USA > Iowa > Monona County > History of Monona County, Iowa; containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 44
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Thomas .J. Perrin, the eldest of a family of six children, came to this county when about thirteen years of age, and received his education in the pio . neer schools. He was reared upon a farm where he was peacefully pursuing his vocation when the tocsin of war sounded through our land and sum- moned so many youths to the battle field. Imbued with the patriotism due to his heroic sire, October 13, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, Sixth lowa Cav- alry, and served in the Northwestern Territories under Gen. Sully, in his campaigns against the Sioux Indians. After serving three years, he was honorably discharged November 15, 1865, at Dav- enport, Iowa, and took up his agricultural calling. He has prospered most highly in his efforts toward a competency, and is one of the wealthy and in- fluential men of the township. He is the owner of abont eleven hundred acres of land lying in Mon- ona and Harrison Counties, and is largely interested in the stock business. In his political views he affiliates with the Republican party, and has most acceptably filled several of the minor offices which he has considered it a duty to accept.
Mr. Perrin and Miss Patience Bowerman, plighted their mutual faith at the marriage altar, January 8, 1872. The lady is a native of Canada, born April 28, 1844, and the danghter of Josiah and Saralı (Brewer) Bowerman. Seven children have gath- ered around their family fireside, whose births oc- curred upon the following days: Sarah Minnie, April 14, 1871; Charley Alfred, July 2, 1876;
RESIDENCE OF T. J. PERRIN , SPRING VALLEY.
RESIDENCE OF ROBERT G. FAIRCHILD, SEC.17. FRANKLIN. TP.,
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Wayne Josiah, September 14. 1878; Carrie Diana, November 22, 1880: Dora Mabel, June 2, 1883. Walter LeRoy, October 7, 1885; and Orval Harri- son, July 6, 1888.
ICHAEL HITTLE. Among those whose patriotic heroism left all to stand in defense of their country, when the storm of Civil War burst upon us, was the subject of this sketch, who has spent the major part of the balance of his life in agricultural pursuits. Ile came to Monona County in April 1880, and worked by the month at farm labor until the spring of 1882, when, in partnership with Calvin Brown, he bought a claim on section 2. in Kenne- hec Township. Two years later, by himself, he located on the west half of the southwest quarter of the same section. taking a homestead claim upon which he now lives. From this small beginning he has increased his farm until it now contains two hundred and six acres, and upon it is somewhat en- gaged in stock-raising.
Mr. little was born in Rush County, Ind., April 4, 1841. His father, Jaech Ilittle, who was born near Dayton, Ohio, June 6. 1820, was the son of Michael and Lydia ( Yeapel) llittle, and of German descent, Michael's great-grand-father G. F. coming from Prussia at an early day. The mother of our subject, Hulda J. (Ambers) Hittle. a native of Kentucky, was born March 20, 1820, and was a daughter of William and Sarah (Groves) Ambers. and of English descent.
Michael Ilittle was reared in Monroe County, Iowa. whither the family had removed, and only received about three months' schooling in his youthful days. He was employed at farm labor until his marriage, December 30, 1860, when he wedded Miss Deborah Bernard, a native of Put- nam County, Ind.
August 9, 1862, in company with his father, our subject enlisted in Company A, Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry, and participated in the battles of Shell Mound, in April 1863; Helena. Ark .. July 4. 1863; Jenkin's Ferry, April 4, 1864: Prairie DeAnn and
Mark's Mills. He entered the service as Fourth Corporal, and was the third Duty Sergeant of his company on his discharge. At the last named en- gagement, in May, 1861, most of the regiment of which he was a member were taken prisoners, but. through an opportune charge of some cavalry. he and abont twenty-three others escaped, but when near Little Rock, were apprehended by an officer of the Seventy-seventh Ohio, who thought they were deserters. September 9. 1865, both he and his father received their discharges, and returned to Monroe County, where our subject made his home until the spring of 1879, at which date he made a trip into Western Kansas and Colorado, the next year coming into Monona County.
Of the eight children in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hittle, the following is a record: Lizzie J., was born January 12, 1862, and died February 17, 1863; Clara A., was horn August 21, 1866; Jacob E., was born July 20. 1868, and died in October 1874; Thomas J .. was born June 22. 1870; William A., was born July 8, 1872, and died May 10. 1873; Alice L. and Albert N., were born August 10, 1874, the former of whom died February 25. 1876, and Andrew M., born October 30, 1876. Mr. Hittle's father and mother make their home with him in this county.
