Monona County >> 1890 Index

History of Monona County, Iowa
Chicago: National Pub. Co., 1890

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Unless noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.

GEORGE R. OUTHOUSE, a representative of one of the oldest pioneer families of Monona County , and who is one of the most extensive farmers and stock-raisers of Jordan Township , resides upon section 21. Our subject was born in Clinton County , Ill. , August 28, 1831 , and is the son of John and Martha (Smith) Outhouse, a biography of whom is given elsewhere in the pages of this Album. When some five years of age he removed with his parents to Caldwell County , Mo. , but in 1839 was taken by them to Adams County , Ill. , and while there, at the age of eight years, was baptised into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and still practically and hopefully holds to the faith of that denomination, although repudiating the doctrine of polygamy and all its vices, and has been a conscientious believer in the church founded by Joseph Smith, the Prophet. About 1840, with the family, he settled at Nauvoo, Hancock County , Ill. , where he remained until September, 1847, when, owing to persecution from the surrounding people, the family left that city of refuge and went down the river on a flatboat to St. Louis , thence to Clinton County , where they made their home for about five years, George doing a large share in supporting the family on account of his father's ill health. After a short sojourn in Andrew County, Mo., the family removed to Pottawattamie County , Iowa , in the spring of 1851, where they made their home for about two years. Having been up in this region in the winter of 1853-4 prospecting, George R. Outhouse brought the family here on the 4th of April, 1864 , and settled at Preparation, where they made their home until 1855.

Our subject resided on a farm which he purchased in 1855, in Belvidere Township , to which he removed the family, until 1871, at which date he removed to Jordan Township , locating on the site of his present residence. He is the owner of five hundred and sixty acres of land, the greater portion of which is in one body, and he has over two hundred acres in cultivation, devoting the balance of his land to stock-raising.

Mr. Outhouse was married September 21, 1863 , near Mondamin, Harrison County , to Miss Nancy Phillis Shaw, a native of England , who was brought to this country when an infant, by her parents, Henry and Nancy Shaw. She died August 5, 1864 , having been the mother of one child, Joseph Alma, born June 27, 1864 . Mr. Outhouse was again married, November 24, 1867 , wedding Miss Mary M. Hunter, who was born in Caldwell County , Mo. , December 5, 1840 , and was the daughter of A. L. Hunter,, of Jordan Township . Of this union there have been born eight children: George Paul, September 4, 1868 ; John Thomas, January 1, 1869 , and died September 15, 1870 ; David Parley, born March 27, 1871 ; Oley Meano, March 28, 1873; Nancy Rhoda, March 7, 1875 ; Peter Marcus, November 30, 1877 ; William Ryan, July 12, 1879 ; and Mary Emma, February 18, 1881 . Mrs. Outhouse died March 23, 1881 , and is buried in Jordan Cemetery .

JOHN OUTHOUSE, deceased, was one of the old pioneers of Monona County , and one around whose settlement cluster many reminiscences of the early days at Preparation, was born in Bertie County , N. C., August 15, 1786 . At the age of twenty years he removed Westward with the adventurous pioneers of "the dark and bloody Ground," and settled in Trigg County , Ky. , then in the woody wilderness. There, he made his home until 1819, when, still moving upon the frontier of civilization, he removed to Clinton County , Ill. , among its earliest settlers, and there made his home until 1836. While a resident of the latter place, in 1835, under the ministry of Elder George M. Hinkle, he was converted to the faith, and joined the Church of Jesus Christ , of Latter Day Saints, a religious denomination in which he continued faithfully and zealously until his death. In company with a number of his co-religionists, in 1836, he removed to Caldwell County , Mo. , and settled upon a fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres, which he had all improved, but which, in 1838, owing to persecution and priestcraft, he was compelled to sacrifice for a trifle, and flee for his life on account of the uprising of the Missouri mobs, whose rage was excited by his religious beliefs and views on the slavery question. With about twelve thousand of the people of the church he removed to Adams County , Ill. , and in 1840 or 1841 settled at Nauvoo, the city of the church, from which he was again driven out in 1847, a short time after the assassination of Joseph Smith. Leaving the colony he returned to Clinton County , where he remained till 1851, after which, in Andrew County, Mo., he made his home until 1853, when he came to Iowa and settled in Pottawattamie County , and thence, on the 4th of April 1854 , came to this county and settled at Preparation with his son George. He died in Belvidere Township , October 15, 1864 , and his body lies buried in the township, in its cemetery.

Mr. Outhouse was married, in Trigg County , Ky. , February 5, 1818 , to Miss Martha Smith, a native of Bertie County , N. C., who was born May 11, 1800 , and she was the mother of eleven children, four of whom are living. She is making her home now with her son George, in Jordan Township . She has been blind for the last sixteen years.