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FIELDING R. VORIS came to Benton County in 1864. He is a native of Harrodsburg, Mercer Co., Ky., born July 15, 1810, and is the son of Jacob and Jane (Ramsdell) Voris, both natives of Kentucky. They were married in Kentucky, and in 1827 emigrated to Johnson County, Ind., locating in the heavy timber, where, with the assistance of the family, they opened up a farm. Opposition to slavery was the cause of the family leaving Kentucky, the elder Voris not wishing to rear the family in a slave State. They were the parents of seven children, only two of whom are now living: William, deceased; Martha, who married Albert Banta, now deceased; Margaret, deceased; Rebecca, who married Clelland Adams, now deceased; Susan, who married James McClain and now resides in Boone County, Ind.; James, deceased, and Fielding R. The parents died in Johnson County, Ind., after having lived long and useful lives, respected and esteemed by all who knew them.Fielding R. Voris, the subject of this sketch, was reared on a farm, and received his education in the common schools of his native State, supplemented by private instruction at Hopewell, Ind. He was united in marriage in Johnson County, Ind., June 21, 1837, to Miss Sarah Smock, a native of Indiana. Two children were born to them, one dying in infancy. William, the other child, is now a resident of Cowley County, Kan. Mrs. Voris died in 1845. On the 23d day of June, 1846, Mr. Voris was again united in marriage, taking as a companion Mrs. Ann Smock. Eight children were born to them- Sarah A., deceased; Rachel A., wife of J. L. Thing, of California; David E., attorney at law and Mayor of Vinton; George A., deceased; Martha A., wife of John W. Martin, Cowley County, Kan.; Maxwell, in the mercantile trade at Shellsburg; and two died in infancy.
In 1832 Mr. Voris enlisted in the Black Hawk War, and was sent to Chicago, from which place he was sent to Rock Island, where he remained until after the treaty of peace was made, when he returned to his home in Indiana. Soon after his first marriage he took up a claim in the heavy timber in Johnson County, Ind., where he opened up a farm and remained for many years. In September, 1864, he came with his family to Benton County, locating upon a farm in Taylor Township, where he remained eight years, and then moved to the city of Vinton, where he has since lived a retired life. During his residence in Vinton he has held the office of Councilman for six years. At the time of Morgan's raid into Indiana, during the Rebellion, he turned out with the State militia and helped drive the rebels back to Kentucky.
Mr. and Mrs. Voris have been lifelong members of the Presbyterian Church, of which body he has been one of the Deacons for many years.
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. 183.
Transcribed by: Sue Soden. Submitted to the Benton County IAGenWeb Project on June 16th, 2007. Copyright © 2007 The IAGenWeb Project.
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