James Gifford

GIFFORD, BAKER

Posted By: Clay County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 11/6/2010 at 16:08:24

Mason and plasterer, residence First, Spencer.

Was born in Waterville, Oneida county, New York, November 8th, 1837, and lived there until ten years old, when he went to Eaton Village, Madison county, and lived there until nineteen years of age, when he went to Champaign county, Illinois, and remained during the fall. From there he went to Newark, Kendall county, and stayed about two years. It was during the year 1859 that he came to Iowa and settled in Marshall county and from there to Waterloo, when he again changed his abode. This time he went to California, where for two years he had the advantage of the flush times and salubrious climate of the Pacific coast. On his return to Iowa he settled down in Marshall county again for a brief time. From that county he went to Iowa Falls and from there back to Waterloo. For the third time he returned to Marshall county and in 1881 came to Spencer where he still lives. His life has been in a great measure filled with travels and a roving disposition, but at last finding a spot which is suited to him, he has concluded to spend the remainder of his days in Clay. He learned is trade as mason and plasterer in New York, and has continually worked at if for nearly thirty-five years and has built a number of fine buildings, among them being the Female Seminary and several blocks in Waterloo; the Glidden school house, Carroll county; the Marble block, in Marshall; the Beed block in Hampton; the Howell building in Audobon, and a number of other handsome structures. He was married in 1861 to Miss Rosseta Baker. They have living nine children, Frank, a compositor; Henry L., in partnership with his father; Myrtie, now on the stage; Fred J., Charlie, Milroy; George, Percy ad Pipo Clarence; another son and a bright young man died during the summer of 1889.

Source: A History of Clay County, by W. C. Gilbreath, 1889.