Abel A. Randall, a prominent farmer of Knox Township, came from Virginia in 1859, and settled at Newton, Iowa. His father came with his family the same year, and settled on 160 acres at Newton and 120 acres at Highland Grove. Jacob Randall, the grandfather of our subject, was a farmer of Hardy County, West Virginia, all his life, dying at the age of eighty-one years. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and was the father of twelve children: Catherine, Ruth, Elizabeth, Margaret, Rebecca, Jemima, Asenath, Amelia, Abel, Silas, Mary and Tabitha. Abel Randall was born in Hardy County, West Virginia, in October, 1803, and learned farming and blacksmithing in early life. He was married in his native county, to Mary Gailey, of Irish descent, and they had seven children: Jacob Y., deceased; George W., deceased; Asenath T., Mary R., Isaac D., deceased, and Margaret A. After marriage Mr. Randall settled on the old homestead, where he remained until 1859, and where he followed blacksmithing part of the time. Both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Church, but later in life joined the United Brethren Church, in which the former was a local preacher, class-leader and steward. In West Virginia he held the office of Justice of the Peace for many years. He died at the age of seventy-seven years, having lived from 1864 to 1868 in Washington County, Iowa. He was a good, substantial farmer, a law-abiding citizen, and a man of integrity of character.

Abel A. Randall, our subject, was born in Hardy County, West Virginia, July 3, 1838, and was twenty-one years of age when he came with his father to Iowa. After his marriage he settled one-half of a mile east of Newton, where he remained until 1879. In that year he moved to his present farm of eighty acres. He lived in Washington County four years before his marriage, and served as Township Trustee. In his political principles he is a Republican.

Mr. Randall was married February 22, 1870, to Emma Sinclair, daughter of James A. and Martha (Adkisson) Sinclair. The father settled in Newton, Pottawattamie County, in 1854, and was the father of six children: Cora A., Emma M., James L., Ada A., Frank E. and Foy. The father has been Justice of the Peace, Supervisor and Township Clerk, and also School Clerk of his county. Both he and his wife are members of the United Brethren Church, in which he is class-leader, steward and trustee. He is still living, at the age of nearly sixty years. Mr. and Mrs. Randall are the parents of five children, only two of whom survived: Effie L. and James Edward.