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1900 Farmers Directory
Grant Township

Horace Bennett Trustee
A.E. Cole Trustee
J.E. Winkleman Trustee
Geo. B. Phillips Assessor
A.J. Lamb Clerk
Austin McCuen Justice of the Peace

Moses Coil 

One of the pioneers of Greene county, a son of George and Sarah (Dixon) Coil, was born in Ross county, Ohio, in 1815. His mother died during his infancy and when he was eight years old his father died. He was raised by a family named Dixon. In 1841 he was married to Rosanna Helius, a native of Virginia. They lived in Ohio until 1849, when they came to Indiana, where they lived until 1852, when they came to Greene county, locating in section 27 in Grant township. In 1860 they moved on to 40 acres of wild land in section 30, Grant township, to which he has added and now owns a farm of 118 acres, fully paid. Jan 26, 1898, Mrs. Coil died, leaving a husband and eight children: Mary (Mrs. Peel), Samuel, John, Moses O., Stephen, Rosanna (Mrs. J. Shriver), Anna (Mrs. E. Shriver). In politics he is a republican.

 

Joseph Stoos

Farmer and stockman, son of Andrew and Jennie (Krider) Stoos, was born in DuPage county, Illinois, in 1857, of French parentage. His father was a wagon maker and a member of the famous "Peter Schuttler Wagon Company, and made the wood work on the first wagon which bore the name. It is still in the possession of he Company and was on exhibition at the World’s Fair in 1893. Mr. Stoos’ education was in the Academy at Naperville, supplemented by a course in the Northwestern College in the same town, where he was married in 1882 to Elizabeth Leesley, a native of Naperville. They came to Greene county in 1882, locating on section 4 in Grant township, where he had bought the farm upon which they now live and owns free of debt. He is a member of Jefferson Camp 2844 M. W. A. and Politically is a republican.

 

George E. Bannister

Son of Brayton and Adelia (Smith) Bannister, was born in Columbia county, Wisconsin, in 1861. When he was two year old his father died and he was adopted by a Mr. And Mrs. M. W. Smith, of Wisconsin, which name he now bears. In 1853 he with his adopted parents came to Greene county, locating in Jefferson until the fall of 1869, when he bought 110 acres in section 1, Grant township, where the adopted father died in 1883. The same year he married Nellie M. Hastings, of Hardin township, and settled on the Smith homestead, where they have since resided. He owns, besides, 80 acres in section 35, Hardin township. He was raised on a farm, and educated in the common schools of Greene county. They have had six children, five of whom are now living: Marvin L., 13; Iva M., 11; Francis V., 9; Hazel A. 6; George E., 2. Louis A., born June, 1854, died July 1896. Mrs. Smith is a daughter of A. W. and M. E. Hastings, who were early settlers in Hardin township.

 

Moses O. Coil

Farmer and stockman, son of Moses and Rose Ann Coil, who came to Greene county in 1850, is without a peer in the county, having been born in Jackson township in 1854. Is of English-Irish descent. He was raised a farmer, and fully understands the privations of pioneer life. His education was acquired in the common schools of Greene county. In March, 1887, he married Mary J. Dunivan, daughter of Patrick and Eliza (Johnson) Dunivan. In 1892 he bought 120 acres of land in section 36, Scranton township, and sold it in 1894, buying 120 acres in section 3, Grant township, where they now reside. His success is due to industry and economy. During a 15 years’ occupancy of a farm in Jackson township, he saved enough to buy his present home. They have had three children: Lillie Mae, 11; Michael M, 10, Charlie M., 8. In politics he is a republican.

