Levi D. Aton (1844-1929)

ATON

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 3/26/2022 at 11:40:21

Levi Dennis Aton
(March 4, 1844 – March 10, 1929)

Levi D. Aton, a well-known contractor and builder of Lake City, Iowa, and an honored veteran of the Civil war, has here made his home since July, 1870. He was born in Pennsylvania on the 4th of March. 1844, and is a son of Rufus Aton and Eucebia (Mead) Aton, who were born, reared and married in Pennsylvania. The father was a brickmaker by trade, and followed that occupation throughout his active business life. At an early day he removed to Erie County. Ohio, and worked at his trade in Venice some years, but his last days were spent in Detroit, Michigan, where his death occurred. His widow still survives him and now resides in Ohio. Our subject has three brothers, L. G., D. M. and C. M., residing in Fulton County, Ohio, and also a half sister, Elizabeth, the wife of John Spade. Mr. Aton, of this review, passed his boyhood and youth in Ohio, and received his education in the common schools of that state. On the 15th of May, 1861, he enlisted, together with his brothers, L. G. and D. M., in Company I, Thirty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. He participated in the battles of Mill Springs and Corinth, besides numerous skirmishes, and also took part in the raid against Bragg. Later he was in the battles of Stone River and Jonesboro, Georgia ; the engagements around Atlanta, and the march to the. sea. On his way to Raleigh he received the news of Lee's surrender. Mr. Aton was detailed and served six months in the United States Artillery, and later re-enlisted, remaining at the front until hostilities ceased, and serving in all, four years and two months. During this time he was given a twenty-eight day furlough, and then rejoined his regiment at Chattanooga, Tennessee. When the war was over he was honorably discharged at Cleveland, Ohio, in July 1865, and returned to his home in that state.
Mr. Aton found employment at repairing vehicles, being thus engaged for two years. In 1868 he went to DeKalb County, Illinois, where he first worked as a harvest hand, and remained at that place for eighteen months. At the end of that time he came to Lake City, Iowa, arriving here in July 1870, and on the 2nd of the following August was united in marriage with Mrs. Caroline C. Hogle, widow of John Franklin Hogle, who was an old schoolmate and army comrade of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Aton have two daughters living, namely : Frances, wife of Ed Leatherury, a lumberman of Sherwood, Iowa : and Ida E., wife of Jack Cockran, of Lake City. The four sons born to them died in infancy and early childhood.
During the first few years of his residence here Mr. Aton worked at anything
which he could find to do, and then took up carpentering, which he has since followed with marked success. As a contractor and builder he has erected many of the residences of Lake City, and is today one of the carpenters of the place. Since casting his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1864, Mr. Aton has affiliated with the Republican party, but has never cared for the honors or emoluments of public office, preferring to give his entire time and attention to his business interests. He is an active member of Lake City Post, No. 156, G. A. R., and his wife holds membership in the Presbyterian church. They are widely and favorably known, and are held in the highest esteem by their many friends. [Source – Biographical Record of Calhoun County, Iowa, by S. J. Clarke, 1902, p.259]