Representative from Henry county, was born on a farm near Dillsburg, York county, Pennsylvania, March 4, 1837, within a mile of where his father, Aaron G. and his grandfather, Joseph, were born, and where his great grandfather, Martin Blackford, settled in 1751, emigrating from Scotland. His mother was of Dutch ancestry. He received his education in the common schools. He taught ten terms of four months each. He married Miss Nancy Altland, May 30, 1860. To them twelve children were born, six sons and five daughters yet living. They came to Iowa in March, 1864, settling on a farm in Van Buren county near Hillsboro and engaged in general farming and fine stock raising. In 1879 and 1880 he was one of the charter members of the American Poland China Record Association with headquarters at Cedar Rapids. He was president and one of its directors for many years. At the expiration of its charter in 1899 its association was reorganized under the laws of Illinois with headquarters at Chicago, since which time he has held the office of treasurer. He moved from the farm to Hillsboro in 1906 and has been president of the Hillsboro Savings Bank since its organization in 1900. He is a member of the M. E. church; always took an active part in political matters, casting his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Elected representative in 1912. A republican in politics.