S. F. Van is one of the early settlers and successful farmers of Waveland Township, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. He has made his home here since the spring of 1873.

Mr. Van is a native of the Hawkeye State, born in Jones County, October 11, 1850. His father, R. T. Van, was born in Ohio, and reared in that State and in Indiana. He was a son of James Van, a descendant of Holland ancestry. Our subject's mother was Esther Ann Van, a native of Indiana. The Vans were among the early pioneers of Jones County, being the first to settle in Wyoming Township. For a time they lived in their covered wagons and tents. The country abounded in wild game, and it was not an infrequent sight to see deer come within view of their camping ground and snort and stamp their feet as if to say, "From whence do you come, and why are you here on our domains?" Mr. and Mrs. Van reared five children: W. H., Azilda Tompkins, S. F., Lamon and Mary A. The father has been a farmer all his life, and is still living in Jones County, aged seventy-two years. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church; was formerly a Whig, but is now a Republican. His wife died in 1884, at the age of sixty years.

S. F. Van grew to manhood on his father's frontier farm, and received his education in the typical pioneer school-house, a log cabin with slab seats and a fire-place. In 1873, as already stated, Mr. Van came to Pottawattamie County, and bought eighty acres of wild land in section 4, Waveland Township. With three horses he broke the sod, and here he has since lived, worked and prospered. He has added to his first purchase, and is now the owner of 240 acres of well improved land. He has a good frame house, stables, granary, cribs, sheds, yards and feed lots, a modern wind pump, and a grove and orchard. His land is fenced into several different fields, and is devoted to general farming and stock-raising.

Mr. Van was married September 9, 1878, in Fremont County, Iowa, to Eva J. Lewis, a lady of education and refinement and a popular and successful teacher. She taught the first school in the district where they now live. Mrs. Van was born in Warren County, Iowa, and reared and educated principally in this State. She is a daughter of Rev. J. B. Lewis, a Methodist minister, who was born in Illinois, and Martha A. Lewis, a native of Indiana. Her parents are now residents of Republican County, Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Van have two sons, Walter Scott and Lemuel Ray. They lost one son, Robert Don, who died in infancy.

Politically Mr. Van is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Walnut Valley. Mrs. Van is the efficient superintendent of Walnut Valley Sabbath-school, where she is doing a good work.

Mr. Van is a man in the prime of life, and for his many estimable qualities is highly regarded by all who know him. He and his worthy companion are both friends to education, good morals and religion, and any enterprise that has for its object the advancement of the best interests of the community finds in them earnest supporters.

Contributed By: Mona Sarratt Knight