tion of the slave traffic from Africa to the U. S., their cruise being mostly on the western coast of Africa, serving a portion of the time as ship's clerk. In 1855 they returned to Norfolk, Va., he coming on to Washington, where he was discharged and then came home. In 1856 he came to Iowa, stopping in Glenwood tp., Winneshiek Co., until 1858, when he came to Hanover tp., where he now owns a farm of 360 acres, valued at $20 per acre. Mr. Ward was married to Miss Bridget Ward in Ireland, in 1839. She died in the spring of 1849, and the following fall he was married to Miss Mary Ward, a cousin of his first wife. His children by his first wife are Wm. F., John and Alice, and by the second marriage, William, Ellen, Thomas, Mary, Patrick, Catherine and Anna. He has lost by death one son, James. Mr. Ward is at present justice of the peace of his tp., which office he has filled. for twenty-two years. He has also served as clerk for eighteen years, and is the present deputy postmaster of Hanover postoffice.

WINNESHIEK COUNTY.

B. Anundsen, proprietor and publisher of the Decorah Posten, is a native of Norway, was born in 1844; he learned the printer's trade, and in 1864 emigrated to the United States, and soon settled in the city of LaCrosse, Wis. Here he continued his trade, and in the summer of 1867 established the Ved Arnensignifying, "By the Fireside"-a semi-monthly sheet, and the first literary Norwegian paper in America. In 1868 he removed to Decorah, continued the publication of said sheet, and in 1869 established the first book-bindery in Decorah. In 1870 he started the Fra Fjae-ent og Naer, a weekly newspaper. In 1871 he discontinued his two papers and book-bindery, reduced his force of employes from thirteen to two, and for three years simply did the printing for the Norwegian College. In September, 1874, he started the Decorah Posten, of which an account is given within the pages of this book, and is now publishing the same. Mr. Anundsen is a conscientious, reliable man, who believes in free. thought on all subjects. He was married in 1865 to Miss Matilda Hoffstrom. They have had five children, two of whom are living, Arthur and Fredrick.

now

John Amy (deceased), was born in Bath, N. H., in 1788, but while yet a small child removed with his parents into Vermont. His father was a soldier in the revolutionary war. John Amy was a soldier in the war of 1812, and his only son, Dr. C. W. Amy, a soldier in the late rebellion. John Amy was

married in

1828 to Cynthia Smalley. In 1838 he removed to Ohio, and in 1857 to Iowa and settled at Fort Atkinson. His death took place June 27th, 1864, leaving a wife and five children, all of whom are residents of Decorah. Ellen S. is the wife of J. M. Williams, cashier of the Winneshiek County Bank. Jane C. is the wife of J. P. McKinney, an employe in the U. S. railway postal service; Aba C. is the wife of J. C. Strong, president of the above named bank, and Louise A. is the wife of the late H. S. Weiser, founder of said bank. The only son is Dr. C. W. Amy.

Deidrick Addicken (deceased) was born in the Grand Dukedom of Oldenburg, Germany, November 5, 1824. He came to America in 1855, and made his first home in Clayton Co., Io., where for two years he was a farmer. In 1857, he came to Decorah and built what has since been known as the old brewery, near the stone mill. In this he laid the foundation for the competency he afterwards acquired. About ten years subsequently he purchased the property he owned and occupied at the time of his death. There he gradually surrounded himself with buildings, which in themselves form a small village, and here he spent his remaining years in the double capacity of brewer and miller. His death took place in July, 1875, being caused by injuries received by a fall while in the act of getting out of his buggy. He left an invalid wife, three daughters and one son.

C. W. Amy, M. D., was born in Ohio in 1842. His parents were John Amy and Cyntha G. Smalley. He came with the family to Winneshiek county in 1857, but in 1860, although a mere boy, he concluded that he wanted to see some of the western plains and mountains. He therefore went to Colorado, and in Dec., 1861, enlisted in Co. B, 2d Col. Vol. Inf., and was afterwards transferred to the cavalry service. Dr. Amy served his country faithfully as a soldier, participating in eight battles, besides numerous skirmishes, until he was mustered out of service in December, 1864. He then returned to Winneshiek Co., and at different intervals taught school, and was also for several years traveling agent, at the same time gradually turning his attention to the study of medicine. In 1876 he came to Decorah and devoted his entire attention to study, with Dr. J. W. Curtis as preceptor. In 1877 he entered the Rush Medical College, where he took two regular and two adjunct courses, and graduated in February, 1879. He then located at Decorah as a practicing physician. In 1881 he took a practitioner's course at the above named college. March 28, 1881, Dr. Amy was united in marriage to Harriet A. Bottsford, M. D. She is a native of Vermont, born August 10, 1845, her parents being Martin and Charlotte Bottsford, both natives of the Green Mountain State, who settled in Canoe tp., Winneshiek Co., in 1855. Harriet A. Bottsford was an uncommonly bright child, and at fourteen we find her in charge of a school as teacher. In 1864 she entered the normal department of the Iowa

