Banta, Elijah

BANTA, VOORHIES, CROSBY, CAMPBELL, WALKER, PITKIN

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 6/28/2019 at 08:10:56

Hon. ELIJAH BANTA

"Biographical and Historical Record of
Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa"
(Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), p. 509:

HON. ELIJAH BANTA, of Lamoni, one of the leading citizens of Decatur County, was born in Shelby County, Kentucky, January 5, 1823, a son of PETER A. and MARY (VOORHIES) BANTA, natives of Ohio. The mother died in 1828, and November 29, 1829, the father settled in Johnson County, Indiana, where he followed farming till his death, in 1851, at the age of sixty-nine years. He reared a family of six sons and four daughters to maturity, of whom our subject was the ninth child. Only one brother is now alive, WILLIAM, who resides in Kansas. ELIJAH BANTA, our subject was married in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, October 6, 1846, to Miss EMELINE and a year or two after that marriage Mr. BANTA again returned to Johnson County, Indiana, where he remained till 1865. In 1869 he was elected auditor of Johnson County on the Republican ticket, he being the first Republican candidate for office ever elected in the county. In 1864 he was elected to the General Indiana on the same ticket, being the first Republican elected from his district. In the spring of 1865 he removed to Sandwich, Illinois, leaving Johnson County one year before his legislative term expired. He resided in Sandwich until he came to Decatur County, his wife dying there May 14, 1876, aged forty-nine years. He was again married November 29, 1877, to Miss HATTIE E. CROSBY, near Chatfield, Minnesota, a native of the State of New York and to this union have been born four children - WILLIAM ELIJAH died aged nine months; MARY CROSBY, ETHEL MAY and ALBERT JEFFERDS. Mr. BANTA was the first president and manager of the Colonization Society, incorporated in fall of that year ELIJAH BANTA, DAVID DANCER, and I. J. ROGERS, as agents for the “First United Order of Enoch,” visited Decatur County, where they purchased about 3,300 acres of land, the object of which was the founding a colony of Latter-Day Saints, and in 1872 these lands began to be occupied. On coming to this county Mr. BANTA first occupied himself in erecting several houses on the company’s lands, remaining in charge of the company’s interests as president until 1876, when he was succeeded by DAVID DANCER. Mr. BANTA first made his home in Fayette Township, on section 12, where he improved a farm of 240 acres. In 1882 he built a very fine residence in Lamoni, which he at present occupies, and in connection with his city residence he owns twenty acres. He also owns a fine stock farm of 800 acres in New Buda. In 1872 Mr. BANTA took part in the political campaign as a Republican, and supported HORACE GREELEY as a candidate for President. In 1876 he avowed himself a Democrat, and supported TILDEN and HENDRICKS. Without his consent or knowledge he was nominated by the Greenback party on the county ticket for supervisor; this nomination was indorsed by the Democrats, and by the votes of the Greenback and Democratic parties, he was elected by a fair majority, running ahead of the State ticket. In 1883, though not being in full accord with the Democratic party on the liquor ticket, which had not then adopted the “Local Option” principle, Mr. BANTA was nominated for and elected to the Iowa State Legislature, leading in his own county the State ticket of this party by 189 votes. He has now retired from political life, but against his will was nearly elected mayor of Lamoni in March, 1886. In the Reorganized Church of the Latter-Day Saints Mr. BANTA is one of the most prominent and influential members, and is bishop’s counselor. He is treasurer of the Board of Publications of the Saint’s Herald. Mr. BANTA is of Holland-Dutch extraction.

Transcribed by Christy Jay for IAGenWeb/Decatur County website

History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.
Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith, Supervising Editors
The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 217-19. Chicago. 1915.

HON. ELIJAH BANTA

Although Hon. Elijah Banta of Lamoni passed away in [March 19] 1889, there are many who remember him well and the influence of his life is still felt in Decatur county. He was for one term a representative in the state legislature of Iowa and was prominent in local political affairs. He was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, of Holland Dutch descent, on the 5th of January, 1823, a son of Peter A. and Mary (Voorhies) Banta, natives of Ohio. The mother died in 1828 and on the 29th of November, of the following year, the father removed with his family to Johnson county, Indiana, where he followed agricultural pursuits until his demise in 1851.

