SAMPLE, D. W.

SAMPLE, AUSTIN, HADLEY, ALEXANDER, WORTH, HAMMOND, JONES, WALTERS, STARK, RANEY, JOHNSON

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 8/21/2003 at 22:00:41

Biography reproduced from page 492 of the History of Kossuth and Humboldt Counties, Iowa published in 1884:

D. W. Sample was born April 17, 1822, in Pennsylvania. He lived there until 1856, and then came to Kossuth Co., Iowa, locating on section 32, township 95, range 28, where he has 470 acres of good land, under a high state of cultivation, raising grain of various kinds, but makes a specialty of stock. He was married in May, 1859, to Josephine Austin, born in Jackson Co., Iowa. They had ten children, eight of whom are living—Charles B., Margaret E., Anna, Miss Franc, William G., Henrietta, Addie M. And Leota R. Mr. Sample is a member of the Order of Free Masons, Prudence Lodge, No. 205, Algona. In politics he is a republican.
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Biography reproduced from page 573 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

By whatever standard success is measured the career of D. W. Sample, who died in Kossuth county in January, 1893, must be pronounced prosperous and worthy. He was one of the pioneer settlers of the district, who helped to wrest from wilderness and unbroken prairie the prosperous and fertile farms of Iowa. He was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, April 17, 1822, and was a son of Samuel and Margaret (Sample) Sample. The family on both sides is of Scotch extraction but the parents of our subject were born in Pennsylvania and lived and died in that state. Samuel Sample was a prosperous farmer in his native section and was the father of nine children: James, John, Colbertson, D. W., and Joseph, all of whom are deceased; Matthew, who lives in Humboldt, Iowa; Nancy, deceased; Margaret, who makes her home in Pennsylvania; and Minerva, also deceased.

D. W. Sample received his education in the common schools of his native land and later took a course in an academy in Mercer county. He taught for a number of years in the schools of Pennsylvania but came west when he was still a young man. He settled in Jackson county, Iowa, in the early ‘40s and taught school in that district until 1856. In that year he came to Kossuth county, Iowa, bringing with him six or seven years yoke of cattle with which he expected to break the prairie land. He located on section 32, Irvington township, and bought a number of acres of unimproved land. This he transformed into one of the most prosperous and flourishing farms of the district. He was constantly adding to his holdings and took a keen interest in scientific methods of agriculture. He improved his farm by installing modern equipment and it was his constant ambition to keep the buildings upon his land in perfect repair and in a sanitary condition. At the time of his death he owned five hundred and sixty acres of fertile and productive land in Kossuth county and was a prominent figure in local affairs. He held several township offices and did conspicuously able work along political lines. Although he was urgently requested at different periods to accept county positions he never allowed himself to become identified with the broader political life, preferring to give his whole efforts to the cultivation of his lands.

In May, 1869, Mr. Sample was united in marriage to Miss Josephine Austin, who was born in Bellevue, Jackson county, Iowa, in 1840. She was a daughter of Bushnell and Ruth (Hadley) Austin. Her father was born in Vermont and was taken by his parents to Franklin county, New York, when he was but two years of age. Here he was reared and educated and remained at home until he was twenty-six years old, when he went to Ohio and taught in the public schools of that state for several years. From Ohio he removed to Jackson county, Iowa, where he continued his occupation as a teacher for a short time. He finally bought a farm near Bellevue, Iowa, and remained in that vicinity, following farming successfully until his death in April, 1885.

Mrs. Sample’s mother was born in Ohio, September 13, 1813. She died at Andrew, Iowa, August 30, 1885, and is buried beside her husband in the cemetery in that city. Mr. and Mrs. Austin were the parents of seven children: Josephine, the wife of our subject; N. W., a prominent farmer near Andrew, Iowa, who served his country through the Civil war; B. F., also engaged in farming near Andrew, Iowa; Francis M., who served four years during the Civil war and who is now deceased; Anna, the wife of Alfred Alexander, of Preston, Iowa; Candes, who married Oscar Worth, of Milfred, Kansas; and Martha J., the wife of Arthur Hammond, of Junction City, Kansas.

Mrs. Sample was educated in the academy at Bellevue, Iowa, and remained at home until her marriage. She and her husband became the parents of eleven children: C. B., who is deceased; Margaret, who married W. W. Jones of Iola, Kansas; Anna, the wife of J. G. Walters, of Chicago, Illinois; Frankie, who became the wife of N. E. Stark, of Iola, Kansas; Ada, who married D. E. Raney of Butterfield, Minnesota; Leola R., the wife of B. E. Johnson of Forman, North Dakota; Edna J., who is living at home; G. W., who is engaged in farming near Irvington, Iowa; and three children, who died in infancy.

Mr. Sample was a prominent man in agricultural affairs in his district and was always interested in the welfare of Kossuth county. He was prominent in the Masonic order and had held membership in that organization since 1868. He lived upon the farm and operated it until his death, January 11, 1893. His private life was exceptionally happy. He loved his wife and children and his home. When he died Kossuth county mourned a pioneer settler and many of its citizens grieved for the passing of a loyal, open-hearted, generous friend.