History of Harrison County, Iowa. Containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county. Together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of Iowa, and of the presidents of the United States, Part 109

Author: National Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, National Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Iowa > Harrison County > History of Harrison County, Iowa. Containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county. Together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of Iowa, and of the presidents of the United States > Part 109

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).

961

HARRISON COUNTY.

was also at Franklin, T'enn., and at the battle of Nashville, December 12 and 13, 1864. They then followed Hood to Hunts- ville, Ala., and from that point they went to Knoxville, Tenn., and from there to Bulls' Gap, N. C. We next find them at Nashville, Tenn., and then via. New Orleans crossed the Gulf of Mexico, to Indianola, Tex., from which point they marched fifty miles to Victoria, at which point they were mustered out September 25, 1865. Our subject received his final discharge at Indianapolis, Ind., October 23, 1865. He then returned to his uncles' at Terre Haute, remained until Decem- ber of that year, and then came to Mills County, Iowa, coming the following spring to Harrison County. Our subject has an army record with but few parallels. being in the service as he was, four years and eight days, every day of which he was with his regiment, except the eight months that he was a paroled prisoner.

He was united in marriage in Harrison County, Iowa, January 8, 1867, to Miss Sarah E. Yoakum, the daughter of Moab and Druzilla (Morgan) Yoakum. By this marriage union the following eight child- ren were born : George, Mary, John W., Fannie, Anna and Edward (twins), Alice, Irvy. George, Anna and Edward are deceased.

Sarah E. (Yoakum) Keith, was born in Ohio, October 21, 1846, and came with her parents to Harrison County, in 1864. She is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church.

Our subject's father, Madison Keith, was a native of New York, as was also his wife, Mary (Peck) Keith. They both died in Illinois.

Willis B., of whom we write this sketch, in his political belief is a stanch Republi- can. He has held numerous local offices,

including that of Justice of the Peace and Constable. He also took the census of his township in 1890. He is Post Com- mander of Barnes Post, Grand Army of the Republic, No. 103, at Mondamin, and is also identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being an honored member of Lodge No. 392, at Mondamin.

OHN DONNER, a farmer of section 33, township 80, range 43, of Mag- nolia, Civil Township, came to Har- rison County in the month of May, 1871, and purchased eighty-five acres of improved land in St. John's Township, and lived there eight years, then sold and bought a farm of two hundred and fifty acres in Jackson Township, which was partly improved. Helived there two years sold out and moved to Magnolia Town- ship, purchasing the farm upon which he now lives, the same being a two-hundred acre improved tract.

Mr. Donner was born in Germany, Sep- tember 6, 1836, and remained in his native land until 1862, when with his parents he came to America, stopping in New York State seven years, and in 1869 moved to Webster County, Iowa, leaving his folks in New York. While in Webster County he worked at Ft. Dodge, then a small place. After one year in that place he came to Harrison County, retaining a piece of land he had in Humboldt County, Iowa, which he sold some years later.

He married in Chautauqua County, N. Y., in 1862, Miss Recak Kata, by whom one child was born-Minnie. His wife died in Ft. Dodge in 1867, she only living one week after arriving in Iowa. After this sad affliction our subject re-

962

HARRISON COUNTY.

turned to New York State and remained three years. He was again married in May, 1871, to Miss Ida Mow, by whom four children were born-Ida, John, Hat- tie and Effie. The mother of these chil- dren died in December, 1889, and our sub- ject was married in January, 1891, to Mrs. Augusta Wollet.

Our subject has seen his share of the afflictions that come to this life, but has borne up under all with a Christian forti- tude and tried to make the most of every event in life. He is a member of the German Lutheran Church.

AMES R. CASE, of Cass Town- ship, has been a resident of the county since October, 1865. He first rented land of Luke Jefferson, in Boyer Township, remained there two years and then went to Jeddo, where he . worked land and ran a shingle machine, and finally bought an interest in a sawmill, but after two or three years he moved from Jeddo, and in 1870, bought forty acres of land, which had an old house upon it, and about ten acres of breaking. He paid $400 for this land, having to run in debt for a portion of it. He remained here until 1878, then sold and moved to Cass Township where he now lives.

