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 37
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 37
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EORGE W. BARKER, section II Grand River Township, was born in Woodford County, Illinois, January 4, 1838, a son of Bradley Barker, a native of Massachusetts, and a pioneer of Illinois. He remained in his native county un- til 1852, when he came to Iowa and lived two years in Appanoose County, removing to Wayne County in 1854 and settling on the farm where he now lives. He owns a fine farm of 500 acres and his improve- ments are among the best in the township. He was married January 30, 1859, to Emily Vowell, daughter of Henry W. Vowell, of Great Bend, Kansas. They have had eight children, but six of whom are living-Al- bert W., Charles W., Lewis F., George G., Effie L. and James M. He has served his township in several official relations. He is a member of the Christian Union church.
M ARIDA G. CAIN, the present post- master of Seymour, was born in Vermillion County, Illinois, in 1860. He came to Appanoose County, Iowa, with his father, William Cain, in 1869, and was educated at the high school at Seymour, Wayne County. After complet- ing his education he engaged in teaching school which he followed for four years in
Wayne County. He was appointed to his present position as postmaster, January 6, 1886, successor to J. C. Fox. He has been a resident of Seymour since 1873, and is classed among the enterprising citizens of the place, where he has won the respect of the entire community. His father, William Cain, has been twice married. His first wife was Julia Martin, who died in Appa- noose County, and for his second wife he married Miss Celia Franzelle. By his first marriage he had three sons and three daughters, our subject being a child of this union. One son and a daughter were born to his second marriage. Several of the chil- dren are deceased. This family was for- merly from Illinois, removing from that State to Kansas. They subsequently re- moved to Missouri, and later became res- idents of Appanoose County, Iowa.
AVID TULLES, the father of Perry Tulles, the subject of this sketch, was born in the year 1784, in Loudoun County, Virginia, and was reared and edu- cated in his native county. He was a hero of the war of 1812. After the close of the war he moved with his family to Guernsey County, Ohio, where he served a term as county judge; later was elected to the State Legislature. Perry Tulles, the sixth of twelve children, was born June 25, 1824, in Guernsey County, Ohio, where he lived the life of a farmer and was married to Sarah Wheeler. He lived in Guernsey County until the year 1849, when with his wife and two children he moved to Iowa, making the journey across the country with teams. He first settled in Jefferson County buying land in Locust Township, which he im- proved, living on it until the fall of 1856, when he sold out and moved to Wayne County, since making his home in Clinton Township. He has a farm of 170 acres
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well stocked and improved. July 26, 1862, Mr. Tulles enlisted in Company D, Twen- ty-third Iowa Infantry, and while the com- pany was stationed at Des Moines, before going to the front, he was injured by the overturning of the stage coach on which he was riding, from the effects of which he has never fully recovered. Later, however, he accompanied his regiment to the front where he remained nearly a year, but finally was obliged to come home, and was dis- charged July 2, 1863. Mr. Tulles is the father of eleven children-Lecester, Mor- gan, Margaret E., John W., Almedia, Evalyne, Sarah, Eliza J., Viola, Vina and Martha, of whom eight are now living.
LEXANDER MARDIS, contractor and builder, is a native of Guernsey County, Ohio, where he was born in
1852. He removed with his parents to Osceola, Clarke County, Iowa, in 1857, his father, William K. Mardis, being still a resident of that county. Mr. Mardis has been engaged in the manufacture and lay- ing of brick from his boyhood. He is one of the substantial men of Corydon, and since coming here in 1879, has done much toward building up the town. He has erected by contract many of the finest buildings here, including the brick business blocks of E. A. Rea, and William Hughes, the Corydon public school building in 1880, and the Methodist Episcopal church in 1883, and the fine residences of Judge Free- land, Thomas Beal and E. A. Rea, beside many other substantial buildings. The brick used in the erection of the above mentioned buildings was manufactured at Corydon, by Mr. Mardis. Mr. Mardis was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Se- christ, daughter of the late David Sechrist, one of the early settlers of Clarke County, Iowa. Mrs. Mardis is a native of Indiana.
Mr. and Mrs. Mardis have two children- Lyman P. and Stella, the former a native of lowa, and the latter born in Missouri, in which State Mr. Mardis resided with his family for a few years.
