The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, &c.,., Part 85

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Des Moines : Union Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1004

USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, &c.,. > Part 85

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country, and enlisted, August 1, 1861, in company)I, Tenth Iowa infantry, and served two years and a half, and re-enlisted, January 31, 1864, at Hunts- ville, Alabama, and served until the end of the war. He entered as a pri- vate and was promoted to corporal, October 31, 1864. He was in thirty- six engagements while in the war, of which the principal ones are Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg (in this battle he- received a wound in the hip, but still held his place), Mission Ridge, Golds- boro, Corinth and in the battle of Kingston, where he had his knee put out of place, and was mustered out at Little Rock, Arkansas, August 15, 1865. He returned to Grinnell, this State, and was married to Miss Mary Griffen. By this union they have six children living: Susy Eveline, Arthur H., William A., Sadie M., Clark E. and Lucy Frances. Lost one child, Eddie. He now enjoys the comforts of a farm of eighty acres under good cultivation.

R IVERS, JOHN L .- Farmer and stock-raiser, section 12, P. O. Grin- nell. Was born in Morgan county, Indiana, December 25, 1837, and remained there until 1848, when he came with his parents to Keokuk county of this State, where he remained for one year, and in the spring of 1849, moved to this county and settled in Sugar Creek township. There he resided until the spring of 1880, when he came to his present location. His father built the third house in the county, which was a substantial log structure and was raised by men brought from Keokuk county for that purpose. The nearest milling point was at a distance of sixty miles. He was married in Keokuk county in 1858, to Nancy Ridpath, of that county. Their family consists of five children living: James Richard, Edward, Lewis, Franklin E. and William Jacob. Mr. Rivers now owns a farm of 320 acres, and is engaged in the raising of stock to quite an extent. He is a man who is closely identified with the growth of the county, and always kept pace with its progress. He is an active member of the Christian Church, and always among its liberal supporters.

S CHMIDT, PETER-Farmer and stock-raiser, section 33, P. O. Sears- boro. Was born in Germany in 1826, and was there educated and raised. He came to New York in 1852, and went from there to Pennsyl- vania, where he followed farming during his early life. He traveled around until the fall of 1855, when he moved to his present location. He followed well digging for four years, with a marked degree of success. He was married in 1864, to Miss Eliza Saunders, a native of Ohio. They have six children living: William, Matilda, Samuel Henry, John Peter, Sarah and Mary Rosetta; one deceased, Frankie. Mr. Schmidt is quite extensively

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engaged in raising stock. He now owns a farm of 528 acres, all under good cultivation, and his buildings are among the finest in the county.

T HOMPSON, JOHN-Farmer and stock-raiser, section 15, P. O. Grin- nell. Was born in Belmont county, Ohio, March 27, 1827, and was there educated and raised, and in 1855 moved to Illinois and remained there three years, and in 1858 he moved to this State and settled in Musca- tine county, where he resided for ten years, and then moved to his present location. He was married in 1848 to Miss Susan J. Noah. By this union they have six children: A. Quilla, Andrew C., James A., Joseph, John and Edward. He now enjoys the comforts of a fine farm of 320 acres, all under good cultivation.

TOOD, JOHN-Section 27, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Searsboro.

Was born in Medina, Orleans county, New York, on the 12th of April, 1840, where he remained until he was about fifteen years of age. In the fall of 1855 he moved with his parents to Poweshiek county, this State, and settled in the vicinity of Montezuma, where he remained until the breaking out of the war when, like many others of Iowa's noble sons, he enlisted in defense of his country, in company F, Tenth Iowa infantry, on the 15th of July, 1861. He served the full term for which he enlisted and participated in all the engagements in which the regiment took part, which were many of the most severe and hotly contested battles of the war; some of which are: Mission Ridge, Corinth, Gibson, Jackson, Champion's Hill and many others. Mr. Wood was honorably discharged at the expi- ration of his time of service. During the time that he was in the war he never missed a day's duty, excepting six weeks that he was home on a fur- lough. He was married on the 17th day of December, 1864, to Miss Nel- lie J. Flanders. Mr. Wood moved to his present location in 1875. He now owns a fine farm of 240 acres, all in cultivation.

