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 47
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 47
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Monroe county, Iowa, where he lived until tlie spring of 1855, when lie came to Adams county, settling in Carl township when it and Colony township were embraced in one.
In Putnam county, Indiana, March 1, 1843, Mr. Scott was married to Margaret Perkins, who was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, August 18, 1818, daughter of Thomas Perkins, of Kentucky. Only one child has been born to thein, Rebecca J., who is now the wife of Jolin Rngesal, a resident of Carl township.
Mr. Scott owns 173 acres of land in Ad- ams county, 160 acres of which are in section 12, Carl township, and the remainder joining to and in the town of Nevinville, all of which is well improved and in a good state of cultivation. He settled on liis farm in Carl township at a date that entitles him to claim the distinction of being the oldest set- tler here. He and his estimable wife are now enjoying the rest and comfort to which they are entitled, in a cozy home with many pleasant surroundings, in Nevinville. Here he has a good orchard and plenty of small fruit. Mr. and Mrs. Scott are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and were members of the first class ever organized in the township and the second in the county. He has been called upon to serve the town- ship in the capacity of Clerk two terms, Assessor one year and other minor township offices.
Mr. Scott has lived to see Adams county changed from a wild waste to the beautiful and highly-cultivated county it now is; has seen the trees he planted with his own hands grow to a diameter of four feet; and has noted the passage of the Indian and deer to make room for the advance of civilization. During all these years he has done much to promote the best interests of the community, and now in his old age is surrounded by
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many friends and enjoys the respect of all who know him.
OBERT M. CREIGHTON was born in Stark county, Ohio, April 2, 1835, son of James and Elizabeth (Sidle) Creigh- ton, the former a native of Ireland, and the latter born in Pennsylvania, the daughter of German parents. Mr. Creighton was brought np to farm work in his native county, and received a limited education in the public schools. In 1855 he went to Stark county, Illinois, where he lived for some years. His father died in Ohio at the age of eighty-eight years. He was a farmer all his life. Politi- cally he was a Whig, and religionsly a Pres- byterian, having served for many years as a deacon in the church. The mother died at Indianola, Warren county, Iowa, in 1885, aged seventy-six years. They reared a large family, and five of their sons served in tlie late war. Robert M. enlisted in August, 1862, in the One Hundred and Twelfth Illi- nois Infantry Volunteers, and served until he was honorably discharged, June 20, 1865. He was in the battles of Knoxville, Resaca, Atlanta, Franklin, Nashville, Wilmington (North Carolina), and the East Tennessee raid. For ten months he served as a cavalry- man. At Knoxville, Tennessee, his liorse falling, he received serious injury to his right leg, from the effects of which he lias never recovered. He now receives a small pension.
After the war Mr. Creighton returned to Illinois and engaged in farming in Knox county. In 1881 he came to Adams county, Iowa, and bought the old Robinson farm, as it was called, and here he has since lived. This farm is located in section 12, Carl township, and comprises eighty acres of riclı
land. It has a nice grove and orchard and other improvements.
September 13, 1866, in Stark county, Ohio, Mr. Creighton wedded Miss Nancy Jane McIlravy. Her father, Hugh C. McIl- ravy, was born in Ireland, came to America in 1812, and died at Victoria, Illinois, at the age of eighty-nine years. Her mother, nee Ellen Quigley, a native of Pennsylvania, died March 28, 1857. Mr. and Mrs. Creighton have three children: Elizabetlı Ellen, Wil- liam M. and Ida K. J. Miss Elizabeth E. is a member of the Congregational Church.
Mr. Creighton affiliates with the Republi- can party, and is a member of the G. A. R., Post No. 35.
- AVID McILRAVY was born in Harri- son county, Ohio, February 1, 1829. His father, Hugh McIlravy, was a na- tive of county Antrim, Ireland, and a son of Hugh C., also a native of that county. The family came to America in 1812 and settled in Washington county, Pemsylvania, where the grandfather of our subject died. Hugh McIlravy learned the trade of bricklayer, which he followed for a number of years. He married Ellen Quigley, a native of Washing- ton county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of John Quigley. In 1868 he moved to Knox county, Illinois, where he died at the age of eiglity-eight years and eight days. His edu- cation had been received in the schools of Ireland, and after his arrival in this country he was in politics a Whig and later a Repub- lican; in religion, a Presbyterian, having served as elder of the church for more than forty years. His wife had preceded him to the other world, her death liaving occurred in Harrison county, Ohio, in 1863. Their family consisted of six sons and one danghter, of whom two sons and the latter are now liv-
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ing, viz .: Robert, of Knox county, Illinois; David, onr subject; and Nancy Jane Creigh- ton, Carl township, this county.
