Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 944
WILLIAM H. BOURN

William H, BOURN, a representative farmer of Clay Township, residing on section 24, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1855, and worked in a sawmill for Thomas A. DENNIS, remaining with him most of the time up to the spring of 1858. Part of the time he worked at Florence, Neb., in a mill. In the spring of 1858 he bought eighty acres of county swamp land. In the spring of 1859, in company with four others, of whom one ws Fred T. EVANS, now proprietor of the Hot Springs, at Buffalo Gap, S.D., they started with ox-teams to Pike's Peak. At Ft. Kearney, Neb., they met parties returning from that section disgusted with the prospects. This party was not of that stripe, so they pressed boldly on and shortly after fell into company with an emigrant train going to Oregon, so they conluded to journey with them. The whole party stopped in the Walla Walla Valley, where our subject, and two others, went to work at the carpenter trade for the Government. It took them four months to make their trip. In the spring of 1860 they bought some ponies, (numbering about two hundred head) and drove them back with them.

Upon his arrival in Iowa, from Oregon, Mr. BOURN commenced improving his place, upon which he built a small frame house. It was at this time that the Civil War cloud was darkening the national heavens, and secession threatened the life of the Union.

In August, 1862 he enlisted as a member of Company C, Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, went South and took part in the following engagements: Helena, Ark., July 4, 1863; Little Rock, and from there went to Camden to support Gen. BANKS, on his Red River expedition and also at Jenkin's Ferry. Mr. BOURN was sick at this time and John W. STOCKER, of Logan, who was their Quartermaster, let Mr. BOURN ride his horse. The above engagement lasted from daylight until 2 o'clock p.m. From there they went back to LIttle Rock, where they did provost and prison duty until February, 1865. They were then sent Mobile, Ala., and took part in the battles of Spanish Fort and Ft. Blakely, and from there went to Mt. Vernon, Ala., were there for a short time and took ship for the mouth of the Rio Grande River, Texas. They remained in that vicinity one month, came back to New Orleans via Galveston, and on account of sickness Mr. BOURN was discharged at New Orleans July 29, 1865, one month before the remainder of his regiment was discharged. Upon his return from the army he came back to Harrison County, and resumed his farm labors.

To acquaint the reader with his earlier career, let it be said that he was born in Lancashire, England, August 1, 1839, and in about 1850, accompanied his parents to America, and located at Vincennes, Indiana. He remained at that point with his parents until he was fourteen years of age and then came west to Council Bluffs. When he left home he ran as a cabin boy on the Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois and Missouri Rivers. He followed this for about one year, coming to Council Bluffs in 1854. He worked at hauling brick from Council Bluffs across the river to a claim north of where Omaha now stands. When Mr. BOURN came to Clay Township, there were only eight or nine families in the township, all of which have long since moved away, except Chambers HESTER, who was a boy at the time living with his parents.

Our subject was united in marriage in Clay Township, December 8, 1861 to Miss Rebecca PARCELL, the daughter of Theodore and Catherine (BLACKBURN) PARCELL. As a result of this union, ten children were born: William H., February 21, 1863; Emma A., June 29, 1866; Mary A., January 12, 1868; John J., August 22, 1870; Eliza J., December 19, 1872; Thomas T., June 26, 1874; Albert, April 25, 1877; baby girl born April 17, 1880; Nettie, July 27, 1881; and Clara, December 31, 1883. Of these children, Eliza J. died July 20, 1873; baby girl April 27, 1880; and Mary A. (Mrs. JEWELL), February 20, 1887.

Rebecca (PARCELL) BOURN was born in Pennsylvania, July 3, 1845. When she was a small girl her parents removed to Ohio, and in 1860, came to Harrison County, Iowa, and settled in Clay Township, where she remained until the date of her marriage.

Thomas BOURN, the father of our subject was a native of England and died in Vincennes, Indiana; the mother Sarah (FAULKNER) BOURN was also a native of England and died at Springfield, Ill., and was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery. They were members of the Episcopal Church. Their family consisted of two children: William H., and Mary B. (MILLS) deceased.

Mr. BOURN is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, belonging to Boyd Post at Modale. Politically, he is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and has held numerous local offices, including that of Assessor and Township Clerk.

His present residence was built in 1873. In 1884 he erected a barn 48x51 feet. He now owns three hundred and twenty acres of land in Clay Township and one hundred and twenty acres in Jackson Township. In conclusion let it be said no man stands higher in the county than does he for whom this sketch is written.

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