ROSS TOWNSHIP BIOGRAPHIES
699
| ASMAN, JOHN, proprietor Central House, P. O. Tabor;
born in Lincolnshire, England, August 18, 1825; came
to the United States in 1851, locating near Rochester,
New York. He came to Fremont county in 1856; enlisted
in the twenty-ninth IOwa infantry, April 29, 1860,
and served until the close of the war. Was married
May 3, 1855, to Miss Elizabeth L. Marshall, of Ohio.
They are the parents of eight children, five now living:
Nellie, William M., Nettie, John F. and Sarah A. |
| AVERY, EGBERT, blacksmith, P. O. Tabor; born in Loraine
county, Ohio, January 23, 1829. Was educated at Oberlin
College, Ohio. In 1853 came to Civil Bend, Fremont
county, Iowa. August 22, 1854, he was married to Miss
Harriet King, of Loraine county, Ohio. Came to Tabor
in 1856, and has followed his trade since. Has held
the office of justice of the peace two terms, and is
now recorder. Was a prominent member of the underground
railroad. He is the father of six children, two living:
Albert A. and Harriet K. |
| BECKWITH, G. W., blacksmith, P. O. Tabor; born in
Muskingum county, Ohio, October 7, 1823. In 1839 he
went to Cincinnati to lear the trade he now follows.
After many removals and many times changing his business,
he enlisted in 1850 in the filibustering expedition
to Cuba. In 1856 came to Iowa, locating in Dallas county,
at Adel. After another series of removals, he came
to Tabor in 187-. He was married September 10, 1850,
to Miss Mary Hill, a native of Ohio, who died March
16, 1862, leaving four children: Benjamin, Luella,
James B. and Lenora. In 1864, February 6, he was again
married to Miss Elizabeth Shepherd, by whom he has
three children: Georgiana, Cora A. and Horace G. |
(click for larger
size)
 BROOKS, REV. WM. MIRON, president of Tabor College;
born in LaPorte, Ohio, March 5, 1825. Graduated at
Oberlin College, Ohio, in 1857. In October of the same
year came to Tabor to assume the principalship of Tabor
Literary Institute, an academy opened at that time.
He has been at the head of Tabor College since its
organization. He was for several years county superintendent
of common schools in Fremont county. In 1868 he was
chosen president of the Iowa State Teachers' Association.
He served as representative in the sixteenth general
assembly, and was chosen presidential elector from
the eighth district of Iowa, in 1876. The success of
Tabor College has been his success, and to it he has
devoted the best energies of a long and successful
life. It is with pleasure that the public of the county
is presneted with his portrait—that of a representative
man. |
700
| CRISSWELL, DAVID, farmer, section 23, P. O. Tabor;
born in Venango county, Pennsylvania, June 11, 1841,
where he was educated and grew to maturity. He enlisted
September 1, 1861, in company I, 105th Pennsylvania
infantry. He was in the battles of Yorktown, Fairoaks,
Malvern Hill and others. He was four times wounded.
In October, 1864, he was taken prisoner, and remained
in the hands of the confederates until March 9, 1865,
when he was paroled. On the 12th of June of the same
year he was discharged, and came directly to Fremont
county. Mr. Criswell was married to Miss Olive Wilson
in December, 1869. She died August 14, 1871. He was
again married April 16, 1874, to Miss Paula M. Gaylord,
by whom he has three children: Robert G., Royal L.
and Silas C. |
| CARPENTER, M. L., merchant, P. O. Tabor; born in
HOmer, Courtland county, New York, September 13, 1822.
Mr. Carpenter is a cousin to F. B. Carpenter, the celebrated
artist. He came to Tabor in the spring of 1857, and
engaged in the mercantile business, being the first
store started in Tabor. He sold out in the fall of
1862 and from that time to 1878 engaged first in one
enterprise and then in another. He has filled various
offices of trust in both church and state. He was married
September 13, 1844, to Miss Caroline P. Johnson, by
whom he had four children; one now living: Lillie,
wife to Prof. J. E. Todd, of Tabor College. |
| CLARK, C. L., farmer, section 1, P. O. Tabor; born
in Jackson county, Michigan, May 17, 1838. His early
life was passed in attending school and on the farm.
