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 49
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 49
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JOHN CALVIN ALCORN, deceased, came to Wayne County, Iowa, with his family in 1866, and bought a half section of land in Clay Township, on which he lived about six months, when he sold it and removed to Warren Township buying a quarter-section on section 16, of George Dean. Mr. Alcorn erected a fine dwelling and other buildings and made other sub- stantial improvements on his farm, but was not permitted to long enjoy the fruits of his industry and labor. November 22, 1877, while at work in his barn he was kicked and fatally injured by a horse, dying from the effects of his injuries four days later. He was an industrious, worthy man and highly respected in the community in which he lived. He was a consistent member of the Presbyterian church at Allerton, he and his wife having united with that church in 1852. At the time of his death he was a ruling elder in his church. Mr. Alcorn was born in Clarion County, Pennsylva- nia, in 1829, and was rearcd in Armstrong County, whither his parents, John and Elizabeth Alcorn, moved when he was an
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infant. He was married in that county in 1852 to Susan M. Holler, a native of West- moreland County, Pennsylvania, but also reared in Armstrong County. Her parents, Samuel and Jane Holler, removed from Pennsylvania to Illinois, making the latter State their home till death. In 1855 Mr. Alcorn removed with his family to Mar- shall County, Illinois, and made that coun- ty his home until his removal to lowa in 1866. To Mr. and Mrs. Alcorn were born twelve children, six of whom died be- fore the father, and one, the youngest daughter, Ella D., has died since. One son, the eldest, Samuel Newton, was killed by lightning May 4, 1868, in the fifteenth year of his age. The children now living are-John C., Alexander M., Lemuel O., Alva E. and Emma May. The last two are still on the homestead with their mother.
UGH McCOY, M. D., the second old- est physician now living at Seymour, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, November 5, 1823. He was reared in his native county, and about 1842 began the study of medicine in the village of Fair- view, Ohio. He received lectures from his preceptor, James W. Warfield, M. D., with whom he began the practice of his chosen profession. He came to lowa in the fall of 1849, locating in Van Buren County, where he was one of the pioneer physicians. In March, 1851, he located at Centerville, Ap- panoose County, and a number of years later removed to his farm about six miles from Centerville, but still retained his medi- cal practice. In 1875 he sold his farm, and has since been a resident of Seymour. He is unusually skilled in the knowledge of his profession, which he still follows at Seymour, where he has built up a good practice. He and his son, John R., also carry on the drug store, which is located 46
on the west side of the square. The Doc- tor was married in Ohio to Miss Minerva Sheets, a native of that State. Of the seven children born to this union four are living-Rebecca, wife of J. M. Stevens, of Seymour ; Margaret C., wife of J. W. De Noon, of Decatur County, Iowa ; John R., the only son, was born at Centerville, Iowa, January 4, 1857, and married Osce E. Clemens; and Minnie, the fourth child, mar- ried Albert Van Pelt.
OHN McANELY, one of the progress- ive farmers, and enterprising citizens of Monroe Township, residing on section 1, is a native of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, the eighth child of John and Mary M. (Deets) McAnely, natives of Penn- sylvania, the father born in Fayette County, and the mother in Westmoreland Coun- ty. The father came with his family to Iowa in 1856, locating in Appanoose Coun- ty. A year later he removed to Walnut Township, Wayne County, where he died in November, 1866. Our subject was reared on a farm, and educated in the common schools. September 20, 1855, he was united in marriage to Miss Melinda Remaley, daughter of Daniel and Catherine Rose Remaley, of Westmoreland County, Penn- sylvania. Of the fifteen children born to this union, eleven are living-Mary C., Sarah Ann, Moses F., Cynthia M., Ella S., Theresa, Martha E., George N., Nancy A., William A. and Jesse Irwin. In the spring of 1856 Mr. McAnely came to Wayne County, lowa, with his family and settled where he now lives, in Monroe Township, he having entered 200 acres of Govern- ment land two years before. His farm now contains 256 acres of fine land, under good cultivation, with a good two-story residence, and commodious barn and other farm build- ings. He has a very fine orchard, contain-
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ing 335 trees, and two miles of osage orange hedge. Mr. and Mrs. McAnely and most of their children are members of the United Brethren church. Mr. McAnely has always taken an active interest in the advancement of education and religion, and is numbered among the best citizens of Monroe Township. He has held the offices of township clerk, school treasurer, justice of the peace and assessor for twelve years, in each position serving with credit to him- self and satisfaction to his constituents.
