Burr Bouton

BOUTON

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/10/2009 at 21:23:01

Burr Bouton, has been a resident of Boone county for comparatively a brief period, arriving in 1890, but already he has gained a wide acquaintance and the friendship of many with whom he has come in contact has been extended to him in recognition of his worth. He lives on Sec 34, Peoples township. A native of Illinois, he was born in Peoria county, October 12, 1846. His father, Jehiel Bouton, was born in New York in 1807 and in the year 1817 accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio, the family having been one of the first to locate in the section of the state which they made their home. There amid the wild scenes of the frontier Jehiel Bouton was reared and experienced many of the hardships and difficulties of pioneer life. Again, however, he became identified with pioneer experiences, for he took up his abode in Peoria county, Illinois, when the work of improvement was just being begun there. He was married in Princeville, that county, to Miss Hannah L Hall, who was born and reared in Ohio. Mr Bouton was a carpenter by trade and although he worked at that pursuit to a limited extent he also owned and operated a farm, upon which he reared his family. From the time of his removal to Illinois until his demise he continued a resident of Peoria county and there died in the year 1885. His wife survived him for several years and passed away in September 1900. This worthy couple were the parents of seven children who reached man and womanhood, three sons and four daughters. The eldest son was James Bouton, no a resident of Dallas county, where he follows farming, Burris the next younger, Warren is a business man of Princeville, Illinois. The sisters are: Elizabeth, the wife of William Pears, of Penkin, Illinois, Amanda, the wife of Jacob Cox of Adair, Iowa, Mary who was married and died leaving one son, Herbert Savage, and Julia, the wife of Burt Harden of Peoria, Illinois.
In the county of his nativity Burr Bounton was reared, spending his life upon the home farm where the work of field and meadow early became familiar to him through practical experience. In the winter months he attended the common schools and thus gained a good knowledge of the common branches of English learning. He remained with his father until he had reached man’s estate and then started out in life for himself. Coming to Iowa he worked for about a year in Wapello county and then returned to Peoria county, Illinois, where he continued to reside until 1871. In that year he again came to Iowa, this time settling in Taylor county, where he spent two years. Next he again located in the county of his nativity, where he was employed until 1876.
In the meantime Mr Bouton was married in Stark county, Illinois, on December 18, 1873, to Sarah E Hull, whose birth occurred in that county and who was a teacher prior to her marriage. The young couple took up their abode upon a farm in Peoria county, where they remained until the spring of 1876, at which time they became residents of Keokuk county, Iowa. For four years Mr Bouton was identified with farming interests there and then removed to Dallas county where he operated a rented farm near Woodward for tow years. He then purchased fifty-three and one-half acres of land in Dallas county and developed the place into an excellent property. He continued to plow and plant the fields there with good results for eight years and also rented a farm there, running it in addition to his home property. In June, 1889 he purchased his present farm on Sec 34, Peoples township, and the following season established his home here. He built a small house and began to improve his land. Later he made additions to and remodeled the house and now has a good farm residence together with a large barn and all other necessary outbuildings. He has since purchased an additional tract of sixty acres of land on Sec 13, and this is now occupied by his son. Mr Bouton’s long experience as an agriculturist has made him well qualified to carry on the work which he is now undertaking and in which he is now undertaking and in which he has met with creditable and satisfactory success. The home of our subject and his wife has been blessed with four children: Newton, who is married and is operating his father’s land, Orpha, the wife of Fred Wernhil, a resident farmer of Peoples township, Della, a well educated young lady who is now an able teacher of the county, and James, who assists his father in the operation of the ho9me farm. Mr Bounton has been able to supply his family with a very comfortable living and a good home all through his won well directed efforts and the assistance of his estimable wife.
He is a Democrat in his political views and has served as a member of the school board but otherwise has held no public office. He and his wife are identified through membership relations with the Methodist Episcopal church, One by one Mr Bouton has seen the evidences of frontier life displaced by the work of progress and improvement as it has been successfully carried forward. He has aided in laying broad and deep foundation for the improvement of the sections of Iowa in which he has lived and now he is classed among the representative and esteemed citizens of Peoples township.

1902 Boone County History Book