Cerro Gordo County Iowa
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Union Publ. Co. Springfield IL. 1883. "G" Biographies: Gage ~ Grummon Compiled & Contributed by Susan Steveson [Page 632] J. R. Gage came from Pennsylvania. He was a single man when he came, and read law and entered into partnership with Capt. G. R. Miller. He remained here until January, 1873, when he left for Michigan. He was married in that State and then returned to Iowa, locating at Nevada, Story county, and a year and a half later at Des Moines. For several years he practiced there, and finally removed to Stillwater, Minn., where he still lives. While at Mason City, Mr. Gage did not take a very prominent part in legal matters; he had just been admitted to the bar; had no experience and so but little practice. But he was a good student, and has since worked his way well up among the best lawyers of Minnesota.
![]() [Page 996] T. K. Gale has been a resident of Mason City since 1870. He came to Hardin Co., Iowa, in 1857, and built some of the best structures in Iowa Falls. He was also a prominent instrument in the organization of the first Sunday school at Georgetown, a competing town with Iowa Falls. Mr.
Gale was born in England in April, 1828.
When nine years old he began to learn
his trade of stone mason, and served an He was married in 1843 to Anna Attwooll. They have been the parents of seven children, one of whom died on the passage to America in 1857. Following are the names of the sons and daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Gale: Jennie, (wife of James Rule, vice-president of the City Bank), Hattie (Mrs. Mark Bradley), Absalom, a student at Iowa University, George, harness maker at Clear Lake, Thomas and Bertie. Mr. and Mrs. Gale have been identified with the country for a quarter of a century. Mr. Gale has built some of the most prominent of the buildings of Mason City, among them the Dyer House, and the M. E. Church of which he and his wife are members.
![]() [Page 876] The first settlers on the prairie were Abram Bennett and Mr. Gardner. Bennett located on section 6, in 1855, and Gardner on section 9. Gardner remained a year or two and removed to Spirit Lake, where he and all but two of his family were killed by the Indians in the spring of 1857. Bennett removed to Colorado and died.
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In 1863 he enlisted in the 32d Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served until the termination of the war. He saw much active service and was engaged in a number of prominent battles and campaigns. After the close of the war he took up his residence in Hancock county. Four years later he purchased the property he now owns at Clear Lake. Mr. Gardner was born in Otsego Co., N. Y., in 1822. In March, 1854, he moved to Wisconsin. He married Edna Amelia Cark. Stanton, John, Mary, Harriet, George and Clara are the six promising children of a proud and happy father and mother.
![]() [Page 865] Henry Garlock came to the county in 1869 and settled on section 24, of Grant township, where he still resides. Mr. Garlock has made good improvements on his farm. He was born in Jefferson Co., N. Y., Oct. 22, 1839, his parents being Joseph and Nancy Garlock. In 1846 the family removed to Wisconsin, and lived five years in Milwaukee, then settled at Milton, Rock county. Here Henry helped till the soil, and in 1863, at Janesville, Wis., married Hannah Hurd, a daughter of Denois and Mary Ann Hurd. In 1869 he came to Iowa as above stated. They have eight children living — Sarah, Dora, Henry D., Mary, Maud, Josephine, Sherman and Bertha.
![]() [Page 729] In 1857 Alfonzo Garner was elected surveyor and served two years. Garner came to Cerro Gordo county from Freeport, Ill., in 1855, and settled at Mason City. He remained, engaged most of the time at the nursery business, until 1870, when he moved to Missouri. He was a man who meant to be honest but became involved in debt previous to coming here and was thrown into bankruptcy. He was not a practical surveyor, but was a stirring, energetic man, a jeweler, by trade, and did a great deal towards improving and beautifying the city as a pioneer horticulturist and nurseryman.
