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 33
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Mrs. Smith was born in the State of Michigan, her father dying when she was yet a small girl. She lived with her grand- parents at Niles, Ill., until about 1876. Her mother married James Atkinson in Niles, Ill., and the family came to Harri- son County and settled on a farm in Un- ion Township, where our subject's wife re- mained until the time of her marriage.
Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson removed to Per- sia in the spring of 1889, and the latter de-
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parted this life March 7, 1890. They were both members of the Latter Day Saints Church.
J. W. Smith, father of our subject, was born in Ohio, and came to Harrison County, Iowa, about 1854, and settled in Union Township where he improved a farm, sold that and bought another in Washington Township, which was already improved and upon which he lived until 1880, when he sold out and removed to Union Township where he rented, until 1883, and then removed to Harlan, Shelby County, Iowa, and lived until 1885, and then removed to Nebraska.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith were members of the Latter Day Saints Church.
DAM C. SNYDER, County Sur- veyor of Harrison County, and a resident of the village of Persia, came to the county, in the spring of 1880, and settled on a farm, on section 3, of Washington Township, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land upon which a small amount of break- ing had been done, and a small unfinished frame house erected.
This land (to which he added another eighty acres, adjoining) he improved, built a frame house, 16x26 feet, one story and a half high, He remained on this farm until the spring of 1889, when he rented his place, and moved into Persia, and in 1884, was appointed as County Surveyor, to fill the unexpired term of R. Ballard, who resigned after holding the office about six months. After serving out his appointed time, Mr. Snyder was elected for two years, after which J. C. McCabe held the office two years when
our subject was re-elected and has held the office ever since.
The man of whom we write is an hon- ored son of the old "Keystone State," born in Franklin County, August 8, 1831, and remained with his parents until he was nineteen years of age, when he went to Fayetteville of the same county, to learn the tanner's trade. He remained there two years and then moved to Straus- burg, Franklin County, where he worked at his trade one year, and then moved back to Fayetteville, where he was en- gaged by his old employer, for whom he worked for two years, and after a year of farm labor for his brother, and in the spring of 1857, he came to John County, Iowa, locating two miles northwest of Iowa City, now called Coralville, where he was in the employment of ex-Gov. Kirkwood, who was then Speaker of the House of Representatives. In 1859, he moved to a point five miles north of Iowa City, and rented a farm, farming and teaching winters, (teaching surveying in connection with other branches). We next find him near the village of North Liberty, where he rented a farm and lived until 1866.
This farm belonged to his mother, and during the year 1866, she sold the land, and our subject removed to a farm adjoin- ing, farmed one year, and then through the advice of E. Clark, of Iowa City, he bought a farm of eighty acres of improved land, near the village of North Liberty, upon which he lived from 1868 to 1874, and then sold and moved to Shelby County, Iowa, where he bought one hun- dred and sixty acres of land a mile and a half northeast from Shelby, where he re- mained until 1879, and then purchased a farm in Washington Township, Harrison County.
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Concerning his education, it should be said that Mr. Snyder attended the Acad- amy at Chambersburg, Penn. one year, where he studied civil engineering, which profession he followed in Johnson County, Iowa, under the act of 1864, providing for the re-survey of all fractional pieces of land along the Iowa River, containing less than forty acres. Upon coming to Shelby County, he was appointed land agent for the Rock Island Railroad Company, under John L. Drew, of Davenport, Iowa, and was a law partner of George Getty in Shelby for two years in the practice of law, also acted as Deputy Surveyor, of Shelby County, in 1876, until he moved into Harrison County and was appointed to the same position in Harrison County, under Logan Crawford, of St. John's Township.
He was united in marriage August 31, 1851 to Arabella L. Beasore, of Franklin County, Penn.
They are the parents of ten children- Alfreta C., Martha E., George L., Ara- bella, Luther M., Harvey A., Amanda M., Hannah E., Hattie B. and Adam Arthur.
Arabella died, November 27, 1861; Austin H., October 26, 1880; Luther M., March, 1886; George L., December, 1886 and Adam Arthur, May 6, 1888.
Politically, our subject is a supporter of the Democratic party. He belongs to the Masonic order, joining in Johnson County, in 1865, being a member of White Marble Lodge, No. 271, and was a charter member of Selentia Lodge, No. 371, of Shelby, Iowa, and also a charter member of Crafts- man Lodge, No. 490, of Persia, Iowa.
