-473- E. C. WILLETT, one of Sheridan Township's representative men, has been a resident of Cherokee County since 1881. He was born in Wasbash County, Indiana, July 27, 1849, and is the son of O. P. and Margaret (Nelson) Willett. In 1855 the parents removed to Stark County, Illinois, and in 1856 to Peoria County, in the same State, and located on a farm which they made their home for twenty years. In 1879 Mr. Willett removed to Toulon, Stark County, and embarked in the grocery and hardware business, in which he continued two years. At the end of that time he removed to Cherokee County, Iowa, and purchased 160 acres of land to the improvement of which he has devoted much time. Mr. Willett has done much to advance the interest in high grades of stock by making a specialty of thorough-bred short-horn cattle and blooded Berkshire hogs, having had much success in this industry. Mr. Willett was united in marriage February 14, 1876, to Miss Alice Davis, a daughter of Jerome B. and Hannah (Crowl) Davis, who was born near Oxford, Indiana, September 17, 1856. When she was seven -474- years of age her parents removed to Bureau County, Illinois. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Willett: Albert Edwin, born April 6, 1880, and died January 12, 1881, and Austin Oliver, born July 21, 1882. Mr. Willett affiliates with the Republican party. He has served as justice of the peace in sheridan Township. He and his wife are worthy members of the Christian Church. He is a man firm in his convictions of right and wrong, and is well worthy of the confidence reposed in him by his neighbors and friends. HENRY S. BRIGGS, a prominent farmer of Amherst Township, was born in Hillsdale County, Michigan, September 10, 1840. His parents were Otis and Esther (Smith) Briggs, natives of the State of Maine. The father removed to Iowa in 1844, locating in Dubuque County, where he entered a tract of 320 acres of land, which he improved and made his home for the remainder of his days; his death occurred in December, 1868. Otis Briggs, in company with Hezekiah Young and Zephaniah Kidder, laid out the town of Epworth, a part of which occupied a portion of Mr. Briggs' farm. He was one of the leading men of that section of country, both politically and socially, and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. At the time of his death he was filling the office of internal revenue assessor. Henry S. Briggs was the fourth of a family of six children, and was reared from his early childhood in Dubuque County. When the great Rebellion broke out in this country he was not reluctant to go to the defense of the nation. He enlisted October 1, 1861, in Company H, Twelfth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, serving three years. He was taken prisoner near Jackson, Mississippi, and was held seventy-four days; he participated in a number of battles, the most important being Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing, and the siege of Corinth. After the close of the war he returned to his home, where he remained until the death of his father. When the estate was settled he determined to go farther west, and in the spring of 1871 removed to Cherokee County. Mr. Briggs located in Tilden Township on a farm of 240 acres of unimproved land, and was one of the first settlers, there being only eight other families in the township. He resided on this farm until 1886, when he came to his present home in Amherst Township; this farm contains 240 acres, and was then unimproved, but he has built a fine two-story residence, situated on a natural elevation commanding a wide view of the surrounding country; he has occupied his time exclusively in farming and stock-raising, and has all the modern conveniences for this purpose. Mr. Briggs is identified with the Republican party, and has filled nearly all of the township offices, being the present justice of the peace; he is a strong adherent to the principles of prohibition, and has taken an active interest in the welfare of the community. Being one of the early settlers in the county he was compelled to undergo many hardships and privations, but he has succeeded in the face of all opposition; he has improved two of the best farms in the county, and has lent his aid in building up the county in a general way. Mr. Briggs was united in marriage December 26, 1870, to MIss Agnes Gibson, a daughter of David and Eliza Gibson. Her mother's maiden name was Herron. She was born in Ireland, January 29,1 850, and was brought to America by her parents when a child of two years of age; they settled in Michigan, and in 1861 removed to Dubuque County. Mr. and Mrs. Briggs have a family of three children: Otis H., Maud E. and Esther M. FRANKLIN D. ARNOLD, a reliable member of the farming community of Amherst Township, has been a resident of Cherokee County since 1881. He was born in Defiance, then known as Williams County, Ohio, May 14, 1837, and is the son of John and Nancy (Galbreath) Arnold, natives of the State of Pennsylvania, and old settlers of Northwestern Iowa. The father is deceased, and the mother resides with her son, F. D., our subject. He spent most of his youth in his native