he and his bride began housekeeping upon the farm, where he continued for six years, at the same time renting a portion of the homestead. In 1883 he sold his place and purchased one hundred and sixty acres on section 22, Indian Creek township, to which he removed. For more than twenty years he devoted his attention closely and with marked success to agriculture and stock-raising, and then in 1905 he removed to Maxwell, where he has since resided. In 1907 he sold his farm and purchased eighty acres on section 26, which he still owns and which is in charge of one of his sons.
On the 7th of March, 1878, Mr. Gamble was united in marriage to Miss Clara Maxwell, daughter of Thomas and Nancy Maxwell. Her father came to Story county about 1852 and is now living in Iowa Center, being in his eighty-seventh year. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Gamble, three of whom are now living, namely : Vera, the wife of Fred Ray, of Rendrick, Iowa; Van D., now in charge of his father's farm; and George M., of Maxwell. The mother of these children, having departed this life July 21, 1900, Mr. Gamble was married June 26, 1902, to Miss Phoebe Moore, a daughter of Lott and Mary (Glenn) Moore. Her father was a well known farmer of Indian Creek township.
Mr. Gamble has never taken any active part in political or religious affairs, preferring to devote his energies to his own private interests. He became a thorough and systematic farmer and by his example of patient application leading to a gratifying measure of success he * influenced many others to renewed ambition. He reared his children to lives of industry and accomplished his part in the great work which has transformed the wild prairie and woodland into the beautiful farms to be seen in all parts of the state today.
S. E. COOPER.
The business interests of Story county find a worthy representative in S. E. Cooper, who has throughout the existence of Maxwell been prominently identified with its upbuilding and advancement. He is today one of the leading business men of the city, conducting an up-to-date furniture and undertaking establishment, and is president of the Peoples State Bank, which is one of the reliable financial institutions of this section of the state. He is a man of good business and executive ability and usually carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes.
A native of Illinois, Mr. Cooper was born in Mercer county, on the 7th of March, 1853, and is the son of John and Rebecca Ann (Stark) Cooper. His father was a native of Devonshire, England, but was only three years of age when brought to this country by his parents, who settled near Albany in New York state. Later the family removed to Michigan