Porter W. Tracy, b. 26 Dec 1856

TURNER, MANN, REED, BROWN

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/20/2004 at 23:30:15

Porter W. Tracy, one of the most promising young farmers of this county, is comfortably situated near its western line in Farmers' Creek Township, where he has 160 acres of good land on section 32. The soil has been carefully cultivated, and is very productive, largely devoted to grain-raising; but a considerable amount is in pasture. The fields are enclosed with neat and substantial fencing, and the buildings, without being pretentious, are neat and substantial, and admirably serve the purposes of general agriculture.

Our subject, the son of H. F. Tracy, is a native of Brandon Township, this county, and was born Dec. 26, 1856. His boyhood and youth were spent in a comparatively uneventful manner - in attendance at the district school, mostly during the winter season, and when not in school he assisted his father in the various employments around the homestead. Before reaching the 22d year of his age he was married, Sept. 10, 1878, to Miss Sarah E. Turner, one of the most estimable young ladies of Farmers' Creek Township.

The parents of Mrs. Tracy were Esben H. and Elizabeth (Mann) Turner, who are now residents of Farmers' Creek Township. To our subject and his wife there have been born two children - Winfield P. and Ray C. They have started out in life with fair prospects and the best wishes of a large number of friends and acquaintances. Mr. Tracy is a Democrat, politically, but is too modest to mix very much in public affairs.

Esben H. Turner, the father of Mrs. Tracy, was the son of Krickbaum Turner, and the latter was the son of Alexander Turner, a native of Ireland. The last mentioned gentleman, upon emigrating to the United States, prior to the Revolutionary War, located in Mercer County, Pa. He was there married, and reared his family. Esben H. was born in that county about 1804, and upon reaching man's estate was married to Miss Sarah Reed, whose father, Jacob Reed, traced his ancestry to Germany. Esben H. was one of six children; the others being Jacob R., Alexander P., Uriah, Krickbaum, and Nancy J.; the latter dying at the age of four and one-half years.

The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Tracy died in Pennsylvania in 1847, at the early age of forty-two years. The mother, remaining a widow, survived her husband for a period of forty years, her decease taking place in February, 1887, when she was seventy-six years old. The father of Mrs. Tracy was reared to manhood in his native county, where he resided until 1854, then emigrated to Wisconsin. He came to Iowa in 1855, and three years later, in 1858, was married to Miss Elizabeth Mann. This lady was the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Brown) Mann. The young people located on a rented farm, where Mr. Turner labored until securing enough means to purchase forty acres of land in Farmers' Creek Township, and upon which they settled about 1864. They occupied it until about 1881, when Mr. Turner purchased the farm where he now lives. This latter comprises 134 acres, and is well improved.

To Mr. and Mrs. Turner there were born six children, viz.: Sarah (Mrs. Tracy), John F., George W., and Charles M. A daughter and a son, Florence L. and Esben K., died when six and seven years old, respectively. Mr. Turner, politically, is a stanch Democrat, and served as Constable in his township a number of years, and until refusing to allow his name to appear as a candidate. Religiously, he is a member of the Free Methodist Church at Iron Hill. The parents of Mrs. Turner were natives of New Jersey, whence they removed to Ohio at an early day, and from there to this county in 1851. Here the father died; the mother is still living, and makes her home in Woodbury County. Mr. Turner carries on general farming, lives comfortably, and enjoys the esteem of his neighbors.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois)