History
of Tama County, Iowa
Springfield, Ill., Union Publishing Company, 1883.
D
Unless otherwise noted, bios
were submitted by Dick Barton.
ABEL CHILDS
Tame County Poor Farm.
At the general election in 1875, the proposition of purchasing a poor farm and the erection of necessary buildings, was submitted to the voters of Tama county. It carried by a large majority, and the Board of Supervisors purchased of A. J. Wheaton, a tract of one hundred and fifty acres in section two, township 83, range 15, for $6,750. The contract for remodeling and enlarging the building was awarded to the Tama Hydraulic and Builders' Association, for $4,084.65, while Kent and Conklin were the architects.
The house is on a high elevation, a dry and healthy location; it has been rebuilt and greatly enlarged, and various changes instituted. As the building appears from the road it is more suggestive of an Eastern suburban hotel, or something of that kind than a charitable institution. Its extreme length from north to south is 84 feet, its width varies, being, we believe, 24 feet and 34 feet. It is divided up into the rooms, kitchen, dining room, halls and bed rooms. It is so arranged that there are three different stair-cases leading to the second story, so that in case of fire the upper story could be easily emptied of its occupants and contents, no matter in what locality the fire might be. The furniture is plain and substantial, though neat. Near the kitchen is an excellent well and a large cistern in which a force pump has been placed for protection against conflagration. The farm is well stocked with implements, and everything seems to be in good, healthy condition. The place is under the charge of Mr. Abel Child, who with the assistance of his amiable wife, seem to be the right people in the right places. It requires a peculiar disposition and manner to make a success of such an institution, and Mr. and Mrs. Child seem to be possessed of that peculiarity.
There is a certain discipline required, which, while it is kind and gentle, must, at the same time, be strict enough to easily quell any refractory or perverse spirit which will at times show itself even under the most generous and favorable circumstances.
Mr. Child keeps the farm in business like manner, and each month makes out duplicate reports, one copy of which is filed in the Auditor's office, while the other is preserved for reference, either for himself or any one that many be visiting.
Abel Childs, Superintendent of the County Poor Farm, was born in Broome county, N. Y., September 4, 1834. His parents, Josiah and Betsey (Aplington) Childs, died when he was a mere child, and he was reared by his grandfather Aplington, in Broome county, where he grew to manhood. At the age of twenty-one he left New York and removed to Ogle county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming. In 1862, he was married to Miss Margaret Lawson, a daughter of John Lawson, a native of Scotland. She was born in Paisley, Scotland. Her father was engaged largely in the dyeing business, and at the time of the World's Fair, he took the first premium on Paisley shawls. Mr. and Mrs. Childs are the parents of five children: Mary, Fleeda, Lizzie, Fred. and Roscoe. In the spring of 1856 Mr. Childs came to Tama county, and located in Carroll township, remaining until 1876, when he received the appointment to his present position. In politics he is a Republican, and has held several local offices of trust in the gift of the people.
JOHN DOYLE was born in county Wexford, Ireland,
in October, 1834. During 1853 he came to America, and first settled in Jo
Daviess county, Illinois, where he soon engaged in farming. In 1865 he removed to Scott county, Iowa, and at the end of
three years, came to Tama county, settling on section 28, Columbia township,
where he now lives on a fine farm of 200 acres. Mr. Doyle was married in 1861,
to Miss Ellen Enright, a native of Ireland, and born
in 1839. They have ten children
living - Annie, born July 31, 1862; Michael, born February 14, 1864; Maggie, born August 7, 1865; John, born February 3, 1867; Maurice, born March 31, 1869; Peter, born August 28, 1871; Dennis, born October 5, 1873; Martin, born November, 19, 1875; Mary, born October 28, 1877; Stephen E., born May 22, 1881.
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