Waugh Family

WAUGH

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/15/2010 at 22:33:44

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Waugh Family
By Steve Waugh

Isaac Waugh was born in Ireland, near Seven Heads, the 23rd of April 1780 to William and Elizabeth Waugh. Isaac was an officer in the Royal Coast Guard, whose duty was principally to deal with smugglers, the pursuit of which caused him to be stationed at nearly every town on the coast of Ireland. Some of the ports being Dunmanus, Crookhaven, Limerick, Barlohue, Hare Island Tralee, and Sherkin.

In 1820 on January 22, Isaac married Miss Tamzen Boyd, born May 11, 1799, on the Isle of Valencia. Six of their eleven children were born in Ireland:
William R, born January 28, 1821;
Catharine Ann, born February 11, 1822;
Eliza, born January 16, 1824;
Dora A, born April 22, 1826;
Mary, born August 25, 1828; and
James H, born February 14, 1831.

In 1831 with the infant James, they embarked on one of the slow sailing vessels of the day and after a long and perilous voyage of six months finally landed at Quebec. From there they made their way overland to Coolspring Township, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. A copy of the deed to the land Isaac bought shows it was purchased form Henry and Sarah Beckwith, September 10, 1831, for $281.25. According to the deed the boundaries were laid out as follows: ‘Beginning at a thorn standing on the west side of Otter Creek in said township and a few rods above the bridge in a meadow near the rods above the bridge in a meadow near the residence of Catherine McKindley, from said thorn south eighty seven degrees, west by land warranted to John Irwin one hundred and thirty perches and two tenths to a cherry tree stump on the east side of Otter Creek and thence by land warranted to William Irwin. South three degrees east ninety seven perches and seven tenths to the thorn and place of beginning containing seventy five acres and the usual allowance be the same more or less’.

Five more children were born while living on this farm:

Edward F, my great, great grandfather, born April 25, 1833;

John R E and Isaac Watts, born May 10, 1835;

Charles E, born February 27, 1837; and

Rebecca J, born February 27, 1841.

John R E served in Company G, 10th Regiment, Pennsylvania Reserves during the Civil War. On June 30, 1862, John R E was wounded at New Market, and was sent to a hospital in Anapolis, Maryland, to recover. While in the hospital he was listed as a deserter. When he returned to duty the record was set straight. On October 14, 1863, he was killed in action at the battle of Bristol Station, Virginia, by a shell explosion. In letters written to his family you get a personal view of the Civil War and how they felt about what they were fighting for. In a letter dated November 4, 1861, John wrote, ‘It was hard for me to leave but what is life worth without freedom or liberty. It would not be worth living’. ‘I think it will not be long until we are at home if our lines [lives] are spared’. In another letter dated February 19, 1863, he writes, ‘We have been called from the front and are in good quarters at last. We have water and soap for the first time this year’. He continues, ‘I now have the ball that struck Colonel Warner. It is full of splinters off his hip bone and perfectly flat. He expects to be with the regiment again’. In his letter he writes to his brother-in-law, William Irwin, ‘Oh Will, it makes me sad to think of how those boys have gone there is fifteen or nineteen of them dead and as many more crippled for life. The snow is falling pretty fast today. Please consider this is a letter and then please answer it. John R E Waugh’.

My great, great grandfather, Edward, received his elementary education at the academy of Mercer County and finished his education at Allegheney College at Meadville, Pennsylvania. In 1855 he came to Jackson County, Iowa, and taught in the public schools of Jackson and Clinton Counties for three years. After this he and two of his brothers entered the wagon carriage making and blacksmith business in Maquoketa. Edward married Lydia Patience Smith, 4 June 1861. They were the parents of fifteen children:
Lester, my great grandfather;
Etta, born January 8, 1864;
Vernon, born August 9, 1864;
Sherman, born February 8, 1865
Birt, born January 10, 1876;
Gertie, born January 18, 1872;
Allie, born August 1, 1873;
Arthur, born August 21, 1870;
John, born March 12, 1870;
Charles, born June 27, 1877;
Anna, born October 1, 1878
Mary, born January 28, 1881;
Bird, born February 8, 1882;
Edwin, born February 27, 1884; and
Elbert, born October 11, 1888.
In the Spring of 1869 Edward and his family moved to Maquoketa to a farm near Elwood where he lived until the spring of 1907 when he retired and moved to Maquoketa where he lived until his death January 1, 1925.

Lester moved to western Iowa and settled near Orange City with his wife, Henrietta Barkley Waugh. Later they moved near Anthon with their family of nine children:

Edward, born January 11, 1886;

Lizzie, born October 10, 1887;

Benjamin Harris ‘Harry’, my grandfather, born February 18, 1889;

Elmer, born January 1, 1891;

Fred, born April 22, 1892;

Roy, born January 30, 1894;

Ruby, born July 24, 1896;

Edna, born September 1898; and

Ora, born May 4, 1902.

Besides farming, Lester and sons were the local blacksmith and ground corn meal for food for neighbors. They made sorghum from the sugar cane neighbors and family raised. This was cooked in a large vat with a fire underneath. It had to be stirred constantly so it wouldn’t burn. When it was melted and cooked it was strained into containers for use in cooking. This was before and during World War I.

There was always something going on at their house. The picture shows the family musicians: Lizzy, playing the piano, Edward on the first violin, Elmer on the second violin, and my grandfather, Harry, on the bass fiddle. Later the family had the telephone switch board for the area.

Grandpa ‘Harry’ married Rose Brune, February 28, 1917. They farmed near Anthon and when they retired remained on the farm. Grandpa and Grandma’s farm was at one time the local post office. Grandpa and Grandma had three children:

Opal, born May 20, 1919, married Alvin Wieck and they have a daughter, Rhonda;

Luella, born July 8, 1921, married Ben Dicus, and they have eight children: Sharon, Diane, Gary, Ricky, Rox Anne, Lou Anne, Connie, and Mike. Luella and Ben have twenty-one grandchildren.

Leonard, my father, they youngest, born February 23,1924, married Doris Livermore. Dad and Mom farmed near Moville, where my brothers and sisters, and I grew up.
Terry the oldest, married Linda Barth, and they adopted Benjamin (named for his great grandfather) and Andrea.

Linda, born December 17, 1951, married Greg Baedke and they have two boys, Ryan and Aaron.

I am next; I was born July 6, 1955. I am single and live in my grandparents’ house.

Lisa, born December 11, 1962, lives in Sioux City.

Kirk, the youngest of the family, born April 18, 1967, is a Junior in high school in Moville.