USA > Iowa > Cerro Gordo County > History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo counties, Iowa and biographies of representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races > Part 96
USA > Iowa > Franklin County > History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo counties, Iowa and biographies of representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races > Part 96
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The first birth in the township was Anna, daughter of R. and Amanda Lane, | born June 25, 1874.
The first death occurred in the spring of 1874. It was the wife of Jonathan Brown. The next death was Mary, a daughter of David R. Babcock, who died in the fall of 1874.
SCHOOLS.
The first school in Mount Vernon town- ship was taught in R. T. Lane's house, by Mrs. R. T. Lane, in 1869. The only pupils that term were-Harriet L., Abbie A. and Petronellia Lane, the children of the teacher. This was when Mr. Lane lived on the Nicholas farm. The second term taught, Mrs. Lane was again the teacher, at their own house on section 29. Here there were four pupils, two of Mrs. Lane's children and two of Samuel Johnson's. The first school building was built on the section line between sections 2 and 3. This was erected in 1872, at a cost of about $400. The work was done by Oscar Ste- vens. The first teacher here was Miss IIen- rietta Sirrine.
RELIGIOUS.
The Methodists organized a society in this township at an early date, holding meetings at the Chapman school house. The meetings were at first conducted.by Rev. Thomas Forber. In 1883 the organ- ization had been abandoned.
CHAPTER XXXII.
OWEN TOWNSHIP.
This township is bounded on the north surface of the northern part of Owen township is slightly rolling, and there are some of the finest farms in the county in that locality. The southern part is more by Portland township, on the east by Floyd county, on the south by Dougherty township, and on the west by Bath town- ship, and comprises congressional town- flat. The soil is a dark, rich loam, with ship 95 north, range 19 west. The a yellow clay sub-soil, underlaid by lime
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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.
roek, which in many places comes to the surface.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Alonzo Willson, of New England, eame in 1855 and settled on the northeast quar- ter of section 6, where he remained until 1878, when he moved to Mason City.
Abiel Pierce, of Massachusetts, a second cousin of President Pierce, came to the township and entered land on the north- west quarter of section 5. He improved this place and remained thereon until 1869, at which time he sold to Jesse Hill, and moved to Iroquois Co., Ill., where he was still living in 1883.
C. W. Wicks, a native of Massachusetts, come to Owen township in 1855, and en- tered the southwest quarter of section 5. He was frozen to death in December of that year.
In 1856 a man named Willson, known by all of the pioneers as Chicago Willson, in distinction from Alonzo or Yankee Willson, who came about the same time, came from Chicago and settled on section 3, where he died a few years later. His widow lived in Mason City in 1883.
Brazil Updike settled in 1858-9 on the northwest quarter of section 12, which he improved and lived upon for some years, but now lives at Shobe's Grove, Cerro county.
But little settlement was effected in the township during the years of the war. Among the settlers coming prior to 1876 were Rial Barney, Jesse Hill, M. C. An- drews, Judson Quackenbush, G. S. Armi- tage, W. A. Wells. Neil Fullerton, E. W. Jacobs, A. M. Stephens and H. P. Meloy.
Rial Barney was born in the town of Grafton, N. H., June 8, 1831. When but
two years old he moved to Lowell, Mass., remaining there two years, thence to Maine and spent two years. From there he moved to Manchester, N. H., where he remained until he was seventeen years old and then removed to Illinois. In January, 1853, he was married to Elizabeth Prickett, a na- tive of England. He bought a farm in McHenry county, and resided there till 1866, then moved to seetion 34, of Port- land township. He remained there until 1882, when he built a frame house in Owen township on the southeast quarter of sec- tion 3, on land that he had previously pur- chased. In June of that year he moved to this place. Mr. and Mrs. Barney are the parents of eight children -- Belle, Hen- rietta, Frank, Warren, Clyde, Katie, Del- ton and Clarence.
