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 39
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 39
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R. POWELL GIBBENS, of Wright Township, living on section II, is the oldest practicing physician of Wayne County, paving been a successful practitioner in this county for over thirty- two years. He is a native of Jefferson County, Tennessee, born January 8, 1824, a son of David and Hannah (Batman) Gibbens, the father being a native of Vir- ginia, and the mother born in Jefferson County, of Welsh descent. His parents had a family of nine children-John, Mary, Thomas, Allen, Powell, Harvey, Keller, James R. and Hannah, all of whom were reared on a farm, the father following the avocation of a farmer through life. Our subject was reared in Morgan County, In- diana, where he received his education in the common schools, his parents having settled in that county when he was three years of age. In June, 1845, he went to Stilesville, Hendricks County, Indiana, where he began the study of medicine with his brother, Dr. Thomas Gibbens, with whom he studied two years, when his brother removed to Gosport, Indiana. Hc then succeeded to his brother's practice, which he followed successfully till 1854. He then came to Iowa, locating in Wright Township, in August of the same year, and commenced the practice of his profession in Wayne County. In 1855 he settled on
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ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.
Geo P. Bishop
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the farm on section II, where he has since resided. Here he entered 380 acres of land from the Government, of which he has since sold eighty acres, the home farm containing 300 acres of as fine land as can be found in the township, all under culti- vation. Doctor Gibbens was married July 23, 1848, to Caroline Vidite, a native of Stilesville, Indiana, who died September 3, 1878, and October 16, 1879, he was again united in marriage, taking for his second wife Caroline Hayden, of Indianola, Iowa, a daughter of Elijah and Mary Hayden. On first coming to this county the Doctor would frequently ride a distance of twenty miles to visit a patient. He has lived to see those for whom he prescribed when infants grow to maturity and been called to prescribe for their children. The Doc- tor is unusually skilled in the knowledge of his profession, and among the medical men of Wayne County he ranks with the highest. During his long residence here he has taken a deep interest in everything connected with the welfare of his township, and has always taken a prominent position in the community, gaining the confidence and esteem of all who know him. Al- though a staunch Republican he has never aspired to political notoriety, preferring to attend to the duties of his profession.
JEORGE P. BISHOP, residing on section 29, Richman Township, has been a resident of Wayne County, Iowa, for over twenty-nine years, having come here August 7, 1857, as a pioneer. He is a native of Otsego County, New York, and is a son of Isaac S. and Sallie (Preston) Bishop, both being natives of the Empire State. When he was but two years of age the family removed to Oswego County, New York, where the father followed car- pentering and joining in connection with his farming for a short time. The mother 37
died when our subject was four years old, and four years later his father broke up housekeeping, and he was left homeless, after which he followed various avocations, and endured many hardships and priva- tions. At the age of seventeen he went to Berrien County, Michigan, and engaged in lumbering and steamboating on the St. Joseph River. After remaining nearly five years he came to Wayne County, Iowa, lo- cating in Richman Township, on section 30, living there till he removed to his present residence on section 29, twenty-three years ago. After coming to Wayne County he began farming, which vocation he has so successfully followed so many years, and is now classed among the well-to-do citizens of the county. His farm now contains 256 acres of highly cultivated land, besides which he owns considerable stock, having seven horses, forty-six head of cattle and a large number of swine. Since coming here he has at times been engaged in contract- ing, both on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and the Missouri, Iowa & Ne- braska railroads. December 22, 1858, Mr. Bishop was married to Miss Sarah A. Smith, who was born in Franklin County, Ohio, October 6, 1838, a daughter of John and Aseneth (Bristol) Smith. She was the first school teacher in Richman Township, and taught the school two years. Seven children have been born to this union- Albert L., born December 5, 1860, married Lillias Elliott March 2, 1882, now lives in Custer County, Dakota; Sarah A., born August 11, 1862, married February 22, 1881, to J. C. Johnson ; the third child was born November 16, 1866, died November 18 of the same year; Florence G., born Decem- ber 4, 1869; Calvin E., born January 20, 1872, died June 7, 1873 ; Charles A., born September 21, 1874 ; George D., born June 28, 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop are mem- bers of the Presbyterian church, at Garden Grove. Mr. Bishop is one of the active
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
and enterprising citizens of Richman Town- ship, and has filled acceptably the offices of justice of the peace, constable, school treas- urer and director. He was a member of the Patrons of Husbandry,
