MUSCATINE COUNTY IOWA

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James H. Ady

        James was born March 12, 1825 the son of Joshua and Rachel Ady, in Harrison County, Ohio. On January 2, 1851 he married Sarah Gregg. Sarah was born January 3, 1824. They came to Muscatine County in 1852 and settled on one hundred-sixty Acres near Atalissa. They had four children Maria, Hillis J., Laura L., and Gregg. James was a Republican.

        Taken from the 1879 Atalissa Directory.

T. Lady Ady

        T. L. was born May 27, 1829 in Harrison County, Ohio. He came to Muscatine County in the spring of 1854 and settled on ninety-five acres of land. He married Sarah E. Lamb February 22, 1857. They had one son Hall G. born January 6, 1862. Mr. Ady was a township Trustee, a member of Ionic Lodge No. 122 of A.F. & A.M., at Atalissa. He was also a church member and assisted in organizing the Sabbath school where he served as superintendent for eight years. He was also a Republican. T. L. died March 19 1886 and is buried in the Overman Cemetery.

        Taken from the 1879 Atalissa directory.

Gilbert A. and Jeanella Luman Arnold

Picture:
Gilbert A. Arnold
Jeanella Luman Arnold
The Gilbert Arnold family in 1888. Center back Bert, front Emma, Gilbert, John, Jeanella and William.

        Gilbert was born February 19, 1848 the son of Henry and Frances Muse Arnold. He went to the Public schools and learned the wagon-making trade from his father. When he was thirty years old he began farming on his own in Jones County. He farmed and saved until he could purchase land in Muscatine County. He had 280 acres on which he was able to make a very good living. He married Jeanella Luman February 1, 1866 and they had seven children John Henry, William T., Emma K., Alpha Rabe, Bert, Harriet and Gilbert Otis. One child died in infancy.

        Gilbert was of the Republican Party and served as Township Trustee, Road Supervisor and was a member of the School Board for twenty years. He was a fraternal member of Lodge 122, A.F. & A.M. of Ionia and filled several chairs in that organization. He and his family belong to the Christian Church.

        This was taken from the History of Muscatine County Atlas and was written in 1911.

William Tully and Linn Slosser Arnold

        William and Linn farmed West SW of Highway 6 overpass. He owned all the land approximately from Kelly to Atalissa road on the South edge of town. William was born March 30, 1879 and died September 21, 1941. They were married in 1903 and had five children George, . . . .

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. . . Delbert, Virgil, Margaret and Gretchen. He was a member of the School Board for nineteen years and served on the Goshen Township board of Trustees for many years.

        The farmland was on 130th Street. The house was East of Timberlake Cemetery on the south side of the road. George married Edith Klepper. Margaret, married Clyde Essex, Gretchen married a Smith. Virgil married Genevieve Long and they farmed off Kelly Ave. on the Dwain Hepker farm. Delbert lived on the West End of town on the south side of the Highway. He was a banker in the Atalissa Savings Bank, when it closed he went to work for Community Oil Company. Delbert married Edith Bjork and they had three children Ralph, Karen and Gorden.

Picture: William Arnold family in 1917 enjoying a ride in their car. Back row sons George, Virgil and Delbert . Front row Linn, Margaret and Bill.

George Askam

        George was born March 15, 1829 the son of Thomas and Anna Askam. He was born in Yorkshire, England. When his parents died he continued to farm. His father had taught him the art of farming. In 1854 he married Anna Hepplestone also of Yorkshire. They remained in England until 1857 when they embarked on a ship for America. It took forty-five days to reach New York. They came directly to Muscatine County and crossed the Mississippi on September 20th. They were residents here until their deaths. There were four children, with three living, Anna, James and Elizabeth.

        George purchased eighty acres of land in 1857 and another one hundred-sixty acre’s some years later. His farm was considered one of the best in the Township. He was a Democrat and he and his family worshiped at the Methodist Episcopal Church.

        This was taken from the History of Muscatine County Atlas written in 1889.

Edward and Elizabeth Burnett Baker

        1039 IREY when farming and when in town lived at 215 4th Street

        Edward was born January 31, 1877 and died February 26, 1961. Elizabeth was born November 25, 1880 and died April 29, 1962. Edward and Elizabeth were married November 10, 1898 at the Presbyterian Church in Atalissa. They had five children Bernice, Gladys, Ethel, Dewey and Harlan. They moved to the Atalissa area in 1938 and remained until their deaths.

        Their farm was North of Atalissa and at one time Edward was our State Senator.