Jesse Hill, an early settler in Owen township, is a blacksmith by trade and has interspersed the labors of a farmer with those pertaining to that ealling, and has made both a success. He was born Dec. 21, 1827, in Licking Co., Ohio. He ob- tained a fair education and developed in manly strength on the farm until eighteen years of age, when he entered upon his apprenticeship for his trade, at which he served three years. After spending two years as a journeyman, he opened a shop in Hancock county. He operated there two years and in 1851 bought land in Clayton Co., Iowa, where he settled as a pioneer and spent a year improving his property. He then engaged in blacksmith- ing in Garnavillo, the county seat. In 1855 he decided to go to Minnesota and accordingly made a claim of government land in Eyota township, Olmstead county. He was a pioneer there, and with his
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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.
characteristic energy pushed the improve- ments on the place he bought and built a log house. In 1855, associated with his brother, he bought a saw-mill which they managed five years. He sold out and went to Marion, Minn , where he worked at his trade one and a half years. In 1865 he again bought land in Frankville, Win- neshiek Co., Iowa, on which he lived four years and in 1869 came to Cerro Gordo county. He purchased land on section 5, of Owen township, where he now resides. His farm includes 440 acres. In 1849 he was married to Sophia A. Barnum of Han- cock Co., Ohio. Mary M., Frank, Simon, Willie and James are the names of Mr. Hill's children.
Malcom C. Andrews came to Cerro Gordo county in 1869, and bought the northeast quarter of section 5, Owen town- ship. Here he erected a comfortable frame house, improved his land and made this his home until his death, which occurred July 24, 1877, leaving his wife and eight children. He was born in Middletown, Conn., May 15, 1830. When he was quite young his parents located in McHenry Co., Ill., where he grew up on the farm, receiving a common school education. He was there married in 1855 to Phæbe D. Bailey, born in Cambridgeshire, England. They lived on his father's farm in Mc- Henry Co., Ill., until 1861, when they moved to southern Illinois, bought a farm in Shelby county and spent the summer there, but in the fall of the same year sold out and returned to McHenry county, where he remained until 1863, when he came to Iowa. 'Upon arriving here he rented a farm in Delaware county on which he lived until he came to his home in
Owen township in 1869, and on which his widow still lives. His children are - George W., James B., Walter S., Richard J., Andrew J., Nellie A., Frank, John R., Harriet A., (died in Illinois, aged two years and eight months), Cora E., died in infancy.
A. H. Quackenbush was born in Orange Co., N. Y., Jan. 4, 1813. He moved to Chemung county in 1818, at the age of fifteen. He was married to Catharine Ed- mister, Nov. 22, 1838. They moved to Columbia Co., Wis., in 1856, from there to Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa, in 1869, where he died, Sept. 22, 1880. They raised eight children-Mary, Charles, Arvilla, Nancy, Judson, John, Ann and Byron. His widow now lives in Rockford, Iowa.
Judson Quackenbush, son of Amos Quackenbush, is a farmer on the southwest quarter of section 2, where he is pleasantly situated on a finely improved and well- stocked farm. The buildings on the place are in every way suitable to the necessi- ties and comfort of an Iowa agriculturist. Mr. Quackenbush was married Oct. 30, 1873, to Ermina Watkins, of Floyd Co., Iowa. They have two children-Bertha and Robert. Charles Quackenbush is a coal and lumber dealer at Rockford. By- ron is a land-holder in Owen township, but is spending some time in Dakota.
Garret S. Armitage, trustee of Owen township, is a farmer by vocation, and is a pioneer settler of the township where he resides. He was born in Hoosick, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., and was there brought up a farmer,and obtained a fair edu- cation at the district schools. He was there married to Mary Randall, of Berlin. Three years after marriage he settled in
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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.
