USA > Iowa > Clayton County > History of Clayton County, Iowa : from the earliest historical times down to the present : including a genealogical and biographical record of many representative families, prepared from data obtained from original sources of information, Volume I > Part 73
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Otto Germar is another of the native sons of Clayton county who has here found an excellent field for the achieving of definite success through normal and legitimate mediums of productive en- terprise, and he is associated with his brother Albert in the carry- ing on of a substantial and representative business in contracting and building, with residence and business headquarters in the thriv- ing village of Volga. His progressiveness is on a plane with his technical ability as a carpenter and builder, and his advancement has been gained through his own well directed efforts and steadfast integrity of purpose. Mr. Germar was born in the city of Gutten- berg, this county, on the 28th of January, 1870, and is a representa- tive of a family whose name has been worthily linked with the his- tory of the county for virtually a period of seventy years, the record thus running back to the very early pioneer epoch. He is a son of Henry and Theresa (Brumell) Germar, who were born and reared in Germany and who immigrated to the United States in 1846. These sterling pioneers disembarked in the city of New Orleans, and in the following year made their way up the Mississippi river to become pioneer colonists in Clayton county, Iowa. They estab- lished their home in the frontier village of Guttenberg and there Henry Germar engaged in the work of his trade, that of carpenter. In the autumn of 1877 he removed with his family to Volga and opened a lumber yard. Here he continued to conduct a prosperous lumber business for nearly thirty years, his retirement from the same having occurred in 1905, shortly after the death of his wife,
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enterprise a success and built up a substantial trade throughout this section. In 1867 Mr. Geske purchased a farm of seventy-eight acres, lying contiguous to McGregor, and here he found diversion from his regular business activities by giving his supervision to the cultivation and improvement of the farm, to which he added six acres. This fine little homestead of eighty-five acres is still in the possession of the family. Frederick F. Geske was an upright, sub- stantial citizen who commanded unqualified popular esteem, and he contributed his quota to the development and progress of the county and the thriving little city of McGregor, wherein his death occurred on the 17th of March, 1897, and where his widow still maintains her home. He was a staunch adherent of the Democratic party and his religious faith was that of the Lutheran church, of which his wife likewise became a member in her youth. Of the children of this sterling pioneer couple the subject of this review is the first- born; Henry resides at McGregor and is carrying forward the prosperous business here established by his father many years ago; Albert is now a resident of Sioux City; Kate is the wife of Anton Huebsch, who is postmaster of McGregor and who is indi- vidually mentioned on other pages of this work; Edith is the wife of Fred Ertz and they reside in the city of St. Paul, Minnesota; Amy is the wife of George Heffren, of St. Paul; and Sadie is the wife of Carl F. Mehlhop, of Dubuque. In the public schools of McGregor Martin X. Geske continued his studies until he had completed the curriculum of the high school, and after his gradua- tion he held for ten months a position as clerk in a general mer- chandise establishment at Monona, this county. He then passed successfully an examination that entitled him to a teacher's cer- tificate, and after receiving this evidence of eligibility he obtained the position of teacher in the public schools at Hardin, Allamakee county, where he remained thus engaged for seven months. For the ensuing two months he taught an unexpired term in a district school west of Guttenberg, Clayton county, and in the autumn of 1891 he entered the normal department of what is now Valparaiso University, in the city of Valparaiso, Indiana. In this great insti- tution he completed a scientific course and was there a student until 1893, in the autumn of which year he went to Windom, Minne- sota, where he remained one year as teacher in the public schools. He was then elected principal of the public schools at Lake Crystal, that State, and after a year of successful work in this position he entered the University of Minnesota, where he vigorously pursued a course of study, until the death of his father in the spring of 1897, made it virtually necessary for him to leave the institution. In consonance with a well formulated ambition, Mr. Geske soon afterward began reading law, under the preceptorship of D. D. Murphy, a leading member of the bar of Elkader, judicial center of Clayton county. After one year of such preliminary discipline he entered the law department of Drake University, at Des Moines, where he continued his technical studies one year and admirably fortified himself for the work of his chosen profession. He was graduated in this institution as a member of the class of 1900, with
