John BISHOP

BISHOP, WEAVER, BITTERMAN, SPOTTS, DAILY

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/26/2011 at 02:02:25

BIOGRAPHY - JOHN BISHOP.

Noteworthy among the more thriving and progressive agriculturists of Cerro Gordo county is John BISHOP, who is here extensively engaged in general farming and stock raising, his estate of three hundred and fifty-four acres lying in sections, eleven, thirteen and fourteen, of Portland township. A portion of his estate is in the west half of the southeast quarter of section eleven; a part in the west half of the northeast quarter of section thirteen; while the home place is in the north half of the northeast quarter of section fourteen.

A son of Joseph BISHOP, he was born, October 13, 1842, in Stark county, Ohio, of English ancestry. Joseph BISHOP was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and his father came to this country from England. Joseph BISHOP learned the trades of a cooper and mason, and these he followed, according to the season, in Pennsylvania until after his marriage. Moving then to Stark county, Ohio, he secured forty acres of land, and in addition to improving a good farm worked at his trades during the remainder of his active life, continuing his residence in Ohio until his death, in 1881, at the age of eighty-two years. He was a man of influence in the community, successful in business, and a member of the Lutheran church. His wife, who maiden name was Elizabeth WEAVER, died in 1845, at the early age of thirty-nine years, and he never married again. Of their eleven children, seven grew to years of maturity and two are living, one son, Joseph, being a resident of Akron, Ohio; and John.

Brought up on the farm in Stark county, Ohio, John BISHOP received but limited educational advantages, although he was well drilled in the various branches of agriculture. During the civil war he served nine months in Company I, Seventy-Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, taking part in many engagements of importance.

Migrating to Illinois in 1865, he was for sometime employed as a farm laborer in Plainfield, Will county. Industrious and thrifty, he accumulated some money and on March 23, 1870, accompanied by Mr. M. E. BITTERMAN, he arrived in Cerro Gordo county, and has since been actively and successfully engaged in farming and stock raising, making a specialty of raising a fine grade of Short-Horn cattle and Poland China hogs.

Mr. BISHOP married, in 1872, Lucinda SPOTTS, who was born in Summitt county, Ohio, and came to Cerro Gordo county in November, 1871. Eleven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. BISHOP, namely: Nathaniel J., who served as a member of Company D., Seventh California Volunteer Infantry, in the Spanish war, is a farmer in Washington on the Puget Sound, and is married has two children; Frank, engaged in farming near Mabton, Klickitat county, Washington, is married and has a son and a daughter; Alice, who married Hiram L. WEAVER, died in Summitt county, Ohio in February, 1905, leaving two children, Irving and Grace, who Mr. and Mrs. BISHOP kindly cared for five years; Ed, is a very successful wheat grower in Lincoln county, Washington; Mary, wife of K. L. DAILY of Chicago, Illinois, has three children; Laura is living at home; Arthur is engaged in farming in Klickitat county, Washington; Lloyd is at Roundtop, Montana, a rancher; Jay, Glenn and Blaine at home.

Politically Mr. BISHOP has ever been a true supporter of the principles of the Republican party, and has been influential in local affairs. Mrs. BISHOP is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. She is a woman of ability, and has well assisted her husband in all the cares and burdens of life, proving herself a true helpmate.

SOURCE: Wheeler, J. H. History of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. Vol. II. Pp. 754-55. Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago. 1910

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, February of 2011