Wisconsin, where he was a pioneer of Dodge county. He bought a farm in Hus- tisford township, improved the land and built a house. He resided there fifteen years, when he sold and located in Hamp- den, Columbia county. Five years later, in 1867, he came to Iowa and rented a farm near Osage until 1869, when he came to Cerro Gordo county and spent the sum- mer of that year in the Owen House at the grove. That fall he moved on to his farm, which he purchased in 1868, in Owen township, on section 9. He made first-class improvements from the be- ginning. He has a comfortable house and granary and temporary outbuildings, and a large number of shade and fruit trees. Ile has added to his real estate at times, by purchase, until he own 440 acres of land. Mrs. Armitage died Feb. 23, 1859. Mr. Armitage was married again, Jan. 23, 1861, to Polly Wells, a native of the province of Ontario, Canada. The family includes two children.
W. A. Wells, one of the oldest settlers of Owen township, located on section 20, in 1871. He is engaged in a dairy, raises stock and herds cattle. He was born in Canada, Sept. 7, 1834, and when eight years of age, his parents moved to Dodge Co., Wis , and were there among the early settlers. W. A. remained there until 1865, when he came to Iowa, settling first at Osage, where he lived six years, then removing to his present home. He was married in 1860 to Mary E. Burgess, of New York, by whom he has had six chil- dren-Hattie, Amy, Diadama, Clara, Cora, Martha and Robert E., an adopted son. Hattie was born and died in September, 1862.
Neil Fullerton, son of James and Janet (Muschie) Fullerton, was born in Inverness, province of Quebec, Canada, Dec. 10, 1831. His parents, natives of Scotland, settled at that place years previous to his birth. When he was fourteen years old his mother died and two years after he went to Coos Co., N. H., and was bound out to a farmer to serve until he was twenty-one years of age. He redeemed his obliga- tion and received $100 as had been stipu- lated, when he returned to Canada. A year later he went to Hillsboro Co., N. H., and engaged in farming one summer, and the following winter worked as lumber- man. In the spring of 1856 he bought a team and engaged in supplying milk in the city of Manchester. In April, 1857, he was married to Mary Kerr, who was also a native of Inverness. About that date he bought a farm in the town of Bed- ford. The next year he sold the milk route and devoted his attention and ener- gies to farming, remaining thus employed until 1863, when he sold his farm and bought government timber land in Canada. He took possession of his purchase, made a "bee," and in one day the logs were cut for a house, 16x18 feet, and the house built. He cleared forty-five acres of the primeval forest and remained a resident until 1871. In that year he settled in Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa. Until 1876 he rented land in Portland township, when he purchased the southeast quarter of section 25, in Owen township Since that date he has rebuilt the house, erected a barn and made valuable improvements on the land. Mr. Fullerton has occupied a number of offices of trust, and is a member of the board of trustees. In 1867 himself and
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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.
wife joined the Presbyterian Church, and are now communieants of the Congrega- tional Church,at Rockford, there being no society of the denomination to which they originally belonged in the vicinity. They have nine children-John K., James E., Charles A., Peter G., Neil A. Robert, Angus M., Henry J. and Nettie.
E. W. Jacobs, a prominent citizen of Owen township, was born in Springfield, Ohio, Aug. 11, 1840. When he was four years of age his parents removed to Colum. bus, where he lived until he was fifteen, when they moved to Mt. Carroll, Carroll Co., Ill., where his parents are still living. In 1858 he went to California, prospect- ing, exploring the Pacific coast from Lower California to the British posses- sions. After an absence of eight years, he returned to Mt. Carroll, staying until 1870, when he came to Cerro Gordo county and engaged in burning lime at Mason City, putting up the first patent lime kiln in that eity. He continued in the business about three years, when he came to his present home on section 5, where he is extensively engaged in dairy farming, also in raising cattle, sheep and hogs. In 1881 he erected one of the largest barns in the county, having a stone basement and all conveniences. He was married in 1866 to Mary Sheldon, of Illi- nois, who died in 1870, leaving one daugh- ter-Lulu. He married, a second time, Maria L. Bradley, Nov. 26, 1871, by whom he has four children-Ray G., Mabel C., Guy G. and Ethel Gertrude. Mr. Jacobs has been active and prominent in town affairs, is the present assessor and justice of the peace, and is a worthy citizen.
