LORENZO D. DRIGGS
(deceased), one of the earliest pioneers of Monona County, and who was most
prominently identified with its political history, was a native of Alleghany
County, Pa., born March 14, 1822, and was the son of Urial and Hannah Driggs.
His father, a native of Massachusetts, was born April 22, 1780, and his mother
May 17 of the same year.
When our subject was about a year old the family removed to
Ohio, where he was reared to manhood's years, receiving in youth such
educational advantages as the times and locality afforded. On attaining his
majority he went to Illinois, and from there shortly after to Missouri. His
father's family came west with the Mormon emigration, in 1845, with the
intention of settling in Western Iowa, but the father died near Farmington,
this State, while on the way. His family came to Pottawattamie County, where
they settled and were joined by the subject of this sketch, who had likewise
been united with the Church of the Latter Day Saints. Mrs. Driggs, the mother
of the family, died near Council Bluffs, in 1848.
About the year 1852, Lorenzo D. Driggs removed to Harrison
County, settling at Little Sioux, before that village was laid out, and resided
there for a little over a year. In 1854 he came to Monona County and settled
near Silver Lake, northwest of Ashton. In the election of the same year he was
chosen Justice of the Peace and Assessor of the township of Ashton, which then
embraced the west half and nearly all the population of the county. He remained
a resident here until 1860, when he returned to Harrison County. November 5,
1864, he became a member of Company I, Sixteenth Iowa Infantry, and was
forwarded to his regiment, one of the famous Iowa Brigade, and remained with
them until July 19, 1865, when with the balance of the regiment he was
discharged near Louisville, Ky., and came home.
Mr. Driggs was married November 10, 1845, in Illinois to
Miss Malinda White, a native of Vermont, born September 5, 1826. They were the
parents of seven children — Harvey, Don C, Jeremiah, Lorenzo, Charles A.,
Caroline and Harrison.
In 1859, Mr. Driggs returned to this county settling in
Onawa, whence he removed to Spring Valley and died in Sioux Township, January
27, 1880.
SOURCE: History of
Monona County, Iowa, National Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1890,
p. 509
