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 63
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 63
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ALISHA RANSOM, one of the pio- neers of Washington Township, Ap- panoose County, was born near Lawrenceburgh, April 11, 1831, a son of Joseph and Corinthia (Swift) Ransom, the father born in Woodstock, Vermont, and the mother a native of Utica, New York. They were among the early settlers of In- diana, remaining in that State till their death, the mother dying when our subject was but eleven years old. Elisha Ransom was reared to the occupation of a farmer, and has always followed agricultural pur-
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suits. His education was obtained at the common schools of Madison, Indiana. He was married in his native State at the age of nineteen years, to Mary Hays, a native of Jefferson County, Indiana. They have seven children-James K., Mary H. (wife of O. Spullin), Nancy J. (wife of W. P. Taylor, of Appanoose County), Joseph H., Abraham L., Minnie G., Ulysses E. Mr. Ransom came to Iowa in his twenty-first year, and located in Lee County, remain- ing there three years. He came to Appa- noose County in 1856 and settled on his present farm, his original purchase being 100 acres, for which he paid $4 per acre. He began life a poor boy, being thrown on his own resources after the death of his mother. He has led an industrious life, and has met with success in his general farming and stock-raising, and is at pres- ent devoting his attention to raising fine cattle and horses. He has added to his real estate till he now has 635 acres of choice land, all under cultivation. Mr. Ransom has served his township as trustee and treasurer for five years. He has been school director for many years, and has also served as highway commissioner.
ESSE DAY, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of Johns Township, Ap- panoose County, was born near Columbus, in Bartholomew County, Indi- ana, June 20, 1823, his parents, Edmund and Nancy (Hummer) Day, being natives of Kentucky, in which State they remained till after their marriage. They settled in the State of Indiana about the year 1820. They had a family of four sons and five daughters, three of the children now living -two sons and one daughter. The father was a farmer by occupation. Jesse Day was but four months old when his father died. He passed his youth on the farm with his mother, attending the district
schools, where he obtained a fair education in the common branches. On reaching maturity he engaged in farming for himself. He was married in his nineteenth year to Keziah Kelly, of Jackson County, Indiana, and of the seven children born to this union six grew to maturity-William E., now liv- ing in Kansas; Nancy C., wife of Frank H. Shoemaker, of Kansas; Martha I., wife of Joseph Brown, also living in Kansas ; J. K. of Kansas ; Mary E., wife of William H. Kelly, of Nebraska, and John W., at home. In the spring of 1846 Mr. Day settled with his family in Davis County, lowa, coming in the spring of 1850 to Appanoose Coun- ty, Iowa. He located in what is now Johns Township, where he entered a tract of 240 acres on sections 14 and 24. Mr. Day was one of the thirteen men who helped to organ- ize this township,seven of whom were named John. Hence the name of Johns Township. On coming here Mr. Day built a small hickory cabin, this being Hickory Grove, in which he passed the winter, and the fol- lowing spring erected a larger dwelling, opening out his farm at that time, corn and wheat being his principal products at that time. Helater turned his attention to rais- ing cattle, and at one time took quite an interest in raising fine-blooded short-horn cattle, being among the first in his neigh- borhood to introduce a high graded cattle. He is at present making a specialty of rais- ing Clydesdale and English Draft horses. Mr. Day is an active, public-spirited citizen and is always ready to assist in all enter- prises tending to the good of his county. He was postmaster at Memphis, at which place he lived about ten years. Mr. Day has been a member of the Methodist Episco- pal church since his twenty-second year, and was one of the original members of Bethel church. His wife was an earnest member of the same church till her death, which occurred in August, 1883. In politics Mr. Day was formerly a Whig, casting his
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first presidential vote in 1844, but since the organization of the Republican party he has voted that ticket. He is one of the self-made men of Johns Township, having only $100 in gold and an ox team when he came to this State, and by his good man- agement has accumulated a good property, his home farm containing 220 acres of valu- able land.
EORGE W. TAYLOR, one of the early settlers of Appanoose County, Iowa, is a native of North Carolina, born near the town of Salem, Stokes Coun- ty, September 19, 1825, a son of George W. and Elizabeth (Harrell) Taylor, the former a native of Virginia and the latter born near Albemarle Sound, North Carolina. The father died in Stokes County, and the mother afterward moved to Indiana. Our subject was reared a farmer, and in his boy- hood had very little opportunity to attend school. After getting old enough to earn money he worked and paid for four months' tuition at a select school, and subsequently taught thirteen months in his native State, and thirteen months in Tennessee. He was married in 1849, in North Carolina, to Anna J. Hiatt, who died December 23, 1874. After his marriage he moved to Iowa, and located four miles south of Moravia, where he engaged in farming, and the winter of 1850 taught a three months' school in Unionville, and in the spring of 1851 moved to that village and taught the school ten months. He then returned to his farm, where he lived until 1883, making of it one of the pleasantest homes in the county. He continued teach- ing during the winter months until 1879, and became one of the most successful and popular instructors of Appanoose County. In the spring of 1883 he sold his farm, and purchased the one where he now lives, near the Wabash depot, which contains eighty
acres of choice land. In September, 1884, he erected a small store building and opened a grocery, and has now a good trade, it be- ing a convenient point for his neighboring farmers. Mr. Taylor has been a prominent and influential citizen of the township, and has held several public positions of trust. His life as a teacher has made him particu- larly interested in educational matters, and since 1853 he has been a member of the School Board. He has been surveyor of Appanoose County two years, assessor of Taylor Township two terms, justice of the peace one term, and in 1885 was elected assessor of the village of Moravia. In his early life he was a Democrat politically, but was an abolitionist and after its forma- tion affiliated with the Republican party. He has a family of seven children-George W .; Atlas P .; Susan E., wife of Carroll Miller ; Andrew J .; Florida C., wife of Clark Masterson, of Nebraska ; Charles V. and William M. March 13, 1886, he married Mrs. Isabella T. Irwin, of North Carolina.
EXTER AUSTIN SPOONER, of the firm of Spooner & Co., drayers, Cen- terville, Iowa, was born in Greene County, Indiana, August 13, 1832, and is the fifth of six sons of Benjamin F. and Martha (Ware) Spooner. He was but thirteen years of age when his parents moved to Centerville and here he grew to manhood and early became identified with the business interests of the place. Until 1856 he was a clerk in his father's store at Centerville, and then became proprietor of the first stage line, and carried the first mail west to Clarinda, Iowa. In 1859 he sold out to the Western Stage Company and engaged in freighting from Keokuk and Alexandria, till the building of the Rock Island Railroad, and since then he has engaged in general draying in Center-
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ville, his son, John W., and his nephew, Lemuel L. Spooner, being associated with him since 1885. From 1875 till 1883 he was also extensively engaged in dealing in coal. When the war of the Rebellion broke out he was Captain of the Center- ville Cavalry Guards, and his company was often called upon to guard the Missouri frontier. Politically he is a Republican and an avowed Abolitionist. He was married December 24, 1855, to Elizabeth Ferguson. They had a family of five children, but four åre living-Sarah, wife of J. D. Stier ; Jessie, wife of George A. Henry, M. D .; John W. and Lizzie. Crissie died in 1867, aged three years. Mrs. Spooner died in 1870, aged thirty-four years. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and took an active interest in church work. May 27, 1872, Mr. Spooner married Miss C. B. Stratton, daughter of J. F. and Laura (Foster) Stratton, pioneers of Appanoose County. She is a member of the Presby- terian church. Mr. Spooner is a member of the Masonic fraternity, lodge and chap- ter, at Centerville.
RANK A. REICH, one of the promi- nent business men of Moravia, is a native of Salem, North Carolina, born June 30, 1848, the eldest son of H. E. and Ann Aurelia (Herbst) Reich. In April, 1850, his parents moved to Appanoose County, Iowa, and settled on a farm near the present site of Moravia, where he was reared and educated, attending the public schools. In 1869 his father sold the farm and bought a saw-mill, and when he was twenty-one years of age he began working in the mill, continuing there about nine years. From 1878 till December, 1882, he worked at the carpenter's trade. In the fall of 1882 he took charge of the lumber yard of W. M. Peatman, and also bought
grain for the firm of Stanton & Kirkham, of Centerville, still continuing the latter business. In March, 1885, he and his brother Junius bought the lumber business, and have a large and constantly increasing trade, their yard being the only one in the place. Mr. Reich was married in November, 1881, to Miss Pearlie Weimberg, of Augusta, Illinois. They have two children-H Claude and Clarence P. Mr. Reich is a member of Antiquity Lodge, No. 252, A. F. & A. M.