David McIlravy was reared on a farm in Harrison county, Ohio, and educated in the public schools of the Buckeye State. He was married in Tnscarawas county, Ohio, June 27, 1865, to Miss Sarah Elizabeth Trne, dangliter of Isaac and Mary (Masters) Trne. Her father was born in Delaware, a son of Thomas True, of Scotch ancestry, and her mother in Tuscarawas, Ohio, daughter of Isaac Masters. They had seven children, one son and six daughters. The mother died in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, when Mrs. McIl- ravy was ten years old, and her father still lives at that place, at this writing, aged seventy-five years. He is an honored citizen of Tuscarawas county, and a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. McIlravy lived in Ohio, engaged in farming until 1865, when he moved to Knox county, Illinois, and settled near Victoria. In 1880 he came to Adams county, Iowa, and bought his present farm in section 4, Carl township. By the expenditure of much time and labor he has highly improved his farm until it is ranked among the best in the township. His dwelling, a story and a half cottage, with bay windows and porches, beau- tifully located and surrounded with fine lawn and shade trees, is one of the attractive places to be seen in this vicinity. A three-acre orchard, grove and 100 rods of Osage hedge are among the other improvements which enhance the value of this property.
Mr. and Mrs. Mellravy have six children, whose names are as follows: Mary E., wife of James Arnold of this county; William Q., Isaac Homer, John D., Chauncy R. and Olin Fremont. They lost one son, Charlie, who died in Knox connty, Illinois, at the age of sixteen months. His wife is a member of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in poli- tics he affiliates with the Republican party.
¿LLEN PIATT has been a resident of Adams connty, Iowa, for twenty years and is one of the well-known and re- liable citizens of Carl township. A resumé of his life is herewith given:
Allen Piatt was born in Butler county, Ohio, November 17, 1826, son of Jacob Piatt, a native of Penn valley, Pennsylvania. His grandfather, Abram Piatt, was a Rev- olutionary soldier and the son of a French- man. The mother of Allen Piatt was before her marriage Miss Jane Thompson, a native of Juniata valley, Pennsylvania, a daughter of James Thompson, who was also born in Pennsylvania. The late Hon. Joseph Mc- Donald, of Indiana, was a first consin of Allen Piatt. The parents of our subject moved from Pennsylvania to Butler connty, Ohio, where they lived until 1842. That year they moved to Henry county, Illinois, and settled six miles south of Cambridge, where they passed the rest of their lives, the mother dying some years before the father. The latter wedded a second wife. By his first marriage he had three children and by the second fonr. His life was spent on a farm. In politics he was a Democrat, and in religion a Presbyterian.
The subject of our sketch was reared on the farm, and his education obtained in the common schools. In 1859 he went to Cali- fornia, making the long and tedious journey across the plains with ox teams, returning in 1862, via the Isthmus of Panama, having spent the intervening time engaged in min- ing and farming in California and in Carson valley, Nevada. In 1867 he moved to Dallas county, Iowa, where he lived four years, at
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
the end of which time, in 1871, he located in Adamns county. He first settled on 160 acres of land, the farm on which Mr. A. Putnam now lives. This he subsequently exchanged for his present farm, formerly owned by Mr. A. Webel. It contains 120 acres and is well improved with good buildings, grove, orchard, etc., the general appearance of the place indicating the thrift and enterprise of the owner.
Mr. Piatt was, on November 27, 1862, in Illinois, united in marriage with Miss Eliz- abeth Rogers, who was born in Ripley county, Indiana, daughter of Elijah and Nancy (Beach) Rogers, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Kentucky. Her father is now a resident of Holstein, Ida county, Iowa. Her mother was a daughter of James Beach and a descendant of English ancestry. She died in Kansas in 1880. Mrs. Piatt was reared in Rock Island county, Illinois. The children born to them are as follows: Homer, a resident of Omaha, Nebraska; Ella, wife of Engene Dudley, of Creston, Iowa, and Wilmnth, Frank and Rachel. The parents and three oldest children, are members of the Evangelical Church.
In politics Mr. Piatt's views are in harmony with Democratic principles. He has served the public as township trustee and as a mem- ber of the school board. He is one of the susbtantial citizens of the township, and one whose infinence is always felt for good in the community where he lives.
