Elder, Marshall 1849-1938 & Polly Stough Family

ELDER, STOUGH, MAGEE, HAMLIN

Posted By: Wilma J. VandeBerg (email)
Date: 5/5/2023 at 11:36:04

Elder, Marshall M. 1849-1938 & Polly Stough Family.

This story was taken from pages 383-386 of the Ireton Centennial Book (1882-1982). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added by Wilma J. Vande Berg. It is rare to have such an accounting that was passed down of the pioneer life of the Elder family which was journaled by the Elder pioneering ancestors.

In the summer of 1870 Marshall M. Elder, his cousin, Harve McCormack, and two friends, Owen Tiger and Hiram F. Ferguson, left their homes in Marshall Co., Ia. with a lumber wagon drawn by a team of horses. They followed familiar roads for a day or so, then they had to depend on Indian trails. They followed them from camp to camp. These trails led to good fording places across the streams. Later they came to a broad expanse of prairie where there were only buffalo trails. These also led to water. They followed them until they came to Storm Lake. A shack on the west end of the lake was the only sign of habitation. Here they learned that all the homestead land near the lake had been filed upon.

They continued west on toward the present city of Cherokee. There they encountered some homesteaders. A short stay with these settlers disclosed the fact that each landowner in that particular locality were relatives or fast friends and their lands were within the bounds of one section. A fair-sized house had been built in the middle of the section so that one quarter of the house stood on the corner of each quarter section. The young men considered the plan a splendid one.

The settlers, being familiar with the vicinity of the Little Sioux River directed the travelers to a splendid fording place, from here they left all traces of habitation behind them. They wended their way across the country in a northwesterly direction until they came to the Floyd River and crossed not far from where the town of Alton is now located. As they traveled west by what is now the Million Dollar Corner, they found the first dwelling place that they had seen since leaving the Cherokee vicinity. It belonged to Mr. Root, Sr. He informed them that land was available and directed them to Calliope (now Hawarden) where land in Buncombe Twp. could be filed upon.

The four home seekers found that it was impossible to locate any sec. of land in its entirety. They met a Mr. Johnson who had control of Sec. 8, Twp. 94N R46W. They paid him one hundred dollars ($100.00) and he relinquished his right to the land; so, three of the young men were granted 80 acres each and Mr. Ferguson being a soldier was granted 160 acres of Section 8. The deal was completed in the fall of 1870. The four then went back to Marshall Co. to spend the winter.

The spring of 1871 found Marshall Elder, Harve McCormack, and Owen Tiger on their way to their newly acquired lands. Mr. Ferguson decided not to go. He had two small children and his wife did not want to take them to the problems of homesteading. McCormack and Tiger each had two yoke of oxen hitched to their wagons which had been equipped with bows and covers, while Mr. Elder’s similarly fitted out was drawn by a team of horses. Each wagon was loaded with necessary provisions as well as plows and machinery which they expected to use in the cultivation of their government lands. They also carried provisions which they knew would be necessary during the coming season. The ground was soft and water had risen in rivers and streams so they were full to their banks brim. The water was ice cold for much of it had come from melting snow. Faithfully, they trudged along and after about three weeks of hardships, they came to within two or three miles of their newly acquired lands. As they were about to camp for the night, they saw a light and immediately went to where it was. Behold! A completely equipped home was found. This place had not been there when they had left the fall before and was only about two miles from their homesteads. It belonged to Mr. Quint who welcomed them and invited them to stay overnight. Early the next morning they proceeded onward to what was to be their future homes. Sec. 8 constituted the tract of land across the road east from the present town of Ireton. Thus, the spring of 1871 found three of Central Iowa’s young men in readiness to put the necessary improvements on their pre-empted lands.

The second night after the new settlers had arrived and while they were sitting by their campfire, they heard sounds which resembled beseeching calls. When they responded, they found themselves in a position to help and direct another homesteader who was wandering in the darkness just as they had done a couple of nights before. The man was Mr. Henry Kluter. Mr. Kluter had built a cabin on his land before he went home to Clayton Co., Ia. to spend the remainder of the winter of 1870-1871. He was one of many new neighbors to arrive that spring.

