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 50
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Of his earlier life, it should be said that
he was born in Ohio, and was the son of Peter and Mary Sellers, who were natives . of Pennsylvania and New York respec- tively. They were the parents of two sons-William, (deceased) and Alfred, our subject.
Mr. Sellers, of whom this sketch is writ- ten, was united in marriage during the month of June, 1841, to Betsy Ann Kin- net, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Kennet, by whom five children were born -Mary, Salem, deceased; Elizabeth, Amanda and Jane.
After nearly a quarter of a century of married life, Mr. Sellers was bereft of his wife, who died about 1864, and three years later, married Matilda, daughter of Henry and Frances Peckenpaugh, who were na- tives of Indiana, and had a family of eleven children in the following order-Justice, Stephen, Lewis, deceased ; May, deceased ; Harvey, Thomas, deceased; Didama, de- ceased; George, Matilda, Parker and Vir- ginia.
By Mr. Sellers' second marriage, six children have been born-Emma, Febru- ary 8, 1878; Annie, April 7, 1869; William, July 1, 1870, deceased; Mary, August 7, 1873, deceased; Lovinia, September 21, 1874, deceased; and Rosy, May 19, 1877.
Mr. Sellers' second wife had been previ- ously married and by such union had two children-Leona, born October 10, 1860 and Edora, January 17, 1862.
W ILLIAM H. BRADLEY, a highly . respected citizen of Missouri Val- ley, came there on May 6, 1869, and was in the employ of Snow & Tabor, general merchandisers. He remained with them until July, 1874, at which time he
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went to work for Ellis & Avery, withi whom he remained two years. The next six months he was in M. Holbrook's bank, and the remainder of the year followed railroading. He worked one year and one- half for A. S. Avery, and then formed a partnership with J. W. Butler, and pur- chased Avery's stock of goods, and oper- ated under the firm name of Butler & Bradley. This co partnership existed two and one-half years, when Butler sold to C. W. Neitzsch, who remained a partner with him one year, at the end of which time C. A. Walker bought into the firm. For the next four years the firm was Walker & Bradley, and then Bradley sold his interest to Walker, and for the next three years our subject was in the employ of S. B. Shields & Co., after which he was with Boies & Anderson, until he entered the employ of the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley and Sioux City & Pacific Railroad Companies.
Mr. Bradley was born September 12, 1848, at London, Ont., and is a son of James and Mary Jane (Flynn) Bradley. The parents were born in Ireland, and came to Canada in 1844. They were the parents of thirteen children, and of this number our subject was the fourth child. Of this number four sons and three daughters still survive. John is in the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad, in the general offices at Omaha; Edward lives in Missouri Valley; Joseph is news agent, running out of Kansas City; the oldest and youngest sisters live in Chicago. The former is the wife of James Hender- son, and the latter the wife of Thomas P. Doran. The other sister is Mrs. T. L. Tracy, of Missouri Valley. The parents are deceased. The mother died in 1875, and was buried in London, Canada. The father died in 1887, and was buried in Rose
Hill Cemetery, Missouri Valley, as is also our subject's brother, Harry.
Mr. Bradley was united in marriage May 3, 1873, at Magnolia, Iowa, to Maria J. Wisler, a native of Adams County, Pa., who came to Harrison County in 1870. Her father is still living, but the mother is deceased. Mrs. Bradley had a brother, W. E. Wisler, who works for the railroad company at Missouri Valley. Mr. and Mrs. Bradley are the parents of five daughters and two sons-Florence, born March 20, 1874; Edward, May 4, 1875; Fannie, December 17, 1876; Blanche, May 17, 1879; Pearl, July 23, 1881; Bessie, October 4, 1883; William, May 18, 1885.
Our subject and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically, he is a Republican. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Valley Lodge, No. 232, and also to Lodge No. 160, I. O. O. F., also being in the Encampment.
E DWARD A. BOIES, of Missouri Valley, came to Harrison County in 1867, and for two years made it his home at Magnolia, where he worked at the tinsmith trade. In 1869 he went to Missouri Valley, entered the employ of Harris & McGavren, hardware dealers, with whom he was associated until the spring of 1873, when Carlisle Bros., pur- chased the hardware store of Harris & McGavren. He continued to work for Carlisle Bros., until 1875, when he en- gaged in the hardware trade on his own account, but one year later sold out to Mr. Cheever, and moved to California. In September, 1876, he returned to Missouri Valley and remained one year and a half,
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then with his family moved to Portland, Ore., but not liking that country, again went to California, where he remained six months, and again returned to Missouri Valley. For two years he did not engage in any business, owing to ill health, but in May, 1881, he engaged in the hardware business, and continued until the autumn of 1890. January 10, 1887, he formed a co-partnership with John Anderson, which existed until July 28, 1890, at which time our subject sold his interest to Mr. Anderson.
