James E. Bailey was born at the homestead, where he now lives, and which he now owns, March 18, 1854. His father, Wm. Bailey, who still survives at the advanced age of eighty-seven years, is one of the earliest settlers of the township of Eldora, locating on section 20, where he still lives. He was born in New Jersey, July 30, 1795. His father died when he was a boy. He removed to Pennsylvania with his mother's family, thence to Ohio, where he was married. From Ohio he went to Illinois, and came here from Illinois, as before stated, in March 1852. He bought his farm of Jonathon Conger, who had made a claim of the place. Mr. Bailey has the honor of having built the first school house ever built in Hardin county -- the building made of logs, which was located near his residence, on section 20. Scarcely a vestage of this school house remains, and its former site is covered with trees of many years' growth. Mr. Bailey was a shoemaker by trade, and followed that business, in connection with farming, for many years. He is still hale, for one so old, and bids fair to live many years yet. His wife died January 22, 1879, in her seventy-third year. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey had fourteen children -- six sons and eight daughters. Four sons and five daughters are living, viz: Henry, in Fort Scott, Kan., where he has been for many years; Wm. D., in Webster City; Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Waggamen; Harriet E., wife of A. E. Webb, of Eldora; Susan; Samantha A.; Thomas H., resides at Gifford; Julia and James Edwin. The latter was born at the homestead, March 18, 1854, and the only one born in Iowa. The house, which the family still occupy, is of logs, and was built in 1853 -- one of the first built in the county.

From History of Hardin County, Iowa - 1883