Jerry E. Galvin 1856-1963

GALVIN, LARSON, MARTIN

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 10/28/2011 at 22:56:22

Oldest Resident in County Dies at 106
Jerry Galvin, oldest resident in Emmet County, died last night after a lingering illness at the age of 106. During the five score and six years of his life, Galvin lived a varied life.

Galvin had been a resident of Estherville for 65 years. He was born in New York City Aug. 8, 1856. He had a twin brother who died at the age of 17.

With his parents he came to the Midwest as a young boy. But he returned to New York and became a groom for Bob Nebbs of England. Nebbs raced horses all over Europe and Galvin took care of his horses. “The German government arrested Nebbs and myself, sentenced us to a year and a day in jail, Galvin had once said, “over a horseracing dispute. But they let me go. Even paid my boat fare back to New York,” he said.

He also worked for the Shubert Sisters, bareback riders in P.T. Barnum’s circus. He would wash the resin off the horses’ backs when each show was over. They gave performances in many cities in the states and in Canada.

Galvin came to Estherville in January, 1897 from Alaska. He said he went to Alaska from Milwaukee with 27 others who thought there was gold between Dickson Lake and Genoa, Alaska. He said he suffered the loss of 11 burros who were smothered in a snow storm up there and cost him $2,500. He said, “I remember playing poker with gold nuggets, our guns on the table.”

When he first came to Estherville, he worked as switchman for the Burlington-Cedar Rapids (now Rock Island) railroad. He stayed with railroading for the next 50 years until a “mean and ornery” conductor made him decide to quit.

In the 1920’s and 30’s Galvin operated a dray business here and then in 1912 he went to work for the Harker-Beauman Lumber Co. He was employed there as a yardman and helper to the age of 9- when he underwent amputation of his right leg.

Galvin is survived by his wife, five sons, Charles and Pete, both of Cedar Lake, Ind.; William (Danny), Temple City, Calif.; James (Flip), Portland, Ore.; Merle, Whiting, In.; and two daughters, Mrs. Rudolph Larson, Astoria, Ore., and Mrs. Fred Martin, Estherville. He is also survived by 18 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services are pending at Sternborg-Reese Funeral Home in Estherville. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, January 7, 1963)

Galvin Rites Tomorrow

Funeral services for Jerry Galvin, oldest resident of the area who died Sunday night at 106 will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Sternborg Reese Funeral Home, with burial to be at East Side Cemetery. Friends may call from today until time of services. The casket will not be opened after the service. The Rev. L. A. Mathre of the Estherville Lutheran Church will officiate. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, Iowa; January 8, 1963)