TYRRELL, George Franklin 1829

TYRRELL, ST JOHN, BIXBY

Posted By: Kermit Kittleson
Date: 1/26/2012 at 14:08:38

EARLY PIONEERS

William Tyrrell, the first Tyrrell to arrive in America, in 1650, was apprenticed to Nicholas Simpkins as a tailor and eventually married his daughter, Rebecca. William became a prosperous merchant and traveled between Massachusetts and the Carolinas. The Tyrrells through the generations were progressive, civic minded and looking for ways to a better and more productive life. They have been known for being involved in starting Congregational churches and in education they have been especially active. They have been very patriotic, have had sons and fathers fight in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War and into the more recent wars.

From their start in Massachusetts, they have moved from New Hampshire, Vermont, Illinois to Mitchell County, Iowa. Several sons of Artemus and Abigail Bixby Tyrrell of Jo Daviess County, Illinois came to buy and settle land in Mitchell County. One of them was George Franklin and his wife Lavina St. John Tyrrell.

George Franklin was born in 1829 in Vermont and Lavina St. John was born in Monroe, Wisconsin in 1840, daughter of John and Nancy Foster St. John who were also early settlers.

George and Lavina were married in 1858 in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. George had already pre-empted land northwest of Riceville near Jenkins Center. Their mode of travel was by covered wagon or by what was called "Prairie Schooner". It has been told there was a little habitation along the way and lots of wildlife such as deer and prairie wolves. They cleared the land and worked diligently to develop the farm that they lived on for over 50 years.

They had six daughters born in the Riceville area. Ella Charlotte (Neville), Ada (Foster), Mary (Laughlin), Grace (Gooder), Nettie (Rogers) and Eva (Morey). All six daughters were school "Marms" in the community.

In 1892, they moved into Riceville and George passed away in 1907. Lavina lived until 1929 leading an active life up until just before her death.

Family and friends remembered George as a very caring and compassionate man. It is told a neighbor borrowed a team of horses from George and as George was going to town he chanced on his neighbor abusing the borrowed horses. George stopped, took the reins of his horses and quietly said to his neighbor "I have never treated my animals like that and I will not allow you to," and he took them home.

By Verna Mae Larson Oase, Mitchell County History, 1989

Mitchell Biographies maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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