was ever ready to advance the interests of the county, and his efforts to gain a competency for his' family met with good results. His death, which occurred on the 1st of February, 1890, was regretted by all, for his friends were numerous and his enemies few, and not only will he be missed in social circles, but his loss to his sorrowing widow and children can not be estimated. He is now sleeping his last sleep in the cemetery at Boone, where a tasteful monument has been erected to his memory by Mrs. Ward. They had immigrated to Iowa in 1853, when the country was in a primitive state of cultivation, Indians and wild animals being very numerous, but Mr. Ward laid out and perfected four different farms, all in the immediate locality of the present homestead. It consists of 180 acres of improved land, on which are a lovely farm residence, commodious farm buildings, orchard, etc., and fitted up with everything to make life easy and comfortable. All that Mrs. Ward now possesses she can attribute to the hard and constant toil and economy of her husband, herself and her children. She expects to make Story her future abiding place, as her friends and acquaintances here are numerous.
John Warren was born in Johnson County, Ind., November 1, 1821, and is the second of five children born to John Warren and Elisabeth Collins, who were born in Connecticut and Virginia, and died at the age of seventy-five years, and on February 19, 1847, respectively. Their children are Minerva (who was married to George Bradshaw, a farmer, and died at the age of sixty-six years, leaving a family of six children), John came next in order of birth, Eliza and Retta (died in infancy) Amanda M. (married Robert Neil, a politician and agriculturist, of Fairfield, Iowa), and L. C. Warren (married Miss Nancy Tyson, and is a minister in the Christian Church in Colorado). John Warren received his early education and training in his native county, in Indiana, and being naturally intelligent he has been enabled to conduct his business affairs very successfully. He commenced to make his own way in the world at the age of twenty-two years, but as he began life with no means he was comcompelled to work very hard at first to gain a foothold. At this stage of life he was married to Miss Ellen Groseclose, a native of Johnson County, Ind., their union taking place there on the 21st of December, 1843, and to them a family of six children have been born: Elizabeth C. (wife of James H. Kirk, a farmer of Story County, by whom she has eight children), Esther M. (wife of J. E. Jones, a merchant of Cambridge), Mary A. (who died in infancy), Jefferson C. (who married Mary Huff and farms in Story County), John Wesley (who tills the soil in Story County, and is married to Lora White), and Jacob Eddy (who is one of the tillers of the soil of this county, and is married to Miss Alice Wharton, by whom he has one son named Cecil, aged one year). Mr. Warren has always been a Republican, and for a period of about eight years he has served as school director and school treasurer in his district. He has always been a warm supporter of education, and in 1861 established the first school-house in Centre Grove, Union Township, purchasing the sash, doors, etc., in the city of Des Moines, on his own credit. He and wife are worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Cambridge, Iowa, and have always earnestly endeavored to follow the Golden Rule, From Johnson County, Ind., they came direct to Story County, Iowa, in 1853, and built the second cabin in Centre Grove, and at that time the present flourishing town of Nevada was not known, there being only one little cabin erected by Theodore Alderman. The sale of town lots commenced the