Calhoun County History 1954-1982 by Calhoun Co., IA Historical Soc. RICHARD and MARY PEARSE Town of Calhoun Richard Pearse (Pierce) was born in England and we presume his wife, Mary was, also. They were the parents of six children all born in England; George, 1825; Edwin, 1831; Emma, 1833; Margaret, 1839; Ellen; and Ephriam, 1846. In 1849 they moved their family to the United States and settled in DeKalb, Illinois. At that time the family name was spelled Pearse. In 1893, an affidavit shows that either spelling was correct. Two of the sons, Edwin and Ephriam, married and came to Calhoun Division, now, of course, Calhoun County, Iowa. Ephriam married Cornelia Marshall who came to DeKalb from Canada. They purchased 160 acres, in Section 13 in 1874 from the Iowa Railroad land Company. The government had given the Railroad Co. a wide swath of land across Iowa to build a railroad and afterwards allowed the company to sell the land that wasn't needed. This farm was honored as a 'Century Farm' in the Bi-centennial year, 1976, having continued in ownership and active farming by a descendant of the Eprhriam Pierce Family. First to his son Frank, owner, then Walter Pierce a grandson who farmed it then to the present owner, operator, grandson, Galen Pierce.......... EPHRAIM PIERCE Town of Calhoun Ephraim Pierce, son of Richard and Mary Pearse, was born in England in 1846 and came to America with his parents when he was about three years old. He grew up in DeKalb, Illinois and joined the Christian Church. He married Cornelia Marshall (who was born in Canada in 18470 in 1866 at Sycamore, Illinois. They farmed near DeKalb, Illinois then moved to Lake City in 1874 and began living on their homestead four miles east of Lake City, Iowa. This farm is still operated by one of his descendants. Their children were Ephraim, Jr. 1868-1906; Julia Ann 1870-1948; William Grant 1873-1939; Richard 1874-1928; Ellen (Nell) 1876-1950; Henry 1879-1944; Cornelia I 1880-1883; Frank 1882- 1965(Von's Dad); Cornelia II 1884-1915; Ward 1886-1970; Charles 1889-1946. Ephraim and Cornelia moved into Lake City when they retired and lived there several years. Ephraim died in 1922 and Cornelia in 1928. Ephraim's six living sons acted as pallbearers at his funeral. by Georgia Pierce WARD PIERCE FAMILY Town of Calhoun Ward Pierce was born Auguest 1, 1886, the son of Ephraim and Cornelia Marshall. In 1909 he married Doris Pierce, born Mary 17, 1892, the daughter of Albert and Katie Burt Pierce. Ward and Doris farmed east of Lake City before buying a farm for miles east of Lake City. They raised cattle, hogs, chickens, corn and oats. They milked cows by hand and sold cream and eggs like most of their neighbors did at that time. They did all their farming with horse power and picked corn by hand. They also carried water to the house from the pump outside. They were the parents of four children who are: Harold who married Mary F. Little. They had Mary now living in Farnhamville. Walter who married Georgia McLauglin. They have four children: Myrna, Robert, James and Steven. Walter and Georgia now live five miles south of Lake City. Kenneth who married and divorced Nellie McLaughlin. He has two children, Keith and Kay. Kenneth now lives near Mt. Vernon, Oregon. Evelyn and Floyd now live in Lake City. Ward and Doris farmed many years, then retired and lived in lake City for several years. Ward died in 1970 and Doris in 1974. by Georgia Pierce HAROLD PIERCE FAMILY Town of Reading Harold H. Pierce, oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Ward Pierce of Lake city was born February 23, 1910. He attended rural school in Calhoun Township, graduated from lake City High School, worked on various farms, then bought a portable mill and did feed grinding for farmers. Mary Frances Little, oldest child of Roy and Pearl Little was born February 21, 1915. She lived part of the time with grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Frank Webster at Farnhamville, attending school there in 3 different grades. She graduated from hight school at Mankato, Minnesota. Harold and Mary were marred at the Frank Webster home March 23, 1934. Due to the ill health of her mother, Janice Little lived with them. They lived in Farnhamville for several years. A son, Richard Franklin was born January 14, 1936; David Harold was born January 26, 1940. In 1940 they moved to a farm 2 miles east of Yetter for 4 years. Janice graduated from Lake City High School. In 1944 they moved to the Webster farm northwest of Farnhamville; the children attended Rinard Consolidated school. We were involved in school activiteis, Rinard Methodst Church, 4H and little league. Richard graduated from Rinard and Iowa State College, majoring in Forestry. He married Annete Wetter; they are the parents of 4 sons; Darvin, Dana, Darren, and Dustin. They have lived in Washington and Oregon; Richard has been employed by the United States Forest Service. He is now in Regional office at Portland Oregoan. A third son Dennis Gregory was born November 9, 1953........... WALTER PIERCE FAMILY Town of Calhoun Walter Pierce, son of Ward and Doris Pierce, grew up on a farm east of Lake City and did chores and field work at home and often for the neighbors. He attended a rural school throught eighth grade, then graduated from Lake City High School in 1933. For a time he ran his brother's portable hammermill and ground corn and other grain for livestock feed. He also drove a truck for a neighbor who hauled grain and livestock......... He met Georgia McLaughlin at the skating rink and after dating several years they were married at the Methodist Parsonage in Elk Point, South Dakorta, on December 4, 1937. Georgia was the daughter of William and Olive McLaughlin of Manson. ..... They have four children: all born in Lake City, all joined Woodlawn Christian Schurch, and all graduated from Lake City Hight School They are: Myrna was born June 19. 1939, married Leonard Sandvik July 27, 1961. ... Robert was born August 24, 1941, married Amy Chen April 18, 1965. He spent four and a half years in the US Navy and met Amy while in Taiwan.... James was born October 18, 1947, married Peggy Parmater July 5, 1975... Steven was born Marcy 19, 1953, married Barbara Dailey may 26, 1974...... VON R. PIERCE FAMILY Town of Calhoun Von and I were married in Florida in 1944 while Von was in the army as a griderman and paratrooper in the 13th airborne Div., which later served in Eurpe. During the war I worked in Was., DC for the FBI and after receiving my Civil Service rating, worked for the Maritime Commission. Following Von's discharge in 1946, we established our home 3 1/4 miles east of Lake City in Calhoun twp. We rented our farm from Von's dad and the land adjoins the farm where his parents lived and where Von was born. His parents were Frank and Myrtis McMeekin Pierce and my parents were Charles Merrill and Viola Shipley Joy, all from the Lake City community...... We are thankful we could raise our four children on the farm, two sons, Douglas merle and Donald Eugene, and two daughters, janette Joy and Joan Roxanne...... by Muriel J. Pierce