For
Muscatine County Iowa
1879
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1879 | |
Here is what the abbreviations in the bios stand for: far: farm; Co.: company or county; dir: dealer; IVA: Iowa Volunteer Artillery; IVC: Iowa Volunteer Cavalry; IVI: Iowa Volunteer Infantry; P.O.: Post Office; S. or Sec.: section; and st.: street.
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Biographical Section, 1879, page 670
JOEL CLARK, general manager of the grange co-operative store, Fourth street; residence Cherry street, Wilton; was born in Waldo Co., Me., Feb. 9, 1823; was raised a farmer; but with a liberal education acquired at the common schools, and several terms at the China, Me., academy; at the age of 20, he engaged in teaching, and being successful continued during the winter months until 1873. Oct. 20, 1850, he married Margaret R. Lenfest, of French descent, born in Lincoln, Co., Me., March 20, 1825; in the spring of 1855, with his family; then consisting of two children, he came to Erie Co., Ohio, and in December of the following year, they came to Wilton, but soon after settled in Cedar Co., where he engaged in farming until the fall of 1875, when he assumed charge of the farmer's elevator, at Wilton, until February, 1878; he was elected general manager of the store where he now is, for one year, and re-elected February, 1879; they have had four children, three still living---Ida F., born in Maine, Sept. 21, 1851, the wife of D. W. Badgers, of Wilton; Willis G., born in Maine, Nov. 24, 1853, was killed in a mill in attempting to save the life of a friend, July 18, 1877; Reeta L., born in Ohio, Feb. 2, 1856, and Maggie E., March 27, 1866. Since 15 years of age, Mr. and Mrs. C. have been members of the Free Baptist Church, in which he holds the offices of Deacon and Clerk; he is President of local board of the Collegiate Institute, and has held some of township and school offices in Cedar County, and has been Republican in politics since Fremont's time.
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