DOLE, John S. - 1890 Bio (1829-1898)

DOLE, BAUM, WOODS

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 3/8/2006 at 13:23:11

"Portrait & Biographical Album of Jefferson & Van Buren Counties, Iowa", pub. 1890
Page 278-280

John S. DOLE, a carpenter of Fairfield, Jefferson County, was born on Sept. 22, 1829, in Clermont County, Ohio, son of Joseph and Margaret (BAUM) DOLE. His paternal grandfather was a native of New Jersey, but for many years followed farming in Clermont County. His family numbered sixteen children, twelve of whom, six sons and six daughters, grew to mature years. Four of the sons became ministers in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Joseph DOLE, whose birth occurred in Egg Harbor, N.Y., accompanied his parents to Ohio in his youth. Having attained to the years of manhood, he wedded Louisa WOODS and unto them were born five children, four sons and a daughter, but Joseph, the youngest, who is a farmer of Jefferson County, is the only one now living. After the death of his first wife, Mr. DOLE married Miss BAUM, who was born in Pennsylvania. Her parents were natives of Germany and she was one of nine children, four sons and five daughters.

The year 1848, witnessed the emigration of Joseph DOLE and his family from Ohio to the Hawkeye State. One of his sons had died in the Mexican War and on account of his service the father was granted a land warrant which he located in Fairfield Township. (See 1850 census) Later, he purchased a farm in Liberty Township, on which both he and his wife spent their last days. During the War of 1812 Mr. DOLE served as a drummer boy and accompanied Harrison in the Battle of Tippecanoe. He was also a stanch friend of the Union and during the late war attended all the rallies and mass meetings, stirring the boys with the roll of his drum. His political sentiments were in support of the Whig party in early life and when the Republican party sprang into existence, he joined its ranks. He lived an exemplary life, honored and respected by all men and for some years served as a local preacher in the Methodist Church, of which his wife was also a member. The death of Mrs. DOLE occurred in 1863 (sic - 1860) and two years later (sic - five years later, in 1865) he was also called to the final home.

John S. DOLE, whose name heads this sketch is the second in order of birth in a family of ten children, consisting of six sons and four daughters, and the only one living in Jefferson County. He was reared to a farm life and received a very meagre education prior to his fifteenth year. The family was in limited circumstances and as soon as he had attained a sufficient age he had to provide for his own maintenance. From the time when he was a lad of fourteen years he worked as a hand in the harvest field and at the age of twenty he left home to seek his fortune in the West. In company with three young companions -- Bryant Young, Samuel Dickson and Lemuel Clark, on the 8th of April, 1850, he began his travels and on the 22nd of May the party crossed the Missouri River near the present site of the city of Omaha, ferrying themselves across in wagon beds. At that point they joined a company in which there were one hundred and eighty wagons, with from three to seven yoke of cattle, and each containing from three to five men, while in the entire company there was but one lady, the wife of Martin Nichols of Jefferson County. Five days later the company was divided, and the division which Mr. DOLE and his party joined consisted of twenty-five wagons. They ferried the Platte River at Ft. Laramie, then made their way over the rugged Black Hills. At South Pass in the Rocky Mountains it was found that cholera had broken out in the crowd and one man Addison WHEELER died of the disease. The company there separated, each going his own way. Mr. DOLE's partner lay sick for three months and he waited for him, doing double duty all the time at Lee's encampment in the Blue Mountains until his friend died. The cattle he here traded for ponies, Mr. DOLE receiving a third of the number with which he crossed the Cascade Range, reaching Oregon City, on Sept. 22, 1850. Later he engaged to chop one thousand cords of wood for $700, and when his task was completed he started for California with $1100 in his pocket, but a clever fellow stole his money and he was forced to return to wood chopping. Subsequently he made his way to the Williamette Valley, where he spent almost twenty-five years. He did a good business in trading stock and also owned an excellent farm of two hundred acres.

Mr. DOLE's life has certainly been an adventurous and exciting one and he has met with many interesting experiences and become familiar with the various phases of western life. For eighteen months he engaged in Indian warfare, during which time he participated in some ten or twelve skirmishes. That was in 1855 and 1856, and in 1858 he made a trip to Caraboo, British Columbia and to Alaska. The western coast of North America has been well traversed by him, and in his journeyings he has gained a knowledge of men and the world which cound never have been attained by reading or study. He made farming and stock-raising his principal occupation while on the Pacific coast, but in 1874 disposed of his possessions in the West and returned to Jefferson County, Iowa, where he purchased two hundred acres of prairie land in Fairfield Township. Upon his farm is a good dwelling and a large barn framed of yellow pine, the only one in the county, together with many other substantial improvements. While in Oregon he had learned the carpenter's trade and was the architect of his home and outbuildings.

Mr. DOLE is a supporter of the Republican party. As a business man he has been quite successful and his prosperity is due entirely to his own efforts. He has also been a liberal contributer (sic) to worthy enterprises, aiding in the support of any interest calculated to advance the general welfare and by all who know him is held in high regard.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s).