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the degree of Bachelor of Laws and with virtually concomitant admission to the bar of his native State. Thereafter he was for one year associated in practice with his former preceptor, Mr. Murphy, and in 1902 he removed from the county seat to his native city of McGregor, where he has built up a substantial and representative general practice and gained definite precedence as a resourceful trial lawyer and well fortified counselor. He served from 1904 to 1908 as county attorney, and his unqualified popularity in the city that represents his "native heath," has been shown in his being called upon to serve as a member of its municipal council, of which office he is the incumbent in 1916, besides which he had the dis- tinction of being elected mayor of the city, in which office he gave a most progressive and effective administration, from 1911 to 1913. His public spirit has been shown also by his earnest and effective service as a member of and president of the board of education of McGregor, through the medium of which he has manifested his deep and abiding interest in educational affairs. Mr. Geske is found aligned as a staunch and effective advocate of the principles of the Democratic party, is a member of the Clayton County Bar Associa- tion and the Iowa State Bar Association, and is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Woodmen of the World and the Masonic fraternity, in which last mentioned he has served several terms as master of Bezer Lodge, No. 135, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, at McGregor. He attends and gives liberal support to the local Congregational church, and is always ready to give his support to measures tending to enhance the gen- eral welfare of his native city and county, where he still permits his name to be enrolled on the roster of eligible bachelors.
E. L. Gifford is one of the representative young business men of his native county and is a son of Horatio L. Gifford, a sterling and influential citizen of whom specific mention is made on other pages of this volume, so that further review of the family history is not demanded at this juncture. He whose name introduces this article is the efficient and popular cashier of the Littleport Savings Bank, and his progressiveness and popularity having been indicated by his service of four years as mayor of Littleport, a position in which he gave a most effective and satisfactory administration of municipal affairs. He has served also as township clerk, and he is now treasurer of the Littleport board of education and treasurer of the Littleport Farmers' Co-operative Company. In politics he is aligned as a staunch supporter of the cause of the Republican party and he is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Gifford was born at Mederville, this county, on the 19th of June, 1883, and after having fully availed himself of the advantages of the public schools he initiated his active business career. For five and one- half years he conducted a prosperous general merchandise business at Littleport, and of this business he disposed in 1910, in which year he was elected to his present position. that of cashier of the Littleport Savings Bank. On the 24th of December, 1903, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Gifford to Miss Ilda Ortmann, who likewise was born and reared in this county, and the one child
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of this union is a winsome little daughter, Ilo May, who was born January 11, 1904.
George L. Gifford holds precedence as one of the alert and progressive young business men of Clayton county and maintains his residence in the thriving village of Elkport, where he conducts a substantial enterprise in the handling of furniture, lumber and builders' hardware. He was born at Ord, Valley county, Nebraska, on the 1st of April, 1883, and is a son of Prentice P. and Minnie (Voss) Gifford, the former of whom is deceased, having passed to the life eternal on the 31st of December, 1912, and the major part of his active career having been devoted to traveling and hotel business. His widow resides at Elkport. Of the three children the eldest is May B., who is the wife of Asa Kriebs, of Elkport ; George L., of this review, was the next in order of birth ; and Harry W. is likewise a resident of Elkport. He whose name initiates this article gained his early education in the public schools, in which he con- tinued his studies until he had completed the curriculum of the high school at Elkport. He then, at the age of eighteen years, began work as a carpenter's helper, and he received $1.50 a day in compensation for his services. He became a skilled workman at the trade of carpenter and after being employed as a journeyman for a period of five years he engaged in business as a contractor and builder. He