History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 61

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316


USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 61
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 61


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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with Mr. Burton. Mr. Taylor is a highly respected citizen, and an enterprising farmer. He takes little interest in poli- tics, and associates with the Christian Church.


Jerome Shadbolt is one of the pioneers of May, 1855, at which time he settled at Clarksville, and has since spent most of his time in pursuit of his tradc-that of a carpenter. He settled where he now resides about 1871. His handsome dwell- ing, just completed, is one of the finest farm houses in the county. 'Mr. Shadbolt is a native of Genesee county, New York, born April 9, 1823, and resided in his native county until twenty-four years of age. In 1846 he married Miss Louisa L.


Main. In 1847 he emigrated to the Ter- ritory of Wisconsin. He had a brother living at Milwaukee, who tried to pursuade . him to settle at that place, but Jerome did not have enough confidence in the growth of that city. His brother, John Shadbolt, is now a member of the firm of Shadbolt & Boyd, wholesale dealers in carriages, etc., Milwaukee. Jerome Shadbolt went twenty miles north of Milwaukee, locating at Grafton. He purchased a water-power, and engaged in the manufacture of "chair stuff," which business proved a success, and he made money rapidly. He had a partner associated with him, and one day he made him an offer to give or take a certain amount for his interest, which, to the surprise of Mr. Shadbolt, his partner agreed to give. Mr. Shadbolt there- fore sold out, came to Iowa, and settled in Butler county, as above stated. In 1864 lie was enrolled in the service, join- ing Company C, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the


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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.


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war. The children are-Ida, Charles S., Rouen, Albon, and Jessie.


J. Y. Tilford, one of the leading stock farners, resides on section 19, Butler township. His farm contains 280 acres, and the improvements on the same are valned at about $6,000. Mr. Tilford is a son of John S. Tilford, a sketch of whosc life appears in the State Atlas of Iowa. He was from Indiana, and resided there until 1852, when he came to Iowa, and fol- lowed farming in Benton county. In :857 he married Miss Mahala A. Harper. Shc died January 3, 1862, leaving three "child- ren-Cora M., Maggie A., and Minnie. In November, 1862, he married Miss Hattie A. Wilcox. In 1881 he came to Butler county, and has since been engaged 'in stock farming. By the second marriage he has three children-J. Ethel, Hattie May, and William Alva.


William Flood settled on sec. 28 in May, 1855. Here he has since tilled the soil and now owns 130 acres of land. He was born in Bennington, Vermont, in 1826. At the age of sixteen he commenced work at the blacksmith trade, which he followed in several different states until he came to Butler county. In 1862 he enlisted in Com- pany E, Thirty-second Iowa, and served three years. In 1857 he married Miss Delia Angel. They have seven children -Matilda, George, Asa, Lizzie, Tena, Una and Nettie. In politics he is a republican.


Samuel Lenhart came to Butler county in June 1855 and first settled on the south half of sec. 19, Fremont township, remain- ing there until 1880, when he purchased 125 acres adjoining the city of Clarksville. Mr. Lenhart has been very successful as a farmer. He owns about eight hundred


acres and his improvments are among the best in the county. Mr. Lenhart was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, January 30, 1806. In 1833 he married Miss Margaret McMillan. In 1834 he re- moved to Ohio, in 1845 to Indiana, and in 1855 to Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Lenhart have had eight children, seven of whom are now living, the youngest having died while on the journey from Indiana to Iowa-John, Henry, Washington, Sarah J., Susan, Al- meda and Nancy.


