C. A. Gillette

C. A. Gillette, who is now residing on section 11, Franklin township, has the honor of being one of Linn county's native sons, for he was born in Franklin township January 24, 1846, his parents being Harvey and Mary Maria (Snyder) Gillette. The father was born in Connecticut June 15, 1797, and belonged to a family of English origin which was founded in that state at an early day. Our subject's grandfather, who was known as Captain Gillette, is supposed to have been in the Revolutionary war. At the age of nine years the father left his native state and went to Westfield, Massachusetts, where he made his home for a number of years. He then came west as agent for a company who were buying lands from the half-breed Indians, and went up the Missouri river near Eddyville. He bought quite a large amount of land and spent some time with the Black Hawk tribe, there being six weeks that he never saw a white man. He first married a Miss Lee, a native of Massachusetts, and they lived for some time in Muscatine, Iowa, but later returned to the east where she died. Later, while on his way to Iowa, he met the lady who subsequently became his wife, she being the mother of our subject. They were married in Tipton, Iowa, in 1845. She was born in New York state July 15, 1827, of Holland ancestry, and died February 5, 1883, and both were buried at Tipton. By his first marriage he had six children, only two of whom are now living. Those born of the second union were C. A., our subject; J. A., now deceased, married Martha Stonacker, now a resident of Cedar Rapids; F. A., a resident of Marshalltown, Iowa, who first married Jennie Mills and after her death wedded Sarah Kennedy; John H., who married and lives in Burlington, Iowa; Sarah M., deceased, who first married William Carnahan, and second C. W. Morton, of Dennison, Iowa; and Emma, who died at the age of six years.

C. A. Gillette was reared in this state and attended the district schools until fourteen years of age. He was next a student at the Tipton high school for about five months, and completed his education at Cornell College at the age of sixteen. During the terrible tornado of 1860 he was with the family upon the home farm, while the father was serving as postmaster at St. Mary's. Our subject was engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1866, when the father traded his farm for a stock of merchandise at Mt. Vernon, and the following year bought a hotel, a part of which he converted into a store room. Our subject assisted his father in conducting the store until it was destroyed by fire in 1868, after which they ran a dray and hack line for some time. This business was subsequently carried on by our subject and his brother until 1876, when the former commenced traveling through northeastern Iowa buying wool and selling woolen goods. The following year he traveled through the country introducing the patent medicines now known as the Chamberlain remedies, which are manufactured at Des Moines. He was next engaged in teaming until 1881, when he embarked in the creamery business, establishing a regular route, over which he traveled in the winter time buying poultry, and also spent some winters in the poultry house at Lisbon. His time was thus taken up until the fall of 1899, when he rented a place belonging to his father-in-law and resumed farming. He is also interested in the fruit and nursery business, owning two acres of land which he has devoted to the same.

On the 25th of January, 1882, in Franklin township, Mr. Gillette was united in marriage with Miss Alice Yeisley, who was born in Monroe county, Pennsylvania, August 9, 1858, and is of German descent. Her parents were Philip and Margaret (Steele) Yeisley, the former also a native of Monroe county, Pennsylvania, and the latter of New York state. They were married at Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania, and came west in 1870, locating first in Jones county, Iowa. In 1881 they came to Franklin township, Linn county, where the father purchased a farm on which they still reside. Mrs. Gillette is the youngest of their three children, the others being Horace, who married Josephine Shaler and resides in Lisbon, Iowa; and Charles, who wedded Mary Hilbert Caster Gilbert, now deceased, and makes his home in California. Mr. and Mrs. Gillette have three children: Harry A., born November 19, 1882; C. Edgar, born March 5, 1887; and Earl LeRoy, born March 19, 1892. The oldest son will graduate at the Lisbon high school in the class of 1901.

Samuel Gilliland

The subject of this review is one of the very earliest settlers of the state, and is today a prominent and highly respected citizen of Mr. Vernon, where he is living a retired life, enjoying a well-earned rest. He was born in Logan county, Ohio, April 16, 1814, a son of Nathan and Jane (Edmondson) Gilliland, both of whom were natives of Virginia. In 1810 they removed from Greenbriar, that state, to Ohio, where they made their home throughout the remainder of their lives. The father, who was a soldier of the war of 1812, died in 1823 on his forty-seventh birthday, and the mother died in 1835. They were the parents of nine children, three sons and six daughters, all of whom are now deceased with exception of our subject and his sisters, Nancy Ann, wife of Peter Jacobs, a retired farmer of Tipton, Cedar county, Iowa.

Samuel Gilliland spent the first twenty years of his life at the place of his nativity and obtained his literary education in the primitive log school house so common in those days. He then went to Indiana, where he spent two years, and in the fall of 1836 came to Iowa, locating in Cedar county, on the day Martin Van Buren was elected president of the United States. For many years he successfully engaged in farming there, and together with his sons still owns two hundred and forty acres of land, which he purchased from the government at one dollar and a quarter per acre.

