James Rainbow, section 24, Silver Creek Township, is a well known and representative citizen of this community. He came here in 1875, and has since made Pottawattamie County his home.

Mr. Rainbow was born near York, Yorkshire, England, March 16, 1826. His parents, Jonab and Sarah Rainbow, were natives of Yorkshire. James was reared on a farm, but at an early age he engaged as porter and clerk in a hotel, which occupation he followed several years. He worked at some of the fashionable watering resorts on the coast, where he saw much high life among the titled aristocrats of England.

At the age of twenty-four years he came to America, and was employed for a time in a hotel at Rochester, New York. Later, he went to Lyons and Avon Springs, Western New York. In Western New York he was engaged in hotel work, and spent some time in a nursery. While there he took active interest in horticulture, and the knowledge thus gained proved of much value to him in after life.

In 1856 he came to Iowa City, then the capital of Iowa, where he engaged in the livery business. Next he turned his attention to the nursery business again, and later was employed by W. B. Daniels, a prominent merchant. In 1867 he moved to Iowa County, and at Genoa Bluff again entered the nursery business. In 1875, as stated at the beginning of this sketch, he came to Pottawattamie County.

Previous to this time, in 1856, he had entered 120 acres of government land here, and to this he added eighty acres more, which he acquired by purchase, making 200 acres in one body. During the fifteen years of his residence here Mr. Rainbow has improved his farm, and now has one of the best in the neighborhood. It is well adapted for both grain and stock, and his orchard of four acres ranks with the best in the county.

Mr. Rainbow takes an active interest in the horticultural affairs of Pottawattamie County. He has done much to promote the fruit interests of his section, and no one is considered a better judge of fruits than James Rainbow. He has a good frame house, situated on a natural building site. All the out-buildings, windmill and fences and everything about the premises indicate thrift and prosperity.

Mr. Rainbow was married, at Honey Falls, New York, to Eliza Goody, a native of England, and a daughter of James and Sarah Goody. They have seven children: James J., formerly a successful teacher, now a resident of northern Iowa, where he is engaged in the dairy business; Sarah, Robert, Louisa, William, Lizzie and John.

Politically Mr. Rainbow is a Republican. He has served on both petit and grand juries frequently, and has been elected to several township offices, the duties of which he performed with credit to himself and for the bests interests of the public. He is a member of the Episcopal Church.

Mr. Rainbow has been honored in many ways by his friends and party. He was a delegate to the Farmer's Alliance State Convention, October, 1890, and was one of the honored citizens who went to Denver, Colorado, at the time of the Farmer's Congress. He was one of the most liberal donators to the decorations of Council Bluffs, in September, 1890, when the Farmer's Congress met there. He is a gentleman well informed on all general topics, and is broad and progressive in his views. He is honored and esteemed by all who know him.