USA > Iowa > Pottawattamie County > History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, from the earliest historic times to 1907, Vol. II > Part 55
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David Nixon, who completes the family, came with his parents to Pot- tawattamie county in 1853, when a lad of about five years. He was edu- cated in the country schools near his father's home, was early trained to . the work of the fields, and after his marriage began farming on land given him by his father. They first lived in a stable until they could build a residence and continued upon their first farm until nine years ago, when they removed to their present place on section 28, Hazel Dell township. Here Mr. Nixon has a beautiful home, which he erected. He did all the inside finishing, papering and so forth, for he can do any kind of work, possessing much natural mechanical skill and ingenuity. Around the house is a beautiful and well kept lawn, adding greatly to its appearance. The buildings are all well painted and everything about the place is in a state of good repair. This is indeed a model farm and there is not a neater one in all Pottawattamie county. Mr. Nixon owns three hundred and twenty acres of land, which is very productive, and is now living retired, enjoying the fruits of his former toil and the income which accrues from his prop- erty.
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On the 24th of June. 1866, Mr. Nixon was married to Miss Margaret J. Williams, who was born in South Wales on Christmas day of 1849, a daughter of Daniel and Margaret (Evans) Williams, who were also natives of the same country. After coming to the United States they spent a few years in Pennsylvania and then went west to Utah. They remained in that territory, however, for but one winter, after which they came to Pottawatta- mie county. Mrs. Nixon was six years of age when brought by her parents from South Wales to America and in this country she was largely reared. By her marriage she has become the mother of four children: John, who was born June 4, 1867, and died on the 3d of August of that year: Eliza, the wife of Alexander Vallier, a resident of Hazel Dell; William, who fol- lows farming in Hazel Dell township; and Ira, who also owns a good farm in the same township.
The parents are devoted and faithful members of the Methodist Episco- pal church, recognized throughout the community as good Christian peo- ple, and Mr. Nixon is serving as one of the church trustees, while in many other ways he has labored to advance the interests of the organization and to extend its influence. In 1864, when but sixteen years of age, he enlisted in the Union army but being so young his father would not allow him to serve. His political views accord with the principles of the republican party and he has filled some local offices, acting as township trustee and as school director. His life has ever been honorable and upright, his actions manly and sincere, and he has always upheld those interests which promote the political and legal status of the community and advance its material, intellectual and moral progress. To know him is to respect and honor him and his many good qualities have gained him the warm friendship of the great majority of those with whom he has been brought in contact during a residence in Pottawattamie county which covers more than a half cen- tury. He is well known as a pioneer settler and can relate many interest- ing incidents of early days when this district was sparsely settled and gave little evidence of the development which was soon afterward to transform it into one of the leading counties of this great commonwealth.
WILLIAM NIXON.
William Nixon, who carries on general farming on sections 33 and 34, Hazel Dell township, was born in this locality, October 3, 1871, and is a son of David Nixon, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume, and who is one of the prominent, honored and representative agriculturists and pio- neers of this part of the state. He was provided with good educational privileges and after attending the country schools became a student in the Western Towa College at Council Bluffs, where he pursued a commercial course, thus becoming well qualified for the practical and responsible duties of business life. He afterward acted for three years as clerk and bookkeeper in the Citizens State Bank but in 1896 resumed the occupation to which he
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was reared, having early become familiar with the duties and labors con- nected with the cultivation of the soil and the care of the crops. He owns the southwest quarter of section 34 and resides upon a tract of land of one hundred and twenty acres belonging to his father on section 33. The prop- erty is well improved with a new house and barns and other modern acces- sories and equipments, all of which have been secured by the Nixon family, who are prominent representatives of progressive agriculture. William Nixon carries on general farming, raising the cereals best adapted to soil and climate, and is regarded as a most wide-awake and enterprising business mall.
On the 22d of September, 1897, was celebrated the marriage of Wil- liam Nixon and Josephine Christiansen, a daughter of Lars Christiansen, one of the farmers of Hazel Dell township. This union has been blessed with two children: Lila M. and Irving M. The young couple have an attractive home, the hospitality of which is greatly enjoyed by their many friends. Mr. Nixon is a republican, serving for ten years as secretary of the school board, a fact which indicates his deep and helpful interest in the cause of education. He has likewise been township clerk for six years and township assessor for two years, discharging his duties in a manner that indicates his progressive citizenship and public spirit. Fraternally he is a member of the Woodmen of the World and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
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WILLIS C. HILLS.
Willis C. Hills, owner and publisher of the Oakland Acorn, was born in Maquoketa, Iowa, in 1858. His father was Amos C. Hills, a native of Rumney, New Hampshire, and of English ancestry. The first representative of the family in America was Joseph Hills, who came from England in 1638 and settled at Malden, Massachusetts, near Boston. Amos C. Hills was a farmer by occupation and continued his residence in the east until 1855, when he came to Iowa, settling in Maquoketa. Later, however, he returned to the east, where he remained for about eight years and then again came to Towa in 1866. He is now living retired at Oto, Woodbury county, Iowa, at the age of eighty years. He was an industrious farmer, whose life of activity and intelligently applied effort brought to him a very goodly competence. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has served as an officer, and in the work of the church he is much interested. while to its support he contributes generously. His political allegiance is given the republican party. He married Elizabeth S. Wilcox, who was born in Orleans county. Vermont, and is now living at the age of eighty-two years. She is of Scotch-Welsh ancestry and. like her husband, belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. Throughout their entire lives this worthy couple have commanded the esteem and good will of those with whom they have come in contact in the different communities in which they have lived.
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Their family numbers three children, of whom Willis C. is the youngest. The sister, Jennie E., is the widow of the Rev. George R. Oake, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, who in early life had been a circuit rider and who died in Council Bluffs in 1906. Frank L. Hills is a news- paper man of Sioux City, Iowa, and is now serving as county recorder of Woodbury county.
Willis C. Hills was a pupil in the country schools in his early boyhood and afterward attended the normal school at Cedar Falls. A few years were devoted to teaching and in 1887 he established the Smithland Exponent at Smithland, lowa, where he remained until the fall of 1894. At that time he was elected county recorder of Woodbury county on the republican ticket and his capability and trustworthiness in office led to his selection for a second term. Upon his retirement from this political position he con- ducted a printing plant at Sioux City and for one year was proprietor of a general store at Kirkman, Iowa. In January, 1901, he came to Oakland and purchased the Oakland Acorn of M. F. Morton, since which time he has been engaged in the publication of this paper. The Acorn was founded in 1881 and is a seven column quarto, neat and attractive in appearance. It has a good advertising patronage and liberal subscription list and is a clean, newsy paper which would be a credit to any community. It is inde- pendent in politics and devoted to the best interests of the town and county, championing every measure for the public good.
Mr. Hills was married in 1894 to Paulina Gambs, who was born in Monroe county, Ohio, in 1860, and they have one child, Vida. Mrs. Hills belongs to the Congregational church. Mr. Hills gives his support to the republican party. He served as postmaster at Smithland and, as stated, was twice recorder of Woodbury county. His interest in political questions is that of a. public-spirited American citizen and in all community affairs he manifests an activity which indicates his loyalty to the best interests of Oakland. His fraternal relations are with the Masons.
EDWARD WARD.
Edward Ward, deceased, was numbered among the honored pioneers of Pottawattamie county who aided in reclaiming this district for the pur- poses of civilization at a time when many people believed that the task was a hopeless one. His birth occurred in Noble county, Ohio, April 8, 1829, of the marriage of William and Wilhelmina (Youngblue) Ward, both of whom passed away in the Buckeye state. He acquired his education in the common schools of his native state, and after his marriage conducted a general store in Cannonsburg, Ohio, for about seven years, when he sold out. In the year 1856, in company with a hired man, he drove a bunch of cattle through Iowa and, being pleased with the country, entered land on Keg creek in what is now the southern part of Keg Creek township. He then brought his wife and family to this state, the journey being made by
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train to Eddyville, from which point they proceeded with ox teams. Shortly afterward Mr. Ward sold the land he had entered and purchased two hun- dred and forty acres in Silver Creek township, which he improved and culti- vated for fifteen years. He then traded the farm for a block of property in Glenwood, Iowa, comprising a hotel. livery and meat market. He conducted the hotel for four years, after which he sold out and took up his abode on the place where his widow now resides on section 3, Keg Creek township.
