Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 283
HENRY SMALLEY, who resides on section 4,was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, Nov. 3, 1833, and is the seventh in a family of eleven children born to Andrew and Rhoda ( Shepherd ) Smalley, who were natives of New Jersey. His father was a farmer by occupation, and moved to Ohio in 1816, in company with a number of others, and settled in Carthage, Hamilton County, where he kept a tavern. In 1839 he came to Muscatine County and settled on section 4, the farm where our subject now resides. On the land was a log cabin in which the family moved, and which he commenced to improve, but death soon called him hence, he dying some time during the first year of the settlement of the family in this county. His excellent wife survived him many years, her death occurring in 1883, at the age of eighty-six years. Of the family of eleven children there are but now four sons and one daughter living; Shepherd resides in the city of Muscatine; Abraham also resides in that city; Rhoda, now Mrs. Canon, of Muscatine; John who resides in California, and our subject.

Henry Smalley was educated in the district schools of Muscatine County, and learned the jeweler's trade in Muscatine. following that occupation for a number of years. In 1862 he was united in marriage, in St. Louis, Mo., to Sarah Berdeau, a native of Jefferson County, N. Y., and daughter of William and Aurilla ( Cotter ) Berdeau, the former a native of Massachusetts, and the latter of New York. Her father, who was of French descent, was for many years an engineer on the Lakes. He ran a boat from Clinton, N. Y., to Milwaukee, Wis. His eyesight failing him, he was compelled to abandon his chosen occupation, and went to St. Louis, Mo., in 1866, and engaged in farming near that city. In 1867 he returned to New York.

After their mariage Mr. and Mrs. Smalley settled in Muscatine, where they remained until 1868, when they removed to their present farm. At the death of his mother he came into possession of 120 acres of fine farming land in a good state of cultivation. Mr. Smalley is engaged in general farming, and gives attention to the raising of a good grade of stock. In politics he is somewhat active, and votes with the Democratic party. In the half-century in which he has resided in this county he has truly witnessed many changes, and has been an active participant in almost every enterprise tending to the building up of his adopted county. The farm on which he is now residing is pleasantly situated just outside the city limits of Muscatine, giving him the advantage of both city and country life. Mr. and Mrs. Smalley have one child, Aurilla, who yet resides at home.

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