out at Clinton, Iowa, about the 1st of July. He had been captured at Altoona Pass on the 5th of October, 1864, and was first incarcerated in the Macon (Ga.) prison, while later he was transferred to Milan prison, being confined for fifty-two days. At the end of that time he was paroled and four months later was exchanged. After returning home he attended school for a year and a half longer, recognizing the value of a good education in the battle of life.
On the 30th of August, 1867, he wedded Miss Margaret Kirby, of Des Moines, a daughter of Jacob and Harriet (Ferguson) Kirby. The following winter he became identified with educational interests as teacher of the Hall school, a log schoolhouse in Indian Creek township, Story county. During that season his wife taught the Donohue school in the same township. In the spring Mr. Veneman took up general agricultural pursuits, renting his father's farm in Polk county and operating it for four or five years. During that time he had come into possession of a little more than one hundred acres thereof and continued to reside on that tract until 1873, when he disposed of the property and purchased one hundred acres on section 14, Indian Creek township. There he successfully carried on his farming interests until 1902, when he put aside the active work of the fields, having lived in honorable retirement for the past nine years. He owns a tract of twenty-three acres adjoining the town of Maxwell and makes his home in a pleasant and commodious residence which he built thereon. His property holdings include one hundred and sixty acres on section 24 and twenty acres on section 14, Indian Creek township, all of which is cultivated by his son Lemuel. Early realizing that earnest, unremitting labor is the basis of all success, he worked on diligently year by year to provide for his family and to obtain a comfortable competence for old age.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Veneman have been born six children. Roy, the eldest, passed away in 1906 in the thirty-ninth year of his age. He was educated at Ames and followed the profession of teaching at Colo, Story City and Madrid, Iowa. Becoming noted as an educator, he was elected superintendent of schools of Boone county and served in that position for four years. Lemuel J., the second son, is an agriculturist by occupation and operates the home farm in Indian Creek township. Nelson J., is engaged in the produce business at Scranton, Iowa. Harriet, who gave her hand in marriage to John Black, makes her home in Scranton, Iowa. Alberta, the wife of Elmer Cole, lives in Winterset, Iowa. Ward W., a stationary engineer, makes his home in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Mr. Veneman is a republican in politics and has long been an influential worker in the local ranks of his party. For more than thirty years he has remained continuously in public office, serving as township trustee or in one of the other township positions. He represented his district in the twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth general assemblies of the state legislature and has repeatedly served as delegate to the state conventions, being one of Story county's most widely known and highly esteemed citizens. Frater