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 41
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 41
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citizen of his township, where he has lived so many years and which he has served satisfactorily as justice of the peace, and has also served as school treasurer for five years. He also held the office of justice of the peace while a resident of Monroe Coun- ty. He and his wife and daughters are members of the United Presbyterian church.
OLNEY T. RILEY, section 33, Ben- ton Township, is a native of Orange County, Indiana, born March 10,
1834. His father, Ezekiel S. Riley, was a native of Kentucky and an early settler of Indiana, where he followed farming in con- nection with the tanner's trade for many years. He is now deceased. Our subject was reared a farmer and has made that the principal avocation of his life. His educa- tion was obtained in the log-cabin subscrip- tion schools, in his native State, which he attended during the winter seasons. He came to Wayne County, Iowa, in 1857, when he located in Richman Township, living there one year. He then, in 1858, settled on the farm in Benton Township where he has since made his home. The place was at that time unimproved, with the exception of sixty acres having been fenced and a log cabin built. Here he ex- perienced some of the hardships incident to a life in a new country, and many were the inconveniences they had to undergo. He was then obliged to do his trading at Alexander or Keokuk, a distance of 125 miles. But times have changed since then; thriving towns and villages have taken the place of prairie and timbered lands. Mr. Riley has been prosperous in his farming and now owns 220 acres of well cultivated land where he resides, and in connection with farming is devoting his attention to stock-raising. He is held in high esteem in the township where he has made his
home for so many years, and has held some of the offices of trust, and is at present serving as township trustee. He was coun- ty supervisor for six years, and for ten years held the office of justice of the peace, serv- ing with honor to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. Mr. Riley has been twice married. His first wife was Elizabeth Hill, a daughter of Isaiah Hill. She was born in Kentucky and died in Benton Town- ship, March 27, 1874. Eight children were born to this union, Lloyd and Edgar being the only members of the family now living. For his second wife he married Effie Cor- bett, December 25, 1876, a daughter of John Corbett, a resident of Benton Township, one son, Blondel, being the result of this union.
AMES CAMPBELL, section 22, Jack- son Township, postoffice, Warsaw. is one of the first settlers of Wayne County. He was born in West Wemys, Scotland, May 9, 1800, a son of Alexander and Christina (Black) Campbell. In his youth he began working in a linen factory in his native village, and continued that trade until 1840, when he went to Seville, Spain, where, for several years, he was superintendent of a factory. He then re- turned to Scotland, and in 1850 came to the United States and settled in Wayne Coun- ty, Iowa, on the farm where he now lives, which he entered from the Government. He has 260 acres of choice land, with a good residence and farm buildings, his home being one of the pleasantest in the county. Mr. Campbell is one of the repre- sentative citizens of the county, and has made his property by honesty and good management, and is one of the respected and influential farmers of Jackson Town- ship. He was married in 1826 to Miss Jessie Finlayson, a native of Scotland. To them were born four children-Christina
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(deceased), Jessie, James and George. Mrs. Campbell died January 11, 1879, and his daughter, Mrs. Jessie Morrison, resides with him, and is the comfort of his declin- ing years.
OEL J. PHILLIPS, deceased, was one of the pioneers of Wayne County, Iowa, coming here in September, 1849. He was born in Eaton, Madison Coun- ty, New York, July 13, 1813, where he was reared. When a young man he went to Cattaraugus County, New York, where he married Sabrina Greenman, who was born in Oneida County, New York, but when a child was brought by her parents, Sylvester P. and Rachel Greenman, to Cattaraugus County. Mr. Phillips removed with his wife and three children to Pike County, Illinois, in 1848, and in 1849 settled on Government land in South Fork Town- ship, this county, the journey here being made by team in an old fashioned carriage. Mrs. Phillips relates an incident which oc- curred when they had nearly reached the end of their journey : Mrs. Phillips having met with an accident, they found it neces- sary to stop at the house of an old settler. The lady of the house received them very kindly, but having neither flour nor even corn in the house, she said that she would have to "grit" before she could prepare them a meal. What "grit" meant was a mystery to Mrs. Phillips, which was soon solved, however, by seeing a boy busy at work grating corn, and an excellent dinner was soon after produced. Mr. Phillips first settled near Barker's Mill, but in 1851, the village of Corydon being laid out about that time, he bought three lots in that vil- lage on which he erected a log tavern, the pioneer hotel of Wayne County, and here Mr. Phillips kept hotel till his death, with the exception of five years. Many were the interesting events which took place in
this hotel in pioneer days. The first national flag that floated to the breeze in Wayne County was made at this hotel under the superintendence of Mrs. Phillips. Shortly after the hotel was opened .Mr. Phillips gave a grand ball, which is still fresh in the memory of some of the old pioneers, invi- tations being issued to the citizens of Gar- den Grove, Chariton and Lineville, and other places. The number of guests was so large that the hotel could not accommo- date them, and some were compelled to dance in the front yard. The ladies were dressed in bloomers. This ball was emi- nently successful, and is still spoken of with pleasure by the old pioneers. Mr. Phillips died February 9, 1871, leaving a widow who still resides at Allerton, and four chil- dren-Porter M., Augustus, Millard F. and Leonora, wife of E. F. Foster, with whom Mrs. Phillips makes her home. Mr. Phillips was well known throughout the county, and was universally esteemed for his many sterling qualities, and always took an active interest in everything that tended to pro- mote the welfare of his county.
