JAMES McNABB, b 21 Jun 1826

MCNABB, DONELY, MCCONNELL, PORTER, HOGG, COWDEN, LIVINGSTON, MCBRYDE

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 7/10/2004 at 17:05:48

James McNabb, now living in retirement amid the comforts of his pleasant home in Maquoketa, is honored as a representative of the sturdy pioneers of the past, who did much for the development of Jackson County from its original wildness. He was for many years a prominent factor in promoting the growth of its agricultural interets, and still owns a part of his original homestead in Perry Township, it being classed among the most desirable farms in that locality.

Our subject was born in the city of Philadelphia, Pa., June 21, 1826. His father, Henry McNabb, was born in Ireland, Feb. 16, 1795, being a son of James McNabb, a native of Scotland. The latter went to Ireland when a young man, and there married and resided in County Tyrone until about 1815, when he emigrated with his family to the United States. He settled in Philadelphia, was there employed at his trade of a weaver, and there finally closed his eyes in death. The father of our subject was reared in his native Ireland, and learned to be a weaver, and at the age of twenty-six emigrated to America. He plied his trade in Philadelphia a few years, but subsequently moved to Beaver County, where he bought a small farm, with a small frame house on it, and fifteen acres of land broken. He cleared the rest of his land, resided on it a few years, and then sold out and bought 100 acres of land in Mercer County. He made his home on that place until 1855, when he left Pennsylvania, and making his way to Floyd County, Iowa, was a pioneer of that part of the State. The removal was made the entire distance across the forests and prairies of intervening States with a team. He bought a tract of land in Floyd County, in Pleasant Grove Township, and lived there, attending to his farm until 1877, when he rented his farm and retired from active life to the home that he then purchased in Charles City, and there his death occurred Jan. 1, 1884. The maiden name of his wife, mother of our subject, was Mary Donely. She was a native of Ireland, and died in Charles City in 1877, at the venerable age of seventy-five years. There were eight children born to her, six of whom grew to maturity: Martha married George McConnell; James, of whom we write; Mary married Curtis Porter; Henry; John; Elizabeth, who is dead.

The subject of this sketch was the second child in order of birth of that family, and he was the eldest son. He was but an infant when his parents removed to Beaver County, Pa., and of course has no recollection of his early home in the Quaker City, but he does remember the story told of the removal to the new home with a six horse team. He attended the pioneer schools of Beaver County, and when not in school assisted his father on the farm. He resided with his parents until 1848, when he made a journey to this State. He left home September 27, and went with a team to Warren, from there by the lakes to Chicago, thence by the Illinois Canal to Peru, working his passage, and there he secured a job in a brick yard. He worked there two weeks, and then started on foot for Galena, making the trip one and one-half days ahead of the stage, and on the 1st of November he crossed the Mississippi River at Smith's Ferry, and then proceeded on foot across the open prairies to Andrew. He spent ten days in Iowa, and then returning to the Illinois side of the Mississippi, he found work at cutting wood at fifty cents a cord, and at the same time paid $1.50 a week for board. In the spring of 1849 he came back to Jackson County and hired out to Henry Thompson to grub land, receiving $13 a month for wages. In July he went again to Jo Daviess County, where he was engaged in harvesting for forty days. After that he worked by the month in Iowa for seven years. He was wisely economical and prudent, saved up his hard won earnings, and was fortunate enough to have the wherewithal at the expiration of that time to buy 240 acres of rich farming land in Perry Township. He invested a part of his money in a colt and a pair of oxen, and then commenced farming on his own account. There was a log house on the place, and sixteen acres of the land were broken, but it required all the patience, perseverance and energy of the pioneer to overcome the many obstacles before the land was brought under its present fine state of cultivation. The nearest market was at Bellevue, but he frequently went to Dubuque, and even to Galena for supplies, or to dispose of his produce. After years of hard labor, in which his toils were abundantly rewarded, having acquired a competence, he felt justified in retiring to a quieter life, and selling a part of his farm he came to Maquoketa and bought his present home, pleasantly located on South Second street, in the southwestern part of the city.

March 27, 1855, Mr. McNabb was united in marriage to Miss Mary Hogg, daughter of William Hogg. She was born in Franklin County, Pa., June 12, 1858*, and she died on the homestead in Iowa, Aug. 16, 1874. There were six children by that marriage, of whom the following is recorded: John H., born Aug. 17, 1856, died September 23, the same yar; Mary E., born Aug. 15, 1858, died Dec. 9, 1858; William R., born July 7, 1859, was a bright young man, and was a student at Hopkinton College three years, but his promising career was cut short by his untimely death, May 18, 1879; J. Stewart, born April 20, 1862, died October 3, the same year; Henry L., born March 5, 1865, died Jan. 31, 1868; Samuel B., the only son living, and now residing in San Bernadino, Cal., was born Dec. 18, 1867.

Mr. McNabb was married to his present wife Oct. 26, 1875, and she has faithfully devoted herself to caring for his comfort, has been a good wife to him and a kind mother to his children. She was Mrs. Mary (Cowden) Livingston at the time of her marriage with our subject. She was a native of Lawrence County, Pa., and is a daughter of William and Lydie (McBryde) Cowden, natives of Pennsylvania. She had one son, Harrison M., a resident of Maquoketa, by her first marriage.

Our subject is practically a self-made man, owing his present independent and prosperous condition almost soley to his own exertions, and as a representative of that class of our citizens who, while working hard to establish themselves in comfortable homes, have materially aided in building up this county, it gives us great pleasure to place this brief account of his life in this Biographical Album. He is accounted a good citizen whi has the welfare of his adopted county at heart, and it is the united testimony of those who have known him long, that in all life's relations he has borne himself as a man of strict honor and integrity. He is a communicant of the Congregational Church, and cordially co-operates with its fellow-members in all its good works.

* This date is typed exactly as printed in the book.

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