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 86
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769
HARRISON COUNTY.
T., March 1, 1883; Archie E., April 3, 1886; Willis E., June 28, 1889.
Politically, our subject is identified with the Republican party.
In their religious belief Mr. and Mrs. Gilson believe in the Christian faith.
ONATHAN WEST, a farmer living on section 25, Cincinnati Township, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1857, and settled in the village of Cincinnati (now defunct). In the autumn of the same year he procured a certificate for the land he now lives upon. The same called for a quarter-section of "swamp land," whenever it came into market. He erected a frame building 14x20 feet, with an addition 10x20 feet, and in the spring of 1858 removed this to his place. All was new and wild at the time he came to the county, and there were but few settlers found in any part of the county, and what settlement there was, was found within the numerous native groves of the county. At first his team was a yoke of oxen, and it required a trip of two days to go and come from Council Bluffs. Agri- culture was not what it is at this time, as there was but little market for farm pro- duce. But our subject sold considerable cottonwood lumber and hence got hold of some cash when his neighbors had none.
Mr. West was born March 7, 1828, in Clinton County, Ohio, and remained at home with his parents until he was twen- ty-one years of age, and in the spring of 1849 he engaged at farming in Fulton County, Ill., and remained in that State until the autumn of 1856, with the excep- tion of one year spent in Ohio. He came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and re-
mained there over winter and. then came to Harrison County.
He was married in Knox County, Ill., August 19, 1854, to Miss Rebecca Drumm, the daughter of John and Jane (Hull) Drumm, by which union eight children were born: Mary J., Jerome, Cornelia, Sarah C., John D., Hulda A., Viola, and Olive, all living.
Rebecca (Drumm) West was born in Marion County, Ohio, August 24, 1830, and the same year her parents moved to Fulton County, Ill., where she grew to womanhood.
Our subject's father was Henry West, a native of Virginia, where he remained un- til after he was married. He settled in Clinton County, Ohio, at an early day. His wife rode a horse from Virginia to Ohio and carried a pack, while the father walked. They opened up a farm and the father remained there until his death which occurred in 1848, when he was sixty years old. The good wife, Nancy (Terrell) West, was a native of Virginia, and re- mained there until her marriage, and died in Ohio in 1862, aged seventy-one years. They were the parents of ten children, four sons and six daughters, our subject being the youngest. All are deceased, but our subject and one sister, Catherine (West) Kane, living in Clinton County, Ohio. The father and mother were both members of the Lutheran Church for years but before their death united with the Christian Church. The father of Mrs. West was John Drumm, who was a native of Virginia, and when he had grown to manhood went to Licking County, Ohio, where he married Jane Hull, and removed to Illinois in 1830, remaining until 1855, and then removed to Mills County, Iowa. In 1857 he came to Harrison County, and improved a farm in Cincinnati Township,
770
HARRISON COUNTY.
and remained until 1875, when he went to Clay County, Neb., and he there died in August, 1876. His wife was a native of West Virginia, and her parents emigrated to Ohio when she was young. She passed from earth in Harrison County, about 1880. They were the parents of eleven children, two sons and nine daughters. Four of these children still survive, Mrs. West being the third child in her father's family. The other living children are: Hannah J. Whipple, living in Montana ; Julia Benton, in Harrison County, Iowa ; Cornelius, in Arkansas.
Our subject, Mr. West, usually votes the Democratic ticket, but is by no means a radical partisan. He has held about all the local offices in his township, and was a member of the first Board of County Supervisors Harrison County ever had. They convened January 7, 1861. In 1888 he was elected Justice of the Peace, which office he still holds.
R L, WEBB, a farmer living on sec- ยท tion 9, Cincinnati Township, forms the subject of this sketch. He came to Harrison County in the spring of 1882, and settled on the farm he now occupies. At first he bought eighty acres of improved land, to which he has added forty acres.
Mr. Webb was born in Otsego County, N. Y., March 18, 1832. His mother died when he was a small boy, and as soon as he was old enough, shifted for himself, at whatever he could get to do. About 1854, he went on the road selling boots, shoes and rubber goods, and was on the road for about sixteen years, traveling over nearly every State east of the Mississippi River.
He traveled from Utica, N. Y., and after leaving the road, engaged in the boot and shoe business, at Marathon, Cortland County, N. Y., and was there until 1882, when he came to Harrison County, Iowa.