State University, from which she graduated in 1867. She then became a teacher in the higher department of the public schools of Decorah, and continued until 1873. While a teacher she also commenced the study of medicine, with Dr. H. C. Bulis as preceptor. Soon after leaving the school-room as teacher, she entered the Woman's Medical College, of Pa., and graduated in the spring of 1875. She then spent one year at the Women's and Children's Hospital at Philadelphia, after which she was located at Chicago until 1879, and since then at Decorah. During her stay in Chicago she occupied the chair of materia medica and therapeutics in the Women' Hospital Medical College, was visiting physician at two dispensaries, and assistant of Prof. T. Davis Fitch in his syrecological clinic in the above named college. She has one daughter.

W. E. Akers, attorney. This promising young men is a son of J. M. and Harriet E. Akers, the former a native of Putnam Co., Ind.; and the latter of St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. They were married at Woodstock, Ill., in 1853. J. M. Akers, is a blacksmith by trade, and located at Decorah in 1855. Here he followed his trade for several years; subsequently had the mail contract between Decorah and Austin, Minn. This was before the railroads were built, and the trip required four days. Mr. Akers afterwards purchased a farm near Plymouth Rock, Minn., and lived on the same about four years. He then resumed his trade, and followed the same at Bluffton until 1876, when he again returned to Decorah, since which time his business has been collecting and insuring. W. E. Akers, the oldest of the three children, was born in Cook Co., Ill., in 1855. He was educated in the public schools of Decorah, and at the age of 16 commenced teaching. At the age of 19 he commenced the study of law, with Judge E. E. Cooley as preceptor, and at the age of 21 was admitted to the bar, since which time he has been in constant practice, and is meeting with marked success. In 1876 Mr. Akers enlisted as a private in the Decorah Light Guards, now Co. G, 4th Iowa; March 5, 1879, he was elected 1st Lieut., and April 27, 1880, was promoted to the rank of Captain. W. E. Akers is honest, ambitious and industrious, and among the young men of Winneskiek none has brighter prospects than he. In March, 1879, W. E. Akers married Miss Emma Draper, and they now have two children, Charles W. and an infant.

Asa W. Adams, oldest resident photographer in Winneshiek Co. The subject of this sketch was born in Ohio in 1842. He was left motherless when but a small boy, and in 1853 he came with his father to Io., and lived with him in Allamakee Co., until he was 21 years of age. He then learned the art of photography at McGregor, and in 1865 located at Decorah, and has since been the leading photographer. In 1866 he married Miss Emma J. Fuller; they have three children, Leila A., Jennie and Willie.

George M. Anderson, farmer, owns 200 acres, 160 in Frankville tp. and 40 acres of timber in Glenwood tp. He was born in Drammen, Norway, in 1836, and came to this county with his parents in 1852. They settled in Frankville tp. His father purchased the government claim that Geo. M. now owns. George M. enlisted in 1862 at Decorah, in Co. E, 38th Io. Inf., and served 3 years during the rebellion. In the fall of 1865 the 38th was consolidated with the 34th. Previous to the consolidation he was promoted to corporal. He was in engagements at Vicksburg, Yazoo City, Fort Morgan and Mobile. At the termination of the war he returned to the farm, which he has owned and resided on ever since. It is fine prairie land, well improved and stocked, good residences and comfortable barns, etc. He was married in 1865 in Glenwood tp., to Miss Hanna Jacobsen, and they have six children. He has filled various offices of public trust in the tp., and is one of its leading citizens. His brother, Andrew M. Anderson, also enlisted during the war, in the 12th Io. Inf., Co. G; served a little over a year, and was killed by the explosion of a shell at the battle of Corinth, Miss., Oct. 1862.

