JAMES M. GLADSON

GLADSON

Posted By: Jake Tornholm (email)
Date: 4/20/2020 at 17:42:22

JAMES M. GLADSON, who resides on section 29, Quincy township, is one of the pioneers of Adams county, having arrived here in 1855. He was born in Putnam county, near Greencastle, Indiana, in 1834, the son of Nathan Gladson, a native of North Carolina, where he was reared. He removed with his father's family to Indiana, where he married Henrietta Campbell, a native of East Tennessee, who removed with her parents to Indiana. Nathan Gladson removed from Putnam county to Carroll county, where he died, when is son, the subject of this notice, was a child of about four years. The mother survived until 1885. They were the parents of three children, all of whom were sons. Jeremiah, the second son, was a soldier in the Tenth Missouri Regiment, in the war of the Rebellion. He marched with Sherman to the sea, but was killed in the taking of Fort McAllister, in North Carolina. The third child died in early infancy.

When nineteen years of age Mr. Gladson, our subject, left his mother's home in Indiana to make his own way in life. He contemplated going to California, but on reaching this portion of Iowa he decided to continue no farther west, and, with others who accompanied him, decided to settle here. The first land that he owned was adjoining the present village of Brooks. He settled on his present farm and began making improvements the same year, in 1865. He has 120 acres under a good state of improvement. He was married January 13, 1856, to Miss Almira Newcomb, a native of Maine, and daughter of William and Elizabeth (Sidesparker) Newcomb. The father was of English descent, his father having emigrated from England and settled in Massachusetts previous to the birth of his son. There the parents of William Newcomb passed the remainder of their lives. William removed from Massachusetts to Maine, and died in Burnham, Waldo county. The mother afterward married Zachariah Lawrence, and came to Iowa in the fall of 1856. The family settled in what is now Douglas township. The wife and mother returned to Maine in 1865, on a visit, and died while there. Mr. Lawrence lived several years after the death of his wife. Mrs. Gladson was one of thirteen children, four daughters and nine sons, several of whom are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Gladson have had nine children, seven of whom are living, five sons and two daughters, viz.: Frank M., Viola C., Henrietta E., William N., Charles N., Levi W., Arthur N. The deceased were Lolo and Freddie, both having died in early childhood.

Mrs. Gladson is a member of the Congregational Church. While taking no active part in politics, and not strongly partisan in his views, he affiliates with the Democratic party. Thus have we given a brief sketch of one of Adams county's old and respected families, who, have lived here for more than thirty-five years, and are well worthy a place in the record of the old settlers of Adams county.