John D. Elbert

ELBERT, HITT, TOWNSEND, CLARKE

Posted By: Fran Hunt, Volunteer
Date: 10/3/2001 at 07:02:28

From the Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties - 1890
JOHN D. ELBERT
John D. Elbert, who was one of the honored and prominent citizens of Van Buren County, was born on May 16, 1806, in Fleming county Kentucky, but when a lad of six summers, removed with his parent s to Ohio in 1812. The family first located in Urbana, Champaign County, but afterward removed to Logan County, where having attained to mature years, Mr. Elbert was united in marriage May 21, 1829, with Miss Achsa Hitt, of Urbana. Having fitted himself for the medical profession, in the same year he was licensed to practice by Dr. Drake, of the Cincinnati Medical College. He received diplomas from the Missouri Medical College at St Louis and the University of Pennsylvania. He was a skilled physician who stood at the head of his profession in Southeastern Iowa. The autumn of 1840 witnessed his arrival in this state. He purchased a farm of one thousand two hundred acres on Indian Prairie, Van Buren County, where he lived until his death. A man of superior ability, her at once took prominence among his fellow citizens and in 1842, was elected a member of the Territorial Legislature, and was chosen President of the Council. His life was a useful one, devoted to the interests of humanity, and by all who knew him, he was held in the highest regard. He died of erysipelas at the home of Hon. Edward Manning in Keosauqua, March 20, 1865, at the age of fifty-eight years, ten months and four days, and his remains were interred in the Keosauqua cemetery. His widow still survives him and makes her home with Judge and Mrs. Townsend, of Albia Iowa. She was born October 16, 1808 near Xenia Ohio and has entered upon her eighty-third year. She has four children, eleven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
A family of ten children was born unto Dr. and Mrs. Elbert, of whom four are yet living—Annie C., who was born February 9, 1830, in Logan County Ohio, graduated from the Wesleyan College of Cincinnati, in 1862, and is now the wife of Judge J.S. Townsend, of Albia Iowa; Rebecca H. born May 21, 1831, in Logan County, Ohio is the wife of R.M. Clarke, Beatrice Nebraska; Samuel H. born in Logan County, April 3, 1833, lives in Denver Colorado; John E. died in infancy; Leroy S. born in Logan County December 4, 1837, died in 1863, and was buried in the Keosauqua Cemetery; Achsa E. born in Iowa died in infancy; Ben F. born in Van Buren County May 8, 1844, was a student in the College of Evanston during the late war, and wishing to enter the service, and being not yet of age, he ran away, enlisted and served several months in Kentucky. He has been a successful banker and stock raiser, and is now living in Des Moines; Daniel Clarke, born January 22, 1847, in Van Buren County died May 26, 1868, while a member of the junior class of the Northwestern University of Evanston Illinois; George F. born October 20, 1849, was a student in Douglas University of Chicago, after which he spent a year in Europe, but his health failed him, he returned to this country and located in Denver Colorado, where he died November 17, 1871; Charles Wilber, who completes the family was born August 14, 1852, in Van Buren County, acquired his education in the Ohio Wesleyan University and died May 27, 1870. Leroy, Daniel and Wilber are buried beside their father in the Keosauqua Cemetery.
I am not related, and am posting this biography for those who may find this person in their family history.