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 72
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122
649
HARRISON COUNTY:
moved to his present farm, living in a log house provided with a puncheon floor and sod chimney. In this house he lived until 1872, when he built his present farmhouse, situated on a charming building spot, over- looking the Boyer Valley, which at this point is ever a feast to the eyes.
Mr. Wilson was born in Barren County, Ky., April 25, 1833. His father was Ben- jamin Wilson, a native of Virginia, born November 2, 1803 and died in Logan, Harrison County, June 27, 1878. The mother, Jane (Bend) Wilson, was a native of Virginia, born February 11, 1809, and now lives in Logan.
Our subject was married; July 13, 1852, to Martha Reel, by whom four children were born: Moses W., Henry R., Lydia and Mary. Mrs. Wilson died March 31, 1865. For his second wife Mr. Wilson married Mrs. Mary D. Reel of Indiana, born April 17, 1833, the daughter of Will- iam Acrea, a native of Kentucky, born January 19, 1806, and died at Logan, Iowa, October 16, 1479. This lady was the daughter of Ferba (Walker) a native of Kentucky, born April 10, 1812, and died May 14, 1845. Mrs. Wilson's people came to Harrison County in 1855, and settled about one mile south of Logan.
In his political belief, Mr. Wilson favors the Republican party, believing as he does, that this party best subserves the interests of the country. In religious matters Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are believers in the Protestant faith, being members of the Christian Church of which his parents were charter members.
Mr. Wilson came to this section of Iowa at a very early date and looked out upon what was then a wild, yet romantic and beautiful wilderness. Game was very plenty, and while he saw his share of hardships and privations co-incident to
frontier life, yet with the exception of the sad bereavement he met in the loss of his companion, he has probably now no reason for believing he could have spent these thirty-nine years of his life in a more pleasing and profitable manner, than has been his lot in Harrison County, which he has lived to see become one of the banner sub-divisions of the great commonwealth of Iowa. Here he has lived and labored and built up not only a goodly home for himself, and family, but also woven about him the respect and good will of a large circle of true friends and admirers.
OHN L. WITT, M. D., of Logan, came to the place in 1876, and by reason of his professional labors and general identification with Harrison County, will form the subject of this no- tice.
. The Doctor was born in Knox County, Ill., March 4, 1854, and is the son of J. M. and Mary A. (Hall) Witt. Our subject's grandfather was Jesse Witt, whose wife was Ruth Whit, and his grandparents on his mother's side were William H. and Susannah (Mondon) Hall. In the parental family there were eight children of whom our subject was the eldest. His father was a wagon-maker by trade, and both he and his wife are now residents of Logan. Our subject spent his early life in Illinois, and laid the foundation for his educational at- tainments in that State, in the common schools, and later began a course in the college at Galesburg. He began the study of medicine at Henderson, Ill., with Dr. E. S. Cooper, with whom he was associ- ated six months, and then came to Lo- gan, completing his studies with Dr. E.
650
HARRISON COUNTY.
T. McKenney, now of Washington. He then attended the Medical Department of the State University, at Iowa City, in 1878-9, and graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, at St. Louis, Mo., March 10, 1890, and is now building up a lucrative practice, in which he is more than usually successful.
Politically, Dr. Witt believes in the principles of the Democratic party.
He belongs to Masonic Lodge, No. 420, at Logan, and Royal Arch Chapter, No. 81,- Missouri Valley, and is counted a bright, progressive member of the Ma- sonic fraternity.
He was married November 30, 1881, to Miss Millie Vanderhoof, daughter of T. F. and Jane (Dungan) Vanderhoof, na- tives of Michigan and Indiana, respect- ively. Mrs. Witt is their only daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Witt are the parents of two children-Edwin M. and John V., who are bright, intelligent children, and are the idols of the household.
ILLIAM R. SIMMONS, a farmer located on section 10, of Raglan Township, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1884, when he bought forty acres of partly improved land, to which he added other improvements including the building of a house 16x24 feet. Here- mained on this place three years and then bought the place he now occupies, con- sisting of one hundred and twenty acres, upon which he built suitable buildings and set out an orchard of two hundred trees. . Mr. Simmons was born in Appanoose County, Iowa in 1849, and is the son of William M. and Camellia Simmons, whose children were as follows: Charles, Will-
iam R., Dock, Elizabeth, Janette, Sarah, Emma; and Perlina, deceased.
