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 70
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William H. Wilsey was born in Troy, Bradford County, Pa., May 6, 1822. When but a lad of fourteen, with his mother and step-father, Katie and Oliver Stoddard, he removed to the young State of Ohio, and some years later to Michigan and Illinois. In Peoria County, in the latter State Mr. Wilsey attained man's estate. In Henry County. Ill., in 1844, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Jane Cunningham, a native of that State, who became the mother of four children- Clarissa, Nelson A., Duke W. and William II.
Mr. Wilsey has been three times married, his second wife being Mrs. Sarah ( Ruggles) Maynard, the widow of Amos Maynard, and a native of Pennsylvania. Shortly after this marriage he and his wife started for Iowa, and settled in Maple Township as above stated. Mr. Wilsey was for
many years one of the most prominent citizens of this section of the country, and filled many public offices in the township.
March 27, 1877, Mr. Wilsey was for the third time united in marriage, wedding Mrs. Mary A. Smith, a native of Linn County, Iowa, and the daughter of Moses and Eliza ( Brazelton) German, natives of Ohio and Illinois, respectively. Her parents were early settlers of Harrison County, building the first house in the village of Little Sioux, in which place they still reside.
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6 HEODORE T. BOUSLAUGHI, a prominent. enterprising agriculturist of Center Town- ship. residing on section 8, is one of the old settlers of Monona County, coming here in Septem- ber, 1859, with his father's family, and entering the farm on which he now lives. Ile was born in Huntingdon County, Pa., September 13, 1829. and is the son of Joseph R. and Margaret (Thomas) Bouslaugh, a sketch of whom is given elsewhere in the pages of this ALBUM. When our subject was about eight years of age the family removed to Ohio; from there to Henry County, Ind., where after two years residence they returned to Ohio. In the spring of 1846 he came with his parents to Ilancock County, Ill., in which locality for about nine years he was engaged in farming. at the expiration of which, with the balance of the family, he came to Iowa, settling in Polk County. In the fall of 1859, still accompanied by his father and brothers, he made a settlement in Monona County, on sections 8 and 9, and for ten years assisted his father in carrying on his farm. Finally removing to a house which he had built on section 8, he com- menced the cultivation and development of his own place, and is now the owner of a beautiful farm of four hundred and seventeen aeres, one hundred and sixty of which are under culture. When he came here he had but one team. and $40 in money. but his stock alone now is represented by ten head of horses, seventy-five of cattle and one hundred hogs.
Mr. Bouslaugh was married February 21. 1856,
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to Miss Mary A. Muckey, a native of Wisconsin, born September 19, 1851, and who is the daughter of Joseph and Mary A. ( Kelle) Muckey, old set- tlers of Monona County, who came here in early days. By this union there have been born the fol- lowing children: Joseph R. M., born May 4, 1867 : Marion N., March 24, 1869; Mary A., March 24. 1×69; John H., May 13, 1871; Thomas T., May 31, 1873; Edmund, April 17. 1875; Edward. April 17. 1875; Freeland J., JJanuary 2, 1877; Estella A .. August 2, 1880; Theodore T., March 5. 1882; Millie E., September 24, 1881, and Vernon b., October 3, 1889. All of them have been spared to their parents with the exception of three: Edmund, who died August 15, 1876; Edward, whose death took place March 15, 1871. Mr. and Mrs. Bouslaugh are among the most highly es- teemed and respected members of the community in a social sense, and have a large number of appre- viative friends.
6 HOMAS DUFFY, who is engaged in farming on section 29, Sherman Township, was born in Ireland, and is the son of Peter and Mary (Hanlon) Duffy. llis father. a native of County Mayo, was born about 1800, and died in Ireland in 1845. Ilis mother, who was married in 1820, re- moved to Scotland in 1858, where she died in 1861.
Thomas, at the age of nine years, went to work for an uncle, and remained with him, receiving his board as the only compensation for his labor, for two years, and the third year was paid $1.75 in addition. At the expiration of that time he went to Scotland, where he found employment in a fac- tory at $175 per week for some two years. In a cotton-factory he was then employed for a like term at twenty-five eents a day, and in a foundry for two years at $2 a week. After some time spent in a shipyard, he bought some tools, and went to ditelling, and for five years carried this on, walking nine miles every day to his work. Returning to the foundry, he there put in another five years, when, being disgusted at the low rate of wages and the little ehance he had of bettering his condition, in June, 1865, he crossed the ocean to the United States. From Detroit he proceeded to Cincinnati,
Ohio, where he was employed to go to Paris, Bour- bon County, Ky., at $1.65 per day for six months, and from there returned to Cincinnati, where he found work shoveling coal at $2.50 a day. Work- ing on steamboats on the Mississippi River, diteh- ing through the South, and working on the rail- roads he put in his time until the spring of 1873. when he came to Monona County, and settled on the farm where he now lives, which he had pur- eliased two years before.
