Hastie, Andrew (1823-1910)

HASTIE

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 12/7/2016 at 22:59:09

History of Warren County, Iowa; Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns & Etc., by Union Historical Company, 1879, p.717
HASTIE, ANDREW, farmer, Allen Township, Sec. 16; P. O. Carlisle; born in East Loathen, Scotland, September 19, 1823, and was raised there; and came to America when past twenty-one and located in Mount Vernon, Ohio, in 1845; he lived in Ohio for about six years, and most of the time was engaged in the railroad business; while there he married Miss Elizabeth Whittaker, October 26, 1849; in 1852 he came to this county, and located where he now lives; he owns a farm of 620 acres; his wife died April 1869, and left four sons and two daughters: Phillis W., Ephraim D., Lydia, Elizabeth, Charles and Andrew, who has since died; he married again to Mrs. Nancy, a widow of E. Smith, October 16, 1869, a native of Illinois.

The Advocate-Tribune newspaper, Indianola, Iowa, Thursday, Sep 17, 1885, p.3
[In Sep 1885, residents in Warren County were not happy with the Republican controlled county officials and formed a People’s County Convention to nominate county officials on a People’s County ticket. The following “biographical” information was written for those candidates]
Andrew Hastie, nominee for Representative, is one of the pioneers of Warren county and is thoroughly identified with all her interests. He is one of our most successful farmers, has taken an active interest in every fair ever held in the county and a prominent part in political matters, being especially active in his opposition to the encroachments of monopolists. He has for years been making a desperate fight against the barbed wire monopoly, being a member of the State Executive Committee of the Farmers’ Protective Association, and largely through his instrumentality the price of barbed wire has been very much reduced, saving our farmers many thousands of dollars every year. He is one of the best known men in the county and is the strongest possible candidate that could have been place at the head of the ticket.
Mr. Hastie was called forward and addressed the convention in one of his characteristic, vigorous speeches. He said if he had been nominated by any ring, clique or corporation, he should have felt that it was the price of blood; but coming as this came, from the people, he considered it a high compliment. He would do his best for the success of the ticket, at the same time a defeat would not hurt him very bad personally. He said when we see the highest officer of the State trampling upon the rights of one whom the people has elected, at the behest of insurance corporations and railroad rings it is time to look to the protection of our rights. The action of Buren R. Sherman in ousting Auditor Brown was deliberate treason. What is the use of holding elections if the men are elected to be kicked overboard at the behest of these corporations? If the Republicans will defend Buren R. Sherman they will be driven from power. He then spoke of the deplorable financial condition of the county and the increasing poverty of the people; farmer’s children barefooted, their wives half clad, their farms, their teams, their implements, even their cows under mortgage; the destitutions in the towns but little less than in the country; the county becoming depopulated at the rate of 2000 in five years; even the capital being driven away by high taxes; the legislature making laws for the corporations but not for the people. He said it was time to raise the standard and defend our liberties. His speech was listened to with keen attention. It struck a responsive chord and started the ball a rolling.