William Creswell

CRESWELL, DEAN, WILSON, DRYAN, KENNEDY, LOUTHER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 11/10/2011 at 21:22:28

WILLIAM CRESWELL, formerly a successful agriculturist of Grundy County, is well known throughout the length and breadth of the county, and his high reputation and material prosperity are the reward of unusual natural abilities industriously applied. He has been prospered in his calling as a farmer, and for the last four years has been leading a life retired from active work of any kind in the city of Reinbeck.

Like many of the best residents of this county, our subject was born in the North of Ireland, in 1844, and is the son of Henry and Anna (Dean) Creswell. His paternal grandfather, who bore the name of Andrew, was also born in Ireland, whither his parents had come from Scotland. He was a farmer by occupation, and a well-to-do land owner. He was a man of good education, and two of his sons were prominent teachers in that part of Ireland. The grandfather was a Presbyterian religiously, and although never making his home in any other country, at one time crossed the Atlantic on a visit to Canada. He lived to a good old age, as did also his wife, who bore the name of Anna Dean. The father of our subject was the eldest in the family, his brothers and sister being Allen, James, William and Rebecca.

As the eldest of the family, Henry Creswell was early thrown upon his own resources, and was not only obliged to earn his own living, but assisted in the education of his younger brothers. When quite young, he took to the sea, which life he only followed a short time, and returning to terra firma, purchased a small tract of land, in the operation of which he was quite successful. When twenty-eight years of age, he was married to the mother of our subject, who was the daughter of John Dean, a miller by trade. To them were born three children, viz.: Rebecca, Jane, and William, our subject. The first daughter came to the United States, and after writing home, in 1855, was never heard of again. The father of our subject died in 1858, and his good wife survived him two years.

William Creswell remained at home until the death of his parents, in the meantime following the occupation of a farmer in his native land, Ireland. In the spring of 1866 he came to the United States, and on locating in Tama County, this state, worked out by the month on farms for two years. At the expiration of that time, in company with his brother-in-law, he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, to which they soon added a quarter-section. They continued thus to operate for some time, when they divided their property, and Mr. Creswell still owns one hundred and sixty acres in Tama County.

In 1873, while residing in the above place, our subject and Miss Catherine Wilson were united in marriage. Mrs. Creswell, who was born in Connecticut, was the daughter of West and Maggie (Dryan) Wilson, who were among the very earliest settlers of this part of Iowa, where they were well-to-do farmers. Mrs. Creswell’s mother died when she was six years of age, and her father was again married, this time to Miss Barbara Kennedy, by whom he had four children. By his first wife he became the father of nine children.

Mr. and Mrs. Creswell are devoted members of the Congregational Church, in which body the former has been Trustee. They have taken into their hearts and home an orphan, Jennie Louther, who came from Davenport, and is now ten years of age. In politics, our subject is a stanch Republican, and is a man of sterling integrity and excellent business ability. He occupies a high place in the community, and enjoys the confidence and sincere esteem of a host of long-time friends.

Source:
Portrait and Biographical Record
of Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, Iowa
1894