have always been interested in the welfare of Story County, and expect to make Cambridge their future home, where they already have a host of friends and acquaintances.
James D. Ferner is doing an excellent business in real estate, and is noted for his straightforward method of conducting his affairs. He was born in Somerset County, Penn., February 11, 1834, and is a son of Joseph and Nancy (Miller) Ferner, both of whom were born in the Keystone State. They each died in Somerset County, the former in 1876, at the age of seventy years, and the latter in 1889, also at that age. Of eleven children born to them, eight are now living, of whom James D. is the eldest, and in his early days he was taught the details of farming by his father, who had been a tanner in early life. On May 8, 1856, Mr. Ferner removed to Story County, and here for some time he followed the occupation of tanning, but at a later period he opened a grocery store and continued to successfully follow this calling until 1863, when he enlisted in Company D, Twelfth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, serving his country faithfully and well until the close of the war. For some time he was United States mail agent of the Fourteenth Army Corps, the duties of which position lie filled for about seven months. He was wounded at Nashville, Tenn., but soon recovered and was again ready for duty. He had three brothers in the service, all of whom enlisted from Pennsylvania. In 1866 Mr. Ferner came to Nevada, Iowa, and after following the drug business for about two years he began dealing in real estate, and has proved a pushing, intelligent and enterprising man of business. He is one of the stockholders in the First National Bank, and in his political views has always been an uncompromising Republican. He belongs to Lodge No. 99, of Masons, of Nevada, and is a member of James D. Ferguson Post of the G. A. R. He and wife, whom he married in June, 1856, and whose maiden name was Helen Statler, were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The latter died in 1860, leaving one child—Catherine. His second marriage took place in July, 1869, his wife, Miss Virginia Jones, having been born in Virginia in 1847. They have two children: Edith and Elva.
Jacob R. Fetterhoff (deceased). The life of this highly honored gentleman was one of more than ordinary success as well as activity; and the enviable position to which he attained was reached only by years of industry and strict adherence to the calling to which he was brought up--that of farming. He was originally from Franklin County, Penn., where his birth occurred on the 20th of March, 1840, and his parents, Jacob and Catherine Ann (Rough) Fetterhoff, were natives also of the Keystone State. The father died in Pennsylvania and the mother in Maryland. Jacob R. Fetterhoff was reared with a farm experience, was educated in the common schools, and in 1862 he enlisted in Company H, Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, with which he remained until discharged as first sergeant at Lynchburg, Va., in the spring of 1865. He was in thirty-one engagements during the years 1863 and 1864, and received but one wound. He was in the bloody and disastrous battle of Gettysburg, where so many thousand brave men were slain, but he escaped without injury. In the spring of 1866 he came to Story County and settled on the farm where his widow now resides, four miles south of Nevada. He owned 182 acres of well-improved land, and here he died on the 28th of February, 1885. His death was the occasion of universal sorrow, for all felt the loss which would be sustained by the departure of such a man. He was married on the 12th of October, 1865, to Miss