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 53

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 53

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In the autumn of 1855, the Indians camne here to hunt deer. They came from near where Omaha now stands, and the people thought they would run them out. So the settlers living at Magnolia, headed by the Sheriff of the county, gave them chase. They were on the Willow, in Lin- coln Township, and numbered about sixty, and they turned upon the whites whereupon the brave settlers ran with all possible speed, a more complete ac- count of which will be found elsewhere in this work.

Sufficed it to say that pioneering in

Western Iowa before the Civil War was not fraught with a vast amount of ease and pleasure.

Of Mr. . Thompson's political views it may be said he has affiliated with the Re- publican party ever since its organiza- tion.

AMES C. MILLIMAN, real-estate dealer, of Logan, Iowa, who is well- known throughout Harrison County, where he is held in high esteem, is made the subject of the following sketch, which touches here and there upon his eventful life.

He is the son of Francis and Emily (Hunt) Milliman, and was born January 28, 1847, in Saratoga County, N. Y. The father, in his early life, was a farmer, and followed that occupation in Saratoga County, for about twelve years, after which he was Deputy Sheriff, and Con- stable for some years. After leaving these offices, he was engaged in a foundry and axe factory, but in February, 1865, arrived in Harrison County, Iowa. He was always an energetic, painstaking gentleman, who aimed to earn a livelihood by honorable callings. Two years after his coming to the county, he was elected as a member of the Board of Supervisors, serving from 1867 to 1871.

When he first came to the county, he settled in La Grange Township, and after residing there three years, removed to Jefferson Township. In 1882, he moved to Logan, where he died in April, 1883.

The mother of our subject, who was the first wife of Francis Milliman died April 28, 1849, in New York, and when seven years of age, James C. commenced to earn

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his own living. He went on a farm and worked for his board and clothes for four years, during which time, no doubt, his young heart missed the kind admonition of a mother, but he kept battling away, as best a youth of his age could, doing farm and other work until he enlisted in the Un- ion Army. The first wages he had received prior to that was $5 per month. His first enlistment dated March, 1864, but was rejected on account of his size, and in September of that same year, he enlisted as a member of Company E, Forty-sixth New York Volunteer Infantry, and served until December 28, 1864, during which time he participated in the siege of Peters- burg at Poplar Spring Church, September 30, 1864, where he was shot through the elbow joint, by reason of which his arm had to be amputated. After receiving this wound, he realized the fact that lie was a young man, and in any thing but a flattering position in which to begin life. Consequently, seven days after receiving his wound, he applied for a discharge, but could not obtain it until the proper sur- geon had passed upon his case, which de- layed it until December 28, 1864, after which he went to New York, and two weeks later with his father and four bro- thers-Henry S., Wilson, Ambrose B. and William W., started for Harrison County, Iowa. His oldest brother, Henry, having been in this county, since 1852, coming with Judge Stephen King, be- came a settler of Harrison Township. Henry had been a soldier in the First Nebraska Regiment, enlisting at Omaha, Neb., and serving three years. After his discharge, he resided in Harrison County, until the spring of 1879, when he removed to Hamilton County, Tex., where he now resides.

When our subject came to Harrison

County, he attended the State University, at Iowa City, for two years, after which he taught school two years, and in the autumn of 1868, was elected to the office of County Recorder, on the Republican ticket. He took that office January 4, 1869. and served eight years, after which, in company with A. L. Harvey, he estab- lished the Harrison County Bank in a building which had been occupied by Mr. Harvey's real-estate office, commencing business, September 1, 1876, and con- tinuing until April 1, 1879, when Mr. Milli- man sold his interest to A. W. Ford. For the next four years our subject was em- ployed looking after has landed interests, and December 26, 1884, opened a real- estate and abstract office, in company with Almor Stern, at first occupying a frame building, which was superseded in the summer of 1889, by their present sub- stantial brick office.

Mr. Milliman was married November 20, 1870, to Ettie R. Stern, daughter of Jacob T. and Millicent B. (Fletcher) Stern. By tliis union two children were born-Maude E., October 11, 1871 and Edith R., May 25, 1881.

