Gardner, Dr. Ira Kilbourn submitted by Dick Barton

Gardner, Dr. Ira Kilbourn, of New Hampton, is a highly educated physician, a graduate of the medical department of Michigan university in 1870, and a post-graduate of the Chicago Polyclinic Medical school in 1890. He was born in Kilworth, Canada, February 8, 1846. His father, Abel S. Gardner, was a miller until he reached middle age and then took up the occupation of farming. His paternal ancestors came to America with the early colonists and were in the revolution. His mother, Mary M. Parker, was born in Switzerland, and came to this country with her parents when only 4 years old.

Young Ira passed through the common schools and when old enough entered the Michigan State Normal school, at Ypsilanti, where he made an excellent record as a faithful and industrious student. After completing his medical course at Michigan university in 1870, Dr. Gardner located first at Lawler, Chickasaw county, Iowa. Here he enjoyed a good practice and acquired the varied experience which is necessary to develop the perceptive faculties and ripen the judgment of young practitioners. In 1877 he was ready for a larger field of usefulness and removed to New Hampton.

Since engaging in the practice of his chosen profession he has gladdened the hearts of many in that vicinity by the exercise of his rare skill as a physician and surgeon, and he possesses the confidence of the entire surrounding community. He enjoys a large practice and he is a pleasant, intelligent and capable gentleman, as well as an educated and conscientious practitioner. He has a fine library and a full equipment of surgical instruments and appliances.

Two years ago Dr. Gardner completed the finest residence in the city, built of brown stone, brick and frame and furnished throughout with all the latest conveniences, such as electric lights, steam heat, toilet and bath rooms, electric bells, etc. Dr. Gardner has his office, reception and examination rooms, also library and laboratory, at his residence, at the corner of Chestnut Avenue and Court street, all fitted up in an elegant and convenient manner.

In 1871 Dr. Gardner was married to Miss Maggie Gardner, and they have one child, Nellie E.

The doctor has been a constant and consistent republican since attaining his majority, but has always refused to become a candidate for any but minor local offices. He is a Knight of Pythias and a member of numerous medical societies: The International Medical congress, American Medical association, Iowa State Medical society, Austin Flint Medical society, North Iowa Medical society, and Wapsie Valley Medical association. Dr. Gardner is now, and has been for many years, local surgeon for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway company. The doctor has also been a member of the board of education for the past six years, being its president the last four years.

Gardner, William Watson submitted by Dick Barton

Gardner, William Watson, is a direct descendant of one of the oldest Puritan families, one that landed in America in the year 1656. His grandfather, Benjamin Gardner, carried a musket through the revolutionary war; a great uncle, William Gardner, was aid-de-camp to General Washington. Governor Gardner, of Massachusetts, was one of this family, who are all descendants from John Gardner, of Hingham, Mass. He received from the crown, in 1856, a grant of land located in that region. William Gardner, the father of William Watson, was born in Plainfield, Mass., July 10, 1803, and July 3, 1828, married Ann Parkhurst. He was a contractor and builder and his early life was spent in Massachusetts and in Ontario county, N. Y. In 1840 he moved to Le Claire, Iowa, and lived until March 6, 1891.

Ann Parkhurst was the daughter of Sterling Parkhurst, of Ontario county, N. Y., who moved with his family in 1837 to what is now known as Le Claire, Iowa. The place was first called Parkhurst-town in honor of his family.

William W. Gardner was born March 20, 1841, at Le Claire, Scott county. He attended the village schools and then spent his early life in teaching. Later he studied medicine and became proficient in the theory of that profession but never practiced, and in 1870 he located at Avoca, in the drug business. In this business the knowledge of medicine has naturally been of great advantage to him. He has acquired a fine reputation as a careful, conscientious and reliable druggist. Having lived in Pottawattamie county for about twenty-seven years, he has a large acquaintance and is very favorably known throughout that section of the state. Mr. Gardner's father was a whig and he was raised in that faith, but when the party went to pieces in 1856, he became a democrat, and the son has always been associated with that party. He became a Mason as early as 1867 and has been prominent in the affairs of that fraternity. He has taken the Knight Templar degrees and presided as master and high priest for several terms. He served as postmaster during President Cleveland's second term. He was married November 2, 1873, to Frances Maud Smith, and they have had two daughters, one of whom died in infancy and the other, Frances Maud, was born in 1883.

GUE, BENJAMINE F. submitted by Dick Barton

GUE, BENJAMINE F., was born in Greene county, N. Y., on the 25th day of December, 1828, and is the son of John and Catherine (Gurney) Gue. His father was born in Westchester county, N. Y., and was a descendent of one of the French Huguenots who settled in Ulster county in 1760. On the mother's side the Gurneys were from England, and closely related to Joseph John Gurney, a distinguished member of the British parliament. John Gue, with his wife and children, moved to western New York, in 1833, settling in Ontario county, where the subject of this sketch spent his boyhood years on a farm. His father and mother were Quakers and abolitionists, and the first newspaper the children learned to read was William Lloyd Garrison's Liberator. Their home was one of the stations on the "underground railroad," where escaping slaves always found shelter and aid. Benjamine F. was the oldest of six children, and when he was 10 years of age the father died, and the mother had a hard struggle for many years to provide for and educate the children. In the spring of 1852 the two older sons came to Iowa and bought a claim on Rock Creek, in Scott county, where they lived in a log cabin, doing their own cooking for a year and a half, until their mother and younger children joined them in the fall of 1853.