USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 82
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James Harrigan was born in the State of New York, on the tenth of July, 1843. When eleven years of age he came to this county with his mother, Catharine Har- rigan. They moved upon a farm of two hundred and forty acres, his father, Jerry Harrigan, had purchased in 1850. Jerry Harrigan was, in his early years, a man of nerve, mind, and ability. He showed great ability in the purchase of land, etc., but, in about one year after this purchase he became perfectly insane, the result of a year's severe illness. He is living at this writing, pos- sessing comparatively good health, though he has passed
through twenty-seven years of this affliction, yet a stranger to his family. His wife has had unsurpassable patience in caring for him during all these years. July 15, 1861, James Harrigan, and two brothers, John and Michael, enlisted in company E, Fifth Iowa infantry. He served his country two years and eight months, when he was discharged on account of disability, caused by in- flammation settling in his right knee, rendering it lame ever since. This was the result of a forced march from Corinth to Chattanooga. He receives a pension from the Government, but insignificantly small when compared with his loss. He is a young man of more than ordi- nary ability. He carries on the home farm, and is known throughout the community as a gentleman and friend of everybody. John, a brother, was killed in the army, near Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1865.
George S. Dean was born in Yates county, New York, March 12, 1828. He made his home with his father, Elvin C. Dean, until he was twenty-six years of age, when he married and began life for himself. In the spring of 1855 he came to Iowa, locating in Buchanan county, where he has since been a resident. His first three years in the county were spent in Independence, engaged in the carpenter and joiner business. During this time he purchased a tract of land in Jefferson town- ship, near Brandon. This he moved upon and made his home ten years, succeeding finely. At the end of this time he had purchased two hundred and twenty acres, at the same time owning eighty acres where he now resides, in section twenty-four, Washington township. In the spring of 1868 he sold his Jefferson township farm and moved upon the Washington township farm, where he has since made his home, owning at present one hundred and seventy acres, having recently sold eighty acres. In the year 1868 Mr. Dean built a very fine house, and, in 1869, built one of the finest barns in the neighborhood. Its smooth, rolling surface, natural drainage, and splen- did running water, supplying drink for stock the year round, together with its excellent soil, render this one of the finest farms, as well as most attractive homes, in the county. The building spot is admirable. Mr. Dean has shade and fruit trees planted, and evergreens already adorning his grounds. Mr. Dean was married January 3, 1854, to Miss Louisa A. Smith, born in Ulster county, New York, in the town of Olive, December 16, 1826. She died at her home, in this county, March 30, 1877, leaving a family of six children -- Elvin C., James O., William F., Lu Ella, Charles S., and Carrie Alice, aged, at this time, twenty-six, twenty-four, twenty-one, seventeen, nineteen, and fifteen. The members of this family are at present making their home with their father except James O., who is attending the Baptist Theological seminary, at Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Dean and all his family, with the exception of the youngest, are members of the Bap- tist church, and he is a trustee of the same.
Leopold Seltzer was born in Germany in May, 1832, and came to America in July, 1849. His first five years in the country were spent in Northampton county, Penn- sylvania, where he married, and came west, locating in Wisconsin, where he made his home until the first day of
HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.
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January, 1881, when he became a resident of this county by moving upon the farm of one hundred and sixty acres which he had purchased in 1871. It is situated in section thirteen, Washington township. In Wisconsin he made farming his principal business, though he served his fellow citizens as county clerk for eight years. Mr. Seltzer has three children-Julia, Amelia, and George- aged twenty-one, nineteen, and sixteen, respectively, all making their home with their father. Though Mr. Seltzer is a new man, comparatively speaking, he had es- tablished a good character in Wisconsin, which has fol- lowed him and is indeed one of those friends a man cannot easily shake off.
