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 84
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Mr. Pritchard was again married at Logan, March 15, 1878, to Esther E. Law- ton, the daughter of Casper and Emily L. Lawton, who was the third child of a family of seven children, named as fol- lows: Julia, Charley, Esther, Harri. t, Marteena, Myrtie, and Albert G.
Politically, Mr. Pritchard is a supporter of the Republican party, and, in religious matters is a Methodist.
Our subject's father is now a resident of Ida Grove, Ida County, Iowa, and cel- brated his golden wedding February 11, 1891, and walks erect without the use of a cane.
AMES H. MATHER, who has been identified with the history of Harri- son County since December, 1881, settled on his present place on sec- tion 34, of Cass Township, where he owns one hundred and sixty acres of land, whichi he purchased a year previous to moving here. It was wild land, but now has been subdued, and one hundred and forty acres of the tract are now under a high state of cultivation, while the remainder provides its owner with a valuable pasture and meadow.
Mr. Mather was born January 5, 1858, at Salt Lake City, Utah, and is the son of James and Margaret (Holt) Mather, who now live in Redlands, San Bernardino County, Cal. The father was born in Scotland, August 29, 1826, and came to America about 1853, and immediately went to Utah, where he was married. He reared a family of six children, of whom our sub- ject is the oldest. His mother was of the number, with her parents, who made the trip across the plains, with the hand-cart caravan of the Mormons who went to Salt Lake and endured the hardships co-inci- dent with that journey and wearisome march, the equal of which has never be- fore been recorded in history. The father of our subject went across with an ox- team train, in 1853, made up by another company of Mormons.
Our subject attended school at Gales- burg, Ill., where he received a good busi- ness education, leaving school at the age of fourteen years. His parents left Salt Lake, Utah, in 1863 and moved to Califor- nia from Illinois in 1891.
When eighteen years of age James H. came to Shelby County, Iowa, on account of his health, and to see relatives living there, and with whom he made his home until he was married, December 8, 1881, to Elizabeth A. Halliday, who was born in Nebraska, and the daughter of Henry and Alice (Garrett) Halliday ; she was the oldest of a family of five children by her father's second wife.
When our subject came to Shelby Coun- ty, he taught school for four years, two terms of which were in Harrison County, before he was married, and in this way he laid the foundation for his present com- fortable home, which presents an appear- ance of systematic order. The place con- tains a fine orchard of one hundred bear-
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ing trees, while cattle, swine and horses constitute the chief elements of this man's farm. When our subject seemed . prospering, and all bid fair for many years of home happiness, the angel of death stole down and called his beloved com- panion from the home circle-she died May 3, 1891.
Politically Mr. Mather votes with the Republican party and has served his town- ship as Justice of the Peace, Trustee and Township Clerk and in 1890 was Republi- can nominee for Clerk of Court for Har- rison County, being defeated by W. T. Howard.
OHN BOLCH, who came to Har- ison County in the spring of 1870, is now a prosperous farmer on sec- tion 16, Lincoln Township. Like so many others who came to this part of the State, our subject commenced working on a farm by the month, and continued so to labor for three years, at the end of which time he rented land in Allen Township, where he subsequently bought one hundred and sixty acres, in company with his brother. He lived on this farm eight years, and then bought the place he now occupies, consisting of two hundred acres, for which he paid $20 per acre, the same being partially improved. He added im- provements from time to time, including a granary, windmill, and other conven- iences for stock purposes, and also set out a fine orchard. As the years have rolled by this man of energy has accumulated and added to his original farm, until he now has four hundred and forty acres, en- closed by a good fence, with three hundred and twenty acres under the plow.
Of his more personal and domestic life it may be said that Mr. Bolch was born in Washington County, Ohio, March 24, 1849. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Kuhn) Bolch, who had seven children: John, Peter, Mary, Frank, Joseph, Adam, deceased; and Elizabeth. Mrs. Bolch's parents were natives of Prussia.
Our subject lived in the Buckeye State until twenty years of age, receiving a common-school education, and being brought up on the farm amid the scenes of rural life. Just as he was entering manhood, he went to Missouri, where he worked on a farm for one year and then came to Harrison County. He was united in marriage in the spring of 1882, to Ber- tha M. Holben, the daughter of James and Dortha Holben, natives of England and Canada, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Bolch are the parents of three children : John, deceased, born November 21, 1885; Eva, April 29, 1886; and John, Jr., No- vember 20, 1888.