OHN C. ALCORN lives on section 31, Warren Township, where he owns 200 acres of fine land, 120 acres of which was entered by Alfred Green in 1856 and the rest by one Flinchbaugh. Mr. Al- corn settled on his farm in the spring of 1883 and since that time has made the greater part of the improvements on it, erecting his residence, barn and other buildings. Mr. Alcorn was born in the State of Pennsylvania, June 4, 1855, and is a son of John C. Alcorn, Sr., with whom he came to Wayne County in 1866. He mar- ried Anna Lawson, a daughter of William Lawson, of Warren Township. She was born in Wayne County, Iowa, November 8, 1858. To Mr. and Mrs. Alcorn have been born three children-William L., Gracie L. and Cora Mabel. The latter is deceased.
OHN PALLADY, of Warren Town- ship, was born in Plattsburg, New York, in 1822, his father, John Pallady, Sr., being a native of the same place. The family is of French descent, our subject's great-grandfather having immigrated from France to America and settled in Clinton County, New York. The father of our subject with several of his brothers served
. in the second war of Great Britain. John Pallady, Sr., was born in 1796 and died in 1837. He was married to Louisa Gardner, our subject's mother, a native of Vermont, she dying in Illinois about 1864. John Pal- lady, whose name heads this sketch, was married at Malone, Franklin County, New York, December 28, 1842, to Mary J. Spen- cer, daughter of James C. and Mary E. (Thomas) Spencer, the father a native of Burlington, Vermont, born in 1800, and the mother born March 14, 1801. Her mother died June 21, 1849, at the age of forty-eight years, the father surviving till December 10, 1872, dying at Elizabeth, New York, while visiting a daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Pallady have five children living-Eliza- beth, wife of Captain B. D. Boswell, an attorney at law at San Francisco, Califor- nia; Floyd D., Loyal A., George H. and Albert James. John S., the first child, died aged three years, and John Melville, their eldest son, who grew to manhood, died March 2, 1866. The latter was born Feb- ruary 3, 1850, and lived at the homestead till his marriage October 14, 1879, with Miss Anna Newcomb, a native of New York State. He assisted his father to improve the homestead farm, of which he received forty acres. He built a house on his land which he occupied till 1881. Hethen went to Kansas and bought a farm near Garnette, to which he removed with his family. Hc left a widow and three young children to mourn the loss of a kind and affectionate husband and father. He was an honorable and upright citizen, a man highly esteemed by all, and his death was a source of regret to the community in which he resided. Captain E. D. Boswell, son-in-law of Mr. Pallady, served in an Ohio regiment in the war of the Rebellion, and subsequently. held the position of military professor in the State Agricultural College in Oregon. Mr. Pallady left New York with his family in September, 1854, locating in Springfield,
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Illinois. The year following he removed to Atlanta, Logan County, Illinois, coming to Wayne County, Iowa, in 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Pallady have a beautiful home, which was bought, paid for and improved by their combined efforts. Mr. Pallady and his sons have been engaged for a number of years in the raising of broom-corn and in the manufacture of brooms. Mrs. Pal- lady is the patentee and proprietor of Mrs. M. J. Pallady's system of dress cutting, for which she obtained a copyright in 1872, and since then has spent much time in traveling through the country introducing this system of cutting, and has met with re- markable success.
OHN WESLEY LANCASTER, re- sides on the southwest quarter of section 17, Corydon Township, where he settled in the fall of 1853, a son of Bart- lett and Mary Ann (Hughes) Lancaster, who came to Iowa in 1851, locating in Van Buren County, and a few years later re- moved to Wayne County, where they lived till their death. John Wesley Lancaster was born in Mercer County, Kentucky, December 23, 1825. and when a child re- moved with his parents to Franklin Coun- ty. He left his native State in March, 1849, coming to Burlington, Iowa, March 24. He resided in Dallas County a few months, when he returned to Kentucky, remaining there till 1850, when he returned to Iowa, and in the fall of 1851 settled in this county, locating on his present farm in the fall of 1853, since which time he has resided in this county with the exception of four years, during which time he lived in Ray County, Missouri. He was mar- ried in Van Buren County, Iowa, in 1851, to Louisa Parr, daughter of Morgan and Ann Parr, natives of Indiana, who located at Bethlehem, this county, in the fall of
1851. Mr. Parr was a minister of the Christian church. He was the pioncer preacher of Wayne County, preaching the first sermon in Corydon. He died in Lu- cas County, Iowa, in November, 1867, his wife dying at the home of her son-in-law, Mr. Lancaster, March 7, 1875. Mr. and Mrs. Lancaster are the parents of eight children-Thomas M., Mary A. (wife of James Good), Newton J., Edgar F., John L., Ella, William and Halmer. Mr. Lan- caster is the only one of his father's family living in Wayne County. His only brother, William F. Lancaster, is living in Ray County, Missouri. Politically Mr. Lan- caster is a Republican, casting his first presidential vote for General Taylor in 1848. Both he and his wife are members of the Baptist church. Mr. Lancaster has met with good success in his agricultural pursuits, and now owns 106 acres in his farm on section 17 and 18, beside a fine farm of 186 acres of land on section 8 of Corydon Township.
LOF PERSON, section 12, Washing- ton Township, postoffice Chariton, Iowa, is among the enterprising and successful farmers of Wayne County. Hc is a native of Norway, born April 19, 1847, the son of Person Olson, and was reared and educated in his native country. His early life was passed on a farm, and when twenty years of age he left home and came to America, first locating in Chicago, Illi- nois, where he lived one year and then went to DuPage County, and thence a year later to Aurora, Illinois, where he engaged in gas-fitting until 1874. In the latter year he came to Iowa and lived two years in Lucas County, and in 1876 bought eighty acres of land in Washington Township, Wayne County, which has since been his home. His land is under a high state of
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
cultivation and his improvements are among the best in the township. Mr. Per- son was married in 1869 to Josephine San- man, who died in August, 1873, leaving one son-Conrad Willhelm. In 1874 he married Betty Nelson, and to them have been born three children-Franzc Oscar, Edward Henning and Permila T. Mr. and Mrs. Person are members of the Lu- theran church. In politics he is a Republi- can.
F. SCOTT, residing on section 8, Wright Township, is one of the old and respected pioneers of Wayne County. He was born in David- son County, North Carolina, July 28, 1834, the eldest of eight children of William and Mary (Phillips) Scott, his father being a native of Virginia, of English ancestry. W. F. was reared in Davidson County till twenty years of age, receiving his educa- tion principally in the common schools of his native county. He then went to Put- nam County, Indiana, where he lived four years, after which he spent eighteen months in Montgomery County, Illinois, when he returned to Indiana. January 11, 1858, he was married to Mary Hubbard, of Putnam County, Indiana, a daughter of Jesse and Elizabeth Hubbard. Eight children were born to this union-Mary C., Lizzie F., Jesse W., Harvey W., Burris G., Laura E., Etta May and Matilda. They also had an adopted daughter named Nora G. Mrs. Scott died November 12, 1868, and March 3, 1869, Mr. Scott was again united in marriage, taking for his second wife Mrs. Mary B. (Jenkins) Calhoun. Mr. Scott came to lowa in the fall of 1860, locating in Lucas County, where he lived four years. He then came to Wayne County, and lived in Union Township until 1877, when he came to Wright Township and settled on the farm where he has since re-
sided, his farm containing 120 acres of choice land under a high state of cultiva- tion. Mr. Scott united with the Method- ist Episcopal church in 1857, and in 1865 became a local preacher of that denomi- nation. He has preached at Confidence, Bethlehem, New York and Cambria, and other places throughout the county, and has done much for the Master's cause.
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B ARTON HARPER is a native of Holmes County, Ohio, where he was born June 21, 1837. In 1855 he left his native State with his father, David Har- per, who settled in Jefferson County, Iowa, his mother having died before in Ohio. The father lived but a short time after com- ing to Iowa, leaving our subject at an age when a young man needs advice and coun- sel. Thus cast upon his own resources he came to Wayne County, and worked in the saw-mill of George Wood for one year, only losing twoand a half days during that, time. He saved his' wages and at the end of a year had quite a sum. Pike's Peak was at that time supposed to possess an unlim- ited amount of silver and gold, and. our subject resolved to join the throng journey- ing in that direction. He accordingly gave one Joe Mundon $80 of his earnings to carry him through with a team. On reaching Nebraska Mundon suddenly dis- appeared with money and team, and Mr. Harper was obliged to return, being a poorer but a wiser man, and again began his hard work, grubbing and working on farms. This was in 1857. His first land purchase was twenty acres, which he bought in 1856. To this he has added by subsequent purchases till he now has 280 acres in his home farm on section 30, South Fork Township, besides being the owner of thirty-two acres of timber land. He be- gan life without means, but by hard work and a determination to succeed he has
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acquired his present property. He is a brother of James Harper, in whom we may also find what may be accomplished by an honorable, upright and industrious life. Barton Harper was united in marriage to Sarah J. Bollman, a daughter of Joseph Bollman, an early settler of Walnut Town- ship, Wayne County, coming from Penn- sylvania.
