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FRANCIS WHISLER, residing on section 32, Marshall Township, is one of the most prominent and practical farmers and stock-raisers of Louisa County, Iowa. He was born in Richland County, Ohio, April 27, 1836, and is a son of Jacob and Nancy (Funk) Whisler, who were natives of Bucks County, Pa. They were the parents of fifteen children, only six of whom are now living: Francis; Moses, who is residing in Delta, Iowa; Israel, a farmer of Richland County, Ohio, and who is also a minister of the Dunkard faith; Nathan, a tile manufacturer, is living in Wood County, Ohio; Eliza is the wife of Andrew Bender, a resident of Hancock County, Ohio; and Sarah is the wife of John Smith, a farmer of Crawford County, Ohio. The family moved to Richland County, Ohio, about the year 1828, the father there following his trade of wagon-making. He moved upon a farm, of which his sons took charge, and in connection with his other labors engaged in preaching the Gospel. He belongs to the denomination known as German Baptists or Dunkards, and did great service in his Master’s cause. He was one of Nature’s noblemen, and his death occurred in August, 1883, at the age of eighty-two years, six months and fifteen days. His wife died in October, 1880, when seventy-eight years of age.
The education of our subject was received in the common schools of his native county, after which he aided in the care and cultivation of the home farm, while his father worked at the trade of wagon-making. After the death of his father he received from the estate a number of acres of heavy timber land, which he subsequently traded for 160 acres of land in Keokuk County, Iowa, and $450 in money. On the 9th of August, 1860, he led to the marriage altar Miss Mary A. Grismore, who was born June 19, 1840, in Butler county, Ohio, and is a daughter of John and Catherine (Weaver) Grismore, the father a native of Pennsylvania, and the mother of Butler County, Ohio. Mr. Grismore now resides in Allen County, Ohio, where the mother died Jan. 1, 1881. They were the parents of nine children, six of whom are now living: Henry, a farmer of Putnam County, Ohio; George, who also resides in the same county; Harriet, wife of Jesse Davy; Phoebe, wife of John Steiner; and Martin G. All the members of this family, with the exception of Mrs. Whisler, are living in Putnam and Allen Counties, Ohio, within a distance of eight miles of each other. They are all comfortably settled in life, and are respected citizens in the community where they live.
To Mr. and Mrs. Whisler has been born an interesting family of three children: Sarah Agnes, born Aug. 10, 1861, became the wife of J. C. Chrisman in February, 1878, and resides in Farmington, Lee Co., Iowa; Arthur E. was born Sept. 12, 1867; and Ray G. was born Aug. 11, 1876. From Richland County the parents removed to Hancock County, Ohio, where they remained for three years, and then came to Iowa in 1863, locating in Louisa County, where Mr. Whisler rented a farm from a Mr. Van Horn for about three years. . . .
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. . . In November, 1865, he purchased seventy-six acres of land, which was partly uncultivated, and the following year moved into a small cabin on that place, which was one of the first erected in the neighborhood, having been built by James Marshall. The improvements placed upon the land have all been the work of Mr. Whisler, and he now has one of the model farms of Louisa County. He has had it divided into eight fields by hedge fences, which are nicely trimmed and always kept in the best of order, and the farm comprises in all 139 acres. In 1874 his fine residence was built, being a story and a half in height, the main building being 24x26 feet, with an “L” 16x24 feet, and a porch running the full length of the house. Through the care of Mrs. Whisler, who is a most estimable lady, this home is a model of neatness and comfort. The barn, though not as large as some, is one of the most conveniently arranged and best planned in the State. Under the entire building, which is 40x54 feet, is a good basement 9 feet high, the posts are 18 feet, and from the floor to the cone it measures 32 feet, to this a shed is attached, which is 18x52 feet, with 18-feet posts, and has a stabling capacity for fifty head of stock. For the care of his hogs he has had a building erected, 22x30 feet, under which is a basement 7 feet high. Here during the winter months his hogs are protected from the cold, and his stock is all well cared for. He has a cooking apparatus for preparing the food for his hogs, and in bad weather never has to go out into the storms, but feeds his stock under good shelter. His hogs are of the Poland-China breed, his horses of the Clydesdale stock, and his poultry is the Plymouth Rock. He takes a pride in his stock, for none better can be found in the county. For several years he has given his attention to the raising of Short-horn cattle, and in November, 1887, purchased one of the famous Red Polled cows, for which he paid $456. This stock originated in Norfolk, Suffolk County, England, and the first importation to America was made by G. F. Taber Patterson, of New York, and was entered at the port of New York in December, 1873, by the steamer “Iowa”, of the Anchor Line. There are now only about 1,000 head of this cattle in America, and Mr. Whisler owns three of that number of the noted breed. He has also eleven head of half-blooded Red Polled cattle, which are especially noted for their milking qualities. Mr. Whisler has done much toward advancing and introducing the best grades of horses, cattle and hogs into Louisa County, and is deserving of thanks for his work in this matter. When he came to Iowa he bought a cheap wagon, for which he gave $20, because he could afford no better, but to-day the historian observes upon his place two fine farm wagons, two carriages, and other tokens of thrift and the prosperity that has attended him in this county.
The portraits of this worthy couple will be seen upon another page.