He was united in marriage, in Cortland County, N. Y., April 5, 1865, to Miss Avis M. Huntly, the daughter of John D. and Louisa (French) Huntly, by which mar- riage three children were born : Frank H., January 25, 1867; Ritchie H., September 28, 1873, and Victoria L., July 11, 1880. Mrs. Webb was born in Cortland County, N. Y., June 15, 1847, and remained at. home with her parents until the date of her marriage. Her parents were members of the Baptist Church.
Charles H. Webb, father of our sub- ject, was a native of England, and came to America when a boy, and settled in Ot- sego County. He was somewhat of a speculator in lands and had at one time five hundred acres in Otsego County. About 1838 he sold out and went to Mich- igan; was there only a short time when his wife died, and he returned to Otsego County, where subsequently he was mar- ried and went to Bradford County, Pa., where he purchased five hundred acres of pine land, and was there engaged for a number of years in sawing up this timber. He finally sold out and went to Winne- bago County, Ill., where he died about 1854. Our subject's mother was a native of Otsego County, N. Y. Her maiden name was Lucinda Hitchcock, and she died in Michigan, about 1838. They were the parents of five children, of whom our subject was the fourth.
Politically Mr. Webb is an out and out Democrat. His early education was re- ceived in the common schools. In addi- tion to his farm property he has a resi- dence in Missouri Valley, located on Sev-
771
HARRISON COUNTY.
enth Street, and now occupied by Mr. Huff. It is the intention of our subject to remove to Missouri Valley for the purpose of giving his daughter better educational advantages.
W ILLIAM ELLIOTT has been a resident of Harrison County since 1871, and is now a farmer located on section 24, Lincoln Township. He was born in Ireland in April,1845 and remained in that country until he was about twenty years of age. His parents were James and Mary Elliott, who were natives of the Emerald Isle. They were the parents of seven children, our subject being the sixth child. They were as follows, Elizabeth, John, Matilda, Sarah, James, William and Ann. Of the five living three are in Amer- ica. When twenty years of age our sub- ject sailed for the New World and landed in Quebec, Canada, where he lived three years and then went to Omaha, Neb,, where he remained' one year and then went back to Canada, remained one win- ter, and then came to Dunlap, Iowa, bring- ing $300 with him.
Our subject was united in marriage with Mary L. Brown in August, 1877. She was the daughter of Guernsey and Mary L. Brown, natives of New York, who were the parents of four children-Fannie, Lil- lie, Barnard and Mary L., who was the wife of our subject and died in 1887. In the autumn of 1888 he married Livonia Williams, daughter of Ebenezer and Mary- etta Williams, who had four children- Maryetta, Electa, Martha, and Livonia. The parents were natives of Massachu- setts and Vermont and are both deceased.
By his first marriage Mr. Elliott had
three children : William A., born July 27, 1877: Adeline A., November 28, 1879; Hersilia M., October 9, 1880.
Our subject makes no religious profes- sion but his wife belongs to the Disciples Church.
Upon coming to Harrison County our subject went to work for Thomas McDon- ald, and after leaving him went to Council Bluffs, near which place he worked on a farm for ten months then came back to Harrison and Crawford Counties and worked at chopping, farming and cattle herding for five years, at the end of which time he purchased sixty acres of land on section 19, of Union Township where he built a house. He paid $8 per acre for some of his farm and $10 for the balance, and added to his land from time to time until he had two hundred and two acres. He lived there for two years then sold his farm and bought where he now lives. His present farm, consisting of one hundred and fifty-five acres, was mostly wild land which he improved, building the house, sheds and outbuildings, and has lived on this place ever since with the exception of one year spent in Ohio.
OHN EMGE, a farmer residing on section 4; Lincoln Township, has been identified with the interests of Harrison County for some years. The first four years he was here he rented land in Raglan Township. He also rented in Monona County two years. He was a poor man at the time of his coming and had a wife and three children, with only a cap- ital of $40. After these years of renting land he paid $20 per acre for a partly im- proved tract of land, which is included in
772
HARRISON COUNTY.
his present farm. He broke out fifteen acres the first year, erected a comfortable house, sheding, etc., and is now in posses- sion of a comfortable home.
Mr. Emge was born in Pennsylvania in May, 1850. His parents were Nicholas and Elizabeth Emge, who were natives of Ger- many. They had a family of six children, our subject being the youngest. The children were named Christopher, Peter, Nicholas, Agnes, Adam and John.
