USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Containing a history from the earliest settlement to the present time biographical sketches; portraits of some of the early settlers, prominent men, etc. > Part 60
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CRESCENT TOWNSHIP.
in 1863, and is also a member of the Mutual Protectionists.
S. V. PRATT, farming, P. O. Crescent City, was born in Chattooga County, Ga., April 10, 1
1852, son of C. F. Pratt, born in Abbeville County, S. C., October 19, 1824, and Gabrilla (Callaham) Pratt, born in Abbeville County, S. C., which place the parents left and came to Chattooga County, Ga., where S. V. was born and spent his childhood days, attending the common schools; he was one of nine children, eight of whom are living. In 1869, he with his parents, came West. stopped at Omaha a short time, and the same year came to Pottawattamie County, and engaged in lumbering and saw- milling until 1880, when he changed to farm- ing, which he is still pursuing. Mr. Pratt mar- ried Maggie T. Currie, in Crescent City, Iowa, December 10, 1878; she was born in Utah Sep- tember 6, 1860, daughter of Jolin Currier, born in Scotland in 1836, and Elizabeth A. (Filcher) Currie, born in England in 1837. Mr. Pratt belongs to the church of Latter-Day Saints. In politics, he is a Greenbacker, having been elected to township offices on that ticket; he is a member of the M. P. Society.
W. S. SWANSON, farming, P. O. Crescent City, was born in Sturopokra, Sweden, January 25, 1850, and with his parents came to Amer- ica in 1855, landing at St. Louis, Mo., March 22, 1855, where he resided two years, and came to Florence, Neb., May 25, 1857, thence to Crescent City, Iowa, July 15, the same year. There he attended the common schools and received his education, working in summer on the farm, and attending school in winter. His father, Nelson Swanson, was born in Sweden August 14, 1821, and died January 12, 1881; his mother, Johannah (Jensen) Swanson, was born in Sweden December 27, 1824, and died October 11, 1874. In 1869, our subject went to Council Bluffs and worked at cabinet-making a year, then to Illinois for several months. May 23. 1872, lie went to Montana, and followed min-
ing and prospecting for two years and six months, returning in November, 1874. May 16, 1876, he went to California, where he was for six months employed by the Southern Pacific Rail- way, as express messenger, which position he resigned for a position as foreman on a ranch, While there, he married Augusta Buckman, November 15, 1879; she was born in Sweden June 27, 1847. Mr. Swanson came to Potta- wattamie County April 6, 1880, and the same year he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died from consumption, contracted some time before. Mr. Swanson was married again, November 23, 1881, to Annie Johnson, born in Sweden April 28, 1856, and he has since his return from California resided here, and turned his attention to farming and stock- raising. He is a carpenter by trade. He joined the I. O. of G. T. in 1869. Mrs. Annie Swan- son's parents are John and Stina (Magnuson. Olsen, natives of Sweden, where he was born September 20, 1824, and she October 16, 1822.
N. SWANSON, merchant and Postmaster, Crescent City, was born June 29, 1857, in Douglas County, Neb., in what was known then as " Winter Quarters," now Florence. His parents came to this country in 1855, residing for two years in St. Louis, Mo., and in the spring of 1857 coming to the "Winter Quar- ters " with a company of Mormons, to which denomination they belonged; on account of their financial condition they did not continue on their way to Utah. They came to Crescent City July 15, 1882, after which they withdrew from Mormonism. Mrs. Swanson's early life was spent on the farm; his parents being in limited circumstances, his education was con- fined mostly to the common schools, which in after years, he was able to attend in winter by working on the farm during the summer months. It was here that he attained that promptness and attention to business that char- acterized him in after years. Having qualified himself for a teacher, he began that vocation
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in 1878, and pursued it until October 22, 1879, when he was appointed Postmaster at Crescent City, Iowa; at that time he also engaged in the mercantile trade, and stock and grain buying which he continues at the present time. In politics, he is a Republican, and works for that party's interests. He was a candidate for the office of County Superintendent of Schools in the Republican convention held in Council Bluffs, Iowa, September 9, 1881, in which Miss Smith received the nomination. He joined the I. O. of G. T. December 12, 1874, and has con- tinued an active member since. January 21, 1881, he joined the I. O. O. F. Mr. Swanson's parents were N. and Johannah (Jensen) Swan- son, natives of Sweden, he, born August 14, 1821, died January 12, 1881; she, horn Decem- ber 27, 1824, died October 11, 1874.
