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Harmon Cooper, farmer, stock raiser and feeder, section 21, was born in the Kingdom of Hanover, in Aurich, February 16, 1831. He was fortunate enough to receive an excellent education and was brought up on a farm.On November 10, 1854, he landed in New Orleans, and came up the Missisippi to Alton, Illinois, but soon settled in Springfield. He once started for California, but returned and commenced to work for $10 per month on a farm, where he remained for three years. .....Mr Cooper was married in Illinois, January 21, 1858, to Miss Martha Harms. She is a daughter of John Harms, of Germany. They have four children living:John H., Heibe H., Thomas H. and Edward F. Four died in infancy. Matilda died at the age of twelve years, in June, 1879.

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G. Cooper, farmer and stock raiser, is the owner of 770 acres of land, and resides in section 20. He was born in Aurich, Kingdom of Hanover, January 13, 1837, and in 1857 came to this country, setttling in Illinois....In 1864 he removed to Nemaha County, Nebraska, bought 240 acres of land, and worked hard for four years, after which he returned and settled in this county and township....Mr Cooper married Miss Rixte E. Harms, daughter of John O. Harms, March 14, 1861. They have eight children living -- Thomas G., Tillie G., Harmon G., Eiliet G., Witje G., Heibe G., John G., and an infant. Lost four in infancy....John O. Harms, his father-in-law, is a retired farmer, and has a farm of ninety acres on section 28. He was born in Germany, February 2, 1816. He emigrated to this county in 1857, settling in Illinois, and in 1876 came to this county, and bought a farm near his children, where he and his wife are enjoying their days with their family about them. He married Tilda Hobbs in Germany, in 1838. They have seven children living--Harmon, Martha, Terrixte, Witje, Franklin, John and Eiliet.

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Joseph Drake, farmer and carpenter, section 20, was born in Yorkshire, England, in September, 1837. He worked from the time he was nine years old for several years in a very large woolen factory, where his father had also worked from his boyhood to old age, and then the corporation pensioned him for life. His grandfather also worked through life in the same factory. At the age of fifteen years, Joseph went to work and learned the carpenter's trade, which he continued for three years. He then came to this country, and settled in Hocking County, Ohio, where he resumed working at his trade until December 25, 1866, when he came to Andrew County, Missouri. He labored in Savannah for awhile, and in the fall of 1867, he came to this county and bought a part of his farm, which he improved. ...Mr Drake married Miss Sarah Elizabeth Trout, in Ohio, in 1866. She died in 1874, leaving three children: Rennie Florence, born September 28, 1868; Francis Paul, born November 11, 1870, and Mary Abertha, born March 12, 1872. Mr D. married for his second wife Miss Jennie Fergurson, of North Carolina, December 26, 1876. They have three children: Daisy Bell, born September 24, 1877; Bert Elliot, born October 11, 1879, and Ferd J., born September 15, 1881. ...

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Duncan McDonnell, farmer and stock raiser, has 280 acres of land, and resides on section 20. He was born in Nova Scotia, near Halifax, June 15, 1842, and was the son of Duncan and Eliza (Horn) McDonald [sic]. His early years were spent in school and working on a farm. In 1864 young Duncan went to the Renfrew Gold Mines, in Nova Scotia, where he worked until the spring of 1866, when he came to this state, locating in this county, in April. ...Mr McDonnell was married, in Brownville, Nebraska, to Mrs Christie McKay McMichel, of Nova Scotia, December 10, 1867. She died March 10, 1879, and left six children, four of whom, Austin, Belle, Ann B. and Lulu, were by a former husband, Robert McMichel, whom she married in Nova Scotia, in 1853. He died in August, 1866. The remaining two children were Frances and Earl. Austin McMichel remained with his step-father and received a good education, and when seventeen years of age he went to Rock Port and studied medicine, with Dr Tracey a portion of the time, for two years. The remainder of the time he was in a drug store. He took a thorough course of study at the St Louis Medical College and graduated with honor in March, 1879. In 1877 he bought the drug establishment of William Buckham, and is doing an excellent business in connection with his practice. Very few young men have a better reputation as a druggist, practitioner and a careful business man. Mr McDonnell is a prominent farmer, and a man whom it does one good to meet, being intelligent, affable in his manners and cultured.

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Claudius Tardivel, farmer and carpenter, is the owner of 150 acres of land on section 25. He was born in Clermont, Furand Payde Dome, France, January 10, 1829. His parents were Claudius and Catherine (Malhais) Tardivel....In 1848 he came to this country and settled in Covington, Kentucky, where he learned the carpenter's trade. In 1854 he moved to Mount Vernon, Ohio, where he continued to work at his trade, remaining there until 1858, when he came to this county, with but $10 in money....He married Miss Isabella Brant, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1850. She died in 1854, leaving three children--two now living--Julius Paul and Annie. In 1856 he married Miss Caroline Postlewait, of Newark, Ohio. they have five children living: Charles L., Agnes Genevieve, Francis M., Joseph Claudius and Gertrude....

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James C. Washburn, farmer, section 27, was born in Clarke County, Indiana, September 25, 1822. His father, Isaac Markham [Washburn?] was born in Kentucky, and his mother, whose maiden name was Sarah Watson, was from Clark County, Indiana. James learned the cooper's trade in youth, at which he worked until he obtained some land of his own. In 1866 he came to this state and county. He was married to Miss Sarah Summers, January 4, 1852. She was the daughter of Elijah Summers, of Kentucky. They have eight children -- Benjamin F., James A., Martin Albert, Martha A., George, Sarah Emma, Julia Ann and Dolly Ethel....