more favorable opportunities in the great west. The party came to jasper county, Iowa, traveling by wagon and camping out at night en route. The mother purchased forty acres of land, which one of her sons-in-law cultivated, and she made her home in his family. Subsequently she lived around among her children, being called away November 1, 1887, in her eighty-ninth year, while stopping with the subject of this review.
Commodore Perry McQuiston devoted his attention during the first two years after arriving in jasper county principally to making shingles and ax handles. At the end of that time he and his brother Silas purchased seventy acres of land which they divided between them, their farms being located in jasper county on the Story county line. Here Mr. McQuiston continued for ten or twelve years, when he traded his place for sixty acres in Collins township, Story county, and subsequently bought forty acres adjoining, making an attractive farm of one hundred acres, upon which he has since lived continuously. He is a man of acknowledged ability, upright character and moral worth.
On the 9th of May, 1850, Mr. McQuiston was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Henning, a daughter of Jacob Henning, a farmer of La Grange county, Indiana. Unto Mr. and Mrs. McQuiston twelve children have been born, seven of whom are now living, namely : Eli, of jasper county; John Q., who now has charge of his father's place; Charles L. and George W., both farmers of Collins township; Dora M., who is the widow of Thomas Holmes and is now living with her father; Commodore Perry, of Aitkin county; Minnesota; and Sarah E., the wife of George Vasey, of jasper county.
Mr. McQuiston is an earnest supporter of the republican party, and although his attention has been taken up mainly with his own affairs, he has served with great acceptance as road supervisor and member of the school board. He and his wife are thoroughly respected by their neighbors and friends on account of their genial, hospitable characteristics, no needy stranger ever being turned from their door empty-handed. He has from his boyhood been active, industrious and efficient and now has the satisfaction of knowing that through his well applied energy he and his estimable wife are amply provided for during the remainder of their lives.
ISAAC H. ATKINSON.
The name of Atkinson has for more than fifty years been familiar to the inhabitants of Story county. The family having come here in pioneer days. Isaac H. Atkinson, the son of Eli and Jestine (Moore) Atkinson, was born in Knox county, Illinois, on the 4th of October, 1856. His father was a native of Clark county, Ohio, and his mother of Tazewell county, West Virginia. They removed to Knox county, Illinois, with their re-