John Kimmins, a well-to-do farmer re- siding on sec. 23, Butler township, is a pioneer of 1855. Hc is a native of Eng- land, born in Devonshire, February 28, 1819. In 1843 he married Miss Julia Elli- ott and in 1849 emigrated to the United States. Mr. Kiminins, after coming to the United States, first settled in Law- rence county, Pennsylvania, and engaged in mining. In 1852 his wife died and in 1853 he married Miss Cynthia Veasey, a native of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, born October 31, 1830. In 1855 Mr. Kim- mins emigrated to Iowa and after stop- ping a few weeks in West Dubuque hic came to Butler county and settled on sec. 22, of Butler township. For two years afterwards he was afflicted with sore eyes, so that he was nearly blind, and as he was a poor man he experienced many hard- ships of pioncer life. Hc resided on the farm he first purchased until 1876, then lived in Clarksville about cightcen months, then settled on sec. 23. He now owns 160 acres of well improved land, has a good farm residence and a pleasant home. Mr. Kimmins is a democrat, but takes no more interest in politics than to perform his duty as a citizen. His religious con-


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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.


nections are with the Christian church. He has held some of the minor town offi- ces.


In 1855 John Howe walked from Mus- catine to Shell Rock and entered a piece of land, but did not become a resident of the county until 1859. When Mr. Howe settled in Butler county he was an unmar- ried man, poor in worldly goods, but not afraid to work. He worked for other par- ties a few years and then improved his land, soon becoming one of the principal farmers. He now owns 240 acres of land. Mr. Howe was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1832, removed to Ohio in 1851, and from thence to Iowa. In Feb- ruary, 1882, he married Miss Hattie Smith, a native of Indiana. Her father was an American and her mother of Irish descent.


Henry Slosson was born in Cayuga county, New York, April 26, 1803, and there learned the trade of morocco dress- ing, following the same in his native State until 1846, and serving in the employ of one, man for twenty years. On February 25, 1843, he married Miss Laurena W. Newton, daughter of Calvin and Mary (Robinson) Newton and grand-daughter of Ebenezer Robinson, a soldier of the Revo- lutionary war. In 1846 Mr. Slosson emi- grated to Cleveland, Ohio, three years later to Illinois, eleven years subsequently to Wisconsin, and in 1865 to Iowa, where he soon became a resident of Butler county, living on section 1, Fremont town- ship, until his death, which occurred Octo- ber 18, 1872. He left five children- Emma A., Harry H., Isabelle, Rosa L., now deceased, and William W. In 1880 Mrs. Slosson married William Lyon, a native of New Jersey, who came to Iowa in 1866.


He died March 21, 1882. Mrs. Lyon now resides in Butler township. Her oldest son, George Francis Slosson, enlisted in 1864, at the age of sixteen years, in the Forty-first Wisconsin, and served 100 days, during which time he contracted dis- ease which led to his death January 27,- 1881.


Bainbridge Leavens located on the southwest quarter of section 25, Butler township, on the 7th day of June, 1857, and still resides on the same. He has made farming a business, and has met with marked success, accumulating 500 acres of land, 480 lying in one body, and all under cultivation. Mr. Leavens is a native of Ohio, and was born July 1, 1834. In 1836 the family removed to DuPage county, Illinois, and there followed farm- ing. In 1862 Mr. Leavens married Miss Adaline E. Wheeler. They have three children-Eugene L., Miles W. and Mar- tin B. Mrs. Leavens died December 9, 1882.


Hiram Newman is a native of Adams county, Ohio, and was born September 21, 1826. His father, Barton Newman, was a native of Virginia, and his mother, Catherine (Jones) Newman, of Kentucky. Hiram, who is the fifth of ten children, lived with his parents on a farm, and in 1850 married Miss Amelia Wykoff. She died leaving two children-Franklin and Granville. Mr. Newman subsequently married Miss E. C. Gabby, daughter of Alex. M. Gabby. In 1862 they emigrated to Iowa and settled at Clarksville. Mr. Newman is a democrat in politics and a Royal Arch Mason. By the second mar- riage there were five-children, two now living-Fred and Mamie.


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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.


W. R. Taylor, one of the earliest pioneers of this county, was born in Park county, Indiana, June 17, 1834, his parents being John and [Rachel Taylor. He was left fatherless when only three years of age. His mother subsequently married Clement Burton, and in 1853 the family removed to Iowa and settled in Butler township, this county. In 1856 W. R. Taylor married Miss Nancy M. Martin. They have five children-Richard, Melissa, Emma, Ada and Lettie: Mr. Taylor is a republican in politics.


