USA > Iowa > Keokuk County > A genealogical and biographical history of Keokuk County, Iowa > Part 35
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years. As a companion and helpmate for life's journey he chose Miss Elizabeth McNabb, the marriage being celebrated on the 13th of March, 1856. The lady is a native of Morgan county, Indiana, and is a daughter of Andrew J. McNabb, a pioneer settler of Keokuk county. The McNabbs came from Indiana to Iowa in 1842 and stopped in Wasli- ington county one year. In 1843 they settled in Warren township, Keo- kuk county, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land and improved it, carrying on the work of cultivation until the farm becanie very productive and valuable; he plowed the first furrow that was turned north of Skunk river, in the western part of Keokuk county, and was an active factor in the early development and improvement of this part of the state; he died September 9, 1896, in Delta, Iowa, at the age of eighty-two years; both he and his wife were natives of Ken- tucky. The home of our subject and his wife has been blessed with seven children, a son and six daughters, but two of the daughters have now passed away. The family record is as follows: America E .; Matilda, the wife of W. T. Wharton, of Spokane, Washington; Martha S., deceased; Flora D., the wife of C. G. Saunders, of Council Bluffs, Iowa ; Jennie, deceased ; Mary Ann, the wife of Frank Kendall, of Delta, lowa; and John L.
After his marriage Mr. Newkirk located upon a farm in Warren township, making his home thereon for twelve years, during which time he placed his land under a high state of cultivation and made other substantial improvements upon his place. He then sold the property, but immediately purchased another farm in the same township. This. too, he sold at a later date and in 1892 he came to his present home, where he has since lived. During the past sixteen years he has worked at the carpenter's trade, and he still follows this pursuit, although he is
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now in his seventieth year. His life has been one of unremitting toil and should put to shame many a man of younger years who, having ielt the burden of business life, would relegate to others the cares which he himself should bear. Mr. Newkirk is a member of the Masonic fraternity. having taken the three degrees of the blue lodge and holding membership in Delta. He has always been identified with the Democratic party, having firm faith in its principles, for he believes that they are best calculated to conserve good government. He has served as a postmaster of Delta for four years, filling the position under President Cleveland's second administration, and then refused to con- timre in the office during the Republican administration. He was also a notary public for a number of years and has held every township office with the exception of one. For twenty-four years he has been a member of the school board and the cause of education has found in him a warm friend. for he believes in good schools and competent teachers, realizing that education is one of the bulwarks of the nation and a splendid preparation for the duties of life. He and wife and fam- ily belong to the Christian church of Delta and his entire life has been one which has awakened uniform respect and confidence. In public office his course has been above reproach, for he has ever been prompt, loyal and faithful.
LEVI IRONS.
This gentleman has now been identified with the agricultural in- terests of Keokuk county for forty-eight years, and is to-day the owner of a well improved and valuable farm of one hundred and twenty acres on section 21, Adams township, its neat and thrifty appearance testify-
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ing to the careful supervision of the owner. Mr. Irons was born in West Virginia on the 14th of January, 1846, and is the fifth son and seventh child in the family of John Irons, of whom extended mention is made in a preceding sketch. .At the age of eight years our subject was brought by his parents to this county and under the parental roof he spent the days of his boyhood and youth, his literary education being obtained in the schools of Adams township. During his minority he gave his father the benefit of his labor in the operation of the home farm, and at the age of twenty-one began farming on his own account on his father's place. A year later he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, to the improvement and cultivation of which he devoted his energies until 1896.
On the 14th of April, 1896, Mr. Irons was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary ( Williams) Anderson, a native of Illinois, born in 1850. and a daughter of W. S. Williams, who came to Keokuk county, Iowa. in 1896, and is now engaged in farming here. Mrs. Irons was reared and educated in her native state and was first married in Illinois to Eliakem Anderson, who was born in New Jersey and was a farmer by occupation. In 1886 they came to Iowa and located on a farm in Adams township, Keokuk county, which Mr. Anderson operated throughout the remainder of his life. Being in ill health he entered a hospital in Chicago, but he never recovered and died there in 1892.
