Barnable, John

BARNABLE, OCONNELL

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Plym. CC (email)
Date: 2/21/2005 at 17:04:41

John Barnable

John Barnable, one of Union township's well-known farmers and the owner of a fine place of one hundred and sixty acres there, is a native son of Iowa and has lived in this state all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in Jackson county on September 10, 1852, son of Thomas and Catherine Barnable, natives of Ireland, whose last days were spent in Jackson county, this state.

Thomas Barnable emigrated from Ireland to Canada in his youth and began working in the timber. He was married in Canada and afterward went to New York state, but remained there only a short time, presently coming out to Iowa and establishing his home in Jackson county. There he bought a tract of land, paying for the same three dollars and a quarter and acre, and became a substantial farmer, and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. They were members of the Catholic church and their children were reared in that faith. Of these children, the subject of this sketch was the first-born and is the only one residing in Plymouth county.

John Barnable was reared on the parental farm in Jackson county and received his schooling in the schools in the neighborhood of his home. He early began farming on his own account, renting land, and after his marriage in 1880 continued making his home in Jackson county until 1885, when he moved over into Pottawattamie county, where he remained for a year, at the end of which time, in 1886, he came up into Plymouth county and bought a farm of eighty acres one-half mile south of the village of Oyens, where he made his home until 1892, when he bought the quarter section on which he is now living in Union township and where he ever since has made his home, he and his family being very comfortably situated. Upon taking possession of that farm Mr. Barnable began improving the same, set out a grove and has made improvements on the place to the extent of nearly seven thousand dollars. He has a fine house, a good barn and farm buildings and his fields are fenced hog tight. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Barnable has given considerable attention to the raising of high-grade live stock and ships annually a couple of carloads of hogs and a carload of cattle. He is a Democrat and gives his earnest attention to local civic affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.

In 1880, in Jackson county, this state, John Barnable was united in marriage to Margaret O'Connell, daughter of William O'Connell and wife, of that county, and to this union eight children have been born, William, Kate, Mary, John, Michael and Joseph (twins) Lawrence and Agnes. William Barnable married Adda Dennler and has one child. Mary Barnable married William Holton had has three children. The Barnables are members of the Catholic church at Oyens and take a proper interest in parish affairs, as well as in the general social activities of the community in which they live.

BOOK SOURCE:
History of Plymouth County, Iowa
Indianapolis, Ind.: B. F. Bowen, 1917