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JAMES HARVEY TEDFORD
James Harvey TEDFORD, of Mt. Ayr, senior editor of the Ringgold Record, is a man who has the reputation of
knowing how to make the best used of the English language in his well-known newspaper. He was born in Putnam county,
Indiana, March 4, 1833, of stock whos genealogy can be traced through the best families of Tennessee. He is wholly
self-made, having earned the money with which his education was secured by teaching school. He entered Hanvoer college at
the age of 17, and graduated therefrom in 1856, with the degree of bachelor of arts. He subsequently attended the United
Presbyterian Theological seminary at Xenia, Ohio, for three years, during the time Whitelaw REID was publishing a paper
in that city. On the completion of his education he entered upon the ministry, and for thirty years filled the pulpits of
prominent churches in Greenville, Pennsylvania; Tipton, Indiana, and at Mount Ayr, Iowa. At the conclusion of his
pastorate in the last named city [Mount Ayr] in 1886, he became associate editor and part owner of the Ringgold
Republican, a paper that had been established a short time previously. About one year thereafter he, with his
partner, purchased the Ringgold Record, the oldest paper in the county, having been established in 1865, and
the two papers were consolidated. At the time he first located in Mount Ayr, in 1879, he was employed as pastor of the
United Presbyterian denomination, to which work his time was devoted until entering upon a journalistic career. As a
newspaper man he has been a success. Commencing with but limited capital, he now owns, with his son, one of the best
newspaper plants in southwestern Iowa. His political preferences have always been for the republican party. He was clerk
for the interstate and foreigncommerce committee in the national house in 1895-6, appointed by Congressman W. P. HEPBURN,
of whom he has ever been a warm supporter and faithful friend in victory and in defeat. He was married in June, 1862,
to Miss Elizabeth ROWAN, at Argyle, N.Y. They have two children:
Howard, who is connected with him in the publishing of the Record, and Mary TEDFORD.
NOTE: James died on September 13, 1924. Elizabeth was born in 1836, and died August 26, 1905. James
and Elizabeth were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa.
SOURCE:
GUE, B. F., Ex-Lieutenant-Governor [IA] Biographies and Portraist of the Progressive Men of Iowa: Leaders in
Business, Politics and the Professions, Together with a History of the State Pp. 463-64.Conaway & Shaw Publisher.
Des Moines. 1899. WPA Graves Survey, Ringgold County
Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2009
from Biography & Historical Record of Ringgold County, Iowa
Lewis Publishing Company of Chicago, 1887, Pp. 341-42
Rev. J. H. TEDFORD
Rev. James Harvey TEDFORD, of Mt. Ayr is the son of H. H. (sic) and Margaret (McCLURG) TEDFORD,
natives of Tennessee. They removed to Indiana in 1830. Mr. Tedford, the father, was a Farmer by occupation, and died
in 1875. His wife died in 1833. Of his seven children two are living; and of these the eldest, the subject of this
notice, was born in Putnam County, Indiana, March 4, 1833. At the age of seventeen he entered Hanover College at
Hanover, Indiana, where he was graduated in 1856, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He then studied three years
in the United Presbyterian Theological Seminary at Xenia, Ohio. He then entered upon the work of the Ministry, which
he has followed ever since coming to Iowa in 1879.
In July, 1886, he became associated with R. B. WILLIAMS in the
ownership and publication of the Ringgold County Republican. He was married in June, 1862 to Elizabeth ROWAN. They
have two children.
Biography & Historical Record of Ringgold County, Iowa, Pp. 341-42, 1887.
Rev. J. H. TEDFORD
Rev. James H. TEDFORD was born March 4, 1833, in White County, Indiana. His mother died when he was three months old and
his life was filled with the usual hardships of pioneer times.
Although lame from the time he was five months old, he
early in life resolved to secure an education. He worked his own way through Hanover College, earning means to complete his
education by teaching school in Kentucky. He was graduated from Hanover in 1856 and was the oldest living graduate of the
college at the the time of his death.
