BIOS: Polk County 1880 Elkhart Township Biographies, Polk County, Iowa ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES PROJECT 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/ ************************************************************************ Permissions and Restrictions I have a copyright to these files and give permission for these files to be posted to any site that offers free access to all. Copying to any medium for the purpose of profit is strictly prohibited. This prohibition pertains to all photographs, text files, and graphics. I hope you find this information of value in your genealogy research. Marion John Rice, mjrice@dakotacom.net ___________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: For more information on Polk County, Iowa Please visit the Polk County, IAGenWeb page at http://iagenweb.org/polk/ ____________________________________________________________________________ "The History of Polk County, Iowa" published by the Union Historical Company, Birdsall, Williams & Co. 1880. Polk Township Biographies Walnut, Bloomfield, Grant, Four Mile, Allen, Camp, Beaver, Clay, Delaware, Saylor, Valley, Webster, Jefferson, Crocker, Douglas, Franklin, Washington, Elkhart, Lincoln, Madison ELKHART TOWNSHIP. BYERS, S. J.-Farmer and fruit grower, section 36, P. O. Elkhart. The subject of this sketch owes his nativity to this township, where he was born March 9, 1853. He was raised here at farming and fruit growing as an occupation, which he has always followed. He was married in Linn county, this State, June 20, 1876, to Miss Annie Mofford, a native of Iowa. They have a family of one son, Bertie B. On his father's side he is of German origin, and on his mother's side of English ancestry. CORBIN, G. W.-Blacksmith and plow-manufacturer, P. O. Elkhart. The subject of this sketch is a native of Coshocton county, Ohio, born April 5,1853, and when three years of age was brought by his parents to Wayne county, this State. He followed the saw-mill business until he engaged at his present occupation in 1876. His marriage was in this county, March 14, 1877, to Miss G. A., daughter of C. W. Gurnea. She is a native of this town and county. They have a family of one son and one daughter: Nellie and Alva A. 1018 BIOGRAPHICAL. DELAWYER, JOHN-Farmer, section 12, P. O. Cambridge, Story county, Iowa. Was born in the State of New York in the year 1827, and was raised there at farming. He made it his home up to the time of his coming to this State in 1854, and then settled in Story county. In 1864 he settled in this county. He was married July 28th, 1853, to Miss Maria Cook, of Lewis county, New York. They have, by this union, two daughters living: Josephine and Sarah E.; and one son deceased, Charles. DETWILER, H. R.-Farmer, section 1, P. O. Cambridge, Story county. Was born in Belmont county, Ohio, March 26,1842. He was raised there till about fifteen years of age, then came with his parents to Illinois, where he remained only about six months, then came to this State and settled in Van Buren county, where he made his home till the outbreak of the late rebellion. He enlisted in company F, Fourteenth Iowa volunteers, October 14th, 1862, and served three years, and was discharged at Davenport. He was captured at the battle of Shiloh and kept in rebel prisons for four months. After the war he came back to Van Buren county, and in 1867 to this county. He is at present one of the supervisors of his township. He was married in this county in 1870, to Miss Almira Wharton, of Indiana. They have by this union a family of three children: Willie J., Etta, and Charles H. FOWLER, LEONARD T.-Farmer, section 9, P. O. Tyner. Was born in Flat Rock, Indiana, May 12th, 1826, and when a child his parents moved to Wayne county of that State. In 1840 he left there and came to Tippecanoe county, and three years later, in 1843, came to what was then Fort Des Moines. He was raised on a farm, but when he first came to this county he engaged with Allen & Parmelee in their mill. In 1843 he located near what is now Pella and opened up a claim, and remained till 1847 and then went to Dallas county. Two years later, in 1849, he went to California and engaged in mining till the summer of 1853. He then came back to this county and located where he now lives, and owns 495 acres of land. His marriage was in Story county, this State, October 14th, 1855, to Miss Caroline Croser, a native of Illinois. They have a family of twelve children living: John, Leonard T., Sarah, Ruth, Ella, Schuyler, James, Caroline, Myrtie, Jacob, and an infant; and William and Charles, deceased. GURNEA, C. W.-Farmer and stock-raiser, section 35, P. O. Elkhart. Was born in Montgomery county, New York, May 29th, 1823, and when twelve years of age he came with his parents to Ohio, and a few years later moved to Illinois, and in 1854 came to his present location, where he now owns 400 acres of land. He was raised on a farm in his boyhood, and engaged in the mill business for ten years, in Ottawa, Illinois. He also engaged in the saw-mill business, in connection with his farm, when he first came to this county, for ten years, then began in the mercantile business, which he followed for six years. He was one of the first Board of County Supervisors and was re-elected. Has also been assessor of the township several terms. His marriage was in Illinois, August 2d, 1852, to Miss S. J. Dewey, a native of Massachusetts. They have a family of six children living: Georgie A., I. O., Ida I., Ella L., Irene, and Roy. HOLLAND, A. W.-Farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Elkhart. Was born in Henry county, this State, August 23, 1843, and came to this county with his parents in 1849, and has since made it his home, except a ELKHART TOWNSHIP. 