When six years of age, Rev. John Potter was brought to America by his parents, reaching our shores on June 17, 1849. At that time there were seven children, four being later born in this country. The family located in Oriskany, Oneida county, New York. The father was a wheelwright and wagonmaker. Two and one-half years later they moved to Morgan county, Illinois, where they engaged in farming until the father's death, July 7, 1876. The mother was born May 13, 1817, and died September 24, 1890. They were the parents of the following children: James, born December 2, 1837, is engaged in farming and stock raising in Crawford county, Kansas; Elizabeth, born July 7, 1839, is the widow of William C. Hart, who resides at Winchester. Illinois; Ann Elliott is the widow of William Marshall, who was born February 12, 1841, lives at McClusky, North Dakota; John, of this review; Henry Townson, born December 10, 1844, died in Kansas in 1891; Martha is the wife of James Schofield, born May 8, 1846, resides at Altamont, Kansas, on a farm; William, born September 9, 1847, lives on a farm at Lacygne, Kansas; Ruth, born January 20, 1851, is the wife of David Gilbert and they reside at Mayfield, Kansas; Thomas, born June 23, 1854, lives on a farm near Stillwater, Oklahoma; Edward Everett, born July 20, 1857, died February 10, 1902, at Jacksonville, Illinois; George died in infancy: Charles Wesley, born May 4, 1859, is a retired farmer living at Jacksonville, Illinois. Rev. John Potter is a veteran of the great Civil war, having enlisted in the Union army at Jacksonville, Illinois, August 6, 1862, and he served very faithfully until the close of the war, and was mustered out at Camp Butler, June 22, 1865. He was a private in Company I, One Hundred and First Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He took part in the following engagements: Holly Springs, Mississippi, where he was taken prisoner and held six months; was in the midnight battle of Wauhatchie; fought near Chattanooga, Tennessee, Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain; with Sherman on his march to the sea; was at the surrender of Joseph E. Johnston at Durham's Station. He went to Richmond and then on to Washington, D. C., taking part in the Grand Review, May 24, 1865. After returning from the army he came to Iowa in the fall of 1865, and located in Jasper county. He purchased forty acres in Elk Creek township, which he sold four years later and bought eighty acres in Lynn Grove township. He entered the ministry in 1870, and that year he joined the annual conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, and for thirty years was engaged in active ministerial work, his pastorate charges being as follows: Millersburg, Iowa county: Lancaster, Keokuk county; Hamilton, Marion county: Chillicothe, Wapello county: Durham, Marion county; Albia, Monroe county; Unionville, Appanoose county; Kozta, Iowa county; Pleasant Hill, Johnson county; Kellogg, Jasper county; Lynnville, Jasper county; Richland, Keokuk county; Mound City, Kansas; Eddyville, Wapello county; Rose Hill, Mahaska county; Knoxville, Marion county; Ewart, Poweshiek county; Exline, Appanoose county; Nichols, Muscatine county; Taintor, Mahaska county. He did a great work at all these places, built up the congregations and strengthened the work in this part of the state, becoming widely known as an earnest, able, conscientious and fearless exponent of Methodism, being a public orator second to none in the conference and profoundly versed in the Scriptures. He retired from the active ministry in 1903 and moved to his pleasant home in Newton, buying five acres of land upon which he resides. In 1875 he purchased one hundred and forty acres in Poweshiek county, which he sold in 1902. He also owned a quarter section in Madison county, which he sold in 1905. year be bought one hundred and seventy-three acres in Buena Vista township, selling it in 1909, when he bought one hundred and twenty acres in Poweshiek township, Jasper county which he still owns. He also owns twenty-five acres of timber land in Buena Vista township. That On October 11, 1866, Rev. Mr. Potter was united in marriage with Angeline F, Sparks, daughter of T. M. and Sarah (Guessford) Sparks, her father being a native of North Carolina and her mother of Kentucky. Early in life they moved to Morgan county, Illinois, where they continued to reside until 1834, when they moved to Lee county, Iowa, and in 1847 they came to Jasper county, being among the first settlers. Mr. Sparks becoming well-to-do here, being one of the most extensive land owners in the county at that time and he was influential and widely known, one of the most prominent of the first settlers. His death occurred December 2, 1887, at the age of seventy-five years, his birth having occurred on August 15, 1812. His wife preceded him to the grave on May 24, 1883, at the age of seventy-four years, her birth having occurred on July 27, 1809. The wife of Rev. Mr. Potter was born in Lee county, Iowa, on December 24, 1844. She was one of a family of twelve children, of whom nine are living, namely: Stephen J., who lives at Lynnville, Iowa; John R. lives in Arkansas; William P. lives at Lynnville; Thomas and Martin died in infancy; Jeremiah lives at New Sharon, Iowa; Mary E., the widow of B. T. Carson, resides at Botna, Shelby county; George W. lives in Omaha, Nebraska; Eliza E. is