J. W. Morlan, residing on section 3, Jasper Township, is a native of Ohio, born in Hancock County May 17, 1827, a son of Jacob and Sarah (Poe) Morlan, his father a native of Virginia, and his mother of Hancock County, Ohio. He was reared in Michigan, his parents removing to that State in 1828, his boyhood days being spent on his father’s farm and in attending the district school. He was married in Cass County, Michigan, to Miss Murphy, who was born in Indiana, but reared in Michigan. They are the parents of three children—Emma and Lorana, born in Michigan, and Daniel, a native of Iowa. Mr. Morlan left Michigan in the spring of 1860, going thence to Kansas. He was a member of the home Guards, and was located near Lawrence, Kansas, at the time of the burning of that town by Quantrell’s band. He then returned to Michigan, where he remained about two years, and in the fall of 1865 came to Carroll County, when he settled on section 21 of Jasper Township, at that time there being but nineteen families in the township. Mr. Morlan was reared amid pioneer scenes, his father settling in Michigan at an early day, and on coming to Carroll County he again experienced all the hardships and privations of pioneer life, but has lived to enjoy the fruits of his years of toil, and has become one of the prominent as well as much respected men of his township. He was the second clerk of Jasper Township, and filled that office acceptably for six years. He has also served as secretary of the school board, school director, treasurer and road supervisor. He has met with good success in his agricultural pursuits, and is now the owner of 160 acres on section 3, and 160 acres on section 10, of Jasper Township. In politics he has affiliated with the Democratic party for many years. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, an organization in which he takes much interest, and has been instrumental in organizing four lodges in Iowa, located at Lake City, Carrollton, Carroll and Glidden, he being a member of the lodge at Glidden.

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