Charles M Van Gorder

VAN GORDER

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/13/2010 at 17:18:53

Charles M Van Gorder has since 1884 been continuously a resident of Boone and for the past twenty years has been a regular passenger conductor on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. He was born in Elmira, Chemug county, New York, in 1855 a son of Henry and Harriet (Murray) Van Gorder. The paternal grandfather, John Van Gorder was the founder of the family in America, coming to the new world form his native land of Holland. The father, a native of Chemug county, followed farming throughout his active life, sae for the period in which he put aside all business and person considerations to served as a soldier in the Civil war, becoming a member of the One Hundred and Forty-first New York Regiment, with which he was on active duty on many a hotly contested battlefield. He died in December 1910, at the ripe old age of eighty-four years. His wife was born and reared in Elmira, New York, and was of Scotch lineage. She was a member of the Baptist church and had many excellent qualities. In the family of Mr and Mrs Henry Van Gorder were three daughters and four sons, and with the exception of one son all are yet living.
Charles M Van Gorder spent his youthful days in his native county and attended the pubic schools. At twenty years of age he made his way westward to Boone, where he followed farming for several years, or until 1882. He then went upon the railroad as a brakeman and in 1884 was advanced to the position of freight conductor, in which capacity he continued until 1893, when he was made a passenger conductor on the western division of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. He has since acted in that capacity and the record is a creditable one as is indicated by the fact that for almost a third of a century he has been retained in the employ of this corporation.
Mr Van Gorder has been married twice. In Audubon county, Iowa he wedded Miss Alice Frederick, and they became parents of one child. On August 22, 1911, in Urbana, Illinois, Mr Van Gorder married Mrs Evalyn Gustafson, nee Pike, who was born in Warren county, New York, as were her parents and grandparents. Her father, Richard Pike, is still living in New York. The family, of English and Scotch descent, have always been Episcopalians in religious faith. By her former marriage, Mrs Van Gorder had a son C Le Roy Gustafson, who is a graduate of the Illinois State University and now an architect of Urbana, Illinois. The mother came to Boone in 1879. Her first husband was also with the Chicago & Northwestern as a trainman and was killed in 1905.
Politically Mr Van Gorder is a republican and although he never seeks nor desires office he is always interested in political questions and measures. He is well known in Masonic circles, having been initiated into the order in Carroll county, Iowa, as a member of the Mount Olive Lodge, No 79, A F & A M. He also belongs to the chapter of Boone, to the commandery of Jefferson, to the consistory of Clinton, Iowa, and the Mystic Shrine at Des Moines. Mrs Van Gorder is a member of the Eastern Star chapter at Urbana and of the White Shrine of Champaign, and her son is a member of the Blue Lodge of Boone and the chapter of commandery of Champaign, Illinois. Mr Van Gorder is likewise connected with the Order of Railway Conductors at Boone. Mrs Van Gorder belongs to the Episcopal church and is a member of several ladies’ auxiliary societies. In 1911 they erected an attractive home at No 604 Linn street, Boone, of which Mrs Van Gorder’s son was the architect.

1914 Boone County History Book