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 81
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SILVER CREEK TOWNSHIP.
lowed farming, but Mr. D. is a shoe-maker by trade, having served five years as an appren- tice, but since coming here has followed farm- ing all the time. Most all that they now have they have made since coming to Pottawattamie County, and have made it by farming. Mr. A. Me. was at work for three years running the mail from Cape Traverse to Cape Tormentine, across the Straits of Northumberland. In win- ter, they have to carry the mail, from about the 10th of December till the 10th of May, across the ice. The mail would be put into a boat, and the men would put straps around their shoulders and draw the boat after them, where there was ice, and then, if they went through, they could catch on the boat, and use that, if there was water. Often, when the ice was good, they could make it across, the distance of nine miles, in three hours, but sometimes it would take them three days, waiting, when the sea was rough and the ice would be breaking up. Once, after they had crossed in three hours one way, and started back immediately, the ice broke up on the return, and they were floated back and forth till about 12 o'clock at night, and then landed about nine miles from home ; he has seen the ice piled up thirty or forty feet above the water and as much below the water. When the ice begins to break up, they can hear it for as much as ten miles.
JACOB NISEWANGER, farmer, P. O. Macedonia, was born in Shelby County, Ohio, in 1831. In 1857, he moved to Illinois, and settled in Logan County, and he remained there for six years, and then returned to Ohio, and remained at home with his father for two years, and then went back to Logan County, Il., where he stayed for one season, and then came to Iowa. In the fall of 1861, before going to Ohio, he was married, near Lincoln, Ill., to Miss Sarah J. Woods. She was born in Ohio. In the fall of 1864, he came to Mills County, and the next year came into Pottawattamie County, and has been in Silver Creek Town-
ship ever since, and is perhaps the oldest set- tler in the township now. In 1867, he came to his present farm. The nearest settlement to him was over four miles. The first eighty acres of land he got he traded for without ever seeing it. ITis farm now consists of 160 acres, well improved. He has just completed a large two-story residence, and has a bearing orchard and forest groves, etc. His farming is mixed, raising grain, also stock. He has nine children, six boys and three girls, and one son dead ; he is Democratic in politics. His father, William Nisewanger, lived on the old homestead in Shelby County, Ohio, till his death, in Febri- ary, 1880. Mr. Nisewanger's mother died only a few days before his father. Mr. N.'s ances- tors were Germans, but his father was born in Maryland; he was educated in the common schools of Ohio, going to a log schoolhouse, with a big fire-place, and sat on puncheon seats.
H. OUREN, farmer, P. O. Living Spring. Mr. Ouren was born in the suburbs of Chris- tiana, Norway, in 1833. Most of his early life was spent in Christiana, being educated there ; his parents died when he was young, and he was apprenticed to a merchant, where he served over three years ; he came to this country when he was seventeen years old ; he is the youngest of nine children, five of whom are dead, the other four in America, Mr. Ouren being the first to come ; he landed in Quebec with 82 in his pocket, and then worked his way on to Chicago. He made Chicago his home from 1853 till 1861, but was away part of the time, being in Wisconsin, lumbering, sailing on the lakes, etc. Was married in Chicago, March 14. 1857, to Miss Aurora F. Peterson ; she was born in Sweden, but had come to America when she was about ten or eleven years old. They have seven children, six sons and one daughter, all at home. The first year after coming West, they wintered in Nebraska. In the spring of 1862, they moved to Colorado, and remained there till the fall of 1865. when
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they returned to Nebraska ; spent the winter in a house belonging to Samuel Dodge. The next spring, they moved to Silver Creek Town- ship, and have been here ever since. Mr. Ouren and Mr. Lawson bought first 300 acres together. It was the Judge Bratton farm, now owned by Jolm Vankirk. While there, they kept stage station and farmed. This place was an old Mormon settlement, and there were still a number of their huts when they moved there, and a hewn-log hnt built by the Mormons, and this was used as the first schoolhouse on Silver Creek. In the spring of 1869, he moved to his present farm, the "Living Spring" farm. Between the Big and Little Silvers there was no settler when he moved in, except J. J. Clark, till seven miles to the north, and the nearest neighbor on the east was about three and a half miles. llis farm now consists of 740 acres, 160 being in Washington Township. It is all under fence, about 400 acres being under plow and tame grass, the remainder in pasture and meadow land ; his farming is mostly rais- ing corn, and feeding to cattle and hogs. Mr. Ouren has made a success, and has done it all by farming, not speculating any, and it has mostly been made in this county; he has al- ways taken an active part in developing the township and helping its schools and improve- ments ; he is Democratic in politics ; he has been Township Treasurer for ten years, and besides has held other township offices. Mr. Ouren is one of the leading citizens in the township.
