The History of Appanoose County, Iowa
Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1878
Transcribed by Renee Rimmert. A complete copy of this book is available on-line at archive.org.
Abreviations |
| agt - agent | mach - machinist |
| carp - carpenter | mech - mechanic |
| clk - clerk | mar - merchant |
| co - company or county | mfr - manufacturer |
| dlr - dealer | mkr - maker |
| fmr - farmer | P.O. - Post Office |
| gro - grower | prop - proprietor |
| I.V.A. - Iowa Volunteer Artillery | S. or Sec. - section |
| I.V.C. - Iowa Volunteer Cavalry | st - street |
| I.V.I. - Iowa Volunteer Infantry | supt - superintendent |
| lab - laborer | treas - treasurer |
Franklin Township
I - S
Jarvis, Wm. L., far., Sec. 3; P.O. Livingston.
Jump, John F., far., Sec. 21; P.O. Livingston.
Keller, Adam, far., Sec. 34; P.O. Numa.
Keller, H.F., far., Sec. 33; P.O. Seymour.
Kelley, James M., far., Sec. 5; P.O. Seymour, Wayne Co.; born in Hawkins Co., E. Tenn., in 1820. At the age of 23, he married Miss Margaret Retchy; she was born in Jefferson Co., E. Tenn., in 1825; during the year 1847, they removed to Adams Co., Ill.; there engaged in farming until 1853; then went to Hancock Co.; remained two years, and came to this county, where he owns 100 acres of land, valued at $30 per acre. Their children are Sarah C., Nancy I., William A., Mary E., Joanna, Lucinda M., Louisa, Amanda L. and John A. Democratic; members of the M.E. Church. Like many of the pioneers of Iowa, Mr. Kelley came here poor, and, during the first few years of his pioneer life, had to skirmish for a living, depending almost solely upon the game of the prairies for a living for himself and family, alternately hunting and working (improving his farm); deer, turkey and prairie chicken were the game, the flesh serving as food and the fur being turned to account in providing means to obtain clothing for the family; he made the first entry of land on the south side of the road on which he lives.
Kimley, Thos., far., Sec. 25; P.O. Numa.
Kerschun, E.A., far., Sec. 16; P.O. Genoa.
Lacy & Shepherd, farmers, Sec. 12; P.O. Hibbsville.
Lambert, B., far., S. 25; P.O. Livingston.
Lankford, W.,far., S. 25; P.O. Hibbsville.
Llewellyn, W.S., far., Sec. 7; P.O. Genoa, Wayne Co.; born in Lancaster Co., Penn., in 1820; his father, William, was a native of Wales; emigrated to America soon after the French war; his mother, Ann, whose maiden name was Meredith, was born in the city of Bristol. Married there in 1816; died in 1854; they settled in Guernsey Co., Ohio, where they engaged in farming; his death occurred in 1867. After his father's death, W.S. continued to work upon the farm, assisting in the clearing and improving it until the spring of 1847, when he came to Lee Co., Iowa, where he engaged in carpenter and joiner work until the spring of 1850, where he took the overland route to California; arrived at Ringold, August 12 of same year, having spent a week at Salt Lake City; arrived in California, he engaged in mining until Nov. 3, 1851, when he took passage on board a sail-vessel for Nicaragua, C.A., where he arrived December 17, of the same year; crossed the Isthmus and arrived at Greytown, Christmas Eve; the next day took steamer Ohio for the Island of Cuba; remained there two or three days and proceeded to New Orleans , where he arrived Jan 5, 1853; remained one month and left for Ohio by steamer to Cincinnati, reaching his destination, Guernsey Co., Feb. 14, 1852; remained one month, and again left for Lee Co., which he reached on the same day two years from date of leaving; again engaged at his trade until 1862, when he enlisted in the 37th I.V.I., Co. C, Capt. J.A. Hall, Col. G.N. Kinkade, as a private; was on garrison duty until mustered out as Sergeant, in May, 1865, at Davenport, Iowa. Returned to Lee Co., and again engaged at his usual occupation. In June 1866, he married Miss Mary Fox; she was born in Orleans Co., N.Y., July 11, 1835, her father, William F., a pioneer of Lee Co., having removed there during the year 1846; he was a farmer; resided there until his death, which occurred in April 1872; her mother died in December 1876. Mr. and Mrs. L. remained in Lee Co. until 1870, when he, leaving his family, came to this county, erected a house and improved, to some extent, a farm, and, during the year 1871, moved his family here, where he owns 1,490 acres of land, valued at $25 per acre. They have three children - Jessie, born Oct. 4 1867; Nellie, born Dec. 15, 1870; Frankie E., March 1, 1876. Republican; Mrs. L. is a member of the M.E. Church. He has held the office of Township Assessor, Trustee, President and Treasurer of School Board, and has been County Supervisor two terms.
