Gammon, William E.

GAMMON, TURBYVILLE, JENKINS

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 6/30/2019 at 06:42:30

Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa, (Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), p. 548:

"WILLIAM E. GAMMON, farmer, section 2, Eden Township, is one of the pioneers of Decatur County. In December, 1850, his father, Dozier B. Gammon, came here and entered 400 acres of land on sections 1, 2, and 11, and in February of the following year William E. started with his family, his mother and two younger brothers, coming overland with wagon and team. They first stopped in Monroe County for a few months, and then completed their journey to this county. The father joined his family in April. There were five sons, and all but the two eldest, George and James, came in 1851, they having settled in Wapello County previous to that time upon land they had entered. In 1852 the father purchased by land warrant the land that now constitutes the county farm of Decatur County. The youngest son settled upon this land, and in the spring of 1866 the father sold it to the county. He made his individual settlement on section 2, adjoining his son, William E. His wife was formerly Levina Turbyville. She died July 13, 1856. Mr. Gammon then lived with his sons several years, and then married a second time. He died November 2, 1869. He was born May 23, 1792, in Virginia, and his wife was born July 2, 1791, in South Carolina. The five sons are -- George, residing in this township; James, who died in this township, February 11,1886; William E., Hugh C., of Nebraska, and Lee H., of Mills County, this State. William E. was born near Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1827, and removed with his parents to Indiana in 1828, where he lived twenty-one years. He was married in the spring of 1849, to Caroline Jenkins, who was born in Putnam County, Indiana, in 1830. Her parents were natives of Kentucky, but removed to Indiana when young. They live with their daughter, Caroline. Mr. and Mrs. Gammon have six children, all born in Eden Township. They are -- Levina, Ellen, Laura, Docia, Leroy and Bertha. All was very new when Mr. Gammon came here. The Indians had been removed two years before, but were often seen, and frequently returned to hunt and make maple sugar. Mr. and Mrs. Gammon are the oldest settlers in their neighborhood. Mr. Gammon has 280 acres in his farm, and his improvements are all good. The Gammons were formerly Democrats of the Jackson school, but lately have been identified with the Greenback movement, and are known as the Progressive Liberals and Free Thinkers, and are not identified with any religious denomination."

(Submitted to the Decatur County GenWeb site by Christy Jay, email: Jaygenie@aol.com)