J. H. SWANSON, Crescent City, brother of William and N. Swanson, was born in Crescent City, Iowa, August 20, 1859. His boyhood and youth were spent on his father's farm. At the age of nineteen years, he obtained a posi- tion as teacher in a country school, and con- tinned for two years subsequently to teach in his own and adjoining townships; then went to Iowa College, Grinnell; thence to Griswold College, Davenport, where he has since been though he still makes Crescent City his home. His parents are Nelson and Johannah (Jensen) Swanson, natives of Sweden, he, born August 14, 1821, was a farmer by occupation, and died January 12, 1881; she, born December 27, 1824, died October 11, 1874. They had eleven chil- dren, four of whom are dead. He is a mem- ber of the I. O. G. T., and in politics is a Re- publican.
W. SMITH, blacksmith, Crescent City, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1830. At the age of sixteen years, he began an apprentice- ship of four years at blacksmithing; after serv- ing his full term, he began working at his trade, and spent the time until 1869 in Greene County, 111., Springfield, Ohio, Louisville. Ky., Colum-
bus, Ind., and Council Bluffs, Iowa, spending one year in the latter place and then moving to Crescent City, where he has since resided; he has been a hard and industrious worker, and is well established in business. In 1859, he mar- ried Miss Mary Wilson, a native of Tennessee, but a resident of Missouri at the time of their marriage. They have but one child, Charles, who is now in his eighteenth year, and is a sober, steady and industrious young man. Mr. Smith is a Democrat, but not a politician. He is able to trace the genealogy of his family back to his grandfather Smith, who was a native of Ireland; his parents were John and Elizabeth (Bellville) Smith, the latter a native of Brandy- wine, Del.
W. STRANG, farmer, P. O. Crescent City, was born in Crescent Township, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, November 27, 1858; his father, W. Strang, was born June 23, 1816, and mar- ried Jane Meur, who was born in 1825; they were both natives of Scotland, from which country they emigrated in 1853 to Pottawatta- mie County, Iowa, where the father carried on farming and stock-raising till his death, which occurred November 1, 1881. Mr. Strang at- tended the common schools, and at maturity adopted farming as his avocation. He is one of four children now living, six having died. Mr. Strang is a member of the church of Latter- Day Saints. In politics he is a Democrat; he also belongs to the society of the Mutual Pro- tectionists.
H. A. TERRY, nurseryman, Crescent City, has been a resident of Pottawattamie County since 1847; he was among the first white set- tlers of the county, and has remained a resident of it during the greater portion of the time since he first strayed so far from the older-set- tled country of the East and became a resident of the frontier. He is a native of Cortland County, N. Y., where he was born in 1826. When he was ten years of age, his people re- moved to Oakland County, Mich. He remained
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there until his seventeenth year, and then went to Knox County, Ill., where he resided until 1846. In 1848, he was married to Miss Rachel T. Sinine, widow of M. Sinine; six children were born to them, of whom Henry S. was the first white child born in Crescent Township. Mr. Terry's second marriage, after the death of his first wife, was to Esther J., daughter of S. M. and Eliza J. Hough. Three children have been born of this marriage. When Mr. Terry first came to Pottawattamie County, he engaged in the seed business, he being for many years the first and only seed merchant on the Missouri River. He combined with his seed trade the sales of small fruit nursery stock. In the fall of 1855, he began the nursery business, and his sales began in 1856; since that time, he has been steadily engaged in the business. For the first twenty years, his sales were all made at the nursery. He then established local agents, and now he is doing an exclusive wholesale business. Fifty acres of his farm of 120 acres are devoted exclusively to nursery. He is the oldest and most thoroughly posted dealer in his line in the county. In 1855, when the first
agricultural society in the county was organ- ized, he was elected Secretary. Politically, he is a Democrat, and as a citizen and honorable. upright member of the community, Mr. Terry stands without a superior in Crescent Township.
HENRY S. TERRY, farmer, P. O. Crescent City, was the first white child born in Crescent Township. His parents, H. A. and Rachel T. (Sinine) Terry, were among the first settlers of the township, and a more complete sketch of them will be found elsewhere in this work. Henry S. was born September 2, 1849, in the village of Crescent, and has spent most of his life in the township. He had the advantages of the public schools of his native village. and then spent some time at Notre Dame College of South Bend, Ind. January 2, 1870, he mar- ried Miss Matilda Thompson, a native of Knox County, Mo., though her people had been resi- dents of Crescent Township for many years prior to her marriage. Starting in business for himself after his marriage, Mr. Terry now has a nicely improved farm about two miles north of Crescent City. Mr. and Mrs. Terry have one child, born January 2, 1879.
GARNER TOWNSHIP.
