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S. R. CROW, the only pioneer of 1836 now in Grand View Township, resides on section 23. He was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1816, and his parents, Joseph and Martha (Humphrey) Crow, reared a family of eight children, of whom he was second in order of birth. They were natives of Pennsylvania, and emigrated to Ohio at an early day, before it became a State. The father there engaged in farming until his removal to Iowa in 1836, when he settled in Louisa County, Grand View Township. He took up claims, and later bought the land of the Government at the Burlington land sales. His death occurred in 1866, his excellent wife surviving him some years, departing this life in 1885, at the age of ninety-two years.
Our subject was educated in the district schools of his native State, and came to Iowa in 1835, when nineteen years of age. He built two cabins in the fall and then returned to Illinois, the family having moved to Warren County in 1834, where he remained until 1836, since which time he has been a resident of Louisa County. He it was who made the first rails on the prairie in Grand View Township. In the spring of 1836 the family cut their date of settlement on a tree, and it remained there for years, when at length the tree was cut down. . . .
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. . . Mr. Crow took a claim, but it happened to be on the school section, and so, having to relinquish it, he bought forty acres of his brother in 1857, the land being partly improved and situated on section 23. He immediately began its cultivation, and now owns a fine farm. He has never been active in politics, but casts his vote with the Republican party. He has also assisted in organizing some of the school districts of his township.
The farm of Mr. Crow is situated about two miles from Grand View and eleven miles from Wapello. He has witnessed the entire growth of Louisa County, having become a resident when the present county seat was yet an Indian reservation. He was quite a bee hunter, and many are the deer, geese and turkeys which have fallen under his rifle during the pioneer days of the county. He has always taken an active interest in the work of development, and has aided largely in placing Louisa County in its present high rank.