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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
JOSHUA WAY, who lives upon section 6, Jefferson Township, located just across the line in Monroe County in 1843. He is a native of Wayne County, Ind., born in 1821, and is the son of Seth and Sally Way, both of whom are natives of North Carolina, but who are numbered among the first settlers of Wayne County, Ind. When sixteen years of age he came with his parents to Van Buren County, Iowa, where he lived until 1843, when he made claim to 160 acres of land on section 36, Clay Township, Marion County, which he improved and on which he lived until 1849, when he moved into Jefferson Township, Mahaska County, where he owns the south half and the northeast quarter of section 6. He also still owns the original homestead in Marion County. Mr. Way was married, in September, 1842, to Miss Louisa Doud, a native of Licking County, Ohio. By this union there were five children: Emily is the wife of Thomas Mann, of Pella, Marion County; Asbury, who was a member of the 36th Iowa Infantry, and who served three years, died at his father's house in 1869; Catherine married Daniel Haun, of Jefferson Township, and died July 9, 1870, at her father's house; Taylor died when two years old; Lydia lives in Omaha, Neb. Mr. Way's second marriage occurred in 1855, when he was united with Miss Ruth Ridlen, a native of Decatur County, Ind., and daughter of Timothy and Sarah (Wright) Ridlen, the former a native of Maine, and the latter of Maryland. They are the parents of five children: Seth, born in 1856; Charles Owen, born in 1858, and farming in Marion County, Iowa; Walter S., born in 1860, is farming in Jefferson Township, this county; William J., born in 1863, is farming in Liberty Township, Marion Co., Iowa; Horace Parker, born in 1873, lives at home. Mr. Way commenced life poor, but by industry, economy and good management, has acquired an independent fortune. He is now the owner of 2,212 acres of land, the greater portion of which is well improved. In addition to general farming, he has given considerable attention to stock-raising, In which he has been uniformly successful. He has also engaged somewhat extensively in the purchase and sale of real estate, confining his business principally to Mahaska and adjoining counties. In politics he is a Republican. Mrs. Way is a member of the Methodist Protestant Church.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy