known as a man of clear discrimination and sound judgment who generally succeeds in anything to which he directs his attention. As one of the old residents of the county he has witnessed marvelous changes and may justly be regarded as a valued citizen who is well worthy of prominent mention in a work pertaining to the history of Story county.
AMOS Hurst.
In Amos Hurst is found an excellent example of the self-made man who, starting out in life on his own account at the age of sixteen years, has since been dependent upon his own resources, working his way upward from a humble financial position to a place of affluence. In time he became the owner of an excellent farm property and in its cultivation and development gained a competence that now enables him to live retired in the enjoyment of well earned rest.
He was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1839, and is a son of Abram and Anna (Markley) Hurst, who were natives of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and were of German descent. They remained lifelong residents of the Keystone state, and the father devoted the years of manhood to farming. Their family numbered ten children: Amos; Daniel, who is living in Los Angeles, California; John, who died in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Levi, who was killed at Petersburg in 1864 while serving in the Union army; Alfred, deceased; David, who is living in Oberlin, Ohio; Katharine, who died in young womanhood; Hattie, the wife of Dr. Trimmer; Fannie, the deceased wife of William Jobe, of Pennsylvania; and Mrs. Martha Taylor, a widow living in Finley, Ohio. Three of the sons : Daniel, John and Levi, all enlisted for service in the Union army from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. John went to the front as a drummer boy when he was but fifteen years of age; Levi served as a private of the One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Pennsylvania; and Daniel was for two and a half years defender of the old flag.
Amos Hurst spent his youthful days in his parents' home to the age of sixteen years and during that period attended the public schools. He then started out in life for himself, working at farm labor by the month until twenty-four or twenty-five years of age. He came to Iowa in 1861, settling in Clinton county, and there in 1865 he was married to Miss Mary Conrad, who was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, December 3, 1842, a daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Harpster) Conrad, who were also natives of the Keystone state. They came to Iowa when it was still under territorial rule and located on a farm twelve miles west of Center in Clinton county, there spending their remaining days.
Mr. Hurst followed the occupation of farming in Clinton county for a long period and about 1880 came to Story county, settling in Palestine