In their religion, Mr. and Mrs. Snyder belonged to the Lutheran Church until they moved to Shelby and there united with the Presbyterian Church.
Since 1882, Mr. Snyder has acted agent
for the Chicago & Milwaukee Land Com- pany, and wrote their contracts and specifications for their own lots, which he is handling. He was the first land agent at Persia, at the time the town was started.
Arabella (Beasore) Snyder, the wife of our subject, was born near Rocky Springs, Franklin County, Penn., March 16, 1829 and remained in that county, until the date of her marriage.
It only needs to be added, that our sub- ject is a man of correct business principles, has always stood high in the various con- munities, in which he has lived, and is to- day an honored citizen of Harrison County, and is surrounded with a family and home worthy of the kind father and faithful husband that he is.
E DWARD C. CAMPBELL, a resi- dent of section 11, Washington Township, came to Harrison County in December, 1876-the last month of the Centennial year. He lived in a rented house until February, 1877, but during that month removed to his own place, which consisted of two hundred acres of land which he had bought in April, 1876. It was wild land and he at once com- menced to improve it by breaking the vir- gin sod, turning over eighty-five acres the first year. He had erected his house while living in a rented one. His present farm consists of two hundred and forty acres, all of which is under cultivation ex- cept ten acres. When he came to the township it was yet quite wild and only one public road was worked through the township on a section line, the remainder of the roads running angling along the
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valleys or along the ridges. The first road on the section line was called "Goode- nough Road," but better known as the Killner Road. At that time the nearest schoolhouse was on section 4, on Spring Creek, but after he had been in that town- ship for two years, a schoolhouse was built on section 2. Before Persia sprang into existence our subject went to Shelby to do his trading.
Mr. Campbell was born February 6, 1845, near Danville, Vermillion County, Ill., and when eleven years of age his par- ents removed to Livingston County, Ill., where he grew to manhood. After hav- ing reached his majority he commenced life's work for himself by renting land which he continued to do until the au- tumn of 1876, and then left the "Sucker State," coming to Harrison County, Iowa.
He was married in Livingston County, Ill., April 16, 1876, to Mrs. Mary E. Thomas, whose maiden name was Swaner.
In religious matters Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are non-professors. Politically he is a Democrat and has been elected to numerous local offices.
W ILLIAM DICKINSON, a farmer of section 6, Union Township, has been a resident of Harrison County since the spring of 1865. He was born in Clark County, Ohio, and remained there until eight years of age, when he accom- panied his parents to Southern Michigan, where he helped his father clear up a farm from out the big woods, and among other impressive incidents was the time when he was bitten by a rattlesnake, which came near causing his death, He was
confined to his room for about six months, and so delirious was he that a part of the time he did not know his own mother. He remained in the Wolverine State until 1865, when he came to Iowa. He is a son of Richard and Saphrona Dickinson, whose personal sketch appears elsewhere in this work. Our subject was one of four children-William, James, Amanda and Isaiah.
Our subject was married in the autumn of 1861 to Lina Carrier, the daughter of Elias and Rosetta Carrier, who had eight children, of whom our subject's wife was the fourth. The children were in the fol- lowing order: Frank, Charles, Rosetta, deceased, Lina, Albert, Mary, deceased, Edwin, Salina. The parents were natives of New York.
Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson are the parents of four children - Saphrona, deceased, born in 1862; Charles, October 31, 1864 : Frank, June 26, 1869; Lillie, February 21, 1875.
Upon coming to this county our subject commenced housekeeping in a small log cabin, fashioned by his own ingenuity, the same being provided with a rough board floor, one-half of the roof being covered with shingles, while the other was cov- ered with boards. In this pioneer castle he lived for five years. His first place consisted of thirty three acres, which he finally sold to his brother, and bought a forty-acre tract on section 19, but after- wards traded with his brother and ob- tained his old place, to which he has since added forty acres, which makes his pres- ent farm contain one hundred and seven- teen acres, eighty-two of which are im- proved, while the remainder is in timber. The farm is all fenced, and contains good buildings. In 1885 a hailstorm injured his entire crop, but it was at a time of the
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year when corn was very small, so that it matured into about one-half of a crop.
Politically, our worthy subject believes in the great principles of the Democratic party ; he exercises liis right of franchise by casting his ballot with this political party.