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OHN W. JONES is one of the early settlers of Carl township, a highly re- spected and esteemed citizen and an ex- soldier of the late war. He came to Adams county, Iowa, in 1875, and has since made this place his home.
Mr. Jones is a native of Champaign connty, Ohio, born March 28, 1837, son of John and Mary (Laferty) Jones. Grandfather Jones was of Welsh extraction, and was among thie early pioneers of Champaign county. The parents of our subject, both natives of Cham- paign county, passed their lives there and died in the same neighborhood where they were born. The father died July 15, 1876, at the age of seventy-one years; the mother died September 18, 1884, at the age of seventy-six years and eight months. They reared a family of seven children. The father was a farmer by occupation; in poli- tics a Whig and later a Republican; in re- ligion a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as was also his wife, and he was a class-leader of the church a great many years.
The subject of our sketch grew up on his father's farm and received his education in the public schools of his native county. During the war of the Rebellion he enlisted, May 3, 1864, in Company G, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Ohio Infantry, Volunteers, and served four months. His regiment was stationed at Cumberland, Maryland, and at Bermuda Hundred, on the James river. He was honorably discharged in August, 1864, at Columbus, Ohio. Returning to his home, he engaged in farming. In 1869 he moved to Clinton, De Witt county, Illinois, and subsequently to Donglas county, that State, locating near Tnscola. In 1875 he came to Iowa and settled on his present farm, 120 acres, section 25, then all wild land. As a result of Mr. Jones' well directed efforts his farın has been bronght up to a high standard of development, and now ranks favorably with the best farms in this vicinity. His first home here, a box house, 16 x 16 feet, with a room in the loft, served its purpose then, but has been replaced by a modern cot-
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MONTGOMERY AND ADAMS COUNTIES.
tage of seven rooms, tastefully furnished and complete in all its requirements. A beauti- ful lawn, dotted over with ornamental shrubs and trees, surrounds the house. Everything necessary for the successful carrying on of farming operations is found here-good barn and outbuildings, fine pond, stock scales, etc. His farm is well stocked, he being especially interested in a high grade of cattle. .
Mr. Jones was married in De Witt county, Illinois, February 29, 1860, to Miss Sarah E. Hendricks, a native of Vermont. She was four years old when her parents moved to Ohio, where she grew up and received her education. Her father and mother, Moses and Lucy (Hall) Hendricks, both died in Clinton, De Witt county, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have four children: John H., who married Miss Mary E. Wallace, October 6, 1886, and lives in Carl township, this county; Mary Elizabeth, Charles W. and William C. Their second child, Samuel A., born Septem- ber 17, 1862, was accidentally killed August 30, 1867, aged five years. .
Mr. Jones is a Republican, and he and his wife and daughter are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church.
B. DENSENBERRY has been a resi- dent of Adams county since 1876, and is one of the representative farmers of the county. A brief sketch of his life with mention of his ancestry is as follows:
D. B. Densenberry was born in West Vir- ginia, September 27, 1857. His father, George Densenberry, was born in Virginia on the farm where he now lives and where he has passed his life. Grandfather Henry Densenberry, a native of the Old Dominion and a son of German parents, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and for service ren-
dered received a land warrant. The mother of our subject is Alcinda Densenberry, a na- tive of West Virginia. She and her husband reared a family of nine children, eight of whom are still living, namely: Henry, Will- iam, James, D. B., Mary, George, Larkin (de- ceased), Becky and Anna. The parents and six of the children live in Monongalia county, West Virginia. The father is a Democrat, and he and his family are members of the Methodist Church.
The subject of our sketch was reared at the old homestead, receiving his education in the common schools and completing his stud- ies at Morgantown College, West Virginia. For some years he was engaged in teaching. In 1876 he came to Adams county, Iowa, and bought wild land. He now has a good farm of 130 acres in section 28, Carl township. His land is well improved with buildings, orchard, vineyard, grove, stock scales, etc. Mr. Densenberry is engaged in general farm- ing and stock-raising, in which he has been very successful.
