Biographies | 1896 Bios
Abel Wood Holloway
Mr. Holloway was born in Highland county, Ohio, June 26, 1824, fourth In order of the ten children of Isaac and Nancy Agnes (Cherry) Holloway, the former a native of Virginia, born near Wheeling; the latter of Pennsylvania. Both the Cherry and the Holloway families moved to Ohio at a very early day, and it was in Highland county, about 1814, that the parents of our subject were married. In Highland county the father secured 100 acres of military land, which, a few years after the birth of Abel, he lost by an older right dispossessing him, and, by litigation trying to save it, was left in very straightened circumstances. He had just $20 left, and this amount he paid to a ·man to move his family to Randolph county, Indiana, where Mr. Holloway secured employment and where, when he had saved $50, he entered forty acres of land, upon which he managed to make somewhat more than a living. He cleared and improved it, and a few years later sold out at a profit and bought 120 acres in the same county. Although very young at the time, the subject of our sketch distinctly remembers many of the privations and trials through which he passed in those days, and he remembers, too, the first pair of pants which he ever wore. They were made from the sleeves of a dress his mother had discarded. He was four years old at that time, and his twin brother also had a pair made from the same kind of material. When he was nineteen Mr. Holloway left home and went to Illinois, where he worked about nine months then went to Missouri, and after six months spent in the latter State returned to his home in Indiana and remained under the parental roof until he attained his twenty-third year. Again he started out, this time going to live with ·an uncle in Ohio, with whom he remained one year, working on his uncle's farm part of the time and attending school in the intervals. Then until 1849 he was at his father's home in Indiana, and since 1864 has maintained his residence in Iowa. On his arrival here he purchased 240 acres near Linden. He now owns 131 acres, in two different farms, has fourteen acres in town lots in Linden, and besides owns one of the prettiest and most comfortable residences in the town.
When a young man Mr. Holloway united with the Christian Church, with which he was identified up to 1883, when he severed his connection with it and joined the Friends’ Church, with which he is now connected. For thirty seven years of this time he has been actively engaged in the work of the ministry, and has only recently, in 1894, retired from the pulpit, on account of afflictions. .He still loves Jesus, and rejoices in his love every day. During his ministerial career he has married 513 couples.
Mr. Holloway was married February 8, 1849, to Miss Louisa Jane Clevenger, a native of Highland county, Ohio, her parents having moved from there to Randolph county, Indiana, when she was four years old. It was in Randolph county that the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Holloway was consummated. They are the parents of a large family of children, brief record of whom is as follows: Edward Rounds, born December 15, 1849, is married, has four children, and is living on one of his father's farms; Louis C., born July 6, 1851, is married and has eight children, and resides in Guthrie county, Iowa; Madison C., born June 4, 1853, was killed by a wild bull, May 7, 1875; Finley E., born May 28, 1855, is married, has five children, and lives in Guthrie county; William C., born September 24, 1857, died November 18, 1878; Isaac, born October 28, 1859, is married, has two children, and resides in Linden; Henry M., born December, 1, 1861, resides near Linden, is married and has one child; Margaret E., born December 25, 1863, is married and resides in Chicago; Ida B., born June 11, 1866, is married and the mother of two children, her home being in Linden; Herschel, born July 4, 1872, died August 1, 1879; and Von F., born July 6, 1875, is a resident of Linden, Iowa.
Early in life Mr. Holloway voted the Freesoil ticket, from the organization of the Republican party up to 1893 was one of its stanch adherents, and since 1893 has given his support to the Prohibition party. He has served many years in various official positions. He was a Justice of the Peace four terms, a member of the School Board sixteen years, thirteen years of that time its President, Township Trustee two terms, and Road Supervisor for about fifteen years. At this writing, as already stated, he is Mayor of the town of Linden. During the Civil war he offered his services to the Government, in 1861, but was not accepted on account of his being afflicted with rheumatism: however, he did yeoman service by taking care of the widows and orphans. It is said that he did as much for them as any other one man in the State in which he lived.
A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company 1896, pg. 656.