HENRY SANDERS
Henry Sanders of Lucas, Iowa, has for many years been
connected with agricultural and commercial interests of the
county and for the past ten years has done valuable service in
the employ of McKlveen Brothers & Rogers, in Lucas. Born in Union
township, this county, on March 6, 1865, he is a son of John
and Mary A. (Hite) Sanders.
The paternal grandfather, Adam Sanders, was born in
Pennsylvania and died in Union township, Lucas county, at the
age of seventy-two years.
His wife, Hannah Sanders, also a native of the Keystone
state, died in the same township, aged seventy-four years. Both settled in
Union township in 1853 and are buried in the cemetery at
Smyrna. The
maternal grandparents were William and Nancy (Irvin) Hite,
natives of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, both of whom
passed away n Wyandot county, Ohio, the former at the age of
sixty-eight years and the latter when sixty-seven years old. In their family
were six children, of whom two survive. John Sanders, the
father of our subject, was born in Somerset county,
Pennsylvania, on June 4, 1818, and died in Nebraska, December
8, 1904. He came
to Union township, Lucas county, in 1856. His wife, Mary A.
Sanders, was a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania,
born July 25, 1839, and moved westward with a sister, first
settling at Garden Grove, Decatur county, Iowa, whence they
came to Lucas county in 1852.
When they made the overland trip there were but few
settlers, the country for the most part being uninhabited
prairie. Mr. and
Mrs. John Sanders had two children: Mrs. Hannah Yont, born March 20, 1863,
who married E. H. Yont on March 10, 1887, and died May 4,
1888, leaving one daughter, Mrs. Cassie (Yont) Sellers, born
April 23, 1888, who resides near Chariton, Iowa; and Henry,
the subject of this review.
After the death of her first husband Mrs. Sanders
married the Rev. S. N. Matheny, who was born February 29,
1821, in Missouri. He
was taken in his infancy by his father to Kentucky, where he
lived for about eight years, when the family removed to
Indiana. In 1850
they came to Iowa and in 1857 he was ordained a Methodist
Episcopal minister. He
became a Mason in 1872.
On February 9, 1847, he was married to Elizabeth Jane
Wilkins, who passed away January 11, 1898, and to this union
were born thirteen children, eleven sons and two daughters.
Henry Sanders grew to manhood in Lucas county of which
he has since been a continuous resident with the exception of
one year. In the
acquirement of his education he attended the common schools
and early became acquainted with agricultural labor, engaging
in farming until he was thirty-five years old, when for three
years he worked as carpenter in Lucas. For the past ten
years he has been employed by the firm of McKlveen Brothers
& Rogers, in Lucas, and by his ability, industry and
innate honesty has earned the high confidence of his
employers.
On February 3, 1889, Mr. Sanders was united in marriage
to Miss Clara A. Irvin, who was born in Union township, this
county, January 7, 1863, and there grew to womanhood. She is a member of
an old pioneer family, her parents being A. J. and Kate (Van
Vost) Irvin, the former a native of Ohio, born April 15, 1838,
and the latter of Shelby county, Indiana, born September 2,
1842. Both of
her parents came to this county in 1852 with their respective
families and were married in this county on November 8, 1860,
and are still residing in their comfortable home in Union
township. Mr.
and Mrs. Irvin had nine children, of whom Mrs. Henry Sanders
was the eldest. The
other surviving members are:
Matthew G., born January 28, 1864, a resident of
Hastings, Nebraska; Maude, whose birth occurred September 19,
1872, and who resides with her parents in Union township; Lee,
born September 19, 1875, making his home in Lucas; Mrs. Julia
Eckleberry, born November 29, 1877, residing in Union
township; and Etta, a resident of that township who was born
January 31, 1882. The
deceased are: Margaret,
who passed away at the age of one year; Mary, a little maiden
of three years at the time of her death; and Elizabeth, who
died when one year of age.
Mr. and Mrs. Sanders are the parents of six children: E. Arlie, born
January 7, 1890, now residing in Lucas; Fred J., born
September 6, 1891; Myrtle V., born January 16, 1893; Ethel Z.,
born March 23, 1895; Don W., born in Decatur county, August
25, 1896; and Wilma L., born October 5, 1900. With the exception
of Don W., all of the children were born in Lucas county.
Politically Mr. Sanders affiliates with the republican party and in religious faith he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. Both also belong to the Yeoman lodge of Lucas. Mr. Sanders owns a comfortable residence in that city where he is widely and favorably known and highly esteemed for his many high qualities of mind and character.