JOHN McLEAN, a retired farmer and carpenter and one of the early settlers of Page County, was born in North Carolina, March 18, 1820, and is a son of Angus and Nancy (McDonald) McLean, natives of Scotland. The grandfather came to America at the close of the eighteenth century and settled in North Carolina. John McLean is the fourth of his father's family, which consisted of ten children, and he is the only surviving member. His education was obtained in the subscription schools held in the rude log school-house, characteristic of pioneer days, both in the North and the South. Five months covered the period of his school days, the remainder had to be learned in life's great schoolroom. His youth was spent in helping his father subdue the forest and claim from the earth sustenance for her children. The father died in 1863, and three months later the mother followed.
In 1841 Mr. McLean emigrated to Indiana, where he served an apprenticeship of two years as carpenter and joiner, and for thirty years he followed this occupation. About June, 1846, he enlisted in the United States service during the war with Mexico and served one year.   He was discharged at New Orleans, and in 1847 he returned to Indiana, where he took up his old trade again. In the spring of 1855 he came to Iowa, locating in Page County, and entered 120 acres of Government land, which was on the Taylor County line. He resided at Hawleyville a number of years, and in 1861 he removed to his farm where he remained till 1864; in that year he sold out and bought land in Nebraska Township. In 1874 he removed to Clarinda, lived there one year, and then moved to Williamson County, Texas, where he engaged in agriculture for fourteen years. In October he came back to Clarinda, and will probably spend the remainder of his days there.
Mr. McLean was united in marriage, July 4, 1848, to Miss Catherine Melissa McAlpine, daughter of one of Page County's pioneers, David McAlpine. By this union eight children were born: David Angus (deceased), Malcolm (deceased), Jemima Alice, Mary Eliza, William Marshall, Lizzie Jane, John Ulysses and Robert Burder.
At one time Mr. McLean belonged to the Masonic fraternity. He and his wife are acceptable members of the Presbyterian Church. Politically he believes in the principles of the Republican party, but reserves the right to vote for men and principle rather than for party name. During his long residence here Mr. McLean has won a host of friends who are able to appreciate true merit. 

T. RINEHART, a native of Perry County, Ohio, was born April 28,1836, and is the son of Thomas and Hannah Rinehart, natives of the State of Pennsylvania, of German ancestry. He is the ninth of a family of ten children, five of whom survive. He was reared to the life of a farmer in his native county and received his educa-[page 517]tion in the common schools. He remained at home with his parents until he was twenty-two years of age, and then started out in life for himself to win the fortune which every young man believes the world has in store for him.
Mr. Rinehart was united in marriage August 5, 1858, to Miss Malinda A. Hammond, a daughter of W. G. and Mary E. (Hatcher) Hammond, natives of Maryland and Ohio respectively. She was born in Perry County, Ohio, January 25, 1838. After their marriage they remained for seven years in Perry County engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1865, caught in the tide of western emigration, they removed to McDonough County, Illinois, and resided there until 1871. In the fall of that year he pushed still further west and located in Nodaway County, Missouri, where they staid almost a year. In the fall of 1872 they came to Page County, Iowa, settling in Lincoln Township on ninety acres of partially improved land. For three years they labored here, making valuable improvements, and when a good opportunity presented itself Mr. Rinehart sold this place and bought 160 acres in Morton Township; this had been broken out when he secured possession and he has since brought it to an advanced state of cultivation. His improvements are first-class in every respect; the buildings are of a most substantial character, large and well arranged, and a fine orchard adds not a little to the value of the place.
Mr. Rinehart has devoted his time exclusively to farming, and he has done much toward developing and improving this section of the county. He is ever ready and willing to assist in any enterprise that has for its object the advancement of the community. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party; he has represented his township as treasurer, as a member of the school board and is its present trustee.
Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rinehart: Carrie F., the wife of James F. Whitmore; Matilda B., the wife of R. H. Wade; James T, Byron M. (deceased), Franklin A., Ollie M., Ida E. and Flossie P. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Coin, of which Mr. Rinehart is a trustee. They have a wide circle of friends whom they have won by honesty, integrity and upright conduct.

GEORGE T. PAUL has been a resident of Page County since 1881, and is deserving of space in a work of this character. He is a son of J. M. and Nancy (Hare) Paul, natives of West Virginia and Pennsylvania, of German ancestry. The father was reared to the life of a farmer until his sixteenth year, when he went to learn the harness-makers' trade; he followed this occupation for a number of years in Northumberland and Petersburg, Pennsylvania, and Arcadia, Illinois. He also devoted a portion of his later years to farming. He was married to Miss Nancy Hare about the year 1836 and they had a family of six children.
George T. was born in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, January 5, 1847, and after his thirteenth year passed his youth on a farm. He obtained his education in the common schools, and at the age of seventeen years started out in life on his own responsibility. His steadiness and integrity of character are shown by this one fact that he worked for one man seven years.
Mr. Paul was married February 17, 1870, to Melissa J. Hanes, who was born in Morgan County, Illinois, December 6, 1852. After his marriage he located in Shelby County, Illinois, on a farm which he rented for one [page 518] year; at the end of this time he returned to Morgan County, Illinois, and remained there for ten years, engaged in agriculture. In the spring of 1881 he came to Iowa, and located on land which he had purchased in 1880; it consisted of eighty-five acres in Morton Township, to which he has since added eighty acres lying in Grant Township. He has made a specialty of Poland China hogs, and strives to improve the grade of all classes of stock. He is a man who endeavors to advance any enterprise that will be a benefit to the community, and by his public spirit and progressive habits has won a place in the front ranks of Page County's most successful farmers. Politically he is rather conservative, and casts his vote for the man best fitted in his estimation to fill the office. He is one of the trustees of Morton Township, now serving his sixth year; he is a member of the School Board and of the Farmers' Alliance, and also belongs to the A. H. T. A., of which he is president, and to Shenandoah Lodge, No. 261, I. O. O. F.
Mr. and Mrs. Paul are the parents of three children: George Leroy, born April 20,1884, and Grace Loren, born March 15, 1886, and one boy dead. Mrs. Paul is a consistent member of the Christian Church.