Mr. Case was born in Ontario County, N. Y., in April, 1823. He is a son of Ab- ner and Olive (Rolland) Case, who had a family as follows: George, Hiram, Lewis, Thaddeus, Betsy, Sarah, John, James R., Ruth Ann.

Our subject, when he was twenty-five years of age, was married to Alice Hurn, who was born May 13, 1834, in the County of Cork, Ireland, landing in New York

City, in 1847. Mr. and Mrs. Case are the parents of seven children-Frances Ann, James M., George A., Thaddeus A., Orin L., Effie and Cora M.

Our subject's father was a native of Connecticut, and served under Gen. Scott in the War of 1812, and died in Wiscon- sin, in 1854, his wife being buried in the same grave. Our subject's grandfather, Case, was a soldier of the Revolutionary War.

℮ ELIJAH COBB, deceased, was a native of New York and came to Iowa in 1856. He was born in Chautauqua County, in 1830, and was the son of Roland and Eliza (Butts) Cobb. His early life was spent in the Empire State and in 1845 his father and mother joined the Mormons at Nauvoo, and ac- companied them to Kanesville, now Coun- cil Bluffs. He attended school at Gerry, and afterward at Jamestown, N. Y. Upon arriving at Council Bluffs, a division in the church arose, and this family returned to the East, and went into the lumber business in Pennsylvania, and continued until 1856, and then came to Harrison County, Iowa. The family now owns three hundred and sixty acres in Little Sioux and Jackson Townships. The de - ceased also established a hardware and lumber business in 1865, at Little Sioux, and in 1885 established a bank. He served the county as a member of the Board of Supervisors, a number of terms.

He was married September 24, 1854, in Pennsylvania, to Miss Alice Lyman, .of New York. By this marriage six children were born, five of whom are still living : Wayne, deceased; Lois, Carrie Bess, Ruth and Grace.

963

HARRISON COUNTY.

Politically, our subject voted with the Republican party. He was a member of the Latter Day Saints Church, and be- longed to the Masonic Lodge at Little Sioux. He passed from this life October 24,1885.

S ILAS W. CONDIT, deceased, a na- tive of New Jersey, came to Harri- son County among the very earliest pioneers, arriving as he did in 1848. He was the son of Jeptha and Charlotte Con- dit, who were natives of New Jersey. Mr. Condit was a shoemaker by trade and emigrated to Ohio, about 1838, where he worked at shoemaking. Heand his brother Amos joined the Mormon Church, and came West to Nauvoo, Ill., where they were to establish that city, and when the Mormons started West they went with them, and stopped to winter at Trader's Point, near Council Bluffs. While the Mormons were platting and surveying for a town site, at old Trader's Point, his brother Amos, while a party were survey- ing, was murdered in cold blood, by one of the Mormons, who thought the streets they were surveying encroached on his land. They pursued the murderer to Os- kaloosa, where he was captured and brought back to Trader's Point and placed in a log jail, but being aided by outsiders, he managed to make his escape and was never re-captured. Mr. Condit thought that the Elders of the church had some- thing to do with the escape of the man, and he at once left the church and re- moved with his family to what is now Harrison County, and settled on the Lit- tle Sioux River, and subsequently laid out · the town of Little Sioux, on his own land.

For years, his nearest neighbor was Dan- iel Brown, of Calhoun, who was seven- teen miles away. He built his first cabin of logs, and its roof was made of bark.

Mr. Condit was the first Postmaster of Little Sioux village, and established the first ferry-boat on the Little Sioux River. He was thrice married. Parker L., a son by his first wife, lives in Omaha; Sarah, Adaline, John, Henry, Leonard and Dana S., by his second wife, live at Malta, Idaho. Mrs. Cordelia Condit, his widow, with three children, Lottie, Bertha and Frank, live near Albion, Idaho.

HOMAS CALLENDER came to Woodbine in the spring of 1867, and in 1868 commenced to work on the railroad, as a track hand and followed the same for fourteen years. He purchased forty acres of land in Boyer Township, which he improved and lived upon for ten years, when he sold and bought a resi- dence in Woodbine, where he is now liv- ing a retired life. He is a native of Ire- land, and remained there until he was about thirty years old, when he came to America, making a stop in New York but shortly came to Racine, Wis., where he remained until the time of his coming to Harrison County.

Mr. Callender married Miss Jane Long- moore, in Ireland, and they are the par- ents of eight children : Jane, William J., baby died in infancy: Samuel, Anna, twins died in infancy; and Lucinda.

When our subject came to this county there were but a few houses in Woodbine, and on account of sickness in his family

964

HARRISON COUNTY.

and large doctor bills, he was unable to make much progress.

Mr. and Mrs. Callender are consistent members of the Presbyterian Church, and are highly respected people in the com- munity in which they live.

HAYNES BUXTON, M. D., a practicing physician at Woodbine, is a native of Londonderry, Vt., born July 15, 1859, the son of Stephen A., and Laura S. (Haynes) Buxton, both natives of Vermont, but of English extraction. The parents are both living, aged sixty- five years. The father has been an exten- sive farmer in his native State, and in 1888 came to Woodbine, Iowa, where he is now leading a retired life. Both he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church. The family are among the early settlers in the Green Mountain State and date back in this country for six genera- tions. James Buxton, came to America about 1700 and from him descended Jona- than, Nathan and Stephen. The father of our subject had three brothers in the Civil War, showing the patriotism of the family. They were Charles, who was killed at Winchester, after serving his country for three years, and holding the rank of Major; Albert, who was Captain of a company of United States Sharp-shooters. and was killed in the Battle of the Wilderness. Horace was a Corporal, and died in the hospital at Wash- ington, which left the father of our sub- ject the only male survivor of the family.

The father of our subject's mother was a physician at Plattsburg, N. Y. He was a strong abolitionist, and an active mem- ber of the "Underground Railroad" (a sys-

tem by which slaves were secreted and helped from the Slave States, over into Canada.) The parents of our subject had three children : L. Haynes, William Albert, of Harvard, and Charles S., deceased. Our subject's early life was devoted to at- tending and teaching school. At the age of twenty, he commenced the study of medicine, and attended medical school at the University of the city of New York, graduating June 19, 1884, from the medi. cal department of the University of Ver- mont, after which he practiced one year in Plymouth, Vt., and in 1885 came to Iowa, and began his practice at Woodbine in 1888. He is a member of the drug firm of S. L. Berkley & Co. He is a member of the State Medical Society and became a registered pharmacist in 1888. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, be- longing to Charter Oak Lodge, of A. F. & A. M., and also to Lodge No. 405, I. O. O. F.

He was united in marriage December 25, 1883, to Ella G. Hoey, at Plattsburg, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Buxton have a fam- ily of four children : Clarence C., Grant, Gertrude, and an infant daughter.

Politically, the Doctor is a Republican, and was elected as Superintendent of Public Schools at Plymouth, Vt.

C ARL F. PETERSON, a resident of section 20, Allen Township, came to this county in July, 1873, and first located on the Missouri Bottom, in Tay- lor Township, and worked for his uncle by the month. He continued to work by the month for eight years, and then bought the place he now occupies, consisting of one hundred and twenty acres of partly

965

HARRISON COUNTY.

improved land, upon which he built a house, 14x20 feet, also built a barn, gran- ary, cribbing, etc. Set out an orchard of one hundred trees, besides a grove of shade trees. He now owns two hundred acres, one-half of which is under the plow. He was born in Sweden, in Decem- ber 1852, the son of Peter and Christena Larson, who had eight children, six of whom are still living, all in this country but one. Our subject left Sweden when twenty years of age and came direct to Harrison County. He was married Oc- tober 21, 1883 to Eliza Follett, daughter of Nelson and Ellen Follett, of Indiana, who had seven children.

