Childs, F. L.

CHILDS

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 10/8/2008 at 13:43:52

F. L. Childs

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.199, Norwalk Twp.)
F. L. Childs, farmer, P. O. Neola, is one of the most enterprising farmers of this township (Norwalk), born in Jacksonville, Windham Co., Vt., February 26, 1843; he is the son of L. J. and Betsey (Bassett) Childs; his father was born in Windham County, Vt., March 16, 1815; his mother was born June 9, 1821. His father was a farmer, but was engaged at different times in various other occupations. He was a merchant, tavern-keeper and baker. While engaged in the latter capacity, he founded, in connection with his four brothers, the Mechanical Baker of Chicago. Our subject's parents emigrated from Wilmington, Vt., to Chicago, when he was a small boy. From this place, they moved to St. Charles, Kane Co., Ill., where they lived for nine years. They then came to this county, location in Norwalk Township in 1856. A brother and sister of our subject's mother accompanied them. The brother enlisted as a volunteer in an Iowa regiment and was killed at the battle of Pea Ridge. When our subject first came to this county, the country was wild and unsettled. Deer, elk, buffalo and lynx held full sway on the prairie, while catamounts, wild cats and wolves prowled about. While cutting timber, our subject killed a large catamount, and at one time, while coming home from school, he was followed by a lynx for a mile. Mr. Childs' farm consists of 400 acres, all of which is under cultivation. He makes a specialty of feeding stock, for which he raises tame hay. This spring (1882), he has the credit of shipping the fattest cattle that were shipped from this county. He has always lived on his present place since coming to Iowa and is forward in improvements. His early education was received at Tabor, Fremont Co., Iowa. March 16, 1865, he was married, in Norwalk Township, to Margaret G. Dewey, who was born in Cambridgeshire, England, November 5, 1844. They have had five children, four of whom are living, viz., Ellen Dewey, born May 18, 1869; Bradford F., born July 27, 1874; George S., born Jan, 19, 1877, and Naomi Emily, born December 8, 1879; Charlie L. is dead. In religious matters, Mr. Childs is not denominational, and in politics, he is a Republican Greenbacker.