Biographies:  Welton Twp, Clinton County, Iowa

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Annette Lucas ClintonRoots@aol.com


************************************************************************
USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in
any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this material,
must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal
representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb
archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission
to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.

http://www.usgwarchives.net
***********************************************************************


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF WELTON TWP.

From the book "The History of Clinton County Iowa" by L. P. Allen 
(1879)

EGBERT BANKS, farmer, Sec. 5; P. O. Welton; born in Putnam Co., N. Y., in 1839; his 
father was drowned at Albany, N. Y., about 1849; after the death of his father, he lived in the 
family of his uncle, in Dutchess Co., N. Y., for four years; he also lived in Connecticut one year; 
lived for some time in Fairfax Co., Va., went to Illinois in 1854; he came to Clinton Co. in the fall of 
1864. Fall of 1864, went as a recruit in the 11th I. V. I.; was on detached duty at Ringgold, Ga., 
until February, 1865; was afterward engaged in the battle of Kingston, N. C.; was mustered out of 
service with his regiment in July, 1865. He married, 1867, Elizabeth Dannatt, a native of 
Lincolnshire, England;  has two children-Caroline and Benjamin
D.	Mr. Dannatt has a well-improved farm of 120 acres.
	
JOHN BLACK, farmer, Sec. 26; P. O. De Witt; born in County Antrim, Ireland, Jan. 1, 1817;  
he removed to England in the spring of 1836, and to New York the same year, where he lived five 
years; then went to Alabama, where he lived till 1850, when he came to Clinton Co., and bought a 
claim to the farm where he now lives. He married, in 1836, Ann Corner, a native of County Mayo, 
Ireland; they have had ten children, none now living, and but one of whom attained adult age- 
James F., died Oct. 11, 1873, from the effects of an injury received two weeks previous; he 
married Mary Ann Eberhart; she has two children-Bridget A. and Mary M.

ANSON W. CARR, farmer, Sec. 5; P. O. Welton; born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., in 1842; his 
father, George Carr, came to Clinton Co. in the spring of 1856, and settled in Welton Township; 
he now resides in Jones Co., Iowa. Mr. Carr enlisted in the 2d I. V. I., Co. I; was mustered into the 
U. S. service at Keokuk, in May, 1861;  discharged on account of disability, in 1862. His wife was 
Miss Emma Jane Webster, daughter of Orange Webster, of Welton Township; has six children- 
Willis H., Minnie M., Rosella F., George, Frederick and Edward. Mr. Carr owns eighty acres of 
land, purchased in 1868.

ALPHONSO CHAPPET, farmer, Sec. 15; P. O. Welton. Married Mrs. Ann Cooper, who was 
born in Lincolnshire, England, about 1823; her maiden name was Scholey; she married for her 
first husband Mr. William Ackerill, who died in England; in 1859, she married Mr. George Cooper, 
also native of England; they came  this country the same year. Mr. Cooper had been a resident of 
Clinton Co. for about eight years, at the time of their marriage, but had returned to England;  he 
had entered the farm where the family now reside; he died Aug. 14, 1876; his widow married Mr. 
Chappet, February, 1878. Mr. John Scholey, a nephew of Mrs. Chappet, resides with her;  he 
was born in England in 1844, and came to the United States in 1865. he married Martha Ann 
Smith, a native of Ohio; she died Aug. 14, 1867; had two children-Fred and Mary A.

FREDERICK COUNCILMAN, farmer; P. O. Welton; born in Broome Co., N. Y., in 1816. He 
married Aucelia Ann Horton; they removed to Illinois, but came to De Witt in 1854 and settled on 
present farm in 1855;  have eight children-Sidney, Almedia, Augusta, Eugene, Bessie, Charles, 
Addie and Hattie. Mr.
Councilman has 170 acres of land; is engaged in general farming and dairying.

NATHAN DAVIS, farmer, Sec. 4; P. O. Welton;  born in Ohio in 1822 his parents, Ananias 
and Sarah Davis, were natives of Virginia; removed to Ohio thence to Indiana, where they died. 
Mr. Nathan Davis came to Clinton Co. and purchased the farm which he now owns in 1863. He 
married Nancy Doty, native of Indiana; they have eight children-Marion C., Samuel D., Joseph 
D. James B., Abraham L., Thomas and Sarah C.; have lost four children.

