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 60
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John .J. Conyers, the fourth child of his parents, came to Clarke County. Iowa, with the family when but an infant, and with them settled in Har- rison County. IIe well remembers seeing many Indians when they came there and the Indian tee- pees. From the latter place he removed with his parents to Preparation in 1864. Never having many facilities for education in his youth. he has been compelled to acquire it himself in later years. On attaining manhood he purchased a farm of one
hundred and sixty aeres near Preparation, which he cultivated and resided upon until 1881. when he sold out and bought a farm in Woodbury County, near Sioux City, where he resided six and a half years. Going to the Corn Palace City, he engaged in the grocery business, in which he only remained a short time, and then returned to Sioux Township, where he bought a portion of his present farm.
July 10, 1863, Mr. Conyers was united in mar- riage with Miss Caroline Vredenburgh, a native of Illinois, who was born in 1847, and who died May 16, 1874, at Moorhead, Iowa, having been the mother of six children-Charles W., Hannah (de- ceased ), Alexander, Alfred, Millie and Dorman, deceased. August 18, 1876, Mr. Conyers again entered into a matrimonial alliance, wedding Miss Sylvania Lewis, a native of Harrison County, Iowa, who died, leaving one child, a son, John J., who died in the same month. For a third time, February 14, 1882, Mr. Conyers was mar- ried, the lady on this occasion being Miss Amelia Townley, who was born in England, April 15, 1859, and is the daughter of William T. Townley. By this union there has been one child, Edna A., now deceased ..
In October, 1862, Mr. Conyers enlisted in Com- pany B, Southern Border Brigade, and was sta- tioned at Fort Butler in Cherokee County, this State, during the winter of 1862-63. He was mustered out in March, 1863.
LEXANDER J. TREGO, who is engaged in the voeation of farming in Maple Town- ship, came to Monona County in June. 1859, and made his home at Mapleton. At that time he was in the employ of Martin & Davis, of Panora, Guthrie County, for whom he carried the mail from Denison to Sioux City. He was afterward employed in the same service by Theo- dore Parish, of the same county, and received some 813 per month and board. November 14, 1861, he enlisted in Company I. Seventh Iowa Cavalry. a company which was employed by Gen,
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Sully, as body guard, on his first expedition against the Sioux Indians. Although attached to the Sev- enth Regiment, the company was never incorpor- ated with it, but was divided into squads, and stationed at different points in Northwestern Iowa, to protect the people from incursions of the In- dians. Receiving his discharge at Sioux City, November 23, 1864, Mr. Trego engaged in driving stage between Sioux city and Council Bluffs for about eighteen months, and the succeeding two years carried on a hotel at Little Sioux, Harrison County. He then returned to this county and set- tled on a farm in Maple Township, where he still makes his home.
Mr. Trego was born in Northumberland County, Pa .. April 22, 1836, and is a son of John S. and Anna ( Neihart) Trego, of French and German ancestry. In 1839 he was taken by his parents to Elkhart County, Ind., where his mother died March 31, 1856. His father lives with a daughter in Kent County, Mich. Our subject remained in Indiana until March 14, 1857, when he came to Iowa, and, after a short stay in Jasper County, re- moved to Guthrie County, where he was engaged at farm work and in earrying the mail until com- ing to this county as above stated. Being unmar- ried he makes his home with Henry Heisler, in Maple Township.
John S. Trego, the father of our subject, was born in 1810, and was a descendant of one of the Puritan families that sought on the bleak eoast. of New England, "a place to worship God aceord- ing to the dietates of their own conscience," and who came to that region on the famous Mayflower, in December, 1620.
EORGE FISCHER, one of the prominent farmers of Kennebec Township, and one of its largest land-owners, has his home on section 28. TIe came to Monona County in the fall of 1869, from Shelby County, Minn., and for about three years was engaged in farming on rented land. At the expiration of that time he re- moved to section 30, 81, 43, Kennebec, and to his
present home in Angust, 1878. From this humble beginning he has risen unaided except by his own ability and business tact, until he now owns 923 acres of as good land as there is in the county, and is to some extent engaged in the stock business, having about thirty-five head of horses, and a herd of one hundred and twenty-five cattle.
