Johnson County << 1893 Index
Poweshiek County
Iowa County

Portrait and Biographical Record of Johnson, Poweshiek and Iowa counties, Iowa
Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1893.

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Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.

JAMES McCOLLISTER

Among the prominent men and successful farmers, stock-raisers and business men of East Lucas Township , Johnson County , Iowa , is the subject of the present sketch. His fine farm of eight hundred acres, all in one body and under the highest cultivation, with his commodious barns and his beautiful modern residence, cause the stranger to express deepest admiration regarding the owner, one of the most fortunate of men. He was born in Pike County , Ohio ,, March 8, 1835 , a son of Judge Charles McCollister, a native of Maryland , born in 1799, who came to Ohio in 1803 with his parents, Robert and Mary McCollister. Both of the latter were natives of Maryland , who removed to Ross County, Ohio, and settled near Chillicothe . The good old Scotch grandfather, Robert McCollister, was a soldier in the War of 1812.

The father of our subject was reared in Ross County , and received his education in the schools there, then held mostly in log cabins. He became one of the first teachers in Pike County , where he later located, married and continued teaching, combining it with agriculture. Being a man of force of character, self-made and level-headed, he soon took a prominent position in Pike County , became a Justice of the Peace, Treasurer of the county, and finally was elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, remaining on the bench for ten years. In 1854 he was defeated by the Know-Nothing party, being a Democrat all his life. In 1855, he removed to Johnson County , Iowa , attracted by the fertile lands in that State, and located five miles south of Iowa City , where he bought a large farm of one thousand acres, all in one body.

The land purchased by Mr. McCollister was partially improved, and before long he had fine stock grazing in the rich meadows, and farming in the most thorough style was under way. His business was most successfully conducted and he was considered one of the best farmers in the county. After coming to Iowa he did not concern himself with politics, as his business interests were so extensive. The Presbyterian Church was the one in which he was reared, but his last days were spent in the Methodist Episcopal Church. When he died in 1876, the county lost one of her best and most intelligent citizens. The mother of our subject was Mary (Stinson) McCollister, a native of New Jersey , born in 1802 in Ross County, Ohio, who lived to be eighty-eight years old and died in 1890. The maternal grandfather of our subject was James Stinson, a native of New Jersey , who served through the War of 1812.

Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. McCollister, Sr., all of whom grew to maturity and reared families of their own. Jacob resides in Oklahoma City; Malinda was the wife of Samuel Maneir; Robert, deceased, married Malinda Stinson; Mary is the wife of Le Grand Byington, of Johnson County, Iowa; Lydia is the wife of George Corwine, of Carthage, Mo.; Martha is the wife of M. Dunlap, and they died in Ross County, Ohio; Elizabeth is the wife of G. W. Nelson, of Johnson County, Iowa; our subject is next; Sarah is the wife of William E. Moon, of Springfield, Mo.; Ellen is the wife of James Stevens, of Johnson County, Iowa; and Emma is the widow of James Anderson, of Johnson County. Our subject was the eighth child in the family and was reared in Pike County , Ohio , until the age of twenty years, attending the district school of that vicinity, and later being afforded advantages in the schools of Waverly.

Our subject started for Johnson County , Iowa , with a team, and after settlement in the new home assisted his father in business until he was twenty-nine years of age. In March, 1862, he married Mary E. Hill, a native of Johnson County , Iowa , born September 12, 1844 , a daughter of William Carpenter. She was adopted by Thomas Hill, of Johnson County , by whom she was reared. Our subject continued with his father until 1864, when re removed to the farm where he now is located, called at that time the Phillip Clark farm, one and one-half miles south of Iowa City . It had never changed hands before, but there were few improvements on the place, and the house into which our subject moved was the one which had been built as the first court house of Johnson County .

It was the custom when the court met in those days for the case to be tried in the house, after which the jury would ride out on the prairie to find a verdict, there being no room for consultation in the house. Mr. McCollister began to build his fine house in 1864, erecting a two- story brick, and has continued adding to it until he has a mansion of sixteen rooms with all modern improvements, hot and cold water, bath and the comforts which make the homes of this time so pleasant. The water is furnished by wind mills, which also supply his stock. The great barn, 50 x 80 feet, with nine-foot posts, the basement with twenty-four foot posts, was erected in 1884 at a cost of $5,000. The magnificent farm of eight hundred acres has upon it three houses for tenants.

Our subject has engaged largely in the shipping of stock, and in 1892 shipped four car-loads. He is a man who rises early and thus "catches the early worm," showing by the results that he is a man who thoroughly understands his business and who believes in modern improvements. His two children are well settled in life. Thomas, who married Henrietta Briggs, resides in Iowa City , and Mary E. married A. G. Showers, who is a member of the dry-goods and grocery firm of Hinman & Showers, of Iowa City . Mr. McCollister is a strong Democrat, believing firmly in his party, and has actively served it whenever occasion offered. In the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, also in the Legion of honor, in Iowa City , he holds a prominent position.

Glenn McCrory, our subject, is a very popular young man residing on section 13, East Lucas Township, Johnson County, Iowa, with his mother and sister, on what is known as Virginia Grove Farm. On this place he was born April 19, 1863, being the son of Hon. Samuel H. McCrory, a native of Virginia and one of the early settlers of Johnson County, coming here in 1837 and locating where our subject now lives. The father built a log cabin, occupied it and lived upon the spot all his life, afterward replacing the humble house with a much more pretentious one.

