Ida County Iowa Biographies

These Ida County Biographies have been provided by Conley Wolterman, if you would like to request additional information, just click on her name.

Dr. E. C. Heilman

     He located at Ida Grove, Iowa, August 20, 1877. He was born in Cedar County, Iowa, July 18, 1856, son of Samuel and Mary (Ranck) Heilman. His parents were natives of Pennsylvania and of German descent. He was reared in Iowa, received his literary education at Cornell College and took his medical course at the Medical College of Ohio at Cincinnati, graduating at the latter institution in March 1877.
     Upon his arrival here he entered into a partnership with Dr. F. D. Seeber, & was associated with him for 2 years. After conducting his practice alone for 2 years, Dr. Heilman formed a partnership with Dr. Giles Moorehead, who had just graduated and with whom he practiced 4 years. He was elected to the office of County Treasurer in 1883, but resumed his practice the first of 1888.
     He was married September 20, 1877, to Nancy J. Blazer of Cedar County, Iowa, daughter of George W. and Catharine (Scarlett) Blazer. They had three children: Earnest S., Ralph E., and Frank B.

Enoch Jones

     Enoch Jones, a well-known citizen of Battle Creek, Iowa, was a resident of Ida County since 1883, and of Iowa, since 1852. He was born in Bourbon County, Ky., March 6, 1825. He was reared and educated in Kentucky, and learned the trade of blacksmith.
John Jones, his grandfather, married a native of Wales. He was a prominent hotel man of Culpeper, Va. Moving to Bourbon County, Ky., he settled on Boone Creek, and was a participant in many of the Indian wars. His son, James Jones, father of Enoch, was born in Va., and married Dicie Gregory, a native of that state. After their marriage, they went to Kentucky, and there spent the rest of their lives. They lived on a plantation, and reared a family of eight children.
     In 1852 he made the journey to Dubuque, Iowa, via the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and settled at Scott’s Grove, in Jones County, Ia., where he was engaged in farming and operating a thresher. He opened up and improved a farm of 320 acres there.
     In 1874, he first bought land in Ida County. He came to Battle Creek in 1883 to look after his real-estate interests, was pleased with the situation, and located at Battle Creek. He was also for eleven years engaged in the general merchandise business at Monticello, Iowa. This was between 1863 and 1873. Mr. Jones is now making a specialty of horses, buying and selling both draft and roadsters. He has some very fine horses, among which are Union Jack, a large chestnut sorrel, and Randolph, a dark brown hackney.

I. V. Miller

     He was the proprietor of the Rink Livery, Sale & Feed Barn, Battle Creek, Iowa. The building was 30 x 80 feet, well arranged, and equipped throughout. Mr. Miller kept a full line of carriages and buggies, with ten to sixteen good driving horses, speedy and gentle. His kind courtesy to patrons secured for him a good trade.
     He was born near Monroe, Green County, Wisconsin, September 24, 1858. His father, Charles Miller, was a native of Pennsylvania. His mother’s maiden name was Martha Adams, born in Tennessee, and moved to Martin County, Minnesota.
    I. V. Miller was the second born of 7 children. When he was 5 years old, the family moved to Benton County and located near Vinton, Iowa. He received his education in the common schools and at Tillford Academy in Vinton.
     In 1882, he came to Ida County and spent two years. Then he went to Storm Lake, Iowa, and for two years was a traveling salesman for the Singer Sewing Machine co. He returned to Ida County and lived in Garfield Township, and then located in Battle Creek, Iowa.
Mr. Miller married in Benton County, Iowa, in 1881 to Ada Usher, daughter of G. S. Usher. They had six children: Vida, Dolly, Lelia, Francis, Ray U., and Le Roy.

James Anderson

    He lived in Section 21, Silver Creek Township and was a stock raiser. He was born in the Emerald Isle, in Tyrone County on November 12, 1838. He was the oldest of 8 children born to Thomas and Phoebe (Cook) Anderson, natives of Ireland. He was educated in the common schools of Ireland, coming to America in 1871. He located first in Delaware County, Iowa, for 5 years and then came to Ida County to live on the same farm when he located in Ida County. He kept buying land until he owned a section, 640 acres. Silver Creek runs through the section of land.
     Mr. and Mrs. Anderson had four children: Margaretta Jane married Robert Hall, Mary married Robert Lipton, William James, and Thomas Andrew.