Elijah Banta was the ninth in order of birth in a family of ten children who grew to maturity, six boys and four girls. He grew to manhood in Johnson county, Indiana, but was married in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, October 6, 1846. A year or two following his marriage he returned to Johnson county, Indiana, and remained there until 1865. In 1864 he was elected to the general assembly of Indiana on the republican ticket and was the first republican elected from his district to the legislature. Moreover when elected county auditor he was the first successful republican candidate. In the spring of 1865 he removed to Sandwich, Illinois, leaving Indiana one year before his term in the legislature expired. He resided at Sandwich until he came to Decatur county, Iowa, where he continued to live until his demise. He was the first president and manager of the Colonization Society, which was incorporated in 1871, and in the fall of that year he visited Decatur county, Iowa, with the late David Dancer and I. L. Rogers. The three men were agents for the First United Order of Enoch and purchased thirty-three hundred acres of land in Decatur county, the object being the founding of a colony of Latter Day Saints. In 1872 members of that church began to settle upon the tract of land purchased by Mr. Banta, Mr. Dancer and Mr. Rogers, and the colony soon became an important factor in the life of Decatur county. The further history of the development of the settlement is given in the historical volume of this work.

Mr. Banta erected a number of houses on the company's lands and remained in charge of the interests of the company as president until 1876, when he was succeeded by David Dancer. Mr. Banta became the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres on section 12, Fayette township, which he cultivated and improved and on which he resided until 1882. He then built a fine residence in Lamoni, which is now the Children's Home, and continued to live there until his demise. He also owned a stock farm comprising eight hundred acres in New Ruda township and was one of the men of wealth of Lamoni.

Not long after his removal to Decatur county Mr. Banta became recognized as an important factor in local political circles and in 1872 took an active part in the campaign as a liberal republican, supporting Horace Greeley for president. In 1876, however, he avowed himself a democrat and in that campaign supported Tilden and Hendricks. Without his consent or knowledge he was nominated by the greenback party for the office of county supervisor and. as this nomination was indorsed by the democrats, he was elected by a fair majority, running ahead of the state ticket. Although he was not in full accord with the liquor policy of the democratic party, which had not then adopted the local option plank, in 1883 Mr. Banta was nominated as the democratic candidate for state representative. He was elected to that office, leading the state ticket in Decatur county by one hundred and eighty-nine votes. Upon the expiration of his term he wished to retire from political life, but against his will was almost elected mayor of Lamoni in March, 1886. In all of his public service he placed the general welfare before personal aggrandizement and his record was highly creditable.

Mr. Banta was married in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, on the 6th of October, 1846, to Miss Emeline Campbell, a sister of Mrs. Marietta Walker, of Lamoni, mention of whom is made elsewhere in this work. Mrs. Banta passed away in Decatur county on the 14th of May, 1876, when forty-nine years of age. On the 29th of November, 1877, Mr. Banta married Miss Hattie E. Crosby, who was then living near Chatfield, Minnesota, although she was born in the state of New York. They became the parents of four children, as follows: William Elijah died when nine months old. Mary Crosby is residing in Lamoni. Ethel Margaret is a critic and training teacher for kindergarteners in the State Normal School at Moorehead, Minnesota. Albert Jefferds, a graduate of the State University of Iowa, is a civil engineer residing at Houston, Texas. He married Miss Jessie Pitkin, of Lamoni, Iowa, and they have two sons, Albert Maurice and William.

Mr. Banta was one of the most prominent and influential members of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints in this part of Iowa and for years was treasurer of the board of publication of the Saints' Herald. He also held the office of bishop's counselor and the work of the church felt the impetus of his enthusiasm and intense interest in everything pertaining to moral advancement. As an agriculturist and business man he was very successful, as a man of public affairs he was characterized by devotion to the welfare of the people and by sound judgment, and in the private relations of life he manifested traits of character that endeared him to those who knew him intimately.

NOTE: Hattie E. (Crosby) Banta was born in 1847 and died April 10, 1896. Emeline and Elijah were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni IA.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014; updated July of 2015