p. 8
Henry Felkner elected 3rd Vice President of Association. First reunion festival held June 21, 1866.
p. 13
Formation of Old Settlers Association in 1866: Committee of Arrangements, Big Grove Township: C.W. McCune, James Buchanan, Charles Devault, James Payne.
p. 65
First public meeting of Old Settlers held July 4, 1840. Commentary by editor: "Regarding it from a financial standpoint, the settlement was begun at a most unpropitious period. In the year 1837, our country was swept by one of the most disastrous panics that ever occurred. Every bank in the country except those in New Orleans suspended specie payment, business of all kinds became paralyzed, confidence destroyed, and nearly every man that was in debt became bankrupt. For ten years thereafter, the country was strewn with the wrecks of this cyclone, in the shape of unpaid and unpayable debts, nor were these wrecks cleared away until the national bankrupt law, passed by Congress in 1842, opened a grave in which they could be buried."
p. 110
1837: 28 men settled; 8 as heads of family
1838: 38 men settled; 22 as heads of family
1839: 119 men settled; 35 as heads of family (included E. M. Adams, Moses Adams, Bryan Dennis, Sylvanus Johnson, Presley Connelly...and others. Some of these migrated as a group from an eastern state "hundreds of miles from the great river").
(Note: This list is compiled from births of children as shown in 1850 Census and therefore presents an incomplete account of a families migration between and after births of children.)
Northeast U.S.Ebenezer M. Adams John Agy Abner Arrowsmith Allen Baxter Andrew Binegal Thomas Bolster Isaac Bowen Edwin Brown Peliezene C. Brown Stephen Brown Thomas Brown James Buchanan John Burge John A. Cain Stephen Chase Whetan Chase Presley Conley Lewis Conley Samuel Conlogue David Cox Elijah Cox William DuPont John Eagan Joseph Eagan Henry Felkner Nathaniel Fellows John Gardner John Gilbert John Guilor John Hallar Isaiah Hamilton Yale Hamilton James Harden Benjamin Hanson Martin Harless Green Hill Josiah Lyman James Magruder Jesse McGrew William Morris Jahial Park Warren Stiles William Sturgis
Males <5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70 Females <5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70
Abner Arrowsmith 100020000 210010000 Levi Wells 430001000 010001100 William D. Cannon 020110000 020100100 Warren Styles 111011000 011001000 Harvey Lyman 110000100 100001000 Elizabeth Lyons 020200000 000120100 R.W. Orr 000001000 000000000 Leander Jewet 002000100 100001000 Philo Costley 100010000 000100001 E.K. Morse 000020000 000000000 William McIntyre 000010000 000000000 Simon Fry 000010000 000000000 William Derrickson 000000100 000000000 J.M. Choats 000010000 000000000 Charles Gillen 000001000 400100000 Mary Conlouge 100010000 000010000 Richard Willis 000001000 000000000 Edwin A. Brown 000110000 000000000 Jahiel Parks 210020100 011020000 William Smith 000010000 000010001 John West 112030101 001011000 Joseph [sic] B. McGrew 000030000 000010000 David Doke Smith 000002000 020010000 John Smith 000001000 210010000 Warner Spurier 010000100 101010000 Andrew Vinegar 000030000 100010000 Chancey Fowler 000010000 000000000 Valentine Falkler [sic] 014000100 011100100 David Miller 000010000 020010000 Elijah Cox 000010000 220010000 John L. Holler 110021000 200010000See also links to these Iowa State Census pages:
Shows adults with estimated year and place of birth. Also shows estimated years and places of birth of oldest child born in each state
Connor, William 1813 VA
Phebe 1821 VA
Children 1835 OH
1838 IA
Payne, Joseph 1814 OH
Mary (?) 1823 OH
Children 1842 OH
West, John 1798 NY
Clarissa 1801 VT
Orson 1828 NY
Ollerman, boy 1836 OH
Smith, John 1809 OH
Mary 1814 MD
Children 1836 OH
1842 IA