James H. Fair

     James H. Fair was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1853, son of Thomas and Mary Ann Fair, natives of Ireland, and descendants of Scotch ancestry. At the age of 20, he came to America. He settled in Delaware County, Iowa, in 1873.
     In 1877, Mr. Fair was united in marriage to Miss Lindsay, a native of Ireland, who came to America that same year. Her parents, James and Sarah (Irwin) Lindsay, remained in Ireland.
     For 3 years they lived in Section 18 of Silver Creek Township, Ida County, Ia., and then moved to Section 32 and opened up a farm. This part of the County was a wild stretch of prairie, without a tree or fence, and wolves and deer abounded in great numbers upon it.
Mr. and Mrs. Fair had eight children: Thomas, Edward, Sarah Ann, Lillie Jane, Margaret Maud, James Graham, William Andrew, and Martha Theresse.

Joseph Rinehart

     Hotel Rinehart was one of the hostelries of Battle Creek, Iowa, situated a short distance from the railroad depot. It had 14 bright, cheery, neat and comfortable rooms and was inviting to the dusty, fatigued traveler. There was a restaurant and lunch counter where the best of meals and all temperance drinks were provided.
     Mr. Rinehart was born in Frederick County, Maryland, February 21, 1859, son of Daniel and Margaret (Hyder) Rinehart, both natives of the same state. Joseph Rinehart joined the westward tide of emigration in 1882 and moved to Ida County, Iowa, where he entered the employ of the Bowman Lumber Co. After one year’s service there, he was transferred by the company to Holstein where he remained two years.
     He then moved to Ida Grove for the same company until March 1884. Then he was transferred to Arthur, Iowa, and took charge of that company’s yards there for 15 months. He then transferred to Battle Creek to superintend the same company’s yard there and stayed until June 1892 when the company sold out to other parties.
     Then he bought the hotel known as Hotel Hopkins. He married Elizabeth Estep, a native of Illinois, and the daughter of George W. and Sarah Estep. They had two children: Hazel Pearl and Jennie Cecil.

R. C. Newland

     Mr. & Mrs. R. C. Newland were married March 20, 1856, in Bedford, Indiana, which was also their birth place. Mrs. Newland's maiden name was Catherine J. Swan and she was born August 17, 1834. Mr. Newland was born Dec. 24, 1836.
     In 1864, they moved to Galva, Illinois, where they resided until 1881 when they moved to Ida County, Iowa and made their home on a farm near Clarendon. Through the influence of Mrs. B. M. Miller (their daughter) who was born at Galva, Illinois, the name of Clarendon, Iowa, was changed to Galva, Iowa.
     They had 5 children: James T. Newland, Mrs. C. M. Cole, Mrs. B. M. Miller, Mrs. Charles A. Davis, and John C. Newland.

James J. Rogers

     He was a farmer residing near Holstein, Iowa, in Battle Township in Ida County, 1883. He was a native of Muskingum County, Ohio, born December 21, 1835. His limited education was received in a log schoolhouse, built with puncheon floor and slab seats. He came to Ida County in 1883. He married Agnes Miller of Pa., a daughter of Michael and Jane (Currey) Miller of Pa. They had 5 children: Samuel L. of Holstein, Ia.; Jacob E.; Leila; Henry C.; and Nora (a teacher in Ida County, Ia.).
     Henry Rogers, his father, was born in Pennsylvania, son of Robert Rodman Rogers. He went to Ohio as a young man and married Fannie Bixler of Ohio. In 1836 they came West as far as Illinois, and 2 years later came to the Territory of Iowa, locating in Linn County in 1838. There were 20 Indians there to every white man.
     Henry Rogers’ home was headquarters for the traveling pioneer preachers. From his primitive cabin home, hospitality was extended to all. They had 5 sons and 4 daughters: Mary Thompson of Boone County; Robert of Lenox, Iowa; James J. Rogers of Battle Township; William D. of Greenfield; Ia., Elizabeth Miller of Battle Township, Ida County; John J.; Emaretta Clark of Benton County; and Semantha A. (wife of C. B. Conover of Battle Township, Ida Co.).

Thomas Bassett

     He came to Ida County in 1877 and was identified with the contracting and building interests in Ida Grove, Iowa. He located there when the town was just starting and put up many of the best buildings in the city. Thomas Bassett and his son, William H., were partners for a number of years.
     Thomas was born in the County of Cornwall, England, August 2, 1828, son of Thomas & Jane (Pierce) Bassett. He married Eliza A. Rouse in his native land; and in 1854, came to America. He remained in Zanesville, Ohio, until 1875 and went to Greene County, Iowa, until coming to Ida County. He and his wife had six children: Emily A.; Elizabeth (wife of Charles S. Barnes of Des Moines); Eliza; Mary J. (wife of W. C. Moorehead of Ida County); William H.; and Laura.

