COFFMAN - George W. COFFMAN, a farmer of section 12, Raglan Township, came to Harrison County in the autumn of 1866, in company with his parents, and remained at home until he was of age, having only a common school education. After reaching his majority, he tented land one year, and then bought a farm in Allen Township, or rather eighty acres of wild land, which he improved and subsequently sold and bought the place he now occupies, which consisted of eighty acres of partly improved land, and has made substantial improvements upon the same. Like so many of Harrison County's well-to-do- men, our subject commenced life with no capital, save his own determination, to accomplish something for himself in life.

Mr. COFFMAN was born in Appanoose County, Iowa, in January, 1859. He is the son of Pleasant and Margaret COFFMAN, whose sketch appears elsewhere. They were natives of Arkansas and Tennessee respectively. Their children were as follows�George W., James A., Garthula J., deceased; William T., Dora J., Alice E., and Reuben W., deceased.

Our subject lived in Appanoose County until he was five years of age when his parents went to Utah, remained one year, and then went to Montana, remained one year, after which they returned to Harrison County, Iowa. Our subject was married April 4, 1883, to Mary a., daughter of James S. and Barbara ROGERS; the former was a native of Ohio, and the later, of Germany. Their family consisted of the following children�Margaret J., John, deceased; David, Columbus, Marion, Mary A., Ellis and Della.

Our subject and his wife have one child�Alice B., born in January, 1884. Mr. COFFMAN is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Magnolia Lodge, No. 126. He also belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In religious matters, both he and his wife are members of the Christian Church.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 758.
Family Researcher: Janette Lager at DMLJLL426@netzero.net
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COFFMAN - James A. COFFMAN came to Harrison County in 1866 with his parents, Pleasant and Margaret Coffman. He was born in Appanoose County, Iowa in Jun 1861. He married Nellie G. Hunt (dau. of Isaac and Mary) in 1885 and by 1891 had three children; James L., Gay L., and Ray.
Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa.
Family Researcher: Janette Lager at DMLJLL426@netzero.net
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COFFMAN - Don B. COFFMAN came to Harrison County in 1865 with his parents, John T. and Susan A. Coffman. He was born in Jan 1859 in Appanoose County, Iowa. His brothers and sisters included John L., Josephine, Charles E., Margaret R., Elmer, and William L. He married Nettie A. Hunt (dau. of Isaac and Mary) in Feb 1879. Their children by 1891 were Lillian Winifred, Maggie May, Bessie Pearl and Ona B.
Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa.
Family Researcher: Janette Lager at DMLJLL426@netzero.net
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BLACKMAN - George J. BLACKMAN, a farmer of section 29, Magnolia Township, came to Harrison County, in the spring of 1851, with his family, (having been here the year previous alone), when he located his land and commenced to build a log house on the farm he now lives. He claimed three hundred and twenty acres. He was born in Canada, April, 1828, and in 1833, his parents moved to Missouri, and owing to the feeling against the Mormons they went to Nauvoo, Ill., and in 1846, came to Council Bluffs. Here he remained with his parents until 1849, when he commenced working for himself, coming to Harrison County. He was united in marriage, in Pottawattamie County, to Miss Harriet Staley, June 11, 1850. By this marriage the following children were born -- Stephen, Charles, Helena, John, Juliet, George, Hattie, Harry, Laura. Mrs. Blackman, was born in Chantauqua County, N.Y., July 1829, and came with her parents to Illinois, in 1847. They came from Nauvoo, to the eastern part of Iowa, in 1848 or 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Blackman are both members of the Latter Day Saints Church, and all their children except Stephen and Harry.
Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa.
Family Researcher: N/A.
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MCDONALD - Julius S. MCDONALD came to Harrison County in 1875. He was born in Clinton County, Ohio, in Mar, 1854, the son of D.P. and Mary A. (Sharp) McDonald. He came with his parents to Appanoose County, Iowa in 1856. He was married in Harrison County in Nov, 1879, to Caroline M. Garner (dau. of Henry and Ann (Mahoney) Garner). Their children were Pearly A., Ruby A., and Olive N.
Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa.
Family Researcher: N/A.
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EDWARDS - John S. EDWARDS - Came to Harrison County in 1877. He was born in Wales in Nov 1841, the son of William E. and Sarah Edwards. His brothers and sisters included Elizabeth, Belle, Mary, Sarah, Hattie and Edward (all but John living in Johnson County, Iowa in 1891). The family landed in New York when John was ten years of age, and they went direct to Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. John was in the Civil War in Company I, 27th Wisconsin Infantry. He married in 1872 to Mary Buker, dau. of James and Sophia. By 1891, their children were William E., Carrie, and Earle.
Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa.
Family Researcher: N/A.
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EDWARDS - Joseph H. M. EDWARDS, proprietor of the "County Seat Nursery," came to Harrison County in April, 1878, to become a permanent settler. He had been in the county, however, during the summers of 1876-77. He located on section 17, of Jefferson Township, where he planted out the Logan Nursery, having for a partner F. W. HART. After two years, he sold to Mr. HART, and located on his present place, on Section 18, where he has ten acres in a fine growing nursery, in which is found a great variety of hardy fruit and ornamental trees. He grows everything in the line of apples and small fruits, making a specialty of grapes.