OHN G. SMITIL, a prominent farmer and stock-dealer of St. Clair Township, residing on section 35, first came to Monona County on a visit in the summer of 1884, and liking the appearance of the country, purchased a farm where he now lives, upon which he settled early in [887. After attending to his business in the west- ern part of the State, he came here in the spring of 1886: but while building his house and getting his place ready, made his home with his son-in-law, Stephen Depue, until the date above given. To the Milwaukee Land and Town Lot Company. he sold some one hundred and twenty acres of his farm. upon which they laid out the village of U'te.
Mr. Smith, a native of Wilkes County, N. C .. was born June 20. 1818, and moved with his parents,
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Joshua and Nancy ( Whitley) Smith, when he was some five years of age, to Monroe County, Teun .. where among its valleys and mountains, he grew to manhood. In the spring of 1836 he came to the lead mines at Galena. Ill., where he remained until the summer of 1838, and then, in company with a brother, he made a claim in Jackson County, Iowa. among its earlier settlers. There he made his home, engaged in tilling the soil. until the spring of 1862, when removing to Clinton County, he purchased a farm north of the city of Lyons, upon which he re- sided until the spring of 1884.
Mr. Smith was married at Potosi, Wis., January 28, 1841, to Miss Luey A. Hopper, the daughter of James and Annie Hopper. The lady, a native of Kentucky, was born February 28, 1821, and was taken by her parents, while an infant, to Parke County, Ind., where her mother, shortly after died. With her father, in the fall of 1833, she came to Galena, Ill., but was deprived of her remaining par- ent, in June 1834, he being carried off by the cholera. She made her home from that time until her marriage, with her brothers,sisters and other rela tives. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of eleven children, ten of whom are living, whose births oe- curred on the following dates: Albion C .. December 16, 1842; Mary L., March 21, 1843, and died in June, 1844; Ellen M., November 2, 1845; Sarah E., February 14. 1847; Naney A., June 14, 1849; Mar- garet V., March 31, 1851 ; John G., March 6, 1853; George F., April 19. 1865 ; Lucy M., May 15,1857; Alfred J., September 5. 1859; and Arthur E., April 22, 1861.
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lle was born in 1825. The mother of our subject, born in 1833, died at Shenandoah, Page County. July 4, 1884. Both of his parents were members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Lat- ter Day Saints.
Our subject who is the eldest of a family of ten children, came to lowa with his parents and moved with them from county to county, assisting in tak- ing care of the old people until his marriage. This event took place January 26. 1876. at which time he was united with Miss Augusta M. Putney, who was born in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, May 18. 1851, and is a daughter of Elder J. M. Putney, of this county. After his marriage he engaged in farming in Page County for about one year and in Decatur County for two years, but in the spring of 1879 removed to Kansas, settling in Lane County, where he was engaged in cattle raising. In the fall of 1881 he came to Monona County and pur- chased the farm where he now lives, which contains 160 acres of well tilled land, where he is engaged in general farming and stock-raising, and quite ex- tensively in improved bee culture, an industry which he commeneed in the spring of 1885, and has now some forty-two colonies or swarms in mova- ble frame hives. In this branch of his business he has met with the success his enterprise and energy deserve.
Mr. and Mrs. Steel are members of the Reorgan- ized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. of which society Mr. Steel is the present Secretary. Six children have been born to our subject upon the following dates : Mabel E., November 30, 1876; Gertrude A., November 3, 1878; George Putney, July 1, 1880; Nellie L., November 10, 1882: Mary E., October 8, 1884, and Bertha A. December 28, 1887.