Our subject mourned the loss of his wife, the mother of the above children, who died January 14, 1883, and was buried in the Logan Cemetery. January 13, 1886, Mr. Milliman married Della S. Rice, daughter of Silas and Elenor S. (Taylor) Rice. This marriage union has been blessed by three interesting children- Elenor, born October 8, 1886; Hattie A., January 15, 1888 and Bernice R., July 19, 1889.

Politically, Mr. Milliman has always been identified with the Republican party and may be considered a stalwart, who can give a reason for his political belief. In their religious relations both he and his

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wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

It may be added in this connection thiat Mr. Milliman was a candidate against Hon. L. R. Bolter, for the office of State Senator in 1886, and those who were ac- tive in that campaign, say that our sub- ject, (who ran ahead of his party ticket) conducted one of the most honorable campaigns known in Iowa politics.

Among the many beautiful homes in and about Logan, none surpasses that of our subject. His spacious, two-story frame residence, standing on the summit of a high bluff, over-looking the town, with a commanding view of the Boyer Valley, is nestled within one of the most charming natural groves found in West- ern Iowa. To the north and west of his residence the grove has been converted into a semi-park, and cleared of all under- growth. This place is used for public gatherings, including the annual camp- meetings of various denominations, upon which occasions from five to ten thousand people are given the liberty to find quar- ters beneath its welcome shade.

In reviewing this man's life, one finds the true spirit of loyalty and manly up- rightness, to a prominent degree ; no man stands higher in the estimation of his fel- low-citizens than he of whom we write. In his father's family there were five sons, who shouldered their muskets in defense of the old flag, which had been assailed by traitorous hands; and all received marks lasting in their character, which will go with them through life, but especi- ally is this true of our subject, who carries about with him a perpetual remainder of that terrible conflict known as the Civil War-an "empty sleeve."

It matters not how many years hence this memoir may be read, it will stand as

an excellent example for any youth, who may chance to read it, showing as it does, how an orphan boy, who early in life lost an arm in his country's service, battled against adversity (single-handed, in the true sense of the word) and achieved the fondest hope of his earlier years-the pos- session of a beautiful, as well as valuable home, which has been the prime object of liis life. Whether one meets Mr. Milli- man in business relations, in public cir- cles, or around his home fire-side, he is the same, plain, campanionable man, who is a lover of his home and appreciates its hallowed surroundings.

EORGE MOORHEAD. The Moor- head family finds its origin in England, John Moorhead being the representative of the family, who was born in England in Lancashire, 1808. He was reared and educated in that country, learned the weaver's trade, and came to America when he was seventeen years of age, locating in Paterson, N. J., and was tliere married in 1829, to Miss Fannie Park, who was born in England in 1810. They moved in about 1835, to Pittsburg Pa. and three years later moved to Athens Coun- ty, Ohio, and located on a farm, remained until 1873, then came to Harrison Coun- ty, Iowa, and lived a retired life at Dunlap he dying in August, 1886. The wife is still living. They reared a family of eleven children, eight of whom came West, one residing in Ohio, and two are deceased. John, a resident of Dunlap, Sarah, wife of William La Follett, of Ohio, Mary, wife of D. Butts, of Monona County, Iowa, George P. a resident of Dunlap, Robert, deceased in 1877; James, residing at Dun-

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lap; Jeanette of Dunlap; Frank, killed by the Indians in 1879, while on his ranch in the West.

George P. was born in Athens County Ohio, March 23, 1837, and was there rear- ed and educated. He left home at the age of sixteen to seek a fortune for himself. He remained in the mining dis- tricts of Ohio, until the year 1858, and then came to Harrison County, Iowa, in the interest of his brother John, who the next year crossed the plains with our sub- ject making all the Western points of inter- est, and returned in 1862, and engaged in the stock business, which co-partnership lasted twelve years, being eminently suc- cessful. When our subject retired from the business in 1875, he owned over one thou- sand acres of land. During that year he removed to Dunlap, and was one of the organizers of the Dunlap Bank, at the same time handling large amounts of live stock both here, and in the West.

Politically Mr. Moorhead is a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, of which he has become a leader. He be- longs to the Masonic and Knights of Pythias fraternities. He was President of the School Board for six years.

He was united in marriage November 19, 1873, to Miss Annis Bowerman, a na- tive of Canada, born January 19, 1844. Mr. and Mrs. Moorhead are the parents of six children-Nellie, Harley Gertrude, Kate, Bessie and Ruth.

