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 83

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 83

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Mrs. Dray's father was John Hamilton, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1807, and when a young man came to Ohio. He had learned the blacksmith's trade before leaving the Keystone State. He died in Hancock County in 1877. His wife's ma den name was Elizabeth Shaw, who was born in Ohio in 1814, and re- mained there until the date of her mar-

riage, and is now living in Hancock County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton were the parents of eleven children, Mrs. Dray being the third child. The parents were members of the Presbyterian Church, and were devoted exemplary Christians.

ONAS O. JOHNSON, an enterpris- ing farmer and the proprietor of two sawmills, whose residence is on sec- tion 15, of Clay Township, came to Harrison County in the month of Febru- ary, 1873, and settled in Cincinnati, where he bought of J. W. Britton a one-half in- terest in a sawmill, which interest he held until April, 1878, when he sold out, and in July, 1879, he went to Oregon, for the double purpose of making a visit and to find a suitable location. In October of that year he returned to Harrison County, and in December bought back an interest in the sawmill with Mr. Britton, with whom he was in partnership until 1881. In 1880 they moved the mill to Washing- ton County, Neb. He sold out there finally and bought a mill in Iowa, in partnership with J. W. Brownrigg, on Horseshoe Lake, which they operated un- til September, 1881, and then removed the mill to a point north, on the Soldier River, in Clay Township. In December, 1881, Mr. Brownrigg died, the firm owing some on the property, but our subject paid these debts off, and in June, 1833, traded the mill for one hundred and forty acres of partly improved land. In the autumn of 1885 he bought the mill back again and moved it to his own place, where in May, 1887, it was destroyed by fire. It was re- built and is still in operation. His resi- dence was also burned shortly after the

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mill was destroyed, which necessitated the ·building of a new house. In December, 1890, he in partnership with W. W. Stans- berry bought another mill, propelled by a Russell & Co's. traction engine.

Mr. Johnson was born in Sweden, near that magnificent city of Stockholm, in 1844, and when three years of age accom- panied his parents to America, the family locating in Jefferson County, Iowa. His father was killed on the Ohio River en- route to Iowa. Our subject remained with his mother until thirteen years of age, at which time she died. He then went to live with a brother-in-law, and soon com- menced to hustle for himself.

He went to Wayne County, Iowa, and worked on a farm by the month until Au- gust 2, 1861, when he enlisted in Company I, Fourth Iowa Infantry, and went South to St. Louis, where he was mustered into service: Among other engagements he was at the battle of Pea Ridge, Ark., March 6, 7 and 8, 1862. He was discharged on account of disability, November 20, 1862, and returned to Wayne County, Iowa. In the spring of 1863 he came to Omaha and made two overland trips to Ft. Laramie with ox-trains. December, 1863, he again enlisted as a member of Company A, First Nebraska Cavalry, and operated in Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming and Dakota, and in the Indian country. He was discharged in the spring of 1866, at which time he went to work steamboat- ing on the Missouri River, following that and rafting until 1873, when he came to Harrison County, where he embarked in the lumbering business.

He was united in marriage, in Holt County, Neb., January 25, 1887, to Miss Matilda F.Standsbury, daughter of Henry and Lucy (Long) Standsbury. By this marriage union two children were born

-Henry A. (deceased), and Jonas E.

Mrs. Johnson was born in West Virginia, August 8, 1864, and removed with her parents to Harrison County, and from there to Holt County, Neb., where she remained until the date of her marriage. She is a member of the Seventh Day Ad- vent Church.

Mr. Johnson belongs to Barnes Post, No. 103, G. A. R., at Mondamin. Politi- ically, at this time, he is identified with the Farmers' Alliance party, and has al- ways, voted an independent ticket. In 1887 he was elected to the office of Town- ship Clerk, which office he filled several terms. When he came to this county he only possessed $10. He has walked across the State of Iowa, from east to west, and part of the time slept out of doors, with- out a blanket or other covering to shield him from the elements. Indeed his has been an eventful life; and while he has seen much hardships, he is now sur- rounded with a comfortable home.

ACOB A. MINOR, a farmer living in Cincinnati Township, settled on the farm in the autumn of 1873. He followed work as a section hand for about six years, his family living on the farm, which was rented. In the spring of 1872 he bought eighty acres, upon which they lived until 1885, then sold and bought the farm he nowoccupies. He has ninety- three acres of improved land. In 1890, he bought eighty-three acres one mile west from his home farm; the last-named he uses as a pasture. He has a fine bearing orchard of three acres, and a good farm house and barn.