Our subject lived in Appanoose County until eighteen years of age, and then went to Missouri where he engaged in the man- ufacture of chairs. While digging a well which required the blasting of rock, he met with an accident, which caused blind- ness. He was united in marriage March, 1877, to Sarah Doddrill, daughter of Will- iam and Ananda Doddrill, natives of Ohio, . who were the parents of ten children : George, and Emily, deceased; James, Re- becca; William, Mahulda, and Reuben, deceased; Elizabeth, Daniel and Sarah.
Our subject and his wife are the parents of the following children: Mahulda, Mil- ton R., Emma J., Sarah R., Jessie L., William E., and Charles A. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons are acceptable members of the Christian Church.
C OL. CHARLES R. BOLTER, the Miyor of Login, anl a prac- ticing attorney of the firm of L. R. Bolter & Sons, very naturally finds a place in the history of his county, where he has spent nearly all the days of his life.
He is the eldest son of Senator L. R. Bolter, and his mother's maiden name was Caroline J. Reinhart, sketches of whom appear elsewhere in this book.
Charles R. was born in Cass County, Mich,, October 21, 1859, of Scotch-Ger- man ancestry, and is one of three chil- dren born to his parents, all living at Lo- gan, Iowa. His early life was spent midst the scenes of pioneer life in Harrison County, for he came here when he was but five years old. He commenced his education in the district schools of the
1
:
HARRISON COUNTY.
653
county, at Magnolia, and also attended. the High School at Missouri Valley. He finished his studies with the Class of '77, from the Iowa State University, at Iowa City, after which he studied law with his father two years, and then formed a part- nership with him, the firm being known as L. R. Bolter & Sons.
Politically, Mr. Bolter, like his father, can give a good reason for voting and working with the Democratic party, be- lieving, as he does, that it serves the best interests of the American people. In March, 1888, he was elected as Mayor of Logan by a majority of seventy, was twice re-elected, and is the present Mayor of the city, and is also a member of the Governor's staff, with the rank of Lieu- tenant-Colonel. He belongs to Lodge No. 355, I. O. O. F.
Mr. Bolter was united in marriage June 30, 1891, at Little Sioux, Iowa, to Miss Cora A. Pratt, the daughter of John and Mary (Gleason) Pratt, who settled in Har- rison County in 1859, but are natives of Vermont and Connecticut. They were the parents of five children, respectively, two of whom still survive, one being our subject's wife.
Mr. Bolter is a strong, popular young man, and is looked upon as a loyal leader in the political party to which he be- longs.
P REELY W. MYER, a representa tive farmer of Taylor Township, re- siding on section 13, came to Har- rison County in the spring of 1869, and hired out by the month on a farm in Rag- lan Township. After fourteen months he went to the Black Hills country, with
Messrs. Gordon & Wright, who were In- dian traders. He rode through on horse- back, but only remained a short time. He returned the same way as he went, his trip consuming about six months. In the spring of 1871, he bought the farm he now lives upon. There were two hundred acres of partly improved land, which had a one- story frame house upon it, in which he lived until the autumn of 1888, when his present two-story frame residence was erected, the same being 40x50 feet. This is considered one of the most commodious farm houses in Harrison County. He has a system of water works, by which soft water can be obtained in any room on the first floor, while hard water is forced to every room in the house. In 1887 he built a barn 40x54 feet, with fourteen foot posts, the same being built over a base- ment seven and one feet deep. His barn is also connected with his water-works system, by which pure water is always provided for his stock. He has about one hundred acres under cultivation and the balance in pasture, hay and timber-land. He now has four hundred and eighty-two acres of land in Taylor Township, includ- ing eighty acres of hay land, which pro- duces two and one-half tons per acre.
Mr. Myers was born in Adams County, Pa., June 7, 1845. He is the son of An- thony K. and Margaret C. (Wolfford) My- ers, both natives of Pennsylvania. Our subject remained under the paternal roof until September 1, 1864, when he enlisted in Company A, Two hundred and Ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was as- signed to the Army of the Potomac. He took part in the following engagements : The battle of Ft. Steadman, Yellowhouse Landing, then went on to Petersburg, and was at Appomattox Courthouse, and was there when Lee surrendered, and was
53
654
HARRISON COUNTY.
within a mile of the spot where Gen. U. S. Grant demanded and obtained an "ull- conditional" surrender. of the great leader of the Southern Confederacy.
