The Sheeder Family of Guthrie County, Iowa

Eli Sheeder is a practical and enterprising farmer residing on section 32, Seely township. His present home is many miles from the place of his nativity, for his birth occurred in Chester county. Pennsylvania, his. natal day being September 27. 1852. His. father. William Sheeder. was likewise a native of the Keystoue state, and came to Guthrie county in the fall of 1850. at which time he took up his above in Baker township, where he carried on farming until his death. He was one of the pioneer residents of this community and was closely associated with its agricultural interests. He wedded Miss Mary Keeley, also a native of Pennsylvania,.

the marriage being celebrated on the 23d of March, 1848. They traveled life's journey together for almost fifty years and were then separated by the death of Mrs. Sheeder on the 5th of October, 1897, when she was sixty-seven years of age. Her husband died January 19. 1900, at the age of seventy-four years.

Eli Sheeder was educated in the district schools of Chester county, Pennsylvania, and remained at home until he was thirty-two years of age. In the meantime he became thoroughly familiar with farm work, acquainting himself with the business in every detail. When he started out upon an independent business career he began farming on section 32, Seely township, where he has since lived. He is now one of the largest landowners of the county, his possessions aggregating one thousand acres in Seely, Baker and Union townships. He is also one of the most extensive stock-feeders of the county and from the tilling of the soil and his stock-raising interests he derives a very gratifying annual income. He has wisely placed much of his money in the safest of all investments, real estate, and his land is continually appreciating in value, because of the settlement of the county and the improvements he makes upon it.

On the 12th of March, 1885, Mr. Sheeder was married to Miss Sarah C. Herron, a resident of Guthrie county and a daughter of Hiram Herron, who came to Iowa at an early day and cast in his lot with the pioneer settlers of this county who were reclaiming the region for the use of the white race. He was married to Miss Melissa Armstronowho IS still living and now makes her home in Guthrie Center. Unto Mr. and Mrs.

Sheeder have been born ten children: Rosetta, now the wife of John Reese; Elsie, the wife of Charles Justis; Ira, Cora, Eugena,

Oscar, Arthur, Ella, Glenn and Helen, all at home. The family circle has never been broken by the hand of death, and Mr. and

IMrs. Sheeder are rearing sons and daughters of whom they have every reason to be proud. The parents attend the Methodist Episcopal church and their influence is ever given for the best interests of the community. Mr. Sheeder is a school director and the cause of education finds in him a warm friend. His political allegiance is given to the democracy. His life has been characterized by continuous activity, directed by sound judgment. He has always placed his dependence upon untiring labor and judicious investment and in agricultural lines has won the splendid success which he is now enjoying and which makes him one of the most prosperous residents of Seely township.

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

Silas Sheeder is a general farmer and stock-raiser and is one of the most extensive landowners of the county, his possessions aggregating eight hundred and sixty-five acres in Bear Grove town-ship. In the management and conduct of his property interests he displays excellent business discernment, combined with sound judgment that prevents him from making mistakes in investment or in the purchases and sales incident to farm life. He was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, on the 13th of February, 1853, his parents being William and Mar\' (Keeley) Sheeder.

The father, also a native of Chester county, first opened his eyes to the light of day on the 1 2th of September, 1825, and after his parents' death, which occurred when he was a lad of nine years, he went to live with his grandfather, with whom he remained for four years or until he had attained the age of thirteen. During that period he attended the district schools and then started out to earn his own Hving, being employed as a teamster and making a full hand in driving a six-horse team. When in his seventeenth year he began work at the blacksmith's trade under Jesse Orr, of Chester county, Pennsylvania, entering upon a four year's apprenticeship. For three and a half years he worked for Mr. Orr for his board and clothing and during the last six months he received wages. After this he opened a shop of his own, which he conducted for a year and then, thinking his success and his prospects were sufficient to justify the establishment of a home of his own, he was married on the 23d of March, 1848, to Miss Mary Keeley, who was born in the Keystone state, August 28, 1830. On the 17th of April, 1855, the father started with his family, consisting of his wife and four children, for Iowa. They traveled over the Pennsylvania Central Railroad as far as Rock Island, Illinois, and proceeded thence by steamer to Muscatine, Iowa, where the father secured a team and thus continued his journey to Guthrie county, arriving here on the ist of May. He found a district largely unsettled, much of the land being still in possession of the government and he entered a claim to four hundred acres on section 5, Baker township. The family lived in a tent for about three months, sleeping on the ground, but during that time a log cabin was built, twelve by sixteen feet, in which the family were soon comfortably established. They lived in that pioneer home until after six more children were added to the family and as the years passed Mr. Sheeder made extensive investments in property, becoming one of the largest landowners and wealthiest men of Guthrie county. He seemed to recognize intuitively the value of a piece of property and thus made very judicious investments, the land rising continually in value by reason of the rapid settlement of the county and of the improvements made upon it. Thus although he came to the county empty-handed he gained a place among its most substantial citizens, his life record proving conclusively that success may be gained through honorable and persistent effort and that it is not a matter of genius or of fortunate circumstances, as held by some. Unto him and his wife were born ten children, of whom nine are yet living as follows: Silas,. John, Eli, James, George, Anna, Domicilla, Joseph and Wilmer. All are now married and are living in this county, the Sheeder family being a very prominent one in this part of the state.