Thomas S. Brannan

      He was an attorney-at-law in Ida Grove, Iowa, and was a resident of Ida County since 1879. He was born in Keyesville, Clinton County, New York, August 15, 1839, and reared in Canada East until 14 years of age. In July 1861, being in the state for a visit, he enlisted in Co. C., 10th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and re-enlisted in the same company and regiment in January 1864 and served until the close of the war. He was twice slightly wounded. He was a member of the G.A.R., Matthew Gray Post No. 93. He was a Past Commander. In 1883, he turned his attention to the law and was admitted to the practice of law by the Supreme Court of Iowa. He was married at the close of the war to Rachael Tiser, a native of Ohio. They had 5 children: James E. of Fort Omaha, Nebraska; Emma E., wife of S. W. Kiner, editor of the Ida County Watch; William F., a blacksmith and machinist; Agnes May; and Minnie E. He was Clerk of the District Court of Ida County, Iowa.
     He is the son of James and Esther Brannan, and of Irish extraction. James Brannan was a trapper and guide for the Hudson Bay Fur Co. for a number of years in the Northwest. They had 11 children: Two of the boys, James I. And Edward, were killed by the Sioux Indians in 1866. James was killed on the Little Powder River and Edward at Cimarron, New Mexico.

Emeline J. Harris

     Emeline J. Harris daughter of Samuel B. and Mary (Eastman) Harris, was born in Licking Co., Ohio; married Samuel Allison, March 2, 1852, by whom she has had eight children: Oscar H. Allison, born January 2, 1853; Anna L. Allison, born August 8, 1854; Mary E. Allison, born March 8,1857; Minerva Allison, born April 14, 1859; Laura E. Allison, born May 4, 1862; Frank E. Allison, born April 12,
1865; Eugene R. Allison, born August 18, 1868; Ida L. Allison, born July 2, 1870.
      Mr. and Mrs. Allison removed from Ohio to Delaware County, Iowa, in April, 1852, and settled on land he had entered from the government in 1850, where they resided until 1881, when they removed to Sac County, Iowa, where he owns a farm of a section and a half of land.
     He is a stock raiser and buys and feeds cattle and hogs and ships to Eastern markets. Mr. Allison was born in Orange County, N. Y., March 18, 1828; is a Democrat in politics. They are members of the Christian Church, and reside at or near Galva, Ida Co., Iowa, at present writing, in 1886.
     Samuel  Allison was gored to death by a bull in August 1888 and is buried in the Schaller Cemetery in Sac County.  His wife, Emeline Johanna, died in 1896 and is also buried in the Schaller Cemetery in Sac County.

Children of Samuel and Emeline Johanna Allison:

        Oscar H. Allison, son of Samuel and Emeline J. (Harris) Allison, was born in Delaware County, Iowa; married Mary J. Smith (of Cook County, Ill.), September 30, 1875, by whom he had two children: Samuel H. Allison, born May 2, 1878; Nora E. Allison, born March 9, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Allison removed to Lander City, W. T., 1882, where his wife died in June, 1883. After the death of his wife he removed to Rapids City, Dakota, where he resides at the present, 1886.
        Anna L. Allison, daughter of Samuel and Emeline J. (Harris) Allison, was born in Delaware County, Iowa; married Edgar P. Howe, April 2, 1885; no children. He is a farmer, and Republican in politics. They reside at or near Galva, Ida Co., Iowa, at the present writing, in 1886.
        Mary E. Allison, daughter of Samuel and Emeline J. (Harris) Allison, was born in Delaware County, Iowa; married William E. Harrison, December 21, 1875, by whom she has had three children: Avery R. Harrison, born November 5, 1876; Ada E. Harrison, born December 5, 1881; Alice P. Harrison, born March 13, 1885. Mr. Harrison is a farmer by occupation, and
a Republican in politics. They resided at or near Galva, Ida Co., Iowa, in 1886.
        Minerva Allison, daughter of Samuel and Emeline J. (Harris)
Allison, was born in Delaware County, Iowa. She married Edwin R. Marsh, September 28, 1882, by whom she has had two children: Ernest A. Marsh, born August 13, 1883; Ross E. Marsh, born July 26, 1885. Mr. Marsh is a farmer, and Republican in politics. They resided in Ida County, Iowa, in 1886.
        Laura E. Allison, daughter of Samuel and Emeline J. (Harris) Allison, was born in Delaware County, Iowa; married Wilson Marsh, September 3, 1885, by whom she has had one child: Elmer W. Marsh. Mr. Marsh is a carpenter by occupation, and a Republican in politics. They reside at Rapids City,
Dakota, at present writing, 1886.
        Mr. and Mrs. Allison's three youngest children, Frank E., Eugene R. and Ida L., are all unmarried, at home with their parents, at present writing, 1886.
Genealogical and Biographical Sketches of the New Jersey Branch of the Harris Family in the United States By Mrs. Sarah J. (Harris) Keifer, Published in 1888 by the Democrat Printing Co., Madison, WI