1
Our subject remained in the Keystone State until he was seven years old and then accompanied his parents to Ohio. He remained at home until he was of age, receiving a common-school education and assisting his father as he could. He was married in August, 1870, to Mary J. Barnhart, the daughter of William and Mary Barnhart, natives of New York State, who reared a family of nine children, our subject's wife being the fourth. The family consisted of William, Jasper, Re- becca, Elizabeth, Caroline, Sarah, Sylves- ter, and two who died in infancy.
Mr. and Mrs. Emge are the parents of six children, as follows : M. R., William R., Clarence O., Mary E., E. J., and Laura.
In religious matters our subject is a be- liever in the Roman Catholic faith.
Politically, Mr. Emge is identified with the Republican party.
BSALOM F. LINN, a resident of section 14, Clay Township, was born in Adams County, Pa., in 1820. His parents were farmers, and with them our subject remained until he was nineteen years old, when he went to Mary- land and served an apprenticeship of two years in a mill and then came back to
Pennsylvania, followed milling until 1864, and then came to Kane County, Ill., where he ran a mill four years, and in the spring of 1870, came to this county, following the life of a miller four years, when he bought thirty acres of land in Clay Township. He was married in Adams County, Pa., in July, 1840, to Miss Catharine Heagan, and by this marriage union nine children were born: Annie D., Sylvester J., Amanda, deceased; Emory; Matilda, and Henry, deceased; Raphael; Hester; and Silas, deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. Linn are both members of the Dunkard's Church, having been mem- bers for thirty-seven years. Politically, he is an Independent.
AVID FARQUHAR, a farmer re- siding on section 13, of Cincinnati Township, came to Harrison Coun- ty in February, 1876, and worked as a farm hand for Mr. Coulthard for five years. In the spring of 1881, having saved his earnings, he bought a farm of sixty acres on section 1, Cincinnati Town- ship, removed to the same and remained there until the spring of 1884, when he sold out and rented a farm in Cincinnati Township, and in 1887 removed on the farm he now occupies, which he rented until the spring of 1890, then he in part- nership with a brother-in-law, Robert Richardson, bought a half interest in the place, which contains five hundred acres, George Richardson owning a one-half in- terest. Just one half of this land is under cultivation, and all well stocked.
Our subject was born in Middlesex County, Canada, April 9, 1856, and is a son of John and Mary A. (Farris) Farquhar,
773
HARRISON COUNTY.
both of whom were born in Scotland, and came to Canada when quite small. Our subject remained at home with his parents until the spring of 1876, when he came to this county. He was married in Harri- son County, December 22, 1880, to Miss Nettie Richardson, the daughter of George and Ann (Coulthard) Richardson.
Our subject and his wife are the parents of four children : Laura M., born June 18, 1881; George L., September 21, 1883; Mary A., February 10, 1885; baby boy, March 28, 1888, died in infancy. Laura M., died April 28, 1884, and George L., May 7, 1884.
Nettie (Richardson) Farquhar, was born in Harrison County, Iowa, November 1, 1861, and remained at home with her par- ents until married. Both our subject and his wife received their education at the common schools.
Politically, Mr. Farquhar is a Republi- can. Of his father and mother it may be said that they are still living in Canada, and are the parents of six sons and seven daughters, our subject being the sixth child.
LCIDE L. BESSIRE, one of the representative citizens of Cincin- nati Township, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1884 and took charge of F. H. Ludwig's ranch, in Clay Township, consisting of seventeen hundred acres. He continued to operate that until the fall of 1885, and then took charge of the Boner & Sims ranch in Taylor Township, which consists of twelve hundred acres. In the spring of 1887 Boner, Sims & Haas formed a partner- ship and threw their lands together and had their stock in company. Then our
subject took charge of the combined ranches comprising twenty-nine hundred acres of land situated in Clay and Taylor Townships. They kept about five hun- dred head of cattle and raised about thirty thousand bushels of corn per year. In the winter of 1887-88 they put on the market at Modale, thirteen hundred cords of wood and the following winter about nine hun- dred cords. In the spring of 1889, besides running the extensive business for Boner, Sims & Haas, he rented the Brandriff land of six hundred acres, which he farmed on his own account, thus having under his charge thirty-five hundred acres of land. He raised that year thirteen thousand bushels of corn for himself and thirty-two thousand bushels for the company. The company was known as Boner, Haas & Co., Boner & Co. owning one-half. In the spring of 1880 Boner, Haas & Co. dis- solved and Boner, Sims & Bessire formed a partnership under the firm name of Boner & Co. Mr. Bessire having bought the stock interests of Mr. Haas, they now control sixteen hundred acres and keep three hundred head of steers, which they feed summers as well as winters. They also pay special attention to horses, usually keeping fifty head, and are now breeding trotting stock. They are the owners of "Accident,"which is a standard- bred three-year-old horse, with a record of 2:40. They also have "Archibald" and "Golden Wing." At the time Boner, Sims & Bessire formed a partnership, they went into the grain business at Modale and handled large quantities of goods as well.