JAMES R. UBIL, an energetic and successful farmer of Morton Township, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, August 31,1850, and is the son of Peter and Elizabeth B. (Seymour) Ubil, natives of Virginia and Pennsylvania respectively, and of German extraction. When he was one year old the family removed to Juniata County, Pennsylvania, where the father still resides; the mother died in March, 1885. They reared a family of four children: James R., of whom this notice is written; John L., Thomas K., and David H., also a resident of Page County. In early life the father was engaged in contracting and building, and afterward was interested in the manufacture of wagons. When the war broke out he enlisted in the Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, under Captain Robinson, and served three years, being discharged as Sergeant. After the close of the war he returned to his home to take up the more peaceful pursuit of agriculture, which he still follows.
James R. was trained to the duties of a farmer after his thirteenth year; previous to that time he had lived in Johnstown. He obtained a good education in the common schools, and remained with his parents until he was twenty-one years of age. He then undertook to steer his own craft, and chose the occupation of farming as one for which he was best fitted and which he considered most independent; he worked by the month for a year and then rented land for two years. In March, 1876, he was caught in the tide of western emigration, and landed in Page County, Iowa. The first three years of his residence here he worked by the month on a farm, and then for two years he rented land. At the end of this time he removed to a farm which he had bought in 1877; it consisted of eighty acres of wild land. From time to time he has erected the necessary buildings, and has made various valuable improvements. He bought the farm for $975, and January, 1889, he sold it for $3,000. He is a man well calculated to advance the standing of the community in which he lives, and he has certainly done his share in making Morton Township one of the most desirable in the county. He has purchased 160 acres of land on sections 16 and 17, Morton Township, at a cost of $6,100,and will make that his future home.

[page 519]

Mr. Ubil was united in marriage March 11,1880, to Miss Mary E. Drake, a daughter of Braden and Eliza (McNeal) Drake. She was born in La Salle County, Illinois, August 6, 1859. They are the parents of two children: Myrtle, born January 2, 1882, and Yerna M., born September 26, 1887.
Mr. and Mrs. Ubil are members of the Presbyterian Church. Politically he is a stanch Republican, and has represented the people of his township as a member of the school board.

G.E. ANDERSON, a resident of Nodaway Township, has been identified with the interests of Page County since 1872. He was born in the land of pine trees, Sweden, October 27, 1856. He is the second son of Andrew and Lottie (Anderson) Anderson. At the tender age of seven years he was left an orphan, and is the only one of his father's family surviving. At the age of eleven years he came to America, and located in Page County, Iowa, where he grew to manhood. He settled on his present farm in January, 1884, and is now the owner of 1,260 acres of Page County's land, all of which is finely improved. The home place is what is known as the "B. F. Runnels Homestead," and is considered one of the best in the county; there are excellent buildings, and the place is well calculated for stock-raising, which branch of farming is most profitable at the present time. In addition to his home-grown stock Mr. Anderson buys large numbers of cattle, which he feeds; his annual output of cattle is 800 head, and he also sells large numbers of hogs.
On Christmas day, 1883, Mr. Anderson was united in  marriage to Janie Runnels, only daughter of B. F. Runnels, a pioneer settler of Montgomery County, Iowa. Mr. Runnels first located in Page County in 1858, and resided there until 1870, when he removed to Montgomery County, where he still lives. Mrs. Anderson was born in Page County, Iowa, but was reared in Montgomery County; she attended the common-schools of her own county, and afterward entered the schools of Iowa City, Iowa, and finished her education at the Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are the parents of three children: Walter Edward, Lucy May and Ethel.
Politically our subject is a Republican. His time and thought are wholly occupied with his private business affairs. He is one of Page County's wealthiest farmers and may be counted as one of the most substantial citizens of western Iowa. His estimable wife is a woman of more than ordinary culture and attainment; she has been a student of art and has done a considerable amount of decorating.

JOSEPH R. CORTRIGHT was born in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, March 19, 1841, and is the son of Isaac and Mollie (Pollock) Cortright, natives of the old "Keystone" State, and descendants of Scotch-Irish and German ancestors. The parents removed from Pennsylvania to Illinois in 1862 and settled in Lee County, where they lived the remainder of their days. The father was a farmer by occupation and was engaged in agricultural pursuits until the time of his death. There were ten children in the family, six of whom survive.
Joseph R. grew to manhood in his native county, and at the age of twenty-one years removed with his family to Illinois. When [page 520] this nation was in peril and there was a call for men to defend the old flag, he enlisted in Company A, Seventy-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served until June 13, 1865, a period of nearly three years. He participated in twenty-two engagements, and was with Sherman on his famous campaign, being under constant fire 100 days of the 108 days he was out. He was confined to the hospital at New Albany, Indiana, from October, 1862, until March, 1863, on account of ill health, and rejoined his regiment at Murfreesborough, Tennessee. He was never wounded or taken prisoner, and did valiant duty in the cause of his country. After receiving his discharge he returned to his home in Illinois and engaged in the more peaceful and congenial occupation of farming.
Mr. Cortright was united in marriage October 12,1870. to Miss Elizabeth J. Burket, a daughter of John N. and Mary (Fleck) Burket. Her parents were natives of Pennsylvania, but in later years removed to Dixon, Illinois, where they both passed to their eternal rest. There was a family of eleven children, of whom Elizabeth J. is the sixth; she was born at Dixon, Illinois, August 26,1849. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Cortright remained near Dixon and were engaged in farming for a period of two years. They concluded that their fortunes might be bettered by removing farther west, and they accordingly came to Iowa. They first located upon a farm of 160 acres in Morton Township, Page County, which had been purchased previous to their coming to the State; this was a tract of raw prairie with no improvements. Mr. Cortright built a house, and broke 115 acres; fenced the entire piece of land and erected buildings for stock and grain within a period of two years. In the spring of 1874 he sold his farm and bought eighty acres on section 183 Morton Township, where he spent one year making improvements. In the spring of 1875 he disposed of this and invested in 160 acres on section 20, Morton Township, which had been improved; there he made his home until the spring of 1877, when he again sold out and bought eighty acres on section 28, Morton Township; there he resided until 1883, when he sold that piece and an additional eighty acres which he had bought in 1882. He then invested in the farm which he now makes his home; this consists of eighty acres in a high state of cultivation; he has erected a good frame house, put up other necessary buildings, has planted 100 fruit trees, and has set out an abundance of small fruits.
Mr. Cortright is a live, energetic man, and has surrounded himself and family with many of the comforts of life. In political thought and action he is a Republican, and has represented his township as assessor and as a member of the school board.
Mr. and Mrs. Cortright are the parents of five children: Mollie J., Fannie F., Grace K., Maud B. and Josie B. They are associated with the Lutheran Church, and are among the most respected families in the county.

