Jefferson County >> 1912 Index

History of Jefferson County, Iowa
by Charles J. Fulton. 2 vols. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1912.

E

Unless otherwise specified, all biographies have been submitted by Debbie Nash.

ALEXANDER EASTON

In few men has the spirit of patriotism been more dominant than in Alexander Easton, who not only rendered his country valuable aid during the dark days of the Civil war but in times of peace has proven himself equally loyal and public-spirited, his efforts in behalf of Fairfield along material lines being unequalled, perhaps by any other citizen of the community.  He was born in Lonaconing, Maryland, on the 2d of September, 1842, a son of Robert and Mary (Spence) Easton, both natives of Scotland, where the former was born in 1800 and the latter in 1812.  They were married in the land of hills and heather, when the mother was but eighteen years of age, and about 1832 crossed the Atlantic to America, locating first at Picton, Canada, where their first child was born.  Later they crossed the border into the United States, first taking up their abode in Pennsylvania, whence they removed to Maryland .  Subsequently they returned to Pennsylvania and there Robert Easton followed his calling – that of civil engineer – and also engaged considerably in prospecting for mines, etc.  He passed away in the Keystone state and his wife later brought her family to Illinois, where her death occurred.  Unto them were born ten children, of whom only four are now living, as follows:  Robert, residing in Cripple Creek, California; Alexander, of this review; Ellen, the widow of Joseph Martin, of Peoria, Illinois; and Agnes, living in Spring Valley, Illinois.  Those who have passed away are:  two by the name of Sarah; two bearing the name of Mary; Archibald; and Margaret, deceased.  The youngest, Sarah, married Robert Martin.

It was during the early childhood of Alexander Easton that the family home was established in Pennsylvania, and in McKeesport, that state, he spent the years of his boyhood and youth.  There he acquired a good education in the common schools, and continued at home until twenty years of age, when, prompted by a spirit of patriotism, he enlisted for service in the Civil war, in September, 1862, becoming a private in Company D, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry.  His term of service continued until the close of hostilities, or for a period of three and a half years, and in the meantime his record was one of utmost valor and courage, winning for him promotion to the rank of sergeant.  He served under Generals Siegel, Averell and Sheridan and participated in forty-two battles and more than eighty skirmishes, including the battles between Gettysburg and Richmond .  At one time he was under fire for ninety consecutive days.  One of the most interesting incidents of the war which he relates was that of the capture, by him, of a spy south of Morefield, Virginia .  Subsequently it was discovered that the spy was a woman in man's dress.  While she was on her way to prison she passed her captor and indicated her feeling of hostility toward him in the prediction that if Jefferson Davis did not kill all of the Union troops within a year Mr. Easton would within that time find himself in hell.  Ere a year had passed Mr. Easton was wounded and captured at Cedar Creek, sustaining a wound in the leg and having his horse shot from under him.  He was then sent to Libby prison and such were the horrors of that loathsome prison pen that he thought that the prediction of the woman had come true.  After his wound had partially healed he was sent to Salisbury, North Carolina, and there held as a prisoner until the close of the war.  He witnessed the slaughter of several hundred Union prisoners upon their united attempt to escape in December, 1864.  While under General Siegel at Martinsburg, Virginia, he had been detailed with eighty men to guard the crossing on North mountain and later rode back to Martinsburg where he believed he would rejoin his command.  He found, however, that he was within a block of Earley's army of fifty thousand Confederate troops.  Mr. Easton lost fourteen out of his eighty men in a running fight back to Hagarstown, Maryland, but after crossing the Potomac found that he was cut off there and lost ten more men in a running fight back to Greenburg, Pennsylvania .  His military record was one of which he may well be proud and to men like him the nation owes a debt of gratitude which it can never pay.  A strong, sturdy man, weighing one hundred and ninety-six pounds when he enlisted for service, through the terrible hardships and privations of war and the horrors of incarceration in southern prisons he was reduced to but one hundred pounds and for two years thereafter was unfit for any manual labor.

The father of Mr. Easton had passed away during his absence at the front and his mother had gone to make her home with a daughter in Ohio .  There he joined her and spent two years in recuperation, after which he returned to Pennsylvania .  Later, however, he went to Illinois, locating in Fairbury, Livingston county, and there resided until 1889, which year witnessed his arrival in Fairfield, Iowa, where he has since made his home.  In early life he had pursued a course of study in chemistry and for a time engaged in the bottling business at McKeesport, Pennsylvania, but on removing to Illinois he worked in the mines, quarries and sewers, and later purchased a farm, upon which he carried on general agricultural pursuits.  After his arrival in Fairfield he returned to his former occupation and, purchasing a bottling enterprise, gave close attention to its management and conduct for more than two decades.  He manufactured pop and extracts and also manufactured his own gas, and the excellence of his output was such that he found a ready sale on the market and his business constantly grew in volume and importance with the passing years.  It was not long ere close application, untiring diligence and honorable dealing found well merited reward and prosperity came to him in substantial measure, permitting him, about three years ago, to withdraw from business activity.  He is now living retired in Fairfield, enjoying the position which he has so richly earned among the representative and successful business men of this community.  He has valuable realty holdings, being the owner of a tract of farm land of eighty acres located three miles east of Fairfield, and two good dwellings in the town, in addition to the pop factory.

