Thomas Garlinger

GARLINGER, YEAGLEY

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 10/3/2004 at 22:12:11

Thomas Garlinger, Union twp., farmer and stock-dealer, Sec. 16; P.O. Winterset; was born in Pennsylvania in 1815, and was raised on a farm until his nineteenth year. He then learned the carriage-making trade in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and served an apprenticeship of five years and ten months.

In 1840 he removed to Ohio and worked at his trade twelve years, and in 1855 came to this county and settled in Union township. When he located here had only $62.50, and after buying a stove and other necessaries, he had only $1.50 left. He commenced teaming between this city and Keokuk, a distance of two hundred miles, and he never let the weather interfere in making his trips, which occupied sixteen days, and so prompt was he and reliable that his patrons paid him fifty cents per hundred pounds more that others, because they could rely on his making the trip in this time. He then engaged in farming and stock dealing, in which he has done a large business and is the only man who has been able to continue it as a business for the past ten years; he owns 1350 acres of land; He married Miss R. Yeagley in 1841. She was born in Ohio. They have three children: Joseph, William and John.

Taken from the book, "The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1879" pages 607, 608
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A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1896

Transcribed and edited by Kent G. Transier, 04 Jan 2010

Thomas Garlinger. – It is now privileged the biographer to review briefly the life of one of the early settlers of Union township, Madison county, Iowa, and one of the first stock-buyers and shippers of the county, - Thomas Garlinger. It is supposed that he has shipped more stock from Madison and adjoining counties than any other man now living in this county. His residence is on section 20, Union township, and he is still engaged in the stock business and general farming, though not now on as large a scale as formerly.

Mr. Garlinger was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, October 24, 1821, son of William and Margaret Garlinger, both of German descent and natives of Pennsylvania. His mother died when he was only three years of age; his father survived her many years, dying in Maryland at the age of eighty-one. The latter’s vocation was that of farming. In their family were seven children, all of whom reached adult age, Thomas being the youngest.

Thomas Garlinger was reared in his native State. At the age of five years he was “bound out,” and when he was fifteen he entered upon an apprenticeship to the trade of carriage and wagon maker, and served a period of five years, ten months and seventeen days. In the fall of 1855 he came to Iowa and purchased forty acres of land in Crawford township, Madison county, and made permanent settlement here. Prior to this, in 1853, he had made a trip to Iowa, and had entered 120 acres of land four miles southwest of Winterset, and after that had returned to Ohio, where he resided until 1855.

For nine years he lived in Crawford township, after which he sold both the 120 acres and the forty-acre tract, and bought 520 acres in Union township, a part of which was improved, and here he has continued to abide. From time to time he made additional land purchases until he was the owner of no less than 2,100 acres. and was regarded as one of the wealthiest men in the county. He rented out a part of his broad acres and himself superintended the operation of the rest. As early as 1859 he commenced buying and selling stock, driving to Burlington, from which point he made shipments, and, as already stated, was one of the most extensive stock dealers in the county for many years. He has disposed of a portion of his land, and at this writing owns only about 339 acres, where he resides and where he is still interested in the stock business.

Mr. Garlinger was married in 1841 to Miss Rachel Yeagley, a native of Ohio, and they are the parents of three sons, - John, Joseph and William.

Politically, he has been a Republican ever since the organization of that party. Previous to that time he was a Whig. He has served as a Trustee of Union township, and as Justice of the Peace, and in all matters pertaining to the general welfare of the community he has taken an active and commendable interest.