The Mahoney Family

Elisha Mahoney in History of Harrison County, Iowa, with portraits and biographical sketches

The full biographical sketch as printed, transcribed from the public-domain book. Spelling and wording are the original author’s; a few scanning errors may remain.

ELISHA MAHONEY, farmer, stock raiser, and proprietor of the brick kiln on section 3, Magnolia Township, was born in Harrison County, Iowa, Octo¬ ber 16, 1860, upon the section where he now lives. He remained at home until 1879, and then weut to the Black Hills, remaining in and about Deadwood for one year, during which time he worked in a saw-mill. After his return, he worked his father’s farm on shares until 1889, when he bought one hundred and thirty-three acres of the old homestead, upon which he erected a two-story brick house, thirty feet square. It was completed in 1890, and the brick were manufactured by him-

self. In addition to general farming, he pays special attention to the breeding of Norman horses.

Concerning his domestic life, it may be said that he was united in marriage, in Harrison County, in 1877, to Miss Martha E. Scarborough, and they are the parents of eight children: William S., Amy E., Eobert, Delia, Nellie, Jeremiah, Jonathan and Hiram B. Mrs. Mahoney was born in Maryland, but moved to Harrison County when a small child with her parents. Polit¬ ically, our subject is indentified with the Eepublican party.

ffiOHN W. KIEKPATEICK, farmer | and stock-raiser, residing on section ^ j 5, of Washington Township, came to Harrison County just a third of a century ago. He settled on section 18, of this township, which was then a part of Union, in the spring of 1858; at a time when their nearest market was Council Bluffs. Public lands not being for sale at that time, he rented of a man by the name of Barney, who had taken a claim and broken some of the ground. Here Mr. Kirkpatrick farmed for two years, and then went to Walker’s Grove and rented land of Thomas Sherer, for two years more, after which he went to Union Grove in Union Township, where he rented of Thomas Sellers, for three years, which brought him to October 1867, at which time he moved back to Clay County, Ind., and remained until August, 1870, when he returned to Harrison County, Iowa, and settled at Plum Grove, in Union Town¬ ship, where he rented for two years, and then bought forty acres of wild land, on section 6, of Washington Township, which

he improved and lived upon from July 10, 1873, to April 1876, when he sold and re¬ moved to section 8, of Washington Town¬ ship, where he had purchased a forty-acre tract, which he improved and lived upon until July, 1883, at which time he sold, and bought forty acres of wild land on section 5, which he improved and has lived upon ever since. When he first came to the county he drove an ox-team, and it required a long two days’ drive to make a trip to Council Bluffs and return, that being his post-office and trading place. During the “hard winter’’ of 1856-7 he was living in Beaver Township, Monona County. The snow commenced falling on the 1st of December, and caught our sub¬ ject eighteen miles from home, with three cows to drive; he started for home at just sunrise, facing the storm all the way, and arrived home at ten o’clock in the even¬ ing, when the snow was waist deep on the level, and it kept snowing and blowing for three days and nights. There had been no crop raised in the country the year previous, except that raised upon sod. Corn was very high, and wheat out of question. He had no corn of his own, and had to go a mile and a half, and then pay $1 a bushel, carrying it home on his back, with the snow nearly up to his arms, and after arriving home, shelled the corn, and the next day carried it a mile and a half, to a little hand mill, paying ten cents per bushel to have it ground. Meat was plenty, such as it was, as plenty of deer could be captured without much trouble. Stock suffer* d greatly during tJrat winter, many starving to death. April 16, 1857, he went to Magnolia with an ox-team and crossed a snow-drift that was twelve feet deep.

To learn something of the parentage and early career of our subject it may be

stated that he was horn in Guernsey County, Ohio, February 9, 1832. He is the son of William Kirkpatrick who 'was horn in Virginia January 1, 1808, and in 1827 went to Guernsey County, Ohio, and remained there until 1849, when he came to Lee County, Iowa, remained several years and then wrent to Adams County, Ill., where lie spent the remainder of his days. His wife, Susanna (Ball) Kirk¬ patrick, was a native of Ohio, born May 19, 1812, and when a small child removed with her parents to Guernsey County, Ohio. They were the parents of eleven children, our subject being the second child.

John W., of whom we write this sketch, accompanied his parents to Lee County, Iowa, where he remained until January, 1851, and then started for Council Bluffs, going in a boat via St. Louis. He re¬ mained in Pottawattamie County until the autumn of 1856, and then moved to Monona County, Iowa, and lived until the spring of 1858, and then came to Har¬ rison County.

He was united in marriage January 18, 1851, in Lee County, Iowa, to Miss Eliza¬ beth Jones, by whom nine children were born: William H., Francis M., Wilson G., John B., David H., Mary E., Jasen E., Clara E., Rebecca J. William H. died May 8, 1853; Mary E. died January 29, 1890, in Kansas.

Elizabeth (Jones) Kirkpatrick, was horn in Wayne County, Ohio, August 19, 1830, and when a year old, her parents removed to Illinois, remained a short time and went to Jackson County, Mo., were there two years, spent a short time in Clay County, and from there to Caldwell County, where they lived about five years, and from there went to Adams County, Ill. Her father was one of the Mormons, who was driven out of Missouri, first from one county to

another, and finally to Illinois At one time he was hiding in the rocks for three days and three nights. They remained in Adams County until 1839, and then wrent to Nauvoo, Ill. . where they remained until 1845, and then came to Wapello County, Iowa, halted two years, and then came to Lee County. In 1853 the family moved to Council Bluffs, having lived some time at St. Joseph, after leaving Lee County. We next find them in Monona County, where they remained until 1858, and then settled at Union Grove, Harrison County. In 1866 they returned to Clay County, Ind., remained two years, and then located at Little Sioux, Harrison County, Iowa, where the mother died, January 20, 1869, and the father in the spring of 1876, went to Minnesota, where he died June 7, 1878. His name was David Jones, and he was bom in Pennsylvania August 20, 1799. His wife was Mercy (Ayrs) Jones, horn in Maryland July 19, 1806. They were the parents of fourteen children, Mrs. Kirkpatrick being the fifth child. This venerable old couple embraced the faith of the Latter Day Saints, and had been identified with them since 1831, while our subject’s wife united with the church in 1838.

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Source: History of Harrison County, Iowa, with portraits and biographical sketches. See the original pages at the Internet Archive.