Jefferson D. Gildea

Jefferson D. Gildea, who deserves mention in this volume as one of the honored soldiers of the Civil war and a representative citizen of Boone county, now makes his home on section 27, Worth township, where he has resided for the past fifty years. Here he owns a valuable and well improved farm of one hundred and twenty acres and also has another tract of forty acres on section 22 of the same township, and forty in section 29, and he is successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, April 20, 1840, his parents being Thomas B. and Mary (Boyd) Gildea. His father was a native of England and was a young man when he emigrated to America. His paternal grandfather, Captain James Gildea, followed the sea and was commander of a vessel. He was born in Ireland and married an English lady, after which he made his home in England for some years. Coming to America, he secured a farm in Harrison county, Indiana, but he continued to follow the sea and was eventually captured by pirates and put to death. His widow afterward married John Zenor, and they located on the farm in Harrison county, Indiana, continuing to make their home there throughout the remainder of their lives.

James Gildea, a son by the first marriage, and the uncle of our subject, came to Boone county, Iowa, in the early '50s and secured the land in Worth township now occupied by Jefferson D. Gildea. The uncle remained here until his death, an honored and highly esteemed citizen of the community. Prior to coming to this state he had been engaged in the mercantile business in Bowling Green, Indiana, in partnership with Robert Wingate, who also came to Boone and at one time owned the site of the northwestern part of that city, it being still known as Wingate's addition.

Thomas B. Gildea, father of our subject, accompanied the family on their emigration to America and after living in Indiana for some years came to Boone county, Iowa, locating in section 22, Worth township, where he secured one hundred and twenty acres of land. He later bought eighty acres on section 29 and continued to make his home here until he passed away at the age of about seventy-three years. At the age of sixteen years he became connected with the boating business on the Ohio river and eventually became captain of a vessel which he owned. He continued to follow the river until his removal to Iowa, when he turned his attention to farming in Boone county. In Indiana he was a member of the United Brethren church, but here joined the Methodist Episcopal church. He was also identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and served as trustee of Worth township for many years. His wife, who also held membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, was a native of Ohio and survived him for twelve years. They had five children, of whom three died in infancy, those now surviving being Jefferson D., of this review; and Susan, the wife of Jacob Hoffman, of Boone. The father was twice married, his first wife being Susan Lloyd, by whom he had one son, Thomas J., the father of John T. Gildea, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume.

Jefferson D. Gildea was in his fourteenth year when the family came to Boone county, Iowa. He attended the subscription schools during the winter months, while throughout the summer he aided in the work of the home farm until his marriage. He then built a house upon that farm, but eventually became the owner of the home of his uncle, as previously stated. He has followed farming with marked success and has devoted considerable attention to stock raising.

Mr. Gildea was married May 3, 1863, to Miss Sarah Doran, who died on the 20th of May, 1906, at the age of fifty-nine years. She was born in Ohio, but in the early '50s was brought to this county by her parents, George and Lydia Doran. She has three sisters living, namely: Mrs. George Millard and Mrs. William R. Dyer, of Boone; and Mrs. George Bennett, of Oregon. She also had a half brother, Andrew Doran, who now resides on the western coast. Of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Gildea, seven are living, while Charles, died at the age of nineteen years. Teresa became the wife of Nathan Burlingame, formerly a railroad engineer who is now engaged in farming in Worth township, and they have one child, Merrill. Carrie is the wife of J. E. Hoffman, a farmer, and they have six children: Mabel, the wife of Charles Elliott of Boone; Clarence, operating our subject's farm; Mrs. Iva Yeager, of Colfax township; Iona and Ross, at home; and Mrs. Daisy Killion, of Worth township. Mary, the third daughter of our subject, is the wife of Tyler Hoffman of Luther, who carries on business as a liveryman and farmer. They have four children, Archie C., William C., Opal and Harold. Anna and Rosa are both at home. Charles was the next in order of birth. Ella is the wife of Philip Hoffman, a farmer living in Clear Lake, Iowa. John H. is engaged in farming on section 22, Worth township. He married Daisy Boone, daughter of Virgil Boone, and they have one son, Harry, aged nine years.

During the dark days of the Civil war Mr. Gildea felt that his country needed his services and in October, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Sixteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry and was mustered in the following December. He served under General Sherman for nine months and was then discharged on account of disability and returned home. His discharge papers were lost, however, and owing to that fact he was afterward drafted (a most peculiar and unusual circumstance) and then became a member of Company D, Thirteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. At Goldsboro, North Carolina, he met his old regiment and went with them to Washington, D. C., where he participated in the grand review at the close of the war. He is today an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic post at Madrid, Iowa. By his ballot he supports the men and measures of the republican party and he is an earnest member of the Methodist church, to which his wife also belonged.

SOURCE: Nathan Edward Goldthwait, Editor, History of Boone County, Iowa, Volume 2, p. 581-3