county, and made the most of the opportunities offered him in the common schools of that day. When he had attained his twentieth year he began teaching, and followed that profession in connection with his farming for several years. He remained content in the State in which he was born until his twenty-seventh year when he migrated to Iowa; he stopped in Keokuk County, and taught school there for eight months. He then removed to Benton County and purchased a farm on which he spent ten years; he again took up teaching, which he pursued along with his other business dealings. In 1874 he went to Shelby County, and resided there for three years, farming and teaching; in 1877 he took a trip to Kansas with the intention of staying there, but after a two months' sojourn he returned to Iowa, settling in Benton County. In the spring of 1881 he came to Cherokee County and settled upon a tract of 160 acres which he had purchased the year before. His family came May 24, and moved into a rudely improvised shelter; by July 15 Mr. Arnold had 100 acres of land broken, forty acres in flax, and forty acres fenced, the first pasture fenced in the township, and his present residence well under way. He did the carpenter work himself, and by October 1 moved into the new home. He now has a fine, large barn, which takes the place of one swept away in a tornado June, 1885. All his surroundings are snug and comfortable, and thrift and energy are the password on the Arnold farm. He has added eighty acres to the first tract he bought, but altogether farms 320 acres, renting eighty acres belong to his mother. Besides the raising of grain Mr. Arnold takes an active interest in the propagation of better grades of live-stock, and has done much toward advancing this industry in the county. He has planted a three and three-quarter acre grove, and has a fine, thrifty orchard of three acres, set in 1883, and which is beginning to bear. It scarcely need be said that the latter is a luxury which will be greatly appreciated. Since coming to the county Mr. Arnold has abandoned his school work, and has devoted himself exclusively to agricultural pursuits. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party, and has represented his township as clerk for four years, and as a member of the School for a number of years. He has been a zealous worker in the cause of education, and has made many successful efforts to arouse an interest in others, and to elevate the standard. He has been associated with most of the public affairs of this portion of the county. He was the first treasurer of the Marcus Shipping Association, and also the first treasurer of the Marcus and Amherst Cemetery Association. Mr. Arnold was united in marriage November 1, 1860, to Miss Mary Lehman, a daughter of Jacob and Lena (Baer) Lehman. She was born in Defiance County, Ohio, April 11, 1840. Twelve children have been born of this marriage: John (deceased), Mary (deceased), Nancy E., wife of A. J. Cushman; -476- Jacob B., Benjamin F., the two latter being students at Iowa College; Callie L., James Q., Reuben H., David M., George O., William E., and an infant daughter (deceased). Jacob H., Benjamin F. and Callie L. have all been engaged in school work, and with marked success. The family have been associated with the German Baptist Church, but in later years Mrs. Arnold and her daughter Callie have been united with the church known as the Brethren Church, of Marcus. Mr. Arnold has been an active worker in the church and Sabbath-school, filling the office of deacon in the church, and that of Sunday-school superintendent for eleven consecutive years. Mr. Arnold's farm to-day presents a very different appearance from that of a few years ago; when he first came to the county wolves were numerous, and prairie chickens were so thick that in mowing hay the horses would often trample them to death. But with the coming of civilization, and the disappearance of the red man, the wild game has also fled, but between the two conditions, who would hesitate to make a choice? NOAH WILSON FURGASON, one of the early pioneers, has been identified with the history of Cherokee County since 1867. His birthplace is Marietta, Ohio, the oldest town in that State, and the date is August 12, 1846. His parents, James and Elivra (Morse) Furgason, were natives of Maryland and Ohio respectively. The father was a tanner by trade. Noah W. received unusually good educational advantages. When the call for men to go to the defense of this nation and her institutions was made, he was not a laggard in responding. He enlisted May 28, 1862, in Company A, Eighty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and after serving four months was honorably discharged. During his first service to the country he participated in the engagement at Harper's Ferry, and was there taken prisoner by Stonewall Jackson's men. He re-enlisted October 6, 1863, in Company K, One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until October 18, 1865; he was with General Sherman on his immortal march to Atlanta; was with General Thomas at Nashville, Tennessee, and also at Franklin, Tennessee. His regiment was then ordered to