Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 600
ARCHIBALD M. ROLPH

The career of Archibald M. ROLPH is related with many interesting incidents. Born in Indiana and locating in Iowa with his parents when he was three years of age, he lived in Kansas for a time and later in Colorado. His parents permanently located in Harrison county, Iowa, in 1859 and since that year A. M. ROLPH has made his home in this county. He started to work for himself when he was only eleven years of age, and the fact that he owns one of the best farms in the county at the present times is sufficient evidence that he has directed his energies in the proper direction. He and his good wife have reared an interesting family of children to lives of usefulness and honor and no greater benefit can any man confer on his community than this. Mr. ROLPH also has taken an active part in the political, fraternal and religious life of his locality, and in all respects measures up to a high standard of American citizenship.

Archibald M. ROLPH, the son of Moses and Priscilla (DE WITT) ROLPH, was born August 7, 1851, in Wells county, Indiana. His parents were both born in Indiana and his father died when Archibald was a babe in arms. His mother later married Hiram M. Wilfong, who was an expert mechanic. In 1854 Mr. ROLPH left Indiana with his mother and stepfather and went to Kossuth county, Iowa, where they lived until the spring of 1856. At that time they went to the head waters of Little Sioux river and there built a boat, floating down the Little Sioux river to the present site of the village of Little Sioux, which at that time was only a stage stop, with one store owned by Charles La Ponteur. This stage station was called Fountainbleau and was located at the foot of what is now known as the Murray hill.

At that time the country was mainly inhabited by Indians and the few inhabitants depended upon deer, wild turkeys and wild game for food. Mr. Wilfong did not remain long in Harrison county at that time, but went on south to Kansas, but they remained there only one winter. They next went to Pike's Peak, Colorado, where Mr. ROLPH's stepfather was quite successful as a miner. In the fall of 1858 the family came back to Iowa and located in Monona county, about ten miles north of Little Sioux. They made the entire trip to and from this state with ox teams and for many years after locating in Iowa used oxen for farming. In 1859 the family moved down to Harrison county and located about three miles north of Little Sioux. In 1865 Mr. Wilfong and his wife moved to Dekamah, Nebraska, but Archibald remained in Harrison county.

At this time Mr. ROLPH was fourteen years of age, but, despite his youth, he secured work by the day and month in Harrison county and here he has since lived. He bought forty acres of railroad land in 1877 on which he built a twelve-by-fourteen house, in which he lived until his marriage the following year. He gradually added to his first forty until he at one time owned three hundred and twenty acres of land, all of which he bought from the railroad company. He has since sold all but one hundred and sixty acres in the northern part of Little Sioux township and forty acres one-half mile north of Little Sioux, where he now resides. He has built a fine home on Little Sioux with furnace, hot and cold water, gas lights and all modern improvements; in fact, his house is one of the most modern homes in Little Sioux township and is beautifully located overlooking the Little Sioux river. Mr. ROLPH has made a specialty of raising registered Duroc-Jersey hogs and in his younger years was one of the most prominent stock feeders of the county. He has now retired from active work and makes his home on the Little Sioux, near the village.

Mr. ROLPH was married June 18, 1878, to Emma Bell Smith, who was born June 18, 1853, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the daughter of Frank and Isabella (BOND) SMITH, natives of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, of English descent. To this union have been born five children, all of whom are still living, Bertha, Mary, James M., Adolph and Atlanta. Bertha, who married Arthur ROCK and lives in Blencoe, Iowa, has one son, Harold. Mary, the wife of Leslie Crabb, and lives in Little Sioux, has two children, Grace and Lawrence. James M. married Marguerite HOOPER, of Ames, Iowa, and has three children, Alice M., Celestial and Viola M. James M. ROLPH was graduated from Ames College, completing the electrical engineering course in that excellent institution. He is now stationed in St. Louis, where he is following his profession with marked success. Adolph married Bessie Phelps and lives on his father's old farm. He has four children, Earl, Daisy, Nellie and Dorothy. Atlanta is an instructor in the dressmaking college at Sioux City.

Mr. ROLPH is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and he and his wife and all of the children are members of the Eastern Star. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and he and his daughters, Atlanta and Bertha, are members of the Royal Neighbors. Mr. ROLPH is a stanch Republican and has been trustee of his township for eighteen years. He also has held other minor official positions with credit to himself and satisfaction to his fellow citizens. Although not members of any church, the family are strong supporters of the church and not only believe in doing what is right, but practice what they preach. Mr. ROLPH was one of the commissioners on the Harrison-Monona ditch and also on the Boyer ditch. The ROLPH family are highly esteemed in the community where they reside and no family is more worthy of inclusion in the biographical section of the history of the county than theirs.

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