William Brinson

BERTHOLF, BRINSON, BURD, HIRCOCK, MYERS, WILLIAMS, WILSON

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/27/2004 at 14:19:33

William Brinson, who is living retired in Winterset, gave the years of his active manhood to agricultural pursuits and won a gratifying measure of success in that connection. He is a native of Switzerland county, Indiana, born February 28, 1833, of the marriage of Joseph and Rebecca (Myers) Brinson. The father was born in Kentucky but was taken by his parents to Indiana when but seven years of age, the family home being established in the uncut timber of that state. When about twenty years old his marriage occurred in Switzerland county, his bride being a resident of Ripley county, to which she had removed with her parents from Kentucky. In 1849 Mr. and Mrs. Brinson and their family came to Madison county, Iowa, having made the journey with a wagon and four-horse team and one two-horse team. Mr. Brinson rode the wheel horse and drove the head team with a single line, which was called a jerk line. The Mississippi river was crossed by ferry at Burlington and the family settled in Lincoln township. Mr. Brinson had traded his farm in Indiana for two Mexican war land warrants of one hundred and sixty acres each, but the land which he had hoped to take up was not yet on the market. He purchased of another man a claim which comprised three hundred and twenty acres and later entered it. It was prairie and timber land that had never been touched by the plow and there was much to do before it would be the well improved farm and good home that Mr. Brinson hoped to make it. He set to work resolutely and as time passed he brought his land to a high state of cultivation and also erected commodious buildings. He lived there many years but after the death of his wife in 1868 he removed to Kansas, where he resided until called to his reward. He was a member of the Church of Christ and as in the early days there were no schoolhouses nor churches in the county the local church was organized in his home. His son William was probably the first person baptized in the county, the ceremony occurring in July, 1854. Mr. Brinson was a whig in his early manhood and after the dissolution of that party voted the republican ticket. To him and his wife were born six children: William; Elizabeth, who became the wife of Eli Wilson and passed away at Afton, Iowa; Nancy, now the wife of John Bertholf, a resident of the state of Washington; Thomas, who is living at Idaho Falls, Idaho; David, whose home is at Pocatello, Idaho; and Jonathan, a resident of Oklahoma.

William Brinson was a youth of about sixteen years when he accompanied his parents on the overland journey from Indiana to this county. He assisted his father in the arduous work of developing his tract of wild land and learned thoroughly the methods of agriculture best suited to the soil and climate of Iowa. In August, 1862, he became a member of Company F, Fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, joining the company at Helena, Arkansas. He served in the army for three years lacking a month and nine days. He was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, and then returned to Madison county and again assisted his father in the farm work. He also learned to make chairs, selling a set for four dollars and a half, and gave his father half of what he earned. He saved seven dollars and a half and borrowed five dollars from a neighbor, which enabled him to enter forty acres of school land. He later borrowed twelve dollars and a half and entered the adjoining forty acres. The whole eighty acres was wild land and it was necessary to break the virgin prairie sod before crops could be planted. His first home was a small frame house fourteen by sixteen feet in dimensions. He devoted his attention assiduously to the cultivation of his land and the care of his crops for many years. Sixteen years ago he retired from active life and has since lived in honorable retirement in Winterset, residing in a comfortable home on West Jefferson street. Six years ago he sold his land. He bought his land for one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre and sold it for one hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre.

Mr. Brinson was married in April, 1855, to Miss Caroline Burd, who was born in Holmes county, Ohio, on the 27th of August, 1834, a daughter of Isaac and Susanna (Williams) Burd, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. In 1851 they removed to this county and were highly esteemed among its early residents. To Mr. and Mrs. Brinson have been born two daughters: Mary, the wife of William F. Hircock, of Lincoln township, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; and Sarah E., the wife of Culy Hircock, a resident of Kansas.

Mr. Brinson voted for John C. Fremont as president and has supported every republican president since that time. In 1854 he joined the Church of Christ and the record of his long and honorable life is the best testimony to the sincerity of his belief. He devoted the greater part of his time to farming but was a carpenter by trade and in his early manhood worked in the mills on Middle river. He is thoroughly familiar with the early history of the county and has many interesting reminiscences of events and people in the pioneer days of this section of the state. He relates a story that will recall the names of some old timers remembered by many. Jacob Leinard, an early settler of Lincoln township, had a cow and calf tied out in front of his cabin. It was in the spring and the grass was beginning to get green. When he came out after breakfast the cow and calf were missing. It was in the early 50’s when the Mormons were crossing the state on their way to Utah. The larger number of them passed through the county south of Madison, but a few passed through Winterset. Remembering having seen a covered wagon pass and suspecting his cow and calf had been taken by them, he started in pursuit. He was joined by a neighbor, Uncle Sammy Duncan and a little later Uncle Dicky Bruce was a member of the searching party. Somewhere on the prairie they overtook the covered wagon and tied to it was the cow. Down m the brush they discovered a man skinning the calf. At the point of a gun Uncle Sammy Duncan made him get on the horse behind Uncle Dicky Bruce They brought him to Winterset and hunted up a justice. Lou Davis was then sheriff of the county. They hunted up M. L. McPherson, a lawyer, to be prisoner s counsel. This McPherson was an uncle to Judge Smith McPherson who died recently at Red Oak. Mr. McPherson took the prisoner to one side of the building and asked him how much money he had. The prisoner named a small amount and gave the same to the lawyer. McPherson then told him to hike and get away. The prisoner followed this advice and as it was getting dark was soon out of sight. Thus the case was settled and caused a little indignation on the part of those who had hoped to see justice done.

Mr. Brinson and his wife both enjoy good health and attribute it largely to their simple normal habits of living. They have performed all of the duties that have devolved upon them, have worked diligently, have taken pleasure in worthy accomplishment and in their relations with their fellowmen, and it is but fitting that their old age should be rich in honor as well as in years.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915