He was married November 28, 1878, to Miss Maggie Mathews, who was born in Illi- nois and reared in Kewanee, Illinois, and in Union county, Iowa. She is a daughter of John Nelson Mathews, who was born near Seneca lake, New York, son of Ambrose Mathews, a soldier of the war of 1812. Her father was a member of the Forty-second Illinois Infantry, Volunteers in the late war, and died at Hamburg, Tennessee, of typhoid fever. He was born in 1820 and died in 1862; left a widow and three children. The former, whose maiden name was Eliza W. Barton, was born at Meadville, Pennsylvania, daughter of Aaron and Matilda (Parks) Bar- ton, and was married to Mr. Mathews in Geauga county, Ohio. In 1865 she was united in marriage with W. S. Oliver, and in 1873 came to this county.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
Mr. and Mrs. Densenberry have five chil- dren: Bertie, Maud, Verne, Fay and Inez. Mr. Densenberry is a Democrat and a mem- ber of the Farmers' Alliance. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
ARVEY ENO, deceased, was among the early settlers of Carl township, Adams county. He located here in 1873 and made this place his home until the time of his death. Following is a brief outline of his life.
Harvey Eno was born in Onondaga county, New York, June 9, 1837, son of Ira and Esther Eno, both of English ancestry. He was reared on a farm and received his educa- tion in the common schools. In early life he learned the trade of mason, which he fol- lowed for some years. On arriving at man- hood, he came west, and in Bureau county, Illinois, was married to Esther Sheldon, wlio was born in Lake county, Ohio, near Cleve- land. At the age of thirteen years she moved with her parents to Bureau county, Illinois, where she grew to womanhood. Her parents, Samuel and Emma (Vickry) Shel- don, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of New York, subsequently came to Adams county, Iowa, where they passed the rest of their lives and died. Mr. Eno lived in Burean county two years after his mar- riage. He then went East and spent three years in New York. His next move was to Clinton county, Iowa, in 1867; thence, in 1873, to Adams county, where he bought 160 acres of land and lived on it until the time of his death, November 20, 1883. He was a good citizen and a man who had the respect of all who knew him. He left a widow and nine children. The latter are as follows: William Moores, of Carl township, this
county ; Hattie, wife of Homer Ray of Nuck- olls county, Nebraska; El. W., also of Nuck- olls county, Nebraska; Emma, wife of Will- iam Morrison of Adair county, Iowa; and Joseph, Nettie A., Albert, James D. and Howard.
Mrs. Eno has a fine farm of 200 acres, hav- ing added forty acres to the land her hus- band had purchased. Her comfortable cottage home is located on a natural building site and is surrounded by a beautiful lawn, or. chard and grove. Everything on tho prem- ises is in good shape and shows enterprise and prosperity. Mrs. Eno is a woman who has passed through many trials, and has always proved herself equal to any emer- gency. She is a devoted Christian and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Carl.
EORGE BARKER, a pioneer of Adamns county, Iowa, was born in Clayton township, Perry county, Ohio, Janu - ary 18, 1841. His father, Richard Barker, born in the same township, was a son of John Barker, born in New Jersey, son of Samuel Barker. Samuel Barker was one of four brothers who came from England to America before the Revolutionary war. He participated in that struggle, went home sick and died soon afterward: One brother was named William, and the names of the other two are not known. John Barker was one of the early settlers of Ohio. He married Mary Chamberlain, a daughter of Irish parents, the maiden name of her mother having been Mulford. Their son, Richard, father of George Barker, was reared in Perry county, Ohio, and there married Elizabeth Strait, who was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and reared in Ohio. Her parents were Peter and Catherine (Myers)
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MONTGOMERY AND ADAMS COUNTIES.
Strait. April 17, 1860, Richard Barker lef Perry county, Ohio, for Iowa; crossed the Mississippi river May 12, and on the 21st of the same month arrived at Quincy, then the county seat of Adams county, Iowa. He located on wild land in Douglas township, section 36, and there made his home until March 10, 1879, when he moved to Harrison county, Missouri. At the latter place he died on the 28th of May, 1882. His widow still lives on the old farm where he died, and is now seventy-one years of age. They had a family of eight children, five of whom ached adult years, namely: George, whose name heads this biography; Maria Guy- singer, of Nodaway county, Missouri; Melki, of Douglas township, this county; Milton, who resides with his mother in Harrison county, Missouri; and Clara, wife of Charles Snetlien, also of Harrison county, Missouri. The three deceased ones are Jemima, wife of Isaac H. Morris, of Portland, Oregon, who died leaving one child, Evered Morris; and Albert, who died at the age of ten years, and Frank, at eighteen inonths. Richard Barker was a farmer all his life; in politics a Demo- crat, and in religion a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. He was a man in every respect deserving of the honor and esteem he received from all who knew him.
