The Fouts Families of Harrison County, Iowa

JOEL FOUTS, an extensive farmer, living on section 24, of Harrison

,4=: Township, is a native of Putnam County, Ind., born May 18, 1826. He is the son of Noel and Jane (Wright) Fouts, who were from North Carolina and among the early settlers of, Indiana. When our subject was twenty-three years of age he, in company with the family, came to Shelby County, Iowa, where the parents both died. They were the parents of twelve children: Abner, Reuben, Delilah, Rachel, Andrew and Mary, all deceased; Nancy, wife of Ed Sandy, a resident of Shelby County; Martha, deceased; Sarah, widowed; Noel, our subject; Cynthia and Eli, deceased.

Our subject received his education in the subscription schools of the Hoosier State, and bought a claim in Elk Grove, Harrison County, Iowa, in 1850, which he farmer one year, then sold and moved to Galland’s Grove, Shelby County, where he bought a claim of three hundred and twenty acres. He remained in that county until 1879, and then returned to this county, where he had a farm of eighty acres. He now possesses two hundred and forty-five acres in this county, and eighty acres in Shelby County.

He was united in marriage in November, 1848, to Martha Simpson, and they have a family of nine children — Cynthia, widow of R. T. Laird; Mary, wife of W. J. Benjamin, of Harrison County; Sarah, wife of Luther McCord, a resident of Shelby County; William T., a.resident of Harrison Township; Martha E., wife of Walter Smithers, of Shelby County; Nancy, wife of E. D. McCord, of Shelby County; George B., a resident of Dunlap; James W., a resident of Harrison Township, and Edith, at home.

Politically our subject affiliates with the Democratic party, and is one of the leading and enterprising citizens of his county. Mrs. Fouts is a member of the Baptist Church.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GEORGE B. FOUTS, artistic barber and hair-dresser, of Dunlap, has been a resident of the place since the autumn of 1888. He is a native of Hawkeye, and was born November 1, 1865, in Shelby County, Iowa. He is the son of Noel and Martha (Simpson) Fouts. He was reared to farm life, and educated in the public schools. When about twenty years of age he started for himself and followed farming for three years, after which he engaged in the barber business, which he has since followed.

He was united in marriage September 30, 1885, in Shelby County, Iowa, to Inez Miller, who is the daughter of David and

Jane (Kuykendall) Miller. Our subject’s wife was born in Sarpy County, Neb., July 31, 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Fouts are the parents of two children — Vernie M. and Fred S.

Politically, Mr. Fouts is a Democrat, but cases his vote for the man he considers best qualified to fill the office.

His tonsorial parlors are fitted up in the best possible style, and he keeps none but the best of assistants around him.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM N. FOUTS, of Missouri Valley, left Indiana from Putnam County in 1850, and emigrated to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and engaged at farming in Rockford Township until the spring of 1857, and then settled in St. John’s Township, and continued to farm until about 1885.

In the James Buchanan presidential campaign he was one of tim nine voters in Rockford Township, and the election returns show that Buchanan received five out of the nine votes cast. It is said that the Clerk of the Board, Joe DeForest, an ex-sailor, made a speech in which he said that Buchanan was elected, and regretted very much that they did not have communication with Washington Ivy telegraph, because he knew Buchanan was elected, for as “Rockford Township went, so went the United States! ”

Mr. Fouts was born May 13, 1827, one-half mile north of Manhattan, Putnam County, Ind., and is the son of Abner and Rosy (Woodrum) Fouts. The Fouts were of German descent, while the Woodrums were of Irish extraction. The father, like most of his ancestors, followed agricultural pursuits. Of the three children horn by this union, our subject is the only one living. His mother died in Indiana June 23, 1841, and in 1850 the father came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa. In 1842 the father married for his second wife Edicy Tresner, a native of Putnam County, Ind., by which marriage union six sons and two daughters were born, of which number four sons and one daughter are living. The sons are all residents of Douglas County, Neb., while their sister lives in Texas. The father died in Harrison County, and was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, St. John’s Township, and his widow lives near Valparaiso, Neb.

In the autumn of 1864 our subject enlisted in Company C. of the Thirteenth Iowa Infantry, and continued in the service of his country until August 12, 1865. He was in Sherman's Seventeenth Army Corps, and participated in the battle between Thomas and Hood, and was at Nashville in the reserve and was not called out.

Politically, he has always voted the

Democratic ticket, except in the Greeley campaign. He has held numerous local offices in St. John’s Township; was Trustee twelve years, Assessor, member of the School Board, and School Treasurer. He was one of the charter members of the Grand Army Post at Missouri Valley, and belongs to Lodge No. 232 of A. F. & A. M.

Mr. Fouts was united in marriage August 2, 1855, to Miss Elizabeth C. Smith, of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, who was a native of Wayne County, Ohio. The family moved to Greene County, Ind., and followed farming until the autumn of 1854, and then came to Pottawattamie County. The father died in this county early in the ’70s, and the mother survived until March, 1890. They were both buried in the Harris Grove Cemetery.

Mr. and Mrs. Fouts are the parents of three sons and five daughters; Alma, deceased at the age of twenty-one years and five months, and was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery; John W., who lives in Missouri Valley, and is a carpenter; William A. is in the Missouri Valley Carriage Factory; Rosa L., wife of Daniel Griffith, a farmer for many years of Illinois, but now in the resJbaurant and candy trade; Ida J., wife of M. E. Brundidge, living in Missouri Valley; Hattie, living at home; Clara Eliza, at home, and Marvin Earl, at home.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.