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Transcribed by Ann
Selvig, from: Allerton,
Iowa Centennial,
July 5-6 1874 -1974, 100 Years WALTER
HALFHILL FAMILY
The Halfhill ancestors came to Iowa from
Hancock County, Illinois. Walter
was the son of Luke and Sarah (Robinson) Halfhill. He was
born on a farm five and a half miles south of
Allerton, May 12, 1874 and passed away December
16, 1955. He
was one of a family of eight children; William,
Mecca Knapp, Clyde, Walter, Lesley, Fred, Ora and
Eva Bailey. One
sister, Eva Bailey survives. He was
married to Mattie Olive Syferd, March 17, 1901. She was
the daughter of Phillip and Martha Jane (Wilson)
Syferd, one of a family of eight. She
passed away June 23, 1937. Her
father was one of the founders of Richardson
Chapel which was built in 1871.
Walter and Olive lived their entire lives
on a farm south of Allerton, there they raised
eight children: Beulah now deceased. She
married Cecil Bryan.
Their children are: Marcilee,
Shirley, Madeline, Clell, and Frances. Lelah
married Ralph Mitchell, they have one son Jerald. Velma
married Erwin Cobb, now deceased, and have one son
Richard. Earl
married Pearl Carter. Their
children are:
Vernon, deceased, Gene, deceased and
Elaine. Leo
married Corinne Draper and have three children;
Sandra, Alyce, and Jay Don Draper. Garth
who lost his life on Guadalcanal. Mervin
married Doris Hart; their children are Cheryl and
Steven. Carol
married Charles Dingman; their children are;
Kevin, Kimberly, deceased, Christine, Debra and
Donovon.
Three sons served in the Pacific area, Leo,
Mervin and Garth, also three grandsons; Richard in
Korea, Gene in Germany and Steven in Viet Nam.
Luke Halfhill and Phillip Syferd were Civil
war veterans.
Luke served in defense of the Union, being
a member of the gallant Fifteenth Iowa Infantry. He
participated in some of the most severe conflicts
of the war, including Shiloh, siege of Vicksburg
and Kenesaw Mountain. |