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 47
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 47
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HARLES WILLIAMS, one of the prominent citizens of Wayne Coun- ty, residing on section 22, Clay Township, was born in Glenmorganshire, Wales, in the town of St. Fagans, in 1816. He was reared to the trade of a carpenter, and from the age of sixteen till twenty-six years of age he followed the sea as a ship carpenter. In 1851 he came to Philadel- phia as ship carpenter on the . sailing vessel Switzerland, of Charleston, South Carolina. After reaching Philadelphia he was married to Miss Ellen Barber, a young lady whom he became acquainted with
while crossing the ocean. She was a native of Norfolk, England, living there till she came to America in 1851. Soon after his marriage he began working on the Camden & Amboy Railroad, which he followed till April, 1851, when he went to Jersey City and worked in the car shops of Messrs. Cummings & James till the following Oc- tober. Hethen went to Illinois under con- tract to take charge of bridge building on the Illinois Central Railway, but, having reached his destination, he waited in vain for the arrival of his tool chest which he had ordered to be shipped to him. This was a serious loss to Mr. Williams, as his outfit was a very complete and valuable one. Owing to the loss that he had thus sustained, and which he was then unable to repair, he resolved to change his occupa- tion, and purchasing a piece of land in De Kalb County, Illinois, he engaged in farm- ing in 1853, occupying his farm for three years, when he sold it and followed car- pentering at De Kalb Center till the spring of 1860. He then sold his business and, accompanied by his wife and two children, crossed the plains to the Rocky Mountains and engaged in mining at California Gulch, in Colorado, remaining there most of the time till September, 1861. The same month he enlisted in Company A, Second Colora do Infantry, and was elected bugler of the regiment. His regiment participated in a number of battles, including Patch Canon,- Pleasant Hill, Independence, Big Blue River, Little Blue River and Westport. For a considerable time the regiment en- gaged in suppressing the bushwhackers in the Fourth District of Missouri. It was subsequently engaged in the pursuit of the rebel General Price till the latter left Mis- souri. Mr. Williams then went with his regiment, which was ordered to Leaven- worth, Kansas, where he was discharged at the expiration of his term of service having served three and a half years. That
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his wife might accompany him into the army he secured for her the position of laundress of the company, she going with her hus- band through all the marches and cam- paigns in which the regiment was engaged. But her labors were by no means confined to her service as laundress. She was a faithful minister to the sufferings of the sick and wounded of the regiment, and thus in the capacity of nurse did she render invaluable service to the soldiers. Mrs. Williams is a woman of considerable ability as a writer, and has written a very interesting history of the Second Colora- do Infantry, whose fortunes she shared for three and a half years. After the war Mr. Williams came with his family to Wayne County, where he has since made his home. After coming here he rented the farm of James Shriver, and in 1867 bought eighty acres of land in Jefferson Township. After raising several crops on this land he sold out and bought his present farm in Clay Township. Mr. and Mrs. Williams have had four children, two now living-Arthur WV. B. and Owen D. K., both married and living in Clay Township, near the home of their parents. Two sons, Frederick and Charles, died in childhood.
EUBEN L. BLAKELY, section II, Union Township, postoffice New York, is a son of Isaac Blakely, who was born in East Tennessee, January 31, 1814, and removed when twenty years of age to Morgan County, Illinois, and thence to Iowa, and worked in the Dubuque lead mines for a time, and in 1835 settled on Round Prairie, Jefferson County. He was married December 1, 1836, to Elinor Lau- man, of Indiana, and removed in 1838 to Rich Woods, where in 1844 he entered a tract of Government land, two and a half miles from Fairfield. He sold his land in
1850 and bought a tract four miles south- west of Centerville, where he lived three and a half years. He then removed to West Grove, Davis County, Iowa, where he now lives. He has represented his county in the State Legislature, and is a fine specimen of the early settlers of Iowa, and is still hale, hearty and active. He has entered hundreds of acres of Government land, of which R. L. Blakely's farm is a part. This land he entered in 1854, riding a mule to the land office and distancing a rival, who rode a powerful but logy horse. He and his companion were obliged to ride to Wolf Creek, to the house of Mr. Ryan, seven miles distant, for a place to stay all night. Reuben L. Blakely was born on Round Prairie, Jefferson County, Iowa, July 2, 1838. In 1858 he went on a busi- ness trip to Missouri, and extended it by starting for California, overland, driving a Government contractor's team as far as Fort Laramie, Wyoming Territory. From there he returned to Leavenworth, Kansas, and from there the next year went to Pike's Peak. While going down the Platte he had a notable trip, as the Indians were hos- tile and were burning the prairies to de- stroy the feed. His party was stopped by Sioux, and narrowly escaped losing their cattle. In 1860 he settled down to the life of a farmer, and that year lived on his father's Davis County farm. In the spring of 1861 he settled where he now lives, which at that time was uncultivated. He cut the timber and hauled it to the saw-mill with an ox-team, and then hauled the lum- ber back to his land and built his house, which was 17 x 17 feet in dimension. This has given place to a large two-story frame house, and his other farm buildings are comfortable and commodious. His farm of 240 acres is all under cultivation, and is one of the most valuable in the township. Mr. Blakely was married in August, 1860, to Minerva Hockersmith, a native of Ran-
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dolph County, Missouri, but reared in Davis County, Iowa, where her father, John Hockersmith, settled in 1843. They have eleven children, seven sons and four daughters, of whom the eldest son is mar- ried, and the rest are still inmates of their father's house. Mr. Blakely has been a Democrat in politics since his majority, and was a part of the time the only man in Union Township to handle the tickets of that party, He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1866.
