Linn County IA Genealogy – Access Genealogy

Biographical Sketch of D. Countryman

D. Countryman was a farmer and stock raiser of Section 31, Grant Township, Ida County, was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, in 1841, a son of Peter and Margaret (Nicholas) Countryman. He was reared and educated in Rock County, Wisconsin. He began farming for himself in Linn County, Iowa. In 1875 he came to Ida County, and was the first settler in what is now Grant Township (then Maple Township). He bought 65 acres of raw Iowa land on the West Soldier River. He at once began improving the land, and erected a small shanty. After breaking 20 acres, he … Read more

Biography of Ebenezer Griffin Brown

Ebenezer Griffin Brown (“Judge Brown,” as he is familiarly known) is one of Riverside’s well-known pioneers. He was one of the original members of the Southern California Colony Association, and with the late Dr. Greves visited the lands now occupied by the city June, 1870, the first members of the association on the grounds. From the very first he was the strongest advocate in demanding the purchase by the association of these lands. His persistency was of little avail at first, but he was in earnest, and when Judge North, the president of the company, refused to act in accordance … Read more

Biography of William H. Bell

Since 1918 William H. Bell has been holding the office of post-master of Pryor and he is carrying out to the best of his ability the duties devolving upon him as the incumbent in that office. He was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on the 2d of January, 1894, a son of William B. and Walburga (Muschawick) Bell, both of whom are living. The father is engaged in farming near Salina, Oklahoma, and the mother is residing in Waynoka, that state. Two sons and one daughter have been born to their union, William H. being the second in order of … Read more

Biography of Hon. John C. Rice

John Campbell Rice, president of the Commercial Bank of Caldwell and a prominent member of the bar of Canyon County, is numbered among the native sons of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Cass County, that state, January 27, 1864. He is of Welsh descent, tracing his ancestry back to the Welsh emigrants of the name who located in the colony of Massachusetts during the early settlement of America. Later, members of the family removed to Tennessee. The grandfather, Ebenezer Rice, removed with his family from Tennessee to Illinois in 1839. Elbert Gallatin Rice, the father, was born in Tennessee … Read more

Biography of Alford Jonathan Harwi

Alford Jonathan Harwi was one of the great merchants of Kansas. Beginning as an obscure hardware dealer in Atchison he built up a busines which now stands as a monument to his energy and foresight, the A. J. Harwi Hardware Company being one of the leading wholesale concerns of the Missouri Valley. Life extended to him only the opportunities which it extends to every one. It was his own personal character, his enterprise, and a vigorous and resourceful mind which enabled him to seize and develop possibilities into realities of a large and imposing character. While he would be mentioned … Read more

Biography of Nathan L. Hollowell

Nathan L. Hollowell is grand keeper of records and seals for the Knights of Pythias of the State of Kansas. He had his offices in the Husted Building at Kansas City, Kansas, and had been a resident of that city for several years. The office is an elective one and for an annual term. Mr. Hollowell became grand keeper May 15, 1910, and had been re-elected every year since then. He had long been prominent in the Knights of Pythias order and became active in the fraternity while living in Indiana. In that state he was a member of the … Read more

Biography of Archie Markland Baird

Archie Markland Baird. One of the additions to the manufacturing interests of Topeka, Archie Markland Baird has for many years been known in railroad circles of the state, and has been connected with numerous movements national in their character. His present business is the manufacture of pneumatic labor-saving devices. His knowledge of the business, his wide connections, and his executive capacity have brought his enterprise to a foremost and commanding position. Mr. Baird was born at Kilmarnock, near Glasgow, Scotland, in 1857, and is a son of William and Janet (Markland) Baird, and a grandson of Archibald Baird, also a … Read more

Biography of Joseph Burwell

Joseph Burwell owns and cultivates a tract of land of forty acres on section 26, Nodaway township. He has now passed the seventy-fifth milestone on life’s journey and his record is in many respects a highly creditable one worthy of emulation. He was born in Crayford county, Ohio, August 1, 1834, and his parents, William and Nancy ( Morris) Burwell, were also natives of that state. In 1865 they came to Iowa and the mother (died in Limn county during the first year of their residence in this state. The father afterward came to Page county and here spent his … Read more

Biography of William McConochie

A man who both as a public official and as a prominent citizen has been an important factor in moulding Rock Island’s municipal history is William McConochie. The son of John and Annie (Campbell) McConochie, he was born at Gatehouse, a little village on the southwest coast of Scotland, January 11, 1847. His father’s ancestors had lived in that part of Scotland since the days of Wallace and Bruce. His mother’s family were Highlanders, and were of the house of Argyle. The elder McConochies, with their family, emigrated to America in the spring of 1853. Coming westward they settled at … Read more

Biography of Paul Phillip MacCaskill

Paul Phillip MacCaskill. One of the younger members of the Kansas bar, in active practice at Parsons, Paul MacCaskill has already had a wide range of experience in his profession and in public affairs. While studying law and since he spent a good deal of time in the service of public men, at Topeks and elsewhere, and in 1915 was secretary to Hon. Baille P. Waggener, the Atchison County representative in the State Senate. He is of a fine strain of Scotch ancestry. The name MacCaskill, or MacAskill, is of Norse origin, meaning Anses Kettle, or sacrificial vessel to the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dan Freeman Bradley