AMUEL KING, farmer and stock- raiser, section 24, Union Township, postoffice Bethlehem, was born Au- gust 23, 1824, in Mason County, Kentucky. His father, John King, was a farmer of Kentucky, and married Nancy Stites, and they, with their family moved to Putnam County, Indiana, in 1828. They were among the early settlers of that county, literally chopping out a farm and home, their first house being a rude log-cabin. Samuel King grew to manhood in the new country, and was early inured to hard labor and poor fare, with but limited advantages for obtaining an education. In 1844 he mar- ried Annie Branson, who was born No- vember 3, 1822, in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. They began life for themselves in the dense oak, walnut and poplar forests of the Miami Reserve in Indiana. Mr. King, although accustomed all his life to swinging the ax, was finally discouraged by the endless toil, and after opening up three different farms resolved to try a prai- rie country. To this end he loaded all his earthly possessions on a wagon and started for Iowa. He located in the northern part of Monroe County and improved a farm, residing there fifteen years. In 1864 he came to Wayne County and bought the property of Morgan Parr, the first settler and founder of Bethlehem. Here Mr. King has done good work, and kept up the some course of improvement that has marked his previous life. He has a valu- able and well-improved farm of 220 acres. His substantial and convenient barn was built in 1868, but the old Morgan Parr
house is still his home. In this house were held the first religious, political and social meetings of the people of the settlement. A few of the apple-trees planted by Mr. Parr still remain. Mr. King has always been an expert horseman, and a great friend and admirer of these noble animals -man's best friend-and has for the past thirty years been a successful breeder of improved grades, calculated to be of use in the Western country. In this industry as in others he has been a great benefactor to the farmers and business men of the county. Mr. and Mrs. King have seven living chil- dren-William, the postmaster at Bethle- hem; Washington, a railroad man at Sioux Falls ; Charles, a farmer of Clay County, Iowa; Calvin, a farmer near Promise City, Iowa; George, a farmer in Graham Coun- ty, Kansas; Minerva F., wife of Judson Bolster, and Rebecca J., wife of Dr. Town- send, of Bethlehem. Mr. King was reared in the Democratic school of politics, but since its organization has affiliated with the . Greenback party.
AVID OCKERMAN was born in Kentucky, March 19, 1819, a son of Daniel Ockerman, a native of Penn- sylvania, and an early settler of Kentucky, who moved to Highland County, Ohio, in 1821, and thence to Clermont County, the same State, in 1826. Our subject was reared and educated in Ohio, and when nineteen years old, in 1839, went to Deca- tur County, Indiana, and in 1854 to Deca- tur County, Iowa. He was by trade a wheelwright, at which he worked and also engaged in farming until 1878, when he re- moved to Lineville, his son David having preceded him. He is a man of the strictest integrity, and has been prominent and in- fluential in public affairs wherever he has lived. He has served Lineville as its mayor,
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and for several years has been a justice of the peace. He is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, an organiza- tion in which he has taken a great interest. Mr. Ockerman was married October 15, 1840, to Mary S. Barr, daughter of Henry Barr. To them were born eight children, of whom six are living-Martha E., Sarah H., Daniel R., Mary C., Thena C. A. and Matilda C. One son, Joseph H., died at the age of twenty years. Mrs. Ockerman died January 16, 1883.
¡ILLIAM WARD has been a resi- dent of Wayne County since September, 1865, when he settled on his present farm on the northwest quar- ter of section 4, Corydon Township. His farm then contained 100 acres, to which he added by subsequent purchases till it now contains 300 acres of choice land. Mr. Ward was born in Perry County, Ken- tucky, in 1835, his father being a native of Maryland, born in 1796, his mother born in 1808. His mother is still a resident of Perry County, her husband dying in that county. Mr. Ward lived in his native State till 1857, when he came to Iowa and located in Keokuk County, where he was united in marriage, in 1860, to Miss Emeline Hart, a daughter of David Hart, one of the early settlers of that county. Mrs. Ward was born in Blackford County, Indiana, remov- ing with her parents to Keokuk County in the spring of 1855. Her parents settled in Union Township, Wayne County, in 1865, where her father died in September, 1875. Her mother still makes her home in Union Township. Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Ward five are living-Sarah Jane, wife of F. P. Showalter ; William D., married, and living in Seward County, Nebraska ; Albert, Mary E. and Millie B. Nancy M. died in infancy, and Anna R. was
accidentally burned to death, December 21, 1879, at the age of six years. August 1, 1862, Mr. Ward enlisted in Company F, Thirty-third Iowa Infantry, under the com- mand of Colonel Samuel A. Rice. He served in the army till the close of the war, and participated in the battles of Helena, Little Rock, Camden, Spanish Fort, Yazoo Pass, Little Missouri, Prairie De Ann, Jen- kin's Ferry and Mobile. He escaped with- out wounds, although he was in active service during the whole term of his enlist- ment. He located in Corydon Township immediately after the close of the war, where he has since made his home. He is a member of Robert Jackson Post, G. A. R., at Corydon. In politics he is a Repub- lican, although he cast his first presidential vote for Stephen A. Douglas, the Demo- cratic candidate.
