Pioneers of Marion County by Wm. Wm. M. Donnel, 1872

George Gillaspy

Among those who came to the county before the memorable First of May, was the no less distinguished personage, than George Gillaspy, and we proceed to open this chapter with a brief sketch of his history.

Mr. Gillaspy was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, July 15, 1814. At the age of 13 years his father moved to Johnson county, Indiana, where he remained about five years, and then returned to Kentucky. From thence he came to Iowa in 1840, and settled in Louisa county, and from thence to Marion county in the spring of 1843, stopping in the timber near Lake Prairie on the evening of the 24th of April. That night he took his wagon to pieces and covered it in different places to prevent the dragoons from discovering it, in which case it would have been subject to seizure and himself to expulsion from the territory.

As midnight ushered in the long desired first of May, Mr. G. marked out his claim, as did many others who had made selections and been awaiting the time to establish them legally. After securing his claim Mr. G. boarded for some time at Wellington Nossaman's, making rails for twenty-five or thirty cents per hundred. In the spring of '46 he was appointed assessor, and in August of the same year succeeded James Walters as sheriff,* and was re-elected to the same office in '48.

In "49 he was elected to the office of treasurer of the board of public works. On the 7th of October, '49, he moved to Ottumwa and took charge of the state land office. In '50 was re-elected to that post, and in '52 was appointed by Gov. Hempstead register of the state land office. In '53 (the legislature having made the incumbent of that office elective by the people) he was elected to fill it two years. At the end of this term he commenced mercantile business in Ottumwa, but two years later sold out and engaged in land speculation with considerable success. In '56 he was elected a delegate to the constitutional convention that came off during the year following. In the fall of '57 he was the nominee for lieutenant governor on the same ticket with Hon. Benj. M. Samuels; and in '69 headed the democratic ticket as candidate for governor.

Mr. Gillaspy still lives in Ottumwa, engaged in buying and selling cattle and hogs, and in packing pork in Chicago. In person he is a somewhat remarkable man, being of almost giant proportions.

*When Mr. G was canvassing the county as candidate for sheriff, he carried his horse feed with him in a sack. We note this simple fact merely in contrast with his late tours through the state as a candidate for governor.