Joseph A. Adams, farmer, was born in Iowa Co., Wis., in 1854; came to this county with his parents in 1856. His father, Jos. Adams, first settled in the village of Frankville, was a Presbyterian preacher, and for several years preached there. He afterwards went into the mercantile business there, and in the spring of 1860 sold out the store and bought the farm, then only partly improved. It contains 280 acres in a solid body, except 40 acres of timber in Bloomfield tp. Joseph Adams, Sr., died March 6, 1871, since which time Joseph A., has controlled the farm and supported his widowed mother and sister. He has the farm well stocked and all improved, good residence and buildings; 12 head of horses on the farm, 5 head of cattle, and a large drove of hogs of good breeds.

John G. Ackerson, farmer, and an old settler in Burr Oak tp., was born in Compton, Bergen tp., N. Y., in 1816; and in 1833 went to Steuben Co., N. Y., and in 1844 to Ogle Co., Ill., and from there in 1853 to Io., locating in this place. He bought 320 acres where he now resides at the government price, and has sold 80 acres, leaving him 240 acres, 200 acres being in Secs. 15 and 22, where he resides, being good farm land, well improved, and 40 acres of timber in Sec. 34. There were not over a dozen settlers in the tp. when he first located here. He has filled various offices in the tp., and was a member of the county board of supervisors one term, having been elected in 1860. He married in 1853, McHenry Co., Ill., Miss Ann Dickerson, and they have three children, John, Elizabeth and Maria.

Erick Anderson, P. O. Decorah, farmer, Springfield tp., Sec. 1, was born in Norway Jan. 20, 1827, and emigrated to the U. S. in 1839. They first landed at Boston, Mass., and came via rail and

water to N. Y.; thence up the Hudson river to Albany, and by the Erie canal to Buffalo, where they embarked on board a steamer and came to Chicago, Ill., which was then a small town. Here they located, remaining until 1845, when they moved to McHenry Co., Ills. The subject of this sketch was engaged as errand boy for the first four years; also served as cabin boy one season on board a steamer plying between Chicago and St. Joseph, Mich., and afterwards engaged in a newspaper office for two years, the same being the office of an abolition paper. He also spent one year at a seminary in Beloit, Wis. In 1847 he went to Muskego. Wis., where was he engaged as compositor in the office of the Nordlyset (Northern Light), it being the first Norwegian paper published in the northwest, Mr. Anderson setting the type for the first number. In 1848 he went to Madison, Dane Co., and engaged at clerking in a general store. In 1850 he came to this county and entered some land in the south part of this tp., but engaged at clerking in a general store at Frankville, continuing two years, after which he moved to Ossian and engaged in general merchandise for about four years; then came on to his land remaining till in the winter of 1860, and in 1861 he moved to Decorah, having been elected sheriff of the county the fall before. He was re-elected to the office in 1862, and at the expiration of this term he moved to his present farm, which now contains 265 acres, well improved and with good buildings. His farm is especially adapted to the raising of stock, with which he is well supplied. He is at present putting up a late improved mill for the manufacture of sorghum syrup; its capacity is 150 gallons per day. Mr. Anderson was married to Miss Anna Halvorson, Nov. 6, 1851; she died April 15, 1852. He was again married to Miss Louisa Hanson, July 15, 1856. She died May 16, 1876, and he was again married Oct. 8, 1877, to Mrs. Mary Thompson, nee Opdahl. He had one daughter by the first marriage, Elizabeth A.; by the second marriage, Edgar, Albert, Henry, Lorenzo, William, Oscar and Louisa; and one son, Charles, by the last marriage. He is a member of the M. E. church.

Anon Anderson, farmer, Sec. 36, P. O. Ridgeway; owns 1,080 acres of land valued at $25 per acre; was born in Norway in 1839; is the son of Ole and Carrie Anderson; emigrated from there to Boone Co.. Ill.; lived there until he was 18 years old, when he settled in Winneshiek Co., Ia.; was married in 1861 to Carrie Ingebritson, a native of Norway, by whom he had six children, Ellen, John, Albert, Ole, Anna and Anon. He was married to his second wife in 1874, Miss Sarah Tuck, a native of Buffalo, N. Y., and they have had four children: Mabel, who died at the age of three; Ethel, Freeman and Ray.

Hon. Samuel Aiken, dealer in Holstein cattle and Hambletonian horses, was born in Barrett, Vermont, in 1834. When he was ten years old he went to Illinois; thence to Wisconsin, and