Cherry, J. O.

CHERRY, OFFITER, REED, CLINE, BRECKENRIDGE, DUDLEY, SEA, BINGMAN, HEATON, KLINE

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 6/28/2019 at 19:45:18

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. 11-12. Chicago. 1915

J. O. Cherry
J. O. Cherry, who for the past four years has lived retired at Le Roy, has resided in Decatur county since 1869, and for many years devoted his time to agricultural pursuits. He was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, August 19, 1841, of the marriage of Matthew and Mary (Offiter) Cherry, who removed to Ohio from the Keystone state in 1828. The father was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and was there reared to manhood. His first wife, who was in her maidenhood a Miss Reed, passed away in that state, ad his second wife, the other of our subject, died in Muskingum county, Ohio, when about forty-five years of age. He was subsequently married a third time and had in all seven children, but only two are living, our subject and a brother. The father died in Muskingum county, Ohio, when seventy-seven years of age.

J. O. Cherry remained a resident of the Buckeye state until he was twenty-two years of age, and then removed to Jackson county, Iowa, where his father owned two hundred and forty acres of land. He remained there until his marriage, after which he took up his residence in Henry county, Iowa, where he resided a few years before removing to this county. In 1869 he became a resident of Decatur county, locating on section 4, Garden Grove township, where he still owns two hundred and forty acres of fine land. He also holds title to eighty acres in Clarke county and ruing his active life successfully engaged in farming and stock-raising, specializing in breeding shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. He made all of the improvements upon his place and the farm is excellently developed and well equipped. For a few years he has rented his land and has lived retired in Le Roy.

On the 4th of July, 1865, occurred the marriage of Mr. Cherry and Miss Mary Cline. She was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1843, a daughter of Tobias and Mary Cline, who in 1851 removed to Iowa by way of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. They located in Jackson county, where they passed away. To their union were born a large family of children, but only three survive, those besides Mrs. Cherry being Susan and Caroline Mr. And Mrs. Cherry have had six children, namely: Harry, who died in early manhood; John, a resident of California, who married Miss Dudley; Ida, the wife of George Sea, also living in California; Emma, who married a Mr. Bingman, a resident of California; Ora, who gave her hand in marriage to Nelson Breckenridge and is living in the Golden State; and Josephine, the wife of William Heaton. Mr. And Mrs. Cherry also have thirteen grandchildren, some of whom are married.

The democratic party finds in Mr. Cherry a loyal supporter and he has served as a member of the town council of Le Roy. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Presbyterian church, of which he is an elder, and all movements looking toward moral progress profit by his cooperation. The leisure which he is now enjoying is the merited reward of former toil and none begrudges him his prosperity.

Note: As per her obituary, John O. Cherry's wife's maiden name was Mary Elizabeth Kline.

Transcription for IAGenWeb ~ Decatur County