Our subject participated in and made one of that vast throng, the like of which the world may never see again-the Grand Review of the armies at Washing- ton, D. C. He was discharged at Alex- andria, Va., May 31, 1865, and then re- turned to his homein Pennsylvania, where he remained only a short time, and then went to selling fruit trees in Virginia. This was in the spring of 1866. After four months at this business he went to Chi- cago and formed a partnership with E. Boles and followed the mercantile busi- ness for nine months. This business ad- venture did not prove a success, so he went to Blackhawk County, Iowa, where he canvassed for the pictures of Grant and Colfax. He followed this for two months and then went to Guthrie County, Iowa, and hired out on a farm, where he worked nine months and then came to this county.
December 16, 1871, he was married in Harrison County, to Miss Maggie E. Gar- ner, the daughter of Henry and Anna (Mahoney) Garner. This matrimonial union was sealed and made more sacred by the birth of five children-Carlos U., Henry A., a pair of twins, a boy and girl, who died in infancy, and Stephen A.
Maggie (Garner) Myers was born in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, December 8, 1852. She came with her parents to Harrison County, when quite small, and remained with them until married. She is a member of the Latter Day Saints Church.
Mr. Myers belongs to Lodge No. 232, A F. & A. M, of Missouri Valley; also the Royal Arch Chapter at the same
place. He is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic at Modale. In his political belief he has always supported the Republican party up to the present campaign, but is now identified with the People's party. In April, 1891, a "Farm- ers Alliance and Industrial Union" was organized in Harrison County, of which our subject was made President.
OSEPH H. M. EDWARDS, pro- prietor of the "County Seat Nur- sery," came to Harrison County in April, 1878, to become a permanent settler. He had been in the county, how- ever, during the summers of 1876-77. He located on section 17, of Jefferson Town- ship, where he planted out the Logan Nursery, having for a partner F. W. Hart. After two years, he sold to Mr. Hart, and located on his present place, on section 18, where he has ten acres in a fine growing nursery, in which is found a great variety of hardy fruit and orna- mental trees. He grows everything in the line of apples and small fruits, making a specialty of grapes.
Mr. Edwards was born in Rockingham County, Va., July 26, 1844, and is the son of William and Susannah (Gongwar) Ed- wards, and in the fall of 1851, came with his parents to Cedar County, Iowa, mak- ing the trip by horse teams, his father be- coming a pioneer in that section of Iowa. The mother died in April, 1880, and the father still resides in that county at the advanced age of eighty-one years.
The Government's call for troops. to put down the Rebellion, aroused our sub- ject's patriotism, and July 18, 1862, he en- listed in what was known as the "Metho-
655
HARRISON COUNTY.
dist Regiment," but properly speaking, Company B, of the Twenty-fourth Iowa Infantry, serving until May 26, 1865, re- ceiving his discharge at Philadelphia, when he came back to Cedar County, and remained until October, 1873, and then went to Brooklyn, Poweshiek County, Iowa, remaining there two years, then went to Mt. Vernon, Linn County, Iowa, and from there to this county in 1878.
He was united in marriage at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, October 2, 1873, to Mary E. Powers, a native of Des Moines County, Iowa, born December 6, 1848. She was the daughter Garrett and Eliza A. (Ky- nett) Powers. Six children have blessed their home-Royal W., Frank W., Rose L., Ninorch B., Effie E., Josie E., all of whom are living at this time.
After coming out of the army Mr. Ed- wards attended Cornell College for one year, after which he taught for five years. · Our subject is politically a Republican, and in his religious belief independent. During his residence in Harrison County he has won for himself, both through his business and social relations, a good repu- tation and stands lıigh as a citizen.
OE H. SMITH, one of the pioneer attorneys of Harrison County, now practicing at Logan, was born De- cember 27, 1833, in Beaver (now a part of Lawrence) County, Pa. The first sixteen years of his life were spent on the farm, having such educational ad- vantages as were to be had in the public schools of the place. Later he became a student of Westminster College, at Wil- mington, Pa. From this place he went
to the office of Judge Eben Newton and Judge Frank Girard Servis, at Canfield, Mahoning County, Ohio, where he was admitted to the bar, April 14, 1857. Im- mediately on admission to the bar, he started for the "far West," and June 1st, of the same year located and began the practice of law at Magnolia.
January 4, 1859, he returned to the old home, in the Keystone State, and married Julia Ann Warrick, and at this date as the result of this marriage union, there are the following children : Law P., Mary M., Palmer, John I., Tad L., and Thomas C.
But few of the early settlers have en- tered into and become more conspicuous in the "warp and woof" of Harrison County, individually and historically, than the subject of this sketch, for few public measures were proposed or carried through unless Smithi figured more or less therein.
