Metcalf, George

METCALF

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/22/2019 at 19:36:24

George Metcalf

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.453)
GEORGE METCALF, a real estate dealer, and of the firm of Metcalf Brothers, has been identified with the interests of Council Bluffs since the spring of 1869. He is a native of Ohio, born in Geauga County, September 30, 1841, the son of Thomas and Paulina (BEARD) METCALF, the former a native of Connecticut, who came to Ohio with his parents in 1816. He is of English descent, and is now living in Ohio, at the advanced age of ninety-two years. Our subject's mother is a native of Ohio, and daughter of Jedediah BEARD, who served as a Colonel of a regiment in the War of 1812. He was a native of Vermont. The subject of this sketch resided with is parents until the breaking out of the late war. He enlisted December 19, 1861, in Company I, 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, going directly south and joining the Army of Western Virginia. He participated in the first battle of Winchester, Port Republic, Cedar Mountain, Chancellorsville, Antietam, Gettysburg, and was with the Sherman campaign. He served until the close of the late war and was honorably discharged December 29, 1864, after which he returned home and engaged in the lumber business for a short time. Mr. METCALF then went to Louisiana and engaged in planting, remaining in that state and Mississippi for three years. For a year and a half, he was engaged in raising cotton and one and a half years in the timber business. He then returned to his native place, and remained until 1869, when he came to Council Bluffs, where his brothers had preceded him. He engaged in the hat, cap, and furnishing goods and fur business, first starting in the retail trade, and after a few years they branched into the jobbing business, the firm being known as Metcalf Bros., consisting of H. H., George, and Thomas.

Mr. METCALF was married February 27, 1879, to Miss Helen E. RUE, a native of Danville, Kentucky, and a daughter of John B. RUE, who removed from Kentucky to Ohio and thence to Iowa, settling first at Mt. Pleasant and then at Council Bluffs in 1869. Mr. And Mrs. METCALF have five children: Clara H., John H., James B., Margaret F. and Mildred E. Mrs. METCALF is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. METCALF is a member of the G.A.R. Abe Lincoln Post No. 29, and has represented the fourth ward of the city as an Alderman for two years. Politically, he affiliates with the Republican Party. In 1873, our subject, in company with H.H., his brother, went to Texas and established business in clothing and gents' furnishing goods, which they ran only one year during the building of the Texas Pacific Railroad.