Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 873
MATILDA RATLIFF

Matilda RATLIFF, a resident of section 36, Calhoun Township, is justly entitled to space in this connection, as she is one of the brave women who found their way to Harrison County, in the spring of 1855. She took a claim and has remained here ever since. It was not her good fortune to roll into the county on a fast flying train, and be escorted to a first-class hotel, for that was thirty-six years ago, and before a locomotive had ever crossed the Mississippi river. The conveyance which brought her here was a wagon drawn by two yoke of oxen. She hired a man to drive through Jefferson County, Iowa. She lived near Calhoun, and kept house for William MCDONALD, from 1871, until his death, April 11, 1886.

Our subject was born in Greene County, Kentucky, October 31, 1813, and is the daughter of John and Prudence (HARDIN) RUTHERFORD, and when nine years of age her people moved to Morgan County, Illinois, where her father died the same year, leaving a family of nine children. After eight years, the mother married again, and moved to Hancock County, and later to Missouri, where she died. While in Hancock County our subject married John RATLIFF, and two years later moved to Jefferson County, Iowa, and twelve years later her husband died, leaving four children, two of whom are still living -- Lucy Ann and Sarah Prudence who came to Harrison County with their mother.

Her grand-daughter Emma HALL, lives with her on the farm, and assists her in keeping the place in order. Emma was born in Calhoun Township, January 27, 1869, and is the daughter of Richard and Lucy (RATLIFF) HALL, and is the fourth in a family of eight children; her parents live at Missouri Valley.
This venerable lady, now nearly eighty years of age, has lived contemporary with the greater part of history of our Republic, and has seen her share of the vicissitudes and trials, which in a providential way, seem to be sent to wean humanity from all earthly scenes.

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