WESLEY HOMAN

HOMAN

Posted By: Jake Tornholm (email)
Date: 4/20/2020 at 14:52:28

WESLEY HOMAN, a farmer of section 20, Carl township, was born in Jefferson county, Kentucky, fifteen miles from Louisville, June 29, 1820, a son of Mark Homan. The latter was born in Virginia, a son of John Homan, of Welsh ancestry, and a soldier in the war of 1812. John Homan married a Miss Oxley, and Mark married Nancy Burson, who was born in Virginia. Wesley’s parents, after their marriage in Virginia, moved to Kentucky, and afterward, in 1827, to Putnam county, Indiana, where they lived until death. They brought up six sons to the age of manhood. The mother died at the age of thirty-seven years, and the father at the age of eighty- four. He was a farmer all his life, was a Whig in politics, and afterward a Republican; was a Justice of the Peace for many years, and in religion was a Baptist, being for a time clerk in the church.

Wesley, the second child in the above family, grew up to manhood on the farm in Putnam county, receiving a good common- school education, taught school, and then engaged in merchandising. In 1855 he emigrated West, with a team, locating in Adams county, Iowa, on section 26, Washington township. He improved a farm there, and afterward sold it and removed into Cartownship, where at the time he was one of only five voters in that township. In that township he has improved four different farms. In September, 1865, he settled upon his present farm, which was then entirely wild. It is now one of the best in the neighborhood. The home farm comprises 220 acres, and there are forty acres on section 80, Carl township, and forty acres on section 24, Washington township. Total, 300 acres. Mr. Homan has a good frame house. The part first built is 16 x 28, feet and one and a half stories high. The main portion, 16 x 82 feet, was built in 1878, and is two stories high. It is in modern style, with bay window and porches, and well furnished. The surrounding premises are tastefully ornamented with trees and shrubbery, etc. The orchard contains 300 good trees. There are also a fine grove, barn, stables, etc. The hedges are in good trim.

As to national questions Mr. Homan takes Republican views. He has held most of the township offices: has been county Supervisor; county Treasurer four years, 1874-’77, serving with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. He has been urged by many friends for the Legislature, but he has always refused to be a candidate. In religion he is a Baptist. He is seventy-one years of age, but appears much younger.

He was first married at the age of twenty-nine years, in Parke county, Indiana, to Melissa A. Ramsay, a native of that county and a daughter of Joseph and Jane (Stephenson) Ramsay. By that marriage there were six children, namely: Robert S., who is married, has five children and resides in Carl township; Edward W., married, has two children, and is in business in Des Moines; Nancy Jane, now the wife of Reuben Falconer, of Carl township, and has two children; Joseph N., married, lives in Carl township, and has three children; William M., married, living in Chicago, and has two children, and Oliver Morton, who is with his brother, Edward W., at Des Moines. Mrs. Homan died in November, 1864. In September, 1865, Mr. Homan married Mrs.
Mary E., widow of John Deer, having three children, who are now living, namely: J. N.,
a merchant of Massena, Iowa, and William B. and Simeon, farmers in Washington township. Mrs. Homan was born in Indiana, a daughter of James and Mary (Mitchell) Van Cleave. By the present marriage there are three children: Martha Eva, Flora A. and Frank W.