Lynch, Jas.,far., Sec. 23; P.O. Livingston.
McCabe, W.H.,far., S. 5; P.O. Seymour.
McCannon, D.S.,far., Sec. 35; P.O. Hibbsville.
Melson, J., far., Sec. 11; P.O. Livingston.
Melson, J., farmer and dealer in stock, Sec. 11; P.O. Livingston; born in Ross Co., Ohio, in 1822; came to Washington Co., Iowa, in 1854; to this county in 1855, where he now owns 600 acres of land, valued at $20 per acre. Married Miss Mary O. Brenner in 1844; she was born in Ross Co., Ohio, in 1825; they have eight children - F.C., Maria, Mary C., B.F., John C., Ann, Bell and Emma. Republican; members of the Church of God. Has held the offices of Township Trustee, Supervisor, School offices, etc. His son F.C., now a resident of Adams Co., enlisted in 8th Iowa V.C., Co. H, Capt. M. Walmen; second recruit in 1863; was in all the battles of his command, and mustered out at close of war.
Merritt, S.H., farmer, Sec. 32; P.O. Seymour; born in Jefferson Co., Ohio, in 1817; removed to what was at that time Morgan Co., Ill., in 1836; there engaged at tailoring at Winchester, since county seat of Scott Co., until July of the same year, and went to Springfield, Ill., there was engaged in the same business until 1841; came to the Territory of Iowa, Van Buren Co. Then married Miss Emily Errington in 1845, a resident of Jefferson Co.; her father, Joel E., was the first minister of the M.E. Church, who removed his family to this Territory; they came from Fulton Co., Ill., in 1839; he died at Bloomfied, Davis Co., in 1851; her mother died in Van Buren Co., in 1877, being over 90 years of age. After coming to Van Buren Co., Mr. Merritt continued his trade for seven years; then engaged in farming by renting until 1854; then purchased a farm in Jefferson Co., which he occupied until 1869, when he came to this county, where he now owns 320 acres of land, valued at $20 per acre. They have four children - Mary M., John j., George N. and William S. Republican; members of the M.E. Church. Has held the office of Township Trustee and school offices.
Mullinax, J. far., S. 7; P.O. Genoa.
Mullinax, C., far., S. 18; P.O. Genoa.
Myers, G.,far., S. 5; P.O. Livingston.
Noe, G.E.,far., S. 34; P.O. Livingston.
Newton, M.,far., S. 24; P.O. Cincinnati.
Parks, Geo. W., far., S. 35; P.O. Hibbsville.
Parker, L.G., farmer and stock grower; proprietor of Livingston Coal Works; Sec. 3; P.O. Livingston; born in Jefferson Co., N.Y., in 1816; at the age of 17, entered Union Academy at Belleville, that county, and at the age of 21, entered Union College at Schenectady; graduated in full course class of 1838, and the same fall came to Ohio, and engaged in civil engineering on the Miami Canal, at that time a new county full of ague. June 1841, he married Miss Nancy J. Barney, daughter of Benjamin Barney, a soilder of the war of 1812. A part of the land now owned and occupied by Mr. Parker was obtained through his services in that war, and which is prized by Mr. P. more highly on that account. A brother of his, E.G. Barney, is now in South America as civil engineer. It was with him Mr. Parker was engaged on the canal in Ohio. The elder brother of Mrs. Parker, E.E. Barney is a carbuilder at Dayton, Ohio; he was a graduate at Union College, and for many years President of the female academy at Dayton, Ohio; successful teacher, and successful at any of his undertakings. Another brother, B.H.B., and Elder of the Baptist Church. Her sister, Mrs. J.E. Stephens, a graduate of Union College, formerly a teacher, now has an interest in the car works at Dayton, Ohio; she was educated at Union Academy, and was a successful teacher for many years at Painesville, Ohio, and also at Dayton; she is now lecturing in the interest of the Woman's Missionary Society, lecturing for missions. Her elder sister was the wife of E.O. Smith, Esq., of this township,died in 1877, among the earliest pupils of Academy; the family moved to Northern Ohio, Geauga Co., in 1831; she taught school there for a term; they then came to Dayton, where she was associated with her brother, teaching in the Union Academy at Dayton for four or five years; in 1842, she was married to E.O. Smith of Galway, N.Y.; in 1856, with her husband, came to this county, and with the same tireless energy that characterized her life, took upon herself the burdens of a farmer's life, adn the painstaking share of molding into shape the crude elements of pioneer society. After the completion of his duties on the canal before mentioned, Mr. Parker took