My Genealogy Hound

COTNAM, J. P., farmer, Sec. 19; P. O. Norwalk; born in White county, Ills., in 1826, and removed with his parents to Whiteside Co., game State, in 1840, and after remaining there for three years went to St. Louis Mo., and lived there until 1849, when on the discovery of gold in California he crossed the plains in that year; and after remaining on the Pacific coast for three years he came to this county (then Polk county) and purchased a farm of 220 acres on North river, in Greenfield township, near Norwalk, on which he now lives. He was married in 1854 to Miss Ann Ball, of Clark county, Ind., whose parents, Dr. Wm. G. Ball, came to this State as early as 1848; they have by this union a family of 3 sons and 1 daughter: Perry, Ella, Wm. Alfred, and Edward Nevitt. Mr. Cotnam has probably traveled over as much of the earth’s surface as any man in the county; having traveled in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, and other Southern and Western States; also, in Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, California, Lower California, Mexico, Central America, South America, and Cuba; and after traveling over all this country he is of the opinion that Iowa will be the future empire State of the Union, and that Warren is one of its best counties. Mr. C. states that 27 years ago one calm afternoon in August, himself and companion arrived on the eminence now occupied by the enterprising and handsome little village of Norwalk. The view that opened out before them was one of enchanting beauty, only one or two houses in the range of vision, while far to the west the serpentine course of North River could be traced as far as the eye could reach, by the grasses that lined its banks, with no human habitation in view; and to the northwest the undulations of the prairie rose and fell like the waves of the ocean, from whence he had just came.