Olney, Justin J. (1838-1912)

OLNEY

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/15/2019 at 00:31:01

Justin J. Olney
Feb 8, 1838 - Oct 1912

[From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.243]
JUSTIN J. OLNEY, of Belknap Township, was born in Kirtland, Lake Co, Ohio, February 8, 1838, son of OLIVER and ALICE (JOHNSON) OLNEY, the former a native of New England and the atter of the state of Vermont. The father, reared and educated in New England, followed his profession of cloth manufacturer, in the land of his birth, and emigrated to Ohio in an early day, locating first in Portage Co., thence removing to Lake Co. He emigrated thence to Nauvoo, Illinois, and a few years later removed to the State of Missouri, where his wife died in 1842. Soon afterward he moved back to Ilinois, where he married again and remained until the date of his death. He was the father of 11 children, namely: Newton, who died about 1841; Milton, now residing in Ohio; Emily, who resides in Oregon, having emigrated there about the year 1846 or 47; Mary, who went to Oregon in 1852 and died in November 1855; Rosetta, who died about the year 1842; Oliver, who died in Belknap Township, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, in 1875 at the age of 42 years; Laura, still living in Kirtland, Ohio; Caroline A., who died in 1858; Cornelia, who died about 1841; Justin J. the subject of this sketch; and Albert, who died in infancy in 1842. Mr. OLNEY, the subject of this sketch, and his sister, Mary, after the death of their mother, were taken by an Uncle, JOHN JOHNSON, living at Hiram, Ohio, who brought them up. Laura was brought up by MRS. EMILY QUINN, an aunt, who lived at Kirtland, Ohio. Caroline was brought up by MRS. JASON RYDER, an aunt, of Hiram, Ohio. In the year 1855, Mr. JOHNSON came to Pottawattamie Co, Iowa, and located on a farm near Council Bluffs where young Justin J. worked for him by the month for about one year. He then rented a part of Mr. JOHNSON's farm and worked for him until 1862, when he made three trips across the plains to Denver, August 9, 1865, he married Miss MARY E. MORRISON, daughter of EDWIN S. and EVELINE (MORRIS) MORRISON. Mr. MORRISON was reared in his native state of Missouri. December 8, 1836, he married his wife in Virginia, her native State. His first ancestors in America settled in this country in early times. His father was a Presbyterian minister. After his marriage, Mr. MORRISON visited Cincinnati, Ohio, resided for a time at Madison, Indiana, and then returned to Cincinnati, where his wife died in 1847, leaving five children, namely: Monteville, now a resident of Kansas City, Missouri; Sarah E., deceased; Mary E. wife of Mr. OLNEY, Catherine and Elizabeth, both deceased. Mrs. OLNEY was born in Indiana November 27, 1842. Her mother having died when she was quite young, she was taken care of by her grandmother for one year; then her father married MARGARET DENTON September 14, 1849, and she was taken to his home in Cincinnati, where she was brought up. At the age of 18 years, she came to South English, Iowa, to reside with her brother, where she made her home until her marriage. In 1866 Mr. OLNEY purchased 240 acres of land on the west side of the Nishnabotna River, near his present home. Since that time, he purchased 40 acres more, all of which he occupied and improved until 1880, when he rented his farm and removed to Oakland and engaged in the trade in agricultural implements; but a year afterward he moved upon a farm in the vicinity of Oakland. In 1883 he exchanged his farm for an undivided one-half interest in a tract of 560 acres. When the division was made, he obtained 320 acres of fine land in section 23 and 24 where improvements had been made. His principal business is agriculture. He has 140 acres in cultivation, and the rest in pasture and meadow. He also has an orchard of one and a half acres of applies and small fruit. There is a fine spring of water upon his land, furnishing a good supply of pure water for all purposes. Politically Mr. OLNEY is a Republican and a zealous advocate of Republican principles. He has been a prominent member of the Board of Education in his township and has held many of the township offices, which he has filled to the satisfaction of the people. His family are members of the Christian or Disciples' Church of Oakland. His two children are: Caroline Alice, the wife of D.S. PLEAK, who now resides in Macedonia Township, this county; and Wayne, living at home with his parents. Mrs. Olney's father resides in Springfield, Ohio, and by his second wife has six children, to wit: Marion E., Belle, Sarah, Louisa, Margaret and George. Marion E. now resides in Cincinnati, Ohio; Louisa is the wife of a Mr. McCONNELL, in Illinois, and the others are at home.