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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
MAHLON STANTON, Postmaster at New Sharon, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, Feb. 21, 1819, but at the time of his birth his parents were residents of Jefferson County, and were temporarily living in Belmont County, where the father was at the time teaching school. His father, Benjamin Stanton, was born in North Carolina, but removed with his parents when quite young to the State of Ohio, and there was united in marriage with Hannah Penrose, a native of Ohio. She died in 1827, leaving six children. Benjamin Stanton afterward edited an anti-slavery newspaper, and took a very active part in the discussion of that question, during the early years of its agitation, but as he died about the year 1848 he did not see his expectations realized in this particular. Mahlon Stanton, the subject of this sketch, received the best possible education afforded by the common schools of his day. He had intended entering Oberlin College, but was compelled to abandon the idea because of the lack of means. He engaged in the occupation of farming, and in 1845 married Penelope Williams, a native of Logan County, Ohio, and a daughter of Silas and Susana Williams. In the fall of 1850 they came to Iowa and settled in Jefferson County, where he followed farming for two years, and then came to this county, locating near Oskaloosa, where he engaged in farming, and also dealt largely in live-stock. He was at one time a very large landholder in this county, owning over 2,000 acres. In the years 18783-74-75, he owned in partnership with James Hurst a large number of cattle, and by reason of the decline in prices of live-stock, he lost the large and valuable property which he had worked so many years and so hard to accumulate. In 1884 Mr. Stanton located at New Sharon, and Jan. 1, 1886, succeeded David Vail as Postmaster at that place. His wife died in Jefferson County, in 1852, leaving three children: Lewis, a farmer in this county; Andrew W. resides at Oskaloosa; Elma married Robert McAllister, who is in the employ of the Government in Indian Territory. She died there in January, 1884. Mr. Stanton was married a second time, in 1855, to Arabella Wilson, a native of Licking County, Ohio, and by this union there is one child, Benjamin W., born June 25, 1860. Mr. Stanton was for many years a member of the I. 0. O. F. Politically he was early identified with the anti-slavery, movement, and was one of the men assisting in the organization of the Republican party in this county, and he continued to be an active supporter of its principles until the close of the late Civil War, since which time he has affiliated with the National Greenback party. He represented this county in the General Assembly of Iowa at the extra session of 1861. Mr. Stanton has been a long-time resident of the county, and in these years has established for himself a character upon which there is neither spot nor blemish.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy