HINGSTON, Sam Oldrey

HINGSTON, COLLINS, WYATT, RICH

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/28/2014 at 11:48:27

Biography ~ Sam Oldrey Hingston

"Biographical and Historical Record of
Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa"
(Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), p. 491:

SAM OLDREY HINGSTON, farmer, Franklin Township, was born in Devonshire, England, October 21, 1852, a son of RICHARD and GRACE (COLLINS) HINGSTON. In his youth he learned the carpentry’s trade, at which he worked until twenty-one years old, when he left his native country and sailed for America, to fight the battle of life among strangers. His first permanent location was at Peoria, Illinois, where he worked at his trade a year. He then went to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he lived six years. He entered a tract of Government land in Minnesota, and also worked at his trade, but the greater part of his time was spent in hunting deer, at which he was very successful. In 1862 he moved to the southern part of Minnesota, where he engaged in farming, until 1869, when he moved to Iowa, and lived a year in Afton, Union County, moving thence to Decatur County, and locating on the farm where he now lives. He first purchased was 320 acres, and to this he has since added 498 acres, making one of the best farms in the county. It is well watered with natural flowing springs, and is all under cultivation. In addition to his home farm he owns 400 acres of fine land, making his landed estate number 1, 218 acres. He pays considerable attention to stock-raising, making a specialty of sheep, having one of the largest flocks in the county. He has no aspiration for official honors, but has at the request of his fellow townsmen served as pathmaster and school director. Mr. HINGSTON is one of the most prominent and influential citizens of Decatur County, his financial prosperity being the result of his good management and strict business integrity. He is a stockholder in the Weldon Bank, Weldon, Iowa; made a $4,000 stock sale on the 19th of October, 1886, and has 125 head of good stockcattle left. He has twenty of the best dogs in the county, and says he is a going to kill more wolves in the winter of 1886-‘7 than any other man in the State. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in his religious faith is an Episcopalian. He was married in St. Paul, Minnesota, to JANE RICH WYATT, daughter of JAMES and HANNAH (RICH) WYATT. They have two children – FRANCIS P. and HANNAH GRACE.

Transcription by Sara LeFleur, Decatur County Historical Society Museum, January of 2014