Mr. Duffy was married at Council Bluffs in 1871 to Miss Bridget MeNey, a native of Ireland. By this union they have had a family of four children. only one of whom, John, is living, the rest having died in infaney.
B ENJAMIN F. RILEY, a representative far- mer of St. Clair Township, residing on sec- tion 11, first came to Monona County in June, 1879, and during that summer was engaged at farm labor by the month. In March, 1880, he removed to Ness County, Kan., but re- mained in that State but one season, returning to Monona County and St. Clair Township the fol- lowing fall. Here he has resided ever since on several rented places in this and Crawford County until February, 1888, when he purchased his pres- ent farm and took up his residence there, building his house and otherwise adding to its improve- ment.
Mr. Riley was born in Appanoose County, Iowa, March 13, 1857, and is the son of William and Barbara Riley. His mother died while he was still a child, and at the age of thirteen years he com- menced the struggle for existence on his own account. Finding a job here and there, wherever he could get it, doing chores, herding cattle, or at regular farm work, he spent the time until March, 1879, when he came to Monona County, stopping a few months on his way in Green County. A poor boy, early acquainted with hardships, he has been the sole architect of his own fortune and merits the respect and esteem in which he is held in the community. Hard work, intelligent and
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well directed effort and a judicions economy have built up his fortunes until to-day he ranks among the more easy, well-to-do farmers of the commu- nity.
Mr. Riley was married in St. Clair Township. February 15, 1883, to Miss Martha Loyd, a daugh- ter of Thomas and Salinda Loyd. Of this union there have been two children born, Lena E. and Thomas H., who have come to brighten their home.
OSEPH A. ADAMS, the well known mer- chant of Moorhead, Spring Valley Town- ship. came to Monona County in June, 1871. and settled upon a farm on section 24, the same town where he lived until December 1888, engaged in the cultivation of the soil. He then removed to Moorhead, although still retaining his farm of four hundred acres upon which he still carries on farming and stock-raising, particularly the latter. The grocery business over which he presides. was established by him October 15, 1888. he purchasing the grocery department of G. E. Erickson.
Mr. Adams was born in Ashtabula County, Ohio. March 31, 1837. and is the son of James M. and Hannah E. (Root) Adams, natives of Massachusetts and New York, respectively, who had moved to ; Ohio in an early day. In 1814 he was taken by his parents to Knox County, Ill., and the latter having united themselves with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the family removed to Hancock County. After the death of Joseph smith and the consequent expulsion of his people from Nauvoo, the father of our subject dissenting from the new doctrines preached, especially that of polygamy, in 1847 be removed to Walworth County, Wis., and in 1854, to Harrison County, this State, among its earliest pioneers. In the latter the father died in August, 1873, and there the mother still makes her home, in Woodbine.
In Harrison County our subject was reared to manhood and in its pioneer schools received the foundation of his education. On May 1, 1861, he was united in marriage with Miss Emiline Purcell,
a native of Putnam County. Ind., who was born March 20, 1841, and who is the daughter of Ben- jamin and Ella (Tyler) Purcell. Her father was a native of Indiana and her mother of Kentucky and they were among the carliest settlers of Put- nam County, her grandfather, on the father's side. owning part of the land on which the city of Green- castle is now located. In 1855 Miss Purcell came with her parents to Pottawattamie County, and the next year the family settled in Harrison County, where her father bought a farm from the Govern- ment and resided there until death called him away July 22, 1885. Her mother still makes her resi- dence in that county. Both of her parents were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They had a family of thirteen children, of whom Mrs. Adams was the third.
After his marriage, Mr. Adams carried on farm- ing in Harrison County until 1871, when he came to Monona County as above stated, He is a direct descendant of John Adams, the President of the I'mited States, and Mrs. Adams of Presidents Polk and Tyler.
Of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Adams. the fol- lowing is a record: Alpha. born June 27, 1862; Ella, February 15, 1864; Susan, March 7, 1867. died June 12, 1882; Ervilla. born October 17, 1868; Byron, April 26, 1871; John, June 3, 1873; Frank. July 4, 1877; Benjamin, December 23, 1878, Nephi and Alma, February 8, who died, the former, February 22, and the latter February 23. 1881.
