Samuel Fife

BUMBARGER, DOWNS, FIFE, KALE, ROBINSON, SWEARINGEN, THOMPSON, WHITE

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 10/11/2005 at 12:18:52

Samuel Fife, eighty-four years of age, is still quite active, his mind clear, his physical powers but slightly impaired. There is scarcely a resident in Madison county who was here at the time of his arrival and his reminiscences of the early days, which appear in the historical section of this work, are most interesting, giving an adequate and comprehensive picture of pioneer times. He is now living retired in St. Charles, enjoying the esteem of young and old, rich and poor. His birth occurred in Columbiana county, Ohio, January 9, 1831, his parents being Samuel and Elizabeth (Robinson) Fife. The father was a son of John Fife, a native of Scotland, who came with his father to the United States in the year 1766, settling in Pennsylvania. Elizabeth Robinson was a daughter of Jonah Robinson, who was born in Pennsylvania, while his father came from Ireland.

Samuel Fife spent his early boyhood under the parental roof and acquired a common-school education. He was but three years of age at the time of his mother's death and was a youth of seventeen when his father passed away. From the time he was fourteen years of age he lived with relatives, working for his board and the privilege of attending school. In other words, he has earned his own living from the age of fourteen. In the summer of 1849 he arrived in Madison county, Iowa, in company with his two brothers, David and Amos, having made the journey westward by way of the water route. They arrived at their destination in the month of December, at which time Samuel Fife was practically penniless. But he possessed industry and determination and soon found employment, working for fifty cents per day for about four years. In that way he saved money enough to enter one hundred and sixty acres of land in South township. He first entered the employ of Joel Clanton, one of the first settlers of Madison county, continuing with him until 1851, when he secured a position with George Hartman, who was the pioneer moneyed man of the settlement. Mr. Fife assisted him in laying out the town of St. Charles in the fall of 1852 and continued in Mr. Hartman's employ, living in his home, up to the time of his marriage. He drove an ox team for Mr. Hartman to Burlington to get the "irons" for the first sawmill built in the township, and performed all the work incident to the development of a frontier region. At the time of his marriage, which was celebrated in 1855, he took up his abode upon the land which he had secured and with characteristic energy began its development and improvement, transforming the wild prairie into well cultivated fields.

He was thus engaged until the 17th of August, 1862, when he enlisted for service in the Union army as a member of Company F, Thirty-ninth Iowa Infantry. He was with that command for three years, serving until the close of the war, when he was mustered out at Washington, D. C., June 5, 1865. The proudest day of his life was the day when he participated in the Grand Review, which occurred on the 24th of May, 1865, and was the most celebrated military pageant ever seen on the western hemisphere. Mr. Fife participated in the Atlanta campaign and in many of the battles and engagements of that section but managed to escape without being wounded nor was he ever taken prisoner. He was with Sherman at the time of the surrender of Joseph E. Johnston's army.

With the close of the war Mr. Fife returned to his farm and his family and again carried on agricultural pursuits for many years, but at length rented his land and removed to St. Charles in order to give his children the benefit of the city schools. He has since made his home in St. Charles and throughout the entire period has been honored as one of the representative citizens and worthy pioneers of the county.

It was in 1855 that Mr. Fife was united in marriage to Miss Frances A. White, who was born in Virginia but was reared in Indiana and came to Madison county in 1852 with a brother-in-law and sister. She died January 23, 1890, her death being deeply regretted by her many friends in this part of the state. By that marriage there were twelve children, of whom two died in infancy, the others being: Nancy Anna, now the wife of Dan Swearingen; David O., who died in May, 1911, aged fifty-three years; Elizabeth, the wife of E. E. Kale, of Truro, Iowa; Alice, the wife of William A. Kale, living at Kingfisher, Oklahoma; Emily B., the wife of Charles Downs, of Ottawa, Kansas; William G.; Minnie E., at home; Homer H. C., living in Omaha, Nebraska; Nora, the wife of Walter Bumbarger,.of St. Charles; and Delia May, the wife of C. W. Thompson, of Lorimor, Iowa.

In his political views Mr. Fife has been an earnest republican since the organization of the party. He has held various township offices and was the first constable of his township, filling that position in 1852. Since its organization in 1858 he has been a faithful member of the Church of Christ at St. Charles and has served as elder for sixteen years. The events which have shaped the history of Madison county have made a strong impress upon his mind and he relates many interesting tales concerning the early days and the people who have guided the destiny of the county and promoted its upbuilding. He receives the veneration and respect which should ever be accorded one of his years whose life has been honorably passed and no history of this section of the county would be complete without mention of Samuel Fife.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915,” by Herman Mueller.