Among the names of those who were connected with the early history of Sioux City and vicinity few were more highly esteemed or better known than that of Amos R. Appleton. He was born, December 23, 1819, in Elizabeth, N. J., a son of William and Margaret Appleton, both natives of the same state. His early years were spent in Geneseo, Livingston county, N. Y. and Toronto, Canada, at both of which places he attended school. His father died before they left New York state, and when he was about nineteen years of age he lost his mother, and was then obliged to abandon his studies and assist his elder brother in providing for the younger children. They moved to Michigan, where he took up the trade of a carpenter, at which he worked for the next six or seven years. He then went to Toledo, Ohio, where he worked at shipbuilding for three years, then went to Peru, Ind., where he worked as contractor and builder until the fall of 1837. In September of that year he married Hannah Sarville, of Peru, and they settled in Sioux City, where he opened a drug and bookstore, which business he carried on until the spring of 1861, having been postmaster, as well, the last year. In the spring of 1862 he entered into the service of his country as a sutler, which position he retained until June, 1863, when he received his discharge and returned home. He engaged in the dry goods business, but carried that on for a year only, when he sold out and built the Floyd flour mills. This was the nucleus for Sioux City's large flouring mills and grain elevators of the present day. In the fall of 1868 he was elected a member of the Iowa legislature on the republican ticket, so he sold his holdings here to Hedges Bros. and went to Des Moines, where he worked hard for his party. At the expiration of his term of office be returned to Sioux City, where he lived a retired life until 1876. He then went to Philadelphia and spent two months at the Centennial exhibition. His health being somewhat impaired he spent the winter in Florida. Upon his return to Sioux City in the spring he opened a commission house, which he continued until January, 1879, when he was taken sick with malarial fever. In politics Mr. Appleton supported the views of the republican party.