Since Mr. Kluter and a Mr. Kellogg had cabins built, the boys of Sec. 8 felt that they must get busy and build a home. They had been impressed with the Cherokee settlers idea of a house built in the middle of the sec., so they decided to build in the middle of their parcels of land. They hauled logs from the Sioux River with which to build a log house. In the meantime each one improved his pre-emption by doing some breaking.

Mr. Elder concluded that his team of horses was not able to do heavy breaking. Mr. Dan Root wanted to trade a couple of yoke of oxen for a team of horses. Mr. Elder exchanged his horses, harness, and light wagon for two yoke of oxen, a heavy government wagon, which Mr. Root had gotten from the government station at Sioux City, S.D., cattle yokes and chains, a two year old steer, a yearling steer and a two year old heifer. When the season closed, Mr. Tiger had broken 10-12 acres, McCormack 15-20 acres and Elder about 20 acres. They had also put up a log house in the center of Sec. 8. Each had built sheds on his own place. They had not put in any crops during that season of the year 1871. They had done what they needed in order to comply with the law so as to hold their pre-empted land.

Harve McCormack’s brother Dan had arrived late in the summer and agreed to stay over winter. The winter of 1871-1872 was terribly severe. Dan and his neighbors depended on slough grass almost entirely for heat.

The three young men again decided to spend the winter in Marshall Co. They drove their ox teams back and were overcome by storms long before they reached their destination. When they arrived, they began to make preparations for their return to Sioux Co. where they planned to make their future homes. They kept themselves very busy for they were anxious to earn every cent they possibly could at whatever kind of work that presented itself. They realized the need of all the funds they could get to help carry on homestead activities when they again went to their homesteads.

Marshall McCune Elder and Polly Stough, whose father, Wm. Stough, had settled in Marshall Co. from Indiana, were married Jan. 26, 1872 in Liberty Twp. Marshall Co., Ia. and prepared to return to Sioux Co. Harve McCormack’s mother, Hester, was to go to Sioux Co. with them. Elder and McCormack had disposed of their oxen and had bought horses. Mrs. Elder’s mother had given her a white heifer (Lil) for a wedding present. As the winter had been so severe, the travelers encountered snow banks, ice, and wind-swept plains. Because of these hazards, they abandoned their sled and proceeded onward with their wagons. When they arrived in Buncombe Twp. they learned of the severe winter the new settlers had had.

Mr. and Mrs. Elder worked on their new homestead until late fall. Every settler who planted seed that year reaped a big harvest of wheat, oats and flax. Even though crude, anything which had a sickle was welcomed. There was only one threshing machine, owned by Mr. Nindle, and he threshed all the grain in most of the county. About this time, Mr. Elder, Mr. Kluter, and two other neighbors went together and bought a binder. The good crops and fairly good prices enabled the settlers to invest in machinery and improve their homesteads. Late that fall the Elders again went back to Marshall Co. From 1870-1873 the Elders had returned to Marshall Co. every winter but this spring they all came back to Sioux Co. to stay.

During the year 1873 the first post office was set up in Bumcombe Twp. It was located near Calliope. The Elders and their neighbors had to go to LeMars for their provisions and supplies. When one would go he would take orders for several of his neighbors.

In the late fall of 1873 a horde of grasshoppers invaded Sioux Co. Some settlers abandoned their claims. Mr. and Mrs. Elder buckled up and braved the worst. The pests were persistent in spots, for the next 4 or 5 years in spite of the fact people used rollers to crush the insects and “Hopperdozers” to ensnare them. The time was long enough for the farmers to get hopelessly in debt. Business men carried thousands of dollars on their books. Money had been borrowed from the banks in LeMars at a huge interest rate (24%) which was paid in advance and was given on the best securities.

In 1875 Owen Tiger became weary of homesteading and asked Mr. Elder to take over his homestead. Officials of the Sioux Co. land office granted him the right to take over the E½ SE¼ of Sec. 8 as a tree claim, provided he would set out twenty acres of trees. He put out the largest grove of black walnut trees in that section of the country. Within the confines of that grove they built a large modern house and farm buildings. They had a good well by the log cabin, but could only find very hard water on the new location.

