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 77

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 77

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Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore, together with their family, are members of the Roman Catholic Church. Of our subject's family it may be said that John is living in Idaho; Arthur C., is married and lives

in Sioux City ; Thomas M., is married and lives in Waterloo, Iowa, while the other four are at home. Arthur C., learned telegraphy at Shenandoah, Page County, Iowa. Thomas M., attended the High School at Missouri Valley, two years and then went to Ames' Agricultural College, for about eight months, and then went to Bailey's Commercial College at Dubque, one year, graduating with the class of '85, and is now in business at Waterloo.

W ILLIAM PETT, a farmer living on section 11, of LaGrange Township, came to Harrison County in May, 1867, and moved into a small house which stood upon his present farm. He followed the brick masons' trade, and lived on this place for two years, and then bought forty acres of land where he now lives, still continuing to live in the shanty he had provided until he could build, which was three years later, when he built a frame house 14x18 feet, one story and a half high, with a kitchen 9x14 feet, and in 1885, made an addition fourteen feet square. About 1881 he built a frame barn 23x26 feet, and has added to his farm, until it now contains one hundred and twenty acres. Our subject was born in Warwickshire, England, October 15, 1820, and remained at home with his parents until he was eighteen years of age, and then commenced to learn the mason's trade. His father died, and from the time he was fourteen to eighteen years of age he had to work out, and only received about $25.00 per year; but after learning his trade he got better wages. In the autumn of 1866, he bid farewell to Eng- land, and the scenes of his childhood, and

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HARRISON COUNTY.

sailed for America, coming direct to St. Louis, where he worked at his trade until 1867, and then came to Harrison County.

He was united in marriage in England, August, 1846, to Miss Hannah Bennett, and they are the parents of ten children, Jane, Emma, Anna, Walter, Ellen, Moses and Eliza (twins), Robert, William, Flo- rence, Emma and Jane.

Mrs. Hannalı (Bennet) Pett was born in England, February 22, 1822, and she re- mained with her parents until the date of her marriage. His father was a gardener by trade, and followed that for a liveli- hood until his death, which occurred in 1834. His mother, Hannah (Gaskins) Pett, was born in England, and remained there until her death, in 1881.

William Pett and wife were the parents of five children, our subject being the oldest. They were members of the Prot- estant church.

EROME B. HARDY, a farmer liv- ing on section 14, of Jefferson Town- ship, was born in Magnolia, Harri- s on County, Iowa, June 11, 1853. He remained at home with his parents until March 1874, when he rented a farm in Callioun Township, for one year, then rented two years in Magnolia Township, and from there moved back to Calhoun Township, where he lived four years, and then bought the farm he now occupies, which, at the time, consisted of sixty acres of improved land. His farm house is 16x32 feet, with an ell sixteen feet square; the whole being two stories higli. He has a good barn 20x45 feet, with six- teen foot posts.

Our subject's education was received in

the High School at Magnolia, and March 24, 1874, he was married to Miss Mary Merchant, to whom four children have been born-Charles R., Bert W., Stella I., and Joseph R.

Mary (Merchant) Hardy, wife of our subject, was born in Magnolia Township August 27, 1852. She remained with her parents in Magnolia Township until the date of her marriage. Both she and her husband are members of the Baptist Church at Logan.

AMES P. O'ROURKE, one of the . enterprising farmers living on sec- tion 29, of LaGrange Township, is a native of the Hawkeye State, and was born in Dubuque County, in 1860, and in 1873 came to Harrison County with his parents. His father purchased a half of section 29, when it was wild land. They built a frame house 18x24 feet, with an ell 14x16 feet; also a barn 32x50 feet, the latter being built in 1890. One hun- dred and forty acres of this farm is under the plow, while the balance is in pasture and meadow land. The farm is always kept well supplied with stock. Our sub- ject was married in Dubuque County, Iowa, July 17, 1883, to Miss Katie A. Mullen, by whom one child has been born, Margaret A., born December 10, 1889. Mrs. O'Rourke is also a native of Dubuque County, born August 29, 1867.

John O'Rourke father of our subject, was born in the county of Down, Ireland, April 22, 1822, and came to America with his parents in 1847, and remained in Du- buque County until 1873, when he sold and came to Harrison County. He was married in Ireland, April 24, 1845, to Miss

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Bridget Sloan, and they were the parents of eight children, Michael, died on the ocean; a girl baby, died in infancy ; Charles, Ellen, William, John, Mary J., and James.

