ISAIAH JACOB SHOWALTER (sic, should be Isaiah Jacob SHOWALTER), farmer, section 23, Middle Fork Township, was born in Putnam County, Indiana, son of Nimrod and Sarah (SHAMBAUGH) SHOWALTER, natives of Virginia. He was the third of seven children and passed his early life in assisting on the farm and obtaining his education in the public schools of his native county. At the age of nineteen years he came to Ringgold County and located in Middle Fork Township. His first purchase of real estate was in 1869, when he bought eighty acres of land on section 6, which he partly improved,and sold in 1875. He then bought another eighty, which is his present home, adding still another eighty since that time. He now has 160 acres of well-cultivated land, a good orchard of 150 trees, vineyard and small fruits, and every convenience for general farming and stock-raising.

He was married, March 4, 1869, to Miss Martha MILLER, a daughter of Nathan MILLER, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. They are the parents of six children - Hugh F., Sarah A., Ernest, Inez, Naomi, and Lester E.

Mr. SHOWALTER has served as township clerk, a member of the School Board, and is a worthy member of the Advent Christian church, of which he is secretary. In general conference he is clerk of the church. He started in life without means, but by working out by the month and teaching twelve or fifteen terms, he was able to purchase his land. Politically he is a Democrat. Postoffice, Ingart Grove.

NOTE: Isaiah Jacob SHOWALTER was born in 1847, and died in 1940. Martha Agnes (MILLER) SHOWALTER was born in 1850, and was killed by a train near her home, Stuttgart, Arkansas September 9, 1915. Lester E. SHOWALTER was born January 11, 1885, and was killed October 29, 1902 in Grant City, Worth County, Missouri when a building collapsed. They were interred at Hickory Grove Cemetery, Ringgold County, Iowa.

Isaiah Jacob and Martha Agnes (MILLER) SHOWALTER were the parents of six children:
1) Hugh Franklin SHOWALTER married July 12, 1897 Nettie Bell BUDLONG
    residence Glendale CA where he owns a barbershop
      Child: Owen SHOWALTER, born 1904
2) Sarah Alice "Sadie" SHOWALTER married Park MARSHALL
    residence Stuttgart AR; 1 child
3) Ernest SHOWALTER married unknown, no children
    residence Brush CO, employed by a lumber company
4) Inez SHOWALTER married Ernest EWING, no children
    Ernest graduated from Kirksville School of Ostepathy
    residence El Reno OK
5) Naomi SHOWALTER married Frank GLENN
    Frank graduated from Kirksville School of Ostepathy
    residence Stuttgart AR; two children:
      1) Harold GLENN
      2) Howard GLENN
6) Lester E. SHOWALTER
    born January 11, 1885
    killed October 29, 1902, Grant City MO when a building collapsed

Photograph courtesy of Mandy Goodman, April of 2010

SOURCES:
Biography & Historical Record of Ringgold County, Iowa, p. 257, 1887.

RAILEY, Clementine BROWN. History of the House of Ochiltree of Ayrshire, Scotland, p. 166-67

WPA Graves Survey

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2009

Biographical Sketches Pages Index: A - F,   G - L,   M - R,  S - Z