Mead P. Strahl

STRAHL, MEAD, DONALDSON

Posted By: Marthann Kohl-Fuhs (email)
Date: 5/16/2009 at 08:01:57

1889 BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND AUDUBON COUNTIES, IOWA
W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS
113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO

pages 793-794

MEAD P. STRAHL, an agriculturist
of Viola Township, was born in Bel-
mont County, Ohio, August 29, 1844,
and is the youngest of seven children of
Thomas and Sarah (Mead) Strahl. The par-
eats were born and reared in Ohio, and the
mother died there when Mead P. was one
year old; his father removed to Illinois, and
thence to Nebraska, where he died in 1878.
Sarah Mead was a daughter of Joseph Mead,
a native of Pennsylvania, of Quaker faith;
he was an early settler of Belmont County,
Ohio. Mead P. Strahl passed his youth in
his native county, receiving his education in
the pioneer log school-house. In the spring
of 1866 he went to Ogle County, Illinois,
and engaged in farming, making his home
there until 1883, when he removed to Audu-
bon County. He purchased 160 acres of
choice land, which is now well improved;
there is a good substantial residence, barns
and cribs, and the situation and neighborhood
cannot be surpassed. Mr. Strahl devotes his
time to general farming and stock-raising.
He was married in 1870 to Miss Alice J.
Donaldson, of Ogle County, Illinois, a daugh-
ter of James and Kate Donaldson; she was
born and reared in Ogle County. Ten chil-
dren have been born of this marriage -- Eva
J., Ida F., James C., Ella G., Frank, Fred
T., William S., Myrtle A., Verna K. and
Pearl. Mr. Strahl is director of school dis-
trict No. 4, and is supervisor of road district
No. 3. In June, 1863, he enlisted in the
One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Ohio Vol-
unteer Infantry, and served nine months.
He took part in the raid in Cumberland Gap
and capture of General Frazier; thence he
was ordered to Clinch River, and in March,
1864, he was mustered out of the service.
He re-enlisted in the 100-days' regiment,
and did duty in the Shenandoah Valley of
Virginia under General Sheridan. At the
expiration of the 100 days he enlisted in the
Fifteenth Ohio Volunteers as a recruit, serv-
ing until the close of the war. He was
ordered north in December, 1865, and was
discharged the 28th of that month. He then
returned to his old home in Ohio, and en-
gaged in the more peaceful as well as more
profitable occupation of farming. Mr. Strahl
is a member of the G. A. R. post at Dedham,
Carroll County, Iowa. He began life with
little capital but pluck, energy and a deter-
mination to succeed, and these traits have
brought their reward.