Baxendale, John

BAXENDALE

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/26/2021 at 16:04:46

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.819

JOHN BAXENDALE
John Baxendale, an agriculturist and stock-raiser residing on section 26, Greenfield township, was formerly connected with the mercantile interests of Warren County. He was born in West Leigh, near Manchester, England, February 27, 1856, his parents being William and Alice (Smith) Baxendale, both natives of that country. The father, who was a silk weaver and farm laborer by occupation, died in England in 1868. In later years the mother came to America and made her home with her son John, in Iowa, until she passed away January 5, 1902, at the age of seventy-two years.
John Baxendale, the only child in his father's family, was reared in his native village and when nine years of age began work in a bolt factory. His parents did not want him to work but as his companions were all employed he urged to be allowed to accept a position. When ten years old he commenced work in a coal mine without the knowledge of his parents, being there em­ployed for fourteen years, during which time he was promoted to the position of foreman.
Mr. Baxendale was married in 1875 and in 1880, in company with his wife, sailed from Liverpool to the United States, settling at Fontanet, Indiana, where he helped to sink the first coal mine, but after a few weeks went to Staunton, Macoupin County, Illinois, where he remained two years, working in the mines. On the expiration of that period he went to Decatur, Illinois, was there engaged in mining for a year and subsequently spent about six months in England.
On again arriving in this country in 1884, Mr. Baxendale located in Des Moines, Iowa, where for about a year he was employed in a coal mine. He afterward came to Summerset, Warren County, as foreman for the Sum­merset Coal & Mining Company, acting in that capacity for two years. On account of failing eye-sight, he then purchased a grocery and general mercan­tile store at Summerset and successfully engaged in its conduct for fourteen years, during which time he made a second trip to his native land. His home was on a forty-acre, tract of land near his present farm and he conducted his store three miles away, making the trip to his place of business twice a day for nine years. Subsequently disposing of his store and farm, he purchased he ninety-eight acre tract where he now resides in section 26, Springfield Township, which has been his home since 1901. He has remodeled the house, put in water works and likewise has a hundred-ton silo, one of the first in the county. He has also erected barns and outbuildings, fenced the fields and altogether has a finely improved and valuable property, said by many to be the best farm of similar dimensions in Warren County. He is a scientific agriculturalist and in addition to the work of general farming also raises cattle, hogs and horses, shipping about a carload of hogs annually. He also has some Jersey cows and conducts a dairy. He is widely recognized as a prominent and prosperous agriculturist of the community and, as one whose success is entirely the result of his own and his family's well directed labor and capable management.
On the 24th of November, 1875, in England, occurred the marriage of John Baxendale and Mary A. Roper, a native of Standish in Lancashire, England, and a daughter of William Roper. Unto Mr..and Mrs. Baxendale were born eight children, three of whom died in infancy. Mary Alice is at home. John E. is now an electrical machinist of Los Angeles, California. He wedded Julia Mann. Thomas R., Elizabeth and Albert J. Baxendale are still at home.
In his political affiliations Mr. Baxendale was formerly a Democrat but has now for many years supported the Republican party where national ques­tions and issues are involved, though at local elections he votes independently. He served as postmaster for four years during President Cleveland's adminis­tration, and has been a delegate to Democratic state and county conventions. For thirty-four years he has now been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which be joined at Manchester, England, when eighteen years of age, being at the present time a member of the lodge of Indianola. Since 1893 he has been connected with the Modern Woodmen of America at Indian­ola, and he attends the Methodist Episcopal Church at Summerset, of which his wife is a member. They are well and favorably known throughout the county, having won the warm esteem and friendship of all with whom they have come in contact in business and social relations.