charge of the academy at Urbana, Ohio, and after the close of the school year for 1853, he, with his father-in-law, came to Appanoose Co., where they entered a section of land, then returned and continued his school, and the following year move with his family to his land in this county, which he commenced to improve. During the year 1858-59, he published the Appanoose Republican, the first Republican paper published in the county, the Democracy of the county being at that time as three to one; surrounded by the slavery element, it, at that time, cost something to be a Republican. After that, returned to his farming until August 1861, when he enlisted, as private, Co. B, 6th Kansas Cavalry; participated mostly along the Kansas border at guerilla warfare, battles of Mazzard Prairie; Mine Creek, High Grove and others; promoted to first to Sergeant, then to Lieutenat, then to Captain, for meritorious services rendered on the field; served four and one-half years, and mustered out at Fort Leavenworth, November, 1865, as Captain of Co. B, 15th Kansas Cavalry. The father of Mr. Parker was a soldier of 1812, his grandfather a soldier of the Revolution. On coming to Appanoose, Mr. and Mrs. P. found a log cabin on their land, occupied by a squatter whom it cost $125 to get rid of, which they occupied four or five years; not a fence rail, or a furrow plowed, on the farm, which now consists of 340 acres of well-improved land, valued at $30 per acre. He with his son B.B. owns the only coal-mines in the Southwest part of the county, supplying Seymour, Genoa, St. John and the surrounding country with coal equal in quality to the best in the county; they mine 20,000 bushels per year, with business increasing every year, farmers even with plenty of timber, as fast as their wood stoves burn out buy coal stoves. They have four children living - Edwin L., born in 1842; John G., born in 1845, killed at the battle of Mazzard Prairie, Ark., July 27, 1864; Benjamin B., born in 1849; Charles F., born in 1856, and Albert L., born in 1859. Republican; Mr. and Mrs. P. are members of the Baptist Church, wherein he is an authorized minister. Has frequently held the office of Township Trustee; was at one time candidate for State Senate; a member of A., F. & A.M., No. 8, Harmony lodge, Pickaway, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. P. try to bear their full share of the burdens and responsibilities of the county and community in which they live. Mr. P. with his two sons contributed to the army what was equal to nine years of one man's time; Mrs. Parker being with him two years of the time as Hospital Nurse to his eldest sone E.L., who was in the army, now a resident of Kansas.
Peters, J.Q.,far., Sec. 29; P.O. Seymour.
Pettit, A., far., Sec. 6; P.O. Livingston.
Pettit, A.G., far., Sec. 14; P.O. Livingston.
Petit, Noah, far., S. 6; P.O. Livingston.
Pettigrew, A.W., far., Sec. 29; P.O. Genoa.
Reed, F.,heirs, far., S. 20; P.O. Livingston.
Rick, Jno.,far., S. 26; P.O. Hibbsville.
Ross, G.,far., Sec. 33; P.O. Livingston.
Sager, J.P.,far., S. 29; P.O. Seymour.
Shoultz, A.,far., S. 31; P.O. Seymour.
Shoultz, J.A., far.,S. 31; P.O. Seymour.
Shoultz, Marion,far., Sec. 30; P.O. Seymour.
Shoultz, W.,far., S. 30; P.O. Seymour.
Snead, G.M.D.,farmer, Sec., 15; P.O. Livingston; born in Richmond, Va., in 1845; in 1858, came to this county; his father, John S., was a cabinet maker by trade; afterward on the police force at Richmond; died there during the cholera of 1851; his mother then married James Inman, and with them he came to this county; his mother died her in 1864; his stepfather afterward removed to Ohio. During the year 1863, he enlisted in the 8th I.V.C., Co. H, Capt. Waldren; was at Chattanooga and all the battles from that to Atlanta; wounded at Newnan and taken prisoner; held at Andersonville most of the time for nine months, then taken to Florida and turned loose without even a shirt, and bare-footed; succeeded in reaching our lines in April 1865, and was discharged under act of Congress regarding prisoners, June 6, 1865. Returned home in November 1866, and married Miss Sarah Fife; she was born in Lee Co., Iowa, in 1849; her father was a pioneer of that county from Floyd Co., Mo.; they have six children - Louisa B., David R., John, Clarence and infant twins not named. Republican; she is a member of the Baptist Church. He has held the school offices and Township Trustee; was elected to that office again at the last election.
