USA > Iowa > Wayne County > Biographical and historical record of Wayne and Appanoose counties, Iowa, containing a condensed history of the state of Iowa; portraits and biographies of the governors of the territory and state; engravings of prominent citizens in Wayne and Appanoose counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of Wayne and Appanoose counties > Part 33
USA > Iowa > Appanoose County > Biographical and historical record of Wayne and Appanoose counties, Iowa, containing a condensed history of the state of Iowa; portraits and biographies of the governors of the territory and state; engravings of prominent citizens in Wayne and Appanoose counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of Wayne and Appanoose counties > Part 33
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RUSH CORBETT, farmer and stock-raiser, section 29, Benton Township, was born in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, August 24, 1834, a son of William Corbett, a native of the same county. He was reared on a farm, and has always followed agricultural pur- suits for.a livelihood. He came to lowa in December, 1867, and located in Wayne County, on the farm where he has since lived. He owns 210 acres of valuable land, all under cultivation, and his residence and farm buildings are commodious and con- venient, making his home one of the pleas- antest in the township. Mr. Corbett was a soldier in the war of the Rebellion, enlisting in the defense of the Union in Company G, Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania Infantry, and is now a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He was married February, 1858, to Eva M. Clugh, a native of Clarion County, Pennsylvania, daughter of William Clugh. They have a family of four chil- dren-William C., Ida., Frank and Jessie
E. William is a resident of Oregon. Ida is the wife of George F. Knerr, of Allerton, and has one child-Violet. Mr. and Mrs. Corbett are members of the Presbyterian church at Corydon. In politics he is a Democrat. He takes an active interest in all the public affairs of his township, but never seeks official honors, preferring the quiet of home life, and leaving that work to those who desire it.
AMES M. GWINN, farmer and stock- raiser, section 19, Clay Township, was born April 29, 1829, in Greenbrier County, Virginia, now Summers County, West Virginia. He lived on a farm in his na- tive county, and there attended the log-cabin subscription schools during his youth. He was married in September, 1850, to Barba- ra Surbaugh, daughter of Jacob Surbaugh. Mrs. Gwinn died in September, 1853, leav- ing one child-Virginia, who is now the wife of Hugh C. McGhee, of Clay Town- ship. Mr. Gwinn was again married No- vember 29, 1856, to Lovicy Chamberlain, daughter of Leander Chamberlain, who is now deceased. Of the eight children born to this union five are living-Mrs. Henrietta Grant; Milo B., of Benton County, Mis- souri; Edwin B., attending the St. Louis school of telegraphy ; Lewis J. and Rachel Maude. Mr. Gwinn came to Wayne Coun- ty, Iowa, in the spring of 1852, spending the first summer in Richman Township. He built a cabin on his farm in Clay Township, into which he moved in November, 1852, he being the first permanent settler of the township. His first house was a hewed log cabin, the first one of the kind in Wayne County, and in 1860 he built his present residence, which was the first brick house in the county. He has served his town- ship as assessor the greater part of the time I since coming here, and is still holding that
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
position. He has also held the offices of township clerk, county supervisor, and has served as secretary of the School Board. He was also postmaster at Lewisburg for six years. He has always followed farm- ing, and is now the owner of 230 acres of choice land where he resides. He is a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity. His father, Ephraim J. Gwinn, was born in Virginia, and is still a resident of his native State. His grandfather was one of thirteen sons, each of whom settled in one of the thirteen Statcs.