RUFUS S. CROSBY.—The Crosby family, of Page County, Iowa, are direct descendants of one of that name who came from England at an early day and settled at Torrington, Connecticut. There David Crosby, whose father was a minister in the New Light Church, was born; he married Grace Stevenson, and their son, John Crosby, is father to Rufus S. Crosby, the subject of this notice. John Crosby was born in Blandford, Hampden County, Massachusetts, in 1794. He learned the tanner's trade, which he followed until his removal to Pennsyl [page 521]vania; he then engaged in farming and was occupied with agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in February, 1872. He was married to Wealthy Smith in Massachusetts; she was born in Chester, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, January 19, 1802, and died in February, 1877. They had a family of six children: Delilah S., Pamele, deceased, wife of E. K. Gorton; Edward E., Charles B., Rufus S., Fidelia S., wife of Nicholas M. Haynes.
Rufus S. Crosby was born in Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, April 27, 1834. He grew to manhood in his native county, and received more than ordinary advantages in the common and select schools. When he had attained his majority the family removed to Illinois and purchased eighty acres of land, on which they lived fourteen years. In the meantime the father died, and in March, 1875, Rufus Crosby, accompanied by his mother, removed to Page County, Iowa. He bought the farm he now makes his home; it consisted of 160 acres and had some improvements, but was comparatively new. Mr. Crosby at once went to work with a will, and has accomplished no small amount in the time he has resided here. He has given his entire attention to farming and stock-raising, and in these industries have been very successful. Politically he is a strong adherent of the principles of the Republican party, and takes an active interest in the political work of the county. He has been called upon by the people of his township to represent them on various occasions.
Mr. Crosby was united in marriage January 23, 1859, to Fidelia P. Smith, a daughter of Ransle and Mary R. (Small) Smith, natives of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania respectively, and of English and Scotch-Welsh descent. The father was born September, 1806, and died in Bureau County, Illinois,
January 1, 1854; the mother was born in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, in 1814, and died in August, 1869. Fidelia P. was born in Venango County, Pennsylvania, June 19, 1836. Mr. and Mrs. Crosby are the parents of eight children: Charles E., a minister of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church; Emma, wife of Hiram P. Ashbaugh; John R., who died in infancy; Abbie F., William L., deceased, Eugene A., and twin daughters, deceased. The parents are worthy and consistent members of the Congregational Church at Shenandoah, and have always taken an active interest in the support of the church and Sabbath school work.

WILLOUGHBY WOLFORD was born in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, January 10, 1810, and was married to Levina Kohler, a native of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, born in the year 1815. Both are of German descent. Mr. Wolford is a carpenter by occupation, but when he came to Indiana he abandoned the trade for agricultural pursuits. They reared a family of nine children, four of whom survived: Joseph A., the subject of this biographical notice; Mary L., wife of N. B. Easton; Alfred A. and Frank A.
Joseph A. Wolford was born in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, December 14, 1840, and when he was but eight years old his parents removed to La Porte County, Indiana, where he grew to manhood. He received more than a common-school education, and when he had attained his majority he started out in life for himself. He was engaged in various pursuits until 1868, when he removed to McDonough County, Illinois, and purchased eighty acres of land; there he resided fifteen years.

[page 522] Mr. Wolford was united in marriage January 26, 1871, to Miss Emaline S. George, a daughter of David and Lydia (Newhart) George, natives of Pennsylvania and of German origin. The father was born February 17, 1810, and the mother, May 26, 1817. They reared a family of twelve children, eight of whom survive: Francis II., William A., Sabina, Emaline S., Alfred M., Lydia C, Sarah C. and Monroe L. Mrs. Wolford was born in Pennsylvania, October 22, 1849. After their marriage our subject and his wife continued to live in McDonough County, Illinois, until 1883, when they came to Page County, Iowa. Mr. Wolford purchased the J. Walrod farm in Morton Township, consisting of 160 acres; it was partially improved at the time, but it has undergone a complete transformation under the management of the present owner. In 1887 he erected a fine frame barn, and in 1889, a handsome two-story residence. All the surroundings are most inviting, and thrift and prosperity are visible on every hand; 120 acres have been added to the first purchase, and the whole is well-stocked with the better grades of animals.
Mr. and Mrs. Wolford are the parents of four children: Frederick M., Lena M., William and Nettie G. Since their residence in the county they have striven to elevate the moral and religious sentiment of the community, and are the center of a large circle of friends. Mr. Wolford in politics is identified with the Democratic party.

