Axtell, Silas S. (1848-1931)

AXTELL, BREWER, NELSON

Posted By: Gary Norris (email)
Date: 1/3/2013 at 10:07:46

The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa
Des Moines: Union Hist. Co., 1880.

AXTELL, SILAS S. - Deep River Twp - pg 709. Section 20, P.O. Tilton. His great-grandfather came to America during the colonial days, and his grandfather was born in Pennsylvania, where his father (Jesse) was also born, about 1814, and married, in Indiana, Mrs. Munger (nee Miss Mary Brewer), who was born in 1809, in New York, where her first marriage occurred. His grandfather moved to Ohio before his father was two years old. His father fought in the Texan War two years, where he lost his health and was discharged; he settled in Indiana, and died in September, 1871. Silas was one of five children, the next oldest of whom (Daniel) died in a government hospital, after having passed untouched through twenty-seven battles and skirmishes. Silas was born in Noble county, Indiana, July 25, 1848; educated in Kendallville, Indiana; worked for his father until he was nineteen years of age, then went to Michigan, where he worked on a farm by the month for two years, when he immigrated to Iowa, arriving in Deep River township, this county, August 29, 1869. In the following spring he went to Keokuk county, where he worked by the month until the next year, when he rented a farm where Thornburg now stands; here he farmed for the succeeding five years, at the expiration of which time he bought eighty acres where he now lives, and moved to it on the 28th of February, 1877. He subsequently added to his property two other adjoining pieces of land, forty and eighty acres respectively. Mr. Axtell married in Keokuk county, Iowa, on the 5th of March, 1873, Miss Mary J. Nelson, of Washington township, Keokuk county, who was born in Knox county, Illinois, October 21, 1850. The children are: Jesse Franklin (born December 5, 1873), Charlie E. (born January 6, 1876) and Louis D. (born June 10, 1879). Mr. Axtell owns 200 acres of good land, and is enterprising, industrious and prosperous.
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