 

William N. Montgomery

Son of Olive and Mary (Cowles) Montgomery, was born in Greene county, Pa., in 1845. Was raised a farmer a calling he has followed and was educated in the common schools of Monongahela county, Virginia, where he lived until he was 18 years of age. In 1863 he went to Illinois locating in Putham county, where he was employed as a farm hand for several years. In 1870 he went to Harrison county, Missouri, where he was married in 1872 to Elizabeth Kinsey of Ohio. In 1883 they came to Greene county, locating in Dawson township, where they lived three years, when he bought 40 acres timber land in Washington township. In 1892 he bought the 200-acre farm in that township known as the Young farm, where they lived until 1899, when they moved to the Cavanaugh farm, adjoining Jefferson. They have nine children, six of them still living: John, 22; Frank E., 21; Garfield, 16; DeWitt T., 11; Lawrence C., 8; Ethel Irma, 6. In politics he is a democrat.

 

George F. Dawson

Son of John and Martha (Burdette) Dawson, was born in Licking county, Ohio, in 1849. When he was one year old he came with his parents to Iowa, locating in Van Buren county, where they lived until 1855, when they moved to Marion county, where he was raised a farmer and educated in the common schools of Marion county. He came to Greene county in 1870, locating on what is known as the John Harker farm in Hardin township. In 1879 he was married to Sarah E. Athey, a native of Indiana. They commenced housekeeping in Dawson township, which received its name from the father of Mr. Dawson, and he was the first assessor in the township. In 1888 they moved on to section 12, Grant township, where they now reside. They have eight children: Guss O., 23; Mattie E., 21; Joseph F., 19; George E., 16; Clarence H., 13; Annie Maud, 11; Ora W., 9; Georgia L. 6. Mr. And Mrs. Dawson are members of the Friends church, and in politics he is a republican.

 

Eleazer Hockett

Was born in Hamilton county, Indiana in 1839, a son of Eleazer and Rebecca (Powell) Hoskett, and is of Scotch parentage. He was reared a farmer, and educated in the common schools of Indiana and Iowa. When he was sixteen years old he came with his parents to Iowa, locating in Jasper county. In 1857 he came to Carroll county, where he was employed as a mail carrier; in 1859 he sought for gold in the Rockies, and succeeded well. In 1861 he returned to Carroll county, and carried mail from Marietta to Carrollton. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. E, 39th Iowa Infantry, under Gen. Logan, and was wounded in the right leg at Altoona Pass, and after a long hospital experience, returned to the field in 1864, and was honorably discharged at Washington in 1865. He then came to Greene county, settling in Scranton township, where he bought 80 acres wild land which he improved. In 1871 he was married to Catherine Kuder, of Champaign county, Illinois, and moved to Iowa, locating on a farm of 160 acres in section 12, Grant township. In 1873 they moved to Cass county for a year and thence to Illinois for three years. In 1884 they returned to Greene county, locating on section 12, Grant township, where they now reside, and where he owns a pleasant home. They have had four children: Flora (Mrs. Henderson), 26; Verlin, 24; Ella, 17; Pearl, 15. Mr. Hockett was raised a Quaker, and in politics he is a republican.

 

Austin McCuen

Easily claims to be one of the pioneer sons of Greene county, having been born on section 23, Grant township in 1861. When he was six months old his father died at Des Moines, whither he had gone as a volunteer in defense of his county. Austin was raised on the Grant township farm, the place of his birth, and his education was received in the common schools of Greene county, so that he honestly claims the rank of a pioneer. In 1889 he was married to Emily Smith, daughter of Morgan and Mary Ann (Bull) Smith, an English lady. They commenced housekeeping on the 100-acre homestead farm which he now owns, besides 40 acres in section 26, and has a pleasant farm home. They have four children: Hazel, 8; Alta, 5; G. Barton, 4; Bessie May, 1. Politically he is a republican. He is at present Justice of the Peace and has filled various positions in his township. The title to his farm is direct from the U. S. to the McCuen family.

