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Subject: [IAHENRY] Job Codner, Henry County Bios, 1888
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2003 00:21:33 EDT

Portrait and Biographical Album of Henry County, Iowa Chicago: Acme
Publishing Company, 1888.

Page 182-183

JOB CODNER, a farmer residing at New London Village, has a finely improved
farm of 205 acres adjoining the east city limits, another of seventy-seven
acres in the same township, besides forty acres of good timber. Mr. Codner
was born at Athens, Athens Co., Ohio, in December, 1820. His father, John C.
Codner, was a large land-owner in that county, but was born in Rhode Island,
his parents being of French descent. The name originally was Cadnea, but was
changed to Codner by the founder of the family in America. John Chaplin
Codner, our subject's father, was a farmer by occupation, and died in 1823,
when his son Job was in his fourth year. His wife, Job's mother, was Fanny
Tillinghast before marriage. She was also born in Rhode Island, and was of
English descent. Her death occurred in 1828. Left an orphan at the age of
eight years, Job was placed in the care of a widow, Mrs. Esther Miller
Mingham, a Connecticut woman of sterling practical sense and kind heart, and
under her judicious care Job was reared to industrious, frugal habits, and
taught to be truthful, upright and honest. Mr. Codner still reveres the
memory of his foster mother as one who did much to lay the foundation of a
character that has aided him materially in his successful business career.

Mr. Codner was married at Athens, Ohio, to a "maid of Athens," Miss Hannah
Raynor Graham, daughter of Josiah and Clarissa (Raynor) Graham, a native of
Athens. Mrs. Codner's father was born in Scotland during a brief sojourn of
his parents in that country while refugees from the North of Ireland during
the Irish rebellion. His people were Scotch-Irish of the old-school
Presbyterian sort. He emigrated to America in his youth, and married Miss
Clarissa Raynor on Long Island. Mrs. Graham was born on Long Island and was
of Scotch parentage.

Mr. and Mrs. Codner have two children, sons: Henry Hayes, born near West
Point, Lee Co., Iowa, Nov. 17, 1850, who is a farmer of New London Township;
the younger son, John C., was also born near West Point, Iowa, on the 6th of
April, 1855, and is married to Lillie Biesen, and is a farmer of New London
Township, where he has a well-improved farm of eighty-one acres. Mr. and
Mrs. John C. Codner have three children, two daughters and a son: Irena
Maude, born Sept. 16, 1882; Mabel May, born Dec. 5, 1884, and Leroy Champlin,
born Sept. 3, 1887. Mr. Codner came to Iowa in 1847, purchasing a farm in
Lee County and then returning to Ohio. He sold his land soon afterward, but
returned to Iowa with his family in 1850, and purchased another farm near
West Point, Lee County, which he improved and cultivated until 1864. He then
came to Henry County, locating in New London Village, and one year later
purchased a farm in New London Township and again engaged in tilling the
soil. Having a turn for speculation, and possessing a good knowledge of
values, he sold and bought several farms in rapid succession, making money by
every transfer. In 1878 he purchased the farm of 205 acres near the east
village limits which he still owns, and the elegant residence in the village,
his present home. Mr. Codner has not confined himself strictly to farm life,
but has traveled over the world more or less. In 1856 he made a trip to
Texas, going overland through the Indian Territory. He left home in
September, 1856, spent the winter in Texas and returned via the Red River,
Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri. While in North Missouri he was stricken
with Spanish or yellow fever and came near dying. He reached home on the
25th of May, 1857. On the 16th of September, 1869, he started with his
family for a cruise to the Pacific Slope, spent two months in California,
visiting San Fsancisco and other chief points of interest, and then returned
to Iowa. In his younger days he was an old-line Whig, and on the formation
of the Republican party, joined that organization, and has since been an
earnest supporter of the party. Mr. and Mrs. Codner are members of the
Baptist Church, and are highly respected by that society and by the entire
community in which they make their home.

END
Transcriber's Note: Spelling is "Fsancisco" in original text.

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