Biographical History of Page County, Iowa, Lewis & Dunbar Publishers, 113 Adams Street, Chicago, Illinois, 1890

[transcribed by Pat O'Dell: genpat@netins.net ]

 
 
[page 839]

HENRY C. BINNS, one of the largest land-holders in Fremont Township, is one of the early settlers of Page County. Samuel Binns, his grandfather, was an Englishman from Yorkshire. His son, Jonathan Binns, was the real founder of the family in America, emigrating before his father when he was a yet young man twenty-four years of age. He located at Brownsville, Pennsylvania, and was engaged in various occupations. He married Hannah Morris, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Lewis) Morris, of Washington County, Pennsylvania. The Morris family were of Welsh descent and settled in Pennsylvania long before the Revolutionary war. All the brothers of Isaac Morris were officers in that struggle for liberty, and they also participated in the Indian wars and the war of 1812. The Lewis family originally settled in Virginia and belonged to the Society of Friends or Quakers. Benjamin West, the celebrated portrait painter, was connected with this family. Isaac Morris was a substantial farmer in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and lived to the advanced age of eighty years. Jonathan Binns and wife reared a family of eleven children: Henry C., Isaac N., Robert, Elizabeth, Rebecca, George, Charles, Mary and Margaret. In early times the parents were Friends but afterward united with the Baptist Church. In 1855 Mr. Binns removed to Iowa, settling in Montgomery County, and finally removing to Page County, he was a man who made and spent a considerable amount of money. He was active, energetic and successful in business.
Henry C. Binns, the subject of this notice, was born in Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and during his infancy was taken by his parents to Brownsville, Pennsylvania. He obtained a good education in the common schools, and began life as a clerk in a store at Brownsville. When he was seventeen years old he secured employment as clerk on a steamboat, and for several years he was on the Monongahela, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, which position he gave up in 1861 on account of ill health and took up a farm in Wapello County, where he regained his former strength; he returned to the river and in 1854 again abandoned it to come to Iowa; he settled the second time in Page County on his present farm, which consists of 160 acres. There were then but two families in the township, that of Aaron Stafford and a man by the name of Martindale. The following year Mr. Binns' father, brothers and sisters came to Iowa, and they all lived in a log house which occupied the site of the more modern residence.
Mr. Binns was married in 1858 to Miss Elizabeth Davis, a daughter of Robert Davis, one of the pioneers of Montgomery County, Iowa. Three children have been born of this union: Hester, William and Charles. The mother died in 1868, and in 1871 Mr. Binns was married to Miss Mariette Weidman, daughter of Philip Weidman.
In his political opinion Mr. Binn is a Republican. In 1856, during the Fremont campaign, he and his father and three brothers, were the only men in Fremont and Pierce Townships who voted for John C. Fremont for President. The family were stanch abolitionists. Jonathan Binns had assisted the slaves to escape, to Canada when he lived in Pennsylvania, and took an active interest in the cause of freedom. He had the honor of naming Fremont Township, which ranks among the best in the county.

[page 840]

Henry C. Binns, our worthy subject, has been a prosperous farmer, and by industry and wise management has added to his original homestead until he owns 420 acres in Page County; he owns about 440 acres in Montgomery County, Iowa, and both farms are under good cultivation. He has never accepted any political office, preferring to lead a private life. For twenty years he has served as school director, and has lent a helping hand to the cause of education wherever opportunity has presented itself. He is well informed on the leading questions of the day, and is highly esteemed in the community where he has so long resided.

JOHN QUIST was born in Smoland, Sweden, June 12, 1828, and is one of the prominent Swedish farmers of Page County. His father's name was John Hakason, and according to Swedish custom he took the Christian name of his father with the addition of son for a surname, thus John, John's son, Johnson; but there being so many Johnsons in Sweden, when he entered the army he was enrolled as John Quist, and on reaching this country he retained the name, which he has given to his children. His father was a farmer by occupation; he married Johanna Anderson, who died when our subject was but three years of age; he was her only child. The father afterward married Lena Anderson, and to them were born four children who grew to maturity: Frank, Swan, Charles and Anna M. They all emigrated to America and took the name of Quist, and all settled in Montgomery County, Iowa. The father came over in 1862 and lived with his children until his death, which occurred in 1880, at the age of eighty years.
He was a member of the Lutheran Church and a devoted Christian.
John Quist, the subject of this biographical notice, was reared to farm life, but at the age of twenty-one years he joined the army. In 1852 he bade farewell to his native land and sailed away to America, locating in Henry County, Illinois. He began life here as do nearly all of his countrymen, by hiring out to farm labor; this practice has been of incalculable benefit both to the foreigner and the American, as we have as a result a large population of intelligent and prosperous farmers. In 1855 Mr. Quist was married to Magdalena Johnson, daughter of John and Berta (Peterson) Johnson. He then settled on a farm in Henry County, Illinois, and remained there until his removal to Page County in 1875. He purchased a farm of 320 acres of as fine land as can be found in all the county, and he has placed it under excellent cultivation.
Mr. and Mrs. Quist are the parents of nine children: Peter J., William, Amanda C,Elizabeth, Mollie, Minnie, Carl E., Julia E. and Anna B. These children are all receiving advantages in acquiring an education, and will be fitted to enter upon an active life much better than were their parents when they left their native land. Mr. Quist has been an industrious and frugal man and is deserving of much credit for the position he now occupies in the business circles of Page County. When he came to this country he had no capital but willing hands and a determination to succeed in his undertaking. He has been a liberal donor to the church, and has contributed largely to the Orphans' Home at Stanton, Iowa, and at Andover, Illinois, both Swedish institutions; he has also given generously to the Seminary at Rock Island, Illinois, which is also under the management of his countrymen.  He has always been public- [page 841] spirited and ready to aid any enterprise having for its object the advancement of the community or his own nationality. He is kind to the poor and has encouraged high moral principles in his neighborhood, where he is regarded as a valuable citizen.

 

 


[page 842]

 

CHARLES A. JOHNSON.—In the subject of this sketch we have another example of the superior benefits and privilege of a free government, and also of the success which usually attends a determined will, an honest purpose, and industrious habits. Mr. Johnson is one of the prominent farmers in the county. He was born in Smoland, Sweden, June 22, 1834, and is a son of Jonas Neilson. Mr. Neilson was a farmer by occupation, and the father of ten children. He died in 1868, at the age of sixty eight years. He was a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church and took an active interest in religion.
Charles A. Johnson, son of the above, emigrated to America in 1852, at the age of eighteen years. He landed at New York, and came to Andover, Henry County, Illinois, where he hired out at farm labor. He was united in marriage to Hannah S. Lundberg, February 6, 1858, and to them were born nine children, eight of whom are living: Edna, August, Albert, Hilda, deceased, Lizzie, Eddie, Emma, Joseph and Anna. By industry and economy Mr. Johnson saved enough money to buy a farm of 120 acres, and he lived in Henry County until 1871, when he came to Page County, Iowa. He has prospered since coming to America beyond many native born citizens who have had much less with which to contend than a man pf foreign birth, in a strange land in the midst of a strange tongue. He has raised a large family of children and has accumulated a handsome property. He has been very liberal in assisting his own countrymen in America, and has made generous donations to the Swedish Orphans' Home at Stanton, Iowa. He has assisted in building and maintaining four churches. He has served his township as trustee for nine years and as county Supervisor six years; he has taken an active interest in the public schools and has been school director fifteen years. He and his wife are worthy members of the Swedish Lutheran Church, of which he is also a trustee. Politically he is identified with the Republican party.
Whatever success Mr. Johnson has achieved in life has been through his own efforts. He enjoys the confidence and respect of the entire community and is an honor to his countrymen and his family. His daughter Edna married Lemuel Hugner, a farmer in Illinois, and manager of the Orphans' Home in Henry County; they have three children. August married Ida Peters, and they are the parents of two children; their home is in Nebraska.

