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 56
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was the landlord. Here the stage-coach halted twice a day, with her crew of land- hunters and mail-bags. Prior to Ray- monds' hotel life he had been a freighter on the plains between Omaha and Denver, and a man by the name of Mckinney kept the place. Mac was said to be some- what profane in his common conversation. Al Benjamin and numerous others catered here to the wants of the lawyers and trav- elers during the '60s. Deer were quite plentiful in the country and several times fawns were offered for sale in the town by Purcell Brothers. The first piano, fire- proof safe, fine carriage and sleigh were brought into Harrison County, by Mr. Olmsted of Harrison Township. He was very wealthy and was killed by accident in 1862. Judge Hardy owned the flour- mill on the Willow, and Judge Chatburn the saw-mill; there were great quantities of flour made at the grist-mill. In the winter of 1865, times were lively on ac- count of high prices occasioned by the war. Two years prior, however, corn sold at ten cents per bushel and was used for fuel. During the last of 1863 and early in 1864, young Goodrich's health seemed to be gaining, but when warm weather came, he seemed to break down entirely, and his life was despaired of, "what a hor- rible cough," was the talk by all. Dr. Rice was again called; his sisters, Lucy and Ruth, never ceased their effort and care to restore their brother to health; they succeeded to a great degree. In the following autumn he took his place in the store in which he had worked previous to his relapse. When Rudasill & Wood suc- ceeded Dally he engaged with the new firm, remaining with them until 1871. We next find Lewis Goodrich at Missouri Valley, to which place he went to live with his mother, and three brothers who
had located there a short time prior. Within a year or two after this, the broth- ers, George and Frank, were married; July 1881 his mother died and in January, the same year, he was married to Georgie Ettinger, who resided with her parents at Boone, Iowa. She has one sister married (Eugenia) who is a great student, her mother being much given to books and literature, while her father is a contractor. In May, 1881, Lewis Goodrich began busi- ness at Missouri Valley for himself and is still thus engaged, but does not enjoy good health. Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich are the parents of two sons, John and Grover, aged respectively, ten and seven years.
C HARLES MICHAEL, a farmer liv- ing on section 17, of Magnolia Town- ship, has been a resident of Harri- son County, since the month of April, 1869, when he settled on the farm he now occupies. The land he purchased was without improvements, and he erected a log cabin 14x18 feet, which served as a residence, until about 1875, when he built a frame house 26x36 feet, one story and a half high. In 1884 he erected a barn 26x40 feet, with twelve-foot posts. He has been a successful tiller of the soil, has "watched the corners" so to speak, and has invested his money in Harrison County land, until he now owns three hundred acres, one- third of which is plow land, and the bal- ance in pasture and meadow.
He was born in Mechlenburg Germany, June 30, 1833, and when about fifteen years of age he hired out to work for $8 per year, but when he quit was receiving $20 per year, which was considered high
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wages in that country. He worked by the year until 1862, and the next two years, worked by the job, and then sailed for America, the "land of the free and the home of the brave." He was six weeks on the voyage across the ocean, and came direct to Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked at odd jobs, cutting wood in the winter and working on a brick-yard during the summer until 1869, when he came to Har- rison County, Iowa.
Our subject was married in Germany, October 1, 1861, to Miss Frederica Ploth. By this union five children were born : John C., Minnie, Charley (deceased) Mary and William. Frederica (Ploth) Michael, was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, De- cember 25, 1835, and remained at home until seventeen years of age, after which she worked out at $13 per year, continu- ing this for seven years, or until she was married.
Mr. Michael and his family are all mem- bers of the German Lutheran Church at Magnolia, and politically, he affiliates with the Democratic party.
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OHN A. WESTON has been a resi- dent of Harrison County since Nov- ember, 1857, and is now a resident in the extreme Northwest corner of Jefferson Township, his farm being in section 6, township 79, range 43.
Upon coming to the county he pur- chased eighty acres of land, at first lived in a "dug out," then built a log cabin, on the site of his present house to which was added a frame kitchen. During the sea- son of the year 1858, he had three acres of breaking done, for which he paid $18 he made a ditch fence on two sides and a
rail fence on the remaining sides. Here he has lived and labored continuously ever since, except one and a half years, which he spent at his trade (carpentering) at Cincinnati during the war.
