Thomas
McDermott,
Was born in Ireland in 1811, where he resided till manhood; and
then he came to this country and after looking about for a desirable
location finally settled in Clinton county, buying land from the
government. He was married to Elizabeth McAllister, of Clinton county,
when he was 30 years old. They have had eleven children, all of them
are now living. Mr. McDermott came to Greene county from Clinton
county in 1872, where he lived on his 280-acre farm until his death
which occurred in 1889. He held most of the different offices of his
township, having been school director and road supervisor. His
religion was Roman Catholic and politically he was a democrat. He
ranked among the best citizens of the county.
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A. H. Hoyt,
Farmer and stockman, is a Pennsylvanian by birth, having been born
in 1825. When nine years old he came to Wellsborough, Mich., where he
was married in 1852 to Julia A. Gilbert, a native of Massachusetts.
They have had three children: J. W., 50; B. K., 48; Hannah Olivia, 45.
He has twenty-three grandchildren and twelve great grand children. He
lived in Michigan thirty years, when he came to Greene county where he
has since farmed except one year he lived in Jefferson. Politically he
is a democrat and in religion a Seventh Day Adventist.
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Stephen Molle,
Farmer and stockman, is a native of Germany, born in 1850. When he
was three years old he came with his parents to Jackson county, Iowa,
where his father had purchased a farm. In 1863 he moved to Dubuque
county, where he lived with his parents four years, when they came to
Lyons, where they lived until 1876, and then came to Greene county
locating in section 29, Franklin township, breaking the farm and
making of it a valuable and pleasant farm home. He was married in 1876
to Sarah Wiltrout, a native of Pennsylvania. They have seven children,
all living: James, 20; Fred., 18; Susie, 16: Ida, 14; Robert, 12;
George, 9; Maggie, 7. Politically he is a democrat.
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Prof.. Harrison
M. Ham,
Was born in Somerset county, Maine, in 1845, the son of Kingman Ham
a native of the same State and a farmer. His education was in the
common schools. He entered Vassalboro College, attending five years:
teaching two terms while in College. He came with his parents to
McLean county, Ills.; in the spring of 1866, had held a professor’s
chair at Bloomington from 1871 to 1881, when he came to Greene county,
Iowa locating on section 23, Franklin township, where he now has a
large farm and a pleasant home. In 1869 he married Mary Merrom, a
native of New York. They have had four children: Llewllyn, 28; Ida
Mae, died Nov. 8, 1881; Mahlon, 16; Helena, 12. They are members of
the M. E. church and politically he was a republican until 1896 when
he began to work for the cause of free silver.
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J. E. Clapsattle,
Was born in Herkimer county, New York, in 1843, and s of German
descent. When 23 years old he came west and located in McHenry county,
Ill in the spring of 1866. He was married in that county in 1870 to
Minerva B. Murphy. Two daughters were born to them: Edna B., 27;
Libbie E., 25. They resided in McHenry county until 1883, coming to
Greene county that year, and located on section 20, Franklin township,
where he now owns a fine farm of 80 acres. They are members of the M.
E. Church, and in politics he is a democrat. He enlisted in 1863 in
the N. Y. H. A., and was with Gen. Grant from the Wilderness to
Appomattox Court House, participating in eight battles in that
campaign. He was discharged in Oct., 1865.
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Ross Miller,
A native of Ohio, was born in Franklin county, Feb. 15, 1837. He is
of Scotch-German descent; his father having been born in Germany and
his mother in Scotland. When he was seven years old his parents moved
to Scott county, Iowa, where his father had bought a farm 12 miles
west of Davenport. In 1873 he came to Greene county locating on
section 21, Franklin township, where he has since resided. He was
married to Eliza Mooney, in Scott county, who died after living with
him thirty-five years and was buried in the Cooper cemetery. They had
three children: C. E., 40; Ida Margaret, deceased, 38; Ada Mary, 32.
He was married May 19, 1894 to Ella McKinney of Cooper. He is a member
of the M. E. church, and in politics is a republican.
