Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 754
ROBERT IVENS

Robert IVENS, while not among the earliest pioneers, has been a resident of this county long enough to have become closely identified with her every interest. He is a resident of section 14, Cass Township, and came to the County May 24, 1872, and commenced farming with his father, continuing at home, working at farm labor and building, until he had reached his majority, at which time, or soon after, he bought forty acres comprising a part of his present farm. The same was wild land and was not so easily tilled as the mellow soil of his present place.

At the same time he was improving his own land by breaking and building a house 14x22 feet, he was also tilling his father's farm. He now owns one hundred and sixty acres, which, to the passerby, give unmistakable evidences of the fact that he is a man given to thoroughness and order. To his original farm house, has been added a portion 12x14 feet. Good outbuildings, stockyards, fences, trees and shrubbery, together with a fine windmill, constitute the chief attractions of the place.

Concerning the birth-place and parentage of our subject, it should be stated that he was born in the town of London, West Canada, and hence at one time was under the Dominion of, and subject to, the rule of Queen Victoria. The date of his birth was June 10, 1856. He was the twelfth child of a family of fourteen children, eight of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. The following are the names of the living given in their order---Edmond M., Mitilda, Louise, Thomas P., Catherine E., Alice G., Robert and Fannie.

The father was a native of England, as was the mother, and they came to America about the year 1855, and settled in Howard County, Iowa, after having resided for a number of years in Canada.

Our subject was married January 1, 1878, to Annie B. BARNES, of Cass Township, a native of Illinois, but who was reared and educated principally in Harrison County, being only nine years of age when her parents removed West. She taught six terms of school prior to her marriage, and twenty-nine terms since that event, the majority of which have been in Harrison County.

Her father was Nathan D. BARNES, who came to Harrison County in the year 1866. He was born in Luzerne County, Pa., June 20, 1828.

Our subject and his wife are the parents of three children: Oscar C., born November 26, 1882; Libbie and Edmund M., (twins), February 12. 1889.

He started in life unaided by others and without money, having run in debt for his first forty acres of land, for which he paid $8 per acre, the remainder of his land costing $10 per acre. But it is gratifying to know that every acre of this land is now worth $25, and that he is in possession of one of the many beautiful and valuable pieces of farm property for which Harrison County is noted.

Return to 1891 Biographical I Surnames Index

Back to 1891 Biographies Index