In 1861 came to Tabor; where he has since resided.
In 1864 enlisted in company E, Thirteenth Iowa infantry,
serving to the end of the war. Was married April 3,
1863, to Miss Ellen Lymen, of West Dover, Vermont.
They are the parents of four children: George B., Walter
M., Frederick A. and Florence A. Mr. Clark has filled
the office of township trustee. |
| DALTON, SAMUEL, farmer, P. O. Tabor; born in Lincolnshire,
England, July 25,1821. His father dying when Samuel
was very young, he was deprived of the benefits of
an education, and at the age of eleven began to carve
his own fortune. He was married to Miss Frances Asman,
of Lincolnshire, England, May 18, 1843, and in 1851
came to the United States. Came to Tabor in 1854. He
has followed various kinds of manual labor until the
present. They have six children: John, Ann, Sarah C.,
William H., Mary E. and Hannah M. |
| ETTLEMAN, SAMUEL, farmer, section 19, P. O. Tabor;
born in Stark county, Ohio, October 18, 1826. When
ten years of age moved (p. 701) with his parents to Ray
county, Missouri, remaining until 1840, when he made
Adams county, Illinois, his place of residence. In
1846, he came to Iowa, locatin1:S in Mills county,
and after an eighteen months residence moved to Plum
Hollow, Fremont county. He was married October 10,
1847, to Miss Susan Forney, his being the first marriage
ever occurring in Scott township. From this union six
children resulted, three of whom are now now married:
William H., Margaret, George W., David M., Sarah C.
and Martha J. His farm comprises 208 acres, all under
an excellent state of cultivation. |
701
| FREDERICKSON, L. D., farmer, section 10, P. O. Plum
Hollow; born in Hancock county, Ohio, February 16,
1841. Came to Fremont county, in 1857. Enlisted in
company B, second Iowa cavalry, October 9, 1863. Was
discharged 19,1865. Returned to Fremont county, Iowa,
and was married to Miss Casey Ritchie, December 28,
1865. Their children are Mary B. and Andrew P. |
| FREDERICKSON, PETER, farmer, section 16, P. O. Tabor;
born in Hampshire county, Massachusetts, April 19,
1812. He was educated in the common schools of that
state; and learned the carpenter’s trade. In
1837, went to Hancock county, Ohio, and remained nineteen
years. In 1856, he came to Fremont county. He has held
the offices of township assessor, trustee and school
treasurer. Was married September 20, 1837, to Miss
Elmira Cooley, of Massachusetts. They have five children
living: Martha L., Lucius D., Peter W., Catherine E.
and Solomon D. |
| GRAY, DANIEL M., farmer, section 18, P. O. Plum Hollow;
born in New London, Connecticut, October 31, 1832,
where he grew to manhood and was educated. When eighteen
years of age learned the carpenter’s. trade.
In 1854 went to La Salle county, Illinois, and in 1855
to Clayton county, Iowa. In the fall of the last named
year he came to Fremont county, and located in Monroe
township, where he filled the offices of justice of
the peace and constable. In 1862 he removed to Worth
county, Missouri, and in 1867, returned to Fremont
county. He was married May 3, 1857, to Miss Fannie
Wheeler, and is the father, by her, of six children:
five living: Samantha, Emma L., James B., Lucy A.,
and Alonzo T. |
| GAYLORD, M. W.,
farmer, section 22, P. O. Tabor. Mr. Gaylord was born
in Hancock county, Illinois, June
8, 1842; came to Fremont county with his father’s
family in 1846. He reached manhood’s estate on
a farm, and obtained the major portion of his education
at home, there being no schools near in his boyhood.
He was married February 12, 1862, to Miss P. Russell,
of Fremont county, but formerly of Ohio. They (p. 702)
are the parents of seven children: Charles F., Lavern
M., Dock. E., Fred. J., Lewis J., Walter, and one deceased.
The farm of Mr. Gaylord comprises some eighty acres,
well improved. |
702
| GAYLORD, ELIJAH B., farmer, section 29, P. O. Tabor;
born September 6, 1804, in Hampshire county, Massachusetts.
In 1828 became a resident of the state of New York.