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OHN B. MARING, of the firm of Johnson & Maring, Centerville, Iowa, was born in Somerton, Bel- mont County, Ohio, May 17, 1833. His father, Jacob M. Maring, was a native of New Jersey, of German ancestry, and in 1808, accompanied his father, John Maring, to Belmont County, Ohio, where he mar- ried Rebecca Bruce, a native of Ohio, of German descent. Their family consisted of six children-Sarah J., Eleanor, Mary A., John B. and Thomas B. (twins), and Lucinda. The latter died in June, 1875. She was the wife of James Eikleberry, of Exline, lowa. In 1858 the family moved to Appanoose County, Iowa, and settled on a farm in Caldwell Township, near Ex- line, where the mother died in February, 1878, aged over seventy-five years. The father died in May, 1883, aged eighty-three years, while on a visit to his daughter at South Bethany, Indiana. In the spring of 1863 Mr. Maring came to Iowa and until 1874 was employed as a clerk in Center- ville. In October, 1873, he was elected auditor of Appanoose County and filled this office three terms, of two years each. In February, 1880, he became associated with W. S. Johnson in the clothing and furnishing-goods business, under the firm name of Johnson & Maring. In politics
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HISTORY OF APPANOOSE COUNTY.
Mr. Maring is a Republican. He has served two years as a member of the city council and three years as a member of the Board of Supervisors of Appanoose Coun- ty. October 23, 1871, he was married at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, to Miss S. E. Mar- tin, a daughter of Rev. Joshua and Hannah (Dilley) Martin, the former a Methodist clergyman and an early settler of Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Maring have one child-Lena. They are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order, lodge and encampment.
HARLES HENRY HOWELL was born in Southampton, Suffolk Coun- ty, New York, April 17, 1823. His parents were Henry B. and Electa (Beach) Howell, natives of New York, of English descent. His father died when he was about eighteen months old, and he was reared by a widowed mother. In 1855 she removed to Centerville, and made his house her home till her death in 1859, aged sixty- one years. When twenty years of age he went to New York City, where he attended school and clerked until 1847, when he came to lowa and located at Centerville, Appanoose County, where he built a log store building, in which he engaged in general merchandising about three years. He then built a business house on the pub- lic street, and in 1856 a still larger one to accommodate his increasing business. In 1871 he retired from active business, giving it up to younger hands. He has also dealt to some extent in real estate, and has plat- ted two additions to Centerville. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Centerville, and has since been one of its directors, and for several years has been its vice-president. In 1874 he was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Lancaster, Missouri, now the Schuy-
ler County Bank, of which he was presi- dent until 1876, when the State of Missouri passed a law prohibiting non-residents from holding offices in banks, although he still owns a controlling interest. He was one of the active workers in getting the Mis- souri, Iowa & Nebraska and the Rock Island railroads built through Centerville, and was director and treasurer of the for- mer road two years during its construction. Mr. Howell has been twice married, first in New York City in 1850, to Lavinia Ward, who died in 1881, aged fifty-eight years. To them were born five children- Mary, Anna, Edward, Frederick and Emma. In 1883 Mr. Howell married Mrs. Mary (Dunbar) Pigham, of Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Howell are members of the Presbyterian church, of which he has been ruling elder since 1850.
ADWARD TURNER STRATTON, surveyor of Appanoose County, Iowa, was born in Ann Arbor, Mich- igan, October 11, 1839, a son of Jonathan F. and Laura W. (Foster) Stratton. His parents came to Iowa in 1843, and settled in what is now Udell Township, Appanoose County. Jonathan F. Stratton was the first surveyor of the county, and filled that position several years. He made many of the first surveys of the county, either as civil engineer or county surveyor. He died August 8, 1884, aged nearly eighty-four years. His widow survives him, making her home with her children, and is now eighty-two years of age. When seventeen years of age our subject was apprenticed to learn the carpenter's trade, at which he worked some twenty years. In the spring of 1861 he enlisted in Company D, Sixth lowa Infantry, but was discharged on ac- count of disability the 22d of the following August. In December of the same year
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he again enlisted in Company F, Seven- teenth Iowa Infantry, and served until Jan- uary 30, 1863, when he was again discharged on account of disability. When a boy he was instructed by his father in the art of surveying, and this, added to private study, gave him a practical and theoretical knowl- edge of the business, and in 1878 he was employed on the engineer corps of the Missouri, Iowa & Northern Railway. In January, 1885, he was appointed county sur- veyor by the Board of Supervisors to fill a vacancy, and was reappointed in January, 1886. In politics he is a Democrat. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, lodge and chapter, and of John L. Bashore Post, No. 122, G. A. R.
