The Utterback Family of Keokuk County, Iowa

Josiah Utterback has lived in Sigourney since 1892. He was born on a farm in Johnson county, Indiana, May 15, 1834. His parents were

Corbin and Sarah (Hanks) Utterback, both natives of Kentucky anil early settlers of Johnson county, Indiana. In 1850 they came to Keokuk county, Iowa, settling on a farm about three miles southeast of Sigourney. They lived there until their death; the mother passing away at the age of seventy-one and the father when nearly ninety-four years old. Of their twelve children nine are living, of which number Josiah is the eldest. Corbin Utterback was a successful farmer and extensive stock raiser. He belonged to the Democratic party.

Josiah received only a common school education and most of his life has been devoted to farming and stock raising. In 1853 he married Frances Dyer, a native of Johnson county, Indiana, and by this union they became the parents of eight children. At the time of his marriage Mr. Utterback moved to a farm in Lancaster township, this county, and here he made his home until 1892. He was one of the organizers of the Sigourney Savings Bank and became its first president. Through a period of ten years he has directed the bank's affairs with the utmost care and success, and he has been retained at its head to the present time. Mr. Utterback is still interested in farming and still engaged in the buying and selling of stock. Some time along in the eighties, he was made treasurer of Keokuk county. He has also taken an interest in public affairs and found the Democratic principles such as he could best accept.

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

Elliott Utterback has long been a resident of Lancaster township, Keokuk county, Iowa, and was born in Johnson county, Indiana, April 14, 1842, son of Corbin and Sarah (Hanks) Utterback. His father's history is recorded in the personal sketch of Josiah Utterback, elsewhere in this work. Mr. Utterback was the seventh child and fourth son and was about eight years old at his coming to Keokuk county. He was educated in the district school of Lancaster township and assisted his father on the farm. In 1859, when in his eighteenth year he lost a leg, but notwithstanding he has had a successful career. He owns a fine, well improved farm of two hundred acres.

On December 14, 1869, he married Olive Beall, who was born in Holmes county, Ohio, March 15, 1847. Her father was Brooklyn Beall, a native of Maryland, and an early settler in Holmes county, Ohio, where he died at the age of forty-three. Her mother was Mary Ann Sigafoos; seas burn in Pennsylvania, came when a small girl to Ohio and later, in 1865, came to Keokuk county, where she died in her seventy-eighth year. She was the mother of eleven children, of whom Mrs. Utterback was the eighth. The latter was seventeen years old when she came to Keokuk county. Mr. and Mrs. Utterback located at the west end of Lancaster township. They were the parents of five sons: Lester C, married Julia Pennington, of Lancaster; Vernon D., the husband of Maud Jacobs, of Lancaster; S. Curtis, who married Florence Gladfelter and resides in Lancaster; Chelley C, married Artie Long and lives in Lancaster; and Elver C, at home, assisting on his father's home.

Mr. Utterback holds membership in the Christian church at Lancaster and is one of its trustees. In politics he is a Democrat. He is one of the substantial old settlers of the county and has been actively interested in all the affairs pertaining to the advancement of the community.

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

Landon Utterback, son of Corbin and Sarah (Hanks) Utterback, of whom mention is made in the personal sketch of Josiah Utterback elsewhere in this volume, was born September 3, 1845, and was about five years old when the family came to Iowa. In the district school of the neighborhood he received his early instructions. At an early age he began to assist on the farm and throughout his life has been a successful farmer. His farm consists of one hundred acres of finely cultivated land, on which he carries on a general farming business.

Mr. Utterback was twice married. In 1868 Hannah M. Moore became his wife and bore him one son, Allen F., a resident of Ottumwa, Towa. His second wife was Julia J. Vittetoe, of Keokuk county, and of one of the oldest families of the county. Her father was a native of Tennessee and her mother of Kentucky, and they came to Keokuk county in 1845. Mr. and Mr. Utterback had four children: Lustella, deceased; Alvin L. deceased; Arthur C, at home; and Lullu M., at home.

Our subject is a life-long Democrat and has never missed voting on election day since he became old enough. He belongs to the lodge of Woodmen of the World at Sigourney; and he is a faithful member of the Christian church at Lancaster. Among his fellow men he commands the respect of all and his career is one of which he may be proud.

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

HON. A. M. UTTERBACK.

Among the well and favorably known citizens of Keokuk county is

Mr. Utterback was reared on the farm and given a common school education. He remained at the parental home until lie was married.

in 1879, Miss Julia E. Hayes becoming his wife. Her parents, J. W.

and Esther (Brolliar) Hayes, were among the earliest settlers of Keonumbered A. M. Utterback, of Hedrick. He is a native of this county. His birth occurred in Lancaster township, April 9, 1860. Of Josiah Utterback, his father, a biographical sketch appears elsewhere in this volume.

kuk c.ountv. bor the three years succeeding Inmarriage, Mr. Utterback was engaged in farming, and then for one year was in the lumber business at Delta, Iowa. He then removed to Martinsburg, where he was engaged in the same business for a very brief period. For several years thereafter, Mr. Utterback followed agricultural pursuits together with stock raising and dealing, in Steady Run township. He left the farm in 1892. and removed to the town of Hedrick, which has since been his place of residence. In company with others he became interested in the Hedrick race course, of which he later became sole proprietor. Under his ownership and management fur four years this race course became famous and yielded him good revenue, contributing at the same time materially to the up-building of Hedrick, which also became well advertised by reason of the excellent and well attended races. This business interest he sold after conducting it alone for four years. In 1902, in association with others, he was an organizer of the Hedrick State Bank, of which he has been president since its organization. For many years Mr. Utterback has extensively dealt in stock, — in cattle mostly, and is reckoned among the leading stockmen of the county.

Politically he has always affiliated with the Democratic party, and as the Democratic candidate, he was elected in 1901 to the lower house of the Iowa legislature as representative from the Twenty-fourth district. He has also served one term as a member of the county board of supervisors. As a citizen Mr. Utterback's course in life has been that of public-spirited man. His business career has been characterized by enterprise and success. His genial disposition and pleasing manners have gained for him innumerable friends. Five children have been born into his home. Their names are Hubert, Blanche, Alta, Fred and Ruth. The family is numbered among the leaders of social circles in Hedrick, where they are held in highest esteem.

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