Individual Notes
Note for: Joseph Meek, 9 Jun 1830 - 31 Oct 1900
Index
Burial: Place: Bonaparte Cemetery, Van Buren County, Iowa
Individual Note: CENSUS: 1860 Farmington twp., Van Buren, Iowa, p.472.
BIRTH-DEATH: Van Buren County Cemetery Records, Bonaparte Cemetery. From Van Buren County, Iowa Gen Web page lookup.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: 1878 History of Van Buren County, Iowa. Meek, Joseph, one of the firm of Meek Brothers, Bonaparte; born Jun 9, 1830, in St. Joseph County, Michigan. Came with parents to this county in the spring of 1837, settled in Bonaparte. Has been one of the firm of Meek Brothers since the death of his father. Married Mary Ward, of this county, May 18, 1852. She was born Nov. 19, 1832 in Indiana, died July 12, 1853, was again married to Mary A. King, Nov. 2, 1856. She was born June 23, 1838 in County Galway, Ireland. Has seven children living, all by second wife - Eliza, Kate, Mary A., Robert, Maggie, Priscilla D and Alice, lost one - Ann E, by first wife. Mr. Meek owns individually about 140 acres of land, besides one-third interest with his brothers in 500 acres.
OBITUARY: Van Buren County, Iowa Obituaries maintained by Rich Lowe on line at: http://iagenweb.org/boards/vanburen/obituaries/index.cgi Joseph Meek died at his home in Bonaparte, Iowa, October 31, 1900, aged 70 years, 4 months and 22 days. He was the youngest son of William and Elizabeth Meek. There were six sons and three daughters in the family, and but one survives him, Mr. A. H. Woods. Joseph Meek was born in Constantine, St. Joseph county, Michigan, June 9, 1830. He came to Iowa July 12, 1837 with his father's family and settled in this community, where he has resided continuously for 63 years, having made his home for forty years in the house where he died. He was married twice - first to Miss Mary Ward on April 18, 1852. His second marriage was with Miss Mary A. King. To them seven children were born, one son and six daughters, who with his companion, and ten grand-children survive him. The children are: Mrs. Gus Steburg, Sumner, Nebraska, Sister M.F. Borgia, Milwaukee, Mrs. Carl Weber and Miss Percy Meek, Keokuk, Miss Maggie Meek, Des Moines, Miss Allie Meek, Bonaparte, and Robert Meek, Miller, Nebraska . . . . .
Individual Notes
Note for: Alexander Hutchinson Woods, 11 Aug 1808 - 21 Feb 1895
Index
Burial: Date: 24 Feb 1895
Place: Bonaparte Cemetery, Van Buren County, Iowa
Individual Note: CENSUS: 1850 Harrisburg twp., Van Buren, Iowa, p.294. 1860 Harrisburg Twp., Van Buren, Iowa, p.558, this census lists Alexander's p.o.b. as PA. 1880 Harrisburg, Van Buren, Iowa, p.450b, this census lists Alexander's p.o.b. as VA.
DEATH: DEATH: Van Buren County, Iowa Deaths, 1880-1897, p.99, FHL #0967648. Alexander H. Wood, male, white, 86 yrs, 6 months, farmer, died 21 Feb 1895. Born Wheeling, West Virginia. Died at Harrisburg Twp., buried 24 Feb 1895 at Bonaparte.
BIOGRAPHY: Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties - 1890 - on line at USGenWeb - Van Buren County - maintained by Rich Lowe. A.H. Woods is now living a retired life on his fine farm situated in Section 31, Harrisburg Township. His home, a commodious brick dwelling, is situated in the midst of seven hundred broad acres that for years have yielded him a golden tribute for his care and cultivation . . . Mr Woods has laid aside the more arduous duties of farm life, being now in the eighty-second year of his age . . . Mr Woods was born in Virginia, on Aug 11, 1808. His father, John Woods, was also a native of the same state and served his country in the War of 1812. When our subject was a babe he removed from Virginia to Ohio, where he worked at hs trade of blacksmith for many years. He wedded Nancy Sillin, who was born on the Emeral Isle, and when three years of age was brought by her parents to America. She died when about sixty years of age, and Mr. Woods died in Richland County Ohio at the age of eighty years. Of their family of seven children, six reached maturity - William, who was a medical practitioner, died in Cincinnati, Ohio, aged fifty years; A.H. of this sketch is the second in order of birth; John, who followed farming, died in Richland County Ohio; Hugh, a millwright by trade, died in Michigan; Archiblad, who has traveled extensively over this country, is now a resident of California; Margaret, the youngest is deceased. Remaining under the parental roof until he had attained his majority, A.H. Woods then left home and started out in life for himself. Going to St. Joseph County, Michigan he worked in a gristmill and during his stay in that community married Miss Elizabeth Meek a native of Ohio and a daughter of William and Elizabeth Johnson Meek. Their union was celebrated in 1834, after which Mr. Woods pruchased eighty acres of land, but continued working in the mill. Later he sold that tract and bought four hundred acres of timerland in St Joseph County,which he sold after coming to Iowa in the summer of 1837. . . . Eleven children were born to our subject and his worthy wife, but four of the number, have been called home. Nancy A., the eldest, is now deceased; William V., is a resident of California; Robert M., is a farmer of Vernon Township, Van Buren County;' Elizabeth is the wife of Lewis De Hart, who resides near St Louis Missouri, and is the mother of six children - Clement, C. Loraine, Jennie, Fannie, Clarence and Walter: Ellen is the wife of E. W. Glasscock, of Bonaparte Iowa, by whom she has seven children as follows: Charles, William, Alex, Fannie, Edna, Jessie and Anna; Sarah L. wife of H.B. Edmundson, is living in Washington Township Van Buren County; Mary V. is deceased; Hennrietta wedded J. Lefler, by whom she has two children; Myrtle and Lena; Jessie F. is the wife of S.P. Davis, and their union has been blessed with six children, Leonard W. Estella deceased Cass M., Grover C., F. Earl and Zula . . .
Place names of Van buren County, Iowa, by T.J. Fitzpatrick in Annals of Iowa, Oct 1931, part one. Woods. The name of a rural school of joint district number 9 on the west side of section 30 of Harrisburg Township, about two miles northeast of the village of Bentonsport. It was named for Alexander H. Woods, an early resident and large landowner in the vicinity. Mr. Woods was born Aug 11, 1808, near Wheeling, West Virginia, lived in Ohio and Michigan. He married a daughter of William Meek, the builder of the Bonaparte mill and dam. Mr. Woods came to Van Buren County in the spring of 1837 and settled in Harrisburg Township.
1878 Harrisburg Twp., Van Buren County, IA Biographical Directory of Citizens - on line at USGenWeb for Van Buren County, Iowa. Woods. A.H. , Farmer, Sec. 31; P.O. Bentonsport, owns 700 acres of land, valued at $40 per acre; born Aug 11, 1808, near Wheeling, W.Va; his parents moved to Wayne Co., Ohio, in 1816, in 1829, he went to Constantine, St. Joseph Co., Michigan, and purchased land there, but engaged in milling for William Meek. Married his daughter Elizabeth Meek, in 1834, she was born April 8, 1813, in Ohio. Came to Van Buren Co., Iowa, in the spring of 1837, and settled on a part of the land he still owns, where, by careful management and economy, he has one of the best farms in his township, and well improved. Has eight children living - William, Robert, Ellen, Elizabeth, Sarah, Henrietta, Mary and Jesse, lost three- Margaret J., Mary A. and Nancy. Democrat.