James was 3rd of six children born to William Henderson Messenger and his 1st wife, Elizabeth Manville. His siblings: Eliza, George Washington, Grove II (died young), Nicholas Clare and William Wallace.
James' mother died when he was 16. Two years later his father married Laura Abigail (Thayer) Gilbert, a widow. In 1854 the whole family moved to Greene township, Iowa Co., Iowa. Through this marriage, James eventually gained five half-siblings: Norton Henry, Sarah Adah, Edward Forest, Alice Elizabeth and Elsworth Grant.
On 12 Feb 1857 in Delaware County, Ohio, James married Mary Ann Hamlin, daughter of Austin Norton Hamlin and Margaret Fouts. They had three children: Harriet Elizabeth, Charles Hamlin and James Franklin.
James was a successful farmer in St. Clair township, Benton Co., Iowa. In the 1870 census he had 140 acres with a small amount of livestock: horses, milk cows, cattle and pigs, and was planting mostly indian corn and some wheat. By 1880, he had increased the farm to 210 acres as well as his livestock which now consisted of horses, cattle, pigs and chickens in larger numbers. He was still planting indian corn but also harvested oats, rye and wheat. His milk cows produced 1,000 lbs. of butter, he had bees, an apple orchard and sold wood from his woodlands.
It seems evident that James sold his farm sometime after 1885. He is living in Des Moines with his wife and daughter by 1899.
His wife died in 1918 and is buried in Iowa. Looking for her cemetery and will connect them as soon as that information is found.
James' mother died when he was 16. Two years later his father married Laura Abigail (Thayer) Gilbert, a widow. In 1854 the whole family moved to Greene township, Iowa Co., Iowa. Through this marriage, James eventually gained five half-siblings: Norton Henry, Sarah Adah, Edward Forest, Alice Elizabeth and Elsworth Grant.
On 12 Feb 1857 in Delaware County, Ohio, James married Mary Ann Hamlin, daughter of Austin Norton Hamlin and Margaret Fouts. They had three children: Harriet Elizabeth, Charles Hamlin and James Franklin.
James was a successful farmer in St. Clair township, Benton Co., Iowa. In the 1870 census he had 140 acres with a small amount of livestock: horses, milk cows, cattle and pigs, and was planting mostly indian corn and some wheat. By 1880, he had increased the farm to 210 acres as well as his livestock which now consisted of horses, cattle, pigs and chickens in larger numbers. He was still planting indian corn but also harvested oats, rye and wheat. His milk cows produced 1,000 lbs. of butter, he had bees, an apple orchard and sold wood from his woodlands.
It seems evident that James sold his farm sometime after 1885. He is living in Des Moines with his wife and daughter by 1899.
His wife died in 1918 and is buried in Iowa. Looking for her cemetery and will connect them as soon as that information is found.
James was 3rd of six children born to William Henderson Messenger and his 1st wife, Elizabeth Manville. His siblings: Eliza, George Washington, Grove II (died young), Nicholas Clare and William Wallace.
James' mother died when he was 16. Two years later his father married Laura Abigail (Thayer) Gilbert, a widow. In 1854 the whole family moved to Greene township, Iowa Co., Iowa. Through this marriage, James eventually gained five half-siblings: Norton Henry, Sarah Adah, Edward Forest, Alice Elizabeth and Elsworth Grant.
On 12 Feb 1857 in Delaware County, Ohio, James married Mary Ann Hamlin, daughter of Austin Norton Hamlin and Margaret Fouts. They had three children: Harriet Elizabeth, Charles Hamlin and James Franklin.
James was a successful farmer in St. Clair township, Benton Co., Iowa. In the 1870 census he had 140 acres with a small amount of livestock: horses, milk cows, cattle and pigs, and was planting mostly indian corn and some wheat. By 1880, he had increased the farm to 210 acres as well as his livestock which now consisted of horses, cattle, pigs and chickens in larger numbers. He was still planting indian corn but also harvested oats, rye and wheat. His milk cows produced 1,000 lbs. of butter, he had bees, an apple orchard and sold wood from his woodlands.
It seems evident that James sold his farm sometime after 1885. He is living in Des Moines with his wife and daughter by 1899.
His wife died in 1918 and is buried in Iowa. Looking for her cemetery and will connect them as soon as that information is found.
James' mother died when he was 16. Two years later his father married Laura Abigail (Thayer) Gilbert, a widow. In 1854 the whole family moved to Greene township, Iowa Co., Iowa. Through this marriage, James eventually gained five half-siblings: Norton Henry, Sarah Adah, Edward Forest, Alice Elizabeth and Elsworth Grant.
On 12 Feb 1857 in Delaware County, Ohio, James married Mary Ann Hamlin, daughter of Austin Norton Hamlin and Margaret Fouts. They had three children: Harriet Elizabeth, Charles Hamlin and James Franklin.
James was a successful farmer in St. Clair township, Benton Co., Iowa. In the 1870 census he had 140 acres with a small amount of livestock: horses, milk cows, cattle and pigs, and was planting mostly indian corn and some wheat. By 1880, he had increased the farm to 210 acres as well as his livestock which now consisted of horses, cattle, pigs and chickens in larger numbers. He was still planting indian corn but also harvested oats, rye and wheat. His milk cows produced 1,000 lbs. of butter, he had bees, an apple orchard and sold wood from his woodlands.
It seems evident that James sold his farm sometime after 1885. He is living in Des Moines with his wife and daughter by 1899.
His wife died in 1918 and is buried in Iowa. Looking for her cemetery and will connect them as soon as that information is found.
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