The first settlers in what is now Richman Township, Wayne County, Iowa were Marshall Richmond and his wife, Mary Jane Gwinn.
When Marshall registered his land, they misspelled his name, making it Richman instead of Richmond. He decided it was easier to change his name than it would be to correct the land records.
The Marshalls traveled west with Mary Jane's brother, Samuel Keller Gwinn and his wife, Cynthia George Gwinn. Samuel (and Mary Jane) is the son of Ephriam James and Racheal (Keller) Gwinn. Cynthia is the daughter of Ephram's brother John Gwinn and his wife, Sarah George. Cynthia was a first cousin to both Samuel Keller and Mary Jane.
Samuel and Cynthia would have arrived in Wayne County along with the Richmonds, but they were delayed in Eddyville Iowa by illness and arrived later.
The frontier was not kind to the Gwinn's children. Their oldest, Andrew, was born in Eddyville and survived to be my ancester. The next 6 children never saw their 3rd birthday. Four more were then born who lived to become adults: Rachel, Irene, Byron, & Mado.
There are more stories and a proper genealogical family tree to come, but I write this at my lunch break and must watch my time.
BTW - I am working on a write-up, possibly a book, of the Gwinn Cemetery on the northern border of Wayne County.
Please give me your thoughts.
Ray
BTW - I have a picture of Marshall and Mary Jane Richman that I will try to scan and display.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Sunday, August 06, 2006
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