CHILSON, John

CHILSON, CADWELL, RECTOR, BAUMGARDNER, JESMORE, HAUGH

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/2/2014 at 12:31:16

HISTORY of CERRO GORDO COUNTY, IOWA
WHEELER, J.H. Vol. II. Pp. 596-97. Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago. 1910

BIOGRAPHY ~ JOHN CHILSON

John Chilson, manager of the livery, dray and bus line of the Cadwell & Cadwell Company, Mason City, Iowa, has been connected with the business the past thirty-four years, his identity with the company dating from 1876. Mr. Chilson resides with his family at 221 North Michigan street, and is recognized as one of the representative men of the town. Briefly, a review of his life is as follows:

John Chilson was born in Schoharie county, New York, December 4, 1850, son of John and Matilda (Rector) Chilson. Early in ‘50s the Chilson family moved west to Walworth county, Wisconsin, and in 1859 came from there to Cerro Gordo county, Iowa , and settled near Mason City, where the father acquired title to some land. At that time Mason City was a small village containing only two stores. About ten years later the father, having improved his land to some extent, sold it and purchased a farm near Clear Lake. To this farm he added until he had three hundred and twenty acres, and here he made his home until shortly before his death, which occurred in 1893, at the age of eighty years. Previous to his coming west he had resided at different times in three counties of his native state, New York. The closing years of his life were spent at the home of a son in Mason township, Cerro Gordo county. His wife died in 1902, also at the age of eighty years. During his early life here John Chilson Sr. was a great hunter and trapper. He voted for Abraham Lincoln, and maintained his allegiance with the Republican party all the rest of his days, at times filling local office, such a township trustee, etc. In his family were six sons and one daughter, of whom two are deceased. Mrs. J. A. Baumgardner is a widow residing at Mason City. Amos died in December, 1909, at his home in Minnesota, at the age of seventy-two years. Jerome is a farmer and stock dealer at Lake Mills, Iowa. Lawson, a veteran of the Civil war, with an experience of nine months in Andersonville and Libby prisons, died shortly after the close of the war in 1869. Albert went to the far west in 1865 and his exact whereabouts are not known. John was next to the youngest, and the youngest, Delfonzo, is a farmer of Mason City, Iowa.

John Chilson married Miss Eliza Jesanore (sic, should be Jesmore), a native of Marble Rock, Iowa, where her parents resided for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Chilson have one daughter, Mrs. George O. Haugh, of Minneapolis, Mr. Haugh being connected with the Palace Clothing store of that place. They have one son and one daughter.

Politically Mr. Chilson casts his franchise with the same party his father supported for son many years. Fraternally he is identified with the I. O. O. F. and the K. of P., and both he and his wife belong to the Yeomen. She is also a member of the Rebekahs and Pythian Sisters, and she and her daughter have membership in the Congregational church.

NOTE: John Chilson was born in 1851 according to his gravestone, and died July 25, 1916. He was interred at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City IA.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014