        They had five children Beatrice Robshaw of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Gladys Mathes of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Ethel Schacht of Durant, Iowa, Dewey of Omaha, Nebraska, and Harlan of Atalissa.

Jacob and Anna Balmos

        Jacob and Anna purchased the farm on the northwest corner of Penn Avenue and 187th Street in 1900. They had three girls Myrtle, Hattie and Ruby and twin boys Wilbur and Willard.

Picture:
Jacob and John Balmos
Anna Balmos
Daughters of Jacob and Anna Balmos Myrtle, Ruby and Hattie taken in 1887.

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D. G. Barkalow

        D. G. was born February 20, 1806 in Warren County, Ohio. He owned two hundred-eighteen acres in Muscatine County that he farmed. He married Catherine M. Beach on March 3, 1830. Catherine was born March 12, 1809 in Fairfield County, Connecticut and died January 7, 1851. They had seven living children Lewis B., William P., Munson B., Elizabeth A., Benjamin F., Mary E., Sarah J. They lost six children Salina, Derrick G., Maria P., John H. and two unnamed children.

        On December 10, 1854 he married Susan Jackson. She was born February 17, 1816 in Fairfield County, Connecticut. He and his family came to Muscatine County in 1855. He and Susan had Nannie M. and Derrick G. two children died.

        Mr. Barkalow served as township Trustee for twelve years and was a staunch Union man and a republican.

        This information is from the 1879 Atalissa Directory.

Dr. Thomas F. and Sara Overman Beveridge

        Thomas was born December of 1866 in Ohio and moved to Iowa at age 15 years. He married Sara Overman May 13, 1896 in Atalissa. They had one son Thomas Jr. and two daughters Mrs. E. E. Bloom and one other daughter living in Illinois. They were members of the First Christian Church and he practiced medicine for 55 years. He died April of 1947 and is buried in the Overman Cemetery.

Arthur Black

        Arthur was born December 11, 1805 in Boone County, Kentucky. He came to Muscatine County in the spring of 1850. At this time he purchased a portion of the three hundred-fifty acres he ended up with. He married Adaline Wells on January 18, 1853. Adaline was born October 5, 1821 in Loudoun County, Virginia. They had three children James, George, Maggie and an adopted daughter Anna Larue, one son died. Arthur was a prominent farmer and was a member of the Democratic Party.

        This was taken from the 1879 Atalissa Directory.

James Black

        James Black was born in Goshen Township on May 11, 1855 the son of Arthur and Adaline Anderson Black. He received his education in the District School and lived with his parents caring for them and helping with the farming until their deaths. He then took a part of the homestead and farmed it for thirteen years. When he received half of the farm, through inheritance, he remained there until 1907. He purchased a fine house in West Liberty, Iowa where he retired. He married Isabel Moore on January 31, 1894.

        Isabel was born November 22, 1863 the daughter of Alexander and Roseanna Calhoun Moore. They had one son Arthur A, born November 30, 1895.

        Mr. Black was a Democrat and a valued member of the Knights of Pythias of West Liberty. He and his family attended the Presbyterian Church.

        This was taken from the History of Muscatine County Atlas.

Picture: James Black’s parents Arthur and Adalaine Anderson Black.

W. L. Black

        W. L. was born July 27, 1866 the son of James and Margaret Woods Black on a farm about two miles from Atalissa. He was a lifelong resident of the area. At twenty-two he began farming his own land near Nichols, Iowa until he moved to a farm south of Atalissa, this was in 1905. He lived there for two years. In 1907 he moved into town and was engaged in the grain and coal business. He purchased the building where his business was and also owned a very nice house. He married Ruby Nicola in February . . . .

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. . . . 20, 1889 and they had three children Homer, Elsie and Isabel.

       W. L. was a Democrat and Member of the Masonic Lodge of Nichols, the Chapter of West Liberty and the Modern Woodsmen of America.

       This information was from the History of Muscatine County Atlas.

Robert Booth

        Robert was born March 6, 1837 the son of John and Eliza Booth in Harrison County, Ohio. He enlisted in Company C, of the ninety-eighth OVI in August of 1862. He participated in the battles of Perryville, Kentucky, Chickamauga, Kenesaw, Mountain, Resaca, Peach-tree Creek, Big Shanty, siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro, Georgia, siege of Savannah and Columbia, South Carolina, Averysborough and Bentonville, North Carolina. After being discharged in Cleveland, Ohio on June 10, 1865 he came to Muscatine County in July of 1865. Robert owned one hundred-seventy acres of land and was a member of the Republican Party.

