Biographical and historical record of Greene and Carroll counties, Iowa. Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each; portraits and biographies of the governors of the state and a concise history of the two counties and their cities and villages, Part 38

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 728

USA > Ohio > Greene County > Biographical and historical record of Greene and Carroll counties, Iowa. Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each; portraits and biographies of the governors of the state and a concise history of the two counties and their cities and villages > Part 38
USA > Ohio > Carroll County > Biographical and historical record of Greene and Carroll counties, Iowa. Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each; portraits and biographies of the governors of the state and a concise history of the two counties and their cities and villages > Part 38

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as represented they became lost, and wandered about for months. They ent np their wagons on Silver Mountain, and made of them pack- saddles for their eattle. Here thirteen of their number branched off on New Year's day, taking what jerked beef they could earry, and started due west over the mountains. This the main party could not do on account of their eattle, but when they came to a monntain took a southerly course around it. Of the thirteen who left but two lived to get through, and these were found by ranch Indians in a helpless condition and brought in and cared for. They had east lots and lived on each other until but two remained. When questioned afterward in regard to their trip they burst into tears, and could not talk of it. The main body of the Jay-Hawkers kept their eattle (for they were their only hope), and on these they lived. The cattle lived on the bitter sage bush, except when they occasionally found an oasis with water and a little grass upon it. The feet of the eattle were worn down until blood marked every step, and the boys wrapped their feet in raw hides, as they did their own. Many died from exposure, hunger and thirst, and were buried in the drifting sands, while those that were left tottered on not knowing whose turn would be next. But for their cattle not a man could have survived that awful journey. They ate the hide, the blood, the refuse, and pieked the bones in camp, making jerked beef of the balance to take with them. After inany desert wanderings and untold sufferings, they at last struck Yahoon's Pass, and emerged suddenly into Santa Clara Valley, which was covered with long grass and wild flowers, with thousands of fat eattle feeding, a perfect paradise to those famished skeletons of men. There were thirty-six of the party who lived to reach the valley, and every one shed tears of joy at the sight of the glorious vision

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

spread before them and the suddenness of their deliverance. They shot five head of the cattle and were cating the raw flesh, when the ranch Indians, hearing the firing, came to see what was the matter, and finding them in a helpless condition reported to Francisco, the Spaniard who owned the cattle and ranch. IIe came down and invited them to a grove near his home, bade them welcome, and fur- nished them with meat, milk, grain and every- thing they needed, keeping them until they were recruited and able to go on their way. They reached the Santa Clara Valley Feb- ruary 4, 1850, and on that day cach year they celebrate their deliverance by a reunion, where in pleasant companionship, aronnd a festive board, they recount reminiscences of the past, and live over again those scenes, when young and hopeful, they lived and suf- fered together. There are but fifteen of the party alive to-day, and these are widely scattered, the majority being on the Pacific Slope. February 4, 1887, the reunion took place at the residence of C. B. Mecum, of Rippey, but owing to the severity of the weather and the long distance intervening, but few survivors were able to be present, although all sent kind words of greeting. Mr. Mecum engaged in mining nearly three years, and in February, 1853, left California for Knox County, Illinois, where he resided until 1874, when in March of that year he came to Iowa and settled in Washington Township, Greene County, where he now lives. He owns 200 acres of choice land, and in connection with general farming is engaged in stock-raising. Mr. Mecum was married November 22, 1854, to Frances E. Richards, a native of Westminster, Vermont, born July 1, 1835, a danghter of Luther A. and Mary (Page) Richards, both of whom are now deceased. She is of Puritan descent, her ancestor, Thomas Richards, coming to

America from Dorsetshire, England, in 1630, and locating at Dorchester, Massachusetts. She is well educated, attending school at her native village, Waterbury, and North Haven, Connecticut, and Galesburg, Illinois. Of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Mecum, five are living-William F., Leroy II., Cora A., Edwin W. and Maude F. William is a justice of the peace at Donglas, Wyoming Territory. Leroy married a dangh- ter of Henry Youngman, and is living in Jefferson Township. He is at present serving as deputy sheriff of Greene County. Mrs. Mecum and William and Cora are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Mecum is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

OLUMBUS RICE, coal miner at Buck- eye bank, near Surry, was born in Fountain County, Indiana, June 8, 1852, son of Francis Rice, of Washington Township. He was brought by his parents to Dallas County in 1852, who settled near Adel. The country was then wild and un- settled. Indians were plenty, and the whites often had skirmishes with them to save life and property. The whites were killing the wild game, and the savages wanted to drive them back by making raids and killing the people. Mr. Riee passed his early life at farm work, and in attending the common schools of his father's distriet. He is nat- urally quite a student and a great lover of history. He has worked on a farm in summer ever since he was nine years old, and aims to work smnmer and winter. In 1857 he took a trip with his father to Kansas and Missouri, returning in 1864 to Iowa, and in 1873 he visited his native place in Indiana. He now works on the farm during the summer, and in the mines during the winter. He came

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to this county with his parents in 1857, settling in Franklin Township. He located in this township in 1871, and this has sinee been his home. He never seeks official honors.

AMES THORNTON, farmer, of Grant Township, is one of the pioneers of Greene County, coming in June, 1857. He settled where he now lives, on seetion 26, although his farm of 240 acres is mostly on section 23. At that time there were but few families in what is now Grant Township, and their mill and postoffice was at Fort Des Moines. Mr. Thornton has witnessed and materially assisted in advancing all the enterprises that have changed Greene County from a wilderness to its present prosperous condition. He was born in Ohio in 1815, and when a young man went to Cass County, Michigan, where he lived until his removal to Iowa. IIe was married in Michigan to Jane Parker, a native of Ohio, born in 1825. They have had seven children-Jesse, of Greenbrier Township; Mary Ann, wife of Charles Mattison, died and left two children; J. Parker, Lydia, Nathan, James and George.

LFRED C. WELLS, farmer and stoek- raiser, seetion 27, Dawson Township, was born near Davenport, Seott County, Iowa. April 25, 1844. His boyhood days were spent in assisting on the farm in Scott County, and in attending the district sehool. He remained at home nntil seventeen years old, when, August 15, 1861, he enlisted in the defense of his country and served over four years, being mnstered out November 15, 1865. After his discharge he returned home

and lived in Seott County until 1868, when he moved to Greene County and settled where he now lives, being the first settler in Dawson Township. He owns 200 acres of choice land, and has erected good buildings, set out a fine orehard and now has one of the pleas- antest homes in the township. Mr. Wells was married April 11, 1868, to Eliza Mc- Cully, a native of Pennsylvania, born July 25, 1845, daughter of James and Jane MeCully, natives of Ohio and Ireland. They have one son-Charles E., born Angust 16, 1880.

HOMAS M. TERRILL, a prosperous agrieulturist of Washington Township, residing on section 30, is a native of Ohio County, West Virginia, born near Wheeling, May 18, 1850, his father, Daniel Terrill, who is now deceased, being born in the same county. The father brought his family to Iowa in 1853 when he settled in Cedar County, dying there the same year. The mother of our subject, Tabitha (Hemp- hill) Terrill, died in September, 1861. After his mother's death he lived with a Mr. Blaylock six years and a half, four years of this time in Keokuk County, Iowa, to which Mr. Blaylock had removed. At the age of eighteen he returned to his father's old homestead in Cedar County, Iowa, where he lived three and a half years with Amos Barnard, who had bought the place. In the fall of 1871 he located near State Center, in Marshall County, where he spent two and a half months and the same fall came to Grand Junetion. Ile soon after began working on the farmn of James Thomp- son, where he remained alnost three years. He then worked one year for S. Gilliland of Dallas County, and in the spring 1876

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

engaged in farming on his own account, he having bought a farm in 1872. In 1879 he settled on his farm in Washington Township, which contains 240 acres of choice land, where he has since followed farming and stock-raising. November 6, 1879, Mr. Ter- rill was united in marriage to Miss Lydia M. Hill, a daughter of the late John Hill of Iowa County. Four children have been born to this union-Katic M., Otis W., Geneva I. and William D.

- RURY P. ANDERSON was born in Greene County, Ohio, September 3, 1847, a son of William and Lydia An- derson. In 1857 his parents moved to Greene County, Iowa, and settled in Grant Township. Drury P. Anderson was reared on a farm in Greene County, and was educated in the common schools. He remained at home until twenty-two years of age, when he commenced life for himself. In 1877 he bought 106 acres of land on section 11, Jack- son Township. To this he has added eighty acres, and now has a very fine property. Ilis residence is situated on a knoll overlooking the farin, and is bnt three miles from Jeffer- son and three-quarters of a mile from Eureka Mills. Mr. Anderson was married December 17, 1877, to Annie MeCuen, daughter of Nathan and Harriet McCnen, pioneers of Grant Township. Mrs. Anderson's father gave his life for his conntry during the war of the Rebellion. Her mother afterward married James Wilson, and again was widowed. She now lives in Grant Township. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have two children -Lura and Sadie. Their second child, Ed- gar, died in infancy. In politics Mr. Ander- son is a Republican. He is one of the leading men of his township, which he is serving as

