Iowa
Old Press
Knoxville Journal
Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa
September 25, 1930
Iowa's Oldest Married Couple Reside 2 Miles from
Knoxville
Iowa's oldest married couple reside two miles southeast opf town
and if providence is good they will celebrate the seventy-fifth
annniversary May 11, 1931/ When Mr. gilson was 20 years of age
and Jane Terry was 18, they were married away back in 1856. They
have spent their entire life in Marion County and find it as
interesting today as seventy-five years ago. They are now 94 and
92 years of age.
Mrs. Gilson was born in Indiana. While still a baby she was
brought to Iowa in a covered wagon by her father, Lawson Terry,
who settled first in Wapello county. Later the Terrys moved to
Marion county and operated a mill on Whitebreast creek. There
were plenty of Indians in Marion county in those days, but the
Terrys treated them kindly and the Indians were always friendly.
In 1855 John Gilson trekked out to Marion county from Pittsburgh,
Pa., his birthplace. He was a wagon maker and soon opened a shop
in Knoxville. In a short time he became acquainted with Jane
Terry and in less than a year the two were married.
Four years after Mr. and Mrs. Gilson were married the Civil war
was fought. Mr. Gilson tried to enlist, but was so weakened by an
attack of malaria fever that he was rejected by the recruiting
officer.
Sixty-two years ago the Gilsons moved to the farm where they now
reside. In this day of transient renters that is quite a record.
John Gilson has always been a factor in the cause of making
Marion county a better place in which to live. Older residents
will recall an incident of thirty years ago when Mr. Gilson was
leading a fight for prohibition in Knoxville. A tough character
by the name of Moose, accosted Mr. Gilson one day and threatened
him bodily injury. Despite the fact that he was considered an old
man then, he was able to defend himself very capably.
When Moose struck at him, Gilson reached out and grabbed him by
the throat. Then he choked him until the other man fell exhausted
to the floor. Without a word, Mr. Gilson walked away. Such was
one incident of when a peaceable man was aroused.
The Gilsons live near to their son, C. M. Gilson. They have seen
Iowa and Marion county grow from a wilderness to its present
state of civilization and are keenly appreciative of their
opportunity.
Druggist's Error Was The Cause of Death of Caroline Stone
Do you know the reason why poison bottles must be labelled?
The reason is that away back in 1867 a druggist's mistake caused
the death of one of Knoxville's most charming young ladies and
ended the marriage of one of this city's most prominent young
couples. September 12, 1867, Lt. Melvin Stone, brother of W. M.
Stone, was married to Caroline French, daughter of Dr. and Mrs.
J. T. French. The young couple immediately made their home at
Winterset. The girl-bride contracted a cold. Stone went to the
drug store to secure some cough syrup. Through an error, the
druggist filled the bottle with aconite, a deadly poison, giving
directions that a teaspoon be taken as a dose. The supposed cough
syrup was administered and within ten minutes death resulted. The
heart-breaking tragedy resulted in a bill being presented at the
next meeting of the state legislature which made it obligatory
that all poisonous drugs be labelled with the skull and cross
bones together with the word "poison" in bright red
ink.
[transcribed by G.T., Sept. 2004 & Jan. 2005]