Son of Simeon & Minervia Condit Axtell. Married Catherine Clarinda Finch Oct. 15, 1850 in Galesburg, IL. Children Orrin Lincoln, Phoebe Caroline, Cora Ermia, Mary Elizabeth, William Sylvester + Hattie Clarinda. 2nd wife: Sarah Conroy married Aug. 2, 1902.
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From the 1911 book Past and Present of Hardin County Iowa, pp. 890-891:
Sylvester Axtell
One of the old and highly esteemed pioneer citizens of Hardin county is Sylvester Axtell, who, after a strenuous, helpful and honorable career, extending over many decades, is now living in retirement in his cozy home in Iowa Falls, spending his "sunset years" in serenity and in the midst of plenty as a result of his early life of industry. He has been one of the promoters of civilization in this favored section of the great Iowa commonwealth and is eminently deserving of a place in his country's history.
Mr. Axtell was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, May 5, 1824. This family is of English descent. The parents, Simeon and Minerva (Condit) Axtell, came from New Jersey to Pennsylvania in an early day, and when their son Sylvester was about seventeen years old they moved to Knox county, Illinois, where they engaged in farming, which pursuit the subject has followed with much success from boyhood. He received such education as was possible in the early schools.
In 1850 Mr. Axtell was united in marriage with Catharine C. Finch, daughter of Caleb and Elizabeth (Barringer) Finch, and in 1852 they moved to Iowa. There being no railroads west of Chicago, they came by wagon to Muscatine county where they purchased a farm on which they lived four years, moving to Hardin county in 1856 and located among the pioneers in Ellis township where their son, O. L. Axtell, now resides. There Sylvester Axtell developed a fine farm and became very comfortably established and one of the leading citizens of the township, continuing to reside there until 1909, when he and his wife retired from active farm life and moved to Iowa Falls where they have a pleasant home.
While living in Ellis township, Mr. Axtell held many of the local offices, always with credit and satisfaction. He has been a resident of this county considerably more than a half century, during which time he has lived to see and take part in the wonderful transformation of the wild, unbroken prairies to the opulent present-day conditions. The almost trackless plains were very sparsely settled when he came here and he underwent many of the privations and hardships incident to life in a new country, but was not a man to be discouraged by obstacles and forged to the front by hard work and close application. In his younger days his father was a millwright, having helped build and operate a mill back in Pennsylvania. He has been very successful in a business way.
Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Axtell, the first dying in early infancy; the others are: Phoebe Caroline, wife of G. W. Hall, of Iowa Falls; Cora Ermina, widow of George Thayer, deceased, lives a mile south of the old home in Ellis township; Mary Elizabeth is the wife of Edward Thayer and they live in Ellis township; Willie Sylvester lives north of the old home place in Ellis township; Oren Lincoln lives on the home place; Hattie Clarinda, wife of Robert Cain, lives in Iowa Falls. The mother of these children died on June 14, 1900, and on September 10, 1902, Mr. Axtell was married to Sarah Conroy, whose death occurred on February 25, 1910.
Mr. Axtell has outlived the other old settlers of Hardin county, there now being only two others living who were here when he came.
Thanks to Robert for update
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From the 1911 book Past and Present of Hardin County Iowa, pp. 890-891:
Sylvester Axtell
One of the old and highly esteemed pioneer citizens of Hardin county is Sylvester Axtell, who, after a strenuous, helpful and honorable career, extending over many decades, is now living in retirement in his cozy home in Iowa Falls, spending his "sunset years" in serenity and in the midst of plenty as a result of his early life of industry. He has been one of the promoters of civilization in this favored section of the great Iowa commonwealth and is eminently deserving of a place in his country's history.
Mr. Axtell was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, May 5, 1824. This family is of English descent. The parents, Simeon and Minerva (Condit) Axtell, came from New Jersey to Pennsylvania in an early day, and when their son Sylvester was about seventeen years old they moved to Knox county, Illinois, where they engaged in farming, which pursuit the subject has followed with much success from boyhood. He received such education as was possible in the early schools.
