James S. Hoagland

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This gentleman was born near Campbellsville, Kentucky, the son of John and Nancy (Ship) Hoagland. The former was also a native of Kentucky and a farmer and breeder of fine horses. His wife was a native Kentuckian. In 1837 they moved to Indiana and settled eighteen miles south of Indianapolis in Johnson county, where they remained till their deaths, he passing away in 1889 at the age of eighty-eight, and his wife was also eighty-eight years old at the time of her death. Their children were Malinda Jane, deceased; James S.; Eliza Ann; John, Isaac, deceased; George; and Nancy. The sons, with the exception of James S., are living in Johnson county, Indiana, and Marian and Nancy also live there, while Eliza Ann is a resident of Iowa.

James S. Hoagland remained in Kentucky until he was fourteen years old, where he received a common school education. After going to Indiana he attended Franklin College, where he was graduated in 1846 and was then chosen assistant surveyor on the Miami reserve having taken a civil engineering course in college. He was next resident engineer on the Franklin and Martinsville Railroad, and in 1885 was connected with the management of the construction of the line from Jeffersonville to Indianapolis, and also sketched the topography of the Peru and Indianapolis line.

On November 23, 1848, Mr. Hoagland was married to Miss Mary Ann Woods, of Morgantown, Indiana, the daughter of William and Elizabeth Woods, natives of Tennessee. On account of his wife’s ill health he moved to Iowa and settled on a quarter-section of land which he had entered in 1848 in Monroe county. On this be began the raising of live stock and general farming, and he also acquired land in Wayne township. He has made several moves since coming to the county, but now resides on his farm in Cedar township, where he held the office of supervisor for twelve years shortly after coming here, and was also a justice of the peace. He was nominated three times for the legislature, but refused till the last time, when he was elected, and served during the session of 1884.

His wife died December 31, 1887, and was buried at Eden Chapel cemetery. Her children were Elvirely R.; Fremont, deceased; Hernon; Jerome, deceased; John, deceased; Peter; Marius; Laura, deceased; and Mary Ann. Mr. Hoagland was an ardent Democrat till the formation of the Greenback party, when he joined its ranks, and it was on that ticket that he was elected a member of the twentieth assembly, which was the first session held in the new capitol building. He is a member of the United Brethren church, as was his wife, and her brother, the Rev. Woods, is a prominent minister in the Methodist church, being a presiding elder, with his residence at Indianapolis, Indiana.