ALEB CUSHING. a young and energetic farmer, a younger brother of Ervin Cush- ing, of St. Clair Township, with whom in partnership he is carrying on the farm on section 12, was born at Rochester, Strafford County, N. H., June 24. 1861. When some two years old he was removed by his parents. Enoch and Charlotte (Buzzle) Cushing, to the environs of Boston, Mass., from which. after five months resi- dence. they emigrated to Pottawattamie County. lowa. In the latter locality he remained beneath the parental roof. until the spring of 1887 when.
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in company with his brother, Ervin, he came to Monona County and located upon their farm which they had purchased and partially improved some four years previously. Upon this the brothers are expending their energies, bringing it to a high state of cultivation and improving it for their mutual advantage.
ANS OLSON, who came here from his far- away home in Norway in the summer of 1867, and located in Fairview Township. has his home on section 3. He is one of the pioneers of this subdivision of the county, there being but few families located here when he camne,
Mr. Olson was born in Skeen, Norway, August 15. 1823. and was reared in the land of his nativ- ity. In June, 1867. with his wife and family he emigrated from the old home across the sea, cross- ing the ocean in a sailing vessel, and after a long and tedious voyage landed at Quebec, Canada. From that city he came by rail and steamboat to Ft. Dodge, Iowa, and from the latter by stage and wagon to Fairview Township. For some seven years he lived on the farm of Nels M. Jorgenson, cultivating the soil, and then purchased forty acres of land in Lakeport Township, Woodbury County. This land was all timber and had to be cleared and grubbed out, but by incessant work he managed to bring it to an excellent state of cultivation, and had it well improved. In the spring of 1883, the river, which, when they purchased the place, was some two miles distant, cut its way through the soft bot- tom land until there was very little of his farm left, and not enough room between it and his house for a person to stand on. He saved the building by moving it away, and immediately returned to Fairview Township, and purchased a farm of sixty aeres on section 3. where he now lives. All of this land he has brought into cultivation, and has added improvements in the way of a neat dwelling and other buildings.
Mr. Olson was united in marriage with Mrs. Ma- ren (Jorgenson ) Aaronson, the widow of Jorgen Aaronson, the mother of two children by her first. marriage-Nels M., born January 22, 1811, and
Peder, September 22. 1846. The former of these was a sailor in his youth, but is now a wood and coal dealer in Milwaukee; the latter, a carpenter by trade, is farming in Dakota.
Mr. and Mrs. Olson have a family of four chil- dren, as follows: Jorgena D., born March 14, 1852. now Mrs. Charles Holm. living at Elkport. Dak. ; Martinus, a successful farmer of Kingsbury County, Dak., born November 26, 1854; Olaves, Sep- tember 20, 1857, who is engaged in farming and stock-raising in the township, and weighing three hundred and fifty pounds is one of the heaviest men in the State; and Edward, born August 28. 1860, who still remains upon the old homestead. They also adopted Aase Maria Jorgenson, the daughter of Nels M. Jorgenson. whose mother died when she was about two weeks old, but when she had reached the age of eleven years she was taken by death from the family.
Mrs. Olson was born in Norway, July 19. 1820. and is the daughter of Nels Olson, a blacksmith of Skeen. Ole Christorferson, the father of Hans Olson, was also a native of the same place.
1 RVING C. MCMASTER, one of the widely known and successful business men of Soldier Township, is now engaged in agricultural la- bor on his fine farm of two hundred and seven acres, on section 19. Ile came to Monona Conuty, with his parents, S. A. and S. J. McMaster, in the fall of 1873, and settled in Grant Township, where he remained until the spring of 1881. Removing to Soldier Township he then purchased a farm on section 17, and entered upon its improvement and cultivation. In the spring of 1884 he sold out this property and purchased the store in Soldier, and was engaged in the general merchandise busi- ness at that point, and a member of the dry-goods and grocery firm of McMaster & Dryden at Cas- tana, until June. 1888. when he sold out to J. V. Lampson, of Hurley, Dak. He then purchased the place npon which he now lives, and settled down again to farming.