 

JAMES HUTSON, Siam, Taylor County, Iowa, is a descendant of one of the old pioneer families of Kentucky. His grandfather participated in the Indian wars of the early days of that State, when the settlers were constantly exposed to the attacks of the stealthy " Red Skins." Joseph Hutson, the father of James, was born and reared amid the wild scenes and dangers that surrounded the lives of the pioneers of Kentucky, and became accustomed to the hardships to which the early settlers were subjected. He married Margaret Bowlin, a daughter of James Bowlin, and seven children were born[page 843] of this union: John, Keziah, William, Sally, Lucinda, George, and James. Mr. Hutson owned a farm in Clay County, Kentucky, where he lived several years after his marriage. About 1840 he removed to Missouri and settled on a tract of wild land, being the very first settler in Nodaway County. He is still living on this farm, at the age of eighty-two years. He is a member of the Baptist Church and stands high in the community. During the late war he suffered from the depredations of the bushwhackers, and at one time he was arrested and taken to St. Joe, Missouri, but as no charge could be found against him he was set free.
James Hutson, son of Joseph Hntson, was born in Clay County, Kentucky, on his father's farm, and at the age of two years was brought by his parents to Missouri; there he grew up in the wildnerness without any opportunities for acquiring an education. At the age of fourteen years he went with his uncle, Franklin Hutson, as a teamster on a freight train for the Government; two years later he joined a company and drove a herd of cattle across the plains to California. The train consisted of fourteen wagons, twenty-eight men, and 370 head of cattle. Five and six yoke of oxen were driven to a wagon, and thus they were broken on the way, commanding ready sale as work-cattle, when they reached California. The journey consumed six months and six days, and was made in safety. After his arrival in California young James engaged in gold mining, in which he continued two years; he then engaged in teaming until 1862, when be went to Salmon River, Oregon, during the great gold excitement at that place; there he lost his entire stake of four mules and $700. He spent one season in the Umpqua Valley, Douglas County, Oregon, where he was engaged in farming and teaming.   He then returned to California, and at the end of one year he came back to his father's home, having been absent seventeen years. He remained under the parental roof two years, and was then married to Miss Mary Parker, a daughter of Frank and Rebecca Parker. Mr. Parker was a farmer by occupation and a native of Clay County, Kentucky. He was one of the early settlers of Taylor County, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Hutson were born three children: Rentilla, William A. and Ira C.
Mr. Hutson lived on a farm in Nodaway County, Missouri, eight years after his marriage, and then came to Siam, Taylor County, Iowa, where he has since resided. Like his father before him, he has always been a stanch Democrat. He is a man of determination and perseverance, and has had an honorable career. His children may take an honest pride in both their maternal and paternal ancestors, as descendents of good old pioneer stock, from which was sprung the men and women who have conquered the wilderness, making homes for themselves and leaving to their children the inheritance of noble and untarnished names.

 

ADEN F. LARGE, M. D., Braddyville, Iowa, is one of the prominent physicians of Page County, where he has been engaged in a successful practice for eight years. His great-grandfather, Ebenezer Large, was a native of New Jersey, and he married Annie Freeman. Their son, John Large, was also a native of New Jersey, and he married Elizabeth Fletcher, a native of Ireland; to them were born nine children, one of whom was William Large, the father of Dr. Large, the subject of this notice. He first saw the light of day at Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and was a brick and stone [page 844] mason by trade. He married Levina Hankins, and they were the parents of seven children: Aden F., Mary E., Sarah A., John W., Missouri, deceased; Stephen D., and Alma J. The father of Mrs. William Large was David Hankins, a native of Virginia, and his wife was Jane Clevenger; they were the parents of eleven children, all of whom lived to maturity. In 1856 William Large removed to Taylor County, Iowa, where he engaged in the mercantile trade; be afterward purchased a farm in Taylor County and has been uniformly successful in all his business under­takings; he now owns 1,400 acres of land in Taylor County, Iowa, and Worth County, Missouri. He has all his life been a hard­working man; he has avoided debt and has kept his honor unspotted; he furnishes an example of what a man can accomplish who relies upon his own efforts and observes the laws of industry, economy, and integrity.
Dr. Aden F. Large, the son of William Large, began the study of pharmacy in the drug store of Dr. King at Bedford, Iowa; he then attended the Medical College at Louisville, Kentucky, and was graduated from that institution. He then entered the Iowa City School of Pharmacy, where he completed the course of study; he was next graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Keokuk, Iowa, in the winter of 1883-'84. During all these years of study he had been in practice, gaining practical experience in the art of healing. In 1881-'82-'83 he practiced at Shambaugh, Iowa, meeting with success; he also followed his profession in Worth County, Missouri, and at Platteville, Iowa. He attended lectures one year beyond the usual course. In 1884 he located at Braddyville, Iowa, and his extensive practice is the best evidence of his popularity. Demands for his services are not confined to one small neighborhood, but extend over a wide scope of country. He is recognized as one of the most skillful physicians and surgeons, and a practical pharmacist and druggist. He holds certificates of pharmacy from three different States, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois. He also holds certificates of courses of special study, which he has taken in addition to the regular course. He is a man who keeps up with the times in reading and is well versed in the discoveries of the medical world and the opinions of the most learned physicians and surgeons of the day. His library contains the latest and best works of the ablest authors on medical subjects.
Dr. Large is a conscientious physician, and takes a genuine delight in his profession. By hard labor he has endeavored to place himself among those physicians who thoroughly understand the science of medicine. He has met with decided success in his profession, not only from a medical standpoint, but also from a financial one. Aside from his high reputation as a physician he commands an extensive influence as a citizen. He is a worthy member of the Masonic order.

   
JOSEPH A. REID, one of the prominent early settlers of Amity Township, is of Scotch-Irish descent, his ancestors having emigrated from Scotland to Ireland during the time of Cromwell. James Reid, his grandfather, married in Ireland, and within three months, in 1790, he set sail for America; he first settled in Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh, and thence removed to Kentucky, where he was among the pioneers; he afterward went to Ohio, and in 1809 he settled in Greene County, Ohio. There he spent the remainder of his days engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, and was a man of strong [page 845] principles and a decided, energetic character. He was the father of six sons: John, Robert, William, Thomas, Joseph and James, all of whom lived to rear families. Robert was the father of Whitelaw Reid, editor of the New York Tribune, and one of the most eminent of newspaper men of the present age. John Reid, father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania, but during his infancy was taken by his parents to Kentucky, where he grew to manhood; he received a common-school education and was well versed in the three R's. He married Sallie Sterrett, and to them were born eleven children, of whom Joseph A. is the fourth. After his marriage John Reid settled in Greene County, Ohio, and spent the rest of his life in farming. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He was a man of most excellent habits, and gave his children good moral training. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, as were also his wife and children. He died at the age of eighty-two years on the old homstead in 1870; his widow survived him six years.
Joseph A. Reid was born May 1, 1824, in Greene County, Ohio, about six miles from Xenia. April 5,1851, he was united in marriage to Margaret J. Long, a daughter of James and Elsie (Boggs) Long. The Longs were au old family from Virginia, who settled in Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs Reid were born seven children: James H., who married Sadie Lorimer; John F., who married Margaret McCullough; Julia E., wife of Archie Anderson; Edward H., who married Mamie Maiden; Anna L., wife of L. H. Goudy; Jane W. and William L.
Immediately after his marriage Mr. Reid removed to Muncie, Indiana, and was engaged in the lumber business there for six years. In 1857 he came to Iowa and settled near Amity College, on land which he had bought of the college.   His children, the daughters as well as the sons, have been educated at Amity College. He has taken an active interest in educational matters, and has been a trustee of Amity College for twenty-eight years, and is now president of the board. He is a member of the United Presbyterian Church, and enjoys the confidence of his fellow-townsmen. He has served as County supervisor and also as township trustee. In his business he has been prosperous and now owns 240 acres of tine farming land. He is alive to all the political questions of the day, and formerly was a Republican. He was a strong Abolitionist and Union man during the war, and voted for Horace Greeley; he is now in favor of the third party, as he is a stanch Prohibitionist, believing the temperance question the most vital of the day. Mr. Reid is a clear thinker, an interesting conversationist, and a man of pure principles and high purpose. His views are the result of a life of long and varied experience; his record is of the best, and his Character and reputation are unspotted.