ETH LEWIS, of Seymour, Iowa, is a native of Suffield, Connecticut, born in 1824, and when a young man set- tled in Chicago, Illinois. He learned the carriage-maker's trade at which he worked twelve years and then engaged in the lum- ber business and in banking in Marengo, Illinois. In 1876 he bought a half interest in a carriage manufactory in Chicago, which became the large establishment of Jarrett & Lewis, employing about 150 hands. He went to Kansas City and from there to Trenton, Missouri, and thence through the inducement of the railroad company to Seymour, where in 1882 he established his present extensive lumber business and in 1883 opened his banking house. He is now one of the most prosperous business men of the place, and one of its most enterprising citizens.
F. HOWELL, attorney and coun- selor at law, residing at Cory- don, is a native of New York. He was born in 1847 at Southampton, Suf- folk County, Long Island, where his ances- tors settled. in 1640. He received his literary education at Princeton, New Jer- sey, where he graduated in 1868. During the winter of 1868-'69 he attended the Columbia Law School, New York City, and in June, 1869, he was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of the State of New York. The same year he began the practice of his profession at Moulton, Ap- panoose County, Iowa, remaining there till 1874, and in February of that year he be-
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came a resident of Corydon. He has been twice married. His first wife's maiden name was Fannie R. Smith. She was a na- tive of Sag Harbor, New York, and died in 1875, leaving two children-Frederick and Elmina Jerusha. Mr. Howell subse- quently married Miss Mary J. Cook, a na- tive of Morgan County, Illinois, and to this union have been born three children- John, Ebenezer and Samuel Wright.
ILLIAM CLARK, one of the earli- est pioneers of Wayne County, lives on the southwest quarter of section 17, Warren Township. Eighty acres of his farm he entered from the Gov- ernment in 1855, although his date of settle- ment in the county was not till two years later, in March, 1857. But few settle- ments had been made in the township at that time, Hartley Bracewell, George Wright, George Wilkie, Nathan Wyatt, and William Allen being the only resi- dents. There was but one house, that of John Ferrel, in Benton Township, between Mr. Clark's place and Corydon, and George Wright's was the only one between his house and Clio. Of these early settlers, Mr. Clark and William Allen are the only ones now living on the land they entered, all the others having either moved away or died, although in several cases the children of the original owner occupy the land. Railroads at that time were scarce, there being not a mile of railroad in the whole State of lowa, and their trips to mar- ket and mill were tedious and unpleasant. Mr. Clark was born in Greene County, In- diana, in 1827. His father, Henry Clark, was a native of North Carolina, where he was reared, and married Sarah Pickard, re- moving several years later to Indiana, where they both died. Our subject was reared in Indiana, as was also his wife, Eliza Miller, she being a daughter of Wy-
att and Mary (Bland) Miller, natives re- spectively of South and North Carolina, and after their marriage residents of Indi- ana. In the fall of 1853 Mr. and Mrs. Clark, with their two children, and his elder brother, John, and family came to lowa, and located in Keokuk County, and the same year entered land in Wapello County. John Clark was dissatisfied with the prospects of a life in a new country and the same fall returned to his home in Indiana. He died while serving his coun- try in the war of the Rebellion. Mr. Clark removed to Wapello County in the spring of 1854, remaining there till his settlement in Wayne County. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have nine children, two born in Indiana, one in Wapello County, and the rest in Wayne County-Cammie C. is the wife of John Baltimore, of Clay Township; Sarah E. is the wife of N. W. Densin, of Kansas; Lettie is the wife of B. F. Allen, of Wayne County ; Jennie is the wife of A. B. Callen, of Wayne County ; Maggie is the wife of J. L. Stine, of Missouri; Marion F. lives in Warren Township ; Susie B., Carrie Belle, and Lloyd are at home. Mr. Clark's first presidential vote was cast for John C. Fre- mont, and since then his affiliations have been with the Republican party.
HARLES ROCKHOLD, the oldest settler now living in Wayne County, lowa, resides on section 33, Jefferson Township, where he owns a fine farm of 280 acres, and is engaged in general farm- ing and stock-raising. He was born in Whitley County, Kentucky, February 12, 1817, a son of Charles Rockhold, a native of Maryland. He was reared in his native county, and in the fall of 1839 removed to Wayne County, Iowa, making the journey with ox-teams, and being forty days on the way. Here he experienced all the hard- ships and privations of pioncer life, but by
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILD N FOUNDATIONS.