        This was taken from the 1879 Atalissa Directory.

Edwin Brooker

        Edwin was born April 13, 1839 the son of James and Sophia Brooker in Cincinnati, Ohio. He came to Goshen Township, with his parents in the fall of 1851. He enlisted in Company G. of thirty-fifth IVI on August 11, 1862 and participated in all the battles the regiment was in. The principal battles being the siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Tupelo, Nashville, Yellow Bayou, and at the capture of Mobile and Spanish Fort. He was discharged in Davenport on August 10, 1865.

        Edwin married Clara Pickering on April 23, 1868. Clara was born February 26, 1844 in Belmont County, Ohio. Her parents came to Cedar County in the fall of 1864. They had three children Cora, Frank E. and John E. They were members of the M.E. Church.

        This was taken from the 1879 Atalissa Directory.

Charles E. and Louisa Walter Buckman

        Charles E. and Louisa farmed in Goshen Township. He started out with eighty-six acres and by being a good farmer was able to keep buying land until he had one hundred-seventy-two acres of Prime land. He and Louisa were married in 1872 in Cedar County, Iowa and had three children Walter Emmet, Eva May and Harry Oliver. Charles’ farm was located four and a half miles from West Liberty and three miles from Atalissa. He was a Republican and attended the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Cedar County. He held several offices of trust and was elected Township Trustee and served several terms. He also served on the School Board six years and was School Treasurer.

        Charles was born in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1845 and moved to Muscatine County in 1855.

        This was taken from the History of Muscatine County Atlas written in 1887.

Phineas Buckman

        Phineas was born April 2, 1819 the son of Phineas and Catherine Shreve Buckman in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland. He spent his childhood in Baltimore Co. Maryland and received his education in the Public Schools. He learned the Millers trade at sixteen and made it his Profession until the age of twenty-six. He married Cynthia Roberts December 7, 1844 and remained there until 1855 when he came to Muscatine County, Iowa.

        Cynthia was born in December 1817 the daughter of Jonathan and Wilhelmina Bouzer Roberts.

        He purchased eighty acres in Goshen Township and this is where he stayed until his death. Over the years he added to the farm until he had three hundred eighty-four acres. He and Cynthia had four children Charles E., Oliver H., Catherine and Annie W.

        When Phineas first settled here the homes were far apart and bands of Indians were often seen. The deer were abundant and the prairie was covered with thick wild grass. When it became dry it would catch fire and cause much damage.

        As they grew older he divided the farm between his children.

        This was taken from the History of Muscatine County Atlas written in 1889.

John A. and Nellie B. Crees Burnett

        John was born August 31, 1880 the son of Andrew and Ann W. Burnett in the Atalissa area.

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His parents were pioneers from Ohio and John spent all but a few years of his life in the area. He married Nellie B. Crees October 4, 1911 and they had three children Lynn, Marion and Mary Margaret. They were farmers and were members of the Presbyterian Church in Atalissa. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Aatalissa and the Woodsman Lodge in West Liberty, Iowa. John died at the age of 57 in 1937.

Phillip Carr

        Phillip was born in Erie County, New York in 1835. He was a boot and shoemaker in Atalissa. He married Jennie Strong in 1870. They had two children William and Delos. Phillip enlisted in the United States Army in 1861, and went out as a Captain of Company A, 141st regiment.

        This was taken from the 1879 Atalissa Directory. (Pioneer)

Charles Clinton and Sarah Jane Fralick Collison
423 Cherry Street

Picture:
Sarah Jane Fralick Collison and Charles Clinton Collison
Sara and Charles in their new house on Cherry Street..

        Charles was born in 1836 and Sarah in 1840 in New York. They were married in 1858 and immigrated to East Saginaw, Michigan in 1863. They remained there for 17 years raising their children among the Indians. They had four children Frederick, Flora, Frank and Charles Jr. In 1880 they decided to move to the rich lands available in Iowa. They purchased a farm in Cedar County and farmed it for 12 years. When they decided to retire Charles built Sarah a brand new house on Cherry Street in Atalissa. This was in 1892 and he built it to fit Sarah’s tiny 4’ 11” size. Charles died in 1907 and Sarah continued to live in her beautiful house alone. When Sarah’s health began to fail her son Frederick and family moved in with her. Sarah died in 1922 and she and Charles are buried in the Overman Cemetery.

