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Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

Biographies - 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa

Page Fifty Seven

B Chapman | Musgrave | Ettinger | Harris | J Chapman | Wood


CHAPMAN - Benjamin CHAPMAN , has been a resident of Harrison County since the spring of 1865, and is now located on section 2, of Union Township, where he has come to be a prosperous farmer. He accompanied his parents, to the county, and they rented a farm of Lindley EVANS, in Cass Township, from where they moved to Harris Grove. At this point he started to the district school, being seven years of age. The family remained there two years, and then located where our subject now lives, improving a piece of wild land, building a house 18x20 feet, and a story and a half high; a barn 14x20 feet, together with numerous outbuildings.

Benjamin remained with his parents until he was of age, and then farmed his father's land for six years thereafter, and then bought the old homestead, around which still clings many a fond memory of those early pioneer days, when hope was their chief capital! He paid $4.50 for one "forty" and $7.60 for the other, raising this amount in four years.

Our subject was married, November 22, 1885, to Thirza, a daughter of William and Martha SPANSWICK, natives of England, who reared a family of seven children, whose names appear in this connection�Mary, William T., (deceased), Thirza, Oliver, Valentine, Adalede, (deceased), and William T.

Mr. and Mrs. CHAPMAN, are the parents of the following four children�Benjamin O., born March 2, 1887; Arthur T., born August 29, 1888, (deceased); Albert, born October 2, 1889; John W., December 20, 1890.

Mr. CHAPMAN in his political opinions favors no special party. In religious matters he and his wife are believers in the Latter Day Saints faith.

Concerning the parents of our subject and their family, it may be said that their names were John and Harriet (COLEMAN) CHAPMAN, who were the parents of the following living children,--James, Elijah, Judah, John, Nephi, William, and Benjamin.

It may be recorded here, that when they went to Utah in 1861, contrary to usual custom, they carried no firearms with them, or about their wagons, yet they passed through numerous bands of hostile Indians, unmolested.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.475
Family Researcher: NA
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MUSGRAVE - George MUSGRAVE, editor of the Nucleus, at Logan, Iowa, is a native of England, and has been connected with the newspaper press longer than almost any other man in Western Iowa, and has lived in Harrison County since 1851, two years before the organization of the county. He was born in Westmoreland County, in the North of England, June 2, 1838, and is the son of Richard and Margaret (BAILEY) MUSGRAVE. His grandfather was Thomas Musgrave, and on the mother's side the grandfather was John BAILEY. Our subject was one of a family of seven children, three of whom are now living. The early days of his childhood were spent in his native land, but his early education was received in the schools of St. Louis, and Harrison County, Iowa. His father's family came to America in 1847, locating in St. Louis, his father being a machinist. Four years later they came to Harrison County, locating near where Woodbine now stands, at which place the parents died. Our subject was engaged as a printer on the Harrison County Republican, at Magnolia, and after one year purchased a half interest n the same and continued to operate it for twelve years in Magnolia, but in 1872, after the building of the Northwestern Railway, he moved the plant to Logan, the name of the paper having been changed to the Western Star. Four years later he sold the plant, which was removed, to Harlan. In 1870, he established the Reporter at Dunlap. He also published the Tekamah Herald, of Nebraska one year. He started the Woodbine Twiner in 1879 and operated it until 1885, when he sold it to J. D. DeTAR and then leased the Courier, at Logan, for one year. At the expiration of this time started the Logan Observer, which he conducted five years and then sold to J. C. McCABE. May 24, 1890, appeared the first number of his present journal, the Nucleus.

In 1863, Mr. MUSGRAVE was appointed Sheriff of the county by the Board of Supervisors to fill a vacancy. He is a member of Lodge No. 355, I. O. O. F., at Logan.

Mr. MUSGRAVE was married in January, 1861, at Magnolia, Iowa, to Miss Amanda HETHERINGTON, the daughter of Townsend and Nancy HETHERINGTON, natives of New York. After Mr. HETHERINGTON'S death the widow and her family came to Harrison County in 1855. Mr. and Mrs. MUSGRAVE are the parents of six children, now living and named as follows; Edgar W., Marie L., Maggie May, George R., Maude A. and Aggie J.

