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WILLIAM NEHEMIAH VANSKIKE, son of Nehemiah and Sarah (Thompson) VanSkike, was born in Harrison township, Benton county, Iowa, October 19, 1866, and there received a common school education; later he attended school some time in Mount Vernon.
Nehemiah VanSkike, son of David VanSkike, and his wife, was born in Ohio, in 1825, and reared in his native state. When sixteen years of age he moved to Indiana, where he remained until reaching manhood, and in 1858 came to Benton county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres, which had a few improvements. He made further improvements, and lived there until 1884, when he removed to Vinton, where he died June 15, 1893. He married, in 1863, Sarah, daughter of Hiram and Nancy (Wynn) Thompson. Hiram Thompson, who was a son of Robert and Susan (Montgomery) Thompson, was born in Pennsylvania, November 2, 1810, reared in Pennsylvania, moved to Ohio, later to Indiana, where he married, and in 1851 located in Benton county, Iowa, where he purchased five hundred acres of land, and lived here until his decease in November, 1872. His wife was a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Wynn, who came from Pennsylvania in an early day; they were married in Pennsylvania, and died in Ohio, where Mrs. VanSkike's mother was reared. Hiram Thompson and his wife had children as follows: Robert H., who lives in Vinton, Iowa; Susan, wife of Arthur Buttrick, of Harrison township; Calvin R., and Clinton C., (twins), the former living at Brandon, and the latter at Vinton, Iowa; Alice, wife of Nehemiah VanSkike, of Brandon; George, of Brandon; Sarah; and other children, deceased. Mrs% VanSkike was born in 1847, in Greensburg, Indiana, and came to Iowa when a child; she was reared in Benton county, and still resides in Vinton.
Nehemiah VanSkike served two terms as county supervisor of Benton county, and also held township offices. He was a Republican and a member of the Methodist church. He was highly respected, and became quite prominent in local affairs. He and his wife had two sons, namely: Akbar, who lives on the old home farm, in Harrison township; and William N.
William N. VanSkike moved to his present farm in Harrison township after his marriage, and has continued to reside there with the exception of four years spent in livery business in Vinton. He has been very successful in the conduct of his farm, and is an enterprising, thriving man of affairs. He takes an active interest in local affairs, and has served as township trustee, school officer, etc. He is a Republican in politics. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias, and to the Independent Order of Foresters.
At the age of twenty-three years, Mr. VanSkike married Josephine, daughter of Samuel and Mary Ann (Freeman) Lowe. Samuel Lowe was born near Lexington, Kentucky, March 3, 1825, and at the age of sixteen years moved to Johnson county, Indiana, where he grew to manhood. He removed to Benton county, Iowa, and in 1859 entered one hundred and sixty acres, where he resided ten or twelve years. He also lived on other farms, and spent seven years as superintendent of the Benton county poor farm. Later he purchased land southeast of Vinton, and remained there until the death of his wife, November 6, 1900, when he removed to LaPorte and resided there till his death, November 4, 1907. He was a stanch Republican. His wife was born in Johnson county, Indiana, March 31, 1826, was reared there and married, December 25, 1850. She was a daughter of Moses and Martha Freeman, both devout Presbyterians. Mr. VanSkike and his wife have two children, both at home, Nehemiah, born in June, 1894, and Wayne, born in April, 1899.
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