J. C. Reed was born in Germany, near Leipsic, in the year 1829. When about five years of age, he came to America with his parents, Charles A. and Rosina Reed. They located first in Detroit, Michigan, but after two years removed to Wisconsin, where his father died in 1838. As he was the only son, he felt at that early age the responsibility of caring for his mother and the younger children. He worked on a farm until he was old enough to learn the mason's trade, and when he was twenty-five years of age he had the means to come to Iowa, which he did in 1854. He purchased at Govern- ment price the farm of eighty acres, where he now re- sides, in section seven, Washington township. He has added to his first purchase so that he now owns one hun- dred and sixty acres of excellent land. He built himself a pleasant house in 1865, which took the place of his first residence, constructed of logs, a representative of the early days of the county. Lumber was not to be had; so, after erecting a building sixteen by nineteen, he covered it with hay, and not daring to put a stove into it, his "Home Comfort" was situated several rods from the house. When the winter was well upon them, with three inches of snow, he succeeded in getting slabs at ten cents apiece for a roof, and with a platform for his stove, it was moved in out of the cold, and they were no longer com- pelled to go to bed to keep warm. Mrs. Reed says there was no sweeping to be done in those days, as there was no floor. Mrs. Reed before her marriage was a timid girl, but soon. got used to staying alone in the cabin, without a door or window, until 10 or 1 1 o'clock at night. Many other families came to the township that same au- tumn, and were sleeping under wagons or in tents while their houses were built. Mr. Reed was married in 1853 to Miss Agnes Kunkle, who was born in Germany in 1831, and came to America when ten years of age. They have one child living and one deceased: Maggie, born February 5, 1856, married Mr. Charles E. Dailey August 19, 1876; Julia, born September 16, 1862, died in No- vember, 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Reed are members of the Baptist church. Mr. Reed is one of the earlier pioneers of the county, and is worthy of the highest regard of the present generation. He is a Good Templar and a mem- ber of the Granger society. Politically he is a Democrat. His farm is beautifully situated, sloping in all directions from his house, forming a natural drainage, and the grove by which his home is encircled is a delight to the artistic eye. Those early days of hardship and privation furnish
much material for pleasant retrospect as they recede into the dim past, and this is in some degree a compensation for early sacrifices.
George Washington Rice was born in Worcester coun- ty, New York, March 14, 1824. His father, Washing- ton Rice, being a manufacturer of cloths, George Wash- ington spent his early life with him in the factory, and assisted his father until he was about twenty years of age, when he began the life of a sailor. His first voy- age was on a whaling expedition. On this trip he was in all the oceans, including the China sea, and made a com- plete trip around the world; visited many of the islands in the Pacific ocean. They were gone forty-nine months. They killed whales enough to make three thousand bar- rels of oil. The cargo was sold at New Bedford for ten thousand dollars. After this he engaged in coasting about five years. The whole of his life was satisfactory, and was the means of restoring his health, which was the sole cause of his engaging in that avocation. In the year 1847 he engaged in quarrying granite for rail- road bridges, and contracting for fine buildings, both public and private. He assisted in building the State reform school in Massachusetts, which was about the first in the United States. His building contracts be- came quite extensive for those early times, and the bus- iness was followed until the year 1853, when he came to Iowa, locating in Sumner township, where he purchased a farm and resided twelve years. In the spring of 1866, he moved to Independence and engaged in building, and run a marble shop at the same time, which was continued for about five years. In the spring of 1871 he pur- chased the farmi of one hundred and eighty acres, where he still resides, in Washington township, this county. Mr. Rice has splendid buildings and his farm is under a fine state of cultivation. He has plenty of fruit and shade trees and raises some fine fruit. It is a pleasure to meet such a man as Mr. Rice, with a world-wide ex- perience. He is a man of a great amount of natural talent. His skill is displayed in a beautiful cane which he carved from the jawbone of a whale, and in several other articles of a similar character, showing the uni- versal Yankee genius. Mr. Rice was married May 8, 1852, to Mrs. Walters, daughter of Isaac Lincoln, of Massachusetts. Mrs. Rice was born in Worcester, Mas- sachusetts, August 2, 1824. They have no children of their own, but have adopted a little girl three years of age. She is now a young lady nineteen years of age and bears the name of Etta Rice. They have a beautiful home, made so by the taste, skill, and labor they have spent upon it. Mr. Rice's father, Washington Rice, came to Iowa in 1854. He was a drummer in the War of 1812, and known throughout this county as the first man who picked up the drum sticks to march the army of Buchanan to quell the Rebellion. He was active in raising companies for the war, and though seventy years of age, he had the old war spirit so characteristic to the old soldier. Mr. Rice made his home with his son, George Washington Rice, till his death, which occurred June 2, 1867.