JOHN C. PONTIOUS, farmer, P. O. Silver City, Mills County, born in Jefferson County, Ohio, January 27, 1830, son of George H1. and Hannah (Call) Pontions; he, a mechanic, born in Penn- sylvania December 12,1795,is still living in Win- field, Cowley Co., Kan .; she, born in Ohio in 1797, died in Jefferson County, same State, in 1849. They had eleven children-eight boys and three girls. Subject was educated in Jef- ferson County, Ohio: commenced life as a me-
chanic, and married in Cincinnati, Ohio, Janu- ary 21, 1852, Rebecca Smith, born in Reading, Ohio, February 16, 1832, daughter of James and Margarette (Brown) Smith, he born in New Jersey in 1795, she in Philadelphia, Penn., in 1807. Mr. and Pontious have one son, Harvey W., born in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 24, 1852. and was educated in Bloomington and Lincoln, Ill. Subject is a member of the Christian Church; a Republiean; has filled town- ship offices; has been a mechanic, a farmer, stockman, real estate dealer, and is largely in- terested in Colorado mines ; he lived in Lin- coln, Ill., until 1876, when he moved to Council Bluffs; thence to this township, where he has a fine farm of 200 acres, in a good location, well improved, and feeds and deals in Short-Horn cattle and Poland-China hogs; is greatly inter- ested in all educational matters, and has the interests of his township at heart.
A. T. RAINS, farmer, P. O. Living Spring, born in Cedar County, Mo., April 29, 1849, son of Lawrence and Mary (Froth) Rains; he, a farmer, born in Ohio in 1812, is still living on the old homestead in Mills County, which he entered in Council Bluffs in 1851; she, born in Ohio in 1820, died in Mills County, this State, in 1876, and was the mother of seven children- three girls and four boys. Subject received his education in Mills County, this State, attending school a part of the time in a log cabin; com- menced life as a farmer, and married in Mills County, January 13, 1876, Johanna Wolfe, born in Mills County December 25, 1858, daughter of James and Sarah (Creech) Wolfe, she born in Kentucky, and he born in Missouri; was a member of Company A, Fourth lowa Infantry, and died while in the army. Mr. and Mrs. Rains have four children, viz .: William Clar- ence, born September 12, 1876; Lavonia Alice, born October 30, 1877; Eddie II., born March 25, 1879; and Alta Pearl, born January 5, 1882. Subject was a member of the Home Guards; a Republican; lived in Mills County until 1876;
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bought a farm of 140 acres in 1874, partly im- proved, at $15 per acre; rented it for two years; moved onto it again in 1876, and greatly im- proved it since; set out a grove and an orchard, has good buildings, deals in stock, feeds cattle every winter and does general farming.
