MYRON W. GLEASON

The life work of Myron W. Gleason was of signal service to Cedar county in the vigor he lent to the pioneer era in making this region habitable, in bringing its resources to light and in stamping his intensely practical ideas upon the progressive movements which were instituted and developed here. He was born in Chautauqua county, New York, on the 13th of May, 1819, and there spent his youthful days, his educational privileges being those afforded by the public schools. He was married in the Empire state to Miss Amanda Wallbridge, who was born in New York, December 22, 1821.

In 1838 they sought a home in Iowa, making the journey across the country with teams. This was long before the admission of the state into the Union, and in fact the work of development seemed scarcely begun save along the Mississippi river. There were great unexplored and uninhabited regions of the state. Cedar county became the abiding place of Myron W. Gleason, who entered land from the government, securing a forty-acre tract. To this he added by purchase the farm upon which his son Frank now makes his home. In course of time he came to own several hundred acres of land and eventually built a good home on the Mechanicsville and Lisbon road and added to this place other substantial buildings and improvements. In the early days he bravely faced the dangers, trials and hardships of pioneer life when, remote from the advantages and source of supplies offered in the older east, the settlers had to depend upon their own labors and resources for almost everything they had. As the years passed on, however, Mr. Gleason prospered, becoming one of the well-to-do farmers as well as one of the representative and honored citizens of the community.

In 1855 Mr. Gleason was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died in Cedar county on the 3d of February of that year. They became the parents of five children, of whom four are now deceased. On the 17th of August, 1856, Mr. Gleason was again married, his second union being with Miss Hannah Strayhorn, a native of Pennsylvania, who still survives him and resides with her daughter on the old home place. There were but three children in their family, the daughters being: Cora, the wife of Clem Lyon, who resides near Cameron, Missouri; and Flora, the wife of John Secor, who owns a part of the old Gleason homestead. The son, Frank K. Gleason, is mentioned elsewhere in this volume. The father died September 26, 1893, after a residence of fifty-five years in the county. He had aided materially in the early development of this section of the state and in his later years rejoiced in what was accomplished, living to see Cedar county take its place as one of the most populous, prosperous and progressive sections of this great commonwealth.