Bridget (Sloan) O'Rourke was born in Ireland in 1822, and remained there until the date of her marriage. She died in Harrison County, Iowa, March 22, 1888. Both her and her husband held to the Roman Catholic faith, their family also following the teachings of their parents in this respect. Politically, Mr. O'Rourke is identified with the Democratic party.

James P., of whom we write this sketch, is the owner of the home farm of three hundred and twenty acres, besides two good residences in Missouri Valley. His father lives with him at this time.

SAAC A. JACKSON, a respected pio- neer of Dunlap, came to Harrison County October 19, 1869, from Clinton County, Iowa, where he had resided since November 4, 1863. He came from Canada to Iowa, and was reared in the Dominion on the old Jackson homestead in Dundas County, Ontario. The date of his birth was May 7, 1836, and he is the son of James Jackson, and was reared to farm life, and attended the public schools common to that country. At the age of sixteen lie entered a general mercantile esteblishment at South Mountain, where he spent two years. and then went to Dixon's Corners, remained there a short time, and then went to Kemptville where he engaged as a salesman and book-keeper. He remained here for five years. When he first commenced clerking he received $8.00 per month and board, but later was I

advanced to twelve dollars. When he had attained his twenty-third year he left the store and began teaching in the public schools at the old home for three terms, after which he turned his attention to farming, opening up a small farm and making substantial improvements.

January 2, 1862, marked a new era in our subject's life, for it was upon that day he was united in marriage to Mary J. Winegard, who was a native of New York State, born April 16, 1841. She is the daughter of John and Maria (Barkley) Winegard, who were natives of the Empire State. After the marriage of our subject he went to farming for a short time, but in October 1863, he came to Chicago, and from that city drove across the country to Clinton, Iowa, a trip which he will ever remember, as it was his introduction to Western pioneer life. He remained in Clinton County, engaged at farming, until 1869. The first winter lie taught school, and was a resident of the city of Clinton for one year. Since coming to Harrison County he has made it his home in Dun- lap and on his farm, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, on section 14, of Harrison Township. He bought wild land which, under the touch of goo l hus- bandry, has come to be a finely improved place. He clerked in a hardware store two and a half years, from 1871, and then retired to his farm where he remained until 1839, when he returned to Dunlap, and has since been engaged as a salesman in the lumber yard of H. L. Preston.

Politically, Mr. Jackson believes in the principles of the Republican party.

He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, and is a member of Hospitable Lodge No. 244, A. F. & A. M., of which he is secre- tary.

Mr. and Mrs. Jackson are the parents

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HARRISON COUNTY.

of three children-James W., a resident of Randolph, Neb. ; Caroline L., deceased ; Lou J., the wife of H. L. Preston, of Dunlap. They are acceptable members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

James W., their son, was united in marriage at Dunlap, September 10, 1886, to Eva J. Weed, a native of Iowa.

P ROF. MARCELLUS A. REED, now connected with the Woodbine Normal School has been a resident of Harrison County since 1886, and was identified with the public schools of Dunlap until 1891, when he came to Wood- bine.

Mr. Reed was born in Orange, Cuya- hoga County, Ohio, June 20, 1857, and is the son of 'l'homas and Caroline (Pierce) Reed, being the oldest of a family of three children-two sons and one daughter. His father spent his life as a farmer and stock-raiser. Our subject first attended the district schools in Trumbull County, to which location his father moved when Marcellus was three years old. He re- mained in the schools there until fourteen years of age. Three years later his par- ents removed to Garretsville, Portage

County. He attended school at the Western Reserve Seminary at West Farmington, and also at Scio College, in Harrison County, attending three years at the last-named place, graduating June 25, 1874, after which he was assistant Principal in the Garretsville High School for five years. He then attended Alle- gheny College one year, when he was made Principal of the Chardon High School, which position he held for three years and was Superintendent of the Girard Public

Schools three years. He then came to Harrison County, Iowa, having been en- gaged as Superintendent of the Dunlap public schools.

Our subject was united in marriage November 27, 1885, to Olive M. Harroff, a native of Canfield, Ohio, born June 18, 1861. Mrs. Reed is the daughter of An- drew and Orphy (Flick) Harroff. Her father has followed carpentering, build- ing and milling most of his life. Both he and his wife are residents of Canfield, Ohio.

