Holsaple, John A.

HOLSAPLE, KNEISLEY, STOOK, LEFEVER, ROBB, SPAULDING, VAN ALSTINE

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 6/8/2003 at 20:56:47

Source: "The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated" published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

JOHN A. HOLSAPLE

Prominent among the honored pioneers and representative citizens of Clinton county is this well-known contractor and builder of DeWitt. He was born in York county, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of July, 1817, - a day so dear to the hearts of all true Americans. The Holsaple family is of German origin and was founded in this country by John Adam Holsaple, who emigrated to the new world in 1620, being one of the passengers who came over in the Mayflower and landed at Plymouth Rock on the 20th of June, that year. Our subject is of the eighth generation in direct descent from this worthy Pilgrim father. He has in his possession a chest and other articles, kept as souvenirs, which were brought to this county by his ancestors at that time and have passed down from father to son for nearly, three hundred years. He also has a book published in Germany in the language of that country in 1618, and also has a copy of a will made there in 1691, through which he has ample and sufficient proof that he is one of the heirs to a large estate in Germany.

John A. Holsaple, the father of our subject, was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1795, and was a son of a Pennsylvanian, who also bore the name of John A. Holsaple. The latter fought for the independence of the colonies in the Revolutionary war, as did also his three brothers. On reaching man’s estate the father of our subject was married in York county, Pennsylvania, to Miss Silmoa Kneisley, who was born in Washington county, that state, March 8, 1795. In early life he worked at the stone mason’s trade. He was a man of superior education and for some time was employed as a professor in Dickerson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, teaching Latin and Greek and also higher mathematics. Later he was elected and served as county recorder and treasurer, and also filled other positions of honor and trust. He came to Iowa and spent his last years in Monmouth, Jackson county, where he died July 12, 1856. His wife passed away in Pennsylvania in 1840.

The subject of this review spent the days of his boyhood and youth in York and Cumberland counties of his native state. His school privileges were very limited, but he always made the most of his advantages, and through his own unaided efforts has acquired an excellent education since reaching years of maturity. He reads both English and German and is the possessor of a fine library of over three hundred volumes, some of which are very old and rare, being over one hundred and fifty years old. Mr. Holsaple is also a great newspaper reader and takes over a dozen papers constantly. His mind is very active and he has a most excellent memory. He is a fine penman, and during his younger years wrote a beautiful hand.

When a lad of twelve years Mr. Holsaple was bound out to learn the stone mason’s trade for six summers, and in the meantime he worked at type setting in a printing office two winters, and also spent the same length of time in learning the tailor’s trade, in Carlistle, Pennsylvania. Military affairs have always had an attraction for him, and in 1837 he served three months in what was known as the Buckshot war in Pennsylvania. In 1840 he joined the regular United States army and assisted in removing the remnant of two Indian tribes from Indian to St. Louis. He also served nine months in the Florida war. In 1846 he enlisted in Captain John F. Hunter’s company for service in the Mexican war, and was commissioned second lieutenant. He was detailed to do mason work on the barracks at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and after three years’ service at that place was honorably discharged.

In the fall of 1849 Mr. Holsaple came to Iowa, crossing the river at Savannah, Illinois. He first located in Jackson county, and from there came to DeWitt, Clinton county, where he worked for a short time, but subsequently spent two years in Savannah, Illinois, working at his trade, through his family continued to live in DeWitt. Since then he has spent most of his time in the latter place, and has erected most of the brick buildings here. In 1853 he built the old court house at DeWitt, and has erected a number of business blocks in Maquoketa.

Wheb the south attempted to secede, Mr. Holsaple once more entered the military service of his country, enlisting on the 9th of August, 1862, in Company H, Twenty-sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and was placed on detached duty in the commissary department under Quartermaster Flint, owing to his superior penmanship. He enlisted for three years, but was discharged in March, 1865, at Davenport, on account of disability, after having spent about three months in the hospital. Ill health prevented him from engaging in any business for two years, but at the end of that time he resumed work at his trade, and was for many years one of the leading masons and contractors in this section of the county.

On the 29th of December, 1842, Mr. Holsaple was married in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to Miss Henrietta Stook, a native of Chester county, that state, who died in DeWitt, Iowa, July 16, 1868. Of the three children born of that union Mary, the oldest, wedded William Lefever, of Philadelphia. The two sons, John A. and William, both died in infancy. Mr. Holsaple was again married in DeWitt, November 2, 1868, his second union being with Mary Robb, who was born in Forfarshire, Scotland, October 26, 1836, and is a daughter of James Robb, one of the early settlers of this county. She was principally reared in La Salle county, Illinois, and first gave her hand in marriage to Samuel Spaulding, a farmer of Clinton county, Iowa. Her second husband was Hiram Van Alstine, who was a member of Company A, Eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil war and died in the service.

Originally Mr. Holsaple was an abolitionist, as was his father and grandfather before him, and has been a stanch supporter of the Republican party since its organization, through his first presidential vote was cast for General Jackson, the Democratic candidate. He has never missed a presidential election since that time. Religiously he is a faithful and consistent member of the Christian church, and fraternally is a member of the Grand Army Post of DeWitt, and Right hand lodge, A. F. & A. M. During his residence in Pennsylvania he joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is now an Ancient Odd Fellow. For half a century he has been prominently identified with the upbuilding and development of this county and is numbered among its most highly respected and honored citizens. His patriotism and loyalty are above question, having been manifest by his service in several wars, where if need be he was willing to give his life for his country.

Since the foregoing was written Mr. Holsaple passed to his reward, dying July 9, 1901, after an illness of several weeks. He was buried with Masonic and G. A. R. honors.