Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 903
NATHAN D. BARNES

Nathan D. BARNES, who came to the county July 1, 1866 and now resides on Six-Mile Creek, on the north side of Six-Mile Grove, upon section 18, was born in Luzerne county, Pa., June 20, 1828, and lived with his parents until sixteen years of age, then came to Lee County, Ill. With his father's family, who in 1845, settled at Dixon, Lee County, July 5, which was the day after the murder of Col. Davenport at Rock Island. Our subject remained at home until twenty-one years of age, and then commenced life's work for himself, engaging at masonry and carpenter work, which he followed for about seven years. In 1854 he established a grocery and bakery business at Dixon, Ill., which he operated a year and a half. During the financial crash of 1856-57, he failed in business, as did thousands of other men at that time. We next find him in Chicago, attending the Commercial College, from which institution he received a diploma, and at once went to Carbondale, Jackson County, Ill., where he served as bookkeeper, and clerk for one year. From that date to 1866, he farmed in the vicinity of Dixon. Upon coming to Harrison County, he went to grading on the railroad, for which he received $8 per day for himself and two teams. He bought the farm he now occupies, taking possession August 10, 1866. The place had no improvements except a one-story house, 16x20 feet, and two miles of rail fencing. His present improvements in the way of buildings, feed lots, etc. are of the best character. His farm now consists of two hundred and twenty acres, on section 18 and eighty acres on sections 5 and 7, making three hundred acres in all. Of this tract one hundred acres are cultivated, the balance being timber and pasture land. At the time our subject came to the township, there were only about a dozen other settlers.

The father of our subject was Uzal O. Barnes, born in Warren County, N.J., June 8, 1806. He was the father of thirteen children, of whom our subject was the eldest. The father died May 2, 1888, at Dixon, Ill. Our subject's brothers and sisters were Nathan D., James D., Susanna C., Eleanor V., John A., Sarah A., Hannah M., Mary Elizabeth, Eliza M., Sidney M., George N., Melissa and Uzal O. Barnes Jr. Of these children, ten grew to manhood and womanhood.

Our subject's mother's name was Sallie (HUTCHISON) DODSON, born December 31, 1803, in Columbia County, Pa., and died at Dixon, Ill., October 26, 1890.

Our subject was married June 19, 1855, Dixon, Ill., to Elizabeth H. MOSEMAN, born at Bedford, Westchester County, N.Y., October 26, 1835. To our subject and his wife have been born nine children, seven of whom are living; Annie B., born April 18, 1857; Gacia M., June 12, 1859, (deceased); Charles N., March 5, 1862; Alice r., February 25, 1865; Della D., September 5, 1867; Josephine, January 7, 1870; Dioclesian L, October 9, 1875 (deceased); and Maude E., August 12, 1878.

Politically our subject is a supporter of the Republican party. In his religious convictions, he is a believer in John Wesleyan Methodism.

Return to 1891 Biographical B Surnames Index

Back to 1891 Biographies Index