On the 20th of December, 1849, Mr. Ward was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Williams, who was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, March 25, 1825, a daughter of Anthony and Sarah (Cook) Williams, who passed away in the Buckeye state, where the mother's birth also occurred. while the father was born in Arnetstown, Maryland. Mrs. Ward received three hundred acres of land from her father, who had entered several thousand acres from the government along Keg creek and gave some to his children, Mrs. Ward, however, being the only one that ever came to Iowa. She now owns two hundred and forty acres of valuable farming land, which she rents. All of the excellent improvements here seen stand as a monument to the labor and enterprise of Mr. Ward, who with the assistance of his estimable wife labored diligently year by year until he had transformed the wild prairie into richly productive fields, placing thereon all the con- veniences and accessories of a model property of the twentieth century. There is a fine orchard on the place and also many shade trees, which greatly enhance the attractive appearance of the farm. Mrs. Ward resides in a beautiful home on this property and is now enabled to enjoy all of life's comforts and many of its luxuries in her declining years.
Five children were born unto our subject and his wife. Reuben, whose birth occurred October 2, 1850, passed away on the 1st of June, 1870. Union, born January 31. 1852, died in infancy. Roland, born March 28, 1854, wedded Mattie H. Ingram and now lives in Lewis township, where he has a nursery. Artemus, born on the 22d of December, 1861, passed away De- cember 27, 1904. Lucretia Wilmie, born February 8, 1858, was united in marriage to Thomas D. Gayle on the 25th of February, 1885, and now lives with her mother, her husband being an expert carpenter by trade.
Mr. Ward passed away December 14, 1896, at his home in Keg Creek township and his death was the occasion of deep and widespread regret throughout the entire community. For forty years he had been actively connected with the business interests of this portion of the state and his name stood as a synonym for integrity and honor in all the relations of life. More- over, he had done his full share in the work of pioneer development and progress here, contributing in substantial measure to the county's growth and upbuilding.
Mrs. Ward is remarkably well preserved for a woman who has passed the eighty-second milestone of life's journey and relates in interesting man- ner many reminiscences and experiences of pioneer days. She recalls the time when there were but three houses between her home and Council Bluffs and remembers seeing the Mormons going through on their way to Utah, the terrible suffering which some of them underwent being still vividly im-
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pressed upon her mind. Their goods were packed in small carts and each cart was drawn by two women. Mrs. Ward was an expert horsewoman in her younger years and often rode for miles through the then lonesome coun- try without thought of fear. Her mind forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present and during the long period of her residence here has gained many warm and lasting friendships.
ADOLPH CLAUSEN.
Adolph Clausen has since the spring of 1881 lived in Pottawattamie county and is now well known as a farmer and stock-raiser of Washington township. He lives on section 33 and also has land on sections 28 and 29, his possessions aggregating two hundred and forty acres, well improved. He came to this county from lowa county, Iowa, but claims Denmark as the land of his birth. He was born in the northern part of that country in 1856. his parents being George and Maria (Missen) Clausen. The father came to America in the early '70s, settling near Waukee, Illinois, where he resided for a time. He afterward spent two years in Mississippi but in 1874 returned northward, at which time he established his home in Iowa county, Iowa, where he engaged in farming. Being pleased with that locality and its possibilities, he continued there to make his home until he was called to his final rest on the 13th of April, 1892, when he was seventy-three years of age. The mother is still living in Denmark. One son of the family, Ludwig Clausen, came to this country but died about seven years years ago. He resided on a farm just east of the property of Adolph Clausen. Another brother, Julius, and a sister, Mrs. Georgia Jensen, are still living in Den- mark.
Adolph Clausen pursued his education in the schools of his native coun- try and of America. He was fifteen years of age when in 1871 he crossed the Atlantic to the new world. For six months he resided in Chicago and then went to Mississippi with his father, where he engaged in raising cotton for two years. Ile next located in Marengo county, Iowa, where he began farming and since that time he has carried on general agricultural pursuits and has also raised and handled well bred stock. He is a self-made man and successful. All of the improvements on the farm were placed here by him and the tract of raw prairie which came into his possession has been con- verted into rich and productive fields, from which he annually harvests good crops.