Returning to our subject's father it may said he was born in the county of Done- gal, Ireland, in 1823, and sailed for Amer- ica when a young man. He was the youngest of the family and the first to emigrate to the New World. He was soon followed by two brothers, two sis- ters, and the mother; the father having died when he was a mere lad. Thomas Reed, father of our subject, died at Gar- retsville, Ohio, in July, 1889.

Our subject and his wife are the parents of two children-Della D., born January 11, 1887, and Harold L., June 29, 1888.

Politically. Mr. Reed believes in the general principles of the Republican party, and is a stanch supporter of the same.

He is an honorable member of the Hos- pitable Lodge, No. 243, A. F. & A. M., and Ark Chapter, No. 89, at Dunlap. Both he and his wife are acceptable members of the Congregational Church, of which he has been a member ten years. Mrs Reed was formerly connected with the Chris- tion Church, but upon coming to Harri- son County united with the Congrega- tional Church.

As an educator according to the mod- ecn methods, there are few superiors to the man of whom we write this sketch,

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and though yet a young man, he has been eminent in the line of his chosen profes- sion, as the various institutions of learn- ing, in his native State as well as in this county attest. His early life and ambi- tion seemed wrapped up in gaining knowl- edge and in studying the best methods of imparting the same to others, who shall go out into the busy world as sound thinkers and practical business men and women. It may be said in this connec- tion that he is truly in his proper sphere, as one of the principals of the Woodbine Normal, which is now looked upon as among the best training schools of Wes- ern Iowa. He was awarded a life diploma by the Iowa State Board of Examiners, in December, 1890, as well as the degree of M. S., by Scio College.

Mrs. Reed was educated at the Canfield High School and the Northwestern Ohio Normal School and is a graduate of the first named institution.

W ILLIAM M. JONES, a farmer re- siding on section 33, of St. Johns Township, has been associated with the interests of Harrison County since 1863, having been a resident of Iowa since 1855. To acquaint the reader with this man's earlier life, it may be stat- ed that he is a native of the Hoosier State, born November 14, 1852, in Putnam County, Ia., and can trace his ancestry back to his grandfather, Allen Jones, who was a native of Kentucky, but lived in Indiana in after years. Allen Jones mar- ried Elizabeth Smith, by whom twelve children were born, one of whom was the father of our subject, He was the sixth

child and was born in Indiana, was twice married, the second time about 1850, to Miss Sarah Ellis, the daughter of William Ellis, of Greene County, Ia. In our sub- ject's father's family, there were thirteen children, seven of whom are now living : William M., our subject ; G. Jones, of La Grange County, Ia; A. T., Mrs. Dewerse, of Kansas City ; Amanda J., Mrs. Cox, of St. John's Township; Winnie E., Mrs. Doty, of LaGrange Township; James E., St. John's Township; Harvey Lee, of La Grange Township.

When but three years of age, our sub- ject came with the family from Putnam County, Ia., to Appanoose County, Iowa, where the father purchased a farm, re- mained four years, sold out and moved to Pottawattamie County, renting a place for a time and then bought in LaGrange Township, Harrison County, in 1863, at which time our subject was nine years of age. He attended the Honey Creek district school, of Pottawattamie County, and in 1873 began farming for himself, renting land for five years. In 1879, he bought forty acres of land in St. John's Township, on section 19, upon which lie built a small house, lived awhile, and came to section 33 and bought land, upon which he has built a fine farm house, and made many other substantial improve- ments. He has one hundred and thirty- five acres of land under cultivation, and his place is considered one of the best in the township.

Among the important events of this man's life, may be mentioned that of his marriage, October 3,1875, to Miss Tabitha J. Deal, the daughter of James E., and Hannah (Case) Deal, who still reside in St. John's Township, having come to the county in 1853. Our subject and his wife are the parents of two children ; Elzie E.,

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born December 29, 1876; and Bernard, September 18, 1883.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones are both members of the Primitive Baptist Church, at Love- land, and in his political choice, he is a supporter of the Democratic party.

OHN W. McVEY, of St. John's Township, ranks among the pion- eers of 1857. He first looked upon this fair domain that year and in the autumn effected a settlement where he now lives, section 2, township 78, range 44.

Mr. McVey was born March 7, 1829, in Fayette County, W. Va. He is the son of Alexander and Jane (Morehead) Mc Vey, who were natives of West Virginia, ana of Scotch-Irish descent. The father was a farmer. and also master of the tan- ner's trade. He died in 1868. His wife died in 1875. In 1852, Mr. McVey came to Stark County, Ill., remained one year, then returned to Virginia and was mar- ried. He remained there four years, and then came to Harrison County. His early education was received at the com- mon schools of West Virginia. In his father's family there were four sisters and three brothers, all now deceased but one sister and one brother, who still reside in Fayette County, W. Va.