AVID SOLLENBARGER, section 27, Benton Township, was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, Feb- ruary 14, 1824, a son of David Sollenbar-
ger. When twenty-one years of age, in 1845, he came to Iowa and lived in Jeffer- son County till the fall of 1852, when he moved to Wayne County, and entered 160 acres of Government land, which he has since made his home. He was married October 3, 1850, to Mary M., daughter of William Allen, an early settler of Wayne County. Of the eight children born to them, six are living-Rachel C., John W., Florence G., David T., Mary M. and George H.
A. HICKENSON, one of the enter- prising and progressive farmers of Howard Township, Wayne County, was born in Jefferson County, Iowa, June 17, 1854, a son of Eliasand Deborah (Joiner) Hickenson, who were early pioneers of Wayne County. They had a family of seven children, of whom J. A. was the fourth child. His father being a farmer, our subject was reared to the same voca- tion, his youth being passed in assisting with the work of the farm and attending school. Mr. Hickenson was united in mar-
riage with Miss A. L. Green, a daughter of Austin and Mary A. Green, who were both natives of Indiana, but at the time of their daughter's marriage residents of Walnut Township, Wayne County. Three chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hickenson-Roy Dean, Edna Ray and Glen. Mr. Hickenson is one of the suc- cessful young farmers of Howard Town- ship, where he is the owner of a fine farm containing 180 acres of well-improved land, with comfortable and substantial farm buildings, and a good orchard. He is en- gaged in stock-raising in connection with general farming, in which enterprise he is meeting with success. He is a member of the Christian church, and a respected citi- zen of his township.
OHN HERBERT, deceased, was born in Southhampton County, Virginia, January 28, 1811, and there he was reared till twenty-two years of age. He then went to Norfolk, Virginia, and became an apprentice to the tanner and currier's trade for several years. He subsequently went to Trumbull County, Ohio, where he followed his trade. He was married in that State to Lettie Briggs, a native of Trumbull County. Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Herbert, six grew to maturity, of whom four are yet living- John B .; Stockton C., of Des Moines, Iowa ; Francis E., at the homestead, and Clayton D., living in Mankato, Minnesota. Joseph- inc, the fourth child died, in infancy, Will- iam, the fifth child, at the age of twenty- three years, and Virginia, aged twenty-one years. John B. lives at the homestead in Warren Township, which contains 160 acres of choice land. He was a soldier in the late war, enlisting in Company L, Third Iowa Cavalry, and was in active service till the close of the war, participating in all the
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battles and campaigns in which his regi- ment was engaged. Stockton C. also en- listed in the Third Iowa Cavalry, in Au- gust, 1861, and at the expiration of his term of service, re-enlisted as a veteran, serving till the close of the war. John Herbert, our subject, came to lowa from Trumbull County, Ohio, and settled on the southwest quarter of section 18, in Warren Township, Wayne County, in January, 1859. He had visited the county several years before, and entered about 700 acres. After com- ing here he devoted his attention to agri- cultural pursuits, which he followed till his death. He died at Corydon, February II, 1875, at the age of sixty-four years. His widow still resides at the homestead, on section 18, Warren Township.
