For sixty-seven years John IBBOTSON has made his home upon the farm where he still resides. There is, perhaps, scarcely another in the county who can say the same. He represents one of the old pioneer families, his parents being George and Martha A. (RIGGS) IBBOTSON, the former born in Yorkshire, England, in 1806, while the latter was born near Lexington, Kentucky, in 1816. The father crossed the Atlantic alone and became a resident of Indiana in 1837. In 1841 he arrived in Des Moines county and was here married, after which he took up his abode upon what has since been known as the old IBBOTSON homestead farm, his remaining days being passed thereon. His wife came to Iowa in 1838 with her father, Stephen RIGGS, a native of Maryland, who, casting in his lot with the pioneer settlers of Des Moines county, entered land from the government when Iowa was still under territorial rule. He had a family of twelve children, four sons and eight daughters, including Martha A., who became the wife of George IBBOTSON. Before their marriage Mr. IBBOTSON purchased eighty acres of land on section 30, Yellow Springs township, which had been partially developed but no buildings or other improvements had been made. He cut poles and built a cabin and fenced his farm with brush, accomplishing much work of this character during the first four or five years in which he occupied the place. For two years he kept bachelor's hall and then married. As time passed on he added to his holdings, extending the boundaries of his farm as opportunity offered until he was the owner of four hundred and eighty acres in the home place and in addition had two quarter sections elsewhere, two eighty acre tracts and one hundred acres in small timber tracts, making a total of ten hundred and sixty acres. He was very generous with his family and gave one-half of this land to his children. In his farming he made a specialty of raising hay and cattle. He never sold feed and in fact had to purchase feed, so extensively did he engage in handling cattle. He died in the year 1894, while his widow, surviving him for a decade, passed away in 1904. In their family were the following named: Martha, now living in Oklahoma; John, of this review; Stephen R., of Los Angeles, California; George, who died at the age of forty years, leaving a widow and four children; Lizzie, who died unmarried; Robert, of Mediapolis; Isaac, who died in childhood; and Abraham Lincoln, who died at the age of eight years.

John Ibbotson has spent his entire life upon the farm in Yellow Springs township which is now his home. He was early trained to the work of the fields and became familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. After attaining his majority he concentrated his energies largely upon the raising and feeding of stock, conducting an extensive and successful business along that line until 1912. He is today the owner of four hundred acres of rich and valuable land and has also assisted his children in securing homes. Upon his farm are three good sets of buildings, all of which were erected by him, and the farm gives every evidence of the careful supervision of the practical and progressive owner.

In December, 1871, Mr. IBBOTSON was united in marriage to Miss Mary TALBOT, who was born in Yellow Springs township in April, 1848, a daughter of Aquila and Emily (GREGORY) TALBOT, natives of Kentucky and Indiana respectively. They were married in the latter state and about 1840 came to Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. IBBOTSON are the parents of eight children: Idora, the wife of John STUCKER, living on a neighboring farm; Edward, who occupies a part of the old homestead; John F., a resident of Oklahoma; Barbara, the wife of Morris HEIZER of Yellow Springs township; Homer, of Ringgold county, Iowa; Leslie, of Yellow Springs township; Harry, who occupies a part of the old homestead; and Eugene Burton, also living upon the old home farm. All of the children are now married and there are ten grandchildren.

Mr. IBBOTSON is a member of the Baptist church of Mediapolis and gives his political support to the men and measures of the republican party, keeping well informed on the questions and issues of the day. His has been an active and useful life and he has been a witness of much of the growth and development of the county, having for sixty-seven years live upon the farm which is still his place of residence. Great have been the changes which have occurred in this time. He has lived to see Burlington grow into a great commercial and industrial center, while other towns and villages have sprung up and the work of improvement has been carried steadily forward in keeping with the progressive spirit of the age.

SOURCE:  ANTROBUS, Augustine M. History of Des Moines County, Iowa  Vol. 2  S. J. Clarke Publ. Co. Chicago. 1915.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, December of 2008