Goss, H. W. A.

GOSS

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 10/29/2008 at 13:50:15

H. W. A. Goss

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.225, Rockford Twp.)
H. W. A. Goss, farmer, P. O. Loveland, was born in Illinois in 1845. His parents came to iowa when he was but five years old, and settled in this county on his present place in April, 1851. This has been his home ever since, except one year he lived in Missouri Valley, Harrison County. He is the son of Sherman Goss, who died in 1855; the mother died in 1881, aged seventy-seven years. Our subject was educated in this county. His business has always been farming. He has three brothers, one in Council Bluffs, one in Missouri Valley, Harrison County, and one in La Veta, Colo. Mr. Goss was married, in this county, to Miss Ella Boyd, of Harrison County, daughter of John Boyd. They were married in 1874, and have two chilren, both boys. Our subject has four brothers who went into the army; one was killed. Mr. Goss was too young to go at the time. He is Republican in politics. The Mormons had been here before Mr. Goss came, but all the improvements they had made was to break our gardens spots in the hollows, for they did not heave teams sufficient to break up the heavy sod. They also had log huts covered with boards, and on these dirt. Mr. Goss' father bought a claim from the Mormons, and then entered the land in 1853, as soon as it was open for entry. Entering at first 160 acres, most of it lying in the Boyer River bottom, but was afterward entered more. Mr. Goss now has 160 acres. He is now living on the old place first settled. He remembers how they had to do the first year they were here. The very high waters washed out what mills there were within reach of them, so they did their own grinding, but putting corn in a large iron kettle and pounding it with an iron wedge. The finest they would sift out and make bread from, and the coarse they would make into mush and hominy. Hogs were so scarce it was almost a sight to see one, but game was very plenty. When coming here, Kanesville or Council Blfufs only had one hewn-log house, and that was a store. The rest were all round logs, and covered with dirt.