GEORGE STAMBAUGH was a native of Pennsylvania, and died in Illinois in 1865, at the age of forty-eight years. His wife was Christina Wolf, also a native of Pennsylvania, and she died in Lee County, Illinois, at the age of fifty-five years. They had a family of ten children: Amelia, wife of Samuel Lehman; Jacob, George, Elizabeth, widow of Henry Fiscle; Sarah, widow of John Allen; David, Rebecca, wife of Isaac Thomas; Jerry M., the subject of this sketch; Lydia, wife of L. Allen, and Catherine, wife of W. H. Henderson.
Jerry M. was born in York County, Pennsylvania, October 3, 1853, and when he was eleven years of age his parents removed to Lee County, Illinois; there he lived seven years, and was trained to agricultural pursuits. When he was eighteen years of age, in company with two of his brothers, he came to Page County, Iowa, where they purchased 320 acres of land on section 20, Morton Township. It was wild land, but the first year they broke out a good portion and erected a substantial residence, at a cost of $1,000; they also planted a grove and set out ornamental trees; at the end of two years they disposed of the west quarter upon which the residence stood, and removed to the east quarter, where they built another good, frame dwelling, at a cost of $1,000. There they spent four months, and then divided their interests. J. M. purchased the farm, he now occupies; it was wild land, and in 1876 he broke it out for the first time. The next year he erected the present buildings, planted a grove and an orchard, and made other valuable improvements. He has developed the place into a fine stock farm, and takes great pride in the pursuit of his chosen occupation. He is alive, energetic, young man, and stands in the front rank of Page County's well-to-do citizens. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party.
Mr. Stambangh was united in marriage December 25, 1876, to Miss Blanch Ely, a daughter of William and Pauline Ely. She was born in Clinton County, Iowa, April 16, 1858.   Four children have been born of this [page 523] union: Mary Leta, infant twins, deceased, and Horace Dean.

William Ely, a native of Washington County, New York, was born February 5, 1834, and is the son of Herman and Lois (Morehouse) Ely, natives of the State of New York. He is one of a family of ten children and was reared to a farm life. Owing to defective vision he was denied the school privileges granted the other children, so his education is of a strictly practical character; he has accumulated a fund of information that enables him to attend to any business that may devolve upon him.
The spring that he was twenty-one years of age, in company with a brother, he left his old home and went to Iowa, locating in Clinton County. He purchased a tract of wild land, and engaged in breaking prairie in that locality for two or three years. In May, 1872, he came with his family to Page County, making the trip overland through mud and rain, and consuming twenty-five days in the journey. He bought a tract of forty acres of wild land in Morton Township, and erected a small house. The country was exceedingly new, with scarcely a human habitation in sight to note the existence of civilization. In 1883 Mr. Ely disposed of this piece of land, and bought the farm he now owns; it consists of eighty acres on section 28, Morton Township, and has been brought to an advanced state of cultivation. He has given his entire time and attention to agricultural pursuits, and has succeeded in accumulating a competence. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party.
Mr. Ely was married July 4, 1856, to Paulina Simpson, a daughter of John and Mary (Walrod) Simpson, natives of the State of New York. Mrs. Ely was born near Elbridge, New York, May 17, 1834, and died January 15, 1889.   They had two children born to them, Blanche, wife of J. M. Stambaugh, and H. J., who married Inez Waggoner.
When the family first came to the county, they had many trials and privations to endure, but they are now reaping their reward. The Ely family dates back to 1634, when Nathaniel Ely came from England to America, and settled in Massachusetts.

FRANKLIN A. WOLFORD has been identified with the interests of Page County, Iowa, since 1873. He is a native of La Porte County, Indiana, born January 14, 1853. His parents, Willoughby and Lavina (Kohler) Wolford, were born in Pennsylvania, and are now residents of La Porte County, Indiana; the father is eighty years of age and the mother seventy-six. The had born to them eight children, of whom four are deceased: John, James, Lewis and Henry; Joseph, Alfred A. and Franklin are residents of Page County; Mary Louisa, the wife of N. B. Easton, lives in Oklahoma.
Our subject was reared to farm life, and obtained his education in the common schools. At the age of nineteen years he was seized with the spirit of western emigration, and wended his way to McDonough County, Illinois, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits for two years. On coming to Page County, in 1873, he located on a farm of 160 acres which he had purchased the year previous; this land lay in Morton Township, and there was nothing to be seen but wild prairie grass, there being scarcely a human habitation in sight. Here he set to work, and he had no small task before him; he built a small house and made other necessary improvements and began the cultivation of the land. Today one can scarcely realize the transformation that has taken place, but push energy, and a pride in the comforts of life are [page 525] leading traits of Mr. Wolford's character, and these have accomplished wonders. He has a roomy and convenient house, and large barns for stock and grain, the whole being a model of neatness and order. He has purchased eighty acres of land which lie in Fremont County, making 240 acres in all that he owns. He has gained his possessions through his own efforts, which have been ably seconded by his estimable wife. Politically he affiliates with the Greenback party. He has done his share in the upbuilding of the county, and by his unwavering integrity and honesty has won a large circle of friends.
Mr. Wolford was united in marriage December 25, 1876, to Miss Emma Crouch, a daughter of L. P. and Esther (Turbush) Crouch, natives of the state of New York. She was born in La Salle County, Illinois, May 31,1859. They are the parents of three children: Mabel, Eddie G., Bertie C.
Mr. Wolford is a member of the Presbvterian Church.

