Noah Abner GUNTER and Elizabeth Ellen BANKS were married in Newburn, Lucas County, Iowa, by Rev. MURDOCK at [the] United Brethren Church on April 2, 1971. Noah Abner was the son of Enos and Mary Ann BONEBRAKE GUNTER. Mary Ann GUNTER was the daughter of John BONEBRAKE, who settled in Marion County on land he received from fighting in the War of 1812. Enos GUNTER was the son of William and Susannah JONES GUNTER. Ellen BANKS GUNTER was the daughter of John and Minerva CROWELL BANKS. Minerva BANKS was the daughter of Archibald and Mary Ann CROWELL. Ellen BANKS was born in Gravity, Taylor County, Iowa, and moved to Newburn when she was four years old.

Noah and Ellen moved to Benton in 1888. He was section foreman with the Chicago Great Western Railroad, later known as the Great Northern. They were the parents of six children. The four older boys: John William, Calvin Arthur, Harvey Orville, and Noah Alva, were born in Newburn. Delmar Edgar was born in Lacona, Iowa, and Elsie Belle was born in Benton.

When they first came to Benton, they couldn't find an empty house, so they rented a house in the country and he walked two miles each way, to and from work, each day.

Will married Hattie Belle MILLSAP and they later moved to Litchfield, Minnesota, where they farmed.

Cal married Alice BEAL. She died at an early age, leaving three small boys: Paul, Phil, and Harry. [Alice was born on October 31, 1875, and died on March 21, 1910. She shares a gravestone in Benton Cemetery with her son, Lenard J. GUNTER, born September 4, 1909 and died January 20, 1910.] The grandparents took care of these boys for several years. Cal later married Ida JACKSON and they lived in Benton, later moving to El Dorado Springs, Missouri. Cal operated a steam engine thresher, played the fiddle, and worked with jewelry.

Orville married a girl from Fargo, North Dakota, established a home in Laurel, Montana, and worked for the railroad until his death in 1939.

Noah Alva married Minnie FERTIG and they moved to Carnegie, Oklahoma.

Delmer [born September 29, 1887] was married to a Benton girl, Jessie Mae DILLENBURG, on June 12, 1912, at her parents' home north of Benton, by Rev. Dennis DILLE. They lived in Benton all their lives with the exception of two years. there was a vacancy at Conception, Missouri, he put in for it and lived there about three months, at which time he became ill and had to take a leave of absence. He passed away May 3, 1938 [interment at Benton Cemetery. Jessie was born December 21, 1890, and died June 15, 1978 with interment at Benton Cemetery].

Elsie married a farmer, Walter JONES. They were married at her parents home in Benton. They raised two children, Olive who lives in Montana, and Weldon who lives in New Market, Iowa.

Jessie and Delmer were the parents of two children, Beatrice and Ralph, who were born and grew up in Benton and graduated from Benton school. Bea married Newell MOTSINGER of Grant City, Missouri, and lived on a farm nine miles northeast of Grant City the first year, then moved to Iowa, living around Benton.

Bea and Newell have two childredn, Richard Duane and Kay Louise. Dick lives on a farm. Kay married Donald Gene HOVE of Stanhope on March 20, 1966 at the Epworth Methodist Church in Des Moines. Both were working in Des Moines. They are the parents of four children: Brian Allen, Bradley Gene, Brenda Ann, and Becky Jane.

 Ralph married Alberta WHITE of Leavenworth, Kansas. They had one son, Larry Gene. They established their home in Independence, Missouri for twenty-nine years. He had been employed at Lake City Army Ammunition plant for twenty years. He was a Marine veteran of World War II. He died suddenly on October 30, 1967, after suffering a heart attack. Alberta worked at the Lake City plant. Larry Gene graduated from William Chrisman High School in Independence, Missouri, and in 1961, graduated from the University of Missouri. Columbia, of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. He was an employee of Avco Engineering Company in Richmond, Indiana, approximately seven years. He passed away on July 25, 1970, at the age of 31 years.

Paul GUNTER married Bernice JACKSON and lives in Oklahoma. They are the parents of two children, Paul Ray and Ardith.

Phil married Melba HAVILAND and they had one son, Ronnie. In his early life, Phil worked for the railroads in Benton and Leavenworth, Kansas, then worked as a watchmaker in Mount Ayr. In 1942, they moved to Rockford, Illinois, and he worked in a factory. He passed away in 1964.

Harry married Mary SNETHEN and they had one daughter, Phyllis. Harry's early life was spent working for the railroads. In 1933, he began his career in watchingmaking; he attended a school in Elgin, Illinois, and since then had been in business in Mount Ayr for forty-eight years. He died suddenly July 28, 1981, after suffering a heart attack.

Noah and Ellen celebrated their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries. Noah was in Sunday School and church every Sunday. His favorite song was "Unclouded Day." He did lots of fishing and hunting. He and Ellen were friends of all. Noah passed away in November [19] of 1931 and Ellen in December [27] of 1942. [They were interred at Benton Cemetery.]

SOURCE: 1887 - Benton, Iowa Centennial - 1987. Pp. 163-65. Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, Mount Ayr IA

Transcriptions and notes by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2012

Return to Ringgold County Home Page

To submit your Ringgold County materials, contact The County Coordinator.
Please include the word "Ringgold" in the subject line. Thank you.