Captain John Stuart Goshorn (1917)

GOSHORN, HUDSON, LEE, PAXSON, STIFFLER

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 3/30/2011 at 10:04:55

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, August 1, 1917
Page 1, Column 3

CAPT. JOHN STEWART GOSHORN,
Veteran Teacher of Madison County, is Dead

After eighty seven years of useful life, Capt. John Stewart Goshorn died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Laura Hudson, near Hubbell, Nebr., on July 29th. He was born in Huntington county, Pennsylvania and received his education in the common schools of that state. He learned the trade of nail cutter, but spent many years in teaching. His arrival in Iowa in 1852, entitles him to a place among the pioneers of this state. Morning Sun was his home for a time, where he taught in a log school house. Coming to Madison county in 1854, he taught a select school until 1861, numbering among his pupils, many young people who later became factors in the many phases of life in this town and county. As a teacher, he won the respect and life-long friendship of those who studied under his guidance, thus typifying the relations which should exist between the ideal teacher and his pupils.

When the first call to arms, Mr. Goshorn enlisted as second lieutenant in Co. F, Fourth Iowa Infantry, serving until his discharge in 1862. He recruited Co. E, 47th Iowa, serving as its captain. After the war, he continued teaching until 1866, when he was county superintendent for a term. Two years later, he became adjuster for the Farmers' Insurance Company of Cedar Rapids, continuing in this capacity for sixteen years, when he moved to Lincoln, as secretary for a Nebraska Insurance company. In 1900, he retired from business life at the age of seventy, an age when many men have for years considered themselves old. Capt. Goshsorn was a member of the Nebraska legislature at one time.

Mrs. Goshorn, who was Miss Harriett Stiffler, died in 1882. She came of a well known family connected with the early life of this county.

The surviving children are: Robert of Kallspell, Mont., Mrs. Laura Hudson of Hubbell, Nebr., Mrs. Nellie Paxson of Cedar Rapids and Arthur Goshorn of Winterset. One sister, Mrs.Urilla Lee of Winterset, is the last member left of the original Goshorn family.

Funeral services were held Tuesday morning at the Presbyterian church, of which Capt. Goshorn had been a member since the close of the war. Dr. J. S. Corkey conducted the services and Pitzer Post G.A.R. Gave the impressive burial service of the order.

Evening Star lodge No. 43, A.. F. and A. M., also read the Masonic service at the cemetery, the deceased being an honored member of the local lodge, as well as of Zag-a-Zig temple at Des Moines.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, August 1, 1917
Page 1, Column 1

DEATH SUMMONS AGED PIONEER

Captain Goshorn Dies at Hubbell, Nebraska.

FUNERAL HELD HERE

One of County’s First Educators, Went to War at Country’s Call in 1861 With Co. F.

Capt. J. S. Goshorn, pioneer educator in Madison County, veteran of the Civil War, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Laura Hudson, near Hubbell, Nebraska, Sunday morning at seven o’clock. The funeral was held in Winterset, Tuesday morning at nine o’clock, Dr. Corkey officiating. Pitzer Post G. A. R. and Evening Star A. F. & A. M. Had charge of the burial. He lived to the ripe old age, eighty-seven years and two months.

Captain Goshorn was born in Huntington county, Pennsylvania in 1830. He attended whatever schools he could, but while a boy went to Pittsburgh and learn the trade of a nail cutter. He obtained all the books his means afforded and before he became a man had accumulated a library that was a large one for that time.

He taught school in Pennsylvania and was married to Hettie J. Stiffler at Duncansville in that state in 1854. Mrs. Goshorn died in Winterset in 1882.

Became to Morning Sun in 1854 and taught there two years. In 1856, with his father-in-law, John Stiffler, and his brother-in-law, C. P. Lee, he came to Winterset. He taught in the Abraham’s and other schools near Winterset and was teaching in the town when the Civil War broke out. He was active in recruiting Company F of the Fourth Iowa, and went into service as its second lieutenant, leaving his wife and three small children in care of her father. Many of Company F were married. Some time after the battle of Pea Ridge he was discharged for sickness and after coming home acted as recruiting officer.

Toward the end of the war he recruited Company E of the Forty-seventh Iowa and was made its Captain. Company E was composed mainly of boys and was the last company recruited in the town. Brigham S. Whitlock, Chal Danforth, Michael gamble, Martin Gilleran were members of the company.

After the Civil War he taught a private school in Winterset and served as county superintendent one term. He was made Special Agent and in a year or two adjuster of the Farmers Insurance Company, of Cedar Rapids, and remained with the company many years, resigning in 1883 to take the secretaryship of another company. In 1867 he bought the present Henry Horras place West of the city, built the house, and planted a commercial Orchard. He sold it after the death of Mrs. Goshorn in 1882.

He retired from the insurance business in 1893 and made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Hudson, on the farm near Hubbell, Nebraska. He served a term or two as a member of the Nebraska Legislature, refusing a re-nomination because the duties interfered with his winter travel.

Mr. Goshorn was a great reader, a close observer, and a student. He spent several winters in Mexico, digging into the old ruins of Yucatán and Southern Mexico. After he became an old man he went through the Yellowstone Park on a wheel. He saw every country his own way, walking much of the time.

In February, 1913, his relatives accidentally learned that he was at the point of death in a San Antonio hospital. He never recovered from the shock of the operation for the removal of a carbuncle, and while the partially regained his physical strength, his wonderfully active mind was never again so clear. Until three weeks ago he retained his erect walk, but failed rapidly when the intense heat came on.

He is survived by all four of his children, Robert, of Kalispell, Montana; Arthur, of Winterset; Mrs. Laura Hudson, of Hubbell, Nebraska, and Mrs. Nell Paxson, of Cedar Rapids, and by his sister, Mrs. Urilla Lee, of Winterset.
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Transcriber's note: Transcribed as published, middle name is "Stuart".

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