Frederick Collison
423 Cherry Street

Picture:
Frederick E and Addie Collison
Children of Frederick and Addie in 1936. Left to right Harry, Ethel, Forrest, Myrtle, Foster and Charles.

        Frederick was born July 3, 1859 the son of Charles and Sarah Collison in Deer River, New York. Frederick married Ida Mae who died in 1897 and they had no children.

        He married Addie Smith June 15, 1889 and they had six children Harry, Charles, Forest, Foster, Myrtle Pierce and Ethel Conley. Frederick moved his family to town when his mother’s . . . .

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. . . health began to decline and they remained there until he died in 1940. Addy continued living there until her health began to decline and her son Harry and wife moved in to care for her. Addy died in 1952 she and Frederick are both buried in the Overman Cemetery. He was of the Presbyterian Faith and a member of the Masonic Lodge in Atalissa.

John Cope

        John was born the son of William and Sarah Dungan Cope in Harrison County, Ohio in 1832. He grew up on his fathers’ farm and was educated in one of the Primitive Schools in Ohio. As a young man he wanted to become a pioneer in Iowa so he packed his belongings and came to Goshen Township.

        Before leaving Ohio he married Margaret Peden in Zanesville, Ohio in 1857. John purchased sixty acres of raw prairie and began cultivating and making improvements. He continued to add to the property until he had one hundred seventy-two acres. He carried on general farming and also raised cattle and horses. He was a supporter of the Republican Party, but never was an office-seeker. He was very interested in education and made sure his children had all the advantages.

        John and Margaret saw many changes in the community the wild uncultivated prairies changed into beautiful homes and highly improved farms. This County owes a lot to the early pioneers who settled on this land.

        John and Margaret had five children Emma, Mary G., Charles W., William L. and Frank.

Elmer and Ida Coss

Picture:
Elmer and Ida Coss
The Coss children back row Emmett, Herbert, Floyd, Scott and Earl. Front Fern, Hazel and Margaret.

        Elmer E. was born May 31, 1864 in Atalissa. He lived here all his life and worked for Bill Honhke. He married Ida Stauffer on August 31, 1889 and they had ten children Hazel DeVore, Emmett, Frank, Earl, Scott, Margaret, Herbert, Louis, Fern Morgan, Floyd, Oramae and Clifford. He died February 24, 1939 at home after a short illness. Two of their sons went east to work for an Electric Company and never came back to Atalissa. Francis Carlisle gave us the information on the boys who left Atalissa.

Croxen Family

Picture: Samuel and Ovilla Croxsen

        Samuel Croxen was born July 8, 1830, in Little Harriden, North Hamptonshire, England. He came to America in 1852 or 1853. He had been a handler of livestock but when he came here he became a freighter and stage driver. He took a great interest in Church work and was Superintendent of the Sunday School for many years.

        He married Ovilla Bishop Anthony Brown, a widow, on September 10, 1856. Ovilla was born November 28, 1826 in Clinton County, Ohio. She had three children by her first marriage Lucy Brown, Henry Brown and William Edwin Brown. She and Samuel had four children Mary Anthony Croxen, George Croxen, Charles Clark Croxen and Frank Cox Croxen.

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        Samuel and Ovilla farmed West of Atalissa until 1901 and then moved into Atalissa.

        Samuel died February 19, 1905. Ovilla died January 15, 1913 and is buried in the Croxen Family Plot in Oak Ridge Cemetery in West Liberty.

        In 1911 Ovilla owned fifty acres of the family homestead in section 16 Goshen Township, a beautiful home in Atalissa and five town lots.

        She belonged to the Presbyterian Church.

Picture: Samuel and his family.

Fred Croxen

Picture: Fred and Edith Croxsen and sons.

        Fred was the son of Charles Clark and Lydia Ann Moore Croxen. He was born October 17, 1887 at the family home one mile NW of Atalissa. Fred graduated from Atalissa High School in 1901 and was one of a graduating class of four.

        He married Edith Lamport in Flagstaff, Arizona June 28, 1916 at her parents' home.

        Edith was born November 23, 1892 in Flagstaff, Arizona.

        They had two sons Charles Lamport Croxson on June 6, 1924 and Fred Wilmer Croxen II on May 12, 1926.

        After moving to Arizona Fred became a member of the Border Patrol.

        He made many visits to Iowa and especially enjoyed the High School Alumni Banquets.

        Fred Croxen’s memories of Atalissa have been a great value to us in writing this book.