JOHN S. ROSS, one of the leading stock-growers of Page County, was born in Putnam County, Illinois, March 27, 1832, and is the son of James and Phoebe (Snedeker) Ross. The father was reared in Ross County, which was then a new country, amid the wild scenes of frontier life. It was probably the experience of his youth that gave him courage to share in the settlement of a new country. He was the third to settle in Putnam County, Illinois, and located in the midst of the Indian camps of the Black Hawk tribe. He became a leading citizen of that county and was prominently identified with all public works. During the late civil war he was Provost-Marshal, and previous to that time he was a zealous worker in the "Underground Railway." He died in 1870; his wife had passed away in 1855. They had born to them eight children: William, John S., the subject of this biographical sketch, Angus M., deceased, George, deceased, Grant J., Emaline, deceased, Orrin, deceased, and Hester, deceased.
John S. Ross and his brothers, William and Angus, started in business in 1854 by erecting a steam saw-mill, which they operated until 1857, when it was destroyed by fire; they rebuilt, and it was again swept away by fire in 1859. In the meantime they had secured a quarter section of wild land in La Salle County, Illinois; after the destruction of the mill one brother removed to this land, and John S. began work by the month.
June 13, 1860, Mr. Ross was united in marriage to Miss Charlotte A. Wallace, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Stevenson) Wallace. She was born in the State of Ohio, April 25, 1840. After their marriage they located on a farm in La Salle County, Illinois, where they resided three years; they then disposed of this place and removed to Putnam County, which they made their home until March, 1875. At this time they came to Page County, Iowa, and settled on a quarter section of land which Mr. Ross had purchased in the fall of 1874. This farm lies in Morton Township, and has undergone a complete transformation. In 1876 a residence was erected which was destroyed by fire in 1889; this has been replaced by a handsome dwelling situated in the midst of beautiful grounds adorned by many varieties of ever­green trees and shrubs. Mr. Ross has also planted two acres of box-elder, one acre of Cottonwood, and 100 fruit trees, besides small fruits in abundance. His farm is stocked with the finest grades of Merino sheep, Chester White hogs, and Short-horn cattle. The [page 526] place is known as Pine Hill Stock Farm, and it justly has a high reputation.
Politically our subject is a strong adherent to the principles of the Republican party.
Mr. and Mrs. Ross are the parents of five children: Wallace G., a resident of Shenandoah, engaged in the agricultural implement-business; Emma, a teacher of music; Orrin, Howard and Angus J.

OSCAR BORTHWICK has been a resident of Page County since 1866, and claims our attention as the subject of this brief biographical notice. He was born in the State of New York, March 2, 1833, and is the son of James and Delinda (Dickinson) Borthwick, both natives of New York. The paternal ancestors came of Scotch stock. He is the youngest son in a family of twelve children, there being two sisters younger than himself. He grew to man's estate in his native county and obtained his education in the district school.
In the autumn of 1855, when he was in his twenty-third year, he removed to the West and settled in Knox County, Illinois, where he spent one winter; he then went to Henry County, Illinois, and made his home there until 1866, engaged in the meantime in agricultural pursuits. It was while residing in this county, October 22, 1857, that he was united in marriage to Maria Theresa Bean. She is a daughter of James and Jane Bean, natives of Ireland, who emigrated to America in their young days; she was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, September 17, 1834, and is one of a family of nine children. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Borthwick continued to reside in Henry County until 1866, when, as before stated, they came to Page County.   They landed May 6, and the first summer they spent in Amity Township near College Springs. Mr. Borthwick had purchased eighty acres of land and as soon as possible erected a dwelling, hauling the lumber a distance of thirty-six miles. There was much to contend with in those early days, but stout hearts and willing hands made light work, and today they are reaping their reward. They have generously supported the causes of Christianity and education, and have been of great assistance to many enterprises having for their object the upbuilding of the community.
Mr. Borthwick's farm is one of the finest in the county; it consists of 200 acres under cultivation, with a handsome frame residence and substantial barns for stock and grain; a grove of five acres and an orchard add not only to the value of the farm but also to the beauty of the landscape.
Mr. Borthwick and wife have had born to them seven children: Ernest B., deceased; Annice L., deceased; James L., Inez Idella, wife of David D. Stitt; Elsie M., Emily Rosaltha and Florence Blanche. Two daughters, Mrs. Stitt and Elsie M., have been engaged in the profession of teaching, with marked success. The family are members of the Yorktown Presbyterian church, Mr. Borthwick serving as one of the elders.

B.V. DRAPER was born in Saint Joseph County, Michigan, February 26,1840, and is the son of Hiram and Lydia A. (Weaver) Draper. The father still lives on the old home farm in Michigan, at the advanced age of eighty-two years; the mother died February 26, 1840. Our subject is one of a family of five children and was reared to the life of a farmer. When only fourteen years of age he started out to face the prob-[page 527] lem of life, and from that time he has been master of his own time and free to follow his own inclinations. During the summer season he worked on a farm, and in the winter he attended school, working nights and mornings for his board. Devoting all his spare time to study and reading he acquired a fair education. His chief ambition was to own a home, so he toiled faithfully and by the time he was twenty years old he was able to purchase eighty acres of timber land, for which he paid $10 per acre. He made some improvements on this land and sold it for $20 per acre.
Believing that the West was the place for young men, as it presented so many more opportunities for securing a home, Mr. Draper emigrated in 1867 to Page County, Iowa. The fall of that year he was employed in gathering corn, and during the winter he was prevailed upon to teach school in Douglas Township. In the spring of 1868, in partnership with B. Pagan, he purchased a tract of eighty-live acres, and the summer was devoted to its cultivation. Before the year was ended he had bought out his partner's interest, and in the spring of 1869 he purchased 160 acres on section 18, Lincoln Township, and then disposed of his first purchase on section 14. He began to break out and improve his new place, and made an addition of forty acres to that bought in the first place. Since that time this land has undergone a complete change, and the efforts of Mr. Draper have been eminently successful. His landed estate now covers 367 acres, all of which he has placed under excellent cultivation. He has planted ten acres of grove and two acres of orchard, which add much to the beauty of the farm as well as to its value and comfort. He has erected a fine, frame residence and substantial barns for stock and grain. He has done much towards the growth, development, and improvement of the county, and through a character whose leading traits are honesty and uprightness he has won a large circle of friends. Politically he has always supported the Republican party until 1889, when he voted the Prohibition ticket. He has represented his township officially as Justice of the Peace and as trustee.
Mr. Draper was married September 6, 1869, to Mrs. Nancy A. Motane, a daughter of William R. and Lydia L. (Lea) Liasure. She was born in Crawford County, Ohio, August 31, 1842. They are the parents of two children: Carrol R. and Wilbur H. They are members of the Free Methodist Church, Mr. Draper being one of the trustees.

