Earl Clark Tubbs was born December 28, 1891 in rural Mitchell County, Iowa to Ruth Ann (Clark) Tubbs and Charles Jackson Tubbs.
Here he grew to adulthood, helping his father and mother on the farm, and hopelessly annoying his 2 older brothers Clayton and Ray. When Earl was about 5 years old, his 2 cousins, Josie and Jessie Tubbs came to live with them. Also joining the family was a new baby sister, Ruth Gladys.
Earl during World War I Earl attended rural schools and enlisted for WWI at age 26 on February 27, 1918 at Osage, Mitchell Co. Iowa. Earl served as a Private in the United States Army and was gassed, with Mustard Gas, January 1919 during a battle in France. Shortly thereafter, Earl began having respiratory problems and was sent back to the United States aboard the U.S.S Henderson. He was awarded the "Victory Medal" for his service, and on April 17, 1919 at Camp Dodge Iowa, Earl was officially discharged from the Army. His enlistment papers state that he was engaged in farming, had blue eyes, brown hair, a ruddy complexion, and was 5'5" in height.
Earl, or Grandpa Tubbs as I called him, was a very kind, gentle man. He liked to joke around and was said to have had a wonderful sense of humor. My mother Phyllis says that growing up, she never heard Grandpa raise his voice and he never once spanked her, even though it was a common practice in that day and age. He was the most easy-going mellow guy that anyone could ever meet!
As children we went to Osage from Austin every Sunday, and there was always a race to see who could get to Grandpa's chair first. We would dig down in the chair to look for coins that had fallen out of Grandpa's pockets. It wasn't until I was a teenager that I realized there were always just enough coins for each kid!
One time when we were down there visiting, we had taken our German Shepherd Greta with us, and she decided to keep Grandpa company. While the ladies and children were uptown shopping, Greta laid in front of Grandpa all afternoon, refusing to move and refusing to let him get up until we all returned. Grandpa headed straight for the bathroom as soon as we got back! Needless to say, that was the last time our beloved Greta went to Osage with us.
Except for the year that Earl served in the war, he spent his entire life in Osage. He was married to Annie "Gladys" Erbe March 3,
1920, and was the proud father of 3 children: Joan (pronounced Jo-Ann) Marie, born August 13, 1921 and she married William Kenny; Charles Henry, born April 11, 1923; Phyllis Irene, born November 27, 1933 (my mother), married Herbert McAlister.
Gladys (Erbe) and Earl
Tubbs -- 1920 WeddingEarl's wife was always known as Gladys, even though her real first given name was Annie.
Earl worked for many years for the Mitchell County Highway Dept. and retired in 1956.
Earl suffered from heart problems for most of his life, but he never complained. Grandpa's heart problems were always attributed to him being gassed in WWI, but we now know that heart problems run in the Clark family. The combination of both is most likely what lead to his passing at age 81 on August 2, 1972 at Osage Hospital. I was 6 years old at the time and only have vague memories of Grandpa, but the memories I do have, I cherish.
When Grandpa passed, Grandma Tubbs gave my mother a rocking chair that had been in Grandpa's family for many, many years. We know that it had belonged to Ruth and possibly even to Ruth's mother Jane (Tibbitts) Clark. The story has it that the rocking chair was brought over with the family from England, but this we're not sure of.
My Grandpa, Earl Clark Tubbs, was proud of his community, family, and his heritage. He would be thrilled to know that his family and history lives on.
Written by Kathy (McAlister) Pike, Austin, Minnesota, May 8, 2003
Copyright ©2003, Kathy Pike