He was born in Wetzell County, Va.,

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HARRISON COUNTY.

August 11, 1845. At the age of twenty he left liome and rented a farm, and re- mained in that locality until 1869, and then came to Harrison County.

He was married in the county of his nativity in September, 1861, to Miss Sarah A. Long, the daughter of Samuel and Polly Long. By this marriage union there were six children born-Jefferson, Alexander L., Jerry, Belle, James and William, all living.

Politically, our subject is a Democrat. Our subject's parents were Alexander and Eva (Brown) Minor, both natives of Vir- ginia, who came to Harrison County at the same time our subject did, and re- mained until their death, the father pass- ing away in 1874, and the mother surviv- ing until 1882. They were both buried in the Calhoun Cemetery, and were botli members of the Christian Church. They were the parents of two sons and five daughters, of whom our subject was the youngest.

P ETER HAUGER was born in Somerset County, Pa., and moved to Westmoreland County. When eighteen years of age he went to learn the carpenter's trade, and when he became of age he came to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, near which city he worked on a farm one year. In 1861, he enlisted in the Union army. He enlisted April 15, for a term of three months and was in the fol- lowing engagements: Wilson's Creek, where gallant Gen. Lyons was in com- mand of the Union forces and Gen. Price of the rebel force. Our subject was taken a prisoner of war at this place and held three months and finally released by

Gen. Franz Sigel sending a flag of truce with ambulance wagons through the lines. Mr. Hauger returned to Cedar Rapids in October, 1861 and in the spring of 1862 caught the war fever again, and in July he enlisted as a member of Company A, Twentieth Iowa Infantry, for the term of three years. He served in the follow- ing departments : he was in several battles in Missouri, including Prairie Grove, December 7, 1862. In the spring of 1863 he was taken down the Missisippi to Vicks- burg and after its surrender to New Or- leans and across the Gulf of Mexico to the mouth of the Rio Grande River, where a heavy engagement ensued, hav- ing to fight their way up that stream to Brownville, where they made a stand in Ft. Brown and the Union forces drove them out finally. Our subject's company was then sent to Mustang Island, Tex. This was in November, 1863 and they re- mained there until the spring of 1864, guarding the works at Corpus Christi. We next find that they were in New Or- leaus, in August, 1874 and from there to Mobile Bay and aided in taking Ft. Mor . gan. Mr. Hanger then took a furlough of sixty days and returned to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, returning to his regiment at the end of that time, finding them at Duvall's Bluffs, Ark. In the early spring of 1865 they went to New Orleans and from that point to Florida and then marched to the rear of Mobile and were at the taking of Ft. Blakesley. They were soon ordered to Mobile and there received the news of the close of the war; also of the assassina- tion of President Lincoln, which was April 14, 1865. They remained there until June, 1866, wlien they returned to Clinton, Iowa, and were finally discharged, returning to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Mr. Hauger then visited in Pennsylvania, returning in the

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HARRISON COUNTY.

spring of 1866 to Linn County, Iowa, and followed carpentering one year. In the spring of 1867, he went to Leavenworth, Kan., where he worked at his trade three months and then went to New Mexico and Colorado. He then went to Wyom- ing Territory, remaining one year, return- ing to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, but soon went back to Wyoming Territory, and there remained three years, coming back in 1871. In March of that year he was mar- ried to Miss Mary Licktebarger, and by their union six children were born-Harry, Franklin, Richard, Bertha, Mabel and Emma.

Mary Hauger, wife of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania and died in Harri- son County, Iowa, in June, 1896, aged thirty-nine years. Mr. Hauger married for his second wife, September 1, 1887, Mrs. Pauline Strode. Mrs. Hauger is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Politically, our subject is a Republican, and belongs to Boyd Post No. 397, G. A. R., at Modale.

In conclusion it should be stated that Mr. Hauger is the son of Isaac and Eliza- beth (Shawly) Hauger, both natives of Pennsylvania. He came to Harrison County in the spring of 1881, and now re- sides on section 23, of Clay Township.

