiate from an\' High School, he was always 
 well posted and had an excellent knowledge of both 
 local and National affairs. He was honored many 
 times b}' his fellow-citizens with township and 
 county olfices.and was elected Township Clerk when 
 quite a young man. For a number of years he 
 was one of the Countj' Supervisors, and whatever 
 odice of trust he filled it was with credit to himself 
 and his constituents. For twelve years he fol- 
 lowed the profession of a teacher, in which he 
 ranked high. In his political views Mr. Curran 
 was an ardent and enthuastic member of the Re- 
 publican parly. All social, educational or religious 
 enterprises found in him a ready advocate, and to 
 all matters of public interest he gave his readj-^ 
 support. 
 
 On the Gth of Ajjril, 1854, Daviil P. Curran was 
 united in marriage with Miss Maria P.atterson, 
 who was born in Licking Count}', Ohio, and is a 
 daughter of Samuel and Catherine (IIupi)) Patter- 
 son, who were prominent citizens of Virginia. The 
 mother died when Mrs. Curran was but four years 
 of age. At an earl}' ilay Mr. Patterson had lo- 
 cated in Licking County, Ohio, where he was one 
 of the i)rominent men. He served his district in 
 the State .Senate two terms, in one of which ex- 
 Gov. Kirkwood, of Iowa, was his colleague. In 
 1 848 he removed from Ohio to Iowa City, Iowa, 
 and there m.'ide his home until his death, which oc- 
 curred about the year ISOO. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Curran at 
 once began their domestic life upon the farm on 
 section 27, Morning Sun Township. The farm then 
 was but a wild prairie, with no improvements but a 
 small log cabin. Into this they moved living in 
 true pioneer style. Mr. Curran immediately began 
 the work of cultivation and improvement, and the 
 many beautiful trees which now throw their shade 
 over an<l around the beautiful home were set out 
 
 by this gentleman. In 1870 Mr. Curran had a 
 comforUible two-stor}' frame building erected, but 
 
 was only permitted to enjf)y his new home for four 
 short years, being caller! to his rest .Jan. 8, 1874. 
 He and his wife were both lifelong members of the 
 Methodist Kpiscopal Church, he having held all the 
 minor oflices of that body. In his death the county 
 lost one of her best citizens, the neighbors a re- 
 spected friend, and the family a kind and intlulgent 
 husband and father. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Curran were l)orn eight chil- 
 dren: Oscar .S., now a resident of Kansas Citj'; 
 Clara E., who died in infancy; Eilward P., remain- 
 ing at home; Minnie, who died at the age of six- 
 teen months; Ilowanl, now a commercial salesman: 
 Charles F., 'William D. and Delia Pearl, still inmates 
 of the parenttd home. At the time of his death 
 Mr. Curran was the owner of G40 acres of land, all 
 well improved. His estimable wife immediately 
 took charge of the farm, caring for all its interests 
 and successfully managing the business. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Curran gave all their children good educations, 
 thereby enabling them to become useful citizens, 
 and they now rank among the highly respected and 
 honorable i)eople which pl.ace Louisa County in 
 equal rank with others in the State of Iowa. 
 
 JOHN IJ. McCULLOUGH, dealer in lumber 
 and building material at Wapello, Iowa, was 
 born in Rush County, Ind., April 28, 1828^ 
 and is a son of Simeon .and Mary (Snyder) 
 McCullough, who were natives of Fleming Count}', 
 Ky., and who removed to Indiana in early life. 
 Our subject was reared on a farm, and received a 
 common-school education. In his native county, 
 on the 31st of .January, 1851, he led to the marriage 
 altar Miss Margaret Wright, who was born in In- 
 diana, and is a daughter of Silas M. Wright. Four 
 children were born of thisunicju, and three-lived to 
 mourn the death of the mother, which occurred Nov. 
 13, 1870. The eldest child, RLary. is the wife of 
 U. Z. Gilmer, of Miles, Iowa; William W. married 
 Miss Cora Shaw, anil resides at Monmouth, 111.; 
 Silas S. died in 18()3, aged one j'ear and three 
 months; Thomas G. resides at Monmouth, 111., and 
 
 ■^•■ 
 
 -•► 
 
346 
 
 ■•► 
 
 .t 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 is engaged in the lumber business for iiis brother 
 AVilliam W. 
 
 Mr. Alc'CuIIough was engaged in farming and sur- 
 veying in Indiana, and served as County Surveyor 
 of Rush County for four j^ears, beginning in 1852. 
 In January', 185G, he settled in Grant County, Ind.. 
 on a new farm, and improved it, and resided there 
 eight years. In the fall of 18G4 he removed to 
 AVarren County, III., where he was engaged in farm- 
 ing until 1872, when he began merchandising at 
 Monmouth. He was elected Surveyor of Warren 
 County in 1872. and served four years. On the 
 23d of October, 1872, he was united in marriage 
 with Miss Marj' Davison, daughter of Mark Davi- 
 son, a prominent farmer and banker of Wapello. 
 Mrs. McCullough was born in Washington County, 
 Ind., an<l came to Louisa County, Iowa, with her 
 parents when a child, her parents being among the 
 earliest settlers. Two chihlren graced their union, 
 a son and daughter, Roj- D.. and Cora B., who died 
 at the age of six years. 
 
 In August, 1878, Mr. McCullough removed with 
 his family to York Count3', Neb., where he was en- 
 gaged in farming until 1881, and then came to 
 AVapello, embarking in the luml)er business, which 
 he has carried on continuously since. Mr. McCul- 
 lough has been an earnest Republican since the war 
 began, is in sj'mpath}' with the temperance cause, 
 and has been a member of the Good Templars for 
 many j'ears. lie and his wife are members of the 
 Presbj'tcrian Church, and are highl}' respected. 
 
 W^-^ B. CHAMBIMiLIN, a prominent farmer of 
 Ij) Louisa County, residing on section 34, 
 Grand View Township, was born in Chau- 
 tauqua County. N. Y., Dec. 20. 1837, and is 
 a son of William and Ann (McDonald) Chamber- 
 lin, who were natives of New York. His father was 
 a farmer by occupation, and remained a resident of 
 his native State until his death, which occurred in 
 185'J. He was in the War of 1812 and served under 
 Gen. Scott, participating in the battles of Queens- 
 town Heights and Lundy's Lane. The mother of 
 our subject was of Scotch clescent, her parents be- 
 
 ing natives of Scotland, though they emigrated to 
 this country prior to the birth of Mrs. Chamberlin, 
 and settled in New York, where they resided dur- 
 ing the remainder of their lives. 
 
 The earlier years of our subject's boyhood were 
 spent upon ^a farm in the Empire State, but when 
 only thirteen years of age he entered the printing- 
 office of the Dunkirk Journal, edited by W. L. 
 Carpenter, at Dunkirk, N. Y., remaining there a pe- 
 riod of about four years. He next worked upon the 
 Buffalo Express for some time, and then went to 
 Niagara Falls, where he secured work in the Gazette 
 office. He next was emploj'ed in New York City 
 on the Tribune, edited by Horace Greeley, one of 
 the best papers ever published In the United States. 
 After leaving that empio}' Mr. Chamberlin made 
 his first trip to the West in 1855. Stopping for 
 awhile at Iowa City, he then went to Davenport, 
 thence to Dubuque, an<l later returned home by way 
 of Canada, where he remained the rest of the year, 
 working on the Dunkirk Journal, in which office he 
 had learned his trade. The following spring, in 
 Company with his mother, Mr. Chamberlin went by 
 water to Toledo, thence by rail to Chicago, and on 
 to Muscatine, Iowa, where he took the stage for 
 Louisa County, where he had a brother living, who 
 was superintending the construction of a portion of 
 the railroad which was then being built. Mr. Cham- 
 lin at once began farming, but his mother returned 
 to New York the same 3'ear, remaining there until 
 her death, which occurred in 1862. 
 
 In 1861, in Louisa Countj', Iowa, the marriage 
 of Mr. H. B. Chamberlin and Sarah Ann McClcrry 
 was celebrated. She was one of Louisa County's 
 daughters, born on the same section where she 3'et 
 resides. Her parents were Abram and Sarah (Trim- 
 ble) McClerrj', the father a native of Ohio, and the 
 mother of Penns3"lvania. The3' were among the 
 earliest pioneers of Louisa County, settling on a 
 claim on section 22, Grand View Township, in 1836, 
 where they remained for about three 3'ears. In 
 183S), during the Burlington land sales, Mr. Mc- 
 Clerry, in partnership with his brother, purchased 
 1.300 acres of land in Grand View Township, and 
 his brother dying shorll3- afterward without leav- 
 ing a will, Mr. McClerr>' fell heir to two-thirds of 
 his interest, the remainder going to his widow, who 
 
 ■•►-•^ 
 
 t 
 
J^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 347 
 
 ■r 
 
 siibseqiuMitly married .Itiliii V. Walker. After hav- 
 iii<; passsed togellier flfty-seveii 3'cars. seven inonths 
 and twenty-five da3-s of a happy married life, fiftj' 
 j^ears of whii-h were spent in Louisa County, Mrs. 
 MeClerrj' was called to her final home Aug. la, 
 1887, at the advanced age of eighty years, seven 
 'months and five days. But a short time elapsed 
 iiefore Mr. .McClerry too crossed the dark river to 
 he reunited with his wife, his death occurring 
 Marcii G. 1888, at the .age of eighty-two j-ears, four 
 months and twent^'-one da3's. Their long residence 
 in this count}' served but to incre.ise the refpect 
 and esteem in which they were held hy its citizens, 
 and the deatli of both was sincerely' mourned by a 
 large circle of friends. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlin 
 settled upon a farm on section 33. Grand View 
 Township, which had been given her by her- father, 
 there remaining until the month of August, 188'2, 
 when the}' removed to a farm on section 34, where 
 the}' yet reside. They removed to their present 
 farm so that tliey might care for Mrs. Cluiinberliu's 
 parents in their old age, who at their death willed 
 the home farm of eighty acres conjointly to our 
 subject and his wife. He has since added twenty- 
 four acres of land by purchase, and with their 
 original farm they now own "224 acres of fine, arable 
 land, which is wt^ll improved. Their farm is well 
 stocke<l with .lersey and Durham cattle, their home 
 is a pleasant brick residence, and everything about 
 the place denotes the thrift and industry of the 
 owner. 
 
 In his political views Mr. Chamlierlln is a sup- 
 porter of the Democratic party. He has held flic 
 ollice of Township Tiustee for a number of 3'ears, 
 has been School Director for many tei'ins. and is at 
 present one of the Directors of the Farmers' Mutual 
 Fire and Lightning Insurance Company, of Louisa 
 County, being also the agent in Grand View Town- 
 ship. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlin have no childi'cn of 
 their own, but they have one adopted child, a little 
 girl, .^Largaret Heard. Mrs. Chamberlin is a mem- 
 ber of till,' iMctlioilist Ki)iscopal Church at Grand 
 View. To such men as our subject, who have long 
 been residents of this section, Louisa County owes 
 her i)resent high position. They who have witnessed 
 
 its changes and have aided in its enterprises and sup- 
 ported its interests, have placed it among the fore- 
 most in the Slate, and, as its citizens should do, 
 receive the respect of all. 
 
 WILLIAM JAMLSON, now deceased, was 
 numbered among the early settlers of Lou- 
 isa County of 1840, and ranked among its 
 honored citizens. He was boin in Fayette Count}', 
 Ohio, Oct. ]3, 1829, and his parents were Merit 
 and Elizabeth (Nichols) Jamison. He was educated 
 in the common schools of his native county, and 
 when twelve years of age emigrated with his par- 
 ents to what was then a part of the Territory of 
 Wisconsin, but is now Wapello Township, Loui.sa 
 County. After his arrival he was obliged to aid 
 his father in the work of developing a farm, and 
 was only permitted to attend school during the 
 winter months when farm work was impossible. 
 In 1852 Mr. .Jamison led to the marriage altar Miss 
 Emeline Delzell, a daughter of Robert and Mary 
 (Hufifman) Delzell, whose sketch is given on another 
 page of this work. .She was born in Licking County, 
 Ohio, April 5, 1832, and came with licr parents to 
 this county when sixteen years old. By their union 
 seven children were born: Robert D., born Sept. 27, 
 1853, now on the old homestead: Rosella, born 
 Sei)t. 23, 1855, die<I in 18(34; William M., born 
 Jan. 1, 1858, died in 18G0; Mary K., born Aug. 3, 
 18G0, died in 18G4; Fannie, born .Sept. 28, 1»G3; 
 Joseph, May G, 1.SG7; and Mellie, Dec. 19, 1870. 
 The three la»t named still reside at home. 
 
 In his political views Mr. Jamison was a Demo- 
 crat, unswerving in his devotion to the i)riiicipk'S 
 of that (larty. His honest, u|)riglit lite won him the 
 coiilideiice and respect of all, and he held an en- 
 viable place in the hearts ot his friends. He was 
 widely kiujwn for his many I'.xccllcncies t>f character, 
 forasaiieighboi' he wasaccommodaliiigand friendly, 
 as a husband he was loving and kind, and as a 
 Christian he was loyal and true. He was an adher- 
 ent of the Methodibt Kpisco|)al Chinch, an earnest 
 worker in his Master's vineyard, an unliring laborer 
 for the right, and did all in his power for the 
 advancement of the cause of Christianity. He en- 
 
 •w jm » 
 
-4*- 
 
 348 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 rleavored faithfully to follow the teachings of Christ, 
 and his life is well worth\' of emulation. On the 
 12th of June, 1884, the final summons came, and 
 he was laid away to rest near the old Bethel Church, 
 wliich was built by his father. On coming to this 
 countj- he was poor in this world's goods, but bj' 
 hard labor, good management and econoni)', secured 
 a comfortable home for his family, leaving them 
 600 acres of fine land at the time of his death. Mrs. 
 Jamison, who is a most estimable lady, still resides 
 on the old homestead, on section 22, Wapello Town- 
 ship. 
 
 AVID WINDER, deceased, w.as an earlj' 
 settler of Louisa Count}', Iowa. He was 
 born in Harrison County, Ohio, near Free- 
 port, April 4, 1820, and was a son of 
 Daniel and Marj' Winder, who were natives of 
 Pennsylvania, though the father was of German 
 origin, and the mother of Scotch parentage. He 
 was descended from the nobilitj', his maternal 
 grandfather being the son of a Scottish Earl. David 
 received a common-school education, and on the 
 23d of April, 184(i, was united in marriage with 
 Miss Annie B. Hollid.ay, of Freeport, Ohio, who 
 w.is born Jul}' 29, 1 828, and is a daughter of Robert 
 and Eliza (White) HoUiday, who were natives of 
 Ireland. Her father w.«is but three months old when 
 he came with his parents to America. The mother 
 was eleven years old; she was born Dec. 25, 1800, 
 and while making the trip to this country was taken 
 prisoner by the English, and confined at Halifax, 
 Nova Scotia, for about two years, as was also her 
 mother, two brothers and two sisters. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Holliday were the parents of eleven children, 
 all of whom reached maturity. One son, Thom.is, 
 served as orderly for Gen. Sherman; on the Sunday 
 morning before the battle of Shiloh, while riding 
 out with the General, he was shot and killed. 
 
 In the month of August, 1848, accompanied by 
 his family, Mr. Winder emigrated to Louisa County, 
 Iowa. In the village of Grand View he purchased 
 a hotel, wliich he operated for about three years, and 
 then engaged in farming near that village for about 
 six years. In 18G4 he had the misfortune to have 
 
 one of his feet cut off by a mower, and consequently 
 had to abandon that occui)ation. The following 
 ye.ar he ong.aged in the mercantile business at 
 Grand View, and was appointed Postmaster, which 
 office he held until 1878, when he resigned. At 
 two different times he served as Justice of the 
 Pe.ice, and in all his public offices he performed his 
 duties faithfully and well. Socially, Mr. Winder 
 was a Mason, while in his political views he sup- 
 ported the Repul)lican party. Ilis death occurred 
 July I'J, 1885, causing universal sorrow throughout 
 the county, where he had lived for many years. 
 Mrs. Winder is a member of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church. She is a lady of culture and refine- 
 ment, highly esteemed for her many excellencies of 
 character, and still resides in her pleasant home in 
 Grand View. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Winder were born seven chil- 
 dren, but only three are now living: William M. 
 died in infancy; Angeline is the wife of James 
 Martin, of Grand View; Henry and Henrietta, twins, 
 also died in infancy; Mary E. wedded Joseph Brown, 
 of Grand View; Emma became the wife of Albert 
 AVilliamson, who is living near the same village; and 
 Elnora B. died in infancy. 
 
 •i- 
 
 #-# 
 
 -^— 
 
 W|ESSE HAMILTON, a farmer, stock-raiser 
 i and fruit-grower, residing on section 13, 
 ' Morning Sun Township, was born Feb. 6, 
 ^&)) 1821, in Fayette County, Ohio, and is a son 
 of Alexander and Mary (Wolf) Hamilton, the former 
 a native of Ireland and the latter of Hami)shire 
 County, Va., though of French ancestry. Their 
 union was celebrated in Virginia, and in 1800 they 
 sailed down the Ohio River to Portsmouth, and 
 thence proceeded to Oidtown, now known as Frank- 
 fort. They took a claim in Fayette County in 1802, 
 and .as was common in those early days had great 
 trouble with the Indians. The maternal grandfather 
 of our subject undertook to arrest an Indian, who 
 then showed fight, and so he shot the red man, 
 though without killing him, and the Indian then 
 stabbed him. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Ilainikon were the parents of ten 
 chihb-en, allof whom were born in Fayette County. 
 
•<*• 
 
 -«► 
 
 LUITISA COUNTY. 
 
 349 
 
 Margaret, l)orn in 1801, wedded William Blue; and 
 died at aliout liie age of cigiity-seven in Union 
 County, Ohio; Isabella, born in 1804, is now the 
 wife of Jolin Myers, a farmer residing in Marsliall 
 Township; David, who w.is born in ISOO, died at 
 the age of thirty ; Samuel, born in 1808, died in 
 1886: Jonathan, born in 1812, is a farnierand stock- 
 raiser in Sumner C'ount\', Kan.: Elizabeth, who 
 became the wife of C. M. Cunningham, a farmer 
 residing on section 12. \Va|)ello Township, died in 
 1888; lilison, born in 1814, died in 1884, in Jeffer- 
 son Township, Louisa County; Mary, born in 1819, 
 wedded Jesse Br\'ant, who died in 188C, and her 
 death occurred the following year on section 14, 
 Morning Sun Township; our subject was the ninth 
 in order of birth; Silas, born Dec. 24, 1823, is now 
 a farmer in Warren County, Iowa. The father of 
 these children died in Faj'ette County, Ohio, about 
 1826. He was a member of the Christian Church 
 of that daj-, nicknamed the New Lights. The fam- 
 ily remained in that count}' until 1842, and there 
 our subject received his earl}' education in the 
 common schools, after which he woiked upon a 
 farm until that date, when, with ft)ur of his family 
 and twenty -one friends, he started for Iowa with 
 about thirteen head of cattle and ten head of 
 horses, beginning the trip on the 30th of September 
 and reaching Burlington October 22. The last night 
 they camped out was spent on Flint River in Des 
 Moines Countj', and on the 23d of October they 
 reached the home of Samuel Hamilton, who had 
 come to the county in 1841. 
 
 Our subject purchased a small farm on section 16, 
 Morning Sun Townsliip,:uid in 1843 entered eighty 
 acres of land on section 18, range 3 west, and 
 another eighty on section 13, range 4 west, of 
 township 73, paj'ing for one |!l.2.0 per acre, and for 
 the other ^2.i)0. Mrs. Hamilton, his mother, found 
 a happ3' home with him in this county until her 
 death, which occurred in 1872, at the age of eight}'- 
 seven years. She was a devoted member of the 
 Methodist ICpiseopal Church. Her family was noted 
 for longcvit}-; with the exception of one all lived to 
 be from sixt^'-nine to eight3'-seven years old. 
 
 When Mr. Hamilton came to Louisa County he 
 entered wild Grjvernmcnl land and began in earnest 
 life's work. In 1844 he built a log cabin, and two 
 
 years later set out the first orchard of about twenty- 
 nine trees, which he procured from Robert Avery, 
 who lived near Burlington, carrying them to his own 
 home, a distance of twenty-four miles. In those 
 diiys all their trading had to be done at Burlington, 
 which continued to be the case until the construc- 
 tion of the Burlington, Ceilar Rapids & Northern 
 Railroad in 1868, which created trading-points 
 near home. 
 
 Three times Mr. Hamilton has been united in 
 marriage, his first wife being Minerva Cary, who 
 was born in Fayette County, Ohio, in 1821, though 
 their marriage took place in this county in August, 
 1854. The death of Mrs. Hamilton occurred May 
 26, 1856, and he was united in inairi.ige with Maria 
 C. Kimerer, who was also a native of Ohio, and by 
 this union three children were born: Aiinis C, born 
 in March, 1861, is the wife of Frank Clark, a far- 
 mer of Jefferson Township, Louisa Co., Iowa; 
 David A., born in 1863, and William K.. born in 
 March. 1865. The mother of these children was 
 called to her final home in March, 1868. She was 
 a member of the Christian Church, and a most 
 estimable lady. Mr. Hamilton's last union was 
 with Mrs. Nancy M. (Moore) Smith, their union 
 being celebrated in 1869. She w:is born in Miami 
 County, Ohio, and five children have been born to 
 them: Edith, born July 27, 1870, died Feb. o, 
 1885; John A., born Nov. 6, 1872; .Mary E., born 
 Dec. 10, 1875, died on the 17th of the same month; 
 two other children also died in infinicj'. 
 
 Since Mr. llamilloii located in this county he has 
 been engaged in f:irming and fruit growing, and 
 now has forty varieties of a|)pl>s, all kinds of small 
 fruit, together with plums and pe.-irs. He has at- 
 tended the State Fair for the past six j'ears, four 
 limes having received the piemiunis on his fruit. 
 His farm of 190 acres is highly cultivated and care- 
 fully improved. It contains four living springs of 
 water, is divided by fences into ten different fields, 
 and is well stocked with a good grade of cattle, 
 horses and hogs. His success in life is due to his own 
 efforts, he having gained a comfortable competency 
 bj' his good man.'igement, untiring labor and honesty. 
 During his entire life Mr. Hamilton has never used 
 tob.ieco in any form, and is a stixmg supporter of 
 temperance views, ready to do anything in his 
 
 ■•► 
 
350 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 power to promote the cause. lie hopes to j'et live 
 to see the flay when the liquor trattic will be driven 
 from our land. lie is a great admirer of Judge 
 Tluirman, whom he heard make his second political 
 speech. 
 
 Mr. Hamilton and his wife are devoted members 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which they 
 are active workers. Mr. Ilarailtun lias been a resi- 
 dent of Louisa Count}' since 1842. and since April, 
 1844, has resided upon the same farm, where [jroba- 
 blj- his last days on earth will be passed. From the 
 pioneer d.ays, when with a hand sickle and cradle he 
 received but sixty-two cents per day for his lalwr, 
 until the present time, he has given liberally to the 
 . support of any enterprise for the good of the 
 coninuinity in which he resides, and as a nol)le, hon- 
 orable citizen he receives the entire respect of the 
 people of Louisa County. 
 
 ylLLIAM STONE ALLEN, M. D.. deceased, 
 was born at Tcrryopolis, Faj-ette Co., Pa., 
 W^ on the 27th of August, 1849, receiving a 
 liberal education in his native State. The early 
 inclinations of our sulijoct were toward the study 
 of medicine, and aecordinglj' he entered the oHicc 
 of Dr. U. M. Walker, at Uniontown, Pa., where he 
 became a diligent student in the line which he mjide 
 his life work, and in which he so nobly acquitted 
 himself. He afterward attended lectures at Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, and in 1875 found his w.ay beyond the 
 I\Iississii)i)i, becoming a citizen of Iowa. In Octo- 
 ber of the same year lie located at Cairo, where he 
 began the practice of Ins profession, and afterward 
 took the advantage of a course at the St. Louis 
 Medical College, from which he w.as graduated in the 
 spring of 1 8S2. A j'ear later he located in Morn- 
 ing .Sun, where he resided until his death, which 
 occurred Aug. 2, 188C. 
 
 On the Cth of March, 187'J.Dr. Allen was united 
 in marriage with Miss Melissa Green, of Cairo, and 
 three children were born of their union, two of 
 whom are living. Dr. Allen was a man of more 
 than ordinary ability, and was always recognized 
 as a well-informed and able physician, and many 
 of our re:iders will not hesitate to say that to-day 
 
 they owe their lives and health to his medical skill 
 and knowledge. The practice of medicine was with 
 him not alone a means of making his own way 
 through life, but was U> relieve the distress of suf- 
 fering humanity, and to put the bloom of health 
 upon the cheeks of the unfortunate sickly ones. 
 His own bodv eveiituallj' received the blight of 
 disease, contracted by his generous and faithful 
 watching over those who had put themselves under 
 his care. To them he was generous in the extreme, 
 even at the sacrifice of his own health, and it mat- 
 tered not though he himself should have been under 
 professional care, the midnight hour would find him 
 si)eeding away to where some patient needed his 
 presence. It mattered not though the elements 
 were terribi}- raging, though clouds were sending 
 their volumes of water to earth, or a stinging north 
 wind was bringing with it a terrible blizzard. Dr. 
 Allen was always at his post. lie was a man who 
 took a broad and noble view of life and humanit}', 
 and all his acquaintances were his friends. He was 
 public-spirited and generous to all alike, was deeply 
 attached to his family, and was a friend to all peo- 
 ple. By the death of Dr. Allen the citizens of 
 JMorning Sun and its vicinity lost a good physician, 
 a kind and noble {{cnlleman. 
 
 J~ OHN BARKEU, residing on section 17, Con- 
 cord Township, was born in Ban, Germany, 
 March 11. ISIU, and is a son of Jacob and 
 Mary (Bobler) Barker. His parents died 
 when he was a small child, and his education was 
 received in his native land. He there worked for 
 a number of \'ears as a farm laborer, but in March, 
 1851, set sail from Bremen for America. After a 
 rough voyage of forty-seven da3's he landed at 
 Baltimore, but after two days spent in that chy 
 went to Pittsburgh, ne.ar where he w.as employed as 
 a farm hand for three j'cars. 
 
 In .lefferson County, Pa., in July, 1852, John 
 Barker weilded Miss Maggie Sandler, who was born 
 in Germany, and is a daughter of Adam and Mar- 
 garet Sandler, who were also natives of Germany. 
 After their marriage the young couple remained 
 in Pennsylvania for two years, and thence moved 
 •► 
 
 t 
 

 U .i- 
 
 i'^'i'%'— 
 
 T- 
 
-^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 353 
 
 to Ohio, residing there until 1854, when in March 
 of that year iho}- came to Louisa Countj', Iowa, 
 scttlin<r on section 17, Concord Township. Here 
 Mr. Barker purchased nearly' 200 acres of tiinlier 
 lan<l, which was entirely uniin|>roved, and as it 
 contained no house, he immediately began the erec- 
 tion of a cabin. The improvement of the land was 
 immediately begun, and he has added to his origi- 
 nal purdiase from time to time, until he is now the 
 owner of CIO .acres, comprising one of the best 
 farms in the township. The land is in a fine state 
 of cultivation, has two goo<l farm residences, is well 
 watered, and is stocked with a goo<l grade of Dur- 
 ham cattle and Norman horses. Mr. Barker also 
 raises a great many hogs of the Chester-White and 
 Berkshire breeds, in which he is quite successful. 
 To our subject and his estimable wife have been 
 born three cliildren, only one of whom is now liv- 
 ing: Margaret, now Mrs. lionald, resides on the 
 home farm ; John died at the age of six months, 
 and one child died in infancy. The parents are 
 both !nembers of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
 at Kredonia. in which he h.is held the oince of Trus- 
 tee for ten or fifteen years, and are earnest workers 
 in its behalf. Mr. Barker is one of the self-made 
 men of Louisa County. On landing in this country 
 he was $15 in debt, but with characteristic energy 
 and perseverance he set to work to make for him- 
 self a home, and success has crownetl his efforts. 
 Assisted by his estimable wife he worked on until 
 he now has a comfortable competenc3'. and his 
 honest}' and fair dealing have won him the respect 
 and confidence of all with whom he comes in con- 
 
 tJlCt. 
 
 lr^'\ S. McCORMAC. a farmer residing on sec- 
 'hi^Y *''^" ''^' Concord Township, was born in 
 (liW Virginia, in 182'J, and is the seventh child 
 '^pof Levi and .lane (tjriincs) McCorm.ic, who 
 wore also natives of Virginia, and the parents of 
 twelve children. The father was a farmer by occu- 
 pation, and lived in his native St;itc until liis death, 
 wliieli occurred in 1848. lie served with credit 
 duiing the War of 1812, and was one of the promi- 
 nent and inlluential citizens of the community in 
 
 which he resided. Ilis excellent wife survived his 
 death many j'ears, dying in Virginia in 18(58. 
 
 The boyhood d.ays of our subject were spent 
 upon the farm, and his education was obUiined in 
 the district schools of his native .State. He was 
 there ap|)renti('ed to tlie carpenter's tra<le, liccoin- 
 ingan ellicient workman, and followed that employ- 
 ment for thirteen or fourteen years. Resolving to 
 cast his lot. in the tlieii Far West, he made an over- 
 land trip to Iowa iu 1840, reaching Louisa Count}' 
 in the month of October. Having a brother living 
 in Muscatine County, he made his home with him 
 for awhile, working at his tr.adc. 
 
 In 1864, in Louisa County, Mr. McCorm.ac was 
 married to Emma D. McChesney, a native of New 
 York. In childhood she removed with her parents, 
 .lonathan and Ruth (Rjvcy) McChesnej-, to New 
 Jersey, and in 1853 came with them to Louisa 
 Count}'. Her parents are now residing in Dall.as 
 County, Iowa, where the father eng.ages in farming. 
 The young couple began their domestic life upon 
 the farm which still continues to be their home, 
 and there six children have been born to them: 
 Rutii Caroline, now Mrs. Dowson, residing in Con- 
 cord Township; Lucy Ella, Mary Jane, Walter, 
 Jonathan Herbert and Horace, who are at home, 
 attending the district school. 
 
 Mr. McCorraac is one of the leading farmers of 
 Concord Townshi|). In 1853 he made his first |)nr- 
 ch.ase of land, consisting of eighty acres on section 
 15, which was then wild prairie, but he immediately 
 began to improve and cultivate it, and from time 
 to time has added to his original pin-chase until he 
 now owns 340 acres of fine, arable land, comprising 
 one of the best farms in the township. He h.is had 
 a nice farm residence erected, and the out-build- 
 ings, including two good barns, are models of con- 
 venience. His stock is of the best grades, and 
 includes the Shorthorn cattle. His home is most 
 pleasantly situated, but a few miles from Letts, Co- 
 lumbus Junction and Fredonia, thus furnishing ex- 
 cellent markets. Mr. McCormac is well informed 
 on all political affairs of the day, and casts his ballot 
 with the Democratic party, of which he is an earn- 
 est advocate. He has held a number of offices of 
 public trust, has served as Road Suiiervisor, and is 
 a member of the School Board. He has ever taken 
 
 *t 
 
•^fMi- 
 
 4 
 
 354 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 an active interest in inonioting the cause of educa- 
 tion, and lias assisted in organizing several of the 
 school districts in his township. With his wife, he 
 is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of 
 Fredonia, and s<)ciail3', he belongs to Grand View 
 Lodge Ko. 64, at Grand View. Any enterprise for 
 the good of the cumninnitj' receives his earnest 
 support, and he is nuraliered among Louisa County's 
 best citizens. 
 
 Almost forty years ago Mr. McCormac reached 
 Louisa County, and was one of the first settlers of 
 Concord Township. Since his coming the wild 
 and uncultivated prairies have been transformed 
 into beautiful homes and farms, cities and villages 
 have sprung up, and school-houses for the educa- 
 tion of all have been built. Jn tlie work of progress 
 and development he has always been identified, 
 and to such men the county owes nuicli of her pres- 
 ent prosperity. 
 
 We are pleased lo present the portrait of this 
 wortbj- citizen of Concord Township to the patrons 
 of the Albim, and his many friends will also be 
 jjleased when lliey open its pages and see his pleas- 
 ant countenance. 
 
 ^ .^.^ «-- 
 
 'ifr^ H. EDMONDSOX. a represent.ntive farmer 
 P*v ^^ Louisa County, Iowa, residing on sec- 
 til W, tion 35, Concord Township, where he was 
 ^^ one of the earl}' settlers, was born in Eas*^ 
 Tennessee, Oct. 8, 1830. His parents, David and 
 Nancy (Scott) Edmondson, were natives of Vir- 
 ginia, and emigrated to Tennessee at an earl}- day. 
 They reared a family of five children, of whom our 
 subject was the third, and in 1836 went to Indiana, 
 where the father entered and improved a claim, 
 selling it on his removal lo Louisa County, Iowa. 
 Purchasing land in Concord 'J'ownship. he improved 
 and cullivaled an excellent farm, upon which he 
 resiiled until his death, which occurred in 1862, at 
 the age of sixty- two years. His excellent wife sur- 
 vived liim, dying in 1866, at the age of seventy- 
 two j-ears. 
 
 AVhen only six years of ogc our subject removed 
 with his parents to Indiana, where he was reared to 
 farm life, and received such education as the dis- 
 
 trict schools of those earl}- days aflforded. Coming 
 West in 1855, he settled in Concord Township, 
 where the following jear he wedded Miss Catherine 
 Jane Rceder, who was a native of Louisa County, 
 born March 22, 1839, and a daughter of Micajah 
 and Nancy (Stirling) Reeder, the former born in 
 Ohio, the latter in Indiana. They were among the 
 pioneer settlers of this county of 1837, taking up 
 their residence in Grand View Township, where 
 the father purchased land of the Government. This 
 he improved, engaging in the occupation of farm- 
 ing for several j-ears. In 1835, while residing in 
 Indiana, Mr. Reeder entered the ministry, and had 
 charge over a circuit for two years. On leaving 
 that State he joined the Iowa Conference, in 1843, 
 traveling two years on the Crawfordsville Circuit, 
 one year on the Fairfield, one on the Yellow Springs, 
 of Des Moines County, another on the Jackson 
 County Circuit, and also served for many years as 
 local minister in Louisa County. He belonged to 
 the Methodist Episcopal Pastonatc, and is still liv- 
 ing, making his home with our subject. He has 
 been thrice married, one wife dying in Indiana and 
 two in this county. The mother of Mrs. Edmond- 
 son died in 1852. During the years 1852 and 1853 
 Mr. Reeder served .is a member of the State Legis- 
 lature, and is one of the honored pioneers of the 
 county. 
 
 .Since his marriage Mr. Kduiondson has resided 
 upon the farm which still continues to be his home. 
 His first purchase in this county consisted of sixty 
 acres of i)artly improved land, but he h.is .idded lo 
 it from time lo time, his farm now comprising 307 
 acres, finely cultivated and highl}- improved. It is 
 well stocked with a good grade of both horses and 
 cattle. Ihc former being of the Norman and Clyile 
 breeds, Ihe latter Durham. The farm is pleasanlly 
 situated about four miles from Columbus Junction, 
 and everything about the place denotes the thrift 
 and enterprise of the owner. In his political views 
 Mr. Eilmondson is a Democrat, while socially, he 
 is a member of Triangular Lodge No. 245, at Letts. 
 He has held various olfices of trust, and is at pres- 
 ent Township Trustee. Mrs. Edmondson is a m- m- 
 ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at Fredonia, 
 and among the highly respected citizens of the 
 county is ranke<I this worthy couple. 
 
 t 
 
-^*- 
 
 ■•► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 s:,i, 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Eilnioiulson are the parents of nine 
 children, five now living: William L. is married, 
 and resides in Decatur County, Iowa; Nanc^' Jane, 
 now Mrs. McDaniel, is livinj? in Concord Town- 
 ship, Louisa County; Micajali R. is married, and 
 lives near the old homestead ; George W. is married ; 
 Emma May, now Mrs. Care3', resifles at home; Ar- 
 temicis died in IfSGl. aged one month; David died 
 in 18G3, when one year old; Mary died in 1867, at 
 the age of one month; Robbie died in 1H7U, when 
 four years of age. Below we mention more fully 
 those who are married : Micajali Rceder was united 
 in marriage in 1885 with Ida McCleary, a daughter 
 of George and Kancy (Simpkins) McCleary, who 
 are now residing in Kansas, and two children have 
 been born to them; Kmraa May became the wife of 
 Thomas Carey, son of Aden Care3-, in 1888; Will- 
 iam L., in 1881, was united in marriage with Eliza 
 Crow, who was born in Louisa County, and is a 
 daughter of Ilenr}' and Jane ((Tibeny) Crow, who 
 were natives of Ohio, and earlj- settlers of Iowa. 
 The father is now deceased, but the mother is liv- 
 ing. By this union two children have been born. 
 Nancy became the wife of Corydon McDaniel, son 
 of C. M'-Daniel, in 1880, and onecliild graces their 
 union; George W. married L^'dia Stephens, who 
 was born in Louisa County, and is the daughter 
 of David and Ruth (McCbesney) Stephens. Among 
 the representative citizens whose portraits appear 
 in this volume, we are pleased to present that of 
 Mr. Edmondson. 
 
 j^3^ AMUEL TOWNSEND, deceased, son of 
 ^^5 Isaac and Frances (Ilardman) Townsend, 
 Ift/Jj) was born in Columbiana, Olii(j, on the 4th 
 (lay of September, 1810, and when about 
 fourteen years of age went to live with an uncle in 
 Philadel|)hia, by whom he wasein|)loyed as a clerk. 
 On the 3d of September, 1835, he was united in 
 marriage with Miss Margaret Ilardman, a twin sis- 
 ter of Maj. Black Ilardman, of Steubenvillo, Ohio. 
 Their nian-iage was c-elebratcd in Columbiana, and 
 soon afterward Mr. Townsend embarked in business 
 for himself. To them were born five children: 
 Aspasia, Jan. U, 1837; Gertrude M. E., Sept. 20, 
 
 1838; Isadora, born March 13, 1840, died on the 
 ICth of December following; Alice, born Oct. 5, 
 1841. died March 31, 184H. and Albert, born Sept. 
 I. 1845. died Oct. 14, 1849. The death of Mrs. 
 Townsend occurred in Steubenville, Ohio, on the 
 29th of M.a3-, 1847, .aged thirty-three years, three 
 months and ten days. 
 
 After her death Mr. Townsend sold his interest 
 in some lead mines in the Lake .Superior regions, 
 and came to Wapello, Iowa, with the intention of 
 making it his permanent home. Previous to this 
 time he had resided in St. Louis, Mo., where he en- 
 gaged quite extensivel}' in merchandising.' carrj'ing 
 a complete line of dr^'-goods. lie also owned a 
 half-interest in a steainbo.at, which he used in 
 freighting goods. On moving to Wapello, Iowa, 
 he brought a large stock of goods with liim, and 
 established himself in business. In 1847 he was 
 elected Treasurer of Louisa Coiintv, the duties 
 then comprising those of both the Treasurer and 
 Recorder. After serving two terms in that posi- 
 tion he embarked in general rnerchandisiiig. which 
 he carried on for several years, but in 1857, and 
 again in 1868, was elected iNLyor of the city. He 
 built a large flouring-mill in the northern part of 
 Wapello, doing an extensive business, and in 18G0 
 was appointed general swamp land agent for Iowa. 
 His duties called him to Washington, D. C, which 
 he made his headquarters, moving his faniilj- to 
 that city in 1863. At a call of the Secretary of 
 War, issued Aug. 30, 1802. for 1.000 volunteer 
 nurses to go to the battle-lield of Bull Run, be of- 
 fered his services and was accepted, but while tak- 
 ing care of the wouikUmI. with several t)thers was 
 captured and held as a prisi>ner. One day during 
 his incarceration a paper wiis received in Wapello 
 with the inlelligence tiial three men had iieen hung 
 as spies, and that Saniiiel Townsend was among the 
 number. He had been marched up to the gallows 
 and would have been hung had it not been f<n' llie 
 timely arrival of a General, who, taking a diary 
 from Mr. Townsend's pocket, discovered he was not 
 a spy and ordered his release. In 1865 he returned 
 to Wapello, where he was coiiiiecled willi the mill 
 until the lime of his death. His interest manifested 
 toward and the work which he di<l ft)r various 
 railway projects and .schemes, gave him quite an 
 
 ■» 
 
 
« » i r^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 :i:,r, 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 extensive acquaintance in this part of the State in 
 business circles. He was always read}' to aid in 
 any enterprise of pnlilic benefit, and did much for 
 tiie advancement of the cit}' in which he lived for 
 man}' years. 
 
 On the 14th of October. 1847, Mr. Townsend 
 wedded Mrs. Louisa A. Davidson, the widow of 
 Ephraim Davidson, who by her former marriage has 
 two living children — Rose and Samuel. By their 
 union were born the following children: Albert, 
 Sept. 14, 1848; Susan Elizabeth, M.iy 12, 1850; 
 Rebecca Louisa, Marcli 7, 1852; James Oliver, Jan. 
 1, 1854; Stephen Franklin, March 21, 1856; Wil- 
 lis Wesley, Feb. 22, 1858; Mary ilargaret, Nov. 
 25. 1850; George Elmer Ellsworth, April 12, 1862; 
 Robert, Oct. 22, 1864; Isadore and Isadora, twins, 
 Oct. 16, 1868; Jesse Kersey, born Sept. 30, 1869. 
 
 On the 18th of October, 1872. four days after 
 celebrating liis silver wedding anniversnr}', Mr. 
 Townsend departed this life. He was then sixty- 
 tliree years of age. His funeral was conducted b}- 
 tiie L O. O. F.. of which he was an honored mem- 
 ber, and was the largest funeral ))roccssion ever 
 witnessed in Wapello. His death proved a sad loss, 
 not only to the family, but to the community. 
 
 (^^ P- BUSTER, residing on section 33, Grand 
 ^^^ View Township, was born in Erie County, 
 wJ_M Ohio, in 1843, and was the second in a 
 family of seven children born to John antl 
 Jlargaret (Shoop) Busier, the father a native of 
 Germany, and the mother of Penn.-<3lvania. His 
 father died when he was quite small, but his mother 
 is still living and resides in Ohio. When eleven 
 years of age S. P. came with an uncle to Iowa and 
 settled in Louisa County. He received his educa- 
 tion in the district schools of his native .State, and 
 then commenced to work upon a farm. When the 
 Civil War broke out he enlisted. Aug. 16, 1862, for 
 a terra of three years, in Company G, 19th Iowa 
 Infantry, and was mustered into service at Keokuk, 
 and was placed on guard dut}'. At Springlield, 
 Mo., he was taken sick with the measles, was placed 
 in a hospital for awhile, then returned home, after 
 which he received his discharge in the spring of 
 
 1863. at .St. Louis. In October of the same year 
 he re-enlistcd for the remainder of the war, becom- 
 ing a membe: of Company A, 9th Iowa Cavalry, 
 and was mustered in at Davenport. The regiment 
 participated in manj' skirmishes in Arkansas, the 
 largest battle Iwing on the prairie near Duval's Bluff. 
 The}' were also kept on what was known as the 
 guerrilla warfare for some time. He was discharged 
 at Little Rock in February, 1866, and returned 
 home the same year. 
 
 In the autumn following his return Mr. Buster 
 wedded Nancy Helen McClerr\', their marriage being 
 celcbiated on the 30th of October. Mrs. Buster is 
 a native of Iowa, and a daughter of Abram and 
 Sarah (Trimble) MuClerr}', the father being born 
 in Ohio, and the mother in Pennsj'lvania. Their 
 sketch appears in that of H. B. Chamberliu. After 
 his marriage Mr. Buster removed to the farm where 
 he now resides. He is now the owner of 225 .acres 
 of find land, which pays a golden tribute to his care 
 and cultivation. In earlier years he cast his vote 
 with the Democratic part}', but is now a supporter 
 of the Republican party. Mr. Buster is a member 
 of Dodder Post No. 446, G. A. R., and has been a 
 School Director in his district. 
 
 Nine children have been born to this worthy 
 couple: Sarah M.. now Mrs. Jackson, resides in 
 Grand A'iew; Lottie Ann, John, Harry, George, 
 James, Villers, Bascom and Earl, are still at home 
 with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Buster have a 
 pleasant home situated about two miles from Grand 
 View, nine miles from Columbus Junction, and 
 seven miles from Wapello, and are among the highly 
 respected people of Louisa County. 
 
 •Ml::^- 
 
 —•' di ' ' * ! '' ^ ' ^ "— 
 
 <« I^ILLIAM A. CARR, clothier, of Columbus 
 \/sJi Junction, carries a full line of clothing and 
 ^/s^ gents' furnishing goods at his popular store 
 situated at the southwest corner of Main ami Wal- 
 nut streets. Ilis stock, which comprises the latest 
 styles an<l the best quality of the various grades of 
 goods, averages in value from $6,000 to s7,000. 
 
 Mr. Carr is a native of Indiana, and was born in 
 Union County on the 28tli of December, 1863. 
 His parents, Janus M. and M. A. (White) Carr. 
 
4* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 357 
 
 were both born iu Indiana, and emigrated to Louisa 
 C'onnl}', Iowa, in 18C8, settling at Clifton, where 
 Mr. Carr engaged in the lumber business until his 
 death, which occurred Nov. 3, 1874. His wife sur- 
 vives him, and is a resident of Columbus Junction, 
 Iowa. Mr. Carr was a Republican in politics, and a 
 member of the I. O. O. F". He was also a consistent 
 member of the Reform Church, and a worthy and 
 highly respected citizen. His wife also belongs to 
 that church, and is hehl in high esteem for her many 
 exceilenoies of character. They were the parents 
 of three children: Frederick, the eldest, died at 
 the age of three 3'ears; William A., the subject of 
 this sketch; and Thomas Ira, who is emploj'ed as 
 salesman in the store of his elder brother. 
 
 Our subject received a common-school education, 
 and in 1877 engaged as clerk with Louis Bicde- 
 nian, a well-known merchant of Columbus Junction, 
 and after a service of six years with that gentleman, 
 established his present business in 1883, which he 
 has carried on successfully since. He is an enter- 
 prising, energetic young business man, and is doing 
 the largest exclusive clothing business in the count3'. 
 Mr. Carr is independent in politics, and is a mem- 
 ber of Columbus City Lodge No. 107, A. F. & A. 
 M., of Columbus Junction. 
 
 On the 6th of September, 1888, Mr. C. was united 
 in marriage, at Columbus Junction, with Miss May 
 Jennings, of that citj'. 
 
 -a.*- 
 
 Ir^^OBERT J. REANEY, of the firm of Reaney 
 l!^ IJros.,clothiers, of Columbus Junction. Iowa, 
 ii was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, July 
 )21, 1856, and is a son of Joseph and Eliza- 
 beth Reanej-. His parents were born in Ireland, of 
 Scotch parenUige, were married Jul^' 28, 1854, and 
 emigrated to America in 1863. They are now resi- 
 dents of Concord Township, Louisa Co., Iowa. 
 
 Our subject received a common-school education, 
 and came with his parents to this county in 1871. 
 He w.Ts reared to farm labor, and also learned the 
 carpenter's trade, .at which he worked from his 
 eighteenth year until 1884, and at intervals since. 
 On the 12th of December, 1887, he w.as united in 
 
 marriage, in Muscatine County, lovr-.i, with Miss 
 Belle Eliason, a daughter of Levi Eliason. who is a 
 resident of that county. Mr. Reaney formed the 
 existing partnershi)) with his brother S.imuel in 
 April, 1 888. He is a Ucpul)lican in politics, strongly 
 in favor of high Uiriff, and at present makes his 
 home upon the farm in Concord Townsliii). 
 
 PRANCIS MARION BALDWIN, of the firm 
 J of Eckman & Baldwin, dealers in lumber, 
 ^_ coal, etc., was born Feb. 6, 1839, near 
 
 Crawfordsville, Ind. His parents were William C. 
 and Cyrena (Dolton) Baldwin. The father, born 
 in Hamilton County, Ohio, of Scotch and English 
 descent, followed the vocation of farming, and is 
 now living a retired life at Virden, III., at the age 
 of seventy-eight. The mother w.as born and reared 
 in Kentucky, though descended from an old Vir- 
 ginian family, and her death occurred July 3, 1880. 
 
 Our subject removed with his parents to Greene 
 County, 111., when thirteen years of age, and there 
 grew to m.anhood on his father's farm, receiving 
 such education as the district schools •afi'orded. On 
 the IGth of February, 1864, in Macoupin County', 
 III., he was united in marriage with Miss Amanda 
 Smith, who was a daughter of Thom.as Smith, and 
 was born near Roodhouse, Greene Co., 111. One 
 child graces their union, Edwin II., now twenty-one 
 3'ears of age. Mr. Baldwin was engaged m farm- 
 ing in Greene Count3', 111., until 1875, when he en- 
 gaged in the live-stock business, buying, feeding 
 and shipping. Subsequently he formed a partner- 
 ship with W. W. Eekinan in the grain and lumber 
 business, which was carried on in the two towns of 
 Atwater and Virden, 111., Mr. Baldwin having 
 cliarge of that of the former and Mr. Pk-kman of 
 the latter place. Until May, 1884, they continued 
 business in Illinois, but at that time sold out and 
 removed to Columbus Junction. Iowa, buying out 
 the lumber business of Wilcox & Son, and contin- 
 ued business under their former firm name of Pack- 
 man & Baldwin. (See sketch of business elsewhere 
 in this work.) 
 
 Mr. Baldwin is a Republican in politics, but not 
 an .aspirant for the honors of [iiiblic ollice, one term 
 
358 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ill the City Council being the extent of liis official 
 service since his residence at Columbus Junction. 
 Mrs. Baldwin has been a member of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church since early life, and ber husband 
 joined the same society later. 
 
 -t 
 
 ^i^LIAS AV. OLIVER, a photographer of Co- 
 ■^ himbus Junction, Iowa, who established busi- 
 ^^ ncss at this place in 1882, and now has the 
 leading gallery' in the count}', was born in Adams 
 County. 111., Nov. 2, 1836, and is a son of Elias 
 and Elizabeth (Crow) Oliver. His father was born 
 in Ohio, and was of Scotch descent, while his mother 
 was born and reared in Illinois. Our subject grew 
 to manhood upon his father's farm in his native 
 Stale, and there receiveil his education in the com- 
 mon schools. In 1857 be engaged in raercaHlile 
 business at Georgetown, Hancock Co.. 111., and sub- 
 sequently carried on the same Hue of bu»ines.« from 
 1857 until 1850 at Bear Creek of that count}-, lie 
 was married in the latter i)lace Oct. 18, 18G0, Jliss 
 Mary J. Walker, who was born in Pendleton County, 
 K}'.. becoming his wife. Six children graced their 
 union, though only three are now living: Homer, 
 the eldest, died in infancy; Warren Mack, born in 
 Hancock County, 111., Nov. 11, 1863, was educated 
 at W.arsaw, and is now a photographer employed 
 in his father's gallery at Columbus Junction; Uufus 
 W., who was born in Warsaw Count}-, III., is a 
 painter and paper hanger, resi<ling in Columbus 
 Junction ; Cora A. makes her home with her par- 
 ents; Pearl May died at the age of three years; Eva 
 W. died in infancy. 
 
 Erom 1800 until 18C2 Mr. Oliver engaged in 
 farming in Hancock County, 111,, and then went to 
 CJuincy, that State, where lie was in the grocery 
 business for eight months. The following six months 
 were spent in conducting a hotel, but not finding it 
 congenial to his tastes he aliandoned that field of 
 0[>eration, and entered upon the study of photog- 
 raphy at Quincy. In 1863 he opened a gallery at 
 Payson, 111., on the migratory plan, and the follow- 
 ing winter settled at Warsaw, where he conductetl a 
 gallery until 1871. Then returning to Quincy, he 
 remained there a short lime, after which he went 
 
 to St. Louis, where he opera ted a gallery until 1875. 
 and then returned to Warsaw, the scene of his for- 
 mer labors, where he continued the photographic 
 business until his removal to Columbus Junction in 
 1882, where he has carried on his business with 
 marked success for the past six years. In 1 887 he 
 began making large pictures by the new process on 
 bromide (laper, and has facilities for making pictures 
 life-size from the living subject, or from a small 
 card photograph. He h.is two tine galleries, one on 
 the west and one on the east side of Main street, in 
 the latter making a specialty of life-size pictures, 
 which are always clear, natural and durable; and on 
 the west side he docs the general photographic busi- 
 ness in the latest and best styles. His son, W. M., 
 conducts the last-named establishment. Mr. Oliver 
 has the most popular galleries in Louisa County, 
 and by doing superior work, and paying strict at- 
 tention to the tastes of his customers, has built up 
 a substantial and lucrative business. 
 
 Mrs. Oliver was reared under the auspices of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, and has long been a 
 member of that society. Until quite recently Mr. 
 Oliver has always been a Democrat, but he now 
 casts his vote with the Prohibition party. 
 
 -5»t»- 
 
 ■^1^ 
 
 •<^!tf^ 
 
 ^1 SlLtVliU KUlW.su iN.iesKlli 
 
 \/lJ/' l^'^'"'' Louisa Townshij), wt 
 
 '^^ on the farm where he yet re 
 
 ^, J>ILFORD ROBI.SON, residing on section 1 8, 
 
 fas born in 1854, 
 resides, and i.s the 
 only child of J. T. and Susan (Kennedy) llobison, 
 who were natives of Ohio, and came to Iowa in 
 1846, settling in Port Louisa Township on section 
 18. Mr. Uobison rented land for a few years, but 
 afterwards purchased eighty acres of improved land 
 on the same section. When the war broke out he 
 responded to the country's call for troops, enlisting 
 in I8()2 in Company G, 19th Iowa Infantry, for 
 three years' service. He participated iu the battle 
 of Prairie Grove, was engaged in the siege of Vicks- 
 burg, and at Sterling was shot through the shoulder 
 and chin. He was then tidveii to the hospital at New 
 Orleans, where he lay for about six months, after 
 which he was honorably discharged at Davenport, 
 and then returned to his home. His death occurred 
 
 ^> J f^ 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 359 
 
 ^ 
 
 Oct. 5. 1881, at tUe age of fifty -one years. His 
 wife died in June, 1858, aged about tliirty years. 
 
 The paternal grandparents of our subject, John 
 and Mary (Hunter) llobison, were Jiatives of Ohio, 
 and came to Iowa in 18.53, settling upon the farm 
 wiiere our subject now resides. They made that 
 their liorae until their death, the grandfather di'ing 
 in 1878. and thegran<bnother in 1886, at the age of 
 eight3'-two years. During both the Mexican and 
 the Civil Wars John Robison serveil his country 
 faithfully and well. The maternal grandparents of 
 our subject were also natives of Ohio, though they 
 came to Iowa in its pioneer days, and here the 
 grandfather <Ued some years .ago. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm and received 
 Lis education in the district schools of his native 
 count}'. In 1874: he was united in marriage, in 
 Louisa County, with Nevada Hutchinson, a native 
 of Iowa, and a daughter of George and Mary Eliza- 
 beth Hutchinson, her father being a native of Ohio 
 and her mother of Swilzerlauil. Thej- emigrated 
 to Iowa at an early day, and Mr. Hutchinson died 
 some years ago. but his wife is still living and re- 
 sides in Nebraska. After his marriage Wilford 
 Robin.son settled on a farm on section 18, Port 
 Louisa Township, and in 1881 removed to the farm 
 where he now resides. In his political views he is 
 a Republican. To Mr. and Mrs. Robison have been 
 born four children — Mattie Klizabeth, Calla Maud, 
 Charley Myron and Willie Fay. The obler chil- 
 dren are attending school. 
 
 R. GKORGE P. NKAL, Postmaster of Co- 
 lumlius Junction, was born in Lawrence 
 County, Ohio, Nov. 10, 18.')2, and is a son 
 of Dr. 15. G. and Klizabeth (Gore) Neal. 
 When but two yeai-s of age George came to Iowa 
 with his parents, who settled in Columbus Citj', 
 Louisa County. His literary education was ob- 
 tained at the public schools of that city, where he 
 was reared to manhood. He studied medicine with 
 his father, who was a pioneer physician of Louisa 
 County, and took three courses of lectures at the 
 mcilical depirtnient of the Iowa State University, 
 at Iowa City, lieing graduated in the class of '71. 
 
 He pursued the practice of his profession at Co- 
 lumbus Junction until Jan. 1, 1886. when he bought 
 the Louisa Cjunttj Times, in company with his 
 wife, under the firm name of G. P. >fe M. K. Neal, 
 and conducted that paper unti-1 August, 1887, when 
 for want of sutlicient support i>ublication w.as sus- 
 pended. 
 
 At Columbus City, Iowa, Dec. 31, 1876, Dr. 
 Neal was united in marriage with Miss M.aria E. 
 Thorley, daughter of Samuel Thorley. Mrs. Neal 
 was born in West Salem, Wayne Co., Ohio, Jan. 15, 
 1857. Three children graced their union, one son 
 and two daughters: Emma J., born June 29. 1878; 
 George IL, born Nov. 30, 1882, died at the age of 
 two 3-ears. and Jessie I., who was boi n July 30, 
 1884. Mrs. Neal, who was a woman possessed of 
 many excellencies of character, and a member of 
 the Christian Church, died Sept. 20, 1887, of ty- 
 phoid fever. Dr. Neal is also a member of the 
 Christian Church, and has been a lifelong Demo- 
 crat. He was appointed Postmaster at Columbus 
 Junction in August, 1886. and was confirmed by 
 the United States Senate Feb. 14, 1887. 
 
 - coo . 
 
 — •— Sio— ^ — 
 
 ^ ifelLLIAM M. AVILSON. a leading farmer re- 
 \/iJl/ *'^''"o on section 34, Morning Sun Town- 
 '^vy ship, and one of the pioneers of Louisa 
 County, was born in W.ashington County, 111., May 
 26,1838. The following year his parents removed 
 to this county, where he has since continued to re- 
 side. As soon HS he had attained snflicient age he 
 was sent to the district scho(jls, then taught in log 
 cabins, and was reared to farm life. On the 18th 
 of January, 1864, in this county, he was united in 
 marriage with Miriam C'onway, who was born in 
 Liverpool, Englanil, .Inly 6, 1842. The}' are now the 
 parents of nine children: Winona, born Nov. 18, 
 1864; Wdliam G., July 2, 1866; Samuel F., Sept. 
 2, 1868; Leah R., Nov. 2, 1870; Nellie E.,Sept. 18, 
 1873; John, July 4, 1875; S:ir.ah E., March 9, 1877; 
 Renwick G., March 12, 1882; and .lames II., April 
 8. i885. 
 
 Mr. Wilson is a general farmer and stock-raiser, 
 and mikes his homo on scctifui 34, Morning Sun 
 Township. In his pidilical views he is a Repub- 
 
 • ^ m ■^* 
 
360 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4- 
 
 lic!iu, aiul c-!ist liis fui^t Pl■e^ifl('nti^ll vote for Abra- 
 haiii Lincoln. Ilis wlinle life has lu-en iilentified 
 witli llie history of Louisa County, where for nearly 
 half a century his life has been passefl. On his ar- 
 rival in the county lliis great commonwealth was 
 almost an unbroken wilderness, but now there Is 
 not a single county in the State over wliich the iron 
 horse does not travel, carrying hundreds of people 
 daily. In the work of transformation and progress 
 Mr. Wilson has always borne his part, and has done 
 much toward |)lacing the county in its jjresenthigh 
 rank in the .State. He and his wifeare members of 
 the United Presbyterian Church, of Morning Sun, 
 and none stands higher in the esteem .ind respect of 
 the community than they do. 
 
 ip?)LIsnA HKATTY is a farmer residing on 
 » Muscatine Island, and was born in County 
 , [I — ^ Down, Ireland, in 1822. He was the second 
 in a faniil}' of seven children born to .lohn and .Jane 
 (C(jiviii) IJeatly, who were natives of Ireland, 
 where they resided until their death, which occurred 
 a number of years ago. The boyhood d.avs of our 
 subject were spent up(»n a farm and in attendance 
 at the public schools of his native land. He served 
 a five-j'ears apiirenticeship as a pawnbroker, and 
 then followed that occupation for six years after- 
 ward. His marriage with Eliza Jane Rosborough 
 was celebrated in Ireland in 1847. She was a native 
 of that countr}', and a daughter of .lames and Sarah 
 (Dobbin) Rosborough, who emigrated to this coun- 
 tr}' in 18.50, settling in Muscatine, Iowa, where they 
 lived until the time of their death, both of tlicni 
 dying a number of years ago, and were buried in 
 the cemetery at Muscatine, Iowa. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Beatly resided in his 
 native land until 1 t^i'iO.jwhen he set sail for America, 
 starting from Liverpool in the sailing-vessel "Con- 
 stellation," and reaching the harbor of New York 
 after a pleasant voyage of sixty days. He came 
 directl}' to Iowa, settling in Muscatine, and the 
 same year bought 102 acres of partly improved land. 
 He imraediatcly began its cultivation, and as time 
 passed, by his economy and good management w.as 
 enabled to add to his original purchase until he now 
 
 ■4« 
 
 owns 1,400 acres of grass, pasture and timber land. 
 His life as a farmer has been very successful, and 
 everything about his place denotes thrift and en- 
 ergj-. Mr. Beatty takes an active interest in politi- 
 cal affairs, and casts his vote with the Republican 
 l)arty. He has held the oHice of Assessor for nine- 
 teen 3'ears, and lias been a school < fficer for twenty- 
 five years. Mr. Heally's fellow-citizens showed their 
 confidence in him during the war by electing him 
 to seven public oHices at one time, all of which he 
 filled with the utmost fidelity. He also aided in the 
 reorganization of the township about the year 1 858. 
 
 In 18,52 the death of Mrs. Bealty occurred after 
 a short illness. Three children were born of their 
 union, two of whom are living; John C, who Is 
 still single, and James Q., who is married, and lives 
 upon a farm near the old homestead. In 1801 Mr. 
 Beatty was again married, the union being cele- 
 brated in Muscatine, and Mrs. Catherine ^Vamsley 
 becoming his wife. She was the widow of Abraham 
 Wamsley, and a daughter of Abbott and Edan 
 (Carder) Carder, who were natives of Virginia. 
 Mrs. Beatty came to Iowa in 1848 witii her hus- 
 band, and settled in Muscatine, where Mr. AVamsley 
 followed blacksniithing. The city was then called 
 Bloomington, and consisted of two or three sm.all 
 stores. By her fii-st marriage she is tiie mother of 
 five living children, and li.os laid three away lo rest. 
 In the year 1855 she first became acquainted with 
 Mr. Beatty, but their marriage was not celebrated 
 until 18G1. They have no children.but for twenty- 
 seven years they have trodden life's journey to- 
 gether, having mutual confidence one in the other 
 and enjoying each other's love. 
 
 Mr. Beatty has lived to see almost the entire 
 growth of Louisa County. There were but few otiier 
 settlers on the island when he took up his residence 
 there, and he is the only one of the jHonecrs who Is 
 still a resident. The island is very productive, the 
 soil being a bl.ack, sandy loam, very rich, and es- 
 pecially adapted to the raising of melons and sweet 
 potatoes. Mr. Beatty's residence is situated on the 
 bank of the Missi,ssi|)pi River, in sight of Muscatine, 
 which Is only seven miles distant. He is a Gov- 
 ernment lighthouse keeper, having three lights un- 
 der his charge, one of which is situated on his land 
 A school-house is also situated near his home, and 
 
 ml f 
 
 4 
 
1 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 r\' 
 
 <^ 
 
 \ 
 
 / 
 
-4^ 
 
 -*H»-^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 363 
 
 1= 
 
 the district iiicltifles about ten sections, from which 
 they draw pulilic tax. Mr. IJeatlj' is practically- 
 one of tite self-made men of the county, having 
 gained all lie possesses by his nntiring energj' -ii'-d 
 zeal. lie also takes an active interest in every en- 
 terprise for the good of the township and county 
 in whicli lie resides. Mrs. lieatt}' is a member of 
 the Baptist Church, nhile Mr. Keatly is a ineml)erof 
 the Methodist Protestant C'lmrcli. aii<l served as 
 Secretary of its Board of Trustees. The church is 
 situated on the island in .Muscatine County. 
 
 A portrait of Mr. Beatty appears in connection 
 with this sketch. 
 
 |]|f^,EV. GEORGE STONE, aresi.lentof Colum- 
 [Igif bus Junction, Iowa, is one of the pioneers of 
 / L \\, Louisa County, to which he first came in 
 ^^KS42. He was born on the lUth of Au- 
 gust, IttlG, in Gloucester County, N. J., and is a 
 sou of Joshua and Rebecca (Kisli) Stone. Ilis 
 father was born in New Jersey in 1792, and his 
 ancestors were originally from England, though 
 the i)alernal grandfather was a native-born Ameri- 
 can. The mother of our suliject was a daughter of 
 l^aac Fish, a native of Sweden, though he emi- 
 grated to America prior to the Revolutionary War, 
 in which he served. George received a liberal edu- 
 cation in an acaderai'. and was reared upon a farm. 
 From New Jersey he came directly to Louisa 
 County, Iowa, reaching his destination during the 
 latter part of the mouth of November, and located 
 upon a farm on section 34, Concord Township, 
 which w.as situated on the north side of the Iowa 
 River, and comprised 200 acres of land. He en- 
 gaged in its cultivation until several years after 
 his marriage, which occurred in 1844, he becoming 
 the husband of Jauet Roddan, a daughter of David 
 and Margaret Roddan. She was born in Dumfries- 
 shire, Scotland, Dec. 2.'), 1825, emigrated to Amer- 
 ica in 1836, and was married Oct. 20, 1844, in 
 Louisa Countj'. Eight children were born of their 
 union, Dve st)ns and three daughters: John P., 
 born Sept. 15, 1846, is married, and resides in Cali- 
 fornia; Robert R., born April 17, 1848, died Jan. 
 15, 1870; Rebecca, born Nov. 15, 1850, is the wife 
 
 of Daniel Stroup, a resident of California; Jlar- 
 garet R., born Feb. 13, 1853, is the wife of George 
 I. Church, of Columbus Junction; Joshua, born 
 May 12. 1856, became the husband of Mary Stroup, 
 and is living in Colorado, 105 miles southeast of 
 Denvei'; Isjiac, born May 5, 1861, is single, and re- 
 sides at Ft. Jladisou; Mary A. C, I)orn Nov. 29, 
 18GG, is the wife of Cary Rhodes, of Columbus 
 Junction; and George, who was born Jan. 2, 1869, 
 died January 12 of the same ycnr. 
 
 In 1854 Mr. Stone became connected with the 
 Church of God, from which he received a license 
 to preach, .nnd was ordained as a minister in 1860. 
 His first charge was in Johnson County, Iowa, at 
 Pokertown, where he remained pastor of thechurch 
 for two 3'ears, after which he went to Washington 
 Count}', where he also preached for two ^ears. At 
 the expiration of that time he began doing evan- 
 gelical work in Louisa Count}', which he continued 
 until 1882, when he removed to Ringgold County, 
 and there followed the same line of work until 
 October, 188.4. Returning to Columbus Junction 
 at that time, he has since continued to reside there, 
 though his field of labor lies in Keokuk and Des 
 Moines Counties. Mr. Stone is an original thinkci', 
 and takes broad and liberal views in his interpreta- 
 tion of the Holy Word. He has labored earnestly 
 and faithfull}' to do his part in making the world 
 better, and has won the respect and esteem of a 
 large circle of Christian people. 
 
 On the preceding page a portrait of this gentle- 
 man will be found. 
 
 WilLLIAM GRAY, a pioneer of Louisa 
 County, of 1840, was born in Stratford-on- 
 Avon, England, in the month of October, 
 1824, and is a sou of James Gray. In 1832 he 
 emigrated with his parents to America, settling in 
 Baltimore, Md., but later removed to Columbus, 
 Ohio, where he made his home until 1840, and then 
 settled in Columbus City Township, Louisa County, 
 where he engaged in farming. In 1847 he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Sarah Stronach, a 
 daughter of William Stronach, and a native of 
 Maryland, she having come to Iowa the spring pre- 
 
-4*- 
 
 364 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 vious. Two children were born of their union, 
 sons: J. Kdward, who became the husband of Miss 
 Jennie Daudy, is engaged in farming, and lives on 
 the old homestead in Columbus City Township; 
 AViiliam II. wedded Miss Celia Gray, who was a 
 daughter of James A. Gra^-, but her death occurred 
 April 4. 1882, leaving one child, a daughter, Yerna 
 C, now aged seven years, and William II. was again 
 married, May 30, 1883, to Miss Mary Letitia Nor- 
 they, daughter of Gilbert Northey, forinerl3' a resi- 
 dent of Columbus Junction, now living in Spirit 
 Lake, Iowa. Mrs. Gra}' was Ijorn in Wisconsin, 
 and one ciiild graces the union, Ernest H., born 
 Nov. 11, 188G. 
 
 Our subject received his education in the com- 
 mon schools and studied law in the State Universitj' 
 of Iowa, being graduated from that institution in the 
 class of '76. He formecJ the existing partnership 
 with Ezra B. Tucker, under the firm name of Graj' 
 & Tucker, and began i)ractice on the 7th of Au- 
 gust, 1876. This firm does an extensive law prac- 
 tice, and also a large amount of business in the way 
 of preparing abstracts of titles, having full sets of 
 abstracts of Louisa County. In his political views 
 Mr. Gray is a Republican, and is now serving his 
 tenth year as Justice of the Peace, and his eighth 
 year as Clerk of the School Board of-the Independ- 
 ent Schojl District of Columbus Junction. 
 
 ^p!$EORGE KREINER, a farmer residing on 
 i|| (==^ section 32, Jefferson Township, was born in 
 ^^S Louisa County, Iowa, in 1858, and is a son. 
 of Frederick and Rosina (Fath) Kreiner, who were 
 natives of Baden, Germany. (Their sketch appears 
 elsewhere in this volume.) They were the parents 
 of eight children, of whom our subject was second 
 in order of birth. George received his education 
 in the district schools of Louisa County, and in 
 1886 was united in marriage with Elizabeth Wied- 
 errecht, who was also born in this county, in 1861, 
 and is a daughter of George and Saloma (Sulzber- 
 ger) Wiederrecht,who were born in the Fatherland, 
 but now reside in Louisa County. 
 
 Mr. Kreiner has always followed the occupation 
 of farming, and is the owner of 120 .acres of well- 
 
 •► m^ *: 
 
 cultivated laml. In his political views he supports 
 and votes with the Republican party. He has held 
 the office of School Director of the township, and 
 is a public-spirited man, lending his aid ami in- 
 fluence to all enterprises which he thinks will prove 
 beneficial to the community. The union of Mr. 
 and Mrs. Kreiner has been blessed with the birth 
 of one son — R.alph Herman. 
 
 ^^ETER REISCH. a resident of Letts, this 
 county, was born in Dauphin Count3", I'a., 
 in 1826, and is the tenth of a family of 
 fifteen children born to Peter and Nancy 
 (Musser) Reisch, who were also natives of Pennsyl- 
 vania. The father was a cir[)enter b^' trade, but 
 also engaged in farming, and his death occurred in 
 1835, being frozen while on the Susquehanna River. 
 He had served as a soldier during the War of 1812. 
 His excellent wife survived him some i'ears, dying 
 in 1857. 
 
 The bo3'hood days of our subject ireve spent 
 upon a farm, but at the age of fifteen he learned 
 tlie carpenter's trade, and was also a millwright for 
 forty-two years. In 1849 he emigrated to Iowa, 
 settling in Grand View, Louisa County, but remain- 
 ing there only for a few months, as his trade of 
 building and fitting mills called him from one 
 place to another. In 1853 he went to California, 
 and the following thirtj' 3'ears was emploj'ed as a 
 millwright throughout that State and Nevada, dur- 
 ing whicii time he secured quite an extensive and 
 fine mineral collection. In the year 1882, in Letts, 
 Iowa, his marriage with Mrs. Marj- Henderson was 
 celebrated. She was the widow of Eli Henderson, 
 a native of Ohio, and a son of Edwaril and Mar- 
 garet Hendei'son. also of that State, who emigrated 
 to Indiana in 1848, settling upon a farm, where tire 
 death of both parents occurred sonic 3'ears ago. In 
 1851 Mr. Henderson (lame to Louisa Count3', Iowa, 
 where he engaged in farming, and three years later 
 was united in marriage. Four children were born 
 of the union, three of whom are now living: Ella 
 died in 1879, at the .age of twent3--one 3-ears; Clara, 
 now Mrs. Wilson, resides in Concord Township; 
 Nora and Ollie arc both at home. Mr. Henderson 
 
 i» 
 
 I 
 
^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 3G5 I i 
 
 (lied Mn_v G, 1S74, iigcd forty-six years. ^Irs. 
 Ueiseli's paioiits were Solonioii and Susanna (Slroali) 
 Wagner, who were natives of Pennsylvania, and 
 became resiilents of Grand View Ttiw'nsiiip, tliis 
 county, in 1S4',), the fatiier pureiiasiiig Government 
 hind, wiiiili he im|irove(l, liut afterward sold, re- 
 niovinu' lo a farm near tlie village of Grand \'iew, 
 upon which lie resided at tlie time of his death, in 
 February, 18GG. wiien lifty-cight years of age. 
 Mrs. Wagner still survives him, ami resides on the 
 iiome farm. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Reiscli became a resident 
 of Letts, where he is engaged in farming, owning 
 tifl3' acres of highly improved land within the city 
 limits. He has never been an ofiiee-seeker, much 
 |)referriug the quiet of home life, and in politics 
 aHiliates with the Republican party. Socially, he 
 is a meml)er of the M.asonic fraternity, and for the 
 past four years has been Treasurer of the lodge. 
 He takes au active interest in everything for the 
 good of the community, is a friend to all educa- 
 tional institutions, and he and his wife arc held in 
 high esteem by all who know them. Mrs. llcisch 
 is one of the stockholders in the co-operative store 
 of Letts, which was organized abcut the vear 1873. 
 
 *?-i?€3^^^^^rt 
 
 j«^ TEPHEN MAY, deceased, one of the hon- 
 ^^^ ored pioneers of Louisa County, of 1842, 
 ^£J^ was born in Boyle County, Ky., March 10, 
 1805, and was a son of Henry and Jemima 
 (McClelland) May, who were natives of Kentucky, 
 thongti born of Irish parcnl.age. Throughout his 
 life our subject followed the occupation of farming. 
 He removed to Indiana at an early da}', and there, 
 on the 17th of Aiiril, 182.i, was united in marriage 
 with Miss Malinda Harper. Residing in the Hoosier 
 State until 18.'5-2, he then emigrated to Illinois, lo- 
 cating in Clark County,- where he remained until 
 1842, and then came to Louisa Countj", Iowa, set- 
 tling in Columl)us City Township. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. May was born a family of 
 seven children, four sons and three daughters, 
 though only two are now living: Sarah A., wife of 
 Matthew Minton,died Jan. 8, 184!); Henry P. mar- 
 ried Lydia Jctfries, and is a farmer of Columbus 
 
 -4« 
 
 City Township; Jemima died July 31, 184.5; Lin- 
 ville S., Nov. 0, 18G."); Francis, Oct. 2;"), 1858; 
 James, in Wyoming Territory, about 1866; Belle 
 is the wife of James M. Al'en, a farmer living in 
 Columbus City Township. Mr. and Mrs. May were 
 numbered among the worthy citizens of Louisa 
 Countj', and were highly respected by all who knew 
 them. The former died Jan. 23, 1854, and Mis. 
 M.ay departed this life April 23, 1855. They were 
 both members of the Christian Church. 
 
 EV. WILLIAM TURNER MOFFETT was 
 born near Bloomington, Monroe Co., Ind., 
 July 27, 1837. His parents were of Scotch- 
 ^ Irish descent, and removed from South 
 Carolina some years previous to the birth of Mr. 
 MofTett, because of their views on the question of 
 human slaver}'. His early education was obtained 
 at the Indiana State University, from which he was 
 graduated in 1858. Desirous of preparing himself 
 for the ministry, he entered the Theological Semi- 
 nary of the Northwest, located at Monmouth, III., 
 and controlled by the United Presbyterian Church, 
 with which body he had identified himself. He 
 completed his theological course in the spring of 
 1861, and in April of the same year was ordained 
 and installed p.astor of the United Presbyterian 
 Church, of Somonauk, De Kalb Co., III. In the 
 same month he was married to Miss Jennie M. Robb, 
 of Monmouth, III., a young lady of great natural 
 ability and of a thorough classical education, hav- 
 ing been graduated from Monmouth College but a 
 short time before her marriage. She soon fell a 
 victim to that dread disease, consumption, and in 
 February, 1869, died, leaving a family of five small 
 children to mourn a mother's loss. 
 
 In February, 1872, Mr. MofTett was united in 
 marri.age to Miss Lizzie Shepherd, of Xenia, Ohio, 
 who is still living. The pastorate of the Somonauk 
 congregation was a very successful one. and when 
 that relation was dissolved in 1878 the organization 
 contained over 200 members, and was one of the 
 strongest of that denomination in the State of Illi- 
 uois. 
 
 In the spring of 187'J .Mr. MofTett received a call 
 
-4^ 
 
 366 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 to tlie United Presb3'teriaii Church, of Morning 
 Sun, Iowa, which he accepteri, removing to his new 
 home in February of the same year. He remained 
 in charge of this congregation until 1882, when he 
 resigned, and located anew near Montrose, MeCook 
 Co., Dak., upon an unimproved farm, which he, with 
 the aid of his two youngest sons, began to improve 
 and cultivate, at the same time continuing to preach 
 as opportunity presented. While here he was ap- 
 pointed General Missionary by the Home Mission 
 Board of the United Presbyterian Church, and his 
 sons having obtained other emploj'ment, removed 
 to Woonsocket, Sanborn Co.. Dak., where he could 
 enjoy better railroad facilities for carrying on his 
 work. Woonsocket is his home at the present writ- 
 ing, and he is laboring as pastor of the United 
 Presbj'tcrian Churches of Woonsocket and Bonilla, 
 in addition to his mission work. 
 
 JOHN L. MARSHALL, a farmer residing on 
 section 9, Marshall Township, is one of the 
 pioneers of Louisa County. He was born 
 April 4, 1835, in Wellsburg, Brooke Co., W. 
 Va., and is a son of Joshua S. and Margaret (Max- 
 well) Marshall. His father came to this county in 
 1835, for the purpose of looking up a location, and 
 being pleased with the country moved liis famil}- 
 in 1837. His history appears in the sketch of Will- 
 iam H. Marshall on another page of this volume. 
 Almost the entire life of our subject has been spent 
 in Louisa County, he having been but two years 
 of age at the time of the family's emigration. Like 
 so many hundreds of others of those pioneer days, 
 he received his education in the log school-house 
 in the intervals of his school da3's, and after com- 
 pleting his education he aided his father in the cul- 
 tivation of the farm, which was one of the largest 
 in the vicinity. 
 
 At the age of twenty-five our subject left the 
 parental roof in order to defend the Hag of his 
 country, enlisting Aug. 30, 1861, in tlie 1st Iowa 
 Cavalry as musician. He was only permitted to 
 serve about eighteen uiontlis, for being taken sick at 
 Benton Barracks, St. Louis, he was discharged on 
 account of physical disability. The band of which 
 
 he was a member was mustered out of service, and 
 mustered into a brigade band, and though Mr. 
 Marshall offered his services he was not .accepted, 
 as he could not perform the labors which would 
 have been required of him. Returning to his home 
 in the winter of 1862, he resided upon the farm, 
 and the following spring, hiring sufficient help, lie 
 engaged in the cultivation of the land. He made 
 his home in the first caliin erected upon the claim, 
 the doors and windows of which were shipped from 
 Virginia. It is yet standing, and is one of the few 
 landmarks of the pioneer days which hixs with- 
 stood the ravages of time. 
 
 On the 3d of September, 1861, the marriage of 
 John Marshall and Eliza J. Hamilton was celebrated. 
 She was born in Preble County, Ohio. Jan 16, 1840, 
 and is a daughter of Andrew A. and Blargaret 
 (Hewitt) Hamilton, the former a native of Ohio, 
 the latter born on the ocean, while her parents were 
 en route from Ireland to America. She is now 
 making her home with her daughter, Mrs. Margaret 
 Hunt, of Henry County, Iowa. Mr. Hamilton 
 died Aug. 9, 1871, and his remains were interred 
 in the cemetery at Blandinsvillc, McDonough Co., 
 III. By the union of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall eight 
 children have been liorn: Jennie Irene, born Dec. 
 11, 1«G2, died April 8, 1884; Mary F. and Curtis 
 L. both died in infancj'; Charles W., born Dec. 
 21, 1865; AVilliam II., Jr., July 23, 1867; Lo- 
 renzo D., Oct. 3, 1870; Margaret A., Oct. 24, 1874; 
 and Albert W., Sept. 24, 1876. 
 
 In 1870 Mr. Marshall removed with his family 
 to his present farm on section 9, Marsh:ill Township, 
 which comprises 140 acres of fine land under a high 
 state of cultivation. He h;is since made his home 
 on that farm with the excei)tion of about three 
 years, when he was engaged in the nursery business 
 in Morning Sun. While residing in that town he 
 was elected to the ollice of Mayor, and wiis also a 
 member of the School Board. He has held various 
 township offices, and with his wife, is a member of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has always 
 taken an active part in church work, and is one of 
 the respected citizens of the pommunity in which 
 he resides. 
 
 The following poem was written by a friend on 
 the death of Irene Marshall, who was a young lady 
 
 1" 
 
rr^ 
 
 4- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 3C7 
 
 of tlie greatest promise and nobility of character. 
 None ivnew her hut to love her, and her death 
 proved a sad nllliction, not only to the family, but 
 also to a large circle of friends. The poem is as 
 follows: 
 
 Over the threshold stepped the silent Guest. 
 
 That lingering guest that ne'er goes forth alone; 
 And her who long the linppy household blessed. 
 
 He led awsiy in silence for his own. 
 
 Your dailing! Who as daughter, sister, friend, 
 With helpful ways vf sweet unselfishness. 
 
 And i)alienl spirit, that unto the end 
 
 Strove only how her loved ones she might bless. 
 
 'Till sunshine followed wlieresoe'er she went. 
 
 And where she came did care and discord cease. 
 
 Her life the sj'inbol of a cahn content. 
 
 Her very name another word for "Peace!" 
 
 Here was a maiden strong in very weakness. 
 
 Her Help she knew, while ))assii)g 'neatli the rod; 
 
 Without a question^ — Ohl with lieavenl}- meekness, 
 She reudere^l up her maiden soul to God. 
 
 Could she from happj' heights look down upon 
 Her dear ones, all heart-liroken, hoi)eless-eyed, 
 
 Through the sweet soul a throb of pain must run — 
 "Was it for this, mj' darlings, that I died.' 
 
 " Ahl no. I passed in lingering, weary jjain, 
 To happier lands anil brighter skies than thine; 
 
 Call nie not back 'cross the dark sea again. 
 
 But, ohl make sure to share this joy of mincl" 
 
 The dead are blessed. The living bear the load; 
 
 Ahl had she lived to see her dear ones' clay! 
 Pluck comfort, for her sake, along the road ; 
 
 Your saint is spaied the grief you bear to-day. 
 
 And when the hand of sorrow sorely presses 
 To longings for the rest that seems not near. 
 
 Turn to that spot, and say: "Prom life's distresses, 
 Irene, the •peaceful,' sleeps securely here." 
 
 -^ ^-*-^- ^^ 
 
 ^^KORGK E. E. TOWNSEND, editor and 
 [|| (=- proprietor of tin; Louisa County Ifecord, 
 ^^ was born in Wapello, Iowa, April 12, 18()2, 
 and is a son of Samuel an<l Louisa Townsend. His 
 boyhood days were spent in his native cit}', and 
 there he received a liberal education in the public 
 schools. At the age of fifteen he entered the odicc 
 of the Wapello JiepuOlicaii, of which L. W. Myers 
 
 was the editor and proprietor, remaining in that 
 employ for five 3'ears. He next engaged with the 
 Burlington Gazette, and later went to Mediapolis, 
 where he worked at his chosen trade. In that citj' 
 he was united in marriage with Miss Anna M. Cart- 
 wright, and one child graces their union, a daugh- 
 ter, Miri.am, born July 10, 188G. Soon after their 
 marriage the young couple removed to Greene 
 County, Iowa, and later became residents of Dallas 
 Center, whence they returned to Wapello. Mr. 
 Townsend here bought the Louisa County Jierord, 
 a. paper which he yet edits, and has made quite suc- 
 cessful. 
 
 RTIIUR SPRINGER, attorney-at-law, of 
 Columbus Junction, was born in Columbus 
 City Township, Louisa Co., Iowa, on the 
 30th of September, 185.5, and is a son of 
 the Hon. Francis and Nanc}- R. (Coleman) Sj)ringer. 
 His father. Judge Springer, is a native of Maine, 
 and a prominent pioneer of Louisa Count}-; his 
 mother was a daugliler of Judge John M. Coleman, 
 of Indiana, and was born on a farm which is the 
 site of the cit^- of Terre Haute. (See sketch of 
 Judge Francis .Springer elsewhere in this work.) 
 Arthur was educated in the public schools and at 
 the Iowa State University-, but left that institution 
 before graduating to accept the position of Deputy 
 Collector of United States Revenue of the First Dis- 
 trict. Later he entered the law department of the 
 Stale University, from which he w:is graduated in 
 the class of '77, and liie following year began the 
 practice of his professit)n at Wapello, where he re- 
 mained one year, ami then opened an ollice at 
 Columbus Junction, over the Louisa County Na- 
 tional Bank, where he has made his headciiiartcrs 
 continuously since. His i)ractice extends into the 
 State and Federal Courts, anil is constjintly on the 
 increase. 
 
 On the l.ith of .September, 1880, in Oakland 
 Township, Louisa Co., Iowa, Mr. Springer wiis 
 united in marriage with Miss Nelia C, daughter of 
 Cyril and Caiista (Slickney) Carpenter. Mrs. 
 Springer was born in Oakland Township, and her 
 fainilj- are among the most highly respeirleil pioneers 
 of that section! Three childien were born of their 
 
 •> Jf 4» 
 
■•► 
 
 368 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 marriage, two sons and a (laughter, all born in 
 Colurabus Junction: Fran!?, tbe eldest, died at tiie 
 age of five j-ears; Aithur, born March 27, 1883, 
 and Edith, the youngest and only daughter, born 
 Aug. 1, 1885. Mr. .Si)ringer possesses superior 
 ability, is well read in his profession, and ranks 
 among the leading attorneys of the count}'. He is a 
 member of the Knights of Pythias, his membership 
 being in Liberty Lodge No. 22, of Columbus 
 Junction. 
 
 g^ IIARLES HUFF, deceased, late of Grand 
 View, this county, was born in Newbury- 
 J/J town, York Co., Pa., Sept. 18, 1800. He 
 was a son of John Huff, a Pcnnsylvanian, of Ger- 
 man descent. The subject of our sketch learned 
 the wagon-maker's trade at .Shiremanstown, Pa.,and 
 then engaged in business at Oyster's Point, Cumber- 
 land County. In 1827 be was united in marriage 
 with Miss Mary Coble, daughter of Christian Coble, 
 also of German origin. Twelve children were born 
 of their union, seven sons and five daughters, of 
 whom five sons and three daughters are now living, 
 and all ex'cept one are residents of Iowa: John 
 married Miss Cynthia Robins, and is an attorney of 
 Wnpello; David became the husband of Miss Isa- 
 bell Wagner, and is engaged in farming near Adair, 
 Iowa; Levi wedded Miss Elizabeth Thompson, and 
 carries on a meat-market at Anita, Iowa; Martha is 
 the wife of Elder A. Megi'ew, of Lettsville, Iowa; 
 C. Wesley was a Captain of Company G, 19th Iowa 
 Infantrj', in which he did good service in the late 
 war. He went out as First Lieutenant, and suc- 
 ceeded Capt. A. M.Taylor in command of his com- 
 jjanj'. He married Mi.ss Margaret Winder, and is 
 now engaged in .farming near Massena, Iowa. B. W. 
 was also a soldier in the late war, in Company G, 
 lOtli Iowa Infantry, and died from wounds received 
 on the field of battle. He went out as First .Sergeant 
 of his company', but had his right arm shot off 
 at the battle of Prairie Grove, died, and was bur- 
 ied at F.nyetteville, Ark., being about twenty-three 
 years of age at the time of his death. Emeline is 
 tlie wife of 15. W. Thonipscin, and lives near the 
 old homestead; Reason 15. ni:irried Miss Emaia D. 
 
 1 
 
 Ritchey, and is engaged in the real-estate business 
 at Muscatine, as a member of the fii'm of Grossman 
 <fe Huff; Elizabeth is the wife of S. N. Potter, liv- 
 ing near Red Cloud, Kan. Four children of this 
 family- died in infancj'. 
 
 Mr. Huff moved from Pennsylvania to Wooster, 
 Wayne Co., Ohio, in 1832, where he carried on the 
 wagon-making business until 1851, when he re- 
 moved to Louisa County, Iowa, and engaged in 
 farming near Grand View. He was a Democrat in 
 early life, but in 1840 voted for Harrison for Presi- 
 dent; in 1852 he supported Hale for President, and 
 in 185() joined the Republican party. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Huff at the time of their marriage were mem- 
 bers of the German Reform Church, near Shire- 
 manstown, Pa., being confirmed as members of that 
 church liy John Winebrenncr, the [jaslor. Elder 
 Winebrenner being a man of broad, liberal views, 
 leading an earnest, spiritual life, advocated the 
 doctrine that God's peo|)le should be one, as the 
 church should recognize the Scriptural name of the 
 Church of God, and that those who became mem- 
 bers of the ciuirch must be regenerated, or born 
 .again. For the preaching of these advanced views 
 among his people the door of the church was 
 barred against him. but as he had opi)ortunit3' he 
 went about- preaching his views. Soon he gathered 
 about him some followers, but they diil not assume 
 an organized form until about the year 1830, when 
 Mr. and Mrs. Huff were by Elder Winebrenner 
 received in church fellowship, near Oyster's Point, 
 in one of the first organizati(.>ns under the name of 
 the Church of God, of which they both lived and 
 died consistent members. 
 
 Mrs. Huff (lep.arted this life April 28, 1870. Mr. 
 Huff survived his wife, and died at his residence, 
 M.ay 28, 1888. Had he lived until the 18th of the 
 following September he would have been eiglit\'- 
 eight years old. He was the Last of two families, 
 having outlived his brothers and sisters and his 
 wife's brothers and sisters, and to the relatives im- 
 mediately outside the family he was the only re- 
 maining uncle. Jlr. Huff was temperate, was ever 
 contented with his lot, of even tem|)cr of mind, 
 was liberal and [jrogressive in his views, lived 
 abreast of the age, retjiined every faculty up to 
 the nKMuent of his death, and died while silling in 
 
-^•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 309 f 
 
 liis chair. In liis life lie was !>}' his neighbors and 
 friends iuvanled the liighest honor of being a Chris- 
 tian, conscientious and upright. The funeral, which 
 was hchl at Grand View, was one of the largest ever 
 known in the count}'. 
 
 * -o^a^ 
 
 r^HOMAS NEWELL, a fninier residing on 
 section 34, Wapello Township, came to 
 Louisa County- in 1!S40: he was horn in 
 Logan County, Ohio, on the 26th of May, 1823, 
 and is a son of 'Ihonias ar.d lUis-anna (WcElhceny) 
 Newell, who were natives of Kentuckj", but at an 
 early ilay removed to Ohio. His father served in 
 the War of 1812, participating in manj' of itshnrd- 
 fought battles, lie was a farmer by occupation, 
 and on his removal to Logan County. Ohio, en- 
 tered a claim in the heavy timber on Mad River. 
 As time went on more land was cleared, until he 
 had a large farm. The Indians were then numerous 
 in the county, and during the War of 1812 the 
 settlers had to live in a block house in order to be 
 protected from them. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Newell were born ten children, 
 six sons and four daughters, and four are jet liv- 
 ing: Jane is the wife of James M. Barker, who 
 settled in this county in 1840; George is living in 
 Calhoun County, Iowa; Robert died in Louisa 
 County, in 1860; Catherine is the wife of Wilkeson 
 Diltz, of Henry County, Iowa; Stephen died in 
 Iowa, in 1845; Felix died in Calhoun County, in 
 1885; Andrew is one of the pioneers of Louisa 
 County of 1840; Sarah became the wife of Moses 
 Gallesj)ie, but both died in California ; and Thomas, 
 of this sketch, is the youngest of the family. The 
 parents of these children both died in Logan 
 Count}', Ohio, the father in 1824, and the mother 
 fifteen j'ears later, in 1839. In his political views 
 Air. Newell was a Whig, and a great admirer of the 
 leaders of that jjartj'. He was .always strongly op- 
 posed to slavery, though himself reared in its 
 midst, but removed to Ohio, as he did not wish to 
 bring up his children under its inlluences. He wa« 
 a man of pioniiiieuce in the community where he 
 resided, and receiveil the highest respect of all. 
 Our subject grew to manhood in Logan County, 
 -^ 
 
 Ohio, there receiving his education in a log school- 
 house, such as many of the most noted men of our 
 nation were educated in. Determining to try his 
 fortunes in the then Far West, on the 4th day of 
 August, 1840, he crossed the Mississippi River at 
 New Boston, and located in Wapello Township, 
 Louisa County, since which time he has been iden- 
 tified with its growth and pros])erity. The settle- 
 ments then were widely scattered, and the nearest 
 market place was at Burlington. Ten j'ears after 
 his airival in the county, in the j'ear 1850, Mr. 
 Newell and Miss Sarah J. Mock, a daughter of 
 Peter and Sarah J. Mock, were united in marriage. 
 Her parents were natives of Pennsylvania, but emi- 
 grated to Iowa in 1844, where the father died one 
 year later, but l\lis. Mock afterward married Mr. 
 John Henry, and is still living, and resides in John- 
 son Countj', Iowa. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Newell are the parents of ten chil- 
 dren: Elizabeth, now the wife of George Henslej', 
 of Muscatine, Iowa; Josephine, wife of Thomas 
 Wiser, of Adair County, Iowa; Hugh T., also a 
 resident of Adair County; Samuel P., who is lo- 
 catcil near Denver, Col.; Robert, who is living in 
 Louisa Cotiutj' ; Benjamin, residing near Denver, 
 Col,; Ida M., William, Vira and Abe, who arc yet 
 at home. 
 
 In his political sentiments Mr. Newell is a Re- 
 publican, and cast his first Presidential vote for 
 Zachery Taylor. When he came to this county he 
 was in limited circumstances, but determining to 
 make for himself a home, he immediately com- 
 menced to labor, and by industry and economy has 
 secured a comfortable property, and now has 193 
 .icres of land, 100 of which arc under a fine state of 
 cultivation. For fortj'-eight years Mr. Newell has 
 been one of the leading f.'uniers of Wapello Town- 
 ship, and during that time has gained an enviable 
 place in the hearts of the i)eo|ile. 
 
 -:>'^;^iVHf5:5<^ 
 
 :«-V— 
 
 JOHN STlsRRETT. an extensive stock-raiser 
 residing on section 30, Morning Sun Town- 
 ship, and one of the early settlers, was born 
 in Preble County, Ohio, Aug. 16, 1835, and 
 is a son of James and Isabel (Crawford) Slerretl. 
 
 t- 
 
-4^ 
 
 ro 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 
 In 1837 the family removed to Clinton County, 
 Ind., wliere the father purchased a tract of heavy 
 timber land, in the midst of which he huilt a home 
 and developed a farm. There John grew to man- 
 hood, receiving his education in the pioneer school- 
 house, which was built of logs, and contained a 
 puncheon floor and seats made of slabs. Over the 
 teacher's desk hung the birch rod, a terror to evil- 
 doers. As soon as he had attained sufficient age to 
 be of service on the farm he remained at home dur. 
 ing the summer, and aided his father in the arduous 
 duties of clearing the land. In the fall of 1853 he 
 came with his parents to l^ouisa County, Iowa, 
 where he has since made his home. 
 
 Four years later Mr. Sterrett was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Eliza Brown, a daughter of Hamil- 
 ton IJrown, Sr., whose sketch will be found in this 
 volume. To them have been born two children, 
 sons: Charles E., who married I. utie Jones Rich- 
 land, is now a train dispatcher of the Chicago, 
 Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, with headquarters 
 at Eidon ; William R., who became the husband of 
 Madge Bates, is Ticket Agent on the Iowa Central 
 Railroad, at Morning Sun. In his political views 
 Jlr. Sleirett is very lil)eral, casting his vote for the 
 man whom he deems most worthy for the otlice. 
 His stock farm is adjoining Morning Sun, and con- 
 sists of eighty acres, lie is one of the best judges 
 of horses in the State, and makes a specialty of 
 matching teams for the market. 
 
 \f*fc. R. ROBERT S. PAXTON, a leading physi- 
 cian of Morning Sun, Iowa, was born in 
 Preble Count}', Ohio, on the 14th day of 
 June, 18;)3, and was educated at Oxford 
 Academy, now known .as Miami University, of 
 Ohio, until its sessions were suspended. He then 
 attended the Monmouth College at Monmouth, 111., 
 from which institution he was graduated in the 
 class of '7«. Desiring to become a phj-sician, he 
 entered the office of Dr. A. D. llawlc}', a man of 
 learning and prominence in his profession, and with 
 him rciid medicine' for some time. He then at- 
 tended lectures at Miami Medical College of Cin- 
 
 cinnati, Ohio, receiving his degree in the class of 
 '82, after which he located in Preble County, and 
 engaged in practicing for two years. In 1885 he 
 came to ftlorning Sun, Iowa, where he has since 
 prosecuted his profession, and though a young man, 
 has had remarkable success, building uj) a practice 
 of which he m.a}' well be proud. 
 
 During the autumn of 1882 Dr. Paxton was 
 joined in the hoi}' bonds of matrimony with Miss 
 Mary J. Campbell, a daugiiter of Rev. Joseph C. 
 and Eliza (Gardner) Campbell, who were natives 
 of Pennsylvania. Their union has been blessed 
 with two children — Gardner S. and Mary E. The 
 Doctor and his wife are members of the United 
 Presbyterian Church, of Morning Sun, and he is at 
 present Clerk of the session. Politically, he is a 
 Republican, and a stanch supporter of the princi- 
 ples of that party. 
 
 -vtpjJ^rS^-^— fe^ 
 
 m — >-^-Si^!nm» 
 
 «IIOMAS NEWELL, a leading farmer of 
 Louisa County, was born in 1847, on section 
 22, Concord Township, which still continues 
 to be his home. His parents were Robert an<l 
 Christina (Newell) Newell, and came to Louisa 
 County in 1839, the mother being a teacher in tlm 
 schools of Wapello County previous to her mar- 
 riage. He was reared to farm life and received his 
 primary education in the district schools of the 
 county, though subsequently attending the semin- 
 ary at Iowa City, Iowa, for a year. Completing 
 his education, he engaged in teaching school for one 
 term in the home district, and had an enrollment of 
 sixty-seven pupils, with an average attendance of 
 forty -three. He then engaged in farming on sec- 
 tion 22, Concord Township, iiis home being i)leas- 
 antly situated about three miles from Columbus 
 Junction and two miles from Fredonia. He pur- 
 chased a farm of IGO acres, upon which he has 
 built a fine residence and a good barn, and there 
 raises horses for the market of Norman ami Morgan 
 breeds. Everything about the place shows hinj to 
 be a man of thrift and enterprise, and he is ranked 
 among the progressive farmers of the community. 
 In 1877, in Louisa County, Mr. Newell was united 
 
i: 
 
 ^/^,a^^ 
 
■■ '^• — 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 •^^TT^ 
 
 37 a 
 
 in marriage with Maiy Dowsdii, wiio is a native of 
 tliis eount}-, and :i claugiiter of Tliomas and Mary 
 (Robson) Dowson, botii of whom were born in En- 
 {^hmd. and emigrated to America in early life, set- 
 tling first in Ohio, but afterward removing to St. 
 Louis, where the father engaged in carpentering, 
 and later came to Louisa County, where Mr. Dow- 
 son purch.ased and improved a farm in Concord 
 Tpwnship, and there they 3'et make tiieir home. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Newell wore born four children: 
 Mary, Robert, Hugh and Jesse, all at home. Our 
 subject is interested in political affairs ami casts his 
 vote with the Democratic |)arty. He has held vari- 
 ous ollices of trust in his township, has served as 
 Clerk, and held the office of Assessi>r for several 
 terras. Socialli', he is a member of Triangular 
 Lodge No. 245, at Letts, and as a citizen, is a pro- 
 moter of every enterprise for the good of the com- 
 mnnity. His whole life has been spent in the 
 county, where he is highly esteemed by a large cir- 
 ■;le of friends and acquaintances. 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 t-^ON. WILLIAM G. ALLKN, an early set- 
 "^ i tier of Louisa County, Iowa, now a resi- 
 dent of Wapello, .and a distinguished ollicer 
 of the late war, was born in Mercer County, 
 Pa., Sept. 22, 1826. His parents were Thom.-is and 
 Sarah (Gundy) Allen, both of whom were natives 
 of Pennsylvania, the father of Irish and the mother 
 of German descent. William Allen received a com- 
 mon-.school education, and then served a reguhir 
 apprenticeship to the carriage and wagon making 
 trade at New Castle, Lawrence Co., Pa. After 
 working as a journe3'man for several j'ears, he 
 formed a partnership with Cornelius Johnson in the 
 line of his trade, they continuing business at New 
 Castle until 18.52, when they emigrated to Iowa, 
 and opened a carriage and wagon shop at Colum- 
 bus Citj% Louisa County. Two j-cars later Mr. 
 Allen purchased his partner's interest, and carried 
 on the business alone for a few years, when the 
 former relations were resumed, and continued with- 
 out interruption until the .summer of l.S(i2, when .Mr. 
 Allen entered the service in the late war. He eii- 
 ' listeil Aug. 2, 1802, and raised a company, which 
 
 r 
 
 was organized as Company F, 2.5th Iowa Infantry, of 
 which he was elected Captain, his commission bear- 
 ing the date of Sept. 27, 18(;2. His regiment was 
 assigned to the Western Army, under Gens. Logan 
 and Sherman, and took part in the Yazoo River 
 campaign against Vicksburg, the capture of Arkan- 
 s.as Post, and the siege and capture of \'icksl)urg. 
 From there his command went to Memphis, and 
 thence across the country to Chattanooga in time 
 to participate in the hard-fought battles of Chat- 
 tanooga, Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. 
 He was through all the battles in the Atlanta cam- 
 paign, and with Sherman in the celebrated march 
 to the sea; then from Savannah up through the 
 Carolinas, where Columbus w.as surrendered to their 
 Colonel. George A. Stone. Thence to North Caro- 
 lina, where they fought the last battle of the West- 
 ern Army, at Hentonville. Up to that time Capt. 
 Allen, while having taken part in the hottest bat- 
 tles and the hardest fought campaigns of the war, 
 had escaped witiiont bodily injury, and then when 
 the war was virtually ended, and he could hope to 
 return to his family to enjoy the well-earned bless- 
 ings of peace, he was stricken down by the enemy's 
 bullet, sustaining a wound that came near proving 
 mortal. He was kneeling on the left knee at the time, 
 and the ball struck the upright knee, passing through 
 the thigh lengthwise, shattering the bone and pass- 
 ing out at the back of the hip. His leg was ampu- 
 tated near the bod}', on the field of battle. For 
 two days Capt. Allen was hauled in an ambulance 
 over corduroy roads to Goldsboro. Remaining in 
 that pl.'ice in the hospital for ten da3-s, he was llieii 
 removed on an open car to New Berne, N. C, where 
 he met an old friend and neighbor from Icjwa. 
 Feeling satisfied that he could not receive proper 
 care at New Berne, he decided to try and make his 
 way home. By the assistance of his friend and 
 without the consent of the surgeon of the hospital, 
 he was carried on board a steamer and was con- 
 veyed to New Y'ork; arriving in that city, he was 
 (ilaced in the hospitid at David's Island, where he 
 remained until May, when he secured transporta- 
 tion and returned home. 
 
 The following year .after his reliiin Capt. Allen 
 was appointe<l Probate Jtnlge of Louisa County, to 
 fill a vacancy, and w.as elected to the same odke at 
 
 ■» 
 
-4^ 
 
 374 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 1^^ 
 
 tlie succeeding election, and served about four 
 years, or until the olHce was abolished bj' law. 
 
 ' During the last year of his service as Probate Judge 
 the oliice of Count}- Auditor was created, and fell 
 to his lot ex-qfficio until an cleetion was held. He 
 discharged tue duties of both offices until elected 
 County Auditor at the succeeding election, which 
 position he filled for two full terms. It llius hap- 
 pened that he was the last Probate Judge and the 
 first Auditor of Louisa County. On being ap- 
 pointed Probat*! Judge he removed to Wapello, 
 the county seat, where he has since resided, with 
 the exception of four years, from 1877 to 1881 in- 
 clusive, which he si)ent on his farm in Elm Grove 
 Township, in hopes of benefiting his health. In 1882 
 he engaged in the himbei' and coal business at Wa- 
 pello, which he carried on until i8SG, when he sold 
 out his lumber-j'ard. still retaining the coal business. 
 On the nth of January, 1854. at Columbus City, 
 Iowa, Judge Allen was united in marriage with 
 Miss Matilda Gore, daughter of Philip Gore. Mrs. 
 Allen was Lorn in Maryland, and came to Louisa 
 County when but six years of age. ISix children 
 were born of their union, four of whom are living: 
 Estella, the eldest, died in cliildhood; Aletliea D. is 
 the wife of Samuel E. AVoodward. of Grand Vievv 
 Township; William E. married Miss Carrie Oxley, 
 and is in the emi)loy of the Omaha Gas Company, 
 of Omaha, Neb.; Cora died at the age of eighteen 
 years; Harry G. and Frank E., the two younger 
 members of the family, are at home. 
 
 Judge Allen is a Republican in politics, and h.as 
 held various minor ollices in addition to those of 
 Probate Judge and County Auditor. He was 
 chosen JLayor of Wapello four times, and served 
 during the year 18()!) and from 1874 to and includ- 
 ing 1876. Soon after coming to Louisa County 
 lie was elected Justice of the Peace, and has been 
 re-elected to thiit oliice many times since. He is 
 now serving his second term since his return from 
 the farm. He is Secretarj' of the Farmers' Rlutual 
 Fire Insurance Company of Louisa County, Iowa, 
 and has aided materially in the successful manage- 
 ment of that institution. He is one of the charter 
 members of the Columbus City Lodge No. 107, 
 
 I A. F. & A. M.. now located at Columbus Junction, 
 Iowa, and has retained his membership to this date. 
 
 He is also one of the charter members of A. M. 
 Taylor Post No. 153, G. A. R., of Wapello, of 
 which he has the honor of having been Commander 
 since its organization in March, 1883. 
 
 A portrait of Capt. Allen appears upon an ac- 
 companying page. 
 
 m^^ 
 
 yA. SHEW, a prominent farmer of Louisa 
 County, residing on section 4, Grand V'iew 
 Township, was born in Pickaway County, 
 Ohio, Sept. 30, 183G. and is a son of John and 
 Sarah (Posscy) Shew, the parents both being na- 
 tives of Virginia. They were pioneers of Picka- 
 way County, Ohio, and the f.tther w.is a farmer 
 through life. His death occurred in 1875, at the 
 age of sixty-three years. The mother died when 
 our subject was a small bo}'. John Shew emigrated 
 from Ohio to Iowa in 1839, settling in Muscatine, 
 where he lived two years, and engaged in farming 
 on rented lands. At the expiration of that time 
 he came to Louisa County, locating in Grand View 
 Township, wliere he purchased seventy-two acres of 
 land, which he greatly improved, making it his 
 home until 1871. Again returning to Muscatine 
 County, he rented a farm for one year, and then 
 moved to the city of Muscatine, where he remained 
 until his death, which occurred in 1875, as before 
 stated. Mr. Slie»v was a public-spirited citizen, 
 strong in his convictions, yet always ready to tjike a 
 step in advance. In his political views he alliliatcd 
 with the Republican party. 'Ik> Mr. and Mrs. Shew 
 were born three children, all yet living: Miranila, 
 now the wife of David Kenouse, resides in Louisa 
 County, Iowa; our subject; ami Mary, wife of 
 Philip McDaniel, a resident farmer of Grand View 
 Township. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm, and received 
 his education in the common schools. At the age 
 of sixteen years he left home and went to work in 
 a sawmill, continuing in that employ for three 
 years. At the expiration of that time, in 1857, he 
 was united in marriage with Mary C. Snj'der, a na- 
 tive of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Fre<lerick 
 •Snyder, wiio was born in Germany. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. Sliew and his young 
 
 t 
 
-^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 375 ,i 
 
 ^ 
 
 bride removed to Putnam County, Mo., residing 
 there for lliirteeii year.s. the iiusli.-xnd engajfing at 
 house car()onteriiig and farming. In 1HI)2 he re- 
 sponde<i to tlic President's call for troops, enlisting 
 in tlie 45th Mounted Infantry of Missouri, and 
 served two years, [)articipating in many skirmisiies, 
 and also engaged in scouting expeditions. After 
 liis discharge Mr. Shew returned to iiis liome, and 
 eng.iged in farming and stock-raising for a few 
 years, wiien lie sold out and removed to Louisa 
 County, purchasing forty acres of land on section 
 4. Grand View Township, where he still resides, hut 
 now is the owner of eighty acres of highly improved 
 land. He makes a specialty of raising small fruit, 
 in which business he is quite successful. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Shew are the parents of five chil- 
 dren : Anna Mary, wife of William T. Kemp, of Port 
 Louisa Township; Laura Ellen, who wedded Will- 
 iam Murdock. a resident farmer of Hent County, 
 Col.; Dora Isabel, wife of ,Iason Chandler, of this 
 countj-; William Kd ward, residing in Grand View 
 Township; and Frederick .Snyder, who is still at 
 home. Mr. Shew has been a member of the A. F. 
 & A. M. since he was twenty-one years of age. and 
 in his politicid views he is a sljincli Republican. He 
 is a great reader, is well posted on.all |)Mblic atTairs, 
 and is one of the enterprising and progressive far- 
 mers of Grand View Townsiiip. 
 
 U. MATIIEW II. SUMMERS, a prominent 
 physician residing in Columbus Junction, 
 Iowa, was born in Hoston, Mass., June 10, 
 1H4U, and is a son of John and Mary 
 (Smith) Summers. His parents were also natives 
 of that cit}', and were of Irish descent. Our sub- 
 ject received his education in the High Schools of 
 Boston, and also the Episcopal Academ}- of Hop- 
 kinton, N. H. He was graduated in the spring of 
 1870 from the Ilahnnenian College, a homeopathic 
 medical institute of Boston, and began the prac- 
 tice of his chijscn profession at Chattanooga, Teun., 
 during the following August. He remained in that 
 city but a few months, after which he practiced in 
 Savannah, Ga., for a year, then subsequently went 
 *.o Mobile, Ala., later to Meni|)liis, Tenn., and visile<l 
 
 <•— 
 
 nil the principal battle-fields of the South. From 
 Memphis. Tenn.. Dr. .Summers went to Kansas City, 
 ftlo., in 1874. remaining there for a year, and then 
 became a resident of Falls City, Richardson Co.. 
 Neb., from which city he came to Colnmlins Junc- 
 tion, Iowa, in 1877, and has practiced his profes- 
 sion in Louisa County continuously since, lie is 
 well posted in his profession, and has an extensive 
 practice. 
 
 Politically, Dr. .Summers is a Democrat, and do- 
 mestically, a bachelor. He is a man of broad and 
 liberal views, and broad and liberal physical pro- 
 portions. To his patients his very presence is in- 
 vigorating, through the infiuence of a splendid 
 physique and i;lieerful genial iniinncr. 
 
 <|l ftlLLIAM W. ORR. Jit., one of the leading 
 \/sJ/l f'^''"icrs of Union Township, now residing 
 W^ on section 10. was born in Monroe County, 
 Tenn., Aug. 24, 1841), and is a son of Robert and 
 Nancy A. (Johnston) Orr. His parents are natives 
 of Tennessee, and their sketch appears elsewhere in 
 this volume. In 1851 the family removecl from 
 Tennessee to Washington County, Iowa, where the 
 boyhood d.ays of our subject were passed, and when 
 fourteen years of age he removed to Louisa Count}', 
 settling in Union Township. He received such edu- 
 cation as the district schools afforded, and on the 
 12th of Septemlier, 1872, was united in marriage 
 with Enphemia Baird, a native of Illinois, and a 
 daughter of John Baird, who is now residing in Co- 
 lumbus City. After their marri.age he purchased 
 100 acres of land on section 10, Union Township, 
 where he made liis home for nine years. He then 
 removed to Wayne Count}', Iowa, purchasing 120 
 acres of land, but after two and a half yens had 
 passed returned to Louisa County, and rented the 
 old homestead of his father, where lie still makes 
 his home. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Orr have licen Iidiii aniiiteresl- 
 ing family of five children — Liiella, Anna, Erviii, 
 Robert and Emma. He and his wife are members 
 of the Associate Presbyterian Church. Politically, 
 he is a Repulilicaii, and has held various township 
 odices of trust. Mr. Orr is a practical and s^'stematic 
 
 ■» 
 
•^f^ 
 
 376 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 fanner, and everything about his place denotes 
 thrift and enterprise. Man}' years of liis life have 
 been spent in Louisa County, where he has oon 
 many warm friends and is highly respected. 
 
 -««/v-^«aa2;©'S@*'^^^g-»^-S'OTnr»v~ 
 
 ^OIIN "W. OATS, a prominent farmer of Lou- 
 isa County, Iowa, residing on section 8, 
 Union Townsliii), was born in Elkhart County, 
 / Ind., in 1844. and is a son of William and 
 Emily (Mitchel) Oats, the former a native of In- 
 diana, and the latter of Ohio. The paternal grand- 
 father was a native of Germany, while the maternal 
 grandfather was of German descent. The father 
 of our subject was a wagon-maker by trade, and in 
 1852 emigrated to Cedar Count}', Iowa, settling in 
 Rochester, where he established a carriage and 
 wagon manufactory, and there carried on that line 
 of business until his death, which occurred in 1856, 
 at the age of thirty-six years. One year previous, 
 when twenty-nine years of age, Mrs. Oats, who was 
 a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was 
 called to her final rest. They were the parents of 
 four children: John W., of this sketch; James A., 
 who is now living in Smith County, Kan., is a 
 farmer by occupation ; Benjamin K. is a clerk in 
 St. Joseph, Mich.; and Susan E. is the wife of J. 
 Scooley, of West Branch, Iowa. 
 
 When twelve years of age our subject came to 
 Columbus City, Iowa, and for a short time made 
 his home with his uncle, Leonidas Mitchel, after 
 which he took up his resilience with William Ed- 
 mondson, a farmer of Union Township, with whom 
 he lived for eighteen years. As soon as he had 
 attained suflicient age he enlisted in the war for the 
 Union, in August, 1863, and was assigned to the 
 8th Iowa Cavaliy, in which he served for two years 
 or until the close of the war. He participated in 
 many of the hard-fought battles, including Atlanta; 
 Franklin, Tenn.; Nashville, the entire Atlanta cam- 
 paign. Missionary Kidge, Big Shanty, Marietta, 
 Snake Gap. Kenesaw Mountain; Kingston, Ga. ; the 
 charge on Sabine and the battle of Tuscaloosa, Ala. 
 lie also engage<l in some scouting expeditions, and 
 was under (ire most of the time of his service. 
 
 After receiving his discharge Mr. Oats returned 
 
 -^ ■ ■ — - 
 
 to Louisa County, Iowa, and worked as a farm 
 hand for a year, and then rented land for three 
 years. On the 27th of September, 1867, he was 
 united in matrimony with Isabella J. Duncan, who 
 was born in Louisa County, and is a daughter of 
 James K. Duncan. Mr. Oats' first purchase of land 
 was made in 1871, and consisted of eighty acres on 
 section 20 of Columbus City Township, where he 
 m.ade his home for ten years, and in 1882 bought 
 160 acres on section 8 of Union Township, where 
 he has since continued to reside. He now owns 400 
 acres of the finest farming land in the county, which 
 he has under a high stale of cultivation. His busi- 
 ness is general farming, and as he is enterprising 
 and industrious, his life must necessarily be suc- 
 cessful. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Oats are the parents of five chil- 
 dren, two of whom died in infancy. Those living 
 are: Maggie, who is at home; Ira A. and Ada El- 
 mira. This worthy couple are members of the Re- 
 form Church, and in political sentiment Mr. Oats is 
 a Democrat. He is one of the early settlers of Lou- 
 isa County, has witnessed almost its entire growth 
 and development, has aided in its advancement, 
 and is numbered among its best citizens. He has 
 gained the confidence and good-will of all with 
 whom business or social relations have brought him 
 in contact, and is held in high esteem throughout 
 the community. 
 
 RANCIS G. ORR, one of the early settlers 
 ^ of Louisa County, Iowa, now residing on 
 section 3, Union Townshi]), is a native of 
 Blount County, Tenn., born Feb. 3, 1815. His par- 
 ents were William and Mary (Walker) Orr, the 
 father a native of Washington County, Tenn.. and 
 the mother of Blount County. The paternal grand- 
 father, Thomas Orr, was a farmer by occupation, 
 and was one of the pit)ncers of Tennessee. The 
 maternal granil father, John Walker, was a soldier 
 in the War of the Revolution, and served as a re- 
 cruiting ollicer. After the Colonies had attained 
 their independence, he settled in the valley of the 
 Susquehanna, in I'ennsylvania. where he resided 
 until his emigration to Tennessee in about the year 
 *^ 
 
-4«- 
 
 ••»> 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 377 
 
 1800. He was also a farmer b}' occupation, and a 
 member of tlie Seceder Presb^'teriaii Church. His 
 death occurred at the age of eighty. 
 
 William Orr, the father of our subject, who was 
 of Scotcii-Irish descent, spent his l)oyhood days in 
 his native count3', and when a young man went to 
 Blount County, where he formed the acquaintance 
 of Mar}- Walker, who later became his wife. They 
 reared a family of nine children: Jane F., who 
 wedded Thomas J. Johnson, of Madison County. 
 Ala., and after his death became the wife of John 
 N. McConnell, died in this county at the age of 
 eighty j'ears; John W., who died at Conesville, 
 Iowa, in 1886, when seventy -six years of age; 
 Josiah J., who is now engaged in farming in Union 
 Township, Louisa County; Francis G., of this 
 sketch ; Robert H., whose sketch appears on an- 
 other page of this work; Mary, who died in infancy ; 
 Lucinda Adeline, widow of Joseph Johnston, of Co- 
 lumbus Cit}' ; William W.. a farmer of Union Town- 
 ship; Esther Ann, who wedded James H. Johnston, 
 of Columbus Citj' Township; Nancy Jane, deceased 
 wife of David C. Ilammcl, of Washington, Iowa. 
 
 When our subject was four years of age his par- 
 ents removed to Monroe County, Tenn., making 
 that their liome for about two years, and in 182 
 went to McMinn County of the same State, where 
 Francis was reared' upon a farm. Remaining under 
 the parental roof until attaining liis majority, he 
 then left home, and in 18-16 came to Iowa, remain- 
 ing for a short time in Columbus City Township. 
 lie later purchased ciglit}' acres of land near Craw- 
 fordsville, Washington County, to which farm he 
 removed in the fall of 1818. His marriage with 
 Klizabeth J. Johnston, a native of Tennessee, was 
 celebrated in 1852. and by tiieir union one son was 
 born, Harvey K., who has charge of the home farm 
 in Union Township. On the tlth of January. 185.5, 
 the death of Mrs. Orr occurred. She was a most 
 estimable lady, and was highly esteemed for her 
 many excellencies of char.acter. 
 
 After the death of his wife Mr. Orr returned to 
 Louisa Count}-, and purchased a farm of eighty 
 acres on section 4 of Union Township. He has 
 never again married, and after coming to this 
 county made his home with his brother, W. W. 
 Orr, until 187!^, since which time he has made his 
 
 ■<• 
 
 home with his son, Harvoy K.. on section 3 of 
 Union Township, where he owns 160 acres of fine 
 land. He also has a handsome farm residence, and 
 all the other buildings upon the place are' in keep- 
 ing with the home. Religiously, Mr. Orr is a mem- 
 ber of the Associate<l Presbyterian Church, of 
 Columbus Citj', and has been a Ruling Klder for 
 many years. He h.as been a liberal contributor to 
 its support, has taken great interest in its advance- 
 ment, and is one of the most earnest laborers in the 
 Master's vineyard. At the organization of the Re- 
 publican part}' he joined its ranks, and h.as since con- 
 tinued to fight under its banner. An intelligent, 
 social and genial man, he wins friends wherever he 
 goes, and is well known and universally respected 
 throughout Louisa County. 
 
 Harvey Orr was born in Washington Countj', 
 June 27, 1853, though he was reared upon a farm in 
 Union Township, and received his education in at- 
 tendance at its district schools. On the 2d of 
 October. 1878, he was united in marriage with Miss 
 M. G. Duncan, who was born in this count}', and was 
 a daughter of A. J. Duncan, of Columbus City 
 Township. To them were born two children, 
 sons — Garry and Ira A. Mrs. Orr w.as a member of 
 the United Presbyterian Churcii. In his political 
 views Mr. Orr is a Republican. He owns eighty 
 acres of land, and has the man.agemont of 240 acres, 
 and besides his farming interests makes a specialty 
 of breeding Short-horn cattle. 
 
 The death of Mrs. Orr occurred Feb. 23, 1885, 
 when twenty-seven j-ears of age, and he was again 
 married on the 21st of April, 1887, to Mary E. 
 Duncan, a daughter of James Duncan. 
 
 'jfi«x AVID MORGAN, deceased, an early set- 
 I jlj tier of Wapello, Iowa, was born in H.agers- 
 i»J^^ town, Md. He learned the harness and 
 ^^^ saddlery trade in his native town, and 
 moved to Xenia, Ohio, where he w.is united in 
 marriage with Miss Catherine Davison, and seven 
 children were born of their union, si.x sons and one 
 daughter, all born in Ohio: Nathaniel, the eldest, 
 who wedded Miss Mary .loincr, was a harness-maker 
 by trade, and died in May, 1880, at Wapello; Ueu- 
 
h 
 
 37« 
 
 4- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 j.-imin is a harness-maker. arKl resides in Missouri; 
 Mary died in cliiliiiioi)d ; Cyrus married Miss 
 Clarissa Drake, and is a hardware merchant of "Wa- 
 pello, Iowa; Rodne_v F. married Miss Mar}- McCoy, 
 now deceased, and lives in Ilohlen, .Johnson Co.. 
 Mo.; Richard, a member of the 19th Iowa Infantry 
 dnrinif the late war, was killed at the battle of 
 Prairie Grove; William, who is single, is engaged 
 in the harness business with his brother at Holden, 
 Mo. 
 
 Mr. Morgan emigrated to Iowa, and loc.ited at 
 Wapello in 1H5H, where he opened a harness-shop, 
 but lived onlj- a short time, his death occurring in 
 October, 1X59. His wife survived him many years, 
 and died Dec. 11, 1886. She was a member of the 
 Methodist Episcop.Tl Clunch, he of the Lutheran 
 Church, and both were worthy people and highly 
 respected. 
 
 — -i^m- — - 
 
 W^. OBERT O. OWENS, a soMier of the lat« 
 IWr Rebellion, was born in Preble County, Ohio, 
 /i^iV Aug. 20, 18-16, and is a son of Fogay and 
 ^p; .Jennie (Lyman) Owens, the father a native 
 of Pennsylvania and tlie niutlier of Ohio. In 1851 
 Fogay Owens came with his family- to Louisa 
 County, and for several years rented a farm two 
 and a half miles fi'oni Morning Sun. lie suliseipientlj' 
 purchased a tract of laud, on wliich he lived until 
 1884, when he became a resident of Morning Sun, 
 where liis death occurred in .January, 1886. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Owens were the parents of eleven children, 
 seven of whom are now living: William, residing in 
 AVashington County, Kan., enlisted in the Hith Iowa 
 Infantry, but after serving one year was discharged 
 on account of physical disability; James was a mem- 
 ber of the same regiment, and died near Jackson, 
 Tenu.; John is a resilient of this county; Rol)ert, 
 our suliject, is the next in order of birth ; Daniel 
 also makes his home in Louisa County; .lulia is the 
 wife of Iladley Sprovdl, of Creston. Iowa; Sarah 
 wedded Frank Kerr, of this county; Nancy and 
 George arc both deceased, and Joseph is a resident 
 of Morning Sun Township. Mr. and Mrs. Owens 
 were lifelong members of the Presbyterian Church, 
 and the latter is slill living. In ))olilics .Mr. Owens 
 was a Democrat, and held several local ollices. He 
 ■^ 
 
 %vas a man of integrity, honorable in his dealings, 
 and was highly respected in the conimunit}' where 
 he resided. 
 
 The suliject of this sketch was seven years old 
 when his parents came to Louisa Countj', and he 
 remained at home assisting in the labors of the farm 
 until attaining his majority, when he began learn- 
 ing the trade of carpentering. In 1864 he enlisted 
 in the 2d Iowa Cavalry, was mustered into service 
 at Davenport, Iowa, and engaged in several hard 
 fought battles, among which were Nashville, Ilinii- 
 cane Creek, Mt. Carmel, Shoal's Creek, Campbell- 
 ville, Linnville. Louisburg Pike, Franklin, Little 
 Harper and Antliou}' Hills. He was mustered out 
 of service at Selma, Ala., Sept. 19, 18G5,and on the 
 5th of October was paid off and receiveil his dis- 
 charge at Davenport. He was always found at his 
 post of duty, gallantly defending the old flag. 
 
 In February, 1872, Mr. Owens wedded Miss 
 Jemima Uozman, daughter of B. Bozman, one of 
 the early settlers of this county. They are the 
 parents of five living cliildrcn: Louie, born Jan. 25, 
 1874; Victor, June 1, 1879; John. July 11, 1881; 
 Nellie. Jan. II, 1883, and Burr. Dec. 5, 1884. Po- 
 litically, Mr. Owens is one of the stanch Democrats 
 of the country. Mrs. Owens is a member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 
 J "JOSEPH B. SYPHRIT, one of the prcmiinent 
 farmers of Louisa County, residing on sec- 
 tion 36, Wa|)ello Townsliip, was born in 
 Westmoreland County, Pa., July 5, 1831, 
 and is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Bolt) .Syphrit, 
 both of whom were also natives of the s;iinc county. 
 They were the parents of four children: Joseph B., 
 of this sketch, is the eldest of the family; Catherine 
 E. is the wife of Joseph Smith, of lyouisii Count}'; 
 Christo|)licr J., a soldier of the late war, enlisted in 
 Company 1, 1 1th Iowa Infantry, and died in Louisa 
 County, July 25, 1863, from disease contracted dur- 
 ing the battle of Shiloh; Jacob B., the youngest, also 
 resides in this county. In 1852 Jacob Syphrit, Sr., 
 came to Louisa County, and died near Tools- 
 boro, in the fall of 1858. His wife survived him 
 
 -f 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 379 
 
 \ 
 
 i" 
 
 several years, diving in 1864. In politics Mr. Sy- 
 plirit was al«-a3''s a stanch snpporter of tlie princi- 
 ples of the Democratic party, w.'is a man of strict 
 integrity, and a member of the Presliyterian Church. 
 As a neighbor, he was accommodating, as a husband 
 and father, kind and indulgent, as a Christian, earn- 
 est and faithful. 
 
 Our subject received a iilier.al academic educa- 
 tion, and in earl3' life turned his attention to the 
 profession of school teaching. He received an ap- 
 pointment as Professor of Mathematics in the East- 
 ern Iowa Normal, of Louisa Countjs and remained 
 with that institution for nearly- two jxars. On the 
 8th of April, 1855, in Grand View, Iowa, he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Harriet F. McNatton, 
 a daughter of Jose()h McNatton, and a native of 
 Ohio, born in Pike Countj', Sept. 15, 1835. Their 
 union has been blessed with a family of eight chil- 
 dren: Joseph li., who was graduated from the East- 
 ern Iowa Normal, in 1885, is now engaged in 
 teaching; Emma W. ; Rhoda, who died when two 
 j'eai-s of age; Nevada E., Willianj O. and Mary E. 
 (twins), Alfred M. and Henry E. 
 
 In early life Mr. Syphrit afHliated with the Demo- 
 cratic party, but is now a supporter of the Hepub- 
 lican party. He and his wife are members of the 
 Methodist Protestant Church, and are ranked among 
 Louisa County's respected and honored citizens. 
 In 1886 Mr. Syphrit purchased his farm on section 
 36, Wapello Township, and is at present engaged in 
 its cultivation. He is also a member of the North 
 American Beekeepers' Union. 
 
 g<\ F. MILLER, ])roprictor of a restaurant and 
 grocery of Letts, Iowa, was born in Tuscara- 
 '^^1^' was County, Ohio, April 4. 1 832, and is the 
 second in a family of four children born to David 
 and Marj' (Negley) Miller, who were also natives 
 of Ohio, in which State his father kept a hotel until 
 his cieath, which occurred in 184C, while his mother 
 <lied when he was about six years of age. A 
 portion of his early life was spent upon a farm, and 
 he received his education in tlie district schools. 
 In 1854 he began the battle of life for himself, 
 emigrating to Muscatine County, Iowa, where he 
 
 engaged in general merchan<lising for two years at 
 West Liberty, after which he served as Station 
 Agent until the war. Going to Kansas, he enlisted 
 in October, 18G1, .as a member of C<jmpany C, of 
 the 3il Kansas Regiment, which consisted of in- 
 fantry, cavalry and artillery, but which was dis- 
 banded about six months later an<l conscjlidated with 
 the 4th Kansas Infantry, forming the 10th Kansas 
 Infantry, under Col. Wier. Mr. Miller was assigned 
 to Company A, doing duty most of the time on the 
 border of Kansas and Missouri, receiving his dis- 
 charge in 1862, atSarcoxie, Mo. Returning to his 
 home in West Liberty, he there resided until 1803, 
 when he removed to Louisa County, where he was 
 employed as Station Agent for about five years, and 
 in 1808 again went to Kansas, there engaging in the 
 mercantile business in Johnson County for a short 
 time, but subsequently resided on a claim in Butler 
 (Jount}'. For about four j-ears he made Kansas his 
 home, and then returned to Louisa County in 1874, 
 settling in the village of Letts, where he embarked 
 in his present business in 1881. In connection 
 with tiie restaurant and grocer3' he also has a news- 
 stand, carrying the latest and best stock of litera- 
 ture. Politically, Mr. Miller is an advocate of the 
 views of the Union Labor pirty. He has held 
 various township offices, h.as served as a member of 
 the School Board, and Jit the present time holds the 
 position of Notary Public. Socially, he is a member 
 of the G. A. R. Post, and also of the A. F. & A. M., 
 'J riangular Lodge No. 245. of which he is Secre- 
 tarj-. A friend to education, he takes great interest 
 in the welfare of the schools and also in other enter- 
 prises which are for the public good. 
 
 While residing in West Liberty, in 1855, Mr. 
 Miller was unite<l in marriage with Freelove Aj'ls- 
 worth, who was born in New York, and is a 
 daughter of William N. and Lucy (Adams) A3MS- 
 wortli, who were also natives of the F^nipire State, 
 and who emigrated to Iowa in 1854, settling in 
 Muscatine County. The father followed the occu- 
 pation of farming until his <leath. which occurred 
 in 1883. Her mother is still living and resides in 
 Louisiana. Five children were liorn to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Miller: Charles Sumner, wlio died in 1878, at 
 the .age of twenty-one years; Kvie II. is at home; 
 Nelson L. is married, and is employed in his father's 
 
 •> J t ^* 
 
^ 
 
 380 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 store; Willie died in ISOfi, when one year of age; 
 George died in 1H70. also one year old. The 
 mother of these children was called to her final 
 home in 187C, when residing at West Liberty. 
 
 ;011N A. SWAN, of the firm of Delzell & 
 1 Swan, dealers in gioccrios and queensware 
 I at Morning Sun. Iowa, was born in Preble 
 ^J; County, Ohio. Dec. 7. 1839. and is a son of 
 James M. and Nancy A. (Rouse) Swan, whose 
 sketch appears on another page of this work. In 
 184G he emigrated with the family to Louisa 
 County, Iowa, where he received his education in 
 the common schools. He attended the first school 
 ever taught in Morning Sun Township, which was 
 held in an old log cabin, the residence of 'Squire 
 Brown, the teacher being Thomas Brown. The 
 old building is yet standing, and is one of the few 
 relics of pioneer days which have withstood the 
 ravages of time. The seats were made of slabs, 
 whicii were placed upon i)ins driven into the floor, 
 and the desks consisted of slabs which were fixed 
 up around the wall, thus causing the backs of the 
 scholars to be turned toward the teacher. In such 
 buildings many men who have gained prominence 
 in the nation and held the highest offices in the gift 
 of the people receive<l their carl^- instruction. 
 
 Mr. Swan remained upon the farm until the break- 
 ing out of the Rebellion, when he offered his serv- 
 ices in defense of the Union. When Ft. Sumter 
 was fired upon, and the echo went thundering over 
 the country, it awoke the slumbering patriotism in 
 his breast, and he enrolled his name with tlie brave 
 boys of the 8th Iowa Cavalry for three j-enrs' serv- 
 ice. Being mustered in at Davenport, he was then 
 sent to Louisville, Ky., later went to Nashville, 
 Tenn., thence to Bolton, Ga., and w.-us in the line of 
 battle when taken sick with typhoid fever. Being 
 sent to Chattanooga, Tenn., he there was confined 
 in the hospital some time, but was subsequently 
 sent back to Nashville, Tenn., and placed in hos- 
 pital No. 1, where he Lay sick f(>r almost a year, 
 lie received his discharge at the close of the war, 
 and returning home again, went back to the farm, 
 
 4« 
 
 though but a shadow of the 3-oung man who started 
 out full of life and vigor. For two years he was 
 unable to perform any kind of labor, during which 
 time be was kept under medical treatment, and has 
 never yet fully regained his health. 
 
 Mr. Swan made his home on the farm, which was 
 located \>y his father in 184G. He bought out the 
 shares of the other heirs, and now owns the origi- 
 nal homestead of 120 acres, which is under a fine 
 state of cultivation. lie there resided until March, 
 1883, when, on account of his health, be eml)arked 
 in the grocery business as above stated. 
 
 On the 31st of Januar}', 1857, his marriage with 
 Miss Ann Eliza Paisley was celebrated. She was 
 born in Muskingum County, Ohio, in 1848, and is 
 a daughter of S. M. Palslej'. Mr. and Mrs. Swan 
 are members of the Presbyterian Church. She is 
 also a member of the W. C. T. U., and Presi<lent 
 of the Women's Missiouary Society, and devotes 
 much of her time and attention to the advancement 
 of the different lines of work. Politically', Mr. 
 Swan is a Repiililican. He is prominent in the pro- 
 motion of enterprises which have for their object 
 the iniblic good, and during his forty-two j'cars' 
 residence in this count}' has gained many warm 
 friends. His honesty and fair dealing have won for 
 him a liberal patronage in his line of business, and 
 his trade is constantly' increasing. 
 
 ^^^EORGE R. KELLER, of the firm of Kelle 
 
 ill ,s=^ & Ong, druggists, of Wapello, Iowa, wt 
 
 <^ll born at Abingdon, Knox Co., 111., Jai 
 
 EORGE R. KELLER, of the firm of Keller 
 
 ras 
 Jan. 
 
 4, 1840, and is a son of Philip and Charity (Rynear- 
 son) Keller. His father w.is born in Mercer Countj', 
 Ky., in 1801, removed to-Cennsylvania in early life, 
 and later emigrated to Knox Count}', 111. From 
 there he went to Des Moines County, Iowa, in 1845, 
 where his death occurred four years later. Mrs. 
 Keller, the mother of our subject, was born in 1803 
 in the same count}' as her husband, and was the 
 mother of nine children, five of whom arc living at 
 this writing, tliree sons and two daughters: Henry 
 D., the eldest, residing at Wapello, married Miss 
 Addie .Stillman; John II. wedded Miss Caroline 
 Minton, and lives at LaCrosse, Wis.; Ellen is the 
 
t 
 
 -^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 381 
 
 wife of Albert Coon rail, of Arkansas City, Kan.; 
 Mary M. is liie wife of Peter 15. Butler, a resident 
 of Ames, Iowa. 
 
 George H., the subject of this sketch, received a 
 common-school education in his native town, and 
 came to Wajjello, Iowa, in 1853, where he was em- 
 ployed as a merchant's clerk until 1859. lie then 
 went to Leavenworth, Kan., where he was employed 
 for a sliorttime as clerk, and then returned to Wa- 
 pello and bought out his brother's drug business, 
 which he carried on alone until 18G7, when he 
 formed the existing partnership with F. M. Ong. 
 This firm has a well stocked and popular drug-store, 
 and carries a full line of drugs, medicines, wall- 
 paper and toilet articles. 
 
 On the 4lh of November, 1874, Mr. Keller was 
 united in marriage with Miss Margaret E. Spr.-iguei 
 daughter of Robert Hamilton and Margaret R, 
 (Trimble) Sprague. Mrs. Keller was born in 
 Louisa County, Iowa, her father, who was a member 
 of the Masonic fraternity, having settled in Fort 
 Louisa Township, Louisa Co., Iowa, in 1841. ]Mr. 
 and Mrs. Keller have thi'ee children, oneson and two 
 daughters: Clara, aged thirteen 3'cars; Vinnie,aged 
 eleven, and Bert G., aged eight. 
 
 Mr. Keller is a member of the following-named 
 secret societies: I. 0. O. F., A. O. U. W., L. of II. 
 and V. A. S. He is a Ri'i)ublican in politics, and 
 has served ten j-ears as City Tn.-asurer of Wapello, 
 being the present incumbent, has also been a mem- 
 ber of the City Council, and w.as a member of the 
 School Board for nine 3'ears, being President one 
 term. 
 
 ylLLIAM W. ORR, one of the well-to-do 
 and progressive farmers of Louisa County, 
 Iowa, now resi<ling on section 4, Union 
 Township, was born in McMinn County, Tenn., and 
 is a. son of William and Mary (Walker) Orr, whose 
 history is given in the sketcli of J. .1. Orr, on an- 
 other page of this volume. In 1851 our subject 
 left his native State, and emigrated to this count}', 
 locating ujwn the farm which still continues to be 
 his home. He purchased ICO .acres of partially im- 
 j)roved land, to which he has added until his farm 
 now comprises 040 acres, which, with the exception 
 
 of forty acres, is all under fence. Mr. Orr is a 
 practical and leading farmer, and everything about 
 his place denotes tlie thrift and enterprise of the 
 owner. 
 
 In 18C9 our subject w.as united in marriage with 
 Sarah J. McCarney, who was born in this county, 
 and is a daughter of John and Sarah McCarncj', 
 who were natives of the Jimerald Isle. By the 
 union of this worthy couple nine children have 
 been born — Rufus A., .James L.,.Iennie May, Mary 
 Ellen, Francis J., Maggie A., Arthur (Jarlield, John 
 L. and William Earl. Politically, Mr. Orr is a sup- 
 porter of the Republican party, and is now a mem- 
 ber of the School Board, lie raises considerable 
 stock upon his farm, shipping from two to four 
 loads of cattle annuall3% and is very successful in 
 that lino of business. His life has been one of suc- 
 cess, for commencing life without financial aid, he 
 has labored earnestl}' and faithfully until he has 
 become one of the well-to-do farmers of Louisa 
 County. As a citizen, he is held in the highest es- 
 teem, and none has the confidence and respect of 
 the commuuily in a greater degree than Mr. Orr. 
 
 '^'^^^^^^^^iff^^^'^ 
 
 ^INLEY M. ONG, of the firm of Keller & 
 Ong, druggists, and dealers in books, station- 
 er}-, wall-paper, watches, clocks and jewelry, 
 is a native of Ohio, and was born in Jeflferson 
 County, Aug. 3, 1832. His parents were Jacob and 
 Mary (Irvine) Ong. The father was born in Jeffer- 
 son County, Ohio, in 180G, and was of Welsh 
 descent. The family were formerl}' from Pennsyl- 
 vania, where thej' were early settlers. The great- 
 grandfather of our subject on the paternal side 
 carried the mail between Philadelphia and Pitts- 
 burgh on horseback during the War of 1812. Mr. 
 Ong's mother was born in County Donegal, Ire- 
 land, of Scotch ancestors, and came to America 
 when six years of age. Her death occurred in No- 
 vember, 1887, at the age of seventy-six years. Mr. 
 Ong died in 1862, aged seventy-five years. 
 
 Finley M. Ong received a common-school educa- 
 tion, and was employed as merchant's clerk in his 
 native State for one year. In 1855 he emigrated 
 to Wapello, Iowa, arriving here on the 1st of May. 
 
 
-4»- 
 
 382 
 
 ■•► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 t 
 
 \ 
 
 He engaged as clerk in a diy-goods store until Au- 
 gust, 1861, when he enlisted for tlie late war, and was 
 sworn into the service Sept. 20, 1861, as a member 
 of Compan}' K, 8th Iowa Infantr}'. His regiment 
 was assigned to the IGth Aimy Corps, and their ini- 
 tiation into the business of war was at the battle 
 of Shiloh. They were next at the siege of Corinth, 
 engaging in the battles of Corinth, on Oct. 3 and 4, 
 1862. lie participated in the siege of Vicksburg, 
 was with Banks throngh tiie entire Red River ex- 
 pedition, and was mustered out Sept. 28, 1864, after 
 three years and one month of hard service. 
 
 Having a wife and j'oung family at home, Mr. 
 Ong felt that he had done his duty, and should be 
 excused from further service, so returned to his 
 home. He was married at Burlington, Iowa, June 
 26, 1856, to Miss Kliza J. Christy, daughter of 
 Henr3' Christy. Mrs. Ong was born in the same 
 count}' in Ohio in which her husband was, and is a 
 member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Three 
 children were born unto them, two sons and a daugh- 
 ter — Edwin F., Lillie M. and George F. Mr. Ong 
 is a Republican in politics; is a member of the G. 
 A. R. ; of the Iowa Legion of Honor ; and is a mem- 
 ber of Wapello Lodge No. o, A. F. & A. M., of 
 which he has been Treasurer for the past fifteen 
 years. During his residence of thirtj'-three years 
 at Wapello Mr. Ong has made many warm friends 
 b}' his upright and honorable course of life, and 
 genial, courteous manner. For three years after 
 the war Mr. Ong spent his time in traveling, and 
 in 1867 was accompanied by Mr. Keller. 
 
 ILTON M. LETTS, a leading farmer of Co- 
 lumbus City Township, was born in 1857, 
 '*^^^'' in Grand View Township, and is a son of 
 'J^ N. M. Letts, whose sketch appears on an- 
 other page of this volume. His boyliood da3-s were 
 passed upon a farm in Grand View Township, and 
 his primary education was received at the district 
 schools, though he subsequently attended the Agri- 
 cultural College at Ames, Iowa, for a ^-ear. In 
 1880 he was united in marriage with Miss Nellie 
 Springer, a daughter of Judge Sjjringer, one of the 
 prominent citizens of the county, and after his niar- 
 
 t^Ht-^" 
 
 riage engaged in farming in Grand View Township 
 for a 3'ear. He then removed to Columbus City 
 Township, where he yet resides, and is the owner of 
 900 acres of fine land, which is highl}- improved. 
 
 Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. 
 Letts, daughters, Liana and Mary Helen. In 1885 
 he was elected one of the Supervisors of Louisa 
 i Count}', and during the last j'ear served as Presi- 
 dent of the board. He is a Republican in politics, 
 and one of the progressive and enterprising farmers 
 of Columbus City Township, where he is highly re- 
 spected. 
 
 REDERICK KREINER, residing on section 
 
 P29, Jefferson Township, was born in Baden, 
 German}', in 1827, and is the second in a 
 family of eight children born to George aud Cath- 
 erine (W^'cke) Kreiner, natives of German}-, who 
 emigrated with their family to America in 1845. 
 At Antwerp, Belgium, they boarded the sailing-ves- 
 sel "Platina," and alter a long and tedious voyage 
 of forty-two days, during which they encountered 
 three storms, landed at New York. They settled 
 in Buffalo, where the parents both died. Our sub- 
 ject was educated and learned the shoemaking trade 
 in his native country, and after landing in America 
 followed that vocation in Buffalo. In that city, in 
 1853, the marri.ngeof Frederick Kreiner and Rosina 
 Fath was celebrated. She is a native of Baden. 
 Germany, and a daughter of Christian and Rosina 
 (Keyser) Fath. also of Germany. Her family came 
 to America in 1846, settling in Buffalo, N. Y., where 
 they remained until 1854, and then becau;e resi- 
 dents of Louisa County, Iowa, making this their 
 home until their death. The father departed this 
 life in 1876, his wife having preceded him to her 
 final home in 1870. 
 
 After his marriage our subject remained in Buf- 
 falo until 1855, when he followed the course of 
 Western emigration, and settled in Port Louisa 
 Township. Louisa Co., Iowa, engaging in the shoe- 
 making trade, which he followed for five years. 
 In 1860 Mr. Kreiner purchased forty acres of land, 
 which was wild, unbroken and stumpy. This tract 
 was situated in Jefferson Township, and he imme- 
 diately began its improvement. From time to time 
 
'^- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 383 
 
 f 
 
 lie Ims added other lands to his original purchase, 
 until now 288 broad acres pay trilmte to his 
 care and cultivation. His barns are stocked with a 
 good grade of cattle and horses, and everything 
 about the place shows him to be a man of thrift and 
 enterprise. In politics Mr. Kreineris not partisan, 
 but supports the man whom he thinks will best fill 
 the otlice. lie assisted in the organization of the 
 school district of his township, has held the ofHce 
 of School Director for a number of terms, and has 
 served as Township Trustee. He and his wife are 
 members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at 
 Wapello, of which he is one of the Trustees. 
 
 To Mr. and ^Irs. Kreiner have been born nine 
 children, though five died in infancy; those living 
 are: St)phia, now Mrs. Wiederrecht, resides near 
 her parents; George is married, an<l lives not far 
 from his old home; Lizzie, now Mrs. Ross, also re- 
 sides near the home farm ; and Frederick still re- 
 mains with his parents. Mr. Kreiner is practically 
 a self-made man, having obtained his entire posses- 
 sions by his (jerseverance and industry, and is one 
 of the highly' respected citizens of Louisa Count}'. 
 
 AVID WOODUUFK, residing on section 
 ^^ 15. Columbus City Township, is prominent 
 among the leading farmers and stock- 
 raisers of Louisa County, Iowa. He was 
 born June 23, 1829, in Mahoning County, Ohio, 
 and is a son of I'arkis and Jane (Shields) Woodruff, 
 the former a native of New Jersej', and the latter 
 of Virginia. Both of their families located in Ohio, 
 and Parkis and Jane becoming acquainted were 
 united in marriage in Mahoning County. He served 
 tluring the War of 1812 as a Captain, and during 
 his life engaged in farming, and also followed the 
 occu|)alion of broom-making. Mr. and Mrs. Wood- 
 ruff were the parents of six children: Jemima, wife 
 of Rev. Wilson W. Woodruff, of Louisa County; 
 Mary, who wedded A. D. Wetteral, of Keokuk, 
 Iowa; James, a farmer of Medicine Lodge, Barber 
 Co., Kan.; David, of this sketch; Rebecca, wife of 
 John Morgan, a farmer of Columbus City Town- 
 ship; Parkis, whose home is in Hancock Count}', 
 111. The father of this family was a large land- 
 
 owner in Ohio, and had one of the best farms in 
 Mahoning County. He there made his home until 
 18.51, when became to Louisa County, and as he 
 and his brother John C. had always worked to- 
 gether, he induced John to also sell out, which he 
 did, and removed to Monroe County. Parkis 
 Woodruff l)ouglit a claim on sections 15 and 21, 
 consisting of ItIO acres which had been pre-empted, 
 and also became the owner of 1(!() acres on Long 
 Creek, which he immediately began to improve and 
 cultivate. In September of the same year in which 
 he came to Louisa County death visited the pio- 
 neer home, and claimed for its victim the wife and 
 mother. Mr. Woodruff survived her for ten years, 
 dying in January, 18G0. The}' were consistent 
 members of the Presbyterian Church, and earnest 
 workers in that organizati(jn. He was a public- 
 spirited man, one of prominence and progressive 
 ideas, and for many years served .as Justice of the 
 Peace in JIahoning County, Ohio. 
 
 Our subject received but limited educational 
 advantages, obtaining most of his knowledge from 
 observing the ways and customs of others, and from 
 studying by himself. In this way he obtained many 
 practical ideas which can never be received from 
 text-books, and which have been of great value to 
 him in later years. After coming to Louisa County 
 he taught school for one term, receiving SilG.CGiJ 
 per <nonth and his board. With the mone}' thus ob- 
 tained he bought rails with which to fence bis first 
 farm of forty acres, upon which is situated his pres- 
 ent residence. He has since added to his original 
 tract until he is now the owner of 500 acres of 
 land, under a fine state of cultivation. This has 
 been obtained through his own efforts of industry 
 and economy, and year by year the improvements 
 increase, which make his one of the best farms of 
 the county. The little log cabin of long years ago 
 is now replaced with a commodious residence two 
 stories in height, the main building of which is 32x 
 40 feet, with an L and [wrches. 
 
 On the 20th of March, 1856, David AVoodruff 
 and Mary A. Turner were united in marriage. The 
 lady was born in Harrison County, Ohio, Sept. 25, 
 1836, and is a daughter of O. \V. and Mrs. Mary 
 Scott {nee Stewart) Turner. The father was a 
 native of IMaryland, and emigrated to Louisa 
 
 ■» 
 
 f 
 
-^^ 
 
 .t 
 
 384 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Countj' in 1855, settling in Morning Sun. He was 
 a member of tiie "Graylieard" regiment during the 
 late war, in which his health failed him. His lost 
 vitality was never restored, and his death occurred 
 at the home of our subject, May 30, 1877. Mrs. 
 Turner died at the home of her son William, in Vin- 
 ton, Iowa. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff were born ten chil- 
 dren : Charles A., who became the husband of 
 Mary Ogier, of Ringgolil County, Iowa, is a farmer 
 of Columbus City Township; Benjamin F. married 
 Maud Turner, a native of Vinton, Benton Co., 
 Iowa; Jennie died at the age of seventeen; Emma 
 died in infancy; Alice R. is the wife of Leon Daily, 
 who is engaged in farming in Columbus City Town- 
 ship: Jemima, deceased; Nellie E., at home; Chal- 
 mer D., who died at the age of eight 3-ears; Josie 
 A. and Effle M., both deceased. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Woodruff have given their children good educa- 
 tions, and some have followed the profession of 
 teaching in Louisa County. All whose lives have 
 been spared are now useful and respected members 
 of societj- in the several communities where they 
 reside. 
 
 In connection with his farming interests for some 
 years past Mr. Woodruff has turned his attention to 
 the breeding of .Short-horn cattle, and also raises 
 a fine grade of horses and hogs. The barns and 
 out-buildings provided for their shelter and care are 
 models of convenience, and everything about the 
 place shows the owner to be a man of enterprise 
 and progressive ideas. All the enterprises of the 
 count}' which have for their object the public good 
 receive his su|)port. He and his wife are members 
 of the Baptist Church, while politically, he is a 
 supporter of the Republican i)arty. 
 
 ~ • I ■ t -^^^ % ■ ! • 
 
 ON. OEORGE D. HARRISON, of Colum- 
 bus Junction, dealer in grain and livestock, 
 was liorn in the city of Philadelpiiia, Pa.,on 
 the lOtii of December, 1829, and his parents 
 were Seth I*, and Sarah (Fawkes) Harrison. On the 
 paternal side the history of the family in America 
 dates back to the occupying of Pennsylvania by 
 the William Penn colony, the earliest ancestor hav- 
 
 ing been an English emigrant of that colonj'. On 
 the mother's side the famil}' was also of English 
 origin. 
 
 George D. removed with his parents to Clarke 
 Count\', Ohio, when six years old, and was educated 
 at Antioch School of Springfield, Ohio. In Ma^', 
 1855, he came to Louisa Countj\ Iowa, and in Sep- 
 tember of that 3'ear located at Columbus City, where 
 he engaged in the grain and live-stock business. 
 On the completion of what is now the Chicago, 
 Rock Island & Pacific Railroad to the so-called 
 sand bank, near the present junction of that road 
 with the Burlington, Cedar Rapids <fe Northern, in 
 July, 1857, Mr. Harrison there engaged in the live- 
 stock business, and when the road was extended to 
 what is now known as Old Clifton, he was the first 
 to engage in the same business at that place. He 
 also followed merchandising at Columbus City un- 
 til 1864, when he sold out, and from 18G5 to 1873 
 was engaged in the live-stock and grain business, 
 and also in farming. In the meantime he became 
 interested in banking in Kansas with M. Barrett, 
 and together they organized the Atchison National 
 Bank in 1872, of which Mr. Harrison was chosen 
 President, and maintained his connection with it 
 until 1875, though still continuing his residence at 
 Columbus City. He built the first grain warehouse 
 at Columbus Junction, on the Burlington, Cedar 
 Rapids & Northern Railroad, and is still shipping 
 through it. His brother, Garrett L., was the first 
 agent at the Junction for both roads. Mr. Harri- 
 son is also largely interested in farming, having two 
 well-improved farms situated in the township of 
 Columbus Cit}-, which aggregate 700 acres. He 
 continued to reside at Columbus City until 1878, 
 when he removed to Columbus Junction, his pres- 
 ent home. 
 
 On the 19th of December, 1859, Mr. Harrison 
 was united in marriage with Miss Louisiana C. 
 Ringer, daughter of Dr. Andrew P. Ringer. Mre. 
 Harrison was born at H.agerstown, Md., in 1839, 
 and three children were born of their union, of 
 whom only one is now living, Harry M.,now aged 
 twenty -six years, who is residing at Hampton, Iowa. 
 Chester died at the age of eight years, and Milton 
 when only one year old. Mr. Harrison is an 
 anti-protection Republican. He w.as elected to the 
 
 n 
 
i«^ 
 
 LOUISA CUUNTY. 
 
 385 
 
 I 
 
 Iowa Legislature in 1K70, serving: two years, being 
 on several important committees and doing his full 
 dutj- in behalf of lionot and useful legislation. He 
 is an aetive, energetic and successful business man, 
 upright and honorable in his intercourse with his 
 fellow-citizens, and commands the fullest respect of 
 all with wliom he comes in contact. 
 
 W^ ENRY D. RIFENBERG, manager for V. U. 
 "^jV] Collins' extensive drj'-goods house, of Co- 
 ^ lunibus Junction, was born in Cortland 
 
 _ County, N. Y., on the 8th of March, 1847. 
 His parents, Henry Harrison and Mar^' (Swelland) 
 Rifcnberg, were also natives of New York, the 
 father being of German descent, while the mother's 
 ancestors were from Vermont, anil were of an old 
 New England family', relatives of Ethan Allen. 
 