Hiram Evens
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his energy and enterprise has assisted ma- terially in developing the country, and making Wayne the prosperous county it is to-day. He was married August 15, 1850, to Cynthia Hall, a daughter of James Hall, of Sullivan County, Tennessee. They have had four children; but three are living- William, Frank and Melissa.
APTAIN HIRAM EVANS, one of the well-known pioneers of Walnut Township, Wayne County, was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, June 18, 1819. His father, James Evans, was also a native of Pennsylvania, living in Bedford County for many years, where he died. He was the father of thirteen children, ten sons and three daughters. Captain Evans was reared in his native county, and was there married January 12, 1842, to Sarah Jane Robinson, who was born in Monongalia County, Virginia, May 26, 1821, she becom- ing acquainted with her future husband while on a visit to her sister in Bedford County. Her parents, James and Rachel Robinson, lived in Virginia till their death. Of the nine children born to Captain and Mrs. Evans, six are still living-Louisa, wife of Samuel Wade ; Winfield S., living near his father; Sarah J., wife of J. H. Morrison, of Seymour ; James R., living in Oregon ; Kate, wife of David Tharp, of Seymour, and Hiram K. Three of their children died in early childhood. Captain Evans learned the trade of a tanner and currier, which occupation he followed many years. Two years after his marriage he went with his wife to Virginia, remain- ing there about two years. October 14, 1845, he started westward with a view of finding a location for a home, and visited Lee, Henry, Jefferson and Des Moines coun- ties in Iowa, purchasing land in West Point, Lee County. He was much pleased
with the country, and after remaining a few weeks returned to Virginia with the determination to come back and make a permanent home in the Hawk Eye State. In March, 1848, he returned to Iowa, ac- companied by his wife and eldest child, who was then about two years of age. He rented land near West Point, and that year raised a crop of corn, remaining in Lee County two years. In the meantime he had entered 200 acres of land in Davis County, to which he removed in the spring of 185 1. He improved this farm which he owned for several years. In April, 1856, he came to Wayne County, and settled on his pres- ent farm, which he had entered the year before coming here. His home farm com- prises the whole of section 9, Walnut Town- ship, his residence being on the north half of the section. He also owns other land in the township, making in all 1,030 acres. Besides this he has given to three of his children 160 acres each, and to a fourth child, eighty acres. The success which Captain Evans has attained has been due to his industry, energy and good management. He left Virginia with but $460, and this was soon expended, so that he has accumu- lated his large property by his own efforts. His plan was to mark out a course to be pursued, and to follow that path in spite of all obstacles, and this is the key to his suc- cess. In the summer of 1862 Captain Evans and S. L. Glasgow, then of Corydon, raised a company of volunteers, which be- came known as Company D, of the Twenty- third Iowa Infantry, and on the organiza- tion of that company our subject was made First Lieutenant, bring mustered into the service as such. After serving in the Twenty-third for two years and four months he was incapacitated for further service, and resigned his commission of captaincy which he had held about a year. He participated in many of the most im- portant engagements of the war, including
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the battles of Port Gibson, Champion Hills and Black River, after which he was de- tailed with his regiment to conduct prison- ers to Memphis, then to Young's Point, and from there to Milliken's Bend, and partici- pated in the terrible battle at that place, where his regiment lost heavily, as they did at Black River. His regiment then took part in the siege of Vicksburg, he commanding the company in the most of these severe engagements, on account of the Captain being sick." He was commis- sioned Captain in August, 1863. On the day following the surrender of Vicksburg the regiment was ordered to Jackson, Mississippi, where it took part in the events at that place, and after returning to Vicks- burg it was ordered South, remaining there till the close of the war. Since the war Captain Evans has been actively en- gaged in farming and stock-raising, being one of the largest agriculturists in the township. In politics Mr. Evans has af- filiated with the Republicans since the or- ganization of that party. His first presi- dential vote was cast in 1840 for William H. Harrison.
ILLIAM CHADWICK, section 5, Clay Township, was born in Lewis County, New York, Janu- ary 12, 1824, a son of Luther Chadwick, who was a native of Windham County, Vermont. In 1831 his parents moved to Canada West and settled about forty-five miles north of Toronto, but in May, 1838, returned to New York and settled in Erie County, near Buffalo, and thence the fol- lowing January moved to Erie County, Pennsylvania, and in 1844 to Berrien Coun- ty, Michigan. In 1855 William Chadwick came to Iowa and settled in Richman Township, Wayne County, removing to Benton Township in the spring of 1868. He was married January 19, 1851, to Bet-
sey. A. Caldwell, daughter of John Cald- well. Two children were born to them ; but one is living-Olive E., who married Cornelius D. Simons, of Berrien County, Michigan, and has one child-Allen. Mrs. Chadwick died October 22, 1854, and Oc- tober 23, 1855, he married Nancy M., daughter of B. R. Fisher. They have had six children, but three of whom are living -Charles Fremont, Alice C. and Royal B. Charles married Josephine Collier and has two children-Florence and Alice E.
