Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 666
ALEXANDER E. OCKERSON

Alexander E. OCKERSON, a farmer living on section 18, Taylor Township, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1881, and settled on the farm he now occupies. He purchased two hundred and forty acres of land on sections 7 and 18, Taylor Township, and fifteen acres of timber in Clay Township. As the time he purchased this farm, there was a small frame house upon the place, and one hundred and forty acres under the plow. He lived in the old house until the autumn of 1888, when he erected a two-story frame house 16x28 feet, and an ell 16x24 feet. In 1885 he built a barn 16x34 feet. His landed estate in Taylor Township, now consists of four hundred and seven acres. He also has seven hundred and twenty acres in Monona County, which he uses for pasture purposes, keeping his stock there during the summer. He usually keeps one hundred and fifty head of cattle and fifteen head of horses.

Mr. OCKERSON was born in Sweden, August 6, 1844, and when quite young accompanied his parents to America. They were intending to locate in Knox County, Ill. This was during the cholera epidemic and his mother died of this disease near Peru, Ill., and the father died just before reaching Knoxville. Our subject was then left with an odler brother and sister to take charge of things. There were five children in the family, and they remained a short time in Knoxville among friends, and then went to Galesburg, where the brother rented a house and the family lived there a short time, when a man named PALMER was appointed guardian for our subject and a younger brother. They went with him to Peoria, and remained with PALMER about three months, when a man by the name of COOLIDGE, took him to raise.

Our subject remained with Mr. COOLIDGE until twenty-one years of age, and then went to Minneapolis, Minn., remained about eighteen months in that vicinity, and then returned to Peoria County, Ill., where he lived two years, and then can to Iowa. He came by team, crossing the Mississippi River at Muscatine, and crossed the State in a northwesterly direction to Lyons County. From there went to Mills County, and there hired out to husk corn, and remained there during that winter, working out by the month. The following autumn he made a visit to Illinois, remained a short time and returned to Mills County, Iowa, where he worked by the month the following summer, and the next year rented a farm and farmed on leased land for four years. During this time he had purchased a farm in Cass County, Neb., to which locality he went and remained until February, 1881, at which time he sold out and came to Harrison County.

Our subject was united in marriage in Mills County, Iowa, December 31, 1874 to Miss Allie DAVIS, the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (HOBSON) DAVIS. By this marriage two children have been born, Nellie C., deceased and Lenna F.

Allie (DAVIS) OCKERSON was born in Andrew County, Mo., and when young accompanied her parents to Mills County, Iowa. His father was a native of North Carolina. Politically our subject is identified with the Republican party.

This man�s life has been one of a checkered character, coming as he did, from a foreign land and being bereft of both parents when a small boy, his lot was indeed a hard one. But being possessed of the sterling characteristics found in the most of his fellow-countrymen, he overcame all of these obstacles, and now in his own pleasant home may count life a success.

Thomas DAVIS, father of Mrs. OCKERSON, was born in Serry County, N. C., March 17, 1813, and lived there until twenty three years of age. In 1836 he went to Henry County, Ind., and was married to Elizabeth HOBSON, August 30, 1838.

Elizabeth HOBSON was born in Surry County, N.C., December 20, 1819, and taken by her parents to Henry County, Ind., when nine months old. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. DAVIS settled on a farm in Henry County, near Newcastle, and remained there three years. In the fall of 1841 they removed to Missouri, and settled on a purchase claim, erecting a cabin 16x18 feet, which they moved into in December. In 1855 they removed to Mills County, Iowa, where they lived and prospered for over twenty years. Mr. DAVIS departed this life August 13, 1877.

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