INDLEY M. EVANS, a pioneer of 1854, whose present home is on the banks of Pigeon Creek, on section 33, of Cass Township, will form the sub- ject of this sketch. He is one of the many sons which the old Buckeye State has sent forth. He was born April 9, 1828, in Belmont County, Ohio, and is the son of

Israel and Evalina W. (Smith) Evans. The father was a farmer, and emigrated to Harrison County, Iowa, in 1853, set- tling in Jefferson Township, where he died March 15, 1883.

Our subject attended school in Henry County, Ind., and completed his educa- tion in Pittsfield Seminary, Pike County, Ill. When about twenty-one years of age he started for himself, working on a farm in Pike County, Ill., receiving $12.00 - per month in the last named county. He followed this for three years, and then attended school at Pittsfield, as above related. After he had finished his course he taught school in Pittsfield until he came to Iowa in 1854.

September 10, 1852, he was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Gibbs, daugh- ter of Elias and Deboralı (Hawkins) Gibbs, who was the fourth child of a family of six children, born January 23, 1827. Mr. and Mrs. Evans are the parents of ten children-Evaline W., Adaline M., Clem- entine M., who died when five months old, Frederick E. Israel W., Charles H., Carrie D., Lindley M., Walter S. and Theodore.

When our subject came to this county he was accompanied by his wife, one child and his sister Sarah; they made the journey overland, crossing the vast num- ber of streams enroute, none of which had been bridged at that time. It will be remembered this was two years prior to the construction of any railroad west of the Mississippi River. They started with horse teams, but before they had gone far traded for two yoke of oxen, with which they made the journey in four weeks.

Mr. Evans is a member of the Christian Church, to which he has belonged for forty years, and was ordained as one of its ministers in the summer of 1862, and it

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HARRISON COUNTY.

has been his sad duty to preach over seventy funeral sermons in Harrison County; he also officiated at and solemn- ized some forty marriages. He has been a Justice of the Peace twelve years. Po- litically, he is identified with the Repub- lican party.

In 1888-89 he spent sixteen months in Dundy County, Neb., where he proved up a homestead in November, 1889; also has a tree claim in that county.

OHN J. ANDERSON, an enterpris- ing farmer of section 6, in Cass Township, has been a resident of Harrison County since the spring of 1881, and will form the subject of this no- tice. He is a native of Germany, born May 4, 1855. He remained in the Father- land until 1865. and then came to America, in company with his mother. His father was Henry Anderson, born in Germany, in 1822 and died April 5, 1857. From New York harbor, they came by rail to Clinton County, Iowa. In his father's family, there were the following children-Lizzie, August, Peter W.,, Dora C., John J. and Mary. Lizzie died November 7, 1870 and Dora C., September 7, 1878.

After coming to Clinton County, our subject worked as a farm laborer by the month. He was ten years old at the time he came, and worked summers on the farm, and attended school winters, work- ing for his board. After three years in that vicinity, he went to Scott County, Iowa, where he remained until he re- mained until he was eighteen years old, and then went to Pottawattamie County, and worked by the month five or six years, and then bought eighty acres of improved

land. He purchased it with the crops on the ground, and paid $20 per acre, and after removing the crop, he sold it for the same price, and then moved to his present place.

He was married May 4, 1882, to Sophia Klopping, the daughter of August and Annie Klopping, who were the parents of ten children, of whom our subject's wife was the oldest- Sophia C., Henry F., de- ceased; Carl W., Edward, deceased; Adolph L., Annie M., Emma A., Louis L., August P. and Louise, deceased.

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are the parents of four children-Louisa, born February 28, 1883; Anna A., April 15, 1884; Emma M., November 7, 1886; Dora, December 29, 1890. Three of these children are liv- ing.

When Mr. Anderson bought-his present farm, it was wild land, consisting of one hundred and sixty-seven acres, for which he paid $12.50 per acre. He grubbed and broke out about eighty acres ; built a com- fortable house, set out an orchard of one hundred trees, together with a large amount of small fruit. He also has good outbuildings and a Halliday wind-mill. In order to secure this place, our subject was obliged to go in debt, $1,200, but being of an industrious turn of mind, and practic- ing economy on every hand, he is now in possession of a comfortable and valuable home.

E DWARD HOUGHTON ranks among the early settlers of Harri- son County, having been here two years prior to the organization of the . county, the date of his coming being June, 1851, when he was in the pride of

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HARRISON COUNTY.

his young manhood, but upon whose face and form time has left her inevitable marks. A man who has been a resident of this goodly county for a period of forty years, most naturally finds a place among the sketches of representative men.

