For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 381
R. D. HARPER....R. D. Harper, who is the owner of a well improved farm of eighty acres in Lake township, was born in that township, January 16, 1862. He is a son of William and Mary ( Murphy ) Harper, the former of whom was a native of Ireland and came to the United States in the ' 40s, locating at Muscatine, Iowa. There were only a few houses here at that time and the country for miles in all directions was almost in its primitive condition. Mr. Harper finally took up his residence in Lake township, where he lived until his death, which occurred in 1898. He was buried in St. Mary's cemetery. He was an industrious and enterprising man and after arriving in this country devoted his attention to farming. The mother of our subject was also a native of Ireland but was married after coming to Muscatine. She passed away in July, 1902.R. D. Harper was educated in the district schools and reared on the home farm, where he continued until twenty-two years of age. He began his business career by taking up a homestead in Keith county, now Perkins county, Nebraska, where he lived for five years, returning to Muscatine county in 1890. He worked upon the home farm for several years and then married, after which he farmed in Lake township. In the spring of 1910 he removed to the home where he now resides there carrying on general farming with excellent results, which indicate good judgment and well applied industry.
In 1894 Mr. Harper was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Toohey and three children have blessed their union, Marie F., James M., and Cornelius W. Mr. harper has been familiar with the progress of events of Muscatine county for twenty-five or thirty years past and has kept pace with the movements in agriculture and stock-raising by which the farm has been made much more productive than in earlier years. He has attained a position as one of the representative farmers of this region and by the application of sound principles has acquired a competence for himself and family. Politically he is in sympathy with the democratic party and although he has not sought office, he is serving at present as a member of the school board. He and his wife are valued members of the St. Mathias Catholic church, and socially he is connected with the Modern Brotherhood of America, whith whose principles he is in hearty accord.
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