Mr. Boies was born January 2, 1847, at Newberg, Ohio. He is the son of Jere- miah and Eliza (Moffet) Boies. The Boies family are of Irish descent. Our subject's father is living at Laramie City, Wyo., at the advanced age of eighty-five years. The Moffet family was a large. one, and came from Bucyrus, Ohio. Our subject was the youngest of a family of five chil- dren -- three of whom are now living. One brother lives in Woodbine, and his sister is a Mrs.Sherer, who resides at Mt.Jackson, Pa. Our subject's mother died in 1854, and was buried at Poland, Ohio.
The grandfather Boies was in the War of 1812, and many of his ancestors were engaged in the Revolutionary War.
Our subject's early education was re- ceived in Wisconsin. When he was about eight years of age, his father left him at a sister's, in Ohio, and moved to Wisconsin, and two years later our subject joined his father, in the Badger State. Six months later his father went to Pike's Peak. From the time our subject was ten years of age, he has made his own way through life. In August, 1864, he enlisted in Company B, Forty-third Wisconsin Infantry, and was mostly employed doing guard duty. Was around Nashville, and was in the Johnson- ville fight. He received an honorable
discharge in July, 1865, after which he re- turned to Wisconsin, remained two years, and then came to Harrison County. Po- litically, Mr. Boies has always been a Re- publican, of the outspoken stripe. Since living in Missouri Valley, he has served as a member of the Town Council, and has always taken much interest in the general welfare of the place.
He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, and for fifteen years belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and also belongs to Lodge No. 232, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri Valley.
He was united in marriage May 8, 1872, in old St. John's, at the residence of his wife's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert McGayren. He married their only daughter, Mary E., an extended sketch of whose father appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Boies are the parents of two children-Orley M., who died when two years and a half of age, and was buried in St. John's Cemetery; and Harry, born December 20, 1882.
Mrs. Boies is a member of the Presby- terian Church, and is a devoted Christian lady, active in every good work. She is also a member of the Woman's Relief Corps, Ladies' Aid Society, and Eastern Star.
OHN B. LOWREY, an extensive farmer and landowner, came to Harrison County in the fall of 1866, settling at the village of Olmstead, where he was pastor of the Congregational Church for one year, but on account of ill health, left the ministry and bought a piece of wild prairie land, on section 5, in Douglas Township, which he improved and lived upon until the autumn of 1879, at
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which time he traded that farm for his present place which, at the time of the exchange, had a frame house and only fifteen acres broken. That tract consisted of one hundred and sixty acres, to which he has added until he now owns a half section.
Mr. Lowrey was born March 27, 1841, at Oswegatchie, N. Y. He was reared in the Empire State, living in various places, from the fact that his father was a Metho- dist preacher and was one of the few who assisted in organizing the Wesleyan Church, in America. At the age of nine- teen he went to Staten Island, where he filled a vacancy in the Methodist Church for six months, and after the conference met he travelled on a circuit in Sullivan County, N. Y., for one year, and was then sent as a missionary to Virginia, and from there to Kentucky, at Camp Nelson, among the colored troops. There his health failed, occasioning his return to New York, but a short time later we find him at Tabor, Mills County, Iowa, and in Fremont County, where he remained eighteen months, just previous to coming to Harrison County. He lived longer in Saratoga County than in any other county in New York, and came from there to Iowa.
August 6,1864, he was united in marriage to Helen M. Deuel, of Saratoga County, N. Y., and through this union three chil- dren were born-Viola M., born November 17. 1865; Austin, April 8, 1869; Leon, January 25, 1873. The last named died December 25, 1881. Viola M. mar- ried Charles P. Davis, and they are living in Douglas Township at present.
Helen M. (Deuel) Lowrey was born in the town of Greenfield, Saratoga County, N. Y., May 16, 1842, and there remained until the date of her marriage. Her father was Edmond Deuel, who was born
in Malta, N. Y , August 24, 1809, and is still living near his birth-place. The mother. Martha Bailey, was born in Green- field, N. Y., in 1816, and they were united in marriage in 1834, and became the par- ents of five children, of whom Mrs. Low- rey was the third. The mother died in Greenfield, November 11, 1881.