Texas, and he was stationed for a time near Port Lavaca, and after peace was declared he returned to his home in Ohio, where he resided until he came to Cherokee County in 1867. He came by rail to Denison, and thence overland to Cherokee. The first season he engaged in breaking prairie; the winter of 1867-'68 was spent in teaching school in the northeast corner of Cherokee Township, this being one of the first schools taught outside the town of Cherokee. In 1869 Mr. Furgason purchased eighty acres of land in Cedar Township, on which he has since resided; he also owns eight acres in Spring Township. He was married December 19, 1869, to Miss Fanny M. Cannon, of Afton Township, a successful teacher. She is a daughter of E. D. and Emily (Oviatt) Cannon. Three children have been born of this union: Walter M., Lewis O., Letha Edna. Politically Mr. Furgason cast his suffrage with the Republican party. ROBERT H. PEAVEY was born in Liberty, Waldo County, Maine, July 5, 1846, and is the son of Captain Thomas and Abbie (Runnels) Peavey, also natives of the State of Maine. His father, Captain Thomas Peavey, served in the late war with -477- distinction; he was a brave soldier and a gallant officer. Our subject is one of a family of four children: Lloyd, Allard, and a daughter who died in infancy. Robert is the eldest, and grew to manhood in his native State, in the city of Bangor. He spent his time in assisting his father in the gun shop, his father being a gun-smith by trade, and in attending public schools. When he had attained his majority the family came West, and settled in Dubuque County, Iowa. There Robert H. spent four years, and there he met and married Miss Catharine Briggs, a daughter of Otis and Esther Briggs. Mrs. Peavey's mother's maiden name was Smith, and she was born in Dubuque County, Iowa, October 12, 1849. They were married December 31, 1868, and have a family of four children: Carrie was born NOvember 2, 1869, and died November 20, 1876; Allard H. was born August 18, 1873; Arminta E., was born October 15, 1877; and George O. was born February 2, 1887. In March, 1871, Mr. Peavey removed with his family to Cherokee County, and located on a farm of eighty acres in Tilden Township, and there established a home. He has a good frame residence and a barn for stock and grain; he has added much to the beauty of his place by planting an acre and a half in grove, and has set out a small orchard. The family had to undergo all the hardships incident to pioneer life, but they faced them unflinchingly, and are now enjoying the fruits of their labors. Mr. Peavey has been one of the main factors in building up and developing that part of the county, and well deserves the respect and esteem in which he is held. Politically he is identified with the Republican party, and has represented his township officially as clerk, and as road supervisor; he has been prominently connected with the public schools of the township, having been school treasurer, and secretary of the School Board. He has always taken an active interest in any measures tending to advance the general welfare, and has never failed in lending a generous support to such efforts. Mrs. Peavey and Allard H. are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. WILLIAM BRUCE, proprietor of Maple Grove Farm, one of the leading citizens of Pilot Township, was born in Huntingdonshire, England, December 30, 1854, and is a son of George and Catherine (Bruce) Bull. In his infancy his parents emigrated to America, settling in Clinton County, Iowa. There they lived twelve years, and then removed to Jones county, Iowa, remaining there until 1871, when they came to Cherokee County. William was educated in the common schools, and received the training of a farmer's son. Having confidence in his ability to manage a farm of his own, he made a purchase of land in Marcus Township, Cherokee County, which he placed under cultivation and improved in other ways. In 1884 he sold this place and bought 160 acres of Henry Davis, which he has made his home; later he made an additional purchase of 160 acres, and has placed the whole 320 acres in an advanced state of cultivation. Maple Grove is considered one of the best farms in the county; the residence, built in modern style, was erected in 1888 at a cost of $1,000; it is surrounded by shade and ornamental trees and is a most attractive home. There are substantial buildings for the care and protection of live-stock, four acres of fine maple trees and an orchard, the two latter being most desirable improvements. Mr. Bruce was married March 27, 1884, to Miss Jennie C. Harley, daughter of G. W. Hartley, of -478- Marcus Township; her mother was Mary Hankerson; she was born in Iowa and was reared and educated near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bruce: Rodger W., Ray W., and Harvey A. Mr. Bruce's political opinions find expression in the principles of the Republican party. He and his wife are honored members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are among the most worthy residents of the township. H. M. LANE is one of the early settlers of Cherokee County, settling there in 1869. He was born in Wayne