Three daughters had been born to the Elders. Edith in 1872 who died in infancy, Angeline in 1874 and Addie.

There was a large slough near the Elder home where wild game abounded. Flocks of prairie chickens which sometimes they considered a nuisance, but they and their eggs supplied food for the people. There were also quail, deer, wild turkeys, ducks, and geese, but they eluded the traps of the settlers. The streams teemed with fish and Mrs. Elder loved to fish. The menace was wolves, foxes, coyotes, weasels, skunks, gophers, etc. They destroyed more eggs and newly hatched birds than the hunters did. One day one of those wolves followed Angie Elder home from school, sniffing at her dinner pail. Angie thought that it was a big friendly dog until she reached home and her mother saw their own big shepherd dog drive it away.

During this time Close Bros. from LeMars bought up railroad lands and odd-numbered sections in Plymouth and Sioux Counties, and some land from settlers for $300-$500 per quarter sec. On many they built a set of buildings: a house (2story, 4room) a barn, and a granary. About 1879 Mr. Elder bought the NE quarter of Sec. 17-94-46 and the SE ¼ Sec. 17-94-47 from the Close Bros. This land was across the road south of their home. Mrs. Elder’s brother William Stough and his wife Minerva and children Walter, Addie, Raymond, Ruby and Lottie lived in that place several years.

Mr. and Mrs. Elder’s fourth daughter, Myrtle, was born Feb. 19, 1879. She went to school with neighbors’ children, Charlie and Louisa Kluter, Fred Herbet, and Gertie Fosberg, Alta Shimer, Alma, Frank, and Russel Savage, and Amine Westcott.

When the government agreed to sell land set aside for school purposes Mr. Elder bought 80 acres of the NW½ of Sect. 16. This made him 400 acres in Reading Twp. where the family grew and prospered. He raised fine Percheron horses which he took to the county fairs and won many blue ribbons. On one occasion he took one of his horses to the State Fair in Des Moines and won a blue ribbon there.

In 1881 a railroad was run through Sioux Co. which ended at Calliope. Angie Elder was 7 years old and remembered walking to a knoll and watching the first train go through. June 1882 a town was laid out on Sec. 7 south of the railroad and called Ireton. The government granted to Ireton a post office right in Nov. 1882. Also that year the Close Bros., who had been doing business in LeMars built a land office building in Ireton. Many other business men began to build nearby. This saved the farmers long trips to trade their eggs, butter, etc. for provisions and other necessities.

When the new town of Ireton was growing, Mr. McKeever bought 40 acres, called an out-lot, from the original town site. He built a large house on the 40 acres which he thought might be used for a hospital in the future. When Mr. and Mrs. Elder retired from farming they bought Mr. McKeever’s large house and 25 acres of the 40. Mr. Elder also had the small house on Sec. 17 which the Close Bros. had built moved onto the new 25 acre plot. They lived in the big house only a few years when they built a smaller house on the edge of Ireton in the west part of town. The William Twillman’s bought this house from the Elders, which then was sold to Peter Feenstra and recently has been torn down under the ownership of Cal Bootsma.

The Elders had 2 more daughters, Mabel (May 20, 1887) and Hattie (Aug. 1, 1892) who died in 1895 of pneumonia.

All the Elder girls graduated from Ireton High School, Angie being with the first class in 1895. Angeline married Jason Ferguson. Addie married Edward Stough, Myrtle married Fred Voorhees, Mabel married Ben Bay. The Stoughs located in Louisiana, Voorhees and Fergusons in South Dakota and the Bays on the Elder homestead.

Mr. and Mrs. Elder moved to Pasadena, Ca., but made many trips in the summer to Iowa. Polly Stough Elder passed away in 1930. She was brought back to Ireton and buried near her beloved homestead and friends in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Mr. Elder passed away in 1938 and he too is buried in Ireton.
(Thus ends the remarkable accounting of the lives of pioneers Marshall and Polly Elder from the Ireton Centennial book)

RESEARCH NOTES: Added by Wilma J. Vande Berg. Information on the lives of the children was found mostly on ancestry.com posted by public members. Keep in mind that there possibly are inconsistencies from one record to another.

