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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
HENRY H. PRINE, of Garfield Township, is a farmer and breeder of Hambletonian, Bashaw and Clay horses, and came to this county in 1846, locating a claim on section 10, which is now a part of the 500 acres which constitutes his home, and is one of the finest farms in the couuty, where he has continuously resided since. He was born in Fleming County, Ky., and is a son of Matthew and Elizabeth (Shawhan) Prine, the former a native of New Jersey, and the latter of Kentucky. Matthew was a farmer and removed with his family to Rush County, Ind. Henry followed farming with his father until the fall of 1846, when he came to this county as above stated. Prior to leaving Indiana in 1842, he was married to Elizabeth Fox, of Rush County, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Ellis and Mary Fox. By this marriage there have been seven children: Mary, wife of William Bartlett, of this township; Ellis, a farmer in Garfield Township; George K. died at the age of eighteen years; Amos B., John F., Joseph H. and Frank, are at home. Mr. Prine owned little of this world's goods when he came to the county, but was the possessor of a will not easily daunted by surrounding circumstances, and he pursued the occupation of farming, working incessantly and laboriously, and early and late, until the year 1855. Having by that time accumulated considerable means, he engaged in the buying and shipping of stock until 1871, in the meantime caring for and cultivating his extensive farm. In 1872 he became interested and engaged in the breeding of Short-horn cattle. This business he continued until 1877, when he made a public sale, disposing of his entire herd, and discontinuing that line of business. He purchased of D. P. Shawhan, of Rushville, Ind., the registered Hambletonian mare, Mollie Patterson, one of the finest animals of that breed in the West, and with her began the raising of that stock of horses. He has now at the home farm three of her colts; namely, Mollie, Bay Sallie and Prine's Hambletonian, all fine representatives of that celebrated family of fleet horses. Mr. Prine has been a stockholder in the Mahaska County Agricultural Society ever since its organization, was its Secretary in 1873, Vice President the two years following, and in 1876 was elected President, which office he has continued to fill ever since. Mr. Frine has taken great interest in the success and prosperity of the society, has given much time and labor, and has really by his great energy, made the Mahaska County Fair the grandest success of any similar organization in the State. Year by year, as the funds of the society would admit, he has added to its acres and to its comforts and conveniences, until now its grounds are ample, and the conveniences for the care of stock, and the products of the soil are not excelled by those of any other agricultural society. So popular has the Fair become under his management that the privileges alone, which do not include games of chance, gambling or pool-selling, these being excluded from the grounds, yield a large revenue to the society. Mr. Prine was Vice President of the First National Bank of Oskaloosa from the time it began business until it went into liquidation and surrendered its charter. Politically he is a Democra, but not of that class of politicians who are seekers after the loaves and fishes. His greatest aim in life is and has been, to make life a success in a business way, and the best evidence of his ability in this direction is the success he has attained.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy