~ NATHANIEL A. HAMLEY, b. 25 Oct 1849 ~ Related Surnames - HAMLEY, ARTHUR, REYNER, ARNOLD, MILLER, WEED Nathaniel A. Hamley is extensively engaged in the ice business in Maquoketa. He has two store houses near Midland, and one on his home place, these buildings having the capacity of 2,000 tons. The ice is of fine quality, the greater part of it coming from the millpond, and some of it from the Maquoketa River. Our subject was born in the village of St. Mabin, Cornwall, England, Oct. 25, 1849. His father, Henry Hamley, was a native of the same place, and was there reared to stalwart manhood. He commenced to learn the trade of butcher when a boy, and engaged in it in his native village until 1838. He then came to America, but after staying in this country a year he returned to England, and resumed his trade in the place of his birth. In 1854 he again came to the United States, this time accompanied by his wife and eight children, setting sail from Liverpool, and forty-nine days later landed in Quebec; thence they made their way to Maquoketa, coming a part of the way by ! rail to Rockford, Ill., and thence by ox team to Jackson County, this State. Mr. Hamley located in the village of Monmouth among its early settlers, and establishing himself at his trade, supplied the people in the surrounding country with meat. He removed to Maquoketa in 1859, and opening a meat market on the corner of Platte and Olive Streets, continued in that line of business here until after the war. He then turned his attention to farming, buying a farm in South Fork Township, and engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1882, when he sold out and moved back into the city. He engaged in his old business here a short time, and then sold his market and went to Cedar Rapids, where he established himself in the butchering business, and is still carrying it on in that city. He is a man of good capacity, possessing shrewd judgment and foresight, and his integrity is undoubted. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Frances Ann Arthur, and she was a native of Cornwall. Her death, in 1866, on the homestead in Maquoketa, was a sad blow to ! the members of her household. All of her eight children were born in Cornwall; the following is recorded of them: Mary A. married Samuel Reyner, and they live in Marquette, Neb.; William H. lives in Ripon, Wis.; Sarah F. married Franklin Reyner, and they live in Epworth, Iowa; Emeline married Marcus Reyner, and they live in Broken Bow, Neb.; Nathaniel A., our subject; Edwin lives in Steele City, Neb.; Hart and James T. live in Maquoketa. The subject of this sketch was in his sixth year when he came to America with his parents, and has a dim recollection of his old home, and of the voyage on the ocean in coming to this land. He attended the public schools of Iowa in his youthful days, and when large enough his father had him assist him in his market. He lived with his parents until he was fifteen, and the ensuing ten years was employed as a clerk in a grocery store. After that he established himself in the same business, and carried it on on his own account for six years. At the expiration of that time he entered into partnership with his brother James, for the purpose of engaging in the butcher business. In 1886 he sold out his share to devote his attention exclusively to the ice business, in which he has been engaged for sometime, and is still prosecuting it. He has built up an extensive and money-making trade, receiving a large patronage in the city, and having all the facilities for carrying on the ! business to the best advantage. Mr. Hamley was married, in 1872, to Miss Hannah Louisa Arnold, and to them have been born three children: Henry A., Eugene C., Arthur L.; they also have an adopted daughter - Kate J. Mrs. Hamley was born in Washington, D.C., and is a daughter of Henry M. Arnold. Her father was born in Troy, N.Y., May 8, 1817. His father, George Arnold, was a native of Rhode Island. He received a fine education, and was graduated from a medical institution. He went from his native State to New York, and established himself as a physician in Troy, and practiced there until his death, which occurred about 1823, while in the prime of life, he being but thirty-six years old. The maiden name of his wife was Catherine Miller. She was born in the State of New York, and spent her last years in Troy. She had five children, namely: James, Julia, Henry N., George and William. The latter two are now dead. Mrs. Hamley's father was about seven years old when his father died, and he soon afterw! ard went to live with an uncle in Hamburg, a town in Erie County, his native State. Said uncle was a farmer, and Mr. Arnold attended school, and in his vacations and leisure hours assisted in the farm labors until he was fourteen years old. At that age he returned to his native Troy to engage as a clerk in a shoe store, and he continued in that capacity seven years. At the expiration of that time he established himself in the mercantile business on his own account, in Troy, and later in Saratoga County. In 1844 he removed to Virginia, locating in Fairfax County, where he bought a farm. Besides managing his farm he also engaged in the plasterer and brickmason's trade. He resided in Virginia and the District of Columbia until the year 1854, when he came to Iowa, coming by rail to a point near Galena, Ill., and there hiring a hack to convey himself and his family to their destination in Maquoketa, then a small place. He soon bought a tract of land, consisting of eighty acres, twenty of which were improved, and a log cabin was on the place. He resided there about three years, and then sold out and went to Missouri. He located in the village of Washington, and worked there at his trade, mostly in the employ of the railway company, building cisterns, plastering depots, etc. He resided there until the spring of 1863, when he returned to Maquoketa, where he bought his present home, and has since been engaged in gardening and working at his trade. He was married, Oct. 30, 184! 1, to Mercy Ann Weed, a native of Saratoga County, N.Y. Her birth occurred in the town of Greenfield, Oct. 21, 1820. Her parents were Edwin and Hannah (Seymour) Weed, natives of Connecticut. She was reared and educated in her native town, and died, in Maquoketa, Sept. 15, 1872. There were five children born of her marriage: George E., William H., James C., Hannah Louisa and Julia Anna. Mr. Hamley is a prompt and intelligent man of business, and by good management and square dealings has achieved a substantial success. He belongs to Jackson Lodge No. 33, I.O.O.F., and he and his estimable wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in their daily lives show themselves to be sincere Christians. ("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)