Passmore, Samuel B. (1827-1895)

PASSMORE

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 11/17/2008 at 13:42:55

Samuel B. Passmore
Dec 13, 1827 - Dec 28, 1895

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.264, Wright Twp.)
Samuel B. Passmore, farmer, P. O. Whipple, was born in West Nottingham Township, Chester Co., Penn., December 27, 1827. He is the son of John W. and Deborah (Brown) Passmore, both natives of Chester County, Penn., he born October 31, 1802, and died in his native county June 26, 1848; and she born January 12, 1801, and is still living. The parents were farmers, and had four children. The mother is now residing in Rising Sun, Cecil Co., Md. She visited her son in 1881, coming and returning by herself. Our subject receievd a district-school educatino, and worked on his father's farm till the age of twenty-one, when he began life for himself as a farmer. He was married, in New Garden Township, Chester Co., Penn., March 28, 1850, to Hannah M. Jackson, born in the same county March 19, 1829. She is the daughter of Joshua and Sarah C. (Cook) Jackson, both natives of Chester Co., Penn. Her father was a physician, born in 1793, and died February 2, 1842. Her mother was born in 1794, and died September 17, 1850. Our subject left his native State and moved with his family to Bureau County, Ill., where he lived until 1870, when he came to this county, locating on his present place, in Wright Township, having purchased the lnad the year previous. His farm now consists of 320 acres of land, in a good state of cultivation. It is situated in the east half of Section 21, Township 75, Riage 38. Mr. and Mrs. Passmore have ten children - Amos C., born March 12, 1851; Ella D. (Mrs. Lipp), born September 17, 1852; Orlando C., born August 6, 1854; Ida A., (Mrs. Morris), born July 8, 1856; Elwood L., born January 1, 1858; Anna M. (Mrs. Nolta), born September 8, 1859; Ellis P., born July 29, 1860; William T., born July 8, 1863; Emma L. born January 6, 1866; and Lincoln G., born December 22, 1867. Our subject has been Town Trustee, and also a member of the School Board. He and wife are members of the Society of Friends. He is an A. H. T. A., and in politics is a Republican.

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.251)
SAMUEL B. PASSMORE was born in West Nottingham Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, December 13, 1827, son of John W. Passmore, a native of the same county. His grandfather and his great-grandfather, Ellis and George Passmore, were also natives of Pennsylvania. The first Passmore who landed in this country was a Friend, came here with William Penn and settled in Pennsylvania. All his descendants down to the present generation have belonged to the Society of Friends. The wife of John W. and the mother of Samuel B. Passmore was nee Deborah Brown, a native of Chester County, Pennsylvania. She is a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Brown) Brown, also natives of the Keystone State. John W. and Deborah Passmore reared four children, as follows: Ellis P., a resident of Rising Sun, Cecil County, Maryland; Samuel B., whose name heads this article; Elizabeth Ruth, widow of Eliphaz Cheyney, Westchester, Pennsylvania, and Colonel John Andrew Moore Passmore, No. 318 South Forty-second Street, Philadelphia, a prominent resident of that place. He was an officer in the late war and is now manager at Philadelphia for D. Appleton & Co. John W. Passmore died in June 1848 at the age of forty-six years. His relict has been for forty-four years a widow. She is now ninety years of age and resides with her son, Ellis, in Cecil County, Maryland. When she made a visit to her son in Iowa, in 1881, she was in good health and quite active.
Samuel B. Passmore was reared on his father's farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and received his education in the public schools. March 28, 1850, he wedded Miss Hannah M. Jackson, a native of that county. Her parents, Joshua and Sarah (Cook) Jackson, were also born in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Mr. Passmore and his wife remained in their native county until May 22, 1855, when they moved to Bureau County, Illinois. There he rented land and lived until 1870, when he came to Wright Township, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and bought 160 acres of land; this was all wild prairie land. He also bought ten acres of timber, situated three miles from his farm. He was among the early settlers of this part of the country, and at that time deer were frequently seen on his premises or in view of his dwelling. He has since developed his farm and it is now under a good state of cultivation. Maple Grove, as he is pleased to call it, is considered one of the finest farms in Wright Township. Mr. Passmore erected a comfortable one and a half story house, which, surrounded with beautiful evergreens and shrubs, makes an attractive home. In 1874, he purchased 160 acres of prairie land which adjoined his farm, making 320 acres in one body. He has an artificial grove of 13 acres and an orchard comprising three acres. His barn is 44 X 46 feet, with 18 feet posts, and a rock foundation. His farm is divided into five fields for pasture, meadow and grain; and among other improvements made by Mr. Passmore are two windmills and 1,600 rods of osage-orange and 200 rods of willow hedge. He has some fine specimens of stock, both cattle and hogs. Maple Grove is, indeed, a beautiful home, and one of which the owner should be justly proud.
Mr. Passmore and his wife have ten children, viz.: Amor C. of Aurora, Buchanan County, Iowa; Ella Deborah, wife of A.J. Lipp of Wright Township; Orlando C., resides near Linden, Dallas County, Iowa; Ida A., wife of J.C. Morris, Guthrie County, Iowa; Ellwood Lovejoy, at home; Anna Mary, wife of H. Nolta, Dexter, Dallas County, Iowa; Ellis P., in the nursery business at Cloverdale, California; Willie T., Dallas County, Iowa; Emma L., wife of N.G. Brown, Cass County, Iowa; and Lincoln G. at home.
Like his worthy ancestors, Mr. Passmore is a Quaker. He, however, attends the Methodist Episcopal Church of Whipple; has been a trustee for several years and is a liberal supporter of that church. He is one of the leading Republicans of his township, and is chairman of the Republican Central Committee. He was formerly a Free Soiler, and was one of the three in his township who voted that ticket in 1852, the township casting 200 votes. He has served in most of the township offices, is at present Township Trustee, and has always used his influence for the best interests of the community.
Mr. Passmore is past sixty, but bears his age lightly. He is frank and cordial in his manner, with a vein of humor in his makeup, and he is highly esteemed by all who know him. His family are refined and cultured, and are ranked with the best society of the community.

Note to Researchers: Many members of the Passmore family are buried at Whipple Cemetery in Wright Township, established 1878. I walked this cemetery two summers in a row and recorded the following burials:

Samuel Passmore, departed this life 12th mo., 28th day, 1895, aged 68 yr, 15 da. "at rest."
Amor C. Passmore, died April 15, 1893, 42 yrs, 1 m, 3 da. "In my father's house are many mansions."
Ellwood Lovejoy Passmore, son of S.B. and H.M. Passmore, d. Dec 29, 1896, aged 38 yr, 11 m, 16 da. "Sweet rest."
Addie A.B. Passmore, wife of E.P. Passmore, d. May 7, 1887, aged 25 yr, 4 mo, 21 da. (Buried next to Walter Passmore)