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Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

Biographies - 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa

Page Thirty Three

Henderson | Adams | L Crane | S Crane | Brundige | Preston | Laing |


HENDERSON - J. W. HENDERSON, was born in Ohio in February, 1817, and is the son of James and Mary (WHITE) HENDERSON, who came to Greene County, Ill., in 1818. Our subject embarked in life for himself in March, 1842, he being married at that time to Miss Elizabeth M. PETERS, by whom twelve children were born, There has never been a death under his roof although two daughters have died since growing to womanhood, away from home. Our subject at an early day was a great hunter and noted for his good marksmanship. [end biography]

The 1891 bio. for J. W.'s eldest son, Peter C. HENDERSON, mentions that his father James W. was born February 10, 1817. Peter C. was born in 1843 in Illinois and arrived in Harrison County in April, 1853.

The bio for S M (Safety M.) HENDERSON mentions that he came to Harrison County in 1853, settling in first in Jefferson Township (he was about 4 years old), and S M was the son of James W. and Elizabeth. The biography then goes on to mention the twelve children J. W. and Elizabeth as -- Peter C.; Emory J. (deceased); Nathan D.; Ann E. (deceased); Safety M.; Sarah C.; Amos P.; Mary E.; Clara H.; James F.; Winfield S.; and Thomas J. It also mentions that James W. was a native of Ohio and Elizabeth a native of Illinois.

By the name of J. W.'s youngest son, you may have a match here. Let me know and I can work on posting all other bio's for you.

To confuse matters though, the Jefferson Township history states that John W. HENDERSON arrived in April, 1853.

Other information found in the 1905 Directory includes the following male Henderson marriages:
Nathan D. Henderson to Diantha Richardson on Sept 6, 1866.
Milton Henderson married Adelia Richardson on Nov 24, 1866.
S. W. Henderson married Elvira Howard on Feb 27, 1873 (the same spouse and date as indicated in Safety M.'s bio).
Peter C. married Amanda Billiter on May 12, 1872 (spelled as Billeter in Peter's bio).
Prentice Henderson married Sarah E. Stoner on Dec 26, 1875.
J. F. Henderson married Ida F. Tripp on Jan 11, 1881.
W. S. Henderson married Martha Aleck on Jan 1, 1889.
E. F. Henderson married Ida Jewell on Feb 23, 1889.
M. A. Henderson married Lydia M. Bass on Dec 31, 1891.
Thos. E. Henderson married Minnie Jones on Nov 21, 1893.
Jefferson Henderson married H. M. Keller on Oct 31, 1893.
J. R. Henderson married Rebecca Burlington on Mar 21, 1901.
Arthur Henderson married Nellie Copeland on Jan 28, 1903.
J. R. Henderson married Rebecca J Deveir on Nov 7, 1903.
Edw A. Henderson married Nellie Gard on Apr 20, 1904.

The 1884 Atlas shows J.W. Henderson (of Ohio) and P.C. Henderson (of Illinois) as landowners near Readers Mills in Jefferson Township. There is a Thomas Henderson (of Ohio) shown near Reeders Mills in Cass Township.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, etc., various pages.
Family Researcher: N/A
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ADAMS - Byron C. ADAMS came to Harrison county July 15, 1854, in company with his father, James M. Adams, Willard and William Kinyon, Elisha Palmer, and a man named Bassett. He is at the present time engaged in the meat market business at Logan. Upon coming to this country his father located land on section 31, township 79, range 42, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, to which was afterwards added forty acres. In 1858 our subject took land on section 5, in what is now known as Jefferson Township. This was a quarter section, to which he also added.

Mr. Adams was born August 6, 1835, in Ashtabula County, Ohio. His father was James M. and his mother Hannah E. Adams. The father was born in Berkshire County, Mass., in 1806, and the mother July 12, 1808, in the state of New York. The father of James M. Adams was James Adams, born in Berkshire County, Mass., and died in Ohio, March, 1822. His wife Mary was a native of Massachusetts, and died in Wisconsin, in April, 1853. The father of our subject was a farmer all his days.

Our subject attended the schools common to the Buckeye State, to which country his parents had removed before our subject was born. The father left Ohio for Knox County, Ill., in 1844, and there remained until the following year, and then moved to Hancock County, that State, and there bought a farm, remained one year, and then removed to Walworth County, Wis., and purchased a farm two miles west of Burlington, where they remained until coming to Harrison County in 1854.

Byron C. was married in Crawford County, Iowa, October 13, 1859, to Almira P. Carrico, a native of Adams County, Ill. By this union five children have been born-Effie, born February 20, 1861; Winslow M., January 2, 1863;Frank C., January 24, 1866; Mary, December 20, 1867; and Arthur, May 14, 1870. At the time our subject came to Harrison County there were only one hundred and five votes polled; and he relates how they erected a double log house 16x30 feet, and that the family of five boys had great sport at hunting the wild game then so plentiful in this county, at which time the Indians were still lingering in little squads here and there.

During the war our subject was made Deputy Provost Marshall and enrolling officer for Harrison and Shelby Counties, and made an excellent official.

Politically, Mr. Adams is identified with the Republican party. Great has been the transformation since the Adams family first gazed out upon the undeveloped, but even then magnificent valleys for which Harrison County has ever been noted.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, page 728.
Family Researcher: Mark Casey
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CRANE - Lysander CRANE, who has been a resident of Harrison County since 1862, and is now a resident of Boyer Township, living about two miles south of Woodbine, will form the subject of this biographical sketch.

He was born April 16, 1835 in Huron County, Ohio, and remained with his parents until he was seventeen years of age, and then went to Rock county, Wis., where he worked on a farm one season, and then returned to the home of his father and remained until he came to Henry County, Ill., in 1855; he remained one year and in October, 1856, went to Olmstead County, Minn., and there remained until the spring of 1862 (?), then went to Jackson County, Minn., and lived until July of that year, and then came to this county.

He had scarcely arrived in Harrison County, when the rumor came that the Indians were killing people in the neighborhood he had just left in Minnesota. Their team being the last one that came down with the escort of soldiers, and the rumor above referred to was but the preface to one of the bloodiest tragedies recorded in the history of Indian warfare in Minnesota or Iowa, and is known as the "New Ulm Massacre."

The first night in Harrison County, our subject camped on Willow Creek, had but ten cents, and was just out of provisions, having only flour enough to mix with milk, which made a harmless, but not over hearty diet. They next day th reached Jeddo, where MRs. Crane's father lived.

Mr. CRANE settled near there, working by the day at what ever he could get to do, until winter, when he worked at blacksmithing for Mr. DOUGHERTY, but having visions of Eldorado of the West, Colorado Territory, Mr. CRANE and his family went to that country where he conducted a ranch on the old Military Road, by the waters of the South Platte, about one hundred miles northeast of Denver. In February, 1864, having his fill of extreme Western life, he returned to Harrison County with the same teams with which they went. He now bought eighty acres of land upon which he still lives. His land was unimproved and he bought an old house of Mr. DOUGHERTY, in Jeddo, and moved it to his place. This was a 14x20, one story structure, and served them until 1880, when he built his present frame residence, which is a two story building, 16x32 feet with a wing 14x24 feet, together with a kitchen 10x24 feet, one story high. His farm now consists of three hundred and seventy acres of as fine land as can be found in the far-famed Boyer Valley. He also has a stock farm in Nebraska of 320 acres. For serveral years he had nothing in the way of barns, except the typical Iowa stable, consisting of poles covered with hay, but in the fall of 1864 he bought an old store building and used that as a barn until 1884, when he tore that down and built a new barn 34x36 feet with 14 foot posts, and a basement the full size of the building.

Mr. CRANE was married to Miss Calfernia P. BELL, April 12, 1859 in Olmstead County, Minn., and by this marriage union six children have come to bless their home -- Loren H., born April 26, 1860; Jotham E., June 3, 1862; Sophronia E., May 11, 1867; Mary V., June 2, 1869; Herbert H., June 8, 1870; Ezra E., August 8, 1872. They have also reared Flora M. BELL, whose father and mother died, leaving her an orphan at the tender age of eighteen months. Her father was a brother of Mrs. CRANE, and this child was born May 22, 1864, in Harrison County, and married W. P. MIKESELL, and she now lives upon the same farm where she was born.