E. Daniels was born in Berkshire county, Massachu-
37
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.
setts, August 21, 1832. When about one year old his father, F. Daniels, moved to Franklin county, Massa- chusetts, where he purchased a farm. Here Mr. E. Daniels, the subject of this sketch, made his home till about twenty-four years of age. In the winter of 1857 he came to Iowa, and purchased a farm where he still resides in Washington township. Purchasing at first one hundred and twenty acres, but since adding to it till he now owns two hundred and eight acres. He built his house in 1871. It is one of the best houses in the town- ship. When Mr. Daniels moved on his place there was not so much as a tree on it. A cheap shanty and fifty acres broken comprised the improvements. Now he owns one of the finest improved farms in the country. Has shade and fruit trees planted, and every convenience of a tasteful home supplied. Besides having his conve- niences for carrying on his farm, and stables, and sheds, etc., for his stock, he also has his house well and tastefully furnished, rooms adorned with pictures, flowers and books ; and papers in plenty at hand. Mr. Daniels was married August 20, 1856, to Miss Emma M. Dick- inson, daughter of General G. Dickinson, born in Frank- lin county, Massachusetts, September 19, 1833. They have three children ; Carrie W., born December 11, 1858 ; attending school in Ripon, Wisconsin ; Hattie A. born March 15, 1863, single, and attending school from home ; Louise E., born January 12, 1870, and a wide- awake little lady she is. This is a home where a taste for reading throws the charm of intelligence around everything that nothing else can give.
Mr. Daniels' experience as a frontiersman is none of the pleasantest. He came when the flood of inflation was at the highest water mark. Every purchase he made was at the highest price. And immediately fol- lowed the panic ; and when it came his turn to sell there was scarcely a market at any price. Many were financi- ally engulfed, causing many failures and much dis- couragement. Only those who were endowed with stout hearts and manly courage could stand such a defeat. Mr. Daniels stood the storm, and is finally anchored upon one of the best farms of the county.
George McFarland was born in old Virginia in the year 1815, where he made his home till twenty-four years of age. After spending eight years in Indiana, en- gaged in farming, he came to Iowa and purchased a farm in Washington township, which was afterwards sold, and the two hundred and seventeen acres where he still resides was purchased. Has since added different tracts of land till now he owns about five hundred acres, a part of which lies in Hazleton township.
Mr. McFarland was married in 1853 to Miss Naomi Powell, of Indiana, who died there in May, 1859. Mr. McFarland is still a widower and childless, but has raised four nephews and nieces-a labor of love, for he will not fail of his reward.
E. A. Sheldon was born in Rupert, Bennington county, Vermont, January 2, 1833. He made his home with his father, Enos Sheldon, till he was twenty-one years of age, when he went to learn the carpenter trade ; working at it five years in the city of Boston, Massachu-
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setts. On the eleventh day of February, 1858, he came to Independence, Iowa, and has since remained as a citizen of the same, working at his trade principally till the year 1875 ; employed on many of the principal build- ings of the place. The last five years he turned his attention almost entirely to bee culture, and his success has been very satisfactory indeed. He spares neither time nor money in informing himself and making him- self perfectly familiar with all the secrets of the apiary. Has made the breeding of bees from pure Italian stock a special study and a success. Has at present in his yard bees brought across from Italy. Has raised as high as a ton of honey in a year, and from its fine quality and self-recommendation it has always found ready sale. He has found this a remunerative as well as a pleasant busi- ness, and expects to pursue it as a vocation. Mr. Shel- don was married February 4, 1858, to Miss Ellen A. Lyon, of Boston, Massachusetts, who died October 5, 1864, in Independence.
He was married the second time, April 10, 1866, to Miss Nancy A. Sparling, who was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, July 18, 1842. They have no children of their own, but in 1874 adopted Jessie B. Sparling, daughter of James M. Sparling, brother of Mrs. Sheldon. Jessie B. was born February 7, 1862. She and her aunt, Mrs. Sheldon, took an extensive trip in the summer of 1880 to visit Mr. James Sparling, who is in the mining business in Colorado. We have had the pleasure of examining some of the curiosities they brought back with them, and must say as crystals, petri- factions, ores, etc., etc., they surpass in beauty and num- ber any thing of the kind we have ever seen. Mr. Shel- don has one of the attractive homes of Washington township, and is awake to the interests and general wel- fare of the community.
J. F. Shattuck was born in the town of Smithville, Chenango county, New York, in 1817. He made his home with his father, D. P. Shattuck, till he was twenty- eight years of age. He engaged in farming after his school days were over. In the meantime he moved with his father to the county of Genesee, same State.
