Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

MAULE - Donald MAULE, one of the representative citizens of Raglan Township, residing on section 22, is one of the pioneers who ventured into this portion of Iowa, in 1851, to build for himself a home. The reader should reflect that this was just forty years ago, and while the Indian tribes were yet using the Missouri Slope for their hunting camping grounds. It was ten years before the Civil War, and sixteen years ahead of any railroad in Western Iowa.

Our subject first located on Allen Creek, in what is now Taylor Township. This was before the Government survey had been made and two years before the county was organized. He claimed a quarter section of land, upon which he built a log house, 16x18 feet, the roof of which was made of "shakes," and the floor of puncheon; while sticks and mud formed the chimney to the fireplace. He remained on this claim two years, sold out and bought the place he now occupies. This had no improvements, except a log house 12x14 feet, same having a bark roof. He soon built a hewn-log house, provided with rived oak shingles for a roof. On this place he made substantial improvements, later on built a good house, shedding, granary, ouble-cribs and a good barn. He also dug two wells and erected two windmills, and set out an orchard of five acres. As the years have rolled away this frugal, painstaking man has added to his land until his acres now number seven hundred, two hundred of which are under the plow, and the balance in meadow, timber, and pasture land, all enclosed within a substantial fence.

Our subject came to Harrison County with scarcely any means; he himself relates, to the writer, how that he resembled a certain fowl, which Job claimed to own at one time -- the turkey! He had plenty of company, for bank accounts were unknown on the Missouri Slope, in 1851. Coming here at that early day and remaining ever since, he experienced the never-to-be-forgotten hard winter of 1856-57, as well as the grasshopper years of a later period. While he had Indians for neighbors, they were peaceable tribes causing him no trouble.

Go now to Scotland, where lived John and Mary Maule, who were the parents of seven children, including our subject whose birthday was June 23, 1821.

The first sixteen year's of Donald's life, were spent in and about his father's home enjoying the sports and pleasures common to the Scotch youth, who looks upon the crystal lake and craggy mountain, inhales the invigorating air of that clime. At that age he went to serve an apprenticeship, on board a Scotch vessel, and for the next eleven years, his was the life of a jolly sailor boy. He sailed as a second mate and at one time came near being lost by shipwreck, their full sails being blown away, the crew were left to the sport of the wind. In 1849, he took passage from Liverpool, and landed at New Orleans and from thence followed the waters of the Mississippi to St. Louis, where he was engaged eighteen months in a wholesale boot and shoe store. He then came to Council Bluffs, near which place he worked on a farm, for one year and then came to this county.

He took to himself a companion, in the autumn of 1844, when he was united to Jane FOTHERINGHAM, daughter of John and Charlotte Fotheringham, natives of Scotland, whose children were: John, Jane, Margaret, William, and Sarah. After five years journeying as companions on the road, our subject's wife died in St. Louis in 1849, leaving two children -- Charlotte and John (now deceased), and in the autumn of 1850, Christina CRAWFORD, a native of Scotland, became his second wife. The children of her father's family were -- Margaret, James, John, and Christina.

Our subject and wife were the parents of eleven children as follows -- James M., Mary J., David, George E., William, Joseph D., Charles R., Emma E., Albert H., Margaret A. and Minnie M., (twins); the former now deceased.

Mr. Maule, in his religious convictions believes in the teachings of the Latter Day Saints Church, of which he is a member.

Politically, he affiliates with the Democratic party, and at one time was a candidate for County Auditor, of Harrison County. He has assessed his township fifteen times and served in the capacity of Township Clerk, Township Trustee, Secretary of the School Board since 1860, and was also a Supervisor.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 783-785.
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BAILEY- Thomas BAILEY (deceased), came to Harrison County early in the 1850's and settled in Little Sioux Township. He was a native of Maine, and the son of Humphrey and Mary (BEE) BAILEY. His early life was spent in Maine, where he received his education. He began farming in that State in 1820, and continued until he came to Iowa. He was married in 1849 to Rosalia KOWEN, of Illinois. Three children blessed this union, and are all still alive -- Luella (Mrs. SMITH), L. Vesta (Mrs. James MURRAY), Johannah (Mrs. SMITH).

Our subject died December 5, 1865, and was buried at Little Sioux.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 717-718.
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MAIN- George MAIN, of Magnolia, was born at Croxton, Cambridgeshire, England, August 11, 1820. He removed with his parents to America in 1833, and settled in Geauga County, Ohio. He came to Raglan Township, Harrison County, Iowa, in August, 1856, with his wife and family, and engaged in farming.

