Wesley W. Garner 1815-1889

GARNER, MURRAY, COLTON, JAMES

Posted By: Beverly Gerdts (email)
Date: 10/5/2020 at 11:45:02

Columbus Gazette, Columbus Junction, Iowa, Thursday January 10th, 1889 page 4

COL. WESLEY W. GARNER - Was born in Shrewsbury, York county, Pennsylvania, November 25th, 1815, and died at his home in Columbus City, Iowa, January 1st, 1889, making him at the time of his death a little over 73 years old. He came to Iowa in 1840 and first settled on what has since been known as the Hamilton Johnson farm, north of the old Limbocker homestead. In 1851 he entered the mercantile business in Columbus City which he conducted of six years retiring finally to the farm adjoining that town where he spent the remainder of his days. Col. Garner has always been a prominent man in the State of Iowa and we doubt if any man in the state could number so many prominent men among his friends.

He was married on the 24th day of January, 1839 to Harriet Murray of Maryland, who, with four children live to mourn a husband's and a father's loss. The surviving children are Col. J. W. Garner, president of the National bank of this place and member of the firm of Colton & Garner, Columbus City; Mrs. James of California; Mrs Frank Colton of Columbus City and Miss Jennie Garner.

Col. Garner was the first chief clerk in the off ice of superintendent of Public Instruction in Iowa under Col. Thomas Benton Jr. He was clerk of the state Senate in 1850-51 and was for many years, connected in a prominent position with the Untied States land office. Nearly all the public roads in this part of Louisa county were originally located by him as he was an expert civil engineer. He held a commission as Notary Public from every Governor Iowa has ever had. WE doubt if the same can be said of any other living man. We presume he has done more conveyancing than any other man in the county. He was a candidate for State Senator against Dr. H. T. Cleaver in 1854 and Hon. James Hurley in 1869, both very popular men and in each case he ran far ahead of his ticket. In 1870 he was a candidate on the Democratic ticket for Auditor of State but of course owing to the overwhelming republican majority in the state, he was defeated, carrying his own county, however though overwhelmingly Republican, by a handsome majority. there need be no stronger proof of his honesty of purpose and his fidelity to principle that that in his forty-eight years of life in Iowa through as well as through good report, he remained true and steadfast to those political principles that he deemed right, and no home or promise of reward, or political preferment which he might have had for the asking ever served him one hot or tittle from his faith and straightforward course. In his politics, as in his business, he was absolutely honest and no one ever questioned his motives in either. He was almost constantly engaged in some act calculated to be a blessing and a benefit to the public. As an illustration, the handsome grove of evergreens in the school grounds of Columbus City, were purchased by his own means and planted out of his expense. For many years past he has been connected with the Rock Island road in this state as the as the auditor and adjuster of their taxes and enjoyed the fullest confidence of the officers of that road. He was a gentleman of the "old school" and will ling be gratefully remembered by all who have been?? to enjoy his ac [damage to the paper] city, itself always an object of his ? care and whose adornment is to a great extent, the result of his own solicitude and endeaver.

Rev. Alex Story of Washington, conducted the services. His death was not unexpected as he had been in very poor health several months. The Muscatine News say of him: Col Wesley W. Garner was the most notable figure in Eastern Iowa, if we except ex-United States Senator George W. Jones, of Dubuque, of whom deceased was an honorable contemporary. The Journal places Col Garner's age at 70; but though carrying himself up to the day of his fatal illness with the erect bearing of a soldier, and always delighting to mingle in the measures and excitements of life, he must have passed the allotted three-score years and ten by nearly a decade. He was here in the vigor of his manhood, when Iowa was a territory, fifty years ago, and was honored with a seat at the territorial council board, as its secretary. His beautiful home near Columbus City has been noted for it hospitality for nearly a half century. Forty years ago he was at work organizing a state militia system for Iowa. Thirty-four years and he was engineering the construction of the great Rock Island through Iowa, continuing his close relations with the road as its tax auditor for a large district. In political affairs he was squally prominent and few citizens of Iowa had so large a list of distinguished acquaintances. His youth was brought up in the school of Jefferson, carried on by Jackson and he was a democrat to the very marrow, but because he was a democrat he saw good in all men and all classes, and was welcomed and esteemed by men of all parties for his liberal views and sympathies. Deceased was taught in another school also, known as the old school of politeness and courtesy, to meet with one of whose pupils, like Col. Garner, was to feel a regret that its gentle manners and chivalric ways found little place in the curriculum of the present.