BLOUGH, Henry D. - 1890 Bio (1830-1904)

BLOUGH, SPEICHER, GEIMAN, BAUGHMAN, GERBER, DUBOIS

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 7/29/2007 at 10:50:38

Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa, Printed 1890 by Lake City Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 584-586

Henry D. BLOUGH, farmer and breeder of fine stock, resides on section 5, Cedar Township, Jefferson County. He was born in Somerset County, Pa., July 14, 1830, and is a son of David and Mary (SPEICHER) BLOUGH. He is of German descent, belonging to a family which was established in America during Colonial days by the great-grandfather of our subject who left the Fatherland during the early years of his manhood to become a resident of America. He settled in Pennsylvania and when the war broke out between the Colonies and the mother country he took his stand in defense of the oppressed people and did valiant service for his adopted country. The grandfather of Henry was born in Pennsylvania and was a farmer by occupation.

His father, David BLOUGH, was born in Somerset County, Pa., in 1777, and was the youngest of a family composed of six sons and one daughter. In his native county he married Fannie GEIMAN, and unto them were also born seven children, three sons and four daughters, viz: Elizabeth, Barbara, Peter. John, Sarah, Fanny and Christian. After her death he wedded Miss SPEICHER, who was born in Somerset County in 1793, and was also of German descent. Having engaged in farming in the Keystone State until 1836, he then removed to Wayne County, Ohio, where both he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, the former dying at the age of sixty-nine years and the latter in the sixty-seventh year of her age. Both were members of the Omish (sic - Amish?) Church and he was a supporter of Democratic principles. By their union were born five sons, all of whom followed in the footsteps of the father, making farming their life occupation. David and Joseph follow that pursuit in Wayne County, Ohio; Henry D. is the next younger; Moses carries on carpentering in connection with farming, and Jacob devotes his energies to the cultivation of the soil in Wayne County, Ohio.

The first five years of his life Henry D. BLOUGH spent in his native State, but when a lad of some six summers, he accompanied his parents to Ohio where he acquired his education in an old-time log schoolhouse to which they gave the very inappropriate name of the Temple. As there were five boys in the family they would take turns in attending school. They were mostly educated in the language of the Fatherland, but our subject also managed to acquire a fair English education. He was but sixteen years of age when his father died and he then began life for himself, running one of the first Massillon separators for several years. He also devoted his energies to farming which has been his principal occupation through life.

A marriage ceremony performed on January 11, 1852, united the destinies of Henry D. BLOUGH and Miss Anna BAUGHMAN, who was born in Wayne County, Ohio, on the 15th of September, 1830. Her grandfather, who was of German birth, was the founder of the family in America, his home being in New York. Her father was left an orphan at a very early age and sold for his raising. He became a shoemaker and followed that trade both in Pennsylvania and Wayne County, Ohio. In Stark County, Ohio, he was joined in wedlock with Anna GERBER, a native of Somerset County, Pa., and soon afterward they removed to Wayne County, Ohio, where six children were born unto them.

Upon the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. BLOUGH they took up their residence in Elkhart County, Ind., where for three years, he engaged in farming, when in 1855 he came to Iowa. In Davis County, he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land, added many improvements thereto and continued its cultivation with good success until his removal to Jefferson County. At one time while operating a threshing machine, he had the misfortune to catch his arm in a tumbling shaft which broke the bones between the wrist and elbow and prevented him from entering the service of his country which was then engaged in civil warfare. In February, 1865, he came to Jefferson County, and soon afterward purchased the farm upon which he yet makes his home. At one time he owned and operated four hundred and twenty acres of good land but has since deeded a one hundred and twenty-acre tract to his son. A good dwelling, commodious barns and all the improvements necessary to a model farm of the nineteenth century are there found and he takes delight in keeping everything about his place in first-class order, but he devotes the greater part of his attention to stock-raising. In 1874, he introduced the first imported Percheron horse into the county -- Granger, by name, which he exhibited at the fairs of Van Buren, Davis, Lee, Wapello and Jefferson Counties, securing premiums as he went. Since that time he has always had on hand some fine specimens of imported horses. Beside sixteen he has imported for himself, he secured six head for other parties. He has now in his stables seven full blooded Percherons, six of which he himself brought across the water. In 1886, again in 1887 and a third time the following year he went to France on that business. On the second voyage he was accompanied by his son John and when far out at sea the ship burned with two hundred and fifty passengers on board. Crew and passengers worked hard all through the night but were not able to quench the flames and were forced to take to the life-boats. Late that evening, a German vessel loaded with turpentine, took them on board but it was not a passenger vessel and they were compelled to stand on deck all night with high waves dashing over them. In the morning a packet took them and carried them to Queenstown, Ireland, where they arrived after eight days, during which time they had been kept on half rations as the boat was not prepared to feed so many. However they at length arrived safely, not a soul on board the unfortunate steamer having been lost. As before stated, Mr. BLOUGH has himself made three trips across the water and in 1889 his sons, John D. and Eli M. went to France and made the importations.

As a citizen, Mr. BLOUGH is faithful to every duty devolving upon him and when called upon to aid in the advance of any public enterprise calculated to benefit the community he responds cheerfully and willingly. In political sentiment, he is a Democrat and he and his wife have accepted the belief taught by the Omish (sic - Amish?) Church. A well-to-do citizen, he is also a self-made man, for without property or capital at the early age of sixteen years he began life for himself and has steadily worked his way upward to a position of affluence.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. BLOUGH have been born nine children -- Simon H., a farmer of Des Moines Township; Mary A., wife of Polk DUBOIS, a farmer of Fairfield Township; Elizabeth, Anna, John, Eli, David, Melvin and Christian. The sons aid the father in his business enterprises and like him are advocates of Democracy.

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