USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc. > Part 124
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A. C. TUCKER, farmer, Sec. 20; P. O. Pin Oak ; he was born Feb. 23, 1833, in Jefferson Co., N. Y .; in 1857, he came to Dubuque Co .; owns 400 acres of land ; he has been President of the School Board and Director, Township Clerk, etc. Mar- ried Miss S. F. Floyd in 1860 ; she was born in 1840 in Concord Township; they had three children, two living-George and John; they lost Elizabeth, aged 3 years. Christian Church.
L. E. TUCKER, farmer, Sec. 20; P. O. Pin Oak; born Oct 18, 1838, in Rutland, Jefferson Co., N. Y .; in 1862, he came West, and has been engaged in teach- ing school and dealing in general merchandise at various points, both in Illinois and Iowa; he has been a resident of this township since 1869; he owns large tracts of land in this county, as well as in other parts of the State. He married Miss Fannie E., daughter of J. H. Floyd, who is probably the oldest settler and also the largest land-owner in the county ; they were married June 21, 1869; she was born in Concord Township; they have three children-Martha E., Nettie C. and Jackson G.
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ANDREW BAHL, farmer, Sec. 24; P. O. Dubuque; born Nov. 30, 1833, in Alsace, France ; in 1845, he came with his parents to Dubuque Co .; in 1850, he went to California, remaining there till 1853, when he returned to Dubuque Co .; he owns 320 acres of land ; part of this land was entered by his father ; he was elected a mem- ber of the Legislature in 1865, and served two years ; he has been six years a member of the Board of Supervisors; has been eleven ycars Assessor; has been Township Clerk for past nine years; has been Township Treasurer, Justice of the Peace and Con- stable; he has been School Director for the past twenty-three years; is also Treasurer of the School Board. Married Mary Engler July 14, 1856; she was born in Prussia; had ten children, nine of whom are living-Emma, Maggie, Andrew, George, Joseph A., Anna, Frank, Ida and Jacob P .; lost Mary, in 1878, aged 21 years. Is Catholic in religion, and Democratic in politics.
GABRIEL BAUMGARTNER, farmer, Sec 12; P. O. Dubuque ; born Feb. 18, 1824, in Switzerland ; in 1846, he came to Wisconsin; in 1848, he came to Dubuque Co .; he owns 210 acres of land; also a store and dwelling in Dubuque. Married Elizabeth Jose in 1857; she was born in 1824 in Switzerland; have 9 chil- dren-Gabriel, Andrew, John, Edward, Elizabeth, Emma, Peter, Frank and George. He has four children by a former marriage-August, Walter, Lena and Mary. Prcs- byterian.
JACOB BREITBOCK, merchant, Lattnerville; born in Prussia May 6, 1824; in 1846, emigrated to America; resided several years in Pennsylvania, coming to Dubuque Co., Iowa, in June, 1854; while in Pennsylvania, his business was mer- chandising; the first nineteen years after coming to Dubuque Co., he engaged in farm- ing; the last seven years he has added to this industry his former avocation as a mer- chant, and also hotel-keeping, etc .; lias a fine new store and hotel building, and 107 acres of land adjoining Lattnerville. Religion, Catholic; politics, Democratic on general principles, but " best man " for local positions ; he has held school offices. He was married in Pittsburgh, Penn., in the ycar 1851, to Miss Philomena Sigwart, a native of Baden ; they have thirteen children, all living-Jacob J. L., Louisa, Lewis. Josephine, Francis, Philomena, Peter, Catharine, John, Mary Ann, Barbarie, Caroline and Joseph.
AMAB COUSLEY, proprietor of the Seven-Mile House, Julien Station ; P. O. Dubuque ; born in Center Township, Dubuque Co., Oct. 16, 1848 ; his parents, Benjamin and Mary Cousley, of French descent, had some years previously become residents of this township, having removed there from Montreal, Canada, their native place; they were quite early pioneers here, and highly respected by all who knew them; the father died July 10, 1876, aged 62 years ; the mother, a sprightly, cheerful lady, resides with her son. Mr. C.'s wife, nee Caroline La Brune, is also a native of Dubuque Co., and of French parentage, being a daughter of George and Matildah La Brune, who came to Dubuque Co. at an early date in its history. Mr. and Mrs. Cous- ley's children are Mary, Benjamin, Caroline, Edmere, Willie and Louise Josephine.
GEORGE DANENMILLER, farmer, Sec. 22; P. O. Centralia ; born April 3, 1807, in Alsace, France; in 1837, he came to Ohio; in 1839, he came to Dubuque Co .; he owns 170 acres of land, on which he has built a brick house and other improvements. Married Mary Winter in 1850 ; she was born in Baden, Germany, Dec. 11, 1827 ; they have five children-Andrew, Frank, George, Louis and Valentine. Catholic in religion.
AUGUST DIETRICH, farmer, Sec. 10 ; P. O. Rickardsville ; born July 11, 1811, in Hanover ; in 1845, he came to Dubuque Co .; he owns eighty acres of land. He married Dora Schrader in 1850; she was born in Brunswick in 1803; they have one daughter-Johanna (now Mrs. Benne). Lutheran in religion.
CHRIST DINKLER, farmer, Sec. 10; P. O. Rickardsville; born June 4, 1852, in Dubuque Co .; his father came to this country in 1845; they own 120 acres of
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land. Married Mary Schmitt in 1872; she was born in Germany in 1854; they have three children-Charles, Anna and John. Lutheran in religion.
JOSEPH ENDRES, farmer, Sec. 29; P. O. Lattnerville ; born in Bavaria, Germany, April 17, 1818 ; emigrated to America in 1853; stopped two years in New York, coming to Dubuque Co., Iowa, in 1855, and has since then been a resident in Center Township ; worked at the carpenter trade for four years after coming, but has since that been engaged in farming ; his farm compriscs eighty acres. In religion, he is a Catholic ; in politics, a Democrat. He was married, June 28, 1853, to Josephine Sigel, also of Bavaria; they have two children-Mary Josephine (now Mrs. Lattner), of Cascade, and Oscar.
PETER ERSCHENS, farmer, stock-raiser and stock-dealer, hotel-keeper, etc., Centralia ; born in Rhine, Prussia, March 26, 1833; came to America in 1852, living for the next three years in Wisconsin and Illinois, coming to Dubuque Co., Iowa, in the spring of 1855 ; his first two years in Dubuque were employed in brick manu- facturing ; since then, he has gradually worked into the various occupations that now engross his time ; he is entitled to much credit for untiring exertion, which has placed him in his present comfortable situation ; he came to the country a poor man ; has been very industrious and economical, and has comfortable possessions as a reward of his efforts ; has 550 acres of land in Center and Vernon Townships, besides his large and comfortable home and hotel, known as the Ten Mile House, in Centralia, etc. Religion, Catholic; politics, Democratic; has held township offices, and has done very much to aid the church and social affairs of his community. On the 17th of February, 1857, he married Miss Susannah Hoven, also a native of Prussia ; they have five children living- Philip, Katie, Lena, Peter and Teresia ; three deceased-Matthew, and two who died in infancy.
JOHN FISCHER, farmer, Sec. 4; P. O. Rickardsville; born Dec. 18, 1802, in Bavaria, Germany ; in 1834, he came to Missouri; in 1836, he came to Dubuque Co., where he has since lived ; he is one of the oldest settlers of the county ; he owns 120 acres of land. He married Miss Susan Loubster in 1830; she was born in 1806 in Bavaria, Germany ; they had six children, three living-Elizabeth, John and Lewis.
JOHN GEORGE, merchant, proprietor of a hotel, etc., Centralia; born in Germany in 1829; he came to Dubuque Co., Iowa, in 1854; for twenty years, he worked at his occupation of machinist in the city of Dubuque ; the past six years he has been in Centralia, engaged in the combined vocation of merchant, hotel-kceper, etc .; besides his hotel and store in Centralia, he has seventy-four acres of land in Sec. 5, Vernon Township, and a house and lot on the corner of Tenth and Jackson streets, in Dubuque. Religion, Catholic; politics, Democratic. In 1856, he was married in Dubuque to Miss Mary Kudnacker, also a native of Germany; they have seven chil- dren-John, Lena, Annie, Katie, Mary, Caroline and Lizzie.