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LBERT M. HELTON was born in Whitley County, Kentucky, April 18, 1823, a son of James Helton, a native of Tennessee. When sixteen years old he began working with his father, who was a carpenter, and subsequently learned the blacksmith's and wagon-maker's trades, working at the latter eighteen years. He came to Iowa in 1864 and located in Lineville, where he has since lived. He has worked at his trade and has also owned and run three saw-mills since coming to Iowa, and has been uniformly successful and now has a pleasant home in Lineville and a good property, all acquired by indus- try and close attention to business. Mr. Helton was married March 17, 1849, to
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Indiana Sears, daughter of Jesse Sears. To them were born three daughters-Margaret A., wife of E. R. Belvel ; Ellen H., wife of D. W. Carlisle, M. D., and Mary E., wife of William P. Sullivan. Mrs. Helton died March 29, 1884. She had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church forty years and was a consistent Christian, a kind neighbor and a faithful wife and mother. Mr. Helton and his children are also mem- bers of the Methodist church.
AMES ROSS, residing on section 5, Walnut Township, is one of the oldest pioneers of Wayne County, and has 5 lived on his present farm since the spring of 1850. He pre-empted his land at the time, entering his claim at the end of the same year, this being among the first land entries in the township. Mr. Ross was born in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, August 16, 1818. He lived in his native county till fourteen years of age, when he went with an uncle, Elijah Ross, to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, where he was married to Mary Morrison, who was born July 12, 1813. To this union were born six chil- dren, of whom only two survive-Andrew J. and William S. In November, 1849, Mr. Ross came West with his family, which then consisted of his wife and three chil- dren, the journey being made by canal- boat to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, thence to St. Louis, and from there to Alexander, Missouri, by steamboat, coming to Union- ville, Appanoose County, Iowa, the rest of the way by wagon, Mr. Ross having a brother-in-law at that place. Here his family remained till he had selected his claim in Wayne County, on which he set- tled the following year. He made the journey from Appanoose County on foot, his brother-in-law, Andrew Morrison, com- ing with him for company. Ile entered 39
280 acres, but has now only 120 acres, he having given part of his land to his sons. He began life poor, having less than $250 when he came West, and the cost of living till he had raised a crop used this sum up, so that he had to borrow $60 to make his land entry, but by persevering industry and frugality he has been successful, and neither he nor his family have ever suffered for the necessaries of life. His wife, who had shared with him for years the trials and privations of a pioneer life, died June II, 1876. His present wife was Miss Mary Greer. His eldest son died in Pennsyl- vania, aged three years. Of his other chil- dren who are deceased John M. was twice married, and died on his father's homestead several years ago; his widow remarried and is now living in Kansas. Elizabeth died May 17, 1870, aged twenty-five years. She was married and left a family. Mr. Ross has had two children by his present wife-Arminta B., born June 13, 1877, and Irene Dell, who died in infancy. Mr. Ross had a singular experience about 1856, when he barely escaped with his life, and from the effects of which he has never fully recovered. He descended into a well to rescue a calf and was overpowered by the foul gas in the well and rendered in sensible. It was some time before he was rescued, and for a long time he was in a dangerous condition.
