Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 571
WILSON DOTY

Wilson DOTY, a representative farmer of La Grange Township, came to Harrison County with his parents twenty-five years ago -- in the autumn of 1866. They settled in Taylor Township, near Modale, and three years later they removed to St. John's Township and were there until 1872, when they came to La Grange Township, where he and his father at first purchased forty acres of wild land, having to borrow the money to make the first payment with. They built a frame house 16x26 feet and in 1883, erected a barn 30x44 feet. The farm now consists of one hundred and twenty acres.

Mr. DOTY was born in Morgan County, Indiana, December 28, 1847, and when he was seven years of age his parents removed to Madison County, Iowa, where they remained until the spring of 1866 and then moved to Berry County, Missouri, remained one season and then came to Harrison County. Our subject remained with his parents until the time of their death.

Preston DOTY, the father of our subject, was born in Kentucky, in 1807, and in April 1814, came with his parents to Indiana, becoming a pioneer of the Hoosier State, and remained there until 1855 and then removed to Madison County, Iowa, from there to Missouri, and so on to Harrison County, Iowa. His wife, Mariah (LEE) DOTY was born in South Carolina, December 2, 1804. Her parents came to Indiana, where she married John BOLDS, January 1, 1824. They were the parents of two daughters and three sons. Mr. BOLDS died in Indiana, September 10, 1831, and January 1, 1841, she married Preston DOTY, by which marriage three children were born, our subject being the youngest of the family. The children were as follows: Lucetta, born October 31, 1842; Evan, born August 5, 1844; and Wilson, born December 28, 1847.

Our subject's father (Preston) married for his first wife Nancy SHRUM, by whom one child was born, John, April 1, 1828, and who died June 1, 1832. Nancy (SHRUM) DOTY, died March 31, 1834, and September 25, 1835, Preston married (as his 2nd wife) Elizabeth MURPHY, and they were the parents of two children: Samuel born August 17, 1836; and James born September 10, 1837. The mother of these children died June 11, 1838.

Our subject was united in marriage in Harrison County, Iowa, August 3, 1875, to Miss Winnie E. JONES, and they are the parents of six children, born as follows: Oscar, June 14, 1876; Leroy, January 17, 1878; Chloe M., May 28, 1879; Edgar, May 22, 1882; Winnie E., September 19, 1883; Earl, February 28, 1888. Edgar died August 20, 1882.

Mrs. DOTY was born in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, December 11, 1858, and removed with her parents to Harrison County when a small girl. Her father, William M. Jones, was born in Putnam County, Ind., June 8, 1820. He first married Miss Tabitha Aldridge, and they were the parents of five children: Emily, Martha A., Allen S., Silas A. and John H. Tabitha (Aldridge) Jones died in Indiana, and Mr. Jones married for his second wife, Miss Sarah Ellis, and by this marriage eleven children were born -- William M., Euen G., Acenath T., Amanda J., Winnie E., Sarah A., (deceased), James E., Joel L. (deceased), and Harvey L. The mother of these children was born in Indiana, April 22, 1829, and remained in the Hoosier State until the date of her marriage, and is now living in La Grange Township, this county. Both she and her husband were members of the Predestinarian Baptist Church. The father and mother of Mr. Doty, belong to the same church, the father being a minister of that denomination.

Politically, our subject is identified with the Democratic party, He has held the office of Justice of the Peace, being elected in 1889, and still holding such position; he is also a member of the School Board, and has been for six years, and was elected Trustee for La Grange Township at the November election in 1891.

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