Marshall McClune Elder was born 14 Nov 1849 Greensboro, Henry, Indiana died 25 Aug 1938 Pasadena, LA CA. His parents were Robert Robinson Elder 1819-1902 and Jan Magee 1819-1854. His wife was Polly E. Stough born 8 Jan 1853 Ohio and died 24 Apr 1930 Los Angeles Co. CA. They were married Jan 1972 Iowa. Her parents were William Stough 1814 and Angeline Hamlin 1812.

CHILDREN Marshall’s obituary mentions he had seven daughters, three of whom died in infancy. Six of his daughters are accounted for herein:

1, Edith Elder 1872-1872 born and died Sioux County IA as an Infant.

2, Angeline Elder 1874-1963 Mrs. Jason Ferguson In a report on ancestry.com public trees, Angeline Jane Angie Elder was born May 1874 Iowa died 1963 Los Angeles Co. CA. She married Jason D. Ferguson born Jan 1867 died 9 Mar 1923 Calabasas, LA, CA. They were married 15 Apr 1903 Ireton IA. They had children – Adara Leverne Ferguson 1905, Genevieve M. Ferguseon 1906, Elder Leroy Ferguson 1908-1972 and Hiram Hiltis Ferguson 1910-1928.

3. Ada Addie Elder born 5 Oct 1875 Sioux County, IA died 12 Dec 1962 Ventura CA. Mrs. Edward Stough, Jason Edward Stough born 8 Sep 1873 IA died 4 Aug 1922 Beaman, Grundy, IA. They were married 21 Nov 1896 Marshall IA. They had children Marshall John Stough 1896-1960, Dewey Harold Stough 1898-1947, George Winfred Stough 1904-1964

4. Myrtle Anna Elder born Feb 1879 Ireton IA died 1951 Mrs. Fred Voorhees, Fred Newton Voorhees was born 4 Jul 1874 Monticello, Jones, IA died 15 Aug 1951 Lawrence SD. They married 27 Aug 1902 Sioux county IA. They had children – Helen Voorhees 1904-2003, Howard Voorhees 1905, James Voorhees 1907, Alice Voorhees 1911-1998, Frances Voorhees 1916-2009, Ralph Frank Voorhees 1918-2007 and Jessie Mae Voorhees 1921-2003.

5. Mabel Elder born March 20, 1887 Ireton IA died 1974
Mrs. Benjamin Bay, 87, Temple City, Calif., a former Ireton resident, died Dec. 15 in Temple City. Services were at 10:30 A.M., Dec. 20 in the Dow Funeral Home of Ireton. The Rev. Herbert Gould officiated. Burial was in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Ireton.
Mrs. Bay the former Mabel Elder, was born March 20, 1887, in Ireton. She was married Oct. 5, 1911, in Ireton. Mr. & Mrs. Bay lived in the Ireton area, and moved to California four years ago. Mrs. Bay was a member of the Order of Eastern Star.
Survivors include the widower; four daughters, Mrs. Leslie (Rhea) Landing of Temple City, CA; Mrs. John (Helen) Dunham of Dunlap, Mrs. Robert (Yvonne) Hershman of Arcadia, CA, and Mrs. Walter (Mona) Casey of Encinitas, CA; six grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
Hawarden Independent, December 26, 1974

6. Hattie Irene Elder born abt died Apr 1895 From the Alton Democrat of Apr 20, 1895 Ireton News.
The Infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M. M. Elder died last Saturday evening of pneumonia. Source Sioux County death records has Hattie Elder age 3 born 1892 Ireton died 13 Apr 1895 Ireton IA
From the Alton Democrat of Apr 20, 1895 Ireton News.
The Infant daughter of Mr and Mrs. Marshall M. Elder died last Saturday evening of pneumonia.
Parents - Marshall M. Elder and Polly Stough 1854.

