USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > Historical and biographical record of Black Hawk County, Iowa > Part 29
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1869. In politics Mr. Poyner casts his suf- frage with the Democratic party. He has served as School Director about thirty years, having been director of schools in both Linn and Black Hawk counties.
DWIN F. MERWIN was born at Ornell, Addison County, Ver- mont, May 7, 1834, a son of Ed- win A. and Betsy (Hubbard) Merwin, the father born in Litchfield County, Connecticut, December 31, 1805, and the mother in Athens, New York, Septem- ber 26, 1806. They were married in Litch- field County, Connecticut, and to them were born five children-Mary A., now the wife of Henry L. Howe, of South Canaan, Connecticut ; Lois Catherine, deceased ; Edwin F., our subject; Henry E., of Jer- auld County, Dakota ; and Emily E., who died at the age of twenty years. The par- ents moved to Addison County, Vermont, in 1829 living there six years, when they returned to Goshen, Connecticut, where the father died in 1869. His widow mar- ried again and is now a resident of Falls Village, Connecticut. Her mother was a daughter of Colonel Staunton, of Salisbury, Connecticut, her family being very early settlers of that State. Our subject's pater- nal great-grandfather was a native of Eng- land, coming to America and settling in Connecticut, where the grandfather of our subject was born. Edwin F., was taken to Connecticut before one year old, living there till 1867, and in June of that year he came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, where he has since resided with the excep- tion of ten months spent in Dakota. He was married March 1, 1857, to Sarah L. Brown, born March 8, 1838, in Cornwall Hollow, Connecticut, living there till her marriage. Her parents, Stephen and Al- mira (Abbott) Brown, her father a native of 28
Connecticut, her mother a native of Shef- field, Massachusetts, are now living in Water- loo, Iowa. They had a family of three sons and two daughters, Mrs. Merwin being the eldest child. On coming to Black Hawk County Mr. Merwin first settled in Waterloo Township where he followed farming three years. He ran a saw-mill in Waterloo for Daniel & Slade, with whom he was engaged about seven years, and March 26, 1885, he took charge of the business of Jackson & Brown, of Waterloo, which was established at Raymond at that date, a branch of their business at Waterloo, and is dealing in all kinds of lumber, lime, cement and barbed wire. His family still reside at Waterloo. In politics he casts his suffrage with the Republican party. He and his wife are members of the Congregational church in Waterloo.
W. JORDAN, sections 22 and 23, Washington Township, was born in Steuben County, New York, September 6, 1815, a son of Mi- chael and Phœbe (Holabert) Jor- dan. He was married in his native county in 1839, to Harriet Swartout, who was born June 29, 1819, a daughter of Henry and Polly (Wickson) Jordan. He came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, in July, 1853, and settled in Washington Township where he has since lived. He was one of the first settlers, and the first election held in the township was held at his house. Mr. Jordan and two of his sons were soldiers in the war of the Rebellion, serving gallantly till its close. Mr. and Mrs. Jordan have had a family of seven children-Henry, born August 28, 1839; Michael, November 28, 1841 ; Joel, born August 25, 1844, died June 5, 1863; Harri- son, born December 25, 1845; Mary, Janu- ary 10, 1851; Josephine, born May 8, 1856, died October 13, 1860; Lewis, born Janu-
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ary 27, 1860, died February 17, following. Henry was married April 1, 1860, to Laura A. Berry, who was born August 8, 1839, and they have had five children-Milton, born February 15, 1866; Elvenous, born April 29, 1868, died aged ten months ; Will- iam, born May 3, 1873 : Joel, born Novem- ber 30, 1875, and an infant born February 15. 1878, and died unnamed. Mr. Jordan is in politics a Republican. He was the first supervisor of Washington, and the first assessor of Union and Washington town- ships. He has also served several terms as township trustee and school director. The family are members of the Christian church.
