Dubuque, Jones, and Clayton Counties History 1894 pgs. 328-331

NORTON J. LOOMIS is a dealer in lumber, brick, tile, cement, etc., in Farley, Dubuque County, Iowa.  He was born in Martinsburgh, Lewis County, N. Y., in 1831, and emigrated with  his parents to Wisconsin in the year 1842.  His parents were Amassa C. and Francis (Thompson) Loomis, natives of Maine and Massachusetts respectively.  The family was originally of English extraction.

Nine years after going to Wisconsin, Mr. Loomis of this sketch removed to Dubuque County, where he has since made his home. When he landed here and took stock of his possessions he found he had only ten cents. This was on the Fourth of July, and he was necessarily unable to celebrate the day with such patriotic manifestations as was befitting. The first year after that he spent on the river, working at whatever he could find to do in order to obtain a livelihood. He worked by the month in this county until 1859, when he located on a farm and engaged in its cultivation until about the year 1886; he then sold most of his property and engaged in his present occupation, in which he has been very successful. Mr. Loomis owns quite a large amount of real estate and some of the best buildings in the town.

In 1854 Miss Ellen Hooper became the wife of our subject, and of their union were born eight children who grew to mature years, Amassa, the oldest, was killed in this county; he left a wife and child; May F. is the wife of E. B. Catron, of Earlville; John W. is a resident of Farley; Bennett E. is a stock merchant in the same place; Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of W. F. Klaus, of Earlville; Wellington W. is a liveryman; Frank H. and George G. complete the family. By a second marriage, when Mrs. Ella H., widow of Henry Edzard and daughter of A. W. Himbaugh became the wife of our subject, were born two children, Florence E. and Affal R. Our subject has been a strong Republican all his life and is proud of the fact. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Farley, in the work of which he takes an active part.  Our subject is a member of the Knights of Pythias and is a citizen who has always done the utmost in his power to advance the prosperity of this region.

Back to Biographies

Back to Main Page
Back to Iowa AHGP
Back to AHGP