Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 517
JOHN W. KIRPATRICK

John W. KIRKPATRICK, farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 5, of Washington Township, came to Harrison County just a third of a century ago. He settled on section 18, of this township, which was then a part of Union, in the spring of 1858; at a time when their nearest market was Council Bluffs. Public lands not being for sale at that time, he rented of a man by the name of BARNEY, who had taken a claim and broken some of the ground. Here Mr. KIRKPATRICK farmed for two years, and then went to WALKER'S Grove and rented land of Thomas SHERE, for two years more, after which he went to Union Grove in Union Township, where he rented of Thomas SELLERS, for three years, which brought him to October 1867, at which time he moved back to Clay County, Ind., and remained until August, 1870, when he returned to Harrison County, Iowa, and settled at Plum Grove, in Union Township, where he rented for two years, and then bought forty acres of wild land, on section 6, of Washington Township, which he improved and lived upon from July 10, 1873, to April 1876, when he sold and removed to section 8, of Washington Township, where he had purchased a forty-acre tract, which he improved and lived upon until July, 1883, at which time he sold, and bought forty acres of wild land on section 5, which he improved and has lived upon ever since. When he first came to the county he drove an ox-team, and it required a long two days' drive to make a trip to Council Bluffs and return, that being his post-office and trading post. During the "hard winter" of 1856-57 he was living in Beaver Township, Monona County. The snow commenced falling on the 1st of December, and caught our subject eighteen miles from home, with three cows to drive; he started for home at just sunrise, facing the storm all the way, and arrived home at ten o'clock in the evening, when the snow was waist deep on the level, and it kept snowing and blowing for three days and nights. There had been no crop raised in the country the year previous, except that raised upon sod. Corn was very high, and wheat out of question. He had no corn of his own, and had to go a mile and a half, and then pay $1 a bushel; carrying it home on his back, with the snow nearly up to his arms, and after arriving home, shelled the corn, and the next day carried it a mile and a half, to a little hand mill, paying ten cents per bushel to have it ground. Meat was plenty, such as it was, as plenty of deer could be captured without much trouble. Stock suffered greatly during that winter, many starving to death. April 16, 1857, he went to Magnolia with an ox-team and crossed a snow-drift that was twelve feet deep.

To learn something of the parentage and early career of our subject it may be stated that he was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, February 9, 1832. He is the son of William KIRKPATRICK who was born in Virginia January 1, 1808, and in 1827 went to Guernsey County, Ohio, and remained there until 1849, when he came to Lee County, Iowa, remained several years and then went to Adams County, Ill., where he spent the remainder of his days. His wife, Susanna (BALL) KIRKPATRICK, was a native of Ohio, born May 19, 1812, and when a small child removed with her parents to Guernsey County, Ohio. They were the parents of eleven children, our subject being the second child.

John W., of whom we write this sketch, accompanied his parents to Lee County, Iowa, where he remained until January, 1851, and then started for Council bluffs, going in a boat via St. Louis. He remained in Pottawattamie County until the autumn of 1856, and then moved to Monona County, Iowa, and lived until the spring of 1858, and then came to Harrison County.

He was united in marriage January 18, 1851, in Lee County, Iowa, to Miss Elizabeth JONES, by whom nine children were born: William H., Francis M., Wilson G., John R., David H., Mar E., Jasen E., Clara E., Rebecca J. William H. died May 8, 1853; Mary E. died January 29, 1890, in Kansas.

Elizabeth (JONES) KIRKPATRICK, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, August 19, 1830, and when a year old, her parents removed to Illinois, remained a short time and went to Jackson County, Mo., were there two years, spent a short time in Clay County, and from there to Caldwell County, where they lived about five years, and from there went to Adams County, Ill. Her father was one of the Mormons, who was driven out of Missouri, first from one county to another, and finally to Illinois, At one time he was hiding in the rocks for three days and three nights. They remained in Adams County until 1839, and then went to Nauvoo, Ill., where they remained until 1845, and then came to Wapello County, Iowa, halted two years, and then came to Lee County. In 1853 the family moved to Council Bluffs, having lived some time at St. Joseph, after leaving Lee County. We next find them in Monona County, where they remained until 1858, and then settled at Union Grove, Harrison County. In 1866 they returned to Clay County, Ind., remained two years, and then located at Little Sioux, Harrison County, Iowa, where the mother died, January 20, 1869, and the father in the spring of 1876, went to Minnesota, where he died June 7, 1878. His name was David JONES, and he was born in Pennsylvania August 20, 1799. His wife was Mercy (AYRS) JONES, born in Maryland July 19, 1806. They were the parents of fourteen children, Mrs. KIRKPATRICK being the fifth child. This venerable old couple embraced the faith of the Latter Day Saints, and had been identified with them since 1831, while our subject's wife united with the church in 1838.

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