OHN E. CARNS, residing on sec- tion 15, Lester Township, was born March 8, 1814, in Center County, Pennsylvania, where he re- maincd till eighteen years of agc. His parents, John E. and Janc (Aiken) Carns, were natives of Genessee County, New York, and Pennsylvania, respectively, The father was born April II, 1787, and died October 21, 1814, his death being caused by his falling from a tree. At the age of eightcen our subject went with his mother to Wayne County, Ohio, where she died October 23, 1854. Mr. Carns was married April 16, 1840, to Margaret Club- ine, daughter of John and Deborah (Lemi- son) Clubine. To this union have been born twelve children-Emily J., born February 20, 1841, wife of A. B. Perry ; Robert, born February 1 8, 1843, was a member of the Ninth Iowa Infantry, and was killed by a sharpshooter at the battle of Resaca, May 15, 1864; James C., born October 30, 1844, enlisted in the Thirty-first Iowa Infantry, and was wounded at Kenesaw Mountain, July 2, 1864, dying from the effects of his wounds at Chattanooga Hospital the 19th of the following October; Margaret E.,
born October 1, 1846, wife of Edwin Jeffer- son; John W., born July 11, 1848, con- tracted consumption while in the war, from which he died April 4, 1870; Thomas A., born April 16, 1850, now living in Lester; Mary L., born May 21, 1852, died October 6, 1856; Perry A., born May 8, 1854, dicd September 16, 1855 ; Charles W., born July 19, 1857, married and living in Lester ; Orrin, born August 19, 1859, living in Les- ter ; Loren W., born November 6, 1861, liv- ing at home, and U. S. Grant, born Janu- ary 9, 1864, living at home. Mr. Carns came with his family to Black Hawk County, Iowa, in June, 1857, when he en- tered 200 acres of land from the Govern- ment, it being swampy land, located about one mile north of his present farm. On this land he made his home till 1880, when he removed to the place where he has since resided, and is now the owner of thirty-two acres of good land on section 15. Mrs. Carns's brother, James C. Clubine, accompanied them to Black Hawk County in 1857. Mr. and Mrs. Carns are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics Mr. Carns affiliates with the Re- publican party. He has served as town- ship assessor three terms, and has held the office of justice of the peace four years. Mr. Clubine, father of Mrs. Carns, was born in Germany, November 30, 1794, and when he was two weeks old his parents immigrated to America, locating in Ithaca, New York. He ran away from home at the age of fourteen years, and did not re- turn for three years. He served in the war of 1812 nine months, being stationed at Governor's Island, near New York. On leaving the army he went to Westmore- land County, Pennsylvania, and was there married, remaining there several years, his wife dying in that county when Mrs. Carns was but. four years old. He was again married, and a few months later moved to Wayne County, Ohio, and in 1842 he re-
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moved with his family to St. Joseph County, Michigan. He came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, in 1855, and settled in Lester Township. At the time of his death he was a resident of Jesup, Buchanan County, Iowa, aged eighty-six years.