Mr. McMaster was born February 14, 1856, at
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Pittsfield, Somerset County, Me., where he received his education and remained until coming to Mon- ona County in 1873 with his parents. Since that date he has been identified with this county. lle was married January 7. 1875, in Kennebec Town- ship, to Miss Alice Brinker, and by this union is the parent of five children-Cora, Archie, Jessie, Nellie and Maud. Mr. McMaster was appointed Postmaster at Soldier February 24. 1884, and hekt that oflice until November 1, 1889, being succeeded by Richard Parmer, the merchant at Soldier, who had been acting as his deputy. When he first came to this county he herded his father's cattle, some six hundred head, on what is now called the Jor- dan, in Jordan Township, and found a fine range of some seven miles square, there being no house between Castana and Isaac U. Riddle's place.
W ILLIAM AGENS, a successful and promi- nent farmer of Soldier Township, the son of llenry C. and Mary M. Agens, came to Monona County with his mother, four sisters and two brothers to rejoin his father. The latter had come to this section the March previous, and had made a settlement on the southeast quarter of sec- tion 4, being the first white man to locate on the Soldier River above Preparation, and the earliest settler of what now constitutes St. Clair and Sol- dier Townships. During the summer the latter had put up a log cabin and broken about fifteen aeres of prairie. He lived upon this farm, gradu- ally inereasing his store until his death, which took place September 9, 1888.
William Agens remained with his father upon the farm, assisting in carrying it on. until August 16, 1862, when, with a natural patriotism, in de- fense of his country and flag, he enlisted in Com- bany C, Twenty-ninth lowa Infantry, and was mustered into the United Service at Council Bluffs, December 2, 1862. The regiment marched to Savannah, Mo., from the rendezvons, and thence were carried by rail to St. Louis. During the fol- lowing winter they went upon the White River expedition, In the engagements at Helena, Ark.,
July 4, 1863; Spoonville, Ark .. April 2, 1861, Lit- tle Missouri, April 8, 1864; Prairie De Ann. April 10 and 11; Camden, April 15; Jenkins' Ferry, April 30, and Little Rock, our subject participated with the regiment. February 9, 1865, they started by way of Duvall's Bluff and Algiers, La., for Mo- bile, and took part in the eapture of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley. At Whistler, Ala., he partici- pated in the last engagement of the war, and after- ward was sent to Brazos Island, Tex., where, with his regiment, he remained until the 11th of Au- gust, and then returned to New Orleans, where he was mustered out August 15, and received his dis- charge at Davenport, August 25, 1865. Return- ing to his home in Monona County, he resided with his parents until his marriage.
July 29, 1866, occurred the ceremony which united William Agens and Miss Martha A. Riddle in matrimony. The bride upon the occasion was a daughter of Mathew and Eleanor Riddle, old set- tlers of Soldier Township. Removing to his place on section 4, Mr. Agens and his wife set up house- keeping, and have there made their residence ever since. They have a family of five children-Sa- rah M., Charles E., Carrie A., Emma and Cora.
ILLIAM HUDSON LEATHERS, of the firm of W. M. Leathers & Co .. leading merehants in the village of Mapleton, was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, September 17, 1853, and is a son of William M. Leathers mentioned else- where in this ALBUM. Ile received a high school education at Covington, Ky., and on attaining maturer years filled the position of clerk in his father's store until 1880. Entering the employ of A. T. Stewart & Co., in their branch house at Chi- cago, he there remained a short time, soon forming a connection with the well-known dry-goods house of O. R. Keith & Co., of Chicago. With the lat- ter firm he remained until 1883, when he came to Ida Grove and, in partnership with his father, en- tered into the clothing trade. In the fall of 1885 the firm sold ont and came to Mapleton, where they established their present business. In polities Mr,
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Leathers is a Dermynt, and is serving as a member of the village board. He is a member of Quarry Lodge. No. 104. A. F. & A. M.
Mr. Leathers was united in marriage. November 7. 1878, with Mary S. Harvey. a native of Ken- tucky. who was born May 25, 1851. They are the parents of two children-Victoria, who was born March 7, 1880, at Cambridge, Henry County, Ill. ; and William Halley, May 17, 188t. in the same place.
OIN SPAULDING, who is engaged in gen- eral farming and stock-raising on section 2, Jordan Township, was born in Massenna, St. Lawrence County, N. Y., March 23, 1837. and is the son of Abel and Eliza (Felton) Spaulding.
The father of our subject, a native of New Hamp- shire, was born in 1790 and followed farming for a livelihood. In 1830 he removed to St. Lawrence County, N. Y., and among its rugged scenery passed some ten years of his life. From there be removed to Lorain County, Ohio, and ten years later to Erie County, and then to Michigan in the year 1865. lle died in Ingham County. in the latter State, m January. 1870. He was married, in New York, in 1823, his wife, a native of Massachusetts, dying in Eaton County, Mich., April 7, 1887.
