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         SYLVANUS DUNHAM, residing on section 24, Wapello Township, is a pioneer of this county, of which he has been a resident since 1837, at which time Iowa formed a part of the Territory of Wisconsin. He was born in Fayette County, Ind., Aug 29, 1822, and is a son of Nathaniel and Mary (Williams) Dunham, both of whom were natives of New York. Of their union but two children were born, Sylvanus, and a daughter who died at the age of ten. In August, 1819, the father removed to Indiana, locating in Fayette county, where he followed farming during the remainder of his life. Firm in his opinions, when once he had made his decisions, honest and upright, he was a man of prominence in that community. His death occurred about the year 1825, and the mother died at the home of her son, in 1856.

Sylvanus received his education in the common schools of Fayette county, where he made his home until thirteen years of age. In 1836 he started with his widowed mother for Iowa, her father’s family having located in Louisa County, but did not reach his destination until February, 1837. The night after his arrival he spent in a small cabin owned by a man of the name of Stoddard, and the following day went on to Long Creek, where he took a claim in what is now Elm Grove Township. With his mother he moved into a small shanty, and there resided until the spring of 1839, when the land sales occurred. Having no money with which to pay for his claim, he sold it for $200, and with that money bought 160 acres of land in Columbus City Township. The work of improvement was immediately begun, a log cabin was built, the farm was fenced, eighty acres were plowed and planted, and the work of cultivation carried on until 1845, when he sold out, receiving $1,000 for the farm, and removed to Wapello Township. He purchased 200 acres of land on section 13 and 14, for which he paid $1,400, residing on that farm until 1857, when he moved into a brick house on section 24 of the same township, where he has made his home continuously since. During the fifty-one years of his residence in this county his labors have been almost unceasing, and he has done much in the work of transforming the wild land into the beautiful farms for which Louisa county is noted far and wide. His honesty, combined with that energy which characterizes all his actions, has enabled him to add to his possessions from year to year, until he is now the owner of 2,200 acres of fine land; 1,000 acres of this are situated in Elliott Township, while the home farm comprises the remainder, 1,200 acres, of which, with the assistance of his sons, Mr. Dunham has the management. He has dealt quite extensively in stock, and now raises annually about 300 head of cattle, 100 head of hogs, and twenty head of horses for the market. When landing in Louisa County his stock consisted only of a horse, a cow and a colt. As fortune smiles upon those who help themselves, Mr. Dunham’s efforts have been crowned with success, and received abundant reward. His life of usefulness and toil might well furnish an example for the rising generation.

On the 23d of April, 1861, in Louisa County, Mr. Dunham was united in marriage with Mattie . . .

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. . . Jamison, daughter of William D. and Elizabeth Jamison. She was born in Ohio, and they are the parents of nine children, two of whom died in infancy. Those living are Ira E, William W., Harry A., Sidney S., Nellie S., Elmer R. and Frederick E. Mrs. Dunham is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, while politically, Mr. D. is a Republican. We take pleasure in recording the sketch of this honored pioneer, who for fifty-one years has been a resident of Louisa County.