USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa > Part 69
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In 1863 he enlisted in Company B, Eighteenth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and served to the close of the war. He was in the Army of the Tennessee, and took part in the battles of Atlanta, Resaca, Dallas, Snake Creek Gap, and many others. He was with Sherman on that famous march in history, where the Union arms and flag was borne
through the heart of the enemy's conntry to the sea. He was also on the return march to Washington, and was present at the great military pageant, the grand review, where Abraham Lincoln, the savior of his country, and Ulysses S. Grant, its able general, viewed the mighty triumphant northern hosts who had suppressed the greatest rebellion in the annals of history, connected the Union of the States, and gave the priceless boon of liberty to 4,000,000 human beings. Yonng William was honorably discharged at St. Louis, Missouri, and while still a young man came ont of the arena of military life to the great struggle of providing for himself a home and fortune. He was a good soldier, and was always ready for duty. He received no wounds, was never in a hospital, and was never sick except from a severe snnstroke from which he suffered at times. He was well known to all in the regiment as " Little Tittsworth."
Mr. Tittsworth came to the State of Iowa and went to Michigan and Chicago, where, meeting an old acquaintance, he became a cook on a vessel on Lake Michigan, his friend teaching him at odd times the mysteries of the culinary art. In 1868, probably with the advice of that eminent philosopher, Horace Greeley, he went to the then almost unknown wilds of the Territory of Wyoming, and be- came a trapper and hunter, selling the pro- ducts of his skill to the builders of the Union Pacific Railroad, which was at that time pushing its lines to the far West. He cou- tinned in this vocation until 1871, when he became a rancher, raising horses and cattle in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, combining the business with that of drover. He be- came a noted cow-boy and expert trailer. At one time he visited Wyoming to show parties the celebrated Golconda "diamond" field, which a man named Arnold was sup-
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posed to have discovered. After tracing the trail across the desert, he found that the dia- mond field had already been staked out by Arnold, and that numbers of other people had already gathered at the place. Experts soon found the field had been "salted" with diamonds, emeralds and rubies, and that Ar- nold, who had fleeced Eastern capitalists of large sums of money, had already fled from the country. He was not in the employ of any one when he visited the diamond mines, but went on information gained from citizens of Laramie. Mr. Tittsworth went all through the excitement of early life in Wyoming, when the gamblers alnost ran the country, and many men were shot down in cold blood. In his experience he visited a wide range of territory in that State, Utah aud Washington Territory, killing a great many bear, deer, elk, mountain sheep, ete. Ile was present at the opening of the Ilenpeak mine in Colo- rado, when 200 warriors of the Ute tribe, who had just murdered the Van Dyke party, ordered the llenpeak miners to leave the country. The celebrated seout, Jim Baker, an old companion of Kit Carson and Jim Bridger, was with the miners. He had in early days married several different Indian squaws, and was the father of many half- breed Indian children. It is said he could count upon his fingers as many as from twenty to thirty. His son William, a half- breed, then about thirty years of age, was then with him. Jim Baker was a very fear- less and powerful frontiersman, and had killed many Indians. He met the warlike party of Utes in eouneil, and boldly told their chief that he had been to Washington and seen the great White Father, who had given him that country to Bear River, and that they must leave. The chief replied that the whites had killed their buffalo and mined their gold, and he demanded that they leave.
Baker seized the chief and ronghly jerked him off his horse, telling him he would kill him, and Baker stepped into his camp and seized his rifle, ordering the Indians to leave or he would open fire, and the fight would begin at once. The sagacity of the Indians convineed them that diseretion was the better part of valor, and they departed; and Baker sent three men, one of whom was our subject, to see that they crossed the Bear River.
Among the varions experiences of Mr. Tittsworth when a young man struggling to gain a position in life, is his career as a eir- cus man. For one season he was with Yankee Robinson's eireus in Illinois and Iowa, his business being to describe for a side-show the relics left from the burning of Barnum's famous museum in New York. Thus he ob- tained a wide knowledge of human nature, which has been of great value to him.
