"The History of Decatur County, Iowa: 1839 - 1970"

by Himena V. Hoffman
Published by Decatur County Historical Society, Leon IA, 1970

Transcriptions courtesy of Carmelita and Sara LeFleur
 
Himena Hoffman, author of this history, is the great granddaughter of pioneers of the County about which she writes. Her grandparents, Carl Jacob Hoffman and Susan Warner Hoffman, came by covered wagon from Darke County, Ohio, to Decatur County, Iowa, in 1854, bringing with them a six month old son, Calvin. Calvin Hoffman married Ellen Cyrena Parrish, who came from Sterling Valley, New York, to teach in the Decatur County Schools. Miss Hoffman was one of their nine children, and grew up hearing the tales of the pioneers, and with a sense of the continuity of her life with that of the County. She graduated from Simpson College, received an M.A. degree from the University of Iowa, and was a graduate student of Columbia University and the University of Virginia. She was a history teacher, and taught at Denison, and at Fort Dodge, Iowa, and for many years was Head of the Social Science Department and Dean of Girls at Pocatello, Idaho, but she began and ended her teaching career at Leon, Iowa, in her native County. She was one of the founders of the present Decatur County Historical Society and was its first president. She has donated any profits from this book to the Society, which is responsible for its publication. Nothing was more natural than that on her retirement she decided to write a history of that County, for she believes, as did the Captain J. D. Brown of this history, that she lives in the best country in the world, in the best state in the Nation, in the best County in that state and in the best town in that County, "and don't you forget it". ~ From inside of the dust jacket (click photo for larger view).
  
 "The Years of the Early Settlers", Part I, Pages 2 - 50
SURNAMES: Adams, Akers, Alden, Alexander, Arnold, Baker, Barns, Barrett, Bartholomew, Beavers, Beck, Bigford, Binkley, Birt, Bradley, Bramfield, Black, Blades, Blair, Blakesley, Brammer, Briggs, Bright, Brown, Burns, Burrell, Campbell, Carson, Cash, Chase, Chastain, Cheever[s], Childers, Clark, Conwell, Cornett, Cowels, Cozad, Craig, Crees, Cruikshank, Culver, Cummings, Curry, Dale, Davis, Dickinson, Dillon, Dobzy, Daughton, Doze, Duncan, Dunn, Durham, Dye, Eckton, Ellis, Eritt, Ewing, Farlow, Farrar, Faulkner, Finley, Fisher, Forrey, Gammill, Gammon, Garber, Gardiner, Gardner, Gates, Gibson, Gittinger, Givins, Griffin, Grogan, Hagan, Hainer, Hall, Hamilton, Hampton, Hannon, Harbour, Harken, Harma, Harmon, Hastings, Hatfield, Hawley, Heaton, Henning, Hickman, Hines, Hinkle, Hoffman, Hole, Houlihan, Houston, Howard, Hubbard, Jackson, Jacob, Jenree, Johnson, Jordan, Judd, Kellogg, Kilgore, Klepper, Knapp, Knapps, Knepp, Kob, Koger, Kreckel, Lamb, Laney, Latham, Lee, Leveridge, Logan, Loe, Loving, Lowrance, Lunbeck, Machlan, Machlin, Macy, Madaraz, Majtheuyi [Majthenyi or Mathenji], Marshall, Masco, McBroom, McClain, McClelland, McDaniel, McDonald, McConough, McDowell, McElvaine, McKay, McKibben, McLaughlin, McLean, Meek, Mendenhall, Metier, Miller, Moab, Moffet, Moffit, Monroe, Moore, Morgan, Mullen, Mullinix, Newlin, Notson, Oney, Ostolock, Ownby, Owens, Parsons, Patterson, Penniwell, Piercy, Piper, Porter, Price, Pryor, Puckett, Raiff, Richards, Richardson, Roberts, Renfro, Robinson, Rogers, Ross, Rowell, Rudebaugh, Rudolph, Ryan, Sales, Sanders, Scott, Sears, Shackleford, Shaw, Shields, Shinn, Smith, Snook, Springer, Spurlock, Stanley, Stephens, Stevens, Sterns, Stewart, Stiles, Still, Stillwell, Stokes, Stone, Stought, Stout, Tash, Thomas, Thompson, Udell, Ujhazy, Updegraff, Vanderpool, Van Nostrand, Varga, Vickey, Wainwright, Walker, Walrup, Walton, Warford, Warner, Warnock, Wasson, Weldon, West, Westervelt, Wharton, Williams, Willis, Winkle, Winters, Witter, Wood, Woodbury, Woodmansee, Woodard, Worden, Young, Zimmerman

