Carr, Isaac N.

CARR, PINKERTON, TAYLOR, SQUIRES

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 9/9/2020 at 14:22:48

Isaac N. Carr, residing on section 28, Lime Creek Township, is one of the prosperous and enterprising farmers and stock-raisers of that township. He was born in Cattaraugus County, N.Y., May 28, 1836, and is the son of Isaac and Harriet M. (Pinkerton) Carr, who were also natives of New York, and the parents of four children: Isaac N., the subject of this sketch; S.B., a farmer and stock-raiser in Umatilla County, Ore., Delos, a farmer and stock-raiser in Mt. Idaho, Idaho, and Amanda, the wife of E. Bradford, a farmer in Lime Creek Township.

Isaac Carr was a natural mechanic, and in his native State followed various occupations, including the running of a sawmill for some years. About 1841 he removed with his family to Scioto County, Ohio, and there remained until 1844, when they removed to Washington County, Iowa, and took possession of a cabin on Smith Creek. In the fall of that year, he, in company with H.H. Wilson and George Pinkerton, constructed a mill for the purpose of crushing corn-stalks after the ears of the corn had been removed. By this process he obtained the first molasses ever made in this county. About 1851 he started down the river to St. Louis, and was last heard from at that place. He is supposed to have been lost on a wrecked steamboat. Mr. Carr was a very steady and industrious man, generous in all his dealings, charitable in the extreme, and highly respected by all. Mrs. Harriet Carr died in Ohio about 1849. She was a member of the Episcopal Church, interested in all religious and benevolent work, and in her domestic relations was a model wife and mother.

The subject of this sketch began life for himself at a very early age. The educational advantages enjoyed by him were limited to the common schools. At the age of sixteen he hired out to work on a farm with a man by the name of Hull, receiving only his board and clothes for eighteen months service. After leaving the service of Mr. Hull, he wandered around looking for work. While passing a school-house near Isaac Leighton’s in Lime Creek Township, the children of Mr. Leighton asked him to go home with them. On his arrival at their home, and making known his condition, Mr. Leighton kindly gave him a home, for which to this day he is held in the most tender regard by Mr. Carr. With Mr. Leighton he remained eighteen months, and was then recommended by him to William Shaw, with whom he engaged, and worked for nine months at $10 per month. Out of this amount he saved $10, with which he made his first payment on an 80-acre tract of land. To make the entire payment, he borrowed $70 at forty percent interest, giving the deed to the land as security, and receiving from the borrower a bond for the deed. After making some little improvement on his place, he went to work for J. C. Jones at $11 per month, out of which he paid the borrowed money with the forty per cent interest. In 1857, he build a small cabin where now stands his beautiful two-story frame dwelling, and then began to break prairie, at the same time running a “bachelor’s hall”.
Believing it was not good for man to be alone, in October, 1858, Mr. Carr was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Taylor, a native of Scioto County, Ohio, born Feb. 14, 1836, and the daughter of Harvey and Eleanor (Squires) Taylor, who were natives of New York. By this union there was one son, Harvey T., born May 28, 1860. Harvey Taylor, the father of Mrs. Carr, was one of the pioneers of Lime Creek Township, and was well and favorably known throughout the county. Previous to his death, he held the office of Justice of the Peace forty-four years, serving in Ohio for twenty years, and for twenty-four years without intermission in Lime Creek Township. He was a man of good judgment, and highly respected. His death occurred May 30, 1881. Mrs. Carr died Dec. 15, 1861, during which year four of her father’s family died.