In the year 1845 Mr. Shattuck married Miss E. M. Rosell, who was born in Ontario county, New York, in the town of Bristol, in the year 1825. They moved upon a farm, which Mr. J. F. Shattuck purchased soon after. Here they resided till the year 1853, when they moved to Michigan, where Mr. Shattuck purchased a farm in Calhoun county. They made this their home five years.
In the month of April, 1858, they came to Iowa, stop- ping the first year in Independence. The same year he purchased the farm where he still resides. The follow- ing spring he moved on his farm; has since made it his home, and a pleasant one, indeed, it is. He has a good house which is surrounded with evergreens and other trees, which add beauty to the grandly located farm. At first there were only eighty acres, but by his business tact and industry he has added to its acres till now he owns the "snug" farm of four hundred and forty acres. Mr. Shattuck is extensively engaged in stock raising
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and dairying ; has his own creamery, and ships his butter to New York and Philadelphia. He milks from fifty to sixty cows. He has his farm under a good state of culti- vation, trees bearing fruit, and every convenience of a good home and farm supplied. Mr. Shattuck's family consists of five sons and two daughters: Agnes Theressa, born in New York State in 1846, married George Brooks, and resides in Pilot Grove, Buffalo township; Eugene E., born in New York in 1848, married Miss Josie Cole- man, and resides in Kansas City, Missouri, where he practices dentistry; Forbs R., born in New York, March 2, 1851, single, and lives at home; Ralph L., born in Michigan in 1854, married Miss Ida Hungerford, and resides in Lincoln, Nebraska; Inez I., born in Michigan in 1860; Clarence H., born in Independence in 1859 ; James Leon, born in Buchanan county, Iowa, in 1866.
Mr. Shattuck is a very pleasant and intelligent man, and his farm and business generally indicate a business ability that always wins. He has the highest respect of his neighbors and business associates. Politically, he is a firm Democrat.
George C. Morse was born in Cataraugus county, New York, June 17, 1833, and made his home with his father, Heman Morse, till he was thirty-five years of age, though changing localities frequently, as their business was teaming. When they located in Belvidier, Illinois, they teamed and farmed, hauling goods from Chicago to Galena, a distance of one hundred and seventy-five miles. This they followed till the year 1854, when they engaged in the hotel business. In 1855 his father came to Independence, and purchased a hotel. The year fol- lowing George C. came and engaged with his father in the hotel. His father sold the hotel in 1856, and moved to the place where George C. now resides. This he had purchased the first year he came to Iowa. Since that time Mr. Morse has turned his attention exclusively to farming. He owns one of the finest farms in the county. It contains four hundred and seventy acres, and is under a good state of cultivation. He has trees bearing fruit, raises quantities of berries, and in fact, every want of a pleasant home is supplied. Mr. Morse has a home worthy of notice. In the year 1874 he built one of the finest residences in the county. For convenience and beauty it cannot be surpassed. He spared neither money nor pains to make it complete, and has it furnished in good taste. His front yard comprises two acres adorned with evergreen and other shade trees, beautifully arranged, and a prepared fine carriage drive showing the spirit of enterprise and a love of the beautiful.
Mr. Morse believes in mixed farming, and deals some in stock, dairying and grain raising.
Mr. Morse was married February 20, 1875, to Miss Carrie Curtiss, daughter of Lyman J. and Jennett Cur- tiss, of this county. She was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, September 12, 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Morse have one child : Charles C., born March r, 1876. They have a beautiful home, and seem to be enjoying it hugely. In addition to the many good things that might be said of Mr. Morse, is that he is a good and sound Republican,
V. F. Wieser was born in Germany in 1838. He came to America in 1857, landing in New York city on the second day of January. He at once engaged in the railroad business, working a short time as a hand, and afterwards took contracts in grading the new Illinois Central through this part of the country. This he fol- lowed till the year 1863, when he turned his attention to farming. He purchased a farm in section thirty-five, Perry township. Here he lived till the year 1875, when he sold his farm, and purchased a half interest in the mill in Otterville. The year following he purchased the other half. Since that time he has owned the property entire. Mr. Wieser was married in November, 1866, to Miss Mary Gates, born in Germany in the year 1844. They have six children living and one deceased: Joseph, Anna, Henry, Fannie, Franklin, Anetty. Mr. Wieser is a very pleasant and intelligent man, and takes a wide in- terest in the literary world. He is known in his neigh- borhood as a man well informed upon the topics of the day, as well as in regard to important events of the past.
