MANN - John MANN, Jr., a farmer living on section 28, Allen Township, has been a resident of Harrison County since the spring of 1871, when he accompanied his parents, who located at Bigler's Grove in Boyer Township. He lived at home and worked with his parents, always being a trustworthy and faithful child. After doing what he could for his folks at home, he purchased the farm he now occupies in 1876. The place consisted of eighty acres of wild land, bought on a contract. He turned over the virgin sod, built him a house, barns, granary, etc., and has since added to his farm until now he has two hundred and forty acres, one-half of which is under the plow. The premises are made still more valuable and attractive by an orchard of four acres, as well as an abundance of shade trees which provide a shade during the summer months, as well as a windbreak during the mid-winter days.

Our subject was born across the sea. His birthplace was in Glasgow, Scotland. His parents were John and Sarah MANN, who were also born in the land of "Robby Burns," and came from a sturdy ancestry, for which that country is so noted. They reared a family of six children, named as follows: Sarah, John, Thomas, James, Mary G., and Janet R. These sons and daughters are all residents of Harrison County, except Sarah, who lives in Nebraska. Our subject was seventeen years old when he came to America, and he came direct from New York to Woodbine, Iowa, only requiring sixteen days to make the trip from Glasgow.

Our subject was united in marriage April 13, 1881, to Candice IMLAY, daughter of Solomon and Jane IMLAY, natives of Ohio and Kentucky, respectively, and who lived at Magnolia, this county, about thirteen years, but now reside in South Dakota. They reared a family of eight children, our subject's wife being their first-born. Her brother and sisters were in the following order: Candice, our subject's wife; Omar J., Delila I., Addie, Seldon H., David F., William M. and John.

Mr. and Mrs. MANN have been blessed with the following children, born in the oder given: Howard H., March 18, 1882; Arthur E., July 29, 1883; Nellie, December 12, 1884; Mary G., March 29, 1886; John R., December 22, 1887; Ethel, September 22, 1889; and Maggie J., March 21, 1891.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 738.
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MANN - Thomas MANN, who has been a resident of Harrison County for twenty-one years, is now comfortably located at his farm home on section 29, of Lincoln Township. He came to the country in company with his parents, who bought forty acres of land, with some improvements thereon, near the village of Woodbine. The father worked this land, while Thomas, of whom we write, worked out by the month for about two years, he being sixteen years old at the time. Later on he worked land for himself and for others by the month, his sister keeping house for him part of the time, and he keeping "bachelor's hall" the remainder of the time. He continued to do this until about 1880, when he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land, which forms part of his present home place. Subsequently he added forty acres to this tract, giving him two hundred acres in all, which is under a high state of cultivation. Mr. MANN is a native of Glasgow, Scotland, and was born March 20, 1856, and remained in his native land until he was fourteen years old, when he emigrated, with his parents, to America, landing in New York Harbor and taking the cars, making Woodbine their first stop.

His parents were John and Sarah (EADIE) MANN, natives of Scotland, who reared a family of six children, as follows: Sarah, John, Thomas, James, Mary and Jesse. They all live in Harrison County, except Sarah, who is in Nebraska. He has ever been a hard worker, but will agree with nearly every foreign born person who comes to our shores from the Old World, that this country excels all others under the shining sun, to repay men for the toil and hardships they may be enabled to endure.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 638
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STEWART - Daniel A. STEWART, a farmer living on section 8, Magnolia Township, came to Harrison County, August 23, 1871, and worked by the month on a farm, for about two years, after which his father's family came to the county, and he worked at home for the next ten years, when he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land, upon which he now lives. It was wild land at the time he purchased it, but he has improved it and is now in possession of a beautiful home. He built a story and a half frame house, 16x24 feet, and a barn in the fall of 1890, with sheds, outbuildings, etc. He now has under cultivation about seventy acres, while the balance is in pasture and meadow land. His present farm consists of two hundred and forty acres.

