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James Harkin

It is interesting to note from the beginning the growth and development of a community, to note the lines along which progress has been made and to take cognizance of those whose industry and leadership in the work of advancement have rendered possible the present prosperity of the locality under consideration. James Harkin; an extensive farmer of Putnam township, Fayette county, has contributed largely to the material welfare of the community in which he resides, being a progressive man of affairs and a public-spirited citizen. He was born August 17, 1847, in Kenosha county, Wisconsin, and is the son of William and Catherine (McCauley) Harkin, both natives of Ireland, where they grew to maturity, were educated and married, and from which country they came to America in 1832, Mr. Harkin entering our navy, in which he served as a gunner for three years. In 1836 he moved to Wisconsin, and in 1855 came to Iowa and settled in Clayton county, where he remained five years, coming to that county in 1860, locating two and one-half miles north of Strawberry Point, where he entered land, later trading the same for a farm in Fayette county, the present home of the Larkin family, and he was successful as a farmer and established a good home. He and his wife were the parents of twelve children, two of whom are living, Jennie, now Mrs. McClanahan, of California, and James, of this review. These parents were fine old people, well liked and highly respected wherever they were known.

James Harkin received a good common school education and later in life supplemented the same by contact with the world and by home study. He was married on October 14, 1888, to Emma Lang, daughter of Nicholas and Charlotte Lang, natives of Ohio, where they grew to maturity and were married, coming to Delaware county, Iowa, about 1856, and to Fayette county about 1866, purchasing a farm in section 34, Putnam township, on which he lived continuously until his death, at the advanced age of eighty-four years, dying in 1907, his wife dying the same year at the age of seventy-six years, and they are both buried at Strawberry Point. They became the parents of nine children.

James Harkin began his married life on the farm which he now owns, it consisting at that time of two hundred and forty acres; he has been a good manager and a hard worker and has added to his place until it now contains four hundred acres of as good land as Fayette county can boast. He has made extensive and substantial improvements, and he is today one of the prosperous and up-to-date farmers of the county, having an attractive and comfortable home and commodious outbuildings, everything about the place indicating thrift, prosperity, good management and that a gentleman of fine taste has its management in hand. He has kept abreast of the times in the matter of up-to-date farming and stock raising, having been very successful in all his undertakings.

To Mr. and Mrs. Harkin two children have been born, William, whose birth occurred August 4, 1889, finished the common school course and graduated high school at Strawberry Point, also received a thorough commercial course at Oelwein and is a young man of much promise and natural business ability: Mabel, who graduated at the high school at Strawberry Point, is preparing for a career as teacher in the public schools, and she is well informed not only in text-books, but is talented and cultured and a favorite with a wide circle of friends.

~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Ann Borden