[page 846]

 

CORYDON B. McCLELLAND is numbered among the progressive citizens of the county of Page. In order to learn something of his ancestry we will go back to his great-grandfather, a native of Ireland and of Scotch-Irish descent. He emigrated to this country at a very early day and settled in Wetsmoreland County, Pennsylvania. His son, William McClelland, was a native of Pennsylvania, and a farmer by occupation; he married Martha Sharp and they had eight children born to them. Robert McClelland, their son, and the father of the subject of this notice, was born on the old homestead in 1815, and received a very good common-school ed- [page 847]ucation. He married Nellie Kirkpatrick, a daughter of Thomas Kirkpatrick, of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Eleven children were born of this union, of whom Corydon B. is the oldest. After his marriage Robert McClelland engaged in agricultural pursuits in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. In 1876 he removed to Ashtabula County, Ohio, and settled on a farm, where he died in 1885; he was a man of high principle and good habits, and deserved the esteem and respect which he constantly received. He was prominently identified with the public interests of his county, and held many public offices.   He died at the age of seventy years.
Corydon B. McClelland was born in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, in 1837. He received an academic education and began life as a school-teacher in Mercer County, Pennsylvania; he afterward followed his profession in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri and Iowa. May 24, 1863, he was united in marriage with Jane S. McCartney, a daughter of William and Grace (Scott) McCartney. The McCartneys descended from Alexander McCartney, who came from the Highlands of Scotland to the Lowlands, and brought with him his sister Janet, about five generations from Mrs. McClelland, who was born in Scotland; her parents emigrated from Lanarkshire, Scotland, in the summer of 1839, and after landing settled in Onio.
Mr. and Mrs. McClelland are the parents of five children: Robert A., Herbert L., Hattie J., who died in infancy; Annie G. and Adaline E. Mr. McClelland was engaged in farming in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and in 1869 he removed to Missouri and settled on a farm in Vernon County; the land was wild and unimproved, and he and his family encountered all the hardships of pioneer life. At the end of seven years he came to Page County, Iowa, and purchased a farm west of Clarinda, on which he lived five years; he then came to College Springs, in order to give his children the advantages offered by the college. Robert A. was graduated in the scientific course in 1887, and Herbert and Annie are juniors in the classical course. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Mr. McClelland is trustee, class - leader and steward; he has also been Sabbath-school superintendent for many years. He has been a member of the board of trustees of the college since his residence here, and is elected for two years to come. He was recently elected clerk of his township. He has been prosperous in business and has been able to give his children excellent educational advantages. The family is descened [sic] from a long line of American pioneers and soldiers, and desevedly stands high in the community in which they reside.


[page 848]

 

 

JAMES BIRNEY LOUGHLIN, one of the leading citizens of Amity Township, has been identified with the business interests of Page County for the past thirty-fonr years. John Loughlin, his grandfather, was born in South Carolina; he married Mary Dalrymple, and to them were born eleven children. They removed from South Carolina in 1808 to Ohio, and settled near Greenville. James G. Loughlin, his son and the father of the subject of this notice, was born in South Carolina in 1805; he was trained to the occupation of a farmer and received his education in the common schools. He married Ruth Russell, daughter of Judge Russell, of Fayette County, Illinois. Of this union three children were born: William P., John, Judson and James Birney. Immediately after his marriage Mr. Loughlin removed to Putman County, Illinois, where he resided from 1829 to 1858, when he came to Page County and settled at College Springs; here he was engaged in agricultural pursuits, although formerly he had been a merchant, and atone time he was interested in the nursery business. He has always been a man of sterling principles and undoubted integrity. He is a devout member of the Congregational [page 849] Church and for many years has served as deacon. He has ever been a friend to education and religion and has given liberally of his means for their support.
James Birney Loughlin, son of James G. and Ruth (Russell) Loughlin. was born in Putnam County, Illinois, where he attended the common schools and the academy. In early life he began the study of the nursery business and was soon able to embark in the trade for himself. In 1S58 he shipped the first nursery stock to College Springs by steamboat to Forest City, Missouri, and thence by teams to College Springs. He has been successful in this enterprise, and he with his father and brother was the first to engage in the business in Page County. This firm introduced many of the most beautiful shade trees and fine fruit trees in which this county abounds, and the value of this service to the people is not excelled by any other.
In 1863 Mr. Loughlin was united in marriage at College Springs, Iowa, to Miss Sarah Cross, a daughter of Rev. John and Lucinda (Hulbert) Cross. Mr. Cross is a Congregationalist minister, and was also an ardent abolitionist. To Mr. and Mrs. Loughlin have been born six children: Edna J., Judson, Harriet G., A. Burdette, Sarah A. and Ruth R. The mother of these children died, and Mr. Loughlin was afterward married to Mrs. L. A. Martin (nee Gibson). One child has been born of this marriage, James G. Mrs. Loughlin has one son by her first marriage, Cyril P. Martin, a student at Amity College.
Our worthy subject is still engaged in the nursery business; he has always carried a good, reliable stock, and has won the success which his merit deserves. He is a member of the board of trustees of Amity College, and has labored in various ways in behalf of this institution. His career in this county has been one of honor and integrity, and he ranks among the leaders of the community in which he resides. He and his wife are consistent members of the Congregational Church.

 

 

SILAS WHITE, a resident of Douglas Township, is entitled to a space in this record of the leading citizens of Page County, and will next claim our attention. His ancestors have an honorable right to be called American citizens, as they fought for American principles and American institutions in every war from the Revolution to the Rebellion. John White, the grandfather of Silas White, was born in Ireland, and emigrated to this country when a young man of twenty years, just in time to engage in the war of the Revolution; he served all through that memorable struggle for liberty.
William White, the maternal grandfather, also served through that war. The father and two brothers of Silas White served in the war of 1812, one of them being a Captain. Three of his brothers, Shem, Paul, and Charles, were soldiers in the Rebellion, serving all through that conflict, and receiving honorable discharges. This is a military record of which a family may well be proud, as no nobler ancestors can be found in the history of any nation.
After the Revolution John White, the grandfather of Silas, settled on a farm near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, aud there he was married and reared a family of nine children: Thomas, John, William, Shortes, James, Betsey, Mary, Nancy, and Sally. The father was a strict Presbyterian and an elder in the church for many years. He died at the age of eighty years. He was a man widely known among the early settlers as a man of great integrity of character.[page 850]

