Family history, Albright

Albright general history

[excerpted from Portrait and Biographical Record: Biography of Johnson County, Iowa; not sure of year; definitely after 1911]

            Abraham Albright, an energetic and representative agriculturist of Johnson County, Iowa, owns a valuable homestead upon section 19, Penn Township, and has been a constant resident of the State for more than two-score years.

            He is a native of York County, Pa., his birth occurring July 21, 1838. An intelligent citizen of ability and upright character, our subject has held official positions of trust and discharged the duties thus evolved with efficient fidelity, winning the esteem and confidence of the general public.

            In 1849, the parents of Abraham Albright emigrated from their native home in York County, Pa., to Johnson County, Iowa, and located in Penn Township, where the mother, Anna (Meyers) Albright, passed away in August, 1888, the father, Mathias Albright, who survived his wife four years, dying in the same month in 1892.

            Abraham Albright received the advantages of a common-school education in the home neighborhood and remained dutifully upon his father’s farm until his marriage, when he settled with his wife in Muscatine County, remaining in this portion of the State for two years.

            He then returned to Johnson County and made his home upon a farm in the familiar township of Penn in the year 1864. Mr. Albright was united in marriage March 19, 1862, with Miss Elizabeth Kronmiller, a native of Ohio, who was born in Montgomery County, September 2, 1844.

            Mrs. Albright was but one year of age when her parents removed to Woodford County, Ill., where she attended the district schools and received instruction until she was twelve years old, when her parents again made a change of location, this time settling in Otter Creek, Linn County, Iowa, where they resided at the time of their daughter’s marriage to Mr. Albright.

            The pleasant home of our subject and his estimable wife has been blessed by the birth of a large family of manly sons and intelligent and accomplished daughters, who have some of them gone out into homes of their own.

            Ten brothers and sisters are now living: Jacob M., Anna M., John W., Aaron S., Uriah, Alice J., Margaret E., Eva M., Levi A. and Milton R.

            Edward S. a bright, ambitious and enterprising lad of nineteen years, just entering upon early manhood, and to whom life seemed full of hope and promise, was stricken with death, and passed away in August, 1890, deeply mourned not only by his family, but by a large circle of young friends and early associates.

            Mr. [Abraham] Albright’s life has been mainly devoted to agricultural pursuits, and as a tiller of the soil and a successful stockraiser he has gained a comfortable competence. The farm of two hundred and sixteen acres is highly cultivated and annually yields an abundant harvest.

            The improvements are of a most substantial character, the residence being attractive and commodious and the barns and outbuildings all in perfect accord with the thrifty and carefully kept grounds of the homestead.

            Mr. and Mrs. Albright have been members of the Evangelical Association from their youth, and with their family are among the important factors in the success of many of the local, social and benevolent enterprises of the township.

            Mrs. Albright is a lady of more than ordinary ability and with the merry young people of her own family welcomes to the hospitable home a host of friends.

            Jacob M. the eldest son, married Miss Grace Hardy, a lady universally admired and esteemed.

            Anna M., the first daughter, has also entered into matrimonial relations, her husband being Charles R. Hardy, well know in Penn Township, where the Hardy family are numbered among the highly respected citizens of Johnson County.

            Our subject takes an active interest in local and national affairs and has held the office of Township Trustee.

            A friend to educational advancement and an advocate for the promotion of the interests of the youth of our country, Mr. Albright has, as a member of the School Board, done much to elevate the standard of scholarship and instruction and to furnish in the home schools of Penn Township the best possible facilities for a thorough English education.