 |
|
 |
|
I[ra] G. BOSWORTH, a well-known and substantial farmer of Canton Township, was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., April 27, 1830. His father, Rufus Bosworth, was a native of Vermont, born Sept. 21, 1799, and his mother, Cynthia (Ladd) Bosworth, of Connecticut, was born July 10, 1799. They came to Iowa in 1857 and died in Benton County; the former in June, 1868, and the latter in September, 1885. Rufus and Cynthia Bosworth were the parents of six children, two now living — Susan, now the widow of Philander Herritage, and Ira G., the subject of our sketch.At the tender age of fourteen years Mr. Bosworth commenced to earn his own living by working for farmers by the month, and thus early in life learned the worth of money. He attended the district school, at different intervals, but his education, owing to the few facilities for obtaining it, was limited. When seventeen years old he went to Walworth County, Wis., and continued to serve as a farm hand. In 1853 he came for the first time to Iowa, and purchased eighty acres of land on section 26, Canton Township, Benton County. This land and all the land in sight of it was at that date in the condition in which nature left it. He then returned to Wisconsin and worked for two more years, at the end of which time he removed to Iowa, and, Oct. 7, 1855, settled on the land he had previously purchased, and there still resides; but his real-estate now includes 240 acres, and his chief attention is given to stock-farming.
Mr. Bosworth has been twice married: First Sept. 11, 1852, in Franklin County, N. Y., to Iana Heath, who died in 1857, leaving no children. On Jan. 20, 1858, Marietta Heath became his wife. She was born in Canada East, Dec. 9, 1838, and is a cousin of his former wife. By this union eleven children were born; the eldest of whom, Jay C., died at the age of five years, and ten are now living, their names being respectively, Lewis M., Brayton D., Amos H., Lucy A., Wallace G., Iana M., Charles C., Ira J., Irwin R. and Angelo S.
Mrs. Bosworth's father was born May 2, 1805, and died in Potton, Canada East, where he was born, April 29, 1848. Her mother, who was born Jan. 10, 1803, was again married, in 1857, to John Hunt. They came to Canton Township, Benton County, in October. 1865, where they died. Mr. Hunt died in September, 1868, and Mrs. Hunt, May 4, 1875. Mrs. Bosworth had three brothers and two sisters; those living at present are Amanda, residing in Irasburgh, Vt.; Lydia, wife of Budd Clark, residing near Boise City, Idaho; and Henry keeps the Lusk House in Logan, Iowa.
Mr. Bosworth has always been a Democrat, although, in 1864, not deeming a change prudent, he cast his ballot for Abraham Lincoln. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and the A. O. U. W. He requires no eulogy from the writer, for he has a large acquaintance and is known by all as an enterprising and trustworthy citizen, and one whose word is as good as his bond.
Source Citation: "1887 Benton County, Iowa Biographies" [database online] Benton County IAGenWeb Project. <http://iagenweb.org/benton/>
Original data: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Benton County, Iowa." Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887, p. 218.
Transcribed by: Sue Soden. Submitted to the Benton County IAGenWeb Project on January 28th, 2009. Copyright © 2009 The IAGenWeb Project.
 |