Smith, E.O.,far., Sec. 9; P.O. Livingston.
Smith, J.M.,far., Sec. 36; P.O. Hibbsville.
Stamps, E.B., far., S. 31; P.O. Seymour.
Stamps, John, far., S. 31; P.O. Seymour; born in White Co., Tenn., in 1813; his father, Sandford S., a farmer of that county, died in 1824, or when John was 11 years of age; his mother married a second time at the age of 19. Married Miss Sarah Bohannan; she was born in White Co., Tenn., in 1814; her father, Lewis A., a residence of that county, a farmer and stock-dealer and a man well known and highly respected throughout the county, and of considerable wealth, died in 1853. In 1835, they came to Macoupin Co., Ill., engaged in farming there for three years, and then went to Morgan Co., thence to Texas, where he was entitled to 640 acres of land under the old Spanish Right, and there he remained for eighteen months; helped to lay out Franklin, county seat of Robinson Co.; during the year 1840, he returned to McDonough Co., Ill., where he engaged in farming, wheelwrighting, etc.; bought a farm, which he retained until 1850, when they came to this county, where he now owns 183 acres of land, valued at $20 per acre; has owned 170 acres beside what he has given to his children. They have five children - Nancy C., Margaret J., Zilpha E., Mary A. and Elijah B. Democratic. Has held the office of Tp. Trustee and School Treasurer. Mr. Stamps had to bear his share of the burdens of pioneer life in Iowa, and one among the many was going seventy- five miles to mill; at the time of his coming to Appanoose, nothing was to be had any nearer; the trip required thirty-one days; the first season after coming, he made two of them; built a house and raised corn enough, within fourteen bushels, to supply his requirments; after reaching here on the 22nd of May, was offered $2.50 per bushel for meal at Hurly's mill; has made all he has since coming to Appanoose.
Stanton, A., farmer, Sec. 33.; P.O. Livingston; born in Washington Co., Ohio, in 1819; during the year 1850, he came to Lee Co., Iowa, where he engaged in farming until the spring of 1852, when he came to this county, where he purchased a farm in Pleasant Tp.; and occupied it until 1865, and sold it and bought the farm he now occupies, consisting of 155 acres, valued at $25 per acre. Married Miss Lydia Cookright in 1840; she was born in Washington Co., Ohio, in 1821; died in this county in 1862, leaving eight children - Cornelius A., David A., Nancy E., Andrew P., Mary, Olive S., Julian S. and Della. Mrs. Stanton was a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Mr. S. has held the offices of Township Assessor, Township Trustee, school offices, etc. His son David enlisted in the 35th Iowa V.I. in 1862; participated at Mark's Mill; captured and held prisoner at Tyler, Texas, for thirteen months; promoted to Quartermaster Sergeant; in several other battles, and mustered out in 1865. Now a resident of Putnam Co., Mo.
Stollebarger, M., heirs, Sec. 35; P.O. Livingston
Stevens, D., far., S. 30; P.O. Seymour.
Gooding, F., far., S. 33; P.O. Seymour.
Stevenson, Henry,farmer, Sec. 36; P.O. Hibbsville; born in Fayette Co., Penn., in 1802; his father, William S., a weaver by trade, was born in Ireland. During the year 1808, he started for his native country, having heard of a fortune left him there from his father's (Henry's grandfather) estate, consisting of $16,000. He never was heard from afterward, not reaching his destination. His mother, Mary, whose maiden name was Camron, died in Butler Co., Ohio, in 1841; she was born in Washington Co., Penn. At his father's death, she was left with nine children; Henry being the youngest; himself and one sister are now the only ones of the family living. From the time he could earn $3.00 month, he supported his mother. At the age of 21, he married Miss Sarah Blair; she was born in Fayette Co., Penn., in 1807, her father, Robert B., being a much respected citizen of that county; her mother's maiden name was Lettice Parkhill; both were from Ireland, and married there, and emigrated to the United States immediately thereafter. Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson have five children living - Mary, Parkhill, Sarah, Blair and Henry W.; three have died - Leteis, Robert and Rebecc. Mr. S. came to this county in 1852, where he owns 120 acres of land, valued at $35 per acre. Was Justice of the Peace here for eight years; has held some of the school offices. Learned the shoemaker's trade in Pennsylvania, which he followed for twenty years. On coming to Iowa, he first settled in Wapllo Co., where he made money, through renting land, to buy his present farm.
Strickland, Nathan,far., Sec. 33; P.O. Livingston.
Streepy, John,far., Sec. 9; P.O. Livingston.