William White, son of John White, was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and was trained to the occupation of a farmer. After his service in the war of 1812 he was united in marriage to Polly White, his cousin and the daughter of William White. To them were born thirteen children: Daniel, Foster, Ruth, Jane, Shem, Silas, Paul, Theodore, Tabitha, Andrew, Jacob, Martha, and Charles. They all lived to maturity, and all but two were married and reared families. This is indeed a remarkable record. After his marriage Mr. White settled on a farm in Indiana County, Pennsylvania; he had acquired a good education and taught school; he was also a surveyor; he was especially well read in history, and was a very intelligent man. In his early life he was a Presbyterian, but in later years he became a Baptist. Politically he was a Whig, and later was an Abolitionist, raising his voice and registering his vote against the crime of slavery. He was known as a very just and honorable man, and was possessed of true dignity of character. He died at the age of seventy-three years, and his memory is cherished with affectionate regard by all his descendants.
Silas White, our worthy subject, the son of William and Polly (White) White, was born in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, in 1823. The first schools he attended were taught by his father; his yonth was spent on a farm, and he was trained in the details of agriculture. At the age of twenty-one years he removed to Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and embarked in the lumber business; this was at that time a very profitable enterprise, as he often made $10 per day. He purchased 800 acres of land in Clearfield County and cut off the timber, converting it into lumber; he continued in this business twelve years, and was very prosperous. He was united in marriage to Catherine Miller, the daughter of John and --------       McClaren) Miller. Mr. Miller was an Irish soldier under the English government, and was drowned when his daughter Catherine was a girl seventeen years of age. After the death of her husband Mrs. Miller removed with her family of seven children from Canada to Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. To Mr. and Mrs. White have been born six children, all of whom have lived to be married and rear families. Their names are Mary, Edmond, Thomas F., A. Judson, Carrie E. and Elizabeth.
In 1859 Mr. White removed to Iowa and settled in Page County on a farm in Douglas Township. He now owns 120 acres of fine farming land clear of any incumbrance; an idea of the quality of the soil may be gained from the fact that eighty-two bushels of corn to the acre have been raised on it. The farm was granted to Mr. White's father by the Government on a land-warrant for his services in the war of 1812; this was finally deeded to Mr. White, and he has converted the wild prairie into a farm of exceeding richness and fertility. For seventeen years he has been engaged in a suit with the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, the company claiming that his farm comes within the boundary of their grant; but he has successfully combatted the suit in its various forms for years, and finally has been victorious, his claim being that when the grant was made to the railroad company, he was already in possession of it by virtue of the warrant issued to his father for his services in the war of 1812. His determination in the defense of his rights is to be admired, and all just and reasonable men rejoice in his success.
Mr. White was converted to the Baptist faith when seventeen years of age and became a member of the church at the age of twenty-two.   In 1859 he was licensed to preach the [page 851] Gospel; he was one of the founders and incorporators of the First Baptist Church at Red Oak, Iowa, and assisted largely with his means in its building; he became one of the trustees and served in that capacity a number of years; he also preached there frequently and taught in the Sabbath-school, although he lived twelve miles distant from the church. After 1872 he began preaching in his own district, holding meetings in the school-house. He has labored faithfully and earnestly in the cause of his Master; he was ordained a minister at Red Oak in 1862. He has diligently endeavored to bring up his children in the principles of right and truth, and to instil into their minds the truths of the Christian religion. He has served as Justice of the Peace for four years, and has acceptably filled many other township offices. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and was a Union League man during the war. Politically he is a stanch Republican, and is a genuine patriot in his devotion to his country. He is in comfortable circumstances, and his family are all well settled; they may well take pride in their father's example, and in having descended from a long line of American pioneers and soldiers, and this noble record should be preserved for the many generations to come.

 

FREDRIC NELSON, one of the most substantial and progressive citizens of Amity Township, first saw the light of day amid the pine-clad hills of Sweden. He is a son of Neils Peterson, and after the Swedish system the son was named Fredric Neilson, meaning Fredric, the son of Neils. In order to Anglicize the name the spelling was changed to Nelson. Neils Peterson was a prosperous farmer and owned his land.   In Sweden the farms are all named and the people are designated as from such a farm; the name of the Peterson farm was " Nos; " the farm was obtained through his marriage, the land having been in the possession of his wife's family for generations. He married Catherine Anderson, and to them were born ten children: Peter, Neils, Andrew, Fredrick, Lars, Carl, John, Oliver, Maria and Caroline. Mr. Peterson passed his life on his farm, living to the advanced age of ninety years; his wife lived to be eighty-five years old. They lived in comfort and plenty, and were a happy, contented family. A greater number of the Peterson family emigrated to America and located in the Western States. Neils Peterson was a worthy member of the Lutheran Church.
Fredric Nelson was born in 1835, and at the age of eighteen years he set sail for America, " the land of the free and the home of the brave." Having an energetic temperament and a considerable amount of ambition he was desirous of trying his fortune in anew country. He landed in New York city in 1853 and proceeded directly to Chicago, where he engaged as a laborer on the Chicago & Alton Railroad; he spent the winter of 1853-'54 in this way, and then tried farming in Illinois until 1856. He carefully saved his earnings and when he had accumulated between $350 and $400, he came to College Springs, Iowa, and invested in stock in Amity College, being one of the original stockholders; he received land from the college and also pre-empted land in Lincoln Township. He worked at various occupations and saved a sum sufficient to enable him to attend Amity College three years.
In 1861 Mr. Nelson was married to Julia N. Johnson, a daughter of James P. and Margaret (Rouse) Johnson. Mr. Johnson is a native of the State of New York. The [page 852] Ross family lived in New York State for many generations, and one of them loaned money to the Continental Government; they were true patriots and loyal citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson are the parents of two children: Emma W. and Hattie, who died at the age of four years and eight months. Mr. Nelson settled on his present farm in 1861, and now owns 240 acres of as fine land as lies in Page County; he has made many valuable improvements and has a large orchard. He is a member of the board of trustees of Amity College, and is also a trustee of the Congregational Church, of which he and his wife are members. He has also represented the people of his township in the various local offices. He has been agent for the American Emigration Society, and while acting in that capacity he crossed the ocean ten times; he was instrumental in bringing many of his countrymen to this country, where they have secured homes for themselves and have led happy, prosperous lives. On one of these trips Mrs. Nelson accompanied her husband and spent three years in her native land; there Emma W. was born.
Mr. Nelson is a man who has shown great perseverance and strength of character. He began life without a dollar and is a self-made man in every sense of the world. He has been very industrious and frugal, and has understood how to save as well as to make money; being of a strong constitution he has frequently worked extra hours for extra pay. While acting as agent for the Emigration Society he advertised the resources and advantages of America with such success that thousands of his countrymen became interested, and the King of Sweden, fearing the loss of many good subjects, issued a proclamation to induce them to remain. But many who wished to better their condition entrusted their prospects and money to Mr. Nelson with the greatest confidence, so that many dollars were held by him for others. He opened an office in Chicago, where he lived three years; he also acted as the Scandinavian agent for the Inman Steamship Line. He then owned 560 acres of land in Amity Township, and was in very prosperous circumstances; his credit stood high both in Europe and America, and this was taken advantage of by dishonest men, and a large amount of money belonging to him and others who had entrusted their means to him, was stolen. Although Mr. Nelson was not legally responsible he went to work and replaced every dollar to the innocent sufferers. Through all these adverse circumstauces he has preserved his reputation unspotted, a legacy more precious than gold. He is now local agent for the Inman Line. He is entitled to great credit for his success in life and for the forti­tude with which he has met adversity.


