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Daniel Proctor

For many years the farmer was apparently downtrodden and oppressed. He seemed to be exploited by every capitalist and middleman; poverty was his lot; he was in a rut, seemingly never to get anywhere else. Now, how different his position. Bountiful crops and the increasing needs of the country have placed the farmer in a situation where he is envied by all. Prices are high, his land has doubled in value; his barns are overflowing and the farmers are today the most independent class in the country. Daniel Proctor was born in Summit county, Ohio, September 14, 1848, the son of Nathan R. Proctor, born July 24, 1820, at Ames, Athens county, Ohio, and Lucy Ann (Perkins) Proctor, born at Northampton, Portage county, Ohio. His father married, for his second wife, Susan Collins, who was born at Charleston, Portage county, Ohio. His paternal grandparents were Henry, Proctor, born April 16, 1789, at Danvers, Essex county, Massachusetts, and Electa (Rice) Proctor, born at Brookfield, Worcester county, Massachusetts, April 8, 1790. His father was educated in the public schools, and followed farming. He came west in 1854 and located on the farm which Daniel now owns, which he improved and made his home on until his death In 1862 he enlisted in Company G, Thirty-eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served, among other campaigns, at the siege of Vicksburg. He died at Camp Carlton, New Orleans, of fever. Nearly half of his company died the same way. He was a brave and efficient soldier. He reared two children, Daniel and one daughter.

Daniel Proctor was educated in the home schools, and has always lived on the old homestead, which he has improved greatly and added to until it now consists of one hundred and twenty acres. Like the wisest farmers, he devotes his farm largely to livestock and makes a specialty of hogs and dairying. He was married April 20, 1873, to Mary McFadden, daughter of Thomas McFadden, of Fayette county. They are the parents of eight children: Lucy E., Lillie M., Kate E., Charles R., Mertie (deceased), Henry E., Pearl S., and Lyle M..

Mr. Proctor is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a Republican, has been school director and the just confidence which his neighbors have in him is shown by the fact that they have elected him to the office of township trustee for the last four terms. He is every way one of the township's most substantial citizens.


~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Steve Boeding