MOOREHEAD, John H. (1808-1882)

MOOREHEAD

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 5/31/2021 at 15:18:20

John H. Moorehead
(September 21, 1808 – August 22, 1882)

John H. Moorehead, deceased, was during life one of the prominent and much respected residents of Ida county, Iowa, coming to the county in June, 1856. His birth occurred in Zanesville, Ohio, September 21, 1808, and he was a son of Thomas Moorehead, who was of Scotch ancestry. Mr. Moorehead came to Iowa City, Iowa, in 1854, where he remained until 1856, when he came into Ida County. He was a man who took an active part in all public affairs and assisted largely in the upbuilding of the county. One of its earliest settlers, he shouldered the public duties which were thrust upon him, on account of his knowledge of business, having been a man of business for many years. In his political belief he was an active Republican, and for years had been County Judge, and, in fact, filled most of the offices of the county. When Mr. Moorehead came to the county he entered some land in and near Ida Grove, and made his residence in the grove, which is just north of the site of the present town of Ida Grove. This thriving place was named from the old Moorehead homestead, which had been christened Ida Grove by Mrs. Moorehead. Mr. Moorehead died on this farm, August 22, 1882, after a life of usefulness. He had married a most excellent woman in the State of Virginia, named Martha C. F. Good, of Martinsburg, Virginia, born July 6, 1814, and she is still living upon the old home place. Her husband improved several farms in the county, erected buildings and planted trees, and in this way left many monuments to his energy and progressive ideas. He it was who platted and laid out the original town of Ida, which lies north of the present city of Ida Grove, and April 13, 1871, the plat was recorded. This consisted of forty acres on the northeast of the northeast corner of section 14, township 87, range 40, west. Here the city of Ida was built, and after the appearance of the railroad the new town of Ida Grove was platted, and the growth of Ida, the older place, was checked, but to Mr. Moorehead the honor is due for the location of this city. All of his enterprises were conducted with good judgement. At an early day he was engaged in shipping flour down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, and was very successful at this. He reared a family of five children: Anna L., the wife of Rev. Dr. Woodworth, of the Methodist Church, of Sioux City, Iowa; William C., on the old home farm; Hammond A., a manufacturer of cigars and tobacco supplies, residing in Cleveland, Tennessee; Frank R., member of the Ida Grove bar, and Justice of the Peace; and Giles C..
Source: Biographical History of Crawford, Ida, and Sac Counties, Iowa, 1893, p.588