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Shelby County
>> 1889 Index Biographical
History of Shelby and Audubon Counties, Iowa F Unless noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton. Robert
Ford,
a
native of Bristol, England, was born November 18, 1830, and is the son of
Charles and Elizabeth (Davis) Ford.
He was reared in his native city and
attended the common schools until his fourteenth year.
Then, according
to the custom, he was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith's trade,
and served for seven years.
At the end of that time he was employed
by Statherd, Staughter & Co., with whom he remained six years, working
in the locomotive and marine engine shops at Bristol.
Mr. Ford's
father was foreman twenty years in the shops in which he learned his
trade.
After leaving the engine works in Bristol he went to London, and
was there employed in the Enfield government works, the shops in which
a rifle is turned out every two and a half minutes.
He served the government
for nine and a half years, with the exception of a short time when
he was employed on the construction of the Great Eastern, the largest
vessel afloat.
In 1866 he emigrated with his family to America, landing
July 4; they remained a few weeks in Brooklyn, and then went to New
York, Mr. Ford finding employment in the boiler works of Dawn & Nichols;
there he remained three years, and in 1869 he came west and traveled
through several States and Territories; he finally located in Utah
Territory, at Ogden, and conducted a business of his own for a year and
a half; he then went to work for the Union Pacific and Central Pacific
railroads, and after six months he entered the employ of the Consolidated
Company of San Francisco, engaged in opening coal mines. In six months he came to Omaha, and worked on the great bridge
spanning the
Mississippi River at this point.
In 1871 he came to Grove Township, and
purchased a farm in section 7, which he opened and placed under cultivation.
He also bought a blacksmith shop, and worked at his trade for
a short time, and then he erected a shop on his farm, and continued to
conduct his trade and cultivate his land.
A part of his farm lies in the
town of Manteno, and a portion is divided into twenty-eight lots. In 1882 Mr. Ford came to Earling, and since that time has made this
village
his home.
Here he erected a good residence and a blacksmith shop,
and now does all kinds of smith's work, making a specialty of machine
work; he also handles all kinds of agricultural implements and harness.
He has invented and patented three different articles - barb- wire,
cultivator shovels, and automatic wagon-brakes, all betokening the skill
of the inventor.
Politically Mr. Ford is a Republican, he has been
a member of the school board, and in 1888 he was a delegate to the State
Convention.
He was married July 18, 1850, to Elizabeth, daughter of
John and Elizabeth (Adams) Nicholas, who was born in the town of Cornwall,
England, September 24, 1830.
They are the parents of seven children
- Robert H., William N., Thomas, John, Alfred, Elizabeth (deceased),
and Nellie (deceased).
Mr. and Mrs. Ford are members of the Latter-day
Saints church, Mr. Ford having been a minister for a number of
years. Lewis W.
Fry, a
native of Franklin County, Indiana, was born April 24, 1865.
He is the
third child of Daniel and Rachel Fry.
His childhood was passed in his
native county until his seventh year, when his parents removed to Shelby
County, Iowa;
here he has since made his home, with the exception
of three years spent in Avoca and Denison, Iowa.
During this time
he was engaged in the practice of veterinary surgery.
Mr. Fry was brought
up on a farm, and received the training usually given farmers' sons.
His literary education was obtained in the common schools.
At the
age of fourteen years he began the study of veterinary surgery, and applied
himself with great zeal to mastering this profession.
He took a thorough
course of lectures, and when he embarked in the profession he was
probably as well equipped as any man entering the business.
He practiced
three years, but owing to ill-health he was obliged to abandon his
work.
He then turned his attention to breeding and raising fine grades
of live-stock. His thorough knowledge of veterinary surgery is of great
advantage to him in this business.
Mr. Fry's farm of eighty-six acres
lies in the northeast quarter of section 23, Union Township, one- half mile west
of Defiance.
He was married December 1, 1887, to Miss Cora
B. Luxford, daughter of William and Barbara Luxford.
She was born in
La Salle County, Illinois, September 25, 1866.
They are both members of
the United Brethren church. |