At the breaking out of the civil war, no one put forth greater efforts toward filling the ranks with enlisted men than he, for being Chairman of the Board of County Supervisors, when the young men of the county were ripe for enlistment, a meeting of this Board was called, and each person enlisting from the county was given a bounty of eighty acres of land or its equivalent. Smith then enlisted, not waiting for others to do, but said, "Boys, come along!" In one day an entire.com- pany was enlisted, and since then has been known as Company C, Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, he being the Second Lieuten- ant of the Company.
In 1858 he was elected as the first County Superintenent of Schools. In 1864 was elected County Recorder, and in 1867 was elected as a Representative of this and Shelby Counties, in the Twelfth General Assembly, where it is said he
655
HARRISON COUNTY.
very ably presented the wants and pro- tected the interests of his constituents.
Scarcely a case of importance upon the court calendars of Harrison County, but Joe H. Smith's name appears as attorney for one of the parties, and not only here, but in the Supreme Court of the State, a very creditable reputation is accorded him. He is untiring in his efforts, quite capti- vating in his manner; logical in his con- clusion, and at times sarcastic and elo- quent. In 1888, he compiled and published a condensed history of Harrison County, which had many points of excellence. He is a ready writer, graphic and pleasing in his description of pioneer days, in- cluding the early courts, schools, and churches. The volume was replete with information, general description, as well as amusing incidents, all of which had come under Mr. Smith's personal obser- vation, for it will be remembered he was a pioneer of the county himself.
In conclusion it may be said that Mr. Smith is a man of noble impulses, positive in his opinions, and will be remembered, perhaps, as long as any one of the early settlers of this county.
HOMAS J. ACREA, was among the pioneers who found their way to Harrison County, in November 1855, and is now a resident of section 7, of Jef- ferson Township, He accompanied his father, William M. Acrea, who bought a farm in the spring of 1856 in section 24, Jefferson Township, and died October 17, 1869.
Thomas J. was born in Clay County, Ind., September 22, 1837, his parents mov- ing to Putnam County when he was a
small child. In 1855 the family might have been seen wending their way, over- land by horse-team to the fertile valleys of Harrison County, Iowa. Their outfit consisted of a horse-team, an ox-team and a drove of cattle numbering thirty head, a part of which belonged to S. L. Case, who came through with them. Our sub- ject was married to Miss Sarah A. Deal, in St. John Township, March 9, 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Acrea are the parents of fourteen children : James W., born January 1, 1866; John L., September 13, 1867; Eli N., De- cember 25, 1868; Charlie P., June 1, 1870, Hannah J., Mary E., Mark M., Leslie O,, Arthur B., Austin J., Coila B., and Min- nie B. Two of the above died in infancy. Mrs. Acrea was born in Putnam County, Ind., November 25, 1848, and came to Harrison County three years after her parents came.
Concerning our subject's father, William M. Acrea, it may be stated that he was born in Kentucky, January 19, 1806, and when a small boy, his parents moved to Alabama, remaining there eight years and then moved to Indiana, where they lived until they came to Harrison County, in 1855. His wife, the mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Pherraba Walker, was born in Clay County, Ind., where she remained until she was married. Mr. and Mrs. William M. Acrea were the par- ents of six children, Thomas J., being the third child. The mother died in Putnam County, Ind., in May, 1845. The parents of William M. were born in North Caro- lina, their names being John and Kather- ine, they were reared and married in North Carolina and emigrated to Kentucky, mak- ing the journey on horse-back, carrying their entire possessions with them. The husband died in Indiana, and the wife came to Harrison County, with her son William
657
HARRISON COUNTY.
M., being eighty-five years of age at the time she came. She was not able to ride in a wagon on account of it making her dizzy; but in good old pioneer style, she came on horse-back all the way from In- diana. She died in Harrison County, in February, 1866.
M ICHAEL SARVEY, a farmer liv- ing on section 28, LaGrange Town- ship, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1871, and bought a quarter section of land where he now lives. He then returned to Dubuque County, and removed his family out the following spring. He built a house 16x24 feet, one story and a half high, and broke about seventy acres of his land that year. He had a good barn, 28x30 feet, with twelve-foot posts. This was built in 1881, as was his granery which is 12x16 feet. Mr. Sarvey added to his original land, from time to time, until he had six hun- dred and eighty acres, butgave to his sons until he now owns only four hundred acres, one-third of which is under culti- vation and all well stocked. He has been prospered in a good degree, though noth- ing has come to him by chance, as it was hard work and judicious investment which has brought him the handsome compe- tency which he now possesses.