Mr. Clausen has been married twice. In this county he wedded Miss Van Sant, who died in July, 1892, leaving a son, Charles, sixteen years of age. In 1895 he was again married, his second union being with Miss Maggie Schmidt, who was born in Germany, a daughter of Hans Schmidt, of Silver Creek township, who arrived here about 1884. He is a successful farmer. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Clausen has been blessed with seven children and the family circle yet remains unbroken by the hand of death.
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These are, Ida, Harry, Otto, Roy, Mamie, Lily and Irvin, all yet under the parental roof.
The parents are members of the Lutheran church and in the com- munity where they re-ide have a circle of friends alinost co-extensive with the circle of their acquaintances. Mr. Clausen affiliates with the Ma-onic lodge of Carson and votes with the republican party. He was elected to the office of justice of the peace but did not qualify. a- he has never sought nor wished public office, preferring always to give his attention to his bu-i- ness affairs which, capably conducted. have gained him a place among the men of affluence in his community.
JOHN . B. McNAY.
John B. McNay carries on general agricultural pursuits on section 26. Keg Creek township. and is also engaged in the breeding of thoroughbred Poland China hogs. having as fine a herd as can be found in the entire county. His birth occurred in Council Bluffs on the 3d of August. 1860, and the house in which he was born is still standing.
His parents were Joseph B. and Mary (Smith) MeNay, the former born in Greene county. Pennsylvania. April 11. 1825, while the latter was also born in that county on the 30th of April. 1834. The father was born and reared on a farm and supplemented the education which he received in the common schools by a law course at college. After his graduation in 1853 he came west to Washington. Washington county. Iowa. where he practiced his profession for two years. In 1855 he went to Council Bluffs and en- tered a section of land on section 23. While at that place his law library had been destroyed by fire and he returned to Pennsylvania. being there married in December, 1856. After this important event in his life he once more removed to Council Bluffs. where he remained until 1876. He never practiced law in this county but was connected with the live-stock business. freighting to Denver with ox teams. This was in many respects a dangerous undertaking and he had a number of narrow escapes from the Indians. His journey from Pennsylvania to this state with his wife was also fraught with many hardships and privations. as they drove through from Burlington in the winter. They often traveled for a whole day without coming to a house or other sign of habitation. Council Bluffs was as yet but a hamlet and there was only one brick building in Omaha. this being used by the legis- lature for the territory of Nebraska. In 1876 Mr. McNay removed to his farm in Keg Creek township. where he lived until his demise. March 12. 1906. He had lived to celebrate hi- golden wedding and his widow still resides on the farm with her two sons. Mr. McNay was active in politics as a sup- porter of the republican party and held all of the township offices. He was reared in the Seceeder, church but as there was no such denomination here he joined the Methodists a few year- before his death. His widow now owns two hundred and forty acres of land on section 23. Keg Creek township.
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which is being farmed by her two sons, Preston D. and Charles B., who are yet at home. She had a family of eight children but only three are now living.
John B. MeNay remained under the parental roof in Council Bluffs until the time of his marriage and also received a common-school education in that city. In 1885 he purchased eighty acres of his present farm, which was improved, but he has since remodeled the house, refenced the place and added many other modern and substantial improvements, including the erection of a barn. Altogether he has a fine home and his farm of one hun- dred acres responds readily to the care and labor he bestows upon it, an- nually yielding rich harvests. In addition to the work of general farming he is much interested in the breeding of thoroughbred Poland China hogs, having a herd of sixty head of as fine specimens of that breed as can be found in Pottawattamie county. He has done much to improve the grade of stock raised in this part of the state and is recognized as one of the promi- nent stock-breeders of the county.
