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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
M. K. PRINE, of Garfield Township, is a native of Pendleton County, Ky., where he was born Feb. 22, 1822, and is a son of Matthew and Elizabeth (Shawhan) Prine, who were natives of the same State. In 1825 his parents removed to Rush County, 2nd., where he lived until the fall of 1860, when he came to this county and settled on section 4 of Garfield Township, where he has since resided. He was married in Fayette County, Ind., Oct. 15, 1845, to Miss Mary Nelson, a native of Indiana, born July 25, 1822, and a daughter of Jacob and Mary Nelson. They are the parents of two children: George S., who resides in Madison Township, this county, and Joseph D. at home. Mr. Prine owns 265 acres of land, all in a very fine state of cultivation, indeed it is in many respects a model farm, and reflects great credit upon its owner. The firm of M. K. Prine & Son are extensive breeders of Short-horn cattle and Poland- China and Berkshire bogs. His cattle are of the best families in America, with full recorded pedigrees, and they always have male calves for sale. They are the leading breeders in this country of Poland-China and Berkshire swine, all of which are recorded stock. His male hog, Dandy, took the sweep-stakes premium at the State Fair in Des Moines in competition with seventy-two other entries. Mr. Prine is always a lively competitor at the County Fair, and has always succeeded in having the leading premium on cattle and swine awarded him, and his revenues from the sales of fine stock are large. He has spared no expense in fitting up proper buildings for the shelter of his animals from the blasts of winter, and in this respect sets an example worthy of imitation by farmers generally. Politically Mr. Prine is a Republican, evincing a deep interest in the success of the party, but seeks none of the honors of office at the hands of his fellow-citizens, preferring rather to devote himself to the business of general farming and stock-raising, in which he has attained such eminent success. And this is his best encomium, that he has been successful in what he has undertaken.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy