USA > Iowa > Adams County > Biographical history of Montgomery and Adams counties, Iowa : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state, engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 44
USA > Iowa > Montgomery County > Biographical history of Montgomery and Adams counties, Iowa : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state, engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 44
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D. SHAW, a well-known citizen and prominent stock-raiser of Adams county, lowa (post office Briscoe), was born in Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, December 26, 1835. His parents, John and Sarah (Harsha) Shaw, were both natives of Pennsylvania. The paternal grand- father was born in Scotland, came to Amer- ica at an early day, and took part in the Revolutionary war. The maternal grand- parents were John and Esther (McMillen) Harsha; the former was a cabinet-maker, and served as a soldier in the war af 1812. The father of W. D. Shaw was an enterprising and successful farmer all his life. He lived and died on the same farm, which has been known by the name "Shaw " for more than 100 years. He was a prominent member of the United Presbyterian Church, of which his wife was also a member. February 4, 1879, 31
at the age of seventy-five years, he was called from labor to reward. His wife passed away July 24, 1868, at the age of sixty years. Of the thirteen children born to them, at this writing, five are still living.
W. D. Shaw inherited the patriotic spirit of his worthy sires, and like them in the time of war risked his life for the freedom of his country. In April, 1861 he enlisted in the three months service, Pennsylvania having her quota of troops filled in the seventy-five thousand call. His regiment returned home, and in August started again for the field- this time for three years, or during the war. He was Sergeant in Company A, Eighty- fifth Regiment, army of the Potomac, and his first duty in battle was the Peninsular campaign, under General McClellan. He took part in the battles of Yorktown, Wil- liamsburg, Baltimore Cross Roads, Fair Oaks, Seven Days' Battle, Black Water, Folly Island, Morris Island and the siege of Charleston. He was then detached from his regiment and appointed to receive recruits and forward them to the army, having his headquarters at Camp Reynolds (Braddock's fields), Pennsylvania; during all his service he was never wounded or taken prisoner. His discharge dates November 22, 1864, at Pitts- burgh, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Shaw's brother, Joseph, served the same terin of service in the same company; another brother, Jan.es, now living in Guern - sey county, Ohio, served four years in the First Regiment of Virginia Cavalry.
After the war Mr. Shaw engaged in farm- ing in Pennsylvania; in 1869 he came West and located where he now resides, in section 4, Lincoln township; his residence, one of the most attractive in Adams county, is beauti- fully located, overlooking, as it does, a mag- nificent tract of country.
January 22, 1875, Mr. Shaw married Miss
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Sarah Bancroft, a danghter of Augustus and Abiah (Flagg) Bancroft, natives and residents of Grandmanan, New Brunswick. They have three children: Sadie M., born October 28, 1875, Fred. W., August 4, 1877, and Charles S., September 11, 1879. He and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian Churchi. Politically Mr. Shaw is a Republican and a member of the G. A. R.
ILAS G. SIMPSON, general merchant at Nodaway, Adams county, is a rep- resentative of one of the pioneer fami- lies of the State of Iowa. He located at Nodaway in the fall of 1879 and engaged in the hardware business, which he continued about two years, when he engaged in general merchandising. He erected his present store building in 1884.
Mr. Simpson is a native of Dearborn county, Indiana, where he was born in 1828, the son of Matthias Q. Simpson. The an- cestors of the subject of this notice came to America in Colonial times, long before the Revolutionary war. The grandfather, Will- iam Simpson, was born in New Jersey, Au- gust 25, 1767, and at the age of twelve years entered the service of the Government as a teamster. This was during the darkest days of the struggle of the colonies for their in- dependence. After the close of the war, and while yet a young man he went to Pennsyl- vania, and there married Miss Anna Ammer- man, a lady of German descent. The mar- riage occurred May 8, 1797. In 1800 the grandfather was a farmer in Cayuga county, New York, whence he removed to Dearborn county, Indiana, in 1817, and thence to War- ren county in 1829, where he died, July 21, 1841. William Simpson was of Irish de-
scent, and was the father of six sons and three daughters.
Matthias Q. Simpson, the father of the subject of this sketch, and son of William Simpson, was born in the State of New York and went to Indiana with his father's family in 1817. He married Sina Garrison, who died when her son, Silas G., was but a boy. The father is still living, at this writing, in 1891, residing at Farley, Dubuque county, Iowa.