James Sanders was born in Chenango county, New York, August 15, 1813. He made his home with Tobias Sanders, his father, till he was twenty-one years of age, when he commenced to provide for himselt by engaging in lumbering and clearing. This he continued, in con- nection with farming, till the year 1857, when he moved to McHenry county, Illinois, and the following spring he came to lowa and purchased eighty acres near lowa Falls, and also one hundred and twenty acres in Wash- ington township, this county, where he located and lived upon it about twelve years, when he sold. About three years previous to this he moved to Otterville, and pur- chased a hotel and run it about two years. At the same time he had a one-third interest in a lime-kiln, with his son and Mr. Wilcox. In the year 1869 he traded the hotel and other property for one hundred and twenty aeres of land, where he now resides. He has since added to his possession, till now he owns three hundred and sixty acres, besides ninety-eight acres of timber land. Mr. Sanders, immediately after moving on his farm, built himself one of the finest residences in the county. He has a splendid farm, and his farm is under a good state of cultivation. His place is beautifully located, as all can testify who have had the pleasure of passing the premises. They have that air of tidyness about them which expense and labor and refined, cultured taste only ean give. Mr. Sanders is engaged in farming, stock raising and dairying. Mr. Sanders was married Septem- ber 7, 1834, to Miss Cloe A. Holcomb, of New York, who died September 25, 1872, leaving a family of six children, four sons and two daughters: Homer W., born February 14, 1836, married Harriet Bicker, and resides in Oelwein, Fayette county; Henry J., born June 6, 1837, married Emma Carson, and resides in Washington township; Betty Maria, born October 8, 1838, married William A. Melins, and lives on her father's farm; Rachel R., born May 31, 1840, married George W. Crowell, and resides in Perry township; Albert M., born October 11, 1842, married Delia Crowell, and resides at Storm Lake; George L., born November 15, 1844, single, and
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lives with his brother-in-law. Mr. Sanders was married the second time October 13, 1873, to Mrs. Rachel Ran- dall, of New York, wife of Nelson Randall, deceased. She is the mother of three sons: Francis E., born Octo- ber 3, 1856; Frederick R., born January 13, 1859; Nel- son Augustus, born July 16, 1861. Francis married An- nie Cameron, and resides at Jesup. Nelson married Nettie Balcam, and resides in Perry township. Freder- ick is single, and farming in Nebraska. Mr. Sanders is a man of activity, and, though he is well advanced in years, does his own chores and attends to all his busi- ness transactions. He is a pleasant, genial gentleman, and adheres to the strict principles of the Republican party.
Edward O'Brien was born in Ireland in the month of May, 1823. He made his home with his father, James O'Brien, and farmed till the year 1841, when he came to America, locating first in New York. Here he engaged with railroad companies in mason work on different lines, following the star of empire as it wended its way west- ward till he landed in Davenport, Scott county, Iowa. Here he made his home permanently for three years, working at the mason's trade. In the year 1857 he came to Buchanan county, Iowa, and moved upon the farm where he now resides, in Washington township, this county. He had previously saved by his hard earnings sufficient to purchase forty acres; but has since added to his first purchase till now he owns one hundred and five acres. He built himself a very comfortable house in 1872, and has his farm under a good state of cultiva- tion. Mr. O'Brien was married in 1851 in the State of Pennsylvania, in the city of Greenesburgh. His wife's name was Catharine Casey, born in Ireland in the year 1825. They have a family of seven children: John, twenty-eight years of age, single, and teaching in St. Louis ; Margaret, twenty-six years of age, joined the Sis- ters of Mercy October, 1879; Martin, twenty-three years of age, single, and is doing for himself; Mary Elizabeth, twenty years of age, attending school at the convent; Anna, seventeen years of age, single, at home; Patrick Joseph, sixteen years of age; Francis Thomas, fifteen years of age. Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien have started from the foot of the ladder, and by their honesty, integrity, and earnest toil, have wrung from the hard hand of this selfish world a comfortable home. They have demon- strated by their lives what stout hearts and earnest wills can do. They have reared a fine family, respected by all. They are worthy members of the Catholic church.
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