Asa Hodgson, son of James and Eliza- beth (Probasco) Hodgson, was born in Illinois, in 1850, and when five years of age came with the family to Butler county, and lived on the farm until 1872. He then married Miss Ruvira Walter, daughter of Elias and Rachel Walter, and has since resided on his present farm in Butler township. Mr. Hodgson is a republican, and his religious connections are with the Christian Church.


James Hodgson settled on section 15, Butler township, in 1855, and there fol- lowed farming until his death, which took place in March, 1868. He was born in the State of Ohio, in 1821, and in 1831 removed with his parents to Tazewell county, Illi- nois, where, in the year 1842, he married Miss Elizabeth Probasco, a native of Virginia, born in the year 1819, and continued farming in said county until his removal to Iowa in 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Hodgson had twelve children, six now liv- ing-Caroline, now Mrs. Henry Billhimer; Asa, Sarah J., now Mrs. Z. Shaw; William, Emma C., now Mrs. Fletcher Walrath, and James H. Mr. Hodgson at the time of his death owned 300 acres of land.


William Major is a native of England, born in 1812. He came to the United States in 1865, and at first located in Wis- consin, from which State he came to Butler county. In April, 1872 he married Mrs. Elizabeth Hodgson, widow of James Hodgson.


J. M. Houston came to this connty in 1857; entered the northeast quarter of sec- tion 2, and here commenced pioneer life as a.tiller of the soil. In 1861 he moved into the village of Clarksville, and en- gaged in the grocery business, soon adding general merchandise. He continued in the same until September, 1880, when he sold his stock to Rieffe & Company, and retired from active life. Mr. Houston is a native of Scotland, born August 17, 1817. At the age of seventeen years he embarked as a sailor, and continued the seafaring life for about ten years. He afterwards engaged in mercantile life. In 1851 he emigrated to the United States, and located at Grafton, Wisconsin, con- tinuing in mercantile business until 1856, when his property was destroyed by fire, and he was compelled to begin life anew. Mr. Houston was married in 1850, to Miss Margaret Robinson. They have had four children; two are now living, to-wit - Margaret A., now the wife of Dr. M. C. Camp; and Elizabeth.


H. D. Hunt has been a resident of this county since February, 1853, at which time he purchased 200 acres of land on section 28, Butler township, and still culti- vates the same. Mr. Hunt was born in Ohio, January 8, 1826, his parents being Samuel and Sarah (Forkner) Hunt. He was bred to farm life, and resided in his native State until 1852, then came west,


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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.


and in the early part of the year 1853 settled in Butler county. In 1854 he mar- ried Miss Sarah A. Husband, then of Shell Rock, but a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. They have six children-William J., John H., Charles, Heman D., Herman S. and Florence I. Mr. Hunt has been successful in life, as he came to the county with but $400, and now owns 374 acres of well improved land. He is a republican in politics, and a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church.


Elias. Walter is a pioneer of October, 1853, and has thicrefore witnessed the set- tlement of the county from its infancy. Mr. Walter is a mason by trade. Upon lis arrival herc he located at Shell Rock, purchased property, and then erected the first frame house in the village. On the 12th day of February, 1854, he married Miss Rachel Billhimer. The ceremony was performed by M. B. Wamsley, Esq., and was the first in Butler county. Mrs. Wal- ters is a daughter of John and Barbara Billhimer, is a native of Pennsylvania, born on the 28th day of October, 1831. . Elias Walter has followed his trade most of the time until 1880, since then his health has not permitted him to perform manual labor. Mr. and Mrs. Walter reared a family of eleven children, eight of whom are now living-James F., Ruvira, George W., Henry E., Clara B., Charley, Lucinda, Fred and Elias B. Mr. Walter is a native of Ohio, born in Muskingum county, June 26, 1831. His parents, Ebenezer and Martha (Parker) Walter, came to Butler county in 1855. Here the father died in 1858. The mother still resides at Shell Rock, at the advanced age of seventy-five


years. He is a republican in politics, and a member of the Christian Church.


