Mills County, Iowa
Biographies
V
VANKIRK, JOHN
John VanKirk, another pioneer of our community, was born July 25, 1835 in
Washington County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Hamilton and Eliza
(Snodgrass) VanKirk. Hamilton VanKirk was born May 16, 1809 in Washington
County, Pennsylvania and was married to Eliza Snodgrass on April 2, 1833.
He was a stone and brick mason, contractor and builder as well as being a
large landowner. They migrated to Iowa with their son John where they
lived for several years. Mr. VanKirk died October 19, 1887 and Mrs.
VanKirk died April 18, 1895.
John VanKirk married Ann VanKirk May 15, 1856 and they moved to Silver
City in 1892 from their farm home. He died January 28, 1913 and she died
March 21, 1913. They had eight children of whom three, Edward, Marion and
Laura, reached maturity.
Marion Joseph was born November 26, 1864 in Washington County,
Pennsylvania. He was identified with his father’s large land and stock
operations. He married Lyda Jackson on July 3, 1895. They had one
daughter, Ann, a graduate of Silver City High School and Drake University.
She is now Mrs. Scott Pidgeon of Des Moines and has two daughters, Marion
and Jean. both of whom are married and have children. Marion VanKirk died
January 15, 1901.
Edward Hamilton was born August 14, 1862 in Washington County,
Pennsylvania. He was also engaged in extensive farming and stock raising
operations with his father. He married Cecelia Frazier on November 22,
1883. In 1895 they moved into Silver City, where he also became active in
city affairs. He was a member of the council for many years and served on
the school board for 15 years. He was a devout member and supporter of the
Baptist church. They had four daughters. Julia Etta, Georgia Ann, Mildred
May and Beatrice Fern. He died March 22, 1922 and she died February 7,
1953. Etta graduated in music at Simpson after graduation from Silver City
High School. She taught
music here for several years and married F.W.
Anderson. Georgia received higher education and was a successful teacher
for several years before her marriage to John Hettinger. Mildred died in
young womanhood. Beatrice
graduated from Silver City High School and
attended Nebraska Wesleyan before she married Gordon Vaughan of Lincoln,
Nebraska. They had one son.
Laura was educated at St. Francis School in
Council Bluffs. She married
Dr. Walter Hostetter, an early dentist of Silver City and their daughter,
Gladys, died in her teens. She later married Charles A. Moore (See Moore)
and she died September 15, 1950.
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