Asher M. Stevens, township clerk, was born in Wayne Co., Penn., July 21, 1835. He is the son of Silas and Julia (Kellogg) Stevens. His parents settled in MeHenry Co., Ill., when he was eleven years old ; and there he spent his youth and fitted for the duties of life. He was married in MeHenry county, in 1857, to Johanna Chesley. The year following he was en- gaged in farming, and in 1858 went to Pike's Peak. There he engaged in mining until the fall of 1860, when he pushed his way to Mexico and passed the winter in the same occupation. He returned to Pike's Peak in the spring of 1862. He returned to Illinois in the fall and re- sumed his former occupation. In 1867 he came to Cerro Gordo county and located at Owen's Grove and lived in the Owen House eighteen months. He rented land in Portland township until 1874, when he purchased land on seetion 4, of Owen town- ship, where he has made valuable im- provements and built his house. Mrs. Stevens was born in New Hampshire, Aug. 26, 1842, and died April 10, 1876, leaving seven children-Charles, Marcus, Clara, Katie, Herbert, Silas L. and Dollie.
H. P. Meloy is one of the most energetie and reliable of the citizens of Owen town- ship. He has had double the experiences of most early settlers, having made several changes in his location during a period of less than twenty-five years. He was born in Otsego Co., N. Y., Feb. 22, 1839. IIis parents went to Wisconsin when he was five years old and settled in Rock county, where they were among the pioneers. Mr. Meloy was married Aug. 25, 1859, to Clarinda Keech, a native of that county. In 1860 he located in Mitchell Co., Iowa,
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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.
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and bought wild land near West Mitchell. McGregor was the market and nearest point for supplies, and from there, a dis- tance of 115 miles. Mr. Meloy drew the lumber for his home, and there took his wheat to market. A trip consumed seven days He remained on the place but two and :: half years, returning to Roek Co., Wis., and two years later he settled at Charles City, Iowa. He stayed there two years and removed to Floyd county, buy- ing wild land near Rockford. He made the usual improvements and built a house. He sold again in 1876, and became the owner of a farm on section 2, Owen town- ship, in Cerro Gordo county, where he has since pursued his chosen calling. In 1882 he built his present neat and com- modions residence. Lyman B. and Bertha L. are the two children of Mr. and Mrs. Meloy.
ORGANIC.
The eastern one-third of Cerro Gordo county was organized into a township in 1854, and called Owen in honor of Anson C. Owen, one of.the original settlers of the county. At an election held at A. J. Glover's, April 7, 1856, A. J. Glover, Adam Kramer and George Bence were the judges, and Charles W. Tenney clerk. The following is a list of the voters at that election : Ira Williams, Daniel Reed, Robert Campbell, C. W. Tenney, Herman M. Redington, A. J. Glover, J. M. Mals- berry, H. G. Gregory, Judson Ford, John Morgan, Oliver Ford, George W. Clymer, John Clymer, Adam Kramer, Joseph Gregory, Richard Monis, Elijah Wiltfong, Hiram Smothers, David Smothers, Channcy Lugard, Enoch Wiltfong, Henry Day,
Charles Bootan, Wm. Redington, George Frederick, Malam Brown, George S. Burrel.
At this election Adam Kramer and Horace Gregory were elected trustees; Charles W. Tenney and George S. Bunce, justices of the peace; A. J. Glover, clerk; Jasper Gregory and Henry Day, consta- bles; Charles W. Tenney, assessor.
The first Presidential election in which the people of this township took part was that of 1856. There were thirty-five votes cast-thirty-two for the republican elec- tors and three for the democratic electors.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
At an election held June 27, 1882, to 'vote for or against the proposed amend- ment, which was to prohibit the sale or manufacture of spiritnous liquors within the State of Iowa, the vote stood as fol- lows: Forty.eight votes for and twenty- seven against the amendment. At this election the question of voting a tax for the purpose of building a court honse, was also submitted to the people with the fol- lowing result: Nine votes for and fifty- nine against taxation. At the general election held at the Center School House, Nov. 7, 1882, the following officers were elected: Neal Fullerton, Robert Gray and G. S. Armitage, trustees; A. M. Stevens, clerk; E. W. Jacobs, assessor; C. A. O'Harran and Hugh Coyle, consta- bles; Charles Squirer and Robert O'Har- ran, justices of the peace. The above justices of the peace failing to qualify, E. W. Jacobs and Wheelock Mowry were appointed.