1019 short time that he lived in Mahaska and Keokuk counties. He was raised on a farm and has made farming his occupation. He held the office of constable eight years. Was married in this county in 1861 to Miss Nancy J. Graybeal, a native of Indiana. They have eight children living: Rachel E., George F., Delitha R., Eliza A., P. A., Sarah B., A. W. and Bertha A. One deceased, Oliver P. He owns a farm of 140 acres of land. HUTTON, JOSEPH-Farmer, section 26, P. O. Elkhart. Was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, August 18, 1825, and when only a small boy his parents removed to Indiana. He was raised there at farming as an occupation, and in the fall of 1844 he came to this State, settling in Jefferson county. He afterward removed to Van Buren county, and from there came to this county in 1855 and was engaged in a saw mill till 1865, then turned his attention to farming, which he has since followed. His farm consists of 140 acres of well-improved land. He has held the office of county supervisor, township supervisor two terms, and for three terms was member of the school board. He was married in Jefferson county in 1847, to Miss Martha Goughnor, of Pennsylvania. They have four sons and three daughters: Henry, Samuel, Etta, Ida, Lydia, George, and David. They have two deceased. SEMINGER, H. G.-Postmaster, Elkhart. Was born in La Porte county, Indiana, January 18, 1847, and was raised there at farming as an occupation, till sixteen years of age, and then, on the 18th of August, 1863, he enlisted in the late war of the rebellion, in company F, Seventh Indiana cavalry volunteers, and served till the close of the war. Was mustered out at Cairo, Illinois, November 18, 1865. After the war he returned to his native county in Indiana, in July of 1866, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He has been engaged in the mercantile business since 1877, and in 1880 was appointed postmaster at Elkhart. His marriage was in this county, November 17, 1867, to Miss Marilla J. Kennedy, a native of Ohio. They have by this union a family of four children living: Garrie A., Elizabeth C., Minnie G. and Charles H. ISEMINGER, GEO. W.-Farmer, stock-raiser and feeder, section 26, P. O. Elkhart. Was born in Monroe county, Indiana, near Bloomington. December 17, 1830, and when three years of age his parents removed to La forte county, of that State, and there he was raised at farming as an occupation and made it his home up to the time he came to this county and settled on his present homestead. It now contains 580 acres of land, with improvements, and is divided into three farms. His first marriage was in La Torte county, Indiana, December 22d,1852, to Miss Delilah Hammond, a native of Wisconsin, who died January 11, 1869, and left a family of five children living: N. J., Jno. C., Amos G., Willie S. and Nellie E. Two deceased: Levi S. and Nelson E. His second marriage was in Jefferson county, this State, April 25, 1869, to Ellen E. Albaugh, of Pennsylvania, and by this marriage they have a family of five children: Charles A., Sylvia, Lucy, Jacob and Russell. KENNEDY, WM.-Farmer, section 21, P. O. Elkhart. Was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, October 6, 1841, but was raised in Defiance county. He made Ohio his home up to the time he came to this State with his parents in 1865 and settled in this county. He was raised at farming as an occupation and has always followed it. His marriage was in Defiance county, Ohio, December 31,1865, to Miss Martha E. Mun, born in Wayne county, Ohio, but principally raised in Defiance county, of that State. By 1020 BIOGRAPHICAL. this union they have a family of seven children living: Della E., Henry Jr., Martin L., Ida J., Willie A., Edith M., Blanche Mabel. His ancestors were natives of Ohio. LANE, J. R.-Farmer, section 36, P. O. Elkhart. Was born in West Tennessee, September 30, 1828. Was raised there and received his education in the schools of that State, and when he arrived at maturity engaged at teaching as a profession. In 1852 he came to Iowa City and there followed his profession, and to this county in the following year. In 1859 he married Miss Cynthia Davis, of Indiana, who died in July of 1877. That same year he went to Story county and remained up to the time he came back to this county and permanently located on his present homestead of 160 acres. He has held the various offices of his township. His family consists of one son and four daughters living: I. R., C. E., A. E., M. I., J. B. and one deceased, Emma Tennessee. LANDON, JOSEPH-Farmer, section 21, P. O. Elkhart. Was born in Sussex county, New Jersey, October 11,1829, and at the age of ten years went to Livingstone county, New York, and at twenty years of age came to Illinois. From there he came to this county in 1871, and has made it his home since, except about two years he spent in Warren county, Illinois. His father was a miller by trade, so he naturally drifted into that business when a boy and became master of it, following it as an occupation till 1849. Since that time he has made farming his principal vocation, except about three and a half years that he was engaged in the mercantile business. He was married in Warren county, Illinois, in 1856, to Miss E. A. Ward, a native of Pennsylvania. They have a family of six children living: Martha, Mary, Thomas, C. H., Minnie J., Freddie and two deceased: Harriet E. and Joan. MILLER, S. C.-Farmer, section 33, P. O. Elkhart. Was born in Monroe county, Indiana, April 1, 1842, and when ten years of age he came to this State with his parents in the fall of 1852, and stopped in this township, where he has since made his home. He was raised in his early boyhood on a farm, but has worked more or less at the carpenter trade. He is the present incumbent of the office of constable, which he has held for two terms. His homestead consists of 120 acres of well-improved land. Was married in this township, November 15, 1863, to Miss M. J. Holland, a native of this State. They have a family of five children living: Mary E.,. Maggie M., Nancy E., Ida J. and Henrietta. OUNGST, WILLIAM G.-Farmer, section 27, P. O. Elkhart. Was. born in Rockingham county, Virginia, April 5, 1828, and while he was yet a small boy his parents came to Indiana, where he was raised at farming as an occupation. In 1852 he came to Polk county and settled near Des Moines, and in the spring of 1857 he went to Greene county; this State, where he engaged in the mercantile business, and after two years began farming which he has followed since. In 1877 he returned to, this county and settled on his present homestead. In August of 1861 he enlisted from Greene county in the late rebellion and served for two years. He enlisted as a private and was promoted to second lieutenant and shortly afterward to first lieutenant and was discharged as such. His marriage was in Indiana in October of 1857, to Miss Mary W. Mills, of Ohio, but raised in Indiana. They have three children living: Webb M., Ella and Jessie. They have lost three: Annetta, Fred and Eddie.