JAMES F. SMITH, farming, P. O. Carson. Mr. Smith was born and raised in La Porte County, Ind .; born 1835; lived in Indiana till 1877; he sold out and eame to Iowa. settling in Mills County, where he remained till spring of 1882, when he came to his present farm in Sil- ver Creek Township; he had lived in La Porte County till about 1870; he went to Porter County, and lived there till he came to lowa. He bought his present farm in 1879; but it was raw prairie, so he did not move to it till 1882. His farm consists of 250 acres, ten of it being timber land, all but about fifty being in cultiva- tion, 140 in corn, besides wbeat. He is doing considerable feeding. He was married in La Porte County, Ind., in 1856 or 1857, to Miss Sarah J. Cooper; she was also born in La Porte County. They have four children, two girls and two boys; one girl married. He is Repub- lican in politics; farming has always been his business; he was educated in Indiana; his mother died when he was only three years old, and his father was killed when he was five, and from that time he has had to look out for him- self.
JAMES A. SUMMERS, farming, P. O. Mace- donia. Mr. Summers was born in Ohio in 1847. His father moved to Iowa when he was about eighteen months old; then settled in Jefferson County, Iowa, when he was about ten years old. When he was about nineteen years old, Mr. Summers went back to Illinois, where he re- mained about five years. lle was married, in Logan County, III., 1869, to Miss Huldah Ann Wickersham, born in Indiana; they have two ehildren, one boy and one girl; came to Potta- wattamie County, Iowa, June, 1871, settling on his present farm, which was raw prairie, pay-
ing $12.50 per aere. He has a farm of 120 aeres, all in cultivation. His farming is raising corn and feeding it to stock. He is Republican in polities; is one of the Township Trustees; his farm is well improved with orchards, groves and good farm buildings. When he settled on his present farm there were but three farms in the present School District, which is 2x3 miles; now it is all improved. Mr. Summers' father, William Summers, is still living, and resides in Jefferson County, lowa, and is in bis eighty-first year.
JOHN VANKIRK, farming and stock, P. O. Silver City, Mills County. Mr. Vankirk, one of the oldest settlers now in Silver Creek Town- ship, came here March, 1869; he is a native of Washington County, Penn., and was born in 1835. Mr. Vankirk was out here and bought his pres- ent home farm in the fall of 1868, buying of O. Lawson. His farm is perhaps the oldest settled farm in the township, Mr. John Bratton settling it, Mr. Bratton getting it from David Johnson July 25, 1855; Mr. Johnson had entered it May 20, 1854. This was a stage station for a num- ber of years on the okl Des Moines and Council Bluffs road, and along Silver Creek and in the woods of this farm was quite a Mormon settle- ment, and there is one of their burying-grounds on the place. Mr. Vankirk lived on the old home place in Pennsylvania till he moved to his present farm. He was raised on a farm, and has always made farming and stock his busi- ness. His farm, which lies part in Mills and part in Pottawattamie County, contains about 1,700 acres, on which he carries on feeding and stock-raising. Mr. Vankirk was married in Washington County, Penn., in 1856, to Miss Anne Vankirk, who was also born in the same county as Mr. Vankirk. They have three children liv- ing, two boys and one girl. He is a Democrat in politics. In the fall of 1857, Mr. Vankirk came out through this country, passing through his present farm on the stage. Mr. Vankirk's parents are still living, their home being in
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Mills County, Hamilton Vankirk being his fath- er's name. They are about seventy years old. When he settled here there was a bridge across Silver Creek on the old stage road, and then
over three miles north another, and on the south it was eight miles to another. Mr. Vankirk is one of the most successful men in Silver Creek Township, and has one of the largest residences.
VALLEY TOWNSHIP.