ORTER M. PHILLIPS, general mer- chant at Allerton, was born in Cort- land County, New York, in the year 1842, a son of Joel J. Phillips. He came west with his parents in 1848, who settled in Wayne County, Iowa, in 1849, where he was reared to manhood and married Miss Mary E. Keaton, a native of Ohio, by whom he has two children-Claude and Edgar. He served as a soldier in the war of the
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Rebellion, enlisting in the Fifth Kansas In- fantry, and after serving about one year in this regiment it was consolidated with two other regiments, forming the Tenth Kansas Infantry. Mr. Phillips served till the close of the war, participating in many of the im- portant engagements. He established his present business at Allerton in 1875 in part- nership with A. C. Reck. Five years later Mr. Phillips purchased his partner's interest and has since conducted the business alone, and by his strict attention to the wants of his customers and pleasant and affable manners he has gained the good will of the place and has established a good trade.
OHN H. WILSON, shoemaker, Line- ville, Iowa, was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, July 28, 1827. His father, John Wilson, removed to Co- lumbiana County, Ohio, in 1829, and there our subject was reared, and lived until 1868, when he came West to Johnson County, Missouri, and thence, in 1875, to Lineville. Mr. Wilson was married in August, 1850, to Mary A. Heiner, a daughter of Jacob Heiner. To them have been born seven children, of whom six are living-Eugene H., Ernest C., Claude W., Mrs. Geneva O. Johnson, Mrs. Nevada L. Vanderveer and Mary E. One son, Alonzo O., died while in the service of his country, during the war of the Rebellion. Mr. Wil- son enlisted in the civil war in the Fifteenth Ohio Infantry, and was a member of Com- pany A two years, when he re-enlisted as a veteran and was assigned to Company C. He participated in the battles at Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Pulaski, Columbia, Spring Hill, Franklin, both battles at Nash- ville and the Atlanta campaign. He and thirteen others enlisted together, and re- mained together during their term of serv-
ice, and when they returned home they gave the flag to the ladies, who presented it to them when they went out as veterans. The ladies placed it in the United Presby- terian church, at Rix Mills, Muskingum County, Ohio, their old home. In politics Mr. Wilson is a Republican.
ILLIAM P. MORRISON, one of the old settlers of Wayne County, is now living a retired life in Corydon. He was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, March II, ISOS, and when but five years old accompanied his parents to Guernsey County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood and married Miss Susannah Tullis, a daughter of Judge David Tullis. In 1852 he moved to Iowa, and settled in Appa- noose County, coming thence to Wayne County in 1855. He bought about 700 acres of land in Clinton Township, of which he improved the greater part, re- siding on section 8 until 1869, when he moved to Corydon, where his wife died April 19, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison had a family of nine children, six of whom are living-John T., of Barton County, Kansas; Elijah R., of Rice County, Kansas ; William D., of Atchison, Kansas ; Susanna, wife of John M. Read, of Allerton, Iowa ; Mrs. Lina Manda, of Rice County, Kansas, and Linda, a teacher of Wayne County, Iowa.
O. RICHARDSON, one of the enterprising young farmers of @ Jackson Township, Wayne Coun- ty, residing on section. 28, is a native of that township, the date of his birth being February 7, 1860. His parents, J. W. and Elvira W. (Braten) Richardson, had a fam- ily of seven children, of whom our subject was the third child. He passed his youth
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on his father's farm, receiving his education in the common schools of Wayne County. In 1882 he engaged in the livery business at Harvard, Wayne County, which he con- tinned two years. He then sold his livery stable and removed to his present farm, and has since followed agricultural pur- suits. His farm contains eighty acres of choice land well improved, with a good residence and excellent buildings for stock. Mr. Richardson was married March 6, 1885, taking for his wife Miss Maggie B. Clutter. This union has been blessed with one son-Ferris Guy. Mr. Richardson is a member of the Odd Fellows order, be- longing to the lodge at Harvard.
ILLIAM C. ADAMS, owner and proprietor of the Allerton House, of Allerton, is a native of Ohio, born in Scioto County in the year 1845. He was reared to manhood in his native State, and there lost his parents in early life. March 4, 1864, he, at the age of nine- teen years, enlisted in the Thirty-third Ohio Infantry, serving till the close of the war. He participated in the battle of Resaca, and in the engagements of the At- lanta campaign, in the memorable march with Sherman to the sea, and at the final grand review at Washington. He then re- turned to Ohio, and in 1866 came to Wayne County, Iowa, settling in Monroe Town- ship, where he bought a farm, and was en gaged in farming and stock-raising there for eighteen years. For his wife he mar- ried Miss Elizabeth Schoonover, a native of Pike County, Ohio. This union has been blessed with three daughters and one son-Eva, Lula, Maggie and David W. In 1884 Mr. Adams leased his farm in Monroe Township, and removed to Allerton so that his children might have the benefit of the excellent schools at this place, and in the fall of 1885 he purchased his present
hotel. Mr. Adams was one of the success- ful and enterprising farmers of Monroe Township, while his genial and accommo- dating manners make him a popular land- lord and citizen.