Jotham E., died by injuries received by being kicked by a horse, only surviving twenty-seven hours, his death occurring May 5, 1885; Mary V., died July 20, 1869; Loren H., was married to Miss Jessie F. MORRIS, and they are now in Vandalia, Jasper County, where he is engaged in general mercantile business. They were married in Woodbine, October 31, 1885: Sophronia H., was married to Charles L. ELLISON, January 30, 1887, and resides on a farm in Lincoln Township; Hervert H., graduated from Woodbine Normal in 1891, and is teaching, as is also Ezra E.

Mrs. CRANE was born Auguist 25, 1838, in Ashtabula County, Ohio, and in 1856, with her parents, went to Olmstead County, Minn., where she remained until he was married. She was a school teacher and taught at Jeddo in the fall of 1862, and there being no school funds on hand, she took her pay in provisions, such as was raised on the farm, except $1 which was paid to her in cash.

Her parents died in Harrison County, and her father, William BELL, iy may be said that he was born in Hartford, Conn., about 1791, and moved to Ohio at about the age of seventeen years, then to Minnesota, and from there to Harrison County, Iowa. He died April 6, 1867, and his wife, the mother of Mrs. CRANE, who was Martha WOLCOTT, of Ohio, died March 20, 1881, at the home of her daughter.

Politically, our subject is identified with the Republican party, and for six years was Postmaster at Woodbine. For ten years he was engaged in the mercantile business with his son, L. H. CRANE. This man and his family have had a checkered life, lived in many locations, seen much of thhe world, been visited by the Angel of Death, have always stood high in point of honor and integrity, and are now comfortably situated after these long years of toil and hardship. During his short stay in Colorado, he lived in quarters provided as follows: He dug holes in the ground, set four posts and covered the sides with poles and the roof with earth, which served very well in that climate; however no one ever spoke of it as being a marvel of architectural beauty. His business there was keeping freighter's teams, and he put up large quantities of hay, which sold at big prices. Mrs. CRANE made bread, pies and other eatables which she sold to the teamsters, and thus with their united efforts, gave them a sufficient sum to buy their first humble home in Harrison County.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 806-808
Family Researcher: N/A
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CRANE - Stephen W. CRANE of Little Sioux Township, came to Harrison County in 1884. He was born in Newark, N.J., April 30, 1841, and is a son of Ambrose and Lydia (PIKE) CRANE. On the paternal side Nehemiah J. CRANE and Polly (WARD) CRANE were the grand-parents, and were of English descent. The great-grandfather was one of the early settlers in New Jersey, and farmed the land hwere now stands the city of Newark. On the mother's side they were of Scotch descent. Zebulon Montgomery PIKE was a general in the Continental Army, and was killed at the battle of Morristown Heights.

Our subject is the youngest of a family of five, four of whom still survive. His early life was spent in New Jersey, and he was educated at the High Schools of Newark. In 1860 he began to learn the coach painters trade, and worked at it until he enlisted at Trenton, October 15, 186(?), as a member of Compnay K., Ninth New Jersey Infantry. He participated in twenty-six battles during the Civil War, the chief of which are follows -- Roanoke Island, Newburn, Fort Macon, Kingston, Whitehall, Goldsboro, Dureys Bluff, Cold Harbor, Southwest Creek, both engagements at Petersburg, at Free Bridge, Hills Bridge, and Cherry Grove. He was discharged December 7, 1864, at Trenton, N. J., after which he returned home and remained until March 1865, and then came to Sycamore, Ill., and while there accidently shot himself while hunting ducks, which compelled him to go home, which, to an old soldier who had faced the grape and canister shot of the Rebel army during twenty-six engagements without ever receiving a wound, seemed not a little laughable as well as mortifying.