Our subject came from the Buckeye State, was born in Washington County, Ohio, April 22, 1853, and remained with his parents until he came to Harrison County, Iowa, where he was married November 12, 1883, to Miss Matilda MORROW, by which marriage union five children were born: Marie, Joseph, Francis, Jane, and Hugh. Matilda (MORROW) STEWART was born in Harrison County, Iowa, Christmas Day, 1856, and remained with her parents until the date of her marriage.

The father of our subject, Hugh STEWART, was born in the county of Antrim, Ireland, in 1816, and when a boy came to Pennsylvania, and from there to Washington County, Ohio, and in the spring of 1861 went to Indiana, where he remained until the spring of 1872, and then came to Harrison County, Iowa, and laid down life's burdens, October 13, 1889. His wife, whose maiden name was Ann MCBRIDE, was also a native of Ireland, and is still resident of this county. They were the parents of ten children, Daniel being the fourth child. They lived, as they died, consistent members of the Roman Catholic Church, of which our subject and his wife are also members.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 925.
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CRANE - Alexander T. CRANE, a highly respected citizen of Little Sioux Township, is a native of New Jersey, and came to Harrison County in the month of June, 1857. He was born in Newark, N.J., October 5, 1829, and is a son of Isaac W. and Hannah S. (CONDIT) CRANE, his mother being a sister of Silas CONDIT, who platted the village of Little Sioux. On the paternal side, Nehemiah J. and Mary (WARD) CRANE, were the grandparents, while on the mother's side Jeptha and Charlotte CONDIT were the grandparents.

Our subject is the oldest son of a family of seven children, and his early life was spent in New York City, where he received his education in the Public Schools, in school "No. 11," and attended Prof. MILES' preparatory school one term. In 1851, our subject saw visions of the rich gold field of California, and went to that country, by the way of the Isthmus of Panama. He tried prospecting for a time but finally went to work at the jeweler's trade which he learned in New York.

When our subject was a boy he was office boy for Edgar Allen POE, author of "The Raven," when he was editing the Broadway Journal, which was the first illustrated paper printed in New York. He remained in California one year, and then returned to the Empire State, where he worked at his trade until he came to Iowa. He came to Harrison County in 1857, remained two years, and became sick and discouraged, and returned to New York. In 1861 the Erie Railroad started the Pavonia ferry from New York to Jersey City. Mr. CRANE held the position of ferry master on the Pavonia ferry during the Civil War, and was one of the successful six who procured such position from about five hundred applications. In 1867 he left the ferry and returned to Iowa, and improved the land he had previously bought. He now owns two hundred acres of which eighty acres are under the plow and all well improved. His farm house, just completed, is a well-built structure which is among the best in the community.

Mr. CRANE was married at Iowa City, November 22, 1857, by George W. McCleary, ex-Secretary of State, to Kate E. WILLIAMS, the daughter of Harvey D. and Matilda (CONDIT) WILLIAMS, who were natives of New Jersey, but residing in Pennsylvania, where Mrs. CRANE was born. Our subject had been acquainted with his wife in the East, and she came as far as Iowa City to meet him, and there they were married and started through the drifting snows in a "prairie schooner" for their new home, having to maske their own trail. In the winter of 1857-58, Mr. CRANE taught school at Little Sioux, in a log school house, chinked but not plastered. The desks and seats were made of slabs. Forty pupils attended, and his salary was $27 per month, ten from the county and the remainder from the patrons of the school, which came in bacon, potatoes, etc., as there was no money in the country. It was a "cold day" for school teaching those early days!

Mr. and Mrs. CRANE are the parents of seven children -- Nettie, Charles, Fred and Theodore, are the names of the living children. Politically, our subject is a Prohibition-Republican.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 722-723.
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CROGHAN - Peter CROGHAN, who is a resident of section 25, Douglas Township, came to Harrison County in the fall of 1873, in company with his parents, who settled in the same township in which our subject now resides, and will form the subject of this biographical notice.