E. B. Baird

     He was born in Onondaga County, New York, November 6, 1837, and was raised on a farm. In 1872, he came to Iowa and bought land in Maple Township, Ida County, Iowa. Mr. Baird was married at age of 30 to Harriet Conover, daughter of Isaac Talmage, in Scholarie County, New York. Their child was Edmund C. Baird.
     Mr. Baird married Matilda Preston in 1877. She was the daughter of John Preston, who was born and educated in Scotland. They had three children: Andrew E., Preston, and Mabel Laura.
     E. C. Baird was vice president and director of the Maple Valley Savings Bank and served as a member of the Maple Township School Board.
     His father was Andrew W. Baird and he was born in Scholarie County, New York. His mother was Harriet Bramhall Baird and she died when he was 4 years old. Then his father married her sister, Jane Bramhall, and they had one child, Willard.

C. C. Van Houten

      C. C. Van Houten lived on a farm near Battle Creek, in Maple Township, Ida County, Iowa, and was identified with the agricultural interests of this place since 1882. Mr. Van Houten was born in Clarion County, Pa., April 24, 1856.
     John Van Houten, his father, a native of the Keystone State, served during the Civil War as a member of Company K, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He then resided near Cushing, Iowa. John married Miss Mary Ann Boyles, a native of Pennsylvania. They had seven children, 3 sons and 4 daughters.
     C. C. Van Houten was reared on a farm in his native state. At the age of twenty, he came to Iowa and located in Cedar County, 3 years later went to Benton County, and in 1882 came from there to near Battle Creek. Here he owned 120 acres of land in Section 8, Maple Township, well improved with good buildings, fences, grove, orchard, etc., and under a high state of cultivation. His house was 16 x 24 feet, with an L, 14 x 20 feet, and there were two barns, one 24 x 32 feet, and the other 16 x 20 feet.
     Mr. Van Houten was married at the age of twenty-seven in Muscatine, Iowa, to Lizzie Fricke, a native of Muscatine County, Iowa, and a daughter of August and Fredrica (Herwig) Fricke, the latter a native of Germany. They had four children: the first born died in infancy, Charles Leander, Homer P., Malcom D., and Orr Roy.

H. C. Dall

     H. C. Dall lived in Maple Township, Ida County, Iowa and was a resident since 1881. He was born in that portion of Denmark which became a part of Germany in 1864. The date of his birth was July 31, 1845. He was the son of C. H. and Elizabeth (Iverson) Dall. He was raised in Denmark, attending school from the time he was seven until he was fourteen. In 1872, at the age of 27 years, he left his native land and came to America and settled in Lee County, Illinois. He engaged in farming on rented land.
     In 1881, he came to Ida County, Iowa, and the same year purchased a farm in Section 8, Maple Township. Mr. Dall was married in Lee County, Illinois, January 7, 1875, to Miss M. K. Schmidt, a native of Denmark. She was the daughter of C. H. and K. M. (Hansen) Schmidt, natives of that country.
     Mr. and Mrs. Dall had 5 children: Christ H., Henry C., Carrie May, Elizabeth, and an infant son.

William C. Forney

     He was of Corwin Township, Ida County, Ida Grove, Iowa, and settled here in 1882. He was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on October 13, 1854.
     His father was Michael Forney (born October 15, 1824 in Dauphin County, Pa.) who came here in 1885. His mother was Margaret Crownshield, born in Maryland. Michael and Margaret’s children were: Sarah C., wife of David O. Crum, and William C., the subject of this biography.
     William C. Forney received his education at Millersville Normal School, Pa., and entered the boot and shoe business. Since coming West in 1882, he engaged in farming and stock-raising. When he was 21, he married Emma J. Kinter who was born in Lebanon County, Pa. Emma’s parents were John and Elizabeth Kinter. William C. and Emma’s children were: Margaret Elizabeth, Michael J., Harry S., and William C. Forney, Jr.
William C. Forney, Jr. married Minnie H. and their children were Ross Nicholl and Arlo W. Forney. Ross married Ruth Clapsaddle, and Arlo married LaDonna Fobes.

