ROBERT W. NEWELL.

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         Two hundred acres of section 24, Wapello township, does full credit to the agricultural skill of Robert W. Newell, who was born on the homestead where he is now living on the 15th of February, 1861. He is a son of Thomas and Sarah J. (Mock) Newell, the father a native of Ohio and the mother of Pennsylvania. Ten children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Newell, the order of their birth being as follows: Elizabeth, the deceased wife of George Hensley, who is also deceased; Josephine, who married Thomas Wiser, of Adair county, this state; Hugh T., who is a resident of the same county; Samuel P., who is living in the vicinity of Denver, Colorado; Robert W., the subject of our sketch; Benjamin, also living near Denver; Ida M., William, who is an agriculturist in this county; Vira and Abe, both residents of Denver, Colorado. The father . . .

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. . . passed away on the 27th of September, 1899, at the age of seventy-six, but the mother survived until the 24th of April, 1905, her demise occurring at the age of seventy-two years.

         After completing the course of the public schools at Louisa county, Robert W. Newell attended Howe’s Academy at Mount Pleasant, Iowa. He subsequently taught school for three or four years. At the expiration of that period, however, he decided to adopt farming for his life vocation and bought eighty acres of land adjoining the old homestead. After the death of his parents he bought the interest of the other heirs in the old farm and now owns two hundred acres of well improved and highly cultivated land. He engages in general farming but makes a specialty of raising and feeding stock, in which venture he has met with lucrative returns.

         On the 29th of February, 1888, Mr. Newell was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Hannan, a daughter of William and Louisa Hannan, who were the parents of the following children: Walter C., a resident of Columbus Junction; Jefferson, who is living in Kansas; Annie, who married Elmer Smith, of Burlington; John, now living in Moline; Minnie, the wife of Robert W. Newell, who passed away on the 16th of April, 1892; Mary, who married William Hill, of Burlington; Edward, also of Burlington; Louden, who is living in Moline; Dora, who is deceased; and Edith, who married Alfred Pilling, of Avery. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Newell there children were born, but two, however, of which survive, Mina I., the youngest, having passed away in infancy. Those surviving are: Grace, who is at home; and H. Stanley, who is teaching the home school.

         Mr. Newell and his children are affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church, and his political allegiance he gives to the republican party. He has always taken an active interest in all township affairs and has held various minor offices, the responsibilities of which he has discharged to the credit of his constituency. A man of broad, general information, Mr. Newell is not only a competent and successful agriculturist and stockman, but a good business man, whose success must be largely attributed to his judgment and foresight as well as executive ability.