Gideon B McFall Sr.

MCFALL, FENTON, HOLLOWELL, NEWSOM, BECK, LLOYD, BOMAN, KEITH, VOTAW

Posted By: Dana Roquet (email)
Date: 10/24/2010 at 11:19:31

Portrait and Biographical Album of Mahaska County Iowa
Chapman Brothers 1887

Gideon B McFall Sr.

Gideon B. McFall, Sr., a dealer in lumber, resides in Fremont, Iowa. He was born in Bartholomew County, Ind., Jan. 17, 1823, and is the son of William and Jane (Fenton) McFall, who were natives of Kentucky. The first-named was a soldier in the Ware of 1812. They moved to Indiana, where the latter died in 1839, and Mr. McFall was again married, to Mary Ann Gilliland, and removed in 1846 from Indiana to Iowa, remaining about fourteen years, when he went to Harrison County, Mo., and died in 1869.

The subject of this sketch came to this State from Indiana in 1847, residing continuously upon the farm he yet owns, on section 4, Cedar Township, until 1882, since which time he has been engaged in the lumber business at Fremont. He was married, Jan. 16, 1845, to Miss Mary Newsom, who was born in Bartholemew County, Ind., Dec. 2, 1824, and is a daughter of John and Charlotte (Hollowell) Newsom. Her father died in Indiana in 1825, and her mother in Iowa in 1857. Mr. and Mrs. McFall are the parents of nine children: Martha J., deceased; Charlotte M. is the wife of George W. Beck, living in Wapello County, this State; William O. is married to Sarah Lloyd, and they reside in Fremont, Iowa, where he practices medicine and surgery; Mary A. is the wife of Samuel Boman, living in Bartholonew County, Ind.; Emma A. is the wife of M.E. Keith, of Atlantic, Iowa; Clara is the wife of Daniel Votaw, of Cedar Township; Gideon B., Jr., is a lawyer at Oskaloosa; Jennie L. is residing at home; one son died in infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. McFall are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically he is a Democrat, and has held the offices of member of the Board of Supervisors, Justice of the Peace and Township Trustee, and is at present serving his third term as Mayor of the town of Fremont. With the exception of one or two terms he has been a continuous member of the School Board for thirty years. Mr. McFall owns 162 acres of most excellent land, all in a high state of cultivation, with a fine house, barn and the best quality of improvements of all kinds, and a fine residence in the town of Fremont. He is a pioneer in this county, and a gentleman well and favorably known within its entire borders. In everything pertaining to the advancement of our material prosperity he has taken an active interest, and has promoted the growth and prosperity of the whole people by every means in his power. He is a man of the highest order of business ability, of the strictest integrity, honorable and high-minded in all things, and ranks first among the many good citizens of this county.