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The subject of this sketch received an academic education. At the age of twenty-two he commenced reading medicine, which he prosecuted for some time, but abandoned it and took the dental practice. In 1861 in Ostego Co., N. Y , he enlisted in the 76th New York Volunteer Infantry, assisted in raising a company, and was commissioned as 2d lieutenant, serving a short time when he was discharged for physical disability. In 1864 he went to Dodgeville, Wis., and in 1869 came to Mason City. He was married previous to coming to this county, in Dodgeville, Wis., to Virginia O. Wheeler. Five children blessed this union — Blanche A., Duane W., Anna V., Chauncy M. and Madge M. The doctor is a member of the State Dental Association, and a member of the A. F. & A. M., and I. O. O. F., and A. O. U. W.
![]() [Page 634] In the spring of 1870, D. G. Gibson located at Mason City, and opened a law office. He was born in Chautauqua Co., N. Y., in May, 1844. His early life was spent in his native county, where he received an academic education and for some time was taught by a private teacher. When about eighteen years of age, having developed a taste for the legal profession, he entered the law office of Henry R. Mygatt, of Oxford, for the purpose of fitting himself for the practice of law. Subsequently he emigrated to Wisconsin, where he was admitted to the bar in 1868. He followed his profession in Madison until the spring of 1870, when he came to Mason City. In 1872 he removed to Waverly, Iowa, where he still lives, he is now of the firm of Gibson & Dawson, the leading law firm of Bremer county.
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He was married Sept. 26, 1857, to Mary McDowell and has five children — Robert A., William A., Benjamin F., Nina E. and George E.
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He was married Dec. 25, 1869, to Frances Wilson, of Owen township, but formerly of Chicago. They have four children — Minnie, Maggie, Milton and Morton. The family located at Mason City in 1864. Mr. Gibson is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
![]() [Page 816] Conrad Gildner is a native of Germany, born Feb. 27, 1842. When he was four years old his parents bade good bye to the Fatherland, and emigrated to America, settling in Canada, where the son was brought up to agricultural pursuits. In 1865 he came to the States and selected Iowa as his destined home. He came to Falls township, and bought wild land on section 25, breaking some of it to the plow the same year. The second year he harvested the first crop, and built a log house. He rented land on section 35, on which he lived until 1869, when he took possession of his own property, inhabiting the log house mentioned until 1872, in which year he built a frame house to which he made a large addition in 1882. His place is now in first class condition, being finely improved and set with forest and fruit trees in convenient and appropriate places. Mr. Gildner was married in 1861 to Julia Schnarr, who died March 11,1870, leaving three children — Henry, Annie and Nettie. His second marriage took place in the fall of 1870. His wife, Mary Schnarr, is sister to the lady he first married. From the last union there have been five children born, four of whom are now living — John N., Lydia, Albert and Eda. Maggie died when four years old. Mr. Gildner is a member of the German Baptist Church.
![]() [Page 817] Henry Gildner, senior, is a native of Germany, and was married there to Anna Moke. In 1846 they emigrated to America and settled in Canada, where they resided until 1866. In that year they came to Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa, and located in Falls township, where Mr. Gildner purchased a farm on section 14, Falls township, which is still their home. They have five children — Conrad, Catharine, Henry, Elizabeth and Warner. Mr. and Mrs. Gildner belong to the German Baptist Church. Henry Gildner, second son of Mr. Gildner, was born in the county of Perth, Canada, Nov. 11, 1853, where he resided with his parents, accompanying them to Iowa in 1866. Feb. 19, 1876, he was married to Mary Ann Brunner, also a native of Perth Co., Canada. He had previously, in 1873, purchased a farm on section 13, and on his marriage he settled upon it. He did the first breaking in 1874 and raised his first crop the following year. He has made the usual improvements, set out numerous forest and fruit trees and built his residence. He has a farm of 160 acres, one half of which is situated in Mitchell county. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Gildner are — William E., John H. and Edward E. Mr. and Mrs. Gildner are members of the German Baptist Church.
