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         AARON DOWNS HURLEY, an honored pioneer of Louisa County of 1840, was born near Urbana, Champaign Co., Ohio, on the 17th of July, 1817, and is the second son of David and Elizabeth (Downs) Hurley. His father was born in New Jersey, and his sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. Our subject was reared to agricultural pursuits, receiving his education in the public schools. He emigrated with his parents and family to Iowa in September, 1840, and located in what was then the township of Florence, since changed to Wapello. Their pioneer home was situated on section 23, township 73 north, range 3 west. Mr. Hurley engaged in farming and stock-raising, and was married, May 7, 1848, to Miss Sarah Drake, daughter of John and Mary (Clark) Drake, pioneers of Louisa County, of February, 1838. Mrs. Hurley was born in Sullivan County, Ind., Nov. 5, 1826, and came with her family, whose sketch appears elsewhere, to this county in 1838, as above stated.

In the spring of 1850 Mr. Hurley joined a party of which his father-in-law, Mr. Drake, was a member, and started overland for the gold fields of California; traveling with ox-teams, they were five and a half months on the road. Mr. Hurley was engaged in mining until the summer of 1851, when he returned to his home by way of the Isthmus and New Orleans. His trip up the Mississippi River was the worst part of the journey, as the cholera broke out on board of the steamer, which was crowded with passengers, and many were stricken down, dying within a few hours. The dead were placed in rude boxes, and piled on the hurricane deck until night, when the boat would be run ashore, and the bodies buried. This was repeated day after day, and often those who were in good health in the morning were buried the following night. By good luck Mr. Hurley escaped without contracting the dread disease. On arriving at his home he again resumed farming and stock-raising, at which he was actively engaged until 1882, when, having built his tasty and commodious residence in Wapello, he leased his farms, and removed to that city. In addition to his valuable and improved farms, aggregating over 700 acres of land, Mr. Hurley owns several lots and buildings in the city of Wapello. In 1887 he erected the fine brick block at the northwest corner of Second and Van Buren streets, which cost, including the lot, $2,500. The first floor is leased for a general store, while the upper floor is used for offices.

Mr. and Mrs. Hurley have been blessed with a family of nine children, six sons and three daughters, six of whom are living at this date: David L., the eldest, is a teacher and farmer; John Winfield is engaged in the livery business at Wapello, Iowa; William S. died in infancy; Aaron D. formerly operated a bank at Morning Sun, Iowa, about a year and a half for Mr. Mark Davison, but is now engaged in teaching in Denver, Col.; Mary Elizabeth died aged two years; Ed Kinsey is engaged in farming, and has been a builder of iron bridges; Charles D. died when five years of age, and Florence, the youngest, is a student. All were born in Wapello Township, none are married, and all the living are at home except Aaron D., who is at Denver, Col.

Mr. Hurley was a Whig in early life, but on the disruption of that party he joined in the organization of the Republican party, with which he has since been associated. He has never sought or desired public office, and is not strongly partisan in his views, but is rather disposed to be independent. While not affiliating with any particular religious denomination, Mr. Hurley has always lived a temperate, moral, upright and useful life. He has always been a man of industrious habits, and possessing superior business ability and good judgment, has prospered in his affairs until he is considered one of the wealthy men of the county. While conservative in his methods he has also been progressive, and in addition to the important improvements . . .

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. . . he has added to the county on his farm, he has since his residence in Wapello added materially by his enterprise to the beauty and growth of the city. Mr. Hurley has now been a resident of Louisa County for over forty-eight years, almost half a century. During the early years of his residence here he knew nearly every man in the county, being in 1844 elected County Surveyor, and serving several years, thus bringing him in contact with people in all sections of the county. He was always ready to aid and encourage the newcomers who were losing hope through home-sickness or temporary embarrassment, and to many among old settlers this brief sketch will revive pleasant memories of the days of pioneer times.