William Henry Lusk (1849 - 1933)

Born 3 Jan 1849 in Dubuque County, Iowa

Husband of Sarah Ella (Topliff) Lusk — married 3 Dec 1875 in Dubuque County, Iowa

Descendants

Died 12 Dec 1933 at age 84 in Winthrop, Iowa

Biography

HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY 523

William H. Lusk is a native of the county in which he now resides, his birth occurring in Dubuque. January 3, 1849. Samuel Lusk. his father, was born in Ohio and was there reared to manhood and married Mary Skinner, a native of Virginia. When Dubuque county contained many Inchans and when wolves and other wild animals were more plentiful than domestic ones, he came here and participated in the transition of a wild country to a community of happy and prosperous homes. Emily. Mary Jane and William H. were the names of his three children. The mother died in February, 1849, when the subject of this sketch was scarcely four weeks old. The two girls were reared in Ohio by a Mrs. Patten, a sister of their father. They each married and are now deceased. Hulda Lusk. another sister of Samuel Lusk. was the wife of John Brown, of anti-slavery fame. William H. Lusk was reared under the roof and loving care of Mrs. David Swope, his dead mother's sister, at Cascade. His early years were passed in attending the public schools and assisting with the work of the farm. He remained with his foster parents until twenty-six years old, and in 1875 married Miss Ella Topliff. who was born September 6, 1857, daughter of Jerome B. and Julia (Blue) Topliff, who were natives of Massachusetts and Indiana, respectively. Mr. Topliff came to Iowa in the early fifties, first locating in Allamakee county, and subsequently removing to Delaware county, where he erected the first flouring grist mill in the county on his preempted quarter section of land. He also built a saw mill, both mills being operated by the same power. In 1862 he enlisted as a drummer boy in Company B, Twenty-first Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and died of swamp fever at Bolton, Missouri, where he is buried. Mrs. Topliff died at Davenport, Iowa, in 1871. aged thirty-two years. They were the parents of four children: The eldest, a son, died in infancy; Ella (Mrs. William H. Lusk); George, married and living in South Dakota; and Eva H., now Mrs. Will R. Lyon, of Independence, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Lusk five children have been born, as follows: Eva M.. the wife of Maxwell A. Behnke, of Libby, Montana; Imogene M., now Mrs. William Field, of Leavenworth, Washington; Orben W., who married Martha Winters, and resides at Independence, Iowa; Florence E., teaching school in the state of Washington; and Lulu E., living at home. Mr. Lusk began his married life as a farmer of rented property. As his means increased he bought land and has become one of the substantial men of the county. Since 1904 he has resided in Epworth. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Sources

• "Iowa Deaths and Burials, 1850-1990," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XV4P-TQS : 12 December 2014), William Henry Lusk, 12 Dec 1933; citing Winthrop, Ia., reference ; FHL microfilm 1,530,592.