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BIATHER FAIRBROTHER, farmer, section 2, Washington Township, was born October 4, 1848, a son of John and Mary Ann (Thatcher) Fairbrother, the father born in Broome County, New York, January 19, 1803, and the mother born in Vermont in 1808, the latter removing with her parents to Broome County when fif- teen years old. The father was reared in his native county, and after becoming of age he ran a saw-mill on the Susquehannah River for about three years. He then sold his mill, and bought a farm in Broome County, and was there married in 1826 to Mary Ann Thatcher. To this union were born nine children-Hiram, born February 4, 1830, living in Waterloo, this county ; Delia S., born October 6, 1831, now the wife of Michael Swank, of Butler County, Iowa; Lydia A., born December 27, 1833, married Alexander Frazer, and is now living in Kansas ; Emma J., born August 1, 1835, deceased wife of William Garrison ; Maria A., born August 27, 1837, wife of Harcy Scott, of Webster County, Iowa; Flora E., born January 7, 1839, married Lock- wood Johnson, and is living in this town- ship; Annevildia, born August 15, 1840, wife of Francis Rother, of Sac City, Iowa ; Sarah C., born May 7, 1843, wife of Julius Peck, of Wright County, Iowa, and our sub- ject. Shortly after their marriage the parents bought a small farm in Pennsyl- vania, which they soon after sold, and re- moved to Jones County, Iowa, in 1847, buy- ing a farm there, on which they resided four
years. They then sold their farm and came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Both mother and father were members of the Baptist church. In politics the father was a Democrat, and during his life held a few local offices in the township. Deer and wild turkey abounded here when the Fairbrother family settled here. The family was greatly bothered by the Sioux Indians, who would come to the house and lie on the floor in a drunken condition, and our subject re- members seeing the chief come into the house and drag the drunken Indians out. He also saw the head of the Winnebago boy who was killed by them. They had the head placed on a pole, and every night would dance around it. Mr. Fairbrother's education was received in the schools of Janesville, Iowa. He came to Washing- ton Township in May, 1851, when he set- tled on his present farm on section 2, where he has 200 acres of good land. In politics, like his father, he affiliates with the Demo- cratic party. Mr. Fairbrother is unmar- ried, and since his mother's death, which occurred November 15, 1885, his niece has kept house for him.
REDERICK A. CARPENTER was born in New Hampshire, Sep- tember 8, 1842, a son of Mark and Catherine Carpenter, who were na-
tives of Vermont. To his parents were born seven children, of whom four survive-Chapin H., who for many years has acted as missionary in Burmah, India ; Charles O., Frederick A. and Lucius D. Our subject was reared in the New Eng- land States, and in his youth received the benefits of a common-school education. During the late Rebellion he enlisted, August 28, 1862, at Brattleboro, Vermont, in Company B, Sixteenth Vermont In-
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
fantry, in which company he served until August. 1863. He re-enlisted in the Third Battery of Vermont Light Artillery, and received an honorable discharge in June, 1865, having participated in the battle of Gettysburg and siege of Petersburg. He came to Black Hawk County, lowa, in 1866, settling in Cedar Falls Township, where he has since followed farming, and by his industry and good management has met with success, and is now the owner of 132 acres of choice land, where he resides. In politics Mr. Carpenter affiliates with the Republican party. January 3, 1874, he was married to Louisa Hodapp, of Seymour, Indiana. He is a member of the United Brethren church.
HOMAS P. HATHAWAY, resid- ing on section 9, Black Hawk Township, was born in Adams, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, February 24, 1830, a descendant of an old New England family, of Eng- lish ancestry. His parents, Edward and Ab- igail Hathaway, died on the old homestead in Adams, Massachusetts, where he had lived since he was three years old. His grand- father, Zaccheus Hathaway, was born in Berkley, Massachusetts, in 175 1 and moved to Adams in 1790. His parents lived to- gether for fifty-three years when the father died, his death taking place April 25, 1874, in his eighty-seventh year. The mother did not long survive her husband, the date of her death being September 20, 1875. Thomas P., the subject of this sketch, was reared on a farm, receiving his education in the district schools. He left his home when twenty-one years of age, and the two following years was employed in a wagon factory. November 26, 1853, he was mar- ried to Amelia A. Bryant, who was born in Franklin County, Massachusetts, June 2, 1834, a daughter of Dr. Martin Bryant,
deceased. Five children have been born to this union-Lawrence B., a practicing physician of Reinbeck, Grundy County ; Helen F., died aged fourteen years; Ar- thur P., died aged nine years; Mary A., and Martin E. Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway were engaged in the dairy business in Berkshire County, Massachusetts until the spring of 1868, and in April of the same year became residents of Black Hawk County, Iowa. They located at Cedar Falls, where they remained till April, 1869, when they settled on their present farm, which at the time of their settlement was raw prairie land, and through the perse- vering industry of our subject, is now a finely improved farm of 160 acres, under good cultivation. In township affairs Mr. Hathaway has always been prominent, and has held almost all the offices in the gift of the people. He has served very accept- ably as trustee, assessor and school direc- tor for many years, and is at present hold- ing the office of justice of the peace. In politics he is a staunch Republican. Mrs. Hathaway is a member of the Congrega- tional church.