WILLIAM W. ANDERSON is one of the thrifty, prosperous, young farmers of this county.   Simon Anderson, his grandfather, was a native of Virginia, of Scotch-Irish descent.   Jonathan Anderson, son of Simon and father of William W., was born in Oulpeper County,   Virginia, July 28, 1805.   When he was but five months old his parents removed to Ohio.   April 8,1830, he was united in marriage to Julia A. Gardner, daughter of George and Catherine (Dorsey) Gardner.   George Gardner was an old pioneer preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church, residing many years  in Lickiug County, Ohio; he preached in all that part of Ohio in the days of its first settlement. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and in his young manhood, followed boating. The pioneer Methodist Episcopal preachers rode [page 853] a large circuit, or walked if too poor to ride, and preached the gospel to settlers in log cabins, or in the shade of the trees, " God's first temples." He continued preaching after he was an old man; he reared a large family and was in comfortable circumstances. He came to Iowa in 1876 with the Andersons, and sometimes preached in the pulpit. He died at the great age of ninety-nine years, lacking but a few weeks of being 100 years old. He was with his children iu Ohio at the time of his death. He was a remarkable man in many respects and was well known for his great piety. He was not afraid of death and had a firm belief in the truths of the Christian religion.
Jonathan and Julia A. (Gardner) Anderson had born to them nine children: Daniel, Catherine, Nancy, Maria, Sarah, Rachel, James, who died from exposure during the late civil war; Ellen and William. The father was a prosperous farmer in Ohio, and owned the land on which he resided until 1866; he then came to Iowa and located in Henry County, and in 1875 he removed to Page County. He had bought a farm in Henry County, and when he came to Page County he purchased 222 acres of land. He died July 24, 1889, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. He and his good wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a man of great industry and integrity of character, and commanded the respect of all with whom he came in contact. Mrs. Anderson was born May 18, 1811, and died November 3,1881.
William W. Anderson, the subject of this notice, was born November 17, 1852, in Licking County, Ohio, and came with his parents to Iowa at the age of twelve years. He was brought up to the occupation of a farmer. He married Merab Harlan, a daughter of William and Emma (Johnson) Harlan, and six children were born of this union: Eldia S., Florence, Verner, Leroy, Clarence and Myrtle. After his marriage Mr. Anderson settled on the homestead, of which he now owns 122 acres. He is a young farmer of energetic and industrious habits, and has inherited his father's superior business qualifications. Mrs. Anderson's father, William Harlan, was born in Indiana, and is a son of John Harlan, a native of South Carolina. He and his wife had four children bom to them: Nancy, Alice, Merab and John K. Mr. Harlan was a soldier in the war of the Rebellion, a member of the Twenty-fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. His death was caused by disease contracted in the service.

 

 


[page 854]

 


HENRY LAUB is one of the prominent land-owners and farmers of Buchanan Township. He was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, and is a son of Philip Laub, who was a gardener by occupation; he also learned the art of printing in the city of Stuttgart and became very skillful, commanding high wages. He continued in the printing business eighteen years and was one of the principal men in a large establishment where the only newspaper in a wide community was printed. He owned land and town property and was considered well off. He married Rosina Heller, and three children were born of the union: Ernest, Gustavus and Henry. The father died at the age of forty-three years. He was a member of the Christian Church and also belonged to a benevolent secret society among the printers, from which his wife drew a pension for many years; she lived to be nearly seventy years old.
Henry Laub, son of Philip and Rosina Laub, was born in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1834. He received a common-school education, and at the age of fourteen years he emigrated with his brother, Gustavus, to Ohio; and for six years was engaged at work in the vineyards near Cincinnati. In 1854 he came to Bureau County, Illinois, but remained there only four months; he then came to Page County, Iowa, and entered 120 acres of Government land, which is his present home­stead.
In 1860 Mr. Laub was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Shearer, daughter of Joel and Mary (Farer) Shearer, natives of North Carolina and early settlers in Page County. Thirteen children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Laub, one of whom died in infancy: Mary A., wife of Robert Donison; Rosina, wife of Henry Carr; Margaret L., wife of William Nixon; William E., Tabitha J., Charles H., Effie L., George L., Thomas E., Ira D., Ivy P. and Sarah M., twins.
In 1864 Mr. Laub entered Company K, Thirteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He was in the battles of Nashville, Tennessee, Decatur, Alabama, and several skirmishes. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church while his wife belongs to the Baptist Church. He is an ardent Republican, but believes in free trade.   He has taken an act-[page 855] ive interest in educational affairs and has held the office of school director. He has been industrious and thrifty, and by wise management has accumulated a competence. He owns 500 acres of as fine farming land as can be found in Page County, well improved. He has brought up a large family of children and has given them a liberal education. He is well worthy of the esteem in which he is held by the entire community.

 

JOSIAH THOMPSON, one of the leading farmers of the county, is a son of Larkin Thompson, who was one of the oldest settlers of Page County, having settled here in 1844. Larkin Thompson was born in Ray County, Tennessee, April 11, 1809, and is one of a family of nine children. One of his brothers was a soldier in the war of 1812 and died in the service. He was married in Tennessee, January 11, 1830, and three children were born of this union: Mary C, Emeline E. and Josiah. The father was a farmer by occupation; he removed with his family to Rushville, Illinois, and thence to Missouri, settling in Buchanan County, where he remained several years. He then came to Iowa in 1844, and settled in East River Township, Page County, about four miles southeast of Clarinda. In 1846 he moved to Buchanan Township and settled on the land now owned by his grandson, F. M. Thompson; he died there June 3, 1879. He was a successful farmer and was among the most highly respected of the old pioneers. Politically he adhered to the principles of the Democratic party.
Josiah Thompson, the subject of this notice, was born in Buchanan County, Missouri, February 12, 1839. He obtained his education in the pioneer log school-house and therefore enjoyed rather limited advantages. His parents removed to Buchanan Township when he was but five years old, and he has passed his life since that time in Page County. His father being a farmer he was naturally trained to the same occupation. He was united in marriage to Charlotte M. Bridgman, and four children have blessed this union: Larkin F., Artemisia, Frank M. and John. After his marriage Mr. Thompson settled on his present farm, where he has led an industrious and energetic life; he has added to his first investment until he now owns 316 acres of choice land in an excellent state of cultivation. In political opinion he is a stanch Democrat, but he has never aspired to public office. He is an honorable, law-abiding citizen whose word is as good as his bond.

                  

SILAS INGRAM, the subject of this biographical notice, is a resident of section 28, Nodaway Township. It was in the year 1854 that he came to Page County, landing in the month of October. He was born in Scott County, Virginia, August 11, 1814, and is now seventy-five years old, past the "three score and ten" allotted to man. He is a son of Silas and Sarah (Spear) Ingram. The father was born in Scott County, Virginia, and the mother was a native of North Carolina.
Silas, Jr., spent his early youth on a farm, and at the age of fourteen years he went to learn the tanner's trade, which he followed until he came to Iowa. At the age of eighteen years he removed to Tennessee. He was married in Campbell County, Tennessee, in 1843, to Miss Sarah Hampton, who was born in Tennessee in 1820. Mr. and Mrs. Ingram resided there until 1854, when in company with five other families they emi- [page 856] grated to Page County, Iowa. Some of the company had horses and others had oxen, and it was a long and tedious trip; they crossed the Ohio river at Louisville, Kentucky, and went via Terre Haute, Indiana, across the great prairie State of Illinois to Warsaw, below Keokuk, Iowa; thence they followed the Mormon trail, fording the streams and camping by the wayside at night. Upon their arrival in Page County there were but a few log cabins to welcome them. Mr. Ingram settled a quarter of a mile south of his present place, built a log cabin, and set about making a home. He furnished his family with meat by killing wild game. Thinking he might better his condition he removed to Nodaway County, Missouri, but after one year he returned to his pesent location. His farm consists of eighty acres of land, much of which he has cleared and converted into excellent farm land.
Mr. and Mrs. Ingram have six children living: Laban S., Mahala, wife of Ralph Delop; Frank David, William, Sarah, wife of David McCuen and Eva M,
Politically our subject is a stanch Republican. He has served acceptably as a member of the school board. He was reared a Methodist and believes in the teachings and government of that church. Notwithstanding his advanced years he is quite rugged and shows the temperate life he has lived. He is, indeed, a genuine pioneer, and claims our respect and admiration. He has reared a family, an ornament to any community.

