Biographies
For
Muscatine County Iowa
1889



Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 297

MAJ. A. O. WARFIELD, a pioneer of Muscatine, of 1837, and a veteran freight agent on the Chicage, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, was born in Frederick ( now Carroll ) County, Md., Nov. 16, 1811. His parents were Judge Alexander and Jemima ( Dorsey ) Warfield, both natives of Maryland, the former born March 18, 1764, the latter in June, 1776. They were highly respected people in the community where they resided, and were prominently identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church, Judge Warfield serving as Class-Leader and Steward for many years. Politically, he was a Whig. He was twice elected to the State Legislature, and was elected Judge of the Levy Court of Frederick County, Md., which office he filled with credit to himself and constituents.

Mr. and Mrs. Warfield were the parents of ten children, three of whom are yet living: Charles A., now a resident of Chico Butte Co., Cal.; Mary C., widow of Mr. Allemong, is a resident of Stephens City, Frederick Co., Va.; and A. O., the subject of this sketch. The father died in Maryland, July,6, 1835, and the mother departed this life in the same State, Nov. 20, 1847.

Maj. Warfield, the subject of this sketch, grew to manhood in his native county, where he received a liberal education. In 1837, accompanied by his cousin, David R. Warfield, he came West, reaching Burlington, Iowa, in November, 1837. The ice was frozen on the river, and with their guns on their shoulders, the young men started of foot for Bloomington (now Muscatine) and when four miles from Burlington stopped for the night at a log cabin, where they received such delicacies as are usually found in pioneer homes, pickled pork, corn dodgers, and tea sweetened with honey, but the young travelers were glad to get that. In the morning they bought a horse, saddle and bridle for which they paid $110. One would mount, and after riding for a while would tie the horse and walk on ahead, and when the other, who had been following, came up to the horse, he he would mount, ride on some distance in advance of the first one, then tie the horse and walk on again. In this way they continued their journey, passing the night at the cabin of some settler, and in three and a half days reached Bloomington, which consisted of a few scattered cabins among the stumps and hills, there not being what we would now call a respectable looking house in the little hamlet. After a little time they thought lumber would be in demand and proceeded to look for a mill site, finding a favorable place on Mad Creek, where they erected a mill.

Maj. Warfield afterward sold his interest in that pioneer mill to his cousin, and embarked in the mercantile business at Antwerp, Cedar Co., Iowa, three miles west of Tipton, prosecuting the business there for a couple of years, and then came to Muscatine. In 1855 he was appointed freight and ticket agent of Muscatine, on the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad, being the first agent at this station, and for thirty-four years he has been in the same employ. On the building of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad to this city he was appointed its agent, serving in that capacity until 1881, when the ticket and freight were made different departments, and he continued to be the freight agent. Politically, the Major is a Democrat, a stanch defender of the past administration,and believes in tariff reform. He has represented his party in County and State Conventions, and is always ready to do his part in the cause.

No man in Muscatine County is better known than Maj. Warfield, and it is with great pleasure that we insert the splendid portrait of him in this work, which appears on another page.


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