1889 BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND AUDUBON COUNTIES, IOWA
W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS
113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO
T
MILTON D. TAYLOR, breeder of Norman horses. Mr. Taylor's farm is located
one and one-half miles west of the town of Gray, in Lincoln Township.
He was reared upon a farm, and his long experience in handling livestock
has well fitted him for his present occupation. His parents were caught
in an early tide of emigration, and did not settle until they reached
Otto County, Nebraska, where Milton D. was born in October, 1859.
The country was new, and the privations endured so great that they
packed their effects and went back to Washington County, Iowa. They
are both natives of Venango County, Pennsylvania, and on their way
west spent one year in Rock Island County, Illinois, resuming the
journey to Nebraska the following spring. On their return to Washington
County, Iowa. Milton D. was a mere lad. The father occupied himself
with farming and stockraising, and is still engaged in this business.There
our subject grew to manhood, and received his education in the common
schools; he had unusual opportunities of perfecting himself in his
chosen calling, being under the tuition of his father. In the fall
of 1879 Mr. Taylor came Audubon County, and bought eighty acres to
of land in section 11, which he broke out and placed under cultivation.
The following fall he added forty acres to the farm.He remained upon
his farm for two years, and then returned to Washington County. In
the fall of 1887 he came on his present farm, and began placing upon
it permanent improvements. In February, 1888, he brought to this country
the celebrated Norman horse, Splendid, importeddirectly from France.
In the French record book this horse is numbered 18,285, and in the
American book it is numbered 9,829, Vol. V. Splendid is a beautiful
steel gray, four years old.Mr. Taylor is deserving of much credit
for the introduction of pureblooded horses into Audubon County. Enterprise
of this kind advances the whole interests of the county, and is one
of the strong factors of progress.
From: 1889 Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon counties, Iowa, pp. 813.
AMOS TEAKLE is the pioneer breeder and importer of Clydesdale horses
in Audubon County. The first pure blooded Clydesdale horse brought to the county was imported directly from Scotland by Singmaster and Sons,
noted stockmen and importers of Keokuk County, Iowa. This animal was
purchased by Mr. Teakle in 1883, and much credit is due him for the
advancement that has been made in this industry. He now owns two fine
horses: Leekie Lad, registered in the Stud Book of Great Britain,
No. 1,725; in the American Registry, No. 835. Sir Matthew is registered
in the Scotch book, No. 6,299; and in the American book, No. 3,548.
Mr. Teakle's farm is in Douglas Township, and is fitted up for breeding
purposes. Our subject was born in Juniata County, Pennsylvania, June
20, 1850. His father, Thomas Teakle, was a native of England, who
emigrated to America when a young man. He married Jane Gemmill, a native of Scotland, and a daughter of William Gemmill. After his marriage
Thomas Teakle settled in Pennsylvania, and there carried on farming
for a long period of years. He sold his farm and removed with his family to Keokuk County, Iowa, in 1869, and resided there until his death,
which occurred in 1876; his wife passed away two years later, in 1878. Amos Teakle is the oldest of six children, four boys and two girls, all
of whom are living.He was reared to farm life, and continued to follow
this occupation until his majority, when he engaged in feeding hogs
and cattle; later he turned his attention to the breeding of horses.Mr.
Teakle was married to Miss Maggie Booth, of Keokuk County, Iowa, a
native of Scotland, and a daughter of William Booth. They have had
three children born to them -- Agnes, Thomas and Jane. Mr. Teakle is
a member of the Knights of Pythias, Audubon Lodge, No. 163.
From: 1889 Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon counties, Iowa, pp. 774.
ISAAC THOMAS. One of the pioneer settlers of Audubon County is Isaac
Thomas, who lives on section 7, Audubon Township. He was born in Washington County, Ohio, May 28, 1835, and is the son of Jacob and Elizabeth
(Linn) Thomas. Mrs. Elizabeth L. Thomas was one of the first white
children born in Monroe County, Ohio. She now resides in Sioux County,
Nebraska, at the age of eighty nine years, and is taking up a claim
of 160 acres. Her husband died in Washington County, Ohio, about the
year 1847.She is the mother of ten children, of whom Isaac Thomas
is the fifth.He was reared to farm life in his native county, and
received his education principally in the common schools. He had spent
one year in college, when be was compelled to abandon the course on
account of ill health. In the spring of 1860 he came to Iowa, and settled
in Audubon County. He secured employment on the farm of Nathaniel
Hamlin, and remained in his employ for four years. About one year
after he came to the county he was married to Miss Mary M., the oldest
daughter of Nathaniel and Margaret (Poague) Hamlin, who was born in
Vermillion County, Illinois, October 22, 1841. She was the first white
woman who settled in Audubon County, having come with her father to
assist in founding the new home, as she was the oldest child. She made
herself very useful in driving the oxen and planting corn. After four
months she returned to Mahaska County, where the family were then
living; later, the same fall, the entire family removed to the new
home in Audubon County. After the marriage of Mr.Thomas, which occurred
March 14, 1861, he remained in the employ of his father-in-law for three
years. During this time he purchased eighty acres in Audubon Township.
There was a rude hut on this place, and about twelve acres of land
had been broken. In the spring of 1864 Mr. and Mrs. Thomas came to
this place, and have since made it their home. In the beginning they
had many hardships to undergo. They were obliged to travel eighty
miles to Des Moines to do their marketing, and grain and produce had
to be hauled the same distance. Mr. Thomas has added to his farm until
he now has 335 acres; he has as good land as lies in the county, and
it is improved with a fine residence, and barns for stock and grain.
Politically he is a staunch Union Labor man, being one of the first
to join the party. Previous to the organization of this party he was
a Democrat. He has been elected to to the office of county supervisor
three terms, and has held the office of justice of the peace, besides
other township offices. He and his wife are members of the Christian
church.They are the parents of eleven children Luann, Maturin, Belle,
wife of S. J. Bloom; Jacob, Nancy J. (deceased), Nathaniel, Oral(deceased),
Rosie, John (deceased), Isaac (deceased), and Bessie.
From: 1889 Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon counties, Iowa, pp. 726.
JOSEPH P. THORNISCH is a member of the firm of Thornisch & Isham,
livery and coal dealers, Audubon,Iowa. In the livery business Mr.
Thornisch succeeds Mr. I. N. Simpson, of whom he bought the business
in May, 1880, which he continued at the old stand. He formed a partnership
with Mr. Charles Isham, who with himself constitutes the present firm.Mr.
Thornisch was born in Wyoming County, New York, August 2, 1844. He
lived in his native county until he was sixteen years old, when he
went to Genesee County, New York, working on a farm, breaking horses,
and fitting them for market. He afterward drifted west and stopped
in Audubon County, Iowa, in 1871, and spent his first winter on Davis
Creek. In the following spring he took up a homestead near the present
town site of Audubon, but through some technicality the Rock Island
Railroad Company gained possession of it, and Mr. Thornisch lost about
$4,000. Abandoning the homestead he disposed of his cattle ranch,
and purchased the livery stock, as before stated.The firm of Thornisch
& Isham is well known from the fact that both parties have been
residents of the county for several years. They keep a good stock
of buggies, including a fine hack and hearses, and attend to calls
in the country promptly, as well as in the city. Their stock of horses
is quite complete, and they have fine driving teams. In connection
with their livery and coal business they have given special attention
to the breeding of Henry Clay and Messenger horses; they also breed
Clydesdale horses, and have invested a considerable sum in this business.
Mr. Thornisch was married in 1867 to Miss Elizabeth Gabel, of Wyoming
County, New York, a daughter of Jacob Gabel, of the same county. There
she was born and reared to womanhood. To Mr. and Mrs. Thornisch have
been born three children Eli A., Francis M., and Irma C. Mr. Thornisch
has served one term as township trustee.He is a member of Oretas Lodge,
No. 396, I. O. O. F. Mr. Thornisch's parents were John J. and Catharine
(Meyers) Thornisch, natives of Germany. The father emigrated to America
before he was married.
From: 1889 Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon counties, Iowa, pg. 749.
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Contributed by Marthann Kohl-Fuhs, April, 2005.
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