MARTIN DOBLER, farmer, Sec. 28; P. O. Welton; born in Alsace, then a province of France, 
in 1821;  his parents, Martin and Maria Dobler, emigrated to the United States about 1829;  
settled in Pittsburgh, Penn. His father was killed by a train of cars in Western Virginia, in 1876;  
his mother died in Pittsburgh, in 1839. Martin Dobler was a glass-blower in Pittsburgh for about 
twenty years; he came to Clinton Co. in the summer of 1854, and purchased his present farm, 
where he located in the spring of 1857. He married Catherine Garshbach, a native of Cambria 
Co., Penn.; they have eight children-John M., George E. W., Catherine C., William L., Charles 
E., Joseph P., Louis O. and Francis A.;  lost six-Mary Ann, James A., Charles H., James R., 
Lawrence, and an infant. Mr. Dobler's farm contains 200 acres of land. He has held the office of 
School Director for seven years; also Road Supervisor for many years.

JEREMIAH DONAGAN, farmer; P. O. De Witt; was born in County Cork, Ireland; he emigrated to 
Maine in 1836; from Maine he removed to Boston; thence to Rhode Island; then to Connecticut; 
thence to Chicago, and to California in 1849, where he remained till 1852; he then returned to 
Ireland, but came back to the United States in March, 1853; he came to Clinton Co. in the fall of 
the same year, and purchased the farm where he now lives. His wife was Mary Lucey, born in 
England in 1835; they have eight children-John, Michael, Jeremiah, Patrick, Mary C., Dennis, 
Morris and James; lost one son-Edward, aged 5 years.

ISAIAH HARMAN, farmer, Sec. 32; P. O. Grand Mound; son of John A. and Naomi Harman, 
who came to Davenport in the fall of 1857; remained one year, then settled on a farm in Lincoln 
Township, and lived there nine years, then purchased the farm now owned by their son Isaiah. 
Mr. John A. Harman died June 30, 1871. Mrs. Harman resides with her son Isaiah; she has seven 
children-William G., resides at Grand Mound; Mrs. Mary E. Colder, lives in Nebraska; Mrs. 
Lucinda Jordon, resides in Orange Township; Urias, who lives in Washington Territory; Isaiah; 
Mrs. Abiah D. Johnson, resides in Missouri, and Rodney, who lives in Sioux Co., Iowa. Isaiah was 
born in Canada in 1842; he removed to Genesee Co., N. Y., with his parents, when a child, and 
thence to Iowa; he enlisted, in 1861, in the 2d I. V. Cav., Co. E; served over three years; was at 
Fort Donelson and Island No. 10, Shiloh, the siege of Vicksburg, Corinth, and in all the battles in 
which his regiment took part. He married, in 1865, Mary May P. Jordan; she died in 1868; he 
married Rosanah Markland in 1873; her parents were early settlers of Clinton Co.; her father died 
in the army. Mr. Harman has one child by first marriage-Gertrude M., and one by present wife-
Roy L.

IORNS & PERRINE, merchants, dealers in dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, hardware, 
drugs, etc.; Welton. Henry F. Iorns was born in Warren Co., Ohio, in 1840; he was in the Union 
service during the rebellion three years; his health became impaired and, after the war, he 
returned South, where he was engaged in business for some time; was employed for a time as 
steamboat clerk; afterward rented a cotton plantation in Louisiana, which he conducted one year; 
then returned to Ohio and engaged in farming; went to Illinois in 1873, and engaged in the drug 
business with his present partner. Mrs. Iorns is a native of Ohio, a graduate of a Normal school of 
that State; they have two children-Martha J. and Leola. Mr. Demas Perrine was born in Warren 
Co., Ohio, in 1849;  he attended school at Antioch College for three years; he engaged as clerk in 
a general store, conducted by his brother, at Fort Ancient, Ohio; went to Illinois and engaged in 
business with Mr. Iorns in 1873; in 1874, they came to Welton, and bought the stock of goods of 
H. H. Stow; they now keep a large stock and a general assortment of goods, and are doing a 
good business. Mr. Perrine married Nancy D. Luddington, a native of Clinton Co., Ohio; they have 
one child-Gertrude.

ISAAC W. JONES, farmer, Sec. 25; P. O. De Witt; born in Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson Co., Ohio, 
in September, 1818. He married, in 1840, Hannah Knight, of Harrison Co., Ohio; came to 
Davenport in May, 1853; in April, 1854, removed to De Witt; he is a cabinet-maker, and followed 
that business for sixteen years before he came to Iowa; he worked as a carpenter at De Witt for 
five years; he entered his present farm in 1853, and settled there April 1, 1859; has had ten 
children, five now living-Mrs. Mary E. Hicks, resides in Welton Township; Jennie, Perley, 
Josephine and Edwin S.;  J. K. graduated at the Medical Department of the University of Michi-
gan, at Ann Arbor, in March, 1868; he died Nov. 5, 1874; James Albert was apprenticed to the 
harness maker's trade at DeWitt; died, November, 1865; two others died an infancy. Mr. Jones 
has 400 acres of land in Clinton Co. and 160 in Crawford Co.; he has been Assessor of Welton 
Township six years.