Matthias Q. Simpson came to the Terri- tory of Iowa with his family about 1838, set- tling first in Jones county.
Silas G. Simpson began life for himself as a carpenter and farmer, but at the age of about forty-two years he gave np carpentry. He was married in Cedar county, Iowa, to Miss Harriet Hall, who died about twenty years later. His present wife was formerly Mrs. Courtright, whose maiden name was Mary Shirley. Mr. Simpson has four living children,-two sons and two daughters,-two of whom are by his first marriage and two by the second.
Mr. Simpson has been a resident of Iowa for more than half a century, and is a worthy and respected citizen.
RANK A. CLARKE, who resides on section 22, Quincy township, is a son of a pioneer family of Adams county. His father, Hezekiah B. Clark, located in the vil- lage of Quincy, September 18, 1855. He was born in Lebanon, Connecticut, July 24, 1816, the son of Colonel James Clark, who be- longed to an early Connecticut family. Mr. Clark remained in that State until a young mnan, and was reared to mercantile pursuits, his father having been a merchant at Leba- non. About the time he had attained his
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manhood he removed with his father's family to Le Roy, Genesee county, New York, and later the family removed to Michigan. There the parents spent the remainder of their lives. H. B. Clark was married in Wayne county, Michigan, in 1840, to Miss Caroline V. Tay- lor, a native of Ontario county, New York, born in 1818, who went with her parents to Michigan when about ten years old. Her parents were Philo and Theodosia (Stout) Taylor, who continued to live in Michigan. After marriage Mr. Clark was engaged in farming. In 1855 he removed with his family to Adams county, lowa, and settled at Quincy, which was then a flourishing village and the county seat of Adams county. There he engaged in the mercantile business, in which he continued until death, which oc- curred March 24, 1868. He and wife were the parents of three children, one son and two daughters, viz .: Julia, the eldest, became the wife of F. M. Davis, and died December 6, 1881; Frank A., the second child and the eldest son, was born in Michigan, Decem- ber 3, 1848, being about seven years old when he came with his parents to Adams county; he married L. Augusta Lovejoy, and they have a daughter, Maud. The third child of Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Clark was Ida, who died in early childhood, born January 10, 1863. Mr. Clark was an esteemed and respected citizen, and a moral and upright man. His religious sentiments were of the most pronounced type, and he was especially noted for his piety and consistent Christian life. He was a member of the Congrega- tional Church, and his home in early days was the headquarters of the gospel of any denomination. His hospitality in that re- gard was unbounded. In the days of slavery he was a friend of the slave, was identified with the Abolition party, and was ever ready to help the escaping slaves to the land of
freedom. In short he was a most estimable and worthy man. His wife, who now re- sides with her son in Quincy township, was a worthy companion of her esteemed husband.
OAH N. ODELL, who resides on sec- tion 2 in Nodaway township, is one of the pioneers of Adams county, and one of the oldest present residents of his town- ship, the time of his coming having been in November, 1856. There were then but few families in the township. He was born in Crawford county, Ohio, in 1826, the son of Eli Odell, a native of Vermont, who removed when a boy of eleven years with his parents to New York, thence to Canada, and from there went with an uncle to Crawford county, Ohio, in 1822, when he was a youth of nine- teen years. There he married Miss Asenath Parcher. In 1854 Eli Odell removed with his family to Winterset, Madison county, Iowa, where they lived until deatlı. They were the parents of two sons and five dangh- ters who grew to mature years. The two sons and three daughters are now living.
Noah N. Odell, the subject of this notice, settled on section 16 in the fall of 1856, and there, in that year, erected a steam sawmill. This was the first steam sawmill in Adams county, which was an entirely new mnill when Mr. Odell bought it at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and had it shipped to the place where it was erected. An effort was made about the same time to erect an old steam sawmill at Brook, but it was not a success, so that Mr. Odell's mill may properly be said to be the first steam sawmill erected in Adams county. He removed his mill to Brooks in the spring of 1859, and in 1863 to Washington township, having sold it to Christopher Hardier. This mill had now disappeared, as the inan to
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whom Mr. Odell sold it disposed of various parts to different persons, who removed the saine from the county. Mr. Odell has car- ried on farming ever since his mill experience, but in connection therewithi was also engaged in carpentering and building for many years. His father was a carpenter and he very natur- ally learned that trade. He has done much building in Adams county, having built the first frame barn of any importance; this was on what is known as the " Billy Wilson " farm in Quincy township. The largest barn he built was on the Vernon place near Corning. In fact he has erected a large number of both dwellings and barns in Adams and Mont- gomery counties. He has resided on his present farm since 1866. He has a fine farm of 200 acres, and has also given land to his sons.
