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Urbana; ca 1898
Obituary of Malinda [Wright] Lockhart
Malinda [Wright] Lockhart
Malinda Wright was born in Virginia June 7, 1815. She was married to Samuel Lockhart April 12, 1832, in Vermillion county, Illinois. In the spring of 1839 she with her husband and three children came to what is now Benton county, Iowa, and were the first to make a home in this county. They erected the first dwelling in Benton county on the farm in section 24, Polk township. Samuel Lockhart and wife confessed their Savior about 55 years ago and were of the charter members of the Church of Christ; organized in this place over 50 years ago, and helped to erect the first log meeting house in Polk township. This house was erected on what is now our present cemetery lot. Later on, more than 35 years ago, the house in which we paid tribute of respect to Mother Lockhart was erected. In order to have a more commodious house in which to worship, Samuel Lockhart and wife, U.B. Whiteis and wife, and the senior Wyckoffs and their wives made great sacrifices but secured a very comfortable house. The organization thus formed lived for several years but finally collapsed, because of political discussion during the rebellion of 1861 to 1865. Samuel Lockhart and wife with others remained firm in the faith of the Gospel which they had espoused. Seven years ago the house was repaired, and the church reorganized, Mother Lockhart resuming her membership with it and so remained until death, leaving a record behind, "let what may assail we will be firm in our confession and profession to the end". She leaves behind her 39 living grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
{Submitter comment: This obituary appeared in an Urbana newspaper after Malinda's death 10 March 1898. Family tradition states that Malinda was born in that part of Indiana now known as Spencer County. When the Samuel Lockhart family arrived in Benton Co. in the spring of 1839 in a covered wagon they were travelling with Samuel's brother, Thomas, Jr. and his father, Thomas Sr. who settled across the county line in Linn Co. Legend says that when Samuel saw the land near the south side of Blue Creek, he pulled his horses to a hault and jumped out sticking his whip in the ground near the creek and declared, "This is the place." The willow switch took root and grew into a beautiful tree. The family lived among the Indians treating one another as neighbors until the surveying was completed, the children of both groups playing together. In November 1835 Samuel filed a claim at Dubuque on land on Section 36 and in May 1846 Malinda filed on the land on which they lived in a log cabin. They later built a large brick home made from the clay near the creek. Several other families from Indiana settled nearby and the area was known as Hoosier's Point until Marystown was laid out in 1847. At that time the settlers who had belonged to the Indiana Church of Christ invited Nathan Clark to establish a church. A church was built on property on the east edge of Marystown near thecemetery. Samuel was named an elder. Samuel and Malinda are buried near the county line in the Davis Cemetery in Linn Co. along with his father and several children.}
Vinton Eagle; Friday, August 4, 1893
Obituary of Samuel M. Lockhart
Samuel Lockhart
Samuel M. Lockhart of Polk township, accredited with being the first white settler in Benton County died at his home last Wednesday night. Mr. Lockhart was born in Adams county, Ohio May 17, 1812 and was united in marriage to Malinda Wright April 12, 1832 in Vermilion county, Illinois and in the fall of the same year he removed to Green county, Missouri where he resided for eighteen months and then moved back to Macon county, Illinois. In the spring of 1838 he removed to Johnson county, Iowa where his father then resided. He remained there but one year and in the spring of 1839 he removed to Polk township where he resided until his death. The deceased was the father of eleven children several of whom preceded him to the better land. His father before him being a pioneer, his means to obtain an education were limited but was an honest man always trying to do right to his fellow man. At one time he owned a section of land in Polk Twp. but had given the greater portion of it to his children. In the early days the deceased took great interest in political and public affairs. He had always been an oldline Democrat and had served as county commisssioner for six years. Mr. Lockhart was a member of the Old Settler's Association and always took great interest in its meetings. His recitations of the trials and tribulations of the early pioneers were always interesting. The present high development of the county seemed hardly possible to Mr. Lockhart in his life time yet it became an accomplished fact and received his encouragement. He was a consistent member of the Christian church. The funeral services will be held today.
{Submitter comment: Samuel Lockhart was the son of Thomas Lockhart and Mary [Brown] Grimes, the widow of Thomas Grimes of Adams County OH. Samuel and his family are recorded as the first settlers of Benton County. Although there were single men who arrived in the county before 1839, Samuel's family were the first to be considered "stayers" in the area and credited with being first white settlers in the county. Until the land was surveyed and the State of Iowa was formed in 1846 Samuel and his family lived among the friendly Indians. He rode his horse to Dubuque to file claim on the land as soon as the land opened for settlement. His g-granddaughter still lives near the site where Samuel built his home and descendents still worship in the Christian church where he was elder.}
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