Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 270
J. A. COVELL, a leading farmer of Sweetland Township, residing on section 1, was born in Huron County, Ohio, in 1834, and was the sixth in a family of ten children born to Jonathan and Clarinda Covell, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter New York. His father was a farmer and came West to Muscatine county with his family in 1855, settling in Sweetland Township, where he engaged in the cultivation of his land until his death, which occurred in 1876, when nearly seventy years of age, his excellent wife, who was a cousin of Gov. Morton, of Indiana, dying a short time previously.

Our subject was reared to farm life and received his education in the district schools of Ohio. With his parents he removed to this county in 1855, and in 1862 enlisted at Muscatine in the service of his country for a term of three years, becoming a member of Company A, 35th Iowa Infantry. From the city he marched to the front, where the regiment engaged in the battles of Jackson, Vicksburg, Nashville, Spanish Fort and other skirmishes. On the 10th of August, 1865, Mr. Covell was honoroably discharged at Muscatine.

Returning to his home after the close of the war, our subject was engaged in a drug-store at Wilton, having previously studied pharmacy. In 1868, in Muscatine County, he was united in marriage with Miss Stewart, a native of Vermont, and a daughter of Otis and Mary ( Fletcher ) Stewart. Her father was a blacksmith by trade and came to Iowa in 1856, settling in Muscatine County. He also enlisted in the country's service, becoming a member of the 18th Iowa Infantry, but while in the service was taken sick and died. His wife survived him several years, her death occurring in 1873.

After their marriage the young couple began their domestic life in Sweetland Township, and in 1882 Mr. Covell bought 160 acres of improved land, 120 of which are in Bloomington Township, and forty acres are in Sweetland Township. The farm is under a high state of cultivation, and is stocked with a fine grade of horses, cattle and hogs. In political affairs Mr. Covell takes an active interest, and casts his ballot with the Republican party. He has held various township offices, and is now holding the position of Township Trustee, in which capacity he has served for the past ten years, discharging his duties with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. Socially, he is a member of the Shelby Norman Post, G.A.R., of Muscatine.

Mr. and Mrs. Covell are the parents of four children---Charles, Arthur, Clifford and Albert. Both parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are numbered among the highly respected people of the community in which they reside. Mr. Covell is one of the early settlers of this county, and during his many years residence has aided greatly in the work of development and progress which has been steadily carried forward. He is a friend to all educational and religious interests, and of every enterprise which will benefit the public he is an earnest supporter.

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