He remained at home this time about a year, and then went to Lisbon, Kendall County, Ill., where he farmed until he came to Harrison County in 1884, when he settled on section 4, of Little Sioux Township, where he owns two hundred and seventeen acres, for which he paid $6 per acre. His success as a farmer is due principally to the fact that he pays special attention to cattle, horses and hogs, while his chief crop is corn.

He was united in marriage in 1870, at Lisbon, Ill., to Miss Ida SUYDAM, the daughter of John and Eliza J. (WHITE) SUYDAM. By this marriage union two children have been born -- Mattie P., of Little Sioux; and Harry, at home. Mrs. CRANE died January, 1886, and was buried in the Little Sioux Cemetery.

For his second wife our subject married Mary Frances BARKER, February 14, 1889. Her home was at Onawa, Iowa.

Politically, our subject is identified with the Republican party. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is looked upon as a representative man in the community in which he lives.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 811, 812.
Family Researcher: N/A
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BRUNDIGE - John G. BRUNDIGE, a farmer living on section 8, La Grange Township, has been a resident of Harrison County since the spring of 1868, when he settled in St. John's Township. He worked by the month that season and went to school in the winter, and in the summer of 1869, again worked by the month, but in 1870 rented a farm in St. John's Township. In 1869 our subject purchased eighty acres of wild land, and in 1873 erected a house upon the same, which was a small frame structure, 14x22 feet, boarded up and down. In 1873 he did some breaking and other improvements were made. He lived in the house above referred to until the autumn of 1885, when he built his present house, which is a two-story building, 24x28 feet. His barn was built in 1882, the same being 30x36 feet. He has added to his farm until it now comprises two hundred and twenty acres, eighty of which are under the plow; twenty-five acres in tame pasture and the balance meadow and wild pasture.

Our subject was born in Hardin County, Ohio, June 18, 1846, and in the autumn of 1847 his parents moved to Wabash County, Ind., where he remained with them until the spring of 1868, and then came to Harrison County, Iowa.

He was married to Miss Jane CHINWORTH in Wabash County, Ind., June 6, 1870. They are the parents of seven children -- Elizabeth A., Edgar C., Ida M., girl baby, died in infancy; Kenton E., boy baby, died in infancy; and Novella B.

Jane (CHINWORTH) BRUNDIGE, was born in Wabash County, Ind., June 26, 1847, and remained with her parents until the date of her marriage.

The father of our subject, Uriah BRUNDIGE, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, December 6, 1813, and lived in that county until he grew to be a man, and then moved to Hardin County, Ohio, where he remained until 1847, then moved to Wabash County, where he died in the month of November 1879. He followed farming throughout his days.

His wife, Elizabeth (MCGAVREN) BRUNDIGE was a native of Pennsylvania, and when a girl moved with her parents to Hardin county, Ohio, where she remained until the date of her marriage. She is still living in Wabash County, Ind. They were the parents of eight children, our subject being the oldest.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 834-835.
Family Researcher: N/A
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PRESTON - William Turner PRESTON (Portrait), a highly respected farmer and stockfeeder, whose beautiful farm-home is on section 10, Harrison Township, has been identified with the interests of Harrison County for the past twenty-three years; has done an extensive business, both as a farmer and dealer in live stock. The time has long gone by since it has been believed that an ordinary and uneducated man can become a successful agriculturalist. But he who makes the calling one of a high standard, and bcomes thoroughly posted regarding this honorable calling, makes experiments himself, reads the best farm journals published, and adopts the best methods, is almost sure to be repaid by an abundant harvest. Such has been the career of Mr. PRESTON, who was reared in New England, where farm life was not what it is in the prairie West, and as a result has brought forth the most paying crops from the broad acres he owns. It is the object of this notice to make a personal mention of this man and his estimable family, and to begin with, it may be stated that Mr. PRESTON is a direct descendant of John and Mary (FORD) PRESTON, who it is supposed were natives of Windham County, Conn.

