From The History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Co., Chicago, 1879, p. 652.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 613.

James Stivers, deceased, was for many years one of the representative men of Jackson township, where he was a pioneer. Through hard work and constant economy he accumulated five hundred acres of fertile farming land and was a well-to-do man at the time of his demise, July 25, 1884. He was born in Genessee county, New York, October 20, 1825, being a son of Benjamin and Saphrona (Strong) Stivers, natives of New York. In 1836 the family moved to Pomeroy, Ohio, and in 1855 migrated to Jones county, Iowa, but the father died on the trip at Tipton, this state. He was an exhorter of the Methodist church. His widow returned to Ohio, where she passed away two years later. They has a family of seven sons and two daughters, as follows: Polly Gilmore, Timothy, George, William, Daniel, all deceased; Adelia Pratt, a resident of Kansas; James, deceased; Norman, of California; and Benjamin F., who was a captain in the Civil war and is now deceased.

When James Stivers came to Jackson township the country was in a wild state and he had to go to Davenport for all his supplies. He began by buying seventy acres on section 36, Jackson township, but adding to his farm, he finally owned five hundred acres where his widow now resides. Not only did he put up a house and barns, but he set out shade and fruit trees and did all he could to develop and improve his property. In his younger days he followed blacksmithing, but later in life devoted himself to his agricultural pursuits. In 1849 he made a trip overland to California and returned two and one-half years later.

Prior to his marriage with the present Mrs. Stivers, Mr. Stivers married her sister, by whom he has one son, Enos H., a resident of Olin. After her death he married in 1852 Elizabeth Clark, who was born in Virginia, October 31, 1829, but was only six months old when she accompanied her parents to Meigs county, Ohio, where she was married. She is the daughter of John S. and Katherine (Ewing) Clark, natives of Virginia, who died in Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Clark had nine children, two of whom died in infancy, the others being: Jane, Mary, Alcinda, Evelyn, Elizabeth, Samuel and Catherine.

Mr. and Mrs. Stivers had ten children, who reached maturity, namely: John, who lives at Anamosa; Elvira, who married Samuel Monroe, of Olin; Alice, who married a Mr. Hayden of Jackson township; Charles; Olive, who married James Glenn, of Olin; Emma, who married Horace Story, of Madison township; Dan, who lives in Madison township; Nellie, who married William Osborn, of Kansas; Elizabeth, the wife of G. L. James, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work; and James C., who is on the home place with his mother. There are two deceased: George M., who died at the age of fourteen months; and Minnie, who died at the age of eight years.

As a man Mr. Stivers was honored and respected by all who knew him. Possessing as he did fine natural abilities and those qualities which constitute the true man and valuable citizen, it was not difficult for him to win the esteem and confidence of his neighbors and business associates, and he was deeply mourned. While still living in Ohio Mr. Stivers joined the Methodist church, having been reared according to its teachings. Mrs. Stivers owns eighty-eight acres of the homestead and James C., who is with her, owns fifty-five acres. He is a good farmer and devoted to his mother and her interests.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 344.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Co., Chicago, 1879, p 653.

In 1851 he removed to Linn county, and in company with David Zeikenfuse built the first blacksmith shop in the embryonic town of Lisbon. He carried on the business five years, studying law during the latter part of this period, being encouraged to so do by Hon. Isaac M. Preston. who is still living at Marion, in that county.

In 1856 Mr. Stivers moved to his present home, read law, and in March of the next year returned to Linn county, and was admitted to the bar at Marion, then and now the county seat.

For nearly twenty-one years Mr. Stivers has been in practice at Toledo. For eight years ,during this period he was in company with J. G. Safley, the firm name being Stivers and Safley. He is now of the firm of Stivers and Leland.

During the eight years he and Mr. Safley were together they were the attorneys for Tama county, the only political office of the least importance with which Mr. Stivers has had any connection. Though a republican, and living in a republican county, district and state, and interested in the welfare of his party, he has given his study, his time and his indomitable energies exclusively to the law. Beginning legal studies late in life, he seems to have come to the conclusion that to succeed- in his profession he must make it his sole pursuit. His great strength is before a jury, he being a powerful advocate. Like General Taylor in battle, Mr. Stivers, with his case in court, never knows when he is beaten. He holds on with bull-dog tenacity, and usually wins. He is five feet and eleven inches tall, is solidly built, has strong lungs, and knows nothing of physical exhaustion.

Mr. Stivers has passed all the chairs in the subordinate lodges of Odd-Fellowship, and belongs to the grand lodge of the state.

He was a member of the first free-soil convention held in Jones county, and has acted heartily with the Republican party since it was formed. Miss Emily Baugh, of Jones county, Iowa, became his wife on the 22nd of August, 1852, and they have four children, two girls and two boys.

Emma, the eldest child, is the wife of Michael J. Boyle, of Toledo; Seward J. is married, and lives upon a farm near town; George Sumner is also a farmer, living at home, and Lilly, the youngest child, is a student at the Rockford (Illinois) Seminary.

Like the Rev. Robert Collyer, of Chicago, Mr. Stivers can still shoe a horse, and do it well. During the past year a journeyman blacksmith, of Toledo, in attempting to put the shoes on one of Mr. Stivers' horses made a failure with one shoe, and Mr. Stivers did the little job for him neatly and hastily, to the surprise and admiration of those who were present.

Submitted by Charles R. Stivers