BARON EVANS was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, December 30, 1830, his father, James Evans, being a native of Pennsylvania, and of Welsh descent. Aaron Evans was the eighth of thirteen children, and the seventh son. He was reared in his native State, remaining there till April 4, 1854, when he went to Van Buren County, Iowa, coming to Wayne County in 1857. He was married ¿LEXANDER SHOCK is one of the oldest residents now living in Wal- nut Township, Wayne County, hav- ing settled here in 1853. April 1 of that year he entered 160 acres of land on section 34, where he still lives, the patent for this land being issued March 10, 1854, and bears the signature of Franklin Pierce. He en- tered altogether 240 acres which now com- prise his present farm. Mr. Shock was born April 28, 1822, in Pike County, Ohio, a son of Henry Shock, who was born in Germany, coming to America with his par- ents when a boy, and settling in Virginia. The father was reared and married in the State of Virginia. He subsequently re- moved to Ohio, where he lived till his death, which occurred about 1843. He had a family of ten children, six of whom still survive, our subject being the only one liv- ing in Iowa. The mother, Mary Shock, in Van Buren County, April 16, 1858, to Matilda Baker, a daughter of Moses and Mary Ann (Sale) Baker. Mrs. Evans was born in McLean County, Illinois, January 15, 1839. Her father was a native of Ohio, but removed with his father'sfamily to Illi- nois where he was married. He removed with his family to Van Buren County, Iowa, in 1841, where his wife died. Mr. Baker now lives in Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have had twelve children born to them, of whom nine are yet living-Will- iam L., born March 28, 1859 ; George I., born April 28, 1860; Mary F., born Dec. 23, 1861; Sarah M., born May 2, 1863, wife of Frank Eastman ; James Albert, born De- cember 10, 1864; Charles R., born Febru- ary 25, 1868; Laura Ann, born Oct. 2, 1869; John, born September 7, 1875 ; Charlotte M., born June 28, 1879. Elizabeth Jane and Lucy died in infancy ; Rachel died aged , was born in Greenbrier County, Virginia,
eight years, and Mary F. died March 26, 1886, in her twenty-fifth year. Mr. Evans settled on his present farm in April, 1858, his first purchase being eighty acres which he bought in 1857. He has added to his original purchase from time to time till his farm has increased to 640 acres. He has been very successful in raising grain and buying and shipping stock, having begun life a poor man, and by his own industrious habits and persevering energy has acquired a well-cultivated and well-stocked farm, his labors being attended with much more than average success. Beside his home farm he owns much valuable town proper- ty. He owns part of the brick block in Seymour known as the Lewis Block, also the postoffice building and the grain eleva- tor at this place. Mr. Evans in early life learned the carpenter's trade, and is a skill- ful mechanic as well as a successful agri- culturist.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
and died at the home of her son Andrew, on the old homestead, in 1872, in the eighty- second year of her age. Alexander Shock was the seventh child of his parents, and was reared on his father's homestead. In the spring of 1853 he came to Iowa with his cousin, Alexander Duffield, with the purpose of making a home. After visiting several counties they came to Wayne Coun- ty and were so pleased with the country here that they decided to locate. Mr. Duf- field lived here with his family till 1856, when he went, to Missouri, and later to Cal- ifornia. Mr. Shock found a log-cabin on his place which had been built several years prior to that time by Judge Anderson. This cabin, which was occupied by Mr. Shock and his family for many years, is still standing, and is the oldest house now standing in the township. The country was very new when Mr. Shock made his settlement here. But few settlers had pre- ceded him, and of these, if we except Alon- zo Sharp, who settled here shortly before our subject, all are gone, the most of them to that bourne from whence no traveler re- turns. Wild game of all kinds was abund- ant at that time, and was plentiful for a number of years after Mr. Shock settled here. The first year of his residence here he killed five deer. Mr. Shock came to Wayne County a single man. He was married June 19, 1856, to Clarissa Inman, who was born in Washington County, Ohio, May 22, 1837, a daughter of Aaron and Hetta Inman, who settled in Appa- noose County in March, 1853. They were both natives of Maine, removing to Ohio when children. In 1871 they removed from Appanoose County, Iowa, to Sey- mour, Wayne County, where the father died November 16, 1877, in his seventy- fourth year. The mother died at the home of Mr. Shock, January 31, 1879, in her seventy-fifth year. They reared nine chil- dren to maturity, seven of whom are yet
living. Mr. and Mrs. Shock have had nine children-Hetta, wife of William Mabee; Mary, at home ; Mable, wife of Edward Edmonds ; John, in Kansas ; Andrew; Hen- rietta; Timothy died aged two years ; James A. and Clara. Politically Mr. Shock was in early life a Whig, but has been a Republican since the organization of that party.