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A DAMS, W. J .- Farmer, section 9, P. O. Brooklyn. Was born Feb- ruary 10, 1831, in Boston, Massachusetts, and when quite young went with his parents to Cincinnati, where he lived eighteen months, thence to Switzerland county, Indiana, where, after completing his education, ex- tensively engaged in farming till the spring of 1875, when he came to Iowa and settled where he now lives; owns 160 acres of choice, well improved land. He was a member of the Indiana Home Guards during the war, and was in pursuit of Morgan for some time, also did guard duty. He was mar- ried October 1, 1874, in Switzerland county, Indiana, to Miss Fannie Ab-

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bott, who was born there June 23, 1847, and from this union they have two sons: Clarence Edgar (born November 16, 1875) and George Myram (born September 22, 1878).

ADKSUN, D. B .- Section 14, farmer, P. O. Victor. Was born March 8, 1837, in Massillon, Ohio, and when quite young went with his par- ents to Holines county, Ohio, where, after finishing his education, he engaged in farming till 1861, then enlisted in the Sixteenth Ohio infantry, in which he served three years and four months, being in the battles of Summerset, Kentucky; Cumberland, Georgia; Taswell, Texas; Vicksburg and many other engagements, then with Sherman to the sea, also on Red River Expedition. After being discharged he came to Iowa and set- tled in this county, where he has since farmed, and now lives on one of Jessie Gwin's farms. Mr. Adksun was married in July, 1863, in Ohio, to Miss Jane Gwin, who was born in Ohio, July 12, 1841. They have four children: Normanda (aged eleven), George W. (aged five), Jacob H. (aged three) and William T. (born March 24, 1880).

ATKINSON, JAMES-Farmer and stock-raiser, section 36, P. O. Vic- tor. Was born August 28, 1828, in Ohio county, West Virginia, and when four years old left there in company with his parents, going to Guernsey county, Ohio, where, after completing his education, he engaged in tilling the soil until the fall of 1856. Then came to Iowa and engaged in thresh- ing in this county and in freighting from Iowa City, till August 1, 1859, at which time, in Iowa county, he married Miss Nancy Ford, who was born in 1835, in Richland county, Ohio. Then he engaged in farming in this- county till 1862, when he bought and settled where he now lives and owns 417 acres of well improved land, including timber, having the same well stocked. Mr. Atkinson is one of the early settlers, there being but few in Warren township when he came here. He has been township trustee three terms, assessor one term, to which position he has just been again elected on the Democratic ticket, November 2, 1880. Mr. and Mrs. At- kinson have six children: Lizzie (born May 25, 1861), George (born March 17, 1862), Alice (born April 7, 1864), James (born May 25, 1866), Robert (born August 9, 1869; died September 20, 1879) and Nannie (born Au- gust 28, 1876).

B IGLER, CHARLES C .- Farmer and stock-raiser, section 3, P. O. Victor. Was born October 15, 1847, in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where he attended school and farmed till 1867, when he came to Iowa and settled on his father's farm. There he lived and worked on the same in Warren township, till June 1873, when he settled where he now lives and owns two hundred and forty acres of land well stocked. He was married

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October 10, 1869, in Ohio, to Miss Mary Simmers, who was born in Ohio, March 18, 1848, and from this union they have three sons, born as follows: Charles A. (born August 8, 1870), Homer C. (born February 26, 1873) and Lewis Alfred (born October 15, 1877).