CHARLES H. GREMMELS, farmer, Sec. 14; P. O. Dubuque ; born July 14, 1837, in Hanover, Germany ; in 1854, he came with his parents to Dubuque Co., where he has since lived ; he owns 157 acres of land in this county, also 160 acres in Fayette Co. Has been Township Treasurer for three years, and just been re-elected to the same office for three years more ; he is Treasurer of the Farmers' Fire Ins. Co. He married Anna Bartles in 1865 ; she was born Nov. 4, 1837, in Hanover ; she died Dec. 4, 1875 ; have three children-Henrietta, Anna and Charles H. He married his second wife, Mary Kempe, April 15, 1876; she was born in Dubuque Co .; they have two children-William and Frieda. His father was born Jan. 4, 1809, in Hanover ; he married Catherine Ahrens in 1835 ; she was born April 6, 1810, in Hanover; they had seven children, two living-Charles H. and Hannah. They are Lutheran in religion.
JOSEPH HALTY, farmer, Sec. 27; P. O. Centralia; born in Dubuque Co. March 2, 1848; he is a son of Martin and Lena Halty, mother's maiden name was Lena Sebastian, his parents coming here from Alsace, France, in 1847. The father died in 1879, aged 70 years; the mother is still living, aged about 60 years; the
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father's family numbered seven children, three of whom are living-Joseph, Mary (now Mrs. Keller) and John ; four deceased-Kate, Lena, Tony and Martin. The home- farm of forty acres is carried on by Joseph, the subject of this sketch. In religion, a Catholic ; in politics, a Democrat.
FREDERICK HENNIGES, farmer, Sec. 20; P. O. Dubuque ; born Feb. 17, 1839, in Hanover ; in 1853, he came to Dubuque Co., where he has since lived; he owns 295 acres of land; he is Township Trustee, and has been School Director. He married Mena Kemp in 1866 ; she was born in Dubuque Co .; they have three children-Emma, Frederick and Henry. In religion, he is a Lutheran.
REV. FATHER GEORGE W. HEER, Pastor of St. John's Catho- lic Church, Centralia ; born in Boke, Province of Westphalia, Prussia, April 25, 1849; emigrated to America in 1855, and settled in Fort Madison, Iowa; after some prelim- inary study, he went to the College of the Franciscan Fathers at Quincy, Ill .; one year was spent in study there, when he was transferred to the Salesianum Seminary, Mil- waukce, Wis .; finished his course there after seven years' study, and was ordained for the diocese of Dubuque by Bishop Henni, of Michigan, on the 16th of March, 1872; his first work was as Pastor of St. Peter's Church, Keokuk, but, after some months of service there, was appointed to Richmond, Washington Co., Iowa, where he remained eighteen months; he was then appointed to his present charge of the church in Cen- tralia and Lattnerville ; he is universally beloved by his people, and is, beyond all ques- tion, " the right man in the right place."
CARL F. HUMTKE, farmer, Sec. 23; P. O. Dubuque; born Dec. 31, 1810, in Hessian Germany; in 1839, he came to Baltimore, Md., and thence to Wheel- ing, Va .; in 1842, came to Dubuque Co., and, the following year, moved to his present farm ; he owns 351 acres of land, part entered and improved. He married Wilhelmina Halsman in 1839; she was born July 25, 1810, in Hessian Germany ; they have six children-Wilhelmina, Charles F., John H., Mary, Frederick William and August ; they lost one child in infancy. Mr. Humtke is a Presbyterian in religious belief, and a Republican in politics.
CHARLES KEMPE, farmer, Sec. 10; P. O. Dubuque ; he was born Sep- tember, 1812, in Brunswick, Germany ; in 1846, he came to Dubuque Co., where the family have since lived ; he owns 140 acres of land. He married Sophia Miller in 1842; she was born in Hanover in 1817; they have four children-Augusta, Mena, Charles and Mary. Their son Charles lives here and manages this farm; he was born Nov. 18, 1850; he married Miss Emma Bartels May 6, 1875; she was born May 24, 1858, in Dubuque Co .; they have two children-Dora and Lena.
WESLEY KILE (deceased), was born in Pennsylvania in 1816; at an early age, he removed to New York, and from there to Dubuque Co., Iowa, in 1836, where he thenceforward resided until his death, which occurred March 19, 1865; Mr. Kile was well known to nearly every citizen of the county ; he, at different times, held several offices in the county ; was an intelligent, public-spirited and useful citizen, and, probably, the leading man in the community, and, to the fullest extent, enjoyed the confidence of his fellow-citizens. He was first married, Feb. 27, 1838, to Mrs. Matilda Rittenhouse ; she died Oct. 22, 1852; he was married again on the 30th of March, 185-, to Miss Catherine Sims, who survives him; their children are James, Alexander, Charles, Wesley, Kittie and Belle. Mrs. Catharine Kile, widow of Wesley Kile, is a daughter of Alexander and Catharine Sims, old and well-known citizens of Center Township ; they came with the family to Dubuque Co. in 1836, from Pennsylvania ; they were formerly from New York, and originally from Scotland ; her father, Alex- ander Sims, died Feb. 19, 1873, and her mother, Catharine Sims, died Nov. 28, 1878 ; Mrs. Kile has a beautiful home in Sec. 25, Mr. K. being, at the time of his death, the owner of a fine farm here, comprising over a section of land, and other valuable prop- erty; the cultivated and refined family who inhabit this charming homestead, cared for by the kind and intelligent mother, are altogether one of the most pleasant and esti- mable family groups within the limits of the county.
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JAMES LAHEY, farmer, Sec. 17 ; P. O. Bankston ; he was born in 1833, in Lancaster Co., Penn .; at the age of 12 years, he came with his parents to Dubuque Co., where he has since lived ; he lives on the old homestead, formerly occupied by his father, which he has very much improved ; he now owns 340 acres, and is the largest farmer in his locality ; he has been Township Trustee, School Director and County Supervisor. His father died in 1866, aged 60 years ; his mother died in 1860, aged 50 years. He married Miss Hannah Welsh June 7. 1863 ; she was born in Virginia ; have five children-James, Alice, Monica, Lucy and Richard.
GEORGE W. MeMELLEN, farmer, Sec. 26; P. O. Centralia ; born in Dubuque Co. in 1851, and has been a continuous resident of the county ; has a farm of 143 acres, with a handsome and convenient brick house, and all the needed farm con- veniences in good shape. His father, William McMullen, who came here from Illinois at an early date, is now living in Dakota Territory, not far from Sioux City, and is aged about 62 years. In 1872, Mr. McMellen married Miss Emma V. Crider, daughter of James and Rachel Crider, who are elsewhere mentioned as among the earliest settlers in Dubuque Co. Politics, Republican.
MARTIN PERKINS, farmer, Sec. 4; P. O. Rickardsville ; born Oct. 7, 1836, in Columbiana Co., Ohio ; in 1869, he removed to Dubuque Co .; he owns 130 acres of land; he enlisted in 1864, in Co. D, 24th Ohio V. I .; served to the close of the war. Married Miss Harriet Burge in 1856; she was born Jefferson Co., Ohio ; her father, James Burge, is a native of Bristol, England; he was born March 26, 1806; when a boy, he came with his parents to Philadelphia, and was apprenticed to the cabinet trade ; in 1831, he came to Jefferson Co., Ohio ; he followed his trade till 1852, when he removed to Union Co., Ohio; in 1867, he came to Dubuque Co .; he owns forty acres of land. He married Miss Rachel House in 1831 ; she was born in Berks Co., Penn., March 8, 1813; they have ten children-five sons and five daughters.
GEORGE SCHMITT, farmer, Sec. 24; P. O. Dubuque; born June 17, 1836 in Alsace, France ; in 1847, he came to Dubuque Co., with his parents ; he owns 168 acres of land; has been Township Clerk, Township Treasurer ; is Township Assessor ; has held this office the past fifteen years ; has been Constable. Married Harriet Bahl in 1858; she was born in November, 1835, in Alsace, France; died April 14, 1872 ; have three children-Andrew P., Edward G., Frank N. Second marriage to Louisa Joos Jan. 2, 1874; she was born in Switzerland ; have four children-Otto P., Mary E., August G. and Bernet G. Is Catholic in religion, and Democrat in politics.
