JOHN T. SKIDMORE
John
T. Skidmore is classed among the substantial pioneer settlers
of Lucas county, dating his residence here from very early
times. He was a
young boy at the time of his arrival and as the years have
gone by his strong purpose and laudable ambition have gained
him a goodly measure of success. He was born in Johnson county, Indiana,
January 24, 1845, and is a son of William and America (Leech)
Skidmore, the former of whom was born in Henry county,
Kentucky, in 1818 and the latter in Indiana in 1820. They came to Lucas
county in 1856, among the early settlers, and here the mother
passed away in 1880. The
father survived her several years, dying in Kansas in 1896. In their family
were seven children: Mrs.
Sarah McCollum, deceased; Mrs. Melinda Davis, residing in
Kansas; Mrs. Harriet Ramsey, who has also passed away; John
T., the subject of this review; Mrs. Lucy Jane Mabry,
deceased; William, whose home is in Reno county, Kansas; and
Mrs. Elizabeth Hughes, of Jackson township. All of these
children were born in Indiana and all were reared in Lucas
county, where they attended the schools of the pioneer days.
John T. Skidmore was still a child when he came with his parents to Iowa. The family came overland with horse teams from Indiana to Lucas county, bringing with them thirty head of cattle. They crossed the Mississippi river at Burlington and pushed on into Liberty township, where the father purchased from Mr. Gilpatrick a tract of land upon which they lived for a number of years. Mr. Skidmore of this review grew up among pioneer conditions and can recall many characteristic incidents of pioneer life. He has been ever a close observer and probably no one is more familiar with the history and conditions of the early times in Iowa than he. He can remember the time when the distance between the markets was a serious handicap to trade relations and when the farmers were obliged to take their produce to Burlington or Eddyville. He himself recalls driving many herds of hogs to the latter city, whence they were shipped to the eastern markets. He can tell of the scarcity of money in those days, the rigors of the climate, the danger from Indians, and he can speak interestingly of the intermediate and later phases of development which transformed the state from a frontier wilderness into a prosperous and growing commonwealth. Success has rewarded his active labor through the years and he is now one of the substantial citizens of Lucas county, owning eighty acres of land on section 13, Jackson township, and four acres subdivided into town lots in Lucas, besides a comfortable and attractive home in the latter city.
In
1866 Mr. Skidmore married Miss Adaline Stackhouse, who was
born in Janesville, Ohio, in May, 1841. She is a daughter
of Samuel and Elizabeth (Crowe) Stackhouse, early settlers in
Lucas county. The
family came from Wayne county, Indiana, and thence to this
section of Iowa after a residence of one year at Drakesville,
Davis county, The
father followed the blacksmith’s trade in Chariton from 1860
until the time of his death in that city in 1883. He was one of the
earlier and leading Masons, belonging to the Knights Templar,
and was also an influential member of the Odd Fellows. His wife was a
native of New Jersey, born in 1812, and she died in Chariton,
Iowa, in 1893. In
their family were four children: Susan, who died in infancy; William, who
served in the Civil war as a captain in the Nineteenth Indiana
Battery Corps and who passed away in 1877; Mrs. Angeline Buck,
residing at Afton, Iowa; and Adaline, the wife of the subject
of this review. To.
Mr. and Mrs. Skidmore were born nine children: Edwin, who was born
August 2, 1867, and died at the age of five months; Lenora,
who died at the age of one year; Effie Esther, who died at the
age of three years; William S., who was born March 28, 1872,
and is now residing at Colfax, Iowa; Mrs. Lulu Peterson, of
Lucas county; Allie, deceased; John T., Jr.; George, who
passed away in Lucas at the age of eleven years; and O. T.,
who is employed as a railway mail clerk on the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy Railroad.
Mr. Skidmore gives his political allegiance to the democratic party and has proved his public spirit by active official service. He was township trustee for six years and assessor of Jackson township for fourteen years. He was for one term a member of the town council and for six years township assessor, serving also for a time as school director. He was a candidate on the democratic ticket in two different campaigns for the office of sheriff. Fraternally he is connected with Good Shepherd Lodge, No. 414, A. F. & A. M., of which he is worshipful master, and he is affiliated also with the Yeomen. During more than half a century he has been largely familiar with the history of the county and has an intimate and personal knowledge of the many events which have shaped its history and guided its policies. He is therefore numbered among the pioneer settlers who well deserve a place on the records of the county.