Henry Billhimer is the fifth of the nine children of John and Barbara Billhimer. He was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, May 15, 1830, and resided in his native State until 1852, when his parents, with the four younger children, emigrated to Iowa and settled at Shell Rock. Here Henry helped till the soil, and in 1862 enlisted in Company E of the Thirty - second Iowa Volunteer Infantry and served three years. He then returned to Butler county, and in 1865 married Miss. Carrie Hodgson, daughter of James Hodgson. They have had two children, one of whom is now living- Minnie. Mr. Billhimer is a republican in politics, and a member of the Masonic fraternity and the Christian church. He now resides on sec- tion 22, Butler township, and owns ninety acres of real estate. He lost his health in the war, but as yet does not get a pension. He was in a number of hard-fought bat- tles.


E. A. Wilkinson was born in Oneida county, New York, in March, 1847. In 1869 he removed to Iowa; first stopped in Chickasaw county, afterward in Bremer county, and in 1873 came to Butler county, where he is meeting with marked success. In 1873 he married Miss Ida Markle, daughter of George and Sarah Markle. They have four children-George A., Clara, Iva and an infant.


Horace Knapp, among the first settlers in Clarksville, came to Butler county in 1855, and followed farming a few years. In 1864 he settled on section 6, Butler township, where he now owns 90 acres. Mr. Knapp was born in Rhode Island in


H. D. Huno.



Als M. D. Hbrint.


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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.


1832. At the age of fourteen years he emigrated with his unele, HI. K. Stepliens, to Joliet, Illinois. He subsequently re- moved to Michigan, remaining until 1861. In Mareh he married Miss Isabel Shields. They have eight children-Henry D., Nellie, Edith, Rosey, Frank, Isabel and Horaee.


John P. Neal was born in Pennsylvania on the 4th day of April, 1846. He re- moved with the family in 1849 to Greene eounty, Wiseonsin. In 1864 he came to Butler county, Iowa, and remained one year, when he returned to Greene county. In the fall of 1865 the family eame to Iowa, settling at Clarksville. The father, William Neal, still lives in the county. The mother, Rebecea (Murray) Neal, died in 1868, leaving nine ehildren-Sarah J., Lindsay E., Delila A., William A., Francis C., James E., John P., Robert J. and Thomas A. In 1873 John P. was married to Miss Alvira Wamsley, daughter of Wil- liam Wamsley. They have had three ehil- dren, one now living-Alice M.


George Markle was born in Canada in 1819, eame to the United States in 1839 and in 1842, at LaPorte, Indiana, married Miss Sarah Brown. In October, 1860, he located in Butler county and has sinee made farming a business. Of their ten children seven are now living-Catherine, now Mrs. Reuben Strawhacker; Betsy, now Mrs. Betsy Ryekman; Mary Belle, now Mrs. Joseph Moshier; Ida, now Mrs. Ed Wilkinson; Ellen, now Mrs. Fred Ollin- burg, and Charity L.


Samuel Mareh eame to Towa in 1857 and after living a few weeks in Bremer eounty removed to Butler township, where he has resided with the exception of five years in


Black Hawk county. Mr. Mareh was born in Pennsylvania, June 14, 1829, his pa- rents being Abraham and Eliza (Price) March. In 1835 the family migrated to Ohio and settled at Knox. In September 3, 1851, Mr. Marel married Miss Harriet A. Lewis. They have five ehildren- Evangeline C., now Mrs. H. L. Myers; Chas. L., Alma H., L. G., and H. D.


R. E. Fassett is a native of Steuben county, - New York, born November 19, 1835. In 1846 he emigrated with the fam- ily to DeKalb county, Illinois. June 8, 1862, he married Miss Philinda Taylor. In 1865 he eame to Butler connty, Iowa. The children are-Daniel, Nellie, Ellis, Grant and Rosa.