He was born in Ireland, but came to America when three years of age. His parents landed in New York Harbor, and from there went to Mississippi and lived about the same length of time. His father was a blacksmith by trade, and went from Mississippi to Illinois, where he worked his trade three years, and then came to Clinton County, Iowa, where he farmed prior to coming to Harrison County. His name was Owen CROGHAN, and he married Mary TIERNAN, who was also a native of Ireland.

Our subject was married July 4, 1881, to Eliza HAWN, daughter of William H. and Catherine HAWN, natives of Canada, who had a family of eight children, of whom our subject's wife was the third child. They were named as follows: Peter McGinn, Simeon, Eliza E., John H., William, Mary, James P., and S. Anna.

In our subject's father's family there were ten children: Catherine, Peter, Margaret, Celia, John, Luke, Maria, Owen, Thomas and Delia. Mr. and Mrs. CROGHAN are the parents of three children -- Delia V., Francis O., and Willie T.

Our subject is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, and votes the Democratic ticket, rejoicing in the present victory. He remained at home until nearly twenty-four years of age, when he received from his father a good team and wagon and forty acres of land upon which upon which the first payment had been made; the same was railroad land. July 22, 1881 he removed to his own farm, where he has made many improvements. During the past two years he has erected a good barn and an addition to the house. His buildings are surounded by a fine grove of four acres planted out by his own hands. He now owns three hundred acres of land and stock enough on hand if sold, to pay all his indebtedness.

Concerning some of the members of his family it may be added that Peter McGinn is Mrs. HAWN's son by a former marriage to James McGinn, now deceased. He died when Peter was one year of age. Peter now has a wife and five sons, and resides near Defiance, Shelby County, Iowa, where he owns a fine farm-home.

Peter KIEFFER, a young man worthy of note, has been employed by Mr. CROGHAN since August, 1888, and in March, 1892 will begin farming for himself. He will be of age in February, 1892. He was left an orphan, the father died when he was six years old, and the mother when he was eight. They left three sons -- Matt, Peter and Nick, who will share in a farm in Keokuk County, when the youngest son is of age.
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In addition to the 1891 Harrison County biography, the 1984 Panama, Iowa Centennial book has the following extract:

Peter CROGHAN (July 18, 1855 - Aug. 1938) married Elizabeth HAWN (1861-1936) on July 4, 1881 at Earling, Iowa. Peter was born in Ireland to Owen and Mary (Tierman) Croghan and came to America with his parents at the age of three. Elizabeth Hawn was the daughter of William H. and Catherine (Brady) Hawn, being the third child in a family of eight children. They lived in Canada before moving to Harrison County, Iowa.

To this union were born seven children:
Delia V. (Oct. 29, 1884 - Jan. 1, 1975) married John A. Zimmerman;
Francis (May 10, 1886 - Dec. 24, 1965) never married. He farmed with his brother, William;
William Peter (June 27, 1888 - Feb. 9, 1959) married Helen Julia Keane;
Mary A. (Dec. 1892 - June 1969) married Joseph A. Carey;
Catherine Imelda (called Cassie) (Feb. 14, 1896 - Dec. 21, 1968) married Eugene Thomas Keane;
Raymond married Rose Reinig, daughter of Jacob and Barbara (Ludwig) Reinig of Portsmouth;
Charles Augustus (Nov. 21, 1901) married Antionette Stessman (Oct 13, 1903), daughter of Theodore and Bertha (Huettman) Stessman.

The family of Peter Croghan is listed as members of the Catholic Mission Church in 1899. Peter and Elizabeth are buried at St. Mary's Cemetery.
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Continued from the 1984 Panama Iowa Centennial

Owen CROGHAN married Mary TIERMAN (Tiernan?), daughter of Luke Tierman, M.D., in their native County Roscommon, Ireland. They came to America in 1858, landing in New York Harbor, and from there went to Mississippi where they lived for some time. Owen was a blacksmith by trade, and moved from Mississippi to Illinois where he worked at his trade for three years, and then came to Clinton County, Iowa where he farmed before settling west of Panama in Harrison County in 1872.