August 18, 1862, he enlisted in Company C, 29th Iowa Infantry, and was mustered out June 6, 1865, at Little Rock, Ark., and returned to Magnolia, where his family was residing at the end of the war.

He owns a farm near the Village of Magnolia. Mr. and Mrs. MAIN and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is also a member of Magnolia Lodge, A.F. & A.M.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 684.
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MCCAULEY- James McCAULEY, a respected citizen residing on section 21, of Raglan Township, came to Harrison County in October, 1856, first locating in Little Sioux Township. Je wroked by the month for three years on a farm. Upon arriving in the county Mr. McCAULY only had $9.75 in his pocket, and being sick he parted with twenty-five cents of this for a bottle of Pain Killer, which at that time was considered a cure-all for almost very ailment.

He bought twenty acres of land, the contract price of which was $85. It was wild land, upon which he built a small frame house, and afterward bought a swamp land claim of one hundred and sixty acres. This land he commenced to improve, and lived there for fifteen years. He then built a small house, in which he lived a short time, and then erected the house he now occupies, which is a first-class farm house. He also has a good barn, granery, and three hundred feet of cribbing. He provides his place with well water forced from the ground with wind power. He has an orchard of three hundred trees, besides a goodly number of shade and ornamental trees. As the years have glided by our subject has added to his landed estate until now he has eleven hundred acres, three hundred of which is under the plow, and the balance in meadow and pasture land. Many are the hardships endured by this man in order that he might possess this handsome property. There was a time since he came to Harrison County when he had barely enough clothing to keep from freezing his flesh. He had to go about twenty miles to mill, and nine miles to the postoffice, while Council Bluffs was the nearest market. He also passed through the great snow winters, and the grasshopper years, which were seasons that tried men's souls in all parts of Western Iowa.

Mr. McCAULEY was born in the month of April, 1828, in Ireland. He is a son of Patrick and Bridget McCAULEY, whose children were: John (deceased), Ann, Cornelius, Mary, Catharine (deceased), and James.

Our subject remained in Ireland until 13 years of age, and then sailed for America, landing in New York, where he remained seven weeks, after which he went to work in a brickyard in Westchester, NY. After four months he went to Long Island and worked in a gravel bank, which job was more honorable than easy or lucrative, and whether his introduction to labor in this country was not what he looked for or not, the biographical write can only conjecture, but at any rate he returned to Ireland and remined there three years and a half, working hard all the time to get money with which to pay his $15 passage back to America. Upon his return to this country he worked on a farm for a time, also in a paper mill, and then he went to Marble Head, where he worked at shoemaking four months. We next find him in Albany with just money enough to pay his passage to Sioux City, Iowa, where he worked for a time on a farm, and then drifted to Harrison County.

Mr. McCAULEY was married September 11, 1859, to Elizabeth MORROW, daughter of Patrick and Elizabeth MORROW, natives of Ireland, who were the parents of ten children -- Jane, William, Elizabeth, Anna, Hugh, David (deceased), David, Jospeh (deceased), Salathiel and Matilda.

Our subject and his wife are the parents of twelve children, born and named in the following order: Elizabeth, born October 6, 1862; Anna, February 11, 1864; Mary (deceased), May 7, 1865; William (deceased), September 20, 1866; John (deceased), August 29, 1868; Mary, April 20, 1870; David, August 13, 1871; Joseph (deceased), March 15, 1873; Thomas, July 13, 1874; William J., March 14, 1876; Alice, May 3, 1878; Paul B., April 10, 1886.

Our subject and his family are believers in the Roman Catholic faith.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 809-810.
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BAKER- Daniel P. BAKER, an energetic business man of Missouri Valley, will form the sibject of this biographical notice. He was born in Mills County, Iowa, November 1, 1861. He is a son of Daniel B. and Martha (STRINGFIELD) BAKER, the former a native of Pennsylvania, descending from the Pennsylvania German stock, while the latter was a native of Kentucky. The Stringfields are of Scotch descent.

Our subject's father was a soldier in the Rebellion, and went from Mills County, Iowa. He was through the whole war and serve one year and a half after the general surrender. He held the rank of Captain and was wounded in battle, from which he never fully recovered. After the war he followed farming, and was a blacksmith by trade. He now resides in Jefferson County, Kansas, at Meriden, near Topeka. The mother died in the spring of 1888, and was buried at Meriden, Kansas. Their family consisted of three children, of whom our subject was the second.