BRAHAM LIGGETT was a native of Pennsylvania, born in Washington County, January 17, 1835, the fourth of ten children of Jesse and Hannah (West- lake) Liggett. He was reared in his native county living there until 1875 when he moved to McDonough County, Illinois, and in January, 1883, to Wayne County, Iowa, locating on the farm where his family now lives. The farm contains 160 acres of fine land all under cultivation and a good residence and farm buildings. The orchard of 185 trees is one of the best in the county. Although a resident of Wayne County so short a time Mr. Liggett, by his enter- prise and public spiritedness, became iden- tified with all the interests of his township and was a popular and influential citizen. He was married June 28, 1854, to Miss Re- becca McCrery, daughter of William and A. McCrery. They had ten children, eight of whom are living-Jesse, William M., Wiley, Almira, Campbell, Scott, Lizzie and Albert. Two are deceased. Emma and Sarah. Mr. Liggett was a member of the Masonic fraternity, Corydon Lodge, No. 498. He, as is also his wife, was a member of the Protestant Methodist church, Chamberlain Chapel, at Warsaw, and filled the office of leader from the or- ganization of the church at Warsaw. Mr.
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Liggett died April 19; 1886, of inflammation of the brain, after an illness of only one week. Such was the nature of his disease that his mind was wandering from the be- ginning, the only thing which seemed to hold his attention being prayer. When apparently unconscious of the nearness of earthly friends, his thoughts seemed to dwell on God and prayer, and his petitions for his family were most powerful and im- pressive. His funeral sermon was preached by Rev. John Jellison from 2d Samuel, xxiii.
OHN S. WILLIAMS, section 13, Grand River Township, was born in Franklin County, Indiana, November 15, 1828, a son of David Williams, a native of the same county, born in 1800. In 1839 his parents moved to Des Moines County, Iowa, and thence, in 1843, to Henry County. In 1854 he located in Wayne County, where he has since lived. He was married in April, 1858, to Malinda Emert, daughter of Jonathan Emert. To them were born four children, of whom but two are living- Grant and Fidelia. Mrs. Williams died in 1866, and in the fall of 1867 Mr. Williams married Elizabeth, daughter of Stephen Vaughn, who settled in Grand River Town- ship in 1851. They have had five children; four are living-Sherman, Frank, Tolbert and Allie May.
ILLIAM H. EARNEST, M. D., has lived in Seymour since Octo- ber, 1871, and has built up a large and lucrative practice, being one of the most successful practitioners of the county. He was born in Greene County, Pennsyl- vania, in 1848, a son of Isaac and Mary Earnest. His mother died when he was a child, and his father is still living in Greene County. When he was five years of age he was taken to Putnam County, Ohio, and
was there reared and educated. In the spring of 1864, when but little more than fifteen years of age, he enlisted in Com- pany D, One Hundred and Fiftieth Ohio Infantry, and served 100 days. In the spring of 1865 he again enlisted for a year, and was assigned to the One Hundred and Eighty-ninth Ohio Infantry, and served till the close of the war, about nine months. In 1866 he began the study of medicine, and in 1870 graduated from the College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons at Cincinnati, and located in Rockport, Ohio, where he re- mained a year, and then moved to Sey mour, lowa. Dr. Earnest has been twice married. His first wife was Eliza J. Craw- fis. She died in Ohio in 1869, leaving one son-Charles E. His present wife was Miss A. M. Rogers. They have one daughter-Marcia.