Our subject at this writing is just sev- enty years of age, as he was born in Ire- land in 1821. In 1841 he came to America, just in the pride of his young manhood, and settled in New Jersey, and went to work at $10 per month, and remained there until 1849, then came to Dubuque, Iowa, where he conducted a grocery store for three years and also had two teams
freighting. He finally sold out and rented a farm and worked the same as long as he lived in that county, never having owned a foot of land until he came to Harrison County. He had farmed in New Jersey for six years prior to coming to Dubuque County, and by prudence and hard work, he had accumulated $1,500 in money, and upon coming to Harrison County, he had $2,000, nine head of horses and twenty head of cattle, which he drove through from Dubuque.
Among the more important events of this man's life may be mentioned that of his marriage to Miss Margaret Doyle, in 1844, in New Jersey. By this marriage u ion six children were born : James, John, Mary J., Katie E., Christopher, deceased, Margaret, deceased.
Margaret (Doyle) Sarvey was born in Ireland, in the county of Mayo, in about 1823, and when she was fifteen years of age came to America, with her brother, and remained with him until the date of her marriage.
Politically, Mr. Sarvey believes in the general principles of the Democratic party, while he and his family are members of the Roman Catholic Church.
OHN A. REEL, a highly-respected farmed farmer of St. John's Town- ship, came to Harrison County in 1854 with the vanguard of civilza- tion. He came overland in a covered wagon from Putnam County, Ind., mak- ing the journey in twenty-three days. His first location was on section 15, where he claimed one hundred and twenty acres, which is now included within the cor- poration of Missouri Valley, and at one
658
HARRISON COUNTY.
time he owned the land where now stands the depot and switch yards. Our subject made some improvements on this land and in 1857 sold it to T. H. Cook, and purchased a quarter section of land on section 28, the site of his present home, and forty acres of timber land in Potta- wattamie County. When he bought his place the plowshare of modern civiliza- tion had never turned a furrow and in many places the grass was two feet higher than a man's head. He paid $4 per acre for his land, built a small frame house upon the place in 1857, building his pres- ent farmhouse in 1879. He now owns two hundred acres in the county, all enclosed with a good fence, and one hundred and sixty acres under cultivation. At the time of his coming there were but two trees to be seen on the bottomlands where he now lives, the groves which adorn that locality having all been planted by pioneer hands. There were but two houses between the Willow and Boyer Rivers. The nearest milling point was "over the Pigeon," and all marketing had to be done at Council Bluffs. Our subjeet lived where Missouri Valley now stands, during the winter of 1856-57, in a log cabin, with a clapboard roof, through which the snow would drift, half filling their humble home. His stable was only sixty yards from the cabin, but the snow was drifted in such mountain-like piles that he could not get to his stock to attend to them, and as a result lost three head of cattle which at that time were highly prized by our subject.
Our subject traces his ancestry back to Henry Reel, a native of Germany, who came to Muskingham County, Ohio, in 1803, where he followed farming. He mar- ried a German lady of Germany, and had eight children, among whom was the
the father of our subject, John Reel, who was born in Virginia in 1793, and spent his early life in the Old Dominion State, coming to Ohio with his parents when he was ten years of age. He was married to Miss Sarah Beeson, of North Carolina, the daughter of Joseph Beeson. By this union eight children were born-Mary, Martha, William, Jane, Daniel, Elizabeth, John, our subject and Joseph, in Kansas City.
Our subject was born April 22, 1833. His early life was spent in Putnam County, Ind., where he attended the com- mon schools. His father was a miller and John assisted him in the mill, remaining at home until he was of age. He was united in marriage March 12, 1853, in Put- nam County, Ind., to Miss Amanda Jones, the daughter of Hardin and Asenath (Deweese) Jones, of German descent, but from Kentucky. Eleven children have been born to our subject and his wife, ten of whom still survive-Dorphas M., born June 22, 1854, and died February 17, 1866; Sarah A., Mrs. Mattox, born September 3, 1856, now living in Pottawattamie County ; Viola C .- Mrs. Jones, born Octo- ber 5, 1858, now living in Pottawatta- mie County; John H., born February 11, 1861, also living it that county ; Henry M., at home, born December 8, 1862; he married Laura West, Septem- ber 25, 1884, a native of Harrison County, born June 5, 1864; they have two children, Lena and Jesse; Mary A.,-Mrs. Jones, now of Missouri Valley, born June 4, 1866; Martha J., now Mrs. Moss, of Missouri Valley, born February 27, 1868; William L., born March 13, 1870, now in Missouri Valley, George D., at home, born Decem- ber 17, 1871; Daniel C., at home, born April 17, 1874: Florence A., at home, born January 10, 1878.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.