W. W. CAMPBELL, farmer. P. O. Council Bluffs, was born in Indiana in 1840, and is of Scotch descent; his parents were William and Maria (Cross) Campbell. natives of New York State; both are dead. The family consisted of twelve children, two of whom are dead, the rest live in Iowa. When about four years of age, Mr. Campbell migrated to Missouri with his parents, and there received his education. About 1853, Mr. Campbell, with his parents, removed from Missouri to Silver Creek Town- ship, Pottawattamie Co., Iowa; when they first settled in that township, their nearest neighbor on one side was two miles distant, and on the other six miles. Mr. Campbell was married in
Iowa, January, 1864, to Miss Hannah Ross, of Mills County, Iowa, daughter of Charles and Polly Ross, he living, she dead; they came from Ohio to Mills County, Iowa, in 1853; they were the parents of sixteen children, eight of whom are dead. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have had six children, two of whom are dead. Mr. Campbell cultivates about 150 acres of land; he has held several township offices, and is a Republican.
JOHN CLARK, P. O. Council Bluffs, was born in England in 1821; son of James and Rachael (Goodman) Clark, both deceased; his father was a weaver. Mr. Clark has three brothers and one sister, all married and living
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in England. There our subject received his education in select schools, and was appren- ticed as a shoemaker, which trade he followed in England, and continned in this country till 1867, when he located on his present place and became a farmer, which occupation he still pur- sues. Mr. Clark was married, in 1845, to Miss Rachael Smart, daughter of Thomas and Eliza- beth Smart, both deceased. Mrs. Clark has one sister and three brothers in Utah, and one brother in England. Mr. Clark came to America in 1851, and lived till 1853, in New Orleans for a short time, and the remainder of | the time in St. Louis; he then came to Council Bluffs, his original intention being to join the Mormons at Salt Lake, but disapproving of some of the practices of the church he stopped here. His farm consists of 300 acres, about - eighty of which are under cultivation, eighty acres pasture, and the remainder timber. Mr. Clark condnets general farming, and also has quite an apiary. December 22, 1881, Mr. and Mrs. Clark made a visit to England, the voyage occupying nine days, whereas their first voy- age, some thirty-one years previous, occupied over two months. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Clark are A. J., farming in Boomer Town- ship; Rachael E., now Mrs. Winchester, of Gar- ner Township; John T., at home; Henrietta now Mrs. Wright. of Boomer Township; and lIenry J., at home. One son died when young. Mr. Clark takes an active part in educational matters; he was Justice of the Peace four years; is a member of the " Patrons of Hus- bandry," and in polities is a Democrat.
G. W. CROSSLEY, farmer and stock-raiser P. O. Council Bluffs, was born in Lincolnshire, England, August 6, 1854, son of William and Susan (Hand) Crossley, natives of England, and both dead. He came here in 1855, with his parents, and settled on the farm where he now lives; he has two sisters, one, Mrs. John A. Orr, living in Harrison County, Iowa, and one, Mrs. S. S. Fletcher, keeping house for him at the
present time. The family came to this coun- try with a company expecting to join the Mor- mons in Utah, but the mother was taken sick, and by the time she recovered they decided not to go to Utah. They landed first in New Orleans, thenee by steamer to Keokuk, Iowa, then across the State in ox carts. When they reached Garner Township, they found a Mor- mon settlement at what was called Carterville. Most of the early settlers were Mormons, dis- satisfied with the religion as exemplied in the West. Upon first coming to this county, Mr. Crossley's father bought a claim from a man by the name of Clongh, pre-empted 120 aeres, and this has since been added to until the farm now consists of about 800 aeres, 160 of which belong to our subjeet's sister, who keeps house for him. When they first settled on the place, it was in a wild state, and the only build- ing npon it was an old log hut, left by the Mormons, on their way to Salt Lake City. Mr. Crossley is engaged in stock-raising, feeding the most of his grain; he has fourteen head of thoroughbred Short-Horn cattle, and all the rest of his stock is of a high grade; he has a small orchard and raises some small fruits. Mr. Crossley is no partisan, but votes for whom he considers the best man.
