Biographies
For
Muscatine County Iowa
1889



Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 334

HIRAM GILBERT, deceased. among the early pioneers who have aided largely in the growth and development of Muscatine County none deserve more praise for unceasing labor and untiring zeal in her behalf than he, whose name heads this sketch. Mr. Gilbert was born in Breckinridge County, Ky., May 27, 1817, and was a son of Mordecai and Melinda ( Orgen ) Gilbert, who were natives of Virginia, but emigrated to Kentucky in 1816, being among the early settlers of the community in which they resided. The father was a farmer by occupation, and in the spring of 1839 came to Muscatine County, Iowa, where he purchased a farm, engaging in its culrivation and improvement until his death, which occurred in 1864, at the ripe old age of eighty-two years. His wife preceeded her husband to the better land, dying in 1852.

In the district schools of Kentucky and Indiana our subject received his education, and was reared to farm life in the former State. At the age of twenty years he resolved to try his fortune in the then Far West, and located in Muscatine County, Iowa, in 1837, entering Government land, which he purchased at the land sale held in Burlington in 1839. As time passed he was able to add to his original tract, and at one time held 300 acres, highly cultivated. In Louisa County, Iowa, on the 13th of February, 1842, he was united in marriage with Eliza Benefiel, a native of Wayne County, Ind., and a daughter of Robert and Mary ( Montgomery ) Benefiel, the former born in Kentucky, and the latter in Philadelphia, Pa. Their union was celebrated in Wayne County, Ind., and in 1839 they went to Louisa County, taking up their residence in Grandview Township. The father was a wheelwright by trade, but also engaged in farming, and his death occurred in 1859, when sixty-eight years of age. His wife departed this life in 1845, at the age of fifty-two years. By the union of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert nine children have been born, all of whom are living, namely : Austin B., who married Lucy A. Daly, is Probate Judge of Hodgeman County, Kan.; Esther C., wife of E. G. Cotes, is engaged in teaching in Kansas; Winfield Scott, husband of Amanda C. Banford, is also a resident of that State; Mary Melinda, now Mrs. Kniffen, resides in Kansas, and is a widow; Millard Wiley, wedded Ella Roberts, and resides in Rock Island County, Ill.; Martha H., wife of William Longstreth, resides on the home farm; William H., who wedded Jennie Sanford, is living in Rome, Ga.; Ida, now Mrs. McGaughy, is living in Blooming Township; Amanda is the wife of A. M. Sanford, a Methodist minister of the Upper Iowa Conference, now located at LaGrande.

Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert began their domestic life upon the farm where the lady yet resides. He there engaged in general farming,stock-raisung and fruit-growing, and being an energetic and able business man was quite successful and accumulated a comfortable competence. In his political sentiments he supported the Republican party, amd was a strong advocate of any enterprise which had for its object the destruction or suppression of the liquor Traffic. A man well known in the community for his adherence to principles of right and justice, honorable and upright in every walk of life, he won the confidence and love of all with whom business or pleasure brought him in contact. In the early days of county he was mediator or referee for many in times of trouble, an honor awarded to but few. He was an honored and faithful member of the Methodist Epscopal Church of Sweetland, served as Class-Leader and Steward for a number of years, and also acted as Church Trustee. He was called to his final home March 4, 1887, when nearly seventy years of age. In his death, the county lost one of its best citizens; his neighbors, a kind and an accommodating friend; his family, a kind husband and indulgent father.


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