Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 892
WILLIAM V. HILBORN

The student of Harrison county does not have to carry his investigation far into its annals, before learning that William V. HILBORN has long been one of its most active and leading citizens in agricultural and stock raising interests and that his labors have been a potent force in making this an agricultural region. Through several decades he has carried on general farming, gradually improving his valuable place. While he has prospered in this, he has also found time and opportunity to assist in the material and civic development of the county.

William V. HILBORN was born on November 19, 1861, in Johnson county, Iowa, the son of Isaac and Mary (VAN NORDSTRAND) HILBORN. The former was born about 1831, in Ohio, and was reared in that state on a farm. When a young man he came to Johnson county, Iowa, and bought land. He farmed there until 1879, when he sold out and came to Shelby, Iowa, where he owned property. He remained at Shelby until his death, in 1899. Mary Van Nordstrand, the mother of William V. HILBORN, was born in 1833, in Ohio, and died in Shelby, Iowa, August 31, 1909. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They were the parents of eleven children, seven of whom are still living.

William V. HILBORN remained on the farm with his father until he had reached his majority and then started to farm for himself. He rented land in Shelby county, Iowa, until 1901, and then came to Harrison county, Iowa, and bought one hundred and sixty acres in Washington township. Mr. HILBORN has placed about five thousand dollar's worth of improvements upon this land. He has two acres of orchard and a magnificent grove. Mr. HILBORN breeds a good grade of live stock, including horses, cattle and hogs. He now owns two hundred and forty acres of land in Harrison county and is a stockholder in the Persia Savings Bank.

William V. HILBORN was married on January 3, 1888, to Elizabeth H. SNYDER, who was born on January 28, 1868, in Johnson county, Iowa, the daughter of Adam and Arabella (BEASORE) Snyder, both natives of Pennsylvania. They came to Johnson county, Iowa, in an early day and remained there until 1874; they then moved to Shelby county, Iowa, where they became farmers. Adam Snyder was surveyor of Shelby county at one time. He and his wife came to Harrison county, Iowa, in 1880, where they owned land. They farmed for a few years and then retired, moving to Persia, Iowa, where they both died. The father was born in 1830, in Pennsylvania, and died in 1895. The mother was born in 1828, in the same state, and died in 1902. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Snyder and five of them are now living.

To Mr. and Mrs. William V. HILBORN three children have been born, all of whom are at home: Lester, born on January 16, 1889; Earl, born on April 15, 1894; and Dean, born on April 12, 1896.

Mr. HILBORN is a Democrat. He was elected township trustee in 1906, and has held this office, continuously, since that time. His long tenure of this office, perhaps, is a better evidence than anything else of the esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens and especially by his neighbors. Although the HILBORNs are not members of any church, they attend church regularly. Mr. HILBORN is a representative farmer and a valuable citizen in the community where he lives and enjoys the confidence of the people of Washington township.

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