Mr. Easton was married, on the 5th of June, 1879, in Fairbury, Illinois, to Miss Jennie T. Johnson, who was born in Vermont, Fulton county, this state, a daughter of Dr. Amos and Malissa (Kimey) Johnson.  Unto this union have been born three sons, to all of whom Mr. Easton has given a substantial start in business life.  The first two, Oscar A. and Harvey L., are associated with Ed DeVall in the operation of the Fairfield Steam Laundry.  The youngest son, Percy J., is a druggist of Fairfield, engaging in business in connection with Fred Jericho under the firm style of Jericho & Easton .  All are successful young business men, well known and highly respected in this city.

The religious belief of Mr. Easton is that of the Methodist church, while he maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades through membership in the Grand Army of the Republic.  A close study of political conditions has led him to give his support to republican principles and for many years he has been active and prominent in party ranks here.  He served for two years as street commissioner and twelve years as city councilman, and throughout this period probably no other resident of Fairfield did more valuable service toward the permanent development and improvement of the town than did Mr. Easton.  In his official capacity he was instrumental in having the surface drainage changed so that each home now has a park, and all of the street paving was superintended by him.  He was joined by others and caused the hitching racks to be abolished around the square, an action which caused much ill feeling at the time, and did all in his power to enhance the attractiveness of the village.  In the matter of sewers he saved the city twenty-six hundred dollars on contracts and was instrumental in effecting a saving of money to the city in various other ways as well.  He has ever been a champion of progress, not only exemplifying the term in his own business career but laboring for general advancement and improvement in the civic life of the community in which he resides, and high on the roll of Fairfield 's most valued and influential citizens is found the name of Alexander Easton.”

LUTHER P. EMMONS, who is living retired upon his farm, has been a resident of Des Moines township for thirty-two years.  His birth occurred in Waldo county, Maine, on October 30, 1846, his parents being George and Hannah (Laiten) Emmons.  The father, a native of Massachusetts, was of Scotch and French extraction, while the mother, whose birth occurred in Maine, was of English and Irish descent.  Agricultural pursuits engaged the attention of the father, who with his family removed to Wisconsin in 1853.  He located on a farm in Rock county, and there the mother passed away in 1873, while his death occurred at Magnolia, that county, in 1887.  Nine children were born of their marriage:  James, a farmer of Guthrie county, Iowa; Nancy E., who married Wesley Smith, a farm of Canada; Albert Weston, who died in infancy; Recta A., the widow of Martin A. Becker, an engineer who was killed in a gold mine in Utah in 1879; Helen Augusta, who died in infancy, and Henry Augustus, a manufacturer of brooms in Sullivan, Illinois, who were twins; Luther P., our subject; Eliza Josephine, who is deceased; and George, marshal of Ontario, California.

Luther P. Emmons was only a lad of seven years when his people removed to Wisconsin, where he grew to manhood, obtaining his education in the district schools in the vicinity of his home.  From his earliest boyhood he was trained in the work of the fields, so when ready to begin his independent career, naturally he turned to the occupation for which he was best adapted.  He left the paternal roof at the age of twenty-one years and began working for himself.  Three years later he was married and located on a farm in Rock county, where he lived until 1879.  In the fall of that year he and his wife removed to Iowa to reside on a tract of one hundred and fifty acres in Jefferson county, that his wife's grandfather, Ira R. Peck of New York, said he would present to her if she would consent to live upon it.  During the first two years they rented a place adjacent, during which time they placed their land under cultivation and erected upon it the necessary buildings.  The soil proved to be most fertile and productive, so richly rewarding their efforts that they were subsequently able to extend their holdings by the addition of another ninety acres.  Here Mr. Emmons engaged in general farming until the condition of his health necessitated his retirement in 1909, since which time he has been renting his land, but he and Mrs. Emmons continue to reside there.  Although the pioneer period had passed when they came to Iowa, they endured many hardships and privations, as well as misfortunes and discouragements, through all of which they exhibited the fortitude that characterizes those who make a success of any undertaking.