ISAAC W. KNIGHT, farmer, Sec. 20; P. O. Welton; was born in Belmont Co., Ohio, in 1843; he 
enlisted in August, 1851, in 15th Ohio V. I.;  served four years and eight months; was at the 
battles of Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, etc.; he enlisted 
as a private, was promoted to Corporal; discharged December, 1865; he returned to Ohio after 
the war, and came to Welton Township in 1866; he worked two years for Mr. I. W. Jones; bought 
his farm in 1868. He married, February, 1868, Miss Sarah M. Robinson, daughter of James M. 
Robinson; they have three children-Charles L., Carrie A. and Cynthia.

ROBERT LINCH, farmer, Sec. 19;  P. O. Welton; owns 320 acres of land, valued at $40 per 
acre; son of James and Eleanor (nee Whiteside) Linch, was born in 1805 in Maryland; his parents 
moved to Lancaster, Lancaster Co., Penn., when he was about 7 years old; at an early age, he 
was apprenticed to the shoemakers trade, and for several years followed journey work through 
several of the New England States; in 1831, went to Wheeling, W. Va., and engaged in the 
manufacture of boots and shoes, and, in 1833, removed to Morrison, Belmont Co., Ohio, where 
he continued the same business till the spring of 1856, when he emigrated to Clinton Co., Iowa, 
locating on his present farm. Married Miss Eliza Miller, of Pennsylvania, in March, 1827; she was 
born in 1807; have eight children-Mary, Robert, Sarah, George, Francis, Eliza, James and 
Edwin; lost two-Virginia and Lucinda. Democrat.

ISAAC N. LOOFBORO, farmer; P. O. Welton; born in Shelby Co., Ohio, in 1832. He married 
Lucy Jane Van Horn; she died before Mr. Loofboro came to Iowa, leaving one son-Augustine. 
Mr. L. came to Clinton Co. in 1858; he enlisted, in 1860, in the 8th Iowa V. I.; served three years; 
was at the battle of Shiloh and other engagements; he was mustered out with his regiment. He 
married, in 1863, Ann M. Davis; they had four children-Horace R., Yulee, Mary L.; have lost one 
child-Viola A. Mr. Loofboro settled on his present farm in 1863.

JOHN W. LOOFBORO, farmer; P. O. Welton; born in Clark Co., Ohio, April, 1834; he came 
to Clinton Co. with his parents; David and Mary Loofboro, in March, 1858. He married, August, 
1862, Susan Forsyth; born in Clark Co., Ohio; her parents came to Clinton Co. from Ohio in 1862. 
Mr. Loofboro enlisted, in August, 1862, in Co. F, 26th Iowa V. I.; served till the close of the war; 
was slightly wounded at the battle of Arkansas Post, and severely in the head at the siege of 
Vicksburg; was mustered out of service July 8,1865; has six children-Ralph E., Beecher E., 
Alice S., Wade J., Eli F. and Erlow B. Mr. L. settled on his present farm in 1865.

LEWIS A. LOOFBORO farmer, Sec. 17; P. O. Welton; number of acres, 220.	Mr. Loofboro 
was born in Shelby Co., Ohio, in 1838; his parents removed to Illinois in 1850; to Clinton Co., 
Iowa, in 1858; his father located in Bloomfield Township, where he resided about fourteen years; 
he then came to Welton Township; he died, February, 1878; his mother died, August, 1878. Mr. 
Lewis A. Loofboro purchased his present farm in 1865. He married Tamar Forsyth, a native of 
Ohio; they have five children-A. Chase, Stella, Amelia, Sarah and Orpha. Is engaged in farming 
and stock raising.

JOHN L. RANDS, farmer, Sec. 21; P. O. Welton; born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1833; he 
came to the United States in 1852; to Clinton Co. the same year; he spent several years in 
traveling in different parts of the country, and settled on present farm in 1863. He married Jemima 
Paul, whose parents were early settlers of Clinton Co.;  they have six children-George, Mary J., 
Emma, Lawrence, Florence and Rose.