1 UDGE JONAS W. CHATBURN, now a resident of Harlan, Shelby County, Iowa, who has been con- nected with the history of Iowa since 1850, was Judge of Harrison County from

1861 to 1863, and for many years was a member of the Board of Supervisors, will form the subject of this notice :;

He was born in Lancashire, England, March 11, 1821, and at the age of fourteen years was apprentice to a machinist, ser- ved three years and then spent seven years learning the art of calico printing.

He was married December 25, 1843, to Miss Mary Burton, a native of Lanca- shire. In the spring of 1845, they emi- grated to America, arriving in New York, in July. He was engaged in Philadelphia for five years, working at his trade. He then went to New Jersey, where he repair- ed a steam saw mill, and followed the ma- chinist's trade until the spring of 1850, when in company with about one hundred others, started West with theintention of going to Utalı, but upon arriving at Coun- cil Bluffs refused to go farther, with the Mormon band, on account of Polygamy. He lived in Mills County, Iowa, where he operated a saw-mill, and in 1853, went to Harrison County, and entered one hun- dred and sixty acres of land, near where Magnolia now stands. He improved this land and in 1854, in company with Stephen Mahoney, constructed the first saw mill in Harrison County, which was on Willow Creek near Magnolia. He also dressed some prairie boulders, from which he constructed a pair of mill stones, upon which he ground corn-meal, and in the manufacture of the first flour in Harrison County, Mrs. Chatburn's veil was used as a bolting cloth. In 1862, Thomas Davis and Mr. Chatburn erected a large flouring mill at Woodbine, and in 1867, built the first mill in Shelby County, at Harlan, as well as another at the Town of Shelby.

While residing in Harrison County, the Judge walked to Kanesville, the round trip making seventy-five miles, to get the

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first seed corn he planted. He bought one-half bushel, paying $1.50 therefor and carried it home on his back, wading through water, knee deep, on the flats where Missouri Valley now stands.

Politically, the Judge was formerly an old-line Whig, casting his first vote for John C. Fremont, and was one of the or- ganizers of the Republican party in 1856.

Both he and his estimable wife, are members of the Latter Day Saints Church.

R. GEORGE W. COIT, a prac ticing physician at Missouri Val- ley, whose name was associated among the early pioneer band of that vicinity, and who has been a con- stant practitioner there since November, 1866, by reason of his long residence and skillful practice, is perhaps as widely known as any man in his community, and very naturally finds a place in the history of his county, among its representative men. While the people of Harrison County have known this professional man for just a quarter of a century, in making a biographical record, it is necessary, and especially interesting in this case, to re- view his earlier years, before coming to the Missouri Slope, as well as to speak of his ancestory, who were prominent in the early history of this Republic.

Dr. Coit was born December 9, 1836, at Bloomfield, N. J. He is the son of Na- thaniel and Marian (Place) Coit. On the father's side he is able to trace his an- cestry back to 1632, when John Coit of Glamourganshire, Wales, emigrated to Gloucester, Mass., and his son, John, Jr., with his parents, left Massachusetts with a colony, for New London, Conn,

They had been ship builders for genera- tions, and when the Revolutionary War broke out, our subject's grandfather, Samuel Coit, then eighteen years of age, joined the Federal forces against the Tories, and was wounded at Ft. Gris- wold, the surrender of the fort having been made possible by the treachery of Benedict Arnold. Tbe paternal grand- mother of our subject, then sixteen years of age, fled, with the balance of the fam- ily, to the forest, while the town was being burned by the British. Her name was Sylvia Lewis, before her marriage, and all the Coits in this country are collateral branches of the same family tree.

Nathaniel Coit, father of our subject, was twenty-seven years of age, when the War of 1812 broke out. He served during the war, in a New York Regiment, until peace was proclaimed. During the Civil war, he desired to enlist but was too old. He died in 1866, aged eighty years.