JAMES A. BURCH is one of the leading farmers of his township, and will form the subject of the next biographical sketch in this work. His grandfather, John Burch, came from Virginia and settled in
Greene County, Indiana, at an early day, when he was numbered with the pioneers. He married Louisa Baze, and they reared a family of nine children; he lived for nearly thirty years in Greene County, and all of his children were born there.   In 1855 he emigrated to Iowa and located in  Fayette County; ten years later he removed to Nodaway County, Missouri, where he died in 1878.   He was a man who commanded the respect of his fellow-citizens; he was called to fill the office of Justice of the Peace, and for several years was director of schools in Iowa and Missouri. In politics he was a stanch Democrat and was well informed on the leading questions of the day. He was a man oftemperateand moral habits, and by a quiet and steady industry he accumulated a handsome property.  At the time of his death he owned over 400 acres of land in Nodaway County, Missouri.   His widow still lives, at the age of eighty-eight years. His son Abner, the father of James A., was born in Greene County, Indiana, and began farming when quite a young man.   He married Stacy Carmichael, a daughter of Archibald and Martha (Pennington) Carmichael, and to them were born thirteen children, all growing to years of maturity.   Abner Burch lived in Greene County ten years after his marriage and thenremoved to Fayette County, Iowa, and lived near his father.   His wife being dissatisfied he returned the next year to Indiana and settled in Owen Countv, where he remained until 1862; in that year he moved to Nodaway County, Missouri, and raised one crop, after which he went to Page County, Iowa; later he returned to Nodaway County, Missouri, where he now lives on a farm.   He is an ordained minister in the Baptist Church and a man who has earnestly worked for the cause of his Master and the good of his fellowmen.
James A. Burch, son of Abner Burch, was[page 857] born in Greene County, Indiana, March 16, 1850, and was but five years of age when his father removed to Iowa.   He was a bright, intelligent lad, but received only the limited education afforded in the new western country.   In 1869 he was married to Miss Sarah A. Creps, a daughter of John and Mary (Waltner) Creps.   Nine children were born of this union: Louis A., Cora E., deceased at the age of four years; Stacy J., William A., Harriet G., Carrie E., Marvy A., Leila E. and Moses.   After his marriage Mr. Burch lived in Nodaway County, Missouri, and also spent one year in Texas before he came to Page County.   He now owns a farm of 365 acres which is well improved, and is situate three-quarters of a mile from Braddyville. He and his wife are devout members of the Baptist Church and he has been a deacon for seventeen years.   He has taken a deep interest in educational matters and has filled the office of school director in his district. By hard work and patient endeavor, assisted by his faithful wife, he has accumulated a competence; but of far more importance in the record of his life is the reputation he has made as a man of sterling worth and deep integrity of character.   He has endeavored to bring up his children in the paths of rectitude and right and they all merit the respect of the entire community.   John Creps, the father of Mrs. Burch, was born in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, in 1820.   His father, John Creps, was born in Union County, Pennsylvania, and married Nancy Ziegler. To them were born eight children.   The great-grandfather of Mrs. Burch emigrated to America before the war of the Revolution, but being too young to serve as a soldier he assisted in erecting breastworks for the defense of the soldiers. He learned the tailor's trade, and in later life owned a farm in Union County, Pennsylvania. John Creps was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church and enjoyed the confidence and esteem of his townsmen to an extraordinary degree.

 

H. H. BROCK MAN, one of the ambitious young farmers of Page County, is an adopted citizen of America, his birthplace being Oldenberg, Germany, and the time of his birth May 31, 1864. His parents, John Henry and Catherine (Drace) Brockman were also natives of the " Fatherland," but emigrated to America and settled in Mason County, Illinois, when H. H. was an infant. There were only two children who lived to maturity, our subject and Mrs. Lizzie D. McCabe, who still lives in Mason County on the old farm. The father died in October, 1873, and the mother passed away in October, 1887.
Mr. Brockman was reared to farm life and obtained his education in the common schools of Mason County, Illinois. He remained there until the spring of 1890, when he came to Page County for the purpose of investing in land and making a home for himself. He bought a valuable farm in Harlan Township, containing 118 acres; it was improved by Robert McElhose, and is worth $50 per acre. The buildings are all of a most substantial character and are well arranged: the orchard, one of the most desirable features of a western farm, is surrounded by two rows of evergreen trees, which make a perfect wind-break, protecting the trees from the strong winds of the winter. The improvements have been made at a cost of $2,500, and there is little to be desired in addition to all the conveniences for modern farming. In this free land every citizen, whether native or adopted, must be guided more or less by the political  creed of one of the [page 858] parties, and Mr. Brockman is identified with the Democrats. In his religious faith he is a Lutheran. He is in the prime of yonng, vigorous manhood, is energetic and industrious, and we anticipate for him a successful career in his newly found home where true merit is ever appreciated.

 

JOHN KRABILL, a prominent farmer of Page County, was a soldier in both the Mexican and civil wars, and it is of rare occurrence that the writer of modern history has the honor to interview a veteran of the two wars. Our worthy subject was born in the Canton of Berne, Switzerland, October 14, 1814, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Whitebread) Krabill; there were fourteen children in the family, one of whom died in the old country; the father emigrated to America in 1833, and located in Pennsylvania; he rented a farm in Butler County, on which he lived eight years; he then went to Allegheny County, but at the end of two years he came as far west as Ohio, and purchased a farm in Hardin County, where he resided until after the civil war; he then came to Iowa and lived with his son John, who kindly cared for him until death, which occurred when he was eighty-seven years old. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and was an honorable; industrious man. His wife died in the State of Ohio.
John Krabill, son of John and Elizabeth Krabill, was a young man of seventeen years when he emigrated with his father's family to this country; in his early youth he was put to work in the factories of Switzerland, and later he assisted his father on the farm. At the age of nineteen years he engaged as a boatman on the river steamboats, and continued in this employment ten years, plying on the Mississippi, Arkansas, and Alabama rivers. At New Orleans he enlisted in the United States service as a boatman in the Mexican war, running on the Rio Grande River; these boats were used in the transportation of troops and rations, and were regular Government vessels. Mr. Krabill was on the " White Swell," a small steamboat; he was in that service eleven months, and then returned to his home, securing employment in a saw­mill.
At the age of thirty years he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Beaver, a daughter of Joseph Beaver of Hardin County, Ohio. To them were born four children: John, deceased; Louis, deceased; David and Elizabeth. The mother died, and Mr. Krabill married for his second wife Phoebe Cross, daughter of Peter and Susan (White) Cross of Logan County, Ohio. The Whites were from the State of New York, and the Cross family came from Pennsylvania. One child was born of this latter marriage: Mary, wife of Henry Sly, and they are the parents of three children.
After his marriage Mr. Krabill settled on a small farm in Hardin County, Ohio, where he remained eight years; in 1853 he came to Page County, Iowa, and located on his present farm; it consists of 250 acres in an advanced state of cultivation, and has many valuable improvements in the way of good substantial buildings. At the beginning of the civil war Mr. Krabill enlisted in Company C, Fourth Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, and was in the service fifteen months. He was in several engagements, and on a night ride he was thrown from his horse against a rail fence and was seriously injured; he has since been dissbled on account of this accident and is entitled to a pension. He was honorably discharged at Marshall, Missouri, and since that time he has resided in Page County. He [page 859] and his wife are worthy members of the Presbyterian Church. He is a man of high purpose, and by industry and economy he has built up a fine home for his family. When he first came to this section of country he was obliged to go to St. Joe, Missouri, for all the necessities of life, and endured many privations. When a young man he contributed to the support of his parents, although his wages was small enough; he learned to mow with an old-fashioned scythe, and became quite proficient; he was also an expert in the use of an axe. The old pioneers were men who well understood the use of tools. Mr. Krabill is a man now past his " three-score years and ten," and bids fair to live many years. William White, grandfather of Mrs. Krabill, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and his daughter, mother of Mrs. Krabill, holds a deed to sixteen acres of land in the State of Illinois, in acknowledgment of his services. At the age of fifteen years Mr. White was in the service of the Government, and sailed from New York to Havre de Grace until he was forty years old; after the war of the Revolution he settled in Logan County, Ohio.