Christopher Billhimer is the eighth of the nine children of John and Barbara Billhimer. He was born July 4, 1835, and in 1852 removed with the family to Butler county. He subsequently drove a team for Alfred Elam to Texas, and from there to Nebraska. In 1864 lie enlisted in Com- pany C of the Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, and served until the elose of the war. Sinee then he has followed farming, now resides on seetion 14, and owns 47 acres. Mr. Billhimer has been twiee married. In 1859 to Miss Melinda Hodgson. She died in 1863, leaving two children-Mary E. and Sarah E. In 1865 he married Miss Sarah Probasco, and by this union have two children-Clara and Myrtle.


George Feltus was a native of Ireland, born in 1815. He married Miss Ellen Burronghis, and abont 1855 emigrated to the United States, first settling in the State of New Jersey. Mr. Feltus was a moulder by trade, and worked at the same about five years, until he emigrated to Illinois,


C


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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.


where he engaged in farming, in Lee county. In 1870 he emigrated to Iowa, and settled on section 20, Jackson town- ship, this county. His death took place August 20, 1880, and his wife died Febru- ary 22, 1881.


James Feltus, only son of the above, was born in Ireland, on the 14th day of Febru- ary, 1856. He was educated in the schools of Butler county, also took a course at the commercial college of Sterling, Illinois. He resided with his parents until their death. On October 1, 1881, he purchased the dray, express and transfer business at Clarksville, and is now carrying on the same. No young man in this county has more warm friends than James Feltus.


Selden Norton, who resides in Clarks- ville, was born in Erie county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1832, where he lived till eleven years of age. His parents were Nathan and Nabby Norton. They removed from Pennsylvania to Illinois about 1841. Mr. Norton came to Butler county in the fall of 1855, and settled in Clarksville. He settled on a farm in Fremont township, section 32, in 1864, which he still owns. His parents settled in Buchanan county, Iowa, in 1855, where they lived till death. He is the only one of his father's family who settled in this county. He has two brothers in Buchanan county, a brother and sister in Illinois, and a brother and sis- ter in Kansas. Mr. Norton married Sobrina Beebe, born in Ohio. Her parents, Eli and Olive Beebe, came to this county at the same time as Mr. Norton. Mr. and Mrs. Norton have one son -- Albert S.


A. M. Gabby was born in Pennsylvania in 1804. He married Miss Nancy Knox, and, in about 1844, emigrated to Adams


county, Ohio. In 1865 he came to Iowa, and now resides at Clarksville. Of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Gabby, three are now living-John, Thomas B., and Margaret, now the wife of Charles Ramsey.


Thomas B. Gabby was born in Pennsyl- vania, came with the family to Iowa, and now resides on land purchased by his father and himself in 1865. In 1865 he married Miss Ellen Henney,then of Adams county, Ohio, but a native of Pennsylvania. They have six children-John, Thomas, Mamie, Ella, Flora, and an infant.


David Moulton is a native of New Hampshire; born in the town of Lyman, Grafton county, on the 10th day of August, 1881. His parents were David and Sarah (Knapp) Moulton. He resided in his native State, tilling the soil, until 1848; then, for a number of years, worked on railroad bridges in several different States. In 1855 he was in Illinois, and there gave Albert Reynolds some money to purchase him some land in Butler county, Iowa. In 1857 Mr. Moulton came to Butler county and remained a few months; then returned to Illinois, and subsequently traded most of his land for property in Illinois. In 1865 Mr. Moulton again came to Butler county. He married Mrs. Eliza McClelland, nee Billhimer; has since been a resident of the county. In politics Mr. Moulton was formerly a democrat, but when the rebellion broke out he at once joined the republican ranks, and has since been a strict adherent to the principles advocated by that party. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and has been secretary of the Blue Lodge, at Clarksville, for some time, and as such performs his duties in


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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.


the most strict and competent manner. The children are Grant and Colfax.


ORGANIC.


The first clection was held in a log house built by George Poisal on the corner where the bank now stands. The first township officers elected were during the fall of 1853: Trustee, Jeremiah Perrin ; justice, Alfred Elam. The present offi- ers are as follows: Trustees, G. W. Poisal, Henry Atkinson, Thomas Morrow; clerk, Wm. H. Moore; justice, J. J. Eichar; as- sessor, James Walworth.