 Our subject was reared in his native State, 
 attending school until thirteen years of age, when 
 he was employed in a drj'-goods estalilishment at 
 Marathon, N. Y., as store boy. and was promoted 
 to salesman, continuing in that house seven j'ears, 
 when he went to Syracuse, and there engaged as a 
 salesman for the succeeding two 3-ears. Erom 
 Syracuse he came to Iowa in 18G9, and located at 
 Clifton. Louisa County. Later he went into the 
 boot and shoe business in the same town, which he 
 continued two years, and was also connected with 
 his brother-in-law, JL W. Klotz, as manager of his 
 general store from time to time for seven or eight 
 years. He also carried on the insurance business 
 for several years, and in 1880 engaged with J. L. 
 Collins as manager of his dry-goods business, con- 
 tinuing witli the house alter P. H. Collins became a 
 I)artner in 1883. and on the division of the business 
 in Ma}', 1888, he continued with the latter gentle- 
 m.an, who took the dry-goods and grocery depart- 
 ment as his share of the business. Mr. Rifenberg 
 has been connected more or less with the dry -goods 
 business ever since boyhood, and is an expert in 
 this line. He does all the buying for the house, has 
 general supervision of the business, and is held in 
 high esteem by the proprietor of the store and its 
 customers. 
 
 Mr. Rifenberg is a 32d degree ]\Iason, a member 
 M» 
 
 of Columbus City Lodge No. 107, A. F. & A. M., 
 and of Composite Chapter No. 91, R. A. M., both 
 of Columbus Junction; and also of Bethlehem 
 Commandery No. 45, of Washington, Iowa, and St. 
 Paul Consistory, of St. Paul, Minn. He is also a 
 prominent member of the I. O. O. F.. belonging to 
 Columbus Junction Lodge No. 3(55, and is now 
 serving his fifth year as Deputj' Grand Master; is 
 a member of the K. of P., Liberty Lodge No. 22, 
 of Columbus Juncti(m, having joined that organi- 
 zation on its removal from Columbus City to its 
 present location. Mr. Rifenberg has taken an 
 active interest in civic societies, and h.is done good 
 work in promoting the best interests of all those 
 with whom he is associated. In the dry-goods 
 business he is without a peer in the county in his 
 knowledge of the quality of goods and the require- 
 ments of the trade in this section. 
 
 -^-^ 
 
 ^— 
 
 ^^ 
 
 AMUEL REANEY, of the firm of Reaney 
 Bros., clothiers, of Columbus Junction, 
 Iowa, was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, 
 April 14, 1862, and is a son of Joseph and 
 Elizabeth (Turkington) Reaney. In August, 1863, 
 he emigrated to America in company with his par- 
 ents, who settled at Chester, Pa., and eight years 
 later, in 1871, they came to Louisa Count}', Iowa, 
 locating on a farm in Concord Townshiji. Samuel 
 was educated at the public schools, and began his 
 business life as a clerk with S. & L. Colin it Co., 
 wholesale and retail clothiers, of Muscatine, Iowa, 
 with whom he continued for two years, and then 
 formed a partnerslii(), Nov. 1, 188G, with Mr. 
 Mackey. That connection was continued until 
 April, 1888, when his brollier, Robert J., purchased 
 an interest, and the present firm was organized. 
 
 In his political views Mr. Reaney is a Repub- 
 lican, and is a member of the Presbyterian Church, 
 lie also belongs to Columbus Junction Lodge No. 
 305, I. O. O. F., and to Liberty Lodge No. 22, K. 
 of P., of Columbus Junction. 
 
 Our subject's parents are residents of Concord 
 Township, Louisa County, and their sketch a]>pears 
 elsewhere in this work. His uncle. Thomas Reaney, 
 who recently died at Phila<]el[)hia in his seventy-fifth 
 
•p^f^^ 
 
 386 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 year, was prominently' identified with the ship- 
 building interests of this country for man}' years. 
 He came to America when twenty-three years of 
 age. was first a locomotive engineer, later starting 
 a ship yard at Philadelphia, in companj' with John 
 F. Starr, under the firm name of Reaney & Starr> 
 and their yard made the first iron boat ever built 
 in Philadelplii.i. After several changes in the firm 
 organization he went to Chester, Pa., there estab- 
 lishing what is now known as the Delaware River 
 Iron Shi])building and Engine Works, under the 
 name of Reane}', Son & Archibald. Sir. Reane}' 
 retired from business in January, 1871, and was 
 succeeded bj' John Ro.ieh & Sons, who became the 
 great Government ship builders of the United States. 
 If the sliips constructed by the various j-ards with 
 which he was identified could be massed together 
 they would form a mammoth fleet. Mr. Reaney 
 was noted for his jjublic s|)iritand liboralit3-, and as 
 a specimen of his manner of giving, it is stated that 
 he built the South Ward First Presbj'tcrian Church 
 from his own private means. The family is of 
 Scotch origin, and all are Presbyterians. 
 
 yp> H. LETTS, a re|)reseutativc farmer of this 
 county, residing on section 32, Grand View 
 Township, was born in La.Salle Count}', 
 111., in 1863, and is a son of N. M. and Jane Ann 
 (Ilolderman) Letts, who were natives of Ohio, but 
 removed to Illinois at a verj' earl}' da}'. They be- 
 came residents of Iowa in 1853, and have here lived 
 continuously since. Our subject was reared upon a 
 farm in Louisa Colmtj', and educated at the Iowa 
 Wesleyan University, at Mt. Pleasant. After leaving 
 school he engaged in farming, and was united in 
 marriage in this count}', in 1874, with Susie A. 
 Lacey, a native of Hinckley, Ohio, and a daughter 
 of Edwin B. and S. C. (Wilcox) Lacey, the former 
 being born in Kentucky, the latter in New York. 
 They came to Louisa County in January, 185G, set- 
 tling in the village of Grand View, where they still 
 reside. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Letts after their marriage settled 
 upon a farm, which still continues to be their home. 
 They are the parents of three children — Lottie A., 
 
 Florence and Howard L. The family circle re- 
 mains unbroken, the children all yet being inmates 
 of the paternal home. Mr. Letts' farm consists of 
 1,000 acres of fine land, which pays a golden trib- 
 ute to his care and cultivation. He h.as it well 
 stocked with a good grade of Hereford cattle, and 
 also raises a great many horses of the Norman and 
 Wilkes grade. He is not actively interested in po- 
 litical affairs, though he supports the Repu!)lican 
 party by his baliut. lie is a member of the Masonic 
 fraternity, belonging to DeMolay Commander}' No. 
 1, of Muscatine. Mrs. L. is a member of the Pres- 
 byterian Church at (iranil View. Our subject is 
 pleasantly situ.aled about seven miles from Colum- 
 bus Junction and three miles from Grand View, 
 and is one of the highly respected peo|)le of Louisa 
 County, Iowa. 
 
 jjp^ 11. CROW, the only pioneer of 183G now in 
 ^^^^ Grand View Township, resides on section 
 (\\/_Ji) 23. He was born in Jefferson County, 
 Ohio, in 1816, and his parents, Joseph and 
 Martha (Humphrey) Crow, reared a family of eight 
 chihiren, of whom he wa.'; second in order of birth. 
 They were natives of I'ennsylvania, and emigrated 
 to Ohio at an early day, before it became a State. 
 The father there eng.aged in farming until his re- 
 moval to Iowa in 1836, when he settled in Louisa 
 County, Grand View Township. He took up claims, 
 and later bought the land of the Government at 
 the Turlington land sales. His death occurred in 
 1860, his excellent wife surviving him some years, 
 departing this life in 1885, at the age of ninety-two 
 years. 
 
 Our subject was educated in the district schools 
 of his native Stiite, and came to Iowa in 1835, when 
 nineteen years of age. He built two cabins in the 
 fall and then returned to Illinois, the family having 
 moved to Warren County in 1834, where he re- 
 mained until 1836, since which lime he has been a 
 resident of Louisa County. He it was who made 
 the first rails on the |)rairie in Grand View Town- 
 ship. In the spring of 1836 the family cut their 
 date of settlement on a tree, and it remained there 
 for years, when at length the tree was cut down. 
 i» 
 
4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 387 f 
 
 Mr. Crow took a cl.aini, but it happened to be on 
 tbe scliool sec-tion, and so. having to relinquish it, 
 he l)Ought forty acres of his brother in 1857, the 
 laud being partly improved and situated on section 
 23. He immediately began its cultivation, and now 
 owns a fine farm. He has never been active in 
 politics, but casts his vote with the Republican 
 party. He has also assisted in organizing some of 
 the school districts of his township. 
 
 The farm of Mr. Crow is situated about two 
 miles from Grand View and eleven miles from 
 WaiwUo. He has witnessed the entire growth of 
 Louisa Count}', having become a resident when the 
 present county seat was yet an Indian reservation. 
 He was quite a bee hunter, and many are the deer, 
 geese and turkeys which have fallen under his rifle 
 during the pioneer days of the county. He has al- 
 ways taken an active interest in tbe work of devel- 
 opment, and has aided largely in placing Louisa 
 Count}' in its present high rank. 
 
 i~ 
 
 JOEL CHENOWKTH. a pioneer and promi. 
 nent farmer residing on section 15, in Grand 
 View Township, was born in Pike County, 
 Oliio, in October, 1843, and is the third in a 
 family of six children born to Joel and Harriet 
 (McMatten) Chcnoweth, both of whom were natives 
 of the Buckeye .State. The father was a farmer by 
 occupation, and in October, 1851, the famil}' re- 
 moved to Logan County. 111., where they remained 
 only for about a year. They celebrated the 4th of 
 July, 185'2, by tlieir arrival in Louisa County, where 
 Mr. C. pnrchasei] 3'20 acres of land on section 15, 
 Grand View Township, part of which was tim- 
 ber and part prairie land, for which he paid ^7 per 
 acre. He took an active interest in the political 
 affairs of the communit}-, was a supporter of the 
 Republican part}', held a number of school offices, 
 and was Township Trustee for several 3'ears. His 
 death occurred in February. 1877, in his sixty-sixth 
 j'ear, his wife having been called to her final rest 
 several years previously, d3ing in 1853, at the .age 
 of forty years. 
 
 Our subject was reared to farm life, and received 
 
 the greater part of his education in the district 
 schools of Louisa County, though subsequently at- 
 tending the seminary at Grand View one j'ear. On 
 the 1 1 th of Se|)tember. 1 8() 1 , he enlisted as a member 
 of Company K, 8th Iowa Infantry, at Grand View, 
 where he was mustered into service, the regiment 
 being immediately ordered to tlie front, where 
 they participated in several skirmishes in Missouri, 
 and then took part in the battle of Shiloh. Mr. 
 Chenoweth was there taken prisoner, and was con- 
 fined at Tuscola, Ala., for two months under Wirz, 
 the noted Andersonville keeper. At the time of 
 his imprisonment his weight was 170 pounds, but 
 owing to the sufferings which resulted from in- 
 human treatment and the neglect and rigor which 
 is alwaj's a p.art of war, he oul}' weighed ninety- 
 five pounds when paroled. He was afterward ex- 
 changed, and on the 23d of August, 1802, was 
 discharged, and returned to his home in Louisa 
 County to recuperate. After somewhat regaining 
 his usual health, he re-enlisted at Grand View, Oct. 
 1, 18G3, for three years or during tlie remainder of 
 the war, becoming a member of Compan}' A, Uth 
 Iowa Cavalry. Being mustered in at Davenport, 
 he next marched to the front, participated in sev- 
 eral skirmishes, eng.aged in the battle of Peach 
 Orchard, and then was sent on a raid against the 
 bushwhackers, after which he was honorably dis- 
 charged at Little Kock, Ark., Feb. 28, 18GG. 
 
 Leaving the battle-fields of the .South, Mr. Chen- 
 oweth once more sought his home in Louisa County, 
 where his union with Miss Susan Wagner was cele- 
 brated in 1 868. The lady is a native of Pennsylvania, 
 and a daughter of Solomon and Susanna (Stroh) 
 Wagner, who were also born in that SUite, and emi- 
 grated to Louisa County, Iowa, in 1848, settling in 
 Grand View Township, where Mr. Wagner pur- 
 chased 120 acres of partly improved land on sec- 
 tion 6, on a portion of which the village of Letts 
 now stands. This was before the time of railroads 
 in Louisa County, when the people lived in pioneer 
 style. The death of Mr. Wagner occurred in 18GG. 
 at the age of fifty-seven years, and his excellent 
 wife still survives him. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. ami Mrs. Chenoweth 
 took up their residence on the farm which still 
 continues to be their home. He is the owner of 
 
 :?^r+^ 
 
,f 
 
 -^-m- 
 
 388 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 127 acres of fine, arable land, in a good state of 
 cultivation and highl3' improved. In bis political 
 sentiments he is a Republican, and is actively in- 
 terested in political affairs. For the past ten or 
 twelve years he has served as an efficient member 
 ot the School Board, and socially, l)elongs to J. 
 Dodder Post No. 446, at Grand View, in which he 
 holds the office of Quartermaster. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Chenoweth are members of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church at Grand View, iu wliioh he is one of 
 the Stew.ards, and also Superintendent of the Sun- 
 day-school, which has a large membership. To this 
 worth}' couple have been born six children, five 
 of whom are living: Lillie May, Charles William' 
 Isadora Gertrude, Ada Rachel and Clyde Elsworlh. 
 Arthur Dwight died on the IGlh of March. 1878, 
 at the age of sixteen months, the rest of the 
 children being all at home, attending school. The 
 home of our subject is pleasantly situated about 
 five miles from Letts and one mile from Grand 
 View. He and his estimable wife have witnessed 
 almost the entire growth of Louisa County, have 
 aided in its public enterprises, and are ranked 
 among its best citizens. 
 
 JOHN L. COLLINS, a pioneer hardware mer- 
 chant, of Columbus Junction, Iowa, was born 
 in Bombay, Franklin Co., N. Y., June 26, 
 1828, and is the son of Michael and Mar- 
 garet (Cotter) Collins. His parents were natives 
 of Count}' Cork, Ireland, and emigrated to America 
 in the spring of 1828. Landing in Canad.a, they 
 went directly to Ft. Covington, Covington Co., N. 
 Y., arriving at that place in May. 
 
 Our subject was reared on a farm and received 
 his education [)artly in the public schools and partly 
 at an academy. At the age of eighteen j'cars he 
 went to Berkshire County, Mass., where he was 
 employed as a book-keeper and clerk in a general 
 store. A j'ear later he returned to New York, 
 where he served as foreman for the Shakers. He 
 subsequently taught school in his native State 
 until 18.01, when he went West, locating at Wilming- 
 ton, 111., where he eng.aged as salesman in a general 
 store, and in the year 1852 again taught school in 
 
 a French settlement, and then engaged with a con- 
 tractor on the Chicago, Alton <k St. Louis Railroad 
 as foreman of construction. After serving one 
 year with that company he spent a short time in the 
 service of the Oquawka Railroad on the eastern ex- 
 tension of that line, and in 18."i4 came to Iowa, and 
 built a portion of the Mississii)pi & Missouri Rail- 
 road, now the Chicago, Rock Island it Pacific, ex- 
 tending from Muscatine Island to a point situated 
 a half-mile west of what was known as the sand 
 bank, adjacent to the present city of Columbus 
 Junction. He was connected with the extension 
 of the road to Washington, supplying material for 
 track-laying, and on the Mississippi & Missouri Road 
 to the sand bank, near the present crossing of the 
 Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern; in July, 
 1857, Mr. Collins opened a lumber-yard at that 
 point. He there continued business untd the road 
 was completed to what is now known as Old Clifton, 
 in Columbus City Township, when he removed his 
 business to that point, and opened a general store in 
 the fall of 1858. He bought out Charles Gallup, 
 who had opened the first business house at Clifton 
 three months before, and carried a general stock of 
 merchandise, also dealing in live stock, lumber and 
 coal. Later he added agricultural im[)lements to 
 his already extensive business, and built up a large 
 trade. In the spring of 1872 Mr. Collins trans- 
 ferred his business to Columbus Junction, moving 
 his family to that place in the fall of 1874. He 
 had established a good trade at the Junction, when 
 his property was destroj'eil by fire on the 22d of 
 June, 1874, by which he sustained a loss'of *7,700. 
 He rebuilt on the same site, and the building was 
 again destroyed by fire in October, 1888. In the fall 
 of 1876 he built the fine brick store which he now 
 occupies. The building is 20x75 feet, two stories 
 high, the upper fioor being occupied until recently' 
 as a public hall. Later Mr. Collins bought a half- 
 interest in the adjoining building of the same size 
 and style. He carrietl on the business of hardware 
 and farm machinery exclusively until 1880, when 
 he added dry-goods to his stock, occupying the 
 south store for that purpose. On the 1st of Janu- 
 ary, 1883, he sold a half-interest to his brother. P. 
 H. Collins, and the business was conducted under 
 the firm name of J. L. & P. H. Collins until M.ay 
 
 •► 
 
\ 
 
■<•- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 391 
 
 28, 1888, when tliey divided tlie business, his 
 brother taking tlie drj'-goods and grocery depart- 
 ment, and John L. retaining the hardware. 
 
 On tlie 13th of June, 186G,Mr. Collins was mar- 
 ried, at Waukegan, III., to Miss Ellen A. O'Conneli, 
 who was born at Bombay, Kraiiklin Co., N. Y., and 
 is the (iaugiitcr of John O'Conneli. In politics 
 Mv. Collins is a Grecnbacker, and has held various 
 otlicial positions. While a resident of Clifton he 
 served as Postmaster from Jul}', 18G1, until De- 
 cember, 1800, and h.is served two terms .is Ma^'or 
 of Columbus Junction. He is a member of Co- 
 lumbus Junction Lodge No. 365, L O. O. F., and 
 of AVashiiigton Lodge No. 101, A. O. U. W., of 
 Columbus Junction. Mr. Collins carries a stock 
 averaging in value $.5,000, and has the leading es- 
 tablishment in the hardware line in the conntj'. He 
 started in life without the intluence of friends and 
 without money, but by energy and enterprise, sup- 
 ported b}' integrity and sound business principles, 
 has succeeded in spite of losses by fire and reverses 
 in business in securing a comfortable fortune. 
 
 * -5»S5M^^.^«f i. 
 
 ^^P^ UGUST WEHMEY'ER. a farmer and stuck- 
 ^/lJI raiser on section 20, in Wapello Township, 
 " * came to Louisa County in 185C, locating 
 on the east side of the Iowa River, where 
 he lived for about ten 3'ears, and then sold that f;irm, 
 ])urchasing 150 acres on section 20, Wapello Town- 
 ship. On this he built a house, and began its 
 improvement, though he has since added to bis 
 original purclia.se, until his farm now comprises 900 
 acres. He makes a specialty of raising horses, cat- 
 tle and hogs, in which he is quite successful. 
 
 Mr. Wehmeyer was liorn in Prussia, Germany, in 
 1820, and is a son of Ilcrniau and Louisa (Keepei') 
 Wehmej'er. also natives of the same place, but both 
 are now dead. When twent^'-four years of age he 
 left his native lainL crossed the Atlantic, and landed 
 in New Orleans, wlience he proceeiled to St. Louis, 
 Working ihcie about two years. He subsequently 
 came to Iowa, since whieli time he has .accumulated 
 consi(leral)le property. 
 
 On the 27th of February, 1855, Mr. Wehmeyer 
 was united in niarri.age with Miss Wilhelniina Bot- 
 
 tomeller, of Warren County, Mo., who was born in 
 Germany, Dee. 17, 183G. They are the parents of 
 thirteen children, and with the exception of two. 
 who died in infancy, all areliving: Hciuy, l''reddie; 
 Maiy, wife of John McCoy : Lizzie, who married 
 Ileniy Webber; Amelia became the wife of Ulrich 
 Windnieyer; Emma, who wedded Henr}' Otto; Dan- 
 iel, Lena, Katie Matilda, Stenic and Clara. Mrs. 
 Wehmeyer is a member of the German Methodist 
 Episcopal Church. Politically, heafflliates with the 
 Democratic parly, and though not an active politi- 
 cian, is ahv.ays well informed on [lolitical affairs. 
 Portraits of this worth}- couple will be fouinl on the 
 accompanying page. 
 
 ■**^(S*^*'I 
 
 \«^ AVID STEPHENS, one of the highly re- 
 J spected and enterprising farmei-sof Louisa 
 County, now residing on section 3, Port 
 Louisa Township, was born in Canada, and 
 is the fourth in a family of thirteen children luirn 
 to Itosswell and Abigail (Pool) Stephens, ten of 
 whom grew to manhood and womanhood. His 
 father was a native of Massachusetts, and his mother 
 of Vei'inonl. His grandfather on his father's side 
 served in the Revolutionary War, and his grand- 
 father on his mother's side in the War of 1M2. 
 His father's occupation was that of farming, and his 
 death occvnred in April. 1 .S8G, at the age of eighty 
 years. The mother still survives hei' husband, and 
 is residing in Canada. They were both members 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 
 Our subject spent his boyhood days upon his 
 father's farm, but at the age of twenty years, in 
 1857, he came to Louisa County. Iowa, where he 
 engaged in the manufaclurc of brick, making the 
 brick for the (irand \'ievv school-lutuse. After fol- 
 lowing this occupation for a year, he went to Atchi- 
 son, Kan., where he opcrab-d a brickyard until the 
 Spring of IHGI), when he went to Colorado with a 
 mule team, and there engaged in mining on the 
 heailw.atcrs of the Colorado River. Rciuaining in 
 that State until the spring of lS(;i, Mr. Stephens 
 then retnrneil to Grand ^'icw, Iowa, from which place 
 he starte<l, e(piipi)ed with a mule team, for the gold 
 fields of California. It was until the following 
 
 — •^ 
 
 1 ' 
 
-^*- 
 
 392 
 
 4 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 July before his journej' across the plains was com- 
 pletefi. He engaged in mining in California until 
 18C5, when he once more returned to this county, 
 purchasing 160 acres of raw land on section 3, Port 
 Louisa Township, where he still resides. P'rom 
 time to time he has added to his original posses- 
 sions, until he now has 263 acres of finel}' improved 
 land, uix)n which a fine residence has been erected 
 at a cost of ii2.000. His barns and out-buildings 
 are models of convenience, and everj'thing about 
 the farm denotes the thrift and enterprise of the 
 owner. 
 
 In 1866 Mr. Stephens became acquainted with 
 Miss Ruth McChesney, a native of Illinois, and a 
 daugiiter of J. T. S. and Rebecca (Clark) ilcChes- 
 ney, who came to Louisa Count}' wiiii her parents in 
 18G0. Her father located in Jefferson Township, 
 where he purchased 1 ,800 acres of land. On that 
 farm Miss Ruth grew to womanhood, and in tlie 
 district schools of the neighborhood received her 
 e<iiication. In December, 1867, her marri.age with 
 Mr. Stephens was celebrated, and to them have been 
 born two sons and five daughters, Lydia, the eldest 
 daughter, now being the wife of George Edmond- 
 son. The other children — Jennie, Jesse, Lillian, 
 Nellie, Chester and Fern — are yet residing with their 
 parents. Mr. .Stephens is a member of the A. F. & 
 A. M., and is a stalwart Republican, a strong sup- 
 porter of the principles of that party. He is an 
 energetic, systematic farmer, one who receives the 
 respect of all with whom he conies in contact. 
 
 i-W 
 
 d"!!) AJHvS R. SMITH, an early settler of Louisa 
 ||| Countj' and a farmer by occupation, now 
 I, residing at Columbus Junction, is a native 
 I) of Jamestown, Russell Co., Kj'., and was 
 born Feb. 8, 1840. His parents were Jeremiah and 
 Sarah Ann (Morris) Smith. The father was born 
 in Virginia in 1812, was of Scotch descent, and 
 moved to Kcntuckj' in early life. He is now a 
 resident of Colunil)US Junction. The mother was 
 born in Adair County, Ky., of an old and highly 
 resjiected family of that Stale. Her death occurred 
 in 187S. 
 
 Wiien eight years of age, in the foil of 1848, our 
 
 subject came with his parents to Iowa, and settled 
 near Toolsboro, Louisa County. He was reared 
 on his father's farm, and was educated in the 
 common schools and at Grand View Academy. 
 On the 1st of Julj', in the year 18C1, he enlisted 
 for the late war as a private of Conipanj' C, 
 5th Iowa Infantrj'. At the battle of luka he was 
 wounded by a buckshot in the right knee, and has 
 never yet had the l)all extracted. At the same 
 battle he was captured, made his escape, but was 
 ver^' soon afterward recaptured. On the 25tii of 
 Kovember, 1863, while participating in the battle 
 of Mission Ridge, he was seriously wounded, re- 
 ceiving a gunshot in the right arm, and also in the 
 left shoulder. He was captured by the enemy, and 
 held a prisoner for one jear and five days, re- 
 ceiving his liberty on parol Nov. 30, 1864. He was 
 confined in the loathsome prison at Andersonville 
 for seven months, and while tliere resorted to 
 various expedients l)y which to preserve his life. 
 He was then taken to Charleston, where he was held 
 one month, after which he was removed to Florence, 
 S. C, where he remained until paroled. On reach- 
 ing home the reaction from the long nervous 
 strain prostrated him, and for weeks his life was 
 dcsi)aired of. On recovering his health he pur- 
 chased a farm in Grand View Township, where he 
 made his home after his marriage. 
 
 On the 25th of December, 1866, the union of Mr. 
 Smith and Miss Alice V. Ross was celebrated. 
 Mrs. Smith was a daughter of Alexander Ross, one 
 of the verj' carlj' settleis of Louisa County, whose 
 family was originall}' from Ohio, though she was 
 born in Grand View Township. One child, a son. 
 gr.aced their union, James Darwin, born Oct. 2. 
 1885. The mother survived the birth of her child 
 but a few weeks, dying October 21 following. Mr. 
 .Smith was again united in marriage, Sept. 15, 1886, 
 to Miss Emma Kern, daughter of G. F. Kern, of 
 Columbus Junction. Mrs. Smith was born in Grand 
 View Townsliiii, Louisa Co., Iowa, her parents 
 being early settlers of that region. One child was 
 born of the latter marriage, a daughter. Verba. 
 
 In 1872 Mr. Smith removed to Columbus 
 Junction, about the time that this city began to be 
 a town, here opening a grange store, which he cai- 
 ried on one year, lie then resumed farming east 
 
 1 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 393 
 
 of the Iowa Hiver, in Concorrl Towiisliip. and con- 
 tiiiuud that vocation four j'ears, at tlie expiiatitm 
 of which time he returned to Columbus Junction, 
 enjiaijiiig' in liio nioR'antiic business in coniijan^' 
 with O. P. Wilcox, which they carried on during 
 the j'ears 1884 and 1885. Then resuming farming, 
 he lias coiiliinu'd that business to tiie present time, 
 and now is the owner of 18.t acres of hmd, 150 of 
 which lie in Concord Township, and thirty-five acres 
 in Columbus City Township near the city. 
 
 Mr. Smith h;xs made his home in the city continu- 
 ously since 1878, and has latelj' erected a fine resi- 
 dence. In political sentiment he is a Rc|uibliean, 
 and has served one term as Mayor of Columbus 
 Junction, from March, 1887, to March, 1888. In 
 his religious opinions he is an original thinker, and 
 takes broad views in favor of the theory of evo- 
 lution, lie has been a close student of the best 
 writers on that subject, and entertains advanced 
 ideas, based on the results of close and careful in- 
 vestigation of the subject. Mr. Smith is a good 
 off-hand speaker, and has frequently been invited 
 to address the public. Sociall}-, a member of the 
 I. O. O. F.,he belongs to Columbus Junction Lodge 
 No. 365. Notwithstanding the unpopularity of 
 his views on the subject of religion, Mr. Smith is 
 held in high esteem as a man of sterling worth b^' 
 those who know him liest. 
 
 /^s^ AMUKL II. SIIEARKR, proprietor of the 
 ^^^ oldest established boot and shoe house at 
 lll/_Il) Columbus Junction, was born on June 30, 
 1 834, in York County, Pa., and his parents, 
 Martin and Elizabeth (Ilettrick) Shearer, were also 
 natives of that county, and of German de.scent. His 
 ancestry were among the early settlers of Pennsyl- 
 vania of Colonial days. Samuel received a com- 
 mon-school education, after which he served a 
 regular apprenticeship to the shoemaker's trade. 
 He was married in his native town, on the 3lst of 
 May. 1853. Miss Klizabeth Evans, daughter of 
 Jose[)h and Annie (Strickler) Evans, becoming his 
 wife. .She was born in York County, Pa., and is a 
 member of the German Heformeil Church. They 
 have seven children living and four deceased: Mar- 
 
 tin P., the eMest, became the husband of Anna 
 Stephens (now deceased), and resides at Abilene, 
 Kan.; John Adams is married, and lives in Kans.as; 
 Sylvester, a resident of Gettysburg, Kan., is also 
 married; Alma Jane is the wife of John Albright, 
 whose home is in Colon, Mich.; Arbe Wilbert is a 
 resident of Winfield, Iowa; Gari'ett and Clarence 
 are with their father in the store. Filbert. Lorenzo, 
 Carrie Ann, Jennette Bell and Alberta are those 
 deceased. 
 
 In 1855, about two years after his marriage. Mr. 
 Shearer m.ade his home near Johnsville, Mont- 
 gomery Co., Ohio, w'hcre he wis engaged in the 
 manufacture of boots and shoes until 1857, at which 
 time he became a resident of Columbus City, this 
 county. After working at his trade for a few 
 months in that place, he o()ened a boot and shoe 
 store, carrying on the business until 1876. In the 
 meantime he had established his present store at 
 Columbus Junction, in 1874, carrj'ing on both es- 
 tablishments at the same time until 1876, when he 
 consolidated the two concerns b)- moving his stock 
 in Columbus City to Columbus Junction. He built 
 and owns the store he now occupies, carries a fine 
 assortment of the latest and best styles of goods in 
 his line, and his stock averages $6,000 in value. 
 Politically, Mr. Shearer is a Democrat, and like 
 many other men, mnch [irefers to devote his undi- 
 vided attention to his business than to seek public 
 office. He h.as succeeded in building up a fine 
 trade on a conservative basis, and has been gener- 
 ally prosperous. As a citizen and neighbor, he 
 stands deservedl}' high, for his uniformly upright 
 and straightforward way of living has won him 
 reanv warm friends. 
 
 cxro 
 
 "oiio" 
 
 AVID STORMONT, Mayor of Morning 
 Sun. Iowa, and one of its progressive citi- 
 zens, was born in Washington County, Pa., 
 Dec. 1, 1835. and is a son of William and 
 Elizabeth (Galbraith) Stormout, who were born in 
 Ireland, but of Scotch descent. In their younger 
 years the |)arenls emigrated to America, aixl were 
 married in Washington County, Pa., where the 
 death of the father occurred in 1H."56, an<l sliorlly 
 
 ^- 
 
•>-ll^ 
 
 394 
 
 ,t 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 afterward Mrs. Storniont removed with her faniilj- 
 to Guernsey Count}-, Ohio. Our .subject received 
 his education in tlie common sdiools. Full of vital- 
 it}^ and energy, he early Ijegan working for him- 
 self, and when fourteen j-ears of age could handle 
 a cradle and do a man's woik. In 1853 he went to 
 Muskingum County. Ohio, where for two years he 
 was employed as a salesman, and in the fall of 18.5C 
 came to ]\Iorning .Sun, Iowa, wliere he embarked in 
 mercantile business as a member of the firm of 
 Jamison ct Stormont, which connection was con- 
 tinued until 1858. During that autumn Mr. Stor- 
 mont went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and there he was 
 emplo3ed as a clerk in a store until the following 
 spring, when he engaged in the mercantile business 
 for himself. In 18ill, after tiic Tresident's call for 
 troops, Mr. Stormont assisted in recruiting men for 
 the 5lh Kentucky Regiment, with the expectation 
 of receiving a commission, but it being consoli- 
 dated with the 2;?d Kentucky, he failed to secure 
 an appointment. He then had a commission to re- 
 cruit men as wagoners, which he did, and was 
 appointed w-ngonmastcr, after wiiich he was sent 
 with his men to Louisville, Ky., where the}' engaged 
 in training mules for the use of the Government. 
 After the fall of Ft. Donelson ho was sent to Nash- 
 ville, Tenu., under Cien. Wood, as Superintendent 
 of Trains, and was taken sick at luka, from which 
 place he was ordered home. 
 
 Returning to Ohio in the spring of 1864, Mr. 
 Stormont then went to Cedar Falls. Iowa, where 
 lie remained one j'ear, and in 1800 came to Louisa 
 County, where he engaged in farming for three 
 3'ears, and in 1869 was employed b}' Mr. Schnider, 
 of Ml. Pleasant, in the poultry business, and soon 
 afterward became a partner. In 1886 he established 
 his i)resent business in Morning Sun, dealing in 
 poultry, eggs and Hour, and b}- close attention to 
 the wants of his customers and fair dealing, has se- 
 emed a liberal share of the patronage. lie has 
 worked up quite a trade in Ih^ur, and now does a 
 large whulcsale business in that line. 
 
 In May. 185'J, in Logan County, Ohio, Mr. Stor- 
 mont and Miss Martha Hailcss, daughter of Stephen 
 IJailess, were united in marriage. To them have 
 been boiii twelve children, eleven of wlmm are yet 
 living— William S., Martlia E., Nellie K. K., Llllie 
 
 A. ^y., John O. B.. Catherine S., Jennie, Lucy AV., 
 Alice, Jane Mc and Charles A. McS. For years 
 Mr. Stormont was a Covenanter, but now belongs 
 to the United Tresbyterian Church. Mrs. Stor- 
 raont's parents were members of the Associate Re- 
 form Church, under whose faith she was reared, 
 but she is now a member of the Reform Presby- 
 terian Church. He is a wide-awake business man, 
 possessing that energy which insures success in any 
 undertaking. In 1885 he was elected Mayor of 
 Morning Sun, and proves an efficient and compe- 
 tent officer. 
 
 ^ IfelLLIAM D. JAMISON, deceased , was born 
 \.jj/l in Madison Coui.ty, Ohio, in 181 4, and was a 
 Vj'vV son of AVilllam and Ann (Brown) Jamison. 
 His father was originally from Kentuckj', while his 
 paternal grandfather was a native of Northern Ire- 
 land, and emigrated from that country to America 
 prior to the Revolution. He settled in Philadel- 
 phia, and his descendants are now numerous in 
 Louisa County, Iowa, where the}' are prominenth' 
 identified with the leading interests — agriculture 
 and stock-raising. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was reared to farm 
 life, and in 1835 became the husband of Miss Isa- 
 bella .Seeds, daughter of William Seeds. Three 
 cliildien were born of their union, two daughters 
 and a son : Martha is the wife of S. Dunham, of 
 Wapello Township; Susan is the widow of Samuel 
 Thompson, of Morning Sun, Iowa; and O. I., who 
 wedded Miss Mary J. Gillis. is the publisher of the 
 Columbus Gaic'tte, of Coknnbus Junction. Iowa, and 
 his sketch appears on another page of this work. In 
 1854 the death of Mrs. Jamison occurred, and in 
 October, 1855, Mr. Jamison was united in marriage 
 with Mis. ElizaLielh Cook, Hce Brown, and one child 
 was born of the latter marriage, a (laughter, Ella, 
 now liie wife of Clinton Collins, of Walioo, Neb. 
 
 In 1854 Mr. Jamison emigrated from Ohio to 
 Iowa, and settled in Wapello Township, where he 
 purchased 400 acres of land and engaged in fann- 
 ing ami stock-raising until 1872. when lie removed 
 to Mt. Pleasant, there making his home until his 
 death, which occurred Dec. 23, 1873. He was a con- 
 
I 
 
 •4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ••► 
 
 395 
 
 sistcnt member of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
 for forty-five j'ears, and forty j-ears of that time 
 served as Class-Leader. He was a lifelong Demo- 
 crat, and never wavered in his devotion to the prin- 
 ciples of his party. In all his intercourse with the 
 world he was distinguished for his purity of char- 
 acter and strict honcst3\ His life was that of a 
 true Christian, and commanded the respect of all 
 with whom he came in contact. His widow sur- 
 vives him, and resides with her ilaughter in Ne- 
 braska. 
 
 "• ■ > ' ^^r?^ ' < • '" 
 
 eAPT. JOHN C. SMITH, formerly proprietor 
 of the Hotel Dotson, of Columbus Junction, 
 was born in Rockbridge County, Ya., Feb. 
 3, IS.'SO, and is a son of Francis R. and IMargaret 
 (Holmes) Smith, both of whom were also natives of 
 that Stale. When twelve years of age he. removed 
 with his parents to Miami County, Ohio, where he 
 was reared on a farm, and on the 25th of March, 
 1852, in Piqua, Miami County, that State, wedded 
 Miss Mercy Luck}-, who was born in Athens County, 
 Ohio, and is a daughter of George Lucky. Four 
 children were born of their union: Mary Alice, 
 who died at tlie age of thirteen months; George, 
 who died at the age of fourteen months; William, 
 who died when eight years of age; and Harr^-, who 
 became the husl)and of Miss Maude White, and re- 
 sides in Decatur County, Iowa, where he is engaged 
 in the hardware business. 
 
 In 1853 Mr. Smith came to Louisa Countj', en- 
 gaging in farming in Concord Township, but one 
 3'ear later removed to Columbus City. On the 2d 
 of August, 1KG2, he enlisted in the 25th Iowa In- 
 fantr}-. Company F, and served until the close of 
 the war, being mustered out of service in June, 
 1865. He w.as elected Orderly Sergeant of his com- 
 pany on leaving the State for the seat of war, four 
 months later was promoted to Second Lieutenant, 
 and after serving in that capacity for four months 
 was promoted to First Lieutenant, and for eight 
 months, during the absence of his Captain, who was 
 acting as Major of the regiment, he was serving as 
 Captain of his company', to which rank he wjis com- 
 missioned, but before he could be mustered in as 
 such the war came to a close. Ca|)t. Smith partici- 
 -^ 
 
 pated in the battles of Chickasaw B:iyou, Arkansas 
 Post, the siege of Vicksburg, the entire Atlanta 
 campaign, the battles of Ringgold, Mission Ridge, 
 Chattanooga, Savannah, Macon and lientonville, 
 which included Sherman's celebrated march to the 
 sea. He was with his company in all the engage- 
 ments in which it particii)ated, and .although 
 slightly wounded by a gunshot in the neck at At- 
 lanta, was never in a hospiUil. At the battle of 
 Bentonville he was in the hottest of the fight, five 
 bullet holes being made in his clothes, though, bod- 
 ily, he escaped uninjureih 
 
 On his return from the war Capt. Smith engaged 
 in farming in the township of Grand View, subse- 
 quently being proijrietor of a hotel in the village of 
 that name, and also carrying the mail between that 
 village and Letts. In the fall of 1881 he was elected 
 Sheriff of Louisa County, was re-elected, and served 
 until Jan. 1, 1888. In 1882 he removed to Wapello, 
 the count}' seat, residing in that cit}- until March, 
 1888, when he removed to Cokunbus Junction, and 
 engaged in the hotel business. Capt. Smitli is a 
 Republican in politics, and a inembor of A. M. 
 Taj'lor Post No. 153, of Wapello, having been one 
 of its active members while a resident of that city. 
 He was a good oflicer, a brave soldier, and no one 
 st.ands higher in the estimation of his comrades than 
 the gallant Captain. As a citizen and neighbor, he 
 is universally respected by a large circle of friends 
 and acquaintances. 
 
 -<3=f= 
 
 JAMES SEMPLE, miller, of Wapello, w.as born 
 in Preble County, Ohio, Nov. G, 1821, and 
 is a son of David and Sarah (Sterrett) Sem- 
 ple. His father was a native of Ireland, and 
 emigrated to America in early life; his mother was 
 born in Pennsylvania. Our subject was reared on 
 a farm, and was united in marri.ige in his native 
 county, May 31, 18-lG, to Miss Derexa IIuls, a na- 
 tive of Butler County, Ohio, and a daughter of 
 Anthony Huls. 
 
 In 1850 Mr. .Semple came to Iowa, locating at 
 Wapello, Louisa County, where he helped build the 
 gristmill with which he has been connected more 
 
 i 
 
;l- 
 
 " ii» ~^ li . 
 
 396 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 or less ever since, and wliicli he now operates alone. 
 Tlie mill is run by water power, and mannfaetnres 
 Corn-nieal and feed. In its palmj" d.a^'S the Wapello 
 Mills did an extensive flouring business. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Seniple are members of the Presbyterian 
 Churehat Wapello. He is a Republican in political 
 sentiment, and has always been an earnest supporter 
 of that party. On the 1 8th of September, 18.50, he 
 was initiated into the I. O. O. F.. Louisa Lodge No. 
 19, of Wapello, Iowa, of which he has been a zeal- 
 ous member ever since. lie is one of the oldest 
 members left of that lodge, and for many years has 
 been the leader in the order in that institution. 
 Much of the pro.<perity and success of the lodge is 
 due to his watchful care of its interests, and zeal in 
 promoting its advancement. Mr. Semple is a whole- 
 souled, big-hearted man, upright and honorable, 
 and is held in high esteem b}' his fellow-citizens. 
 
 RANCIS STOCK, a representative farmer 
 of Louisa Count}', residing on section 4, 
 Grand View Township, was born in Ger- 
 many in 1822, and is a son of Adam and Catherine 
 (Rider) Slock, both of whom were also natives of 
 Germany, and who emigrated to An)erica in 18o;3. 
 The father's death occurred in Grand View, Iowa, 
 in 18C2, and the mother was called to her final rest 
 in 1874. They were both members of tiie German 
 Reform Church. The father, who w.as a stone- 
 mason l)y trade, served as a soldier for several 3'ears 
 under Napoleon Bonaparte, and participated in the 
 battles of Jeni and Ourstet. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Stock were the parents of six chil- 
 dren: Carl W., a stonemason living in Germany; 
 Carl Godlip, a resident farmer of Webster Count}', 
 Neb.; our subject; Amelia, the wife of Frederick 
 Gost, of Grand View, Iowa; lleiuietta, wife of 
 Albert Kuehn, a resident farmer of Webster County, 
 Neb.; Turrissa, wife of Adam IJlooraer, who is re- 
 siding in Hancock County, 111. 
 
 Our subject learned the mason's trade previous 
 to his emigration to this country. Thinking that 
 the New World would furnish a better field for his 
 future labors, in 1851 he sailed for America, lan<l- 
 ing at New York, where he remained for six weeks. 
 
 and then went to St. Louis, Mo., residing there for 
 about si.x months, engaged at his trade. At the 
 expiration of that time he became a resident of 
 Iowa, settling in Dubuque, where he lived for 
 about two months, and then in Muscatine, where he 
 remained for the succeeding two months, after 
 which' he came to Grand View. In this village he 
 workeil at his trade until 18GG, and then purchased 
 eighty acres of land on section 4, Granil View 
 Township, where he yet resides, and now owns a 
 finely cultivated farm. 
 
 On the 10th of April, 18o7,Mr. Stock was united 
 in marriage with Elizabeth Winkleman, a native of 
 Switzerland, and a daughter of Gabriel Winkleman, 
 who was then a resident of Louisa County. By 
 this marriage six children were born: Frankie; 
 Otto, a farmer of Webster County, Neb.; Emma, 
 wife of AVesley liahn, also a resident of Webster 
 County; William, Laura and Lydia. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Stock are both members of the 
 Evangelical Church. Politically, he is a Repub- 
 lican. Mr. Stock came to this country a poor bo}', 
 but by his own honest enterprise and labor has 
 gained a comfortable competency, and is now one 
 of the highly esteemed citizens of the community. 
 
 •'i^sS* 
 
 -^f^ 
 
 ■>^*C^ 
 
 J^ ACOB SULZBERGER, a farmer residing on 
 i section 6, Port Louisa Township, was born 
 in Baden, Germany, in 1823, and is the eld- 
 ' est of a family of eight children, who were 
 born to Jacob and Elizabeth (Schafer) Sulzberger, 
 who were also natives of Baden. In their native 
 country the parents resided until their death, the 
 father there following the occupation of rope-mak- 
 ing. 
 
 Our subject received his education in his native 
 land and there learned the trade of a baker, which 
 he followed a great many years. At about the age 
 of twenty-five years he resolved to try his fortunes 
 in the New World, and setsail in the spring of 1848 
 from Havre on the sailing-vessel "Chesapeake," after 
 a rough voyage of six weeks landing at New York. 
 Cioing to Buffalo, he worked at his trade for a year 
 and then cniigrate<i to Cincinnati, Ohio, where be 
 
 n- 
 
-4•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 397 
 
 again sociirerl etuployiiient at his chosen profession 
 for the following year. In 1850 he came to Louisa 
 County, Iowa, and was here engaged at farm labor 
 until the spring of 1H51, when he returned to 
 Cincinnati during the high water. He made that 
 his home until 1860, working at his trade of a 
 baker. 
 
 At Piqua, Ohio, in 1854, Mr. Sulzberger and 
 Elizabeth Kiefer, a native of Baden, were united in 
 marriage. They began their domestic life in Cin- 
 cinnati, but removed to Louisa County, Iowa, in 
 18C0, Mr. Sulzberger working upon a farm. In 
 18(57 he purch.ased fort}' acres of timber land on 
 section 6, Port Louisa Township, but it had no im- 
 provements. He has added to bis original purchase 
 until he now has sixty acres of fine, arable land on 
 section 6, and also owns 221 ou the island. In 
 1855, when the cholera was epidemic in Cincinnati, 
 Mrs. Sulzberger was stricken and died, leaving one 
 child, John J. 
 
 In 185G, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Mr. Sulzberger was 
 again united in marriage, Elizabeth Bachet, a na- 
 tive of Baden, becoming his wife. Five children 
 were born of this union, two of whom are living, 
 Rosa and Fred, who are still at home. The other 
 children were: Lizzie, who died at the age of one 
 year and nine months; George, who died at the 
 age of nineteen years, nine months and eight da3's, 
 on the 2d of April, 1880; Catherine, wtio died in 
 1864, at the age of one year. Mr. Sulzberger is 
 pleasantlj' situated about six miles from Wapello, 
 and is one of the highlj' respected citizens of the 
 townshii). 
 
 _. <*«l^ — 
 
 i~ 
 
 If^jEV. JOHN E. ECtGERT, former pastor of 
 IL;^ the Central Presbyterian Church, of Colum- 
 ii^\ bus Junction, was born in Butler County, 
 \^Pa., Nov. 20, 1855, and is a son of Joseph 
 and Margaret (Parker) Eggert, His father was 
 born in Westmoreland Count}', Pa., and was de- 
 scended from the German. His great-grandfather 
 ran atvay from his home in Germany, and came to 
 America prior to the Revolution, afterward taking 
 l)art in the war. The mother of our subject was 
 born in Butler County, Pa., and both [jarents are 
 
 -^« 
 
 still living, being residents of P.arker's Landing, 
 that State. 
 
 In 1877 Mr. P^ggert was graduated from the Woos- 
 ter University at Woostcr, Ohio, and then entered 
 the Western Theological Seminar}^ at Allegheny, 
 Pa., from which institution he was graduated in tlie 
 spring of 1 880. In Ma}' of the same year he entered 
 upon his work as pastor of the church in Columbus 
 Junction, and continued in that relation until No- 
 vember, 1888. 
 
 On the 6th day of September, 1881, at Parker's 
 Landing. Pa., Mr. Eggert was united in marriage 
 with Miss Anna T. Robinson, who was born in 
 Armstrong County, that State, and is a daughter of 
 Elisha Robinson. Two children were born of their 
 union: John, the elder, died in infancy; and Joseph 
 R., who was born July 8, 1886. In his political 
 views Mr. Eggert is a Republican. He is an active, 
 earnest and devoted worker in his Master's cause, 
 and since entering upon his ])astoral duties at Co- 
 lumbus Junction made many warm friends. 
 
 'S^HILIP RICHLEY, a farmer residing on 
 Jl) .section 2, Port Louisa Township, came to 
 ^^^ Louisa County in 1855. He was born in 
 Baden, Germany, in 183C, and is a son of 
 Philip and Barbara (Ban worth) Richley, who were 
 also natives of the same country, where the father 
 died in 1830, and the mother in 1854. The father 
 was a shoemaker by trade, and he and his wife were 
 members of the Roman Catholic Church. 
 
 Determining to make America his future homef 
 in 1853 Philii) Richley came to the United States, 
 and settled in Newark, N. J., where he engaged at 
 his trade of shoemaking for nine months. Hethen 
 worked at sliocinaking in New York City for fif- 
 teen months, and in 1855 came to Iowa, settling in 
 Grand View Township, where he secured employ- 
 ment on a farm, and then worked at Wapello for a 
 year. Like so many other of his fellow-country- 
 men, when the Civil War broke out he nobly de- 
 fended the land which was henceforth to be his 
 home, enlisting in August, 1862, in the 19th Iowa 
 Infantry, Comjiany G. and served until the close of 
 the war. He participated in the battles of Prairie 
 
 ric Y 
 
398 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Grove. Yicksburg. Sterling Farm, Spanish Fort 
 Blakelej', and was detailed as surgeon's aid. He was 
 taken prisoner with tlie regiment at Sterling Farm, 
 and w.as confined for ten months at Camp Ford, 
 near Tyler, Tex. He was discharged Jul}' 10, 18G5, 
 at Mobile, Ala., after three years' hard fighting on 
 the battle-fields of the South. 
 
 Returning from the war Mr. Riclilej- again be- 
 came a resident of Louisa County, where he rented 
 land for two years, and tiien purchased a 40-acre 
 tract in Grand View Township, though he now has 
 eighty acres, which are all highly improved. In 
 18G1 he was united in marriage with Catherine 
 llasclier, a native of Alsace, France, and a daugh- 
 ter of John and Catherine Hascher, who were also 
 horn in the same country. Mr. and Mrs. Richley 
 are the parents of two living children: John G., a 
 resident farmer of Louisa Count}', and Lena Mary, 
 wife of Theodore Wilton, of Port Louisa Township. 
 Mr. Richley and his wife are memliers of the Con- 
 gregational Church, and he belongs to the G. A. R. 
 Post. For ten years Mr. Richley has served as 
 Road Supervisor, and two years held the position of 
 Constabii'. In all church and Sunday-school work 
 he and his estimable wife take an active interest, 
 and have done much for the upbuilding of their 
 Master's cause. Mr. Richley is in favor of the strict 
 inforcement of the prohibitory laws, and is one of 
 the self-made men of the county, having gained a 
 competency by bis hard labor and good manage- 
 ment. He is one of the respected and representa- 
 tive farmers of Port Louisa Township. 
 
 ^ M. CURTIS, a gardener residing in Letts, 
 Iowa, was born in Union County, Pa., in 
 1819. and is a son of Simeon and Patience 
 (Hill) Curtis. At an early day the father went to 
 New York, settling in Steuben County, where he 
 worked at his trade of carpentering for some years, 
 and then removed to Constantine, St. Joseph Co., 
 Mich., where he engaged in the same employment, 
 living there until his death, which occurred many 
 years ago. The mother had died several years pre- 
 viously. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm and received 
 
 4» 
 
 his education in the district schools of his native 
 State. In 1840 he was united in marriage with 
 Martha C. .Skutt. wlu) was born in New York, of 
 which State her parents, Peter and Betsy (Decker) 
 Skutt, were also natives. In that .State the father 
 followed farming until 18.52, when he became a 
 resident of Kent County, Mich., making that his 
 home until his death, which occurred Nov. 25, 
 186G. His wife survived him several years, dying 
 Oct. 24, 1873. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Curtis liegan their domestic life in 
 New York, where they resided for some time, and 
 then removed to'Sl. Joseph County, Mich., in 1844. 
 To them were born ten children: Samuel, who is 
 married, and now resides in Linn County, Kan.; 
 Shepherd is married, and living in Anderson County, 
 Kan.; John is married, and resides in Grand View; 
 Albert is married, and makes his home in Letts; 
 Mary Ann, now Mrs. Hutchinson, whose home is 
 in Butler County, Kan.; Thomas S. is married, and 
 living in Letts; Ella, now Mrs. Furnas, is a resident 
 of that village; Olive is the wife of Mr. Parsons, of 
 Muscatine County; Hattie resides at home; and 
 Minnie, now Mrs. Harrison, is living in Muscatine. 
 
 After his arrival in Michigan Mr. Curtis pur- 
 chased 240 acres of laud, which he gre.atly improved, 
 but sold it on his removal to Iowa, where he settled 
 in Muscatine County in 1865, and where he resided 
 several years. In 1873 he removed to Letts, Louisa 
 County, which has been his home continuously 
 since, and for the past few years has engaged in 
 Bardeninjj. He and his wife are members of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, in which be is one of 
 the most active workers, and an earnest promoter 
 of the cause of Christianity. He casts his ballot 
 with the Republican party, and is one of the promi- 
 nent men of the town. During the late war he en- 
 listed at Constantine, Mich., in 1861, in Chandler's 
 Horse Guards for three years* service, being mus- 
 tered in at Coldwater, but was soon discharged, 
 then re-enlisted, in Lam|)heer's Battery of Light 
 Artillery, as wagonmaster, and was mustered in at 
 Kalamazoo. On entering the service he was sent 
 to Louisville, thence to Salt Creek, after which he 
 returned to Louisville, and later participated in the 
 battle of Cumberland Ford, where his health failed 
 him and he was sent home. About a year later he 
 
i$ 
 
 <^ 
 
 w i 
 
u 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 401 
 
 i^ 
 
 was iiuistei'otl out of service. His two sons, Saimid 
 anil .Siieplieril, also served during the war as mem- 
 bers of tbe 19th Michigan Infantry, under Gen. 
 Hooker. The father of Mrs. Curtis was a soldier 
 in the War of 1812. 
 
 
 u& 
 
 (* ftlLLIAM KKMP. one of the pioneers of 
 \/sJi/ Louisa Count}', residing on section 8, Port 
 V^^ Louisa Township, is a native of Somerset 
 County, Md., born May -JO, 1807, and his parents, 
 John and lilizaheth (Urown) Kemp, were also na- 
 tives of the same county, and of Scotcii-Irish de- 
 scent. The father was a farmer by occupation, and 
 died when our subject was a small lad. He lived 
 with his mother until ten 3'ears of age, when he left 
 home and went to work on a farm, continuing in 
 this employment until liis marriage, which occurred 
 in 1827, Miss Berzette Wright, a native of Caroline 
 Count}', Md., becoming his wife. Four years later 
 Mr. Kemp and his wife left their native State and 
 went to Ohio, settling in Ross County, where they 
 resided one year and then removed to Fayette 
 Countj', remaining until the fall of 1855. At that 
 time Mr. Kemp emigrated to Louisa County, Iowa, 
 settling near Fredonia, where he rented land for 
 three years. At the expiration of that time he be- 
 came the owner of eighty acres of wild, unculti- 
 vated land on section 8, Port Louisa Township, 
 which he immediately began to improve, and soon 
 developed a fine farm. This still continues to be 
 his home, though the farm now comprises 127 acres 
 of fine land, wiiich pays a golden tril>ute to his care 
 and cultivation. 
 
 Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Kemp: 
 Mary Elizal)eth, wife of Peter Goodwin, whose 
 home is in Washington County, Iowa; Harriet A., 
 who wedded Nimrtxl P\'tte, of Ohio; and John A., 
 a resident farmer of Louisa County. On the loth 
 of December, 1833, the mother of these children, 
 who was a sincere Christian lady, and a member of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church, was called to lier 
 final rest. In 183G Mr. Kemp was united in mar- 
 riage with Hester Goodwin, who w.as born in Ross 
 County, (Jhio, and is a daughter of Levi Goodwin, 
 
 .^« 
 
 also a native f)f the liuckcye State. H}- this mar- 
 riage seven children were born: James, a farmer of 
 this county; George W.. who is engaged in farming 
 in Custer County, Neb. ; Aaron, living in Port Lou- 
 isa Township; Martha J., who died at the age of 
 sixteen years; Francis, a resident farmer of Louisa 
 County; William T., also a fanner of this county, 
 and Levi, a resident of Otoe County, Neb. On the 
 1st of March, 1872, Mrs. Kemp departed this life. 
 l\Ir. Kemp is a member of the Christian Church. 
 He is a self-made man liniuicially. Having started 
 out in life when only ten years old to make his own 
 living, working for his lioard for a time, he has yet 
 little by little added to his finances until he now has 
 a comfortable competenc}'. Politically, he is a 
 Democrat, and has always been a temperate man. 
 Mr. Kemp has passed the allotted time of manj', 
 Ijeing in his eighty-second year, but he is still hale 
 and heart}', and can look back upon a life well spent. 
 His children have grown up, married, and reared 
 families which honor the name. He has nine chil- 
 dren, forty-three grandchildren and nineteen great- 
 grandchildren, who will ever keep his memory 
 green. It is with pleasure that we present to our 
 patrons a portrait of this honored man. 
 
 ^; AMES R. KEMP, one of the early settlers 
 of Louisa County, now residing on section 
 G, township 74, is a farmer and stock-raiser. 
 He was born in Fayette Count}', Ohio, in 
 1838, and was the eldest of a family of seven chil- 
 dren born to William and Hester (Goodwin) Kemp, 
 who were natives of Maryland, but emigrated to 
 Ohio at an early day, the father there engaging in 
 farming until his removal in 1855. Coming to 
 Louisa County, he located in Grand View Town- 
 ship, and rented a farm of George W. Reeder, 
 which he cultivated for some time, and then re- 
 moved to Port Louisa Township, and purchased 
 the farm where he yet resides. His excellent wife 
 died in 1873, between the ages of fifty-five and 
 sixty. 
 
 Our subject was reared to farm life, receiving his 
 
 f 
 
-4*- 
 
 402 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 education in the district schools of Ohio, and came 
 to Louisa County- when a j'oung man. He was 
 here married in 1865, becoming the husband of 
 Lavina Adams, a native of Iowa, and a daughter 
 of Ilolsond and Aletha Adams, who were born in 
 New York, but settled in the northern part of this 
 State at an early daj'. The death of the father oc- 
 curred in 18Si), but the mother is still living, and 
 resides in Jefferson Township. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Kemp purchased a farm 
 of sixty-eight and one-half acres of iin[)roved land, 
 upon which he has built a nice residence, and has 
 added to it from time to time until he now owns 
 400 acres in Grand View, and ten acres in Concord 
 Township, comprising one of the best farms in the 
 count}'. He has planted a good orchard, and his 
 stock is of the best grades, including the fine Dur- 
 ham cattle, which he makes a specialt}' of buying 
 and selling. He casts his ballot with the Democr.atic 
 part}', though is not a politician, having never 
 sought or desired [)ublic ofHce. He is a friend to 
 education, believing in providing the best schools 
 and securing the most etlicient teachers, and he as- 
 sisted in organizing the school districts in his town- 
 ship. 
 
 In 18G6 the death of Mrs. Kemp occurred, her 
 disease being quick consumption. She left one 
 child, William Ilolsond, who is now married and 
 resides in Port Louisa Township. Two years after 
 the death of his first wife, in 1868, Mr. Kemp led 
 to the marriage altar Mary Bacon, who was born in 
 South Carolina, and is a daughter of Uriah and 
 Mary Bacon. Her father was a manufacturer of 
 cotton gins, and is supposed to have been killed in 
 Georgia. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Kemp h.as been born a fainil}- 
 of seven children — Leoran, Martha Jane, Abner 
 Rosdon, Ernest Ormond, James Otto, John Walters 
 and Vinnie F^dna. The children are all yet at home, 
 and enjoying the advantages afforded by the schools 
 of the community. Mr. Kemp was in limited cir- 
 cumstances when he came to this county, but with 
 that energy wiiich characterizes all his actions, he 
 began to make for himself a home, and b}' industry 
 and frugality has secured a comfortable property. 
 His farm is pleasantly situated al)oift eight miles 
 from Columbus Junction, four miles from Wapello, 
 
 and seven miles from Letts. He has witnessed al- 
 most the entire growth of the county, has partici- 
 pated in its progress and development, and is 
 highly esteemed among its prominent citizens. 
 
 We present in this connection a portrait of Mr. 
 Kemp, which will be welcomed by his many friends. 
 
 ^p^EORGE LOWE, one of the leading young 
 [|j (=- fanners of Concord Township, whose home 
 ^^^4! is pleasantly situated on section 4, about 
 four and a half miles from Columbus Junction, was 
 born in 1 801, in Louisa County, on the farm where 
 he yet resides. He was the third in a family of 
 five children, who were born to Johti and Margaret 
 (tiarkcr) Lowe, who were natives of Germany, and 
 came to this country two years previous to the 
 birth of our subject. The father was a mason by 
 trade, and followed that occupation for some j-ears 
 in this county, but at length traded his home in 
 Grand View for forty acres of prairie land and be- 
 gan farming. He subsequently added to his origi- 
 nal possessions until he owned 280 acres of fine, 
 arable land, under a good state of cultivation. He 
 took quite an active part in the political affairs of 
 the community and cast iiis ballot for the Demo- 
 cratic party. His death occurred in 1878, after a 
 short illness, when forty-five years of age. His wife 
 departed this life in 1877, at the age of fifty years. 
 
 Our subject was reared to farm life, and received 
 his education in the district schools of Louisa 
 County, where liis entire life has been passed. In 
 1882, in Grand View Township, he was united in 
 marriage with Miss Allie Wagner, one of Louisa 
 County's daughters. Her parents, P. C. and Cathe- 
 rine (Stroll) Wagner, were natives of Dauphin 
 Count}', Pa., but became residents of this C(junty 
 at an early day, and are now living on section 21, 
 Grand View Township. The father followed cabi- 
 net-making in his native State, and is now engaged 
 in farming. By the union of Mr. and Mrs. Lowe 
 two children were born — Lelia Ethel and Berton 
 Leroy. 
 
 The young couple began their domestic life upon 
 the farm where they yet reside, which comprises 
 220 acres of fine, arable land, under a high state of 
 
 ••^"9-^ 
 
 T 
 
u 
 
 ^^^H l["^* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 403 
 
 cultivation. Upon it m.ay nlso be found the ira- 
 provements necess.nry to .1 model f.irm of the nine- 
 teenth centui^v, .ind it is stocked with Durham and 
 Polled-Anfjus cattle, and also Clydesdale and Nor- 
 man houses. Mr. Lowe is not a politician, but 
 votes with the Democratic party. He has served 
 as School Director for a number of terms, and has 
 also served as Assessor several times. He has identi- 
 fied himself with tiic puljlie interests of the county, 
 and is numbered among the best citizens. 
 
 t 
 
 ^^EORGE W. TI10MA.S. who is e.\-Clerk of 
 jll (^ the District Court of Louisa County, was 
 ^^jjl born in Wapello, Dec. 14, 1856, and is 
 a son of George F. and Elizabeth R. (Mintc>n) 
 Thomas. His parents were among the earliest pio- 
 neers of Louisa Countj-, and tlieir sketch appears 
 elsewhere in this work. His maternal grandparents 
 were also verj- early settlers at Wapello, and his 
 grandfather. Hon. Jacob Minion, was a member of 
 the i^econd Territorial Legislature of Iowa. 
 
 Our subject attended the public schools- from the 
 time he had attained sufficient age until he was tliir- 
 teen. Then, his parents being like many others of 
 the pioneers of this Western countrj', not any too 
 well provided with this world's goods, he had to 
 begin to make a living for himself. After two 
 years spent upon a farm he entered upon the mys- 
 teries of mercantile life as a grocer's clerk. Quit- 
 ting that occcupation at the age of seventeen, he 
 was engaged to assist in the management of a livery 
 stable, which occupation afforded more freedom of 
 action and more excitement than the routine of a 
 grocer's clerk. Two years later he engaged with a 
 lumber firm as teamster. After three j'ears in that 
 emplo^'nient he opened a restaurant in Wapello. 
 One year of that business .served to satisfy his am- 
 bition in that direction, when he sold out and ac- 
 cepted the position of Deputy Clerk of the District 
 Court, entering upon the duties of the oHice Jan. 
 1, 1880. This business proving congenial to his 
 taste, Mr. Thomas was a candidate for the office at 
 the ensuing election in the fall of 1^82, and was 
 elected. He took possession of the olfice Jan. 1, 
 1883, and his services proved so satisfactory to his 
 
 constituents and the public generally that he was 
 re-elected at the succeeding elections of 1884 and 
 1886. 
 
 At Wapello, Iowa, Nov. 25, 1 880, the marriaoe 
 of Mr. Thomas and Miss Mary M. Huff, a daughter 
 of John Huff, Esq., former Clerk of the Court, was 
 celebrated. Mrs. Thonnis' death occurred April 9, 
 1884, following the birth of her child, which was 
 born and died April 1 of that 3-ear. Mr. Tliomas 
 w.as again married, Jan. 20, 18K6, at Wapello, to 
 jMiss Jennie Smith, daughter of ex-County Treas- 
 urer E. F. Smith. Mrs. Thomas was born in Peoria 
 County, HI., and her mother's maiden name was 
 Sarah Hungerford. Mr. and Mrs. Thom.is have 
 one child, a son, George Smith, born Jan. 12, 1887, 
 at Wapello, Iowa. Mrs. Thomas received her re- 
 ligious instruction under the auspices of the Pres- 
 byterian Church, of which she is now a member. 
 During his long term of service, Mr. Thomas 
 proved himself competent and attentive in the dis- 
 charge of official duties, while by uniform courtesy 
 he has won hosts of friends. 
 
 -s- 
 
 •^-^^Vt^it^^^^' 
 
 ^■^ RASMUS W. TATLOCK, a prominent at- 
 llM tornej'-at-law of Wapello, was born in the 
 /Ijrr^ town of Troy, Davis Co., Iowa, March 25, 
 1843, and is a son of Miles and Margaret C. (Cam- 
 eron) Tatlock. His father was born in North Caro- 
 lina in 1806, and was an early settler of Davis 
 County, Iowa. He was a man of superior intellect- 
 ual force, and was a consistent member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. During the latter 
 j-ears of his life he was chosen Judge of the Probate 
 Court of Davis Count}', and served in that capacity 
 several years. His death occurred in the year 1855. 
 The mother of our subject was born in Washington 
 Count}-, Ind., in 1820, and was of Scotch parent- 
 age. 
 
 Erasmus W. Tatlock was a student of Troy Acad- 
 emj', where he was fitting himself for college when 
 the breaking out of the late war interrupted his 
 plans. He quitted the schoolroom for the saddle, 
 and enlisted Jul}' 31, 1861, being .assigned to Com- 
 pany A, 3d Iowa Cavalry. His regiment was as- 
 signed to the Western Army, serving in the 15th 
 
 ^^^-i. 
 
f 404 
 
 a 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 and IGtli Army Corps, and Mr. Tatlock was with it 
 through the battle of Pea Ridge, and all its active 
 service, including the last battle of the war, which 
 the}' fought at Columbus, Ga., April 16, 1865, after 
 Lee's surrender at Appomattox. He was commis- 
 sioned .Second Lieutenant in December, 1864, which 
 rank he held when mustered out, Ang. 9, 1865. 
 During his four-^'ears service Lieut. Tatlock never 
 once failed to report ready for dutj', except about 
 three weeks. 
 
 On his return from the war our subject began 
 the stud}' of law at Bloonifield under Gen. J. B. 
 Weaver, a prominent jurist of Iowa, now a Member 
 of Congress from this State. In 1 866 he was elected 
 Clerk of the District Court of Davis County, and 
 served two years in that capacity, and in 1869 was 
 admitted to the bar. He came to Wapello in 1870, 
 and engaged in the practice of his profession. On 
 the 6th of October of that year Mr. Tatlock was 
 united in marriage with Miss AlzinaKremer, daugh- 
 ter of Ziba Krenier, a prominent citizen of Louisa 
 County, now residing near (jolumbus City. Mrs- 
 Tatlock was born in Luzerne County, Pa., and was 
 reared and educated tliere. Her religious instruc- 
 tion was received through the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, of which denomination she is a consistent 
 member. Mr. and Mrs. Tatlock are the parents of 
 five children, only two of whom are now living: a 
 daughter, Ruth, is the eldest: Elmer and Elsie, twins, 
 died in infancy; Prudie died at the age of five 
 years; Susie is the youngest of the family. 
 
 Soon after coming to Wapello Mr. Tatlock be- 
 came associated with Col. Jolin Bird in a law part- 
 nership, under the firm name of Bird & Tatlock. 
 They built up an extensive practice, and became 
 one of the leading law firms of Louisa County. 
 That connection continued several years, when it 
 was dissolved, and a similar partnership was formed 
 with J. B. Wilson, iuid continued until 1881, since 
 which time Mr. Tatlock has been alone in practice. 
 His business extends to the higher courts of the 
 country, and his reputation as a lawyer is second to 
 none in the county. In March, 1887, Mr. Tatlock 
 purchased the Record, of Wapello, with the inten- 
 tion of making that journal a reliable Rcpul)lican 
 paper. In August of the same year he sold a half- 
 interest in it, and in January, 1888, closed out the 
 
 business to the present proprietor. George E. E. 
 Townsend. In August, 1887, he purchased the old 
 brick school-house near the southwest corner of 
 Main and Van Buren streets, and the half block of 
 land on which it stands. He h.is refitted the build- 
 ing for business purposes, leasing the lower floor to 
 Mr. Townsend. He occupies the entire upper floor 
 for office pur[)oses, and now has the largest and best 
 appointed law office in the county, together with 
 the most extensive and complete library in Eastern 
 Iowa. 
 
 Politically, Mr. Tatlock is an earnest Republican, 
 and while not an aspirant for the honors of office, 
 takes a warm interest in political campaigns and the 
 success of his part}'. He has now been in practice 
 at Wapello for eighteen years, during which time 
 he has secured a fair share of the legal business of 
 the county, and is highly esteemed by all with 
 whom he has had business or social relations. lie 
 has taken an .active interest in rifle practice, and is 
 President of the Western Rifle Association, an or- 
 ganization that embraces clubs from Iowa, Illinois, 
 Wisconsin and Kansas. See sketch of the same 
 elsewhere in this work. 
 
 -viecar©^'" — fe« 
 
 -^^wra^iv 
 
 L. SIVERLY, one of the pioneer settlers 
 of Louisa County, Iowa, now residing on 
 section 8, Oakland Township, was born in 
 Kentucky, in the month of April, 1839. The fol- 
 lowing .July his parents, E. W. and Nancy (Jordan) 
 Siverl}', came to this count}'. The father was a 
 native of Vermont, and the mother of Ohio. Set- 
 tling in Morning Sun Township. Mr. Sivcrly bought 
 and entered a claim, which he still continues to 
 improve, and now owns 200 acres of fine, arable 
 land. He is now eighty-one years of age, while 
 Mrs. Siverly is in her seventy-first year. They are 
 the parents of fifteen chddren. 
 
 Our subject has spent almost his entire life in 
 Louisa County, his earliest recollections being of 
 his home in Morning Sun Township. He was reared 
 to farm life, receiving his education in the district 
 schools, and in Louisa County commenced farm- 
 ing for himself. In 1869, in Oakland Township, 
 
 
u 
 
 ■» II ^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 405 
 
 lie was united in marriajre with Elizabeth McKins-. 
 try, wiio was born in Oliio, and is a daughter of 
 Klnicr McKiiistry, who was also a native of that 
 State. Her father was a fanner by occupation, and 
 spent his entire life in Ohio, his death having oc- 
 curred several years ago. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Si verly located on section 
 8, Oakland Township, whore he still continues to 
 reside. Purchasing HO acres of raw prairie and 
 timber land, ho immediately' began its improve- 
 ment, and now h.as one of the best cultivated farms 
 in the county. Throe good springs furnish water, 
 and the stock is all of the best grades. He makes 
 a specialty of raising Poland-China hogs, in which 
 he has been quite successful. Politically, Mr. Siv- 
 erly is a Republican, and takes an active interest 
 in political affairs. He has never sought public 
 office, but has served as Townsliip Trustee, and has 
 also assisted in organizing some of the school dis- 
 tricts in his township. 
 
 In 1877, after a lingering illness of three months, 
 Mrs. Siverly departed this life, dying at the age of 
 thirty-seven years. Two children were born of 
 theirunitin, but died in infancy. Mr. Siverly was 
 again married, July 3, 1S77, in Louisa County, 
 Sarah Isabella Johnston, who was born in this 
 count}- in 18.04, becoming his wife. She is a daugh- 
 ter of Samuel Hamilton and Mary A. (Duncan) 
 Johnston, who were natives of Tennessee, and who 
 came to Iowa in 1851, settling in Union Township, 
 where tliey were among the early settlers. Mr. 
 Johnston is a farmer by occupation, and improved 
 a fine farm on Short Creek. He is an ardent sup- 
 porter of the Republican parly, having enlisted in 
 its ranks on its organization. In 1840 he cast his 
 first vote for William Henry Harrison, and on the 
 6th of November, 1888, voted fur his honored 
 grandson, IJenjamin Harrison. He is now an old 
 man seventy years of ago, yet he takes great in- 
 terest in public affairs. His wife will be seventy 
 years of ago (jri the iSth of December, 1888. By 
 tlie union (^f Mr. and Mrs. Siverly tliree children 
 have been born — Clyda, Freddie and Georgiana, all 
 at home. 
 
 One of the pioneers of Louisa Count}-. Mr. Siv- 
 erly has witnessed almost its entire growth, and 
 endured the trials and diflicultics incident to frontier 
 
 life. In his earlier years many days has he spent 
 in breaking prairie, driving five 3-okc of oxen, .and 
 oxen w-ere also used to haul their produce. The 
 distance to mill was thirty miles, and for twenty 
 miles not a house was in sight. Four days were 
 required to make the trip, and on reaching the mill, 
 as the crowd was so great, each one had to wait his 
 turn. The plowing was done with a single shovel 
 plow, and all other farm implements n-ere of the 
 rudest kind, but as time i)assed railroads were built, 
 bringing the latest improved machinery, the great- 
 est luxuries and the highest works of art, until 
 the visitor of to-day could scarcely imagine that 
 thirty-five or foity years .ago the country vvas al- 
 most an unsettled wilderness. The first pair of 
 shoes which Mr. Siverly wore were made by an 
 itinerant shoemaker who stopped at his father's 
 house, and the mother spun and wove the material 
 of the clothing for the entire famil}'. The highest 
 praise is due to those men who shared all the incon- 
 veniences and privations to make homos in the 
 wilderness, and to them Louisa County owes her 
 present |)ros|)prity. The house of Mr. Siverly is 
 pleasant!}' situated about six miles from Cones- 
 ville and twelve miles from Columbus .Junction. 
 Mrs. .Siverly is a member of the Cliurcli of Christ, 
 at Big Springs, Louisa County. 
 
 Two of the brothers of our subject were soldiers 
 in the late war, George and I. .S., who enlisted at 
 Wa|)ello. The latter served in Cunii)any F of the 
 19th Iowa Infantry, while George belonged to the 
 100-days regiment. 
 
 _^,|^. 
 
 ^tr^ VAN MORGAN, a farmer residing on sec- 
 
 ttion 4, Cdliimlius City Town.-hip, is one of 
 •J the earliest settlers of Louisa County. Iowa, 
 he having come to this county in 1845, with his 
 father, John Morgan, a sketch of whom appears else- 
 whore m this work. When niiiolcon years of age. in 
 1853. he loft llie parental roof, and, equi|)i)ed with an 
 ox-team, he started for California, accompanied by 
 .Samuel Buell. Tliey wont across the plains, and 
 were five months in making tlit? trip. Mr. Morgan 
 settled first in Ilangtown, and lemainod in Califiu'- 
 nia for eleven years, engaged in mining. On the 
 
 "11 
 
•»-HI^ 
 
 40G 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 lOtli of September, 18G1, he enlisted in the 2cl 
 California Cavalry', was assigned to Company D, 
 and served for three j-ears and fourteen da3's, being 
 engaged in frontier duty and fighting with the In- 
 dians. After his ilischarge he started for home, 
 sailing from the harbor of San Francisco, Oct. 
 3, 1864, going by way of the Isthmus of Panama 
 and New York, and just one month from the day 
 on which he started he reached Louisa County. 
 
 Remaining at home for two years, Mr. Morgan 
 Mien purchased eight}' acres of land on section 4, 
 Columbus City Township, and, having secured a 
 home to which to bring a bride, he was united in 
 marriage, in 18G7, with Marj- Anwj^l, who was born 
 in Wales, and is a daughter of Evan and Elizabeth 
 (Owen) Anwj'l. They are now the parents of four 
 children — Annie, Alfred, Edward and Elizabeth 
 Maj". Mr. Morgan and his wife ai'e members of the 
 Congregational Church. He is a S3"stematic and 
 enter|)rising farmer, and now owns 200 acres of 
 fine land under a good state of cultivation. Po- 
 litically, he is a Republican. 
 
 SAAC WELSH, a retired farmer living in Co- 
 lumbus Junction, Iowa, was born in Franklin 
 Count}', Pa., seven miles south of Chambers- 
 burg, June 4, 18'2o, and is a son of James and 
 Hannah (Graham) Welsh; the father was born in 
 Pennsylvania, as was his mother, who was of Irish 
 descent. When five years of age, he had the mis- 
 fortune to lose his father. Six years later he went 
 to Franklin County, Ind., where he was reared 
 upon a farm, received a common-school education, 
 and on the 11th of September, 1849, was united in 
 marriage with Miss Phcebe Ogden, daughter of 
 Jedidiah Ogden. The lady is a native of Union 
 County, Ind., and five children were born unto 
 them, three sons and two daughters: Mahershal B., 
 a farmer of Mesa County, Col.; David N. married 
 Miss M. J. Atwell, and resides in Colorado; Laura 
 J., wife of O. W. H.ayes, died May 26, 1885; Jo- 
 seph O. died in childhood; and Jessie 1$., who is 
 eng.aged in teaching. The death of the mother 
 occurred Dec. 13. 1868, and Mr. Welsh was again 
 married, Sept. 1, 18G'J, to Mr.s. B. A. Flint, widow 
 
 of William Flint, and a daughter of Josiah P. and 
 Elizabeth (Flack) White. Mrs. Welsh was born in 
 Union Count}-, Ind. Josiah P. White was a native 
 of Virginia. He removed when quite young with 
 his parents to Union County. Ind., where he resided 
 until his death, which occurred about 1848. Mrs. 
 White was born in Union County, Ind., and sur- 
 vived her husband until June, 1872. 
 
 In October, 1853, our subject removed to Van 
 Buren County, Iowa, making his home in Birming- 
 ham during the following winter, and from there re- 
 moved to Jefferson County, settling west of Fairfield, 
 where he engaged in farming. In 1854 he removed 
 to Keokuk County, and there engaged in farming for 
 twenty-two years, coming to Columbus Junction in 
 February, 1877, since which time he has lived a re- 
 tired life, only devoting himself to the loaning of 
 money and the care of his capital. In early life Mr. 
 Welsh wasa Whig, and cast his first vote forZachary 
 T.aylor. On theorganizatiofi of the Republican party 
 he joined its ranks, an<l has since been one of its sup- 
 porters. Since February, 18G1. he has been a mem- 
 ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. 
 Welsh has also been a member of the same church 
 for many years, having previously belonged to the 
 United Bretiiren. In the church of which he is 
 now a member he is one of the most active workers, 
 and has served as Class-Leader and Superintendent 
 of the .Sund.-iy-school for many years. We are 
 pleased to record this sketch among others of the 
 ])rominent citizens of Louisa County, where he is 
 highly respected. 
 
 ^^=^ W. WE.STFALL, a farmer residing on sec- 
 rfj g=, tion 7, Oakland Township, was born in 
 ^^jj Boone County. Ind., in 1831, and was the 
 second in a family of nine children born to Jacob 
 and Caroline (Klliott) Westfall. His father wasa 
 native of Kentucky, while his mother w.as born in 
 York State, an<l when a young man Jacob Westfall 
 removed to Indiana, where he was married and 
 there followed farming for several years. In 1834 
 he followed the course of Western emigration, set- 
 tling in Des Moines County, Iowa, entering a claim 
 in Yellow .S[)riiigs Townshi|i, which he later piir- 
 
4^ 
 
 ^i^h-* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 407 
 
 clmsed at the Builiiiijtdn liind sales. lie also re- 
 siilefl ill Wasliinjjlun and Henry Counties, and in 
 18C2 came to Lt)uisa Count}', locating in Oakland 
 Township, where he remained some years, when he 
 went to Kansas, but after a short time returned to 
 Louisa County, and made his home with our sul)- 
 ject until his death, which occurred June 20, 1874. 
 His wife survived him for about two years, dying 
 Nov. 21), 1876. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood upon a farm, and 
 received his education in the district schools of the 
 State. He was among the first to respond to his 
 country's call for troops, enlisting in September, 
 18G1, as First Sergeant of Company I), 4th Iowa 
 Cavalry, and was mustered into service at Camp 
 Harlan in Mt. Ple.isant. He participated in the 
 battle of Vicksburg, and was engaged in scouting 
 expeditions and skirmishes in the Southern and 
 Southwestern States. In the liatlle of Oakland, 
 Miss., he was wounded by a gunshot, and on the 
 4th of November, 18G4, was honorably discharged 
 at Davenport, Iowa. After the cessation of hostili- 
 ties, he returned to Louisa County, where, during 
 his terra of service, he had purchased a farm of 230 
 acres. He has since disposed of a part of that tract, 
 and now has remaining about sixt}' acres of fine, 
 arable land, which is highly cultivated and improved. 
 
 On the 2d of September, 1869, in Louisa County, 
 Mr. Westfall led to the marriage altar Miss Alice 
 M. Hlakc, daughter of .Joseph and Esther (Hunger- 
 ford) Iihike, the father a native of Greenbrier 
 County, W. Va., the mother of Nevp York. Ac- 
 companied b}' his famil}', the father came to Louisa 
 Counts' in 1839, settling in Oakland Township. He 
 had then been twice married, and in 1851 wedded 
 Esther Hungerford, who came to the county in 
 1845. They settled on section 7, Oakland Town- 
 ship, he buying the land at the Burlington land 
 sales, and there reside<l until his death, Dec. 14, 
 1883, aged eighty j'ears. Mrs. lilake Is still living, 
 and resides in B.'irber County, Kan. 
 
 By the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Westfall two 
 children were born : Lottie I., wife of E. Garard, 
 who lives on the old homestead ; and Gertie, who 
 died March 4, 1881, at the age of four ye:us. Mr. 
 AVestfall is an .active worker for the interests of the 
 Republican party, and an ardent suppoiter of its 
 
 principles. He has held several local ollices of 
 trust, in which he discharged his duties faithfully 
 and well. His home is pleasantly situated about 
 two miles from Columbus Junction, between the 
 forks of the rivers, where the land is very product- 
 ive. He is a systematic and progressive farmer» 
 and as a citizen ranks high in the community. 
 
 -^ # ' << • 4— 
 
 NDRE^V WAAG, who resides on a pleas- 
 antly situated farm three and a half miles 
 from Wapello, on section 19, Port Louisa 
 ^J Township, was born in Baden. Germany, in 
 
 1827, of which place his parents, George and Surah 
 (Camrar) Waag, were natives and residents until 
 called to their final home. ATulrew was quite young 
 when his parents died, and the children, who were 
 eight in number, are now widely scattered. At the 
 age of twentj'-five Mr. Waag resolved to trj' his 
 fortune in the New World, and in 1852 embarked 
 on a sailing-vessel from Havre, which was bound 
 for New York, being upon the water thirty-two 
 daj's. After landing in America he discovered that 
 he had but |1 left, and, going to Buffalo, N. Y., he 
 immediately secured employment upon a farm. He 
 came to this county in 1857, and worked for awhile 
 for Mr. Crow, but in the fall of that year purchased 
 forty acres of prairie land, and made a home for 
 himself. He purchased a log cabin for §10. and 
 was united in marriage with Christina Wetnets, in- 
 stalling her as mistress of his new home. Mrs. 
 W^aag was a native of Germany, and a daughter of 
 George and Christina (Sanuis) Wetnets. The young 
 couple began their domestic life m true pioneer 
 st3le. but Mr. Waag immediately began the work 
 of cultivation and improvement, adding more land 
 from time to lime until he novv has 240 acres of 
 finelj' cultivated laud, upon which may be found a 
 good grade of horses and cattle. 
 
 Politically, Mr. Waag is a Democrat, and he has 
 served as Uoad Overseer for a number of terms. 
 On the 12th of Maj'. 186!, after a short illness, the 
 disease being erj'sipelas, his wife was called to her 
 final home at the age of thirty years. She was the 
 mother of three children, only one of whom is now 
 living, Christina, now Mrs. Stuck, who resides in 
 
■^*- 
 
 408 
 
 LOLTISA COUNTY. 
 
 Nebraska. Mr. Waag was again married in the fall 
 of 18G2, Miss Louise Frantzraan, who was born in 
 Germany, becoming his wife. She is a flaiigiiter 
 of Peter and Maggie Frantzman, also natives of 
 the same countrj-, now living in New York. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Waag were born seven children, four 
 of whom are living — Louise, Henry, Rosina and 
 Fred. Elizabeth died Oct. 18, 1885. at the age of 
 twenty years. She was reared in this county and 
 was well beloved by all who knew her. The chil- 
 dren living are still inmates of the paternal home. 
 Mr. AVaag is practicall}' a self-made man. By his 
 own efforts he has gained a comfortable compe- 
 lenc}', and is one of the prominent farmers of Port 
 Louisa Township. 
 
 --fi 
 
 
 r-jli G. NEAL, M. D., a pioneer physician and 
 ^< surgeon of Louisa County, novv residing at 
 
 W.^)}l1l Columbus Junction, was born in Ilow.ard 
 County, Mo., .Ian. 8. 1828, and is a son of 
 Daniel and Margaret ((Jrillltli) Neal. His parents 
 were born, reared and married in Virginia, and in 
 IS.'IO removed to Texas, tiiena Mexican State. The 
 family resided in Van Zant, where the husband and 
 father died. Li 18^3 our subject with his mother 
 and faniil_v removed to Vicksburg, Jli.ss., where his 
 mother died the same ^ear. When quite a young 
 man our subject learned the iirintcr's trade, and 
 followed this business many years, working in Cin- 
 cinnati, Ohio, and various other cities in the fiastern 
 States, alternating work at the trade and tlie study 
 of medicine, and in September, 1840. came to Co- 
 lumbus Cil3', Iowa, where he began the practice of 
 his chosen profession. In 1851 he rcluincd to (Jhio, 
 and spent the next tliree years in practice near Iron- 
 ton, Lawrence C'junty, after whicli he took a regu- 
 lar course of lectures at the Rush Medical College. 
 Chicago, being graduated in the class of '55-56. The 
 same year he returned to Cukunbus City, and re- 
 sumed practice at tiiat place, Ijut in 1857, with the 
 hope of bettering his chances for succ<'ss, he re- 
 moved to the historic cit3' of Burris, Louisa County, 
 which is now extinct. One year's resi<lence there 
 convinceil him of his mistake, and he returned to 
 
 -<•• 
 
 Columbus Cit}', where he built up a large practice 
 and continued to reside until 1869, when he re- 
 moved to Columbus Junction, his present home. 
 Dr. Neal opened an oHice at the last-named town 
 in 1870. making it his principal headquarters. Al- 
 though trained in the old school of medicine, upon 
 investigation of the theory' of homeopathy, he be- 
 came convinced of the superiority of that s^'stem 
 of practice, and since 1879 has adopted it to a 
 great degree. 
 
 On the 24th of December, 1850, at Columbus 
 Citj', Dr. Neal was united in marriage with Miss 
 Elizabeth Gore, daughter of Philip Gore, one of 
 the pioneer settlers of Louisa Count}'. Mrs. Neal 
 was born near Baltimore, Md.. and four children 
 grace their union: Marj', wife of H. AV. Dodd, of 
 Ft. Madison, Iowa; George P. married Maria E. 
 Thorlc}', who is now deceased, and is the present 
 Postmaster of Columbus Junction; Benjamin R., 
 the second son, died in 1804, aged nine years, and 
 Lizzie D. resides wiih her parents. Mrs. Neal and 
 her daughters are members of the Christian Ciiurch. 
 
 The Doctor is an earnest Democrat, but while he 
 always took an active interest in politics he never 
 sought office. The only office that he ever held was 
 that of Postmaster at Columl)us Cit}- under Presi- 
 dent Fillmore. He has [iracliced medicine continu- 
 ously since 1849. although in 1857 he for a .-hort 
 time conducted a newspaper at Columbus City, the 
 Courier, but he continued his practice at the same 
 time. He also went to Iowa City, in 1850, and 
 worked on the State printing under Hon. George 
 Paul, who was State printer at that time. The 
 Doctor quietly pursues the even tenor of his waj', 
 making a specialty of office j)ractice at iti'esent. 
 
 — 4-^f^^=f-H^ 
 
 S] 
 
 OIIN M. MORGAN, one of the jjioneers of 
 Louisa County, now residing on section 4, 
 ] Columbus Cit}' Township, was born in North 
 Wales, Se()t. 10, 1830, and when fourteen 
 j-ears of age emigrated to America with liis par- 
 ents, Jolni and Catherine (Kvans) Morgan. After 
 arriving in New York the family went to Utica, 
 where they lived for six months, later becoming resi- 
 dents of Licking County, Ohio, where they lived 
 
lij 
 
 _i 
 
 I 
 
 u 
 
 z 
 < 
 q: 
 
 to 
 
 I 
 
 «0 
 
 q: 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 411 
 
 fur aliDiil a .year, and tlien came to Louisa County, 
 in l!Sl.">. The fatiior purciiased forty acres of wild 
 hiiid on section ;>, Columbus Cil}' Township, built 
 a log cabin, into which the family moved, and be- 
 gan the improvement of the land. He made that 
 farm his home until his death, which occurred in 
 1883. His wife had been called to her linal lioine 
 in 18G4. Thej' were members of the Congrega- 
 tional Church, and honored citizens of the commu- 
 nity. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood upon a farm, re- 
 ceiving such education as the common schools of 
 the new countr}' afforded. In 11S65 he was unite<l 
 in marriage with Ann J. Lewis, who w.as born in 
 South Wales, and is a daughter of Thomas and Mary 
 Lewis. Four children grace the union of this worth}' 
 couple — Lewis, Abia, John Elmer and Thomas — 
 all of whom are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan 
 are endeavoring to give their children educa- 
 tions that will fit them for the practical duties of 
 life. The}" are liotli members of the Congregational 
 Church, and in politics he is a Republican. His 
 farm now comprises 258 acres of land, and as the 
 owner is a man of enterprise and progress, it is 
 managed with system and great care. Mr. Morgan 
 m.akes a specialt}' of raising Short-horn cattle, and 
 is quite successful in that line of business. 
 
 _,. ■. " .' ii '. 'v - <-'<;h ';."..-,.„ 
 
 t 
 
 ■ 'RANCIS ■\VniSLEU, residing on section 
 
 P32, Marshall Township, is one of the most 
 prominent and practical farmers and stock- 
 raisers of Louisa County, Iowa. He was born in 
 Richland County, Ohio, Ai)ril 27, 183G, and is a 
 son of Jacob and Nancy (Funk) Whisler, who were 
 natives of Bucks County, Pa.. They were the par- 
 ents of fifteen children, only six of whom arc now 
 living: Francis; Moses, who is residing in Delta, 
 Iowa; Israel, a farmer of Kichljind Count}'. Ohio, 
 and who is also a minister of the Dunkard faith; 
 Nathan, a tile manufacturer, is living in Wood 
 County, Ohio; Eliza is the wife of Andrew IJendcr, 
 a resident of Hancock County, Ohio; and .Sarah is 
 the wife of John Smith, a fanner of Crawford 
 County, Ohio. The family moved to Richland 
 
 Count}-, Ohio, aljout the year 1828, the father 
 there following his tr.ade of wagon-making. He 
 moved upon a farm, of which his sons took charge, 
 and in connection with his other labors engaged in 
 preaching the Gospel. He belonged to the denomi- 
 nation known as German Baptists or Dunkards, 
 and did great service in his Master's cause. He 
 was one of Nature's noblemen, and his death oc- 
 curred in August. 1883, at the .age of eighty-two 
 years, six months and liflecn d.ays. His wife died 
 in October, 1880, when seventy -eight years of age. 
 
 The education of our subject was received in the 
 common schools of his native county, after which 
 he aided in the care and cultivation of the home 
 farm, while his father worked at the traileof w.agon- 
 making. After the death of his father he received 
 from the estate a numl)er of acres of heavy timber 
 land, which he subsequently traded for IGO acres of 
 land in Keokuk County, Iowa, and ^ 1;J0 in money. 
 On the Dth of August, ISGO, he led to the marriage 
 altar Miss Mary A. Grisniore. who was born June 
 19, 1840, in Butler County, Ohio, and is a daughter 
 of John and Catherine (Weaver) Grismore, the 
 father a native of Pennsylvania, and the mother of 
 Butler County, Ohio. Mr. Grismore now resides in 
 Allen County, Ohio, where the mother died Jan. 1, 
 1881. They were the parents of nine children, six 
 of whom are now living: Henry, a farmer of Put- 
 nam County, Ohio; Ge<jrge, who also resides in the 
 same county; Harriet, wife of Jesse Davy; Pha-be, 
 wife of John Steiner; and Martin G. All the mem- 
 bers of this family, with the exception of Mrs. 
 Whisler, are living in Putnam and Allen Counties, 
 Ohio, within a distance of eight miles of each other. 
 They are all comfortably settled in life, and are re- 
 spected citizens in the community where they live. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Whisler has been born an in- 
 teresting family of three children: Sarah Agnes, 
 born Aug. 10, 18GI, became the wife of J. C. 
 Chrisman in February, 1878, and resides in Farm- 
 ington, Lee Co., Iowa; Arthur E. was born Sept. 
 12, 18G7;and Ray G. was born Aug. 11, 187G. 
 From Richland County the parents removed to 
 Hancock County, Ohio, where they remainetl for 
 three years, and then came to Iowa in 18G3, locat- 
 ing in Louisa County, where Mr. Whisler rented a 
 farm from a Mr. Xtiu limn for ;ibout three years. 
 
412 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4- 
 
 4 
 
 In November, 1865, lie purchased seventy-six acres 
 of laud, which was partjj' nneultivnted, and the 
 following _Year moved into a small cabin on that 
 place, which was one of the first erected in the 
 neighborliood, having been built by James Mar- 
 shall. The improvements placed upon the land 
 have all been the work of Mr. Whisler, and he now 
 has one of the model farms of Louisa Count}'. He 
 has had it divided into eight fields by hedge fences, 
 which are nicely trimmed and always kept in the 
 best of order, and the farm comprises in all 13'J 
 acres. In 1874 his fine residence was built, being 
 a story and a half in height, the main building be- 
 ing •2ix-2G feet, with an "L" 16x24 feet, and a 
 porch running the full length of the house. Through 
 tlie care of Mrs. Whisler, who is a most estimable 
 lady, this home is a model of neatness and comfort. 
 The barn, though not as large as some, is one of the 
 most conveniently arranged and best planned in 
 the State. Under the entire building, which is 
 40x.j4 feet, is a good basement 9 feet high, the 
 posts are 18 feet, and from the floor to the cone it 
 measures 32 feet; to this a shed is attached, which 
 is 18x52 feet, with 18-feet posts, and has a sta- 
 bling capacity for fifty head of stock. For the care 
 of his hogs he has had a building erected, 22x30 
 feet, under which is a basement 7 feet liigh. Here 
 during the winter months his hogs are protected 
 from the cold, and his stock is all well cared for. 
 He lias a cooking apparatus for preparing the food 
 for liis hogs, and in bad wcatiier never has to go out 
 into the storms, but feeds his stock under good 
 shelter. His hogs are of the Poland-China breed, 
 liis horses of the Cl3"desdale stock, and his poultry 
 is the Plymouth Rock. He takes a ))ride in his 
 stock, for none better can be found in the county. 
 For several years he has given his attention to the 
 raising of Short-horn cattle, and in November, 
 1887, purchased one of the famous Red Polled 
 cows, for which he paid ^450. This stock origi- 
 nated in Norfolk, Suffolk County, England, and the 
 first importation to America was m.ide by G. F. 
 Taber Patterson, of New York, and was entered at 
 the port of New Y'ork in December, 1 873, by the 
 steamer "Iowa," of the Anchor Line. There are now 
 only about 1,000 head of this cattle in America, 
 and Mr. Whisler owns three of that nnnd/cr of the 
 
 noted breed. He has also eleven head of half- 
 blooded Red Polled cattle, which are especially 
 noted for their milking qualities. Mr. "Whisler has 
 done much toward advancing and introducing the 
 best grades of horses, cattle and hogs into Louisa 
 County ,and is deserving of thanks for his work in this 
 matter. "When he came to Iowa be bought a cheap 
 w.agon, for which he gave *20, liecause he could af- 
 ford no better, but to-day the historian observes 
 upon his place two fine farm wagons, two carriages, 
 and other tokens of thrift and the jjrosperity that 
 has attended him in this county. 
 
 The portraits of this worthy couple will be seen 
 upon another page. 
 
 <| jilLLIAM M. McCORMICK, man.ager of 
 \/iJl' *■''*' Letts Co-oper.ative Store, of Letts, w.as 
 ^^ born in Harrison County, Ohio, July 3, 
 1856, and is a son of John and Esther (Allen) Mc- 
 Coruiiek. His parents were also natives of Ohio, 
 and resided in that State all their lives. Our sub- 
 ject passed his childhood and youth in his native 
 State until his fourteenth year, when he came to 
 Louisa County, Iowa, locating at Columbus City 
 in the fall of 1870. There he attended the city 
 schools until March 4, 1874, when he engaged as 
 merchant's clerk in the store of Colton & Garner, 
 of that place, continuing with that firm until the 
 11th of Jul}', 1882, when he formed a partnership 
 in the general merchandising business in Columbus 
 Junction with W. H. Hughes, under the firm name 
 of Hughes & McCormick. That connection con- 
 tinued until the 1st of Januar}', 1887, when Mr. 
 Hughes sold his interest to Edward Jones, and the 
 firm name became McCormick & Jones, but in 
 Februar}', 1888, Mr. McCormick sold out to his 
 partner, and on the 1st of March following accepted 
 his present position as manager of the Letts Co- 
 operative Store. 
 
 At Columbus City, Iowa, May 17, 1878, Mr. 
 McCormick was united in marriage with Miss Liz- 
 zie D. Reiner, daughter of John and Harriet Reiner. 
 She is a native of Louisa County, Iowa, and one 
 child has been born of their union, Edwin R., born 
 Oct. 6, 1879. Oin- subject is a Knight Templar 
 4^ 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 413 t k 
 
 Mason, a. member of Coliimlius City Lofljje No. 
 107, of Cumiiosile Chapter No. 97, and of Bethle- 
 hem Commandeiy No. 45, of Washington, Iowa. 
 He is also a member of Liberty Lodge No. 22. K. 
 of P., of Columbus Junction. Politically, Mr. Mc- 
 Cormick is a Republican, but has never been an of- 
 fice-seeker. He has devoted his undivided atten- 
 tion to legitimate business pursuits, and has been 
 eminently successful. He has continued his resi- 
 dence at Columbus Junction, though his place of 
 business is at Letts. As a business man and citi- 
 zen, he enjoys the confidence and esteem of his fel- 
 low-citizens and associates in business in a marked 
 degree. He possesses the essential elements of suc- 
 cess in mercantile life — thorough business ability, 
 courteous manners und strict integritj'. 
 
 "w "fe ' ^ ' K * ^ * ^ ** ' " ■ 
 
 
 ^.j DAM HILL, a general farmer and stock- 
 WiUl: raiser, residing on section 19, Morning Sun 
 'I'ownsinp, was born in Muskingum Count}', 
 Ohio, Aug. 4, 1825, and is a son of John and 
 Catherine (Grandstaff) Hill, the former a native of 
 Pennsylvania, and the latter of Virginia. Their 
 marriage was celebrated in the native cfiunty of our 
 subject, and the father was a carpenter b}- trade, 
 following that occupation during his life. In 1841, 
 while on a business trip to the northern part of the 
 State, his death occurred. He was a man who took 
 an active part in all social and political interests, 
 casting his vote with the Democratic party. Mrs. 
 Hill departed this life in Licking County, Ohio, in 
 1836, and was buried in Newark. They were mem- 
 bers of the Baptist Church, and the parents of seven 
 children: George, who died in Ashland, Ohio, 
 about the 3"ear 1885; our subject; Klizabeth, who 
 became the wife of James Moore, a farmer of Mus- 
 kingum Count}', Ohio; Mary, residing in Randolph 
 County, Mo., is the widow of William Sutton; 
 John started for California in 1851, and luxs never 
 been heard of since; Franklin died in Louisa 
 County al)out the year 1870; Miriam makes her 
 home with iier sister, Mrs. Moore. 
 
 Our subject received his early education in the 
 conunon schools of his native count}', and at the 
 early age of thirteen was a|)prcnticed tfi the trade of 
 
 tanner and harnpss-maker. After the death of the 
 father the estate was swallowed up by the rascality 
 of others, and thus the children of the family were 
 left penniless and forced to fight their way through 
 life. Adam followed his trade until about twenty- 
 four years of age, when ho [lurchased 120 acres of 
 land in Perry County. Ohio. Two years ])revious to 
 this time, in 1847, he had been united in marriage 
 with Miss Martha M. Green, a native of Mus- 
 kingum County, Ohio, and a daughter of Thomas 
 and i;arah (Marsh) Green, the father a native of 
 Marietta County, the mother of Franklin County, 
 Ohio. Light ciiildren were boin of their union: 
 John, who was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, 
 married a Miss Mary Langston, and is engaged in 
 farming in Morning Sun Township; George W., 
 born in Perry County, Ohio, h.as been twice married, 
 his first wife being Miss Frances Bemis, and to 
 them were born two children — Ethel and Frances; 
 the second wife was Alice Wells, and two children 
 grace this union — Edith and Sophia. George W. 
 is a farmer of Elm (irove Townshij), Louisa County ; 
 Lueretia is the wife of John Gardner, a farmer of 
 Elbert County, Col.; Thomas, also born in Perry 
 County, Ohio, was united in marriage, Dec. 18, 
 1884, with Miss Margaret J. Mclvnight. a native of 
 Hancock County. Ill; they have two children — 
 Frank A. and Eva E. ; he has a harness-shop in Marsh, 
 Iowa. Chalmer, born in Louisa County, and now 
 engaged in farming in Sully County, Dak., married 
 Miss Sophia Mallock, a native of Cedar Falls, Col.; 
 Daniel, Lorena and Howard, all born in J^ouisa 
 County, are still residing at home. Mr. and INIrs. 
 Hill have given their children good common-school 
 educations, which will fit them for the practical 
 duties of life. 
 
 In 1857 Mr. Hill landed in Morning Sun, Louisa 
 County, and there he followed his trade of saddlery 
 and harness making, remaining there until 18C.'i, 
 when he sold his business and purcli.ased ICO acres 
 of land on section 19, and fifteen .acres of timlier 
 on section 23. When he moved upon the farm a 
 small cabin was almost the only improvement, it 
 standing near where the present couifort;il)le farm 
 residence is erected. He immediately began the 
 cultivation of the land, set out many beautiful 
 shade and fruit trees, placed a splendid hedge fence 
 
 -t 
 
<^ 
 
 414 
 
 iO- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 arouiifl a four-acre field, and made various other 
 improvements. He stocked liis land with a fine 
 grade of horses and Short-born cattle, and is now 
 eonsi<lered one of the best farmers and stock-raisers 
 in the vicinitj". 
 
 Mr. and Mr:*. Hill have been members of the 
 rrcsbj'terian Church for forty .years, he liaving been 
 one of the Elders in the First Presbyterian Church 
 at Morning Sun for a quarter of a century. They 
 are both earnest and sincere workers in the temper- 
 ance cause. Mr. Hill has been a lifelong Democrat, 
 tliough he is verj- liberal in his views. Living a 
 life of honesty and integrit}', he and his wife re- 
 ceive tiie highest respect of their neighbors and fel- 
 low-citizens. 
 
 -J- 
 
 #^ 
 
 <iw?OHN .TOSEFH COOK, proprietor of Cook's 
 1: Tile and Brick Works, of Columbus Junc- 
 y tion, Iowa, was born near Lexington, Perry 
 (^H' Co., Ohio, Dec. 2. 1854. and is a son of 
 George and Tressa (Slierron) Cook. His father 
 was a native of Pennsylvania, born near Harris- 
 burg, and is now living at Delphos, Allen Co., 
 Ohio. His mother was born in Perr^- County, 
 Ghio. and died Nov. i), 1863. Our subject removed 
 with his parents to Highland County of that State 
 when four years of age, the famil\' residing there 
 for five years, after which thej- removed to Kos- 
 suth, Auglaize Co., Ohio. During tiie journey to 
 tliat i)lace Jolin had the misfortune to catch the 
 smallpox, wliicii disease, being taken by other mem- 
 bers of the family, caused the death of liis moliier 
 and two sisters. 
 
 When only fifteen years of age John Cook was 
 obliged to start out in the world to fight the battle 
 of life for himself, and his first venture was in the 
 occupation of assistant navigator on the "raging" 
 canal. He was emplojed at first on the Miami & 
 Erie, and later on the Wabash & Erie Canal and 
 the Krie Canal in New York State, continuing in 
 th.at service until twenty years of age, when he 
 learneil the painter's trade, and was principally- em- 
 ployed in that line for the ne.xt two 3'ears. At the 
 expiration of that time Mr. Cook went to Peoria 
 County, III., where he learned to lay drain tile, being 
 
 emploj-ed at that occupation for about a year, and 
 later spent two j-ears at the same kind of work in 
 Stark and Knox Counties. He then determined to 
 establish a tile and brick manufactory. So with a 
 cash capital of less than ^100, after paying the 
 freight on his second-hand machine to Columbus 
 Junction, Iowa, he came to this city and secured a 
 few lots to be paid for out of the earnings of the 
 factory. He subsequently found the title defective, 
 and was forced to again paj' for the same property. 
 In June, 1880, he began business in a small waj', 
 having to contend with an existing prejudice that 
 the clay at Columbus Junction would not make 
 durable tile. Mr. Cook established the first tile f.ac- 
 tor}- in Louisa County, and soon demonstrated that 
 the clay was all right and that he could and did make 
 first-class ware in that line. The first three seasons he 
 worked with horse power, and the foiu-th put in a 
 sixteen-horse power engine, and a new and im- 
 proved machine in the fall of 1883. A histor}' of 
 this establishment appears elsewhere in this work. 
 Mr. Cook has twenty acres of land and clay enough 
 to last fift}' years. He manufactures about half a 
 million tiles of common size a year, besides a large 
 quantity of brick. He also manufactures from clay 
 a i)atent fancy border for flower-beds and walks, 
 which is his own invention, and is also the inventor 
 of a ditching-machine to be used in tile laying, 
 which h.is worked with marked success. 
 
 Mr. Cook now has his business established upon 
 a safe and sure basis, and h.is demonstrated that 
 the best grade of drain tile and brick can be ma<ie 
 here. He has built uj) an extensive and profiljible 
 business, which is one of the important manufactur- 
 ing interests of the county. Socially", Mr. Cook is 
 a member of Columbus Junction Lodge No. 3G.^, 
 I. O. O. F., and is independent in politics. 
 
 BRAHAM H. PARSONS, dealer in flour, 
 K7/Jri feed, farm pi'oduce, anil fuel, wood and 
 1) coal, and proprietor of the express and 
 dra}' line, was born in Grand View Town- 
 ship, Dec. 23, 1844, and is a son of Joel C. and 
 Caroline Parsons, whose sketch appears on another 
 page of this volume. He learned the cooper's trade 
 
^*HI-4» 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 415 ' ' 
 
 in his father's shop, sind on tiio Gth of August, 
 18Gd, hecainc the liusliand of Miss S.-irah A. I)un- 
 cau, who wiis born in Columbus Cit}' Township, and 
 is a daughter of George B. Duncan. Soon after his 
 marriage Mr. Parsons engaged in fanning near 
 Ainsworth, Washington Co., Iowa, where he resided 
 until the spring of 1872, when he removed to Ta}-- 
 lor County, and there followed the same occupation 
 for a j'ear, after which he took up his residence in 
 Creston, Iowa, where he was eraploj'ed in the 
 boiler-shoi)S of the Chicago, Burlington & (^ninc3'' 
 Railroad for three years. lie next engaged in the 
 coal and wood business in that citj' for nine 3'ears, 
 and in May, 1884, came to Columbus Junction, and 
 Started his present business. He hanilles twenty- 
 five carloads of flour and feed annually, ten of coal, 
 and 200 cords of wood. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Parsons have a family of six chil- 
 dren living, three sons and three daughters, and 
 have lost one son and a daughter: Carrie A., born 
 Aug. 11, 1869, and George C, July 10, 1871, both 
 died on the 4th of March, 1873; William H., born 
 May 24, 1874: Joseph Leroy, March 20, 1876; 
 James F., March 20, 1878; Gracie B., Jan. 11, 
 1881: Mary Pearl, March 5. 1884; Nellie F., Aug. 
 29, 1886, completes the number. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Parsons and their eldest son are members of the 
 Evangelical Church. In politics he is a Democrat. 
 
 '^W B. COLLINS, a farmer on section 17, Port 
 •HSv, Louisa Township, Louisa Count}', was born 
 in Wood County, Va.,in 1831, and is a son 
 ^;of Jacob and .Sarah (Gregg) Collins, also 
 natives of the same State. They reared a family of 
 eleven children, of whom our subject was the eld- 
 est, and all are yet living. Jacob Collins followed 
 the occupation of farming throughout his life, his 
 death occurring in 1885, at the age of eighty years. 
 His wife still survives him, and resides in her na- 
 tive Slate. The paternal grandfather, Jacob Col- 
 lins, was a soldier in the War of 1812. 
 
 Our subject was reared to farm life, and received 
 his education in the district schools of his native 
 State. At the age of seventeen he came to Iowa, 
 
 settling near Burlington, Des Moines County, where 
 he remained two 3'ears, and in 1850 went to Wis- 
 consin, where he remained until 1855, at which 
 time he took up his residence in Louisa County. 
 From 1855 to 18C2, in Port Louisa, he engaged in 
 supplying wood to steamboats and railroads. Mr. 
 Collins was united in marri.age, in July, 1861, with 
 Eliza (.Springer) Humphrey, widow of James Hum- 
 phrc}', and a daughter of Matthew and Pcrmelia 
 Springer, who were natives of Soutli Carolina, but 
 were among the pioneers of this State. They were 
 the parents of eight children. Mr. Springer set- 
 tled in Keokuk at an early day, but previously he 
 had pre-empted the land in Mahaska County upon 
 which the city of Oskaloosa now stands. He en- 
 gaged in the pork-packing business at Keokuk until 
 about 1853, when he came to Port Louisa, Louisa 
 County, and engaged in the same business for sev- 
 eral years. He removed to Missouri during the 
 war, but returned to Iowa, where his death took 
 place at Agency City, April 13, 1864. Mrs. Collins' 
 mother died when she was quite young. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Collins settled at Port 
 Louisa, where he engaged in the hotel business, and 
 alss dealt in wood, furnishing supplies to the steam- 
 boats. He purchased ninetj'-five acres of land on 
 sections 17 and 21 in 1870, and afterward added 
 to his original purchase until he now has a fine 
 farm of 400 acres, 200 of which are under cultiva- 
 tion, the remainder being used as pasturage. Mr. 
 Collins takes an .active interest in political affairs. 
 Being reared in the South and seeing it as it really 
 was, he became much opposed to the institution of 
 slavery, and on the organization of the Republican 
 party joined its ranks, and is now one of its strong- 
 est advocates. He has served .as Trustee of the 
 township, has held the oflice of Road Commissioner, 
 and filled the position of School Director. Not 
 only in political affairs does Mr. Collins take an in- 
 terest, but in all enterprises for the good of the 
 community he is a willing and ready worker. Mrs. 
 Collins is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, of (irand View. 
 
 To this worthy couple have been born ten chil- 
 dren, only four of whom are living: Charles A\'., 
 Minta, Nevada and Delia, all of whom are still at 
 home and are yet students. George H. died at the 
 
 4 
 
-<^ 
 
 410 
 
 -4- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 age of twenty-three j-eai-s, on the 23fl of February, 
 1885: Eflie departed lliis life Sept. IG, 1806, aged 
 four years; L3'dia L. was called frona her home 
 May 20, 18G9, when hut one year old; Marji- J. 
 was also one year old when her death occurred, Jan. 
 2G, 1878; Everett K. died Dec. 3, 1878, when an 
 infant nine days old. 
 
 =ES- 
 
 p^^ FRANK IIEDRICK, proprietor of the 
 Hotel Iledrick, the leading hotel of Colum- 
 bus Junction, was born in Franklin County, 
 Ind., June 22, 1834, and is a son of the Hon. John 
 W. and iMarj' (Morrow) Hedrick. He came to 
 Iowa with his parents in 1842, when but eight 
 3'eais of age, the f.amily settling in Wapello County, 
 nearOttumwa, where Frank was reared on a farm, 
 receiving a common-school education. In 1859 be 
 went to California, leaving Ottumwa on the 1st of 
 Marcli, and traveling with an ox-tcain. The part}' 
 was five and a half months in making the trip to 
 Placerville. He engaged in mining in Califurnia 
 with varying success, and subsequently went to 
 Nevada, when ho enlisled in Company B, Nevada 
 Volunteers, and served until the close of the war, 
 when he was iionorably discharged. He remained 
 on the I'acilic Slope for about thirteen years, ten of 
 which were passed in California. On his return to 
 Wapello Counly, Iowa, in 1872, Mr. Hedrick was 
 employed in bridge carpentry for some 3'ears, and 
 then engaged in the grocery business. In 1874 he 
 began hotel-keeping at Columbus Junction, in which 
 he continued for some years. He then rented his 
 house, and engaged in the agricultural implement 
 business in the same place, which he carried on for 
 about three years, and then went to Dakota, where 
 he engaged in the same business for two seasons. He 
 returned to Columbus Junction in 1887, and built 
 his present elegant house. 
 
 On the 3d of April, 1874, Mr. Hedrick w.as united 
 in marriage with Mrs. Martha Jennings, widow of 
 Henry Jennings, and a daughter of James Dixon. 
 She was b(jrn in Kentucky, and had two children 
 by her former marri.age, both daughters: Artie, the 
 elder, is the wife of Jose()li 11. Utt, a comnierci;d 
 
 traveler and resident merchant of Columbus Junc- 
 tion; the younger daughter. May, is the wife of W. 
 A. Carr, a merchant of Columbus Junction. 
 
 In his political views Mr. Iledrick is a Repub- 
 lican, and has served in various official capacities, 
 having several times served as member of the Town 
 Council, and in 1881 was Mayor of Columbus 
 Junction. Sociall}', he is a Roj'al Arch Mason, a 
 member of Columbus City Lodge No. 107, A. F. & 
 A. M., and also of Composite Chapter No. 91, R. 
 A. M. The Hotel Hedrick, of which he is proprie- 
 tor, was built by him in 1887, and opened for busi- 
 ness December 25 of that year. The house is built 
 with solid l)rick walls, is forty-six feet front on 
 Walnut street, seventy-six feet deep, three stories 
 in height, and contains thirty rooms. The house 
 has wide halls, comfortable, well-ver.tilatcd rooms, 
 a room}' and pleasant office, elegantly furnished 
 parlors and sleeping rooms, and is also supplied 
 with sample and reading rooms. The appointments 
 of kitchen and dining-room are complete, and the 
 table is all that could be asked or expected in a 
 small city. Mr. Iledrick is always attentive to the 
 wants of his guests, and is a host with whom it is a 
 pleasure to stop. 
 
 ^^EORGE I. CHURCH, the popular and old- 
 [l| f—j time barber of Columbus Junction, Iowa, is 
 ^^^ a native of St. Joseph County, Jlich., born 
 Feb. 9, 1852. His parents were Isaac and Sophia 
 (Bennett) Church, the former a native of Scotland, 
 and the latter of New York State. Our subject w.as 
 reared and educated in his native State, and when 
 seventeen years of age began his apprenticeship to 
 the barber's trade at Constanline, Mich. A year 
 later, in 1870, he came to Louisa County, Iowa, for 
 his health, and for some time made his home with 
 his uncle, Seth Curtis, in Conctu'd Township, vvork- 
 ing at various things as his health improved. In 
 1875 he built his present shop, and engaged in busi- 
 ness in the line of his trade, which he has carried 
 on with marked success continuously since. A sketch 
 of his business :ippeais in the descri|)tive history of 
 Columbus Junction. 
 
 On the 13tli of December, 1871, in Concord 
 
 ■•►' 
 
-k 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 417 I i 
 
 Township. Louisa Co., Iowa, Mr. Church was united 
 in marriage with Miss Margaret Stone, daugliter of 
 the Rev. George Stone, now of Cohiinbus Junction; 
 she was born in this count}', and is a member of 
 the Church of God. Her parents were early set- 
 tlers, and their sivctch appears elsewliere in tliis 
 worii. Mr. and Mrs. Church liave been the parents 
 of nine children, five sons and four daughters — 
 Willie, Virdic, Derwood, Annie, Robert, Charles, 
 Jessie, Molly and an infant. Mr. Church is a Demo- 
 crat in politics, and has served several years as a 
 member of the .School Board. Socially, he is a mem- 
 ber of Columbus City Lodge No. 107, A. F. & A. 
 M.; of Columbus Junction Lodge No. 365, I. O- 
 O. F., and of Liberty Lodge No. 22, K. of ■?., all 
 of Columbus Junction. Mr. Church has applied 
 himself to his business steadily from the beginning, 
 with a determination to succeed. He emplo^-ed 
 skilled assistants, and by courtesy, promptness and 
 good work, has secured the best line of custom of 
 the town. As fast as his savings warranted it he 
 invested in propert}' which he improved, and now 
 in addition to his place of business he owns his resi- 
 dence and another dvyelling. His course com- 
 mends itself to the attention of those who, starting 
 poor, use ever\' dollar as fast as they earn it, seem- 
 ing to be oblivious to the fact that industr}-, fru- 
 gality and econonij' are essential to success. 
 
 JAMES Q. BEATTY, a prominent and pro- 
 gressive farmer residing on Muscatine Isl- 
 and, on section 9, Port Louisa Township 
 was born in Ireland in 1849, and is a son of 
 Elisha and Eliza Jane (Rosborough) Beatty. He 
 came to this count}' in infancy with his parents, 
 who settled in Muscatine, but in 18r)2 the mother 
 died, and after her death James went to live with 
 an aunt in Burlington. He made that his home 
 until about six years of age, when he returned to 
 liis father, and was reared upon a farm in Louisa 
 County. He received a liberal education, attend- 
 ing the district schools during his earlier years, and 
 then spent five years at the academy at Grand 
 View. Ci(ini)leting his education, he engaged in 
 fai ining during the summer time, but In the winters 
 
 taught school very successfully in Louisa Count}' 
 for several years. 
 
 On the 20th of December, 1883, Mr. Beatty was 
 united in marri.age with Alice B. Walton, who w.as 
 born in Muscatine, and is a daughter of Josiah P. 
 and Elizabeth (Barrows) Walton, her father being a 
 native of New Hampshire, and her mother of New 
 York. He was an architect and builder, and also 
 engaged in moving houses. Her parents both came 
 to Muscatine County single, her mother there being 
 employed as a school teacher. They became ac- 
 quainted, after which she returned to New York, 
 where they were married, and afterward returned 
 to Muscatine Count}', in 1857, where they yet re- 
 side. Mr. Walton is President of the Old Settlers' 
 Association, having held that position for many 
 years; has been President of the Academy of .Science, 
 and has alw.ays taken an active interest in educa- 
 tional affairs. He is a member of the Masonic fra- 
 ternity, belonging to DeMolay Conimandery, at 
 Muscatine, being Generalissimo. 
 
 Mrs. Beatty, wife of our subject, received her 
 education at Muscatine, being graduated from the 
 High School in the class of '75, in which she de- 
 livered the valedictory address. After her gradua- 
 tion she engaged in teaching for about eight years 
 in the vicinity of Muscatine, and also in the pri- 
 mary and intermediate grades of the city schools. 
 During vacations she attended the Iowa .State Agri- 
 cultural ('ollege, situated at Ames, for the purpose 
 of pursuing a course in natural history or ento- 
 mology, making that her special study during 
 several years' attendance at that Institution. In 
 company with two sisters .she has obtaineil one of 
 the finest collections in the St^ite. For some time 
 she was the entomological editor of the Gazette, 
 and has attended horticultural societies at different 
 times. In which she h.as received prizes for ess;iys. 
 
 The home of our subjetl is situated about nine 
 miles from Muscatine and four miles from Fruit- 
 land, and Is a fine farm, comprising 200 acres of 
 arable land in a good state of cultivation. He and 
 his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, which is situated on the island, and arc 
 earnest workers in its behalf, Mr. Beatty having 
 lieen Supeilrilendent of the Sabl)Hlli-seho<)l. In his 
 pi)lilic.al senlimenl.s he Is a Republieaii, and at one 
 
 h 
 
-^•- 
 
 418 
 
 -•► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 time be was a stookhohler in the rioneer Oil Com- 
 pany, at Piiel)lo, Col., at which place he spent six 
 months. AVe are pleased to record this sketch of 
 one of Louisa County's i)romineiit citizens and his 
 estimable wife, who are held in liigh esteem by a 
 large circle of friends and acquaintances. 
 
 <x-x> 
 
 EV. JIARSIIALL MYRICK COOPER, pas- 
 tor of the Kirst Tresbjlerian Cliurch of 
 
 4 
 
 i^V, Morning Sun, Iowa, was born in Kane, 
 (^Greene Co.. 111., July 15, 1838. AVhen two 
 years old, his father died, but just before his death 
 he gave his little son to Jonathan E. Cooper, of Jer- • 
 seyville. 111., who took him. and by an act of the 
 Legislature of that State the young lad became his 
 adopted son and legal heir. He was the eldest child 
 of Capt. AVilliam Myrick, who was a soldier in the 
 War of 1812, and the grandson of Judge William 
 Myrick, of Vermont, both of whom died in Greene 
 County, III. He was reared upon a farm two and 
 a half miles from Jcrseyville, 111., where he re- 
 muiia-il with his adopted parents until he was of age. 
 His early advantages for an education were some- 
 what limilcd, but having a natural thirst for knowl- 
 edge, he improved every opportunity to the very 
 best advantage. At the age of fourteen years he 
 was converted at a revival held in Jcrseyville, 111., 
 in January, 1853, and at the age of sixteen felt 
 called of God to the work of the Gospel ministry. 
 From that dat« he had no desire or ambition to 
 follow any other pursuit, and at the age of twenty- 
 two he was licensed to preach. For seven years 
 after finishing his education he devoted himself to 
 the united labors of teaching and preaching, until 
 1H72. when he gave himself entirely to the work to 
 be accomplished for his M.ister. He bent all his 
 energies to that work, memorizing a large portion 
 of the New Testament while plowing on his father's 
 farm. This study has been of infinite value to him 
 in his ministerial work. As his mother often said, 
 he was born a preacher, and to obtain the necessary 
 education to fit him for his calling he endured 
 many sacrifices and labored with indefatigable per- 
 severance. 
 
 In the winter of 1858 Mr. Cooper's father gave 
 
 him his choice of schools. Either he might at- 
 tend the district school, half a mile away, or the 
 Young Men's Academj' at Jersey ville. III., two and 
 a half miles distant. The offer was hardly made 
 before he decided to attend the latter school, being 
 willing to walk two and a half miles in order to se- 
 cure the better advantages at the academy. The 
 following September, being of age, Mr. Cooper 
 bade good-by forever to the farm, and entered upon 
 the preparation of his life work. He entered Shurt- 
 leff College, one of the oldest and most popular in- 
 stitutions in the West. On leaving home he had 
 but a limited wardrobe and ^18 in money, but he 
 trusted th.at He who had called him to his work 
 would provide more when this failed. It was but 
 a few hours after his arrival at the college until he 
 had ten cords of wood engaged to saw and split, 
 which provided fur his board for ten weeks. AVhen 
 other students were asleep, young Cooper was 
 generally up between 4 and 5 o'clock in the morn- 
 ing, sawing wood until breakfast, and in this man- 
 ner during the first 3-ear he sawed about fifty 
 cords, besides doing a great deal of other work. 
 This life was not a dreaded hardship to him, as he 
 was physically very strong, and very familiar with 
 hardships. He went to college with the avowed 
 determination to obtain an education or die in the 
 attempt. The President of the college, with the 
 faculty-, saw the determination of the 3'oung stu- 
 dent to secure an education, and they obtained for 
 him the second year a most desirable pl.ice to work 
 for his board, in the home of Rev. William B. 
 Smith, D. D., pastor of the Baptist Church of that 
 citj'. There he remained three years, having con- 
 stantly before him the example of a most godly 
 man, and mingling in the most refined society, j'et 
 performing enough jihysical labor to preserve his 
 original health .'uid strength. His college life, with 
 all its hardships and scathing mortifications, was 
 the hapi)iest time of his lite. His motto was, 
 "When there is an earnest will for right, God is 
 sure to make a clear way." 
 
 In 18C2 Mr. Cooper was united in marriage with 
 Miss Virginia E. Watkins, daughter of William D. 
 and Eliza Watkins, who were natives of Virginia, 
 and came to Illinois about 1842. They have a 
 family of five children: Nellie May, who became 
 
 -4^ 
 
 \- 
 
^ Jl^^^X 
 
-4•■ 
 
 ^i^l-^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 421 
 
 the wife of .Joseph B. Tcinpleton, of Bloom iiigton, 
 111., ill August, 188"2; Mamie Elizabeth, who was 
 united in marriage, Jan. 29, 1888, with Plummer 
 K. Wade; AVilliam Carl, Charles Myrickand Hattie 
 Susan, yet at home. 
 
 In April, 1887, Rev. Cooper received a unani- 
 mous call to the pastorate of the First Presbj'lerian 
 Church of Morning Sun, Iowa, and entered upon 
 his labors on the 1st of Ma3' following. He has been 
 just as devoted to his work since he entered the 
 ministry as he was preparing for it in college and 
 seminary. His labors have been more in the line 
 of an evangelist than a pastor, and he was ordained 
 to that special line of work, but his labors since 
 coming to ]Morning Sun have been eminently suc- 
 cessful, encouraging both pastor and people to more 
 zealous efforts for the future. 
 
 JOHN DEIIIL, deceased, was formerlj' one of 
 the prominent citizens of Louisa County, 
 Iowa. He was born in Franklin Count}', 
 Pa., Nov. 21, 1808, and there grew to man- 
 hood, receiving a liberal education. His father and 
 mother were natives of Lancaster County, Pa., 
 probably of German descent, and moved to Frank- 
 lin County in 1808. They were the parents of six 
 sons and six daughteis, all of whom grew to ma- 
 turity with the exception of the youngest son, who 
 died at the age of sixteen. One of the sons, 
 George, who has been a resident of Frederick, Md., 
 for the past thirt3'-six years, is a prominent clergy- 
 man, and was graduated at Pennsylvania College, 
 Gettysburg, in 1837, and at the seminary in 1839. 
 Michael was .also a graduate of Pennsylvania Col- 
 lege, a minister of the Gospel, and a professor in 
 ■\Vittenberg College, and died in Springfield, Ohio, 
 in April, 18G9. 
 
 In 1831 John Delhi, our subject, went to Picka- 
 way County, Ohio, where he was engaged in teach- 
 ing school for a few years, and in the spring of 
 183().he came to Louisa County, Iowa, where he en- 
 tered IGO acres of land. In the same year Philip 
 Harrison came to Louisa Countj- from Pennsylvania, 
 
 •4« 
 
 and formed a partnership with Mr. Delhi, which 
 continued for about twenty 3'ears. During that 
 time they were interested together in a numl)er of 
 land and other transactions, in which they were 
 successful. Some 3-ears later Mr. Harrison went to 
 Texas, where he died a few years ago. Mr. Deihl 
 remained in Louisa County following the occupa- 
 tion of a farmer, at which he was eminentl}' suc- 
 cessful, owning at the time of his death 1,200 acres 
 of good land. In 184.5 he visited his native .State, 
 going by vva}' of Chicago, on horseback, riding one 
 horse and leading another ; then he bought a wagon 
 and drove to Indiana, and took his widowed sister 
 and three children to tiieir old home in Pennsyl- 
 vania, the journe3' occup3'ing a number of da3-s. 
 
 In 1850 Sir. Deihl was united in marriage with 
 Mrs. George Johnson, who was forraerl3' Margaret 
 Jamison, a daughter of Merit Jamison, whose sketch 
 tippears in this work. To them was l)orn a family 
 of six children: John W., who died in infancy; 
 Elizabeth, who is still .at home; Merit J., who re- 
 sides on the old homestead; George U., a resident 
 farmer of Louisa Count}-; L3'dia, who died in this 
 count}', and Emma A., who died .at the age of 
 seventeen. By her former marriage Mrs. Deihl 
 bad one daughter, Mar3', who is now the wife of 
 Capt. John Campbell, of Elliott Township. 
 
 On the 17th of April, 1879, Merit J. Deihl was 
 united in marriage with Miss Clara A. Brogan, the 
 eldest daughter of James and Eliza J. (Van Horn) 
 Brogan, who were earl3' settlers of Louisa County, 
 but now reside in Polk County, Neb. jMr. and Mrs. 
 Deihl are the parents of three children, one son 
 and two daughters, viz: Emma A., born March 
 25, 1880; S.amuel J., Feb. 2, 1882, and Alma O., 
 Oct. 19, 1885. Mr. Deihl is one of the enterpris- 
 ing and successful farmers of the township, a Repub- 
 lican in politics, liberal in his views generall3', and 
 a generous supporter of any worth3' public enter- 
 prise. 
 
 George R. Deihl wedded Miss Eva E. Dotson, 
 on the 21st of January, 1880. She is a daughter 
 of Basil and Mary (Davison) Dotson. Two sons 
 and one daughter have graced the union of Mr. 
 and Mrs. George R. Deihl: Blanch A., born Nov. 
 12, 1880; John D., Dec. 10, 1882, and J. Ross, 
 April 2, 1885. George R. is also a large farmer. 
 
 -■^ . i^ ^, 
 
*^^t=Mi- 
 
 422 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 and like his brother, is a supporter of the Ropub- 
 licau part}'. 
 
 The death of Mr. John Deihl occurred Sept. 16, 
 1878. He was a man possessing more than ordi- 
 nary abilitj', having rare powers of discrimination 
 and judgment, and was of unswerving integrity 
 and great determination and energ}'. Although 
 possessing an iron constitution, his intense energy 
 caused him to overwork, and his health at length 
 gave way. He was reared by Lutheran parents, 
 though never united with an}' church but always 
 attended religious services, and w.as the embodi- 
 ment of integrity and uprightness. A man of 
 economical habits, he yet gave liberally to all 
 worthy objects, and it was a proverbial saying that 
 his word was as good as his bond. Mr. Deihl was 
 a self-made man, and by the assistance of his ex- 
 cellent wife accumulated a comfortable property, 
 thus leaving his family in good circumstances. In 
 early life he w.as a WJiig, but at the organization of 
 the Republican party joined its ranks, and was one 
 of its earnest supporters until his death. Never a 
 politician, he believed that the ollice should seek 
 the man and not the man the office. He had sev- 
 eral local ofHees tendered to him, and was elected 
 as County .Supervisor and Count}' Commissioner, 
 serving with credit to himself and to the satisfac- 
 tion of his constituents. He was appointed the 
 first Postmaster of Florence Township, was a close 
 student, and was always well informed on the af- 
 fairs of the State and Nation. His w.is a success- 
 ful life, and in the death of this honored pioneer 
 Louis.i Count}' lost one of its best citizens. Mrs. 
 Deihl is still living in Morning Sun. 
 
 The portrait of Mr. Deihl is presented in connec- 
 tion with this sketch. 
 
 
 "S^JjEUUKN STAl'P, residing on section IG, Co- 
 'IWf luml)us City Township, is one of the leading 
 
 ■» W .J^_ 
 
 yA farmers of Louisa County, and is descended 
 ^^ from good old Revolutionary stock, his 
 paternal grandfather having served in the War for 
 Independence, when the Colonies threw off the Brit- 
 ish yoke of oppression. He is a native of Lehigh 
 County, Pa., born Dec. la, 1821, and is a son of 
 
 Jacob and Anna Berry (Stapp), both of whom were 
 born in the Keystone State, ancl were of German 
 descent. They were the parents of three children: 
 Reuben, of this sketch; Caroline, widow of Jonas 
 Diehl, now residing in Columbus City Township, 
 and Mary, the deceased wife of William Klotz, of 
 Columbus Junction. The parents were members of 
 the German Reformed Church. The father died 
 when Reuben was six years old, and the mother 
 died in August, ISOo. 
 
 As his mother was in limited circumstances our 
 subject early began the battle of life for himself, 
 and earned the money which paid his tuition at 
 school. In his twentieth }'ear he began learning 
 the carpenter's trade, serving an apprenticeship of 
 two years in Leiiigh County, Pa., and after having 
 mastered his trade migrated to Tippecanoe County, 
 Ind., in 1 844, and there worked at his trade for 
 eight years. While residing in that county, on the 
 28th of December. 1848, he was joined in wedlock 
 with Sarah A. Reece, who was born in Virginia, and 
 is a daughter of John and Jane (Nichols) Reece^ 
 who were natives of that State. They are the par- 
 cnts of eight living children: Anna, wife of T. J_ 
 Klotz, of Columbus City Township; John J., who 
 is engaged in farming in Union Township; Ada, 
 wife of J. S. Blair, a resident farmer of Columbus 
 City Township; Ida, wife of J. J. Duncan, living in 
 Columbus City Township; George, Cora, Harry and 
 Garry (twins), are at home. 
 
 In the autumn of 1852 Mr. Stapp bought his 
 present homestead, and in 1853 migrated to Louisa 
 County, Iowa, where he has since continued to re- 
 side. Upon this wild, unimproved farm he built a 
 log cabin, 18x18 feet, into which he moved, mak- 
 ing it his home for about eight years, when he built 
 a more commodious residence. He began the im- 
 provement of his land and soon had it under a fine 
 state of cultivation. His farm now comprises GOO 
 acres, all under cultivation, which pay a golden 
 tribute to his care and labor. In connection with 
 his other interests Mr. .Stapp also engages in stock- 
 raising, anil is one of the self-made men of the 
 county. Commencing life as a poor boy he has 
 worked his way up, andliy good management and 
 fair dealing luis l)ecome one of tiie well-to-ilo far- 
 mers of the community. He and his wife lU'c both 
 
■<*• 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 423 
 
 f 
 
 members of the Reformed Clniri-h. When only six- 
 teen j'ears of age he unitcfl with that denomination, 
 and has since been one of its earnest and devoted 
 members. He has always been one of its liberal 
 contributors, and does much to .advance its inter- 
 ests. In his political views lie is a Democrat, and 
 is also a stockholiier and Director of the Farmers' 
 and Merchants' Bank of Columbus Junction. His 
 family stands high in the social world and enjoys 
 the respect of all. 
 
 
 LIZABETH CROSSMAN. who is living on 
 section I.j, Grand View Townshi[), was born 
 ^ in Jefifersou County, Ohio, in 1821. Her 
 parents, Joseph and Martha (Humphrey) Crow, had 
 a faniilj' of eight children, of whom she is the fourth. 
 Her father was a native of Penns^'lvania, her 
 mother of Ohio, and in 1834, with their family, 
 they removed to Warren County, III., residing there 
 until the spring of 183G, when they emigrated to 
 Louisa County, Iowa, which at that time was avast 
 wilderness, and Indians, roaming over the countr}', 
 were everyday visitors at their home. There were 
 no railro.ads, but few settlements, and wild game of 
 all kinds abounded. The trials and privations of 
 pioneer life were endured by the family, but soon 
 they had a nice home in the then Far West. The 
 father died many years ago, probal)ly in 1868, and 
 the mother departed this life in April, 1885, at the 
 advanced age of ninetj--two. 
 
 Mrs. Crossman was educated in the district 
 schools of Ohio and Illinois, and in 1842 became 
 the wife of .Samuel H. Rockafellar, who was a na- 
 tive of Indiana, and a son of Henry and Ellen 
 (Hurst) Rockafellar, also born in the Iloosier State. 
 In the early days of the county his parents came to 
 Louisa County, where the death of both occurred, 
 the mother dying of cholera in 1851. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Rockafellar bought a 
 farm in Port Louisa Township, where he resided 
 until his death, which occurred in 18.52. His 
 disease was lung fever and Bright's disease of the 
 kidneys, with which he had suffered for some time. 
 Two children were born of their union: Peter 
 
 Rifnor, who died in 187G, leaving a wife and two 
 children, and who during the entire war fought 
 in defense of his countr3% enlisting in 1861 in Com- 
 pany F, 8th Iowa Infantr}', receiving his discharge 
 in 1865; and Martha E., the second child, who is 
 now Mrs. Curtis, a resident of Grand View Town- 
 ship. 
 
 After the death of Mr. Rockafellar his widow 
 purchased sixty acres of partly improved land on 
 section 15, Grand View Township, to which she re- 
 moved in the autumn of 1852, and has made it her 
 home continuously since. In 1856 she was united 
 in marriage with J. A. Crossman, who was a harness 
 and saddle maker by trade. He took great interest 
 in political affairs, and voted with the Republican 
 party. He w.as one of the respected citizens of 
 Louisa Count}', and his death occurred in May, 
 1885. Mrs. Crossman is a member of the United 
 Presbyterian Church, and a most estimable lad}', 
 held in high esteem by many friends. She has wit- 
 nessed the entire growth of the county of her adop- 
 tion, has seen the wilderness transformed into highly 
 cultivated farms, and the timber made into beauti- 
 ful homes. 
 
 JAMES T.S. McCIIESNEY, deceased, was one 
 of the leading farmers of Louisa County. He 
 was born in 1818, in Westmoreland Count}', 
 Pa., and went with his parents to Trumbull 
 County, Ohio, where they resided until 1836, when 
 they became residents of Warren Count}', 111., which 
 continued to be their home for about two years. 
 At the expiration of that time they removed to 
 Mercer County, settling near Viola, where our sub- 
 ject was united in marriage with Rebecca Clark, a 
 native of Ireland. In his youth he had learned the 
 cooper's trade, and followed that occupation until 
 about 1849. The following year he purchased 160 
 acres of laud, situated four miles north of New Bos- 
 ton. 111., and there engaged in farming until the spring 
 of 1860, when he became a resident of Louisa 
 County. He here purchased 2!)0 acres of land on 
 sections 9, 10 and 16 of Jefferson Township, which 
 was only partially improved. He immediately began 
 the cultivation of his farm, and made it his home 
 until his death, which occurred Dec. 12, 1870; his 
 
 -4^ 
 
 -•► 
 
424 
 
 -•► 
 
 ,f 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 widow still survives him. Mr. McChesney had 
 added to his original possessions until he owned 
 1,000 acres of land. He was a Democrat in poli- 
 tics, and one of the progressive fanners of Louisa 
 Count}'. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. McChesney reared a family of five 
 children: John, the eldest, is a farmer of Jefferson 
 Township; Nathan is engaged in farming in Harri- 
 son County, Mo. ; Ruth is the wife of David Stephen, 
 of Port Louisa Township; Jane wedded W. W. Nye, 
 a ph3'sician of Hiawatha, Kan. ; and James is a far- 
 mer of Grand View Township. 
 
 John T. JlcChesney, who is engaged in farming 
 in Jefferson Townsiiip, was born in Mercer Countjs 
 111.. Dec. 18, 1842, and was tliere reared upon a 
 farm, receiving his education in the district schools. 
 He came with his parents to Louisa Countj- in 1860, 
 and in August, 18G3, was united in marriage with 
 Anna Collins, a native of Ireland. In 1.SG7 Mr. 
 MeChesnej" purchased eighty acres of land, to which 
 farm he at once moved. He has since added to his 
 original purchase until he is now the owner of 1,225 
 acres, which pay a golden tribute to his care and 
 cultivation. He is an enterprising and progressive 
 farmer, one of the leading men of Jefferson Town- 
 ship, and to such citizens Louisa County owes much 
 of her prosperit}'. He h.as held the office of Town- 
 ship Trustee for ten years, and in politics is a Demo- 
 crat. 
 
 .Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. 
 McChesney: Addie, a graduate of the State Nor- 
 mal, is a teacher of Louisa County, and resides at 
 home ; Emery, James, Florence, John, George and 
 Lee are all yet at home. 
 
 J'^'OHN SPIIOWS, a resident of Toolsboro, this 
 county, was born in Belvidcrc, Warren Co., 
 N. J., in 1821, and is a son of Reuben and 
 riuebe (Updike) Sprows. His father was 
 a native of I'ennsylvania, though of Dutch ances- 
 trj- on the paternal side, and Irish on the mater- 
 nal side. His mother was a native of England, and 
 her father, Samuel Ui)dike, was a miller in that 
 country. Reuben Sprows followed the occupation 
 of shoemakiug, and also engaged as a veterinary- 
 
 surgeon. During the War of 1812 he served as a 
 private. He and his wife belonged to the Society 
 of Friends, and the death of the father occurred in 
 1830, the mcrther surviving him until 1850. 
 
 At the age of nine years our subject left his home 
 and went to work in a rolling-mill, serving an ap- 
 prenticeship of nine years in the iron and steel 
 business, and then working under instructions for 
 the succeeding four j-ears. After he had gained a 
 thorough knowledge of the trade he secured emplo}'- 
 ment on the Hudson River, at Queensboro, for a 
 3-ear, and then went to Charlotte, N. Y., where he 
 remained until 1848. In that 5-ear he went to Mex- 
 ico, sailing from New York, and there engaged in 
 manufacturing iron at San Rafael, making that his 
 home for about three years, being foreman of the 
 works in which he was emplo3-ed. In 1851 he went 
 from Vera Cruz, Mex., to New Orleans, and from 
 tliere proceeded up the river to Tools' Landing, 
 where the town of Toolsboro is now situated, and 
 purchased IGO .acres of land, but engaged in chop- 
 ping wood during the first winter. 
 
 Here our subject became acquainted with Rhoda 
 M. Ives, the widow of Cicero Ives, and on Feb. 
 20, 1852. they were united in marriage. Their mar- 
 ried life was of short duration, Mrs. Sprows dying 
 in February, 1853. Shortly after their marriage 
 Mr. Sprows purchased a 140-acre tr.act of land in 
 Jefferson Township. In 1854 he bought some lots 
 in Toolsboro, where he has made his home continu- 
 ously since. In that year he was united iu mar- 
 riage with Emily M. Matthews, widow and second 
 wife of Solomon 15. Matthews, who had previously 
 been united in marriage with Evaline Smith, who 
 died in 1847, leaving three children: John Ilenrj', 
 who died at Jackson, Tenn., while in his country's 
 service, being a member of Company I, 1st Mis- 
 souri Engineers; Sidney, now deceased, also a sol- 
 dier in the same company and regiment, and who 
 served three yeai-s; Mary Ellen became the wife 
 of Frank Bross, an attorney-at-law, who died in 
 Memphis, Tenn., of yellow fever, in 18G8, and she 
 subsequently married A. Kimball, a farmer of Jef- 
 ferson Township. 
 
 Mr. Sprows' second wife was called to her final 
 home Oct. 31, 1882, and he was again united in 
 marriage to Mrs. Peckiupah, whose maiden name was 
 
-4•- 
 
 -•»- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 42." 
 
 riid'be A. Willets. In ScpteiiilKM-, 1801. IMr. Sprows 
 rcspoiulod to his comilrv's call for troops, ami on- 
 listed in the 1st Missouri Engineers as a inaeliin- 
 ist. and served until March. 18C>2. when he was 
 discharged for disabilities, having lost the sigiit of 
 oue of bis ejes. Socially, he is a member of the 
 G. A. R. Post and also of the 1. O. O. F. ; relig- 
 iousl}', he is a .Spiritualist, and politically, an ardent 
 Republican. He has held the ofHce of Township 
 Trustee, and is one of the respected men of the 
 coium unity. 
 
 -«rt>^~«jije^'®^ 
 
 k^5sj2l*'i7?^^*«* "W** 
 
 \J4_j, UMPFIREY RICHARDS, a leading farmer 
 of Louisa County, Iowa, residing on section 
 20, Columbus City Township, was born in 
 Wales, in 1850, and his parents, Lewis and 
 Catherine (.Jenkins) Richards, vvcrc also natives of 
 the same country. The father w.as a farmer by oc- 
 cupation, and his death occurred in Wales in 1863. 
 His wife had died the previous year, and they w-ere 
 both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 Ten children had been born unto them, seven of 
 whom grew to manhood and womanhood: David, 
 who is now living near Council Bluffs, Iowa; John, 
 a mechanic, residing in Iligbee, Mo. ; Humphrey, 
 the third in order of birth; Mary Ann, wife of 
 AVilliam Trentham, whose home is in London, En- 
 gland; Catherine, also living in London; Lewis, a 
 resident of Louisa Count}'. Iowa; and Riciiard. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon his father's farm, 
 and on attaining his majority determined to make 
 his home in the New AVorld, so in the spring of 
 1871 he crossed the Atlantic, and landed in Amer- 
 ica. Going to Watertown, Wis., he there resided 
 until the following autumn, when he removed to 
 Perlce, Iowa, where he engaged in mining for two 
 years. Going to Des Moines, he was there engaged 
 in the same line of business for two j-ears, after 
 which he came to Louisa Count}', locating in Co- 
 lumbus City Township. His first purcha.se of land 
 consisted of eighty-seven acres on section 20, which 
 is still his home, though he has subsequently added 
 to the original farm until it now comi)rises 180 
 acres. 
 
 In the s|)riiig of lx7."> Mr. Richards was united in 
 
 -^« 
 
 marriage witii Miss Mary Williams, who was born 
 in Columbus City Townslii|), Louisa County, in 
 1857, and is a daughter of Richard Williams, a na- 
 tive of Wales. Their union has been blessed with 
 an interesting family of four children — Catherine 
 Ann, Celia .Jane, Amy and David .Toini. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Richards are members of the Welsh Calvinis- 
 tic Church. He has served both as School Director 
 and Road Supervisor in his township, and in politi- 
 cal sentiment is a Republican. Mr. Richards is one 
 of the leading men in Columbus City Township, 
 and takes an active part in the promotion of any 
 cause for the public good. It was through his in- 
 fluence that the present town of Clifton was located. 
 He corresponded with the railroad officials, induc- 
 ing them to locate a station at that place, was instru- 
 mental in establishing the post-ollice in that town, 
 and served as its first Postm.aster. His influence is 
 always given toward the right, and he is a liberal 
 contributer to the church and the school. As a 
 farmer, he is systematic and progressive, and every- 
 thing about the jjlace shows him to be a man of 
 thrift and enterprise. As a neigiibor and citizen, 
 he is held in high esteem throughout the com- 
 munity, and we are pleased to record liis sketch 
 among others of Louisa County's honored citizens. 
 
 •>«j>j££'©ig-~- 
 
 "^^^irei^ 
 
 !$i IfelLLIAM E. SMITH, a citizen of Morning 
 \jjj/l Sun, Louisa Co., Iowa, was born in York- 
 V^ shire, England. Aug. 14. 1829. and is a 
 son of Peter Smith, who emigrated with his family 
 to America in 18.'3.t. Stopping for a short time 
 at IJeardstown, III., he then removed to Des .Moines 
 County, locating in Burlington Township, three 
 and one-half miles soutliwest of Burlington. En- 
 tering a claim of 400 acres, for whicii he paid 
 $1.25 per acre at the land sales, he there made his 
 home until his death. In his native country he 
 had wedded Miss Martha King, and by their union 
 thirteen childreii were born, ten of whom grew to 
 man and womanhood, while nine are yet living: 
 Ann, the wife of Clayton Hunt, of Des Moines 
 County; Jo^n, who died in 1879; Allison, whose 
 home is in Des Moines County; Samuel, a resident 
 
 •> M ^' 
 
•^f^ 
 
 426 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 of Burlington, Iowa; William E., of this sketch; 
 Edward, who is living in Des Moines County; 
 Jarius, of Decatur County-, Iowa; Jane, wife of 
 AVilliam Finch, of Macoupin County, 111.; George, 
 a resident of Decatur County, Iowa, and Sarah, 
 who is living in Burlington. Mr. Smith was a man 
 of great intellect, and after he was seventy-two 
 j'ears of age learned to read and speak French flu- 
 entlj\ He was a member of the Episcopal Church, 
 and in earlj' life was a Whig, but joined the Repub- 
 lican party at its organization in 1856, after which 
 time he was one of its ardent supporters. His 
 death occurred Jan. 26, 1 872, and Mrs. Smith died 
 iu May, 1880. 
 
 When only six j'ears of age our subject emi- 
 grated with his parents from his native land to Des 
 Moines Countj', Iowa, where he grew to manhood, 
 and received his education in the log school-house 
 common to those pioneer days. He was married in 
 Des Moines Count}-, becoming the liusband of Illi- 
 nois H. Hunt, who was born Nov. 19, 1837, in that 
 county, and is a daughter of Jesse Hunt, one of the 
 pioneers. By their union four children have been 
 born, one son and three daughters — Jessie, Hattie 
 D., Elizabeth (better known as Bessie) and Fred W. 
 In 1873 Mr. Smith removed from Des Moines to 
 Louisa County, locating in Morning Sun, where he 
 has since resided, and is ranked among the promi- 
 nent men of the place. He has served as a mem- 
 ber of the City Council, was School Director for 
 five years, and in politics is a Democrat. 
 
 ANNIBAL J. N. PARSONS, an honored 
 pioneer of Louisa County of 1836, now re- 
 ^ siding on section 10, Jeflferson Township, 
 was born Feb. 24, 1818, in Randolph 
 Count}', W. Va., and is a son of Jonathan and 
 Agnes (Neville) Parsons, who were also natives of 
 the same count}' and State. The paternal grand- 
 father, James Parsons, was a native of England, 
 and a son of Thomas Parsons, a hatter, of London. 
 James emigrated to America, and settled in what is 
 now West Virginia, wliere he was one of the early 
 pioneers. The maternal grandfather, John Neville, 
 was a native of Hardy County, W. Va., of Scotcli 
 -4« 
 
 descent, and was a relative of Lord George Neville. 
 John served during the entire Revolutionary War 
 as a private under Gen. La Fayette, and was present 
 at the surrender of Cornwallis. His occupation was 
 that of a farmer, and he was a member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 
 Jonathan Parsons, the father of our suliject, was 
 born in 1797, and reared upon a farm in West Vir- 
 ginia, lie received a liberal education, was edu- 
 cated for the ministry, but always engaged in 
 farming. He also studied medicine, but never 
 practiced it except in charilal)le cases or in the ab- 
 sence of other physicians. His father died when he 
 was fourteen years old, l)ut he lived with his 
 mother until the age of twenty years, when he was 
 united in marriage, Feb. 27, 1817, with Agnes 
 Neville, who was born Oct. 21, 1792. After his 
 marriage Mr. Parsons engaged in farming in his 
 native county until 1830, when he sohl out and 
 emigrated to Iowa, settling in Jefferson Township, 
 Louisa County, where he entered 160 acres of land. 
 He immediately began its improvement, and soon 
 developed a fine farm. A log cabin was there built, 
 which still stands, it being used as his home until 
 1852, when he moved to the village of Toolsboro, 
 where he spent the remainder of his days. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Parsons were the parents of four 
 children: Our subject, Joseph J.; Mary C, wife of 
 Minor T. Dennison.of Re|)ublie County, Kan.; and 
 Adruble, who died at the age of twenty years. 
 Mr. Parsons and his wife were members of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a man who 
 alw.ays took an active part in political affairs, and 
 cast his vote with the Democratic party. His death 
 occurred March 8, 1883, his wife having died June 
 18, 1857. He was one of the very earliest pioneers 
 of Louisa County. Having settled in almost an 
 unbroken wilderness he yet lived to see the same 
 country transformed into beautiful farms, with 
 school-houses and churches located at short intervals 
 throughout the country, and villages and cities 
 built, where can be obtained almost every conven- 
 ience of the civilized world. Mr. Parsons was a 
 hospitable man, no friend or stranger having ever 
 come to his door without receiving a hearty wel- 
 come. 
 
 When eighteen years of age our suliject came 
 
 ■ » 
 
-4«- 
 
 ^ii^l-* 
 
 L0UI8A COUNTY. 
 
 427 
 
 with his fiithcr to this county, where he has ever 
 sinco l)ei'n ciiiiagcd in fanning. A partncrsliip was 
 foimcd IjL'tween his fallier, his brother .Joseph and 
 himself, in farming and stock-raising, and all of 
 them lived in the same Iiouse. A thorough busi- 
 ness man, he has been quite successful, and is now 
 the owner of about 1,400 acres of land, besidescon- 
 siderable town property-. At one time Mr. Parsons 
 was nominated for the Legislature, but declined to 
 run. lie has served as County Supervisor for two 
 years, and has always been an active worker in 
 political affairs. In all matters of local interest, and 
 in all enterprises for the public gooil, he has given 
 his support, and has ever been a liberal contributor 
 to churches. A great friend to education, lie is 
 especially interested in the schools of the count}', 
 and has served as President of the School Board in 
 his district much of the time for the past twenty 
 years. His genialit}', honesty and hospiUility have 
 won for him nmny friends. He is well known 
 throughout the county, and is highly esteemed alike 
 by young and old, rich and poor. 
 
 t= 
 
 /^^ LAHK COCKLIN, a farmer residing on sec- 
 Ill _ tion 23, Granfl View Township, was born in 
 ^^' Pittsburgh, Pa., April 4, 18.52, and is a son 
 of Reuben and Margaret (Beck) Cocklin. who were 
 natives of Pennsylvania, of German descent. He 
 came with his parents to this county in 18.53, they 
 locating upon a farm in Grand View Township, 
 where our subject grew to manhood. He attended 
 the common schools, and later worked as a farm 
 hand by the month for several years. On the 31st 
 of January, 1877, he was united in marriage, be- 
 coming the husband of Miss Mary Rice, who was 
 born in Monmouth, 111., Dec. 27, 1860, and is a 
 daughter of Sylvester and Elizabeth Rice, who are 
 early settlers of Louisa County. By their union 
 three children have been born: Bertha, who is at 
 home; Fay and Nellie, who died in infancj'. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Cocklin are members of the Method- 
 ist Church, of Grand View, and are active workers 
 in its interests, ever ready to advance the cause. 
 In his political sentiinents he is a Republican. He 
 is always well informed on all questions of interest, 
 
 both of church and State, and at present holds the 
 odlcc of Trustee of the ]Hiblic schools in the village 
 of (iraud View. lie is an enterprising, progressive 
 farmer, and one of the respected citizens of Louisa 
 County. 
 
 H^^ AMUEL HAMILTON, one of the pioneers 
 
 ^^^ of Louisa County, wixs born in Fa3'ett« 
 
 Id/ D) County, Ohio, in 1808. He was united in 
 
 marriage, in 1828, with Miss iNIaiy Holland, 
 
 a daughter of Thomas and Lorena (Cahill) Holland, 
 
 who were natives of Ohio. By their union twelve 
 
 children were born, five of whom are living: Alex, 
 
 a resident of this county; Sarah, wife of Milton 
 
 Gilmore, of Morning Sun, Iowa; Stephen, who is 
 
 j living in Fresno, Cal.; Jane, wife of James Banks, 
 
 of Louisa County, and D. D., of Morning Sun. 
 
