Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 800
ALBERT B. VINING

Albert B. VINING. The Empire State has furnished very many representative men who have become citizens of Harrison County, among whom may be named the subject of this sketch, who was born in Eastern New York, February 6, 1833. He is the son of Robert and Polly (WATERS) VINING, of Dutch and English extraction. Albert B. was one of a family of four children, one of whom is deceased. His brother Richard resides in Woodbine, this county; his sister, Mrs. Rachel WALKER, resides in Adams County, Iowa. The parents died in their native State. Our subject was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools of New York, and at the age of twelve years engaged in the hatter's trade, which he followed until he was twenty-two years of age and then came West, locating where Woodbine now stands. This was in October, 1855. After he had located in the county he commenced farm life again, and two years later, on June 14, 1857, he was united in marriage to Miss Harriet FINCH, who was born in Greene County, N.Y., August 14, 1839. She was the daughter of Abraham and Laura (MERWIN) FINCH, and is of English origin. She was of a family of ten children.

Our subject purchased forty acres of land and kept adding until he had one hundred and sixty acres on sections 18, 19 and 20, and later on purchased two "forties" more, all in Harrison Township, and all of which he has disposed of. In 1859 he, with his wife, returned to New York, where they spent some four or five years, and in the spring of 1864 went to Wisconsin and remained until 1866, when they returned to Iowa and again located in Harrison Township, and there remained until 1882, when they moved into the town of Dunlap, remained eighteen months, and in the spring of 1884 purchased the farm they now occupy, on section 16. The farm consists of eighty acres.

Politically, Mr. VINING is an advocate and supporter of the Republican party. He is a member of Hospitable Lodge, No. 244, of A. F. & A. M. He was presented for service September 30, 1863, by draft, but owing to physical disability was exempted from service after holding a month or so. He was one of the promoters of the organization of Vineland school district, and has done much toward building up this part of the county.

Mr. and Mrs. VINING are the parents of five children--Mary L., wife of James ATHERTON, of Harrison Township, who was born April 11, 1858, and married March 14, 1880, by Rev. J. E. LISLE; Myran, born December 28, 1859, and now resides on a farm in Buchanan County; Albert R., born October 3, 1861, now a resident of Monona County; Laura J., born April 9, 1866, wife of Charles ATHERTON, married November 11, 1883, and now residing in Crawford County; Robert, born December 28, 1868, still at home.

Our subject and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and have always manifested great interest in educational matters.

The subjoined incident, connected with early days in Harrison County, cannot fail to be of interest to every reader: When our subject first came to the county, wolves and game of all kinds were very numerous, and not unfrequently has our subject, after a toilsome day's work, been followed to his very door by hungry wolves. A rather amusing incident occurred while he was yet a young man and keeping bachelors' hall in company with his brother and another man. One night in the winter of 1855, when the snow was about six inches deep, after having retired for the night, Mr. VINING heard a noise on the roof of their "dug-out," so he quietly stole out of bed, got his musket, and sallied forth with nothing on but his shirt. He longed for sport, and now was his opportunity, so he did not stop for clothing. Upon going out of doors he saw a wolf, which started down the hillside slowly, and our subject took deliberate aim, fired and crippled the wolf, which ran with its fore-parts dragging its hind-part; observing this, Mr. VINING started for the wolf in hot (or rather cold) pursuit, giving chase some sixty yards. It will be remembered that he was barefooted, and in fact the greater portion of his anatomy was in the same condition, but he kept on running through the snow with the sharp crust breaking at every step, but finally he overtook and captured his prize, and born him triumphantly back to the dug-out.

In the winter of 1856-57 he had a comical experience with a nimble-footed deer, which he endeavored to ride, but as the animal strenuously object, he concluded he would abandon the idea, but it was after he had been thrown violently from its back three times, and came near getting tramped into the deep snow by the frightened and enraged animal.

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