W. C. ACKER, farming. P. O. Hancock, was born at Beardstown, Cass Co., Ill., in 1838, son of John Acker, born in New York State at the head of Lake Champlain; he is a retired farmer; his wife, our subject's mother, is dead. They had eight children, one of whom is dead. Our subject was educat- ed at Mt. Morris Seminary, Illinois, and moved with his father, in 1842, to Oregon, Ogle Co., Ill. There he remained till about 1853, when he went to Chicago and served an ap- prenticeship at carriage-making; he resided in Chicago about seven years, it being a small place at that time. In 1865, he came to Iowa, and built the first carriage shop erected in the town of Boone. In the fall of 1875, Mr. Acker sold out his business in Boone, came to Pottawattamie County and bought his present farm of 240 acres, situated in Valley Township. This land, then in a wild state, was worth from $5 to $8 per acre; now. in a state of cultivation, it is worth from $25 to $30 per acre. When Mr. Acker first settled here. this part of the township was but thinly settled, and he circulated pe- titions for roads and schoolhouses. He was married, in 1855, to Miss S. L. Vanloon, a native of Ohio, daughter of Isaiah Vanloon. 1 Mr. and Mrs. Acker have five children-W. 1 C., born September 15, 1858: Elwood W., February 2, 186I; Estella M., May 5, 1865: Belle L., December 4, 1869, and May E., : born May 11, 1872. Mr. Acker is a member of the A. H. T. A. In politics, he is a Re- publican.
SAMUEL ARMSTRONG, hotel, Hancock, was born in Ohio in 1834, son of Samuel and Roxie (Wheeler) Armstrong; his mother is living in Wisconsin; his parents moved to Southern Illinois when our subject was about four years old, then into Jo Daviess County, Ill., and afterward, back to Portage County, Ohio, where they lived two years, and then to Wisconsin. Our subject went to school in Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin. He has two half-sisters and one half-brother. His father was a farmer, and Mr. Armstrong has fol- lowed the same occupation most of his life. He enlisted, August 14, 1862, in Company B, Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry, and served three years, or until the close of the war, com- ing home in August, 1865. At first, he was under Grant, at Vicksburg. McPherson being the Seventeenth Corps commander, in which he was a member; he was at the taking of Spanish Fort; his regiment went on the Red River expedition, but Mr. Armstrong was regimental Postmaster at the time, and was left behind with the sick at Vicksburg. He was also under Sherman in his Meridian ex- pedition, under Gen. Smith at Tupelo, Miss., and in other engagements. At Vicksburg, he was wounded in the hand, losing a finger. Mr. Armstrong was married. first, in 1857, to Miss Nancy Jane Loney, of Wisconsin; he has three children by this wife-one boy. Charles O., living in Pottawattamie County, and two daughters. His wife died in 1863, and he was married the second time, in April. 1866, to Miss Lydia E. Millard, of
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Ohio, who died in August, 1867. Mr. Arm- strong was married to his present wife in 1869; she was Miss Mary J. Fitzgerald, born in Wisconsin; her parents are both dead; she is the daughter of Peter Fitzgerald, born in Kentucky; her mother was born in Ohio. Mrs. Armstrong has three brothers and four sisters. In 1871, Mr. Armstrong came to Iowa, and settled in what is now Valley Township, where he followed farming till the fall of ISSO, when he sold his farm, came to Hancock and built the first dwelling-house erected in the town after it was laid out. After coming here, he dealt in coal for about a year, but now devotes his attention to the hotel business and is having good success. Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong are members of the Methodist Church. Mr. Armstrong is an Odd Fellow and a Republican.
I. L. BAIR, farming. P. O. Hancock, was born in Knox County, Ohio, in 1843, son of David Bair, a blacksmith by trade, now liv- ing in retirement in Johnson County, Iowa, where he was one of the early settlers. Mr. Bair had seven brothers, one of whom is dead. and one sister. In 1954. he, with his par- ents. left Ohio and settled in Johnson County, Iowa, thence, in March, 1877, he came to Valley Township, Pottawattamie County. In August, 1862, Mr. Bair enlisted in Company K, Twenty-second Iowa Regiment, continu- ing in the same till the close of the war; he was in the Vicksburg campaign, under Grant, and in the Shenandoah Valley campaign, under Sheridan; he came out withont a wound. Mr. Bair was married, in IS6S, to Miss Al- mina E. Pophan, born in Kosciusko County, Ind., daughter of Richard Pophan. Mr. and Mrs. Bair have four children-Louisa Ellen. Charles R .. Clinton H. and Howard P. Mr. Bair and wife are members of the M. E. Church, of Hancock. Mr. Bair's farm con- sists of 120 acres, all well under cultivation, |
and the acquirement of his own industry. Mr. Bair is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity and of the A. H. T. A .; in politics, he is a Republican.