"The Years of the Civil War 1860 - 1865" Part II, Pages 51 - 74
SURNAMES: Adair, Akers, Albaugh, Allen, Amack, Andrews, Arnold, Ashburn, Baker, Barnes, Barrett, Bathe, Beavers, Beck, Bennett, Biggs, Bird, Blades, Blair, Blakesley, Blinkley, Bobbitt, Boone, Bowman, Boyd, Bozarth, Bracewell, Bradley, Bridges, Bright, Brown, Bullard, Burns, Burton, Butts, Cain, Campbell, Carruthers, Cash, Caster, Chase, Chastain, Clark, Cleaver, Cockerham, Colwell, Comstock, Cornett, Cowles, Cozad, Craft, Cruikshank, Cummings, Cummins, Curry, Dale, Davis, Dickinson, Dobozy, Downey, Dunn, Eiker, Ellis, Ernest, Evans, Farlow, Farnes, Feslers, Fifer, Finley, Fitch, Flora, Foland, Folker, Forman, Forrey, Fortner, Francis, Franklin, Frost, Fuller, Gammill, Gammin,Gammon, Garber, Gardner, Garrett, Gary, Gibler, Gibson, Gillham, Gittinger, Good, Goodman, Grey, Green, Griffin, Grogan, Guernsey, Gunter, Hainer, Hale, Hammond, Harding, Hardman, Harman, Harrison, Harrow, Hatfield, Hawkins, Hawley, Hayes, Henderson, Hershberger, Hines, Hoffman, Houston, Howard, Hurst, Jackson, Jenkins, Jenks, Johnson, Jordan, Joseph, Judd, Kellogg, Kemp, King, Kinnear, Kirkpatrick, Kizzier, Knapp, Kob, Koger, Lamb, Landes, Leffler, Lilliard, Liming, Logan, Machlan, Macy, Maderlasz, Manney, Marcum, Marshal, Martin, Mathes, McBee, McBroom, McClain, McClelland, McClure, McCrosy, McDonald, McGrew, McLaughlin, McQuarry, McVey, Meek, Mendenhall, Mercer, Merrick, Miller, Millsap, Morey, Moore, Mudgett, Mullins, Musser, Norman, Northrup, Osborn, Owenby, Owens, Parton, Patterson, Perdew, Piercy, Pomutz, Porter, Purcel, Radnich, Richards, Richardson, Rogers, Rowell, Rumley, Ryan, Sales, Sankey, Schnoover, Scott, Sears, Shaw, Siglers, Silvers, Simpson, Slaughter, Sly, Springer, Stearns, Stephans, Stevens, Stewart, Stiles, Stillwell, Stout, Strong, Sullivan, Sumner, Swan, Sylvester, Taft, Teeters, Thompson, Trembly, Tucker, Ujhazy, Updegraff, Vail, Vanderpool, Varga, Wadsworth, Waller, Walton, warden, Warner, Weldon,Wharton, Whitecar, Whitten, Willis, Wilson, Winters, Witter, Wolverton, Wood, Woodbury, Woodby, Woodmansee, Woods, Woolsey, Work, Wyant, Vanderpool, Vaugh, Young, Zernes