OHN R. MATKIN, the present effi- cient mayor of Seymour, was born in Indiana in 1824, his father, John Matkin, being a native of North Carolina. He removed to Indiana about 1824 or 1825, and died in Putnam County, that State, when our subject was but eight years of age. John R. Matkin was reared in his native State, and married Elizabeth Wool- ery, who was also a native of Indiana. He came to Appanoose County, Iowa, in 1853, and in January, 1854, entered land in Pleasant Township, on which he settled and improved, living there till he came to Seymour, Wayne County, in 1875. His wife died in Appanoose County, and he was again married to Mrs. Sarah Ridge- way, by whom he has one daughter-Eliza- beth. He has three. living children by his first wife-John Henry, Russel F. and Cynthia Ann. Mr. Matkin was one of the pioneers of Appanoose County, and few men have become more widely known or more
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generally respected throughout the country than he. He was for many years an ex- horter and class-leader of the Methodist church, and he labored faithfully for the cause of Christianity over Appanoose County west of the Chariton River. He was an Abolitionist of the most pronounced type, strongly opposing the institution of slavery. On the organization of the Re- publican party he joined that party, with which he affiliated for many years. He was a strong supporter of the cause of the Union during the dark days of the Rebell- ion. He is a staunch advocate of Prohibi- tion, and has not tasted liquor for thirty- five years. He is always ready to express his views on these subjects, and his life is a practical proof that he is sincere in his professions. He is now serving his third term as mayor of Seymour.
H. PRAY, of Wright Township, re- siding on section 6, is one of the enterprising and progressive young men of Wayne County. He is a native of the State of Iowa, born in Wapello County, January 10, 1855, a son of William Pray, who is a prominent citizen of Wright Township. He has been a resident of Wayne County since seven years of age, his parents locating in Union Township, this county, at that time. Five years later he came with his parents to Wright Town- ship, where he has since made his home. . He was reared to farming pursuits, which he has made the principal avocation of his life. He received his primary education at the district schools of Wayne County,
and later attended Oskaloosa College, where he completed his education, after which he engaged in teaching school, which he followed for several terms with success. He was married September 12, 1875, to Miss M. E. Frame, a daughter of William
Frame, of Wright Township. Five children have been born to this union-Amos Milton, Roy McKinney, Carrie May, Otis W. and May Belle. The latter is deceased. In the spring of 1879 Mr. Pray removed with his family to Rooks County, Kansas, where he pre-empted a homestead, on which he lived three years, when he received a deed for the same, which he still owns. In the spring of 1882 he returned to Wayne County, and has since been a resident of Wright Township.
RANCIS KILBOURN, residing on the northwest quarter of section 24, Warren Township, Wayne County, was born in Portage County, Ohio, in 1832, a son of Hiram Kilbourn, who lived in Ohio till his death. He remained at his home till twenty-two years of age, coming to Iowa in 1854, when he entered 200 acres of land on section 7, of Warren lownship. He passed the following winter in the eastern part of the State, and in the spring of 1855 went to the lumber regions of Wisconsin, where he remained nearly two years. He then spent about three years in Henry County, Iowa, and in 1861 came again to Wayne County, where he has since re- sided. In 1863 he exchanged his land, on section 7, for his present farm, which is located on sections 13 and 24, and contains 350 acres of good land. This place was first entered by J. Q. Rankin, but the first improvements were made by Mr. Kil- bourn. Beside his home farm Mr. Kil- bourn also owns 100 acres of land in Jack- son Township, this county. He is the only one of his father's family who settled in Wayne County. He passed his first night in this vicinity at the log tavern of Mr. Phillips, at Corydon. When he first came here there were 'no settlers living between his place and Corydon, a distance of six
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miles. Game was abundant, and the howl- ing of the wolves was a nightly occurrence. Grass was frequently seen growing as high as a man's head, and when dried in the fall and set on fire would present a scene of terrific grandeur, the flames frequently rising to the height of fifty feet. Mrs. Kil- bourn's maiden name was H. J. Douglass, she being a daughter of Eli Douglass, who settled in Jackson Township, Wayne County, in 1859. To Mr. and Mrs. Kil- bourn have been born four children- Charles, Seth, Walter and Ann Eliza.
HARLES DAVIS, section 1, Benton Township, was born in Estill Coun- ty, Kentucky, July 15, 1821, a son of George Davis, a native of Virginia, who removed from Kentucky to Edgar County, Illinois, about 1828, where Charles was reared and educated. He came to Iowa in the fall of 1854 and entered 200 acres of Government land, 120 of which is his home- stead. He was married in the fall of 1841 to Delilah, daughter of Levi Maynard, who died January 6, 1850. Two of the four children born to them are living-Permelia E. and Delilah. In 1850 Mr. Davis mar- ried Anna, daughter of John Davis. Seven children were born to them; but three are living-Lucinda, Martha and John W. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are members of the Baptist church.
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