C.D. CUTTER has been a resident of Page County since 1865, and has witnessed many changes in the southwestern part of Iowa in the past quarter of a century. He was born in Madison County, Illinois, June 1,1839, and is the son of A. F. and Mahala (Hill) Cutter, natives of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He is one of a family of eight children, and in his childhood the parents removed with their children to Rock Island County, Illinois, where they remained the balance of their days. Our subject attended the public schools of Rock Island County until he was sixteen years of age, when he engaged in agricultural pursuits. He followed this occupation, except two years in a family grocery store in Rock Island County, until he was twenty-one years old, and then he determined to see something more of the world and seek the fortune it might hold in store for him. Accordingly he made a trip to Pike's Peak and remained there two or three years.
In 1862 he returned to Atchison County, [page 528] Missouri, anid there, November 27, he was united in marriage to Miss Harriet A. Gunn, a daughter of William and Harriet (Richardson) Gunn, natives of Connecticut. She was born in Davenport, Iowa, January 28, 1842. After their marriage they remained in Atchison County three years, and in 1865 they came to Page County, Iowa. Mr. Cutter purchased a tract of raw prairie on section 17, Lincoln Township; there were forty acres in the piece, and the first year he erected a small frame house and pushed his improvements as rapidly as possible. From the little beginning of forty acres he has increased his possessions to 570 acres, all of which is in an advanced state of cultivation; 200 acres he took in a wild state, but it has since undergone a complete transformation. He has planted a grove of three acres, and five acres in a fine assortment of fruit trees.
In 1880 Mr. Cutter erected a handsome two-story frame dwelling, which has added much to the value of his land. He has devoted his entire time and attention to the cultivation of his land and has been universally successful in all his undertakings. He and his estimable wife began life with comparatively nothing, but by energy and economical management they have amassed a competence. Their lives furnish an example of what people can accomplish when they set out with a will and a determination to make the most of every opportunity.
Politically Mr. Cutter affiliates with the Republican party. He has served his township as clerk and for ten years he has held the office of trustee; he has been a Justice of the Peace and a member of the school board for a number of terms. He has taken an active interest in the promotion of educational advantages and is a lover of law and order. He is a member of the Church of God, although he was reared in the Baptist faith.
Mr and Mrs. Cutter are the parents of nine children: Harriet M., deceased; Phoebe A., wife of Ross R. Crow; Mary I., wife of O. E. Bursh; Cora A., wife of J. C. Gilmer; Amos F., William M., Charles D., Francis A. and John S.

THOMAS G. TURNBULL came to Page County as early as 1865, and since that time has been identified with its history. He is a native of Scotland, born in Fifeshire in 1843. His parents, Andrew and Agnes (Swan) Turnbull, are also natives of Scotland and now reside in the Dominion of Canada. When Thomas G. was one year old they crossed the Atlantic in a small sailing vessel and settled in Canada near Hamilton; there he was brought up on a farm and during the winter months succeeded in acquiring a sufficient education to enable him to begin teaching at the age of nineteen years. The charms of this profession did not, however, bind him closely to it, for in January of 1865 we find him in Iowa prospecting in this part of the State; from this portion he wended his way to Page County, which was at that time very thinly settled. He had been brought up in a new country, his father having settled in the heavy timber district, so the prospect of locating in another new field of labor had no terrors for him. He purchased a team of horses and the first year rented a farm and kept "bachelor's hall." The next year he worked by the month, and in the winter of 1866-'67, in company with three other men, he engaged in cutting cord wood, which skirted the river from Council Bluffs to Omaha. He then came back to Page County and bought eighty acres on section 25, Lincoln Township.
Mr. Turnbull was united in marriage January 1, 1868 to Miss Maria A. Martin, a na-[page 529] tive of Pennsylvania, born May 1, 1852. Soon after his marriage he began the erection of a dwelling on the land in Lincoln Township; it was an humble but comfortable home, and in it he and his wife spent many happy years. As their means increased and success crowned their efforts, the surplus was invested in real estate, and today they own 240 acres in one body in Page County. In 1887 Mr. Turnbull erected his handsome two-story residence, which occupies a very attractive situation in the center of the farm. He has also built subtantial barns for stock and grain, and planted five acres of grove and two acres in a fine assortment of fruit trees. Everything bespeaks the thrift and wise management of the owner. He is a self-made man in every sense of the word. Politically he casts his vote with the Republican party and is a strong supporter of its principles. In addition to his possessions in Page County he owns 480 acres in Otoe County, Nebraska.
Mr. and Mrs. Turnbull are the parents of ten children: Anna, William, Alexander, Samuel, Charles, Archibald, Nettie, Ruth, Thomas H., and Lillie M. (deceased). The father is the trustee of the United Presbyterian Church, to which the mother also belongs. Mr. Turnbull is a strong advocate of prohibition and was a delegate to the Prohibition State convention held at Des Moines in 1890.