Silas Sheeder was only six years old when his parents started for Iowa and here he was reared on the frontier, early experiencing the hardships and privations which are incident to the settlement of a new district. As his strength increased he aided more and more large)' in the work of the fields, making in early life a full hand on the farm. In 1888 he was married to Miss Louisa Her-' ron, who was born in Ohio in 1865, and they became the parents of five children: Harry, born September 22, 1889; Dora, May 6,. 1891; Xora, April 15, 1895, deceased; Maud, July 11, 1898; Ellis, January 27,.

The family home is a fine farm of eight hundred and sixty-five acres in Bear Grove township. Mr. Sheeder has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits and is now well known not only by reason of the excellent crops which he annually cultivates and harvests but also by reason of his extensive interests. as a stock-raiser and feeder. He takes special pride in keeping high grade stock and he has every reason to be proud of the fine horses, cattle and hogs which are found upon his place. In this way he has done much to advance the farming interests of the community by raising the price of stock. He finds a ready sale for all that he produces on the farm and his business has been ably managed, resulting in gratifyingsuccess. He and his wife attend the

Methodist Episcopal church and his political owned and edited the paper, but for about allegiance is given to the democracy. They five years prior to his demise he was ably are most highly esteemed people, well meriting favorable mention in this volume because of the high regard in which they are uniformly held throughout the county. The name of Sheeder has figured in connection with pioneer history in Iowa from a very early day and from his boyhood to the present time Silas Sheeder has been a factor in the county's development and upbuilding, withholding his support from no progressive public movement.

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

George Sheeder has devoted his entire life to farming and stock-raising and is today one of the heaviest stock-feeders of the county, while his landed possessions aggregate ten hundred and fourteen and a half acres in Seely, Baker and Union townships, to which he gives his personal supervision. He is both practical and progressive in his methods and his labors are attended with that measure of success which always crowns close application guided by sound judgment.

Mr. Sheeder is one of Guthrie county's native sons, his birth having occurred in Guthrie Center. His parents were William and Mary ( Keeley) Sheeder, who became residents of this part of the state in pioneer times. The father was born in Chester county, I'pennsylvania, September 12, 1825, while the mother's birth occurred in Penn- Avlvania, August 28, 1830. The Sheeder family comes of Prussian ancestry and was founded in America by Frederick Sheeder, Sr.. who when seventeen years of age accompanied his parents from Prussia, his native land, to the new world. He became a soldier in the war of 1812, and, returning home upon a furlough, his son. Frederick Sheeder. Jr.. went to the front in his place and carried a musket, although at that time only fifteen years of age. frederick Sheeder. Sr.. was a tailor by trade, but in his later years engaged in farming. He married Anna Holtman, a native of Pennsylvania, and they became the parents of six sons and four daughters: Frederick, Henry. Mary. Samuel, Phillip, Caroline, Catherine, Sarah, Joseph and Benjamin. The mother of this family died in 1863. while the father pas.sed away at the age of eighty-seven years. He was a self-made man. whose well directed labors and strong determination enabled him to gain a handsome competence. although he started out in life empty-handed. His religious faith was that of the Lutheran church.

His eldest son, l-ederick Sheeder, Jr., was born in Lebanon county. Pennsylvania. March 22, 1799, and, as stated, took his father's place for service in the second war with England. He was reared upon a Pennsylvania farm and was educated in the Chester county schools. He married Miss Elizabeth Shuler, whose birth occurred in Chester county, March 2. 1797, her parents being" William and Sarah Shuler. Frederick and Elizabeth Sheeder had Imt two children: Sarah.Ann. who died at the age of twenty months, and William. The mother died April 14, 1830. at the age of thirty-three years, while the father passed away December 30. 1834. at the age of thirty-five years.

