West, Gordon B. 1840-1932

WEST, DOW, GARDNER

Posted By: Janet Brown - volunteer (email)
Date: 8/13/2013 at 10:54:25

From the Thursday, May 5, 1932 Hawarden Independent:

Gordon B. West, Civil War veteran and one of the earliest residents of Sioux county, died recently at his home in Los Angeles, Calif., at the advanced age of 92 years, according to word received by Hawarden friends last week. He had been ill for several weeks preceding his death.

Mr. West spent his boyhood near Marietta, Ohio, where he enlisted in the army in the early part of the Civil War. Following the war he came west and located first in Harrison county, Iowa. On Jan. 7, 1869, he arrived in Calliope in search of a new location, and for about thirty years was a resident of this community. When he arrived in Calliope, in company with his brother, W. E. West, there were but three log houses in the town, besides one frame building, 14x16, which served as the Sioux county court house. The total population of the town numbered not over a dozen souls and there were but three other families living in Sioux county, up along the Rock river. All the broken land in Sioux county at that time was 10 or 12 acres in Calliope and on this there was a good crop of oats. Mr. West decided to cast his lot in Calliope and moved his family here. In 1872 he homesteaded in section 2, Washington township, and lived on this place for a number of years. He was a carpenter by trade and when Close Bros, came from England and purchased vast stretches of land in Plymouth county he assisted in putting up buildings on these farms. Later he also erected many of the residences in Calliope. At one time he was engaged in the banking business in Calliope and for many years conducted a real estate and insurance business. Nearly thirty-five years ago ho moved to California and his home has since been in that state. Three years ago this summer he paid a visit to his old home at Marietta, Ohio, and later in the summer spent several weeks in Hawarden visiting relatives and old friends before returning to California. Although then past 80 years of age he made the trip alone and retained his faculties to a remarkable degree.

He is survived by one son, Guy B. West, and one daughter, Miss Lulu West, both of Los Angeles.

Poster's note: In researching Mr. West for the Ireton area veterans' project, we found that Gordon Batelle West was the son of Mary (Gardner) and Dr. Edwin West and was born on July 28, 1840 in Washington County, Ohio.

Gordon West enlisted in Co. B. 18th Ohio Infantry Regiment on April 27, 1861. He was mustered out on August 28, 1861. He enlisted in Co. G of the 77th Ohio Infantry on March 12, 1862 and was promoted to full Sergeant Major on April 1, 1862. He was promoted to full 2nd Lieutenant on February 11, 1863 while the company was guarding the federal prison at Alton, Illinois. He was promoted to full First Lieutenant on March 29, 1865 and to full captain on March 7, 1866. He was mustered out on March 8, 1866 at Brownsville, Texas.

He married Mary Elizabeth Dow on June 12, 1867 in Alton, Illinois. In addition to daughter Lulu and son Guy who survived him, they were the parents of a daughter, Kitty, born about 1883 in Sioux County.

Mr. West's homestead was in Section 2 of what would become Washington Township, Sioux County, Iowa. That section was one of the earliest homesteaded and became home to the families of three other Civil War veterans: Charles P. Tarbox, George Root, and Henry Harrison Launtz (Lantz).