AULD, JAMES H.

AULD, GROVE, THOMPSON

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 3/28/2020 at 00:11:42

JAMES H. AULD, Recorder and Township clerk of Brighton, was born in Fayette County, Pa., on the 22d of October, 1825, at the old red tavern at Brownsville. His father, James Auld, was born on a vessel in 1792, while his parents were on their way from Ireland to this country. He married Catherine Grove, who was born in Fayette County, Pa., in 1796. Mr. Auld began life as a merchant, but having failed, purchased the old red tavern, near Brownsville, where he continued for some years. Mr. and Mrs. Auld were the parents of eleven children who lived to maturity, and five of whom are now living: Hannah, the widow of David Cauffman, now resides in Peoria, Ill.; Martha is the wife of Jonas Kelsy, of Perry County, Ohio; Adeline is the wife of Austin Nickson, of Peoria, Ill.; Elizabeth was married to J. G. Jobes, of Golden, Cal.; Catherine is the widow of Samuel Lida, now of Champaign County, Ill. Mr. Auld died in 1831 and Mrs. Auld in 1871.

The subject of this sketch was educated in the district schools, receiving a liberal education. On the death of his father, in 1831, when he was but six years of age, he was given in charge of a brother-in-law, and when ten years old went with him to Fairfield County, Ohio, where he remained until he was thirteen years old. He then ran away, and subsequently bound himself with a man to learn the chair-making business. He remained with him one year, and then went to Perry County, Ohio, and engaged in the same business, remaining there until 1845. He then went to Pittsburgh, Pa., which he thought would be a good place to work, and there learned the painter’s trade.

Returning to Ohio, on the 9th of September, 1848, Mr. Auld was united in marriage in Champaign County, with Miss Hannah Thompson, who was born in Martinsburg, Va., Nov. 25, 1825. In the spring of 1849, he came to Washington County, Iowa, and located in Brighton, where he has since resided. Here he first engaged in the manufacture of chairs, forming a partnership with W. G. Israel, and continuing in that trade for twelve years, of which he was a pioneer. He traded this property for a sawmill in Clay Township, and in 1860 was elected Assessor for Brighton Township. He has filled the office of Recorder since 1871. He has also served as Mayor of the village. Mr. Auld is a member of the Masonic fraternity and for the past fifteen years has been Secretary of the lodge in Brighton. He is also a member of the I.O.O.F., both Subordinate Lodge and Encampment, and has filled all the chairs in the first named, and has also represented the lodge in the Grand Lodge.

Mr. and Mrs. Auld are the parents of seven living children: Sarah E., the wife of R.E. Kegan, of Brighton; James R., of Keokuk, Iowa; Aden W., a painter residing in Brighton; Amy, the wife of Charles Rich, of Elden, Iowa; Rose L., the wife of G.O. Dodge, of Davenport; Colonel L., conductor on the Central Iowa Railway; Mattie, the wife of William Mygatt, of Bay View Station, near Milwaukee, Wis. In politics, Mr. Auld is a stanch (*staunch) Republican, but in the early life was a Whig, casting his first Presidential vote for Zachary Taylor. In the local difficulty in South English during the war, in which some of the citizens of that vicinity expressed themselves as being strongly opposed to the war, and proposed to resist the draft, several companies were organized for the purpose of assisting the Government in maintaining order. In one of these companies Mr. Auld was first a Sergeant and afterwards a Lieutenant.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of James H. Auld, page 283-284.