These biographies were transcribed from Goodspeed’s Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton Counties. They are only the biographies for individuals who resided in Hall County Nebraska in 1890 whose surname starts with the letter G.
GILLESPIE, Robert
Robert Gillespie, assessor, Wood River, Hall County, Neb. This prominent and much esteemed citizen was originally from Virginia, where he was born in 1841, and is the son of James Gillespie, who was also a native of the Old Dominion, his birth occurring in 1812. The latter was a prominent tiller of the soil and died in Schuyler County, Ill., in 1862. He married Miss Matilda Printie, a native of Virginia, born about 1814, and to them were born eleven interesting children, nine of whom grew to maturity. Robert Gillespie grew to manhood in Schuyler County, Ill., was favored with such educational advantages as the district schools afforded, and was early initiated into the duties of farm life. He was married in Illinois, on September 20, 1870, to Miss Angeline Melvin, a native of Indiana, born in 1844, and the result of this union was three living children: Horton (born July 31, 1871), Charles P. (born August 27, 1873), Ella (born December 15, 1877, died July 21, 1888), Milley (born December 15, 1875, died August 22, 1888, both of diphtheria) and George R. (born September 15, 1883). Previous to his marriage, Mr. Gillespie had enlisted in the Union Army, Company F, One Hundred and Nineteenth Illinois Infantry, and served three years. He was in the Western Army and was in the battles of Nashville and Mobile, and was in Banks’ defeat on the Red River Expedition, and in the final campaign in Missouri. He farmed in Schuyler County, Ill., and owned property in Huntsville, but he sold out and came west, locating in Jackson Township, Hall County, in 1873, on a soldier’s homestead. He sold out in 1883, with the intention of going to the Pacific slope, but certain circumstances caused him to remain. He now owns 240 acres of land and has it well stocked. He was elected township assessor of Jackson Township for five years, and has had one appointment during the time and has had four elections in a Democratic township. He is a member of the A.F. & A.M. Blue Lodge, and the Farmers’ Alliance. Mrs. Gillespie is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
GOODRICH, Calvin A.
Calvin A. Goodrich. It was in the spring of 1876 that Mr. Goodrich first became a resident of Hall County, Neb., having come here from Clinton County, Mo., whither he had moved from his native State of New York, in 1870. He was born in Jefferson County, N.Y., May 5, 1846, but was taken to Oswego County, by his parents, in 1859, and was there reared to a farm life and educated in the common schools. He was the youngest of four sons and five daughters, all save one now living and the heads of families, and July 7, 1861, at the early age of fifteen years, he joined the New York Cavalry, and after nine months’ service was honorably discharged. On the first coming to Hall County, Neb., he homesteaded 160 acres of land and now has this in a good state of cultivation, well improved, with a fine young bearing orchard and fair buildings. He has followed carpentering to some extent throughout life, and for some time has been engaged in putting in pumps. He was elected and served seven consecutive years as county supervisor, and was re-elected to his eight term in the fall of 1889. He was married in Oswego County, N.Y., November 3, 1866, to Miss Lorinda McDaniel, a daughter of Madison McDaniel. She was born, reared and educated in Oswego County, and her union with Mr. Goodrich has resulted in the birth of five children: Charles J. (a successful school-teacher of Hall County), Fred W., Clara M., Harry E., and one other. Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he belongs to the G.A.R. organization, and is a member of the Farmers’ Alliance. His parents, William and Cyrena (Stillwell) Goodrich, were born in York State, and in addition to farming the father was engaged in contracting and building in Jefferson and Oswego Counties, until his death which occurred in 1859, his wife dying in the fall of 1886. He was a soldier in the War of 1812.
GUENTHER, Charles
Charles Guenther is a skillful contractor and builder, residing at Grand Island, Neb., and possesses many of the sterling qualities which are characteristic of his nation. He was born at New Brandenburg, in the Dutchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, December 5, 1853, and is a son of Carl Johan Andreas and Fredericka (Liermann) Guenther, and spent their lives in their native land, the father being a farmer. Charles Guenther was the third of four children, three sons and one daughter, and until he attained his fifteenth year was a resident of Germany. He then concluded to seek a home in the New World, and bidding adieu to home and friends he came to the United States, and first located at Syracuse, N.Y., where he learned the trade of carpentering and building. At the end of two years he came to Grand Island, Neb., and subsequently spent seven years as a journeyman throughout the South, West and East, picking up a great deal of useful information. In 1878 he returned to Grand Island and has since been prominently identified with the building interests of this place, some of the structures which he has erected being the finest in the city. He was married in 1881 to Miss Margaretha Siek, who blessed their union with a son and daughter: Herman and Lily, but left them motherless in 1885, being buried in the Grand Island Cemetery. In 1886 Mr. Guenther wedded Miss Margaretha Eggers, of Holstein, Germany, and their union has resulted in the birth of a son, Carl. Mr. Guenther is a member of the A.O.U.W., the Liederkranz, and for some time has been treasurer of the fire department.
GUY, J. M.
J.M. Guy, farmer and stockman, Wood River, Neb. Mr. Guy occupies an advanced position among the representative farmers and stock men of Harrison Township. He is an Eastern man by birth and bringing up, but has been a resident of this Western country for many years. Born in Madison County, Ohio, in 1837, he is the son of Willis and Jane (Hankins) Guy. The father was born in the Old Dominion in 1800, and settled in, Madison County, Ohio, at an early date. He was a farmer and followed this occupation the principal part of his life. The mother was also a native of Virginia, born in 1803. To their marriage were born eight children, four of whom grew to maturity. The maternal grandfather was Asa Hankins, and the maternal grandmother was Nancy Lee, from the same part of Virginia as Gen. R. E. Lee, and related to him. J.M. Guy has two brothers living: Samuel, residing in Wood River, Neb., and Asa H., who is in Danville, Ill., and he has one half brother living, Joseph Guy, who is farming in Cameron Township, Hall County, Neb. Another brother, John, was killed in California in 1853. J. M. Guy remained in his native State until sixteen years of age, after which he went to Illinois and located in De Witt County, Ill. He worked by the month on a farm and entered the Union Army August 9, 1862, Company D, One Hundred and Seventh Illinois Infantry, and served three years. He was hurt at Munfordsville, Ky., and did no more active service. He returned to De Witt County after the war, engaged in tilling the soil, and in 1871 was married to Miss Mary S. Frazier, a native of Maryland, born in 1850. To this union were born six children: Sarah J., Susan M., Anna L., Martha E., Nellie F. and John Willis. Mr. Guy continued to farm in Illinois until 1873, when he came west and settled on his present farm, taking a soldier’s homestead, and now has 480 acres of as good land as is to be found in the county. He raises and feeds stock, and is a prominent agriculturist of the township. He has received a pension of $4 per month since 1875, and this has since been increased to $10 per month. He is a member of the Farmers’ Alliance, chaplain of Plainview, and in politics is a Republican. Mrs. Guy is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Source: Goodspeed brothers. Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state: a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties… Chicago: The Goodspeed publishing co., 1890.
Back to: 1890 Hall County Biographies
Back to: Hall County Nebraska History and Genealogy Project