A History
of Crawford, Ida and Sac Counties, Iowa
[?]: Lewis Publishing Co., 1893
J
Unless
otherwise specified, biographies are submitted by Conley
Wolterman.
Abiram
Johnson, a prominent resident of Willow Township, Section 36, Crawford
County, Iowa, was one of the soldiers in the Civil War. He resided in Willow
Township since 1880. He was born at Cumberland, Guernsey County, Ohio, June 11,
1842, and was the son of William Johnson of Harrison County, Ohio, who also was
a son of William Johnson, a soldier of the War of 1812 (a descendant of English
ancestors). The mother of Abiram Johnson was Hannah Collins, a native of
Cumberland, Ohio, a daughter of Finley Collins who was a soldier in the Indian
Wars at Fort Defiance, OHIO.
Abiram had a brother (Ira M. Johnson) and a sister (Emma). Abiram's father
was a harness maker by trade, and a fine and capable workman. Abiram
served an apprenticeship to the trade with his father, and received his
education in the common schools. During the Civil War, he enlisted, December 8,
1861, in Co. F, 78th Ohio Infantry Volunteer, and he was under fire at Fort
Donelson - where he got so wet that he captured the haversack of a rebel soldier
and put on those clothes to get dry. In this way he was taken for a rebel and
carried off to Chicago as a prisoner of war. He had to get papers from the State
before he would be returned to his regiment, but he got back in time to take
part in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Iuka, Jackson, Hatcher's Run, Champion
Hills -- where Abiram fired 138 rounds -- the siege of Vicksburg, and returned
home on veteran furlough. He was with the army of General Sherman at Lost
Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Jonesboro, and at the 2 battles of Atlanta, and when
brave General McPherson was killed at Atlanta. Then the regiment marched through
Georgia and the Carolinas, and took part in the grand review at Washington City,
District of Columbia, and was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., and discharged at
Chicago.
Mr. Johnson returned to Guernsey County, Ohio, where he remained until 1879,
when he came to Crawford County, Iowa, and in 1882 he settled upon a farm. This
was wild land with no improvements of any kind. Then he eventually had 200
acres, well improved, with groves, as well as, cultivated fields. His residence
was 22 x 28 ft., one and a half stories, very comfortable, and surrounded with
all of the buildings pertaining to a first-class farm where he fed and raised
horses, cattle, and hogs.
He married December 7, 1867, to Miss O. Downey, a woman of intelligence and
education. She was the daughter of Merriman and Jennie Van Horn Downey,
Zanesville, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson had one son, Clyde M., born October 15,
1874. Abiram was a member of the G.A.R. of Dow City Post, and was a member of
the Independent order of Odd Fellows.
Prof. Charles
H. Jump
Charles H. Jump
held a responsible position of principal of the public schools of Early
beginning September 1892. The schools were divided into 3 grades and
he was assisted by his wife who had charge of the intermediate department.
In comparing the enrollment of the non-resident pupils for the first
four months of the year 1892-93 with that of the 9 months of the year
1891-92, it was found that the former averages 63.5, while the other
averages 84. Under the skillful management of Prof. Jump, the school
steadily improved, and soon had the largest enrollment of non-resident
pupils in Sac County, as it first had the second place. The school had
a fine library and was well supplied with good apparatus.
Prof. Jump came
to Sac County, Iowa, in 1889, although he did not enter directly into
educational work until September 1890, when he assumed charge of the
Auburn, Iowa, schools, remaining in that capacity until called upon
to occupy the Sac County position. Previous to his locating in Sac County,
Prof Jump had been identified with the schools of Erie County, Ohio,
for some 9 years, coming directly from Sandusky to Sac County, Iowa.
The Professor was
born in Canajoharie, New York, June 26, 1864, son of Amos and Nancy
(Wawful) Jump, natives of New York. Amos moved in 1886 to Huron County,
Ohio, settling at East Townsend, and was engaged in the manufacturing
business.
Charles Jump received
his education in the University of Ohio, taking the classical course.
Later he took a course at the National Commercial College at Oberlin,
graduating with the Class of 1884. Since that time he was successfully
engaged in teaching. Before settling in Iowa, he made several trips
to Sac County, Iowa, and was so well pleased with the country and people
that he decided to settle there.
Prof. Jump was married
in Sac County, July 13, 1890, to Miss Estella May Booth, a native of
Henderson County, Illinois, but was taken by her parents to Ida County
when 11 years of age, and educated in Ida Grove. After finishing her
education, she engaged in teaching in Logan Township, Ida County, Iowa,
for a year or so, when she was engaged by the Board of Directors in
Blaine Township, Ida County, Iowa and taught there for about the same
time. In 1891, she assumed charge of the primary department of the Auburn
schools, and since September 1892, had charge of the intermediate department
at Early.
Prof. Jump was active
in all educational matters. He was Secretary of the Sac County Association,
and served creditably as Instructor in the Sac County institutes. He
made a specialty of penmanship and was an excellent teacher of the art.
His reputation as an instructor and as a disciplinarian was excellent.
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