Robert Hayner, farmer, section 10, Union Township, located on his farm in 1881, where he owns eighty acres of land. He purchased his farm of Cyrenius E. Morris. He has been a resident of Carroll County since July 12, 1886. At that time he was engaged in the interests of the Northwestern Railroad near Carroll, which was at that time being constructed. He kept a boarding-house, and boarded the men who were grading the road. In September of that year he went over on the “North Coon” in Calhoun County, and purchased a piece of land, which he improved and lived upon eighteen months. He then returned to Carroll and erected the hotel that was called the Raynor House, but now known as the Hoffman House. He conducted this house three years, then sold to Hoffman and bought a farm of 269 acres in Newton Township. Two years later he exchanged this farm for the farm now owned by John Coppack, where he lived until he bought his present farm. Mr. Hayner was born in Otsego County, New York, in 1825, his native town being Maryland. When he was fourteen years old his parents removed to Tioga County, where the father lived until his death, which occurred in the fall of 1844, the day James K. Polk was elected President of the United States. The parents, Robert and Elizabeth Hayner, had nine children, one dying in infancy. Robert is the only one of his father’s family that came West. He left home in 1847 and went to Crawford County, Pennsylvania, thence to Pittsburg, where he was engaged in milling for a time. Farming has usually been his occupation, but he has followed carpentering to some extent. In December, 1852, he went to Darien, Walworth County, Wisconsin, where he worked at farming, thence to Adams County for two years, thence to Olmstead County, Minnesota, where he was engaged in farming, thence to Goodhue County, where he purchased a farm. One year later he returned to Olmstead County, and in June, 1866, came to Iowa. He was married in Pennsylvania to ________ Sweet, a native of Delaware County, New York. They have had nine children, four sons and five daughters, all of whom are living. Three daughters are in Dakota, and one son is in Nebraska. The other children are residents of Iowa. Mr. Hayner cast his first Presidential vote for James K. Polk in 1844. He was a Democrat until the Republican party was formed, and was identified with that party until the war, since which time he has been independent. In 1876 he voted for Tilden. He has been an Odd Fellow for twenty years.

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