It was on the 20th of November, 1870, that Mr. Emmons was united in marriage to Miss Augusta C. Peck, a daughter of Heman (sic) T. and Helen E. (Root) Peck.  The father, who was a farmer and carpenter, was born and reared in Ontario county, New York, but was of English extraction.  He removed from the Empire state to Rock county, Wisconsin, in 1867, settling upon a farm.  Three years later he went to Chicago to follow the carpenter's trade, but was never again heard from and it is supposed that he was killed in the great fire which occurred in that city in 1871.  His wife lived until 1880, her demise occurring at the home of her sister, Mrs. John Scripture, in Jewell county, Kansas .  The Pecks were among the early colonial settlers of America .  They trace their origin to the English nobility and have a coat-of-arms, a lyre with three Maltese crosses within its borders.  The American branch is traced back in an unbroken line to the sixteenth century, their common ancestor being one Joseph Peck, who was christened at Beccles, Suffolk county, England, on the 30th of April, 1587 .  In 1638, together with his brother, Robert Peck, a noted divine of that period, he took passage on the ship Diligent from Ipswich for America, in order that they might escape religious persecution.  The last place of residence of Joseph Peck in England was Norfolk, but originally they came from Yorkshire and he was a descendant in the twenty-first generation of John Peck, of Belton, that country.  A complete genealogy of the family was written by a seventh cousin of Mrs. Emmons, Ira B. Peck of Rhode Island, and published in 1868.  One of the members of the family was William B. Peck, whose daughter, Phoebe F., married George W. Washington of Mount Vernon, a grand-nephew of the first president of the United States .  She died in 1849.  Mrs. Emmons' grandmother in the paternal line was Clarissa Hamlin, a daughter of William Hamlin, who was a near relative of Hanibal (sic) Hamlin, first vice president under Abraham Lincoln.  Mrs. Emmons has one sister, Ida M., the wife of Eli W. Comingore, a fireman in a large rolling mill, of Shenandoah, Iowa .  Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Emmons.  Arthur Hamlin, superintendent of a sanitarium of Battle Creek, Michigan, married Minnie Morrison, a teacher in the Battle Creek College, and a daughter of John Morrison, a farmer of Des Moines township, and they have one daughter, Violet Oneita, aged thirteen years.  Grace Lillian, the eldest daughter and second in order of birth, is at home with her parents.  Eli Perry, who is a farmer of Princeton, California, married Clara Copeland, a daughter of William Copeland, a farmer of Des Moines township, this county, and they have two children, Virgil and Fern.  Ray Adelbert, the youngest member of the family, is still at home.

Mr. Emmons' political views accord with those of the democratic party, but in local elections he oftentimes votes for other candidates, giving his support to the man rather than the party.  He has served as justice of the peace two years, while he held the office of township trustee and director of school district No. 4 for the same period.  In matters of faith he is somewhat independent, never having identified himself with any denomination.  Mrs. Emmons is a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church of Libertyville, while their daughter, Miss Grace, belongs to Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal church of Des Moines township.  Mr. Emmons is one of the highly esteemed citizens of his township, having exhibited in both his public and private life those high regards and upright principles, which invariably win respect.

JOHN E. and AMANDA A. ERICKSON, who own one of the attractive homes of Lockridge township, were both born in Sweden, the former on the 4th of January, 1854, and the latter on February 24, 1860 .  They are the children of Charles M. and Christina (Eckland) Erickson, natives of Sweden, where the father was engaged in farming.  In 1869 the family emigrated to the United States, locating in Burlington, Des Moines county, Iowa, where Mr. Erickson engaged in carpentry work for about five years.  In 1874 they came to Jefferson county, settling in Lockridge township where the father purchased sixty acres of unimproved land.  In the cultivation of this property he met with such excellent success that he was later able to purchase an adjoining tract of seventy-two acres, making the aggregate of his holdings one hundred and thirty-two acres.  Here the parents continued to reside until their death, the mother passing away on November 19th, 1892, and the father on the 29th of June, 1898 .

The childhood and early youth of John E. and Amanda A. Erickson were spent in their native land, where they also obtained the major portion of their education, the course therein pursued being supplemented by further study in the public schools of Des Moines and Jefferson counties.  They remained at home with their parents until their death, after which the farm came into their possession.  Their habits of thrift and capable management enabled them to acquire the means to warrant their retirement from active life in 1909, so they sold one hundred and twenty-five acres of their land, and upon the remaining seven erected a fine, modern residence, barn and other outbuildings.  Neither of them having married they have made their home together since the death of the parents.

They both affiliate with the Lutheran church and in matters politic Mr. Erickson votes with the republican party.  Both are widely and favorably known in the community where they have resided for the past thirty-seven years, and number among its citizens many loyal friends.