The father of our subject, John Lowrey, was born in Ireland, on March 29, 1809, and when a mere babe emigrated with his parents to America, stopping at Albany, and from there to Canada, where the family lived for some years, and finally came back to New York. This man, who was born in the Emerald Isle, and who had seen much of the eastern portion of this country was, in the autumn of 1865, induced to come to Amity, Page County, Iowa, where he died October 12, 1874. His wife, the mother of our subject, was born in May, 1816, in the old Green Moun- tain State-Vermont, and her maiden name was Nancy Wilder. This worthy couple were married at Bombay, Franklin County, N. Y., September 12, 1839, and were the parents of seven children, our subject being the second born.
Politically, Mr. Lowrey is identified with the Republican party, and is a firm believer in the Orthodox faith, both he and his estimable wife being members of the Presbyterian Church.
h ENRY FITZGIBBON, whose farm is situated on sections 19 and 30, of Calhoun Township, near the old village of Calhoun, came to Horri- son County in the spring of 1878, to remain, but had been there the autumn before.
He was born in the County of Limerick,
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Ireland, in about 1839. He is the son of James and Mary (Markahan) Fitz- gibbon. The father followed farming in Ireland and died there in 1859; the mother dying a year earlier. They reared a family of six children-five sons and one daughter. Our subject and four others came to America. However Henry re- inained in Ireland at the liome of his parents until after their death. He came to this country in April, 1862, landing at New York harbor and from there went to Bureau County, Ill., and worked on a farm for two years, and then rented land until he came to Pottawattamie County, in the spring of 1835. The first year or two after coming to Iowa he worked about a sawmill and rafted on the river, and after that followed farming.
He was married April 2, 1867, to Laura Lewis, a native of New York, born October 9, 1843. She is the daughter of Nelson and Katharine (Moulter) Lewis. The father was a farmer who located in Wisconsin in 1853, and in 1866 came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, where he stayed until after the Indian trouble, when he pushed on further west; lived in Nebraska three years, but in 1873 went to Oregon where he died November 12, 1890. His wife died in Oregon, March 15, 1880. They reared a family of seven children, of which our subject's wife was the third child.
Of Mr. Fitzgibbon's parental family, it may be said that her grandmother on her mother's side, was Martha Bathia Robbins, who lived to be nearly ninety years of age. Mrs. Fitzgibbon's father's mother was Mary Ann Micks, and she lived to be ninety two years old, and her husband, Elias Lewis, was in the War of 1812, as was her grandfather on her mother's side. Nelson Lewis, father of Mrs.
Fitzgibbons, was always noted for his good disposition and honorable traits of character. Reuben Lewis, brother of Nelson Lewis, was one of the first emi- grants to California- going through with Kit Carson and Gen. John C. Fremont's expedition, and was six months on the way. He was not heard from for twenty- five years, but when they heard from him it was learned that he was one of the wealthiest men in that part of the country, and upon finding that his people were in Wisconsin, he returned to that State, and finding his father had died, he took his mother with him to Oregon, where she afterwards died. He had a large landed estate on the Pacific Slope, and was a man of great prominence.
Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgibbon are the parents of ten children - Anna M., John H., James N., Katie I., Grace L., Rosa M., Harry M., Maggie S., Frances A., Daisy M., all living and at home. The family are members of the Roman Catholic Church, and in his political views, he is a Republican, and has held many of the local offices. Anna and John, children of our subject, are graduates of the Missouri Valley High School, while James, Kate and Grace are attending the same school at present.
Mr. Fitzgibbon now owns five hundred and sixty acres of land, two hundred of which are under the plow, and the re- mainder in timber, meadow and pasture land. When he came to the country he had no money, and all that he possesses of this world's goods, he attributes to hard work, good management and the form of government under which he lives.
While living in the old country, Mr. Fitzgibbon commenced working out when fourteen years of age, at farm labor, re- ceiving ten shillings for three months'
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work. He then worked for a farmer and grain dealer, receiving £1 for three months' work. For two years he followed this and was compelled to be on the road every other night, to be on hand the next morning at the market place. In this way he secured money enough to take passage for America, where he worked on a farm for $8 per month for two years, (he re- ceived $15 the last year). He then bought horses for the Government, making a neat profit. He closed his business in Illinois and came to Iowa City, where he attended school six monthis. He married a young, well-educated wife and many were the evenings they sat together, she giving him instructions until twelve o'clock. In this way he became proficient in mathematics, etc. Not having much chance in early life himself to obtain a good education, he is aiming to give each one of his children a good opportunity.