When the war of the Rebellion commenced, I. N. Carr was among the first to offer his services to the General Government. He enlisted in the summer of 1861, in Co. F, 11th Iowa Vol. Inf., and served until the close of the war. After rendezvousing at Davenport, the regiment was ordered to Benton’s Barracks, near St. Louis, where it remained during the following winter, and was then sent to Jefferson City, Mo., where it was divided, part of it being stationed at Fulton, in the same State. Early in the spring of 1862, it was sent to Pittsburg Landing, and there on the 13th of April, 1862, had its first real engagement with the enemy. In the fall of 1862, the regiment was in the second battle of Corinth, and then chased the “Johnnies” about forty miles, as far as Ripley. It was then sent with Gen. Grant to Vicksburg, but was cut off from the main army, losing all its supplies. The regiment was then ordered back to Memphis, and staid during the winter of 1862-63, during which time there was the heaviest fall of snow ever known in that section of the country. The entire army suffered greatly during that winter. In the spring of 1863, the 11th was again ordered to Vicksburg, and after the capture of that city remained doing garrison duty for some time, in connection with fighting ague and mosquitoes. The next active service was in the Meridian raid, when the 11th Iowa, with other troops, disabled fourteen locomotives, in addition to other hard work. In the winter of 1863-64, special inducements were held out to the old soldiers to re-enlist, and Mr. Carr was among the first to again offer his services for three years more. The veterans were all given a thirty-days’ furlough, during which time Mr. Carr returned to his home, to visit family and friends. When he left the South, returning home on his furlough, peaches were about as large as peas, but on his arrival in Washington County, he found it very cold, and snow upon the ground.

On the expiration of his furlough, Mr. Carr again bid his good-bye to his friends and rejoined his regiment at Camp McClellan, near Davenport. The regiment was soon afterward ordered to Cairo, and then to Paducah, Ky., and went into camp on the Tennessee River. While there the smallpox broke out, but out subject escaped the loathsome disease. The regiment was next ordered to Atlanta, Ga., serving during the entire campaign. During July it was engaged in four battles, those of July 4, 21, 22, and 28. Moving as near to the city as it dared go, the regiment lay behind breastworks until the 30th of August, when the army moved south and cut off the supplies of the enemy, thus compelling them to evacuate the city. On the 1st of September, the last battle was fought in what was known as the Atlanta campaign. On the 16th day of October, the regiment, under Sherman, began the historic “march to the sea,” and arrived in Savannah, Ga., in fine condition. Taking an ocean steamer, it was sent to Beaufort, S.C., and Jan. 7, 1865, disembarked and lay in that city until January 13, when it took up its line of march, which it continued five days, and then went into camp on a rice plantation. February 1, 1865, they again took up their line of march through South Carolina, destroying railroads and building corduroy roads for a pastime. On the 16th of February the army arrived at Columbia, S.C. It next marched to South and North Carolina, on to Washington D.C., where it arrived in due time, and took part in the grand review in that city. After remaining in Washington, until June 8, the regiment was sent to Parkersburg, and thence to Louisville, Ky., where it was selected to escort Gen. Sherman into that city. On the 4th of July, Gen. Sherman delivered his farewell address to the army, which deeply moved every man. On the 18th of July the regiment was mustered out at Louisville, and sent to Camp McClellan, Davenport, Iowa, and was there discharged July 22, 1865. Returning to his home, Mr. Carr again resumed farming, which occupation he has successfully followed up to the present time. To the original eighty acres which he purchased in 1857, he has added by subsequent purchase until he now owns 393 acres, all under fence, and which is without doubt one of the best farms in Lime Creek Township.

On the 21st of September, 1865, Mr. Carr wedded Miss Margaret Taylor, born April 9, 1847, and daughter of Harvey and Eleanor Taylor. By this union there were ten children: David A., born Aug. 13, 1866; Leroy H., Feb. 17, 1868, Norah I., Feb. 10, 1870; Sylvia, Oct. 13, 1872; E.D., born Jan. 17, 1874, died Jan. 16, 1877; Harriet E., born Oct. 10, 1876; Isabel, Sept. 29, 1878; Maud, Oct. 4, 1880; Nellie G., Sept. 30, 1882; Victor C., Aug. 25, 1885. The parents have taken pride in educating their children both in the English and German languages.

In addition to the general farming, for some years past, Mr. Carr has given special attention to stock-raising, and has endeavored to improve his grade of cattle and of hogs. As already seen, on reaching his maturity, he was in very limited circumstances, but has been most successful in his life work, from the fact that he is industrious, energetic, and interested in the public welfare. Politically he is a Democrat. In the establishment of the cheese factory at Nira Mr. Carr took an active part, and it was mainly through his instrumentality that the work was commenced. All in all, he is well entitled to a place in this work, as one of the truly representative men of Lime Creek Township.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of Isaac N. Carr, pages 363-365.