John Spaulding removed with his parents from place to place, as above stated, receiving in his youth a common-school education. At the age of fifteen he became a clerk in a mercantile establish- ment at Birmingham, Ohio, in which he remained for about two years and a half, and after that was en- gaged in farming and in the lake fisheries until the spring of 1858, when he came to lowa, locating in Fremont County. He was engaged in farming and earpentering there until October 1862, when he en- listed in Company F. Second Nebraska Cavalry, and made the campaign against the Indians of the Northwest, through Minnesota and Dakota, and participated in the battle of White Stone Hill. near the head waters of the James River. Being mus- tered ont December, 1863, after a visit to Ohio, he was employed in Fremont County for some time
in carpentering. but on the 4th of August, 1864, he went to Utah, Montana and other places through the mountains, where he was engaged in carpenter- ing, mining and other employments. After logging in Towa during the winter of 1865-66, he spent a short time on a farm in Fremont County, but worked chiefly at his trade until 1870, when he took np farming in earnest in that part of the State. In the spring of 1882 he came to Monona County and located on the site of his present farm, purehas- ing one hundred and seventy-seven acres of land, one hundred of which he has under cultivation. lle is also engaged in stock-raising, in which he is quite successful.
Mr. Spaulding was married. December 26, 1866, at Sidney, Fremont County, Iowa, to Miss Sarah Doll, who was born at Ft, Leavenworth, Kan., Sep- tember 9, 1842. She is a daughter of Martin and Mary A. (Short) Doll, the former a native of Ger- many who came to America when eight years of age and died at Ft. Leavenworth, May 1, 1845. Iler mother was born September 9, 1817, in Georgia. Mr. and Mrs. Spaulding have had a family of six children: George, born in Hamburg, Fremont County, October 10, 1867, who married Miss C'ar- rie Ilolloway, October 26, 1887, and lives in this county ; Edwin, who died in infancy ; Della M., born January 17, 1871; Carlton, September 17. 1877; Luetta, April 13, 1880, who died in infancy. and Bertha, born in Monona County, June 10, 1882.
S AMUEL II. MANN, a prominent and well- to-do agriculturist of Center Township. residing on section 7, settled at Oto, Wood- bury County, May 27, 1871. on coming to this part of the State. After a few years spent in Southern Kansas, whither he removed that fall. he returned to that village where he made his home until 1877. In the fall of 1878, having built the Commercial Hotel at Mapleton be ran it for about eighteen months, after which he sold it to John Jones and removed to his present home on seetion 7, his wife having fallen heir to some eighty- seven acres in that locality. To this he has added
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until he now owns over one hundred and eighty- five acres, mostly in the same township, which he has considerably improved.
Mr. Mann was born in Monroe County, W. Va .. January 31, 1846. Ilis father, Floyd Mann, a na- tive of Eastern Virginia. born in 1817, was a farmer all his life and is now a resident of Monroe County. Elizabeth ( Wiseman) Mann, the mother of our subject. was born in Virginia about 1816. Her father, Samuel Wiseman, a native of the same locality. died in 1863. The grandfather of our subject on the paternal side, James Mann, was born in England and with his wife, Cynthia Mann, came to America in an early day and died in West Virginia, the former about 1858, and the latter in 1851.
Samuel H. attended a subscription school in Vir- ginia, at Red Sulphur Springs, in his youth, and at- taining his majority commenced working out by the month at farm labor, which he followed until coming to Iowa, as above stated, and in fact until he built the hotel' at Mapleton. By this means he had laid up some $750 besides owning one hundred and sixty acres of land in Kansas. He was married. October 12, 1878, to Miss Louisa C. King. a native of Mo- nona County, born February 25, 1859. and a daugh- ter of Samuel King, one of the earliest settlers of the county, who located liere in 1855. By this union they have had a family of five interesting children, viz: Belle B., who was born October 14, 1879; Estella B., born October 25, 1881, and died March 12. 1882; Samuel P., born July 12, 1883. and died January 25, 1886; D. Floyd. born No- vember 30, 1885, and Etta M., whose birth took place May 11, 1889.
ICHARD T. REESE, one of the leading merchants of the village of Turin, is'en- gaged in carrying on the general merchan- dise and agricultural implement trade, and is also one of the largest land-owners and most ex- tensive stock-raisers in Belvidere Township, if not in the county. His elegant mansion on section 4, 83, 44, is surrounded by his magnificent farm of twenty-one hundred acres, upon which he has some
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