 In 1841 Mr. Hamilton came with his family to 
 this county, locating in Wapello Township, where 
 he resided until theye.ar 1870, and then removed to 
 Morning Sun. For several years after coming to 
 this State he was engaged in teaching school, at the 
 same time directing the improvements of the farm. 
 For nearly half a century Esquire Hainillon was 
 recognized in this county as one of its most promi- 
 nent and respected citizens. His death occurre<l 
 Sept. 13, 188G. During these years of a well-spent 
 life he had held many positions of honor and trust 
 connected with the affairs of the county. A Demo- 
 crat in politics all his life, yet his standing as a man 
 and citizen was such that he was frequently elected 
 to township and city offices by his Republican 
 neighbors, all feeling that he was a conscientious 
 man, .and one of sound, cool judgment, whom it 
 would do to trust in an}' responsible position. He 
 served as a Justice of the Peace for thirty j'ears. 
 He was a man of peace, and would give his neigh- 
 bors such good advice that man}' lawsuits were 
 settled by him without litigation. He was also very 
 discreet in his opinions, but when once determining 
 what was right no one could be mistaken as t(j his 
 views. In every relation of life his name was held 
 above reproach. Possessed of a remarkable mem- 
 ory, intelligent, a good conversationalist, and pos- 
 sessing a genial nature., he was one of the most 
 comiianionable of men. Not alone in his hos|)itable 
 
 f 
 
*¥^V^^ 
 
 428 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 home, wliich his fleath has made so desolate, will 
 he be missed, but iii the church which he loved, in 
 the business circles, and among his neighbors. Mrs. 
 Hamilton is still living in Morning Sun, palientl}- 
 waiting until she too shall be called to join her 
 husband in that beautiful haven which has been 
 prepared for the just. 
 
 »-*-# ^ 
 
 W. ALFRKD, of the firm of S. AV. Alfred 
 & Co., breeders of imported thoroughbred 
 horses, is a native of Iowa, born in Keokuk 
 County, Jan. 31, 1858, and is a son of 
 Thornton and Paradine (Hawkins) Alfred, who are 
 still living, and reside in Washington Count}', Iowa. 
 The father is a native of Ohio, the mother of Indi- 
 ana, and both were pioneer settlers of this State. 
 Our subject was reared to agricultural pursuits in 
 Wasliington County, Iowa, and Sept. 18. 1879, wed- 
 ded Miss .Jane McGuire, daughter of M. McGuire. 
 She was born in W.ashington County, near the Lou- 
 isa County line, and they are the parents of three 
 children, all boys — Edgar, Clarence and Albia. 
 
 Mr. Alfred was engaged in stock-raising and 
 fanning in Union Township from the time of his 
 marriage until the spring of 1880, when he removeil 
 to Columbus Junction, and engaged in his present 
 busitiess, his brother-in-law, Abrani McGuire, 'be- 
 ing associated with hiui in the business, of which a 
 sketch appears in the history of Columbus Junction. 
 
 THOMPSON M. PARSONS, a pioneer of 
 Louisa County of 183G, now residing on 
 section 23, Jefferson Township, was born in 
 Hardy County, W. Va., Nov. 28, 1818, and is a 
 son of Isaac and Mar}- Elizabeth (Green) Parsons, 
 both of whom were also natives of the same county. 
 His father was reared upon a farm, and served as a 
 soldier during the War of 1812 .as Captain of a 
 compan}' of cavalr}'. He was a great reader, a 
 well-educated man, and took an active part in pub- 
 lic affairs, being a leader in any community where 
 he resided. In the month of March, 1836, he mi- 
 grated to Louisa County, Iowa, settling in Jefferson 
 
 Township, where he entered a claim of IGO acres. 
 This was wild, uncultivated land, but he at once 
 began its improvement and soon developed a fine 
 farm. 
 
 Nine children were born to Jlr. and Mrs. Par- 
 sons: Caroline became the wife of Johu Brown, 
 though both are now deceased; Ann A. married 
 James Palmer, and the death of both occurred in 
 Jefferson Township; our subject was the third in 
 order of birth; J. Green died at the age of twenty- 
 three years; James died when twenl3'-one j'ears of 
 age; Rebecca is now the wife of a Mr. Foster, of 
 W.ashington Tei'ritorj-; Jane Elizabeth was united 
 in marri.ige with Washington Williams, of Musca- 
 tine County, Iowa; Isaac died in 1857, at the age 
 of twentj'-seven j-ears; Frances married a Mr. 
 Black, a resident of Missouri. In 183-t the deatii 
 of the mother occurred, and Mr. Parsons again 
 married the following year, Ann Wliiting, a native 
 of A'irginia, becoming his wife. Oi.'e child w.as born 
 of this union, a daughter, Ellen. The death of his 
 second wife occurred in 1838. .Mr. Parsons was a 
 member of the Methodist E()iscopal Church, and in 
 politics was a Whig. His death occurred in No- 
 vember, 1852, at the .ige of sixty-three years. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm in West 
 Virginia, and made his first visit to Iowa in 1835, 
 locating a claim in Muscatine County. The follow- 
 ing 3'ear, 1836, he came to this county with his 
 father, making his home with him until his death, 
 which occurred in 1852. In the month of August, 
 1847, Thompson Parsons was united in marri.age 
 with Mary Hale, a native of Ohio, and a daughter 
 of John Hale. In 185 4 he purch.ased 188 acres of 
 land on section 23, Jefferst)n Township. It had no 
 im|)rovements, being a wild, unbroken tract, but by 
 his care and labor he soon developed a fine farm, 
 which is now highly improved. 
 
 Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Par- 
 sons: Alvira, wife of Samuel T. Irvin, a resident 
 farmer of Jefferson Township; Mar}' J., wife of D. 
 C. Creswell, of Page Count}', Iowa. J. H., no'w living 
 with his father; James, who married Lydia Ilerrick, 
 a daughter of Henry and Delilah Ilerrick, the for- 
 mer a native of New York and tlie latter of Ohio; 
 the young couple are residents of Louisa County. 
 Abe and Harry T., who are still at home. Socially, 
 
^ 
 
 .^-^ 
 
 N ^^ 
 
 -^ 
 
4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 431 
 
 Mr. Parsons is a niembor of tlie A. F. & A. M. He 
 lias served for nine years as Coiint.y Supervisor 
 from his townsliip, and has ever been an active 
 worker for the interests of the community in which 
 he resides. For over half a century Louisa County 
 has been his home. He lias seen the wigwam of 
 the Indian ,<i^ivc way to the home of civilized man, 
 has seen the prairie over which the wild deer 
 roamed transformeil into beautiful farms, the log 
 school-houses and churches give place to nol)le 
 edifices. As a pioneer and citizen we are pleased 
 to record the sketch of Mr. Parsons in this volume 
 among those of other men who rank high in the 
 community. 
 
 » >i ^ i><S)5-411l!^-W^<> *— J-* 
 
 'SSRAJ'^L TRASK, deceased, was one of the pio- 
 I neers of Louisa County. He was born in the 
 J State of Xew York, where he learned the jiro- 
 cess of making and working iron. He was first 
 united in marriage with Emily IJl}-, a n.ative of 
 New York, and by that marriage one child was 
 born, John 15., who came to this county with his 
 father in 1837, but is now living in Linn County, 
 Oi'e., where he is engaged in farming. After the 
 death of his first wife Mr. 'I'rask was united in 
 marriage with Sophia Maleroy, who was born in 
 1817 in Connecticut, their marriage being cele- 
 brated in Concord, Ohio. From there they emi- 
 grated to Fulton County, 111., making that their 
 home until 1837. when they removed to Louisa 
 County, Iowa, settling in .Jefferson Township, where 
 the death of ^Ir. Trask occurred on Ihe 20th of 
 August. 1811. 
 
 Four children graced the union of this worthy 
 couple: Phnily B., wife of G. W. Hook; Cornelia 
 E., who wedded U. M. Wilson, of Newton, Kan.; 
 Harnum .1., who resides in Newton. Kan.; and Ca- 
 lista S., wife of William II. I'routy, of Harvey 
 County, Kan. Air. Trask wa-s a man who took an 
 active part in all matters of public interest, and 
 wjis honored and respected by all who knew him. 
 In his political views he was a Whig. 
 
 After the death of Jlr. Trask his wife was again 
 united in marriage, with Orson Craig, and three 
 children were born unto them: Hhodie G., wife of 
 Henry Miller, of Macon County, Mo.; Willard II., 
 als(j residing in the .same county; and Elva ()., 
 
 wife of .Ii)lin Wadley. also a resident of Macon 
 County, Mo. Mrs. Craig was a member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, and her death occurred 
 April 18, 1851. 
 
 EOIIGE BEIKE;, a prominent and represent- 
 tive farmer, residing on section 2, Grand 
 ^^^4) View Township, came with his parents to 
 Louisa County in 1846, when a young lad. He is 
 a son of Frederick and Sarah (Schneider) Beike, 
 who were natives of Germany, in which country- he 
 was born Aug. 18, 1839. He was united in mar- 
 riage with Anna M. Eierman, a native of Pennsyl- 
 vania, and a daughter of Francis Eierman. Of this 
 union eight children have been born: Sarah, wife 
 of Jesse Jarvis, a resident of Muscatine County", 
 Iowa; Lucy A., William F., Elma, Lola, Mattie, 
 Hilton and Daniel. The family circle remains, un- 
 broken, atul, with the exception of the eldest child, 
 all are yet inmates of the paternal home. 
 
 Mr. Beike and his wife are members of the Church 
 of God. He is the owner of 360 acres of land, 
 which p.avs a tribute to his care and cultivation, all 
 being highly improved. In 1H86 he began making 
 a specialty of raising Polled-Angus cattle, and now 
 has a herd of about thirt}', always kee|)ing several 
 specimens of the breed on hand for sale. His resi- 
 dence, a neat, comfortable home, was erected at a 
 cost of $1,000. Mr. Beike is one of the leading 
 farmers of Louisa Count}-, taking an active interest 
 in all its [lublic enterprises, and politically, is a 
 Hcpiiblican, favoring the strict enforcement of the 
 [irohibitory law. 
 
 On the opposite page will be found the portraits 
 of this excellent couple, who are well known to 
 many readers of the Aliu;>i. 
 
 JOHN HETFIKLD, deceased, was one of the 
 earl}' settlers of Louisa County, and for 
 almost forty years was one of its prominent 
 citizens. He was born in P'ranklin Count}', 
 Ind., on the 20th of September, 1811, and was a 
 son of John and Mary (Shull) lletfield, the fathers 
 native of Fayette County, Pa., lioru of English and 
 
 -t 
 
•^1^^ 
 
 =L 
 
 432 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 Scotch parentage. Jvliile the mother was a native of 
 Roekliridge County, Va., anrl was of German and 
 Irish ancestry'. The father was a soldier in the 
 War of 1812. Accompanied bj' Lis wife he emi- 
 grated to Indiana at an carlj' day, where he im- 
 proved a farm, and upon that farm our subject 
 grew to manhood, and his education was received 
 in the common scliools. On the 9th of November, 
 1834. he was united in marriage with Miss Mary 
 Flood, a native of Franklin County, Ind., and a 
 daughter of Benjamin Flood, who emigrated to this 
 countrj' from Ireland at an earl}' day, and settled 
 in Franklin County, Ind. The maternal grand- 
 father of Mrs. Hetfield was Peter Cox, wlio re- 
 moved from Connecticut, and settled on the site of 
 the present city of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was 
 later killed by the Indians. Her mother was the 
 first white child born in Cincinnati, and her death 
 occurred in Franklin County, in 1868. 
 
 After their marri.age the young couple removed 
 to Union County, Ind., wiiere Mr. Hetfield owned 
 a farm which he had inherited from his fttlher's 
 estate. Residing there until the sjjring of 1848, he 
 then returned to Louisii County, Iowa, locating on 
 section 2, Union Township, where he rented a farm 
 for two years. He then bought 1 CO acres of raw land, 
 and commenced its improvement, which he steadily 
 carried forward until he owned one of the best 
 farms in the township. He added to his possessions 
 until he owned 237 acres of land at the time of his 
 death, which occurred Aug. 6, 1887. His wife 
 died .June 29, 1855, at the age of fortj' years. They 
 were the parents of five children : Elizabeth, who 
 is now living on the old homestead; William, a 
 merchant of LaPorte, Ind.; Rebecca, who died at 
 the age of two j-ears; Pazallell, who is at home, 
 and Benjamin F., a farmer residing in Union Town- 
 ship. 
 
 For many years Mr. Hetfield served as Justice of 
 the Peace, and also held various other local offices 
 of trust, in all of which he discharged his duties 
 with promptness and fidelitj'. He was always very 
 strongly opposed to the institution of slavery, and 
 when the Re|)ulilican party was formed, denouncing 
 it, lie joined its ranks, and earnestly advocated its 
 principles until the time of his death. He was a 
 man well inforn)e<l on all the leading questions of 
 
 the da3", took great interest in public affairs, and 
 was prominent in the promotion of any enterprise 
 for the public good. He was numbered among 
 Louisa County's best citizens, and his death proved 
 a sad loss to the community. 
 
 _ .^^ V- 
 
 J GEORGE FATH, living on section 30, Jef- 
 ferson Township, where he owns a farm of 
 ninety-five acres, was born in Baden. Ger- 
 raanj'.in 1828, and is the second of a family of 
 nine children born to Christian and Rosina (Kaiser) 
 Fath, who were also natives of Germany, and who 
 emigrated to America in 1846. Bidding good-by to 
 their friends and native land, the famil}' started 
 from Havre across the Atlantic in a sailing-vessel, 
 and after a stormy vo3"age of forty-nine days 
 reached New York harbor. Christian Fath with 
 his family settled in Buffalo, N. Y., where he re- 
 mained ten years engaged in farming, and in 1856 
 came to Louisa County, Iowa, where hf purchsiseil 
 a farm, making it his home until his death, which 
 occurred in 1876, at the age of sevent3'-sis years. 
 His wife, a most estimable lady, died in 1873, hav- 
 ing reached her sixty-eighth year. 
 
 Our subject was eighteen years old when he came 
 to America. He had received his education in his 
 native land, and on reaching Buffalo engaged in 
 farming. In 1855 he left the parenUil roof, and 
 was united in marriage with Caroline Wigiilmann, 
 a native of .Germany, and a daughter of Nicholas 
 and Margaret (Howder) Wightmann, who were horn 
 at Alsace, Germany. Her parents emigrated to 
 America, locating in Jefferson Township, Louisa 
 County, Iowa, where the dc:ith of her mother oc- 
 curred. Her father then returned to Buffalo, N. 
 Y., where his death occurred some years since. 
 
 After their marri.age Mr. Fath and his wife took 
 up their residence in Geneseo County, N. Y., where 
 he engaged in farming on a tr.act of land which he 
 had purchased. Making that his home until 1863, 
 he then emigrated to Iowa, and purchased eighty 
 acres of the farm on which he now resides. In 
 1884 the death of his excellent wife occurretl, after 
 a lingering illness, and her death w.is sincerely 
 mourned by a large circle f>f friends. Mr. Fath 
 
 •^ 
 
 f 
 
-#•- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 =pL. 
 
 433 
 
 was ajjaiii married, in Louisa County, May '20, \S8ii, 
 Mary Renlliinger, a native of Baden, German^', be- 
 coniing his wife. She is the daughter of Joseph 
 and Agatha (Mayer) Renthingcr, also natives of 
 that country, where they yet reside. Mrs. Fath 
 was the widow of Anton Birkenmyer, and by that 
 union liad two eiiildren, .Joseph and Ciiark'j', who 
 inalie their home with our subject. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Fath are members of the German 
 Jlethodist Episcoi)aI Church, of Wapello, Iowa, and 
 to them has been born one child, Mary Magdalene. 
 They are among the highly respected people of Jef- 
 ferson Township. 
 
 ~^,,., V. RIGGS, one of the well-to-do and rep- 
 ( @rJ| i reseutative farmers of Grand View Town- 
 ship, residing on section 8, was born in 
 Hamilton County, Ohio, in 183(5. To his 
 parents, Daniel and Magdalene (Valentine) Riggs, 
 were born five children, of whom he was the second 
 in order of birth. His father was a native of New 
 York, and his mother of German}', though both 
 went to Oliio in their 3'ounger j'ears, their marri.age 
 being celebrated in Hamilton County, in J 832. In 
 early life Daniel Riggs had been employed upon a 
 canal, but later lived in Cincinnati, where he fol- 
 lowed teaming, and sul)sequently came West, at- 
 tending the Burlington land sales of 1839, at which 
 time he bought a farm in Cedar Township, Musca- 
 tine County. He then returned to his home in 
 Ohio, and resided in the city of Cincinnati until 
 1849, when, being stricken with cholera, he died on 
 the Gth of July, at the age of forty years. In 1852 
 the mother, accompanied by her family, came to 
 Iowa, locating on the land which Mr. Riggs had 
 purchased, and whicli was but partially improved, 
 it being only partly- fenced, and containing a little 
 log cabin. There the family made their home for 
 several years, and the mother is still living, making 
 her home with our subject. She yet owns her in- 
 terest in the old homestead in Muscatine (bounty, 
 and though seventy-eight years of age, retains both 
 her physical and mentid powers in a marked degree. 
 Our subject received a liberal education in the 
 graded schools of Cincinnati, Ohio, and came 
 
 West with the family in 1852. He w.as then si.vteen 
 years of age, a boy reared to city life, unused and 
 unaccustomed to hard labor, knowing nothing of 
 the hardships of frontier life which awaited him. 
 He knew nothing about farming, except theoreti- 
 cally, but with energy and tact soon acquired 
 a knowledge of this mode of life. 
 
 On the 15th of August, 18(J2, Mr. Riggs enlisted 
 in Muscatine .as a priv.ate of Company F, of the 35th 
 Iowa Infantr}-, for three years' service, and partici- 
 pated in the battles of Vicksburg, the Red River ex- 
 pedition, Tupelo, Old River Lake, Jackson, Miss., 
 and N.ishville. Contracting dise.ase while in the 
 service, from the eflfects of which he has never yet 
 fully recovered, he returned to his home, and was 
 honorably discharged at Davenport, Aug. 10, 1805. 
 
 In Muscatine County, Iowa, on the 2Cth of 
 September. 1859. Mr. Riggs and Miss Louisa Idle 
 were united in marriage. The lady is a native of 
 Champaign County, Ohio, and a daughter of John 
 and Nancy (Kiser) Idle, who were born in Pennsyl- 
 vania, but emigrated to Ohio at an early day, and 
 thence came to Muscatine Count}' in the year 1845, 
 settling on a farm in Adair County, where they yet 
 reside. Both parents arc yet in good health, and 
 are now enjoying the fruits of a well-spent life. By 
 the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Riggs ten chililren 
 were born, seven of whom are yet living: Edwin 
 Leroy, born July 10. 1800, died in infancy; William 
 Isaac, born Dec. 23, 180 1, died Feb. 4, 1803: Lctta 
 Florence, born Jan. 5, 1867, is now Mrs Schaffnit, 
 and resides in Letts; Ilattie Olive, born Dec. 27, 
 1868: John Walter, born Sept. 22, 1870; Annie 
 IMary, born Sept. 23, 1872; Myrtle Galena, born 
 Nov. 21, 1874; Daniel Austin, born Jan. 5, 1877; 
 Guss ^Mountain, born Oct. 20, 1878, died Dec. 2, 
 1880; Frank Clinton, born Dec. 2, 1883. All the 
 living children, with the exception of the eldest 
 daughter, are at home, and Ilattie, John and Annie 
 are attending school at Letts. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Riggs engaged in farm- 
 ing in Muscatine County until 1872, when he pur- 
 chased eighty acres of improved land in Concord 
 Township. Louisa County. He also owned eighty 
 acres in Muscatine County, but at that date re- 
 moved to the former larni, which he made his home 
 until 1883, when he soM out and bought 400 acres 
 
 i 
 
a= 
 
 434 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4- 
 
 4 
 
 of fine, arable land in Grand View Township, which 
 is well inii)roved. He buys and sells considerable 
 stock, principally entile, but also raises a fine grade 
 of Jsorm-in horses. In his political sentiments he 
 is a Greenbacker, and during the past has held 
 sever.al local offices of trust. Socially, he is a 
 member of the G. A. 11., Caldwell Post, at Letts, 
 and also belongs to Triangular Lodge No. 245, A. 
 F. & A. M., of Letts. He has served as W. M., S. 
 "\V., J. W., and is at present S. W. of Triangular 
 Lodge. He takes an active part in advancing the 
 cause of education, and does all in his power to pro- 
 mote the interests of the community. He and his 
 wife are members of the Methodist Church, and 
 have many warm friends in the conimumty. 
 
 i/«vtaje£/©i@~^^^>*®fSW'Z''»^ 
 
 THOMAS PURCELL, one of the ijrominent 
 and influential citizens of Louisa County, 
 who is now residing on section '.» of Oak- 
 land Township, was liorn in Ireland, and was the 
 second child in a family of six children born to Pat- 
 rick and Nancy (McGuire) Purcell, who were also 
 natives of the Emerald Isle, The father died in his 
 native land aliout the year 1848, preceding his 
 wife to her final rest several years, she dying in 
 1855. 
 
 In 1848 our subject left his home and native land 
 in order to try his fortune in the New World. 
 Crossing the broad Atlantic, he first settled in 
 Pennsylvania, working at his trade of a mason, 
 which he had previously learned, in several of the 
 Eastern cities. In 185G he removed to the West, set- 
 tling in Iowa City, Iowa, where he resumed his chosen 
 vocation, continuing in that employment until his re- 
 moval to Louisa County in 1858. He was united 
 in marriage, on Christmas Day of 1 864, with Matilda 
 Nichols, widow of John Nichols, who was an earlj' 
 settler of the county, and who entered 300 acres of 
 wild land, though he had improved but twenty 
 acres. Jlr. and Mrs. I'urcell began their domestic 
 life on section 9, Oakland Townsliip, where thej' 
 have since continued to reside. His is a model 
 farm. Since that time he has erected the finest 
 residence in the township, beneath which are two 
 good collars. A nice barn and tool house have also 
 
 been built, and all the imjirovements necessary to a 
 well-regulated farm have been made. A fine grade 
 of stock is laised, including the celebrated Hereford 
 and Durham cattle and Poland-China hogs, and the 
 original farm has been increased until he now owns 
 440 acres in Oakland Township, and nine acres 
 in Union Township, divided into fields and two 
 pastures, raising upon the latter about seventy or 
 eighty head of cattle annually. Financially, ISIr. 
 Purcell is a self-made man, having gained all that 
 he now owns bj' industry and frug.ility. Energ}- 
 characterizes his every action, and his farm is man- 
 aged with system and ability. 
 
 Politicall}', Mr. Purcell is a Democrat, and has 
 assisted in organizing some of the school districts 
 in his townsliip. He is a member of the Catholic 
 Church, and during his thirty-3-ears residence in 
 this county, lij- his honesty and fair dealing has 
 won the entire confidence of the coramunit3'. He 
 has ever been prominent in the promotion of the 
 interests and in the development of the county, 
 and upon his own farm has placed over §7,000 
 worth of improvements. 
 
 —: — :=:r:8ggr::=; — <~- 
 
 <S)ACOB ROWE, a leading farmer and stock- 
 raiser of Louisa County, residing on section 
 18. Grand View Township, was born in Lo- 
 rain County, Ohio, in 1848, and was the 
 fourth in a fainily of five children born to Philip 
 and Barbara (Steinnian) Kowe, who were natives 
 of Wurtemberg, Germanj'. born near Stuttgart. 
 They came to this country in 1834, setting sail 
 from Prcmen, and after a voyage of fifty-four 
 daj's landed at Baltimore, from which city they (iro- 
 ceeded directly to Ohio, where they were numbered 
 among the pioneers of Lorain County. The father 
 was a farmer by occupation, but .ilso engaged in 
 charcoal burning. In March, 1857, he removed 
 farther west, this time locating in Gram! View 
 Township, Louisa County, where he purchased a 
 partly impi'oved farm on section 18, comprising 
 eighty acres. He made his purchase in 1858, and 
 the following spring took up his residence thereon 
 and commenced the cultivation of his land, but was 
 oidy permitted to make that his home for a short 
 
••► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 435 '. ' 
 
 time, his (lealh occurring March 15, 1860, at the 
 age of forty-seven. His excellent wife survived 
 iiim some 3'ears, dying at the age of sixty-five, on 
 the 4th of March, 1883. Tlie children of their 
 family were: Louis, who died in December, 18G5, 
 aged twenty-six years; Emma, who became the 
 wife of Albert H. Young, who died Aug. 7, 1886; 
 Adam, who is married, resides in Keokuk County, 
 Iowa; Mary is living in Grand View. 
 
 In the district schools of Louisa County our sub- 
 ject was educated, niid here grew to manhood upon 
 the farm. In 1 S84, in the county, he was united 
 in marri.age with Barbara Bosard, who was born in 
 Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Joseph and 
 Catherine (Gottschall) Bosard, who were also na- 
 tives of the Keystone State. Her father there en- 
 giiged in farming and blaclismithing until his 
 removal to Louisa County', in 1857, when lie lo- 
 cated upon a fai-ra in Elm Grove Townsliip. In 
 connection with liis other labors he also became a 
 preacher of the Evangelical Church, was ordained 
 in Grand View in 1863, and entering the Confer- 
 ence was placed in charge of a circuit, and has since 
 continued his ministerial labors. He has been Pre- 
 siding Elder for the last eight j'ears, and is now lo- 
 cated at Independence, Iowa. His wife died about 
 ten j-eai's ago, in 1878. 
 
 By the union of Mr. and Mrs. Rowe two children 
 were born — Louis and Katie. The former died 
 April 4, 1887, aged nine months and seventeen 
 da3's. The j'oung couple began their domestic life 
 upon the farm where they yet reside. It is pleas- 
 antly situated on section 18, Grand View Township, 
 about six miles from Columbus Junction, three 
 miles from Letts and four miles from (irand Mew. 
 The farm comprises 160 acres of arable land, well 
 cultivated and improved, upon whicii may be found 
 a good gr.ade of stock, including the Durham cat- 
 tle, the Poland-China and Chester-White hogs. 
 Mr. Rowe is a great friend to education, and in 
 political sentiment is a Republican. Since March, 
 1857, he has made his home in this county, has 
 witnessed almost its entire growth and develoi)- 
 ment, and aided in the many changes which have 
 transformed its once wild and uncultivated prairies 
 into beautifid homes an<l farms. His wife is a 
 most estimable lady and a member of the Congre- 
 
 •T 
 
 gational Church. Both hold a high social position, 
 and have many warm friends throughout the com- 
 munity'. 
 
 One of Mr. Rowe's brothers, Adam, was in the 
 service of his country during the late war, enlist- 
 ing in the 35th Iowa Infantry, as a member of 
 Company F. For four years he was upon the 
 Southern batllc-flelds, during which time he par- 
 ticipated in many of the hottest engagements, and 
 was discharged in 1864. He partially lost his eye- 
 sight, for whicli he now draws a [jension. 
 
 ^ IfelLLIAM T. VERTREES, proprietor of a 
 \/\ll/ ''^"^'Ti sale and feed stable, of Morning Sun, 
 ^^ was born Sept. 25, 1848, in Morning Sun 
 Township, this county, and is a son of Josiah and 
 Susan (Jameson) Vertrces, whose sketch appears 
 elsewhere in this volume. He received his educa- 
 tion in the schools of Morning Sun, and .alscj at- 
 tended school at Burlington for a year. He grew 
 to m.anhood upon his father's farm in Morning Sun 
 Township, remaining under the parental roof until 
 twenty-two years of age, when he started out in life 
 for himself. He was united in marri.age with Miss 
 Mary F. Stewart, who was born in Licking County, 
 Ohio, June 20, 1848, and is a daughter of J. C. 
 and Jane (Patterson) Stewart, who were among the 
 early settlers of Louisa County. Her mother died 
 in Eebruary, 1888, and her father, who was a far- 
 mer by occupation, is now living a retired life in 
 Morning Sun. Two children grace their union: 
 Minnie B. and Myrtle B., twins, who were born 
 Sept. 13, 1871, in Morning Sun. 
 
 The parents have given their daughters good 
 educational advantages, and have also had them 
 instructed in the art of music. The family- are all 
 members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and 
 Mrs. Vertrces is one of the most active workers of 
 that denomination. She takes great interest in the 
 Sabbath-school work, and for many years has been 
 one of its teachers. From 1870 to 1876 Mr. Ver- 
 trces engaged in farming in Morning Sun Township, 
 but at the latter date sold out, and removed to the 
 town of .Morning Sun, where he h.as since resided. 
 He embarked in the livery business, and has a first- 
 
 »► 
 
.^1^^ 
 
 4- 
 
 436 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 class stable, kecpiiifj a nice line of teams and rigs of 
 the latest styles. He has always taken an active 
 part in public affairs, has held various township 
 offices, and has ever been identified with the Kepub- 
 lican party. Throughout his life he has lived in 
 Louisa County, and b}- his honesty and fair dealing 
 has won the confidence of the entire community. 
 He is one of Louisa County's honored and respected 
 citizens, and we are pleased to record his sketch in 
 this volume. 
 
 Jl E. JOY, whose farm is on section 17. Port 
 Louisa Township, was born in Monroe 
 County, N. Y., in 1 83G, the sixth in a family 
 ' of thirteen children born to Joseph and Sarah 
 Ann (Crouch) Joy, who were natives of England. 
 Their home was near London, and they emigrated 
 to this country in 1827, settling in AVatertown,N. Y., 
 though they afterward removed to Monroe County, 
 where the birth of our subject occurred. Jlr. Joy 
 there engaged in farming until his death, which oc- 
 curred in 18G0. His excellent wife survived him 
 some years, and was called to her final home in 
 1868. 
 
 The early years of J. E. Joy were spent upon a 
 farm in New Y'ork, and there he received his educa- 
 tion in the district schools. In 1854, having de- 
 cided to make his home in Louisa County, he 
 emigrated to Iowa, and settled in Port Louisa Town- 
 ship, where he engaged in the wood business. After 
 residing there for about seven years, he responded 
 to his country's call for troops, enlisting July 17, 
 1801, in Company C, 5th Iowa Infantry-. He was 
 mustered into the United States service at Uurling- 
 ton, after which he marched to the front, and par- 
 ticipated in the' following battles: New Madrid 
 (where they captured 6,000 |)risoners). Ft. Pillow, 
 Hamburg, and the siege of Coi"inth, after which he 
 was taken sick at Camp Clear Creek, lying in the 
 hospital for some time at Jackson, Tenn. He there 
 received his discharge Nov. 28, 1862. 
 
 After receiving his discharge Mr. Joy returned 
 to Iowa, but has never entirely recovered his usual 
 health. In February, 1867, he led to the marri.age 
 altar California Hutchinson, a native of Iowa, and 
 
 a daughter of George and Elizabeth (Huber) Hutch- 
 inson, the father a native of Ohio, and the mother 
 of Switzerland. Thej' became residents of this 
 State at an early daj', settling near Muscatine, then 
 Bloomington. In 1871 the death of Mr. Hutchin- 
 son occurred at Port Louisa, but the mother is still 
 living, and resides in Nebraska. 
 
 After their marriage the young couple began 
 their domestic life upon a farm on section 18, Port 
 Louisa Township, there residing two j'cars. In 
 1856 Mr. Jo}' purchased some timber land in this 
 county, and in 1869 he bought 140 acres of wild 
 land on section 17, Port Louisa Township. He im- 
 mediately commenced its improvement and culti- 
 vation, and with his family took up his residence 
 there in 1870. As time has passed he has added 
 more land, and now owns 320 acres, one-half of 
 which is under a fine state of cultivation, the re- 
 mainder being used for pasturage. In his political 
 views Mr. Joy is a Republican, but not an oflice- 
 seeker. He has served as a School Director, and 
 also as Road Overseer, and is a member of the A. 
 M. Taylor Post, G. A. R., at Wajwllo. Mrs. Joy 
 is a member of the Presbj'terian Church at Colum- 
 bus Junction. 
 
 Two children have been born to our subject and 
 his estimable wife, Mary Elizabeth and Harry Ells- 
 worth, both of whom are attending school at Colum- 
 bus Junction, where the family now reside. 
 
 R. JOHN BELL, deceased, a pioneer phy- 
 sician of Wapello, was born in Brush Creek 
 Township, Greene Co., Pa., April 2, 1792, 
 and was a son of Simeon and Mary (Mc- 
 Lain) Bell. His father was a farmer, a miller and a 
 machinist, and was of English origin. The paternal 
 grandfather, Onesemus Bell, emigrated from En- 
 gland in the early days of the historj' of this coun- 
 try, and he had twelve sons, who settled in various 
 parts of this land. John Bell, the Presidential can- 
 didate of 1860, was an own cousin to our subject. 
 
 Deterinining to make the practice of medicine 
 his profession through life, Mr. Bell entered the 
 office of Dr. Townseud. in Pennsylvania, and later 
 read medic'iue with Dr. Blachlev. During the War 
 
 i- 
 
-4«- 
 
 •^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 437 
 
 of 1 812 he served as a surgeon. He participated in 
 the siege of Ft. Meigs, and was one of the volun- 
 teers who aided in the reenpture of the American 
 vessel "Carolina," which had been taken bj* the 
 British. Previous to his enlistment, in 1811, he 
 was united in marriage with Miss Hebecca Blachley, 
 daughter of Dr. Blachlc}-, and two children were 
 born of their union: Samuel C, who was a soldier 
 of the Mexican War, studied medicine and prac- 
 ticed that profession for some time, but later be- 
 came a lawyer; he died from disease contracted 
 during tiie war. The other child was John, Jr., 
 who studied medicine with his father in Ohio, and 
 afterward was gr.aduated from the Ohio Medical 
 College at Cincinnati, of which his father was a char- 
 ter member. The mother of these children died, and 
 Dr. Bell w.as .again married in 1824, becoming the 
 husband of Narah AVilkinson, who was born in Cross- 
 wicks, N. J., Aug. 29, 1799, and was a daughter of 
 Thomas and Phrebe Wilkinson. To them were also 
 born two children : Lydia M.. born at Montgomery, 
 Hamilton Co., Ohio, March 29, 1825, died at Wa- 
 pello, Iowa, April 1, 1882; Thomas S. was also 
 born at Montgomery, March 26, 1827, and is now 
 a physician at Wapello. 
 
 Dr. Bell first engaged in the practice of his pro- 
 fession at Wooster, Ohio, and later removed to 
 Montgomery, Ohio, where he remained until 1842, 
 and then came to Wapello, reaching this city on the 
 23d of April. He here built up an extensive prac- 
 tice, and was regarded as one of the best read men 
 in his profession in that day. His death occurred 
 in Wapello. Oct. 13, 18.53, and Mrs. Bell died Nov. 
 28, 1859. Politically, he was a Democrat, while 
 religiouslj', he was a Baptist in early life, and some- 
 times [ircached for that denomination, but later 
 united with the Christian Church. 
 
 -s-'-f-^^^^t^-H- 
 
 "^ ENRY STAHLEY, a farmer residing on sec- 
 tion 9, Grand View Township, was born in 
 •^ York County, Pa., Oct. 3, 1821, and is the 
 'J^ seventh in a family of nine children born 
 to Peter and Catherine (Dome) Stahley, wiio were 
 also born in Pennsylvania. The father wasabl;ick- 
 sniith by trade, but also engaged in farming, and 
 
 M* 
 
 spent his Last days on earth with a brother of our sub- 
 ject, who lives in Illinois. His wife was called to her 
 final rest while 3'et residing in iier native State. 
 
 Henry was reared upon a farm, and in the dis- 
 trict schools of Pennsylvania he received a limited 
 education, being only permitted to attend school 
 during the winter months, and then going only al- 
 ternate weeks, his brother attending the other week. 
 He was married in his native State in 1846, his wife 
 being Miss Eliza neindel,a native of PennsjMvania, 
 and a daughter of Jacob and Julia Ann (Hengst) 
 Heindel. Her father was a farmer of Pennsj'lvania, 
 and his death occurred in that State many years 
 ago. His wife survived him until 1887, having 
 reached the advanced age of eighty-eight years at 
 the time of her death. 
 
 After their marriage the young couple remained 
 in Pennsylvania until 1854, when Mr. Stahley sold 
 his farm and came West, settling in the then new 
 State of Iowa. During the autumn of that year he 
 pui-chased 100 acres of land, forty of which were un- 
 der fence, and moved into the small cabin which 
 had previously been built. Many improvements 
 have been made since those pioneer days, and other 
 lands have been added to the original purchase 
 until now the farm comprises 220 acres, and is one 
 of the best in Grand View Townsliip. The stock 
 found thereon is all of the best gra<les, Mr. Stahley 
 making a specialty of raising Sliort-horn cattle. 
 Politically, he is a sui)porter of the Republican 
 part}', and has been School Director for a number 
 of j-ears. He and his wife are members of tlie 
 Evangelical Church at Grand View, in which he has 
 held the offices of Trustee, Class-Leader and ex- 
 horter. 
 
 The union of this worlhj' couple has been blessed 
 with nine children, and with the cxce|)tion of two 
 all are living: Frederick, who is marrieil and resides 
 in Forreston, Ogle Co., III., is engaged in the lum- 
 ber business; Franklin is married, anil living in 
 Wichita Count}', Kan., whore he is engaged in 
 farming; George is also married, and a resident far- 
 mer of Wichita County, Kan. ; Abraham, who is 
 married, makes his home in the same county of 
 Kansas; Mary Beckie is also living in Wicliita 
 County; Julia Ann, ixjw Mrs. Crist, makes her home 
 in Benton County. Iowa; Kmina, now Mrs. Smith, 
 
 h 
 
438 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 -f 
 
 resides in Denton County, Tex.; Peter .and Phreme 
 both died in inf.anc^'. 
 
 Our suliject's f.irm is pleasantly situated about 
 midway between Letts and Grand View, and from 
 that home for thirty-four years he has watched the 
 growth and development of the county, and has 
 aided evcvj* etiterprise whicli seemed to him for 
 the good of the community. Both as a citizen and 
 a pioneer he is highly esteemed and universally 
 respected. 
 
 ^yA: ERIT .JAMISON, now deceased, was one of 
 the pioneers who cast his lot in the wilds 
 of Louisa County, Iowa, and aided in its 
 prosperity and upbuilding. He was born 
 in Kentucky, and when a young man went to Ross 
 County, Ohio, where he became acquainted with 
 and married Miss Elizabeth Nicholas, a native of 
 Fauquier County, Va. The young couple began 
 their domestic life in F.iyette County. Ohio, where 
 they remained until the spring of 1840, when Mr. 
 Jamison made a trip to what is now known as 
 Louisa County, Iowa. Entering a claim he then 
 returned to his home, and the following autumn, 
 accompanied by his family, took up his permanent 
 residence thereon. In 1842 he erected a brick resi- 
 dence, the first one ever built in Louisa County. 
 His claim consisted of about 800 acres on one of 
 the finest prairies in Louisa County, which, with the 
 aid of his family, he developed into a beautiful 
 farm. 
 
 Eight children were born of the union of Mr. 
 and Mrs. Jamison, five sons and three daughters, 
 and of that number four are yet living. The death 
 of Mr. Jamison occurred in 1855, and Mrs. Jamison 
 died seven years previously, in 1848. Politically, 
 lie was an old Jackson Democrat. A man of more 
 than ordinary ability, he was well informed on all 
 public affairs of the county, and did much to ad- 
 vance its interests. He was a member of the 
 Methodist Episcoi)al Church, a man of strict integ- 
 rity and uncompromising Clnislian principles, and 
 did much toward siiaping the character of the com- 
 munity in wiiid) he lived. His upright life deserv- 
 ed)}' won for iiim a large place in the esteem and 
 affections of ail with wiioni he came in contact, and, 
 
 altiiough a firm Alethodist himself, lie thougiit that 
 citliers iiad a right to their beliefs, and had a broad 
 charity fur all. His faith in the doctrines and 
 promises of tlie Bible was unwavering, and never 
 for a moment did he question that it was the re- 
 vealed will of God. He was one of the original 
 members of the Betiiel Church in his neighl)orli(^od, 
 and gave liberally, both in money and work, to the 
 erection of a house of worship, but before it was 
 completed he had been called to that land from 
 whence no traveler ever returns. It was supposed 
 that his death was caused from inhaling gases from 
 the lime which he was hauling for the church. 
 While on his death-bed his last request was that his 
 son George should assume the management, and 
 see that the liuilding was completed, and nobi}' did 
 the son fulfill his promise. 
 
 ' ^ EORGE W. DODDER, a representative far- 
 
 Gmer of Louisa Count}-, residing on section 
 18, Grand View Township, was born in 
 1844, in the county which still continues to be his 
 home. To Joseph W. and Sarah (Veomans) Dod- 
 der were born nine children, of whom he was the 
 fifth in order of birth. His parents, who were na- 
 tives of New Jersey, were pioneer settlers of 
 Louisa County of 1840, the father purchasing 160 
 acres of land, which he greatlj' improved, and also 
 building a very fine brick residence. He made 
 that his home for several years, but in 1873 re- 
 moved to the farm known as Green Hill Springs. 
 In 1858 he prospected for coal on that farm, drift 
 coal having been noticeable, and in boring found 
 the mineral water, which contains medicinal quali- 
 ties. He made many important improvements on 
 the place, beautifying it to a great extent, until it is 
 now known far and wide as one of the best sum- 
 mer resorts of the West. The father died in 1884, 
 at the age of seventy-four years, the mother depart- 
 ing this life in 1886, also aged seventj'-four. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood upon his fatlier's 
 farm, and received his education in the district 
 schools of Louisa County, also attending one term 
 at the seminary at Grand View. In 1871 he w.is 
 united in marriage with Mary Jane Brown, one of 
 
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LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 441 
 
 Louisa CounU's fair daughters, in which county 
 their union was celebrated. Her parents, Joseph 
 and Margaret (Shellabarger) Brown, were natives 
 of Oiiio, and pioneer settlors of Grand View Town- 
 ship. In 1836 the father there purchased land and 
 improved a farm, upon which he resided until 1852, 
 when his death occurred, the mother surviving un- 
 til 1870. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. Dodder and his wife set- 
 tled upon a farm on section 18, Gr.and View Town- 
 ship, which still continues to he their home. Two 
 children have been born to them : Jennetta Margaret, 
 born April 4, 1873, died in August, 1873; and Vera 
 Ma}-, born May 30, 1881. They also have a little 
 boy, who has been living with them for ten years. 
 
 Our subject is tlie owner of 10.5 acres of fine, 
 arable land, highly cultivated and finely improved, 
 which is stocked with a good grade of Durham 
 cattle. The farm is well tiled, and pleasantly situ- 
 ated about two and a fourth miles from Letts. lie 
 also owns ten acres of timber land in Concord 
 Townsliip, and is one of the stockholders in the 
 Co-operative Store at Letts. Independent in poli- 
 tics, he casts his vote for whomever, in his judg- 
 ment, will fill the olliee to the best interest of the 
 community, and for the past twelve or fourteen 
 years he has been a School Director iu his district. 
 
 UILLIAM B. MATTHEWS, one of the lead- 
 ing and representative farmers, residing on 
 ^^f^ section 32, Elm Grove Townsliip, was born 
 in Gallia County, Ohio, June 3, 1843, and is a son 
 of Harrison and Mary E. (Braughton) Matthews, 
 the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of 
 New Y(.>rk. They were the parents of ten children ; 
 four of that number are yet living: John, a resident 
 farmer of Meigs, Ohio; Montgomery', who is living 
 in Fulton County, 111.; Madison, a farmer of Henry 
 County, Iowa; and William B. The mother died 
 in Louisa Countj' in 187G. Mr. Matthews is still 
 living, and makes his home with our subject. 
 
 William was reared upon a farm in Henry County, 
 Iowa, and remained under the parental roof until 
 r 1802, when he responded to the President's call for 
 
 volunteers, enlisting in Company II, 2r)lh Iowa In- 
 fantry, for three years' service. He |)articipatcd in 
 the battle of Arkansas Post, engaged in the entire 
 siege of Vicksburg, and on the 10th of May, 1803, 
 was woun<led in the right hand, being struck with a 
 piece of shell while in the act of taking a cap from 
 his cap box. Not being able to use his hand, he 
 was placed on detached duty, and served until M.ay 
 30, 1865, when he was honorably discharged from 
 the service. After being mustered out he returned 
 to W.iyland, Iowa, and during the winter of 1805- 
 66 attended school at Mt. Pleasant. 
 
 Mr. Matthews was united in marriage with Miss 
 Eliza Clifton, a native of Henry County, Iowa, and 
 to them were born three children: Josie, who was 
 born in Henr}' Count}-, and is now attending school 
 in Mt. Pleasant; Ella B. and Cl^yde C, who were 
 born in Louisa County. In 1871 Mr. Matthews 
 removed with his fainil}' to Louisa County, where, 
 in company with his father, he purchased 280 acres 
 of land on section 32, and fifty- five acres on sec- 
 tion 31, Elm Grove Township, the former tr.act 
 now being under a very fine state of cultivation. 
 Everything about the place testifies to his thrift 
 and enterprise, and his buildings are all in the best 
 order. Mr. Matthews and his wife are both mem- 
 bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has 
 held various township offices of public trust, and 
 for the past twelve years has been Justice of the 
 Peace of Elm Grove Township, discharging his 
 duties with promptness and fidelitj'. 
 
 Socially, our subject is a member of Mort Ilobart 
 Post, G. A. II., of Winfleld, Iowa, while politicall}- 
 he is an ardent supporter of the princiides of the lle- 
 piiblican party. He takes great interest in political 
 affairs, is prominent in the promotion of any enter- 
 prise for the welfare of the community, and is one of 
 the representative and highly respected citizens of 
 the county. 
 
 JONAS DEHIL, deceased, was born in Le- 
 high Count}', Pa., Nov. 17, 1817, and was a 
 son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Krouse) 
 Delhi. He was reared upon a farm, and 
 was employed as a farm hand for some years. 
 
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 <^ 
 
 liL 
 
•»^l^^ 
 
 442 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 early life he learned the trade of a house carpenter, 
 which occupation he followed for tiiirleen years. 
 On the 1st of January, 1841, he was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Anna Caroline Slapp, who was 
 born in Lehigh Count}', Pa., May 28, 1823, and is 
 a daughter of Jacob and Annie Stapp. They are 
 the parents of three children, two sons and a daugh- 
 ter: Horace J. became the husband of Mar}' Owen, 
 and resides on the old homestead in Columbus 
 City Township; Alfred died in childhood, as did 
 also the daughter, Artemesia. 
 
 In the month of October, 1855, determining to 
 try his fortune in the then Far AVcst, Mr. Delhi emi- 
 grated to Iowa, settling in Louisa County, where 
 be purchased a farm. He was the owner of 250 
 acres of cultivated land in Columbus City Town- 
 ship, and also a 15-acre tract of timber land. 
 Leaving his farm in 1872, he removed to the town 
 of Clifton, where he made his home until 1876, and 
 then went to Columbus Junction, where he con- 
 tinued to reside until his death, which occurred 
 Aug. 22, 1888. He was a member of the Reformed 
 Church, of which body his wife is now a member. 
 In his political views he was a Democrat, while 
 socially, he was a member of Columbus Junction 
 Lodge No. 305, and a charter member of the I. O. 
 O. F. Mr. Delhi was one of the substantial citi- 
 zens of Louisa Count}', and during his long resi- 
 dence in this community won the respect and 
 esteem of all who knew him. Mrs. Deihl still sur- 
 vives, and resides with her son on the old home- 
 stead in Columbus City Township. 
 
 /^^^ IL CROW, a farmer residing on section 19, 
 l|[ (=j Port Louisa Township, Louisa Co., Iowa, 
 "^^Jj was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1815, 
 and was the eldest in a family of eight children 
 born to Joseph and Martha (Humphrey) Crow. 
 The parents were natives of Pennsylvania, and 
 emigrated to Ohio at an early day, being among 
 the pioneer settlers of Jefferson County. The 
 grandparents of our subject on both sides were of 
 Irish origin. .Joseph Crow was a farmer by occu- 
 pation, and removed from Jefferson County, Ohio, 
 to Illinois in 1834, settling in Warren County, 
 
 where he remained for about three years. In 1836 
 he removed to Louisa County, Iowa, locating in 
 Grand View Township, where he remained until his 
 death, which occurred July 4, 1866, at the age of 
 ninety years. His excellent wife, the mother of 
 our subject, survived him many years, her death 
 occurring in 1885, at the age of nearly ninety-three 
 years. 
 
 Our subject was twenty-one years of age when, 
 in 1836, he became a resident of Iowa. The fol- 
 lowing June after his arrival he returned to Warren 
 County, 111., and there was united in marriage with 
 Miss Jane Williamson, a native of Ohio, and a 
 daughter of William and Elizabeth (Harvey) Will- 
 iamson, whose birthplace was also in the Buckeye 
 State, though they were pioneer settlers in Warren 
 County, 111. After his marriage our subject re- 
 turned to Louisa County, and in 1839 purchased 
 forty acres of land on section 19, Port Louisa 
 Township, the only improvements being a small 
 cabin and ten acres of broken land. The work of 
 improvement and cultivation was at once begun, 
 and Mr. Crow has added to his possessions until he 
 is now the owner of 330 acres of fine, arable land, in 
 a fine state of cultivation, and which is stocked with 
 a good grade of Durham cattle and Norman horses. 
 
 Politically, Mr. Crow affiliates with the Repub- 
 lican party. He assisted in the reorganization of 
 the township, and has held the offices of Supervisor 
 and Township Trustee. In 1866 he was elected 
 to the State Legislature to fill a vacancy. Relig- 
 iously, he is a member of the United Presbyterian 
 Church. 
 
 In 1845 the death of Mrs. Crow occurred in 
 Port Louisa Township, and Mr. Crow was again 
 married in Louisa County, in July, 1846, to E.J. 
 Ronalds, a native of Indiana, and a daughter of 
 John and ISIartha (Killough) Ronalds. Her father 
 was a native of Vermont, and her mother was born 
 on the ocean while her parents were coming to this 
 country. Mrs. Ronahis' home was in South Caro- 
 lina until she was eight years of ago, when she went 
 with her parents to Ohio, where they were among 
 the early settlers, Her brother was a soldier in the 
 War of 1812. Mr. Ronalds was born of Scotch 
 parentage. He emigrated to Indiana in 1820, and 
 served as a Colonel during the Black Hawk War. 
 
 i 
 
-^•■ 
 
 -■► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 443 
 
 Removing to Illinois in the spring of 1830, he set- 
 tled near the site of the present city of Nauvoo, of 
 Mormon notorictj', and then in 183G became a 
 residcMit of Louisa Countj', Iowa. He was one of 
 the men wlio fr:iine<l the Constitution of this State, 
 and one of the committee that established Iowa 
 City as the capital. Mr. Ron.ilds' death occurred 
 March 22, 1873, in the seventy-fourth year of his 
 age, and his estimable wife was called to her final 
 home in 1879, when nearly eighty years of age. 
 Being earl}' settlers of Louisa Count}', they were 
 everywhere well known, and always received the 
 highest respect of its citizens. Mr. Ronalds was 
 appointed Colonel in the noted Missouri War. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Crow have been born ten chil- 
 dren, two of whom died in infancy. Those living 
 arc: John R., J. Harle}', Martha E., William G., 
 Anna, George R. and Belle. Mary, the youngest 
 child, died Oct. 26, 1888, at the age of twenty-one 
 years, one month and one day. J. Harley is mar- 
 ried, and resides in Louisa County; Martha is now 
 the wife of A. H. Latta, of Garden Grove, Decatur 
 Co., Iowa; Belle is the wife of Mr. Ilerdman, who 
 is the cashier of a bank in Nebr.aska; George is 
 engaged in the hardware business at Beaver City, 
 Neb. ; the remainder of the children are still at 
 home. Mr. Crow assisted in organizing the school 
 district of his township under the Territorial Gov- 
 ernment, and has ever been a friend to education. 
 He has witnessed almost the entire growth of Louisa 
 County, and has aided largely in its progress and 
 development. At the time of his settlement the 
 now pleasant citj' of Wapello contained a popula- 
 tion of 500 Indians of the Sioux and Fox tribes. 
 As a pioneer and prominent citizen, we are ple.ised 
 to record the sketch of Mr. Crow among others of 
 the foremost people of Louisa County. 
 
 EDWARD E. DAVIES, a well-to-do and lead- 
 ing farmer and stock-raiser, now resid- 
 ing on section 16, Elm Grove Township, 
 was born in Wales in 1837, and is a son of Evan 
 II. and Elizabeth (Evens) Davies, who were also 
 natives of Wales. Edward received his education 
 in his native land, and w.is reared to farm life. 
 
 t 
 
 With his parents, in 18.52 he emigrated to America, 
 and located in Columbus City Township, Louisa 
 Co., Iowa. He was there aiding his father in 
 the labors of the farm when the Civil War broke 
 out, and like many others of his countrj'men, he 
 enlisted in defense of his adopted land, becoming 
 a member of Company F, 25th Iowa Infantry. He 
 was mustered into service at Keokuk, whence he 
 was sent to St. Louis, where the regiment was at- 
 tached to Steele's division. The first principal 
 battle in which it engaged was that of Chickasaiv 
 Bayou, Dec. 29, 1862, which was followed by that 
 of Arkansas Post, Jan. 11, 1863. This was followed 
 by the second battle of Arkansas Post, where hun- 
 dreds of brave men were killed and wounded, and 
 7,000 were captured. The shell and shot flew thick 
 and fast, and many of the 25th Infantry were 
 killed. The regiment afterward eng.iged in many 
 minor battles, and was then sent to Young Point, 
 in the rear of Vicksburg. It participated in the 
 siege and capture of the latter city, and on the 
 following Sunday morning attacked Haj-ncs' Bluff, 
 where Mr. Davies came very near losing his life, 
 but was saved by his canteen, which was struck by 
 a piece of shell. Overcome with fatigue and heat, 
 he was taken sick about fifteen months after his en- 
 listment, and soon afterward was honorably dis- 
 charged from service on account of disability, after 
 which he returned to his home, but has never fully 
 recovered from the effects of a sunstroke received 
 on the Southern battle-field. 
 
 Our subject ivas united in marriage with Eliza- 
 beth A. Griffith, who was born in this countj', Feb. 
 27, 1844, and is a daughter of Arthur Griffith, one 
 of the pioneer settlers. By their union eight chil- 
 dren have been born, of whom one died in iufancj' : 
 Elizabeth J. was born March 19, 1866; Arthur E., 
 Sept. 29, 1868; Ev.an R., Dec. 22, 1870; Margaret 
 E., Nov. 4, 1872; Edward J., March 31,1877; 
 ICbenezer G., Oct. 7, 1879, and Marietta, Oct. 17, 
 1884. 
 
 After his return from the war Mr. Davies once 
 more turned his attention to farming, and in 1866 
 bought 160 acres of land, known as the Ehn Grove 
 farm, on account of its natural grove of towering 
 elms. There was but a small shanty upon the land, 
 but into this the family movc<l, and the work of 
 
 r 
 
444 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 cultivation imraediatelj' began. By in'lustrj-, en- 
 terprise, and the assistance of liis family, Mr. Davies 
 has added to his original purchase until he now 
 owns 420 acres of land, comprising one of the finest 
 farms in Louisa County. The little cabin has long 
 since given way to a beautiful two-story residence, 
 and his barns and out-buildings are models of con- 
 venience. The farm is stocked with a good grade 
 of horses, cattle, hogs and sheep. Starting in life 
 in limited circumstances, by his industrious and 
 upright life Mr. Davies has gained a comfortable 
 property, and won the confidence and good-will of 
 his fellow-citizens. He is a member of tiie Welsli 
 Calvinistic Methodist Church, as is also his family-, 
 and he does all in his power toward the upbuilding 
 of the social and religious interests of the commu- 
 nity. Politically, he is a supporter of the Republican 
 jxirty, an ardent adherent to its principles, and is 
 numbered among Louisa County's most loyal citi- 
 zens. 
 
 — €-*-^ ^ 
 
 ICHARD ELLIOTT, a farmer and stock- 
 raiser residing on section 2, Washington 
 Township, Des Moines Count3', came to the 
 ^^count}' in 18G5, purchasing eighty acres of 
 raw prairie land, which he immediately began to 
 cultivate. In the fall of 1866 be had erected a 
 comfortable residence, together with a barn and 
 Other out-buildings necessary to a well-regulated 
 farm. He has .added to his original purchase 160 
 acres in Louisa Count}', and his land is all under a 
 high state of eultiv.-ition. Mr. Elliott was born in 
 Preble County, Ohio, Nov. 4, 1835, and is a son of 
 John and Elizabeth (Stevenson) Elliott, who were 
 natives of County Antrim, Ireland. Their union 
 was celebrated after coming to America. Mr. El- 
 liott eng.aged in farming in the Buckej-e State until 
 about the year 18.')5, when he removed to Randolph 
 Countj', 111., residing there until his death, which 
 occurred in 1 862. The raotlier was called to her final 
 home March 5, 1850, while living in Logan County, 
 Ohio. This worthy couple were parents of twelve 
 children, ten sons and two daughters, and with the 
 exception of two sons, Harvey and Elilui, all reached 
 maturity. 
 
 The union of Richard Elliott and Miss Nancy A. 
 
 Woodside, of Randolph County, 111., w.is celebrated 
 on the 9th of December, 1857. The lady is a 
 daughter of John J. and Mary A. (Burns) Wood- 
 side, the father a native of Kentuck}', aud the 
 mother of the District of Columbia. Mr. Wood- 
 side was of German origin, his wife being of Scotch- 
 Irish parentage, aud they were pioneer settlers of 
 Illinois. They are still residing in Randolph County, 
 that State, and are the parents of nine children, six 
 of whom grew to man and womanhood. 
 
 Our subject and his excellent wife have reared 
 an interesting family of nine children: William J., 
 who married Jennie Crow, of Morning Sun, Iowa, 
 is now living in Superior, Neb.; John C. ; Anna 
 Mary, wife of William R. McEIhinnej', of Des 
 Moines County, Iowa; Edith Arnetta, who wed<led 
 J. C. Wilson, also a resident of that count}' ; Robert 
 B., David C, Margaret A., Dellaaud Delber. Both 
 Mr. and Mrs. Elliott are members of the Reformed 
 Presbyterian Church, in which he has held the office 
 of Deacon, and is at present one of the Elders. 
 The church to which he belongs forl)ids its mem- 
 bers taking part in politics, and holds that the 
 Scriptures should be recognized as the "supreme 
 law of the land." Under a modified oath, however, 
 Mr. Filliott has held the office of School Director, 
 His is a model familj', and he is recognized as one 
 of Washington Township's best citizens. 
 
 yB. C. RICHARD.SON, merchant t.ailor, of 
 Columbus Junction, Iowa, was born in Put- 
 nam, Muskingum Co., Ohio, Oct. 26, 1830, 
 and is a son of John V. and Elizabeth (Wooster) 
 Richardson. He was educated in the common 
 schools, learned the trade of a tailor at Zanesville, 
 Ohio, and in 1849 began business atMt. Vernon of 
 that State, but remained there only one year, when 
 he removed to Oakfield, Perry County. A year 
 later he went to Deavertown, Morgan County, re- 
 maining there but six months, and then became a 
 resident of Newark, Ohio, where he was emplo^'ed 
 as cutter. Remaining there until 1869, Mr. Rich- 
 ardson then went to Granville, Ohio, where he 
 opened a shop and carried on the taik)ring business 
 for eight years, at the expiration of which time he 
 
 -«•■ 
 
■<*■ 
 
 ^«*HK-^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 445 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 |i; SAAC SHELLABARGER, a lumber dealer le- 
 ll siding in Letts, was born in Cumberland County', 
 k\ Pa., in \HM, and is the eldest in a family of 
 seven children born to Martin and Christina (Shel- 
 labarger) Shellabarger. In his earl3- life the father 
 of otir subject met with an acci<lent which caused 
 him to be a cripple. He was a tailor liy trade, and 
 in 1846 removed to Ohio, settling in Montgomery 
 Count}', near D.ayton, where his death occurred in 
 1848. The mother still survives him, and is a resi- 
 dent of Lexington, Richland Co., Ohio. 
 
 Isaac was reared at Newville, Pa., received his 
 education in the graded schools of that town, and 
 learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed in 
 Ohio for a t-hort time. On the 3d of August, 1854, 
 in Richland County-, he was united in marriage with 
 
 removed to Canlington of the same State, whore he 
 was in business fur a short time, and then returned 
 to Mt. N'ernon. For four years ho thoie engaged 
 in the grocery business, and then emigrated to Co- 
 lumbus Junction. Iowa, where he establi.-^bed his 
 present store in March, 1886. 
 
 While at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, on the 23d of Sep- 
 tember, 1850. Mr. Richardson was united in mar- i 
 riage with Miss Mary E. Whittington, who was born 
 in Licking County. Ohio, and is a daughter of Nc- 
 hemiah Whittington. Five children were born of 
 their union, two sons and three daughters: Clar- 
 ence C who wedded Miss Ilattie Huff, and resides 
 at St. Paris. Ohio; Blanche I., wife of John D. Neff. 
 a resident of Philadelphia. Pa.; Minnie G., who 
 wedded J. A. Kellcy, of Omaha, Nob.; Frank L., 
 who is an attorney bj' profession, is unmarried, and 
 makes his home at Columbus Junction; Annie is 
 the wife of A. L. AVliite, of Mt. A'ornon, Ohio. Mr. 
 and Jlrs. Richardson are members of the Presbj'- 
 terian Church. He is a Democrat in politics, and 
 belongs to Jlyrtlo Lodge No. 350, I. O. O. F., of 
 Granville, Ohio. Mr. Richardson is a thorough 
 master of his trade. an<l does his own cutting and 
 fitting. He has bnill up a good business at Colum- 
 bus Junction, having satisfied his most particular 
 customers that for stylish and woll-fitting suits they 
 need look no farther than their own town. 
 
 Charlotte Galltraith, a native of Pennsylvania, and 
 a daughter of William and Maria (Hughes) Gal- 
 braitli, who were born in the city of Philadel|)hia, 
 anil in 1831 emigratod to Ohio, whore the father 
 engaged in farming until called to his final home 
 several years ago. After the death of her husband 
 Mrs. Galbraith removed to Topeka, Kan., where 
 she died in 1882. 
 
 The young couple began tlioir domestic life in 
 Ohio, where they remained until the following 
 IMarch, when, in the spring of 1855, they came 
 AVest, settling in Cedar Township, Muscatine Co., 
 Iowa. Their union was blessed bj' a famil}' of six 
 children: Vinton G.. Fred H. and Martin A. are all 
 married and reside in the village of Letts; Alyina 
 Jane, now the wife of U. O. Thompson, is living in 
 thecitj' of Chicago; Charlotte and Anna are yet re- 
 siding with their father. When in the full bloom 
 of life the mother of these children met with a 
 serious acoidont, which almost immediately caused 
 her death. On the 21st of July, 188C, while going 
 down the steps on the pior of the bridge, she w.as 
 injured, and her death occurred the following da}'. 
 Mr. Shellabarger was again united in marriage, May 
 3, 1887, with Mrs. M. E. Kerr, widow of D.avid 
 Kerr, and a native of Indiana. Her parents, Joseph 
 and Lucy Ann Williams, who were also born in 
 the Hoosier State, are now residing in Muscatine 
 Count}', Iowa. 
 
 After his removal to this State our subject 
 worked at his trade of carpenteiing in Muscatine 
 County until 1858, when he removed to Grand 
 View Township, Louisa County, settling upon a farm 
 of fort}' acres, which he had purchased a short time 
 before. At various times he added to his origi- 
 nal purchase, but subsequently sold until he has but 
 a small farm of sixteen .acres remaining, adjoining 
 the village of Letts. On this he is eroding ;i fine 
 two-story brick residence, and his farm, though 
 small, is one of the most highly cultivated in the 
 township. His own home is in the town, where he 
 owns four residences, two store buildings, the city 
 hall, and also two residences in Fredonia. Iowa. He 
 is one of the earliest settlers in Letts; h.as always 
 taken an active interest in every enterprise for the 
 good of the vill.'ige. and has done more for its im- 
 provement than perhaps any other man. He was 
 
 f- 
 
f 446 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 its first Maj-or, in which position he served ovei- 
 four terms, is now a member of the Town Council, 
 and is also the heaviest taxpayer in the school dis- 
 trict. He is a great friend to education, and in 
 l)olitics is a Republican, while socially, he is a 
 member of the A. O. U. W., at Letts. He and 
 his wife are members of the United Brethren 
 Church, and as citizens they are universally re- 
 spected. His business interests are quite extensive 
 for a town of the size of the one in which he lives, 
 he carrj'ing a large stock of good lumber and also 
 handling drain tile, brick and farming implements. 
 
 WILLIAM : 
 ing Sun. 
 pioneers 
 
 ^ j^ILLIAM BELL, Esq., now living in Morn- 
 Iowa, is numbered among the 
 irs of Louisa County of 1837. He 
 was born Sept. 25, 1818, in Preble County, Ohio, 
 and is a son of William and Sarah (Davison) Bell. 
 His parents were both natives of Irelan<l, the father 
 emigrating to America with his parents when ten 
 years of age, and tlie mother coming when a mere 
 child. William Bell, Sr., first settled in Abbe- 
 ville, S. C, where lie resided until after his marriage, 
 removing in 1815 to Preble County, Ohio, settling 
 near Oxford, and in the midst of the dense wilder- 
 ness made a home. Seven children, five sons and 
 two daughters, vvere born to Mr. and Mrs. Bell. 
 
 Our subject received his education in the pio- 
 neer school-house of his native State. In 1836 he 
 went to Calhoun County, 111., there spending the 
 winter, and in April, 1837, came to Louisa County, 
 where he has ni:i<le his home for more than a half- 
 century. He has not only witnessed but has aided 
 in the development of the country, and has always 
 been identified with its growth and progress. To 
 such men Louisa County owes her present prosper- 
 ity and high rank in this great commonwealth. Mr. 
 Bell entered a claim in Morning Sun Township, and 
 immediately began the impiovement of his land. 
 In May, 1848, his marriage with Miss Elizabeth C. 
 Bell was celebrated. The lady is a native of South 
 Carolina, and was born in Colston, in March, 1832. 
 After his marriage he began life in earnest, and 
 fortune has favored his efforts. By energy and 
 [K-rseverance, he has accumulated a comfortal)Ie 
 
 property', has now a pleasant home, and to-day is 
 one of tlie well-to-do men of the countj'. Ten 
 children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bell, seven of 
 whom are now living — Gerty, Verona, Maggie C, 
 Martha K., Dora Maj', Emma E. and Walter W. 
 
 Our subject is one of the self-made men of the 
 county. Receiving but limited opportunities for 
 acquiring an education, lie overcame his early dis- 
 advantages, and being of a studious nature and 
 blessed with a retentive memorj', h.as acquired a 
 knowledge of men and events which many a one 
 more favored in \'outh might envy. He and his 
 wife have been lifelong members of the United 
 Presbyterian Church, and are earnest Christian peo- 
 ple. He is not what would be called a politician, 
 for he has never sought public office, but has been 
 the people's choice for certain positions at several 
 different times. He served as Justice of the Peace, 
 was Notary Public for twenty 3'ears, and Townshi[) 
 Assessor for many terms, during which time he 
 proved an efficient and capable officer. During the 
 half-century of his residence in Louisa County, b^' 
 his honest, upright life, he has won the confidence 
 of the entire community, and is held in the highest 
 respect b^' all. 
 
 — v>^:*HH- 
 
 VI 
 
 OEL C. PARSONS, deceased, a pioneer of 
 Louisa Count}*, Iowa, of 1840. was born in 
 Washington Count}-, Pa., in 1814. and was 
 descended from an old Virginian family. He 
 was married at Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1840, becoming 
 the husband of Caroline Joacham, who was born 
 in Baltimore. Md., and was descended from the Span- 
 ish. The same year Mr. Parsons emigrated from 
 his native State to Iowa, locating at Mt. Nebo, in 
 Grand View Township, Louisa County. For awhile 
 he worked at his trade that of a cooper, at Grand 
 View, and later built a shop near Mt. Nebo, where 
 he pursued his business for several years. About 
 the year 1848 he removed to AVapello, the county 
 seat of Louisa County, where he opened a shop, 
 and manufactured barrels for the flouring-mill at 
 thai place, and .also for the pork packing house, the 
 distillery, and for sale at Muscatine. He employed 
 several men and carried on the business until 1880, 
 
u 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 447 \) 
 
 when he returned to Peniisj-lvania. in comjiany 
 Willi his wife and six cliildren, and died^at I'erry- 
 opulis, Fayette Count}', Nov. 20, 1885. He was 
 a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Society 
 of Friends all his life. During his residence in 
 Iowa Mr. Parsons held the oflice of .Justice of the 
 Peace for several years, was a member of the I. O. 
 O. F., belonging to Louisa Lodge No. 19, of Wa- 
 pello, and was highl)' esteemed .is a citizen and 
 neighbor. Mrs. Parsons, who was a member of 
 the Evangelical Church, and a most estimable lady, 
 survied her husband, and died Aug. 2, 1887. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Parsons are the parents of eight 
 children, five sons and three daughters: Mary A., 
 who died Dec. 30, 1875; Abraham II., who mar- 
 ried Miss Sarah A. Duncan, daughter of George B. 
 Duncan; Benjamin F., who wedded Miss Keziah 
 Edwards, and lives in Wayne County, Iowa; Caro- 
 line is the widow of William F. Sapp, a soldier of 
 Lee County, Iowa, who died Dec. 23, 1875; Ed- 
 ward departed this life March 5, 1878; Nellie G. is 
 the wife of Rev. A. A. IIustc<i, of Perrj'opolis, Pa.; 
 William 11. became the husband of Miss Minnie 
 Macer, and lives in Pittsburgh; George E. wedded 
 Miss Nellie Maeer, and also lives in Pittsburgh. 
 
 GOTTFRIED KERN, manufacturer of and 
 ;^ dealer in harness and horse furnishing goods, 
 S! of Columbus .Junction, Iowa, was born in the 
 Canton of Bern, .Switzerland, on the 2(1 of February, 
 1835, and is a son of Anton and Annie (Bicri) 
 Kern. His father died when he was an infant, and 
 he was reared in his native land, receiving his edu- 
 cation in the i)iii)lic schools. In 1852, in company 
 with a brother, he sailed for America, reaching 
 Philadelphia on the 4th of Jul}-. Going to Ragers- 
 ville, Ohio, he there spent a j'ear and a half with 
 an elder half-brother who had come to this country 
 several years previously. In October, 1852, he 
 began learning the harness trade, and before com- 
 pleting his apprenticesliip removed with his em- 
 ployer to Massillon, Stark County, in the same 
 State, where he completed his apprenticeship. In 
 May, 185G, the firm came to Iowa, offering to pay 
 his fare if he would come and work fur them, which 
 
 he did. They located at Muscatine May 1, 185C, 
 and Mr. Kern remained in their em[)loy until thej' 
 went out of the business in 1859, when he removed 
 to Grand View, Louisa County, and began business 
 for himself. He made his home in that village un- 
 til the 1 1th of August, 1862, when he responded to 
 the country's call for troops, enlisting as a member 
 of Company G, 19th Iowa Infantry, and served 
 until the close of the war, participating in the 
 battle of Prairie Grove, Ark., where he was run 
 down b}^ an artillery Captain and seriously in- 
 jured. He was jilaced in a hospital, and July 29, 
 1863, was transferred to the invalid corps, and a 
 member of the 13th company, 2(1 HatUilion Veteran 
 Reserve Corps. His company was stationed at the 
 United States Marine Hospital at St. Louis, but he 
 never fully recovered from his injuries, and was 
 discharged June 29, 1865. 
 
 On his return from the army Mr. Kern resumed 
 business at Grand View as soon as his health would 
 permit, remaining there until the fall of 1878, when 
 he removed to Ainswortii, Washington Co., Iowa, 
 where he opened a harness-shop, and carried on the 
 business until the spring of 1874. He next worked 
 in a collar factor}' from June until November, and 
 then opened a shop at Letts, a few miles distant 
 from Grand View, where he carried on business 
 until 1876, at which time he opened his present 
 establishment at Columbus Junction. 
 
 Mr. Kern has been twice married : his first union, 
 with Miss Rosina Boliren, was celebrated at Musca- 
 tine, Iowa, Feb. 17, 185!). The lady was born in 
 Switzerland, and was a daughter of Frederick Boh- 
 ren, and em ignited from her native country to 
 America in the spring of 1856, going directly to 
 Muscatine. Thirteen children were born of their 
 union, six sons and seven daughters, six of whom 
 are now living: Charles, born Dec. 12, 1859, died 
 Feb. 16, 1888: Emma, born May 1, 1861, died 
 Aug. 31, 1862; Emma N., born Nov. 22, 1862, is 
 the wife of J. R. Smith, of Columbus Junction; 
 Frederick, born June 14, 1865; Franklin, born July 
 22, 1867; Lydia, born Jan. 23, 1875; Anna, liorn 
 Dec. 28, 1876, died Sept. 7, 1877; Esther, born in 
 March, 1879, died Aug. 27, 1888; Clarence, born 
 Jul}' 13, 1881. The death of Mrs. Kern occurred 
 Nov. 17. 1884, and he was again married Dec. 17, 
 
«► ir^ 
 
 ^^►Hh- 
 
 448 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 1885, at Coluinl)us Junction, to Jliss Lucinfla Stil- 
 leon, daughter of Thomas Slilleon, and a native of 
 Guernsey County,. Ohio. They are the parents of 
 one child, a daughter, Oria. born April 18, 1887, 
 Mr. and Mrs. Kern are members of the Evangelical 
 Church. In politics he is a Republican, and is a 
 member of Todd Post No. 115, G. A. R., of Co- 
 lumbus Junction. A thorough master of his busi- 
 ness, and an industrious, upright man, he has many 
 warm friends among tlie best class of people wher- 
 ever he has lived. 
 
 CSES CHILSON, a general farmer and stock- 
 raiser, residing on section 30, Morning Sun 
 Township, crossed the Mississippi River at 
 Burlington Marcli 9, 1S5G, and came di- 
 rectly to Louisa County-, where he h.as since made 
 his home. He was born in Woodford County, III., 
 Jan. 10, 1832, and is a son of Moses and Mary 
 (Woodcock) Chilson, who were natives of Ohio, 
 and emigrated to Tazewell County, 111. After 
 their settlement the county was divided, the sec- 
 tion thej' were living in afterward being called 
 Woodford County. This was about the year 1828, 
 ami there the family resided until 1837, when the 
 father again decided to go AVest, and so. acting 
 upon this decision, in company with his wife and 
 seven children, removed to the western part of Ar- 
 kansas, where his death occurred the followingyear. 
 Thus upon the mother devolved the care of the 
 family, and she resolved to return to her old home 
 in Woodford County, 111. The children were as 
 follows: Annie, who became the wife of John D. 
 Long, is now dece.ased; Luther died at the age of 
 twenty-one; Kebecca departed this life when six- 
 teen years of age ; Calvin died at the age of nineteen ; 
 Jacol) was called to his final rest at the age of 
 twentj'-two; John, who enlisted in the 86th Illinois 
 Infantry, after serving two j'ears was taken sick at 
 the great battle of Pea Ridge, and died at Chatta- 
 nooga, Tenn.; Moses is our subject. 
 
 In 1842 Mrs. Chilson, the mother of these chil- 
 dren, was again married, bec<jming the wife of 
 Lewis White, a native of Massachusetts, and by 
 
 this union one son w.is born. IIenr3' IL, who enlisted 
 in Company I, 8th Missouri Infantry, serving as a 
 regiment bugler, and died at Paducah. Ky. After 
 her marriage the mother removed to Fulton County, 
 111., where she remained until tiie close of the war, 
 and then came to Iowa, making her home with the 
 subject of this sketch until her death, which occurred 
 in 1880. She was a devoted member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, and a most estimable 
 Lady. 
 
 Moses Chilson, our subject, received his educa- 
 tion in his native county, where he remained until 
 about fifteen years of age, and then went to Fulton 
 County, 111., where he again attended the public 
 schools in winter, working in the summer time in 
 the sawmill with his step-f.ather. Remaining in Ful- 
 ton County, 111., until 1852, he then went to Peoria 
 County, where he became acquainted with and 
 wedded Miss Rebecca Stafford, a native of Dela- 
 ware, and a daughter of Balaam Staffi^rd, whose 
 sketch appears with John Stafford on another page 
 of this work. 
 
 In Peoria County Mr. Ciiilson again worked in 
 a sawmill. About this time, his mother again being 
 left a widow, the support of the family devolved 
 upon him, and in 1856 he removed to Louisa 
 County, Iowa, renting a farm that season in Mar- 
 shall Townslii|). In the autumn of tiiat year he 
 removed to .-i farm of eighty acres which he had 
 purchased the previous spring in Morning Sun 
 Township, there making his home until 1874. By 
 care and cultivation he soon developed a fine farm, 
 going to the timber and making rails on the shares 
 with which he fenced the land. In 1874 he sold 
 the eighty acres, purchasing 160 acres of prairie 
 land on section 30, Morning Sun Township, and 
 ninety acres of timber in IMarshall Township, and 
 again began the development of a farm. Since 
 taking up his residence here Mr. Chilson h.as had 
 erected a fine farm residence, 36x34 feet, with a 
 cellar under the main building. Two barns have 
 also been built, one 26x28 feet, the other 20x40 
 feet, with abundant shed room. Upon the farm 
 man}' shade trees have been set out, and also fruit 
 trees of various kinds, which .add greatly to the 
 value of the farm. Li 1884, when the Iowa Central , 
 Railroa<l was built through the township, Mr. 
 
•^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 451 ,i 
 
 Chilson laid out a town site on tlie nortbeast 
 quarter of section 30, townsiiip 73, range 4 north. 
 The post-oflice is known as Marsii, and in i 884 Mr. 
 Ciiilson was appointed Postmaster. He is also in- 
 terested in tlie store at that place. 
 
 Eight children have been born to our subject and 
 his wife: James, a farmer of Morning Sun Town- 
 ship, wedded Miss Kachel Miller, a native of Wood- 
 ford County, 111., and to them have been born two 
 children — John and Lydia; John, the second child, 
 is deceased; Bal.iam, a farmer of Marsliall Town- 
 ship, married Rettie Gilyeart, a native of Peoria 
 County, III., and they are the ])arents of two chil- 
 dren — Annie and Ellen; Marj' L. died in infanc}'; 
 Frances M. also died in infancy; Annie assists her 
 father in the post-oflice; Amanda died at the age 
 of eight; and Rebecca. Mr. and Mrs. Chilson have 
 given their children good educations, and all are use- 
 ful men .and women. In politics Mr. C. is Repub- 
 lican, has alwaj's taken an active interest in political 
 affairs, and has filled various township offices with 
 honor to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. 
 
 As a farmer our subject ranks high, and as a 
 stock-raiser he is very successful, having for some 
 j-ears past given his attention to the breeding of 
 fine horses. Mr. Chilson is a self-made man, having 
 gained ail that he possesses by his honesty, energj', 
 enter|)rise and good management, and as a citizen 
 none ranks higher in the respect and esteem of the 
 I)eople. 
 
 ^f RCHIBALD MEGREW, a resident of the 
 mf/Wl village of Letts, was born in Allegheny 
 County, Pa., in 1809, and was tiie second 
 in a family of four children, born to John 
 and Mary (Smith) Megrew, who were also natives 
 of the same State. His father died in early man- 
 hood, and his mother afterward moved to Eastern 
 Pennsj'lvania. where she married Martin McKee, 
 and four children were born of their union. Thej' 
 moveil from Pennsylvania to Ohio in its pioneer 
 (Lays. 
 
 Our sni)ject grew to manhood in the State of 
 Pennsylvania, receiving his education in the dis- 
 trict schools, and in 1831, in Cumberland County, 
 was united in marriage with Hester Pifer, who was 
 born in I'eunsylvania, and was a daughter of John 
 
 and Elizabeth (Shoaf) Pifcr. After their marriage 
 the j'oung couple resided in I'ennsylvania for about 
 five j'ears, Mr. Megrew working at the carpenter's 
 trade, which he had learned several years previous. 
 At the expiration of that time they removed to 
 Richland (now Ashland) Countj', Ohio, where he 
 followed his trade for several years, when, receiving 
 a call, he engaged in preaching for the Church of 
 God, traveling over a circuit which included parts of 
 Wayne, Stark, Summit and Tuscarawas Counties. 
 For about four j'ears he remained in that circuit, 
 and was also employed .as the pastor at Dalton and 
 Jeromeville, and thence he removed to Wooster, 
 Ohio. In the spring of 1851 he came to Louisa 
 County. Iowa, settling in the village of Grand View, 
 where the cholera was then raging. In this SUite he 
 also engaged in ministerial work, having been em- 
 Ijloyed by the Board of Jlissions of Eastern Penn- 
 sylvania to do missionary work throughout Iowa. 
 Two years he spent in traveling over the State in 
 this work, and was alsocmploj'ed as a local preaclier 
 in Louisa County. In 1857 he went to Johnson 
 Count}', being stationed at North Liberty, where 
 he remained two years, returning to Louisa County 
 in the spring of 1859, where he has since resided. 
 Purcliasing a farm of eighty acres of improved 
 land in Grand View Township, he continued its 
 cultivation for some time, but later sold it and be- 
 came the owner of a farm of IGO acres in Port 
 Louisa Township, which since 1875 he has rented. 
 In that year he removed to Letts, where at one time 
 he owned quite a number of the town lot*. Mr. 
 Megi'ew has been an active worker for the best in- 
 terests of the town, and h.is done much for its im- 
 provement, being yet the owner of considerable 
 property'. Years p.ast he farmed on the site of 
 some of its best residences. He still retains his 
 nicmbershii) with the Iowa Eldership of the Church 
 of God, in which he has lieen an active worker for 
 many years. His main aim in life has l)een the ad- 
 vancement of the church, and in this direction he 
 has accomplished much good. 
 
 AVhile residing in Wooster, Ohio, the death of 
 Mrs. Megrew occurred on the 2Gth of May, 1849, 
 at the age of thirtj'-six years and eleven d.ays. 
 Nine children had been born of their union, seven 
 of whom are j'et living: Willis enlisted at Indian- 
 
•^fMi. 
 
 ^ 
 
 452 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 apolis, Ind., for three years' service during the late 
 war, became a member of the 11th Indiana Zouaves, 
 under Col. Wallace, served his time, then re-enlisted 
 in the standing array, was taken sick at Richmond, 
 Ya., and died of the cholera in that city in 18G5; 
 Elizabeth, now Mrs. Jacobs, is a resident of Walla 
 Walla, AV. T. ; Mary A., now Mrs. Stines, is also 
 living in Walla Walla; John P., who served during 
 the entire war as a member of the 11th Indiana 
 Zouaves, is married, and resides in Dakota; Sidney 
 died in infancy ; Matthew S. is married, and resides 
 in Tort Louisa Township; Hester A., wife of John 
 H. Crow, is living in Port Louisa Township; Archi- 
 bald is married, and resides in McPherson, Kan.; 
 and Harriet, who is also married, lives in Troy, 
 Miami Co., Ohio. 
 
 After tlie death of his first wife Mr. Megrew was 
 again married, at Wooster, Ohio, in 1850, Miss 
 Martha E. Hufif, who was born in the Buckeye 
 State, in Wayne County, becoming liis wife. Her 
 parents, Charles and Mary (Coble) Huff, were na- 
 tives of Pennsylvania. Her father was a wagon- 
 maker in his native State, and in 1851 came to 
 Louisa County, Iowa, with his family, settling in 
 Grand View Township, where he purchased eighty 
 acres of partly improved land and forty acres of 
 timber land. From this tract he developed a 
 splendid farm, which he made his home during the 
 remainder of his life. He was a member of the 
 Church of God at Grand View, was an active 
 worker for its welfare, and his death occurred in 
 May, 1888, at the ripe old age of eighty-eight 
 years. His excellent wife was called to her final 
 home in 1870, when sixt\'-six years of age. She, 
 too, was an active worker for the church, and her 
 deatli was sincerely mourned by a large circle of 
 friends and acquaintances. 
 
 A fine portrait of Mr. Megrew will be found upon 
 a preceding page. 
 
 S7 EWI.S SCHNEIDER, a prominent farmer of 
 I (©■ Louisa County, residing on section 20, Port 
 jlL^^ Louisa Township, was born in Baden, (Ger- 
 many, in 1824, and was the eldest in a family of 
 five children born to Lewis and Barbara (Stephen) 
 
 Sclnieider, who were also natives of Baden. His 
 mother died in her native land, and in 1845 the 
 father bade good-by to the old country, and set 
 sail from Antwerp. Afler a fair voj'age of forty- 
 two days the vessel reached the harbor of New 
 York. Settling on a farm with his children near 
 the cit3' of Buffalo. N. Y., Mr. Schneider made that 
 his home for ten 3'ears and then removed to Iowa 
 County, Iowa, locating in the German colonj-, 
 where he remained until his death, which ocurred a 
 number of j-ears ago. 
 
 Our subject received his education in his native 
 land and was there reared to farm life. He came 
 with the family to this countiy, and while residing 
 in tlie State of New York was united in marri.agc, 
 in 1846, with Elizabeth Schneider, a native of 
 Baden, and a daughter of Philip and Catherine 
 (Seger) Schneider, who were also born in that 
 countiy. In 1845 she emigrated to America in the 
 same vessel with the one who afterward became 
 her husband. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Schneider settled in New 
 York, and bought an improved farm, upon which he 
 resided for about ten years. In 1855 he sold his 
 land and emigrated to Louisa County, Iowa, settling 
 in Grand View Township, where he bought a par- 
 tially improved farm. After residing upon that 
 farm for about ten or twelve years, in 1869 he 
 bought eighty-two acres of improved land, where 
 he has made his home continuously since. His farm 
 consists of fine, arable land, and is in a good state of 
 cultivation. He has had a fine residence erected, 
 which is pleasantly situated about four miles from 
 Wapello. 
 
 On the 4th of Jlarch, 1877, after lingering 
 witli consumption for about seven years, Mrs. 
 Schneider was called to her final rest. Both she 
 and her husband were members of the German 
 Congregational Church, at Grand View, and to 
 them were born nine children: Louisa, now the 
 wife of Jacob Schneider, resides in Grand View; 
 Henry is also married, and living in Port Louisa 
 Township; Lewis died June 28, 1862, at the age of 
 thirteen years, three months and ten days; Adam 
 Lewis died in New York in 1847, while yet an in- 
 fant; Barbara died Dec. 21, 1861, aged four.years, 
 seven months and twenty-one days; George, the 
 
 ^^ 
 
 -f 
 
■^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 453 
 
 tliinl child, still resides at home; Daniel, the fourth 
 child, was married, Sept. 30, 188G, to Mary Elizabeth 
 Michael, a native of Indian.a, and a daughter of 
 Solomon and JIatilda (l)iinkk') Michael, natives of 
 Pennsylvania, who settled in Steuben Count3', Ind., 
 at an early da^-, where the father died in 1864, and 
 the mother is still living. After his marriage Dan- 
 iel settled on the home farm, where one child was 
 born to them, Jesse Verne. Elizabeth died Feb. 
 '27, lyGl, at the age of one j'ear, four months and 
 twenty daj-s; Sarah resides in Grand View Town- 
 ship. 
 
 Mr. Schneider casts his vote with the Democratic 
 part3', but is not ver^- active in politics. He has 
 witnessed much of the growth of Louisa County, 
 has aided in its cultivation and development, and 
 is one of its prominent citizens. 
 
 ^; AMP:S WILSON, deceased, one of the hon- 
 ored pioneers of Louisa County', was born 
 in Iredell County, N. C. on the 15th of 
 July, 1811, and when a young lad went with 
 his parents to Nashville, Tenn., where he grew to 
 manhood. Subsequently he removed to Illinois, 
 where he remained until 1836, when he became a 
 resident of Loujsa County, which then formed a 
 part of the Territory of Wisconsin. Here he formed 
 the acquaintance of Miss Cynthia L. Bede, and 
 their union was celebrated Feb. !8, 1858. The 
 lady is a daughter of William and Mary (Price) 
 Bede, the father a native of Jlaryland, and the 
 mother of Kentucky. Her parents were married in 
 Ohio, and in 1 844 removed to Des Moines County, 
 Iowa, where they resided for a time, and later f;ame 
 to Louisa Count}'. They were the parents of six 
 children, five of whom are yet living: C. L.. now 
 Mrs. Thomas Huffman, of Louisa Count}-, Iowa; 
 Robert, who is living in Johnson County, Neb. ; 
 Klizabeth, wife of Israel Hill, of Louisa County; 
 Minerva, who wedded John Price, a resident of 
 Stark Count}', 111. ; Jackson, whose home is in 
 the State of Kansas, enlisted in the 8th Iowa Cav- 
 alry, and was taken prisoner, but soon made his 
 escape; Hichard enlisted in the 8th Iowa Cavalry, 
 and died from disease contracted in the service 
 -4a 
 
 while at A'icksburg. The death of Mr. Bede oc- 
 curred in 1857, in Louisa Count}-, and his wife 
 died in 1871. She was a member of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, a sincere Christian lady, and a 
 kind and affectionate wife and mother. In politics 
 he was a Republican. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. M^ilson be- 
 gan their domestic life upon the farm on section 2, 
 Wapello Township, where Mrs. Huffman yet re- 
 sides. They were the parents of eight children, 
 and five .are yet living: John R., who became the 
 husband of Willie Iloutz, is living in Louisa County ; 
 James, who married F^stella Bennett, also resides in 
 Louisa County; George W., Dora and Nellie are 
 all at home. In 1880 the death of Mr. Wilson oc- 
 curred. He was one of the pioneers of the county, 
 and ranked high in both the social and business 
 world. Over a half-century ago, in 1830, he be- 
 came a resident of Louisa County, and during that 
 time made many warm friends. He witnessed the 
 growth and development, and aided in the work of 
 transformation which changed the once wild and 
 uncultivated prairie, over which the deer roamed, 
 into well-cultivated farms and beautiful homes. He 
 took great interest in the promotion of any enter- 
 prise which tended to benefit the public, and his 
 influence was alw.ays exerted for the cause of right. 
 Mrs. Wilson was again married in 1881, becoming 
 the wife of Thomas IIu£fman, of this county, and 
 one child has been born to them, Edna. Mrs. Huff- 
 man is still living on the old homestead, where she 
 owns 300 acres of land. .She is a woman highly 
 esteemed in the community where she resides, and 
 is respected by all for her many excellencies of 
 character. 
 
 i^'^S^- 
 
 ^^ 
 
 <4?itf-> 
 
 \f~ AMES McCRAY, one of the early settlers of 
 I Des Moines County, Iowa, was born near 
 ^_,^ I Dayton, Ohio, in 1»()U, and when a young 
 (^M' lad went with his parents to Fayette County, 
 Ind., settling near Connersville, whore be grew to 
 manhood, and was educated in a log school-house. 
 He was there married, becoming the husband of 
 Miss Mary Harlan, who was born in Union County, 
 
•^1^^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 454 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Ind., in 1800, and is a distant relative of Senator 
 Harlan. The youn^ couple l)egan their domestic 
 life in the Iloosicr Stale, where they resided until 
 the fall of 1852. and then removed to Des Moines 
 County, Iowa, settling in Yellow Springs Township, 
 where Mr. McCray purchased land and comuienced 
 farming. 
 
 To our suhject and his wife were born thirteen 
 children, twelve of whom grew to maturity : Colum- 
 bus, who is living in Louisa County ; Robinson, who 
 is located at Monmouth. 111. : Philander, whose home 
 is in Osceola, I'ulk Co., iS'eb., was a soldier in the 
 late war. and served in the 2d Iowa Cavalry ; Olive, 
 of Des Moines County, is the widow of John Tull; 
 Samarimus, the deceased wife of Leander Lee ; James 
 B. and Byron were twins: the former served in the 
 30th Iowa Infantry, and is now living on the old 
 homestead, while Byron died in 1853. Miriam, who 
 is single, is living in Fairfield. Iowa: P^ilsada was the 
 wife of Capt. Roberts, who served as Captain of 
 Couipanj' K of the 30th Iowa Regiment, but w.as 
 later promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, 
 died in 186G; Addison, who served in the 2d Iowa 
 Cavalr}', is now living in Montgomer3', this State; 
 Lenora is the wife of Thomas Bell, a soldier of 
 Companj- K, 14th Iowa Infantrj-, now engaged in 
 merchandising in Fairfield, Iowa; F"rancilia wedded 
 Daniel Shepherd, now residing in Montgomery 
 County; and Marinda, wife of John H. Mickey, 
 died in Polk County, Neb. Politically, Mr. Mc- 
 Cray was a stanch Democrat, anrl he and his wife 
 were ranked among the highly respected people of 
 Des Moines Count}'. 
 
 Columbus McCray, a farmer of Louisa County, 
 residing in Wapello Townshij), was born in Fayette 
 County. Ind., in 182U. and is a son of James 
 and Marj' (Harlan) McCray. In 1852 he came 
 with his parents to Iowa, locating in Des Moines 
 County, and in 1857 was united in marriage with 
 May E. Vaughn, daughter of Dr. J. B. Vaughn, one 
 of the early settlers of this county. 3\Ir. McCmy, 
 after his marriage, settled on various farms in the 
 county, but has resided at his present place of resi- 
 dence for twelve years. By this union five chil- 
 dren have been born: Ferdinand D., who is now 
 living in Dakota; John B., a resident of Junction 
 City, Kan., married Miss Calista A. Barton; Vir- 
 
 ginia I. is the wife of David L. Morris, of Des 
 Moines County. Iowa; James E. and Franklin H. 
 are at home. 
 
 Mr. McCraj- has witnessed almost the entire 
 growth of l)(>lh Des Moines and Louisa Counties. 
 On his arrival in the State Morning Sun consisted 
 of a few cabins, and the beautiful farms were then 
 wild, uncultivated prairie lands; neither were there 
 any railroads at that time, and wagons were the 
 only means of transportation. Since 1852 he has 
 been identified with the growth and progress of this 
 region, and has done all in his power to aid in its 
 advancement. In his political views Mr. McCray 
 is a Democrat. 
 
 <a I^ILLIAM S. MILLER, one of the leading 
 \/sJt f''''"!^''^ "f F211iott Township, residing on 
 V^^' section 35, was born in St. Louis County. 
 Mo., Feb. 11. 1847. and is a son of Adam and 
 Elizabeth (Smith) Miller, both natives of Germany, 
 the mother of Darmstadt. In 1834. when only 
 fourteen years of age, Adam Miller emigrated to 
 this country, and two years later, the lady who 
 afterward became his wife also sailed for America. 
 He settled in St. Louis Country, Mo., where he en- 
 gaged in farming until his removal to Franklin, 
 Lee Co., Iowa, afterward, in 1853. to Des Moines 
 County. He purchased a farm in Union Townsliip, 
 the latter county, and there continues to reside. 
 He is a well-educated man, was a teacher for sev- 
 eral years, and has alw.ays taken an active part in 
 public affairs. Politically, he is a stalwart Repub- 
 lican, and an earnest supporter of the principles of 
 that party. 
 
 The boyhood days of our subject were passed 
 upon his father's farm, and his education was re- 
 ceived in the common schools. On the 1st of 
 August, 1871, Mr. Miller led to the marriage altar 
 Miss Harriet A. Creighlon, a daughter of W. H. 
 Creighton, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this 
 work. The young couple began their domestic life 
 upon a farm near the city of Burlington, compris- 
 ing eight}' acres, forty of which Jlr. Miller had 
 purchased, the remainder having been given him by 
 his fiither. The}' made that their home for twc) 
 
-4•- 
 
 •*^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4.')5 
 
 years, and then in the full of 1873 tliej^ removed 
 to Lonisa Count}', locating upon a part of the W. 
 II. Creighton estate, situated on section 35, Elliott 
 Township. Mr. Miller now owns 158 acres of land, 
 which is finely improved, and everything about 
 the place denotes the thrift and enterprise of the 
 owner. 
 
 To our subject and his estimable wife have been 
 born seven children: William A., Abner Hedges; 
 Martha Elizabeth, who died at the age of five 
 years; Anna Sarah; Arthur Jonas, who died in in- 
 fanc}' ; Robert Joseph and lona Levia. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Miller are members of the Methodist Pro- 
 testant Church, in which they are .active workers. 
 In the Sundaj'-school work he takes special interest. 
 Politically, he is a Republican, and has held various 
 township otflces, having also been a member of 
 the School Board. He is held in high esteem by 
 all who know him. 
 
 N. MATTHEWS, Esq., a farmer residing 
 in Jefferson Township, was born in Louisa 
 County, Aug. 17, 1842, and is a son of 
 Solomon B. and Emily (Br.ass) Matthews, 
 who were natives of Ohio. The father was a car- 
 penter and millwright by trade, and followed that 
 occupation through life. The p.aternal grandfather 
 was Daniel Matthews, who was of German descent, 
 and a pioneer of Geauga County, Ohio, where Solo- 
 mon helped to develop a farm. In 183G, when a 
 young man, he emigrated to Louisa County, set- 
 tling in Port Louisa Township, where he |)urchased 
 land, and then bought a sawmill at Harrison, which 
 he operated for al number of years. He later moved 
 to Toolsboro, where he built a saw and grist mill, 
 continuing its operation until 1849. At that time, 
 equipped with an ox-team, he made an overland 
 journey across the plains to California, where he 
 remained until 1852, engaged in mining, and was 
 reasonably successful. In that year he returned to 
 Iowa b}' w.aj' of the Isthmus of P.anaraa, and again 
 operated the mill at Toolsboro until his death, 
 which occurred in the fall of 1852, at the age of 
 thirty-three years. His widow survived him man}' 
 
 3'ears, her death occurring in 1884, when sixty 
 years of .age. Mr. Matthews w.os an honorable, up- 
 right citizen, resolute in his undertakings and strong 
 in his convictions. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews were 
 the parents of two children, both of whom are liv- 
 ing: Hiram N., the subject of this sketch; and 
 Homer A., who is now residing in the village of 
 Toolsboro. 
 
 Our subject w.as reared upon his father's farm, 
 and received his education in the common schools. 
 He remained at home with his mother until he was 
 about twenty years of age, but in November, 1862, 
 enlisted in the late war as a member of Company 
 C, 1st Missouri Pingineers. and was attached to the 
 17th Army Corps, serving two years. He partici- 
 pated in the siege of Vicksburg, where he assisted 
 in constructing canals and dams, and also at the 
 siege of Atlanta. He received his discharge in the 
 fall of 1864, after whicli he returned home and 
 again engaged in farming. 
 
 In February, 1870, Mr. Matthews was united in 
 marriage witii M.iry E. Brown, a native of Ohio, 
 and a daughter of John Brown, who was also born 
 in that State. By this ra.arri.sge four children have 
 been born: Emily died in infancj'; the living are 
 Solomon B., Ch.arles F. and Fannie E. Mr. Mat- 
 thews has held various township offices, and is at 
 present serving his second term as Justice of the 
 Peace. He takes an .active interest in public affairs, 
 and casts his vote with the Republican [larty. He 
 is a strong advocate of temperance, and believes in 
 the strict enforcement of the proliibitory law. He 
 is the owner of forty acres of land, and a member 
 of A. M. Taylor Post, G. A. R. He is well known 
 throughout the county, where his entire life has 
 been spent. 
 
 •if) OHN RICHARDS, a farmer and stock-raiser 
 residing on section 5, Columbus City Town- 
 ship, was born in Wales, Sept. 18, 1830, and 
 is a son of Richard and Jane (Lewis) Rich- 
 ards. The parents were born, lived and died in 
 Wales, the death of tlie father occurring in 1873, of 
 the mother in 1840. The father was a farmer liy 
 
■<*• 
 
 ■•► 
 
 456 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 occupation, anfl reared u family of children, though 
 onlj' two emigrated to America, John and Evan; 
 the latter is now residing in California. 
 
 Our subject grew to manbood upon his father's 
 farm, and in 1 85C he emigrated U> Rock Island, 
 111., and there worked at the carpenter's trade, which 
 he had previously learned in his native land, for 
 about nine months. Removing to Coal Valley, in 
 Rock Island County, he there also followed the 
 same occupation until 18G1, when he responded to 
 the first call for volunteers, and enlisted in the 12th 
 Illinois Infantry as a mochunic. Receiving his dis- 
 charge at the expiration of his term, he returned to 
 Coal Valle}-, n)aking it his home for a year, when he 
 removed to Louisa County, in I8C3, and renting 
 land, engaged in farming. His first purchase of 
 land was made in 1874, consisting of IGO acres on 
 section 5, Columbus City Township, where he still 
 makes his honie. To his original purchase he has 
 added as time passed, until his farm now comprises 
 233 acres, which are well cultivated. 
 
 In 1861 .John Richards wedded Mrs. Ann Will- 
 iams, widow of Richard Williams, her maiden name 
 having been Arthur. She is a native of Wales, and 
 by her former marriage became the mother of 
 two children: Rachel, wife of David O. Jones, 
 of Clay County, Iowa; anil Mary, wife of lium- 
 jihrey Richards, a resident farmer of Louisa County. 
 By the latter union four children have been born 
 to Mr. and Mrs. Richards: William, now living in 
 Colorado; Jane, wife of John Paugh, of Colorado; 
 Lewis, who is engaged in teaching; and Kate, 3-et 
 at home. Politicallj', Mr. Richards is a Republican. 
 He is a member of the Congregational Church, while 
 his w'ife is a member of tiie Calvinistic Church. To 
 all enlei'prises for the public welfare he lends his 
 earnest support, and is one of the representative 
 farmers of Columbus City Township. 
 
 R. SOLOMON DILL, deceased, was born 
 I)) in Muskingum County, Ohio, on the 14th 
 of May, 1825, and died athis home in Fre- 
 donia, Iowa, March 1, 1883, aged fifty- 
 seven years, nine months and seventeen days. On 
 the Kilh of August, 185'1, he was united in mar- 
 
 riage with Miss Jane Fowler, their union being 
 celebrated at Oxford, Ohio. The following year 
 he removed with his j'oung bride to Iowa, locating 
 at Toddtown, in Louisa Count3\ where he at once 
 began the practice of his profession, and soon se- 
 cured an extensive i)atron.age. For about three 
 years he made that town his home, and then re- 
 moved to Fredonia. 
 
 On the 17th of June, 1869, Dr. Dill wascalleil upon 
 to mourn the death of his beloved wife, who died 
 leaving two children, little girls. The elder is now 
 the wife of John C'oulon, a resident of Oneida, 
 Kan.; and the 3'ounger is the wife of A. M. Gar- 
 rett. Dr. Dill was again married, Mrs. Mar_v K(H)ntz, 
 daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Micke^', becoming 
 his wife, the ceremony being performed on the 29lh 
 of June, 1871. Their union was blessed with one 
 child, Bessie, who is now seven j'ears old. 
 
 After establishing himself at Fredonia, Dr. Dill's 
 practice was greatly increased, extending for miles 
 over the country in ever}' direction. Being a strong 
 man, possessed of the best impulses, having the wel- 
 fare of suffering humanity at heart, he responded to 
 ever}' call, whether coming from rich or poor, in 
 storm or sunshine, at night or day. He was an 
 uncompromising foe to everything false and dis- 
 honest. He was a devoted husband, an indulgent 
 father; to his friends, true, warm and constant, and 
 to the poor, especially, he extended his fullest in- 
 dulgence. In all his practice he never distressed 
 any one to collect that which was justly his due. 
 Tireless in industry, undergoing the rav.ages which 
 this climate inflicts by constant exposure, he was 
 stricken with paralysis. He then bad to give up 
 his night practice almost entirely, but continued 
 faithful t-o those patients whom he could visit in the * 
 daytime, until November, 1882, when his steadily 
 failing health compelled him to give that up also. 
 D:iy b}' da}' he grew weaker, life slowly ebbing away, 
 and for the last six weeks of bis life was confined to 
 his room. All that human agency could devise 
 was done to alleviate his great suffering, and with 
 the hope of his restoration to health, but all with- 
 out avail, and on the 1st of March, 1873, his eyes 
 wore closed in the last long sleep. The funeral 
 sermon was preached at 11 o'clock A. M., on the 
 Saturday following bis death, by Ibe Rev. King, of 
 
 •T 
 
 i- 
 
-4*- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ••► 
 
 4;i7 
 
 Lc'ltsville, in the Methoilist Kpiscopal Cluireh at 
 Frcdonia, tlie text being taken from the •24th chap- 
 ter of Matthew: "Therefore be ye also ready, for 
 in such .in hour as ye think not, the Son of Man 
 Cometh." A large concourse of sympathizing friends 
 followed the remains to the Fredonia Cemetery, 
 where they were laid to rest. 
 
 •tacc/©-^'-— {§1 
 
 •©fSXZTJiJW. 
 
 JONATHAN HUNT, one of tlie pioneers of 
 Louisa County, residing on section 22, 
 Morning Sun Township, was born in W.ayne 
 County, Ind., in December, 1822, and is a 
 son of Charles and Hannah (Boone) Hunt. Her 
 father was a native of North Carolina. His mother, 
 who was a cousin of Daniel Boone, the noted ex- 
 plorer, was born in Pennsylvania, but went with 
 her parents to Kentucky in an early d.ay, and there 
 the years of her girlhood were passed. She then 
 moved to W.nyne County, Ind.. where Mr. Hunt 
 made her .icquaintance and their marriage was cele- 
 brated. He followed farming and milling in that 
 count}', his grandfather having built the first mill 
 there. In those early days when the sav.age red 
 man was a frequent visitor, Sir. Charles Hunt, the 
 grandfather of our subject, was forced to build a 
 block house for defense. Four children were born 
 to Mr. Hunt (the father of our subject) and his 
 wife in Wayne County, namely : Sophronia, who 
 died at the age of twentj-three years; Mary, who 
 became the wife of Milton Gilmore, now a retired 
 farmer of Morning Sun Township, died in 1863; 
 our subject was the third child; and Stephen G., 
 whose sketch appears on another page of this work. 
 The family remained in Indiana until the month 
 of September, 1841. when, loading their household 
 effects into one of the old moving wagons, so com- 
 mon in those days, which was drawn by three yoke 
 of oxen, they started for Iowa, and after twentj'- 
 one days of travel crossed the river at Burlington. 
 They located in Franklin Township, Des Moines 
 County, where Mr. Hunt bought 120 acres of land, 
 eight}' tillable and forty acres of timber land. 
 They resided upon that farm until March, 1844, when 
 Mr. Hunt gave it to his daughter, Mrs. Gilmore, 
 
 and in that year catne to Louisa County. A farm 
 of 300 acres in Morning Sun Townsiiip was pur- 
 chased, but the father being in delicate health, the 
 care of the land devolved upon our subject and his 
 brother Steiihen. Hard work immediately began, 
 the brush had to be cleared away and rail fences 
 built. A little cabin liuilt of logs, with a clap- 
 board roof and a puncheon door, had previously 
 been built, and into this the family moved. Before 
 his death the father was [lermitted to see the farm 
 highly improved, and the orchard bearing fine fruit. 
 His death occurred in July, 1866. He was always 
 one of the leading men of the township, and polit- 
 ically w.as a sup|)orter of the Whig party until the 
 organization of the Republican party, after which 
 time he cast his vote with that body. His wife w.as 
 called to her final rest in May, 1871. In the 
 death of this worthy and respected couple the 
 county lost two of her best citizens and useful 
 members of society. 
 
 Jonathan Hunt, the subject of this sketch, w.as 
 united in marri.-ige with Miss Elizabeth Jarvis, a 
 native of Rowan County, N. C, and a daughter 
 of James and Ruth Jarvis, who came to Iowa in 
 1847. 
 
 R. JOHN BELL. Ju., now deceased, was 
 born in Montgomery, Ohio, Aug. 28, 1820, 
 and was a son of Dr. John Bell. He was 
 educated in his profession at the District 
 Medical College of Ohio, and later attended a 
 course of lectures at the Missouri Medical College 
 of St. Louis, from which institution he was gradu- 
 ated. He first engaged in the practice of his pro- 
 fession at Palmyra, Warren Co., Ohio, and came to 
 Iowa in 1837, settling in Mt. Ple:isant. Later he 
 removed to Columbus City, Louisa County, and in 
 1844 went to Wapello, where he was one of the 
 leading physicians and surgeons. He performed 
 the operation of the exesion of a bar of lead from 
 the stomach of L. W. Bates, at Wapello, Jan. 3, 
 1854. The lead had been swallowed on Christmas 
 Day, 1853. and was removed in the presence of 
 Drs. I. M. Robinson, T. G. Taylor, John Cleaves, 
 J. H. Graham, Crawford and Thomas S. Bell; of 
 that number only two are yet living. Dr. Graham 
 
 f 
 
-4»- 
 
 458 
 
 -•^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 f 
 
 •t 
 
 and Dr. Bell. Al that day the operation was con- 
 sidered an extraordinary feat in surgery, and is 
 largely' quoted in medical reports. 
 
 On the 27tli of November, 1847, Dr. Bell was 
 united in marriage with Miss Lucinda Key, and 
 five children were born of their union: George 
 Key, who was born March 9, 18o0, and for four 
 years served as an army surgeon, wedded Mar3' 
 Taylor, and lives in Davenport; Ida Reliecca, born 
 Jan. 2, 1851, died Aug. 29, 1853; John H., born 
 Sept. 26, 1852, died Sept. 3, 1853; Lucius, born 
 Dec. 23, 1854, died on the29lh of the same month. 
 Mrs. Bell died Dec. 28, 1854. The Doctor was 
 again married. Miss Sarah Choser becoming his 
 wife. In 1874 he left Wapello and removed to 
 Davenport, Iowa, where he resided until 1878, at 
 which time he went to Texas, locating in Dallas, 
 where he practiced his profession until his death, 
 which occurred Feb. 4, 1888. 
 
 During the late war Dr. Bell enlisted in the service 
 of his country, and was appointed Assistant Surgeon 
 of the 9th Iowa Cavalry. On account of the faith- 
 ful discharge of his duties he was appointed Sur- 
 geon, Feb. 18, 18G5, but was mustered out of the 
 service on the 2d of March following. For many 
 years the Doctor was one of the prominent resi- 
 dents of Wapello, Iowa. He was a skillful surgeon, 
 ranked high in his profession, and as a citizen none 
 were more highly respected. 
 
 J I OSIAII J. ORR, an honored resident and 
 one of the old settlers of Louisa County, now 
 living on section 33, Union Township, was 
 born Aug. 26,181 2, in Blount County, Tenn.^ 
 and his parents, William and Mary (Walker) Orr, 
 were also natives of that State, though of Irish 
 descent. Our subject was reared upon a farm, and 
 in the common schools of his native State received 
 his education. At the age of eighteen years he 
 went to Athens, in East Tennessee, and was ap- 
 prenticed to the saddler's trade, where he served a 
 terra of three years. Having mastered his trade, he 
 then went to Madisonville, Monroe Co., Tenn., 
 where he embarked in the saddlery business, con- 
 
 4« 
 
 tinning in that line for fifteen years, when, in 1839, 
 he was elected County Recorder of Monroe County, 
 and served in that position for four years, proving 
 an efficient and faithful officer. At the expiration 
 of his term of service, in 1844, he visited Louisa 
 Couiitj', Iowa, where he remained for a few months, 
 and in the meantime purchased eighty acres of 
 arable and twentj' acres of timber land. Returning 
 to his native State during the following fall, he 
 made it his home for two years, when, in the autumn 
 of 1848, he again visited Louisa County, remaining 
 for a few months, and in 1851 made it his per- 
 manent place of residence. Settling on section 3, 
 Union Township, he entered a claim of 160 acres of 
 land, which he improved anil made his home until 
 1882, at which time be sold his farm and moved to 
 the town of Clifton, where he lived a retired life, 
 and after three years removed to the home of his 
 son-in-law, T. A. Raj'mond, in Union Township, 
 where he is still living. 
 
 In 1851 Mr. Orr was united in marriage with 
 Mrs. Margaret A. Johnston, a native of Blount 
 County, Tenn., widow of Samuel Johnston, and a 
 daughter of Francis Shaw, who was born in the 
 North of Ireland. Thej' were the parents of three 
 children : Mary Aletha, wife of Thomas Patton, a 
 farmer of Monroe Count}'. Iowa; Hester Ann, who 
 died at the age of two years; and Emma Ellen 
 wife of T. A. Raj-mond, of Union Township. In 
 1859 Mr. Orr was called upon to mourn the death 
 of his wife, who died on the SIst of August, at the 
 age of thirty-five j'ears. She was a member of the 
 United Presbyterian Church, and Air. Orr belongs 
 to the Associate Presbyterian Church. For a num- 
 ber of years he has held the ofHccof Clerk in Union 
 Township, and since the organization of the Repub- 
 lican part}- has been one of its sup|)orters. Before 
 the Civil War he strongly' advocated the abolition 
 of slavery, and is now prominent in the promotion 
 of temperance principles, believing in the strict 
 enforcement of the prohibitory laws of the State. 
 After many years of labor both for himself and in 
 the interests of the community in which he resides, 
 he is now living a retired life. 
 
 Timothy A. Raymonil, one of the enterprising, 
 progressive farmers of Union Township, residing 
 on section 33, is a native of New York, and a son 
 
fl^ 
 
 
 ^/U^^J^/'^i/:) . 
 
u 
 
 ■•►Hh-* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4GI 
 
 of IIpiiiv and Lydia (Kent) Raymond. He grew 
 to manhood on .1 farm, and lias followed the oc- 
 cnpation of farmini; through life. lie now owns 
 150 acres of well-improved land, wiiioh paj's a 
 tribute to his care and cultivation, and everything 
 about the place denotes industry and thrift. In the 
 month of March. 1880, Mr. Raymond and Miss 
 Emma Ellen Orr were united in marriage, and to 
 them has been born a family of five children — 
 Cora Ann, Aletha and Eaura A. (twins), William 
 A. and Emma E. 
 
 ^ 
 
 fJOHX OVERIIOLT, M. J)., deceased, a resi- 
 dent for man3- j'ears of Columbus Cit3% lowai 
 was born near Nazareth, Northampton Co., 
 I'a.. Aug. .H, 1808, ,and w.os a son of Will- 
 iam and Gertrude (Ivulp) Overholt. who were also 
 natives of that .State. The paternal great-grand- 
 father was a native of Germany, and emigrated to 
 America in the days of the early settlement of Penn- 
 sylvania. The paternal grandmother was of En- 
 glish birth. On the mother's side the family was of 
 Holland descent. 
 
 The subject of this sketcii was reared upon a 
 farm, passing his boyhood days in his native county, 
 and receiving his primary education in the subscrip- 
 tion schools of the neighborhood. In 1822 he re- 
 moved with his parents to Medina Count}-, Ohio, 
 where he was educated by private instructors, and 
 entered upon the study of medicine under a pre- 
 ceptor. On the 1 'Jth of January, 1 836, he w.as united 
 iu marriage with Miss Esther Kreider, a daughter 
 of Daniel and Elizabeth (Myers) Kreider, and a 
 native of Mifllin County, Pa., born near .luniata. 
 Eight children were born unto them, five sons and 
 three daughters. Two of the daughters died in 
 early childhood — Elizabeth and Emma. The living 
 are: Mary A. is now the wife of Robert Foster, of 
 Odebolt, Sac Co., Iowa; Daniel W.. who married 
 Miss Isabella Latta, is a prominent phj'sician of 
 Columbus Junction; Jennie is the wife of Dr. I. M. 
 Smith, of Columbus City Township; Elinor resides 
 at home; Edward became the husband of Miss 
 Lucy Colvillc, and resides at Columbus City, and 
 
 Charles, who wedded Ella Eisenhart, is living at 
 Sheldon, Iowa. 
 
 About 1842 Dr. Overholt moved to Wooster, 
 Ohio, where he began the practice of medicine. In 
 1847-18 he attended the Botanical Medical College, 
 of Cleveland, Ohio, being graduated from that in- 
 stitution, his diploma Itearing date July 8, 1848. 
 lie coiitimuMl iu the practice of his profession at 
 Wooster, when, prom|)ted liy an enterprising spirit, 
 and wishing to better his condition and widen his 
 field of usefulness, he removed with his family' to 
 Iowa, stopping for the winter in Des Moines County. 
 In the following spring they moved to Louisa 
 Count}', and settled upon a farm which he pur- 
 chased about five miles west of Columbus City. 
 On this farm he remained until the spring of 1805, 
 giving his time alternately to the improvement of 
 his farm and the practice of his profession. He 
 then removed to Columbus City, where he devoted 
 his entire time to the practice of medicine, until his 
 death, which occurred Oct. 9, 1 888. For this call- 
 ing he was qualified as manj- in the profession are 
 not. Strictly temperate in all things, a man of 
 sound judgment, a good nurse, kind, gentle and 
 patient; pre-eminently a reformer, his whole nature 
 tempered by a Christian spirit, he grew in favor 
 with the people, who soon gave him an extensive 
 prtictice. B3' hard study and patient application 
 he won a reputation that did not pass unnoticed. 
 He was often referred to as autliority by the leading 
 practitioners of his school of medicine, the physio- 
 medical. In Prof. Kost's work on "Jlateria Mcd- 
 ica," and Dr. W. H. Cook's "Dispensatory," he is 
 often quoted as authority. 
 
 Mrs. Overholt, who for many years w.as a con- 
 sistent member of the Christian Church, and a 
 devoted wife and mother, was called from this 
 earth on the 21st of October, 1884. The Doctor 
 was also a member of that church, as are also his 
 two daughters. Dr. Overholt was a Christian gen- 
 tleman of the highest order, and w.as a pillar in the 
 Church of Christ. He took his Christianity with 
 him into every walk of life where he was called to 
 go. In business, in the sick room, in the chamber 
 of death, and in all matters of religion, the Word of 
 God was his judge. With an unswerving faith he 
 looked forward, with a hope that serred as an 
 
 t^ 
 
 n^:^^ 
 
-•► 
 
 462 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 
 anchor to his spirit, to the sweet "by-and-by," to 
 the filial consummation of all things. 
 
 In political sentiment during his earlj- life Dr. 
 Overholt was a Whig, and cast his first Presidential 
 vote for William Henry Harrison in 1836, and 
 again in 1840. On the formation of the Repub- 
 lican party he identified himself with that organi- 
 zation, and was ever afterward a faithful .adherent 
 to its principles. As a neighbor and citizen, he was 
 always liberal, public-spirited, and just to everyone. 
 He lived to the ripe old age of eighty-one j'ears, 
 and though for some months previous to his decease 
 in feeble health, he possessed his mental f.aeulties in 
 full vigor, and was cheerful and hopeful to the 
 last. 
 
 Dr. Overholt lived through an eventful epoch in 
 the world's historj", and witnessed more wonderful 
 strides made in science and invention than were 
 dreamed of in his j'outh by the most visionary 
 philosopher. Being a close observer of men and 
 events, he acquired a varied fund of information. 
 The causes of education and religion found in him a 
 true friend, and in his death the church lost one of 
 its strongest supporters, and a brotiier whose coun- 
 sel will be sorely missed; society lost one of its 
 time-tried members, and the children were bereft 
 of a devoted Christian father, whose example falls 
 upon them as a choice legacy more precious than 
 the richest earthlv treasures. 
 
 The readers of this Album will be pleased with 
 the fine portrait of the Doctor given on an ac- 
 companying p.age. 
 
 ILLIAM J. CUBIT, a prominent farmer 
 * and stock-raiser, residing on section 36, 
 Morning Sun Township, was born in Bloom- 
 ington, Monroe Co., Ind., .Jan. 4, 1840, and is a son 
 of William and Rosanna (Huston) Cubit, both of 
 whom were natives of Count3' Antrim, Ireland. In 
 1833 the}' bafle good-by to their native land, and 
 emigrated to America, settling in Rush County, Ind., 
 where the father purchased a tract of land, and 
 made his home for about five years, when he re- 
 moved to Monroe County, Ind., where all their 
 children were born. Mrs. J. T. Hensleigh, of Morn- 
 
 ing Sun Township, and our subject, are the only 
 children of the familj- now living. While in Mon- 
 roe County, Ind., the mother and four children 
 were stricken down, the death of all five occurring 
 within six weeks of one another. 
 
 In the year 1854 William Cubit with his chil- 
 dren, W. J. and Barbara J., left Monroe County, 
 becoming residents of Des Moines Count}", Iowa, 
 settling upon a farm which adjoins the land of our 
 subject, the two farms being divided b}' the county 
 line. The farm which Mr. Cubit purch.ised con- 
 sisted of 120 acres. After coming to Iowa he was 
 again united in marriage, with Mrs. Sarah Robins, 
 who had one child by her former marri.ige. After 
 becoming a resident of Des Moines County Mr. 
 Cubit bought and improved a number of farms. 
 A thorough business man, he was very successful, 
 and received the highest respect of both acquaint- 
 ances and friends. He was a consistent member of 
 the Covenanter Church, and his death took place 
 about the year 1884. 
 
 Our subject began his school da3's in his native 
 county in Indiana, but came with his father at the 
 age of fourteen to Iowa, where he finished his edu- 
 cation in the High School at Morning Sun. lie re- 
 mained under the parental roof until twenty-six 
 years of age, when, on the 21st of December, 1866, 
 he was united in marriage with Miss Martha Hens- 
 leigh, a native of Indiana County, Pa. Six children 
 graced this union, four of whom are yet living — 
 William A., May A., Rosanna E. and Emma V. In 
 1883 Mr. Cubit was called upon to mourn the death 
 of his wife. He was again united in marriage, Mrs. 
 H. C. Welling, a native of Harrison County, Ohio, 
 becoming his wife. 
 
 Mr. Cubit is the owner of one of the best farms 
 in Louisa County, consisting of 240 acres, twenty 
 of which is timber land, and the remainder being 
 under the highest cultivation. In connection with 
 his farming interests Mr. Cubit has for the past 
 twenty years been buying and shipping cattle. He 
 has a fine herd of Short-horn cattle, and probably 
 no one in the count}' has shipped more than he. 
 Plain, honest and unassuming in manner, he wins 
 the confidence of all with whom he has either busi- 
 ness or social relations. He pays the highest price 
 for cattle, and his business is constantly on the 
 
 t 
 
-4- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4G3 t , 
 
 iiKTonse. Mr. Cubit is one of the Ic.-Klinii; ami ropro- 
 sculalive men of the eoiiiity. lu all social, edu- 
 cational or moral interests, he is an earnest advo- 
 cate, and in the support of the church none are 
 more liberal than our subject. Since the organiza- 
 tion of the Covenanter Church at Morning Sun. to 
 which lie and his wife bel(iii<i, he has h.eld the ollice 
 of Deacon, and his aid and intluoncc arc ever given 
 for the advancement of tlie cause. Though many 
 times solicited to accept public ollice, he has steadily 
 refused, much preferring the quiet of home life. 
 Mr. Cubit is a temperance man to the fullest extent 
 of the word, having never even used tobacco in 
 any form, and for the suppression of the liquor 
 tralfic he gives freely of his time and means. In 
 l)olitics he is a Republican. 
 
 K- 
 
 -TiP- 
 
 ^ 
 
 -S- 
 
 (jp^TEPHKN G. HUNT, a prominent farmer 
 ^^^ residing on section 22, Morning Sun Town- 
 (il/\lll shiji. became a resident of Louisa County 
 in 1844. As witii others, he was forced to 
 endure the trials and jnivations incident to pioneer 
 life, but has lived to sec the lime when Louisa 
 Count3' furnishes every convenience to iier inhab- 
 itants. He was born in Wayne County, Ind., Aug. 
 27, 1824, and is a son of Charles and Hannah 
 (Boone) Hunt, the father a native of Nortii Caro- 
 lina and the mother of Pennsj'lvania. She was a 
 cousin of Daniel Boone, the explorer of "the dark 
 and bloody ground," and her faniilj' moved to 
 Kentucky in a very earlj' day. Charles Hunt and 
 his wife were also pioneers of Indiana, settling in 
 Wayne County', where Stephen was born and re- 
 ceived his education. In 1841 they removed to 
 Iowa, settling ir Franklin Township, Des Moines 
 County, where thej' remained until 1844, when Mr. 
 Hunt purchased 300 .acres of land in Morning Sun 
 Townslii|>, ui)on which our suliject now resides. The 
 life of Stephen Hunt has alwa^'s been that of a far- 
 mer. His father being in delicate health, the care 
 of the farm and of the family earl}' devolved upon 
 bim, but although quite 3'oung he discharged his 
 duties faithfully and well. On the 5th of Julj', 
 1853, he w.as united in marriage with Miss Jose- 
 phine N. Curran, who was born in Carroll County, 
 
 t 
 
 IMd., Jan. 18, 183.'!, and who is a daughter of Fran- 
 cis and JLar}' M. (Dell) Curran, who were also pio- 
 neers of Louisa County, of 1837. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hunt took 
 possession of the old home farm, where they have 
 since resided. Nine children came to grace their 
 home, six of wlu)in are still living: Milton G., who 
 wedded Miss Margaret E. Hamilton, a native of this 
 count}', is engaged in farming in Canaan Township, 
 Henry Co., Iowa; Sanih is the wife of D. D. 
 Hamilton, a resident farmer of Morning Sun Town- 
 ship; John C, whose home is in Osborne Cit}', 
 Kan.; William P., who now has charge of the home 
 farm; Mary F., wife of John T. Kcnyon, a farmer 
 of Canaan Township, Henry Co., Iowa; Sophronia 
 A., j'el residing with her parents; and three chil- 
 dren who died in infancy complete the number. 
 
 Mr. Hunt has ever been one of the leading citi- 
 zens of Louisa County, h.as always taken an active 
 interest in her public affairs, and is a stalwart sup- 
 porter of the Republican party. He has given his 
 children all good common-school educations, such 
 as will fit them for the practical duties of this life. 
 To each one of his daughters he has given a 30- 
 acre tract of land, and to his son in Ilcnry County 
 he gave a farm of IGO acres in Kans.as, and still 
 has 130 acres of land in his home farm. His liber- 
 ality to his children is but an example of his entire 
 life; and his honesty and integrity, his willingness 
 to help those in need, and his kindness and sympa- 
 thy to those in distress, have won for him the confi- 
 dence of the community and the respect of all 
 with whom he comes in contact. 
 
 -♦•w+^-«^:|:^ijf>-M+ f»- 
 
 JOHN MORGAN, deceased, a pioneer of 
 Louisa County, was born in 179(), in North 
 Wales, where he was united in marriage 
 with Catherine Evans, also a native of that 
 country. They reared a family of four children: 
 Elizabeth, deceased wife of John Rees, of Colum- 
 bus City Township; Ann, wife of E. J. Davis, of 
 Clifton, Iowa; John M., a resident farmer of Co- 
 lumbus City Township; and Evan, who is also en- 
 gaged in farming in Columbus Citj' Township. 
 For eight years previous to his emigration to Amer- 
 
.^-il^^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 464 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ica Mr. Morgan was the proprietor of a store in 
 Pennal, North Wales, his stocli being general mer- 
 chandise. In 1844, accompanied by his wife and 
 children, he set sail for America, landing at New 
 York, where for six months he resided near the citj' 
 of Utica. At the expiration of that time he re- 
 moved to Licking County, Ohio, remaining there 
 about a year, and then came to Louisa Countj', 
 Iowa, in 1845, settling upon a farm in Columbus 
 City Township, where he lived until his death. He 
 purchased forty .acres of raw, uncultivated land, 
 upon whicli he built a sra.all log cabin, and there 
 lived in true pioneer style. This farm was situated 
 on section h. and at the time of his death comprised 
 120 acres of well-cultivated land. 
 
 In August, 1883, Jlr. Morgan departed this life. 
 His wife had died many years previously, in 18C4. 
 They were both members of the Congregational 
 Church, and active workers in their Master's vine- 
 yard. In i)olitical aflfairs Mr. Morgan took great 
 interest, and cast his vote with the Republican 
 partj', of which he was a stanch supjwrter. Though 
 conservative, when once his mind was made up 
 that he was in the wrong he was alwaj-s ready to 
 change his opinions and acknowledge his error, and 
 his honest^' and kindliness of heart won for him an 
 enviable place in the hearts of the people among 
 whom his lot was cast. 
 
 **- 
 
 4 
 
 |f/_^ ENRY A. JOHNSTON, a general farmer and 
 I) stock-raiser, residing on section 34, Morn- 
 ing Sun Township, Louisa County, was born 
 in Beaver County, Pa., Jan. 20, 1827, and 
 is a son of James and Mary (Alcorn) Johnston, the 
 former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of 
 Ireland. To them were born six children, four of 
 whom are yet living: James, Jr., is a farmer in Bea- 
 ver County, Pa.; O. P. resides in Dexter, Iowa; J. 
 M. makes his home in Des Moines, Iowa, and our 
 subject. 
 
 Henry A. Johnston received his early education 
 in his native county' and there reinainod until 1839, 
 when the family removed t<j near Indianapolis, Ind., 
 settling upon a farm. The father w.as a dr3'-goods 
 merchant in the then village of Indianaiwlis, but 
 
 his residence there was only of short duration. 
 They removed to that countj' in April, 183'J, and 
 the following August the father was laid to his rest. 
 His wife then made her home with her son J. M. 
 until her death, which occurred in 1883. 
 
 On the 26th of December, 1850, Mr. Johnston 
 was united in marriage, in Beaver Count\', Pa., 
 with Eliza J. Potts, a native of Allegheny City, and 
 a daughter of David and Mary (Patterson) Potts, 
 both of whom were natives of Ireland. Emigrating 
 to America they settled in Alleghenj- City, Pa., 
 which was then but a very small village, containing 
 only twelve small cabins. There the parents, who 
 were both memb'jrs of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, departed this life. Mr. Potts was a High 
 Constable of the village, and one of its prominent 
 citizens. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. John- 
 ston remained in Beaver County until 1853, when 
 they removed to Scioto County, Ohio, purchasing 
 a farm of 200 acres, but four years later tliey sold 
 the land in that county and came to Morning Sun, 
 Iowa, where they rented a farm adjoining the town 
 and there remained until he bought the farm 
 on section 34. It had no improvements except 
 a small cabin, but the work of cultivation imme- 
 diately began, and by the united efforts of Mr. and 
 Mrs. Johnston they have eigiitj* acres finely culti- 
 vated. 
 
 The union of Mr. and Mrs. Johnston has been 
 blessed with seven children, four sons and three 
 daughters: Robert O., who was a practical druggist 
 and a most promising young man. was the eldest of 
 the family, but death visited that happy home and 
 took him from its midst. For many years he was a 
 teacher in the schools of the county, and for his 
 services the very highest prices were paid. He was 
 a most excellent young man, and his death, which oc- 
 curred Oct. 6, 1881, at the age of twenty-nine j'ears, 
 six months and three days, was sincerely mourned l)y 
 manj' friends. Albert and Almina (twins) were 
 next in order of birth, and the former wedded Alice 
 Harris, and is now engaged in farming in Otoe 
 County, Neb. ; the latter is the wife of Frederick 
 Sefton, a resident of Chicago, 111. Harry resides at 
 home; Edwin S., now a resitlent of Burlington, is a 
 graduate of the Agricultural College of Ames, Iowa, 
 and is a veterinar}' surgeon; Alice is engaged in 
 
4* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ■•► 
 
 405 
 
 != 
 
 teaching, and Uattie IMay is a teacher of music, re- 
 siding at iiouK". Mr. and Mrs. Jol)nston havegiven 
 tlieir cliildren all good educations, thereby fitting 
 them for useful and honorable positions in life. The 
 parents are both members of the Presbyterian 
 Church, in which Mr. Johnston has held various 
 offices. He h:is also held various official positions 
 of the township, and has been a member of the 
 School Board for about twenty-seven j'ears. He is 
 now President of the Farmers' Alliance. Mr. John- 
 ston has a fine farm and makes a specialty of rais- 
 ing Holstein cattle. He has been one of the leading 
 men of the township, has aiwaj-s taken an active 
 part in its public enterprises, and as a citizen none 
 stand higher. In politics he is an ardent supporter 
 of the Republican part}'. 
 
 ANIEL McCAUGHAN, M. D., a leading 
 pliysician of Louisa Count}', Iowa, living 
 in ]\Iorning Sun, was born in County 
 Antrim, Ireland, Jan. 29, 1829, and is a 
 son of Daniel and Jennie (Craig) McCaughan, who 
 were natives of Scotland. His father engaged in 
 merchandising in Irelund, but in 1834 left tiiat 
 countr}-, and emigrated to America, locating in 
 Preble County, Ohio, where he engaged in farming 
 for two years, and then removed to -Blo(jniingtun, 
 Monroe Co., Ind. Mr. and Mrs. McCaughan were 
 the parents of twelve children, seven of whom are 
 yet living: Samuel, the eldest one of the family, 
 died in Phila<lel|»hia, in 1H8.'); Mary was the wife of 
 Daniel Kilpatiick, and both died in Des Moines 
 County, Iowa; Nanc_v, wirlow of James Huston, is 
 living in Olathe, Kan.; Charles resides in Monroe 
 County, Ind.; Susan, whose home is in Monroe 
 County, Ind., is the widow of Robert McMillen; 
 Alexander died iu Indiana in 1845. just as he was 
 entering the senior year of his collegiate course; 
 Hannah is the wife of W. J. Moore, of Monroe 
 County, Ind.; William J., who enlisted and served 
 during the late Rebellion, is now living in Kansas; 
 Dr. Daniel is the next in order of birth, and James, 
 the youngest of the family, lives in Superior, Neb. 
 Two die<l in infancy. The mother of these children 
 died in Monroe County, Ind., Jan. 5, 18.0G, and 
 
 after the death of his wife Mr. McCaughan removed 
 to Burlington, Iowa, where he passed the remainder 
 of his days, dying Feb. 5, 1857. He and his wife 
 were both members of the Reformed Presbyterian 
 Church many years, and were honest, industrious 
 people, who were highly respected. 
 
 The Doctor grew to manhood in Monroe County, 
 Ind., and received his literary education in the 
 common schools and the University of that State. 
 Entering the office of Dr. David Maxwell, a promi- 
 nent physician of Monroe County, he there began 
 the study of his chosen profession, remaining in 
 that office for two j'ears. In the meantime he 
 taught school in order to procure the means t(; finish 
 his education. He attended the Miami Medical Col- 
 lege, of Cincinnati, Ohio, being graduated in the class 
 of '56. Hearingof the openings for young men in the 
 West, he decided to cast his lot with the early set- 
 tlers of Iowa, and emigrated to this Stjite, but as 
 his capital was very limited, being only s5. he 
 could not decide whether to locate in the citj' of 
 Burlington or in Morning Sun, but thinking it 
 cheaper to live in a smaller place, his decision was 
 made for the latter, where he has since continued to 
 reside. In the month of May he reached his future 
 home, and paid ^2.50 to get a sign painted. He 
 now had but $2.50 remaining, which he expended 
 for a pair of shoes, bought of J. C. Brown, and 
 his capital was exhausted. The energy which char- 
 acterized his efforts to secure an education did not 
 fail him now, and his capability' as a physician was 
 soon acknowledged liy a liberal and well-nierited 
 patronage. For the past thirty-two years he has 
 been a resident of Morning Sun, and one of the 
 leading phj-sicians of Louisa County. He is a mem- 
 ber of the county, the district and the State Medi- 
 cal Societies, and is ranked among the leading men 
 of his profession. 
 
 On the 5th of M.ay, 1857, in Morning Sun, the 
 marriage of Dr. McCaughan and Miss M. E. Mont- 
 gomery was celebrated. The lady is a (laughter of 
 James and Susan (Bl.ack) Montgomery, who re- 
 moved from Adams County, Ohio, to Louisa Count}' 
 in liie fall of 1850. By their union there are five 
 living chihlrcn: Alma, the eldest child, is the 
 widow of R. O. Johnston, and is engaged in teach- 
 ing at Anilioy, Ind.; Susie I. and .1. Zwingle were 
 
 ■► 
 
♦iss: 
 
 4C6 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 graduated at the Indiana Universitj' in 1885; Susie 
 1. is now Jlrs. Ilenrj' Pursseli,and resides atBlooni- 
 ington, Ind. ; J. Zwingle is a professor in the Amboy 
 Academy, of Aniboj', Ind. ; Lena A. and Anna I. 
 are at home with their parents. The Doctor and 
 all his family- are members of the Reformed Pres- 
 bjlerian Church. 
 
 lEORGE BOULTON, a general farmer and 
 stock-raiser, residing on section 19, Colum- 
 bus City Township, was born in England, 
 Maj- 9, 1830, and is a son of William and Elizabeth 
 (Mucket) Boulton. They were the parents of eight 
 children, six of whom are yet living: Edmund, the 
 eldest, born Feb. 6, 1813, is deceased; William, 
 born March 26, 181C, is now residing in Allen 
 County, Ind.; Thomas, born Sept. 1, 1817, died in 
 1864; Elizabeth, born Feb. 12, 1819, is now the 
 wife of George Dorsj", of Allen County, Ind; 
 Henry, born Jan. 14, 1821, is located In Allen 
 County. Ind.; John, born Jan. 16, 1824, is a resi- 
 dent of Kansas; Joseph, born June 5, 1825, is liv- 
 ing in Allen County, Ind.; and George, of our 
 sketch, conii)l('tes the number. In the month of 
 May, 1837, the famil^^ left their native land and 
 emigrated to America, locating in Erie County, 
 Ohio, where the father purcliased a small farm. He 
 there remained until 1850, when, selling out, he re- 
 moveil to Allen County, Ind., where he again en- 
 gaged in farming. He there resided until his 
 death, which occurred March 20, 18G3. He was 
 born Dec. 8, 1788. His wife, who was born Aug. 
 26, 1784, die<l Oct. 25, 1864. They were both 
 members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and 
 were true and devoted Christians. 
 
 The education of our subject was received in the 
 common schools of Erie County, Ohio, where he 
 remained until 1852. He engaged in farming in 
 that .State until 1854, when he decided to cast his 
 lot with the settlers of Iowa, and on the 4lh of 
 March reached Wapello. The first year after his 
 arrival in the State he was emplo^'ed in a warehouse, 
 and for two or three years was em|)loyed b3- the 
 month as a farm hand. On the 21st of October, 
 1856, Mr. Boulton led to the marriage altar Miss 
 
 Elizabeth Blanchard, who was born Sqpt. 27, 1836, 
 in New York, and is a daughter of Timothy' Blan- 
 chard, whose history is given in the sketch of 
 James Blanchard on another page of this work. In 
 the meantime Mr. Boulton had purcliased eighty 
 acres of land on section 18, Columbus City Town- 
 ship, and in 1860 built upon it a small log cabin 
 into which the family moved. He immediately 
 began the improvement of the land, and now owns 
 ninety-five acres under a high state of cultivation, 
 which has been obtained by his own industry and 
 enterprise. A comfortable residence has been 
 erected, and all the buildings necessary to a well- 
 regulated farm constructed. Mr. Boulton began 
 life without financial aid, but with a determination 
 to succeed he labored long and well, until he now 
 has a comfortable property. Politically, he is a 
 Republican, and he and his wife are members of 
 the United Brethren Church. He has lived in the 
 county for almost forty-five j'ears, during which 
 time he has gained the respect and esteem of the 
 entire community. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Boulton have been born eight 
 children: Mary E., born Aug. 4, 1857, is now the 
 wife of William Cassabaum, a farmer of Columbus 
 City Township; William T., born Aug. 20, 1859, is 
 at home; Abigail C, born April 9, 1M62, is the wife 
 of George Hanft, of Columbus Junction; John E., 
 born May 27, 1864; George L., Aug. 4, 1866; 
 Weston, .Sept. 30, 1869; Edith M., April 13, 1876; 
 and Carrie, July 21, 1879. 
 
 OBERT H. ORR, a retired farmer now re- 
 siding in Columbus City, is an honoCed 
 ^\ pioneer of Louisa County, of 1843. He 
 ^©) was born in Blount County', Tenn., April 8, 
 1817, and is a son of William and Maiy (Walker) 
 Orr. His father was born in Pennsylvania, and 
 both parents were of Scotch- Irish descent. Robert 
 was reared to agricultural pursuits, and in 1843, as 
 before stated, came to the Territory of Iowa, set- 
 tling in Louisa County, though the following j'ear 
 he returned to his native Slate, where, on the 13th 
 of July, 1848, he wedded Miss Nancy A. Johnston, 
 a daughter of Francis H. and Jane (Ferguson) 
 
 t 
 
u 
 
 ^•^HK-* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 467 
 
 Johnston, who were natives of Tennessee, but of 
 Seotch-Irisli origin. Mr. and Mrs. Orr have five 
 children now living: William, who married En- 
 pheinia Baird, resides in Union Townshi|), Louisa 
 County; Alice is at home; Francis N. became the 
 husband of Fannie Giflin, and lives in Union 
 Townslii|); Elizabeth and Charli's II. yet reside 
 with their parents. One daughter, Mar^-, who was 
 the wife of T. L. Baird, died at the age pf twenty- 
 one; a Son. Robert II., died when sixteen years of 
 age; and five other children died in infancy. 
 
 In 1851 Mr. Orr returned to Washington County, 
 Iowa, settling in Crawfonl Township, where he en- 
 g.iged in farniiug until the spring of lHC4.at which 
 time he took up his residence in Union Township, 
 Louisa County-, there making his home until 1885, 
 when he removed to Columbus Cil}'. lie still owns 
 160 acres of farming land in Union Township, be- 
 sides four lots in the city. Mr. and Mrs. Orr and 
 their daughters are members of the Associate Pres- 
 byterian Church. lie h.as been prominently identi- 
 fied with that organiz;ition. in Columbus City, and 
 is one of the few who have stood by the original 
 church after the union. He has always been a con- 
 sistent Christian, earnest in the discharge of every 
 duty, both public and private, and enjoys the high- 
 est respect of the community in which he lives. He 
 is a liepublican in politics, and has voted with that 
 part3' since its organization. 
 
 -^•s= 
 
 AUON KEMP, n f.armer of Port Louisa 
 Township, and a son of William and Hes- 
 ter (Goodwin) Kemp, was born April 24, 
 1843, in Fayette County, Ohio. In 1855 
 he came with his i>arents to Louisa County, Iowa, 
 where he has since resided. His marriage with 
 Martha J. House was celebrated Dec. 7, 1865. Mrs. 
 K<!mp is a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Jacob 
 House, who was born in Hamilton County, that 
 State. Seven children have graced the union of 
 this worthy couple, and with the exception of one 
 all are living: Clarence, Marilla II., Olive M., 
 Elizabeth J., Harley O. and Edwin O. Ella Myr- 
 
 tle is now deceased. Mr. Kemp is a member of 
 the Churcli of God. He is the owner of eighty 
 acres of land in Port Louisa Township, is a sys- 
 tematic and [jrOgressive farmer, and is highly es- 
 teemed throughout the communit}'. 
 
 ■^•- 
 
 ^^=55) W. HALL, one of the pioneers of Louisa 
 County, Iowa, now residing on section 12, 
 Union Township, was born in North Caro- 
 lina on the 27th of September, 1 828. The family is 
 originally of English descent, the paternal great- 
 grandfather being a native of England. The grand- 
 father, Abraham Hall, was born in Pennsylvania, 
 .and served with credit during the Revolutionary 
 AV.ir. The parents of our subject, Alva and Mary 
 (Moore) Hall, were both natives of North Caro- 
 lina, and with their family emigrated to Indiana 
 about 1834, settling in Union County. The same 
 year the death of the father occurred. Mrs. Hall 
 afterward became the wife of David Flack, and in 
 1839 removed to Louisa County, Iowa, settling in 
 Columbus City Township, where her death occurred 
 July 25, 1886, at the advanced age of seventy-nine 
 years. 
 
 Our subject came to this county with his mother 
 and step-father in 1839. lie remained at home un- 
 til 1856, and his education was received in the 
 common schools. On leaving home he was united 
 in marriage with Caroline Flack, who was born in 
 Union County, In<i., and is a daughter of Joiin 
 Flack, who was also a native of tiiat .State. The 
 3'oung couple began their douK'stic life upon a 
 farm on section 12, Uni<in Town.sliip, Mr. Hall pur- 
 chasing eighty-four acres of land, then in a wild 
 and unimproved state, but he immediately began 
 its cultivation, and has since .added to his original 
 pnrch.ase until his farm now comprises 425 broad 
 acres, which pay a golden tribute to his care and 
 improvement. He also owns some town propertj' 
 in Morning Sun. In connection with his farming 
 interests he engages quite extensively in stock- 
 raising. In the month t)f February, 1887, he pur- 
 chased of Barnett Biothers llic Noimau IVrcherou 
 stallion '"Josephus," which was in)portcd in 1884. 
 This fine stallion he keeps at his barn in Columbus 
 
>► ir ^ 
 
 =? 
 
 468 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Junction during tiie .S[)ringtiine, and at Cairo (lur- 
 ing the fall iDontiis. lie also owns a half-breed 
 Clydesdale stallion, which he keeps at his home on 
 Short Creek. 
 
 Politically, Mr. Hall is a llepublican, and one of 
 the slahvart supporters of the principles of that 
 party. He has held various township offices of 
 trust, is now a Trustee of Union Township, and for 
 the past twenty-seven years has served either as As- 
 sessor or Trustee, which is a splendid testimonial of 
 the confidence in which he is held by his fellow-citi- 
 zens. For almost half a centur}- he lias been a resi- 
 dent of Louisa Country, has witnessed its transfor- 
 mation from a wild, uncultivated prairie to a land of 
 fertility, has aided in its development, and has taken 
 an active i)art in its upbuilding. Since the earliest 
 times he has been identifie<l with its history, and is 
 well known and respected throughout the county. 
 
 -J€^' 
 
 (F_^ ARRIS IIOWEY, M. D., a pioneer physician, 
 ifji of Louisa County, was born in Canandai. 
 /IW' gua. Ontario Co., N. Y., May 3, 1817, re- 
 ceived a liberal education, and was graduated 
 from Geneva Medical College in the class of '37, 
 He went to Illinois in 1839 and began the practice 
 of medicine at New Boston, Mercer Count}', but 
 finding that his business la}' principally west of the 
 Mississippi River, he moved to Wapello in the 
 spring of 1841, and soon built up an extensive 
 practice. On the 17th of August. 1863, he was 
 commissioned surgeon of the 20th Iowa InfanUy, 
 and was in active service with his regiment until 
 March, 18Go, when he was forced to resign on ac- 
 count of physical disabilities. On his return from 
 the war he was incapacitated for pursuing the prac- 
 tice of his profession b}' continued poor health. In 
 1870 he engaged in farming in Marshall Township 
 and continued to reside there until 1879, when he 
 returned to Wapello and engaged in the drug busi- 
 ness, which he has carried on continuous!}' since. 
 He was appointed e.xamining surgeon for pension 
 applicants in 180.'), and held that position for sev- 
 eral years. In 1873 he was appointeil United States 
 Ganger, and served in that cai)acity until 1874. 
 Dr. Ilowey was united in innrriage, March 20, 
 
 1844, with Miss Sarah J. Marshall, daughter of 
 Joshua Marshall, one of the earl}- and prominent 
 pioneers of Louisa County. Mrs. Howey was born 
 in Wellsburg, Va., and came to this county with 
 her parents in 1840. She died in November, 1881, 
 leaving four children, three sons and a daughter: 
 Virginia is the wife of Edward D. IngersoU. of 
 Yellow Springs Township, Des Moines Co., Iowa; 
 Thomas M. married Miss Virginia Cody, and is 
 engaged in music merchandise at Wapello; Frank 
 married Miss Rosa Crawford, and is associated with 
 the wholesale drug house of R. W. Crawford & Co., 
 of Ft. Dodge, Iowa; Charles, the youngest member 
 of the family, is an engineer on the Burlington, Ce- 
 dar Rapids & Northern Railroad. 
 
 Dr. Howey was a Whig in political sentiment in 
 early life, and joined the Republican party at its 
 organization. He attends the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, is a member of Wapello Lodge No. 5, A. 
 F. & A. M., was one of the first members of Louisa 
 Lodge No. 19, I, O. O. F., and is a member of A. 
 M. T.aylor Post No. 153, G. A. R., of Wapello. 
 Dr. Ilowey has p.asscd nearly a half-century as a 
 resident of Louisa County, and is widely and favor- 
 ably known to a large circle of acquaintances. In 
 the pioneer days of this region he had a most ex- 
 tensive practi-ce, his professional rides carrying him 
 far and near, when during the earlier years of his 
 residence here roads and bridges were almost an 
 unknown quantity. He h.as never resumed prac- 
 tice since his army experience, but has fully recov- 
 ered his health, and devotes his attention to the 
 management of his dru":-store. 
 
 ^?=§EORGE W. HILL, a gener.al farmer and 
 stock-raiser, residing on section 19, Elm 
 Grove Township, Louisa Co., Iowa, was born 
 in Perry County, Ohio, on the 3d of April, 1 S.) 1 . 
 His parents. Adam and Martha M. (Green) Hill, 
 were also natives of the Buckeye State, and their 
 sketch appears on another page of this work. 
 George received his education in the common 
 schools of Louisa County, and also attended the 
 Grand View Academy for one term. He was reared 
 to farm life, remaining under the parental roof until 
 
 ■^ ' 
 
 1 
 
Samuel Craiger 
 
-♦- 
 
 •• ^ m ^ « 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 471 - i 
 
 t 
 
 the 10th of October, 1876, when he led to the mar- 
 riage altar Miss Fannie M. Bemis. a daughter of A. 
 F. and Rachel (Smith) Heniis. who are now i-esi- 
 dents of the city of Dcs Moines. Two ciiildren 
 graced their union — Ethel and Fannie. On the 9th 
 of April, 1879, Mr. Hill was called upon to mourn 
 the death of his wife. She was a member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, and a l.ady beloved by 
 all for her many excellencies of character. On the 
 2d of Februarj', 1882, Mr. Hill was again married, 
 becoming the husband of Mrs. Beniis.the widow of 
 Albert E. Bemis, whose maiden name was Alice M. 
 Wells. Her parents were Lemuel and Ursula (Den- 
 ham) Wells. By the second union three children 
 have been born — Edith, Sophia M. and AValter 
 Howard. 
 
 In 1877 Mr. Hill removed to his present farm, 
 situated on section 19, Elm Grove Township, where 
 he now owns 195 acres of fine land under a high 
 state of cultivation. It is watered with a never- 
 failing spring, and all improvements necessary to a 
 model farm have been made. Energetic, systematic 
 and progressive, Mr. Hill is one of the leading young 
 farmers of the county, and in the management of 
 his business displays much abilitj'. He and his 
 wife are both members of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, in which organization he is an active and 
 indefatigable worker. He has served as Superin- 
 tendent of the Sunday-school, and has also held the 
 office of Church Steward. He has been honored by 
 his fellow-citizens with various tovvnshi[) offices of 
 trust, and in political senliinents is a Democrat. He 
 is held in high esteem throughout the community in 
 which he resides, and with his family holds a high 
 position in the social world. 
 
 AMUEL CRAIGER, a retired farmer now 
 residing on section 12, Oakland Township, 
 w.as born in New Jcrsej- in 182G, and was 
 the fourth in a family of seven children, 
 who were born to Jacob and Elizabeth (Acor) 
 Craiger, the father a native of New Jersey, and the 
 mother of Pennsylvania. Jacob Craiger was a 
 shoemaker by trade, and in 1848 left his native 
 Slate, removing to I'euria County, HI., settling in 
 
 Elmwood Township, wliere he eng.aged in farming. 
 He there bought a partly improved farm, anfl im- 
 mediately began its cultivation, making it his home 
 until his death, which occurretl in 1870, at the .age 
 of seventy-nine years. His wife, the mother of our 
 subject, died inl8G2, when seventy -two 3-ears of 
 age. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood on a farm, and 
 under the instructions of his father learned the 
 shoemaker's trade. In the spring of 1853 he came 
 to Louisa County, Iowa, and the following fall en- 
 tered 240 acres of land. Many improvements have 
 since been made, the farm is now highl}' cultivated, 
 and comprises 450 acres. This land he now rents, 
 as he has retired from active life. It is ple.asanti}' 
 situated about three-fourths of a mile from Cones- 
 ville, and eight miles from Columbus Junction. 
 Mr. Craiger takes great interest in political affairs, 
 and votes with the Democratic party. He has 
 never been an office-seeker, but twice was elected 
 and served as Road Commissioner. He has wit- 
 nessed many changes since his arrival in this county, 
 has seen the wild prairies transformed into beauti- 
 ful homes and farms, and the iron track of the lo- 
 comotive take the place of the Indian trail. Mr. 
 Craiger has alwa^'s remained single, and his perma- 
 nent home is on section 12, Oakland Township. It 
 affords us pleasure to jjresent a portrait of Mr. 
 Craiger in connection with this brief sketch of his 
 life. 
 
 JOHN \i. GARDNER, proprietor of a restau- 
 rant, bakei'v, ice-creain ])arl()rs and railway 
 depot huich counter at Columlius .lunctioii, 
 lt)wa, was ))orn •At (Oliunlius City, Louisa 
 County. .Vpril 19, 1817, and is a son of .John and 
 Rebecca (Richardson) (Jardner. His father was a 
 native of County Derrv, Ireland, lioiuin 181 Land 
 emigrated to America wlien twenty ye^irs of age, 
 landing in Canada. At an early day in the settle- 
 ment of K)wa he came to this State and located at 
 Burlington, where he resided until 1815, when he 
 came to Louisa County and settled in Columbus 
 City. Mr. tJardner was a cMri)enter by trade, and 
 wasemjiloyed in that occupation until 1855, when he 
 engaged in hotel-keeping, as i)roprielor of the Cot- 
 
•^1^^ 
 
 472 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4. 
 
 tage House of Columbus City. lie continued in 
 tluit business until his deatii, which occurred Feb. 
 21. 1863. Mrs. Gardner survives her husband, and 
 still resides at Coluinlnis City. She is a member 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and enjoys 
 the highest respect of all who know her. Mr. 
 Gardner w.as also a consistent member of the same 
 church. Mild was an earnest Reiniblican in polities. 
 Durinu: tiie late war he was an enthusiastic patriot, 
 and altiioiiiih past fifty years of ajje, was very anx- 
 ious to enter the arm^^ but was prevented from 
 leaving home by the poor health of his wife. 
 
 Jolin R., Jr.. was educated in tiie public schools 
 and made his home in Columbus City until 1871, 
 wlien he »came to Columbus Junction, and after 
 serving some time as an employe at the deiwjt 
 restaurant, bought out the business in January, 
 1873, since which time he has kept the luncli coun- 
 ter at tlie dejKit, covering a period of sixteen years. 
 In March, 1885, he purchased the bakery and res- 
 taurant of Mrs. Young, on North Front street, and 
 had the misfortune to be burned out April 18, 1887, 
 but the following fall he built a brick building, and 
 is now doing a fine business. (See chapter on Co- 
 luinlnis .lunction under business heading.) 
 
 ^^^S^^m^i : - 
 
 1^^ YERS JAR^■1S, a iirominent and well-to-do 
 farmer of Louisa County, residing on sec- 
 tion 3."). Morning Sun 'rownshiii, was born 
 in Union County, Ind., Oct. 22, 1825, and 
 is a son of James and Ruth (Stallions) Jarvis. The 
 fatlier was liorn in .Alaryland. though reared in 
 North Carolina, and came to tiiis county in 1847, 
 where the death of liulh parents occurred. 
 
 The educational advantages of our subject were 
 very limited, he onl^- being permitted to attend the 
 common schools of his native county. At the age 
 of nine years he cominenced working upon a farm, 
 which occuijation he lias followed throughout his 
 entire life. In 1H4 7 he became a resident of Louisa 
 County, and is still living in the house which he 
 built u|)oii his arrival, lie purchased IGO acres of 
 l)rMirie and forty acres of timber land in Morning 
 Sun Township, and then went to the timber and 
 cut the trees for the cabin. He hired a man with 
 
 -^^ 
 
 a horse sawmill to .saw the logs, and erected a house 
 16x2(> feet, which still serves as his home, though 
 it has been greatly enlarged. The land which lie 
 purchased was a wild and unbroken prairie, and he 
 r.an the first furrow, breaking every bit of the 
 whole farm, with the exception of twenty acres 
 which he hired done. He also cut the rails for the 
 fences, having .at the end of the first winter split 
 3,000 rails. 
 