"The Era of Business, Politics and Railroads", 1865 - 1900, Pages 78 - 79
SURNAMES: Bolon, Clark, Gammill

"Decatur County Businesses Late 1800's", Pages 79 - 80
SURNAMES: Barnard, Beck, Biggs, Brothers, Buffam, Chapman, Clark, Dilsaver, Gammill, Hodges, Jamison, Jennings, Kline, Ledgerwood, Metier, Sanger, Shaw, Sigler, Stearns, Stone, Tharp, Young

"Decatur County Railroad Lines, Part I", Pages 80 - 82
SURNAMES: Caster, Clark, Gurley, Hansen, Harvey, Hopkins, Miles, Stearns, Walker

"Decatur County Railroad Lines, Part II", Pages 82 - 83
SURNAMES: Garber, Hurst, Long, Patterson

"Businesses, Part I", Page 84
SURNAMES: Bashaw, Farquhar, Garber, Hamilton, Teale, Young

"Businesses, Part II", Pages 84 - 86
SURNAMES: Alexander, Avery, Bobbitt, Bowman, Chase, Clark, Craig, Craigo, Darr, Finley, Garber, Gates, Harris, Hebener, Hoffhines, Ledgerwood, McClellan, Mudgett, Stout, Swearingen, Van Werden, Voght, Wallace

"Businesses, Part III", Pages 86 - 87
SURNAMES: Arnold, Clark, Culver, Dancer, Judd, Kellogg, Knapp, Kohlman, Loving, Mallette, McClaren, McClug, McLean, Ownby, Radnich, Richardson, Schenk, Scott, Shaffer, Stanley, Teale, Wilson

"Law and Order: Mercer Gang", Pages 88 - 89
SURNAMES: Albaugh, Alfrey, Allen, Amos, Burton, Crawford, Critchfield, Curry, Enlow, Forrey, Harvey, McGinnis, Mercer, Miller, Mullinnix, Peasley, Sall, Sankey, Varga, Warner, Woodward, Young

"The Era of Business, Politics and Railroads" 1865 - 1900, Part III, Pages 90 - 102
SURNAMES: Arnold, Baker, Barr, Bissell, Blackus, Bone, Bruce, Bullock, Caster, Curry, Daniels, Dekalb, Densnap, Doolittle, Drake, Duff, Dye, Emerich, Finley, Forrey, Foxworthy, Frazier, Garber, Gargraves, Gates, Grandstaff, Guernsey, Hainer, Hamilton, Harkness, Harvey, Haskett, Hoadley, Hoffman, Hopkins, Horner, Howell, Humeston, Hurst, Hyatt, Johnson, Jordan, Kellogg, Kirkpatrick, Laney, Layton, Lindsey, Lunbeck, Mallette, Manney, Mason, McCaul, McClelland, McGinnis, McGrew, McKibbens, McLean, Mitchell, Moore, Mullinix, Parrish, Patterson, Pence, Puckett, Redman, Sales, Schoenert, Silvers, Springer, Stearns, Stout, Thompson, Todd, Wailes, Walker, Warner, Wickes, Woodroff, Van Werden, Varga, Young

"Accidents, Diseases and Injuries; Medical Profession", 103 - 105
SURNAMES: Bell, Craig, DeKalb, Gardner, Gates, Hakett, Hatfield, Hoffman, Jackson, Johnson, Mathes, Ownby, Patterson, Rowell, Sankey, Schenk, Snaky, Stockton, Taylor, Varga, Warner, Zichy

"Children's Deaths in Decatur County; Children at County Farm", Pages 105 - 108
SURNAMES: Arnold, Bashaw, Biddison, Bobbitt, Bowman, Bowsher, Carter, Farquhar, Fluke, Gammill, Gammon, Hamilton, Harvey, Horner, Hurst, Kellogg, Layton, Long, Myers, Shields, Stearns, Thompson, Van Werden, Wallace, Young