Mr. EDWARDS was born in Rockingham County, Va., July 26, 1844, and is the son of William and Susannah (GONGWAR) EDWARDS, and in the fall of 1851, came with his parents to Cedar County, Iowa, making the trip by horse teams, his father becoming a pioneer in that section of Iowa. The mother died in April, 1880, and the father still resides in that county at the advanced age of eighty-one years.

The Government's call for troops, to put down the Rebellion, aroused our subject's patriotism, and July 18, 1862, he enlisted in what was known as the "Methodist Regiment," but properly speaking Company B, of the Twenty-fourth Iowa Infantry, serving until May 26, 1865, receiving his discharge at Philadelphia, when he came back to Cedar County, and remained until October, 1873, and then went to Brooklyn, Poweshiek County, Iowa, remaining there two years, then went to Mt. Vernon, Linn County, Iowa, and from there to this county in 1878.

He was united in marriage at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, October, 1873, to Mary E. POWERS, a native of Des Moines County, Iowa, Born December 6, 184. She was the daughter of Garrett and Eliza A. (KYNETT) POWERS. Six children have blessed their home--Royal W., Frank W., Rose L., Ninorch B., Effie E., Josie E., all of whom are living at this time.

Our subject is politically a Republican, and in his religious belief independent. During his residence in Harrison County he has won for himself, both through his business and social relations, a good reputation and stands high as a citizen.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 654, 655
Family Researcher: N/A.
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MYERS - Freely W. MYERS (Portrait), a representative farmer of Taylor Township, residing on section 13, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1868, and hired out by the month on a farm in Raglan Township. After fourteen months he went to the Black Hills country, who were Indian traders. He rode through on horseback, but only remained a short time. He returned the same way as he went, his trip consuming about six months. In the spring of 1871, he bought the farm he now lives upon. There were two hundred acres of partly improved land, which had a one story frame house upon it, in which he lived until the autumn of 1888, when his present two-story frame residence was erected, the same being 40x50 feet. This is considered one of the most commodious farm houses in Harrison County. He has a system of water works, by which soft water can be obtained in any room on the first floor, while hard water is forced to every room in the house. In 1887 he built a barn 40x54 feet, with fourteen foot posts, the same being built over a basement seven and one feet deep. His barn is also connected with his water-works system, by which pure water is always provided for his stock. He has about one hundred acres under cultivation and the balance in pasture, hay and timber-land. He now has four hundred and eighty-two acres of land in Taylor Township, including eighty acres of hay land, which produces two and one-half tons per acre.

Mr. MYERS was born in Adams County, Pa., June 7, 1845. He is the son of Anthony K. and Margaret C. (WOLFFORD) MYERS, both natives of Pennsylvania. Our subject remained under the paternal roof until September 1, 1864, when he enlisted in Company A, Two hundred and Ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. He took part in the following engagements: The battle of Ft. Steadman, Yellowhouse Landing, then went on the Petersburg, and was at Appomattox Courthouse, and was there when Lee surrendered, and was within a mile of the spot where Gen U. s. GRANT demanded and obtained an "unconditional" surrender of the great leader of the Southern Confederacy.

Our subject participated in and made one of that vast throng, the like of which the world may never see again-the Grand Review of the armies at Washington, D. C. He was discharged at Alexandria, Va., May 31, 1865, and then returned to his home in Pennsylvania, where he remained only a short time, and then went to selling fruit trees in Virginia. This was in the spring of 1866. After four months at this business he went to Chicago and formed a partnership with E. BOLES and followed the mercantile business for nine months. This business adventure did not prove a success, so he went to Blackhawk County, Iowa, where he canvassed for the pictures of GRANT and COLFAX. He followed this for two months and then went to Guthrie County, Iowa, and hired out on a farm, where he worked nine months and then came to this county.

December 16, 1871, he was married in Harrison County, to Miss Maggie E. GARNER, the daughter of Henry and Anna (MAHONEY) GARNER. This matrimonial union was sealed and made more sacred by the birth of five children--Carlos U., Henry A., a pair of twins, a boy and girl, who died in infancy, and Stephen A.

