Ingram, Robert (1831-1919)

INGRAM

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 3/13/2008 at 16:20:59

Robert Ingram
Aug 29, 1831 - Nov 22, 1919

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.127, Keg Creek Twp.)
Robert Ingram, farmer, P. O. Silver City, Mills County, was born in Scotland August 30, 1831, son of James and Jane (Serling) Ingram, both natives of Ayrshire, Scotland, he born in 1792, and is still living in the same place; she born in 1797, and died in her native town in 1846. They were farmers, and had five children, of whom our subject is the only boy. He received his education in Ayrshire, Scotland, and began life at the plow. He came to America in 1851, and to Keg Creek Township in 1871, where he purchased 220 acres of prairie land at $10 per acre. He has since added 160 acres, which cost on an average of $12.50 per acre. He has made many substantial improvements, including a good grove and orchard, and a new two-story frame house, which he erected in 1882, at a cost of $1,800. His present farm of 380 acres contains a constant supply of living water,w hich would make it an excellent farm for stock-raising. He carries on general farming. He was married in La Porte County, Ind., in May, 1854, to Eliza Cane, borni n Ohio, and died in the place of her marriage in the following year. She was the daughter of John and Ruth (Hullinger) Cane, he born and died in Ohio, and she also a native of Ohio, born in 1808, and is now living in Lake County, Ind. Our subject was married a second time, to Miss Melissa McMurphy, a half-sister of his former wife. She was born in Michigan February 7, 1844, the daughter of Moses McMurphy, a native of Vermont, born in 1806. By his first wife, our subject had one child, James M.; by his second wife, four children, three of whom are living - Andrew L., Martha and Rober Marion. Our subject has filled several township offices. He belongs to the Baptist Church and is a Republican in politics.

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.673)
ROBERT INGRAM, OF SECTION 13, Keg Creek Township, first came to Pottawattamie County in 1872. He was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, August 30, 1832, the son of James and Jane (STERLING) INGRAM. Both were born in Ayrshire and lived there until they died, the mother dying when Robert was only four years old, while the father died about two years ago, in 1888, at the advanced age of ninety years. Robert received his education and was reared to farm work in his native place. At twenty years of age, he left his native land and came to the United States, and resided for two months near New Amsterdam, New York, and then went to Chicago, when that place was but a small town. He then removed to La Porte County, Indiana, where he resided ten or fifteen yeas, working out by the month mostly. His next move was to Kankakee, Illinois, and later, in 1872, he moved his family to Iowa, driving first to Morris, Illinois, and from there shipped his household furniture by railroad to Iowa. They bought 320 acres of land from the Rock Island Railroad Company, where his son, Andrew Lincoln, now lives on 160 acres of this land. Mr. INGRAM erected his house in 1883 at a cost of $2,500 which is surrounded by shade and ornamental trees.
He was married in La Porte County, Indiana, when twenty-eight years of age, to Miss Eliza CAIN, a native of Ohio, and they have one child. A year after his marriage his wife died, and he was married some time later in Indiana to Miss Melissa M. MURPHY, who was reared in Porter and La Porte Counties, Indiana. They have three children: Andrew Lincoln, who is married and resides near his father; Martha, the wife of Poland WARD of this township; Rob Marion, at home. Politically Mr. INGRAM is a Republican and is a member of the Methodist church at Silver City, but that society is now building a church at Silver Creek, calling themselves the Lone Star Class.