George Hiram Booth

BOOTH, RAND, HOSMER, SCHOOLER

Posted By: Warren Booth (email)
Date: 9/7/2008 at 11:47:02

George was born in Massachusetts, raised in Illinois, he married Adeline Rand of Vermont they had numerous offspring. They are buried side by side in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Boone county, Iowa.

George was an educated man raised up in Lamoille Illinois,( his parents were Hiram Booth, and Caroline Hosmer Booth who migrated from Massachusetts to Ilinois, Hiram was a farmer and had a just over 200 acres in Berlin County, Ill. and bore numerous offspring) George was a school teacher, a newspaper writer, (used many supposed identities such as Hardtack, Jerusha Jane, etc to proliferate his stories.)
He also wrote and acted in plays, temperance plays one in particular entitled "The Drunkards Dream" a somewhat depressing expression of the ills of drink.

This play is registered with the Library of Congress.

He and his troupe performed as far from home as Springfied Massachusetts his birthplace.

He his Son, Frank Chester Booth, Daughter in Law, Libby Schooler Booth and a host others performed the Play in Madrid Iowa, in the early 20th century as well.

George is descended of Robert Booth (Boothe) an early resident of Maine and a commissioner of the Lygonia Company under George Cleeves patent. He was also a Selectman,a magistrate, a reprsentative to the first General court of Massachusetts in 1659, a Town Clerk of Saco Maine, a resident of Wells, Exeter, and lastly Saco where he died in 1672, Robert lived on a piece of land near the sea known as Stony Stand Point, on Fletcher's neck, near the mouth of the Saco River.
Robert's presence is recorded in the new world as early as 1644, it is probable that he was there even earlier, but records do not officially support this.

It is believed that Robert is descended of Sir Richard Booth of Cheshire County England, and that this family can be traced back as far as Adam De Boothes in 13th century England, a family of Norman descent, yet positive DNA connection has yet been established that I am aware of.
There is also tradition that he came to this country with Brothers Richard, and John of Hartford, Conn, and Southold Long Island respectively. There is also evidence of another potential relative (Thomas) in Kittery Maine during the same time period.

Other Iowa relatives

Edmund Booth a founder of Anamosa Iowa, a 49'r, owner/publisher/editor of the Anamosa Gazette an advocate for the Deaf a strong force in establishment of Iowa School for the Deaf i Council Bluffs.,in fact Edmund is credited with naming the City of Anamosa, after a young Indian girl he had encountered while new to the territory, the name allegedly means "White Fawn" in the native tongue.

Caleb Booth, a pioneer of Dubuque, born in Pennsylvania.
We was the first mayor of Dubuque, a state legislator, surveyor general of Iowa, a very prominent early Iowan, in fact he was Mayor of Dubuque whil still under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Territory prior to statehhood of Iowa.

Sources personal possession of a playbill from the Madrid Iowa performance
, personal possession of his teachers certificate, personal possession of numerous newspaper clippings of stories written ets.

Further sources numerous and varied from genealogical research performed by myself, and my son, many hours of tedious digging.