Ed H. Rockwell

ROCKWELL, BUNNELL, REED, CHASE, TOMLINSON, PETERS, BARADA

Posted By: Fran Hunt, Volunteer
Date: 10/6/2001 at 09:45:20

Ed H. Rockwell, one of the editors and proprietors of the Farmington Herald, was born in Huntington County Indiana, February 6, 1856, being the second of three children, whose parents were Dr. William and Hester Bunnell Rockwell. The Doctor was a native of Hartford, Conn., and a son of Horace Rockwell, so favorably known as a painter of portraits and landscapes, whose productions have found their way into the best art galleries both at home and abroad. The artist lived to a ripe old age and died in Huntington County Indiana, whither he had emigrated with his family some time before. The Doctor followed his profession in the Hoosier State until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted and was made Assistant Surgeon of the Eleventh Indiana Infantry under command of Gen. Lew Wallace. After serving some three years he returned, and resumed the practice of medicine. At Ft. Wayne Indiana he married Miss Bunnell, a native of Syracuse New York, and a sister of Mrs. Lizzie B. Reed, who for six years was president of the Iowa Woman’s State Suffrage Society, and who is widely known as a public lecturer. In 1867 Dr. Rockwell removed to Harrison County Iowa, where he continued practice; he had, however, gone there two years before. Subsequently he journeyed westward to Richardson County Nebraska. For a second wife he chose Mary E. Chase, with whom he removed to Decatur County, Kansas, where he spent his last days. He was a stanch Republican but both of his sons are supporters of Democracy. The family, as above stated, numbers three children: Mrs. Hattie E. Tomlinson, Ed H. of this sketch, and F.W. Rockwell.
The subject of this biographical notice, after pursuing a course in the Little Sioux public schools began life on his own account. After farming for a couple of years he went to Des Moines, Iowa, where he was employed as salesman by the firm of Randall and Dickey, dealers in implements, after which he entered the freight department of the Rock Island Railroad Company. We next find him running a hotel in Voltaire, Sherman County Kansas and in 1887 he came to Farmington and joined his brother in business, the publication of the Farmington Herald.
At Fall City, Nebraska on April 15, 1879, Mr. Rockwell was joined in wedlock with Miss Maggie E. Peters, daughter of Fulton Peters, a native of Germany. Her mother Euphrasia Barada Peters, was born in Genevieve Missouri, and her mother was a French lady. Her father was none other than the celebrated Antonoine Barada, who lifted with his hands the stone that serves as a step to the United States Arsenal at St Louis. The weight of the stone sixteen hundred pounds, the date of the feat and his name are thereon engraved. That is the heaviest bare handed lift on record. To Mr. and Mrs. Rockwell were born two children—Rena E. and Walter F.
I am not related, and am copying this biography for those who might find this person in their family history.