Alexander Dallas

        Alexander was born March 16, 1845 the son of Peter and Margaret Andrews Dallas, in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. He came to Muscatine County in the fall of 1861 where he settled on eighty acres of land which he farmed. He married Elma Wilkinson August 11, 1875. Elma was born July 29, 1854 the daughter of George R. and Maria Wilkinson, in Belmont County, Ohio. They had three children James A., Esma, and Mary. He was a member of the Republican Party.

        This was taken from the 1879 Atalissa Directory.

Charles Davis

        Charles was born January 23, 1833 the son of James and Thankful Davis, in Bennington County, Vermont.

        Charles was one of the early settlers of Goshen Township. He came to Muscatine County November 22, 1860. During the winter of 1860-1861 he engaged in hunting and trapping. The following spring he broke prairie and also helped in the harvesting for William G. Holmes. He enlisted in Goshen Township August 16, 1861 and was sent to Camp McClellan near Davenport, Iowa. He was assigned to Company D of the Eighth Iowa Infantry. Serving as a Scout during most of his service was in Missouri. He participated in the raid after General Price. Charles was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh. He was run over by Artillery. He was Honorably discharged in Keokuk, Iowa in 1863. After this he returned to Muscatine County. The following Spring he went with the Pioneer Corps working in Tennessee and Mississippi until the close of the war.

        When he returned home he began farming on shares and in 1864 purchased forty acres in Pike Township. Later he added another forty acres but traded it for a partly improved farm with one hundred sixty acres in Goshen Township where he made his home. He started out with a little log cabin but built a fine brick house with a good barn. It became one of the best farms around the area it was stocked with Shorthorn cat-. . . .

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. . . tle, Clydesdale and Norman horses.

        He married Mary E. Statler on March 25, 1863. Mary was born January 18, 1838 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. They had three children Edgar B., Sarah T., and Mary M. He was a Republican and a member of the Charles Michener Post no. 362 the G.A.R. of Atalissa.

        Charles was a prominent citizen of the area and through perseverance he became a truly self-made Man.

        This was taken from the History of Muscatine County atlas and was written in 1889. Also some information came from the 1879 Atalissa directory.

S. and Lizzie Desbros

        He was in General Merchandising in Atalissa since 1883. He was born October 10, 1831 the son of Jesse and Martha Spaulding Desbro in Hamilton County, Ohio. He received his education in the District School. In 1850 he came to Iowa with his father and helped on the homestead until the outbreak of the Civil War.

        On March 3, 1856 he married Elizabeth Groder. Elizabeth was born in Ohio. The marriage was not a happy one so they divorced.

        He enlisted in September 1862, in Goshen Township. He was in Company B Thirty-fifth Iowa Infantry for three years and was mustered in Muscatine. Not long afterwards he went to the front lines and met the enemy in battle at the siege of Vicksburg and of Jackson Mississippi. He remained in the war till the end and received his Honorable Discharge at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri.

        Soon after coming home he married Lizzie Demming in 1865. He and Lizzie had ten children but only five lived to adulthood Mary Hessel, Emma Johnson, Jennie, Ida and Pearl. He was active in the Republican Party and a member of the Atalissa School Board. He carried a good assortment of stock in his store and had a very lucrative business. Lizzie died in February 1886 at the age of thirty-nine. He married Anna Hall in August of 1887. Mr. Desbros’ grandfather came from Germany.

        This was taken from the History of Muscatine County Atlas written in 1889.

Hiram and Martha Tice Devore

Picture: Martha DeVore’s 89th Birthday Myrtle LaFrentz, Clare Stavenhagen, Henrietta Schmidt and Eva Oepping.

        Martha’s parents came to this area in 1858, the year Martha was born, and they settled on a farm that included the part known as “Overman Ferry”. She was born October 15, 1858 the daughter of Benjamin and Rebecca Tice, she was a newborn when arriving or born shortly after her parents move. She grew up there and when an adult used to run the Ferry.

        Hiram and Martha were married and had seven children Myrtle LaFrentz, Henrietta “Blim” Schmidt, Eva Oepping, Clara Stavenhagen, Harry, Dewey and Rusty.

        After Hiram died in July of 1918 Martha continued to live near and in Atalissa until June of 1951 at which time she lived with her daughter Clara until her death on April 4, 1952.

        She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary of West Liberty and an active worker in the Methodist Church of Moscow. She taught Sunday school for many years.

        She was known as Grandma DeVore to everyone and all will remember her many Birthday parties and the lovely handiwork she had done. She also had a great love of flowers. On her eighty-ninth birthday she was said to be the oldest living woman resident of Atalissa. This was from an article written in the Muscatine Journal.