 

Horace Bennett

One of the enterprising farmers of Greene county, was born in Medina county, Ohio, in 1844, a son of John and Mercy Ann (Lonker) Bennett, and is of Scotch-Irish-German descent. The father died when he was three years old, the youngest of seven children. When he was 12 years old he came to Rockford, Illinois, remaining until 1864, and received his education in the common schools of Winnebago county. Was raised a farmer, a calling he has since followed and in which he has been successful. He came to Greene county in 1864, but thinking it too wild, he returned to Illinois the next year and enlisted in his county’s service in Co. G, 153 Ills. Infantry, and was honorably discharged at close of war. In 1866 he returned to Greene county, locating on 80 acres of wild land in Franklin township. In 1864 he was married to Emma J. Anderson, a native of Greene county, Ohio. The same year he purchased 80 acres in section 22, Grant township, and has added to it and now owns 321 acres—a splendid farm and a comfortable home, which speaks well for the energy of a man who commenced without a dollar. March 27, 1896 Mrs. Bennett died, leaving a husband and ten children: Minnie (Mrs. I. Hamilton), 35; Theodore, 32; Ralph, 30; Ida (Mrs. B. Grogan), 28; J. W. 26; Jessie, 34; Laura, 22; Anna, 20; Roscoe, 10; Earl, 5. The church of the family is the M. E. church, and politically he is a republican, and at present one of the township trustees, a position he has filled for several years.

 

Henry Gilroy

Son of James and Anna (Crawford) Gilroy, is one of the earlier pioneers of Greene county. He was born in Clark county, Ohio, in 1836, and is of Scotch-Irish descent. When he was twelve years old he moved with this parents to Illinois, locating in Vermillion county, where they farmed for seven years. His education was in the common schools of Ohio and Illinois. He came to Greene county Oct. 11, 1855, locating on what is known as the Headley farm. In 1860 he married Lydia Houver, a native of Indiana, and commenced housekeeping in a small cabin on the Thos. Roberts farm, where they lived until 1861, when they went back to Illinois for three years and then returned to Jefferson where they located one year. In 1870 he rented the York farm in Franklin township five years and then located on his present farm in section 20, Grant township. In 1892 Mrs. Gilroy died, leaving a husband and three children: Frank S., 33; James R., 30; Harvey B., 19. In February 1894, Mr. Gilroy married Nellie Thomas of Grant township. He is certainly a part of Greene county’s history, having taken the wild prairie at an early day and converted it into a comfortable home. In politics Mr. Gilroy is a Populist.

 

Samuel M. Taylor

Farmer and stockraiser, was born in Champaign county, Illinois, in 1838, the son of Joshua and Nancy (Moore) Taylor, and is of French-Irish descent. Having come to Greene county with his parents in 1855, he can justly claim front rank as a pioneer. They located in section 27 in what was then Jefferson township, but now Grant township, where the father purchased of James Barngrover, who entered the land originally. The first cabin built by the Taylors was of logs, 14x16 feet and served as parlor and kitchen for a number of years. He was raised on a farm, a calling he has ever since followed, and his education was in the common schools of Illinois and he is also a graduate of the Urbana Seminary of Champaign county, Ills., where he was married to Mrs. Frances Correy, a native of North Carolina, and where they commenced housekeeping. In 1870 Mrs. Taylor died, leaving a husband and two children: Rosetta (Mrs. M. B. Dally), Nancy Adelia (Mrs. H. B. Landenslayer). In 1872 he married Anna Tilton of Greene county. They have had seven children, only three of whom are now living: S. Martin, 26; Ariel Adolphus, 16; Roy Elmer, 7. In addition to their own family they are caring for a daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Alonzo Sawyer giving her the same school and home privileges as their own children. The church of the family is the M. E. church and in politics he is a republican.

 

Jesse Perkins

Was born in Indiana in 1836, and resided there until he was ten years old when he came with his parents to Iowa, locating in Grant township where he has since resided. He took out the first marriage license ever issued in Greene county, when he was united in marriage in 1853 to Nancy Tucker. He was one a a party of three who in 1853 found three men out on the prairie, near the present site of Carroll, two of whom were frozen to death, and the third had his feet frozen. Mr. Perkins helped to build the first house in Jefferson which his father used as a store. They have had twelve children, six of whom are dead. Politically he is a republican.


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