FIRST BIRTH AND MARRIAGE.
The first child born in the township was Charles, a son of Abiel and Mary Pierce, born March 3, 1857. He is a
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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.
teacher in the public schools in Iroquois Co., Ill.
The first marriage was Frank Shonys, to Alice J. Willson, Feb. 10, 1867. They now live in Rice Co., Kan.
SCHOOLS.
In 1883 there were nine sub-districts in Owen township, eight of which are sup- plied with school buildings. In district No. 1, the first school house was erected in 1868, on section 12. It was a stone building which served the district until 1873. Belle Barney was the first teacher in this house. Religious service have been held in this school house from time to time.
In district No. 2 a building was erected in 1874, on the northwest quarter of sec- tion 9, at a cost of $125. Miss Bowe taught the first term of school in this building. In 1879 this house was removed to section 13, and the present house was built on the southwest quarter of section 3, at a cost of $600. Emily Trevett was the first teacher.
The first school house built in Owen township was erected in 1857 ; it was a stone house, two stories high, costing $2,200. There was a belfry on this build- ing in which was placed a Troy Bell, cost- ing $250. This was hauled from Dubuque by ox teams. This building was used for church service as well as school pur- poses, and it was for this reason that the building was provided with a bell. This house was used as a school house until 1873, when it was purchased by Alonzo · Willson, who converted it into a granary. There are many hallowed associations con- nected with this building, which is dear to the hearts of all the old settlers; and
could its decaying walls speak, they would tell of many a happy incident con- nected with pioneer life. In 1873 another school house took the place of the old stone school house. This new building cost $600. It was located on the south- east quarter of section 6. Katie McClement taught the first school in this building.
In district No. 4 a school house was built in 1875, at a cost of $450. It stood on the southwest quarter of section 20. George Curtis taught the first school.
The first school in district No. 5 was taught by Janet McLain in her father's house, on section 15. The first school house was built in 1870, on the northeast quarter of section 16. Kate Belle was the first teacher. In 1876 this building was removed to section 22. Religious services have been held in this house from time to time.
In district No. 6 the first school was taught by Alma Harroun, in the winter of 1879-80. It was held in a building removed from district No. 2. The first building erected in the district was in 1881, located on section 14. Julia Saw- yer was the first to teach. In 1882 a union Sabbath school was formed at this house. Robert Gray was chosen superin- tendent of the school, which lasted only about ten months.
John Byrne taught the first school in district No. 7, in Neal Fullerton's granary on the southeast quarter of section 25. There was two terms of school taught in this building and two in John Cahills house. The school house was built in 1878 on the northwest quarter of section 36. Lyn- ford Getts and Sarah Garing were the first teachers in this building.
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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.
District No. 8 had no' school house in 1883.
In 1882 a school house was built in dis- triet No. 9, on section 32. Mary Wood was the first teacher.
CEMETERY.
The Owen Grove Cemetery was laid out in 1875, on the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 5.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
PORTLAND TOWNSHIP.
Portland township is bounded on the north by Falls township, on the east by Floyd county, on the south by Owen town- ship, and on the west by Mason township, and comprises congressional township 96, range 19 west. The township is well watered by Lime creek and its tributaries. Lime creek enters the township on section 18, passes through in a general sontheast- ern course, leaving the township from sec- tion 36, entering Floyd county. The Shell Rock river passes across the northeast corner of the township, passing through parts of sections 1 and 12, thence into Floyd county. The surface is rolling and the soil a rich, dark loam, which near the streams has a slight mixture of sand. The soil is of an unusual depth, in some places exceeding four feet of loam. On section 34 there is a clay bank which is frequently visited by curiosity seekers, who may find fine specimens of fossils. In the extreme northeastern portion of the township there is a beautiful natural grove, known
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as Bunce's Grove; also a portion of Owen's Grove is embraced in this township.
SETTLEMENT.
The first settlement was effected in 1853 by A. C. Owen, who settled on section 31. A. S. Felt settled June 7, 1855, on sec- tion 18.
The second family which settled in the township was that of William Felt, who came in October, 1855, and took up land on section 19. The family lived in Mason township until August, 1856, by which time Mr. Felt had a cabin built and ready for occupancy. Mr. Felt was still living on the place in 1883.
William Felt, eldest son of Horace and Susan M. Felt, was born in Lebanon, Mad- ison Co., N. Y., Feb. 10, 1822. He has been married twice. His first wife, Rachel (Conover) Felt, to whom he was married Dec. 19, 1844, died in 1848, leav ing a daughter, now Mrs. T. J. Turnure. His second marriage occurred in 1850. Mr. and Mrs. Felt, formerly Sarah M. Lee
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HISTORY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.
have reared seven children-Ann Eliza, (Mrs. Henry Walden), Mary Jane, (died at eighteen years of age), Jay H., Samuel, Imogene, Rosa and Horace. In 1855 Mr. Felt settled in Iowa, and is a prominent member of the pioneer element that es- tablished the prestige of Cerro Gordo county, and especially of the township of Portland. He was a resident in the town- ship of Mason one winter, while preparing a suitable home for his family on his own land. He has experienced all the pecu- liar privations of pioneer life. In politics Mr. Felt is a democrat.
G. L. Bunce came about this date, from Indiana, and settled on section 1, where he resided until 1861, after which he was the proprietor of the Commercial House, at Mason City, but in 1883 he was a resi- dent of Wright county.
In the fall of 1855 Horace and L. Greg- ory and their families settled on section 12. Wallace Gregory, a son of Ilorace Gregory, settled on section 11. The latter named died in 1857, and his remains were buried in the cemetery near Mr. Reed's, in Floyd county, this being the first death in the township.
Louis Boomhover and family set led on section 3, in the fall of 1855, and remained there until 1863, when he enlisted in the 32d Iowa Vo unteer Infantry. He was taken prisoner at Pleasant Hill. After the close of the war he returned to Cerro Gordo county, after which he soon re- moved to Illinois with his family.
A. S. Felt, whose connection with the founding and establishing of the village of Portland is elsewhere recorded, made his entry into Cerro Gordo county June 7, 1855. At that date he purchased the south-
east quarter of section 18, in township 96, range 19, and entered at once into posses- sion of his property, thus becoming the second settler within the limits of what is now known as Portland township. Mr. Felt, with little delay, added to his landed interests and, during the years of 1856 and 1857 he held over 1,000 acres. His home- stead estate now includes 365 acres of land, to which is given the name of the Portland Stock Farm. The property is admirably located, and is watered by Lime creek and numerous flowing springs. The farm and fixtures represent a cash estimate of at least $15,000. Mr. Felt received the school training common to farmer's sons in the section where he was reared, but his business experience and contact with the world at large, have supplemented the rather meagre intellectual culture of his boyhood, in a manner that fully supplies whatever he lacked in that respect. He attained to man's estate on his father's farm, and, when life opened before him with its vested responsibilities, he turned his face toward the Far West. After a brief stay at Chicago and Bloomington,Illi- nois, he came to Iowa and located as above stated. He was married Dec. 1, 1857, at Osage, Iowa, to Mary L. Whitaker, a native of Orange Co., N. Y. Benjamin F., Susan E., Frank S., Lillie D., Charles H., Nettie, Maude, Arthur A., Clarence C. and Harry are the names of their nine children. Mr. Felt has always been an adherent of the democratic party, but dnr- ing the civil war was an inflexible sustainer of the integrity of the Union. He has discharged his obligations as a citizen in a manner consonant with the whole tenor of his life. IIe was born in Lebanon, Madison Co., N. Y., Dec. 1, 1833. Ilis
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