AMES W. STEEL, a representative agricult . urist of the county, residing on section 25,in Spring Valley Township, is a native of Em- met County, Mich., born January 26. 1851. Ilis parents, Eli Steel, born near Brentford, Canada, G EORGE W. OLIVER, one of the old settlers of Monona County, who located in Ashton in 1857. is now engaged in agricultural pur- suits on sections 21 and 25, in Franklin Township. Mr. Oliver was born at Bridgeton, Cumberland County, Me., May 31, 1811. Ile traces his ancestry and Mrs. Mary F. ( Austin ) Steel, a native of Wa- tertown, N. Y., were married in Michigan. In 1857 they came to lowa and settled at Janesville, Bre- mer County, from which they removed later on to Butler, to Lee, and thence to Decatur Counties. in 1 the latter of which the father died in May. 1870. , back to George Oliver, a native of Bridgeport,
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England, and Nancy (Northam) Oliver, his wife, who emigrated to America in 1786, and located at Portland, Me. He was a carpenter by trade and followed that line of business until the day of his death. His wife died at Portland in 1787, having been the mother of two children-William and Nancy, the latter of whom died in infancy. Some time afterward he married Miss Cybil, but by this marriage had no issue. His son William Oliver was born in England, May 16,1773, and came to America with his parents, working at carpenter work with his father in Portland. After a time he removed to Bridgeton, where he married Miss Hannah Fowler, a native of Cumberland County, that State, born December 31, 1773. They had a family of fifteen children, eight boys and seven girls, and died at Bethel. Me .- the mother, January 27, 1848; the father, October 11, the same year.
George W., the seventh son and tenth child of his parents, received his education and grew to manhood in the State of his birth and followed farming, carpentering and sboemaking. In 1846 he came West, locating in DeKalb County, Ill., and after a time employed on a rented farm moved to St. Charles, Kane County, where he followed car- pentering until the spring of 1857, when he came to Monona County, arriving at the village of Ash- ton on the 2d of July. For about two months he and his family made their residence in the old court-house at Ashton, in the meantime erecting a home in the newly laid out town of Onawa, into which they moved about the 15th of September. He and his son, Franklin G., both worked at car- penter work that summer, but in the fall the subject of this sketch removed to the farm on section 25, which he had traded for, where he has since lived. Mr. Oliver has the general reputation of being an excellent workman and good calculator, and his genial disposition has won him the esteem of his neighbors. He has always been a great favorite with the children and many of those who he knew as such in early days, although grown to manhood and womanhood, still remember him with esteem and affection. In his political principles he was formerly a Democrat and cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson for President. Hle afterward affiliated with the Whigs and voted for William
Henry Harrison and hard cider in 1810. Since the organization of the Republican party he has been identified with it, and in 1888 deposited his ballot for Benjamin Harrison.
Mr. Oliver was united in marriage April 5, 1832, with Miss Hannah Ridley Adams, a native of that part of Kennebec County, now known as Franklin, Me., who was born April 6, 1807. Of this union there have been three children: Mary P., who was born August 1, 1833, the widow of Alfred U. Hans- com, now living in Sioux Township; Franklin G. who was born February 19, 1835, and Hannah F., who was born Ocober 26. 1844, and is the wife of D. W. Sampson.
ILLIAM D. FEGENBUSH, one of the old- est residents of the town of Lake, was brought to this county by his father when a child, in the spring of 1856. The family set- tled in Ashton Township, in the old dirt cabin, so often spoken of in this work, on the shores of Sil- ver Lake, where they remained until the fall of 1859. At that time the family removed to sec- tion 28, in Lake Township, where they were among the first permanent settlers.
William D. Fegenbush, the son of Tobias and Caroline (Barringer) Fegenbush, was born in Jackson County, Ind., March 20, 1852. In the fall of 1855 he removed with his parents to Tama County, Iowa, and in 1856 to this county. Ile was reared in Lake Township upon his father's Farm, receiving his education in the schools of this county, in their pioneer days, and at the age of twenty-two, up to which time he had assisted his father in carrying on the home place, he removed to a farm on section 14, then belonging to his father, which he purchased in 1882. Ilis reminis- cences of early days are quite interesting and may be found in their proper place in this volume. Ile remembers distinctly, while yet a small boy, going with his father to Council Bluffs after the simplest farm machinery, that being their nearest market. Having come here quite an infant. Mr. Fegenbush has grown up with the county, and is an excellent
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representative of the persevering. enterprising class of citizens that has developed its resources.
Mr. Fegenbush was united in marriage October 28, 1877. with Miss Elvessa A. Pock, the daughter of W. J. and Mary ( White) Pock, of Lake Town- ship, and by this union has had four children: Lura A., Leroy W., Relton D., Lelah A. Mrs. Fegenbush is a native of Holt County. Mo., and was born May 28, 1857.