     FRED BOLES, a leading farmer of East River Township, is a native of Trumbull County, Ohio. His father, Cyrus Boles, was also a native of Trumbull County, and his mother, Sarah A. (Boston) Boles, was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.
The date of our subject's birth is February 22, 1838, and when he was one year old his parents removed to Michigan, remaining there four years; they then went to Wisconsin where they made their home for three years; the five following years we find them in Illinois, and after that in Pennsylvania, where they remained until 1854.
Mr. Boles' early life was spent in various pursuits, turning his hand to anything that would bring him an honest dollar; at the age of fourteen years he took up the responsibility of caring for himself, so that his education was very limited; he has acquired much practical information, however, which has served him well in the duties that have fallen to him.
In 1854 he came as far west as Illinois, where he staid until the spring of 1855, when he pushed on through Iowa to Minnesota; he spent about two years in Iowa and Minnesota and then returned to Illinois, settling in Cass County. Three years after he enlisted in the Thirty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Company G, and served his country faithfully for three years. After leaving the service he engaged in farming in Cass County.
Mr. Boles was united in marriage March 1869, to Miss Rebecca Lacy, a daughter of John and Mary W. (Emerson) Lacy, natives of England, who came to America about the year 1844 and settled in Illinois. Mrs. Boles was born in Morgan County, Illinois, October 17, 1847. Five children are the result of this union: Alma, born February 2, 1872; Hulda, born January 20, 1874; Ned D., born December 24, 1876; Archie, born July 20, 1877, and Anna R., born May 1882.

Shortly after his marriage Mr. Boles came to Page County and purchased a tract of eighty acres of raw prairie land; this he improved and placed under good cultivation. In 1882 he disposed of this property and bought his present farm of 120 acres in East River Township. [page 530]

Politically he has always adhered to the principles of the Republican party, and has willingly borne his share of responsibility as a citizen of a free and self-governed country.

DOUGLAS BAILEY was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, September 5, 1847, and is a son of Samuel and Isabelle (McMurry) Bailey. When he was ten years old his parents removed to Washington County, Iowa, where he spent the remainder of his youth; he was trained in the pursuits of agriculture and received a common-school education.
On the 10th day of February, 1869, occurred the marriage of Douglas Bailey and Mary McOmas. Mrs Bailey is a daughter of Daniel and Catherine McOmas, natives of the State of Ohio; she was born in Athens County, Ohio, and came with her parents to Van Buren County, Iowa, in 1856.
After his marriage Mr. Bailey continued to reside in Washington County until 1873, when he came to Page County and settled in Harlan Township; there he engaged in general farming until 1881, when he settled on his farm in East River Township; he has forty acres of land and devotes himself to small-fruit culture exclusively. In 1889 he built a fine frame residence, which adds very much to the appearance of his place.
The people of East River Township have shown the confidence they feel in their neighbor by calling him to fill various positions of trust and responsibility; he has served as school director, as secretary of the school board, as road supervisor, and as constable; the last named office he has filled for the past seven years. Politically he votes with the Democratic party.   He is committeeman for his township, and is also a member of the county central committee.
In connection with his other business interests he is master of the art of auctioneering, and is frequently called to serve in this capacity.
Mr. and Mrs. Bailey have had four children: Frank B., born September 27, 1871; Isabelle M., born August 11, 1872; Charles D. , born December 24, 1881, and Edna B., born October 31, 1886; she died July 22, 1887.
Mr. Bailey's parents were natives of Ireland, and came to America in their youth; they had ten children born to them: Albert, Douglas, Robert, Perry, Gibson, Cynthia, the wife of D. Fishburn; James L., Elizabeth A., William M. and Ida M. The father is still living, and resides in Washington County, Iowa, at the age of sixty-three years; the mother died in July, 1872, at the age of forty-five years.
Mrs. Bailey's parents were natives of America; her father, who still survives at the age of seventy years, was born in Pennsylvania; he resides in Van Buren County, Iowa; her mother died in 1859, at the age of thirty-nine years. There were six children in the family, four of whom are living: William N., Anna, wife of A. Campbell; Frances M. and Mary E.     Mr. McOmas was married a second time, to Amanda Thomas, by whom two children were born: Clara M., wife of Mr. Coons, and Owen W.

ROBERT DOUGHERTY, the third child of Gideon and Elizabeth (Mahan) Dougherty, was born in Orange County, Indiana, September 28, 1845, coming to Iowa with his parents in his childhood. He passed his youth in Page County, receiving the [page 531] training of a practical farmer's son. His education was obtained in the primitive log school-house, and was necessarily somewhat limited; he has not neglected to cultivate his faculties of observation and has picked up much information of a practical nature. He remained at home with his parents until he was twenty-five years of age, assisting in the cultivation of the farm.
Mr. Dougherty was united in marriage, November 17, 1870, to Miss Nora Snodgrass, daughter of Thomas and Nancy (Long) Snodgrass, natives of Indiana, who came to Iowa in the '60s. He then began farming for himself, settling on a tract of sixty acres in East River Township, which he made his home for two years; he then removed one mile south to his present home on section 26. He owns eighty acres, improved with a fine two-story frame residence and barns for stock and grain. All the surroundings betoken the thrift and prosperity of the owner. He also owns 120 acres in section 24, 160 acres in section 25, forty acres in section 14, and eighty acres in section 23. He is one of the most successful farmers of the township, and has seen the country develop from the almost uninhabited prairie to one of prosperity and plenty. He has largely assisted in this growth, and is deserving of the esteem and regard in which he is held. In politics he is a stanch Democrat.
Mr. and Mrs. Dougherty are the parents of three children: Thomas M., Ona E. and Eva Maud. Mrs. Dougherty is a member of the Christian Church.