trustee. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

ENRY A. DWINNELL was born in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in 1829. In 1837 his father, Solomon Dwinnell, went to Wisconsin, and in 1838 attended the first land sale at Milwaukee, and bought considerable land for himself and other parties. He then returned to Massa- chusetts, where he died in the eighty-fourth year of his age, his wife surviving him a short time, dying in her eighty-third year. They were the parents of twelve children, eight of whom are living. All save one daughter came West. Our subject left Mas- sachusetts for Wisconsin in 1852, and lived in Lodi until his removal to Jefferson in 1870, and has since been identified with the mercantile interests of the town. He was married in Lodi, Wisconsin, to Theda Hum- phrey, a native of New York, daughter of Jeffrey and Harriet Humphrey, who have been residents of Jefferson since the fall of 1869.

TEPHEN ZIMMERMAN, an active and enterprising farmer of Scranton Township, residing on section 17, was born in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, the date of his birth being November 6, 1847. His father, Christian Zimmerman, was a native of Germany, born in 1810, and when a child was brought by his parents to the United States, and was reared to man- hood in Pennsylvania. He was first married to Miss Sarah Gearhart, who was born and reared in the State of Pennsylvania. She died when our subject, who was the fifth

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child, was five years old, leaving a family of six children-Peter enlisted in the three months service, and re-enlisted to serve three years, then re-enlisted for three more years, but died of measles shortly after his third enlistment; Margaret is the wife of Robert May, of Kendriek Township; Sarah is the wife of Henry Stenberger, of Henry County, Illinois; Jacob is living in Manchester, Mieli- igan; Stephen, the subject of this sketch; Washington, the sixth child, is living in Kendrick Township. For his second wife the father married Miss Sarah Michel in 1854, a native of Pennsylvania, and to this union four children were born-Caroline. who died in childhood; Rebeeea S., now living in Greene County, Iowa; Henry, also living in Greene County, and Enoel, living in Pennsylvania. The family settled in Henry County, Illinois, and there Stephen grew to manhood. The year he attained his majority he eame with his father to Greene County, Iowa, where he bought eighty acres of land and commeneed improving the same. The father purchased a traet of 400 acres on see- tion 16, Seranton Township, where he lived till his death, June 8, 1872, at the age of sixty-two years. The following year his widow returned to Pennsylvania, and died there one year later. Stephen Zimmerman was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Wood, of Scranton Township, October 24, 1872, she being a native of the State of New York, born February 16, 1854. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman -Effie Helen, Medora V. (died aged eighteen months), Mand Jessie, Lee Wood (died at the age of five years), Homer Warren, and an infant son yet unnamed. Mr. Zimmerman made his home on section 16, Seranton Town- ship, until the spring of 1881, when he sold that property and purchased 160 aeres of choice land on section 17 of the same town-

ship, where he has since resided, and during his residence here of six short years he has converted his land from a state of nature into a very finely-improved farm, with excellent building improvements, the entire surround- ings showing care and thrift. Both Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman are consistent members of the United Brethren church. In politics he has always been identified with the Republi- ean party.

B. REMICK was born in Franklin County, Maine, in 1834. When twenty years of age he went to La Salle County, Illinois, where he lived until 1874, when he came to Iowa and located at Jeffer- son, where he has dealt quite extensively in real estate, and at present is engaged in loan- ing money. He owns 280 aeres of fine land, 160 acres in Paton Township, eighty acres in Junction and forty acres in Dawson Town- ship. He was married in Illinois to Helen G. Day, a native of Maine, who died, leaving one ehild - Georgiana. Ile subsequently married Sophia Mott, a native of New York. They have three daughters-Nellie, Mary S. and Fay. In polities Mr. Remniek is a Re- publiean. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

RVIN WRIGHT, a pioneer of Greene Connty, resides on section 3, Jackson Township. IIe was born in Putnam Connty, Indiana, June 27, 1831. His par- ents, Elijah and Susannah Wright, were among the earliest settlers of Putnam County, removing there from North Carolina, their native State, in 1821. His youth was spent at farm labor and in attending the common