W. C. BARTON, farming, P. O. Hancock, was born in New York State in 1833, son of James and Dorcas (Akley) Barton; he was a Inmberman and farmer, and died in Wiscon- sin in 1861; she died in Wisconsin, and was the mother of fourteen children, five of whom are dead. Mr. Barton received an ordinary education in his native State, and then en- gaged in farming till he became twenty-one years of age, when he moved to Wisconsin and engaged in farming till 1867, when he came to Mitchell County, Iowa, thence to his present place in Pottawattamie County. Mr. Barton's farm of 650 acres was, when he bought it, wild prairie; now it is in a good state of cultivation, and has excellent build- ings erected upon it. Mr. Barton's property is entirely self-acquired; he has an orchard of about 300 trees and quite a vineyard; he raises considerable stock, having on hand at present about one hundred head of cattle. Mr. Barton was married, in Wisconsin, in 1857, to Diantha Dewey, born in Vermont, daughter of Horace and Sophia (Felt) Dewey, he a native of Vermont and she of Massachu. setts. Mr. and Mrs. Barton are the parents of five children-Marion L., Rosa, Aaron, Roscoe and Florence, all at home, except the eldest son, who is married and lives in Knox Township, where he owns and conducts a farm. Mr. Barton is one of the most suc- cessful farmers of Valley Township. Polit- ically, he is a Republican.
A. M. BATTELLE, farmer, P. O. Avoca. was born in Washington County, Ohio, in 1830, son of C. D. and E. G. Battelle; sub- ject's father is living at Columbus, Ohio, and is seventy-six years old; he was a Methodist minister until 1SS1, when he retired. Mr.
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Battelle was well educated in Ohio and West Virginia, and first started in life in 1849, as a telegraph operator, which ocenpation ho followed nine years. The first office he had charge of was at Portsmouth, Ohio; from there he went to Brownsville, Penn., but the greater portion of his life as an operator was spent at Washington, Ohio, and Wheeling, W. Va. The last two years spent in Wheel- ing, he was engaged in the grocery business, coming from Wheeling to his present place in 1855; he pre-empted his land. Mr. Bat telle was married, in 1852, in Washington, Ohio, to Miss Aramintha Beymer, born in Ohio, daughter of William and Julia Bey- mer. Mrs. Battelle's father is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Battelle have seven children- three boys and four girls; two of the daugh- ters are married and one son is in Hancock. Mr. Battelle's farm consists of 200 acres, all in cultivation and meadow. He was a mem- ber of the Board of County Supervisors for seven years, being Chairman of the board for five years; he has held various township offices, and has been on the School Board for many years. Mr. Battelle had the first pine house in Pottawattamie County; it was framed in Wheeling, W. Va, shipped on the river, and landed at the old landing at Coun- cil Bluffs. Mr. Battelle is a Mason and a Republican.
