|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notes for David L. Portlock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1879 Biography: "Portlock, D. L., far., Sec. 11; P. O. Pleasant Grove; born in Rush County, Ind., Jan 4, 1825; came o Burlington in the fall of 1836; engaged at the carpenter trade; removed to Pleasant Grove tp., in April 1842. Married Miss Elizabeth J. Fleenor in 1850; born Rush County, Ind., in 1827; have five children-Verdon, Lydia, Clarissa, Sarah E. and Elzorah, and had two died in infancy. Mr. P. has held the office of Justice of the Peace for ten years; has been on the Board of Supervisors and Deputy Provost Marshal during the war. Owns 200 acres of land. Members of the Christian Church; Democrat." 1888 Biography: "D. L. Portlock, one of the leading farmers of Pleasant Grove Township, residing on section 11, is a pioneer of Des Moines County of 1836, and is a native of Rush County, Ind., where he was born Jan. 4, 1825. His father, Barnett D. Portlock, was a native of Bath County, Va., and his mother, Sarah (Lyons) Portlock, a native of Indiana, the father settling in Rush County in 1721, where he was united in marriage. He was a millwright by trade, and in the year 1836 emigrated to Iowa, settling in Burlington, where he was engaged at his trade at the time of his death, which occurred on the 11th of February, 1842. Mr. Portlock was a man who took an active interest in all public affairs; he served as Captain of a company in the border trouble with Missouri about 1838, and for many years held the office of Justice of the Peace, in Indiana, and was appointed to the position by Gov. Lucas in Iowa, when it was a Territory. Mr. and Mrs. Portlock reared a family of eight children. They were members of the Baptist Church and highly-respected citizens. After the death of her husband Mrs. Portlock moved to Pleasant Grove, and made her home with our subject until her death, which occurred Nov. 11, 1852. When but eleven years of age, our subject came with his parents to Des Moines County, and here he has resided continuously since. As a pioneer he has aided largely in the growth and development of the progress and civilization which have placed Des Moines County in the front rank in the State of Iowa. In October, 1850, the marriage of D. L. Portlock and Elizabeth J. Fleenor was celebrated. Mrs. Portlock is a native of Rush County, Ind., and a daughter of Isaac Fleenor, who was one of the first to represent this county in the State Legislature. Five children grace the union of this worthy couple: Verdon, born April 27, 1852, is a resident of Pleasant Grove Township; Lydia, born Oct. 9, 1854, is the wife of Charles Kemrey, of Washington Township; Clara Ann, born Jan. 26, 1859, is the wife of Henry Beckman, of Danville Township; Sarah, born Sept. 27, 1863, is the wife of J. L. Jones, of Yellow Spring Township; Elzorah, born Nov. 22, 1866, still resides with her parents. On becoming a resident of Des Moines County, Mr. Portlock entered a claim in Pleasant Grove Township, but later sold that and became the owner of 200 acres of land, which is still in his possession. This land is highly cultivated, being one of the best improved farms in Pleasant Grove Township, upon which is a fine residence. Mr. Portlock has held various Township offices, served as Justice of the Peace for twelve years, was Deputy Provost Marshal during the war, and held the position of County Supervisor for two terms. He has always taken an active part in public affairs, is a strong advocate of the temperance cause, and in his political views is a Democrat. One of the leading men of the Township, he is universally respected by the people of Des Moines County. He is a successful farmer and stock-raiser, is systematic in his business life, and for the last few years has with his son, fed for shipping from seventy-five to eighty head of cattle annually. A fine view of the residence and farm of Mr. Portlock is given on next preceding page." [Portrait and Biographical Album of Des Moines County, Iowa Chicago: Acme Publishing, 1888. page 408, 411, photo of residence and farm on page 410, Iowa Biographies Project, http://www.rootsweb.com/~iabiog/desmoines/pba1888/pba1888-p.htm, accessed 13 June 2002] 1905 Biography: "On the roll of her pioneers, those who have been her makers and builders, Des Moines county has long since accorded the name of David L. Portlock a high and honorable place. Within her borders he has passed nearly fourscore years of continous residence, and at a time time which is now far beyond memory of the present generation, he courageously encountered and conquered here the hard conditions of life in a new land. He is now residing in Pleasant Grove Township on his large and productive far, of one hundred and forty-five acres in Sections 11 and 2. Mr. Portlock was born in Rush county, Indiana, on the 4th day of January, 1825, a son of Barnard D. and Sara (Lyons) Portlock. Barnard D. Portlock was a native of Barth[sic] county, Virginia, his birth occurring Dec. 24, 1794, from whence he removed to Indiana at an early period in the history of that State. In Indiana he followed the occupation of farming, and also worked at his trade as millwright and carpenter. He again came west in 1836, and became one of the very early pioneers of Iowa, locating at Burlington, where he erected the first grist-mill in that city. There he resided until his dath, which occurred Feb. 10, 1842. A Democrat in his political affiliation, he was a man of exceptional ability, and as such played a prominent part in the public affairs of his time. He early received appointment as justice of the peace, an office whose duties he capably discharged for a number of years. He held a captaincy in the Iowa State militia at the time of the trouble with Missouri over the boundary line between the two commonwealths. He was a member of the Baptist church, and during the time of his residence in Indiana was an elder of the church. His wife, who was also a member of the Baptist church, was born Aug. 20, 1808, in Franklin county, Indiana, and her demise occurred Nov. 11, 1852, in Pleasant Grove Township, this county. She was the mother of eight children, four of whom survive, and of these our subject is the youngest, and the only one now residing in