In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1826
From History of Harrison County, Iowa. Containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county. Together with portraits and biographies of all the go (1891)
OEL 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 History of Harrison County, Iowa. Containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county. Together with portraits and biographies of all the go (1891). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1891. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.