GRENAWALT, Isaac

GRENAWALT, LOGSTON, BUNT, TURNER, WILCOXSON, COEN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/28/2014 at 06:58:29

History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.

Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith
Supervising Editors

The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. Pp. 368-70. Chicago. 1915.

ISAAC GRENAWALT

Isaac Grenawalt, who was for some time actively engaged in farming and stock-raising in Harrison county, Missouri, six and a half miles southwest of Lamoni, died on the 9th of November, 1890. He was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, December 20, 1817, a son of John and Rachel (Logston) Grenawalt, both natives of Germany. Many representatives of the family emigrated to America at the same time, but some of them settled in the east. Isaac Grenawalt was one of a family of eleven sons and three daughters. He was reared and educated in Kentucky and was married in Meade county, that state, on the 8th of July, 1847, to Miss Mary Ann Bunt. They resided in the Blue Grass state until they removed to Jefferson countv, Iowa where they arrived in November, 1849. Mr. Grenawalt entered eighty acres of land there, which he cultivated for six years. In 1855 he sold out and removed to Harrison county, Missouri, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres from the government and later purchased a nearby eighty acres. Although his later years were given to agricultural pursuits, he was also a carpenter and in early manhood followed that trade.

His wife was born near Greensburg, Green county, Kentucky November 9, 1828, and is a daughter of William and Eliza (Turner) Bunt, both Kentuckians by birth and of Scotch-Irish descent. They removed to Iowa in the fall of 1848, settling in Jefferson county, whence a few years later they went to Warren county, this state. After residing there for some time they removed to Harrison county, Missouri, where they lived for years, after which they took up their residence in Smith county, Kansas. There the father entered a quarter section of land, although past sixty years of age. After selling that property he removed to Gaylord, Kansas, where he died at the advanced age of ninety-six years. His widow spent her last days with her daughter Mrs. Grenawalt and died April 23, 1901, when she had almost reached the remarkable age of one hundred and one years. Mrs. Grenawalt has a sister living at Emporia, Kansas. Two of her brothers and two brothers-in-law all served in the Civil war and all were taken prisoners at Shiloh. One brother passed away in Arkansas in August, 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Grenawalt became the parents of nine children, three of whom are living: Charles U.; Mrs. Mary Eliza Wilcoxson, who resides on a farm in Missouri; and Rachel Ann, the wife of Amos Coen, of Milan, Missouri, a retired minister of the Presbyterian church. The other members of the family were: William Heniy, who died when two and a half years old; Rebecca E., who died when eleven months old; John L., who passed away upon his farm and who left a family; Mitchell, who died in New Mexico when he was twenty-three years old ; Frank, who died at the age of seventeen years; and Joseph Elza, who died May 18, 1906, at Blythedale, Missouri, when forty-nine years of age. His body was buried at Eagleville, Missouri.

Mr. Grenawalt was a democrat but never felt any desire for political preferment, being content to perform his duties as a citizen in a private capacity. He began to provide for his own support when but sixteen years of age and the gratifying measure of material prosperity which he gained was due solely to his energy, progressiveness and good judgment. The principles which guided him in all of his relations of life were those found in the teachings of the United Brethren church, with which his widow is also identified, having been a member thereof since 1853. She still owns the homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Harrison county, Missouri, and also eighty additional acres in that county. She spends part of her time upon the farm and part in Lamoni. She has gained many warm friends and all who have been brought into contact with her hold her in high esteem. Slie has in her possession a jDicture showing five generations of the family, including her mother, herself, her daughter-in-law, granddaughter and great-granddaughter.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014