The summer ranch of Tittsworth was in Salt Wells Basin, and he wintered his eattle at Brown's Park, Colorado and Utah, which is a deep depression in the ground, the sides rising from 4,000 to 7,000 feet. At the foot of the park begins the grand canon of the Green River, at the gate of La Dore, the walls of which rise 2,000 feet perpendicular. July 24, 1872, he married Jane Law, daughter of George Law, a Seotehman, who was born in Fiteshire, Scotland, in 1812, and who was married in that country to Elizabeth Phillips. Mr. Law was a coal-miner in that country, and in 1869 came with his family to Ameriea, settling in Cache Valley, Utah. To Mr. Law were born ten children: John, William, Jemima, Margaret, Alice, George, Jane, Eliz- abeth, Mary and James. The father died in 1882, at the age of seventy years Both he and his wife were members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. He was appointed Presi- dent of the Crofthead branch of that church,
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which office lie filled honorably for thirteen years. ile was an honorable and npright eitizen, and was respected by all who knew liin. Mr. Tittsworth was greatly assisted while on the ranch in Wyoming by his faith- ful wife. The ranch was very isolated, being at least thirty-five miles from the railroad and fifteen miles from the nearest neiglibor; and when Mr. Tittsworth was away on his trading expeditions, and as a guide to droves crossing the desert near his ranch. she was often all alone for three weeks at a time, save for her little daughter Florence. She knew the use of fire arms, and bravely endured the lone- some days and nights. She could shoot well, and could kill with a rifle wild ducks and sage hens. At one time, when her husband was away, a party of the Ute Indians visited her. They tried to frighten her, and got their guns ready. They asked for bread, which she gave them, and they finally went away. Mrs. Tittsworth helped to make the property in Wyoming, and was a helpmate indeed to her husband. She was born at Croftlead, Scotland, March 29, 1857, was thirteen years of age when she came to Atner- ict with her family in 1870. She married Mr. Tittsworth July 24, 1872, and imme- diately became the mistress of a ranch. She is a splendid example of a type that we will soon see but little of in America. She has instilled into the minds and hearts of her children those principles of modesty and honesty which the true mother can alone im- part. It has been said by an eminent writer that " no boy can be dishonest who had an lionest mother."
After marriage Mr. Tittsworth lived on his ranch for nine years, or until the fall of 1880, when he moved to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and settled on his present farm, con- sisting of 315 acres of fine farm land, which is pleasantly situated within one and a fourth
miles of Avoea. Mr. and Mrs. Tittsworth, having the welfare of their children deeply at heart, and desirons that they should possess a good education, made considerable financial sacrifice in order to give them the benefits of our excellent educational system. He is a member of the G. A. R., U. S. Grant Post, of Avoca, Iowa, and also is a Mason, of the order of Knights Templar. He is a practical farmer, stock-raiser, and a member of the firm of Greenhalgh & Co., of Marshall Coun- ty, Sonthı Dakota, where they own 800 acres of land, and are extensively engaged in horse- breeding and farming.
Mr. Tittsworth is certainly a self-made man, having accumulated all his property by his own unaided efforts, and he stands de- servedly high in this community as an honor- able citizen. The family have a pleasant and cultivated home situated on a beantifully wooded eminence, and containing all things needful for luxury and comfort.
Although we have quite fully delineated the character of our subject, and related some of his more remarkable adventures, yet the biographer cannot leave him withont a pass- ing tribute of justice to the sterling straits of character, doubtless inherited from a worthy ancestry, which enabled him in early life to withistand the unusual temptations which surrounded his youth, and which in his more mature manhood strengthened his heart and nerved his arm to battle cheerfully with all the vicissitudes of life, that he might make a comfortable home for his wife and children, and win an honored and unsullied name for himself; that he might also bequeath to them that greatest of all blessings-a spotless character. To the most remote descendants, the reverend names of father and mother, the real founders of the family in this country, should be handed down with reverence and regard. To Mr. and Mrs. Tittsworth were
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born five children, namely: Florence Eliza- beth, born June 30, 1875; David, born January 15, 1877, deceased; William D., born November 24, 1879; John C., born August 23, 1882, and Bertha B., born Mareh 31, 1885.
NDREW ANDERSON, of sections 24 and 25, Macedonia Township, is one of the enterprising and successful citizens of this county, and one of the first of his countrymen to settle in the eastern part of the county. He, like many of Iowa's suc- cessful and enterprising citizens, is a native of Sweden, born January 15, 1844, the son of Andrew and Blanda Anderson. Andrew was reared in his native country until twenty-
two years of age. He attended school until fifteen years of age, receiving a good educa- tion. He was two years in the Swedish army. At the end of that time he worked at farm work, which avocation he followed un- til he came to America. In 1869 he sailed from Guttenburg, Sweden, to Hull, Eng- land. and from there overland to Liver- pool, and then by steamer and sail vessel to New York. He then went to Chicago, Illi- nois, where he remained a short time, and then went to Junction City, Kansas, where he stayed but two days, as the grasshoppers were too plentiful in that region. He then went to Conneil Bluffs, where he obtained work on the Rock Island Railroad, which was then being built into that place. Here lie worked during the fall and winter, and in 1870 he went on a farm in Mills County, where he resided four years, and for two or three years worked in different places. The first land he bought was forty acres in sec- tion 36, Macedonia Township, which he bought on speculation and sold. He then
bought another eighty acres on section 14, which he again sold. He bought eighty aeres of land where he now lives in 1878-'79, and has since added to it until lie now has 149 acres, well improved.
