The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, &c.,., Part 86

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 86

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FRY, WILLIAM-Farmer, section 20, P. O. Brooklyn. Was born April 1, 1842, in Holmes county, Ohio, where he lived till 1847, when he came with his parents to Iowa and settled in this township. After receiving his education he engaged in working on a farm, and in 1866 settled on his present farm of 180 acres of well improved land. (Thomas) his father was one of the commissioners who laid out the town of Montezuma, he being one of the pioneers of this county; he died December 26, 1874, aged seventy- five; William's mother (Julia Ann) died in 1861, aged sixty-one. Mr. Fry has been twice married; first, November 8, 1866, in Harrison county, Ohio, to Miss R. J. Shildiz, born in Ohio, 1844, she died after a lingering illness, March 24, 1872, leaving many friends and relatives. Mr. Fry's second wife was Mrs. A. M. Drake, December 8, 1874, a resident of Brooklyn, born in Ohio, 1842; they have one daughter, Julia O. (born July 18, 1880), buried an infant daughter (July 1, 1876), also a son, James O. C. (March 8, 1880, aged two years and five months). Mrs. Julia E. Cunning, mother of Mrs. Fry, now in her seventy-ninth year, is living with Mr. and Mrs. Fry.

G ARDNER, FRANKLIN-Farmer, section 33, P. O. Brooklyn. Was born October 11,1831, in Belmont county, Ohio, where, after finishing his education he engaged in tilling the soil till the spring of 1859, when he moved to Bureau county, Illinois, there engaging in farming till August 15, 1862, when he enlisted in company B, Ninety-third Illinois infantry, in which he served one year, being discharged on account of poor health; was at the siege of Vicksburg. After receiving his discharge he returned to Illinois, and farmed there till April, 1868, when he moved to Brooklyn, Iowa, and worked by the day and at farming till January, 1876, when he moved upon the farm where he now lives and cultivates 125 acres of land. Mr. Gardner was married March 8, 1866, in Illinois, to Miss Eliza Wilson, a native of Belmont county, Ohio; they have three children: George Ever- ett (born June 19, 1867), Maria (born November 14, 1870) and Willie (born June 16, 1875).

GISER, ROBERT-Farmer, section 30, P. O. Brooklyn. Was born July 7, 1838, in Morrow county, Ohio, where, after finishing his education he learned the carpenter's trade and worked at the same till 1864, when he

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came to Iowa and engaged in tilling the soil in Pleasant township, this county, till October 23, 1879, when he moved upon one of Thomas Manatt's farms, where he now lives and cultivates 120 acres of land. Mr. Giser was married September 15, 1860, in Morrow county, Ohio, to Miss Elizabeth E. Fields, a resident and native of the same county; they have six children: Almeda (aged nineteen), Arminda (aged eighteen), Sarah A. (aged fifteen), Joseph R. (aged thirteen), Margaret J. (aged ten) and Mary S. (aged nine).

GORMAN, A. F .- Farmer, section 31, P. O. Brooklyn. Was born April 18, 1840, in Sweden, where, after finishing his education, he engaged in farming till 1869, when he came to the United States, and settled in Henry county, Illinois. There remained a few months, then moved to Adrian county, Missouri, where he engaged in farming till 1873, when he returned to Henry county, Illinois, and again engaged in farming there till 1875, when he came to this county and worked a farm northwest of Brooklyn, till 1877, then came to this township and settled where he now lives, and cultivates O. P. Light's farm of 160 acres. Mr. Gorman was married Jan- uary 1, 1868, in Sweden, to Miss Louisa Johnson, who was born there in 1841; they have seven children: John G. (aged twelve), Oscar (aged ten), Ida (aged nine), Huldah (aged six), Freeman (aged four), Amanda (aged two) and Clara (aged one).

