Couch, Frank

COUCH, MALLOW, TOPPER, WHEELER, JICKLING, CUTHBERT, ZENOR, DAWSON

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/28/2009 at 09:33:32

Couch, Frank

One of the enterprising native sons of Jasper County who has ever noted with growing pride the steady advancement of this locality, from a wild stretch of prairie to one of the foremost farming and dairying sections of the great Hawkeye commonwealth, is Frank Couch, who, being a public-spirited citizen, withholds his support and cooperation from no movement which is intended to promote public improvement. What he has achieved in life proves the force of his character and illustrates his steadfastness of purpose, for he has persistently refused to be downed by untoward circumstances and has always been of an optimistic temperament, making of the obstacles he has encountered stepping stones to higher things. He is a man who believes in keeping unsullied the good name of his forebears, and he has accordingly guarded his course in the world of action, believing it to be the duty to safeguard the honored name of the Couch family, long well known here.

Mr. Couch was born in this County on December 9, 1868. He is the son of Rufus D. and Mary (Mallow) Couch, both born in Ohio, the father on June 26, 1832. They spent their childhood in Ohio, and finally immigrated to Jasper County, Iowa, where they became well located on a farm, and here the father's death occurred on March 3, 1900. The mother is living at Goddard. They became the parents of nine children, eight of whom are living, namely: Daniel lives in Sherman Township; Mrs. Clara Topper lives in Colfax; Mrs. Amanda Wheeler lives at Goddard; Charlie lives in South Dakota; James died in 1868; Andrew lives in South Dakota; Frank, of this sketch, and Warren (twins), born December 9, 1868, the latter living in South Dakota; William Arthur lives on the old home farm, northwest of Mingo, in Clear Creek Township. The older children were born in Ohio, the three younger in Jasper County, Iowa.

It was in 1866 that the parents of these children came to this County. Rufus D. Couch, the father, was a soldier in the Civil War, having enlisted in an Ohio regiment.

Frank Couch was reared on the home farm in this County and there he made himself generally useful during his boyhood days receiving his education in the common schools of his community. With the exception of three years spent in Missouri, he has been a continuous resident of Jasper County. He formerly owned one hundred and forty-four acres of fine farming land in Worth County, Iowa, but recently disposed of the same. He tills one hundred and fifty-one acres of choice farming land in Sherman Township, Jasper County, carrying on general farming and stock raising in a manner that stamps him as fully abreast of the times. He has been very successful and has accumulated a competency. He is an enterprising, liberal and broad-minded individual whom it is a pleasure to meet, commanding the respect of all with whom he has met. He believes in encouraging every worthy public enterprise. Politically, he is a loyal Republican.

Mr. Couch was married in March 1894, to Edith May Jickling, who was born in Sherman Township, Jasper County, Iowa, on July 23, 1871, and here she grew to womanhood and received her education. She is the daughter of John D. and Susan S. (Cuthbert) Jickling, the father born in Canada, June 22, 1837, and the mother in London, England, February 5, 1842, from which country she came with her parents to the United States in 1855, locating in Michigan. The father of Mrs. Couch settled in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1859 where he remained until 1865 when he moved to Sherman Township, Jasper County, Iowa. Here he prospered and is now the owner of four hundred and fifty-one acres of land here, being one of the wealthiest men of the county.

There were five children in the Jickling family, namely: George B., of Winterset, Iowa; William R. lives in Sherman Township; Mrs. Laura Alice Zenor lives in Tryon, Nebraska; Edith May, wife of Mr. Couch of this sketch; Riley R. is deceased.

Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Couch: Mrs. Hazel May Dawson, born March 1, 1895; Riley, born August 29, 1897, who is attending school in Ira. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1346