Residents of Poney Creek Settlement,
Mills County, Iowa
Residents
Luke Johnson may have visited the Poney Creek settlement twice when enumerating the 1850 U.S. Census. The first visit was on September 1, 1850, when dwellings #74 thru #80 were interviewed. Names that are corrected are in bold type.Dwelling #74
James Davenport (age 48) (blacksmith)
Almira Davenport (age 45) (wife) (Almira Phelps Davenport)
Horace Marble (age 19) (labourer)
Martha Ann (age 16) (wife) (Martha Ann Davenport Marble)
Alfred (age 17) (Alfred Phelps Davenport)
Sarah (age 13) (Sarah Mariah Davenport)
Lucinda (age 11) (Lucinda Melissa Davenport)
James (age 9) (James Nephi Davenport)
Antoinette (age 7)
Almira (age 3)
Other family members not on census:
Mary Maurine Davenport
John Squire Davenport
Almon Davenport (died 1830)
Heber Davenport (died 1845)
James Davenport came west with the Brigham Young Vanguard Company in 1847. He was chosen to ferry men over the Platte River. Shortly after arriving in the Valley, he returned to Winter Quarters to collect his family. They crossed the plains together in about 1852.
Dwelling #75
Perry Durphy (age 51) (Perry Durfee, Jr.)
Jane (age 46) (wife) (Jane Denman Durfee)
William (age 15) (son of Miles Brook Wheaton and Jane Denman)
Ether (age 14) (son of Perry Durfee, Jr. and Ruth McBride)
Jededia (age 12) (Jedediah Wheaton) (son of Miles Brook Wheaton and Jane Denman)
Moronie (age 12) (Moroni Durfee) (son of Perry Durfee, Jr. and Ruth McBride)
Miles (age 7) (son of Perry Durfee, Jr. and Jane Denman)
Ruth (age 3) (son of Perry Durfee, Jr. and Jane Denman)
Other family members not on census:
Ruth McBride Durfee (wife) (died 1839)
Jabez Durfee (died 1843)
Elizabeth Durfee
Perry Durfee, III (died 1843)
Hannah Durfee
Dwelling #76
Moses Gardner (age 35) (LDS Preacher) (Moses Isaac Gardner) (came west with the Isaac Bullock Company in 1852)
Polly (age 53) (wife) (Polly Ann Pierson Gardner)
Loran (age 23) (Lorin S. Gardner)
Charles (age 17)
John (age 15)
George (age 10) (George Alma Gardner)
Other family members not on census:
Matilda Gardner
Thomas C. Gardner
Alvin A. Gardner
Chester Aaron Gardner
James Harvey Gardner
Jane Gardner (died 1838)
Amos Gardner (died 1850)
Dwelling #77
Joseph Brown (age 39) (shoemaker) (came west with the Henry Bryant Manning Jolley Company in 1852)
Cordelia (age 33) (wife)
Emma (age 14)
Found in the Oak Township in Mills County, Iowa in the 1860 Census as follows:
Joseph Brown (age 48) (farmer)
Cordelia (age 43)
Elijah (age 9)
Dwelling #78
David Holman (age 42)
Eliza (age 32) (wife) (Eliza Coffman Holman)
Hyram (age 10) (Hyrum Holman)
Selina (age 5)
Paulina (age 3)
Heber (8/12)
Elizabeth (born 1852)
Laura (born 1854)
The Holman house was burned by a mob in Illinois.
Dwelling #79
Benjamin Gonsolly (age 26) (farmer) (Benjamin S. Gunsolly)
Eliza (age 25) (wife) (Eliza Ann Brower Gunsolly)
Albert (age 3)
Lucinda (age 2)
Hyrum Gunsolly (born 1852)
Other family members not on the census:
Mary J. Gunsolly
Thomas Jefferson Gunsolly
Dwelling #80
William Brittan (age 32) (farmer) (William Britain)
Mary (age 29) (wife) (Mary Rand Bains Britain)
Rebecca (age 75) (mother of William Britain) (Rebecca Willows Britain)
Catherine (age 6) (Catherine Rebecca Britain)
Caroline (age 4) (Carolina Louisa Britain)
Mary Ann Britain (born 1850)
Eliza A. Britain (born 1852)
Other family members not on census:
John William Britain (born 1849; died 1849)
William Britain was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1864 at the Glenwood, Iowa Branch.
George Hare (age 67)
The second visit to the settlement for the enumeration of the U. S. Census was on September 17, 1850. Dwellings #294 thru #299 were visited.
Dwelling #294
William D. Fergason (age 35) (merchant) (William B. Ferguson)
Laura (age 29) (wife) (Laura Lewis Ferguson)
Laura (age 8)
Charles (age 5) (Charles William Ferguson)
Mary (age 2)
By the 1860 U. S. Census, this family was living in the St. Ferdinand Township, St. Louis County, Missouri.