ANIEL MORGAN, deceased, was born near Lexington, Kentucky, in the year 1814. When five years of age he left his native State, his parents set- tling in Ross County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood, as one of the hardy pioneers. When nineteen years of age he married Miss Matilda McNeal, and together they started out on the journey of life with but little of this world's goods, and that was earned by chopping wood and working by the day at the iron furnaces, the prices for cutting a cord of wood being 37 cents. Ten children were born to them, six sons and four daughters. Five have passed to the spirit land, and the rest save Ralph, who lives in Texas, were present at the death bed of their father. In 1849 Mr. Morgan moved from Ross County to Ben- ton County, Indiana, and in the fall of 1850 moved to Madison County, Indiana, set- tling near the town of Anderson, at that time a small village, and the surrounding country was covered by a dense forest. In 1858 he moved to Champaign County, Illi- nois, but a few months later returned to Madison County, Indiana, and settled in the old neighborhood. March 1, 1865, the messenger of death entered his home and took from it the wife and mother. The same year he moved to Fulton County, Illinois, and made his home near Lewiston until October, 1868, when he married Mrs. Jemima Lowder, of Wayne County, Iowa, and moved to this county, making it his
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
home until his death. In August, 1884, he was bereft of the wife of his old age, whom he survived only eighteen months, his death occurring March 3, 1886. About the year 1855 he obtained a hope in Christ and cast his lot with the people of God, select- ing as the church of his choice what is usually called Newlights, and was a faith- ful member until he came to Iowa, when finding no church of his denomination, and feeling that he could not well live without a home in some Christian church, he in Au- gust, 1876, united with the Methodist Epis- copal church at Cambria, and remained a faithful and devoted Christian until called to that eternal home he was so well pre- pared to enter, leaving a bright testimony behind, that he had gone to enjoy the com- pany of the dear ones gone before. Father Morgan often spoke of the good meetings he had enjoyed in Indiana. Religion was a theme he loved to dwell on, and he spoke of death as calmly as though he was going on some friendly visit. Although the last six weeks of his life were spent in almost constant pain, not a murmur escaped his lips. He was cheerful and resigned, and often during his sufferings spoke of the heavenly home he was soon to enter. His body rests in Morgan Cemetery, in Union County, three miles south of Kent, by the side of his brother, R. P. Morgan, his chil- dren whom he left behind mourning the loss of a kind father, who was always their friend and counselor.
" Free at last from all temptation, No more need of watchful care; Joyful in complete salvation, Given a victor's crown to wear."
M. HART, deceased, was one of the earliest pioneers of Washington Township, where he became one of its prominent citizens and a successful and enterprising farmer. He was a native of
Virginia, where he was reared. He was married in 1855 to Elizabeth Fitzer, daugh- ter of John and Mary (Woods) Fitzer, and to them have been born four children- John T., Lafayette, Mary and Mattie. Mr. Hart was a prominent member of the Ma- sonic fraternity.