Bradley, Dan Freeman; clergyman; born, Bangkok, Siam, March 17, 1857; son of Dan Beach and Sarah (Blachly) Bradley; educated, Oberlin College, 1882, Oberlin Theological Seminary, 1885, Oberlin Honorary Degree Doctor of Divinity, 1909; same degree, Cornell College, 1904; married, Oberlin, O., July 9, 1883, Lillian Jaques; three sons, Dwight J., Robert G., and Theodore Bradley; pastor Steubenville Ohio, Congregational Church, 1885-1887; Yankton, S. D., 1887-1892; Grand Rapids, Mich., 1892-1902; pres. Iowa College, Grinnel, Ia., 1902-1905; pastor Pilgrim Church, Cleveland, 1905 to date; has gymnasium, branch of public library cooking school and mothers club; has been instrumental in the organization of … Read more

Biography of Charles Frederick Minott

CHARLES FREDERICK MINOTT – The Minotts are an old Massachusetts family who, however unlike most of the original New England settlers, are of predominating Dutch and French origin. To mention only the immediate ancestry we know that the grandfather of Mr. C. F. Minott, of Greenfield, was of French origin, while the grandmother was of Dutch descent. Their children were: 1. Henry. 2. Aaron. 3. Charles. 4. William H. 5. Frank. The grandfather was engaged in the time-honored and old-fashioned trade of welldigging. William Horatio Minott, father of Charles F. Minott, was a native of Jamestown, New York, born in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Fred Beeler

Fred Beeler stock dealer and farmer, P. O. Ionia, was born in Linn County, Iowa, January 15, 1844. He came to Jewell County, Kan., in April, 1870, and pre-empted and took a homestead sixteen miles southwest of Mankato. He is now the owner of 800 acres of land, and keeps 500 head of cattle, 725 hogs and 20 head of horses. He is also Director of the First National Bank of Cawker City, in Mitchell County. When Mr. Beeler settled in Jewell County it was necessary to watch as well as pray, as the settlers had to contend with the … Read more

Iowa Atlases, Farm Directories, and Plat Books

This collection contains digital atlases, farm directories, and plat books for all 99 Iowa counties. We have collated these from a variety of online sources, and provide them here as a single source for all online Iowa County Atlases, Farm Directories, and Plat Books.

Biography of George J. Brown

George J. Brown, president of the Citizens State Bank of Sterling, is a son of the late Thomas H. Brown, whose career had been previously sketched. George J. Brown was born in the home of his parents at Norway, Iowa, September 26, 1879, but had lived in Sterling since very early childhood. He graduated from the local high school in 1897 and later attended A. N. Palmer’s Business College at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the age of eighteen he began work in his father’s bank as bookkeeper, was promoted to assistant cashier, and since the death of his father had … Read more

Biography of Hon. P. I. Bonebrake

There is great truth in the sontence “biography is history teaching by example.” After considering the story related in the following paragraphs one is convinced that there is more real history pertaining to a city, county and state in the life record of such a man as P. I. Bonebrake of Topeka than can be found in many pages of the detailed statisties. The editors of this publication have been fortunate in securing a transcript of Mr. Bonebrake’s personal reminiscences of his life and time, and the following article is a digest of those reminiscences, together with such comments as … Read more

Iowa Death Records by County

Many experts recommend starting your research with the death records first. The death record is the most recent record, so it will more likely be available to you. Death records are kept in the state where your ancestor died, not where they were buried. However these records can provide a burial location. Death records are especially helpful because they may provide important information on a person’s birth, spouse, and parents. Some researchers look first for death records because there are often death records for persons who have no birth or marriage records. Early death records, like cemetery records, generally give … Read more

Cross, Evalyn Lois – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Evalyn Lois Cross, 92, of La Grande, died Oct. 1 at a local care center. A funeral will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center, 1502 Seventh St. in La Grande. Burial will follow at the Cove Cemetery. A viewing will be held today from 4 to 6 p.m. at Daniels-Knopp. Evalyn was born April 11, 1917, to George and Olive (Haak) Kirkpatrick in Mount Vernon, Iowa. She moved to California in 1938 and married Harry Cross in 1943. They lived in Lawndale, Banning and then San Diego. Evalyn was a … Read more

Biography of Charles A. Karlan

Charles A. Karlan. Though comparatively a newcomer in Kansas, Mr. Karlan in a few years has made a record of practical accomplishment and a reputation for himself such as few who have spent their entire lives within the state’s borders have been able to attain. He is an artist in furniture. The making of high grade furniture has been a specialty of his for many years, and it was in 1905 that he came to Topeka and set up his establishment in that line. It is no disparagement to other similar concerns to state that his is the largest and … Read more

Worcester, Robert Marshall “Bob” – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Robert Marshall “Bob” Worcester, 76, of The Dalles, died unexpectedly of a heart attack at his home on Sept. 12, 2004. Mass of Christian Burial will be at noon on Thursday at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in The Dalles. The Rev. Joe Kelbel will officiate. Private cremation will follow at The Dalles Win-Quatt Crematory. Visitations will be held Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home. Bob was born on Oct. 13, 1927, in Omaha, Neb., to Nathaniel and Marye Anderson Worcester. He … Read more