Sam M Sterrett

STERRETT

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 4/12/2010 at 13:10:55

Among the retired citizens of Boone who well merit the rest which has come to them is Sam M Sterrett, who for many years was actively engaged in farming and is still the owner of valuable farm property in the county. He resides, however, at 1328 Harrison street in Boone and there, surrounded by many of the comforts and luxuries of life, he is spending the evening of his days is quiet and well earned rest. He arrived here Oct 1865, having driven across the country from Tippecanoe county, Indiana, where his birth occurred October 14, 1835. His parents were Robert and Margeret (Montgomery)Sterrett. The former was born in the Ireland, of scotch parentage. His mother came to America with her youngest son and youngest duaghter, both of whom are now deceased, and made her way to Indiana, her death occurring in Tippecanoe county, that state. Robert Sterrett, crossing the Atlantic to the new world, passed away in Tippecanoe county, Indiana at a comparatively early age, dying in 1837, while his wife survied him only until 1841 or 1842. She was born in Wayne county, Indiana, and at her death left four children, while one had passed away previously.
Sam M Sterrtt is the only one now living of the two sons and two daughters who reached adult age and is the only one who ever came to Iowa .His brother Rev Alexander Sterrett was a Presbyterian minister at Evansville, Indiana, also in Kentucky and for many years at Terre Haute, Indiana. Finally he went to Kansas, where he engaged in missionary work, organizing churches at Wyandotte and several other places. He finally passed away at Wyandotte, now Kansas City, Kansas in 1888. He had become the owner of considerable land in that state, comprising two sections in Clay county, Elizabeth Sterrett, sister of S M Sterrett, was twice married and by her first marriage left a son, William Shurtz, who is now a property owenr of Boone. The children of her second marriage are deceased. One of the sons, George R Simpson, was a prominent educator of Minnesota and died at the age of 35 years. Jane Sterrett became the wife of Matthew Stranahan but died a few months later.
Sam M Sterrett was educated in the public schools. Being left and orphan at an early age, he resided with an uncle and with others through the period of his boyhood and youth, but early in life started out to make his own living. At length he rented a farm, which he cutivated until 1865.
While on a visit in Boone county in 1858 Mr Sterret was married to Miss Mary Jane Dawkins, a native of Kentucky, who later went to Indiana and finally came to Iowa .She died in January 1869, upon the home farm in Dodge twp, at the age of 29 years, leaving 3 children, Jennie, now the wife of John Hannum, of Boone, Celetia Anna, the wife of Rev A T Carpenter, a Methodist Episcopal minister, who is now preaching near Winnipeg, in Manitoba, Canada, and Margaret who is the wife of John Boucher, a farmer residing near Hastings, Colorado. In 1870 Mr Sterrett was again married, his second union being with Miss Winnie Baker, who was born in Clay county, Indiana, in July 1851, a daugher of Joel and Ollie Baker, who came from Indiana in the fall of 1851, and settled in Boone county, where they have since resided. To the second marriage of Mr Sterrett there have been born 10 children, Docia, the wife of Herman Stotts, of Minesota, May the wife of Arthur Stotts, residing on her father's farm in Dodge twp, Robert Leroy , who died at the age of 8 yreas, Eva the wife of Harry Wiley, living in Boone, Mabel, the wife of Frank Anderson a resident of Boone, Clara the wife of Alvin Bowman a farmer living near Boone, Iowa Belle, the wife of Arthur Doran, who follows farming near Boone, Alexander who married Miss Nellie Nyberg and formerly engaged in railroading but is now engaged in truck farming, Lillian who is attending Simpson College, and Irene, also a sturdent in that school. All of these chidlren have taught school.
Mr Sterrett has been very successful in his business affairs, ranking for many years as a leading and prosperous agriculturist of his county. His homestead, which he still owns, is a farm of 240 acres of rich and productive land, five miles north of the corporation limits of Boone, He was also the owner of another tract of 200 acres, which he sold recently. It was int eh winter following his arrival in Oct o1865, that he purchased the home place and from that time until his retirement he was an active factor in the agriucltural develpment of the community. Having now put aside the work of the fields, he is enjoying a well earned rest, having purchased and remodeled his present comfortable home a No 1328 Harrison street in Boone.
Politially Mr Sterrett was a democrat, but a change in his views led him to support the republican party and he now votes the prohibition ticket, for he has always been a stanch advocate of its doctrines and believes the liquor question to be one of the paramount issues before the people today. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church of Boone, as do the others of his family ,and his life has been guided by its teachings, thus making him one of the men of the county most worthy of respect, confidence and good-will.

1914 Boone County History Book