In 1846 came to Fremont county. Was married September
26, 1825, to Miss Elizabeth Frederickson, of Hancock
county, Illinois; they are the parents of ten children,
seven now living: Mary S., Sarah, William W., Clarissa,
Moses W., Paula M., and Elijah R. Mr. Gaylord had held
various offices of trust. He died August 18, 1873. |
| GASTON, E. C.,
farmer, P. O. Tabor; sin of G. B. Gaston, born in Oberlin,
Ohio, February 16, 1838. His
residence was changed simultaneously with that of his
father, with whom he came to Iowa in 1848. He has held
the offices of township trustee and constable, and
is now one of the trustees of Tabor College. He was
married to Miss Mary Jones, of Tabor, March 27, 1862;
they are the parents of seven children, five now
living: Ozra c., Cora E., Etta M., Abbie M., and Myron
C. |
| GEER, EZRA B., P.O., Tabor. Son of Rev. Heman Geer;
was born at Amherst, Ohio, January 28, 1847. The greater
part of his childhood was spent at Wayne, Ohio. At
the age of seventeen he became a student at Oberlin
College. He entered college but was prevented, by ill
health, from completing his course. He had commenced
the study of music at an early age, and when he was
obliged to abandon his classical course, he resolved
upon resuming again his musical studies. After his
health was somewhat recruited by a trip to Michigan,
he entered the conservatory of music at Oberlin. He
spent a year there and then went to Ripley, Brown county,
to teach, but at the end of nine months was again compelled
by sickness to stop work. After recruiting a second
time he did some teaching in Kellogsville, Ashtabula
county, and then went to Oberlin again, where he completed
the preparatory course in the conservatory. In the
fall of 1871 he came to Tabor, where he remained two
years as a teacher of music. He then resumed his studies
at Oberlin, teaching the violin and piano, throughout
his course, and graduated from the conservatory, receiving
a diploma for the full course, which consisted of piano,
organ, voice culture and theory. In 1874 the musical
department at Tabor was annexed to the college and
he returned to that place as professor of music. In
1876 he was married to Lucy J. Spees at Tabor, where
he still remains in charge of the conservatory. |
703
| GASTON, GEORGE B.; was born in Danbury, Tompkins
county, New York, November 8, 1814. In 1834 moved near
Oberlin, Ohio, and in 1840 to Indian Territory, as
missionary, and was in the employ of the government
for two years. In 1845 Mr. Gaston returned to Oberlin,
where he remained until 1848, when he came to this
county, locating in Civil Bend. He came to Tabor in
1852. Mr. Gaston has been intimately connected with
the history of Tabor and Tabor College, to the account
of both of which the reader is referred. He was married
February 22, 1337 to Miss Maria Cumings of Oberlin.
They were the parents of three children: Alexander
C., Alonzo M., and Eupheiia M., the last two deceased.
Mr. Gaston died May 1, 1873, and was buried in the
town he helped to found. His life was one of usefulness,
and its memory shall be hallowed while Tabor and Tabor
College endures. |
| GATES, WILLIAM J., farmer, P. O. Tabor; born in Richmond,
Birkshire county, Massachusetts, May 19, 1815; removed
to Loraine county, Ohio, in 1836, and attended school
at Oberlin College for two years. Followed various
occupations until 1853, among others, school teaching,
mercantile business, and photography. Came to Fremont
county in 1853. Was married March 4, 1842, to Miss,
Emily P. Hall, of Ashtabula county, Ohio, by whom he
had eleven children: Emma P., Lucina E., Sophia C.,
Anna C., Henry E., Milo H., Sarah C., and Archie E.;
the remaindeer [remainder] deceased. |
| HALLAM, JOHN,
farmer, section 10, P. O. Tabor. Mr. Hallam was born
in Lincolnshire, England, August 4,
1831, where he matured and received his education.
He came to the United States and located in Loraine
county, Ohio, in 1852, but the following year came
to Fremont county, of which he has since been a resident.
