Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 841
MARQUIS LAFAYETTE DAKAN

Marquis Lafayette DAKAN, Superintendent of Public Schools for Harrison County, residing at Logan, has been a resident of the county since August 4, 1868, at which time he settled in Unioin Township and will form the subject of this biographical notice.

He was born in Morrow County, Ohio, October 5, 1846. His parents were Ebenezer and Charity (WAGSTAFF) DAKAN, natives of Pennsylvania, and of English descent. His father was twice married. By his first marriage he had four children, and by the second marriage three, our subject being one of that number. The parents both died in Pennsylvania. The father was a farmer by occupation and our subject passed his early life in the Buckeye State, being educated at the common and High Schools of that State, attending the latter at Williamsport, where he graduated in 1867. Having fitted himself for a teacher in 1867. Having fitted himself for a teacher he commenced in 1866 and has followed it in conjunction with farming and attending to the official duties as County School Superintendent ever since. He taught seven terms of school in Ohio, before coming to Iowa, and has taught forty-four terms in Iowa�an average of eleven terms in a place. The least number of terms in any one place has been four and the greatest twenty-three. This indeed speaks well for his qualifications as an instructor.

Polictically, Mr. DAKAN is stanch supporter of the Democratic party. He served as Assessor of Union Township for eight years, and was elected superintendent of Schools in 1889, and was the second person elected to this office, on the Democratic ticket in Harrison County, and had sixty majority. He was re-elected in 1891 with a majority of nine hundred and forty-seven. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and belong to Odd Fellows Lodge No. 355, at Logan.

Mr. DAKAN was married April 1, 1869, in Ohio, to Miss Nancy E. KELLEY, the daughter of Caleb and Lenora (CHAMBERLAIN) KELLEY, who were natives of Ohio, but whose ancestors came from Maryland at an early day. Mr. And Mrs. DAKAN are the parents of five daughters: Mattie, Della, Cora, and Ella and Elsie (twins).

Our subject is pre-eminently fitted for the position he now holds, being a thorough going and practical educator.

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