NADY, Xavier Francis - 1890 Bio (1830-1899)

NADY, PININGER, DEMENN, DEMENUS, PREVOST, PEQUIGNOT

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 8/20/2007 at 14:42:49

Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa, Printed 1890 by Lake City Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 555-556

Xavier NADY, one of the leading importers and raisers of Percheron horses, owns a fine stock farm situated on section 4, Cedar Township, Jefferson County. In the business in which he is engaged he has gained a wide reputation and deserves no little credit for his efforts to advance the grade of horses in the county. His life record is as follows: On the 1st day of April 1830, in Belfort, France, he was born unto Alex and Teressa (PININGER) NADY, who spent their entire lives in the old country. His father, a farmer by occupation, died when our subject was about eighteen months old. As the family was in comfortable circumstances the children were liberally educated and Xavier had the advantages of a normal course. He worked at home until twenty-one years of age and being the eldest of the family and consequently their support, was exempt from military service.

On the 25th of January, 1855, Mr. NADY was united in marriage with Miss Julia DEMENN (sic - DEMENUS) who was born in the same neighborhood as her husband, on the 28th of June, 1828. With her parents, Peter and Anna (PREVOST) DEMENN and a brother she came to America. The emigration of Mr. NADY to this country occurred in 1848, in which year he sailed from Havre to New Orleans, reaching the latter city on the 16th of March, after fifty-four days spent on the water. He continued his travels until reaching Fairfield, where he began preparations towards securing a home. He had to "grub" up the roots before he could plow and plant and says had he known such work awaited him he would never have crossed the water. Soon afterward he went to St. Louis, where he obtained employment in a lumber yard. He also met a cousin in that city and the days passed more pleasantly than when working at uncongenial labors among strangers in Iowa. Later he went down the Mississippi River to Baton Rouge but not finding employment as he had anticipated, walked twenty-two miles to Plaquemine, arriving at that place with fifty cents in his pocket. He then worked on a plantation and afterward built and operated a sugar mill but later had the misfortune to have his foot crushed by a falling timber which disabled him for any employment for some time. Subsequently he became overseer on a plantation but when the war broke out he left the South and returned to his family, who in 1860, had taken up their residence in Fairfield. On again reaching Jefferson County, Mr. NADY purchased sixty-four acres of land and began the development of a farm, the boundaries of which have since been extended until now three hundred and seventy acres pay tribute to his care and cultivation.

Four children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. NADY, the eldest of whom, Adolph, was born in France, November 19, 1855, and died January 15, 1866; Mary J., born in France, March 16, 1857, is the wife of Alphonse PEQUIGNOT, a resident of Cedar Township; Louis born in France, July 17, 1858, and Xavier, born in Cedar Township, January 9, 1863, are still at home.

All of the members of the family are Catholics, and in politics, Mr. NADY is a Democrat but not strongly partisan. He has the distinction of being the first man in the county to import a Percheron horse. In March, 1885, he imported Prince Victor, one of the best animals ever brought to this section of the State. In all, he has made six importations, bringing with him thirty-seven horses, the best procurable. It will thus be seen that he has done much to improve his county in this particular. He thoroughly understands his business, is an excellent judge of horses and has made his importations a paying investment.

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