 On the 27tliof Novemlier, 1851, !Mr. Jarvis was 
 united in marriage with Miss Jane IJl.air, daughter 
 of W. P. Blair, one of the oldest settlers of Louisa 
 County. She is a native of Tennessee, and was 
 born about the year 182!). This worthy couple 
 are the parents of eight children: Ruth, who be- 
 came the wife of Samuel Stephens, a fanner of 
 Clark County, Mo.; Jliranda, who wedded Le\'i 
 Wolfe, a resident farmer, of Morning Sun Town- 
 ship; James A. became the husb.and of Flora E. 
 ICirk, and is also engaged in farming in Morning 
 Sun Township; William J., a farmer of the same 
 township; Zadok II., Myers, John W. and Samuel, 
 all of whom are at home. With one e.vceiitiou all 
 of Mr. Jarvis' children have settled near him. and 
 as one by one they have left the parental roof he 
 has provided them with good homes. To his first 
 purchase of land lie has added, until with what he 
 h:xs given to his children he had a total of about 
 1,000 .acres, all of which was finely cultivated land. 
 LTpon his home farm he has one of the finest barns 
 in the State, being GdxIOO feet, with a baseinent 
 nine feet high under the entire building. The 
 barn from the floor to the cone inside is forty-eight 
 feet, .'ind has a capacity for 300 tons of hay. gran- 
 aries for 1.500 bushels of oats, 1,G00 liushels of 
 corn, and with stabling for 100 head of cattle and 
 forty-five head of horses. The cost of the build- 
 ing w.as about $5,500, and in its erection were used 
 200 perch of stone, 2,600 pounds of nails, and 
 about 100.000 shingles. In tlic b;irii he also h.nsall 
 the necessary machinery for unloading ha3'. His 
 horses are of the best Clyde and Norman stock, his 
 cattle are Short-horn, and his hogs Poland-Ciiina. 
 
 When aliout to coniimMice farming for himself 
 Mr. Jarvis had to borrow money to purchase a 
 second horse witli which to begin work. Thus 
 starting in life with nothing but a deterinination 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 473 
 
 t 
 
 to make his way, be has, by his energy, enterprise 
 and fjood nianasrcment. wliieli are among his chief 
 characteristics, made liis life a success and become 
 one of the wealtliy farmers of tlie county. To 
 ]Mrs. .larvis, too, is due mucli credit, for wlule her 
 liusband was clearing away the brush she was 
 cither attending to the stock, milking the cows or 
 running the old spinning-wheel, l)y which she wove 
 the clotli for the family. The first tax paid by Mr. 
 Jarvis was about $3, but he now pays about $400. 
 Mr. .Tarvis lias always given liberally of his means 
 to the ui)building of the county. In his political 
 views he is a strong advocate of the principles of 
 the Democratic party. For over forty years he has 
 been a resident of Louisa County, Iowa. Great 
 changes have taken place since then. Where once 
 stood the wigwam of the Indians now is the home 
 of civilized and Christian ]woi)le, or perchance a 
 churcli or school-honse. Where the hazel brush 
 once grew so thick that a person could hardly force 
 a passage through it, are now waving fields of grain 
 or beautiful orchards. In the work which trans- 
 formed the countr}' almost as if by magic, Mr. 
 Jarvis was an earnest and willing helper, and as a 
 pi«jneer and a citizen he deserves and receives the 
 esteem of the [icople of Louisa County. 
 
 'ifOIIN CKAWFOUl). one of the early settlers 
 of Louisa County, is a successful farmer and 
 stock-raiser, residing on section 18, Morning 
 / Sun Township. He was born in Harrison 
 County, Ohio, Jan. 22, 1816, and is a son of Will- 
 iam and Sarah (Foraker) Crawford, the father a 
 native of Irel.and, and the mother of I'ciinsylvania, 
 tiiough born of German parentage. AN'illiam Craw- 
 ford was born in 1777, and in 1798, when twenty- 
 one years of age, emigrated to America, locating in 
 Harrison County, Ohio, where lie entered 160 acres 
 of land. He there became acquainted with and 
 wedded Sarah Foraker, and in that comity their 
 ciiildren were all born. In connection with his 
 farming interests Mr. Crawford engaged in school- 
 teaching, in which he was quite successful. A fine 
 scholar, and a man of promini'nce and inlluence, he 
 was held in high esteem in the community where 
 he resided, and his death occurred about 1849. 
 
 4a -^— — — _^-— ^^_^^__ 
 
 His wife had been called to her final rest several 
 years previously. IJotli were members of the I'res- 
 b3-terian Church, and active workers in the in- 
 terests of that organization. To them were born 
 nine children, three of whom died in infancy-, 
 while the others grew to manhood and woman- 
 hood: Kosanna, who is now eighty years of age, 
 makes her home with her brother William, in 
 Morning Sun Township; James, who was a suc- 
 cessful physician, both in his native county and in 
 Louisa County, died Feb. 10, 1888; Jane is the 
 widow of John Wilson, of Noble County, Ohio; 
 John is the third in order of birth; AVilliam is a 
 resident farmer of Jlorning .Sun Township. After 
 the death of his first wife William Crawford mar- 
 ried Miss Duncan. To them were born two chil- 
 dren: Robert, now a farmer in ^lorningSun Town- 
 ship; and Marj' Elizabctii, who wedded Mr. Stralil, 
 of Ohio. 
 
 Onr subject attended the common schools of his 
 native State, and was reared to f:irni life. He re- 
 mained at home until the age of thirty -six, having 
 charge of the home farm, as his other brothers had 
 left the parental roof. After the death of his 
 father he had exclusive management until the set- 
 tling up of the estate, when he came to Louisa 
 County, in 1852, and entered 160 acres of land in 
 Morning Sun Township. Remaining upon that 
 farm for only a short time, he then sold, and i)ur- 
 cliased eighty acres on section 18, Morning Sun 
 Township. This was raw prairie land with no im- 
 provenicnts. not even being fenced. 
 
 Thinking it not good for in:ui to 11 vi' ahuu', Mr. 
 Crawford wedded Miss Mary J. Blue, who w.as 
 born in Lycoming County, Pa., Dec. 20. 1W27. and is 
 a daughter of Aaron and Anna (Hrugler) IJlue. 
 Mr. iind Mrs. Blue were the parents of five chil- 
 dren, three sons and two daughters, only two of 
 that number now living: ^Slrs. Crawford, and 
 David, a resident of Sylvania, Ohio. The parents, 
 who were natives of Pennsylvania, found at the 
 home of our subject and his wife a happy home 
 for themselves during their old age. The mother 
 died July 2, 1871, frt>ni a cancer, and the father on 
 the 1st of December, 1884. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Crawford 
 made Iheir home for two years iiiion the farm 
 
 ' 1 r 
 
•^1^^ 
 
 474 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 where William C. now resides, but during that 
 time erected the residence which has since been 
 their home. To them have been born three chil- 
 dren: Sarah M., who has qualified herself for a 
 teacher, and is also a natural artist, for though 
 never having taken lessons in the art of painting, 
 her work compares favoralily with those who have 
 made it a study; AVilliam B. is at home; and Anna 
 M. died Nov. 5, 1870, at the age of fourteen 
 months and eleven days. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford 
 have given their children good educations, and 
 with them are members of the Presbyterian Church, 
 in which the husband holds the office of Elder. 
 He has always taken an active part in the promo- 
 tion of the church interests, and jwlitically, advo- 
 cates the principles of the Republican party. In 
 1840 he cast his first vote for Gen. Harrison, under 
 whom his father served in the War of 1812, and in 
 1888 cast his vote for the grandson. Gen. Ben- 
 jamin Harrison, the candidate for the country's 
 highest office on the Rcpulilican ticket. 
 
 P. ^'AN HORN, a leading f.-irmer of Co- 
 lumbus Citj' Towiii?hi]), residing on section 
 19. was born in Miami County. Ohio, in 
 1842. and is a son of .John and .lane 
 (Mathers) \an Horn. His fatlier was born in 
 Bucks Count}-, Pa., of German descent, while his 
 niothcr was a native of Ohio, born of Scotch-Irish 
 parentage. I'ntil fifteen years of age .John Y.an 
 Horn remained in his native State, but at that age 
 removed with his parents to Jliami County, Ohio, 
 where he was sul)sequently united in marriage with 
 •lane Mathers. They continued to reside in Miami 
 Countj' until 1858, when they removed to Mason 
 County, 111. Althougli a stonemason by trade 
 Mr. A' an Horn engaged in farming, and in il.ason 
 County owned a farm of 1.100 acres, of wiiicli he I 
 had the entire control. He possessed good business 
 ability, and fanning wjls to him a successful occu- 
 l)ation. A man of influence, he w.as held in high 
 esteem in the coninumity where he lived. For a 
 number of years previous to liis death, which oc- 
 curred June 27, 1886, at the age of sixt^'-nine years, 
 he w.as President of the First National Bank of 
 
 Mason County. The mother is still living, and re- 
 sides in 3Ia.son City, 111. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm and received 
 his education in the common schools. Remaining 
 under tiie paiental roof until the age of twenty, 
 he then enlisted. .July 18, 18(;2. in the War for tiie 
 Union, becoming a member of Company K, 85th 
 Illinois Infantry. For three j-ears he served in de- 
 fense of the stars and stripes, participating in the 
 battles of Chickamauga, Stone River, the entire 
 Atlanta campaign, the celebr.ated march to the sea 
 and the battle of Bcntonville. 
 
 After receiving his discharge Mr. Van Horn re- 
 turned to his home in Mason County, where he re- 
 mained until 1868. when he came to Louisa County, 
 Iowa, locating on section 19, Columbus City Town- 
 ship, where he owns a farm of 3,50 acres, compris- 
 ing part of the finest farming land in tlie district. 
 He has it under a fine state of cultivation, and also 
 owns 100 acres in Illinois. On the 23d of .lanu- 
 ary, 1869. he was united in marriage with Sadie 
 Bailey, who was born in Vermont, and is a daugh- 
 ter of Col. J. P. and JIary A. (Hall) Bailey, of 
 Ainsworth, Iowa. lx)th of whom are n.atives of the 
 Green Mountain State. By their union two chil- 
 dren have been born, a daughter and son — Effle 
 and Frank. Mrs. Van Horn is a member of the 
 United Presbyterian Church, and a most estimable 
 lad}'. In his political views he is a Republican, 
 and one of tlie stalwart supiK>rters of the princi- 
 ples of that jiarty. In connection with his farm- 
 ing interests Air. Van Horn also engages (piite 
 extensively in stock-raising. He ranks among the 
 best citizens in Louisa County, and as a neighbor and 
 friend has won the confidence and good-will of the 
 people of the community. 
 
 I VAN E. DAVIS, a farmer of Louisa County, 
 residing on section 8. Columbus City 'I\(wn- 
 ship, is a native of AVales, and is a son of 
 Evan Davis, whose sketch appears on another page 
 of tliis volume. Our subject was reared uixtn a 
 farm, and received his education in the common 
 schools. In 18;j0 he crossed the Atlantic, and 
 landed in the country which was hencefortii to be 
 
 E 
 
-4•- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 475 ' k 
 
 his home. Remaining for a sliort time in tlie St.ate 
 of New York, lie then went to Ohio, and in 1852 
 oame to Louisa County, where lie eng.Tged in break- 
 iiisr prairie and threshino; until 1860. He then 
 made his first purch.aseof land, consisting of eighty 
 .lores on section 8. CoIumbusCity Township, which 
 w.TS then in a wild, unimproved state. Upon that 
 farm he still lives, though he has added to his 
 original jmrchase until he is now the owner of 
 (MO acres of arable land and tliirty .acres of timber 
 land. 
 
 In 1861 Mr. Davis was married, becoming the 
 Inisband of Jlary Davis, who was born in "Wales, 
 and is a daughter of Henrv Davis, of Henry 
 County. Iowa. They are the parents of seven liv- 
 ing children: Elizabeth Fr.ances, wife of Thomas 
 Hughes, of Elm Grove Township; Robert Edward, 
 Henry. .Joseph. Sarah. Sem and Ida May, at home. 
 Mr. Davis and his wife are members of the Calvin- 
 istic Church, of which he is an Elder. He takes an 
 active part in both the church and Sunday-school 
 work, and is an ardent supiJorter of temperance 
 princii)les. In his political views he is a Repub- 
 lican, and has held various township offices. Com- 
 mencing life a poor boj', he 1i.t.s by hard labor and 
 close attention to business gained a comfortable 
 competency, and is one of the well-to-do farmers 
 of the county. On all matters of general interest 
 lie is well informed, and toward the loc.il enterprises 
 he is ever ready to lend a helping hand. With the 
 exception of three months spent in visiting his na- 
 tive land, and a visit to the Centennial at Pliila- 
 delphi in 1876, his life has been spent in Louisa 
 Count}' since 1852. 
 
 /^^ W. REICHLEY, a dealer in grain and stock, 
 [If J—, of Letts, w.as born in 1828. in Perry County. 
 ^^^5! (Jliio. anil is the tliird in a family of twelve 
 children born to Conrad .and Mary (Hoy) Reichley, 
 who were natives of Peniusylvania. The father, 
 accompanied by his family, removed to Ohio at an 
 early day, and during his residence in that State 
 always resided upon one farm. He served a.s a 
 .soldier of the War of 1812 under Gen. Harrison, 
 
 -4•- 
 
 and his death occurred at the advanced age of 
 eighty-four j-ears. The mother had departed this 
 life some years before. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood upon a farm in his 
 native State, .and there received his education in 
 the district schools. In 1851 he Wiis united in 
 marriage with Catherine Hrookhart, who was born 
 in Ohio, and is a d.aughter of Daniel and Elizal)etli 
 (Tate) Brookhart, who were natives of Pennsyl- 
 vania. Her father was a mechanic by trade, and 
 in 1854 emigrated to Muscatine County, Iowa, set- 
 tling upon a farm, where he passed the remainder 
 of his days. After their marriage the young 
 couple came directly to Iowa, locating in Musca- 
 tine County on a farm, but on the 15th of August, 
 1862, Mr. Reichley left his home to enlist in the 
 service of his country, becoming a member of 
 Company F. 35th Iowa Infantry. He was mustered 
 in at ^Muscatine, and engaged in the battles of Pleas- 
 ant Hill, Yellow IJ.ayou, the Red River campaign, 
 and the battle of N.ashville. While aiding in the 
 construction of a bridge at Springfield, Mo., he had 
 his leg shattered by a piece of iron that fell on 
 him. He received his discharge April 6, 1865, at 
 ISIemphis, Teiin., and after the close of the war re- 
 turned to iNIuscatine County, where he engaged in 
 farming until 1876, and then removed to Letts, 
 since which time he li.as been dealing in grain .and 
 stock. 
 
 j\Ir. and Mrs. Reichley are the parents of eight 
 children: .Joseph is married, .and resides at Esther- 
 ville. Iowa, where he is in the emploj- of the Bur- 
 lington & Cedar Rapids Railroad; tieorge is a ma- 
 chinist of Horton, Ivan.; Elmer is working on a 
 f.arm; Maggie is the wife of Rev. Charles Blan- 
 chard. p.a.stor of the Christian Church; Millie is liv- 
 ing at home, and li.as been one of the teachers in 
 the public schools of Letts; Laura, now Mrs. Ruii- 
 yon. resides in Letts; Lizzie, deceased wife of Jo- 
 seph Meeker, of Muscatine C<5unty; .and Sarah, who 
 died in 1881. at the age of nineteen years. Jlr. 
 and Mrs. Reichley are members of the United 
 Brethren Church, while he belongs to the G. A. R., 
 in which lie holds the position of Adjutant, and is 
 .also a member of the A. (). U. W., serving as Re- 
 corder of his lodge. He has always taken an 
 .active ])art in political affairs, is a supporter of the 
 
 -^^ 
 
-<*• 
 
 476 
 
 ••^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Republican ])nrty. lias served as ConstaMc for about 
 ei.yht years, held the ofHee of Marshal, was a mem- 
 ber of the Town Council, and is now .Justice of the 
 Peace. He does all in liis power to secure good 
 educational advant.-uies to the communitj', and is 
 one of the respected citizens of Letts. 
 
 -l-^#=^5«S^4^-4- ■ — 
 
 f 
 
 'ji7 oris :\I. SAMSON, a leading farmer and 
 I (f§) stoclc-raiser, and one of the well-to-do citi- 
 jILJ^ zens of Louisa County, residing on section 
 20, Elm Grove Township, was born on the 26th of 
 October, 18J3. in Caledonia County, Vt. His par- 
 ents were Francis and Louisa (Cumniings) Samson, 
 tlie former a native of Canada, and the latter of 
 Connecticut. When about sixteen years of age the 
 fatlier removed to Caledonia County, where he be- 
 came aquainted with and wedded Louisa Cummings. 
 To them wcie born six children: ]\Lartha A., wife 
 of Wilson Dougherty, of Washington Countv, Iowa; 
 Henry F., also a resident of that county; Owen L., 
 who is engaged in farming in Louisa County, and 
 Louis M. Two <lied in infancy. In 1856, aecom- 
 li.'iiiicil tiv Ills family, Mr. Samson removed to 
 Louisa County, Iowa, where he passed tlie remain- 
 der of his days. His death occurred in 1881, and 
 his wife died in 187(;. They were both members 
 of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. 
 
 Our subject attended school in his native State 
 until the age of twelve years, when he came to this 
 county. He next .attended Howe's Academy at Mt. 
 rie.asant, after whicli he went to Chicago, being grad- 
 uated from the Easton Commercial College of that 
 city in 1866. On the 27th of April, 1871, he was 
 united in marriage with Rebecca .1. Dill, who w.as 
 born in Armstrong County, Pa., and is a daughter 
 of Ricliai-d Dill, who is now residing in Eskridgc, 
 Kan. ller motlier died in 1886, at the advanced 
 age of seventy-nine years. By the union of Mr. 
 and Mrs. Samson three children have been born: 
 Arthur A., Etta L. and Tirzah E., all yet at home. 
 
 Mr. Sampson made his first purchase of land on 
 section 20, Elm Grove Township, where he still 
 continues to reside. The land was then but par- 
 tially^ cultivated, and ui)0n it was only a small 
 house 16x20 feet. The litth' cabin lias since been 
 
 replaced liy a nice home, good barns iiave been 
 built, and waving fields of grain now Udie the place 
 of the wild iirairie. To the original purchase Mr. 
 Samson has added from time to time until lie now 
 owns 280 .acres of fine land, all liiglily cultivated. 
 He and his wife and eldest child, Arthur A., are 
 members of the Reformed Presliyterian Church, of 
 Wyman, Iowa, of wliich he is one of the Elders, 
 and they si)are neither time nor money in the ad- 
 vancement of its interests and the cause of Christi- 
 anity. Their inlluence is ever given toward the 
 right, and their religious zeal is only equaled bj^ 
 their efforts to advance the temperance reform. 
 Mr. Samson is a memlier of the State, the Dis'trict 
 and the County Temperance Alliance, in which or- 
 ganization he holds the ollice of Tre:isurer. while 
 ;\Irs. Samson belongs to the W. C. T. U. of AV'^-man, 
 and is also one of the officers of the County Union. 
 She is also a member of the JMissionary Society. 
 Ever ready to lend a helping h.and to those in need, 
 they h:ive by their upriglit and Christian lives 
 won tlie confidence and love of the entire commu- 
 nity-, and hold an enviable jiltice in the hearts of 
 their many friends. Honored and respected citi- 
 zens, their sketch deserves a jn'ominent place in 
 the history of the county which has been their 
 home for many long years. 
 
 JOSEPH I)A^'I.S, a reprcsentntive farmer of 
 Columbus Cit3' To'miship, residing on sec- 
 tion 6, was born in North Wales in 1844, 
 and his parents, Evan II. and Elizabeth 
 (Ev.ans) Davis, were also born in the same country. 
 In 18.')2 the father, who w.as a farmer, emigrated 
 to America in company with his family, .and took 
 up his residence in Louisa County, Iowa, where he 
 bought a partially improved farm of 200 acres on 
 section 6, Columbus City Township. He imme- 
 diately began the cultiv.ation of this land, and made 
 it his home until his death, Jan. 9, 1877, at tlie age 
 of seventy -eight years. His wife died .several years 
 previously, in 1864. The}' reared a family of eight 
 children: II. E., who died in November, 1880; 
 Evan E., who lives in Columbus City Township; 
 ■lohn S., who died in May, 1886; Ed E.. who was 
 
 ■» K^ 
 
■^•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 477 
 
 
 a soldier of the 2')tli lowsi Infantry, is now en- 
 gfajicd in farinini; in Elm (irove Township; Robert, 
 who enlisted in Company V, i.'Mi Iowa Infantry, 
 died while in the service at Black River, near 
 Vickshurii. in 1863; Elizabeth is the wife of Will- 
 iam V. Davis; Joseph is the next in order of birth; 
 Catherine is the wife of Edward D. Williams, of 
 Coluinlius City Township. The parents of this 
 family were both members of the Welsh Calvinistic 
 Church. Mr. Davis was a self-made man finan- 
 cially, having gained all he had by his own efforts, 
 and his life may well be taken as an example by those 
 who receive no pecuniary aid when starting out in 
 life. 
 
 In 1852. when a lad. our subject came to Louisa 
 County with his parents, and here grew to man- 
 hood. He was married in 1874, becoming the hus- 
 band of Elizabeth J. Jones, a native of New York, 
 .and a daughter of Lewis and Mary (Davis) Jones, 
 who were born in Wales. They have a family of 
 eight ciiildren — Edith J., Evan L., Thomas C, 
 Whitfield. Edward M., Mary Elizabeth, Clara and 
 jSIaggie May. The f.amily circle is yet unbroken, 
 and the children are witli their parents. Mr. Davis 
 and his wife are members of the Calvinistic Church, 
 while in his political views he is an advocate of 
 the Republican party, and is now serving on the 
 School Board. His business is general farming, and 
 he is the owner of 240 acres, comprising a part of 
 the best farming district in the county. He has a 
 liandsome residence, and all other l)uildings neces- 
 sary to the model farm of the nineteenth century, and 
 his work is done systematically and in the best 
 possible manner. Mr. Davis is numbered .among 
 the early settlers of Louisa County, and we are 
 pleased to record his sketch in the volume of its 
 history. 
 
 -^^^^^^ 
 
 jARTON M. JONES, a general farmer and 
 stock-raiser, residing on section 2.'5, Elm 
 Grove Township, is one of the settlers of 
 Louisa Comity of 1853. He was born in 
 Greene County, Oliio, Aug. 29, 1829, and is a son 
 of Abraham and Mary (ll.ayes) Jones, who were 
 also natives of llie Buckeye State. They were the 
 parents of eleven children, eight of wiiom grew to 
 
 man and womanhood, though onlj^ four are yet 
 living: Daniel; Nancy, wife of Lewis .Skeel, a far- 
 mer of Putnam County, 111.; Maria, who became 
 the wife of William Wilson, a farmer, banker, and 
 leading citizen of Bureau County, 111.; and lastly, 
 B.nrton M. 
 
 In 1831 the family removed from (Jliio lo Bureau 
 County, 111., where the father engaged in farming, 
 which w.ashis occui)ation through life. He was one 
 of the honored pioneers of that couut3', and he and 
 his wife, who were active workers in the vineyard 
 of their Master, were members of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church. The death of Mr. Jones oc- 
 curred in 1858, Mrs. Jones surviving until 1883, 
 when she too departed this life, both dying in Bu- 
 reau County. 
 
 Our subject received a limited education in the 
 common schools of Bureau County, but was only 
 allowed to attend during the winter montiis, as his 
 services were needed at home during the summer. 
 At the age of twenty-one he left the parental roof 
 and began threshing, which occupation he fol- 
 lowed a year, and in 1851 rented a farm, beginning 
 life for himself in the vocation which he has since 
 followed. He was united in marriage with Miss Mar- 
 tha A. Enyart, who was born in Hamilton County, 
 Ohio, July 10, 1834, and is a daughter of John 
 L. and jNIargaret (Hughes) Enyart, both of whom 
 were natives of Ohio. They are yet living and re- 
 side in Princeton, 111., the father now being eighty- 
 one years of age, the mother seventy-nine. The 
 union of Mr. and Mrs. Jones was blessed with 
 eight children, two of wlwini died in infancy. 
 Those living are: Mary E., who was born in Bureau 
 County; ]\Iarian E., who became the wife of V. C. 
 Buflington, a farmer of Elm (irove Township; 
 Lewis A., a minister of llie Evangelical Church; 
 Daniel W., a farmer of Elm Grove Township, who 
 married Almeda Bew; James H., who wedded Miss 
 Sophrona Mickey, is a farmer of Elm Grove Town- 
 ship; and Marshall E.. yet at home. 
 
 In 1853, .accompanied b}' their eldest child, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Jones came to Louisa County, reaching 
 their destiii.ation in the month of November. He 
 purchased a farm of lisO acres, but not liking the 
 location he sold most of the huid and bought a 
 tract of 120 .acres on section 23. Elm Grove Town- 
 
 ■» 
 
 f 
 
478 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 " •> ■ < 
 
 ship, upon whicli -was a small frame 1)uilflina:, 
 14x18 feet, into whieh the family moved. In that 
 little cabin all of tlie ehildrcu were born with the 
 excei)tion of Mary. The land was then in a wild, 
 uncultivated st.ate, but luider the management of !Mr. 
 Jones it has been developed into a beautiful farm. 
 The many trees which now throw their welcoming 
 shade .about tiie happy home, and the long line of 
 hedge fences, were planted by him. The original 
 farm h.as been increased until he now owns 315 
 acres, on sections 23, 24, 2.') and 26, Elm Grove 
 Township. 
 
 Mr. Jones endured all the hardships and trials 
 which come to those who make homes in a new 
 country in both Illinois and Iowa, and his Labors 
 have now received their reward, he being one of 
 the well-to-do farmers of the vicinity. He is an 
 ardent supporter of the jirinciples of the Repub- 
 lican party, but has never sought or desired public 
 office, much preferring to give his entire .attention 
 to his farming interests, lie and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the Evangelical C'liurcli, in which they are 
 active workers, and their honest Christian lives have 
 won them the highest esteem of all. Mr. Jones 
 was living in Illinois during the trying times of 
 the Black Hawk War, and often during the e.arly 
 j-ears of his residence in that State he was com- 
 pelled to flee to a fort to avoid the attacks of the 
 savage red men. It was necessary tli.at two siioidd 
 W( irk together in the fields in order to better defend 
 themselves, and the settlers had to be constantly on 
 the alert for fear of the treachery of the Indians. 
 
 •:>^;^^Vt^;^ 
 
 '511 OH N T. MARTIN, a representative farmer 
 and stock-raiser, residing on section .5, Mar- 
 shall Township, was born Dec. 20, 1810, in 
 Somerset County, Md., and is a son of Jehu 
 and Letitia (Irvin) INIartin. He was of iMiglish 
 and Scotch descent on his father's side. When but 
 three years of age, his father removed to Kentucky, 
 and in IHlfi became a re.-iident of Pickaway County, 
 Ohio, where C)ur subject receive<l his education in 
 tiie common schools and lived for fifteen years. In 
 1831 John Martin was united in marn.age with 
 Mary A. Colbert, a native of Somerset County, 
 
 4* 
 
 Md. He engaged in fai'ming in Pickaway County, 
 and there two of the children were liorn: Evaline. 
 who is now a resident of Illinois, and Eliza, wife 
 of Joseph (iraham. a farmer in Cowley County, 
 Kan. In 1839 ]\Ir. Martin removed to Fountain 
 County, Ind., where two other children were born, 
 John and Rachel, who .are now deceased. The fam- 
 ily remained in Indiana until 18r)0, when they be- 
 came residents of Louisa County, Iowa. Mr. I\l. 
 first rented a farm from the late Henry Church- 
 man, a gentleman of his acquaintance in Indi.ana. 
 In the month of June after their arrival the excel- 
 lent wife of (mr subject was called to her last rest. 
 .She was a member of the Covenantor Church, a 
 most loving wife and tender mother, and her death 
 was mourned by a large circle of friends. On the 
 27tli of .lanuary, 1851, Mr. JIartin was .again mar- 
 ried, Miss Catherine Cummings being the lady of 
 his choice. She was born in County Donegal, Ire- 
 laud, Feb. 28, 1823, and is a daughter of Joseph 
 and Margaret (McEllieney) Cummings, who were 
 also natives of the same county, and emigrated 
 to America in 1837, locating in the city of Phila- 
 deljihia. Pa., where they resided until 1840, and 
 then came to Louisa County, settling on section 6, 
 Marshall Tuwusliii>. Here they lived vuitil the 
 death of tiie mother, which occurred Aug. 14, 
 1851, after which Mr. Cummings made his home 
 with our subject and his wife until his death, in 
 1873. 
 
 By this union five children have been born to 
 Mr. and Mrs. i^Iartin: Margaret J., wife of Scott 
 Hewitt, a resident farmer of Morning Sun Town- 
 ship; Thoma.s II., who wedded Sus.an Higbee; Le- 
 titia, wife of H. C. llMmilton. a ri'.sident of Taylor 
 County, Iowa; John L., who is living in Slarshall 
 Township, where he is engaged in farming, and 
 Sar.ah Maiy, wife of William Hewitt, also a farmer 
 of Taylor County, Iowa. In 1853 Mr. M.artin pur- 
 chased 160 acres of land. At that time he w.as 
 quite sick, and so his neighbors g.atliered in and 
 erected a log cabin, into which the family moved, 
 and at once began the labor and hardshijjs which 
 come to all wIkj maki' homes in the new country. 
 During the fall of that year Mr. Martin broke 
 twenty acres of land, and the foUowing spring put 
 in his first crop of corn. His purchase consisted 
 
'^nxy^<:! q/o^cc^ 
 
 // 
 
 OV^iy^l 
 
 m 'yftcAy^l^ 
 
4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 481 i i 
 
 t 
 
 of a soldier's claim, which he su])i)ose(l comprised 
 IGO acres, but it was found that there was only 
 !')() acres. Since that time he has added other 
 lands until lie now h.ns 200 acres, all under a fine 
 state of cultivation, and fifty-four acres of timber 
 land. When Mr. Martin came to this county his 
 capital consisted of an old w.iii^on. a team and 115 
 in money, but with a determination to succeed and 
 make for himself a home in the then new country, 
 he at once set to work, and now li.as a comfortable 
 competence. In his political views Mr. Martin is 
 very lilicral, but casts his h.allot with the demo- 
 cratic party. He and his wife have given their 
 children good common-school educations, such as 
 would fit them for tiie ]iractical duties of this life, 
 and as they left tlie parental roof furnishetl t(j each 
 a good home. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are members 
 of tiie Covenantor Church, and are ranked among 
 the liighl}- respected people of Louisa County. 
 
 ^OIIX 11. NICHOLS, residing on section 34, 
 Miiisliall Township, is one of the jiromincnt 
 fanners of Louisa County. The family 
 'JJJ name was formerly spelled by some of his 
 ancestors, Niccolls. but lias long since been changed 
 to the present mode of spelling. .John was born 
 in Westmoreland County, Pa., Aug. 1, 1821, and is 
 a son of Hobert ,'ind Rel)ecca (Baldridge) Xicliols, 
 the former born Oct. 1:5, 1791, and the latter Nov. 
 22. 17117. They were also natives of Pennsylvania, 
 and in Westmoreland County reared a family of 
 eight children: .loscph H., born Aug. 4, 1818, is a 
 real-estate agent of Ft. Scott, Kan.; Anna M., bom 
 Dec. 28. 1816. died at the home of our subject, 
 Aug. 5, 1881S; .John IL; .Margaret K., born Nov. 
 1. 1823, is the wife of Joseph S. Benton, a farmer 
 of L.'dx'tte County, ^lo.; Ocorgo S., born ,\pril 3, 
 1«26, died .July 22, 18H1; William T. B., born 
 Nov. 4, 1828, died Feb. 23, 1885; Rebecca J., 
 born May 31. 1837, is now making her home with 
 our subject. 
 
 John attended the schools of his native county 
 and tlierc received a good knowledge of the com- 
 mon liranclics. In his youth lie learned the car- 
 penter's and joiner's trade, which he followed for 
 
 about a j'car, and afterward engaged in farming. 
 In 1841 Joseph B. Nichols made a trip to Louisa 
 County to look up a location, and lieing jilejised 
 with the country' sent back a favoraljle reijly, so 
 the following year the father, accompanied by his 
 f.amil}', started for Iowa. Reaching his destination 
 in 1842, he purciiased eight^y acres of land on sec- 
 ti(m 34, Marshall Township, where the family has 
 since continued to reside. It continued to Ije his 
 home until his death, which occurred Aug. 1, 1868. 
 The mother, too, died on the old homestead, March 
 4, 1871>, and J)oth were for many years memliersof 
 the Presbyterian Church. Tiiey were ever active 
 workers in the cause of their Master, and were 
 honored and respected citizens of the county. They 
 earl^- trained their children in the teaching of the 
 Bible, and with the exception of one, all were mem- 
 Jiers of the church to which the parents bebuiged. 
 William united with the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church. 
 
 On account of the failing health of his father, 
 John was placed in charge of the home farm, hav- 
 ing full control, and well did he manage and care 
 for its interests. He proved himself to be a jirac- 
 tical and systematic farmer, possessing good busi- 
 ness ability. His youngest sister still resides with 
 him. On coining to Iowa when it was yet a Terri- 
 tory, he entered a claim of forty acres, wliidi was 
 the foundation of his present valuable farm. From 
 time to time he has added to his original possessions, 
 buying the old homestead of forty acres, and also 
 purchasing other lands, until he now owns 477 acres 
 in Mnrshall Townsliii>. lie h:is improved and cul- 
 tivated his farm until it is considered one of the 
 best in Louisa County, and from his home residence, 
 which is situated on a rise of ground, one can look 
 for miles over the J)road and beautiful acres of wav- 
 ing grain. At the time of Mr. Nichols' arrival in the 
 county, tiie I>road fields, wiiich yield a bounteous 
 tribute to tiie care and cultivation of the owner, 
 were wild and unbroken prairie, the country was 
 but s|)arsely settled, tliere being but three or four 
 sm.all cabins <m what is now known iis the Iowa 
 City Road, through the county, and bands of In- 
 diiins wore fre(|\u'iitly seen pa.ssing and rejiassing 
 the cabins. Mr. Nichols has not only witnessed, 
 but been a participant in the changes which have 
 
.>-ll^^ 
 
 482 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 
 transfoiiiu'fl the county into a land of abundanoe 
 and prospcrit}-. Every enterprise for the social, 
 educational and religious advancement, has received 
 his earnest support. He lias held several offices of 
 trust in Marshall Township, and has served as 
 Trustee of the Oakland Presbyterian Church. Dur- 
 insj the forty-six years of his residence in the 
 county, he has won the confidence and esteem of 
 all with whom business or social relations have 
 brontrlit him in contact, and as a citizen and hon- 
 ored i)ioneer, he receives universal respect. 
 
 We present in connection with this sketch a 
 portrait of this highly esteemed gentleman. 
 
 ••' ^ • >1 ^^ 
 
 JOHN H. :MICKEY, deceased. Among the 
 honored pioneers of Louisa County, who 
 deserve especial mention in this volume, is 
 _ John U. Mickey. He was born in Pennsyl- 
 vania in lHl-2, and went when a small lad to Rich- 
 land County, Ohio, with his parents, and there re- 
 ceived his education in the comm<m schools. In 
 that county he formed the acquaintance of Miss 
 Sarah Wasson, and when he was but nineteen years 
 of age they were united in marriage. She was a 
 native of Richland County, and there one child 
 was born to them. Mary, Oct. 23. 18:32, who is now 
 the wife of Robert C. Uryden, a prominent citizen 
 of Louisa County, whose sketch appears elsewhere 
 in this work. She was aljout six mcmths old when 
 the parents left Ohio and settled in Peoria County, 
 111., where they remained for two years. Another 
 child was there born to them, John ]M., April 20, 
 183}, and is now a farmer of Henry County, Iowa. 
 About the spring of 1835 the family removed to 
 Des ^loines County, Iowa, locating in Pleasant 
 drove Township, wliere Mr. Mickey entered a 
 small farm, niwn which tliey resided until 1837. 
 ( )iie child graced their union in Des INIoines County, 
 Isa.ic, who was born Oct. ll,lH3r). In 1837 Mr. 
 Mickey settled i)ermanently in Louisa County, enter- 
 ing a farm on what is now section 2fi, ISIorning Sun 
 Townsiiip, tiiougii after two years he traded it for 
 212 acres on the same section, known as the James 
 (lothrop faiiii. 
 
 Six ciiiidrcu were born to .Mr. and Mrs. .Mickey 
 
 in Louisa County: Joshua, born iSIarch 17, 1838, 
 died May 1, 1871;; Robert, born May 31, 1810, is 
 now engaged in farming in Marion County, Kan.; 
 Peter C, born Jan. 20. 1842, died in Oregon, April 
 11, 1887; Thomas C born Jan. 22. 1844, is a 
 blacksmith in Shelby, Shelby Co., Iowa; Josejjh 
 W.. born March 24, 1846, is now engaged in farm- 
 ing in Marion County, Kan. James I)., born March 
 20, 1848, is also a resident farmer of Marion 
 County, Kan. 
 
 On the 3d of October, 1849, John R. Mickey, 
 the pioneer, was called to his final home. He was 
 a man who always identified himself with any en- 
 terprise for the advancement of the community 
 where he resided. He was a member of the Method- 
 ist Eiiiscoiial Church, and took great interest in its 
 growth and advancement. He aided largely in its 
 support and was an earnest worker for the cause. 
 The death of Mr. Mickey was felt throughout the 
 county, for his honesty, his kindness to those in 
 need, and his plain, unassuming life had won for 
 him many friends. 
 
 Mrs. Mickey was again united in marriage, with 
 David T. Blake, and to them were born two chil- 
 dren: David C, M.ay 29, 1852, and Hiram D., May 
 13, 1855. Mr. and Mrs, Blake are now living in 
 Marion County, Kan. He is a member of the Bap- 
 tist Church, while his wife belongs to the Methodist. 
 While they were residents of Louisa County they 
 received the highest respect of the community. 
 
 JOIIN D. C.UINN, a retired farmer, residing 
 at Columbus Junction, was born in Wash- 
 iTigton County, in Eastern Tennessee, March 
 18, 1824, and is a son of Thomas and Jen- 
 nie (Dunc!»i) (iuinn. His father w.a.s born in Vir- 
 ginia, of Scotcli-Irisli descent, thougli reared in 
 Tennessee, of wiiicli State his moliier was a native, 
 though she, too, was of Scotcii-Irisli origin. John 
 received his education in the common schools, and 
 was reared to farm life. On the 1st of April. 1847, 
 in his native county, his imion with Eliza Duncan 
 was celebrated. Siu' is a native of \\'ashiugton 
 County, born .lune 9, lH2.'i. and is a daughter of 
 James and S;iraii (Hunt) Duncan. ( )f their union 
 
 i 
 
-<- 
 
 ^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 483 
 
 cijiht children have been born, five sons and three 
 dauu^hters, and six are now livinjj: Sarah Jane, 
 who was tiie wife of James W. Brooks, died Auf;:. 
 Ifi, 1887, leaving two children, namely: Mollie, 
 wife of II. Carter, of Avoca, Neb., and Ilattie, who 
 lives in Appanoose County, Iowa. Robert E. Ije- 
 came the husband of Alice Surbaugh, and lives in 
 AVayne County, Iowa; Thomas J. wedded Emma 
 McDaniels, and is also residing in Wayne County, 
 Iowa; Mary A. is the wife of W. M. Clibbs, of 
 Hebron, Ind.; J. Carter is single, and lives in 
 AVoodbury County, Iowa; Rachel T. died .at the 
 .age of two years and nine months; Joseph D. and 
 John JI., both unmarried, live with their brother 
 Carter in Mobile, AVoodbury Co., Iowa. 
 
 Mr. (iuinn is one of the early settlers of Louisa 
 County, having settled in Columbus City Town- 
 ship, near Columbus City, in October, 1851. After 
 a year's residence there he removed to a farm five 
 miles north, now in Union Townshij), and engaged 
 in the cultivation of his land for thirteen years. 
 At the expiration of that time he removed to Ore- 
 gon Township, AVashington County, where he en- 
 gaged in farming until March 1, 1887, and then 
 returned to Columbus Junction, where he had pre- 
 viously resided for a year. He still owns his im- 
 jiroved f.arm in Wa:5hington County of 240 acres, 
 and while living tliere he served as President of 
 the School IJoard in Oregon Township for several 
 terms. Politically, Mr. Guinn is an old-line Demo- 
 crat, and soci.ally, is a Free Mason. He and his 
 wife are members of the Reformed Church, and 
 rank high in the social world. 
 
 -4-^^'^^=f^-4- 
 
 "JK^^ATHAN METZGER, a prominent and in- 
 [ jjj ttuential farmer of Louisa County, residing 
 ll\/^ on section 34, Elm Grove Township, Wiis 
 born in Monroe County, Pa., May 20, 1840, and is 
 a son of Josei)h and Susanna (Franco) Metzger, 
 who were also natives of Pennsylv.ania. To them 
 was born a family of nine children, six of whom 
 are yet living: Casjier, a resident farmer of Mon- 
 roe County, Pa.; Rudolph, who is engaged in farm- 
 ing in Elm Grove Township; Israel, a farmer of 
 Sedgwick County, Kan.; Isbon, whose sketch ap- 
 
 pears elsewhere in this volume; Mary, wife of 
 Emanuel Marsh, who is engaged in farming upon 
 the old homestead in Monroe County, Pa. The 
 father passed his entire life in his native State, dy- 
 ing in Monroe County, in 1871. His wife sur- 
 vived him until 1885, when she too was called to 
 her final rest. Both jiarents were devoted mem- 
 bers of the Lutheran Church, and were earnest 
 workers for the advancement of its interest. Mr. 
 Metzger was a stanch sup|)orter of the principles 
 advocated by the Republican party, and although 
 of a rather reserved nature, had many warm friends 
 in ^lonroe County, where he was one of the well- 
 to-do farmers and ranked among the highly re- 
 spected citizens. 
 
 Our subject received his education in tiie com- 
 mon schools of his native State, and his whole life 
 has been spent in farming. He remained under 
 the parental roof until Sept. 3, 18G3, when his 
 marriage with ISliss Sally A. Fellenser was cele- 
 brated. She was also a native of Monroe County, 
 born Dec. 9, 1840, and is a daughter of John 1*. 
 and Hannah (Clinker) Fellenser, both of whom 
 were also natives of the Keystone State. In 1868 
 the young couple bade good-b^- to their many 
 friends and removed to Louisa County, Iowa, Mr. 
 Jletzger here purchasing 320 acres of raw land on 
 section 33, Elm Grove Town.sliip. He at once be- 
 gan its cultivation and improvement, which, hav- 
 ing been carried steadily forward, luis develojied 
 the wild prairie into one of the finest farms in 
 Louisa County. His home indeed is a thing of 
 beauty. He has had erected an excellent residence, 
 and his barns and out-buildings are all models of 
 convenience. A fine hedge fence of 1,150 rods, 
 nicely trimmed, divides the farm into 20, 30 and 40 
 acre fields. The stock is all of the best grades, and 
 a never-failing spring sup|)lies the farm with water. 
 On coming to Louisa County Mr. Metzger was in 
 limited circumstances, his cash capital consisting 
 only of about 1500, which he invested in wild, un- 
 cultivated land. From this small beginning his 
 projjerty hiis increased until he is now the owner 
 of 480 broad acres of jjrairie land .and seven- 
 teen .acres of timber land, whidi have been secured 
 through his own efforts of industry and economy. 
 
 By the union of Mr. and Mrs Metzger nine chil- 
 
 t 
 
 :^^^i-#. 
 
A 484 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 dren lisive been born: Salona, who wedded Edward 
 Gipplc, a farmer of Audubon Couuty, Iowa; Ma- 
 tilda, wife of Ura lieauchan, a farmer of Washing- 
 ton County, Iowa; Lydia Ellen, who married 
 Frank Chamberlain; Jacob, who is at home ; Sarah 
 who died at the age of two and a half years; Simon, 
 David, Levi and Edward, wlio arc yet residing 
 with their parents. Mr. and Jlrs. :Metzger are 
 members of the Evangelical Church. He takes an 
 active part in promoting all church and educational 
 interests, and lias held various township offices of 
 trust. Politically, he is a supporter of the Repub- 
 lican party, and is numbered among the highly hon- 
 ored citizens of the county. 
 
 -J^^- 
 
 4 
 
 ^^1 LEXANDER M. M. DORXON, proprietor 
 mfuW of the Morning Sun Herald, was born in 
 IMiiladelphia, P.a., Aug. 22. 18r)8. His par- 
 ents, Samuel .and Ann (Steele) Dornon.were 
 born in Europe, of Scotch and Irish parentage, and 
 came to the United States, locating in Philadelphia. 
 Mr. Dornon was a shoemaker by trade, which oc- 
 cupation he followed for a livelihood. In 185'J, 
 with his family, he removed to New Alexandria, 
 M'cslmoreland County. He was the parent of 
 three sons and tliree daughters, five of whom are 
 living: Rachel, widow of David Reynolds, of Pliil- 
 adelpiiia; Joseph, who was a soldier in the late Re- 
 bellion, enlisting in the 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry, 
 and serving with honor throughout the war, is now 
 a resident of San Francisco, Cal.; Jane is now de- 
 ceased; Robert is a resident of New Alexandria, Pa.; 
 Mary, wife of Robert Pollock, also of that State; 
 and our subject. Mrs. Dornon died in Westmore- 
 land County, in the year 1860, but her husband is 
 still living. 
 
 Our subject remained at home until fifteen years 
 of age, when he started out to fight life's battle. 
 His early education being limited, he made up his 
 mind that it was the thing necessary for success, 
 and being in limited circumstances, he was obliged 
 to work tf) i)ay his way through the New Alexan- 
 dria and Hlairsville Academies. Having now gained 
 suflicicnt education to teach, he !*ecured a school, 
 and engiiged in that profession during tlie winter 
 
 <■ 
 
 until he had money enough to enter Geneva Col- 
 lege, of Uliio, where he remained until his senior 
 j'ear. After leaving college he made teaching his 
 profession. In 1881 he came to Iowa, teaching 
 school near Newton, Jasper Countj', and the follow- 
 ing year came to Louisa County, having charge of 
 the Morning Sun Academy two years. He then 
 went to Mediapolis, Des Moines County, wliere he 
 was employed as Principal of the High School for 
 four years, and then purchased the Morning Sun 
 Herald, which under his man.igcment has become 
 a bright and spicy sheet. Politically, Mr. Dornon 
 is a st.anch supi)orter of the principles of the Re- 
 publican party. He is a man of more than ordi- 
 nary ability, and is well fitted for the avocation 
 he has chosen. 
 
 On the 10th of June, 1885, Mr. Dornon w.as 
 united in marri.agc with a schoolmate of his of 
 Geneva College, Miss Maggie A. Gunn, a daughter 
 of Walter and Mary Gunn, and a native of Kenton, 
 Ohio. One child has graced this union, Joe W. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Dornon arc members of the Presby- 
 terian Church, of Morning Sun. and during their 
 short residence have made many warm friends. 
 
 -^-^^ 
 
 J' KIRK LATTA, the senior member of the 
 firm of Latta & McElhinney, proprietors 
 and pul)lishors of the Morning Sun Xews, is 
 a native of Bourbon County, Kan., where he 
 was born Aug. 19, 1866. He is the eldest son of 
 J. P. .and Sophia (Passmore) Latta, who arc both 
 natives of Perry County, Ohio. They emigrated to 
 Kansas in 1865, and after a residence of ten years 
 there removed to Morning Sun. Iowa, where they 
 have since continued to reside. 
 
 Our subject received a liberal education in the 
 High School of Morning Sun. after whidi he learned 
 the printer's trade, .at which he worked in various 
 towns in Iowa and Illinois, until he assisted in cs- 
 tablisiiing the Xeirs of tliis city. 
 
 On the Ith of October, 1888, Mr. Latta was united 
 in marriage with Jliss Eva Upson, a daughter of 
 Horace Upson, of Morning Sun, whoso sketch appears 
 on .another page of this work. In politics .Mr. 
 
J^ 
 
 -♦HK-* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 485 ' 
 
 Latta lia.s always boon a Rcptililican. He is a moni- 
 l)er of tilt' Mi'tliodist Episi'oiial t'liurcli, is oner- 
 jrolic and entcrprisinjy, and one of Morning Sun's 
 rising- young business men. 
 
 ■^*^^-^ 
 
 lEUT. ELIAS G. JACKSON, a general far- 
 mer and stock-miser, residing on section 32 
 Klni drove Townslii]), was liorn May 25, 
 1)S2H, in Kandolph County, Ind., and is a son of 
 Josi'pli and Phoebe (Cos) Jackson, the former a 
 native of Stokes County. N. C, born Aug. 23, 
 1804, .and the hitter of Montgomery County, Ohio, 
 bom April 19, 1807. They were united in marriage 
 in 1827, in Randolph County, Ind., where Joseph 
 Jackson followed the ()C(Ui)ation of farming. The 
 paternal grandfather of our subject, Samuel Jack- 
 son, served during the Revolutionary War, while 
 James Jackson, an uncle, fought in the War of 
 1812. and was under the command of Gen. Hull 
 when lie surrendered to the British at Detroit. In 
 every war of our country tlic Jackson family has 
 been represented, in all of which, as soldiers, they 
 proved efficient and faithful. 
 
 In 1856 Joseph Jac'kson, accoinp.anied by his 
 family, came to Louisa County, Iowa, where he re- 
 sided until his death, which occurred March 25, 
 1858. His wife is still living, at the advanced 
 age of eighty-two, and makes her home with our 
 subject. They were the parents of nine children, 
 tiie four eldest being born in Kandolph County,. 
 Ind., two in Waj-ne, one in Delaware, and the 
 two youngest in Tippecanoe Count}'. Klias, our 
 subject, is tiie eldest; John II. is a farmer in 
 Franklin Count3^ Kan.; Reuben C., who served in 
 thelltii Iowa Infantry, is now a railroad builder 
 and contractor of Kansas; Jesse S., who was a 
 member of the lltli Iowa Infantry, is now living 
 in Kansas City; Elizabeth A. is the wife of Henry 
 Martain, a farmer of Keokuk County-, Iowa; Sarah 
 .lane wedded Evan Crawford, of Coffee County, 
 Kan.; Henrietta is the wife of Henry W. Snider, 
 a soldier of the 5th Iowa Infantry, now engaged in 
 farming in Jasper County, Ind.; Joseph J., who 
 was also a meiiil)er of the 11th Infantry, resides 
 in Nevada; Abner J., a blacksmith b\- trade, is now 
 
 living in Idaho. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson were botii 
 members of the iMethodist Episcoi)al Church. 
 
 Our subject received his education in a subscrij)- 
 tion school in his native county, which w.ns taught 
 in a lou: house, and there resided until 1852, since 
 which time he has made liis home in Louisa County. 
 He was compelled to leave his native State on ac- 
 count of ill-health, but his family resided there 
 until 1856, when, having detenuincd to make this 
 his future home, he returned and brought them to 
 Louisa County. He was united in marriage, Nov. 
 13, 1853, with Miss Margaret Beauchamp, who was 
 born in Pickaway County. Ohio. ^lay 20, 1827, and 
 is a daughter of John and Nancy (Wilson) Beau- 
 ch.am|), who were of French descent. By their 
 union six children have l)een born: ^lagdalene, who 
 became the wife of William Hewitt, is now de- 
 ceased; Margaret F. is the wife of William I. Hus- 
 ton, a farmer of Elm Grove Township; ,\lbert is at 
 home; (Jletha wedded .lohn Siekafoose, who is en- 
 gaged in farming; Martha is the wife of George 
 Spangler, of Ilenr^' County, Iowa, and Fred, who 
 is at home. 
 
 In 1854 Jlr. J.ackson inirchascd 120 acres of land 
 on section 32, Elm Grove Townshii). and upon that 
 farm all his children were born and grew to ma- 
 turity. Beginning life in Louisa County in very 
 limited circumstances, he, by hard labor, with good 
 management and economy, gained a comfortable 
 competenc}', gave each of his children good educa- 
 tions, and as they left the parental roof aided them 
 in establishing in Inisiness for themselves. When 
 the Rebellion broke out Mr. J. resiKinded to his 
 country's call for volunteers, enlisting in the lltii 
 Iowa Infantry for three years' service, as a mem- 
 ber of Company F. V[Hm the organization of the 
 company he was electtMl Sergeant, filling the ollice 
 creditably and well. In 1863 he was unanimously 
 elected Second Lieutenant, holding that office at the 
 time of his discharge. He piirticipated in many 
 of the hard-fought battles of the war, including 
 those of Shiloh, Corinth an<l hika, and was with 
 Grant when he started to meet Gen. Sherman 
 at Vicksburg. On the w;iy the regiment was under 
 fire for several days, and finally ii.ad to retreat, l>ut 
 at length reached Vicksburg. where it participated 
 in the siege. .Mr. Jackson tlien eniraged in tlie siege 
 
 f 
 
«► ir ^ 
 
 48G 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 of .Tncksou. Miss., and was with tiie gallant regi- 
 ment from 1861 until August, 18G3, when, on ac- 
 count of failing eyesight, lie was obliged to resign 
 and return to liis home. Brave and faithful, he 
 fought earnestly to i)reserve the I'nion, sufiferiug 
 the trials and hardships of war uncomplainingly, 
 and was honorably discharged after two j-ears' 
 service. 
 
 Returning to his home, Lieut. Jackson there re- 
 mained until 1864, when he made a triji to the 
 AVest, reiichiug home again in 1865, after which he 
 once more turned his attention to farming. He 
 makes a specialty of raising fine horses, and to him 
 is due much credit for tiie fine grade of stock to 
 be found in this part of the State. For the past 
 few years lie has retired from active life, and is 
 now living upon the fruits of his former labors. In 
 liis political sentiments he is a Republican, and is 
 deeply Interested in the success and welfare of that 
 party, being an earnest advocate of its principles. 
 Socially, he is a member of the Masonic fraternity, 
 and the G. A. I{., belonging to the post at Winficld, 
 wliile religiously, he is a member of the Christian 
 Church. He is numbered among Louisa County's 
 most honored citizens, who have aided in lier 
 growtli and prosperity, and his sketch deserves 
 a prominent jjlace in her history'. 
 
 ■ #>-#- ^~ 
 
 iKOROE W. HOOK, one of the leading far- 
 ners of Loiiis.i County, residing tm section 
 Jefferson Township, and a pioneer of 
 1837. is a native of Augusta County. Ya., born in 
 182;). His parents, Elisha and Jane (Forsythe) 
 Hook, were also natives of Virginia, the father be- 
 ing of Irish and Scotcli ancestry. He was en- 
 gaged in farming in liis native State, and in 183.5 
 emigrated to Dayton, Ind., where he remained for 
 two years. In the spring of 1837 the family came 
 to Louisa County, settling in Toolsboro, wlicre ^Ir. 
 Hook entered into partnership with W. L. Toole, 
 .and also entered a claim of eighty acres of land. 
 He lived in Jefferson Township until his death, 
 wiiieh occurred in 1851, at the age of fifty-eight 
 years. His wife, who was born in 1 7i)2. and was a 
 most estimable lady, was called to her final home in 
 
 1850. They were members of tlie Presbyterian 
 Church, and had a family of seven children, three 
 of whom are now living — our subject, Mrs. Jane 
 Maleroy.and William 15.. who now resides in Mitch- 
 ell County. Kan. Elisha Hook w.as one of the in- 
 fluential and progressive citizens of Louisa County, 
 and was highly respected by all. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm, and came 
 to this county in 1837 with his parents. He re- 
 ceived liis education in the district si'hools, and re- 
 mained under the parental roof until the age of 
 twenty-two, when he left home and engaged .as a 
 salesman in a general mercliandising store at Yel- 
 low .Springs, Iowa, for a 3'ear. At the expiration 
 of that time he went to Iowa City and clerked un- 
 til the spring of 1850. when, equipped with an ox- 
 team, he started across the plains to California, in 
 company with Lorenzo Harman and Willard ^Lale- 
 roy. He remained in California until the fall of 
 1853. eng.iging in mining and in mercantile busi- 
 ness, in which he was quite successful. In that 
 j-ear he returned to Louisa County, imrcliasing 306 
 acres of land on sections 14 and 15. Jefferson Town- 
 ship, whieli comprises part of his present home. 
 From time to time he has .idded to his original jiur- 
 chase until he is now the owner of 1 .000 acres of 
 fine land, and has deeded considerable to his sons. 
 
 On the 8th of February. 185 L Mr. Hook wedded 
 Emily B. Tr.isk. a n.ative of Illinois, and a daugh- 
 ter of Israel Trask, one of the pioneers of Louisa 
 County. ^Ir. and .Mrs. Hook are the parents of 
 nine children: Aloii/o B., at home; Elisha I., a 
 practicing jihysician; So])hia J., wife of Dr. 'I\isti- 
 son, of Waix'Uo. Iowa; .Jessie L.. wife of D. I). I'ar- 
 sons, a resident of Jefferson Township; Or.int, 
 residing at home; George, an a])prcntice to the 
 printer's trade; Emma, who is engaged in teaching; 
 Lola and Bird M..yet inmates of the |iaternal home. 
 
 Mrs. Hook is a member of the I'resbyterian 
 Church. an<l Mr. Hook is eoiinected with the I. (). 
 O. F. Politically, he is a Republican, and li.as 
 held various township offices. He is one of the en- 
 terprising and ))rogressive farmers of the county, 
 antl uiion his land may be found a high grade of 
 Short-horn cattle. During the half-eentury of 
 his residence in Louisa Couiity he has aided ma- 
 terially in its growth and prosperity, has taken an 
 
^i^h-* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 487 
 
 MC'tive interest in all enterprises for the pulilic good, 
 and is one of tlie representative eitizens. Not only 
 as an honored pioneer, but as a fientleman who is 
 highly esteemed throughout the county, are we 
 pleased to record the sketch of George W. Hook. 
 
 ^f OSIAII VKKTRKES, deceased, one of the 
 honored pioneers of this county, was born 
 in Hardin County. K.y., Nov. 13, 1813. 
 _ He was tiie sixth son of Joseph and Mar- 
 garet (Ilodgen) Vertrees, who were both members 
 of very old and respectable families who settled 
 in tiiat county prior to the Revolutionary days. 
 Joseph Vertrees was born Jan. 4, 1770. His occu- 
 pation wiis that of a farmer. Margaret Hodgen 
 was born !May 14, 177'6. antl was of Scotch .ances- 
 try'. The \'ertrees family settled iu Kentucky in a 
 very early day, and when that country was in- 
 habited cliiefly liy wild Indians. When but nine 
 years of age Joseph ^^ertrees, the father of our 
 subject, was stolen by the Indians and held in ca|)- 
 tivity by them several months, but lie finally made 
 his escape in the night, and succeeded in finding 
 his way back to bis parents. We learn from a let- 
 ter written by Josiah ^'ertreos to a friend in 1878 
 that Robert Ilodgen, who was the father of Mar- 
 garet Ilodgen and the grandfather of Josiah Ver- 
 trees, .settled in Ilardin County, Ky., about 1790, 
 and the town in the soutlieastcrn jiart of tiie 
 county called Ilodgenville was named aftei- him, 
 and ))er|K'tiiatcs this honored name. In 1844 Har- 
 din County was diviiled, and a new county formed, 
 which was named Lame, in honor of the wife of 
 Robert Ilodgen, whose maiden name was Lame. 
 Isiuic Hodgen, a son of Robert, was a Haptist min- 
 ister of prominence in his day, and preached until 
 the time of the reformation in Kentucky, aliout 
 whicli time he lo.st his life by lieing poisoned by 
 one of his own slaves. John Hodgen, a brother of 
 I.smic, was also a IJaptist ])rc;iclier, but about 1820 
 he left that denomination and became a member of 
 tiic Ciiurch of Christ, and taught many the ix)wer 
 of (lod unto salvation. He was sui earnest and 
 powerful expounder of the trutlis of Holy AV'rit, 
 and among the man^^ who were i>rouglit U) a 
 
 knowledge of the saving gi-ace of Clirist through 
 his preaching, and baptized by him and admitted 
 into the memberslii]) of the church in Sangamon 
 County, 111., in 1833, was Josiaii N'ertrees. 
 
 In the year 1800 the marriage of Joseph Vertrees 
 and ^largaret Hodgen was celebrated, and to this 
 worthy couple was born a family of seven sons, all 
 of whom grew to manhood and became useful 
 and respected members of society. John was born 
 Oct. 26, 1801, and died in Kentucky, Dec. H), 
 1824; Robert, born Oct. 29, 1803, and died March 
 25, 1871; William, born April 26, 180.5, was a me- 
 chanic and musician, and died in Missouri, Nov. 
 8, 1868; Lewis, born Jan. 18, 1808, was a farmer, 
 and died in Warren County, 111., in June, 1883; 
 Isiiac, who was born Oct. 31, 1810, was a farmer, 
 and died in Lincoln County, Mo., March 26, 1865; 
 Josiah was next in order of birth; Joseph, the 
 youngest, born May 20, 1815, was a highlj^ re- 
 pected and prominent farmer of Warren County, 
 111., where he died Aug. 30, 1838. Joseph Ver- 
 trees, Sr., departed tiiis life M.ay 10, 1823. Jlar- 
 garet, his good wife, survived him many years, and 
 was called to her final rest Oct. 16. 1852. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood in his native 
 county in Kentucky, where educational advantages 
 were so poor that he received but a veiy limited 
 education. He was a self-educated m.an, who. by 
 an almost constant course of private reading, re- 
 flection and observation, stored his mind with a 
 fund of useful and practical information. AN'c 
 learn from his letter jjreviously referred to that he 
 left Kentucky in 1835, and went to Warren County, 
 111., in company with three of liis brotiicrs, his 
 uncle, James Ilodgen. and several other " corn- 
 cr.Mckers," and resided in that county a few >ears. 
 In 1838, at a public land sale, lie bought hind 
 in Louisa County, low.a, at $1.25 per acre, and in 
 1839 settled upon it. He stated tliat at that early 
 time he traveled over prairie land for many miles 
 with no imjn-ovement in sight. The (ilcasant and 
 thriving town of Morning Sun is partly built upon 
 a ]X)rtion of the laud he bouglit at that time, and 
 which he sold in 1874 at $112.50 jjcr acre. 
 
 On the 13tli of April, 1811. Mr. Vertrees wjis 
 married to Miss Susan Jamison, a daughter of 
 Merit and Elizabetii (Nichols) Jamison, a sketch of 
 
^1^^ 
 
 488 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 whom may be found on another page of this work. 
 To Mr. and 31 rs. A'ertrccs was born a faniil3' of 
 eleven children, only seven of whom grew to ma- 
 turity, viz: ^largarct Iv, who is now the wife of 
 AVilliam Owens, and resides in Washington County', 
 Kan.; Tirzah, who man-ied Francis Shaw, and died 
 March 4, 1888. in Dakota; William T.. a resident 
 of Morning Sun; Permelia is at home; Zerilla, the 
 widow of William Hoffman, resides in Morning Sun; 
 Mattie is the wife of II. A. Lemmon. of Leon. Iowa, 
 and Joiin L., who resides ou the old homestead ad- 
 joining Morning Sun. 
 
 'Slv. Yertrees united with the Christian Church 
 in 182i».and was a steadfast member of the church 
 for fifty-three j'ears, and many years ago, by the 
 unanimous call of the church, he resolved to de- 
 vote his life to the preaching of the Gospel, and 
 labored hard to plant and maintain the cause among 
 his neighbors, but death, the removal of members 
 from the vicinity, and other unfavorable circum- 
 stances, prevented his work and the aid he fre- 
 quently received from talented men of that denomi- 
 nation from being successful. Tliough meeting 
 with manj- discouragements, his faith was unyield- 
 ing, and no sacrifice was too great to lie made for 
 the cause. lie looked in utter abhorrence on that 
 wliirh threatened the foundation of the Christian's 
 hope, and was an uncom|)romising defender of his 
 belief. He did much toward elevating the morals 
 of tiie communitj' in which he lived, and his up- 
 right life deservedly won for him an enviable place 
 in tlie esteem .and affection of all who knew him. 
 As a citizen, he was true and loj'al; as a neighbor, 
 friendly .and accommodating; as a iiusband and 
 father, kind and affectionate; as a Cliristian, de- 
 voted and faithful. His death occurred July 13, 
 1882, at tlie age of sixty-nine years. 
 
 !-^»/-4- 
 
 AVID MORGAN, proprietor of a meat- 
 market at Columbus City, luwa, was born 
 in Madison Townsliip. Hutler Co., Ohio, 
 oil tlie 2Gth of May, 1816, and is a son 
 of Tliom:is and Nancy (Hollom; Morgan. In Au- 
 gust. 1832, when sixteen }-ears of age, he left 
 liis native State, going to Indiana, where he re- 
 m.'iiiu'd until 18.'?4. He then itnioved to Mercer 
 
 County, 111., where he niiide his home until the fol- 
 lowing spring, at which time he c.inie to Louisa 
 County, Iowa. It was then almost entirely un- 
 settled exceiit by the Indians, and on the site of 
 many of its towns and villages there was not a sin- 
 gle house. After two years had passed he returned 
 to Mercer County. 111. 
 
 On the loth of October, 1840, Mr. Morgan was 
 united in marriage with Miss Margaret Malay, a 
 daughter of Thom.is Malay, and a native of Greene 
 County, Ohio. They began their domestic life in 
 Mercer County, where they resided for one year, 
 then removed to Warren County. 111., and subse- 
 quentlj' became residents of Henderson County. 
 They there remained until the 8th of April, 1862, 
 when they came to Louisa County, Iowa, and set- 
 tled in Columbus Citj'. !Mr. Morgan h.as here en- 
 gaged in various kinds of business; for some time 
 he was in the grocery- business, after wjiich he was 
 proprietor of a dr^'-goods store, but for the past 
 nine j^ears has been a butcher. He receives, as he 
 well deserves, a liberal share of the patronage of 
 that citj-. I'oliticall}-, he is a Democrat. To Mr. 
 and Mrs. Morgan have been born seven children, 
 who are yet living. 
 
 JAMES A. GRAY, of Grand View Township, 
 w.as born in Hamilton County, Ohio, in 
 1828. He is a son of Martin and Mary 
 (Armstrong) Gray, the father a native of 
 Pennsylvania, and the mother of Ohio. With their 
 family of seven children the jMirents removed to 
 Louisa County, in 183y. locating in Grand View 
 Townshii), where Mr. CJray purch;ised a farm, and 
 there made iiis home until his death, which oc- 
 curred in 1876. His excellent wife had ilied sev- 
 eral 3ears before. 
 
 Our subject was reared to farm life, and in 18.58 
 he was united in marriage with Harriet K. Pigman, 
 a native of Ohio, and a daughter of .loliii II. anil 
 Mar3- (McVey) Pigman, who were numbered among 
 the early settlers of Muscatine County. Her father 
 was a man of prominence and influence in the com- 
 munity where he resided, serving as County Sur- 
 veyor, and was elected to a seat in the State Legis- 
 '• •► 
 
 t 
 
^^^ 
 
 slaVo^va^^V>^ 
 
 XjXjJv,' 
 
 »aj.^p. 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 491 
 
 latiire. Hotli pjirents died in JIuscatine County 
 sonio years ajro. 
 
 After their marriajie tlie youiiLr couple began 
 their domestic life upon the farm in Grand View 
 Township where Jlr. Graj' yet resides, and six 
 children came to gladdeh the home by their pres- 
 ence: ilary Celia became the wife of AV. II. Gray, 
 but died in 1882, leaving one child; Beatrice died 
 in 1874, at the age of sixteen years; Leuora Irene 
 is the wife of E. B. Tucker, County Attorney of 
 Louisa County; Ilattie, Velnia and Henry V. are at 
 home. In 1884 the death of Mrs. Gray occurred. 
 She was a lady who. by her many excellencies of 
 (■haracter. gaint'd tlie love and respect of all who 
 knew her. anti her death was mourned not only 
 ))_V her family but by the whole community. She 
 was a member of the United Presl)yteri.an Church. 
 
 Mr. (4 ray is the owTier of a fine farm comprising 
 1.").3 acres of land, situated al)outamilc.and afourth 
 from (Jrand A'iew. In his political sentiments he 
 is a lvepu))lican, and t.akes an active part in the ad- 
 vancement of the party's interests. He has been 
 honored l)y his fellow-citizens with various offices 
 of trust, has served as President of the Township 
 Board of Trustees, has held the office of Township 
 Clerk for the jiast eight years, has been Treasurer 
 of the school district, and is serving in that cap.ac- 
 itj- at the present time. 
 
 -€-*-»■ 
 
 OL. WESLEY W. GARNER, of Columbus 
 City, is numbered among the pioneers of 
 ^^y 1840. Coming liere at an early day, when 
 the smoke of the wigwam had scarcely cleared awaj-, 
 from that time to the present the record of his life 
 forms no inconsideral)le part in the history of Lou- 
 isa County. With others of that noble band of 
 men and women who left the comforts and pleas- 
 ures of K;islern homes, he has exi)erieneed the toils 
 and privations of pioneer life, lived to see the won- 
 <lerful transformation that has taken place, and in 
 the grand work has acted well his part. As it is 
 the true province of history to preserve for future 
 generations that which will enable liieni to form 
 some accurate idea of the condition of things in the 
 past, and the causes which led to them, that useful 
 
 lessons maj' be drawn from them, we in this 
 volume record the life work of many of Louisa 
 County's best citizens, and among others that of 
 the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. 
 
 Wesley W. Garner is a native of Shrewsbury, 
 York Co., Pa., born Nov. 25, 1815. He is the 
 eldest son of Jarrett and Susanna Garner, the former 
 a native of Maryland, and the latter of Peimsylvania. 
 They were the parents of nine children, five of whom 
 died before arriving at maturity. Those who grew 
 to man and womanhood were: Wesley W., our sub- 
 ject; Dr. J. W., one of the early settlers of Bur- 
 lington, Iowa, who died at Mt. Pleasant, this State, 
 in 18r.2; Mrs. D. B. Abrams, of Ottumwa, Iowa; 
 and Mrs. Dr. J. L. Taylor, also of the latter city. 
 
 Jarrett Garner's occupation for the greater part 
 of his life was that of a merchant, at which he was 
 engaged in Shrewsbury, Pa., and Manchester, Md., 
 for a number of years. In May, 1846, he emigrated 
 with his family to Iowa, and settled in Burlington, 
 where he was active in real estate and improvement 
 of the city until 18,09. when he moved to Ot- 
 tumwa, Iowa, where he resided until his death in 
 18G2, at Mt. Pleasant. His good wife survived 
 him some five years, dying in Ottumwa in 1 867. For 
 many years they were active members of the Meth- 
 odist Ei)iscopal Chuich, and were held in high 
 esteem for their piety and earnest zeal in the cause 
 of Christianity. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood in his native town, 
 and there received a good English education, which 
 later in life was largel}- supplemented by reading, 
 reflection and observation, making him a thoroughly 
 posted man on all subjects of general interest. In 
 his 3'outh, when not attending school, his time was 
 spent in his father's store, where he received a 
 tlujrough business training, to which is doubtless 
 largely due much of the success he has attained in 
 his various business pursuits. Arriving at matu- 
 rity-, he was t;\ken as a partner in his father's busi- 
 ness, the partnership continuing for about four 
 years, or until his removal to Iowa. At this time 
 he was a resident of Winchester, Preble Co., Ohio, 
 to which place he had removed in 1839. 
 
 On the 24th of Janu.ary, 1839, Col. G.arner 
 was united in mairiage with Miss Harriet Murraj', 
 a native of Maryland, and a daughter of John and 
 
 / 
 
 I 
 
■► i r ^ 
 
 ■\'J-2 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 Sarah (Bcasmaii) Murraj', who were descendants of 
 the earliest and most prominent families of Bal- 
 timore County. Md. This union has lieen blessed 
 with nine c-hildren, only four of whom are now 
 living: J. W. Garner, Mrs. Frank Colton, Miss 
 Jennie Garner and Mrs. G. W. James, the latter 
 now of San Jose, Cal. 
 
 Soon after closing out his business in Winchester, 
 Ohio, Col. Garner, in companj' with his l)rother J. 
 W., started with horse teams for the then Far West, 
 bringing with them the remnant of his stock of 
 goods, which they peddled among the settlers as 
 they drove across the State of Illinois. Arriv- 
 ing at INIt. Pleasant, Iowa, they sold the rem- 
 nant of their stock to Presslej' and Alvin Saunders, 
 pioneer merchants of that city, the former still 
 being a resident of that place, and the latter, who 
 was the first Territorial Governor of Nebraska, and 
 one of its first United States Senators, is now a resi- 
 dent of Omaha. Having disposed of his merchan- 
 dise. Col. Garner came to Louisa Conntj-, in 1840, 
 and exchanged bis horses to Mr. Lattj- for 400 
 acres of land on section 4, township 74, range 4. 
 The land was but partially improved at that time, but 
 the Colonel at once made arrangements for its further 
 improvement and cultivation. In 1845 he moved 
 his family into the countj-. and made a permanent 
 settlement at Columbus City. Besides managing 
 his large f.irm, much of liis lime during the succeed- 
 ing ten years was spent as a surveyor and civil en- 
 gineer, quite a thorough knowledge of which he had 
 acquired before coming West. Nearly if not quite 
 ail of the pulilic roads, both Slate and connty.in the 
 northern part of Louisa County-, were located and 
 surveyed by him, in addition to winch he located a 
 number in other parts of the county. lie was 
 known ns an active, industrious, enterprising man, 
 and one always in the van in matters of improvement. 
 
 For seventeen j-ears Mr. Garner carried on farm- 
 ing successfully on the land which he first pur- 
 chased, and transformed the once vast unbroken 
 prairie into a beautiful and highlj- cultivated farm. 
 In 1850 he engaged in mercantile pursuits at Co- 
 lumbus City, where he opened a large stove, iron 
 and general hardware store, the first of its kind in 
 the interior of the .State, and here he did a large 
 and profitable business for about six 3'ears. About 
 
 the time he commenced mercantile business at Co- 
 lumbus City the subject of building a railroad from 
 the Mississippi to the Missouri River was being 
 agitated. In 1851 he was employed by the Mis- 
 sissippi <fe Missouri River Railroad Company to lo- 
 cate a line through Louisa County, and surveyed 
 the first projected line of tliat road liirongh the 
 county. The road is now a part of the Chicago, 
 Rock Island & Pacific system. From the time of 
 the first survey to the present time the Colonel has 
 been connected with the road in some capacity". 
 At one time he was right of waj- agent, then he let 
 contracts for the fencing, and ft)r a number of years 
 past has been Auditor of Taxes. 
 
 In 1856, tiring of the cares and anxieties in- 
 cident to mercantile life, and preferring the more 
 agreeable duties of farm life, Col. Garner sold out 
 his store and again turned his attention to agricultu- 
 ral pursuits, in which he has been more or less 
 largely- interested ever since. As an agriculturist he 
 has been energetic and enterprising, and alwaj's 
 systematic, employing the most improved methods 
 and machinery. By so doing he has attained a 
 degree of success seldom enjoyed h3' the average 
 farmer. In connection with his farming he has 
 taken a lively interest in introducing and improv- 
 ing the various breeds of farm stock. In connec- 
 tion with his son, J.W.. he was among the first to 
 import pure-bred Short-horn Durham cattle and 
 Southdown sheep from the State of Kentucky to 
 this county. In this waj^ he has rendered valuable 
 service to the communitj', as the raising of good 
 stock is a necessary adjunct to good and successful 
 farming. 
 
 " Order is Heaven's first law'' is a maxim that 
 Col. Garner seems to have religiously observed, for 
 in all his business relations its influence may be 
 seen, as he has alwaj's been methodical, painstak- 
 i.ig, precise and prompt. In his writings will 
 scarcely be found a blot, and some of the largest 
 land-owners in the county have frequently called 
 upon him in preference to a lawyer to make out 
 their deeds of conveyance. In the arrangement of 
 his private papers that care is taken enabling iiim 
 to find any jiaper desired at a moment's notice. 
 
 In political sentiment Col. Garner has always 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 493 
 
 been .-111 ardent supporter of the Democratic party. 
 Its prineii)le>:, as tatiirlit liy such eminont leaders 
 as .lacksoii and Douglas, are dear lo his heart. His 
 loj-alty lo the party has been due entirely to his 
 honest belief in liie justiee of its principles, and not 
 from any advantage derived from the sweets of 
 oHice or the excellence of place. He has not lieen 
 an ollice-seeker, though he has on ditTerent occa- 
 sions consented to become the standard bearer of 
 his party when it was difficult to find one willing to 
 lead the forlorn hope, .as his parlj* has alwaj's been 
 largely in the minority in this county. In 18.')4 he 
 opposed Dr. Cleaver for the office of .State Senator, 
 and ran far ahead of his ticket. In 1 .SO!) he ran against 
 Hon. James Hurlej- for the same ollice, and, though 
 unsuccessful, polled considerably more than the 
 party vote. In 1870 he received the nomination 
 for Auditor of State on the Democratic ticket, but 
 ■was again defeated, though he carried his own 
 county, which was largely Republican — the result of 
 his personal popularity'. Though unsuccessful for 
 the offices named, he has yet held various public 
 offices, both local and State. He was the first Chief 
 Clerk under Thomas II. Benton, the first State .Su- 
 perintendent of • Public Instruction. In 1850 and 
 1851 he was Clerk of the State Senate, and for a 
 time w.as connected with the United States Land 
 Office in a prominent position. He has served as 
 Mayor of Columbus City a number of times, and 
 h.as held various other offices, in all of which he 
 has discharged his duties honestli' and faithfully, 
 without fear or favor. The agricultural interests 
 of the countj- have engaged much of his attention, 
 .as he has served as President of the County Agri- 
 cultural Society for a number of terms, and the 
 good achieved by that institution has been due in a 
 great measure to his influence and efforts. Col. 
 (Earner has received the apixiiiituient of Jsotarj' 
 Public from everj' Governor of the State. 
 
 In matters of religion Col. Garner entertains 
 bro.-id and liberal views. A friend of education 
 and human progress, he li.as been a liberal supporter 
 of everj- enterprise having for its object the general 
 good of the com muni tj\ His life has been a bus)' 
 one, marked by honesty of ()nrpose, and being fair 
 and upright in all his dealings with his fellowmen. 
 In his domestic relations he li.as been especially 
 
 happy, honored and respected alike by wife, chil- 
 dren and friends. 
 
 For nearly half a century the Colonel lias been a 
 resident of Louisa Countj'. and, as stated in the l)e- 
 ginning of this .sketch, has formed no inconsiderable 
 part of its history, and, while a man of strong con- 
 victions which he never fears lo exi)ress, he is yet 
 held in high esteem by pcjlitical foes as well as 
 friends. Personal enemies he has none. With his 
 estimable wife he is now living a retired life in their 
 comfortable home in Columbus City, enjoying the 
 fruits of a well-spent life and an honestly earned 
 competence. We cheerfullj' give place in this work 
 for the foregoing brief sketch of this worth}' pio- 
 neer and his family, and arc pleased at the same 
 time to present to the readers of this Album his 
 portrait. 
 
 OB ELLLS, deceased, was born in Greene 
 County, Tenn., Dec. 10, 1791, and when a 
 young man went with his parents to Highland 
 County, Ohio. In 1814 he wedded Miss 
 Hannah Job, who was born in the Shenandoah Val- 
 ley, near Martinsbiirg, Nov. 9, 1795, and went to 
 Ohio in 1812. She w.as a daughter of Thomas Job. 
 Mr. P^llis aided in the development of two farms in 
 Highland County. In 184G he came to Louisa 
 County, Iowa, then a Territory, making Ihe.journe^- 
 with teams across the country. They crossed the 
 Wabash Kiver on a ferry boat, pushing it with a 
 pole, and all the streams, with one exception, had 
 lo be forded, as there were no bridges. They 
 crossed the Mississippi at Burlington, and located 
 in Jefferson County, where they remained one j-ear, 
 and then became residents of Louisa County, set- 
 tling in Marshall Township, where Mr. Ellis pur- 
 chased school land, and immediately began the 
 development of a farm from the raw prairie. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Ellis were ,the parents of eleven 
 children, nine sons and two daughters: Thomas R. 
 J., living in Nebraska; Elij.ah, residing in Osborne 
 Countj', Kan,; Isaac W., whose home is in Oregon; 
 Albert; Harvey S., who enlisted in the fall of 1861 
 in the 8th Iowa Infantry, Company K, died of 
 disease in the army in 1862; Alfred died when 
 only three years of age; Elisha departed this life in 
 
 *f 
 
4. 
 
 494 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ^i^H* 
 
 Kansas, in 1859; Mordica died in Ohio in 1844; 
 . fSanniel died in Kansas in 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis 
 were reared in tiie ehnrch of the Society of Friends, 
 and his mother was a descendant of DeFoe. the 
 author of "Robinson Crusoe." The death of the 
 former occurred in 18G.S, and of the latter in 1884. 
 The}' were honest, industrious people, hii^hly re- 
 spected in the community where they resided. In 
 politics Mr. Ellis was a Whig, and a great admirer 
 of Henry Clay. 
 
 '^i OHN H. BREWER, a farmer residing on sec- 
 I tion 23, Elm Grove Township, and an early 
 settler of Louisa Count}', was born in North- 
 ampton (now Monroe) County, Pa., April 
 24, 1820. lie was the twelfth in a family of fifteen 
 children born to James and Margaret (Felker) 
 Brewer, the former born Aug. i>, 1783, the latter 
 June 20, 1786. The maternal great-grandfather 
 served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, while 
 the father was in the War of 1812. Both parents 
 died in Pennsylvania, Mr. Brewer departing this 
 life July 17, 1809, and his wife Feb. 21, 1853. In 
 earl}'' life both were members of the English Pres- 
 byterian Church, but in later years united with the 
 German Reformed Church. 
 
 The early education of our sul>jcct was received 
 in his native county, where he grew to manhood. 
 At the age of twenty-one he began life for himself, 
 ■working b\' the day as a laborer for two years. On 
 the 1st of October, 1842, he was united in marriage 
 with Miss Catherine M. Mann, who was born in 
 Northampton County, Pa.. July 4, 1822, and is a 
 daughter of John and Elizabeth (Ilauck) Mann, 
 who were natives of Mt. Bethel. Her [jarents were 
 of German ancestr}', and both died in Monroe 
 County, Pa. 
 
 By the union of Mr. and Mrs. Brewer eleven 
 children have been born: Elizabeth, born Jan. 14, 
 1844, died Jan. 28. 1875; James H., born Oct. 29, 
 ,1845, is now engaged in farming in Frontier County, 
 Neb.; Peter, born Dec. 28. 1847, died Jan. 24, 
 1848; Caroline, born Nov. 29, 1848, died Oct. 27, 
 1802; Daniel K., born Aiiril 7. 1851, is a resident 
 farmer and carpenter of Colorado; Matilda, born 
 
 May 20, 1853, is the wife of Joseph Kramer, a far- 
 mer of Elm Grove Township; Sophia A., born 
 Nov. 17, 1855, wedded Elmer L. Bosnian, who is 
 engaged in farming in Adams Count3% Neb. The 
 children above named were born in Pennsylvania, 
 while those below were born in Iowa, namely: 
 P^mma J., born Jlay 29, 1850, is the wife of John 
 Hall, a resident farmer of Elm Grove Township; 
 Samuel H.. born Aug. 4, 1800, died April 30, 1809; 
 Mary L., born July 20, 1803, wedded George Cham- 
 berlain, of Cairo, Iowa; and Anna E., born Oct. 18, 
 1 805, is at home. 
 
 On the 21st of March, 1857. accompanied by his 
 family, Mr. Brewer landed in Louisa Count}', Iowa, 
 and rented the farm where he now lives on section 
 23, Elm Grove Township. After renting for six 
 years, in 1863 he purchased seventy-four acres, to 
 which he has since added until his farm now com- 
 prises 180 acres of land, all under a fine state of 
 cultivation. By industry and economy he over- 
 came all adversities, and is now one of the well-to- 
 do farmers of the county. He has always taken an 
 active part in the affairs of the community, and has 
 filled various township offices. For some years he 
 was Postmaster, having the office at his home, and 
 also served .as Justice of the Peace, Politically, he 
 is a supporter of the Republican i>arty, and a strong 
 .idvocate of its principles. He is well informed on 
 all the leading political issues of the day, and for 
 thirty years has been one of the leading men of his 
 township. 
 
 EWITT C. MARSHALL, a general farmer 
 and stock-raiser, residing on section 8, Mar- 
 shall Township, and a pioneer of 1842, was 
 born in Brooke County, Va., Dec. 24, 1830, 
 and is a son of Joshua and Margaret (Maxwell) 
 Marshall, whose sketch appears with that of W. H. 
 Marshall. The subject of this sketch came with his 
 father to Louisa County in 1842, when but a lad of 
 twelve years. His school days began in his native 
 county, he there receiving the greater part of his 
 education, for the schools in his new home were 
 few and far between, though by observation and 
 studying at home he gained much useful knowledge. 
 
■^•■ 
 
 -•► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 495 
 
 
 riis brother ^Villi,1m taught tlie first school in Mar- 
 shall Township, whicii was named for the father of 
 our siiljject, he being one of its earliest pioneers. 
 Mr. Marshall remained under the parental roof until 
 the age of twent_v-six, when he was united in mar- 
 riage with Catherine Willis, their union being cele- 
 brated April 23, 1857. Mrs. Marshall was born in 
 Hchiiont County, Ohio, and is a daughter of James 
 and Kliza (Skinner) Willis, the father a native of 
 Pennsylvania, and the mother of Virginia. In an 
 early day thej' became residents of Louisa County, 
 Iowa, where the mother died at the home of our 
 subject, the father departing this life in Henry 
 County, Iowa. 
 
 Mr. Marshall and his young bride began their 
 domestic life upon a farm of 160 acres, situated in 
 Morning .Sun Township. There a fine farm was 
 developed, thej- making it their home until 1861, 
 when they took up their residence on section 8, 
 Marshall Townshi|), where they have now for over 
 a quarter of a century resided. The farm now 
 comprises 480 acres, situated in Morning Sun and 
 Marshall Townships. He started out with but 160 
 acres of wild and uncultivated land which he had 
 pre-empted, but from time to time added to it 
 until he now has one of the best farms in the 
 county. He has a beautiful frame residence, two- 
 story. 38x40 feet, and upon the land may be found 
 all the improvements necessary to a well-regulated 
 farm. For the past three or four years Mr. Mar- 
 shall has been turning his attention to the breeding 
 of stock, horses, cattle and hogs, in which he is quite 
 successful. Honest and square in all his dealings, 
 lie has won the entire confidence of the people of 
 the county. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Marshall have been the parents of 
 ten children, all of whom are yet living: Robert 
 C born Jan. 26, 1858; Margaret, born April 25, 
 1860, is the wife of John McMath, a native of 
 Penns3'lvania, and a f;uMner living about three- 
 quarters of a mile west of tiie old homestead; Lydia, 
 born Aug. 6, 1861; Virginia, Dec. 4, 1863; James, 
 July 10, 1866; Alma, Feb. 28, 1869; Catherine, 
 March 20, 1871 ; Joshua, Oct. 4, 1873; Cora, Julj' 
 31. 1876; and Clco, May 27, 1879. 
 
 Mr. Marshall is one of the honored pioneers of 
 Louisa County. At the time of his arrival tiie 
 
 wigwam of the red man was seen in the forest, deer 
 and other wild game roamed over the prairie, and 
 the settlements of civilized men were few and far 
 between. He came to this county claiming the vir- 
 gin soil as his heritage. To such pioneers all 
 honor is due for the prosperity of those who may 
 come after. Little can tiie children of these nolile 
 men. who are yot left to tell the story, know of tlio 
 hardships and privations which their parents en- 
 dured in order to make homes in this new country- 
 In the work of progress and (Mvilization which h.as 
 been carried on Mr. Marshall has taken an active 
 interest, has aided in the development of the Land, 
 and participated in all public, social, educational 
 and religious enterprises. Politically, he has always 
 identified himself with the Democratic party. His 
 wife is a member of the United Presbyterian Church, 
 and as citizens none stand higher in the respect and 
 esteem of the people of Louisa Countj-, Iowa, than 
 do Dewitt C. Marshall and his estimable wife. 
 
 — -) «|3 - c|C -' v— 
 
 JILLIAM CARSON, a gener.al farmer and 
 '/ stock-raiser, residini; on section 18, Elm 
 
 Grove Township, was born in County Ty- 
 rone, Irel.and, July 5, 1837, and is a son of Joseph 
 and Martha (Orr) Carson. His father w.as born in 
 Ireland, July 13, 1796, and was there united in 
 marriage. By this union six children were born, 
 four of whom are yet living: William, of this 
 sketch; John, a stock-dealer of Winchester, Kan.; 
 Robert O., a farmer of Pleasantville, Pa., where he 
 is also engaged in the banking liusiness; Joseph W. 
 is a resident of Winchester, Ivan. Determining to 
 try his fortune in the New World, Joseph Carson, 
 accompanied by his wife and our subject, emigrated 
 to America, crossing the broad Atlantic, and land- 
 ing in America in 1839. He took up his residence 
 in Forest County, Pa., and is yet living in the house 
 where he first unloaded his household goods on 
 landing. He is now in his ninety-third year, and 
 }'et retains both his pii^'sical and ment'il powers in 
 a marked degree. His wife died in July, 1883, at 
 the age of seventy -two years. Both were members 
 of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. 
 
 Our subject received iiis education in the I'oin- 
 
J^ 
 
 ■•»• 
 
 496 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 mon schools of Pennsylvania, where for several 
 years be engaged in farming, and in drilling oil 
 wells. He was united in marriage, in the month of 
 March, 1866, with Miss Maggie E. Dill, who was 
 born in Armstrong Country, Pa., and is a daughter 
 of Richard and Esther (White) Dill, tvho were na- 
 tives of Ireland. To them have been born five chil- 
 dren, 'all of whom are yet at home — John R., Martha 
 J., Samuel O., William E. and Daisy B. 
 
 In 1867 Mr. Carson left Pentisylvania and re- 
 moved to Louisa County, Iowa, where he purchased 
 160 acres of land on section 18, Elm Grove Town- 
 ship. This was then wild and uncultivated, but he 
 immediately began its cultivation and improve- 
 ment, and now has one of the many fine farms of 
 the county. He has added to his original purchase 
 until he now owns 240 acres of piairie land, upon 
 which is about a mile and a half of hedge fence. 
 Mr. Carson is one of the leading citizens of the 
 township, and takes an active interest in temperance 
 and educational work. As a citizen, he has the 
 confidence of the entire community, and as a neigh- 
 bor and friend, is held in the highest respect. He 
 and bis family are members of the Covenanter 
 Church, and are earnest workers for its interests. 
 Mr. Carson does all in his power to advance the 
 cause of Christianity-, gives liberally' to its support, 
 and in his own life endeavors earnestly to follow 
 the teachings of his Master. 
 
 I-*- 
 
 "^ 
 
 ^^EGRGE W. DUNCAN, a 
 llj (=^ residing on section 5, Ur 
 ^^S=*S -'i prominent citizen of 1 
 
 iEORGE W. DUNCAN, a progressive farmer 
 Inion Township, and 
 prominent citizen of Louisa County, was 
 burn in Blount County, Tenn., Aug. 26, 1828. His 
 parents, James and Mary (Mitchell) Duncan, were 
 also natives of that SUite, and the father died when 
 our subject was six years of age. He was a farmer 
 b}' occupation, and was called to his final home 
 when in his fifty-first year. Mrs. Duncan, the 
 inotbcr of our subject, died in 1860, at the age of 
 seventy-two. They were both members of the 
 Associate Presbyterian Cliurdi, of which Mr. Dun- 
 can was an Elder, and one of the liberal contrib- 
 utors and earnest workers. His family of nine 
 children .all grew to manhood and womanhood: 
 
 Andrew, who died at the age of sixty years in 
 Crawford County, 111. : William, who died at the 
 age of sixty-three, in Wayne County, Iowa; Jane, 
 widow of George McKay, is living in Union Town- 
 ship, Louisa County; James K. died in Crawford 
 Count}", III., at the age of sixty j'ears; Samuel died 
 in this count}', where he was one of the early set- 
 tlers, at the age of forty-five; Elizabeth, wife of 
 John C. Ritchie, of Columbus Cit}'. died in 184i»; 
 Martha, wife of Mathew Edmondson, of Union 
 Township, died aged fortj--five j'ears; John, who 
 went to Texas in 1844, has not been heard of since 
 the war with Mexico; George W. is the youngest 
 of the famil}'. 
 
 In 1851 our subject came to Columbus City, 
 Iowa, here working at the painter's trade for one 
 year, after which he broke prairie for three years 
 and subsequently entered 160 acres of land on sec- 
 tion 5, Union Township, which has been his home 
 for thirty-four years. Then the land was but a raw 
 prairie, but now it constitutes one of the best farms 
 of the township, having many valuable improve- 
 ments, and now comprises 440 acres. Onl_y bj' his 
 labor, industry and good management, iias Mr. 
 Duncan been enabled to add to his original pur- 
 chase, but fortune smiles upon those who are will- 
 ing to help themselves, and his efforts have been 
 crowned with success. In connection with his farm- 
 ing interests Mr. Duncan makes a specialty of 
 raising fine stock, and has a thoroughbred registered 
 Clydesdale stallion, which he keeps upon his farm. 
 He is also a breeder of PoUed-Angus cattle, and 
 Poland-China hogs. 
 
 On the 2d of November, 1854. in Louisa County, 
 Iowa, the marriage of our subject and Miss Keziah 
 J. Duncan, a native of Tennessee, and a daughter 
 of John C. Duncan, was celebrated. Their union 
 has been blessed with a family of ten children: 
 John C, born July 23, 1845, is now a resident far- 
 mer of Union Township; James J., born Oct. 6, 
 1857, also lives in Union Towilship; Rebecca A., 
 born Feb. 2, 1860, died when three j-ears of age; 
 Mary L., born Dec. 11, 1862, died June 6, 1888; 
 U. S. G., born April 26. 1865, died on the 6th of 
 September of the same year; Laura .M., born July 
 4, 1866, died at the age of sixteen: Anola J., born 
 Dec. 25, 1868, died the following Februaiy ; Mag- 
 
-•► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 497 
 
 gie L.. born Dec. 26, 1870, is at home; William I., 
 born July 10, 1873, is also at home; Minnie G., 
 born Aug. 5. 187r,, diefl July 10, 1879. The 
 mother of these children ilied in 1880, and Mr. 
 Duncan was again married in March, 1885, becom- 
 ing liie husband of Maggie Edniondson, daughter 
 of Willi.am Kdmondson, whose sketch will be found 
 on another page of this work. He and his wife are 
 nicujlicrs of the United Prcsb^'torian Church, in 
 which he holds the otiicc of Elder. In his political 
 views he is a Republican, and is numbered among 
 Louisa County's best citizens, one who is respected 
 by all with whom business or social relations have 
 brought him in contact. 
 
 -=3= 
 
 
 ^.URROUGHS WESTLAKK, a leading and 
 L^^, progressive farmer, residing on section 34, 
 /(^!;l Concord Township, was born in Gallia 
 \=^ County, Ohio, in 1817, and was tlie second 
 in a family of nine children born to Samuel and 
 Hannah (Vandel) Westlake, both of whom were na- 
 tives of Greenbrier County, Va., and early settlers 
 of Ohio. The father followed farming in that 
 State until 1853, when he removed to Scott County, 
 Iowa, and after residing there for a few j'ears took 
 up his residence in Kansas, in 18GG, his death oc- 
 curring there the folhjwing 3'ear. The death of a 
 son-in-law, a daughter and a grandson occurred 
 within three weeks of , Mr. Westlake. He h.ad for- 
 merly been a soldier in the War of 1812, and was 
 an honored citizen in the communitj' where he re- 
 sided. The mother, who was an estimable lady, 
 died in Scott County, Iowa, in 1 8(J3. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood upon a farm, and 
 received only such education as the district schools 
 of his native State afforded. In Ohio, in the year 
 1847, he was united in marriage, becoming the hus- 
 band of Margaret Smeltzer, who was born in the 
 Buckeye State, and was a daughter of John and 
 Christina (Blazer) Smeltzer, who were natives of 
 Penns3'lvania, and who emigrated to Ohio at an 
 early day, the father there engaging in farming. 
 Both parents have long since departed this life. 
 By this union a family of nine children was born: 
 
 Melvina, who is now Sirs. Compton. of Cloud 
 County, Kan.; Lavina, now Mrs. Diller, and Mary 
 Frances, now Mrs. Fuller, are also residents of Cloud 
 Count}' ; Alonzo B. is married, and living in Denver, 
 Col., where he follows the carpenter's trade ; Chris- 
 tina, wife of Mr. Kuder, is living in Iowa; Cora 
 Bell, now Mrs. Briggs, is living in Crcston, Iowa; 
 Emma is at home; Sadie, now Mrs. Shellabargar, is 
 a resident of Concord Townshi|); and James, vvho 
 is married and resides on the home farm. 
 
 After tiieir marriage Mr. and Mrs. Westlake re- 
 mained residents of Ohio until 1853, when they re- 
 moved to the West, locating in Scott County. Iowa, 
 wiiere he followed farming until 1861, and then 
 came to Louisa County. His home since that date 
 has been on the farm where be yet resides. He pur- 
 chased 160 acres of wild land, situated on four sec- 
 tions, and began its cultivation, built a comfortable 
 house and made man}' other improvements. He 
 has since bought ten more acres, and the land is 
 stocked with good grades of Durham and Pollod- 
 Angus cattle, and horses of liie Clyde and Percheron 
 breeds. The farm is pleasantly situated about four 
 miles from Columbus Junction, and is one of the 
 best in the township. Mr. Westlake votes with the 
 Democratic party, and has held the office of Town- 
 ship Trustee. For over a quarter of a century' he 
 has been one of the leading farmers of the count}', 
 where he has witnessed many changes, h;is seen the 
 wild, uncultivated prairies devoloi)ed into beautiful 
 homes and farms, and has aided largely in all enter- 
 prises for the public good. Mrs. Westlake, who 
 was a member of the Church of God, and an earnest 
 worker in the promotion of its interests, was called 
 to her final home in 1872. 
 
 J] W. FRAZEE, one of the early settlers of 
 I Louisa County, was born in Newark, Ohio, 
 , on the 4th of December, 1836, and is a son 
 } of Peter D. and Jane (Campbell) Frazce. 
 Tliey were both natives of Pennsylvania, and the 
 parents of four children, of whom our subject is 
 the second. The niotlier was born in 180H, and 
 died in 1«8I, while the father, who was born in 
 1807, is still living. The bovhood d.ays of our 
 
 ■^•- 
 
 ■*► 
 
-^^ 
 
 •t^ 
 
 498 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 subject were spent in his native State, but in 1851 
 he eiuigratcd witli his parents to Iowa, locatini^ in 
 Burlington, Des Moines County, wliere he remained 
 for two 3'ears. In 1853 he came to Louisa County, 
 and has made his home in Grand View almost con- 
 tinuously since. On the 13th of December, 1882, 
 he was united in marriage with Miss Josephine 
 S.-ibin, who is a daugliter of Isaiah and Mary Sabin. 
 When the Civil AVar broke out, Mr. Frazee was 
 among the first to respond to his countr3''s call for 
 troops, enlisting Sept. 11, 1861, in the 8th Iowa 
 Infantry, becoming a member of Company K, 
 whidi was under the command of Capt. H. H. Ben- 
 son, lie participated in the battle of Shiloh, where 
 he was taken prisoner, but paroled June 1, 1862; 
 the battle of Jackson, Miss., the siege and capture 
 of Yicksburg, the siege of Jackson, Miss., the battle 
 of Brandon, which occurred July 19, 1863, and the 
 siege and charge on Spanish Fort. He was wounded 
 at Independence, Mo. After four years of liard 
 ligliling, during which time he was always found at 
 his post of duty, Mr. Frazee was discharged at Selnia, 
 Ala., April 20, 1866. After receiving his discharge 
 he returned to his home at Grand View, where he 
 again engaged at his trade of bricklaying. 
 
 JC. BRIGGS, a farmer of Louisa County, 
 Iowa, residing on section 24, Concord Town- 
 ship, was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 
 1824, and was tlie eldest child in a family of 
 twelve born to Edward and Maria (Baker) Briggs. 
 His i)arents were also natives of Lincolnshire, and 
 in company witli tlicir famil3' set sail from Liver- 
 pool in 1844 for America, reaching the harbor of 
 New York after a voyage of thirty-eight days. 
 Going directly to St. Josepli County, Midi., the 
 father there purchased an unimproved farm in 
 Florence Township, upon wliicii he resided untilliis 
 death, wliich occurred in 1853, when fifty-two 
 3'ears of age. The death of the mother occurred 
 the same 3'ear. 
 
 As our subject was the eldest of the famil3' he 
 was ohliged lo assist in clearing the farm. In Con- 
 stantino, St. Joseph County, he learned the cooper's 
 trade, wiiich lie followed for ten years, and in that 
 
 county was married, June 24. 1847. becoming the 
 husband of Mary Hutchin, who w.is a native of 
 England, and a daughter of Samuel and Martha 
 (Shilcock) Hutchin, both of whom were l)tirn in 
 Donnington, England, and came to America in 18)2. 
 Her father was a farmer and cooper, and followed 
 the former occupation in St. Joseph County, Mich., 
 until his death, wiiicl) occurred in 1883. One 3-ear 
 later his wife was called to lier final home. 
 
 After their marriage the young couple began 
 their domestic life in Constantlne, wliere Mr. Briggs 
 worked at liis trade, but when three years had 
 passed the death of his wife occurred on the 1 Ith 
 of November, 1850, after a short illness. One cliild 
 had been born of their union, hut died wlieii only a 
 year old. On the 12th of December, 1852, Mr. 
 Briggs was again married, at Constantine, Sophia 
 Bennett, widow of Isaac Church, becoming his 
 wife. She is a daughter of George and Zilplia 
 (Bennett) Ciiurch, wiio were natives of England, 
 and came to America in 1842. locating in St. Joseph 
 County, Mich., where tiie father engaged in farm- 
 ing until his death, wliich occurred .Sept. 12, 1875. 
 Ilis excellent wife died some 3ears previously, about 
 the 3'ear 1865. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. Briggs and his wife re- 
 mained in Michigan until 1867, when tlie3' came 
 west to Louisa County, Iowa, where he bought a 
 farm of eighty' acres of wild timber and prairie 
 land on section 24, Concord Townsiiip. A cabin 
 W.1S immediatel3' built, crops phinted, fences made, 
 trees set out, and all (^ther improvements necessary 
 to a well-regulated farm were commenced. The 
 work of cultivation has been steadil3' carried for- 
 ward, and the farm, now comprising 100 acres of 
 the finest farming land of the State, is pleasantly 
 situated about five miles from Columbus Junction. 
 It is stocked with a good grade of Jersej" and Dur- 
 ham cattle, and everything about the place denotes 
 the thrift and enterprise of the owner. Mr. Briggs 
 is prominent in the local [wlitical affairs, votes with 
 the Republican party, and has iield a number of 
 ofHces of public trust. He has served as Township 
 Trustee, was a member of the School Board for a 
 number of 3'ears, and was Secretary for five or six 
 years. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Briggs have been born eight 
 
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 lU 
 
 UJ 
 
 or 
 
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 z 
 
 X 
 
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 '^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
■^•- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 501 
 
 cbildrcn, six of whoiu are now living: Charles 
 Aaron, born June 24, 1849, died Sept 23, 18.00; 
 Edward .Samuel, born Sept. 23, 1850, is married, 
 and resides at Cairo, Louisa County, wliere he is 
 engaged in farming; Henry Augustus. July .i, 1855, 
 is married, and engaged in farming near Creston, 
 Iowa; Zil|ili:i Adell. Dee. 20, 1,S.')7, is now atlioine; 
 Mary Levauehia, Feb. 10, 18()2, is now Mrs. Sliella- 
 barger, and resides in Concord Township; John 
 Wesley, Jan. (5, 18GC, and Fred. Aug. 10, 1870, are 
 both at home. The parents have given their chil- 
 dren good educational advantages, and are highly 
 respected throughout the community where they 
 reside. 
 
 \|; OIIN A. REES, residing on section 8, Co- 
 lumbus City Township, is numbered among 
 the honoreil pioneers of Louisa Count}-, of 
 _ which he became a resident in 1843. He 
 was born in 1 «20 in t'ne North of Wales, and is a 
 son of John and Elizabeth (Edwards) Rees, who 
 were also natives of that countrj'. As his mother 
 died when he was two years of age, he was deprived 
 of the love and care which general!}' are the lot of 
 children. His boyhood d.iys were spent upon his 
 father's farm, and in 1842 he crossed the broad 
 Atlantic, and came to America, settling first in 
 Highland County, Ohio, where he eng.aged as a 
 farm hand, working for ex-Gov. Allen Tremble. 
 Subsequently coming into Louisa County, Iowa, 
 he located in Columbus City Township, where he 
 was employed on a farm for three years, and then 
 went to Virginia Grove, where he worked for 
 George Kee for two j'ears. Going to St. Louis, 
 Mo., at the expiration of that time, he secured em- 
 j)loynient in a coal mine, and also worked on the 
 river for a period of four years, after which he 
 returned to Louisa County in 1848, and wedded 
 Elizabeth Morgan, a daughter of Jolui Morgan, a 
 sketch of whose life can be found elsewhere in this 
 work. After liis marriage he took a claim of 160 
 acres of land on section 8, Columbus City, Town- 
 ship, which he immediately began to improve, and 
 still makes his home. 
 
 In tlie spring of IH.'iO, when the gold fever broke 
 out, Mr. Rees, equipped with ox-teams, made a 
 
 journey across the plains to California. lie was 
 five months in making the trip, and after reaching 
 his destination engaged in mining (w about two 
 3'ears, in which he was reasonably successful. He 
 made the return trip by water in 1852, and after 
 reaching home paid for the first quarter-section of 
 land, which he liad |ircvious!y claimed. He is now 
 the owner of a farm of 240 acres, of which his son 
 RoUin has the management, though he lives with 
 him. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Rees were born nine children, 
 four of whom are now living, viz: John M., who is 
 a farmer of Elm Grove Township; Catharine is the 
 wife of Richard Jenkins, of Columbus City Town- 
 shii); Mar}' wedded Hugh Davis, a farmer of Co- 
 lumbus City Township; and Rollin, who is also 
 engaged in farming. In 18G8 Mrs. Rees, who w.as 
 a member of the Congregational Church, departed 
 this life, but Mr. Rees now finds a pleasant home 
 with his son Rollin, who married Margaret Hum- 
 phrey, a native of Wales. They have two children, 
 daughters, Elizabeth and Sarah. Religiously. Mr. 
 Rees is a member of the Congregational Churcii, 
 while politically, he is a Republican. For over 
 forty years he has been a resident of Louisa County, 
 has witnessed almost its entire growth and develop- 
 ment, and is ranked as one of its best citizens. The 
 portrait of Mr. Rees is given in this connection. 
 
 EV. THOMAS W. EVANS, residing on sec- 
 tion 5, Columbus City Township, was born 
 in Cardigan, Wales, Dec. 21, 1816, and is 
 la son of Thomas and Jane (Hedley) Evans, 
 who were also natives of that country. The pa- 
 ternal grandfather, William Evans, was in the war 
 between England and France, and probably partici- 
 pated in the battle of Waterloo, where Napoleon 
 was finally overthrown. He w.as a farmer by occu- 
 pation, and his death occurred in Wales. The 
 father of our subject was a groom, and died in his 
 native land, in 1836. The mother died in Newark, 
 Ohio, .Sept. 31, 18G5,atthc advanced age of eighty- 
 seven years. They were both members of the Con- 
 
«► i r ^ 
 
 ■•► 
 
 502 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 gregational Cliurch, and eight children were born 
 unto them: Evan, who died in Newark, Ohio, March 
 21, 1849, when thirty-six years of age, was a wagon- 
 maker by trade; Maria is the wife of a Mr. Jones, 
 of Pleasant Grove Township, Des Moines Co., Iowa; 
 Thomas is the third in order of birth; Margaret 
 died in Wales, at the age of twelve years; Lewis is 
 now living at Danville, Des Moines Count}'; Benja- 
 min, a tanner bj- trade, is now living in Newark, 
 Ohio; Elizabeth is the wife of Daniel Thomas, also 
 of Newark; William is engaged in the lumber busi- 
 ness in Newark. 
 
 In 1841 our subject left his native land and emi- 
 grated to America, landing in this country in July. 
 Taking up his residence in Newark, Oiiio, he there 
 attended school for three years, and on the 2d of 
 October, 1846, was ordained as a minister in the 
 Welsh Congregational Church. He took charge of 
 the church at Newark, and continued his pastoral 
 duties at tiiat place until March. I8.5G, when he 
 emigrated to Louisa County. Iowa. lie had re- 
 ceived a call from the Zion Church, in Columbus 
 City Township, also from the Flint Creek Church, 
 in Des Moines County, and he took charge of both 
 churches, remaining the pastor of both for five 
 years, wlien he gave up the Zion Churcli and con- 
 tinued his duties as pastor of the Elint Creek Church 
 for fourteen years. In 1803 he removed to Des 
 Moines County, where he resided for seven years, 
 and in 1870 returned to Louisa County, and took 
 up his residence on section ,5 of Columbus City 
 Townsiiip, where lie still m.ikes his home. His farm 
 comprises 2.52^ acres of well-cultivated land, upon 
 which has been built a splendid residence. 
 
 On the 5th of May, 1858, Rev. Evans and Sarah 
 E. Jones, a native of Wales, were united in mar- 
 riage. To them was born a family' of seven chil- 
 dren, four of whom are now living: Evan A., who 
 is engaged in fanning; Jennie, Margaret E. and 
 Stella R., all at home. Thomas, William S. and 
 Robert E. died in infancy. On the 4th of March, 
 1886, Mrs. Evans was called to her last rest. She 
 was a native of North Wales, and a daughter of 
 Robert and Elizabeth (Owens) Jones, who were 
 natives of Wales, and emigrated to America in 
 1845, settling in Yellow Springs Tovvnship, Des 
 Moines Co., Iowa, where the death of both oc- 
 
 -<• • 
 
 curred. Mrs. Evans was a member of the Con- 
 gregational Church, and a consistent Christian until 
 her death. Mr. Evans li.is labored earnestl}- and 
 faithfully for the cause which he advocates, and 
 his honest, upright life is well worthy of emulation. 
 A portrait of this worthy Christian gentleman 
 accompanies this sketch. 
 
 |7j_^ ARVEY DELZELL, a member of the firm 
 of Delzell & Swan, dealers in groceries and 
 provisions, of Morning Sun. Iowa, was born 
 in Licking Count}', Ohio, April 17, 1835, 
 and in 1848 came with his parents to this county, 
 where he was educated in the log school-house so 
 common in the earlj' days of the new country. He 
 w.as reared upon a farm, and remained under the 
 parental roof until 1865, when he wedded !Miss 
 Mar}' A. Wright, who was born in Indiana, and is 
 a daughter of Henry Wright, who settled in Louisa 
 County in 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Delzell are the par- 
 ents of three children: Samuel W.,who became the 
 husband of Miss Rena Wilson; James M. and Cora 
 J., who are yet with their parents. 
 
 At the time of Mr. Delzell's arrival in this county, 
 Morning Sun had not 3'et sprung into existence, 
 and the country was almost an unsettled wilderness. 
 He commenced life without financial aid, but his 
 own efforts, assisted by those of his estimable wife, 
 have gained a comfortable property. Overcoming 
 all obstacles and surmounting all difficulties, he la- 
 l)ored on, and by fair dealing and industry is now 
 one of the well-to-do business men of the county. 
 In connection with his other business interests he 
 owns a farm of ninety acres, seventy-three of which 
 are under cultivation. In his political sentiments 
 Mr. Delzell is a Democrat, earnest in advocating 
 the principles of his party. 
 
 J' AMES B. DODDS, a general merchant and 
 prominent citizen of W^'nian, this county, was 
 born in Westmoreland County, I'a., March 
 7, 1841, and is a son of Joseph antl Mary 
 (Boal) Dodds, who were natives of Ireland. At 
 
 ■•► 
 
 ■ 1 r 
 
 t 
 
-^•■ 
 
 ■•► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 503 
 
 tlie a<ie of eleven the futlicr cinii^ralcd to America, 
 locating in Pennsylvania, where lie became ac- 
 quainted with and wedded Mar}' Boal. Remain- 
 ing in that State until 1855, he then removed with 
 his faniij}' to Iowa, and in 1857 located in Louisa 
 County, where he purchased 200 acres of land on 
 section 28, Elm Grove Townshiii, which was then 
 in a wild, uncultivated state. He immediately be- 
 gan its development, and made his home upon that 
 farm until his death, which occurred in 1884. He 
 was a man who look gx-eat interest in the religious 
 growth and welfare of the conimunitj', was a con- 
 sistent Christian gentleman, and a devoted mem- 
 ber of the Covenanter Church. In his death the 
 county lost one of its best and most worthy citi- 
 zens, the family a kind and loving husband and 
 father. Mr. and Mrs. Dodds were the parents of 
 seven children: Archie, a resident farmer of Colo- 
 rad(^; Eliza, wife of A. M. Hill, of Colorado; James, 
 who died in infanc}'; James, our subject, being the 
 second of the fa'mil}' of that name; George, who is 
 emplojed as a teacher in the Elliott Business Col- 
 lege of Burlington; and William, who is living 
 upon the old homestead in Elm Grove Township. 
 Mrs. Dodds, the mother of these children, died in 
 188(). She also was a devoted member of the Re- 
 formed Presbyterian Church, and a most estimable 
 lady. 
 
 Our subject was educated in the common schools 
 of Louisa County, after which he followed farming 
 until the l)reaking out of the great Rebellion, when 
 he enlisted in Company C, lltli Iowa Infantry, for 
 three years' service. He participated in the battle 
 of Shiloh, was with Sherman on the march to the 
 sea, engaged in the battle of Corinth, and was with 
 the gallant llth Iowa through all of its long 
 marches for three years, during which time he was 
 ever found at his post read}' for any iluty devolv- 
 ing upon him as a soldier. He was honorably dis- 
 charged from the service in the fall of 1864, after 
 which he returned to his home, and again turned 
 his attention to farming. 
 
 In the month of Eebruary, 186G, Mr. Dodds led 
 to the marriage altar Miss Matilda Stewart, who 
 was born in Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Mat- 
 thew Stewart, also a native of the Keystone State. 
 To them have been born four children: Mary M., 
 
 Calvin S., and two who died in infancy. After 
 eight years of happy married life, in February. 1874, 
 Mrs. Dodds passed away. She was a devoted mem- 
 ber of the Covenanter Church, and a lady beloved 
 by all who knew her. After the death of his wife 
 Mr. Dodds sold his interest in the old home, and 
 went to Columbus City, where he engaged in clerk- 
 ing for eight years in a general merchandise store. 
 In 1883 he removed to Wyman, where ho estab- 
 lished himself in business, carrying a full stock of 
 general merchandise valued at 15,000. His fair, 
 honest dealing, combined with an earnest desire to 
 please his customers, has won the confidence of the 
 community, and his trade is constantly increasing, 
 Mr. Dodds is one of the leading citizens of Louisa 
 County, Iowa, has done all in his power to advance 
 its social and educational interests, and is an active 
 worker in the church. 
 
 FRANCIS MARION DUNCAN is one of the 
 .. ™. early settlers of Louisa County of 184G, 
 /1\ and now resides upon a farm on section 10, 
 
 Union Township. He was born in Monroe County, 
 Tenn., in 1838, and is a son of John and Rachel 
 Duncan, who were natives of Blount Count}'. The 
 father was a farmer by occupation, and in 184G 
 emigrated to Louisa County, Iowa, with his famil}-, 
 settling in Columbus City Township, where he pur- 
 chased 290 acres of jiartly improved land, making 
 his home upon that farm until his death, which 
 occurred in May, 1870. His wife died in Septem- 
 ber, 1864. They were the parents of ten children, 
 six of whom arc now living: Mary, wife of Mat- 
 thew Edmonson, of Ainsworth, Iowa; Joseph Carter, 
 who dieil in September, 1864; Jane C, deceased 
 wife of David McLaughlin, of Washington County ; 
 Nancy A., widow of Reuben Ilammil, of Washing- 
 ton County; Francis Marion, of this sketch; E^liza- 
 betli C, who is the wife of David C. Hamniil, also of 
 Washington County; John Calvin, who is engaged 
 in farming in Columbus Cit}' Township; Robert 
 Nelson, a farmer near Columbus City. 
 
 The parents were members of the Seceders' Pres- 
 byterian Church, in which .Mr. Duncan lielil the 
 
.^-11^^ 
 
 ■•► 
 
 504 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 office of an Elder. He was an earnest worker in 
 the interests of tliat denomination, and also took an 
 active part in political affairs. He cast his ballot 
 with the Republican party, being a 6rm supporter 
 of its principles, and was a strong advocate of the 
 abolition of slavery. This reason led to his re- 
 moval from Tennessee, as he did not wish to rear 
 his family under the influence of that institution. 
 He endeavored to teach his children habits of econ- 
 omj- and industry, and to rear them in the teach- 
 ings of the Bible. His efforts at length were crowned 
 with success, for his children are now all respected 
 Christian men and women, and do honor to his 
 name. 
 
 At the age of twenty-two years our subject be- 
 gan working for himself, and assumed the manage- 
 ment of the home farm, but being afflicted with 
 sore eyes he went to Agency City, Wapello County, 
 there remaining under medical treatment for three 
 months, hut had the misfortune to lose the sight of 
 one of his eyes altogether. He subsequently pur- 
 chased 320 acres of raw land in Washington Count}', 
 in 1863, wiiich he partially improved, but the fol- 
 lowing year sold out and removed to the farm 
 upon which he yet resides, buying IGO acres of 
 prairie and thirtj'-seven and one-half acres of tim- 
 ber land. As time has passed he has added to this 
 until he now owns 340 acres of the finest farming 
 land in the county, wliich is highly cultivated. 
 This has been secured by his own efforts, good 
 management and business abilitj', and manj' valu- 
 able improvements have been made. A fine resi- 
 dence was erected at a cost of $1,450, and the barn 
 was built at a cost of $350. Systematic, energetic 
 and progressive, he is one of the well-to-do farmers 
 of the county. 
 
 In the month of October, 1864, Mr. Duncan was 
 united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth P. Sands, a 
 native of Tennessee, and a daughter of Nathaniel 
 Sands. Eight children graced their union : Joseph 
 Carter; Melviii, who died at the age of three j'cars; 
 William N., Ida Luella, lieuben II., Francis M., 
 Earl E. and Jesse W. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan are 
 members of the United Prcsbyterhui Church, and 
 untiring workers in their Master's vineyard. Po- 
 litically, he is a supporter of the Republican party, 
 and lias held various township offices of trust. He 
 
 does all in his power to promote the interests of 
 the community in which he resides, is highly es- 
 teemed bj' a large circle of friends and acquaint- 
 ances, and numbered among Louisa County's most 
 worthy citizens. 
 
 -aSal^' 
 
 J'^OHN D. RUTT, proprietor of the Louisa 
 House, of Cairo, Iowa, was born in North- 
 ampton County, Pa., April 23, 1816, and is 
 a son of David and ilargaret (Eckark) Rult, 
 who were also natives of the Keystone State. He 
 received his education in his native county, where 
 he was reared to farm life, and at the age of twenty- 
 one began learning the blacksmith's trade, which he 
 followed for some time, but later embarked in the 
 mercantile business. Selling out his stock, he again 
 followed his chosen vocation for a year. He was 
 united in marriage with Miss Susan Gruver, in 
 1840, and in 1856 came to Louisa County, where 
 he purchased a farm of sixty-six acres in Elm Grove 
 Township. Eight j'ears later his wife died, leaving 
 two children: Jeremiah, who now resides in Colo- 
 rado, and Lydia E., wife of David Partington, of 
 Brown County, Neb. Mr. Rutt was again married 
 in 1865, becoming the husband of Mrs. Erb, who 
 was formerly Eannie E. Leady. She is a native of 
 Rockingham Count}', Va., and by this second union 
 two children have been born — Orpha and John 
 Franklin. 
 
 In 1865 Mr. Rutt sold the farm which he pur- 
 chased, and again resumed his trade of blacksniith- 
 ing, at what was then Spring Run, Iowa. Leaving 
 that town, he went to Grand View, where ho cm- 
 barked in the hotel business, but at the end of the 
 3'ear sold out and purchased eight}' acres of land in 
 Marshall Township, where he made a good farm 
 and continued to reside until 187'J, when he renteii 
 his land and bought pro|)erty in Cairo, retiring 
 from active farm life in 1 883. Purchasing the Louisa 
 Hotel, he has since been its pn^prietor, and there 
 any traveler may be sure of a hearty welcome and 
 a most bountifully s|)rcad table. Besides some 
 town property, Mr. Rutt still owns ninety-one acres 
 of fine land. When he came to Iowa Louisa 
 County was a vast prairie, and the most far-sighted 
 
 t 
 
■<- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 :,()■) 
 
 -f 
 
 c'(>\il(l nut liavc ininijiiied ihc rapid growth which 
 was soon lo place it on a par wilii any in tlic Stale. 
 Ill its iipbuililiiig Mr. Uiitt has always taken an 
 active interest, and has done all in his power in the 
 advancement of its enterprises. He is a man well 
 informed on all public matters, both State and Na- 
 tional, and is highly respected by a large circle of 
 friends. lie and his wife are members of the Evan- 
 gelical Church, while politically, he is a supporter of 
 the Republican party. 
 
 EDWARD J. DAVIS, a farmer of Louisa 
 Count}-, now residing in Clifton, is a native 
 of Wales. His parents, John and Elizabeth 
 (Benjamin) Davis, were also born in that countr}-. 
 where the death of the father occurred in 1867. his 
 wife having departed this life five years previously. 
 Both parents were members of the Calvinistic 
 Church, and they had reared a familj' of seven 
 children, two of whom are citizens of this State: 
 Vaughn, now residing in Red Oak, and Edward. 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm, and in 1851, 
 on attaining his majoritj', emigrated to America. 
 After reaching this country he first settled atUlica, 
 N. Y., where he resided for four years. Removing 
 to Montrose, Susquehanna Co., Pa., he made that 
 his home for a j'ear, and then learned the trades of a 
 stonemason and plasterer, after which he came to 
 Iowa, locating in Lyons, where he remained four 
 months. His next i)lace of residence was LaCrosse, 
 Wis., where he lived for three years, when, in 1S.5U, 
 he came to Louisa County, locating in Columbus 
 City Township. His first purchase of land con- 
 sisted of eighty acres, and a few months later he 
 bought 120 acres on section 4 of the same township, 
 which he improved and made his home until 1882, 
 when he moved to Clifton. He is the owner of a 
 handsome residence in the village, and at one time 
 he owned 316 .acres of land in Louisa County. 
 
 On the 11th of February, 1864, Mr. Davis led to 
 the marriage altar Miss Ann Morgan, who was born 
 in Wales, and is a daughter of .lohn Morgan, who 
 emigrated with his family to this country in Maj', 
 1844, settling near Utica, N. Y., where they re- 
 mained six months and then removed to Newark, 
 
 Ohio, and resided there one year, and then came to 
 Iowa in November, 184.'). Mr. Davis and his wife 
 are members of the Calvinistic Church, in which he 
 holds the ollice of De.acon. He has served in vari- 
 ous official positions of the township, and in political 
 sentiment is a Repulilican. In 1860 he made a 
 trip to Colorado, where he remained for over three 
 years, engaged in mining, and was quite successful. 
 As there was no railroad west of Washington, Iowa, 
 he made the trip across the plains with an ox-team. 
 He was three months on the waj'. and returned 
 in the same manner. At several different times 
 since then he has gone to Colorado, and five times 
 he has crossed the ocean. The j'ear following his 
 marriage he visited his native land, and thus in 
 traveling over the country has learned much more 
 than could ever be gained fn^m text-books Mr. 
 Davis has always taken an active part in the public 
 affairs of the county, as well as in the church work, 
 and is a respected citizen of the cominunit}- where 
 he resides. He is now living a retired life, having 
 acquired a competency enabling himself and good 
 wife to spend the evening of their lives incase. He 
 can now look back upon a well-spent life of useful- 
 ness. 
 
 ^^ 
 
 VILLIAM H. MARSHALL, a farmer resid- 
 ing on section 15, Morning Sun Township, 
 is numbered among the honored pioneers 
 of Louisa County. He was born in Brooke County, 
 W. Va., .lune 20, 1823. and is a son of Joshua S. 
 and Margaret (Maxwell) Marshall, the father a 
 native of Jefferson County, Ohio, and the mother 
 of Baltimore, Md. They were the i>arents of five 
 children: William 11., the eldest of the family; 
 Sarali J., the deceased wife of Dr. Harris Ilowuy, a 
 physician and druggist of Wapello, Iowa; Robert, 
 now living upon the old homestead, which was lo- 
 cated in 1836 by his father; Dcwitt C, a resident 
 of Marshall Township; and John L., also a farmer 
 of Marshall Township. 
 
 In 1836 Joshua Marshall, the father of these chil- 
 dren, came to the Territor}' of Iowa with Peter 
 Curran, and after his arrival located the land where 
 his son Robert now resides. He then sold his horse 
 and returned home, but the following year, accora- 
 
M^ 
 
 506 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 panied by his son William, he again came to Iowa 
 and put in twentj' acres of corn, going once more 
 that same fall to his liome in West Virginia after 
 his crop had been gathered. In the spring of 1838, 
 this time accompanied by his wife and his sons Will- 
 iam and John, he .again made the trip, putting in 
 another crop. The family were all well pleased with 
 the countrj', but he thought it too new for them to 
 remain during the winter, and so the}' returned to 
 West Virginia, after which he and his son William 
 were engaged in floating boats down the Mississippi 
 River from Wellsburg, W. Va., to New Orleans, 
 making two trips a year until 1842, when Mr. Mar- 
 shall decided to thereafter make his home upon his 
 new purchase in the then Far West. In April of 
 that year the familj- landed in Burlington, and came 
 directly to the claim which he had made in 1836. 
 He was a man who was highly respected b}' the pio- 
 neers of Louisa County, and for him Marshall 
 Township was probably named, his home having 
 alw.ays been on section 9. He bought the tract of 
 land from a man by the name of Spence, but at that 
 time there was only a very small cabin on it, into 
 which the famil}^ moved until a log cabin, sixteen 
 feet square, could be completed. This continued 
 to be their home for manj' years, the}' there living 
 in true pioneer style, bravely enduring all the trials 
 and hardships incident to a settlement iu a new 
 country. Mr. Marshall's first purchase of land con- 
 sisted of 3*20 acres, but from time to time he added 
 to his original tract until at one time he was the 
 owner of 2,100 acres in the county. About the 
 year 1860 he built a two-story brick residence, 
 36x44 feet, with a cellar under the entire building, 
 and there resided during the remainder of his days, 
 his death occurring .hily 3, 1880. His wife was 
 called to her last rest May 16, 1870, at the age of 
 sixty-seven years, six months and twenty days. 
 Mr. Marshall was a man who always took an active 
 interest in public affairs, and did much for the ad- 
 vancement of the county. Liberality was one of 
 his chief characteristics, he having tided many men 
 over troubles which perhaps otherwise would have 
 sunk them, and many has he helped to secure 
 homes. Not a few sought his counsel, and his ad- 
 vice w.as freely given, and often accompanied by 
 more substantial aid. Socially, he was a member 
 
 of the Masonic fraternity. Though often solicited 
 to accept public offices he steadily refused, much 
 preferring the quiet of home life. 
 
 Our subject received his education in the com- 
 mon schools of his native State, and came with his 
 father in 1836 to Louisa County, where he has 
 lived almost continuously since, though in the ear- 
 lier days he made several trips to West Virginia 
 before settling permanently. He had charge of his 
 father's landed estates iu this county until 1848, 
 when he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza- 
 beth Smith, and made a home for himself. Mrs. 
 Marshall is a native of Nottingham. England, and 
 with her parents, James and Sarah (Hill) Smith, 
 emigrated to America in 1844. The death of her 
 father occurred about the year 1875, her mother 
 surviving him until 1885. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Marshall have been the parents of 
 ten children, all of whom are yet living except the 
 first-born: Margaret E. became the wife of John T. 
 Peck, and four children were born to them — Alice, 
 Olive L., Fannie V. and C. W. ; Mary K. wedded 
 Robert Marshall, a native of Kentucky, though now 
 a resident of Union County. Mo., and six children 
 graced their union — Eva E., Robert, Lee, Maggie, 
 Berry and Nellie; Sarah M. became the wife of 
 Benjamin Tindall, a farmer of Marshall Township, 
 and four children have been born to them — Laura 
 E., Josie, Jennie !in<l an infant; Mira A. was united 
 in marriage with Thomas Hamilton, a resident 
 farmer of Henry County, Iowa, and to them have 
 been born five children — Le.ah Estella, Gertrude F., 
 Leonard, Luella and Marion; Ida S. is the wife of 
 C. A. Whitaker, a resident of Omaha, Neb., an<l 
 they have one child, Curtis W. ; Henry, who is a 
 farmer in Wapello Township; J. L., who has charge 
 of the home farm ; Francis E., still residing at home; 
 Clara E., wife of George Hungate, a farmer of 
 Morning Sun Township; and Laura, also residing at 
 home. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Marshall have given all their chil- 
 dren good educations, thereby fitting them for use- 
 ful positions in life. In 1849 he moved to his jjres- 
 ent farm, which then consisted of 260 acres, but 
 about 1859 he sold eighty, retaining 185 acres, 120 
 of which he has under a fine state of cullivalion. 
 In his political views he is a Democrat, and has 
 
» ll "^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 :>(ri 
 
 been elected to various township offlccs. Since 
 becoming a citizen of Louisa County he has partici- 
 pated and aided in its many sjreat chancres, trans- 
 forming tlie wild and uninhabited prairie into 
 hi.-autiful homes and farms. For the past five j'ears 
 he has been in failing health, but the past winter he 
 spent amid the orange groves of Louisiana, and 
 since his return his health has been much better 
 than it was for a number of years previously. 
 
 ^«««£2'©i®~— tif 
 
 .^5.a«ra2»»> 
 
 ARIUS KEY, a general farmer and stock- 
 raiser, who is residing on section a, Mar- 
 shall Township, is an honored pioneer of 
 Louisa County, of 1838. He w.as born in 
 Montgomery County, Ind., July 16, 1833, and is a 
 son of George and Rebecca (Minton) Kej', the 
 former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Penn- 
 sylvania. In early life George Key settled in the 
 eastern part of Ohic), where his marriage was cele- 
 brated, but later removed to the western part of 
 the same State, and afterward emigrated to Mont- 
 gomery County, Lid., making his home in LaFay- 
 ette. He w.as a blacksmith by trade, which he 
 carried on in connection with farming. 
 
 Leaving his family in Indiana, Mr. Ke^', in 183G, 
 came to Iowa, and made a claim of 240 acres of 
 land on section 9, Marshall Township, where AV. C. 
 Hunt now lives. He remained during the summer, 
 planting and harvesting a crop, after which he re- 
 turned to his family, working at his trade in Indi- 
 ana <iuring the following winter. In the spring of 
 1837 he again came to Louisa County, raised an- 
 other crop, and returned in the autumn. Having 
 prepared a home for his family he brought them to 
 this county in the spring of 1838. He was a pio- 
 neer of Ohio, Indiana and Iowa. He loved frontier 
 life, and greatly enjoyed the hunting and other 
 sports of pioneers. Wild game of all kinds was 
 plentiful, and oftentimes he would start out with 
 his gun in the earlj' morning and return before 
 breakfast with a fine deer. Though enjoying those 
 sports he never let his pleasures interfere with his 
 business, but gave his whole attention to his duties 
 until the}- were completed. At one time he owned 
 
 in Louisa County over 2,000 acres of land, which 
 he secured by his own efforts. 
 
 Mr. Kej' was a man strong in his likes and dis- 
 likes, and if he pretended to be the friend of an}- 
 one his friendship was indeed sincere. Never idle 
 himself, he could not endure to see that failing in 
 anyone else, but if a man showed himself to be 
 industrious and willing to work, Mr. Ke}' was ready 
 to divide with him his last cent. This honored 
 pioneer made his home in Louisa County until 
 about the j'ear 1861, when he went to Galveston, 
 Tex., to visit his son Ambrose, and while there his 
 death occurreil. He and his wife were both de- 
 voted members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 always taking an active part in the church work. 
 They were the parents of sixteen children, and fif- 
 teen of that number grew to man and womanhood. 
 Those now living are: Hannah, widow of Peter 
 Ritter. and a resident of Michigan; Jane, widow of 
 Edward Mincher, who now makes her home in Wa- 
 pello, Iowa; Ambrose, a farmer residing near Kan- 
 s.'isCity; Hattie, wife of James Jones, a resilient 
 farmer of Southern Kans.as; Alvin and Josci)li. The 
 UKJthcr died in I860. 
 
 Darius Key, the subject of this sketch, came to 
 Iowa with his parents in 1838, when about four 
 years of age. He received his education in the log 
 school-house so common in thatd.ay, with its punch- 
 eon floor, slab seats and huge fireplace. He has 
 always been a close observer, and has gained much 
 practical knowledge in later years. The life of Mr. 
 Key has always been that of a fanner. He worked 
 upon his father's land until twenty-twtt years of 
 age and in lcS,')7 |)urchased of his father a 1 (iO-acre 
 tract, for which he paid S800. This land was in an 
 entirely uncullivaled stale, and covered with a 
 thick growth of uiiderl)rush, but he immediately 
 began to clear it, grubbing and plowing, often 
 working until midnight. He has continued to make 
 that farm his home. 
 
 On the 17th of April. 1860, Mr. Key was united 
 in marriage with Maria Lyman, a native of Penn- 
 sylvania, and a daughter of Charles and Evaline 
 (Kdgecomb) Lj-man. She came to Iowa with her 
 sister, and was a teacher in the public schools. Her 
 father died in the spring of l.^SH, and her motlier is 
 yet a resident of Wapello. Mr. and Mrs. Key are 
 
4= 
 
 4»- 
 
 .i08 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 the parents of seven children, though three died in 
 infancy — Edward, Mar}-, and one unnamed. Those 
 living are Nora, Bessie, Rebecca and Marion. 
 
 Mr. Key has ever been an active, energetic and 
 progressive farmer, and by his industry and econ- 
 omy has .idded to his original purchase, until he 
 now owns, in Marshall and AVapello Townships, 
 1,200 acres of laud, all under a high state of culti- 
 vation. In connection with his farming interests 
 he gives considerable attention to the raising of 
 Polled-Angus cattle, and now owns sixty-three 
 head; he also has a good grade of horses and hogs. 
 His land is divided into three farms, which are among 
 the best in the county. That upon which he resides 
 comprises 3G0 acres, and contains all the improve- 
 ments necessary to a well-regulated farm. He has 
 always taken great interest in the promotion of anj- 
 enterprise for the welfare of the conuuunity. h.as 
 held various township offices, and is at present 
 Treasurer of the School Board. He believes that 
 the best educational advantages which can be pro- 
 vided should be obtained, and has given his chil- 
 dren all good educations. He has ever identified 
 himself with the Democratic party, but is not 
 bitterly partisan, believing that each person has a 
 right to his views. An ardent temperance man, he 
 advocates the entire abolition of the liquor traflic. 
 Candid in his o[)inions, plain and outspoken in his 
 manner, honor.able and upright in his dealings, dur- 
 ing the fifty years of his residence in this county 
 Mr. Ke3' has w(m the entire confidence and respect 
 of the coramunitj'. We are j)leased to record his 
 sketch among those of the honored pioneers of 
 Louisa County. 
 
 <3= 
 
 1—L 
 
 -&~ 
 
 Y—r 
 
 J~)AMRS MADISON VANDEVORT, who is 
 residing in the village of Grand View, was 
 ' born in Ross County, Ohio, in 1816, and is 
 ' the fourth in a family of twelve children 
 born to James and Rachel (Peters) Vandevort, the 
 father a native of Virginia and the mother of 
 Penns3'lvania. James Vandevort was a pioneer set- 
 tler of Ross Count}', Ohio, becoming a resident 
 when the country was yet a Terrllorj', and there 
 
 engaged in farming. In that county our subject 
 was born, and in 1839 the parents removed to Mor- 
 gan County, 111., where they resided until 1841, and 
 then became residents of Louisa County, Iowa, set- 
 tling upon an unimproved farm. The husband im- 
 mediatelj' began the cultivation of the land, but 
 subsequently sold it. though immediately purchas- 
 ing another farm, upon which he resided until his 
 death, which occurred in January, 18.51, at the .age 
 of sixty j'cars. His excellent wife survived him 
 until 1867, her death occurring in Morgan County, 
 III., when eighty-four years of age. 
 
 Our subject w.as reared to farm life and received 
 his education in the district schools of his native 
 State. On the 15th of February, 1838. in Pike 
 County, Ohio, bis union with .Sarah Jane Dunehoo, 
 a native of Virginia, was celebrated. This lady is 
 a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Smith) Dune- 
 hoo, who were also born in that State, wheie the 
 father followed the occupation of farming until iiis 
 death, which occurred in 182.5. His wife survived 
 him many 3'ears, coming to Louisa Count}-. Iowa, 
 in 1851, where she was again married, and here re- 
 sided until called to her final home, in 18G0, at the 
 age of sixty -five. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Vandevort engaged in 
 farming in Ohio for two 3ears, then came West, 
 making his home in Morgan County, 111., until his 
 migration to Louisa County, in 1844. He pur- 
 chased a small and partially imprt)Ved farm of forty 
 acres, upon which the fainil}' located, though they 
 afterward lived upon several different farms in 
 Grand View Township, and .also resided in the 
 village of that name on several occasions. He 
 kept a hotel in Grand View for eight years, and also 
 resided in Wapello for three vears, one j'ear of which 
 time he engaged in the hotel business. In 1881 
 he became a permanent resident of Grand View, 
 here purchasing property. During the past he has 
 been an active worker in political affairs, and is a 
 supporter of the Republican party. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Vandevort are members of the 
 Methodist Ei)iscopal Church, and to them has been 
 born a family of nine children, seven of whom are 
 living: Charles, who is married, and is the car in- 
 spector for the Burlington. Cedar Rapids & North- 
 ern Railroad, with headquarters at Burlington, Iowa ; 
 
-^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 501) 
 
 Elizalioth, now Mrs. Itiloy, resides in Columnus 
 Junction; Hncliel died Jan. 1, 18G6, aged tnent^'- 
 two years; John is married, and makes his liomein 
 Is'eniaha County, Neli. ; Marietta, wlio is living at 
 Grand A'iew, is now Mrs. Guthrie; Cia}- died in 
 18.53, at the age t>f three 3'ears and six months; 
 Evaline. now Mrs. Ciipple, whose home is near 
 Grand View; Christina is tlie wife of H. L. Smith, 
 of Wapello, and ICIla, nt)W Mrs. Thompson, is a 
 resident of Wapello Township. 
 
 ^jAPT. WILLIAM r. BROWN, deceased, 
 (1(^1, was born in Kentucky-, Oct. 25, 1793, and 
 ^^^ when a young man went to Jefferson County, 
 Ind., where he made the acquaintance of Miss Alice 
 C. Crawford, a relative of the Todds, of Kentucky, 
 and a native of liockbridge, Va., born April "20, 
 17'J7. The acquaintance there formed ripened into 
 love, and thej' were united in marriage. The 
 young couple began their domestic life in Jefferson 
 County, where Mr. Brown developed a fine farm 
 from heavy timber land, and in that section accu- 
 mulated considerable propert3\ In 1837 he emi- 
 grated to what is now Louisa Count}', crossing 
 Illinois on horseback, and here entered a claim. 
 In 1838 he again came to the county and built a 
 log cabin, and in 1839 purchased his land at the 
 land sales of Burlington. The following spring he 
 moved his family to the count}'. After coming 
 here Capt. Brown was alwa3's .active in everything 
 pertaining to the welfare of the comniunit}', and 
 started the prtiject of building a i)lank road to Bur- 
 lington, and erected a bridge across Honey Creek 
 at his own expense. He built the first school-house, 
 in which church services were also held, and do- 
 nated it to the public. He was elected and served 
 as Justice of the Peace for man\' years, being 
 known as Esquire Hrown until his death, and was 
 the first man to build on the east side of Virginia 
 (irove. In the early days of the county there was 
 tt road laid out from Iowa Citj' to Burlington, 
 which Mr. Brown tried hard to get on the east side 
 of the grove, but the Commissioners thought it licst 
 to be on the west siile, as there was quite a seltle- 
 ^ 
 
 nicnt over there. Mr. Brown then took the matter 
 in his hands, and secured the laj'ing out of a road 
 on the east side, which afterward became the main 
 avenue of travel. Physically, Mr. Brown was a 
 tall, powerful man, being over six feet high and 
 weighing over 200 pounds, and his stature was only 
 equaled by his generosity and liberalitj'. Being 
 very decided in his views, when once determining 
 to carr}' out a thing he alwaj's accomplished it. 
 
 Mr. and^Mrs. Brown were the parents of eight 
 children, three of whom are living: James, whose 
 home is in Morning Sun, Iowa; Maria, widow of 
 Hamilton Brown, is a resident of Morning Sun 
 Township; and ]\Iartha lives on the old homestead. 
 Mr. Brown was a member of the Methodist Church, 
 and his wife of the Presbyterian. His death oc- 
 curred Jan. 28, 18G5;i\Irs. Brown survived until 
 1885. She lived through all the administrations 
 from Washington to Cleveland. 
 
 The following is the record of the children of 
 Capt. and Mrs. W. P. Brown; Thompson, born 
 June 29, 1821, died Nov. 5, 1842; Thomas P., born 
 May 20, 1823, died Feb. 20, 185G; James C born 
 April 14, 1825; Elizabeth A., born Oct. 25, 18.30, 
 died June 30. 1847; John, born Eel). 17. 1833, 
 died April 7, 1842; Mary E.. born Jan. 8, 1835, 
 died Dec. 31, 1861 ; Marllui, born Oct. 9. 1838. 
 
 H. TODD is a s(mi of Robert and Mary (Stur- 
 geon) Todd. He was born in Pittsburgh. 
 i\% Pa., March 15, 1829, and received a very 
 ^^ fair education in the select schools of his 
 native cit}'. Outside of school life he wjus engaged 
 in farming and mercantile pursuits until 1854, when 
 with his father's famil}" he came to Iowa and located 
 at Muscatine, where he remained for one year, and 
 then removed to Louisa County. With the excep- 
 tion of two years spent in the grocery business at 
 Newton, Iowa, he li.as here since continued to reside. 
 Elizabeth J. Bliven. daughter of Nathan and Lu- 
 cincla (Whcelock) Bliven, was born in Ohio, in 
 Meigs County, Sept. 12, 183G,and is of English de- 
 scent. In 1837, when an infant, she came with her 
 parents to Louisa County, Iowa, and her early lifo 
 was spent in the immediate vicinity of Columbus 
 
 ■•►Hl-^ 
 
M^ 
 
 510 
 
 4. 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Junction. Her education was acquired in tiie 
 sciioois of iier adopted county. R. H. Todd and 
 Elizabeth J. Bliven were united in niaiiiage Jan. 
 1. 1856. 
 
 Oliver Sherman Todd, the fourth child of R. H. 
 and Elizabeth J. Todd, was born in Louisa County, 
 Iowa, Dec. 12, 18G4. and pursued the ordinary life 
 of a farmer boy. doing farm work in summer and 
 attending school in winter, until 1882, when he en- 
 tered the Eastern Iowa Normal School, which he 
 attended at intervals until June, 1887, when he 
 completed the commercial course. He began learn- 
 ing the printer's trade in the office of the Columbus 
 Gazette the following autumn, where he was em- 
 ployed until about April 1, l.s88, when he took a 
 position in the office of tiie Muscatine Journal, 
 which he soon relinquished to |)urchase an interest 
 in the Columbus Safp(juard, and has since been one 
 of its editors and proprietors. He is a young man 
 of fine ability, an easy and fluent writer, and is 
 making a success of his chosen profession. 
 
 4 
 
 ;OHN C. STEWART, now a resident of 
 Morning Sun, is a respected pioneer of 
 Louisa County. He is a native of Mary- 
 land, and was born at Willianisport, Wash- 
 ington County, on the 19th of .September, 1814. 
 His father w.is William Stewart, whose parents 
 were from Ireland, and his mother was Rebecca 
 Crunily, who was of German descent. Our subject, 
 though born in Maryland, spent most of his boy- 
 hood days in Virginia, and liis occupation was that 
 of a farmer, as it has been most of the time through 
 life. His educational advanUiges were ver^^ limited, 
 his school days being confined to a few weeks' at- 
 tendance at the ilistrict school in the winter. After 
 attaining his niajorit3' he went to Harrison Countj'. 
 Ohio, where he remained a few j-ears, and then 
 went to Licking County. In the month of April, 
 1843, he was united in marriage with Miss Jane 
 Patterson, a native of Ohio, and five years later 
 they came to Louisa County', Iowa, where Mr. 
 Stewart entered KiO acres of land on section 7, 
 AVapello Township. He immediately began im- 
 proving his farm, and in connection with that labor. 
 
 in company- with John Myers, he made brick with 
 which to build a small house. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have been born nine 
 children, eight of whom are yet living. The three 
 oldest were born in Ohio, and the remaining six in 
 this county. Emma A. is now the wife of F. G. 
 Anderson, and resides in Wapello; Mary F. wedded 
 William A'ertrees, of Morning Sun ; Omer F. is a 
 commercial traveler, and resides in !MorningSun; 
 Margaret R., now Mrs. Young, is living in Leon, 
 Iowa; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Huffman, is living in 
 Morning Sun; Lillie is the wife of II. W. Spauld- 
 ing, of Omaha, Neb. ; Ora wedded George D. 
 Miller, also of Oniaha; Jessie is the wife of W. B. 
 Moffett, of Morning Sun; and William died at the 
 age'of fourteen. Mrs. Stewart departed this life 
 in February, 1888, since which time Mr. Stewart 
 has m.ade his home with Mrs. Moffett. .She was for 
 many j'ears a consistent member of the United 
 Presbyterian Church. Mr. Stewart has l)een a life- 
 long Republican in politics, and his first Presidential 
 vote was cast for William Henry Harrison. He 
 has not aspired to political distinction himself, 
 though he has served his township as a Trustee, and 
 has ever been ready and willing to assist in the 
 man.agement of any worthy public enterprise. He 
 has for man3' years been a member and liberal sup- 
 porter of the United Presbyterian Church. An 
 honest Christian gentleman, he enjoys the respect 
 and confidence of his fellow-citizens. 
 
 «» *' ^ * ! ' ll ' t * 5" ' " — — ^— 
 
 JAMES H. WIL.SON, one of the pioneers of 
 Louisa County of 1839, now residing in 
 Morning Sun, was born in Preble County, 
 Ohio, Jan. 1, 1831, and is a son of John 
 Wilson, whose sketch api)ears on another page of 
 this work. In 1838, when seven j'earsold. he went 
 with his parents to Illinois, locating in Washington 
 County, where the family resided until the follow- 
 ing 3'ear, and then removed to Louisa County. 
 Here James attended a subscription school, which 
 was taught by his father, during the winter, and in 
 the summer time i».ssisted in breaking prairie, or was 
 otherwise employed on the farm. He grew to man- 
 hood in this new country, living the life of a pio- 
 
-^^ 
 
 ,t 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 • 11 
 
 iicer, and in Maroli, 1 8(i;t, wns nnitcd in marriage 
 witii Miss Ailolihc Mc-C'lurken, a danghler ot 
 Thomas McClurken, one of the early settlers of this 
 coimly. 
 
 In liSC2, [irevious to his marriage, Mr. Wilson 
 made a trip to Oregon, Washington Territory and 
 California, where he remained for three years en- 
 gaged in freighting. There he endured all the 
 hardships incident to frontier life, and for six 
 months never saw a ladj'. While on the wa}- 
 to Oregou he met an old acquaintance, William 
 Moats, and the}' decided to engage in freigiiting 
 together, becoming much attaclied to the trade, as 
 the variet}' and excitement of the new countr}' made 
 it very fascinating. At length the two friends 
 separated, and shortlj' after Mr. Wilson heard the 
 report of guns. It proved to be trouble with the 
 Indians, and in the affair Mr. Moats was killed. In 
 18()5 Mr. Wilson returned to Louisa Count}', 
 where he has since continued to reside, and for the 
 past four years he has been engaged in the tile 
 works. In his political views he is a Republican, 
 and he and his wife are members of the United 
 Presbyterian Church. 
 
 (^^ YLVANUS DUNHAM, residing on section 
 ^^^^ 24, Wapello Township, is a pioneer of this 
 llL/ ))) county, of which he has been a resident 
 since 1S37, at which time Iowa formed a 
 part of the Territory of Wisconsin. He was born 
 in Fayette County, Ind.. Aug. 29, 1822, and is a 
 son of Nathaniel and Mary (Williams) Dunham, 
 both of whom were natives of New York. Of their 
 union but two children were born, Sylvanus, and a 
 daughter who died at the age of ten. In August, 
 liSiy, the father removed to Indiana, locating in 
 Fayette County, where he followed farming dur- 
 ing the remainder of his life. Firm in his opinions, 
 when once he had made his decisions, honest and 
 upright, he was a man of prominence in that com- 
 munity. His death occurred about the year 1825, 
 and the mother died at the home of her son, in 
 185C. 
 
 Sylvanus received his education in the common 
 schools of Fayette County, where he made his home 
 
 until thirteen years of .age. In 1 8.'5G he started 
 with his widowed mother for Iowa, her father's 
 family having located in Louisa County, but did 
 not reach his destination until February, 1837. The 
 night after his arrival he si)ont in a small caliin 
 owned by a man of the name of Stoddard, and the 
 following day went on to Long Creek, where he 
 took a claim in what is now Kim Grove Township. 
 AVith his mother he moved into a small shanty, 
 and there resided until thes|)ring of 1839, when the 
 land sales occurred. Having no monej- with which 
 to pay for his claim, he sold it for $200, and with 
 that money bought IGO acres of land in Columbus 
 City Township. The work of improvement wiis 
 immediatel}' begun, a log cabin was built, the farm 
 was fenced, eight}' acres were plowed and planted, 
 and the work of cultivation carried on until 184.'), 
 when he sold out, receiving ^1,000 for the farm, 
 and removed to Wapello Township. Ilepurcliased 
 200 acres of land on sections 13 and 14. for which 
 he paid $1,400, residing on that farm until 18.')7, 
 when he moved into a brick bouse on section 24 of 
 the same township, where he has tnade his home 
 continuously since. During the fifty-one years of 
 his residence in this county his labors have been al- 
 most unceasing, and he has done much in the work of 
 transforming the wild land into the beautiful farms 
 for which Louisa County is noted far and wide. 
 His honesty, combined vvith that energy which char- 
 acterizes all liis actions,, has enabled him to add to 
 his possessions from year to year, until he is now 
 the owner of 2,200 acres of fine land ; 1.000 acres 
 of this are situated in Elliott Township, while the 
 home farm comprises the remainder, 1,200 acres, of 
 which, with the assistance of his sons, Mr. Dunham 
 has the management. He has dealt quite exten- 
 sively in stock, and now raises annually about 300 
 head of cattle, 100 head of hogs, and twenty head 
 of horses for the market. When landing in Louisa 
 County his stock consisted only of a horse, a cow 
 and a colt. As fortune smiles upon those who help 
 themselves, Mr. Dunham's efforts have been crowned 
 with success, and received abundant reward. His 
 life of usefulness and toil might well furnish an ex- 
 ample for the rising generation. 
 
 On the 23d of April, 18Gl,in Louisa County, 
 Mr. Dnnhan) was united in marriairc with IMattie 
 i» 
 
*^fMi- 
 
 512 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4> 
 
 .lamison, daughter of AVillinm D. and Elizabeth 
 Jauiison. She was born in Ohio, and they are the 
 parents of nine children, two of whom died in in- 
 fancj'. Those living are ]ra E.. AVillianiW.. Harry 
 A., Sidney S., Kellie S., Elmer R. and Frederick E. 
 Mrs. Dunham is a member of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church, while politicallj-. Mr. D. is a Repub- 
 lican. We take pleasure in recording the sketch of 
 this lionored pioneer, who for fiftj'-one j'ears has 
 been a resident of Louisa County. 
 
 i 
 
 ^ >^tr^ 
 
 OBERT MARSHALL, a farmer residing on 
 section 9, ]\Lirshall Township, was born in 
 Brooke County. W. Va., in 1828. He 
 ■'^ came witli liis parents, Joshua and Marga- 
 ret (Maxwell) Marshall, to this countj' in 1842, 
 and here he received his early education. Remain- 
 ing upon the farm until 18.50, he tlien decided he 
 would make a trip to California. With a cornpanj' 
 of others, and driving five yoke of oxen, he fol- 
 lowed the tide of human emigration to the gold 
 fields of the Far West. Starting from Wapello, 
 Iowa, on the 17th of March. 185U, they traveled 
 until the 10th of M;iy. when they crossed the Mis- 
 souri River at Council BUiflfs, and there halted for 
 two weeks. Once more resuming their journey, 
 they traveled across the plains, reaching II.<ingtown, 
 now known as Placervilie, El Dorado Co., Cal., 
 about the middle of August. The company had 
 eighteen teams, and there was but one lady among 
 that party of emigrants, she being the wife of 
 George Peck. For some time after their arrival in 
 California it was a very rare thing to see a lady, 
 and many of the "boys" would go to the hotel for 
 dinner just for the privilege of being waited on by 
 a la<ly. At that time the wages of a lady waiter 
 were often §100 per month. 
 
 After his arrival in Ilangtown Mr. Marshall im- 
 mediately began mining, in which business he 
 continued from 18.50 until 1880, and was quite suc- 
 cessful in that occupation. During his residence 
 in California he made several overland trips from 
 I'lacerville to Sacramento. He was one of the 
 liberal, whole-souled men who were always ready to 
 lend a helping hand to the weary traveler. Mr. 
 
 Marshall remained in California until the 1st of 
 November, 1880, when he returned home after an 
 absence of thirty years. When he left his home 
 there was no settlement between his farm and 
 Brighton. Washington Co., Iowa, but during his 
 absence the wild prairies had been developed into 
 fine farms, and the boys of his }-outh had grown to 
 manhood ; some bad gone to that land from which 
 no traveler returns, while others had gone to the 
 Far West. In f.-ict there were but few of his child- 
 hood acquaintances left. His father and mother 
 were also numbered among the dead. Often dur- 
 ing his absence his mother would call and long for 
 her boy, though she was never again permitted to 
 see him. In 1880 he came back to the old home, 
 which is still standing, and which is surrounded b}' 
 the pleasant memories of his childhood daj's. A 
 handsome two-story brick dwelling, 3Gx38 feet, 
 has since been erected. Mr. Marsh.ill is now the 
 owner of a fine farm of 240 acres, which is well 
 stocked. In his political views he has been a life- 
 long Democrat. 
 
 -^^iVH5S:5<-^ 
 
 HARLES GETTS, who is a manufacturer of 
 and dealer in heavy and light harness, sad- 
 dlery and horse furnishing goods, first es- 
 tablished business at Columbus City in the fall of 
 1884, and in November, 1887, removed to Colum- 
 bus Junction. He has built up a fine trade, won a 
 reputation fiu- doing good work and keeping excel- 
 lent goods, and well deserves a liberal patronage. 
 