Our subject and his wife are the parents of four children-Emma, Edgar, Charles and Ellen.

Le EVI M. KNAUSS, a successful farmer of Jefferson Township, re- siding on section 13, and who owns two hundred and sixty-eight acres of well improved land in Harrison County, is justly entitled to be called a self-made man, only having $100 when embarking on the sea of life for himself.

He was born in Nobles County, Ind., June 7, 1844, and came to Harrison County with his father in 1855. He was married March 26, 1865, to Miss Anna Eliza Henderson, a native of Illinois, born in December, 1842, and died June 4, 1886, leaving a family of three children-John Wesley, Vira B., Vinnia L.

After first starting for himself, our sub- ject rented land of his father for one year and then moved to Kansas, where he re- mained about nine months and then re- turned to Harrison County, and a year

later purchased a part of his present farm, where he has built for himself a beautiful as well as valuable home. "Hard work" has been the motto by which he has con- quered, and his success is an example of what may be done by temperance and in- dustry.

ACOB KIRK ranks among the ear- liest pioneers of Harrison County, coming as he did in the autumn of 1853, and took a claim of one hun- dred and sixty acres near the present site of Logan, but two years later removed to Douglas County, Neb., twenty miles west of Omaha, where he made another claim and remained four years, but upon ac- count of the sickness of his wife, went back to Jefferson County, leaving part of his goods in his house and some with his neighbors. He returned after about one year to find his house and goods reduced to ashes. He then returned to Harrison County and bought his present farm on section 3, of Jefferson Township.

Mr. Kirk was born in Claiborn County, Tenn., in January, 1824, and is the son of Alexander and Catherine (Bolinger) Kirk. He started for himself when twenty-two years of age, then worked out a year by the month, but returned home to assist his father, who had been afflicted with the palsy. In 1850 he was married to Amelia Smothers, by whom three children were born. His wife died in Harrison County, and he was again married, Alice White becoming his wife, and she died in about seven months. In January, 1886, he was married to Mrs. Mary J. Young, who was born in 1836, and was married in Putnam County, Ind., in 1848, to David D. Young,

966

HARRISON COUNTY.

who died at St. Joseph, Mo., at the lios- pital, while he was in the United States service. Mr. Young settled in Harrison County, at Elk Grove, in 1850,' and re- mained there until he enlisted in Com- pany C, Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry.

HARLES MILLS located on sec- tion 32, of Lincoln Township, Har- rison County, in August, 1867, and in the spring of 1868 became a permanent resident. He bought eighty acres of wild land, now a part of his present farm. He built a house 18x28 feet, stables, cribs, etc., and set out an orchard of three hun- dred trees. He fenced his place with wire and improved it with an artificial grove.

Mr. Mills was born in Russelltown, Canada, in December,1828. He is the son of John and Maria Mills, natives of Vermont, who reared a family of nine children, he being the fourth in order- Judith, John, deceased ; Hannah, Charles, Thomas, deceased; Deborah; Mary, de- ceased; John, deceased, and Helen, de- ceased.

Charles lived in Canada until six years of age, and then accompanied his parents to Clinton County, N. Y., where they en- gaged in farming and remained there until 1849, when our subject went to Franklin County, and bought one hundred acres of land. In 1882 he enlisted in the One Hun- dred and Forty-second New York Regi- ment and was sent from Ogdensburg to Fairfax Courthouse. His first engagement was at Fredericksburg, he being in the Army of the Potomac. During his ser- vice he lost one finger. He was mustered out at Arlington Heights, in June, 1865,

arriving home on the 26th of that month, and found his wife hoeing potatoes upon his return, which however she quit for the day! They remained on this farm until coming to Iowa.

Mr. Mills was united in marriage March 31, 1849, to Mehitabel Ladd, the daughter of Ezekiel and Catherine Ladd, natives of New York State, who had eleven children, our subject's wife being the seventh in order of birth, and of whom only three are still living. Their names are as fol- lows-Eliza, an infant, Catherine, Mor- decai, John, Alice, Delana, Mehitable, Catherine, Mary and Ezekiel.