He decided to enter the ministry and was graduated from Xenia Theological
Seminary at Xenia, Ohio.
He was married to Elizabeth ROWAN at Argyle, New York, and her death occurred August 26, 1905.
His first pastorate was at Greenville, Pennsylvania, and for twelve years he ministered to the United Presbyterian congregation
at Tipton, Ind. He removed to Mount Ayr in 1879, and was pastor of the local United Presbyterian Church for six years.
He then purchased a half interest with Robert WILLIAMS in the Ringgold Republican. This partnership later purchased
the Ringgold Record of George R. ROBY. In due time, Mr. TEDFORD purchased the interest of his partner in the paper
and became the sole owner and editor, and continued his newspaper and editorial work in Mount Ayr until the time of his
death, which occurred September 13, 1924, at the ripe age of 91 years and 6 months.
After completing his education, his
son Howard became a partner in the business, and this partnership continued for years. During this time, Howard TEDFORD
was elected State Binder, which office he held for six years. At the close of this period, the TEDFORDS purchased the Twice-A-Week News of Walter BEALL, and at this time Sam SPURRIER was taken into the partnership, and he later
acquired ownership of the paper, Reverend TEDFORD retaining the position of editorial writer. His only daughter
married a Mr. SPENCE and lived in Texas. She died there a few years ago [1936].
LESAN, Mrs. B. M. Early History of Ringgold County: 1844 - 1937, p. 72
NOTE: Rev. James Harvey TEDFORD died on September 13, 1924, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa.
Charles TEDFORD, son of Rev. and Elizabeth (ROWAN) TEDFORD, died in his youth.
Mary TEDFORD, daughter of Rev. and Elizabeth (ROWAN) TEDFORD, was born in 1862, Rinngold County, Iowa, and married Joseph SPENCE. They were the parents of
Elizabeth SPENCE; Margaret (SPENCE) BRACK; James SPENCE; and, Charles Tedford SPENCE who resided in Clint, Texas. Henry "Howard" TEDFORD,
son of Rev. and Elizabeth (ROWAN) TEDFORD, was born in 1870, Ringgold County, and died in 1943. He married in 1902 to Anne "Regina" VALE. Rev. TEDFORD's mother Margaret (McCLURG) TEDFORD was born in Blount County, Tennessee on
March 22, 1803, the daughter of John McCLURG (1776, PA - 1848, IN) and Hannah Bell (?) McCLURG (1777, VA - ?),
and died September 22, 1833, Carroll County, Indiana, with interment at Pleasant Run Cemetery in Tippacanoe Township of
Carroll County. She married Henry Paxton TEDFORD in Blount County,
Tennessee, December 18, 1827. Henry Paxton TEDFORD, the son of Mary (FERGUSON (1785, VA - 1841) and John
TEDFORD Jr. (1781, VA - 1870, IN), was born in Blount County, Tennessee on July 4, 1806, and died on November 7, 1874,
Carroll County, Indiana. The TEDFORD family moved to Indiana in 1840. Henry Paxton TEDFORD was amonth the first
settlers in Jefferson Township of Carroll County, Indiana. Henry served as a representative to the Indiana General
Assembly in 1845, and as county sheriff from 1850 to 1853. He also served as Captain of the 77th
Regiment of the Indiana Militia in 1839. Henry married 2nd to Catherine Eliza (DOLL or DULL) in Carroll County,
Indiana on November 13, 1836. Catherine was born October 1, 1807, and died December 6, 1883. Henry Paxton TEDFORD
died in Carroll County, Indiana, on November 7, 1874. SOURCES:
Biography & Historical Record of Ringgold County, Iowa, Pp. 341-42, 1887.
LESAN, Mrs. B. M. Early History of Ringgold County: 1844 - 1937 p. 72. Blair Pub. House. Lamoni IA. 1937.
WPA Graves Survey
Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2009; updated June of 2010
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