WALLACE G. AGNEW, one of the enterprising and representative
citizens of Osceola, is a native of Ohio, born in Guernsey County, July 10,
1839, the youngest of a family of eight children of John and Mary (White)
Agnew, natives of the Keystone State. When he was thirteen years old he left
Ohio and came to Iowa, where he passed his youth and attained manhood. He
received a good education, attending in Ohio the common schools of his native
county. He learned the marble-cutter’s trade, at which he worked until the
breaking out of the war of the Rebellion. In May, 1861, he enrolled at Knoxville,
Marion County, Iowa; was mustered into the United States service June 10, 1861,
at Keokuk, Iowa, in Company B, Third Regiment, Iowa Infantry, for three years’
service. He participated in the battles at Blue Mills, Missouri, and Shiloh,
losing his right arm at the latter battle. He was discharged in July, 1862, and
returned to Iowa. In November, 1863, he was appointed Deputy United States
Marshal of the Fourth District, and was stationed at Grinnell, at that time the
terminus of the Rock Island Railroad, and served nineteen months, when the post
at Grinnell was abandoned. He was then employed as traveling salesman for a
marble company until 1867, when he located in Osceola, Clarke County, and
embarked in the grocery business in company with E. Atkins. In 1869 he was
appointed postmaster at Osceola, a position he filled acceptably until July,
1885. In the fall of 1885 he was nominated and elected to represent Clarke
County in the State legislature, and thus far has served his constituents
faithfully. Mr. Agnew was married in
1867 to Miss Nellie Inglefield, daughter of E. Inglefield, of Marion County,
Iowa. They have a family of three sons and three daughters.
SOURCE: Biographical
and Historical Record of Clarke County, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago,
Illinois, 1886 p. 400-3