Mr. and Mrs. Mills are the parents of ten children, all of whom are living. They were born in the following order-Harriet E., Francis M., Walter T., Schuyler J., Mehitable E., Lillie E., Roxy E., Elias E.,Eva and Charles A.

When our subject enlisted as a soldier in the Civil War he was the father of five children, the youngest being only eleven days old and it is quite evident that he went into the army out of patriotism, because he only received a bounty of $50.

ENRY HERRING, of Little Sioux Township, has been a resident of Harrison County since 1856. He was born in Adams County, Penn., in 1832, and is a son of Michael and Mary - Herring, natives of the Keystone State. Our subject's early life was spentin Penn- sylvania, where he received but six weeks' schooling, yet, through hard work work upon his own part, the school of life has made him a number one business man. Upon coming to Harrison County, he en- gaged at carpentering and also split nine

967

HARRISON COUNTY.

thousand rails for Solomon Smith; he also worked in a sawmill on Soldier River, and cut shingles with John Ellis, also cut wood for the steamboats. In 1859, he bought a farm on section 34, and farmed that until 1877, and then started a store in River Sioux, carrying a general stock, including lumber, machinery, wagons, etc.

Our subject was united in marriage at Fairfield, Adams County, Pa., March 8, 1866 to Mary Musselman, by whom five children were born-John, Christian, Charles, Millie and Olive.

Politically, our subject affiliates with the Democratic party. He started the first store in River Sioux, and built the second dwelling in the place.

S ETH PALMER, a farmer living in Little Sioux Township, is a native of Ohio, and came to this county in 1852, being among the earliest pioneer band. He was born in Medina County in 1824, the son of Ambrose Palmer, of Rich- field, Conn., and of Scotch-Welsh ex- traction.

Our subject accompanied his parents to Missouri in 1836, and received his educa- tion in Ohio and Missouri. The family removed in 1839 to Nauvoo, Ill., lived ten years and in 1846, came to Council Bluffs. Our subject returned to Nauvoo the same fall, and followed steamboating for three years. We next find him in Montrose, Lee County, Iowa, and in 1852, made a claim in Harrison County, on section 36, of Little Sioux Township, where he still lives. He owns three hundred acres of land in Harrison County.

He was married March 16, 1844, to

Daphin Roberts, who died November 21, 1845, and March 8, 1847, he was united in marriage to Harriet Newberry, who was the mother of two children. She died July 27, 1849, and October 11, 1860, our subject was again married to Miss Sylvia Goldsmith, and by this union two chil- dren were born-Edmund A., and Valens A. Our subject is a Republican in his political belief.

ATHANIEL NEELEY, (deceased), was one of the early pioneers in N Harrison County, coming in 1852, and located in Little Sioux Town- ship. He was a native of Kentucky, born in Fayette County, October 1794, the son of James and Margaret Neeley. He spent his early life and obtained his education in Kentucky and moved to Green County, Ohio, in 1835, and in 1850 to Des Moines, Iowa, and from there to Harrison County. The sons, Thomas and Robert, came in 1850, owned several farms, and helped plat the village of Little Sioux. Thomas was the first Representative the county had in the General Assembly. Mr. Neeley first located on section 18, where he bought a claim of Sission A. Chase, who went to Salt Lake with Brigham Young.

Our subject was married in 1821 to Melinda Butler, a native of Scott County, Ky. They reared a family of nine chil- dren-Sarah A., (Mrs. Sharpe) ; James, (deceased) ; Robert H., (deceased) ; Thos. B., in the State of Washington ; Melinda, (Mrs. Knight), of Washington: Louisa, (Mrs. McEvers), (deceased), who was the first person married in Harrison County ;

968

HARRISON COUNTY.