OHN EVANS was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, in 1833, a son of James Evans, and a brother of Hiram, Jerry and Aaron Evans, residents of Walnut Township. John Evans was reared in Bedford County, and was there married, in 1857, to Rachel Blankley, a native of the same county, a daughter of John and Barbara Blankley. October 24, 1857, only a few days after his marriage, Mr. Evans started for La Crosse County, Wisconsin, locating near the village of Onalaska, where he engaged in farming. October 25, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Fourteenth Wisconsin Infantry, and participated in all the campaigns and battles in which the gallant Fourteenth engaged. His first bat- tle was at Shiloh, on the 6th and 7th of April, 1862, being actively engaged in the fight on the second, his regiment losing 120 men in killed and wounded. His reg- iment remained on the field of Shiloh till after the evacuation of Corinth by the Confederates. He was then ordered to that place and was there when the Confed- erate, General Beauregard, made an attack for the purpose of retaking it. He then went to Memphis, remaining there some time. He took part in the siege of Vicks- burg, participating in the battle of Black River, on the way to Vicksburg. He then went with his regiment to Natchez, Mis- sissippi, where he remained several months. He veteraned in the fall of 1863 and came home on a furlough. He participated in the Chattanooga and Atlanta campaigns, after which he took part in General Thom- as's battles with General Hood. He then went to New Orleans and was at the
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
battle of Spanish Fort. He then went to Montgomery, Alabama, and was dis- charged at Mobile in September, 1865, having served four years. He reached La Crosse, October 26, 1865, and continued to reside in Wisconsin till the fall of 1877, when he came to Wayne County, Iowa, and settled on his present farm, on section 27, Walnut Township. Mr. Evans has made all the improvements on his farm, which now contains 240 acres of well-cultivated land. Since the war he has followed farming as much as he has been able, his health hav- ing been much impaired by his service in the army.
S A. SNIDER, one of the promising farmers of Wright Township, re- siding on section 31, was born in Jefferson County, Indiana, January 8, 1836, his parents, William and Jane (Walker) Snider, being natives of Kentucky and Ohio respectively. They had a family of eight children-James T., Elizabeth C., Francis M, S. A., William L., Cynthia Ann, Samuel and Tryphena. S. A., our subject, lived in his native county till eight years of age, when he came with his par- ents to lowa, they locating in Van Buren County where they resided, removing thence with their children to Appanoose County. S. A. was reared to manhood on a farm, receiving his education in the com- mon schools of his neighborhood. July 3, 1859, he was married to Miss Amanda Brown, of Appanoosc County, daughter of Samuel T. and Anna (Burns) Brown. Her parents were formerly of Mercer County, Pennsylvania, coming to Iowa in 1855. Their family consisted of eight children- Amanda (now Mrs. Snider), Caleb, Lu- cinda, Emma, Martha, James, Pryor and Sarah Elizabeth. To Mr. and Mrs. Snider have been born nine children-Melinda Alice, Sigel, Anna, Clara, William T.,
Metta, Lizzie, Samuel and Benjamin. Me- linda Alice, the eldest daughter, is a suc- cessful teacher, having taught several terms in the schools ol Corydon, Union and South Fork townships. In August, 1862, Mr. Snider enlisted in the late war, a member of Company G, Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry, and participated with his regiment in the battle of Helena. He was taken prisoner at Marks Mills, Arkansas, and was confined at Camp Ford, Texas, for ten months. He was honorably discharged at Duvall's Bluffs, Arkansas, June 27, 1865, when he returned to his home in Appanoose County. In 1867 he came to Wright Township, locating on wild land, which he has since improved and brought under a high state of cultivation. His farm now contains 240 acres, with a good residence comfortably furnished, and farm buildings in good or- der. Politically Mr. Snider casts his suf- frage with the Republican party. He is a comrade of Messenger Post, G. A. R., of New York.
