Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

ALEXANDER - Benjamin F ALEXANDER, a farmer living on section 14, of Clay Township, came to Harrison County, in the spring of 1869, and settled on the farm he now occupies, his mother coming with him. He bought eighty acres, and his mother bought forty acres; the house was built on her land. Mr. ALEXANDER lived with his mother until 1880. In 1874 he built a frame house upon his own land, and his farm now consists of 100 acres.

He was born in Tipton County, Indiana, 15 February 1849. His parents were John M, and Nancy J ALEXANDER. The former was a native of Kentucky, while the latter was born in Ohio. The father died in 1865, and his good wife, the mother of our subject, died 25 November 1887, at the age of 76 years, eleven months, and fourteen days. The mother and son remained in Indiana until 1869, when they came to this county.

Mr ALEXANDER was united in marriage in Harrison County, Iowa on 27 March 1875 to Miss Mary J RITCHISON, the daughter of Abraham and Sarah (GILMORE) RITCHISON. Our subject and his wife are the parents of 6 children; Willie (deceased), Jack, Alice (deceased), Leonard, Grace, and Alvey.
Mrs ALEXANDER was born in Clay Township, Harrison County, Iowa on 23 September 1859 and remained at home with her parents until married.

Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa.
Alexander Family Researcher: Colleen Lovan [Updated email address needed! jlovan@uky.campus.mci.net no longer valid].
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ARMSTRONG - James L. ARMSTRONG, a resident of section 24, Jefferson Township, came to the county in the fall of 1856, to become a permanent settler; he had been in the county about six weeks in 1854. He and his brother, H. V. ARMSTRONG, came to the county together, settling on section 25, where they put up a log house, 12 x 14 feet, and remained until 1858. In the fall of 1858, he built a log house on section 23.

Our subject enlisted in Company C, Twenty ninth Iowa Infantry, August 18, 1862. He served three years in the service of his country, participating in the battles of Helena, Ark., July 4, 1863 and battle of Spanish Fort, which lasted fourteen days, and also Jenkins Ferry. He received his discharge at New Orleans, August 17, 1865 and returned home.

Our subject was born in Scioto County, Ohio, January 20, 1832, and is a son of Andrew B. and Hannah (RAY) ARMSTRONG, and is the seventh of a family of twelve children. He remained at home until nineteen years of age, when he commenced working out by the month, which he followed until he came to Harrison County. Upon his arrival, he possessed $200 and one horse and, by economy and good management he now owns two hundred and forty acres of land and usually keeps about thirty head of cattle and two teams.

Mr. ARMSTRONG has been twice married -- first in September, 1866 to Emora Jane HENDERSON, to whom were born four children -- Martha Ann, June 26 1867; Nora Grace, March 1, 1869; Elizabeth Ray, March 15, 1870 and Joseph C., in January, 1872. Mrs. ARMSTRONG died and for his second wife he married Ruhana J. FRAZIER, daughter of Champan and Mary FRAZIER. By this union, one child was born -- James BERTRAM, August 20, 1874.

Politically, Mr. ARMSTRONG is in harmony with the People's party. In his religious convictions he is an Episcopal Methodist.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 344, 347
Armstrong Family Researcher: Sharon Rowe [Updated email address needed! rowe@pilot.msu.edu no longer valid].
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ARMSTRONG - Harvey V. ARMSTRONG, an enterprising farmer located on section 5 of Union Township. He ranks among the early pioneers of this county, coming here in the month of June, 1854, and entering a tract of land ay Six-mile Grove, Jefferson Twp, the same consisting of one hundred and sixty acres. After a sojourn of one month he returned to Illinois, his former home, and returned to this county in 1856. This claim was purchased from Mr. THORPE, living in Jeddo, paying $20 for what he called his interest in a half section of land.

Upon this he built a log cabin, the roof of which was made of clapboards, while the floor was puncheon. This cozy house was provided with a fire-place, the chimney of which was built on the outside in good old primitive style, and was doubtless a better means of ventilation than the modern air-tight, hard-coal stove, fancy house. Their bedstead was made by boring holes in the logs of the house and inserting legs in the same. This land was part timber, there being ninety-five acres of prairie. The first year he broke about 15 acres, and the remainder in 1857. Subsequently, he erected a hewed log housem which had a shingled roof. He remained on this farm about 8 years, when he purchased land on section 5 of Union Twp, compromising his present farm of 330 acres. Here our subject and his family have passed 26 years of their lives.