W. H. GARNER, P. O. Council Bluffs, was born in Garner Township. Pottawattamie Co., Iowa, in 1849, son of Wm. and Sarah (Warkman) Garner, who came from North Carolina to Illi- nois, and from there to Pottawattamie Co., Iowa, in 1846. They had eleven children, two boys and nine girls. One of the latter is dead. They are all married and settled in Garner Township, except three, who live in Hazel Dell Township. Their father having pre-empted land, gave each of them 200 aeres, with a good house upon it. Before Mr. Garner divided his land among his children, the Rock Island Railroad ran across his farm for five miles. Our subject has always worked at farming, excepting some time spent in a woolen factory. Ilis present farm consists
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of 180 acres, mostly under cultivation and well- improved, although when he first took it, iu 1874, it was entirely unimproved. He has an orchard of tour and a half acres, which has just commenced bearing ; also grapes and other small fruits. Mr. Garner was married in De- cember, 1871, to Miss Lena McMullen, daugh- ter of James and Hannah (Poe) McMullen, who came here from Indiana in an early day. IIer mother died when Mrs. Garner was quite small. Her father, who is now dead, served in the Mexican war. Mr. and Mrs. Garner have one son and two daughters. Mr. Garner is a member of the Knights of Pythias. He and his brothers are Democrats.
JOSEPH HANCOCK, farmer. P. O. Council Bluffs, was born in England in 1829; he came to America in 1854, settling in Missouri, in Holt County, where he had built a brewery. In 1862, he went back to England ; stayed till 1866, and then returning to America spent that year on the plains, and April 2, 1867, he settled at his present place, on which there were then a num- ber of old Mormon huts, which had gone to ruin. From that time, he has been improving his place by planting orchards, etc. Mr. Han- cock was married, in 1853, in Wales, to Letitia Stanley, born in England. Mr. Hancock was educated in England, and went to Wales when he was about sixteen years old. Ile has a brother and a sister living in Utah, being all his relatives in America. In England, he has three sisters and one brother. One brother died in Wales a few years ago. Mrs. Hancock has seven sisters and three brothers in England, and one sister dead. Mr. and Mrs. Hancock have one daughter and three sons, Their daughter, Mary E., is married to Henry Bateman, living in Boomer Township, Pottawattamie Co., where he is now farming ; Joseph H., twen- ty-two years old ; Charles B., twenty years old, and John, seventeen years old, all living at home. One son is buried in Missouri. Mr. Hancock has always had to depend on his own
resources. He was doing a good business in Mis- souri and lost it during the war. Since coming to his present place, he has made a good prop- erty. He came to this country as a Mormon, coming with Mormons to New Orleans ; thence to Holt County, Mo., where he abandoned them and their religion. Mr. Hancock is a Democrat.
WILLIAM HARMS, farmer, P. O. Council Bluffs, was born in Germany in 1830, son of Albolt and Sophia Harms, both dead ; mother died when subject was very small, and father when he was about eight years old. Mr. Harms was educated in Germany. He had one brother, who was drowned when five years old ; also one half-brother and two half-sisters, all of whom are dead. His father was a farmer, and Mr. Harms has followed the same occupation all of his life. He came to America in 1850, and settled in Dixon, Ill., where he lived till 1863. He was married, in 1854, to Miss Hen- rietta Minssen, born in 1829 in Germany, daugh- ter of Folgett and Wilhelmina Minssen, both of whom died in Germany. Mrs. HIarms came to America in 1853. She has one brother living in this country. After moving to Jones Coun- ty, Iowa, in 1863, Mr. Harms went into the army in 1864, staying till the close of the war. He was in the Seventeenth Army Corps, Fourth Division, Fifteenth Iowa, and was with Sher- man in his march to the sea, being also with him when Atlanta was burned. Mr. Harms came out without a wound. In 1871, Mr. and Mrs. Harms came to their present place, it be- ing then unimproved prairie. Mr. Harms bought eighty acres first, but has since added to it till he now has a farm of 190 acres, mostly under cultivation and general improvement. Ile does general farming. Mr. and Mrs. Harms have six children, all at home except their oldest daughter, Katie, who married George Young, of Norwalk Township, Pottawattamie Co. ; oldest son, Henry, is twenty-one years of age ; second daughter, Sophia, was born in 1862; second son, Edward, in 1864; third son, William, in
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1868 ; third daughter, Emma, in 1870. Mr. Harms and wife are members of the Lutheran Church.
WM. HEILEMAN, farmer, P. O. Coun- cil Bluffs, was born in Germany in 1857; son of William and Wilhelmina (Marker) Heileman, living in Germany. Subject was educated in Germany, where he has five brothers, he being the only child in America. His father was in the army, but now has an office on a railroad. Our subject has always followed farming. He was married, April 16, 1879, to Miss Lucretia Stoker. They have one child, a little girl. Mr. Heileman came to this country when only fifteen years old, with an uncle, settling at Fort Dodge, Webster Co., Iowa, where he followed farming; he came to Pottawattamie County in April, 1877, and has been here since engaged in gen- eral farming. He is now farming Mrs. Stoker's farm, but owns one of eighty acres in Minden Township, partly improved. Since coming to America at fifteen years of age, he has made his own way.