In 1850 Mr. Axtell was united in marriage with Catharine C. Finch, daughter of Caleb and Elizabeth (Barringer) Finch, and in 1852 they moved to Iowa. There being no railroads west of Chicago, they came by wagon to Muscatine county where they purchased a farm on which they lived four years, moving to Hardin county in 1856 and located among the pioneers in Ellis township where their son, O. L. Axtell, now resides. There Sylvester Axtell developed a fine farm and became very comfortably established and one of the leading citizens of the township, continuing to reside there until 1909, when he and his wife retired from active farm life and moved to Iowa Falls where they have a pleasant home.
While living in Ellis township, Mr. Axtell held many of the local offices, always with credit and satisfaction. He has been a resident of this county considerably more than a half century, during which time he has lived to see and take part in the wonderful transformation of the wild, unbroken prairies to the opulent present-day conditions. The almost trackless plains were very sparsely settled when he came here and he underwent many of the privations and hardships incident to life in a new country, but was not a man to be discouraged by obstacles and forged to the front by hard work and close application. In his younger days his father was a millwright, having helped build and operate a mill back in Pennsylvania. He has been very successful in a business way.
Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Axtell, the first dying in early infancy; the others are: Phoebe Caroline, wife of G. W. Hall, of Iowa Falls; Cora Ermina, widow of George Thayer, deceased, lives a mile south of the old home in Ellis township; Mary Elizabeth is the wife of Edward Thayer and they live in Ellis township; Willie Sylvester lives north of the old home place in Ellis township; Oren Lincoln lives on the home place; Hattie Clarinda, wife of Robert Cain, lives in Iowa Falls. The mother of these children died on June 14, 1900, and on September 10, 1902, Mr. Axtell was married to Sarah Conroy, whose death occurred on February 25, 1910.
Mr. Axtell has outlived the other old settlers of Hardin county, there now being only two others living who were here when he came.
Thanks to Robert for update
Son of Simeon & Minervia Condit Axtell. Married Catherine Clarinda Finch Oct. 15, 1850 in Galesburg, IL. Children Orrin Lincoln, Phoebe Caroline, Cora Ermia, Mary Elizabeth, William Sylvester + Hattie Clarinda. 2nd wife: Sarah Conroy married Aug. 2, 1902.
-------------------------
From the 1911 book Past and Present of Hardin County Iowa, pp. 890-891:
Sylvester Axtell
One of the old and highly esteemed pioneer citizens of Hardin county is Sylvester Axtell, who, after a strenuous, helpful and honorable career, extending over many decades, is now living in retirement in his cozy home in Iowa Falls, spending his "sunset years" in serenity and in the midst of plenty as a result of his early life of industry. He has been one of the promoters of civilization in this favored section of the great Iowa commonwealth and is eminently deserving of a place in his country's history.
Mr. Axtell was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, May 5, 1824. This family is of English descent. The parents, Simeon and Minerva (Condit) Axtell, came from New Jersey to Pennsylvania in an early day, and when their son Sylvester was about seventeen years old they moved to Knox county, Illinois, where they engaged in farming, which pursuit the subject has followed with much success from boyhood. He received such education as was possible in the early schools.
In 1850 Mr. Axtell was united in marriage with Catharine C. Finch, daughter of Caleb and Elizabeth (Barringer) Finch, and in 1852 they moved to Iowa. There being no railroads west of Chicago, they came by wagon to Muscatine county where they purchased a farm on which they lived four years, moving to Hardin county in 1856 and located among the pioneers in Ellis township where their son, O. L. Axtell, now resides. There Sylvester Axtell developed a fine farm and became very comfortably established and one of the leading citizens of the township, continuing to reside there until 1909, when he and his wife retired from active farm life and moved to Iowa Falls where they have a pleasant home.