Daniel received his education in Kansas, to which State the family moved in the spring of 1867. When twelve years of age he left home and began to serve an apprenticeship as a printer. For three years he followed railraoding in Missouri and Iowa, and was engaged in the pump, well and windmill business since that time. He has for a partner, E.F. JAMES.

Our subject was married, July 29, 1884, at Sioux Falls, SD, to Miss Maude DAY. Here parents are Scotch, and she herself was born in Scotland. Her father was a farmer, and now lives a retired life at Sac City, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. BAKER are the parents of one child -- Gertie, born July 4, 1886.

Mr. BAKER in his political choice affiliates with the Democratic party. He was a member of the City Council one term and has been Water Commissioner ever since the waterworks were provided.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 456.
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WHEELOCK- Charles WHEELOCK, of section 31, Magnolia Township, came to Harrison County in September, 1866, and settled on his present farm. Four years prior to this he bought two hundred acres - one hundred and sixty acres on section 31 and forty on section 30 - same being wild prairie land, upon which he erected a frame house 16 feet square, in which he lived until 1863 (?), and then built his present residence, which is a two-story brick structure 30x32 feet, with two brick partitions that reach to the eaves. It is a sixteen-room house, and considered one of the best in Harrison County. He now has two hundred and eighty acres in his home farm, and a farm of one hundred and forty three acres in Jefferson Township, together with forty acres of grass land in Taylor Township.

Mr. WHEELOCK was born November 3, 1833, in Windsor County, Vermont. In 1855 he left the old Green Mountain State and came to Iowa City, Iowa, remained one year, then removed to Mills County, where he remained until September 14, 1861, when he enlisted in Omaha, Neb., as a member of Company B, First Nebraska Calvary, afterwards called "Curtis' Horse," and still later the Fifth Calvary.

After enlistment his company went to Benton Barracks, Mo., after which he participated in the following engagements: Fort Donelson, which commenced February 14, 1862, and surrendered two days later; Paris, Tenn., where our subject's horse received two shots. He was in three different fights at Fort Donelson, almost on the same ground. He was at the Battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862; also at Rolling Mills, seven miles from Fort Donelson, besides other small engagements.

Christmas Eve, 1862, his command overtook a large number of rebels and made them prisoners of war. He was also at the Battles of Stone River, Waverly, Murfreesboro, Athens, Pulaski, Sugar Creek during two engagements, and Huntsville. Here he went with Gen. Rosencranz from Murfreesboro, and was with him in the capture of Shelbyville, Chattanooga, etc., also at the Battle of Chickamauga, and assisted in taking Lookout Mountain. At Pulaski, Tenn., January 1, 1864, he re-enlisted and came home on a month's furlough, joining his regiment at Nashville, Tenn., and was with Gen. Sherman until after the capture of Atlanata, Ga., and was in the principal fights of that campaign. July 10, 1864, he started on a raid with Gen. Rousseau, and went thirty miles of Montgomery and destroyed thirty-five miles of railroad track, being in the skirmish all th time, and losing eighteen men at Marietta, and after that fight went with Gen. McCook on another raid lasting ten days, when they were under constant fire.

One night when he was on duty an encounter occurred between his comrades and the rebels, near Newman, when twenty-seven men were lost. He ran against the limb of a tree and ruptured himself. After this he returned to Vienna Station and went with Kilpatrick on one of his famous raids. He went with Col. Cline on a raid, and when near Atlanta, Ga., they destroyed the telegraph line and tore up the railroad track, and continued this work until the enemy became too strong for them, when they retraced their steps to Chattahoochie river. After the Battle of Atlanta they went with Sherman to Jonesboro, where they had a hotly contested battle, after which only four of his company were left able for duty. They went into camp and stayed there until Sherman started for the sea, when our subject went with Thomas and encountered Gen. Hood, with whom they had several hard fights, one at Columbus, November 16, 1864, and November 18, at Franklin, also at Ralls Creek and Duck river. They went into camp at Nashville, and were there until the battle occurred at that point. At Pulaski, Mr. WHEELOCK had his beard shot off and his shirt collar torn, by rebel lead. On January 1 they crossed Duck river abd camped near Huntsville, and from there went to Gravelly Springs.

