Past and Present of Calhoun County, Iowa/William Mahon

William Mahon

For almost twenty years William Mahon has been a resident of Calhoun county, having arrived here in 1896. The basis of the success which has come to him was farm work. Through a long period he was actively identified with agricultural interests, but is now living retired, making his home in Lake City. He has passed the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten, being now seventy-five years of age. He was born in Orleans county, New York, on the 15th of February, 1840, a son of David and Sarah (Jewell) Mahon. His father was the owner of a packet on the Erie canal, and died in the year 1845, while the mother, long surviving, passed away in De Kalb, Illinois, in 1895. William Mahon had but meager educational opportunities. Upon the death of his father he went to the home of an uncle in Washing ton county, Pennsylvania, where he remained for ten years upon the farm. He then returned to his old home in New York and became a mule driver on the Erie canal, spending two years in that way and one year as steersman. On the expiration of that period he sought a home in the middle west, settling in Will county, Illinois, where he worked at farm labor by the month for three years. Following the inauguration of the Civil war he watched with interest the progress of events in the south and, his patriotic spirit being aroused, he responded to the country's call for aid, enlisting on the 14th of December, 1861, as a member of Company F, Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry. He served in that command until November 14, 1862, when he was honorably discharged on account of physical disability. He had in the meantime participated in the battle at Cotton Plant, Arkansas, on the 7th of July, 1862. When mustered out Mr. Mahon returned to Plainfield, Illinois, and all through the ensuing winter was in ill health. He afterward went to Dekalb county, Illinois, in the spring of 1863, and there worked upon farms until he managed to save from his earnings a sum sufficient to enable him to purchase forty acres of land. He then cultivated that tract until 1896, when he removed to Calhoun county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Calhoun township, continuing to successfully till and improve that place until about twelve years ago, when he removed to Lake City, where he has since lived retired. He still owns his farm property, however, which is well fenced and tiled and has good buildings upon it, and from the farm he derives a gratifying annual income. In December, 1869, Mr. Mahon was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Ann Challuye, who passed away in 1893, leaving three children, as follows: Mary, who is now the wife of G. Streetor, of Carroll county, Iowa; Oliver, living in Dundy county, Nebraska; and Benjamin, who is a resident of Roberts county, South Dakota. On the 22d of December, 1897, Mr. Mahon was again married, his second union being with Miss Julia A. Puckett, who was born in Randolph county, Indiana, July 7, 1851, a daughter of Elijah and Katherine (Keever) Puckett. Her father came to Iowa in 1854, settling in Guthrie county, and the following year removed to Carroll county, entering three hundred and forty acres of government land in the northern part of that county. That land was still to be secured in that way was an indication of the pioneer conditions which existed. He shared in all the hardships and privations of frontier life and bore his part in advancing the early development and improvement of the section in which he lived. As the years passed on great changes were wrought, the wild prairie country being transformed into fine farms which were the homes of a prosperous and contented people. Mr. Puckett died in the year 1896, while his wife survived until 1904. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Mahon has voted with the republican party and has ever kept in touch with the leading questions and issues of the day. He belongs to Lander Post, G.A.R., of which he is surgeon major, and he also has membership in the Presbyterian church. His has been a well spent life in which he has ever been loyal to duty, faithful in friendship, honorable in business and progressive in citizenship, and in the evening of his days he receives the respect and regard which should ever be accorded those whose lives have been well spent.