AMES R. HAWK, a farmer resid- ing on section 7, of Lincoln Town- ship, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1882, and bought eighty acres of land near Dunlap, upon which he lived one year, sold the same and purchased one hundred and seventy acres in Lincoln Township, which he now lives upon, This land cost him $14.50 per acre, and had some improve- ments made upon it. Mr. Hawk set out an orchard of one hundred apple trees, be- sides cherry and plums, also a three-acre grove of maples. He has since added to his farm until it now contains two hun- dred and sixty acres, one hundred and
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eighty of which are now under the plow.
He was originally a Buckeye, having been born in Jackson County, Ohio, in December, 1852 .. His parents were Jacob and Susan (Layton) Hawk, natives of the Keystone State, and by whom eight chil- dren were born, our subject being the fourth. The family were as follows: Aaron and Rebecca E., deceased; Sa- mantha J .; James and John, twins; John is deceased; George W., Jacob N. and and Mary S.
Our subject lived with his parents in Ohio, until twenty-two years of age, and then went to Sangamon County, Ill., where he worked on a farm for two years, and then moved to Vermillion County, of the same state, where he bought eighty acres of land, remained two years, then sold out and came to Harrison County, Iowa.
He was united in marriage to Eunice E. Benton, February 17, 1878. She was the daughter of Orin and Mary A. Benton, natives of Ohio and Illinois respectively. They had two children, our subject's wife being the youngest.
Mr. and Mrs. Hawk are the parents of three children : Clara R., born December 1, 1880; Mary E., November 10, 1882, and Lester R., April 10, 1890.
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W ILLIAM S. BURCH, has been a resident of Harrison County, since January, 1878. He located on sec- tion 30, of Lincoln Township, in 1881, having rented three years in Allen Town- ship, and in 1880, purchased eighty acres of the farm he now occupies, which was then wild land. Here he built a frame house, 12x16 feet, with a wing 10x12 feet
and did the general amount of farm im- provement necessary to make a good place, including a barn 28x32 feet, a tool-house 12x14 feet, and a granary the same size. He also provided three good wells of water, set- out an orchard, and planted out an artificial grove. He has since add- ed to his landed estate, until he now has two hundred and seven acres, all fenced into four lots, and one hundred and ten acres under the plow, while the balance is in meadow and pasture land. Our subject was born in Loudoun County, Va., June 8, 1845, and is the son of James S. and Anna L. (Bntter) Burch, natives of Vir- ginia, who reared a family, of five chil- dren, our subject being the fourth. The children were-Emaline, John T., James E., William S., and Grafton.
Our subject lived with his parents in Virginia, when the family moved to Ma- con County, Mo. He was reared to farm life, attended school winters, but assisted on the farm during the summer months. Later in life he attended the High School in Virginia, as well as in Omaha, Neb. From Missouri he moved to Omaha, work- ed on a farm two years, then moved to Sarpy County, Neb., rented land there, which he worked in the summer, teaching school during the winter until the spring of 1871, when he went back to his native State, and attended the High School at Hamilton, above referred to. After six months in that school we find him in Washington, D. C. where on his own ac- count he was conducting a green gro- cery. He operated this a year, and follow- ed clerking for the next eighteen months, and then went back to Virginia, and work- ed as an overseer, on a plantation, re- maining there one year, after which he came to Harrison County Iowa. In the fall of 1891 he sold and is contemplating
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moving to Stanton County, Neb., where he owns a farm.
He was united in marriage, January 15, 1878, to Nancy J. Harper, the daughter of John and Eliza Harper, natives off Ken- tucky who had a family of fourteen chil- dren, named as follows-William H., Lot., Susan C. and Sarah E. (twins), Nancy J., Mary A., Abbie F., Allen F., Elisha and Elias (twins), John, Ella E., Elbert, and Levi B. Ten of these children still survive, all living in Harrison County, Iowa.
Mr. and Mrs. Burch, are the parents of eight children, born as follows-Violet M. May 1, 1879; Florence V., June 7, 1880; Pearlie E., January 20, 1882; William E., (deceased), March 24, 1883, Elma, born November 27, 1884; Ralph R. April 12, 1886; Creola J. December 26, 1887, and Vivian V. July 14, 1889.
