Redman, George

REDMAN, HAM, BAILEY, PAYNES, HAMILTON, FEAR, COX

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 7/7/2019 at 07:52:40

Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa, (Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), pp. 499-500:

"GEORGE REDMAN, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser, resides on section 35, Long Creek Township, where he owns 600 acres of land in a high state of cultivation. He was born in the parish of Blackford, Somersetshire, England, November 17, 1831, son of John and Hester (Ham) Redman, natives of England. He grew to manhood in his native country, and emigrated to America in 1852, first settling in Dyersville, Dubuque County, Iowa, where he remained twenty-one years engaged in farming. When he first arrived in this State he was employed for a short time in digging a mill-race. He then went to Minnesota on a Government survey, remaining there several months, after which he returned to farming. He purchased some town lots in Dyersville, and traded them for a piece of land, then bought 160 acres of John Bailey. Mr. Redman received $100 from the Government for surveying, and $10 premium for good conduct. He added to his land until he had 240 acres, which he sold to Anthony Cramer for $9,000. He then, in 1872, came to Decatur County and purchased a farm of ninety acres from the Russell family, and traded it to Stephen Strong for the 600 acres where he now resides, giving $9,000 besides the land. Since that time he has been extensively engaged in farming and stock-raising, sometimes feeding as many as 116 cattle of a season. He is making a specialty of handling short-horn thorough-breds, of which he has twenty-two head. He has twenty-two horses, 250 sheep, a fine flock of cotswold and some fine Poland-China hogs. Mr. Redman was married in Dubuque County, March 17, 1854 to Miss Jane Bailey, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Paynes) Bailey, natives of England, where she was born, in 1835. They had six children, three of whom are living – Walter B., married Sarah A. Hamilton, daughter of G. A. Hamilton of Leon, and they have two children – Carrie and John. Frederick H. married Etta Hamilton, also daughter of G. A. Hamilton, and they have three children – Lettie; Frank G. and Teresa; Rose Ella lives in Leon and is not married. Mrs. Redman died in November, 1867, and Mr. Redman was a second time married at St. Mark’s Church, Mark, Somersetshire, England, in 1869, to Louisa J. Fear, daughter of the late Robert and Betsy (Cox) Fear, born in the same parish and county in 1844. Their children are – Cora V., George C., John B. and Benjamin F. Mr. Redman has served as a school director, road supervisor, and many other school and township offices. He had an abscess on one of his cheek bones about a year ago and became somewhat alarmed. He went to Chicago and consulted more than forty of the best physicians, every one of which unhesitatingly pronounced it a cancer of a malignant kind. Knowing that he had inherited nothing of the kind he was unwilling to believe it a cancer, and he called on Professor Peck of Davenport, who examined it carefully and said it was necrosis of decayed bone, and made arrangements for performing a surgical operation, which consisted of making an incision over the bone, and after removing the decayed bone and corruption the would was dressed and readily healed, and is now perfectly sound. Mr. Redman displayed rare judgment in the course he pursued, a course that has characterized him through life. Most persons would have submitted to the judgment of the Chicago physicians, and given themselves up to the destroyer. His paternal grandfather lived to be 100 years old. There were in his family thirty-two grandchildren at his death, and ninety-five great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren. Politically Mr. Redman is a Republican. Post-office, Fierce."

Submitted to the Decatur County GenWeb site by Christy Jay, email: Jaygenie@aol.com)