George Barker grew up on a farm and re- ceived his education in the common schools of his native county. He was twenty years of age when he came with his father . to Adams county. During the war he enlisted here, August 9, 1862, in the Twenty-Third Iowa Infantry, Captain George's company, and served some three years, participating in many important engagements. He was honorably discharged at Harrisburg, Texas, July 27, 1865; returned to Iowa and was paid off at Davenport. He then came back to Adams county and engaged in agricul-
tural pursuits. He improved a farm in sec- tion 1, Nodaway township, and lived on it for nine years. In May, 1875, he took up his abode on his present farm, in section 26, Douglas township, which was then wild land. He has spent his time and energy in improv- ing and cultivating this farm since that time, with the exception of ten months spent in the mercantile business in Carbon. He owns 100 acres with good buildings, orchard, grove and other improvements.
Mr. Barker was married June 24, 1866, at Quincy, Iowa, to Mary Malinda Bean, who was born in Carroll county, Ohio, and reared in Van Buren and Adams counties, lowa. Her parents, Benjamin and Elizabeth (Sher- rol) Bean, were born in Ohio. Nine chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Barker, viz .: Elizabeth, who is engaged in teaching; John Albert, Francis Augustus, George Frederick. Ella Belle, James Richard, Charles Alonzo, Benjamin Ford and Joseph William.
In politics Mr. Barker was a Republican for twelve years, then a Greenbacker, later a Democrat, and now an Independent. He has served as trustee, assessor and clerk of his township. He is a member of the United Brethren Church, is a class-leader and Sabbath-school superintendent, and in 1888 was licensed as a local preacher. His wife and two daughters are also members of the church. Mr. Barker is associated with Llewellyn Post, G. A. R.
ACKSON BIXLER was born in Tuscar- awas county, Ohio, August 4, 1850, son of Charles Bixler, who was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. Grandfather Jacob Bixler was also a native of Pennsyl. vania. He was a son of Joseph Bixler, a
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
native of New Jersey and a descendant of German ancestors. Charles Bixler married Mary Ann Markley, and Jackson, the subject of this sketch, was the second born of their ten children, five of whom are now living. He was four years old when the family emi- grated to Iowa. They came by steamboat down the Ohio and up the Missouri river to St. Joseph, from whence they made the jour- ney to Adams county with ox teams. The father settled in Douglas township, where he still lives.
Jackson was reared on his father's farm and received his education in a log school- house, remaining under the parental roof until he was twenty-six years old. He pur- chased eighty acres of wild land in section 21, Douglas township, which he has since developed into a fine farm, with good build- ings, fences, orchard, grove, etc. He is en- gaged in general farming and stock-raising, and is ranked with the enterprising and go- ahead farmers of the community.
In December, 1876, he was united in marriage with Anna Penton, a native of Ohio and a daughter of John and Lavina (Terry) Penton, both natives of Ohio, for several years residents of this county, and now of Taylor county, Iowa.
Mr. and Mrs. Bixler have one son, Roy Morris, born August 28, 1881. Mr. Bixler is a Republican.
ATRICK TOOHEY, late of Adams county, Iowa, was for many years an honored citizen of this place. A resumé of his life will be found of interest to many, and is as follows:
Mr. Toohey was born in Lee, county Tip- perary, Ireland, in 1825, a son of poor but honest and respected parents, Michael and
Winifred (Burke) Toohey, both natives of the Emerald Isle. Patrick was reared in Ireland and when a young man emigrated to Canada, settling near Guelph, Ontario. While a resident of that place he was united in mar- riage with the playmate of his youth, Miss Johanna Brairton, a native of county Tipper- ary, and a daughter of William and Mary (Ryan) Brairton, both of Ireland. Mr. Toohey and his wife lived in Canada some seven years after their marriage, and then came west and located in Sterling, Whiteside, county, Illi- nois.
In that small, quiet town in Illinois Pat Toohey was living when news of the war of the Rebellion reached him. A love for the country of his adoption and her free institu- tions caused him to risk his life for her pro- tection. Enlisting in the Thirty-fourth Illi- nois Infantry, Volunteers, he kissed his wife and children good-bye, and went to the front. He was in many important engagements, and was with Sherman on his memorable marclı from Atlanta to the sea; was never wounded, but while in service contracted a chronic dis- ease from which he never recovered. After receiving an honorable discharge, he returned to his family at Sterling, Illinois, where they continued to reside until 1876. That year he removed to Page county, Iowa, thence to Jackson township, Montgomery county, re- inaining at the atter place one year. He then bought a farm of eighty acres in Doug- las township, Adams county, where he spent the rest of his life, and where his widow now lives. This farm is now owned by his son, John Toohey, an intelligent and enterprising citizen.
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