The first death in the township = was John, son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Perrin, March 17, 1862.


The first marriage was that of Harlan Beard to Jane Wamsley, sister of M. B. Wamsley, by Justice Elam, in 1853.


The first birth was in 1852, a son to Jeremiah Perrin.


CIIRISTIAN CHURCH.


This church was organized at Antioch, Butler county, on the 5th day of July, 1857, by giving themselves to God and one another in full fellowship, the founda- tion being the Word of God, with the Lord Jesus Christ as the chief corner stone. The organization was completed with the following membership: William McBarnard, P. Barnard, James Hodgson, Elizabeth Hodgson, Hannah P. Davis, Clement N. Burton, T. A. Taylor, Sarah Taylor, Mary Kinsley and Mary P. Bur- ton. During the first year the following persons were added: John Kimmins, Cyn- thia Kimmins, Francis Probasco, Malinda Hodgson, Christopher Billhimer, Barbara Billhimer, Mary Barnard, Lydia E. Bar-


nard, Alex. March, Charles S. Martin, Samuel March, Abram March, Eliza March, Thomas Houck, Elizabeth Houck, Sarah P. March, Rachel Burton, James M. Burton, Esther A. Taylor, John Farlow, Elizabeth Brown, Mary H. Brown, James R. Taylor, George H. Burton, Alfred Brown, William R. Taylor, Nancy M. Taylor, Joseph Probasco and Mary Roth- rock.


November 6, 1858, the following persons were elected to office: Wm. McBarnard and Chas. S. Martin, elders; Samuel Hodg- son and J. R. Taylor, deacons, and John T. Davis, clerk. · After one year's service they were elected to serve for life. Rev. T. R. Hansberry was the pastor who as- sisted in the organization. He remained one year, then removed to Nebraska, and is now a resident of Kansas. The church was then supplied from other points by different preachers, among whom werc John Kane, N. E. Corey, of Charles City, and N. A. McConnel, of Marion. Thus the time was filled until 1865, when J. W. Moore became their pastor. He remained four and one-half years. Then came U. H. Watson, who took charge September 25, 1870. During this time he also preached at Shell Rock, Coldwater and Finchford, and during the year preached two hundred and eighty sermons. In 1870 J. W. Moore again returned and has since had charge, with the exception of one year (1881), when he was preaching in - Linn county. During this year Dr. Hunt had charge. The present officers arc: J. R. Hall, elder; J. R. Taylor, deacon and treasurer; Asa Hodgson, deacon, and G. McDonald, deacon and clerk. The pres- ent membership is about one hundred.


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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.


The first church edifice was dedicated in February, 1877, and cost about $1,200. Previous to that time services were held in the school house near where the church now stands.


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The Antioch Sunday School was organ- ized in.1866. The first superintendent, J. W. Moore, was followed by J. R. Hall, Eliza Moore, J. R. Hall, J. W. Moore, M. A. Taylor, Asa Hodgson and Guy Angell. The average attendance is about forty.


Rev. J. W. Moore, pastor of Antioch church, is a native of Tennessee, born December 29, 1825. His parents, Francis and Mary ( Gregg ) Moore, were both natives of North Carolina. In 1834 the family emigrated to Livingston county, Illinois. Here J. W. Moore followed various employments. In March, 1849, he married Miss Sarah Armstrong, then, of Woodford, Illinois, but a native of Clark county, Indiana. Her father, John Arm- strong, was a second cousin of Stephen A. Douglas. He then prepared himself for the ministry, and in 1856 emigrated to Green county, Wisconsin. In 1861 he commenced preaching in Wisconsin, but soon returned to Livingston county, Illi- nois, and there engaged as traveling evan- gelist for the Missionary Society of the Ninth Missionary District of Illinois. In 1863 he had charge of two churches, and in 1864 took a trip through Iowa, preaching in various places, among which - was Butler county. In 1865 he again came to Iowa, and took charge of his present con- gregation remaining over four years; then spent twenty months in Illinois, and since that time he has had charge of the Antioch church, with the exception of one year, (1881), which he spent preaching in Linn




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