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Hon. Andrew Addie

Hon. Andrew Addie,  an early settler of the county, now engaged in general farming on section 13, Scott Township, was born in Fife, Scotland, on the 19th of October, 1839, and is a son of John and Margaret (Barlass) Addie. His paternal grandfather was a contractor and builder. His father, who was born and reared in Fife, gave his attention to farming, and in 1844, with his wife and seven children, crossed the Atlantic to America, locating in Rock County, Wis. He settled on Government land and from the raw prairie developed a good farm. His death occurred in 1876, at the age of sixty-six years, but his wife is still living on the old homestead, at the advanced age of eighty-one years. He died in the faith of the Presbyterian Church of which he had long been a member and his loss was deeply mourned by many friends. In earlier years he supported the Free Soil Party and then became a Republican, affiliating with that party during the remainder of his life. The children of the family are Margaret, who died in Story County, Iowa; William who lives in Kansas; Mrs. Elizabeth McFarlane, of Scott Township; Andrew of this sketch; Jane who is living in Rock County, Wis.; John, of South Dakota; Robert, of Howard County, Iowa; Mrs. Mary Godfrey who died in Wisconsin; David of Nebraska, George, who is living on the old homestead in Wisconsin; and Mrs. Hannah Edden, also of Rock County.

The hardships and difficulties incident to the opening up of a new farm on the frontier are not unknown to our subject who underwent such an experience during the days of his boyhood and youth. He remained at home until 1864, when he enlisted in Company I, Thirty-Eighth Wisconsin Infantry for the late war, participated in the battles of Hatchies Run, Weldon Railroad, Reeves Station and Fort Stedman. He was in the trenches before Petersburg all through the winter and just prior to the close of the war, took part in the charge on Fort Mahone, on the 2d of April, 1865. With his company he marched in the Grand Review at Washington where he was discharged soon afterward.

Returning home, Mr. Addie remained in Wisconsin until September, 1865, when he came to Iowa, locating on his present farm in Fayette County. Previous to his removal here, he had bought eighty acres to which he has since added by subsequent purchase until he now owns two hundred and eighty acres of fine farming land, highly cultivated and improved. A comfortable residence is surrounded by good barns and other necessary buildings which in turn lie in the midst of well cultivated fields. He is a stockholder in the Scott Creamery Company which he helped to organize and which has been made a paying institution. Socially he is a member of the Grand Army Post of Brush Creek and of the United Workmen lodge of that place. In politics he is a Democrat. Out of his entire company he was the only one that cast a vote for McClellan during the war, and since that time he has supported the Democracy with the exception of one campaign when he voted for Weaver and Butler. He has held a number of minor offices and in 1879 and 1880 was elected County Clerk on a combined Democratic and Greenback ticket. While serving in that capacity he made his home in West Union. In 1883 he was nominated for Representative on the Democratic ticker and was defeated, but in 1889 was elected to that position on the Democratic ticker. He served during the deadlock and did effective work on a number of important committees, including those of appropriations and claims, retrenchment and reform, insane asylums, banks and banking and enrolled bills and others. He supported the measures of his party and won the commendation of his constituents and friends.

On the 23d of October, 1861, in Rock County, Wis., Mr. Addie was united in marriage with Miss Emily Goodman, a native of England, where her parents were also born. They settled in Rock County, Wis. in 1850, where her mother is still living. Her father died in Rock County, in 1890. They were parents of four children who are yet living: William a resident of Oregon; John who makes his home in Missouri; Solomon of Wisconsin; and Mrs. Addie. Unto our subject and his wife have been born the following named children: Mrs. Elizabeth Eva Speed, now living in Volga County; Thomas G., Mary, Emma, Harriet, James, John, Lillian and Alice. The children were all provided with good educational advantages and the eldest daughter attended a select school in West Union. Mr. Addie is a representative citizen, public spirited and progressive and is widely known throughout the county. The honor conferred upon him by his election to the Legislature was justly merited, as his capable and efficient manner of discharging his duties indicated.