Mrs. Margaret Shrope is numbered among the worthy pioneer women of Cedar county and makes her home on section 35, Pioneer township. A native of Pennsylvania, she was born in Schuylkill county in 1836 and there spent her girlhood. Like many of the residents of the Keystone state, she came of German ancestry, her father being Jacob Bickelman, a native of Germany, in which country he was reared and married, the lady of his choice being Miss Eleanora Deal. Ere they left their native land four children were born unto them and another child was added to the family while they were on the Atlantic. They became early residents of Pennsylvania and it was in that state that their daughter Margaret was born and reared. She was trained to the work of the household and was thus well qualified to take charge of a home of her own when, in 1853, she gave her hand in marriage to James Schrope.
He, too, was a native of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, born about 1822. Following his marriage he worked in the coal mines for a year or more and in 1855 came to Iowa, settling in Cedar county. His first investment here made him the owner of forty acres of land at Mason Grove. He built thereon and cultivated and improved the place for about eleven years, when he sold that property and removed to the farm whereon Mrs. Schrope now resides. He first purchased eighty acres of land here, broke the sod and in time planted his crops, which in the autumn yielded good harvests. His labors were of a practical character and in course of time his fields became very productive. He was busily engaged in their cultivation until his life’s labors were ended in death in 1870. While in Pennsylvania he was a member of the Odd Fellows Society and both in his native state and his adopted state his good qualities won him many friends.
Following the death of her husband Mrs. Shrope took charge of the home farm and in its management displayed good business discernment and executive ability. Her latent powers were called forth to meet the situation and she proved herself able to cope with it. She not only managed the business but from time to time has made good improvements, erecting the residence which she occupies, also a barn, a shed for the cattle and a work house. She also has purchased ten acres of timber land and in her business affairs has met with gratifying and well merited success. Desiring to keep the farm intact, she paid her children for their interest in the estate and is now sole owner of an excellent property situated on section 35, Pioneer township.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Shrope were born six children, three sons and three daughters. Henry, who has been blind from youth, was educated in the blind school in Vinton, Iowa, and resides with his mother. Louisa became the wife of L. B. Albaugh and died, leaving six children. Charles grew to manhood, was married and at his death left a wife and two children. Cordelia became the wife of John McNee, removed to California and died in that state. Amanda became the wife of Alfred Herpst, who died leaving two children, and she now resides on the Shrope place near her mother. James, the youngest of the family, is a farmer of Pioneer township.
Mrs. Shrope attends and contributes to the support of the Presbyterian church of Mechanicsville. The family are well known and are numbered among the early settlers of the county, Mrs. Shrope witnessing much of its growth and progress during fifty-five years in which she has made her home in this locality. She has seen prairie grasses replaced by fields of wheat and corn, little cabins torn down to make way for commodious modern farm residences, has seen improved grades of stock introduced and modern machinery take the place of old agricultural implements. At all times she has kept in touch with the trend of progress, recognizing the fact that therein lies the path to success.