EORGE W. WISEHART, proprietor of the Seymour House, was born in Putnam County, Indiana, in 1835, his father, John D. Wisehart, being a na- tive of Kentucky. George W. was reared to the occupation of farming in his native State, remaining there till 1868, when he removed to Decatur County, Iowa, and there followed farming for five years. He then came to Wayne County, Iowa, and purchased eighty acres of land on section 23, Walnut Township. He improved this farm, residing on it for six years, when he sold half of it, and the remaining forty acres he gave in exchange for his present hotel in 1878. This house was built by Samuel Aiken who was the first proprietor. It is conveniently located on Main street, opposite the Chicago, Rock Island & Pa- cific depot, and enjoys a large patronage, and under the charge of Mr. Wisehart has become a popular resort for the traveling public. Mr. Wisehart was united in mar-
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WAYNE COUNTY.
riage to Miss Rachel M. Sutt, she being a native of Ohio. This union has been blessed with three children, one daughter and two sons-Emma J., Charles L. and Halley.
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F. BOMGARDNER, section 20, Howard Township, postoffice War- saw, is a native of the Buckeye State, born in Gallia County, September 10, 1837, a son of Jacob and Wealthy (Glenn) Bom- gardner, also natives of Ohio. He re- mained in his native county until eighteen years of age, and was educated in the com- mon schools of his township. In the spring of 1856 he accompanied his parentsto Put- nam County, Missouri, where he lived un- til 1861, and in the spring of that year went to Knox County, Illinois, making his home there until the fall of 1864. He then re- turned to Putnam County, Missouri, and lived fourteen years, and in the fall of 1878 moved from his farm in Missouri to Wayne County, Iowa, and settled on the farm where he now lives in Howard Township. His homestead contains 100 acres of good land under a high state of cultivation and well improved, his residence and farm buildings being among the best in the town- ship. Mr. Bomgardner was married De- cember 5, 1861, to Miss Susan E. Moler, of Knox County, Illinois, a daughter of Lewis and Elizabeth (Shumaker) Moler. To them have been born seven children-Mary E., born September 28, 1862; William F., February 13, 1864; Armena M., April 29, 1866; Lewis J., October 20, 1869 ; John E., September 18, 1871; Clarence, June 27, 1878 ; Asher D., May 11, 1881. The eld- est daughter, Mary E., was married in the fall of 1880 to A. T. Stewart, of Johnston County, Missouri, and in the fall of 1883 moved to Cheyenne County, Nebraska, where they now live on their farm of 320 acres. They have two children -- Ethel
Grace and Clarence Curtis. William F. also went to the above named State and county in the spring of 1884 and afterward took a homestead of 160 acres, also timber claim of 160 acres, making 320 acres. Armena Minerva was married in the fall of 1884 to W. W. Blanchard, of Lewisburg, Wayne County, Iowa, one of Wayne Coun- ty's best school teachers. They shortly after their marriage moved to Smith Coun- ty, Kansas, where they now reside on their farm of 160 acres. The other three chil- dren are at home with their parents. Clar- ence died July 13, 1880. P. F. Bomgard- ner and wife and two daughters with their husbands are members of the Christian church, Mr. Bomgardner having been an elder in said church for about eighteen years.