Mr. Fischer was born in Warren County, Pa., July 4, 1814, and is the son of Andrew and Mary ( Essler) Fischer. Ilis father was born in Strasburg, German Elsass, in 1783, and being drawn in the conseription, served in the French army during the days of its greatest glory. his father, the grand- father of our subject, having served in the German army under the great Frederick. He became a
member of that famous body of men known as the Imperial Guard of Napoleon, and participated in many of the battles that made the fortunes of that immortal man. At the battle of Waterloo, June 18, 1815, for the last time he fought under the eye of his beloved Emperor. About 1835 he came to America, and died in Warren County, Pa., in the summer of 1848.
George Fischer received his education in his native county, and attended school until about fifteen years of age, when he commenced to learn the harness-making trade, and followed that busi- ness until the summer of 1861, when. as might have been expected from the son of such a sire, he en- listed in Company D. First Pennsylvania Ritles, the "Old Bucktails," one of the most famous regi- ments of the Civil War that did such excellent service on so many fields, and whose renown is one of the imperishable reminiseenees of that fearful struggle. He remained in the service over four years, and with his gallant comrades performed a prominent part in the battles of Drainsville, Me- ehaniesville, Gaines Mills, Second Bull Run, South Mountain. Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Bristow Station, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court- IJonse, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, and at the siege of Petersburg and the conflict on the Weldon railroad. At the engagement at Gaines Mills, in Virginia, he was captured by the rebels and eon- fined some forty days in the horrible prison pens of Libby and Belle Isle, at Richmond, before he was exchanged. August 28, 1864, in the sanguin-
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ary conflict for the possession of Petersburg and the Weldon railroad, he was again taken prisoner, and for about six months was again an inmate of Libby. At the end of that time he was transferred to Salisbury, N. C., from which he was released in the spring of 1865, in the meantime suffering all the horrors of those terrible dens. On being dis- charged from the service, June 3, 1865, he removed to Shelby County, Minn., whence he came to Mo- nona County, as above stated.
While serving his country in the doubtful wage of fierce battle, during the fiery conflict of the second battle of Bull Run, he was struck in the breast with a piece of a shell, and struck senseless, and the regiment retreating he was left on the field, but recovering somewhat, his gun blanket having broken a portion of the force of the blow, he was brought off on a caisson belonging to the First Pennsylvania Battery. At South Mountain, Sep- tember 14, 1862, Mr. Fischer was again wounded, receiving simultaneously two balls, one in the thigh and the other in the ankle, and was laid up in the hospital for some six months.
Mr. Fischer was united in marriage May 3, 1868, with Miss Mary L. Humphreys, who was born in Wisconsin, December 22. 1849. They have had a family of nine children-Willie A., deceased; Lewis W., Alice 1., Edith M .; George A., deceased ; Charles R .; Mary L., deceased; Dollie A., and Walter A. Willie died September 30, 1881; George died December 12, 1881 ; and the death of Mary L. took place August 12, 1886.
ORENZO D. DRIGGS (deceased), one of the earliest pioneers of Monona County, and who was most prominently identified with its political history, was a native of Alle- ghany County, Pa., born March 14, 1822, and was the son of Urial and Hannah Driggs. His father, a native of Massachussetts, was born April 22, 1780, and his mother May 17. of the same year.
When our subjeet was about a year old the fam- ily removed to Ohio, where he was reared to man- hood's years, receiving in youth such educational
advantages as the times and locality afforded. On attaining his majority he went to Illinois, and from there shortly after to Missouri. Ilis father's family came west with the Mormon emigration, in 1845, with the intention of settling in Western Iowa, but the father died near Farmington, this State, while on the way. Ilis family eame to Pot- tawattamie County, where they settled and were joined by the subject of this sketch, who had likewise been united with the Church of the Latter Day Saints. Mrs. Driggs, the mother of the family, died near Council Bluffs, in 1848.
About the year 1852, Lorenzo D. Driggs re- moved to Ilarrison County, settling at Little Sioux, before that village was laid out, and resided there for a little over a year. In 1854 he came to Mon- ona County and settled near Silver Lake, north- west of Ashton. In the election of the same year he was chosen Justiee of the Peace and Assessor of the township of Ashton, which then embraced the west half and nearly all the population of the county. He remained a resident here until 1860, when he returned to Harrison County. November 5, 1864, lie became a member of Company I, Six- teenth lowa Infantry, and was forwarded to his regiment, one of the famous Iowa Brigade, and remained with them until July 19, 1865. when with the balance of the regiment he was discharged near Louisville, Ky., and came home.