Samuel McCrory bought the land from the Government and changed it into a fertile garden. He was the first Postmaster in Johnson County and carried the mail from Muscatine to Iowa City in his hat. In those early days he was a Whig, but times and issues changing, he became a Democrat, and was elected to the Legislature from Johnson County and held many other offices. He was widely and favorably known and helped to lay out the road from Muscatine to Iowa City, and, all in all, was a magnificent type of the county and State makers, of whom Johnson County may well be proud. This brave and typical man, after a busy life full of usefulness, died March 11, 1878.

The mother of our subject, Elizabeth (McCloud) McCrory, born near Warsaw, Ohio, and reared there, came to Iowa City when a young lady. She was the mother of thirteen children, eleven of whom are living, namely: Elizabeth, wife of Lemuel Hunter, of Scott Township; John, of Lawrence, Kan.; Virginia, wife of L. H. Jackson, of Denver, Colo.; Esther, wife of George Hunter, of Scott Township; Georgie, wife of C. H. Lee, of Denver, Colo.; Charles R., of Ireton, Iowa; Carrie P., unmarried and at home; George, of Atlanta, Iowa; Hortense, wife of J. H. Grubar, of St. Paul, Minn.; and Lutie, wife of Thomas Hitchcock, in the War Department, Washington, D. C.

Our subject is of Welsh descent on the father’s side, and the youngest of the children of his parents. He was born upon the place where he now lives, as were his twelve brothers and sisters, and he received his education in the schools of the district. The home farm contains two hundred and fifty acres, well improved and always well cultivated. Our subject has full control of its management and can show an excellent stock of horses, cattle and sheep. He is in full accord with the principles of the Democratic party, enjoys the confidence of its leaders, and is now holding the office of Township Trustee. Our subject is a member of Iowa City Lodge No. 4, A. F. & A. M., of Iowa City.

TULLY S. McCUNE, a prominent citizen and successful general agriculturist, and widely known as a leader of the People's party, has for twenty-one years resided upon his valuable homestead, located on section 2, Cedar Township, Johnson County, Iowa, and during this time has been an important factor in the promotion of the growing interests of the county. Our subject was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, January 25, 1848 , and is the son of one of the early and enterprising pioneers of the State. The paternal grandfather, William McCune, was a hardy, resolute man of Scotch-Irish extraction, and with his wife made his home in Jefferson County, N. Y., where John P. McCune, the father of Tully S., was born November 28, 1819 . The father learned the carpenter's trade in his native State, and, locating in Iowa in 1840, settled in Cedar Rapids , and was soon busily engaged at his bench. After a time he entered land in Big Grove Township , Johnson County , and building a log house removed his family there and was among the very first settlers of the township. In a few years he sold this property and located in Cedar Township , in 1843, entering land upon which he afterward resided until his death.

Father McCune was a practical and highly prosperous farmer, owning at one time more than eight hundred acres of land, much of which was improved under his direct supervision. He was a successful stock- raiser, dealing largely in cattle and hogs and also handling many horses of a superior grade. When a lad he removed with his parents to Akron , Ohio , in 1833, and in 1839 sojourned a short time in Ft. Wayne , Ind. , and from 1840 until his death, in 1885, was a constant resident of Iowa . Elected to the official positions of Justice of the Peace he discharged the duties of the office to the great satisfaction of his friends and neighbors, and his judicial decisions displayed his excellent knowledge of the law and his unvarying rectitude of character. His demise was mourned as a public loss and he was beloved by all who knew him. His wife, Electa R. (Sutliff) McCune, was born in Trumbull County , Ohio , October 3, 1826 . She was the daughter of Allen C. Sutliff, and a devoted member of the Christian Church, and after a long life of earnest usefulness passed away, February 4, 1892 . Seven of the nine children of the parents yet survive.

Our subject spent his early years as a farmer boy, working in the summer and in the winter attending the district school. At twenty-four years of age he began life for himself, until then having been his father's right hand man upon the old homestead. Upon January 24, 1872 , Tully S. McCune and Miss Arabella Dickey were united in marriage. Mrs. McCune was born in Montgomery County , Pa. , and was the daughter of Eli and Ann (Snyder) Dickey, both natives of the Quaker State , from which they emigrated to Johnson County , Iowa , in 1857, and settled in Cedar Township . A wagon- maker by trade, Mr. Dickey was also a successful farmer and lived to be seventy-seven years of age, passing away in 1886, his wife surviving until 1887. Both parents were members of the Lutheran Church and were devoted Christian people. The father was twice married and had a family of eleven sons and daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Tully S. McCune were blessed by the birth of nine children, of whom five are living. Hattie Ann is deceased; Estelle and Louella are next in order of birth; Maude and an infant are deceased; John E. and Jesse are the youngest sons; the succeeding infant died; Esther is the youngest of the family. The surviving children are well known and highly respected. Mrs. McCune is a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and with her family is active in good works and benevolent enterprise. Politically our subject is an ardent supporter of the People's party, and takes an abiding and intelligent interest in local and national issues. More than a score of years ago locating upon his homestead, he has in all regards kept pace with the times, his excellent residence and barns and the thrifty appearance of the two hundred and eighteen acres fully testifying to the good management and practical experience of the owner of the farm. Earnest, progressive and public-spirited, Mr. McCune is keenly alive to the national needs of the hour and with inborn enthusiasm predicts the final success of the party whose motto, "Reform and Progress," is, he believes the "Excelsior" of coming generations.