Harvey, Sam C.

HARVEY, CLARKE

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Plym. CC (email)
Date: 3/19/2005 at 11:40:01

Sam C. Harvey

The success which has come to Sam C. Harvey, a retired farmer of Le Mars, is directly traceable to the salient points in his character, for he started in life practically at the bottom of the ladder, which he has mounted with little aid from any source, although meeting with the usual obstacles that confront most men of ambition. With a mind capable of planning he combines a will strong enough to execute his well-formulated purposes, and his energy, sound judgment and perseverance have resulted in the accumulation of a good property.

Sam C. Harvey was born in Montreal, Canada, May 12, 1852, a son of David and Catherine (Clarke) Harvey, both natives of Ayreshire, Scotland. The father was seven years old when his parents brought him to Canada, and the mother was five years old when her parents emigrated to that country with her. They grew up in Canada, attended the common schools, he being educated at St. Regis, on the St. Lawrence river, at which place he resided for a period of about sixty years. He came to Le Mars, Iowa in 1872, locating in Union township, Plymouth county, taking up a homestead, which he improved and finally had an excellent farm here of two hundred and forty acres, on which he established the family home. He was advanced in years when he came here and most of the harder work on the place was done by his sons. David Harvey, Jr., his youngest son, still lives on the homestead. There the death of the father occurred in 1907 at the unusual age of ninety-six years, his wife having preceded him to the grave in January, 1902, at the age of eighty-two years. They were members of the Presbyterian church. Politically, David Harvey was a Republican and stanch in his political beliefs. To these parents ten children were born, namely; Mrs. Mary Cattnach, now deceased; Elizabeth, widow of J. E. Brown, who lives on the old home place in Union township; Jeanette, the wife of James Reid, of Huntington, Canada; Sarah, the wife of George Sackett, of Holyoke, Massachusetts; Robert, who is engaged in the lumber and coal business at Huron, South Dakota; John, who died in Massachusetts after devoting his life to the hotel business; Sam C., the subject of this sketch; James who was a farmer in Union township, this county, and who died on August 18, 1916; David, Jr., who is farming on the old home place, and Cassie, who married John W. Warner and is now deceased.

Sam C. Harvey spent his boyhood in Canada, where he attended the public schools. He lived at home until he was twenty years old. He came to Iowa in 1872 and on the day of his arrival in Plymouth county he bought eighty acres of wild land in Union township, which he cleared, improved and lived on for a period of thirty-eight years, during which time he saw the county grow from practically a wilderness to its present high state of civilization. Mr. Harvey carried on general farming and stock raising, owning from time to time some fine horses; in fact, he has always dealt in horses, of which he is a good judge. He also raised Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. He added to his original farm, as he prospered through hard work and good management. until he owned two hundred and forty acres of valuable land, but he has sold it all but eighty acres - - his original homestead. He also owns nine hundred and sixty acres in Canada. He operated a threshing outfit for many years in his earlier career, and in 1871 his right arm was so badly injured in an accident while threshing that it had to be amputated. He retired from active farming in 1910, and moved to Le Mars, where he purchased his present modern home on Main street.

On September 10, 1878, Sam C. Harvey was married to Susan Saunders, who also was born in Canada, a daughter of William and Catherine (Leach) Saunders, natives of Canada, from which country they came to Iowa in 1869, Mr. Saunders securing a homestead in Marion township, Plymouth county, which he later sold, buying land near Hawarden, in the neighboring county of Sioux, where he and his wife spent the rest of their lives. They were members of the Presbyterian church. To Mr. and Mrs. Harvey eight children have been born, namely; Mrs. John Raynard, who lives in Saskatchewan, Canada; Mrs. John Adamson, who lives in Monterey, California; Mrs. Thomas Alcock, who lives in Oregon; Thomas, deceased; George, who lives in Emerson, Nebraska; William, who makes his home at Eastline, North Dakota; Robert (deceased), who lived at Grand Junction, Colorado; Mrs. Hiram Mudgett, the seventh child lives in North Dakota.

Politically, Mr. Harvey is a Republican. He has served as justice of the peace, also as assessor for ten years, and was school director and treasurer for ten years. He attends the Presbyterian church.

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