Mr. Driggs was married November 10, 1845, in Illinois to Miss Malinda White, a native of Ver- mont, born September 5, 1826. They were the parents of seven children-Harvey, Don C., Jere- miah, Lorenzo, Charles A., Caroline and Harrison.
In 1859, Mr. Driggs returned to this county settling in Onawa, whence he removed to Spring Valley and died in Sioux Township, January 27, 1880.
OIIN M. SLATER, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 11, Lake Township, is the son of Joseph II. and Sarah J. ( Moore) Slater, and was born in Orange County, N. Y., March 29, 1849. He was reared upon a farm and received his education in the
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noble district schools of the Empire State. In the fall of 1866. when he was some seventeen years old .. he removed with his parents to Fulton County, Ill., and remained with them assisting in the labor of carrying on their farm until the spring of 1872. after which he was employed as foreman on a large stock farm until 1876. At the latter time he went to Lucas County, in this State, where he made his home until the spring of 1883 and then came to Monona County.
On his arrival here Mr. Slater rented the farm of E. M. Casady, where he now resides and is engaged in partnership with that gentleman in the stock business. Ile is making a specialty of high grade cattle, his preference running to Hereford stock, and is meeting with most excellent success. A man of great natural business ability, he carries method and care into the minutest portions of his business, giving it his personal supervision, which insures his success.
At Galesburg, Knox County, Il., ou the 19th of February, 1873, took place the marriage ceremony that united the destinies of John M. Slater and Miss Samantha Foster. The bride was the daugh- ter of Richard and Nancy (Shrever) Foster, natives of Pennsylvania. By this union their home has been brightened by the birth of four children, of which the following is a record : Paul A. was born November 26, 1874; Clyde E., September 4, 1876; Tessey M., January 24. 1879; and Frank B., March 1, 1883.
SAAC FREELAND, an old and respected cit- izen of Onawa, was born in Tompkins County, N. Y., January 7. 1817. He is the son of Rob- ert and Catherine ( Robison) Freeland. His father was a native of Ireland, born in the north part of that island, and came to America at the age of eighteen years, landing in New York City. From there he went to Ulster County, where he was mar- ried and then went to Tompkins County. He was a carpenter by trade but at the same time carried on a large farm and became a man of means. In about 1838 or 1840, he removed to Pennsylvania,
where he died. His wife was born at Marbletown. N. Y., and died in Cattaraugus County, in 1851. She was a daughter of Isaac Robison, a native of Holland, who settled in the Dutch settlement and kept a public house at Slaterville. Tompkins County, N. Y., where he died about 1825, over ighty years of age. His wife was a Miss Terwil- leger and they had a family of five children, three girls, of whom the mother of Mr. Freeland was the eldest. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Freeland were the parents of nine children, four girls and five boys. of whom Isaac was the sixth child.
Isaac Freeland remained in Tompkins County until he had reached the age of seventeen years. and then went to New Jersey. A little later he re- turned to his native State and settled in Cattar- augus County, where, engaged in farming and lum- bering, he remained until 1852. In the latter year he removed to Polk County, Wis., among its car- liest settlers and took an active part in its organiza- tion. He was the first Register of Deeds of the new courty and transeribed the records from those of St. Croix County, of which it had formed a part. Hle afterwards held the offices of Clerk of the eir- cuit eourt and County-Attorney, having been ad- mitted to the bar about 1856 or 1857. He held the latter office for about two terms. Prior to this he had acted as deputy Treasurer and was for some years a member of the county board of sup- ervisors. He came to Onawa in 1874, and after re- maining about five years, returned to Polk County. In 1884 he came back to Monona County and set- tled on a farm in Sherman Township, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. Owing to the loss of his house by fire, in the fall of 1886. he re- moved to Onawa, since which time he has been with his son, Martin A., in the lumber and machin- ery business.
Mr. Freeland has been three times married ; first in 1810 to Miss Sarah E. Norwood, a native of Tompkins County, N. Y., who died in Catteraugus County, the same State, about 1850, leaving three children-Martin A., Ellen F., widow of D. B. Kenyon, and Jonathan B., a resident of Decatur, Neb. Ile was again married to Miss Agnes Kent, who was born in New Brunswick in 1815, and died in 1855, leaving two children, only one of whom is
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now living -- Agnes, wife of William Foster, of Polk County, Wis. His third marriage took place in 1857, at which time he was united with Mrs. Sarah J. Ward, nee Carrie, the widow of William Ward, of Polk County, the mother by her first marriage of four children-Edwin, William, Laura deceased. and Albert. By this last union, Mr. Freeland has one child, Harry B.