 

ELIZABETH J. HILES, one of the most practical and energetic women in Page County, is the widow of Peter Hiles, a native of Perry County, Ohio. His father, Henry Hiles, was born in the old Keystone State, and was afterward a farmer in Perry County, Ohio. He married Alice Ketchman, and to them were born twelve children. Henry Hiles removed to Nodaway County, Missouri, before the Rebellion, and he died at Braddyville, Iowa, in July, 1885, over one hundred years of age. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  His widow still lives in Braddyville, with one of her daughters.
Peter Hiles, son of Henry Hiles, and husband of the subject of this notice, was born in Perry County, Ohio, and was trained to the occupation of a farmer. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth J. Peterson, a daughter of Michael and Frances (Tipton) Peterson. Of this union eight children were born, all of whom lived to maturity: Eliza F., Mary E., Martha J., William T., Henry A., John M., Ida A. and Charles E. After his marriage Mr. Hiles lived on a farm in Hocking County, Ohio, for five years; he then removed to Fulton County, Illinois, and resided there one year, at the end of which time he came to Washington County, Iowa, and purchased a farm, on which he lived twelve years; he gave special attention to the business of buying farms, and improving them for sale. We next find him settled on a farm in Nodaway County, Missouri, where he made his home for fourteen years; he then came to Page County and lived three years near Morseman, and removed thence to Kansas, where he passed the remainder of his days. When he was taken ill in Kansas, he was on a claim which he had taken up; his wife went to him at once, and not only nursed him through six long weary months of pain and suffering, but continued the cultivation of the land and earned the means of their support. Mr. Hiles had ever been a man of industrious habits and labored earnestly to make a home tor his family. He was a consistent member of the Free Methodist Church, and was honored by all who knew him. Mrs. Hiles is a woman of excellent business qualifications; she has managed her property with good results and has brought up her family to habits of industry and thrift. She has been very self-sacrificing, and has been brave and courageous in meeting and overcoming her troubles.


[page 860]

Michael Peterson, father of Mrs. Hiles, was a native of Germany, and came with his father, Adam Peterson, to America when a small boy. He was reared on a farm in Franklin County, Ohio, and married Frances Tipton, a daughter of Thomas. Tipton, of English ancestry. They were the parents of five children. Mr. Tipton died when Mrs. Hiles was but eight years old; the mother is still living, at the age of seventy-eight years; she was married again, to John C. Taylor, of Keokuk County, Iowa.
Mary E. Hiles, deceased, married David Watkins; Eliza T. is the wife of Absalom Burch; Martha J. is the wife of Cyrus Hosterer; William T. married Nannie Nichols; John married Indiana Cole; Henry A. married Laura Cole; Ida R. is the wife of Louis Carver.

 

ANTON E. SEABLOM, farmer near Essex, was born in Sweden, September 29, 1859, on the old home farm called " Gnottnehult" in Ostergotland. His father, John P. Seablom, was also born on this farm, which has been in the family for generations; it consists of a fine tract of land, on which there are many lakes well-stocked with fish. Mr. Seablom married Evelyn Israelson, and the most of their children were born on this farm; they are named as follows: Charles J., Charlotte H., Peter A., Annie U., Aaron S., Anton E., David J., Sadie M. and Alice M. In 1866 the father emigrated to America with his family and settled in Fairfield, Jefferson County, Iowa, where he lived seven years; at the end of that period he came to Page County and settled in Tarkio Township, where he still resides. Mr. and Mrs. Seablom are worthy members of the Swedish Lutheran Church, of which Mr. Seablom has served as deacon. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party.
Anton E. Seablom was but six years of age when his parents emigrated to America. He attended the common schools of this country, and remained at home, assisting his father in the cultivation of his farm and the support of the family, until he had attained his majority. At the age of twenty-three years he went to work for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company at Red Oak, and soon became fireman of a locomotive, which position he held for one year. In 1883 he determined to return to agricultural pursuits, and purchased 120 acres in Pierce Township, Page County, which he improved and sold, and in 1887 he bought his present farm, which consists of 160 acres.
Mr. Seablom was united in marriage, September 28,1887, to Miss Josephine A. Lindburg, daughter of John and Charlotte (Wallin) Lindburg. Mr. Lindurg is a farmer in Douglas Township, Page County, and emigrated from Sweden to America in 1866; he settled first in Illinois, and then came to Page County in 1871. His family consists of five children: Elizabeth, Josephine, Mary, Alexander and Oscar. He is a prosperous farmer, owning 320 acres of choice land well improved.
Mr. and Mrs. Anton E. Seablom have had born to them one child, Herbert J. The parents are both members of the Swedish Lutheran Church. Our subject is a man of excellent character and good habits. He is blessed with a robust constitution, and in this land of liberty and equality, he has an opportunity of realizing a reward for his labors and of meeting with appreciation of his abilities.
It is a matter of comment among intelligent American citizens that the young men of Scandinavia who come to this country have[page 861] almost without exception succeeded, not only in making a home, but in acquiring property, and that very rapidly. This is accounted for in the fact that the youth of Scandinavia receive early training in habits of industry and economy, and are taught to honor labor and despise the false pride and lack of principle which seek to accumulate wealth without effort.

 

JAMES B. NEWMAN, an intelligent agriculturist of Washington Township, resides on section 14, where he owns a fine farm of 240 acres. He is a native of the " Buckeye" State, born in Madison County, July 14, 1822. He is a son of Isaac Newman, and a grandson of George Newman, a native of Virginia of English descent; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, and a pioneer settler in Ohio, where he located in 1833. Isaac Newman was reared in Ohio and there married Margaret Slaughter, a native of Maryland and a daughter of George and Priscilla (White) Slaughter, descendants of German and Irish ancestors. Eight children were born of this union, of whom James B. is the fourth. The parents removed to Illinois in 1852 and settled in Knox County, where they passed the remainder of their days.
James B. was reared to the occupation of a farmer; he received his education in the common schools of Mechanicsville, Ohio, and for a time was engaged in teaching. He was united in marriage, November 26, 1856, in Knox County, Illinois, to Miss Abbie H. Hoag, a daughter of James and Levina (Lee) Hoag. Mrs. Newman was born, reared, and educated in Otsego County, New York, and also resided in Duchess County, New York. Her parents came to Knox County, Illinois, in 1846. Mr. Newman was engaged in agricultural pursuits in Knox County, Illinois, until 1874, when he removed to Page County, Iowa. One year later he purchased his present farm, which was wild and unimproved; he has since devoted his energies to its development, and has established a most delightful home; there are 240 acres of land, and the improvements are all first-class; there are eight acres of grove and a fine orchard with an abundance of small fruits. The surroundings are all indicative of the prosperity and wise management of the owner.
Mr. and Mrs. Newman are the parents of five children: Gertrude, a successful teacher; Margaret, wife of J. A. Mawhinney; Joye, wife of S. W. Dewey; James S., and Jessie, who died at the age of four years. The parents are worthy members of the Baptist Church of Northboro, and are active in all religious and moral reforms of the day. Politically Mr. Newman is identified with the Republican party; he has represented the people of his township as assessor and as a member of the school board, discharging his duties with much judgment and to the satisfaction of all interested in the welfare of the community.
             