The Place family were of French ex- traction, and resided on Long Island, near Hempstead. Grandfather Place was also in the Revolutionary war; he possessed a patriotic spirit, and was a highly respected gentleman. Our subject's father, Na- thaniel Coit, was a merchant at New York City for thirty-five years, and was one of the first to build a home in New Jersey. Our subject's mother died in 1876; she and her husband were the pa- rents of six children, four sons and two daughters, four of whom are living, our subject being the youngest of the family. Rev. John S. Coit, brother of George, died in Boone, Iowa, in 1867, and Rev. C. S. Coit, another brother, is an · active minister in Newark, N. J., and has been preaching for forty-five years. He has never been absent from his pulpit, with

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the exception of a few Sabbaths, while in Europe. Mrs. Sarah C. Winne, a wid- owed sister, resides at Bloomfield, N. J .; E. R. Coit, after spending several years as Captain of a vessel, settled in Ohio, where he engaged in farming, and in 1880, came to St. John's Township, Harrison County, Iowa, locating where he now resides.

Our subject received his education by attending the common schools of New Jersey, after which he attended the Sem- inary at Cazenovia, N. Y .; Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn .; Medical College of Ohio, at Cincinnati; he then spent two years as a contract surgeon, during the Rebellion, after which, in Angust, 1865, he returned to New York, spent the winter at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, graduating from it in March, 1866. We next find the Doctor in Harrison County, Iowa, from which locality he has not been absent during all these twenty-five years to exceed six weeks.

Politically, he is what may be termed a logical and patriotic Democrat. Among the local offices urged upon him may be mentioned, the presidency of the School Board, which he has held for twenty years, and is the present incumbent. He is the president of the Missouri Valley Electric Light Company; president of the Board of United States Examining Surgeons ; vice-president of the Medical Society of the Missouri Valley; one of the vice- presidents of the National Association of Railway Surgeons, and chief surgeon of the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad and the Sioux City & Pacific Railway.

He belongs to the Masonic Order, Valley Lodge No. 232, at Missouri Valley, and Anchor Lodge No. 66, of the K. of P.

Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, and were two of the charter members of that church, which which was organized in 1868, with seven original members.

Dr. Coit was married April 23, 1867, to Anna Armstrong Clarke, at Hudson City, N. J. Mrs. Coit was born in Wheeling, Va., and he father, John F. Clarke, was a descendant of Elizabeth Zane, who carried the powder in her apron to Ft. Henry, for her Uncle, Col. Zane, and thus saved the fort. Mrs. Coit's father was the New York agent for the Pennsyl- vania Railroad for nearly forty years; he died still holding the office, at the age of seventy-nine years. Her mother died when she was fourteen years of age.

Dr. and Mrs. Coit's home has been blessed with two children, Nita, born April 14, 1868, and married to Herbert D. Allee, of Omaha, October 14, 1891, who is assistant anditor of the Burlington and Missouri Railway in Nebraska; John Clarke, born June 22, 1872, and is now engaged in the wholesale hardware busi- ness in Omaha, Neb.

There are but few sketches in this vol- ume that present to the reader the outline of a man's life so full of useful lessons, and whose family history is so replete with historic and national events, as the one of whom we have just written. It will be observed that Dr. Coit descended from a sturdy line of ancestors, who were fired with patriotic zeal, and were of a high and intelligent type; also, that early in life he chose his profession, attended the best schools and colleges preparatory to practicing his calling, and he has not, like many others, shifted from one locality to another.

In health we care but little for doctors, especially for their formulas or prescrip-

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tions, but there is sure to come a time when the brow becomes feverish, and when our vital forces refuse to perform their functions, a time when life's thread seems almost snapped asunder. At such a time we seek after the best med- ical men-the successful physician. We are anxious that the "good doctor" watch by our bedside, lest the grim messenger, Death, make his appearance and call us hence.

Dr. Coit, with other members of the medical fraternity, has been compelled to cross trackless prairies, face "blizzards " from the icy north-west, that, too, with no hope of reward, but only to relieve, if possible, those who pleaded for their com- ing and their counsel. When the names of the pioneer physicians, with those of a more modern day, are referred to, it is hoped and believed, that the hearts which perhaps now beat in robust health, will be touched, and at least all of the early settler readers, who with the subject of this sketch, have forded the same un- bridged streams in summer time, and plowed through the same snow-drifts in winter, will say, "God bless the Doctor."