developed a large and prosperous enterprise, in connection with which he gave employment to a force varying from five to eight men, and in the meanwhile he maintained his residence and business headquarters at Elkport. Here he has, since his re- tirement from the contracting business, built up a most substantial enterprise in the handling of furniture, builders' hardware and lumber, and he is essentially one of the wide-awake business men and loyal and progressive citizens of Elkport. He has had no de- sire to enter the arena of practical politics or to seek public office, but he is giving most effective service as treasurer of the independ- ent school district that has its interests centered at Elkport. On the 1st of March, 1905, Mr. Gifford married Miss Lizzie Ortmann, daughter of John and Mary Ortmann, well known citizens of Clay- ton county and both natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Gifford have one son, Glenn, who was born March 25, 1913. At Colesburg, Iowa, Mr. Gifford is affiliated with Lodge No. 67, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
Horatio L. Gifford is a native son of Iowa and a representative of one of the early pioneer families of this state, within whose borders he has maintained his home continuously save for a period of about seven years, during which he was a resident of the state of New York. He is now conducting a well equipped meat market in the village of Volga and is one of the substantial business men and popular and influential citizens of this place. Mr. Gifford was born in Buchanan county, Iowa, on the 19th of August, 1855, and is a son of George L. and Clarinda (Quigley) Gifford, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Indiana. George L. Gifford came to Iowa in the year 1839 and entered claim to a tract of government land in Boardman township, Clayton county.
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tractor at his trade, both he and his wife having been residents of Strawberry Point at the time of their death. Of their three children the subject of this review is the eldest; and Lottie and Lulu, twins, reside at Strawberry Point, this county. He whose name initiates this article was a boy when he first came to Clayton county, and as a lad of thirteen years he here found employment on the farm of his maternal uncle, with whom he remained six years, the while he continued to avail himself of the advantages of the public schools. After leaving the farm he worked one year at the carpenter's trade, and he then engaged in the garage and automobile business in the city of Omaha for one year. Thereafter he maintained his residence at Waterloo, this state, until 1915, when he became associated with Laurence L. Linder in the business of handling standard lines of heavy and shelf hardware, stoves, ranges, etc., the firm made a specialty of the installing of furnaces and other types of heating plants. On April 26th, 1916, Mr. Gleason withdrew from the busi- nesse Mr. Gleason is found aligned as a loyal supporter of the cause of the Democratic party and both he and his wife hold mem- bership in the Lutheran church. On the 9th of September, 1915, Mr. Gleason wedded Miss Clara Graesch, who was born, reared and educated in Clayton county, and they are popular young folk in the social activities of their home community.
Even O. Glesne is a scion of one of the sterling Scandinavian families that was founded in Clayton county in the early pioneer days, and the name which he bears has been honorably linked with the history of this county for more than sixty years, the while it has stood exponent of distinctive influence in connection with the development of the agricultural resources, and the furtherance of the civic prosperity of the county. He whose name introduces this article owns the old homestead farm on which he was born and also an adjoining tract of one hundred and sixty acres, his fine landed estate thus comprising three hundred and twenty acres and constituting one of the model farms of the county. In Wagner township, this county, Even O. Glesne was born on the 30th of September, 1857, and he is a son of Ole E. and Helgar (Sonsteby) Glesne, both of whom were born in Norway. Ole E. Glesne was reared and educated in his native land and came to America about the year 1853. He passed about one year at Rock Prairie, Wiscon- sin, and then came to Clayton county, and entered claim to a tract of government land in Wagner township. He lived up to the full tension of the pioneer activities in this section of the Hawkeye State and by his indefatigable industry and good management not only reclaimed his land to cultivation but also attained to substan- tial prosperity and to the ownership of a valuable landed domain of two hundred and eighty acres, in possession of much of which he continued until his death, which occurred May 20, 1914. He was one of the influential citizens and honored pioneers of the county and his name merits enduring place on the pages of its history. His widow still remains on the old homestead and is a devoted communicant of the Lutheran church, as was he likewise. Of the seven children Even O., of this review, is the eldest; John resides
