Nelson Banning, b. 4 Oct 1818

CHURCH, MURRAY, DOTY, WEBB, MOORE, PURINTON, FOWLER

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/21/2004 at 12:34:34

The struggles and hardships attending the early labors of this honored pioneer and respected citizen have been rewarded in the accumulation of a good property, rembracing a valuable farm of 287-3/4 acres, on section 17, in Van Buren Township. He came to this section of country comparatively without means, and endured of hardships and privations more than usually falls to the lot of the early settler, whose path at the best is beset with about all that he is able to withstand. In the development of a large area of land in this county, he has thus contributed his full quota to its wealth and prosperity. That which he enjoys today - a comfortable home, with a large proportion of the good things of life - is but his just reward for his toil and sacrifices. In glancing at the personal history of our subject, we find that he is the off-spring of a good family - the son of William and Lydia (Church) Banning, who were natives of Connecticut, where they were reared and married. Immediately after joining their lives and fortunes they set out for New York State, and located on a tract of land in Monroe County, of which they were among the earliest pioneers. The father built up a comfortable homestead, and there were born to the parents four sons and six daughters, Nelson being the eighth child. The father spent the remainder of his life in the Empire State, dying at the homestead in the year 1825, at the age of fifty-six years, and the mother died in Michigan, in 1838, aged about sixty-five. Only three of their children are living - our subject and two sisters.

Nelson Banning was born in Ogden Township, Monroe Co., N.Y., Oct. 4, 1818, his home being near the Erie Canal. During the construction of this thoroughfare, when he was but a boy, he sold apples to the quakers who were digging it. He was but seven years of age at the time of his father's death, and grew up with limited educational advantages. The property was not properly accounted for, and so he received nothing from his father's estate, thus being obliged, as soon as old enough, to depend upon his own resources for his living. His first employment was as a driver on the Erie Canal, where he had hard fare and insufficient rest, many a time dropping asleep from fatigue on the horse's back. His living, however, cost him but little, and he saved what he could of his earnings, so that at the age of twenty-one he was enabled to establish a home of his own. In view of this he was married, Jan. 13, 1841, to Miss Susan Murray. This lady was born at Pike, Allegany Co., N.Y., July 25, 1820, and was the daughter of Noah and Mercy (Doty) Murray, who spent their last years, the father in Allegany Co., N.Y., where he died August 31, 1840, and the mother in Pennsylvania, where she had gone to reside with a daughter, passing away about 1859.

After his marriage, our subject invested in a public house at Portage, Allegany County, and was prospered until being burned out six months after, which involved a loss of all his worldly effects. He then repaired to a point fifty miles south, and engaged in the lumbering business, on a contract to supply a certain mill with logs for three years. Here he labored almost night and day, and was again getting a good start when the mill was destroyed by fire, together with other property, he losing everything but a yoke of oxen, a cow and horse, involving a loss of between $3,000 or $4,000. It was supposed the mill was set on fire.

Our subject, as one may suppose, was now almost discouraged. It was in the winter time, and one day he took his horse and cutter and drove to the house of his father-in-law, with whom he visited several days, but in the course of their conversation nothing had been said about coming West. After returning to his dismantled home, Mr. Banning sold his live-stock, boxed up his furniture, and went down to the Alleghany River, where he engaged in rafting at $2 per day. He staid there four weeks, then engaged with Wells Bros. to run on a raft to Cincinnati, Ohio, for which he was to receive $45 and passage for himself and family and their effects. They stopped at Pittsburg, but our subject received full pay for his services, and Mrs. Banning was given $5 besides for her assistance and the use of her furniture.

Our subject had now made up his mind to seek the West, and on the Ohio River they boarded a steamboat for St. Louis. Thence they went up the Mississippi, our subject having in view Peoria, Ill., as his objective point. On the journey he fell in with one Randall Simmons, bound for Bellevue, Iowa, and upon his recommendation Mr. Banning was persuaded to also try his fortune in that region. He stepped ashore on the western side of the Mississippi, April 22, 1844, and in company with Mr. Simmons soon secured a job of chopping 300 cords of wood, at fifty-five cents per cord, for a steamer. Subsequently he secured a claim of 160 acres, on Section 17, in Van Buren Township, where he soon removed his family, to a small log house which was built on the claim.

For several years following it was a struggle to make both ends meet, but perseverance and industry finally began to yield their just reward, and Mr. Banning found himself on solid ground. He proceeded with the cultivation of his land, which was first devoted to grain-raising, and then added the improvements, one after another, which has now made it one of the most complete homesteads in Van Buren Township. Of late years he has given his attention largely to stock-raising and dairying, having for the latter purpose sixteen cows, and from the whole enjoys a handsome income.

In the spring of 1850 our subject suffered an attack of the California gold fever, and set out for the Pacific Slope overland, with six horses. He engaged in mining three months, and came home with $1,300. Soon afterward he entered 700 acres of land in this township. To him and his estimable wife there were born eight children, six of whom are living, namely: Ellen, Mrs. Webb, a resident of this Township; Malora, Mrs. David Moore, of Phillips County, Kan.; Laura, who married Mr. Alfred Moore, and lives in Phelps, Neb; Lydia, Mrs. John Purinton, of Preston; Walter, of Custer, Neb.; and Agnes, Mrs. Edward Fowler, of Phillips County, Kan.

Mr. Banning voted for the Democratic candidate, Van Buren, in 1840, and assisted in the election of Buchanan, after which he withdrew from the Democratic ranks, and in 1860 cast his ballot for Abraham Lincoln. He has since been a strong Republican. He was active in the organization of his school district, and served as a Director seven years in succession. He has often officiated as a juryman, and with his estimable wife is a member in good standing of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.

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