MEAD - Edward B. MEAD, one of the representative farmers of Harrison Township, who owns a hundred and twenty acres farm on sections 22 and 23, is a native of Dutchess County, N. Y. He was born July 6, 1835. He is the son of John B. and Ann E. (MARSHALL) MEAD, who were natives of the Empire State, and of English-German extraction. Our subject was reared in the city of Poughkeepsie, and educated in the public schools, until he was sixteen years of age, at which time he began to learn the cooper's trade; his father was also a cooper as was his grandfather. After he had learned his trade and when he was nineteen years of age, his parents left their native state, and came west to Illinois, locating in Kendall County, where the father of our subject engaged in farming, and died there in 1864, at the age of fifty years. His good wife and the mother of our subject, survived until 1882, and died at the age of seventy-four years. This worthy couple reared a family of eleven children--Edward, our subject; Angeline, wife of M. J. HOAG, of Illinois; Caroline, wife of William DURELL, a resident of Illinois; Phebe Ann, wife of John STEWART, both deceased; William D., a resident of Illinois; James H., a resident of Illinois; Charles, a resident of Illinois; Elizabeth, deceased; Sarah Catherine, deceased; Susan, deceased; and Jane deceased. Our subject remained in New York State, a few months after his parents came West, and when he came he went to work at Aurora, Ill., where he followed his trade a years and a half, and then went to Chicago, where he worked at his trade six years, and the next two years he spent on a farm in De Kalb County, and then removed to Kane County, where he farmed for three years, spent a year near Little Rock, Ill., and then removed to La Salle County, of the same State, purchased a farm and lived nine year, and in 1880, located on his present farm, where he has made many valuable improvements. Today his farm is numbered among the many excellent ones found in Northeastern Harrison County. He devoted his entire attention to farming and stock-raising. He is an intelligent as well as industrious man, by reason of which his labors have been crowned with more than ordinary success.

Our subject was united in marriage September, 3, 1856, to Adah DEAN, daughter of Smith A. and Delilah (WRIGHT) DEAN. She was born in Westchester County, N. Y., October 24, 1837. They reared a family of four children Elizabeth A., deceased, at the age of eight months; Anna D., wife of M. B. EWER, a resident of Lyons County; Jennie M., wife of T. J. YOUNG, residing in Harrison Township, and Ida A., at home.

Politically, Mr. MEAD is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and has held numerous local offices and is one of the present Township Trustees. He has made a large circle of friends, and is counted among the most highly respected citizens of his township.

Mrs. MEAD, is an acceptable member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is a member of the F. W. S. Both Mr. and Mrs. MEAD belong to the Farmer's Club.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 688, 689
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MERCHANT - Amasa L. MERCHANT, a resident of section 16, Calhoun Township, came to Harrison County with his parents, three years before the county was organized--in 1850. His father settled where he still resides, in Magnolia Township. Our subject was born in Hancock County, Ill., at Nauvoo, March 11, 1844, and is a son of Lucius and Hortensia (PATRICK) MERCHANT, and when he was four years of age his father fitted out an ox-team and started West, Halting one year in Pottawattamie County, and then came to Magnolia. Amasa L., consequently, received his education in the common schools of this county. He remained at home until twenty-three years of age, when he moved to his present home in Calhoun Township, which he had purchased, the year previous. It was wild land, and upon it he erected a log house 16x18 feet, which is still standing. He occupied this house until 1884, and then erected his present commodious farm house, the upright of which is 14x28 feet, with two good sized additions.

There are important events in every man's life, and perhaps none have a greater bearing on the success and future happiness of a young man starting out in life, than the selection of a wife. It may be said in this connection, that in 1869 our subject took this view of the matter, for on November 22 of that year he was united in marriage to Lorain LOCKLING, a native of St. Joseph, Missouri, born in 1849, and the daughter of Artemus and Thirsa LOCKLING. Mrs. MERCHANT was the youngest of a family of four children, and came to Harrison County with her parents in 1851. Our subject and his wife have been blessed in their home circle by the advent of four children, Minnie M., born February 11, 1869; Jennie H., July 12, 1877; Lula L., March 31, 1882, and Mary I., November 27, 1886.

Politically, Mr. MERCHANT votes with the Democratic party.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 716
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MERCHANT - Lucius MERCHANT, an enterprising farmer, living on section 8 township 70, range 43, and is in the civil township of Magnolia, may well be looked upon as one of the bold, hardy pioneers who saw the then wild domain of Harrison County in the spring of 1851, and the subjoined notice is a brief review of his life.