ANIEL R. OCKERMAN, of the firm Ockerman & Stuteville, dealers in hardware, farm machinery, sewing machines, stoves and tinware, Lineville, Iowa, was born in Decatur County, Indiana, November 12, 1846, a son of David and Mary S. (Barr) Ockerman. He was eight years old when his parents moved to Leon, Decatur County, Iowa, and there he was reared, making it his home until 1875, when he removed to Lineville, where he has since lived. He enlisted in the war of the Rebellion and was assigned to Company G, Forty-sixth Iowa Infantry, and served his country as a gallant and courageous soldier. Mr. Ockerman was married Janu- ary 14, 1869, to Mary A. Watkins, daugh- ter of John Watkins. She was born in Whitley County, Kentucky, her parents moving to Wayne County, Iowa, when she was a child. Mr. and Mrs. Ockerman have had two children ; but one, Nettie Belle, is living. Blanche May died in childhood. They are members of the Christian church. Mr. Ockerman takes an especial interest in the cause of education, and is a member of the Lineville School Board.
EV. WILLIAM BARNETT, section 9, Benton Township, was born in Mason County, West Virginia, June 8, 1828, a son of William and Elizabeth M. (Allen) Barnett, also natives of Virginia.
In November, 1850, he came to. Iowa, and lived in Jefferson County till the following May, when he moved to Wayne County and settled where he now lives, in Benton Township, entering his land from the Government. He owns a good farm of 260 acres, all under a good state of cultiva- tion. He was ordained a minister of the Baptist church in 1853, and therefore was a pioneer preacher of the county, there be- ing but two others, Rev. Daniel Winters and Rev. Isaac M. Sea, in the county at that time. He has traveled over Wayne and adjoining counties, and since June, 1855, has been pastor of Goshen Baptist church in Lucas County. He now has charge of four churches, the other three being Union- ville, Little Flock and Sharon. Mr. Bar- nett was married July 1, 1848, to Judith N., daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Mason) Barnett. They have had ten children, but seven of whom are living-Elizabeth M., William T., Mary C, Ann E., Addison N., James M. and George B.
ILLIAM J. JONES, one of the enter- prising young men of Wright Township, is a native of Wayne County, Iowa, born October 20, 1853, the youngest son of M. G. and Helen Jones. He was reared on his father's farm in this county, receiving his education in the com- mon schools. He was united in marriage, February 22, 1876, to Miss May Buoy, a daughter of N. E. and Anna Buoy. Four children have been born to this union- Anna Leota, Elsie Mabel, Maud Myrtle and Gracie May. Mr. Jones has always followed farming, in which avocation he is meeting with much success, and is classed among the progressive young farmers of his township. His farm contains 160 acres of well-improved land, with good substan- tial residence, and an excellent barn and
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other farm buildings. His barn is 30 x 30 feet in dimension, with a good basement under it. M. G. Jones, father of our sub- ject, is one of the old and respected pio- neers of Wayne County, having settled in Wright Township as early as the spring of 1851, and has since been engaged in gen- cral farming and stock-raising. He has a. very fine orchard, which contains some seventy-five choice fruit trees. He was born in Washington County, Indiana, March 26, 1822, and October 22, 1848, was married to Helen Robinson. Two chil- dren were born to them-Robert B. and W. J., our subject. Politically he is a Democrat.
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ENRY HAMPSHEAR, section 30, Jefferson Township, was born in Morgan County, Ohio, March 10, 1821, a son of John Hampshear, a native of Maryland, and an early settler of Morgan County, where he died in 1827. The fall after his father's death our subject accom- panied his widowed mother to Perry County, Ohio, and lived with his grand- father and an uncle, Joseph Beary until . fourteen years old. When sixteen years old he began learning the blacksmith's trade, at which he has since worked the greater part of the time. In the spring of 1856 he came to Iowa and lived in Marion County two years, removing in the fall of 1858 to Wayne County, settling in Corydon Town- ship. In the spring of 1860 he moved to Warren Township, and in 1862 to Jeffer- son Township, which has since been his home. His farm contains 160 acres of choice land all under cultivation, and his home is one of the pleasantest in the township. Mr. Hampshear was married February 9, 1842, to Mary A. McKinzie, daughter of Moses McKinzic. To them were born eight chil- dren, but four of whom are living-Mary
E., William H., Julia A. and Maria M. One daughter, Ada J., dicd at the age of twenty- eight years, and another, Susanna, aged twenty-two years. Ada was married and left a family of five children. Mr. and Mrs. Hampshear are members of the United Brethren church.
