GUNSOLLEY, Professor Jeremiah Alden

GUNSOLLEY, TYRRELL, SAYLES, HILL, WILEY, FISHER, ANWAY, WIGHT, BROWN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/14/2016 at 12:05:06

Biography of Professor Jeremiah Alden Gunsolly

History of Decatur County, Iowa And Its People.
Prof. J.M. Howell & Heman C. Smith. p. 263. S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. Chicago. 1915.

Professor J. A. Gunsolley, principal of the commercial school of Graceland College, has been connected with that institution since its establishment and practically his entire life has been spent in educational work. His birth occurred in Delaware county, Iowa, on the 9th of July, 1862, and he is a son of Noah M[oody]. and Mary E. (Tyrrell) Gunsolley. His paternal grandfather was a native of Germany and his maternal ancestors were English Puritans. His father was born in Ohio and his mother in Vermont, but they became residents of Illinois and later removed to Iowa, arriving here when this state was still largely a frontier district. In 1869 they took up their residence in Mills county, where the father became known as a successful agriculturist. Subsequently the family resided in Harrison and Shelby counties, Iowa, and eventually the parents took up their abode at Lamoni, where the father died in 1904. Four years later his widow passed away at Independence, Missouri, at the home of her son, J. F. Both parents were consistent members of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints. To them were born seven sons and three daughters, those besides our subject being: George H., a farmer residing hear Defiance, Iowa, who is active in the work of the church; Elder Jacob L., a farmer of Mapleton, Kansas, who is also a minister in the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints; Elder James E., of Mondamin, Iowa, pastor of the local church; Jerome W., a priest of the church who is located at Kansas City, Missouri; J. F., an engineer of Independence, Missouri, who is an influential member of the church at that place; Victor, who is with the Herald Publishing Company and is also a local minister and priest; Jerusha, the wife of George Sayles, a resident of Lamoni and both members of the church; Alice O., the wife of E. W. Hill, of Aurelia, Iowa, who is station agent there, proprietor of the Hotel Lockin and also national secretary of the Order of Telegraphers; and Stella M., now Mrs. S. R. Wiley, of Arma, Kansas, and a consistent member of the church. Mr. Wiley is a successful contractor and builder.

Professor Gunsolley received his education in the public schools of Defiance, Iowa, in the Western Normal College of Shenandoah, Iowa, in the Highland Park College of Des Moines, where he took his post-graduate work, and in Kansas City, where he studied under Professor S. W. Tamblyn. In March, 1889, he came to Lamoni as superintendent of the public schools, which office he filled with ability for five years. For one year he taught in a business college of Salem, Massachusetts. When Graceland College was founded he became connected therewith and has ever since been identified with the school, being a member of the faculty the entire time, with the exception of two years. For three years he served as acting president, but his greatest interest is in the development of the commercial department of which he is principal. He understands thoroughly the demands of the business world and has so arranged the courses in his department that its graduates are well fitted for filling good positions. He is a thorough and efficient teacher himself and also has the faculty of directing and overseeing the work of others, which insures the excellence of the instruction in the various classes in the commercial school.

Mr. Gunsolley has been twice married, his first union being with Miss May Fisher, who passed away in 1893, leaving three children. Lucy is chief clerk at the State University of Iowa and is also senior in that institution, where she is preparing for the work of a teacher of languages. She was the delegate from her chapter of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority to the national convention at Berkeley, California. Harold M. is also a student at the State University of Iowa and is private secretary to the assistant dean of men. Marjorie is attending high school [born October 13, 1989, married George E. Anway, died February, 1976]. His second wife was in her maidenhood Miss Mattie Wight Brown, and to their Union have been born two children, Cecil and Dorothy.

