Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 322
SAMUEL DeCOU

Samuel DeCOU, came to Harrison County in the autumn of 1864, bought land and returned to his former home in Winneshiek County, Iowa, where he had improved a three hundred and twenty acre farm, coming there from Canada in 1853, and the following June came to Harrison County and settled on section 7, of Douglas Township, where he purchased four hundred and sixty acres of land, upon which there had been built a two-story brick house 24x36 feet. There were about one hundred and thirty-five acres under cultivation, and very fortunately Mr. DeCOU purchased the whole property for $3,750 and remained on that place until the spring of 1885 and then built a residence in Woodbine and moved to town. The first two years he lived in the county he made $4,000, but the next years were not so profitable, owing to the grasshoppper plague, which devastated this country.

Mr DeCOU was born August 12, 1807, making him eighty-fours years old at this writing. His birthplace was London District, Canada. His parents were both born in the United States, but removed to Canada before the birth of our subject, who spent his early years in the Dominion, leaving there in 1853. The father was born in New Jersey and the mother in Maryland.

Mr. DeCOU married Nancy AUSTIN in the month of December, 1829, and as the result of this union, one son and four daughters were born � Mary Ann, born October 17, 1830; Philip A. died in infancy; Rebecca, born January 25, 1833; Elizabeth A., August 19, 1835; and Susan F., September 27, 1837.

Mr. DeCOU's first wife died in Canada, where he was again married, to Elizabeth AUSTIN, and by this marriage five children have been born � Isaac A., born March 15, 1841; William H., February 10, 1844; Emily J., August 20, 1848; John S., August 17, 1851; Albert A., February 1, 1853, died in Harrison County March 9, 1890.

Mary Ann DeCOU married Rev. George CUTHBERTSON, a Presbyterian minister; Rebecca, single, employs her time in teaching at Hamilton, Ontario. Elizabeth A. married Joseph OTIS, and lives in California. Susan F. married Marshall FAIRFIELD, who also lives in California. The remainder of our subject's children are married and live in Harrison County, Iowa.

Mrs. DeCOU was born August 20, 1815, and was the daughter of Phillip and Mary (SLAUGHT) AUSTIN. The father was born in Orange County, N. C., in 1789, and died in Canada in September, 1876. The mother was born in New Jersey, November 1796, and died in Ontario, Canada, in March, 1865.

Mr. and Mrs. DeCOU are acceptable members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having joined in Canada in 1854. Politically our subject votes with the Republican party, but favors a reform.

Upon coming to this country. Mr. DeCOU's nearest trading point was Council Bluffs, as that was the nearest place at which farm produce could be marketed. A few of the necessities of life, could however be purchased at Magnolia, which was then the county seat. In coming from Winneshiek County to Harrison County, our subject drove through, making from one county seat to another, following the main roads diagonally across the State of Iowa, from north-east to south-west over many unbridged streams.

Being now far advanced in life, and living on borrowed time, as he is, our subject has retired from active engagement, and has divided his lands among his children.

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