GRANT, HENRY-Farmer and stock-raiser, section 15, P. O. Victor. Was born March 18, 1827, in Edinburgh, Scotland, where, after receiving his education, he engaged in farming till twenty-six years old, then learned the mason's trade and worked at the same until 1850, when he came to the United States and worked at his trade in Buffalo, New York. In 1852 he went to Ohio, there worked at his trade till September, 1854, when he came to Iowa, and engaged extensively in farming and stock-raising in Iowa county till 1865, when he settled where he now lives, and owns 380 acres of good land all under good cultivation. He was married November, 1851, in Buffalo, New York, to Miss Ellen Agerty, who was born in Ireland, in 1828; they have seven children: Margaret (aged twenty-eight; now the wife of Edward Bigler, of Shelby county, Iowa), Mary (aged twenty-six; wife of T. J. Ryan, of Warren township), John (aged twenty-three), Henry (aged twenty-one), Sarah (aged eighteen), Ulysses (aged sixteen) and Ellen (aged thirteen).

GWIN, ARNOLD-Farmer, section 25, P. O. Victor. Was born Au- gust 20, 1823, in Holmes county, Ohio, where, after finishing his education he engaged in farming until 1850, then came to Iowa and settled in this township, engaging in farming for some years, then bought and settled where he now lives, and owns eighty acres of well improved land. He

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was married September 15, 1852, in Washington county, Iowa, to Miss Martha Wilhite, who was born in Indiana, September 10, 1857; they have had six children born to them: Jacob (born August 13, 1854), Lovisa Jane (born April 7, 1855; died in 1865), James M. (born October 6, 1858), Phebe Ann (born March 10, 1862), Samuel D. (born August 27, 1864) and Leuvina Frances (born March 1, 1867). The subject of this sketch, in Feb- ruary, 1880, received a paralytic stroke in the entire right side, from which he has never recovered and has not done a day's work since, his speech being also affected; his son Jacob works the farm and provides for the family.

GWIN, S. C .- Farmer, section 26, P. O. Victor. Was born in Holmes county, Ohio, where he worked on a farm, after leaving school, until he was seventeen years old, then came with his parents to Iowa and settled in this county, engaging in farming, and the spring of 1853 he bought and settled where he now lives and owns 225 acres of well improved land. Mr. Gwin was married, October 1852, in this county, to Miss Sarah A. Mor- gan, a resident of this county, born in 1827, in Ohio. They have five children: Frank B. (born March 25, 1853; married, and lives in Colorado), Henry W. (born August 28, 1855), Marion D. (born December, 1857), William W. (born December 9, 1859; married, and lives on the home farm) and Ida May (born in 1862).

GWIN, NOAH W .- Farmer, settion 14, P. O. Victor. Was born Decem- ber 7, 1840, in Holmes county, Ohio, where he attended school till 1850, then came with his parents to this county and settled where his father now lives, and attended school and worked on the farm till February, 1869, when he settled where he now lives and owns 240 acres of well improved land, with a good house and orchard on the same. He was married, February 11, 1869, in this county, to Miss Rosa Turley, a resident of Scott county, Iowa, and a native of Wisconsin, born September 22, 1847. They have four children: Robert E. (born April 16, 1870), Elmer H. (born Novem- ber 15, 1873), Lettie (born January 16, 1875) and Minnie Belle (born June 19, 1878). Mr. Gwin enlisted in company H, Twenty-eighth Iowa, at Brooklyn, but was not mustered into the service on account of defective eyesight.

GWIN, SAMPSON B .- Farmer, section 26, P. O. Victor. Was born November 1, 1853, in this county, where he now lives and has lived ever since, and now farms 200 acres of his father's farm. He was married, Jan- uary 4, 1880, at the residence of David Marks, in this township, to Miss Lizzie Tovey, a resident of this county, born in Ohio February 16, 1858.

