Plank, Malachi V. (1823-1906)

PLANK

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/16/2019 at 13:43:51

Malachi V. Plank
Nov 28, 1823 - Aug 15, 1906

(From the 1891 Biographical History of the Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.575)
M.V. PLANK, a successful farmer of Pottawattamie Co., was born in Lewis County,, NY, November 28, 1823, son of HENRY PLANK, a native of the Mohawk Valley and a soldier in the War of 1812. He was a son of JOSIAH PLANK, a Revolutionary soldier. Our subject's mother was MARGARET C. (VANINGEN) PLANK, a native of New York and daughter of JOSEPH VANINGEN, a native of Holland. The parents lived in New York until their death. The father was a farmer all his life and in his religious relations was a member of the Presbyterian Church.

M.V. PLANK was reared on a farm in Lewis Co. until his 18th year, when he served an apprenticeship at the carpenter and joiner's trade and as a stair builder for three years. In 1857, he came to Lyons, Clinton Co., Iowa, where he was engaged at his trade two years. He then moved to Iola, Allen Co., Kansas, but on account of the famine that yar and also of the breaking out of the War, he went to Whiteside Co., Illinois, near Morrison; in 1866 he rturned to Clinton Co., Iowa; in 1867 he removed to Delaware Co.; and in 1872 he went to Sioux City, Iowa, where he made his home until 1875. That city was then a small village, and in 1872 he was elected a Master Mechanic at Fort Buford, which position he filled with credit. In 1875 he came to his present farm of 80 acres in Belknap Township.

He was married October 18, 1846, in Lewis Co., NY, to Miss H.A. WITHERBEE, who was born in Otsego Co., NY, and was reared and educated at Watertown, Jefferson Co. She was a successful and popular teacher before her marriage, and while in Kansas held the position of Principal in a high school. The was the daughter of DAVID and ELIZA (ST. CLAIR) WITHERBEE, the former a native of Manchester, Vermont, and the latter of Westminster, same state, and a daughter of General Arthur St. Clair of Revolutionary fame. The mother was a member of the Universalist Church and the father of the Episcopal. They lived in New York until their death.

Mr. and Mrs. Plank have six children: Zelia Eliza, wife of David Vanalstine of Belknap Township; W.J., a carpenter and contractor of Cora Valley, Oregon; Hattie, wife of George L. Boals of Dakota County, Nebraska; Ida Belle and Ada N., twins, the former the wife of J.A. Fletcher of Forrestville, Colorado, and the latter the wife of Marion Barton of Valley Township, Pottawattamie Co., Iowa; Iona L., wife of B.S. Leader of Belknap Township. They lost a babe, William L., when 17 months old in New York.

Politically Mr. Plank is a Republican and religiously an Adventist. Mrs. Plank is an ordained minister of the Adventist Church and has preached at Sioux City, Yankton, and Omaha. she is a faithful and zealous worker in this county for her Master, and has performed the marriage ceremony of all her children but one. The children are all well married and have left their parental home, and Mr. and Mrs. Plank now feel very lonely, but they are reconciled to their lot.