 Mr. Getts was born in Louisa Countj', Iowa, June 
 15, 1855, and is a son of Jacob and Hannah (Phil- 
 man) Getts, who were early settlei-s of this county, 
 and whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. 
 Charles received a common-school education, and 
 when eighteen years of age began his apprentice- 
 ship to the harness-maker's trade at Allerton, Iowa. 
 In the fall of 1884 he opened a shop in Columbus 
 City, as before stated, and removed to Columbus 
 Junction Nov. 27, 1887. 
 
 At Columbus City, on the 24th of April. 1880. 
 Mr. Getts and Miss Harriet Spencer were united in 
 marriage. The lady was born in Dresden, Mus- 
 kingum Co., Ohio, is a daughter of Wiseman Spen- 
 
•4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 513 
 
 ccr, and came to Louisa Comity in 1874. Two 
 children have been born of their union, a son and 
 a daughter: Bertie, aged six years, and Elsie, aged 
 four. Mrs. Getts is a member of the United Pres- 
 bj'terian Church, and in political sentiment Mr. 
 Getts is a Republican. 
 
 -tacCIS^S^^^^T-SfSWITOw- 
 
 W WILLIAM C. H 
 r.aiser residing 
 ship, and one ( 
 
 I^ILLIAM C. HUNT, a farmer and stock- 
 on section 9, Marshall Town- 
 of the prominent pioneers of 
 the county, was born Oct. 29, 1840, in Licking 
 Country, Ohio. His parents, Hiram and Harriet 
 (Keid) Hunt, were probably natives of New York, 
 and by their union six children were born: John 
 E., a carriage and wagon maker, now of San Fran- 
 cisco, Cat.; Charles R.. a miller residing in Girard, 
 Crawford Co., Kan.; Eunice, deceased wife of Will- 
 iam Rilej'; William C. ; Louie A., whose where- 
 abouts is unknown; Henry, now a resident of 
 Wapello, Iowa, who was a member of Company G, 
 19th Iowa Infantr3-, but taken sick and discharged 
 on account of disability after serving several months. 
 The familj' came to Louisa Countj' about the year 
 1844 or 1845, locating in Wapello, where the death 
 of the mother occurred in 1852. The father en- 
 listed in the Iowa "Graybeard" regiment, and 
 while in service was taken with smallpox, and died 
 in St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 The education of our subject was mostly received 
 in attendance at the Wapello school which was held 
 in the old court-house. He can remember many 
 amusing and interesting incidents of court held in 
 those days, and says he has often seen the jury, 
 when sent out to agree upon the verdict, go down 
 to the bank of the Iowa River, taking with them 
 the ever convincing witness, the " little brown jug." 
 AVhen only tliirteen years of age Mr. Hunt began 
 the battle of life for himself, securing employment 
 1)3' the month with Joshua Marshall, for whom he 
 worked five years for his clothing, and a very small 
 wardrobe would hold all he obtained. At the ex- 
 piration of that time he returned to Wapello, re- 
 maining there one year, an<l then again went to 
 work for Mr. Marshall, receiving for his services 
 $9 per month. Saving up his wages, he. in company 
 
 with another 3'oung man, purchased an ox-team, and 
 during the summers of 18G1 and 1862 was eng.aged 
 in breaking prairie. In August of the latter year 
 Mr. Hunt enlisted in Company F, 19th Iowa In- 
 fantr3', for three 3'ears, and was sent to Keokuk, where 
 he was mustered into the United States service. He 
 was ordered to St. Louis, Mo., from there to Rolla, 
 and participated in his first engagement at Prairie 
 Grove, Ark. He was under fire for twenty-one 
 days at the siege of Vicksburg, participated in a 
 two-da3-s skirmish and then went to Ft. Hudson. 
 At Vicksburg a full set of band instruments was 
 captured, and from the 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 
 sixteen men were detailed and formed a brigade 
 band. Some time after its organization the band 
 of which Mr. Hunt was a member was sent to 
 Brownsville, Tex., and was mustered into service 
 as the 2d Brigade band, after which the3' were sent 
 to New Orleans. Seven times our subject crossed 
 the Gulf, five of which were with the band. From 
 New Orleans they weVe sent to Ft. Morgan, Ala., 
 the regiment capturing that fort and Ft. Gaines, and 
 then to Pensacola, Fla., after which the3' returned 
 to Ft. Morgan. Later the band was sent up the 
 Mississippi River, then to Little Rock, Ark., and 
 subsequentl3' back the same route to the command 
 and to the post in Mississppi. There the instru- 
 ments were taken from the band and its members 
 were sent back to the regiment, where for about 
 six months the3' rested, until the band was .again or- 
 ganized at Ft. Morgan and marched to Mobile, 
 Ala., where they participated in the engagement 
 at Spanish Fort, where a number of the brave bo3's 
 of the 19th Regiment lai<l down their lives in de- 
 fense of the star and stripes, which now float so 
 proudly over the united nation. The band was 
 next sent to Galveston, Tex., having been pre- 
 viousl3- mustered out at Mobile, Ala., and from 
 there they took a steamer to Memphis, Tenn., pro- 
 ceeded to Davenport, and were there finally dis- 
 charged from the service, after having engaged in 
 three years of war and bloodshed. 
 
 On Mr. Hunt's return from the battle-field he 
 eng.aging in farming and threshing in the neighbor- 
 hood for :di()ut three 3'cars. On the 2()th of Sep- 
 tember, 1871, he was uniteil in marriage with Mis3 
 Theodosia Anderson, a native of Fulton C^ounty, 
 ■» 
 
-^*" 
 
 -•► 
 
 514 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 111. Ill 1879 he purchased eighty acres of land ou 
 section y, Marshall Township, where he has since 
 continued to make his home. To this worth}' 
 couple have been born five children: Laura W.; 
 John E., who died in infancy; Mary L., Alice G. 
 and Walter R. Mr. Hunt and his wife are both 
 members of the Presb3'tcrian Church, and he is a 
 member of Post No. 153, G. A. R., of Wapello, 
 Iowa. In his political views he is a Democrat, and 
 has held various township offices. Like man}' others 
 of the well-to-do farmers of the present daj', Jlr. 
 Hunt started out in life with no financial aid, but 
 by his honest3'aud industry he has won for himself 
 and familj- a fair competence, and has gained t!ie 
 confidence of the communit}' in which he has so 
 long been a resident. Ahva3's taking an active 
 part in all public matters, he has done much toward 
 the advancement of the township and county. 
 
 'OHN STAFFORD, residing on section 33, 
 Morning Sun Townshi|), is among the prom- 
 inent and leading farmers and stock-raisers 
 of Louisa Count}'. He was born Oct. 20, 
 182H. in Kent County, Del., and is a son of Balaam 
 an<] Mary (Caproon) Stafford, who were natives of 
 Delaware. To them five children were born : Ann 
 Eliza, who wedded Asher P. Bevans, a resident of 
 (Jsceola, Iowa; Mary J. first wedded John Brown- 
 field, and after H. S. F. Bevans; they are now re- 
 siding at Morning Sun, Iowa. Matilda became 
 the wife of Hiram Fickill, wiio is a resident of Osce- 
 ola, Iowa; Rebecca is the wife of Moses Chilson. The 
 family moved from Delaware to Franklin County, 
 Ohio, in 1838, residing there until 1841, when they 
 emigrated to Peoria County, 111., where the father 
 purchased a small farm. In that county the chil- 
 dren received their education and grew to manhood 
 and womanhood. 
 
 Our subject was the first of the family to come to 
 Iowa, he settling in Louisa County in 1852, enter- 
 ing eighty acres of wild prairie land upon which 
 not a stick of limber could be seen, with the ex- 
 ception of the little log cabin, sixteen feet square. 
 On the 13th of April, 1853, Mr. Stafford took up 
 his residence ou hisclaim, and began building fences 
 
 and breaking the wild land with four to six yoke of 
 oxen. He has never had one cent given him since 
 1853, and his success in life has certainly been 
 most praiseworthy. In 185G the loved ones whom 
 he had left in Peoria County, II!., came to his new 
 home, and in Louisa County his father purchased a 
 farm of eighty acres, upon which he resided until 
 his death, which occurred in February. 18G5, his 
 wife surviving him many years, her death occurring 
 in 1881. They were both active members of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, and were among the 
 highly honored citizens of the county. 
 
 On the 2i)th of August, 1 850, in Peoria County, 
 111., the marriage of John Stiiffbrd and Miss Delia 
 Bevans was celebrated. The lady was born in High- 
 land County, Ohio, July 19, 1832, and is a daughter 
 of John and Margaret (Frost) Bevans, who were 
 natives of Pennsylvania, though both are now de- 
 ceased, the mother having died about theyear 1848, 
 the father being called to his final rest in 1865. 
 . They were also members of the Methodist Episco- 
 pal Church, in which organization Mr. Bevans was 
 a prominent worker. 
 
 Mr. and Mis. Stafford have been the parents of 
 five children: Henry T., born May 29, 1851, died 
 October 20 of the same year; Viola P., who was born 
 Aug. 1, 1852, and became the wife of Frank A. 
 Okell, was called to her final home July 5, 1887, 
 leaving one child, Viola, born June J, 1887; Mari- 
 etta, wife of D. S. Long, a farmer in Washington 
 Township, Des Moines Co., Iowa; Elizabeth, born 
 in 1862, died in June of the same year; James 
 Grant, born Aug. 21. 1865, still resides at home. 
 
 As time passed Mr. Stafford added to his original 
 purchase of eighty acres of land until he now owns 
 280 acres in one body on section 33, Morning Sun 
 Township, and thirty acres of timber land. The 
 little 16-foot cabin has long since given place 
 to a splendid farm residence, 32x34 feet, and two 
 stories in height. The out-buildings are all models 
 of convenience, and the barn is one of the best in 
 the neighborhood, being 40x70 feet, with a base- 
 ment under the entire building. 
 
 For a number of years Mr. Stafford h.as given 
 his attention to the raising of fine stock. To him 
 is due the credit of introducing the fine grade of 
 hogs now raised in the county, and upon his farin 
 
 f- 
 
-4»- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 =4 
 
 I 
 
 may also be found twenty head of Cl^'de and 
 Xornian l)rou<1 mares. Altogether he has forty 
 head of horses, one of which is as fine as any to be 
 found in the State. " Hijou," a Norman, imported by 
 Singmaster <fe Sons, of Keota, Keokuk Co., Iowa. 
 This horse is a fine dapple gray, four years old, 
 weight 1,850, and sixteen and a half hands high. 
 He is also the owner of a Clyde, " Young Stanley," a 
 bright b.ay. 
 
 In 1853, when starting out in life, Mr. Stafford's 
 capital consisted only of a willing heart, strong 
 arms, and a determination to succeed, but by his 
 indomitable energy and enterprise he has gained a 
 comfortable competency, and is .acknowledged as 
 one of the most successful farmers, not only in tlie 
 county, but in the State. He gives liberall}' of his 
 money and influence to the advancement of all in- 
 terests for the good of the count}-. In politics, as 
 Weil as in all things, he is liberal, voting for the man 
 and not for the party. Socially, Mr. Stafford is a 
 member of the A. F. & A. M., and in all educational 
 matters he takes especial interest. 
 
 -vv/v-\«iije£'®^@**^^^fe>*®S-2i'OTT»»>- 
 
 J' ?OSEPH ENGLAND is a practical farmer 
 and stock-raiser, residing on section 7, ISIar- 
 I shall Township. To him the honored name 
 ' of pioneer is given, for he came to Louisa 
 Count}', Iowa, in 1840, and here almost his entire 
 life has been spent. He was born on the 25th of 
 Ma}', 183.5, in Mackinac County, Midi., and is a 
 son of Thom.as and Wcrlinda (Harrison) England, 
 both of whom were n.atives of Maryland, and to 
 them were born three children : George, a resident 
 farmer of Jefferson County, Iowa; Samuel, a farmer 
 of Uinggold County, Iowa; and our subject, Joseph. 
 The father followed the occupation of farming 
 through life, and remained in Michigan until 1835, 
 when he removed to Illinois, settling northeast of 
 Kno.Kville, then the county seat of Knox County. 
 He only remained there until autumn, when he re- 
 moved to Louisa County, and entered 400 acres of 
 land near the city of Wapello. He resided on that 
 farm until his death, which occurred in 1844. His 
 wife died when our subject was about three months 
 old. He was a man of good business ability, 
 
 shrewd though honest, and stood high in the esti- 
 mation of his friends and neighbors. 
 
 After the death of his father Joseph went to live 
 with Judge Springer, of Columbus Junction, and 
 under the teachings of the Judge began his educa- 
 tion. He later attended the public schools of Wa- 
 pello, and being of a studious nature soon acquired 
 a good common-school education. He made his 
 home with Judge Springer until about 1848, when 
 on account of failing health he was compelled to 
 discontinue his studies, and went to live with Joshua 
 Marshall, one of Louisa County's noble and highly 
 honored pioneers. He there began the life of a 
 farmer, which pursuit he has since followed, and 
 made his honie with Mr. Mar.ihall until 1857, re- 
 ceiving for his work his board and clothing, and the 
 last eight months $20 per month. In 1857 Mr. 
 England bought eighty acres of land on section 7, 
 Marshall Township, sixty of which h.ad been broken, 
 but there was no cabin upon it. He made a partial 
 payment of §22.50. and had it all paid for in 1862. 
 In the meantime he had built a small frame house, 
 16x18 feet, and each year added improvements un- 
 til he now has one of tiie best farms of Louisa 
 County. 
 
 On the 28th of February, 1866, Mr. England and 
 Miss Melinda Skinner were united in marriage. 
 She was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, and is a 
 daughter of James M. and Sarah (Hull) Skinner, 
 both of whom were natives of Guernsey County, 
 that State. By this union six children have been 
 born, four of whom are now living: Nancy J., wife 
 of J. F. Ross, a farmer of Henry County. Iowa; 
 Mary E., Samuel A. and Ida May. Sarah W. and 
 Joseph are deceased. 
 
 Mr. England has ever been a steady, energetic 
 and enterprising citizen. He commenced life with- 
 out financial aid, but by his own efforts is now one 
 of the well-to-do f.armers of the county. From time 
 to time he has added to his original purchase of 
 eighty acres, until he now has in his home farm 160 
 acres, and altogether, in Louisa and Henry Coun- 
 ties, is the owner of 401^ acres, 370 of which are 
 under a fine state of cultivation. The little frame 
 cabin has long since given ])lace to a fine two-story 
 residence, 26x3 1 feet, and all the improvements 
 necessary to a well-regulated farm have bc(jn maile. i 
 
 * ^U -4 
 
516 
 
 ^i^l-* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 The best grades of horses, cattle and hogs are 
 thereon found, and wliere once was o:ie vast and 
 unbroken prairie, the evergreen and oilier shade 
 trees have been jilanted. During his thirty years, 
 residence on the land Mr. England has transformed 
 it into one of the best farms of the county, and 
 everything .iboul the place shows him to be a roan 
 of thrift, enterprise and progressive ideas. He has 
 always taken an active part in forwarding any en- 
 terprise beneficial to the pulilic, and has given 
 freely of his time and means to the advancement of 
 the interests of the community. For half a cent- 
 ury he has been a resident of Louisa County, dur- 
 ing which time he has gained the love, confidence 
 and respect of the people. Many times he has been 
 called upon to settle difRcultiesarising in the neigh- 
 borhood, and he has held various township offices 
 of trust with credit to himself and satisfaction to 
 his constituents, rolitically, he is a Democrat, but 
 is broad in his views, always willing to accord to 
 others their right to their own opinions. INIr. En- 
 gland has not only witnessed, but has been a partici- 
 pant, in the many changes which laid the foundation 
 for the present prosperity of Louisa County, and 
 placed it in its high rank in the State of Iowa. 
 
 ANIEL McKAY, residing on section 26, 
 .Marshall Township, is one of the promi- 
 nent and well-to-do farmers of Louisa 
 County. He was born in Columbus City 
 Township, Dec. 20, 1843, and is a son of James 
 and Rebecca (Ilicklin) McKay, the former a native 
 of Virginia, and the latter of Kentuck3\ The 
 mother is yet living, and resides in Wapello, Iowa. 
 In tiie spring of 1 1S42 the family emigrated to this 
 Slate, locating in Columbus City Township, where 
 James McKay was one of the leading men. In 184fi 
 he was elected Circuit Clerk of Louisa Count}- by 
 the Whig party, which office he filled for some 
 years with honor and credit to himself, and to the 
 satisfaction of his constituents. He was a man 
 highly respected for his many excellent qualities. 
 In 18.50 he started to California on a visit, but was 
 taken sick and died at Chimney Rock, that State. 
 Mr. and Mrs. McKay were the i)arents of ten cliil- 
 
 4* 
 
 dren, though onlj' three are now living: XorvalW., 
 now County Treasurer of Louisa; Servilla, wife 
 of Judge J. M. Davis, of Chillicothe, Mo.; and 
 Daniel. 
 
 The education of our subject was received in the 
 common schools of the county, and he wasrearedlo 
 farm life, remaining under the parental roof until 
 August, 18C2, when he enlisted in the 19th Iowa 
 Infantry for three years' service, and was assigned 
 to Company F. He participated in all the engage- 
 ments of the regiment, took part in the siege and 
 capture of Vicksburg. and was wounded at the 
 battle of Prairie Grove, Ark., where somanj' of the 
 brave boys of the 19th Iowa Infantry laid down 
 their lives on the altar of their country. At the 
 battle of Sterling Farm, with the remainder of the 
 regiment, Mr. .McK.ij- was taken prisoner and sent 
 to Tyler, Tex., where he was confined for six 
 months, and tlien removed to Shreveport, La., 
 where he made his escape from the prison. His 
 absence was soon found out, and when within 
 twenty-two miles of the Union lines, after having 
 traveled through swamps and baj-ous, and been pur- 
 sued b}- bloodhounds, he was recaptured and taken 
 to Columbia, La. He was cast into jail with three 
 of his comrades, Eli Sheets. Benjamin F. Goodwin 
 and Jiicob Konski. During the second night of 
 their confinement tlie four comrades .again escaped, 
 and this time were successful, reaching the lines at 
 Natchez, Miss., where they were royally welcomed, 
 and given a grand reception. Through the re- 
 mainder of the war Mr. McKay served with his 
 regiment, and in 1865 received his discharge at 
 Davenport, Iowa. 
 
 Returning home in September of that year, Mr. 
 McKay made a trip to Colorado, there spending a 
 j-ear, and again came back to Louisa County in 1 808. 
 Renting a farm, he engaged in its cultivation for four 
 years, at the expiration of which time, in 1872, he 
 removed to Nodaway County, Mo., there buying a 
 farm of forty acres. He subsequently sold that 
 land and purchased 200 acres, which he improved 
 and cultivated until it was one of the best farms in 
 the county. His efforts in this line of business 
 were very successful, and he remained in Nodaway 
 Count}' until 1882, when he sold out and again 
 came back to Louisa County. Purchasing a farm 
 
 ni w 
 
♦-11^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 J17 
 
 uf IGO acres on section 20, IMarshall Township, he 
 lias since improved it, ami has also made it one of 
 the best farms in Louisa Count}-. 
 
 On the 4th of August, 1«G7, the marriage of 
 Daniel McKa}- and Miss Anranda Jones was cele- 
 brated. 'Ihe lady is a native of this county, and a 
 daughter of Gustavus and Charlotte (Rouse) Jones, 
 her father being one of the leading merchants of 
 Wapello. In his political sentiments Mr. McKay 
 supports the Democratic i)art}', while sociality, he is 
 a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to. 
 the Blue Lodge of Wapello. He has alwa^'S taken an 
 active part in public affairs of the county, is ever 
 ready to advance the interests of the communit}', 
 and is held in high esteem by the people of Mar- 
 shall Township. 
 
 NDREW BROCKERT, a pioneer of Louisa 
 County of 1840, residing on section 27, 
 Elliott Township, is a native of Bavaria, 
 (lermany, born in 1821. His parents, 
 Philip and Eva (Stinebuck) Brockert, came to 
 America in 1H34, leaving our subject and three 
 other membei-s of the family at home on account of 
 not having money enough to pay their passage. The 
 parents first settled in Penns3'lvania, where they 
 lived for a few months, and then became residents 
 of Richland, Ohio, making it their home until the 
 fall of 1838, when they removed to Pickaway 
 County, Ohio, and there resided until the fall of 
 1841. Their next place of residence was in Au- 
 glaize County, Ohio, where the death of the father 
 occurred in 18,'i4, at the age of seventy-one, the 
 mother departing this life in 1871, at the ver}' 
 advanced age of one hundred years. This worthy 
 couple were members of the Catholic Church, and 
 reared a family of five children: George; our sub- 
 ject; Josejih, who is living in Ohio; John Philip, 
 also a resident of tiie Buckeye State; and Mar}-, 
 wife of Jacob Foltz, of Ohio. 
 
 When seventeen years of age, in 1838, our sub- 
 ject, who had been left in Germany b}' his parents 
 on llieir emigration to America, .set sail for this 
 couTilry, going directly to Ohio after reaciiing this 
 country. He engaged as a fjirm hand in that State 
 
 for two years, and then, in 1840. came to Louisa 
 County, locating on section 27, Elliott Township, 
 where he has since resided, and is now the owner of 
 117 acres of arable land, all under a fine state of 
 cultivation. He began life as a farm hand, but step 
 by step has worked his way up. and has now a com- 
 fortable competency. He ditl not even have a 
 knowledge of the English language on his arrival in 
 America, but with characteristic determination soon 
 mastered it, and is now one of the well-informed 
 and intelligent men of the county. He patiently 
 bore the trials and privations of i)ioneer life until 
 success crowned his efforts, and now as an honored 
 pioneer and worthy citizen he receives universal 
 respect. 
 
 On the 4th of March, 1843, Mr. Brockert wedded 
 Elizabeth Miller, a native of Ohio, and a daughter 
 of Isaac Miller. They are now the parents of eight 
 living children: Nancy J., wife of Michael Mellin- 
 ger, a resident of Winfield, Iowa; JMaria E., who 
 wedded David Steel, of Elliott Township, this 
 county; John P., who is eng.aged in farming in 
 Mercer County, 111.; George E., whose home is in 
 Decatur County, Iowa; Sarah C, wife of Joseph 
 Gregg, of Sheridan County, Kan.; Jacob, whose 
 home is also in that State; Marcus R., at home; 
 and Mary M., wife of Dean De Ilarpert. 
 
 Marcus, the seventh child of Andrew and Eliza- 
 beth (Miller) Brockert, was born in Louisa County 
 in 1858, and now has charge of his father's farm, 
 managing it with abilitj',and with an energ}- which 
 characterizes all his actions. Politically, he alliii- 
 ates with the Republican i)arty,and is one of Louisa 
 County'scoming young men, who has the respect of 
 his neighbors and a large circle of friends. 
 
 ^^ AMUEL J. HERKICK, of Wapello, is a 
 
 ^^^^ dealer in general hard ware, stoves, tinware, 
 
 lH/_u) farm tools and m;ichiner\', making a spe- 
 
 ^ cialty in the latter line of the Albion Spring 
 
 Tooth Cultivator and Seeder. Jlr. Herrick was 
 
 born in Wapello Township, on his father's farm, 
 
 Aug. 16, 1852, and is the son of David W. and 
 
 Zirelda (Jamison) Herrick. His Lather was born 
 
 near Walcrlown, N. Y., l)w. C, 1821, was a farmer 
 
 f 
 
•¥^^f^Mi. 
 
 -•► 
 
 51S 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 by occupation, and came to Wapello in 1847, 
 where lie was married Nov. 13, 1848. His wife, 
 who was the daughter of Merit L. Jamison, came 
 to Louisa County with her parents in 1840. 
 
 Our subject was reared on a farm, and was edu- 
 cated at Grand View Acjidemy and at Bonsell's 
 Bu.siness College, of Burlington, Iowa. On the 
 23d of August, 1880, he wedded Miss Lou Rabo'd, 
 daughter of William Rabold. Mrs. Herrick was 
 born at Wapello, where her parents were among the 
 earl^' settlers. Her father was proprietor of the 
 popular hotel known as the Wapello House, for 
 many years prior to his death, and was a highly 
 esteemed citizen of that town. Her mother, a 
 worthy and respected l.adj', survives her husband, 
 and is still keeping the hotel. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Herrick have been the parents of 
 three children, two sons and a daughter: Origin B. 
 died Oct. 27, 1887, aged five years; the daughter, 
 Ora, is now four years old, while the younger son, 
 Paul J>.. is an infant. After a somewhat protracted 
 sickness from lung disorders Mrs. Herrick died, Oct. 
 6, 1888, at the .age of thirty-one years. She was an 
 exemplary Christian lady, and her death was 
 mourned by a large circle of friends. 
 
 Mr. Herrick for short intervals has been absent 
 from Wapello, engaged in various undertakings, but 
 the greater part of his life has been spent in this 
 township, either on a farm, or following mercantile 
 pursuits. In September, 1885, he engaged in the 
 hardware business, also dealing in farm machinerj-, 
 in which, by enterprise and hard work, he has built 
 up a good trade. In politics Mr. Herrick is a 
 Democrat, but has never sought or desired public 
 office. While comparativelj' young in mercantile 
 life, he is regarded among the substantial business 
 men of Wapello. 
 
 •-^!j9>i- 
 
 ^E^ 
 
 <?5<r-o 
 
 JACOB KALLKNBARGKR. a farmer re- 
 siding on section 24, Grand View Township, 
 sy^ was born in Germany in 1823. His par- 
 (^ cuts, John and Mary (Genzheimer) Kallen- 
 barger, were also natives of Germany, and emigrated 
 to America, settling in Iowa in 1852, where the 
 
 death of the mother occurred in 18G8. After the 
 death of his wife the father returned to Germany, 
 his death occurring there in 1873. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm, receiving 
 his education in his native land, and there learned 
 the trade of a cabinet-maker, at which he worked 
 for several years. Resolving to try his fortune in 
 the New World, he bade goc>d-bj' to his home and 
 friends, and in September, 1846, embarked in the 
 sailing-vessel "Brunswick" from Havre de Grace, 
 landing at New Orleans after a pleasant voyage of 
 twenty-seven days. Remaining in that city for 
 three years, he was there united in marriage, in 
 1848, with Ann Mary Brown, a daughter of Ben 
 and Kuniganda (Kahn) Brown, all being natives of 
 Germany. The death of her father occurred in his 
 native land, after which the mother came to 
 America, residing in Louisa County until 1870, 
 when she too was called to her final rest. 
 
 The young couple remained residents of New 
 Orleans until 1849, when they removed to St. Louis, 
 making that their home for nearlj' a year, and in 
 Maj', 1850, landed at Muscatine, Iowa. After re- 
 maining in that cit}' for about a month they came 
 to Grand View, where for five years Mr. Kallen- 
 barger worked at his trade of cabinet-making, and 
 also was emplo^'cd at carpenter work. In 1855 
 he took up his residence on the farm which still 
 continues to be his home, renting the land for about 
 four years, and then in 1859 purchasing sixt}' acres, 
 part of which was covered with heavy timber. As 
 time h.is passed he has added to his original pos- 
 sessions, until he now owns 187 acres, part of which 
 is highly cultivated, the remainder being used as 
 pasturage. In his political views Mr. Kallenbarger 
 is a Democrat. He assisted in organizing the school 
 districts of his township, and has always taken 
 great interest in providing the best teachers and 
 securing the best educational advantages possil)le. 
 
 Nine children have been born to this worthy 
 couple: II. Jacob, who is married and resides in 
 Wichita, Kan., where he works at his trade of a 
 stonemason; Mary, now Mrs. Cash, is living in 
 Muscatine; Christina, wife of Mr. Stingle, makes 
 her home on the farm ; Christ is married, and re- 
 sides on the island; DaH is living in Wisconsin; 
 John is a widower, residing in Wichita, Kan. ; Adam 
 
 f 
 
=L 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 .19 
 
 died in .lanimry, 1888, at the age of twcntj'-six 
 years; Libl.ic, residing on the home farm, is the 
 widow of Mr. Reed; and Ella is clerking in a store 
 in St. Louis. 
 
 Mr. an<l Mrs. Kallenbarger are members of tlie 
 German Congregjitional Church, of Grand A'iew, in 
 which he is one of the Trustees. They are ranked 
 among the iiighjy respected citizens of the commu- 
 nity in which the3' reside, and are among the pio- 
 neers of the countj-. On their arrival in Iowa tlie 
 land was almost entirel3' in its natural state, not a 
 furrow had been turned on the prairie, over which 
 the deer frequentlj' roamed. Bands of Indians 
 were also often seen, and wolves might frequently 
 be heard howling at night. 
 
 — ^ ^># "^ 
 
 
 (TV IfelLLIAM B. DAVIS, a fsirmer residing on 
 \jjj/l section :^4, Oakhind Township, was born in 
 W^ Orange County, N. Y., in 1819, and was 
 the eldest of nine cliildren of Isaac and Nancj' 
 (Hcrrington) Davis, natives of Orange County, N. 
 Y. His father followed the occu|)ation of farming, 
 and in 1834, accompanied by iiis famil}', emigrated 
 to Ohio, settling upon a farm whicii he made iiis 
 home for thirtj' years, and thence removed to 
 Otoe County, Neb., locating near Nebraska City in 
 18G4. Iiis death occurred May 14, 1887, at the 
 ripe old age of ninety-five years. His wife pre- 
 ceded him to her final rest, dying in 1882, at the 
 age of eighth-five. Mr. Davis served as a soldier 
 of the War of 1812, and was one of the prominent 
 citizens of the community in which he resided. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood upon iiis father's 
 farm, and obtained his education in tiie district 
 schools of New York and Ohio. On the ^Tth of 
 October, 1843, in Coshocton County, Oliio, he led 
 to the marriage altar Miss Charlotte Clark, a native 
 of I'eniis3lvania, of wiiich State her parents, George 
 and Mary (Huff) Clarlv, were also natives. Her 
 father became a soldier in the War of 1812, in 
 whicli he was probably' killed, as he was never again 
 heard of. The mother afterward married, and 
 moved to Ohio, where she died manj' years ago, 
 whcTi about eighty-four 3'ears of age. After their 
 marriage Mr. and INlrs. Davis began their domestic 
 
 life upon a farm in Ohio, he purchasing utiimprovcd 
 land, which he cultivated, and subsequently owned 
 three other farms. By their union two children 
 were born : George W., who is married, and re- 
 sides in Louisa County ; and Joanna, now Mrs. Wol- 
 ford, wlio is living in Pawnee County, Neb. 
 
 In 18G4 Mr. Davis, accompanied by his family, 
 came to Louisa Count}',, settling on section 24, 
 Oakland Township, where he purchased 130 acres 
 of improved land, which is now in a high state of 
 cultivation. He has since purchased a farm for his 
 son, and now rents his own land. He has alwaj's taken 
 great interest in political affairs, is a Democrat, 
 and strongly advocates the principles of that party. 
 For the past twenty years he has held the office of 
 Justice of the Peace, discharging his duties with 
 promptness and fidelity, and for fifteen years lias 
 been a member of the School Board. He has aided 
 greatlj' in the organization of the school districts 
 in his township, and is prominent in advancing the 
 cause of education. Socially, he is a member of the 
 Masonic fraternity, and his wife belongs to the Ger- 
 man Reformed Church at Conesville. Their home 
 is pleasantlj' situated about seven miles from Co- 
 lumbus Junction and a mile and a half from Cones- 
 ville. Mr. and Mrs. Davis receive the respect and 
 confidence of all who know them, and have many 
 warm friends in the county. 
 
 rjl)ENJAMlN F. COE, an early settler, and for 
 ^< man}- years a prominent farmer of Elm 
 (irove Township, Louisa County, now re- 
 siding in Columbus Cit}-, was born in Alle- 
 gheny County, Pa., Sept. 24, 181ij. His parents 
 were Daniel and Mary (Boyd) Coc, and wcreamc.ng 
 the first families of Allegheny County. His father 
 was born in a log fort at Springdale, Ohio, now 
 known as Logan's Ferry, and in early days he kept 
 the fort that was known as Coe's Station. The fam- 
 ily is of English origin, and the ancestors lived in 
 New Jersey previous to their removal to Allegheny 
 Count}', Pa. On the mother's side the family is 
 of Irish descent. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm, received a 
 common-school diication. and learned the hatter's 
 
•►Hl^ 
 
 -•► 
 
 520 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 trade at Pittsburgh. He followed tliat vocation for 
 but a few j-cars, when, having cultivated his talent 
 for vocal music, he became a teacher in that pro- 
 fession. He was married in his native State, on the 
 14th of Februar}-, 1840, to Miss Mary McLean, a 
 daughter of David McLean, a native of Alleghenj' 
 Citj\ Pa., born in 1818. She was a consistent Chris- 
 tian woman, a member of the Presbyterian Church, 
 and a devoted wife and mother. Her death oc- 
 curred in June, 1885. Mr. and Mrs. Coe were the 
 parents of seven children, of whom six are now liv- 
 ing: David IMac married Miss Ella Smith for his 
 first wife, tiien wedded Miss Clara Roberts, and is 
 now practicing dentistr}' at Winterset, Iowa; Ed- 
 ward E., who is single, is engaged in farming in Elm 
 Grove Township; AVilliam S. married Miss Annie 
 Marshall, and is a farmer of Cass County, Iowa; 
 Harry is the husband of Carrie Hoppy, and is a 
 druggist of Des Moines; Mattie Helen is the wife 
 of W. H. Helmick, and resides in Washington 
 County, Iowa; Mary is unmarried, and lives with 
 her father; and one child died in infancy. 
 
 In 185C Mr. Coe emigrated with his family from 
 Pennsylvania to Iowa, locating in Elm Grove Town- 
 ship, Louisa Count}', where he purchased a farm of 
 raw land, which he now has well improved. The 
 farm embraces 200 acres, and has been the familj' 
 homestead for thirty-two years. In political senti- 
 ment Mr. Coe was a Whig in early life, and cast his 
 first vote for President for W. H. Harrison, the 
 grandfather of the present Republican candidate for 
 that oflice. On the dissolution of the old Whig 
 party, he helped to organize the Republican party, 
 and cast his vote for Col. John C. Fremont, its first 
 National candidate. In 1800 he was elected Treas- 
 urer of Louisa County, and was twice re-elected, 
 serving in all six yeare. He also held the ofHce of 
 County Supervisor for two terras, and has served in 
 several minor oflices. True to the traditions and 
 precepts of bis forefathers, Mr. Coe has been a con- 
 sistent meml)er of the Presbyterian Church, of 
 which he is now an Elder, and has served in that 
 relation for many years. His father and grand- 
 father before him were also Presbyterians and El- 
 ders in the church. Mr. Coe has now retired from 
 active farming, and intends making his home at 
 Columbus City. In all the relations of life, either 
 
 public or private, tliis gentleman has borne himself 
 like a true man. Faithful in the discharge of every 
 duty, he was esteemed a competent and efficient 
 public officer, while in the private walks of life he 
 has ever been found courteous, kind and liberal, 
 and with a character above reproach. 
 
 ^ • :s-^m^^ 
 
 "if^ATRICK COLTON. deceased, a worthy 
 pioneer of Louisa County, of Ma}', 1842, 
 was born in the North of Ireland, in Count}' 
 Tyrone, in June, 1800, and was educated 
 in his native couutr}', from which he emigrated to 
 America in 1820. He made his home in New York 
 City, where he was married, in 1825, to Miss Han- 
 nah Tiramou}', also a native of Ireland, and a 
 daughter of Edward Timmony. They spent four 
 years in Jersey City, N. J., after which the}' re- 
 moved to Adams County, Pa., where they resided 
 until 1842. and then came to Iowa, settling in 
 Louisa County in Columbus City Township, in that 
 portion since organized as Union Township, where 
 Mr. Colton was engaged in farming and stock-rais- 
 ing until his death, which occurred Feb. 10, 1856. 
 His wife, an estimable lady, survived her husband 
 many years, dying July 16, 1870, at the age of 
 sixty-five. They left a family of ten children, all 
 of whom are living with the exception of one daugh- 
 ter: William A., the eldest, was united in marriage 
 with Miss Mary A. Weir, and after her death wed- 
 ded Miss JIatilda Harrison; for many years he 
 was a physician and druggist of Louisa County, 
 and is now the cashier of the Louisa County Na- 
 tional Bank, making his home in Columbus Junc- 
 tion. Mary, wife of William Reese, a farmer of 
 Columbus City Townsliip; Catherine, wife of S. N. 
 Spurgeon, a resident farmer of Union Township; 
 James, who married Miss Catherine McSweeney, is 
 engaged in farming in Union Townsliip; Ellen, 
 widow of Andrew Gamble, resides at Columbus 
 City; Edward, a retired farmer, became the hus- 
 band of Mrs. Anna Gould, and is a resident of Co- 
 lumbus City ; John married Miss Julia McCarthy, 
 and is engaged in fanning on the old homestead in 
 Union Township; Francis wedded Miss Elenora Gar- 
 ner, and is the senior partner of the firm of Colton 
 
 ^ 
 
 
■<- 
 
 ■•»» 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 521 
 
 & Garner, ojcneral mercliants of Columbus City; 
 Josepliinc. wife of A<l:\ni Crini, died in liie month 
 of .lune, 1H77; and 'llionuis, wlio married Miss 
 Rosa Morgan, is engaged in farming in Union 
 Towntship. 
 
 Mr. Colton was a standi Democrat in political 
 sentiment, but never an aspirant for public office. 
 He strove earnestly to establi>h a comfortable home 
 for his family in a strange and new country, and 
 success crowned his efforts. He w.as a plain, unpre- 
 tending gentleman, upright and honorable in all his 
 ways, and was highly respected by those who knew 
 him. With the assistance of his excellent wife, he 
 inculcated correct principles of honest}- and mo- 
 rality in the minds of his children, who have all be- 
 come worth}' and honored members of societ}'. 
 
 4 
 
 ^^^^sATHAN C. GLIDDKN, dealer in general 
 I j) hardware, stoves, tinware and farm machin- 
 li[J^ ery , at Columbus City, was born at Hartland, 
 Vt., Dec. 29, 1830, and is a son of .lames and Sarah 
 (Saxon) Glidden. His father was born at Raymond, 
 N. H., May 19, 1790, and died in March, 18.39. 
 His mother was born at Tetford, Vt., Jan. 15, 1792, 
 and died at the age of eighty-four years. 
 
 Our subject removed with his parents to Susque- 
 hanna Countj', Pa., in 1833, where he was reared 
 on a farm, and having the misfortune to lose his 
 father when eight j'ears of age, had to begin the 
 battle of life for himself when but thirteen. He 
 worked at whatever he could find to do for four 
 years, and then went to Binghamton, N. Y.. where 
 he served a regular apprenticeship to the wagon- 
 maker's trade with .James Angel, a man who was 
 true to his name and proved a true friend to the 
 young mechanic. Nathan remained with his em- 
 ployer for six months after completing his term of 
 apprenticeship, and then went to Vestal Center, 
 Uroome County, where he opened his first shop and 
 carried on the wagon-making business for five years. 
 While in that place he was united in marriage with 
 Miss Olive E. Silsb}', a daughter of James Silsby, 
 their union being celebrated Jan. 1, 1854. Mrs. 
 Glidden was born in Yates County, N. Y. Her 
 father was a native of New Jersey, and her mother, 
 
 whose maiden name wasSchivcrs, was born in Nor- 
 folk County, .Mass., June 23, 1802. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Glidden are the parents of five 
 children, four of whom were liorn in the East and 
 one in the West: Arthur J., who was born in 
 Broome County, N. Y., m.arried Caroline R.aw- 
 housei-, and is a carriage-maker of Marshalltown, 
 Iowa; Louie S. is the wife of AUiert White, a tin- 
 smith, of Ames, Story Co., Iowa; Charles H., who 
 is engaged in blacksmithing in Marshalltown, is the 
 husband of Olie O'Brien; John R. wedded Allie 
 Day, and resides at Ames, Iowa; May died at the 
 age of seventeen months. 
 
 Mr. Glidden removed with his family to Cort- 
 land County, N. Y., in 1856, locating at Marathon, 
 where he carried on a wagon-making establishment 
 for seven years, and in 1 804 removed to Winneshiek 
 County, Iowa, settling in Canoe Township, where 
 he eng.aged in farming until the fall of 1867. At 
 that time he removed to Ainsworth, Iowa, where he 
 made his home one year, and on the ist of January, 
 1869, became a resident of Columbus City Town- 
 ship, this county, where he purchased land and en- 
 gaged in farming until the spring of 1874, when he 
 removed to Columbus Cit}', and bought out Jacob 
 Getts' wagon-making business. He followed that 
 vocation until tiie fall of 1885, when he sold out. 
 and a few months later embarked in his present 
 business, having continued the same since March, 
 1886. 
 
 Mr. Glidden is an ardent Republican, and lias al- 
 ways given tiiat party his warmest support. He has 
 held various minor olliccs, but h.as never sought or 
 desired political honors. He and his wife, together 
 witii their children, are members of the Baptist 
 Church, and are highly respected throughout the 
 community where they reside. 
 
 -5-+f=5>£=€-M- 
 
 UILLIAM H. CREIGHTON, deceased, a pio- 
 neer of Louisa County of 1835, was born 
 WW ill Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1805, and 
 w.as a son of Hugh Creighton, a native of Ireland. 
 His mother, whose maiden name w.as Hunter, was 
 of Scotch ancestry. When a young man Hugh 
 Creighton left his native land and emigrated to 
 
 h 
 
•^f^^ 
 
 522 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 America, settling in Ohio, where he was afterward 
 married. He had received a liberal education, and 
 in his }-ounger da3's engaged in teaching. He and 
 his wife reared a family* of five children: AVilliara, 
 our subject, is the eldest; Joseph H. came to this 
 county at an early day, pr.acticed medicine for 
 several j'ears, and was then ordained as a minister 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and ever since 
 has been eng.igod in preaching, and now resides in 
 Fairfield County, Ohio; his son Charles, who is 
 also a minister, is President of the Nebraska State 
 University. Samuel came to this count}' in 1845, 
 where he engaged in farming for six years, and 
 then returned to Fairfield County-, Ohio, where he 
 is now engaged in the nurser}' business; Henry, now 
 deceased, was also a farmer of Fairfield County ; 
 Jane is the wife of Cyrus Hedges, a prosperous far- 
 mer of the Bucke^-e State. The parents of this 
 family were devoted members of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, and active workers for their 
 Master's cause. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm in Ohio, and 
 received his education in the common schools. In 
 1835 he wedded Emily Hedges, and shortly after 
 their marriage they emigrated to Louisa County, 
 Iowa, settling on section 35 of what is now Elliott 
 Township, where Mr. Creighton purchased 640 
 acres of land at a Government land sale. This was 
 entirely unimproved, and the first winter passed in 
 their new liome was spent in an Indian wigwam, 
 which was made of bark. Mr. Creighton immedi- 
 ately began the cultivation of his land, and soon 
 had a fine farm, which comprised G20 acres at the 
 time of his death, which occurred April 29, 1876. 
 His wife is still living, and makes her home with 
 her daughter, Mrs. Levi Storks, of Des Moines 
 County. Nine children were born unto them, six 
 of whom are living: Thornton, who died at the age 
 of seventeen years; Hugh L., a farmer of Elliott 
 Township; Samuel II., who enlisted in the War for 
 the Union in the 1st Iowa Infantrj-, serving four 
 months, and then enlisting in the 15th Iowa Regu- 
 lars, served in that regiment as Sergeant until his 
 death, which occurred in 1865; J. H., whose sketch 
 appears elsewhere in this work; David J., a resident 
 of Mediapolis, Iowa; Nancj- J., wife of Levi Storks, 
 a farmer of Des Moines County; Harriet Ann, wife 
 
 of AV. S. Jliller, a farmer of Elliott Townslii]), and 
 Sarah E., who wedded Luther Blake, of Des Moines 
 County. 
 
 Mr. Creighton was a member of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, of which body his wife is also a 
 member. He was a man who took great interest in 
 public affairs, and held various township ofHces. 
 He came to this county when it was almost an un- 
 broken wilderness, when the wild game abounded, 
 when deer roamed over the prairie, and the Indian 
 wigwams formed the principal settlements. Little 
 can the rising generation realize the trials and hard- 
 ships which were borne bj' the pioneers in order to 
 make homes in the new country. They laid the 
 foundation of the present prosperity of Louisa 
 County, and to them the highest respect is due. 
 
 Vir^/RANKTUSTISON, M. D., of the firm of 
 iJ-^fej Tustison & Grimes, of Wapello, physicians 
 /1|) and surgeons, was born in Crawford Countj-, 
 Ohio, Jan. 25, 1837, and is the sou of Charles and 
 Sarah (Cox) Tustison. His father was a native of 
 Philadelphia, Pa., his mother of Ohio, and with 
 their children removed to Defiance County, Ohio, 
 when our subject was twelve years of age. In 1863 
 they removed to Edgar County, III. Charles Tusti- 
 son pursued the occupation of farming until his 
 death, which occurred in 1806; the mother is still 
 living, and a resident of Longview, Tex. 
 
 The subject of our sketch received his primary 
 education in Defiance County, Ohio, and entered 
 Newville Academy, at Newville, Ind., in 1858, 
 taking a classical course, after which he spent 
 one year on the home farm in Ohio, then re- 
 turning to Indiana, he entered upon the study of 
 medicine undei' the direction of Dr. Hull, a promi- 
 nent physician of Newville. After a year and a 
 half spent with Dr. Hull, Mr. Tustison came to 
 Iowa in 1862, and settled at Ainsworth, Washing- 
 ton Count}'. He then took a course of lectures at 
 the Keokuk Medical College, and returning, en- 
 gaged in the practice of his profession at Ainsworth 
 in the spring of 1863. A year later he took a sec- 
 ond course of lectures at the same institution, be- 
 ing gradu.ated from that excellent school in the class 
 ^^ 
 
■<- 
 
 -•»- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 523 
 
 -t 
 
 of '64. Dr. Tustison continued to practice at 
 Alnsworlii until 1871, when lie moved to AV'apello, 
 Iowa, and has been in active practice here contin- 
 uously since. In 1874 he formed the existing 
 partncrsiiip with Dr. W. G. Grimes. 
 
 On the 2()th of November, 18.59, .at Hicksville, 
 Ohio, Dr. Tustison and Miss Martha Thompson, 
 daughter of John G. Thompson, were united in 
 marriage. Mrs. Tustison died on the otii of August, 
 1872, li-aving throe children, a son and two daugh- 
 ters — Emma, Ora and Dwiglit; another child, Mary, 
 died in infancy. The Doctor was again married in 
 March, 1873, to Mrs. Minnie Mann, a daughter of 
 Thomas Yost, and iier death occurred in July, 1878. 
 In August, 1880, Dr. Tustison was united in mar- 
 riage to his present wife, whose maiden name was 
 Miss .Sophia Hook, daughter of George AY. Hook. 
 Mrs. Tustison was born in Jefferson Township, this 
 county, where her family were among the early 
 settlers. Two children were born of their union, 
 Charles H. and Frank G.,both born at Wapello. 
 
 Mrs. Tustison was reared under the influence of 
 sound religious training, and is a member of the 
 Presbyterian Church, of Wapello. Politicallj', the 
 Doctor is an earnest Democrat, and a warm sup- 
 porter of the policy' of President Cleveland on the 
 tariff issue. Socially, he is a member of Wapello 
 Lodge No. 5, A. F. ife A. M.; and of Cyrus Chapter 
 No. 13, K. A. M.. of Washington, Iowa. Both Dr. 
 Tustison and his partner, Dr. Grimes, are gentle- 
 men well skilled in their profession, and have an 
 extensive practice. 
 
 jljf^OBERT C. DRYDEN, a prominent farmer 
 Ijyir and pioneer residing on section 17, Morn- 
 /L \\, ing Sun Township, was born in Washing- 
 ^ ton County, Pa., March 23, 1827, and is a 
 son of John and Catherine (Carey) Dryden, both 
 of whom were also natives of the same count3'. 
 There their union was celebrated, and to them 
 were born seven children in that county. About 
 the year 1829 the parents removed to Harrison 
 County, Ohio, where two other children were born. 
 There the father improved a farm, u|)on which he 
 resided until his death, which occurred in 1835. 
 4« 
 
 Mrs. Dryden died in Morning Sun, March 2, 1862. 
 To all church work lie lent his earnest sup|)ort, and 
 botli he and his wife were members of the Seceder 
 Presbyterian Church for many years. Not only in 
 church work, but in any enterprise for the pulilic 
 good he aided largely. His honesty and integrity 
 won for him many friends, and he received the 
 highest respect of all with whom he came in con- 
 tact. 
 
 The following are the children born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Dryden: James C, who died in Ohio; Jolin, 
 Jr., who was a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, died in Kansas about the year 1884; Jane 
 wedded Moses Lakin, and died Nov. 19, 1887; 
 Mary A. became the wife of James K. Brown, both 
 of whom have passed to their final rest; Eliz.'il)eth 
 M., widow of James Martin, is a resident of Wdson 
 County, Kan.; Samuel has made his home in the 
 Western States for twenty j-ears; our subject, who 
 is sixth in order of birth; William K., now a resi- 
 dent farmer of Wilson County, Kan., and Sarah 
 M., who is the wife of Frank Jarvis, also a farmer 
 of Wilson Count}-, Kan. 
 
 Robert C. Drj'den, the subject of this sketch, 
 received his education in the schools of Harrison 
 County, Ohio, attending during the winter months, 
 and working upon the farm during the summer 
 time. In tiiat county all the chiliircn grew to ma- 
 turitj'. Remaining there until 1848, Mr. Dryden 
 then emigrated to Des Moines Counlj-, Iowa, set- 
 tling in Danville Townshij), where he rented a farm 
 for eighteen months. In 1 8o0 he removed wiih his 
 mother to Louisa County, where she entered 160 
 acres of land on section 17, Morning Sun Township, 
 which Robert C. subsequently purchased. For al- 
 most forty years he has there made his lionie, and 
 in that time transformed the wild land of which he 
 took possession into one of the most highly culti- 
 vated farms of the county. On his arrival not even 
 a furrow had been turned, not a tree or shrub had 
 been planted, not a fence built. Williin three 
 months after the warrant had been laid a small 
 cabin, IfixlG feet, had been erected, and into that 
 the family moved, beginning Mfe in true pioneer 
 style. The trials and liardships which come to all 
 who first make homes in a new country were cheer- 
 fully endured by Mr. Dr^'den an<l his mother, and 
 
-^*- 
 
 524 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 their patience anc', labor at lengtli received their 
 reward. Starting in life with but a cash capital of 
 S140. with which he purchased his farm, by his en- 
 erg3-, enterprise and good management he has 
 steadilj' increased it until he now has a comforable 
 competency. From time to time he has added to 
 his land, until now 307 broad acres in Louisa County 
 pay tribute to his care and cultivation. He is also 
 the owner of 120 acres of fine land in Cerro Gordo 
 County. 
 
 On the 4th of December, 1(^51. Mr. Dryden was 
 united in marriage with Miss Mary Mickey, a na- 
 tive of Richland County, Ohio, and the only daugh- 
 ter of John R. Mickey, who came to Des Moines 
 County, Iowa, in an early day, and shortly after- 
 ward became a resident of Louisa Count}*. In 1849 
 he was called to his final home, and his widow later 
 became the wife of David Blake, a farmer of Ma- 
 rion County, Kan. (see sketch on another page). 
 
 Nine (^liildren grace the union of Mr. and JNIrs. 
 Dryden: Sarah A. became the wife of Edson Mun- 
 shower, a resident farmer of Morning Sun Town- 
 ship; Clarissa C. wife of Francis M. Curran, a 
 farmer of Harrison County, Iowa; Laura O. and 
 George Harlan arc both residing at home; JolmC, 
 born April 11.1 865, died Dec. 1,1871; Glenn, born 
 Oct. 23, 1873, died July 28, 1875; Minnie I., 
 born March 19, 1870, died Nov. 12, 1871 ; Rhoda 
 A.. l>orn Feb. 18, 18G8, died when about eighteen 
 months old; Mary J., born Feb, 24, 1857, died Oct. 
 C, 1858. Mr. and IMrs. Dryden have given their 
 children good educations, therebj' fitting them for 
 useful positions in life, and by their own example 
 have taught tliom sobriety and truth. They are both 
 members of the United Tresbyteriau Church, and 
 are earnest workers in their Master's vineyard. To 
 all foreign and home missionary societies Mr. Dry- 
 den is a liberal contributor, and to any who need 
 assistance he is always ready to lend a helping hand. 
 His integrity is undoubted, and his word is as good 
 as his bond. 
 
 On one of the pleasantest farms of the county, 
 surrounded by a loving wife and happy children, 
 Mr. Dryden has passed almost forty years of his life. 
 His residence, which is a fine two-story frame 
 building. 3r.x.'i2 feet, with five large rooms in the 
 lower .story and four above, is the abode of one of 
 
 ^ 
 
 the happiest families in the county. Evergreens 
 and other towering trees cast their shade around 
 the home, where ever}' convenience which makes 
 life enjoyable is found. Beautiful flowers gladden 
 the eye. and delicious fruits in their season tempt 
 the appetite of the most fastidious. Two miles of 
 hedge fence, evenly trimmed and nice!)' kept, has 
 been set out. The home farm is divided into. three 
 40-acre fields, and another forty is subdivided into 
 three fields, and all are fiuelj- fenced. The farm is 
 stocked with a good grade of cattle and horses, and 
 the l)arns and out-buildings are models of conven- 
 ience. We are pleased to record the sketches of 
 these worthy pioneers who have witnessed the de- 
 velopment and growtii of the count}', and have 
 aided largely in its progress and civilization. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Dryden the highest praise is due for 
 their aid in placing Louisa County in the front 
 rank in the great State of Iowa, and to them the 
 respect of the whole comnjunity is given. 
 
 
 
 fp^ OBERT H. EVAN.S, a general farmer and 
 IL*^ stock-raiser, residing on section 17, Elm 
 iV Grove Township, was born in February, 
 8)1840, in Merionethshire, Wales, and is a son 
 of Robert and Jane (Evans) Evans, who were also 
 born in the same place. They were parents of eight 
 children, four sons and four daughters, all yet liv- 
 in<'-, though only two ever came to America. Rob- 
 ert, and Mary, now Mrs. Griffith, of Elm Grove 
 Township. Evan, Eliza, Jane, Catherine and Lewis 
 yet live in their native land, while Thonias is a 
 gold miner of Australia. 
 
 Our subject received his education in Wales, and 
 there aided his father in the labors of the farm until 
 186C, when, resolving to make America his future 
 home, he crossed the Atlantic, and after reaching 
 harbor came directly to Louisa County, Iowa. For 
 a short time he was employed ns a farm hand, after 
 which he bought eighty acres of land, which w.is 
 then but partly iniprovc<l, but is now one of the 
 best farms in the county, owing to the cultivation 
 and labor which Mr. Evans has bestowed upon it. 
 He has .added to the original i)urchasc until he now 
 
mv. 
 
 \\\ 
 
 X.- 
 
 o^^ <3^m 
 
<^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 527 ik 
 
 owns 334 acres in one boily, and his farm is stocked 
 witli a good gi-a<le of horses, cattle and liogs. 
 
 In 1868 Mr. Kvans was united in marriage with 
 Sarali Daws, a native of Wales, and to them were 
 born six cliiiilren : Robert E., born Sept. IG. 18G8, 
 died in .Iinie, 1870; Anna .lane, born Oct. 22, 1870; 
 Eunice, Jan. 9, 1873; Claudia, Sepl. 2, 1875; 
 Thom.as John, Oct. 14, 1878; Mary, Sept. 27. 1882. 
 The mother died July 13, 1884, and Mr. Evans was 
 again married in June, 18.sO, becoming tlie husband 
 of Ma}' Evans, who was also born in Wales, and is 
 a daughter of Evan and Mar}' Evans. By their 
 union one child has been born, Leah. The parents 
 are both members of the Welsh Presbyterian Church. 
 Mr. Evans has held various township offices of 
 trust, is now one of the School Directors, and is also 
 serving as Road Supervisor. In his political views 
 he is an ardent supporter of the Republican party, 
 unswerving in his allegiance to its principles. He 
 came to this country with a determination to bean 
 American citizen, and Louisa County has not (3ne 
 who is more true and loyal. Tliis land is now his 
 home, its interests are his, and for its welfare be 
 earnest!}' labors. 
 
 f^*^^^^ M. LETTS, a prominent and representative 
 jj citizen of Louisa County, residing on sec- 
 ,aa tion 20, Grand \'iew Township, was born 
 in Licking County, Ohio, in 1818, and is the eldest 
 in a family of four children born to David and 
 Elizabeth (L.'iir) Lelts, the fatiier a native of I'enn- 
 sylvniiia. and the niotiier of Virginia. 'I'liey were 
 early settlers in Licking County, Ohio, where the 
 father engaged in farming. In 18;!() he emigrated 
 to Illinois, settling in what wan then called Taze- 
 well County, but is now known as LaSalle County. 
 He purchased land of the (iovernment and was one 
 who assisted in organizing LaSalle County. Dur- 
 ing the Black Hawk War he lived in the fort called 
 Ft. Wilburn. Later in life he engaged in the mer- 
 cantile business at Ottawa, 111., but came to Iowa 
 in 18.')5. settling in Cranrl View Township, where 
 his death occurred the following year. The mother 
 
 departed this life at Dayton, L.aSalle Co., HI., in 
 183.J. 
 
 Our subject was reared to farm life and received 
 his education in the district schools of LaSalle 
 County. At the age of si.\teen he entered liis 
 father's store at Ottawa, 111., .as a salesman, lie 
 was married in LaSalle County, in 1838, to Eliza- 
 beth Grove, a native of Licking County, Ohio, and 
 a daughter of John and Barbara (Linnbarger) 
 Grove, who were natives of Mrginia. Her father 
 died in Ohio, and her mother in La.Salle County, 
 111. 
 
 Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Letts: 
 Rowena, wife of E. F. Brockwav, of Wiushington 
 County, Iowa; and David, who married, and also 
 resided in AV.ashington County until his death, 
 which occurred in 188.'), leaving a wife and six 
 children. In 18.)1 the death of Mrs. Letts, who 
 was a most estimable l.ady, occurred in LaSalle 
 County, at the age of thirty-two years. Mr. Letts 
 was .igain marriiMl in that county, in 1852, to Jane 
 Holderni.in, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of 
 Abram and Lotta (Kneel) Iloldernian, who were 
 also born in Ohio. They settled in LaSalle County, 
 111., in its i)ioneer days, probal)ly about the year 
 1830 or 1831, and there their death occurred a 
 number of years ago. 
 
 Our suliject remained a resident of La.Salle 
 County, 111., until 18.") t. when he emigrated to Iowa, 
 settling in (!rand View Townsliii), where he has 
 since continuously resided. He i)urcliased 400 
 acres of partly improved land and immediately 
 began its cultivation, also building a very line farm 
 residence. As time has p.asscd he lias aihled more 
 land, until he has a large farm, 500 acres of which 
 are under a fine state of c\iltivatioM. the rcniaindi'r 
 being used for i)asturage, and all being fenced. 
 Mr. Letts is engaged in buying and feeding stock, 
 having fed during the past years from 200 to 300 
 in the winter, and pastured from 500 to (JOO in the 
 summer. He also raises a fine grade of farm horses, 
 and everything about his lands denotes thrift ami 
 industry. Mr. Letts is not very active in politics, 
 but casts his vote with the Republican ])arty. 
 
 The second wife of Mr. Lelts died in 18G3. 
 Their union was graced by five children, four sons 
 and one dautrhler: Willis H. is married, and resides 
 
 -f 
 
J= 
 
 4*- 
 
 528 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 in Grand View; James II. is also married, and re- 
 siides in Concord Township; Hilton M. is married, 
 •■ind resides in Columbus City Township; Emma S. is 
 the wife of J. W. Waters, of San Antonio, Tex.; and 
 Noah K., who is also married, makes his home with 
 our subject in Grand View Township. 
 
 In November. 1864, in Louisa County. Iowa, Mr. 
 Letts was again united in marriage. Mrs. A. P. 
 Sawyer, a native of New York, becoming his wife. 
 She is a daughter of John and Hannah (Spicer) 
 Powers, who were born in Connecticut and emi- 
 grated to New York at an early day, settling in 
 Genesee County, where the father died in the j-ear 
 1842, and the mother in 1858, The father's occu- 
 jx-ition was farming. Mrs. Letts is a member of the 
 li.iptist Church, of San Antonio, Tex. Since 1880 
 Mr. Letts and his wife go to the South in October 
 and. spend the winter in San Antonio, Tex., return- 
 ing home in May. Their pleasant home is situated 
 about three and one-half miles from Letts, a tliriv- 
 ing village which wjis named in honor of our sub- 
 ject, who is one of the active business men of 
 Louisa County, and who, as a citizen, is greatly 
 respected. 
 
 The portrait of Mr. Letts will be found upon an 
 accompany ing p.ige. 
 
 #^ 
 
 -J- 
 
 APT. WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL, a farmer 
 stock-raiser, residing on section 34, EUi- 
 
 6:; 
 
 ~^tt?' ott Townshii), was born in Perry County, 
 111., Aug, 18, 1839, and is a son of W.S. and Nancy 
 (McGuire) Campbell, the father a native of Mercer 
 County-. Pa., .and tiie mother of Ciiester County, 
 S. C. Throughout his life W. S. Campbell en- 
 gaged in farming. In 1828 he cniigr.ated from 
 Pennsylvania to Illinois, where he was united in 
 marriage with Nancy McGuire. Seven children 
 were born to them, and willi the exceptifin of two, 
 all are now living. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm in his 
 n.itive St.ite, and in the fall of 1857 removed with 
 his father to Des Moines County, lowa.i where he 
 resided until the breaking out of the Rebellion, 
 when he responded to the country's first call for 
 troops, and enlisted .'is a member of Coni|)any E. 
 
 1st Iowa Infantry, for three months' service. He 
 received his discharge on the 20th of August. 1861, 
 after which he returned to his home, remaining 
 there until the 10th of September following, when 
 he again enlisted, as a private in a coin])any which 
 was assigned to the 14th Iowa Infantry. He 
 was elected First Lieutenant on the 18th of the 
 month. He w.as subsequently commissioned Cap- 
 tain of Company Iv of that regiment, and served 
 in that rank for three years, with tlie exception of 
 five months, during which time he held the rank 
 of Colonel. He j)articii).ated in the battles of AVil- 
 son's Creek and Ft. I)onels(m, where his regi- 
 ment was captured and held as prisoners for six 
 months and eleven da^-s. During the summer of 
 
 1863 they did garrison duty, and in the spring of 
 
 1864 were placed under the command of Sherman. 
 They next took part in the lied River expedition, 
 and the capture of Ft. Duressa, where the guns of 
 his company were the first to strike the fort, after 
 which they joined Banks at Alexandria and pro- 
 ceeded toward Shrevesport. where the battle of 
 Pleasant Hill w.ns fought. The regiment then re- 
 turned, and proceeded up the Mississippi River to 
 Chicot Lake, Ark., where they had an engage- 
 ment with JIarmaduke. They next were at Mem- 
 phis, Tenn., whence they pursued the rebel Gen- 
 eral, Forrest, bringing on an engagement at Tu- 
 pelo, where Capt. Campbell was commissioned 
 Commander of the 14th Regiment, and then entered 
 upon tlie Price campaign through Missouri. There 
 our subject went with an escort of four companies 
 from Jefferson Barracks to Ft. Davidson, with 
 Ewing, and at the latter jilace they were sur- 
 rounded and had a hard fight, having'but 1,060 men 
 against 18,000 of Price's force. After the battle 
 thej' evacuated the works, and in front of the enemy 
 started for RoUa, ISIo., having several engagements 
 on the way with Marmaduke. At Leesburg they 
 engaged the enemy for two days. On the l(>tii of 
 November, 1864, Mr. Campbell received his dis- 
 charge as Captain after over three years of hard 
 fighting upon the battle-fields of the South, during 
 wiiich he was .always found at his post gallantly 
 doing his duty. 
 
 After his discharge Ca|it. C:imi)licll returned to 
 Des Moines Countv, Iowa, wlicre lie had purciiasc(l 
 
»► 1 1^^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 biO 
 
 n farm in W:isliinirtf)n Tnwnship, liut lie remained 
 there only a short time, and in tlie sjiring of 1865 
 came to Louisa County-, where he binight 200 acres 
 of land on section 34, Klliott Township, which still 
 continues to be liis home. He is now tlie owner of 
 240 acres of fine l.-uid, whicli comprises one of the 
 best farms in the townsliij). lie makes a speci.ilty 
 of raisiuij stock, in which he is quite successful, and 
 upon his farm may be' found good grades of horses 
 and cattle. Politically, he is a Republican, and is 
 one of the prominent farmers of the county. 
 
 On May 20, 1862, Mr. Campbell was united in 
 marriage with Mary J. Johnson, a native of Louisa 
 County, and a daughter of George Johnson, who 
 was born in Ohio, but who died in this county. 
 They are the parents of twelve children: Anna E., 
 wlio died at the age of sixteen years; Elmer E., who 
 resides in Louisa CouTity; Susan, George W., John 
 L. and Maggie May, twins; Frank, Robert; Charles 
 Chester, who is now deceased; James G., Emma, 
 and Thomas E., who died at the age of two years. 
 Capt. Campbell is a member of the G. A. R., 
 and has lidd various township offices; he is one of 
 the respected and liunored citizens of Louisa 
 Count3\ 
 
 AMES R. DLNCAN, one of the prominent 
 and representative farmers of Louisa Countj-, 
 W.1S born on section 10 of Union Towiisliip_ 
 where he still continues to reside. His par- 
 ents, G. 15. and Ann S. Duncan, were natives of 
 Tennessee, and came to tliis county in an early day, 
 settling in Union Township, where the father en- 
 tered a quarter-section of land, which is now in the 
 possession of our subject. The history of the 
 Duncan family will be found in the .sketch of S. H. 
 ]Juncan, on another page of this work. For forty- 
 five years it li.is been a leading family of the county, 
 and its members are among the honored and re- 
 spected citizens. Almost the entire life of James 
 h.as been s])cnt upon one farm, with the exception 
 of al)out two years which he passed in Columbus 
 Junction, engaged in tiie live-stock business. His 
 education was received in tlie district schools of the 
 community. In the month of April, 1880, he be- 
 came the husband of ALiry E. McAvoy. a native 
 
 of Washington County, Iowa, and a daughter of 
 AVilliam McAvoy. To this happy couple has 
 been born an interesting f.aniily of three children 
 — Ethel, Delia and Harry. 
 
 Mr. Duncan is now the owner of 400 acres of 
 fine, arable land, which is well improved, and car- 
 ries on general farming. He is one of the leading 
 and progressive farmers of I'nion Township, and 
 everything upon his land denotes the thrift and 
 enterprise of the owner. I'oliticall^', he .affiliates 
 witli the Democratic party. He is universally 
 known throughout the county, and his fair dealing 
 and upriglit life have won him the confidence antl 
 good-will of all. 
 
 ^ ^^^ ^ 
 
 ^^^nOMAS EVANS, deceased, was a pioneer of 
 m^s Loui.sa Count}-, and was born in Wales. His 
 ^^^' father, Richard Ev.ans, was a farmer by oc- 
 cup.ation, and Thomas was reared to farm life. In 
 1844, on attaining his majority, he left his native 
 land and emigrated to America, locating first in 
 Ohio. Remaining in that State for several months, 
 he then came west to Louisa ('ounty, Iowa, in the 
 spring of 184.5, settling on section 2!), in Columbus 
 City Township, where he entered 160 acres of land. 
 This wiis in its primitive state, covered with a thick 
 growtl^ of brush, which had to be cleared away 
 before the ground could be plowed and planted, 
 but little by little the groiuid wjis made ready for 
 the seed, and he soon had a fine farm, upon which 
 he resided until his death in 1855. 
 
 To Mr. .and Mrs. Evans were born four children, 
 though onl}' one reached maturity, Elizabeth Ann, 
 now the wife of David R. Huglies. a f;irmer of 
 Columbus City Township. Mr. Kvans was a mem- 
 ber of the Welsh Congregational Church, and a 
 sincere Christian. Public spirited, liberal, and just 
 to all, he won friends wiierever he went. 
 
 After the de.ath of her first iiusband Mrs. Evans 
 became the wife of Humphrey Jones, a native <>f 
 Wales, who died in 1884. She w.'is born in March. 
 1820, and is a daughter of Hugh and Ann (Evans) 
 Tudor. Her f.ather was a farmer, and the members 
 of his family yet living are: Catherine; .Xrthui-, 
 who resides in Red O.ak, I<iwa; William, of Cin- 
 
 -•► 
 
•^1^^ 
 
 4r 
 
 r,-^o 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 eiiinati, Ohio, is the proprietor of tlie Tudor Boiler 
 Mamifaoturing Company of that city, and is also 
 jiroprietor of the Tudor IJoiler Works. He made 
 the first locomotive boiler west of tlie Allcfjhany 
 Mountains, constructed the boiler for the first fire 
 en<rinc ever made in the United States, and also 
 built the boiler for the famous gunboat "Monitor," 
 used in the United St.itcs Navy during the late Re 
 hellion. The third child of Hugh Tudor is Mrs. 
 KlIiMi Hughes, of Cincinnati. Ohio. 
 
 F*IIOMAS L. ESTLE, deceased, settletl on sec- 
 tion 13, Concord Township, in 1838. He 
 
 S' was a native of New Jersey, born in 1814, 
 and w:us the eldest in a family of eight children. 
 His parents were also natives of New Jersey, and 
 when he was a small lad they removed to Ohio, 
 which was then a Territory. Thomas there received 
 his education in the district schools, and made it 
 his home until twenty-four years of age, when he 
 came to Louisa County., Iowa, making his first pur- 
 chase of land at tiie lUnlington land sale of 1839. 
 The country was then in its virgin state, hardly a 
 furrow had been turned on the prairie or a tree cut 
 in the forest. Mr. Estle li.ad to endure all the trials 
 ami privations of pioneer life, even having to 
 make liie rails used for fences, but with persever- 
 ance and untiring energy he worked on until he 
 JKul improved 1,179 acres of land in Louisa and 
 Muscatine Counties. 
 
 In 1844, in this county, Mr. Estle was united in 
 marriage with Susan Shellal)arger, a native of 
 Ohio, and a daughter of Jacob Shellabarger, who 
 was also born in the lUickeye State. During the 
 early days of the history of this county her par- 
 ents came to Iowa, settling on section 13, Concord 
 Township, where they resided until their death, 
 which occurred many years ago. The young 
 couple began their domestic life upon the same 
 farm, wiiere they resided until after the death of 
 Mr. and Mrs. Shellabarger. when they removed to 
 Cedar Township, IMuscatine County. Ten children 
 were born of their union, and eiglit of that num- 
 ber .are yet living: William I!., who is married, and 
 resides in Taylor Counly, Iowa; Mary A., now 
 
 Mrs. Thompson, is living in Grand View; Eliza- 
 beth L., now Mrs. Smitli, makes lier home in Adams 
 County, Iowa; Jacob S. is married, and resides in 
 Oakland Township; John is married, iind located in 
 Dallas County, Iowa; Charles is also married, and 
 resides in Concord Townshii); Sarah A., wife of 
 Dr. Hall, is a resident of Louisiana; Margaret 
 B., now Mrs. jMcColm, is living in Muscatine 
 County, on the old homestead. 
 
 Mr. Estle resided in Muscatine County, Iowa, 
 until the time of his death, which occurred Nov. 
 13, 1884, after an illness of only a week's duration. 
 His excellent wife survived him until June 15. 
 1888, when she too departed this life, at the age of 
 seventy years, having been a resident of Iowa for 
 over half a century. Mr. Estle was a Republican 
 in politics, and identified himself with every inter- 
 est for the public good. He did all in his power 
 to aid in the progress and development of the com- 
 munity in which he resided, and his honest, upright 
 life won him the confidence and esteem of all with 
 whom business or pleasure brought him in contact. 
 He was one of the earliest settlers of Louisa 
 County, and his death not only proved a sad loss 
 to his family, but was felt tliroughout the com- 
 munity. 
 
 AVID DOTSON, Sr., one of the early set- 
 il tiers of Louisa County, now residing on 
 section 34, Wapello Township, was born 
 in Eayette County, Ta., Oct. 18. 1818, .and 
 is a son of Daniel and INIary (Sutton) Dotson, tlie 
 father a native of Maryland, and the mother of 
 New Jersey. In their younger j-ears the parents 
 removed to Pennsylvania, where they were mar- 
 ried, and eight diildren were born to them, six of 
 wliom lived to be .adults, and two are yet living: 
 Esther, widow of John White, whose home is in 
 Louisa County, and our subject. The father w.as a 
 shoemaker by trade, and also engaged in carpenter- 
 ing. In his political views he was an old-line 
 Democr.at, and he and his wife were members of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. They were every- 
 where known for their integrity and just lives, and 
 ha<l the confidence and good-will of the entire com- 
 
 t 
 
■^•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 "rtT^ M I 
 
 531 
 
 munity in wliicli they resided. In 1810 the death 
 of Mr. Dotson occurred, and six j'ears later his wife 
 departed this life. 
 
 The V)oyhood days of our subject were spent in 
 F.\vette County, Pa., until seventeen years of age, 
 and there he received a good common-school edu- 
 cation. Choosing the trade of carpentering for 
 his life work he became an apprentice, serving a 
 term of three ^-ears, for which he received his board 
 and clothing as a compensation for his labor. He 
 worked at tliat trade in Pennsylvania, and after 
 coming to this count^^ the first work obtained was 
 on the Jamison House. 
 
 In 1840 ^Ir. Dotson and ^Miss INIary J.ackman 
 were united in marriage. Tlie l.vly is a daughter 
 of Thom.as and Elizabeth (Woodfield) Jackman, 
 the former a native of Ireland and the Latter of 
 Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Jackman were the 
 parents of seven children, three of whom are j^et 
 living: Catherine, wife of William Taylor, of 
 Jefferson County, Ohio; Bernard, who is living in 
 Columbiana County, Ohio, and Mrs. Dotson. The 
 parents, who were memliers of the Methodist Ei)is- 
 copal Church, died in Pennsylvania. 
 
 By the union of Mr. and Mrs. Dotson five chil- 
 dren yet living have been born: Bazzle, who mar- 
 ried Miss Eliza Jane Paisley, is now a resident of 
 Shelby, Neb.; Oella, wife of LaFayette Packwood, 
 of Des Moines County, Iowa; Samuel, who lives in 
 Louisa County; Hattie and George, who are at 
 home. 
 
 In 18.54, accompanied by his family, Mr. Dotson 
 came by 1)oat to Louisa County, landing at Port 
 Louisa. The country was then in a wild, unculti- 
 vated state, but settling on section 2.5, Wapello 
 Township, he ininiediately began to develop a farm. 
 He first moved his family into a brick house which 
 was owned by a ^Ir. Bell, but the following year 
 liuilt a liome of his own. He there resided until 
 1865, when he sold out and moved to the farm 
 where he now resides, on section 34 of the same 
 township, which li.as now been his home for twenty- 
 three years. When he first came to the county the 
 nearest trading-post was Wapello, and his crops had 
 to be h.auled there in wagons. Many hardships 
 incident to pioneer life had to be encountered, I)ul 
 with a deterniin.ation to succeed Mr. Dotson over- 
 
 came all ditliculties, and by industry and economy 
 has become one of the well-to-do farmers of the 
 county-, now owning 2 10 acres of land, 160 of which 
 are highlj' cultivated. In his political views in 
 early life Jlr. Dotson was a Whig, and cast his 
 first vote for Gen. W. II. Harrison, but on the dis- 
 solution of that party, and the organization of the 
 Repu])lican in 1856, he joined the latter, and has 
 since been one of its supi)orters. Strictly honest 
 in his dealings, liis word is as good as his bond. 
 He and his wife are meml)ers of the Holiness Church. 
 
 
 /p^EOKGE B. MILLER, a pioneer of Louisa 
 (if <^ County, now residing on section 13, IMorn- 
 ^^^ ing Sun Townsliip, was born in Shelby 
 County, Ky.. Dec. 25, 1820, and is a son of John 
 and Mary (Boyd) jMiller, both of whom were na- 
 tives of Kentucky. On the maternal side our sub- 
 ject is of Irish ancestiy, his grandfather having 
 been a native of Ireland, though he removed to 
 Kentucky, and there reared a family. John Miller, 
 the father of our subject, sold his land in Kentucky- 
 and moved to Decatur County, In(L, where the death 
 of himself and wife occurred, he dying in 1876, his 
 wife departing this life many years previously, in 
 1838. They were both members of the United 
 Presbyterian Church, and to them were born seven 
 children, only three of whom are living: Martha, 
 wife of James Wilson, a resident of ^Morning Sun, 
 Iowa; Jame;s, who is engaged in farming in Pay- 
 ette County, Ind., and George. 
 
 Our subject received his education in the common 
 schools of Indiana. He remained .at home upon the 
 farm until 1846, when he went to work by the 
 month for about a year. In 1847 he, in partner- 
 ship with James Hamilton, came to Iowa and pur- 
 chased about 400 acres of land, and immediately 
 began its improvement. Timber had to be cut for 
 a frame building whicii lie erected, the dimensions 
 being 18.\20 feet. On the 5th of January, 1845, 
 I\Ir. Miller was united in marriage with Jane Owens, 
 who was born in Juniata County, Pa., July 10, 
 1816, and is a daughter of William Owens, a n.a- 
 tivc of Iri'hMiii. The young couple inniu'iliatcly 
 moveil lull) Ihc littk' frame buildliiLT which Mr. 
 
 •T 
 
•^"^ 
 
 ■4. 
 
 532 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Miller had erected, and he immediately began the 
 imiuovement of his land. Fences were built, and 
 where once was hazel brush now tower the lofty 
 shade trees planted by Mr. and Mrs. Miller. The 
 orchard was i)lanted with m;uiy varieties of fruit, 
 crops were sown and soon yielded a bountiful har- 
 vest. Little by little, by the careful hand of Jlr. 
 Miller, the wild, unbroken land was transformed 
 into beautiful farms. Many years have passed since 
 he became a resident of Louisa County, bringing 
 with them the joy and sorrow which come alike 
 to all. lie faithfully endureil the trials and hard- 
 ships incident to i)ioneer life, and now can lay 
 aside tlie burden of the day, living upon the com- 
 petence earned in former years. A one and a half 
 story frame house has been added to the little 
 cabin, and four children have been born to this 
 worthy couple. Only one was permitted to live 
 be\ ond infancy, James F., but he too, when seven- 
 teen yc'irs of age. was called to his final home. A 
 young man full of energy anil great promise, his 
 fleath indeed proved a sad loss to his parents. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Miller are both members of the United 
 Presbyterian Church, and in politics he is a stanch 
 Republican. 
 
 ,^\ ARK DAVISON, banker and farmer, of 
 Wapello, and one of the largest real-est:ite 
 owners of Louisa Count}-, was born near 
 Hull. Yorkshire, England, on the 7th of 
 May, 1815. lie is the son of George and Susanna 
 (Gillings) Davison, who were also natives of En- 
 gland. The family emigrated to America in the 
 year 1818, and settled in Washington County, Pa., 
 where our subject was reared on his father's farm, 
 and received a common-school education. lie w.ns 
 united in marriage, in Washington County. Pa., in 
 .lune, 1838, with Miss Eliza Linton, a n.ative of 
 that count}'. The marriage ceremony was (ler- 
 formed by Justice Ephraim lUaine. father of the 
 Hon. James (i. Klaine. Seven children were born 
 of their union, and those living are: Iliiam 1>., 
 who was a soldier of the late war, and wlio wedded 
 Miss Mary Worshara, is a merelunit of Wapello, 
 Iowa; Mary is the wife of J. li. .McCulIough, a 
 hiinber merchant of Wapello. Iowa; .lolui .Vustin 
 
 married Miss Blanche Mj^ers, and resides in Wich- 
 ita, Kan. :Mr. Davison lost his first wife in 1855, 
 and wiis subsequently married to Nancy Brown. 
 His present wife was Elizabeth A. Montgomery, 
 who is a native of Ohio. 
 
 Mr. Davison removed from Penns3'lvania to 
 Iowa in 1840, and settled in Wapello Township, 
 Louisa County, where he bought a farm and en- 
 srajjed in farminij and stock-raisins. In 1848 he 
 removed to the city of Wapello and engaged in 
 merchandising, which he carried on until 18G9, 
 when he sold out U) his son, II. B., .and opened a 
 private banking-house in that city, and li.as ever 
 since done the exclusive banking business of Wa- 
 pello. The house is now known .as the Commercial 
 Bank, of Wapello, Iowa, and is conducted under 
 the management of his joungest son, Joyner, the 
 present c.isliier of the bank. 
 
 'Sir. Davison has constantly increased his acre- 
 age in Iowa until he now has a numlier of farms, 
 aggregating over l.GOO acres, and with the excep- 
 tion of about 150 acres his land is all improved. 
 A large portion of this land lies in Louisa County, 
 while some of it is distributed in ^luscatine and 
 Winnebago Counties. He has a large amount of 
 live stock, and devotes the greater part of his 
 time to the care of his farms and other property. 
 In addition to his large area of valuable farming 
 lands and his b.ink. he has considerable city prop- 
 erty. In politics he is a Republican, but is not 
 of the ofHce-seeking class. Business pursuits are 
 more to his t:iste. .and his extensive property in- 
 terests demand his whole .attention. Energetic 
 and unremitting application to details and an inde- 
 fatigable industry may lie said to lie anK)ng his 
 marked peculiarities. Plain and un.assuniing in 
 manner, he possesses superior executive ability and 
 business sagacity, his large i)ropcrty h.as been ac- 
 cumulated by his individual etforts. and is the re- 
 sult of persevering industrj' and shrewd foresight. 
 While he is said to be exacting ;is to his just due.s, 
 he is equally as jjarticular in fully meeting all 
 the legitimate demands against him. Eor over 
 forty-eight years he h.as been actively identified 
 with the agricultural interests of Lonis.a County, 
 and during all but eight years of that time has 
 been a [jromineiit business man of Wapello, both 
 
•^T^ 
 
 " ii» ^ i < 
 
 4 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 r>33 
 
 as meroliaut and baiikLT. While now In liis sev- 
 enty-fourth year, he is still active and enterprising, 
 and displnys more energy in business pursuits than 
 many middle-aged men. One object of this biog- 
 raphy is to teach the succeeding generations use- 
 ful lessons b^- the experience of those who have 
 gone l)efore, and the history of a self-made man 
 like ISIark Davison shows how much may be ac- 
 comiflished by untiring industrj-, strict integrity 
 and well-directed energy-. 
 
 " ^ ■**.'~'t~3r S 8 ~t~> --j~^ 
 
 ON. FRANCIS ALEXANDER DUNCAN, 
 
 a prominent farmer and an early settler of 
 Louisa County, was born in Blount County, 
 Tenu., June 9. 1824, .ind is the son of An- 
 drew and ^largaret (Alexander) Duncan. His fa- 
 ther was born in Washington County, Tenn., March 
 y, 1787, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. His 
 mother was born in Tennessee, Nov. 16, 1809, and 
 was of Scotch descent. 
 
 Francis Duncan was reared ujxjn a farm, receiv- 
 ing a common-school education, and emigrated 
 from Tennessee to Iowa with his jiarents and a col- 
 ony made up largelj' of members of his own fam- 
 ily, landing at Port Louisa April 13, 1844. The 
 partj- consisted of seven families, mostly the chil- 
 dren and grandchildren of Mr. Duncan's parents. 
 The first year was spent at Columbus City, and the 
 following spring all the meml)ers of the party who 
 were legall}- qualified took claims in the adjoining 
 country. Mr. Duncan, Sr., had some Government 
 land warrants, which he and his son Francis A. used 
 in securing a portion of their land. Francis A. 
 now owns three farms, aggregating 400 acres, and 
 lying in the township of Coluralius C'ity. A part 
 of this land consists of the original tracts entered 
 from the Government by his father and himself on 
 sections 33 and 34, Columbus City Townsliip. 
 
 In November, 1847, Mr. Duncan was united in 
 marriage with Miss Mary Adeline Shaw, daughter 
 of Francis Shaw, and a native of Hlount County, 
 Tenn. Five children were born of their union, 
 three sons and two daughters: 'I'homns Leander, 
 wlio wedded Miss Mary Duncan, is a farnu-r of 
 Columbus City Township; .lames .1. is a graduate 
 
 of Monmouth College, Illinois, and is a teacher; 
 Sherman resides on the old homjstead farm; Eliza- 
 beth A., wife of Robert A. Ilutton. of Washington 
 Count}-, Iowa; Marietta, wife of Frank A. Edmond- 
 son, of Union Township, this count}'. Mrs. Duncan, 
 who was an earnest Christian woman, died in Octo- 
 ber, 1858, and Mr. Duncan w:is again married, at 
 Putn.am, N. Y., in November, 1860, Miss Ella Ea.s- 
 ton l)ecoming his wife. She is a daughter of George 
 Easton, and a n.ative of Putnam, AVsusliington Co., 
 N. Y. They have three sons — Victor L., Frank 
 and George. 
 
 In early life Mr. Duncan was an earnest anti- 
 slavery man, or Free-Soiler, and later a Republican. 
 He is the only survivor of three who voted the 
 Liberty ticket in Columbus City Townsliip in the 
 Presidential election of 1848. When the Repub- 
 lican party was organized he was among the foremost 
 to zealously aid in that interesting event, and to 
 support Fremont and Dayton, the first Presidential 
 nominees of that party. Jlr. Duncan has been 
 chosen to various oflicial positions of honor and 
 trust. He was several times elected Supervisor of 
 the townshii) of Columbus City, jind for two years 
 presided as Chairman of that body. He was elected 
 to the Iowa Legislature in 1872, and served in the 
 Fourteenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth and Twenty- 
 first General Assemblies. In 1881 he was elected 
 to the State Senate. While in the Legislature he 
 served as a member on the Constitutional Amend- 
 ment Committee, on the Equalization Committee, 
 and on the Committees of Ways and Jleans and 
 Ro.ads .and Highways. 
 
 -3-*~ 
 
 ILLIA^I GRAY, deceased, was born in 
 '' Stratford, England, on the 26lh of Octo- 
 
 U 
 
 ber, 1824, .and w.os a son of James and 
 Susan (Mills) fJray, who were also natives of En- 
 gland. AVhen he w.as six years of age his |)arents 
 emigrated to America, settling first in Haltinuue. 
 Md., where the f.ather eng.aged in farming, and 
 where the death of Mrs. Gray occnrreil. The fam- 
 ily later removed to Columbus, ( )hio, where tliey 
 remained for a few years, and in 18 10 came to Lou- 
 
^ii^h-* 
 
 534 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 isa County, where the father jjurehased a farm on 
 section 3, Columbus Citj' Township, and made it 
 lii;* home until his de.ith. wjiioh oeeiirred May 1, 
 1 HMO, at the age of eighty- ^years. lie was a mem- 
 ber of the Episcopal Church. 
 
 Of the family of James and Susan Gray our 
 subject was the onl}- surviving child. He was 
 reared upon a farm and educated in the common 
 scliools of Ohio and Louisa County. His marriage 
 with Sarali Stron.ach, a native of Maryland, and a 
 daughter of William and Sarah (McBee) Stronacb, 
 was celebrated Jan H, 1M47. and two children were 
 born of their union, sons: James E., of Columbus 
 City Township, and William IL, an attorney -at-law 
 at Columbus Junction. The deatli of the father 
 occurred Jan. 31, 1888. He was one of the repre- 
 sentative men of his time, having served the towni- 
 sliip ns one of its Trustees for a number of years, 
 and took an active interest in its educational insti- 
 tutions, serving several years on tlie public school 
 board, and was a man of iirominence in the com- 
 munit3^ Jlrs. (ir.ay is still living, and resides with 
 her son James E., on the home farm in Columbus 
 City Township. 
 
 James K. Cray, a son of Willinin Graj-, whose 
 sketch is above, now resides on section 3, Columbus 
 City Townshij). He was born on tiiat farm, March 
 21, 18 lit, and his education was received in the 
 l)ublic schools of the county. He was reared to 
 farm life, and in 1877 was united in marriage witli 
 Mai-garet J. Dawdy. who was born in Iowa, and is 
 a daugliter of Alfred and Mary (Gunter) Dawdy, 
 who were natives of Kentucky. One child h.as been 
 born to them, a son, Chester E. Mrs. Gray is a 
 member of the Christian Church. 
 
 In connection with tlie cultivation of his farm of 
 240 acres, Mr. Cira^- has, since 1882, made a spe- 
 cialty of raising Short-horn cattle. He purchased the 
 lirst of tills Iireed from J. P. McCulhy and other 
 prominent breeders, and lias now a line herd of re- 
 corded stock. He also keeps stock on hand ready 
 to sell at any time. For the past twenty years he 
 has raised tlie [jure-bred Cliesler-Wliite hogs, of 
 which he keejw constantly on hand a number of 
 head, lie has exhiliited his stock at a number of 
 State and county fairs, .and been a successfid i)rize- 
 wimicr. in iiinnv instances carrying off tlio hig-hest 
 
 honors. He has a State reputation as a breeder of 
 fine stock, and has been very successful in this de- 
 ])artment of his business. In his political views 
 Mr. Gray is a Republican, and while he is some- 
 what enthusiastic in supixjrt of that party, he has 
 never sought public distinction as a jiolitician. jjre- 
 ferring to devote his entire attention to the more 
 agreeable occupation of farm life. He takes a lively 
 interest in nil matters pertaining to the pul)lic good, 
 and has been j)rominently identitied with the agri- 
 cultural societies of the countj' and district, and has 
 served on the Board of Directors several j-ears. 
 
 -<3= 
 
 =$=E>- 
 
 J OILS' B. GREEN, a farmer .and stock-raiser, 
 residing on section 30. Marshall Townsliip. 
 was born in Franklin County, Ohio. Nov. 
 19, 1822. and is a son of Thomas and Sarah 
 (Marsh) Green. On the jjatern.al side he is de- 
 scended from the Irisli, his grandfather having 
 been born in Cork, Ireland, in 1756. He emigrated 
 to America si.x weel<s i)rior to the birth of his son 
 Thom.as. and located in the Keystone State. The 
 father of our subject was a farmer by occupation, 
 .and in 1800 removed to JIarietta, Ohio, noted for 
 having once been the home of the Mound-builders. 
 During the War of 1812 he served as a member of 
 Col. Cass's regiment, and was in the army of (ien. 
 Hull, which surrendered to the British General, 
 Brock, at Detroit. After being kept prisoner for 
 some time, he was finally paroled and sent to 
 Cleveland, Ohio, whence he wended his way on 
 foot through the wilderness back to INIarietta. In 
 that vill.age, in 1813, he was united in marri:igc 
 with Sarah Marsh, whose father was an intimate 
 accpiaintance of Gen. Washington and .served under 
 his command during the Hevobitionary War. He 
 died in FrMuklin County. Ohio, at the .advanced .age 
 of ninety. 
 
 To Tliomas and Sarah Green was born a family 
 of twelve children, eight of whom are yet liv- 
 ing, the youngest being fifty years of age, and the 
 eldest seventy-three: Benjamin is living in Mus- 
 kingum County, Ohio; Nancy, widow of Janii-s 
 Ilurd, resides in Burlington, Iowa; John B. is the 
 
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 ■•^HK-^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTl'. 
 
 537 
 
 t 
 
 third in order of Itirtli; Cyrus is engaged in farm- 
 ing in Des Moines County. Iowa; Martha is the 
 wife of Adam Hill, a resident farmer of ^lorning 
 Sun Townsliip; Lucretia wedded Columbus De 
 Long, a harness-maker of Morning Sun; Edwin is 
 eng.aged in farming in Taylor County, loAva; and 
 George is a farmer of Marsliall Township. Louisa 
 County. The fatlier of this family died in JMus- 
 kingum County, Ohio, in 1860. He was a public- 
 spirited man, prominent in the community where 
 he resided, and was lumored and esteemed l)y all. 
 After the death of her liusband IMrs. Green came 
 to Louisa County, Iowa, malting her home with her 
 youngest son. George, where she died in 1866. 
 Both were members of the Presbyterian Cliurch, 
 and consistent Christian people. 
 
 John 15. Green, tlie sultject of this sketch, received 
 his education in the common schools of Muskingum 
 County, Ohio, and liis early life was spent upon his 
 father's farm. He remained under the p.arent.al 
 roof until the 15th of March, 1853, when he was 
 united in marri.age with Miss Louisa Dc Long, a 
 native of Muskingum County, born Dec. 24, 1833. 
 She is a daughter of Chancey H. and Sabra (Grand- 
 staff) De Long, who were of German .incestry. By 
 their union seven children liave been born: Charles, 
 born Nov. L5, 1853, in Perry County, Ohio, is now 
 a farmer of Kidder County, Dak.; Lillian, born 
 March 8. 1855, is the wife of Rev. Charles Fislier, 
 and both arc missionaries of Japan, she having 
 lieen engaged in that work for five years; Malissa, 
 I)orn Oct. 8, 1856. is the widow of William II. 
 Allen, and resides in Des Moines, Iowa; Carrie, 
 born June 2, 1861, is tlie wife of Nelson Steel, a 
 farmer of Kim Grove Township; William, born 
 Jan. 21, 1863, is employed .a-s a teacher in Portlsmd, 
 Ore.; George R., born .March 4, 1866, .ind Ber- 
 trand, Nov. 21, 1872, are both .at home. Mr. and 
 !Mrs. Green have taken gre.it pride in educating 
 their children, and have a family wiio do lifmor to 
 their name. 
 
 In September, 1865, 5Ir. Green emigrated from 
 Ohio to Louisa County, Iowa, where he ])urchased 
 105 acres of land on section 30. Marshall Town- 
 ship, and now has one of its best farms. It is 
 slocked with a good grade of both horses and cat- 
 tle, nn<l llii' land is .mII under cultivation. Mr. 
 
 Green and his estimable wife are members of the 
 Presbyterian Chifrch. with which they have been 
 connected for over thirty years. Politically, he is 
 a Republican, and lias held various official positions 
 in the township. Throughout his life he has iden- 
 tified himself with the religious and social interests 
 of the co"mmunity, and is regarded as one of L<niisa 
 County's best citizens. 
 
 illOIMAS THOMPSON, an extensive stock- 
 raiser of Louisa County, Iowa, residing on 
 section 2, Grand View Township, w.as born 
 in this county in 1858, .and was the fourth child in 
 a family of nine who were born to Philip and Re- 
 becca A. Thompson, who were n.ntivcs of Illinois. 
 In his native State the father engaged in farming, 
 and again resumed that occupation for some years 
 in Grand View Townshi|) after his removal to 
 Louisa County, but for the psist ten or twelve years 
 has been engaged in the hardware and iinjilcmcnt 
 business at Columbus Junction, 
 
 The boyhood days of our subject were spent 
 upon a farm, .and his education was received at the 
 Seminary of Grand View. In Louisa County lie 
 w.as united in marriage with Maiy A. Estle, their 
 union being celebrated Aug. 7, 1873. The lady is 
 a native of this county, and a daughter of Thomas 
 and Susan (ShcUabsirger) Estle, the former born in 
 New Jersey, and the latter in Ohio. They were 
 among the pioneer settlers of Muscatine County of 
 1838, and there the f.ather died several years ago, 
 and the mother June 15, 1888. 
 
 Mr. Thompson and his young bride began their 
 domestic life upon the farm on section 2. (irand 
 View Township, where they yet reside. By their 
 union two children were born, (!crtrude and Edna, 
 both at home. The farm is plejusantly situated 
 about three-fourths of a mile from Letts, thus fur- 
 nishing good school, market anil shipi)ing facilities. 
 It consists of 160 acres, which at the time of jnir- 
 chase was r.aw prairie land, but Mr. Thompson at 
 once began its cultivation, erecting a nice farm resi- 
 dence, and in 1887 building a large barn. As time 
 h.as passed he has added to the original jnirchase 
 until he now owns 210 acres of fine, arable land. 
 
 :?^:#-^ 
 
538 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 -t 
 
 which is liiglily cultivated ami iniproveil. and com- 
 prises oue of the be.^t farms in the county. It is 
 well watered by a never-failing spring, is all under 
 fence, and so admirably tiled tliat ever^^ foot is 
 tilhible. Mr. Thompson's stock is all of the best 
 grades, and he makes a specialty of raising Short- 
 horn cattle; lie also raises line draft horses, and has 
 some full-blooded Norman horses, while his hogs 
 are of the Poland-China and Chester- White breeds. 
 He also raises tine colts for the market, and has a 
 full-blooded IS'orman June colt. He has six other 
 full-blooded colts and eight fine brood mares. He 
 takes great interest in raising fine stock, and has 
 done much to advance the gi-ade in the countj'. 
 
 Mr. Thompson takes an active interest in politi- 
 cal affairs, and casts his vote with the Greenback 
 party. His wife is a member of the Episcopal 
 Church. The greater part of his life hiis been spent 
 in Louisa County, and he has witnessed many of 
 its most important changes, participating in its de- 
 velopment, and aiding in its progress. He is num- 
 bered among the highly respected citizens of the 
 community, and is known throughout tlic county 
 as an energetic and leading farmer. 
 
 We are (^leased to present herewith the portraits 
 of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. 
 
 •>r»fi^^>j^ 
 
 «^5«f-»«^<S- 
 
 I EV. LUTHER McVAY, deceased, a pioneer 
 of Louisa County. wa.s Ijorn in Ohio in 
 1815. His parents reared a family of six 
 ^ children, of whom he was the eldest, and 
 the death of both father and mother occurred in 
 Athens Coiinty, Ohio. In 1840 he was united in 
 marri.ige with Mary Jane Howell, their union be- 
 ing celebrated in Ohio, in wiiich St.ite she w.as born. 
 He li.id jireviously studied and fitted himself for 
 tlie ministry, having united with the Methodist 
 Church, and after his marri.ige w.as in charge of 
 a circuit in Athens County until 1841, when he 
 came to Iowa, settling in Lee County. He there 
 traveled a circuit for about two years, preaching 
 for tlie .MetlHxlist Episcopal Church, after which he 
 came to Louisa County, locating in the village of 
 (liand View in lS4fi, and the following vein- be- 
 come a memlicr of the United Urethicn Cliurch. 
 
 He was received into the (.Quarterly Conference 
 under the administration of Uev. John Evcrhart, 
 and in the month of August was received into the 
 Iowa Conference under the administration of Bishop 
 Ilanb^-, after whicli he immetliately joined the 
 itinerancy and began his labors in the vineyard of 
 the Lord. In 1847 he purchased land of the (>ov- 
 ernment, and his widow still has in her possession 
 the deed signed bj' James K. Polk. Upon this 
 farm, which consisted of eight\- acres, he erected a 
 small log cabin, made man^- other improvements, 
 and later added another tract of forty acres, mak- 
 ing that farm his home until his death, when not 
 called away by the duties of the ministry'. 
 
 On the loth of September, 1860, the death of 
 Mrs. McYay occurred in JIuscatine, where he was 
 preaching at the time. Two children had been 
 born of that union — William and Levi. The for- 
 mer is married, and resides in Nebraska; Levi is also 
 making his home in that State. In 18G1, in Jones 
 County, Iowa, Mr. McYay was again united in 
 m.arri.age. Mrs. Mary Moore, a native of Ohio, be- 
 coming his wife. She was a daughter of James 
 and Amanda (White) Miller, the former a native 
 of \'irginia. the latter of !M,issachusetts. Her father 
 was a farmer by occupation, and with his family 
 came to Iowa in 1848, settling in Jones County, 
 where he engaged in farming until his death, 
 which occurred in 1878, at the age of seventy -eight 
 3'ears. His wife is still living, at the advanced age 
 of eighty. Mrs. McY.ay's former husband. John 
 Moore, was a native of the Isle of Man, .ind when 
 two j'ears of age came to Chicago with his i)arents, 
 who made that their liome for alxmt two years, and 
 then became residents of Jones County, Iowa, 
 where they took a claim, upon which the}' lived 
 until their death, which occurred sonic years ago. 
 Mr. Moore followed farming in Jones County, 
 where he died in 1855, after a short illness of four 
 d:iys, his disease being lung fever, leaving three 
 cliildren: Minnie, now Mrs. (Jates, a resident of 
 Missouri; Eliza, wife of Rev. D. Miller, pastor of 
 the United Brethren Church at Ainsworth; and 
 Matilda, who resides with her mother. 
 
 After his second marriage ]\Ir. McYay remained 
 in .lones County for about a year, and then re- 
 moved to his farm in (J rami Yiew Township, 
 
 t 
 
■<^ 
 
 •«»> 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 539 
 
 Louisn County. After a liiifrering illness, his 
 (leatli offurri'd near Letts. Aug. 17, 1883, .it the 
 .■(ge of nearl}- sixty-eight j'ears. The funeral serv- 
 ices took place at his late residence on tlie 18tli 
 of August, at 1 o'clock V. jNL. and were con- 
 ducted bj- liev. J. IL Snoke. In his death tlie 
 community lost a good neigliVior. a true friend and 
 a devoted C'hrisli.-ui. His life work liad been for 
 his Master, he devoting every energy to the cause 
 of truth and riglit, winning many to the true w.iy. 
 To Mr. and Jlrs. McVay was boi-n one <'hild. 
 Perry, who resides at home, but wlio at present is 
 a student of the schools at Iowa C'itv. 
 
 -^^-B-- 
 
 t 
 
 ARION CARTER, cashier of tlic Farmers' 
 and Merchants' State llanli, of (Viluinbus 
 .lunction. is a native of Illinois, and was 
 born in Sangamon County, Aug. 2(), 1812; 
 |;:irents. Kdwin and Kniily (Spurgeon) Car- 
 ter, were early settlers of ))es Moines County, Iowa. 
 His father was born in Fau<piier County. \:i., July 
 25, 1814, and is descended from an old Virginian 
 family. He is a farmer by occui)ation. and yet re- 
 sides in Pleasant (irove Townsliip, Des Moines 
 County. The mother of our subject was born in 
 Kentucky, of AVelsli parentage, was related to the 
 Rev. S[)urgeon. the celebrated levivalist of England, 
 and her death occurred in the autumn of 1848. 
 
 When two years of age Clarion went with liis 
 l)arents to ids father's old home in Virginia, and 
 after a brief st.ay in the Old Dominion returned to 
 Illinois. In the fall of 1818 the family emigrated 
 from that Stale to Iowa, settling on a farm in Pleas- 
 ant drove Township, Des Moines County, where 
 our subject was reared to manhood, receiving Ids 
 primary education in the district school. Later lie 
 took a course of study at Prof. Howe's celebnited 
 training school at Mt. Pleasant, which was supple- 
 mented by a course at the Iowa Wesleyan I'niver- 
 sity. In IMay. 1872. he came to Cohunlius .hmr- 
 tion. which was tlien in its infancy, and in company 
 with E. M. Sargent oiieneil tlie first general store 
 ,at tliis jjoint, under tlic firm name of Sargent Si 
 Carter. He served as .Assistant Postmaster for M. 
 C. 15. (lentzler, keeping the ollice in the store at a 
 
 4» 
 
 fi.\ed salary of * 1,200 per year. On the 22d of 
 July. 1872. .Mr. Carter, in tiie discharge of his du- 
 ties, opened tlie tiist ni;iii poiicli received at the Co- 
 lumbus Junction ollicc, which was kept at the store 
 in the north room of the Worth.-mi House. On tlie 
 1st of January. 1873. he delivered the ollice to Mr. 
 (Jentzler, and on the 1st of March, 1874. was re- 
 appointed .Vssistant Postmaster under .M. C. Fulton. 
 In 1873 Mr. Carter bought out his partner's inter- 
 est in the mercantile l)usiness. which he carried on 
 alone until 1874, when he sold out to Paugli ct 
 Robinson. He w.as next employed as book-keeper, 
 being .agent for \V. II. II. Sjiafford. in 1872 wjis 
 City Recortler, and in 1883 began dealing in coal, 
 wood and railroad ties as a wholesale dealer, which 
 business he has carried on continuously since. On 
 the organization of the F:irineis' and .Merchants' 
 It.ank, of Columlius .hiuction. on the 3(1 of .Alarcli, 
 1888, he w!is chosen cashier, which position he yet 
 holds. 
 
 In Louisa County, Oct. 23, 1879, iMr. Carter was 
 united in marriage with IVIiss M. J. Ileindel. daugh- 
 ter of Samuel Heiudel. .Mrs. Carter was born in 
 York County, Pa. She is a member of the United 
 Presbyterian Church. They have one child, a son. 
 born .at Columbus Junction, Oct 25, 1887. Mr. 
 Carter is Indejjiendent in politics, and is not identi- 
 fied with any religious denoiniiiiition. .\s his rec- 
 ord shows, he was one of the very earliest merchants 
 in the city, and has been idenlilicd with its busi- 
 ness interests continuously since. He is a popular 
 bank ollicer, a genial, courteous gentleman, and a 
 highlj' respected citizen. 
 
 ARTIN C. HALL, a farmer of Louisa 
 County, residing on section 30, Elliott 
 Township, was born in Dearborn County. 
 Ind., May 2(). 1811), and is a son of John 
 and Ilann.ah M. (Eubank) Hall, l)oth of whom 
 were natives of England, the father of Lincolnshire, 
 and tlie mother of Yorkshire. John Hall w.-is a 
 carpenter by trade, and when our sul)ject was a 
 small t-hiid removed to the eit^- of Cinciimali. 
 Ohio, where Martin grew to inanliood and Icarncil 
 his father's trade, lu 1815 he was united in mar- 
 
540 
 
 ,t 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 riage witli Adeline liatman. a native of Hamilton 
 C'ouuty, Ohio, and siiortly after tiie young couple 
 removed to Jennings County. Ind., where Mr. Hall 
 worked at his trade until 18.57, and then emigrated 
 to Lee County, Iowa. He then worked at the same 
 occupation in Ft. Madison until the month of Au- 
 gust. 1862. when he enlisted in Company E. 19th 
 Iowa Infantry, and served three years, participat- 
 ing in the battles of Prairie Grove, the entire siege 
 of Vickstnirg. Yazoo, and was on the Red River 
 expedition under Gen. Banks, after which he was 
 detailed as one of the pioneer corps, in which he 
 served until July. 1864, and then returned to his 
 company. He received his discharge on the 1st of 
 August, 1865, after three years' hard service on the 
 battle-fields of the South. 
 
 In the fall of 1863 :Mr. Hall w.-is sent home on 
 the sick list, and during his furlough came to 
 Louisa CVjunty. where he purchased sixty acres of 
 land on section 30, Elliott Township, To our sub- 
 ject and his estimable wife has been born a famil}- 
 of six children, four of whom lived to matiu'- 
 ity: John B. died in 1882, at tlie age of thirty- 
 five years; he was married. William S. is engaged 
 in farming in Mercer County, 111.; George Randall 
 and Spencer L. are farmers of Elliott Township. 
 Mr. Hall is at present Justice of the Peace, serving 
 his third term. In his political sentiments he is 
 a stalwart Republican, and is well known through- 
 out the community, where he enjoys the respect 
 of all. 
 
 APT. JOHN L. GRI'BB, a retired farmer 
 nd merchant, and an honored early settler 
 Louisa County, of which he became a resi- 
 dent in Ai)ril. 1850, was born in Brooke County, 
 Vii.. June 25. 1811), and is a son of Jolin L. and 
 Ellen (Smith) Grubb. His father was born and 
 reared in Wilmington, Del., and was of Scotch and 
 German origin, while his mother was a native of 
 I'ennsylvania. John left his native State with his 
 parents, going to Harrison County, Oliio, when 
 seven years of age. and was there reared upon a 
 farm. In .\pril. 185(1. lie emigrated to Iowa, lo- 
 cating (in the site of Morning Sun, Louisa County, 
 liien kjiown !is N'irifinia Grove, l)ul in 1852 he re- 
 
 turned to Ohio, where he wedded ^liss Adeline 
 Il.ayes, a daughter of Elias Hayes. Immediately 
 after their marriage Mr. Grubb brought his _young 
 bride to Louisa County, locating in Columbus City, 
 where five children were born to them, tliree sons 
 and two daughters: Charles A., who is married, 
 and resides in Wilson County, Kan,; John Oscar, 
 who is living in .Streator. 111., is single; Ida became 
 the wife of Charles Thompson, and her death and 
 the death of her husband and child all occurred 
 within three months, she being thirtj^ years of age; 
 Adelaide wedded Joseph Leutie, of Des Moines 
 County; Thomas Henry, single, is living at Stan- 
 ton, Neb, The mother of these children was called 
 to her final home on the 25th of December, 1867. 
 Mr. Grubb was again married, Aug. 26, 1868, Miss 
 Amanonia Parsons becoming his wife. She was 
 born in Onondaga County-. N. Y., and is a daugh- 
 ter of Marcus Parsons. Three children grace the 
 second union, all daughters — Clara E,, Mira and 
 Lillie. 
 
 In 1853 Mr, Grubb removed to Columbus C'it\-, 
 where he engaged in mercantile Ijfisiness, and kept 
 a general store until 1857. In the month of June, 
 1861. he responded to the country's first call for 
 troops, and wiis mustered into service on the loth 
 of July following, as Captain of Companj- C, 5th 
 Iowa Infantry, it being the first company mustered 
 into the service from Louisa County. He served 
 in the Army of Mississippi, was in the raid through 
 ^Missouri after Price, then participated in the bat- 
 tle of New Madrid, Mo„ was at Ft, Pillow bom- 
 bardment, next was ordered to Shiloh, and after 
 tlie battle which there occurred, went to Corinth, 
 On the 28th of June. 1862, he wjis prostrated l>y a 
 sunstroke, being compelled to resign and quit the 
 service, and on the 13th of July, 1862, he returned 
 to Columbus City. 
 
 After his return from the war Mr. Grubb resided 
 in Columbus City until 1865, then engaged in 
 farming in Elm Cirove Township for one year, 
 then removed to Washington Township. Des Jloines 
 County, While there his wife died, and in the 
 spring of 1868 lie again returne<l to Columbus City. 
 In the fall of 1868 he was elected to the office of 
 Sheriff of Louisa County, .and in January, 1861). 
 moved to Wapello, the county seat, entered upon 
 
 i 
 
■•^HK-* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY, 
 
 541 
 
 1= 
 
 liis duties as Slieriff and served until 1875, after 
 wiiicli he removed to C'olunilius .lunction, his pres- 
 ent iionie, wlien he served two j-ears as Justice of 
 the Peace, and has been ens:ag-ed in real-estate busi- 
 ness. He is now livinsj a retired life. 
 
 In his early 3-ears Capt. Grubb was a Whig, and 
 cast his first vote for Oen. Harrison. lie is now 
 a member of the l\e]niblican party, and one of its 
 strong supporters. Socially, he is a M.nson, belong- 
 ing to Columbus City Lodge No. 107, and is also 
 a member of Todd Post No. 115, G. A. .R., both 
 of Columbus Junction. Capt. Grubb is a highly 
 respected citizen of Louisa County, and in .all the 
 relations of life, both i)ublicand private, has proved 
 himself upright .and true. 
 
 JOHN M. HUSTON, one of the le.iding far- 
 mers of Louisa County, and a pioneer of 
 1839, now residing on section 31, Elm Grove 
 Township, was born Oct. 2, 1827, in Tippe- 
 canoe County, Irid., not far from the famous battle- 
 ground of that name. He is a son of AVilliam and 
 Eliza (Ellis) Huston, and his father served in tlie 
 War of 1812. They were the parents of seven 
 children: John M., of this sketch; Mary, wife of 
 \Villi;im Rcid, of Jit. Pleasant, Iowa; William, 
 Daniel and James, all deceased; Josepii, who is en- 
 gaged in farming in AVashington County, Iowa; 
 .and Eliza, now deceased. The family first came to 
 Iowa when our subject was eleven years of age, 
 and locatetl in Crawford Township, Washington 
 County, where the father entered 120 acres of land, 
 developed an excellent farm, and there p.assed the 
 remainder of his life, dying in 1873, aged seventy- 
 seven years. His wife survived him for several 
 years, dying in 1881. He wa.s a member of the 
 United Brethren Ciuirch. Mrs. Huston was a devoted 
 Methodist, and both were lionored and respected 
 peo])le. 
 
 The school d.ays of our subject began in his na- 
 tive St.ate, and after coming to Iowa he attended 
 school in a log house in Crawford Township. 
 Reaching maturity he went to Uniontown, Pa., at- 
 tending the schools of th.at city for one term, also 
 taking a course of surveying. Returning to his 
 
 home in 18.52 he followed his chosen occupation, 
 making subdivisions of the sect ions, and in 18(!.'{ was 
 elected Surveyor of Washington County, serving 
 two terms of two \ears eftch. 
 
 On the 10th of August, 1856, Mr. Huston was 
 united in marriage with Miss Amanda Ilcrrold, 
 who was born in AVestmoreland County, Pa., Dec. 
 26, 1837, and is a d.aughter of John and Sarah E. 
 (Reagan) Ilerrold. the former of German origin 
 .and the latter of Irish ancestry. Her maternal 
 great-grandfather served in the Revolutionary War, 
 and lived to the extreme old age of one hundred 
 and ten 3-ears. Mr. and Mrs. Huston have been 
 the parents of nine children: Williiim E., who 
 wedded a Miss Long, is now a farmer in Adams 
 County, Neb.; James, who is .at home, is one of 
 the most devoted and enthusiastic church workers; 
 Mary Emma is a photographer and artist; John C. 
 and Frank L. are eng.aged in the lumber trade at 
 Vancouver, W. T.; Charles is a photographer of 
 Burlington; Ellen is fitting lierself for a tejicher; 
 and Harry W. and Pearl are at home. 
 
 jNIr. Huston's first purchase of land consisted of 
 eighty acres on section 25, Crawford Township, 
 W.'ishington Co.. low.a, where he made one of the 
 finest farms of that section, and there all of his 
 children were born, with the exception of the 
 two youngest. He continued to reside in W.ish- 
 ington County until 186{>. when he moved to Louisa 
 County and began the improvement of his ])resent 
 l)eautiful farm. He purchased 170 acres of land on 
 section 31, Elm Grove Townsliii), whicli was en- 
 tirely unculUv.ated, being covered with hazel brush 
 and wild jirairie grass, which was often .ns iiigh as 
 a horse. The family moved into the school-house 
 which now stands on the northeast corner of the 
 farm, and made that their i)lace of residence until 
 they could erect a home of tiieir own. The many 
 beautiful evergreen, other shade and ornamental 
 trees which now surround their comfortable home, 
 and the fine bearing orchard, were set out by Mr. 
 Huston. The settlements then were very scattered, 
 hardly a house could be seen on tlie broad prai- 
 ries, and the most far-sighted could iK)t have imag- 
 ined the rapid growth and advancement which the 
 county has since m.ade. Wjiving fields of grain 
 take the place of the once uncultivated land, and 
 
"^•■ 
 
 542 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ^^^^ 
 
 elegant residences stand on ni;iiiv of tlie sites of the 
 old log cabins. The Indian trail whicii lay near 
 the home of Mr. Huston is now travelcil by the 
 locomotive, wliieli pa.sses within 6fty rods of his 
 door, cinirches and school-houses have been built, 
 and cities and villages have sprung up. Tlie near- 
 est post-ofHce in tiiose pioneer days was ten miles 
 away. Mr. Huston and liis family cheerfully and 
 patiently endured tlie inconveniences and hard- 
 ships in order to make a home. He h.os been one 
 of the active participants in the many changes 
 which iiave worked this great transformation, and 
 bj* his careful, upright and honorable life has won 
 the confidence of all with whom he has come in 
 contact. In 1870 he was elected to the office of 
 Surveyor of Louisa County, and in 187(j the \>eo- 
 ple manifested their entire confidence in him bj' his 
 re-election. Mr. Huston and his estlm.able wife have 
 been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
 for the i>.T.st thirtv-five years, have given liberally 
 of their means in its support, and are active work- 
 ers in their Master's service. Politically, he is an 
 ardent supporter of the principles of the Repub- 
 lican party, and is prominent in the i)romotion of 
 all social, educational and moral interests. None 
 deserve a more prominent place in the history of 
 Louisa County, for as a citizen and |)ioueer he is 
 honored and respected by all. 
 
 -^*-B-- 
 
 ^- 
 
 JOSEPH T. COWLES, a farmer and stock- 
 raiser residing on section 85, Marsh.all Town- 
 ship, was born in Belmont Count}^ Ohio< 
 June 5, 1826. His parents were Kcv. Sal- 
 mon and Polly (Miner) Cowles, the former a na- 
 tive of Connecticut, the latter of New York, and to 
 them were born ten children, eight sons and two 
 daughters, four of thjit number yet living: Salmon, 
 Jr., who is a resident of Primrose, Lee Co., Towa; 
 Lucinda, wife of James Stewart, a resident of Min- 
 den. Neb., and Henr3\ who is living in Morning 
 Sun Township. The family came to Iowa in 1840, 
 loc.iting in West Point, Lee County, where the fa- 
 tlier had received a call. He was a I'resbyterian 
 minister, and a member of the second cKi-ss which was 
 graduated from the Jefferson College, of Cannons- 
 
 •^^ 
 
 burg. Pa. He w.as one of the pioneer ministers of 
 that denomin.ation in Iowa, where lie lived a useful 
 and consistent Christian life. After preaching for 
 a year and a half at West Point, he entered upon 
 missionary work in the Territory of Iowa, preaching 
 in Des Jloines, which was then but a village. He 
 organized churches .all over the inhabited parts of 
 the Territory, and finally located in this county, 
 having received a call to the Unity Congregation 
 Church. It was later divided, one part being called 
 Morning Sun and the other Oakland. He later 
 again became pastor of the church at West Point, 
 where he carried on his Labors until age and ill- 
 liealtii would no longer permit him to perform the 
 arduous duties of a pioneer preacher. His death 
 occurred in March, 1869, at the age of eighty-five 
 years. His wife survived him until 1875, when 
 she too was called to her long rest. 
 
 The boyhood days of our subject were spent in 
 Lee County, Iowa, where he received his education 
 in the common schools, and also attended the college 
 at West I'oint one term. His father's duties often 
 calling him awa3- from home, Joseph took charge of 
 the home farm. C)n the 2d of October, 1851, he 
 became the husband of Miss Eliz,abeth Chapman, 
 of Westmorehuul County, Pa., their union being 
 celebrated in Lee County. lie continued the man- 
 agement of his father's farm until the sjiring of " 
 1854, when he i)urcha.sed sixty acres of land on sec- 
 tion 35, Marshall Township, whicli comprises a part 
 of his present farm. He lias since added to his 
 original possessions until he now owns 125 acres of 
 finely improved land. 
 
 Mr. and !Mrs. Cowles were the parents of four chil- 
 dren: L.aura, now .Airs. Dodsou, resides in I'nadilla 
 County, Ore.; Albert E. is also a resident of that 
 State; Jennie E. is the wife of W. J. (J rim, a farmer 
 of Jlarshall Townshi]i; and one child died in in- 
 fancy. In the month of January. 1883, the death 
 of Mrs. Cowles occurred. She wjis a consistent 
 Christian, a devoted member of the Presliyterian 
 Church, and her death was a deep loss to the com- 
 munity. In Eebruary, 1887. Mr. Cowles wjis united 
 in marriage with .Mrs. Deliah A. Hupp, widow of 
 John C. Hupp. He and his wife are members of 
 the Presbyterian Church, with which he luis been 
 connected since 1851. He has alwavs taken great 
 
 •►:Jh-4 
 
■<^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 543 
 
 •f 
 
 intoicst in the work of that denomination, has ever 
 lieeii a libi'ial conliilxitor to its supiiort. lias stead- 
 ily labored in the advancement of the cause and in 
 the work- of the Siinday-school. and for several 
 years i)ast has held the olliee of Elder in the eluirch. 
 Mr. Cowles has also served in various official posi- 
 tions in the townshi]). and in his political views ad- 
 heres to the principles of tiie Republican party. He 
 is an enterprising and progressive farmer of Jlar- 
 shall Township, and one of Louisa C'o\inty's best 
 citizens. 
 
 ijp^'REDERIC GALL, a farmer residing on sec- 
 
 Pi; tion 22, Gr.and Mew Township, was born 
 in Baden, flermany, in 1845. His parents, 
 .lacob and Barbara (Weik) Gall, who were also na- 
 tives of Baden, determined to make America their 
 future home, and so in the autumn of 1846 they 
 embarked from Bremen In a sailing-vessel, reaching 
 the harbor of New York after a stormy voyage of 
 fifty -six days. They immediately continued their 
 journey until reaching Cincinnati, Ohio, where they 
 took up their residence. In lli.it city the father, 
 who was a stonem.ason, built the first water-works, 
 and there his death occurred from an attack of 
 cholera in 1849, when about thirty-five years of 
 age. The mother and our subject were .also stricken 
 with that disease, but botii survived, ]Mrs. (!.all now 
 being a resident of Grand View Township. 
 
 In the pultlic schools of the city of Cincinnati 
 Erederic received his literary education, and at an 
 early age entered a store as salesman, continuing 
 in that employment until his removal to Louisa 
 County in 1HG7. Two jears later he was united in 
 marriage with Miss Mary Elizabeth Ilahn.a native 
 of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of (ieorge and 
 Eli/.alx'th (Sclmeidcr) llalin. who were Ixiru in 
 Hesse-Darmstadt, (-iermany, but came to America, 
 becoming residents of Louisa County in 1848. Set- 
 tling for a short time in the village of (irand Mew, 
 Mr. Ilahn subsequently purchased 120 acres of 
 partly improved land on section IG, Grand View 
 Townsliip. where the worthy couple yet reside. 
 
 After his marri.age 'Mv. (Jail rented a farm for 
 about a year in (irand A'iew Township, but from 
 1871 U> 1874 had charge of the \h)ov farm, lie 
 
 4* 
 
 has made several jjurch.ases of land at different 
 times in this county, first buying forty-two acres, 
 partly improved, and ne.\t a 30-acre tract of im- 
 proved land, six years later fortj' acres of raw 
 prairie land partly fenced, and in 1886, forty-five 
 acres of timber land, which aggregate 167 acres, 
 and comprises one of the best farms in the town- 
 ship, upon which is a most comfortal)le residence, 
 a good barn and other out-buildings, and the best 
 grades of stock, including Short-horn cattle, Nor- 
 man and Clyde horses. In the year 1886 Mr. Gall 
 opened a store of general merchandise in the vil- 
 lage of Grand View, where he was also Assistant 
 Postmaster, but on the 20th of June, 1887, in- 
 curred a serious loss by fire, the entire stock and 
 building being burned, the loss amounting to al- 
 most $1,900. His home was on the farm at that 
 time, and since that date he has given his entire 
 attention to the cultiv.ation of his land. Politically, 
 he is a Republican, and though never seeking or 
 desiring pul)lic ofHce, has been elected to the jiosi- 
 tion of Road .Supervisor, and for the past five years 
 has been School Director. To every enterprise 
 which has for its object the public good he always 
 gives his earnest supix)rt, and to the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church at Grand View, of which he and 
 his wife are members, he is a liberal contributor 
 and an active worker. 
 
 |J__;ENRY MEYERIIOLZ. a lending farmer 
 V residing on section 1. .IcfTerson Township, 
 Loiii.sa Co., lowM, wa.s born in Oldcn- 
 §) burg, Germany, in 182i<, and is a son of 
 Harmon Henry and Len;i (.Mbcrc) Meyerliolz. the 
 father a native of Oldcnbing, anil the mother of 
 Hanover, Germany. He remained upon his father's 
 farm until fifteen years of age, when he emlxu'ked 
 on a German vessel .as cabin boy, under Cai)t. Koarn. 
 They sailed to Greenland and other northern lands, 
 the vessel not returning to [xnt for six months 
 and twenty -three days. For the succeeding four 
 years Henr^' followed the sea. sailing between 
 Germany. England, Russia, France and the Unit^'d 
 States. Ills last voyage was on the ship "Edm<md." 
 
 ^ 
 
544 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 which came to America by way of the Island of 
 Cuba, in 1849. Landing at New Orleans, Mr. 
 Meyerliolz then boarded a steamer and went to Cin- 
 cinnati, Ohio, whence he proceeded to iLidi- 
 son, Ind., where he engaged as an apprentice to the 
 carriage and wagon making trade. After a year 
 and a half spent in ISL-idison, the works were re- 
 moved to Burlington, Iowa, and he went with 
 them, continuing in that employ for two years. 
 At the expiration of tliat time he went to Nebraska 
 Territory, and wiiile in that Territory lived with 
 the Indians. Returning to Iowa he secured em- 
 ployment with Mr. Ellis, of Wapello, at his trade, 
 working for him a year and a half, and then went 
 to ^ladison, engaging as a mechanic in the car 
 shoi)s. 
 
 While in tlie latter city Mr. ^Meyerholz was 
 united in marriage with Elizabeth Burchold, a 
 native of IhuKjver, (iermany, their union be- 
 ing celebrated .Sept. 23, 1855. Shortl3- after the 
 young couple became residents of I^ouisa County, 
 the husband renting land and engaging in farm- 
 ing until 1863, when he purcha-sed forty acres on 
 section 1, Jefferson Township. By his energy and 
 perseverance he has added to his original purchase 
 until his farm now comprises 365 acres of fine 
 land, all highly cultivated. A comfortable house 
 has been erected at a cost of $1,500. and a barn 
 was also built, worth $800. Everything about the 
 place denotes the thrift and energy of the owner, 
 and in the vocation he has chosen Mr. Meyerholz 
 has been quite successful. 
 
 To our sul)jeet and his excellent wife have been 
 born eight children: William, a farmer residing in 
 Jefferson Township; Emma, wife of Joseph Liudlj-, 
 a resident of Adair Countj-, Iowa; Mary, at home; 
 J^izzie, who is a successful teacher of the count3'; 
 Frank, Kritz, Minnie and Charley are all inmates 
 of the |)aternal iiome. This worthy couple are 
 both nienil)ers of tlie Metiiodist Episcopal Church. 
 Politically, he is a supjjorter of the Uepublican 
 l)arty, and has held the ottice of School Director. 
 
 Financially. Mr. Meyerholz is aself-m.ade man. 
 Stjirting in life sis a cabin boy on an ocean steamer, 
 he hsis, little l)j' little, gained a comfortable eom- 
 ])etencv. and is now one of the well-to-do farmers 
 of Louisa County. He has reared a family of in- 
 
 telligcnt children, who are a credit to his name, 
 and the family is ranked among the highly re- 
 spected people of the community. Mrs. Meyerholz 
 died in the spring of 1878, and her death was 
 mourned, not only by the family', but a large 
 circle of friends. The death of Mr. Jleyerholz's 
 father occurred in ^Madison, Ind.. and there the 
 mother also departed this life. They had reared a 
 family of five children: Richard, who is now a 
 resident of Clark County, Ind; our subject; Mary, 
 wife of Fred Warbe, a merchant of Madison, Ind.; 
 Anna, wife of Fred Showe, whose home is in 
 Clark County of the same State; and Herman, who 
 was a soldier in the 82d Indiana Infantry-, died 
 while in the service at Atlanta, Ga. 
 
 ■^fACOB GETTS, oneof the early settlers of 
 Louisa County, now deceased, was born 
 in Pennsylvania, in February, 1811. and 
 grew to manhood in New Lisbon, Ohio, 
 where he was united in marriage with Miss Hannah 
 Philman. lie was a blaclismitli by trade, and in 
 1848 emigrated to Iowa, settling in Columbus City, 
 where he opened a shop and carried on that line 
 of business until 1876, when he retired from active 
 life after fifty years' service at the forge. He was 
 an expert workman, doing his work promptly and 
 to the entire satisfaction of his customers. 
 
 To ]Mr. and Mrs. Getts were born fifteen chil- 
 dren, eight boys and seven girls, and eight are n<iw 
 living, namely: Spencer B., who wedded JIary 
 Short, and lives at Ft. Worth, Tex.; Mary J., who 
 became the wife of Albert G. Paschal, a resident 
 of Melrose. Monroe Co., Iowa; Sarah, wife of 
 J.ames R. Paxton, whose home is in Cohimlxis 
 City, Iowa; Nancy, wife of I). S. Bufflngton, of Lu- 
 cas, Iowa; Jacob married Alice Williams, a daugh- 
 ter of Barstow Williams, the oldest living settler 
 of Louisa County, and resides in Edwards County, 
 Iowa; Charles married Harriet Spencer, and is 
 jiroprietor of a harne.ss-shop at Columbus .Junction; 
 Ella is the wife of J. C. Cietts, of Symes. Col.; 
 R<aymond I), married Annie Sheflford, and lives at 
 Salina, Kan. Of those deccjised four die<l in in- 
 fancy; Malissa died at the age of seventeen; W'ill- 
 •K 
 
^^^^►Hl-* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 51j 
 
 iain. wlu'ii eiulitecn years of aue; and .lolin P., at 
 tlie a<>0 of thirty-five. Mr. Getts \va.s jj Democrat 
 in politics, and was highly esteemed as an upriiiht 
 and lionoral)le man. His death occurred in Octo- 
 ber, 1886, and proved a loss to the entire conimu- 
 nitj'. His wife, who is a consistent member of the 
 United Brethren Churcli, now resides in IMonroe 
 County. Iowa. 
 
 e ON RAD BECK, one of the early settlers of 
 Des Moines County, now residing at Morn- 
 ing Sun. this county, w.is born in Ilesse- 
 Darmstadt, German}', near the cit}' of Frankfort- 
 on-the-Main, Dec. 25, 1808. He r(>maincd in his 
 native land until 1827, when he went to England, 
 and there resided until 1832, when be sailed for 
 America. After handing in New York he went di- 
 rectly' to Duteliess Count}-, N. Y., where he was 
 eniploj'ed as gardener for Gen. Luce. In 1833 he 
 went to Pike Count}', Hi., wiiere he purchased land, 
 making it his liome for five }ears, but in 1838 sold 
 out and went Lo Burlington, which then consisted 
 of but a few scattered cabins. Soon afterward he 
 went to liome, Henry County, where lie purchased 
 100 acres of land, but not liking the situation sold 
 out and purchased eighty acres in Pleasant Grove 
 Township, upon which he built a large stone house, 
 that is still in his possession. 
 
 On the 2Glh of February, 1842, Mr. Beck w.as 
 united in marriage willi Miss Sophia Grota, who 
 was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, in 1821, and 
 came to America in 1840 with her parents, locat- 
 ing in Baltimore, Md., but who in 1842 removed 
 to Des Moines County, Iowa. 
 
 In 18.o0, shortly after the gold fever broke out, 
 ]Mr. Beck crossed the plains to California, leaving 
 home on the 25th of March, and arriving at Hang- 
 town in Se|)tember. He was there engaged in min- 
 ing for about sixteen mouths, when be sailed from 
 San Francisco. The vessel was caught in a calm 
 and ,laid by for many days, when a heavy storm 
 •;aught them and drove them off tlieir course. The 
 boat was heavily loaded with passengers, the rations 
 gave out, and tiiere was some talk by the passen- 
 gers that one of their number should be killed to 
 <■ . 
 
 eat. About this time a ship fortunately hove in 
 sight, and liiey succeeded in buying .*!500 wortli of 
 food. Tlicy final)}' landed at Chapultepec, where 
 they laid in supplies received from or througli the 
 assistance of the American Consul. There they 
 purchased mules, and proceeded to Vera Cruz, a 
 distance of GOO miles. This was soon after the Mexi- 
 can W.ar, and the people were not very friendly, 
 often throvving brick-bats and stones at the party. 
 From Vera Cruz they made tiieir w.ay to New Or- 
 leans, and tlieucc by rail lo Burlington. While on 
 the latter part of their journey tiie cholera broke 
 out, and many died while coming up on the boat. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Beck are tiie parents of nine chil- 
 dren: l\Iary, wife of Daniel Schunck, of Missouri ; 
 Sarah, who is single; AVilliam, who has charge of his 
 father's large property, is an enterprising man and 
 h.as one of the largest herds of Polled-Angus cattle 
 in the State, and in his own name ha.s 800 acres of 
 valuable land; Caroline is the wife of Fred Smith, 
 of Des Moines County; Henry; Cassie, wife of Ed 
 McClurken, of Morning Sini; Senna, at home; Liz- 
 zie, the wife of O. B. Jamison, of New[)ort, Iowa, 
 and Emma, residing at home. Mr. Beck is one of 
 the large land-owners of this section of the country, 
 having 3,200 acres of finely cultivated land. He 
 and his wife are both members of the German 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 
 ^ C. CRADDOCK, a loading farmer of 
 WLi'l Louisa County, residing on Muscatine Isl- 
 
 1!* and, on section .">, Port Louisa Township, 
 was born in Washtenaw County, Mich., in 
 1842. He received a liberal education in the 
 graded schools of Ypsilanti, Mich., and also at- 
 tended school after coming to Louisa County. 
 He went to Massachusetts in 18G0, securing work 
 in a cutlery establishment at Lowell, and also 
 was employed in the city of Boston. Going to 
 Concord, N. H., he enlisted in 1865 in the late war, 
 becoming a member of Company L, 1st New 
 Hampshire Heavy Artillery, and was mustered into 
 service at Leb.anon. He went directly to AY.ishing- 
 ton, D. C, and was thereat the time of the assassina- 
 tion of President Lincoln. He participated in the 
 
 ■♦►4I-4* 
 
4 546 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 grand review at Washington, and was honorabl}' 
 discharged June 23. ISC.O, after which he returned 
 to Iowa, and engaged iu farming in Louisa County. 
 
 In Muscatine County, in 1881, the union of A. 
 C. Craddock and Saraii Freeman, a native of Iowa, 
 was celebrated. Her parents, David and Mary 
 (C'arap])ell) Freeman, were natives of Pennsylvania, 
 and removed to Muscatine, Iowa, in 1846. 
 
 After their marri:ige Mr. and Mrs. Craddock 
 took up their residence on the farm where they now 
 reside. He is the owner of a farm comprising sev- 
 enty-five acres of arable land, all under a high state 
 of cultivation, and specially adapted to the raising 
 of melons. It is pleasantly situated seven miles 
 from Muscatine and two miles from Fruitlaud. 
 Politically, Mr. Craddock is a Republican, and 
 though never having been an ofHce-seeker has 
 served a number of times as Constable and also been 
 a member of the School IJoard. Socially, he belongs 
 to William Vaile Post No. 447, G. A. Pi., at Fruit- 
 land. Religiously, he is a Presbyterian, and his 
 wife is a member of tlie Methodist Episcopal 
 Church. They are the parents of two children : Del- 
 mer, now at home, and Edith, who died July -25, 
 1887, aged two years and five months. 
 
 ^|-*-| 
 
 4 
 
 i. AVID M. HUDLER, a resident of Fredonia, 
 II Iowa, now eng.nged in the insurance busi- 
 ness, was born in North Carolina, in 1837, 
 and is a son of Lemuel and Mary A. 
 (Debhrule) Iludier. His paternal grandfather was 
 born in North Carolina in 1749, of English parent- 
 age, and was a farmer by occupation. He served 
 in tlie Revolutionary War, gallantly defending the 
 Colonies, and was a man of prominence in the com- 
 munity where he resided. His death occurred in 
 New IJerne, Craven Co., N. C, in 1836. The ma- 
 ternal grandfather of our subject was Edward C. 
 Debhrule, and, though born in North Carolina, 
 was of German and French descent, He wedded 
 Frances Calvin, who was also of German origin, and 
 to tliem was born a family of twelve children. 
 Lemuel Iludier, the father of our subject, was born 
 in Craven County, N. C, in 1801, and remained at 
 home until the age of twenty-two. He then en- 
 
 gaged as an overseer on a plantation until 1838, 
 when he was united in marriage with JIary A. 
 Debhrule. He then engaged quite extensively in 
 farming, owning and operating 1,700 acres of land. 
 In 1855, with his family, he emigrated to Louisa 
 County, Iowa, settling in Concord Township, where 
 he purchased 160 acres of partly improved land, 
 which he made his home for six years. Selling 
 out, he then bought 100 acres of land .idjoiiiing 
 Fred<inia, and also some property in the town, and 
 made iiis home upon the farm until his death, which 
 occurred in 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Hudler were the 
 parents of thirteen children, three of whom died in 
 childhood. D. M., of this sketcli, is the eldest: 
 Frederick is located at Hermitage, Mo.; Caroline is 
 the wife of D. C. Maxon, of Fredonia; Charles L. 
 resides in Hermitage, Mo. ; Frank M. is living in 
 Wilton Junction, Iowa; Leonidas makes his home 
 in Audubon City, Iowa; Adrian W. is a resident 
 of Eldon, Iowa; Mary A., wife of Ira Williamson, 
 is now living at Mt. Ayr, Iowa; Elizabeth wedded 
 A. K. Stone, a resident of Crcston, Iowa, and Cor- 
 delia B. is the wife of John Malvin, who is a resi- 
 dent of Winona, Minn. After the death of Mr. 
 Hudler Mrs. Hudler made her home with her son 
 D. M. 
 
 The boyhood days of our subject were spent upon 
 his father's farm, and in attendance at the district 
 schools. As soon as he had attained sufficient age 
 he aided his father in the farm Labors, and in 1855 
 emigrated with his parents to Iowa. For five 
 years longer lie remainc<l under the parental roof, 
 but at the age of twenty-four went to a home of 
 his own. He was united in marriage with (.'hris- 
 tiana Riggs, daughter of Daniel and Magdalene 
 Riggs, who were former residents of Muscatine 
 County, and established her as its mistress. For 
 five years he rented a farm in Concord Township, 
 after which he purchased 120 acres of land in the 
 same township, making it his home until 1884, 
 when he sold out and removed to Fredi>nia, since 
 which time he has been engaged in the life insur- 
 ance business. Religiously, Mr. Hudler is a strong 
 advocate of the views advanced by the Uestitu- 
 tionists. He has lectured and debated upon the 
 subject, and by his clear argument and eloquence 
 has won many to his way of thinking. Refore the 
 
-♦- 
 
 i^=»-4 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 547 
 
 war he atliliated with the Democratic partly, but 
 left it at liial time, afterward voting for the man 
 whom lie thought would best fill the office, but is 
 now a supporter of the Greenback party. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Iludler has been born a family 
 of eight children: Emma J., who is engaged in 
 dressmaking in Creston, Iowa; Carry L., who is 
 traveling for a publishing company; Mary N., wife 
 of William W.Wagner, of Louisa County; Cora 
 B., who is at home; C. L., a railroad employe, with 
 headquarters at St. Joseph, Mo.; Anna 15., William 
 A. and Earl S., who are yet with their parents. 
 This family holds a high position in the social 
 world, and its members are respected by all who 
 know them. 
 
 ♦^stJS* 
 
 ^«^ 
 
 «tfStf^ 
 
 4 
 
 //^^ HARLES GALLUP is a resident of Concord 
 ilf^' Township, where he is the owner of 100 
 '^^(^ acres of land, which is under a high state of 
 cultivation. He is a native of New York, born in 
 Albany County, in 1833, and is a son of Girden 
 and Eve (Hurley) Gallup, the former a native of 
 Connecticut, and the latter of Albany County, N. 
 Y. They were the parents of nine children, five 
 sons and four daughters, Charles being sixth in order 
 of birth. His father was a farmer, and on the home 
 farm he grew to manhood, assisting in its cultiva- 
 tion, and attending the district school as the oi>por- 
 tunity was afforded him. In the fall of IHolJ he 
 emigrated to Illinois, locating in Joliet, Will County, 
 where he remained one year, engaged as overseer of 
 a gang of workmen in a stone quarry. He then 
 came to Louisa Count}', where he engaged with A. 
 II. Taylor & Co., who were contractors in the con- 
 struction of a portion of the Mississippi & Missouri 
 River Railroad, now the Rock Island & Pacific, re- 
 maining with them one year in charge of a gang of 
 men. He next went to the "Sand Banks," which is 
 now Columbus Junction, where for the next year 
 he was engaged in the commission business. In the 
 fall of 1859 he returned to Joliet, remained a short 
 time, and then went to Napoleon. Ark., where he 
 spent the following winter. In 1800 he returned to 
 Louisa County, and located at Clifton, where he 
 
 engaged in the general merchandise and grain busi- 
 ness in company with George Ilai'wood, the part- 
 nership continuing about two j'ears. During that 
 time he became acquainted with, and on the 27th 
 day of December, 18G3, was united in marriage 
 with Miss C.arolme Beck, a daughter of Henry 
 Beck, and a native of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Immediately after their marriage the young 
 couple went to New York to visit the parents of 
 Mr. Gallup, where they remained one year, and 
 then returned to Clifton, and until the spring of 
 1865 he was engaged in clerking for his old part- 
 ner, Mr. Haywood. He then purchased a farm in 
 Scott County, Iowa, to which he removed, and for 
 one year engaged in farming. Returning again to 
 Clifton, for the next eight months he was in the 
 employ of Mr. Haywood, when, in company with 
 John Russell, he built a storeroom, and once more 
 embarked in business for himself. The partnership 
 with Mr. Russell continued but a short time, for in 
 the spring of 1867 he sold his interest to his \Kut- 
 ner, and removed to Washington, Iowa, wheri; he 
 engaged as foreman in the mill and elevator of John 
 Hale, remaining there until the spring of 1873. He 
 then returned to his Scott County' farm, on which 
 he remained one year, and next took his family to 
 the home of his parents in New York State, where 
 the following four years were spent. In the spring 
 of 1877 he again returned with his family to Iowa, 
 locating in Durant, Cedar County. Not finding 
 employment to his likTng, he went to Columbus 
 Junction, where he engaged with I. L. Collins in 
 the hardware business, his family remaining at 
 Durant until 1882. In the spring of 1883 he sev- 
 ered his connection with Mr. Collins, and in June 
 of that year went to work for Waller Paugh. 
 In March, 1 884, he removed to his present farm, 
 where he devotes his entire attention to its cultiva- 
 tion, and to the raising of fine stock, having in his 
 herd of cattle those of the Durham and Jersey 
 breed, and making a specialty of Poland-China 
 hogs. His horses are of the Norman and Clydes- 
 dale stock. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Gallup are the parents of five chil- 
 dren, two boys and three girls. In jjolities he is an 
 advocate of the i)rinciples of the (.Jreenback parly, 
 and fraternally, is a member of the Odd Ecllows 
 
 ■» 
 
-^^ 
 
 51-< 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Legion of Honor, .ind of the United Workmen. A 
 resident of Louisa County for the greater part of a 
 third of a century, he has witnessed the vast changes 
 that iiave been made in transforming it from a wil- 
 derness to a'fruitful region, and has been an active 
 participant in the grand work. 
 
 'jp^ AVID HARBISON MORRISON, a prom- 
 inent merciiant of Morning Sun. Iowa, 
 was born in the county of Armagh, Ire- 
 land, in the Province of Ulster, June 25, 
 1831. His father, Rev. Robert Morrison, was a 
 Presbyterian minister of note in his native land. 
 He was educated for the ministry in Glasgow, 
 Scotland. Dr. Hall attended that school and be- 
 came one of his close friends. Before completing 
 his studies he received a call from a church, 
 which he accepted after completing his education, 
 and remained its pastor for fortj' years. He re- 
 ceived a call to the church at Dublin at two dif- 
 ferent times, but as he had become so attached to 
 his charge, and the people so earnestly desired him 
 to staj\ he remained with them. He was especially 
 adapted for his work, both physically and men- 
 tally, and his life indeed was a success. He earn- 
 estl}' labored to be a living example of the truth 
 wliich he endeavored to impart to others, and 
 many did he induce to follow the teachings of 
 Christ. Mr. Morrison was united in marriage with 
 Miss Sarah Moody, and of their union eight chil- 
 dren were born, who reached maturitj', and six are 
 yet living: John M..a jjiiysician of Waterloo, Juni- 
 ata Co., Pa.; Philip J., a resident farmer of Lehigh 
 Count)', Pa.; Thomas, who is living on the old 
 homestead in County Armagh, Ireland ; D. H., of 
 Morning Sun; Sallie, wife of Thomas Beekcrstafif, 
 of Toronto, Canada; and Ann C, whose home is in 
 England. The death of Rev. Morrison'occurred in 
 18G0, and Mrs. Morrison died in 18G9. 
 
 Our subject received his education in the com- 
 mon schools of his native county, after which he 
 was employed as a salesman in Ireland for eight 
 years. Determining to make his home in the New 
 World, in 1S.54 he crossed the broad Atlantic, and 
 took up his residence in Huntingdon County, Pa., 
 
 and shortly after found employment in the mer- 
 cantile business at Blair's Mills, where he remained 
 until 1H71. In that year he shipped his goo'Hs for 
 Morning Sun, Iowa. Arriving at his destination, 
 Mr. Morrison again embarked in the mercantile 
 business, which in all he has followed for thirtj'- 
 three years. He has made it a studj' to select 
 goods to suit his customers, both in price and qual- 
 ity', and receives a liberal share of the patronage. 
 His genial and obliging manner has won him many 
 friends, and his fair dealing has gained the entire 
 confidence of the people. 
 
 On the 18lh of October. 1859, in Juniata County, 
 Pa., Mr. Morrison and Miss Margery B. McCon- 
 nell, who was born in that State, were united in 
 marriage. By their union six children have been 
 born: Roliert G., an attoriie3--at-law, is a gradu- 
 ate of both the classical and law courses of the 
 Iowa State University; John M. is a resident of 
 ISIorning Sun; Annie J. is a graduate i)t the High 
 school of Morning Sun; Sarah S.. David Charles 
 and Samuel Walker complete the family. Mr. 
 Morrison cast his first Presidential vote for Abra- 
 ham Lincoln in 1860, since wliich time he has affil- 
 iated with the Republican part)'. He and his wife 
 are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which 
 he has been a Ruling Elder for ten yeai-s. He wjis 
 appointed as a delegate to attend the General 
 Assembly at Minneapolis, in Ma)', 1885. He has 
 always been an earnest worker for the interests of 
 the church, and is one of its liberal supporters. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Morrison hold a high position in the 
 social world, and are among the influential citizens 
 of Morning Sun. By judicious management and 
 careful attention to the details of his business, he 
 has accumulated a comfortable property, and is one 
 of the well-to-do citizens of the town. 
 
 ^ .#>^ — 
 
 JOHN M. HERRICK, Postmaster at Wapello, 
 Iowa, was born at Watertown, Jefferson Co., 
 N. Y., July 16, 1819, and is the son of John 
 C. and Catharine (Van Schaick) Herrick. 
 His father, who was born at Flatbush, N. Y., was 
 of English descent, and a farmer by occupation. 
 He was a soldier of the War of 181 '2, and parlici- 
 
 ■^^ 
 
 ■•► 
 
■^•- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 549 
 
 pated in the battle of Saekett's Harbor. The pater- 
 nal fjranil father of our subject was a patriot soldier 
 of the War of the Revolution, and served under 
 Washington. Mr. Herrick's mother was of Holland 
 origin, and her ancestors, the Van Schaicks, were of 
 the old Knickerbocker stock, who peopled Eastern 
 New York in the earl3' history of the country. 
 The famil}' was noted for its longevity, Mrs. Van 
 Schaick, the maternal grandmother of our subject, 
 having lived to the advanced age of one hundred 
 and four years. Of her three sons and three daugh- 
 ters now living, the eldest is ninety and the young- 
 est seventj'-two j'ears of age. 
 
 John M. Herrick lost his mother in childhood, 
 and the father marrying again, the family removed 
 in 1836 to Faj'ette Count}', Ohio, and settled on a 
 farm. Our subject, then seventeen 3'ears of age, 
 was emplo3'ed in the usual hard work of the tim- 
 bered farm in a new country, receiving his educa- 
 tion at the public schools. 
 
 On the 21st of October, 1847, Mr. Herrick was 
 united in marriage with Miss Enieline Sexton, a 
 daughter of William Sexton, of Washington, Fay- 
 ette Co., Ohio. Mrs. Herrick was born in Virginia, 
 and removed with her parents to Fayette County 
 in childhood. 
 
 The following year, 1848, Mr. Herrick emigrated 
 to Iowa, being accompanied by his father, step- 
 mother, and brother David W. He purchased a 
 farm near the southern limits of Wapello, Louisa 
 County, of cightj' acres, where he has made his home 
 ever since. A portion of his farm, with liis resi- 
 dence, lies within the city limits, and has become 
 valuable property. His father was engaged in farm- 
 ing, and died in 18iJ4. He was a Democrat in 
 politics, and a strong Universalist in religious 
 faitii. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Herrick are the parents of six chil- 
 dren, four of whom are living, two sons and two 
 daughters; two were lost in childhood: John Wal- 
 ter married Miss Martha Williams, and resides at 
 Wapello, being employed as a traveling salesman 
 for the wholesale grocery house of John Blaul & 
 Sons, of Burlington, Iowa; William Curran wedded 
 Miss Josepiiine House, is also a resident of Wapello, 
 and is employed .as a traveling salesman for Fttrbci' 
 wliulesale tea house, of St. Louis; Fmina is liie wife 
 
 4* 
 
 of Harvey Rice, of Jefferson County, N. Y. ; Brig- 
 ham died at tiie age of two and a half 3'ears; Carrie 
 is the wife of Dr. Charles E. Hoag, of Nevada, 
 Story Co., Iowa; Maurice, the youngest, died at 
 the age of five years. 
 
 Mr. Herrick is a Democrat of the "Old Hickory" 
 style, and has alwaj's voted with that party. His 
 politics have not been conducive to ollice-holding 
 in Iowa, generally speaking, but he was Mayor of 
 AVapello one term, and several times was elected to 
 the School Board. He was ai)pointed Postm.aster 
 at Wapello by President Cleveland, and entered 
 upon the duties of the office in January, 1887. 
 Mr. Herrick makes an efficient and accommoilating 
 official, and is prompt and correct in the discharge 
 of his duties. He is a member of Louisa Lodge 
 No. 19, I. 0. O. F., and w.as initiated into the 
 order at Wapello in 1853, being now one of the 
 oldest remaining members of that lodge. Mr. Her- 
 rick is a man of sterling integrity, courteous and 
 affable in manner, and after a residence of over 
 forty years in this community, enjoys as he deserves 
 the respect and esteem of a large circle of acquaint- 
 ances. 
 
 J'^OHN DRAKE, deceased, a well-known and 
 prominent pioneer of Wapello, was born in 
 Butler County, Ohio, July 3, 1800, and was a 
 son of James and Sarah (Paddock) Drake. 
 Our subject removed with his parents to Sullivan 
 County, Ind., wiien seventeen years of age, received 
 a common-school education, and was reared on a 
 farm. When twenty-one years of age he returned to 
 his old home in Ohio, where he was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Mary Clark, daughter of Jonathan 
 and Catherine (Jonas) Clark. Mrs. Drake w.as a 
 native of Maryland. Nine children were born of their 
 union, two sons and seven daughters. At this 
 writing the two sons and two of the daughters only 
 arc living: Jonatiian C. wedded Mar^' Huffman, ' 
 and is a farmer of Wapello Township, Louisa Co., 
 Iowa; James, now residing at Sterling, Kan.; Sarah 
 is now the wife of Aart)n D. Hurley, and resides at 
 Wapello; Eliza, Maliala and Catherine died in 
 youth: Lucy A., the wife of .l<is('[ih Clements, died 
 at Wapello, May 10, 1888; Mary died at the age 
 
 f 
 
•«^ 
 
 550 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 f 
 
 of scveiitroii j-enrs; Clara is the wife of Cjtus 
 Morgan, a hairlware merchant of Wajjcllo. 
 
 5Ir. Drake emigrated westward in 1835, intend- 
 ing to come to Iowa, but iiis wife objecting on 
 account of the Indians still being numerous in the 
 country, they located in "Warren County, 111. In 
 1836 Mr. Drake came to Louisa County on a tour 
 of observation, and being pleased with the countrj' 
 purchased a claim, which he afterward sold. In 
 Februarj', 1838. he brought his family to Wapello, 
 and established his home here. lie built a house 
 on Second street, nearl}' due west of the present 
 flouring-mill. where he opened a public house, the 
 second in the place. He also purchased a claim 
 and carried on farming. . With the exception of a 
 few years passed on his farm, Mr. Drake was a resi- 
 dent of AVapello, and an active and prominent 
 citizen of the early times. His death occurred 
 .Sept. 3, 1878, in the seventy-ninth year of his age. 
 Mrs. Drake, an estimable Christian l.ady, died Sept. 
 16, 1866. Both were consistent members of the 
 Baptist Church, and Mr. Drake was a Democrat in 
 
 politics. 
 
 -O^^f^-^'Q^^^-^i*^*^ 
 
 JW. GARNER, one of the firm of Colton & 
 Garner, of Columbus City, and President of 
 the Louisa County National Bank, of Co- 
 lumbus Junction, is a resident of the former 
 place, and was the founder of the last-named city. 
 He was the proprietor of the original plat of Colum- 
 bus Junction, which consisted of twenty acres, 
 which he platted and named Columbus Junction, in 
 1869. 
 
 Mr. Garner was born in Preble County, Ohio, 
 Jan. 30, 1843, and is the son of Col. Wesley W. 
 and Harriet (Murray) Garner. His father was l)orn 
 in York County, Pa., and is of German and Scotch 
 descent, while his mother, who was born in Carroll 
 Count}', Md., is also of Scotch ancestry. Mr. Gar- 
 ner came to Louisa County, Iowa, with his par- 
 ents in 1845, the famil}' settling at Columbus Cit}', 
 where they still reside. (See sketch of Col. W. W. 
 Garner elsewhere in this work.) 
 • Our subject received his primary education in the 
 public schools, and later attended the Iowa WeS- 
 leyan University, of Mt. Pleasant. He was reared 
 4« 
 
 to agricultural and mercantile pursuits under the 
 direction of his father, who was both a farmer and 
 merchant. When seventeen years of age he went 
 to Muscatine, where he served nearly three 3'ears 
 in the printing-oflice of the Muscatine Journal, 
 doing duty a part of the time as post-oflSce clerk 
 for the publisher, who was then Postmaster of that 
 citj'. In August, 1862. he enlisted in Companj- F, 
 25th Iowa Infantry, and was promoted to Commis- 
 sary Sergeant of the regiment on the 27th of Sep- 
 tember following, and in Jul}', 1863, was com- 
 missioned Quartermaster. From September, 1864, 
 until the close of the war, he was Acting Division 
 Quartermaster of the 1st Division of the loth Army 
 Corps, and was mustered out in June, 1865, with 
 the rank of Regimental Quartermaster. 
 
 On his return from the war Mr. Garner was ap- 
 pointed Assistant United States Assessor, which posi- 
 tion he held from July, 18C5, until the spring of 1868. 
 In the meantime he h.ad formed a partnership with 
 William H. Neal, in the drug business at Columbus 
 Cit}', under the firm name of Neal &. Garner, that 
 connection continuing five j-ears, when Mr. Garner 
 sold out and opened a general store in the same 
 town, in company with Frank Colton, under the 
 firm name of Colton <k Garner, which business they 
 have carried on continuously since, covering a 
 period of sixteen years. This is one of the largest 
 mercantile houses in Louisa County. Mr. Garner 
 was one of the original incorporators of the Louisa 
 County National Bank of Columbus Junction, Iowa, 
 and was a member of the first Board of Directors, 
 having held that position continuously since. He 
 was elected President of the bank in 1879, and has 
 been re-elected at each succeeding election to this 
 date (1888). 
 