GWINN, W. W .- Farmer, section 26, P. O. Victor. Was born Decem-

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ber 9, 1859 in this county, on the farm where he now lives, and after at- tending school for some years in Victor, where he lived two years, he en- gaged in farming on his father's farm till 1877, then went to St. Louis, but · remained there only a few months, then returned to Iowa, remaining a short time, then went to St. Joseph, Missouri, where he lived a short time, then returned to this county and, August 21, 1870, was married in Victor to Miss Virginia Price, a resident of Victor, who was born in Scott county, Iowa, in 1860. They have one daughter, Eva May (born February 21, 1879). Mr. Gwinn now lives on his father's farm, and works the same with him.

T TARLAN, J. M .- Farmer, section 1, P. O. Victor. Was born Febru- ary 21, 1854, in Bureau county, Illinois, and when quite young went with his parents to La Salle county, Illinois, where, after finishing his ed- ucation, he engaged in farming till 1868, when he came to Iowa and settled in Brooklyn. There he engaged in railroading till the spring of 1878, when he engaged in farming, and now farms eighty acres where he lives, the same belonging to E. B. Hulse of Warren township. He was married, December 12, 1877, to Miss Almeda, daughter of E. B. and Mar- tha Hulse, of this township. They have one daughter, Bertha Belle (born February 3, 1879).

HOLMES, R. T .- Farmer, section 35, P. O. Victor. Was born June 16, 1821, in Albany county, New York, where, after completing his educa- tion, he learned the harness-maker's trade and worked at the same two years, then engaged in farming till 1854, when he moved to Knox county, Illinois, and remained there till the spring of 1865, when, with his family, he came to Iowa and settled where he now lives and owns eighty acres of well improved land. Mr. Holmes was married, July 16, 1843, in Albany county, New York, to Miss Mary N. Hanes, born there September 14, 1826. They have had three children: David H. (born July 16, 1844; served three years in the late war, being in the Western army, now mar- ried, and lives in Iowa county), Anthony A. (born May 23, 1852), Annie Gusta (born May 20, 1855; died in August, 1856). John Holmes, father of R. T., was born in 1817, and died in Albany county, New York, in 1857. R. T's mother died in 1863, aged 72.

TORDAN, R. W .- Farmer, section 25, P. O. Victor. Was born in Lick- ing county, Ohio, October 6, 1847, and when eighteen months old his father died. When four years of age he, with his mother and step-father, moved to Hardin county, Ohio, where he led the life of a farmer boy and attended school till 1858, then went to Auglaize county, where he worked on a farm and attended school till December, 1864, at which time he re- turned to Licking county, Ohio, where he remained till 1865, then went to

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Logan county, there engaging in farming till March 8, 1869, when he moved to Washington county, Iowa, and continued to till the soil until September, 1872. He returned to Ohio, remaining there till March 12, 1874, when he again came to Iowa, where he farmed in various places till February, 1877, when he bought and settled where he now lives and owns 120 acres of improved land with a good house on the same. Mr. Jordan was married in Logan county, Ohio, to Mrs. Carolina Lockhart, who was born there April 24, 1843, she having two sons by a former marriage: Al- bert F. (born December 25, 1863; now lives in Ohio) and Willis P. (born April 4, 1869). From this union there are four children: Robert R. (born March 8, 1875), Mary A. (born November 1, 1876), Carrie M. (born No- vember 11, 1877) and an infant son (born September 4, 1880).

K EARNS, T. F .- Farmer, section 1, P. O. Victor. Was born Sep- tember 28, 1840, in Scott county, Iowa, where, after completing his education, he engaged in farming till October, 1870, when he came to this county and bought the eighty acres now owned by Mary A. Posten, which he farmed till the spring of 1875, then sold the same and bought and set- tled where he now lives, and works his fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres of land, having the same well stocked. He was married Sep- tember 19, 1865, in Davenport, Iowa, to Miss M.J. Gettings, a resident of the same place, born in England, August 26, 1847; by this union there are five children, born as follows: Frank A. (born January 6, 1866), Wil- bert T. (born February 4, 1869), Jasper P. (born November 18, 1870), Wesley D. (born March 17, 1873), Flora E. (born May 27, 1875).