ESSE L. BEALE was born in Som- erset County, Pennsylvania, July 4, 1836, a son of Daniel and Mary (Lichty) Beale. His parents were born, reared and married in Somer- set County, living there till their death. They had a family of seven children, our subject being the fifth child and the only one living in this county. Our subject was reared on a farm, and has always fol- lowed agricultural pursuits. He was mar- ried December 23, 1858, to Caroline Miller, who was also a native of Somerset, a daughter of William and Mary Miller, and sister of Matthias, William, Cornelius and Jacob Miller, residents of Orange Town-
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ship. Mr. and Mrs. Beale followed farming and dairying in their native State very suc- cessfully until March, 1867, when they came to Black Hawk County, Iowa, and lived the first year on a rented farm in Orange Town- ship. In September, 1868, they settled on their present farm on section I, Black Hawk Township, buying 140 acres of land, of which eighty acres had been cultivated, and on it a small house had been erected. Mr. Beale brought with him to this county a capital of $3,000, and is now counted one of the most substantial farmers of this com- munity. His home farm now contains 235 acres of land in a high state of cultivation, which he devotes largely to stock-raising. His building improvements are excellent, and he is surrounded with all the comforts necessary to a good home. Mr. and Mrs. Beale are earnest members of the German Baptist church. They have a family of seven children-Naomi, born June 29, 1861, was married March 16, 1886, to Henry N. Butterfield, of Waterloo, Iowa; Harvey, born March 6, 1864; Marcellus, born Janu- ary 16, 1866; Abigail, born September 13, 1867; Sarah, born September 1I, 1869. Walter, born April 12, 1874, and Charles, born June 13, 1878. In politics Mr. Beale affiliates with the Republican party. He takes an active interest in educational mat- ters, and much of his time has served as trustee and director of schools, and is at present serving in the latter position.
ILLIAM H. PETTIT, physician and surgeon, residing at Cedar Falls, Iowa, was born in Boone County, Illinois, September 3, 1850, a son of Daniel B. and Elizabeth M. Pettit, his father being formerly principal of the Belvidere Academy, of Bel- videre, Boone County. He was reared to maturity in his native county, receiving good educational advantages, and after
completing his education he taught in a public school for a short time. After attain- ing his majority he began the study of medicine, and in 1874 graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, Illi- nois. Soon after graduating he came to Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, Iowa, where he began the practice of medicine, and in his chosen profession has built up a large practice, and has secured an envi- able reputation as a skillful practitioner. He is a member of the Hahnemann State Medical Society, and is president of the Cedar Valley Homeopathic Medical So- ciety. Politically he casts his suffrage with the Republican party. For his wife he married Miss Emma Glasner, of Belvidere, Illinois, a lady much respected by all who know her.
ENNIS O'KEEFFE, residing on section 2, Poyner Township, is a native of County Cork, Ireland, born about the year 1840. When he was quite young his father died, leaving his widow with a familyof eight children, of whom Dennis was the seventh child. Thus he was in early life obliged to begin the battle of life for himself, and in his youth went over to England and there learned the trade of a bricklayer which he followed about nine years. October 20, 1868, he was married to Ann Carroll, daughter of Patrick and Bessie (Mahoney) Carroll, who are both deceased. Although a native of Ireland, Mrs. O'Keeffe was reared princi- pally in England at the home of her sister. After their marriage they came to America, and the same year, 1868, settled at Raymond, Black Hawk County, Iowa, and has since been in the employ of the Illinois Central Railroad, but since May 28, 1885, he has been at home recruiting his health, intending to resume his work on the railroad at an early date. In 1873 he bought a farm here which
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he sold about five years later, then bought his present farm on section 2, which con- tains thirty-seven acres of valuable land. He also owns eighty acres on section 12, which he purchased in 1871. Mr. O'Keeffe has always been an industrious, hardwork- ing man, and through his own efforts he has accumulated his present property. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party. He and his wife are members of the Roman Catholic church.
