Mercer County PAGenWeb

O. K. Booth 


O. K. BOOTH.—Among the well-known  and highly respected citizens of Sac county [Iowa], who settled in Delaware township in 1885, occurs the name of the subject of this short biographical sketch. He was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, March 14, 1840, the son of Jesse and Anna (Richards) Booth, both natives of the same place. The grandfather of our subject, Edwin Booth, was a native of Ireland, while the father of Mrs. Booth, William Richards, was a native of England, who came in an early day to Mercer county, Pennsylvania. Our subject was a boy of four years when the family removed to Henderson county, Illinois. Later they removed to Hancock county, and finally settled in McDonough county, same State. The mother died in Henderson county at the age of thirty-seven, while the father’s demise occurred in 1870, when he was fifty-six years old. He and his wife reared a family of five children, four sons and one daughter, three of the sons serving in the late war, namely: James, in the Tenth Illinois Infantry for over three years, now resides in Cherokee county, Iowa; Harvey, in the Ninety-first Illinois for two years, now resides at Albion, Marshall county, Iowa; our subject; Rufus E., the youngest son, lives in Cherokee coun­ty, Iowa; Vang A., married J. E. Lyon and lives in Henderson county, Illinois.

Our subject, after being reared to farm life, receiving his education in the public schools, enlisted April 27, 1861, in the Tenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry for three months. At the expiration of his term of service he re­enlisted as a veteran, and participated in the battles of Stone River, Missionary Ridge, Atlanta, Bentonville, Corinth and in the Caro­lina campaign. He was wounded while in North Carolina by a minie ball in his left knee, being confined for a short time in the hospital by it, at Beaufort, South Carolina. Later he was taken on shipboard and conveyed to Long Island, where he remained four weeks, then went to Alexandria, Virginia; later joining his regiment at Washington, District of Columbia. He participated in the grand review on crutches, and was honorably discharged July 4, 1865, with the rank of Corporal.

After his discharge he returned to his home, and in 1871 removed to Putnam county, Missouri, where he remained three years, after which he located in Marshall county, Iowa, near Gilman, where he made his home until February, 1880. At that date he settled in Ida county, Iowa, near Ida Grove, remained there a short time then re­moved to Cook township, Sac county, and remained there until his removal to Delaware township, which has remained his home ever since.

Mr. Booth was married April 16, 1867, at Burlington, Iowa, to Miss Nancy E. Mc­Clure, born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, daughter of Arthur and Fannie (Cosebult) McClure, the former born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, the latter a native of Poca­hontas county, same State. Both were reared, educated and married in Virginia and the mother died in Greenbrier county, at the age of twenty-four, leaving two children: Vang E. and Susan C. The father survived her until he reached the age of sixty-six, dying in Putnam county, Missouri. To our subject and wife eleven children have been born, namely: Stella M., wife of Prof. C. H. Jump, of Early; Leroy G.; Nevada Irene, a dressmaker of Early; Harry W., Minnie Myrtle, Vinta Fay, Nellie F., Ross E. and Bessie Men. Their last two children, James H. and Leora C., died, the former, September 30, 1872, aged two years; the latter, August 10, 1880, aged three years. Mr. Booth takes an active interest in politics, casting his vote for the Democratic candidates. Socially, he is a member of the G. A. R. Post at Newell, Iowa, although he was formerly connected with the McDowell Post at Schaller. He is also a member of the I. 0. 0. F. Mrs. Booth is an earnest worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which she is much respected. Mr. Booth is one of the representative citi­zens of Delaware township and enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know him.


Source: (Biographical history of Crawford, Ida and Sac Counties, Iowa, Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1893, p 520-521)


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