In religious matters he and his estima- ble wife believe in the generally accepted faith of the Christian Church.
AMES W. DIGGLE, who resides on section 25, of Union Township, accompanied his father's family to Harrison County in 1865, and who has had his share of pioneer hardships and experience, was born in Boomer Town- ship, Pottawattamie County, October 5, 1854, and hence is a genuine Hawkeye production. He is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Whittiker) Diggle.
He has attended the common district schools of Harrison County, gaining a fair business education. When twenty-four years of age he embarked on life's sea for himself, his father giving him forty acres of land, which he attended to, at the same time assisting on his father's farm, and living at home until February 15, 1884, at which time he married Grace C. Day, a native of Michigan, born February 15, 1864. She was the daughter of Charles and Olivia Day. Her people emigrated to Lincoln County, Neb., in 1871, but re- turned to Michigan in June, 1877. The same year they returned to Missouri, and in the spring of 1880 came to Harrison County. They now live in Lane County, Kan.
Our subject's farm consists of one hun- dred and sixty-five acres, of which one
hundred and twenty is plow land, five of timber, and the balance is pasture and meadow.
Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Diggle-Carl E., Gertrude O., and Claude J., who died at the age of five months and fourteen days.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Diggle are identified with the Latter Day Saints Church.
Politically, our subject believes in the principles of the Democratic party.
Our subject has been an industrious man, always looking to the fertile soil for a livelihood, and in this has been crowned with unusual success.
He usually keeps about forty head of cattle, and eight head of horses; and be it said to his credit, that he uses money for what it was intended-the happiness of himself and those around him.
P AUL MOWRY, a resident of section 15, of Washington Township, forms the subject of this sketch. He was born in Stephenson County, Ill., February 24, 1853, and at the age of four- teen years left home and worked out by the month on a farm, making his home in that county until the autumn of 1877, and then came to Shelby County, Iowa, where he farmed, as a renter, until the spring of 1882, and then bought a farm on section 22, of Washington Township, con- sisting of eiglity acres of improved land. Here he remained until the spring of 1889, when he sold and bought his present place, consisting of a quarter section of well-improved land, provided with a frame house 14x24 feet, with a kitchen the same size.
Our subject was married February 24,
Kobber. Michurn
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1880, to Miss Anna Miller, by whom three children were born, Flora G., Clara G. and Ira B.
Mr. Mowry was overtaken by affliction July 22, 1886, when his wife closed her eyes in death. She was born in Warren County, Iowa, in 1860.
For his second wife our subject married Mrs. Nettie Locke (whose maiden name was Nettie Miller). They were married in Harrison County, June 7, 1888, and are the parents of one child, Anna L.
John Mowry, the father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania about 1821, and was killed in the great Civil War.
Lydia (Brubaker) Mowry, the mother, was born in Pennsylvania about 1823, and is now living in Stephenson County, Ill. They were the parents of twelve children, our subject being the fifth child.
Politically, Mr. Mowry is identified with the Democratic party.
R. ROBERT McGAVREN, one of the few hardy pioneers, who ven- tured into the then wild section of Western Iowa, during the year 1850, will form the subject of this biographical no- tice. He came to Pottawattamie County May 4, 1850, forty years ago, and lived within one-half a mile of the Harrison County line, until October 16, 1858, when he moved to this county. He practiced medicine and carried on farining at the same time. He assisted in breaking up a farm in this county in 1851, which was then the property of William Dakan. In 1863, Dr. McGavren came into possession of the place which he still owns.
Dr. McGavren was born in Indiana County, Pa., between Blairsville and Johnstown, May 22, 1821. He is a son of
George and Nancy (Ewart) McGavren. The father was born in Scotland and when seven years old emigrated to the County Monaghan, Ireland. He was born August 15, 1778, and learned the weaver's trade. He came to America in July, 1800, and first located in York County, Pa., and two years later removed to Indiana County, engaging in farming, which he followed the remainder of his days in connection with weaving. In 1829 he removed to Ohio, locating in Columbiana County and to Hardin in 1833. He died August 27, 1853. His wife died July 7, 1861. The former was buried at Westminster, Allen County, Ohio, and the latter at Oak Grove cemetery, near Old St. John's, Harrison County, Iowa. George McGavren was a soldier in the War of 1812.
