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John S. Schroyer

John S. Schroyer, a farmer and stockraiser residing on section 19, Union Township, was born in Northumberland County, N. Y., August 27, 1835, and is a son of Adam Schroyer, who was born in Center County, Pa., in 1805. He married Christina Ilgen, who was born in the same county in 1806 and was a daughter of Luther Albright Ilgen, a minister of the German Lutheran Church and a soldier in the Revolutionary War. When our subject was a lad of four summers, Adam Schroyer removed with his family from Northumberland County, N. Y., to Center County, Pa., and two years later emigrated westward, locating in Stephenson County, Ill. About 1849 the family became residents of Green County, Wis., where in 1868, the death of the father occurred and in 1862 his wife passed away. <note: these are the dates as shown in the biography> In the family were five sons and three daughters: Lewis, the eldest, died in Skidmore, Nodaway County, Mo., May 22, 1890. Elizabeth, wife of Robert Ferguson, is living in Little Rock, Ark.; Emmanuel of West Union, married and had two children and after the death of his first wife, wedded Adelaide Soper, by whom he has nine children; Catherine became the wife of Daniel Kepler who died in California in 1865, after which his widow married Samuel Soper. They have four children and reside in Green County, Wis.; John S. is the fifth in order of birth; Franklin, born in 1840, married Lillie Cowan, by whom he has four children, and resides in Nodaway County, Mo.; James, born in 1842, married Elizabeth Dewitt, of Jasper County, Iowa, where they reside with their family of eight children; Angeline, the youngest, was born in 1844, married Alvinsy Thatcher and resides in West Union. They have three children.

Our subject was a lad of fourteen years when he became a resident of Green County, Wis., where he was reared to manhood, spending his time in the usual manner of farmer lads. After attaining his majority, he was married on the 1st of January, 1856, to Miss Nancy Jane Chilton, daughter of Joshua and Nancy (Brazzle) Chilton. Her father was born in Virginia, December 11, 1799, and was a soldier in the War of 1812, enlisting as a private when but twelve years of age. Her mother was born in Sangamon County, Ill., where the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Chilton took place. In their family were seven children, one son and six daughters: Perditta, born March 31, 1829, became the wife of Richard Parriott of Stephenson County, Ill., and died on the 22d of November, 1882, after rearing a family of ten children; Alvira, born July 31, 1832, married David Wells, who died many years ago and she passed away September 11, 1884, leaving six children; Mary Ann, born September 14, 1837, wedded M. L. Wells, who died in Chadron, Neb., October 16, 1889. They had four children, two of whom are now living. Thomas M., born April 29, 1841, married Priscilla Rush and resides in Wheeler County, Tex. Of their nine children five are now living. Lucy Catherine, born July 15, 1843, is the wife of C. A. Weed, of Randalia, Iowa, and two children lived to bless their union. Priscilla P., wife of George Savage, was born June 20, 1845, and died February 2, 1868, leaving a daughter who was named for her grandmother, by whom she was reared to womanhood. She is now the wife of John Debolt of Nebraska and the mother of three children.

Since February, 1865, when with his family he left Green County, Wis., Mr. Schroyer has been a resident of Fayette County, Iowa. He first located on a farm two miles east of West Union and in 1867 removed to his present farm on section 19, Union Township. He is enterprising and progressive as his home with its entire surroundings plainly indicates. He owns a fine stock farm of two hundred and eleven acres within two miles of West Union, upon which have been erected good buildings and a fine residence. In 1889 he harvested twenty three thousand bushels of oats, sixteen thousand bushels of corn and one hundred and fifteen tons of hay; and marketed thirty-three fat hogs, valued at $700 and cattle to the value of $400. Mr. Schroyer is a Republican in politics and he and his wife are members of the United Brethren Church.

Their family, numbering eight children, consists of George Clayborn, who was born March 7, 1858, and is still living on the homestead farm; Anna Eliza, was born August 20, 1860, and is the wife of L. A. Palmer of Kansas City, Mo.; Dallas Joshua, born June 27, 1863, died November 6 of the same year; Ida Catherine, born March 21, 1861, is living at home; William Levi, born June 10, 1867, is at home; William Levi, born June 10, 1867, is at home; Ella May, born December 29, 1870, died November 10, 1871; Etta Jane, born August 8, 1874, is attending school; and Thomas Guy, born February 11, 1878, completes the family.