BIGLER, SAMUEL-Farmer and stock-raiser, section 14, P. O. Vic- tor. Was born February 20, 1821, in Switzerland, where, after finishing his education, he engaged in farming till about 1842, when his parents died. In 1843 he learned the baker's trade, and in the spring of 1845 came to America and worked at his trade till October; then went to Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where he bought one hundred acres of timber land which he cleared and farmed till 1871; then he came to Iowa and engaged exten- sively in farming and stock- raising where he now lives and owns six hun- dred and eighty-five acres of well-improved land. Mr. Bigler has been twice married; first, in September, 1846, in Ohio, to Miss Susan Kislig, who was born in Switzerland, April 1, 1826; from this union there were eight children: Charles C. (born October 15, 1847; married, and lives in Warren township), Edward S. (born December 23, 1849; married, and lives in Shelby county, Iowa), Lewis A. (born July 20, 1852; died Sept. 3, 1876), August V. (born October 25, 1854; died March 3, 1856), Adela Cecilia (born May 22, 1858), Albert T. (born June 27, 1860), Alice C. (born August 18, 1865), Hugo N. (born January 6, 1870). Mrs. Bigler, after a short illness, died July 31, 1868, leaving many friends and relatives to mourn her loss. Mr. Bigler, for his second wife, June 16, 1880, married Mrs. Mary Ann Aebi of Warren township; she has five children living by a former mar- riage: John (aged twenty-eight; married, and lives in Iowa), Emma (aged twenty-six; now the wife of H. Bloom of Warren township), Adolph, (aged twenty-three), Amil, F. (aged twenty-one), Otto (aged seventeen years).

BISOM, JOHN-Farmer, section 11, P. O. Victor. Was born Decem- ber 11, 1811, in Hessen Cassel, Germany, where, after finishing his educa- tion, he engaged in farming till 1839, when he came to the United States and settled in Berkeley county, Virginia; he bought two hundred and twenty acres of land and farmed the same till the fall of 1865. During the late rebellion his farm was first in the possession of the Union army, then the Confederates, and he and family witnessed battles from their home. In the fall of 1865 sold his farm and came to Iowa, settling where he now lives, and owns eighty acres of good land with good improvements on the same. He was married October 8, 1839, in Virginia, to Miss Elizabeth Houck, who was born in Germany in 1821. They have had fourteen children, born as follows: Anna Maria (born September 3, 1840; died July 21, 1860), Henry (born December 5, 1841; married, and lives in Jasper county, Iowa),

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Hannah (born May 5, 1842; died in 1844), Anna Eliza (born February 24, 1845; died in 1869), John Wm. (born February 28, 1847; married, and lives in Jasper county, Iowa), Daniel (born December 14, 1849; mar- ried, and lives in O'Brien county, Iowa), Emily Susan (born March 16, 1851; now the wife of Samuel Kester, of Grundy county, Iowa), George (born September 10, 1859; married, lives on adjoining farm), William (born September 3, 1855; died May 15, 1860), Margaret (born April 28, 1857; now the wife of Geo. Hall of Audubon county, Iowa), Chas. Lewis (born June 16, 1858), Laura V. (born January 1, 1860; now the wife of Ed. Steffa of Brooklyn, Iowa), Mary Belle (born November 26, 1867), and Fannie Amelia (born February 19, 1865).