Mary J., (Mrs. McCollough) ; Martha E., (Mrs. Porter). (deceased) ; Hugh, lives at Mapleton, Iowa,

The subject of this sketch, who will long be remembered by the early settlei's of Harrison County, passed from the scenes of this life,in March, 1875. His wife died in 1861. Mrs. Malinda (Butler) Neeley belonged to the Presbyterian Church, while he held to the Universalist faith. They were both buried in the Murray Cemetery.

n OEL FOUTS, an extensive farmer, living on section 24, of Harrison Township, is a native of Putnam County, Ind., born May 18, 1826, He is the son of Noel and Jane (Wright) Fouts, who were from North Carolina and among the early settlers of. Indiana. When our subject was twenty-three years of age he, in company with the family, came to Shelby County, Iowa, where the parents both died. They were the parents of twelve children : Abner, Reuben, Delilah, Rachel, Andrew and Mary, all deceased ; Nancy, wife of Ed Sandy, a resident of Shelby County ; Martha, deceased; Sarah, widowed; Noel, our subject; Cynthia and Eli, deceased.

Our subject received his education in the subscription schools of the Hoosier State, and bought a claim in Elk Grove, Harrison County, Iowa, in 1850, which he farmed one year, then sold and moved to Galland's Grove, Shelby County, where he bought a claim of three hundred and twenty acres. He remained in that county until 1879, and then returned to this county, where he had a farm of eighty acres. He now possesses two hundred

and forty-five acres in this county, and eighty acres in Shelby County.

He was united in marriage in Novem- ber, 1848, to Martha Simpson, and they have a family of nine children-Cynthia, widow of R. T. Laird; Mary, wife of W. J. Benjamin, of Harrison County ; Sarah, wife of Luther McCord, a resident of Shelby County; William T., a resident of Harrison Township; Martha E., wife of Walter Smithers, of Shelby County ; Nancy, wife of E. D. McCord, of Shelby County; George B., a resident of Dun- lap; James W., a resident of Harrison Township, and Edith, at home.

Politically our subject affiliates with the Democratic party, and is one of the leading and enterprising citizens of his county. Mrs. Fouts is a member of the Baptist Church.

SAAC W. COX, a farmer of section 34, Allen Township, has been a resi- dent of the county since the autumn of 1862, when he located near Missouri Valley, where he purchased two hundred acres of wild land, upon which he made improvements and remained one year, and afterward bought two hundred and forty acres in Calhoun Township, and has owned various tracts of land from that time to this.

Mr. Cox was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, in November, 1817, and is the son of Abraham and Lydia Cox, na- tives of Tennesse and Virginia, who reared a family of eight children, seven of whom still survive. Our subject remained in the Buckeye State until he was six years old, and then removed to Indiana, and re- mained at home until he was of age; then

969

HARRISON COUNTY.

buying land of his own in Putnam County, from which he cleared up a farm, and re- mained until 1851, and then came to Pot- tawattamie County, Iowa.

Our subject was married in May, 1844, to Mary Ann Deal, the daughter of John and Sarah Deal, natives respectively of Tennessee and Indiana. Our subject and his wife are the parents of nine children.

들수+주름

LMA M. FYRANDO, a merchant at the village of Magnolia, together with interesting facts concerning his parents, will form the subject matter of this notice. He was born at Mt. Pleasant, Utah, July 26, 1865, and when nine months old his parents started with ox-teams for Omaha, reaching that point in the spring of 1866, and remained there until the spring of 1869, when they moved to Blair, Neb., and resided there until the spring of 1874, and then came to Magnolia. Here our subject remained with his parents until the spring of 1887, when he went into the general merchan- dise business in partnership with J. F. Mintun, the firm being known as J. F. Mintun & Co. In March, 1889, our sub- ject's father bought Mr. Mintun's share in the business, when the style of the firm was changed to M. Fyrando & Son, and so stands at this time, his father hav- ing died November 22, 1890.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Harrison County, Iowa. Containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county. Together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of Iowa, and of the presidents of the United States, Part 109

Author: National Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, National Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1150

Author: National Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, National Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1150