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A Biographical Record of Boone County, Iowa. S Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton. THOMAS J. SMALLEY is a native of Ashland county, Ohio , born on the 14th of August, 1839 . He traces his ancestry back to one of the old families of Kentucky . His paternal grandfather, John Smalley, was born in that state and became an early settler of Ohio . There he married Elizabeth Bradfield, who was born in New Jersey . At the time of the Black Hawk was John Smalley joined the troops engaged in quelling the uprising of the Indians who resisted the advance of the white man into the northwest territory. He was a farmer and from the time of his removal to Ohio remained a continuous resident of that state until called to his final rest. The old homestead upon which he lived remained in possession of the family until 1901 when it was sold. The grandfather died at the age of sixty-six years and the wife passed away at the age of seventy years. In their family were seven children, as follows: Isaac, John, Richard, Edward, Sophia, Polly or Mary, and Sarah, but all are now deceased. Edward Smalley, the father of our subject, was born in Ashland county, Ohio , May 2, 1812 , and was reared amid the wild scenes of the frontier upon the old home farm there. After arriving at years of maturity he married Susan Wiley, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1814. Edward Smalley carried on agricultural pursuits throughout his business career and spent all his life in Iowa , having come to this state about 1851. From the government he entered a claim of a quarter section of land in Fayette county and afterward removed to Winneshiek county where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres, making his home thereon for fifteen years during which time he continuously cultivated his fields. He then sold that property and removed to Minnesota, but after two years spent in that state he disposed of his realty holdings there and came to Boone county, Iowa, purchasing a farm in Jackson township. It was upon that place that he spent his remaining days, passing away at the age of seventy-five years and three months. His wife had died in Winneshiek county. In their family were eight children, three sons and five daughters, as follows: Sarah Ann, Thomas, Richard F., Mary E., Catherine R., Melinda J., Harriet E., and William W. All of this number are living in Iowa with the exception of Catherine. Thomas J. Smalley, whose name introduces this record, has been a resident of Boone county since 1867, but has made his home in Iowa since 1851, having come to this state with his parents when a youth of twelve years. He was reared in the usual manner of farmer lads of the period and first became the owner of land in 1869, when he purchased a tract of eighty acres of wild land constituting part of the farm upon which he is now living. At different times he has added to the property until he has owned as much as four hundred and thirty-four acres, but of this he has sold a portion, still retaining possession of two hundred and seventy- four acres. He yet carries on general farming and has always kept a good grade of cattle. He has been engaged in stock raising, in buying, feeding and selling and ships from one to two carloads of cattle each year, at present, although he is not as actively and extensively engaged in farming operations and stock dealing as he was in former years, having in the meantime acquired an excellent capital. He has a nice farm upon which are good buildings erected there by the owner. On the 17th of February, 1854 , Mr. Smalley was united in marriage to Miss Lovina Bentley, who was born in Dane county, Wisconsin , September 5, 1840 , and was a daughter of Thomas and Paulina Claflin Bentley. She died September 19, 1896 , leaving seven children. Five of this number are yet living, namely: Idella P.; Alta M.; Herbert J.; Judson E.; and Etha. Those who have passed away are: Hattie E.; Nora E.; Lydia E. and Robert O. Mr. Smalley is leading a very active and busy life and has been a witness of the greater part of the growth and development of Boone county. When he first came here there were no roads and wild game of various kinds was plentiful. He endured many hardships, like the other pioneer settlers, because the comforts of the older east could not be easily obtained as there were no railroad facilities. His first home was a little cabin fourteen by twenty feet, but he today has a good set of farm buildings upon his place. In his political views he is a Democrat. Throughout Boone county he has a wide acquaintance and his circle of friends is almost co-extensive therewith, for the sterling qualities of his character and his upright manhood have won him the esteem and good will of all with whom he has been associated. John Smyth submitted by Marilynn Howard
