HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, VOL. II, 1918, pages 281-283.

George L. Bosworth, a retired lumber, grain and coal merchant of Manly, was for a number of years actively identified with commercial development and progress in the city in which he lives but is now enjoying a well deserved rest. He was born in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, March 22, 1851, and is a son of Jackson K. and Mary (Codding) Bosworth, the former a native of Bradford county, Pennsylvania, while the latter was born in Dutchess county, New York. Jackson K. Bosworth spent his youthful days upon the old homestead farm in the Keystone state and afterward took up the occupation of farming as a life work. He concentrated his efforts and attention upon the cultivation of the soil and the care of his crops until his later years, when he retired from business. He remained, however, upon the old home farm until the time of his death, which occurred when he was seventy-five years of age. In early life Mary Codding had removed from the Empire state to Bradford county, Pennsylvania, and there she became the wife of Jackson K. Bosworth and for many years they traveled life's journey together. He was a republican in his political views and he stood for progress and improvement in all matters of citizenship.

George L. Bosworth passed is boyhood in his native county, there remaining until he reached the age of twenty-three years. With a desire to try his fortune in the west, he left Pennsylvania and made his way to Liscomb, Marshall county, Iowa, where he engaged in the grain business in connection with his brother, John C. Bosworth, with whom he continued for three years. In August, 1877, he came to Manly, Worth county, although there was no town at the time, nothing but a box car, which was used as an office by the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern and Iowa Central Railroad Companies. Mr. Bosworth began handling grain and coal at this point for W. W. Cameron, of Mason City, and continued in Manly until 1880, when the Cameron elevator at Mason City was destroyed by fire. Mr. Bosworth then bought the business and built an elevator at Manly and from that time forward developed his interests, building elevators at Glade, at Bolan and at Meltonville. He continued actively in the grain, lumber and coal trade for a number of years but retired about a decade ago, selling his elevators. His business affairs had been carefully, wisely and profitably managed and he had won a substantial measure of success, which gave him sufficient capital to supply him with all of the necessities and many of the comforts of life. During the period of his residence here he has seen Manly grow from nothing to a town of twelve hundred people. In addition to his elevators he became the owner of a farm of two hundred and forty acres, much of which he still owns, but has laid out a portion of it in town lots. He has erected a fine flat building and residences since 1913.

In the fall of 1877 Mr. Bosworth was united in marriage to Miss Della Barber, a daughter of Daniel Barber and a native of Marshall county. She passed away, however, a year subsequent to her marriage. In 1882 Mr. Bos­worth was again married, his second union being with Miss Ella Jennings, a native of Tioga county, New York, and a daughter of James H. and Jane (Thatcher) Jennings, who in the year 1869 removed westward with their family, establishing their home upon a farm at Iowa Falls. Her father improved the tract of land which he secured and remained thereon for twelve years, after which he removed to the state of Washington, where he and his wife lived for some time with their son Daniel. Both passed away at Paulina, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Bosworth were born four children, Leroy T., Rhey C., Jane and Leslie J. Leroy T. is a graduate of Cornell College of Iowa and was principal of the Park River school of North Dakota. At a subsequent date he entered the law school of Harvard University, was in due time graduated and located for the practice of his profession in Boise, Idaho. In 1914, however, he returned to Manly, where he is now engaged in law practice. Rhey C. was graduated from Cornell College of Iowa and from the Ohio. University at Columbus and is now land agent for the Canadian Pacific Railroad Company at Spokane, Washington. Jane is the wife of J. T. Metcalf, of Paulina, O'Brien county, Iowa, where he is engaged in the real estate business. Leslie J. attended Cornell College for one year and then entered the Wisconsin State University at Madison. He has now enlisted for service with the mechanical department of the Aviation Corps and is in training at Madison, Wisconsin.

The life work of George L. Bosworth has been of value to the community in which he has lived. Not only has he conducted extensive and important grain, coal and lumber interests but was also associated with C. H. McNider in or­ganizing the first bank at Meltonville, of which he became the president. Later the institution was sold to the Worth County State Bank. During the early days of his connection with the business interests of Manly he was obliged to live in Mason City, for there was nothing here but the business. As the town grew, however, he became connected with its interests, and when his warehouse was finished he slept in it and later in the new depot until he could erect a residence. He has served on the school board, of which he has been secretary for twenty years, and he was the first justice of the peace of Manly. He has also served as a member of the town council and in his official positions has done active and-effective work for the welfare of the community. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and his religious faith is that of the United Evan­gelical church. He is a man of. genuine personal worth, highly esteemed and honored by all who know him, and that his career has been a straightforward and commendable one is indicated in the fact that his stanchest friends are those who have known him longest.

Transcribed by Gordon Felland - July, 2006