BOOTH, B. F .- Farmer, section 30, P. O. Victor. Was born August 21, 1833, in Bangor, Maine, and when quite young left there and with his parents settled in Springfield, Illinois, where, after finishing his education, he learned the harness-maker's trade, which he worked at till 1853, when he moved to Iowa and settled in Iowa county. There engaged in farming until August, 1862, at which time he enlisted, in Iowa City, in company I, Twenty-second Iowa infantry, Jas. Robertson, captain, and Wm. Stone, colonel, being in the battles of Wainsville, Springfield, Missouri, Port Gibson, Raymond, Mississippi, charge and siege of Vicks- burg, Champion's Hill, Black River, Jackson, Mississippi, Ft. Esper- anza, Texas, Alexandria, Red River Expeditions, Bermuda Hundred, Charleston, Berryville, Blue Ridge and Cedar Creek, where he was wounded in the breast by a piece of a shell, from which he suffers to the present time. He was taken prisoner at Cedar Creek and suffered, with some 1,300 of his unfortunate companions, very much for want of food and clothing at Second Libby, near Richmond. Then was sent to Castle Thunder, and Salisbury, North Carolina, and was exchanged March 1, 1865. He then weighed ninety-seven pounds, his former weight being 181 pounds. Has never had good health since. On being discharged he returned home, where, after regaining his health somewhat, he tried farming for three years there, but on account of poor health quit that and worked at his trade in Millersburg for about one year; then at Victor from 1869 until 1876, when he bought and settled where he now lives. Owns 120 acres of land with good improvements. Mr. B. was married April 10, 1853, in Iowa county, Iowa, to Miss Sarah J. Berry, born in Pennsylvania, in 1833. They have one son, James Ammi (born in 1855; married and lives with his parents, hav- ing three daughters: Bertha F., aged four years; Mary J., aged three years; Laura, aged eighteen months).

BRADEN, ABNER-Farmer, section 20, P. O. Brooklyn. Was born

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April 1, 1823, in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, where, after completing his education, he engaged in farming till 1864, then came to Iowa and located where he now lives and owns 273 acres of good land, the most of which is improved. Wm. Braden, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in County Fermanaugh, Ireland, April 1, 1781, and came to the United States in 1802; settled in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in farming till his death, which occurred there September 11, 1855. Abner Braden was married, August 12, 1851, in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, to Miss Elizabeth Davidson, born there in 1827. They have eleven children : William H. (born April 2, 1853), John D. (born November 23, 1854), Thomas J. (born August 23, 1856), Rufus P. (born March 31, 1858), Mary A. (born September 11, 1859), Gilbert and Nancy (twins, born August 11, 1861; Nancy died February 13, 1863), Elizabeth J. (born August 27, 1864), and have buried three infants, two sons and one daughter. John Davidson, father of Mrs. B., was born in Ireland, May 1,1792, and died in April, 1880. Her mother, Mary Ann, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1802; died there December, 1861.

BRENIMAN, FREDERICK-Farmer and stock-raiser, section 36, P. O. Victor. Was born August 29, 1837, in Berne county, Switzerland, where he attended school till 1851, then in 1852 came with his parents to America and settled in Ohio, where he lived till 1854, then came to Iowa and engaged in farming with his father till 1860; then bought eighty acres of his present farm and commenced to improve the same. In August, 1862, he enlisted at Brooklyn, in the Twenty-eighth Iowa, and participated in all of the battles that regiment took part in. At the battle of Winchester he was knocked senseless by a piece of a shell, his gun being broken by the same, and at Champion's Hill his gun-lock was shot off while he was in the act of firing. After being discharged he returned and commenced to im- prove his farm, where he now lives, and owns 120 acres of well-improved land, with a good residence and barn on the same. Mr. B. was married April 1, 1866, in this county, to Miss Matilda Gaumer, who was born in Pennsylvania, in 1846. They have seven children: Emma (aged fourteen years), Oliver (aged twelve years), Charles (aged ten years), Ella (aged eight years), Rosa (aged five years), Lillie (aged three years) and Walter (aged one year.)

BUSH, WILLIAM H .- Farmer, section 1, P. O. Victor. Frederick Bush was born in 1820, in Monroe county, Pennsylvania. After quitting school he engaged in tilling the soil till 1856, when he came to Iowa and settled in Iowa county, where he engaged in farming till the spring of 1858. Then bought and settled where his widow and son, W. H., now live, and

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own eighty acres of well-improved land, which he continued to farm until his death, which occurred September 1, 1872; he being highly esteemed and respected throughout the county his loss was mourned by many. He was married October 20, 1847, in Monroe county, Pennsylvania, to Miss Catharine Ann Mackey, who was born in New Jersey, November 11, 1820. From this union there were seven children, as follows: Isabel (born Octo- ber 27, 1848; now the wife of Wm. Ogary, of Nebraska), Amos (born May 19, 1850; married, lives in Warren township), Ransom (born February 11, 1852; in business in Nebraska), Enoch (born January 8, 1854; married and lives- in Nebraska), Davis W. (born September 7, 1856; lives in Nebraska), Wil- liam H. (born May 31, 1861), Caroline (born April 1, 1860, and died June 19, 1860).