Mr. Freeland is a member of the Masonic order, taking the first two degrees at Hudson City, and the third at Osceola, and took an active part in the organization of the lodge at the latter place.
G EORGE DIDDY, of Belvidere Township. has his residence on section 1, but is the owner of some two hundred and fifty acres located on sections 1. 8 and 19. Sixty acres of his home farm is under cultivation and well improved. lle is a native of Ohio, born in Vinton County, April 8, 1846, and is the second in a family of seven children born to his father, William II. Diddy. The latter was born in Wayne County, N. Y .. in 1815, and was reared to manhood in that section. At the age of twenty-eight years he moved to Vin- ton County, Ohio, whence in 1861 he moved to llenry County, Ill., where he now resides. Ile has always followed farming and has been quite sue- cessful in life. In 1844, in Wayne County, N. Y., he was married to Miss Margaret Bull, a native of that county, born in 1822.
George Diddy, having received an education in an elementary form in Ohio, at the age of sixteen emigrated with his parents to Henry County, Ill .. where he grew to manhood, laboring upon the farm and attending the common schools of that locality. In 1875, he came west to Monona County and for some time was engaged in farm labor, working for C. M. Wiley & Co., after which he purchased his present farm and entered on its cultivation. Sep- tember, 24, 1874, he was united in marriage with M.3s Alma E. Swanson, a native of Sweden, who w.is born August 23, 1857, and is a daughter of Adolph and Eva C. Swanson, who came to the I'nited States, landing in this country April 12,
1869, and settled in Henry County, 111. Her father was born in Sweden March 12, 1831. By this union there been born four children-Albert A .; William F .. deceased; Fred W., and Ida May, born August 29, 1879. From Henry County, Ill .. the parents of Mrs. Diddy removed to Daven- port, Iowa, where they now reside.
ORENZO DRIGGS, who is engaged in farming and general stock-raising on section 28, Sioux Township, is one of the most ex- tensive feeders and dealers in cattle in that part of the county, and has one of the finest farms in the township. This contains about four hundred and thirty acres, all of which is well-improved and a considerable portion of which is under cultivation. He is the son of Lorenzo D. and Malinda (White) Driggs, old settlers of Monona County (a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work,) and was born in Harrison County, Iowa, January 1, 1853. Receiving his edneation in the schools of this county, to which he came with the family in 1854, he took an active interest in the development of his father's farm,and remained at home until he was about nineteen years of age. Adopting agricul- ture as a vocation, he started ont for himself, working for others and for himself on rented land, and followed this until 1879, when he purchased a farm of one hundred and ninety acres, upon which he now lives, and to which he has added from time to time, as means and necessity afforded, until his estate lias assumed its present proportions.
The marriage of Mr. Driggs took place September 18, 1881, at which time he wedded Miss Nellie R. Baggs, a native of Poweshiek County, Iowa, and the daughter of .I. T. and Enerstina (Thummel) Baggs. By this union they have had a family of three children-Blanche, Bruce and Vance. As one of the surviving old settlers, Mr. Driggs has seen this county develop from its original wild state to its present prosperous and populous one. and has grown with its growth and strengthened with its years. He is the fourth child in the fam- ily of his parents, the others being Harvey, Don
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C., Teremch. (mai A . Comose aud IPurina A. Harvey and Jeremiah .. kad; Don C. and Charles are residents of Woodbury County; Har- rison A .. of Harrison Comity popl Caroline, (Mrs. George Fosters, of Nebraska.
I. RAINS. a prominent farmer and land- owic of Ashtor Township, residing on section 12, has a fine estate of some four hundred acres of land, the greater part of which is in a fine state of cultivation and producing abund- ant crops of a superior quality, of the great cereal of this section of the State. His improvements are of an excellent character, and his farm is one of the model ones of the county. Ile came to Monona County in March, 1887, from Mills County, this State. but had owned some two hundred acres of land here for several years previous.