J.E. SCOTT, an enterprising farmer of East River Township, is a native of the " Hoosier" State, born in Shelby County, April 18, 1836.   His parents, N. F. and Elizabeth (Gunn) Scott, were natives of Indiana and Kentucky respectively; four children were born to them, of whom J. E. is the youngest and the only one surviving. He grew to manhood in Indiana, passing the greater portion of his time in Hancock County; he was reared to the life of a farmer, and obtained his education in the common schools.
When Mr. Scott had attained his twenty-second year a new era of his life began, for it was then that he emigrated to the West with his parents. They settled on a tract of sixty acres in Page County, where the land was new and unimproved; one of the first things they did was to erect a residence, 16 x 24 feet, which served as a dwelling for twelve years. The parents then removed to section 8, East River Township, and there the mother died; the father then settled about five miles north of Clarinda, where he passed the remainder of his days.
Mr. Scott was married April 2, 1865, to Miss Jane Jenks, a native of Piqua, Ohio, who had come to Page County with her parents in 1858. Her father, William Jenks, was born in England, and her mother, Margaret (Bercaw) Jenks, was born in the State of Pennsylvania. Her parents are both deceased.
After his marriage Mr. Scott settled on a farm of 160 acres, which he had purchased in East River Township, where he has resided up to the present time, with the exception of one year spent in California. He has done much toward the improvement of the county, and has brought his farm to an advanced state of cultivation. In connection with his farming industries he has paid some attention to carpentering.
The Democratic party has always had his support, and he has held the offices of township trustee and clerk, and is the present [page 532] assessor. He is a member of Clarinda Lodge, No. 140, A. F. and A. M.
Mr. and Mrs. Scott were reared in the faith of the Christian Church. They have had born to them eight children: Lillie M., wife C. F. Irelan; Margaret E., wife of Jerry Miller; George W., Emma E., Gracie L, William F., Thomas H. P. and Robert N.

WILLIAM S. DOUGHERTY, the eldest child of Gideon and Elizabeth (Mahan) Dougherty, was born in Lawrence County, Indiana, March 10, 1842. During his infancy his parents removed to Page County, Iowa, and settled in East River Township, where he grew to manhood; he was reared to the occupation of a farmer, and received his education in the primitive log school-house of that early day.
Amid the wild scenes of frontier life Mr. Dougherty grew up, assisting his parents in making and keeping a home. He was married February 9, 1865, to Miss Sarah J. Edwards, who was born in Indiana in 1848, and died in April, 1869. Two children were born of this marriage: Monroe, now living in Colorado, and Mary Alice, residing at home. The father was married a second time, March 10, 1875, to Miss Lodesca F. Cavender, a daughter of John and Martha A. Cavender: she was born in Indiana, November 27, 1855. Six children have been born of this union: Leona, Ora Elbert, Estella, Bertha, Nellie and Cordelia.
After his marriage Mr. Dougherty began farming for himself, renting one of his father's farms which he occupied for five years. His father then deeded him sixty acres of land in East River Township, where he now resides. He is using for a stable the original dwelling that was on the farm.   In 1876 he moved from an adjoining farm a small frame building to take the place of the log cabin which had been his home; he remodeled and enlarged the building, and now has one of the neatest and most comfortable homes in this part of the county. As his means increased he invested in land, and now owns 180 acres under good cultivation.
He is energetic and enterprising, and by fair dealing and integrity of character he has won the esteem and confidence of all who know him. In politics he ranks with the Democratic party. Mrs. Dougherty is a member of the Baptist Church.
Gideon Dougherty was born in Orange County, Indiana, February 5, 1816, and is the son of Robert and Sarah (Tanner) Dougherty. He was one of a family of sixteen children, and was reared in his native county, receiving the advantages offered in the old log school-house He remained with his parents until he had reached man's estate.
June 9, 1840, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Mahan, a daughter of Peter and Mary (Reed) Mahan. Mrs. Dougherty was born in Orange County, Indiana, January 23, 1818. Nine children were born to them: William S., Samuel,deceased, Robert, Martha E., Peter, Sarah Jane, deceased, John W., James B. and Caroline M. In 1844 our subject removed with her family to Iowa, making the journey with an ox-team, and being three weeks on the road. The first winter was spent in the section which is now Taylor County; the family lived in a tent while a small house was being erected. In the spring of 1845 they came to Page County, and settled in East River Township, where Mr. Dougherty had purchased a claim of a man by the name of Isaac Stout. Some improvements had been made, and a log cabin had been erected. Indians and wild game of all kinds were to be found in [page 533] abundance, and privations and hardships were met quite as frequently. But the determination to succeed was strong in the hearts of these worthy pioneers, and their efforts were generously rewarded.
The Dougherty estate at one time covered 500 acres, but the father was desirous of helping his children, so he divided a portion of it among them. At the time of his death he owned 370 acres. He was an active farmer, and paid some attention to stock-raising. In his political belief he was allied with the Democratic party.
Gideon Dougherty passed from this life May 6, 1885, leaving a wide circle of friends to mourn his death. His wife is now making her home with two of her sons, Peter and James, in Taylor County, near New Market.
John W. Dougherty, a native of Page County, Iowa, was born July 27, 1855. He is the sixth child of Gideon and Elizabeth (Mahan) Dougherty, and was reared to farm life, receiving his education in the common schools. Until he had attained his majority he remained at home, attending to such duties as usually devolve upon a farmer's son.
September 17,1873. Mr. Dougherty was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Thompson, a daughter of James and Ruth (Roach) Thompson; she is also a native of Page County, Iowa, born May 27, 1856.
After his marriage Mr. Dougherty took charge of his father's farm situated in Mason Township, Taylor County, Iowa, and remained there for five years. At the end of that time he removed to Atchison County, Missouri, where he spent the following five years. He then returned to Page County and settled on his present, farm of 200 acres; he has a piece of finely improved land, and being a man of thrift and energy he has made a decided success in his agricultural pursuits, occupying a position among the leading farmers of East River Township.
In politics Mr. Dougherty affiliates with the Democratic party. He was chosen by the people of his township in 1889 to act as trustee, and he has also held the office of constable. He has always taken an active interest in promoting the welfare of the community in which he lives, and faithfully discharged any duties he has assumed.
Mr. and Mrs. Dougherty are the parents of three children: Carrie, Minnie and Elmer.
Mrs. Dougherty is a member of the Christian Church.