In Pioneer township, Cedar county Mr. Gilliland was married, July 18, 1839 to Miss Martha Comstock, theirs being the first marriage celebrated in the township. She too was a native of Ohio and a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Fox) Comstock. Her father was born in Massachusetts, in 1795, and was twelve years of age when he removed with his parents from that state to New York. He was one of the defenders of his country in the war of 1812.

At an early day he went to Ohio, and in the spring of 1836 came to Iowa, settling fifteen miles north of Muscatine, where he made his home for three years. He was accompanied by two other families and they were the first to come out from Muscatine with teams. He next located in Pioneer township, Cedar county, where he followed farming until his death, which occurred July 19, 1864, when he was seventy-one years of age. His wife died there at the age of fifty-nine years. they had a family of ten chidren, but only three are now living. Prior to his marriage with Elizabeth Fox, Mr. Comstock was married in New York. By this wife he had two daughters - Angeline, who married M. Sterns and Julia, who married George Lattimer. Mrs. Comstock died prior to Mr. Comstock's emigration west. Mr. Comstock took a very prominent part in public affairs and was called upon to fill many local offices, including that of county trustee. He also assisted in the platting of the town of Tipton.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gilliland were born seven children, namely: (1) Francis Marion, born May 28, 1840, engaged in farming on the old homestead in Cedar county for a number of years, but is now living retired in Mr. Vernon. He married Louise Freeman, of Cedar county, a daughter of Walter Freeman, a native of Ohio, who settled in Sugar Creek township, Cedar county, in 1836, and followed the miller's trade throughout the greater part of his life. In 1852 he went to the Pacific coast and died in Oregon, at the extreme old age of ninety-three years. His wife died in 1842 when Mrs. Gilliland was only nine months old. Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Gilliland had three children, all born in Cedar county, namely: Dollie, deceased; Harry C. and Don W., deceased. (2) Nathan, born December 3, 1842, enlisted September 23, 1861, at the age of nineteen years, in Company A, Thirteenth Iowa Infantry, and was mustered into the United States service on the 18th of October, following. While at Vicksburg he re-enlisted January 4, 1864, as a veteran and was made corporal of his company. He participated in the battle of Shiloh, the siege of Corinth, and the engagements at Bolivar, Iuka, Holly Springs, Vicksburg, Monroe, Jackson, Meridian and Atlanta. He was wounded in a charge on the works at Nickajack creek, July 5, 1864, and was again wounded on the 21st of the same month, and died a few hours later, his remains being interred at Marietta, Georgia. (3) Julia A., born January 16, 1844, died in 1864. (4) Elizabeth, born November 18, 1850, died at the age of fourteen years, five months and eleven days. (5) Mary, born November 5, 1852, died January 23, 1865. (6) Daniel C., born June 27, 1855, is engaged in the agricultural implement busines in Mechanicsville, Iowa. He married Florence Brogan, and they have three children, Maude, Ethel and Haven. (7) William M. born November 29, 1861, married Annie Wareham and died in Toledo, Ohio, November 10, 1886. The mother of these children departed this life May 31, 1865. She was a devoted wife and loving mother, and a consistent member of the Methodist church.

Alfred F. Green

There is no family better known in the northeastern part of Linn county or more deserving of prominent mention in its history than the Green family. The late Alfred F. Green, who for several years was one of the foremost business men of Coggon, was born in Venango county, Pennsylvania, July 3, 1841, a son of Thomas and Mercy (Hancock) Green. The father was also a native of the same state, born in 1805, and continued his residence there until 1844, when he removed with his family to Iowa, settling in Dubuque county, where he followed farming for some years. He then removed to a farm in Delaware county, where he resided about three years. Subsequently he came to Linn county and located in Jackson township, where the village of Coggon now stands, erecting there the house in which his son-in-law, I. S. Hanna, now resides, where his last days were spent with his children in retirement from active labor. He died May 9, 1887, and his wife passed away November 19, 1882.

Unto this worthy couple were born eight children, as follows: Sarah Ann, deceased, was the wife of John De Woody; Lydia, deceased, was the wife of Anthony English, of Dubuque county; Amos H., was one of the prominent citizens of Coggon, was a director of the Coggon State Bank, and was engaged in the milling business at that place for a number of years, after which he conducted a boarding house until his death, March 18, 1901. He married Sarah Spurgeon, and his widow and daughter now carry on the boarding house; Ruth is the wife of Milton Haggard, a resident of De Soto, Iowa; Alfred F., our subject, was next in order of birth; William died young; Maria is the wife of I. S. Hanna, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work; Henry married Mary Coquillette and lives in Clark, South Dakota.

On the 12th of June, 1870, Mr. Green was united in marriage with Miss Lydia Castle, who was born in Canandaigua, New York, April 2, 1853, and is a daughter of Lemuel and Mary (Case) Castle, also natives of the Empire state. It was in 1860 that her family came to Linn county, Iowa, and for several years her father was engaged in agricultural pursuits in Jackson township, but spent his last years in retirement with our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Green became the parents of seven children: Francis, who died in infancy; Milan J., who married Emma Mammoser and resides in Wesley, Iowa, where he is editor of the Wesley World; Minnie, wife of G. W. Olinger, a teacher of vocal music residing in Coggon; Carl A. and Ray L. are engaged in the hardware business in Coggon; Leo Rex and Glen Castle are at home.