 On the 15th of February, 1877, Mr. Garner was 
 united in marriage, in Y'ork County, Pa., with Miss 
 Agnes Freeland, who was born in Baltimore County, 
 Md., is a daughter of C. Freeland. and a member of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church. Socially, Mr. 
 Garner is a Knight Templar Mason, a member of 
 Columbus City Lodge No. 107, A. F. i'A. M.; 
 of Composite Chapter No. 91, R.CA. M. ; and of 
 DeMolay Comraandery No. 1, K. T., of Muscatine. 
 He is also a member of Joe Neal Post No. 129, G. 
 A. R., of Columbus City, and is a Rei»ublican in 
 
-4•- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 A- 
 
 551 
 
 politics. He has never sought or desired public 
 olHce, but has served in some minor official posi- 
 tions. Mr. Garner is known as an enterprising and 
 successful l)usiness man, who has been iironiiiientl}' 
 identified with the mercantile and b.anking interests 
 of Louisa Count}' for many 3'ears, and one who is 
 entitled to rank as one of the leading citizens of the 
 county. 
 
 ^g^^^L^: : „ 
 
 JOSEPH HUSTON, an early settler of Louisa 
 County, Iowa, now engaged in general farm- 
 ing and stock-raising on section 29, Elm 
 Grove Township, was born in Miami County, 
 Oiiio, Aug. 14, 1822, and is a son of Joseph and 
 Nanc}' (Martin) Huston, the former a n.ative of 
 Pennsj'lvania, and the latter of Kentuclxy. Tliey 
 were the parents of seven children, but of that 
 number only two are yet living : Joseph, and Nancy, 
 who is the wife of Nicholas Prather, of Vermilion 
 County, 111. The family staid in Miami County, 
 Ohio, until 1830, when they removed to Ver- 
 milion County, HI., where the death of both father 
 and mother occurred, the former dj-ing in 1857, 
 and the latter in 1855. 
 
 The education of our subject was begun in his 
 native county, but completed in the common schools 
 of Illinois. He was reared upon his father's farm^ 
 remaining under the parental roof until the age of 
 twenty-one, when he began working by the month 
 as a farm laborer. He was united in marriage 
 with Miss Rebecca Lewis, a native of Ohio, they 
 making their home in Illinois for several jears. In 
 1 855 they came to Iowa, locating in AVashington 
 County, where they remained for a year, after 
 which they came to Louisa County, locating upon 
 the HO-acre farm on section 29, Elm Grove Town- 
 ship, which Mr. Huston had previously pin-chased. 
 In that year he built a small house, and immediately 
 began the development of the raw land, steadily 
 carrying forward the work until he now has one of 
 the fine farms of Elm CJrove Township. To his 
 original purchase he has added until now 120 broad 
 acres pay tribute to his care and cultivation. He 
 has witnessed the many great changes of the county, 
 has participated in its progress and civilization, and 
 has aided in its cultivation and development. 
 
 ^> 
 
 In 1859 Mr. Huston was called upon to mourn 
 the death of his wife. In early life Mrs. Huston 
 was a member of the Christian Cliiirch, but in later 
 years united with the Metliodist Ei)iscoi)al Clitirch, 
 as there was no organization of the former denom- 
 ination in the vicinity of her home. To Mr. and 
 Mrs. Huston were born five cliildren : Sarah, wife 
 of Thomas Russell, a farmer of Saunders County, 
 Neb. ; John L., who is engaged in f.arming in Fay- 
 ette County, Pii. ; Joseph JL, a merchant of Green- 
 field, Iowa; William C, at home: and Eliza E., 
 wife of John Steele, who is located in Blue Mound, 
 Kan. In 18G1 Mr. Huston was again married, 
 Mahala Hollenshead, widow of George Yager, be- 
 coming his wife. By her former marriage four 
 children had been born : Lectj' A. ; Harvj- B., de- 
 ceased ; Lavenia F. and Emma Adelia. Her first 
 husband, who was a devoted member of the Chris- 
 tian Church, died in 1845. Mr. and Mrs. Huston 
 are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 Politically, he is a stalwart supporter of the Re- 
 publican party, and believes in the strict enforce, 
 ment of the prohibitory law. Since coming to the 
 county he has identified himself with its social, 
 educational and moral interests, and is one of the 
 highly esteemed citizens of the communit}'. Finan- 
 cially, he is a self-made man. Beginning life as a 
 farm laborer, by his steady, industrious habits, his 
 enterprise and ability, he has accumulated consider- 
 able wealth, and now has a comfortable competency 
 laid up for declining age. 
 
 )HOMAS GARVIN, a general life .and fire 
 insurance agent, residing in Morning Sun, 
 ^y w.as born in New Athens, Harrison Co., 
 Ohio. Dec. 25, 1822, and is a son of John and 
 Hannah (Whan) Garvin, who were natives of 
 Washington Count}', Pa. They were the parents 
 of six children, three of whom died in infancy; W. 
 W. died in Elm Grove Township, March 2, 1855; 
 and Mary became the wife of Gilson Cook, a resi- 
 dent of Greenwood, Jackson Co., Mo. From Ohio 
 the family removed to Washington County, Pa., in 
 1826, and in that county our subject received liis 
 education in the common schools. He also attended 
 
 ■*► 
 
552 
 
 •4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 f 
 
 the matliematical flepartment of the Franklin Col- 
 lege of New Athens, Ohio. His father was a miller, 
 and of him he learned the trade, which he followed 
 in Washington Count3' until eighteen years of age, 
 when he again attended school. Subsequently 
 learning the carpenter's and joiner'.s trade, he worked 
 in that line for about two and a half years, and 
 then removed to Wellsburg, W. Va., where he 
 again followed that occupation. 
 
 On the 2.5th of August, 184;"), Jlr. Garvin was 
 united in marfiage with Mary A. Liggit, a native 
 of Washington County, Pa., and a daughter of 
 Tliouiasand Amelia Liggit. In the spring of 1849 
 they, accompanied by John Garvin and his family, 
 removed to Holmes County, Ohio, where they re- 
 siiled for four and a half years, .at the end of which 
 time, in October, 1853, they emigrated to Cedar 
 Count}-, Iowa. Not liking the location, two months 
 later they came to Louisa County, settling in Elm 
 Grove Township, where Mr. Garvin purchased 440 
 acres of land. For only two short years his wife 
 was permitted to enjoy her new home. In 1855 
 there came to his home a part}' of emigrants who 
 were afflicted willi the cholera, and the disease was 
 transmitted to them ; in the same year, 1855, l\Ir. 
 Garvin lost a brother and three children. His 
 mother died Oct. 7, 1850. All were devoted mem- 
 bers of the Reform Presbyterian Church. The 
 father, who was born Aug. 4, 1794, survived his 
 wife for many years, dying Aug. 1, 1885. He was 
 also a member of the Reform Presbj'terian Church, 
 and was an honored citifen of Louisa County. Two 
 of the chililren of Thom.as and Mary Garvin 
 are yet living: Mary A., wife of Albert Caughe}', 
 foreman of a large carriage factor}', of Omaha, 
 Neb.; and William H., a druggist residing in Brook- 
 field, Mo. 
 
 On the l'.)lh of May, 1857, Mr. Garvin was again 
 united in marriage, becoming the husband of Miss 
 Susan S. Cannon, who was born in Pennsylvania, 
 and is a daughter of Rev. John Cannon, a minister 
 of the Reform Presbyterian Church. Seven chil- 
 dren were born of this union, though four died in 
 infancy. Those living are ; Martha A., wife of Frank 
 Brown, a grocer of Morning Sun; Agnes J., a 
 teacher of recognized ability, now employed in the 
 High School of Morning Sun; and Margaret A., 
 
 4* 
 
 who is at home. In 1871, in order that he might 
 give his children better educations, and also for the 
 purpose of benefiting the health of himself and his 
 wife, Mr. Garvin moved to the village of Morning 
 Sun. Although all possible aid was procured for 
 his wife, her health steadily failed, and on the 28th 
 of January, 188G, she passed away. The last eight- 
 een years of her life she had been an invalid, but 
 she bore her sufferings nnoompiainingly, and was 
 ready when her final summons came. She was a 
 consistent Christian, having always, when health 
 permitted, been an active worker of the Reform 
 Presbyterian Church, of which she was a lifelong 
 member, and her death proved a great loss to the 
 community. 
 
 In October, 1866, Mr. Garvin began the insur- 
 ance business, which he has continued ever since. 
 For almost a quarter of a century he has been con- 
 nected with tiie Burlington Insurance Company, 
 which is one of the most reliable in the country. 
 In that time he has written about 10,000 i)olicies, 
 all claims have been promptly adjusted, and to the 
 satisfaction of the parties concerned, and no one, 
 who has once insured, fails to insure again if he has 
 a fire. In one year the county lost in Mr. Garvin's 
 field of labor over $7,000, but within eleven days 
 all losses had been settled. In all moral and relig- 
 ious reforms- he also takes great interest, and is 
 ever ready to aid in the promotion of a good cause. 
 He not only teaches tem|>erance by word of mouth, 
 but also by example, having yet to present himself 
 at a bar and call for his first drink of liquor, a fact 
 of which but few can boast, and of which he may 
 well feel proud. In early life he was a member of 
 the Whig party, was always a strong Abolitionist, 
 and when the Republican party was formed he 
 joined its ranks, and has since fought under its ban- 
 ner. He is ardent in the support of the principles 
 of that party, and takes great interest in the politi- 
 cal affairs of the community. In August, 1845, in 
 Washington County, Pa., he united with the Asso- 
 ciate Reformed Presbyterian Church, antl in 1854 
 joined the Reft)rmed Presbyterian Church of Louisa 
 County, of which he is a liberal supporter and an 
 earnest worker. Since 1853 Mr. Garvin has been 
 a resident of Louisa County, since which time he 
 has not only witnessed but has also taken part in 
 
 ?» j jl ■» 
 
■^•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY, 
 
 553 
 
 4< 
 
 tlic <i:ro:it clianj^cs which have catiseil the once wild 
 ami iinbrokoii prairios to blossom like the rose. He 
 has ever been a man of progressive ideas. While 
 residing in 'Wcllslinrg, W. Va., he was the first to 
 replace the old fireplace by our modern cooking 
 stoves, and was also the first to introduce the stoves 
 into Washington Countj', Pa. Ills honest}' and 
 fair dealing in all business transactions, his unas- 
 suming mode of life, his temperate habits, and his 
 kindliness of heart, have won him the confidence and 
 good-will of all with whom he comes in contact, 
 and as a citizen, he is honored and respected through- 
 out the county. 
 
 -»««a2'©^-* — Rv 
 
 -^^);OTa»v 
 
 Sfl, S. GIPPLE, residing in the village of Letts, 
 was born in Dauphin County, Pa., in 1822, 
 and was the eldest in a fauiil}' of ten chil- 
 dren born to George and Marj' Ann (Stroh) 
 (Tipple, who were also natives of Pennsylvania. 
 The father of our subject was a farmer by occupa- 
 tion, and came to Louisa County in 1852, settling 
 near the village of Grand View, where he bought a 
 partl\' improved farm, commenced its improvement, 
 an<l there resided until his death, which occurred 
 in 1855. His estimable wife still survives him, and 
 resides on the old homestead. 
 
 Our subject was educated in the district schools 
 of his native State, was there reared to manhood, 
 and in 18-17, in Dauphin County, was united in 
 marriage with Margaret Hoover, who was born in 
 that county, and is a daughter of John and Eliz.a- 
 beih (Baucham) Hoover. Her father was by trade 
 a shoemaker, and both parents died in Pennsyl- 
 vania. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Gipple have been born ten chil- 
 dren, seven of whom are 3'et living: Elmira Frances, 
 wife of .Jasper Hod well, of Greene County, Iowa, died 
 in 1884; Catherine Matilda, now Mrs. Sutherland, 
 resides in Decatur County, Iowa; Mary Elizabeth, 
 wife of Joseph Donahue, a resident of Ringgold 
 County, Iowa, died in 1885; Julia Ann, now Mrs. 
 Waltin.'Mi. is a resident of Audubon County, Iowa; 
 Sarah Alice died in 1882; William Wesley and 
 James Madison are twins; the former is married. 
 
 f 
 
 and resides in Audubon County, Iowa; the latter is 
 married, and resides on the old homestead. Thomas 
 Jefferson is married, and resides in Elm f J rove 
 Township, Louisa County; Harriet Amanda died in 
 1881, and Lettie Isabella is at home. 
 
 In his early life Mr. Gipple learned the trade 
 of a miller, which he followed in Pennsylvania un- 
 til his removal to the West. In 1852 he migrated 
 to Louisa County, Iowa, settling iti Concord Town- 
 ship, where lie purchased forty acres of raw prairie 
 land, upon which he built a twostory brick resi- 
 dence. They developed the land, improved a farm, 
 and from time to time Mr. Gipple added to it until 
 he now owns 130 acres c>f arable land in a high 
 state of cultivation. In Se|)lembpr, 1887, he retired 
 from active life and removed to the village of Letts, 
 renting his farm to his son James M. He pur- 
 chased a nice residenca in the town, has made sev- 
 eral improvements, and owns four lots. He is one 
 of the earl}' settlers of Concord Township. The 
 first people who came to the count}- came merely 
 for the purpose of fishing or hunting, paying no 
 attention to the development of the land, but Mr. 
 Gipple removed to the West for the purpose of 
 obtaining a home. He helped to develop the coun- 
 try, endured the trials of pioneer life, and is now 
 enjoying the fruits of his labor. In his political 
 views he is a Republican, has always taken great 
 interest in politics, and has held various odices of 
 trust in Concord Township. He has served as Ro.ad 
 Su|)ervisor, was School Dir^jctor, and has ever been 
 prominent in the promotion of education. He and 
 his wife are members of the Evangelical Church at 
 Letts, and of the church of that denomination in 
 Grand View his father was the first Class-Leader. 
 
 yD. AVERY, a retired farmer, residing near 
 Columbus City, was born March 28, 1833, 
 in Windham, Conn., of which .State his par- 
 ents, W. R. and Rhoda E. Avery, were also natives. 
 They were descended from old English families, 
 and were the parents of five children. In 1856 our 
 subject first came to Iowa, locating in Johnson 
 County, where he was one of the first settlers on 
 the [irairie. He there purchased eighty acres of 
 
 f 
 
A. 
 
 ,t 
 
 554 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ■wild, unbroken land, which be greatly improved, 
 but afterward sold, purchasing the Lone Tree Farm 
 of eighty acres. Continuing its cultivation for 
 several years, he then sold out and returned to 
 the East, locating in Cortland County, N. Y., 
 wliere he made his home for a year and a half. 
 Returning to Johnson County in 1866, he bought 
 land in the neighborhood of iiis former home, re- 
 siding there three j-ears, wiien he settled in Louisa 
 Countj', where for thirteen j'ears he was a farmer 
 near the village of Toolsboro, in Wapello Town- 
 ship. 
 
 In the mouth of April, 1872, Mr. Avery was 
 united in marriage with Mary Ann Erwin, of Tools- 
 boro, Iowa, a daughter of E. Erwin, of Louisa 
 Count}', who was one of the earliest settlers of Jef- 
 ferson Township. Their children are: "William, who 
 died at the age of two and one-half j'ears. and Min- 
 nie, who is at home. Mr. Avery and his wife are 
 members of the Baptist Church, in which he has 
 held various offices, wiiile politically, he is a sup- 
 porter of the Republican party, though not an 
 active politician. His whole life was spent as a 
 farmer and stock-raiser, in which he was quite suc- 
 cessful, until quite recently, when he retired from 
 active business, and removed to his home, which 
 is pleasantly situated near Columbus City. 
 
 -^1, MZI DONALDSON, a general farmer and 
 ( ©yu I I stock-raiser, residing on section 15, Co- 
 lumbus City Township, was born in Madi- 
 son, N. Y., April 25, 1830, and is a son of 
 Erick and Philinda (Doolittle) Donaldson. The 
 father was a n.ative of Scotland, and leaving home 
 when a j'oung man, emigrated to America, locating 
 in New York. 
 
 Amzi Donaldson was a pioneer of Iowa of 1839, 
 and aided in laying out the great city of Burling- 
 ton. He was the ninth in order of birth in a fam- 
 ily of eleven children, of whom nine grew to man 
 and womanhood, though only three are now living 
 to perpetuate the name of the venturous young 
 Scotchman who emigrated to America and founded 
 tlic family in this country. The children yet liv- 
 
 ing besides our subject are : Alonzo, who is living in 
 Rochester, Minn., and Charles, who is residing in 
 Leadville, Col., where he is overseer of the Small 
 Hope Mines; he was formerly Sherifif of Davidson 
 Count}', Tenn., of which Nashville is the county 
 seat, for man}' j'ears, and was there during the war. 
 In 1860 Amzi came to this county with his father, 
 and settled five miles north of Burlington on Flint 
 Creek, where he began to develop a farm from 
 the timber land of that section. In 1841 the father 
 returned to Madison County, N. Y., on a visit, and 
 while there was taken sick and died, his remains 
 being interred in that countj'. The mother sur- 
 vived him until April, 1877. Four years prior to 
 her death she lost her e3'esight, but bore the afflic- 
 tion as a sincere Christian. She wiis a devoted 
 member of the Baptist Church. In 1842, after the 
 death of the father, the family made a visit to 
 Madison County, but in 1847 came to Louisa 
 County, where our subject has since made his home. 
 He had a sister living in this county, who induced 
 the family to make it their home, so in 1847 the 
 mother purchased forty acres of land on section 15, 
 in Columbus City Township, where she resided until 
 her death. 
 
 The primary education of Amzi was received in 
 the common schools of Des Moines and Louisa 
 Counties, and supplemented by a course in the 
 graded schools of Burlington. He is now the owner 
 of the old homestead, and the small log cabin, 16x18 
 feet, in which so many happy hours of his bo3'hood 
 daj-s were passed, is still standing, though now used 
 as a barn. He has added to the original farm un- 
 til he now owns 160 acres of land, which is higiil}' 
 improved and finely cultivated. The residence is 
 a nice story and a half brick building, and all the 
 out-buildings necessary for the care of his stock 
 have been put up. 
 
 Mr. Donaldson w.as united in marriage with Miss 
 Almira Ball, a native of Indiana, in 1849. The 
 lady is a daughter of Davis and Rhoda (Wood- 
 cock) Ball, and of their union two children have 
 been born: Jcrusha, wife of Dr. James W. Mor- 
 gan, of Columbus City, one of the leading physi- 
 cians of Louisa County; and Charles M., who was 
 born Feb. 4, 1864, and is a most successful teacher. 
 He is a young man of more than ordinary ability, and 
 
^r^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4^ 
 
 555 
 
 one who will make bis waj' in tlie world. He first 
 attended the district school, then for two years at- 
 tended the Colaml)us City schools, and afterward 
 took a course in Iowa Cit^'. Mrs. Morj^an also re- 
 ceived a liberal education and engaged in teach- 
 ing previous to her marriage. The family are 
 members of the Baptist Church, and are honored 
 members of societ}". Mr. Donaldson has served in 
 various official positions in the township, and is an 
 ardent supporter of the principles of the Repub- 
 lican party. He is active in the promotion of social, 
 educational and religious interests, is upright and 
 honest in all bis dealings, and as a citizen none 
 stands higher. For the p.ast eight years Mrs. Don- 
 aldson has been an invalid, but her sufferings have 
 been borne with patience and Christian fortitude. 
 Socially', Mr. D. is a member of the Masonic frater- 
 nity. During the forty-eight years' residence of this 
 worthy couple in Louisa Count}' they have won an 
 enviable position in the hearts of the people of the 
 community, and are well deserving of a prominent 
 place in this volume. 
 
 1= 
 
 ILTON GILMORK, one of the early set- 
 tlers of Louisa Count}-, now residing in 
 Morning Sun, was born in Boone County, 
 Ky., March 2, 1822, and is a son of Rev. 
 James L. Gilmore, born March 5, 1792, of Scotch 
 descent, his father being Robert Gilmore, who came 
 from Scotland. James was a soldier in the War of 
 1812, and March 5, 1818, was united in marriage 
 with .Sarah Willis, who was born in Virginia. Feb. 
 16, 1792. Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore were the parents 
 of seven children, four of whom are living, two are 
 not known to be dead, and one brother, if yet liv- 
 ing, probably resides in Oregon. 
 
 In 1831 Rev. Gilmore removed with his family 
 from Kentuckj' to Rush County, Ind., where he 
 developed a farm from the unbroken timber. When 
 eighteen j-cars of age he was converted to the 
 Baptist faith, joining that church, and at the age of 
 twenty-one was ordained, being instrumental in 
 forming a congregation and erecting a comfortable 
 church at Rushville, where he was known as a pio- 
 
 ^ 
 
 neer preacher. In 1834 he came to Des Moines 
 County, Iowa, where he was pastor of a church, 
 and made a claim. In 18:3G the family moved to 
 that count}', settling in Franklin Township, where 
 Mr. Gilmore organized a Baptist congregation, and 
 subsequently assisted in building a stone church, 
 which is still standing. It was the first church 
 built in the county. The <lcath of Mrs. Gilmore 
 occurred in Des Moines Count}-, March 9, 1802, 
 and Rev. Gilmore died in Kentucky in October, 
 18G5. 
 
 The subject of this sketch went with his parents to 
 Rush County, Ind., when ten 3-ears old, and there 
 grew to manhood. In 1836 he came to Des Moines 
 County, low.a, assisting in developing a farm and 
 helping to haul the material from which the first 
 church in that county was built. Mr. Gilmore was 
 united in marriage with Miss Polly Hunt, a daugh- 
 ter of Charles Hunt, and four children were born 
 of their union: Janies, John and Jonathan, who are 
 residents of Taj-lor County, Iowa, and Sarah, wife 
 of Oliver Dotson, of this count}'. Mrs. Gilmore 
 died Feb. 5, 18G4, and he subsiquently married 
 Matilda Bucher, of Pennsylvania. They were the 
 parents of one child, Thomas, now a resident of 
 Nebraska. After a short married life of fouryears 
 she was called to her final home, and Mr. Gilmore 
 was a third time married, Ann Sl.ade becoming his 
 wife, but she died shortly after, and he was united 
 in marriage with Miss Sarah Hamilton, a native of 
 Ohio. 
 
 In 1852 Mr. Gilmore purchased a farm in Louisa 
 County, upon which he resided until 1882, and 
 then removed to Morning Sun. Politically, he is a 
 Rei)ublican. He is, financially, a self-made man, 
 having by hard work .ind economy accumulated a 
 comfortable comiJCtcncy, and to-day is enjoying 
 the fruits of his hard labor, living a retired life in 
 Morning Sun. 
 
 ENRY HELVE RSON, a farmer and stock- 
 raiser, residing on section 20, Wapello Town- 
 ship, came to Louisa County in the year 
 _ 1842, locating in what w.as then known as 
 Florence Townslii[). He purchased 140 acres of 
 
 :?^:#--^ 
 
»► ir^ 
 
 -•► 
 
 556 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 land in Des Moines County, in company with Piiilip 
 Cos, to whom lie afterwiiid sold his share, and tlien 
 became the owner of forty acres of Government 
 land, which, when he had partly improved it, he 
 sold to Hulda Springsteen. His next purchase con- 
 sisted of some property in Wapello, where he re- 
 moved, as he had a contract with the Government 
 to cany the mail, which made it more convenient 
 for him to live in that city. Mr. Helverson taught 
 school in Wapello Township, and later engaged in 
 the same profession in Des Moines Township, after 
 which, in 1857, he embarked in the grocery busi- 
 ness at the former place. After continuing in that 
 business for three j'ears he next rented a farm, 
 which he cultivated until 1 862, when he bought a 
 tract of eighty acres on section 20; Wapello Town- 
 ship. Later he became the owner of eightj' acres 
 adjoining, and upon his farm, which is now all 
 under cultivation, he erected a comfortable resi- 
 dence and all liie out-buildings necessary to a well- 
 regulated farm. He has since added forty acres 
 more, making 200 in all. 
 
 Henry Helverson was born Nov. 18, 1826, in 
 Ohio, and is a son of James and Sarah (Kilpatvick) 
 Helverson, who were natives of America, though 
 the father was of German ancestry, and the mother 
 of Scotch-Irish descent. The father engaged in 
 teaching for several years, after which he dealt in 
 real estate until 1832, when he opened a dry-goods 
 store. Failing m this line he came to Iowa, accom- 
 panied by his wife and four children, his stock in 
 trade consisting only of a yoke of oxen and an old 
 wagon. He took up his residence on Flax Farm, 
 which his sons cared for and cultivated. They 
 tramped out the wheat with oxen, and endured all 
 the hardships incident to pioneer life. While his 
 children were engaged in the cultivation of the 
 land the father was employed as a teacher in the 
 Wapello schools. His death occurred in 1865, at 
 the age of sixty-four years. 
 
 In the month of November, 1848, the marri.ige 
 of Henry Helverson and Miss Kffama Jane Kemp, 
 of Fairfield County, Ohio, was celebrated. She is 
 a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Moss) Kemp, 
 and her ancestors were origin.'illy from New Jersey. 
 B^' their union eight children have been born, two 
 of whom are now deceased: Josei)liiiie is now the 
 
 wife of Peter Brown; Alonzo; Octavia, who died 
 in infancy; Stephen, .lames; Emma, who died in 
 infancy; Lillie and Henry. Mr. Helverson is a 
 liberal supporter of all orthodox churches, or of any 
 enterprise which tends to benefit the public. Po- 
 litically, he affiliates with the Democratic party, 
 and sociall}', he is a member of Long Creek Grange, 
 of which he was Master for some time. He is well 
 informed on all subjects of National or local inter- 
 est, and is ranked among Louisa County's best 
 citizens. 
 
 IHWaW KRKITT L. JAMISON, a prominent stock- 
 '// \V dealer of Louisa Count}', resides on section 
 34 of the same township, Wapello, in 
 which he was born, on the 21st of August, 
 1848. He is a son of George and Hulda (Herrick) 
 Jamison, who were pioneers of Louisa Count}', and 
 his father, who is one of the largest land-owners 
 and stock-dealers in the State, still resides with his 
 family in Wapello Township. He was born in 
 Fayette Count}', Ohio, while his wife was a native 
 of Cape Vincent, N. Y. (See sketch of George 
 Jamison elsewhere in this work.) 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm, and his pri- 
 mary education, which was received at the public 
 schools, was supplemented by a course in the Bur- 
 lington University. On the 26th of October, 1867, 
 at Burlington, Iowa, his marriage with Miss M. E. 
 Whitcomb was celebrated. The Lad}' was born in 
 Kalamazoo, Mich., and is a daughter of Capt. A. 
 D. Whitcomb. They have two children, daughters, 
 living, Nellie May and Edna Blanche, and three are 
 deceased. 
 
 Mr. Jamison is the owner of 943 acres of land, 
 and in connection with his father and brothers makes 
 the handling of stock a specialty. Like the Jami- 
 sons generally, he is an uncompromising Demo- 
 crat, and is a man of broad aud liberal ideas. His 
 extensive business operations have extended his ac- 
 quaintance throughout Iowa and the neighboring 
 States, where he is highly esteemed as a reliable 
 business man. 
 
 Mr. .lamisoii has been iiilerosteil in contracting 
 for public works. In 1883 he had a contract for 
 
 1 
 
-^•- 
 
 •«► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 f 
 
 building a levoe on the west bank of the Mississippi 
 River, from Muscatine to Port Louisa, known as tiic 
 Muscatine Island levee, and has also had contracts 
 for grading on the Chicago, Burlington & Quiney 
 and Iowa Central Railroads. 
 
 AVID FETTERMAN, a fiirmer residing on 
 |)j section 20, Elm Grove Township, was born 
 in Indiana Count\-, Pa., Nov. 20, 1820, 
 and is a son of Michael and Catherine 
 (Mixwell) Fetterman, who were natives of Pennsyl- 
 vania. The name of Fetterman is of German ori- 
 gin, and the family was founded in America by 
 three brothers, who came to this countr3' prior to 
 the Revolutionary' War, in which they fought and 
 one of them was killed. Our subject was the tenth 
 in order of birth in a fnmilj' of eleven children, of 
 whom two others are 3et living: Emanuel, and 
 Catherine, wife of Emanuel Olwaller, of Pennsyl- 
 vania. The father died in 1845, and the mother 
 departed this life the j'ear following. The,y were 
 both members of the Church of God, and trained 
 their children, who are now Christian men and 
 women, in the teachings of the Bible. 
 
 David receive<l bis education in the common 
 schools of Penns3ivania, but has gained much of 
 his knowledge b}' observation. In his native State 
 he followed thrashing, using the old-fashioned im- 
 plements which were then the only ones to be ob- 
 tained, lie thrashed with the flail, and was an 
 expert in handling the cradle in thatdaj'. In 1842 
 Mr. Fetterman was united in marriage with Miss 
 Mary Tyson, a native of Indiana County, Pa., and 
 in 1856, accompanied by his family, he came to 
 Iowa, locating near Dodgeville, Dcs Moines Count}', 
 where for three years he was employed as a day 
 laborer. In 1859 he removed to a farm in Pleas- 
 ant Grove Township of the same coimt^', which he 
 rented until 1874, when he removed to this county, 
 and in 1878 purchased eighty-three and one-half 
 acres of land on section 20, Elm Grove Township. 
 It was then worn out, but he immediately began its 
 cultivation and improvement, has planted a fine 
 hedge fence, and now has one of the best farms in 
 the township. He has always taken an active part 
 
 in the development of the county, and is an ener- 
 getic, enterprising citizen. 
 
 B}- the union of Mr. and Mrs. Fetterman seven 
 children were born, but all have p.assed away with 
 the exception of two: John M., who now resides in 
 Ft. Scott, Kan. ; and Sarah J., wife of Adam Hef- 
 lingher, a railroad emploj'e. In 1865 the death of 
 Mrs. Fetterman occurred. She was a member of 
 the Church of God, a sincere Christian lady, and 
 was highly esteemed for her many excellencies of 
 character. In 1866 Mr. Fetterman was again mar- 
 ried, becoming the husband of Mrs. F'lagel, widow 
 of Jacob Flagel, who enlisted in the service of his 
 countrj', and now sleeps on a Southern battle-field. 
 By that union she had four children: Jennie, wife 
 of Rev. Cyrus Wilson ; George, a mechanic of Win- 
 field; Jacob, who is living in Gonlon Citj', Kan.; 
 and Mary, wife of Frank Paxton, a farmer of Elm 
 Grove Township. Mr. and Mrs. Fetterman are mem- 
 bers of the Evangelical Church, and are devoted 
 Christian people, ever ready to aid in the promotion 
 of the cause of Christianity. In his political senti- 
 ments he is a Keiniblican, and as a citizen he ranks 
 among the highest. 
 
 -5- 
 
 <s% 
 
 |r^, OBERT W. McELIlINNEY, of Morning Sun, 
 llg^ one of the proprietors of the Morning Sun 
 NetvSs is a native of the Hawkeye Stale, and 
 :was born in Des Moines County, Dec. 3, 
 1853. His parents are Gavin and Sarah J. (Wil- 
 son) McElhinney ; the former wjis born in Ireland 
 of Scotch |>aronts. and the latter is a native of Ohio. 
 Mr. Gavin McElhinne}' came to Ainerica with his 
 parents when but a child, and grew to manhood in 
 Ohio. He is one of the pioneers of Des Moines 
 County, having settled there in 1840. Mr. and Mrs. 
 McElhinney arc the parents of three sons, all' of 
 whom are living: Robert W., our subject, is the 
 eldest; he was reared upon his father's farm and re- 
 mained under the parental roof until he attained 
 his majority, and during the winter months at- 
 tended the public schools in the neighborhood. He 
 also attended the High School of Morning Sun a few 
 terms, and in the winter of 1872-73 he took a busi- 
 ness course in the Commercial College of Burling- 
 
M^ 
 
 558 
 
 =4. 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ton. After leaving college he was engaged as a 
 traveling agent for a few j-ears. 
 
 December 3, 1878, Mr. McElhinney was united 
 in marriage with Miss Mary E. Hawthorn, of Craw- 
 fordsville, Iowa. Since his marriage he has been 
 engaged in buying and selling live stock, and a 
 part of the time as traveling salesman. He was 
 local editor of the Morning Sun Hei-akl for a short 
 time previous to his buying an interest inthe^ews 
 and engaging in his present business. Politically, 
 bis influence has been exerted in favor of the Re- 
 publican party ; he is a member of the Covenanter 
 Church. 
 
 -«=r=4 
 
 A A 
 
 T T 
 
 £3- 
 
 '^^-, EV. MICHAEL SEE, who for forty years 
 lltsir traveled over a circuit in the interest of 
 l^\ the Methodist Episcopal Church, now re- 
 ^p)sides on section 30, Elm Grove Township. 
 The family is of Virginian descent. The great- 
 grandfather, Frederick See, removed from the South 
 Branch of the Potomac River in Virginia, in an 
 early day, to Greenbrier County, W. Va., there lo- 
 cating by a stream called Muddy Creek, near 
 which the Indians lived in vast numbers. While 
 residing there the family were taken prisoners by 
 the savages and confined at a place called Oldtown, 
 in Ross County, Ohio, but within a year all had 
 made their escape with the exception of Elizabeth, 
 one of the daughters, who remained in captivity 
 nine years, and John See, the grandfather of our 
 subject, who was held for two years. He was reared 
 by his uncle, Adam See, and after lie grew to man- 
 hood enlisted in the regul.ar army during the 
 Revolutionary War, serving five years. He par- 
 ticipated in throe of the most important engage- 
 ments of the war — the battle of Germantown, which 
 was fought near Philadelphia; Monmouth, N. J., 
 where the Indians mass.icred hundreds of the in- 
 habitants; and the storming of Stony Point. Re- 
 turning from the war, he was united in marriage 
 with Margaret Jarred, after wiiich he settled in 
 Greenbrier County, W. Va., but later removed to 
 Kanawha County ; he subsequently became a resi- 
 dent of Indiana, and thence went U) Macon County, 
 III., where lie died at the age of eighty-four years. 
 
 On the maternal side our subject is also descended 
 from an old family of Virginia. The grandfather, 
 David Milburn, was born and reared in Hampshire 
 Count3% now in West Virginia, and during the 
 time of the Revolutionary War was traveling 
 through the unsettled State of Tennessee in com- 
 pany with Sam Lawyers. They encamped one 
 night, and the following morning were awakened 
 at daybreak by gun shots fired by the Indians. Mr. 
 Milburn was badly wounded, the ball striking him 
 in the right breast and coming out at the shoulder. 
 He at length recovered from his injuries, and lived 
 to the advanced age of eighty-four years. In 
 Kanawha County, Va., he was united in marriage 
 with a lady whose maiden name was Susanna Pryer, 
 though she was a widow when she married Mr. 
 Milburn. Her first husband was killed l>y the In- 
 dians, and by that union she had one child, John 
 Harmon. 
 
 Charles F. See, the father of our subject, was 
 born in Greenbrier County, W. Va., in 1790. Re- 
 moving to Kanawha Count}', he there became ac- 
 quainted with and wedded Miss Sarah Milburn, 
 who was born in that county in 1794. They were 
 the parents of twelve children, four sons and eight 
 daughters, eight of whom are now living: Charles 
 F., who was a member of the 25th Iowa Regiment, 
 was wounded during the service, and is now a pen- 
 sioner, living in Nebraska; John W., of the 4oth 
 Iowa Infantry, is engaged in farming in Dakota; 
 Susanna, widow of Asa Elison, is living in this 
 State; Margaret, also a widow, resides in Iowa; 
 Lois makes her home in Dakota; America is living 
 in Iowa; Aldoolah is also located in l)ak(jta; May 
 died in this State; Urbain is the wife of Rev. J. W. 
 Anderson, a member of the Des Moines Confer- 
 ence, and traveled with her husband over his cir- 
 cuit for twcnt}' years; Sarah died in childhood. 
 The father of this family died in Missouri at the 
 age of seventy-nine, and the mother in Iowa, when 
 sixt3'-four years of age. They were earnest Christian 
 people, teaching their children, both by precept 
 and example, the true way of life. 
 
 Michael See was born Feb. 22, 1817, in Kanawha 
 County, Va., and when four j'ears of age removed 
 with his parents to Indiana, locating in Ilenrj' 
 County, which was then an almost uninhabilcd wil- 
 
■^^ 
 
 ••► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 6iy9 
 
 4 
 
 derness. His cdiicalion was there received in the 
 subscription schools. In 1835 the father sold his 
 farm, and tiic folUywing sprin<i renioveil with his 
 family' to what is known as the Blaciv Hawli Purciiase, 
 purchasing a claim in Henrj' Count}', fifteen miles 
 west of Burlington. Previous to the fall of 1836 
 the country was entirely unsurveyed, but at that 
 time a line was laid, which divided Des Moines and 
 Henry Counties, and was called the meridian line. 
 In the fall of 1839 our subject entered land at the 
 first land sale ever held in the State, it taking place 
 in Burlington. The farm which he then secured 
 was situated in Des Moines Count}', and at the sale 
 of 1840 his father also entered land. The coun- 
 trj' was then new, times were hard, difficulties sur- 
 rounded them on all sides, but the brave pioneers 
 toiled on with the hope that one day they might 
 rest from their labors. 
 
 In Des Moines County, Iowa, in November, 1838, 
 Mr. See was united in marriage with Elizabeth 
 Miller, who was born in Kentucky, in 1819, and 
 moved with her parents to Illinois, and thence to 
 the Black Hawk Purchase in 183G. By their union 
 eight children were born, six of whom are yet liv- 
 ing: Lucretia, now Mrs. Turkington, who resides 
 on a farm in Washington Count}', Iowa; Lois, 
 now Mrs. Williams, who is living ou a farm in Un- 
 ion County, Iowa; Rebecca, now Mrs. Latta, living 
 on a farm in Muscatine County; Mary, now Mrs. 
 Thompson, who resides on a farm in Henry County; 
 Anna, now Mrs. Wilkius, of Washington County ; 
 and John W., who married Arta Greary, and is liv- 
 ing in Louisa County. The mother of these chil- 
 dren died in Grand View, Louisa County, Aug. 24, 
 1865. She had traveled with Mr. See over dif- 
 ferent circuits for twenty years, was a faithful 
 Christian woman, and her faith in the promises of 
 the Bible never faltered. Her parents, William 
 and Nancy (Hanks) Miller, died in Des Moines 
 County, Iowa. Her mother was a relative of Abra- 
 ham Lincoln. In 1866 Mr. See was again mar- 
 ried, in Wapello, Louisa Co., Iowa, becoming the 
 husband of Jane E. Thorapkins. who was born in 
 Essex County, N. J., Jan. 3, 1831, and is a daugh- 
 ter of Isaac and Nancy (Candad) Tompkins, who 
 died in New Jersey. Two children have been born 
 of their union — Aldoolah and Adah. 
 
 In 1842 Mr. See united with the Methodist Flpis- 
 copal Church, in Henry County, Iowa, soon after- 
 ward was licensed to preach, and joined the Iowa 
 Conference in 1845, with which he has since been 
 connected. Forty years of iiis life he has spent in 
 traveling over circuits, preaching the Gospel of 
 Christ, and during his ministry has received about 
 2,000 persons into the Church of Christ. Although 
 meeting with difliculties and trials, his faith in the 
 teachings and promises of the Bible has never 
 forsaken him. He has now retired from active life 
 and is living upon a small farm of fifty-eight acres 
 in Louisa County, where he expects to pass the 
 remainder of his days. 
 
 ON. ANDREW GAMBLE, deceased, who 
 was a prominent business man and banker of 
 Columbus Junction, Iowa, was horn in Bel- 
 mont County, Ohio, Aug. 1, 1816. His par- 
 ents, William and Margaret (Nixon) Gamble, were 
 of Irish birth, and emigrated from their native 
 country to America in their youth. The father 
 was a farmer by occupation, and being a poor man, 
 could not afford to give his children the advantages 
 of education so essential to them. At the early age 
 of thirteen years our subject w.as obliged to earn 
 his own livelihood, and worked .is a farm hand un- 
 til the age of eighteen. As he had received no 
 educational advantages, lie then attended the pub- 
 lic schools during the winter, working upon a farm 
 in the summer months, and made such good use of 
 his opportunities that at the age of twenty-four he 
 w.as employed as a teacher. Later lie attended 
 school in Union County, Ind., and in 1845 was 
 elected Sheriff of that county, serving until 1 847. At 
 the expiration of his term of oflice he came to 
 Louisa County, Iowa, and eng.aged in farming in 
 Union Township. In the fall of 1849 he was elected 
 to the Third (Jeneral Assembly of the Iowa Legis- 
 lature, and served on several important committees. 
 Mr. Gamble and Miss lOllen Colton, daughter 
 of Patrick and Hannah (Timinony) Colton, were 
 united in marriage in Union Township, this county, 
 Jan. 17, 1864. Mrs. Gamble was born in Adams 
 County, Pa., April 2, 1835, and came to this county 
 
 :^^^4-^ 
 
560 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 with her parents in 1842. Soon after their mar- 
 riage they removed to Keitlisburg, 111., where the 
 husband was engaged in mercantile business for a 
 year and a half, when he returned to Louisa County', 
 embarking in the grocery business at Columbus City, 
 which he carried on successfully for four j^ears. 
 While a resident of that city he was chosen Justice 
 of the Peace, holding that position for six years, 
 and at the same time was a member of the Louisa 
 County Board of Supervisors. He was one of the 
 incorporators of tiie Louisa County National Bank 
 of Columbus Junction, was a member of its Board 
 of Directors, and was chosen its first President, 
 which position he held until his death, which oc- 
 curred April 6, 1876, at the age of fifty-nine years, 
 eight months and five days. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Gamble were the parents of eleven 
 children, five sons and six daughters: Eva E., wife 
 of Martin Fogarty, now a resident of Jamestown, 
 Dak. ; Kate C. wedded Charles Turner, a resident 
 of Chicago; Emma died at the age of three 3'ears 
 and four months; William is single, and resides 
 witli his mother on the old homestead ; Margaret, 
 wife of Frank Parmeter, a railroad engineer of 
 What Cheer, Iowa; Amlrew H., the owner of a 
 cattle ranch in Colorado; N.anna M., a teacher, of 
 Dakota; John C, who is single, is a plumber and 
 gasfitter, of Kansas City, Mo.; James N. died at 
 the age of si. X years; Josie D. is attending school 
 at Iowa City; and Edward B. is at home. 
 
 In 1840 Mr. Gamble and his family removed to 
 the farm of forty-five acres where his widow and 
 chililren now reside, which is situated in Columbus 
 City Township, adjoining the southern line of Co- 
 lumbus Junction. He was reared in the faith of the 
 I'resbyterian Church, of which his widow is an hon- 
 ored and influential member. Socially, he was a 
 Mason, belonging to Columbus City Lodge No. 
 107, A. F. & A. M., and in politics alHliated with 
 the Republicans, being a man of much influence in 
 the local political circles. Possessing superior abil- 
 itj' and mental force, he was a successful business 
 man, and attained honorable prominence in the 
 community where he resided. In him his fellow- 
 citizens placc'<l implicit trust and unqualified con- 
 fidence. It was the high respect in which Mr. 
 Gamble was held by the people of Louisa County, 
 
 and his great poi)ularity, that led to the selection of 
 him as the first President of the Louisa County Na- 
 tional Bank by the projectors of that institution. 
 In all his intercourse with the world, either in a 
 business or social way, he w.os known as a genial, 
 kindly gentleman, whose integrity was never ques- 
 tioned, and whose friendship was something to be 
 coveted as more than the usual fair weather civility 
 of the average man of the world. 
 
 "jf) T. IIENSLEY, a prominent farmer residing 
 on section 1, Washington Townshij), was 
 born in Yellow Springs Township, Oct. 10, 
 1859. He is a son of AVilliam and Susan 
 Hensle}', both of whom were natives of Pennsyl- 
 vania. In its pioneer days they became residents 
 of Des Moines Count}', where they yet reside, and 
 here reared a family of four children, two of whom 
 died in early childhood. 
 
 Our subject grew to manhood in this county, and 
 on the 23d of December, 1880, was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Lizzie Cubit, a resident of Louisa 
 County, Iowa. She was born in Des Moines 
 County, Nov. 19. 1856, and is a daughter of 
 William and Sarah Cubit. Her father was a native 
 of Ireland, and emigrated to America when a young 
 man, locating in -Indiana, where he engaged in 
 farming. In that State he was united in marriage, 
 and six children were born of the union. After the 
 death of the mother Mr. Cubit removed to Iowa, 
 and was;married the second time. By this union 
 there is but one child, Lizzie, the accomplished wife 
 of our subject. Mrs. Hcnsley's mother was born in 
 South Carolina In 1816, and when three j'ears of 
 age emigrated with her parents to Preble County, 
 Ohio. At the age of thirty-five, with her widowed 
 mother she came to Iowa. She was an active, 
 consistent member of the Ueformed Presbyterian 
 Church, and on the 23d of January, 1887, passed 
 from labor to her reward. 
 
 Mrs. Hensley was educated at the High School in 
 Morning Sun, Iowa, and is a lad^' of culture and 
 refinement. They have a very interesting family of 
 three children — William Ralph, Anna Lora and 
 Lura Alberta. Mr. Hensley h.as built a most coni- 
 •► 
 
•<^ 
 
 \ 
 
 L0UI8A COUNTY. 
 
 501 ' ^ 
 
 fortiible residence on his farm, and his home is a 
 model of neatness and good taste. He an<J his 
 wife are meml)ers of the lleforuied Church, in which 
 tlicy are active workers, and at present lie iiolds tiie 
 otlice of Deacon. The rules of this church are such 
 that its members cannot take an active part in po- 
 litical affairs, but Mr. Ilenslcy is recognized l<y all 
 who know him as a citizen in ever}- way worthy, 
 and an earnest advocate of all measures wiiich have 
 for their object the [lubiic good. He lias a fine 
 farm of 160 acres, which is stocked with a high 
 grade of horses and cattle, and is one of the pro- 
 gressive and leading farmers of Washington Town- 
 ship. 
 
 < « • : 3 — ¥^ir^ — i : '* 
 
 ^^5\ YRUS GREEN, a representative farmer, re- 
 (/(^^^ siding on section .'5, Washington Township, 
 ^^^^ became a resident of Des Moines County, 
 Iowa, in Marcli, 18G7, locating u[)oii the farm where 
 he yet resides. His first purchase of land consisted 
 of eight}' acres liought of Nathan Brown, who ob- 
 tained it b}' a land warrant given for his services in 
 the War of 1S12. It was all in a wild, uncultivated 
 state, Imt by his energy and perseverance Mr. 
 Green developed a fine farm, and has since added 
 eight}' otlier acres of land, all of which is under a 
 fine state of cultivation. 
 
 Mr. (ireen was born in Muskingum Count}', Ohio, 
 Jan. il, 1825. and is a son of Thomas and Sar.ah 
 (.Marsh) Green, who were natives, the former of 
 l^enns3'lvania, the latter of the Empire State, and 
 both of Irish origin. The paternal grandfather of 
 oursubject was born near Dublin, Ireland, and aftei' 
 his emigration to America took up his residence in 
 Pennsylvania, but subsequently moved to Ohio, 
 where his death occurred. Thomas Green spent 
 his whole life upon a farm in Muskingum County, 
 Ohio. Of the twelve children who were liorn of 
 his union, one son died at the age of ten years, two 
 daughters died after they were married ; William, 
 wiio served four i'ears in the late war, died in the 
 spring of 1888, and the other eight children are still 
 living. The father served in the War of 181-2, and 
 w.as with Hull at the surrender of Detroit, to which 
 he, with many others, was greatly opposed. 
 
 Our suliject was united in marriage with Miss 
 
 Mary Ann Fickle, of Perry County, Ohio, and five 
 children were born of their union: Lncretia. George 
 W., John C, Millard, and lienjamin F., who died in 
 infancy. The death of the mother occurred March 
 4, 18C1, and Mr. Grecin was again married the fol- 
 lowing year. Miss Nancy J. Tathman. of Fairfield 
 County, Ohio, becoming his wife. They were the 
 parents of two children, Mary and Martha, twins, 
 who died in infancy. Mrs. Green departed this 
 life in 1862, and the husband, on the 10th of May, 
 1863, wedded Mrs. Armiiula Brown, who was the 
 widow of David J. Brown, and the daughter of 
 John and Elizabeth (Thamp) Latta, of Perry 
 County, Ohio. B}' her first marriage Mrs. Green 
 had two children — Pearl B. and Mary E. By this 
 last union seven children have been born: James 
 L., who married Rosa Stoner, of Paris City, Iowa; 
 Nellie, May, Edgar Grant, Daisy, Blanche and 
 Jessie. Two children, Hosie K. and Freddie, died 
 in infancy. Mr. Green and his wife are members 
 of the Presbyterian Church, in which he has held 
 the office of Trustee. Politically, he is a Repub- 
 lican, and has served as Supervisor of the township 
 for fifteen years, having also held the office of 
 School Director for twenty years, twelve years of 
 which time he was Secretary. He has done .as much 
 for the district schools as any man in the county, 
 and has given all his children liberal educations, his 
 daughter. Miss Nellie, being a teacher of recognizeil 
 ability. Mr. Green is an active worker in political 
 affairs, is well informed on both State and National 
 questions of the day, and is a highly resi)ected 
 citizen in the community where he resides. 
 
 W. PAINE, Postm.aster at Letts. Iowa, 
 was born in Dutchess Count}', N. Y., in 
 1849. His parents. Smith W. and Matilda 
 (Emigh) Paine, were natives of Dutchess 
 County, that State, and reared a family of four 
 children, of wh(»m he w.as the second in order of 
 birth. The father engaged in mercantile business 
 for several years in the Empire State, and migrated 
 to Iowa in 1 8,")n, whore he engaged in farming near 
 the city of Burlington, Des Moines County, for 
 
 ■H^I-4« 
 
•^1^=^ 
 
 562 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 about two years, after which he followed the mer- 
 cantile business in Danville (Uninj; the reniaiuder 
 of his life. His death occurred Feb. 23, 1872, at 
 the age of fifty-four years, his wife dying several 
 years later, on the 22d of November, 1882, when 
 fifty-nine years of age, and both are interred in the 
 Jagger Ometery, two miles west of Danville, Iowa. 
 
 Our subject has been a resident of Iowa since his 
 first year, having come to the State with bis par- 
 ents in 1850. He received his education in the 
 graded schools of Danville, and was reared to mer- 
 cantile pursuits, acting as salesman for his father in 
 that town. In 1877 Mr. Paine came to Louisa 
 County, acting as manager of the Co-operative 
 Store of Letts for three years, after which he was 
 employed as a traveling salesman in the grocery 
 line for Garrelson & Son, of Muscatine. Continu- 
 ing in that employment for about a year, he then 
 enca'^ed in general merchandising for the succeed- 
 ing six years as a member of the firm of Freeland, 
 Paine & Co., but at the expiration of that time sold 
 his interest to John Benson, and again engaged as 
 manager for the Co-operative Store for eighteen 
 months. He was next employed as a traveling 
 salesman in the grocery line for the Muscatine Spice 
 Mill Company, of Muscatine, Iowa. Mr. Paine is 
 a supporter of the Democratic party, takes great 
 interest in the local political afTairs, and under the 
 present administration he has served as Postmaster 
 of Letts. For six years he was a member of the 
 School Board, and has also held the office of Town 
 Treasurer. He is a member of the I. O. O. F.. Lodge 
 No. 365, of Columbus Junction; is the owner of a 
 nice residence in Letts, which is situated upon a 
 well-improved farm of seventy-four acres, lying 
 within the limits of the town. 
 
 March 27, 1879, in Letts, Louisa Co., Iowa, 
 Mr. Paine was united in marriage with Elivia R. 
 Schofield, a native of Indiana, and two children 
 have been born of their union — Am}' and Roy. 
 Her parents, James N. and Alice (Miller) Schofield, 
 were natives of England, and both came to Amer- 
 ica in youth. The father emigrated to this country 
 with his elder brother, first locating in Ohio, he 
 learning the trade of a mechanic in Cincinnati, and 
 there engaged in the repairing of furniture, etc. 
 Afterward lie purchased a water Uouring-mill in 
 
 Indiana, which he operated some time. In 1855 
 he came to Louisa County, locating near Port 
 Louisa, where he purchased a steam flouring-raill 
 and also 175 acres of timber lanil, where now is the 
 town of Odessa, and also bought and sold different 
 farms in Port Louisa Township. In August, 1866, 
 he moved his family and flouring-mill on the farm 
 adjoining the town of Letts. Before fully com- 
 pleting his mill he was taken sick, and called to his 
 final resting-place Jan. 10. 1868, when fifty-two 
 years of age. and was interred at Harrison Ceme- 
 tery. Mrs. Schofield and two children survive him : 
 Elivia R., the wife of our subject, and James W., 
 who is married, and lives at Park City, Utah. Mrs. 
 Alice Schofield departed this life Jan. 5. 1887, at 
 the age of seventy years, and now rests besitle her 
 companion of life. 
 
 v> ROF. EDWIN R. ELDRIDGE, an honored 
 and respected citizen of the county, was 
 born ill White County. Ind., Aug. 31, 1843. 
 nnd is a son of Elijah and Charlotte (Mc- 
 Laughlin) Eldridge. His father was a native of 
 Hamilton County, Ohio, born Nov. 15, 1810, of 
 Dutch parentage. Previous to his union with Char- 
 lotte McLaughlin he was united in marriage with 
 Elizabeth Gibson, a native of Miami County, Ohio, 
 and seven children were born unto them: Prudence, 
 widow of Thomas Barnes, who was a prominent 
 citizen of White County, Ind.; Levi, who died at 
 the age of fourteen years; James, who died at the 
 age of twenty years, in White County. Ind. ; Mary, 
 wife of George Small, of Carroll County, Ind.; 
 Margaret, now Mrs. Samuel Montgomery, a resi- 
 dent of White County, Ind.; Isabel, who died at 
 the age of six years; and John, whose home is also 
 in AVhite County. After the death of his first wife 
 Mr. Eldridge w.as married to Miss McLaughlin, their 
 union being celebrated in White County, Ind., in 
 November, 1842. She was born in Greene County, 
 Ohio, in May, 1821. and was of Scotch descent. 
 Throughout his life the husband followed the oc- 
 cupation of farming. A man who took great in- 
 terest in public affairs, he was freqiieiilly honored 
 by his fellow-citizens with positions of public trust. 
 
LOUISA COUNTY, 
 
 5G3 
 
 havini;: served many 3'ears as Justice of tlie Peace, 
 ami also held various other olliccs. A man of great 
 personal ])opularity, lie oiico received the nomina- 
 tion as candidate for the Legislature, and although 
 the part}' to which ho belonged was grcatl}' in tiie 
 minority, Le lacked but a few votes of carrying the 
 district. In 1840 he migrated from Ohio to AVhite 
 Count}', Ind., where he remained until 1857, and 
 then removed to Iowa, settling in Washington 
 County, where he purchased a farm near thcoitj' of 
 AVashiugton. For thirteen years he continued to 
 reside upon that land, until called to his final home 
 in tlie month of August, 1870. After his death the 
 mother, in order to give her children better edu- 
 cational advantages, removed to Grand View, 
 this county, where her death took place Dec. 2, 
 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Eldridge were devoted mem- 
 bers of the United Presbyterian Church, and early 
 taught their children, both by precei)tand example, 
 to follow in tlic path thatleads to eternal life. Their 
 children were eight in number, naraelj': Edwin K.' 
 the subject of this sketch: Jonathan, who is engaged 
 in farming in Adams County, Iowa; L3'dia, who 
 died in White County, Ind., aged six years; Cyrus 
 N., a resident of Osage County, Kan.; George F., 
 Principal of the public schools at Clarion, Iowa; 
 Albert W., a merchant of Central City, Iowa; Hugh 
 Judson, who died at the age of four years, in Wash- 
 ington County; and an infant sister, who also died 
 in that count}'. 
 
 Our subject received his primary education in 
 Burnettville, Ind., which was supi)leniented by a 
 course at the Washington College, at Washington, 
 Iowa. While in attendance at the latter institution 
 the Civil War broke out, and as -soon as his age 
 would admit of his enlistment he responded to his 
 country's call for troops to put down the Rebellion, 
 becoming a meml)er of Company F, 11th Iowa 
 Infantry, on the 18th of September, 18CI. On ac- 
 count of |)hysical disabilities he was discharged 
 March I'd, 18C2. After lying sick with pneumonia 
 in a Southern hospital for four months, his father 
 brought him to his home. He was totally disabled. 
 For six months he could not walk at all, and the 
 |)hysicians despaired of his recovery, but little by 
 little he grew stronger, and when health was par- 
 tiall}' restored returned to college. During the 
 
 <■ 
 
 fall and winter of 18U3-04 he was engaged in teach- 
 ing in Washington County, and there, on the 17lh 
 of March, 1864, was united in marriage with .Sarah 
 M. McConnoll. a native of Hiitler County, Pa., and 
 a<laughterof Robert and Margaret (Black) Mc- 
 Connell. Her father was born in County Antrim, 
 Ireland, and her mother was a native of Pennsyl- 
 vania, though of .Scotch and Irish parentage. Mrs. 
 Eldridge was educated in the public schools of 
 Washington County, and alsf) attended Washington 
 College. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Eldridge again took up 
 arms in defense of the old flag, becoming a mem- 
 ber of Company B, 45th Iowa Infantry. He held 
 the rank of Second Lieutenant until the following 
 September, when, the term of service of the regi- 
 ment having expired, he was discharged, and then 
 returned to Washington County. At once he re- 
 sumed his studies, but on account of his im|5aircd 
 health was soon obliged to abandon them. For the 
 next five jears he was alternately engaged in teach- 
 ing school and in farming, in the meantime pursu- 
 ing his studies .as his health permitted. On the 8th 
 of January, 1870, he entered ui)on the duties of the 
 office of County .Superintendent of Public Schools 
 of Washington County. After serving two terms 
 he was unanimously renominated. After his term 
 of service as County Superintendent, and also while 
 discharging the duties of that olliec. Prof. Eldri<lge 
 was continuing the course of study which he began 
 at college. Little by little, stej) by step, he rose 
 until he totik rank among the ablest scholars of the 
 State of Iowa. He has received a life diploma from 
 the Stale Board of Educalimial Examiners, and is 
 one of the most successful instructors in this sec- 
 tion of the country. 
 
 In the fall of 1870 Mr. Eldridge oiganized the 
 first Jsormal Institute in the State, at Washington, 
 being assisted in the work by Dr. JeroTue Allen, an 
 educator of Natit)nal reputation, who is now Pro- 
 fessor of Pedagogy in the University of New York^ 
 and also the author of many educational works of 
 great value. Prof. D. W. Lewis, of Washington, 
 and Prof. F. M. Witter, of Muscatine, Iowa, ren- 
 dered valuable aid in the organization of that in- 
 stitution. Prof. Eldridge has conducted no less 
 than seventy sessions of Normal Institutes in various 
 
 — -— — ■► 
 
J. 
 
 5G1 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4- 
 
 parts of Iowa and Illinois, in which he has been 
 most successful. 
 
 In September, 1874, the Eastern Iowa Normal 
 School was opened at Grand View, under Prof. El- 
 dridge's supervision, and is the oldest Normal School 
 in Iowa, having been in existence two years longer 
 than any other of the State. A sketch of this in- 
 stitution maj' be found elsewhere in this work. 
 After fourteen jears' continuous service as Presi- 
 dent of the F^astern Iowa Normal, Prof. Eldridge 
 resigned in order to enter upon the duties of the 
 Presidcnc}' of the State Normal School, at Troy. 
 Ala., to which he had previouslj" been elected. 
 He has delivered hundreds of lectures, whose themes 
 involve nearly everj' phase of educational work. 
 The citizens of Louisa County, as a testimonial of 
 their appreciation of his genius and ability, pre- 
 sented his name to the ReiHiblican Convention of 
 1887 as a candidate for the nomination of State 
 Superintendent of Public Instruction, but that most 
 excellent educator, Henry Sabin, of Clinton, Iowa, 
 who has had fourteen more years of experience 
 than our subject, received the nomination. 
 
 Six children graced the union of Prof, and Mrs. 
 Eldridge: Robert E. J., who was born Dec. 21, 
 1864. received an injurj', after which he met with 
 an accident which augmented that, from the effects 
 of which his death occurred April 22, 1882; Leila 
 C, born Feb. 26, 1868, is one of the alumni of the 
 Eastern Iowa Normal School, and is a teacher; 
 George G., born Julj' 1, 1870, is also an alumnus 
 of the Eastern Iowa Normal School, and is a teacher 
 of AN'hile Countj', Ind.; Mabel, who was born Dec. 
 2, 1875; and Frank F. and Margaret Grace, twins, 
 who were born May 17, 1878. Prof. Eldridge, 
 his wife and three eldest children, arc members of 
 the Presbyterian Church, in which he is an Elder 
 and one of the active workers. He has always taken 
 great interest in the Sundaj'-school work, and has 
 done much for the cause. Mrs. Eldridge has also 
 taken a deep interest in the welfare of the church, 
 and is a member of the W. C. T. .U, in which she 
 has served as County President. 
 
 As a closing statement we will saj' that the Safe- 
 guard and Gazette of Columbus Junction, in July, 
 1888, published the mostcomplimentarj- resolutions 
 toward Prof. Eldridge, passed by the Board of 
 
 Trustees of the Eastern Iowa Normal College, in 
 view of his departure for another field of labor. 
 The "Iowa Normal Monthly," in its issue for August, 
 1 888, spoke in the most flattering terras of the Pro- 
 fessor and his work, while gi-eatly lamenting the 
 fact of his removal from the State. 
 
 ^^. D. BAILEY, a farmer residing on section 
 26, Elliott Township, came to this county 
 on the liJth of April, 1860. He was born 
 in Carroll Count}', K3'..and is a son of John 
 and Sarah (Goddard) Bailey, the former a native 
 of Delaware, of Scotch descent, and the latter of 
 Maryland, born of English ancestry. The father 
 was a fanner by occupation, and emigrated with his 
 famil}' to Des Moines County, Iowa, reaching his 
 destination on the 7th of Maj', 1837. He rented a 
 farm near the city of Burlington, and the following 
 year purchased 160 acres of land in Union Town- 
 ship, where he made his home until 1853, when he 
 sold out and removed to Henry County, settling 
 near the cil}' of Mt. Pleasant. He purchased a farm 
 and also became the owner of a mill, which he oper- 
 ated for a number of j^'ars, and there resided until 
 the death of his wife, which occurred in 1858. He 
 then came to Louisa Countj', making his home with 
 our subject until called to his last rest, in August, 
 1865. He was a man well informed on all public 
 affairs, and a strong friend to education, or any en- 
 tcri)rise which was for the good of the community. 
 Mr. Bailej' served as Justice of the Peace for manj- 
 years, and he and his wife were both members of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church. Thej- were the 
 parents of eight children, only three of whom are 
 now living: Elizabeth, \w\\ the wife of George 
 Kneff, of Browning, Mo.; Sarah A., wife of Samuel 
 Willeford, of Georgetown, Col., and our subject. 
 
 P. D. Bailey was reaj-ed upon a farm, and re- 
 ceived his education at the common schools. At 
 the age of twenty-one he rented land and began 
 farming for himself. On the 4lh of September, 
 1853, his marriage with Deborah T. Watterhouse 
 was celebrated. The lady is a native of New Jer- 
 sey, and a daughter of Charles Watterhouse, a pio- 
 neer of this count}-, now deceased. Seven children 
 
-4- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 5G5 
 
 I 
 
 have been born unto them: James M., now a resi- 
 dent of Meiliapolis. Iowa; JohnC, who is engaged 
 in fanning in Des Moines County ; Sarah Jane, who 
 is now the wife of A. M. Wilson, of Stark County, 
 Neb.; Amanda E., William S., Tajdor L. and Tir- 
 zaii, wiio j-pt reside with their parents. 
 
 Mr. Bailey's first purchase of hind in Louisa 
 Count}' consisted of forty acres, which was in a 
 wild, uncultivated state, but by his energy and good 
 management he has added to that tract until he now 
 has 169^ acres of tine land, all highl}' cultivated. 
 Socially-, he is a member of the I. O. O. F., No. 19, 
 at Wapello. He has held various o/Hces of trust in 
 bis township, was Justice of the Peace for many 
 years, served as Assessor of Elliott Township for 
 seventeen years, held the office of Countj' Super- 
 visor for ten years, and in 1880 was the Govern- 
 ment census taker for both Jefferson and Elliott 
 Townships. He is a self-made man financiall}', hav- 
 ing made all that he has by his own efforts, and is 
 one of the highly- respected citizens of the town- 
 ship. Mr. Watlerhouse. while living in Ohio, was 
 a foreman on a canal, and resided in the neighbor- 
 hood where Gen. Harrison was reared, while his 
 daughter, Mrs. IJailey, was a schoolmate of Hon. 
 Benjamin Harrison, the candidate for President of 
 the Republican party in 1888. 
 
 James C. Bailey, deceased, was a native of Ken- 
 tucky, and came to Louisa County, Iowa, in 18C3, 
 settling in Elliott Township, where he resided until 
 his death, which occurred June 29, 1888. He was 
 a soldier of Company K, 19th Iowa Infantry-, and 
 served about two j'ears, when he received his dis- 
 cliarge on account of physical disabilit}'. He held 
 various township ofHces, and was one of the well- 
 known and highly esteemed citizens of the county. 
 
 OBERT DELZELL, one of the pioneers of 
 
 Louisa County, was born in Pennsylvania 
 
 (k\% in 1800. When he was a mere child the 
 
 Jldeath of his mother occurred, and he was 
 placed in a family of strangers. At the age of ten 
 years he went to Licking County, Ohio, and there 
 grew to manhood, receiving his education in the 
 common schools. Mr. Delzell has been twice mar- 
 
 ried, his first wife being Miss Mary Huffman, and 
 their union was blessed by six children, who lived 
 to be adults: Harvey, whose sketch appears in this 
 work; William, who is engaged in farming; James; 
 Eraeline, widow of William Jamison; Martha, wife 
 of William T. Nichols, who is now deceased; Mary 
 J. wedded T. P. Wright, and all are now residents 
 of this county. The doatii of Mrs. Delzell oc- 
 curred in May, 1840, and the following autumn he 
 was united in marriage with Miss Mary T. Patter- 
 son, who was born Feb. 17, 1815, and is a daughter 
 of William and Margaret (Fulton) Patterson, Mrs. 
 Patterson being a distant relative of Robert Ful- 
 ton, the inventor of the steamboat. Mr. Patterson 
 was a soldier of the War of 1812. In 1815 he went 
 to New Athens, Harrison Co., Ohio, where he built 
 the second house in the city. He was a blacksmith 
 by trade, and also opened the first blacksmith-shop 
 andstarted the first business in that place. Some time 
 later he moved upon a farm, and followed tlic oc. 
 cupation of farming for man}' years. 
 
 Four chiklren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Delzell: 
 Samuel P., who was a soldier in the late Rebellion, 
 enlisting in Company G, IGtIi Iowa Infantry, took 
 sick soon after being mustered in, and died at Crane 
 Creek, Mo., Nov. 9, 1862, he there finding his last 
 resting-place; John H. died in May, 187G; Robert 
 S. is one of the well-to-do farmers of the county; 
 and Sarah M. is the wife of J. F. Holiday, whose 
 sketch ai)pears elsewhere in this volume. In 1848 
 Robert Delzell emigrated to Louisa Count}', Iowa, 
 settling in Morning Sun Township. On their ar- 
 rival the family remained at the house of John 
 Hamilton until they could find a house into which 
 to move. At last Mr. Delzell secured a log cabin 
 14.\'14 feet, in which the famil}' spent the ensuing 
 winter. The cabin was in a very dilapidated con- 
 dition, and Mrs. Delzell remarked that it was not 
 necessary to go to the door when anyone was 
 passing, as they could be seen through the cracks 
 where the chinking had fallen out. The land had 
 been partially improved, which Mr. Delzell later 
 purchased, having 1,000 bushels of corn upon it, 
 but the house into which they moved in the spring 
 of 1849 was scarcely bettor than the old cabin in 
 which the winter had been passed. To increase 
 their perplexities Mr. Delzell met with a serious ac- 
 
.506 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 -t 
 
 cidont, breaking one of liis legs, hut while laid up 
 he was not iiUe, spending his time in making shin- 
 gles for the iiouse which he intended to build. 
 There was no sawmill in the vicinity, and he was 
 obliged to cut and haul his logs a long distance to 
 be made into lumber. The house was commenced 
 that summer, but it was a long time before they 
 were able to finish it. Like most of the pioneers 
 money was scarce witii them, and they had to work 
 their way. 
 
 Politically, Mr. Delzell was what was known as 
 an old Jackson Democrat. He was a conscientious, 
 earnest Christian, a member of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church, and served as Steward for many 
 years. A man of stiict integrity and uncompromis- 
 ing Christian principles, he did much toward 
 molding the good society of the community in 
 which he lived, and his conduct deservedly won for 
 him a large place in the esteem and affections of 
 all who knew him. As a citizen, he was true and 
 loy.al; as a neighbor, friendly ami accommodating; 
 as a husband and father, kind and affection.ate ; as 
 a Christian, devoted and faithful. Mr. Delzell is 
 dead, but he has left behind him a character which 
 is eminently worthy of emulation. 
 
 V|^ ANIEL McAVOY, a pioneer settler of 
 I ^] Louisa County of 1858, residing on scc- 
 ^^^^ tion 11, Columbus City Township, was 
 ^^ born near Carlisle, Pa., in 1818, and is a 
 son of .lames and IMary (McGinn) McAvoy. His 
 parents were natives of County Down, Ireland, and 
 emigrated to America in 1817, settling upon a farm 
 in Pennsylvania, where they resided for a few years, 
 and then removed to Belmont County, Ohio, where 
 the fattier purchased eighty acres of raw land, from 
 which he developed a farm. 
 
 Our subject was reared in Belmont County, and 
 until the .age of twenty-one his life was spent upon 
 his father's farm, but at that time he left the pa- 
 rental roof, going to Guernsey County, Ohio, where 
 he worked .a.s a farm hand. While in tb.at county, 
 on the 17th of March, 1840, Mr. McAvoy was 
 united in marriage with Miss Mary Noble, who 
 was born in Jefferson County, that State, and was 
 
 <■ 
 
 a daughter of Thomas Noble, who was born in Ire- 
 land. The 3-oung couple began their domestic life 
 upon a farm in Guernsej' County, where thej' re- 
 sided until 1844, and then removed to Belmont 
 County, making that their home until 1855, when 
 the3' emigrated to Iowa and became residents of 
 Washington County. Three years were passed in 
 that county, .after which thej' removed to Louisa 
 County, settling in Marshall Township, where Mr. 
 McAvoy rented a farm for eighteen years. In the 
 meantime he purchased eighty acres of land on 
 section 11, Columbus City Township, to which they 
 removed in 1874, though the farm now comprises 
 185 acres of land, which pays tribute to his care and 
 cultivation. 
 
 The following children were born to our subject 
 and his estimable wife: James, who is now County 
 Recorder of Fremont County, Wyo. ; Thomas, a 
 soldier of the late war, is now a teacher in the 
 public schools of Indianapolis, Ind.; John, who is a 
 resident of Washington, Iowa; William died in 
 1881 ; Enoch, a locomotive engineer, living in Kan- 
 sas City, Mo.; Joseph, who is engaged in mining in 
 Montana ; Marj-, wife of George Smith, of Craw- 
 ford County, Iowa; Daniel, who is living in the 
 city of Chicago; Douglas, a United States oflicial, 
 residing in Wyoming; and Robert, who is still .at 
 home. The mother of these children, who was a 
 member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was 
 called to her final rest April 4, 1886, at the age of 
 seventy years. Mr. McAvo}', in his political senti- 
 ments, is a Democrat, and in his township has held 
 various offices. He is a worthy citizen, a highly 
 esteemed gentleman, and has reared a family of 
 children of whom he may well be proud. 
 
 JOSEPH SWAN, one of the early settlers of 
 Louisa County, and a well-to-do farmer, 
 who is residing on section 32, Morning .Sun 
 Township, was born in Huntingdon Countj', 
 Pa., Jan. 15, 1824, and is a son of Joseph and 
 Elizabeth (McConnell) Swan. Both parents were 
 born in Huntingdon County, the father in the month 
 of Februiiry, 1784, the mother on the 1st of Janu- 
 ary, 1788. They were married in that county, and 
 
 and X 
 
 4 
 
-^•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 5G7 
 
 in the fall of 1838 removed to Preble County, 
 Oiiio, where Mr. .Swan worked at his trade of 
 lilacksmithing, which he had learned when a young 
 man. He was a stanch supporter of the Democratic 
 party, but though taking an interest in political af- 
 fairs was never a politician. He and his wife were 
 both lifelong members of the Presb^'terian Church, 
 earnest Christian people, and were the parents of 
 ten cliildren, seven sons and three daughters, five 
 of whom are living: Elizabeth became the wife of 
 George Appleby, who died in Monmouth, 111., in 
 1888, where she yet resides; William died of cholera 
 in Blountsville, Ind., in 1848; James M., one of the 
 pioneer members of the Presbyterian Church, of 
 Morning .Sun, who was widely known among the 
 early settlers, died in Ai)ril, 1S67; John is now liv- 
 ing in Huntingdon County, Pa.; Rev. George M., 
 who was educated at the Miami University in Ohio, 
 was formerly a resident of tills county, but died in 
 Pennsylvania, in September, 1877 ; Eleanore C, who 
 became the wife of R. II. Stewart, now dece.ased, 
 was a resident of Morning Sun, where his death oc- 
 curred in 1887; Joseph, of this sketch, and Benja- 
 min, now living in Kansas, is the youngest of the 
 family. Mr. Swan died July 3, 1839, and his wife 
 survived hitn many years, her death occurring in 
 August, 1867. 
 
 During his boyhood, when fourteen years of age, 
 our subject removed with his pa ents to Preble 
 County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood, receiv- 
 ing his education in the district schools. When 
 twenty-five 3'ears of age he w.as appointed by the 
 Bible Socict}' to distribute tr.-icts, and continued in 
 that employment for about three years. In 1S.')4 
 he formed a matrimonial alliance with Miss MoUie 
 B. Hamilton, a daughter of Jolin and Elizabeth 
 Hamilton, who were pioneers of this county. Mrs. 
 Swan was born in Preble County, Ohio, in 1822, 
 and six children graced their union: John J., who 
 married Edith Conger, is living in this county; 
 Elizabeth G. is the wife of J. G. Bergen, also a 
 resident of this county; George L. wedded Jennie 
 Gregor3-, daughter of David Gregoiy; William C. 
 became the husband of Ella McClure, daughter of 
 Alex McClure: Alex C. married Miss Maggie Pat- 
 terson, a daughter of Charles Patterson; and Er.astus 
 M. is single. On the 2Gth of July, 1873, Mrs. Swan, 
 
 who was a member of the Presb^'terian Church, 
 anil a sincere Christian lady, w.as called to her (inal 
 home. Mr. Swan was again married. Miss Susan J. 
 Lippitt, a native of Oiiio, becoming his wife. He 
 is an ardent supporter of the Republican party, 
 and cast his first Presidential vote for Zaehary Taj'- 
 lor. Religiously, he is a member of the Presb^-- 
 terian Church, of Morning Sun, and was Ruling 
 Elder for eighteen years, at the end of which time 
 he resigned. He first came to Louisa County in 
 1845, though he remained but a short time, and 
 returned in 1850, since whicli time he has made it 
 his permanent place of residence. By industry-, en- 
 terprise and good business ability, he has secured a 
 comfortable home, and to-day is one of the well- 
 to-do farmers of the county, owning 400 acres of 
 fine fanning land, which is v.alucd at §50 per acre. 
 His honesty and fair dealing have won him the confi- 
 dence of all, and he is highly esteemed both as a 
 citizen and a friend. 
 
 ^^ ILAS CHRISMON, of Wapello Township, 
 ^^^^ is one of the few remaining pioneers now 
 lit/ )j) living who came to Louisa County in 183G. 
 He is a native of Madison County, N. Y., 
 born in 181G. His parents were both natives of the 
 same State, and of German parentage. The grand- 
 father of our subject settled where New York City 
 now stands before the Revolutionaiy War. He was 
 a farmer by occupation, as was his father. 
 
 Mr. Chrismon was reared to farm life, and that 
 has been his vocation through life. He remained 
 in his native State until the summer of 183G, when 
 he came to Burlington, Iowa, and in the fall of the 
 same year he came to Louisa County, with John 
 Millard, and has been a resident of this county 
 since. In 1838 he carried the mail from Burling- 
 ton to Davenport. At one time he owned forty- 
 eight acres of land in this township, and also bought 
 land in Keokuk Count}'. 
 
 Mr. Chrismon has been married three times, his 
 first wife being Matilda Atchison, by whom he had 
 one child, but mother and chilil died soon after the 
 birth of the latter. He was subsequently' united in 
 marriage with Eliza Galy, by whom he had four 
 
 J^U •<• 
 
f. 
 
 ■^^ 
 
 5G8 
 
 ••^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 f 
 
 'Jj 
 
 *t 
 
 chiWren, all of nliom are deceased with the excep- 
 tion of Letta, now Mrs. Owens. After the death of 
 Mrs. Chrismon he wedded a Mrs. Kelson, by whom 
 he had one child, a son, Silas. Mrs. Chrismon died 
 about 1878, and Mr. Chrismon now makes his home 
 with his son-in-law. 
 
 ^ OHN V. McCURLEY, a farmer of Colum- 
 l)us Citj- Townsliip, was born June 7, 1839, 
 in Lawrence (then North Beaver) Count}-, 
 Pa., and is a son of James and Jane (Mc- 
 Creary) McCurley. His paternal grandparents were 
 John and Nancy (Cornelius) McCurley, the former 
 born in Ireland, Nov. 14, 1777; the latter born in 
 Scotland, in April, 1790. The maternal grand- 
 father was William McCreary, who was born May 
 22, 1782, and wedded Elizabeth Chamberlain, who 
 was born JLiy 22, 1785. James McCurley, the 
 father of our subject, was born in 1812. in Penn- 
 sylvania, and wedded Jane JlcCreary, who was 
 also a native of Pennsylvania, born June 1, 1820. 
 Mr. and Mrs. McCurley were the parents of six 
 children, four sons and two daughters: John V., 
 our subject; Nancy, born Sept. 24, 1841, and died 
 when quite young; Martha E., born April 30, 
 
 1844, and died in infancy; William II., who was 
 born Aug. 14, 184C, served in the navj- during the 
 late war. and is now a large farmer in Butler County, 
 Ohio; Stephen C, born March 11, 1849, and now a 
 resident of Branch County, Jlich., and James, the 
 youngest, born Aug. 3, 1861, is a carpenter by 
 trade, and resides in Trumbull County, Ohio. 
 
 The father was a farmer by occupation, and in 
 
 1845, when John V. was six years of age, emi- 
 grated to Ohio with his family, where he remained 
 ei"ht years, and then removed to Shelby County, 
 Ind., making that his home until his death, which 
 occurred July 29, 1854. He was a man of promi- 
 nence and influence in the community where he 
 resided, and both he and his wife were members of 
 the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. McCurley's death 
 occurred Sept. 18, 1853. 
 
 Our subject was reared npon a farm, and at the 
 a^e of fifteen l)egan learning the trade of a carriage- 
 smith, at Attica. Ohio, where he worked for seven 
 
 years. At that time the news was received that 
 Ft. Sumter had been fired upon, and he enlisted in 
 Battery B, 1st Pennsylvania Artillery. He par- 
 ticipated in the seven-d.iys battle before Richmond, 
 and at the second battle of Bull Run was wounded 
 by a shell which caused him to lose his right leg. 
 After that misfortune he was discharged, Oct. 23, 
 1862, and then went to Poland, Ohio, attending 
 college in that city. While residing there he was 
 elected Recorder of Mahoning County, in 1866, 
 and served in that position for six years. In 1872 
 he migrated to Louisa County, Iowa, settling in Co- 
 lumbus City Township, where he purchased 172 
 acres of land on section 27, which has been his 
 home continuousl}' since. 
 
 On the 5th of February, 1867, Mr. JlcCurley led 
 to the marriage altar Miss Helena Simon, a native of 
 Mahoning County, Ohio, and a daughter of David 
 and Susanna (Camber) Simon. Her father was also 
 born in the Buckeye State, of German parentage, 
 while the mother was a native of Virginia. Two 
 children grace their union — Refis Howard and Ma- 
 bel. Mr. McCurley is a member of the Congrega- 
 tional Church, and his wife of the Lutheran Church. 
 He is one of Louisa County's best citizens, taking 
 an active^intercst in her public affairs, and aiding 
 in all enterprises for the public good. Since be- 
 coming a resident of this count}' he has added to 
 his original purchase, until he now has 287.^ acres 
 of well-cultivated land, besides some town property 
 in Columbus Junction. 
 
 .J»ti>^^^. 
 
 4»- 
 
 *- 
 
 ,,.,^ DEN CURRY, a general farmer of Louisa 
 ^11 County, Iowa, residing on section 10, 
 Port Louisa Township, is a native of Faj-- 
 ette County, Ohio, where he was born Oct. 
 4, 1829. He is a son of Thomas and Elizitbeth 
 (Cleveuger) Curry, the father a native of Marj-- 
 land. and the mother of Virginia. In 1851 he came 
 to this county with his parents, who settled on sec- 
 tion 10, Port Louisa Townshij), where the father 
 purchased 318 acres of land, which he greatly im- 
 proved, and made his home until called to his final 
 rest, Jan. 19, 1854, at the age of sixty-three years. 
 The mother died in 1879, at the .ige of seventy-six 
 
 f 
 
4* 
 
 ^i^K-* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 569 
 
 years. Tliej' were both members of tlie Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, and earnest workers for the '^ause. 
 The father was a Democrat in politics, and took an 
 active interest in all political affairs. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm, and has 
 made his home in Port Louisa Township since 
 1851, with the exception of one 3'ear which he spent 
 in Ohio. On the 25th of November, 1860, he led 
 to the marriage altar Miss Sarah A. Ellis, a native 
 of Blount County, Tcnn.. and by this union eleven 
 children have been born: Hannah E., wife of John 
 Asp, of INIuscatine, Iowa; Canada C, who died in in- 
 fancy ; Minerva J., wife of B. F. Stroll, who lives in 
 Columbus Junction; Lake Erie, who resides with 
 his partnts; Thomas J., John Ellis, Junieta, William 
 O., Nona Charlotte; (ieorge, who died in infancy, 
 and Mary Ellen. Mv. Currj' is the owner of 103 
 acres of land, and is engaged in general farming. 
 He has alw.ays been an enterprising and progressive 
 farmer, and also a great reader, but lately has been 
 iifllicted with cataract of the eyes, and is denied 
 that i)rivilege. Ke and his wife are highly respected 
 citizens in the township where they reside. 
 
 
 WAGNEIl, a farmer^ and stock-raiser, 
 whose post-office is at Letts, residing on sec- 
 tion 4, Grand View Townshij), was born in 
 Louisa Countj' in 1848, on the section on which he 
 yet lives. His parents were Philip and Elizabeth 
 (Gower) Wagner ; thej' had a famil}' of five children, 
 of whom he was the third child and only son. The 
 sketch of his parents appears elsewhere in this 
 work. Our subject w.as reared to farm life, and 
 his primary education was received in the district 
 schools, supplemented by a course at the Grand 
 View Academy. On attaining his niajorit}' he was 
 taken into partnershii) by his father, the partner- 
 ship continuing until the hitter's death, since which 
 time he has farmed for himself. He w.as united in 
 marriage in Louisa County-, in 188G, with Martha 
 E. Small, who was born in this count}', and is a 
 daughter of II. N. P. and Louisa (Williams) Small, 
 both of whom were born in the Buckeye State, and 
 came to this county many years ago, settling upon 
 
 a farm in Grand View Township, though they now 
 reside in Letts. 
 
 Mr. Wagner brought his young bride to the 
 home where they yet reside, and here one child was 
 born to them, a daughter, Mabel. His farm now 
 consists of nCl acres, 130 of which is timber land, 
 though the reniainder is finely cultivated. He al.so 
 owns 42.5 acres of wild land in Kossuth County, 
 Iowa. In connection with farming he also raises 
 considerable stock, having a good grade of Polled- 
 Angus cattle, running from one-half to fnll bloods, 
 a line grade of Norman and Morgan horses, Cleve- 
 land bays, and the Jersey or Durot-k breed of 
 hogs. 
 
 Mr. Wagner takes an active interest in political 
 affairs, both National and local, and is an ardent 
 supporter of the Republican part}'. He has held 
 various offices of trust in the township, has been 
 School Director, is at present Road Supervisor, and 
 was on the Board of Agriculture .as Director for 
 three years, then served two years more as Presi- 
 dent, making in all five j'ears. His whole life has 
 been spent in Louisa County, during which time he 
 has witnessed the transformation of the wild and 
 unbroken prairies into beautiful farms and homes, 
 has seen the growth of the cities and villages, and 
 has aided largely in the work of development and 
 progress. As executor under his father's will he 
 settled up the estate. As a representative citizen 
 of Louisa County we welcome him to the pages of 
 this volume. 
 
 J'l OIIN S. CURRAN, a prominent pioneer and 
 representative farmer of Louisa County, re- 
 siding on section 15, Morning Sun Town- 
 ' ship, was born Sept. 7, 1837, in Somerset 
 Count}', Pa., and is a son of Francis and Mary M. 
 (Dell) Curran, whose sketch appears in that of F. 
 F. Curran on another page of this work. When 
 John was only about a month old he came with his 
 parents to Louisa County, and since that time has 
 made his home on the farm that was fast located by 
 Peter Curran, of Willsburg, Va., who bought it 
 from the Govcrument, and erected the first cabin 
 on the claim, after which he returned to Virginia, 
 
•<- 
 
 ,t 
 
 570 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 where his death occurred. The land was bequeathed 
 by Peter Curran to tlie mother of our subject. 
 
 Jolin S. Curran received his education in the pio- 
 neer sciiool-house of the early day, which was built 
 of logs, and contained a puncheon floor and slab 
 seats. To the pioneers of those early daj's much 
 credit is due, for it was they who laid the founda- 
 tion upon which Louisa County has been built. 
 Mr. Curran can well remember the frequent visits 
 of the Indians during his lioyhood days, before 
 tliey were driven further westward by the ever ad- 
 vancing white race. 
 
 After the death of his father our subject pur- 
 chased the old home farm, upon which he lias since 
 made many valuable improvements, but the house 
 wliich liis father had started to build but was never 
 permitted to finish, he dying in the previous fall, 
 still continues to be Mr. Curran's home. His farm 
 now consists of 190 acres, 130 of tillable land, and 
 sixty .acres of timber and pasture land. His farm 
 has all the latest improvements, the machinerj' 
 which he now owns presenting a marked contr.ast to 
 the wooden moldboard plow with which he turned 
 the first furrow on what is now section 16, Morning 
 Sun Township, and to vvhich was attached five or 
 six yoke of oxen. Mr. Curran also turned the first 
 furrow on section 27, where Mrs. D. P. Curran 
 now resides. One of the scenes of those earl}' pio- 
 neer days he will probably never forget. It was in 
 the year 1846 when he started with his father to 
 the Wilson mill, located on Skunk lliver, taking 
 two yoke of oxen. They were from Tuesday until 
 Friday making the trip, and, as was customary in 
 those days, had to wait their turn to have the grist 
 ground. In the meantime the river was rising 
 rapidly, carrj'ing with it immense quantities of 
 drift-wood, which soon clogged up the machinery, 
 and 8toppc<l the grinding. This indeed was a sad 
 situation, as the people in the surrounding country 
 had to depend upon that mill for the grinding of 
 their grain, so all hands set to work to clear away 
 the rubbish. They were compelled to wade into 
 the water and work hard, but with the oxen, were 
 enabled once more to start the old mill. To the 
 pioneers who endured all the trials and hardships of 
 making homes in a new country the highest praise 
 is due. for were it not for their labor, patience and 
 
 perseverance, Louisa County would not now hold 
 the present high position which she occupies in the 
 great State of Iowa. Throughout his life Mr. Cur- 
 ran has been an ardent supporter of the principles 
 of the Republican party, and does everything in his 
 power to advance its interests. 
 
 UGH GARDNER, residing on section 22, 
 Morning Sun Townisliip, is one of the ear- 
 lier .and prominent pioneers of Louisa Coun- 
 ty, Iowa, hiiving become a resident in 1838, 
 ■while 3'et a j'oung man. He was born June 28, 
 1821, in Mifflin County, Pa., and is a son of Hugh 
 and Mary (McFadden) Gardner. His father was a 
 native of Ireland, and previous to his emigration to 
 America followed surveying. On coming to this 
 country he located in MilHin County, Pa., where he 
 made the acquaintance of the lady whom he wedded 
 Dec. 27, 1810, Mrs. ISIary Reneston, whose maiden 
 name was McFadden, and who was a native of Penn- 
 sylvani.a. She was the widow of Henry Reneston, 
 and by that union h.id five children, all of ^vliom 
 are now deceased. Mr. and ISIrs. Gardner were the 
 parents of six children: Rosanna, who was born 
 Sept. 11, 1811, wedded William Savage, and after 
 his death became the wife of Thom.is Simpson, .and 
 died about the year 1882; Davidson, born March 
 20, 1813, died about the year 1876; Mary was three 
 times married, her last husband being J. G. Beeson, 
 now deceased, and she is a resident of Cass County, 
 Mich., being now in her seventy-third year; Sarah, 
 born J.an. 28, 1817, is the wife of II. H. Mickey, a 
 resident farmer of Fredonia, Louisa Co., Iowa; 
 J.ane, born June 8, 1819, became the wife of Zadok 
 Jarvis, who became a resident of Louisa County, 
 and here lived until his death, which occurred in 
 June, 1886, his wife having preceded him to their 
 final home in February, 1815. They were among 
 the most highly respected citizens of Louisa County. 
 Our subject is the youngest of the family. The 
 father of these children departed this life Feb. 16, 
 1821, the mother dying in May, 1852. She was a 
 consistent member of the Presbyterian Church. 
 Mr. Cardner lived and died in .Milllin County. Pa., 
 Imt in 1825 the family removed to Indiana, where 
 
■^•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY, 
 
 .071 
 
 ' ' 
 
 t 
 
 tliey resided until IM.i. and then lieeame residents 
 of Mieliifran. wliere tlie mother died in 1852, as 
 aliove stated. 
 
 Our .siihjeet's school days bcjjan in his native 
 county. wluTe lie resided until 1825. He never 
 knew a father's love or care, as Mr. Gardner died 
 four months previous to his birth. When he was 
 but four years of age the mother removed with her 
 family to Wayne County, Ind, where he ajraiu at- 
 tended the common schools, residing there until 
 1833, when thej' removed to Cass County, Mich. 
 Mr, Gardner made tliat his home until 1838, when 
 he deciiled to try his fortune in the new Territory 
 of Iowa. Coming to Louisa County he here worked 
 by the month till 18-13, whcji he was united in mar- 
 ri.age with Martha J. Xewland, who was born May 
 15, 1824, in Tnion County, Ind., and is a daughter 
 of John II. and Sarali (Huff) Xewland, the father a 
 native of Virginia, and the mother of Kentucky. 
 The family removed to Indianapolis, Inil., in 1828, 
 and from tliere to l)es Moines County, Iowa, cross- 
 ing the river at Burlington July 4, 1838, and lo- 
 cating in Pleasant Grove Township, where the 
 parents remained until their death, the father dying 
 about the year 1842, the mother dei)arting this life 
 Jan. 6, 1843. 
 
 After the marriage of our subject, which occurred 
 on the 22d f>f October. 1843, he and his young 
 wife remained in Des ^loines County for a time, 
 but later became residents of Morning Sun Town- 
 ship, Louisa County. They here rented a f.arni, 
 making it their home until 1866, when Mr. Gardner 
 made his first purchase of l.nnd, consisting of 127-h 
 .acres on section 1, Wasliington Township, Des 
 Moines County. In 1864 he began turning his 
 attention to raising hogs, and that year sold one lot 
 at $10.18 per hundred. For the lot he received 
 $1,000, which, together with what he had saved, 
 he paid for his farm. Ten happy years pa-ssed on 
 this farm, but at the exi)iration of that time Mr. 
 Gardner sold out, and purchased 160 acres of the 
 land in ^lorning Sun Township which w.is pre- 
 ernptt'd liy Zadok Jarvis in 1838. 
 
 Mr.- Gardner is one of the self-m.ade men of 
 Louisa County. Starting out in life witliout a dollar, 
 he has by energy, enti'ri>rise and good management 
 won a comfortable comiietency, and liy his honesty 
 
 4* 
 
 and fair dealing gained the ctinfidenee and respect 
 of the people with whom he comes in contact. When 
 he first came to this county in 1838 the Territory 
 was but a wild waste of land, the jirairies were un- 
 broken, the timber uncut, and settlements few and 
 far between. For half a century he has lieen an 
 eye witness to the rapid changes that have taken 
 pl.ace. The most far-sighted could not have imag- 
 ined the mighty progress that has been carried 
 on. In 1813 and 1844 Mr. Gardner made a trip 
 to New Orleans on a flatboat, at that time requiring 
 from seven to twelve weeks to make the journey, 
 which now couhl be made in about a week. Mr. 
 Gardner has held various township ofBces, and he 
 and his estimable wife are members of the Presliy- 
 terian Church, in which he has held the office of 
 Trustee. In his political views he is a stanch 
 Democrat. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Gardner iiave been the parents of 
 one child, who was Iiorn .Inly 27, 1811, and died 
 June 5, 1854. 
 
 " ooo ' 
 
 LIJAII IIIRD, a farmer residing on section 
 34, Wapello Townsliip, was lH)rn in Wash- 
 ington Count3% Pa., Oct. 21, 1814, and is a 
 son of John and Catherine Bird, who were of En- 
 glish origin. He is descended from good old 
 Revolutionary stock, his grandf.ather having served 
 in the War for Indejiendencc. Mr. Bird learned 
 the trade of a stonemason with iiis father, at whii4i 
 he has worked at intervals throughout his entire 
 life. He also engaged in teaching during the win- 
 ter for twelve years, in wliicli he was (piite success- 
 ful. He lirst came to Louisa County in 18C5, 
 locating ufjon tiie farm whicii still continues to be 
 his home. His first purchase of land consisted of 
 100 acres, but from time to time he Inis added to 
 this until he now has 300 acres, comi)rising one of 
 the liest farms in the count\'. 
 
 On the lllh of May, 1840, Mr. Bird was unite.1 
 in marriage with Agnes McGregor, who was born 
 in Beaver County, Pa., Jan. 21t, I81!l. and is a daugh- 
 ter of Donald and !Mary (Bennett) ^McGregor. Her 
 father was of Scotcli descent, wliilc her mother wiis 
 of Irisli parentage, and they I'eareil a f.aniily of eight 
 children, ail of whom grew to uiaidKiud, and are 
 
 •*^h^ 
 
•►Hl^ 
 
 572 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 1 foi 
 
 married. To ]Mr. and ]Mrs. Bird have been born 
 nine cliildreii, and, witli the exception of one, all 
 are living: Phineas, who married Miss ]yiar3' Gra- 
 liam, of Wai)ello; Corydon, who became the hus- 
 band of Sar.ah McMichael, also of Wapello; Elisha; 
 Atlas, who wedded Mary Rj'an, of Grand View; 
 Zenista, who married Lewis Clark, of WajMllo, was 
 educated in the common schools of "Warren County, 
 Pa., and Mercer County, 111., and subsequently 
 taught several terms in the district schools of this 
 county; L.aiira became the wife of Cavil McDaniel, 
 a resident of Wapello; Flora, who wedded John 
 McDaniel, also of Wapello; and Oscar, who is at 
 home. 
 
 For over fifty years both INIr. and Mrs. Bird have 
 been members of the Presbyterian Church, in which 
 he serves as Elder. He has held the oHice of Town- 
 ship Trustee for eight or nine years. He was at 
 the organization of the Republican party in New 
 Castle, Pa., and has since been one of its earnest 
 supporters. His home is situated near the city of 
 AVapello, and he has many warm friends in the 
 community wliere he resides. 
 
 ENNIS GREGORY, a pioneer settler of 
 Louisa County of 1841, now residing on 
 section 17, Morning Sun Township, was 
 born in Harrison Count}', Ind., in Septem- 
 ber, 1817, and is a son of William and Lucy (Jones) 
 Gregory', who were the parents of ten children, four 
 of wliom are now living, three sons and a daughter: 
 David, wlio resides in this count}' Milton, who is 
 living in Morgan County, Ind.; Eliza D., wife of 
 William Iiidwards, of Morgan County, Ind.; and 
 Dennis, the subject of this sketch. 
 
 Mr. Gregory was reai-ed on a farm in Morgan 
 County, Ind., where his parents had removed when 
 he was a l.ad,and received his education in the com- 
 mon sciiools. At tlie age of twenty-one he left the 
 parental roof and made a trip to Louisa County in 
 1840, settling liere permanently in 1841. He was 
 united in marriage in 181:3, liecoming tlie Iiusband 
 of Miss Sarah Price, and by tlieir union ten chil- 
 dren liave been born, six of wlioni are now living, 
 four sons juid two daughters: Mary, who is at iionie; 
 
 Francis A., who was educated at Howe's Academy 
 at Mt. Pleasant, is now a minister of the Baptist 
 faith, in Chicago, 111.; William P., who was also 
 educated in Howe's Academy, is an attorney -at-law 
 of Yates Center, Iowa; David is residing at home; 
 Hiram Madison is engaged in farming in Christian 
 County, 111.; and Artie is the wife of John See, of 
 this count}^ 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Gregory have been lifelong mem- 
 bers of the Methodist Ejiiscopal Cliurcli. In early 
 life he was a AVhig in politics, and a great admirer 
 of Henry Cla}'. In 1840 he cast his vote for 
 Gen. William Henry Harrison, and on Nov. 6, 
 1888, he voted for the grandson of that gentleman, 
 Hon. Benjamin Harrison, the nominee of the Re- 
 publican party for President. Mr. Gregory h.os 
 been a liberal supporter of schools and religious 
 institutions, and is ranked as one of Louisa Coun- 
 t3''s best citizens. For forty-seven years he has 
 been a resident of the county, and has shared all 
 the hardships and trials incident to pioneer life. 
 He was a poor man at that time, his capital consist- 
 ing only of a horse ami the sum of $o in money, 
 which he loaned, but which was never returned 
 to him. Possessing a robust constitution and de- 
 tei'mined to succeed, by his energy, fair dealing and 
 good management, he has accumulated a comfort- 
 able competency, has provided educational advan- 
 tages for iiis children, and to-day is one of the well- 
 to-do farmers of the community. His farm, com- 
 prising 240 acres of land, 200 of which are under 
 cultivation, is valued at $30 per acre. Little can 
 tlie children of the pioneers, who laid the founda- 
 tion of tlie country's present prosperity, realize the 
 disadvantages and trials which come to tiiose who 
 found liomes in the new and unbroken country. 
 Mr. Gregory had to carry his grain to market at 
 lUirlington, and oftentimes only received forty 
 cents a busliel for wheat and ten cents for corn. 
 Pork was sold for 11.25 jxir hundred, and for every- 
 thing else lie received jirices in i)roportion. His first 
 house in Louisa County consisted of a rude log 
 cabin, 14x16 feet, the ciiimney nnule of mud and 
 sticks. He manufactured liis own stools and tables, 
 and in one end of the building was the huge firc- 
 l)lace, before wiiicli lie baked liis joiinny-cake, one 
 of the sljvple articles of diet of tliose d.'iys. Though 
 
 t 
 
-4•- 
 
 ^i^h-^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 573 
 
 tliere was mucli that was unpleasant in this pioneer 
 life, there were also many pleasures, and the land, 
 wliifii was then wild and unbroken, constitutes one 
 of the finest farms in llic community. 
 
 ^ ^^% 
 
 S* F. GIPPLE, whose home li.ns been in Louisa 
 I County for thirty-six years, resides on section 
 /li 21, Grand View Township. He was born in 
 1810 in Pennsylvania, and was the eighth in a family 
 of ten children born to George and Alary A. (Stroh) 
 Gipple, whose birthplace was also in the State of 
 Pennsylvania. Tiic father was a farmer by occu- 
 pation, and in 1852 emigrated to Louisa County, 
 locating on section 21), Grand View Township, 
 where he purch.ascd a farm of 120 acres, part of 
 which was fenced .and contained a log cabin. Into 
 this cabin the family moved, living in the true 
 pioneer style of those days. Mr. (iipple imme- 
 diately began the cultivation of the land, but the 
 following May he was called from his new home to 
 his final rest. His wife is still living, and finds a 
 hai)pv home with our subject. 
 
 Keared upon a farm, our suliject received such 
 education as the district schools of the couutrj' af- 
 forded, attending both in Pennsjdvania and in 
 Iowa, though mostly in the latter State. When the 
 Civil War broke out, he enlisted in September, 
 1861, at Grand View, for a three years-service, 
 becoming a member of Company K, 8th Iowa In- 
 fantry. He was mustered into State service at Wa- 
 pello, and into United States service at Davenport, 
 whence witli his regiment he was sent to the front, 
 and participiited in the battle of Sliiloh, siege of 
 Jackson, siege of Vicksburg, and the battle of 
 Spanish Fort. He received a sliglit wound at 
 Shiloh and was taken ])ris(incr. being confined at 
 Tuscaloosa, Ala., for Mbout two months, .and kept 
 on parol. He was tiien exchanged, and in April, 
 IHGG. after four years of hardsiiips endured on the 
 Soutiiei'n l)attle-fiekl, he was discharged from further 
 service at Selma, Ala., and then returned to Iowa. 
 In Louisa County .Mr. (ii])i)le wedded Evaline 
 V.andevort, a daughter of .T. Madison ami Saraii 
 KUen (Donahue) Van<l('Vort, wlio were natives of 
 A'irginia, and wlio came to Iowa in 1X14, settling 
 
 in the village of Grand View, where they were 
 among its earliest pioneers. Mr. Vandevort worked 
 at different occujjations for many years, and he and 
 his wife still make their home in the vill.agc. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. (j!ipi)le settled u|)on the 
 farm where he now resides, it being known as the 
 Gipple estate. Politically-, he is a Hepuldican, 
 while socially, he is a member of the Isaiah Dodder 
 Post No. 446, at Grand View. He and his wife 
 also belong to the Evangelical Church at that place, 
 in which he holds the jwsition of exhorter. Trustee 
 and Steward. He takes an active part in the Sun- 
 day-school work, being Suiierintendent of quite a 
 large school, which is doing good work under his 
 leadership. 
 
 To Mr. .and Mrs. (Jipple have been born four 
 children: Arthur L. died July 3, 1874, at the age 
 of nine mcmtlis; EveretL. is <at home; Marcellus E. 
 died in 1881, at the age of two years; and Herbert 
 L., who is also at home. Mr. Gipple's farm being 
 situated only .about half a mile from (! rand View 
 and in the school district, his children have the ad- 
 vantages of the graded schools. He is one of the 
 highly respected men of the townsliip. 
 
 J TAMES E. JENKINS, senior member of the 
 ] firm of Jenkins & Todd, pul>Iisliers of the 
 Columbus Safeguard, w.-is born in F^mmet 
 1/ County, Iowa, March 11, 1864, smd his par- 
 ♦ ents, Adolpiius and Ellen (Davis) Jenkins, were 
 among the earliest settlers of that county. The 
 father was I)orn in AVarren County, N. Y., and 
 came to Iowa in 18.")7. He w.as one of the leading 
 citizens of Emmet Count^^ where he engaged in 
 milling and w.os also a dealer in lumber. In his 
 political views he was a lv('i)ublican. and was the 
 first County Judge of tliat county, serving in that 
 cajjacity for several years. His death occurred in 
 the fall of 1886. His wife, the mother of our sub- 
 ject, was born in Dover, N. II., Feb. 9, 1832, is a 
 daughter of J.ames Davis, and now resides in Co- 
 lumbus .lunction. 
 
 Our sid)ject was engaged as a farm hand for 
 nearly three years, .and wsis educateil in llie pulilic 
 schools, also obtaining much of iiis knowleilge of 
 
M- 
 
 574 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 men and events in .1 printinjjc-onice. When fifteen 
 J ears of age lie began to learn tlie printer's trade in 
 the office of the Emmetsburg Beporter, in which he 
 worked until 1 H82. when he came to Columbus Junc- 
 tion, where he attended school and worked in the 
 Safeguard office. One year later he returned to Em- 
 metsburg, where he resumed work in the Heporter 
 office, occui)ying the jjosition of foreman and local 
 editor, and a year later went to Emmet County, 
 where he taught school for a time, and then took 
 the position of business manager of the P^stherville 
 Herald. In December, 1885, he came once more to 
 Columluis Junction, and formed a partnership with 
 Mr. Eggart, in the pul)lication of the Safeguard. 
 In May, 1888, Mr. Todd bought JNIr. Eggart's inter- 
 est in the Safeguard, and is the ]>resent jiartner of 
 Mr. Jenkins. These gentlemen by their enterprise 
 and energj' have placed the Safeguard in the lead 
 of Kepulilican papers in Louisa County, while no 
 country town in the State can boast of a cleaner 
 printed, better edited or more wide-awake journal. 
 The paper is a stalwart l{ei>ul)lican in jxjlitics. and is 
 strong in advocating the Blaine theory of tariff 
 protection to^ American industries. Local affairs 
 of the county are fairly treated, and the paper is 
 deservedly popular. Mr. .lenkins is a memlier of 
 the Iv. of 1'.. Liberty Lodge No. 22, and one of 
 Jyouisa County's worthv citizens. 
 
 •~ ^ -• ^=^^=sgs=:= 
 
 ^^LHXANDEH IlIDLEBAUGH, a promi- 
 V@^, nent fai-mer of Louisa County, residing on 
 section 10, Grand View Township, was 
 born in J.ackson County, Ohio, Aug. 22, 
 1810, and was the seventh in a family of eight 
 children born to Jolm and Susan (AVilliams) Ilidle- 
 bangli. the former a native of Pennsylvania, and 
 the lattei- of \'irginia. The father was a cooper by 
 trade, and when a small lad emigrated witli his 
 step-father to Virginia, where he remained until at- 
 taining his m.ajority. Becoming acquainted with 
 Miss Susanna Williams, he wooed and won her, 
 and their m;irriage wjus eelebrated in that St.ite. 
 After ten years' residence in Virginia, thej- emi- 
 grated to Jackson County, Ohio, where they re- 
 mained until IHli). when they proceeded farther 
 
 westward, locating in Rock Island County. 111. 
 There, in September, 1850, the death of t\w mother 
 occurred, and seven years later Mr. Ilidlebfiugh 
 was laid to rest by the side of his wife. 
 
 After the death of liis parents, with two elder 
 brothers our subject came to Louisa County, Iowa, 
 in 1857. and secured employment as a farm hand, 
 receiving ^12.50 per month for his services. For 
 four years he worked as a farm hand, and then 
 commenced farming for himself on the land now 
 owned 1)3' Patrick Dalton, near Letts, but in the 
 month of August, 1862, he abandoned farm life to 
 enlist in the service of his country. He was mus- 
 tered in at jMuscatine, Iowa, being assigned to 
 Company F, 35th Iowa Infantry, and from there 
 went to Cairo. 111., and later to the South. He 
 participated in an engagement at Duck I'ort, oppo- 
 site Vicksburg, and from that place, under the 
 command of Gen. Grant, went by the way of 
 Grand (udf to Jadvson. iSliss., where the enemy 
 was encountered, and a battle fought. The next 
 service was at Vicksburg, where Mr. Ilidlebaugh 
 participated in all the l)attles, and then after its 
 surrender proceeded with his regiment to Jackson, 
 Miss., which the army recaptured from the rebel 
 General, Joe Johnston. He next participated in 
 the Red River campaign, taking part in the battles 
 of Marchville Plains, Old River Lake, the battle of 
 Tupelo in Mississippi, Spanish Fort in Alabama, 
 also the battle of Selma, Ala., after which he went 
 to Davenport, Iowa, where he was mustered out of 
 service. 
 
 On the 10th of August, 1864, Mr. Ilidlebaugh 
 reached home, and on the 20th of that month com- 
 menced working by the month ui>on a farm. Dur- 
 ing the following November he was united in 
 marriage with Lucinda Wagner, a daughter of 
 I'hilip and Elizabeth (Ciower) Wagner, both of 
 whom are now deceased. By the union of this 
 happy eou))le three sons and five daughters liave 
 been born — Elizabeth C.. Mary E.. John C, Will- 
 iam W., Clara Bell, Nettie M., Nellie C. and Harry 
 A. With tlie exception of the hist two, who died 
 in infancy, all are at home. 
 
 Mr. Ilidlebaugh resides on section 10, (J rand 
 View Township, where he is the owner of 579 
 acres of land, which is highly cultivated and well 
 
^*^4r^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 575 
 
 slocked with a fine grade of cattle, horses and hogs, 
 lie makes a specialty of raising the Hereford and 
 Durham cattle, thorougiibrod Clii'stcr-'Whitc hogs, 
 and liorses of the Norman and t'lydesdale stock. 
 He is a systematic and progressive farmer, and 
 cvcrytliing about the place denotes thrift and en- 
 terprise. For the p.ast six years Mr. Ilidlebaugh 
 has held the otlico of School Director, and also 
 served .as Road Supervisor of his township for sev- 
 eral terms. He has alwaj's taken an active part in 
 the upbuilding of the countj', has aided in its prog- 
 ress and development, has been prominent in the 
 promotion of its enterprises, ami is one of Louisa 
 County's best citizens. Politically, he is a sup- 
 porter of the Republican party, but being liberal in 
 his views, at the local elections he often votes for 
 the man whom he thinks will best fill the oflSce. 
 Socially, he is a member of the G. A. R., Colwell 
 Post, at Letts, and also belongs to the Masonic 
 fraternity. During his thirtj'-years residence in 
 the county he has won the confidence and good- 
 will of all with whom he h.as come in contact, and 
 is held in high esteem by a large circle of friends 
 .and acquaintances. 
 
 g 
 
 4 
 
 ^/OHN ROSS, a retired farmer residing at 
 .Alorning Sun, is a native of Brown County, 
 Ohio, Ixirn near Georgetown, March 19, 
 ^g/' 1H2(1. His father, lieuj.amin Ross, was a 
 native of Pennsylvania, but of good old Scotch- 
 Irish ancestry. His mother, Catherine (IMowery) 
 Ross, was of German ancestry, but born in I'enn- 
 sylvania. Soon after their marriage they moved 
 to Brown County, Ohio, where they resided for 
 some years, and then moved to Clermont County, 
 Ohio, where the mother died at a good old age. 
 Soon after her death the father returned to I'enn- 
 sjdvania to visit his mother, not having seen her 
 for thirty-six years. While (m that.visit, in 1854, 
 he was tsiken sick with a fever and there died. Ben- 
 jamin and Catherine Ross were the parents of thir- 
 teen ciiildrcn, only four of whom are now living, 
 our .subject .and three sisters. Pha'bc, one of the 
 survivingsisters, became the wife of Archibald Mc- 
 
 Lain, who is now decea.sed. He was a native of 
 Sterling Township, Brown Co., Ohio, and died on 
 the same farm on whicli he w.is born, being at the 
 time of his death in his seventy -eighth year. For 
 fifty years he was a consistent member of the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church, and ft)r tiiirty-ninc years 
 w.as a Justice of tlie Peace of Sterling Township. 
 Dclila wedded Israel Jennings, who during the War 
 of the Relicllion enlisted in an Ohio regiment, w.as 
 wounded, and died in a hospital in the Sunny South. 
 Mary married John Haj^den, who is now deceased, 
 and is a resident of Oxford, Ohio. The deceased 
 children were James M., Catherine, Jane, David, 
 H.annah, Peter, Judson, Henr3% and one who died 
 in infniKV. The [jarents were devoted members of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church, living and dying 
 in the hope of eternal life. 
 
 The sul)ject of this sketch was reared in Cler- 
 mont County, Ohio, and received his education in 
 the common schools. In that early day the edu- 
 cational advantages were limited, and tlierefore 
 he cannot boast of receiving a thorough education. 
 On the 19th day of November, 18t3, he married 
 Miss Deborah Ireton, a native of Clcrmcmt County, 
 Ohio, born Feb. 13, 1818, and daughter of Obadiah 
 and Mary (AVood) Ireton, the former a native of 
 New Jersey, .and tiie latter of Kentucky. Both died 
 in Clermont County. They also were mcml)ersof 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church, and ever took an 
 active interest in church work 
 
 After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ross they 
 moved into Brown County. Ohio, where he was tlie 
 owner of a small farm, and there remained until 
 coming to Louisa County, in 1855; in tlie former 
 county five of their eight children were born. The 
 others were born in Louisa Comity. Of the chil- 
 dren born in Ohic>, Mclinda E. wedded Jasjwr N. 
 Ross, by whom she had four children, two yft liv- 
 ing, Mary E. an(i .lesse C. Jasper X. Ross was not 
 a relative of his wife. Some years since, wliile 
 drawing wood, a long pole caught in the wagon, 
 which caused the otiier end to strike him on the 
 head, knocking him to the ground, and from the 
 effects of which he became deranged, and is now at 
 the lK)spital at Mt. Pleasant. .Mrs. Ross is making 
 her home with her fatiier. Thomas, the .secimd child, 
 married AHss Ellen Simons, a native of Iowa; they 
 
 »» A 4» 
 
-4*- 
 
 576 
 
 ^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 
 liave liad ten i-liiklren, t-iglit of wliom are living: 
 Nora, Arthur E., llcrinan E., Thomas Carl, Charlie 
 Nelson, John R., Clara D. and Chester C. The two 
 deceasefl were Nancy L. and Sherman E. Missouri is 
 now the wife of .lames II. Irwin, a resident of Ilenr^' 
 County, Iowa; their children are Jesse B., John O., 
 Laura M., Ellis Clyde, James R. and Walter. John 
 Q. married Eliza Lee, a native of Iowa, and is now 
 a resident of AVinfleld, Henry County; their chil- 
 dren are Alonzo E., Orion E. and Daisy E. ilary 
 L. is the wife of Jolm L. Roderick, and has three 
 children — Cora E. B., John L. R. and Emma V. 
 
 Wlien Mr. Ross came to Louisa Count}-, in 1855, 
 he [lurt'liased about 130 acres of land in Marshall 
 Township, 160 acres just across the line in Henry 
 County, and subsequently purchased eighty acres 
 east of his first purchase, besides about thirty acres 
 of timber land. Altogether, since he came to Iowa, 
 he has owned abt)ut 400 acres of land, and as his 
 children married he gave to each a portion of land 
 and money to the value of about $2,000 each. LTpon 
 tlie farm in Marshall Township he remained until 
 1884, when, the children all having left home, with 
 his aged wife he removed to the village of Morn- 
 ing Sun, where they propose spending the remain- 
 der of their days. The oliject Mr. Ross had in 
 removing to Iowa was that he might be able to 
 secure a suflicient quantity of land upon which his 
 children could settle, and not have far to go from 
 tlu> home nest. This was done, and each of his 
 diildren now owns a farm, to reach which will not 
 require more than a two-hours drive from the resi- 
 dence of their parents. Since coming to Iowa Mr. 
 Ross lias been very successful, and, as already 
 stated, has been al)le to help his children as they 
 went out to make homes for themselves. On Christ- 
 mas Day, 1886, tlie entire family were gathered at 
 the residence of tlieir parents, and while enjoying 
 the good things common to that day, were each 
 presented with a sinn of $500. Some of the num- 
 ber were in deljt for their land, and by the timely 
 aid then received were enabled to i^ay off the in- 
 tlebtedness, thus leaving their homes free. In mak- 
 ing these presents to his ciiildren Mr. Ross thought 
 he did but liis duty, as all had remained at home un- 
 til after reaching tlieir majority, doing all in their 
 )ower to advance the common interests of the fam- 
 
 il}'. While giving his children a part of his land, 
 Mr. Ross has yet retained 160 acres, which he is 
 now renting. While at present he enjoys the com- 
 forts of this life, he can yet look l)ack and realize 
 that he endured the trials and privations incident 
 to a new country', and is truly thankful for the pros- 
 jjerity that has attended him. 
 
 In early life Mv. and iNIrs. Ross united with the 
 Metliodist Episcopal Church, and have during a 
 long life given liberally to the support of the Gos- 
 pel and for the up1)uilding of tlie Master's cause. 
 They have always been strong advocates of temper- 
 ance, and given of their means for the prohibiting 
 of the liquor trallic. For a period of forty-five 
 years this worthy couple have pursued life's jour- 
 ne}- together, endeavoring in aU things to do their 
 duty well, as becomes professed Christians. The 
 AVord of God has been to them a daily study, and 
 in their old age they rely upon the promises made 
 by the Giver of all good, and are now only waiting 
 the call of the Master. 
 
 ^^ 
 
 -Jv- 
 
 M. HOLLER, who has been a teacher of 
 rccogui/.ed ability in the public schools of 
 Louisa Count}' since 1882, and who now re- 
 sides in Columbus City, w.is born in Keokuk 
 County. Iowa, June 18. 1855, and is a son of Levi 
 and Harriet (Martin) Holler, who were natives of 
 Ohio. The maternal grandfather, Daniel ]\Iartiu. 
 was an early settler of Keokuk County, Iowa, and 
 the founder of the town of Martinsburg. He w.-us 
 a man of prominence in the community where lie 
 resided, and while living in Ohio served as Judge. 
 Levi Holler, the father of our sul)ject, removed to 
 Keokuk Count}' wlien a young man, and there re- 
 mained for ten years, when he returned to Ohio, 
 and now resides in Newark. His wife died in 1864. 
 They were both members of the Methodist Episco- 
 pal Church, and were the jjarents of four children: 
 II. M. was the first in order of birth; Richard is 
 now a railroad agent at Chicago Juuctioii; Flora is 
 the wife of Benjamin (Jreen, a resident of Newark, 
 Ohio; and Sarali, the youngest child, died at Die age 
 of five years. 
 
 Our subject was reared upon a farm, and re- 
 
LOUISA COUNTY, 
 
 f 
 
 ceived liis education in the fjradcd schools of 
 Chcstcrvillc, Ohif>. In 1877 he came to Keokuk 
 County. Iowa, wliere he enj;ai;e(l in teaching school 
 until 1882. and then became a resident of Louisa 
 Count}-, where he has since followed his chosen 
 profession. For three years lie tauijht in the vil- 
 lage of Letts, and in 188() moved to Columbus 
 City, where he had charge of its jiuhlic schools for 
 two years. lie has a natural talent for this line of 
 work, and was one of the most successful teachers 
 ever employed in the Columbus City schools. 
 
 In 1879 JNIr. Holler was united in marriage with 
 Lucinda Durfey, who was liorn in Keokuk County, 
 Iowa, anil is adaugliter of S. II. Durfey. also of that 
 county. They have been the parents of three chil- 
 dren — Lawrence, Glendora and an infant daughter. 
 Mrs. Holler is a member of the Methodist Episco- 
 pal Cluuch. In 1888 Mr. Holler, who h.as always 
 l)cen an ardent supporter of the Republican partj% 
 was nominate<l by that l)ody :i.s candidate for the 
 office of Clerk of the Courts, and was triumi)hantly 
 elected, his terra of office beginning Jan. 1, 1889. 
 That he will m.ake a pojndar officer is to be ex- 
 pected from his i)ast record. 
 
 W/AME.S E. BLANCIIARl). a representative 
 I farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 
 '2;'). AVapello Townshiji, was born in Otsego 
 ) County, N. Y., .inly 13, 1831, and is a son 
 of Timothy and Mary A. (Holmes) lilanchard, 
 both of whom were .also n.atives of tiie Empire 
 State. They were the jwrents of eighteen children, 
 and of th.at number thirteen are yet living, their 
 ages ranging from lifty to eighty years. Our sub- 
 ject at the age of six j'ears, in 1837, went with the 
 family to Edgar County. 111., where he received 
 Ids education in the common schools. Leaving 
 the parental roof at the age of fifteen, he secured 
 employment as a farm hand, receiving ^.'i per 
 montii as a compensation for liis labor. He was 
 engaged in that line in IHinois until I8,"i|, when ho 
 cann? to Iowa, ami rented land of his uncle. .lames 
 Blanchard. for tw<p years. 
 
 In 18,')() Mr. r.!aiicli;ird was unitcil in marri.age 
 witli .Miss Tami/.on Welsh, a native of Indi.ana, 
 
 who came to Louisa Countj', Iowa, when but si.v 
 years old. After their marriage he engaged in 
 farming upon the land of Jlrs. Welsh for about six 
 years, and during that time bought Un-iy acres of 
 land, which was jwrtly fenced but Inid no other 
 improvements. With his young wife he moved 
 into an old log cabin, but within the follow- 
 ing 3"ear built a larger log house, though it has 
 long since given place to a handsome frame resi- 
 dence, which is two stories in height and has a cel- 
 lar under the entire building. A splendid barn 
 has also been built, and a double corn crib, which 
 is forty feet long, together with all other improve- 
 ments necessary to a well-regulated farm. To his 
 original purchase of forty acres Mr. Hlanchard has 
 added from time to time until he now owns 323 acres 
 of as fine land as can be found in Louisa County. 
 His stock is also of the best grades, and he makes 
 a specialty of raising Poland-China hogs, in which 
 he has been very successful, having at (me time 
 sold twenty-one head for $815. Financially, he is 
 a self-made man. Having started in life without 
 capital, receiving for his first labor Init $5 jicr 
 month, he has yet worked on with that enterjjrise 
 and energy which overcome all obstacles, and now 
 has a comfortable competency. He .and his wife 
 are meml)eis of the Christian Church, while politi- 
 cally, he affiliates with the Democratic party. He 
 has always taken great interest in all matters per- 
 taining to the iniblic welfare, and is ever ready to 
 aid in the promotion of .any enterprise for tlie ad- 
 vancement of the comniunily. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. lilanchard have been the parents of 
 four children, one of whom die<l in infancy: Ida 
 is the wife of -lohn Morris, a resident farmer of 
 W^apello Township; Charles, desiring to be a min- 
 ister of the Gospel, fitted himself for that profession, 
 but close application and over study so undermined 
 his health that he has had to lay aside his work. 
 On the 3()th of .luiie. 188;"), he wedded Maggie E. 
 Heichley, of Letts, Iowa, who w;ls l)orn in .Musca- 
 tine, Dec. 31, 1860, and is a daughter of Cieorge 
 W. and Catherine (Brookhart) Reichley, who were 
 natives of Ohio. One child h.as been born of 
 their union, Bessie B.. Dec. 30, 1887. Leota, the 
 youngest cliild of the family, is the wife of Charles 
 Stone, who is engaged in f:iiiniiig in Wapello Town- 
 
A. 
 
 578 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 =^ 
 
 ship. Mr. Blnudiard lias taken great interest in 
 giving his cliildren good educations, liaving pro- 
 vided them with such advantages as would fit 
 them for the practical duties of this life. In 
 1883 he made a visit to New York for the pur- 
 l)ose of attending a family reunion, which took 
 place in a grove near iiis childhood's home. At 
 that time 137 blood relations were assemblecx 
 together, and a most enjoyable time was spent 
 by all. 
 
 -! #.# i^ 
 
 '\f;AMES IIIGBEE, residing on section 19 of 
 IMorning Sun Township, is one of the oldest 
 lining settlers in Louisa Countj', his sketch, 
 ^^J therefore, will be doubly welcome, and his 
 history' is one of especial interest. On the 7th of 
 November, 1836. he was born to Joseph and Rachel 
 (Matthews) Iligbee, the father a native of New 
 York and the mother of Ohio. Thej' came to Lou- 
 isa County in 1836, purchasing a cl.aim on section 
 4 in Marshall Townshii), and there eleven of their 
 children were born, our subject being the first of 
 that number. In that township he was reared, and 
 received his education in the common schools. At 
 the age of twentj'-tliree years he left the parental 
 roof and made a trip to Camp Floyd, Utah, and in 
 1859 traveled from Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., with a 
 fii'iglit wagon laden with provisions for the regu- 
 lar soldiers stationed .at Camp Floyd, Utah, forty- 
 five miles west of Salt LakcCitj'. While returning 
 home he entered a tract of land, 240 acres in extent, 
 in Anderson County, Kan. lie arrived at home in 
 November, 1859, .and on the 20th of December, 
 1860, his marriage with Miss Catliei'ine W.atts was 
 celebrated. She was a native of Richland County, 
 Ohio, and a daughter of John Sidney and Ann 
 (Van Morn) AVatts, both of whom were also natives 
 of the same State. They emigrated to Louisa 
 County in 1852, though both are now deceased, the 
 mother tlying Aug. 2, 1858, and the father depart- 
 ing this life Feb. 27, 1875. Mr. and Mrs. AYatts 
 were members of the Christian Church, and were 
 highly respected people in tlic (oinniunity where 
 llicy resideil. 
 
 'IMie young cfiuph- began llicir ildiiicstic life upon 
 a nnlcil f.iriii in Dcs ^loines Cnuiilv. bordering (in 
 
 the Louisa County line, there remaining until 1805. 
 Having purchased a farm in Elm Grove Township, 
 this county, they there took up their residence in 
 that year. The original farm was but forty acres 
 in extent, though l)y subsequent purchsise eighty 
 other acres were added, making in all 120 acres. 
 Upon this farm eight happ3' years were passed, and 
 then they removed to Morning Sun, where they 
 engaged in hotel-keeping for al)out ten months. At 
 the expiration of that time iMr. Iligbee traded the 
 hotel for the farm on section 19, Morning Sun 
 Township, which now consists of 152 acres of fine 
 land, and here he still makes his home. 
 
 On the I9th of August, 1882, Mr. Iligbee was 
 called upon to mourn the death of his wife. She 
 was a sincere Christian ladj'. a member of the Chris- 
 tian Cluirch, in which she was an active and de- 
 voted worker, and in her death the church lost one 
 of its best members, the community one of its re- 
 spected citizens, .and the family, a kind and indul- 
 gent wife and mother. To ]Mr. and Mrs. Iligbee 
 were born seven children, six of whom died in in- 
 fancy. Mary, the only surviving child, is with her 
 father, and a member of the Christian Cluirch. She 
 is a J'oung lady of good ability as an artist, and 
 many of her pictures adorn and beautify the com- 
 fortable home. On the 10th of December, 1885, 
 Mr. Iligbee Wiis again married. Miss Watts, who is 
 also a native of Richland County, Ohio, and sister 
 of his deceased wife, becoming his wife. She is 
 also a member of the Christian Church, and an 
 earnest, devoted worker in the cause. 
 
 Mr. Iligbee has held various to^vnship offices of 
 trust, and w.a-s Mayor of Morning Sun during his 
 residence in that city. In 1886, at the semi-annual 
 meeting of the Pioneers' Association, he was elected 
 its President, being, as before stated, one of the old- 
 est living settlers born in the county, and has since 
 held that position. Mr. Iligbee has always been 
 one of the leading citizens of Louisa County, and. 
 besides the various township offices which he has 
 filled, he w.as appointed, in 1871, by the Oovernor. 
 as one of the Swamp Land Commi.ssioners, the ap- 
 pointment being made without his previous knowl- 
 edge. The work i>f the Commissioners w;is to drain 
 and ditch the low land, .and in th.at work Mr. Ilig- 
 liee spent about !?!l.600. perforniing the duty faith- 
 
-^*- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 579 
 
 fully, honestly and well. In his iKilitieal views he 
 wiL* always a Dejiiocrat until the teni|)eranoe qiies- 
 ti(in came before the peo|)le. wlieii he east his vote 
 with the Heimbliean party, and has eontinuously 
 suiipurted that l)(>dy sinee. Socially, he is a niciiilier 
 of the .V. F. & A. M. 
 
 Since the year 1836 Jlr. Iligbee has witnessed the 
 entire cU^velopment of the county, ami. with the 
 exception of .a short time spent in traveling, he lias 
 always lived witiiin sigiit of his birthplace. In an 
 address to an old settlers' meeting, he made the 
 following remarks: '• I believe that if there is one 
 class of people under the shining sun that is more 
 deserving of iionor and praise than anotlier. it is 
 llie i)ioneers. Those who came in tlie advance lived 
 on the mjist for a few years, drank slough water, 
 broke the soil, trampled down the nettles and faced 
 savage beasts .and savage men. It was not the dudes 
 tli.at subdued this country: it was the men, women 
 and children tliat were willing to bare their arms and 
 cheeks to the burning sun, and mop the sweat from 
 their sunburned brows." 
 
 The historian indorses everv word of the alx)ve, 
 for what would our coimtry be to-day were it not 
 fu)- tiie brave men and women who dared to face 
 the ti'ials and privations of pioneer life to make 
 homes in an unbroken wilderne.ss or upon a bound- 
 less prairie. To such men as Mr. Higl)ee the high- 
 est jiraise is due for the work of cultiv.ation and 
 improvement which they have carried on, tlie en- 
 terprises which they have estaltlislied, the educa- 
 tiontil and religious institutions which they have 
 built. We take pleasure in presenting this sketch 
 of this honored and worthy pioneer, who for over 
 h:df a century has ranked among the respected citi- 
 zens of Louisa County and the State of Iowa. 
 
 *' KNKV 1). KKI.J.KK, the pliotograi)her of 
 li WajJcUo, its pioneer in this line, and having 
 the only gallery in the city, esUdjlislied 
 himself here in business in I.S(;4, having 
 Ijeen emiiloyed in the same gallery a year, at Die 
 expiration of which he piircliased the interest of 
 the proprietor. 
 
 Our subject w.as born in I'utnam t'ounly, hid., 
 .lunc .i. 1«29, and is a son of I'liillip W. and 
 
 Charity (IJynerson) Keller, who took up tiieir resi- 
 dence in Abingdon, Knox Co.. III., a few years 
 later, in IH.'i."). Thence in 184;") they pushed on 
 still further westward across the Mississippi to 
 Huron Township. Des Moines Co.. low.a, where our 
 subject develoi)ed into manhood and assisted his 
 father in farming a number of years. 
 
 In 18;j1 ^Ir. Keller returned to his f)ld home in 
 Abingdon, III., where he learned pholograi)hy, 
 and thence cami^ back to Iowa in 1863. He was 
 married. Sept. 15, 1865, to Miss Adeline Stillman, a 
 native of Vermont. In the meantime, liowever, 
 during the progress of the Civil War, he in 1861, 
 having considerable musical talent, became a mem- 
 ber of the regiment band, 1st Iowa Cavalry, with 
 which he remained until the fall of 1862, when 
 these institutions were all disl)anded. Subsequent 
 to this he took up his residence in Wapello, and is 
 recognized as a peaceable .and law-al)iding citizen, 
 pursuing the even tenor of his w.ay in his line of 
 business, enjoying a good patronage and the esteem 
 of his community. Socially, he belong-s to Taylor 
 Post Xo. 153, (i. A. U.. ami in |)olitics is a sounil 
 Republican. 
 
 f-^>|HJ^- 
 
 -^^ 
 
 SliOX JMKTZGKR. an enterprising and pro- 
 gi'essive farmer, and one of the early settlers 
 ' \ of Louisa County, now residing on seution 27, 
 Elm (Jrove Tow-uship, was Ijorn in MonnK' County, 
 I'a., Feb. 3, 1837. His childh(X)d and youth were 
 spent upon a farm in his native county, where he 
 attended the commim schools, receiving a liberal 
 educ:vtion. On the 28th of .lune, 1857, he led to 
 the marriage altar Miss Lydia Heller, who is also a 
 native of ilonroe County, I'a., and shortly after- 
 w.ard the young couple emigrated to Iowa, settling 
 in Louisa County, w'here Mr. Metzger purch.ased 
 forty .acres of land on section 27, Elm (irove 
 Township, where he still continues to make his 
 home. I'pon the farm was a small franu- building 
 in which he moved, and immediately began the 
 work of improvement and cultivation. 
 
 By industry, economy ;uid good managenuMit. 
 Mr. Metzger has been enableil to add to tliat small 
 beginning until he now owns 610 ;icres of lieauti- 
 
 ■» 
 
•»^l^^ 
 
 ■•► 
 
 580 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 fill prairie land, wliicli jiays a golden tribute to his 
 care and UiV)or. I" pun his farm he has had erected 
 one of the finest two-story farm residences in Elm 
 drove Townsliip. and the barns and other out- 
 Duildiniis are in keeping with the house. Being in 
 limited circumstances on his arrival in the county, 
 Mr. INletzgcr did not complain of his lot, but with 
 that determination to succeed which characterizes 
 all his actions, he set to work, lalioring early and 
 late, overcoming all difficulties, until he is now one 
 of the well-to-do farmers of the county. His farm 
 is stocked with a good grade of horses, cattle and 
 hogs, and is a model of neatness. Sympathetic and 
 kind liearted,-he is ever ready to lend a helping 
 hand to tliose who show a dispositiim to aid them- 
 selves, and he has the confidence and love of both 
 young and old, rich and poor. In his political 
 views he is not at all partisan, but is broad and 
 liberal, voting for the man whom lie thinks will 
 best fill tiie office. 
 
 To Mr. and ISIrs. ^letzger has been born a 
 family of eleven children, eight of whom are yet 
 living: Joseph, a farmer residing in Elm Grove 
 Township; Erank. who is yet with his parents; 
 Calvin, who is living in Colorado; Olive, at home; 
 Eugene, Samuel, Frederick and Idela, also with 
 their parents. Those deceased are Susan J., INIarion 
 and Elizabetli J. We are pleased to record the 
 sketch of this family, which holds a high social 
 position in the community and receives the respect 
 of all. 
 
 4 
 
 j;, ASCII AL & SON, auctioneers. This tirm of 
 Cohinilius City, Louisa County, is com- 
 posed of two gentlemen, W. W. and D. 
 U. I'asciial. Tlie former entered upon his 
 present line of business in 1846, at Columbus City. 
 Obtaining a Government license in 1862, he did 
 business in the .nuctioncer's line in various parts of 
 tlie Stale of Iowa. He sold stock and a great quan- 
 tity of real estate, and was quite successful in that 
 business. Tiie present firm of Paschal & Son was 
 organized in 1873, :uid is well known throughout 
 tlie State. Its business is constantly increasing, 
 and the time of botli gentlemen is fully occupied. 
 William W. I'a.sciial, the senior member of tlie 
 
 firm, was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, July 
 21, 1822, and is a son of AV'illiam and Catherine 
 (Ramsey) Paschal, who were botii natives of Mar- 
 tinsl)urg, Va., tiie father being of Erencli ancestry. 
 and the mother of Irish origin. Tlie paternal 
 grandfather, also named William Pasclial.was bom 
 in New Jersey, and was an auctioneer by profes- 
 sion. In the War of 1812 he served as a flfer in a 
 band of musicians. The father of our subject was 
 also an auctioneer, and during the late war served 
 in tlie 37th Iowa Infantry, known as the "Gray- 
 beard" regiment, as it was composed of men over 
 fifty years of age. Accompanied by his familj-, 
 Mr. Paschal removed to Pike County, Ohio, when 
 our subject was but six months old, and there 
 AVilliam, Jr., was reared upon a farm, and later 
 was united in marriage with Lucinda Kincaid, who 
 was born in that county, .and is a daughter of Hugh 
 and JNIaria (Hill) Kincaid. 
 
 In 184.5, accompanied by his father's f.imily, our 
 sul)ject removed to Louisa Count}-, Iowa, settling 
 in Columbus City Township. He purch.ased sev- 
 enty acres of timber land, entered eighty acres of 
 wild land, and in company with his father and 
 uncle, bought 500 acres. When he came to the 
 county Columbus City contained but three or four 
 sh.«inties, the township w.as but sp.arsely settled, and 
 there were .about 500 Indians encamped in the vi- 
 cinity. His father improved the farm, and there 
 resided for many years, and then sold the farm and 
 bought properly in the town of Columbus Citj-, 
 where he lived a retired life until his death, which 
 occurred Feb. 22, 1877, tit the .age of seventy-five 
 years. His wife, the mother of our subject, died on 
 the 20lh of January, 1885, at the advanced age of 
 eighty-five years. They were both members of the 
 INIethodist Episcop.al Church, imd in politics he 
 w.as a Democrat. Though stern and reserved, he 
 was kind and considerate, and won for himself 
 many friends. Mr. and Jlrs. P.asciial were the par- 
 ents of thirteen children, only six of whom are 
 now living: William, Jr., our subject; James D., a 
 live-stock dealer of Maysville, Mo.; Isaac N., a 
 jirinter by trade, now living in Colfax, Iowa; Al- 
 len S., a resident of Columbus City; Mary J.ane, 
 who wedded Alfred McCoy, and is now a widow, 
 residing in Kansas, and Sarah, who became the 
 
1^1^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ■•^HK-^ 
 
 581 
 
 wife of Jacob McCo3', and is now residing at 5It. 
 Pleasant. Iowa. 
 
 After coming to Louisa County' our subject en- 
 gaged in farming uiwn his claim for about four 
 jears, and then removed to Columbus Citj', where 
 he has since continued to reside. By his union 
 with Lueinda Kincaid four children were born: 
 fieorge C. Tiflio is now a clothing dealer of Lenox, 
 Iowa; John Wesley, a resident farmer of W.ashing- 
 ton County. Iowa; Emily Catherine, wife of Milton 
 Alburn, of Allerton. Wayne Co., Iowa, and Min- 
 nie, who wedded Thomas Humphrey, now of San 
 Francisco, C'al., who is engaged in the furnishing 
 of schools. For his second wife Jlr. I'.ischal mar- 
 ried ^Matilda Raker, a njitive of Georgia. Bj^ her 
 he h.ad one son. D. R., wlio is junior member of 
 the firm of P:isclial 6i Son. His present wife wiis 
 Mrs. T. M. Ramse\-, nee Bowman, and by this mar- 
 riage he h.as tliree sons — Willi.im W., Edwin L. 
 and Russell Allison. The latter died Oct. 12, 1888, 
 at the age of five 3'ears, eight months and ten djiys. 
 
 D. R. P.*ischal was born in Columbus City. July 
 7, 1856, there grew to manhood, and received a 
 liber.al education in the public schools. He re- 
 moved to Ellswortli, Kan., where he spent one 
 year, and while there, Jan. 3, 1878, he wedded 
 Linnie B. M.av, a native of Louisa County, and a 
 d.aughter of Lenvil May. Five children have Iioen 
 burn to them — Zoa, Deronda, Xc.aly, Franii (who 
 died when three j'ears of age) and Pearl. 
 
 The firm of Paschal & Son have received calls to 
 cities in Canada, Europe, and in almost every State 
 in the Union to sell fine stock, and are acknovvledged 
 to be among tlie best auctioneers of the country. 
 Their prompt and elficient manner of doing busi- 
 ness has won for them a liberal patronage, which 
 is well deserved. Their printing and .•idvcrtising 
 agent is (). I.Jamison, editor of the Cohunljus Ga- 
 zette, of Columbus Junction. 
 
 (j^^ H. DINC-VN, a farmer residing on section 
 
 ^^^ 22, Columbus City Townslii|), is a native c)f 
 
 1|]/_1)) I'.loimt County, Tenn., and a son of (icorge 
 
 15. and Aim S. Duncan. Accumpaniei^ by 
 
 liis family, tlic fatlicr, who was a native of Wash- 
 
 ington County, Tenn.. emigrated to Louisa County, 
 Iowa, in 184:5. To him and his excellent wife were 
 born ten children: .A. L., who is a guard at the 
 State Penitentiar}', at Anamosa, Iowa, and who 
 during four j-ears of the late war gallantly defended 
 the old flag as a member of Company' C, 1 Itli Iowa 
 Infantry, particip:iting in all the battles of the regi- 
 ment until after the battle of Atlant.a, where he 
 was wounded; Samuel H., our subject; John C, a 
 r.ailroad employe living .at Creston, Iowa; !Mary J.. 
 wife of Robert Owens, of Columljus Junction; Sarah 
 A., who wedded A. II. Parsons, also of Columbus 
 Junction; Elizabeth, wife of W. M. Ogier, of Union 
 Township; James R., a resident farmer of Colum- 
 bus City Township; Isabel, wife of R. N. Johnston, 
 of Columbus City Townshi]); Emma, who wedded 
 Joseph Weir, a resident of .MilciicU County, Kan.; 
 Joseph C, whose home is in Rooks County of that 
 St.ate. The parents of these children were mem- 
 bers of the Seceders' Cluircli, though afterward the 
 father w.as an Elder in the Reformed Presbyterian 
 Church. In his political views Mr. Duncan was 
 a Democrat, and a man wiio took great interest 
 in public affairs. To .all church work he was a 
 liberal contributor; to enterprises which h.ad for 
 their object the pul)lic good he w.as an ardent 
 supporter, and to the unfortun.ate and needy his 
 .assistance was cheerfully .and quickly given. Ever 
 a leading and intluenlial citizen in the community 
 where he resided, his death, which occurred in .lan- 
 uary, 1874, at the age of fifty-eight years, was sin- 
 cerely mourned by a large circle of friends .and 
 .acquaintances. His wife died five years later, at 
 the age <jf sixty-two. She also took great interest 
 in the church work, and exerted an inHuence for 
 right over her children which, though slic 1i:ls long 
 since [jassed away, will ever he renicinlu'red. 
 
 Samuel II. Duncan, the subject of this sketch, 
 was l)orn in IShnint County. Tciui.. .lune 15(1. 184.'5. 
 but the following autumn came to Louisa County 
 with his parents, and here he grew to manhooil, re- 
 ceiving his education in the district schools. In 
 tlic month of August. 1862. when only seventeen 
 years of age. lie enlisted as one of the l)oys in l)lu(' 
 of the 25th Iowa Infantry. l>ecoming a member of 
 Company F. He remained in the .service for three 
 \ears, parlicip.ating in the battles of Chickasaw 
 
 -<•- 
 
 •> j m Ml 
 
-•► 
 
 ■>&2 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Bayou. Arkansas Tost, N'icksburg, Lookout ISIount- 
 ain, IJesaca. the entire Atlanta eampaisrn. indud- 
 ing the uelehratwl march to the sea under Sherman, 
 and the entire r.aid tlirous^li the Carolinas, fighting 
 tlie last battle at lieutonvillc, from whence the regi- 
 ment proceeded to AVashington. 1). ('., taking part 
 ill the grand review, the gre.atest militaiy pageant 
 ever seen in the United St.ites, after which he re- 
 ceived his discharge at Davenport. Iowa. AVhile 
 at the battle of Yicksburg he was wounded in the 
 head by a gunshot which fr.actured his skull. 
 
 After receiving his discharge I\Ir. Duncan re- 
 turned to Louisa County, where he has continu- 
 ously resided ever since, lie purchased sixty acres 
 of laud on section 22, Columbus City Township, 
 .iml l',\ his own efforts, his enterprise and good 
 management, has added other lands until he now 
 has 17t) acres, comprising one of the best farms of 
 the township. In 1868 Mr. Duncan was united in 
 marriage with .Miss Mary J. Tedford, who was born 
 in Tennessee, and is a daughter of Josei)h Tedford, 
 also a n.itive of that State. Five children were 
 born unto them: Addie died in childhood; Anna 
 L., Nevada M., (leorge X. and Clyde J. are all .at 
 home. The i)a rents and also their .daughters are 
 inembcrs of the Inited l'resl)yteriaii Church. Polit- 
 icall\-. Jlr. Duncan is a Democrat. and takes an act- 
 ive part ill local politics. A great reader, he is 
 always well iiifonned on both State and X.ational 
 questions of the day, is a friend to all institutions 
 (if progress and Icaniiiig, and being one of Colum- 
 bus City Township's best citizens, is held in high 
 esteem by a large circle of acquaintances and friends. 
 
 , KV. .lA.MKS .\LEXANDEIl BLACK. The 
 
 subject of this sketch is tiie son of Samuel 
 Ji|, and Elizabeth (licll) Black. Ilis paternal 
 \^ance.-<tors were Scotch Covenanters, who 
 had foULrht in the meiiioiablc liattlc of lk)thwell- 
 
 brig. and who to escai* the fierce persecution which 
 the ruling class then waged against all faithful ad- 
 herents to the Scottish covenants, lied froiu their 
 native land and took up their residence in the North 
 of Ireliind. On the maternal side his forefathers 
 were Huguenots. Driven from France b}' the rev- 
 ocation of the P^dict of Nantes, which deprived 
 them of their religious liberties, the3- found refuge 
 in Holland, .and entering the service of the Prince 
 of Orange, afterward known as William III of En- 
 gland, they went with him to Ireland, when, with 
 his army, he invaded that country to defend the 
 Protestants from Popish aggressions, and on the 
 establishment of peace settled there with many 
 others of their countrymen. 
 
 James A. Bl.ack, the subject of our sketch, was 
 born in County Down, Ireland, but when an in- 
 fant w.as brought by his parents to America, and 
 settled In Pittsburgh, Pa. After receiving the 
 rudiments of his education in the public schools 
 of his .adopted city, he entered Allegheny City 
 College, and was graduated from that institution in 
 the summer of 1862. He studied theology in the 
 seminary of the Keformed Presbyterian Church, 
 and was licensed b^- his Presbytery Maj- 23, 1867. 
 Itinerating a short time among the vacancies of his 
 ehurcli. he accepted a call from a congregation in 
 Clarksburg, Pa., where he w.as ordained, and in- 
 stalled Nov. 18, 1868. 
 
 AViiilc laboring in Clarksburg our subject mar- 
 ried JNIiss Tirzah M. Cannon, of New Alex.andria, 
 Pa., June 8, 1876. At a meeting of his Presbyter^^ 
 held April 11, 1882, he resigned the pastorate of 
 his congregation in order to accept the Presidency 
 of the Polytechnic Institute, Allegheny City, Pa., 
 which position he occupied three years. Resuming 
 his ministerial work, he shortly afterward received 
 and accepted a call from the Keformed Presbyter- 
 ian Congreg.ation of Wyman, Iowa, where he was 
 installed Feb. 9, 1886, and where he continues to 
 lalior at present. 
 
 JL^ 
 
 T 
 
•«► 
 
 4 
 
 -4»- 
 
 
 m 
 
 ^' 
 
 s&-^i>^ 
 
 4m?^ 
 
 U r -' \ 
 
 Si 
 
 1: r jiv^^yi^^-^Mii^ j4,iL^ 
 
 y 
 fe' 
 
 ^^s-fif 
 
 3A&^- 
 
'^- 
 
 ••»> 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 585 
 
 INTRODUQT^ORY. 
 
 ^^:=^ 
 
 us is a world of progress. 
 History is being made day 
 by day. Events follow each 
 other with lightning-like ra- 
 pidity, astonishing even to 
 the quick-thinking men of 
 tiie nineteenth centur3^ But 
 a little more than half a cent- 
 ury — only fifty-five j'ears — has 
 l)a.ssed since the territory com- 
 prising the great commonwealth 
 of Iowa was in the peaceable 
 l)Ossession of the rod men. To- 
 day it is divided up into ninety 
 and nine organized counties, with 
 a railroad reaching the seat of jus- 
 tice of every county, while tele- 
 graph and telephone wires are stretched here and 
 there, and the hum of machinery in daily use by 
 the farmer and mechanic is heard on every hand. 
 
 The wonderful transformation that has taken place 
 can scarcely be realized even by those who have 
 been the most active in the work. The old pioneer 
 as he now sits in his easy chair, while in memory 
 his mind wanders back to other days, feels that he 
 but dreams, and would express no surprise if, in- 
 stead of the palatial residence, the great fields of 
 waving corn that greet his eyes, would appear the 
 humble log cabin and the tall prairie grass, with 
 the fleet-footed deer and other wild game that he 
 had been accustomed to see. But it is only in 
 imagination, or rather in dreams, that those old 
 familiar scones can be I'ecallcd. The ever-living 
 present is here, and the pioneer knows that he is 
 but one among over 2,000,000 now inhabiting this 
 beautiful land. He sees around him cnteri)rising 
 cities with their diversified industries, while the 
 country has been changed from its primitive sUitc, 
 school-houses built upon nearly every cross road, 
 and churches upon every hillside. 
 
 t 
 
 f 
 
«► l l^ » 
 
 58C 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 -•► 
 
 ,t 
 
 im 
 
 .e.A3 
 
 
 ••©♦o-@A«A@..o*o~ 
 
 I rUATED in the eastern part 
 of the State, being in the third 
 tier of counties north of the 
 ^lissouri line, Louisa C'ountj- 
 is bounded on the east by the 
 ^Mississippi River, on the iiortli 
 liy tlie counties of Johnson 
 and iluscatine, on the south by Des 
 Jloines and Iloniy Counties, and on 
 the west b}- Washington and Henry 
 Counties. It comprises about 422 
 scpiare miles of land, a considerable 
 part of which is well timbered, the 
 timl)er land being generally along 
 the b.inks of the rivers and creeks 
 which flow through the county. The 
 prairie land is the very best, and suitable for the 
 raising of all cereals common to this Latitude. The 
 bottom lands are excellent for grazing. 
 
 Louisa County now comprises twelve civil town- 
 shii», each of which is of an irregular size, and, 
 strange to say, not one of which but touches the 
 countj' line. The names of the townshiijs are: Co- 
 lumbus City, Concord. Elliott, Elm Grove, Grand 
 View, Jefferson, JLarshull, Morning Sun, Oakland, 
 Port Louisa, Union and Wapello. Within the 
 boundaries of the county are the towns of Colum- 
 bus City, Columbus Junction, Clifton, Lettsville, 
 Grand View, Wapello, Toolsboro, Morning Sun, 
 Cairo, W3-man and Ercdonia. 
 
 The county is well watered b^- the Iowa and Red 
 Cedar Rivers, which merge together near the vil- 
 lage of Frudonia, and pass through the county 
 diajjonallv from the nortliwest to tiie southeast. 
 
 -<^ 
 
 emptying into the Mississippi River from section 
 1, Jefferson Township, and directly opposite the 
 village of New Boston, Mercer Co., 111. Near or 
 directly upon the banks of the Iowa River, are 
 the towns of Columbus City, Fredonia, Wapello 
 and Toolsboro. The other imixjrtant stre.-ims of 
 the county are Prairie Creek. Goose Creek, Long 
 Creek, Otter Creek, Ilone^'' Creek, Indian Creek, 
 Turkey Run Creek and !Muscatine Slough. The 
 eastern line of tlie county- is washed by the Mis- 
 sissippi River. 
 
 The Iowa River. 
 
 By Col. W. W. Garner. 
 
 illE Iowa River, which is navigable for light 
 draught steamboats from its mouth to Iowa 
 City, Iowa, a distance of ninety miles, runs 
 through Louisa County diagonally in a south- 
 easterly course, and empties in the Mississippi River 
 opposite New Boston, 111. 
 
 The steamboat "Ripj)ee," Capt. Jones, was the first 
 bo.at to explore the Iowa River, and extended the 
 examination thirty- miles above Iowa Cit3-, on the 
 21st of June, A. D., 1841, and in April, 1842, the 
 steamboat "Rock River" m.ade a similar examin- 
 ation. At Wapello, Whipple's Fcrr^' and Todd's 
 Ferr}', now within the corporate limits of Colum- 
 bus Junction, were the main jrorts of entry. 
 
 The Cedar River from its mouth to Cedar Rap- 
 ids, Iowa, was also navigable for small steamboats, 
 and llie trade well patronized on the two rivers, 
 and boats continued in the trade from 1841 until 
 
 t 
 
■^•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ■«► 
 
 587 
 
 I8()0. Tlie last stoainboat that went to Iowa City 
 was till- "F. P. Benton," on Sundny, April 29, 1860. 
 Construction of tlic JIississii>pi & ^Missouri Rail- 
 road Bridge at Fredonia, Iowa, destroyed navi- 
 g.ation. 
 
 At the early date of 1822 Hon. George Daven- 
 port, of Rock Island, had a permit from the Sac 
 
 and Fox Indi.-ins to Imild trading-posts on the Iowa 
 River. The first post was erected below the mouth 
 of English River, on the south side, now in AVash- 
 ington County, and in 1837 built a post four miles 
 below Iowa Citj-, now in Johnson County. The 
 supplies of the traders were obtained by the river, 
 in keel and tlal boats. 
 
 A. I-/ 
 
 1 ' 
 
.^-hL^ 
 
 588 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ^ 
 
 ANTIQUlTrESr"'" 
 
 *4— «— o<S«-<|ii»>-i»!-o- 
 
 HE pre-historic inhabitants 
 : ^k of Louisa County have left 
 traces that are wortb3' of 
 more than a passing mention. 
 It is to l)e regretted some of 
 them have been almost, if not 
 entirely, obliterated, and there 
 has even been no care taken to 
 preserve by sketches or other- 
 wise the outline of those of 
 most interest. The "old fort" 
 at Toolsboro stood on ground 
 now enclosed in a field that has 
 I been in cultivation flft}' years, 
 and the embankment is now completely leveled. 
 The sketch given herewith is made from memory, 
 more than forty j'cars after having traced the out- 
 line of the embankment. The village of Tools- 
 boro stands on the summit of a high bluff, which 
 at this place makes an obtuse angle, on the east 
 overlooking the Iowa River, which runs near the 
 base of the bluff, and on the north overlooking the 
 Mississippi, which is distant about one and three- 
 quarters miles, the interval being low bottom land, 
 most of which was originally covered with a dense 
 growth of large timber. 
 
 From near the angle of the bluff running north- 
 west is a range of mounds, nine in number, and 
 near the last was the northeast entrance to the "fort." 
 This embankment, of which scarcely a trace remains, 
 was in the form of an octagon with incurved sides, 
 and when first seen by white men was easily traced, 
 
 its full circumference being in places nearly level 
 with the surrounding surface, and in others at least 
 five feet in height, with a ditch on the outside. It 
 was about or a little more than a quarter of a mile 
 in diameter, and had two entrances, the one on the 
 south was protected by a mound in front of the 
 opening. This mound was long ago entirel}' leveled, 
 as it stood in the [uiblic road. From this entrance 
 a path led southward to a spring. The entrance on 
 the north also opened into a path which led to a 
 spring on the side of the bluff. This path seemed 
 to have been a deep "covered w.aj-." 
 
 Around this embankment and in many places in 
 the neighborhood were found fragments of ancient 
 pottery of a verj' peculiar make, always thin, very 
 dark in color, thickly interspersed with fine particles 
 of shell, and nearly alwaj's ornamented with geo- 
 metric designs. Flint arrowheads, stone axes and 
 similar relics have been frequently found. In the 
 mounds have been found skeletons, arrowheads and 
 pipes of many forms, some of the latter showing 
 much artistic skill, among tliera fair carvings in 
 stone of various birds and animals. 
 
 There are other mounds along the bluff southward, 
 and in the northeastern part of the county, north 
 of Grand View, along the margin of the bluff or 
 near it, are found a number of small mounds, from 
 one of which was exhumed the "elephant pipe," 
 which has been the subject of controversy between 
 the savants of the Smithsonian Institute and the 
 Davenport Academy of Science, the former claim- 
 ing the pipe to be bogus, and the latter as strongly 
 insisting on its being a bona fide piece of antiquity. 
 
 1 ' 
 
 1 
 
h 
 
 ^i^l-^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 589 
 
 There is no doubt but that the pipe was found 
 as represented, and that it is the work of some 
 race that occupied the land before the Indians. 
 This pipe is found figured in Eugene Donelly's 
 work "Atlantis," and is there referred to as a proof 
 that the original occupants of this country had 
 "seen the elephant," and that consequent!}- there 
 had at some time existed a land communication 
 across the Atlantic between the two continents. 
 
 Taking into consideration the fact that at a moder- 
 ate depth below the surface at Wapello and other 
 parts of the county, teeth, tusks and other portions 
 of large animals, very much resembling the modern 
 elephant, but exceeding him in size, have been fre- 
 quently found, it is hardly necessarj' to imagine a 
 connection with the Eastern Continent to account 
 for the acquaintance of these "oldest inhabitants 
 with elephantine forms." 
 
