East, John T.

EAST, BUTLER

Posted By: Kathy Leach (email)
Date: 10/24/2010 at 11:40:37

From The History of Monona County, 1891, pages 521-522 (at the Onawa Public Library)

JOHN T. EAST, a prominent farmer of Kennebec Township, living on Section 14, came to Monona County, September 20, 1869, and on the 2nd of November, 1870, after purchasing the relinquishment of the claim of Charles Tucker, who had settled on the land about two years before, took up his present farm as a homestead, Tucker returning to Indiana. Here Mr. East has made his home for the greater portion of the time since.

John T. East was born in Greene County, Ind., January 17, 1842, and is the son of John H. East and Mary A. East. His father was a native of North Carolina, born in 1807, and settled in Indiana at an early date. In the spring of 1842, our subject, an infant but a few months old, was brought to Iowa by his parents, who located in Davenport. Four years later the family removed to Linn County, where they made a permanent settlement in the spring of 1846. After receiving his education in the district schools, February 22, 1859, in company with his father and others, he started for Pike’s Peak, but on their way, discovering a large number returning disappointed from that locality, they concluded to change their destination to California, which they accordingly did. After engaging in mining in the latter country, at which they made but little money, in the fall of 1861 the father returned to Iowa, but our subject remained another year. During the summer of 1862 our subject was offered a position on the special police force of San Francisco at a salary of $100 per month, but having made up his mind to return home, it proved but a littler temptation, and in November of the same year he came back to Linn County. For the following two years he was there engaged in farming, but in the spring of 1865, removed to Monticello, Jones County, Iowa, where he commenced learning the blacksmith’s trade. While a resident of the city, May 29, 1866, he was united in marriage to Miss Maria E. Butler, a native of Oswego County, New York, born January 12, 1845, and after making his home there for some three years, drove through to Monona County, as above stated.

In 1875 our subject again went to California and from San Francisco to Portland, Oregon and the Columbia River, and engaged at mining near Canyon City. June 12, 1876, he started for home by way of Camp Harney, through southern Oregon with a team to Winomokkee, Nevada on the Central Pacific, by which and its connections he arrived at his home July 4, following. His father, who had come to this county in 1866, and located at Grant Center, Grant Township, was killed by the falling of a tree, when chopping in the woods, near Smithland, Woodbury County, January 21, 1869. His mother died here July 12, 1883.

Mr. and Mrs. East have had a family of six children, of which the following is a record: Arthur H., who was born June 17, 1868, died November 23, 1883; Addie L. was born March 1, 1870; Charles A., born March 13, 1872; Zimrie W., born February 17, 1875; Merlin A., born January 9, 1877, died February 17 of the same year, and Cora J., born March 25, 1881.