Henry S Eberly

EBERLY KRAMER HENDERSON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 4/20/2010 at 20:13:20

Woodbury County History 1984

Henry S Eberly
By Percy Eberly and Eula E Tucher

The pioneer spirit was a vital force in the lives of some early Eberly families. Because of religious persecution in Switzerland, and later in Alsace, Anna Henderson Eberly, and her four grown sons: Michael, Samuel, Gabriel and Israel; came to Pennsylvania in 1727 aboard the ‘James Goodwill’.

Three generations of Everlys thrived in Pennsylvania, content to farm the fertile ground of Lancaster. The best source of information about these Eberlys can be found in The Eberly Family History by Paul C Bennetch (Denver, Pa: 1974). In 1856, John Eberly, 1812-1890, and his wife of thirteen years, Eliza Leidig, migrated with their family to Johnson County, Iowa. Later they and four of their twelve children: Peter, Joe, Ira and Henry, came further west to Woodbury County.

Henry S Eberly, 1839-1916, was bron in Shippensberg, Pennsylvania, and grew to manhood in Johnosn County, wher he married Catherine Kramer in 1861. She died later that year and is buried in North Liberty, Iowa, cemetery. In 1862, Henry enlisted in the Union Army, was later wounded at Winchester, Virginia, and was ultimately taken prisoner after the Battle of Opequam Creek, also in Virginia. When the war ended he was exchanged for a Confederate prisoner and returend to Johnson County and married Elizabeth Snavely Gilliland, 1838-1928, a widow with three children. In 1873, Henry and his family immigrated to Woodbury County, wehre they were later joined by his parents.

Traveling with six children, the youngest less than a year old, Henry and Elizabeth were able to cover twenty miles a day in their oxcart, so the entire journey took about two weeks. Upon their arrival they moved into the Charles Riggs house, not far from the Big Whiskey Creek. Their land, west of Lawton, was cut by old Hwy 20, which was little more than a wagon trail, marked by two deep ruts. Later their land was the site of the town of Hoskins, where there was a store, the Springdale PO, and the Springdale Church of God, which was started by the Eberlys.

The present Eberly house was built in 1874 by Peter Eberly, and is the present home of grandson, Henry A Eberly and wife, Bernice. Trees were planted from seeds; black walnut, cottonwood boxelder, and also a fine apple orchard. The black walnut grove was the scene of many a community picnic during the 1920’s.

During the next decade, Henry ‘broke-up’ his land, and in 1885, he erected a unique Pennsylvania-Dutch style barn, which was raised in a single day with the aid of some fifty neighbors. The materials for this barn, which is still in use, were shipped from Pennsylvania. The beams and framework, of white pine, are fastened with wooden pegs.

East of the farm, which is near Lawton, is the old Eberly cemetery, where Henry’s parents are buried, along with many other early settlers, the cemetery having been given by the Eberlys. Henry and Elizabeth retired to the town of Lawton about 1911. Henry died in 1916 at age 77, and Elizabeth in 1928 at age 90. Both are buried in Graceland Park Cemetery.

The children of Henry and Elizabeth were: Elmer, 1867-1906, Charles, 1871-1979, John (1873-1962, and Perle, 1879-1972. Elmer married Lizzie Maxson in 1892, and Horace, 1890-1955, was their only child. After Lizzie’s death, he married Lizzie’s sister, Cora Maxon, 1873-1967. To them were born, Daisy in 1893, Laura in 1896, Ross, 1899-1965, and Edna in 1902. Horace married Verda Willer, 1896-1969, and their children are Marie, born 1920, Mrs Delbert Heslop; Everett, born 1922, married Helen Rasmusen; Virgil, born 1925, married Mary Lou Creighton; and Clarence, 1928-1964, married Ethelyn Clark.

Daisy married Otis Wick, 1886-1969, and after his death moved from Hubbard, Nebraska to California, to be near her children: Edna, born 1914, Mrs John Thill; and Chester, 1916-1978. Laura married Clifford Willer, 1895-1963, and resided in Woodbury County. Mabel was born in 1918 to Cecil Howard. After his death, she married Don Grigg. Leona, born 1919, is married to Harold Howard. Ross married Ethel Harder, and their children are Lavonne, Mrs Sydney Nyreen; and sons, Robert and Keith. Edna married Alfred Brainerd, 1899-1939, and their child is Joy, born 1925, Mrs Peter Presnick. After Alfred’s death, Edna married Earl Johnston, 1893-1978.

Charles, the second son, graduated in the first class from Morningside College in 1902, attended Highland Park College, was a pharmacist and County Superintendent at McClusky, North Dakota, before he came back to Iowa to farm. In 1915, he married Katherine Nagel, and spent most of his 108 years in Woodbury County. Sons: Francis, 1918, married Mae Wolf; and Wayne, 1922, married Bernice Bleasdell, and after her death, married Annette Glover. Both are life-long Woodbury County residents.

John married Anna Peterson, 1876-1947, the daughter of Swedish-born Andrew and Emma Swan Peterson, who moved to a farm near the Eberly’s in 1892, and retired to Lawton in 1910. After both attending Morningside College Academy and then teaching in the Lawton area, John and Anna were married in 1903, and farmed until retiring to Sioux City in 1939. Their children were: Eula, 1906, married to Robert Tucker, 1900-1978; Eileen, 1909, married to Emmett Barrett, 1907-19789; Lawrence, 1912, married Lucille Junck, 1916; Carol, 1915, married Earl Stremming, 1910-1979; and Ila, 1918, married Bruce Lindsay, 1919.

The youngest son, Perle, was born in Woodbury County, and in 1903, married Ella Peterson, 1882-1967, a sister of Anna. She also attended MS Academy and taught. After their marriage they went to North Dakota and homesteaded, returning to the home farm near Lawton in 1908. They retired to Sioux City in 1944. Their children are Ralph, 1904, married Adelaide White, 1917-1979; Percy, 1905-1983, marreid Dorothy Oggel, 1911; Henry, 1907, married Bernice Paulson, 1910; and Erma, 1910, married Gus Michener, 1908.

Space does not permit the names and dates of the last generations who are scattered across our country. Many have not met but each has a common heritage, they are descendants of the Eberlys who originated in Switzerland many years ago.