KELLER, JOHN-Farmer and stock-raiser, section 13, P. O. Victor. Was born December 14, 1825, in Switzerland, where he attended school till 1844; then went to France and attended school two years, learning the French language. In 1846, on account of his father's ill health, he returned home where he engaged in farming till 1851, then came to America and settled in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where he bought a farm and worked the same till 1855. This he sold and came to Iowa and engaged in farming in Johnson county, till 1859, and then came to this county where he worked Wm. Manatt's farm till the spring of 1862; then worked the Wil- son farm, where Victor now stands, until the spring of 1865, when he bought and settled where he now lives, and owns eighty acres of well-improved land with a good house, also a large vineyard from which he manufactures at least six hundred gallons of wine each year. Mr. Keller has been twice married; first, September, 1845, in Switzerland, to Miss Catherine Snider, they had one son, John (born in July, 1846; married, and lives in Victor),

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and one daughter, Elizabeth (born in October, 1847; now wife of C. Bell in Switzerland). Mrs. Keller died in Switzerland in 1850, aged twenty-eight. Mr. Keller married the second time, in May, 1851, in New York City, to Miss Annie Winger, who was born in Switzerland in 1820. They have six chil- dren: Christopher (born in 1852; now married, and lives in Crawford county, Iowa), Mary (born in 1854; now the wife of J. Rose in Canada), Fred (born in 1856), Ellen (born in 1858; now the wife of J. Comstock in this township), James (born in 1858), Margaret (born in 1862).

KING, JOHN A .- Farmer and stock- raiser, section 12, P. O. Victor. Was born August 18, 1830, in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, where he received [his education; clerked three years in a store, then learned the carpenter's trade, his father being a carpenter, making his home with his parents the most of the time till 1856, but during this time was in Maryland and Virginia, working at his trade some four years. In 1856 he came to Iowa and lived where W. A. Nagley now lives for one year, work- ing at his trade. He built the first building in Victor; he worked at his trade and farming till 1867 when he bought and located where he now lives, and owns two hundred acres of well-improved land, having the same well stocked with good grades of cattle. He has repeatedly been called upon to hold positions of trust, which he did with satisfaction to his friends and credit to himself. He was married March 29, 1857, in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, to Miss Mary Zinn, wlio was born in Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania, November 6, 1834. From this union they have seven children, born as follows: John M. (born April 18, 1858), William E. (born May 30, 1859), Charles R. (born September 20, 1860), Albert M. (born September 9, 1863), Geo. W. (born January 9, 1866), Florence M. (born September 28, 1869), and Catharine (born October 27, 1871.)

KORNS, JACOB-Farmer and stock-raiser, section 3, P. O. Victor. Was born in Holmes county, Ohio, where he attended school some years, then engaged in farming till the spring of 1864, when he came to Iowa and engaged in farming in this county for some months. May 16, 1864, en- listed in the Forty-sixth Iowa volunteers, at Brooklyn, Iowa, being sent to Memphis, experiencing some hard service but was not in any battles, and was discharged September 23, 1864, witli poor health, caused by exposure while in the service. November 29 engaged in teaching school in this county and continued the same till the spring of 1865, when he worked on a farm till fall and then went to Marshall county, where he remained a few months. In the fall of 1866 he returned to Ohio and attended school the following winter. Worked on a farm the next summer and attended school again the next winter, then in the spring of 1868 returned to Iowa and

