VanSciever, Thomas W. (1854-1926)

VANSCIEVER

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 11/5/2018 at 21:07:23

Thomas Wesley VanSciever
(December 20, 1854- April 6, 1926)

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.98, Garner Twp.)
T. W. Van Sciever and Bro., farming, P. O. Council Bluffs, were born near Columbus, Ohio, T. W. in 1854 and C. L. in 1860; sons of George and Nancy (Romine) Van Sciever, he born in Philadelphia in 1809, and she in Virginia in 1814; both deceased; eight of the family are dead; our subjects have two brothers and two sisters living in Ohio. T. W. and brother commenced their education in the common schools, then T. W. attended the Agricultural College of Columbus, Ohio, and afterward read law at that place; C. L. continued his studies in Shippensburg, Penn. The two brothers began life farming and handling stock. In 1881, they were engaged in the mercantile busines, and also the manufacture of brick. They started for Dakota, but arriving at Council Bluffs changed their minds, and purchased their present farm of 450 acres in Pottawattamie County partly improved. They turn their attention mostly to stock-raising, and intend soon to devote their entire time to the raising of Short-Horn cattle and Pland-China hogs. They have an orchard of about three acres, which they are enlarging; they are also setting out groves. Mr. T. W. Van Sciever was married, December 28, 1875, to Miss Addie B. Smith, of Columbus, Ohio, daughter of Charles C. and Lucy Smith, parents of six children, of whom Mrs. Van Sciever is the eldest. Her father came to Columbus, Ohio, in 1861, where he, in connection with his father, ran the largest steam tannery in Central Ohio, furnishing leather for the Government during the war. Her father died in 1876; her mother lives in Columbus, Ohio, where she has also a brother and sister, they and Mrs. Van Sciever being the only surviving children. Mr. and Mrs. Van Sciever have one child, a son four years old. Mrs. Van Sciever attended Otterbein University, studying three years in the scientific course. The Van Sciever Bros. trace their origin to Holland, where their great-grandfather was a Commodore, owning a line of vessels which ran between New York and Liverpool; he was also one of the first manufacturers of shoes in Philadelphia; their grandfather was a sea captain. Their father came to Franklin County, Ohio, when he was but nine years old, and lived there till his death, being one of the first settlers of that county; one of his sons now lives on the farm he first located on. Our subjects are Democrats.