County, Indiana, March 15, 1849, and is a son of J. A. Lane, Esq. When he was seven years old his parents removed to Clayton County, Iowa, and there he grew to manhood. He was reared to the occupation of farming, and obtained his education in the common schools. He did not leave the parental roof until his marriage, which occurred September 8, 1872, when he was united to Miss Sarah Dubes, a daughter of Elias Dubes, a prominent citizen of the township. Mr. Lane took a homestead on section 4, Silver Township, on which he lived eight years. He then removed to his present farm, which contains eighty acres of as rich land as can be found in the county. There is a good house, buildings for stock and grain, a grove and an orchard, and many indications of thrift and wise management. Mr. Lane devotes himself to farming and stock-raising, and his efforts have been rewarded with uniform success. Mr. and Mrs. Lane have had eight children: James Wilbur, Elen, Cora Belle, Clara Olive, Harriett, Willis Elias, Howard and Florence Elsie. Mr. Lane is an active member of the Baptist Church. Politically he affiliates with the Republican Party. He has served his township as constable and as a member of the School Board. He is ever ready to lend a helping hand to advance the best interests of the community in which he lives. J. A. Lane is one of the pioneers of Iowa, having settled in Clayton County, in 1856. He was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, July 25, 1822, and is a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Arment) Lane. Although reared to the life of a farmer, he worked at the shoemaking trade for many years. The public schools of that day had not advanced to their present high standing, and Mr. Lane received a limited education in the common schools of his native county. He was married March 14, 1849, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Miss Ann Jane Marks, a daughter of William and Ann Marks. Mr. Lane removed from Clayton County to Cherokee County, in 1869, and took a homestead of eighty acres of Government land. He was one of the first settlers in the neighborhood, and endured many privations incident to pioneer life. He now owns 200 acres of land in Silver and Pilot Townships, which is well improved with good buildings and a fine grove. Mr. and Mrs. Lane have had born to them six children: Henry M., John, Albert A., Martha Love, Libbie Love and A. W., residing at home. Mrs. Ann Lane died April 7, 1889. She was a worthy and beloved member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. HENRY WEISE, proprietor of Weise's Mill on Silver Creek, has been identified with the interests of Cherokee County since 1874. He is a native of Prussia, born May 9, 1827, and is a son of Gottlieb and Christina (Surgus) Weise. Henry attended -479- school until his fourteenth year, after which he he served an apprenticeship of two years at milling. He then worked for several years as a journeyman in different Prussian towns. A greater part of the year 1845 was spent in Russia. Mr. Weise was drafted into the Prussian Army in 1847, serving in the flying artillery. He participated in the Schleswig-Holstein War, and also took an active part in the Rebellion at Dresden, Saxony. He was drafted a second time in 1854 for service in the Crimean War, and had marched as far as the city of Schmiederg, when it was announced that peace had been proclaimed, and the regiment returned. He was honorably discharged March 15, 1855, when he engaged in milling until a third draft was to be made. Weary of warfare, and having no assurance of escaping the draft, he sailed from Hamburg, July 4, 1855, on the vessel North America, and arrived in New York City August 15, 1855. Fifteen days later he reached Davenport, Iowa, where he resided nineteen years. Three years of that time he was engaged at the carpenter's trade, and ten years he was in the employ of one man in a mill. In 1874 he came to Cherokee County and bought the Stiles Mill on the Sioux River, section 28, Pilot Township, which he operated eight years. During this time the dam was destroyed three different times. In 1882 Mr. Weise made some investments in land, purchasing 200 acres in Silver Township, on which his valuable mill property now stands. The race is 300 feet long, with a fall of eighteen feet. The wheel is a twenty-inch American turbine, of eighteen horse-power. Mr. Weise's experience, both in Europe and America, has been of great value, and he is to-day one of the most expert millers in the county. He owns 200 acres of land in Pilot Township, which is well improved. His residence on his home farm is a fine two-story building, and he has a good barn and many other valuable improvements. Mr. Weise was married November 18, 1859, at DeWitt, Clinton County, Iowa, to Mrs. Mary Golden, a native of Pennsylvania. Four children have been born to them: Edward H., Estella, wife of Alonzo Payne; Nettie, wife of James Purcell, and Amanda, wife of Frank Sheldon. In politics Mr. Weise is independent, and is considered one of the solid men of Silver Township. W. L. OAKES, a leading and progressive farmer of Silver Township, was born