Mr. Weston was born in Tolland Coun- ty, Conn., on December 22, 1825, and is the youngest of a family of nine child- reu, and fortunately is enabled to trace his ancestry back to 1635, soon after the landing of the Mayflower, when Edmund Weston came to Plymouth, Mass., and settled in Duxbury. In the year 1644, John Weston, then a lad of thirteen years, came from England landing at Salem, Mass., and later removed to Reading of the same state, where he married Saralı Fitch. He died in 1723, at the advanced age of ninety-two. He had four sons: John, Samuel, Stephen, and Thomas. This is as far as the family record can be traced, until we strike Jonathan Weston, the father of Timothy Weston, who was the father of our subject.
. Timothy was born in Willington, Conn., May 22, 1775, and died in Rockville, Conn .; December 5, 1838. His wife, Thankful Cadwell, was born in Hartford, Conn., June 20, 1781, and died May 2, 1857, at Vernon, Conn.
They had a family of nine children- George C., William, Rudolphus, Elisha, Wealthy, Elisa, Orson, Phœbe and John A., the subject of this sketch, who was born in Willington, Conn., December 22, 1825, and when twelve years of age went with his older brother to Rockville.
When sixteen years of age he went to Illinois with his brother William and started to learn the carpenter's trade, remaining there three years, then returned to Connecticut, working at his trade two years and a half, and then went to Cin- cinnati, Ohio, remaining there and at
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Lawrenceburg, working in a sash and blind factory until failing health caused him to come West. He arrived at Flor- ence, Neb., remaining there and at Omaha one summer, which brought him to the autumn of 1857, at which time he came to Harrison County.
He was married November 11, 1848, to Amelia Lewis, a native of Indiana and the daughter of Jonathan and Nancy (Bonham) Lewis, who were natives of Tennessee. She was born November 22, 1824, and died February 7, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Weston are the parents of four children-Emily E., born September 11, 1849, died February 8, 1888; Edwin A. is married and lives on a farm with his fa- ther; Willie E., born June 21, 1855, died June 10, 1857; Jennie C., born December 28, 1857, died January 8, 1864.
Our subject is politically a Republican, believing that that party best serves the interests of the people of this country. Religiously Mr. and Mrs. Weston were believers in the orthodox faith. His wifea was a Presbyterian and he held to the Baptist faith.
ENRY JENNINGS, the son of Levi and Emily Jennings, was born in La Salle County, Ill., July 22, 1835, and was the first white child born in Brookfield, La Salle County. He was educated in the public schools which were of the most primitive order at that time. He was brought up to farm life, and when the War of the Rebellion broke out, his spirit of patriotism was such that he forsook his home and enlisted October 12, 1862, in Company A, Fifty-third Illi- nois Infantry, with which company he was
for thirteen months. He was discharged at Keokuk, Iowa, and re-enlisted January 5, 1864, in Company I, of the same regi- ment, and was discharged August 2, 1865, at Chicago. When he first went into the service he was Eighth Corporal, and when he re-enlisted he entered the Company as First Duty Sergeant. July of the same year he was promoted to Orderly Sergeant and had command of a company until he was commissioned January 2, 1855, as Second Lieutenant. . He served as a val- iant soldier, and at the march into Savan- nah, Ga., was wounded by the explosion of a shell, which killed six men and wounded eleven. His wound was but slight, but the effect of the explosion caused him to be unconscious for over an hour. He participated in the following battles, which are well known on the pages of war history : Pittsburg Landing, Rome (Georgia), and at the fortifications of Al- toona Pass, Battle of Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Ga., where they fought for eleven days continuously, without sleep or rest, also followed Hood on his retreat from At- lanta, and went with Sherman on his fa- mous march to the sea. Aside from a vast amount of skirmishes and minor engage- ments, he traversed the great scope of country, endured much hardship, but stood all faithfully, deeming the protec- tion of his country, but the duty of a true American citizen. It is such veterans as our subject, who love to gather at soldiers' reunions, and sing "Marching through Georgia," and "Tenting on the Old Camp Ground,“which songs will echo and re-echo in the ears of every old soldier, until their last earthly march is ended. After that em- blem of peace-the flag of truce-made its appearance, and the rebel forces had surrendered, our subject returned to La Salle County, Ill., and there remained
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until 1881, when he came to Harrison County and purchased one hundred and one hundred and twenty-acre tract of land on section 34, Harrison Township, where he at once converted the wild prairie land into what has come to be a well tilled farm. He erected a good residence, pro- vided good barns for stock, setout a grove and an orchard of two acres, and made many other necessary improvements. His farm-house stands upon a high elevation, affording a natural building site, as it overlooks the famous Boyer Valley from Logan to Dunlap. The Picayune Valley skirts his farm on the east.