He was married March 6, 1861, to Miss Amelia Woodruff,
of Mills county, Iowa, by whom he has two children:
Myra W., and Bessie C. An unfortunate accident—the
falling of a tree—broke the arm of Mr. Hallam so as
to necessitate amputation in the spring of 1858. |
| HARDY, WILLIAM R.,
farmer, section 27, P. O. Plum Hollow; born in Grayson
county, Virginia, April 13,
1816. In 1833 moved to Lee county, West Virginia, remaining
until 1837, when they moved to Platte county, Nebraska,
being one of the pioneer families of that state. In
1840 they moved to Missouri, and in 1851 to Fremont
county, Iowa. Was married to Miss Clarinda Hughes,
March 18, 1842, who died March Hi, 1847. They were
the parents of three children, two now living: Julia
and Alfred O. Mr. Hardy was married to Miss L. Trook
April, 13,1848, and was by her the father of eleven
children, nine of whom are now liv- (p. 704) ing: William
M., George, Henry, Amanda E., Matilda, General F.,
Emma, Douglas, and Albert O. |
704
| HORTON, IRA, farmer, section 33, P. O. Sidney; barn
in Stakes county, North Carolina, November 28, 1806,
where he matured and was educated. In 1822 he removed
to Highland county, Ohio, remaining until 1855, when
he removed to Hamilton county, Indiana. Five years
later, in 1860, he came to Iowa, locating on the farm
he now occupies. Mr. Horton was married to Miss Nancy
Collins January 14,1830. She died October 2, 1832,
leaving two children: Mary Jane and Nancy. He was married
the second time to Miss Ann Allen, from which union
there resulted eight children: Sallie, Phebe K., Charity
B., Jacob W., (died in the army), Louisa, Oscar F.,
Amanda and Millissa. Mr. Horton has held the office
of township trustee in his home. |
| HILL, L. B., farmer, section 1, P. O. Tabor; born
in Huron county, Ohio., June 11, 1831. Was raised on
a farm and educated in the common school. In 1855 came
to Tabor, living there two years, and then moved to
his present home in 1857. 1n 1872 went to Colorado
and engaged in milling, remaining but one year. Married
March 31, 1856, to. Miss Hannah M. Whitney, of Erie
county, Ohio. They are the parents of seven children:
Leverett A., Vergil B., Charles, Albert B., Amelia
and Esther, and Clarence W. drowned in the Nishnabotany
in 1877 while bathing. Mr. Hill has held several offices
of trust in his township. |
| HOLLISTER, ISAAC, P. O. Tabor; born in Berkshire
county, Massachusetts, March 3, 1838. At the age of
fifteen he moved to Columbia county, New York. In 1856
Mr. Hollister came to Tabor to remain but one year,
when he moved to Illinois. He returned to Tabor in
1860. He enlisted in company B, Twenty-ninth Iowa infantry,
August 18, 1862. In 1871 he moved to Cass county, Nebraska,
and returned to Tabor in 1876. He was married December
13, 1860, to Miss Amelia Staples, of Knox county, Illinois.
They have one child: Mertie M., living; and two deceased.
Mr. Hollister is mail carrier between Tabor and Hinsdale. |
| HOWARD, H. W.,
farmer, section 10, P. O. Tabor; born in Windom county,
Vermont, July 12, 1828. Received
his education in the common school. In 1848 moved to
Hamlin county, Massachusetts, where he remained until
the spring of 1857, when he came to Fremont county.
He was married October 29, 1851, to Miss C. B. Sherman,
of Massachusetts. They have six children, five now
living: George S., William W., Charles E., Lewis A.
and Flora R. Mr. Howard has held various township
offices. |
705
| HUNTER, J. H.,
farmer, P.O. Tabor; born in Berkshire county, Massachusetts,
November 16, 1828. In 1834 he
moved with his father’s family to the state of
New York, where he remained until 1839. In that year
he moved to Oberlin, Ohio. His education was received
in the common school and in Oberlin College. In 1849
he moved to Mercer county, Illinois, remaining
until 1860, when he came to Fremont county. He has
held various township offices, to the entire satisfaction
of his constituents. He was married April 18, 1858,
to Miss Mary Morford, of Mercer county. They are the
parents of five children: Alma M., Henry M., James
E., Merwin A. and John L. |
| HOUGHTON, GEO. S., Prof. of mathematics and civil
engineering in Tabor College; was born in Lexington,
Massachusetts, within half a mile of the first battle
ground of the revolutionary war, on the 3rd of February,
1833. His grandfathers on both sides were soldiers
of the revolution. The earlier years of his life were
spent upon the farm, but he early developed a great
love for books and study, and at the age of sixteen
years having graduated from the high school of Bolton,
Massachusetts, began teaching. After a course of normal
training he was called at the age of twenty-one to
succeed the lamented Dana P. Colburn as professor of
mathematics in the N. E. Normal Institute, at Lancaster,
Massachusetts. His associates in this work were Prof.