After his marriage Mr. Irons located upon his present farm in Adams township, where he owns one hundred and twenty acres of rich and arable land, which is under a high state of cultiation. He is a progressive and enterprising farmer and is meeting with good success in his chosen occupation. He has always devoted considerable atten- tion to stock raising and has found that branch of his business quite
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profitable. In politics he is independent, supporting the men whom he believes best qualified for office, regardless of party lines. He merits and receives the respect and esteem of all who know him and is one of the valued members of the community in which he lives.
WARREN C. IRONS.
Warren C. Irons, who resides on section 29, Adams township, owns and operates a valuable farm of two hundred and eighty acres, whose neat and thrifty appearance well indicates his careful supervision. A native son of Keokuk county, Mr. Irons was born on section 22, of the township where he still resides, his natal day being May 12. 1854. and he is the twelfth child in the family of John and Margaret ( Powell ) Irons, whose sketch precedes. Upon the home farm our subject was reared to manhood, receiving a good practical education in the district schools of the locality and assisting in the operation of the farm and in herding sheep during his youth. He was married on the 12th of February, 1889, to Miss Lizzie Stoner, a daughter of John and Fannie Stoner. Both of her parents are now deceased. The father died in 1869 and the mother in 1872, while Mrs. Irons was called to her final rest, October 27th, 1889. She left one daughter, Rosa E., who was born October 11. 1889, but died on the 2nd of February, 1890. Mr. Irons was again married, his second union being with Miss C. Anna Fisch, who was born in Muscatine county, Iowa, May 11. 1863, and is a daughter of Michael and Eva (Lang) Fisch, both natives of Ger- many, the father having come to the new world when about twelve years of age and the mother when about eighteen. They were married 111 Muscatine, Iowa. Mr. Fisch, who is a farmer by occupation, now
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makes his home in Keokuk. In his family were eight children, six daughters and two sons, Mrs. Irons being the sixth in order of birth Of this family three daughters and one son are now living. By his second marriage Mr. Irons has one daughter, Vera Eva, who was born May 24, 1896, and is now a bright little girl of six summers. His wife spent her girlhood on a farm in lowa county, Iowa, until twelve years of age and was educated in the common schools.
After his marriage Mr. Irons took up his abode upon the farm where he now resides and has since devoted his energies to its opera- tion. He is a skillful and progressive farmer who has met with success in business and has found stock raising quite a profitable source of in- come. Besides huis property in this county he owns three hundred and twenty acres of land in the Red river valley in Wilkin county, Minne- sota. He also has town property in Keswick and is a stockhol ler in
the Keswick Savings Bank. He has made many improvements upon his home place, including the erection of a commodious and pleasant residence in 1900, and everything about the farm plainly indicates the thritt and enterprise of the owner, who is regarded as one of the leading citizens of the community. His entire life has been passed in Adams township and those who know him best are numbered among his warm- est friends. He is industrious and enterprising and to these qualities may be attributed his success in life, while his ballot supports the men and measures of Democracy, and as every true citizen, takes an active interest in public affairs.
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JUNIOUS HAMILTON.
The agricultural interests of Keokuk county are represented by no more worthy citizen than Junious Hamilton, a pioneer settler of the county, born in Putnam county, Missouri, January 14, 1847. He is a second son of W. C. Hamilton, also a pioneer settler of Keokuk comlity, and a brother of James Hamilton, whose name appears on an- other page of this work. Junious Hamilton spent his early childhood days in Missouri, where also in youth he acquired his education. He removed with his parents to Iowa at about the age of eighteen, and re- mained at home until his marriage, which occurred June 16, 1868, the lady of his choice being Elizabeth Lisk, a native of England. Her parents crossed the Atlantic, settling in Mahaska county, Iowa, when she was quite young. In 1898 Mr. Hamilton was called upon to mourn the loss of his first wife, and in 1900 he was married to Miss Belle Hamaker, the marriage being celebrated on the 19th of July, of that year. The lady of his second choice was a native of Jefferson county, Ohio. She is a daughter of Elisha Hamaker a native of Ohio, who became later an early settler of Iowa. However, he did not remain in Iowa for a great length of time, but returned to his old home in Ohio. Mr. Hamilton and his wife became the parents of one son, Everett B., born July 13. 1901.