Concerning his earlier career it may be stated that he was born in the State of New York, July 3, 1831, and is a son of Eli and Deborah (Dwenell) Houghton. The father was a farmer, which avocation he followed in the Empire State until about 1840, when he emigrated to Illinois, which was the wild prairie land of the West. After eleven years, and in the au- tumn of 1851, he removed to Minnesota, where he spent the remainder of his days, sinking into that dreamless sleep known as death, December 21, 1865, aged sixty- eight years. His good wife, the mother of our subject, died in Illinois in 1842.

Our subject remained in Minnesota un- til his coming to this county in 1851. He was united in marriage April 8, 1856, to Mary A. Ellison, a native of Missouri, born August 28, 1838. Their home has been blessed by four children-Isaac Eli, James C., Mary R. and Nellie. Nellie and James are deceased. Eli is married and lives at Portsmouth, Shelby County, where he is engaged in the grain and ag- ricultural implement business.

Mary married George Shreeves, and they are residents of Harrison County, on section 15 of Cass Township.

When Mr. Houghton came to the county there was no one living in Cass Township except John and Lewis Bar- ney, Bryant and William Jolly and Uriah Hawkins, and the first assessment Mr. Houghton says was made by a man named Greene, who at the same time collected the taxes.

The first four years of our subject's res-

idence in Harrison County he lived with his brother-in-law, Samuel Fuller, who came to the county during the month of April, 1851, taking a claim of about sev- enty acres of timber land on section 17, in what is now known as Six-mile Grove. In October, 1855, these two gentlemen went to Wright County, Minn., Fuller dy- ing in Minnesota in 1876. Mr. Houghton returned to Harrison County, having been absent less than two months, and settled on the site of his present home, which is section 16, of Cass Township, where he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land to which he has added, until he now has four hundred and eighteen acres. Of this two hundred and thirty-five acres are under the plow, while the remainder is in excellent timber and pasture land.

Success has marked the honest industry of this pioneer who came to the county (which was then scarcely within the pale of civilized life,) possessing only the magnificent sum of fifty cents, and a pair of hands not afraid to work. While living with his brother-in-law he managed to get hold of some calves, and to enter a hundred and twenty acres of land, but having to borrow money of Judge Stephen King, with which to purchase a yoke of oxen for a breaking team, with which he broke six acres of his own land, and fif- teen of an eighty-acre tract which he and Fuller owned together. After returning from Minnesota, he bought another yoke of oxen and commenced opening up a home in what was then the wilds of Harrison County, which was then within the limits of the "far West." In the spring of 1856, he erected a log house 16x 18 feet, under the roof of which he lived for fourteen years, then built his present commodious farm house, the main part of which is 16x26 feet, two stories in height,

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HARRISON COUNTY.

together with an addition 16x36, and one story high.

Politically, our subject affiliates with the Republican party, and during his residence in this county has held the offices of Member of Board of Super- visors four years, and Township Trustee and School Treasurer for a period of over twenty-five years.

Mr. and Mrs. Houghton are professors of religion and believers in the faith and teachings of the Latter Day Saints Church.

To the younger man of to-day, this brief story of one man's life, withits co-incident toil and changes gone through with, by a youth reared amid the culture and beauti- ful surroundings of a farm home within the Empire State, on down through the attending hardships, found in opening up a country upon which the Red Man of the forests had but just bid a long farewell to, and subsequent labors in putting a large tract of land into a perfect state of culti- vation, should teach a lasting moral which is this: That in this country, and and with our form of government, under ordinary circumstances, a crown of suc- cess, both socially and financially, awaits the young man who starts in life with the determination to win by hard work and honesty.