He was born in Franklin County, Mass., February 26, 1817, and remained at home with his parents until 1842, when he came to Hancock County, Ill., remained four years, bringing him to 1846, at which time he came to Kanesville, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, where he followed farming until 1851, and then came to Harrison County. He settled in Magnolia Township, where he now lives, taking a claim of three hundred and twenty acres on section 8, where he built a log house 16 feet square; broke and fenced ten acres that year. This was about the first improvement that was made in Magnolia Township by those who remained as permanent settlers. There was a man named CLEVELAND, who sold to Mr. LOCKLING, who was here in advance of Mr. MERCHANT. He had a log house and twenty acres under cultivation, which Mr. MERCHANT believes was made in 1849--Mr. CLEVELAND sold out and went to Utah. It will be remembered that our subject came to this county two years before it was organized, and when Pottawattamie and Harrison Counties were as one for judicial purposes. At that time the temporary county seat was being located, and the three commissioners appointed by the Governor, stopped at Mr. MERCHANT's cabin and spoke of locating the county seat there, where upon MERCHANT told them that he intended to make a farm there, and did not care for the county seat. The first land our subject entered was the forty acres that his house is now on. This was at the time of the great California gold excitement, and a neighbor, (TODD) and our subject, each had a steer, and they put these steers together and TODD drove them to Council Bluffs and sold them, and Mr. MERCHANT took what his steer brought, and entered forty acres of land; he entered one hundred and twenty acres in all, but now has two hundred and thirty acres, all improved. He lived in the log house he first built, until 1861, and then erected a frame addition sixteen feet square, which served the family until 1872, when his present commodious frame farm-house was built. It is a story and one-half, 26x32 foot square. In 1883 he built a barn 30x40 feet with sixteen foot posts.

When Mr. MERCHANT first came to this county, his nearest post-office and trading point was Council Bluffs, and the nearest mill was six miles this side on the Pigeon River, and during the summer of 1851 the season known to old settlers as the "high water season," and during June or July four or five teams started to mill down by the Bluffs; the streams were very high, and what few bridges had been constructed had been washed away, and when the party got to the Boyer, which they found was overflowing its banks, a daring feat had to be executed. Mr. MERCHANT was in the lead, all having ox-teams, and they halted at a man's house near the river, the same being owned by Mr. KIRBY, who had a canoe. they decided to take off the wheels of their wagon, and carry them across in the canoe; when Mr. KIRBY had reached the center of the stream, the boat upset, and the boatman swam ashore, the wheels went to the bottom of the Boyer, where they remained for about a month, (it is said the tires did not have to be set during that season), while the canoe was captured by one of the party, and another plan was resorted to, as flour they must have, at least corn-meal! They swam their oxen across the river, tied down their wagon-beds, hitched rope to the to the tongues, and Commodore PERRY never saw a better flotilla of barges than was landed on the opposite shore without the loss of a man.

The Indian scare of 1855 came about in this wise: the Indians had not be war-like, but were in the habit of crossing over the river, and appropriating the property of the settlers to their own use, which aggravated the pioneers, who concluded they would stop their coming across the river, a detailed account of which appears elsewhere in this work

Mr. MERCHANT was married in Hancock County, Ill., April 15, 1844, to Miss Hortensia PATRICK, who was born in Franklin County, Mass., March 30, 1824, and in 1843 she came to Kirtland, Ohio, and remained there one years, and then went to Illinois and remained with the brother until she was married.

Mr. and Mrs. MERCHANT are the parents of nine children, born as follows--Amasa L., March 11, 1845; Sarah, July 26, 1847; Clement E., and Cornelia I. (twins) April 16, 1850; Mary H., August 27, 1852; Joseph W., January 28, 1855; Milton, March 1, 1857; Charles C., July 9, 1861; Cora E., August 4, 1867. Sarah, the second, born of this family died October 1, 1847, Cora E., the youngest died May 8, 1868.