HARLES H. LORD, residing on the southeast quarter of section 26, South Fork Township, Wayne Coun- ty, was born in Vinton County, Ohio, in 1841, a son of John Lord, who was of Ger- man descent, the grandparents of our sub- ject coming from Germany and settling in Ohio. The father was reared in Ohio, liv- ing there till his death. He reared a family of seven children to maturity, all of whom are yet living-Andrew and S. V. are resi- dents of Nebraska; Nathan lives in Mis- souri ; Sarah married John Brown, of Ralls County, Missouri ; Eliza J., wife of John N. Hudson, of Hancock County, Illinois ; Lydia, wife of William King, living in Vinton County, Ohio, and Charles H., who is the only one of his father's family who settled in Iowa. Charles H. Lord went to Missouri in 1860, coming to Iowa in 1862, and after living two years in Appanoose County, he settled, in 1864, in Wayne County. He purchased his present farm from Henry Dorrah, on which he settled in 1865. About seventy acres had been
broken, and a log house and a small barn had been built on his land when purchased by Mr. Lord. He has now good buildings, and other valuable improvements, and has broken about ninety acres of his farm. He has added to his original purchase till he now owns 720 acres, all in South Fork Township. He is an extensive stock- raiser, making a specialty of raising Clydes- dale horses for market. He also devotes some time to the raising of cattle. For his wife he married Pleasy Dorrah, a daughter of Henry Dorrah, a native of Virginia. He was reared and married in his native State, his wife dying in Virginia when Mrs. Lord was two years old. Mr. Dorrah settled in Appanoose County, Iowa, in 1856, and four years later came to Wayne County, and died on the farm of Mr. Lord in 1866. He had a family of twelve children, of whom four sons and three daughters still survive, Mrs. Lord being the only one living in Wayne County. One son, Stephen Dor- rah, enlisted in an Iowa regiment during the late war, and died at Keokuk soon after his enlistment. Mr. and Mrs. Lord have one son and two daughters living-John, Stella and Vannessa. Two children are deceased-Laura L. and Mary, the former dying when one and a half years of age, and the latter when a few days old.
TACOB VESTLE, an enterprising mer- chant of Confidence, Wayne County, was born in Putnam County, Indiana, August 5, 1821, the eldest child of William and Esther (Moore) Vestle, the father being a native of North Carolina, but reared in Kentucky. Jacob Vestle was reared to manhood on a farm and educated in the subscription schools of his native county, where he remained till twenty-one years of age. He then came to Iowa and followed
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farming in Henry County for two years when he returned to Indiana. He re- turned to lowa in 1848 and for a time lived in Wapello County, removing thence to Monroe County, and in 1850 located in Ap- panoose County, where he lived till 1878, since which time he has been a resident of Confidence. He erected the stone building where he is engaged in the mercantile busi- ness. He carries a large stock of dry- goods, groceries, boots and shoes, and by his fair and honest dealing has built up a good trade from the surrounding country. Mr. Vestle has been twice married, taking for his first wife Rachel Hartman, of Put- nam County, December 25, 1841. She died January 21, 1879, leaving one daughter, Martha Jane Touts. Mr. Vestle was again married February 13, 1880, to Virginia Evans, who at the time of her marriage was living in Wapello County, Iowa. Mr. Vestle has served as postmaster of Confi- dence for eight years in which office he gives universal satisfaction.
