Kirby, Josephus

KIRBY

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/22/2019 at 14:11:11

Josephus Kirby

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.515)
JOSEPHUS KIRBY, an enterprising farmer of Waveland Township, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, has resided here since 1881. He was born in Warren County, Illinois, March 19, 1858. His father, Isaac Kirby, was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, fifty miles north of Pittsburg, son of Joseph KIRBY. Isaac KIRBY married Eliza Ann BAILEY, a native of Greene County, Pennsylvania. They settled in Peoria County, Illinois, in 1850, and two years later removed to Warren County, that State, where they still live. The father is now sixty-five years old and the mother is sixty-three. They have eight children, as follows: Emily Jane, K. B., O. P., Ruth Allen, Josephus, Mary E., George M. C. and Madison. Josephus is the only one in Pottawattamie County. His brother, K. B., is also in Iowa, located in Cass County.

The subject of our sketch was reared on a farm and was educated in the common schools and one year at Monmouth College in Illinois. For a short time he was engaged in teaching. In 1881 he came to Pottawattamie County and settled on an eighty-acre farm in section 5, Waveland Township, which he improved and which, in 1888, he exchanged with M. C. TALBERT for 160 acres where he now lives, in section 33. He has a small frame house, buildings for stock and other farm improvements.

Mr. KIRBY was married, May 30, 1882, to Clara Belle YOHO, who was born in Fulton County, Illinois, daughter of Jasper and Mary E. (Collins) YOHO. Mr. YOHO, eldest son of Thomas and Eliza Jane YOHO, was born at Mansfield, Ohio, May 25, 1837; was a mechanic; married December 17, 1861, and had three children: Clara B., Dora A. and William J. He died October 15, 1871. Mrs. YOHO was born in Hancock County, Illinois, February 21, 1843, and is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Kirby have five children: George Melvin, Orlaff Ray, William Isaac, Freddy Lewis and Edgar Ellsworth. Politically Mr. Kirby is a Democrat. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Walnut Valley, as is also his wife.