Mr. Anderson was married, in September, 1874, to Miss Sarah Shank, a native of l'arke County, Indiana, and a daughter of James and Alzina Shank. They have four sons: Archie Monroe, Olin Oscar, Evert C. and Aredie A. Politically Mr. Anderson in 1889 supported the Democratic tieket. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Macedonia, as is also his wife.
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ILLIAM McDONALD was born in Addison Township, Steuben County, New York, March 10, 1822, the son of Elihu McDonald, a native of Scotland, and Margaret (Helmer) MeDonald, who was born in New York State. Early in life he was left an orphan, his father having died when he was a babe and his mother when he was only three years old. He was reared by a man named Rollin Saunders, to whom he was given by his relatives. Mr. Saunders owned a farm and kept a hotel and bar. When not employed at work on the rocky and stumpy land, young MeDonald sold whisky at the bar for three cents a drink. At those times almost every one took his dram, and it was not infrequent that ministers of the Gospel came to the bar, drank their whisky and there disenssed questions of church doctrine and affairs of State. Brought up with these sur- roundings, Mr. MeDonald received but a limited education. He, however, made up for its laek by the knowledge gained in the school of experience.
At the age of twenty-three years our sub- ject was united in marriage with Savilla Ris-
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
ing. She was born in Oswego County, New York, daughter of Henry and Clarissa (Noble) Rising. By this marriage seven children were born, namely: Eveline Mosely; Emma, a resident of Wright Township, Pottawatta mie County, Iowa; Martha Sherburn; Mary, wife of O. O. Hotchkiss, of Wright Town- ship; John, also of Wright Township; Hattie Middangh and Willie, of Washington. The mother of these children died in Steuben County, New York, December 14, 1855. Two years later, December 31, 1857, Mr. McDonald wedded Miss Mary E. Aldrich, also a native of Steuben County, New York. Her parents, Warner M. and Fidelia (Eddy) Aldrich, were natives of Rhode Island. They trace their ancestry back to the Aldriches who came to America in the far-famed May- flower.
Mr. McDonald remained in New York un- til 1866, when he moved to Bureau County, Illinois. From there, in 1877, he came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and settled in Wright Township. In 1883 he bought his present eighty-acre farm in section 13, same township. This land at the time of purchase was wild and unimproved. As the result of his well directed efforts it now assumes a different appearance. On a natural building site he erected a good frame house, 24 x 26 feet, a story and a half, from which an excel- lent view of the farm and surrounding eoun- try is obtained. IIis other farm buildings and improvements all attest the thrift and enterprise of the owner.
By his present wife Mr. McDonald has had five children, four of whom are living: Beers L., at home; Charies W., who is in railroad employ in Mississippi; Carl E., a resident of Wright Township; and Julia Elma, wife of E. R. Pierson. Their son, Jay, died at the age of eighteen months. Mr. McDonald is a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. Politically he is a Re- publican. He is nearly seventy years old, weighs 275 pounds, is cordial and jovial in his disposition, and seems to make the most of this life. He is honored and esteemed by all who know him.
B. CARLEY, seetion 14, Silver Creek Township, is another one of the enter- prising and well known citizens, who is worthy of mention in this work. He came here in February, 1882, and has since been identified with the best interests of this com- munity. He was born near Plymouth, Ohio, November 4, 1855. His father, Albert A. Carley, a native of Vermont, was a son of James Carley, who was of English ancestry. Albert A. Carley, one of the brave soldiers of the late war, served as Captain of the Seventy- third Indiana Regiment, and, after four years' service died, February 22, 1865. He had been captured and confined as a prisoner in the Andersonville and Libby prisons for eighteen months, and died while trying to escape. He was married, in Sandusky, Ohio, to Miss Rosanna Brown. She died, leaving three children. when the subject of this sketeh was four years old.
Mr. Carley, having been left an orphan before he was ten years of age, was reared by Harry Kimball, his great uncle, of Indiana. HIe was educated in the common schools, and lived on a farm in Porter County, Indiana, until he reached his majority. At that time he came to Mills County, Iowa. In 1882, as already stated at the beginning of this arti- cle, he came to Pottawattamie County, and bought wild land upon which he now resides. He erected a good frame house on a desirable building site, planted a grove and orchard of three acres, built a barn 30 x 40 x 14 feet, put
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up a wind-mill, and made many other im- provements.