George Grouell

     He was a farmer of Battle Township, Ida County, Iowa, Section 23, and was born in Crawford County, Ohio, on April 19, 1846. When George was a lad of 10 years, his family came to Iowa and located near Lowden in Cedar County, later moved to Wheatland, Clinton County. In 1883, he came to Ida County and settled on new land. His cottage home is 14 x 20 feet, with an L, 14 x 16 feet. George’s father was John Grouell and his mother was Christena Weaber, natives of Germany.
     Mr. Grouell was first married in October, 1870, in Clinton County, Iowa, to C. V. Brown, a native of Ohio; and a daughter of David and Fanny (Page) Brown. They had 3 children: Harry D., Fanny B., and Harmie P. Mrs. Grouell departed this life September 8, 1878.
     He then married Mary A. Jamieson on August 10, 1882. She was born in Scott County, Iowa, daughter of Robert J. Jamieson and Jane Campbell. Her father was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, September 9, 1825 (his father was David Jamieson who came to Iowa in 1849). George and Mary had 4 children: Bessie J.., Willie J., Arthur N., and Nanny M. Mary A. Jamieson Grouell had brothers and sisters as: Nancy M. of Scott County, Iowa; William L., Battle Township, Iowa, Ida Co.; Robert M., Maple Township, Ida Co.; Sadie, wife of A. M. Crawford of Corwin Township, Ida Co.; and Mattie J., wife of John M. Carson, Clinton County, Iowa.

J. T. Payne

     Mr. Payne was born in Clay County, Indiana, in 1851 and was the son of William Benjamin and Malinda (Sturdevant) Payne. He was reared and educated in Boone County, Iowa. May 18, 1875 he purchased prairie land in Section 20, Hayes Township, Ida County, Iowa. Two years later he erected a small house and began farming the land. In 1890 he built a fine, frame residence. He assisted in organizing and naming Hayes Township in 1878, which was taken from Corwin Township. He organized the school districts and was Secretary of the Board during the erection of six school buildings. The lumber for the first building was hauled from Denison, Ia. He was one of the original settlers of Hayes Township.
     J. T. Payne married Miss Georgiana Friott on February 29, 1880. Georgiana was reared in Massachusetts to the age of 9, lived in Chicago, and in 1878 came to Hayes Township, Ida County, Iowa. They had 5 children: Ruby, Rodney, Armour, Luva, and Cornelius.

John Preston

     He came to the Battle Creek, Iowa, Ida County, in 1872 to farm. He was born in Forfarshire, Scotland, June 27, 1857, son of John and Matilda (Hill) Preston. His parents are from Scotland and they reared a family of eight children with John being the 7th born. He received a good education in his native land, and clerked in a drug store for a short time at Dundee, Scotland. In 1872, when he was 15, he came to America to Ida County where he had two brothers, Andrew and James C. Here he went to school in the winter. He worked for his brothers for 5 years, and afterward for E. P. Smith.
     The first land he purchased was in Section 16, Maple Township. He sold it and bought land in Section 17, Maple Township, Ida County, Ia. His cottage home was located on a natural building site with a grove and orchard. He engaged in general farming and stock raising, and made a specialty of Shorthorn cattle.
     Mr. Preston married on November 9, 1882, to Maggie Todd, a native of Scotland. She was the daughter of James and Christena (Cregie) Todd of Ida Grove, Iowa. Her parents had 10 children, five sons and five daughters, all living in Ida County, except one who stayed in Scotland. John and Maggie Preston had 4 children: Alexander, Lenais, Christena C., and Albert E.

Gilbert S. Usher

     He is a citizen of Battle Creek, Ia., Ida County, and an ex-soldier of the Civil War. He was born in Ashtabula County, Ohio on September 22, 1837. He was raised on a farm in the Territory of Iowa, Linn County. He had his school lessons in a primitive log schoolhouse of Iowa. In 1862, he answered Lincoln’s call for more men for the Civil War. In 1881 he came to Ida County and bought a tract of land in Grant Township and engaged in farming.
     He married Amanda Marsh in Linn County, Iowa, when he was 22 years of age. She was a native of New York and a daughter of Ellison B. and Huldy Marsh. Mr. and Mrs. Usher had 10 children: Mary E., Ada M., Ermie G., David E., Herbert M., Huldah Anna, Malvina Jane, Gilbert Nelson, Della , and Elsie M.