His household is presided over by his sister, Miss Lucy A. Jennings. He is a stanch Republican, "'voting as he shot,“ and has represented his township in vari- ons official capacities, and is its present Treasurer. He is member of Shield's Post G. A. R., and also belongs to the Odd Fel- lows fraternity.
Miss Jennings is a member of the Farm- ers' Wives Society, and has presided over her brother's home ever since they came to the county, and is a partner of her brother in his business affairs. She be- longs to the Congregational Church.
ENRY HAUFF (retired), at the vil- lage of Magnolia, came to Harrison County, in March, 1867. He bought a farm in Magnolia Township, on section 3, the same being partly improved. He remained on this place until 1886, since which time he has beer living a re- tired life in Magnolia.
Our subject was born in August, 1820, and remained there until 1853, and then sailed for New York, and from there went
to Lancaster, Pa., where he worked at the tailor's trade until 1867, and then came to Harrison County, Iowa. He was married in his native country, in March, 1849, to Miss Margaret Hunaman. Both our sub- ject and his wife are members of the Ger- man Lutheran Church.
ENRY H. LOCKLING, a farmer of section 7, Magnolia Township, ranks among the earliest vanguards to Harrison County, coming as he did in the fall of 1851, which was two years prior to the organization of the county. The first winter he spent in Raglan Town- ship, and in the spring of 1852, moved to Magnolia Township.
Mr. Lockling was born in Lyndon, Caledonia County, Vt., January 17, 1833, and accompanied his parents to St. Jo- seph, Mo., in the autumn of 1849,-where they remained until spring, and came to Council Bluffs, and there remained until the fall of 1851, and then, as above stated, came to Harrison County. In the fall of 1850 our subject came up into Harrison County, along the Little Sioux River, bringing a lierd of cattle from Potta- wattamie County to a point in the rush beds along the Missouri River, west of Magnolia. They spent some six weeks in hunting deer and wild turkeys, the. party consisting of his father, grandfather and uncle, and a man by the name of Niles. They were taken to the locality by Mr. Merchant, who stayed with them a few days.
Our subject was married in Council Bluffs, in 1856, to Miss Eliza J. Pate, who was a resident of Harrison County at the time. She was born in Indiana, April 29,
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1840, and when quite small her parents came to Keokuk, Iowa, and in 1852 started for California, but upon reaching Council Bluffs, where they remained a short time, they abandoned their trip and came to Harrison County, where our subject's wife made her home until she was married.
Mr. and Mrs. Lockling are the parents of five children-Lyman A., deceased ; Harrison D. ; Eva C .; an infant deceased ; and Edna M.
The father of our subject, A. W. Lock- ling, was born in Vermont, and remained in the old Green Mountain State until the spring of 1849, when he came to Potta- wattamie County, Iowa, and in the autumn of 1851 came to Harrison County, where he spent the remainder of his days, dying in June, 1889, aged eighty-three years. His wife, Thirsa (Streeter) Lock- ling, was born in Massachusetts and is now in this county.
The father of our subject bought a claim, which is a part of his present farm (our subject's) ; twenty-five acres had been broken, and two log cabins had been erected. He got a half section in all, but it was before any survey had been made ; it cost him $1.25 per acre. When the survey wasmade he found he had only two hundred and forty acres of land. Here the family lived in the log cabin until the autumn of 1856, when they put up a frame house, one story and a half high, 19x26 feet. Our subject remained with his parents on this farm until the spring of 1856, and then went to Blair, Neb., or rather two miles north of where that place was after- ward platted, and with a party of men laid out the town of Cummings City. The place never amounted to much. It had a boom in 1856, and claims were sold for $15 per acre around it, but finally became defunct. In the autumn of 1856, our sub-
ject returned to Harrison County, settled in Raglan Township, where he had taken a claim as soon as he was old enough. He was only able to get forty acres, as most of the land had been taken before he was twenty-one years of age. This "forty" was on section 24, and he lived on this place for several years, then bought a part of his father's farm, where he now lives.
Mr. Lockling is a carpenter by trade and at an early day followed this at Mag- nolia, helping to build the first house that was erected in that village. He has eighty acres in his home farm, and one hundred and sixty acres in the Missouri Valley, and another of one hundred and twenty acres.