E DWARD WINEGAR. one of the prominent old settlers of Monona County, now a resi- dent of Kennebec Township, on section 28, came through Monona County in October, 1854, with a surveying party who were engaged in sec- tionizing in Woodbury County. They were in the latter place at work until January 1, following, and Mr. Winegar remarks that " so remarkable was the fall that they could make the land mark mounds eas- ily with a spade up to Christmas day." He then re- turned to llarrison County, where he worked at the carpenter's trade until September, 1857, when he came to Monona County, and settled in Belvi- dere Township, on section 18. He pre-empted some eighty acres of land which, in the spring of the following year, he commenced breaking and brought about twenty-five acres under cultivation. Here he remained until 1863, when the homestead law, which had been signed in the fall of 1862, coming into operation, he sold out, and took as a homestead the north half of the southeast quarter of section 28, which has since been his home. To this eighty acres he has since added, until he now has a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres, upon which-he keeps some twelve head of horses, and seventy-five of cattle.
Edward Winegar was born in Ashtabula County, Ohio, June, 21, 1833, and is the son of Frederick D. and Lodema Winegar, a sketch of whom is given elsewhere. Reared and educated in Haneock County, Ill., whither he had been taken by his parents in 1837, our subject attended school during the winter months, until 1847, when he came to lowa with the family, who located in Pot-
tawattamie County. Thence he removed to Har- rison County, an.I to Monona County, as above stated.
In 1859 at the time of the Spirit Lake massaere, some of the people of his neighborhood felt it was best to find out something about it.'so Mr. Winegar started for Smitbland on a tour of investigation, and met upon his road something like fifty teams carrying away the frightened settlers. Mr. Wine- gar, who had been upon the Indian reservations at work several times, was not so alarmed. On his arrival at Smithland he found the people building a fort out of hewed logs, having come to the de- termination to stay by their homes and fight it out rather than retreat. A few days later, the seare, like many others, died out. and things began to as- sume their former shape.
Mr. Winegar was married February 22, 1860, to Mrs. Mary Jane ( Lytle) Anderson, a native of Ohio, who was born in Sandusky County, Deeem- ber 15, 1831, and was the daughter of Hugh Lytle. By this union there ; have been seven children: Anna M .. Evaline, Orsia F., Cora N .. Carrie E., Jennie L. and Charles E.
AMES C. PIKE, of the firm of Pike & Ilow- ard, dealers in provisions and meat, at Onawa, came to this county September 10, 1870, and established this business. Mr. Pike was born in Fayette. Kennebec County, Me., August 25. 1846, and is the son of Peleg F. Pike, a native of that State. Ilis father, who was born in 1812, was a farmer, and a prominent man in the Old Pine Tree State, and served in the State Senate during the sessions of 1861-2. He married Miss Mary ('ofren, and was the parent of seven children. Mrs. Pike died August 6, 1867, and Mr. Pike was again married, this time to Mrs. Marcia A. (Fuller) Lake. and by this union had one child, Mary L., who died near Whiting while on a visit to her brother. Lewis Pike, in October, 1884.
Our subject grew to manhood on a farm, but, April 1, 1867. set sail for California from New York, going by the way of Aspinwall and Panama.
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Arriving at San Francisco April 23, he remained there a short time, and then went to Mendocino where he engaged in the butchering business. In September, 1870, le came to Onawa. Mr. Pike was married at Whiting, November 18, 1877, to Miss Florilla Howard, who was born at Leeds, Me., in 1854, and by this union they have three children: Frank II., who was born January 4, 1879; Cora M., October 15, 1881; and Edna M., December 19, 1883. Mr. Pike is a Republican in politics, and has been a member of the city council. Mrs. Pike is a member of the Congregational Church.
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OHN GRAY, who is engaged in farming on sections 12 and 13, township 83, range 16, in the civil township of Franklin, was born in Canada, on the shores of Lake Erie, March 20, 1822. He is the son of John and Janet (MeCall) Gray, natives of Scotland, who emigrated from that land and settled in Canada about 1819. The father died there in 1884, having attained the ripe age of eighty-seven years. The mother died in 1880 at eighty-six years of age.
