Guthrie County >> 1884 Index

History of Guthrie and Adair Counties, Iowa
Springfield, Ill: Continental Hist. Co., 1884.

Richland Township
Transcribed by Bobbi Pohl

Josiah Black and his wife Rachel settled on section 1 [Richland township], during the year 1854, and entering some eighty acres of land, improved it and lived on it ntil the death of Mr. Black, which sad event occurred on the 31st of January, 1880. Mrs. Black is still living in the township.

F. M. Gardner, a farmer and stockraiser in Richland township, was born in Madison county, Ohio, in June, 1849. He moved to Illinois with his parents in 1854, and after removing to Washington county and remaining a short time, he came to Guthrie county, and in 1881, he bought a farm of eighty acres and since that time has purchased eighty acres more, making the farm now owned by him one hundred and sixty acres, joining the plat of Herndon. Mr. Gardner has laid off forty lots joining the town, which he has for sale. He raises cattle and Poland-China hogs. He was married in February, 1879, to Miss Laura A. Hull, a daughter of Margaret Hull, of Washington county, Iowa. They have three children--Charles F., Florence and Gertrude. Mr. Gardner is a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Jamaica.

Miles I. Godfrey, with his sons A. H., Miles W., and DAvid, settled upon section 2 [Richland township], during the spring of 1856. They were from Porter county, Indiana, but had come to this state the year previous, first locating in Henry county. Two of the sons are still residents of the old place. David, the other one, has removed to Missouri.

James Measures

In 1855 James Measures entered a claim on section 1 [Richland township], and proceeded to make a farm. In 1866 he married a daughter of Josiah Black, with whom he lived until October 30, 1879, when he was called by death, and he passed to the other world. His widow and children live on the old homestead, wheich has grown to large proportions.

Edwin Munger

Among the prominent men of this township [Richland] we must not forget to mention Edwin Munger, who was born in Albany, N.Y., in August, 1849. He moved to Blackhawk county, Iowa, in 1857, with his parents. In 1874 he moved to Des Moines, where he was engaged in the lumber business until 1882, when he moved to Jamaica, where he entered into the lumber business, which position he now holds. He was married in 1871 to Miss Mary A. Murry, a resident of Polk county. They have six children--Herbert H., Herman M., Walter S., Frederick, Clarence, and Caswell. Mr. Munger is a member of the Methodist Epicscopal church at Jamaica.

Peter D. Neister, a farmer on secion 15 [Richland townshiip], was born in Williams county, Ohio, December 29, 1846. He is the fourth of a family of seven children, and was reared on a farm in his native state. In 1868, he came to Marshall county, Iowa, and in the spring of the next year he came to Guthrie county. In 1871, he settled on his present place where he owns eighty acres, and on section 14 owns eighty acres, all of which is improved. He was married August 14, 1876, to Lizzie Shipman, a native of Leeds county, Canada. They have two children--Perley J. and Charles B. Mr. Neister was township clerk for six years, trustee five years, and was school treasurer eight years or more.

Captain Ira Shipley, a son of Lewis and Elizabeth Shipley, was born in Baltimore county, Maryland, in September, 1826. His parents both dying when he was about thirty-eight years of age, he entered a woolen mill, where he acquired that line of business. This was the mill of John Wetherhead, near Baltimore. After working in the mill about three years, he moved to Pennsylvania and worked at his trade for about six months, when he returned to his home in 1846, and attended school at Franklin academy, Baltimore county, Maryland. In the spring of 1847 he went to Carroll coutny, Maryland, and was employed in the woolen mill about two years, during which time he was married to Miss Adeline Miller, a daughter of David Miller. They moved to East Berlin, Pennsylvania, where he rented and carried on the manufacture of woolen goods until 1857, when he sold out, and was appointed postmaster at Round Hill, and bought the store of A. Sawyer, and kept the store and post-office until the breaking out of the civil war. In 1862 he raised a company of one hundred men, and offered their services to the government. He was appointed first lieutenant, and was made captain of Company I, 127th Pennsylvania infantry. He participated in several skirmishes, and in the battle of Fredericksburg. He afterward was discharged on account of disability contracted in line of duty. In the latter part of June, 1863, the revels crossed the Potomac, entering the state of Pennsylvania, burning Chambersburg, thence east to Gettysburg. They destroyed and took away about $10,000 worth of property for which he has never received one cent. He was appointed first lieutenant and raised a company of one hundred and thirty men, becoming ready for duty in about ten days. He was assigned to company I, 205th Pennsylvania infantry, and was made captain of his company. After being discharged from the military service he entered into private life once more as a farmer in Adams county, Pennsylvania, until 1869, when he removed to Richland township, Guthrie county, where he bought two hundred and forty acres of land, which he improved and now occupies it as his farm. He carries on general farming and stock-raising. Mr. Shipley has eight children--David L., Laura M., married to John Niester; Henry F., Sara A., married to J. Olliver, now residing in Green county, Iowa; Ira R., Ulysses G., married to Margaret Rolland now living in Cneter View, Missouri; Emma E., married to S. G. Weigle; Louise Bell. The subject of this sketch is a member of the Charles Baker Post, G.A.R.

William J. Thompson was born in Franklin county, Indiana, on the 30 of December, 1855, his parents being John and Mary (Jenkins) Thompson, both of whom were natives of Indiana. William J. is the fourth child in a family of five children. He was educated in Indiana, and attended Earlham college, of Richmond, Indiana, during the years 1874, 1875, and 1876. After leaving college he returned home and in a short time went to Philadelphia, where he remained until August, 1876, when he came to Guthrie county, Iowa, and farmed with his brother James until 1880, when he moved to his present home on section 22, Richland township. He is the owner of a nice farm of one hundred and sixty acres and also farms another one hundred and sixty acres which adjoins his land. He was married July 19, 1882, to Miss Ida King, a daughter of John King, of Panora. At present he is the secretary of the school board and constable and deputy sheriff. He is a member of Green lodge, No. 115, I.O.O.F., of Jefferson, Iowa, and is a member of the encampment.