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at Elkader, the county seat; Riley and Jane are deceased; Tillie is the wife of John Johnson, of Wagner township; Christina is de- ceased; Ole is a clergyman of the Lutheran church and had pastoral charge at Aberdeen, South Dakota, but was called to the pastorate of the Lutheran church at Decorah, Ia., in 1916. Even O. Glesne early began to contribute his quota to the work of the home farm and in the meanwhile he availed himself fully of the advantages afforded in the pioneer schools, so that his environment was such as to cause him to wax strong in both mind and physique and to equip him effectively for the active duties and responsibilities of life. He continued to be associated with his father in the work and management of the home farm until he had attained to the age of twenty-two years, when he went to Pembina county, North Dakota, where he took up a pre-emption claim and began the reclamation of the same. In due time he perfected his title to the land and developed a productive farm. There he continued his residence seven years, at the expiration of which he sold his farm and returned to his native county. Here he bought a farm, but he later disposed of the same, and in 1890 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Section 21, Wagner township, where he has since continued to give his attention to progressive and effective activities as a farmer and stock-grower, besides which he has added to his possessions by the purchase of one hundred and sixty acres of his father's old homestead estate. Mr. Glesne is known as one of the vigorous and steadfast exponents of these basic lines of in- dustry in his native county ; he is one of the loyal and public-spirited citizens of Wagner township. He has been called upon to serve as township trustee and also as treasurer of the school board of his district, and his political allegiance is given to the Republican party, both he and his wife being communicants of the Lutheran church. The family home is known for its generous hospitality and is eligibly situated about 6 miles distant from Elkader, the county seat, with mail service on Rural Route No. 3 from that city. The 17th of March, 1886, recorded the marriage of Mr. Glesne to Miss Bergit Peterson, her personal name being the Norwegian equivalent of the English Betsey. She was born and reared in Clayton county and is a daughter of Torkel and Gunnell (Knudson) Peterson, both natives of Norway, whence they immigrated to the United States in 1849, settlement being first made in Wisconsin, from which State they came to Iowa and numbered themselves among the pioneers of Clayton county, where Mrs. Peterson died half a century ago and where her husband continued to reside until his death, which occurred September 3, 1899. Of their children the eldest is Annie, who is the widow of Ole Severson and who maintains her home in Kansas; Ingeborg died on the 23d of March, 1916; Gunnell is the wife of Anulf Steenson and they reside in North Dakota; Peter is deceased; Carrie is the widow of Chris Everson and main- tains her home in Wisconsin; Bergit is the wife of the subject of this sketch; Knute resides in North Dakota and his twin brother died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Glesne became the parents of five children, Gustava Henrietta, Edwin Benoni, Oscar Theodore, and
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Elvira and Elvina, twins. All of the children are living except Elvina, who died in infancy.
Peter B. Green was born on the 5th of June, 1853, and passed his entire life in the State of Iowa, where he rose to prominence and large prosperity as one of the representative agriculturists and stock-growers of Clayton county and where he was the owner of a valuable landed estate, which his widow still retains in her pos- session and to the management of which she gives careful and judicious supervision. Mrs. Green resides on the finely improved homestead farm, eligibly situated in Sperry township, about one mile distant from the village of Volga, and she is the owner of a valuable estate of two hundred and sixty-seven acres, the home- stead place being endeared to her by the gracious memories and associations of the past and being valued the more by her because it figured as the stage of the earnest and successful labors of her honored husband. Peter B. Green was a resident of Clayton county from his infancy until the time of his death, which occurred on the 27th of March, 1900, and his character and achievement were such as to cause his memory to be honored by all who knew him, his remains being laid to rest in the cemetery at Volga. He was a loyal citizen, a progressive and reliable business man, a staunch advocate of the cause of the Republican party and an earnest and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the work of which his widow still continues to be actively concerned and of which she is a devoted adherent. Mr. Green was adopted in infancy by