Our subject was born in Gallia County, Ohio, October 9, 1824, the son of Andrew and Hannah (RAY) ARMSTRONG, who reared seven children, of whom our subject was the third. The children's names are as follows: Nancy, Ezra (deceased), Harvey V, Robert C (deceased), John W, Louden J (deceased).
Mr. ARMSTRONG lived in Ohio until sixteen years of age, when he, in company with his parents, moved to Know County, Illinois, where they engaged in farming. When our subject was twenty years old his father gave him his time, after which he worked on a farm by the month, and then rented a farm which he worked for seven or eight years. After this he bought an 80 acre farm in Warren County, Ill., upon which he removed to Harrison County, Iowa.
Mr. ARMSTRONG was married August 9, 1844, to Virginia (ROWE) ARMSTRONG, daughter of Joseph and Betsy ROWE, natives of Virgina, who reared nine children, of whom our subject's wife was the seventh child. The following are their names: Polly, Peggy, Berthia (deceased), Rice (deceased), Caroline, James P, Virgina, E. Winchester, Joseph D (deceased). Mrs. ARMSTRONG's father was a farmer, and removed from Virginia to Kentucky and from there to Indiana, and from there to Illinois.

Our subject and his wife are the parents of the following children: Bettie C, born June 13, 1845; Joseph A, June 28, 1847; Emma J (deceased), born August 18, 1849; Flora E, August 1, 1852; Louisa F, November 3, 1854; John W, June 9, 1856; William D, August 26, 1858; Ettie W, Novemmber 7, 1860; James H (deceased), born July 21, 1863.

Politically, he is identified with the Democratic party. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and took an active part in the erection of Bethel Church, which stands on land adjacent to their farm, and which was built in 1891.

Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa.
Armstrong Family Researcher: Sharon Rowe [Updated email address needed! rowe@pilot.msu.edu no longer valid].
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BRYCESON - Thomas J BRYCESON, one of the respresentive farmers of Jackson Township, located on section 22, has been a resident of the county since the spring of 1873, when he bought the place he now occupies, which at the time contained sixty-three acres, and was partly improved, with a small frame house upon it, and about ten acres broken, the same costing $10 per acre. He broke the remainder of his land out, built a house 16x30 feet, with a wing 14x20 feet, built sheds, cribbing, etc., and now has forty acres under the plow, and the balance in timber and pasture land. He also provided his place with a good orchard and a natural grove.

He was born in England, October 3, 1829, and is a son of William and Mary BRYCESON, who are natives of England, and has a family of seventeen children, our subject being the seventh child. Eleven of these children are living in England, the remainder are deceased except Thomas and Ann, who live in this country. Our subject remained in England with his parents until he arrived at his majority. When he came to America, he landed at New Orleans, came up the Mississippi River as far as St. Louis, where he was engaged one year as sign painter and grainer. He went from St. Louis to Salt Lake City, where he continued to work his trade. While there he painted Brigham YOUNG's house, and for which services he has not yet received his pay. He remained in Salt Lake City four years, then went back to New Orleans, where he followed painting for five years. We next find him in Coles County, IL, where he remained one year, and then came to Monona County, Iowa, bought a farm, and remained twelve years. He next came to Harrison County.

He was united in marriage, March 20, 1853, to Mary SHINER, the daughter of Christopher D and Frances SHINER, natives of Scotland, who reared a family of thirteen children. Mr. and Mrs. BRYCESON are the parents of nine children, born in the following order -- Mary (September 1, 1855), Frederick W (August 28, 1857), Edwin W (June 25, 1859), Arthur (June 5, 1861, now deceased), Albert A (October 18, 1864), Fannie R (September 29, 1866), Elizabeth A (December 14, 1868), Frank E (June 5, 1871), and Nellie (October 24, 1873, now deceased).
Our subject is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and stands high in the community in which he lives.

Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa.
Bryceson Family Researcher: Kelley Velasco.
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CADWELL - Phineas CADWELL was the eighth child born to Ebenezer Smith CADWELL and Sarah Sophia (Sally) CLARK. Phineas was born in Lenox, Madison County New York, the 17 day of April 1824. On the 7th day of October 1845 he married Harriett Newell FISKE. After Harriett's death on the 1 September 1891, he remarried Eleanor H. SNYDER nee CRONBAUGH on 13 May 1892. Phineas died 26 November 1906. He died and was laid beside Harriet in Logan, Iowa. I believe the cemetery is called Silver Hill. It is a private cemetery on the Valley View Villa owned by Phineas Cadwell.

