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    Col. WESLEY W. GARNER.- One of the most prominent agriculturists of our county, Col. W. W. Garner, of Columbus City, was born on the 25th day of November, 1815, in Shrewsbury, York County, Pennsylvania. He was the oldest of nine children. His parents were Jacob Garner and Susanna Garner. His father was a native of Maryland, and his mother a native of Pennsylvania. His parents followed through life mercantile pursuits, and were people noted for piety, both passing through life as earnest workers in the Methodist Church. His father died at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, in 1862 and his mother at Ottumwa, Iowa, in 1867. Their remains are now in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. His mother was a lady distinguished for education and piety, and the interest she took in the moral and proper rearing of her children. His parents came to Iowa and settle in Burlington in May, 1846. The early education of the colonel was a very fair English education, and he was early taught to labor. Arriving at age, he was taken as partner in his father’s large business, and this occupation engrossed his time and energies for the space of about six years.

    In 1840 he came west, and settled in this county, setting on Section 4, Town 74, Range 4, purchasing four hundred acres. The same farm is now in the possession of Hamilton Johnson. From this time till 1857 his time and energies were in the main devoted to agriculture, and the reputation he achieved as a successful and enterprising agriculturist is perhaps not exceeded by any of the enterprising farmers of our county. He not turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, and established the largest mercantile house in the interior of the State of Iowa. His attention was engrossed in the main with the responsible and arduous duties of this great enterprise for about six years, when, on account of preference, he turned his efforts to successful agricultural enterprise, and he has bestowed his entire attention to this honorable and independent pursuit ever since.

    He, in connection with his son, J. W. Garner, was among the first to import Short-horn Durham and Sonth-down sheep from the State of Kentucky to this county. He has thus been enabled to achieve the reputation, which all accord, of one of the successful farmers of our county. While the colonel’s attention, out of love for independent living and the manly characteristics of the true intelligent agriculturist, has been in life mainly confined to farming in its mechanical and scientific aspects, yet it will be in taste to observe that he has always been a man of close observation and deep penetration, and though not starting out in life with wealth and a liberal education, he has, by means of great natural intuitive force and a splendid memory, acquired success in every department of effort he has turned his attention to. He is one of the best examples of the self-made man in our county, and his social and intellectual characteristics are of the most polished and substantial order. On the 24th day of January, 1839, he was united in marriage to Harriet Murray, a native of Maryland, and a daughter of John Murray and Sarah Beasman, who were descended from the earliest and most prominent settlers of Baltimore County, Maryland. The colonel is the father of nine children, four of whom are living.

    Politically he is a democrat—has always been a great admirer of that democracy of which Douglas and Jackson were the true and patriotic exponents. His love of the democracy is consistent with the good of our whole Union. He is a man eminently opposed to fanaticism and radicalism, whether in politics, religion, or society. While he has always had an aversion to holding offices of a public and mental responsibility, yet, yielding to the solicitation of his friends, he has held various offices of a public and intellectual responsibility. He was the first chief clerk in the office of Superintendent of Instruction, when Col. Thos. Benton, a relative of the famous Missouri statesman, was Superintendent of our State Instruction. He was Clerk of the State Senate in 1850 and 1851. He was connected with the United States land Office in a prominent position. He reluctantly consented to run against Dr. Cleaver, in 1854, for the State Senate, and ran far ahead of his ticket. He ran against Hon. James Harley for the State Senate in 1869, and, with a popularity astounding, ran far ahead of his ticket. Our county being the seat and stronghold of Republicanism, it is a high compliment at a democrat can be so popular as to be nearly elected to any office of a public trust.

    In 1870 the colonel received the nomination of Auditor of State on the Democratic Ticket, and ran with a popularity due entirely to his cordial social traits so entirely devoid of anything sinister, which has so long been his particular force, and a recommendation and accomplishment that no man can acquire, and but few have naturally. The colonel is cordially in sympathy with the great uprising of American farmers against corruption and monopoly. The interest he takes in the great moral progress of the age may be well illustrated by stating that his thoughts and intellectual energies are mightily in favor of the advancement of the young laborer, as the proper person to conduct all of our enterprises, whether national or state, whether moral, social, political, mental, or physical aspect are to be taken into consideration. The sympathy and love he manifest for the laborer are worthy of the highest consideration, and will certainly, if rightly understood, make him popular with good people of our countrymen. His interest in agricultural resources has cost him a great deal of time and money.

    He has been President of the County Agricultural Society for a number of terms, and the good achieved by this body has largely been due to the good direction and pure interest with which he has carefully watched the transactions of this honorable body. When the War of the Rebellion was progressing the colonel was distinguished for his love for peace, and the proper discipline of our county and state soldiery. He did a good deal of pecuniary and social solace for the brave boys in blue, and many remember with gratitude his unstinted hospitality and kindness. He is accurate and precise. His memory is great. Though cautious, timidity is not approached. Though economical, it does not degenerate into parsimony. His hospitality is proverbial, and his good humor entirely devoid of any sinister expression. In religion, it will be in taste to observe that his views are by no means circumscribed by the doctrines of any particular church. His Christianity is broad and liberal, and well-illustrated by saying that he believes real Christianity will advance in the world just in proportion as the real character of our Saviour and his mission on earth are understood.

    Socially he is pleasant and affable, and is entirely devoid of anything that is ambiguous. He is much interested in all matters of a public enterprise, and lends a helping and friendly assistance to all matters of a public nature. Educational matters engross a large share of his attention. Railroad interests are also a subject of thought with him, especially in relation to consumer and producer, and their value to the general public at large. Although the colonel’s attention and energies have through life been of the busiest and most exacting nature, his constitution is yet robust, and to the keen observer plainly indicates a sound mind in a sound body.