OSEPH WALKER, a prominent and successful farmer of Wright Town- ship, lives on section 17, where he has a fine farm of 160 acres. He came to Iowa in 1855, and lived one year in Jefferson County, and then came to Wayne County and entered Government land on section 23, which he improved and made his home five years. He then sold his farm and rented land three years, buying his present farm in 1865. His residence, which is a model of architecture, was built in 1879. Mr. Walker was born in Adams County, Ohio, September 17, 1825, a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Whiteley) Walker. His father was a native of Rockbridge County, Virginia, a son of James Walker, a native of the same county, of Irish descent. His mother was a daughter of Samuel and Sarah
Whiteley, and was of German descent. His parents family consisted of nine chil- dren, of whom our subject is the fourth, viz: -Samuel, James, Jane, Joseph, William, Madison, Maria, Melvina and George W. Joseph Walker was reared in his native State, remaining there until he came to Iowa. He was married February 7, 1850, to Charlotte I. Swonger, a native of Mif- flin County, Pennsylvania, daughter of John and Mary Swonger, natives of Penn- sylvania, of German descent. They have a family of nine children-John A., Philip A., Ambrose B., Elizabeth M., Josephine A., Virginia, Rose B., Ida and Willa Inez. Mr. and Mrs. Walker and their family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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ICHOLAS O. ELSON, an old citizen of Wayne County, residing on sec- tion 2, Grand River Township, was born in Lewis County, Kentucky, Septem- ber 6, 1817, a son of Cornelius Elson. In 1825 he accompanied his parents to Shelby County, Indiana, and to Marion County of the same State in 1827. He went with his parents to Keokuk, Iowa, in 1838, remain- ing there almost a year when he went to Missouri, living near Alexandria till 1842. He then took up land where Kirksville, Missouri, now stands, but becoming dis- couraged, thinking the Government would not put the land there on the market, he returned to Alexandria. He returned to Lee County, Iowa, in 1850, and in the spring of 1855 came to Wayne County, lo- cating in Grand River Township where he has since made his home. He was married March 3, 1847, to Ann E. Williams, daugh- ter of Eli Williams. They have had eleven children, nine still living-George M., Cor- nelius A., Mrs. Alice Wasson, Richard Il., Thomas B., William E., Eliza A., Robert L. and Jesse A. Mr. Elson began life for
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himself without means, and by his own in- dustry and good management has met with success. Besides property in Clio he owns a 300-acre farm, and is carrying on a gen- eral store at Clio where he does a good business. He is also engaged in agricult- ural pursuits, and lately has devoted some attention to stock-raising, and is making a specialty of Holstein and short-horn cattle. He is the present postmaster of Clio. He has served as justice of the peace most of the time since coming to this place. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
AMES L. BERRY, attorney at law, Humeston, Iowa, commenced his practice in that town, February, 1876. He was born in Washington County, Penn- sylvania, September 17, 1837, and is a son of John and Mary G. (Leida) Berry, the former a leading agriculturist of that county. James Berry received his educa- tion at Cannonsburg, in his native county, finishing it at Jefferson College. August 13, 1862, he enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Fortieth Pennsylvania In- fantry, and was made Sergeant of his com- pany. He served in the famous Second Corps, under Generals Couch and Han- cock, participating in the engagements at Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, etc. He was mustered out with his regi- ment March 31, 1865, and received his final discharge June 5 following, at Brad- docksfield, Pennsylvania. On returning to civil life in 1865, Mr. Perry removed to Cedar County, Iowa, and engaged in farm- ing. Seven years later he commenced the study of law with Sheehan and McCarn, of Anamosa, Jones County, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1873. He then re- moved to Elk Falls, Kansas, where he opened an office and commenced the prac- tice of his profession. Two years in that State were sufficient, and after a visit to
the scenes of his childhood he returned to Iowa and located at Humeston, where he has since resided. In 1876 Mr. Berry was married to Miss Laura M. Berry. Five children have been sent to gladden their home-Mary M., Lena L., Harry L., Flora A. and Lula. Mr. Berry is a member of Wayne Post, No. 137, G. A. R .; Chappaqua Lodge, No. 121, I. O. O. F .; Fidelity Lodge, No. 228, F. & A. M., and Hume- ston Lodge, No. 61, K. of P.
J. RICHARDSON was born in Ten- nessee in 1834, and when two years old was taken by his parents to Ken- tucky, where the family lived five years, removing to Van Buren County, Iowa, about 1842. Three years later they re- moved to Davis County, coming to Appa- noose County about 1850, where T. S. Richardson, father of our subject, made a claim in Johns Township. He sold this claim, and settled on section 16, Center Township, where he made a home for his family, living there till his death in the fall of 1859, his wife dying on the homestead several years later. T. S. Richardson was a man of good education and excellent business ability. When a young man he followed the mercantile business, but after coming to Iowa he devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. He was an earnest and active member of the Missionary Bap- tist church, and was instrumental in organ- izing the Walnut Creek Church, one of the first of his denominaton in that county. Politically he was a Democrat. He was the father of ten children, all reaching ma- turity, several of whom are now deceased. J. J. Richardson, whose name heads this sketch, received as good an education as the schools of that day afforded, and for a considerable time attended the schools at Centerville, among his teachers being Har- land Welch and Amos Harris, who after-
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ward became prominent men. Our subject came to Corydon, Wayne County, about 1853, and erected the fourth store building in the place, and was there engaged in merchandising for eight years. He then went to Denver, Colorado, but about a year later returned and engaged in the grocery business at Centerville. In the spring of 1862 he crossed the plains to California, where he remained about five years. He returned to Appanoose County and bought the old homestead, but the climate proving so severe after living so long in the mild climate of California he decided to go to the southwest part of Missouri, where he remained seven years. He then came again to Corydon where he was engaged in dealing in stock for ten years. April 7, 1883, he came to Promise City, where he carried on a livery and hotel in connection with his stock-business. He has led an active business life, and in all his enterprises has met with success. On his return trip from Calfornia he visited the Sandwich Islands, Cuba and other places of interest. For his wife he married Ame- lia M. Booth, who was born near Cleve- land, Ohio, a daughter of Orval Booth, now of Corydon. They have had five chil- dren-Horace C., who died in his third year ; William T., Nina B., Orval and J. J.