Arrosmith, Abner 1811 KY
Elizabeth 1813 OH
Children 1833 IL
1838 IA
Spurrier, Warner 1807 MD
Harriett 1819 IN
Children 1831 OH
1841 IA
Templeman, Moses 1807 VA
Catharine 1792 OH
Children 1829 OH
1844 IA
John 1781 VA
Cannon, William 1811 MA
Julia A. 1823 MA
Children 1835 IA
[Wilbur ] 1841 IA
Stiles, Warren 1804 NY
Clarissa 1820 NY
Children 1831 NY
1837 IA
Schere, Henry 1836 GER
DuValt, Stod--- 1818 OH
Caroline E. 1829 NY
Child 1849 IA
McDonald, E (?) 1825 IRE
Eliza 1833 IRE
Margaret 1835 IRE
McDowell, Henry 1822 PA
Margaret 1826 PA
Children 1839 OH
Palmer, Charles 1795 CT
DeBoice, William H. 1810 NY
Ann 1829 ME
William H. 1839 IL
Children 1844 IA
Dennis, James 1785 PA
Martha 1789 PA
Children 1844 IA
Benter, Joseph 1813 GER
Anastasia 1802 GER
Children 1829 GER
1834 OH
Bowers, John, Jr. 1827 OH
Willa 1831 OH
Harboll, Nancy 1788 PA
Smith, William 1811 OH
Maria 1812 VA
Children 1843 IA
Eells, C (?) 1809 PA
Martha 1834 OH
Mary E. 1843 IA
Griffith, James 1801 VA
Elizabeth 1803 OH
Children 1827 OH
1843 IA
Payn, Willliam 1786 VA
Ellen 1793 VA
Children 1823 OH
Payn, Joseph 1824 OH
Child 1846 IA
Case, Joseph 1816 OH
Margaret 1818 OH
Children 1839 OH
1841 IN
1843 IA
Peninger, Joseph 1820 OH
Jane 1826 OH
Foster, David 1817 OH
Mary 1820 OH
Children 1835 IA
Conley, Presley 1819 OH
Amanda 1819 OH
Children 1846 IA
Amelia 1825 CAN
Minerva 1834 OH
Case, Nathaniel 1826 OH
Sells, Anthony 1810 OH
Sarah 1814 OH
Thompson, Lidia A. 1840 OH
Oliver 1843 OH
Nelson 1846 IA
Thompson, Sarah 1813 KY
Children 1834 IL
1846 IA
Robinson, Joseph 1820 ENG
Catharine 1815 PA
Children 1846 IA
Huse (?), Sarah A. 1841 IA
Dennis, Malton F. 1826 PA
Eliza J. 1828 OH
Children 1847 IA
Cambell, Bertha 1802 VA
Rosana 1829 OH
James W. 1830 IN
Children 1832 IA
Devault (?), Charles 1814 OH
Rachael 1816 OH
Children 1838 IN
1842 IA
Burns, Elizabeth 1834 OH
McGrew, Jessee B. 1815 PA
Sharlotty 1830 NJ
Tramble, Frances 1831 GER
Caroline 1824 GER
Children 1848 IA
Graver, Kesper 1800 GER
Elizabeth 1807 GER
Children 1833 GER
1844 IA
Blain, Archibal 1814 PA
Julia A. 1813 NY
Children 1841 IA
Calkin, Norman 1812 NY
Mary 1812 NY
Children 1834 NY
1847 IA
Kerr, Hamilton H. 1810 PA
Almira 1829 VA
Children 1848 IA
Cox, Lidia (?) 1836 IN
Andrews, Paul B. 1812 PA
Emaly 1818 ?
Children 1845 OH
1848 IA
Clark, Timothy B. 1816 CT
Alvina E. 1819 NJ
Children 1843 IA
Cambridge, Middleton 1835 IN
Pain, Evan 1813 OH
Ruth 1813 OH
Children 1838 OH
1846 IA
Brakel, John 1810 GER
Margaret 1817 GER
Children 1842 PA
1847 IA
Walter, Anthony 1804 GER
Barbary 1804 GER
Children 1832 GER
1847 IA
Beiser, Volentine 1847 LA
Brown, Peleg C. 1799 NY
Children 1829 OH
Warnhol, Frederic 1794 GER
Elizabeth 1800 GER
William 1832 GER
Fackler, Volentine 1793 PA
Elizabeth 1794 PA
Children 1824 OH
1831 IA
Devault,(?) Henry 1842 IA
Keshner, Michael 1802 GER
Mary N. 1804 GER
Children 1848 IA
Sels, Godfrey 1823 GER
Mary 1827 GER
Children 1848 IA
Drenn(?), Louisa 1800 GER
William 1834 GER
Gates, Wentlen (?) 1822 GER
Catharine 1823 GER
Children 1829 GER
1844 IA
Statser, Rudolph 1823 GER
Wendall 1794 GER
Children 1848 IA
Upmore, William 1815 GER
Louisa 1818 GER
Children 1841 GER
1850 IA
Gipson, James A. 1814 SCO
Elizabeth 1815 PA
Children 1846 WI
1848 IN
Lingle, John 1828 PA
Mary J. 1835 IA
Nickleson, Henry 1816 OH
Maria 1822 PA
Children 1843 IA
White, John 1818 OH
Elizabeth 1824 IL
Children 1843 IA
White, William 1824 OH
Roe, Rice 1819 IN
Perlina 1820 IN
Children 1840 IL
Esterbrooke, Porter 1807 VT
Margarett 1808 NY
Children 1839 OH
1842 IA
Payn, James 1816 OH
Elizabeth 1816 OH
Children 1839 OH
1842 IA
McCune, Charles 1824 NY
Phebe 1829 OH
Children 1846 IA
McCune, Daniel 1826 NY
Robinson, Robert 1812 IRE
Jane 1806 OH
Children 1846 IA
Robinson, John 1808 IRE
Thomas 1839 CAN
Smith, DokeD. 1814 OH
Jane 1814 OH
Children 1838 OH
1841 IA
Aslin, John 1810 NC
Adaline 1815 VA
Children 1835 OH
1843 IA
Smith, Daniel 1818 PA
Rbecca 1813 PA
Child 1844 IA
________________________________
Solon Pioneer shown in the 1850 census for
Newport, Johnson County:
Lyman, Harvey 1795 CT
Mary G. 1805 OH
Children 1833 OH
1838 IL
Return to menu
Warren Stiles: See biography
Edmund Shepard: "In the spring of 1850, S.J. Hess and I joined a company for California. Our little two-horse wagon had on its side a box for curry combs, etc. George Yewell painted on it little Breeches which name we were known by. At Salt Lake we joined outfits with Bryan Dennis, Jas. McConnell and John Larcomb. We were in business for two years at Bidwells Bar." (From"35th Annual Reunion of the Old Settlers of Johnson County," August 22, 1901, Iowa Citizen Publishing Company, 1901). Edmund is listed in a wagon party stopping at Kanesville, IA (Council Bluffs) on 1 may 1850, in: Louis J.Rasmussen,California Wagon Train Lists, Vol. 1 (Colma, CA: San Francisco Historic Records, 1965), p. 105.
Chauncey Swan: Chauncey went with a party from Iowa City to the California gold rush in 1849. He kept a diary of the journey. From: "Letters of a 49er," ed. Mildred Thone, Iowa Journal of History XLVII, January 1949, pp. 63-77, Nebraska State Historical Society, as referenced in Merrill J. Mattes, Platte River Road Narratives, (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois, 1988.
Simon Fry: Simon is listed in Solon in the 1840 U.S. Census but not in the 1850 census. Instead a man named 'Simon C. Fry' is shown in the 1850 U.S. Census for California at El Dorado County, in Peru, page 446. It is not known if these two are the same man. From: "Ronald Vern Jackson, Index to 1850 U.S. Census, California, (Bountiful, UT: Accelerated Indexing Systems)
2. Aurner, Clarence Ray. Leading Events in Johnson County, Iowa, History
(Cedar Rapids: Western Histoical Press, 1912-13) pp. 164, 309.
3. 1838 Wisconsin Territorial Census for Johnson County, Iowa, comp.
Ronald Vern Jackson (Bountiful, UT: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1981)
4. 1844 Iowa State Census, Johnson County, transcription at
5. Petit Jurors, Johnson County District Court 1858 Special Term, sheriff's summons, 9 Aug 1858; Johnson County, Iowa Miscellaneous Records, item #1, microfilm 985414, LDS.
6. "Johnson County, Iowa, Military Service Eligible Males, 1848," reproduced at .
7. 1839 signatory to Constitution and Laws of the Claims
8. 1830 U.S. Census, Chautauqua County, New York, Ripley, p. 137,
9. Although reference 1 (above) attributes the name "Solon" to one of Ander's sons, the 1850 census does not show such a son in Ander's household. Perhaps the child had died by then. Alternatively, the origin of the name "Solon" might reflect the hometown of one of the founders, ae, Solon, Cortland County, New York.
10. "Hamilton H. Kerr," 35th Annual Reunion: Old Settlers of Johnson County (Iowa City: Iowa Citizen Publishing Company, Printers, 1901)
11. 1850 U.S. Census, Johnson County, Iowa, Big Grove Precinct, 8 Oct 1850, NARA microfilm M432, Roll 208.
12. Iowa District Court Records, Johnson County, 1839-1841 Second Judicial District, Iowa State Historical Society, Box 2, LDS microfilm 989168, item #1.
13. Index to 1830 U.S. Census, New York, Ronald Vern Jackson (Bountiful, UT: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1977)
14. 1840 U.S. Census Iowa, Johnson County, comp. Rowena T. Obert (Salt Lake City, UT, 1968)
15. Probate Records, Johnson County, IA, LDS FHL microfilm 985944.
16. World Connect, Rootsweb.com at wcrootsweb.com
17. LDS FHL
18. Wilbur D. Cannon Papers, 1860-1915, State Historical Society of Iowa, Special Collection, Iowa City, Iowa City Library Manuscripts, BL 71.
