Gosting, Edward 1843-1913

GOSTING, MEADER

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 3/31/2008 at 20:09:47

LeMars Sentinel
February 4, 1913

FOUGHT FOR THE FLAG
EDWARD GOSTING, VETERAN
OF CIVIL WAR, IS DEAD.
ONE OF THE PIONEER HOMESTEADERS

Lived in Plymouth County Since 1869 and Was for More Than a Quarter of a
Century Employed with M. A. Moore Company

The remains of Edward A. Gosting, one of the pioneer residents of Plymouth
county, were brought here from Manchester on Sunday for burial.

Edward A. Gosting was born in Lincolnshire, England, on December 11, 1843.
When a boy of ten years of age his parents came to America, settling in
Ohio, near Cleveland. Shortly afterwards coming west they located near
Hopkinton, being among the pioneer settlers of eastern Iowa. Here Ed, with
his brothers, was brought up on a farm and worked early and late helping his
parents to gain a foothold and competence in the new land. When the war
broke out Edward and four of his brothers volunteered and fought in the
bloody strife. Edward when only eighteen enlisted in the Twenty-first Iowa
and served until the close of the war.

Returning to Iowa he re-engaged in farming and in 1866 was united in
marriage at Almora with Ellen Meader, with whom he lived a happy wedded life
until her death a little over two years ago.

Mr. and Mrs. Gosting came to Plymouth county in 1869, homesteading in
Stanton township, where they lived until the early eighties, when Mr.
Gosting became manager of the Moore and Loring ranch near Kingsley.
Subsequently they moved to Kingsley, where Mr. Gosting was employed in the
Moore lumber yards for many years. About five years ago they determined to
revisit the old scenes of their youth and went back to eastern Iowa,
locating in Manchester.

To their union five girls were born, one of whom died in infancy. Three who
grew to womanhood, Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. B. Mills and Anna Gosting, preceded
their parents in death. One daughter, Mrs. Etta Redding of Manchester
survives. The deceased is also survived by three brothers and four sisters,
who are George Gosting of Westfield, this county, William Gosting, of The
Dalles, Oregon, and Fred Gosting, of Hopkinton, Iowa, Mrs. E.M. Lindsay,
Minneapolis, Mrs. Louise Moser, of Cedar Rapids, Mrs. Georgia Cook, of New
Orleans, Mrs. Lotta Jackson, of Redlands, Cal.

Edward Gosting was a man imbued with strong religious principles and lived
up to his convictions to the best of his ability. His doctrine of
Christianity was never bigoted and attracted rather than repelled those with
whom he came in daily contact in the walks of business and social life. When
a young man in the army he was a great student of the Bible and in camp
often read the Scriptures and discussed Bible topics with his comrades. He
was a loving husband and father and good citizen.

Mr. Gosting was a man of indomitable energy and a hard worker, never sparing
himself. Indeed those with whom he was closely associated say he was never
happier than when at work. Hardship and toil were only objects to him to
overcome. He was a charter member of the Congregational Church in Kingsley
and was one of the prime movers in the establishment of that church in the
early eighties.

Mr. Gosting began to fail in health last autumn and had been sick since
October, passing away on January 30th at his home in Manchester.

The funeral was held at the Grant Rapids undertaking parlors Sunday
afternoon at two o'clock and was attended by relatives, old friends, and
pioneers. Rev. C.G. Butler, pastor of the First Presbyterian church,
conducted the service, offering prayer and reading a portion of Scripture
and rendering a feeling tribute to the Christian life led by the deceased.
The casket was heaped with floral tributes and draped with the flag for
which the dead man fought so nobly in the dawning years of his manhood.

The interment was made in the beautiful hillside burying ground and the
mortal body laid beside the remains of his wife and daughters.

The pallbearers were old friends, neighbors and those with whom he had been
intimate in his life, G.J. Krapfl, of Kingsley, Adam Clarke, Geo. McLain,
John Schumann, Jacob Eberle and R.M. Latham.