Biographies
For
Muscatine County Iowa
1889



Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 187

HON. JOHN M GOBBLE, Mayor of the city of Muscatine, and one of the leading wholesale grocers of Iowa, is a native of this State, and was born near Abingdon, Jefferson County, Oct. 10, 1849. His father Thomas W. Gobble, is an honored pioneer of Jefferson County, Iowa, and still resides on the land which he purchased of the United States Government in 1843. He was born in Washington County, Va., on the 18th of August, 1818, and is of German origin. He was united in marriage with Miss Mary McCulloch, a daughter of the Hon. Thomas McCulloch, with whom he came to Iowa. Mr. McCulloch, who was the grandfather of our subject, was a man prominent in political affairs in Virginia, and represented a Democratic constituency in the Legislature of that State in 1833, and also who held the position of Tax Commissioner of the commonwealth in 1836 and 1837. On emigrating to Iowa, in 1843, in company with his son-in-law, Thomas W. Gobble, he settled in the northwestern part of Jefferson County, and there laid out a town which he called Abingdon, in honor of his old home in Virginia. He soon took a prominent position in public matters in this State, and was chosen to represent his district in the Third General Assembly, which convened in 1850 and 1851. He also held the office of County Judge of Jefferson County, anterior to and at the time of his death in 1859.

Thomas W. Gobble, the father of our subject, came to Iowa with no capital save a young man's bright hope of a future, but was enabled to raise sufficient money to enter the quarter-section of land adjoining the town of Adingdon, upon which he still resides. In 1853 he engaged in merchandising at Abingdon, in which he is still interested, though the business for several years has been managed by his sons.

It was in this store that John M. Gobble, the present Mayor of Muscatine, took his first lessons in mercantile business, beginning at the age of fifteen. In three year's time he had saved enough from his salary to purchase an interest in the store. Three more years passed, and at the age of twenty-one he drew out his money from that business and bought an interest in a retail grocery house at Fairfield, Iowa, whither he removed in 1870. This house was conducted by the firm of Shriner & Gobble, which, after several years was succeeded by Gobble Bros., and later continued by John M. Gobble alone. In 1876 Mr Gobble sold his retail business and established a wholesale grocery house at Fairfield, an unusual enterprise in a small town having no established wholesale commerce with the world, and contrary to the astute prophecies of friends, he made a success of the enterprise. In 1880 he sold out his Fairfield establishment, and in connection with his brother T. M. Gobble, purchased the large wholesale business of G. A. Garretson & Son, of Muscatine. On the 1st of January, 1884, he bought the interest of his brother, who removed to Clinton, Iowa, and soon after admitted Frank Jackson, of Muscatine, to partnership, under the present firm name of J. M. Gobble & Co. Their business is carried on in a building 40x120 feet, and three stories in height, and a very heavy business is annually done. They employ five traveling men, and their trade has increased from the beginning.

In March, 1886, Mr. Gobble was elected to the highest office in the gift of the people of Muscatine---Mayor. He was nominated by the Democratic party, and when the election took place, in March, he received a majority of 400 over a strong Republican opponent. In March 1888, he was elected for the third time without opposition, as he had given much universal satisfaction. His administration receives the hearty and earnest approval of his constituents, which feeling is fully equaled by the good wishes of all.

Our subject was one of the organizers of the Muscatine Fair Ground and Park Association, and is its President at this time of writing; he was one of the incorporators of the Muscatine Terra Cotta Lumber Company, and is President of that important corporation.

On the 1st of May, 1872, at Fairfield, Iowa, Mr. Gobble led to the marriage altar Miss Maggie Edmiston, a daughter of James Edmiston, and two children grace their union. A portrait of Mr. Gobble is herewith presented to the readers of this Album.


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