Isaac Barratt, b. 25 Dec 1829

HEARD, JOHNSTON, ROWE, KEMBALL, LAKE, BAKER

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/21/2004 at 11:23:36

Isaac Barratt, of Perry Township, is one of the early settlers of this county, and is comfortably located on a farm of 100 acres, on section 27. He was born in Wiltshire, England, Dec. 25, 1829, and attended school ten weeks during his boyhood days, which completed his education, saving that which he has learned by his natural habits of observation of men and things. He emigrated to American with his parents in the spring of 1832, leaving Bristol on the sailing vessel "Tuscan," and after a voyage of twenty-nine days landed in Wilmington. They located in Camden, N.J., but that same year our subject went to Philadelphia and worked at brick-making one year.

Later Young Barratt commenced learning the trade of a plasterer, at which he continued six years, in Philadelphia, after which he went to Petersburg, Pa., where he sojourned four years, and during the winter was employed in the rolling-mills. Next we find him in Newcastle, where he lived six years and operated as overseer in the rolling-mills. Later he was twelve years in the employ of Crawford & Co.

During the strike of 1850 Mr. Barratt made his way to Iowa and located in Otter Creek Township, this country, and engaged as a plasterer and gunsmith. In due time he purchased 120 acres of land, which he occupied until the spring of 1854. He then sold out and purchased a part of his present farm, and later added to it. He set out groves and an orchard, and has effected all the improvements which are now upon it. His land is finely watered by Cedar Creek, well fenced and under cultivation. He makes a specialty of fine horses, and also raises cattle and swine. He has a large apiary - from eighty to 100 hives - the only one of the kind in the township.

Our subject was married Feb. 20, 1847, in Lawrence County, Pa., to Miss Sarah A., daugher of William Heard, of New Jersey. Mr. Heard was an early settler of Mercer County, Pa., where he carried on farming until his decease. The mother, Mary A. Johnston, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., and was of English descent. She was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, and died in Mercer County. Joseph, the eldest of their six children, is now a resident of Utica, Pa.; Henry is deceased; Francis lives in Waterford, Pa.; William is a resident of Montana; Alfred lives in Bradford, Pa. Mrs. Barratt was born in Mercer County, Pa., July 22, 1820, and of her union with our subject there were born six children: The eldest, Henry, is married and farming in Perry Township; Martha is the wife of Alfred Rowe, a mason of Maquoketa; Nellie is the wife of Clarence Kemball, in the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha; Eugene is in the copper mines in Montana; Josephine, Mrs. R. Lake, lives at Maquoketa; George is farming in Perry Township. Mr. Barratt has been School Director for a number of years, and has also officiated as Road Supervisor. Politically, he is a stanch Democrat and prominent among the councils of his party.

The father of our subject was Henry Barratt, and his grandfather Isaac Barratt, a stone-cutter by trade, both of whom were natives of Wiltshire, England. The father also followed stone-cutting, and was a workman of great skill and foreman at a gentleman's country seat. He also carried on farming in connection with his trade, and bred fancy hunters and draft horses. He was graduated as a civil and mechanical engineer, and was a Brigadier General in the militia. He left England in 1832, and coming to America, located in Cambridge, N.J., where he followed stone-cutting, surveying, etc., five years, then removed to Pennsylvania, where he operated as a contractor and builder, and where his death took place. He was a Whig politically, and in religion an Episcopalian.

The mother of our subject was Mary Baker, also a native of Wiltshire, England, and the daughter of a thrifty English farmer, who lived to be nearly 100 years old. She died in England at the early age of twenty-six. Their family consisted of four children; Isaac, our subject; Sarah, a resident of Wilmington, Del; Matilda, of Westchester, Pa.; and Lovina, living near Philadelphia.

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