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

subscription schools. August 26, 1849, he was married in his native county to Miss Delilah M. Beck, daughter of William and Susannah Beek, who was born in Washing- ton County, Indiana, October 30, 1827. Mr. Wright eame to the Hawkeye State in 1853, coming to this county in the fall of that year. During the winter following he bought eighty acres of land in Bristol Township. He lived in Dallas County two years, then settled in Bristol Township. When in his fifteenth year he had united with the Chris- tian church, and he assisted in organizing the first Christian society in Greene County. Their meetings were held in a log school- house which he had helped to build, and which was the first in Greene County. It was on section 28, Bristol Township, and Rev. Clayburn Wright was the first pastor. Mr. Wright, onr subjeet, was licensed to preach the gospel, and several years later was ordained into the ministry. He has had a pastoral charge since 1860, and has devoted his time to the up-building of the Christian Church of God. Mr. Wright's father came to Jowa the same time his son eame, and pur- chased the farm the latter now ocenpies. IIe died in August, 1860, at the age of sixty- seven years. His wife survived him abont sixteen years, and died at the age of eighty- five. Mr. Wright purchased the farm of the estate in March, 1863. It contains 103 acres and has first-class improvements both as regards soil and buildings. He has an in- terest with his sons in three other farms, one of eighty aeres, one of fifty-five aeres and one of forty aeres. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have six children-William S., John HI., Mrs. Lonisa J. McClung, Mrs. Ilester Ann Tom- son, Mrs. Sarah F. Baaz and Ervin O. All are living in this county and all are married and settled except Ervin, who remains with his parents. The deceased are-Wilson M.,

who died in Indiana at the age of twenty- three months; Nathan M., who died at twenty-two months; Julia E. died at the age of three months; Rosetta A. died at four months, and three children died in early infaney. Mr. Wright was a Democrat for many years, but is now a Prohibitionist.

DWARD W. FOY, druggist, Jefferson, Iowa, is a native of County Galway, Ireland, born in 1845. He had good educational advantages in his native country, and after coming to America attended the Philadelphia High School some time. He came to the United States in January, 1862, and first lived in Philadelphia, going from there the same year to New York City, and from there to Mt. Morris, New York, where he lived until the fall of 1869, when he came to Iowa and elerked for James Stanford & Son, of Jefferson, until Jannary, 1870, when he engaged in business for himself, and is now the oldest druggist in the place. Mr. Foy married Addie Young, daughter of Jacob Young. They have one child-Nettie.

AMES CRABB, farmer, section 31, Washington Township, was born in Piek- away County, Ohio, May 12, 1823, son of John Crabb, deceased. He was reared a farmer and educated in the log cabin sub- seription schools, in Vermillion, Illinois, where his parents removed when he was a child. The school-house had puncheon floors and seats, elapboard roof, a huge fire-place, and a hole eut in the logs for windows. Mr. Crabb came to Des Moines in the fall of 1854, and to this county in March of the following year, locating on his present farm which

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abounded in wild animals. His trading and milling were done at Des Moines, and he paid one dollar a bushel for corn. He owns 237g aeres of land, all richly earned by his hard labor. He was married in November, 1841, to Phebe Adkins, daughter of Lewis Adkins, deceased, an early settler of Dallas Connty. Seven of their twelve children are living-James A., William H., Jemima, El- len, Grant, Jeannette and Phillip. Mr. and Mrs. Crabb are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Crabb is a Repub- liean in politics.

OHN M. FORBES, of Bristol Town- ship, has charge of the county poor farm, which consists of 240 acres of land lying on sections 21 and 28. The farm buildings are situated on the latter section. Mr. Forbes took possession of the farm in March, 1886. He has been a resident of the county since 1871, engaged in agricultural pursnits most of the time. Ile resided in Jefferson three years previ- ons to his occupancy of the county farm, being proprietor of the American House the last year of his residence in that city. Mr. Forbes was born in Camden County, North Carolina, April 5, 1826, son of William and Catherine (Mandeville) Forbes, natives also of North Carolina, where the father died March 5, 1854, aged sixty-seven years. John M. was the fourth of six children who were living at the time of the father's death, and four are now living-Jared lives in Kansas, Mary resides in Dakota, James in Audubon County, this State, and Jolin M. in Bristol Township. The mother, with her two oldest children, left North Carolina before the war, and settled in Lee Connty, Illinois. She died in Ogle County, that State, March 18,

