Looking Back with Lora Stull

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One Hundred-FortyYears Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, September 20, 1880.)
First Families of Ringgold County…Who They Were…Where They Lived and What They Did.
CS Palmer- was born in Ashtabula, Ohio in 1850. He tried to enlist but his widowed mother objected. He moved to this county with his mother in 1870. Three years 77-78, he carried the mail between the Mount Ayr and Decatur City until the railroad came to do it for him. He owns town property in Kellerton, but rents land south of town and lives on it. He is a Republican.
John Miller-was born in Starke County, Ohio, in 1836. In 1849 his people moved to Allen County, Indiana. In 1861 he attached to the engineer corps of the 59th Illinois Regular Infantry and was employed until 1864 in building bridges, erecting fortifications, superintending the construction of roads, etc. in different parts of the country. In 1864 he settled in Cales County, Illinois and in 1865 he reached this county. He owns 80 acres one mile southeast of Kellerton. He handles about 160 hogs a year. Has 1,000 fruit trees and over 3,000 shade trees. A good house was built in  1876. He is a Republican.
W. H. Fender-was born in Owen County Indiana, in 1853. In 1855 his parents moved to Mercer County, Illinois and in 1873 to this county. He owns 40 acres in Athens, but farms more renting land in the neighborhood. He has now 100 hogs on hand. He is a Greenbacker.
Rev. E.E. Auxier-was born in Mason County, Illinois in 1846 and moved to this county in 1879. He owns 80 acres in west Athens, what is known as the “Parkerplace” one of the oldest and best improved farms in Athens. There are 260 fruit trees, a large grove of over 5 acres and an abundance of small fruits of every kind. The 80 acres is enclosed by osage hedges. Mr. Auxier is a minister of the Baptists and preaches regularly in his neighborhood. He is a Republican.
F.M. Gray-was born in Holmes County, Ohio in 1845. In 1856 his folks moved to Appanoose County, Indiana. He enlisted in the spring of 1862 in the 18th Iowa Volunteer Infantry and served to the end of the war. He was in a number of engagements, but was one of the lucky ones: was never wounded, captured, sick, except once for a few days with a boil. In April 1880 he moved to this county. He owns 280 acres in central Athens most of which he has rented out. He expects to raise crops. He is a Republican.
R.T. Morton-was born in Delaware County, New York in 1838. In 1850 his father moved to Erie County , PA and in 1863 to Clayton, New Jersey. In 1868 to Muscatine County, IA and in 1877 to this county. He owns a good 90 acre farm half a mile west of Kellerton. There are over 200 choice trees in his orchard. A Republican.
A.P. Trobee-was born in Morgan County, Ohio in 1832. In 1850 te Trobees moved to Marion County, Iowa, whence he moved in 1869 to Ringgold County. He owns 80 acres improved land north Athens, on which there are 5 acres in orchard and shade trees. A Republican.
Spencer Dady-was born in Venango County, PA in 1835. In 1843 his parents moved to LaGrange County, Indiana and in 1849 to Mason County, Illinois. Mr. Dady was through this county in 1855 but looked too lonesome for him and he did not move here until 1874. He owns 94 acres of valuable land in north Athens. Handles some stock and is a Republican.
Joseph Ingram-a relative of the Mount Ayr Ingrams, is a native of Aberdeeshire, Scotland, where he was born  in 1810. He came to Savannah, Ohio in 1834. Mr. Ingram is a stone mason and worked at his trade for  a number of years after coming to the new world. In 1850 he went to the Pacific coast, spending over 5 years in California. The first two years he prospered, clearing over $1,000 in a year, but his health failed him and his “pile” soon melted away. His failing fortunes have been, by energy and good management, retrieved , but his health he was never fully recovered. In 1856 he moved back to the states to Knox County, Illinois, and in 1876 to this county. At the beginning of the war he was in Jackson County, Missouri, where he lost considerable on account of his loyal sentiments. He owns 100 acres in Poe township and is making money. A good Republican.
David Rodgers-was born in Hancock County, TN in 1847. In 1850 he was brought to Van Buren County, Iowa and in 1863 to this county. He enlisted in the fall of 1863 in the 8th Iowa Infantry, but parental authority interposed its strong hand so effectually, that his swelling patriotism was nipped in the bud, and he was obliged to pastoral pastimes instead of carrying cartridges to martial music. Mr. Rodgers, (we always hate to stoop to such sordid matters as real estate, after soaring too such height as we reached above), owns 100 acres of improved land in northeast Poe. A large house and barn and a magnificent orchard of bearing trees make a pleasant house for a Republican who dwells within.
Thomas Eagle-was born at Yarmouth, England in 1815. His father was an old soldier and Mr. E. served while a boy in the army and accompanying his father on a trip to the Mediterranean. Mr. E. learned the merchant tailoring trade and worked at his trade in different states. In 1880 he moved to this county. He owns 80 acres in Monroe, but is engaged in his profession in Mount Ayr.
E.M. Carpenter-was born in Indiana County, PA in 1836. He was in the US Mail service for several years, sending out 40 mails a week. He attached himself to the State Militia at the beginning of the war but saw no active service. In 1864 he came west to Marshall County, IA and to this county in 1874, He settled first in Marshalltown where he improved and built upon several town lots and afterwards sold them, which he could do at a handsome profit. He owns a very highly improved farm of 40 acres in central Monroe, off which he is making money. No part of his farm lies idle; there are 400 rods of hog tight fence, 100 bearing fruit trees. In the last three years he has sold $2,100 worth of hogs from the place. Two years ago Mr. Carpenter introduced the culture of artichokes into the county, raising the first season 100 bushels from three peck of seeds. He has now four acres in artichokes from which he expects to get 4,000 bushels. He uses them for his hogs which are turned into the patch in the fall, and Mr. Carpenter has fattened his hogs to the weight of 250 lbs. without feeding more than five bushels of corn per head. The variety raised by Mr. Carpenter, and that which he considers the most prolific and nutritious is the Red Brazilian Artichoke. Mr. Carpenter, by his common sense system of farming is realizing more clear cash from his 40 acres than some of his neighbors make off their half sections. He has been repeatedly elected to office, but has been too busy to accept, as no one will doubt after having seen him at home; he devotes himself almost exclusively to his place. He is a Republican.