While living in Ellis township, Mr. Axtell held many of the local offices, always with credit and satisfaction. He has been a resident of this county considerably more than a half century, during which time he has lived to see and take part in the wonderful transformation of the wild, unbroken prairies to the opulent present-day conditions. The almost trackless plains were very sparsely settled when he came here and he underwent many of the privations and hardships incident to life in a new country, but was not a man to be discouraged by obstacles and forged to the front by hard work and close application. In his younger days his father was a millwright, having helped build and operate a mill back in Pennsylvania. He has been very successful in a business way.
Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Axtell, the first dying in early infancy; the others are: Phoebe Caroline, wife of G. W. Hall, of Iowa Falls; Cora Ermina, widow of George Thayer, deceased, lives a mile south of the old home in Ellis township; Mary Elizabeth is the wife of Edward Thayer and they live in Ellis township; Willie Sylvester lives north of the old home place in Ellis township; Oren Lincoln lives on the home place; Hattie Clarinda, wife of Robert Cain, lives in Iowa Falls. The mother of these children died on June 14, 1900, and on September 10, 1902, Mr. Axtell was married to Sarah Conroy, whose death occurred on February 25, 1910.
Mr. Axtell has outlived the other old settlers of Hardin county, there now being only two others living who were here when he came.
Thanks to Robert for update
-------------------------
From the 1911 book Past and Present of Hardin County Iowa, pp. 890-891:
Sylvester Axtell
One of the old and highly esteemed pioneer citizens of Hardin county is Sylvester Axtell, who, after a strenuous, helpful and honorable career, extending over many decades, is now living in retirement in his cozy home in Iowa Falls, spending his "sunset years" in serenity and in the midst of plenty as a result of his early life of industry. He has been one of the promoters of civilization in this favored section of the great Iowa commonwealth and is eminently deserving of a place in his country's history.
Mr. Axtell was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, May 5, 1824. This family is of English descent. The parents, Simeon and Minerva (Condit) Axtell, came from New Jersey to Pennsylvania in an early day, and when their son Sylvester was about seventeen years old they moved to Knox county, Illinois, where they engaged in farming, which pursuit the subject has followed with much success from boyhood. He received such education as was possible in the early schools.
In 1850 Mr. Axtell was united in marriage with Catharine C. Finch, daughter of Caleb and Elizabeth (Barringer) Finch, and in 1852 they moved to Iowa. There being no railroads west of Chicago, they came by wagon to Muscatine county where they purchased a farm on which they lived four years, moving to Hardin county in 1856 and located among the pioneers in Ellis township where their son, O. L. Axtell, now resides. There Sylvester Axtell developed a fine farm and became very comfortably established and one of the leading citizens of the township, continuing to reside there until 1909, when he and his wife retired from active farm life and moved to Iowa Falls where they have a pleasant home.
While living in Ellis township, Mr. Axtell held many of the local offices, always with credit and satisfaction. He has been a resident of this county considerably more than a half century, during which time he has lived to see and take part in the wonderful transformation of the wild, unbroken prairies to the opulent present-day conditions. The almost trackless plains were very sparsely settled when he came here and he underwent many of the privations and hardships incident to life in a new country, but was not a man to be discouraged by obstacles and forged to the front by hard work and close application. In his younger days his father was a millwright, having helped build and operate a mill back in Pennsylvania. He has been very successful in a business way.
Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Axtell, the first dying in early infancy; the others are: Phoebe Caroline, wife of G. W. Hall, of Iowa Falls; Cora Ermina, widow of George Thayer, deceased, lives a mile south of the old home in Ellis township; Mary Elizabeth is the wife of Edward Thayer and they live in Ellis township; Willie Sylvester lives north of the old home place in Ellis township; Oren Lincoln lives on the home place; Hattie Clarinda, wife of Robert Cain, lives in Iowa Falls. The mother of these children died on June 14, 1900, and on September 10, 1902, Mr. Axtell was married to Sarah Conroy, whose death occurred on February 25, 1910.
Mr. Axtell has outlived the other old settlers of Hardin county, there now being only two others living who were here when he came.
Thanks to Robert for update
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