in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, June 10, 1840. He is a son of Thomas and Elevia (Sechler) Oakes, also natives of the State of Pennsylvania. In 1849 his parents removed to Ogle County, Illinois, being among the earliest settlers there. W. L. passed his youth on the farm, attending the district schools during the winter season, and occupying himself with the duties that usually fall to the lot of a farmer's son during the remainder of the year. April 3, 1862, when there was a call for 200,000 men to rally to the defense of this nation, W. L. Oakes enlisted in the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, Company A. In the battle of Dartsville he was severely injured by a horse falling upon him and breaking his breast-bone; he was confined to the hospital two months. He afterward participated in the battles of Harper's Ferry, Antietam, Occoquan, virginia, Stoneman Raid, Chancellorsville, Somerville, Gettsyburg, and Boonsborough, Maryland. He followed General Lee on his retreat to Somerville in October, 1863. HIs company was escort to General Slocum four months, and to Brigadier-General Buford six months. -480- He was with General Banks on the Red River expedition, and afterward was confined to the hospital for some time. He was honorably discharged April 3, 1865, at Memphis, Tennessee, and then returned to Ogle County, Illinois. Mr. Oakes was married October 22, 1868, to Miss Emma Sechler, a daughter of William and Anna (Eyster) Sechler, residents of Rock Rapids, Iowa. Mr. Oakes lived in Ogle County until 1879, when he removed to Marshall County, Kansas; he resided there for years, and then removed to Fayette County, Iowa. In 1886 he came to Cherokee County, and bought 160 acres of land as fine as lies in the county; it is well watered by Silver Creek, and is one of the best stock farms in the township; 110 acres have been placed under cultivation, and the remainder is in pasture. Mr. and Mrs. Oakes are the parents of four children: Lillie May, Carrie B., Charles E. and Frank G. In political thought and action Mr. Oakes is Democratic. He is a member of the General Geddes Post, No. 423, G.A.R., at Holstein, Iowa. He is a member of Alpine Lodge, No. 471, A.F. & A.M. He is a man doing his part to advance the standing of his community, and has won the regard of his neighbors and acquaintances since living in Cherokee County. S. W. LYMAN, an enterprising farmer of Pilot Township, is a native of Walworth County, Wisconsin; he was born July 4, 1848, and is a son of Luther and Catherine (Klice) Lyman. the father was a native of Genesee County, New York, and the mother was born in the State of Ohio. Our subject passed his youth on a farm, dividing his time between the common school and agricultural pursuits. At the age of eighteen years he entered the regular army, enlisting in the Seventeenth United States Infantry, Company F. He served three years, and was stationed near Galveston, Texas, to keep order in the reconstruction days that followed the war. He was honorably discharged, and returned to his home in Wisconsin. Mr. Lyman was married February 2, 1870, to Miss R. J. Gibbs, who was born, reared and educated in Walworth County, Wisconsin; she was a daughter of William H. and Lucinda Gibbs. After his marriage Mr. Lyman resided in Wisconsin until 1873, when he came to Cherokee County, having previously purchased land in Pilot Township; in 1882 he bought eighty acres of land, making in all 240 acres; in 1885 he erected a dwelling at a cost of $1,600; this is built in modern style, and is attractively surrounded with shade trees; there is a good barn, a grove and an orchard of four acres. All the surroundings indicate thrift and wise management. Politically Mr. Lyman is a Democrat; that he has the full confidence of the people of his township is shown by the number of years he has filled public offices; he has served as assessor for eleven years, as a member of the School Board for four years, as trustee for two years, and as treasurer of the School Board. He is a man firm in his convictions of right and wrong, is plain of speech and manner, and has the respect of all who have any dealings with him. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lyman: Bertus E., Cora M., Nina B., Edna A., Harry G. and Nola E. D. LAYTON, D. Layton, one of the early settlers of Cherokee County, was born in St. Joe County, Michigan, July 12, 1835, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Barks) Layton, natives of Delaware and Ohio respectively. -481- John Layton was a shoemaker by trade, and was an early settler of Marion, Ohio, building the first house in the town. At an early age our subject started out in the world for himself. He first went to the Rocky Mountains, and spent some time where Denver now is; afterward he went to freighting on the plains; later he went to the Pacific Coast, and there drove freight teams for some time. During the late Civil War he enlisted in the Third California Infantry, Company D, and served until the close of the war. He saw much active service on the plains against hostile Indians. The regiment was on duty on the coast, in Nevada, and in Wyoming, with headquarters