Also at one time he owned property in the town of Eagle Grove, IA, as well as seventeen hundred acres of real estate, which they mostly divided among their children. In March, 1881, they erected a fine house on section 13, with beautifully tended ground and a large orchard, which came to was considered one of the finest homes in Harrison County Iowa.
Phineas and Harriett were the parents of eight children.

1. Mary Elizabeth Cadwell, born November 29, 1847, and passed away the same day.

2. Another child who name is unknown to me at this time who was born and passed away on April 8, 1848.

3. Charles Francis Cadwell, born February 29, 1848, the son of Mrs. H. HESS adopted by Phineas and Harriett on April 9, 1848. He passed away October 8, 1861, at the age thirteen years from diptheria.

4. William Carson Cadwell, born June 28, 1853 in Paris Township, Racine County, WI. Married Lenora MOTT on March 9, 1873, and William Carson passed away April 14, 1918 at Camp Funston in Fort Riley, Kansas.

5. Edgar Fiske Cadwell, born August 4, 1855, in Magnolia Township, Harrison County Iowa, married Ellis J. LEWIS on April 4, 1877, and passed away in 1935.

6. Frederick Henry Marshall Cadwell, was born December 8, 1860, in Magnolia Township, Harrison County, Iowa, married Magdalene Agatha ALACK on March 15, 1882, and passed away in Logan Iowa on December 12, 1930.

7. Harriett Priscilla Cadwell, born, September 5, 1863, in Magnolia Township, Harrison County, Iowa, married Ernest G. TAYLOR on September 5, 1883.

8. Kate Elizabeth Cadwell, born October 22, 1865, in Magnolia Township, Harrison County, Iowa, married John Edward MASSIE on January 7, 1885, and past away on June 29, 1902.

Source: Jeanne S. Geer from Puyallup, WA.
Cadwell Family Researcher: Jeanne Geer [Updated email address needed! zfke63a@prodigy.com no longer valid].
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COLLINS - James COLLINS, whose pleasant farm home is situated within a beautiful grove on the northest quarter of section 18, in Douglas Township, was a pioneer of 1856, at which time he entered the land he now lives upon, where he entered 160 acres, and erected a frame house 18x20 feet, in which he lived for ten years, at which time he built his present residence. He has added to his farm until he now possesses 240 acres of valuable land. When he came to the township there were but four families who lived at Twelve-Mile Grove. The first schoolhouse in the township was erected at Twelve-Mile Grove, soon after our subject effected his settlement. It goes without saying, that those were days of hardship, and the word, "pioneer" stood for much more than romance or poetry. If only twenty-five cents worth of any given article of household supplies was needed, a trip had to be made to Council Bluffs, which consumed three days' time.

To acquaint the reader with the early years of our subject, it may be stated he was born at Union, Monroe County, West Virginia, November 23, 1827, where he lived with his parents until he was 28 years of age. His father was a mason by trade, and taught James the same trade, which he followed until coming to Harrison County. He left the old "Pan Handle" State at Charleston, coming via Cincinnati, St. Louis, and thence to Council Bluffs. At the latter place the accommodations were so poor for his wife and family, that he could not remain, consequently engaged a man to take them into the country, starting in a north-easterly direction and when twenty-five miles out they chanced to meet one John ROGERS, an old friend from Virginia, where the family remained a few days, while our subject made a land exploring trip. At this time a law was passed giving all Mexican soldiers a bounty, payable in land warrants, and Mr. COLLINS purchased 160 acres in this way, paying fifty cents per acre. The first summer he came he lived with a family by the name of Hooks, on L D BUTLER's place, which place he farmed, at the same time building a house on his own place.

Mr. COLLINS was married in Monroe County, WV, August 10, 1848, to Catherine ROGERS, by which union three children have been born; John, Mary and Sarah. Mrs. COLLINS, the mother of these children, died in Douglas Township, March 17, 1866, and our subject married for his second, Nancy LACY, February 5, 1867, in Lincoln County, VA. By this union four children have been born -- Rose, Catherine, Ellen, and Thomas.
Politically, Mr. COLLINS affiliated with the Democratic party. He was the first Justice of the Peace in Douglas Township, which office he still holds. In his religious belief he is in sympathy with the Roman Catholic Church.

Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa.
Collins Family Researcher: Sharon Rowe [Updated email address needed! rowe@pilot.msu.edu no longer valid].
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Harrison County Iowa Genealogy