the wife of Lucian Butrum, and they live at Lynnville; Margaret A. died when seventeen years of age; Truelove M. is in the real estate business at Winterset, Iowa. Mrs. Potter's uncle, John R. Sparks, was the first clerk of Jasper county. Her father entered all the land surrounding the Junction. He was a man of practically no text-book education, but he made an excellent business man. Two children have been born to Rev. and Mrs. Potter, namely; Charles Henry, born May 31, 1869, lives in Lynn Grove township, near the town of Lynnville. John Wesley was born November 4, 1870, at Millersburg, Iowa county, and he is now engaged in merchandising at Wilton Junction, Muscatine county. Rev. Mr. Potter is a member of Garrett Post No. 16, Grand Army of the Republic, of which he is past commander. He has been department chaplain and made the prayer when the flags were moved into the state house. Politically, he is a Republican. He has ever manifested an abiding interest in all movements having for their object the general good and has done what he could in promoting the same. Rev. Mr. Potter is the author of an interesting volume entitled "Reminiscences of the Civil War." JAMES TOUGH. The gentleman whose name introduces this brief review is a native of Ohio, born near Mansfield, that state, on December 12, 1854, and is the son of James and Isabella (McConna) Tough, both natives of the Highlands of Scotland. The family came to America in 1853, and settled in Ohio, where the father carried on agricultural pursuits for two years, at the expiration of which time, in 1855, they came to Iowa, the family consisting of six children, namely: Maggie, John and Charles, none of whom ever married, all living together in Muscatine county, Iowa; Henry is married and lives at Earlham; Belle, wife of Abraham Ice, lives in Muscatine county, Iowa, and is the mother of one child, a son, who answers to the name of Lester. The father departed this life in Muscatine county, Iowa, in 1886, at the age of sixty-three years, and the mother died a year or so later at the age of sixty-two. On February 8, 1882, James Tough was united in marriage with Ella Milne, at Davenport, Iowa, who was born in Arbroath, Scotland, on August 9, 1851, the daughter of Stewart and Jessie (Fawns) Milne, both natives of Scotland. The father and mother never left their native country, both dying in Scotland, the father at the age of seventy, in the year 1870, and the mother in 1875, at the age of sixty. Mrs. Tough's father was a blacksmith by trade, and was twice married. By his first marriage there is now living but one child, a son, Stewart, who lives in Oregon. By his second marriage he was the father of four.children, namely: James and Charles, who both died in Scotland; David, living in Aurora, Illinois; and Ella, wife of the subject of this review. Mrs. Tough was born and lived about forty miles north of Edinburgh, Scotland. She came to the United States in June, 1879, with a brother, David, mentioned above, who had come to this country about five years previous to that date, and who had returned to his home intending to remain there, but his health failing him, the doctors advised that he return to America, the climate being too damp for him along the North Sea, and in the year indicated above he returned to this country, bringing his sister with him. They set sail from Glasgow and were twelve days on the water. David Milne was a linen weaver by trade in Scotland, but after coming to this country followed the trade of miller principally. They lived in Davenport, Iowa, where the sister kept house for him. When she came to America it was not her intention to remain here permanently, but she met and married James Tough, a young farmer, and settled down contentedly to remain on this side of the water. Three years after their marriage, they came to Jasper county, Iowa, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Buena Vista township, of a man by the name of McCauley, who had entered the land from the government many years before, and this is the only time this land has ever changed ownership. They have since added eighty acres to it and have built an elegant home on the place, which is located about three miles north of Killduff. To Mr. and Mrs. Tough have been born eight children, namely: James and David, twins, born October 12, 1887. David died in infancy; James is unmarried and lives at home with his parents; Earl, born June 21, 1887; Roy, born February 2, 1889; Edward, born December 4, 1891; Charles, born October 2, 1895, all living at home with their parents; Cora, born November 21, 1883, wife of Elmer Guess ford, lives in Cambridge, Wayne county, Iowa, has one child, a son, Harold by name; Hattie, born June 13, 1885, is still at home with her parents. Besides the fine farm of two hundred and forty acres in Buena Vista township, Mr. Tough also owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in Dawes county, Nebraska. He is a member of the Woodmen of the World of Kellogg. Politically, he is a Republican, but has never aspired to public office, although he has served for several years as school director. In addition to general farming, he raises stock quite extensively for the market. Mrs. Tough is a woman of rare sweetness of character, much beloved and respected by all who know her. She is a faithful and consistent member of the Presbyterian church at Kellogg. |