Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 810
CHARLES GILMORE

The attention of the reader is now directed to a short sketch of the career of Charles GILMORE, deceased, a worthy and well-known citizen of St. Johns Township, Harrison County, Iowa and one of its pioneer citizens to help to lay well the foundations for its present state of development and prosperity.

Mr. GILMORE was born in Ireland, practically nothing being known of his parents, the time of his birth or the place and his life closed at his farm home in Harrison county on March 30, 1892. Scarcely anything can be told of his early struggles to gain a foot hold on the ladder of success, but he must often have faced discouragements which would have overcome a man of less courage. However, while little is known of his early life, much is known of the later years when he had not only won material success, but had made a place for himself among the representative citizens of this county. His life showed that he was possessed of a worthy ambition and high ideals and he was eminently entitled to the high regard in which he was held by a great number of friends and acquaintances. He emigrated to America when a young man, being accompanied by two brothers, John and Dennis. Very soon after the outbreak of the Civil War, Dennis enlisted for service and wore the blue throughout the struggle. In later years more of the family came to America, there being another brother, Patrick and two sisters, Alice and Martha. Patrick and Alice now live on Honey Creek, this county and Martha married Edward MCKEOWN. They lived for a number of years in Pottawattamie County, both being now deceased.

Mr. GILMORE first set foot on the shores of America at the port of New York and remained in that city for some two years. However, not finding there the opportunity he sought, he came further west and in the lumber camps of Michigan found a position which kept him for a few years. It was in 1857 that he first came to this state, locating in Pottawattamie county, where he secured employment on the farm of a Mr. BOSTWICK. After working for him a short time and acquiring information as to the methods employed in this section, he started out farming on his own account, securing a tract of wild school land for the purpose. To this he gave the best of his efforts for a few years and it was to that farm he brought his bride. Mrs. GILMORE, who survives her husband, was Miss Sarah Elizabeth KERBY, a native of Missouri, but living in Pottawattamie county at the time of her marriage. She was a daughter of Joseph and Rebecca F. (QUINE) KERBY, the former a native of Kentucky, was a stone mason by trade and followed that trade in Missouri, but did not follow it after removing to Iowa. They had both been taken into Missouri by their parents and their marriage took place in that state. Shortly after their marriage, in 1851, they came to this state and settled in Pottawattamie County, where they passed the remainder of their lives, his death occurring in November of 1856 and his wife dying at St. Johns, this state in 1892. Their journey to this state was made in wagons and they secured a tract of wild land on the riverbank south of Loveland, where they made their home for a good many years. The family first lived in a primitive small log house, later moved into a house covered with shingles which he made himself. There were the parents of seven children, Mrs. GILMORE being the second child in order of birth and with her brother George, who lives in Battle Creek, Washington, are the sole survivors of the family. Those deceased are William A., Mary, Amanda Parks, Henry and the youngest of the family, a little daughter who died in early infancy.

After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. GILMORE resided in Pottawattamie county until 1873, when they sold out and came to Harrison county, locating in St. Johns township on a tract of land which Mrs. GILMORE's father had secured some time previous to his death. He had purchased this of James KIRKLAND, but it was without improvements and Mr. GILMORE made the improvements on the land as they stand today. He was a man of more than ordinary business ability and foresight and early laid plans for the success which was his in later life. The home place in St. John's township contains two hundred and eighty acres and in addition he owned one hundred and eighty acres on La Grange township. He gave his attention to farming as carried on by the best agriculturists throughout this section and in addition was one of the best stockmen in his community. He gave the best of his efforts to whatever he undertook, which accounts in a large measure for the degree of success which was his.

Mr. GILMORE was a veteran of the Civil War, being on of those faithful adopted sons of the Union who took their places beside the native-born sons and helped to preserve the integrity of the nation. He was a member of an Iowa regiment of the volunteer infantry, enlisted in November of 1864, and served until July of the following year, when he received his honorable discharge at the close of the war.

To Mr. and Mrs. GILMORE was born a family of nine children, seven of whom still live. Joseph, the eldest of the family, remains at home and takes charge of the farm for the mother. He received his education in the district schools near his home and from the time he was a small lad he received instruction from his father in the secrets of successful husbandry, so that he has followed in the footsteps of his father and is considered on the the best farmers of the community. Not only in his ability does he resemble his father, but he is also known as a good man and is greatly respected by friends throughout the entire county. The second child of the family is Alice, who married Ed. MCEVOY, a farmer near broken Bow, Nebraska. She is the mother of six children, Bertha, Thomas, Evan, Annie, Charlie and Joseph. Annie, the third child of subject, died unmarried, as did also Elizabeth, who died while still young. Sarah married Charles CRAVEN, a farmer living near Council Bluffs, this state, and she has two children, Joseph and George. Mary, Bertha and Ethel remain at home with the mother and Clarissa married Jacob Frye, of St. John's township, this county.

Mr. GILMORE was raised a Catholic. In politics he was a Republican, although he never having any aspirations to public office. The GILMORE family is well known throughout the county, having been prominent citizens of the same for many years. Mrs. GILMORE is a fine motherly woman, much loved by many friends and is one of the few women who have come down to us from pioneer days. She has been keenly interested in the many changes that have come about since she first came to this state and has many interesting things to tell of the struggles and hardships of pioneer days. She has attained to a ripe age and is remarkably well preserved for one of her years retaining a keen interest in life and keeping in close touch with the progress of the times.

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