William Sheeder, the father of our subject, was left an orphan at the early age of ten years and made his home with his grandfather for four and a half years. In his early youth he was a district school student, and when about thirteen years of age he began working as a teamster, driving a six-horse team and hauling stone to the limestone kiln, while in the winter season he hauled forty cords of wood. He was in his seventeenth year when he entered upon an apprenticeship to the blacksmith's trade under Jesse Orr. of Chester county, Pennsylvania, on the 31st of March. 1842. For four years he continued in that employ and received only his board and clothing until the last six months of the period, when he was paid a monthly wage. Subsequently he opened and conducted a shop of his own for a year. On the 23d of March, 1848, he wedded Miss Mary Keeley, who was born August 28, 1830, a daughter of Henry and Mary (Miller) Keeley, who were natives of Chester county. Pennsylvania.

On the 17th of April, 1855. William Sheeder. with his wife and four children, started for Ljwa, traveling by rail to Rock Island. Illinois, thence by steamer to Muscatine. Iowa, and on by team to Guthrie county. He entered four hundred acres of government land, securing three hundred and twenty acres on section 5. Baker township, and forty acres elsewhere. The family lived in a tent for about three months, at the end of which time Mr. Sheeder had built a log cabin, twelve by sixteen feet, with a clapboard roof. He afterward made an addition to this and in this pioneer home six of the children were born. In 1869 he replaced that dwelling with a more commodious residence of brick. He also built large barns and outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock, and as the years passed he added to his property until he became owner of two thousand two hundred and one acres of land in Baker township, twelve hundred and forty acres in Seely township, eight hundred and fifty acres in Bear Grove township, and two hundred and eighty-one acres in Union township, making a total of four thousand five hundred and seventy-two acres in Guthrie county. He followed general farming and stock-raising, always keeping high-grade cattle, horses and hogs. William Sheeder died January 19, 1900, and his wife October 5, 1897.

George Sheeder was educated in the country schools of Guthrie county, and with the splendid example of his father to encourage and inspire him he has carefully conducted farming interests throughout his entire life. Almost two centuries ago George Washington said that agriculture is the most useful as well as the most honorable occupation of man. It is to this line of life that George Sheeder has directed his interests and activities, and he is today one of the most prominent farmers and stock-raisers of this part of the state. His landed possessions comprise ten hundred and fourteen and a half acres, situated in Seely, Baker and Union townships, and his business in stock-feeding is hardly surpassed in extent by that of any other stockman of the county.

On the ist of April, 1886, in Guthrie Center, Mr. Sheeder was married to Miss Orah Annette Rose, who was born in this county, near Guthrie Center, and is a daughter of G. W. and Margaret A. (Porter) Rose, the former born in Guernsey county, Ohio, and the latter in Xoble county of the same state. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Sheeder has been blessed with three sons and two daughters: Blanche, twenty years of age; Walter, eighteen years of age; 'ills, a youth of sixteen; Ralph, twelve years old; and Verna, who at the age of ten years complete the family. All are still under the parental roof.

Mr. Sheeder gives his political support to the democracy, but while he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day, as every true American citizen should do, he has never sought or desired office, preferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs, which make him one of the substantial citizens of central Iowa. He and his wife have a large circle of friends and are greatly esteemed in the community where their entire lives have been passed.

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

The name of Sheeder is too well known in Guthrie county to necessitate a special introduction of the subject of this review to the readers of this volume, for since pioneer times the Sheeder family has figured prominently in connection with the agricultural development of central Iowa. Joseph Sheeder was born in Guthrie county on the 2d of August, 1866, and is today one of its leading farmers and stock-raisers. He is descended from Prussian ancestry, the family having been founded in America by his great-great-grandparents, who came to the new world from Prussia accompanied by their son, Frederick Sheeder, Sr., who was then seventeen years of age. He married Anna Holtman, a native of Pennsylvania, who died in 1863, while his death occurred when he had reached the age of eighty-seven years. He prospered in business and had accumulated a very desirable estate at the time of his demise. A\nien the second war with England was in progress he joined the American army and when granted a furlough visited his farm, when his son and namesake, Frederick Sheeder, Jr., volunteered to return in his place, though he was at that time only fifteen years of age. His birth had occurred in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, March 22, 1799. He married Elizabeth Shuler and they had a daughter, Sarah Anna, who died in infancy. The mother passed away April 14, 1830, and the father on the 30th of December, 1834.