Politically our subject is identified with the Alliance party, and in religious mat- ters he and his wife believe in the final salvation of all, but that we will be pun- ished and rewarded according to the deeds done in the body.
E LISHA MAHONEY, farmer, stock raiser, and proprietor of the brick kiln on section 3, Magnolia Township, was born in Harrison County, Iowa, Octo- ber 16, 1860, upon the section where he now lives. He remained at home until 1879, and then went to the Black Hills, remaining in and about Deadwood for one year, during which time he worked in a saw-mill. After his return, he worked his father's farm on shares until 1889, when he bought one hundred and thirty-three acres of the old homestead. upon which he erected a two-story brick house. thirty feet square. It was completed in 1890, and the brick were manufactured by him-
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self. In addition to general farming, he pays special attention to the breeding of Norman horses.
Concerning his domestic life, it may be said that he was united in marriage, in Harrison County, in 1877, to Miss Martha R. Scarborrough, and they are the parents of eight children: William S., Amy R., Robert, Delia, Nellie, Jeremiah, Jonathan and Hiram B. Mrs. Mahoney was born in Maryland, but moved to Harrison County when a small child with her parents. Polit- ically, our subject is indentified with the Republican party.
OHN W. KIRKPATRICK, farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 5, of Washington Township, came to Harrison County just a third of a century ago. He settled on section 18, of this township, which was then a part of Union, in the spring of 1858; at a time when their nearest market was Council Bluffs. Public lands not being for sale at that time, he rented of a man by the name of Barney, who had taken a claim and broken some of the ground. Here Mr. Kirkpatrick farmed for two years, and then went to Walker's Grove and rented land of Thomas Sherer, for two years more, after which he went to Union Grove in Union Township, where he rented of Thomas Sellers, for three years, which brought him to October 1867, at which time he moved back to Clay County, Ind., and remained until August, 1870, when he returned to Harrison County, Iowa, and settled at Plum Grove, in Union Town- ship, where he rented for two years, and then bought forty acres of wild land, on section 6, of Washington Township, which
he improved and lived upon from July 10, 1873, to April 1876, when he sold and re- moved to section 8, of Washington Town- ship, where he had purchased a forty-acre tract, which he improved and lived upon until July, 1883, at which time he sold, and bought forty acres of wild land on section 5, which he improved and has lived upon ever since. When he first came to the county he drove an ox-team, and it required a long two days' drive to make a trip to Council Bluffs and return, that being his post-office and trading place. During the "hard winter" of 1856-7 he was living in Beaver Township, Monona County. The snow commenced falling on the 1st of December, and caught our sub- ject eighteen miles from home, with three cows to drive; he started for home at just sunrise, facing the storm all the way, and arrived home at ten o'clock in the even- ing, when the snow was waist deep on the level, and it kept snowing and blowing for three days and nights. There had been no crop raised in the country the year previous, except that raised upon sod. Corn was very high, and wheat out of question. He had no corn of his own, and had to go a mile and a half, and then pay $1 a bushel, carrying it home on his back, with the snow nearly up to his arms, and after arriving home, shelled the corn, and the next day carried it a mile and a half, to a little hand mill, paying ten cents per bushel to have it ground. Meat was plenty, such as it was, as plenty of deer could be captured without much trouble. Stock suffered greatly during that winter, many starving to death. April 16, 1857, he went to Magnolia with an ox-team and crossed a snow-drift that was twelve feet deep.
To learn something of the parentage and early career of our subject it may be
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stated that he was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, February 9, 1832. He is the son of William Kirkpatrick who was born in Virginia January 1, 1808, and in 1827 went to Guernsey County, Ohio, and remained there until 1849, when he came to Lee County, Iowa, remained several years and then went to Adams County, Ill., where he spent the remainder of his days. His wife, Susanna (Ball) Kirk- patrick, was a native of Ohio, born May 19, 1812, and when a small child removed with her parents to Guernsey County, Ohio. They were the parents of eleven children, our subject being the second child.
John W., of whom we write this sketch, accompanied his parents to Lee County, Iowa, where he remained until January, 1851, and then started for Council Bluffs, going in a boat via St. Louis. He re- mained in Pottawattamie County until the autumn of 1856, and then moved to Monona County, Iowa, and lived until the spring of 1858, and then came to Har- rison County.
He was united in marriage January 18, 1851, in Lee County, Iowa, to Miss Eliza- beth Jones, by whom nine children were born : William H., Francis M., Wilson G., John R., David H., Mary E., Jasen E., Clara E., Rebecca J. William H. died May 8, 1853; Mary E. died January 29, 1890, in Kansas.
