Biographical Review of Henry County, Iowa Chicago: Hobart Publishing Company, 1906; pages 42-44. ARTUS B. COCKAYNE is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 11, Scott township, and in the work of improvement and development here he has shown thorough familiarity with modern methods of farming, while his labors have been characterized by a practical spirit that produces results. He is a native son of Des Moines county, Iowa, born on the 15 th of May, 1859, and he was the twelfth in order of birth in a family of thirteen children, seven sons and six daughters, who were born unto Hiram and Elizabeth (Riggs) Cockayne. His parents were natives of Marshall county, Virginia, and the mother was a daughter of John Riggs of the Old Dominion. Leaving the south they made their way westward to Iowa, traveling by team to a town on the Ohio river, where they embarked on a steamer, proceeding down that stream and up the Mississippi river to Burlington. They then continued their journey to Flint River township, Des Moines county, which was then a pioneer district, in which the work of development and improvement had scarcely been begun. Mr. Cockayne cast in his lot with the frontier settlers and entered from the government five hundred acres of land, on which he built a log house. This was previous to 1840 and few indeed were the settlements that had been made at that time in eastern Iowa. Of this claim there were about seventy-five acres that could be cultivated at the time of the purchase but he at once began to further clear and develop the farm and in course of time placed many acres under the plow. He also sold a portion of the land previous to clearing it. His time and energies throughout his remaining days were devoted to farm work there and he resided upon the old homestead until his death, which occurred August 18, 1869. His wife continued upon the old homestead for about sixteen years longer and then went to Cass county, Iowa, to live with her son, J. H. Cockayne, with whom she resided for about twenty years. She then became a member of the family of Artus B. Cockayne, living with him for a short time in Des Moines county, after which she went to the home of her daughter, Mrs. George Riffel in the same county and there died in December, 1889, at an advanced age. Artus B. Cockayne lived with his mother until twenty-six years of age and acquired his education in the public schools of Flint River township. When not occupied with his text-books his attention was devoted to the labors of the farm and when he left home in 1885 he began farming on his own account. He first rented land in Washington township, where he lived for sixteen years and his savings during that period enabled him, on the 19 th of February, 1891 , to purchase one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 11, Scott township, Henry county. He has since built a hay barn, twenty by thirty-two feet, and has put eighteen thousand tile on his place and about one thousand had already been laid so that his land is now splendidly drained and its productiveness thereby greatly augmented. He carries on general farming and raises about ten head of shorthorn cattle each year, together with ten or twelve horses and about forty head of Poland China hogs, the sale of his stock adding materially to his income. On the 1 st of January, 1885 , Mr. Cockayne was married to Miss Minnie Schnittger, a native of Burlington, Iowa, and a daughter of Frederick and Frederica Schnittger, both of whom were natives of Germany. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cockayne were born two sons and a daughter: Artus Walter, born February 21, 1886; Rolly Herman, August 9, 1889; and Rosa Lily, December 5, 1895. All are yet at home. The wife and mother died March 1, 1896, and on the 28th of December, 1897, Mr. Cockayne was again married, his second union being with Miss Caroline Schnittger, who was born in Burlington and is a sister of his first wife. They are now pleasantly located upon the home farm in Scott township and have many warm friends in this community. Mr. Cockayne is a Presbyterian in his religious belief and votes with the Democratic party, but has neither time nor inclination for public office, preferring to give his attention to his business affairs.