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Audubon County
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1889 BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND AUDUBON COUNTIES, IOWA

W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS
113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO


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MILTON D. TAYLOR, breeder of Norman horses. Mr. Taylor's farm is located one and one-half miles west of the town of Gray, in Lincoln Township. He was reared upon a farm, and his long experience in handling livestock has well fitted him for his present occupation. His parents were caught in an early tide of emigration, and did not settle until they reached Otto County, Nebraska, where Milton D. was born in October, 1859. The country was new, and the privations endured so great that they packed their effects and went back to Washington County, Iowa. They are both natives of Venango County, Pennsylvania, and on their way west spent one year in Rock Island County, Illinois, resuming the journey to Nebraska the following spring. On their return to Washington County, Iowa. Milton D. was a mere lad. The father occupied himself with farming and stockraising, and is still engaged in this business.There our subject grew to manhood, and received his education in the common schools; he had unusual opportunities of perfecting himself in his chosen calling, being under the tuition of his father. In the fall of 1879 Mr. Taylor came Audubon County, and bought eighty acres to of land in section 11, which he broke out and placed under cultivation. The following fall he added forty acres to the farm.He remained upon his farm for two years, and then returned to Washington County. In the fall of 1887 he came on his present farm, and began placing upon it permanent improvements. In February, 1888, he brought to this country the celebrated Norman horse, Splendid, importeddirectly from France. In the French record book this horse is numbered 18,285, and in the American book it is numbered 9,829, Vol. V. Splendid is a beautiful steel gray, four years old.Mr. Taylor is deserving of much credit for the introduction of pureblooded horses into Audubon County. Enterprise of this kind advances the whole interests of the county, and is one of the strong factors of progress.

From:  1889 Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon counties, Iowa, pp. 813.



AMOS TEAKLE is the pioneer breeder and importer of Clydesdale horses in Audubon County. The first pure blooded Clydesdale horse brought to the county was imported directly from Scotland by Singmaster and Sons, noted stockmen and importers of Keokuk County, Iowa. This animal was purchased by Mr. Teakle in 1883, and much credit is due him for the advancement that has been made in this industry. He now owns two fine horses: Leekie Lad, registered in the Stud Book of Great Britain, No. 1,725; in the American Registry, No. 835. Sir Matthew is registered in the Scotch book, No. 6,299; and in the American book, No. 3,548. Mr. Teakle's farm is in Douglas Township, and is fitted up for breeding purposes. Our subject was born in Juniata County, Pennsylvania, June 20, 1850. His father, Thomas Teakle, was a native of England, who emigrated to America when a young man. He married Jane Gemmill, a native of Scotland, and a daughter of William Gemmill. After his marriage Thomas Teakle settled in Pennsylvania, and there carried on farming for a long period of years. He sold his farm and removed with his family to Keokuk County, Iowa, in 1869, and resided there until his death, which occurred in 1876; his wife passed away two years later, in 1878. Amos Teakle is the oldest of six children, four boys and two girls, all of whom are living.He was reared to farm life, and continued to follow this occupation until his majority, when he engaged in feeding hogs and cattle; later he turned his attention to the breeding of horses.Mr. Teakle was married to Miss Maggie Booth, of Keokuk County, Iowa, a native of Scotland, and a daughter of William Booth. They have had three children born to them -- Agnes, Thomas and Jane. Mr. Teakle is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Audubon Lodge, No. 163.

From:  1889 Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon counties, Iowa, pp. 774.



