Jacob Leib Staman, 1827-1912

STAMAN, LEIB, BOWMAN, ZENT

Posted By: LuAnn (Wentworth) Goeke (email)
Date: 11/14/2010 at 13:57:57

JACOB L. STAMAN was born in Lancaster County, Pa., April 13, 1827. His father, Jacob Staman, was also a native of Lancaster County, as was also his grandfather, but the original progenitors were German, and the father of Jacob's grandfather was the founder of the Staman family in the United States. The father of our subject was 15 years of age when his father died.

Jacob Staman, Sr. was reared on a farm and lived in Lancaster County until 1835. He then removed to Wayne County, Ohio and bought an improved farm in Baughman Twp., residing there till[sic] 1856 when he sold out and came to Clinton County, locating in Bloomfield twp. and there lived until his death. The maiden name of our subject's mother was Mary Leib who was born in Lancaster County, Pa. This union was productive of seven children of whom our subject was the third and eldest son.

Jacob L. Staman was eight years of age when his parents removed to Ohio, in which state he attended school and helped his father at farming, living with his parents until he attained his majority. About this time he rented a part of the homestead for a space of two years, then bought 110 acres on which he lived until 1856, when he sold out and came to Clinton County, coming as far as Rock Island on the cars. That city was then the western terminus. He then hired a team and went overland to Clinton County. One year previous to this he had bought the land and put up a small frame house and straw stable. Breaking 120 acres on the place, he began his labor, and at the present day [1886] notwithstanding his furious struggle with poverty and ill luck, he has as desirable a homestead as the county and township contain. He has erected neat buildings, and all the farm is enclosed and under a high state of cultivation. It contains 400 acres and upon it he raises both grain and stock.

Our subject was married Dec. 19, 1850 to Susan Bowman, who was born in Stark County, Ohio, April 18, 1833, and is the daughter of Jacob and Mary (Zent) Bowman, natives of Franklin County, Pa. There were nine children born of this union, by name John, Mary, Levi, George, Jacob F., Erwin, Daniel, Orlando and Ivanilla. His son John lives in Delaware. Levi is a resident of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. George lives in Colorado, and Jacob, also called Frank, lives in Dakota. Mrs. Staman died Nov. 16, 1874.

Our subject has held various offices of trust in the township, and is a man known to nearly everyone as being prominently connected with the political history of the township for over thirty years. He represented his town in the County Board of Supervisors under the old system for nine years, and seven years under the new. He was Justice of the Peace thirteen years, and has been Trustee, Collector, and Township Assessor. He was a popular and prominent man during the war, making out all the military rolls for the township, and has been Director of Schools for several terms. He cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. Scott, in 1856, and has been a Republican ever since the formation of that party. Any county feels a pride in recording on its annals those names destined to live and go down to posterity, and bright and prominent among these must stand that of our subject, who is one of the most influential men and most devoted to the interests of the community that Clinton County has ever included within her borders. - 1886 Portrait & Biographical Album of Clinton County, Iowa, pg 176-177.