T. R. WESTROPE

T. R. WESTROPE is the proprietor of Pine Valley Stock Farm, Harlan Township, Shelby County. He is a native of Morgan County, Illinois, born September 2, 1825, and is a son of Abner and Sallie (Ashbrook) Westrope. He was five years of age when his parents removed to the wilds of La Fayette County, Wisconsin; here be grew to manhood and was educated in the district school, situated four miles from his home. He was married April 8, 1848, to Miss Sarah Ann Huntsmnan, of La Fayette County, Wisconsin. In 1849 Mr. Westrope went to California, overland; he was five months on the road, and remained two years engaged in mining; he returned home via the Isthmus of Panama, and New Orleans, making the trip in fifty-six days; at that day this was considered rapid travel. Three years later, in 1854, he drove a large number of cattle across the plains to the Pacific coast, and remained in California two years. This time he came back via the Nicaraugua River, taking a steamer at Greytown for New York, and going thence to Wisconsin. Mr. Westrope resided in Wisconsin until 1871 occupied with farming and stock-raising. At that time he came to Iowa and settled on land in Montgomery County, which he had purchased two years previous. Here he improved 1,000 acres of land and engaged extensively in the breeding of short-horn catt1e, in which he was very successful. He gave several of his sons farms in Montgomery County, and in 1881 he removed to Shelby County, and settled on Pine Valley Stock Farm, which contains 480 acres of rich land well adapted to stock-raising. There is a comfortable residence, and one of the finest barns in western Iowa, with a stone basement, and stabling for ninety-six head of cattle. It is admirably arranged for the care and handling of cattle. There is also a mill for grinding and cutting feed by horse-power. Pine Valley can show sixty-five head of registered cattle, second to no herd in western Iowa. Mr. Westrope has received his share of first premiums, and his many years of experience in the breeding of cattle justify his reputation as one of the best judges of cattle in western Iowa. He is known as one of the most successful and reliable short-horn cattle breeders in the northwest. Mr. and Mrs. Westrope have ten children - Maria Jane, Abner J., Perry, T. R., Jr., Orville D., Otis, John G., W. W., Almira, Norman S. Three children were lost by death - Mary Ellen died at the age of one year; George, at the age of eleven years, and Frank, at the age of twenty-three years. Mr. Westrope is a strong Republican. Although on the shady side of sixty he bears his years lightly, and is as active as many a man of forty years. Mr. Westrope is one of Shelby County's leading citizens, and is of the type for which any community is proud.

Source: 1889 Biographical History of Shelby County, Iowa, pp. 313-314. Transcribed by Marthann Kohl-Fuhs.