Mr. Hamilton has remained upon his present farm since 1889. It comprises forty acres of the rich land of lowa, and upon it he con- ducts agricultural pursuits, being a man of progressive methods, taking advantage of the latest improved machinery for facilitating farm work, and carefully supervising the work of the farm in principle and detail. The neat and thrifty appearance of the place indicates the energetic
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and enterprising character of the owner, who may well be proud of his well tilled fields and his good grade of stock. Mr. Hamilton is fifty- five years of age and his estimable wife is forty. In the prime of life they are enjoying the results of their well directed labors and are highly respected citizens of Warren township.
In his political views he endorses the men and measures of the Republican party and lends his aid in support of the same. He is a member of the Christian church and his life has been in consistent harmony with his religious belief. A man of upright character and sterling qualities of heart and mind, he is popular in his adopted county, where he enjoys the confidence and respect of many friends.
ROBERT A. MARSHALL.
One of the honored pioneer citizens of Keokuk county, where he was long and successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits, is Mr. Marshall, who is now living retired in the attractive village of Ollie, where he has a pleasant home and is enjoying the well earned reward of his former years of toil and endeavor. Mr. Marshall is a native of the state of Indiana, having been born in Decatur county, on the 7th of May, 1831. a son of John Marshall, who was born in Maryland, where he was reared and educated and whence, as a young man, he accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio, where they were :1mbered among the early settlers. His father, William Marshall, was born in England, whence his parents came to America when he was a child, this being in the colonial epoch. Here William Marshall grew to manhood, and when the colonies, burdened with unjust oppression, sought to throw off the yoke of the mother country, he was loyal to the
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cause of independence and tendered his services as a soldier in the Con- tinental army, serving under Washington and taking part in may of the important engagements of the Revolution. He died in Greene county, Ohio, when well advanced in years. His wife and her mother were residing in Massachusetts at the time of the war of the Revolu- tion and were in so close proximity that when the battle of Bunker Hill was in progress they stood at their door and received the flying reports as to the progress of the conflict.
John Marshall, father of our subject, was married at Madison, Indiana, to Miss Elizabeth Edwards, who was born in Virginia, whence her parents removed to the west when she was an infant, making the long journey on pack horses. They first settled in what was known as the Crabapple Orchard, in Kentucky, being among the very first to locate in that section, and there Mr. Edwards aided in the various con- flicts with the Indians, who were finally brought under subjection. When the mother of our subject was a young lady she went with her parents to Indiana, and after her marriage she and her husband took up their abode on a farm in Decatur county, that state. John Marshall tilere planted the town of Milford, seven miles west of Greenburg, and there he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives, honored by all who knew them and known as persons of sterling rectitude of char- acter. There also they reared their children to lives of usefulness, and the name is one honored in that section of the Hoosier state. They became the parents of ten children, of whom only three are living at the present time. The names of the children are here entered in the order of birth: William, James and John are deceased; Robert A. is the immediate subject of this sketch; Alfred and Eliza are deceased ; 61
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Mary is the wife of David Barger ; Nancy is the wife of Angus Forbes ; and Elijah and Deborah are deceased.