Mr. Rains was born in Cedar County, Mo., June 10, 1843, and is the son of Lawrence and Mary Rains. He removed with his father's family, in 1850, to Mills County . Iowa, at that time it having only Mormons and other transient people for its settlers, and the country was in an extremely wild state. On the organization of the county, Law- rence Rains, who was born in Ohio in 1812, was one of the commissioners appointed for the purpose of perfecting its separate existence.
W. J. Rains was reared among the pioneers of that county, obtaining such education as the period and locality afforded, and on attaining manhood, at the age of twenty-three, started out to win life's battle on his own account. He rented a piece of land of lis father, which he farmed for a year or two and then purchased for y acres upon which he settled. Three years later he sold this back to his father, and purelessed oot hundred and twenty acres of land of his father-in-law in the same neighbor- hood. There he remained in the steady pursuit of wealth, carrying on agricultural pursuits until he came to Monona County.
In 1862 he enlisted in the Fourth lowa Battery and went to Davenport with the company, but on account of disability was rejected and sent home.
Mr. Rains was united in marriage, in Mills County, December 7, 1865, with Miss Emeline Utterback, a native of Indiana, and daughter of Fielding and Sarah Utterback. Her parents had settled in Mills County, about the year 1855, where her father carried on farming until 1871, when he left the farm and moved with his family to Hillsdale, in the same county, and there engaged in the lumber business which he carried on until his death which occurred in 1882. Her mother is residing in Nebraska with her son. Mr. and Mrs. Rains are the parents of nine children, as follows: Edward C., who died in 1877; Sarah M., Mary E .; Dudley N., who died March 27, 1888, Inez N., Grace. Ruth, Maud, and one that died in infancy. Our subject's mother died in Mills County, in August, 1878. In politics Mr. Rains is a stanchi Republican.
G JEORGE U. HANSCOM, a young, enter- prising and energetic farmer of Sioux Town- ship, located on section 23, is the envied proprietor of two hundred acres of very fine land upon which he carries on quite extensively the stock-raising business. Ile is a native of Monona County, having been born in Lake Township, . August 5, 1860.
Alfred Hanscom, the father of our subject, was born in New Hampshire about 1829, and removed at an early date to Illinois, where he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Oliver, a native of Maine, lle died May 29, 1886. in Sioux Town- ship, having been the father of nine children, all of whom are living and are residents of Monona County. The names of the children are respect- ively-Horace A., George U., Hannah, Frank W .. Lydia A., Daniel Il., Esther M., Lucy O., and Mar- garet M. In 1857, the family came to Monona County and settled in Lake Township.
George U. remained at home with his parents until 1883 when he started out in life on his own account. Adopting agriculture as his vocation, he has met with an abundant success and merits, by industry and perseverance, the good fortune which has attended his efforts. In 1886, he purchased
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the farm where he now lives, upon which he moved, and as he has never come in contact with the lady of his choice, he still remains in single blessedness. his brother Daniel and family residing with him, keeping the house. Having grown up with the county, Mr. Hanscom is thoroughly identified with it and its interests and he feels a just pride in its prosperity and progress.
OBERT R. PORTER. Among the older residents of Soldier Township, who have helped forward the work of development, and who have also shown their devotion and patriotism under most trying and dangerous circumstances, is the subject of this biographical epitome. llis homestead containing two hundred and forty-eight acres, is situated upon seetion 8, and is a model of high cultivation and improve- ment. .
Mr. Porter was born in County Fermanagh, Tre- land, January 20, 1843. and is the son of Charles and Ellen (Brandon) Porter, natives of that Isle. With his parents, when a small boy, he started for America, but on their voyage across the broad At- lantic, his mother was taken sick, and died on ship- board. With his father and one brother, and two sisters. he located, after landing in this country, in Lafayette County, Wis., from which, in the spring of 1855, they removed to Jackson County, Iowa, and in the latter locality his father died, September 20, 1860. September 4, 1861, with the ardent patriotism that burns in the breast of all his race, he enlisted in Company M, Second Jowa Cavalry, which had been mustered into the United States service at Davenport, September 1, 1861. This regiment built the barracks at Camp Joe Holt, that city, and in December went to St. Louis, and re- mained at Benton Barracks nutil February 1862. They then commenced more active operations. With the Second, Mr. Porter participated in the siege of Corinth, in the battles of Farmington, Booneville, Rienzi, Corinth, Coffeeville, Palo Alto, Birmingham, Jackson, Grenada, Collierville, Mos- cow. Pontotoc and Tupelo. He was one of that
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