Friday, August 24, 2012

George Gutches


GEORGE GUTCHES, one of the early settlers of Clarke County, and a prominent farmer of Osceola Township, was born near the city of Columbus, in Franklin county, Ohio, November 29, 1821, his parents, John and Nancy (Waits) Goetchius being natives of New York, the father being born in Dutchess County. They moved to Ohio when quite young, remaining in that State till their death. John Goetchius died in 1875, aged eighty-two years and five days and Nancy in 1835, aged forty-four years. They had a family of nine children of whom four yet survive. George Gutches, our subject, passed his youth on a farm, and in attending the common schools, remaining with his parents till twenty-four years of age.  He was united in marriage in 1844 to Miss Alcinda Armstrong, after which he rented a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits on his own account, continuing to reside on rented land till 1854. He then came to Clarke County, Iowa, and entered 120 acres of land from the Government, on which he erected a small log cabin, and in the fall of the same year removed his family to his new farm, where he has since made his home. His wife died in 1858, leaving five children – William W. and George, both living in Columbus; Emeline, wife of George Briggs, now of Colorado; Sarah A., married to W. R. Jones, who is engaged in the stock business in Colorado; Anna, wife of Harry Teller, a merchant, of Colorado. For his present wife he married Mrs. Ellen J. Owen, a daughter of Thomas and Christena Taylor, natives of Scotland, both of whom died in Jefferson County, Indiana.  Mr. Gutches entered the service of his country in 1861, enlisting in Company F, Sixth Iowa Infantry, as a fifer, and participated with his regiment in twenty-seven hard-fought battles, among which were the following: Shiloh, siege of Vicksburg, Mission Ridge. He re-enlisted as a veteran, and took part in all the battles of his regiment, and was with Sherman on his march to the sea. He was mustered out at Louisville, and sent to Davenport, where he received his pay. He then returned to his home in Clarke County, where his wife had carried on the farm and cared for the family while he was at the front.  He now has eighty acres of well cultivated land in his farm which is located on section 24 of Osceola Township. His property has been acquired by years of hard toil and industry, he having commenced life for himself without capital. In his political views Mr. Gutches is a staunch Republican. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for many years, uniting with that denomination when a boy.

SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Record of Clarke County, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1886 p. 352

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