John Irons

As printed in 1903

JOHN IRONS.

Ninety-two years of life filled with useful effort and crowded with respect and esteem of his fellow-citizens have left this venerable resident of Keokuk county still hale and hearty- and with every prospect of continued health fur some years to come. He was one of the pioneers of this locality and is to-day an honored citizen of Adams township. A native of Maryland, he was born in Alleghany county on the roth of April, 1810, and is of German descent, his father, John Irons, having come to.America with his parents when but six months old. The family located in Frederick county, Maryland, about forty-five miles from Baltimore and there the father of our subject was reared to manhood and married, the lady of his choice being Miss Catherine Hann, who was born and reared in New Jersey. The young couple located upon land in Alleghany county, and there in the midst of the forest the father cleared and improved a farm. Throughout life he engaged in agricultural pursuits. During the early days the family endured many hardships and privations, the country being still in its primitive condition. The mother died when about fifty-eight years of age and the father passed away at the age of seventy-eight. In the family of this worthy couple were fifteen children, twelve of whom reached man and womanhood. There were six sons and six daughters, but only four of the number are now living, one being a resident of Nebraska, another of Kansas and the third of \ virginia. while our subject makes his home in Iowa.

On the old home farm John Irons passed the days of hi-- boyhood and youth and on reaching man's estate he was married in West Virginia in 1832 to Miss Margaret Powell, who was born in Monongalia county, near the Marion county line. Fourteen children blessed this union. twelve of whom reached years of maturity. In order of birth they are as follows: Catharine, deceased; Joseph, now a resident of Oregon: Nancy Ann. wife of Decater Higgins; Charles, whose sketch appears on another page of this column; John, who entered the Union army for three years' service and was killed in a railroad wreck while on his way home; William, a resident of Nebraska; Levi, a farmer of Adams township, Keokuk county, Iowa; Margaret, the wife of John W. Lightfoot, a resident of California; James, deceased; Warren, a farmer of Adams township, this county; Alice, wife of Andrew Hummer, who lives on the old homestead; and Allen, deceased.

After this marriage Mr. Irons located m Munn county. West Virginia, where he engaged in farming for fourteen years, and continued to make that place his home for two years longer, when he returned to the old homestead in Alleghany county. Maryland, having purchased the same. He continued the operation of that farm until 1853, when he sold the place and came to Iowa, making the journey by team to Adams township, Keokuk county. He entered three hundred and twenty acres of land and to it he added from time to time until he had six hundred acres, part of which was the present town site of Keswick. He continued his farming and stock raising until well advanced in years. when he retired from active labor, leaving the operation of the land to younger hands. Since then he has divided must of his property among his children.

Mr. Irons has been called upon to mourn the death of his wife, who died on the loth of March, 1900. They had traveled life's journey together for sixty-seven years, two months and twenty-seven days. They had shared with each other life's joys and sorrows, its adversity and prosperity. Although ninety-two years of age he has always been in exceptionally good health, and has never taken a dose of medicine in his life. He is strictly temperate in all his habits, never using liquor, nor has he ever smoked or chewed tobacco, and to his excellent habits may be attributed the tine health which he has enjoyed. On attaining his majority Mr. Irons became identified with the Democratic part)- and cast his first vote for General Jackson and has since never wavered in his allegiance to that political organization. His fellow citizens recognize his worth and ability and called upon him to serve in local positions of honor and trust and he was at one time a member of the Grange. He was one of the first settlers of Adams township and for half a century has resided upon his present farm. He is the oldest man living in Keokuk county- and no one in the community is held in higher esteem. After a useful and honorable career he can well afford to lay aside all business cares and live in ease and retirement. As a citizen he has ever stood ready to discharge any duty involving upon him and the best years of his life were given to the up-building and advancement of his adopted county.

As printed in A genealogical and biographical history of Keokuk County, Iowa .. (1903). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.