John Smyth is a retired farmer now living in the village of Ogden and for thirty-four years he has not not [sic] only been a witness of the growth and development of this county but has contributed his full share to the general improvement and progress. He was born near St. Clairsville, Belmont county, Ohio , November 11, 1823 , and is a son of George and Mary (Lee) Smyth. The father was born in Drumgiven, Townland, near St. Field, in the County of Down , Ireland , about eight miles from Belfast , his natal day being May 1, 1792 . He came to America on board a sailing vessel and in this country was married to Mary Lee, who was born near Cross Creek, in Washington county, Pennsylvania , on Christmas day of 1803. They were the parents of eleven children, five sons and six daughters, namely: John, born November 11, 1823; Mary, born April 21, 1825; Robert Lee, born December 28, 1826; William, born February 24, 1829; Dorothy, born March 17, 1831; Alexander, born April 3, 1833; George Vance, born December 11, 1834; Jane, born October 19, 1836; Ann, born October 21, 1838, Eliza E., born November 1, 1841; and Margaret Priscilla, born March 2, 1844; all of whom were born in Madison township, Muskingum county, Ohio, with the exception of the first two, who were born in St. Clairsville, Ohio. All received good educational privileges, thus fitting them for capably performing the practical work of life that came to them. In addition to an excellent school education John Smyth studied civil engineering. In early life he engaged in teaching school and entered upon his work as an agriculturist by renting land in Ohio for several years. As a companion and helpmate on life's journey he chose Miss Elizabeth Dunn Fitz, their wedding being celebrated November 4, 1851, the lady being a daughter of Henry and Jane (Lindsay) Fitz, of eastern Pennsylvania . Ten years later, in 1861, Mr. and Mrs. Smyth removed to Linn county, Iowa , and there purchased a small farm which he improved, during seven years' residence upon the place. Mr. Smyth began teaching here following that profession during the winter months while in the summer season he devoted his energies to farm work. In 1868, however, he sold his property in Linn county and came to Boone county, purchasing land in Amaqua township. He improved the same and taught school during the winter months while in the summer seasons he followed farming as he had in Linn county. His first purchase made him the owner of eighty acres and he afterward added another eighty acre tract and extended the boundaries of his place later until he had acquired two hundred and three acres, its present dimensions. In the spring of 1901, however, he sold his farm in Amaqua township and purchased a small farm of eighty acres in Yell township, which he took in part payment for his old homestead. This farm was well improved. He also owns ten acres of coal land on section 22, Yell township, and now rents his eighty acres on section 30, Yell township, making his own home in Ogden , where he is enjoying a well merited rest. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Smyth have been born ten children, as follows: George Henry, born August 9, 1852 , married Lizzie Fields and resides in Churdan, Green county, Iowa . Robert C., born March 22, 1854 , married Mary Ella Bomberger and resides near Marietta , Minnesota . They have three children. Arthur, born July 18, 1856 , died in infancy. Orville Vance, born March 11, 1858 , married Emma C. Matz and with their three children they reside in Boone , Iowa . S.A. Douglas, born September 5, 1860, married Hattie Anderson and reside in Rockwell City , Iowa . They have two children. Wiley Ellsworth, born September 22, 1862 , died at the age of three years. Mary Jane, born January 21, 1865 , married Harvey Helphrey and resides in Pery, Iowa . They have two children. John Edwin, born September 2, 1867 , is living with our subject. Effie Ellen, born September 12, 1870 , married Henry Gearman a resident of Revillo , South Dakota , and they have four children. Libbie D., born June 1, 1875 , married Wallace M. Jones and resides on our subject's eighty acre farm in Yell township. They have two children. Our subject's first five children were born in Muskingum county, Ohio ; the next three in Linn county, Iowa ; and the remaining two in Amaqua township, Boone county. Mr. Smyth held the office of county surveyor in Muskingum county, Ohio , for three years, being commissioned by Salmon P. Chase. He has also held the office of county supervisor, representing Amaqua towship on the board and has filled some minor offices. He and his wife are very active members and earnest workers in the Methodist Episcopal church. He has met with a fair degree of success in all his undertakings and is among the old and respected citizens of Boone county, for many years connected with agricultural interests. He has a comfortable competence and now makes his home in Ogden , where he is enabled to lead a retired life. He is enjoying the rest which he has justly earned and among the leading citizens of his community he is numbered, being respected for the possession of those qualities of manhood which in every land and every clime command esteem. Samuel M.
