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ALEXANDER HIDLEBAUGH, a prominent farmer of Louisa County, residing on section 10, Grand View Township, was born in Jackson County, Ohio, Aug. 22, 1840, and was the seventh in a family of eight children born to John and Susan (Williams) Hidlebaugh, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Virginia. The father was a cooper by trade, and when a small lad emigrated with his step-father to Virginia, where he remained until attaining his majority. Becoming acquainted with Miss Susanna Williams, he wooed and won her, and their marriage was celebrated in that State. After ten years’ residence in Virginia, they emigrated to Jackson County, Ohio, where they remained until 1849, when they proceeded further westward, locating in Rock Island County, Ill. There, in September, 1850, the death of the mother occurred, and seven years later Mr. Hidlebaugh was laid to rest by the side of his wife.
After the death of his parents, with two elder brothers our subject came to Louisa County, Iowa, in 1867, and secured employment as a farm hand, receiving $12.50 per month for his services. For four years he worked as a farm hand, and then commenced farming for himself on the land now owned by Patrick Dalton, near Letts, but in the month of August, 1862, he abandoned farm life to enlist in the service of his country. He was mustered in at Muscatine, Iowa, being assigned to Company F, 35th Iowa Infantry, and from there went to Cairo, Ill., and later to the South. He participated in an engagement at Duck Port, opposite Vicksburg, and from that place, under the command of Gen. Grant, went by the way of Grand Gulf to Jackson, Miss., where the enemy was encountered, and a battle fought. The next service was in Vicksburg, where Mr. Hidlebaugh participated in all the battles, and then after its surrender proceeded with his regiment to Jackson, Miss., which the army recaptured from the rebel General, Joe Johnston. He next participated in the Red River campaign, taking part in the battles of Marchville Plains, Old River Lake, the battle of Tupelo in Mississippi, Spanish Fort in Alabama, also the battle of Selma, Ala., after which he went to Davenport, Iowa, where he was mustered out of service.
On the 10th of August, 1864, Mr. Hidlebaugh reached home, and on the 20th of that month commenced working by the month upon a farm. During the following November he was united in marriage with Lucinda Wagner, a daughter of Philip and Elizabeth (Gower) Wagner, both of whom are now deceased. By the union of this happy couple three sons and five daughters have been born—Elizabeth C., Mary E., John C., William W., Clara Bell, Nettie M., Nellie C. and Harry A. With the exception of the last two, who died in infancy, all are at home.
Mr. Hidlebaugh resides on section 10, Grand View Township, where he is the owner of 579 acres of land, which is highly cultivated and well . . .
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. . . stocked with a fine grade of cattle, horses and hogs. He makes a specialty of raising the Hereford and Durham cattle, thoroughbred Chester-White hogs, and horses of the Norman and Clydesdale stock. He is a systematic and progressive farmer, and everything about the place denotes thrift and enterprise. For the past six years Mr. Hidlebaugh has held the office of School Director, and also served as Road Supervisor of his township for several terms. He has always taken an active part in the upbuilding of the county, has aided in its progress and development, has been prominent in the promotion of its enterprises, and is one of Louisa County’s best citizens. Politically, he is a supporter of the Republican party, but being liberal in his views, at the local elections he often votes for the man whom he thinks will best fill the office. Socially he is a member of the G. A. R., Colwell Post, at Letts, and also belongs to the Masonic fraternity. During his thirty-years residence in the county he has won the confidence and goodwill of all with whom he has come in contact, and is held in high esteem by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