Elizabeth (Jones) Kirkpatrick, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, August 19, 1830, and when a year old, her parents removed to Illinois, remained a short time and went to Jackson County, Mo., were there two years, spent a short time in Clay County, and from there to Caldwell County, where they lived about five years, and from there went to Adams County, Ill. Her father was one of the Mormons, who was driven out of Missouri, first from one county to
another, and finally to Illinois, At one time he was hiding in the rocks for three days and three nights. They remained in Adams County until 1839, and then went to Nauvoo, Ill .. where they remained until 1845, and then came to Wapello County, Iowa, halted two years, and then came to Lee County. In 1853 the family moved to Council Bluffs, having lived some time at St. Joseph, after leaving Lee County. We next find them in Monona County. where they remained until 1858. and then settled at Union Grove, Harrison County. In 1866 they returned to Clay County, Ind., remained two years, and then located at Little Sioux, Harrison County, Iowa, where the mother died, January 20, 1869, and the father in the spring of 1876, went to Minnesota, where he died June 7, 1878. His name was David Jones, and he was born in Pennsylvania August 20, 1799. His wife was Mercy (Ayrs) Jones, born in Maryland July 19, 1806. They were the parents of fourteen children, Mrs. Kirkpatrick being the fifth child. This venerable old couple embraced the faith of the Latter Day Saints, and had been identified with them since 1831, while our subject's wife united with the church in 1838.
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OSES W. WILSON, a son of Low- rey Wilson, who was a pioneer of Harrison county, was born in this county March 23, 1856, and is the third of a family of six children. (A sketch of his father's family appears else- where.)
He was married September 26, 1880, to Emnia Mourer, at which time he started in life for himself. He farmed his mother-
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in-law's farm one year, and in March, 1832, moved to his present farm, on section 10, of Jefferson Township, were he is now in possession of a comfortable home.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are the parents of two children-Laura M., born April 28, 1883; and Louis A., May 25, 1886.
Politically Mr. Wilson is a Republican.
OHN THOMPSON, one of the pion- eer band of 1853, is now residing on section 13, of Taylor Township. It was in the month of February, above named year, that he bought a claim in Magnolia Township, upon which there had been ten acres of breaking done. He built a hewed log house sixteen feet square, and remained on that place until the spring of 1855, when he sold and went to Nebraska, taking up a claim eight miles south of Omaha, on the old Indian farm. It was all improved, and had been farmed two or three years. One year later he sold this place, which consisted of one hun- dred and sixty acres, for $800, and bought another claim a mile and a half from that, giving $300 for the same. After six months he disposed of this claim, re- ceiving $2,850 for it.
During the time he had located there, Omaha sprang into existence. In 1857 our subject located in the village of Cal- houn, Harrison County, where he bought a lot and built a house and lived there one year; then sold and went to Shelby County. He bought forty town lots in Shelbyville, which at that time was the county seat. He erected a house and bought a new saw-mill, which he located in Galland's Grove, about two miles from Shelbyville, This enterprise did not
prove a financial success, and resulted in "swamping " our subject. He disposed of what property he had left, and in the au- tumn of 1859 went to Colorado by ox- team. He took one hundred and sixty acres of land, one half mile from where the city of Denver then stood, but now is in the heart of that great city. . He had a partner in this land, who owned one half interest, and while Thompson was back to Council Bluffs after a load of flour, his partner sold the claim and left for parts unknown. Consequently Mr. Thompson never realized one cent on his investment. He visited Denver in 1880 and viewed the land he had thus early. claimed, which is now covered with beau- tiful buildings. In 1861 he returned to Harrison County, and bought the farm he now occupies. It was one hundred and twenty acres of wild land, upon which he built a small frame house, and broke out twelve acres the first year. This was at the commencement of the Civil War, and he made one of the three hundred and forty-seven soldiers who enlisted from Harrison County. The date of his enlist- ment was August 18, 1862, becoming a member of Company C, Twenty-Ninth Iowa Infantry; went South, and July 4, 1863, was in the battle of Helena, Ark., and also participated in the Saline fight, battle of Little Rock, when they cap- tured the city; battle of Shell Mound, Miss., with smaller engagements. He was discharged at New Orleans, August 18, 1865, and was mustered out at Davenport, Iowa, September 3 of the same year, and returned to this county.
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