Mr. Odell was married in 1847 to Miss Lydia A. Field, a native of Ohio, and dangh- ter of Selden Field, a native of Connecticut. Her mother's maiden name was Lydia Ketchum, a native of Vermont, but reared in the State of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Odell have seven children, six sons and one danghter, and have lost four daughters by death. In his political affiliations Mr. Odell has been a Republican ever since the organi- zation of that party. His first presidential vote was cast for Martin Van Buren. He voted for General Fremont in 1856, and for General Harrison in 1888, and all Republi- can presidents between those two. He was reared in the Abolition school of politics, his father having belonged to that party, and in his early days in Ohio helped many an escap- ing slave on his way to freedom. He and his wife have long been faithful and consist- ent members of the Christian church.
We have thus endeavored to give a bio- graphical sketch of Mr. Odell, one of the best known pioneers of Adamns connty, who
with his wife came here when the country was new, and have done their part in contrib- uting to the growth and development of the county. The lives of such as they are well worthy of preservation in the annals of the county with which they have been so long and closely identified. Cordial and genial in disposition and ever generous and hospitable, they have the esteem and respect of all.
ICHAEL M. KENNEDY, a trusted and valued employe of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Com- pany, at Corning, was born in county Tip- perary, Ireland, in April, 1832, the son of Patrick and Jane (Ryan) Kennedy, natives of that country and farmers who spent their lives there. Of their four children, the two daughters remained in the old country, while the two sons came to America, one of whom is a resident of Farmer City. In 1856 Michael sailed from Liverpool on the ship Compromise, Captian Childs, and in due sea- son landed at New York. After spending five years in Connecticut lie came to Illinois, in May, 1862, and in May, 1870, he came to Omalia and shortly to Corning, where he took charge of a section of railroad four miles long, besides one a half miles of side-track. His long service here for such a company as the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, is suf- ficient evidence of his faithfulness. As a citizen he is esteemed as quiet and law-abid- ing, yet having the courage of liis convic- tions. He has acquired a small piece of land and erected for himself a cosy residence. Politically he is a staunch Democrat, and he and his wife are faithful members of the Catholic Church.
He was married in April, 1862, in Fair- field, Connecticut, to Miss Susan Connors, a
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native of county Tipperary, Ireland, and they liave five children, as follows: Mary, who died at the age of eighteen months; John, the eldest son, born in July, 1865; Ellen, in 1866; Michael, in 1867; and Katie, in No- vember, 1871.
AUL D. McCLELLAND, who resides on section 35, is one of the well-known early settlers of Nodaway township, coming in 1859. He was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, July 29, 1823, the son of John McClelland, also a native of that county. The great-grandfather of our sub- ject was a native of Ireland, and the grand- father, James McClelland, was one of the early settlers of Greene county. On his mother's side, Mr. McClelland is of Scotch descent. His mother was Mary Dawlin, born near Philadelphia. She was the mother of six children, and died when her son, the subject of this sketch, was about ten years old. Later the father re-married, and eight children were born by this union. Only three of the first children are now living, viz .: James, a resident of Washington county, Iowa, and Paul D., and Mrs. Sarah Ann Bishop, a resident of Knox county, Ohio. Of the second family of children three are also living: William H., a resident of Wymore, Nebraska; Mrs. Elizabeth Fraser, of Harrison county, Wisconsin; Charles, in Mount Liberty, Knox county, Ohio.