EORGE WEST NEEDLES, propri- etor of the city livery stable and omnibus line, at Centerville, Iowa, was born near Columbus, Ohio, December 3, 1849. He lived in his native city till twenty years of age, learning in his youth the carpenter's trade. From 1870 till 1876 he was employed at bridge building in Kan- sas, Nebraska, Missouri, Texas and Wiscon- sin. In 1877 he began traveling for a Columbus firm, which he continued three years. In July, 1879, he came to Iowa and engaged in the livery business in Center- ville, to which, in 1884, he added his omni- bus line. August 23, 1883, he was married to Madge C. Jones. He is a charter mem- ber of Centerville Lodge, No. 64, K. of P.
OHN HUDSON, the oldest resident of Johns Township, and one of the first settlers, is a native of North Car- olina, born in Lenoir County, near King- ston, October 19, 1808, a son of John and
Mary (Lolla) Hudson, natives of the same State. When he was eight years old his parents moved to Sumner County, Tennes- see, and there he was reared. His father died in 1830 and the family subsequently moved to Illinois, locating in Adams County, where the mother died in 1858. Of a family of five sons and six daughters. two sons and three daughters are living. John Hudson was reared on a farm, at- tending in his youth the subscription school. Being studious he acquired sufficient knowledge of the common branches to enable him to teach, an avocation he fol- lowed several winters. He was married in August, 1834, to Anna E. Elam, the eldest daughter of Joel and Frances Elam, of Sumner County, Tennessee, and in the fall of the same year moved to Bond Coun- ty, Illinois, where he worked at farming in the summer and taught school during the winter for several years. In June, 1849, he moved with his family to Appanoose County, Iowa, and settled on section 1, in what is now Johns Township, pre-empting a claim of 160 acres. This he sold in 1853, and then bought 200 acres on the same section where he now lives, owning now 125 acres. His first house was a cabin made of round logs. In this he lived three years and then built a larger and better one of hewed logs. Centerville at that time was a village of log houses. The voters of the township when organized were thirteen in number, seven of whom were named John, and from this circumstance the town- ship received its name. Mr. Hudson has held various local offices of trust, among others that of trustee, assessor, clerk and justice of the peace. The latter office he held four years and was again elected but refused to qualify. He has been a member of the Baptist church since 1858, and has served as deacon several years. The first meetings of the church in Johns Township were held in his house. He cast his first
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vote for President Jackson and has since held to the principles of the Democratic party. Mr. and Mrs. Hudson have shared the joys and sorrows of life together for a period of fifty-two years, and now in their last days are experiencing the pleasures and comforts which are the result of well-spent and honorable lives. They have had a family of twelve children, several of whom survive to bless their declining years- Mary F. married Samuel Herbolt and died leaving nine children ; James E. died in in- fancy ; Nancy J. is the wife of William Buck, and has six children; Sarah is the wife of David Haines and has five children; Thomas J. is deceased; Martha A. is the wife of William Dorrah, and has nine chil- dren; Eliza is the wife of Alex Haines and has seven children ; John H. married Char- lotte Curl and has four children; Elizabeth is the wife of Charles Fowler and has three children ; Benjamin F .; Joseph married Ida Rollins, and is living in Kansas; Will- iam is at home.
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ENERAL HENRY HARRISON WRIGHT, general insurance agent, was born in Williamsport, Warren County, Indiana, February 26, 1840, a son of John B. and Eliza (Perjue) Wright, the father a native of Ohio, of Scotch and Irish ancestry, and the mother born in Indiana, of Irish origin. Our subject remained at his birthplace till twenty years of age, re- ceiving his education at the common-school and at the Boyer Academy of Williams- port. At the age of eighteen years he be- gan learning the printer's trade, which he followed at Williamsport and Danville, Illinois, till 1860. He then came to Center- ville, lowa, intending to go from there to the mines at Pike's Peak, but in May, 1861, he, at the first call for troops, enlisted in Company D, Sixth Iowa Infantry, as a pri-
vate, but was not mustered into the service till the 17th of July. His regiment served in Missouri till March, 1862, when it was ordered to Shiloh, where it took part in that battle. It participated in the siege of Corinth, in the campaign in Northern Mississippi under General Grant, in Gen- eral Sherman's division and corps, the Vicksburg campaign, the second capture of Jackson, Mississippi, Missionary Ridge, the relief of General Burnsides at Knox- ville, Tennessee. It also participated in the Atlanta campaign, including the bat- tles of Resaca, Dallas, Big Shanty, Kene- saw Mountain, Atlanta, Jonesborough and Lovejoy's Station. The regiment was with General Sherman on his march to the sea, the campaign through Carolina, in the battle of Bentonville, at the capture of Raleigh, North Carolina, and in the march through Richmond, Virginia, to Washing- ton, where it participated in the grand re- view in May, 1865. Mr. Wright took part in all the engagements with his regiment, and January 1, 1865, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant of his company by Governor Stone. He was mustered out with his regiment at Louisville, Kentucky, July 22, 1865, and after his discharge from the army returned to Centerville, and the following October he was elected sheriff of Appanoose County, which office he held by re-election till January, 1874, having served in all eight years. He then served as deputy sheriff two years under John M. Elgin, and in January, 1876, he engaged in the general insurance, real estate and ab- stract business at Centerville. In 1885 he discontinued his real estate and abstract business and is now devoting his entire at- tention to his insurance business. Novem ber 15, 1866, he was married at Centerville to Catherine A. Gray, of Davis County, Iowa. They have four children living- John Albert, Henry Clay, Fanny and Mary D., of whom the three eldest are attending
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TI.D N FOUNDATIONS.