John PRESTON, was born January 18, 1716, and is a son of one of three brothers, who came from England in the latter part of the seventeenth century. John and Mary FORD were married in 1736, and reared a family of twelve children, their third child being Medina, who was the great-grandfather of our subject. He was born at Ashford, Conn., in 1741, and was a tanner and leather dresser by trade. He married Anna HOWARD, June 7, 1762, and by this union nine children were born, their fifth child being our subject's grandfather, and his name was Shubal PRESTON, who was also born at Ashford, Conn., May 16, 1772, at the old PRESTON homestead. In his younger days he followed school teaching, but later in life was engaged in agricultural pursuits, and died December 24, 1851. November 9, 1794, he was united in marriage to Lucretia MINER, at New London, Conn., where she was born February 1, 1778, and died April 19, 1859.

They had a family of seven children, the fifth child being Miner, the father of our subject, who was born May 24, 1803, at Ashford, Conn. He was reared to farm life and educated in the public schools, and also studied evenings and rainy days, being ambitious to secure an education. He let none of these opportunities go by unimproved, as for an example: while going to mill with a sack of grain before and one behind him on his horse back, he not infrequently took his grammar, and made the most of his journey, by delving into its mysteries. When he reached his manhood, he began teaching which he followed until after he was married. At one time he was interested in a paper mill, which he subsequently disposed of and purchased a farm in Connecticut, and tilled the greater portion of his life, dying in the town of Coventry, Conn.

Mr. PRESTON was a man who took great interest in public affairs, and held many of the official positions in his town and county. In 1856 he represented his township in the Legislature. Politically, he was an old line Whig, but afterwards a Republican. He believed in the great principles of the Christian religion, and was one of the founders of the Congregational Church at Rockville, Conn., as well as an ardent worker in the Sunday-school cause. He was married March 16, 1831, to Betsy THRALL, who was born December 19, 1807, at Vernon, Conn., and is still living, a resident of Coventry, Conn. They were the parents of five children: Jane M., wife of H. B. LYMAN, now residents of Tacoma, Wash.; Anna J., wife of Jabez H. KINGSBURY, of Connecticut; Sarah C., deceased; and our subject William T. Our subject's father died August 8m 1867, and was a man of high character, and of much moral worth in the community.

William T. was born in Vernon, Conn., on the old homestead, August 30, 1840. He received his early education in the common, private and High Schools, and also took a course at Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., from which institution he graduated in July, 1864. His early life was spent assisting his father on the farm, during the summer, and attending school in the winter. When a young man he tuaght several terms of school, and was also employed as a book-keeper, both positions he filled in a satisfactory manner. But life had something in store for this young New Englander. The great sea of life was before him, but he must choose his craft, as well as mark his own course, across an untried sea. To venture alone might prove fatal, so in his twenty-third year, just as he was crossing the threshhold of manhood, he sought the companionship of Miss Anna E. PECK (Portrait), and on April 7, 1863, they were united in marriage. Mrs. PRESTON was born in Coventry, Conn., September 4, 1840. In 1864, our subject and his wife removed to Holyoke. Mass., where he was employed as a packer and shipper of fabrics, in which capacity he served for three years, and then went to Chicopee, Mass., where he acted as overseer in a shipping depot. In March 1868 they came to Iowa, locating at Dunlap.

Mr. PRESTON intended to enter the hardware business at this point, in company with another party, but through some misunderstanding the partnership was not formed, and so he concluded to become a farmer in the West. The first year he operated in conjunction with his brother-in-law, H. B. LYMAN, and during the same year purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 10, of Harrison Township, the same being wild prairie and, upon which surface waved the luxurious growth of prairie grass. In the fall of 1869, Mr, PRESTON erected a frame house, 14x20 feet, making such additions as they could until 1873, when they erected their present commodious farm house, which is among the best built farm residences in Western Iowa. It is nestled within the shade of a charming grove of trees, which he planted out when he first went to the place; the branches of thes trees now tower high, affording a cooling shade in mid-summer, and serve as a good windbreak during the long cold winter.

Our subject has added to his first purchase one hundred acres, and in Willow Township, Monona County, he owns all of section 29 - an even six hundred and forty acres -- which he uses for grazing purposes, while his home farm in Harrison Township is one of the best improved places in this part of the country, and has been wonderfully transformed in the last two decades, by the industrious, skillful manipulations of our subject.

