Enoch Philby
ENOCH PHILBY.
Enoch Philby. a well known farmer of Baker township, is one of the early settlers of the county who endured the arduous toil and privationof the pioneer.
He was born in the year 1841 in Franklin county,Indiana. His father, James E.Philby. was a native of the state of Virginia, who emigrated to Iowa in the year 1849. In his youth he was united in marriage to Sidney Lyons, and to this union nine children were born.
In 1861, when the foundations of our government were shaken and the call for volunteers was issued to fight for the unity of the nation and the integrity of its institutions, Enoch Philby and his father were among the first to offer themselves to protect the honor of the flag. Both father and son enlisted from Winterset, Iowa, and served in Company I, Fourth Cavalry. The following year, however,both were discharged on account of disability, the father receiving his discharge at Batesville, Arkansas. Both returned to Iowa, the son Enoch returning to Madison county. Here he remained, engaging in the pursuit of agriculture until 1870, at which time he came to O'Brien county and homesteaded on section 10, in Baker township.
Here he labored to cultivate the land and erect necessary buildings for the shelter of himself and housing of the implements and produce of the place, and two years later he brought to his home a bride, whose maiden name was Alartha Brown. This ladv was a native of Ohio and was born in 1842. Four children were born to them, but in the year 1905 sorrow entered their midst, for at that time death claimed the wife and mother. The children are living, as follows: Nevada (Phil),at home; Enos, a farmer of Baker township; William and Elbert, both assisting in the labors of the homestead.
Politically, Philby espouses the principles of the Republican party. Together with his family, he attends the Methodist Episcopal church. He has not been interested in fraternal affairs and has membership in no secret societies, his energies and interests having been chiefly confined to his home and to those movements directly affecting the future of his children and their associates. School affairs have been of particular interest to him, and for sixteen years he served his community in the capacity of school trustee and for twenty years was treasurer of its board. In this capacity he gave without stint of his time and energy, fulfilling in every particular the trust reposed in him by his constituents.
Unassuming and conservative in many respects, his life has stood for purity and uprightness rather than for wealth and show, though he has been successful in his chosen calling, as is evidenced by the competence he has acquired. His homestead comprises two hundred forty acres of well cultivated land, all improved and well stocked with choice live stock. An honorable citizen, a devoted father and an official of unquestioned integrity, fulfilling each duty as life presented it to him, he is deserving the esteem in which he is held by a large circle of neighbors and friends.
From Past and Present of O'Brien and Osceola Counties Iowa 1914