"Religion, Part I", Page 108
SURNAMES: Banta, Blakesley, Dale, Dancer, Gurley, Hamilton, Kob, Robinson, Scott, Smith, Stebbins

"Religion, Part II", Pages 109 - 112
SURNAMES: Allen, Arnold, Barrett, Bashaw, Bruce, Clark, Conwell, Craig, Daughton, Dean, Garber, Gardner, Griffin, Grogan, Gurley, Hamilton, Harkness, Harvy, Hawkins, Hebener, Hoffman, Hull, Hurst, Johnson, Judd, Kob, Long, Loving, Lunbeck, Mallette, Manney, Mather, McClelland, Mullen, Parrish, Rowell, Rumley, Sears, Shaw, Sigler, Smith, Stearns, Todd, Varga, Warner, Wood, Woodbury, Young

"Religion, Part III", Pages 112 - 113
SURNAMES: Arnold, Beers, Cornell, Cosgrove, Dancer, Dix, Edwards, Layton, Noerr, Patterson, Porter, Stearns, Walker, Wright

"Courthouse, Graceland College, Schools & Churches", Page 116
SURNAMES: Binning, Brazelton, Clark, Dancer, Daughton, DeKalb, Gammon, Garber, Gardner, Gates, Griffin, Grogan, Flora, Foland, Hamilton, Harvey, Hopkins, Hurst, Loving, Martin, Mullen, Penniwell, Scott, Smith, Stearns, Sowers, Teale, Townsend,Van Werden, Woodard, Young

"Some Prominent Families, Part I", Pages 117 - 120
SURNAMES: Akers, Alexander, Blair, Caldwell, Chase, Cowles, Craig, Davis, Gammill, Gardner, Hagen, Hamilton, Hoffman, Houston, Kellogg, Logan, Machlan, McCleary, McKibben, Moffit, Parrish, Piercy, Rudibaugh, Newlin, Redman, Rumley, Samson, Scott, Severe, Skinner, Springer, Stanley, Stout, Warnock, Wasson, Wiley

"Some Prominent Families, Part II", Pages 120 - 122
SURNAMES: Akes, Alexander, Arnold, Baker, Barr,Beavers, Beck, Bedier, Binning, Blair, Board, Brenizer, Brennaman, Campbell, Cash, Chastain, Crees, Creveling, Daughton, Edwards, Fear, Flynn, Gammill, Gammons, Garber, Gates, Griffin, Griffith, Grogan, Hainer, Hamilton, Hembry, Hington, Houston, Jordan, Keller, Kellogg, Kemp, Knapp, Mallette, Manney, McGraw, McMorris, Meek, Metier, Mullin, O'Grady, Pryor, Redman, Sears, Shaw, Shinn, Smith, Sowash, Teale, Thompson, Turner, Warner, Weldon, West, Young, Zichy

"Political Issues", Pages 131 - 132
SURNAMES: Baker, Banta, Binkley, Brown, Bruce, Clark, Curry, Dancer, Forrey, Gates, Harvey, Haskett, Hoffman, Hull, Hurst, James, McGinnis, Morrison, Parrish, Pitman, Pryor, Sankey, Stearns, Stewart, Stookey, Sullivan, Thompson, Varga, Warrington, Woodmansee, Young

"Social Life", Pages 133 - 134
SURNAMES: Arnold, Banta, Brooks, Dancer, Darr, Finley, Harkness, Harvey, Hiatt, Ketchum, Knapp, Layton, Lunbeck, McClelland, Miller, Patterson, Post, Richardson, Stearns, Stookey, Walker, Young, Zichy