ISAAC THOMAS. One of the pioneer settlers of Audubon County is Isaac Thomas, who lives on section 7, Audubon Township. He was born in Washington County, Ohio, May 28, 1835, and is the son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Linn) Thomas. Mrs. Elizabeth L. Thomas was one of the first white children born in Monroe County, Ohio. She now resides in Sioux County, Nebraska, at the age of eighty nine years, and is taking up a claim of 160 acres. Her husband died in Washington County, Ohio, about the year 1847.She is the mother of ten children, of whom Isaac Thomas is the fifth.He was reared to farm life in his native county, and received his education principally in the common schools. He had spent one year in college, when be was compelled to abandon the course on account of ill health. In the spring of 1860 he came to Iowa, and settled in Audubon County. He secured employment on the farm of Nathaniel Hamlin, and remained in his employ for four years. About one year after he came to the county he was married to Miss Mary M., the oldest daughter of Nathaniel and Margaret (Poague) Hamlin, who was born in Vermillion County, Illinois, October 22, 1841. She was the first white woman who settled in Audubon County, having come with her father to assist in founding the new home, as she was the oldest child. She made herself very useful in driving the oxen and planting corn. After four months she returned to Mahaska County, where the family were then living; later, the same fall, the entire family removed to the new home in Audubon County. After the marriage of Mr.Thomas, which occurred March 14, 1861, he remained in the employ of his father-in-law for three years. During this time he purchased eighty acres in Audubon Township. There was a rude hut on this place, and about twelve acres of land had been broken. In the spring of 1864 Mr. and Mrs. Thomas came to this place, and have since made it their home. In the beginning they had many hardships to undergo. They were obliged to travel eighty miles to Des Moines to do their marketing, and grain and produce had to be hauled the same distance. Mr. Thomas has added to his farm until he now has 335 acres; he has as good land as lies in the county, and it is improved with a fine residence, and barns for stock and grain. Politically he is a staunch Union Labor man, being one of the first to join the party. Previous to the organization of this party he was a Democrat. He has been elected to to the office of county supervisor three terms, and has held the office of justice of the peace, besides other township offices. He and his wife are members of the Christian church.They are the parents of eleven children Luann, Maturin, Belle, wife of S. J. Bloom; Jacob, Nancy J. (deceased), Nathaniel, Oral(deceased), Rosie, John (deceased), Isaac (deceased), and Bessie.

From:  1889 Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon counties, Iowa, pp. 726.



JOSEPH P. THORNISCH is a member of the firm of Thornisch & Isham, livery and coal dealers, Audubon,Iowa. In the livery business Mr. Thornisch succeeds Mr. I. N. Simpson, of whom he bought the business in May, 1880, which he continued at the old stand. He formed a partnership with Mr. Charles Isham, who with himself constitutes the present firm.Mr. Thornisch was born in Wyoming County, New York, August 2, 1844. He lived in his native county until he was sixteen years old, when he went to Genesee County, New York, working on a farm, breaking horses, and fitting them for market. He afterward drifted west and stopped in Audubon County, Iowa, in 1871, and spent his first winter on Davis Creek. In the following spring he took up a homestead near the present town site of Audubon, but through some technicality the Rock Island Railroad Company gained possession of it, and Mr. Thornisch lost about $4,000. Abandoning the homestead he disposed of his cattle ranch, and purchased the livery stock, as before stated.The firm of Thornisch & Isham is well known from the fact that both parties have been residents of the county for several years. They keep a good stock of buggies, including a fine hack and hearses, and attend to calls in the country promptly, as well as in the city. Their stock of horses is quite complete, and they have fine driving teams. In connection with their livery and coal business they have given special attention to the breeding of Henry Clay and Messenger horses; they also breed Clydesdale horses, and have invested a considerable sum in this business. Mr. Thornisch was married in 1867 to Miss Elizabeth Gabel, of Wyoming County, New York, a daughter of Jacob Gabel, of the same county. There she was born and reared to womanhood. To Mr. and Mrs. Thornisch have been born three children Eli A., Francis M., and Irma C. Mr. Thornisch has served one term as township trustee.He is a member of Oretas Lodge, No. 396, I. O. O. F. Mr. Thornisch's parents were John J. and Catharine (Meyers) Thornisch, natives of Germany. The father emigrated to America before he was married.

From:  1889 Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon counties, Iowa, pg. 749.




Contributed by Marthann Kohl-Fuhs, April, 2005.