In August, 1891, Boner, Sims, Bessire & Sharpnack, formed a company to carry on the agricultural implement business combined with the grain and lumber busi- ness at Modale.
67
774
HARRISON COUNTY.
Our subject was born November 8, 1852, in Wayne County, Ohio, and when three years of age his parents removed to Allen County and he remained at home until he was twenty-one years old, after which he rented a farm and bought and sold tim- ber during the winter. He followed this two or three years before coming to Iowa. He was also a heavy con- tractor on the Pike roads in Ohio at which he lost all of his property. When he came to Harrison County in 1884 he only had twenty-five cents. In 1887 he bought ninety acres of improved land which he sold two years later. In August, 1891, Mr. Bessire bought the Hook residence on Fourth Street, Missouri Valley, pay- ing $2,150 for the same.
Our subject was united in marriage in Allen County, Ohio, February 26, 1874, to Miss America Murray, and they are the parents of two children-Effie M., born July 3, 1875, and Emma T., born October 21, 1877. Our subject's wife passed from the scenes of this life in Allen County, Ohio, August 21, 1881. She was born in the same county in which she died, the date of her birth being October 13, 1853. Our subject was again married in Hardin County, Ohio, April 2, 1883, to Miss Hat- tie A. Riley, by whom one child has been born-Christie, born August 21, 1886.
Politically our subject affiliates with the Democratic party and is a member of the Odd Fellows order, belonging to Mon- damin Lodge, No. 392.
S AMUEL VITTITOE, a farmer liv- ing on section 28, Clay Township, came to Harrison County the last year of the Civil War, 1865,and rented land for two years in Clay Township, at the
end of which time he purchased eighty acres of wild land in Taylor Township, which he improved and lived upon until the spring of 1881, when he sold and bought one hundred acres where he now lives. He has about thirty-five acres under cultivation while the balance is in timber and pasture land. At the time he came to Harrison County, but few persons had effected a settlement on the bottom lands of the Missouri, and grass was actually as high as the top of a man's head while rid- ing on horseback. One could travel in al- most any direction, regardless of lines, as there were but few roads worked at that time. Farming on the Missouri bottoms was not carried on much at that time, but the few inhabitants were chiefly engaged in getting out logs for wood and lumber.
Our subject was born in LaRue County, Ky., March 6, 1826. He remained at home with his parents until May 17, 1844, when he enlisted in the Mexican War. He was in Company C, of the First Regiment of Kentucky Infantry, and participated in the battles of Monterey, and in a battle near Robber's Ranch. His company was surrounded in a small town for five days; here they had quite a hard struggle. There were about three hundred and sixty team- sters, all killed, and nearly everything in their train consumed by fire. Our subject was discharged May 17, 1847, at New Or- leans, after which he returned to Ken- tucky and remained until the spring of 1848, then came to Ft. Des Moines, Iowa, when there was nothing there save two little stores and the old fort. Here our subject operated a ferry across the Coon and Des Moines rivers, until the spring of 1852, when he fitted out an overland ox- team conveyance, and started for the gold regions of California, and was there until the autumn of 1857, when he returned to
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HARRISON COUNTY.
Des Moines, and kept the toll-bridge across the Des Moines River, the same being the Vine Street bridge, on which site now rolls the electric street car-the emblem of modern civilization. He remained in that position until the spring of 1859, when he pre-empted a quarter section of land near St. James, Cedar County, Neb. He was there until the fall of 1864, at which time he sold and came to Crawford County, Iowa, and the following spring removed to Harrison County.
He was united in marriage at Des Moines in 1857, to Miss Susan Wheeler, by whom four children were born: Ellen, Thomas F., Mary, deceased, and Jacob.
While living in Cedar County, Neb., there occurred a terrible Indian crime. One of our subject's neighbors was a soldier in the Union army, and the mother had gone to Yankton, S. Dak., and upon her return she found three of her five chil- dren had been slaughtered by the Indians. Two were able to speak upon her return, but died within a few hours; this was known as the Wiseman Indian massacre.
