From HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1883; Page 346

Moses Orchard was one of the first settlers of Mitchell Co., Iowa. In the fall of 1852 he claimed 480 acres of land on sections 7, 8, and 18 (Liberty Township), and purchased 320 acres of the land when it came into market, hiring money at forty per cent to pay for it. He probably built the first log house in the county. The village of Orchard bears his name, and the railroad station stands within eighty rods of the spot where he built his log cabin, on the southwest part of section 8, thirty-one years ago.

Mr. Orchard was born in Ross Co., Ohio, March 29, 1807; was married Nov. 17, 1829, to Sarah Ireland, a native of Ross county, born Dec. 2, 1805, and died June 25, 1873. In 1832 Mr. Orchard, with his family, settled in Union Co., Ohio, where he bought and cleared up a farm. He afterwards moved to Van Wert county and engaged in mercantile business. In 1844 he removed to Noble Co., Ind., and after a short residence settled in La Porte Co., Ind., where he resided until he came to this county.

Mr. and Mrs. Orchard are the parents of nine children -- John, Wilson, Angeline, Sarah J., Elihu, Vinson, Thomas, Charity and Ann. John, their oldest son, born in Union Co., Ohio, June 10, 1832, came to Mitchell county in the spring of 1852, and took government land in township 98, range 16, which claim was afterwards jumped by Tyre Dorin. His son, Elihu, born in Van Wert Co., Ohio, Sept 7, 1841, was eleven years of age when hisparents came to Iowa. He enlisted in Feb. 1863, in company A, 21st Iowa Volunteers. He served until the close of the war, and was discharged Aug. 15, 1865, returned home and engaged in farming. He was married Nov. 14, 1877, to Mary Blue, of De Kalb Co., Ill. He now occupies the claim which his father made in 1852, on section 7.

Transcribed April 2004 by Gordon Felland