Bailey, James P.

BAILEY, PARSONS, HALL, MORTON

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 7/31/2020 at 13:33:20

JAMES P. BAILEY, a retired farmer, resides in the village of Ainsworth. He was born on Orleans County, Vt., April 23, 1810, and is the son of Samuel and Lydia (Parsons) Bailey, who were also natives of Vermont, the former of English and the latter of Scotch descent. On a farm in this native county, our subject grew to manhood, and received such an education as could be obtained in the common schools of Vermont at that time. In 1834, he married Mary A. Hall, a daughter of James and Betsy (Morton) Hall. They were also natives of Vermont, but were of English descent.

Mr. and Mrs. Bailey have had ten children, eight of whom are living: Ann, widow of Albert Pearse, is now residing in Louisa County, Iowa, and is the mother of four children – Uriah, William, John and George; Hosford married Fanny Martin, by whom he has two children - Harry and Fred; Caldwell died from typhoid fever while a soldier in the late war; George married Eliza Hardin, and they have two children – Dorley and Lena; Charles married Mattie Boden, and has one child – Clyde; William married Ella Lackey; John married Lottie Williamson, by whom he has two children – John and Frank; Ottie married Emma Jackson, and they have two children – Myrtle and Noel; Sadie is the wife of D.P. Van Horn, of Louisa County, Iowa; Edgar is deceased.

Mr. and Mrs. Bailey are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically he is a Republican. While still a resident of Vermont, he was commissions a Colonel of the militia in that State, a title which he has since born. For many years he served as Justice of the Peace, and faithfully discharged the duties of that office. At the time of his marriage he was in very limited circumstances, but through industry and good management, assisted by his good wife, whose wise counsels were often to him a help, he has been enabled to acquire a nice property and lay by a little, in store for a rainy day. No man residing in Oregon Township enjoys more the respect of its citizens than Col. Bailey.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of James P. Bailey, pages 486-487.