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Archiver > INMONTGO > 2006-09 > 1158973531


From: "karen zach" <>
Subject: Re: [INMONTGO] Dewey/Gilbert -- Jeff, please ADD
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2006 21:05:31 -0400
References: <MB09zmRf6Ci6nx8dyDd00002b65@MB09.myfamilysouth.com><00f101c6dea8$7db58d40$6601a8c0@KARENSVAIO>


Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa
Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen & Co., 1910, p 1439. Among the honored old
pioneers of Fayette County, Iowa the subject of this sketch occupies a
conspicuous position. A life of good purposes and unimpeached integrity has
won for him the unbounded confidence of all who know him and he is eminently
entitled to representation in a work of this nature. Mr. Gilbert is a
native of Western Canada where he was born on 28 Feb 1841 and is the son of
William and Rebecca Gilbert. He is of stanch Irish stock, his grandfather
Gilbert having come to America from the north of Ireland. On the maternal
side his ancestors were English, his maternal great grandfather having been
born in that country as was his son, who was a soldier in the war of the
Revolution, later locating in Canada where his daughter, the subject's
mother was born. The old Revolutionary veteran referred to was the father
of 23 children and lived to the remarkable age of 93. He was 3 times
married and the subject's mother was born to the first wife. The
grandparents were all tillers of the soil and were energetic and
enterprising people, standing high in their respective communities. William
Gilbert was born in NY City, Feb 18, 1810 and his wife, Rebecca first saw
the light of day in Canada Feb 11, 1821. The former died 1880 age 79 and
the latter in 1862, age 41. William Gilbert lived in his native city until
reached majority when he went to Canada where he married about 1838. The
fmaily moved to Rockford, ill about 1847 where they resided until 1864 whent
hey came to Fayette County, Iowa and located at Eldorado. In the winter of
the following year they moved to Charles City, this state where they lived 8
years. At the end of that time they went to northern Minnesota and took up
a claim adjoining the Chippewa Indian reservation. When about 75, William
Gilbert went to live with his daughter, Mrs. Lois Davis at Saginaw, Michigan
where his death occured his remains being taken to Rockford, Illinois.
After the death of his first wife, he was again married while residing at
Rockfor dand by the 2nd union he had 2 sons, four children having been born
to the first union, namely: the first born died in infancy; George W, of
this sketch; Rebeca, who lives at Lansing, Michigan and Lois, now deceased.
The children of the 2nd: Theodore, resident of Badora, MN; Henry at Detroit
City, Minn. Their mother is now living in California. William Gilbert was
an industrious and energetic man. He was by trade a carpenter, joiner and
millwright. In political sentiment he was an abolitionist and took an active
part in politics after the war. He was widely known and in whatever company
he happened to be was perfectly at home, being himself somewhat of an
entertainer. Through his energetic habits and wise management, he was
always in fair pecuniary circumstances. In church work he was active, being
prominent in the Baptist Society and he was ever found in support of
movements for the benefit of the community. George W. Gilbert was reared in
the paternal home and in his youth attended public schools of Rockford, ill.
His studies were interrupted, however by the sounds of impending conflict
which was then about to burst over the nationa, and when the President's
call for volunteers was issued, he responded promptly, enlisting at Rockford
at the age of 19 years in Co. D, 11th Regiment Ill Vol. Inf. The command
first went into camp at Bird's Point, MO where they remained during the
winter of 1861-62. Subsequently the regiment took part in the battles of
Ft. Henry & Ft. Donelson followed by Shiloh these being the most important
battles in the history of the regiment. During the battle of Shiloh, the
subject was detailed to the boat "City of Memphis" to help care for the
sounded and during the thickest of the fight he helped carry many dead and
wounded soldiers from the field. General Grant designated him nurse ont he
boat mentioned which position he retained 4 or 5 weeks, then becoming
steward of the boat. He had charge of about 50 nurses and the boat ws kept
busily engaged transferring sick soldiers from the South, usually carrying
6-700 sick and wounded. After this he was detailed as cook in Cairo
Hospital but soon afterwards was himself sick with smallpox and confined in
the same hospital. On his recovery he was made chief cook, which he retained
for some time. He then rejoined his regiment and was discharged fromt he
service because of physical disability. When he entered the service, Mr.
Gilbert was a strong and robust man, but when he left he weighed but 95
pounds. After the completion of his military service, Mr. Gilbert returned
to his former home at Rockford, where he remained about a year and then came
to Fayette co, Iowa June 1865 locating Auburn Twp. During the following 10
years he was successfully engaged in tilling of soil but in 1876 he came to
West Union where he has since lived. Being an expert mechanic, he was for a
number of years kept busily employed but of recent years, he has been
practically living retired from active labor. He is a man of splendid
personal qualities and is well liked in the circles in which he moved. On
Feb 25, 1866, Mr. Gilbert was married to Elizabeth Dewey, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Richard Dewey, her birth having occurred Nov 2, 1844 near New
Richmond, Montgomery County, Indiana. The Dewey family was originally from
Maryland, going from that state to Ohio and thence to Indiana. They were
farming people and occupied a prominent position in their community. Of
their 8 children, Mrs. Gilbert was 4th in order of birth, she being a twi to
a brother who is now deceased. The Dewey family arrived in Fayette Co 1856
coming from Indiana with a four-yoke of oxen and two horse teams, locating
near Eldorado. To Mr. and mrs. Gilbert have been born two children: Maude
born Aug 28, 1871 became the wife of Earl Ostrander of this county and they
have a boy, Jesse now 2; Olive, born May 19, 1877 wife of Carl Ostrander and
they have one child, Edith Elizabeth, 3; Carl and Earl Ostrander are twins.
Mr. Gilbert is a stanch Republican in his political faith and has held
several township offices, being at present a justice of the peace, in which
he is giving eminently satisfactory service. He has long taken an active
interest in agricultural matters, being a member of the Fayette Co. Fair
Assoc. On the faiar grounds is a typical log cabin in which are kept many
valuable and interesting relics of the early pioneer days and which is
always the center of interest for visitors. This cabin Mr. Gilbert himself
built and presented to the Old Settlers Association for the specific purpose
to which it is devoted and he was apointed the superintendent of the
building, a position he still retains. Mr. Gilbert is the possessor of a
number of interseting old relics one of them being an old map and railroad
guide that was published in 1845 before the state of Iowa was admitted to
the union. It is an interesting relic and by contrast emphasizes the
wonderful development which has taken place in the state. Mr Gilbert is
also the owner of the celebrated cabin which was used during the first
presidential campaign of Benjamin Harrison having been made for the Harrison
Club of West Union. Several attempts have been made to destroy or steal the
cabin it having been in all the towns of the county, but it is still intact
and has been made use of a number of times by the Modern Woodmen and others.
Fraternally, Mr. Gilbert is a member of Post No. 48, Grand Army of the
Republic, at West Union and was at one time commander of the Veterans'
Association of Fayette Co. Religiously he is Baptist, holding membership
with the church of that denomination at West Union. He and his wife are
living quietly and unostentatiously in their comfortable home at West Union
and they enjoy the friendship of a large circle of acquaintances. They give
a cordial welcome to all who enter their home, the spirit of true hearted
hospitality being ever in evidence.

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