JAMES R. McDANIEL.

View Portrait of James R. McDaniel

Pg 150

         On the roll of Louisa county’s honored pioneers who have now passed away appears the name of James R. McDaniel, who for a number of years was actively and prominently connected with agricultural pursuits here. He had long since passed the Psalmist’s allotted span of three score years and ten for he was born on the 17th of June, 1828, his life record covering the intervening years until the 2d of October, 1908. He was born in Tennessee, a son of Likens and Nancy (Wallace) McDaniel, also natives of Tennessee, where the mother died when our subject was eighteen months old, when the family removed to Carlinville, . . .

Pg 153

. . . Illinois, our subject’s uncle, David McDaniel being the first man married in Macoupin county.

         James R. McDaniel was but a lad of thirteen years when, in 1842, he came to Iowa, then a frontier district and still under territorial rule. Much of the land was yet unclaimed and many evidences of pioneer life remained. Undaunted, however, with the prospect of a hard struggle, the boy cast in his lot with the early settlers of this locality, purchasing a farm in Louisa county, upon which he continued to reside throughout the remainder of his life. He was alert and energetic and not afraid to work, and as time passed he brought his fields under a high state of cultivation, becoming one of the substantial and prosperous farmers of the county. At the time of his death he was the owner of two hundred and fifty acres, all well developed and improved, constituting a valuable and desirable estate.

         On February 6, 1856, Mr. McDaniel was married to Miss Sara A. Snodgrass, who was born in Ohio, a daughter of James and Clarissa (McDaniel) Snodgrass, both of whom were natives of Virginia. Her mother’s death occurred in Fulton county, Illinois, and her father later removed to Kansas, where he passed away. Unto Mr. and Mrs. McDaniel were born three children, all of whom are now deceased.

         With the passing of Mr. McDaniel on the 2d of October, 1908, Louisa county lost one of its oldest and most highly respected citizens, who for sixty-six years was actively identified with agricultural pursuits here. During that period he saw the country converted from vast stretches of prairie land into rich, arable fields, witnessed the introduction of the railroad and telegraph systems throughout the county, and rejoiced at the progress which was constantly carried forward and at the same time took his full share in the work of improvement and development. His widow now makes her home in Wapello, in the fine residence which belonged to her husband, and she also owns a part of the old homestead farm. She is a faithful and exemplary member of the Presbyterian church, to which he also belonged, and is a lady of most estimable character, greatly respected and admired by those with whom she has been brought in contact.