OBITUARY OF MARSHALL M. ELDER
Hawarden Independent (15 Sep 1938)
The remains of Marshall M. Elder who passed away at his home, 1531 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, Calif. Aug, 25, 1938 arrived in Ireton Saturday, accompanied by his daughter, Mrs. Addie Stough . Funeral services were held from the Methodist church at 2 o’clock, that afternoon with Rev. Geo E. Schneider in charge and friends of the deceased from far and near came to pay their respect and take a parting farewell.
Marshall M. Elder was born at Greensboro, Ind., Nov. 14, 1849, and passed away Aug. 25, 1938, at the advanced age of 88 years, 9 months and 11 days. At the time of his birth his father Robert Elder, was in Iowa and had filed on a homestead in Marshall County. Thus his son was christened Marshall in honor of the county in which the new home had been selected. The family moved to the new homestead when he was 1 ½ years old. He was the youngest of a family of six, three sisters Mary Elder Jones, Sarah Elder Hunter and Nancy Elder Graff, and two brothers, James and Jack Elder, all of whom preceded him in death. When he was but 2 ½ of age his mother passed to the great beyond and his boyhood was guided by the care of devoted sisters and grandmother. When he was 21 years of age he began his life of a pioneer in Reading township, Sioux county. In the fall of 1870 he returned to Marshall County where he was united in marriage with Polly Stough and with her he returned to the land which was to be their home. He was always active in community affairs having served many years on the school board of the Ireton Independent district. The union was blessed with seven daughters, three of them dying in infancy. Those surviving are Mrs. Angeline Ferguson and Mrs. Addie Stongh of Pasadena, Calif.; Mrs. Myrtle Vorhees of Sturgis, SD.; and Mrs. Mabel Bay, who resides on the homestead of her parents. He is also survived by two half brothers C.C. Elder, Bowles, Calif., and Frank Elder, Mabton, Wash; 17 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Mrs. Elder passed away April 24 1930 and was buried in Ireton. Mr. Elder expressed his wish that when he passed on he might be buried among friends and neighbors in Reading township and so he was laid to rest beside his wife, who was his companion for so many years, the mother of his children, who now mourn his passing.

OBITUARY OF MS. POLLY ELDER
From the Ireton Examiner of May 8, 1930
Another source: Hawarden Independent, 1 May 1930 Last Rites for Ireton Pioneer Held today.
The body of the late Mrs. M. M. Elder, accompanied by the bereaved husband, and daughter, Mrs. Angie Ferguson, arrived in Ireton from Pasadena, CA, today noon for interment in Pleasant View Cemetery, near the home where she had lived for many years. Short services were conducted at the M. E. church by Rev. W. O. Harper, pastor of the Presb. church, assisted by Rev. F. L. Kruwell, pastor of the M. E. church, and a large number of old time friends were present to pay their last respects to one who was held in the highest esteem during her many years residence here.
Polly Stough was born January 8th, 1854 in the state of OH. She was the youngest of a family of six children. Her father William Stough was born in Pennsylvania.
In 1856 the family moved to Iowa, settling in Marshall county. Two years later her father died, however her younger days were spent in this community.
In Liberty township, Marshall county, Iowa on Jan 26, 1872 Polly Stough was untied in marriage to M. M. Elder. In April 1872, they moved to Sioux County, IA where they were counted among the pioneers, having taken a homestead at this time.
Besides her husband, Marshall M. Elder, and four daughters, Mrs. Angeline Ferguseon and Addy May Stough of Pasadena CA, Mrs. Myrtle Vorhees of White SD, and Mrs. Mabel Bay of Ireton, Mrs. Elder is survived by seventeen grandchildren and four great grandchildren, and an only sister, Mrs. Anna Dakin of Des Moines IA.
After their family had reached maturity, Mr. and Mrs. Elder moved to Pasadena CA, where they have made their home since 1912.
Although Mrs. Elder had been failing in health since December she was able to be about her home until the day of her death which came unexpectedly April 24.

Page 386 of the Ireton Centennial book. Photo of The Marshall Elder and William Stough Families.

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