G. P. KEMP, farmer, P. O. Council Bluffs, was born in Randolph County. Va., March 7, 1837, son of W. C. and and Eliza A. (Wil- son) Kemp; he was born in Huntington County, Penn., in February, 1802, and died in May, 1880; while in Virginia he was County Sur- veyor, and also practiced law; after coming to Iowa, he kept hotel and speculated in land. Subject's mother was born in Randolph County, Va., in 1818, and lives in Wayne County, Iowa; she is the mother of five boys and three girls, one of each sex being dead. Mr. Kemp attended the subscription schools of Vir- ginia, where he subsequently conducted the stage line for five years, between the James and Ohio Rivers. After coming to Iowa, he con- tinued the stage business for several years, and then became messenger and ticket agent on the train running from Council Bluffs to Bartlett; leaving the latter business, he was engaged with J. W. Morse, in the express business. till
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March. 1875, when he setled where he now lives. Mr. Kemp was married in Lewis, Cass Co., Iowa. October 26, 1863, to Miss J. A. Mann, born in St. Thomas, Canada, July 22, 1845: daughter of L. Mann, born in St. Thomas. Canada, December, 1808, died April 5, 1852. and Almira (Taylor) Mann, born in Erie, Penn .. November 4, 1820. Mr. and Mrs. Kemp have three children-May B., William F. and Bessie A. Mr. Kemp belongs to the Masonie fra- ternity of Council Bluffs; he is a Republican. and has held several township offices.
J. B. MEGINNESS, farmer, P. O. Council Bluff's, was born in Lancaster County, Penn .. in 1837, son of Benjamin and Sarah Meginness, natives of Pennsylvania; he died in 1868. she in 1850. Mr. Meginness attended the common schools. and afterward went to the Academy at Jersey Shore, Penn. He has three brothers farming in Pottawattamie County. Iowa; one in California in the same occupation, and one in Pennsylvania as chief editor of the Williams- port Gazette and Bulletin. Mr. Meginness came to Council Bluffs in the fall of 1846; crossed over into Nebraska and stayed in what is now Florence, till the spring of 1848. then came back to the Iowa side, remaining till 1853. and then returning to Pennsylvania, where he re- mained four years. In 1863, he enlisted in the Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, and was under Steele's command in Arkansas; he was captured April 30. 1864, at Jenkin's Ferry, Saline River. while he lay wounded on the field, after Steele's retreat; he was subsequently taken to Tyler, Texas, and mustered out with paroled prisoners in February, 1865. In 1858, in Pot- tawattamic County, Iowa, Mr. Meginness was married to Mrs. (Nixon) Debolt, daughter of William Nixon. They have one son and three danghters. Mr. Meginness came to this place in the spring of 1868, and purchased an unim- proved farm: he now has 450 acres, about one- half of which is under cultivation; he raises stock extensively: he is a plasterer by trade,
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but has been engaged in farming since 1859. Mr. Meginness owes his success in life to his own energy and perseverance; he is a Repub- lican in politics.
L. PROUTY, farming, P. O. Council Bluffs, was born in Massachusetts in 1831, son of Pliny and Melissa Prouty, natives of Massa- chusetts, and the parents of five boys and three girls. Mr. Prouty was educated at the common schools and at Leicester Academy, Massachu- setts, and in that State taught school, having charge of one of the city schools of Worcester in 1854. He then taught two years in Vir- ginia, where he was married, in 1857, to Miss Esther J. Hull, of Rockbridge County, that State. He left Virginia for Nebraska as a sur- veyor ; thence to this township, where he rented a farm for three years of Mr. Bump ; then rented for three years of Mr. Henry Gar- ner the place which he now owns, having bought it in the spring of 1861. Since his res- idence in this township, Mr. Prouty has taught school for ten winters, carrying on farming during the summer months. He is still identi- fied with the schools of the township.
MRS. MARGUERITE STOKER, Council Bluffs, was born in North Carolina in 1822; daughter of John and Rhoda Judd. When Mrs. Stoker was quite young, she moved, with her parents, from North Carolina to Indiana, where she was raised and educated. When seventeen years of age, she married Mr. E. Stoker, born in Ohio in 1816. At the time of her marriage, she was living with her mother (her father having died ten years before) on the Des Moines River, near what was called Meeke's Mill at that time a flouring mill, subsequently a woolen mill ; there she had lived a year pre- vions to her marriage. The first two years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Stoker lived in the eastern part of Garner Township, and then moved onto the present place. When they first settled in this township, almost their only neighbors were Indians and half-breeds,
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