Lorenz Dutton

DUTTON, JONES, BAILEY, BLANCHARD, HAWLEY

Posted By: Linnie Howell (email)
Date: 4/21/2005 at 00:09:04

DUTTON, Lorenz, farmer, Sec. 3; born Feb. 28, 1826, in Meredith, Delaware Co., N. Y.; remained at home, at his father's farm, going to school in the winter and working on the farm in the summer until he was 18 years of age; then worked for his uncle six months; attended school until about 20 years old, when he went to Steuben, and spent two years in farming in Summer and lumbering in the Winter; returned to Meredith, where he remained until the Spring of 1848, when he became one of a party consisting of Henry Jones, Charles M. Jones, W. W. Bailey and Wm. Blanchard, and came West in search of a home; came across the Lakes from Buffalo to Chicago; thence to Galena by team; thence to Sand Prairie, nine miles south of Galena, where they worked at haying for a month; then started on foot for Iowa; they had heard of the Turkey River country that had then just been vacated by the Indians; and hither they came on foot all the way from Galena, via Colesburg and Elkader; after visiting the Mission and some other locations, finally, early in August, determined to locate on the beautiful prairie about three miles from Round Grove (now West Union), on what proved to be 3, 94, 8, when the surveys were made; went back with Henry Jones to Galena and purchased three yoke of cattle, a wagon, breaking-plow, provisions and other articles necessary for a pioneer settlement; returned to their claim Sept. 11, 1848, and settled with the Jones brothers, where he now resides; built a hay cabin, which, about a month afterward, was burned and with it their clothes, boots, a portion of their supplies and the hay they had cut for their cattle; then built a substantial log cabin about thirty rods north of his present residence; has resided on the claim he originally took from tht day to the present, and is a prosperous farmer. Nov. 2d and 3d snow fell eighteen inches deep, and the weather became very cold; a few days after the storm, both Mr. Dutton and Mr. Jones froze their feet severely while hunting their cattle that had strayed from home; lost a yoke of cattle during the Winter; in the Fall of 1849, returned to Cameron, Steuben Co., N. Y., and, Jan. 26, 1850, married Miss Malinda A. Hawley; returned to Iowa with his young wife in May, 1850; children - Lillie F., born May 5, 1851; Carrie H., born Dec. 2, 1855; Mabel E., born June 5, 1857. Mrs. Malinda A. Dutton died Oct. 1, 1868; and Mr. Dutton, for the benefit of his anxious friends, desires it said that he is not married at present writing, July, 1878.

1878 History of Fayette Co. Iowa - West Union Twp.
Page 581