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again engaged in farming in this county, realizing a good harvest for his labor, selling wheat to amount to over $700. In the fall of 1868 he re- turned to Fulton county, Ohio, where he engaged in the mercantile busi- ness till the spring of 1870, when he again returned to this county and engaged in farming till the fall of 1871, then went back to Ohio, where, December 14, 1871, he was married to Miss Emma Jacobs, a resident and native of Huron county, Ohio, who was born in 1849. He then returned to this county with his young wife and settled where he now lives, and owns 160 acres of improved land. They now have three daughters, as fol- lows: Olive Alta (born September 10, 1872), Lizzie Adell (born Septem- tember 11, 1873), Mabel Revina (born September 20, 1877). Mr. K. takes an active interest in the young of his neighborhood and during the winter teaches a class of all ages, of from thirty to forty members, in vocal music. He and his wife are earnest, active members of the Congregational Church, and are always ready with time and money to help on that cause. He gave to their fine new church over $400, in addition to the land upon which it stands.

KRAFT, JOHN-Farmer, section 33, P. O. Brooklyn. Was born Feb- ruary 24, 1831, in Germany, where, after finishing his education, he farmed till 1852, then came to America, and after traveling around some three years he settled in Berrien county, Michigan, and engaged in farming till 1864, when he came to Iowa and bought and settled where he now lives and owns 200 acres of good, well-improved land. Also owns ten acres of good timber. He was married in October, 1857, in Michigan, to Miss Elizabeth Bender. She was born in Germany, in 1834. They have six children living: Edward (aged twenty years), Ellen (aged eighteen years), George (aged seventeen years), Margaret (aged fourteen years) Frank (aged ten years) and Charles (aged seven years), and buried Elizabeth in 1860 (aged eighteen months). Buried an infant son in 1866.

EE, JAMES-Farmer and stock-raiser, section 4, P. O. Brooklyn.

L Was born August 22, 1818, in Hampshire county, Virginia, and when young went with his parents to Licking county, Ohio. There attended school in Granville a part of the time. Worked at farming, team- ing and driving stage for a living, leaving home when thirteen years old with only twenty-five cents in his possession. He continued in various lines of business till sixteen years old, then learned the cabinet trade and worked at the same and other branches of mechanical work till 1856, when he came to Iowa and engaged extensively in farming and stock-raising, where he now lives and owns 720 acres of land, nearly all improved. Mr. Lee was first lieutenant three years and captain four years in an independ-

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ent company in Ohio. In 1844 he was a delegate to the Buffalo Free Soil' convention, taking a leading part in that movement. He has never been sick but two and a half days in his life. His grandfather, Stephen Lee, a half-brother to Richard Henry Lee, was a captain under Washing- ton and Lee for seven years; was never sick a day in his life and died at the age of ninety-five. The subject of this sketch was married September 23, 1840, in Utica, Ohio, to Miss Ann M. Nash, who was born in Penn- sylvania, December 16, 1820, and they have ten children, as follows: Ellen (born October 18, 1842; now the wife of Win. Daugherty, of this county), Ann M. (born May 5, 1845; now the wife of John M. Mills, of Scott town- ship), Richard H. (born August 25, 1847; married and lives in Jef- ferson township), James C. (born March 25, 1850; married and lives in Wisconsin), Amanda (born November 25, 1851; now the wife of Robert McKee, of Brooklyn), Virgil (born May 13, 1855; married and lives in Carroll county, Iowa), Mary B. (born October 17, 1857; now the wife of Henry Snook, of Warren township), Homer (born December 19, 1859),. Sicha A. (born December 1, 1862), Icy May (born June 8, 1864).