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'OHN WYMER, farmer and stock- raiser, section 20, Monroe Township, is a native of Muskingum County, Ohio, born April 22, 1837, the second of six children of Joseph and Rachel (Robinson) Wymer, natives of West Vir- ginia. When he was three years of age his parents moved to Morgan County, Ohio, and there he was reared. His youth was spent in assisting his father in the labors of the farm, and when his services were not required at home he attended the district schools, and by studious habits acquired a good educa- tion. When twenty years of age he left the home roof and went to Scioto County, and two years later to Pike County, where he lived four years, in the meantime learn- ing and working at the shoemaker's trade. In April, 1864, he came to lowa and located in Wayne County, on the farm where he now lives. His farm contains eighty acres of choice land, all well improved, with a good frame residence, and other farm build- ings. He is an industrious, thrifty farmer,
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and an honorable business man, and among the most esteemed of Monroe County's citizens. Mr. Wymer was married July 1, 1860, to Miss Lydia Schoonover, of Pike County, Ohio, daughter of Hiram and Mary (Kilpatrick) Schoonover. She had been a school-teacher in her early life, and in 1857 came to Iowa and taught two terms in Warsaw. Mr. and Mrs. Wymer have seven children-Mary Ellen, A. E., Eliza- beth E., John R., Rachel Anice, Hiram A. and William B.
AVID DALE SHIRLEY, editor of the Allerton News and postmaster of Allerton, is a son of Robert and Bethiah Shirley, natives of Scotland. They were married in Renfrew County, Ontario, and fixed their residence in Pontiac Coun- ty, Quebec. They came in 1866 to Mis- souri, settling in Chariton County, and in 1879 removed to Lineville, this county. Here Mrs. Shirley died February 17, 1885. Mr. Shirley, who is now marshal of Line- ville, is a cousin of Robert Dale Owen, son of the noted philanthropist, Robert Owen. The subject of this biography was born in Pontiac County, Quebec, June 29, 1855, and lived with his parents until 1875, when he was twenty years of age. His educational advantages were very poor. There were few schools in Missouri which had not suf- fered in many ways from the civil war, and then again his father had failed in business and it was necessary that all able members of the family should work. Accordingly he began to learn the printer's trade at the im - mature age of ten. At this he succeeded admirably, and was so skillful and industri- ous that he was able to earn as high as $3 per day when fourteen years old. He fol- lowed this trade until twenty-two years old, having come to this county in 1875. He then acquired a practical knowledge of the " art preservative " in the office of the
Lineville Tribune under C. H. Austin. In 1878 he bought an interest in the Tribune. From October, 1879, to October, 1880, he acted as deputy postmaster under Mr. Aus- tin. In 1881 he went to Allerton and be- came connected with the News to which he gave his time exclusively until December 4, 1885, when he was appointed postmaster. He still retains the editorship of the News. Mr. Shirley is politically a Greenbacker. He was a candidate for recorder in 1880 and came within thirty-two votes of being elected. He was mayor of Allerton from 1882 to 1885. He is yet a young man, but though self-made, has achieved a success which many college-bred sons of wealthy men might well envy. He is a Mason. Mr. Shirley formed a matrimonial alliance with Vilenie Morgan April 5, 1885.
R. STEPHEN A. HIBBS, of Walnut Township, was born in Marion County, West Virginia, in 1826, and was there reared to manhood on a farm. His father, John Hibbs, was a native of Pennsylvania, coming to Virginia with his parents when about fifteen years old. He is still a resident of Virginia, and is now about eighty-one years of age. He was three times married, his first wife being the mother of our subject. Nine children were born to this union, of whom three sons and one daughter still survive. There are three children living by his last marriage. Dr. Stephen A. Hibbs was married in his native State to Melinda Yost, who died several years after her marriage. He was again married in 1861 to Mrs. Eliza (Blue) Glover, widow of the late Stephen Glover. He has had six children by his first mar- riage-Lucinda J., Martha E., Mary K., Hannah, Permeteus, J., Parmenus W., and by his present wife has seven children- James L., Sarah Belle, Emma Y., May,
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Charles, Cora and Amos. The Doctor has lost one son-Franklin. In 1865 he removed with his family to Warren County, Illinois, where he settled on a farm. At an early age he began the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. N. B. Yost, with whom he afterward practiced his profes- sion for a number of years. In February, 1868, he came with his family to Iowa, where he purchased his present farm, which comprises the south half of section 16, Walnut Township. He is extensively engaged in stock-raising, having a fine stock farm. He makes a specialty of Hol- stein cattle, and has some very fine speci- mens of that valuable breed of stock. The Doctor followed his profession for many years, and although he has retired from active practice, he yet occasionally pre- scribes for a patient, but only in urgent cases. In politics he was formerly a Dem- ocrat, but now affiliates with the Greenback party.