ATHAN DOUGLASS, residing on section 25, South Fork Township, Wayne County, was born in Chau- tauqua County, New York, in 1829, and when eight years of age he removed with his parents, Joel and Mahala Douglass, to Indiana, they being among the early pio- neers of that State. His father served as a soldier in the Mexican war. He was a boot and shoe maker by occupation. He had a family of twelve children, of whom nine are still living-Eliza A. and David G., resi-
dents of Lawrence County, Indiana ; Nathan, whose name heads this sketch ; Mary Jane, of Lawrence County ; Luther, in Lucas County, Iowa ; Emma ; Roy in Ida County, Idaho Territory ; Claudius P., in Kearney County, Nebraska, and William, who has been blind since he was six years of age, being educated at the Iowa Blind Asylum. One son, Edgar L., served in an Indiana regiment in the war of the Rebell- ion, and died of disease contracted in the army. Mr. Douglass was first married to Celia Clark, March 9, 1851. She was born in Laurence County, Indiana, in 1834, and died March 26, 1854, leaving one daughter -Charlotte E. In 1854 Nathan Douglass and his brother Luther, who now lives in Chariton, Lucas County, came to Iowa where he entered 360 acres which included his present farm, 200 acres being on section 25, South Fork Township; and a quarter section being located in Walnut Township. Nathan Douglass after making his entry re- turned to Indiana, but in December, 1855, came back to make arrangements for begin- ning the improvement of his land, and in the fall of 1855 brought his family here, his parents also coming to Wayne County at the same time. He was again married in Wayne County, April 8, 1860, to Caroline Mills, a native of Ohio. Her death occur- red August 20, 1880. Mr. Douglass has five children living by his second marriage -Mollie May, Kimberly S., Mahala M., Hebron O. and Carlton E., all at home. Three children died in infancy, one being twin brother to Carlton, named Arlton. Mr. Douglass settled on his present farm in the fall of 1855, his first dwelling being a log cabin, standing just back of his pres- ent residence, which he occupied till 1869 when the house where he now lives was built. He came to Wayne County a poor man having just money enough to pay for his land and a team, but by his persevering industry and good management he has
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prospered beyond his expectations, and is now the owner of 440 acres of choice land. The parents of Mr. Douglass were natives of Vermont. In their religious belief they were Baptists, his mother being one of the seven who established the first Baptist church in this part of Wayne County. Nathan Douglass is also a member of the Baptist church.
H. HENDERSON, senior mem- ber of the drug firm of Hender- son Brothers, Humeston, Iowa, was born in Delaware County, New York, September 3, 1852, a son of James and Nancy (Harkness) Henderson, natives also of the Empire State. He was reared on a farm in his native county, receiving his ed- ucation at Cazenovia, New York. After leaving school he commenced life for him- self by teaching in the schools of Delaware County, remaining there until 1874, when he came to Iowa and located in Humeston .. Soon after his arrival he engaged in the general mercantile business with Alva Humeston under the firm name of Hume- ston & Henderson, continuing with him about two years. He then taught school one winter and after his school was out purchased the interest of Mr. Hough, in the drug firm of McCulloch & Hough, es- tablished by those gentlemen in 1875. In January, 1884, G. A. Henderson bought the interest of Dr. McCulloch, and the present firm was formed. Although an earnest worker in the cause of the Repub- lican party Mr. Henderson has never had any official aspirations and has accepted neither local nor national position. He was married September 16, 1875, to Miss Mattie Ferguson, a native of Delaware County, New York. They are the parents of three children-Floyd, born August 21, 1876; Annie, born May 17, 1880, and Edith, born
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