OHN M. PETERS was not one of the pioneer band of Harrison County, but. has been a resident since March, 1877, having bought a quarter-section of land on the south half of section 2, in Douglas Township. He remained a couple of months, doing some breaking and then returned to McLean County, Ill. The following spring he brought his family and moved on his land, upon which he had built a frame house 12x20 feet, and one story high, in which he lived until the spring of 1881, when an addition was built, 16x24 feet, and in 1889 another addition was built of the same dimensions. From time to time he has added to his land, which is all under cultivation, except about thirty
acres. He has good outbuildings and the general appearance of the farm shows him to be a man of taste and order.
Our subject was born in Antrim County, Ireland, April 9, 1832. At the age of sixteen he bid farewell to the old Emerald Isle and came to America, loca- ting in Indiana County, Pa., working at masonry, learning his trade at Center- ville, Pa. He worked at this trade for five years in Pennsylvania, and then came to LaSalle County, Ill., where he followed his trade for several years, and then removed to McLean County, of that State and worked at his trade until he came to Iowa, where he engaged in farm- ing.
He was married in LaSalle County, Ill., in 1856 to Miss Agnes Brown, by whom two children were born, both of whom are deceased. Their mother died in LaSalle County, Ill., in 1850, and he was again married in the same county, October 1865, to Miss Maranda Hartley, by whom one son was born-Sherman W. Maranda (Hartley) Peters died in McLean County, Ill., January 26, 1873, and Feb- ruary 17, 1874, our subject was married to Mrs. Julia A. Walker, by which union five children were born; Grace M., David A., Edward F., Winnie M., John H
Politically, Mr. Peters is a Republican, and in his religious belief he is a Free Will Baptist.
W ILLIAM G. MEFFERD. Of the old settlers who came to Harrison County, prior to 1851, there are at present but few still living in the county. The man whose name heads this sketch settled in Oak Grove, in Jefferson Town-
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ship, where he farmed until 1853, then moved to Douglas Township, locating on section 29, where he has lived every since. At the time he entered the township there was but one other settler in the territory, a man named Pierse, who left in May of the same year, going to Utah. He sold his claim to Matthew Hall, who was the next settler in Douglas Township.
In the fall of 1853 there were but four votes reported from Douglas Township. Mr. Mefferd (or rather his father, George Mefferd) did the first improving of any consequence in the township. The first year they broke about twenty-five acres. They did not have much to work with, and the ox-team process was a slow one. They lived in a log-house and everything was of the pioneer order. The house still stands with a few alterations and is used by the father as a residence, but one visit- ing the spot to-day would scarcely imag- ine that this was the pioneer abode of the Mefferd's.
At that time their nearest trading-point was Council Bluffs, then known as Kanes- ville.
Among the early-day associations of Mr. Mefferd's place was the first church service held in Douglas Township, which was several years after they came into the place.
The first school taught in the township was taught on the subscription plan, and the school was held at George Mefferd's and taught by Nathaniel Mefferd, in the winter of 1855-56.
Our subject was born in Muhlenberg County, Ky., May 30, 1832, and he re- mained there until 1847, when he accom- panied his parents to Butler County, and remained there until 1850, when they emigrated to Western Iowa with ox-teams, the party being made up of eight families,
including his grandfather, John Hunt, together with his sons and sons-in-laws. They stopped in Pottawattamie County the first month and then came to Harri- son County.
Mr. Mefferd was united in marriage in Harrison County, September 5, 1854, to Martha C. Leslie, by whom six children were born-Nancy E., born June 22, 1855; George W., December 30, 1856; Andrew J., July 17, 1858; Amanda C., October 24, 1860; Mary R., July 28, 1862; William H., March 24, 1865.
George W., died in 1861; W. H. died in infancy, in 1865; Mary R., died October 28,1867. Martha C. (Leslie) Mefferd died in Harrison County, June 1, 1881, and Mr. Mefferd was again married to Mrs. Martha J. Reynolds, in Harlan, Shelby County, Iowa, March 23, 1890. This lady was the daughter of Jacob and Sarah Whitinger, born in Wayne County, Ind., July 5, 1838, and in 1854 the parents be- came pioneers in Dallas County, Iowa, re- maining there until the autumn of 1855 when they removed to Denison, Craw- ford County, Iowa, and engaged in the hotel business, being the first to conduct a hotel in that place.