To this union were born ten children: Catherine (1853-Feb 4, 1920) who married Bernard McAllister (1840-Feb 8, 1920), Peter (1855-1938) who married Elizabeth Hawn, Margaret, Celia, John, Luke, Maria, Owen, Thomas and Delia.

Owen died June 16, 1901 at the age of 70 years, and Mary on Feb 17, 1906 at the age of 74 years, 6 months, and 2 days. Both are buried at St. Mary's Cemetery.

Owen Croghan was a member of the building committee established 1883 to collect funds for the purpose of building a Catholic Church in Panama and superintended its building.
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Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 921-922.
And the 1884-1984 Panama Iowa Centennial.
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NELSON - John G. NELSON, of section 4, Taylor Township, came to Harrison County in the autumn of 1865, and worked by the day getting out railroad ties for the Union Pacific Railroad. He worked in Clay Township by the day and by the month until the fall of 1869, when he purchased eighty acres of land where he now lives, the same being improved. In the fall of 1872 he built a house twenty feet square, in which he lived until 1884, when he built his present residence, consisting of a two-story frame house, 22x30 feet, with an ell 22x25 feet. His farm now consists of three hundred and ninety-six acres. This valuable farmhouse has all been accumulated by hard work, as our subject brought no means to the county with him.

The birthplace of our subject was in that goodly portion of Northern Europe known as Sweden, which country furnishes so many of our best adopted citizens in this country. He was born March 2, 1844, and remained there until the autumn of 1865, at which time he came direct to Harrison County. From the time he was fourteen years old he was a sailor on the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia, and also sailed sixteen months on an English ship, making a voyage to the East Indies and return in 1864-65.

He was united in marriage in Harrison County, Iowa, November 30, 1873, to Miss Orella JENKINS, the daughter of Lloyd and Elizabeth (LOVE) JENKINS. By this union seven children have been born to them: Bessie, deceased; Charles I.; Harry L., deceased; Arthur R., Clyde E., Lloyd L., and Mary L.

Orella (JENKINS) NELSON was born in Shelby County, Iowa, June 6, 1856, and when a small child her parents came to Harrison County.

Politically Mr. NELSON adheres to the principles of the Democratic party, and in religious matters both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Modale.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 671-672.
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STEEN - John STEEN came to Harrison County, the latter part of March, 1856, and settled near Mondamin, and has been a resident of the county ever since. A man who has tilled the soil of Harrison County for twenty-six years is justly entitled to space in this connection for a biographical notice.

He was born in Pike County, Ohio, April 28, 1830, and is the son of William and Sarah (SAILOR) STEEN. His great-grandfather, William STEEN, was a native of Scotland and emigrated to our shores about 1758, settling at Lynchburg, Va., where he spent the remainder of his days. He reared four sons, among whom was John, the grandfather of our subject, who was born in Lynchburg in 1761, married and reared a family of four children -- Archibald, Robert, Sarah and William, the father of our subject, who was also born in Lynchburg, the date of his birth being October 24, 1804, and when eight years of age accompanies his parents to Ohio, settling on the Big Darby River, where they lived for some years and then removed to Jackson County, Ohio, where William, father of our subject, married Sarah SAILOR, of Pike County, about 1827. About 1835 John (the grandfather) removed to Chicago, took a claim and later removed to Vermillion County, Ill., where he remained until the date of his death, 1848. William STEEN, father of our subject, remained in Pike County, Ohio, after his marriage and worked at the carpenter trade until September, 1848, and then with horse teams emigrated to Polk County, Iowa, halted two years, then removed to Decatur County where he lived on a farm until his death in 1881, his wife dying April 11, 1889, aged eighty-two years; they were parents of ten children.

