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Obituaries
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William Arney, Pioneer is Dead (Dated March 25, 1913 Marshall County, Iowa) One of the First Settlers of Iowa Township Dies on Homestead near Albion Had lived on one Farm sixty-three Years, was the only man who ever owned the land, He having Homesteaded from the Government – With others of his family, he came from Indiana and Founded the Arney Family. William Arney, one of the founders of the Arney family of this and other counties and one of the very first settlers of Iowa township, died at 1:30 this morning this morning on the farm a mile north-west of Albion, where he had lived for sixty-two years. Death was caused by ailments of old age, and was hastened by an injury sustained a few weeks ago, when the aged man fell, fracturing his hip. Mr. Arney’s age, 81 years was greatly against his recovery, and began to decline quite rapidly following the misfortune. Led family from Indiana riding on horse back from Indiana, all the way to Iowa, William Arney and his brother-in-law came in 1848 to spy out the land and see if it were fit for a new home for the Arney family. They returned in the fall, and the next year saw the exodus of the family from Owen County, Indiana, where William was born March 9, 1831. Heading the family was John Arney and his sons, William, Andrew and Solomon, and his daughters and their families, a party of 20 or more. They headed straight for Iowa township, where they settled, and from where most of them remained, although some went to live in Hardin County. Were Among the First Whites The Arney party was among the first white to reach the county, and especially the Albion neighborhood. Extreme privation was the lot of the settlers the first year. Having no mill they pounded their corn in a hollow stone. Their clothes were made of flax grown on the farm, spun and woven in the houses. Iowa City was the nearest market, and there they took their dressed pork and wheat, the journey by wagon requiring four or five days. Only Owner of Farm William Arney had the peculiar, and in that day very unusual, distinction of having been the only man who ever owned the farm on which he lived. He homesteaded the land from the government in 1849 and lived on it from that time until his death. Mrs. Arney, who died Aug 14, 1897, was Elizabeth Boyles. She married Mr. Arney Sept 25, 1849. They were the parents of eight children, four of whom are dead. Those living are Mrs. Eliza A. Edwards, of California; Mrs. Hannah Wiley, who lives on the old home place with her father; W.W. Arney, of near Albion, and Elcanie B. Arney, of Whitten. Three daughters and one son are dead. They were Sarah J; Mrs. Nancy A. Hullett, Julia E. Arney and Elmer S. Arney. Of the seven brothers and sisters, only one Mrs. H.G. Neff of Albion is living. The others were Solomon and Andrew Arney, Mrs. John Hauser and Mrs. Jacob Hauser and Mrs. Martha Elsbury. All of them were members of the Arney party that came out from Indiana. Mrs. John Hauser, died only last fall. P.F. Arney, of this city, and C.E. Arney, of Albion, and Senator W.H. Arney, are all nephews of William Arney. The funeral will be held from the Bethel Church Wednesday afternoon at 2:30. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Submitted by Steve Udhe Transcribed by Dawn Minard |
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