ALVIN BARKER, proprietor of the Barker House and livery and feed stable at Promise City, is one of the oldest pioneers of Wayne County. He was born September 29, 1836, being the eleventh in a family of thirteen children of Matthew and Tamar (Davis) Barker. His youth was passed in assisting with the work of the home farm, and in attending the common schools. When five years of age he was brought by his parents to Lee County, Iowa, where the family lived six years. In 1847 they came to Wayne County, and settled in South Fork Town- ship, where the father and eldest son of our subject built the first grist and saw mill in Wayne County, which was known by the name of Barker's Mills. For his wife, Calvin Barker married Miss Nancy A. Davis, of Appanoose County, who was a daughter of Robert and Susan Davis. To this union have been born five children, of whom three are living-R. N., J. T. and Harvey T. Two sons, John M. and Calvin, are deceased. Mr. Barker moved to his farm on section 25, Wright Township, in the spring of 1850, where he entered 160 acres of Government land. He improved and brought his land under a fine state of culti- vation, and there made his home for a period of thirty-six years. He came to Promise City in the spring of 1886, leaving his son, J. T., in charge of the homestead farm. . His hotel is one of the best in this part of the county, and by his genial and accommodating manners our subject is
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meeting with good success in his new en- terprise. In connection with his hotel he has a fine livery barn well supplied with good horses and vehicles of various kinds, to accommodate the taste of his many cus- tomers. Mr. Barker's father was born in Randolph County, North Carolina, De- cember 1, 1797. He was one of the first pioneers of Wayne County, where he lived till his death, August 8, 1848. His wife was born March 30, 1797. After her hus- band's death she was left with a family of four children, and many were the hardships and privations endured by this brave pioneer woman. In after years she made her home with her son Calvin with the ex- ception of two years when she lived with her son John in California. She was brought up a Quaker, and in that faith her children were reared. She became a mem- ber of the Christian church in 1871, and died April 19, 1873.
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OBERT E. GUINN, farmer and stock-raiser, Clay Township, resid- ing on section 16, was born in Wash- ington County, Tennessee, March 15, 1850. In the fall of 1851 he was taken by his parents to Columbus Junction, Louisa County, Iowa, where his father, John D. Guinn, still makes his home. Our subject was reared on a farm in Louisa County, and in his youth attended the common schools. He came to Wayne County, Iowa, in the spring of 1875, when he located on his present farm in Clay Township. In the fall of 1875 he was married to Miss Alice Surbaugh, her father, John Surbaugh, having been an early settler of this town- ship. Three children have blessed this union-Nettie G., Myrtle E. and John L. Mr. Guinn has been engaged in farming from boyhood, and is now the owner of a 120-acre farm where he resides, which he
has acquired by industry and good man- agement. His farm is under good cultiva- tion, and his farm buildings are in fine con- dition. Mr. Guinn takes an active interest in all enterprises tending to the advance- ment of the county where he has made his home, and as a citizen is respected for his manly characteristics. He has served his township as clerk for three years, and has also been township trustee and school di- rector. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and has held almost all the of- fices of his lodge, serving twice as worship- ful master.
AVID C. MOORE, section 29, Jeffer- son Township, was born in Colum- biana County, Ohio, August 27, 1831, a son of William Moore, a native of Ire- land, who came with his parents to the United States, settling in Columbiana County. David C. was reared on his fa- ther's farm receiving a common-school edu- cation. He has always given his attention to agricultural pursuits. In 1855 he left his native county and moved to Monroe County, Iowa, and for several years was engaged in teaming, hauling goods from Keokuk to Albia. In 1866 he settled in Wayne County on section 29, Jefferson Township, near where he now lives. He owns a fine farm of 120 acres, all under cul- tivation. He has been successful in his operations and has now one of the best farms in the township. He enlisted in the war of the Rebellion and was assigned to Company A, Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry. He participated in the battle at Little Mis- souri, Arkansas, where he was wounded and now draws a pension for injuries re- ceived. He was married October 7, 1858, to Rosanna Elder, daughter of Henry Elder, of Monroe County, Iowa. They have eight children-Samuel, William H.,
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