HARLES W. CESSNA, one of the enterprising, intelligent farmers of Richman Township, resides on the northwest quarter of section 13. He is a native of Fulton County, Illinois, and was born July 20, 1852, a son of William and Emeline (Cessna) Cessna. In the spring of 1853 the family moved to Henry County, Illinois, where Charles was reared to man- hood on a farm. On attaining his majority he left his father's home and starting out in life for himself, entered into the employ of a firm in Orion, Illinois, brick manufactur- ers. The following fall he went to Hanni. bal, Missouri, and later to Rock Island, Illinois. In Rock Island he learned the trade of a house-painter. He subsequently went to St. Louis, Missouri, and while there worked at the brick-maker's trade. In January, 1875, he returned to his old home and remained there, engaged in till-
ing the soil for nearly four years. In the fall of 1879 he came to Iowa, and made some improvements on the farm where he now lives, locating on it permanently the following spring, and has since then been prominently identified with the county. He was married February 22, 1883, to Miss Elizabeth Thompson, a native of Adams County, Ohio, daughter of George W. and India (Kitch) Thompson, the latter of whom died many years ago. They are the parents of two children-John Everett, born December 26, 1883, and Ruth, born November 2, 1885.
LLEN McKEE, Jr., of the livery firm of Terry & McKee, of Allerton, was born in Knox County, Illinois, June 28, 1858, where he lived till 1872. In the fall of that year he came to Wayne County with his father where he has since made his home. The first land owned by him was forty acresin Monroe Township which he exchanged for 160 acres in the same township on section 20, which land he still owns. He is at present a resident of Aller- ton, and in February, 1886, became asso- ciated with C. W. Terry in their present livery business. Mr. McKee was married to Miss Elizabeth Downing, a native of Wayne County, Iowa. Her father was killed while in the service of his country during the war of the Rebellion. Mr. and Mrs. McKee are the parents of two sons and one daughter-Frank, William Arthur and Eva. Allen McKee, Sr., father of our subject, was born in Athens County, Ohio, June 12, 1808, a son of Thomas and Mattie (Simonton) McKee. In 1853 he removed to Knox County, Illinois, locating near Gales- burg, where he resided till the fall of 1875, when, wishing to assist his sons, he sold his farm and came with them to Wayne Coun- ty, buying land in Monroe and Howard
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townships. In the spring of 1882 he bought a home in Harvard where he has since re- sided. He has been twice married. For his present wife he married Mrs. Harriet Hull, by whom he had ten children-Dan-" iel, Edward J., Mary Ann, John S., Eliza- beth, Eliza, Allen, Jr., Harriet, Lafayette and Margaret.
EO C. JORDAN, dealer in dry-goods and clothing, Corydon, Iowa, was born in Unionville, Putnam County, Missouri, February 28, 1860, a son of John Jordan. In his youth he accompanied his parents to Cahoka, Clark County, Mis- souri, where they still reside. He was reared and educated in Putnam and Clark counties, and after reaching manhood en- gaged, in 1881, in the mercantile business in Arbela, Scotland County, and in Sep- tember, 1883, moved his stock to Corydon, Iowa, where he has built up a large trade. He is a young man of pleasing address, accommodating and attentive to the wants of his customers, and has won many friends since his removal to Corydon. He carries a full line of dry-goods, clothing, boots and shoes, hats and caps, and ladies and gentle- men's furnishing goods, his stock being valued at $5,000. Mr. Jordan was married in August, 1884, to Mary Smith, daughter of John and Mary Smith. . They have one child, an infant son.
OSEPH FERRELL, one of the old and respected settlers of Wayne County, was born March 30, 1831, in Trumbull County, Ohio, a son of Edward and Rebecca Ferrell. His early life was passed in assisting with the work on his father's farm. At the age of twenty years he went to the State of Indiana and re- mained a year in Madison County, after
which he spent two years in Knox County, Illinois. He then came to Wayne County, Iowa, arriving here with $3 in money, be- side which he owned a horse. After com- ing to this county he worked by the month for eight years when he purchased a tract of land in Benton Township. After im- proving his land in Benton Township he sold it, and in March, 1878, he bought his present farm on section 21, Jackson Town- ship, where he has since made his home. He was first married March 19, 1857, to Miss Nancy Bollman, who died April 6, 1876, leaving eight children-Joseph E., John T., Seth E., Thomas J., Susannah May, Emma Belle, Sarah Jane and Lucre- tia Melinda For his second wife Mr. Ferrell was married to Miss Sarah Ann Henderson, April 24, 1877. The result of this marriage has been three children- Catherine L., Willard I. and Vernon. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ferrell are earnest members of the Missionary Baptist church.
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