ANDREW J. HOUDYSHELL was numbered among the pioneers of Wapello County [Iowa]. He was born in Clarke County, Ohio, May 26, 1821. When a young man he went to Indiana and located in Wells County, where he became acquainted, and was united in marriage with Miss Elzara MACE, on the 23d day of February, 1841. His wife was a native of Meigs County, Ohio, and the daugher of Henry, Sr., and Rachel (TOWNSEND) MACE. In 1848, Mr. HOUDYSHELL came to Iowa and located in Wapello County, near the present village of Agency, where he purchased a claim and opened up a farm.

At the breaking out of the Rebellion, Mr. HOUDYSHELL enlisted in Co. H, 7th Iowa Vol. Cav., and served until the close of the war. In 1881 he removed to Kansas, and is now residing in Salem, Jewell County, that State. His wife died in Kansas, Oct. 27, 1884. She was a sincere member of the Christian Church, with which she was connected for many years.

Mr. and Mrs. HOUDYSHELL were the parents of ten children, six of whom lived to maturity:
William A., now living in Ringgold County, Iowa, enlisted in Co. E, 22d Iowa Vol. Inf., and served till the close of the war; Henry S., now living in Ottawa, Kan., was a member of Co. C., 7th Iowa Vol. Cav.; Rachel A. married Berry ROBERTS, and died in Ft. Madison, Iowa, in 1864; Mary, the wife of Lewis LUDWING, now resides in Mahoning County, Ohio; David went west in 1881, and has not been heard from since; Martha, the wife of C. B. STREEBY, now resides at Ottumwa, Iowa, service as County Recorder.

As stated, Mr. HOUDYSHELL was among the pioneers of 1848. At that time the country was but a wilderness, no improvements of any kind having been made, but he lived to witness a complete transformation. Instead of the Indian trails, followed by the slow-going ox-team, he has seen the iron rails stretched across the country, over which the iron horse travereses day by day, carrying its thousands of passengers and many thousand tons of the produce of the country.

NOTE: Elzira (MACE) HOUDYSHELL, born on October 15, 1820 in Ohio, died at the age of 64 years on October 22, 1884. Andrew Jackson HOUDYSHELL, the son of Jacob and Mary Catherine "Polly" (ROBINSON) HOUDYSHELL, died at the age of 86 years on June 22, 1907 at Mount Ayr, Iowa. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.

William Andrew HOUDYSHELL was born in December of 1840, and died in 1914 at the age of 74 years. He was interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr, Iowa.

SOURCE: "Andrew Jackson HOUDYSHELL" Portrait and Biographical Album of Wapello County, Iowa. p. 530. Chapman Brothers. Chicago. 1887.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2012