Daniel and Hartley (Brown) Green, whose marriage was solemnized in Cambridgeshire, England, on the 21st of June, 1840, both having been born and reared in that fair county of merrie old England. Daniel Green was born at Wittlesea, Cambridgeshire, on the 2_d of December, 1818, and was there reared and educated. After their marriage he and his wife continued their residence in their native land for somewhat more than a decade, and on the 4th of April, 1852, they severed the cherished ties and set sail for America. In 1854 they became pioneer settlers in Clayton county, Iowa, where Mr. Green secured a tract of wild land and developed a productive farm, both he and his wife having passed the remainder of their lives as well known and highly honored citizens of this county. They had no children of their own but gave to their adopted son, the subject of this memoir, the true love and solicitude of actual parentage. Peter B. Green was afforded the advantages of the public schools and virtually his entire active career was marked by close and successful association with the basic industries of agri- culture and stock-growing, through the medium of which he gained substantial and enduring independence and prosperity, the concrete evidence thereof being given in the finely improved landed estate still owned by his widow. He purchased the homestead now occu- pied by Mrs. Green shortly after their marriage, and here he con- tinued his well ordered activities until death set its seal upon him. On the 12th of October, 1872, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Green to Miss Lydia E. Sherman, who was born and reared in this county, and who is a daughter of Joseph and Jane (Moon) Sherman,
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of whose ten children six are now living. The parents were born and reared in the state of New York and were numbered among the pioneers of Clayton county, Iowa, where they established their home on a farm and where they passed the residue of their long and useful lives, their names meriting enduring place on the roll of the honored pioneers of Clayton county. Mr. and Mrs. Green be- came the parents of three children, all of whom survive the honored father : William is now a resident of the state of Wisconsin; Walter has a farm in Sperry township near the city Volga, and Valeria is the wife of Otto Germar, of whom individual mention is made elsewhere in this publication.
David G. Griffith was a resident of Clayton county for about thirty years and gained prestige as one of the able and successful representatives of the newspaper business in the Hawkeye state. At the time of his death he was associated with his only son in the editing and publishing of the Elkader Register and Argus, which represents a consolidation, in September, 1907, of the Elkader Reg- ister and the Elkader Argus. Of the former paper he had long been editor and publisher, and he had made it an effective exponent of local interests as well as a safe and able leader of popular senti- ment. He was a man of strong intellectual powers and sterling character, one of the leading citizens of Elkader, commanding an impregnable place in popular confidence and esteem, and his high standing in this county makes it imperative, as a matter of historical consistency and just deserts, that in this publication be entered a tribute to his memory and a brief record of his career. David Golden Griffith was born at Mohawk, Herkimer county, New York, on the 17th of October, 1845, and was a son of Ira and Nancy (Golden) Griffith. Ira Griffith, who was engaged in the hotel busi- ness during much of his active career, was a son of Jesse Griffith, and the latter was a son of William Griffith, Jr., who was a member of the New York Rangers during the war of the Revolution, his birth having occurred in 1762, and he having been a resident of Worcester, New York, at the time of his death, on the 9th of Octo- ber, 1838; his father, Captain William Griffith, was an officer of the Continental army in the war of the Revolution. Mrs. Nancy (Golden) Griffith was a daughter of John Golden, and her maternal grandfather, James Eaton, was, with his family, among the few survivors of the historic Indian massacre at Wyoming, Pennsylva- nia. David G. Griffith was the only child of his parents, and after the death of his mother his father contracted a second marriage, the one child of this union being a daughter Frances, who became the wife of Rensaeller D. Hubbard, of Mankato, Minnesota. David Golden Griffith was not yet nine years old at the time of his mother's death and thereafter he lived mainly with her kinsfolk, at Utica, New York, until the autumn of 1861. In the meanwhile he profited fully by the advantages afforded in the Utica schools and there had finally entered upon a practical apprenticeship to the printer's trade. On the 25th of October, 1861, about two weeks after he had cele- brated his sixteenth birthday anniversary, he enlisted for service as a soldier of the Union in the Civil war. He became a private
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