KYLE, John H. - 1912 Bio (1844 - 1888)

KYLE, STEEL, PARSHALL, AULD, JONES, CASH, WEITZEL

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 9/20/2007 at 15:27:34

History of Jefferson County, Iowa -- A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol II
Published 1912, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 418-419

John H. KYLE, who passed away in Penn township, on the 5th of January, 1888, was for a number of years identified with general agricultural pursuits in Jefferson county. His birth occurred in Louisville, Kentucky, on the 7th of November, 1844, his parents being John and Mary (STEEL) KYLE, who were natives of Scotland and Ireland respectively. The father emigrated to the United States at an early day, locating in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was married and was employed in a cemetery for a number of years. In 1856 he came to Jefferson county, Iowa, and purchased a tract of land in Penn township, clearing and improving the property and being busily engaged in its operation until called to his final rest in 1894. His wife passed away in August, 1876.

John H. KYLE obtained his early education in his native city and subsequently made his way to St. Louis, Missouri, where he entered college and took up the study of pharmacy. After completing the course he worked in a drug store as a registered pharmacist for four years. On the expiration of that period he came to Jefferson county and began assisting his father in the operation of the home farm, residing thereon throughout the remainder of his life. At the time of his father's death his widow came into possession of the home place of one hundred and ninety-three acres. For the past seventeen years, Mrs. John H. KYLE has leased the property and has lived in a residence of her own at Pleasant Plain.

It was on the 4th of July, 1866, that Mr. KYLE was united in marriage to Miss Nettie PARSHALL, who was born at Brighton, Iowa, on the 10th of September, 1848, her parents being Simon and Elizabeth (AULD) PARSHALL, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania respectively. The father, a blacksmith by trade, came to Jefferson county, Iowa, in an early day, making the journey overland with an ox team through a country infested by Indians. After conducting a blacksmith shop in this county for some time, he removed to Brighton, Iowa, locating there when the little village boasted only three houses. Opening a blacksmith shop, he conducted the same until the outbreak of the gold fever, when he joined several other men in an overland journey to California, working as a miner in that state for three years. At the end of that time he returned to Brighton and again opened a blacksmith shop, conducting the same until he died of cholera in 1854. His wife long surviving him, passed away in 1896. Unto Mr. and Mrs. KYLE were born eight children, three of whom died in infancy. The others were as follows: Mary, who is the wife of Edward JONES and resides at East Pleasant Plain; Clara, the wife of B. S. CASH, of Albia, Iowa; John, a grocer of Pleasant Plain; Jessie, the wife of Bert WEITZEL, a salesman for Borden's Condensed Milk Company; and Fanny, who passed away on the 20th of October, 1887.

Mr. KYLE gave his political allegiance to the republican party and held several positions of public trust. He served as township clerk for several years and also acted as assessor and as secretary of the school board. Fraternally he was identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Fairfield, Iowa, while his religious faith was that of the Presbyterian church. His widow and children belong to the Methodist church. Mrs. KYLE has many friends in the community where she resides and the hospitality of the best homes is cordially extended her.

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

Note: Buried in Clay Cemetery, Rubio, Washington Co., IA. Wife Clara Jenetta 'Nettie' died in 1935 and is buried there, as are several of their children.