Josiah Hemingway

HEMMINGWAY, SEELEY, MARSHALL, PETTIT, ANDERSON, GORE

Posted By: Cindy Fisher (email)
Date: 3/3/2003 at 14:38:54

1887 Biographical Album-Lee County

Josiah Hemingway, Postmaster at Galland, is also engaged in agricultural pursuits, and is the possessor of a fine homestead in Montrose Township, located on section 25. He came to Iowa in 1845, one year previous to its admission into the Union as a State, and has consequently witnessed many and remarkable changes and with other brave pioneers of that day, contributed his share toward the development of the country. He opened a farm, established a homestead, and is now one of the substantial and highly repected citizens of Lee County.

The subject of our sketch is the son of John and Mary (Seeley) Hemingway, natives of Canada, born at Toronto, where they attained to years of maturity, and were there married, and in 1845 came to Iowa, making their first location in Nashville, Lee County. There they purchased 160 acres of land, established a home and spent the remainder of their days. John Hemingway departed this life in February, 1878; his wife, Mrs. Mary S. Hemingway, survived him three years, and died in 1881. Of their union there were born the following children: Miranda became the wife of James Marshall; Mary was married to Alfred Pettit, and Harriet, who married Mr. Anderson, is now deceased. Three children died in infancy.

Josiah Hemingway spent his earlier years under the parental roof, and received a fair education in the common schools. In early manhood he was united in marriage with Miss Martha Gore, their union taking place in February, 1856. Mrs. H. was born in Hancock County, Ill., in 1834 and is the daughter of J.D. and Mary (Peterson) Gore, both natives of Tennessee. Mr. Hemingway has followed agricultural pursuits all his life. Besides the homestead he has 175 acres of land at or near Burnside, Hancock Co., Ill., and thirty acres separate from the homestead in Lee County, Iowa. In addition to his duties as Postmaster he is also Station Agent at Galland. While working upon the farm he met with an accident by which he lost his left arm, having been caught in the gearing of a threshing-machine, and he is practically unfitted for hard labor.

In 1852 Mr. Hemingway crossed the Rocky Mountains with an ox-team, and engaged for eighteen months, mining in California. He returned home by way of the Isthmus; was thereafter married, and settled permanently upon his farm. He is Democratic in politics, and is amply entitled to be termed an honest man and a good citizen.