AMES HAUSE, (deceased), was born near Deerfield, N. Y., February 6, 1804, and remained in that locality until he grew to manhood, and then removed to Middlesex County, Canada, where he remained until 1855, and then sold his farm and came to Harrison County. He came as far as Iowa City, which was the end of the railroad at that time, and there bought a team and came overland the remainder of the way. He entered a quarter-section of land, as did
also each one of his sons-Allen and Will- iam. The father's land was on section 11, of Cincinnati Township. There were but few settlers in the Missouri Bottoms at that time. Mr. Hause built a log house and commenced to improve his land and re- mained there until 1885, when he sold and went to Wayne County, Neb., and spent the remainder of his days with his son William; he died in May, 1887, and was buried at the old St. John's Cemetery. His wife, Jenet (Eddie) Hause, was born in Scotland about 1811, and when a young girl accompanied her parents to New York, where she was married. She died in Har- rison County, in August 1882. Both she and her husband were members of the Presbyterian Church, and their remains lie side by side in St. John's Cemetery. They were the parents of nine children : William, Allen, Hugh, Eliza, Jane, Alexander, Robert, Charles and Jenette.
h ENRY SEHLKE. The subject of this notice came to Harrison County in the autumn of 1875, and is now a resident farmer of section 17, Mag- nolia Township, having lived there ever since he came to the county. Two years prior to that he purchased eighty acres of partly improved land. Upon this there was a frame house 16x22 feet, the same being boarded up and down. In this he lived until 1884, when he built a frame house 16x26 feet, with an addition 14x24 feet, which was completed in 1884, as was his barn, which is 28x32 feet: He has added to his original tract of land until he now has three hundred and sixty acres. He usually keeps about sixty head of
776
HARRISON COUNTY.
cattle and an accompanying number of hogs. His whole premises show evidence of thrift and industry.
Our subject was born in Mecklenburg, Strelitz, Germany, February 16, 1843,and at the age of fourteen left his father's home and worked out for $16 per year for the first year and $20 the next year. In the fall of 1859 he sailed for America. He was seven weeks on the ocean and came direct to Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked by the month until September, 1861, and then enlisted in Company H, Thirty-sev- enth Ohio Infantry. He was sent to West Virginia, and was with Grant and Sher- man, marching with the latter on his famous "march to the sea;" was at the siege of Vicksburg, and assisted in driving Johnston out of Jackson, Miss., then went to Chattanooga, Tenn., and was en- gaged in numerous hard-fought battles. He was discharged at Cleveland, Ohio, August, 1865, having served his adopted country four years, lacking one month. After his return from the war he worked by the day at the manufacture of kerosene oil, following this until the autumn of 1875, and then came to Harrison County, Iowa.
Miss Mary Michael became his wife May 1, 1866, and they are the parents of seven children-Anna, Emilie (deceased), Wil- liam, Harry, Charles, Rudolph, and Herman.
Mrs. Mary (Michael) Sehlke was born in Germany, April 7, 1849, and came to Cleveland, Ohio, with her mother, brother and sisters when fifteen years of age and worked out until the date of her marriage, her father having died in Germany. Her father, Frederich Michael, was born in Mecklenburg, Strelitz, and died there in 1863. Her mother, Dorathea, (Giese) Michael, was born at the same place as
her husband, and died in Harrison County, Iowa, in 1887. They bore nine children, of whom she is the eighth child.
His father, Christian Sehlke, was born in Mecklenburg, Strelitz, Germany, March 5, 1813, came to America in 1866 and settled at Cleveland, Ohio, where he died. Mary (Bellieng) Sehlke, the mother, was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, in 1815, and died in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1888. They were the parents of six children, of whom our subject was the fourth. They were members of the German Lutheran Church, as are also our subject and his wife.
BRAHAM RITCHISON, who re- sides on section 13, of Clay Town- ship, came to Harrison County in the autumn of 1855, and rented land two years in Clay Township, and then entered the land he now occupies. He secured eighty acres of prairie on section 13, and eighty of timber land on section 26. He first built a slab shanty, 12x14 feet, in which he lived two years and then built a log house 18x24 feet, which served as a residence until 1873, when he built his present frame liouse, the main part of which is 18x36 feet, with an ell eighteen feet square. His present farm consists of two hundred and ninety acres, one hundred and sixty of which are in Taylor Township, and the re mainder in Clay. Upon coming to the country, our subject drove an ox - team from Indiana to Council Bluffs, arriving in October 1855, when there were but a few houses at the Bluffs, these being of logs. At first he saw very hard times,
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