J. HAVNER, residing on section 19, Union Township, is one of the old and respected citizens of Wayne County. He was born in Lincoln County, North Carolina, January 2, 1839, a son of D. H. and Elizabeth Havner, with whom he lived till twenty-two years of age. His early life was passed in assisting on the home farm, his education being obtained in the common schools of Lee and Wayne counties, Iowa. In August, 1861, he en- listed in the war of the Rebellion, a mem- ber of Company I, Fourth Iowa Infantry. He participated with his regiment in the battles of Pea Ridge, Arkansas Post, first attack on Vicksburg, Chickasaw Bayou, Jackson, siege of Vicksburg, the second capture of Jackson, Mississippi, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge and Taylor Ridge. He was taken sick at Woodsville, Alabama, where he was in hospital for six months, after which he offered his services for re-enlistment but was not accepted. After serving faithfully for three years he was discharged at Dav- enport, Iowa. September 9, 1865, he was married to Miss Jennie Savely, of Union Township, Wayne County, a daughter of Jephtha and Sarah Savely. She died shortly after her marriage, her death oc- curring October 18, 1865. Mr. Havner was again married February 9, 1868, to Miss Dora E. Seamans, of West Point, Iowa, a daughter of L. and Esther Seamans. To this union have been born four children- Minnie C., Orpha L., Glen and Alma L.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Mr. Havner has met with good success through life and now owns 120 acres where he resides, besides eighty acres of good land in Washington Township. His dwell- ing is comfortable and commodious, his barns and out buildings in good condition and his land under a fine state of cultivation. In his political views Mr. Havner is a Re- publican. He is a member of the Method- ist Episcopal church. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, belong- ing to Messenger Post, No. 288, of New York, Iowa.
ESSE DAVIS, one of the progressive farmers of Monroe Township, resid- ing on section 12, was born in Ran- dolph County, North Carolina, December 6, 1810, his parents, Joel and Peniah (New- by) Davis, being natives of the same coun- ty. His early life was passed in assisting with the work of the farm and working at the blacksmith's trade. December 15, 1831, he was married to Sarah Horney, a daugh- ter of Jefrey and Keziah Horney, by whom he had four children-Alex S., Keziah, Joel and Jared. Alexander and Keziah are de- ceased. In 1834 Mr. Davis removed with his family to Adams County, Illinois, being among the early settlers of that county, where he lived for twenty-one years, bring- ing his land there from a wild state under fine cultivation. His wife died in Adams County, October 6, 1839, and he was again united in marriage, March 19, 1840, to Sarah Mendenhall, daughter of Isaac Mendenhall. Of the seven children born to this union four yet survive-Reuben, Isaac N., James and Mary. W. B. was a member of Com- pany D, Sixth Kansas Infantry, and died of typhoid fever at Mapleton, Kansas. Eli H. wasalso a soldier in the late war and was shot by bushwhackers near Westport, Mis- souri. Mr. Davis was again bereaved by the death of his wife November 1, 1849.
April 3, 1853, Mr. Davis married for his present wife Mrs. Elizabeth McMasters, and by his third marriage he has had five chil- dren-Rebecca J., Jesse W.,. David A., Daniel F. and Henry S., of whom David is deceased. By her first husband, Alfred McMasters, Mrs. Davis had five children - John, Caroline, William (deceased), Mary and Yancy. Mr. Davis came with his family to Wayne County, Iowa, March 16, 1855, and first settled in Walnut Township, where he improved a farm of 280 acres on section 33. In 1860 he located on his present farm in Monroe Township which contains 320 acres of as good land as can be found in the township, 200 acres of which he has given to his children. He has a comfortable resi- dence and has a fine orchard on his land. Six of the sons of Mr. Davis served in the Union army during the late war. Both Mr. and Mrs. Davis are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
MITH EWERS is a native of Lou- doun County, Virginia, where he was born January 3, 1834, a son of Thomas and Lydia (Fleming) Ewers, na- tives of Virginia, the father born in Lou- doun County, a son of Barton Ewers, and of English ancestry, and the mother a na- tive of Fairfax County. She was a daugh- ter of Robert and Ruth (Gibson) Fleming, who were both natives of Loudoun County, Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ewers had a family of nine children, of whom Smith was the eldest. They are as follows -Smith, Ruth, Rachel, Alice, Thomas, Robert, Mary, Barton and Albert. When our subject was four years of age his par- ents removed to Muskingum County, Ohio, in which county he was reared and edu- cated. October 25, 1855, he was married to Elizabeth Melick, a native of Mus- kingum County, and a daughter of James
32
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
and Julia (Ewing) Melick, the former a native of Perry County, Ohio, and the lat- ter born in Guernsey County of the same Statc, Mrs. Ewers being their only child. Mr. and Mrs. Smith Ewers have had nine children, seven still living-Mary A., Rob- ert T., James A., Harriet.C., Edward F., Stuart W. and Luada. Stephen T., and an infant daughter, unnamed, are deceased. Mr. Ewers continued to reside in Muskin- gum County till the spring of 1882, when he purchased the old George Sayre farm, on section 16, Wright Township, Wayne County, Iowa, where he has since made his home. His farm contains 200 acres of well-improved land on which he has a very fine orchard. His residence is comfortable and commodious, and his barn and other farm buildings are among the best in his neighborhood, and everything about his place betokens care and thrift.