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In June, 1861, he enlisted in the 3rd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, company I. He re-enlisted Dec. 13, 1863, at Wartrace, Tenn., and served till the close of the war and was discharged with his regiment, July 18, 1865. This regiment took an active part in the war, and was at the front from first to last, being in the battle at Antietam, Chancellorville, Gettysburg, with Sherman on his march to the sea, and in many other struggles of that campaign. After his discharge he returned to Wisconsin and engaged in mining one year, then went down the Mississippi and followed boating until the fall of 1869, when he returned to Wisconsin, spent the winter in La Fayette county, and in the spring of 1870 came to Cerro Gordo county. In 1869 he was married to Jennie Rawe, a native of England. They have had seven children — James A., Nettie, Mary J., Harry, Philo, Ida, who died in infancy, and Dasie Alice.
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Mr. Glass was married in January, 1871, to Alice, daughter of James Remley, of Johnson Co., Iowa. She is a graduate of the Academic Department of the Iowa State University. They have one child — Eva. In August, 1883, Mr. Glass was nominated as republican candidate for Senator from the forty-third senatorial district of Iowa, and the campaign opens with the best of prospects for his election.
![]() [Page 885] George Goodell, a pioneer of Iowa, came to the State in 1854 and first settled near Iowa City. Two years later he went to Bristol, Worth county. The next season he went to Illinois and afterwards to Kansas. He returned to Iowa in 1860 and has since been a resident of Lincoln township. He was born in Ohio, July 4, 1839, where he spent his boyhood. He is finely located on 160 acres of land on section 5. Mr. Goodell has been twice married. His first wife, to whom he was united in 1863, was Marietta Pence. She died in 1872, leaving three children — Lydia, Gabriel and Haven. The present Mrs. Goodell was Mrs. Elizabeth (Pence) Osborn, sister of Mr. Goodell's first wife. In political principles Mr. Goodell is a republican.
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Dr. Goodhue received a good education, completing his elementary studies at an academy. He went to Rockford, Winnebago Co., Ill., in 1844, where for many years he was engaged in teaching. He began to read for his profession in the office of Dr. Clark. In 1853-4 he attended lectures at Rush Medical College at Chicago, and in the following year matriculated at the Homeopathic College at Cleveland, whence he was graduated in 1855. He opened his career as a practitioner at Rockford, where he operated until 1859. In that year he removed to Cedar Falls where he spent ten years in medical practice, during the last three of which he was physician in charge of the Soldiers' and Orphans' Home, where the inmates averaged 300 in number. During his management he lost but one patient. He came from Cedar Falls to Mason City. In 1846 Dr. Goodhue was married to Huldah A., daughter of Ripley and Sarah (Douglass) Merrill. She was born in Weedsport, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Jan. 27, 1831. Her father died in her childhood, and when she was seven years old her mother located in DeKalb Co., Ill. Mrs. Goodhue is a regular practitioner. She has been engaged in close medical study many years, and in the spring of 1882 was graduated at the Hahnemann College of Chicago. She is a member of the State Medical Society of Illinois. Dr. and Mrs. Goodhue are members of the Baptist Church, of which he has been many years an ordained deacon. They have one daughter — Emma G., wife of M. H. Evans, of Kendall Co., Ill. Dr. Goodhue and his wife are both, aside from their professional merits, valuable members of society. Scholarly, cultured, conscientious in business and social relations, they are fine types of the foundation element which has established the rank of Iowa as preeminent among the States.
