Past and Present of Greene County, Iowa - 1907

Greene County >> 1907 Index

Past and Present of Greene County, Iowa
by E. B. Stillman ... Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1907.

Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.

FRANK C. CHRISTIAN is the owner of farm of four hundred acres on section 28, Kendrick township. He has purchased this in three different tracts, making the first purchase in 1892, and since that time he has carried on the work of the farm. His life record began in Kendall county, Illinois , on the 4th of July, 1854 , his parents being Christian and Anna (Larsen) Christian, both of whom were natives of Norway , the former born in 1826 and the latter in 1831. The father was a young man of twenty-one years when he bade adieu to friends and native country and

sailed for the new world, hoping to enjoy better business opportunities than were afforded in the land of the midnight sun. He took passage on a sailing vessel which after a voyage of seven weeks reached the harbor of Quebec , but he did not tarry in Canada , making his way instead to Chicago , by way of the Erie canal and the Great Lakes . He next drove across the country to Kendall county, Illinois , where he secured a tract of land and began farming, devoting his remaining days to general agricultural pursuits there. He died in 1891 and is still survived by his wife, who yet resides on the old homestead in Kendall county, Illinois , where she lived for so many years with her husband and there reared her family. Mr. and Mrs. Christian became the parents of seven children, all of whom are yet living: Lewis, whose home is in Kendall county; Frank C., of this review; Martin and Eric, who are residents of Hamilton county, Iowa; Ellis, living in this county; Randall, also of Kendall county; and Mrs. Julia Hilliard, of the same county.

Frank C. Christian spent his early life on the home farm but at an early age depended upon his own resources and as soon as old enough to start out in life he began providing for his support. When twenty-one years of age he rented land from his father and began farming on his own account. He next bought eighty acres, which he occupied for five years, when, having an opportunity to sell, he disposed of that property and invested in one hundred and sixty acres of land, living thereon for nine years. In 1892 he disposed of the place and came to Greene county, here purchasing one hundred and sixty acres. In 1895 he added to this a tract of eighty acres and in 1899 bought one hundred and sixty acres, so that he now owns four hundred acres of land, operated by himself.

On the 31st of December, 1877 , Mr. Christian was joined in wedlock to Miss Sarah A. Knudson, who was born in Kendall county, Illinois , on the 18th of October, 1856 , and is a daughter of Andrew Knudson, a native of Norway , whose birth occurred on the 25th of August, 1820 . Her father wedded Martha Ann Ericken, whose birth occurred in Norway on the 27th of October,, 1830, and who died on the 22d of August, 1864, when thirty- three years of age. After losing his first wife Mr. Knudson was married to Miss Inga Lee, in 1865, and she is still a resident of Kendall county. There were four children born of the first marriage, of whom three are now living: Mrs. Ella Mather, a resident of Cedar county, Iowa ; Edward C. Knudson, who died November 5, 1882 ; Mrs. Christian; and Mrs. Mary Mather, who is located in Cedar county, Iowa . There is also one child of the second marriage, Mrs. Anna Munson, living in Elkhart , Indiana .

Mr. and Mrs. Christian have a family of four children, Mabel A., Reuben E., Mildred A., and Russell F. The family attend and support the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Christian votes the republican ticket and is in hearty sympathy with its purposes and its principles but his time and attention are fully occupied by the business cares of the farm.

Isaac Clopton

Among the honored pioneer residents of Greene county none are more worthy of mention than Isaac Clopton, now living in Jackson township. He arrived in the county on the 15th of May, 1851, making the journey in a wagon drawn by an ox team. He was at that time a young man of twenty- two years, energetic, of strong constitution, so that he was well equipped to meet the conditions of pioneer life. He broke the first furrows in the township and from that day to the present has been connected with the substantial development and improvement of this part of the state.

He was born in Cass county, Illinois, in 1829, a son of David Clopton who, after some years residence in Missouri, came to Iowa, settling in Greene county. At the same time the subject of this review came with his wife. They journeyed, as stated, after the primitive manner of the times, their wagons being drawn by ox teams. They were about two weeks on the road and there were no bridges all the way, so that all streams had to be forded. Adel was at that time a little hamlet and Des Moines but a village. David Clopton had previously visited the county in 1850 and had entered a claim on section 16, Jackson township. After removing his family to the county he broke some of this and planted corn, which was used later in the manufacture of meal, which became one of the principal articles in the culinary department of his home. He marketed his wheat at Des Moines, which was the nearest trading post of any importance. There were about one dozen families settled in this locality along the river. The father did not remain in Iowa long, however, but returned to Missouri in 1855, his death there occurring when he had reached the venerable age of seventy-eight years. His wife bore the maiden name of Lavina Cogdill, and they became the parents of nine children, of whom four are yet living.

Isaac Clopton was reared in Illinois and Missouri, and having arrived at years of maturity, he was married in the latter state on the 28th of November, 1850, to Miss Nancy Ann Salmon, who was born in Ohio, a daughter of William Salmon, who removed westward to Missouri, where he spent his remaining days. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Clopton have been born twelve children, of whom eleven reached years of maturity. William and Mary are deceased. Those living are: Marshall, a resident of Nebraska; Edward, who lives in Kansas; Mrs. Minnie Stevens; Isaac, of this review; David, a resident of Nebraska; Mrs. Sabra Terrill; Mrs. Martha Lyons; Mrs. Cynthia Vader; and Robert, a resident of Idaho.

Throughout his business career Mr. Clopton has carried on general farming and in early days he met with all the difficulties incident to the development of a new farm. Arduous labor was his lot, for he secured a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, from the government, on which not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made. He soon broke the sod, however, and in course of time set out fruits trees, which have long been in good bearing. He also erected substantial buildings upon his place and continued actively in farming until about six years ago. To his one hundred and sixty acres he added from time to time until he became the owner of four hundred acres. He has since, however, disposed of a portion of this. The traveler today can scarcely realize the condition which existed in the county at the time of his arrival. He went to Winterset and Des Moines to mill, traveling with an ox team, the trip requiring eight days. Farm machinery was very crude and much of the labor was done by hand. However, the soil was rich and productive, responding readily to the care and labor bestowed upon it and as the years passed Mr. Clopton made his place a very fertile and valuable farm. He now rents this property to Mr. Stevens, a son-in-law, while he is living retired.

Mr. Clopton is closely associated with many events which have left their impress upon the history of the county. He helped to lay out Jackson township and built the first schoolhouse in the county. For a quarter of a century he served in school offices. In politics he has always been a stalwart republican, casting his vote for Fremont in 1856, and he belongs to the Baptist church, with which he has been connected since its organization. His life has ever been honorable and upright and his many excellent qualities have made him one of the respected citizens of the community. He has now reached the age of seventy-eight years and receives the veneration and esteem which should ever be accorded to one who has reached the evening of life, and whose record in the years that have come and gone is in harmony with upright principles.