SIMON A. SIDENER

Simon A. SIDENER, a pioneer farmer of Shelby County, Iowa, was born in Marion, Marion County, Ohio, February 16, 1825. He is the son of George and Mary (Baughman) Sidener, natives of Pennsylvania. He was the only child of this union, but had half-brothers and half-sisters, as the mother married after the death of his father.

He obtained his education in the common schools, and at the age of seventeen years he began to learn the cabinet-maker's trade; he worked at this only one year, however, and then engaged in various pursuits until he was twenty years of age, when he came as far west as Indiana; there he remained two years, turning his hand to anything that would bring an honest dollar. He next went to St. Joe Michigan, and resided there fourteen years, following farming most of the time. In 1857 he came to Iowa, and settled on a farm of forty acres, principally timber land, in section 28, Grove Township; he purchased forty acres of prairie land in section 27, and has brought it all to a high state of cultivation. He has since made this his home, and has done much for the improvement and enhancement of the county. He has made later purchases of land, until he now owns 103 acres; he has a nice frame dwelling-house, surrounded by an orchard of three acres, which he himself planted.

Mr. Sidener was married September 5, 1850, to Miss Cynthia J., daughter of William and Nancy (Willson) Nickerson, natives of New York. Mrs. Sidener was born in the village of Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, October 5, 1831. Mr and Mrs. Sidener were compelled to meet many hardships, but they did it in true pioneer style, and to-day are enjoying the pleasures won by many years of economy and industry. At times in those early days they were compelled to make flour and meal by grinding grain in the coffee-mill, or by cooking corn and then grating it. Their nearest market place was Council Bluffs, fifty miles distant. Mr. Sidener has had an able assistant and faithful companion in his loyal wife. He is a staunch Democrat, and has held several township offices.

Source: 1889 Biographical History of Shelby County, Iowa, pp. 576. Transcribed and submitted by Craig and Nancy Poole - cpoole@unmc.edu