19. Wilbur D. Cannon,Iowa City mansion in series on historic
landmarks of Iowa city, Iowa Press Citizen, Aug. 1-4, 2004, Iowa City.
20. Index to 1820 U.S. Census, Ohio, Ronald Vern Jackson (Bountiful, UT: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1971)
21. "Women of Big Grove," comp. Jacob Risora, Johnson County, Iowa Miscellaneous Records, item #1, LDS Film 985414.
22. Dr. James Griffith birth calculated from age given in obituary, Chicago Tribune, 28 April 1884, p. 3.
23. Griffith/Hall, Knox County Probate Court Marriage Records 1808-1838, p. 117, LDS Film 1294304.
24. Mrs. Elizabeth Griffith birth calculated from age given in obituary, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep 1891, p. 3. Elizabeth Griffith, Chicago city Board of Health Death Certificate 1891-5219.
25. James Griffith, Chicago City Board of Health Death Certificate 1884-39938.
26. Alpheus H. Harlan, History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family (np,1914)
27. James Griffith, Certificate 3117, Iowa City Land office, 16 Sep 1850, patent 1 Apr 1850, nw 1/4 se 1/4 sec 22, T81N R6W, Johnson county Recorder Bk. 6, p. 218.
28. U.S. 1860 Census Johnson County, IA, Newport Twp., NARA microfilm M653, 2d filming, roll 327, p. 541, Household 365.
29. Marriages of Johnson County, IA, 1839--1867, Vol. 3, p. 142, Johnson County Recorder, Iowa City.
30. Marriages of Johnson County, IA, 1839--11867, Book 3, p. 22, Johnson County Recorder, Iowa City.
31. 1870 U.S. Census, Johnson County, IA, Newport Twp., NARA microfilm M593, Roll 400
32. Johnson County, IA District Court, Guardianships 1851-1938, UGS 1990, microfilm 1705134, item #1.
33. Johnson County Probate Records, Vol. 8, p. 201, LDS FHL microfilm roll 985947.
34. Johnson County Probate Index, Vol. 1, 1840-1883, UGS microfilm 985942.
35. 1870 U.S. Census, Johnson County, IA, Iowa City, p. 7, NARA microfilm M593, Roll 400.
36. LDS FHL. (No documentary sources cited for this submittal).
37. 1830 U. S. Census, New York, Chautauqua County, Ellery,
38. 1825 New York State Census, Chautauqua County, Ellery,
39. 1820 U. S. Census, New York, Chautauqua County, Chautauqua,
40. Elliot Storke, History of Cayuga County, New York, 1789-1897( Syracuse: D. Mason, 1879), p. 260.
41. Cyrus Sanders and Henry Felkner, "Unfinished History of Johnson County," manuscript, Iowa State Historical Society, Iowa City, Iowa.
42. Iowa State Census 1854 transcribed at
43. Willliam Monroe Spurrier, International Genealogical Index (IGI), LDS FHL.
44. Irvin Weber, "Solon History," in "History of Johnson County Iowa," Iowa Press Citizen, 24 Sep 1975, p. 2; see also Solon Reaper, 28 July 1982; and Aurner (2 above), Leading Events..., p. 164.
45. Johnson County Recorder, Iowa City, Iowa
46. Iowa Writers ProgramHistory of Johnson County, Iowa<\/em>,State of Iowa Work Projects Administration, 1941.
47. Yearbook of Old Settler's Association of Johnson County, IA, State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
www.rootsweb.com/~iajohnso/JCmilitary1848.htm
Association of Johnson County, Iowa, adopted 9 Mar 1839 as transcribed at
www.kinyon.com/iowa/claim/constitution.htm
trans. Virginia Barden and Lois Barris, Chautauqua County Genealogical
Society, 1995, at:
www.rootsweb.com/~nychauta/CENSUS/Ripl1820.htm
p. 322, trans. Jay Priest, Chautauqua County Genealogical Society:
www.rootsweb.com/~nychauta/CENSUS/Elle1830.html
p. trans. Mrs. Lester Lewison, NSDAR
www.rootsweb.com/~nychauta/CENSUS/Elle1825.html
p. 55,trans. Virginia Barden and Lois Barris, Chautauqua County
Genealogical Society, 1995, at:
www.rootsweb.com/~nychauta/CENSUS/Chau1820.htm
iagenweb.org/census/johnson/1854/IA-1854-BigGrove.txt