Person:Grayson Vandover (1)

Monroe County, Iowa, 1870 census:^[2]

Vandover, Grason 35 yrs Farmer (real estate = $1,855; personal estate = $641) b. Indiana

      Julia A. 25 yrs Keeping House b. Indiana

      Sarah B. 4 yrs b. Iowa

      Mary E. 2 yrs b. Iowa

      Lucinda 65 yrs at Home b. Indiana

Monona County, Iowa, 1885 state census:^[3]

Vandover, Grason (T84 R42 S15) 50 yrs Farmer b. Indiana

      Julia (T84 R42 S15) 40 yrs b. Indiana

      Mary (T84 R42 S15) 17 yrs b. Appanoose Co.

      Marshal (T84 R42 S15) 14 yrs b. Monroe Co.

      Willie (T84 R42 S15) 10 yrs b. Monona Co.

      Emmett (T84 R42 S15) 8 yrs b. Monona Co.

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Grason Vandover, a prominent farmer and stock raiser residing on section 15, St. Clair Township, is "one of the fading line of blue" that stood in the "red front of battle" in defense of their flag and country. He is a native of Perry County, Indiana, and first opened his eyes beneath the roof of his parents, John and Lucinda Vandover, October 20, 1843. When about sixteen years of age, in company with his widowed mother, he came to Iowa, and in June, 1852 located in Wapello County. The same fall they removed to Appanoose County, where he was living at the time of the outbreak of the rebellion. On August 21, 1862, feeling called upon to aid in the suppression of the Confederacy, he enlisted in Company C, Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry and was mustered into the service at Keokuk, October 4, following. With his gallant comrades he was engaged at Mark's Mills, Elkin's Ford, Camden, Helena, Jenkin's Ferry, and other places during the Little Rock expedition. Many of the men yielded to the malarial influences of that baleful climate and died, and on April 25, 1864, to add to their misfortunes, the regiment, with the exception of some sixty men, were captured by the rebels. Mr Vandover being on detached duty escaped this calamity. Returning to Duvall's Bluff, he was there mustered out, August 20, 1865, and returned to Appanoose County. There he remained until the spring of 1868, when he moved to Monroe County, from which, in the spring of 1872, in company with O. B. and A. J, Reynolds, he drove through to Monona County, spending some thirteen days on the road, and settled on the farm where he now lives. He put up a small frame house, and commenced the cultivation of the soil and has prospered in most of his undertakings. In 1875 he erected the swelling in which he now lives, a neat, comfortable and commodious one.

While a resident of Appanoose County and before shouldering his musket, June 12, 1862, Mr. Vandover was united in marriage with Miss Julia A. Reynolds, a native of Wayne County, Ind., and daughter of Gordon and Rachel Reynolds, and by this union is the parent of eleven children: John E., born April 2, 1863; Sarah E., June 6, 1866; Mary E., January 14, 1868; Marshal O., July 26, 1870; James A., August 27, 1872; William A., January 1874; Hiram E.; Adolphus R, September 28 1879, Clarence A. E., August 27, 1882; Isaac E. and Adda P., August 28, 1884. These are all living except John E., who died July 5, 1863, James A., December 22, 1874, Adolphus R., October 18, 1879, and Clarence A. E., February 4, 1883.^[1]

"History of St. Clair Township, Monona County":
Oliver B, Reynolds and Grayson Vandover came to this section the same spring of 1872, and settled down to farm life. In the fall of the same year Gordon Reynolds and James A. Reynolds, the father and brother of Oliver, followed, and all, with the exception of the father, are still living here. Gordon Reynolds, about 1881, removed to the neighborhood of Castana where two years later, he died.^[1]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} History of Monona County, Iowa: containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of Iowa, and of the presidents of the United States. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1890).

   Enlisted in Co. C, 36th Iowa Infantry, 21 Aug 1862, in Appanoose County, Iowa. Mustered in at Keokuk. Mustered out as a corporal, 20 Aug 1865 at Devall's Bluff, Arkansas, and returned to Iowa.

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Monroe, Iowa, United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   p. 455A, dwelling/family 57/53.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Monona, Iowa, United States. 1885 Iowa State Census
   p. 409, dwelling/family 43/43.