George L. Gifford, a New Yorker, came to Iowa in 1839 and entered government land in Boardman Township, where he and his wife Clarinda (Quigley) Gifford lived first in a log house with a stone fireplace. Their son Horatio L. Gifford kept a store at Mederville and a hotel at Littleport, lived in Brooklyn, New York, until 1913, and then opened a meat market at Volga. A younger George L. Gifford, born at Ord, Nebraska, in 1883, son of Prentice P. and Minnie (Voss) Gifford, worked his way up from carpenter's helper to contractor and then ran a furniture, lumber and hardware business at Elkport. Every fact below is cited to the 1916 county history.
Earliest in the record
Horatio L. Giffordborn 1855Most recent in our records
George L. Giffordborn 1883Each number matches a section below. Tap a name to jump to that person.
Pioneers of Boardman Township
Merchant, hotel keeper and meat dealer
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.
On this homestead he established his residence, as one of the very early pioneers of that county, and his first domicile was a log house of primitive order, with clapboard roof and with an old-time stone fireplace. In this little dwelling was maintained the family home for many years, after which a more pretentious residence was provided, and on this old homestead farm George L. GifTord and his wife passed the remainder of their earnest and industrious lives. Of their seven children only three are now living. Horatio L. Gifford was reared to the sturdy discipline of the pioneer farm and gained such educational advantages as were afforded in the common schools of the locality and period. He assisted in the work of his father's farm until he had attained to his legal majority, and for several years thereafter he conducted independent operations on a rented farm in his native county. After leaving the farm he was for five years engaged in the mercantile business at Mederville, Clayton county, and he then sold his stock and business and removed to Littleport, this county, where he conducted a hotel and incidentally continued also his operations as a farmer, for a period of twenty years. He then engaged in the general merchandise business at that place, but seven years later he sold out and removed with his family to Brooklyn, New York, where he continued his residence until 1913, when he returned to Clayton county, and established his present thriving business enterprise at Volga. Mr. Gififord is a Republican in politics; he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church; at Elkader he is affiliated with Elkader Lodge, No. 72, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; and at Littleport he is an active member of Camp No. 1723, of the Modern Woodmen of America, in which he has passed all of the official chairs. While a resident of Littleport he served three years in the office of justice of the peace. In 1878 Mr. Gififord wedded Miss May Voss, who was born and reared in Clayton county, and who passed to eternal rest in the year 1906. Of the four children of this union three died in infancy, and the one survivor, Elmer, is now cashier of the Littleport Savings Bank. In 1907 was solemnized the marriage of Mr.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Of Elkport
Contractor and lumber dealer, Elkport
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 ist 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 initiated this article gained his early education in the public schools, in which he continued 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 retirement 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 desire to enter the arena of practical politics or to seek public office, but he is giving most effective service as treasurer of the independent school district that has its interests centered at Elkport. On the ist of March, 1905, Mr. Gifford married Miss Lizzie Ortmann, daughter of John and M[ary Ortmann, well known citizens of Clayton county and both natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Gifford have one son, [name withheld], who was born March 25, 1913. At Colesburg, Iowa, Mr. Gifford is affiliated with Lodge No. 67, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
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