ANDREW H. IMUS

IMUS, DOBLIER, CALVIN, LESAN, BASSETT

Posted By: Sharon R. Becker (email)
Date: 11/17/2008 at 15:12:41

ANDREW H. IMUS

Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa
Lewis Publishing Company, 1887. pp. 279- 280.

“ANDREW H. IMUS, one of the early settlers of Ringgold County, engaged in farming, on section 29, Liberty Township, is a native of Ohio, born in Coshocton County, October 10, 1840, a son of Horatio M. and Mary (Dolbier) Imus, the mother a native of Vermont. The parents came to Ohio when young and were united in marriage in that State. They subsequently removed to Illinois, and in June, 1854, came to Ringgold County, Iowa, settling in what is now Washington Township, where they probably built the first cabin in the county. It was twelve feet square, and built of hickory poles with puncheon floor. Soon after the Imus family settled here, people began coming to the county to look for land, and their house was a sort of stopping place, sometimes their humble dwelling sheltering a dozen persons over night. The father met his death by drowning in May, 1854, in English Creek in Marion County, Iowa. He had started to cross the creek which was very high from the rain on the preceding night, taking with him his wife and one child in a two-horse wagon. As soon as getting into the stream the hind end of the wagon box was raised up, pitching him out against the horses when he and both horses were drowned. The wagon box floated down the stream with his wife and child for a quarter of a mile, when they were rescued after much difficulty. The mother and her family settled in Washington Township, Ringgold County, as before stated, the mother subsequently marrying William Cavin, who now resides in Mt. Ayr. The father had entered 400 acres of Government land in Ringgold County. Of the twelve children born to the parents, eight came to Ringgold County, seven sons and one daughter. Andrew J., the subject of this sketch, received but a limited education in his youth in the district schools. He was but thirteen years old when he came to Ringgold County, and at the age of fifteen years he went to live with George W. Lesan, with whom he remained till about twenty-one years of age, and during this time he attended school for twelve months. On leaving Mr. Lesan he was given $125 for his services. He then entered the army, enlisting in Company G, Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, and was sent to the Western Department in Arkansas. He participated in the battle at Helena and the running fight at Spoonville, and, being sick, he was captured by the enemy, when he was sent to Tyler, Texas, and placed in the stockade, where he was kept ten months, being without shelter all this time, and for his rations received a pint of corn meal and a half pound of beef. At the end of ten months he was paroled and sent to New Orleans, when he received a thirty days’ furlough. He was mustered out of the service at Davenport, where he received his discharge and at once returned to Ringgold County, Iowa. The home farm in Ringgold County was then divided among the heirs, when our subject purchased two shares and engaged in farming, remaining on that farm till 1876. He was married in 1868, to Miss Cora Bassett, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of I. B. Bassett, a resident of Ringgold County, and to this union have been born ten children – five sons and five daughters. Mr. Imus purchased his present farm in Liberty Township in 1876, where he has 16t0 acres of well-improved land, all under a high state of cultivation, and has since devoted his attention to general farming and cattle-raising. Mr. Imus has served his township as school director, commissioner of highways and trustee, and has held the office of assessor four terms, two terms in Washington Township, and two terms in Liberty Township.”

Submitted to the Ringgold County GenWeb site by Christy Jay, email: Jaygenie@aol.com