GILBRIDE, WILLIAM H.

GILBRIDE, STOKES, BESTENLEHNER

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 4/5/2004 at 14:21:45

Biography reproduced from page 613 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

William H. Gilbride, a veteran of the Spanish-American war and well known as an officer of the Iowa National Guard, is engaged in general farming in Plum Creek township, being associated with this brother, James P. Gilbride, in the conduct of an excellent farm situated on section 29. In addition they own a tract of land in Cresco township and are justly accounted leading farmers of their locality. The father, Thomas Gilbride, was born in Ireland, April 11, 1831, and spent the first twenty-five years of his life in the land of his nativity, after which he came to America in 1856 and the following year made his way to Algona, Iowa, where he resided for two years. He then went to De Kalb county, Illinois, for there was no money in northeastern Iowa which was then a frontier district, and gave little promise of the changes which were to occur as the work of development and progress would be carried forward. In the year of his arrival here Thomas Gilbride has preempted the claim that covers the farm upon which his sons now reside. It was a tract of raw land on which not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made. When he again came to Kossuth county in 1865 he took possession of this claim and began its development converting the tract into productive fields. In 1869 he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Stokes, also a native of Ireland, and they became the parents of five children, three daughters and two sons, Mamie E., Libbie, William H., James P. and Agnes V. The two elder daughters, Mamie E. and Libbie, were capable and successful teachers in the schools of Kossuth county for thirteen years. The youngest daughter, Agnes, is a graduate of the Algona high school and also of the State Normal school. She, too, took up the profession of teaching which she followed for nine years. She is now the wife of Joseph Bestenlehner, who is deputy postmaster of Algona. The father, Thomas Gilbride, was a prominent and influential citizen of Kossuth county and was held in high esteem by all who knew him. For many years he carefully developed his farm which he brought to a high state of cultivation. He was frequently urged to accept county offices but always declined, preferring that his public service should be done as a private citizen. The cause of education, however, found in him a warm friend and he acted as school director and was president of the school board for about ten years prior to his death, which occurred February 10, 1897. His wife survived him for more than a decade and passed away December 2, 1907.

William H. Gilbride was born on the old homestead farm in Kossuth county on the 3d of March, 1873, and spent his youthful days in the usual manner of farm lands, dividing his time between the duties of the schoolroom, the pleasures of the playground and the work of the fields. He has always continued in active connection with agricultural pursuits and is now associated with his brother, James P., in the further development and improvement of the old home farm which was entered by his father from the government more than fifty-five years ago. It is pleasantly and conveniently situated on section 29, Plum Creek township, and in addition to this property the brothers own a farm in Cresco township. Their business affairs are carefully conducted and they are numbered among the enterprising farmers of the county, everything about their place indicating that a spirit of thrift and enterprise predominates there.