Mr. McClelland lived in his native county until his fourteenth year, when he removed with his father's family to Knox county. The mother had died in Pennsylvania, and the father in Knox county, in September, 1862, in his sixty-sixth year. The second wife is still living, with her youngest son, Charles, in Knox county. Paul D. was
reared to the occupation of farming. He married Miss Elizabeth Guthrie, January 1, 1846, a daughter of James and Mary (Mc- Kibben) Guthrie. The mother was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1824, but removed to Ohio with her parents when but thirteen years old. The parents contin- ued to live in Ohio, in Muskingum county, until death. They had two sons and six daughters, only three of whom are known to be living. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. McClelland continued to live in Ohio until 1856, when they emigrated to Iowa. They came all the way by wagon to Warren coun- ty, and were about four weeks in making the journey. Mr. McClelland has three brothers living in Warren county, and his intention was to make a settlement there, but finally decided to come to Adams county after a res- idence in Warren county of nearly three years. The time of his settlement on his present place was in the spring of 1860. His first land in this county consisted of 200 acres, 160 of which was prairie and forty acres timber land, and no improvements whatever had been made on the place when he purchased it. His first residence was a hewn log-house, located just north of his present residence. He occupied this house until he built his present residence in 1870. He has added 232 acres to his first purchase, and now has a farm of 380 acres. Mr. Mc- Clelland paid $700 for 200 acres of his orig- inal purchase, which was the extent of his financial ability. By honest industry he made his land a beautiful farm, and is sur- rounded by the comforts of life.
Mr. and Mrs. McClelland have had nine children, four sons and five daughters, and three are now deceased. The living are Jolın, Cynthia A., Paul M., Clarinda, Eliza- beth Ellen and Rev. William C. McClelland. The three deceased were: Margaret Jane,
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
the second child, who died at the age of nineteen years; James L., died at the age of twenty-seven years, and Mary M., at the age of thirteen months. Mr. and Mrs. McClel- land are numbered among the oldest and most esteemed citizens of Adams county, where they have lived so long, and are well worthy a place in the prominent record of the old settlers of Adams connty. Politi- cally Mr. McClelland is a Democrat. He cast his first Presidential vote for James K. Polk, in 1844. The family are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Nodaway township, and their son, Rev. William C., is the present pastor of this church.
ETER DOYE, a resident of section 5, Mercer township, is a native of France, born May 3, 1843, and is a son of Peter and Mary Ann (Pruines) Doye, natives of the same country. In his youth he served an apprenticeship at the butcher's trade in the city of Paris, and worked at the business until he was twenty-one years of age. He then entered the army and served six years; he fought in the Franco-Prussian war, and was severely wounded in battle; for several months he was unfit for active duty, and while home on a furlough he joined the Communists, for which he would have been punished had he not deserted and songlit freedom on our shores; he landed at New Orleans September 8, 1871, remaining in that city one year. At the end of that time he went to Indian Territory, and in Angust, 1872, he landed in Adams county, Iowa; he located with the French colony, in Prescott township, and resided there three years.
Mr. Doye was married March 23, 1873, to Miss Hortense Montaldo, who was born in Illinois, a daughter of Ignatius and Celine
(Pigney) Montaldo. The father was a native of Spain, and the mother was born in France; they were united in marriage in Hancock county, Illinois, where Mrs. Doye was born. In 1853 Mr. Montaldo was sent as an agent of the Icarian colony to look up a suitable location for carrying on agriculture. He came to Iowa, and pre-empted a large tract of Government land in Adams county, and afterwards accepted the position of president of the colony. When Mrs. Doye was three years old her parents removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, and resided there for twelve years; she was educated in the public schools of that city, and at the age of sixteen years she be- gan to teach, following that vocation for several years. Mr. Montaldo died December 21, 1871. His widow still survives him, and is now a resident of Adams county.
Mr. and Mrs. Doye settled in their present home in 1875; they have a fine farm of 280 acres in a high state of cultivation. They are the parents of five children: Ignatius is now being educated at the State Agricultural College at Ames. Iowa; George, Robert, Frederick and Charles.
Politically Mr. Doye affiliates with the Republican party and is a staunch advocate of its principles.
