Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 972
ASAPH MILTON SILSBY

Asaph Milton SILSBY, a resident of Little Sioux Township, is a native of the old Green Mountain State, and came to Harrison County, in July 1868. He was born in Washington County, Vermont, December 1838, the son of Asaph and Olive (STELLE) SILSBY, both deceased, the mother dying in 1883, and the father in 1884. Asaph SILSBY was born in New Hampshire in 1800. His father Lasell SILSBY was also a native of New Hampshire, born in 1775. His father was Henry SILSBY born in Connecticut about 1740, and moved to New Hampshire in 1769. He was the first settler in the town of Acworth; the first Selectman and Town Clerk. His father Jonathan SILSBY was born in Massachusetts about 1700, and his father, whose name was also Jonathan was one of the Puritan Fathers. The family moved from Vermont to New York, and were near neighbors of John Brown of Harpers Ferry fame. They remained there until 1868 on a farm, and then came to Harrison County, Iowa. In 1889, our subject established himself in the agricultural implement business at Little Sioux. It should be stated here however that during the Civil War, our subject was a member of Company H., of the Eighty-third New York Infantry, enlisting in July 1862, and was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. During that terrible conflict was in the battle of the Wilderness, Williamsburg, cold Harbor, Gettysburg, Petersburg and numerous minor engagements. He was shot in the leg at Gettysburg, and received his discharge in December 1865.

Mr. SILSBY was married in New York, September 1859, to Miss Abbie CLIFFORD, by whom ten children have been born. Mr. and Mrs. SILSBY belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and politically, he is a Democrat.

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