Our subject remained at home until twenty-two years of age, when he commenced working on the farm by the month, continued three years and then bought land in Decatur County, Iowa. In November, 1858, he was married to Jerusha A. BIRD, a native of Illinois, and the daughter of Robert M. and Isabel (CAMPBELL) BIRD, remained in her native State until she came to Harrison County. Mr. and Mrs. STEEN are the parents of the following children: Almeda, born November 4, 1859; Edwin, January 10, 1861; Willis, April 11, 1862; Joseph A., October 28, 1863; Amanda I., April 11, 1866; William E., April 22, 1869; Elintha A., May 15, 1870; Ada I., February 29, 1872; Serenus, January 4, 1877, Franklin B., July 4, 1880; and John, April 20, 1885.

Aleda married O. S. WADSWORTH and lives in Taylor Township; Willis married R. ARNOLD and lived in Magnolia Township; Amanda J. married John BAKER and lives in Calhoun Township; Elintha A. married John HILLIS and lives in Jackson Township; William E. married Leonora JEWELL.

Politically our subject affiliates with the Democratic party.

The first year Mr. STEEN lived in this couty he rented a farm of eighty acres which the same year he bought and lived upon three years, and then sold the same to F. M. BROOKS and removed to what is now known as the KELLOGG farm, remained there three years and bought sixty-three acres on section 19, Calhoun Township, upon which there was a three-room house and ten acres of breaking. After four years he sold this place for $1,000, rented land one year, and in the autumn of 1875 removed to Decatur, Iowa, remained over winter and then removed to Harrison County, Mo., where he raised one crop and in August of the same year returned to Calhoun Township, this county, rented land one year and in February, 1878, bought a farm in St. John's Township, north of Missouri Valley, consisting of one hundred and twenty acres of improved land. He was there two years and in March, 1880, sold and bought one hundred acres on which he lived, situated on section 30, of Calhoun Township. He paid $22 per acre for the land, which was under cultivation but without any other improvements. He fenced the farm, erected a commodious farmhouse and remained in the place ten years, when he moved to a one hundred and twenty-acre farm on section 18, which he had bought in June, 1886, and upon which he now lives. His place is well improved and has a good house and an orchard of one hundred and sixty trees and about twenty acres under the plow, and one hundred acres in pasture.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 909-911.
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ROSS - Job ROSS (deceased) (Portrait), came to Harrison County in the autumn of 1854, and settled on section 25 of Clay Township, and filed on three hundred and twenty acres of swamp land, and built a hewed log house 18x22 feet, which is now in use as a crib. He lived in that house for four years and then built a frame building 18x36 feet, and two stories high, with an upper and lower porch the entire length of the house. The family lived in this house until 1881, when he build a new house 20x30 feet, with an ell sixteen feet square. In 1877 Mr. ROSS removed to the village of Modale and engaged in the hardware business in partnership with F.H. LUDWIG. This continued for about two years when ROSS bought LUDWIG out and continued in the business until 1881, when he put in a general stock in connection with hardware. About 1883 the stock was burned and since that time he has not been actively engaged in business.

