Howell Family - Ourfolk

You will see that the emigration took place between 1806 and 1811. No family traveled alone in those days. the Kings and Horseys came too.

Perry was sent to Scotland to school at age eight or nine to stay until they know Latin, afterward to study law three years'. I may not have quoted the words exactly, but the meaning is there. I read it in Scottish Peerage by Cranston. Perry told of standing on the white Cliffs of Dover and looking across the channel at Calais, France. From there he must have traveled north by coach.
By the time of the 1820 Census, he had married. He was head of his own household consisting of Susannah, some young man of 16 and himself. Next door lived his sister Barsheba and her husband Isaac Hill and a few houses farther was William, his father, with his wife Lydia, both now 45, 2 boys under 10 and 2 girls under 10 and 2 girls 10-16.

In 1830 Perry and Susannah had moved to Hocking County and living with William in Pickaway were only Lydia, one boy under 5 grandchild?, one boy 5-10, and one girl 10-15, this was Mary Ann.
Perry was found in 1839 as a first citizen of Linn Co. He took with him his children: Silas, Edward, John, William, Henry, Lizzie, Mary, Rilla and Stephen.

A descendant Mary Whitehair recounted: 'There is a buckskin deed to Perry Oliphant in 1848 signed by President James Polk.

'The first cabin on the farm was built near the west branch of Otter Creek, about where the paved highway 150 now runs.The creek must have carried more water in those early days, for Perry devised a water wheel and operated a grist mill there. years ago when grandson Clement Oliphant pulled out some of the old logs, he found imbedded in a post a flat-iron which had served as a bearing for the wheel shaft.

'After Perry's death the farm passed to his youngest son, Thomas Jefferson Oliphant, who was born on the place in 1845. He Married Almira Mialada Hoagland. The son and three daughters with a farm adjoin the old homestead.'
* 1853 Perry Oliphant, his son, Henry C. and Henry's wife and two year old daughter went to California. Perhaps another son or two went with them About four years later, Sarah Ann Oliphant was sixteen, Susann and the rest of the children still at home joined Perry in California. Sarah Ann and her mother each drove a team of oxen hitched to a covered wagon. It was slow traveling. Where they camped the first night was only a few miles from home not even to the Prestin outskirts of Cedar Rapids. Later in time to be on the 1860 census, Perry and most of his family returned to Linn Co., IA. Sons, Henry C. and Steven S., remained in California.

According to the History of Linn county, Iowa, Perry Oliphant served as a postmaster and as a justice of the peace.

From the History of Linn county, Published 1878 by Western Historical Company- p 341-342
Otter Creek Settlement

the wave of settlement flowed westward through the county. In the year 1839, the more venturesome pioneers pushed beyond the locations adjacent to Marion, and on towards the beautiful valley of Otter Creek.
In the year 1839, the Otter Creek country was sought out by many people. Among the first comers were Michael Green, Bartimas McConigle, Henry Nelson, William Chamberlian, Dr. James Cummings, William Sullivan and Perry Oliphant.

The latter is still living, the father of eleven children eight of who are alive at the preset time. fifty five grandchildren and twenty seven great grandchildren constitute the family offspring of this veteran of 28 years. (Note: should have been written 82 ED) Mr. Oliphant made his first settlement in November 1839. the first preaching in the neighborhood was done at his home in 1840 by Rev. Mr. Hodges, the pioneer Methodist episcopal minister, who, accompanied by his brave and devoted wife, made the tour of this county, Jones and Cedar, as a circuit rider. The first school was erected in 1841-2, and opened by William Skinner.
'At that time, deer and small game were abundant, while elk and buffalo were sometimes seen on the creek.
The promise of those days has been fulfilled in the past thirty nine years. Otter Creek and Monroe townships, with the stretch of country North and west to the respective limits of the county is today as fine a region as man can desire. Near the stream, as the Case with all water courses, the land is somewhat broken and light, but the wood is heavy, the soil on the uplands rich and the prairies roll in just sufficient gradations to render drainage perfect. the western ranges are as beautiful to the eye as any to be found in Linn county.