Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 500
ORIN L. MICKEL

Orin L. MICKEL, a farmer residing on section 16, of Allen Township, came to Harrison County in September 1878. He worked out by the month on a farm the first season, and taught school during the winter. He then rented land in Morgan Township one season, and again was employed as a teacher during the winter, after which he sold out his surplus grain and stock, and returned to New York State, remained there a year, and then came back to Iowa, and again engaged by the month at farm labor, and finally bought out a man's crop, teams and tools, and the following spring bought a farm near Mondamin consisting of one hundred and ninety acres of partly improved land. He farmed here for six years, and then bought the farm he now occupies, which consisted of eighty acres of wild land, upon which he erected a house 18x26 feet, with an addition twenty-two feet square. His farm is also provided with a barn 22x34 feet, as well as hog house, cribs, granary, etc. As the years have gone by he has added to his land until he now possesses three hundred and twenty acres, ninety of which are under the plow, while the balance is in pasture and meadow land, the whole being surrounded by a good fence.

Mr. MICKEL was born in Otsego County, N. Y., in August 1850. He is the son of Ira and Mianda MICKEL, natives of New York, who were the parents of five children--Emma J., Orin L., Samantha, Eliza (deceased), Anna.

Our subject lived with his parents until he was of age. He attended the common schools of the Empire State as well as one term at the High School. He was married January 1, 1879, to Nellie GAMET, the daughter of Isaac and Mary GAMET, natives of New York and Ohio respectively. They reared a family of seven children--Nellie, Joel M., Carrie, Marcellus (deceased), Winnaford, Alma, Charles. Six of these children are living in Dakota and Iowa.

Mr. and Mrs. MICKEL are the parents of two children--Ira M., born May 22, 1881; and Edith W., December 25, 1885.

Politically, our subject is identified with the Democratic party, and has held numerous local offices, including Assessor of Morgan Township for three years, and Township Clerk one term; and since moving to Allen Township, has assessed it three times and is now Trustee and Secretary of the School Board, filling all these positions with credit to himself and his neighbors.

He belongs to Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 392, at Mondamin. Our subject is one of the representative intelligent men of his township, and both he and his family rank high in the community in which they live.

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