JOHN SPAIN, farmer, Sec 1;  P. O. Charlotte; born in Canada in June, 1838; his parents, 
Cornelius and Margaret Spain, came to Clinton Co. in 1852, and settled in Waterford Township; 
his father died about 1873; his mother still lives in Waterford Township. He married, in March, 
1862, Bridget Quigly, of Clinton Co., formerly from New York;  they have eight children-
Margaret, John T., Cornelius, Mary C., Bridget, William E., Ellen and James J.

AI VAN HORN, farmer, Sec. 17;  P. O. Welton; born in Harrison Co., Va., in 1823; his parents, 
Bernard and Elizabeth Van horn, removed to Ohio in 1829. He married Amaranda Loofboro; they 
removed to Peoria Co., Ill., in 1851; came to Clinton Co. in 1856. Mr. Van Horn enlisted in the 
26th I. V. I. in 1862; was discharged on account of disability, in 1863;  was at the battle of 
Arkansas Post and at the siege of Vicksburg. Has five children-Francis M., Christopher C., 
Theodore, Athalia A. and Cordelia E. His parents came to Clinton Co. with their children; they are 
now deceased.
 
JOHN B. VAN HORN, farmer, Sec. 17; P. O. Welton; born in Clark Co., Ohio, in 1832; he 
removed to Illinois in 1851;  came to Welton Township in 1855, and worked on the farm of his 
uncle, Job Van Horn, during that season; he returned to Illinois, but came back in the spring of 
1856, and settled on the farm which he now owns. He married, in April, 1856, Martha Babcock,  
native of Ohio; they have four children-Ulysses Sherman, Clara L., Naomi Ruth and Elizabeth. 
Mr. Van Born has 100 acres of land.

JOB G. WALROD, farmer, Sec. 23; P. O. Welton; son of David Walrod, who came from 
Chautauqua Co., N. Y., to Clinton Co., in 1843; his grandfather Walrod came the year previous; 
his father died, September, 1854; his mother still lives in Welton Township. Mr. Walrod enlisted, 
in August, 1862, in the 26th I. V. I; served three years; was in the battle of Arkansas Post, where 
he was wounded; was at the siege of Vicksburg, battle of Lookout Mountain, and in all the battles 
in which his regiment took part; was discharged June 5, 1865. Married Emma McConnell, whose 
parents, Joseph and Elizabeth McConnell, were early settlers of Jackson Co., now residents of 
Linn Co.;  have two children-Mary E. and Warren. Mr. Walrod purchased the farm where he now 
resides, in 1871.

NICHOLAS N. WALROD, farmer, Sec. 15; P.O. Welton; he belongs to a numerous family of 
early settlers of Clinton Co;  he was born in Chautauqua Co., N. Y., in 1820;  his parents removed 
to Onondaga Co. the same year; to Michigan about 1825, but returned to New York, where his 
mother died in 1842; his father, Abram Walrod, came to Clinton Co. in the fall of 1842; he settled 
in Welton Township on the farm now owned by his son, John R. Walrod; he died in August, 1863. 
Mr. Nicholas N. Walrod came to Clinton Co. from Onondaga Co., N. Y., in the fall of 1843; in 
1847, he entered forty acres of the farm of 160 acres which he now owns. He married, in July, 
1848, Miss Polly R. Tyler, daughter of Mr. C. Tyler, a pioneer of Clinton Co.; have had five 
children, four living-Mrs. Lucretia Huebner, Mrs. Ellen E. Mudge, Horace H., married daughter of 
Capt. Joseph McConnell, and Mrs. Viola Dobler. Mr. Walrod was Justice of the Peace from 1863 
to 1869; was also County Supervisor for one term.

HIRAM M. WEBSTER, farmer, Sec. 15; P. O. Welton; born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., in 1829; his 
parents, Orange and Reumah Webster, removed to Illinois about 1838; they came to Eden 
Township, Clinton Co.; about 1853; to Welton township in 1856; his father still resides in Welton 
Township; his mother died in 1878. Mr. Webster settled on present farm in 1870;  his first wife 
was Margery A. Blackwell; born in Indiana; she died in 1870;  they have one daughter-Edith L.; 
his present wife was Mrs. Sylvester Markhand, who came to Clinton Co. in the fall of 1854 and 
settled in Camanche. Mr. Markland enlisted, in 1862, in Iowa V. I., and died in hospital at 
Marietta, Ga., in 1864. Mrs. Webster has four children by her former marriage-Mrs. Alice 
Harman, resides in Sioux Co., Iowa; Mrs. Rosanna Harman, resides in Welton Township; William 
P. and Nellie E.