ACKSON UNDERHILL, carriage- maker and machinist, Lineville, lowa, was born in Holmes County, Ohio, May 10, 1851, a son of Isaac Underhill, a native of Washington County, Pennsylva- nia, now a resident of Mitchell County, Kan- sas. In 1861 his parents moved to Coshoc- ton County, Ohio, and there our subject lived until April, I881, when he came to Iowa and has since lived in Lineville. He bought the blacksmith and wagon shop of W. F. Timmons, to which he built an addi- tion, and in 1886 put in an engine and the necessary machinery for finishing and polishing fine work. He is a first-class machinist, thoroughly conversant with every detail of his trade, and has the largest and most complete establishment of the kind in Wayne County. Mr. Underhill was married October 8, 1874, to Ellen Par-
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sons, daughter of Ephraim Parsons. They have had four children-Dillon, Salora (deceased), Lucy G. and Willis I. Mr. ! Underhill is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, lodge and chapter, the Odd Fel- lows order, and the Knights of Pythias. He and his wife are members of the Chris- tian church, of which he is a deacon.
B ENJAMIN T. LATIMER, grocer, Clio, Wayne County, is a native of Pendleton County, Kentucky, where he was born February 18, 1827, a son of William Latimer. His father served as a soldier in the war of the Revolution under General Greene, he having enlisted when but sixteen years of age. Our subject re- ceived his education in the primitive log- cabin schools, with their puncheon floor, split log seats, and clapboard roofs. He located in Douglas County, Illinois, in 1869, and engaged in farming near Arcola for two years. He went to Scotland County, Missouri, in 1871, and in February, 1876, he came to Wayne County, Iowa, and engaged in farming in Clinton Township. He came to Clio in 1881, where he has since resided, and has built up a good and steadily increasing trade. January 21, 1847, he was united in marriage to Miss Louisa McCandless, a daughter of Robert Mc- Candless. They are the parents of four children -Nancy L., Melissa A., Mary E. and Marion Greene. In religious faith Mr. Latimer is a member of the Christian church.
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UINCY A. SCOTT, farmer and stock- raiser, section 8, Union Township, postoffice New York, is a native of Tazewell County, Illinois, born in 1850, a son of John Randolph and Assenath (Hicks) Scott. J. R. Scott is a native of Washing- ton County, Pennsylvania, where he was
reared, moving to Tazewell County, III- inois, in 1836, and was there married in 1847. He still lives in that county and is a hale, hearty old gentleman, who carries his years well and looks back with pride on his prosperous career as a farmer. His son, the subject of this sketch, came to Iowa in 1879 and took charge of his father's farm, where he now lives, which con- tains 160 acres of valuable land, his building improvements being noticeably good. He has taken an active interest in the affairs of his county and is an enterprising, public- spirited citizen. In politics he is a staunch Republican. He married Miss Lucy Hat- field, a native of Vinton County, Ohio, daughter of J. H. Hatfield, a prominent resident of Union Township. They have two children-Imo I. and Torsey T.
SERVEY W. HUBBARD, section 24, Benton Township, was born in Put- nam County, Indiana, November 8, 1839, a son of Jesse Putnam, a native of Kentucky, who settled in Indiana in 1830. He was reared a farmer, receiving his early education in the common-schools, and sub- sequently attended Asbury University at Greencastle, Indiana. He enlisted in the war of the Rebellion in the defense of his country, in the Eighteenth Indiana Bat- tery, and served nearly three years. He participated in the battle at Chickamauga, the Atlanta campaign, the battles at Mossy Creek, Columbia, Georgia, and others of less note. He was at Macon, Georgia, when Lee surrendered his forces to General Grant, and was soon after discharged. After the close of the war he went to West Tennessee where he remained till 1866, when he removed to Wayne County, Iowa, where he has since lived. His fine farm in Benton Township contains 220 acres of valuable land and his building improve-
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ments are models of their kind. He is en- gaged in general farming and stock-raising, making a specialty of graded cattle and hogs. He has held several local positions of trust in the township, including trustee, pathmaster and school director. He was married April 8, 1869, to Sarah A. Shell, a native of Vigo County, Indiana, daughter of Philip Shell, now of Pawnee County, Kansas. To them have been born six chil- dren; but four are living-Olive B., Minnie K., Cora L. and Bettie M. Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organiza- tion in which he takes an active interest.
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