Politically, Mr. Burch is not in full sympathy with either one of the great parties of this country but on the contra - ry believes in the principles as set forth by the Farmers Alliance and Industrial Un- ion.
R OBERT IVENS, while not among the earliest pioneers, has been a resident of this county long enough to have become closely identified with her every interest. He is a resident of section 14, Cass Township, and came to the County May 24, 1872, and commen- ced farming with his father, continuing at home, working at farm labor and build- ing, until he had reached his majority, at which time, or soon after, he bought forty acres comprising a part of his present farm. The same was wild land and was
not so easily tilled as the mellow soil of his present place.
At the same time he was improving his own land by breaking and building a house 14x22 feet, he was also tilling his father's farm. He now owns one hun- dred and sixty acres, which, to the passer- by, give unmistakable evidences of the fact that he is a man given to thoroughness and order. To his original farm house, has been added a portion 12x14 feet. Good outbuildings, stockyards, fences, trees and shrubery, together with a fine windmill, constitute the chief attractions of the place.
Concerning the birth- place and paren- tage of our subject, it should be stated that he was born in the town of London, West Canada, and hence at one time was under the Dominion of, and subject to, the rule of Queen Victoria. The date of his birth was June 10, 1856. He was the twelfth child of a family of fourteen children, eight of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. The following are the names of the living given in their order --- Edmond M., Matilda, Louise, Thomas P., Catherine E., Alice G., Robert and Fannie.
The father was a native of England, as was the mother, and they came to Amer- ica about the year 1855, and settled in Howard County, Iowa, after having re- sided for a number of years in Canada.
Our subject was married January 1, 1878, to Annie B. Barnes, daughter of N. D. and E. H. Barnes, of Cass Township, a native ofIllinois, but who was reared and educated principally in Harrison County, being only nine years of age when her parents removed West. She taught six terms of school prior to her marriage, and twenty-nine terms since that event, the majority of which have been in Harrison County.
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Her father was Nathan D. Barnes, who came to Harrison County in the year 1866. He was born in Luzerne County, Pa., June 20, 1828.
Our subject and his wife are the parents of three children : Oscar C., born Novem- ber 26, 1882; Libbie and Edmund M., (twins), February 12, 1889.
He started in life unaided by others and without money, having run in debt for his first forty acres of land, for which he paid $8 per acre, the re- mainder of his land costing him $10 per acre. But it is gratifying to know that every acre of this land is now worth $25, and that he is in possession of one of the many beautiful and valuable pieces of farm property for which Harrison County is noted.
OSEPH SEDDON, one of the en- terprising citizens of Persia, Harri- son County, Iowa, was born in Lancashire, England, December 28, 1847, and in February of the following year with the view of bettering their con- dition, his parents emigrated to America, stopping at different places, finally came to Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 1850, where the father pre-empted a piece of land, a few miles north of the present city, where they remained until 1856 and then moved to Florence, Neb., the father having died in this State. In the spring of 1858 they removed to Platte County, Neb., remain- ing there until the spring of 1863, when they moved back to Florence, remained one year, and then came to Shelby County, Iowa, settling on section 31, township 79, range 40, Here our subject
remained with his mother and step-father until the fall of 1867, then removed to his own place and remained until the fall of 1870, when he bought a farm on section 4, of Washington Township, the farm con- sisting of a quarter section of wild land which he improved and lived upon until the spring of 1884, having made his ar- rangements the fall before, entering into partnership with W. J. Brownrigg in the drug business. They purchased a build- ing which had been used for that purpose before. Our subject remained in this bus- iness eighteen months, when he engaged in the general mercantile business, and in the store now occupied by Mr. Bullard, remaining in that building until the spring of 1890, then bought Mr. Burton out on the northeast corner of Main street, where he still trades.
Our subject was married November I7, 1867, to Miss Nancy M. Poe, who is the mother of eight children-one who died in infancy, John Z., Alice E., Asath, William H., Nancy M., Joseph A., and Oliver. John, Alice, Asath, and Oliver, are deceased.
The mother, Nancy M. (Poe) Seddon, was born in Randolph County, N. C., Decem- ber 9, 1846, and about 1861 her parents came to Hamilton, Ind., where they re- mained until 1866 and then came to Har- rison County, Iowa, locating on a farm in Douglas Township, where she remained until the date of her marriage.
