LOCKIN, C. H. - 1914

LOCKIN, GREGG, DICK, BEATTY, LANDON, FERGUSON

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/1/2009 at 04:41:03

HISTORY OF
Cherokee County
IOWA
VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY
1914
By Thomas McCulla

C. H. LOCKIN.

C. H. Lockin, who has lived retired in Aurelia since 1880, having in the course of his active life made many substantial contributions to the agricultural development of Cherokee county, was born in Wisconsin in 1851. He is a son of John and Mary J. (Gregg) Lockin, the former a native of New York state, where his marriage occurred. The parents afterward moved to Wisconsin, where they opened up a new farm in pioneer times, their land lying near the present site of the city of Watertown. After improving this farm for a number of years the father sold the property and moved to Fond du Lac county, where he bought one hundred and eighty acres which in the course of years he brought to a high state of cultivation. He added to his holdings from time to time, finally acquiring two hundred acres upon which he lived until his death, which occurred in 1888. He and his wife were the parents of six children besides the subject of this review: J. C., of Aurelia; Ella, the wife of R. T. Dick, also of Aurelia; Angie, who married Rev. S. R. Beatty, district superintendent of the Cedar Rapids district of the Methodist church; and W. H., Emily and Mary J., all of whom have passed away.

C. H. Lockin was reared in Wisconsin, acquiring his education in the public schools of that state and afterward engaging in teaching for one term. When he was twentyone years of age he came to Iowa and taught the first school in Aurelia for one winter. At the end of that time he purchased a tract of wild land, breaking the soil with ox teams and steadily carrying forward the work of improving and developing this property until 1880. In that year he retired from active life and built a fine home in Aurelia, where he has since resided. He still has valuable holdings in farm lands, his property being divided into three farms: one of two hundred acres in Buena Vista county; and two aggregating eight hundred and forty acres in Cherokee county. These are all well improved and in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Lockin is a stockholder and .director in the Farmers National Bank and has been for many years interested in the Lockin Hotel of Aurelia.

In 1877 Mf Lockin was united in marriage to Mrs. W. H. Lockin, a daughter of F. P. and Betsy (Landon) Ferguson, natives of New York and early settlers in Wisconsin, where both passed away. la their family were four children beside the wife of the subject of this review: C. W. and H. L., deceased; Leander, of Brandon, Wisconsin; and William, of Madison, that state. Mr. and Mrs. Lockin have three daughters: Caroline, a graduate of Morningside College, Sioux City, and now engaged in teaching; Jessie Emily, also a graduate of Morningside College and for the past two years a teacher in the public schools of Cherokee county; and Clara Louise, who has engaged in teaching since graduating from Morningside College. Mrs. Lockin has also a son by her former marriage, Charles H., of Cherokee county.

Mr. Lockin is a progressive republican in his political beliefs and has held a number of local offices, serving as treasurer of the township and school boards. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and both are active in religious work, supporting many projects for the building of churches and colleges. They are people of exemplary character and high principles and they command and hold the confidence and regard of a wide circle of friends.