The subject of our sketch was reared at home until he had reached the age of fifteen, and then began the battle of life for himself, working dur- ing the summers in Michigan at the fisheries on Lake Huron. This he followed for about eight years. spending the winter months under the roof- tree of his parents. At the expiration of that time he purchased a farm in the near neighborhood and commenced agricultural pursuits. For about a year and a half he was satisfied to keep bachelor's hall, but November 15, 1845, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Fisher, a native of Scotland, who had come to Canada when about a year old with her parents. The young people settled upon his farm, where they made their home for about five years, when he disposed of it and purchased an- other in amore favorable situation. On this latter place he and his wife and family lived for twenty years lacking five days, and then traded it for an- other. On the last mentioned place five years of their life were spent, after which, in 1871, they
came from Middlesex County, Canada, to Clinton, Iowa, by rail, and from the latter point by team to Monona County, landing here May 13 of that year. He at once purchased one hundred and six- teen aeres of land, where he now resides, which had on it at the time a rough log house covered with sod, and had but about one acre of it broken. Ile paid $835.00 for the place, including five hundred rails, five cows and a few pigs, and from this huin- ble beginning has wrought out, by his own energy and business tact. his present highly cultivated farm and well-to-do condition. This, too, in spite of his losses by the great hail storm of July 19, 1872, when he lost nearly everything.
Mr. and Mr. Gray have had a family of eleven children, as follows: Alexander F., Janet, Mary A., John H., Angus O., Sarah, Daniel, Lillie, Bessie M., Josephine, and Burt D. Mr. Gray's father fol- lowed the business of a shepherd among the hills and valleys of " Auld Scotia;" but his grandfather, who lived in a village, mended and made shoes for a living.
OIIN HI. MOBEATH, a farmer living on sec- tion 34, Lake Township, is a native of Clinton County Mo., and was born Febru- ary 28, 1848. Ilis parents were James and Amner B. McBeath, who were of Scotch descent. He remained at home with his parents until he had at- tained the age of twenty-two years when he visited his sisters, Mrs. Omer Irish and Amanda E. Irish, in this county. After staying here six months he went to Laramie City, Albany County. Wyoming Territory, where he remained until the fall of 1874. The following winter he spent in Nevada, and the summer at South Mountain, Idaho. Returning to the State of Nevada, he was there employed for three years, after which he settled in California. In the fall of 1885 he came to Monona County and settled in Lake Township, making his home with his brother Wilson. Two years later he rented the widow Irish farm, on section 34, where he now resides. In 1888 he purchased a farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres of land on section 27, all of which is improved. The experience born of travel
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has been of undoubted benefit in contributing to his success in life. Shrewd and intelligent he thinks twice before embarking in any enterprise. but when once committed carries it through to the end. lle is a man of mark in the community, and although a newcomer here has won for himself an enviable degree of respecet.
ILLIAM HARRIS, a progressive farmer of Kennebec Township, residing on sec- tion 12. was born in Elmira. Chemung County, N. Y., May 10, 1852. Ilis father, John E. Harris, was born in the Empire State in 1807. and is the son of John Harris, a native of England, who came to America in 1806, and after a short time spent near Boston, settled in New York. The mother of our subject, Mrs. Catherine (Glossop) Harris, was born in Sheffield, England, in 1813, and came to this country in childhood, and was married in New York, in the latter part of the '40s.
When William Harris was about six years of age he lost his mother, and three years later his father married again. Our subject received an education of a limited character in his youth, and at an early age commenced working at farm labor, spending seven years with two men. Starting out in life for himself, he engaged in driving team in the lumber distriets of New York. running rafts on the Susque- hanna River, and in general labor at the sawmills. until 1871, when with an adventurous spirit he spent a year in the mackerel dsheries on the banks of Newfoundland. Returning to his home he again sought and found work in the saw and grist- mills, in which he remained until the spring of 1876, when the West seemed to invite him. Ile made a trip to the Black Hills and spent about twelve months in that region, In the spring of 1877 he settled in Mills County, Iowa, where he was engaged in farming until September 15. 1881. at which date he came to Monona County. Ile fint located on section 34, Center Township, where he bought 160 acres of land, but two years later sold out and was employed at the Castana Mill
about six months, and March 10, 1881, having pur- chased a relinquishment of the claim of a man upon the site of his present home, he filed upon it as a homestead claim, which he finally proved up in July, 1889.
Mr. Harris. October 3, 1877. was united in mat- rimony with Miss Sarah E. Counts, a native of Missouri, who was born April 28, 1853. Iler father, Jacob Counts. was born in Ohio. August 17. 1816, and her mother, Juranda Counts, nee Tipton, in Missouri. August 20, 1825. Her parents were mar ried September 5, 1850, in Schuyler Co., Mo., and had a family of nine children, two boys and seven girls, of whom Mrs. Harris was the second. Mrs. Counts' father, Joel Tipton, was born in Kentucky about 1790. The live children of Mr. and Mrs. Harris bear the names respectively of Everett E., Anna M .. Luella M., Cora I. andNora E.
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