John Seddon, the father of our subject, was born in Little Boleton, England, and died in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, in September, 1850. His wife, the mother of our subject, married for her second husband, Henry Halliday, of Cass Town- ship.
Politically our subject is identified with the Republican party, and both he and his
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estimable wife are members of the Latter Day Saints Church, he joining that so- ciety December 5, 1869, and his wife Sep- tember 15, 1878. He is the present pas- tor of the Persia branch of this church.
This is another instance wherein one coming from a foreign shore and identi- fying himself with the spirit of our insti- tutions, has made for himself all that this world affords-a good home.
G EORGE W. COFFMAN, a farmer of section 12, Raglan Towhship, came to Harrison County in the autmn of 1866, in company with his par- ents, and remained at home until he was of age, having only a common school edu- cation. After reaching his majority, he rented land one year, and then bought a farm in Allen Township, or rather eighty acres of wild land, which he improved and subsegently sold and bought the place he now occupies, which consisted of eighty acres of partly improved land, and has made substantial improvements upon the same. Like so many of Harrison Coun- ty's well-to-do men, our subject com- menced life with no capital, save his own determination, to accomplish something for himself in life.
Mr. Coffman was born in Appanoose County, Iowa, in January, 1859. He is the son of Pleasant and Margaret Coff- man, whose sketch appears elsewhere. They were natives of Arkansas and Ten- nessee respectively. Their children were as follows-George W., James A., Gart- hula J., deceased; William T., Dora J., Alice E. and Reuben W., deceased.
Our subject lived in Appanoose County until he was five years of age when his
parents went to Utah, remained one year, and then went to Montana, remained one year, after which they returned to Harri- son County, Iowa. Our subject was mar- ried April 4, 1883, to Mary A., daughter of James S. and Barbara Rogers, the former was a native of Ohio, and the lat- ter, of Germany. Their family consisted of the following children-Margaret J., John, deceased; David, Columbus, Mar- ion, Mary A., Ellis and Della.
Our subject and his wife have one child -Alice B., born in January, 1884. Mr. Coffman is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Magnolia Lodge, No. 126. He also belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In religious matters, both he and his wife are members of the Christian Church.
C HARLES S. GREENFIELD, a farmer residing on section 3, of Cass Township, has been a resident of the county since the autumn of 1873, at which time he purchased a piece of land and then returned to his home in the East, remained one year, and came back to Iowa in the fall of 1874. The tract of land he originally bought was partly improved, and laid partly in Douglas and partly in Cass Townships, and upon the place was a one-story house 16x24 feet. Twenty acres of the farm were under the plow. The farm contained two hundred and seventy-five acres. He spent five years of his life and lost $1,500 in money, and finally left the place and purchased the eighty acres upon which he now lives. Twelve acres of this tract had been broken at the time he purchased it. It is now well improved and contains a good house,
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the upright of which is 16x20 feet, to- gether with awing 10x12 feet. He moved to this place in the spring of 1880. Our subject was born in Dodge County, Wis., September 1, 1849, and lived in the Badger State until he came to Harrison County.
He was married June 10, 1874, in Outa- gamie County, Wis., to Sarah M. Scott, born in Milwaukee County April 27, 1851. Her father's name was John Scott and her mother's name before marriage was Ida Jewell. They were both natives of the State of New York.
Our subject's father was Willard Green- field, who married Susanna Hunt. Both were natives of New York State. The father was a stone mason in the Empire State, but turned his attention to agriculture in Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Greenfield are the parents of the following children : Edith May, Libby Myrtle, John Earl, Charles S. and Willard S., who died Sep- tember 19, 1885, aged six months and fif- teen days. Politically, our subject be- lieves in the principles of the Republican party, and in his religious faith is a be- liever in the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
12 ARRISON C. SMITH, a farmer living on section 35, of Jackson Township, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1857, and located on the farm he now occupies which he pur- chased at $1.25 per acre, with land war- rants, which he bought at a reduction of twenty per cent. making his land cost him $1 per acre.
