For those of you just seeing these e-mails, these biographies are taken from the 1891 book "Biographical History of Pottawattamie County Iowa" which sometimes references relatives or connections to Nebraska. (P. 413) JAMES OLDS, b. Kane Co, Illinois, 1841. Son of Ransom Olds. "The great-grandfather of our subject was a seaman, and during the reign of King George of England, captured a celebrated Scottish pirate and in an encounter with broad-swords killed and beheaded him and gained a large reward." Father of Ransom Olds was George Olds. James Olds, our subject, had brothers and sisters: Ransom, Florilla, George, John, Mary, Arthur, Duncan, Lucy, Gideon, Daniel, Margaret, Laverna. James Olds, our subject, served in the Civil War and was mustered out in 1864. After the war, he farmed in Kankakee Co, IL, and in 1871 went to Fillmore Co, Nebraska, where he remained 3 years. Married Emily Burns, daughter of James H. and Charlotte (Force) Burns. Emily and James had six children, four now living: Amasa, Nettie W.; Willie; Frank; Emma; and Lovina. (P. 416) JOHN FREDERICK KIMBALL, of the banking firm Kimball & Champ, b. Muscatine, Iowa, 1856, son of Alvin and Susan A. (Patrick) Kimball. Mr Kimball is also a member of the firm Kimball, Champ & Ryan, bond brokers in Omaha, Nebraska. He married Louise Greene, in 1884, daughter of William and Louisa (Higley) Greene. She was educated at Faribault, Minnesota, in a ladies' seminary under the auspices of the Protestant Episcopal Church and also at St Mary's Seminary, another Episcopal institution. (P. 417) REUBEN BARTON, a native of Plainfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts, son of Nathan and Sarah (Burroughs) Barton, was born January 9, 1812. In 1838, he married Marcia E. Wilson, b. 1811; they had three children: Nathan Henry now residing at San Bernardino, California; Reuben Almon now residing at Meadville, Keya Paha Co, Nebraska; and Marcia E. (deceased). His wife and baby daughter died in 1846 within days of each other in Hancock Co, Illinois. He moved to Pottawattamie County in 1852, with his second wife Almera W. Johnson, a devout Mormon. Mrs Almera Barton left her husband in the summer of 1861 to travel to Utah with the Mormons. "Hence an influence was brought to bear upon Mrs Barton which culminated in her going with the rest in the summer of 1861. Thus in the 49th year of his age and 23d of his married life, he was the second time bereft of wife; and this time, what was dearer than wife, three girls died, the eldest 11 years and youngest 5 years." He married the third time in October 1867, to Maria J. Carothers, daughter of John and Betsey (Sickler) Carothers. (NOTE: There is a touching obituary written by Reuben for his wife Maria Jane Barton upon her death and published September 24, 1890, in the Council Bluffs Nonpareil.) Mona