William H. Moncrief, retired, was born in Washington County, N. Y., Apr. 20, 1820, and was a son of James Moncrief and Mary, nee Stevens, likewise natives of the Empire State. When two years of age he went to live with his cousin, Andrew Foster, with whom he remained attending school and assisting on the farm, until seventeen years of age, when he went to Quincy, Ill., and followed farming in that vicinity until Mch. 10, 1844, when he was married to Mary Featherly, who was born in Chautauqua County, N. Y., and was a daughter of Tyler D. and Betsey (Wheeler) Featherly. After his marriage Mr. Moncrief engaged in mining in Wisconsin four years, and kept hotel and followed the mercantile buisness in Muscoda, that State, until 1857, when he came to North McGregor, Ia. Sicne his arrival here he has contracted for railroads extensivley, and has followed farming to some extent. He had charge of the contractor's store at McGregor fourteen months, and was employed as station agent at several stations in this vicinity. In the fall of 1865 he obtained a situation as clerk in a mercantile store in North McGregor, which he retained eighteen months, then embarked in that business for himself. In 1870, in company with L. Hankey, he graded the C., M. and S. P. R. R. from McGregor to Yellow River. He afterward went to Texas, returning to North McGregor in four months, where he has since resided. He is a member of the A. F. and A. M., Bezer Lodge, No. 135, Chapter 28, and Honorius Commandery, No. 8. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party, and by them has been elected to the offices of Township Trustee and Assessor, a position he still holds. Mr. and Mrs. Moncrief have had ten children, five living - William, proprietor of a billiard hall in North McGregor; Mary; Frank, engineer on the P. and B. R. R.; Fannie, now Mrs. Dwight Wells, and Valenda. source: History of Clayton County, Iowa, 1882, p. 997 |