JOSEPH SCHMITT, farmer, Sec. 30; P. O. Lattnerville; born in France Feb. 17, 1840; at the age of 7, came with his parents to America, and settled in Dubuque Co., Iowa, in 1847; his parents, old and well-known settlers here, are both deceased ; the father died in 1862, the mother in 1879; Mr. S. has a good farm of ninety-five acres. His religion is Catholic ; his politics, Democratic. Has held school and township offices, and is highly respected in his community. He was married, Jan. 9, 1862, to Miss Mary Lattner, daughter of Joseph and Veronica Lattner; eight children-Annie Caroline, Paul Joseph, William W., Amanda, Caroline H., John George, Adaline and Frank Joseph.
VIT SCHMITT, farmer, Sec. 23; P. O. Dubuque; born Feb. 2, 1810, in Alsace, France ; in 1846 he came to Dubuque Co., where he has since lived; there were but two brick houses in Dubuque when he first came here ; he owns 240 acres of land; he has been four years School Treasurer, and twenty years Township Treasurer. Mar- ried Catharine Hofner, in November, 1845; she was born in 1813 in Alsace, France ; they have four children-Sophia, Eliza, Antony and Louis.
W. B. SHARP, farmer, Sec. 27; P. O. Centralia; born in Missouri in 1833; came to Dubuque Co. in 1840 with his parents, and with the exception of a four years' residence in California, from 1853 to 1857, has been here since ; his father, Peter L. Sharp, a much-respected citizen of the county, died in 1874, at the advanced age of 72; Mr. S. has acquired quite handsome possessions, his farm embracing 240 acres, well improved and in good condition. He is identified, religiously, with the
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Methodist Church ; politically, with the Republican party. Has held school offices. He was married, in 1855, to Miss Mary Paul, daughter of John Paul, one of the very earliest settlers of the county, who, at the age of 78, is yet living near Waterloo; Mr. and Mrs. Sharp have nine children living-Alice, Fannie (now Mrs. Morse), Charles, William, Cora, Jennie, James, Harry and George; two died in infancy-Annie and Henry
JAMES SIMS, farmer, Sec. 25; P. O. Dubuque; born in New York, in September, 1826; in 1836, with parents, Alexander and Catharine Sims, came to . Dubuque Co., Iowa; was chiefly engaged in milling until the last twelve years; for two years was at the Rockdale (then " Catfish") Mills; five years at Sageville (now Thomp- son's Mill), and then, with his father, built and operated the Sims Mill, in Center Town- ship, until 1868, since which time he has been engaged in farming, for the last ten years of the time at his present place; in 1850, he went to California and spent five years there, returning in 1855 ; his farm comprises eighty acres of nicely located, well-im- proved land, with good buildings, etc. Mr. S. inclines to the Presbyterian faith in religion; to the Republican party in politics. Has held school offices, and is one of the present Trustees of the township. His wife, nee Miss Malinda Sutherland, daughter of Martin and Mary Sutherland, came with her parents from her native State of Illi- nois, to Scott Co., Iowa, in 1837, when 10 years of age; thence they removed to Dubuque Co. in the spring of 1845; her mother died March 28, 1873; her father, for the past four years, has lived in California; Mr. and Mrs. Sims have seven children living -Mary E., Herbert R., Malinda, Katie, Maggie, Alice, Allene and Edgar E; one child, James, deceased.
JOHN SPENSLEY, farmer, Sec. 13; P. O. Dubuque; born Feb. 6, 1821, in Yorkshire, England; in 1831, he came with his parents to Pottsville, Penn .; in 1834, they removed to Dubuque Co .; he owns 128 acres of land, which he has improved. Married Mary Cocker in 1841 ; she was born in England; they have seven children-James, John, William, Elizabeth, Emma, Mary A. and Allen. M. E. Church.
JOHN STEINER, farmer, Sec. 28; P. O. Centralia ; born in Switzerland in 1829 ; emigrated to America and came to Dubuque Co., Iowa, in 1856; for a num- ber of years, he was engaged in the dairy business in Dubuque ; after that, he lived for a considerable time in Vernon Township; of later years, he has resided at his present location, and been exclusively exgaged in farming; his farm embraces eighty acres in Secs. 28 and 29. In politics, he is identified with the Republican party ; in religion, with the German Presbyterian Church. He was married, in 1850, to Maggie Gadient, a native of Switzerland; they have eight children-Andrew, John (married and lives in Wisconsin), Margaret (now Mrs. Humke), Lena, Rosa, Christian, Annie and Katie.
