ADAM C. RARICK, a successful and enterprising farmer and
stock-raiser, is a native of Darke County, Ohio, born July 5, 1841. At the age
of eleven years he was taken by his parents, Philip and Sarah (Chenoweth)
Rarick, to Jay County, Indiana, where the mother died in 1862. The father still
makes his home in Jay County, being now about seventy-eight years of age. Adam C. Rarick remained in Jay County till
attaining the age of nineteen years, when, in 1860, he came to Clarke County,
Iowa. He received but a limited education in the district schools, but by
private study he secured a fair education, and the first winter spent in Clarke
County, he was engaged in teaching school.
In July, 1861, he enlisted in defense of the union, in Company F, Sixth
Iowa Infantry, serving till the close of the war. He participated in the
battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg, Jackson, Chattanooga, and Atlanta, and
was with Sherman on his march to the sea. He was honorably discharged at
Louisville, Kentucky, July 7, 1865, being mustered out at Davenport, Iowa. He
then returned to Clarke County, and has since been successfully engaged in
agricultural pursuits. He was married in
the fall of 1866, to Miss Lizzie Adkins, daughter of Wyatt Adkins, an old
resident of Clarke County. Of the seven children born to this union, four are
living – Wyatt W., Earley E., Chester C. and Jesse J. In 1875 Mr. Rarick removed to his present
farm, where he has 340 acres located on sections 17 and 18, of Ward Township,
his land being all well improved. He is an enterprising citizen and is classed
among the self-made men of Clarke County, he having begun life here without
means, but by his persevering industry and good management has prospered in all
his undertakings. He is a successful stock-raiser, and has at present on his
farm 120 head of high-grade short-horn cattle. He lost a fine barn by fire in
July, 1883, which has since been replaced by a more substantial and commodious
one. Mr. Rarick has served two terms as
assessor, and was clerk of his township for four years. He has also served on
the School board. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias.
SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Record of Clarke
County, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1886 p. 397-8
