|
Washington County >> 1887 Index Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington
County, Iowa B Nelson Beenblossom, residing on section 8, Marion Township, is engaged in farming and stock-raising. He was born in Harrison County, Ind., in 1819, and is a son of Abraham and Eveline (Schuck) Beenblossom, the former a native of South Carolina, and the latter of Kentucky. His mother died in 1877, aged seventy-six years, and his father in 1883, at the age of eighty-four. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They were among the early settlers of Washington County, Iowa, coming here in 1842. Nelson Beenblossom, the subject of this sketch, was reared upon a farm and educated in the common schools of his native State. In the fall of 1842 he came to Washington County, and entered 160 acres of land on section 8, Marion Township, which he improved, and where he still lives. He now owns 268 acres of land, all under fence, and most of which is under a high state of cultivation. On the 24th of January, 1839, he married Miss Clarissa Jacobs, a native of Pennsylvania, and daughter of John H. Jacobs, also a native of Pennsylvania. They have become the parents of seven children: John Harrison died at the age of eighteen years; Sarah Jane resides at home; Andrew lives in the city of Washington; William Henry is now residing in this township; Perry resides in this county; McClellan and Ella are at home. Mr. Beenblossom is a member of the Christian Church, while Mrs. Beenblossom is connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. In early life he was a Whig and cast his first presidential vote for William Henry Harrison. Since its organization he has been a member of the Republican party, and has held various township offices. Mr. Beenblossom commenced life a poor boy, with neither the advantages of education nor wealth; all that he has was secured by his own exertion, together with that of his wife. He has been a hard worker, a good manager, and given strict attention to his business. In addition to general farming, he is engaged somewhat extensively in stock-raising, and turns off quite a large number of horses and cattle each year. He has visited Indiana twice since he moved to this county, but with that exception he has stuck closely to his farm, and is now one of the few pioneers of Washington County. He is hale and hearty, and still performs daily his allotted tasks, and during the present season has attended to thirty acres of corn. He is a man who is universally respected by all who know him. John Belville is a farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 30, Washington Township. He was born in Belmont County, Ohio, June 18, 1815. His father, Joseph Belville, was a native of Delaware, while his mother, Sarah (Canouff) Belville, was a native of maryland, born in 1796. When quite young she moved from Maryland to Belmont County, Ohio, and in 1812 was married to Joseph Belville. They were the parents of twelve children, nine of whom are living: Nicholas is deceased; John is in Washington County, Iowa; Joseph is living in Wisconsin; Sarah, residing in Union County, Ohio; Mary married Addison Lee, in Union County, Ohio, and is now deceased; Elizabeth, the widow of Josiah Amrine, is now residing in Union County, Ohio; Phoebe is deceased; Henry resides in Michigan; Miranda is the wife of Ichabod Sibo; Christina is the wife of James Moore, of Union County, Ohio; Samuel resides in Michigan; Sylvanus is a resident of Union County, Ohio. Mr. Belville died in Union County, Ohio, in 1860, while Mrs. Belville died in 1882, at the age of eighty-six years. She was a member of the Christian Church for over fifty years. The subject of this sketch was reared upon a farm, and as is naturally expected of pioneers' children received his education in the old log school-house. He was married in Union County, Ohio, Nov. 24, 1840, to Miss Mary A. Amrine, a daughter of the Jeremiah and Mary A. (Shearer) Amrine, and a native of Pennsylvania, but who removed to Ohio with her parents at an early day. Soon after marriage Mr. and Mrs. Belville went to Miami County, Ohio, and there Mr. Belville followed farming for several years. In 1849 the family left Ohio for Iowa with teams, camping out on the way, and were twenty-seven days in making the trip. They located in Marion Township, Washington County, where Mr. Belville entered land and improved a farm. At that time their best market place was at Burlington. After remaining upon his farm in Marion Township for fifteen years, he sold out and purchased his present farm on section 30, Washington Township, where he has since continued to reside. Mr. and Mrs. Belville are the parents of six children, five of whom are living: Joseph, now residing in Merrick County, Neb., during the war of the Rebellion enlisted in the 2d Iowa Infantry, and served until the close of the war, being with his regiment in every engagement in which it participated; Mary E. is the wife of Adam Lewis, and now resides in Merrick County, Neb.; Alonzo is deceased; Melissa is the wife of Robert Lutz, of Merrick County, Neb.; John resides at home; Mina is the wife of Charles Putnam, of this county. Politically Mr. Belville is a stanch Democrat, casting his first vote for Martin Van Buren. He is a member of the Christian Church in Marion Township, of which body his wife is also a member. His farm consists of 200 acres of excellent land all under a high state of cultivation. Mr. and Mrs. Belville have been residents of Washington County for a period of thirty-eight years. They have experienced the toils and privations of pioneer life, and now, as old age comes on, are well entitled to the comforts of life with which they are surrounded. Both enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them. David Benson, who resides upon section 2, Cedar Township, is one of the pioneers of Washington County. He was born in Champaign County, Ohio, in 1832, and is the son of William and Rachel (Carson) Benson, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Tennessee. In 1843, the family came to Washington County, Iowa, and settled on section 1, Marion Township, where the father died June 20, 1878, at the age of seventy-eight years; the mother died in 1861, at the age of fifty-four. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. David was but twelve years old when the family came to this county. He grew to manhood on his father's farm, and received such education as could be obtained in the pioneer schools of that day. On reaching his majority he purchased eighty acres of unimproved land in Marion Township, which he continued to improve until 1864, when he bought 216 acres of land on sections 1 and 2 of Cedar Township, where he still lives, and to which he has since added seventy acres, making him a dine farm of 286 acres of excellent land, all of which is under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Benson first married, in 1853, Miss Lucinda C. Lay, a native of Indiana, and daughter of Daniel and Mary A. Lay. By this union there were ten children: William Henry, born July 12, 1854, now residing in Cedar Township; Mary A., born March 30, 1856, died when a child; Daniel, born April 16, 1858, was drowned in English River June 16, 1871; Louisa, born Feb. 13, 1861, died Aug. 1, 1882; Luzena, a twin sister of Louisa, died in infancy; Rosetta, born Aug. 14, 1863, died Sept. 4, 1884; Melvina, born Dec. 10, 1865, died June 11, 1877; Lucy, born April 7, 1867; Sadie, May 13, 1869; Almira, born June 16, 1871, died in 1877. Mrs. Benson died Jan. 5, 1874, at the age of thirty-six years. Mr. Benson's second marriage occurred Oct. 17, 1875, when he wedded Maria Cooper, a native of Indiana, daughter of Joseph Cooper. Five children have been born unto them: David, Sept. 2, 1876; Grace, May 14, 1879; Newton, march 5, 1881; Myrtle, born May 11, 1883, died March 2, 1885; Bessie, born Sept. 29, 1885. Mr. and Mrs. Benson are members of the Baptist Church. Politically, his is a Republican. In his life work Mr. Benson has been fairly successful. By industry, economy and good management, he has been enabled to become the possessor of one of the finest farms in Cedar Township, and has sufficient of this world's goods to render him and his comfortable through life. He enjoys the respect of his fellowmen to a remarkable degree.
|