Our subject was united in marriage June 26, 1854, in Fayette County, W. Va., to Miss Roxana Ervin, who was a native of Monroe County, W. Va. She is the daughter of John and Elizabeth (More- head) Ervin. As a result of their union, ten children were born, five of whom still survive. Elizabeth J., wife of Orlindo Shinn, a resident of Calhoun Township;

J. A. McVey, of the same township; Ros- ana, at home; Mary A., wife of Amos Norton, of Wichita County, Kan .; Charles H. assisting his father at home.

Mrs. Mc Vey is a member of the Christ- ian church. Politically, our subject affil- iates with the Democratic party, and has held the office of Road Supervisor and school director for several years. He started out in life to battle for himself, when twenty-two years of age. He had to borrow money with which to come West. From the original one hundred and thirty-two acres of wild land which was his first purchase, he has year by year made improvements and added thereto, until he now has a most excellent farm home of two hundred and sixty-eight acres, witli an orchard of twenty acres, three fourth of which is in bearing trees. His town property consists of three lots, two of which have residences upon them, which at this time rent for $6 and $10 per month. All in all, the man whose name heads this notice may count life a success.

W ILLIAM FISHER, a representa- tive farmer of St John's Township, will form the subject of this bio- graphical notice. He is a native of Ohio and traces his ancestry only as far back as his grand-father, Philip Fisher, who is anative of Germany, emigrated to America in 1810, and while making their passage across the ocean, both he and his good wife sickened and died, and were buried at sea. They left two children, to perpetuate their name -George and Philip. The father of our subject was born in Germany and was quite young upon coming to this country.

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IIARRISON COUNTY.

He was a distiller by trade, and was well up in the art of manufacturing high wines. The greater part of his life was spent on a farm in Pennsylvania. He married Sophia Lesher, a native of the Keystone State and subsequently moved to Rich- land County, Ohio, They reared a fami- ly of ten children, eight of whom are liv- ing : George, deceased, David, deceased, Anna Maria-Mrs. Barnes, now of Will- iams County, Ohio; James Jacob, a resi- dent of Ohio; Charlotte, Mrs. Stedman, of William County Ohio; William, of Har- rison County, Iowa; . Caroline-Mrs. Fountain, of Missouri Valley; Matilda, Mrs. Duroy of Michigan; Henry, of Mis- souri Valley ; Sarah, a resident of William County, Ohio.

William Fisher, of whom we write this sketch, was born in Richland County, Ohio, October 5, 1846. His earlier years passed in that county, but moved with his parents to Williams County, where he at- teuded the common district school and assisted his father on the farm. When very young he enlisted, was examined and rejected, from the Union Army, Decem- ber 19, 1863, he re-enlisted as a member of Company G., One Hundred and Twen- ty-eighth Ohio Infantry, and was assign- ed to the Army of the Cumberland. He was on special and detached duty, sent to Baltimore, and subsequently was with a gun-bout protecting the waters of the Government on Lake Erie. He muster- ed out of service at Columbus July 13, 1865, returned home and spent the next few years in roaming about in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin, coming to Harrison County, Iowa, in 1870.

He was united in marriage March 3, 1872, to Angeline Hanes, daughter of An- drew and Susan (Miller) Hanes, who were natives of Ohio. By this union seven

children were born, six of whom still sur- vive: Maud, born January 6, 1873; Al- bert J., born April 10, 1874; died February 2, 1880; Arthur Edwin, born February 23, 1876; Stella May, born November 14, 1878 Ella Sophia February 13, 1883; Phillip Claude, boin April 23, 1885; and Charles Henry, born December 25, 1887.

Mr. and Mrs. Fisher are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Missouri Valley. Mr. Fisher belongs to Post No. 59. Grand Army of the Republic at Mis- souri Valley.

Politically, he is identified with the Re- publican party, having voted for Abraham Lincoln for President.

When our subject came to Harrison County, he first located on section 19, of St John's Township, but sold out, rented one season and in 1872, purchased forty ac- res which is a part of his present place on section 20, where he has made valuable im- provements including a good residence, and many outbuildings. He had added to his original land until he now owns one hundred and sixty acres, one hundred be- ing under cultivation, while the remain- der is in pasture and hay land.