She was married in Dallas County to Frank Reynolds, moving to Denison in the fall of 1856 and living there until 1860, when they removed to Gallands Grove, in Shelby County and were there about three years, and then went to Davis County, and after one year to Van Buren County, remaining there five years and then returning to Shelby County, and re- maining there until 1879 and then went to Chicago, where Mr. Reynolds died January 21, 1880. Mrs. Reynolds then came back to Shelby County, where she remained until married to Mr. Mefferd. Mr. and Mrs, Reynolds were the parents
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of six children-Ida L., Oscar, infants, (twins), Edwin A. and Carl.
Mr. and Mrs. Mefferd are both members of the Latter Day Saints Church, the wife. having been a member since February, 1861, and her husband since October 6, 1881.
S ILAS W. MORTON, a farmer re- siding on section 3, of Douglas Township, came to Harrison County, in the spring of 1879, and settled on the farm he now occupies, having pur- chased a half section of land in 1868, to which he moved in 1879. His place is now a very finely improved and valuable farm.
Mr. Morton was born in Licking County, Ohio, April 21. 1840. 'He is the son of Marcus A. and Lydia (Nichols) Morton ; the father a native of New York and the mother of Massachusetts. In about 1852 they moved to Wood County, Ohio, where the family remained until the autumn of 1855, and then moved to Indi- ana, the father dying in December of that year. The following fall, our subject with his mother and the family came to Jasper County, Iowa, and settled on a farm. Silas learned the tinner's trade, and worked at the same for three years at Newton, after which he went to the min- ing region of Colorado, mining one sum- mer, returned to Newton and in the spring of 1861, with a horse team freighted across the plains to Denver. He loaded at Des Moines with hams and made two trips that season, and that fall went to Wood County, Ohio, where he leased a sawmill, operating the same until the autumn of 1864, when he returned to Jasper County,
tivated until he came to Harrison County.
He was united in marriage in Lorain County, Ohio, October, 15, 1863, to Miss Ervinna Bronson, daughter of Ransom Bronson. Our subject and his wife are the parents of three children-Eva, (de- ceased), Edward M. and Myrtle.
Mrs. Morton was born in Lorain County, Ohio, and there remained until the date of her marriage. She is a member of the Congregational Church. Mr. Morton be- longs to the Masonic fraternity, and po- litically he is a stanch Republican, and in the fall of 1889 was candidate for Sheriff, but was caught in the "land-slide" when Governor Boies was elected.
M ARTIN KINNE came to Harrison County in the spring of 1870, and settled on his present farm on sec- tion 17, of Douglas Township. It was wild land at the time, there being no improvements but a small house. The farm now consists of one hundred and sixty acres of well-tilled land. He was born in Windham County, Conn., November 4, 1818. He spent his early years as most youths did at that time in the Free-Stone State, helping his parents and attending the common-schools. He married Miss Sarah Thompson, January 1, 1844. They are the parents of nine children-Charles E., Emma C., Hannah E., Elizabeth A., William E., Ella A., an infant, Albert M., Sarah A. Of these children Hannah E., Elizabeth and Elbert are deceased.
After Mr. and Mrs. Kinne were married they removed to a farm where they re- mained until they came to Harrison County.
Mrs. Kinne was born in New London Iowa, and purchased a farm which he cul- | County, Conn., February 19, 1823, and
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removed to Windham County, where she remained until the time of her marriage. She died in Douglas Township, Harrison County, November 28, 1890.
Politically Mr. Kinne is identified with the Democratic party and in religious matters he is a believer in Christianity.
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OHN W. STOCKER, a busy busi- iness man, and the present Post- master at Logan, will be spoken of in this connection, as being one of the number of those who braved Harrison County when it was almost a wilderness. He came to the county in March, 1857, locating at Little Sioux, where he en- gaged at work as a carpenter and sawmill hand. He labored in that vicinity until the breaking out of the Civil War, and August 18, 1862, enlisted as a member of Company C, Twenty-ninth Iowa Infan- try, serving his country, as only the brave and self-sacrificing will, until August 10, 1865, at which time he was mustered out of the Union army at New Orleans. Re- ceiving his final discharge at Davenport, Iowa, September 1, of that year. He en- tered the service as a private, but through bravery and competency was promoted to First Lieutenant. He participated in many engagements, among which may be named the following : Shell Mound, Miss., March, 1863; Helena, Ark., July 4, 1863; Little Rock, Ark., September 10, 1863; Prairie Duane, Camden, surrender at Mobile, Ala., April 12, 1865, which siege commenced March 17; a small engage- ment at the village of Whistler, April 13, 1865, which was perhaps the last engage- ment of the war.
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