Samuel Gates (age 46) (mason) (came west with the Isaac Bullock Company in 1847)
Lydia (age 40) (wife) (Lydia Downer Gates)
Mary (age 18) (Mary Amelia Gates)
George (age 16) (George Washington Gates)
Jannette (age 14) (Genet Gates)
Laurette (age 13) (Lucetta Mariah Gates)
Harriet (age 11)
Lydia (age 5)
Samuel (age 1)
Other family members not on the census:
Susan Gates (died 1831)
Hyrum Gates (died 1841)
Hulda Gates (died 1842)
Charles Downer Gates (died 1844)
Dwelling #295
James Thompson (age 32) (labourer) (James Lewis Thompson) (came west with the Isaac Bullock Company in 1852)
Matilda (age 31) (wife) (Matilda Delila Willis Thompson)
Leah (age 9) (Leah Jane Thompson)
Lucy (age 7) (Lucy Lucretta Thompson)
John (age 5) (John Orson Thompson)
James Brigham Thompson (born 1848)
Mary Matilda Thompson (born 1850)
Other family members not on the census:
John David Thompson (died 1838)
Dwelling #296
Lucien Woodworth (age 50) (labourer)
Phoebe (age 45) (wife) (Phebe Watrous Woodworth)
Flora (age 24) (Flora Ann Woodworth)
Mary (age 15)
John (age 11)
Amos Hoofman (age 35)
Dwelling #297
Timothy King (age 49) (labourer) (Timothy Hyde King) (came west with the Isaac Bullock Company in 1852)
Mary (age 53) (wife) (Mary Fay King)
Mary (age 14) (Mary Elizabeth King)
Others in the family not on the census:
Hiram King (died in 1845)
Dwelling #298
William Shaw (age 40) (labourer)
Lucy (age 43) (wife)
Dwelling #299
William Young (age 42) (none)
Rebecca (age 33) (wife) (Rebecca McBroom Young)
Francis (age 10) (Francis Marion Young)
Elizabeth (age 7) (Elizabeth Jane Young)
Mary (age 4) (Mary Matilda Young)
William Young became a successful farmer in Cass County, Nebraska.
From the 1852 Iowa Census, the following names were clustered in the West Liberty Township and known to be settlers in Poney Creek but not listed with others on the 1850 U. S. Census. Only the head of the household was listed with the number of males and females in the family.
Wm. Martindale (2 males and 3 females) (William Addington Martindale) (came west with the James C. Snow Company in 1852)
Mahala Stigleman Martindale (wife)
William Clinton Martindale
Martha Jane Martindale
Rebecca Ann Haines Marshall Martindale (wife)
The journal of Edson Whipple also documents his presence at Poney Creek (1).
Edson Whipple (came west with the Brigham Young Vanguard Company in 1847)
Lavinia Goss Whipple (wife) (died 1846)
Maria Blanche Whipple (died 1846)
Basmoth Elinore Hutchins Whipple (mother of Edson Whipple) (died 1846)
Possible Births
| Name | Father’s Name | Mother’s Name | Birth Date |
| Paula Holman | David Holman | Eliza Coffman | 1847 |
| Carolina Louisa Britain | William Britain | Mary Rand Bains | 1 Jan 1847 |
| Lucinda L. Gunsolly | Benjamin S. Gunsolly | Eliza Ann Brower | 15 Apr 1847 |
| James Brigham Thompson | James Lewis Thompson | Matilda Delila Willis | 12 Oct 1848 |
| John William Britain | William Britain | Mary Rand Bains | 12 Jan 1849 |
| John William Britain | William Britain | Mary Rand Bains | 12 Jan 1849 |
| Samuel Bertalf Gates | Samuel Gates | Lydia Downer | 13 Jun 1949 |
| Heber Holman | David Holman | Eliza Coffman | 1850 |
| Mary Matilda Thompson | James Lewis Thompson | Matilda Delila Willis | 7 Jun 1850 |
| Mary Ann Britain | William Britain | Mary Rand Bains | 30 Jun 1850 |
| Nancy Jane Gates | Samuel Gates | Lydia Downer | 29 Dec 1850 |
| Eliza A. Britain | William Britain | Mary Rand Bains | 28 Mar 1852 |
| Hyrum Gunsolly | Benjamin S. Gunsolly | Eliza Ann Brower | 23 Jun 1852 |
| Elizabeth Holman | David Holman | Lydia Downer | Oct 1852 |
| Laura Holman | David Holman | Lydia Downer | Sep 1854 |
Possible Marriages
The Frontier Guardian published two marriages occurring at Poney Creek. The first was around January 9th, 1850, two people from Poney Creek were married (2). Another marriage occurred in the Poney Creek Branch around May 1st, 1850 (3). The Pottawattamie County Marriage Records listed the two marriages (4).| Groom’s Name | Bride’s Name | Date |
| Horace Marble | Martha Ann Davenport | 9 Jan 1850 |
| Dron Gray | Caroline Manzer | 1 May 1850 |
The second couple married was at Poney Creek, but the names did not fit into any of the families found living there.
Bibliography
- Whipple, Edson, 1805-1894. Edson Whipple record book , https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/1b7f3994-7d61-44dd-ba10-a980834f4da5/0/8 (accessed: October 8, 2022)
- Orson Hyde, ed., The Frontier Guardian, January 9, 1850.
- Ibid, May 1, 1850.
- “Pottawattamie County Marriage Records,” Pottawattamie County Genealogical Society, 2000.