WILLIAM M. MARKLEY, engaged in farming and stock-raising in Jefferson Township, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, April 15, 1848, a son of Jacob and Mary J. (WARDEN) MARKLEY, who were borth natives of the State of Pennsylvania, the father being of German descent, and the mother of English parentage. William M. was reared to agricultural pursuits, and received his education in the common schools of his native county.

During the war of the Rebellion he enlisted [August 22, 1864] in Company I, Fifty-third Pennsylvania Infantry, and served under General HANCOCK. He participated in the battles of Stony Creek, Stone River, Five Fork Creek and a number of other battles and skirmishes, and April 4 and 5, 1865, helped to capture LEE's wagon train. [Mustered out of service on May 31, 1865.]

Mr. MARKLEY went to Union County, Ohio, in the spring of 1870, where he followed farming till the fall of 1876. He was married in February, 1874, to Miss Annetta MITCHELL, a daughter of John C. MITCHELL, of Union County, Ohio, the father being a son of Judge MITCHELL, a pioneer of that county. Mr. and Mrs. MARKLEY are the parents of five children - Mary J., John R., Lutie M., Arthur B. and Benjamin M.

Mr. MARKLEY came to Ringgold County, Iowa, in the fall of 1876, and has since resided on his present farm on section 23, Jefferson Township, where he has 169 acres of well-cultivated land. Mr. MARKLEY is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.

NOTE: William M. MARKLEY died in 1930. Lucinda "Annetta" (MITCHELL) MARKLEY died at the age of 53 years, 1 month and 17 days on June 30, 1906. William and Annetta were interred at Oakland Cemetery, Ringgold County, Iowa.

Also interred at Oakland Cemtery, Lysle A. MARKLEY, born October 26, 1890; died June 16, 1908.

Arthur B., son of William and Annetta (MITCHELL) MARKLEY, was born in 1881, and died in 1946. His wife Vina M. was born in 1882, and died in 1963. Arthur and Vina were interred at Diagonal Cemetery, Ringgold County, Iowa.

Judge David MITCHELL (1761-1836) came to Darby Township of Union County, Ohio, and established a tract of 1000 acres in 1799, the first permanent settlement of the county. Judge MITCHELL was on of the first associate Judges of the county under the old Ohio Constitution. Judge MITCHELL and his three wives, Martha (BLACK), Rebecca (NELSON), and Hannah (CALDWELL) headed the pioneer families of MITCHELL, KIRKPATRICK, and McCULLOUGH. Judge MITCHELL, Martha, Rebecca, and Hannah were interred at Mitchell Cemetery, Darby Township of Union County, Ohio.

David MITCHELL was not only one of the first but one of the most prominent citizens of Darby during its formative period. He was a life-long member of the Presbyterian Church, served his township for many years as Justice of the Peace, and under the old State Constitution was one of the Associate Judges of Union County. He was intelligent and well educated, and was universally known as Judge MITCHELL. He was thrice married. His first partner was Martha BLACK, and by this marriage he had ten children, who, in the order of their ages, were: Moses, Samuel, George, David, Margaret, Martha, Jesse, Elizabeth, Dixon and Aaron. Martha became the wife of Robert NELSON; Margaret of James BOAL; and Elizabeth married John ROBINSON. The seventh child, Jesse, was the first white child born in what is now Union County. The date of his birth was November 4. 1799. A brief sketch of him may be found in the history of Jerome Township, where he settled upon attaining maturity. The second wife of Judge Mitchell was Rebecca NELSON, who died soon after her marriage. By the third. marriage to Hannah CALDWELL, there were two children - John C. [father of Annetta (MITCHELL) MARKLEY], now residing on the home place, and Alexander R., who died in California. Samuel MITCHELL, Jr., had married Elizabeth ROBINSON in York County, Penn.. and removed to Darby with his family a few years after his relatives settled here. After his emigration, be continued his residence upon the place until his death, which occurred about 1820. He built the first wool carding machine within the bounds of Union County, and operated it in connection with farming. He was an earnest Covenanter in his religious belief. His children were Sarah, who married Robert MAZR; Margaret, who was the wife of John CRAWFORD; Samuel, who removed to Iowa; James, an old bachelor, and David, both of Washington, Iowa; Jane, Betsy and Eleanor, married and residing in Iowa. - History of Union County, Ohio

SOURCES:
Biography & Historical Record of Ringgold County, Iowa, p. 332, 1887.

The History of Union County, Ohio Chapter III - Darby Township. Pp. 222-23. W. H. Beer & Co. Chicago. 1883

American Civil War Soldiers, ancestry.com

WPA Graves Survey

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2009

Biographical Sketches Pages Index: A - F,   G - L,   M - R,  S - Z