Isaac Foster

As printed in 1879

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

1851, they settled in this county, where they remained for ten years, thence to Louisa Co., where they now reside; had six children, three sons and three daughters; Isaac, the second son, born in Pike Co., Ohio, April 7, 1835; 16 years of age on coming to Iowa. July H, 1856, he married Millie J. Wood, daughter of James Wood, of Dayton, Ind., where she was born in August, 1838; her father, soon after, removed to Kentucky, where he died; her mother then married Err Thornton, and, in 1850, became one of the early settlers of Muscatine Co.; for seven years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Foster resided in Township Seventy-six, when they came to their present residence and farm of 180 acres; have seven children: Frank W., born April 30, 1857; Clara M., Dec. 2J, 1859; Luther E., March 20, 1862; Theodore M., Oct. 17, 1864; Err Thornton, April 28, 1868; David R., Nov. 28, 1871, and Mary E., Aug. 5, 1876. Mrs. P. is a member of the Reformed Church; Republican.

J. Li. (jtEISLjER, Cashier Union Bank of Wilton, residence, Fourth street, Wilton; son of Henry Geisler and Mary Wildason, natives of York Co., Penn., the former born in 1829, the latter in 1817; they became early settlers of Muscatine Co., and he became the first Postmaster of Wilton. In 1857, in company with Dennis Mahanna, Mr. Geisler, Sr., engaged in the grocery trade, which he continued until about a year previous to his death, in October, 1861, leaving a widow with two sons; ihe youngest, J. L., was born in Wilton May 17, 1857; after receiving a liberal education at the schools of his native town, in January, 1875, he entered the bank of J. L. Reed; remained for one year, then in the Farmers' & Citizens' Bank, until June, 1878; ' the Union Bank was established that year, since which he has acted as Cashier; March 14 of the present year, he was appointed Secretary of the White Pigeon Fire and Lightning Insurance Company. A member of the Grace Reformed Church. Independent in politics.

B. S. GrOUIiD, restaurant and bakery. Railroad st., opposite Depot; residence same; born in Franklin Co., Mass., July 26, 1836, and there raised until 18 years of age, when his parents removed to Davenport, Iowa, where his father died. In Octo her, 1856, he married Mrs. Sarah E., widow of Enos Glaskell and daughter of Gideon Averill; she was born in Chautauqua Co., N. Y., June 2, 1830; at the age of 6 years, came with her parents to Illinois, near Pleasant Valley, and soon after, to Davenport, Iowa; her brothers are extensive farmers near that city; her father died soon after their arrival there. In 1858, Mr. Gould, having secured a mail contract from Rochester, Cedar Co., to Dubuque, they removed to Rochester; remained for two years, then returned to.his native State (Massachusetts); remained until the breaking-out of the war, and enlisted in the 3d Cavalry (three-months men), Company B; he participated at the first battle at Bull Run; his time having expired, he returned to Davenport, and engaged with the Davenport Sorghum Refining Company. In December, 1864, he re-enlisted in the 24th Iowa Infantry; was detailed to Governor's Island, N. Y., as assistant in charge of the prison there, and continued there until the close of the war. He eno-aged in farming near Davenport until 1868; then removed to Marshalltown and engaged in dairying for two years, after which, he was in the employ of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad Company, for several years, and in the fall of 1878, he removed to Wilton, where he has since been engaged at his present business. They hare two children— the eldest, Charles M., was born in 1857, is now operator and head clerk of freight depot for Chicago & Rock Island Railroad at Muscatine; Frank, bom July 29, 1 864. FRA]!li"K. P. G-RA Y, physician and surgeon; office on Cedar street; boards at the Mclntire House, Wilton; a son of Dr. D. W. Gray, who was born in Greene Co., Penn Feb 22, 1827, and graduated first at Carmichael College, then at Miami Xedical College, Cincinnati, Ohio; in 1851, at West Wheeling, Va., he married Mary Palmer who was born at West Wheeling in 1832; he practiced in Saoksonville, in his native county, until 1870, and, in the spring of that year, came to Muscatine, where he practiced and dealt in drugs and medicines until his death, Nov. 6, 1877, leaving a wife and six children— three sons and three daughters; the eldest son and second born, Frank P was born in Greene Co., Penn., May 10, 1854, and, after a liberal common-school education, at the age of 16 he entered Waynesburg College, and graduated there; at the age of 18, lie commenced the study of medicine with his father; the winter of 1870-71, he entered the University of Wooster, at Cleveland, and the following summer was passed at Marine Hospital, and the following winter, returned to Cleveland and graduated; in February, 1872, he came to Muscatine, and, in thn winter of 1873-74, graduated at Keokuk, commencing practice with his father the following summer, which he continued until coming here in February, 1878. The Doctor adheres to the Democratic faith, in which himself and his father were raised.

DANIEL/ WA.RKER, proprietor of Harker House, corner Eailroad and Cedar streets, Wilton; a son of Daniel and Ann Harker, nee Kunkel, natives of Sussex Co., N. Y., and born, the former in 1800, the latter in 1803; they had nine children; Daniel was born in 1833, in Sussex Co., N. Y.; at the age uf 12, with his parents, he removed to Orange Co., N. Y., and, in 1855, the family, parents and three children, came to Iowa, settled in Muscatine, and, in March, 1856, removed to Wilton, where the father died in 1875, the mother having since found a home with her son, who, in November, 1861, married Ann E., daughter of Joseph Ours; she was born in Montour Co., Penn., in 1840, and, with her parents, came to this county in 1859. In March, 1862, they assumed charge of the Wilton House, that being the first hotel worthy the name of the place; remained there until November, 1863, after which he engaged in the grocery trade, auctioneering, etc., until January, 1873, when, having been reading law for several years, was admitted to the bar; during the same year, he was appointed Postmaster, and, in 1878, removed tu his present place of residence. They have ten children — Alberta K., Alfred L., George A., Anna G., Hattie A., Mary E., John K., Joseph N., Nelly E. and an infant. Independent in politics; Mrs. Harker ia a member of the Reformed Church. Mr. Harker has been a member of the Board of County Supervisors, Justice of the Peace, Mayor of Wilton, Trustee, Clerk and Constable.

As printed in The History of Muscatine county, Iowa (1879). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.