VAIL, H. J., editor of the New Sharon Star; born in Belmont county, Ohio, November 22, 1845, came to this State April 14, 1864. From September, 1871, to June, 1873, he published the Wilton Chronicle, in Muscatine county, Iowa, and the 22d of June, 1873, commenced the publication of the New Sharon Star, a seven column folio, it has since been enlarged three times. He has held the office of mayor; has been post-master since 1873; he married Miss Sarah Oblinger, April 18, 1866; she was born in Belmont county, Ohio; has two children, Wm. Lewis Lincoln and Lillian.

VANCE, SAMUEL, farmer, Sec. 20; P. O. Eddyville; farm contains 150 acres; was born in Fayette county, Indiana, April 8, 1819; he lived there twenty-one years, then emigrated to Burlington, Iowa, in 1840; he lived there four years and then came to this county, and located where he now resides in 1844; he married Rebecca Morgan, Nov. 20, 1842; she is a native of Kentucky. Mr. V. was first justice of the peace, re-elected after the organization of the county, and has held that office, off and on, for thirty years; have four sons and three daughters, Lydia, Oliver H., Mary M., Agnew E., Samuel L., Susan A., Fred E., lost two sons, James A. and Henry C.

VAN CLEAVE, THOMAS J., farmer, Sec. 33; P. O. Peoria; born in Shelby county, Kentucky, 1n 1812; came to this county in 1844; owns 120 acres; he married Miss Mary E. Nicholson, Aug. 7, 1836; she was born in Ohio; has nine children, Joshua, Henry, Mary E., Albert, Milton, James F., Amaritta, Martha and Thomas.

VAN DONSELAAR, PETER, farmer, Sec. 18; P. O. Pella; owns a farm of 120 acres; was born in Europe November 19th, 1836; he lived there until 1864, and then emigrated to Iowa and this county; has lived on his present farm seven years; he married Lena Van de Waal, June 7th, 1872; she was born in Marion county, Iowa; they have two sons and one daughter, Peter J., Ire, and Wilhelmina.

VAN HOUTON, H., farmer, Sec. 31; P. O. Pella; was born in Wehe, province of Groningen, kingdom of the Netherlands, in 1812; he was educated at Wehe, until he was eleven years of age - after this time until he was seventeen years old, at Kloosterburen, kingdom of the Netherlands. In 1835 he married Miss Indiana S. Borgman; he came to the U. S. in 1849, and located at Scotch Plains, Essix county, New Jersey; his wife died in 1851; he came to this county in 1853, and settled on the place where he now lives; his farm contains 316 acres; he married again to Reino Borgman, widow of Evert B.; her maiden name was Van Peyma, she is from Lancaster, Erie county, N. Y. Mr. V. has six children by his first marriage, Nellie V., Elko, Worp B., Nellie B., Wm. B. and Everet B., and has one child by his second marriage, named Syke; Mrs. V. has four children, Wort, Nellie, William, and Everet Borgman.

ISAAC M. VATAW, Farmer, P. O. Oskaloosa; born in Indiana in 1850; came to this county in 1869; owns 80 acres of land; married Delia Merritt, who was born in Michigan; has one son, Charles.

VERMILLION, J. J., farmer, Sec. 6; P. O. Sherman, Poweshiek county; born in Jefferson county, Ohio, in 1827; came to this county in 1869; owns 160 acres of land; has held offices of justice of the peace and school director; he married Rachel R. Moore in 1855; she was born in Ohio, and died in February, 1873; he afterwards married Mrs. Eliza J. Coder in February, 1875; she was born in Pennsylvania; he has four children by the first marriage, William M., Mary E., Charles M., and Clarence B. Mrs. Vermillion was previously married to John Coder, who was born in Pennsylvania, and died in 1873, leaving three children, Harrison W., Harvey C., and Hiram P. Coder.

VERNON, W. E., restaurant, confectionery and Fruits, Oskaloosa; born in England in 1842, and came with his parents to America when quite young, and located in Newark, New Jersey; in 1854 he returned to England, was there two years, then came again to America; lived in Newark and New York until 1860, and then came to Illinois on a visit; when the war first broke out he enlisted April 22, 1861, in the twentieth Regiment Ill. Infantry, Co. F; he was in the battles of Fort Donnelson, Shiloh, siege of Corinth, Brittan's Lane, Jackson, Burnt Bridge, and down on the Oxford Campaign; he was discharged July 4, 1864; after the war he came to Iowa; went out to Montana Territory with team and was six months and thirteen days on the way; returned in 1869 and located here and engaged in business; married Miss Lydia A. Fisher, from Ohio, in June, 1870; they have two children, William and Cyrus, and have lost one little girl.

VERSTEEG, JNO., of the firm of Versteeg & Co., proprietors of the city steam mills, New Sheron; born in Holland in 1836; came to this country in 1847; he lived nearly three years in Oregon, and came to this county in 1874; he married Miss Elizabeth D. Fisher, in 1857; she was born in Holland; has five children, Elizabeth, Arthur, Emma, John, Henrietta; lost one son Arthur.

VICTOR, ADAM, farmer, Sec. 23; P. O. Oskaloosa; owns 200 acres of land, valued at $35 per acre; born in Summit county, Ohio, in 1828; came to Iowa in 1855, and settled on present farm; married Martha E. Williams in 1853; she was born in Boone Co., Indiana, in 1830; they have two children, Fred and Charlie. Democrat.

VOORHEES, JOHN, farmer, farmer, Sec. 16; P. O. Pella. Mr. Voorhees was born in Warren county, Ohio, October 2, 1829, where he resided until 1852; he enjoyed no more than a common school education, and never attended school after he was sixteen years of age. Mr. Voorhees came to Mahaska county from Ohio, and September, 1853, purchased the farm on which he now resides. In the following spring, March 16, 1854, he married Miss Margaret Canine, a native of Montgomery county, Indiana, where she was born August 28, 1836; they have five sons and one daughter, John K., born in 1857; Elbert S. D., born in 1860; Dora E., born in 1865; Frank C., born in 1871; Melvin R., born in 1874, and Fred, born in 1876; Mr. and Mrs. Voorhees have buried two daughters, Mary J. and Lucinda A.

Mr. Voorhees' farm comprises four hundred acres, on the Pella road, about twelve miles from Oskaloosa. He came into the county with but eight hundred dollars, which he invested in real estate, and he has now one of the best improved farms in Mahaska county. In 1871 he built on his farm a very fine brick residence. This dwelling stands upon a high point of ground and can be seen for a considerable distance down the road toward Oskaloosa. As one follows the windings of this road and catches and loses glimpses of the country mansion in the distance, the effect is quite fine. This dwelling, with careful financial management, was completed at a cost of $10,000. Mr. Voorhees takes great interest in the raising of stock, mainly for the market, not giving much attention to fancy grades. He is a great reader, and, we are informed, takes more newspapers than any other farmer in his section of the country. He is modest and retiring in disposition, and though he shows a commendable pride in the appearance of his home and surroundings, there is nothing of ostentatious display. In the simplicity and the unassuming air of "mine host" the visitor finds himself at once at home - a home whose grace within is largely due to the cordiality and true womanliness of Mrs. Voorhees, its esteemed wife and mother.