Mr. MUSGRAVE is a keen forcible writer, as is evinced from a glance at the various newspaper files on the Missouri slope, with which he has been connected during the last quarter of a century. More than can be said of this man's journalistic ability in this connection will be found in the various village and town histories in which he has published papers, but suffice to say that he is a thorough-going, practical newspaper man.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.478-479
Family Researcher: NA
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ETTINGER - Samuel ETTINGER, one of the businessmen of Dunlap, and also one of the early settlers of Harrison County, is a native of Franklin County, Pa., being born August 4, 1825. He is the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (LAYMASTER) ETTINGER, of German ancestry, but natives of the Keystone State. When our subject was two years of age their family removed to New York State, and after about three years moved to Sandusky County, Ohio, where he was reared and educated at the common schools. Wen about fourteen years of age, his father and mother were both called from the scenes of earth, and after this sad affliction he was bound out to learn the sign painter's trade, at which he was engaged for some two years. When twenty years of age he dropped his painter's brush and took to the stage, travelling with theatrical troupes for four years, and then returned to Bellevue, Ohio, where he followed sign painting, and in 1855 came to Mitchell County, Iowa, and engaged in the mercantile business with Charles Humphrey. They continued in business for five years at Mitchell, after which he made a trip to Pike's Peak, and upon his return trip from the Rockies, he had the pleasure of killing a buffalo. He then remained in Mitchell, Iowa, until 1862, when he with his wife and two children crossed the plains to Sacramento, Cal., where he kept hotel four years, and then removed to Appleton, Wis., and engaged in the grocery and crockery trade with his brother, Jesse. They remained in business at that point about four years and then came to Harrison County, Iowa, where they each purchased a farm in Harrison Township. Our subject made a purchase of one hundred and sixty acres, on sections 32 and 33, where he farmed for three years, after which he and his brother embarked in the grocery, boot and shoe business at Dunlap. They continued as partners eight or nine years, when he purchased his brother's interest and took in his son as a partner, who was associated with him until his death, January 22, 1887; after which our subject retired from trade, but subsequently engaged in the restaurant business, which he still conducts.

He was united in marriage in 1856 to Mary A. SNEER, who was born in Utica, N. Y., and died May 15, 1887. They had a family of four children�Everett H., deceased; Mary E., wife of Samuel G. LlSCOMB, of Dunlap; Anna B., wife of Fred FRAZIER, a resident of Dunlap; and Flora M., wife of W. E. KINSELLA, a resident of Madison, Neb.

Politically, Mr. ETTINGER affiliates with the Democratic Party. He has been a member of the City Council of Dunlap, and is counted one of the good citizens of the place.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.477-478
Family Researcher: NA
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HARRIS - Libbieus D. HARRIS, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1878, and settled on section 32, Douglas. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, which is now well improved.

Mr. Harris was born near Binghampton, N. Y., September 5, 1823, and moved with his parents to Cortland County, of the same State,. When he was three years of age he went to Madison County, lived there three years, then back to Madison County, remained there five years, and then returned to Cortland County, remaining there seven years, which brought him to the spring of 1867, at which time he came to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he engaged in the hotel business, which occupation he had followed before. After twelve years in the hotel, he rented the same and moved to Blencoe, Monona County, Iowa, where he owned a farm of two hundred acres. After he had improved this farm he disposed of it, and returned to Council Bluffs and again entered the hotel, remaining there until 1878, at which time he traded his hotel property for the farm upon which he now lives.

He was married in Cattaragus County, N. Y., October 23, 1850, to Miss Ann J. WILBUR, by whom four children have been reared�Julius A., born December 3, 1852, and died when he was eleven months old. Abigal J. was born July 5, 1855; Mary I., October 27, 1857.; Libbie V., October 24, 1860.

The mother of these children was born in Cortland County, N. Y., November 18, 1826. She moved with her parents when she was about thirteen years old to Cattaragus County, remaining there until she was married.

Concerning the father of our subject, Evan Harris, it may be said, he was born in the State of New York in 1778, and died in Cortland County of that State in 1845. His wife, the mother of our subject, Sallie (BRAGGS) HARRIS, was born in Virginia in 1779, and died in Cortland County, N. Y., in 1855.

This worthy couple were the parents of seven children, our subject being the fifth child.

When Mr. HARRIS engaged in the hotel business at Council Bluffs, he had an old building which stood across the street from where the present OGDEN House now stands. During on year he made $8,000 out of the hotel business. Since leaving the hotel and engaging in farm pursuits, he has been very successful, and probably was the most extensive dairyman within Harrison County. Just at this time (December, 1891) he has leased the "LUSK House) in Logan.

In viewing the life of our subject, we find that success has attended him all along the passing years, especially since he came to this garden spot of the West. Whether in the role of landlord, trying to please his guests, or trying to subdue the wild prairie sod of his farm, or superintending his dairy farm, he is the same affable, correct and painstaking man.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.476-477
Family Researcher: NA
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CHAPMAN - John CHAPMAN, Sr., came to Harrison County in the spring of 1865, and settled on the PIDGEON farm. He rented that farm of Mr. Lindley EVANS, and after one year removed to Harris Grove in LaGrange Township, where he purchased forty acres of land, twenty acres improved and twenty acres timber. He lived there three years, sold out, and moved back to the PIGEON, in Union Township, where he purchased eighty acres of wild land, improved it, and there remained until the autumn of 1889, when he moved into Persia.

He was born in Wiltshire, England, July 14, 1818, where he remained until 1861, and sailed for America. He was twenty-eight days on the ocean, and finally found his way to Florence, Neb., halted six weeks, and then with ox teams started for Ogden, Utah, accompanied by his brother William, who came from Utah to meet him. They left Florence in July and arrived in Ogden, September 12, 1861. He remained in Utah until 1864, and then made the overland trip back to Florence, Neb., arriving in July. In the spring of 1865, he came to Harrison County.

He was married in England, May 6, 1838, to Miss Harriet CEALMAN, by whom eleven children were born�James, Elijah, Rebecca, Judah, John, Nephi, Harriett J., Eliza J., Heber W., Thomas, and Benjamin.

Harriett (COLEMAN) CHAPMAN was born in Wiltshire, England, in August, 1815, and remained with her parents, until the date of her marriage.

Both Mr. and Mrs. CHAPMAN united with the Latter Day Saints Church in England.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.476
Family Researcher: NA
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WOOD - Mrs. Mary E. WOOD - widow of William W. WOOD, who resides at her beautiful farm home, situated on section 27, of Union Township, will form the subject of the following biographical notice.

She was born in Philadelphia, Pa., July 8, 1837, and is the daughter of Jonas and Mary CHATBURN, who were the parents of seven children, our subject being the third. The following is the order of these children�Thomas, Jane, Mary, Margaret, Sarah, deceased, Celia and George.

Our subject's father is Judge Jonas CHATBURN, now a resident of Harlan, Shelby County, Iowa, who came to Western Iowa in 1850, and when our subject was five years of age, settled on Willow Creek, near where Magnolia now stands, and she remained with her parents until sixteen years of age, when she married William W. WOOD, who was a minister in the Latter Day Saints Church. After their marriage they moved into the house with her husband's father, Samuel WOOD, and farmed his land for four years, at the end of which time, our subject's husband bought her present place, which now contains two hundred and forty-three acres of valuable land, which cost $8 per acre. Here Mr. WOOD spent many years of hard labor in the subduing of this wild land, having to build a log house, every stick of which he hewed, and every shingle of which he shaved; besides this farm work, he taught school winters, for the purpose of getting money with which to pay for his land, and none but those who have gone through such pioneer struggles, can fully understand the hardships endured by this man, in common with others, in Western Iowa at that date. Mr. WOOD was born in Caldwell County, Mo., and came to Unionburg, Iowa, when he was eight years of age, at which time his parents immigrated to this county.

Mr. and Mrs. WOOD were the parents of thirteen children, born in the following order: Wilburt, born October 8, 1865, now deceased; Leona, born September 4, 1866; Friendie, January 25, 1868; Rose, April 4, 1870; Mary, born November 28, 1872, now deceased; Samuel born February 11, 1873; Anna, born October 16, 1874, now deceased; Pearl, born March 2, 1876; Jonas, August 28, 1877; Bruce, born January 3, 1878, now deceased; William, born November 16, 1880; Clarence, September 7, 1882; and George, born August 31, 1886, now deceased.

Mrs. WOOD in her religious convictions, is a believer in the doctrines as taught by the Latter Day Saints Church, as was her husband.

Our subject's husband, William H. WOOD, departed this life February 1, 1890, bearing the respect of all with whom he was acquainted through his long term of years in this county, where he lived and faithfully labored for the good of mankind.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp.473-474
Family Researcher: NA
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