W. H. BENJAMIN, hardware, Hancock, came to Pottawattamie County in 1864, set- tling in Valley Township on a farm, where he remained till 1881, with the exception of a short time he was in business in Avoca, in the early settlement of that place. He was born in Orange County, N. Y., April 22, 1832, and lived in different parts of the State till 1864, when he came to Iowa. His father was a carpenter and farmer, and Mr. Benja- min followed the same occupation; he re- ceived his education in New York; he is the
son of S. H. and Magdalen (Forshee) Ben- jamin, natives of Orange County, N. Y. Mr. Benjamin is one of ten children, eight of whom are living, six of them being boys; his youngest brother is an attorney in Avoca; he also has a sister there; his father was born in March, 1800, and died in 1872; his mother, born in September, ISOS, is living. Mr. Benjamin went out with the One Hundred and Seventh Regiment of New York, enlisting in 1862 for three years, but was in service only six months; he passed through the battle of Antietam before being discharged. Mr. Benjamin was married, in Steuben County, N. Y., October 28, 1357, to Miss Maggie Travis, born in Putnam County, N. Y., July 3, 1838, daughter of Elisha and Clara Tra- vis, natives of Delaware County, N. Y .; he, born September IS, 1793, died August IS, 1879; she, born June 15, 1795, died May 7, 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin have had five children, four boys and one girl-T. W., H. H., A. M., Clara M .. and B. W .; one son is married and lives at Avoca, Iowa. Mr. Ben- jamin came to Hancock in 1881, and started the second business establishment in the town. He has a two-story building, forty- two feet front and forty feet deep, and has two storerooms; in one he has hardware, of which he carries a large stock, including all kin ls of necessary hardware. He also re- tains his farm of 120 acres, well improved. Mr. Benjamin took the first load of produce into Avoca that was ever delivered there. He has held township offices, such as Assessor, Justice of the Peace, etc. In 1873, Mr. Ben- jamin assessed Knox Township, when it in- cluded the present Knox. Pleasant, Layton, Lincoln and two-thirds of Valley Townships. Ho is a member of the I. O. O. F. and A. H. T. A. In politics, he is a Republican, and cast his first vote for John C. Fre- mont.
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VALLEY TOWNSHIP.
I. G. CARTER, farming. P. O. Hancock, was born near Dresden, Ohio, February 20, 1831; moved from Ohio to Chicago in 1853, and lived there five years; from there to Mc- Donough County, Ill., and then to Jasper County, Iowa; thence to Columbus, Neb., where he lived for one year, and then moved to Valley Township, in 1872. Mr. Car- ter served three years in the war. going out with Company C, Seventy-eighth Regiment of Illinois, staying with his company three months, when it was all captured except Mr. Carter and one other man, who escaped. Mr. Carter was then transferred to the Engineers' Corps; was wounded, in the fall of 1863, at Carter's Creek, Tenn., by a bridge timber; he was then transferred to the Invalid Corps at Louisville, Ky. He was mustered out at Clinton, Iowa, in July, 1865, having been in | the battles of Fort Donelson, Stone River, - Lookout Mountain, Franklin, Tenn., and the battle of the Wilderness. Before going into the army, he had followed his trade of car- pentering, but on account of the injury re- ceived at Carter's Creek, Tenn., he had to give up carpenter work, and has since fol- lowed farming, doing his first farming in Jas- per County, Iowa. He now has a farm of 120 acres, adjoining the town of Hancock, on which he has lived since 1872; he does gen- eral farming, but pays most of his attention to corn. He is the son of Albin and Nancy (Clark) Carter, natives of Ohio; he was one of the old settlers in Ohio, and died in 1842; she died in 1842. Mr. Carter was married, November 13, 1851, to Miss Lucinda Dowell, born near Dresden, Ohio, October 16, 1835, daughter of George and Grace (Helms) Dow- ell, he, born in Virginia, died May 14, 1868, she, born in Pennsylvania, died April 25, 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Carter have one son in Oregon, general agent of the Retailers' Union; their oldest daughter married George
Payne, and lives in Harrison County, Iowa; one son is a drayman in Hancock; the young- est son and two daughters are at home; the children are Harrison A., Charles E., George W., Retta. Eva M., Ida M., Jennie, Howard R., Florence M. and Hugh E .; two of the children are deceased. Mr. Carter has al- ways taken an interest in political affairs; he was County Treasurer of McDonough Coun- ty, Ill., for two years; Trustee for two years in Jasper County, Iowa, and has held various other county and township offices. He is a Methodist and a Republican.
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