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OHN CASEY, farmer and stock-raiser, section 14, Mercer township, was born in Butler county, Ohio, April 6, 1837, the older of two children of Adam and Rachel (Cook) Casey. The former was a native of Germany and came to this country when a young man; he located in Ohio, where he married the above, who was a na- tive of Ohio and of English and German descent. In 1843 the family removed to the Territory of Iowa, and when our subject was
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ten years of age his father died and the fam- ily returned to Ohio, and he worked out on a farm until he was nineteen years old. In 1856 he and his mother again came to Iowa and settled on the lands his father had previ- ously entered, where he followed farming until he came to Adams county. He was married June 20, 1861, to Miss Catherine Yakle, who was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, and a daughter of Luke and Ann Eliza (Frink) Yakle, who came from Ger- many about the year 1835, and first settled in Virginia, then removed to Butler county, Ohio, and in 1844 came to Henry county, Iowa. Here Mr. Yakle passed the balance of his days, and his widow still resides here. In May, 1374, Mr. Casey removed to Adams county and purchased 160 acres of wild land, which he improved, and followed general farming until 1885, when he turned his attention to the growing and improving of the variety of potatoes, and has since made a specialty of that line, from which he has gained a wide reputation in this and adjoin- ing States.
Mr. and Mrs. Casey are the parents of six children: Alice J., the wife of M. J. Riley; Jonatlıan E., Franklin A., Leveright L., Laura R. and Charles B. Mrs. Casey is a member of the Baptist Church. Politically Mr. Casey is a Republican.
S. BUTLER, a retired fariner of Adams county, was born in Rush county, Indiana, May 12, 1832. He is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Shannon) Butler, natives of Fleming and Shelby counties, Kentucky, respectively. The paternal grand- father came from London, England, and died in Kentucky during the war of 1812. In 1830 the parents of Mr. Butler · removed
from their Kentucky home to Rush county, Indiana, and settled on a tract of wild land which was cleared and improved through their efforts, aided by their children. There were seven children in the family, two of whom died in youth.
Mr. Butler was the second born, and liis younger days were spent in assisting his father in the clearing and improving of the farm. He remained under the parental roof until he had attained his majority, and then began teaching school in his native State. In 1860 he went to Adams county, Illinois, where he taught for two years, returning at the end of that time to Indiana. August 13, 1862, he enlisted in Company K, Thirty- second Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and started for the Sontli to take a part in putting down the Rebellion. He joined the company at Cowan, Tennessee, the regiment being a part of the army of the Cumberland, then stationed at Nashville, Tennessee. He was in many severe engage- ments, was with Sherman on his march to the sea, and witnessed the grand review which was held in Washington, District of Columbia, at the close of the war. He was honorably discharged June 22, 1865, and returned to his former home in Rush county, Indiana. After a short stay there he went to Adams county, Illinois, again, and resumed his profession, that of teaching, which he followed until he came to this county in 1871.
April 17, 1872, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Shelby, a native of Athens county' Ohio, and a daughter of Wilson and Mar- garet (Shields) Shelby. On coming to this county he purchased 240 acres of land, which was still in the wild state in which Nature had left it. This he improved and cultivated until it is one of the best farms in the county. In 1890 he sold this land, and is in circum- stances to live comfortably the remainder of
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his days, and enjoy the accumulations of his many years of labor.
Mrs. Butler departed this life May 19, 1888. Slie and her husband were consistent members of the United Presbyterian Church. In his political opinion Mr. Butler is an un- compromising Republican, and he is also an ardent worker in the temperance cause.
RED SCHAFROTH, one of the leading stock-raisers and farmers of Jasper township, was born in the canton of Berne, Switzerland, February 5, 1841. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Sutlen) Shaf- roth, natives of the same place. In 1852 the family, consisting of the parents and nine children, emigrated to America and settled in Monroe county, Ohio. There Mr. Shafroth purchased a farm and passed the remainder of his days. He died in the spring of 1863, and his wife survived lim but three weeks.
Young Shafroth was reared on a farm and attended the district school; he assisted his parents in the maintenance of the family un- til the breaking out of the civil war, when he enlisted August 14, 1862, in Company E, One Hundred and Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry. He participated in many hard-fought battles, and did his country valiant service. At the close of the war he was honorably dis- charged, Jnne 14, 1865, and returned to his Ohio home where he resumed the occupation of agriculture.
Mr. Shafroth was united in marriage June 6, 1866, to Miss Margaret Walter, a native of Switzerland and a daughter of Jacob Wal- ter, who emigrated from Switzerland in 1853, and settled in the State of Ohio. In the spring of 1868 our subject came to Adams county, and settled on what is known as the Dairy Farm near Corning; there he resided
until 1877, when he purchased his present farın, which contains 200 acres of good land in a high state of cultivation. He makes a specialty of breeding short-horn cattle and Berkshire hogs.
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