John H. Floyd 1800-1885

FLOYD, MCCRANEY, SHERRILL, ANDERSON, WATHEN, TUCKER

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 1/20/2019 at 21:40:52

CONCORD TOWNSHIP 1880

JOHN H. FLOYD-farmer, Sec. 20; P. O. Box Pin Oak; the subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born March 4, 1800, in Nelson Co., Kentucky; at the age of 14 he came to Gallatin Co., Ill.; he remained there until 1828, when he removed to Wisconsin; in 1833, he came to Dubuque Co., and has since resided here; he is one of the wealthiest and earliest settlors in this county; he owns in his immediate neighborhood about 600 acres of land, all of which he entered; soon after coming here, he received the appointment of Postmaster, and has held this office about forty years; he named the post office Pin Oak, from the character of the trees grown here; as his house is situated about twenty miles from Dubuque, it seems the most convenient place for travelers to stop, and he was forced to keep a public house; this house has been known as the Western Hotel; there is a sign fastened to a tree which reads Western Hotel, and was presented to Mr. Floyd in 1848 by his friend Mr. McCraney, it laid about his house about a year or two, when Samuel Peck, now of Clayton Co., proposed fastening it to a tree, which he did, and where it remains since; the oldest cabin in the county was located on his land, and is even now in a good state of preservation ; this cabin he first occupied when coming here ; he lived in it one winter without doors, there being none in the house, and no timber to make any with; he afterwards bought some planks to make doors, but used it in making a coffin for a noted horse thief and robber, named Kentuck Anderson, who was shot by Mr. Sherrill , and whom he assisted in burying; Mr. Floyd assisted in getting out the logs to build the old Bell Tavern in Dubuque; it was located now where the Julien House now stands; it was built in 1833; there was a tree used as a post office and known as the White Oak Post Office, situated in Jefferson Township, and near where the T. Aldersons’ store now stands; a large, square hole was mortified in this tree where all mail matters were received and delivered; J. W. Griffith preformed the duty of mail carrier, and made weekly trips; this office was started about 1836 or 1837. Mr. Floyd was married to Miss Sarah Wathen Dec. 30, 1835; she was born in Nelson County, Ky. Jan. 28, 1811; they have five children, two living – Sarah J., now Mrs. A. C. Tucker, and Fannie E., now Mrs. L. E. Tucker .

Since the above was put in type, Mrs. A. C. Tucker has met her death by the accidental discharge of a gun in the hands of a servant while house-keeping. The hammer of the lock came in contact with the door, causing premature discharge, the contents entering the heart of Mrs. Tucker. This sad affair happened on Friday afternoon, April 16, 1880.

Cottage Hill, Iowa; James H. Schmitt