VANGILDER, Samuel (1842-1924)

VANGILDER

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/17/2020 at 22:37:34

Samuel J. VanGilder
(April 5, 1842 – February 1, 1924)

Samuel J. VanGilder was born in Knox County, Ill, April 5, 1842, and died at the home of his son, Fred R. VanGilder of Indianola, on February 1, 1924, at the age of 81 years, 8 months and 27 days. On March 1, 1863, he married Susan Meek, who died on April 14, 1865. To this union was born on child, Mamie Susanna. On August 28, 1866, he married Mary Isabella Ebright, who died on July 10, 1912. To this union were born eight children, Wilbur Abraham, an infant daughter, Walter and Carrie Alcinda, who are deceased. Those surviving their father are Mrs. E. H. Stump of Albia; Mrs. H. J. Bedford of Floris, Iowa; Mrs. P. W. Mitchell of Brooklyn, Iowa; and Mrs. R. D. Loper and Fred R. VanGilder of Indianola. He is also survived by 21 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. He was the youngest of his father’s family and was the last one to be called. Mr. VanGilder moved to Iowa in 1869 and settled on a farm two miles east of Milo where he resided until the fall of 1916 when he moved to Indianola to make his home with his son, Fred R. VanGilder. He was post master at Schonsburg, Iowa, for several years, justice of the peace for eight years, and was elected representative of Warren County in 1899, serving for three terms.
He was converted when he was sixteen years of age and united with the Methodist church of which his parents and his grandparents were members. His father was a Methodist exhorter. He was a Sunday school superintendent for 17 years and class leader for a number of years. In 1871 he was appointed secretary of the quarterly conference of Wheeling circuit, Des Moines conference, which was composed of ten churches. He served in this capacity for ten years. He was a very active church worker until the affliction of his wife in 1906. During the eight years of her illness he gave up all his outside activities to devote his time to her care. Honesty and uprightness with all his neighbors and friends characterized his years. He was a strong believer and never doubted and his death came as a blessed relief from his suffering.
Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Stump, Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Bedford, Mr. and Mrs. P. W. Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Loper and Mr. and Mrs. Fred VanGilder wish to express their most sincere gratitude for the many acts of kindness, floral tributes and words of sympathy incident to the death of their father, S. J. VanGilder. Only those who have passed through some such experience as has been ours can realize what such expressions mean. We want you to know that your thoughtfulness was truly appreciated. [copied from a scrapbook at the Warren County Historical Society Library, Indianola, IA]