WHISMAN, Miles B. - 1914

WHISMAN, BROWN, WALDON, BLUE, STRATTON, SELLMAN

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/2/2009 at 04:42:29

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

MILES B. WHISMAN.

The history of the agricultural development of Cherokee county would be incomplete were there failure to make mention of the career of Miles B. Whisman, who from 1874 to the time of his death, in 1900, was closely and prominently connected with farming interests here. He was born in Indiana on March 25, 1845, and was a son of David and Catherine (Brown) Whisman, of whom further mention is made elsewhere in this work.

Mr. Whisman was reared and educated in Indiana and Illinois and from the beginning of his active career engaged in farming, operating a fine property in the latter state until 1874. In that year he came to Cherokee county and bought three hundred and forty acres in Willow township, one hundred and sixty acres of which lie within the present corporate limits of Washta. Upon this property Mr. Whisman made his home for many years thereafter, erecting upon it substantial buildings and installing modern equipment, carrying forward the work of improvement and cultivation along progressive and practical lines. He died upon his farm December 16, 1900, and his passing was felt as a distinct loss to agricultural interests of this locality.

On the 6th of August, 1863, Mr. Whisman was united in marriage to Miss Amanda Waldon, a daughter of Thomas and Charity (Blue) Waldon, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of Ohio, of ScotchEnglish descent. The father came to America at an early date and located in Springfield, Illinois, whence he afterward moved to McLean county, where he engaged in farming until his death, which occurred in 1848. His wife survived him many years, dying in 1885. Mr. and Mrs. Whisman became the parents of four children: George M., who died December 17, 1888; Ella, the wife of Charles Stratton, of Silver township; Catherine, who married Benton Sellman; and Frank M., an automobile dealer of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Mrs. Whisman survives her husband and after his death moved into Washta, buying a comfortable modern home, in which she now resides. She is widely and favorably known in the city, her many excellent characteristics having won her an extensive circle of friends.

Mr. Whisman helped to lay out the town of Washta, giving sixty acres of his land as part of the town site and from the time of the organization of the community taking an active part in advancing its interests, lending his cooperation and hearty support to all progressive projects and measures. His political allegiance was given to the democratic party and while he was not active as an office seeker, he served for four years as a member of the county board of supervisors, discharging his duties in a straightforward and able manner. He lived in Cherokee county for twentysix years and had a wide acquaintance throughout this section of the state, so that his death, bringing to a close a life of genuine and unostentatious usefulness, was deeply and sincerely regretted by many friends.