During the war our subject had sixteen bullet holes put through his clothing, and had his boot-heel shot off. A cannon ball shot the nose off his comrade's horse, at which time the bridle-bits were violently thrown against Mr. WHEELOCK's shoulder. This was at Nashville. In this campaign they burned everything they came to, and encountered skirmishes all the time. They captured Montgomery, Columbus and Macon. At the last named place news came that Lee had surrendered, also that President Lincoln had been assassinated; they also captured the school fund of the State of Tennessee, which they took to Nashville. Mr. WHEELOCK was ordered back to Macon, Ga., and from there to Nashville, where he was discharged August 11, 1865, and was mustered out at Clinton some time afterward.

After the war he returned to Mills County, Iowa, and worked in a sawmill one winter. He had entered a piece of land before the war, and in the spring of 1866 commenced to improve it. February 29, 1864, he was united in marriage at Red Oak, Iowa, to Miss Elizabeth BURRIS, by whom four children were born -- Miranda, Nora, Ira and Alice. Mrs. WHEELOCK, the mother of these children, was born in Henry County, Indiana, April 15, 1847, and in 1858 accompanied her parents to Mongomery County, Iowa.

Our subject started in life for himself with no means, the only money he remembers of ever having been given to him was fifty cents, on a Fourth of Jluy, bu his father; the balance of what he possesses, which is now a handsome competency, he worked for.

Politically, our subject is identified with the Republican party, is a member of the Grand Army Post at Magnolia, and in religious matters he and his wife are in sympathy with the Methodist Church.

In reviewing this man's life by the above brief sketch the reader will be impressed with the fact that our subject had an excellent war record during the time of the Rebellion, and many times almost miraculously escaped. Since war times he has been a hard worker and a successful man, and if any one man above another is entitled to wear the crown of success, it is he who tramped, tented, and fought under Southern skies during the Civil War.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 936-938.
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OLMSTEAD- James H. Olmstead, a substantial farmer residing in section 19, Taylor Township, came to Harrison County, in the spring of 1872, and settled in Clay Township, where he rented farm until the autumn of 1873, then he bought eighty acres of land in Clay Township, which he tilled for three years, then sold and rented in Cincinnati Township until the spring of 1881, at which date he removed to Butler County, Kan., bought a farm and remained until August of that year. He then sold and returned to Harrison County, Iowa, and lived on a rented farm until the spring of 1887. At this date he went to No-Man's-Land, south of Kansas, but only remained two months, when he retraced his steps to Harrison County, again he rented land that year, and the following spring bought the farm he now occupies.

Mr. Olmstead was born in Wisconsin, August 16, 1849. He is the son of Joshua and Mary (Walker) Olmstead, the bather being a native of Illinois, while the mother was born in Indiana. The father was a miller by trade. In 1850 our subject with his parents removed to Allamakee County, Iowa, and in 1856 to Dodge County, Minn. At that date Minnesota had not yet been admitted into the Union, and there were but three families living in Dodge County. They remained there until the spring of 1866, when they started over land for California going by the way of the Neosha Valley, Kans., and being so captivated with that section of the West, our subject's father bought land in Lyons County, Kan., and died in Butler County, Kan., in 1875. Our subject remained at home with is parents until twenty-one years of age, and then took a homestead in Butler County, Kan., remaining there until the spring of 1872, when he came to Harrison County, Iowa.

He was married in Lyons County, Kan., in 1869, to Miss Ellen Wilson, by whom two sons have been born, William and Robert. Ellen (Wilson) Olmstead, died in Butler County, Kan., and for his second wife our subject married Miss Ella M. Parker, the daughter of David and Emily (Stark) Parker. The date of our subject's marriage was August 1, 1874, they being united in Harrison County, Iowa. By this marriage six children have been born � Minnie M., Harvey, Emma A. (deceased), Oran F., Herman L. and Erle A.

Ella M. (Parker) Olmstead, was born in Ohio, October 2, 1853. Her father was born in Canada, her mother in New York State. They removed to Harrison County, Iowa, in June 1863. Mr. and Mrs. Olmstead are members of the Christian Church, and politically he affiliates with the Republican party.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 382.
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HARSHBARGER- Henry C. Harshbarger (Portrait), of Boyer Township, is a large landowner and farmer, and a man whose prominence is so closely connected with, and interwoven into, the history of Harrison County, that it is befitting that more than a passing mention should be made of him in this connection.