BUSH, AMOS-Farmer, section 2, P. O. Victor. Born May 19, 1850, in Monroe county, Pennsylvania. There lived on a farm till 1856, when he came with his parents to Iowa and settled in Iowa county, where he lived till the spring of 1858, then came to this county, living in Warren township and attending school in Iowa county till 1868. Then attended school a few months in this county. In the spring of 1870 he went to Nebraska and engaged in farming till the fall of 1874, when he returned to this county and continued to farm for some months, then went to the Black Hills in the spring of 1876-also to other places, returning to Victor in the fall of 1876, where he lived till the spring of 1877, when he located where he now lives and owns eighty acres of productive, well-improved land. Mr. B. was. married March 5, 1873, in Cedar county, Nebraska, to Miss Orpha May Pratt, who was a resident of the same State, born September 10, 1856, in Iowa. They have two children: Willie (born April 12, 1874) and Fred- die Elmer (born June 26, 1875).

ARMICHAEL, WILLIAM-Farmer, section 20, P. O. Brooklyn. C

Was born April 29, 1848, in Baltimore, Maryland, where he attended school till 1862, then came with his parents to Iowa, and settled in this county, where he attended school some. He engaged in farming in various places in this county, and in the fall of 1876 settled where he now lives and farms 100 acres. He was married, December 23, 1875, in Brooklyn, to Miss Adeline, daughter of W. W. Adams, of this county. She was born in Charles county, Maryland, in 1857. They have one daughter, May Ethel (born July 6, 1877) and one son, Wm. Herbert (born July 31, 1879).

CLARK, JOHN-Farmer and stock-raiser, section 15, P. O. Victor. Was born in Ireland, April 28, 1810, where, after finishing his education, he engaged in farming and weaving linen till 1829, when he came to America and settled in Enfield, Connecticut. There he worked at his trade,

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that of weaving, till 1852, when he went to Leeds, New York, and took charge of some weaving mills, and continued to operate the same till 1854. He then went to De Kalb county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming till 1855, when he came to lowa, and settled where he now lives and owns eighty-six acres of good land, a part of which is timber, the balance under good cultivation. He was married, August 31, 1832, in New York City, to Miss Mary Allen, who was born in Ireland in 1814. They have seven children, who were born as follows: John G. (born April 26, 1836; mar- ried, and lives in Shelby county, Iowa), Sarah M. (born December 24, 1839; now the wife of Robert Matharal, of Pottawattamie county, Iowa), William A. (born January 20, 1842; married, and lives in Kansas), Isabella (born March 17, 1844; now the wife of R. J. Martin, of Kansas), Mary A. (born January 31, 1847; now the widow of T. T. Larkins), Elizabeth (born No- vember 20, 1850) and Margaret (born February 28, 1852).

COLEMAN, WILLIAM-Farmer, section 32, P. O. Brooklyn. Was born March 14, 1852, in Ireland, where he attended school and worked on a farm for some years; then clerked in a grocery for some time. In 1874 he moved to Canada, where he carried on farming till 1875, when he came to Iowa and settled in this county, engaging in farming; in 1877 he moved onto one of the farms of T. Manatt, where he now lives. Mr. C. was mar- ried, January 1, 1878, in this county, to Miss Delila Francis, who was born in Illinois, in 1859. They buried an infant son, Robert J., November 29, 1879, and have one daughter living, Annie M. (aged one year).