The Ewarts were of Danish extraction ; the great-grandfather, Thomas Ewart, moved to Ireland in an early day, and our subject's uncle, Samuel Ewart, came to America during the year of 1808, and was engaged in the latter days of the War of 1812 as surgeon. Our subject's mother was born December 23, 1782. Bythis mar- riage twelve children were born, six dying in infancy, and six sons grew to manhood, our subject being the tenth child. There are three now living: Samuel, of Elk Grove, Jefferson Township; George H., a resident of Missouri Valley ; and Robert, our subject.
Dr. McGavren attended the common schools of the Buckeye State, and when seventeen years of age learned the plas- tering and brick-laying trade, following it a few years, but in 1843 began the study of medicine, which profession he began to practice in 1848 near where the town of Ada now stands, in Hardin County, Ohio. In 1849 he entered into partnership with Dr. McChesney, at Huntersville, Ohio,
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HARRISON COUNTY.
and continued until April 4, 1850, when he saw visions of the New West-Iowa. He went by boat down the Olio and up the Missouri Rivers, and landed at Kanesville (now Council Bluffs) Iowa, requiring an even month to make the trip, landing May 4. May 18 he moved to the northwest quarter of section 1, township 78, range 44, where he remained until he removed to St. John's in 1858. Here he practiced his profession until 1870, and was engaged in the hardware trade for five years, but lost his store by fire in November, 1872. He has carried on farming and stock grow- ing, on an extensive scale for many years, and has a thousand acres of Missouri Val- ley land, having fourteen hundred acres, all told, in Harrison and Pottawattamie Counties.
When he first came to the county the settlers were nearly all Mormon believers, and he was only called upon (when it was a matter of necessity) in his professional capacity. Therefore one can see that as money was scarce and winter coming on, something must be done. October 7, he packed his grip, leaving his wife and chil- dren, started for Missouri, going to Gen- tryville, Gentry County, he stuck out his shingle and immediately began to have a good practice. After a few weeks a Dr. Jett, who liad looked over the ground be- fore, came, and finding our subject with plenty to do, he persuaded him to sell out to him. Dr. McGavren then returned home arriving November 17, with $212, the result of about six weeks' work. The first Monday in December, 1850, he began a school in what was then known as "Ten- nessee Hollow," now a portion of St. John's Township. This school was taught in the Mormon "Tabernacle" and he re- ceived his pay in various commodities, one portion paying in rails, another in a
churn and tub, while others brought beef, and in one case two bushel of turnips were brought him; but seldom ever seeing any cash. He continued to teach until March, 1851, having for his pupils, some who were men of a family. After mingling with the Mormons, in the capacity of a school- teacher, his practice as a physician began to increase, and from 1852 up to 1870, his services as a physician were in great de- mand.
In February, 1851, our subject was ap- pointed on a commission to locate the county seat of Fremont County, and was also appointed by the Legislature of 1850- 51, on a commission to locate the State road running from McKissick's Grove, on the Missouri and Iowa line to Chase's Ford on the Little Sioux River, the same passing through where Missouri Valley now stands.
Politically, the Doctor was a stanch sup- porter of the Democratic party. He served in the capacity of County Supervisor of Harrison County for about nine years and and was School Treasurer in both Potta- wattamie and Harrison Counties, thirty- four years in all. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Valley Lodge, No. 232, of A. F. & A. M .; Triune Chapter, No. 81, and Ivanhoe Commandry No. 17, at Council Bluffs. He was the first Worshipful Master and a charter member of the Missouri Valley Lodge. He also belongs to Lodge No. 170,I. O. O. F. as well as the Encampment, No. 78.
He was united in marriage March 12, 1846, in Hardin County, Ohio, to Eliza- beth R. Kirtland, of Scotch descent, but the family have been in this country for many generations. Our subject's wife was born in Licking County, Ohio, Aug- ust 28, 1826, and they are the parents of six children-James K., a resident of Mis-
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souri Valley, who has served the State in various capacities, including that of a member of the Legislature; George Will- iam, living in St. Johns's Township on a farm; Mary E., wife of E. A. Boies, a res- ident of Missouri Valley; John Samuel, cashier of the First National Bank, at Missouri Valley; Horatio Seymour lo- cated at Stromsburg, Polk County, Neb., in the practice of me licine; the young- est child died in infancy.