 {' 
 
 h 
 
 -•► 
 
-4^ 
 
 ■•► 
 
 590 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 V -!;■?! AN OeSUPACioY:'^ 
 
 OCiCES 
 
 HEN the red men made their 
 
 v/' homes throuifhout this section 
 
 •\..i thej' always scleeted the 
 
 ^ most beaiitifiillocatious. 
 
 r Jiving themselves in a 
 state of nature, they have 
 -.p^- an eye for the beautiful, and 
 therefore dwell where nature 
 is at its l)est. It is not therefore to be 
 wumU'rcd at that the region of country 
 ' now comprising the count}' of Louisa was 
 ■ \, for many years their home, and when the 
 time came for them to take up their 
 ' line of march toward tiie setting sun thej' 
 > were loth to go. When the Rock River 
 ''"S' country in Illinois had to be abandoned, 
 and the red men inhabiting that region were eom- 
 l)elled to cross the Mississippi River, thej- had choice 
 of a vast region in which to make tlicir homes. In all 
 this beautiful land no part was more pleasing to their 
 eye than that portion where the Iowa River pours 
 its volume of waters into the mighty Mississippi. 
 Along the banks of the former stream the}' could 
 wander to and fro, fishing in its waters, drinking in 
 the beauties of the lovely scene untouched by man. 
 and as it came from the Creator of the universe. 
 I'riorto 1H32, when the noted Black Hawk with iiis 
 l)raves returned to Illinois that he might repossess the 
 country of his birth, he occupied a village where 
 afterward the village of Florence was located. 
 
 At tlie close of the Black Hawk War a large 
 portion of what is now the State of Iowa was ceded 
 by the Indians to the General Government. Keokuk. 
 
 a noted chief of the Sac and Fox Indians, would 
 not join Black Hawk in war, and for his fidelit}' to 
 the Government a portion of the territory was re- 
 served to him, known as Keokuk's Reserve. Louisa 
 County now embraces the principal [wrtion of this 
 reserve. This land remained in possession of Keo- 
 kuk until 183(), when it was purchased by the 
 General Government. The tre.at^' by which this 
 land was secured was made Sept. 28, 1836, and pos- 
 session was given in December of the same year. 
 
 The following account of the .Sac and Fox lii- 
 dians is from an old volume published about the 
 close of the Black Hawk War: 
 
 " The Sacs and Foxes speak tiie Algonquin lan- 
 guage. The language is still spoken by the Chip- 
 |)ewas, Pottawatomies, Ottawas. and some other 
 tribes. It is soft and musical in comparison with 
 the harsh, guttural Xarcoutah of the .Sioux, which 
 is peculiar to themselves, having but little atliuity 
 to the Algonquin tongues. Their ideas of futurity' 
 are somewhat vague and indefinite. They believe 
 in the existence of a Supreme Manitou, or good 
 spirit, and a Malcha Manitou, or evil spirit. They 
 often invoke the favor of the go(ji1 Manitou for 
 success in war and the hunt, by varinus sacrifices 
 and offerings. Storm and thunder they view as 
 manifestations of his wrath; and success in war, the 
 hunt, or in deliverance from enemies, of his favor 
 and love. Everything of great power or elliciency, 
 or what is inexplicable, is a "great medicine," and 
 the medicine men and pro|)hets are next in con- 
 sideration to chiefs. At the decease of their friends 
 
-•► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 591 
 
 
 llicy |)aiiit their faces black, and the time of moiirn- 
 iiig is govenicil by the aflliiity of tiie kiiidied. 
 Their ideas of the ct)nditioii of departed spirits and 
 the cercnionj' of burial may be deemed interesting. 
 Often, in jierandiulatiug their deserted villages, has 
 in^' attention been arrested, in gazing through the 
 bleached and mutilated slabs made to protect the 
 nioldering dust of a noted chief or " brave," who 
 is frequenth' placed in a sitting posture, his gun 
 and his war-club placed bj^ his side, moccasins upon 
 his feet, his blanket (or the remnants thereof) 
 wrapped about his body, his beads and wampum 
 suspended from his neck, where he sits ' like a war- 
 rior taking his rest.' in the silent sleep of death. 
 
 '• The situations of their villages are. oftentimes, 
 extremely beautiful and picturesque. The rude 
 architecture of their lodges; the droves of Indian 
 ponies galloping over the prairies, and snorting at 
 the approach of white men : the squaws busily en- 
 gaged in preparing food, or. perhaps, ' toting ' a 
 back-load of faggots that would frighten a New 
 York porter, while their 'lazy lords' sit smoking 
 upon the gr.iss. or quietly sleeping in their lodges; 
 the young papooses swarming the river bank, and, 
 with bow and arrow, exercising their infant archery 
 upon every prairie flower or luckless bird; or, per- 
 chance, the gail}- painted warrior, mounted upon 
 his prancing steed, his feathers streaming to the 
 breeze, as he gallops from village to village with 
 the lleetness of the wind, are objects which, to the 
 traveler unaccustomed to Indian habits and char- 
 •icter, are full ol intense interest and novelt3'. 
 
 '•Sometimes, midw.ay between two villages, or, 
 perhaps, off in the prairie, m.iy be seen a hundred 
 yoinig warriors from each clan, ' picked men,' who 
 have won laurels on the battle-lield. They have 
 met (per agreement) to exercise their feats in the 
 race or the ancient games, the prize being, perhaps, 
 two or three horses, a rille, or a war-club; the old 
 warriors or chiefs of each village looking on as 
 judges. Great interest is manifested on these 
 occasions, and the same ambitious emulation for 
 rivalry is exhibited in these children of nature 
 as among those who plM3- their part beneath the 
 gililed domes of the city. 
 
 " The dress of the males generally consists of leg- 
 gius. fitting closely from the loins to the ankles. 
 
 usually of smoke-tanned deerskin, and often of blue 
 and sometimes red cloth, trimmed with fringe and 
 beads in a variety of fant.ajitic forms. They wear 
 a white and, frequently, a scarlet-colored blanket 
 thrown over the shoulders. Their moccasins are of 
 deerskin, often trimme<l with extreme taste, with 
 beads and porcupine quills. Their head-dress is of 
 various fashions, oftentimes indescribable. A chief 
 or warrior's head-dress consists of a profusion of 
 scarlet-colored hair, and long black beards of the 
 wild turkey connected to the scalplock, and not 
 infrequently a silver band or a richly beaded tur- 
 ban. Their ears are strung with rings and trinkets, 
 their arms with bracelets of bra.ss. tin, silver and 
 steel, and their necks are often strung with a pro- 
 fusion of wampum. A tolerably correct idea raaj' 
 be formed of the riches and taste of a j'oung 
 Indian 113- the number of strings of wampum 
 around his nock. This may be considered their 
 legal tender, as no treaty was ever formed or jiipe 
 of friendship smoked betwixt ditferenl Indian tribes 
 without an exchange of wampum. 
 
 " No Indians exult more than the .Sacs and 
 Foxes in a triumphant skirmish with their enemies, 
 and none more proudly exhibit their blood}- tro- 
 phies. They frequently- have several scalps suspended 
 on a spear or connected with their dress. As an 
 evidence of the value they place upon these em- 
 blems of merciless victory, I will relate an incident 
 of my attempt to get one of a veteran Sac brave. 
 I had witnessed him for several days passing mv 
 window on a little pony, proudly- waving his boquet 
 of scalps, connecteil with beads, ribbons and eagle's 
 feathers, tied with a rattlesnake-skin upon a speav. 
 Having a desire to obtain one, after three d.ays' un- 
 successful negotiation, during which time I offered 
 him monej-, calico, beads, powder and tobacco, he 
 finall}- consented to part with it for one box, ;'. e. 
 $1,000. 
 
 '• The}- pl.ice great reliance in dreams, and the in- 
 trepid warrior who awakes in the morning from a 
 night of troublesome dreams is dejected and mel- 
 ancholy. Sometimes they imagine that an evil 
 spirit or sorcerer has inflicted a spell, after the 
 n'anncr of witches of former times. Keokuk had 
 an aged squaw killed because she liad inflicted a 
 spell u|ion some of his children." 
 
 ^?^r*^ 
 
^1^^ 
 
 592 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 .t 
 
 5^.^^ 
 
 ■^ottlatn^-nt ht( J^Qhltas 
 
 
 T'ko 
 
 c^js^-' 
 
 
 HE first settlement in what is 
 now Louisa County is said 
 ^ to liave been made in 1834 
 by Cliiistoi)her Shuck, who 
 effected a settlement near the 
 'fY^~ mouth of the Iowa River, and 
 ^-' l0 i-'^y near the present village of 
 Toolsboro, in what is now Jef- 
 ferson Township. The date of 
 his settlement is disputed by 
 some, wlio think it wasonej'ear 
 later. At any rate, his settle- 
 ment was made at a time when the 
 Indians were yet in undisputed 
 possession of the country, Keokuk 
 Reserve, which comprised a large 
 part of this section of couutrj-, 
 not being ceded to the General 
 Government until Se p t e m b e r. 
 1836. While it is possible that 
 others had envious eyes upon this 
 fair territory, yet few cared to 
 invade the country of the red men 
 or even settle in close prbximity 
 to them. However, in the following year, 183.5, a 
 few l)ravc men came in, some of tliem bringing 
 their families. Among these may be mentioned 
 Philip Harrison, .loim H. .Snowden, .leremiah Smith, 
 William H. Creighton, Thomsis rarsons, James Ir- 
 win, Willi.am Kennedy, David Morgan, H. Parsons, 
 Robert Childcrs, Mr. Thompson and Mr. ^lilligan. 
 In 1H3G still otliers came, among whom were Joseph 
 lligbee, Abraham McCIeary, Thomas Stoddard, 
 
 ' AVright Williams. William S. Toole, G. Long. Levi 
 Thornton and brother, James H. Williams, G. 15. 
 Williams, G. H. Crow, Mr. Humphrey' and Mr. 
 Stevens. These may be termed i)ioneers among 
 pioneers, and it is to them much of the credit is 
 due for the settlement and improvement of the 
 county. They blazed the waj- tiirough the wilder- 
 ness and others followed. 
 
 In November, 1836, Keokuk and his followers 
 gave peaceable possession to the whites, and at 
 once went further west, though a few remained in 
 the neighborhood, or returned from time to time 
 for some years afterward. But to all intents and 
 purposes the whites were in possession, and im- 
 proved their opportunities. Id 1837 a still greater 
 number came in, staked their claims, erected their 
 cabins, and commenced living a pioneer life. Lit- 
 tle can those of the present day realize the life of 
 the pioneer. The following, thoiigli it m.ay not ap- 
 pl}- in all cases, is a faithful descri|)tion of the life 
 in general of those who first settled in this fair 
 land: 
 
 The first business of a settler on reaching the 
 place where he intended to fix his residence, was to 
 select his claim and mark it off !is nearly .as he could 
 without a compaiis. Tliis was done by stepping 
 and staking, or blazing the lines as he went. The 
 absence of section lines rendered it necessary to 
 take the sun at noon and at evening sus a guide by 
 which to run their claim lin^. So many steps each 
 way counted 320 acres, more or less, at one time 
 the legal area of a claim. It may be readily sup- 
 jxjsed that these lines were far from c(,)rrect, but 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 yji 
 
 they answered all necessary claim purposes, for it 
 was understood among- the settlers that when the 
 lands came to be surveyed and entered, all inequal- 
 ities should be righted. Thus, if a surveyed line 
 should happen to run between adjoining claims cut- 
 ting off more or less of the other, the fraction was 
 to be added to whichever lot required equalizing, 
 yet without robbing the one from which it was 
 taken, for an equal amount would be added to it in 
 another place. 
 
 The Mext important business was to build a house; 
 until this was done some had to camp on the 
 ground or live in their wagons, perhaps the only 
 shelter they had known for weelvs. So the pros- 
 l)ect for a house, wliich was also to be home, was 
 one that gave courage to the rough toil, and added 
 zest to the heavy labors. The style of the home 
 entered very little into their tlioughts — it w.is shel- 
 ter they wanted, and ])rotection from stress of 
 weather and wearing e.xposuje. The poor settler 
 had neither the money nor the mechanical appli- 
 ances for building himself a house. He was con- 
 tent in most instances to have a mere cabin or hut. 
 Some of the most primitive constructions of this 
 kind were half-faced, or, as they were sometimes 
 called, '-cat-f-aced" sheds or "wike-ups," the Indian 
 terra for house or tent. It is true a claim cabin 
 w-as a little more in the shape of a human habita- 
 tion, made, .as it was, of round logs light enough 
 for two or three men to lay up, about fourteen feet 
 square — perhaps a little larger or smaller — roofed 
 with bark or clai)boards, and sometimes with the 
 sods of the prairie, and floored with puncheons (logs 
 sjilit once in two, and the flat side laid up) or with 
 earth. For a fireplace, a wall of stone and earth — 
 frequently the Latter only, when stone was not con- 
 venient — was made in the best practicable shape 
 for the purpose, in an opening in one end of the 
 building, extending outward, and planked on the 
 outside by bolts of wood notched together to stay 
 it. Frequently a fireplace of tiiis kind was made 
 so capacious as to occupy nearly the whole width 
 of the house. In cold weather, when a great deal 
 of fuel was needed to keep the atmosphere above 
 freezing point — for this wide-mouthed lire|)lace 
 w.as a huge ventilator — large logs were piled into 
 this yawning space. To protect tlie crumbling 
 
 back wall against the effects of fire, two b.ick logs 
 were placed against it, one upon the other. Some- 
 times tliese back logs were so large that they could 
 not be got in any other way than to hitch a horse 
 to them* drive him in at one door, unfasten the log 
 before the firei)lace. from whence it was placed in 
 proper position, and then drive him out at the 
 other door. For a chimney any contrivance that 
 would conduct the smoke up the cliiinney would 
 do. Some were made of sods, plastered upon the 
 inside with clay; others — the more common, i^er- 
 li:i|)S — were of the kind we occ.isionally see in use 
 now, clay and sticks, or ''cat in cl.ay," us tiie^- were 
 sometimes called. Imagine of a winter's night, 
 wlien the storm was having its own wild w.ay over 
 this almost uninhabited land, .and when the wind 
 was roaring like a cataract of cold over tlic broad 
 wilderness, and the settler had to do his best to 
 keep warm, what a ro^al fire this doublc-back- 
 logged and well-filled firepl.ace would hold! It 
 must have been a coz}' place to smoke, provided 
 the settler had any tobacco; or for the wife to sit 
 knitting before, provided she had needles and yarn. 
 At any I'.ate, it must have given sometliingof cheer 
 to the convers.ation, which was ver}- likely upon 
 the home and friends they had left behind when 
 they started out on this Itold venture of seeking 
 fortunes in a new land. 
 
 For doors and windows, the most simple contriv- 
 ances that would serve the purpose were I)rouglit 
 into requisition. The door was not always imme- 
 diately provided with a shutter, and a lilanket often 
 did duty in guarding the entrance. But as soon as 
 convenient some boards were split and put to- 
 gether, hung upon wooden hinges, and Iield shut by 
 a wooden pin inserted in an auger hole. As a sub- 
 stitute for window-glass, greased paper, pasted over 
 sticks crossed in the shape of sash, was sometimes 
 used. This admitted the light and excluded the 
 air, but of course lacked transparency'. 
 
 In regard to the furniture of such a cabin, of 
 course it varied in proportion to tlie ingenuity ()f 
 the occupants, unless it was where settlers brought 
 with them their old household supi)ly, which, owing 
 to the distance most of them h.ad come, was verj' 
 seldom. It was easy enough to improvise tables 
 and chairs; the former could be m.ade of split logs 
 
 -•► 
 
•^1^^ 
 
 594 
 
 LOUJSA COUNTY. 
 
 i 
 
 — and tliere were instances where the door would 
 be taken from its iiinges and used at meals, after 
 which it would be rcliung — and the latter were de- 
 signed after the three-legged stool pattern, or benches 
 served their purpose. A bedstead was a very im- 
 portant item in the domestic comfort of the family, 
 and this was the fasliion of improvising it: A 
 forked stake was driven into the ground diagonally 
 from the corner of the room and at a proper dis- 
 tance, ui)on wliich poles reaching from each were 
 laid. The wall ends of the poles either rested iu 
 the openings between the logs or were driven into 
 auger holes. Barks or boards were used as a sub- 
 stitute for cords. Upon this the tidy housewife 
 spread her straw tick, and if she had a home-made 
 feather bed, she piled it up in a luxurious mound 
 and covered it with her wiiitest draper3\ Some 
 sheets hung behind it for tapestry added to the 
 coziness of the resting-place. This was generall}' 
 called a "prairie bedstead," and by some the "prai- 
 rie rascal." In design it is surely quite equal to 
 the famous Eastlakc models, beiug about as primi- 
 tive and severe, in an artistic sense, as one could 
 wish. 
 
 The house thus far along was left to the deft 
 devices of the wife to complete its comforts, and 
 the father of the family was free to superintend 
 out-of-door affairs. If it was in season his first im- 
 portant <luty was to prepare some ground for plant- 
 ing, and to plant what he could. This was gener- 
 ally done in the edge of the timber, where most of 
 the very earliest settlers located. Here the sod 
 was easily broken, not requiring the heavy teams 
 and plows needed to break the prairie sod. More- 
 over, the nearness of timber offered greater con- 
 veniences for fuel and building. And still an- 
 other reason for this was tliat the groves afforded 
 protection from the terrible conflagrations th.at oc- 
 casionally swept across the prairies. Though the^' 
 passed through the patches of timber, yet it was 
 not with the same destructive force with which 
 they rushed over the prairies. Yet by these fires 
 much of the young timber w.as killed from time to 
 time, and the forest kept thin and shrubless. 
 
 The first year's farming consisted mainly of a 
 "truck patch," planted in corn, potatoes, turnips, 
 etc. (generally the first year's crop fell far short 
 
 of supplying even the most rigid economj' of food. 
 Manj- of the settlers brought with them small ston-s 
 of such things as seemed indispensalile to frugal 
 living, such as flour, bacon, coffee and tea. But 
 these supjjlies were not inexhaustible, and once used 
 were not easily replaced. A long winter must come 
 and go before another crop could be raised. If 
 game was plentiful, it helped to eke out their lim- 
 ited supplies. 
 
 But even when corn was i)lentiful the prepara- 
 tion of it was the next difficulty in the way. The 
 mills for grinding it were at such long distances that 
 every other device was resorted to for reducing it 
 to meal. Some grated it on an implement made 
 by punching small holes through a piece of tin or 
 sheet-iron, and fastening it upon a board in con- 
 cave shape, with the rough side out. Upon this the 
 ear was rubbed to produce the meal. But grating 
 could not be done when the corn became so dry as 
 to shell off when rubbeii. Some used a coffee-mill 
 for grinding it. A very common substitute for 
 bread w.is hominy, a palatable and wholesome diet, 
 made by boiling corn in a weak lye until the hull 
 peeled off, after which it was well washed to cleanse 
 it of the lye. It was then boiled again to soften 
 it, when it was ready for use, as occasion required, 
 by frying and seasoning it to the taste. Another 
 mode of preparing hominy was by pestling. A 
 mortar was made by burning a bowled-shaped 
 cavity in the even end of an upright block of wood. 
 After thorough!}' cleaning it of the charcoal, the 
 corn could be put in, hot water turned upon it, 
 when it was subjected to a severe pestling by a club 
 of sufficient length and thickness, in the large end of 
 which was inserted an iron wedge, banded to keep 
 it in place. The hot water would soften the cora 
 and loosen the hull, while the pestle would crush it. 
 
 Not the least among the pioneers' tribulations 
 was the going to mill. The slow mode of travel by 
 ox-teams was made still slower by the almost total 
 absence of roads and bridges. The distance to be 
 traversed was often forty to sixty miles. In dry 
 weather, common slouglis or creeks offered little im- 
 pediment to the teamsters, but during floods and 
 breaking up of winter they proved exceedingly 
 troublesome and dangerous. To get stuck in a 
 slough, and thus be delayed for many hours, was no 
 
■•► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 595 
 
 unconimon occurrence, and that too when time was 
 an item of grave import to llie cotufort. and some- 
 times even the lives, of the settlers' families. Often 
 a swollen stream would l)Iockade the way, seeming 
 to tiireaten destruction to whomever siiould attempt 
 to ford it. With regard to roads, there were none 
 Worthy of the name. Indian trails were common, 
 hut they were unfit to travel on with vehicles. 
 
 When the early settlers were corapelled to make 
 these long and dillicult trips to mill, if the country 
 was prairie over which they passed they found it 
 comparatively' easy to do in summer, when grass 
 was plentiful. By traveling until night, and tlien 
 camping out to feed the teams, they got along with- 
 out much difficult}'. But in winter such a journey 
 was attended with no little danger. The utmost 
 ecouon)y of time was, of course, necessary. When 
 the goal was reached, after a week or more of toil- 
 some travel, with many exposures ,ind risks, and the 
 poor man w.as impatient to immediately return with 
 the desired staff of life, he was often shocked and 
 disheartened with the information that his turn 
 would come in a week. Then he must look about 
 for some means to pay expenses, and he was lucky 
 who could find some employment bj' the day or 
 job. Then, when his turn came, he had to be on 
 hand to bolt his own flour, as in those days the 
 bolting machine was not an attached part of the 
 other mill machinery. This done, the anxious soul 
 was read}- to endure the trials of a return trip, his 
 heart more or less concerned about the affairs of 
 home. 
 
 These milling trips often occupied from three 
 weeks to more than a month e.ach, and were at- 
 tended with an expense, in one way or another, that 
 rendered the cost of breadstuffs extremely high. If 
 made in the winter, when more or less grain feed 
 was required for the team, the load would be found 
 to be so considerablj- reduced on reaching home, 
 that the cost of what was left, adding other ex- 
 penses, would make their grain reach the high cost 
 figure of from $.3 to $.5 per bushel. And these trips 
 could not always be made at the most favorable 
 season for traveling. In sjiring and summer so 
 much time could iiardly be spared from other es- 
 sential labor; yet, for a large famil}', it was almost 
 
 Impossible to avoid making three or four Iriiis dur- 
 ing the year. 
 
 The land sales were an important era in the lives 
 of the pioneers. In his '-.Sketches of Iowa," Newhall 
 s.ays : 
 
 "Many are the ominous indications of the ap- 
 proach among the settlers of the land sale. Ever}' 
 dollar is sacredly treasured up. The precious 'mint 
 drops' take to themselves wings and fly awaj' from 
 the merchant's till to the farmer's cupboard. Times 
 are dull in the towns, for the settler's home is dearer 
 and sweeter than the merchant's sugar and coflfee. 
 At length the wished-for day arrives. The suburbs 
 of the town present the scene of a military camp. 
 The settlers have flocked from far and near. The 
 hotels are thronged to overflowing. Bar-rooms, 
 dining-rooms and wagons are metamorphosed into 
 bedrooms. The sale being announced from the 
 land-ofiice, the township bidder stands near by with 
 register book in hand, each settler's name attached 
 to his respective quarter or half section, and liiiis 
 he bids off in the name of the whole township for 
 each respective claimant. A tho\isaud settlers are 
 Standing b}', eagerly listening when their quarter 
 shall be called off. The crier has passed the well- 
 known numbers. His house is secure. He feels 
 relieved. The litigation of claim-jumping is over 
 forever. He is lord of the soil. With an inde- 
 pendent step he walks into the land-ollice, opens the 
 time-worn saddle bags, and counts out $200 or 
 $400, silver or gold, takes his certificate from the 
 General Government, anil goes his way rejoicing. 
 Such a scene have I witnessed, which continued for 
 three successive weeks, in which time nearly half a 
 million of money was taken from the actual settlers 
 of Iowa. It is an interesting sight to witness thou- 
 sands of our fellow-beings, who, having planted 
 themselves in a new country, are patiently waiting 
 for the hour to arrive when they can buy their 
 homes, and the land from which the}- earn their 
 bread. These are the embryo scenes in the settle- 
 ment of this new country which mark the progress 
 of the pioneer, who, as yesterday, verging upon the 
 forests of Ohio .and Kenluck}-, is now beyond the 
 western shore of the Mi.ssissippi." 
 
 The claim-making of the earl}' settlers in Iowa 
 was a mode of settlement |)eculiar to that |)ortion 
 
 •►- 
 
>^l^^ 
 
 590 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 =i4-* 
 
 of the public domain which was occupied prior to 
 its being surveyed b^' liie General Government. 
 Newhall, in his '"Sketches of Iowa," states that by 
 mutual concession and an honorable adherence to 
 neighborhood regulations, claiui-iuaking was gov- 
 erned by a pro tern law, which answered the purpose 
 of general protection for the homes of the settlers 
 until their land came into the market. So general 
 did this usage become, and so united were the in- 
 terests of the settlers, that it was deemed extremely 
 hazardous as well as highly dishonorable for a specu- 
 lator or stranger to bid upon a claim, even though 
 it was not protected b^' a ''pre-emption right." 
 More than one "war" was waged when such attempts 
 as that were made, almost invariably resulting in 
 the rout of the interloper. Blood in some instances 
 was shed in defense of these recognized rights. 
 When it was clearly understood what improvements 
 constituted a claim, and when the settler conformed 
 to the '•b3'-laws" of his neighborhood or township, 
 it was just as much respected for the time being as 
 if the occupant had the Government patent for it. 
 For instance, if an emigrant came into the country 
 for location, he looked'from county to county for 
 a location. After having placed himself he set 
 about making an improvement. To break five acres 
 of ground would hold his claim for six months; or 
 if a cabin was built, eight logs high with a roof, 
 which was equivalent to the plowing, he held it six 
 months longer. He then staked out his half-section 
 of land, which was a full claim, generally one- 
 quarter timber, and one-quarter prairie, and then 
 his home was secure from trespass bj- any one. If 
 he chose to sell his "claim," he was at perfect lib- 
 erty to do so, and the purchaser succeeded to all 
 the rights and immunities of the first settler. As 
 an evidence of the respect in wiiich these claim- 
 rights were held by the people of Iowa, we quote 
 here an act of the Legislative Council of the Terri- 
 tory, passed Jan. 15, 1839, entitled, "An .act to pro- 
 vide for the collection of demands growing out 
 of contracts for sales of improvements on public 
 lands." 
 
 '•Be it enacted, tiiat all contracts, promises, as- 
 sumpsits, or undertakings, either written or verbal, 
 which shall be made hereafter in good faith, and 
 without frau<1, collusion or circumvention, for sale, 
 
 purchase or pa3'ment of improvements made on the 
 lands owned b}' the Government of the United 
 States, shall be deemed v.alid in law or equitj', and 
 maj' be sued for and recovered as in other con- 
 tracts. 
 
 '•That all deeds of quit-claim, or other conve}"- 
 ance of all improvements upon public lands, shall 
 be as binding and effectual, in law and equit3', 
 between the parties for convening the title of the 
 grantor in and to the same, as in cases where the 
 grantor has the fee simple to the premises con- 
 veyed." 
 
 Previous to lands being brought into market each 
 township, nearlj^ had its own organization through- 
 out the Territory. This was to prevent unpleas- 
 ant litigation, and to keep up a spirit of harmony 
 among neighbors, and the better to protect them in 
 their equitable rights of "claim" purchase. "A call- 
 meeting" was announced something after this fash- 
 ion : "The citizens of township 72 north, range 5 
 
 west, are requested to meet at 'Squire B 's, at 
 
 Hickory Grove (or as the place or the time might 
 be), to adopt the necessary measures for securing 
 
 their homes, at the approaching land sales at B ." 
 
 After a short preamble and set of resolutions, suited 
 to the occasion, a "Register" was appointed, whose 
 duty it was to record the name of each claimant to 
 his respective "'claini." A '-bidder" was also ap- 
 pointed, whose duty it was, on the day of sale, to 
 bid off all the land previously registered in the 
 name of each respective claimant. Thus every- 
 thing moved along at the land sales with the har- 
 mony and regularity of clock-work; but if any one 
 present was found bidding over the minimum jirice 
 of $1.25 per acre on land registered in the township, 
 woe be unto him! When any controversy arose 
 between the neighbors relative to trespassing, or, in 
 common parlance, "jumping a claim," it was arbi- 
 trated by a committee appointed for that purpose, 
 .and their decision was considered final. 
 
 Among other things calculated to annoy and dis- 
 tress the pioneer was the prevalence of wild beasts 
 of prey, the most numerous and troublesome of 
 which was the wolf. While it was true, in a figura- 
 tive sense, that it required the utmost care and 
 exertion to ••keep the wolf from the door," it was 
 almost :is true in a literal sense. 
 
J^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 597 
 
 There were two species of these animals — the 
 large, black timber wolf, and the smaller gra}' wolf 
 that usuall}' inhabited the prairie. At first it was 
 next to impossible for a settler to keep small stock 
 of an3' kind that would serve as a prey to these 
 ravenous beasts. Sheep were not deemed safe prop- 
 erty until years after, when their enemies were sup- 
 posed to be ncarl}' exterminated. Large numbers 
 of wolves were destroyed during the early j'ears of 
 settlement — as many .as fifty in a day in a regular 
 wolf-hunt. When the}' were hungry-, which was 
 not unfjommon, particularl}- during the winter, they 
 were too indiscreet for their own safety, and would 
 often approach within e.isy shot of the settler's 
 dwellings. At certain seasons their wild, plaintive 
 yelp or bark could be heard in all directions at all 
 hours of the night, creating intense excitement 
 among the dogs, whose howling would add to the 
 dismal melodj'. 
 
 But the pioneer life was not entirelj' one of hard- 
 ship. At certain seasons of the year there were the 
 wolf hunts, the corn huskings, the quilting bees, 
 the candy pullings, the singing school, the spelling 
 school, and last, but far from least, the time when 
 the good old father would gather his family to- 
 
 gether, and all attend divine service, cither at a 
 neighbor's, or at the annual camp-meeting, when all 
 who could sing did sing, and those who could not 
 sing "made a joyful noise unto the Lord," and all 
 felt extremely happy and thankful for the good 
 things provided them by the Giver of all good. 
 
 As time passed other settlers besides those whose 
 names are given came in, and soon Louisa County 
 wiis ready to take its place among the other coun- 
 ties of the new Territory. 
 
 The question of the first white child born in 
 Louisa Count}' has been a matter of dispute, and 
 the historian has had given him the names of sev- 
 eral who claimed that honor. In the biographical 
 sketches that precede this historical narrative men- 
 tion is m.ade of several. One now comes forward 
 with a claim that seems to set the matter at rest. 
 W. M. Milligan, a publisher of Dallas, Tex., in a 
 letter to the Wapello Record, under date of Sept. 5, 
 1888, says that he was born in P^lliott Township 
 Jan. 7, 1836. This would seem to settle the matter. 
 The President of the Old Settlers' Society in 1888, 
 James Iligbee, was doubtless the first born in the 
 southern part of the county, the date of his birth 
 being in September, 1836. 
 
 t 
 
 ■•► 
 
 f 
 
-^•■ 
 
 -■► 
 
 59S 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 -^ISiSfi 
 
 ...-.fiJS^I^J- 
 
 -#g;jll3«- eOUNTY GOVERNMENT, -ariilli^- 
 
 «Si<(§)=;' A±»t4.4- ~t..-Y..T..T^t.,A.*..t.. .' fe.t,.t..f..t.4.t.-t.-t..t j ^.^t■^^^ frA -^ ^a - '^ 
 
 ^P*tT5»^' 
 
 •T 
 
 \ tlic 7tli (lay of December, 
 18.'5(). by an act of the Ter- 
 ritorial Council of Wiscon- 
 ) sin, passed and approved 
 V,' . that (lay, the county of Loii- 
 -* isa was created. The origin 
 of the name is somewhat in do\ibt, 
 thouo-h the most probable view of 
 the case is that it w.is named after 
 Louisa County. Va.. the name beinjj 
 ii'iven by William I>. Toole, who was 
 a native of that State and a member 
 of the Territorial Legislature when 
 the act was passed to esUiblish a 
 county. It is said by some that it 
 was named after Louisa JIassej', who performed a 
 heroic deed by avenginjr the death of her l)rother. 
 From a historical sketch of the county, published 
 in tlie Columbus iSafegvard in 1872, it is learned 
 that tlie cfmnty was organized by the election of 
 William ^lilligan, Jeremiah Smith and John Rey- 
 nolds as County Commissioners. Their first meet- 
 ing, according to that account, was held at Wapello, 
 April 22. 1837, when they appointed Z. C. Inghram 
 as Clerk of the Commissioner's Court. Samuel 
 Smith was tlie first ShcritT and William II. Creigh- 
 ton the first Assessor and Collector of the county. 
 No record can be found of the meeting of this 
 board, tlie first record lieing under date of April 2, 
 18:iH. when William L. Toole, William JMilligan 
 and ]■'.. 11. Hamilton appeareil as Commissioners. 
 Their lir>t act was the appoinlmcnt of William II. 
 H. Thomas, as Clerk of the Hoard, who gave bonds 
 
 for the faithful performance of the duties of the 
 otlice. Z. C. Inghram was a|)pointed Treasurer, 
 pi-o (em., and the first bill allowed was to Mr. 
 Inghram for books and other supplies ft)r county 
 purposes. 
 
 Thecountj- w.as divided into live prec-incts, and 
 Judges of Election were apixjinted for each as 
 follows: 
 
 Under Wapello — Hiram Smith, Thomas England, 
 Abram Wigant. Florence — Samuel Smith, John 
 Deihl, ]{. 1'. Burlingame. Fredoni.i — James Ked- 
 well, T. (i. Clark. Craig Black, (irand View— K. 
 Childers, William Fowler, George IIumphre3-. 
 Black Hawk — Israel Trask, Jonathan Parsons, 
 James Guest. For a seal the C\)mmissioners 
 adopted the quarter dollar of the United States 
 Ciovernment. 
 
 The seat of justice for Louisa County w.is first lo- 
 cated by the Legislature on a tract of land just 
 south of the i)rcsenl city of Wapello, where a town 
 Wits laid out and the first court-house built, wliieli 
 was of Cottonwood logs. The court w.ns held in one 
 end of the l)uilding, with the Sheriff's dwelling in 
 the other. 
 
 In March, 183!), an election was held for the lo- 
 cation of the county seat, Frcdonia and W:ipello 
 each trying to secure the prize. Wapello iiad fifty- 
 six majority. At the same election Thomas Milli- 
 gan. Wright AVilliams and Israel L. Clark were 
 elected Commissioners, and C. M. McDaniels. 
 ShcritT. 
 
 On the 3d of .Vi)ril. 183!), the Commissioners 
 received proi)osals for the erection of a court-house 
 
4* 
 
 >» II ♦ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 599 
 
 and jail, the former to be of brick, 20x40 feet, 
 and the latter of hewed timber. The contracts 
 were let ^lay 20, 1839, to Samuel ^l. Kirkpatrick 
 for the erection of both buildings, the court-liouse 
 at ^1.300 and the jail at $1,000. The jail, however, 
 w:iti never built. The court-house w.os erected ac- 
 cording to contr.ict and used until 1852, when the 
 |)rcscnt court-house was built. 
 
 I'ntil 1851 the legislative business of the county 
 W.1S trans.acted by a Board of County Commis- 
 sionei-s, consisting of three members. As a rule 
 they were the best men in the county, and to the 
 satisfaction of the iJeoi>le. To do the work in a 
 satisfactory maniier w.i.s just as hard in tlie early 
 days as at present. The county had no roads, no 
 public buildings, .and no improvements of any kind. 
 Roads were to be located, and in sucli a way as to 
 serve the best interests of all, and not alone of the 
 few. Public buildings were to be erected, bridges 
 Ituilt, and a thousand and one tilings were to be 
 considered, all of wiiich cost money, and the pio- 
 neers were not possessed of large wealth, but in 
 general were in very limited circumstances. For 
 ye:irs the Commissioners superintended improve- 
 ments, expending a considerable sum of mone^', 
 
 while at the same time endeavoring to keep the 
 county free from debt. 
 
 In the fall of 1851, by an act of the Legislature, 
 the County Judge system succeeded the Commis- 
 sioners' system, tlie legislative business being tran- 
 sacted by the County Judge. Tliis w.as continued 
 until the year 1861. 
 
 In the winter of 1859-60 the Legislature passed 
 an act providing for a Board of .Supervisors and 
 abolislung the County Court. The board was to 
 consist of one member from each township in the 
 county. The lirst board wa.s elected in the fall of 
 1860, and convened in January, 1861. For tlie 
 next four years it h.ad much to do with (piestions 
 growing out of the war, looking after the families 
 of soldiers, providing for the bounties, and devis- 
 ing w.ays and means for the prosecution of tlie 
 work of enlistment. That their work w.as arduous 
 will be admitted by all. 
 
 In the winter of 1869-70 tlie Oeneral. Assemblv 
 again ciianged the law by reducing the iiumlier of 
 Supervisors, leaving it optional witli tlie counties 
 whether the number should be three or five. Louisa 
 County adopted the smaller number. Since that 
 time there has been no ciiange made, .and. the plan 
 seems to be satisfactory to tlie people. 
 
 ■•► 
 
-4^ 
 
 ■•► 
 
 600 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 -gfej^laaa^ .-^3 
 
 t--«Aat^'?; 
 
 
 *^ ^^^i^^^'S^- Wi.^n^'h and f^ai^o 
 
 ''-ff 
 
 — ^-^. '^"vagp^g 
 
 S the 'world increased in iiuni- 
 liers and the rights of men 
 were inv'aded by fellow- 
 men, eoiirts of justi'-e became 
 a necessity. From the days 
 of Moses to the present time, 
 ^y every country' has adopted a 
 code of laws and established 
 courts for the enforcement of 
 them. Louisa Countj-, as has 
 already been seen, was brought 
 into existence by an act of the Ter- 
 ritorial Legislature of AViseonsin, 
 in December, 1836. The territor}^ 
 King west of the Mississippi River 
 was divided into two districts, Louisa Count}' be- 
 ing in the second. Tiie first court for this county 
 was held at what is known as Lower Wapello, its 
 first session being held April 20, 1837. The court- 
 house was constructed of Cottonwood logs, and was 
 18x20 feet in size, and the stand from which the 
 .hulge dispensed justice was a common dry -goods 
 box. rpon the organization of the court Z. C. 
 Inghram was apiwinted Clerk, and James Woods 
 District Attorney for the county, on whose motion 
 a venire facias was issued, and the following- 
 named gentlemen returned as the first (irand Jury 
 of l>ouisa County: Philip 15. Harrison, Isaac 
 Uinearson, Jeremiah Smith, Reuben C. ^la* m, 
 <• 
 
 Pliilip .Mnskill. llenr^- .Stoughton, Thomas Stod- 
 dard. David E. Blair, AVilliam II. Creighton, James 
 Erwin. C hristopher Shuck, Thomas Blair, William 
 Kennedy. Krancis A. Roe, William Fleming, Will- 
 iam 11. Denison. William Dupont. 
 
 The first I'etit Jury, summoned alsoat this court, 
 was composed of the following gentlemen: John II. 
 Benson, Orin Briggs, AVilliam Kennedy, David 
 Rupell. Wesley Swank, Joseph Carter. Nathaniel 
 Prim, William Dupont, William II. Lee, John Reim, 
 David Linn, Abraham Wygant, Peter Wygant, 
 David M. IIans(mi. 
 
 In describing the meeting of this court at an 
 Old Settlers' Reunion, Hon. John Bird said: "After 
 the (J rand .hirors were sworn they were ordered to 
 be conducted to their chamber, which it ma}- not 
 be amiss to describe. It was a gulch in the bank 
 of the Iowa River, its covering no less than the 
 canopy of heaven. Their seats were the beautiful 
 sward, clothed with the verdure of spring. The 
 Clerk was sedated with his pencil in hand, and 
 a sheet of paper on his knee, taking down the 
 evidence of the various witnesses introduceil by 
 the (lovernment; and a,s an evidence that they did 
 not suffer violations or infr;ietions of the law, they 
 found twelve true bills of indictment, the oflfenses 
 enumerated in them being selling liquor to the In- 
 dians, assault and battery and gambling, being 
 about all the crimes the early settlers were guilty 
 
4- 
 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 601 
 
 of. The Petit Jury were not burdened with much 
 liusiness, as there were but two cases on the docket, 
 and tlicv continued. Tliey improved their time in 
 l(K)i<iniir at tlu- line horses on the ground, and get- 
 ting up little races for amusement, there being a 
 race track close by." 
 
 In ]8;5X Iowa Territory was organized, and the 
 judicial districts were reformed, but Louisa County 
 still remained a part of the Second District. Hon. 
 Thomas .S. Wilson was Judge of the district, and 
 lion. Alfred Rich, Prosecuting Attorney. For 
 the following eiglit yeai-s the district remained un- 
 changed. 
 
 In KS IG Iowa was admitted into the Union, and 
 all courts were reorganized. Louisa Countj' be- 
 came part of the Kirst District, together with the 
 counties of Lee. llt-nry and Des Moines. George 
 II. Williams, of Let- County, was the first Judge, 
 serving from l)s47 until 1«52, when he was suc- 
 ceeded li^- lvalj)li P. Lowe, also of Lee County, 
 who served until IS.)?, when he resigned, and John 
 W. Rankin was appointed to fill tbe vacancy, serv- 
 ing until the election of Thomas W. Claggett, one 
 month afterward. 
 
 Under the Constitution of 1857, the same coun- 
 ties herebefore mentioned still continued to form 
 the First District. Francis Springer, of Louisa 
 County, was elected District Judge in 1858, re- 
 elected in 18G2. and in 18GU, but resigned in 1809, 
 being succeeded bj' Joshua Tracy, of Des Moines 
 Count}', who was a|)pointed by the Governor, and 
 elected to the ofBce in 1870. Judge Tracy re- 
 signed in 1874, and was succeeded by P. Henry 
 Smj'th, of Des Moines Countj', who served from 
 April 25, 1874, until Sept. 25, 1874, when he, too, 
 resigned, and Thomas W. Newman was appointed 
 to fill the vacancy. He was elected a few weeks 
 later and served one term, being succeeded by A. 
 H. Stutsman, of Des Moines County, wiio was 
 elected in 1878. re-elected in 1882, and served 
 until 188(;. 
 
 The General Assembly of the State passing an 
 act for the reorganization of the districts, Louisa 
 County was placed in the Sixth District, together 
 with the counties of Washington, Keokuk, Mahaska. 
 I'owesliiek and Jasper. In the fall of 188(; David 
 
 Ryan, of Jasper County. J. K. Jolnison. of Ma- 
 haska County, and W. R. Lewis, of Poweshiek 
 County, were elected for a terra of four j'ears. 
 Judge Johnson was assigned to Louisa County, and 
 hehl his first term in the spring of 1887. 
 
 At the period of the organization of the Territory 
 of Iowa, in Jul}', 1838, there were no resident 
 members of the bar in Louisa County. Francis 
 Springer and Edward II. Thomas, who located at 
 Wapello in December of that year, were the first 
 resident practicing lawj'ers. though James M. Clark, 
 who had settled in Wapello, and who was a mem- 
 ber of the First Legislative Council of the Territory, 
 was understood to have read law, had a moderate 
 law library, but had not then, nor did he ever after- 
 ward practice as a member of the i)rofession in 
 Iowa. In speaking of these early daj's Judge 
 Springer writes: 
 
 '•In our Territorial years from I 8;}8 to 184U the 
 county had two terms of court each 3'ear, a spring 
 and a fall term. The bar in those j'ears was mainly 
 composed of lawyers from other counties, following 
 the habit of nearly' all practicing lawj'ers of that 
 early daj- and sparselv' settled period of the Terri- 
 tory, going round the circuit, and attending the 
 courts in the several counties." 
 
 Among the lawj'crs from other counties who 
 practiced in the courts of this county more or less, 
 were Alfred Rich, Hugh T. Reid and Philip Veile, 
 of Lee; James W. Woods, David Rover. William 
 W. Chapman, Milton D. Browning, Henry W. Starr 
 and James W. Grimes, of Des Moines County; and 
 Stephen Hastings, Stephen Whicher, Ralph P. Lowe, 
 Jacob Hutler and William G. W^oodward, of Mus- 
 catine; these were able men and talented lawyers, 
 who, many of them, subsequently became distin- 
 guished in public life .as jurists and statesmen. The' 
 Territory had been divided into three judicial dis- 
 tricts, known as the First, Second and Third, and 
 one of the three Judges .nssigned to each. The 
 county of Louisa was in the Second District. The 
 first day or two of the term was as a United Stales 
 Court for the transaction of such business as had 
 arisen under the laws of Congress, a United States 
 Marshal and a United States Attorney for the Ter- 
 ritory being in attendance. The Grand Juries 
 would be organized, and some inil in the caiiacity 
 
 ■r^::*^ 
 
,t 
 
 602 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 of a Grand Jury for tlie United States, and others 
 as that of a Grand Jury for the Territory. 
 
 Coming after Mr. Springer .ind Jlr. Thomas 
 came John Bird, about 1811. lie was for manj^ 
 years a leading member of the bar here, and is well 
 and favorably known. Some j-cars ago he moved 
 to Burlington, where he now resides. 
 
 In 1854 James S. Hurley was admitted to the 
 bar in this county, and now for more th.nn a third 
 of a century has been an honored member of the 
 profession. 
 
 D. N. Spragiie. who has been a member of the 
 Louisa County bar for more than a third of a cent- 
 ury, save a few j'ears spent in Keokuk, came in 1855. 
 
 James M. Edwards came to the county in the 
 "fifties," as editor of a paper, was admitted to the 
 bar, and practiced until about 1866. 
 
 Levi Chase came here about 1855 as a railroad 
 contractor, read law with John Bird, and was ad- 
 mitted to the bar at)out 1858. After practicing 
 about three years, he entered the service of his 
 country in the War of the Kobcllion, did his duty 
 faithfully, and came out with the rank of Major. 
 He never returned to Wapello, but went to Cali- 
 fornia, where he lias since attained distinction 
 as a lawyer and a Democratic iwlitician. A few 
 years ago he wsis the candidate of his party for 
 Lieutenant-Governor of his State. 
 
 A. M. Williams was admitted here about 186.3, 
 and continued in the practice of his profession until 
 his death in 1871. He was a good solid man. 
 
 C. B. Holmes came here from Muscatine County 
 about 1866, but remained only a short time. He 
 was a young man of fine ability-, and an excellent 
 speaker. Mr. Holmes now resides in Audubon 
 County, Iowa. 
 
 Charles Baldwin, from Keosauqua, came here 
 about 1873, remained one year, left, .and returned 
 again, but soon moved to Burlington, and from 
 there to Salt Lake City, where he now resides, and 
 is doing well. 
 
 Robert II. Hanna was tlie first resident Lawyer 
 of Columbus Junction, moving to that place early 
 in the "seventies." 
 
 Other lawj'ers came in. but remainctl hardly 
 long enough to be classed among the members of 
 the profession in the county. 
 
 The present bar is composed of able men, the 
 biographical sketches of whom have mostly been 
 given in another part of this work. The following 
 named comprise the list: D. N.Spr.ague, F. Courts, 
 Jr.. C. A. Car|)cnter, A. Springer, L. A. Riley, E. 
 W. Tatlock, J. B. Wilson, Hurley & Hale, Gray & 
 Tucker. A. W. Jarvis, John Huff. R. Caldwell and 
 B. F. Wrisht. 
 
 n 
 
u 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 G03 
 
 4- 
 
 -^^//"VXL^^ 
 
 l^^ ^kc _^i?(3sa. ^ 
 
 'm 
 
 ^^^"■^ 
 
 ^]^^\x:;^7^5F 
 
 S£^!«<C2ji 
 
 -3-t$$3-^ 
 
 t 
 
 ^^-^IIK ArcliiniiMlinn lever that moves the world 
 is wiihout (l()iil(t found in the i)rintinL;'-press. 
 Louisa Comity has ever liad reason to be 
 proud of her newspapers, wiiich, tiiough tiiey may 
 not have penetrated every nook and corner of the 
 land, yet have wielded a good influence among the 
 lieople of tliis county. 
 
 The Louisa County Times, afterward called the 
 yVaiteWo' Intelligencer, was established bj' .T. IL & 
 J. L. Milliiran. They sold it to L. P. Wells in 
 18.').j, who r:in it a.s an independent newspaper aliout 
 two years, and Mien sold it lo Kelly, Ives & Min- 
 ton. who in turn ran it a cou[)le of years, when jNIr, 
 AVells again purchased it and continued its publi- 
 • cation two 3'ears longer. lie then sold out to Will- 
 iam Keach. wiio jjulilished it under the name of the 
 Wapello Republican, but later sokl it to Ur. .Jones, 
 by whom it w;is discontinued. L. W. Myers pur- 
 chased th.e material of the office and re-established 
 it in 1«66. 
 
 The Wapello Republican, under tlio m.anagement 
 of ^Ir. Myers, has taken rank among the al)lcst p.a- 
 pers in the Slate. It is a neatly printed and well- 
 conducted sheet, its local column bearing evidence 
 of considerable care in the collection of local items 
 of interest, while its editori.al columns are proof of 
 the ability- of the editor, wiio is thoroughly con- 
 versant with the jiolitical history of the country. 
 Soon after taking possession of tiie oflice Mr. Myers 
 added largely to its stock of type and i)ut in a job 
 l)ress. From time to time new material h.as been 
 added, so that the ollicc is now one of the best in 
 this section of the counti-y. Xot one issue of the 
 
 paper has been missed since it came under the con- 
 trol of .Mr. Myers. 
 
 The Louisa County Record, an independent Re- 
 publican paper, was establishe(l by Barr i\; Ives, in 
 1870, the first luimber being issvied Novenil)er 
 17 of that year. The first number was issued with- 
 out the name of a single sul)scril)er upon its l)0oks. 
 In 1873 .1.(1. Barr l)ought Ives' interest in the paper, 
 and continued its management until March. 1887. 
 He tlien sold out to E. ^M. Pike, who continued its 
 pul)lication until August of the same year, when he 
 sold out to (t. E. E. Townsend, its present proprie- 
 tor. The oflice was l)urned out in tlie big fire of 
 Aug. 14, 1873. but the paper never missed a single 
 issue. Its early jniblishers were among the first 
 settlers of the county. Under its present manage- 
 ment the high standard of the paper has been 
 maintained, Mr. Townsend being a writer of fipe 
 ability and a practical printer. The Record is an 
 eight-column folio, neatly' printed and filled with 
 interesting local matter. 
 
 On the 8tli of April, 18,")(), the first issue of the 
 Columbus City Courier appeared. It was a six- 
 column folio, poorly printed, and was started by a 
 stock company. J. L. Grubb. W. 51. Clark and 
 Dr. B. (i. Neal were the committee on publication, 
 and on starting out Dr. Neal was installed as editor. 
 Subsequently the n.ame of f;cf)rge 1). Harrison wiis 
 substituted for that of Dr. Neal, while the fourth is- 
 sue contained a handsome salutatory from A. Gam- 
 ble. The Courier laste<l some two or three months, 
 and then winketl out. 
 
 On the -iCth of February. 18.")'.t, the Culiimlius 
 
-4*- 
 
 604 
 
 ■•► 
 
 i 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 City Enterprise appeared under the control of J. 
 M. Edwards. The Enterprise was well got up 
 mechanically, and its editorials showed considerable 
 ability. In July, 1859, Mr. Edwards associated 
 with him in the publication of the Enterprise G. 
 W. Limliocher. The Enterprise was published for 
 aljout six months, and then followed the path of its 
 predecessor into oblivion. 
 
 In October, 1870, the Louisa County Safeguard 
 made its appearance at Columbus City, and several 
 "croalvs" were loud in the assertion that it would 
 not last three months. Its history will be given 
 furtlier on. 
 
 The Colunil)us City Nonpareil was established 
 by Allen Hickokand Ralph Miller, its first issue ap- 
 l)earing on the date of April 8, 1875. It was sub- 
 sequently sold to L. B. Coleman, who moved it to 
 Columbus Junction Sept. 20, 1877, and consoli- 
 dated it with the Safeguard. 
 
 The first paper in Columbus Junction made its 
 appearance April 16, 1874, under the name of the 
 lou'a People, with Seaborn <fe Williams, editors and 
 l)ul)lishers. After an existence of twenty-three 
 weeks it ceased to exist. 
 
 The Columbus Safeguard, as alread}- stated, was 
 estabbshed at Columbus City under the name of the 
 Louisa County Safeguard. It was removed to Co- 
 luml)us Junction by its proprietor, R. H. Moore, 
 and the present name adopted Nov. 24, 1874. 
 L. B. Coleman succeeded Mr. Moore in September, 
 1877, and was in turn succeeded by Coltou & ]\Iac- 
 lean, and they by llungerford & Maclean. On the 
 1st of January, 1883, it passed into the hands of 
 J. E. Eggert & Co., who continued it but a short 
 time. The company retiring, Mr. Eggert continued 
 the paper until Dec. 1, 1885, when J. E. Jenkins 
 purchased an interest. The paper continued under 
 the management of Eggert & Jenkins until May 
 18, 1888, when O. S. Todd succeeded Mr. Eggert, 
 since which time it has )>een under the control of 
 the firm of Jenkins & Todd. Tlie Safeguard is an 
 eight-cohnnn folio, and is a very neatly- printed 
 sheet. In October, 1888, tlie office was destroyed 
 by fire, but with commendable energy the firm at 
 once secured new material, and not one issue of tlic 
 l)ai)er was mi.ssed. In politics it is a radical Repub- 
 licJin. The olllce is supplied witli a Caniijbell 
 
 power press, one of the latest stjle Gordon job 
 presses, and a complete outfit of newspaper and job 
 type. Tlie publishers are 3'oung men of fine ability, 
 and get up a paper that is a credit to the cit^- and 
 county in which it is published. 
 
 The Columbus Junction Herald, edited by Samuel 
 Crocker, made its first appearance on the date of 
 May 29, 1875, and its last number appeared Sept. 
 21, 187G. 
 
 The Louisa County Times made its first appear- 
 ance at Columbus Junction Oct. 20, 1876, with A. 
 E. Coffee as editor and proprietor. After the issue 
 of nine numbers it was removed to Wapello, where 
 it was continued until June 24, 1884, when it was 
 returned to Columbus Junction b}' O. I. & M. J. 
 Jamison. It was purchased by Neal & Philips 
 Jan. 1, 1886, who continued its publication until 
 Aug. 3, 1887, when its last issue appeared. 
 
 The Columbus Gazette made its first appearance 
 May 25, 1887, as an eight-column folio, newspaper, 
 under the management of F. L. Richardson and J. 
 E. Carpenter. It was published under their man- 
 agement until S(!ptember of the same year, when 
 ISIrs. M. J. Jamison inirchased the interest of Mr. 
 Richardson, and in December following also pur- 
 chased that of Mr. Cai-jjenter. Under the owner- 
 ship of Mrs. Jamison it has since lieeii i)ul)lished, 
 with O. I. Jamison as manager. The pajjcr was 
 first started in the building owned by Robert Mar- . 
 shall, on the east side of Front street, and later re- 
 moved to the Moore block on Front street. The 
 Gazette is the only Democratic newspajjer published 
 in Louisa County. It is well edited and is a No. 1 
 local paper, a credit not only to its publisher, but 
 to the city and county as well. 
 
 The Morning Sun Herald was estal)lished by Ly- 
 man Nangle and Richard Howard, two enterprising 
 3'Oung men from the Iloosier State, and Vol. 1, No. 
 1, was issued April (i, 1H82. The firm of Nangle 
 & Howard continued to do business until Jan. 14, 
 1883, when the heading simply read The Herald, by 
 Lyman Nangle. On the 1st of June, 1885, B. F. 
 Thomas became publisher and proprietor, and con- 
 tinued its publication until October, 1887, when E. 
 ]M. I'ike succeeded to its control. In .\pril of the 
 following year A. M. M. Dornoii took possession, 
 under whose management it continues at present. 
 
 1^ 
 
 1 ' 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 G05 
 
 4^ 
 
 The Herald is an eight-page i)aper, 2(Jx 40. and is 
 issued every Thursday. It has never nii.-ised an is- 
 .'iue sinee it.s estahlishniont. Its eircuhition is piin- 
 eipally in J^ouisa. I)es Moines and Henry Counties. 
 Since its establishment tiie Herald has been true 
 to the doctrines and teacliinirs of the Republican 
 party, but has paid more attention to local and 
 county news than to politics. It has always been 
 found lalw)rinir for Morninir Sun an<l vicinity, and 
 has done nuich to bring about the great degree of 
 prosperity which that thriving town now enjoys. 
 
 The Morning Sun Ken-s was founded in Se|)tem- 
 ber, 1887, by J. Kirk Lat^a, of Morning Sun, and 
 Arthur J. Huckins, of Lansing, Mich., the first 
 number lieing issued on the 17lh of .September. 
 In February. 1888, Mr. Huckins' interest was pur- 
 chased by Robert W. McFIlhinney, of Morning Sun, 
 and the paper is now published by Messrs. Latta 
 & McElhinney. 
 
 The News is a seven-column folio. It is a bright, 
 entertaining, instructive and readable newspaper, 
 devoted ciiiefly to local news and liome interests, 
 and enjoys a good circulation in Louisa and adjoin- 
 ing counties. 
 
 In polities it is independent. It is the aim of 
 the managers of tiie News to keep pace with the 
 march of improvement and fill its columns with 
 news from lionie and abroad, and interesting mis- 
 cellaneous matter. 
 
 In its editorial columns questions of interest to 
 the public are discussed intelligently' with a view 
 to instruct. The paper is read with interest by all 
 classes of the community'. In connection with the 
 publication office there is a large job work de[)art- 
 ment, where printing is neatly done. This branch 
 of the business receives a liberal patronage from 
 parlies at home, as well as from other parts of the 
 State. 
 
 ¥ 
 
 •*¥ 
 
 f 
 
■4•- 
 
 006 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ^.■2',^i^ <'^c^iiS> >i!^i^cs^ii&ii^i>Si>iiS^w^''^fm^:-\'>:ij^ 
 
 Ular f&v tlje 
 
 a)'^'^<;^t^t^«^'^»^»^'^'^itf^'i^ lAj&'.i^'tA.'. .'t.'t.'i .'<?v»ai't%'i^tas'<au'.' 
 
 ROM the time the Govern- 
 
 „ tnent was established up to 
 f) 18G0, slavery, as a public 
 question, entered into nearly 
 every political contest. The 
 States of the Union in which 
 slavery existed feared their 
 rights would be encroached 
 upon, and to alla^- such fears 
 and maintain jjeace various 
 measures were passed. These 
 only served for a little while, 
 and were uever quite satisfac- 
 tory to either part}- interested. 
 That known as the "Missouri 
 Compromise" seemed to come nearer a solution 
 of the ditliculty than any other, and was the most 
 satisfactory to the Is'orthern States, and seemed 
 for a time, also, to satisfy the South. By the terms 
 of that compromise slavery was confined south of 
 an imaginary line known as the Mason and Dixon 
 line. The rapid growth of the North, and the for- 
 mation of new States without slavery, alarmed the 
 Southern people, who feared tlie loss of power. 
 Then came the repeal of the "Missouri Compro- 
 mise," the adoption of the Kansas-Nebiaska Bill, 
 and the question of the introduction of the slaves 
 into the Territories. The Republican parly, formed 
 for the i)urposc of preventing any fuitlier exten- 
 
 sion of slaver}', was regarded as a menace by the 
 South, and threats of secession were made in the 
 event of that party coming into power. In the 
 Presidential campaign of ISGO, the Republicans, 
 witli Abraham Lincoln as their leader, presented a 
 solid front, while the Democracy was divided, 
 presenting Stephen A. Douglas as a candidate for 
 the Presidency, representing the Northern wing of 
 the party, and .John C. Breckinridge, of Kentuck}', 
 representing the Southern wing. John Bell, of 
 Tennessee, was also a candidate, receiving his nomi- 
 nation from the Union part}-, composed principally 
 of those formerly affiliating with the American or 
 Know-Nothing part}-. The election of Lincoln was 
 almost a foregone conclusion. While it was known 
 that there wej-e many hot-headed men in the South 
 willing to plunge the country into civil war, few- 
 persons realized the danger, or for a moment be- 
 lieved that the threats of the Southern people would 
 be carried into execution. Little was known of the 
 preparations being made in the South for the event 
 sure to follow the election of Lincoln. AVIien the 
 result of the general election was known, and months 
 before the inauguration of Lincoln as President, 
 South Carolina and other States passed ordinances 
 of secession, an<l preparations were made to resist 
 any force that wt)uld be sent against them, as well 
 as to obtain possession of any property belonging 
 to the General Government within the limits of 
 
i^ 
 
 ••^ 
 
 LOUJSA COUNTY. 
 
 G07 
 
 tlieir States. At Cliarleston, S. C, two forts 
 wore in the jTOSsession of llie United States aythori- 
 ties, Fts. Moultrie and Sumter. The former was 
 abandoned, the tmops being moved to the latter. 
 Karly in April, 1801, the authorities of South Caro- 
 lina demanded their surrender, and being refused, 
 erected fortifications upon the mainland for the 
 purpose of bombardment. No attempt was made 
 to prevent them, and when completed, another de- 
 mand was made with threats of oi)ening fire upon 
 the fort in case of refusal. In Ft. .Sumter were Maj. 
 Anderson and a gallant band of loyal men, with 
 provisions to last but a short time. To the de- 
 mand for the surrender a refusal was sent, and on 
 the morning of A])ril 12, 18G1, the rebels com- 
 menced the attack by opening fire upon the fort. 
 The fire was returned by the brave commander of 
 the fort, but on the 14th he was compelled to lower 
 his flag and yield to the rebels. 
 
 The first gun fired upon Ft. Sumter reverberated 
 throughout the whole length and breadth of the 
 land, and was more of a call to arms than the proc- 
 lamation of President Lincoln for 75,000 men, 
 which immediately followed. There was no lack 
 of response to this call among the Northern States, 
 and no .State more enthusiastically and patriotically 
 responded tlian the State of Iowa. Men and nioiie}' 
 were offered without reserve, ^'olunteers came 
 from all vocations in life, and offered up their lives 
 on the altar of their couutr3-. Patriotism was domi- 
 nant in every heart. Party lines were igiK^red. and 
 l)olitical conflicts were forgotten, and all formed 
 themselves together for the; preservation of the 
 Union. The proclamation of Abraham Lincoln 
 was issued on the loth day of April, 1801, and two 
 days afterward Gov. Kirkwood issued his procla- 
 mation calling for the men of Iowa to offer their serv- 
 ices to the Union. Louisa County came i)romptly 
 to the front, and from the first to the last did its 
 duty faithfully, furnishing many of the best men, 
 whose lives were offered up as a sacrifice that the 
 Union might be saved. Time would fail to tell of 
 the heroic deeds of those who went out in life's 
 
 j'oung manhood, and now sleep upon Southern 
 soil, or who returned with body racked with pain, 
 possibly minus an arm or a limb, and yet remain 
 suffering in body and mind, with the coiisciou.sness 
 that man}' of their feliow-counliymen fail to appre- 
 ciate what they have done. 
 
 While the boys were in the field the patriotic 
 men and women remaining at home were not idle. 
 Especially should the women of Louisa County 
 have credit for what they did. Think of the strug- 
 gle of the wife giving up a loveit husband, the 
 mother a dutiful son, and the maiden a lover wi'.h 
 whom she imagined that her future life was to be 
 passed, while love would reign supreme in their 
 hearts. But they not only gave them up, but sent 
 them forth with their blessing, while praj'ing the 
 God of battles to bring them safely home again. 
 During the four long years that passed they held in 
 check their tears, often with an almost breaking 
 heart, wrote loving and cheerful letters to the absent 
 ones, formed societies for the purpose of obtaining 
 and forwarding to the front sanitary supplies. ]t. 
 was indeed a grand work in which they engaged, 
 and not a soldier boy whose heart was so callous 
 that he did not gratefully appreciate the service. 
 Even at this late day, when a quarter of a century 
 h.as passed, as they gather together at their re- 
 unions they tell how their hearts were cheered by 
 this loving remembrance. 
 
 But the war is now over, peace reigns supreme 
 throughout the land, -4,000,000 of human beings 
 have obtained that freedom for which they prayed 
 but hardly hoped for. But it was a fearful price to 
 be paid, though there are few regret it, and may it 
 never occur .again. While it has been said that the 
 brave boys who yet remain have a consciousness 
 that their services are not appreciated by some, yet 
 the great majority do not neglect to show their ap- 
 preciation, and once each year all gather in the vari- 
 ous cemeteries of the land, and while the}' strew the 
 graves of the fallen soldiers with beautiful flowers, 
 let fall the silent tear, teach their children lessons 
 of patriotism, urging them to likewise be faithful, 
 and that it is grand to die for one's country. 
 
 T^ 
 
 -^^^4-^ 
 
•p^f^^i- 
 
 608 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 ...1^... 
 
 #fi PIOCEER SETTLERS' ASS06IATIOI2.f?# 
 
 't-tJ*> -^<JiJl^l2/Si®-•'<5~*^''** ' 
 
 ^-Vy 
 
 
 •^ 
 
 •TICE Imving been previously 
 given, a number of the old 
 settlers of Louisa County 
 met at the court-house in 
 Wapello, on Tuesda}', the 
 22(1 of February. 1859, 
 for the purpose of forming 
 an organization of the pio- 
 neers of the count}'. The meeting 
 was called to order at about 10 
 o'clock A. M.. and the object of 
 tlie meeting stated. Jacob Min- 
 lun, Esq., was called to the chair, 
 and John ILale appointed Secretary, 
 when the register was made of the 
 names of those present, with date 
 of settlement here, age, etc. After 
 the appointment of a committee, 
 consisting of L. Robinson, George Key and Hon. 
 J. L. Derbin, to repcn-t permanent oflicers, the 
 meeting adjourned until 1 o'clock P. RL, to partake 
 of the dinner hospitably provided by the citizens 
 of Wai)cllo at their dwellings, for the "old settlers." 
 At 1 o'clock the meeting was again called to order, 
 and before proceeding to business the Chairman 
 was called upon for a few remarks, which were 
 made in a happy style, the speaker detailing some 
 interesting incidents connected with his personal 
 history in the early days of our county, and giving 
 a humorous description of some electioneering of 
 that time, when, it seemed from his description, 
 there were |)lenty of devoted men .as willing to 
 ^ r serve the '>dear people" in an otiicial way as at pres- 
 
 •^H^ 
 
 ent. He also gave an interesting account of some 
 of the hardships endured by some of tlie earliest 
 pioneers. 
 
 The committee on permanent officers reported as 
 follows: For President, Jacob Mintun, Esq.; Vice 
 Presidents, Dr. J. B. Latta and Joel Bronson ; Re- 
 cording Secretar}-, A. D. Hurley; Corresponding 
 Secretary', William L. Toole; Treasurer, James 
 Brown; which report was adopted and the officers 
 declared elected. The committee on arrangements 
 had prepared to have an address delivered at the 
 meeting. John Bird was called for and brief!}' ad- 
 dressed the meeting. He had never before been 
 in a situation for which he felt himself more dis- 
 qualified, tiian ad<lressing with regard to the early 
 settlement of this county those who had been here 
 long before himself. Coming as be did at a later 
 date than many others present, he had seen and 
 felt but few of the privations which had fallen to 
 the lot of those who came in advance of him, j'ct 
 there were to him many recollections of pleasure 
 connected with his early days in this vicinity. 
 Many he saw around him who had responded to 
 this call whose faces he had not seen for years, 
 the bustle of improvement and filling up of the 
 populations separating those who were once neigh- 
 bors; but this meeting of old settlers had brought 
 them together and they were here, and he found 
 them the same as in other days; no, not the same. 
 Many whom he first knew in all the strength of their 
 manhoofl, were now blossoming for the grave. 
 Time had wrought its changes upon them as well as 
 upon the county, but he found the "old settlors' 
 
 •► 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 
 heart was still tliere." He spoke of the contrast 
 between the da}' of hisanival here — when the prai- 
 ries stretched out wide, wihl and uiiiin|)rovcd, when 
 a few huts, little better than Indian wigwams, com- 
 posed the town of Wapello — and the present, when, 
 wherever tiie eye turns over our county, we behold 
 thericii field of the farmer or the comfortable abodes 
 of our people. C. M. McDaniol, being called 
 upon, stated that he was one of the "old settlers," 
 having come to this place when there were only live 
 or six families in the town; the Indians were still 
 there, though preparing to leave. 
 
 He did not see, after all that was said of hard- 
 ships, but that the -old settlers" got along as well 
 as otiiei" people; it was true they fared roughly, but 
 th.at w.as nothing, as the^y got used to it. Their 
 dress, perhaps, was not of as fine material as some 
 worn at this time, nor (pute so f;ishionably cut, but it 
 answered lh(» intended purpose, and one did not dress 
 much finer than another. The little privations en- 
 dured brought them more closely togetjier, good 
 feeling prevailed, .and there was none of that neigh- 
 borhood backbiting, and little jealousies, which are 
 so prevalent in more fasliionaljle society. AVe had 
 not at tli.at time all the advantages of churches to 
 be found in older communities, and a "preacher" 
 was a rare thing to Ije seen, but when one did happen 
 along, curiosity, if no better motive, would bring 
 out the whole neighborhood to hear him. 
 
 In i)(ilitical matters in those days it w.as not of 
 much importance whiit party a man belonged to, 
 the question was not "to what party do j'ou belong.-'" 
 but "for what man do you vote?" Parties were 
 known in the Kast, but here nothing was known of 
 Whig, Democrat, Republican, Know-Knothing, or 
 .any other party name. 
 
 At the first election there were ten candiiLates 
 for members of the Legislature, but not very heavy 
 electiimecring, for there were very few voters to 
 electioneer. 
 
 In a short time the words Wing and Dcniucral 
 began to be heard; the speaker stated that he him- 
 self was a Democrat, and of course when the parti- 
 question was raised, was warmly interested for the 
 success of his party and being elected Sheriff, which 
 of course made him begin to feel his importance, 
 began to think it would improve the looks of tilings 
 
 to have some resident lawyers. Being in Burling- 
 ton about this time, he met with two attorney's 
 just arrived fmm the Kast. ami seeking a location, 
 both since well known to the people of this county 
 — Judge Springer and K. II. Thomsus. Judge 
 Korer told the speaker that he ought to try to in- 
 duce them to come to Wapello, as the effect of get- 
 ting two lawj'ers located here would be to increase 
 the Law business and so make the Sheriff's oilice 
 more profitable. 
 
 They were both induced to come, but being both 
 Whigs he soon found what he might have ex|)ected 
 as a natural c(msc({viencc, that as soon as they were 
 firmly located the county began to show strong 
 signs of AVhiggery. At first he coidd not im- 
 agine the reason, but it was so and continually' 
 getting worse. 
 
 In 1847 politics were high here as in other places, 
 and Judge Horer being in this jilace asked him (the 
 speaker) what he thought was the ]irospect of the 
 election in this county; the reply was. that it was 
 rather mixed, that the Yankee lawyers were about 
 to prove entirely too much for the Democratic op- 
 ponent. "Oh," said the Judge, "didn't we pl.ay 
 
 the d 1.'" and .added, nearl}' with tears in his 
 
 eyes, "I'd not the least idea they were AVhigs; can't 
 you get ahead of them some w.ay?" He thought 
 not, and so it has been; he has been to California 
 since, and on his return found that tliough tiie 
 Whigs were dead, the Republicans were opposing 
 Democracy, and it was worse tlian ever. 
 
 The count}' seat of tliis county was originally 
 located by the Legislature on a tract of land just 
 south of the present town, where a t(jwn was laid 
 off and a court-house built of cottonwood |)oles. 
 The S|)eaker, being Shciitf. lui oflice which he con- 
 sidered of vast importance, and finding it a part of 
 his otliciul d\ity to take charge of the court-house, 
 moved into one end of the building, and court w.as 
 held in tlie other. The Judge's stand was a pine 
 dry-goods box, surmounted by a split-bottom cliair. 
 The Oraiid Jury used a cave in the river bank .as 
 jury room, and that \ised by the Petit Jury the 
 most of the tinu' was a nio\al)le calf pen. For 
 •lury rooms he was allowed at the third term of 
 court §.'j(), and fell sorely aggrieved that he had 
 lost $60 by neglecting to present his bill in time 
 
 ■» 
 
o^fMi. 
 
 GIO 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 i- 
 
 for the sami- item at tlic first two terms of court. 
 TliL- speaker then detailed some of liis adventures 
 in tiie famous -Puke War" which was the first war lie 
 hadever been in. and having received the appoint- 
 ment of Quartermaster, gave him enlarged ideas of 
 the importance of this call upon his patriotism; he 
 hought some provisi(jns, and when he s;vw the sol- 
 diers eat he had no doubt of their ability to fight, 
 they used the knife so freely. 
 
 The speaker was listened to with a great deal of 
 interest. 
 
 Tlie second annual festival of the Pioneer Set- 
 tlers' Association of Louisa County, Iowa, was 
 iield at the court-house at Wapello, Keb. 22, 1860. 
 After a little preliminarj' business the following 
 Constitution and By-laws were adopted : 
 
 WuiiUEAs, It was our destiny to be pioneers in 
 the settlement of this fair and fertile section of our 
 State; and 
 
 WuF.KEAS. Our lives have Iieeii bounteously 
 lengthened (lut llirough the iujnorable conflict of the 
 past to enjoy the pruf.i)erity of the present; and 
 
 WuicKKAs, 'J he number of pioneers is rapidl}' 
 dec leasing, and must soon be rcmovpd by death 
 from liie scene of their struggles and triumphs, and 
 WiiKUKAS. We feel a just piide in gathering and 
 preserving the memories of a settlement that has 
 resulted in a growth and development so great; 
 and feeling that the recollections of the past, the 
 felicity of the present, and hopes of the future, link 
 ns together as a brolheihood, we do now ordain 
 and est:dilisli this constitution. 
 
 Article 1. This association shall be called -The 
 Pioneer .Settlers' Association of Louisa County." 
 
 Article 2. The otlicers shall be a President, two 
 Vice Presidents, Recording Secretar}', Correspond- 
 ing Secretary and Treasurer. 
 
 Articles. Section 1. The President shall pre- 
 side at the meeting of the Association, preserve 
 order therein, and in case of an equal division upon 
 any question, f;ive the casting vote. 
 
 lie shall call spcciid meetings of the Association 
 when requested to do so b^' live members of the 
 Association. 
 
 Section 2. In the absence of the President, or 
 his inability to act, the senior Vice President shall 
 perform his duties. 
 
 .Section 3. The Recording Secretary of the As- 
 sociation siiall keep a true record of all its proceed- 
 ings, and shall keep a register called the Pioneer 
 Register, and i)erforni such other duties as may 
 from time to time be assigned him. 
 
 .Section 4. The Corresponding Secretary shall 
 
 receive and read to the Asssciation, and answer all 
 communications addressed to it; and shall also per- 
 form such othei' duties as may from time to lime 
 be assigned him. 
 
 Section 5. The 'J'reasurer shall have charge of 
 the finances of the Association, and collect and dis- 
 buise all monejs and render an account at the ex- 
 piration of his term of oflicc. and hand over all 
 moneys, books and papers to his successor. 
 
 Section G. The otlicers elected at this meeting 
 shall hold their res|)ective ottices until the meeting 
 next preceding the annual festival, which meeting 
 shall be held each year on the first Moixlay in Feb- 
 ruary. All officers shall be elected annually at that 
 meeting by ballot, or in such other manner as the 
 Association maj' direct. 
 
 Article 4. After each annual election the Presi- 
 dent shall appoint an executive committee of live 
 members to provide for the annual festival. an<l 
 take charge of and regulate all matters pertaining 
 thereto; and one of three members to select a suita- 
 ble person to deliver an a<l<lress before the Associa- 
 tion at such fc-tival. 
 
 Article 5, Section 1. All male persons who are 
 now residents of Louisa County, anil were residents 
 on or before the 31st daj' of December. A. D. 1844, 
 or who married wives who were residents as above, 
 and are of good moral charader, are eligible to 
 membership. 
 
 Section 2. Any person eligible to membership 
 niaj' become a member by requesting the Secretary 
 to record his name as such. 
 
 Section 3. Every member shall annually i)ay to 
 the Treasurer the sum of twenty-five cents, and 
 such further a.ssessments as may from time to lime 
 be imposed b}- the A.'iSociation. 
 
 Section 4. Other i)ersons, pioneer settlers in this 
 or any other State, may be elected as honoraiy 
 members by this Association. 
 
 Article G. Any member may be expelled for 
 such cause as two-thirds of the members present 
 deem sufficient. 
 
 Article 7, .Section 1. There shall be an annual 
 meeting of this society held at Wapello on the 22d 
 day of February of each year during the continu- 
 ance of this society; should said day fall on Sunday, 
 the festival shall be held on Saturday preceding, or 
 Monday- following, as the executive committee 
 shall determine. 
 
 .Section 2. There shall be an annual public ad- 
 dress before the Association on the day of the fes- 
 tival, to be delivered by such person as is selected 
 by the committee appointed for that purpose. 
 
 Article S, Section 1 . The Recording Secretary shall 
 pi\)viile a book known as the Pioneer Register, in 
 which shall be registered the name. age. place of birth, 
 
 •► 
 
 f 
 
■<*■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY, 
 
 Gil 
 
 occupation, date of settlcnient here, and date and 
 place i)f death, when such death shall occur; and he 
 also shall register the same facts as far as inny lie 
 in relation to such pioneer settlers as have deceased 
 or become ntui-residents. The Reconlinji' Secretary 
 shall ascertain from mem hers the above tacts as re- 
 spects themselves at the time of their becoming 
 members. 
 
 Section 2. This Constitution shall not be amended 
 except by the allirmative vote of three-fourths of 
 the members present at the regular meeting of the 
 Association. 
 
 Section 3. It shall be the duly of every meinl)cr 
 of this Association to furnish to the Hccording Sec- 
 retary within six months from the time of becom- 
 ing a member, a brief memoir of his life, embracing 
 date and place of birth, reasons for emigiation, 
 date of same, incidents of his personal experience, 
 and other matters pertinent to the object of this 
 Association; which memoir shall be preserved as the 
 property of the Association. 
 
 liY-L.VWS. 
 
 Section 1. Ten members shall constitute a quo- 
 rum for the transaction of business. 
 
 Section 2. At all regular meetings of the Asso- 
 ciation the order of business shall be as follows, viz: 
 
 1st. Reading minutes. 
 
 2d. Appointments by the President, and commu- 
 nications of committees. 
 
 3d. Reports of Committees. 
 
 4th. I'ntinished business. 
 
 5th. Miscellaneous business. 
 
 Clh. Adjournment. 
 
 Section 3. The President may name any mem- 
 ber to perform his duties, who ahiiW. pro tenqiore, 
 be vested with all his powers. 
 
 Section 4. The President shall decide all ques- 
 tions of order, subject to appeal. 
 
 Section .5. No member shall speak more than 
 twice on any one subject, nor more than ten minutes 
 atone time, and any member wishing to speak shall 
 address the Chair standing. 
 
 Section G. Xo money shall be paid out by the 
 Treasurer unless the voucher be approved bj' the 
 President and attested by the Recording Secretarj'. 
 
 Section 7. These by-laws may be altered or re- 
 scinded at any regular meeting of the Association, 
 by a majority of the votes present. 
 
 Tlie committee on ollicers reported the following, 
 who were elected as the oflicers of the Association 
 for the ensuing year: President, .Iosi;ih \'ertreese; 
 Vice President, .loel IJrunson; Recording Secretary ; 
 John Hale; Corresponding Secretarj', U. A. Ross, 
 Treasurer, Jacob Minlun. 
 
 John I')iril delivered the annual adilress, which 
 was listened to attentively. As the greater part of 
 
 it is in substance given throughout this work, it is 
 needless to give the address in this connection. At 
 the close of the address the assemblage joined in the 
 song of "Auld Lang Syne," after which the follow- 
 ing sentiments were read : 
 
 WasluiKjtoii — "Kirst in war, first in peace, and 
 first in the hearts of his countrymen." The (lioneer 
 settlers will j'ield to none in veneration of his 
 name. 
 
 The Pioneer Dead — '"Ma}' their names be remem- 
 bered, their faults forgotten, and their virtues imi- 
 tated by their survivors and descendants." 
 
 This sentiment was responded to b3' Rev. O. II. 
 Miller, who remarked that it was well in the midst 
 of festivitj' to sometimes pause and give a thought 
 to the dead. It was a happy thought that this 
 sentiment should be among the first offered on 
 this occasion, thus testifying that foremost in our 
 thoughts were the dei)arted pioneers of ourcountr}-. 
 Our pioneer fathers, where are they.' They have 
 finished their work, the}' have endured their 
 toils, and suffered their privations, and now they 
 have found their rest on the sunset side of the 
 Father of Waters. Those who have gone before 
 us were men of stout nerves and unflinching hearts, 
 who could dare danger, who felt no fear, and wdio 
 were alile to endure trials and privations without a 
 murmur. They have left us a beautiful heritage, a 
 land, not of sterile mountain peaks, but of plain 
 and river, and rich in its fruitful abundance. .Shall 
 their names ever be forgotten.-' Never 1 but they 
 sh;dl ever be remembered with feelings of gratitude 
 as those who h:ive opened to us the possession of 
 this goodly land, who have sown that we may reap, 
 and toiled that we might enjoy the benelit of their 
 labor. They were human, and :is such were liable 
 to error; in this manner alone we acknowledge theii 
 faults; their particular faults, if any, are already 
 forgotten, and may they still be buried in oblivion. 
 
 The Vf'teran Pioneers of our County — -Like the 
 last lingering glory of ileparting d.ay, they cast a 
 halo of beauty over the beloved county of their 
 adoption, then sink to rest on its bosom, and while 
 a few remain with us as living monuments of days 
 of privation and toil, may their lives and enno- 
 bling virtues ever stimulate their descendants to 
 deeds of greatness, and may this glorious heritage 
 
>^f^ 
 
 =t 
 
 012 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 be Iransrailted as pure and unsullied as we received 
 it from tbeni." 
 
 In response to wliieh Jacoi) jMintun stated that 
 he felt trul3' grateful for the festivity of this day, 
 the scene being in strong contrast to some through 
 which be and others present had passed : although 
 he had expected to see manj'of his old friends and 
 co-pioneers on this occasion, he was agreeably sur- 
 prised by the sight of many unexpected faces. On 
 looking around him he saw faces familiar twentj^ 
 5-cars ago, but unseen for j'ears; the faces of friends 
 whom he gladly recognized as such, the faces of 
 those with whom he had passed through the inci- 
 dents and trials of jjioneer life, with a feeling of 
 naught but friendshij;. He again concluded by 
 thanking the Association for the honor conferred 
 on him in .assigning him the position of the first 
 presiding officer of the Association. 
 
 Our State — " AVestward the Star of Empire takes 
 its way.' Planted in the junction of two inland 
 seas, placed conspicuously in the highway of trade, 
 our soil, our valuable mineral productions, and last, 
 but not least, our educational and religious institu- 
 tions unrivalled. May not the Star of Empire 
 make a worse selection than to stop with us.'" 
 
 Response iiy Dr. M. T. Cleaver. The response 
 of tlie sentiment just offered might cover the whole 
 history of the State, from the first settlement to the 
 present day. The star that presided over the desti- 
 nies of the nations of the earth, conferring power 
 and greatness, having heretofore taken a westward 
 course, is now invited to take up its permanent 
 al)o<le with us. And what are the inducements 
 we offer.'' The allusion to the inland sea is, I 
 presume, to the Father of Waters on the right, 
 and the Big Muddy on the left. In addition to 
 this we find our State penetrated b}' the Des Moines, 
 and 450 miles of raihoad crossing these great arter- 
 ies of commerce at right angles, giving an impor- 
 tant and commanding position in relation to the 
 trade of the continent. We have, undoubtedl}', 
 on the prairies of our State as good soil as is to be 
 found in the world, as capable of rewarding the 
 labors of the farmer by good crops. We don't 
 here, like the inhabitants of some localities farther 
 east, as, for instance, the place of nativity of our 
 presiding officer, have to sharpen the noses of our 
 
 sheep to enable them to get at the tufts of grass 
 that grow betneen the rocks. Why, in the summer, 
 wlien our young natives are allowed to run out- 
 doors, it Would be no hanl thing to get soil enough 
 from the face of one of them to make a quarter- 
 section of such land as that. 
 
 See also the mineral weallii of the State, the lead 
 mines of the North pouring forth their wealth, al- 
 though not yet half developed ; the coal fields of 
 Central Iowa with liieir vast stores of fuel in reserve 
 for our future manufactories. The extensive de- 
 posits of carbonate of lime, a valuable auxiliary to 
 our soil whenever it shows signs of being exhausted, 
 with other mineral wealth of which, as yet, we can 
 have but a faint idea until our resources of this 
 nature ha"ve been more fully explored. The educa- 
 tional fund of our Stale is ample, and to it we may 
 look fur the means of educating our ciiildren, and 
 giving them true ideas of liberty and usefulness. 
 Already at every cross-road we see the school-house, 
 and in every neighborhood its influences. If our 
 religious institutions are develoiied in future in pro- 
 portion to the past, we need feel no apprehension as 
 to the future moral and religious state of society 
 among us. 
 
 Twenty-five years ago the first wliite man dared 
 to put foot in this portion of the State. In 1«38 
 the census was 22,000. now it is 042,000, and the 
 present v.-duation of propert}- in this .State is about 
 $200,000,000. If we have so increased in wealth 
 and population during the last quarter of a century, 
 what may we not look for in fifty years more.? 
 Where, then, a more fitting resting-place for the Star 
 of Empire than the State of Iowa.? 
 
 The orator of the day alluded to the first Grand 
 Jury ever empanelled in this county, and has |)'irtly 
 described their chamber — to that subject he has 
 hardly done justice; one important omission should 
 besui)plied: It is stated on undeniable authority 
 that the Grand Jury on that occasion formed a 
 '•circle" on the green sward, with the central at- 
 traction of a brown jug, and that one member of 
 the jury, who is now present, was so completely 
 spiritualized that he is somewhat under the "influ- 
 ence" to this day, which is manifested by a pecidiar 
 wabble in ids walk. 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 613 '^] 
 
 The Pioneer Women of Louisa County— ''The joy 
 and sunshine of our pioneer life." 
 
 " The w.iste was sad, the county was a wild. 
 
 And man the hermit siglied. till vvunien smiled." 
 
 Dr. John Bell, responding, said he would that this 
 sentiment had one more able to speak in response. 
 He felt deeply the force of the words, "the joy and 
 sunshine of our pioneer life," and would that he had 
 the eloquence of a Cato or a Cicero to give expres- 
 sion to his feelings, for surely the subject was worthy 
 of it, and the most able orator in the world would 
 be engaged in a task worthj' of his eloquence were 
 he to s|)eak the praises and celebrai,e the virtues of 
 our pioneer women. Man has too long monopo- 
 lized the entire attention of history and of the 
 world. Men occupy themselves in celebrating and 
 perpetuating the deeds and heroic actions of men, 
 while those of women are unraentioned and for- 
 gotten. 
 
 We erect marble monuments towering to heaven, 
 sculptured urns and br.azen statues, to commemorate 
 the virtues of men; yea, historians of ancient and 
 modern times have vied with each other in the 
 praises of the gooil and great men who have lived 
 and died; but where are the memoirs of women! 
 Have the}' no monuments .-' Yea, have they .-' They 
 live in the virtue, in the religion of our present 
 institutions. Yes. they are recorded on tablets 
 more enduring than were the tablets that were 
 traced on Mount Sinai; they are engraved on the 
 tablets of our hearts in char.acters of living light, 
 more durable than time and lasting as eternity. 
 
 Around me I see the faces of pioneer women 
 whom I have known as the comfort of pioneer 
 homes, the physician in the hour of sickness, and 
 the companion and help in time of health, the lov- 
 ing wife, the tender mother, and the affectionate 
 daughter and sister. 
 
 ■ The sentiment is to the Pioneer Women. In those 
 times they were really women; in tiiose days we 
 had no Ladies. They are an institution of a later 
 growth, and adajitcd to a different phase of society. 
 Then a woman could get through the door of her 
 cabin without difliculty, but that would be a feat 
 not so easily .accomplished by a modern lady. 
 
 What on earth, Mr. President, would we have 
 done with a modern la<ly in those days in a l(>g 
 
 cabin.' We might have taken choice of sides, and 
 we would have been compelled to take the outside 
 of the cabin. 
 
 The massive institutions t>f tlie present day, 
 composed of crinoline, whalebone and other kin- 
 dred material, docs not indeed bear much resem- 
 blance to those pioneer women on whom our 
 memory loves to dwell, still it is to be believed 
 that somewhere in e.ach of those enormous struc- 
 tures at this time there lives a warm, true-hearted 
 little woman, but of this I cannot spe.ak from ex- 
 perience, as I am too old a pioneer to investigate 
 the matter, and therefore leave that question for 
 some of the younger generation to determine. 
 
 But while we weave the wreath of laurel for the 
 brow of the living, let us not forget to twine the 
 Cyprus for the pioneer dead — while we rejoice to 
 spend a social hour with the pioneer women living, 
 let us in our rejoicing stop to drop a tear over the 
 cities of the pioneer dead. 
 
 I look among tlie pioneers around me, and scarcely 
 a face do I recognize but that to mj' knowledge 
 death has stricken some member of the household ; 
 that around the hearthstone, where the family con- 
 gregates after the labors of the day are past, some 
 dear one from that household is absent. Where are 
 they.? Yonder in the silent church3'ard the}' have 
 laid themselves to rest on the bosom of the beloved 
 country of their adoption. Let us in our annual 
 festivities have them in vivid remembrance. 
 
 The Neiv Settlers of our County — They have 
 sought a home among the Old Settlers: m.i}- the 
 Association be equally profitable to both. 
 Responded to b^' Levi Chase, Esq. 
 In behalf of the "New Settlers" of Louisa County 
 I will respond to the sentiment just read a hearty, 
 unqualified amen. And 3'et, sir, while we pledge 
 ourselves to use our every endeavor to make our 
 association with you .as ngreealile and profitable to 
 you as it is in our power to do, we would not, sir, 
 for a moment presume to be possessed of the ability 
 to make the Association as profitable to you as it 
 has already been, now is, and will continue to be to 
 ns. It would be arrogance for us to claim so much. 
 You, gentlemen, have claims u|ion us, upon our 
 friendship, esteem, yea, our reverence, that we shall 
 never be permitted to make upon you. 
 
■«»- 
 
 614 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 •f 
 
 On every si<le, wherever wc turn otir eyes, we 
 behold the fertile field, the budding fruit, the bloom- 
 ing garden, where, but a few short years since, the 
 ste.ilthily silent tread of the untamed savage 
 crushed the wild flower, and his thirst for slaughter 
 was .slacked with the blood of the white man. 
 
 You. gentlemen, have made the wilderness to bud 
 and blossom as the rose. Wc are now reaping the 
 harvest for which j'ou toiled many weary daj^s and 
 sleepless nights. And how can we look upon those 
 careworn cheeks or silvered brows without feeling 
 our very souls swell with deep emotion within us, 
 and bless God that we are permitted even to inhale 
 the air that once inflated the lungs of noble patriots. 
 
 The effect of our association with you must inevi- 
 talily be ennobling to our natures, filling us with 
 piu'c and lofty aspirations, nerving us with energj^ 
 and a determination to do for ours .all that j'OU 
 have accomplished for us. while you can only look 
 upon us as foster cliildren, with the blessed satisfac- 
 tion of knowing that you have not lived .'iiirl toiled 
 in vain — that the world is better for yotir having 
 been in it. And now let us change soniewjint the 
 scnliuHMit, and make it read: The Old Settlers of 
 Louisa County — (lod bless tliem. 
 
 .Tolin Hale having been called to the floor, s.aid 
 that it could be but to little (Hirpose th.at he could 
 arise, as on a former occasion it had been supposed 
 that he had not only told all he knew, but a little 
 more. Twenty years ago he had first entered this 
 county, and tO()k uj) his aliode in a part of wh.at is 
 sometimes called " ]5rimstone Point." As there are 
 many false notions afloat regarding the origin of 
 that cognomen, and as we seem just on the point 
 of investigating names, ho would state what he 
 knew in regard to it. 
 
 Some have cntt-rtained the oi)iuion that it was on 
 account of a supposed neighborhood (Iiguralivel3') 
 to a locality not laid down on an\- modem atlas; 
 but this is most assuredly not the case. In the 
 early d.ays of this county a disea.se was prevalent 
 (not to be mentioned to polite cars), and .as the lo- 
 cality in fiuestion was then the great commercial 
 nuirt of tlie county-, there everyone flocked for their 
 supplies of l)rimstone — the universal remedy' — and 
 from this the name arose. 1 have been called a na- 
 tive of that place, but though that would l>c an 
 
 4* 
 
 honor of which to lie proud, it is one I cannot 
 claim. I am an adopted citizen, but of twenty 
 years' standing. 
 
 Twenty years ago manj- things were different 
 from those of present times; then, if a man had no 
 coat, he could wear a hunting-shirt, or if he chose 
 to go without either he could still present himself 
 in soeiet}'. It was no matter what the color of the 
 patches were u|ion his pants, the durability was the 
 only question of interest. A man was then privi- 
 leged to wear such clothes as he could pay for, and 
 not compelled to ruin a tailor or forfeit his stand- 
 ing- in society. He who had shoes or boots wore 
 them, and he who had not wore moccasins; or if he 
 had neither, or wished to .save the price of both, he 
 exercised his constitutional rights and went barefoot. 
 
 It is to be doubted if the changes we have under- 
 gone in these things are much of an improvement. 
 Indeed, were I to choose, I would now take the 
 frolic in a squatter's log cabin, where mirth and 
 good feeling previiils, in preference to the so-called 
 social party of our more advanced state of society, 
 with its envy and pride. Much has been said of 
 the privations of the pioneers, and such indeed they 
 had, and sore ones; but they served by their con- 
 trast to make the enjoyments the more deeply felt, 
 and never were happier f.ices found than were seen 
 at some of those early festivities. 
 
 Since the organization of the association meet- 
 ings have been held, and each year seems to grow 
 more interesting than the preceding one. Great 
 crowds of old and young, the pioneer and late- 
 comer, meet together, and while the former relates 
 his experience, the latter .attentively listens, and in- 
 variably goes aw.ay with greater respect for those 
 noble men .and women who paved the way for the 
 present and future generations. 
 
 The following comprises the names of those who 
 have registered ujxjn the bQ<^s of the Pioneer Set- 
 tlers' Association, together with the phice of their 
 nativity, and date of settlement in Iowa: 
 
 James L. Derliin, Washingt<m County, Ind.; 
 April, 1838; removed. Samuel Townsend. Colum- 
 bus County, Ohio; April, 1842; dead, .lolin Hale, 
 Greene County, Ohio; Sept. 21), 1839. Thomjis 
 .Stoddard, Cayuga Count}-, N. Y., June, 1836; dead. 
 Joel IJrownsou, Delaware County, N. Y., April, 
 
 T 
 
-^•- 
 
 -•► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 6ir> 
 
 V 
 
 1837. .lacdli Miiitun,FfiyetteCounty,Tcnn.; A|)ril 
 19. I.S37; fk':i(l. Ivhvanl H. Isctt, ^Vestlll0^el:lIul 
 County, Pa.; Nov. G, 1811; diwl 1860. G. 15. Will- 
 iams. I'\i3'ette County, Ind.; .luly 4, 1836; dead. 
 ()l)ediah Garrctson, Tompkins County, N. Y.; 
 Maifli 9. 1837. E. W. Irwedy, Delaware County, 
 X. Y.; July, 1838. Jacob Janis, Rowan County, N. 
 C; June, 1837. Joliii Bird. W.-Lsliiuu^ton County, 
 Pa.; June 4, 1843; removed. II. Robinson, Mont- 
 gonieiy County, Ind.; May 6, 1837; removed. John 
 Brog.an, Beaver County. Pa.; May 3, 1839; dead. 
 Ilenr^' Minton, Washington County. Oiiio; April 
 19, 1837; removed. C. M. McDaniel, Jaelison 
 Ctmnty, Tenn.; March. 1837; do.ad. A. D. Hurley, 
 Ciiamp.iign County, Ohio; September, 1810. L. 
 Robinson, Cayuga County, N. Y.; May 12. 1837; 
 dead. G. F. Thomas, Cliester County, Pa.; Au- 
 gust, 1838. George Key, Franklin County, \'a.; 
 May, 1838; dead. James Wilson, New York City; 
 March, 1840. Levi Stephen. Prcl)le County, Ohio; 
 October. 1836; dejid. Frank Dickinscm, Steuben 
 County, N. Y.; Nov. 29, 1837; removed. Henry 
 II. Mickey. AVcstmoreland County. Pa.; May 24, 
 1836. Jesse Hamilton, Fayette County, Oiiio; Oct. 
 27, 1842. Silas Clirisman, Madison Count}', N. Y. ; 
 August, 1836; removed. J. K. Dwinell, CJuilford 
 Count}-, N. C; November, 1836. James JIajor, 
 York County, Pa.; May 3, 1835; removed. Zebina 
 Williams, Cayuga County, N. Y.; July 4, 1836; re- 
 moved. J. R. McDaniel, Jackson Count}-, Tenn.; 
 May 10, 1840. William Daj% Loudoun County, 
 Va.; March 11. 1810. James lUauchard. Delaware 
 County, N. Y.; June, 1837. James Ilelverson, 
 Frederick County, Va.; November, 1841 ; de.ad. S. 
 I. Brog.in, AVayne County, Ohio; February. 1830. 
 Dennis Gregory, Harrison County, Iowa; February, 
 1842. Alexander Hamilton, Fayette County, Ohio; 
 October, 1847. Alex Ross. AVashingtou County, 
 Pa.; Oct. 12, 1837. I. II. Benson, Accomack County, 
 Va.; June, 1836. J. B. Latta, Ross County, Ohio; 
 April 11, 1840. William Kenned}-, Butler County, 
 Ohio; April, 1835; dead. (i. II. Crow, Jefferson 
 County, Ohio; April, 1836. Anderson Brockett, 
 Germany; October. 1840. Albert ]Mc('lcrry. Rich- 
 land County, Ohio; July, 1836; removed. William 
 Bell. Greene County, Pa.; November, 1840. J.ames 
 WarnstafF, Rass County, Ohio; Ajiril. 1H34; re- 
 
 ■<• 
 
 moved. Joshua Marshall. Brooke County, Va.; Aug. 
 1.5, 1836; dead. James Wilson, Iredell County, N. 
 C; IMareh 23, 1836. G. II. Gary, Louisa County, 
 Ind.; October, 1837. James Hermes, Abbeville 
 District, S. C; April, 1839. D. P. Ilorron, Preble 
 County, Ohio; April, 1837. Hugh (iardner, ^lif- 
 flin County, Pa.; June 1, 1838. William M. ller- 
 ron, Preble County, Ohio; April. 1842. S.-imuel 
 Cl.ark, Tii)peeanoe County, Ind.; April, 1839. John 
 Delhi, Franklin County, Pa.; April 24, 1836. Ben- 
 jamin Stoddard. Hamilton County, Ohio; June. 
 1836; dead. L. G. Blacklmrn, Bedford County, 
 Pa.; Oct. 26, 1840; dead. J. B. Vaughan, Harri- 
 son County, Ky.; April 22, 1842. II. Howey, Can- 
 andaigua County, N. Y. ; Dec. 16, 1839. S.amuel 
 Chaney, Ross County, Ohio; April, 1833. Alfred 
 Coons, Monroe County, Ind.; Oct. 4, 1839. Albert 
 Illar|)ide, Marion County. Ind.; 1836; removed. 
 James Brogan, Wayne County, Ohio; March 1, 
 1839. Samuel Jamison, Ross County, Ohio; April. 
 1839. (icorge Daniels, Ross County, Ohio; March, 
 1839. William Clark, Tippecanoe County, Iowa; 
 IMarch, 1839. John Drake. Butler County. Ohio; 
 February, 1837. Samuel Hamilton, Fayette County, 
 Ohio; Oct. 29, 1841. John II. Key, Tippecanoe 
 County, Iowa; April 13, 1838; removed. John 
 Ronalds, Caledonia County, Vt.; June 5, 1836. S. 
 G. Chambers, Washington County, Pa.; May, 1837; 
 John Alison. Can.ada West; October, 1839. Amos 
 Hammond, Ohio; 1837. John II. Isett, AVestmore- 
 land County, Pa.; July, 1838; dead. Samuel Barr; 
 1844. 
 
 William Keach, 1815; removed. Sylvanus Dun- 
 ham. Fayette County, Ind.; 1837. David Russell. 
 Illinois; 1835. Josei)h Iligbcc. Ohio; September, 
 1836. Capt.Wheelock, New York; 1837. H. PatUm, 
 Indiana; 1842. J. G. Hall, Pennsylvania; 1837. 
 B. F. Wright. Indiana; 1851. David Flack, Indi- 
 ana; 1839. J. P. Scull, Ohio; 1839. II. Miller, 
 Illinois; 1843. Willi.am Stony, Ohio; 1842. James 
 Gray, Ohio; 1840. William I). Williams. Indiana; 
 1843. John Wilson, Preble County, Ohio; 1839. 
 T. N. Ives, Canada; 1839. N. J. Ives, Canada: 
 1838. J(matliau Drake. Indiana; 1837. David 
 Steel, Ohio; 1846. S. B. Thompson, New York; 
 1843. James Coulter, Pennsylv.ania; 1813. 'l"honi;is 
 Newell, Ohio; IHKl; removed. James Hiiibee. 
 
 ■•► 
 
-4»- 
 
 ClG 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 "ir 
 
 Iowa; born in 1836. Hon. F. S. Springer, Maine; 
 December, 1838. Josiah A'ertrees, Hardin County, 
 Kv.; 1839. M. P. Vanloon, Pennsylvania; 1838. 
 AVilliam Il.Creighton, Ohio; October. 183."). .1. S. 
 Hurley, Ohio; September, 1840. Orlean Spaflford, 
 Vermont; 1813. ,T. C. Stirler. Indiana; May, 1838. 
 N. W. McKay, Illinois; May, 1843. 
 
 The following have failed to register the place 
 of their n.itivity: .John H. AVilliamson, 183fi; T. 
 A. Duncan, 1842; W. W. Garner, 1840; (t. AV. 
 Hall, 1838; G. S. Nichols, 1842; Z. W. Keeder, 
 .Joseph IIigI)ee, .7. ]\I. Vaiiderwort, William .1. 
 Ronald, S. Karminsky, S. Barr. Thomas Sullivan, 
 1839; H. Ilelverson, B. F. Wright, A. Cosgro, 
 Joshua .AInrshall. II. S. Denliam, 1837; W. S. 
 Allen. 1841; II. Young. F. Springer. II. Mallory, 
 1837; T. M. Parsons, W. W. Wood. W. R. Will- 
 iams. 1841; .Joseph Iligliee. 1H40; ^lerritt .Jamison. 
 184.5; John Bird. A. (lamble, J. R. McDaniel, J. (J. 
 Buftington and A. l^rockt. 
 
 Tlic following letter was read at an Old Setth-rs' 
 ^Meeting, and was written h^- Jlrs. Hacliael lligbee, 
 wife of Joseph lligbee, who are among the earliest 
 settlers of Louisa County, he heing eiulity-three 
 years of age, and she seventy-five. It ap'.ly de- 
 scribes the pioneer life of Louisa County, and is as 
 follows: 
 
 "On the lOtli of May, 1836, we started from 
 Crawford County, Ohio, for the Great West. We 
 trnveled a toilsome, hard summer, and stopped in 
 Michigan to try and suit ourselves in that State, 
 but we couhl find no place we liked there. Mr. 
 IIigl)ee asked me what we should do. stay or go 
 farther on. 1 told him I would rather go farther 
 on. So about the 1st of August we started, and 
 traveled until the 1st day of September, 1836, when 
 we reached the Mississippi, the Father of W:iters, 
 and a ferryman set us across the river at a little 
 place called Pinhook. It was too small to be called 
 anvthing else .at that time. Our wagons were three 
 in number. We drove our teiuiis up in town and 
 slopped there for about an hour and a h:df, the 
 men gathering around us as though we were more 
 tlian human lieings. I felt as though we were out 
 of the I'nitiMl States :in<l into the Territory of Iowa, 
 out of civilization and into the hunting grounds of 
 tlie reil man. 1 look my four little children and 
 
 got into the wagon, and there I shed tears like a 
 child. From there we came one mile from the 
 river, and there was not a house in the length of 
 that mile, nor until we got to a little stream of 
 water where we could water our stock. Then we 
 came to a small shanty close by where we staid all 
 night. That shanty was covered with bark peeled 
 oflf the trees, and there is now a little hlaeksmith- 
 sliop at th.'it place. We then traveled up to what 
 was called the Wassom Settlement, and on Friday 
 evening we stopped there to rest ourselves and 
 teams. On ^Monday morning my sister-in-law saw 
 some Indians dressed up in war style. She said 
 that she w.asn't going to have her little children 
 scalpe<l by those red men, but I told her that I was 
 not afraid of them. It proved that they were 
 friendly to the pale face. On Monday morning 
 my sister-in-law took their stock and started back 
 for Michigan; that left but two families of us. 
 
 "We traveled on until we came to Mr. Snelson's; 
 there they had plenty of honey, and Jlrs. Snelson 
 divideil it with us. We thought we had got into 
 the land of milk and honey — for we had plenty of 
 milk, and they had the honey. AVe brought three 
 cows with us. Then we traveled two or three 
 miles, and staid there until our men folks came to 
 A'irginia Crove to find a place to live. The man 
 of the i)eople there was Smith, and .at tli.it place we 
 saw the first man we had ever seen electioneering 
 for himself, Th.it was in Des Moines County, )ier- 
 hajjs stune of youhavc heard of him; his n.ame was 
 Zed Ingluam. Our men folks thought he had bet- 
 ter be at home, as tli.-it wasn't the custom in Ohio. 
 AVhen we left that place for the grove we had to 
 use a pocket compass, as there were no roads or 
 landmarks, and the country had not been surveyed. 
 AVe arrived at our new stoi)ping-place about 6 
 o'clock in the evening. There was but one cabin 
 in sight. We paid $80 for our claim, and lived in 
 a shanty 8x14 feet. AVe put uj) some prairie bed- 
 steads — all the old settlers know what kind of a 
 bedstead it is. We lived in that shanty aJiout live 
 or six weeks. There was an Indian and his wife came 
 to our sli;inty. There was no chimney, but a few 
 boards were left off to let the smoke go out at. It 
 was not long before two Indians dressed in war style, 
 and making a great noise, were heard coming a quar- 
 
 -f 
 
 4»- 
 
 r 
 
4^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 617 
 
 ter of a mile off. hut they were soon at our door. Mj' 
 sister-iu-l:iw timk lier two cliililreu. and hid behind 
 SOUR- trees, and left nie with my four ehildren in the 
 slianty to fiLrht llie liattle. Tliey .^aiil they wanted 
 meal. I told them to wait unl 11 1 lilew tlie lioiii 
 for the men to eome. and told tluni. if they would be 
 good, wiien the men eame they would give them 
 sometliing to eat. There were hut two families in 
 the neighhoriiood. one lived three miles and the 
 other five miles from us. Our neigldiurs on the 
 south of us were sixteen miles dist.ant. When our 
 men got their hay put up tliev went to cutting 
 logs, and we huilt the first house down where 3Ir. 
 Sullivan lives. Four men were all tlie hands we 
 could get. and the next day our two families moved 
 into it without either floor or door. 
 
 "We lived in that w;i\- until after .lanunry. when 
 the men cut trees and made us a floor. Our son 
 James was horn on the 7th of Novemher, 18;5(5, and 
 we claimed Iliat lie was the first white child horn 
 in Louisa County; but one claims that their child 
 was horn on the north side of the Iowa Kiver, but 
 we will leave it to the memory of the old settlers. 
 The winter was severely cold, and sometimes the 
 gi'ound would freeze within two feet of the fire. 
 Furniture was scarce, and four-legged benches in 
 demand. Mr. George Key made me a present of a 
 split-bottom chair, and l()ld me to nurse mj' bah}" on 
 it. Provisions were very dear, flour was $12 per 
 barrel, and then it came up to ^'20. As our means 
 would run out at that rate, we had to go down to 
 Kurlington, and bought $75 worth of corn, paying 
 seventy-five cents pcv bushel, so tluit we lived on 
 corn bread, but before starting for Hurlington the 
 men cut back logs and rolled them in the Ikjusc for 
 us. They started on Monday morning, and did 
 not get b.ack until after dark Sunday night. We 
 had all the stock to .•itteml to. My sister-in-law 
 would cut ice .and carry water for the cattle until 
 she would nearly freeze, then she would stay with 
 the children wliiie I would go, and so we worried 
 through. Mr. Iligbee lost one of his oxen, and 
 then he was out $100, and in tlie spring, as he and 
 his brother-in-law were building a stick chimney, 
 he fell and put his wrist out of joint. Then plow- 
 ing time came on, and his wrist was so bad that he 
 could not yok(? his oxen. I helped liim to yoke 
 
 4» 
 
 the oxen, and he plowed about ten days with his 
 arm in a sling. They had cleared off a field in the 
 timber in the winter time, and there was not much 
 brush in the timber, as the Indians^ had ke|it it 
 burnt out. Oliver Isett took sick in the second 
 week of .luly, and his brother brought him to our 
 house for nie to take care of. 'I'here was no doctor 
 nearer than Burlington, and Oliver died the third 
 week in August, so yon can see we had the first 
 birth and the first death in Louisa County on this 
 side of the Iowa River. 
 
 " I had a hard spell of typhoid fever after that. 
 It ran on for thirty d.ays, .and we had no doctor. 
 The Indians were very kind to me, except once 
 and awhile one would come in drunk. I remember 
 one time I had dinner ready, and in came a drunken 
 Indian and Siit down, and went clambering over 
 the dinner. There wa-s also a sober one outside. I 
 took the drunken one by the back of the neck and 
 put him out of doors, and told the sober one what 
 he had done. He said: 'Bad Indian, heap squi()v.' 
 I srave the sober one some bread, and he said 
 'Good Squaw.' I also saw one of Black Hawk's 
 sons, a very nice-looking young man. One time I 
 wiis alone, .and not a m.an within three miles of me 
 that I knew of. I saw sixteen Indians coming. 
 They left their guns outside, and in the house they 
 came, the foremost i>ne giving mean introduction to 
 them. lie said 'Good squaw.' They sat there about 
 an hour and a half around the fire. When they 
 started away thej- woulil have some bread, and I 
 gave them some, which they divided into sixteen 
 pieces. 'Wapello' w.as an old Indi.an chief. Thej' 
 failed him a squaw, liecause he would not fight. 
 They came past our door and gave Mr. Iligbee an 
 introduction to him, .and Wapello said: 'Where is 
 your sijuaw.' 1 want an introduction to her.' I 
 went out, and he s.aid 'Wapello, big captain.' I shook 
 bauds with him, but w.as afraid of him, as he was 
 drunk. Time moved on, and after a few weeks our 
 house caught tire, and we did not discover it in time 
 to put it out, and had but a few things. The snow 
 was very <leep and it w.as freezing cold, and there 
 we were out in the cold with but scanty' clothing 
 to cover us. I froze my feet so bad that I could 
 not wear shoes for weeks. When the house wjus 
 nearly burnt up I thought of a trunk that sat by 
 
 h 
 
,t 
 
 G18 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 tlie window, and just as I was drajjging it out of 
 tlie door, the wliole upper floor fell in. I saw Mr. 
 Higbee lift a barrel of meat out of the burning 
 house that it took three men the next day to lift on 
 a sled. Mr. IIi<;'bee covered me up the best he could, 
 and there we staid until morning. 15ut not to de- 
 tain you longer, and as the C^ueen of Slieba said to 
 King .Solomon, the half has not been told. Just so 
 with this writing, the half cannot be told. There 
 were none of these fine buggies and elegant organs, 
 but once and awliile there was a nice famil^^ organ, 
 and they made good music. Mr. Higbee, in the 
 latter part of December, 1836, brought the first 
 hogs to Marsliall Township." 
 
 Rachel Higbee. 
 
 ■>«a££r©^-< — M 
 
 ---SI^Z^"^ 
 
 IN this connection are given several fragments 
 that are of interest, but not of sufficient length 
 to form a sepal ate cliapter. 
 
 rOl'll.ATlON. 
 
 The following sliows tlie pupuhitlon of Louisa 
 County at different times: 1850, 4,93'.); 1852, 
 5.476; 1854, 7,381; 1856, 9,568; 1859, 10,805; 
 1860. 10,370; 1863, 10,639; 1865, 10,948; 1867, 
 11.885; 1869, 12.219; 1870. 12,877; 1873, 12,377; 
 1875, 12,499; 1«80, 13,142; 1885, 11,992. 
 
 AOKICULTUR.\L SOCIETY. 
 
 Pursuant to a call for a meeting to form an 
 agricultural society for Louisa County, Iowa, a 
 number of citizens representing nearl}' all the town- 
 sliips in the county, met at the court-house, on 
 the 12lii of September, 1866. 
 
 On motion, O. Spafford was called to the chair, 
 and L. AV. Meyers vvas ap[)oiiited Secrclarj'. J. S. 
 Hurley then offered for cousidciation a constitu- 
 tion and by-laws which he li;id drawn up. On 
 motion of John Hale, they were read. John Bird 
 then made some remarks, in which he stated that 
 Lousia County organized the first agricultural soci- 
 ety' in the Slate, and lie wished this to be a revival 
 of the old societ}'. A resolution to that effect was 
 read and adupted. The constitution and bj'-laws 
 were, on in(jtioii of John Hale, taken up article by 
 » article, amended and adopted. After the adoption 
 
 of the con.stitution and by-laws, those present 
 signed the constitution and paid their initiation 
 fees of $1 each. 
 
 The following-named officers were then elected 
 by ballot: James S. Hurley, President; Charles S. 
 Philips. Vice President; E. B. Lacey, Secretary; 
 Jesse Harris, Treasurer. The following Board of 
 Malingers was then appointed, representing each 
 townsliip in the county: A. Limbocer, Columbus 
 Citjf Township; Noah Letts, Concord Township; 
 Cyril Carpenter. Oakland T(jwnshii); James Colton, 
 Union Township; Benjamin Jennings, Kim Grove 
 Township; J. IL Marshall, Marshall Township; 
 Frank Jarvis, ^^ornillg Sun Township; William 
 Smith, Elliott Townslii|); Thomas Parsons, Jeffer- 
 S(jn Township; Levi Mephens, PorL Louisa Town- 
 ship; C. D. Bent, Grand View Townshi|); llenr^' F. 
 Wellemeyer. Wapello Township. 
 
 James S. Hurley, John Hale and Charles Philips 
 were then appointeil a committee to purchase 
 grounds for a Fair Ground for this society. The 
 board of managers ai)pointed the 17lh of October, 
 1866, for holding a fair in Wapello. James P. 
 Hurley then offered the following, to- wit: 
 
 Resolved, That the Board of Managers are au- 
 thorized to .solicit voluntary subscriptions for the 
 benefit of the society, said sums to be paid to the 
 Treasurer on or before Dec. 1, 1866, and that the 
 Secretary' furnish to each of the maniigers a sub- 
 scription paper for said i)urpose. 
 
 This resolution was unanimously adopted, and 
 on motion, the meeting then adjourned. 
 
 On the 24th of December, 1866, the society pur- 
 chased of James S. Hurley fifteen acres of land 
 situated on the nortiiwest quarter of the northwest 
 quarter of section 27, township 74, range 3 west, 
 for the sum of $600, one-half to be paid on de- 
 livery of deed and the remainder within a year. 
 Fair has been held continuously since with good 
 success. The association is out of debt, and is in 
 a prosperous condition financially. 
 
 isince the organization of the agricultural soci- 
 ety the following-named gentlemen have served 
 as its Presidents: J. S. Hurley, W. W. Garner, G. 
 H. Crow, George Jamison, W. IL LetU, G. W. 
 Wagner, T. R. Wilson and John Sterrett. Its pres- 
 ent officers are: President, John Sterrett; Vice 
 
 t 
 
•<*• 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Gil) 
 
 President, RoluTt Cnrson ; Secretary, A. \V. Jarvis; 
 Treasurer, G. \V. Tlionias. 
 
 WI'.ATIll'.K STATISTICS. 
 
 For the folluwing table showing tiie coldest 
 weather since 1856, from observation taken at llie 
 same place and at tiie same time each year, we are 
 indebted to Col. Garner: Feb. 3. 18,5(), JM degrees 
 below zero; Feb. 7, XSHS, 20 below; Dec. 6, 1859, 
 10 below; Dec. ii, 1860, 18 below; Feb. 2, 1861, 
 20 below; Feb. i), 1802, 20 below; Feb. 2. 18C3, 
 14 below; Jan. 1. 1864, 24 below; .Jan. 25, 1865, 
 
 12 below; Feb. 15, 18G6, 18 below; .Ian. 28, 1867, 
 
 13 below; Feb. 10. 1868, 24 below; Feb. 23, 1869, 
 8 below; Feb. 20, 1S70, 6 below; Feb. 9, 1871, 4 
 below; .Jan. 31. 1872, 8 below; Jan. 29, 1873, 27 
 below; Jan. 15. 1^74. 12 below; Jan. 14, 1875, 20 
 below; Jan. 29, 1876, zero: Jan. 8, 1877. 10 be- 
 low; Jan. 7, l.'S7S, 6 below; Jan. 2, 1879, 20 below. 
 
 I.Ol'ISA COrXTY Sl'NDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION. 
 
 This instiinlion was organized alioiit ten years 
 ago by the different Snndaj'-school workers of the 
 county, for the purpose of meeting together and 
 consulting about the best waj'sto advance Sunday- 
 school work. The association meets annually at 
 different places in the county as the previous con- 
 vention may elect. It is well attended, much in- 
 terest is manifested, and representatives from all 
 the Sunday -schools in the county are present. The 
 officers in 1888 were II. P. Linn, of Lettsville, 
 President; O. W. Thomas, of Wapello, Secretary 
 and Treasurer. 
 
 KISE AND FAI.I, OF IOWA AM) CKDAR KIVEKS. 
 
 On Saturday, May 31, 1851, both the Iowa and 
 Cedar Rivers were Hooding the country, the water 
 reaching from the sand banks at Columbus Junction 
 to the bluffs on the other side, near the main por- 
 tion of Fred(mia. The water was twenty feet above 
 low water mark at Todd's ferry, and the steamers 
 were obliged to land at the bluffs near the resi- 
 dence of David Flack. The same year Long Creek 
 was sixteen feet above low water mark and Short 
 Creek had reached al)out the same height. In 1858 
 there was another notable Hood, at which time the 
 water was sixteen feet above low water mark at 
 Tod<rs ferry in the Iowa River on Sunday, June 
 6. Rain fell almost contlnuousi}' from A|)ril 30 to 
 May 20. Spring wlie:it and oats were sown after 
 
 the latter date, and corn, which was planted as late 
 as June 24. matured. On .Monday, Alay 5, 1866, 
 the Jowa River was eight feet above low water 
 mark at Todd"s ferr3'; on Saturday. April 16, 1H76, 
 was ten feet above low water mark at the same 
 place, and April 2. 1881, the water was fourteen 
 feet above low water mark. 
 
 INSURANCE. 
 
 The Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company' 
 of Louisa County was incorpcjrated Aug. 29, 1874, 
 1)3' James Woodruff, Henry Wanzer, II. S. Ilerrick, 
 E. W. Siverly, Jesse Harris. C. P. Woodruff, B. S. 
 Dotson, William T. Nichols, J. M. Kinkaid, Cx. W. 
 Davis, D. W. Herrick, George W. Scofield. Will- 
 iam C. Williamson, Ziba Kreanier and Henry 
 Churchman. The first olliccrs were J. M. Kinkaiil, 
 President; O. W. Ilerrick. Vice-President; Ilenrj' 
 Wanzer, Secretary; .James Woodruff, Treasurer. 
 Mr. Kinkaid continued to be the President of the 
 company until Dee. 19, 1885. when he resigned, 
 and Jesse Harris was elected to that position. 
 
 The object of the .association is to insure against 
 fire and lightning, and is organized on the mutual 
 insurance plan. It now has a meniliershi|) of 300, 
 and the society meets annually in Decenilier, while 
 its Directors meet during the month of February. 
 
 The present oflicers are Jesse Harris, Pi-esident; 
 Jack Leiberknecht, Vice-President; W. G. Allen, 
 Secretary; Jonas Miller, Treasurer. The present 
 Directors are H. B. Chamberlain, Grand View 
 Township; P. D. Bailey, Elliott Township; G. W. 
 Scofield, Port Louisa Township; W. S. Adamson, 
 Elm Grove Township; D. W. David, Oakland 
 Township; J. 15. Green, Marshall Township; D. M. 
 Jones, Columbus City Townshii); R. Stapp. Union 
 Township; J. Leiberknecht, Concord Townsliip; 
 Adam Hill, Morning Sun Township; H. Myerholtz, 
 Jefferson Township. 
 
 LOUISA COUNTV .MEDICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 The physicians of Louisa County met on Satur- 
 day, April 24, 1852. in Wapello, for the purpose of 
 organizing a county medical society. Dr. J. II. 
 Graham was called to the chair and Thomas G. 
 Taylor appointed Secretary. The object of the 
 meeting was stated by Dr. II. T. Cleaver to be for 
 the purpose of harmonizing the profession of medi- 
 cine and of prtiinoting its usefulness and respecUi 
 
 f 
 
620 
 
 -•►■ 
 
 t 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 bilit3% A constitution and b3'-laws were adopted 
 and signed by the following, who were charter 
 members: .1. H. Graham, Thomas G. Taylor, H. T. 
 Cleaver. J. M. Robertson, .1. B. Latta and .J. Bell. 
 The society then proceeded to elect permanent 
 officers, which resulted as follows: Dr. .J. M. Rob- 
 ertson, President; Thomas G. Taylor, .Secretary; 
 J. B. Latta, Treasurer; H. T. Cleaver, J. Bell and 
 J. H. Graham, Board of Censors. This societ3' is 
 one of the oldest, if not the very oldest, countj' 
 medical society in the St.ate, and has long bad the 
 name of being one of the best. In early days the 
 societj' would meet at some member's house, bring- 
 ing with them their wives and having an enjoyable 
 as well as a profitable time. This societj' hiis met 
 more or less regularly from the time of its organi- 
 tion up to the present date, 1888, and is now in 
 good working order. Its officers: Drs. D. W. 
 Overholt, President; M. W. Lilly, Secretary. The 
 present membership is fifteen. 
 
 JIAItUIAGE LICENSE. 
 
 The first marriage license was issued by Z. C. 
 Inghram on the 2d day of .June, 1837, to Hewey 
 Long and Nancy Layton. They were marrie<t 
 June 7, William Milligan, .Justice of the Peace, offi- 
 ciating. 
 
 women's christian temperance union. 
 
 Tlie first organization of a union in Louisa 
 County was at Columbus Junction. May 24, 1885. 
 with Mrs. E. K.I">l(bi(lgc as first President, and Mrs. 
 Ella IJuncan. as .Secretary. There were thirty-two 
 names enrolled, and a Vice President elected from 
 each church in the city. Unions were then formed 
 at Columbus Cit}', Wyman, Lettsville, .Spring Run 
 and Morning Sun. On the 18th of August. 1887. 
 a county union was formed by representatives from 
 these unions, with A. M. Dobbin, President; Lizzie 
 Graham, Vice President from Kim Grove; Mrs. J. 
 Walker, Vice President from Grand View; Mrs. C. 
 Neal, Vice President from Columbus City. Mrs. E. 
 R. Linn from Lettsville was elected Corresponding 
 Secretary; Mrs. J. Black, of Wyman, Recording 
 
 Secretary; Phreiie McConnell. of Columbus Citj', 
 Treasurer. The organization is in good working 
 order, and doing much for the advancement of the 
 temperance cause. 
 
 FIRST THINGS. 
 
 The first land broken between the Iowa River and 
 Muscatine .Slough w.as by David Morgan for Chris- 
 topher Shuck, in 1835. 
 
 The first representative from this countj* to the 
 Territorial Legislature of Iowa was Jacob Mintun. 
 
 Rev. Alex Blakie, an Associate Reform minister, 
 preached the first sermon in the county. 
 
 The first celebration of the 4th of Jul^- in Louisa 
 County was held on the northeast quarter of the 
 southeast quarter of section 30, township 75. range 
 4 west. 
 
 Dr. John Bell delivered the oration, and Leon- 
 ard Hutchinson read the Declaration of Independ- 
 ence. Mr. Dolly prepared the dinner. 
 
 The first military company in the count3' of 
 Louisa and the State of Iowa to be fully equipped 
 w.as the Union Guards of Columbus City. They 
 organized in 1857, and elected W. W. Garner, Cap- 
 tain. The company was uniformed in gray, neatly 
 trimmed in black. It took part in numerous pub- 
 lic gatherings and celebrations. 
 
 According to Mrs. Joseph Higbee the first min- 
 ister of the Gospel was Rev. C. R. Fisk; the first 
 school was taiight by John Furgeson ; the first mar- 
 riage W.1S that of H. Long and Marj' Lacey; the 
 first birth was that of John McCleary ; the first 
 death was that of E. Shuck; the first Recorder, 
 Treasurer and Surveyor was John Gilliland. 
 
 farmers' alliance. 
 The County Farmers' Alliance was organized at 
 Wapello in 188G. The object of the Alliance is for 
 mutual improvement and protection, and for the 
 discussion of practical questions of interest to far- 
 mers, including tariff and transportation. Jonas 
 Williams was the first county President, and was 
 succeeded by F. A. Duncan. The incumbent is 
 H. A. Johnston. 
 
 ■► f ^V 
 
 n 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 021 
 
 I- 
 
 ^^B^^^^?^ 
 
 
 TOWNSHIPS 
 
 ^^' 
 
 ss^-ss-ai]j(«-8s>s 
 
 ^pf S previously stated in this worlt, Louisa 
 (^Oi County is divided into twelve civil town- 
 
 i\ (i) ships, each of which has its distinct local 
 _ government. In this connection arc given 
 
 short historical sketclies of each, together with a 
 description of tlieir cities and villages. 
 
 Coliiinbiis City Towiisliip. 
 
 OLUMBU.S CITY TOWNSHIP comprises 
 the greater part of township 75 nortli, of 
 ^^/J range 5 west, together with part of townsliip 
 74 north, of range 6 west, a part of township 74 
 north, of range 4 west, and a part of township 75 
 north, of range 4 west, lis settlement dates from 
 1836. The township comprises some of the hcst 
 land and finest farms in the county. The first 
 white settler was G. Barstow Williams, who yet re- 
 sides in tlie township. lie came in the spring of 
 183G from Montgomery County, Ind., and on his 
 arrival camped about thirteen miles west of Wa- 
 pello, ujjon the farm where he now resides. This 
 was on the 4lli day of July, 1836. At this time 
 the Indians, who were of tlie Musquaukee, Fox 
 and Sac tribes, were still in possession of the coun- 
 try, over 100 of them being encamped within a 
 mile of the cabin erected b3' Mr. Williams. During 
 the following winter Mr. Williams and his brother 
 Zebina made rails and cleared a poition c>f the liuid. 
 The winter was a severe one, the snow, which was 
 about two feet deep, l^ing upon the ground 
 for over three months. " More than a month 
 
 elapsed at a lime," says Mr. Williams, "that vve 
 never saw a white man, our only companions being 
 wild beasts and wild Indians. At two dillVrent 
 times the Indians broke into our cabins and stole 
 our provisions and part of our clothes, leaving us 
 nothing to eat. We had to walk twenty-five miles 
 in our shirt sleeves to renew our supjilies. The 
 second time tiiey took everything but some meal, 
 which escaped their notice. Upon this we lived 
 for two weeks. At one time we left our camp and 
 went several miles to erect a couple of claim cabins, 
 taking with us only a small piece of bread and 
 meat, about enough for one meal. We worked 
 until night, and then crawled into an open cabin, 
 scraped away the snow, which was about as deep 
 there as anywhere else, threw down a couple of 
 old quilts, slept until midnight, then got up and 
 went about a mile, and erected a claim cabin by 
 daylight. That morning it commenced raining. 
 We had nothing for otir breakfast, but continued 
 our work until the afternoon, when we started fur 
 our camp. Arriving at Long Creek, we found it 
 had become so swollen with the rain that we could 
 not cross. Drencheil with rain, with no food or 
 (ire, we crept into a cabin and slept that night. 
 Tlie next morning, after felling some trees, we suc- 
 ceeded in crossing the creek, and reached our camp 
 about 10 o'clock. Thus, by dint of hard labor, 
 having nothing upon which to depend but our 
 hands, we gained a foothold in Inwa. In the spring 
 our friends, who had spent the winter in Burlington, 
 came back, and then Cdiniiienced the work of im- 
 provement under all the disadvantages incident to 
 
6-22 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 a new country, such as going fortj- miles to mill 
 witii an ox-team, grating our corn, or going with- 
 out biead as some did for several weeks at a time, 
 and living principally upon squash and |)otatoes." 
 
 The experience of Mr. Williams will serve as an 
 illustration of the hardships of pioneer life in Lou- 
 isa County. One hy one others began to come 
 into the township, and in due time it was settled 
 by an enterprising people, improvements were made^ 
 the old log cabin gave place to the more modern 
 dwelling, and Columbus City Township took rank- 
 with the best in the county or State. 
 
 Clark Hall, son of James IL Hall, was the first white 
 child born in the township. 
 
 At the present lime there are within the limits of 
 the tnivnship three villages, while two prospective 
 ones are numbered with the past. 
 
 Columbus City Township was organized l>y order 
 of the IJoard of County Commissioners in 1840. 
 The first election was held on the old town site of 
 Columbus City, about one-fourth of a mile e.ast of 
 the present site of the village. Hon. A. C. Dodge. 
 Democrat, received nineteen votes, and Alfred 
 Rich, Whig, received eighteen votes for Member of 
 Congress. John Reed and William Woodside were 
 elected Justices of the Peace. Tliey each served 
 but a short time, Mr Woodside dying in 1842, and 
 Mr. Reed in 1843. The first election held after 
 the establishment of tiie State Government was in 
 a liiiildnig owned b}' Samuel Bell, in the town of 
 Columbus City, Oct. 20, 1840. At this election 
 the entire State and county ticket was voted for, 
 and the total nundjer of votes cast was 134. The 
 township then embraced what is now Columbus City, 
 Marshall, Kim Grove an<l Union Townships. Kach 
 party h.<id its candidates. The Wliigs had for State 
 Senator Francis Springer, and for the House of 
 Representatives Wright Williams. The Deincicrats 
 had for Senator Dr. John Bell, and for Represent- 
 ative Joseph L. Durbin. The Wliig ticket was 
 elected in the county, and the Democratic ticket in 
 the State, at this election. On the 7th day of No- 
 vember, 1848, the people of Iowa voted for Presi- 
 dent and Vice President of t!ie United States for 
 the first time. The election was hehl in an old 
 hr)tel buflding, on lot 8, block t), which has since 
 been destro^yed bj' fire. Gen. Taylor, the Whig 
 
 candiilate, had 1 10 votes, and Gen. Cass, Democrat, 
 fift}--two votes; Martin Van Bnren, the Free-Soil 
 candidate, had thirt3'-two voles. 
 
 The first post olliee in the township was estab- 
 lished at Columbus City, in that portion called the 
 old town, in 184:3, and H. R. Thomas was appointed 
 Postmaster. The mail was received from Hope 
 Farm, now Cairo, once a week, when Long Creek 
 wouUl .admit of it. This continued until 1848, when 
 a weekl3- mail route from Burlington to Iowa City 
 was established, which served the people of this sec- 
 tion for several years. 
 
 In 1854 a dail}^ mail route from Muscatine to 
 AVashington was established, and carried in hacks. 
 Ill 1 857 four-horse coaches were used from Fredonia, 
 then the terminus of the Mississippi ife Missouri 
 Railroad, now the Chicago, Rock Island ik P.acific 
 Railroad, to Washington, which continued until 
 October, 1858, when the road w.as completed to the 
 latter city. A daily line of hacks from Burlington 
 to Muscatine passed through ' Wapello direct to 
 Clifton, and were continued until the completion of 
 the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railroad 
 to Columbus Junction, in March, 1870. The town- 
 ship is now supplied with the best mail facilities, 
 having several daily mails each way over the two 
 lines of railroads which pass through the township. 
 
 Zion Church, of Columbus City Township, a 
 Welsh Congregational Church, w.as organized Jan. 
 15, 1840, at the house of John Griffith, with a mem- 
 bership of eighteen. The first house of worship 
 was an old barn, which was fitted up for church 
 purposes and used until 1804. The present house 
 of worshii) vvas erected in 1887, at a cost of 4il,850, 
 besides the labor contributed b}' its members. The 
 church is in a very prosperous condition, spiritually 
 and otherwise, with a present membership of ninety- 
 two. Its Sun<lay-school is in a (lonrishing condition. 
 
 Bethel Church, Welsh Calvanistic, was organized 
 in May, 1879, by Rev. Richard Hughes, with twelve 
 members. It has now a membership of fortj', with 
 a neat house of worship, erected in 1884, at a cost 
 of ^1,500. Mr. Hughes has been the pastor of the 
 church since its organization, and has served it in a 
 faithful manner. Its Sunday-school has an aver- 
 age attendance of thirty pupils. Both church and 
 school are pros|)crous. 
 
-^•- 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 •a^ 
 
 t'23 
 
 b 
 
 I 
 
 Tin: TOWN OF COLf MIU'S CITY. 
 
 ^IlK tu"ii of CoIuidIiu? City "as first lot-aterl 
 about oiic-fourtli of a mile cast of tlie present 
 town site, and was laid out in 1840, but was 
 soon abandoned, presumably on .account of .a de- 
 fective title. The present town was laid out by 
 Kdward 1"\ Wilson in 1841, on the northeast quar- 
 ter of section 3i!, township 75 north, of range 5 
 west, surveyed by John Oilliland. The location is 
 about one mile southeast of the present town of 
 Columbus Junction, the corporation of each join- 
 ing the other. The first sale of lots was held July 
 4, 1841. Among the first merchants was Mr. Mj'- 
 ler, who started a store in 1842. The first physi- 
 cians were Dr. J. M. Robertson, Dr. John Hell and 
 Dr. SUilhnan. The first iron and stove store was 
 ojiened by Col. W. W. Garner in 1851, and from 
 that time to the present he has been closely identi- 
 fied with the best interests of the town. The first 
 druji-store was opened by Clark & Colton. The 
 first Tostmasler was P. Gore, the fatlier of Mrs. B. 
 G. Neal and Mrs. Judge Allen. The first tailor was 
 H. S. Denhani. The fii^st Masonic funeral was that 
 of K. G. Jones, in 1857, the ceremonies being per- 
 formed bj- Wapello Lodge. 
 
 Columbus Citj- was incorporated as a town 'in 
 1871 ; Andrew Gamble, J. Myler, A. Fulton, George 
 D. Harrison and II. P. May were appointed Com- 
 missioners to call an election. The first election 
 was held on Satur<ln3'. May. 27, 1871, and the fol- 
 lowing-named persons were elected to serve until 
 March, 1872: Mayor. Abrani Fulton; Ri'corder, 
 Wesley W. Garner; Councilmcn, II. P. !May, G. 
 L. 'i'homas, J. N. Smith, J. Myler and Daniel Mor- 
 gan. 
 
 The first school in the present town limits was 
 held in the winter of 1843-44, by Dr. John Cleaves, 
 in a brick building owned b^' Wesley W. Garner. 
 The building is now used by the Seceders asa house 
 of worship. On the 14th of November, 1846, the 
 Voters of .School District No. 3, comprising Colum- 
 bus C'it}' an<l adjacent terriltiry, met at the store- 
 roou) of 11. .S. Denhnm for the purpose of perma- 
 nently organizing the district, and to vote on the 
 question of electing a sciiool building. The vt)te 
 was taken to levy a tax, and grant [)Ower to the 
 
 4* 
 
 Directors to contract for the erection of a brick 
 building, 20x30 feet. Twenty-five voles were cast 
 in tlie aflirmative, and one in the negative. On the 
 21st of February, 1847, in accordance with the vote 
 of the district, the Directors let the con tract for the 
 erection of a building on lot 3, block 5, for the sum 
 of ^300. The building was re.idy for use Oi^t. 1, 
 1847, and the first school taught therein was dur- 
 ing the following winter, by William J. R. Flack. 
 In the winter of 1848-49 Allen W. Pease taught 
 the term, and was succeeded in turn during the suc- 
 ceeding four winters by J. Ilighfield, Mr. Bigsbj-, I. 
 N. Chandler and Thom.is L. Baird. In the summer 
 of 1853 Miss Sarah Twiggs taught a term of school, 
 and in the summer of 1854 James R. Atchinson 
 taught a term. In the summer of 1855, Miss Mary 
 Wiley taught school in the Christian Church, and 
 in the summer following Miss Mary Wear, of Mt. 
 Pleasant, Iowa, occupied the same place. In the 
 winter of 1855-56 A. S. Fulton taught in the school 
 building. In October, 1856, the Directors met and 
 condemned the school building, and renteil the sec- 
 ond story of H. S. Denham's store building, and 
 also the Christian Church. 
 
 On the 25th of March, 1856, the Directors issued 
 a call to the voters of the school district to meet at 
 the Christian Church on the 5th of April. 1856, to 
 consider the proi)riety of levying a tax to erect a 
 new school building. They decided to build, and 
 requested the board, who would be elected May 5, 
 1856, to issue proposals for the erection of a brick 
 building 30x50 feet, two stories high, and locate 
 the same directly north of the old building. They 
 further ordered that the old school building be oc- 
 cupied for school purposes for three months, from 
 May 26, 1856. The new Board of Directors se- 
 lected Horace Belkridge, Sr., as instructor. 
 
 In compliance with an order issued on the 6th of 
 .September. 1856, b^' the Directors, proposals to 
 buihl were made, and on the 2 1st of the same month 
 the contract was let to George B. Harrisi)n, of Co- 
 lumbus City, and Smith McCarter, of Springfield, 
 Ohio, for |i2,985. The building after its comple- 
 tion and acceptance by the Board of Directors, was 
 found defective in the roof, and repairs were re- 
 quired to be made from time to time. On the 3d 
 of .Inly, 1871, a contract was let to make general 
 
•^r^ 
 
 G24 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 repairs on the building and build a cupola. After 
 the conopletion of this work, including the painting 
 of the brick work, the house remained in use until 
 June 5, 1878, wlien proposals were received for 
 building an addition on the north side, 30x60 feet, 
 two stories high. The contract was let for $2,330. 
 The building is j'ct in use by the district. 
 
 Columbus City is well supplied with churches, 
 being represented by the Christian, Methodist 
 Episcopal, United Brethren in Christ, I'nited Pres- 
 byterian, Baptist and Associate Churches. 
 
 The Church of Christ, or Christian Church, dates 
 its organization from 1840, the first meeting being 
 held at the house of Barstow 'Williams, two miles 
 east of Columbus City. The congregation met at 
 the houses of its members for some years. The 
 first house of ■worship was erected in 1852, at a cost 
 of $500. and was dedicated some t>me during tlie 
 following year. This house was used until 1868, 
 when a larger and better house was erected, at a 
 cost of $3,000. Its dimensions are 40x60 feet, and 
 it has a seating capacity of 400. Among those who 
 have served the church as pastor are Arthur Jliller, 
 Smile}- Bonham, Moses AVarren. Joshua Swallow, 
 Jonas Hartzel. Samuel Lowe, Joseph Lowe, Free- 
 m.an Walden, J. K. Cornell. John Errett, L. C. Wil- 
 son, Simpson Ely. J. II. Painter, L. B. Ames, J. 
 Mad. Willi.ams, E. W. Miller and L. C. Wilson. 
 The first sermon preached by Elder Ross was in a 
 log cabin. While preaching an Indian passed by, 
 and seeing him gesticulating and hearing Iiim speak 
 in a loud tone of voice, thought he was intoxicated. 
 Coming into the house he demanded ••fire water." 
 All that the people could say or do would not con- 
 vince him the i)reaeher was not drunk, so they had 
 to ])ut him out by force. At jjresent the church is 
 in good working condition, with a membership of 
 seventy-five. At present writing L. C. AVilson is 
 pastor of the church. The Sund.iy-school, under 
 the suix;rintcndency of Mrs. Jennie Smith, with 
 Miss Ella Overholt as Assistant Superintendent, is 
 also in a fiourishing condition. 
 
 The organization of the ^Icthodist Episcopal 
 Church of Columbus City dates back to the Terri- 
 tori:d days of Iowa, in 1810. The circuit rider of 
 the Methodist Church made this a regular point 
 for preaching, and a class was duly organizetl. The 
 
 first building erected for church purposes, the pres- 
 ent structure, was built in 1866, and dedicated 
 Sunday, Oct. 28. 1866. The estimated cost of the 
 building was $3,000. The churdi is in fine work- 
 ing order. 
 
 The I'nited Brethren in Christ also dates its or- 
 ganization to tlie Territorial days of Iowa, the pres- 
 ent congregation being organized in 1841. The 
 first annual conference of this church held west of 
 the Mississippi River was at the house of H. S. 
 Denham, in Columbus C'it)% on the 24th d.ay of 
 Ma\', 1844. The building now occupied by the 
 congregation was erected in 1870, and dedicated at 
 a conference of the church on Sunday, September 
 10 of that year. The building is 40x60 feet, and 
 was erected at a cost of $2,800. 
 
 The Associate I'resbyterian Church erected the 
 first house of worship in Columbus City in 1851. 
 They held it for a number of years in an unfinished- 
 condition, and in 1857 disposed of it to the Re- 
 form Presbyterian Church. In course of time it 
 reverted l)."ick to the original owners, who removed 
 the old building, and in 1886 erected the present 
 house of worship. The church at this point was 
 organized in tlie spring of 1844. hy Rev. William 
 Smith, of Crawfordsville. It has a present mem- 
 bei-ship of twenty-five. 
 
 The United Presbyterian Church of Columbus 
 City was organized in the fall of 1844 by Rev. 
 William Smith. The first meetings were held in 
 the old town and the present church edifice was 
 erected in 1858, at a cost of about $3,000. It is a 
 frame structure 45x60 feet in size. The first pastor 
 w.as Rev. (ieorge Vincent, now a prominent m.an 
 in the church. Rev. Alex Storey served the church 
 as pastor for twenty-three years. He now resides 
 in Washington, .and is editor of the W.asiiington 
 Gazette. In 1858 there was a division of the 
 church, a large majority forming a union with the 
 Associate Reform Church, and taking the name of 
 the United Presbyterian Church. A few of t\w 
 members of the original organization refused to go 
 into the union and yet retain the old name, a his- 
 tory of which is already given. 
 
 The Baptist Church of this place w.as organized 
 on the IGth day of November, 1850. In 1861 and 
 1862 the subject of a house of worship wjus agitate<l. 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 
 a subseiiption of 1,200 w:u> raised, and the build- 
 ing coniitletod and ofeui>ied in .lune, 1862. In 
 1871 tlio I'liurcli divided, a iiortion of its nienilnT- 
 sliip withdrawing; and organizing a separate church 
 at Louisa Center. The present membership is 
 thirtv-t)ne. and its Sunday-school lias an average 
 attendance of thirtj'. 
 
 The Congregational Church of Columbus City 
 was organized in 1857, and in 1858 inircliascd a 
 house of worship of the Associate Presbyterian 
 Church. The organization continued for but live 
 3-ear.s, when it disliandcd. 
 
 The ^lasons, Odd Fellows, and the C! rand Arni}^ 
 of the Republic are represented in this place. 
 
 Columbus City Lodije No. 107, A. F. & A. M., 
 w.as instituted under a dispensation of the Grand 
 Lodge of Iowa, on the 2-lth day of February, 1857, 
 witli AV. D. Trebilcock, W. M.; J. F. Hcimcr.S. W.; 
 an<l William G. Allen, J. W. ^leelings were first 
 held in a hall over the store of Harrison & Barrett. 
 A cliarter was granted the lodge June 2, 1858, and 
 was signed b}^ John F. Sanford, (i. JI., and by T. 
 S. Parvin, G. S. The lodge continued to meet in 
 that hall for several years, and then transferred its 
 meetings to the second story of the pi-operty of 
 Clark <fe Colton. Later it was removed to the third 
 story of a brick building erected by Harrison & 
 Barrett, where it remained until 1876, when, Co- 
 lumbus Junction having grown to important pro- 
 portions, it was removed to that i)lace, its meetings 
 being held in a hall over Easton & Brown's store, 
 where it has since remained. The lodge has con- 
 tinued to work harmoniously and uninterruptedly 
 to this date, with a present membership of lifty- 
 three. The present oflicers of the lodge are: W. A. 
 Colton. W. M.; W. H. Colton. S. W.; E. R. Lacey, 
 J. W.; W. A. Carr. Treas.; S. II. Blair, Sec. The 
 following named have served as Miisters of this 
 lodge for the terms specified: W. I). Trebilcock, the 
 first Master, served from the time of the institu- 
 tion of the lodge until the fall of 1859, when he 
 was succeeded by Dr. W. A. Colton, who served as 
 Master prolem until the June election, 1860, when 
 he was elected to the ofHce, and served until June, 
 1861. when he declined a re-election, and was suc- 
 ceeded by John F. Beimer, who served until June, 
 1865. when Dr. Colton was again elected, and served 
 
 until June, 1867, when he removed to Des Moines. 
 Dr. W . S. Robinson was elected, and served until 
 June. 1860, when he i-etircd. and William Bcllwood 
 was chosen Master. He filled tiie cli:iir until. lune. 
 1871, and was succeeded l)y S. K. llchnick. :nid he 
 in turn by C. S. Phillips, in June. 1873. William 
 JI. Endsley followed in June, 1875. Dr. W. A. 
 Colton having returned to Columbus Junction in 
 June, 1877, w.ns chosen to succeeil ]Mr. Endsley. 
 and has been re-elected at each succeeding annual 
 meeting to this date, covering a period of eleven 
 successive terms, and making eighteen j-ears in all 
 in which he has prcsideil as blaster of Columbus 
 City Lodge. In addition to that service in his old 
 lodge, he serves as Master of Pioneer Lodge No. 2, 
 of Des Moines, making twenty years of service as 
 Master. Dr. Colton, by his earnest and never 
 wavering devotion to the welfare of the order, has 
 won the warmest regard and highest respect of his 
 brethren, and is justly looked ui> to as the f:ither 
 of the lodge, and an honored leader in the order. 
 
 Columbus City Lodge No. 246. I. 0. O. F., was 
 instituted Aug. 23, 1872. Its first officers were 
 D.aniel McMichael, N. G.; G. W. I',reneman, V. G.; 
 W. F. Hall. Sec; L. G. Baldwin, Treas. The lodge 
 for some j-ears iiad a vcr}' prosperous existence, 
 having at one linie a membership of eighty, but on 
 account of the building up of Columbus Junctit)n, 
 and the removal of many of its members to th.at 
 place, it now numbers but sixteen, but these are all 
 active, being devoted to the principles of the order. 
 The officers in the fall of 1888 were John .Spailh, 
 N. G.; AVillinni Bretz, V. G.; Milan Brownson, 
 Sec; George Smith, Treas. 
 
 Joe Neal Post No. 129, O. A. R.. wjis instituted 
 Feb. 13. 1853. with twenty-five charter membeis. 
 It was organized in a hall in Harrison's block, and 
 continued to meet there until March, 1886, when it 
 was removed to its present ([uarters over Asa Mer- 
 rill's store. The first officers were Thomas G. Allen, 
 Com.; S. H. McCoy, S. V. C. The officers for 1888 
 were James II. Duncan. P. C. ; S. II. McCoy, S. V. C. ; 
 John Will, J. \. C; W. J. Crammond, Adj.; Asa 
 Merrill, (i. M.; A. H. Cunningham, Surg.; John 
 Welch. Chap. ; James M. Bell, O. D. ; M. Brownson, 
 O. G.; J. F. Bowman, S. M. ; M. A. Kelly, Q. M. S. 
 
 When the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Ruil- 
 
 -^^ 
 
•^1^^ 
 
 ■^ 
 
 62G 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 i 
 
 road was built, leaving Columbus City one and one- 
 half miles to the south of it, many i-aid it would 
 die, and old Clifton would be the town, and when 
 the Burlington, Cedar Rajjids <k ?\orlhern was built, 
 leaving the town one and a half miles west of it, 
 they were sure it would die. But it did not. 
 Clifton is gone, absorbed by Columbus .Junction, 
 but Columbus Cilj' still stands, a moriument to the 
 early pioneer days. 
 
 COLlMlilS JUXCTIOX. 
 
 The first train of cars on the Chicago, Rock 
 Island & Pacific was run to what was then known 
 as a sand bank on the 17th day of November, 1857i 
 and was the end of the road until Seijtember, 1858, 
 when it was completed to 'Washington. The station 
 at the sand bank was then discontinued, and a 
 sUition at Clifton established. The Burlington, 
 Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railroad having been 
 located to cross the Rock Island at this point, J. 
 W. Garner, the owner of the land, determined to 
 locate here a new town. The plat being made, the 
 same was recorded on the 12th day of March, 1870, 
 and the first lot sold to George .Jamison, the one 
 upon which the AVortham House was subsequently 
 built. Mr. Garner made other sales from time to 
 time, and in lb71 sold ninety-six lots and five acres 
 adjoining to H. C. Wortham & Co., of Coles 
 County, III., and soon after the improvement of 
 the i)laco began. On tiic 7th da}- of February, 
 1870, the first train of cars on the Burlington, 
 Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railroad came to this 
 l)oinl, and on that day the first ticket was sold to 
 Col. ^^'. W. (Jarner. 
 
 Jt was not until it was decided that the Burling- 
 ton, Cedar Rapids i- Minnesota Railroad should 
 cross at this point that a town was decided upon. 
 On the 2'Jth day of December, ISfii), August Gd- 
 bert came to the sand bank for the purpose of look- 
 ing up a location. Deciding to locate here, he re- 
 turned to Muscatine, where he was then residing, 
 had a hou.se framed, loaded npon the cars of the 
 Chicago, Rock Island <i: Pacific Railroad, and 
 shipped to Clifton station, and from there had it 
 transported to the sand bank and put together, and 
 on the 8th da}* of February. 1.S70, opened it up as 
 a restaurant and boarding-lxjuse, and did a ver}' 
 large business. The building stood about 200 feet 
 
 east of the present Gilbert House, and was in 
 dimensions lt^x24 feet, and a slorj' and a half in 
 height. Jt was in this house that the first white 
 child in Columbus .Junction was born. May l.'j, 
 1870, Carrie, daughter of August and Anna Gilbert. 
 Mr. Gilbert is stilla residentof Columbus Junction, 
 and is engaged in the same line of business, op- 
 
 I posite the Union depot. 
 
 In view of the fact of the town and town- 
 ship of Columbus City having voted aid for Ihe 
 construction of the 15urlington, Cedar Rapids & 
 Minnesota Railroad, they were permitted to name 
 the town, and called it Columbus Junction, from 
 the fact of its being the junction of the two rail- 
 roads. 
 
 When Wortham it Co. purchased liie town site 
 of Mr. Garner, tlicy did so with a view of pushing 
 the place, and making its advantages known. The 
 company built the Wortham House, the lower stoiy 
 being used for storerooms, and the upper stories 
 for hotel purposes. In this building was startec', 
 July 10, 1872, the Louisa County National ilank, 
 of which Andrew Gamble was President, and John 
 W. True Cashier. E. M. Sargent aud M. Carter, 
 under the firm name of Sargent & Carter, started 
 the first general store in one of the rooms of this 
 house. James N. True also occupied one of the 
 storerooms in this block. 
 
 The post-office at this place was first opened on 
 the 22d day of July. 1872, in the north storeroom 
 of the AVorlham (now known as the Murdock) House 
 Block, Mrs. M. B. C. Genlzler, ]^>stmistress, with 
 M. Carter, Deputy Postmaster. Mr. Carter opened 
 the first mail pouch delivered at this point on the 
 date given above. The office i)aid a fixed salary 
 of 812 per year. Mr. Carter conducted the office 
 until Jan. 1, 1873, when he turned it over to Mrs. 
 Gentzler, who moved to a little frame building 
 which stood on tlie site of J. L. Collins' hardware 
 store, where she conducted it until April, 1874, 
 when, C. M. Fulton succeeding to the position, re- 
 moved it to the south storeroom of the Murdock 
 House Block, where it remained until June ii of the 
 same year, when he renioveil it to a frame building 
 on Walnut street, on the present site of tlie Ilote| 
 
 I Ilcdrick. In February, 1881, he removed it to 
 the second storeroom in the Murdock Block, where 
 
 •^ 
 
•^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 G27 
 
 it. rt'iiiaiiiod until April 20. 1887, when it w.is re- 
 inuvoil to opposite its presi'iit location on Main 
 street, ill one of tlie luiil(lin<rs destroyed by llie (ire 
 of 1888. Mr. Fiillon continued to serve as Post- 
 master until Sept. 14, 1 880, covering a period of 
 twelve years and five months, when he was suc- 
 ceeded by George P. Neal, the incuinbeiil. The 
 inone3' order department was eslalilished .Inly 1," 
 1887, and it now does a business amounting to 
 about ll 5,000 \)cv year. The sale of stamps amounts 
 to about -i- 1,900 per year. The of lice became a presi- 
 dential one Feb. 1 2, 1 883, and was designated as a 
 distributing ollice .Sept. 14, 1887. The transfer of 
 registered mail at this ollice is e.xceeded by but few 
 otlieesin the West. 
 
 The first express package over the Burlington, 
 Cellar Rapids it Northern Railroad from Columbus 
 .Tunetion was sent on Mondaj-, Feb. 21, 1870. and 
 consisted of a money package of ^2."5.5,sent to Hon. 
 George Robertson, of Burlington, by Wesley' W. 
 Garner, of Columbus Citj'. 
 
 For tliV' first two years the town grew quite rapidly', 
 and at tlie JIarch term of tlie Circuit Court a 
 petition was presented asking that it should be in- 
 corporated under the general laws. The court ap- 
 l^ointed C. M. Fulton, .M. Wheelock, S. W. True, 
 W. F. Hall and AVilliam Todd, Commissioners, as 
 |)r()vi<U'(l in the chapter of the Iowa Code for the 
 incorporation of cities and towns. On the 2rjlh 
 day of Maj', 1874, an election was held at the post- 
 otlice, at which there were fift^'-five votes cast for 
 incorporation and seventeen against. Tlie follow- 
 ing otBcers were duly elected : Mayor, C. M. Fulton ; 
 Councilinen, Geiu-ge W. Merrill, O. E. Ilobbie, 
 Robert Foster, Tlieo. Crillc}', A. T. Lewis; Attorney, 
 U. IL Ilanna; Recorder. W. F. Hall. At the first 
 meeting of the Council . I. R. .Smith was ap|)ointe(l 
 Marshal, but declining to serve, August Damen was 
 appointed in his place. 
 
 The following named have served as Ma3-or since 
 the iiicorpuralion of the town: 1874, C. M. Fulton; 
 1875 and 187G, F. K. Goble; 1877 and 1878, G. 
 W. Wallers; 187'J, W. S. Garboe; 1880,.!. M. Dot- 
 son; 1881, Frank Iledrick; 1882 and 18S3, John 
 L. Collins; 1884, H. Z. Barnes; 188.5 and 188G, II. 
 D. Riffenberg; 18«7. .1. R. Smith; 1888, C. M. 
 Fulton. 
 
