Warner, Matthew

WARNER, MCMELLEN, YOUNG, JEFFERS, ANTHONY

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 11/23/2008 at 17:41:46

WARNER, Matthew; Farmer and stock raiser; Sec. 15; P. O. Prairie City; born in Chenango Co., N. Y., July 20, 1822; came to this county in 1853; has 450 acres of land valued at $18,000. Member of the M. E. Church. Married for his first wife, Margaret McMELLEN; she was born in Franklin Co., Ohio, April 8, 1827; they had four children; three living-David, William, L. Don; Mary YOUNG died Dec. 26, 1873; for his second wife, married Mary A. JEFFERS; she was born in Indiana, May 15, 1838; they have five living children-Martha, Annie, Henry, James and Margaret; one child died in infancy; for his third wife, he married Rachel ANTHONY; she was born in Butler CO., Penn., March 11, 1836. Emigrated to Franklin CO., Ohio; lived there sixteen years, thence to Jasper Co.; came through with teams; was thirty days making the trip; settled on a farm east of Vandalia; bought 700 acres of land with his father-in-law, Mr. McMELLEN, and lived in what was known as the old SHEARER house, the first Winter; has improved three farms; came here in limited circumstances; went into debt for $1,000 for his land, but not being afraid of work, and of a good constitution, he soon paid it off, and has come out conqueror; has a fine property; has good buildings, and is now ready to take the world easy; got his milling done at Oskaloosa, forty miles, and has also been to Keokuk for his groceries; was one of the men who were not afraid to turn out in an early day and face the hardships on these vast prairies; at the time he came, there was not a tree or a grove to be seen; Prairie City, Monroe and Newton, each had only a few house. ~ "The History of Jasper County" (Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1878), 648