Greene County IAGenWeb

Geo. M. Thomson

Was born in Bodenfimoch, Botriphnel, Banff, Sh., Scotland, Oct 18, 1850, near where his father and James Gordon Bennett, the founder of the New York Herald were. His mother’s name was Milne, from a noted Scotch family. Mr. Thomson came to America in 1872, and worked that summer in Henderson county, Illinois, and in the fall came to Cedar county, Iowa, where he worked as a farm hand until 1876, when he came to Greene county, where he has lived ever since. He was married to Emma L. Williams, January 9, 1881, the daughter of J. Z. Williams an early settler in Junction township, and a soldier in the war of the rebellion, and his father, Elias Williams, was one of the heroes of the Revolutionary war, captured by the Indians and held a prisoner for three years and five months. They have had three children, two of who are still living:: Harry W., 17; Margaret E., 13.

Addison Parker Jewett

Was born in Petersburg, New Hampshire, in 1835. When he was five years old his parents moved to Massachusetts, and came to Livingston county, Illinois, in 1857, and to Greene county, Iowa, in 1870, locating on section 17, Junction township, where he has since resided. He was married in 1863 to Lucy B. Coburn, and they enjoyed for many years the comforts of their pleasant farm home. They have had one child: James Arthur, aged 34. Mrs. Jewett died in 1896, and was buried in the Grand Junction cemetery. He was trustee of the township for fourteen years, and in politics he is a republican.

John A. Jasinsky

A native of the Keystone State, was born in Chester county, Pa., in 1849. When two years old he moved with his parents to Ohio, and a year and a half later they went to LaSalle county, Illinois, where his father had bought a farm. They lived there until 1872, when he moved to Boone county. He was married in Jefferson, Iowa in 1876 to Ida Coburn, a native of Wisconsin. In the spring of 1880 he moved to Junction township, locating on section 14, where they have since resided and have a pleasant home. They have had six children, two of whom have died. The living are: Della, 20; Edna, 18; Bunes, 12; Ezra, 11. They are members of the Baptist church, and in politics he is a republican.

William Lee

Was born in Wayne county, Ohio, May 11, 1816, where he lived with his parents until he had attained young manhood and then moved to Medina county, where his father had purchased a farm. He was married in that county, in 1837 to Rachel Curtis, and one child was born to them. Mrs. Lee died in 1842 in Sandusky. In 1848 he married Martha M’Lain; they had eight children, five of whom are living: Henry, 49; John 47; Emma, 37; Dan, 32; Adelbert, 28. He moved to Huron county, Ohio, in 1863, remaining one year and then came to Greene county, locating in Junction township, where he lived until September, 1896, when de died at the ripe age of 81 years.

Joseph Mehan

Was born in County Donegal, Ireland, in 1839, and emigrated to the United states when a year old, his parents locating in Pennsylvania where he grew to manhood, engaging in mining for six years, then went to Illinois where he engaged in different lines of business and finally bought a farm in M’Lean county. He was married in 1869 to Mary Brogan, and seven children have been born to them all living at home. In 1891 he moved to his present home in Junction township, Greene county where he has since lived and where he has a valuable and well-improved farm. Politically he has always been a democrat.

David W. Fowler

A native of Ohio, was born in Hamilton county in 1836, where he resided until 1871, when he moved to McLean county, Illinois, locating near Bloomington. He was married in his native county to Lucinda Hawkins, and they have had nine children: Ida May, 40; Charles, 39; Emma R., 36; William H., 34; Mattie L., 32; Jessie B., 30; Nannie, 28; Lorania, 25; Prairie Belle. The family moved from Bloomington to Jefferson in 1881, and a year later located on a farm three miles west of Grand Junction where he now lives. They are members of the M. E. church in good standing, and politically he is a democrat.

John McNeil

A native of Ireland, was born in Giant’s Causeway, County Antrim, in 1817, coming to America when he was 17 years old, settling in Buffalo, New York, where he engaged in a general mercantile business for five years, when failing health induced him to sell out, and he moved to Michigan, where he had purchased a farm. He was married to Mary Elliott, in 1846, and they had six children. She died in 1857, and on the 27^th of June, 1860, he married Margaret M. Bradley, by which union nine children were born, two of whom are dead. The family moved from Michigan in 1865, locating in Greene county, Iowa, where they have since resided, and now live in Junction township.

J. G. Hoefle

Was born in Germany in 1846, where he resided until he was twenty-one years old, when he emigrated to America, locating in Illinois, where he lived twelve years, and where he was married to Anise Powers, a lady of American descent, from which union six children were born, four of whom are living: Dan, 29; J. H., 26; William, 24; George, 20; Gertie, 15. In 1879 he moved from Illinois to Greene county, Iowa, locating in Junction township, where he owns 160 acres of valuable, well-improved land and enjoys the comforts of a pleasant home. Politically he is a republican.

Andrew J. Davis

Is a native of Vermont, having been born in Chittenden, Rutland county, in 1831, where he lived with his parents till he was fourteen years of age, when he moved with them to New York State, where he found a home till he became of age. Leaving York State he made a brief stay in Michigan, and then located in Kendall county, Illinois, where he was married in 1859, to Harriet E. Hanby, a native of England. He then located in Lee county for seven years, and then came to Iowa, settling on section 11, Junction township, where he owns a splendid farm home. They have had eight children, all of whom are living and all but one lives in Iowa: Louisa, 41; Ann Eliza, 38; Albert, 36; Horlta, 34; Cora, 31; Charles, 27; Jennie, 25; Clara, 10. They are members of the Presbyterian church, and in politics he is a republican.