S AMUEL GARNER was born in Clinton County, Ohio, July 27, 1823, and when a child his parents moved to Indiana where he was rcared to manhood in Delaware County. When he was nineteen years old his parents removed to Howard County, Indiana, and in 1853 he came with them to Franklin County, Iowa. The par- ents a few years later removed to Mis- souri, but subsequently returned to Iowa, where the father died, in Bremer County, the mother dying at Shell Rock, Butler County, this State. Samuel commenced life for himself in Howard County, working at the shoemaker's trade which he had previ- ously learned. He has made farming his principal avocation through life his first purchase of land being eighty acres in Howard County, which he obtained from the Government. He worked at his trade day and night till he had his land paid for, when he commenced to improve his land, on which he built a log house. He was married in Howard County in June, 1845, to Charity Moon, her parents, Richard and Sarah (Hockett)'Moon, dying when she was very young. Her father was a native of Tennessee, but was reared and married in Clinton County, Ohio, where Mrs. Garner was born December 22, 1829, her mother being a native of South Carolina. Her
parents finally settled in Howard County, Indiana, where they lived till their death. To Mr. and Mrs. Garner have been born eight children-Winnie married Henry Sturm, of Finchford, Black Hawk County. Amos married Esther Sevell, and is living in Waverly, Bremer County, lowa; Thomas married Mary A. Gonis and is living in Mills County, Iowa; James M. married Phila Foster, living in Finchford; Isaac F., at home; Mary E., wife of Enoch Boyd, of Finchford; Justus M. married Rachel Sharp and is living in Finchford; and Lucy J., wife of William J. Ballentine, of Union township. Samuel Garner was born in the same house as his father, and is of English descent. His grandfather, John Jones, immigrated to New York from England in an early day, and was a Quartermaster in the Revolutionary war. Samuel Garner was a son of Job Garner and a grandson of Henry Garner. In politics he affiliates with the Republican party. He is a mem- ber of the Christian church. He is now en- gaged in farming in Union Township, Black Hawk County, where he is the owner of 130 acres of land on sections 8 and 9.
OHN P. ALBERT, a prominent farmer and stock-dealer of East Waterloo Township, was born in Rensselaer County, New York, March 2, 1856, the eldest son of Ja_ cob P. and Flora D. (Beckstine) Albert. His father was a native of Wurtemberg, born in December, 1818. He came to Amer- ica at the age of twenty-two years, and was married in 1854. After his marriage he settled in Rensselaer County, New York, and in the spring of 1857 he came to Black Hawk County, Iowa. He first purchased eighty acres of raw prairie land in Mount Vernon Township. On coming to Albany, New York, he had but 2 cents, and for
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a time endured many hardships and priva- tions. He soon obtained work on a farm and for the winter obtained $3 per month, his wages being increased to $10 during the following summer. He reared a family of five children, all of whom are yet living. He is now making his home with his son, John P., who is now living in Waterloo. John P., our subject, passed his youth in at- tending the common schools, and in assist- ing his father on the farm, he remaining with his parents till seventeen years of age. He then left his home and began working for a farmer with whom he remained six years, at the end of which time he had enough money saved to purchase eighty acres of land. He has met with ex- cellent success in his agricultural pur- suits, and has added to his first purchase till he now owns 440 acres of choice land. He has been very successful in raising hogs and dealing in cattle. He is still extensively engaged in the cattle trade, owning a large cattle ranch in theWest. Mr. Albert was married in February, 1882, to Miss Jeenie L. Leeper, the eldest daughter of Jacob W. and Matilda (Ford) Leeper. They have two children-Rosa L. and Harry P.
