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Charles Guilford
Born December 25, 1866 |
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Charles Guilford, who owns and operates an excellent farm of four hundred and forty acres on sections 11 and 14, Cass township, was born in Jones county on Christmas day, 1866, and his whole life has been passed within its borders. When a little lad of three years he was adopted by John Lyman Guilford, in whose home he was reared to manhood. G. L. Guilford who was a native of Cleveland, Ohio, lost his father when about sixteen years of age and from that time he was dependent upon his own resources for a livelihood. He was engaged in canal work as a youth and when a young man moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he became identified with agricultural interests. He remained there until 1854, which year witnessed his arrival in Jones county, Iowa, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land in Cass township. As the years passed and he prospered, he was able to add from time to time to his original investment until his possessions finally aggregated four hundred and forty acres, constituting the farm now owned by our subject. He continued to engage in general farming here until 1894, when he retired from active business and returned to Michigan, where he passed away on the 28th of September, 1907. Had he lived until the following March be would have been eighty years old. His wife died just fourteen days after his demise, having reached her sixty-fourth year. The subject of this review had two sisters: Frances, who is now the wife of Fred Like, of Blue Earth, Minnesota; and Mary, the wife of Mead Sanford.
Charles Guilford attended the district schools of Cass township in the acquirement of an education and he remained on the home farm with his parents until their removal, in 1894, to Michigan. He then took charge of the farm and has since continued in its operation. At an early age he had assisted his father in the work of the fields and under his direction had acquired excellent training along agricultural lines, so that he was well equipped for the practical and responsible duties that devolved upon him when he took up the management of the homestead, which he now owns He carries on general farming and stock raising, and both branches of his business are proving profitable sources of revenue to him. He makes a specialty of black Aberdeen Angus cattle and now has about sixty head, although be has had a herd of over one hundred.
On the 28th of July, 1897, Mr. Guilford was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Batchelder, who was born in Langworthy, Iowa, on the 9th of February, 1870, and is a daughter of Albert and Harriett (Hunter) Batchelder, both of whom are now deceased. Unto them were born five children, namely: Glenn, Irene, Clifford, Ruth and Vernon.
Mr. Guilford gives his political support to the Republican Party but has not sought to figure prominently before the public, although he has ever been true and loyal in all matters of citizenship. He was early trained to habits of industry, enterprise and integrity, and these have proven strong elements in his success and at the same time have gained the unqualified respect of his fellowman.
Source: History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 550. |
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