He visited Ohio in the fall of 1860, where he spent the winter with his
parents they having removed to Ohio in the fall of 1857. In the spring of 1861 he went to Colorado where he was en- gaged in agriculture until the spring of 1863, when he, in company with a train of merchantmen, set out for Bannock via Ft. Halleck, Ft. Bridger, Bear and Snake River Valleys, arriving at Bannock after a journey of fifty-two days. The train crossed Snake River in wagonbeds, a per- ilous undertaking considering the river was a raging torrent. But it was success- fully accomplished in six days' time despite the perils of water and of Indians and the arrival at Bannock occurred with- out loss of life or limb. Here he found the mines overworked, so struck out for Alder Gulch, a new discovery on the east side of the range. By the way, this gulch proved to be extensive and rich, contain- ing some thirteen miles of placer mines, yielding millions of dollars. He owned and worked ground there for something over three years, sold out and struck out for the States in the fall of 1866.
He then came back to Iowa, and broke out about thirty acres of his land, built a house, barn, and made other improve- ments, and finally provided his place with wells and a windmill, set out an orchard of one hundred apple trees and has since added to his farmn until he now has three hundred and twenty acres eighty acres of which is under the plow, the balance is in meadow and pasture land.
A man by the name of Herd organized a Mackinaw fleet of seventeen or eighteen boats. There were some two hundred and fifty men in the fleet, and embarked at the mouth of the Yellowstone Canon just across the range dividing the Jeffer- son River from the Yellowstone, some fifteen or twenty miles from the city of Bozeman. This was another perilous trip,
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at this time the Indians were on the war- path.
The incidents of interest during this ride of fifteen hundred miles would fill a small volume. They disembarked at Yankton, S. D., though most of the fleet went on stopping off at Omaha and Kan- sas City, some as far as St. Louis, took the stage at Yankton for Des Moines, via Council Bluffs, thence by rail to Cleve- land, Ohio, arriving at Bedford in Octo- ber. He remained on a visit with rela- tives and friends until the next fall (1867), and then made a trip down to Vermont after an absence of ten years and spent three months among old acquaintances and then returned to Ohio, where he spent the winter with his parents, making preparations for a final settlement in Iowa.
Of our subject's earlier life it may be said he was born in Addison County, Vt. Sep- tember 24, 1835. He is a son of Loudon and Abigail Smith, natives of the Green Mountain State, who reared a family of five children-Harrison C., Laurine E., George E., John T., deceased, and Mary A. Four of these children are living- two in Ohio, one in Kansas and our sub- ject. He remained in Vermont with his parents until he became of age, and then came to Harrison County, Iowa.
He was united in marriage, in Decem- ber, 1868. to Sarah E. Hammond, daugh- ter of John and Lucretia Hammond, na- tives of Vermont, who reared a family of nine children, our subject's wife being the youngest. Her father's family was as follows: Sydney M., George B., Cather- ine C., deceased; Hezekiah W., deceased ; Vernul D., Horace J., deceased; Charles W., Edwin H., and Sarah E.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of six children, born and named as follows :
Orton L., December 22, 1869; Carrie B., October 10, 1871; Edna D., November 20, 1874; John H., May 8, 1877; Edith L., March 19, 1879; George B., May 24, 1884.
Our subject and wife are acceptable members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and stands high in the commu- nity in which they live. Politically Mr. Smith votes with the Republican party, and has held the offices of Justice of the Peace, and Township Trustee of Jackson Township.
W ILLIAM F. GARNER, whose farm home is situated on section 34, of Raglan Township, came to Harri- son County in the spring of 1861, with his parents, who settled on the place they now occupy. William F. remained at home until he was of age, working on the farm summers and attending school win- ters. When he went for himself he first rented land in Magnolia Township, where he farmed three years, and then farmed two years near Logan, after which he moved to Raglan Township, rented land one year, and in 1881 bought his present place, which then consisted of ninety-five acres of partly-improved land. His place is now well improved; is provided with good buildings; water pumped by wind power, and is made more valuable by shade trees and an orchard of seven hun- dred trees. His farm now consists of two hundred and thirty-five acres; fifty-five acres being under the plow, and the bal- ance in pasture, timber and meadow land. Great has been the change since this gentleman -the first year of the Civil War-looked out upon the unsettled do- main of Harrison County. The goodly
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home that he possesses came not by heir- ship, but by his own brain and muscle.
Mr. Garner was born in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, March 5, 1854. He is the son of Henry and Ann M. Garner, natives of North Carolina and Maryland respec- tively, whose fourteen children were as follows :- Amanda J., Margaret E., William F., George W., Harriet E., Caroline M., John P .; Stephen and Eva A., de- ceased; Sarah E. and Mary E., twins ; James F., Bertha E., and Minnie M.
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