Their only son, William Sheeder, father of Joseph Sheeder of this review, lived with his grandfather for four and a half years during his boyhood, owing to his parents' early death. He started out in life at the age of thirteen years as a teamster and when sixteen years of age began learning the blacksmith's trade, serving an apprenticeship of four years. He afterward conducted a shop of his own in the east for a year. On the 23d of March, 1848, he wedded Miss Mary Keeley, who was born August 28, 1830. On the 1 2th of April, 1855, they started with their four children for Iowa and William Sheeder secured four hundred acres of government land in Guthrie county. The family went through the usual experiences of pioneer life, living in a tent until a log cabin could be built. In later years this was replaced by a more modern, substantial residence and all the equipments and accessories of a model farm were added to the property. Mr. Sheeder became one of the wealthy agriculturists of Iowa, owning altogether forty-five hundred and seventy-two acres of land in Guthrie county and engaging extensively in raising high-grade stock. He voted with the democracy, but had neither time nor inclination for public office owing to the extent and importance of his business interests. He died February 19, 1900, when in his seventy-fifth year, and his wife passed away October 5, 1897.

Joseph Sheeder, who was one of the ten children born unto Mr. and Mrs. William Sheeder, was reared in the usual manner of farm lads. He early acquainted himself with the work of field and meadow and has throughout his entire life carried on general agricultural pursuits. He now lives on what is known as the Highland stock farm and owns and operates five hundred and ninety-two acres of valuable land in Baker township. He raises principally Hereford cattle, is also one of the most extensive stock feeders of the county and his business has

JOSEPH SHEEDER reached proportions which make his annual income a very gratifying one.

]\Mr. Sheeder was married March 20, 1895, to Miss Lulu Armstrong, who was born in Monroe county, Ohio, in 1872. Her parents, Bernard and Mary Armstrong, -severe natives of West Virginia and after living in Ohio for a number of years they came to Iowa in 1888 and later removed to Missouri, now making their home in Henry county, that state. In their family were eight children, including Mrs. Sheeder, who by her marriage has become the mother of five children, namely: Mary, born May 19, 1896; Bertha, born September 24, 1898; Neva, born December 3, 1901; William F., born March 19, 1903; and [name withheld], born April 19, 1906. The last named is deceased.

The parents are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church and are much esteemed in the community, where they have a large circle of warm friends. Mr. Sheeder votes with the democracy, thus following in the political footsteps of his father. His life lias been uneventfully passed so far as ex- 'citing incidents go, yet his record is not without those evidences of good citizenship and honor in business which make a man respected and esteemed wherever he is known:and most of all where he is best known.

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

W'ihnen Sheeder, proprietor of the Oakdale Stock Farm, and the youngest member of the family of William Sheeder, was born in Guthrie county, August 27, 1869. No history of this county would be complete without extended mention (-if William Sheeder, the father, who is spoken of at length on another page of this work in connection with the sketches of his sons, George and Joseph Sheeder. He came from Pennsylvania, his native state, to Iowa at an early day in the development and upbuilding of the county and became closely associated with its agricultural progress and while promoting his individual prosperity, also added to the general welfare by bringing vast sections of the land under cultivation and reclaiming the wild prairie for the use of the white race. He entered land from the government at the time of his arrival here and as the years passed and his crops and stock brought him good financial returns he kept adding to his property until at his death he was one of the most extensive landowners of the state, his possessions aggregating over forty-seven hundred acres of land in Guthrie County. He died on the 19th of January, 1900, having for more than two years survived his wife, who passed away on the 5th of October, 1897.

\\immer Sheeder, whose name introduces this review, has always lived in Guthrie county and is well known to the majority of our readers as a leading agriculturist and stock-raiser, whose business ability is manifest in his active and successful management of his large farming interests.

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

H. D. SHEEDER.

H. D. Sheeder, who owns and cultivates a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Bear Grove township, is one of Guthrie county's native sons, born February 21, 1887. His parents were John and Mary A. (Hayes) Sheeder, and the former was a son of William and Mary Sheeder, who are mentioned elsewhere in this work. John Sheeder died in the year 1894, but the mother still survives and now makes her home in Menlo, this county. The name of Sheeder has long figured prominently in this section of the state and has ever been a synonym here for business activity and personal reliability.

H. D. Sheeder was reared to farm life and when not busy with the work of the fields his time was largely given to the acquirement of an education in the public schools. He has been married twice. He first wedded Miss Susan 'ood, who died in 1896, and he later wedded Miss Blanche Harwood, a daughter of Sanford and Nancy Harwood, who are now residents of Baker township. Mr. and Mrs. Sheeder reside upon a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Bear

Grove township and it is an excellent property, on which none of the equipments and. accessories of a model farm are lacking. In fact in its well tilled fields and excellent appearance it indicates the careful supervision of a progressive owner.

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