REV. R. R. WYCOFF

WYCOFF

Posted By: Jake Tornholm (email)
Date: 4/22/2020 at 15:03:44

REV. R. R. WYCOFF was born in Switzerland county, Indiana, April 22, 1835. His grandparents, Nicholas and Susan Wycotf, came from Germany after their marriage and settled in Mercer county, Kentucky, at a time when they with others had to live in forts to protect themselves from the Indians. A. C. WycofF, father of our subject, was born in Kentucky, and about 1826 went to Indiana, where he followed his trade, that of cabinet-maker, for nine years. He then turned his attention to farming. He was married in Switzerland county, Indiana, in 1832, to Lydia Cainine, a native of that State. In 1840 he came to Iowa and settled in Des Moines county, where he lived for forty-six years. Having been a pioneer of both Indiana and Iowa, he well knew the hardships and privations incident to life on the frontier. At the time he settled in Des Moines county he was offered land where a large portion of Burlington now stands, at a less figure than he paid in one of the out townships. He died in Adams county, at the home of his daughter, Mary Latimer, March 30, 1887, aged eighty-one years. His birthplace was Harrodsburg, Kentucky, and the date, September, 24, 1806. From his sixteenth year he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for many years served as class-leader and steward. His widow is still living at this writing, seventy-eight years of age. She is also a Methodist, having joined the church in her girlhood. Of the eight children born to them seven are still living, R. R. being the oldest; Susan is the wife of Thomas Long and lives in Creston, Iowa; Fletcher was the third born; Nichoas enlisted in the Fourteenth Iowa Regiment of Volunteer Infantry, August 27,1862,
and served three years; he was wounded in the charge at the battle of Vicksburg, May 22, 1863; was discharged August 25, 1865; and died several years later from the effect of said wound; he was a true Christian and a member of the Methodist Church; his wife was before her marriage Miss Lucretia Hall; Mary, wife of Joseph Latimer, has already been referred to; another son is named Abraham; Lydia J., a graduate of the Chicago Female Medical College, went to India as a missionary and physician, and three years later went to China, where she is now engaged as a missionary; Hardee, who graduated at Mount Pleasant College, is now a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Nebraska; and another son is M. A.

R. R. Wycoff received his education in the public schools. He learned the harness business and followed that three years. Failing health induced him to seek other employment and he turned his attention to mercantile business in Kossuth, Iowa. This he followed for about thirteen years with good success. July 5, 1872, he came to Adams county. He settled on a farm of eighty acres of wild land. He now owns 160 acres of improved land located in section 14, Lincoln township, and here he is engaged in general farming and stock-raising. His two-story residence is finely situated and commands a pleasing view of beautiful farming land.

March 23, 1858, Mr. Wycoff was united in marriage with Miss Lydia S., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim Husted, of Des Moines county, Iowa. Her father is still living, now aged seventy-nine years. Her mother was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, in July, 1819, and died at the age of fifty-four years. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church from her thirteenth year. Mrs. Wycoff was the oldest of their seven children. Eleven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wycoff, viz.: Amasy, a jeweler of Villisca, married Anna Pilkington, and has one child Clarence; Ellsworth D. is married and lives in Nebraska; he and his wife have two children, Fannie and Effie; John E. married Nellie Shepherd and has one child, Ray; Alonzo C. died at the age of twenty-four years; EmmaO., Burkett, Nancy E., Perry S., deceased, Elmer, deceased, Robert R., deceased, and Sophronia. Mr. and Mrs. Wycoff and several of the children are members of the United Brethren Church, and he is a minister in good standing in the same. At present he has no regular work as minister, but has filled various appointments acceptably and preaches yet quite frequently. He is candid and cordial in his manner and is one of the deservedly popular and highly respected citizens of Lincoln township.