Mr. Gunsolley is a democrat in his political allegiance and has been a member of the local school board, taking great interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of the public schools. He is a high priest of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day saints and for several years was pastor of the local branch. He is very active in various lines of church work but is especially interested in the young people’s organization known as Zion’s Religio-Literary Society and since 1895 has been president of the society. During the summers he devotes his time to the furtherance of the interests of that organization, of Graceland College and of the Sunday-school work of the church. He has gained quite a reputation as a lecturer and has spoken in a number of states. For many years he has been connected with the church board of publication as secretary and his services in that capacity have been of great value. Professor Gunsolley is also a director of the Decatur County Historical Society and believes firmly in the wisdom of preserving the records of the county and in stimulating the interest in local history. As a teacher and through his connection with the work of the church Professor Gunsolley has exerted a wide influence throughout the state of Iowa and that influence has invariably been on the side of right and justice.

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Jeremiah Alden Gunsolley was born on July 9, 1862, in Forestville, Iowa.

Energetic and versatile, Jeremiah was one of the most visible figures on Graceland's campus during it's first 31 years.

Jeremiah received his education at Highland Park College. On July 10, 1895, Graceland's Board of Directors hired him as the second member of the college's faculty. He was named principal of the Commercial Department and was assigned to teach penmanship, bookkeeping and arithmetic. Of the three-person faculty who taught the first classes when Graceland opened on September 17, 1895, Jeremiah was the only one who continued with the college for a long time. He was also the only member of the trio who belonged to the RLDS Church, having been baptized on October 7, 1884, and holding the office of priest at the time of Graceland's opening.

During Graceland's early years, Jeremiah shoveled snow dirfits in the winter and notified students and when the weater was too bad to hold classes. In the summer, he donned overalls and a wide-brimmed straw hat to mow the campus grounds with a scythe. He retained his leadership of the Commercial Department after being elected to the college's Board of Trustees, serving in that capacity for 10 years.

"Uncle Jerry" also served as Graceland's librarian, acting dean, college treasurer, business manager and religious education teacher. He filled the role of the college's acting president from 1909 to 1913, following David Adnerson and succeeded by Samuel Burgess. Upon retirement in 1926, Jeremiah received the college's first "emeritus" title, being named "Treasurer Emeritus." He then accepted church appointment and was superannuated in 1934. However, Jeremiah remained involved with Graceland; from the first diploma issued to Frederick Madison Smith, the sole member of the first graduating class in 1898, through the certificates presented to the class of 1935, it was Jeremiah who inscribed the student's names on Graceland's diplomas.

Gunsolley Men's Residence Hall, which opened in 1951, is named in Jeremiah Alden Gunsolley's honor.

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NOTE: Professor Gunsolley received Graceland's first ermeritus title in 1926 as Treasurer Emeritus. Professor Gunsolley died on July 25, 1949, Independence, Missouri. His first wife, May (Fisher) Gunsolley, was born in June, 1870, Iowa, and died December 16, 1903. His second wife, Martha Florence "Mattie" (Brown) Wight Gunsolley, was born in Harrison County, Missouri on February 3, 1875, and died in Independence, Missouri, on December 12, 1951. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni, Iowa.

Graceland College opened a new men's residence hall in the fall of 1951, providing housing for 86 residents. Originally, the name "Garver Hall" was recommended to the Board of Trustees. The board deferred this action. On May 13, 1951, the Board chose the name "Gunsolley Hall" in honor of original faculty member Jeremiah A. Gunsolley.
Currently [2015] the first floor contains units; Powell House occupies the second floor; Closson House occupies the third floor; and, Orion House occupies the fourth floor.

SOURCES:

Howell, Prof. J.M. & Smith, Heman C. History of Decatur County, Iowa And Its People. p. 263. S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. Chicago. 1915.

Edwards, Paul M. "The Hilltop Where . . . An Informal History of Graceland College." Pp. 20, 33. Venture Foundation. Lamoni IA. 1972.

Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” p. 411. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

graceland.edu/campus-life/gunsolley-residence-hall.cfm

Rose Hill Cemetery Transcription

Transcriptions, Gunsolley Hall photograph and note by Sharon R. Becker, November of 2015; updated January of 2015.

Professor Jeremiah Alden Gunsolley
 

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