W ILLIAM RAINER, one of Harri- son County's successful farmers, living on section 17, of Union Township, has been a resident of the county since June, 1870. At first he rented a farm of William Riddle, giving him a share of the crop for the use of the land. The same year he bought a part of the land comprising h s present farm, and constructed a "dug-out" on the same, in which he lived during the two years he

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HARRISON COUNTY.

rented land. His own land cost him $8 per acre; he purchased the same of the railroad company, and while he was erect- ing his "dug-out" he lived within his wagon. From 1870 to 1889 our subject was farming land on shares, hired his forty acres broken, and lived within the "dug- out." His present farm house, the model of neatness, is 16x24 feet, and two stories high, with a wing 14x16 feet, one story high. His farm now comprises eighty acres, all under a high state of cultivation, enclosed within a barbed wire fence, and provided with a substantial house and good outbuildings. He is fortunate in also owning a five-acre timber lot. In order to obtain this land, which now pro- vides him such a comfortable home, he, like many another man, had to go in debt, and during the years of the grasshopper plague much self-denial and great hard- ships marked the experience of this man and his family.

To go back to his earlier life, it may be said in this connection that he was born in Franklin County, Ohio, December 6, 1831, and is the son of Abraham and Christina (Pontius) Rainer, who had two children, our subject being the youngest, the other, a sister, named Ann. The pa- rents were also natives of the Buckeye State, and the father died before our sub- ject was born, and his mother died when he was a lad of eleven summers, when he went to live with his grandparents on the maternal side. He remained with them until nineteen years old, when he em- barked on the sea of life for himself. Until twenty-two years of age he served as a farm hand in Ohio, and then came to Clinton County, Iowa, where he was en- gaged at the same kind of work one sea- son, when he enlisted as a member of Company C, in the Twenty-sixth Iowa

Infantry, and served eight months during the second year of the Civil War. His regiment was sent Helena, Ark., and was at the siege of Vicksburg. After that struggle our subject was taken sick and sent to the St. Louis hospital, where he remained two months and was discharged. Between the time of his leaving the ser- vice of his country and coming to Harri- son County, in 1870, he worked land on shares in Clinton County, Iowa.

Concerning his married life it may be said that Melvina K. Coffman became his wife October 24, 1854, in Fairfield County, Ohio. She was the daughter of Noah and Rhoda Coffman, natives of Ohio.

Mr. and Mrs. Rainer are the parents of the following children: Lizzie G., born December 6, 1861; Frank, August 23. 1864; Anna R., July 16, 1867, now de- ceased : Jessie G., December 13, 1871, now deceased; Mabel, October 18, 1875.

Their son Frank was married March 1, 1888, to Winnie M., daughter of Richard J. and Mary E. Miller, who had five chil- dren, of whom Frank's wife is the oldest.

Our subject and his wife are acceptable members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in his political views Mr. Rainer affiliates with the Republican party, first, last and all the time.

RUSUS N. HARDY, a farmer re- siding on section 14, of Calhoun Township, was born in Harrison County, February 8, 1856. He is the youngest son of James and and Min- erva (Tomlinson) Hardy, hence lıis his- tory runs parallel to, and is identical with that of the county. His father came to the county mn 1852, a year before it was

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organized. He was a native of Pennsyl- vania, born April 19, 1813, and when twenty years old started West.

Our subject was married May 28, 1879, to Flora C. Oviatt, a native of Illinois, born July 25, 1858, and the daughter of William and Albina (Tupper) Oviatt, and was the youngest child of a family of four children. The family came to Harrison County when she was five years of age, and the father died in 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Hardy have had their marriage union sealed and made more sacred, by the birth of five children : Bertha A., Kate M., Edna M., Ray D. and Mary J.

Politically, our subject is identified with the Democratic party. From his boy- hood days, to the present time, the eye of our subject has indeed witnessed a great transformation in Harrison County, and the West in general.

James K. Hardy, brother of our subject, was born in LaGrange County, Ia., March 27, 1846, and accompanied his par- ents to Harrison County, when he was three years of age. He was married March 30, 1869, to Minnie L. Oviatt, by whom four children have been born: Mabel M., born January 27, 1870; Bertha A., January 17, 1872, died March 21, 1879; Berta, June 7, 1880, died April 30, 1882; and Susie J., May 19, 1883.

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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 77

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