There are but few men living within Harrison County to-day who have a wider acquaintance, more friends and a better detailed knowledge of western Iowa than Dr. McGavren. It will be remembered that he came to this country three years before the organization of Harrison County and watched the civilizing, trans- forming power for all these years. He has seen the country in its wilderness state, the last of the deer and elk, the advent of the first locomotive, was the first physi- cian to practice among the pioneers, taught one of the earliest schools, was one of the proprietors of Old St. John's, and has seen the first buildings erected in every town and hamlet in Harrison County. His life has not been one of an idle looker-on, but one of business energy which, together with his skill as a physi- cian, has enabled him to make for himself a handsome-indeed a princely compe- tency.
W ILLIAM AISTON has been a resi- dent of Harrison County since the spring of 1877, having purchased his farm the fall before. He is now a resi- dent, of section 18, Jefferson Township.
Our subject was born in Dublin, Ire- land, April 8, 1825, His parents were
Thomas and Mary (Medcalf) Aiston, na- tives of Kent, England, both of whom came to Massachusetts in about 1849, our subject, having arrived in this country two years previous. His parents died in the old- "Bay State"-the father aged fifty-seven years.
Mr. Aiston, of whom we write, learned the trade of a paper maker in Dublin, Ire- land, his father having charge of a paper mill in that city.
After serving seven years as an appren- tice, he came to America and worked for a paper company, this giving him his financial start in life.
Mr. Aiston came to this county from Berkshire County, Mass., moving on a one hundred and twenty-acre tract, provided with a very small house and without fenc- ing. The first season, he broke forty acres and in the spring, purchased eighty acres more and kept adding until he now pos- sesses two hundred and sixteen acres of well-improved land. He erected a farm- house in 1879, the dimensions of which are 22x28, with a wing 16x24 feet.
About sixty acres of his farm is under plow, while the balance is meadow and pasture land. He usually keeps about seventy head of cattle, handling graded Shorthorns and Herefords. Upon coming to the county, he was no doubt inexperi- enced but soon learned the customs of others and has successfully followed his calling. The best years of his life, how- ever, have been spent in the paper busi- ness-forty years in all has he worked at that trade and three gold medals were awarded to him at the Centennial Exposi- . tion in 1876.
Mr.Aiston wasmarriedin Massachusetts, when thirty-five years of age, to Sophro- nia Wilson, of that State, who died in July, 1889, He was again married, Nov-
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ember 12, 1890, to Elizabetlı Milliman, a native of England, who was born, March 20, 1824. She was the daughter of Capt. Leonard and Elizabeth (Nichols) Proctor.
Mrs. Aiston came to America in 1851, landing at New York, May 2. She was married in England, July 28, 1849, to James Whybrow, and with him came to this country ; he died in Ohio in 1852, of cholera, and she was again married Dec- ember 25, 1854 to Francis Milliman. He died in Logan May 10, 1873.
Mr. Aiston has been a very successful farmer since coming to Harrison County, and his beautiful farm known as "Lake View Stock Farm." owing to several small lakes upon the tract from which it derives its name, is one of great attractions. Everything our subject possesses has been made by the royal route of hard, honest labor, as he had but $5 upon arriv- ing in New York. With capital with which to start in life the road to success is neces- sarily strewn with more flowers than is that traversed by one having no means, save that of his two arms and a deter- mination to win.
G USTAVUS A. ALBERTUS, now a resident of Persia, came to Har- rison County in the autumn of 1882 and engaged in the lumber, coal and grain business. In 1886 he sold his lumber and coal trade, but still handles grain and loans money. When he came to Persia there was only three business houses, and as he is now a representative man of the place, the following biographical notice of him will be inserted in this connection :
Mr. Albertus was born December 29, 1850, at Sauk City, Sauk County, Wis., and when twenty-one years of age went to
the Black Hills, remaining in that wild region two years, and then came to Shelby County, Iowa, where he clerked in a store three years, and then went into the lum- ber and grain business, and remained in that until 1882, when he sold and came to Persia.
He was married December 31, 1878, to Miss R. W. Walder, of Madison, Wis. She was born in Switzerland, and when a small child her parents emigrated to Wis- consin.
Politically, Mr. Albertus is identified with the Democratic party, and in his re- ligious belief favors a liberal religion.
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