"The Years of Peace and Prosperity 1900 - 1920" Part IV, Pages 141 - 194
SURNAMES: Ackerley, Aiken, Akes, Aldredge, Allen, Amos, Anderson, Andrews, Armstrong, Arney, Arnold, Ausman, Backer, Baker, Banta, Barr, Bathe, Beard, Beavers, Beck, Berry, Bigley, Blades, Blair, Bloom, Boies, Bolon, Bone, Bowman, Bowsher, Boyd, Bracewell, Bradley, Bradshaw, Briggemen, Biggs, Brothers, Brown, Buchanan, Buffum, Burbank, Burgess, Burns, Burrell, Butcher, Butler, Calhoun, Campbell, Carmean, Caster, Chambers, Chase, Cherrington, Chew, Cleveland, Cocking, Coffey, Conrey, Contz, Corrington, Cosner, Cowl, Cozad, Craig, Craigo, Cartwright, Crees, Creswell, Crofford, Culver, Cummings, Curry, Dancer, Davis, Day, Decatur, Dekalb, Derry, Dietrick, Dilsaver, Drake, Doolittle, Dorn, Duff, Duffield, Duffy, Dunn, Dye, Edwards, Eiker, Ellis, Epperly, Euritt, Farquahar, Fear, Fierce, Finley, Fisher, Fleet, Flora, Follmer, Forbes, Foreman, France, Frazier, Garber, Gardner, Gass, Gates, Geer, Gill, Gilreath, Gittinger, Good Goodman, Gould, Graves, Greenman, Greer, Griffin, Grimes, Grogan, Gunsolley, Gurley, Hacker, Hagen, Halstead, Hamilton, Hammill, Hansell, Harkness, Harris, Hartshorn, Harvey, Hayden, Hazlet, Heaton, Hepburn, Hingston, Hoadley, Hoffman, Holliday, Honnald, Hopkins, Horner, Horton, Howell, Howes, Hudson, Hughes, Hull, Hurst, Jamison, Jeffries, Jenkins, Jenks, Jennings, John, Johnson, Judd, Karr, Kelley, Kemp, Knapp, Lamoree, Landis, Laney, Lanning, Latta, Layton, Lee, Leeper, Leetan, Leland, Lemley, Lewis, Lillie, Lindsey, Lionberger, Lloyd, Long, Lorey, Lovetts, Lunbeck, Lyon, Mallett, Martin, McClaren, McCleary, McClelland, McClung, McDonald, McElveen, McGinnis, McGraw, McLaughlin, McMorris, McPherson, Mendenhall, Metier, Milsap, Mitchell, Monroe, Moore, Mullinix, Myers, Nicholson, Northrup, Nye, Oiler, Officer, Olsen, O'Neal, Osborne, Overholtzer, Owens, Parris, Parrish, Patterson, Penniwell, Phelps, Pierce, Post, Potts, Price, Pryor, Pullen, Poush, Radnich, Rauch, Redman, Reed, Richardson, Riley, Robinson, Ronk, Rowell, Rush, Russell, Sankey, Schaffner, Schultz, Scott, Sears, Sells, Severs, Sharp, Shaw, Shewmaker, Shields, Shoemaker, Showers, Slauter, Skidmore, Smith, Snyder, Sowers, Sparling, Spencer, Springer, Stearns, Stempel, Stephans, Stephens, Stevens, Stewart, Stiles, Stoke, Stookey, Strong, Sutherlin, Sutton, Sylvester, Teale, Tedford, Tharp, Thompson, Thurlow, Tinch, Towner, Townsend, Tullis, Vandel, Van Werden, Varga, Voelker, Vogt, Waight, Wailes, Wallace, Walker, Warner, Warrington, Wasson, Watson, Webb, Wharton, White, Whitney, Williams, Woodard, Woodward, wright, Young, Zichy, Zornes