October 23, 1881, in Mills County, Iowa, Mr. Carley was married to Miss Olive A. Smith, who was born in La Porte County, Indiana, daughter of James F. and Sarah J. Smith, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this book. Mr. and Mrs. Carley have five children, viz .: James Harry, Fred S., Arthur L., Carrie J. and Flora C. Mr. Car- ley is a leading Democrat in Silver Creek Township. He is the present Justice of the Peace, and dispenses justice in an impartial manner to all who are called before his conrt. Although but a young man he has gained a position of responsibility among his fellow- citizens.
C. LELAND, of seetion 27, Garner Township, has been a resident of Iowa since 1873. He was born in York- shire, England, June 10, 1844, the son of B. F. and Lydia (Dickens) Leland, both natives of Nashville, Tennessee. H. C. was a child of three years when his parents came to the United States, and settled at Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois, where they remained one year. They then removed to Lowell, Dodge County, Wisconsin, where they re- mained until our subjeet was sixteen years of age. The father was a farmer by occupa- tion and H. C. Leland was therefore reared on a farm. At the time of the civil war he enlisted in the Eleventh Infantry, Wisconsin Volunteers, under Colonel Charles Harris and Captain James Long. He was under fire at Cotton Plant, Arkansas, and the bat- tles of Grand Gulf and Port Gibson; in the latter battle he was shot through the lungs, and was confined in the field hospital two weeks; was then removed to the Government
hospital, and then to the general hospital at Madison, Wisconsin. He served three years and one month.
After recovering sufficient for labor he re- turned to New York, where he was employed as engineer in a mill, and also as railroad fireman and engineer. He afterward located in Chicago, in the stockyards, where he was engaged as engineer in a paeking house, and later was promoted to foreman, remaining five years. In 1873 he came to Hamburg, Iowa, and Angust 3, 1881, he went to Omaha, Nebraska, and later to Pottawattamie Coun- ty, Iowa. Politically Mr. Leland is a Re- publiean; he is a member of the Masonic order, Jerusalem Lodge, No. 253, at Ham- burg, Iowa. He was married in Chicago, Illinois, in April, 1872, to Miss Jennie Bonney, a native of Chelsea, Massachusetts.
LBERT HORNER, one of the intolli- gent and enterprising citizens of Wash- ington Township, came to this county in 1885, where he has sinee resided. He came to this county from Mills County, Iowa, where he had resided for several years. He was born in Texas, April 4, 1850, a son of Henry and Malinda (Waldruff) Horner, the former a native of Ohio, and of German an- cestry, and the latter a daughter of William and Margaret Waldruff, who were of Pennsyl- vania Dnteh descent. Henry Horner and wife were married in LaPorte County, In- diana, and afterward removed to Texas, where their son Albert was born. They re- sided in that State three years, and then returned to La Porte County, Indiana. The father was a farmer; and politically was a Demoerat. The parents reared eight ehil- dren, of whom Albert was the third of three sons and five danghters. One of the dangh-
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OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.
ters, Alethia, wife of William Chapman, resides in Silver Creek Township.
Albert Horner was reared on a farm in LaPorte County, Indiana, where he resided until 1875, when he removed to Union County, Iowa, remaining three years. He then went to Bureau County, Illinois, and resided there one year. He then came to Mills County, Iowa, where he remained until he came to this county. In 1884 he bought his present farm of Ed Gustison, which he has since improved. When he purchased his place it was covered with brush, which he has since cleared away. The farm consists of eighty acres, on which is some natural tim- ber. Mr. Horner was married in Council Bluffs, to Mrs. Nancy J. Chipps, who was a widow, and the daughter of Francis Camp- bell, a native of Pennsylvania and a son of Francis Campbell, Sr. One of her brothers, D. D. Campbell, resides in Mills County, Iowa. The mother of Mrs. Horner was Elizabeth (Hughart) Campbell, a native of Virginia, and a daughter of David Hughart. Francis Campbell, Jr., and his wife had ten children, five of whom are living. Mr. Horner is politically a Democrat, having been reared to that belief. He is a man yet in the prime of life, frank and cordial in his manner and address. He is a man who has traveled extensively, and is well informed on general topics.