![]() [Page 766] Calvin S. Goodwin has been a resident in Cerro Gordo county since February, 1856, at which date he came to Mason City. That place included four or five log structures, and the only person in trade there was John L. McMillen. Mr. Goodwin remained in that locality about one and a half years. Not long after coming to the county he entered a claim of 160 acres, which he afterwards proved up and sold. He is a native of Boston, Mass., born in 1824. He remained in the Bay State until sixteen years old and then went to New Hampshire. He married Rosanna Abbott of Cheshire county in that State. He had a natural aptitude for the mechanical arts, and without giving any allotted time to acquiring its details, he began to operate as a carpenter and has spent some years of his life in that vocation, and also as a cabinet maker. When he came to this county he left his family behind until he could provide for their comfortable reception, returning for them in 1858, when he located at Clear Lake, arriving May 16, of the year named. He was one of the first settlers on the plat of Clear Lake, and resides on the same lot which he originally occupied. Of late years he has given some attention to farming, having become the owner of a good farm in Lake township. Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin have three children — Mary (Mrs. E. H. Simpson), Perley Lincoln and Winnie. The eldest was born in New Hampshire, the others at Clear Lake.
![]() [Page 633-34] Frank M. Goodykoontz located at Mason City in 1869, and opened a law office. He grew to be one of the most powerful criminal lawyers in the State. His practice grew to be immense, extending all over the district. In 1879 he was elected to the State Senate, but resigned after atending on session, and H. G. Parker was elected as his successor. In 1882 Mr. Goodykoontz moved to Dakota, where he was already attained prominence in political and legal circles.
![]() [Page 821] John Gootlieb, blacksmith, was born in Germany, Aug. 10, 1846. At the age of fourteen, he left school to learn his trade. After his apprenticeship he worked as journeyman until 1865 when he came to America. He landed at New York and went at once to Maysville, Wis., where he remained but a short time, going thence to Oshkosh, where he worked at his trade for one man three and a half years excepting four months. In 1868 he opened a shop on his own account. Two years later he sold his business and removed to Iowa. After a brief stay in Calmar he went to Mason City, where he worked eleven months for Samuel Waukel. He then came to Plymouth and opened the shop where he still prosecutes his business. He was married Nov. 13, 1869, to Clara Iring, a native of Madison, Wis. Six children have been born to them — Johnnie, Frank, Katie, Delia A., Mary, and Bertress D. In 1872 Mr. Gootlieb built the house in which he now resides.
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He was married in 1865 to Louisa Henry, of Schuyler Co., N. Y. They have four children — Isabella A., Charles W., Fred. M. and Helen Louisa.
![]() [Page 655] Charles Graves, M. D., was a native of the old Bay State. He was reared to maturity and educated in Oneida Co., N. Y., whither his parents removed when he was very young. He commenced the practice of his profession in the county where he had spent nearly all his life, and where his skill and fine traits of manly character are still held in honored remembrance. In 1865 he transferred his business to Plymouth, Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa, where he remained until his death, continuing to practice until two years previous to that event, when failing health compelled him to desist. He was nearly sixty-three years of age when he died, March 7, 1878. The date of his birth was Oct. 12, 1815. His integrity as a man, his genial nature and his conscientious prosecution of the duties of his profession, won for him material success and an uncommon degree of respect from his friends. He was married Jan. 20, 1835, to Sarah Cleveland, of Oneida county. Of their seven children but three survive — Charles Henry, William C. and Austin D. Mrs. Graves died in 1875. His son, Charles Henry Graves, was born in Oneida Co., N. Y., Oct. 28, 1838, and there grew to manhood. He was carefully educated and fitted for the inevitable struggles in life incumbent up on the men of latter generations. He was married in July, 1863, to Florence DeGraff. They have the following children — Robert E., Charles R., Frank H., Sarah A, and Minnie I. Mr. Graves removed with his family to Plymouth in 1865. He erected his present residence in 1872.
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In 1864 he came to Iowa with his parents and remained with them until 1870, in which year he was married to Elizabeth Holden, of Wisconsin. In 1873 Mr. Graves located on the farm on section 5, where he now lives. He has filled several offices of trust in his township and is a member of the present board of trustees. Mr. and Mrs. Graves have children as follows — Asa, Cassius, George, Edwin and Carrie.
