Laurel Summers

SUMMERS, HADDEN, PARKHURST, WHITFORD, CURTIS, HEADLEY, PIERCE, BUCHANAN

Posted By: LuAnn Goeke (email)
Date: 5/23/2009 at 07:57:00

Laurel Summers was born in Montgomery Co., Ky., Oct. 2, 1812; was a son of Enoch and Elsie Summers, nee Hadden, natives of Kentucky, who were married in 1811, in Montgomery County of that State. In 1823 they removed to Morgan Co., Ind., where Enoch Summers entered land and farmed until his death, which occurred in 1845. The family then removed to Iowa, where the mother died in Jackson County, in 1867, having been the mother of six children - Laurel, Presley, Redman, Shelton, Dolly and Caleb. Mr. and Mrs. Enoch Summers in early life were members of the Baptist church, but upon the organization of the Christian church, joined that denomination, and affiliated with them until their death. He gave time and money to the building up of the church, and was one of its most zealous workers.

The subject of this memoir remained on the farm in Morgan County until 1830, when he went to Indianapolis, where he learned the trade of brick mason. This he followed until 1837, when, being drawn thither by the then prevailing current, he came West, and located in the Territory of Wisconsin, in what is now Scott Co., Ia. He here made a Government claim and embarked in farming. He also established a cattle ranch partnership with his brother, buying cattle from Indiana. The investment did not prove a lucrative one, and it was abandoned soon after. In 1838 he was elected to the first Territorial Legislature, and was re-elected the two succeeding years. In May, 1841, he married Miss Mary Parkhurst, who was born in Ontario Co., N.Y., Jan. 11, 1822, and was a daughter of Sterling and Ann Parkhurst, the former a native of Massachusetts, and the latter of New Hampshire, who were married in the State of New York.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Summers has been blessed with five children - Helen L., now Mrs. C.P. Whitford; Elsie A., widow of E.S. Curtis; Sarah, now Mrs. W.P. Headley, Lewis C., who died in infancy, and Augustus D. Mr. Summers followed his trade until 1844, when he was elected to the Legislative Council, and served two years. In 1850 he was elected to the State Legislature, and in 1853 was appointed United States Marshal of the district of Iowa under President Pierce; served through his administration and was reappointed under James Buchanan, and served eight years. Since 1861 he has followed contracting and various other occupations. He was elected to the mayoralty of Le Claire four terms, and served as deputy sheriff of Scott County for three years. In 1874 he was elected one of the trustees of the Iowa Agricultural College at Ames, and served in that capacity four years. Mr. Summers was educated in the Democratic school of politics, and still adheres to the principles of that party.

From History of Scott County, Iowa 1882
Chicago: Interstate Publishing Co.