 

GEORGE E. MORRILL is the pioneer livestock and grain-dealer of Northboro, Iowa. The elevator, which has a capacity of 15,000 bushels, was built by G. J. Cole. The present firm of Howard & Morrill do an annual business of 100,000 bushels, and the past year they shipped seventy-five car-loads of stock. Mr. Morrill shipped the first car-load of lumber into Northboro, and shipped the first car-load of wheat from that point. He is an excellent judge of both grain and stock and has won [page 862] an enviable place in the business circles of Page County.   He is descended from good, old, New England stock, the earliest ancestors having settled in Massachusetts about 1620.   He was born in Dexter, Penobscot County, Maine, December 23, 1840, and is a son of Levi and Dorcas (Mason) Morrill. He passed his youth in his native State and at the age of sixteen years removed with his parents to Marshall County, Illinois, where he grew to manhood.   During the Rebellion he reponded to the call for help in the defense of this Nation, and enlisted August 27, 1862, in Company C, Eighty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry.   The most noted battles in which he participated were Perryville and Chickamauga; he was with General Sherman on his immortal march to the sea, and returned through the Carolinas and on to Richmond, and thence to Washington, being present at the grand review.   He was honorably discharged June 6, 1865, as Corporal. He returned to Marshall County, Illinois, where he remained five years.  At the end of this time he removed to Page County, Iowa, and settled in Washington Township on wild land. By diligence and industry he succeeded in placing it under good cultivation, and has converted it into one of the best farms in the township; it consists of 160 acres and is situated on section 32.
Mr. Morrill was united in marriage in Marshall County, Illinois, in the fall of 1865, to Isabelle Thompson, and of this union three children have been born: Clara, Edwin S. and Shirley D. Mrs. Morrill was a popular teacher in the public schools before her marriage. In politics Mr. Morrill adheres to the principles of the Republican party. He has been township trustee, Justice of the Peace, and a member of the school board, discharging his duties with much good judgment. He is a member of Gettysburg Post, No. 241, G. A. R., at Northboro; he is a charter member of this post and is its present commander. He has always taken an active interest in religion and education, and has assisted in every public enterprise having for its object the advancement of the community. He is a member of the Baptist Church and is also a deacon of the same. He is a man of upright conduct and enjoys the esteem of a wide circle of acquaintances.

 

WILLIAM J. SPUNAUGLE, a well-known citizen of Tarkio Township, came to Page County in October, 1867: hence he is counted among the pioneers and is entitled to representation in this volume. He was born in Highland County, West Virginia, January 10, 1839. His parents, William and Jemimah (Waybright) Spunaugle, were also natives of Highland County, and reared a family of nine children. In 1856 they removed to Illinois. William J. remained under the parental roof until Lincoln's call for 300,000 men, when he became a member of Company C, which was afterward a part of a Missouri Regiment. He was first under fire at New Madrid and was also in the engagement at Island No. 10. He helped cut an eighteen-mile canal, and acted as a guard along the line of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, and also assisted in repairing and building railroad lines. He participated in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, and was honorably discharged August 18, 1864, after which he returned to Prairie City, Illinois. He resided there until 1867, when he came to Page County and purchased eighty acres of land; there were thirty acres broken and a small, log house stood on the place. He has added from time to time to his land until he now owns 200 acres of as fine land as lies in [page 863] Page County. In 1883 he erected a good residence at a cost of $1,200; it stands upon a natural building site in the midst of shade and ornamental trees. In 1888 a well planned barn was erected and all the surroundings indicate economy and wise management. Special attention is given to raising and feeding live-stock, in which Mr. Spunaugle has been very successful.
Our subject was married January 12,1864, to Miss Mary Gibson, a native of Indiana. By this union six children have been born: Alice J., wife of L. G. Griffey; Belle, Charles, Ada, wife of Roy Willburg; Eva and Ralph. The mother of these children died April 3, 1883. Mr. Spunaugle was married to his second wife, Anna M. Markle, May 7, 1885. She is a daughter of Archibald and Elizabeth (Moore) McDonald, who came to this county in 1859.
Politically Mr. Spunaugle is an adherent of the principles of the Republican party. He has represented the people of his township in many local offices and has been an efficient officer. He is a man of frank and cordial manner, possessed of a goodly amount of intelligence, and has gained many friends since coming to Page County. It is not strange that a man of excellent habits, a true and loyal citizen, a kind neighbor, should enjoy the esteem and respect of all with whom he mingles.

 

 

HON. E. P. STONE, the present Mayor of Clarinda, has been a resident of the place since 1880. He is a native of Ohio, born in Guernsey County, February 10, 1837, and a son of W. H. H. Stone, a native of the " Buckeye " State, whose ancestors were early settlers in Virginia. The mother died when our subject was an infant, and he found a home with his maternal grandparents, with whom he remained until he was fourteen years old.   He was reared to agricultural pursuits and attended the common-schools.    In 1856 he went to southern Illinois, where he engaged in school teaching following that profession until the outbreak of the civil war when he entered the Union army, enlisting in Company D, Twenty-ninth Volunteer Infantry, of Illinois.   He entered as a private but was at once elected Second Lieutenant.   He participated in many hard-fought battles, including Donelson, Corinth, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Helena, Spanish Fort, and Fort Blakely; he was also engaged in several skirmishes, and was on the famous Texas expedition.   At the battle of Shiloh, he was promoted to the position of Captain of his company and served in that capacity until the war closed.   He was mustered out September 16, 1865, at Houston, Texas, and at once returned to Illinois and engaged in the mercantile trade at New Haven. This he followed until 1873, when, he again took up agricultural pursuits, and in the spring of 1880 he came to Clarfnda and has since been engaged in business.   In 1884 he was elected Justice of the Peace and still holds that office.   In the autumn of 1888 he was elected Mayor of Clarinda and is the present incumbent.
Mr. Stone was married September 23 1866, to Miss Agnes I. Boydle, a native of Illinois.   By this union six children have been born: Arthur died at the age of eight years; Emma died when one year of age;
B------   died at the age of three years and eight months; Leon, Julian and Mabel are still living. Captain Stone and wife are acceptable members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a member of the Grand Army Post and assisted in the organization [page 864] of the Sons of Veterans at Clarinda. He has served as senior and junior warden of the post and as commander of the camp of veterans. It should be stated in this connection that Mr. Stone's father removed to Illinois in 1840, and when the war of the Rebellion broke out he enlisted in Company G, Seventh Illinois Cavalry; he died March, 1862, from disease contracted in the service of his country. His death occured at Mound City, Iowa.
Captain Stone is a man quiet and unassuming of manner, a true and loyal citizen, and one whom all respect for his manly virtues.


ROBERT THOMPSON, a scientific and prosperous farmer of Douglas Township, on section 9, is one of the early and well-known settlers there, having been a resident there since 1865. He was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in 1823; and of the same State his father, also named Robert, was a native. His mother's name before marriage was Nancy Gravatt. She was a native of New Jersey.   In 1855 Mr. Thompson came to Jackson County, Iowa, lived there nine years, and then for a time in Jasper County, and finally he came to Page County and purchased 160 acres of improved land from Hiram Ward, who had entered the same from the Government; and Mr. Thompson has further improved the place until it is now one of the best farms in the neighborhood. His residence, built in 1878, cost $1,200. The premises are ornamented with shade-trees and a beautiful grove.
Mr. Thompson was married in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, March 28, 1848, to Miss Harriet Wallace, a native of that State, who has since died, November 16,1881, a worthy and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a kind and loving mother. The children are four in number: Alice Rebecca, wife of B. T. McCormick, of Shenandoah; Marietta, a successful, teacher; Frank, and James M., who is married and has the care and management of his father's farm. Mr. Thompson is a Republican in his political views, has served as Township Trustee, and is a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is at present one of the trustees.