Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 934
JAMES S. CARSON

It is the man who perserveres, who always succeeds, and the career of James S. CARSON, a prosperous farmer of Allen township, Harrison county, Iowa, is a striking illustration of the value of perseverance. Starting out alone in the world, at the age of seventeen, he worked by the month for many years and then started in as a renter. Eventually, he became the owner of an excellent farm, in Allen township, on which he is now principally engaged in stock raising. He has always manifested a hearty interest in the civic life of his township and has been connected, in one way or another, with the official life of his township, for many years. He is an honest and industrious man and has so lived as to commend himself to those with whom he has been associated.

James S. CARSON, the son of James D. and Nancy M. (JACKMAN) CARSON, was born in Jennings county, Indiana, April 19, 1871. His parents were both natives of Indiana. His father was a farmer and school teacher, teaching in the winter and farming during the summer seasons. His mother died when he was two years of age and his father took him to school with him from the time he was four until he was seven years old. At that time he went to live with his grandfather and made his home with him until he was seventeen.

The independent career of Mr. CARSON began at a time when most of the boys, of today, are still in school. For the first eight years he worked out by the month, part of the time in Pottawattamie county, Iowa. After working in this way for several years he rented land for fourteen years, eight of which he spent in Harrison county. He and his brother bought four hundred acres of land in section 16 of Allen township, in 1906, and on this farm Mr. CARSON has since made his home. The brothers divided the farm in 1911. Mr. CARSON has placed many improvements on the place and each year finds his farm in a better condition than the year before. While he raises considerable grain, he gives most of his time and attention to stock raising, and makes a specialty of Duroc-Jersey hogs and has one of the finest herds in Harrison county. He feeds as much as three carloads of hogs each year, and has been an extensive cattle feeder for the past fifteen years, averaging about two carloads each year.

Mr. CARSON was married on December 12, 1900, to Minnie M. CHASE. She was born in Harrison county, and is a daughter of Asaph and Cassie M. (CLARK) Chase, both natives of Harrison county. Mr. and Mrs. CARSON have seven children, all of whom are still living with their parents, Velma M., Chase, Clyde H., James B., Rate, Harold D. and Marion E.

Mr. CARSON is a stanch Republican and has been one of his party's leaders in local affairs for many years. He has been president of the school board for two years, and a director for the past five years. At the present time, he is trustee of Allen township, and is giving his fellow citizens faithful and efficient service in this capacity. His wife is a member of the Latter-Day Saints church, and he is a supporter of this denomination, although not a member. Mr. CARSON ranks high among the progressive farmers of his community and few stockraisers in the county have had better success, year by year, than he. He has always been a prominent factor in all of the measures advanced in his community for its general welfare and, consequently, merits inclusion among the representative men of his township and county.

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