Geroge W. Poisal

POISAL, CLARK, MATHER, SMITH, BURKET, MOORE

Posted By: Diane Wilson (email)
Date: 7/29/2002 at 21:16:29

On the 5th day of July, 1852, George W. Poisal, wife and four children, Thomas Clark and family, Jerry Clark and family and Mrs. Cynthia Clark and family arrived. They made the journey with teams, and were twenty-eight days in coming from Howard and Carroll counties, Indiana. Mr. Poisal and Thomas Clark at once entered one-half of section 18, Butler township, erected a log cabin and commenced pioneer life. As they brought but a small amount of provisions with them, they were soon obliged to purchase. For this purpose, in the month of August, Mr. Poisal took his team and started out. He drove one hundred miles, five miles beyond Marion, and there purchased a load of corn at twenty-five cents per bushel. While on his homeward way he busied himself shelling corn, which task he completed before he reached Cedar Falls, where he had the corn ground. He purchased flour at Cedar Rapids. They had also raised a crop of potatoes, which, with fish and venison, carried them through the winter.
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In 1853 Mr. Poisal sold his 160 acres to Daniel Mather and purchased the northeast quarter of section 18. In 1855 he laid out a portion of this into village lots as an addition to the village of Clarksville, where he resides. Farming has been his principal business, and although he has not accumulated a large fortune, he has always been able to supply his family with home comforts. Mr. Poisal – or Uncle George, as he is familiarly called – was born in Virginia on the 10th day of March, 1814. His parents, Jacob and Nancy (Smith) Poisal, were also natives of that State. He was reared on a farm, and in 1833 married Miss Mary Ann Burket. She died in 1842, leaving eight children, two of whom are now living – Lucinda, now Mrs. George Moore, and Hiram. In September, 1845, Mr. Poisal married Miss Elizabeth Clark, a sister of Thomas Clark, and by this union has had three children, two of whom are now living – Mary and Maria.
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Uncle George has always been highly esteemed by his fellow men. He was elected the first judge of Butler county, but did not qualify, for the reason he would be obliged to go to Independence to do so. He is a democrat, and has often held local offices. His religious connection is with the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Poisal is a Mason, being a charter member of the Blue Lodges at Cedar Falls and Clarksville. He is a member of the Chapter at Clarksville and the Commandery at Cedar Falls. He has filled all the offices in the Blue Lodge except master, and for the past four years has been treasurer both of the chapter and Blue Lodge.
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Source: History of Butler and Bremer Counties, Iowa
Union Publishing Co., Springfield, IL, 1883
Page 501