Maggie (GARNER) MYERS was born in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, December 8, 1852. She came with her parents to Harrison County, when quite small, and remained with them until married. She is a member of the Latter Day Saints Church.

Mr. MYERS belongs to Lodge No. 232, A. F. & A. M., of Missouri Valley; also the Royal Arch Chapter at the same place. He is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic at Modale. In his political belief he has always supported the Republican party up to the present campaign, but is now identified with the People's party. In April, 1891, a "Farmers Alliance and Industrial Union" was organized in Harrison County, of which our subject was made President.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 653, 654
Family Researcher: N/A.
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DREW - John W. DREW, M.D., a native of Iowa, came to Harrison County in 1885. He was born in Hardin County, May 4, 1862, the son of Michael and Margaret (MEANEY) DREW, of Ireland. His early life was spent in Marshall County, attending the common schools and afterward attended the Medical College at Iowa City, graduating March 4, 1885, when he began the practice of medicine at Modale, where he remained four years, and then moved to Mondamin, where he now practices.

He was united in marriage in July, 1888, to Miss Ida I. BARTLETT. By this union, one child has been born -- Nora Irene, February, 1890. Politically he is a Democrat, while in religious matters, he and the good wife are members of the Catholic Church.
Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa, page 634.
Family Researcher: N/A.
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OVIATT - Marshall E. OVIATT, deceased, who resided on section 35, Jackson Township, located at Magnolia in October, 1865, and four months later moved to Loveland, Pottawattamie County, where he worked in a flouring mill until July, 1867, and then went to the present site of Logan, and made a temporary house, by setting boards up edgeways to make a shelter. He erected the first building upon what is now the plat of Logan, and that building was the Waterman drug-store. The next building was erected by a man by the name of Jones, and he completed the work on that building, and then built the cellar of what is now the Logan House. From there he went to Magnolia, and from there over to Loveland, and worked in a flouring mill for eight years, and then bought the place he recently occupied, which consisted of eighty acres of wild land. Upon this place he built a house 16x24 feet, with a wing 12x21 feet. He also built a barn, hog house, cribbing, and brought water through gas-pipe a distance of one hundred and twenty rods from a spring. He set out an orchard of one hundred trees of fruit-bearing kind, as well as a large amount of shade trees. His farm now comprises two hundred and ninety-six acres, seventy five acres of which are under the plow, and the balance in pasture and meadow land. The whole tract, including sixteen acres of timber, is enclosed by a substantial fence. Our subject came to the county "$27 worse off than nothing," but hard work and good management, with the endurance of many hardships, has provided himself with a good home.

He was born in Franklin County, VT, March 9, 1847, and is the son of William and Sarah OVIATT, natives of Vermont, who had a family of twelve chidlren, our subject being the tenth child. The children were as follows: William (deceased), Eliphalet, Rosette, Horatio, Harriet (deceased), Almon, Sarah, Cordelia, Fred, Marshall, Addie, and Nettie. The father is still living at the advanced age of eighty-three years. Our subject remained in the Green Mountain State with his parents until he was eighteen years of age, and then came to Council Bluffs, by the way of St. Joseph, MO. The first night he stayed in Iowa was at a stage station, about seven miles south of Missouri Valley, his objective point being Magnolia.

Our subject was married March 22, 1870, to Emily FOREMAN, daughter of Mason and Sarah FOREMAN, who were natives of West Virginia, and who were the parents of ten children, our subject's wife being the oldest. The children were named as follows: Emily, Agnes, Henry, Joseph, Margaret, Evaline, Elizabeth (deceased), William, Charles, and John. Two of these are in Kansas, one in Nebraska and six in Iowa.

Our subject and his wife are the parents of six children -- Harry, born June 3, 1873; Nettie (deceased), May 10, 1876; Hattie, September 6, 1879; Ora, November 26, 1881; Owen, December 10, 1884; Jessie, April 17, 1888.

In 1866 Mr. OVIATT was sent with four hundred sacks of flour to the Indian Reservation in Nebraska, sixteen miles south of Sioux City. He did not get it loaded until one o'clock at night. He had to pay $1.00 per hundred freight, to get it up the river, and being so long detained, and anxious to get home, he stole a canoe, and crossed the river to get on a boat that was carrying ties to Omaha, knowing that he could get as far as the Blair Bridge, and then went on foot ten miles in the night time to get to his place of business,

The notes for this personal sketch were given the historian by the deceased August 25, 1891, when he bid fair to live many years yet, but "in the midst of life we are met with death." So it was with the late Mr. OVIATT, whose name occurs many places within this volume in an historical way; but his race is run and he is now numbered among those who inhabit the "City of the Dead." He departed this life September 14, 1891, aged forty-four years, six months and five days.
Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa, page 667-69.
Family Researcher: N/A.
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