Des Moines county. David l. Portlock began his education in the schools of Rush county, Indiana, and in 1836, when but eleven years of age, removed with his parents to Burlington. There the father built a log house and established a home, and the boy continued his interrupted education in the only school which the town afforded at the time. That humble pioneer home, could it be our privilege to look upon it exactly as it was, would present many points of striking difference from the palatial mansions of the city to-day. The house was made of logs, the old-fashioned fireplace of stone, roughly pieced together, while the huge chimney was constructed of sod. The sod was cut into squares, and these piled one upon another to the required height; and while the home may have lacked many of the comforts that we now enjoy, the song of the sparks and flames leaping from the wide fireplace up the chimney on a winter's day was one of encouragement and good cheer not without its value. After leaving school Mr. Portlock was employed by his father for some time, but in 1842, began farming in Pleasant Grove Township, purchasing a few acres of land south of the village of Pleasant Grove, where he farmed and worked as a carpenter. As soon as he had, in this manner, saved sufficient capital, he entered forty acres north of the village, but lived at the village for a few years. He then removed to his farm in the northern part of the Township, to which he added by subsequent purchases until he was the owner of one hundred and forty acres, and he made that the place of his residence during a number of years. About the year 1863 he purchased his present holdings, where he has ever since resided. He has greatly improved the farm, and during the active period of his life engaged in genera farming and the usual stock-raising with signal success. At the present time he is retired from active work, leading a life of quietness and ease, and enjoying the rewards of a long, honorable, and useful career. At Pleasant Grove, in the month of October, 1849, Mr. Portlock was united in bonds of holy matrimony to Miss Elizabeth Fleenor, daughter of Isaac and Lydia (Fleenor) Fleenor. Mr. Fleenor was a pioneer of this section, coming to Iowa in 1836, and locating on a farm in Pleasant Grove Township, where he was successful, and also became one of the prominent figures of his day. He died at his farm home at an advanced age. Mrs. Portlock is also now deceased, her death having accurred at the family home, Nov. 8, 1902. She was the mother of seven children, of whom the two eldest, which were twins, died at birth, and those living are as follows: Lydia, who married Charles Kemry[sic], afarmer of this Township, and now residing with our subject, and has four children, Walter F., David, Bertha, and Iva; Clarissa, who is the wife of Henry Beckman, a retired farmer of New London, has seven children, Mary, Effie, Anna, Verdon, Lee, Henry, Clara; Sarah, who is the wife of John L. Jones, of Roscoe, this county, has four children, Ralph, Laura, Gertrude, and Detlef; Verdon, who is now a retired farmer residing at New London, Iowa, married Miss Maggie Ritchey, by whom he has two children, Anna and Grace; Elzorah, wife of William Wallman, is engaged in farming in Missouri. Mr. Portlock is a member of the Christian church, in whose work he was formerly very active, and for many years he held the office of elder. The Christian denomination was at one time the most numerous and flourishing in this vicinity, the membership numbering at its maximum one hundred and thirty-one; but many of them have died, while others have moved away, so that Mr. Portlock is the only one of all these left now. He has also been prominently connected with public life, and as a member of the Democratis part has been honored by election to almost all the offices within the gift of the people of his Township. For a period of about ten years he held the office of justice of the peace, and by reason of his reputation for fairness and absolute impartiality, his court was resorted to for trial and determination of a great many important cases at law. He was also appointed county supervisor to fill an unexpired term, and at the termination of his regular period of service was elected to that office, which he continued to occupy for a further three years. At the time of the Civil War he received appointment as deputy provost marshall, and served in that capacity throughout the course of the war. He is widely known throughout Des Moines county, enjoys the warm and sincere regard of a host of friends, and by virtue of his upright and stainless life and character commands the respect of all." Write up by Antrobus: "D. L. Portlock was a Hoosier by birth. Came to Pleasant Grove Township in 1842, came to Burlington in 1836, where he followed his trade, that of carpenter. He married Miss Elizabeth Flenor[sic], in 1850. Was a member of the Christian Church, and a democrat." Obituary: "D. L. Portlock. Mediapolis, Iowa, March 28. D. L. Portlock, an old resident of Pleasant Grove Township, died at 8:20 Saturday evening, March 26, at the home of his daughter Mrs. C. R. Kemmery, two miles south of Yarmouth. He was born in Rush County, Indiana, Jan 4, 1825, came to Iowa in 1836, and was united in marriage to Elizabeth Fleenor in 1849. He leaves five childrenL Verdon Portlock of New London; Mrs. Kemmery of Yarmouth; Mrs. H. C. Beckman of Danville; Mrs. J. L. Jones of Roscoe, and Mrs. William Walman of Garnet, Kan. Funeral services were held Monday at 11 am at Pleasant Grove." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Checked the National Archives to see if David rec'd a pension for participation in the Civil War. They were unable to find any such file--10 Dec 1998. State of Iowa does not have a death cetificate on file-10 September 1999. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residences | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To Pleasant Grove, Iowa Go north out of Danville on X31 (Danville RD), turn right on H40 (Pleasant Grove Road). About 2 miles and on the right you will see the church, cemetery and village of Pleasant Grove. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Modified 8 September 2003 | Created 13 November 2005 by Reunion for Macintosh-Julie Dresser |