FRED SUNDERMEYER, farmer, Sec. 4; P. O. Durango; born Feb. 15, 1835, in Hanover ; in 1856, he came to Dubuque Co .; he owns 117 acres of land, which he has improved. Married Mena Dietrich in 1869 ; she was born in Hanover ; they have five children-Julia, Mena, Bertha, August and Dora. Lutheran in religion.
JULIEN TOWNSHIP.
A. ANDERSON, farmer, Sec. 27; P. O. Dubuque; born in Erie Co., Penn., Oct. 24, 1820; came to Dubuque Co. in April, 1842; for some twenty years, he was employed as Government Surveyor, his professional labors extending over wide regions in Iowa, Wisconsin and Dakota, and involving much hardship and frequent perilous adventures ; his farm embraces 160 acres, located in Secs. 21, 22, 27 and 28. Politi- cally, he affiliates with the Republican party, and he takes a warm interest in whatever pertains to the welfare of his community. Mr. A. was married, June 8, 1847, to Miss Sarah J. Scott, daughter of Mathew and Elizabeth Scott, formerly of Baltimore, Md .; they have ten children-Flora (now Mrs. John Vigars, of Farley), General (now in Colorado), Minnie, Eugene, Lillie, Mary, Cora, Willie, Eddie and Tress.
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RICHARD BONSON, capitalist, Sec. 22; P. O. Dubuque ; is a native of Yorkshire, England, and was born Oct. 23, 1814; he grew up to manhood there, and came with his father's family to the United States in 1834 ; they came to Dubuque the same year, and arrived here in July ; his mother died of cholera while coming up the river ; Mr. Bonson's father and Richard Waller, and John H. Roundtree, erected near Platteville the first blast furnace ever built in the United States; in 1836, they built three furnaces, one at Mineral Point, one on the East Fork of the Fever River, and one near Dubuque, at Rosedale; two of these furnaces arc still operated ; there was a com- pany of twelve of them, which was found to be too large and unprofitable, so they dis- solved and worked in smaller companies. In the early days of mining, there were many complications in locating claims. A committee of twenty-five was appointed as arbitra- tors to settle all disputes. From this committee was appointed an executive com- mittee of three, consisting of T. Davis, J. Langworthy and R. Bonson. They made the maps of the claims, and settled all disputes between the disputed claimants, and their decision was final. We arc informed that Mr. Bonson is the only surviving member of this executive committee. . Mr. Bonson has been interested in lead mining and smelt- ing for over forty-six years, a longer period than any one else in Dubuque Co .; he was also engaged in the mercantile business for some years. When Mr. Bonson began lifc, he was a miner, and his father was without means, and his success is owing to his own efforts ; he was twice elected as Representative to the State Legislature, and has served as member of the Board of County Supervisors. Mr. Bonson has been actively identi- fied with the interests of the county, and with the mining interests of Iowa and Wiscon- sin. Mr. Bonson resides about one mile from the city, and has one of the most elegant and attractive houses in the State. In 1838, Mr. Bonson was united in marriage to Miss Jane Burton, from Derbyshire, England ; she died in 1866, leaving two children -Mrs. Priscilla Morgan and Mrs. Mary Ellen Simplot. In 1868, Mr. Bonson was united in marriage to Mrs. Harriet Pierson, formerly Miss Harriet Watts, from Manchester, England; they have three children-two sons, Robert and William W., and one daughter, Annie Watts.
WILLIAM BRUNSKILL, farmer, Sec. 24; P. O. Dubuque; is a native of Wisconsin, and was born in Platteville Nov. 2, 1836; his parents came across the river to Dubuque the following year, and located near where they now live; he grew up to manhood here; he was engaged in smelting for five years; he moved on the farm where he now lives in 1865 ; owns a farm of 100 acres. In 1859, he married Christina Rowe, a native of England.
THOMAS COTTERILL, farmer, Sec. 7; P. O. Dubuque- born Jan. 25, 1819, in Derbyshire, England ; in 1848, he came to Dubuque Co., where he has since resided ; he owns 300 acres of land. Married Wilhelmina Frank in 1865 ; she was born in Germany.
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