R RANCIS M. MILLS, one of the representative farmers of Allen Township, living on section 27, ac- companied his parents to Harrison County in the month of August, 1868, and located in Lincoln Township. (See sketch of Charles Mills.) Our subject's father gave him his time when nineteen years of age,

and he went to work by the month on a farm, and put his earnings into stock and took care of it by working out until 1877, when he went to the Black Hills. After he arrived in that wild country he worked for others for four months and then went into the wood business-buy- ing and selling on his own account. He followed this for about two years, and then went to freighting from Pierre to Syd- ney, following that until 1880. Then he worked five months on the Northwestern Railroad, freighted another year, and then went to Montana, and hauled ties for the Diamond Railway Company. We next find him on the Yellowstone River, where he worked at railroading for about eight months, and then went to Ft. McGinnis, where he assisted in constructing a toll road, and subsequently bought a quarter interest in it. He then built a boarding- house and took up a ranch, and remained there two years, and then went to Maiden and remained there one year, working in the mines for about five months, and con- ducted the International Hotel for about four months. He was also at Sturgis City, Rapid City, Buffalo Gap and Chad- ron.

Our subject was born in the town of Duane, Franklin County, N. Y., and is the son.of Charles and Mehitable Mills, the former a native of Canada and the latter of New York. They reared a fam- ily of ten children, born in the following order: Harriet E., Francis M., Walter T., Scuyler J., Mehitable E., Lillie E., Roxy A., Elias E., Eva A. and Charles A.

August 29, 1880, Mr. Mills was united in marriage to Norah McCracken, the daughter of Daniel and Ann McCracken, natives of Indiana and Missouri, who were the parents of six children, born in the following order: Charles, deceased ;

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HARRISON COUNTY.

Mary A., Isaac, Nora, George H. and Frances J., deceased.

Mr. and Mrs. Mills are the parents of six children, as follows: Nellie E., born October 23, 1881; Edna M., July 31, 1884; Dennie A., May 6, 1886; Hettie E., February 20, 1888; Flora E., February 15, 1890; and Walter A., July 18, 1891.

Politically our subject is not in full sym- pathy with either of the great National political parties. He is a member of the Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union.

OSEPH A. PRITCHARD, an ex- tensive farmer of Cass Township, living on section 36, one half mile west of the Shelby County line, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1877, in company with his brother. They rented a house in Dunlap, and spent the first part of the season in looking up a location. They went into Nebraska but found nothing to compare with the land found here. Consequently our subject purchased two hundred and forty acres of wild land, constituting his present farm. Not having any means, he purchased this land on time, agreeing to improve the same, which he did by breaking sixty acres and building a one story and a half house, 18x22 feet. The following spring he went to the place and commenced to keep house for himself and a hired man, each having a team. The first crop was divided between oats and wheat, and eighty acres more were broken, and a two- barbed wire fence was strung around the farm. The territory in which he bought being purely a prairie country, our sub- ject very wisely planted out an artificial grove and a small orchard the first year

he owned the place. To the passer-by there are unmistakable evidences of thrift and prosperity about this well im- proved farm home.

Our subject was born in Canada, Feb- ruary 16, 1847, and is a son of Joseph and Rosannah (Campbell) Pritchard. The father was born in Ireland and the mother in Canada, and they reared a family of nine children. our subject being the fifth. The following are their names: Jane, deceased; Thomas, Judith, James, Jo- seph A., Sarah M., John H., Samuel J., and William C.

When twelve years of age, our subject removed with his parents to Clinton County, Iowa, where he bought a farm in the spring of 1861. Our subject remained at home until twenty years of age, and for his faithfulness his father gave him a horse, team and $1000 worth of land, consisting of forty acres, with an encum- brance of $500 upon it. He also bought forty acres adjoining and farmed until 1871, keeping bachelor's hall. But be- coming weary of the routine of single blessedness, he consequently took for a life companion Harriet B. Muller, the daughter of William and Charlotte Mul- ler, the father being a native of Denmark, and the mother of England. The event of this marriage occurred in November, 1866, at the little town of Camanche, Clinton County, Iowa. With no foolish bridal tour, this worthy couple at once commenced housekeeping, Mr. Pritchard having made everything in readiness in the way of furnishing his house before his marriage. Three years passed by, when suddenly our subject's domestic relations were shrouded in the pall of darkness by the death of his wife.

In the gloom of his affliction, our sub- ject finally traded for a farm in Tama

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HARRISON COUNTY.

County, and took a trip to Oregon, going by the way of San Francisco; he stopped at Salem about ten months, and from there went to Walla-Walla Valley, Wash. where he engaged to drive cattle back to Laramie City, Wyo., during which trip, that lasted seven months, he never ate a meal of victuals or slept in a house. He arrived at Laramie City early in October, 1876, and from there returned to Clinton County, Iowa, where he re- mained until the following spring, and then came to this county.

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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 83

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