Let us go back to Spencer County, Ind., in the days of old "Tippecanoe," and by research in the family records it will be found that our subject was born March 5, 1840, and seven years later he might have been seen accompanying his parents, peeping out of an emigrant's wagon, as it was during that year that his parents came overland to Mahaska County, Iowa, where they remained until the spring of 1856, and then came on to Harrison County and settled on section 33, Boyer Township, which is now the County Poor Farm. Our subject remained with his parents until 1861, when he enlisted in Company I, First Nebraska Infantry, but after two years the regiment was transferred to the cavalry service, and Gov. Thayer, of Nebraska, was his Colonel. He was mustered in at Hannibal, Mo., August 10, 1861, and participated in the following engagements: Black Water, Mo., in the fall of1861; Ft. Donaldson; Pittsburg Landing; first siege of Corinth, May 30, 1862. They also operated in Tennessee and Kentucky, and were in many small engagements not necessary to mention in this connection. He was also at Cape Girardeau, Mo., of the summer of 1863, and at the battle Chalk Bluff. Their next engagement was at Sylamore, Ark., in the spring of 1864.

In June, 1864, he re-enlisted for three years more, at Duvall's Bluffs, Ark., having sixty days' veteran furlough, and the Government furnished him transportation to Omaha, allowing him to visit his home. Upon returning to Omaha, at the expiration of his furlough, the Indians were making trouble along the Western border, and he was sent with his regiment, where he remained the balance of his time spent in the service. On account of our subject's disability, he received an honorable discharge at Ft, Kearney, Neb., November 24, 1865. He then returned to his father's home, in Harrison County; but, after one year of work on a farm his health gave way, and he was placed in nomination and elected County Recorder, at the fall election of 1866. After holding this office two years he was elected County Judge, in the fall of 1868, and served until January 1, when, by virtue if his office, he became County Auditor, the office of County Judge having been abolished. So, it will be seen, our subject was the last County Judge, as well as the first County Auditor. After leaving the Auditor's office, he engaged in the mercantile business at Woodbine, in a partnership with H. C. Laub, of Denison, our subject carrying on the business at Woodbine, continuing there three years, at the expiration of which time he moved to his farm in the Boyer Valley, which he had purchased some time before. He bought his present farm in 1879. It was mostly wild land, which he improved. He now have five hundred and sixty acres of land under the plow, and about two hundred acres of tame grass, besides pasture-land. His well-arranged farm-house is 24x28 feet, while his horse-barn is 28x40 feet, and a cow-barn 24x84 feet.

Mr. Harshbarger was married to Emily Mundy, December 14, 1865, by which union there have been born three children; Virgie P., June 8, 1867; John E., September 6, 1868; Charles C., January 13, 1871. Virgie P. was married to J. A. Prater, February 23, 1887. Mrs. Harshbarger, the mother of these children, died January 23, 1871.

For his second wife our subject married Miss Nettie B. Edgerton, September 17, 1871, and by this union there have been seven children born; Hope, December 24, 1872; Miller M., June 1, 1875; Harry S., September 11, 1880; Jesse J., March 22, 1883; Mary M., March 3, 1885; Edwin L., December 15, 1888; and Henry C., March 28, 1891. Of these children, Hope died July 13, 1874; Harry S., December 23, 1881; Jesse J., May 22, 1883; Henry C., September 17, 1891; and the mother died April 5, 1891. She was born in Onondaga County, N.Y., January 15, 1855.

Mrs. Emily (Mundy) Harshbarger was born in Wisconsin, November 16, 1846.

Concerning the father of our subject, it ma be said that he was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, December 18, 1890, where he remained until he was twenty-two years of age, and then came to Spencer County, Ind., where he opened up a farm in the heavy timer-land, and remained there eight years. During that time he cleared over sixty acres of land. He then came to Mahaska County, where he bought a piece of wild land upon which he lived until 1856, and then came to Harrison County and lived until 1870, when he sold his farm and moved to Kansas. When he came to this county, Magnolia was the neatest postoffice, and Council Bluffs the nearest trading point, and during the "hard winter" of 1856-57, their breadstuff was corn-meal, and sometimes this had to be ground in a coffee-mill. Teams could not be taken out of their stables, and hand-sleds had to be used to draw wood on. Their meat consisted of venison, which was very plentiful in this county at that date.

To return to the subject of our sketch, it may be said that he is identified with the Republican party, and has been prominent in the Grand Army Post, of which he was Commander about three years. He is also a member of Charter Oak Lodge, A. F. & A. M., No. 401, at Woodbine. He served four years as Postmaster at Woodbine, from 1869-1873. He was also appointed as Collector of Internal Revenue, and served as such for two years and a half. He was also Deputy United States Marshall in 1870, for the entire county, and took the Decennial Census in that year alone; and again, in 1880, served in that capacity, taking the census of Boyer and Lincoln Townships

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 531-532.
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