FORDYCE, Thornton - 1912 Bio (1856-1942)

FORDYCE, GIRARD, NEWBY, HARVEY, STEWART, ARMSTRONG, GONTERMAN, HOCKMAN, LAUGHLIN, MAY

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 9/12/2007 at 19:49:20

History of Jefferson County, Iowa -- A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol II, Published 1912, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 283-285

Thornton FORDYCE, the owner and operator of a farm of one hundred and thirty acres in Des Moines Township, Jefferson county, is a member of a family distinguished during four generations for their noble public service in the nation, the state, and the local communities in which they have lived. His grandfather, Jarius FORDYCE, was the son of a Revolutionary war hero, and was born in Pennsylvania, moving westward in his youth. He enlisted in the army and served under Harrison when that general defeated the Indians led by Tecumseh at the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. He chose for a helpmate Susan GIRARD, a native of Ohio, and in 1815 settled in the territory of Illinois farming there for several years. In 1837 he moved farther west making his home in Lee county, Iowa, and two years later went to Van Buren county, in this state, where he lived until his death in 1840. His wife survived him fifteen years passing away in 1855.

Proudest of all in the family annals is the name of the father of Thornton FORDYCE, Lewis FORDYCE, whose long life has been spent in the faithful performance of his duties as a citizen of the commonwealth and a preacher of the divine word, bringing the gospel to the hearts of hundreds of people in many widely scattered communities, to people forced by circumstances to be as isolated in their spiritual lives as in their physical environment. He was born in Wabash county, Illinois, in 1820. In 1839 he came to Iowa making his home with his parents in Van Buren county. Six years later he removed to Lee county, Iowa, and the following year, in 1846, was married to Miss Mary A. NEWBY, a native of Indiana and a daughter of Gabriel and Rebecca (HARVEY) NEWBY, both of whom were born in North Carolina and who became residents of Lee county, Iowa, where they lived until their death.

After his marriage Lewis FORDYCE settled on a farm in Lee county, Iowa, and three years later moved to Van Buren county residing there until 1873. He then came to Des Moines township and has lived here ever since, now making his home with his son Lew, who is operating the old homestead farm. Throughout this long life Lewis FORDYCE, Sr., has unselfishly given of his services wherever he felt that he could aid in the moral and social advancement of the people. For thirty-five years he preached in the Christian church, extending his work through southeastern Iowa and into Missouri. He was president of the Iowa State Association of the Christian Church for thirty-three years until age made it impossible for him to continue in the discharge of the many duties and responsibilities appertaining to the office. In his public service he likewise made a notable record for himself. He was elected to the fourth general assembly representing Van Buren county and as a member of the twentieth general assembly aided in passing the original prohibition law. While a member of the Iowa law-making body he was faithful in looking after the interests of his constituents as well as in his service for the welfare of the state as a whole. He was an influential republican and one of the organizers of that party in Van Buren county. While residing in the last-named county he also served as township clerk in Union township. When living in Lee county he was an important factor in the organization of the school system. Mr. FORDYCE is now ninety-one years old and his wife is eighty-seven. He has always been a public-spirited man keeping his enthusiasm on the side of justice and truth.

Thornton FORDYCE was born February 23, 1856, near Winchester, Van Buren county, Iowa. He attended school in his native locality and when twenty-one years of age began farming for himself. In 1881 he bought his present farm of eighty acres on section 11, Des Moines township, in this county, adding to it by later purchases until now he owns one hundred and thirty acres of valuable farmland. He devotes himself to general farming and raising cattle meeting with much success in his work.

In 1881 Thornton FORDYCE was married to Miss Rebecca J. STEWART, the ceremony being performed on the 8th of March. She was a daughter of Eleazar and Rebecca (ARMSTRONG) STEWART. Her father was a farmer born in Miami county, Ohio, and her mother, who was of Scotch-Irish (sic) descent, was born in Steubenville, Ohio. In this town they were married January 10, 1853. They settled in Illinois in 1861 and came to Iowa establishing their home four and a half miles northwest of Libertyville in Jefferson County. They lived there forty years on a farm then retired and removed to Libertyville where Mr. STEWART died May 12, 1903. Mrs. STEWART died in 1905 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. L. GONTERMAN, living in Des Moines township. They were the parents of five children. Mary H. is the widow of J. L. GONTERMAN and lives in Des Moines township. Anna M. is the wife of J. E. HOCKMAN, a farmer near Grinnel, Iowa, Sarah E. is dead. Rebecca J., the wife of Thornton FORDYCE, lives in Des Moines township. And the youngest, Ella, is dead.

Thornton FORDYCE was one of eight children: Dr. Winfield FORDYCE of Fairfield, Iowa; Eugene, the marshal of the town of Ventura, California; Harry, a fruit-raiser in the Ojai valley in California; Harvey, deceased; Carl and Oscar, formerly a physician of Guthrie Center, Iowa, deceased, and Lew, living on the old home place in Des Moines township.

Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Thornton FORDYCE. Oren S., married August 31, 1910 to Miss Meta B. LAUGHLIN, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth LAUGHLIN, is living on a farm adjoining his father's, and they are the parents of one child, Merwin C., aged three months. Bertha B. was married November 7, 1906, to L. D. MAY, a druggist in Kansas City, Kansas.

In his political views Mr. Thornton FORDYCE is a "stand pat" republican. For a period of ten years he was school director at various times in district No. 6 of Des Moines township. He and the other members of his family belong to the Presbyterian church of Libertyville, Iowa. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias of Libertyville and of the Libertyville Camp of Modern Woodmen of America. Thornton FORDYCE is a man of equable temperament, content with the path of life in which the choice of his career directed his steps. He is a true son of his father, possessing the same generous spirit and the same large-souled outlook on life.

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