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Delaware County, Iowa

 Biography Directory

 

William H. Hollister

Farmer

Delaware Township

 

      WILLIAM H. HOLLISTER, farmer, of  Delaware township, Delaware county, was born in the town of Warsaw, Wyoming county, N. Y., March 23, 1830.    Horace Hollister, his father, was a native of Vermont, as was also his mother, whose maiden name was Julia Smith. The father was born in 1798, the mother in 1800. They grew up in their native state and were there married. They subsequently moved to New York, settling in Warsaw, Wyoming county, where the mother died in 1845 and the father in 1876. They were plain, substantial people, coming of the thrifty, staple stock of New England, and passed all their lives in industrial pursuits. In early life the father followed the trade of a wagon-maker; later he was engaged in farming. They were the parents of five children, the subject of this notice being the third. These are all now deceased but our subject. The others are Elizabeth, John, Maria and Delia.


     The subject of this notice was reared in the county of his birth and in Chautauqua county, the same state. He resided in the latter county ten years, moving there when ten years old. He grew up on the farm, and was trained to the habits of industry and usefulness common to farm life. Having married in 1849, he moved, three years later to Boone county, Ill., where he resided till the spring of 1855, coming thence to Iowa and settling in Delaware county. On locating in this county he purchased a tract of land in Delaware township, in connection with Hassell Munson, on which he settled and on which he has resided since. His place lies about four miles north and east of Manchester, on Honey creek, and, being half of the original purchase, consists of eighty acres. Taking this then when it was in a state of nature, Mr. Hollister has made all the improvements which appear on it, having all of it now under cultivation and furnished with all needful conveniences for use and enjoyment. Mr. Hollister has been engaged in farming all his life and he has met with a fair amount of success. He has taken an active interest in the affairs of his township, and has filled the usual number of local offices, the duties of which he has discharged with credit to himself and satisfaction to those concerned. Having reared to maturity a family of some size, he has naturally felt a deep concern in all those influences that affect home life. He has zealously supported the school interests of his locality, and all its social institutions and charitable purposes.


     Mr. Hollister married, as stated above, in 1849, the lady whom he took to wife being Miss Margaret E. Wilcox, who was born in Mayville, Chautauqua county, N.Y., July 30, 1832. She is a daughter of John and Eliza (Perry) Wilcox. Mrs. Hollister's father was born in Vermont, and her mother in New York, and both died in Michigan, the mother in 1885 and the father in 1888.


     Mr. and Mrs. Hollister have had born to them a family of eight children, all but one of whom are now living. The eldest, William H., born April 4, 1850, resides with his father. John J., born July 30, 1851, married Mary Durfey and resides in this county. George F., born June 25, 1853, married Cora B. Napier December 20, 1883, and resides in Clayton county, this state, the father of three children:  Charles, Gracie and Hiel. Alson A., born September 20, 1855, married Mina Hudson October 22, 1877, by whom he had two children, Irene and Ralph, and from whom he was divorced. Ralph died in infancy. He afterwards married Mary Eaton, having one child by this marriage:  Jay, and now resides at Greeley, this county. Horace A., born October 14, 1857, married Annette Sathwell, March 16, 1881, is the father of two children: May and Ethel, and now resides at Bellevue, this state. Ella M., born October 12, 1859, was married to George Miller, by whom she has four children: Vidella, Maud, Mabel and Roy, and resides in Manchester, this county. Jane H., born August 13, 1861, died October 27, 1863. And Gracie, born March 16, 1868, was married to Augustus Clute December 26, 1887, by whom she has one child: Ethel, and resides in this county.

 

     In the quiet of their peaceful home, surrounded by the many evidences of their patient toil and excellent foresight, Mr. and Mrs. Hollister are spending the evening of life in the substantial enjoyment of those things with which fortune has favored them, and solaced and sustained by the pleasant reflection that they have lived to a good purpose, having discharged their duties faithfully in all the relations of life.

~ source: Biographical souvenir of the counties of Delaware and Buchanan, Iowa; Chicago : F. A. Battey, 1890. Page 585; LDS microfilm #985424

~ contributed by Thom Carlson