Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 545
VICTOR TAMISIEA

Victor TAMISIEA, an enterprising farmer, residing on section 36, of St. John's Township, accompanied his parents to this county, a third of a century ago. They came from New York State in 1857. The father's occupation was that of a farmer, and he located on the farm now occupied by our subject.

He was born November 10, 1835 in Oswego County, NY, and is the son of John and Frances (PIGGAR) TAMISIEA, of French descent, who came from France in 1827. The mother's ancestors came to the United States and located in Oswego County, N.Y., in 1827. Her father was Francis Xavier PIGGAR and was of the French Catholic school.

The grandfather of our subject was a physician and surgeon, under Napolean Bonaparte, and his son, (an uncle of our subject) is still a surgeon under the French government. In our subject's father's family, there were thirteen children, eleven of whom survive: F.X., residing in this county; John B., in Oregon; Mary A., deceased; Victor, our subject; Mary, (Mrs. HUEGENY) in California; Adaline, (Mrs. BYARD), living in Pierre, South Dak.; Louis, in Council Bluffs; Joseph D., in Missouri Valley; Edward, in Montezuma, Iowa; Angeline, Mrs. ROBINSON, of Kansas; George A., of Council Bluffs; and Alexander, of Missouri Valley.

Our subject's father was a farmer in Oswego County, N.Y., and Victor was apprenticed to learn the cooper's trade, when but a mere lad, and worked at it until he came West, in 1857.

He was united in marriage March 16, 1862, in Old St. John's, to Mary E. HARRIS, the daughter of Noah and Christina (SKETON) HARRIS, who came from Indiana in 1850. Our subject and his wife are the parents of fifteen children: Stephen A., born January 5, 1863 at St. John's; John N., born May 20, 1865; Mary Rosella, born in St. John's Township, April 1, 1867; Victor E., born August 1, 1868; Frances Christina, born September 6, 1870, married Thomas M. MCBRIDE of Pottawattamie County; Lorette born January 11, 1873 and died June 9, 1874; Charles Edward, born January 31, 1874, Andrew H., born January 1, 1876, James Albert, born November 11, 1878; Amelia Ann born January 14, 1880; Mary Elizabeth, born March 23, 1882, Anna Janette, born November 19, 1883; Leo Ambrose, born June 30, 1886; Agnes Adel, born August 10, 1888; and Sylvester, born June 23, 1891.

Our subject and his family belong to the Roman Catholic Church, and politically, he is a Democrat. Mr. TAMISIEA has held the office of Township Trustee for several years, and is looked upon as one of the representative men of his township. His early education was received in the common schools of the Empire State, and after coming to this county, he began work for Drs. George and Robert MCGAVREN, on their farm. He remained with them two years and then rented land on section 25, of St. John's Township. In 1864, he was seized with the gold-mine fever, and went to Montana, remained three years, working at mining and prospecting, but not being successful in suddenly growing rich from the golden treasures hidden away beneath the rock-ribbed mountainside, he returned to Harrison County and bought the old homestead, having to go in debt for part of it. He has added to his farm from time to time until he has two hundred acres and is free from debt. The land was wild when he purchased it, but it has now come to be a fine farm, one hundred and fifty acres of which is under the plow, while his whole premises give evidence of thrift and order.

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