For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 575
JOHN A. WILL....John A. Will, residing at 109 West Fifth street in Muscatine, is prominently connected with agricultural and stock-raising interests in this section of the state. Pennsylvania numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred in Cumberland county, November 17, 1836. His father, Joseph Will, was also born in the Keystone state and was a farmer by occupation. He married Miss Weiser, a native of Switzerland, and they established their home in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, where were born unto them five children, two sons and three daughters, namely : Henry ; Mary, who became the wife of Nelson Poole ; Catharine, who married a Mr. Hoover ; Elizabeth, the wife of Isaac Weaver ; and John A., of this review. All are now deceased with the exception of the last named, who was but three months old when his mother died, in February, 1837. His parents were of Lutheran faith. The father died in Richland county, Ohio, in 1841, and John A. Will was thus left an orphan when less than five years of age. He was reared by a good Lutheran family by the name of Sheeley, who lived in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, until he had passed the age of seven years, when they removed to Iowa, bringing Mr. Will with them. Mr. Sheeley purchased a farm of eighty acres in Lake township and there the foster parents of our subject passed away when well advanced in life.John A. Will was reared in their home as a farm boy and attended the district schools. He started out independently to earn his living when sixteen or seventeen years of age by cutting cord wood at seventy-five cents per cord, yet made his home with the Sheeley family until he attained his majority. For a time he worked at odd jobs, accepting any employment that would yield him an honest living. Afterward he purchased two yoke of oxen and engaged in breaking prairie for several years prior to turning his attention to farming on his own account. His first purchase of land in 1867 made him the owner of one hundred and sixty acres in Lake township, upon which a cabin had been built and an orchard set out. He erected a good frame dwelling there, improved the place and later extended its boundaries by the additional purchase of a tract of two hundred and forty acres. Upon that farm he resided until 1882, when he purchased the old Lucas place of two hundred and forty acres, occupying it until 1904, when he removed to Muscatine. He still owns that farm and several other properties, his landed possessions aggregating about seven hundred acres, from which he derives a splendid annual income. In addition to the cultivation of cereals best adapted to soil and climate while upon the farm, he engaged in breeding thoroughbred Hereford cattle for fourteen years and was remarkably successful both in that work and in the cultivation of the fields.
On the 13th of March, 1862, Mr. Will was married to Miss Mary Ann McCoy, a daughter of Daniel and Elsina McCoy, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of New York, while their daughter, Mary A., was born on Long Island, July 4, 1839. Mr. and Mrs. Will were the parents of nine children. Chester, living on the old home farm, married Adella Barnard and has three children ; Glenn, Helen and Herschel. Frances, the second of the family, is at home. Charles, a farmer and stockman, living in Muscatine, married Amanda Fletcher and has two children, Harold and Ralph. Edward, who follows farming and dairying in Bloomington township married Adella Barger and has two daughters, Margaret and Blanche. Joseph, who follows farming in Bloomington township, wedded Grace Ayers and they have four children : Allen, Gayle, Esther and John. Elsie lives at home. John Webb, who is engaged in the butchering business in Muscatine, married Phoebe Barnard, who died, leaving two children Earle and Mildred. Bert, who is in partnership with his brother John, married Carrie Smalley and they have one child, Sadie Bernice. One of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Will died in infancy. The mother passed away March 14, 1910, at the age of seventy years and eight months. She was reared in the Episcopal faith but at the time of her death was a member of the Methodist church.
Mr. Will was reared a Lutheran but also became a member of the Methodist church. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he has served as supervisor, school director and township trustee but has never been a politician in the commonly accepted sense of the term, preferring to devote his time and energies to business affairs which, guided by his sound judgment, have brought him a substantial return, making him one of the prosperous citizens of the county. He is now practically living retired although he has valuable farming interests to which he gives his personal supervision. He has ever been reliable as well as progressive in business affairs and his name is an honored one among business men throughout the county.
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