Welcome to
Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
|
|
|
|
J.
B. Owings The
history of Jasper County is not a very old one. It is the record of the steady
growth of a community planted on the wild prairies scarcely more than a half
century ago and has reached its magnitude of today without other aid than those
of industry. The people who redeemed it from
the primeval state were strong-armed sons of the soil who hesitated at no
difficulty and for whom hardships had little to appall.
Among this class is the prominent retired farmer and enterprising citizen
by whose name this article is introduced.
The county was in its infant state of development when he came upon the
scene, and he has done much to assist in advancing its wonderful resources and
brought it up to the proud position it now occupies among the most progressive
and enlightened sections of Iowa. J.
B. Owings was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, December 23, 1837. He is the son
of Beal and Miranda (Young) Owings, both natives of Maryland, from which state
they came to Ohio about 1815 and became prominent among the pioneers there,
spending the rest of their lives on a farm there, the father dying in April
1839, and the mother in 1844; they were the parents of eight children, three of
whom are living, namely: Mary Ann
died about 1908; Ellen also died about 1908; John died at Trinity Center,
California, in 1911; Denton died in childhood; McKensie lives in Newton, Iowa;
Jesse died when twelve years old; Minerva lives at Carbon Cliff, Illinois, and
is the wife of a Mr. Barton; J. B., of this review. The
subject grew to maturity and was educated in his native state, remaining there
until 1855, when he came to Jasper County, Iowa, where he has since resided.
He settled nine miles east of Newton and followed farming successfully
until 1892, when he moved to Newton and retired. He lived to see and take part
in the great transformation of the County, for when he first came here the wild
prairies were scarcely touched by a plowshare and the town of Newton was very
small, there being no square and the court house was small and built of wood;
there was not a brick building in the town. Land was then worth only three, six
and eight dollars per acre. Mr. Owings is the owner of a finely improved and
productive farm in Kellogg Township, consisting of one hundred and thirty-four
acres. On this he did unusually
well as a general farmer and stock raiser. On
December 27, 1860, Mr. Owings was married to Martha Mills, daughter of John
Mills, of Keokuk County, Iowa. She was born in Tennessee, March 13, 1844, and
from there she removed to Iowa with her parents when she was one year old. To
Mr. and Mrs. Owings three children have been born, namely: Shafer A., who was
born May 12, 1862, married Allie Miller, of Jasper County, and they live on the
parental homestead, nine miles east of Newton; Gertie J., born July 27, 1865, is
the wife of J. B. Case, a traveling salesman, residing at Jackson, Mississippi;
Arrie D., born December 12, 1869, married Charlie Miller, living near Kellogg,
Jasper County; she is now deceased. Mr.
Owings has been a worker in the affairs of the County, having held a number of
township offices in Kellogg, and he was overseer of the poor in Newton Township.
In all of these he discharged his duties most faithfully and creditably. Fraternally, he is a member of Newton Lodge No. 59, Ancient
Free and Accepted Masons; politically, he is a Republican, and he and his wife
are faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN. |
|
|