at Salt Lake City for two years. He was honorably discharged at Denver, Colorado, in 1865. For some time Mr. Layton was on the police force of Denver, and later he was in the Government employ. In 1868 he worked on the Union Pacific Railroad, and in 1869 he came with a railroad outfit to Cherokee County, and plowed the first furrow for the railroad in this county. He was the first one to engage in draying in the town of Cherokee, and he followed this business for many years, in connection with dealing in coal and ice. In 1886 Mr. Layton sold his interests to Jackson & Funk and purchased the John Chapin farm, which is one of the best in the township. It contains 160 acres, a substantial residence, built in modern style, stands upon an attractive site, and twelve acres of fine grove add not a little to the beauty and value of the farm. There are extensive barns and sheds for stock, and large feed-lots watered by a system of pipes. Mr. Layton was the first man married in Cherokee, and the bride was Miss Melissa Lane, a native of Ohio. They were married in the fall of 1870, in a tent, and the first winter lived in a dug-out. Three children have been born to them: Justin A., John Ed and May Melissa. Mr. Layton affiliates with the Republican party. He has served as marshal for five years, and as a member of the council. He is a member of the Iowa Legion of Honor, and is one of the charter members of Custer Post, No. 25, G.A.R. He is a man of his word, and is highly respected wherever he is known. W. J. BUNTING has been a resident of Pilot Township since 1869. He has the honor of coming from the Buckeye State, born in Muskingum County, near Zanesville, January 28, 1839. He is a son of Robert and Naomi (Hickman) Bunting, natives of the State of Virginia. They were married in Muskingum County, and when W. J. was fourteen years old they determined to try the fortunes of pioneer life, and so removed to Jones County, Iowa, in 1853. they lived there the remainder of their days. The subject of this notice was reared to the occupation of a farmer, and obtained his education by attending the winter terms of the district school. During the winter of 1869 he traveled through Kansas, and returned to Iowa, and took out a homestead of eighty acres of Government land; he then set about the task of placing this under cultivation, an undertaking that required no small amount of courage; his efforts have been successful, and he now owns one of the most desirable farms in the neighborhood. There is a comfortable dwelling, pleasantly situated in the midst of shade trees, two acres of grove, a barn and other good buildings for stock and grain. Mr. Bunting also owns eighty acres of land three-quarters of a mile east of his home farm, in Pitcher Township, which is under good cultivation. He was married -482- March 31, 1874, to Miss Maria Willson, a native of the State of New York, and a daughter of P. A. and Lucinda (Flint) Willson. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bunting: Merton L., Ida N., Earl S. and Arthur W. In politics Mr. Bunting casts his vote with the Independent party. He is a man in the prime of live, social in his disposition, and the possessor of many warm friends in the county. L. D. NELSON has been a member of the farming community of Cherokee Township since 1878. He was born at Florida, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, January 23, 1836, and is a son of David and Mary E. (Kemp) Nelson, natives of Massachusetts. Reared to agricultural pursuits, he remained upon a farm until the breaking out of the late Civil War, when he enlisted in August, 1862, while on a visit to Iowa, in the Twentieth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Company H, and served to the close of the war. He participated in the battles of Prairie Grove, Vicksburg, Fort Morgan, Mobile, Alabama, Blakely and other minor engagements. He was honorably discharged at the close of the war, and returned to Linn County, Iowa, where he lived for four years. Mr. Nelson was married in Linn County, July 4, 1866, to Miss Hattie Gibson, a native of the State of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of John Gibson, Esq. Returning to his native State, Mr. Nelson resided there eight years, engaged in farming and in other work at Hoosac Tunnel. When he came back to Iowa he bought eighty acres of land, and as his means increased he added to his farm until he now owns 237 acres; 100 acres are under cultivation, and the remainder is in pasture and meadow land. His house is a comfortable story and a half structure, and his barn and other farm buildings are well suited to the purpose of stock and grain raising. One of the best springs in the county is on the Nelson farm, and furnishes an abundance of water for all purposes. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Nelson: Lindley L., Frank O., Delbert O., Kendall J., Wilber R., Eddie E., Ernest L. Minnie and Myrtle, twin daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he is Republican. He is honest and upright in all his dealings, and has the good will of a large circle of acquaintances.

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