Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.

John M. Gibson, who owns and operates one hundred and ninety acres of finely improved land on section 11, Belmont township, was born in Union township, Warren county, Iowa, October 30, 1857. His father, Jonathan Gibson, was a native of Illinois and when a young man accompanied his father, Thomas Gibson, to Marion county, Iowa, settling near the Warren county line. Thomas Gibson subsequently removed to Mahaska county, where his demise occurred, his remains being interred at Bellefontaine.

Jonathan Gibson made his home in Union township from the time of his marriage until he was called to his final rest in December, 1901. In his political views he was a democrat. His wife, whom he wedded in Warren county and who bore the maiden name of Eliza Ellen Bacon, was a native of Ohio but when a young lady accompanied her parents on their removal to Warren county, Iowa, the family home being established in Union township. Her father, William Bacon, resided here for a number of years and then removed to Polk county, locating north of Des Moines, where he passed away. Mrs. Eliza Ellen Gibson died in 1864, when about thirty years of age, leaving four children, namely: W. Thomas, of South Dakota; John M., of this review; Mrs. Samantha Batten, of Union township; and Nora, who died in infancy. After losing his first wife Jonathan Gibson was again married, his second union being with Miss Delilah Ferguson, by whom he had two children, one of whom died in infancy. Ida, who became the wife of D.J. Reynolds, lived in Union township but passed away about eleven years ago. Mr. Reynolds now resides in Marion county, Iowa.John M. Gibson was reared in the county of his nativity, acquiring his education in the common schools. Throughout his entire business career he has followed agricultural pursuits, owning and operating one hundred and ninety acres on section 11, Belmont township. His holdings also include eighty acres on section 3, which he leases, and in addition to the work of general farming he is likewise engaged in stock-raising, meeting with a gratifying and well merited degree of prosperity in both undertakings. Since locating on his present farm, in 1880, he has placed thereon the many substantial improvements which now adorn the property, and which in its neat and thrifty appearance indicates the supervision of a practical and progressive owner.Mr. Gibson has been twice married. He first wedded Miss Annie Stanley, who passed away in Belmont township in 1892, leaving two children, Loren and Bertha, both of whom have since died. In 1894 Mr. Gibson was united in marriage to Mrs. Eliza Ann Basset, nee Spurgin, by whom he has one son, Lee J., born May 8, 1895, who is attending school.

In his political views Mr. Gibson is a stanch republican. He is well known and highly esteemed as one of the prosperous and public-spirited citizens of his native county and has gained an extensive circle of warm friends during the long period of his residence here.

S. A. GOSE is not only one of the leading citizens of Union township but also fought for the preservation of the Union during the dark days of the Civil war and as such he is justly deserving of prominent mention in the history of his county. Throughout his active business life he has engaged in agricultural pursuits and is today the owner of a fine farm on section 2, Union township. Mr. Gose was born on the 21st of February, 1841 , in Boone county, Indiana, and is a representative of an old Virginia family of German origin. His grandfather, Stephen Gose, and also his father, George W. Gose, were natives of Virginia and in that state the latter grew to manhood. On leaving the Old Dominion they removed to Boone county, Indiana, where in the midst of the wilderness they cleared and improved a farm. There George W. Gose was united in marriage to Miss Frances Brown, a native of Kentucky , and they continued to make their home in Boone county for a number of years. In 1851 they removed to Marion county, Iowa , where he opened up a farm and is still residing at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. S. A. Gose was ten years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Marion county, Iowa , and in the common schools of that county he acquired a good practical education, which well fitted him for teaching, a profession he followed in Marion county for one winter before entering the army. Joining the boys in blue, he enlisted August 8, 1862 , as a member of Company A, Thirty-third Iowa Volunteer Infantry, which was assigned to the Western Department. His first engagement of any consequences was at Helena , Arkansas , and he was later in the battles f Little Rock , Prairie Deanne, Jenkins Ferry, the siege of Spanish Fort and other engagements. He was never off duty on account of illness or other causes and at the close of the war was mustered out at New Orleans and honorably discharged. Returning home, he then engaged in farming during the summer months, while through the winter he taught school for a few years. In March, 1869, in Warren county, Mr. Gose married Miss Rebecca Sinnard, a daughter of Thomas J. Sinnard, and they have one child, Ora J., the widow of E. F. Warren, who died here in February, 1898. She has a son, E. F. Warren, Jr., who is now ten years of age. After his marriage Mr. Gose located on a part of his present farm in Union township, commencing with eighty acers, only a part of which was under cultivation and the only improvement was a small house. As time passed and he prospered in his farming operation he kept adding to his property until he now has four hundred and fifty acres of rich and arable land, on which are two good sets of farm buildings. He raises and feeds quite a large amount of stock and is regarded as one of the most progressive and enterprising agriculturists of his community. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise, Mr. Gose has been a stanch supporter of the republican party, casting his first vote for Abraham Lincoln while in the army in 1864. He has been a delegate to the county, state and congressional conventions of his party and has filled the office of justice of the peace in this county and as assessor in Marion county. Both he and his wife are prominent members of the Otterbein United Brethren church, the house of worship being built on the Gose farm. He has taken a leading and active part in church and Sunday school work, serving as superintendent of the Sunday school for twenty-two years and is now secretary of the Warren County Sunday School Association. His life has been one of continuous activity, in which has been accorded due recognition of labor and today he is numbered among the substantial citizens to any movement calculated to benefit the moral, intellectual or material welfare of this section of the country or advance its wonderful development.

-------------------------------------- p 348-49: UNITED BRETHREN

Otterbien United Brethren Church . Early in 1850, regular preaching was established in the home of T. J. Sinnard; later a log schoolhouse was erected in the community in which religious services were held. A society of United Brethren was organized by Rev. Corbin, which was finally disbanded because of deaths and removals, but was reorganized in 1878, by Rev. J. H. Young. The constitutent members were, S. A. Gose and wife, D. C. Pearson and wife, Richard Pearson and wife, Aaron Reeves and wife, Samuel Hagan and Alice Pearson. The present membership is twenty- five. A large number of pastors have served this society, some for a shorter, some for a longer period. In 1884, the society erected a commodious church on the corner of S. A. Gose's farm in section 2 in Union township. At present the society is supplied with regular preaching once in two weeks. Mrs. Henry Thompson is the superintendent of an excellent all-the-year-around Sunday school.