McFall, Samuel T.

MCFALL

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/22/2019 at 17:14:24

Samuel T. McFall

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.641)
SAMUEL T. McFALL is one of the prominent and esteemed citizens of Silver Creek Township, Pottawattamie county, Iowa. He was born in Iroquois Co., Illinois, February 14, 1836. His father, Samuel McFALL, a Kentuckian by birth, was a descendant of an old Kentucky family who traced their ancestry back to Scotland. His mother, Elizabeth (BARBEE) McFALL, was born in Ross Co., Ohio, daughter of William and Mary BARBEE. Our subject's parents were married in Bartholomew Co, Indiana, from whence they afterward moved to Iroquois Co., Illinois. In 1840 they came to Iowa and were among the early settlers of Jefferson Co. In 1847 they removed to Mahaska County, same state. The mother died in 1878. She was born Nov 11, 1804. The father was born Oct 10, 1803, and died in 1885. This worthy couple were the parents of ten children, four sons and six daughters, of whom Samuel T. was the fifth born. The father came of true pioneer stock. He was a Democrat before the war, but at that time cast his vote and influence for Lincoln. He was an active and zealous Methodist and a class-leader.
Mr. Samuel T. McFall was four years old when his father came to Iowa. He was reared on frontier farms in Jefferson and Mahaska counties and was educated in log schoolhouses. During the great Rebellion he entered the service of his country in 1862, enlisting in Company H, 36th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was in many of the hotly contested battles of the War. Among the engagements in which he took part we mention Memphis, Helena, Little Rock, Prairie du Chien, Camden, Duval's Bluff, Ft Pemberton, below Vicksburg and Mark's Mills. At the latter place he was wounded by a minie ball in the left shoulder and lung and was taken prisoner for 25 days. Then he was paroled and confined at Little Rock Hospital, and also at Keokuk Hospital. May 12, 1865, he was honorably discharged and now receives a pension of sixteen dollars per month. He has since suffered much from the effect of the wound. During the season of 1872 he was confined to the house a greater part of the time. Until 1880 Mr McFall was engaged in farming in Mahaska Co. In that year he came to Pottawattamie Co. and purchased 160 acres of wild prairie land, which he has since improved and now has under cultivation. He erected a comfortable frame house and stables, put up a modern windmill, made other improvements and is now engaged in general farming and stock raising.

Mr. McFall was married in Mahaska Co. Iowa March 18, 1866 to Miss Isabelle SKIDMORE, a lady of much intelligence, who was born in Franklin Co., Ohio. Her father, James M. SKIDMORE, was also a native of Franklin Co. Her grandfather, George SKIDMORE, was a native of Kentucky, a soldier in the War of 1812 and a captain in the Mexican war. Her mother, Eunice (HENDRICKS) SKIDMORE, was born in Ohio, daughter of JAMES and Elizabeth HENDRICKS. Mrs. McFall's parents located in Mahaska Co, Iowa, when she was 18 years old. They now live in Sheridan Co., Kansas. They had 9 children, two sons and seven daughters, Mrs. McFall being the second born. Our subject and his wife have three children: Normon R., Cora L., and James B. They lost one child by death, Carlie, at the age of two and a half years. Mr. McFall is a Republican. He is a member of the Macedonia Post G.A.R. and is associated with the Mason and Toleration Lodge, Mahaska Co, in 1876. Both he and his wife are worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Lone Star Church. Mr. McFall served as Justice of the Peace.