Wm. Russell In Didactics and English literature; Prof.
Henry Kimball in Latin and Greek; Prof. Sanborn Tenney,
(afterwards at Vassar and Williams Colleges) in natural
science; and Prof. Hermann Krusi in German and drawing.
This institution was planned more especially for the
training of high school teachers and had been promised
state aid, but political changes among the state authorities
prevented the redemption of the promise, and the school
after a life of four years was given up. Prof. Houghton
then removed to Indianapolis, Indiana, where for two
years he had charge of the first ward grammar school.
His father had in the meantime removed to Kansas as
one of its first settler, and Prof. H. followed in
August, 1857, to help in the fight for “Free
Kansas.” After four years residence, in July
1861, he returned to New England, and shortly afterwards
was offered a captain’s commission in the “teachers
regiment,” which was to be the twelfth Massachusetts,
but there being at that time a surplus of volunteers
and scarcity of arms and other supplies, the governor
of the state withdrew permission to organize the regiment,
and declared that the teachers should remain at home.
From this time until 1813, Prof. H. was employed successively
as master of the Merrimack school in Concord, New Hampshire,
the Everett school in Boston, (Dorchester district)
and the High street and Day street schools in Fitchburg,
(p. 706) Massachusetts. In 1873 he accepted the professorship
of theory and practice of teaching in Tabor College,
and in the following year was transferred to the chair
of mathematics, which position he continues (January,
1881), to occupy. He has been often employed as teacher
and conductor of normal institutes in Massachusetts,
New Hampshire and Iowa. He married in July, 1855, Miss
Amanda Hinckley, of Barnstable, Massachusetts, a graduate
of the N. E. Normal Institute, and a successful teacher,
with whom he still lives, and who has borne him six
children, four of whom still survive. |
706
| IRWIN, HUGH, farmer, section 26, P. O. Plum Hallow;
born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, October
4, 1812. His father was a solider in the war of 1812.
While still a small child he moved with his father
to Athens county, Ohio, and became one of the pioneers
of that county. He was denied the advantages of a common
school education, for none existed in those days, in
the region where he lived. In 1824, his parents moved
to Meigs county, Ohio. In 1838, Mr. Irwin was married,
in that county, to Miss Mary Bolton, who died January
6, 1853, by whom he had become the father of eight
children, some of whom are still living. One son, Wesley,
was killed in the battle of Corinth. August 27, 1864,
Mr. Irwin was again married, his wife being her who
was formerly Mrs. Hannah Shober, whose maiden name
was Fisher. She married her first husband, Geo. Shober,
December 7,1847, and came to Fremont county in 1853.
She had by her first husband seven children. By this
last union they are the parents of six children, four
of whom are now living: Rebecca, Robert A., Ettie A.
and Oran W. |
| IVORY, H. R., architect and builder, P. O. Tabor;
barn in Huron county, Ohio, March 31, 1826. When nineteen
years of age he entered Norwalk Seminary and supported
himself by teaching in order to finish his course.
He was a classmate of R. B. Hayes, ex-president. In
1850, Mr. Ivory moved to Marshall, Michigan, remaining
until 1864, when he came to Tabor. He has held several
town and city offices with entire satisfaction. He
was married November 2, 1849, to Ann W. Wilson, who
died November 12, 1868. By this union they became the
parents of six children: Theodore W., Ella A., Minnie
A., Judson K., Walter W.; and Lucy J., deceased. Mr.
Ivory was again married November 20, 1869, to. Miss
Mary Smirl, of Wisconsin. They have four children:
Nellie M., Charles R., Cara A. and Anna E. He has been
a justice of the peace for fourteen years, and a notary
public for ten, and still holds the latter office.
He is efficient and genial as a public officer, and
has the esteem of all who know him. |
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