![]() [Page 631] In 1859 H. B. Gray came from Madison, Wis., and located at Mason City. He was a single man and first came here as a lecturer on phrenology, but decided to locate and follow his profession. He was small in stature, full of energy and very popular. He was elected the second clerk of court of the county. He was actively engaged in practice, except while serving in an official capacity, until the time of his death. His sister was also quite an intellectual lady, and wrote many poems for the county press under the name of Kittie Clyde. She died here in 1865.
![]() [Page 953] Horace Green, who was born in Cayuga Co., Ohio, in 1817, was among the first settlers in Cerro Gordo county. He came to Mason City in 1856. The following is from the pen of an old settler who experienced the struggles and privations of pioneer life with the subject of this memoir: He came to this county in June, 1856, and built a little cabin near Lime creek timber, and there he bent his energies toward the development of his farm. He was then forty years old. He built his camp fire about three miles north of Mason City, but soon after moved their cabin to his farm which he last occupied, and around the spot where the smoke curled gracefully from his rustic cabin, now stands the monuments of his faithful husbandry, and there, like guiding sentinels, stand lofty trees of his own planting, and fruit trees, each spring time sending out their blossoms to his memory. In 1859 he moved into Mason City and opened what is known as the Waukousa Hotel, where he and his wife ministered to the wants of the eating public. After several years at this he changed to other business. He spent his last years and was cared for by Dr. Noyes.
![]() [Page 812] Horace Gregory was a pioneer of Cerro Gordo county, whither he came from Kane Co., Ill. He was a New Yorker by birth, born in Delaware county Aug. 14, 1805. He there reached his majority and married there March 22, 1829. His wife, nee Sally Varnald, became the mother of nine children, six of whom yet survive. Mr. Gregory lived in Delaware county a few years after his marriage, and then located in Steuben county. Ten years after he removed with his family to Kane Co., Ill., where he became a land holder in Big Rock township. He labored early and late and met with the meritable success of thrift and industry, settled his family in a comfortable house and steadily advanced in prosperity until 1855, when he disposed of his landed interests and sought a new home in this State. With his household he made an overland trip, effecting transportation by the aid of three pairs of oxen and a span of horses, and driving fifteen head of cattle. The journey consumed about four weeks, and was by no means tedious and wearisome. They settled on section 12 of township 96 north, range 19 west. Their land was wholly unimproved, but its culture was an entirely different matter from former experience, and its progress to a better condition was rapid and encouraging under the efforts of experience and resolution. Mr. Gregory died March 8, 1873, in Rock Co., Minn., where he removed in 1869. His wife survives him and lives with her sons at Rock Falls.
Jasper C. is engaged in farming and trading in lumber in Washington territory.
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Henry A. Groves enlisted at Decorah in the spring of 1861, in company D, 3d Iowa Cavalry, which was the first company that left the county. In November following he was discharged on account of physical disabilities; but recovering his health, he subsequently re-enlisted in the 16th United States Infantry, and served three years, participating in many important battles and campaigns; among the former were the battles of Corinth, Miss., and the battle of Perryville, Ky., Stone River, Murfresboro, Holmes' Gap, etc. He was slightly wounded at the battle of Stone River. Mr. Groves, in connection with his implement business, also deals quite extensively in live stock, and is counted as one of the business men of Clear Lake. His wife was Lena Wightman, a native of England. They have one daughter — Gracie.
![]() [Page 840] N. J. Grummon settled on a farm in Geneseo township, in 1861. Having sold that farm he settled on section 3, in 1876, where he now resides. He was born in Chautauqua Co., N. Y., in 1836. His father, Horace Grummon, removed with his family to Winnebago Co., Ill., when N. J. was a child, his mother dying when he was an infant. He lived near Belvidere, Ill., for twenty-one years. He married Romelia Quackenbos, a native of Canada, whose father settled in Illinois when she was a child. Mr. and Mrs. Grummon have two sons - Charlie and Willie, both born in this township. Their only daughter, Myrtie, was born in Illinois in 1861, and died here Dec. 16, 1882. She was an estimable young lady, and her death was a severe affliction to her parents and a loss to the community.
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