The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1916-01-20
DAVIS CITY HAS FIVE
Couples Who Have Been Married 50
Years or More. We Now Have 1
Thirty Couples In the List.
Davis CITY. Iowa,

| Editor RepOrter:-ln your las
weeks issue I note you gave lis
of a number of couples who havl
been, married SO years or longer, anS
you ask if there are not others II
the county.
Davis City has five couples tha'
have passed the so years of married
life and several couples nearing thai
time: Mr.. and Mrs. Isaac Tone,
were married in Leon by Judg,
Thompson in May, 1856. Mrs. ToneJ
(nee Mary F. Joseph) came to De
catur county in the fall of 1854. Mr.
Toney came in the spring of 1855
Both came from Indiana and botf
settled in Burrell township, and have
lived in the same township evel
since. .,
Mr.. and Mrs. B. A. Norman were
married in Burrell township, Aug
II, 1868, and are still living in Bur.
rell township, but have not been con
tinuous residents, as they lived in
Pottawattamie county, Iowa, fo1
some years.
Mr.. Wm Frazier and wife were
married in Knox county, Ohio, Dec
81, 1861. They came west in 1865
and settled at Akron, Mo-, and came
to Davis City about 20 years ago..
Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Wells have
been married over SO years, but date
of marriage not given.
Mr.. John J. Poush and wife were
married May %, 1861. They lived
near Andover, Mo-, until about 20
years ago.
Davis City also claims the distinc-
tion of having living near town the
first white child born in the county
namely, Mr.. Asa Burrell, who was
born in New Buda township, "A years
ago, and his cousin, j. w. Burrell
was born within one mile of where
he now lives, 65 years ago. While
to VIM. Asbach is accredited the dis.
tinction of the longest continuous
residence on one farm, of any one to
our knowledge, 63 years, where he
still lives, and is reasonably healthy
and hearty, one mile north of Davis
City. He came to this farm from
Germany with his father and they
settled on the farm VIM. now owns
in 1858. At that time he was a
small boy about years old.
Frank Freeman claims, and it is
generally admitted, that he is the
Oldest continuous resident and busi-
ness man in Davis City, having To-
Gated here in business in 1875, max
ing over 40 years continuous .buss
ness in Davis City.
We have number of others who
came to Davis City 40 years or more
ago, but their residence in the town
has not been continuous.
Referring again to Asa Burrell
who was born. in the south part OF
New Buda township in 1912. He told
me that their nearest white neigh
Dor was or miles distant and that
the Indians were thick all around
them, and that there was but three
or four other white families in a
radius of 80 to 40 miles. Their
neighbors that were then accessible
were Indians and for years his play
mates were Indian children.
When the war of the rebellion
broke out Mr.. Burrell enlisted and
was assigned to the 5th Kansas regi'
ment, noted regiment for fight.
ing and scouting. Mr.. Burrell is
pensioner and when he became ~
years of age he was entitled to the
service pension, and when the gov.
ernment asked him for evidence, Of
the date of his birth, from county OF
from family record, he was unable te
furnish it, or the evidence of any liv'
ing person that knew of his birth
and the only thing he could give was
an affidavit in substance as follows
That his parents were "squatters'
among the Indians, and that the
family record had been destroyed
and that at that early date in the
history of this county there was nj
records of birth made, and there be
ing but four or five white families
living in the county at that, and they
all dead, there was no other evidence
he could give, and he asked the Pen
sion Department to accept his affida
Wit as being the only evidence HI
could give; and they did so, ant
granted his pension and thus by th'
liberalities of our government he
like many other honorable and de
serving old soldiers, are made rea
sonably comfortable in their declin
ing years.
II this escapes the waste baske
we may have some thing more to sa!
at some future date about the oil
\ people and pioneers in this part o
the county.
] Respectfully,
| Geo p Campbell