During his residence in Delaware county Mr. Green taught school and also taught vocal music, but after coming to Coggon embarked in general merchandising and the milling business, he and his brother Amos H. owning the mill at this place, known as the Green Brothers gristmill, which they conducted for about twenty-five years. Our subject was also land agent and served as postmaster at Coggon for several years. He successfully carried on the mercantile and milling business until his death, which occurred November 23, 1899. He was a wide-awake, energetic and reliable business man, whose word was as good as his bond, and his affairs were so managed as to win for him the confidence of the public and the prosperity which should always attend honorable effort. In politics he was a Democrat, and in his social relations was a charter member of both the Masonic and Odd Fellows Lodges of Coggon. After Mr. Green removed to Coggon he took up the study of law, in which he met with fair success, although he was never admitted to the bar. He always took an active interest in church work, both he and his wife belonging to the Christian church of that place. Mr. Green was a man who was beloved by all and at all times his hand and pocket were ready to assist any one in need of help. His family is one of prominence in both social and business circles, and own considerable property in Coggon and Jackson township. They have a pleasant home in the eastern part of the village, where hospitality reigns supreme.

Among Cedar Rapids' prominent and successful attorneys must be numbered John M. Grimm, who has been connected with the bar of this city since July 1, 1890, but has already made for himself an enviable reputation in professional circles. He was born in Wethersfield township, Henry county, Illinois, December 21, 1866, and is a son of Charles H. and Catherine (McLennan) Grimm, the former a native of Germany, the latter of Ross-shire, Scotland. Soon after his emigration to America the father located in Henry county, Illinois, and later came to Iowa county, Iowa, taking up his residence near Williamsburg, where he followed farming very successfully until life's labors were ended. He died in 1873, at the age of forty-five years, and his wife departed this life in 1885, at the age of about fifty years. Of their two children one died in infancy, so that our subject is the only representative of the family now living.

John M. Grimm began his education in the public schools of Illinois, and after coming to this state pursued a high-school course at Marengo, where he was graduated in 1883. He passed his boyhood and youth upon a farm, where he remained until he entered upon a collegiate course at the Iowa State University at Iowa City. While attending that institution he cut short the college year, and for several summers engaged in civil engineering, spending one season in Nebraska with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad; one in Iowa with the Illinois Central Railroad; and two years in Sioux City. It thus took him five years to complete the college course, graduating in the class of 1889 with the degree of B. S. During the last year of his collegiate course he took up the study of law, and one year after receiving his degree of B. S., in June, 1890, graduated from the law department of the State University.

Coming to Cedar Rapids, Mr. Grimm formed a partnership with James H. Rothrock, Jr., under the firm name of Rothrock & Grimm, the senior member being a son of Judge J. H. Rothrock, who was on the supreme bench twenty-one years. After the Judge retired from that office, in January, 1896, he became connected with his son and our subject in the private practice of law, and continued with them until his death, in January, 1898. The son was still a member of the firm until after his election as judge of the superior court of Cedar Rapids, when, in January, 1901, the partnership was dissolved. Later the firm of Preston, Grimm & Moffit was formed, consisting of J. H. Preston and J. M. Grimm, of Cedar Rapids, and J. T. Moffit, of Tipton, Iowa, with offices at Cedar Rapids and Tipton, Cedar county, Iowa.

Mr. Grimm makes a specialty of corporation practice, and now represents the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, the Illinois Central Railroad as local attorney, and the order of Railroad Conductors of America as general counsel. In the fall of 1892 he was elected county attorney on the Republican ticket, and entered upon the duties of the office January 1, 1893. He filled that position three successive terms, and the county reports show that while in office he transacted more business at less expense than any county in the state, giving every detail of the business his personal attention, keeping down expenses and discouraging improper criminal litigation. He is a very able and efficient attorney, and his growing business has given him prestige in the city.

Mr. Grimm has also become interested in several business enterprises, and is now a stockholder and secretary of the Cedar Rapids Canning Company, organized in 1898, and a stockholder of the Cedar Rapids New Telephone Company. He is attorney for the Cedar Rapids National Bank, and also for many leading fire and casualty insurance companies and mining corporations of the city. He is an active member of the Commercial Club, and a director of the Cedar Rapids Auditorium Company, which has erected a commodious building especially for public meetings. He was one of the prime movers in organizing this company and in furthering its plans.

December 27, 1894, Mr. Grimm married Miss Orphea Bealer, a daughter of E. J. C. Bealer. They now have one son, Donald Stephen, who was born January 27, 1896. Mrs. Grimm is a lady of domestic tastes, who takes an exceptional pride in her home and family, and makes friends wherever she goes.