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         WILLIAM J. CRAMMOND, agent for the Council Bluffs Insurance Company, a resident of Columbus Junction, was born at Putnam, Washington Co., N. Y., on the 31st of October, 1845, and is a son of James B. and Sarah R. (Calkins) Crammond. His father, who was born May 7, 1815, at Putnam, N. Y., was a son of James Crammond, who emigrated from England to America in 1814, and settled in that city. The mother was a native of the Green Mountain State, though she early became a resident of New York, and her death occurred at Columbus City, Iowa, in 1858.

In 1855 our subject came to Iowa with his parents, the family settling at Columbus City, Louisa County, where Mrs. Crammond died Sept. 10, 1858, and where the father worked at his trade, that of carpenter and joiner, until within a few years, since which time he has been engaged in farming near Cairo, Marshall Township, where he still resides. William J. received a common-school education, and in December, 1863, enlisted in the late war as a member of Company C, 11th Iowa Infantry. He had previously offered his services, but on account of his insufficient age had been refused admission to the ranks. He served in the army of the Tennessee under Sherman, and was mustered out May 17, 1865. While in the hospital at Keokuk during the war, he attended commercial college, thus securing a business education, and on his return from the army learned the harness trade at Columbus City. One year later he went to Kossuth County, Iowa, where he spent a year on a claim, living in a sod shanty, and enduring more privations than he did while in the service. Provisions were scarce in the country and could not be had either for love or money, even when most needed. While living in his shanty Mr. Crammond paid $11.50 for 100 pounds of flour, and $3 per bushel for corn. One year on the claim satisfied his desire for that sort of life, and at the earliest opportunity he returned to civilization, becoming a resident of Dakotah, Humboldt Co., Iowa, in April, 1867, where he worked at his trade of harness-making for six years.

In 1873 our subject left Dakotah, and went to Algona, Kossuth Co., Iowa, where he again engaged in farming, but owing to the grasshoppers having destroyed his entire crop, he became discouraged, and abandoned that occupation at the end of one year, and returned to his trade, going into business on his own account, and continuing for about twelve years, during which time he was successful in accumulating a good property, consisting of 120 acres of good land in Livingston Township, Kossuth County. In April, 1887, he located at Columbus Junction, forming a partnership with Andrew B. Shipman, who was also a soldier of the late war . . .

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. . . serving as a member of the 2d Wisconsin Cavalry. This partnership was desolved in 1888, and he is now in the insurance business.

On the 4th of October, 1873, the marriage of Mr. Crammond and Miss Josephine L. Green was celebrated. She is a daughter of James G. Green, a pioneer settler of Kossuth County, Iowa, and was born in Mercer County, Pa., July 29, 1852. With her parents she went to Kossuth County in 1854, when it was a wilderness, her father building the first house on the prairie in his township. He is now one of the leading farmers of that section of the State. Two children were born of their union: James Louis, who is now fourteen years of age; and Charles Chester, aged ten. On the 3d of June, 1882, Mr. Crammond joined the Masons, becoming a member of Prudence Lodge No. 205, of Algona, Iowa; and Sept. 6, 1887, he joined the G. A. R., and is a member of Joe Neal Post No. 129, Columbus City, Iowa, being its present Adjutant. Politically, he affiliates with the Republican party.