David M. Lamoreux

LAMOREUX

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 5/31/2021 at 17:16:30

David M. Lamoreux

D. M. Lamoreux, a resident of Douglas Township, section 36, is one of the prominent and well-known citizens of Sac county, Iowa. He came here in November, 1868. He was born in Monroe, Orange County, New York, November 24, 1847, a son of W. V. Lamoreux, who was a prominent pioneer of the county. He also was born in Orange County, New York, and came here with his family in 1868, and has been an active business man ever since. He was a son of Robert Lamoreux, whose grandfather had been born in Paris, France. The family was one of the Huguenots, and came to this country and settled in Orange county among the first who selected that place as a home. All students of the history of the different countries are well aware of the religious persecution which drove the Huguenots from their native country. The grandmother of our subject was named Hannah Brooks, who was born in Orange County, her parents having come thither from Bucks county, Pennsylvania. She was reared and educated in Orange County, and her son, W. V., was also so reared and educated. While still a young man he engaged in the lumber trade, and later engaged in merchandising. He was married to Miss Julia Mapes, a native of New York and a daughter of Rumsey and Mary (Ramsay) Mapes. By this marriage one son was born, Robert, a prominent citizen and business man of Sac City. The second marriage of W. V. Lamoreux was to Miss Mary J. Green, who was born, reared and educated in New York, a daughter of Daniel Green. In 1857 the family removed to Marathon county, Wisconsin, near Wassau. At that time the county was but sparsely settled, and the most of the land was owned by the Government. Here Mr. Lamoreux engaged in lumbering until 1868, when he removed his family to Sac City. Here he kept one of the first hotels in the place, but in the spring of 1874 he, with our subject, located upon the land where they now live. By his second marriage Mr. Lamoreux had a family of five children, three of whom are yet living: Daniel M.; Susan, the wife of B. T. Sinle, of Wassau, Wisconsin; and W. R., of Marshalltown, Iowa.
Our subject was a boy of ten years when he first came to Marathon, Wisconsin, where he grew up and received his education, and engaged there for a time in lumbering, but in 1868 he accompanied his father to Sac City as above stated. He farms and rents, and has one of the best farms in Sac County, consisting of 579 acres of rich land, well improved and with every surrounding, as it should be on a well-ordered modern farm. His one and one-half story residence, 16 x 24 feet, with an L two stories high, 18 x 24 feet, is beautifully situated in the midst of a nice grove of seven acres. His cattle are well cared for in a barn built for their especial care, 24 x 32 feet, while his immense farm barn, with its 16-foot posts and its vast dimensions of 40 x 66 feet, attracts attention for many miles around. He has an abundance of feed lots, yards, etc., with a fine windmill, scales and every provision for the carrying on of a fine farm, where our subject successfully carries on stock-raising and feeding, and also has a fine dairy, keeping from fifteen to twenty cows. He is also interested in shorthorn cattle and owns some fine specimens.
Our subject was married in December, 1872, in Sac City, to Miss Alice Armstrong, an intelligent lady, who was born and reared in Walworth county, Wisconsin, and was one of the first teachers in Boyer Valley township, Sac county, Iowa, and was one of the most highly respected teachers before marriage. Her father, J. E. Armstrong, is the Mayor of Sac City, and the maiden name of her mother was Dolly De Motte. Mrs. Lamoreux has one sister, Mrs. J. W. Nutter. Our subject has three children, as follows: Frank, attending the Sac Normal School; Guy at school at the place with his brother; and Mary Blaine, at home. Politically, our subject is a Republican, and has filled the position of Township Clerk, and in 1873 he was appointed Sheriff of the county. He served in this position for some time, and also in that of Coroner. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Occidental Lodge, No. 178, and of Darius Chapter; also of Rose Croix Commandery, No. 38, while both himself and his wife are members of the Eastern Star. Our subject is one of the most popular men in the township, possessing a reputation for liberality, progressiveness and integrity second to none. He is the friend of the needy, and is one of the most companionable men of the section, being hospitable, frank and jovial in manner.
Source: Biographical History of Crawford, Ida, and Sac Counties, Iowa, 1893, p.591