WILLIAM H. PIXLEY

Iowa has became a great agricultural state through the combined efforts of many enterprising men, who in their farm work have kept abreast with the most advanced methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. Such is the record of William H. Pixley, who resides on section 8, Grove township, Worth county, where he now owns and cultivates one hundred and forty acres of rich and arable land. He was born in Homer, Michigan, February 4, 1871, a son of John and Ella (Lum) Pixley, who were also natives of Michigan, where they were reared and married. There the father followed the occupation of farming and about 1881 left that state to become a resident of Glenville, Freeborn county, Minnesota. He followed farming east of Glenville for about a year and then came to Worth county, taking up his abode upon a farm in Grove township west of the place upon which his son William now resides. He purchased sixty acres and devoted a number of years to its development and improvement. Afterward he established his home in Northwood and became a mail carrier but is now living retired at the age of seventy years, enjoying a rest which he has truly earned and richly merits.

William H. Pixley spent his boyhood days in Michigan until he reached the age of ten years and then accompanied his parents on their removal to Minnesota and a year later became a resident of Grove township, Worth county, Iowa. His education, begun in the schools of Michigan, was continued in Worth county and he was also thoroughly trained in farm work. Later he purchased land and began farming on a tract of one hundred and sixty acres three miles east of his present farm. He resided upon that place for nine years, after which he sold the property and bought his present homestead, comprising one hundred and forty acres on section 8, Grove township. This is a rich and productive tract, the soil responding readily to the care and cultivation which he bestows upon the fields. The place is well fenced, the improvements are substantial and modern and everything about the farm indicates his progressive spirit and his familiarity with scientific methods of farm work.

In 1894 Mr. Pixley was married to Miss Mary Dixon, a native of Grove township and a daughter of William and Mary (Nelson) Dixon. Her father was born in Westmoreland, England, where he was reared and educated and followed farming until he reached the age of thirty-four years, when in 1865 he crossed the Atlantic to America and made his way into the interior of the country, settling in Grove township, Worth county, Iowa. Here he invested in one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he improved and developed, spending his remaining days upon that property. His death occurred in February, 1899, when he was sixty-seven years of age. His political allegiance was given to the democratic party and for a number of years he filled the office of assessor and was also school secretary. His wife was a daughter of Peter and Mary (Peters) Nelson and was born in Stockholm, Sweden, which was also the birthplace of her parents, with whom she came to the United States in 1854, the Nelson home being established in Grove township near the farm upon which Mr. Pixley now resides. Her father took up government land. He made the trip from Monroe, Wisconsin, by wagon and died soon after reaching Iowa, his death resulting from exposure, for they had had a very hard trip and lived in their wagons while they were building a new home. The mother of Mrs. Dixon passed away when eighty-seven years of age.

To Mr. and Mrs. Pixley have been born three children, Lynn, Clem and Gladys. The last two are twins. Mr. Pixley votes with the republican party and while he has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking he has served for twenty years as school treasurer and he is interested in all that pertains to public progress and improvement in this section of the state. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Baptist church. He is upright and honorable in all of his relations, straightforward in his business dealings and progressive in citizenship and those who know him speak of him in terms of warm regard.

SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; PAGES 143 & 144

Transcription by Gordon Felland, 9/13/2006