OHN BRACEWELL, one of the prominent and influential citizens of Wayne County, is a native of York- shire, England, where he was born March 13. 1834. He came to America in 1850, living in Illinois till 1866, when he came to Wayne County, Iowa. He settled on his present farm on section 19, Warren Town- ship, in March, 1867, having purchased part of his farm the year previous. When he settled on his land it was but little im- proved, only a few acres having been broken. The farm now contains 400 acres of choice .improved land, beside which he owns forty acres of timber land. He has a good stock farm, and devotes considerable time to the raising of stock, in which he is very successful. Mr. Bracewell was mar- ried in Illinois, to Susan E. Lumsden, who was born in Tennessee in 1832, a daughter of William G. and Lucy Lumsden, who were natives of Virginia. They lived for a
short time in Kentucky, and in 1836 re- moved to Illinois, where they still reside. Mr. and Mrs. Bracewell are the parents of five children-William E., James E., Mary L., John G. and Leonard M. No name has been more closely identified with the growth and settlement of Wayne County than that of Bracewell, Mr. Bracewell's five brothers being influential citizens of this county. Politically Mr. Bracewell is a Republican. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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AMES GARRATT, section 32, Benton Township, was born in Cheshire, Eng- land, April 1, 1817, a son of Richard Garratt. He came to the United States in 1842 and lived in Madison County, Illinois, till the fall of 1843, when he returned to England, but in the spring of 1844 came again to the United States and lived in Madison County, Illinois, till 1845, when he removed to Morgan County, the same State, and in the spring of 1855 came to Iowa and entered a tract of Government land, from which he has made his present fine farm. His nearest neighbor was a mile distant. His first house was a log cabin sixteen feet square but this has been replaced by a sub- stantial two-story frame residence, and his farm buildings are comfortable and commo- dious. His farm contains 205 acres of choice land, and in addition to this he has given ninety acres to his children. Mr. Garratt was married December 31, 1851, to Delilah Lowe, a native of Morgan,now Cass, County, Illinois, born August 18, 1821, a daughter of Aquilla and Mary (Revis) Lowe, early settlers of Morgan County. They have had a family of four children, but two of whom are living-Mary F. and John W. Mary married Charles V. Allen, of Benton Township, and has two children -Lora M. and Jessie A. Mr. Garratt has
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
taken an active interest in the public affairs of the township, and has served his fellow- townsmen as assessor and 'school director. He and his wife are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church at New Zion, which he has served as class-leader, steward and trustee and has also been twice sent as a delegate to the annual conference. He is an honorable, trustworthy man, giving his influence to everything that tends to ele- vate the social, intellectual and moral stat- us of his town.
