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1890 Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Story County, Iowa

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ty), Elizabeth (married, and resides in Johnson County, Ind.), William (single, and died when about fifty-three years of age) and Mollie (who is single and the youngest in the family). Both parents were natives of West County, Va., and the father was an agriculturist. He died at the age of fifty, and the mother at sixty years. John Groseclose received his early education in the old subscription schools, and he and such old settlers as Amos Ball and Oliver Chamberlin were the ones who first started the schools in Union Township, Mr. Groseclose being present at the first school meeting. He really commenced life for himself, and helped rear the family which was left in his care, at the age of sixteen. Farming has been his principal occupation, but for a short time he was engaged at the carpenter's trade. He was married, on the 15th of November, 1849, to Miss Eliza Sells, a native of Indiana, born on the 10th of April, 1831, and whose education was also obtained in the old subscription schools. Eight children were born to this union—three sons and five daughters: Emeline (resides in Story County, and is the wife of Augustus Warner, a painter by trade), Caroline (resides in Des Moines, Iowa, and married Emmile Shavannes, who is a groceryman), Harriet (died in infancy), an infant, Howard (single and died at the age of twenty-four years ; he received a good common-school education, and was an agricultural implement dealer in Cain-bridge, Iowa, at the time of his death), Louisa (resides in Washington and married Herman Martin, who was formerly a school teacher, route agent, and is now in the loan and real estate business in Oysterville, Wash.), William (is engaged in agricultural pursuits on the homestead, and is single) and Anna (resides on the homestead with her parents; she has a good common-school education). Since the Rebellion Mr. Groseclose has identified himself with the Republican party, and has filled a number of local positions. He has been a school director for almost sixteen years, and he and Mrs. Groseclose are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are workers in the Sunday-school. They emigrated from Johnson County, Ind., during the fall of 1855, to Story County, Iowa, at the time when Nevada had but three or four buildings (two used as stores) and Cambridge was but a hamlet. The general appearance of the surrounding country was very uninviting to the pioneers who came here the same time that Mr. and Mrs. Groseclose located, as ponds and sloughs were to be seen on every hand. At the present time Story County is converted into one of the most fertile agricultural regions in the State. Mr. Groseclose is the owner of 300 acres of finely improved land, all in a body, in the old homestead, and also has 160 acres in Section 13, and a fractional eighty in Section 1, Elkhart Township, Polk County, which make altogether 540 acres. He has a commodious and lovely farm residence and good out-buildings on the homestead, rendering it one of the most valuable and desirable farms in Story County, and the main point about this is that it is all the result of his own energy and perseverance, for he commenced life with very limited means. He is a living example of what a poor boy can accomplish who commences life without a dollar.

Andrew J. Hainline is a farmer, stock-raiser and resident of Section 23, Union Township, Story County, Iowa, and was born in McDonough County, Ill., July 19, 1843, being the eldest of twelve children born to Jesse and Merica Hainline, both of whom were born in Kentucky, and are living in Illinois, at the ages of sixty-eight and sixty-nine years, respectively. The former is a worthy tiller of the soil, and is esteemed and respected by all who know him.

Page 338 of 460

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