On the 25th of February, 1895, Mr. McNay was united in marriage to Miss Tishie Mcclellan, who was born in Princeton, Indiana, October 18, 1871, her parents being Adam and Mary (Wilson) Mcclellan, both natives of Ohio. The father is still living in Nunn, Colorado, at the age of seventy- seven years. but Mrs. McClellan passed away in Indiana in 1876 when forty- six years of age. This worthy couple were the parents of seven children, of whom four are living: Mrs. Dena Manse, of Oakland City, Indiana: Mrs. Rena Gudgel, residing in Stillwater, Oklahoma; Joseph F., of Nunn, Colo- rado; and Mrs. McNay. Mr. and Mrs. MeNay have three children : Glen W., Vera M., and Ona M.
Our subject and his wife are both members of the Methodist church and take an active and helpful part in its work. Mr. McNay has been a resident of this county throughout his entire life, and has ever lived so as to merit the respect and esteem which are uniformly tendered him. His business methods have ever been such as have neither sought nor required disguise, and in all the relations of life he has been found honorable and straightforward.
HENRY A. TERRY.
Henry A. Terry, a retired nurseryman now living at Crescent, was born in Cortland county, New York, July 12, 1826, and has therefore long passed the scriptural limit of three score years and ten. He was a son of Otis and Cynthia (Ruggles) Terry, who were natives of Worcester, Massachusetts. and of Irish and Scotch descent. They were reared in the state of their nativity and were married in 1816. The father generally followed the occu- pation of farming and was engaged in the raising of garden vegetables. Re- moving to New York, he lived at several places in that state and in 1836 became a resident of Oakland county, Michigan. The following year he removed to Livingston county, Michigan, where he followed farming until
MR. AND MRS. H. A. TERRY.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.
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1845, when he went to Knox county, Illinois. Two years later he established his home in Decatur county, Iowa, and in 1847 came to Pottawattamie county. Here he lived until about 1853 or 1854, when he went to Utah, where he died at the very venerable age of ninety-three years. His wife died in Decatur county, Iowa, in 1847 at the age of fifty-three years. They were members of the Church of the Latter Day Saints.
Henry A. Terry was reared to farm life upon the frontier at a time when much of the labor was performed by hand. In fact none of the modern farm machinery was then in use and it required much arduous toil to bring the fields under cultivation. His educational privileges were only those afforded by the common schools of the middle west at an early day. At the age of twenty years he left home (at which time his parents were living in Nauvoo, Illinois) and started out in life on his own account. He followed farming at Garden Grove, Iowa, until 1847. The first money which he could call his own he earned in teaching a subscription school in Mercer county, Missouri, in the winter of 1846-7. In the fall of the latter year he came to Pottawattamie county, Iowa, and during the succeeding winter taught school on Honey creek in what is now Rockford township. Thus he became closely associated with the early development of the county along educational as well as material lines. In September, 1848, he married and removed to Crescent, where he engaged in merchandising in the first store in the town and the see- ond one in the county. Two or three years later he sold out there and went to New Haven, Connecticut, traveling by steamboat most of the way. There he remained for two years, elerking in a store for a brother-in-law.
On the expiration of that period, however, Mr. Terry returned to Pot- tawattamie county, settling at Council Bluffs, then called Kanesville, where he engaged in the seed and grain business. In 1857 he removed to Crescent, where he continued in the same line of business until 1860, when he sold out. having in the meantime-in 1856-established a nursery. This was the first permanent nursery of the county and to H. A. Terry the people of Iowa are largely indebted for a demonstration of the fact that the state and especially the western portion of it is specially adapted to fruit growing. He proved that those tender varieties that were popularly supposed to be too delicate for this climate could be cultivated here. Not only did his efforts and his nursery stock constitute the nucleus of many thriving orchards .of western Iowa but in the cultivation of an orchard of his own he proved that the ten- derest fruits ean be successfully and profitably raised in this elimate if given the needed care and attention. The effect of his labors is largely incalcula- ble but all acknowledge the worth of his work in demonstrating the possi- bilities of Iowa for fruit production. During his life here Mr. Terry has taken a helpful part in every movement organized in the state for the benefit of its agricultural interests. He is emphatically a publie-spirited man and though now eighty-one years of age he still takes an active and helpful in- terest in all that pertains to the welfare of the community. Though retired from the nursery business, he now gives his attention to the propagation and raising of flowers. He has hundreds of varieties on his place, having pro- duced many new kinds. A plum of his own propagation is known every-
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