Mr. and Mrs. MERCHANT are both consistent members of the Latter Day Saints Church at Magnolia, he having been a member since 1842, and his wife since 1813, both uniting in Massachusetts, and afterward becoming identified with the Reorganized Church. In the early settlement of this county game was plentiful, such as deer, elk, turkeys, prairie chickens and wolves. One morning Mr. LEWIS a neighbor of our subject's came to MERCHANT's cabin and wanted his rifle, saying he has seen prairie chickens. He go the gun and repaired to the thicket, and to his surprise he found a deer, but some reason his rifle refused to shot, so he excitedly came back to tell MERCHANT, who went back and wounded the deer, but not having his knife, he came home, a half mile, and with his son Amasa, took the ax and went back and cut the animal's head off.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 725, 726, 727
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NOYES - Lafayette H. NOYES, of Morgan Township, is a native of Ohio, and came to Harrison County in 1867. He was born in Athens County, Ohio, March 11, 1846, and is a son of Joseph and Matilda NOYES, natives of Maine and Ohio respectively. The parents are both deceased. There were three children in our subject's father's family, and he is the only one living. His early life was spent in Athens County, Ohio, where he attended the common schools and also the Academy. His young heart was fired with patriotism during the dark days of the Civil War. When President LINCOLN was calling for more men to cope with the Rebel hoard of the Southern States (June 22, 1863), our subject enlisted in Athens County, Ohio, as a member of Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Ohio Infantry. He was seventeen years of age at the time of his enlistment, and was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. Their regiment pursued the Morgan raiders. He was at Cumberland Gap, Tenn., and remained there during the siege. He was discharged March, 1864, at Cleveland, Ohio, when he returned home and remained until 1867, and in the fall of the year came to Harrison County, Iowa, and engaged himself as a common laborer for his older brother, Capt. John NOYES. In 1871 he bought forty acres of land, to which he has added from time to time until he now owns four hundred acres, all enclosed with a fence, and about three hundred acres under cultivation. He engaged in the grain business at Mondamin in 1877, and does an average business of $75,000 to $100,00 per year.

He was united in marriage September 8, 1883, in Athens County, Ohio, to Emma WEDGE, the daughter of Fayette W. and Emma (COOLEY) WEDGE, of Ohio. As a result of this marriage union three children there have been born--Hugh W., August 11, 1885; Chester A., January 2, 1887, died October 5, 1891; Lucille, born January 18, 1889, died October 14, 1891.

Our subject's wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically, Mr. NOYES is a Republican. He belongs to BARNES Post, No. 103, G. A. R., at Mondamin.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 718
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NOYES - Peter NOYES, (deceased), a native of Ohio, came to Harrison County in 1867. He was born in 1816. The family came to Ohio at an early day; he was a stone mason and worked at his trade until the war broke out, when he enlisted in Company B, Thirty-sixth Ohio Infantry, and participated in the engagements of South Mountain, Antietam and Bull Run. He re-enlisted in January, 1865, as a member of Company C, United States Veteran Volunteers. He was honorably discharged in January, 1866, at Albany, N. Y. After the war, he removed to Wapello County, Iowa, where he remained one year and then came to Harrison County, and bought land on section 23, of Morgan Township, which is now owned by his son, W. S.

Mr. NOYES was married twice. By his first marriage, two sons were born--Asa E. and John R. Our subject's second wife was Margaret HASKETT, by whom three children were born--Winfield s., Charles, H. and Joseph S.

Politically, Mr. NOYES was a Republican, and held the office of Justice of the Peace for some years. He died February 22, 1887.

Winfield S., the son of our subject, is a native of Ohio, and came with his father to Harrison County in 1867. He was born in August, 1853, in Morgan County, Ohio. His mother, Margaret (HASKETT) NOYES, is still living. After his father's death, he took charge of the home-farm to which he has added forty acres.

He was married in February, 1877, to Lillian H. WORK, daughter of David and Lola WORK, early settlers of the county. Their children are Asa, Clyde and Alonzo B.

Our subject belongs to the Sons of Veteran Camp, No. 135, at Mondamin. Politically, he affiliates with the Republican party.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 710
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NOY - Joseph L. NOY came to Missouri Valley in the autumn of 1883, and engaged with C. S. HOAR & Co., with whom he remained until August, 1890, and then entered into partnership with O. B. WALKER, in the bakery and confectionery business, under the firm name of NOY & WALKER.

He was born in Perry County, Pa., October 3, 1862, and is the son of Andrew and Sarah (MICKEY) NOY. The mother was of German ancestry, her parents coming from Germany. Our subject's father was a carpenter; came to Benton County Iowa, in 1808, and died in 1871, and was buried at Vinton. The mother died in 1878, and was buried in the same place. Their family consisted of one son and three daughters. Two of the daughters died, and the other is the wife of C. S. HOAR, of Missouri Valley. Our subject is the youngest child of his father's family.

Mr. NOY was united in marriage June 10, 1888, to Alberta WALKER, who was born in Harrison County, Iowa. Her father, W. S. WALKER, was an early settler, and a full sketch of his life is found elsewhere in this work.

In political matters Mr. NOY is a Republican, and is a most excellent business man; consequently, is a most valuable citizen to Missouri Valley. He came from a loyal family.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 725
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ORR - John A. ORR, (deceased), became a permanent resident of Harrison County, in 1876, and in his life time, was a representative farmer in this section of Iowa, hence very naturally, find his place on the pages of the history of his county.

Mr. ORR was born in Carroll County Ohio, July 25, 1851, and in 1856, he accompanied his parents to Des Moines County, Iowa, remained there one year, and they then moved to Nebraska, and remained in Douglas County until the spring of 1861, when they moved to Harrison County, Iowa, and in 1872, moved Pottawattamie County. Our subject remained with his parents in the last named county, until 1876, and then purchased two hundred acres of land on sections 5, 6 and 8, of LaGrange Township, where he built a house, and made general farm improvements. Before his death, he had added to his landed estate, until he owned ten hundred and forty acres, lying in the Boyer Valley, so famous for its fertility. He kept it well stocked and handsomely improved. He was a busy, energetic and thoroughly upright man, who was usually at home, and made others feel at home with him.

An important event of his life was his marriage, January 4, 1876, to Miss Ellen J. CROSSLEY, who was born in Nottinghamshire, England, June 26, 1849, and in 1852 emigrated with her parents, to America, settling in Pottawattamie County where they became early pioneers. When they started from England, they intended to go to Salt Lake City having united with the Latter Day Saints Church in England, but after being in Pottawattamie County, a short time, and seeing how matters were progressing among the Utah Mormons they severed themselves from the church.

Of Mr. ORR's father, Col. William ORR, it may be said he was born in Belfast, Ireland, March 13, 1826. He emigrated to America, lived in Western Pennsylvania for a few years, then came to Carroll County, Ohio, from there to Iowa, in 1856, went to Nebraska as above related, and finally purchased a farm in LaGrange Township, where he remained until 1872, and then removed to Pottawattamie County, where he now resides. In 1848, he returned to Ireland, and married, March 24, 1849, Miss Margaret ORR and the following day embarked for this country. They were the parents of twelve children--John A., being the second child. Col. ORR was a candidate for State Senator in 1880 but was defeated.

This notice partaking as it does of genealogy as well as of biography, should also treat of our subject's wife's people: William CROSSLEY, her father, was born in Nottinghmshire, England, December 2, 1807, and in the spring of 1853, he came to America, and purchased a claim of a man and subsequently entered on hundred and twenty acres of Government land in Pottawattamie County. At the time of his coming to this country, he was a very poor man, but at the time of his death possessed one of the finest homes in Western Iowa, which included six hundred and forty acres of well improved land. He had visited American, about 1840, and bought him a home in Trumbull County, Ohio, but after four years of hard work to improve this place he went back to England for the purpose of marrying, and as his wife did not like the idea of coming to America, he sold his farm in Ohio, and placed the money in the hands of the "Phalanx Society," for safe keeping. But it did not prove a very safe deposit, as the institution shortly afterwards collapsed, and he never realized but three hundred dollars.

His wife the mother of Mrs. ORR, Susan (HAND) CROSSLEY, was a native of England, and died in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, February 7, 1862, and the father died February 19, 1881.

Mrs. ORR remained at home with her father, in Pottawattamie County, until the date of her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. ORR were the parents of three children--William L., born January 3, 1878; Fannie L., born November 10, 1879; Bruce L., born October 29, 1881. Fannie L. died February 15, 1889.

Our subject, while yet in the prime of young manhood, and surrounded with all that men call dear in life; the possessor of a beautiful home, a loving wife, and a family of interesting and intelligent children, and when all bid fair for a long and useful career, his barque was suddenly dashed against the breakers of an unseen shore, and he was called upon to leave his earthly surroundings, taking in exchange the spiritual real; passing from the scenes of earth October 15, 1882, just as Nature was putting on her robes of beauty, tinted with amber and gold, all that was mortal of John A. ORR, was laid away, in Linnwood Cemetery, LaGrange Township, and his life was a monument unto himself, being a loyal citizen, a loving husband and a kind father.

Let it be said in this connection, of the widow of our subject, the late Mr. ORR, that she possesses rare business ability; is refined and cultivated, yet unlike a majority of her sex, has a keen business sagacity, which enables her to superintend her farm of more than a thousand acres, in a successful manner. Her business methods are spoken of in the most praise-worthy manner, by all within her community. There are few ladies, even further advanced in life, who could control so large an estate, with the proficiency with which this good woman does that left her by Mr. ORR.

In her religious belief Mrs. ORR is a firm believer in spiritualism. No lady in the community, is more highly appreciated, for her many graces than is this one--the widow of Mr. John A. ORR.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 700, 701, 702
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