Mr. ROSS was born Oct. 14, 1831, in Peoria, Ill. He was the son of George and Hannah (HUGHES) ROSS. In 1851 the family started for Oregon and when one hundred and fifty miles west of Omaha, their stock was taken from them by the Indians as well as their provisions. There were twenty-one wagons in the train. They were attacked twice. The first time by about fourteen hundred Indians, but finally made a treaty with them by giving them $100 worth of provisions and three head of cattle for beef. The savages agreed not to molest them again, but alas for the honesty of poor Lo! When they had gone about fifty miles further on their journey westward they came upon them in the night time and stampeded and secured one hundred and sixty-five head of cattle as well as some of the horses. They recovered the latter, however, but suffered the loss of their cattle and most of their provisions. This was too much for the emigrants, for it will be remembered this was in 1851, ten years before the breaking out of the Rebellion, when all west of the Mississippi River was yet wild. They turned back and returned to Peoria, Ill., believing themselves fortunate to escape with their lives, as twenty-two men and boys stood no show with fourteen hundred Indians in a hand to hand encounter. The Captain of the whites got them out and drew them up in line; the Indians charged twice but did not fire or come closer than twenty feet. The second time the Captain asked if there was any who could talk English, when one of them and the Captain had a talk and agreed if they would give them a yoke of cattle and $100 worth of provisions they would let them go on. At that time our subject was seventeen years old. The company got back to Peoria late in the fall of 1851, and in August, 1854, our subject's people again started West, not knowing where they would finally settle but came through the southern tier of counties of Iowa to Council Bluffs � then called Kanesville � which was a mere hamlet made up principally of Mormons. They intended to remain there all winter, but after about a month they met a man who had been up into Harrison County and gave a glowing description of the country, so they came up in time to put up their winter's hay. They bought a claim with a house upon it and remained in the country. They had twenty head of cattle which lived largely on the hay they had cut and also off the rush beds. Mr. ROSS, however, put quite an amount of hay up each year and hence did not suffer the loss that many of the settlers did during the hard winter of 1856-57, when very many of the cattle died. Everything had to be bought at Kanesville, even to a pound of coffee. In making their trips to that point in hot weather with ox-teams they had to cross the big bottoms in the night time on account of "green heads" (flies). They remained here six years before they had any schools. At that time a few neighbors held a meeting and agreed to build a schoolhouse. So they hauled cottonwood logs to the mill and from this rough lumber erected a school building, the first term of school being taught in the fall of 1858 or 59. This schoolhouse stood on our subject's land, and the first teacher was Miss HILLIS, who afterward was a missionary to the Island of Ceylon and where through exposure and self-sacrifice she died in 1889.

Our subject was married in Harrison County, Iowa, in October, 1862, to Miss Nancy WEST, by whom two children were born � Luella M., deceased; baby boy died in infancy. Mrs. Nancy (WEST) ROSS died in the fall of 1867. She was the daughter of Edwin and Susan (RECORD) WEST, and was born in Marietta, Ohio, and when a small girl her parents came to Harrison County, Iowa where she remained until the date of her death.

For his second wife Mr. ROSS married Jennie ROBERTSON, the daughter of Allen and Mary (BARNES) ROBERTSON. She was born near Burlington, Iowa June 5, 1859, and came to Harrison County with her parents in 1870. Her parents remained two years and then returned to Des Moines County where our subject was married , September 14, 1876. By this union two children were born � Charlie, May 26, 1878; and Nettie, February 5, 1884.

Our subject's parents were both natives of Pennsylvania and were married in the city of Philadelphia, July 18, 1820. They were the parents of nine children, five daughters and four sons, of whom our subject was the third child. All are deceased but one brother, George A. ROSS, living in Burt County, Neb. The family came to Harrison County in 1854, as above related. The mother died in November, 1857, and the father in 1860, and were buried in the Calhoun Cemetery. Three of the family died in Illinois, one in the Civil War, three in Harrison County, Iowa and one daughter in Arkansas.

Our subject was elected at an early day, as Drainage Commissioner for Harrison County, and was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace three terms, and has held numerous other offices. At the time of his death he was Trustee of the town, as well as a member of the School Board, and Treasurer of the town of Modale.

Politically Mr. ROSS was originally a Whig, but always identified with the Republican party after its organization.

Coming to this county as he did at so early a date, he saw the county grow from what was then a vast wilderness to a land of culture and plenty.

To live in a country thirty-seven years and witness the vast changes convinces a man that he has passed through the greatest age of progress in the world's history.

Mr. ROSS stood high in the community in which he lived, and for many years was the man that gave advice to any who sought it and all say invariably it was good and honest advise. He should go down in history as a man who has been a success both financially and socially. His portrait very appropriately finds a place in this volume. Just as we go to press we learn of his death, which took place Tuesday, January 12, 1892. The whole county will mourn his loss.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 317-319
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