Sterrett, who is familiarly called "Uncle Sam" by his numerous friends,
is one of the wide-awake and progressive farmers of Dodge township,
living on section 21, where he owns and cultivates two hundred and
forty acres of rich land, pleasantly situated six miles north of Boone.
Mr. Sterrett is numbered among the native sons of Indiana, his birth
having occurred in Carroll county of that state on the 14th of October,
1835. His father, Robert Sterrett, was a native of Ireland, and
on crossing the Atlantic to the new world took up his abode in Carroll
county, Indiana. By trade he was a
weaver, following that vocation in
early life, but after his removal to Carroll County he carried on agricultural pursuits.
His death there occurred in 1837 and his wife passed away about five years later. Mr. Sterrett of this review was only two
years old at the time of his father's death and was left an orphan at the age of seven.
He then went to make his home with his uncle, but from early youth has been
dependent entirely upon his own
resources. After attaining his
majority he rented land and engaged
in farming upon his own account in Carroll county, Indiana, for four years.
The year 1865 witnessed his arrival in Boone county, Iowa. He
had visited this district in 1859 and was married here to Miss Mary Dawkins, a native of Kentucky, her girlhood days
being spent in that state and in
Indiana and Iowa. Mr. and Mrs.
Sterrett began their domestic life
in the Hoosier state where he continued his farming
pursuits until 1865 when he made preparations to establish a home
in Iowa. In January, 1866, he purchased two hundred and forty acres
of raw prairie land on section 21, Dodge township and he at once began
the work of making his fields cultivable. He
built a fence around the place and
soon the breaking plow was seen on the tract, turning the first
furrows and getting the land into a condition for cultivation.
From year to year his farm has been improved and today is a very valuable
tract. He has a large and pleasant
home which was erected in 1888.
There are also two good barns and he has planted fruit, shade and ornamental
trees. The substantial improvements
on all parts of the farm are
indicative of the enterprise and progressive spirit of the owner who commenced
life a poor young man, in fact, has depended upon his own resources
from early boyhood. He found that
industry, close application and
reliability won him advancement and these qualities have been salient characteristics in his entire career. Mr. Sterrett lost his first wife after coming
to Boone county, her death occurring in 1869. Three
children were born of that union: Telitha
J., the wife of John Hannan, of
Boone, who is in the employ of the Northwestern Railway Company; Celesta, the wife of Rev. A. T.
Carpenter, a Methodist Episcopal
minister now located in Keyapaha county, Nebraska; and Margaret E., the wife of John Boucher, of Churdan, Iowa.
In 1870 Mr. Sterrett was again married, his second union being with
Winnie Baker, who was born in Clay
county, Indiana, but during her infancy was brought
to Iowa where she was reared to womanhood.
Ten children were born of
this marriage: Docia, the wife of
Herman Stotts, of Dodge township;
Mae, the wife of Arthur Stotts of the same township; Eva at home; Mabel, who is a student in the high school of Boone;
Clara Belle; William Alexander;
Lillie, and Irene. They also lost
one son, Robert L., who died when
about eight years of age. The
parents are consistent and active
members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Ridgeport, and in
politics Mr. Sterrett is a Prohibitionist.
He has ever been fearless in
the defense of his honest convictions and has never faltered in announcing the same. In
early life he was a Jackson Democrat and cast his first ballot for James Buchanan, in 1856, and his next
vote for Stephen A. Douglas.
He afterward supported the men and measures of the Republican
party for several years and is now a Prohibitionist, having loon been a warm friend of the cause of temperance.
He has served for a few
terms as township trustee and has been a member of the school board.
Mr. Sterrett is a man of known integrity who enjoys and merits the confidence
and good will of his fellow men. He
is true to every cause or interest
which he believes to be right and does not hesitate to denounce those which he believes will prove detrimental to the
general welfare.
That he has a pleasant and genial manner is indicated by his large
circle of friends and by the name of "Uncle Sam" with which they usually
greet him. |
