Darius S. Orr
Still residing on the old homestead which his uncle entered
many years ago and which Darius S. Orr subsequently acquired by
purchase and where he has gained prosperity, he is not only
prominent in agricultural circles of Allamakee county, but has to
his credit a long and distinguished service in the National Guard
of the state, in which he served for a number of years with the
rank of lieutenant colonel. A native of Post township, he has
grown up with this section and has not only been a witness of the
wonderful transformation that has taken place as primitive
conditions have given was to the onward march of civilization,
but has been a helpful and cooperant factor in bringing about the
prosperous conditions which the present generation enjoys.
It was in a small log house one mile northeast of Postville that,
on June 4, 1859, Darius S. Orr saw the light of day, his parents
being James and Margaret A. (Ellison) Orr. The father was a
native of the north of Ireland, where he was born March 15, 1829,
while the mother was born in New York state in 1834. When a boy
eleven years of age the father crossed the ocean with his
parents, the family locating in Schuyler county, New York, at the
head of Seneca lake, where he grew to manhood. He received his
education in the common schools of Schuyler county and at the
Plattsburg and Starkey Seminaries and for several winters
followed teaching in New York, while in the summers he assisted
his father with the work of the farm. In Iowa he also taught for
six terms. The year 1855 marked his arrival in Allamakee county
and here he was married on January 1, 1856. The home farm upon
which the father settled had been entered from the government a
year or two before his arrival by a brother, and there James Orr
continued successfully in farming and stock-raising until 1898,
when he and his wife removed to Postville, where they still live
retired. The father has passed the age of eighty-four and the
mother is seventy-nine years of age, and both are highly
respected and esteemed as among the early pioneers. James Orr was
prominent in public life in his days, having held the offices of
township trustee and assessor, besides other positions, He and
his wife are the parents of seven children, of whom Darius S. is
the second in order of birth.
In the acquirement of his education Darius S. Orr attended public
school in Postville and after laying aside his text-books, worked
for his father until twenty-one years of age. He then rented the
homestead for ten years, his labors being attended with such good
success that he was enabled to buy the place and there he still
resides in the cultivation of two hundred and twenty-five acres
of highly improved land. He has added to the improvements by the
erection of modern buildings and has installed modern machinery
and implements in order to facilitate labor and improve the
productivity of the soil. He gives considerable attention to
stock-raising, breeding shorthorn cattle and Shire horses, as
well as Poland China hogs. Progressive and energetic, he follows
the most approved methods and, by scientific rotation of crops
and fertilization, keeps his land in the best condition.
On November 26, 1889, Mr. Orr wedded Miss Bertha Harris, a native
of Grand Meadow township, Clayton county, born January 12, 1871.
Mrs. Orr is a daughter of *William and Charity (McDonald) Harris,
the former a prominent retired farmer of Post township. In their
family are six children, of whom Bertha is the second in order of
birth. The others are: Herman Howard, who resided in Postville;
Edith, the wife of Ernie Churchill, of Monroe, Wisconsin,
Edna, who married Fred Oehring, of McGregor, this state;
Glessner, the wife of Arthur Webster, of Postville; and Adelaide,
residing with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Orr have four children,
as follows: Ethel, whose birth occurred October 29, 1890; Edith,
who was born September 13, 1892; Ester, born February 27, 1896;
and Eva, who was born November 14, 1898. All are still under the
parental roof.
In his political affiliations Mr. Orr is a republican, stanchly
upholding the candidates of that party at the polls. Although he
never personally aspired to political honors, he served for some
time efficiently as township assessor. He has given a
considerable part of his time to a worthy cause by rendering, for
twelve years, service in the Iowa National Guard. In the six
years after his enlistment he had, by gradual stages, attained
the rank of lieutenant colonel and as such commanded the Fourth
Regiment. He has ever been interested in matters military and has
willingly given his time and attention to that branch of the
state government, recognizing its importance and beneficial
influence upon the young men. Fraternally he is a member of the
Ancient Order of United Workmen. Viewed from every side, the
career of Mr. Orr is worthy of the highest commendation and may
serve as example for the younger generation. While he has made
himself financially independent by close application to the work
on hand, he has been an important factor along lines of progress
not only as an agriculturist, but also in moral and intellectual
upbuilding. He is recognized as a forceful element in his
locality and enjoys the highest esteem and fullest confidence of
all who come in contact with him in a business or social
way.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by
Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich
Return to 1913 biographies index