History of Anamosa, (Jones County) Iowa United States of America

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Harrison W. Sigworth, M. D., of Anamosa, is of German and French descent.

His grand father, John D. Sigworth, was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, in 1786, and, crossing the ocean in 1804, settled in Lancaster county, Pa. He married Rosana Henlen, who was born at Strassburg, France, in 1789, and came to Lancaster county in 1808. They were married in 1810 and moved to Clarion county, Pa., settling in the woods in company with two other families, but ten miles from any other white settlement.

His father, John H. Sigworth, was born in Lancaster City, Pa., October 17, 1811, and removed with his parents to Clarion county. He built a log house on a tract of timber land, in 1836, and soon after was married to Frances Neely. Her father, Capt. Henry Neely, was born in Westmorland county, Pa., in 1780, married Barbara Fry and moved in 1805 to Clarion county. They settled in the woods, made a fine farm and raised a family of thirteen children. In 1812 Captain Neely raised a company and marched to Lake Erie about the time of Commodore Perry's victory.

Harrison W. Sigworth was born at Fryburg, Pa., February 25, 1837, and received his early education in one of the most primitive of log schoolhouses. In 1854-6 he taught school near his home for $15 to $20 per month, during the winter, and in the summer assisted in clearing the farm. Later he dug coal and limestone and burned lime to put on the land as a fertilizer. In 1856 he attended Coopertown academy, and in 1857 started west in company with Fred W. Byers, who is now surgeon general of Wisconsin. He started with what he could carry on his back, and $60 in his pocket, and, after walking twenty miles, took the stage for sixty more, and reached Erie, Pa., where he, for the first time, saw a railroad. They went to Freeport, Ill., and from there, finally, to Blue Earth City, Minn., where he pre-empted 160 acres of land. In the summers of 1859 and 1860 he attended the Wisconsin State university. In April, 1861, he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Naramore, of Orangeville, Ill., and at the same time taught the village school. The next winter he attended Rush Medical college. In June, 1862, Dr. Sigworth enlisted in Company H. Sixty-seventh Illinois infantry. In October, following, he was discharged on account of disability, and left the army on crutches. Returning to Rush Medical college he graduated in February, 1863, and located at Waubeek, Linn county, Iowa.

Dr. Sigworth was married May 18, 1863, to Miss Phebe Bowen, daughter of Senator T. S. Bowen, of Green county, Wisconsin. She had been one of the pupils at the school which he taught for four winters. They had six children: Dwight L., who was born in 1864, and became a doctor, graduating at Rush college in 1887. He was appointed physician to the state penitentiary, at Anamosa, and died August, 1896; D. Bird, born June, 1868, and is now one of the leading druggists of the city; Fred Byers, born November, 1873, is now a student at Rush Medical college; Gladys Love, born April, 1876; Harry W., born May, 1878, graduated from Rush Medical college in May, 1899, and became one of the firm of Dr. H. W. Sigworth & Son; Miles A., born August, 1883, died in infancy. Gladys is teaching school. Mrs. Sigworth, who died in August, 1890, was a most estimable woman, a member of the Baptist church and of the church societies, Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Woman's Relief Corps and Order of Eastern Star.

The doctor was married May 18, 1892, to Miss Jennie Meade, of Anamosa, who is a native of Courtland county, N. Y., and a daughter of G. W. Meade, one of the oldest settlers of Jones county, who enlisted in Company E, Thirty-first Iowa volunteers and died in the service. She is a member of the Baptist church and its societies; of the Suffrage and Fortnightly clubs; the Woman's Relief Corps and Order of Eastern Star.

Doctor Sigworth moved from Waubeek to Anamosa in April, 1877, and bought the practice of Doctor Blakeslee. In 1878 he formed a partnership with his brother, Dr. M. P. Sigworth, which continued four years. He formed a partnership in April, 1895, with his son, Dwight, which lasted until his death, and in October, 1896, he entered into partnership with Doctor McKay, which still continues. He is, and always has been, a republican. He is a Master Mason and Knight Templar, and has been commander of Fred Steele Post No. 4, G. A. R., noble grand of Anamosa Lodge No. 40, I. O. O. F., is a member of Iowa Union State and United States Medical societies. At an early age he became a member of the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church, in Pennsylvania, and is now a member of the Anamosa Baptist church and one of its trustees and deacons. It has been the custom with Doctor Sigworth, for some years, to take an outing during the summer months, and this year, accompanied by wife and daughter, they sail from New York for an extended tour of Europe.

SOURCE: Biographies and Portraits of the Progressive Men of Iowa published by Conway and Shaw, Des Moines: 1899.

History of Anamosa, (Jones County) Iowa

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