JAMES H. READ, grocer, Osceola, established his business at
this point in 1867. Soon after he formed a partnership with J. C. Harrison
under the firm name of Read & Harrison. This partnership continued until
1878 when he sold out and went to Kansas, returning in the fall of 1880, and
January 1, 1881, opened up his present business. He is well established and
carries a complete stock of groceries. He is well known to the public, and
defies competition. Mr. Read was born in
Beardstown, Illinois, August 2, 1839. His father, Haywood Read, was a native of
Maine, and his mother, Ann (Black) Read, was a native of Kentucky. They settled
in Beardstown where his father carried on the mercantile trade, and also
operated a flouring mill. His business was carried on very extensively. At one
time he was elected Mayor of Beardstown. He died in California in 1851, and his
wife died in Henry County, Iowa, in 1852.
James remained at home until eleven years of age, then lived with a
farmer until he was fifteen, then went to Wisconsin pineries, working in mills
and as a raftsman, and in the fall of 1859 went to Texas and served one year as
a cow-boy. In the fall of 1860 he returned to Illinois, and enlisted as a
private in Company K, Forty-sixth Regiment, Illinois Infantry, and served until
May, 1863, when he was promoted to First Lieutenant, Third United States Heavy
Artillery, and was mustered out with the rank of Captain, April 30, 1866,
having served four and a half years. September
16, 1866, Mr. Read was married to Miss Hannah M. Waller, of Henderson County,
Iowa [sic]. They removed to Osceola April 1, 1867. He has served one year as
alderman in Osceola. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order, the Knights of
Pythias, Grand Army of the Republic, and Good Templars.
SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Record of Clarke
County, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1886 p. 293-4
