LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM
LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA
1889 EDITION

Submitted by Sharon Elijah, March 2, 2014

BIOGRAPHICAL

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         HORACE UPSON, dealer in agricultural implements, of Morning Sun, Iowa, was born near Randolph, Portage Co., Ohio, Nov. 24, 1835, and is a son of Baldwin and Ann (Hall) Upson. She was a daughter of Samuel Hall, a soldier of the War of 1812. Among the first to settle in Portage County, Ohio, was Arad Upson, the grandfather of our subject, one of whose children was the first white child born in this county.

In 1842 Baldwin Upson and his family removed to Knox County, Ill., where his death occurred soon after. There were six children in the family, four of whom are living: George, residing at Canton, Ill.; Sylvia, wife of G. W. Enke, of Nebraska; Horace, of Morning Sun; Silence, wife of William Ruce, of Louisa County. Mrs. Upson is still residing in this county, at the advanced age of eighty-two years.

The subject of this sketch went with his parents to Knox County, Ill., when seven years old, and . . .

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. . . there grew to manhood, receiving a common-school education. In 1864 he enlisted in the 2d Iowa Cavalry, and joined his regiment at Memphis, Tenn., they participating in the second raid under Grierson, engaged in several skirmishes, after which the company served as bodyguard for Gen. Grierson. Mr. Upson served until October, 1865, and then was mustered out of service at Selma, Ala. Retuning to Knox County, Ill., he there remained until the following spring, when he came to Louisa County and embarked in farming, which he continued until the spring of 1888, since which time he has dealt in agricultural implements.

In 1856, in Knox County, Ill., Mr. Upson and Miss Sarah K. Enke, a native of Ohio, were married. Five children have graced this union, four of whom are now living, viz: William C.; Ada, wife of Jackson Trotman, of Morning Sun; Eva and Hiram. Frank L. died at the age of twenty-three years. Politically, Mr. Upson is a stanch Republican, and cast his first Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. He is not what would be called a politician, but has held several local offices of trust, having served as Constable and a member of the City Board. He belongs to the Grand Army Post at Morning Sun. Mr. Upson is not a member of any church but attends the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which his wife belongs.

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Page created March 2, 2014 by Lynn McCleary