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school at Centerville. Charles Cyrus died in October, 1872, aged five years, and Jes- se Berch, at the age of fourteen months. December 7, 1878, Mr. Wright entered the Iowa National Guard as First Sergeant of Company E, Fifth Regiment, and was pro- moted to Second Lieutenant of Company E, Second Regiment, March 14, 1880, and to Captain, April 15, 1881. He was pro- moted to Colonel of the Second Regiment, July 26, 1881, and since September 3, 1885, has held the rank of Brigadier General, commanding the First Brigade, Iowa Na. tional Guard. In January, 1886, he was invited to take command of the camp at the Military Inter-State Prize Drill and Tournament, at Savannah, Georgia. Po- litically Mr. Wright is a Republican. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order, and is past noble grand of Centerville Lodge, No. 76. He is also past post commander of John L. Bashore Post, No. 122, G. A. R.
ILLIAM D. POWELL, editor and publisher of the Moulton Tribune, was born December 15, 1834, in Greene County, Virginia, the son of Jack- son T. and Mandanna (Yowell) Powell. His parents moved in an early day to Cass County, Illinois, where Mr. Powell, Sr., and a Dr. Hall laid Virginia, which after- ward became the county seat. About 1840 the family removed to Randolph County, Missouri, where Mr. Powell was engaged in farming until his death, in 1862. Mrs. Powell yet lives in Randolph County, with a son-in-law. Their son, William D., lived at home until twenty-one years of age. He then taught, farmed and mer- chandised in turn. In 1882 he purchased the Clarence Courier, in Shelby County, Missouri, and this paper he ran until Sep- tember, 1884, when he removed to Moul- ton, this county, and took charge of the
Tribune. He was married in 1858 to Ma- tilda F. Dameron, of Randolph County, Missouri. Their three children are named Anna K., Ida M. and Effie J. Mr. and Mrs. Powell and one daughter are members of the Christian church. Mr. Powell is polit- ically a Republican. In 1878 he was elected a representative in the State Legis- lature of Missouri, holding that office two years.
OHN WHITE, one of the pioneers of Appanoose County, and an enterpris- ing and successful farmer, was born near Nashville, Tennessee, February 22, 1816. He was reared on a farm, his edu- cation being obtained in the subscription schools of his neighborhood. When a young man he went to Indiana with his parents, Abraham and Permelia White, who settled in that State. His father served as a soldier in the war of the Revolution. John White was married January 25, 1837, to Jane Pearman, a daughter of Siebert and Sarah Pearman, of Newport, Indiana, who were both natives of Kentucky, the father born in the year 1793. To Mr. and Mrs. White were born eleven children, four sons and seven daughters, nine of whom lived to maturity-Mary F., wife of Henry Hollingsworth ; John W., Delilah J., wife of A. J. Wood ; James A .; Alexander E .; Leonard W .; Sarah E., wife of A. M. Bur- ton; Rosa C .; Lillie J., married A. H. Stokey, and died July 26, 1882, two years after her marriage, at the age of twenty-one years and six months. After his marriage Mr. White settled on a farm in Indiana where he lived till 1849. He then came to Douglas Township, Appanoose County, where he pre-empted a claim, which he bought when the land came in the market. By his industry and good management he added to his lands till he owned nearly 2,000 acres. He was an extensive stock
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