LEPLEY, J. K .- Farmer and stock-raiser, section 26, P. O. Victor. Was. born March 13, 1835, in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, where he lived on a farm with his grandparents (his mother having died when he was one- day old), attending school in winter, till 1851. In 1851 he went to Knox county, Ohio, where his father lived, and there engaged in farming till the spring of 1859, when he came to Iowa and resumed the tilling of the soil, and in the spring of 1861 bought and settled where he now lives and owns- 160 acres of well improved land. Joseph, his father, died in Ohio, January 10, 1878, aged sixty-five. Mr. L. was married, August 19, 1861, in Brook- lyn, to Mrs. Margaret Jane Manatt, a resident of Warren township, who was born May 12, 1826, in Ohio. She had five daughters by a former mar- riage: Mary Ann (born September 6, 1845; now the wife of John Hard- ing, of this township), Sarah Jane (born December 12, 1846; now the wife of George Winchester), Eliza I. (born January 29, 1849; now the wife of George Dunn, of Colorado), Jemima (born December 22, 1851; died March 13, 1874; was the wife of John Nikerk) and Amanda S. (born May 6, 1854; now the wife of S. Gormer, of Victor). By this union there is one son, John B. T. (born October 2, 1862) and one daughter, Flora E. (born July 30, 1865).

LINDER, JOHN A .- Farmer, section 36, P. O. Victor. Was born November 23, 1853, in Iowa county, Iowa, where he attended school till 1862, then moved with his parents onto a farm near Montezuma, where he lived till 1864, when he returned to Iowa county and worked on a farm

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till 1866; he then mnoved with his parents to Miami county, Kansas, where he engaged in farming till 1870; he then engaged in teaching school dur- ing the summer and attending school in the winter till the spring of 1874, when he went to St. Joseph, Missouri, and clerked in a store till August, 1876; he then came to this county and taught school during the winter and worked on a farm in summer till the spring of 1879, when he settled where he now lives and cultivates D. L. Lyons' farmi of eighty acres. Mr. L. was married, March 27, 1878, in Washington township, this county, to Miss Mary A., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jas. R. Bedwell, who was born March 24, 1858, in Iowa. They have one daughter, Jessie May (born De- cember 29, 1878). Nathaniel, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in 1818, and when seventeen years of age commenced to preach the gospel; Susan H., his mother, was born in 1823; they both now live in Holt county, Missouri.

ARKS, LEVI-Farmer and stock raiser, section 28, P. O. Brooklyn.

Was born November 18, 1825, in Cumberland county, Pennsylva- nia, where, after finishing his education, he engaged in farming till the fall of 1844; then went to Richland county, and there followed farming till the spring of 1856, when he came to Iowa and settled where he now lives and owns 200 acres of well improved land. In August, 1871, a storm passed from northwest to southeast through Mr. Marks' farm, while he and his wife were absent from home, demolishing his barn, grain and hay, in fact everything but the house, a part of which was blown away and the balance considerably damaged; the school-house then on his farm was dashed to splinters. Abner, father of Levi, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1802, and followed farming till his death, which occurred in Rich- land county, Ohio, in 1852. The subject of this sketch was married Octo- ber 25, 1849, in Lexington, Richland county, Ohio, to Miss Susan Stelts, who was born there in 1823. They have four children: Lovisa (aged thirty years), Levi (aged twenty-four years), Samantha (aged twenty-two years) and Martha (aged nineteen years).

MARKS, DAVID-Farmer and stock-raiser, section 32, P. O. Brooklyn. Was born July 17, 1828, in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, where he attended school a short time, then went to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he learned the trade of molder, at which he worked, in various places in Ohio, till 1856; he then came to this county and bought a part of his pres- ent farm and moved onto and commenced to improve the same. He owns in all 500 acres of well improved land; it being in three farms, with good modern improvements on each; has three cattle and hog barns, one 44 x 120 feet, 28 feet high; one 60 x 144 feet, 30 feet high; and one 24 x 72 feet, 28

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feet high. He is an extensive raiser of cattle. Mr. M. began life alone,- with but little education, but by his natural business ability, industry and integrity, he has acquired a competency in life. He is an honored member of Sunset M. E. Church, near his farm, of which he was one of the first members, and is now one of the stewards in the same. Mr. M. was mar- ried, October 8, 1851, in Mansfield, Ohio, to Miss Malinda J. Strome, who was born in 1830 in Pennsylvania; her parents, also, being natives of that State. They have no family.

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The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, &c.,., Part 86

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