Of Mrs. PRESTON's family history iy may be said that she is the daughter of Ebenezer and Phoebe (KINGSBURY) PECK, who were natives of Connecticut. The father was born in Franklin County, December 5, 1804. His early life was spent in New York City, and was subsequently employed in different manufactures, but finally settled on a farm, where he died September 13, 1856, at Vernon, Conn. He was united in marriage June 9, 1838, to Phoeb KINGSBURY, who was born in Connecticut, June 9, 1810, and died January 6, 1863. They reared a family of two children -- Ann E., the wife of our subject; and Henry, a residnet of Syracuse, Neb. The grandparents of Mrs. PRESTON on the paternal side were Ebenezer and Mary (TRACY) PECK. The former was the oldest of a family of thirteen children, and was born on the old Peck homestead, in Peck's Hollow, Conn., which was also the birthplace of his father. He died in Conn. at the age of ninety-one years, in October, 1863. His good wife, the grandmother of Mrs. PRESTON, Mary (TRACY) PECK, was the daughter of Elisha TRACY, the grandson of Winslow TRACY, who died in 1768, at the age of seventy-nine years. Elisha was the son of Eliphalet TRACY. The TRACY family were among the first families of New England, and figured conspicuously in the political history of that section at an early day.

The mother of Mrs. PRESTON was the granddaughter of Ephraim KINGSBURY, a native of Franklin County, Conn., born the 13th of March 1749, and his wife, Phoebe FRENCH, was born in the same county, October 5, 1741. They were united in marriage in the county of their birth, and reared their family in Coventry, Conn. The fifth child of this family was Jabez KINGSBURY, who was born in Coventry, October 22, 1769, and was there reared, married, and died. His wife was Freelove UTLEY, who was born at Mansfield, Conn. Jabez KINGSBURY was one of the prominent men of his community, and a potent factor in church work. The family were of good old Puritan stock, and believed in every thing that was pure and good, and tried to live in accordance with such belief.

Mr. and Mrs. PRESTON were brought up in the Puritan Congregational Church, of Vernon, Conn., and the age of seventeen became members of the same. Upon coming West they brought their church letters, united, and soon became identified with the Congregational Church, at Dunlap, and Mrs. PRESTON has been an active, faithful Sabbath-school worker for many years, and the result of her labors in this direction cannot fail to make the rising young with whom she has mingled, purer, nobler, better.

Politically, Mr. PRESTON believes in the great principles of the Republican party. Descending as he did from the old line Whig and Puritanic patriots, he very naturally casts his vote with what he believes to be the higher, more progressive party of the age in which he lives.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. PRESTON has been made happy by the advent of two intelligent children: Nellie A., born January 7, 1864, now the wife of William F. COOK, of Harrison County; and Herbert L., born October 23, 1867, a resident of Dunlap, Iowa.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 827-830.
Family Researcher: N/A
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LAING - James LAING entered the grocery business at the Village of Persia, in the spring of 1883, and still deals in groceries and notions.

November 24, 1885, he was appointed Postmaster at that point, serving until July 1, 1889. In 1888 he was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, and is now holding his second term.

He was born in Fifeshire, Scotland, November 18, 1831, and May 12, 1854, he sailed for America, and came on from the coast to Whiteside, County, Ill., where he arrived July 9, his mother coming with him. He farmed and taught school in Illinois until 1880, when he came to Shelby County, Iowa, and engaged in farming until he came to Persia.

He was married in his native land, April 28, 1854, to Miss Grace STARK, by whom seven children have been born -- Margaret T., George W., David, Sophia J., Elizabeth C., Barbara C., and James A.

The wife of our subject died in Whiteside County, Ill., August 9, 1873, and June 18, 1882, he married Miss Mary A. ROUNDY, of Shelby County, Iowa, and they are the parents of four children -- Kenneth, Vesta, Verna, and Lora.

Politically, our subject is identified with the Democratic party. Mrs. LAING is a member of the Latter-Day Saints' Church.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 406.
Family Researcher: N/A
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