"The Years of Change 1920 - 1970" Part V, Section I, Pages 197 - 215
SURNAMES: Allen, Arnold, Beavers, Bell, Boies, Bowman, Carter, Case, Caster, Chastain, Cherrington, Chew, Clark, Cowl, Cox, Crouse, Curry, Dale, Dekalb, Doss, Estes, Fuller, Fulton, Garber, Gardner, Hacker, Hamilton, Harris, Harvey, Hoffhines, Hoffman, Horn, Hullinger, Hurst, Judd, Judson, Kemp, Ladd, Leeper, Lunbeck, McCampbell, McConnell, McFarland, McGinnis, McIntosh, McNelly, Miller, Parrish, Patterson, Penniwell, Petty, Pryor, Pyfer, Reed, Rhea, Riddle, Rowell, Rumley, Rush, Sankey, Scott, Shields, Slade, Sparks, Spicer, Stearns, Stewart, Strong, Teale, Trusdale, Upfield, Varga, Wailes, Warner, Young,

"The Years of Change 1920 - 1970" Part V, Section II, Pages 215 - 245
SURNAMES: Ackerley, Akes, Albaugh, Alexander, Allen, Anthony, Arney, Arnold, Bacon, Bailey, Baker, Barnum, Barrett, Bartlett, Beachtold, Beadsley, Beavers, Beers, Bemis, Benson, Bigley, Black, Blakesley, Binning, Boies, Bolon, Boord, Boswell, Bowman, Boyce, Boyd, Brown, Bruce, Bryant, Buffum, Bumgarner, Bunch, Burchett, Burdette, Burrell, Calhoun, Carlson, Carter, Cartwright, Chambers, Chastain, Clark, Clemonson, Coffey, Coleman, Conen, Cowles, Cox, Cozad, Crees, Crouse, Cummings, Dale, Dancer, Derry, Deskin, Dobson, Dorsey, Doss, Downey, Durrell, Eling, Ellers, Elson, Epperly, Euritt, Fear, Feenstra, Fellman, Fierce, Fight, Fishburn, Flaharty, Fletcher, Frost, Fuller, Fulton, Gamet, Gammil, Garber, Gardner, Gates, Gittinger, Graves, Griffin, Hagen, Hamilton, Hamlin, Hanner, Hansell, Hanthorn, Harden, Harken, Hatfield, Hawkins, Hembry, Henderson, Hibbs, Higdon, Hinds, Hines, Hoffman, Hopkins, Horney, Hough, Howell, Hughes, Hullinger, Hurst, Jackson, Jeffries, Johnson, Judd, Kellogg, Kemp, Kilgore, Koufer, Kuhn, Kyner, LaFollette, Landis, Latta, Leeper, Leonard, Lindsey, Lionberger, Long, Lovett, Main, Manor, Martin, Maughn, McAllister, McBroom, McClain, McClaran, McCleary, McClung, McClure, McDaniel, McGauhey, McGinis, McKelvey, McKern, McKibben, McMillan, McMorris, Meek, Mendenhall, Metier, Miller, Moore, Mullin, Munday, Murrow, Myers, Neigley, Nelson, Norman, Northup, Oney, Osborn, Parsons, Patterson, Pearson, Penniwell, Pickering, Pittman, Pomutz, Prall, Purcell, Pyfer, Rainer, Rauch, Redman, Reed, Riddle, Ridgway, Rippey, Robinson, Rumley, Runkle, Russell, Sage, Salisbury, Sanger, Schnoover, Schenk, Scott, Sellers, Shipman, Skinner, Slade, Smith, Smythe, Springer, Stanley, Stearns, Stephens, Stewart, Stiles, Stockton, Stone, Stout, Strand, Strong, Stuteville, Sullivan, Swanson, Tapscott, Thomas, Thurlow, Tinch, Toney, Tullis, Tye, Vail, Vanderhock, Vanderpool, Van Werden, Varga, Viner, Vitek, Vogt, Wadswroth, Waight, Wallace, Walker, Warner, Warren, Warrick, Warrington, Wasson, Waters, White, Williams, Willis, Woodard, Worthington, Young, Zinser
 
 
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