 The following named comprise the officers of the 
 town for 1888; Mayor, C. M. Fulton; Trustees, 
 W. E. Brenueman, A. Ilainillon, .1. L. Merrill, A. 
 T. Lewis. O. P. Wilcox, ■). .1. Russell; Marshal. E. 
 E. Bebb; Recorder, William Defonl. 
 
 The first public school taught in Columbus Junc- 
 tion was in a small house erected for the purjHJse a 
 j'ear or two after the town was started. Miss Sarah 
 White was the first teacher, and she was succeeded 
 by Mr. Slater. Previous to this there was a pri- 
 vate select school taught by Miss Kilty Truesdale 
 in a pul)lic hall on Front street. Asa Merrill's 
 building was used in 1874 for school purposes, A. 
 W. Hall being the teacher. Afterward the build- 
 ing erected for a court-bouse was used for a few 
 years and school held therein. In the fall of 1882 
 a commodious school building was erected on Front 
 Street at a cost of $7,840. It was finisheil .Ian. 1, 
 1883, and school was commenced therein Februaiy 
 1. Prof. Edwards was the first Principal in new 
 building. The liuilding has two halls and live reci- 
 tation rooms, and accommodations for about 400 
 ))upils. The school has been exceedingly j)iosper- 
 ons, and for five years prior to the fall of 1888 was 
 ably conducted by Prof. J. K. Pickett. He was 
 succeeded b}' Prof. G. H. Mullen, who is likewise an 
 able instructor. 
 
 On the 14th of March, 1881. Mrs. A. A. Barnes 
 and Mrs. W. H. Gray were elected members of the 
 School Board of the Independent School District of 
 Columbus Junction. One week later they entered 
 upon the discharge of their duties, and Mrs. Barnes 
 served for three j'ears. Mrs. Gray served up to 
 the time of her death, April 4, 18.^2. and was suc- 
 ceeded by Mrs. L. G. Murdock. The ladies were 
 zealous in the discharge of the duties of their oMice, 
 and it was during the time tliat they served that the 
 present school building was erected. 
 
 The religious interest of CoKunbus Junction is 
 represented by the .Methodist Episcopal, Presl)yler- 
 ian. Reformed ami Evangelical Associations. 
 
 The Central Presbyterian Church was organized 
 about 18G7, under the p.astoral charge of Rev. Mr. 
 Ileiser. Its house of worship, a brick structure 
 with a seating capacity of about 400, was erected 
 in 1872, at a cost of >(5.000. It was built during 
 the pastoral care of Rev. Haskell, with B. F. Coe, 
 
o^HI^ 
 
 t 
 
 ■•► 
 
 628 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 4 
 
 Daniel Brown ami Abram Fulton as Elilers. Tlie 
 ineinbersliii) at that time was quite small, but the 
 church has had a constant and healthful growth, and 
 now numbers about 100 members. Rev. J. E. 
 Eggert has served the church about nine 3'ears as 
 pastor, and has done a faithful work, strengthening 
 the church in everj- vay. A Sunday-school has 
 been sustained continuously since the organization 
 of the church. Its average attendance is about 
 seventy, and from tlie school a large number of the 
 .additions of the church have been drawn, especially 
 during the great revival of 1887, when thirty-seven 
 persons were added to the church. The present 
 Elders of the church are B. F. Coe, J. K. Pickett, 
 Philip Rasley. \V. S. Huston and E. R. Eldridge. 
 
 The Evangelical Association of Columbus Junc- 
 tion was organized in February, 1883. Its first 
 meetings were held in the old school-house in the 
 western part of town. In 1884 a church building 
 was erected at a cost of ^3.200 with a seating 
 capacity of 350. There is a Sunday-school in con- 
 nection with the church, with an average attendance 
 of seventj^-five pupils. 
 
 The Reformed Church is an offshoot of St. Paul's 
 Church organized in Union Township. The societj' 
 meets for worship in the Presbyterian Church, and 
 has no regular pastor. 
 
 The Methodist Episco|)al Church was organized 
 Oct. !), 1887, with eleven members. The firet meet- 
 ings were held in the Presbyterian Church. In the 
 fall of 1888 a handsome church edifice was erected 
 on the northeast corner of Oak and Second streets, 
 at a cost of $3.,500, and with a seating capacitj- of 
 400. Tiie present membership of the church is fifty, 
 and it is in good healthy coiulition. 
 
 The various societies are represented by the 
 Masons. Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and the 
 Grand Arm^- of the Republic. 
 
 In the history of Columbus City will be found a 
 sketch of the Blue Lodge of Masons. Composite 
 ChaiJter 'So. 91, R. A. M., was instituted June 2, 
 1879, under a dispensation of the Grand Chapter of 
 Iowa, granted April 17, 1879. The brethren who 
 organized the chapter were brothers A. R. Dewey, 
 of Cyrus Chapter No. 13, of Washington, Acting 
 High Priest; Daniel M. Sweeney, K. ; William 
 Eudsley, Scribe; S. H. Blair, Sec; S. B. Cook, 
 
 <■ 
 
 Trcas. ; W. H. Judson, C. of H.; Alex Robinson, 
 P. S.; N. W. Mountain, R. A. C; A. Anderson, 
 M.aster of the 3d V.; Daniol Micke3-, Master of the 
 2d V. ; J. B. Lee, Master of the 1st V. ; R. D. Jones, 
 T. The chapter worked under dispensation with 
 the foregoing named officers until a charter was 
 granted Oct. 26, 1881, under which the first meet- 
 ing was held November 2 of that year, the oflicers 
 being D. W. Overholt. H. P. ; S. H. Blair, K. : O. 
 E. Hobbie, S. ; H. D. Riffenberg, Sec. ; E. R. Laeey, 
 Tre.-is. ; F. G. Coffin, C. II. ; W. II. Colton, P. S. ; J. II. 
 Buser, R. A. C. ; W. A. Siddall, Master of the 3d V. ; 
 William N. Endslej', Masterof the 2d V. ; J. K. Blair, 
 Master of tiie 1 st V. The first meetings of the chapter 
 were held over J. L. Merrill's store, corner of Second 
 and Walnut streets. .Since the charter was received it 
 has met in the Masonic Hall. The present officers, 
 in the fall of 1888, are D. W. Overholt, H. P.; S. 
 H. Blair, K.; E. B. Tucker, .S.; J. W. Garner. 
 Treas. ; H. D. Riffenberg, Sec. ; W. H. Colton. C. 
 of II. ; E. R. Lacey, P. S. ; F. G Coffin. R. A. C. ; 
 Frank Iledrick, Master of the 3d V. ; William Mc- 
 Connel, Master of the 2d V. ; Frank Idle, Master 
 of the 1st v.; J. K. Blair, Sent. The chapter has 
 a membership of fortj'-one, and its general condi- 
 tion is good, being prosperous financially and other- 
 wise. 
 
 Columbus Junction Lodge No. .363, I. O. O. F., 
 was instituted March 15, 1877, its charter bearing 
 date Oct. 18, 1877. Its first officers were J. B. 
 McCormick, N. G.; A. Hamilton. V. G.; A. M. 
 Dodson, R. .S. ; John A. Forline, P. S. ; J. W. True. 
 Treas. The lodge held its meetings for about four 
 j'ears in the Masonic Hall, then rented from Will- 
 iam Hanna five j'ears, since which time it has been 
 occupying its own building. The lodge is in a 
 prosperous condition, with a present membership of 
 fifty-five. Its building is not only paid for but it 
 has money at interest. In the fall of 1 888 its officers 
 were R. W. Owen, N. G. ; J. R. Smith, V. G. ; A. E. 
 Clark, R. S. ; Daniel Reamy. P. S. ; A. Hamilton, 
 Treas. 
 
 Columbus City Encampment No. 112. oi Colum- 
 bus Junction, was instituted at Columbus City, May 
 9, 1883. Its meetings were held .it Columbus City 
 until April 29, 1885, and its first mceeting was held 
 at the Junction May 13, 1885. Its present officers 
 
■^•- 
 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 (i-2'J 
 
 are Alex Ilainilion. C. P.; William Pietliman, S. 
 W.; Samuel Ileamy, A. S.; H. B. Carr, J. VV. 
 
 Liberty Lochje No. 22, K. of P., was established 
 ]\Iarcli 24. 1881, .as a reorganization of the lodge of 
 the same name and number which was instituted at 
 Columbus Cil3', Aug. G, 1873. The first ollicers on 
 its reorganization were George P. Neal, U. D. G. 
 C; Charles M. Fulton, P. C; Robert Caldwell, V. 
 C; Frank Murdock, C. C. B.; V. B. Beau, P.; 
 James Goble, K. of R. S. ; W. F. Hall, M. of F. ; 
 
 E. R. Lacey, M. of E.; II. D. Rififenberg, M. at A.; 
 Frank Iledrick, I. G. ; F. N. Wilcox, O. G. In tid- 
 dition to the foregoing there were nine others 
 admitted as ch.arter members of the new lodge. At 
 its second meeting five persons were initiated and 
 also made charter members of the lodge. From 
 its organization it has been prosperous, and is now 
 a strong institution, financially' and otherwise. The 
 ollicers in the fall of 1888 were G. W. Boeman, D. 
 D. G. C; A. M. Wilson, P. C; W. II. Colton, C. 
 C. ; Arthur Springer, V. C. ; I. E. Jenkins, P.; W. 
 
 F. Hiill, K. of R. S. ; E. R. Lacey, M. of E. ; C. M. 
 Fulton, M. of F. ; Justin Lambersou, J^. at A.; J. 
 C. Mitten, I. G.; Frank Koeckeritz, O. G. The 
 representative to the Grand Lodge was H R. Lacey. 
 The membership of the lodge is thirty-four. 
 
 Todd Post No. 115, G. A. Ji.. was instituted 
 Dec. 23, 1882, with fifteen charter members. Its 
 first officers were J. L. Grubb, Com. : II. S. Denham, 
 S. V. Com.; W. M. Whith.ck, J. V. Com.; Charles 
 P. Brown. Chap.; Dr. William H. Darrow, Post 
 Surg.; George L. Van Ankin, O. ofD. ; William H. 
 Prettiman, O. of G. The post has been quite pros- 
 perous, and holds its meetings in Odtl Fellows' Hall 
 on the first Wednesd.ay evening of e.ach month. 
 The officers in the fall of 1888 were J. L. Grubl), 
 P. C; G. F. Kim. vS. V. C; J. L. Il.arrison, J. V. 
 C; T. K. Ross, Chap.; J. R.Smith, Q. M.: Dr. W. 
 II. Darrow, Surg.; W. F. Wilson, Adjt.; S.S.Sny- 
 der, O. of D. 
 
 The brass band of Columbus Junction has been 
 in existence about ten years and lias attained a high 
 decree of excellence. The following named com- 
 pose its membership: Charles Armbriglit, leader 
 and cornet player; Osmond Barnes, B flat; Ed. 
 Swords, clarionet; F. Koeckeritz, piccalo; A. C. 
 Kellcy, solo alto; I. Carr, first alto; Ed. Baldwin, 
 
 second alto; W. Oliver, first tenor; Ed. Shellabar- 
 ger, second tenor; J. M. Klotz, baritone; C. E. 
 Jenkins, E flfit; John Raymond, bass drum; U. 
 Paschal, snare drum. 
 
 The Eastern Iowa Normal School of Columbus 
 Junction is worthy- of more than a passing notice. 
 This institution came into existence to meet a 
 want for normal instruction long felt by Iowa edu- 
 cators. While several attempts had been made to 
 establish institutions for the training of teachers, 
 none had been able to stand long against the many 
 difficulties to be met by 3'oung institutions of learn- 
 ing, and after a year or two's struggling had gone 
 down. In some cases their death was caused by 
 mismanagement, perhaps, but these attempts were 
 mostly ephemeral because of untoward political, 
 social or financial circumstances extriiueous to these 
 schools themselves. The years preceding 1870 
 were j-ears full of great social .ind political strug- 
 gles, in which the new State of Iowa w.a.s an .active 
 participant. These mighty struggles called for so 
 much of her power tli.at she could not do all for 
 schools that she w.anted to do, but her teachers, al- 
 though aiding the commonwealth in her public 
 measures, strove to create better educational facilities 
 at the same time, as may be seen by the attempts to 
 establish "Normal Instruction." 
 
 The first effort of this kind th.at had a lasting 
 effect was the establishment of a Normal and Train- 
 ing School or Institute, at Washington, in tlie fall 
 of 1870, which held a two-weeks session tiien, a 
 four weeks in 1872 and eight weeks in 1873. This 
 attempt was headed bj^ the County Superintendent 
 of Washington County, who organized and con- 
 ducted similar Institutes in Clay, Kossuth, Louisa 
 and other counties, prior to the end of the year 
 1873. Others seeing the worth of these "Summer 
 Institutes," had similar training schools prior to 
 1874. 
 
 Col. Alonzo Abernethy, then the Su|>eriutcn(U'nt 
 of Public Instruction, recoguizing the worth of 
 such efforts, asked the Legisl.ature of 1874 to make 
 this Normal Institute a St.ate institution, which w:is 
 done at the close of their session early in April of 
 that year. Now, evcr^^ county in' Iowa h.as its an- 
 nual Normal Institute. But the prime mover in 
 all this effort to give teachers special facilities 
 
-•► 
 
 630 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY, 
 
 for siwcial training was not satisfied to see that 
 effort stop with this Normal Institute alone, but 
 was determined to go a long step in advance and 
 found something more extensive. If a Norm.il In- 
 stitute of two to four weeks per year is a great 
 good, a Normal School of ten or more months per 
 year will be still better, was his thought, and a place 
 was soon found where a trial miglit be made. A 
 few years prior to 1874 Grand View Seminary had 
 been chartered, its charter providing that it miglit 
 be raised to an institution of college grade within 
 five years from 1869. In 1874 Prof. K. R. El- 
 dridge was ai)pointed Principal of the institution. 
 Having investigated liie liberal provisions of the 
 ciiarter, ^Ir. Kid ridge saw at once that iiis long 
 ciierishcd hope for a Normal School in Iowa might 
 now be realized, and proposed to the board of in- 
 corporation that if they would make of it a Normal 
 Sdiool he would accept the Presidency thereof. To 
 this proposition the^' gave heartj' sanction, and 
 created the Eastern Iowa N<)imal .School, which 
 opened its first session .Sept. 4, 1874, wi:h the fol- 
 lowing faculty: Edwin K. Eldridge. Pres.; James 
 A. Kennedy, B. A., Vice Pres.; W. Frank Davis, 
 li. S., .Sec; John A. Thompson, Principal of the 
 commercial tlepartment. 
 
 At the end of two months arrangeniffnts were 
 made by whicli the public schools of Grand A'iew 
 were made "model schools" for tlie Normal, and 
 were taught by the .Seniors and Juniors for the 
 drill of te.icliing. being carefully supervised by the 
 President, they working according to instructions 
 given in the classes in pedagogy. By the above 
 arrangement the former teachers of the public 
 schools, Joseph .Syplirit and Miss Nettie Hutchin- 
 son, became adjunct teachers in tlie faculty, thus 
 increasing its numbers to keep pace witli the de- 
 mands. The enrollment for the year in the Nor- 
 mal department was 113, and in the model school 
 103. At the end of the year I'rof. Kennedy re- 
 signed to become a candidate for the County .Super- 
 intendency of Louisa County, to wiiicli ollice he 
 was elected. Prof. Davis w.as made ^'ice President, 
 and still continued to act as Secretary. 
 
 .V sad mi.-ifortune came to tlie scIkioI during va- 
 cation, in tlie sudden death of Prof. Tiiomiison, one 
 of Nature's most gifted sons, an artist of merit 
 
 far beyond his years. He was beloved by all and 
 universally mourned. 
 
 The first faculty was composed of men j-oung. 
 enthusi.istic .ind resolute. A. II. Shotwell succeeded 
 to Prof. Thompson's place, and P. Kitner to a part 
 of Prof. Kennedy's work. At the time tlie school 
 was located at Grand A'iew there was a jirosjiect for 
 a railroad being built there, the nearest station then 
 being Lettsville. nearly six miles distant. Tlie 
 lack of a railroad was keenly felt, but still there 
 was a prosjieet, and the disadvantages were borne 
 from year to year until the will-o'-the-wisp entirely 
 vanished in 1881. 
 
 A professorship in eacli of two colleges w.ns ten- 
 dered President Eldridge. and he was elected City 
 .Superintendent of an excellent school, the last of 
 which he concluded to accept, until the good people 
 of Columbus Junction autiiorized N. M. Letts to in- 
 terview him relative to removing the school to 
 Columbus Junction. A beautiful brick structure, 
 not then finished, was tendered the school for its 
 future home, with a guarantee th.at it should be en- 
 tirely completed at once. 
 
 The school was rechartercd, and the Board of 
 Trustees selected under this charter received a war- 
 ranty deed for a beautiful plat of ground and tlie 
 fine structure thereon, wortii aftci; completion fully 
 $2,').000. and furnished, about *30,000. This proved 
 to be a grand move for the Eastern Iowa Normal 
 School, as its subsequent prosperity demonstrated. 
 The removal was demandwl because of the ditficulty 
 of access to its former location. At Grand ^'iew it 
 had warm friends who saw the necessity for the 
 removal and justified it. Prof. Eldridge remained 
 as President of the school until the fall of 1888. 
 when he resigned to become President of the .Slate 
 Normal .School of Alabama. 
 
 Columbus Junction has two good banks, the 
 Louisa County National Bank and the Farmers' and 
 Merchants' .State Biuik. 
 
 The Louisa County National Bank, of Columbus 
 Junction. Iowa, the onl}' National Bank in the 
 county, was organized July 10, 1872. with a capital 
 of $50,000, and began business on the l.Otli of Au- 
 gust following. The first Board of Directors was 
 composed of the following-named gentlemen: N. 
 M. Letts, S. W. True, Andrew Gamble, George W. 
 
 ^^-Jh-^ 
 
-4«- 
 
 •a^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 o;3i 
 
 Alcrrill. Cyril Cai-peiiter, J. \V. Garner. James 
 Colton, II. C. Wortliain ami S. C. Curtis. The first 
 oHic^crs were: Andrew Gamble, Presiilent; S. W. 
 True, Vice President, and Jolin N. True, Cashier. 
 Mr. Gamble served .as President until the time of 
 his death, which occurred in the spring of 187G, 
 and was succeeded by 8. C. Curtis, on the 15th of 
 April of that year. J. N. True soon resigned his 
 position, and Dr. W. A. Colton was elected Cashier, 
 Jan. 14, 1878, and has held that [losition cuulinu- 
 ally since, covering a period of more than ten 
 j'ears. George W. Merrill vvas chosen President 
 Jan. 14, 1879, and served one j'ear. J. W. Garner 
 was elected Vice President Jan. 14, 1878, aii<l was 
 chosen President Jan. 13, 1880, succeeding Mr. 
 Merrill, and has been re-elected at each succeeding 
 election up to this date. 1888. On the 13th of 
 January, 1880, Judge W. G. Allen, of AVapello, 
 was elected ^'ice President, and has since held that 
 position. E. R. Laee^^ who entered the bank in 
 April. 1874, as janitor and assistant book-keeper, 
 was promoted to his present position, that of assist- 
 ant cashier, Jan. 13, 1880, and is still serving in 
 that capacity. 
 
 The bank was first opened in a room under the 
 Murdoek House, now occupied l)y Mr. Ayers .as a 
 jewehy store," where the business w.as carried on 
 until the bank managers erected the present com- 
 modious and tasty brick building, at the northwest 
 corner of Main and Oak streets, which was com- 
 pleted in the fall of 1875, at a cost of $5,000. The 
 lower story has since been occupied by the bank, 
 the upper slor}- being used for odices. The history 
 of this bank shows an uninlerrui)ted career of pros- 
 perity, especiallj- for the past decade. At this 
 writing, July 18, 1888. its business showing is as 
 follows: capital stock, *50,000; surplus, 810,000; 
 undivided earnings, §12,000: total, $72,000; total 
 dividends to July 12. 1888, $07,500. 
 
 The i)resent otlicers are J. W. Garner, President; 
 Dr. W. A. Colton, Cashier; K. K. Lacey, Assistant 
 Cashier. The Board of Directors is composed of 
 J. W. Garner, W. G. Allen, V. G. Collin, M. Mc- 
 Lean, Wilson Dougherty, L. M. .Samson, J. R. 
 .Smith, J. II. Joimson and W. L. Curtis. The in- 
 terior of tiie bank has recently been remodeled, and 
 an elegantly designed bl.ack-walnnt counter subsli- 
 
 •-11—^^ 
 
 t 
 
 tnted for the old one. The Louisa County National 
 B.ink can now boast of having one of the most ele- 
 gant and tasty ofldces in the State, while its able 
 management has placed it among the leading finan- 
 cial institutions of Iowa. 
 
 The Farmers' and Merchants' State Biiik, of Co- 
 lumbus Junction, Iowa, was incorporated .March 3, 
 1888. under the State law of Iowa, willi a capital 
 of $50,000, and business was begun on that date. 
 William W. Eckman was elected President; Marion 
 Carter, Cashier, and W.ilter P. Paugh, Assistant 
 Cashier. The follo«-ing-nanied gontleinen compose 
 the Board of Directors: F. A. Duncan, Reuben 
 Stopp, William II. H. Spafford. Frank Wilcox, 
 William Lieberkneclit, Thomas J. Maxwell, William 
 W. Eckman, R. S. .lohiison, Richard Cotter, E. B. 
 Tucker, J. T. Kinmuuth, J. H. .lohnston, C. F. 
 Butler and E. L. Bemis. The well-known personal 
 responsibility .and high standing of the gentlemen 
 named al)()ve is sufficient guaranty of the stability 
 and popularity of this growing institution. While 
 comp.iratively new, this bank has secured a fair 
 share of the business in its lino, and is in a ])rosper- 
 ous condition. It is located on Walnut street, in 
 Spafford's new brick building, next e.ast of the 
 Hotel Iledrick. 
 
 The man uf.actu ring interests of Columbus Junc- 
 tion have never Ijeen developed to any great ex- 
 tent. Cook's Brick and Tile Works is the most 
 important. It is situated near the southern line of 
 the city, anil was established in June, 1880, being 
 the first enterprise of that kind in Louisa County; 
 Mr. Cook got out the first kiln of ware about the 
 middle of August, and during that year turned out 
 about 40,000 tile of all sizes. A popular prejudice 
 existeil in the minds of the i)eople that the clay 
 was not of the right texture, and the outlook was 
 not encouraging. At that time there was no one 
 here who understood laying tile, and Mr. Cook had 
 to send for an ex[)ert. who laid the tile and in- 
 structed others. The tile proved so good that the 
 business increased rai)idly. The first three se:vsons 
 Mr. Cook used horse power, and then put in a 
 IG-horse power engine and 14-liorse power boiler. 
 He subseqnentl}' put in a new boiler of 30-hor.se 
 power. At the beginning he used a second-chiss 
 machine, and could only make 3,000 three-inch 
 
^•^Hl-* 
 
 C32 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 
 tile a daj'. He put in a new machine in the fall of 
 1883. and with that machine he turned DUt 4,000. 
 Later improvements and better knowledge of pre- 
 |)aring the clay, have given the works a capacity of 
 turning out 10,000 a day of three-inch tile. The 
 factory had worked up to 9,000 in 1886 and 1887, 
 and in 1888 ran the number up to 10,000, giving 
 euiploj'raent to an average of seven men. 
 
 Mr. Cook has twcntj' acres of land, and clay 
 enough for fifty years. The formation of the soil 
 is as follows : The first fifteen inches there is a 
 thin soil, which, used with other clay, makes good 
 brick. The next run of seven feet is of tile cla^-, 
 then a strata of fine brick clay four feet thick ; then 
 tile clay, the best of an}', to a depth of fourteen feet, 
 after which the clay becomes intermixed with fine 
 pebbles that increase in size as the depth increases. 
 The tile from this yard has taken first premium at 
 all local fairs, and was awarded first honois at the 
 State Fair of 1884, out of nineteen factories repre- 
 sented. 
 
 AVhcn Mr. Cook began his present business he 
 had less than $100 cash capital, and his investment 
 capital was less than §350. His land contract for 
 the lots on which he started proved only a snare, 
 the proi)erty being mortgaged, and he was obligeil 
 to pay twice for it before getting tiie title. He has 
 since built up an extensive and important manu- 
 facturing enterprise, and now has it on a solid 
 b.Tsis. In addition to the manufacture of tile and 
 brick, Mr. Cook has recently invented an ornamen- 
 tal flower bed antl walk border, which is very tastj' 
 and easily laid. It is burned from the same claj' 
 as the brick, and can be adjusted to .any form re- 
 quired. He also is the inventor of a ditcher, with 
 which he can cut trenches, and with which he digs 
 narrow and deep ditches for tile laying, at much 
 less expense than can be done bj* hand. The 
 machine can be worked with two horses, but is 
 designed for four. As already stated, tlie factory 
 has grown to be one of the important industries of 
 Louisa County, and the energetic and business-like 
 proprietor is entitled to much credit for his success. 
 
 The Marsden Horse Compan}', of (Jolumbus 
 Junction, Louisa Co., Iowa, was organized in the 
 fall of 1885, by W. P. cfe W. J. Alarsden, who 
 contlucted the business under the firm name of W. 
 
 P. & W. J. M.arsden until Jan. 1. 1886, when 
 they adopted the name of the Marsden Horse Coni- 
 pan}'. On the 1st of January, 1888, John L. Mer- 
 rill purchased a third interest in the business and 
 became an equal partner. This company do a 
 general business as dealers in Perchcron and French 
 coach horses, and always have several fine speci- 
 mens on hand at their barns at the, west end of 
 AValnut street. The business is conducted under 
 the management of W. J. Marsden, an experienced 
 horseman. 
 
 The introduction of these fine stock horses is 
 having the effect of improving in a marked degree 
 the later growth of horses. Columbus Junction 
 has long enjoyed the reputation of being one of 
 the best horse markets in Iowa, for the reason that 
 the farmers of the surrounding country have spared 
 no expense in breeding from the best horses they 
 couhl find. With the great advantages offered by 
 the use of the fine stock of the Marsden Horse 
 Company, a new impetus has been given to this 
 ini])ortaut branch of business, until this locality has 
 attracted the favorable notice of dealers in and 
 bree<lers of fine horses in all parts of the country-. 
 
 Kckman & Baldwin, (William W. Ecknian and 
 F. M. Baldwin) successors to Wilcox & Son, are 
 dealers in lumber, lath, shingles, sash, doors, blinds, 
 lime, hair, cement and general building material, 
 also in coal and fence posts. The firm bought out 
 Wilcox & Son in Ma}'. 1884, and has carried on 
 the business continuall}' since. They have the ex- 
 clusive trade at this point in their line, except as to 
 fuel, and are doing an annual business of §35,000 
 or over. The proprietors are exiJerienced lumber 
 dealers, having carried on a similar business in 
 Illinois several j'ears prior' to coming to Columbus 
 Junction. They keep the best of stock, and are 
 pronii)t, fair and courteous in all their transactions. 
 
 S. W. Alfred it Co. are breeders of imported 
 Percheron, Clydesdale and English coach horses, 
 having their headquarters at Columbus Junction, 
 Iowa. This company established their business in 
 that city in the spring of 1886, and now.have four 
 excellent thoroughbred stallions in service. The 
 massive and beautiful coal-black Percheron horse 
 '•Figaro" is fouryears old, weighs 2,000 pounds, and 
 is known on the American Stud Book as No. o,U61, 
 
 •^^^ 
 
4- 
 
 ■♦Hh-* 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 633 
 
 while liis Frencli number under wliicli he was im- 
 ported is 7.708. He is a marvel of beauty and 
 strength, promises to weigii over 2,500 pounds, and 
 his cost w.ts #2,000. The second Percberon is a 
 finely modeled gray horse, six yeai-s old, weighing 
 l,7oO pounds. His American number is o.OSo and 
 the French 2,1(80. The Clyde horse -Wellington," 
 numbered 134, is six years old and weighs 1,850 
 pounds. He is a dark chestnut, and is a horse of 
 fine carriage and good jjoints. The English coach 
 horse, ''Young England's Glory." is a dark bay or 
 light blown, five years old, and weighs l.GOO pounds. 
 He is of the kind known as good all around horses, 
 good for either road or draught. The introduction 
 of such nniriials as these into a count}' will soon 
 help to improve the grade of horses in a marked 
 degree. 
 
 George I. Chnrcli, proi)rietor of Church's Ton- 
 sorial Parlors, Columbus Junction, has the oldest 
 established barber shop in the count}-. He began 
 business in Columbus Junction in the fall of 1875, 
 and has carried it ou continuousl}' since. He has 
 conveniently arranged bath-rooms in the basement of 
 his building, in which a good business is done_ 
 The building was constructed by Mr. Church for 
 the purpose for which it is nsed, .and it is well 
 lighted and vetilatcd. He employs two good 
 barbers, with himself making a force of three, so 
 that his customers are promptly and well served. 
 Columbus Junction is the only town in the State 
 where the people go to Church to get shaved, and 
 always with satisfaction. 
 
 .John R. (Jardner, ])roprietor of a restaurant, 
 bakery, ice-cream parlor and depot lunch counter, 
 Columbus Junction, began business at the dc|)ot as 
 keeper of the lunch counter in Januaiy, 1837, and 
 h.Ts carried it on continuously since, covering a 
 period of sixteen j'ears. Jn Marcli,^1885,he bought 
 out Mrs. Young's bakery and restaurant, which he 
 carried on successfully until the great fire of Aju'il 
 18, 1887, destro3'ed his establishment, by which he 
 sustained a loss of over %i)00 above insurance. Dur- 
 ing the following summer, while rebuilding, he had 
 stored his soda-fountain, his books, and lot of fix- 
 tures, including table wear, in the upper rooms of 
 the railw.ay dei)ot. where thej- were totally destroyed 
 on the burning of the depot in August of that year. 
 
 Having no insurance on the g<x>ds, they proved a 
 total loss; the destruction of the books also involved 
 the loss of many accounts. In the month of Octo- 
 ber, 1887, Mr. Gardner erected his present fine iM-ick 
 building on the site of the old one, .at a cost of 
 ^2.200, the upper story being yet unfinished. The 
 building which he now occuiiies as a restaurant, 
 bakery and ice-cream parlor, is twenty feet front 
 by ninety feet dee]), the front sixty feet being two 
 stories high, while the remainder of the building, 
 which is used as a bakery, is but one story high, 
 and is fireproof. ]\Ir. (xardner is doing a good 
 business in all di'i)artments of the establishment, 
 and well deserves a liberal patronage. 
 
 Gottfreid Kern, a haniess-niaker of Columbus 
 Junction, established business .-it that place in 1876, 
 which he has carried on continuously since. He 
 carries a complete stock of bainess, whips, rol)es, 
 blankets, collars and harness findings, and does all 
 kinds of rei)airiug in his line promptly and in the 
 best rannner. His stock is the largest and most 
 complete in the coiiiity, and his ol>liging manner and 
 honest}' of purpose have won for him the entire cun- 
 fideiice of his patrons. 
 
 5-^- 
 
 LAKAYETTK AND lUl.LSBOUO. 
 
 \T/ AFAYF/ITE was laid out by Jacob Schmett- 
 I (@ '^''''' Klizabetli Wheelock, William Edwards, 
 /l^^ .lames M. Edwards and Augustus Dubril, 
 May 4, 1 856, on the southeast corner of the southeast 
 quarter of the northwest quarter of section 19, town- 
 ship 75. range 4 west. The town lies immediately 
 south of and adjoining the town of Ilillsboro. plat- 
 ted by William Todd, and appears to have been 
 pl.atted one year earlier than Ilillsboro, though Mr. 
 Tood's recollections place Ilillsboro first. Accord- 
 ing to INI r. Todd he made the first settlement on 
 the land on which he afterward located the town 
 of Ilillsboro, the next year after the land sale in 
 Burlington, entering three forties, where he now 
 lives, the e;ist half of the northwest quarter of sec- 
 tion 19, township 75, range 4 west, .and a fractional 
 forty east of it. At that time there wjis no one 
 residing in the present limits of Columbus Junction. 
 He platted a village to which he gave the name of 
 
 :^^::f^ 
 
t 
 
 634 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Hillsboro. on the soutli bank of tlie Iowa River, on 
 tlie northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of 
 section 19. The survey was mafle hv John Gilli- 
 land, Jlay 26, 1857. It was intended to make this 
 a landing point for boats on tlie Iowa River. In 
 high water steamers used to run up to this point 
 and above. Tliere were two keel Itoats built here 
 in an early da3-, one by a Mr. Luckitt, and one by 
 ]Mr. AVheelock. of Fredonia. Mr. Todd was the 
 first regular licensed ferryman, and built and ran 
 six different ferrj-boats at this town. He continued 
 in the business until the Imilding of the present 
 wagon road bridge. As the countrj- was settling 
 up quite r.apidly lie had at times a lively business, 
 and had several narrow escapes from disaster by 
 ice floes. Several business places were started on 
 the plat, Dr. Dill being the firet practicing physi- 
 cian. ^Ir. Wliec'lock kept store here for awhile. 
 Tlie place onl_v flourished for a few 3-ears and then 
 began to decline. The buildings were gradually 
 removed to various places, until nothing scarcely 
 remained of tlie old town. 
 
 CLIFTOX. 
 
 Wliat is now known as old Clifton was platted 
 Sc|)t. 1."). 1858. lij- Green and Stone, of ^luscatine, 
 and was situated on the southwest quarter of the 
 nortiieast quarter, and the southeast quarter of the 
 northwest quarter of section 23, township 75 north, 
 of range 5 west. It was survej-ed bj' C. E. Ken- 
 nedy. The town was quite prosperous for some 
 years, and at one time had a population of about 
 200. A iX)st-ollice was established soon after the 
 village was laid out, with Cicorge lluj'wood as Post- 
 master, who served until 1861, when he was suc- 
 ceeded by John Collins, wtio remained in ollice 
 until 18C6. He was succeedecl in turn by George 
 W. ^Merrill, C. F. Butler, John Gamble and Clinton 
 Dill. 
 
 On the completion of the Burlington, Cedar Rap- 
 ids & Northern Railroad, and the building up of 
 the town of Columbus Junction, old Clifton began 
 U) decline, its business men moved awa^-, and in 
 time the station was removed by the railroad, and 
 in 1877 its jwst-otlice was also discontinuwl, being 
 merged into the post-oHlce at Columbus Junction. 
 
 When the station at old Clifton was discontinued 
 a ])etitioii was presented to the oHicers of the Chi- 
 
 cago, Rock Island ct Pacific Railroad for the loca- 
 tion of a station some miles farther west. What is 
 now called the village of Clifton, located near the 
 Washington County line, wjus laifl out b^y Miss ^lag-. 
 gie Col ton, and has now a population of about 100, 
 and is a shipping point of considerable importance. 
 There are two generiil stores doing a good business, 
 also a lumber-yard, blacksmith-shop and carpenter- 
 shop. A creamery was established here in 1881, 
 with a capacity of 2,000 pounds of butter jjer day. 
 A ISIethodist Episcopal Church affords religious in- 
 struction to the [Jeople of this place and vicinity. 
 
 €-^» ^ 
 
 - — ' ^^ 
 
 Wapello Township. 
 
 i^^tHIS is an irregular township, lying along the 
 f(l{^^ Iowa River, comprising part of township 73 
 '^^^ north, range 2 west, towiislilp 73, range 3 
 west, township 74, range 3 west, and township 74, 
 range 4 west. Tlie township w;is named in honor 
 of the Indian chief Wapello. It was one of the 
 first settled in the county, and centrally located 
 within its boundaries is Wapello, the county seatof 
 Louisa Count}'. 
 
 Old Wapello w.is located on a tract of land ad- 
 joining the present site of the citj' of Wapello on 
 the south. It was laid out bj' John S. David, in 
 1838. A court-house was built of Cottonwood 
 poles, and the first court was held therein by lion. 
 David Irwin, Judge of the .Second Judicial District 
 of the Terriloiy of Wisconsin, on the 20lh da}' of 
 April. 1837. 
 
 In 1839 the present city of Wapello was laid out 
 by William Milligan, Israel Clark and Wright Will- 
 iams acting as a Boaril of Coiiunissioners for Louisa 
 Count}', appointed by the TeVritorial Legislature to 
 select a place for the seat of justice for the said 
 county. The original town site was platted on the 
 southeast quarter of section 27, township 74, range 
 3 west, on the west bank of the Iowa River. It was 
 surveyed by John Gillilaiid. 
 
 The Bret business house in Wapello w.as erected 
 by George S. McCleary, who- put in a stock of 
 general merchandise. Mr. McCleary afterward be- 
 came somewhat noted, and was for some years State 
 Treasurer of Iowa. 
 
 t 
 
-4•■ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 {;;55 
 
 f 
 
 J. W. nnd E. B. Isett ciime soon nfter Mr. Me- 
 Cleary. opened up a stock of general merchandise, 
 purchased grain and packecJ pork for some years. 
 They are botli now dead. 
 
 Tiie first blacksmitii to locate in Wapello was 
 Henry Weaver, who remained some twelve or fif- 
 teen years, then went to Kentucky and later toMis- 
 st)uri, where he died in 1887. 
 
 William Milligan was licensed to keep a forry at 
 Wapello in 1837. and was probablj' the first to en- 
 gage in that business. 
 
 The first dwelling-house on the town site was 
 erected in 1835, bj' William ^lilligan. 
 
 The first tavern was kept by John Drake in 1837, 
 and was known as the Drake House. It was situ- 
 ated in what is now England's Addition to Wapello, 
 on the east side of Second street, and nearly west of 
 the old gristmill. 
 
 John Bivens, who was the first Countj' Treasurer, 
 built and kept a tavern near the river on the north 
 side of Mechanic street in 1838. He sold the same 
 to Jacob Mintun the following 3'ear. and the latter 
 gentleman continued to keep public house there 
 for many years. It was in the dining-room of that 
 bouse that Rev. Joseph Kirkland organized the first 
 religious social}' in Wapello. 
 
 The first religious services held in Wapello were 
 in the summer of 1839. The services were held in 
 John Drake's barn, by the Baptists. 
 
 The first church building was that of the Ger- 
 man .Methoilist Eiiisco|)al Church. 
 
 The first tailor shop here was opened in 1838 by 
 J. W. Watson. 
 
 William Milligan and William Cl;uk were the 
 first Justices of the Peace. 
 
 The first w.agon-shop was started by John Alli- 
 son at an early d.ay. 
 
 On the Slh day of Januarj', 1856, a petition 
 was presented to the County Court, praying said 
 court to authorize the legal voters of the town of 
 Wapello, and England's Addition thereto, to hold 
 an election for the purpose of ascertaining whether 
 the voters were in favor of incorporation. An 
 election w.as ordered held b}' the court in the town 
 of Wapello, on the 19th day of January. 185G, to 
 take the sense of the voters of said town, and En- 
 gland's Addition thereto, on the question of incor|)o- 
 
 4> 
 
 ration. At that election there were forty-six votes 
 cast for incorporation and one against. The first 
 election for town oflicers was held March 8, 1 85G, 
 when John Corsen was elected Mayor, and Lewis 
 Kinsej-, Recorder. James Scmple was elected Mar- 
 shal, and Hiram T. Cleaver, D. C. Jackson, Leonard 
 Robinson, L. P. Wells, Thomas Stoddard, Council- 
 men. Wapello is said to be the smallest incorpor- 
 ated city iu the United States. The following 
 named comprise the officers of the city in the fall 
 of 1888: A. W. Jarvis, Mayor; A. Nearhout, 
 Marshal; L. C. Wanuell, Recorder; G. R. Keller, 
 Treasurer; C. J. Ives, Assessor; H. B. Davison, 
 F. G. Anderson, George Erbes. H. A. Plitt, L. P. 
 Wells, J. L. Sweney, Councilmen. 
 
 The city of Wapello has been of slow growth, 
 but is substantially built and has quite a nund)er of 
 good business houses, as well .as private dwelling- 
 houses. In 1887 A. D. Hurley .and H. A. Plitt, in 
 connection with the Masonic fraternity-, erected a 
 fine two-storj' brick building t)n the corner of Sec- 
 ond and Van Buren streets, at a cost of %8,000. N. 
 E. Stevens also, in the fall of 1 888, erected a fine 
 brick building two stories in height. 
 
 As alread}' stated, Wapello is located on the 
 west bank of the Iowa River in a beautiful vallcj'. 
 Across the river is a splendid bridge, which is of 
 great convenience to the citizens of the county liv- 
 ing upon the east side. The bridge was first built in 
 1873, at a cost of §13,325. It is a wooden struc- 
 ture and consisted of five spans. In 1884 the span 
 on the west end of the bridge was taken down and 
 an iron span erected 205 feet in length. In 1885 
 the span at the east end of the bridge w.as tivken 
 down and an iron one substituted, and a sixth span 
 of iron was added, making the bridge consist of 
 six spans, three of which are iron and three wood. 
 The two iron spans at each end are 150 feet each 
 in length, and cost $G,600. The wooden spans are 
 150 feet each in length, and the iron one at the west 
 end 205 feet in length, which makes the total 
 length of the bridge 905 feet. 
 
 The first mill for sawing logs was built by Dan- 
 iel Sterrctt in 1 842. 
 
 The first gristmill was built in 1849 b}' James 
 Sample & Co., later was sold to the Wapello Mill 
 Company, .and continued under the managenient of 
 
 i- 
 
■<^ 
 
 C3G 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 *» B j y 
 
 Samuel Towiiseiid. It is now owned b}- George A. 
 Thomas. 
 
 A woolen-mill was erected here many years ago 
 b}- Henry Bolhee, who sold it to Johaunah & Win- 
 ter, who carried on the business for several j'ears, 
 having a fine trade. The mill finally passed into 
 the hands of Chris Winters, and was closed down 
 in llie full of 18H7. In the spring of 1888 the ma- 
 chinery was sold, and is now used by the Waijello 
 Creamery Company. 
 
 The post-oflice at Wapello was established in the 
 winter of 1838-39, and John Bevins, the first hotel- 
 keeper in the town, was Postmaster. Bevins' "tav- 
 ern" was situated on the north side of Mechanic 
 street, near the river. He sold his place to Jacob 
 Minton a year later, and Mr. Minton succeeded to 
 the pust-ollice. In the fall of 1844 George W. Mc- 
 Cleary, a pioneer merchant who was afterward 
 Secretary- of State and Member of Congress, suc- 
 ceeded to the office: following him was L. P. Wells, 
 who was then publishing the Wapello Jntelliyencer; 
 AVilliam Keacl), the first Republican Postmaster, 
 succeede<l Mr. Wells in 18G1, but on his enlist- 
 ment in the late war he left the oflice in the care of 
 his deputy, Mr. Wells. On the 23d of August, 18G2, 
 George F. Thomas became Postmaster b^' appoint- 
 ment of President Lincoln, and served until Aug. 
 8, 1885, when, the Republican party having gone 
 out of power, he was obliged to step down and out, 
 after a service of almost twent3'-three years. M. L. 
 Jamison succeeded Mr. Thomas, and served until 
 January, 1887, when he was succeeded b}- the pres- 
 ent incumbent, J. M. Herrick. The office has four 
 mails dailj', two each way, north and south. Miss 
 Blanche Wells is Deputy Postmistress. The money 
 order department was established Sept. 1, 1867. 
 
 The educational advantages of any community 
 indicate the intelligence, enterprise and moral 
 standing of the people, considering of course the 
 age and wealth of the town or settlement. Judg- 
 ing by this rule, the citizens of Wapello have reason 
 for a just pride in their elegant and conveniently 
 arranged school building, their corps of able teach- 
 ers, and the earnest and faithful efforts of those who 
 have served and are serving as their Board of Edu- 
 cation. 
 
 riie school building, which is a large and ele- 
 
 gantly designed structure, is built of brick, and 
 is two stories in height, containing eight rooms used 
 for school purposes, with a capacity to accommo- 
 date at least 400 scholars. Six teachers arc em- 
 ployed, a gentleman as Principal and five lad^* 
 assistants. The school is divided into six depart- 
 ments, and has a total of 280 scholars enrolled, with 
 an average attendance of 220. The present teach- 
 ers are: Josiah Cline, Principal; Miss H. Luella 
 Betts, second grammar; Miss Amj' Bell, first gram- 
 mar; Miss Lillio Sweney, intermediate; Miss Lizzie 
 G. Hurley, second primary, and Miss Joanna Doenne, 
 first primary, under whose management the school 
 is doing excellent work. The early history of the 
 Wapello schools dates back to the summer of 1840, 
 when John Gilliland, the County Surveyor, opened 
 a private school in his log dwelling, situated on 
 Main, near Mechanic street, on the site of the resi- 
 dence of the late Mrs. Clements. Miss Gilliland, 
 Miss Milligan and Lewis Kinscy were the early 
 teachers. The first school-house in the village was 
 built in 1844, and was situated on Main street, 
 south of Van Buren, it being used for school pur- 
 poses until 1853, when a brick structure was com- 
 pleted, which served until the present building was 
 finished in the fall of 1878, at a cost of $12,000. 
 School was opened in the new building in Januar}', 
 1879. 
 
 The Methodist Episcopal Church of Wapello was 
 organized in 1839, by Rev. Joseph Kirkpatrick, a 
 missionary sent out b^' the Methodist Episcopal 
 Conference. Mr. Kirki)atrick is s|)oken of !is a 
 grand old pioneer preacher. He was succeeded by 
 Rev. John Ilayden, who is said to be still living, at 
 the age of eighty years, and is a resident of Wapello 
 Count)'. The first services were held in the dining- 
 room of the Drake House, and later in the old court- 
 house. The first church building was of brick, :ind 
 was erected about 1852. It was finally torn down, 
 and the present church edifice erected in 1877, at a 
 cost of about ^3,500. It is situated on the south- 
 east corner of Main and Jackson streets, and has a 
 seating capacity of about 400. The church is in 
 good condition, and in 1888 had for its pastor Rev. 
 F. Ashpole. The Sunday-school hiis an average at- 
 tendance of about 125. 
 
 The First Presbyterian Church of Wapello was } 
 
 -•► 
 
 i 
 
■<^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 C37 
 
 organized May 2"2. l8o7, with thirteen members. 
 AV. C. Wilson and \V. 1'. Smith were the first El- 
 ders. Rev. Dinsnioro preached tlic lirst sermon for 
 tiiis church. For some lime tiie church iiad no regu- 
 lar pastor. Rev. O. II. Miller was the first regular 
 pastor. Rev. M. M. Cooper is the present pastor, 
 with Elijah Bird and John L. .Sweney as Elders. 
 
 The German Methodist Episcopal Church of Wa- 
 pello has a membership of about 100. Its house 
 of worship was erected in 1871, and is a neat frame 
 structure, with a seating cap.icity of 400. Its pres- 
 ent past or is Rev. Mr. Wilhelm. 
 
 Wapello Lodge No. 5. A. F. & A. M., of Wa- 
 pello, Iowa, -was instituted early in 1844, under dis- 
 pensation by the Grand Lodge of Iowa, wliich then 
 comprised only four lodges, which four had been 
 established under the jurisdiction of the Grand 
 Lodge of Missouri, and constituted the basis of the 
 Grand Lodge of Iowa, but recently organized, 
 W^apello Lodge was the first instituted under the 
 authority of that body, and the first to which a 
 charter was granted, it being granted at the second 
 session of the Grand Lodge, and bears the date Jan. 
 8, 1845. It was signed by G. M. Oliver Cock and 
 G. S., T. .S. Parvin, the latter still being Grand Sec- 
 retary. The first ofllcers of Wapello Lodge were 
 George W. McCleary. AV. M.; Robert Burchill. S. 
 W. ; Lewis Kinse}', J. W. ; A.G. Siverly, Tre.as. ; J. 
 C. McCleary, Sec'y; David Hurley, S. D.; J. Mil- 
 lard, J. D. ; and J. W. AVatson, T. The charter 
 was procured at the Januarj' session in 1845, by J. 
 W. Watson, who made the trip on foot to Iowa 
 City and liack for that purpose. In addition to the 
 ollicers named should be mentioned the following- 
 named brothers who were charter members: Dr. 
 John Hell, Joshua ISfarshall, J. V. Nj'e, J. M. Raker, 
 Z. C. Inghram, W. Little and R. Story. At the first 
 election under the charter the following-named 
 brothers were chosen for officers: George W. Mc- 
 Cleary, W. M.; Lewis Kinsey, S. W. ; J. W. In- 
 ghram, J. W. ; John Bird, Treas. ; C. M. McDaniel, 
 Sec'y; David Hurley, S. D. ; G.W. Riggins, J. D. ; 
 and J. W. Watson, T. 
 
 The oldest official book belonging to the lodge 
 known to exist is the Treasurer's book, now in pos- 
 session of F. M. Ong, who has been Treasurer of 
 the lodge for the past fifteen years. The book bears 
 
 the date of April, 1847, and shows that AV. M. 
 Clarke was Treasurer the previous j'ear, and was 
 succeeded that year by L. L. B. Miller, and tiiat 
 John Bird was Secretary at that time. The record 
 book now in use opens at the regular communica- 
 tion of Dec. 23, 1849, Dr. John Bell serving as AV. 
 M.; Jacob Pilger, S. AA^; .S. G. Jones, J. AV.; 
 George AV. McClearj-, Treas. ; and C. F. Morris, 
 Sec'y. The lodge first convened in a little frame 
 building on the west side of Second street, between 
 Van Buren and Mechanic street. Later tiieir meet- 
 ings were held in the upper story of the post-ollice 
 building, now the G. A. R. Post room. The lodge 
 owned a half-interest in the building, and the\' con- 
 tinued tojbccupy tli.it hall until May 14, 1878, when, 
 having sold their interest in the building, they 
 leased quarters in the Odd Fellows' Hall. The lodge 
 having purchased one-half of lot No. 1, block No. 
 12, of the original plat of Wapello, which faced Sec- 
 ond street, determined to build a home of their own. 
 The building was designed by John Hale, who was 
 one of the active ones in promoting the enterprise, 
 and construction was begun in the summer of 1887, 
 the building being completed and occupied in De- 
 cember following. The '-Masonic Building," as it 
 is called, was built of brick, is two stories high with 
 basement, and is twentj'-five feet front by sixty- 
 eight feet deep. The lower story, which is thirteen 
 feet high in the clear, is occupied as a dry-goods 
 an<l grocery store; the upper story, which is the 
 same height as the lower, is all used for lodge pur- 
 po.ses, and comprises a commodious and tasteful 
 hall, two iinterooms, reception and other necessary 
 rooms. The lot originally cost $000, and the build- 
 ing $3,125. By its erection the lodge encouraged 
 the building of tlie sul)stantial brick structures ad- 
 jacent, which extend to the corner of Second and 
 Van Buren streets, making, together with the Ma- 
 sonic building, a valuable and important addition to 
 the business center of the town. 
 
 The present officers of the lodge are D. W. S. 
 Grimes, W. M.; D. Kirkpatrick, S. AV. ; H. A. 
 Plitt, J. AV.; L. P. AVells, S. 1).; AV. R. Colip, J. 
 D. ; F. M. Ong, Treas. ; C. P. Lacey, Sec'y ; A. D. 
 AVhitcomb, T. ; II. Bothe, S. S. ; and R. E. Archi- 
 balil, J. S. The present membership numl)ers fort}'- 
 one, new members are being received, and the lodge 
 
-^^ 
 
 63S 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 is in a prosperous and thriving c jndition. As an 
 item of additional interest, the names and date of 
 service of persons who have licld the office of W. 
 M. of Wapello Lodge No. .">, A. h\ & A. M.. of 
 Iowa, is given: (ieorge W. McClear}-, 1844, U. D., 
 1845 and 1847, he also serving as Grand Master of 
 Iowa Grand Lodge; Z. C. Inghram. 184(5; John 
 Bird, 1848, 1850. 1853 and 18G2; Dr. John Bell, Jr., 
 1849 and 1851 ; A. J. Winter, 1852; Lewis Kinsey, 
 1854 and 185G; C. F. Morris, 1855; Elias Keach, 
 1857; M. P. Van Loon, 1858 ; John Hale, 1859, 
 18G0 and 1871; Dr. T. G. Taylor, 18G1; L. P. 
 Wells, 18(;;5, 1805, 18G7, 1870, 187G to 1880. inclu- 
 sive, 1883 to 1885; J. M. Edwards, 18G4 and 18G6; 
 Dr. J. V. (; rimes, 18G8 and 18G"J: J. S. Hurley, 
 1872; John Jenkins, 1873: T.L.Garrett, 1874; L. 
 C. Wonnell. 1875; L. A. Riley, 1881 and 1882; 
 and \)i: W. S. Grimes. 1886, 1887 and 1888. 
 
 Louisa Lodge Xo. 19. L O. 0. F., of Wai)elIo, 
 Iowa, was instituted Sept. 19, 1848, and is now in 
 its forti(lli year. The following-named brothers 
 were the charter members: Hon. George W. Mc- 
 Cleaiy (who was the tirst Noble Grand). Henry 
 Christy, Lewis Kinse}-, Micajah Reever and Joseph 
 L. Durbin. The first to be initiated into the lodge 
 was .Samuel Townsend, after whom were the follow- 
 ing-named members in the order written : John 
 Bird, Amos Karris, Jolin Minton, Harris Howe}', 
 William H. R. Thomas, George Grasham, D. F. 
 Markley, C. F. Morris and William Kgans. Meet- 
 ings were first held in a buililing owned by Jacob 
 Pilger, which was situated on Water street, corner 
 of Merchant. In 1851 the lodge removed to a 
 building which stood on the site of Mr. Garrett's 
 new building on Second street, and several years 
 later they moved to a new hall on the site of the 
 present Odd Fellows' building, which they subse- 
 quently purchased. A fire occurred on the 13th of 
 August, 1873, by which the hall and contents were 
 destroyed, and a new building was erected on the 
 same site by the lodge at a cost of §3,500, which 
 thej' still own and occupy. A new charter wa^ issued 
 by the (Jiand Lodge Oct. 23, 1873, in lieu of that 
 which was ilostroyed by tiie fire, and the hall w.as 
 dedicated on the 4th of June, 1874. 
 
 The Odil Fellows' building is a brick structure of 
 twostories in height, and is thirty' feetfrontb}' si.xl^' 
 •^t 
 
 feet deep. The lower stor}' is leased for mercantile 
 business, while the entire up|)er floor is used for 
 lodge purposes. The hall is neatly and comfort- 
 ably furnished, and serves for both the Subordinate 
 Lodge and Encampment. At the time of the fire the 
 lodge had only $900 insurance on building and 
 contents, and lost heavil}'. When they h.ad com- 
 pleted the new building thej' were $1,800 in debt, 
 all of which has since been paid off, and the lodge 
 is now t)Ut of debt and in a healthy and prosperous 
 condition, with money on hand. The present mem- 
 bership is thirty-five, and the present officers are: 
 M. W. McKay, N. G.; O. P. Myers, V. G.; L. P. 
 Wells, Secretary, and George R. Keller, Treasurer. 
 
 Wapello Encampment No. 12, I. 0. F., was 
 instituted April 7, 1854. The following named 
 constitute the charter members and the first officer: 
 A. M. Taylor, C. P.; John IMann, H. P.; B. H. 
 Drusa, S. W. ; Henry Christy, J. W.; J. M. Herrick, 
 'J'reas. ; T. G. Taylor, Sec, and Lewis Kinsey. The 
 encam|)ment was sliort-lived for some reason, as the 
 records siiow that the last meeting held was on the 
 21st of Februaiy, 1 8G0, when the charter was sur- 
 rendered. A reorganization took place in Decem- 
 ber, 1875, and the charter was reissued under the 
 old number. The officers then were James Semple. 
 C, P.; George S. Nichols, H. P.; Henry Bothe, S. 
 W. ; John Hale, J. W. ; J^hn i\L Herrick, Scribe; 
 11. S. Herrick, Tre.as., and with H. B. Karr these 
 constituted the entire membership at that lime. 
 The present membership numbers eighteen, and the 
 present ollicers are : August Lawrence, C. P. ; James 
 Semple. II. P.; Jesse Graham, S. W. ; Henry A. 
 Plitt, J. W.; N. W. McKay, Scribe; W. S. Grimes, 
 M. 1)., Treas., and Ileiir^' Bothe, 1. S. Meetings are 
 held in the Odd Fellows' Hall, and the lodge is in 
 a thriving condition. 
 
 HariHony Linhje Xo. 29. Legion of Honor. Wa- 
 pello, was instituted May G, 1882, under the 
 authority of the Graml Lodge of Iowa. W. S. 
 Grimes was chosen President; Milo J. Smith, Vice 
 President; H. R. Christie, Recording .Secretary, and 
 George E. Black, Financial .Secretary. The busi- 
 ness anil object of this order are to promote fra- 
 ternity, and to alTord liiiaiicial aid and licnefit to 
 the widows, or|)hans, heirs or devisees of deceased 
 members of the order. The i)resent membership is 
 
■^•- 
 
 LOULSA COUNTY. 
 
 G39 
 
 twenly-tliiee, and the present ollicers are as follows: 
 W. C. Williamson. President; W. S. Grimes, Vice 
 President; O. U. Keller, Recording Secretary; C. 
 .1. Ives, Financial l^cerctary. and L. A. Kelly, 
 Treasurer. 
 
 A. M. Taylor Post No. 153, G. A. E., of Wa- 
 pello, was instituted March 28, 1883, with the 
 following-named comrades as charier members: 
 William G. Allen, B. F. Wright. .S. F. Small. G.M. 
 15cl I. George W. Ilayden. T. S. Bell, G. S. Nellis, 
 N. W. JIcKay, W. C. Saunders, J. B. Jarvis, A. H. 
 Ilavenhill, II. D. Keller. W. R. Colii>. Henry Wan- 
 zer, Henry Hunt, F. M. Ong, F. S. Butler, E. P. 
 Davis, S. W. Tompkins and H. Polite Carson. The 
 post met in the Odd Fellows' Hall from the ilate of 
 its organization until November, 1885, when they 
 leased the hall over the post-office for three years. 
 In the spring of 1888 tliey purchased tiie property, 
 which is a two-stor^' brick structure situated on the 
 southwest corner uf Second and Mechanic streets, 
 and which is valued at ?1.2()(). The post has the 
 property all paid for with the exception of S400. 
 The lower story is leased to the Government for a 
 post-odice. 
 
 The first officers of tiic i)ost were William G. 
 Allen, P. Commander; B. F. Wright, S. V. C: S. 
 
 F. Small, J. V. C. ; N. W. McKay, O. D. ; G. W. 
 Hay den, Q. M.; T. S. Bell, Surgeon; George S. 
 Nellis. Chaplain; W. C. Saunders, O. G.; George 
 M. Bell, Adjt. ; J. B. Jarvis, Sergt. M.ijor; and A. 
 II. Ilavenhill, Q. M. S. 
 
 After a prosperous career of five years or more, 
 during whi(-h time much good has been done, and 
 fraternal feeling cultivated among old comrades 
 who are now ra|)idly passing to the shad}' side of 
 life, the post has wun a permanent ]>lace among the 
 cherished institutions of the county, aTid is working 
 harmoniously. The venerable comrade, William 
 
 G. Allen, who was chosen lirst Vost Commander, 
 has been re-elected to thatposition at each success- 
 ive election. The total menilicrship at this writing 
 is sixty-five, ami the present list of ollicers (1888) 
 is a follows: William G. Allen, Post Commander; 
 N. W. McKay, S. V. C; J. W. Walker, .1. V. C; 
 H. M. Davis, Ailjt. ; W. R. C'olii), (Quartermaster; 
 James H. Hicklin, .Surgeon; Frederick Ashpole, 
 Chaplain; 15. F. Wright, Oflicer of the Day; Joseph 
 
 Shipman. O. G.; J. J. Ambler, Sergeant Major, and 
 Henry Hunt, Q. M. S. 
 
 Frank Davison Camp No. 134, Sons of Veterans. 
 Division of Iowa, was organized March 3, 1888. 
 This society is an adjunct of the Grand Army of 
 the Republic, and w.as instituted for the pur|)ose of 
 keeping green the memory of the fathers of its 
 members, to aid the G. A. R. in the protection of 
 the widows and orphans of deceased soldiers, and 
 to inculcate patriotic sentiment. Its constitution 
 provides that it shall not be partisan in politics. 
 The charter members of this camp are: A. W. Jar- 
 vis, J. W. Crulchfield, V. Hyde, Ed Hicklin, W. A. 
 Colip, W. E. Ficlman, Abe Ilunsucker, Charles 
 Shipman, Frank Archibald, Ira Lesnet, John Davis, 
 Perry Axtell, Letc Axtell and Harry Allen. Its 
 officers arc: A. W. Jarvis, Captain; J. W. Crutch- 
 field, 1st Lieut.; Abe Ilunsucker, 2d Lieut.; A. W. 
 Colip, 1st Sergt. ; V.. Hyde, Sergt. of G. ; W. E. 
 Fielman. Q. M. S. ; Ed Hicklin. Chap.; Charles 
 Shipman, Corp. of the G.; John Davis, Camp G.. 
 Lete Axtell. Picket G.; L. Archibald, Color Sergt.; 
 and T. '.\I. llowey, Principal Musician. The camp 
 h.as a meml)ershi|) of eighteen, and meets at the G. 
 A. R. Post room on the first and third Saturd.ay of 
 each month. 
 
 The Woman's Relief Corjis No. 93. of Wapello, 
 an auxiliary to the G. A. R., wasorganize<l Jan. 19, 
 1887, the charter members being: IMesdames E. A. 
 Miller, L. C. Riley, E. Garrett, V.mmtx Mincher, E. 
 A. Small, F. E. Shipman. Lena Davis, LydiaLacey, 
 A. C. Bell, Louisa Linderm.an, M. J. Farver, Clara 
 Hale, E. J. Ong, Jlercy Smith, Laura Tompkins, 
 Mary. Colip. Matilda Allen. O. J. Ambler, and the 
 Misses Jessie Ambler, Lizzie Tompkins, Lilly Ong 
 and .M.aggie E. Colip. 
 
 Tlie Western Rifle Association, which comprises 
 nine clubs, representing the Stales of Iowa, Illi- 
 nois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Kansas, has its pres- 
 ent headquarters at the city of Wapello, Iowa. 
 E. W. Tallock, of the latter-named city, is Presi- 
 dent, and W. H. Shenowith, of Chicago, is Secre- 
 tary and Treasurer. The first tournament was held 
 at Milwaukee, Wis., M.iy 25, 1881, and the last 
 two at Wapello, Iowa. A tournament is held each 
 year, and that for 1888 is to tidcc place at Ft. 
 Luelling, Minn. President Tallock has been asso- 
 
•^1^4^ 
 
 
 CiO 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 cialed with the institution since 1884, and has 
 servefl two j'ears as Secretary and Treasurer, prior 
 to his e'.cction as President. Tlie Wapello Rifle 
 Club has twice in succession won the championship 
 long range badge, and J. J. Ambler, one of its 
 members, at the last touriiament won the Minne- 
 apolis Tri/june liadge, valued at $100. 
 
 Waiyello Lodge No. 212, A. 0. U. W., of Iowa, 
 w.-is instituted Feb. 3, 1880, with twenty-two char- 
 ter members. Its meetings are held in Odd Fel- 
 lows' Hall, and it has a membership of twentj'-two 
 persons. 
 
 Louisa Tent Xo. 8, K. 0. T. 3/, of Wapello, was 
 organized in Jul}', 1887, with twenty-one charter 
 members. Its meetings are held in Odd Fellows' 
 Hall. Theol)jeetof the society is that of insurance. 
 In 1 8«8 its otticers were G. W. Thomas, Cora. ; J. T. 
 Scroggs. Recorder; C. J. Ives, Finance Keeper. 
 
 The V. A. Ki. Fraternity and Collegium. No. 40, of 
 Wapello, was organized in 1880. Its object is that 
 of mutual life insurance. The officers for 1888 
 were JMiio .1. Smitii, Rector; H. L. Smith, Vice- 
 Rcclor; C. J. Ives, Scribe; L. P. Wells, Treasurer. 
 Its membership at present is ten. 
 
 The Good Templur Lodge of Wapello was insti- 
 tuted April 27, 1880, with twent^'-four charter 
 membei-s. It is in the most flourishing condition, 
 with a present membership of seventy-nine. Its 
 present oHicers are G. W. Thomas, W. C. T. ; 
 Fanny Oates, W. V. T. ; Emma Mohle, Secretary; 
 Charles Shipman, Assistant Secretary; V. B. Beane. 
 Treasurer; Ltmisa Townsend. Financial Secretary; 
 Susie Black, Chaplain ; L. W. Myers, P. W. C. T. ; 
 Izola Sweney, Marshal; R. Riley, Deputy' Marshal; 
 Lilly (irahani. Sentinel; Charles Sargent, Guard; 
 Riley Armstrong, Lodge Deputy. 
 
 The Philharmonic Musical Society and Brass 
 Bund was organized in February, 1878, and has 
 had a continuous existence of eleven 3'ears. The 
 organization is one of the best in the countr}', and 
 has received many flattering testimonials for the 
 prciiiciency of its members. Those comprising its 
 I)rpspnt membership are Oak Myers, leader; G. M. 
 Bell, Kd. Lowe and Fred Keck, Lew, John and Ed 
 Krbes, George, Frank, A. A. and Jesse Townsend, 
 Guy Krcnier, George Thomas and George Ong. 
 
 The Wapello Canning Conii)any was incorporated 
 
 June 20, 1888. with a capital of |!jO.OOO, the com- 
 panj' purchasing the woolen-mill building, situated 
 on Water street, which is well adapted to the pur- 
 pose. The building is 40x10.0 feet in size, and three 
 stories in height. In 1888 about 200.000 cans of 
 vegetables were put up. which is expected to be in- 
 creaseil to 1,000.000 cans per 3-ear in the future. 
 The officers of the association in 1888 were Milo 
 J. Smith, President; G. W. Thomas, Secretary and 
 Treasurer; A. J. Osborn, Superintendent. 
 
 The Wapello Cemetery Association was incor- 
 porated June 20, 1884, with J. S. Hurley', Pres. ; 
 G. W. Thomas. Vice Pres. and Sec. Its officers for 
 1888 were John Huflf, Pres.; George Erbes, Vice 
 Pres. ; N. W. McKay, Sec. The object of the as- 
 sociation is to acquire, hold, improve and convey 
 real estate for burial jjurposes. The Wapello Ceme- 
 tery is situated on the southeast corner of the 
 northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of sec- 
 tion 21. township 74 north, range 3 west, and con- 
 tains seven acres. There was here an old burying 
 ground, and the present cemetery is but an exten- 
 sion of that one. It was laid out on hind origi- 
 nally donated i)y Thomas lingland, whose wife was 
 the first person there buried. 
 
 ■:^->ii;!H^?:5<^^=-<- 
 
 Morning: Sun Township. 
 
 (^^^IHS township com|)rises a ix)rtion of town- 
 4|^^ ship 73 nt)rth. range 3 west, and a iX)rtion 
 ^^^ of towiislii|) 73 north, range 4 west, conipris- 
 ing in all a fraction over one Congressional town- 
 ship. The townslii]) was lir^t known as Florence, its 
 name being given it by Willinin Harrison, tn 18;)3 it 
 took the name of Morning Sun. after the village of 
 that name. There are two streams running through 
 the township. Otter C'roek and Honey Creek. The 
 first settlement was ma<le about 1836. Jonathan 
 llarkcman, of Ohio, settled on section 25. He was 
 a blacksmith by trade, and was the first to work at 
 that branch of business in this townsliip. lie was 
 also the inventor and manufacturer of the first 
 diamond plow. After remaining here for a time 
 he removed to Malia.ska County, Iowa. John A. 
 Lcwin came from N'irginia and settled on section 
 18. where he made a farm. He was a memlier of 
 
 •► 
 
LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 G41 
 
 the Baptist Chuirh, and it is stated by some tliat 
 till' first serviees were iicld at liis iiouse. lie after- 
 ward removed to Poll< County, Iowa. Joiin Ilamil- 
 ti)ii settled on section 20. lie was a native of Ohio. 
 Zailt>ic -larvis settled at Virginia (irove, where he 
 spent the remainder of his life. He w.as a native 
 of Indiana, and l)ecame a prominent farmer and 
 stock shi[)per. John Vaughn, a veterinary surgeon 
 by profession, is also numbered among the first set- 
 tlers. IJeligiously, he was a .Seventh-Day Bajitist, 
 and services of tliat denomination were held at his 
 house. 
 
 The first religious services were conducted by 
 the Kev. .Johnson, a Baptist minister. The first 
 organization was that of the Associate Presb,>'tcrian, 
 anil their first meetings were held in a building 
 owned by W. 1'. Brown, and which was used for 
 school purposes. Rev. Mr. Jackson was the first 
 minister of that denomination. The next church 
 organized w:us that of the lleform Presbyterian or 
 Covenanters, the first regular pastor of which was 
 Rev. Mr. McDon.ald. The Presbyterians organ- 
 ized the next society. Rev. Bell oHiciating on the 
 occasion. The first house of worship was built by 
 tlie Associate or United Presbyterian Church, on a 
 plot of ground given by AV. P. Brown, which they 
 were to have and hold ms long as used for clnircli 
 puri)eses. The building was finally moved to the 
 village of Morning Sun. .and used for school i)ur- 
 poses and afterward as a wagon-shop. 
 
 The first school was taught two miles north of 
 Jlorning Sun, on land owned by W. P. Brown, who 
 erected a l)uilding free of cost. The first school 
 was taught by T. P. Brown, son of W. P. Brown, 
 who died in 1856. 
 
 The first mill -was erectetl on Honey Creek in 
 1840, by John Rose. It was a water mill. The 
 early si^ttlcrs used to carry their grist on horse- 
 b.ack to this mill, giving one-half for grinding. 
 
 The first wagon-maker was Hugh Kdwards, who 
 did quite a business at an early d.ay. 
 
 The first merchandise was sold l>y .1. ('. Brown, 
 who opi^ned up a stock of goods Aug. 10, 18,')0, in 
 a hewed log house which Uh subsef(uently removed 
 to the village of Morning Sun, where he continued 
 in Imsiness for thirty-three years. The second 
 store was o])ened liy a man named Wright, who 
 
 soon afterward disposed of his stock to II. C. 
 Blake. 
 
 The first marriage w-as that of AV. II. Mickey and 
 Sarah Garner. 
 
 HONEY CUI;KK DISTUICT. 
 
 OR the following account of Honey Creek 
 District we are indebted to AVilliam JI. 
 Wilson. This district w.as named Honey 
 Creek by John .M. Wilson, Samuel Hamilton and 
 Hiram Morgan. Among its early settlers were 
 Mark Davison, Rol)ert McKlhaney, John Wilson, 
 William Lee, .1. Dowell, Robert Lee, John O'Lough- 
 lin, John llaniilton, E. W. Siverly and James Mor- 
 gan. The first school was taught .about the winter 
 of 1839-40. by .Mr. Siverly, in a cabin used for a 
 blacksmith-slioi). near the bank of Honey Creek. 
 The boundaries of the ilistrict at that time were 
 about from Morning Sun to James McCray's, and 
 from Linn (Jrove to AVni)ello. About 1845 it was 
 permanently organizetl and the district erected a 
 substantial log school-house, which was used until 
 1856, when it was burned. In the summer of 1857 
 the frame building now occupied was built, in 
 which the first school was taught by David Tol- 
 bert. The first juMsons born in the bounds of the 
 district were Klizabelh McFall. Philij) Lee and T. 
 R. AVilson. The lirsl two marriages were J.ames 
 Joy to Nancy Hamilton. .'in<l Jane Lee to Henry 
 McFall. 
 
 The pioneer young ladies of the district were 
 Vina Lee, Catharine Lee, Katy, Mary and Petty 
 Hamilton. Melinda Pace, Charity I'ayne, Mary Joy, 
 Nancy and Margaret Wilson. The pioneer young 
 men were I). R. Lee. Alex and Samuel Hamilton, 
 Hiram Morgan. William, .lames and Kd .Toy. The 
 first brick residence was built li\' T. McClurkiii. 
 .lohn Wilson had thi' first well dug by Lil.Ioy. and 
 w.mHimI by Tobias Brogan. The following named 
 served .as soldiers from Honey Creek in the late 
 war: Thomas Brown, .I.J. Conway, Patrick Coin. 
 Robert Cillenwaler, .Vlex Kerr, Ira Linton, Harvey 
 Linton, Ivlnioud LiiiUm, James Milttm, Dan Mil- 
 ton. Kinlcy Paisley, Josiah Paisley. Kzni P.-iisley, 
 Frank I'aisley, .lohn Paisley, Oeorgc Simpson. Fd 
 
/ 
 
 ' ^ 642 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Skiwinski. .1. W. AVilson. (1. W. Woolverine. J. C. 
 AVilliaiiis. 
 
 Two and one-half miles north of Newport is the 
 Hetlu'l Methodist Kpisoopal Cliuich. Tlie first 
 meetings were held as early :is 1810. A house of 
 worship was soon erected at a cost of SI 00. The 
 contractors were iVIark Davison and George Jami- 
 son. They felled the trees, scored the logs, hewed 
 the timbers and hauled to the spot selected. All 
 the neighbors assisted in the raising. This build- 
 ing was occupied and used as a church and school- 
 house until 1844-45, when the present church was 
 erected. It is of stone which w.is quarried in the 
 immediate vicinity-. 
 
 VILLAGE OF MORNING SUN. 
 
 (*!^^I1E village of ^lorningSuii is pleasantly situ- 
 ated on section 30, township 7;5 north, r.ange 
 3 west, and section 25, township 73 north, 
 range 4 west. It was laid out in 1851; AV. P. 
 Brown erected the first building inside of what is 
 now its corporate limits. It was a hewed log 
 building anil it took all the men in the surround- 
 ing country to build it, with the help of two gal- 
 lons of the best whisky to be ii.ad. The building 
 w.as l(>xl8 feet, one and a half stories high. In one 
 end of this building J. C. Brown sold the first 
 goods. It was also in this building that the early 
 ministers of the Gospel alw.ays found a welcome 
 home, and the first sermon in the vicinity was 
 preached in that house also. W. P. Brown also 
 built the first hotel in Morning Sun in 1857, at a 
 co.st of §5,000. 
 
 Wellington Wright erected a small- building on 
 South Main street in 1855, and c<nnmenccd selling 
 merchandise, l)eing the second in the village. He 
 soon sold out his business to H. C. Blake, who did 
 business in ^lorningSun for many years afterward. 
 The next store building w.is erected bj' J. C. Brown 
 on Main Street. J. L. Ilurd was the next merchant, 
 and abi)ut the same time St(jrinant &: Jamison also 
 erected a store iiuilding and put in a slock of goods. 
 This was the substance of the business of Morning 
 Sun until the bnihling of the r:iilrf)ad. 
 
 Cicero Ilaniilton, wlm laid out the village, built 
 
 the first brick house in ^Morning Sun. He started 
 the first sawmill in the south part of JlorningSun. 
 A circular saw was u.sed and tlie mill was run liy 
 steam. 
 
 The first bank was started by Proctor Johnson, 
 who sold to Mr. Stevenson, who built the brick 
 block and used the corner room for banking 
 purposes. 
 
 Morning Sun was incorporated Aug. 19, 1867. 
 Its first officers were J. C. Brown, Mayor; J. K. 
 AVright. Recorder; T. D. Wilson, II. McClurkin, J. 
 II. Graham, J. F. Gatthrop, A. W. Cabin, Council- 
 men; H. C. Blake, Justice of the Peace. Those 
 serving as . Mayor of the town have been J. C. 
 Brown, .Samuel Miller. II. C. Blake, P. F. Shackle^ 
 Samuel Hamilton, II. McClurkin. K. M. Pomer}-, 
 James Sterrctt, James Iligbec, Samuel Hamilton, 
 J. L. Marshall, T. J. Api)letree, and D. Stormant, 
 who is the present flavor, with E. M. Edwards, 
 Recorder; W. A. McCormick. U. II. Cabin. II. F. 
 Bivens, J. F. Holiday, G. B. Huffman, S. McKinle^', 
 Councilmcn; AVilliam Bell and Josej)!! Kincaid, 
 Justices of the I'eace. 
 
 The I'nited Presbj-terian Church of Morning 
 Sun was org.anized in 1840 by Rev. Samuel Fin- 
 lev. D. D., iissisted by the Elders. It was organized 
 under the ausi)ices of the Associate Reform Church 
 of the Presbytery of Indiana, and named the Asso- 
 ciate Reform congregation of Virginia Grove, Lou- 
 isa Co., Iowa. John Wilson and John Hamilton were 
 elected Elders, and were in due time ordained. Some 
 time after H. iM. Ochiltree and Wilson Gillin were 
 elected to the Eldership. Rev. Jackson Duff wa.s 
 I'astor for some years, and was succcdcd by Will- 
 iam JI. Graham, who served the church until the 
 summer of 1860 or 1861. In 1862 the congrega- 
 tion i)resentcd a call to Rev. Thomas Samson, 
 which was .accepted, and he remained until 1864. 
 The church has been highly favored by those who 
 have served as pastors, and has increased, not 
 only in membership, l)ut in spiritual strength .ns 
 well. It now h.as a membership of al)out 220. In 
 1856 the present church edifice was erected, .-it a 
 cost of ¥L000, on grounds given by Wilson (iitlin. 
 It is a stone structure 40x60 feet. RcVL, T. C.^ Ic- 
 Kildev is the ]>ie.sent Pastor. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church w.as organized at a 
 
 t - 
 
 K 
 
 Z^^JJj^^^v^ 
 
 ■•► 
 
■► 1 1^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 643 
 
 very oarly dny bv Rev. Mr. Hell, who was the first 
 to cstahlish the cause of I'resbyterianism in Soutli- 
 ern Iowa. McC'onnell Swan and Hamilton Hrown 
 were the fii'St Elders. Tlie first Pastor wa.s Ucv. 
 Samuel Cowles. 
 
 Tlie Methodist Episcopal Church of Morning 
 Sun dates its organization back to 18;)6. In 1H12 
 there were a few Methodists in the southern part 
 of the county, and Rev. Mr. Paschall, a jnoncer 
 IMethodist Ei)iscoi)al circuit rider, visited .and 
 preached in this section of the country. The first 
 meetings were held in a log cabin built by W. P. 
 Brown, and which was also used for school jiur- 
 poses. Rev. IMr. I'aschall visited and preached oc- 
 casionally for several years. In 185G the first class 
 was formed by Rev. Mr. Slielton, who was followed 
 by Rev. ISIicliael See. About this time the I'resby- 
 terians built a cliurch in Virginia Grove, on land 
 donated by Mr. Brown, with the understanding 
 that when not occupied by the Presbyterians the 
 Methodists should have it for their use. Rev. Mr. 
 Pratlierand Rev. Mr. AV^-man occasionally preached 
 there. They were followed by Rev. Jlr. Pell, who 
 had regular a])pointments. In 1870 Rev. Mr. Bird 
 was appointed, and meetings were held in Schenk's 
 Hall. From 1871 to 1874 Rev. Mr. Bamford. who 
 organized the church, served, and was instrumental 
 in building the present house of worship. Under 
 his preaching there were thirty-four received into 
 the church. From 1874 to 1878 Rev. G. AI. Tuttle 
 occupied the pulpit, and 110 were taken into mem- 
 bership. From 1878 to 1880 Rev. J. E. Corlcy 
 was the P.nstor, and ten were added. He was suc- 
 '>ceeded by Rev. S. S. Martin, who remained one 
 • year, in which time twentj'-eight were received into 
 . the church. Rev. George Melton came in 1881, 
 •^ and remained until 1883, during wliich time there 
 s were thirty -two added. He was followed by Rev. 
 ' J. W. ]>ewis, who left no record of additions. Rev. 
 .1. H. Armant, who came in 1886, is the present 
 PastorTTTu'a in two years under his administration 
 thirty-four were received into tlie church. The 
 church building is a frame, in good condition, with 
 a seating capacity of about 200. It wjis built at a 
 cost of aliout $1,.5()0. 
 
 The Reform Presbyterian Church of Morning 
 Sun was organized .Inly !•. 1K7."^. with forty-six 
 -^•- 
 
 members. In the fall of that year the cliurch erected 
 a good, substantial, frame building, 5.5x34 feet, with 
 vestibule and bdfry, 10x18 feet, ata cost of 8>'2,.0OO. 
 In April, 1874. Rev. C. I). Trumbull was installed 
 as Pa.stor, which position he has since held. To the 
 original membership 203 have since been added, of 
 which number 130 have either died or moved .iway, 
 leaving a menibership of 119. .Since its organiz.a- 
 tion the church has had a steady and healthy growth. 
 
 The Knights of Maccabees was organized in 
 this place .June 20, 1887, with about fifteen mem- 
 bers, but has at the present time but nine. Its 
 present ollicers are: H. M. Cochran, Past Com.; 
 J. T. Holiday, Coin.; Dr. R. S. Paxton, Finance 
 Keeijer. 
 
 The Legion of Honor is represented by Lodge 
 No. 147, which w.is organized in July, 1883, with 
 sixteen charter members. Its present membei-ship 
 is but eleven, with M. Ochiltree, Pres.; J. M. Mc- 
 Clannahan, Vice Pres.; W. B. Maffett, Rec. Sec; 
 M. H. Cochr.an, Fin.ancial Sec; R. R. Orchard, 
 Tresis. 
 
 The Mutual Improvement and Social Circle was 
 organized in the winter of 1886, and is composed 
 of some of the best citizens of Morning Sun. Its 
 membershiii is limited to twenty, and each takes an 
 .ictive part in all it» meetings. The season is from 
 October until i^I:iy, and meeting^j are held on Fri- 
 day evenings at the homes of its members. Its 
 first President was Miss Jessie Palmer. 
 
 The Senate Literati w.os organized in 1886, liav- ■ 
 ing for its object social entertainment and literary 
 improvement of its members. The Senate observes 
 the regular i)arlianientary rules that govern the 
 United States Senate. Prof. W. B. ]Moffett was its 
 first President. Meetings are held each Friday 
 evening from December until March. 
 
 The Morning Sun br.-iss baud w.as organized in 
 1872, under the leadership of Prof. Platter, who 
 was instructor for a short time. Prof. J. E. De- 
 Long then took it in charge, and has since been its 
 instructor and leader. 
 
 The first post-oHice in Morning Sun Township 
 w!is at Virginia Grove, and was known !is the Vir- 
 ginia Post-ollice. John Jarvis was the first Post- 
 master, .and the oflice was at his house. Prior to 
 this the nearest dIIIcc was Wapello. Mr. Jarvis 
 
 n 
 
.► i r^ 
 
 644 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 was succeederl by Elias Marshall, who was in turn 
 succeeded by Peter Curran, J. L. Jarvis and John 
 -Vnderson. After the railroad was built the office 
 was removed to Morning Sun, and W. P. Brown 
 was the first Postmaster in the village. Mr. Brown 
 was succeeded in turn bj' H. C. Blake. J. C. Brown, 
 Milton Blair, .lames McCaw, Samuel Reed, J. L. 
 Hurd, Samuel Tiiompson. Henry McClurkin and 
 W. A. McC'ormick. The ofllce was made a money 
 order office July 7, 1873, and the first order was 
 issued to Lemuel Platter for 117.62 in favor of 
 Thomas J. Elmore & Co.. of Cliicajjo. 
 
 Grandview Townsbip. 
 
 ONE of the finest bodies of land in Louisa 
 Count}' is that of Grandview Township, 
 ^_^ which comprises all of township 75 north, 
 range 3 west, with the exception of a small portion 
 lying cast of Muscatine slough, and the western 
 half of township 74 north, range 3 west, lying north 
 of the Iowa River. It is so named on account of 
 the grand and natural view to be seen from the vil- 
 lage of that name. The townsbip was first settled 
 in 1836 by J. H. Benson, J. 11. Wilson. Abram Mc- 
 Cleary, Samuel R. Crow, Levi Thornton .and John 
 Chriswell. Among those who came in soon after 
 were : MailiiiG_rav, S. G. Chamberlain. Alex. Ross, 
 J. B. Latta. J. P. Walker, George E. Mitchell, 
 David Humphrey and Philip Wagner. The first 
 birth in the township was Jack McCleary. born in 
 Oct()l)er, 11S36. The first death was that of Mr. 
 Miller, a native of New York, who died in 1838. 
 
 ^ ^^-^■- 
 
 VILLAGE OK GRANDVIEW. 
 
 SHE village of Grandview was laid out in 
 
 1837. by Oliver Clark and Alvin Childers. 
 ^J The first house was built some time during 
 that year by Gabriel Walling, who afterward moved 
 to Oregon. The post-office was established here in 
 1837, the first Postmaster being Alvin Clark. A 
 mail route had been established some time prior to 
 this from Wapello to Muscatine, and Grandview 
 
 was upon that route. Since that earlj' da}' there 
 have been man}* changes in Postmasters, William 
 Conkling serving in 1888. The moral sentiment 
 of Grandview Township has always been at a high 
 standard. The first church built was by the Method- 
 ist Episcopal people, and was used for several years, 
 then torn down and a new one erected on the same 
 ground about 1871. The organization is in good 
 condition, with about fifty members, with preaching 
 every other Sabbath, the pastor residing at Letts- 
 ville. In 1844 a building was erected as a seminary 
 building, which was used bj' the different denomi- 
 nations. The first denominations using it were the 
 Seceders and Methodists, and later came the LTnitod 
 Brethren. The .Seceders and United Brethren united 
 and bought the seminary building for their special 
 use, thus compelling the Methodists toerect a build- 
 ing. The Seceders afterward united with the Pres- 
 bj'terians, under the name of United Presbyterians, 
 and .about 1854 they erected a house of worship. 
 The Church of God was the nest to use the 
 seminar}' building, in connection with the United 
 Brethren. 
 
 The first school in the township was in a cabin 
 in the village of Grandview. It was held in 1839, 
 and taught by Miss Rachel Gray, now Mrs. Wilson, 
 who resides in Nebraska. In 1844 the seminar}' 
 building was erected, and for many years a very 
 flourishing school was held therein. Later a new 
 building was erected by a stock company, the stock- 
 holders agreeing to give the building to that de- 
 nomination that could best sustain a good school. 
 Mr. Presley, representing the Presbyterian Churclii 
 then obtained control, and it is still held by that 
 denomination. The building is now rented to the 
 district, and is used for public school purposes. The 
 first mill was erected about 1858. The first black- 
 smith-shop was run Ijy Mr. Roxroat. The first 
 wagon-shop was established in 1845. The first 
 store was kept by William Beard. The first wed- 
 ding was in June, 1837, Henry Long and Nancy 
 Laken being united in marriage. 
 
 The first physician who practiced his profession 
 in Morning Sun Township was Dr. John Bell, who 
 settled here about 1840. He was of a hapi>y turn 
 of mind, and in riding over the country was at all 
 times either whistling or singing. He removed to 
 
-•► 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 045 
 
 t 
 
 Wapello, wliere lie died. The first phj'sician to 
 settle in the village was Dr. Graham, about 1849. 
 The following named have settled in about the 
 order given: Drs. David MeCaughn, O. Reynolds, 
 J. W. Holiday, Morrison, Fullenwider, Allen and 
 R. S. Paxton. 
 
 Morning Sun now contains about 1,000 inhabit- 
 ants, many of whom are from the States of Ohio, 
 Indiana, Pennsylvania and Virginia. There arc 
 five church organizations, one bank, two print- 
 ing-oflices, seven groceries, two dry-goods stores, 
 two drug-stores, three hotels, two blacksmith-shops, 
 one wagon-shop, one hardware store, two elevators, 
 three livery stables, one jewelrj- store, one meat- 
 market, one furniture store, one tailor-shop, one 
 harness-shop, three agricultural implement stores, 
 three millinery stores, two dentists, two shoemakers, 
 five physicians and two attorneys. 
 
 Blake Posi. No. 114, G. A. R., is named in honor 
 of Nemiah Blake, one of the early settlers of Lou- 
 isa County, a soldier of the War of 1S12, anda 
 member of the '"Graybeard" Regiment of Iowa in 
 the late Rebellion. The post was mustered in Dec. 
 22, 1 882, by Charles Fish, of Newton, Iowa. Its 
 first olliccrs were: T. J. Ochiltree, Com.; M. 11. 
 Cochran, S. V. C. ; Joseph Higbee, J. V. C. ; J. L. 
 Marshall, Q. M.; J. A. Swan, Surg.;G. D. HuEfman, 
 O. D. ; Rev. George Melton, Chap.; F. T. Paisley, 
 O. G.; William Copeland, Adjt.; B. F. Graham, 
 S. M. ; I. L. Ferrill, Q. M. S. Since its organization 
 there have been forty-six comrades enrolled, but at 
 the present time it has only twenty-three active 
 members. The following is the roster of the post: 
 
 M. II. Cochran enlisted Dec. 17, 1863, in the 11th 
 Illinois Cavalry; mustered out Sept. 30, 1865. 
 B. F. Graham enlisted in Company D, 47th Ohio 
 Infantry, in 18G1; mustered out Sept. 6, 1865. 
 Thomas J. Ochiltree enlisted Aug. 8, 1863, as Ser- 
 geantof Company M, 8th Iowa Cavalry; mustered 
 out Jan. 1, 1866, as Lieutenant. George Upton en- 
 listed Nov. 7. 1861, in Company I, 14th Iowa In- 
 fantry; mustered out Nov. 7, 1864. William Ew- 
 ing enlisted Aug. 4, 1863, in Company F, 19th 
 Iowa Infantry ; mustered out July 15, 1865. Jo- 
 se|)h Iligbee enlisted Aug. 5, 1862, in Company F, 
 19th Iowa Infantry, w.as wounded at Prairie Grove, 
 and subsequently received his discharge. Alex. 
 
 Finley enlisted Nov. 4, 1864, in Company F, 
 13tti Iowa Infantry; discharged June 25. 1865; 
 died Feb. 9, 1887. .John Letta enlisted Feb. 2, 
 
 1863, in Company K, 129th Ohio Infantry. I'ran- 
 cis T. Paisley enlisted Aug. 8, 1863, in Company 
 M, 8th Iowa Cavalry; was wounded in the shoulder 
 at Florence, Aha., Nov. 30, 1864; discharged Aug. 
 13, 1865. Solomon D. Johnson enlisted March 18, 
 1862, in Company B, 103d Pennsylvania Infantry; 
 discharged July 15, 1805. Isham Thomas enlisted 
 Aug. 4, 1862, in Company G, 19th Iowa Infantry; 
 was wounded in the arm. an<l discharged July 15, 
 1865. Robert M. Hamilton enlisted in the 25th 
 Iowa Infantry, was wounded in the head at Chicka- 
 mauga, Sept. 2, 1863, and in the thigh at Benton- 
 ville, N. C, March 1, 1865, and was subsequently 
 discharged. G. D. Huffman enlisted in 1864, in 
 Company H, 51st Ohio Infantry; discharged in 
 November, 1865. William Coiieland enlisted Aug. 
 15, 1862, in Company B. 126th Ohio Infantry. 
 John A. Swan enlisted Aug. 19, 1863, in Company 
 E, Iowa Cavalry. Ilomce Upton enlisted t)ct. 5, 
 
 1864, in the 2d Iowa Cavalry; discharged Sept. 19, 
 
 1865, A. Ellis enlisted July 16, ISGl, in Company 
 C, 5th Iowa Infantr}-; discharged Nov. 9, 1864. 
 John L. Marshall enlisted Sept. 29, 1861, in the 
 1st Iowa Cavalry. Joseph Boltz enlisted June 2, 
 1861, in the 1st Iowa Cavalry; discharged Dec. 9, 
 1864. Joseph R. Shipman enlisted Aug. 5, 1801, 
 in Company F, 19th Iowa Infantry'. I. L. Farrell 
 enlisted June 13, 1861. in the 1st Iowa Cavahy; 
 discharged Sept. 9, 1864. J. E. Westfall enlisted 
 Sept. 23, 1801, in Company 1), 4th Iowa Cavaby; 
 discharged in 1862. James McClannahan enlisted 
 July 16, 1861, in Company D, 47th Ohio Infantry; 
 discharged Aug. 11, 1865. W. J. Hamilton en- 
 listed in August, 1862, in Compan3^ D, 78th Illinois 
 Infantry; discharged in June, 1865. L. H. Smith 
 enlisted Aug. 14, 1862, in Company I, 77th Illinois 
 Infantry; discharged in Jul3', 1865. William Blair 
 enlisted in 1803, in Company M, 8th Iowa Cavalrj- ; 
 discharged in 1865. John Pollock enlisted Aug. 
 25, 1861, in Company- A, 20th Ohio Infantry; dis- 
 charged Oct. 8, 1801. S. K. Peel enlisted July 15, 
 1802, in Comi)any E, 25lh Iowa Infantry; dis- 
 charged in August, 180."). John Wooil enlisted 
 July 3, 1802, in Company F, 19th Iowa Infantry; 
 
"^ 
 
 ^^►HK-* 
 
 646 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 (lischargerl in Jul}', 1863. William Winchell en- 
 listed Jan. 8. J 864, in Companj- K, 2d Mass.achu- 
 setts Cavalrj': discliarged in Julj', 1865. O. C. 
 Thornton enlisted Aug. 9, 1862, in Company C, 
 30th Iowa Infantry; discharged June 5. 1865. J. 
 H. Armstrong enlisted April IG, 1861, in Company 
 K, 2d Oliio Infantry; discharged in 1865. John 
 Millimger enlisted in January, 1864. in Company 
 C. 1st Iowa Cavahy; discharged in P'ebruary. 1866. 
 J. H. Finley enlisted Oct. 8, 1861, in Company D, 
 14th Iowa Infantry; discharged Nov. 5, 1864. 
 B. F. Spafford enlisted Aug. 2, 1862, in Companj^ 
 F. 2oth Iowa Infantry; discharged in January, 
 
 1863. Joshua Brown enlisted Aug. 5, 1861, in 
 Companj- K, 2d Iowa Cavalrj' ; discharged Oct. 8, 
 
 1864. Sanderson Lyons enlisted July 21, 1861, in 
 Comjiany G, 12th Illinois Cavalrj'; discharged 
 Feb. 28. 1864. W. V. Elliott enlisted Aug. 3. 1861, 
 in Companj' I, 11th Maryland Iiifanlrj'; discharged 
 Aug. 31, 1864. William D. Dobedell enlisted Dec. 
 23, 1861, in Company D, 3d AVisconsin Cavalry; 
 discharged Feb. 16, 1865. William H. Bridgcford 
 enlisted Aug. 16, 1862, in the 102d Illinois In- 
 fantry; discharged June 6, 1865. M. Browdrick 
 enlisted Nov. 21, 1861, in Company C, 12th United 
 States Infantry; discharged Jan. 23, 1865. F. M. 
 McDonald enlisted Aug. 18, 1864, in Company II, 
 39th Missouri Infantry; discharged July 19. 1865. 
 Samuel S. Finlej' enlisted Aug. 1, 1861, in Com- 
 pany n, 3d Iowa Cavalry; discharged in June, 
 
 1865. Kcuben Barker enlisted Aug. 16, 1861, in 
 Comiiany I, 4th Iowa Infantrj'; discharged in Sep- 
 tember, 1864. E. M. Pike enlisted in April, 1864, 
 in Company G, 45th Iowa Infantry; discharged 
 June 20, 1865. 
 
 The Excelsior Tile and Brick Works of McClur- 
 kin, Ochiltree <fe Co., were established in 1883, and 
 are located about half a mile west of Morning 
 Sun. The factory is doing a business of from 
 $5,000 to ^8,000 per year, and gives employment 
 to eight men. The clay used in this factory is 
 equal to any in the countj'. Morrison Bros.' Cream- 
 ery was built in 1882. It was run Ihrec years, 
 and then laj' idle for the next three years from the 
 f.act that no experienced parties could be had to 
 run it. The Elmwood Cemeterj* was laid out in 
 the spring of 1856, on land donated by W. P. 
 
 Brown, consisting of one acre of ground, which was 
 subsequently increased another acre. It is located 
 about ten rods west of the citj' limits. T. P. Brown, 
 son of the donor, was the first pcr,«on buried there. 
 TJie Isaiah Dodder Post No. 446, G. A. li., was 
 organized March 17, 1888, with twentj'-four char- 
 ter members. It w.is named in honor of the first 
 man killed from Grand View Township. The first 
 officers elected were W. B. Robinson, Com.; B. W. 
 Thompson, S. V. C. ; Hiram Walker, J. V. C. ; Joel 
 Chenoweth, Q. M. ; J. S. Kelley, Adj. ; John Hunter. 
 Surg.; T. B. Christie. Chap.; N. T. Thompson, O. 
 D.; William Guthrie, O. G. ; J. H. Dodder. S. M.; 
 J. L. Kent, Q. M. S. Since its organization the 
 membership has been increased bj' ten, and it is in 
 good condition in every respect. 
 
 A'lI.LACE OF LETTSVILLE. 
 
 ONE of the prettiest town sites in the countj' 
 of Louisa is that of Lettsville, situated on a 
 sightly eminence which overlooks as fine a 
 body of farming land as there is in the State. The 
 conimunitj' is noted for the sobriety, industry and 
 stability of its citizens. Lettsville is on the line of 
 the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railrt)ad, thir- 
 teen miles west of Muscatine, and seven miles e:ist 
 of Columbus Junction. It was laid out in October, 
 
 1855, by Joseph A. and CjMcna Green, who gave to 
 the prospective village the name of Ononwa. The 
 railroad station still retains that name, while the name 
 of the town was changed to Lettsville a number of 
 years .ago. The post-ollicc bears the name of Letts, 
 in honor of N. M. Letts, who is one of the largest 
 propertj' owners in Louisa County. The post-otlice 
 name w.as changed to avoid the frequent mistakes 
 made bj' the. mail service in carrying mail intended 
 for Ononwa to Onawa, a town in the western part 
 of Iowa. 
 
 The village of Lettsville came into existence 
 will) the completion of the Chicago. Rock Island & 
 Pacific Railro.ad through this section of country. 
 When it was laid out there was but one house on 
 the town pl.it, the Benedict House, afterward used 
 as a storeroom by J. A. McDaniels. In September, 
 
 1856, W. K. Trabue built a house, and put in a 
 
 ••"Hit:^ 
 
 •^ ^ <» 
 
■<^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 G47 
 
 stock of goods. In October and November of the 
 same year, the building now known as the Ononwa 
 House was built b3^ Messrs. Green and Stone, and 
 in May following it was finished, and occupied by 
 Setli C. Curtis as a hotel. In April, 1857, A. Harrison 
 built tlie first dwelling. During the summer follow- 
 ing the town llonrished and several new houses were 
 built. In the fall of 1857 Lemp <fe Sells put in a 
 stock of goods in the room now occupied by the 
 Lettsville Co-operative .Store, with S. C. Harvey as 
 manager. In the same 3'ear S. H. Caldwell started 
 the lirst blacksmith-shop. 
 
 W. K. Trabue was the first Station Agent and Post- 
 master; S. C. Harvey succeeded him as Station 
 Agent, and served until 18()8. A. L. Baj'ard was the 
 first physician, and commenced to practice here in 
 1857. In 18G3S. C. Harvey bought the Green & 
 Stone building at a bankrupt sale, for $450; prior to 
 this time Lemp & Sells had removed their stock of 
 goods to Muscatine, and .S. C. Harvey soon after pur- 
 chased the propertj', put in a stock of goods, and 
 continued in business successfully until 1873. 
 
 The first school was held in the summer of 1858, 
 in a private bouse, and was taught by Miss Loretta 
 House. In 1860 a school building 28x30 feet was 
 erected. At the time of the erection of tiie build- 
 ing Benjamin Furnas was School Director. Each 
 school district in the township had one Director, and 
 all together constituted a Township Board. The 
 village has now a good two-stor3' brTck building 
 with three departments. It is heated li\- a hot-air 
 furnace, and the ventilation of the building is good. 
 The school is well graded and numbers about 120 
 pupils. 
 
 The first religious services were held in Letts- 
 ville shortly after the village was laid out. There 
 are at present two denominations represented here, 
 the Methodist Episcopal and the United Brethren 
 in Christ. 
 
 The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized 
 b}' some who had formerly' been members of the 
 church at Grand A'iew Village. Mr. Curtis was a 
 prime mover in the organization of the new society, 
 and was the first Class-Leader. Prayer-meetings 
 were first held at the school-house, and the organi- 
 zation of llic church was first effected by liev. 
 
 Michael See. In 1867, under the pastorate of Rev. 
 F. Wells, the church building was erected at a cost 
 of something over $3,000. It is 35.v50 feet in 
 dimensions, and is a good frame structure. The 
 dedicatory sermon was preached b^' the pastor, 
 Rev. F. Wells. The succession of pastors have 
 been Kevs. Boston, Gastner, Friend, Cairns, Waters, 
 Bevan, Ilahn, Hall, King and U. B. Smith. Special 
 revivals have been iicld from time to time, one of 
 the most interesting being that following the erec- 
 tion of the church, when thirty-five members were 
 added. Each succeeding winter has witnessed .a 
 revival, and the church has grown from a small be- 
 ginning to a large body. A parsonage has been 
 erected at a cost of $1,200. 
 
 The United Brethren in Christ, now under the 
 pastorate of Rev. Richard Collier, is in a verj' 
 flourishing condition. The church building was 
 commenced in 1884, under the pastorate of Rev. 
 B. F. Rhinehart, and finished during the summer of 
 1885, under the pastorate of its present pastor. It 
 was dedicated in August, 1885, bj' Rev. T. D. 
 Adams. The church membership at that time was 
 but twenty-four. A spiritual awakening followed, 
 and the church novv numbers fift^'-eight members. 
 The church is in a good working condition, with a 
 good choir and Sunda^'-school, the latter being 
 under the siiperintendency of Arthur Weaver. The 
 society also owns a good parsonage. 
 
 The societj' is represented in Lettsville by the 
 Masons, United Workmen, Grand Armj- of the 
 Republic and the Women's Christian Temperance 
 Union. 
 
 Triam/ular Lodr/e JSTo. 243, A. F. & A. M., 
 worked under dispensation for nine months, and 
 then received a charter bearing date June 2, 1869. 
 Its first ofticers were William Calder, W. M. ; W. 
 Furnas, S. W. ; Peter Knott, J, W. ; R. F. Newell, 
 Sec; Jacob House, Tre.TS. ; H. .S. Grillin, .S. D. ; M. 
 Diller. J. D. ; M. Recdcr. Tyler. The lodge is in a 
 most flourishing condition, with thirty-seven mem- 
 bers. Meetings are held each Wcdnesd.ay evening 
 on or before the full moon, in their own hall, which 
 they erected in 1875, at a cost of $2,000, including 
 furnishings. The lodge owns a lot in Lettsville 
 Cemetery- f(jr the purpose of burying any brother 
 who may die among them a stranger. The wives of 
 
-4»- 
 
 648 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 the members of the lodge have mostly taken the 
 Eastern Star degree. 
 
 Tlie Ancient Order of United Wurkmen is repre- 
 sented in this vill.ige by a lodge organized in 1877, 
 with ten charter members. They now number 
 twenty-one, and meet once each month in Shella- 
 barger's Hall. One of the members of this lodge 
 has died, John Low, and his heirs received the full 
 benefit. 
 
 The S. Caldicell Post No. 3G0, G. A. A'., was in- 
 stituted Sept. 4, 1884. with eleven charter members. 
 It has now twent^'-one mcmlicrs, and its regular 
 stated meetings are held the first and third Satur- 
 day evenings of each month, in Shellabarger's Hall. 
 The offluers in the fall of 1888 were J. D. Richard, 
 Cora.; John Geiger, S. V. C. ; J. B. Coutan, J. V. 
 C. ; T. S. Meeker, Surg. ; O. H. P. Linn, Chap. : C. 
 F. Miller, Q. M.; Ira Hendri.x, O. D. ; F. L. Brown, 
 O. G.; A. B. Riggs, Q. M. S.; G. W. Reichley, 
 Adjt. Since its organization they have lost by 
 death one member, W. C. Hall. The post was 
 named after the first soldier killed from this com- 
 munitj'. 
 
 The Women's Christian Temi)erance Union, of 
 Lettsville, was organized in June, 1887, with seven 
 members. There has been a gradual growth, though 
 some members have moved away and a few have 
 taken membership with the Y. The first officers 
 of the union were Mrs. Johnson, Pres. ; Miss 
 Delia Neal, Sec; Mrs. Linn, Treas. In May, 1888, 
 Mrs. Johnson resigned, and Mrs. Dobbin was then 
 elected President. The union has now a member- 
 ship of fifteen. 
 
 The Young Women's Christian Temperance Union 
 was organized in March, 1888, with seven members. 
 Its first oflicers were Miss J. Derby, Pres.; Miss 
 Maggie Harrison, Sec; Miss Idle, Treas. The 
 union is in good condition with increased meraber- 
 sliip, and holds meetings each week. Its present 
 ollicers are Miss Jennie Derl)y, Pres.; Belle Dob- 
 bin, Vice Pres.; Delia Neal, Sec; Iowa Idle, Tre.as. 
 
 The post-ollice was established at this place in 
 the fall of 18r)7, on the completion of the railroad 
 to this point. The office was kept in the depot 
 b\iilding, and the first Postmaster was W. K. Trabuc. 
 He was succeeded by Dr. A. L. Bayard, who re- 
 moved the office to a small building on Main street. 
 
 Dr. Thompson succeeded Dr. Bayard, and removed 
 the office to his office near by. It was again 
 moved back to the office of Dr. Bayard, and from 
 there to the drug-store on the corner of Main 
 and Chestnut streets. N. W. Mountain succeeded 
 Dr. Tliompson, and was in turn succeeded by O. 
 H. P. Linn. Following Linn can)e E. F. Hall. 
 The present incumbent is D. W. Paine. A money 
 order department was established here during the 
 administration of N. W. Mountain. 
 
 Lettsville was incorporated in 18C7, and its first 
 Miiyor was Is.aac Shellabarger, who still resides in 
 the vill.age. Lettsville is quite a prosjjerous village, 
 and contains two general stores, a furniture store, 
 drug-store, harness-shop, restaurant, hotel, and other 
 lines of business. 
 
 The Letts Co-operative Store of Letts, Louisa 
 Co., Iowa, is owned and operated by a stock com- 
 pany, vvliich was organized in 1878 for a term of 
 twenty years, and with a capital stock of S5,000. 
 The present officers are: President, H. Lielierk- 
 necht ; Secretary, Thomas Newell ; Manager and 
 Treasurer, William M. McCormick. The following- 
 named gentlemen C(niipose the Board of Trustees: 
 John Geiger, George . Gipple and Enoch Taylor. 
 This company carries an average stock valued at 
 810,000, which includes all general merchandise. 
 The semi-annual re|)ort for the si.\ months ending 
 Sept. 1, 1888, shows'assets amounting to $15,191.23, 
 and a balance above liabilities of |!l 0,004.43, show- 
 ing that the business has been conducted on strict 
 business principles, and is in a prosperous condition. 
 It is an outgrowth of a grange store which was 
 started about 1874, under the grange system. 
 
 Oaklaud Township. 
 
 if^?^>HIS township was organized in 1853, its first 
 
 election being held April 4 of tliat 3'ear. 
 
 The township was named by Charles H. 
 Abbott, for a township in Michigan where he for- 
 merly resided. It comprises all of township 70, 
 range 5 west, lying east of the Iowa River, and 
 that territory lying in Louisa Count}' between the 
 forks of the Iowa aiul Cedar Rivers. This town- 
 ship was formerly a part of Fredonia, and all elec- 
 
 ^?^l-* 
 
-4^ 
 
 ^^^~it~^^ 
 
 .LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 649 
 
 tions were held at the village of that name. In 
 order to vote the citizens of this townshij) were 
 compelled to cross the Cedar River, which made it 
 very inconvenient. The^" therefore held a caucus 
 at old Port Allen, with a view of electing officers 
 for the township who lived west of the river. In 
 pursuance of this idea, after consultation, tliej^ 
 ferried across the river in an Indian canoe, two at 
 a time, until ahout thirty men were collected around 
 the voting place at Frcdonia. Sauntering up and 
 quietly casting their ballots, in order to allay sus- 
 picion of their scheme, they then returned to their 
 iiuines. A short time before llie polls were closed, 
 those residing on the east side of the river sus- 
 pectud that sonictliing was wrong, and that thej' 
 were being out-vot*il. Putting some boys on 
 horses they sent tiiem out in all directions to bring 
 in voters from their side of the river; but too 
 late, all the township officers elected being from the 
 west side of the river. The citizens of Fredonia, 
 not liking the |)light they were in, petitioned the 
 County Court to set off the territory now com- 
 prising the township of Oakland from Fredonia 
 Township, which was according!}' done. It is 
 stated that the ballot box used at this election was 
 a plug hat belonging to John Tucker, afterward 
 County Treasurer. As a cover to the hat a shingle 
 was used, with a slot through which to drop the 
 ballots. There was a jug of whisky standing outside 
 in the sand, in front of the hotel where the election 
 was held, which was free to all. 
 
 At one time there was a post-office at old Port 
 Allen kept by Ilirain Hall, but it was afterward re- 
 moved to Oakland Village. In an eaily day pri- 
 vate schools were organized and were sustained 
 until the passage of the laws for free schools. There 
 are now live schools in the township, located as 
 follows: No. 1, on section 1, is a frame building 
 erected at a cost of $1,,500; No. 2, on section 15, 
 is a frame building costing aljout ^tiOO; No. 3, on 
 section 2; No. 4, on section 25, and No. 5, on sec- 
 tion 4, cost about *G00 each. The schools in this 
 township will average with any other in the count}'. 
 
 There are two cemeteries in this township. Oak- 
 land Cemetery is located on the southwest quarter 
 of the northwest quarter of section 30, and contains 
 one acre of ground. It is one of the oldest ceme- 
 
 teries in the county. Beauclicncam|) Cemetery is 
 located on the southwest quarter of the southwest 
 quarter of section 23, and contains one and one- 
 half acres. There was an old cemetery on section 
 4, l)ut it is now abandoneil. 
 
 There are two literary societies now in operation 
 in this township. The Oakland Literary Society 
 meets at Oakland school-house from October to 
 March each year. The meetings of the society are 
 interesting and profitable. The average attendance 
 is about forty. The McQuinn Literary Society 
 meets at the McC^uinn school-house from October 
 to March, with an average attendance of sixt}'. 
 
 r i g » > ^ < 
 
 Concord Township. 
 
 ^^ ONCOKD TOWNSHIP was origin.illy called 
 (l( _ Fredonia. and emliraccd what is now Oak- 
 ■^^^ land and Concord. It is bounded on the 
 north by Muscatine County, on the east by (i rand- 
 view Township, on the west by Columbus City, 
 Union and Oakland Townships, and on the south 
 by Columbus City Townsliii). Among the earlv 
 settlers of this township wore J. C. Sterling, Maca- 
 jah Keeder, Capt. Wheelock. R. F. Newell, George 
 Stone, Joseph Clark and the Slicliabargers. The 
 northcasteru portion of tiie township is fine farminir 
 land, while the southern ])art is sandy bottom land. 
 The township is well drained. ;ind is watered by tlie 
 Iowa and Cetlar Rivers and Indian Creek. It w.as 
 organized in 1852. 
 
 The first school building in Concord Township 
 was erected on land belonging to the fatiier of R. 
 F. Newell. The township now consists of six dis- 
 tricts, each of which ha.s a good school-house, and 
 the Schools of the townsliip will compare favorably 
 witli all otiier.s in the county. 
 
 Tlie citizens of Concord Townslii]) may )>e con- 
 sidered a churcii-going people, there being three 
 churches in the townsliip, in addition to two in the 
 village of Fredonia. 
 
 Till' Cliiircli of Cod was established iu this town- 
 ship in ;ibout 1856, since which time services have 
 been regularly held, ^lany of the best citizens of 
 the townshi|) are members of this church. 
 
 Piciisant Grove Cliurch of Concord Township 
 
 «» ^l i ^1 
 
t 
 
 650 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 was organized in tlie winter of 1856-57. by Rev. I. 
 Whisler, with nine meinljers. For a number of 
 years they held meetings in a school-house, and in 
 1870 erected a house of worship at a cost of $2,000. 
 The church h.ns continued to grow, .ind luis a mem- 
 bership of thirtj'. It has lost about forty by 
 removal. In connection with the church is a flour- 
 isliing Sunda}' -school, with about sixty members. 
 Rev. David Kepford, the present pastor, resides in 
 Grundy County, Iowa. 
 
 Cedar Bethel Ciuirch of Concord Township is 
 located on section 4, and was erected in 1870, at a 
 cost of $1,100. 
 
 VILLAGE OF FKEDONIA. 
 
 (^^^HE village of Frcdonia w.is laid out in the 
 f^^\ fall of 18:56, by Alvin Clark, who had a 
 ^^^y squatter's claim on the land. It was sur- 
 veyed by John (Hlliland. The town is situ.ated on 
 tlie ciist bank of the Iowa River, immediately below 
 its juncture witli the Red Cedar River, and com- 
 prises a part of section 20, township 75, range 4 
 west. The first buildings th.it were erected in the 
 pl.ice were log cabins near the river. The over- 
 flow of the river, however, caused the town to be 
 moved to higher groimd. The first hotel erected 
 was near the river and called the Ferry House. It 
 was erected .about 1847. 
 
 Fredonia never attained any special size, but 
 while it was a terminus of tlie Chicago, Rock Island 
 & Pacific Itjiilroad it did a thriving business. 
 AVhcii tlie railroad w.is extended farther west busi- 
 ness declined, and has never j-et been as good, 
 though it is quite a shipping point for stock. Its 
 business consists of one general store kept by Will- 
 iam Curtis, a grocery store kept by Levi 31ickey, 
 a blacksmith-shop, stockyard and post-office. The 
 IMctliodists iiave the only house of worsliip, it be- 
 ing built in 1870. The soil in the bottom land 
 around Fredonia is peculiarly adapted to growing 
 to perfection all kinds of vinos and vegetables, 
 wliich are said to be superior to those grown on the 
 famous Muscatine Island. Alvin Clark and his 
 brother. (Jilihs Clark, arc said In have been the first 
 settlers of Fre<lonia. Tiic fii'st pliysiciaii was Dr. 
 
 Enoch ^laxson, who also bought the first stock of 
 groceries and started the first store in the place. 
 The first blacksmith-shop was started bj' Lothrop 
 Darling in 1841. The Chicago, Rock Island & 
 Pacific Railroad reached the place July 4, 1857. 
 
 The point where tlie Iowa and Red Cedar Rivers 
 join was a favorite trading-jjoint for the Indians 
 in .an early day, and hundreds of them at a time 
 would be gathered there. The bottom lands below 
 the confluence of the two rivers, where now lie 
 beautiful and well-cultivated farms, at that early 
 day were covered with timber and plentifully 
 stocked with game. 
 
 As another illustration of what might have been, 
 it maj' be said that when the Territorial capital of 
 Iowa was about to be located, Fredonia came within 
 three votes of securing the coveted prize, Iowa 
 City being the successful point. 
 
 -» -HH-<-iji:}:^^J^-H><-«i- 
 
 VILLACJIC OK AHMKDA. 
 
 '::^Z^^-<^riiri vniaj^c was laiu uiil riy u, v.. iua:i 
 1^^^ and James Waterbury, July 22, 1859, 
 ^^^ was located on tlie southwest quarter of 
 
 ^^=SHLS village was laid out by D. C. Maxson 
 
 and 
 of the 
 
 northeast quarter of section 20. township 75, range 
 4 west, and was surveyed by J. R. Sisson. It is 
 part of the original town laid off as Fredonia, before 
 the title w.as acquired by the United States Ciovern- 
 ment. A Mr. Maxson purchased it from a Mr. 
 Fletcher, and in connection with his partner, James 
 Waterburj', had it resurvcyed in 1859; The first 
 house built on the plat was a storehouse by ^lax- 
 son & Waterbury. The next w.ns built by J. B. 
 Van Dyke. It being practically a part of Fredonia, 
 its history is the same. 
 
 The ferry at Fredonia was established b}* Alvin 
 Clark in 1836, and consisted of a little tlatboat 
 capable of carrying one team and w.agon at a time. 
 The boat was built of liiml)er obtained by the use 
 of a whip-saw. An Indian canoe sufficed to trans- 
 port foot passengers. The Iowa River was much 
 deeper then than now, and the stream much nar- 
 rower, the timber being cleared that lined the banks, 
 and the soil being of a sandy nature, successive fresh- 
 ets have widened itiiiililnow it is quite shallow. The 
 ferry boat was rente<i from Mr. Clark, and run by 
 
 i 
 
•^^ 
 
 4. 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 651 I ^ 
 
 various persons, amoiiij whom were K.K. Maxson and 
 E. C. Whipple. The laller bought it from Mr. Chu-k, 
 and later sold it to C. W. Ellsworth and N. Burrns. 
 In 18o() it passed into the hands of D. C. ISIaxson and 
 Mr. Chapman. After operating it for a time Mr. 
 Maxson sold his interest to his partner, who in turn 
 disposed of it to a Mr. Mieox. It was finally sold 
 to a Mrs. Shonncsy, and from that on went into 
 deca^'. 
 
 William Todd ran a ferry at one time just above 
 on the Iowa River, near where the Red Cedar 
 empties into it. 
 
 Jctter.son Township. 
 
 JEFFERSON is an irregular township in the 
 southeast part of the county, and is bounded 
 on the east b^- the Mississippi River, on the 
 west liy Wa])eIlo Township, on the north by 
 Port Louisa Township, and on the south by Elliott 
 Township. It was one of the earliest settled por- 
 tions of the county. The first settler of the count}', 
 Christopher Shuck, was a citizen of this tovvnship. 
 He was followed by Toole, Bird, Springer, Hale, 
 Hook, Guest, Palmer, the Parsons and others. 
 The first school in the tovvnship was taught by 
 John B. Ferguson. William L. Toole was a mem- 
 ber of the first Constitutional Convention. 
 
 The village of Toolsboro is situated on the 
 northwest quarter of section 11, township 7I{ north, 
 range 2 west. It was laid out and platted by 
 William L. Toole, May 2, 1840. Mr. Toole was 
 a native of Virginia, who came to this county in 
 183G, and was for man}- years a prominent citizen. 
 He was a member of tiie first constitutional con- 
 vention, and was a'so the first merchant in the 
 village. He died here about 1878. The town is 
 beautifully located on the west bank of tlie Iowa 
 River, about eight miles from Wapello. The post- 
 ottice was established shortly after the village was 
 plat'.ed, and AVilliam L. Toole w.as the first Post- 
 master. Rev. Fisk, a Presbyterian minister, was 
 the first to break the bread of life to the people in 
 this vicinitj". In 1818 a house of worshi[) was 
 erected by the Missionarj' Society of this denomina- 
 
 tion. It is now used by the Methodist Episcopal 
 denomination, the only one represented in the 
 pl.aee. ' The first Methodist Episcopal preacher was 
 Rev. Kathaniel De Wilt. 
 
 The first school was taught b}' John Ferguson. 
 The next teacher was William Flack. The first 
 school-house was erected in 1838, and was a log 
 structure. It was used for several years, and later 
 a brick school-house w.as erected. A handsome frame 
 school-house now furnishes accommodation to the 
 seventy-two pupils enrolled. 
 
 Port Loiiiisa Towiisliip. 
 
 JORT LOUISA TOWNSHIP is bounded 
 [) on the north by Muscatine County, on 
 the east by the Mississii)i)i River, on the 
 south by Jefferson, and on the west b}' 
 Wapello and Grandview Townships. Among the 
 earliest settlers of this township were James Major, 
 WilUiam Kennedy, Samuel Chane}', John Ronold, 
 Levi Stephens. G. H. Crow, Albert McClung. James 
 Irving, D. P. Hcrron, William N. Herron, Henry 
 Rockafellow, William Flinii and bam F. Parris. 
 The first school in tlie township was taught by John 
 Holmes. Eliza J. Ronold and Miss McCoiniell 
 were the first lad}' teachers. The first child born 
 is supposed to be Emily Ronold. Rev. Alexander 
 Blakie preached tiie first sermon. David Herron 
 and Nanc3' Gerrick were the first couple married. 
 John Ronold was the first Justice of the Peace. The 
 township of Port Louisa stretches along the Missis- 
 sippi River, and contains much waste land, although 
 it has within its borders a number of fine farms. 
 The religious element predominates in its popu- 
 lation, the United Presbyterian having the largest 
 membership. 
 
 Eliii Grove Towntiliip. 
 
 c^J-*IIIS township is in the southwestern part of the 
 m^i^ county, and is bounded on tlie e.-ist by Mar- 
 ^^^y shall and Coliimlius City Townships, on the 
 north by Colmnbiis City Township, on the south by 
 
 f 
 
-^^ 
 
 ,t 
 
 652 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 Henry County, and on the west b}- ^Vashington 
 County. It is a fine township of prairie land, and is 
 settled !)}• a good class of people, those connected 
 with the Covenanter Church predominating. Among 
 the early settlers of the township were 8. K. Helmick 
 and n. JIarsben. The Burlington & Northwestern 
 Railroad runs through the northwestern part of this 
 township, and on section 30 was laid out the 
 vill.age of Wynian, a small station which affords a 
 good shipping point for the people of this neigh- 
 borhood. There is but one general store in the 
 place, and a large elevator for the storage of grain. 
 The Reformed Presbyterian Congregation of Re- 
 hobotli was largely composed of families of Cove- 
 nanters who came from Pennsj'lvania. In the spring 
 of 1854 they settled near tlie present town of 
 "\V3'man, and on October 19 of the same year 
 thej' were organized into a congregation of the 
 Reformed Presbyterian Church, under the name of 
 Rehoboth. They chose Thompson Graham,' Sr., 
 and Joseph Purvis to serve as Elders, and Thomas 
 Garvin with a Mr. McElroy to .act as Deacons. At 
 the same time they extended a call to the Rev- 
 Robert B. Cannon, to whose congregation in Penn- 
 sylvania many of them had belonged. This call 
 Jlr. Cannon .accepted, and on Dec. 14, 1854, was 
 installed .as their pastor. For several j'ears they 
 met for worship in private houses, or wherever they 
 could secure shelter, but the congregation growing 
 quite rapidl3', they became able in the fall of 1857 
 to erect a church. The site chosen for it was 
 about two and a quarter miles east of Wj'nian, and 
 the building erected was hexagonal in form. On 
 account of this peculiarity it became a landmark 
 for the whole of the surrounding country, being 
 popularly known in every direction as " the Round 
 Church." In this building divine services con- 
 tinued to be held until the summer of 1885, when 
 it was torn down, and a neat and commodious house 
 of worship erected in Wyman. In the meantime, 
 however, many changes had taken pl.ace, new mem- 
 bers had moved in, and some of the old ones had 
 gone farther West, or returned to their former 
 places of residence in the E.ost. Mr. Cannon, the 
 first pastor, labored on until he li.ad gathered quite 
 a tIourishing_ congregation, when he demittcd his 
 charge, Dec. 17, 18G7, and at present is located 
 
 in Muskingum County*. Ohio, where he is still doing 
 efficient work in the service of Christ. Rehoboth 
 now continued a vacancy until Aug. 14, 1874, 
 when the Rev. Edward G. Elsey w.as ordained and 
 installed in charge. Mr. Elsey remained for a 
 period of nearl}- seven j'ears, or until April 12, 
 1881, when he was released, and the congregation 
 ag.ain became vacant, but on the 9th of February, 
 1886, the Rev. James A. Black was installed in the 
 pastorate, and at this writing is still in charge. The 
 present officers of the congregation are: Elders — 
 Thomas G. Dunn, James B. Dodds, Louis M. .Sara- 
 son, James II. Graham and Is.a.ic R. McKenry. 
 Deacons — William Carson, Thomas Martin. Owen 
 M. .Samson and John C. Cannon. The congre- 
 gation has a flourishing Sablwth-school, an eflicient 
 Ladies' Missionary Society, a Band of Hope, and a 
 W. C. T. U. organization. Tiie membership are 
 spirited and liberal, and are found among the fore- 
 most workers in every good cause. 
 
 Marshall Township. 
 
 (j^ ARSIIALL TOWN.SHIP also lies in the 
 southwestern part of the county, and is 
 bounded on the north by Columbus City 
 Townsliip, on the east b}' Wapello, on the 
 south by Morning .Sun, and on the west b}' Elm 
 Grove Township. Among the early settlers were 
 Joshua Marshall, James Chapman, Joseph Iligbj', 
 Robert Coulter, John Nichols, Jesse Van lloru and 
 Henry Churchman. The first birth in this town- 
 ship was James Iligby, son of Joseph Iligby, who 
 was born in .Seplemlicr, 1830, and in 1888 was the 
 President of the Old Settlers' Society of Louisa 
 County. 
 
 The village of Cairo, situated on the northwest 
 quarter of the southwest quarter of tlio northwest 
 quarter of section 28, was laid out by James H. 
 Marshall, and surveyed by W. S. Kremcr, June 15, 
 1865. The first building erected w.os for a pump 
 factory, and was built by M. M. Carson, and is at 
 present u.sed as a hotel, known as the Louisa House. 
 The next building was the store building now occu- 
 pied bj' Murray Bros, as a general store. The first 
 general store in Cairo was run by John S. Marshall. 
 
 t 
 
■^^ 
 
 LOUISA COUNTY. 
 
 G53 1' 
 
 Tlie first MaoUsmitli-slioi) was run b}' S. JIcKinlcy. 
 Tlic pust-ullice w!is stiirlcil in llie rcsiik'noe of .lolin 
 Marslmll and afterward nioveil lo the store of John 
 S. Marshall. Later it was moved to the store of 
 Mr. Darrow, ami later lo its present location in the 
 store of Murra}- Bros. 
 
 The public school of this place was organized in 
 1870. The tiist teacher is supposed to be V. F. 
 Kinger. The school building is a frame structure, 
 24x40 feet, with two rooms, and two teachers are 
 em|>loyed. The building was erected in the sum- 
 mer of 1884, at the cost of §1,500. 
 
 There are two churches in the village : the Church 
 of God, original!}- organized in Marshall Township, 
 wiis removed to this place and a church building 
 erected. The Free Methodists also have a church 
 building here. 
 
 Cairo is healthfully situated on a rolling prairie, 
 remarkable for its fertilit}'. It was an active busi- 
 ness center at one time, but the railroad starting 
 other towns in its vicinit}' h.as decreased its trade. 
 The township eemeter}- is locate<l three-fourths 
 • of a mile south of the town of Cairo, on the south- 
 west quarter of section 33, and contains two and 
 three-fourths acres. It was platted in 1880. 
 
 The Prairie Chapel JNIelhodist Episcopal Church 
 was built in 18.')7, and is a frame structure, the 
 dimensions being 35x50 feet. It is situated on the 
 southwest quarter of section 30, Marshall Township, 
 and was erected at a cost of $1,700, on land pur- 
 chased of Hiram Hunt; the committee which had 
 charge of its construction consisted of Charles But- 
 ler, II. B. Kirkpatrick, William Ballain and H. 
 Hunt, and the church was dedicated in 1857. It 
 was started under very favorable circumstances, 
 with a very large membership, which in its early 
 history numbered 200. The first pastor was C. B. 
 Reynolds, who was followed b}' William Orris. 
 The first Trustees were Charles Butler and H. B. 
 Kirkpatrick. In 1859 a revival was held, which 
 added about 100 converts to the church roll. Many 
 of the first members have now passed away, while 
 still others have removed to diflferent localities. 
 
 The membershi|) at the present time is about 
 twenty-five or thirty, and services are held on the 
 second and fourth Sundays of each inonlli, Kcv. 
 Rose being the present pastor. .Sabbath-school is 
 held at 2:30 P. M. each Sund.ay, George Hill being 
 the .Superintendent, anil has an attendance of about 
 forty -eight scholars. The present Trustees are John 
 Le Cornu, Lerand Beraiss and George Miller, and 
 the present Stewards are George Hill and William 
 Miller. The church is in a good condition finan- 
 cially, and is also in splendid working order. 
 
 I51iot Township. 
 
 iHIS township is in the southeast corner of 
 the county, and was one of the first settled 
 in the county. It was organized in 1856, 
 previous to which it was originally part of P'lor- 
 ence, but was at times parts of Jefferson and Wa- 
 pello. It has since its organization included parts 
 of what are now Jefferson and Wapello. The town- 
 ship contains some fine farms, and some first-class 
 farmers. 
 
 *|-^t*H 
 
 Union Township. 
 
 T" N the extreme northwest corner of the county is 
 I the township of Union, which was taken from 
 ili Columbus City Township, and duly organized 
 Feb. 6, 1854. It lies west of the Iowa River. Its 
 citizens are among the best in the count}'. 
 
 St. Paul's Reform Church, of Union Township, 
 was organized in Columbus City in 1857, with a 
 membership of twenty-tive. They met at Colum- 
 bus City four years, when the church was moved to 
 Old Clifton, where a house of worship was erected 
 at a cost of 12,500. The church met at this place 
 until 1876, when they moved to their present loca- 
 tion on section 5, Union Town.-hi|), where they now 
 meet with a membership of seventy and a good 
 Sunday-school. 
 
 Jlh^ 
 
 -f 
 
-•► 
 
 
 '^ ..(>»o..@^<^^.o*o.. 
 
 *t 
 
 Adams, John 33 
 
 Adams. John Q 39 
 
 Alfred. S. W 428 
 
 Allen. Hon. W. G 373 
 
 Allen, James M 2^9 
 
 Allen. J. L 351 
 
 Allen, William b.,M.D 350 
 
 Andrews, Jacob S ,.t8o 
 
 Anwyl. William 287 
 
 Archibald, K. E 249 
 
 Arthur, Chester A 99 
 
 Arthur, H. T 240 
 
 Avery, W. D ---SSa 
 
 Axtcll.P. M 294 
 
 B 
 
 Bailey, p. D 564 
 
 Baldwin. K. M 357 
 
 Barker. John 350 
 
 Barnes, Homer Z 233 
 
 Bcanc, Van Buren 388 
 
 Beatty. F.lisha 360 
 
 Beaiiy, James Q 417 
 
 Beatty, John C 191 
 
 Beck, Conrad 545 
 
 I'eck, William ,S45 
 
 Bcikc, Frederick 253 
 
 B'cikc, GcorKc 431 
 
 Beike, Jacob 35a 
 
 Bcikc. Lewis 248 
 
 Bell, I'r- John 331 
 
 Bell. Dr. John ...■ 4^6 
 
 Hell, Hr. John, Jr .457 
 
 Belt. William 446 
 
 Bird, Klijah 571 
 
 Bissingcr, M 319 
 
 lilack. Rev. J. A.., 582 
 
 IMair, J. K 388 
 
 Blake, Henry C 283 
 
 Blanchard, James E 577 
 
 Bolt/. J. C ai7 
 
 Boltz. Joseph 398 
 
 Boutton, George 466 
 
 Bozman, J. W.. 304 
 
 Breneman, George W 340 
 
 Brewer, John H 494 
 
 Bridges, D. M 334 
 
 Briggs, Ansel m 
 
 Briggs, J.C 498 
 
 Brockert, Andrew 517 
 
 Brogan.S.P 333 
 
 Brogan, William 344 
 
 Brown, Hamilton ....374 
 
 Brown, I. C, M. D\ ...294 
 
 Brown, J. A 281 
 
 Brown, James C 333 
 
 Brown, J. L 251 
 
 Brown, W. P 509 
 
 Buchanan, James 75 
 
 Busier, S. P 356 
 
 Butler»C. F 331 
 
 Caldwell, Robert 339 
 
 Campbell, L). T 237 
 
 Campbell. W. J 528 
 
 Carpenter, C. A 383 
 
 Carpenter, Cyril 197 
 
 Carpc tiler, Cyrus Clay ..;... .139 
 
 Carpenter, M ilion 308 
 
 Carr, William A 356 
 
 Carson, William 495 
 
 Carter, Marion 539' 
 
 Chamber lin, H. B 346 
 
 Chapman, T). A 227 
 
 Chapman, James N . . 290 
 
 Chenowcth, Joel 387 
 
 Chilson, Moses 448 
 
 Chrismon, Silas 567 
 
 Church, George I 416 
 
 Cleveland, S G rover 103 
 
 Cochran, M. H 341 
 
 Cock lin, Clark 427 
 
 Coc. B. F 519 
 
 Collins, J. 1 388 
 
 Collins, K. B 415 
 
 Collins, P. H 338 
 
 Colion , Patrick 520 
 
 Colton, W. A., M. D 257 
 
 Connor, R. B 292 
 
 Cook, J.J 414 
 
 Cooper, M. M 418 
 
 Courtney, Robert 348 
 
 Courts, Fred, Jr 329 
 
 Coutant, J. B 213 
 
 Cowles, \. T 543 
 
 Craddock, A. C 545 
 
 Craddock, Fountain 232 
 
 Craddock, J. W 334 
 
 Craiger, Samuel 471 
 
 Crammond, William J 337 
 
 Crawford. John. 473 
 
 Creighton, Hugh L 170 
 
 Creighton, J H 310 
 
 Creighton,' W. H 521 
 
 Crim, Adam. 291 
 
 Crossman, Elizabeth 42, 
 
 Crow.G. H 443 
 
 Crow, J. H 319 
 
 Crow,S. R 386 
 
 Cubit, William J 462 
 
 Cunningham, George 343 
 
 Curran, David P 344 
 
 Curran. F. F 330 
 
 Curran, John S .S69 
 
 Curry, Aden 568 
 
 Curtis, S. C 307 
 
 Curtis, T. M 398 
 
 Curtis, W. L 33» 
 
 D 
 
 Davies, Edward E 443 
 
 Davis, Edward J 505 
 
 Davis, Evan E 474 
 
 Davis, Joseph 476 
 
 Davis, W. B 519 
 
 Davison, Mark 532 
 
 Deihl, John . 421 
 
 Dcihl. Jonas 441 
 
 Dclzell, Harvey 503 
 
 UelzcU, Robert 565 
 
 Dill, Dr. Solomon 456 
 
 Dodder, G.W 438 
 
 Dodds, James B sos 
 
 Donaldson, Amzi 554 
 
 Dornon, A. M. M 484 
 
 Dotson, David 530 
 
 Dowson. Thomas 217 
 
 Drake, John 541, 
 
 Dryden, Robert C 523 
 
 I>uncan, Andrew ayg 
 
 Duncan. F. M 503 
 
 Duncan, G.W 496 
 
 Duncan. Hon. F. A 533 
 
 Duncan, J. R 52^ 
 
 Duncan. Samuel H 581 
 
 Dunham. Sylvanus .511 
 
 E 
 
 Eckman. W. W 252 
 
 Edmondson. R. H 354 
 
 Edmondson, William 223 
 
 Edwards. C. W 307 
 
 Eggeri, J. E 397 
 
 Eldridge, E. R 562 
 
 Elliott, John 228 
 
 Elliott, Richard 444 
 
 Ellis, Hon. Albert ....219 
 
 Ellis, Job 493 
 
 El rick, J. W 201 
 
 England, Joseph 515 
 
 Erbcs, George 218 
 
 Esile, Thomas L. . . 530 
 
 Evans, Rev. Thomas W. . . .501 
 
 Evans, Robert H 524 
 
 Evans, Thomas 529 
 
 Fath, J. George 432 
 
 Feitcrman, David - 557 
 
 Fillmore, Millard 67 
 
 Flack, David 331 
 
 Frazec, J,W 497 
 
 Fulton, Hon. C. M ..«3 
 
 Funk. H. H 228 
 
 Furnas, Charles aao 
 
 Furnas, Wilkinson 3'7 
 
 Gall, Frederic 543 
 
 Gallup, Charles 547 
 
 ^4 
 
> ► i f^ 
 
 .t 
 
 LNDEX. 
 
 GambU, Hon. Andrew 559 
 
 Gardner, Huah 570 
 
 Gardner, John R 47' 
 
 CarficM, James A 95 
 
 Garner, Col. W.W 491 
 
 Garner, J. W 550 
 
 Garrett, A. M 287 
 
 Garrett. Barton 23' 
 
 Garvin, Thomas 55* 
 
 Gast, Frederick »69 
 
 Oast, Herman 3*' 
 
 Gear, John H »47 
 
 Gettb, Charles 5" 
 
 Gctts, Jacob 544 
 
 Gilbert, August 238 
 
 Gilmore, Milton 555 
 
 Gipple, George W 261 
 
 Gipplc.KF 573 
 
 Gipple, J. S 553 
 
 Glidden,NC 521 
 
 Grant, Ulysses S. 87 
 
 Gray, James A 488 
 
 Gray, James E 534 
 
 Gray , William 533 
 
 Gray. William 3*3 
 
 Green, Cyrus 5*' 
 
 Green, John H 534 
 
 Gregory, Uavid 263 
 
 Gregory, Dennis 572 
 
 Grimes, James W 119 
 
 Grubb, J. L 540 
 
 Guinn, J. D 482 
 
 H 
 
 Hale, Hon. John »43 
 
 Hall,G. W 467 
 
 Hall. James I9» 
 
 Hall, Martin C 539 
 
 Hamilton, Alex 240 
 
 Hamilton, D. D 238 
 
 Hamilton. Jesse 348 
 
 Hamilton. Samuel 427 
 
 Hammond, D. B 264 
 
 Harrison, Hon. George D 384 
 
 Harrison, William H 51 
 
 Hayes, Rutherford B 91 
 
 Hays, John 254 
 
 Hcdrick.N.P 4''' 
 
 Helverson, Henry 55s 
 
 Helverson. James 259 
 
 Hempstead, Stephen 115 
 
 Hensley, J.T 560 
 
 Herrick,D. W 323 
 
 Herrick. J. M 548 
 
 Hcrrick, S. J S"7 
 
 Hetfield, John 43" 
 
 Hewitt, W. J 260 
 
 H idlcbaueh, Alexander 574 
 
 Higbee. James 578 
 
 Higbee, Joseph F 312 
 
 Hill. Adam 413 
 
 Hill, George W 4M 
 
 4 
 
 Hill. I. \V a63 
 
 Himmelrcich, Henry 973 
 
 HobbicO.E 329 
 
 Holitl^iy, J. F 303 
 
 Holler, H. M 576 
 
 Hook. George W 486 
 
 House. F.P 303 
 
 House, Jacob 229 
 
 Howey. Harris. M. D 468 
 
 Hudlcr, O. M 546 
 
 HuflF, Charles 368 
 
 Huff, John 241 
 
 Hughes, David R. 261 
 
 Hughes, Rev. Richard 269 
 
 Hunt, Jonathan 457 
 
 Hunt. Stephen G 463 
 
 Hunt, WilUam C -. 513 
 
 Hunter, John 338 
 
 Hurley, A. D 268 
 
 Hurley, David 3=4 
 
 Hurley, Hon. James S 313 
 
 Huston, J. M 541 
 
 Huston, Joseph 551 
 
 Jackson, Andrew 43 
 
 Jackson, E. G 485 
 
 Jamison, Hon- George 229 
 
 Jamison, Merit 43^ 
 
 Jamison, M. L 556 
 
 Jamison, O. I 335 
 
 Jamison. R. D ao8 
 
 Jamison, Samuel 232 
 
 Jamison. W. D 1. 394 
 
 Jamison, William , 347 
 
 Jarvis, J. L 323 
 
 Jarvis, Myers 473 
 
 Jarvis, Zadok 278 
 
 Jefferson, Thomas 27 
 
 Jenkins, James E 573 
 
 Jenkins. Richard 328 
 
 Johnson, Andrew 83 
 
 Johnston, H. A 464 
 
 Johnston, John K 282 
 
 Johnston, William H 332 
 
 Jones, A.J 3" 
 
 Jones, Barton M 477 
 
 Joy, J. E 436 
 
 K 
 
 Kallenbarger, H. Jacob 518 
 
 Keller, George R 380 
 
 Keller, H. D 579 
 
 Kemp, Aaron 467 
 
 Kemp, James R 401 
 
 Kemp, William 401 
 
 Kent. J. I. 271 
 
 Kern, Gottfried 447 
 
 Key, Darius 507 
 
 Kirk wood, Samuel J 127 
 
 Krcincr. Frederick 382 
 
 Kreiner, George 364 
 
 Krcmer, Ziba 270 
 
 L 
 
 Laccy, E. B 188 
 
 l.aml>erson, W. li ■ 3ja 
 
 Larrabce, William 155 
 
 Latta, J. Kirk 484 
 
 Lester, W. A 342 
 
 Letts. H. M 382 
 
 Letts, N . M 527 
 
 Letts. W.H 386 
 
 Lieberknecht, H 168 
 
 Lie berk nechi, Jacob 179 
 
 Limbocker, Alfred 310 
 
 Limbocker, John S 273 
 
 Limbocker, M- N 274 
 
 Lincoln, Abraham 79 
 
 Linn, O. H. P 199 
 
 Littrel, S 297 
 
 Lowe, George -402 
 
 Lowe, Ralph P 123 
 
 Luck) , Joshua 309 
 
 M 
 
 Madison, James 31 
 
 Marsdcn, Henry 341 
 
 Marshall, Dewiti C 494 
 
 Marshall. J. L 366 
 
 Marshall, Robert 51a 
 
 Marshall, William H 505 
 
 Martin, A. C 210 
 
 Martin. James 209 
 
 Martin, John T 478 
 
 Martin, Joseph 334 
 
 Matthews, H. N 455 
 
 Matthews, W. B 441 
 
 Maxon, E. C 242 
 
 May. H. P 271 
 
 May, Stephen 365 
 
 McAvoy, Daniel 566 
 
 McCaughan, D 465 
 
 McChesney. James T S 423 
 
 McCormac, R. S 353 
 
 McCormick. W. M 412 
 
 McCray, James 453 
 
 McCullough, J. B 3^5 
 
 McCurlcy, John V 568 
 
 Mc Daniel, Carodcn 243 
 
 McElhinney. R. W 557 
 
 McGrew, M. S 208 
 
 McKay, Daniel 516 
 
 McKean,M. R 250 
 
 McKinncy, Robert 191 
 
 McManemon, James 198 
 
 McV'ay, Rev. I,.uther 538 
 
 Mcgrew. Archibald 451 
 
 Merrill. J. L ,....273 
 
 Merrill, Samuel. 1^5 
 
 Metzger, Isbon 579 
 
 Mctzger, Nathan 403 
 
 MeyerhoU, Henry 543 
 
 Michael, E 381 
 
 Mickey, J. R 48a 
 
 Mickey, Oliver P 203 
 
 Miller, C. F 379 
 
 Miller, George B 531 
 
 Miller, Williams..... 454 
 
 Moffeit, Rcv.W. T 365 
 
 Moffett. W. B 168 
 
 Monroe, James 15 
 
 Morgan, Cyrus 307 
 
 Morgan, David 377 
 
 Morgan, David 4S8 
 
 Morgan, Evan 405 
 
 Morgan, John 463 
 
 Morgan, John M 408 
 
 Morgan, J. W., M. D 380 
 
 Morrison. D. H 548 
 
 Morse, Alvah 244 
 
 Mosier, G . H an 
 
 Murray, J. L 327 
 
 Myers, L.W 284 
 
 N 
 
 Neal, B. G., M. D 408 
 
 Neal, Dr. George P 359 
 
 Newbold, loshua G 143 
 
 Newell, R. F 311 
 
 Newell. Thomas 369 
 
 Newell, Thomas 370 
 
 Nichols, John H 481 
 
 o 
 
 Oats, J. W 376 
 
 Oliver, E. W 358 
 
 Ong,F. M 381 
 
 Orr, F. G 376 
 
 Orr.J. J 458 
 
 Orr, R. H 4^6 
 
 Orr, William W 381 
 
 Orr, W. W.. Jr 375 
 
 Overholt, Dr. John 461 
 
 Overholt . D. W 367 
 
 Owens, Robert O 378 
 
 Paine, D. W 561 
 
 Paisley, Francis F 339 
 
 Parsor.s, A. H 414 
 
 Parsons. D. D 309 
 
 Parsons, H. J. N 426 
 
 Parsons, Joel C 446 
 
 Pardons, J. J 212 
 
 Parsons. T. M 428 
 
 Paschal & Son 580 
 
 Paxton, Dr. R. S 370 
 
 Pierce, Franklin 71 
 
 Pliit, H. A 204 
 
 Polk, James K 59 
 
 Purcell, Thomas 434 
 
 R 
 
 Reancy, Robert J 357 
 
 Reancy. Samuel 385 
 
 Kees, John A 501 
 
 Relchley, G. W 475 
 
 Rcilcy, Hon. L. A 377 
 
 Reisch, Peter 364 
 
 Riuhards, Humphrey .425 
 
"^•- 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 »► ■- 
 
 Kichards, John 455 
 
 Richardson. W. B. C 444 
 
 Richley. Philip 397 
 
 Kifeiibcrg, H. D 385 
 
 RiKG*. A. V 433 
 
 Robison. W 358 
 
 Ross, John 575 
 
 Rowe, Jac'tb 434 
 
 Russell, W. S 193 
 
 Riitt, J. I) 504 
 
 Samson, I-. M 47'» 
 
 Schmiilt, George 188 
 
 Schneider. Lewis 452 
 
 Scofield, G. W 312 
 
 Scofiel 1, Joseph 193 
 
 See, Rev. Michael.... 558 
 
 Seinplc, James 395 
 
 Shearer, S. H S93 
 
 Sheila liarcer, Isaac 445 
 
 Shcllabarger, T. B 169 
 
 Sherman. Bnren R 151 
 
 Shew, W. A 374 
 
 Siverly, tlcorEC i8» 
 
 Siverty, L. L . . ^04 
 
 Sm.ill.S. y igS 
 
 Smith, H. 1 200 
 
 Smith, J. C 395 
 
 Smith. J. R 39a 
 
 Smith. Miln J 167 
 
 Smith, W. F. ,435 
 
 Spafford. V>. F 17 i 
 
 Spraguc, Hon. D. N 314 
 
 Sprlnser, Arihur ... 367 
 
 SprinRcr, Hon. Francis 165 
 
 Sprows, John 4*4 
 
 Stafford. John SM 
 
 Stahlcy, Henry 437 
 
 Stapp, Reuben 422 
 
 Stephen, I.cvi 190 
 
 Stephen^. I'avid 39* 
 
 Sierrett, Juhn .*. 3^^ 
 
 Stewart, J. C. 510 
 
 Stock. Francis 396 
 
 Stone, Rev. George 363 
 
 Stone, William M 131 
 
 Stormont. David 393 
 
 I Straiise, J - VV .234 
 
 Siroh. B. F 192 
 
 Stronach, Thomas. 213 
 
 Sulzberger, Jacob 396 
 
 Summers, l>r. M. H 375 
 
 Swan, J. A 380 
 
 Swan, Joseph s^^ 
 
 Syphrii, J. U ■ 378 
 
 Tatlock, E-. W 403 
 
 Taylor, Zacliary 63 
 
 Tlioiiia^i, F, . H T77 
 
 Thoiiiits.G. F 184 
 
 I Tliomns, G . \V -403 
 
 Thomson. P'libp 234 
 
 Thompson. A. O . 362 
 
 Tbomison, I'. W 253 
 
 Thompiton, Thomas 537 
 
 lodd. Henry S 181 
 
 Todd. R. H 509 
 
 Todd, William 303 
 
 Townscnd. (i . E. E 367 
 
 Townscnd. Samnel 355 
 
 Trask. Israel 43* 
 
 Trumbull. C. D i7> 
 
 Tucker. K. H 230 
 
 Tiirkinc:ton. James 258 
 
 Tustison. Frank. M. D 522 
 
 Tyler, John 55 
 
 U 
 
 Upson. Horace 33a 
 
 Van P.urcn, Martin 47 
 
 Vandcvort, J . M 508 
 
 Van Horn, H. P 474 
 
 Vaughn, J. B 174 
 
 Vertrees, josiah 487 
 
 Venrecs. William T 435 
 
 Viliber, R. C 39a 
 
 w 
 
 VVaag, Andrew 407 
 
 Wabnilr, Charles 182 
 
 Waancr. < ; W 569 
 
 Wagner, Jesse JOJ 
 
 Wagner, Joseph »oi 
 
 Wagner, Philip "87 
 
 Wagner, P. C 169 
 
 Walker. J. P >93 
 
 Wall, William 30« 
 
 Washington, deorge 19 
 
 Wetwr, H. A 30° 
 
 Weber, J. H. K. L. E 17" 
 
 Wchmeyer, Aufiust 39' 
 
 Wells, I.. P 3" 
 
 Welsh, Isaac 406 
 
 Westbrook, D H 3»o 
 
 Westfall, 0. W 40'' 
 
 Wcsllake, Burroughs 497 
 
 Whislcr, Francis 4"> 
 
 Wiedcrrechl, George, 3»8 
 
 Willey, W. W 318 
 
 Williams, KJwin 304 
 
 Williams, G. Barslow 3.!s 
 
 Williams, William W 181 
 
 Williams, W. R 178 
 
 Williamson, AW 179 
 
 WiNoH, James -453 
 
 WiKon, James H 510 
 
 Wilson, James H 289 
 
 Wilson. John 347 
 
 Wilson , J oh n '94 
 
 Wilson, T. R 197 
 
 Wilson, William M 359 
 
 Winder. David 3<8 
 
 Wolford. J. B 183 
 
 Wolford,.S. C 330 
 
 Wonnell. I.. C I?" 
 
 Woodruff, David 383 
 
 Woodruff, Levi 189 
 
 ^>*<-' 
 
 Ad-tm-i, .!nbn sa 
 
 Ad.-im*. J. Q 38 
 
 Allen. William G .37a 
 
 ■ Arthur. C A g8 
 
 -NReatiy, Flisha.yZiB»* 361 
 
 r Bcike. George -430 
 
 -Reikc. .M ai;cie 4jo 
 
 •Rrtues. .-\ti«rl 110 
 
 ' lEuch;tnan, jamcK 74 
 
 ^r.^mpbcll. Rev I). 'I" 33ft 
 
 Carpenier. f'yril i(,6 
 
 ^ Carpcnler, Cyrus ("lay 138 
 
 'CTevrland, S. firover loa 
 
 Vl'oliou. \V. A 256 
 
 Crai^cr. Samuel 470 
 
 riirii*. S. C ao6 
 
 I>cihl. John 4ao 
 
 "'r>ow^on, Mrs Mary 316 
 
 •I>owson. 'Ih^nias yi-*''^ 
 
 A F.dmond-on. Rtdiert H -fWC T-^S^ 
 
 ^rFdwards, C . W 306 
 
 '-Ld^vai<U..Mr^. C W 306 
 
 AF.v;*ns. Rev I honuis-^WW- . - 500 
 
 V Fillmore. Millard 66 
 
 , rFurnas, Maria 316 
 
 •^Furn.is. W 316 
 
 ' Garfiild. James A 94 
 
 <iarner. Wesley W 4^0 
 
 •^'■arrcit, A - M a86 
 
 » Gear, John H , 146 
 
 ^Grant. Ulysses S 86 
 
 Grimi-s. James W i)8 
 
 Harrison. W. H 50 
 
 Hayes, Rutherford R 90 
 
 Hempstead, Stephen 114 
 
 Jackson, Andrew 42 
 
 ■ Jefferson. Thom.is u6 
 
 John-'On, -Andrew 8a 
 
 rKcmp.J. R 400 
 
 *^ LKcmp, William 400 
 
 > Kirk wood. Samuel J 136 
 
 r I.arrabcc. William 154 
 
 ' I.eim. N. M 526 
 
 I I.ini'oln. Altraham 78 
 
 -Liltrtl, M.ir^aret A 296 
 
 ^ Littrel, S 296 
 
 ' Lowe, Ralph P 12a 
 
 *■ Madison. James -^ 30 
 
 KMcCormac, R. S >ffci(l<Vw\ .^ . 35a 
 
 Mci^rew, Archiball .45© 
 
 1 Merrill, Samuel 134 
 
 ' Monroe, James 34 
 
 J-Murray, J. L 3a6 
 
 ^Murray, Mrs. J. L 326 
 
 i-Newbold. Joshua G 14a 
 
 vNichols.John H 480 
 
 ►'OverhoU, I). W a66 
 
 V ()vcrh..h John.M. D 460 
 
 ' I'ierce. Franklin .70 
 
 'Polk, James K.... 58 
 
 .»Rees. John A.Y7 5a*?VI\J 500 
 
 ' Reiley. lion I- A 376 
 
 J' Shcrni.in, lluren R . ■ 150 
 
 •'SpriuEcr. Hon. Francis 164 
 
 ■'^Stone, GcorRe.r/^i.V .T.... .361 
 Stone. William M 130 
 
 Taylor. Zachary 6a 
 
 *^'homas. Edward H 176 
 
 ^rThompson, Mrs. Thomas -.536 
 ■Thompson, Thomas 536 
 
 Tyler, John 54 
 
 (.Van Hiiren, Martin 46 
 
 •^Vacncr.Mrs. Philip J.B^~ 
 
 * Wagner, Philip ii6 
 
 *' Washington, George »8 
 
 . "Wchmeyer, August 39® 
 
 Wchmeyer, Mrs. August 390 
 
 . Whisler, Francis 410 
 
 Whislcr, Mrs. Francis 4»*> 
 
 (.rWiUon, John 946 
 
 Wilson, Maria 946 
 
 VIKWS. 
 
 Dodder. G. W 
 Slranie. J W 
 
 439 
 
 325 
 
 -^^ 
 
 -•► 
 
 i 
 
•>-*-. 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 ->^)^3-^ 
 
 IXTRODUC'TORY r^H", 
 
 t<)T'()(;kai'1iical r)K6 
 
 'J'lic Idwa Hiver iyWi 
 
 AXTK^riTIKS 5H8 
 
 IXDIAX OCXri'AXCY... ..',',!() 
 
 SKTTLKMKXT I'.Y 
 
 WHITES 5!)2 
 
 CorXTY OOVEKXMEXT.oitH 
 
 I'.KXCll AXI) r.AR CM) 
 
 THE I'lJESS 603 
 
 WAR EOIJ THE IXIOX. . .Cnfi 
 IMOXEEU SETTLERS' 
 
 ASSOtTATIOX 608 
 
 I'opuhition 618 
 
 AuririiUurnl Society. . ..618 
 Wc.illicr Sliilislii's 619 
 
 ]>(>iiis:i t'oiuilv Suiidnv- ' 
 
 Scliof)! .Vs.soc'iiilioii . . .(ilSI 
 Hisc .111(1 K.ill of low!i 
 
 :iiiil ('i'(t:ii- Rivers ....(! lit 
 
 Iiisuriiiiee (il ;i 
 
 Loiiisn County .MimHcmI 
 
 Society 61!) 
 
 >[an-i:iire Lieense 620 
 
 W. C. T. r 620 
 
 Eirst Tilings 620 
 
 Eariners' .Vlliiuiee 620 
 
 TOW XSl Ill's 621 
 
 Coliiuilxis City 621 
 
 Town rif Cdlunilms 
 
 City 623 
 
 Lafayette and llills- 
 lioro .633 
 
 Clifton 634 
 
 "W.-ipello 634 
 
 Mfn'iiiiij;: Sun 640 
 
 Honey Creeic District. 641 
 Villajie of .MorniiiLT 
 
 Sun 612 
 
 ( iiandview 644 
 
 \'llla<jc of (ii;ind\ie\v .644 
 Villa.ueof Lettsville..646 
 
 Oaklanil 648 
 
 Concord 649 
 
 N'ill.auc of Eredouia. . 6;")0 
 N'illaac of .Miiiieda . . .6;')0 
 
 Jefferson 6.')1 
 
 I'ort Louisa ()i>l 
 
 Elm (irove 6;')1 
 
 .ALnrsliall 6^2 
 
 Eliot 6.-)3 
 
 liiioii 6.").> 
 
 -^^ 
 
 t