1871, aged eighty-one years, nine months and fourteen days. Mr. Forbes was reared to a farm life in his native State, and was there married to Miss Elizabeth Bell, May 13, 1852. She was born in Camden County Angust 1, 1833. During the last three years of the war, Mr. Forbes was within the Union lines, and received the protection of the Gov- ernment; and though he lost six slaves by the emancipation proclamation, he connted that a gain rather than a loss. In 1868 he came North with his family and settled in Ogle County, Illinois, where he lived three years, then came to Greene County. Mr. and Mrs. Forbes have four children-Rufus, Mary C., William and Samuel. Mr. Forbes was formerly an Old Line Whig, but since the war, has voted the Republican tieket. Ile was a staunch Union man during the war.

ILLIAM B. LIVINGSTON, JR., was born in Belmont County, Ohio, April 25, 1836. In 1850 his father moved to Muskingum County, Ohio, where our subject lived until 1866, when he moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and two years later to Greene County. He bought a traet of wild land which he improved, getting his farm under good cultivation and erecting a com- modious residence and other buildings. lle lived on this farm nntil 1881 when he moved to Churdan, where he now is engaged in the general mercantile business. He was mar- ried October 24, 1859, to Jennie G. Ganett, a native of Muskingum County, Ohio, born March 3, 1838, a daughter of J. M. and Mary Ganett. To them have been born two ehil- dren-Eldora, wife of R. T. West, and Wil- liam A. In May, 1864, Mr. Livingston en- listed in Company G, One Hundred and Sixteenth Ohio Infantry and served until the

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following October. He is a member of the Baptist church. In polities he is a Repub- lican.

OHIN BISH, one of the old pioneers of Greene County, was born in Highland County, Ohio, May 31, 1842, a son of Jacob Bish, who was born in Rockingham County, West Virginia. The father brought his family to Van Buren County, Iowa, in the fall of 1849, and in the spring of 1850 removed to Boone County, settling on Des Moines River near the present site of Rapids Mills, and here the father pre-empted land which he improved. Here the family experi- enced many of the hardships and privations of pioneer life, being in limited eireumstances. Corn was then $2 per bushel, the father pay- ing for it by working at fifty cents a day, and at that time there were nine persons in the family. Their nearest mill was forty miles distant. The country was then principally inhabited by Indians and wild animals, and their principal meat was wild game. They came to Greene County, Iowa, in 1854, settling in Washington Township. John Bish, the subject of this sketch, attended the rude log cabin subscription schools in his boyhood, receiving such education as could be obtained in the schools of that early day. Ile followed farming during the summers and in the winters followed trapping and hunting until 1861. August 10, 1861, he enlisted in Company HI, Tenth Iowa Infantry, as a private, and was discharged as Second Lieutenant, August 14, 1865. IIe took part in the battles of Chattanooga, Corinth, Iuka, Champion Hills, Mission Ridge, Vicksburg and others, and was wounded at the battles of Corinth and Mission Ridge. At the latter battle he was struck by a cannon ball and was

carried off the field for dead. He was married November 23, 1865, to Miss Hattie E. Clark, a daughter of George Clark, deceased, who was an early settler of Greene County, having settled in Franklin Township in the spring of 1855. Three children have been born to. Mr. and Mrs. Bish-Zuie A., born September 12, 1867; Charles, born May 13, 1875, died aged eight years, and Nora B., born April 16, 1878. Mr. Bish followed farming from the time he returned from the war till 1880, after which he was engaged in the mercantile business at Rippey for a time. March 2, 1882, he was appointed postmaster of Rippey, resigning that office January 1, 1886. He owns land in Colorado. Since becoming a resident of Greene County he has held several offices of trust, including school director, road supervisor, and township trus- tee. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order. In his religious faith he is a Baptist.

AMUEL E. WILSON has been a resi- dent of Bristol Township, Greene County, since 1869, where he has followed the avocation of farming. He was born in Grafton County, New Hampshire, January 13, 1841, son of William and Almira Wilson, residents of Jefferson. The family removed to Rock County, Wisconsin, in 1854, thenee to Dane County in 1856. While living in the last named place, Samuel E. Wilson enlisted, February 26, 1862, as a soldier in Company H, Second Wisconsin Infantry, and served for three years in that gallant regiment, which, for heroie deeds of valor, earned, on many a bloody battle-field, a reputation second to no organization in the Army of the Potomac. Its ranks repleted again and again, that noble State sent new men to take the places of the slain. The

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Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 728

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 728