Robert A. Marshall continued to remain on the old homestead farm until the death of his father, and his vocation throughout life has been that of an agriculturist. In 1854 he came to Keokuk county, Iowa, and located on a tract of eighty acres of prairie land, in Steady Run township, and here he developed a fine rural estate, making the best of permanent improvements and adding to the area of his estate until he is now the owner of six hundred and fifty acres of valuable land, the major portion of which is under effective cultivation. He has devoted his farm to diversified agriculture and also given special attention to the raising of a high grade of cattle and hogs, while he directed his efforts to such discrimination and energy that a full measure of pros- perity came to him, enabling hin to eventually lay aside the more active labors and cares and to resign the management of his farm to younger hands. He took up his residence in the village of Ollie, which town he was instrumental in having laid out about 1885, and no man in the community enjoys a more unqualified confidence and esteem, and that he is well known in the county needs hardly be said when we revert to the fact that he has here maintained his home for nearly a half century. He has aided materially in the development of the natural resources of this section, has contributed to civic advancement, and all worthy causes concerning the public good have gained his influence and support,
In Milford, Decatur county, Indiana, in the year 1852, Mr. Marshall was united in marriage to Miss Mary Landis, who was born and reared reared in that state. She died on the homestead farm in this county, leaving two children, John and Nettie, both of whom were born in this county. On the 14th of January, 1861. Mr.
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Marshall was married to Mrs. Phoebe Braden, the widow of Wal- ter Braden. She was born in Ohio, being a daughter of William and Margaret (Dearmond) l'ye. Our subject and his estimable wite are the parents of two children, Frank and Van. In politics Mr. Marshall has given a stanch support to the Republican party from the time of its organization, and his religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been a member for half a century. He assisted materially in the erection of the church edifice in Ollie and has taken an active part in church work, as has also his wife, who is likewise a member of the church.
AARON STALKER.
Aaron Stalker, a prominent farmer and old settler of Richland township residing on section 15, was born in Hendricks county, Indiana. on the 19th of November, 1843. His father, George Stalker, was a native of Guilford county. North Carolina, and was there reared and married. About 1837 he sought a home in the west taking up his abode in Indiana, where he remained until 1851, when he came to Keokuk county, Iowa. locating upon the farm upon which our subject now resides. Here he spent his remaining days until within a short period prior to his death, when he took up his abode in Richland and there he passed away at the advanced age of eighty-seven years, respected by all who knew him because his life was upright and honorable, and be- cause he was consciencious always in his relations to his fellow men and straightforward in his business transactions. He held member- ship in the Friends church and his life was in harmony with its teachings. In his politics he was first a Whig and afterward a Republican. Ilis
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father, Jonathan Stalker, was of Scotch lineage. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Hannah Milliken and was born in North Carolina, where her girlhood days were passed. She lived to be seventy-three years of age and became the mother of eight children, all of whom are living with one exception.
Aaron Stalker is the youngest son and the sixth child of the family. He was seven years of age when the family came to Keokuk county. Iowa, and on the home farm his childhood days were passed, the place being now endeared to him through the associations of his youth as well as those of later manhood. £ In the district school he obtained his education and his training at farm labor was received under the direc- tion of his father.
In 1874 Mr. Stalker was united in marriage to Miss Mary Charles, a native of Jefferson county, Iowa, and a daughter of Thomas and Charlotte (Johnson) Charles, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Ohio. In 1851 they came to Iowa and cast in their lot with the early pioneer settlers of this state. Mrs. Stalker was the fourth of their five children and was reared in Jefferson county. After their marriage our subject and his wife located in Richland township. He purchased the old homestead, upon which he has since engaged in farm- ing and stock raising. He has three hundred and sixty acres of land, the most of which is under cultivation with the exception of a tract of forty acres of timberland. He is extensively engaged in stock-raising and this branch of his business has proven to him a profitable source of income. Everything about his place is neat and attractive in appear- ance and a glance indicates to the passer by that the owner is a pro- gressive and practical agriculturist.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Stalker has been blessed with one
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daughter, Maude, who is the the wife of Dr. L. G. Lemley, of Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. The parents hold membership in the Friends church, in which they were reared. Mr. Stalker is a strong temperance ilan and gives his political support to the Prohibition party which repre- sents his views concerning the liquor question. For fifty years he has resided in Richland township and has therefore witnessed much of the growth and improvement of the county which was reclaimed from the red men for the uses of a higher civilization represented by the white man. Mr. Stalker has borne a prominent part in the work of reclaiming the wild land and has contributed in no small degree in his locality toward winning for the state its splendid reputation as one of the leading agricultural sections of the Union.