CONNER, A .- Farmer, section 32, P. O. Brooklyn. Was born Decom- ber 29, 1809, in Sussex county, New Jersey, where he attended school till 1821, then went with his parents to Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, where, after finishing his education, he engaged in farming till 1826, then com- menced the manufacture of lumber till 1829. He then moved to Orange county, New York, where he worked in the iron works for eleven years; in 1840 engaged at work in Sterling for seven years; in 1847 moved back to Sussex county, New Jersey, and engaged as foreman of Oliver, Ames & Sons' furnaces, remaining there till 1850. He then returned to Orange county, New York, and followed boating for a few months, then manufac- tured lumber till the summer of 1851, when he returned to New Jersey and took charge of the Pumpton Furnace till the spring of 1852. He then again engaged in the lumber business in Orange county, New York, which he continued till the spring of 1853, when he engaged to superin- tend a furnace at Pilot Knob, Missouri, and remained there till the spring of 1855, when he moved his family to Bear Creek township. In the fall of 1853 he had bought 320 acres of land, and in 1855 commenced to im-

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prove it, living on the same till the spring of 1869. He then bought 160 acres in the same township, which he partially improved and sold in the spring of 1867; then he bought 640 acres in Bear Creek township, to which he moved in the spring of 1869, remaining there and improving the same till 1873, when he sold it and bought where he now lives and owns eighty acres of well improved land. Mr. C. was married November 8, 1832, in Orange county, New York, to Miss Mahala James, born there in 1814. As the fruits of their union they have had twelve children: Mary Ann (bornAugust 8, 1834; died January 22, 1862), John (born February, 1836; married, and lives in Brooklyn), Andrew (born January 6, 1838; married, and lives in Nebraska), William (born April 6, 1840; died June 2, 1877), Fanny (born October 3, 1842; died October 4, 1843), Peter (born August 8, 1844; died March 22, 1863, from a fever contracted while a prisoner of war at Little Rock, Arkansas), Charles (born September 17, 1846; died April, 1848), Archie (born August 24, 1848; died September, 1861), Margaret Jane (born April 3, 1853; now the wife of Alex. Duffus), Harrison (born September 17, 1855; died September, 1864), Matilda (born September 17, 1857; now the wife of Thomas Phillips, of Kansas) and Josie (born April 4, 1880).

TURAM, JOHN-Farmer, section 31, P. O. Brooklyn. Was born September 4, 1854, in Ohio, and lived there till thirteen years old, then went with his parents to Madison county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming till 1878, when he came to Iowa and settled where he now lives and owns eighty acres of good land. Mr. D. was married, June 23, 1877, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Mrs. Carrie Abbott, who was born July 17, 1855, having a son by a former marriage, John Abbott (born November 10, 1875). By this union they have one daughter, Dollie Maud (born April 30, 1879). James M., father of the subject of this sketch, died in 1854, aged twenty- eight, having been kicked to death by a mule; his mother died in Madison county, Illinois, in 1871, aged forty-two. Mrs. Duram's father (John Kline) was born October 23, 1821, in Germany, and now lives in Madison county, Illinois, enjoying good health; her mother (Sarah) was born March 9, 1833, in Madison county, Illinois, and died there February 28, 1877.

RY, JOHN-Farmer, section 31, P. O. Brooklyn. Was born January 8,1822, in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where he attended school, learned the carpenter trade and worked at the same till 1854, then came to Iowa and settled where he now lives and owns a good farm of 140 acres of im- proved land, and which he has cultivated since coming here, except the first four years, during which time he worked at his trade. He went to Colorado in 1860, returned to Iowa, and in 1875 moved with his family to Kansas,

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where he remained till 1879, and then returned. He was married, July, 1855, in Montezuma, to Miss Mary R. Runnels, a resident of this town- ship and a native of Ohio (aged twenty-two). They have two children liv- ing: Arthur A. (aged twenty) and Martha E. (aged eighteen), and have buried one son, James L. (born July, 1857, and died September 29, 1878); also, one infant daughter.

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The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, &c.,., Part 85

Author: Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Des Moines : Union Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1004

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Des Moines : Union Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1004