The Gorman Families of Jones County, Iowa

John Gorman, for almost a half century a resident of Jones county, during much of which time he was connected with general agricultural pursuits, owning and cultivating two hundred and eighty acres of rich land, was throughout that period classed with the respected and representative residents of this part of the state. He was born in County Sligo, Ireland, in 1819. and after spending his youthful days on the Emerald isle came to America in 1847. For year he remained in Pennsylvania where he enlisted in the United States regular army, being stationed at the Waterville arsenal in New York for two years and nine months. On the expiration of that period he received an honorable discharge and was paid with a land warrant. While in New York he was married in West Troy to Miss Mary Rooney, who was born in the city of Sligo, Ireland, and came to America in 1850.

Removing to the middle west Mr. Gorman located near Chicago, purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of land, on which he engaged in farming for eight years. This property is now within the city limits, its southern boundary being Randolph street. Mr. Gorman subsequently traded the land for a drove of cattle, and in 1857 took a contract for the construction of seven miles of the air line railroad. Subsequently he purchased two hundred and eighty acres of land in Hale township, Jones county, and for more than a third of a century thereafter devoted his attention to general agricultural pursuits, bringing his fields under a high state of cultivation and adding to his place all of the equipment and accessories of a modern farming property. In 1892 however he left the old homestead and took up his above in Anamosa, Iowa, where he resided until called to his final rest January 5, 1905. His wife died in Anamosa, July 17. 1903. Through all the period in which he made Jones county his home he was respected as a man of good business ability and enterprise; reliable, methodical and accurate. Moreover while he lived a quiet, unostentatious life he was loyal in duties of citizenship and ever championed the best interests of the community.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

THOMAS C. GORMAN. M. D.

Prominent among the representatives of professional interests in Jones county is Dr. Thomas C. Gorman, successfully practicing as a physician and surgeon in Anamosa. He holds to high ideals in his chosen life work and his careful preparation has made him well qualified for the onerous duties which devolve upon him in professional connections. He was born in Hale, Jones county, on the 4th of- August, 1874, and is a son of John and Mary (Rooney) Gorman, both of whom were natives of Ireland. The year 1847 witnessed their arrival in America and in Troy, New York, their marriage was celebrated. Soon afterward they removed to Chicago. Illinois, where they remained for about five years and later came to this state.

Dr. Gorman has spent his entire life in Iowa, pursuing his education in his youthful days in the schools of Dubuque. Later he determined upon the practice of medicine as his life work and to this end was matriculated in the Rush Medical College of Chicago in 1893. He pursued the regular four years course and was graduated in 1897. He spent the succeeding year and a half at St Elizabeth Hospital, thus putting to the practical test his theoretical training and qualifying for the onerous duties of a private practice in the broad and varied experience for

DR. T. C. GORMAN hospital work. On leavingthat institution he came to Anamosa in i8g8, opened his office here and has since successfully practiced, being regarded as one of the leading physicians and surgeons in this part of the state. He is also acting as surgeon for the Chicago & Northwestern Raihvay at this point. He is very careful in the diagnosis of his cases and his judgment seldom if ever is at fault in determining the outcome of disease. He performs all professional duties with a sense of conscientious obligation that has won him the confidence and support of the general public and the regard of his professional brethren. In addition to his practice he owns a city dwelling, three farms, two farms of three hundred and forty acres in Fairview township and another tract of four hundred and eighty acres of land in Texas. He is a stockholder and director in the Niles & Waters Bank, a director of the public library and also a director in the Anamosa Fair Association, and in the control and management of these interests he displays the qualities of an enterprising and progressive business man as well as the salient features of a successful medical practitioner.

On the 15th of October, 1902, Dr. Gorman was married to Miss Nellie E. Gavin, a daughter of Malachi and Mary Ellen Gavin, both of whom were natives of Ireland. Dr. and Mrs. Gorman now have two sons, Thomas Gavin and Edward Carroll.

In his fraternal relations Dr. Gorman is connected with Mount Carmel lodge of the Knights of Columbus at Cedar Rapids and with the Modern Woodmen Camp, No. 167, at Anamosa. He is also a member of the Catholic church and his political allegiance is given to the democracy. He is a man fearless in the defense of whatever he believes to be right and his position is never an equivocal one. In matters of public concern he manifests discriminating and intelligent citizenship, laboring earnestly and effectively for the welfare of the community, while in social life his genial qualities have won for him warm friendships and kindly regard.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GEORGE C. GORMAN.

Among the younger representatives of the Jones county bar is George C. Gorman, who is steadily making his way to the head of the profession. He was born at Wyoming, Iowa, December 21, 1882. and is a son of John and Margaret S. (Ciirran) Gorman, the former a native of the state of New York, while the latter was born in Jones county. They were married on the 16th of April, 1878, and continued to reside in Jones county until the ist of March, 1909, when they removed to Davenport, Iowa, where Mr. Gorman is engaged in the real estate business.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.