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WILLIAM ANWYL, a farmer of Columbus City Township, residing on section 34, is one of the early settlers, and was born in the North of Wales in 1835. His parents, Evan and Elizabeth (Owen) Anwyl, were also natives of Wales. In 1852, with their family, they left their native land and emigrated to America, locating first in the State of New York, where they made their home until the fall of 1853, when they removed to Louisa County, Iowa, locating in Columbus City Township, on the county line between this and Washington County. They were the parents of four children, William, our subject, being the eldest; Thomas, who is now engaged in farming on the old homestead; Margaret, wife of D. N. Jones, who is living in Columbus City Township; and Mary, wife of Evan Morgan, a farmer of Columbus City Township.
The boyhood days of our subject were spent . . .
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. . . upon a farm in his native land, and in 1852 he emigrated to this country with his parents. In the autumn of 1859 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Griffith, a native of Wales, and a daughter of Arthur Griffith. By their union two children have been born: Edward G., who is now traveling salesman for a firm in Davenport, Iowa, and Margaret, at home.
In 1868 Mr. Anwyl made his first purchase of land in this county, consisting of sixty acres on section 34 of Columbus City Township, where he still makes his home. He and his wife are members of the Congregational Church, and in his political views he is a supporter of the Republican party. Since 1853, with the exception of a trip to the mountains, where he remained for six months, Mr. Anwyl has resided continuously in Louisa County, and during that time has witnessed its many great changes.