OHN TENNYSON, section 24, Washington Township, was born in Yorkshire, England, June 21, 1826, a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Allen) Tennyson, natives of Eng- land, where they spent their lives, the father dying June 7,1873, aged eighty years, and the mother May 4, 1877, aged seventy- six years. They had a family of eight children-Allyan, Fannie, John, William, Fannie, Robert, George and David, of whom John, William and David are the only ones living. John Tennyson came to America in 1844, and lived in Michigan till 1853, when, in August, he came to Iowa
and located on his present farm in Black Hawk County. He has been a prominent man of his township and has served in several official capacities, notably clerk, trustee, justice of the peace and school di- rector. In politics he is a Republican. He was married July 4, 1847, to Loretta Bidwell, who died in Michigan. March 9, 1853, he married Matilda Kelly, daughter of James and Catherine (Croy) Kelly. Her father was born in Canada in 1812, and died in 1843. Her mother was born in San- dusky, Ohio, in 1812, and died July 2, 1845. They had a famly of five children-Sarah J., Charles W., Matilda, Ellen and Eliza. Mr. and Mrs. Tennyson are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
HOMAS B. DOXEY, residing on section 29, Cedar Township, has been identified with the interests of Black Hawk County since May, 1855, and since that date has wit- nessed the many wonderful changes which have taken place. Mr. Doxey was born in Baltimore, Maryland, August 17, 1820, a son of Biscoe S. and Eliza (Good) Doxey, the father born in St. Mary's County, Maryland, and the mother a native of Portsmouth, Virginia. Of their nine children, Thomas B. was the fifth child. His father was a sailing master in the United States navy, entering the service in his youth, and serving in the war of 1812. Under his direction the fortress at Sierre Leon, Africa, was built. At the time of his death he was on the retired list, holding the rank of receiving master. Thomas B. Doxey was reared on a farm. His educa- tional advantages were very limited but his studious habits, keen observation, and retentive memory have made up for his lack of education, and fitted him for the duties of his life. His father died about
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1827, leaving his mother with eight chil- dren, the eldest being but twelve years of age. From seven years of age he was reared by his uncle, Samuel Hesten, with whom he remained till twenty-seven years of age. At the age of eight years he was taken by his uncle to Greene County, Ohio, thence to Clinton County, and when thir- teen years old to Wayne County, Indiana. In 1847 his mother settled in Wayne County when he went to live with her, taking charge of the family: Mr. Doxey was married October 27, 1847, to Margaret Henry, born in Lewis County, New York, December 27, 1825, daughter of William and Anna (Alexander) Henry, who were both natives of Connecticut. From Lewis County her parents went to Niagara County, New York, where her father died. Her mother spent her last years with her son, Loren Henry, in Columbia County, Wisconsin. Mrs. Henry's father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and her grand- father, Captain Nathaniel Alexander, was an officer in the war of the Revolution. Mr. and Mrs. Doxey have six children- Ella, wife of William O. Boya, of O'Brien County, Iowa; May, wife of Henry C. Edwards; Ida, wife of Jacob Geist, of East Waterloo Township; Della Close, residing in Cedar Township; Loren and William, at home. Their granddaughter, Alice Ed- wards, born January 31, 1871, has had her home with Mr. and Mrs. Doxey since eight years of age. The first home of Mr. and Mrs. Doxey, in Cedar Township, was in a log cabin near the mouth of Miller's Creek. After living there a year they moved to section 20, and commenced improving their 160-acre farm. August 6, 1862, Mr. Doxey enlisted in Company C, Thirty-second Iowa Infantry, serving in the Sixteenth Army Corps. He participated in twenty-seven skirmishes and battles among which may be mentioned Tupelo, Pleasant Hill, Mo- bile and Nashville. He was honorably dis-
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