D AVID SELLECK, came to Harrison County in March 1855, entered land on sections 11 and 12, and on sections 1, 2, and 3 of Boyer Township, and it would be useless to enlarge upon the fact that it was wild land, his first improve- ment being the construction of a "dug out." He entered this land in March 1855, and returned to Illinois, and re- mained until the following October, when he moved out, built this pioneer palace in which he lived that winter, and in the

spring built a log cabin which he occupied until the following autumn. During the summer and fall of 1856 he helped burn one of the first brick kilns that was burned in Harrison County, calculating to erect a brick house, as a superstructure over the cellar he had already dug, but he changed his mind and provided the cellar with a roof, in which place he remained during that never-to-be-forgotten severe winter of 1856-57. During the summer of 1857, he built a frame house 16x20 feet, in which he lived until 1870, and then built the house he now occupies, which is 26x32 feet, with a kitchen 12 x 32, which stands on a fine natural building site, and hard by may be found two barns, one 20x24 feet and the other 40x54 feet.

At the time of his coming to the county there were but few settlers who had ventured into this portion of the Hawkeye State, and these were mostly Mormons, who lived in and about the natural groves of timber.

Mr. Selleck was originally from the Buckeye State, and was born April 28, 1820 in Ashtabula County, Ohio, where he remained with his parents on a dairy farm, until he was sixteen years old, when he went to New York City where he had an uncle in the mercantile business. He was by him employed as a clerk for two years, after which he returned to Ohio, remaining until 1838, during which time he had visited Iowa, and about 1841 came to Lee County, this State, near Ft. Madison, and on March 14, 1849, he was united in marriage to Miss Maria Morey, after which they went to Ohio and re- mained one year, then went to LaSalle County, Ill.

Mrs. Selleck was born in Ashtabula County, Ohio, June 3, 1832, and with her parents came to Lee County, when she

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was nine years of age and remained there until the date of her marriage. Seven children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Selleck-Albert Eugene, born June 14, 1851; George W., October 31, 1853; Caroline M., August 13, 1855; Mary J., May 17, 1857; Augustus C., August 4, 1859; Elizabeth B., July 12, 1865; Abba M., October 15, 1869.

During the winter of 1856-57-"the hard winter" -- the time when snow was no longer known as "the beautiful," for it mantled the earth to the depth of four feet, making it almost impossible to get about with a team, Magnolia being the nearest store town, they hauled groceries to and from there upon hand-sleds. Mr. Selleck's stable was built on the hill side of a small draw or ravine, and was covered with poles and hay, and it commenced snowing on the 1st of December and never ceased for about three days, and for that matter hardly ceased all winter. On the morning of the second day, Mr. Sel- leck started for his stable but it was com- pletely covered up and the ravine filled to the level. He took poles and run down through the snow but did not find his stable, until afternoon. They then dug straight down as one would in digging a well, and cut holes through the top of the stable to the horses, and immediately the steam came out like smoke. Here the horses were imprisoned within their snow-covered, yet very warm, stable, for nearly three weeks. He dug an alley and had to cover that over as it was snowing incessantly. In the winter of 1856-57 he saw a drove of elk coming from the hills making for the Boyer, near L. D. But- ler's mill. He started in pursuit with dogs. They were soon discovered by the men at the mill and headed by them, on the ice of the river with dogs and guns.

Several were shot, and Mr. Butler, (de- ceased now), cutting the ham-strings of one, secured it. Deer were caught by dogs, as the poor frightened and fatigued animals would break through the deep crust cutting their legs, causing very many of the nimble-footed herd to perish. At this late day, as the historian reviews those scenes and gathers from the lips of pioneers themselves such narratives, of which the above true story is only one among hundreds, we are touched with a feeling of sympathy and reverence for those who passed through such terrible hardships.

Mr. Selleck exercises his right of franchise, a boon vouchsafed to him by our own peculiar form of Government, by voting with the Republican party.

ONATHAN J. SNYDER, who was born in Fayette County, Pa., March 7, 1853, accompanied his parents to Harrison County, about 1857, set- tling at Magnolia, and entered the mer- cantile business, continuing in the same until 1860, when he went to Modale where he bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres of wild land. Upon this he built a frame house 16x24 feet, together with an addition. Forty-five acres of this land were under the plow. After a year he went to Missouri Valley, remained one winter, and traded his farm near Modale for a farm in Boyer Township, on section 9, which he improved and lived on until February, 1889, at which time he rented his farm and removed to Woodbine, where he bought a residence, which he subse- quently traded for the farm upon which he now lives, on section 15, Boyer Town-

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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 53

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