Veach, James T.

VEACH, PARKS, HITCHLER, DALES, CALLISON, DRAPER, HAMPTON

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 10/23/2009 at 07:44:13

Veach, James T.

While the record of James T. Veach is, in the main, like that of many other men, a general mingling of life's joys and sorrows, triumphs and defeats, yet upon close scrutiny we find that he has been the exponent of right living all along the line and that success has not come to him undeserving, for he has been willing to put forth the proper effort and "hew true to the line," and while he is not one of our largest farmers, his little place in Independence Township is a model and ranks well with the best of Jasper County farms in point of productiveness and improvement.

Mr. Veach was born in Hendricks County, Indiana, July 26, 1851, but practically all his life has been spent in Iowa, whither he came with his parents in the fall of the year in which he was born, the family settling in Linn County. In 1852 they came on to Jasper County and here they have resided ever since, having seen and taken part in its development from the first stages of its progress to the present.

The father, Samuel Veach, was born in Virginia, August 17, 1828. He came to Indiana early in life and married Maria Jane Parks, who was born in the last named state on November 1, 1831. There they began life on a farm, but emigrated overland to the newer State of Iowa, as before indicated, and they spent their last days in Jasper County, the father's death occurring here on September 30, 1910, and the mother's death occurred on January 13, 1911. They were the parents of the following children: James T., of this review, is the eldest: Mrs. Mary J. Hitchler, born September 1, 1855, died in this County, on September 12, 1885; John William, born November 13, 1857, is living near Colfax, Iowa; Mrs. Nancy A. Dales, born August 14, 1860, died in Jasper County; Samuel H., born September 19, 1862, died May 8, 1893; Flora E., born April 16, 1865, died January 20, 1880, when fifteen years of age; Mariah C., born October 6, 1868, died March 13, 1889; Charles C., born October 14, 1870, is living on the old homestead near Newton. These children were all reared in Jasper County.

James T. Veach grew up on his father's farm and when but a boy he assisted with the general work on the same; being the oldest child, he was compelled to lend a helping hand in rearing the smaller children, and, also, the farm being new it required a great deal of hard work by somebody to develop it; but all this training was good for him in later life, if it was somewhat trying on his young spirit. On February 19, 1874, he was united in marriage with Martha J. Callison, who was born in Jasper County, December 6, 1858, and here she grew to womanhood. Her father, Andrew P. Callison, was born in Tennessee June 20, 1835, and early in life he came to Jasper County, Iowa, and when the Civil War broke out he enlisted at Newton in Company K, Fourteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and was killed at the Battle of Champion's Hill, May 18, 1863. His widow, known in her maidenhood as Amelia Draper, was born November 22, 1838, and is living in Baxter, Iowa. Their family consisted of five children, named as follows: James E., born March 7, 1856, is living at Newton and he owns the old homestead; George H., born May 21, 1859, lives in Des Moines; Martha J., wife of Mr. Veach of this sketch; Anderson L., born February 6, 1860, lives at Mt. Pleasant; Andrew P., born November 6, 1862, died February 9, 1863.

To Mr. and Mrs. Veach four children have been born as follows: Shelby C., born June 26, 1876, lives at Gering, Nebraska; Mrs. Clara O. Hampton, born February 23, 1878, lives in Jasper County; James H., born November 30, 1880, died May 23, 1906; Charles S., born October 5, 1882, lives at Gering, Nebraska.

Mr. Veach has devoted his life to farming and he is now the owner of forty-three and one-half acres in Independence Township, and on this he is making a very comfortable living, and he has a neat home and has laid by something for the rainy days ahead. He and his wife are members of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints. He has been a member of the local board of education and has been road supervisor. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1218.