H. C. Dove

        Mr. Dove was born in Belmont County, Ohio in 1840. While in Atalissa he was in general merchandise. He married Juliet C. Lewis in 1867 and they had four children Clyde L., Lucy . . .

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. . . M., Alverda P., and Wilma. They were members of the M. E. Church and he was a republican.

        This was taken from the 1879 Atalissa Directory.

Owen and Priscilla Cornwalt Doyle

        Owen was born September 15, 1845 in Monbrook, New Jersey and died May 24, 1932. He was a carpenter and was responsible for many buildings in Atalissa. He lived here for sixty-one years.

        He married Priscilla Cornwalt on November 21, 1871 in West Liberty. Priscilla was born October 11, 1843 in Sandy Creek, New York and died January 2, 1933. They had three children Harry Allen, Charles (or Carl) and Myrl James.

        Owen was trying to repair something on his house at 126 First St., he fell off the ladder to his death. He was eighty-seven at the time. Hazel Stewart is living there now.

        They belonged to the Presbyterian Church. Owen was a Mason and his funeral was performed by the Masonic organization. Priscilla was a Past Worthy Matron of the Atalissa chapter of the Eastern Star.

Louis and Maggie Shetler Fiderlien

        Louis was born December 21, 1832 in Baden, Germany. His mother was a strong advocate of education so Louis got the very best that was available including four languages, German, French, Latin, and English. He came to America at the age of nineteen and remained in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania for five years. He then settled in Rock Island, Illinois and farmed until 1878. At that time he came to Goshen Township where he began farming three hundred twenty acres. He added acres until he had seven hundred by the time he died.

       Louis married Julia Gregg on September 13, 1857. There were eleven hildren born to them with seven living Eliza, Isabel, James, Lorena, William, Wilhelmina, and Eloise. Julia died in 1879.

Picture: Louis Fiderlien

        Louis remarried again on December 19, 1883 to Maggie Shetler. Maggie was born February 4, 1853 the daughter of Jonas and Harriet Hayes Shetler, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. From this marriage there were five children Ernest G., Frank L., Emma A., and Clella K. one died in infancy.

        Louis was of the Republican Party and gave his support believing it best advanced the interests of this country. Even though he had been born in a foreign country he was a very well thought of man in his adopted country. While living in Illinois Louis was a Town Clerk and School Trustee. He was also a Member of the Ionic Lodge No. 122, A. F. & A. M. , at Atalissa.

        This was taken from the History of Muscatine Atlas 1889 and the 1879 Atalissa Directory.

Ernest and Euella Cress Fiderlein

        Ernest was born November 4, 1884 the son of Louis and Margaret Fiderlien a mile out of Atalissa. It is now the Madsen farm. He received a good education and stayed on the homestead helping his father farm. When he married his father built a small house on the property for the newlyweds. He married Euella Cress in 1912. She was the daughter of Joseph and Jane Crees. There were two children Clella Walton and Louis.

        At the age of forty-seven Ernest was plowing in the field when he became ill. He tied the team up in the field and taking one horse he came in to the barn. While taking the harness off he suffered a stroke and died April 22, 1932. After his death Euella moved to town and lived at 315 Fourth Street. Euella made many friends, especially the children, her door was always open to them having games and a big bowl of popcorn. It was at a time when the whole country was broke but she always managed to give the children something to smile about.

        The family went to the Christian Church in the early years but later on they went to the Presbyterian Church.

Thomas and Rachel Johnson Gladstone

        Thomas was born in March 1815 the son of George and Mary Johnson Gladstone in Fermanagh County, Ireland. He was the third in . . .

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. . . a family of five and was schooled in Ireland as well. As a young man he decided he wanted to come to America to try his hand at making a new life for himself. He boarded a ship in Belfast, Ireland and after forty-two days, of very stormy weather, he landed in Quebec, Canada. He then traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio where he stayed until coming to Iowa. He settled in Goshen Township where he purchased a partly improved farm. In 1877 he sold that farm and moved to another farm in Goshen Township that he turned into one of the best in the County. Thomas was active in the Republican Party and held several township offices. He helped in organizing the school districts of Goshen Township.

        While living in Ohio Thomas married Rachel Johnson in 1847. Rachel the daughter of James Johnson, was also born in Ireland. There were six children Thomas Robert, George, Richard William, John Wesley, Lizzie and Anna White.

        This was taken from the History of Muscatine County Atlas written in 1889.