OIIN V. GORRELL, one of the intelli- gent and successful citizens of Washı- ington Township, came to this county in 1877 from Pettis County, Missouri, and settled on his present farm in 1881. He was born in Pettis County, Missouri, February 17, 1848, the son of Joseph Gorrell, who was born in Berkeley County, West Virginia, and
was a son of William Gorrell, a native of Ireland. William Gorrell grew to manhood and was married in his native country. He afterward came to America, first settling in Virginia, but later removed to Missouri, where he died, in Pettis County. In religion he was a believer in the Church of Christ. The wife of Joseph Gorrell and the mother of our subject was Priscilla (Blue) Gorrell. She was a native of Virginia. and died when J. V. was four months old. Joseph Gorrell now resides in Saline County, Missouri; he is a farmer by occupation; a Democrat politi- cally; and in religion he is a member of the Christian Clinrch.
John V. was reared on a farm in Pettis County until 1877, when he came to Potta- wattamie County, first settling in Keg Creek Township, where he resided one year, and then removed to Washington Township. He resided here one year and in the northern part of Washington Township two years. In 1881 he purchased his present farm of 120 acres, at ten dollars and a half per acre, and here he has since resided and made his home. His residence, which was erected in 1890, cost $1,045.
Mr. Gorrell was married in Pettis County, October 18, 1876, to Alice Hamilton, a woman of intelligence and education, and a daughter of Thornton Hamilton, who was born and reared in Kentucky, was of English ancestry, a miller by vocation and politically a Republican. He died in 1863. The mother of Mrs. Gorrell was Amanda (Blythe) Hamilton, who was a native of Kentucky and a daughter of John Blythe, a native of Kentucky. She now lives in Woodbury County, lowa, at the age of sixty years. Mrs. Gorrell was reared and edu- eated in Kentucky, and came to Missouri in 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Gorrell have five chil . dren, viz .: Lillie, Percilla, Avis, James, Allen and Charlie. They lost one by death, Albert
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Walter, their first born, who died at the age of five years, from the effects of falling into a boiler of hot water. Mr. Gorrell politically is a Democrat, and in religion was reared a " Campbellite." Although they are not members of any church, they are believers in Christianity and the Golden Rule. They are interested in the cause of education, and are numbered among the intelligent people of the neighborhood.
OUISA STODARD LELAND, of Garner Township, section 27, has been a resident of Pottawattamie County since 1878. She was born in Joliet, Will County, Illinois, the daughter of George and Eva (Atzle) Witty, the former a native of Saxony, Germany, on the Rhine. Our subject grew to womanhood in Joliet, where she received her education. She was engaged for some time in selling boots and shoes in Chicago and Joliet. She has a farm of 117 acres of well improved land, situated three miles east of Council Bluffs, which is devoted largely to small fruits and a vineyard, and on which is a fine residence, which cost $4,000.
She was married in Joliet, Illinois, when twenty years of age, to Major Stodard, a native of Joliet. He was a soldier, having served in the late war. He died in Joliet in 1880, leaving one child, named Magdeline. Mrs. Stodard was again married in 1884, to Mr. Leland.
AVID BLAIN is one of the progressive and popular citizens of Waveland Town- ship, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. He came to this township on the thirteenth of March, 1874, and has since made this place
his home. Mr. Blain was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, September 15, 1843, son of James and Moreland (Aitkin) Blain, natives of that place. His mother died in Waveland Town- ship March 11, 1885, at the age of seventv- five years. He was one of five children- four sons and one daughter-born to his parents.
Mr. Blain was reared on a farın and edn- cated in the common schools of Scotland. In 1870, bidding farewell to home and the heather hills of his native land, he sailed from Glasgow for America, landing at New York. From there he came direct to Iowa City, Iowa, where he had an uncle. Marchi 2, 1874, he was married, in Johnson County, Iowa, the lady of his choice being Miss Mary Hamilton, an amiable and intelligent lady, a native of Ayrshire, and his old school-mate. She came to this country with her parents, Robert and Mary (Martin) Hamilton, in 1870. Her mother died in New York State and her father in Waveland Township, Pottawattamie County. A few days after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Blain came to their present location in Western Iowa. He bought sixty- seven acres of wild prairie land, upon which they at once took up their abode. At that time the country was very thinly settled and scarcely a house could be seen between their place and Walnut. Mr. Blain is an indns- trious man and a good business manager. As the result of his own well directed efforts he is to-day a wealthy man. He now owns 214 acres of improved land, there being two good dwellings on the same. His farm is also supplied with other buildings and is well fenced. His land is bounded on two sides by highways, his residence being mid- way between the two roads. His groves, orchards, well tilled fields, and pastures dotted over with stock-all give evidence of pros- perity.
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