OHN L. B. HARNDEN, residing on section 21, Warren Township, Wayne County, was born in the west part of the State of Pennsylvania, in 1842, where he was reared. He is a son of Adolphus and Elizabeth Harnden, who came to Wayne County in the fall of 1870, the father dying here in the spring following his arrival. The mother is still living in this county with her children. Our subject has fol- lowed agricultural pursuits all his life with the exception of three years spent in the service of his country. He enlisted Octo- ber 7., 1861, in the Nineteenth United States Infantry, his first battle being at Shiloh. He was in General Buel's command in the Shiloh campaign; participated in that battle on the second day. He then went in pur- suit of General Bragg to Perryville, Ken- tucky, and from there to Nashville. He was wounded in the right leg at the battle of Murfreesboro, December 31, 1862, from the effects of which he has never recovered. He was then confined in the Marine Hos- pital at Cincinnati, Ohio, for fourteen months. He rejoined his regiment at Chattanooga in the spring of 1864, and took part in the Atlanta campaign, commenc- ing with Buzzard's Roost, Resaca and New Hope Church. He was wounded a second time at the battle of New Hope Church receiving a gunshot wound in
his left leg. After rejoining his regi- ment at Atlanta he was sent to Look- out Mountain, receiving his discharge October 7, 1864, just three years from the date of his enlistment. He then returned to Pennsylvania, and in May, 1865, came to Iowa, locating in Linn County. In 1866 he removed to Jefferson County, Iowa, where he was married in the spring of the same year to Miss M. J. Edwards, who was born in Pennsylvania, she coming to Iowa with her parents, William H. and Margaret Edwards, when a child, both of whom died in Wayne County. Mr. and Mrs. Harn- den have ten children-Mary Elizabeth, Grant, Albert, Edward, Maggie, John, El- mer, Estella, Etta and Jesse. Mr. Harnden came with his family to Wayne County, Iowa, in 1870, settling on his present farm, and commenced improving the same, his residence being on the northeast quarter of the section. He bought this land, which at that time was unimproved, from Dr. Green, of Jefferson County, who had en- tered the land. The farm, which contains 240 acres, is now under fine cultivation, and his residence and farm buildings are in good condition. He has about two acres of orchard, and has a fine maple grove of about two acres, the seed of this grove be- ing planted by him in 1872 just south of his residence.
M ELVILLE W. REW, deceased, was born in Friendship, New York, February 26, 1836, a son of Orris and Eunice (Corbin) Rew. He was reared and educated in his native town, complet- ing his education at the academy. In 1854 he settled in Minnesota, where he engaged in farming, teaching and lumbering. In 1862-'63 he served in a Minnesota regiment during the Sioux war. In 1863 he moved to Macoupin County, Illinois, and thence in 1869 to Wayne County, Iowa. He bought
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
320 acres of land and built a part of what is now the family residence, which was completed in 1878. The large and conven- ient basement barn was built in 1879. His farm he increased to 640 acres, but eighty acres have been sold since his death. He was a thriving, progressive farmer and became one of Union Township's most prosperous citizens. He died November 20, 1882, leaving a large circle of friends and acquaintances to mourn with his fami- ly the loss of a public-spirited and enter- prising citizen. He was an earnest mem- ber of the Congregational church and a strong advocate of temperance. In politics he was a Republican with Greenback ten- dencies. He was married in 1867 to Clara E. Whipple, a native of Macoupin County, Illinois, daughter of Josiah and Almira Whipple. To them were born three chil- dren-Myra, Jennie and Albert.
OSEPH H. EVANS, section 10, Grand River Township, was born in Knox County, Tennessee, March 8, 1817, a son of William Evans. He was reared and educated in his native county, attending in his youth the subscription schools. When twenty years of age he began to work at the blacksmith's trade, a vocation he fol- lowed thirty years. In 1849 he immigrated to Davis County, Iowa, and from there to Decatur County in 1852. Nine years later, in December, 1861, he moved to the farm where he now lives, in Wayne County, When on his way to Davis County he passed through Corydon, the day the first house was raised in the place. At that time there were only three houses in Centerville and none in Leon. He assisted in raising the second house built in Lineville. He has been successful in his pursuits and ac- quired a good farm, which is now owned by his son Ganum, with whom Mr. Evans
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