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Dan Walker,
Farmer and stockman, was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1857, and is
an Irish-Canadian. He resided in Ontario until he was 20 years old,
and then came to Jefferson, Greene county. He afterwards located in
Franklin township, and now owns a splendid farm of 160 acres,
well-improved and stocked. He was married in Grand Junction to Teresa
Garland, who is of Irish descent also. They have had ten children, of
whom four have died, three of diphtheria. Those living are: William,
12; Walter, 9; Annie, 2; Mary 8; Teresa, 10 weeks. Mr. And Mrs. Walker
are faithful members of the Roman Catholic church, and politically he
is a democrat.
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J. W. Price,
Was born in Wales in 1820, where he lived for 35 years on a farm
with his parents. He was married in 1849 to Gwenny Joseph, also a
native of Wales. They came to this country and settled near Iowa City
where he had bought a farm, living there four years and then moved to
Williamsburg, Iowa county, and three years later came to Greene
county, locating on section 6, Franklin township, where he had taken
up 90 aces and he now owns 160 acres of wee-improved land. They have
had eleven children, nine of whom are living: John J., 39; Margaret
Jane, 37; Katherine G., 35; Mary Ann, 33; David L., 30; William, 28;
Bessie M., 25; Sadie Ruth, 21. Two sons, Edward and Morgan are dead.
Mr. And Mrs. Price are members of the Presbyterian church, and in
politics he is a republican.
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Tom Johnson,
Is a native of England, born in Lancashire in 1843, where he lived
until he was 20 years old, when he came to Jo Daviess county,
Illinois, where he farmed five years. He was married at Priarie du
Chien, Wisconsin, to Sarah Hanna Wright, a native of England. He
enlisted in 1862, in Co. E, 15th Ill. Infantry, and served
three years and fought in thirteen several engagements. Was engaged in
the siege of Vicksburg, and was honorably discharged in Arkansas Aug.
1, 1865. He served an apprenticeship as a pawnbroker in England six
years, and worked tow years afterwards as foreman. They have had
eleven children, nine now living: Geo. H., 30; Wm. J., 27; Walter, 23;
Cornelius, 21; Thomas E., 18; Martha, 11; Clara, 7; Henrietta, 5.
Politically he has always been a republican.
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Henry Maas,
Was born in Milwaukee, Wis., in 1854, where he lived until 1871,
when he moved with his parents to Lee county, Ill., where his father
had purchased a farm. In 1876 he came to Guthrie county, Iowa, where
his father owned a good farm. He was married in 1878 to Emma
Brookmiller, like himself of German descent. The same year he moved to
Greene county, locating on section 3, Franklin township, where he now
owns a good, well-improved 80-acre farm. They have three children:
Frank, 16; Rend, 14; Stella, 5. Mr. And Mrs. Maas are members of the
Lutheran church, and he is a republican.
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G. A. Wiggins,
Was born in Stephenson county, Illinois, in 1847, where he lived
until he was seven years old, then moved with is parents to Greene
county, Wis., where his father owned a farm. He was married in
Wisconsin to Louisa J. Taylor, a native of that State. They have eight
children: Jennie, 26; Julia, 24; Frank, 22; Ella, 20; Lee, 18; Jessie,
14; Jay, 9; Wilma, 7. They are members of the Presbyterian church of
Jefferson, and politically he is a republican, never losing a vote.
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Curtis H.
Chapin,
Was born in the State of New York in 1854, where he lived ten
years; when he moved to a farm near Jackson, Mich., and in 1860 moved
to Greene county, Iowa, locating in Franklin township, where he now
resides and has a very comfortable farm home. In 1881 he married
Rachel Patterson of Greene county. They have had three children:
Laura, 13; Nettie, 11. Willie died Feb 5, 1885, aged 13 months and 17
days. In politics he is a republican, and they are members of the M.
E. church at Cooper. Mr. Chapin has had a long term of service as road
supervisor and is now a township trustee.
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