Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 757
JOSEPH SEDDON

Joseph SEDDON (Portrait), one of the enterprising citizens of Persia, Harrison County, Iowa, was born in Lancashire, England, December 28, 1847, and in February of the following year with the view of bettering their condition, his parents emigrated to America, stopping at different places, finally came to Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 1850, where the father pre-empted a piece of land, a few miles north of the present city, where they remained until 1856 and then moved to Florence, Neb., the father having died in this State. In the spring of 1858 they removed to Platte County, Neb., remaining there until the spring of 1863, when they moved back to Florence, remained one year, and then came to Shelby County Iowa, settling on section 31, township 79, range 40. Here our subject remained with his mother and step-father until the fall of 1867, then removed to his own place and remained until the fall of 1870, when he bought a farm on section 4, of Washington Township, the farm consisting of a quarter section of wild land which he improved and lived upon until the spring of 1884, having made his arrangements the fall before, entering into partnership with W. J. BROWNRIGG in the drug business. They purchased a building which had been used for that purpose before. Our subject remained in this business eighteen months, when he engaged in the general mercantile business, and in the store now occupied by Mr. BULLARD, remaining in that building until the spring of 1890, then bought Mr. BURTON out on the northeast corner of Main street, where he still trades.

Our subject was married November 17, 1867, to Miss Nancy M. POE, who is the mother of eight children---one who died in infancy, John Z., Alice E., Asath, William H., Nancy M., Joseph A., and Oliver. John, Alice, Asath, and Oliver are deceased. The mother, Nancy M. (POE) SEDDON, was born in Randolph County, N. C., December 9, 1846, and about 1861 her parents came to Hamilton, Ind., where they remained until 1866 and then came to Harrison County, Iowa, locating on a farm in Douglas Township, where she remained until the date of her marriage.

John SEDDON, the father of our subject, was born in Little Boleton, England, and died in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, in September, 1850. His wife, the mother of our subject, married for her second husband, Henry HALLIDAY, of Cass Township.

Politically our subject is identified with the Republican party, and both he and his estimable wife are members of the Latter Day Saints Church, he joining that society December 5, 1869, and his wife September 15, 1878. He is the present pastor of the Persia branch of this church.

This is another instance wherein one coming from a foreign shore and identifying himself with the spirit of our institutions, has made for himself all that this world affords--- a good home.

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