HACKETT, Harrison

HACKETT

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 5/30/2021 at 15:14:26

Harrison Hackett
Harrison Hackett, one of the early settlers of Ida county, Iowa, was born in Orange County, Vermont, May 6, 1832, son of Emery and Amanda (Hines) Hackett, both natives of Vermont. The Hackett family sprang from one of three brothers who came to this country from England several generations ago. The father of our subject was a carpenter in his early life and in his latter days was engaged in farming. Both he and his wife are deceased. They had a family of thirteen children, nine of whom survive, being widely scattered: Louisa, wife of Mr. Markham, of Spink county, South Dakota; Harrison, whose name heads this article; Edna, wife of Edwin Silsby, of Houston County, Minnesota; Arabell, wife of William Lynn, Houston county, Minnesota; John, La Crosse, Wisconsin; Harriett, wife of William Johnston, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Charley, southwestern Wisconsin; Augusta, wife of Elk Hike, Santa Barbara county, California. Those deceased are as follows: Homer, South Dakota; Hellen, wife of Andrew Compton, near Onawa, Iowa; Henry, Clayton county, Iowa; and Angeline, Vermont. Four of the sons were in the late war; Henry in the second Minnesota Volunteer Infantry; John, first a member of the Mounted Rangers of Minnesota and afterward of the Eleventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry; Charley, in a Wisconsin regiment; and Harrison, who enlisted in June, 1864, in Company G, Third Minnesota Infantry, and was mustered out in the fall of 1865 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Until he was fourteen the subject of our sketch spent his youthful days on a farm. He then entered the employ of the Vermont Central Railroad Company, first in the shops at Northfield, Vermont, afterward fired on an engine, and later had charge of one, being in railroad employ for six years. He then engaged in farming in Vermont until 1861, when he moved to Houston county, Minnesota, and purchased some wild woodland. There he developed a farm and made his home on it until 1876. That year he came to Ida county, Iowa, and purchased 320 acres of wild prairie land on section 34, Silver Creek township. He piled his furniture out on the prairie until he had his house erected. It, however, was not long in building, being a frame house, 16 x 24 feet. He made other improvements and at once began cultivating his land, making a specialty of corn. He also fed a large amount of stock, both cattle and hogs, feeding all his own grain and purchasing larger quantities besides. He afterward built a larger and more comfortable residence, a barn, granaries, cattle sheds, etc., and continued to reside on this farm until 1888. To his original purchase he added 160 acres at one time and the same amount at another, all in the same vicinity. In the mean time, however, he disposed of small tracts to two of his children. By years of earnest and well-directed toil he developed his property into finely cultivated farms. In 1888 he purchased his present home in Ida Grove, corner of Fifth and Burns streets, and to it has since made additions and improvements. He is now living a retired life and is one of the county’s most worthy and respected citizens. In politics he is a Republican, and has filled the office of Township Trustee. He is a member of the G. A. R., Matthew Gray Post. Mr. Hackett was married in October, 1852, to Miss Almina Hatch, daughter of Henry and Nancy (Rollins) Hatch, of Vermont. She died in February, 1888, aged fifty-nine years. They had two children: Alma, wife of James Dunn; and Augusta, wife of Frank Fisher, both of Silver Creek township, this county. In March, 1889, Mr. Hackett wedded Mrs. Elizabeth Howser, daughter of John and Emily (Fletcher) Metcalf. She has four children by her former marriage: Cora M., wife of James F. Holliday, of Brookings, South Dakota; Carrie M., a teacher in Ida county; Chester M., Nebraska; and C. Mand, at home. Mrs. Hackett is a member of the Episcopal Church.
Source: Biographical History of Crawford, Ida, and Sac Counties, Iowa, p.484