HENRY ABEL, JR.
One of the solid and representative citizens of the county, and one who reflects credit upon his German ancestry, is the gentleman whose name precedes this paragraph. Mr. Abel is a native of Benton town- ship, where he was born on the 26th of February, 1848. His father was Henry Abel, Sr., a native of the fatherland, born in Hesse-Darm- stadt in 1824. He passed the period of youth in his native province, and was apprenticed to the weaver's trade. Upon arriving at maturity he emigrated to America and came directly to the state of Iowa. Hle was soon after joined in marriage in Fort Madison to Miss Mary Eliz- abeth Miller, who was also a native of the same province as her hus- band, having come to this country with our subject's father in the same boat, they being married almost immediately upon arrival in the state.
Mr. Abel's parents soon after settled in Benton township, Keokuk
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county, on a farm of eighty acres. This was about the year 1845. They immediately proceeded to improve the farm, it being in the tim- bered section, and soon had it under a high state of cultivation. This date makes them one of the earliest pioneer families in the county. They became the parents of twelve children, an equal number of boys and girls, our subject being the eldest son. The names of the family were as follows: Kathrine, deceased; Henry, Jr., the subject of this sketch; Elizabeth; Barbara, deceased; Leonard and Dora, twins, Dora being deceased; William; David; Mary; Caroline, died in infancy ; George, also died in infancy ; and John W. All of these children were reared to manhood on the old homestead in Benton township.
The parents are both deceased. Mr. Abel was a staunch Whig. and after the passing of that party, voted with the Democratic party He took some little part in the affairs of the township in his earlier days. In religious belief the family were members of the United Breth- ren church.
Henry Abel, Jr., our subject, remained dutifully at home engaged in helping his parents educate their large family until he was thirty years of age. In the meantime he had been engaged in some farming ven- tures for himself, and in the fall and winter gave considerable attention to the threshing business. He married in 1878 Miss Margaret Alice Wallace, a native of this county, born in Warren township, March 9. 1852. Mrs. Abel is the daughter of Reuben Wallace, an old pioneer of this county, who was born in Dover, Delaware, November 23, 1811; he came to Iowa in an early day and settled in Warren township, Keo- kuk county, and was married to Mary Elizabeth Kieth about the year 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Abel are the parents of an interesting family of two boys and three girls-Laura Elizabeth, Rhoda May, Reuben
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Henry, Eliza Dora, and Walter Ray. For the first four years of his married life Mr. Abel rented a farm near Hickory Grove, but in 1882. having accumulated the necessary capital, he was enabled to purchase liis present place. This body of land now contains two hundred and eight acres, and evidences the hard labor which he has bestowed upon it. He has brought it to a high state of cultivation, and has placed upon it all the improvements necessary for the conduct of so large a farm. He gives special attention to the feeding of hogs for the market, and raises and sells all kinds of grain. He follows his father in political belief, voting with the Democratic party. He is a representative and and highly esteemed citizen of the county, where he has passed his whole life time, and the authors of this volume are pleased to give him representation within its pages.
HANNO P. NEWTON.
Hanno P. Newton requires no introduction to the major part of the readers of this volume, because he is so widely known in Keokuk county. He is now living a retired life in Keota, having after many years of close association with business affairs put aside the more ardu- ous duties of industrial life. He is of New England birth, having been born in Cheshire county, New Hampshire, on the 17th of Septem- ber, 1838. His father, the Hon. Hosea N. Newton, was likewise born in the old Granite state and was reared in Cheshire county, where he learned and followed the occupation of a cooper. In his native place he was also married to Miss Mary A. Fisk, likewise born in Cheshire county, and about 1840 they removed to Connecticut. At length the west attracted them and in 1858 they made their way to Keokuk county,
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