GLASS, Charles E. one of the leading business men of Ellsworth, Wis., was born in the township of River Falls, Pierce county, Wis., October 28, 1865. He passed his early boyhood and manhood upon his father's farm and was educated in the district schools and the State Normal at River Falls, Wis. He remained on the old homestead until he became of age and then he engaged in the railroad business three years. Mr. Glass was elected sheriff of Pierce County in 1900 and served two years. At the expiration of his term of office he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business with his brother, Cyrus C., under the firm name of Glass Bros. They carry a full line of goods and their trade extends over a wide territory. In politics Mr. Glass is a Republican. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., of River Falls, and the Masonic Order, Blue Lodge, of Ellsworth, and Chapter at River Falls. Mr. Glass was married to Ida M. Nelson, September 29, 1896. She was born in the southern part of the state of Wisconsin and came to St. Croix county, Wisconsin, with her parents when she was a little girl. Her father, Ole, and her mother, Johanna Nelson, were natives of Norway, and came to the United States at an early day. They are still living and reside on a farm in St. Croix County. Mrs. Glass was educated at the district schools of St. Croix County and remained at home until her marriage. She is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Her two children were born at River Falls- Leila, June 22, 1897, and Marvel, January 22, 1900. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909)
GLASS,Cyrus, C. postmaster of River Falls since 1899, was born on his father's farm in River Falls Township, July 18, 1862, and was educated in the district schools and the State Normal School. As a boy and a young man he worked upon the home farm. He is the son of T. T. and Sarah (Lee) Glass, who were early settlers in Pierce County. Our subject remained on the farm until twenty-one years of age and then engaged in River Falls as a clerk and bookkeeper in a general store, where he remained fourteen years. He then became interested with his brother, Charles, in the livery business at River Falls. This business was continued for seven or eight years. They are now in the furniture business at Ellsworth, Wis. The firm name is Glass Brothers. Mr. Glass was appointed postmaster by President William McKinley in 1899, and he has held that office since that time. He is a Republican in politics and has served two terms as alderman and one term as city treasurer. Mr. Glass married for the fist wife Miss Ostrom, daughter of David A. and Fannie Ostrom. She died at River Falls. He married for his second wife Mattie Howe, daughter of Frank A. and Jennie Howe. They have one child, Truman Lee, born at River Falls, Wis., January 30, 1907. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
GLASS, Phillip, was born in River Falls Township, August 31, 1874. He was educated in the district schools and the State Normal. He taught school at Beldenville three years and the district schools of River Falls, also six months in North Dakota and seven months at Deer Park, St. Croix County, Wis. He was at one time engaged in the life insurance business, and is now engaged in farming ninety acres, section 12, range 19, River Falls Township. Mr. Glass married Anna Watson, April 8, 1908. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
GLASS, Truman, resides in River Falls Township. He was born in Chautauqua County, New York, May 22, 1830. He went to Kentucky when eighteen years of age and taught school one year. In 1849 he returned to New York and engaged in the lumber business. In 1850 he was engaged in mining in California. In 1856 he settled in River Falls Township, where he has since resided, engaged in general farming. He married Sarah Strahl, who was born in Ohio and moved to Iowa when she was eight years of age. In 1853 her parents moved to Pierce County, and here she has resided fifty-five years. In politics Mr. Glass is a Republican. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
GLASS, Walter was born in River Falls Township, November 24, 1867. He worked on his father's farm and attended the High School of River Falls and the State Normal. He remained on the home farm until he grew to manhood. He graduated from the Chicago Veterinary College and began the practice of his profession at River Falls and has continued it ever since, but at this time (1908) is more interested in farming. He has about 500 acres in North Dakota, which is well improved, and he has devoted some time to farming. He also buys and sells horses, shipping them largely to Dakota. He is a son of Truman T. and Sarah (Lee) Glass. His father was born in New York State and came to Wisconsin at an early day, some time in the early fifties, and settled in what is now known as Glass Valley, in River Falls township. Here he purchased a farm of 120 acres, which he added to from time to time, now owning a small farm adjoining the city limits. He is now seventy-eight years of age and a member of the Baptist church. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and has held all the chairs. His wife was born in Ohio, lived there until her parents moved to Iowa, and came to Wisconsin before she had grown to woman hood. She has had five children, all born in River Falls Township, Glass Valley. Cyrus C. is postmaster at River Falls. Charles E. resides at Ellsworth, dealer in furniture. Our subject was the third child born. Phillips resides on the farm with his parents. He has been a teacher and is now following the life insurance business to some extent. Florence married Rollin Foster, of San Francisco, Cal. The subject of this biography married Mrs. Lizzie Knudson, December, 1898, whose maiden name was Lizzie Barg. She was born in St. Croix county, a daughter of T. P. and Christiana Barg, natives of Norway, who came to America at an early day, settling in St. Croix County. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
GOODWIN, William L. was born in the Washoe Valley, Nevada in 1864, son of Henry and Mary (Hope)
Goodwin. The father was born in the county of Derbyshire, England, in 1834, and came to this country at
the age of twelve years with his parents, who settled in Middleton, Wis. His marriage occurred in that
village in 1855, and in 1861 he moved to Nevada, where he remained for eight years, living in the town of
Brunswick and hauling coal and wood to Virginia City. The remainder of his life was spent in farming
until June 17, 1885, when he passed to his reward. His wife was born in Scotland in 1842, came to this
country with her parents in the early days, and died June 11, 1880. William L. was seven years of age
when his parents took him to Middletown, Dane County, Wis. He attended the common schools and
remained under the family roof, working out, until his father died. He now lives on 183 acres of good land
in Clifton township, Pierce County, where he has 140 acres under cultivation, carrying on general farming
and stock raising. A Republican in politics, he served as school treasurer in the town of Middleton for one
and a half years. His religious affiliation is that of the Methodist Church. Mr. Goodwin was married in
December of 1894 to Mary Clow, born May 14, 1875, in Springdale, Wis., daughter of James and Mary
(Stevenson) Clow, both of whom still reside in Wisconsin. This union has been blessed with three
children—Henry, James and Esther.
GORMAN, CHRISTOPHER D. (Civil War) , postmaster, Olivet, Pierce county, is a son of John Gorman, who was born in Luzerne county, Pa., December 6, 1824, and married Esther, daughter of C. and E. L. Mead. Seven children were born to them: Christopher D.; Levi; Melissa (Mrs. Hull), deceased; Hiram; Eugene; Hezekiah, deceased; Josephine (Mrs. Gardner), lives at Ellsworth, Wis. Christopher D. was born in Syracuse, N. Y., June 30, 1846, and lived there until six years old, then came to Sheboygan, Wis., with his parents, and lived there until 1861, when he enlisted in the Eighth regiment, Wisconsin volunteer infantry called the Eagle regiment. He served with them until June 6, 1864, when he was shot through the left shoulder. He then went to the hospital and was discharged from there May 26, 1865, when he came to Pierce county; then west to Madison, and attended Worthington & Warner's commercial college for six months, after which he went to farming. In 1886 he married Mary A., daughter of David and Eliza Rogers, and then took up a homestead and commenced a pioneer life. Six children have been born to them: Lillian L. L. L., Walter M. L., Robert H., Mary A., Halber E. and Pearlie E. Two years later he moved back to Sheboygan county, and six months later to New Auburn, Minn. After a year and a half there he came to Pierce county, Wis., and went into the grocery trade. He was appointed postmaster, and held that office until 1873. He next went to Waupaca and ran a general store for two years, then sold out and worked at the carpenter's trade until 1877, when he came back and worked at his trade until 1889. In that year he was appointed postmaster, then put in a small grocery stock. He was elected justice of the peace in 1872, and has held that office since except two years. He is a member of the G. A. R., is a prominent Odd Fellow, and in politics is a republican. --Taken from the "Historical and Biographical Album of the Chippewa Valley Wisconsin.
GOSSETT, ABRAHAM, (Civil War) farmer, P. O. Elmwood, Pierce county, is a son of James Gossett, who was born in Tennessee in 1801, and married Lucy A., daughter of James and Nancy Hill. To them ten children were born, namely: Jacob (deceased), Isaac (deceased), Rebecca, Nancy (deceased), Abraham, John, Polly Jenkings, Lucinda (deceased), Fanny (Mrs. Howard), and Peggy (Mrs. Pullen, deceased). Abraham was born June 9, 1827, in Hamilton county, Ill., but when quite young moved with his parents to Fort Madison, Iowa, and lived on a farm. In 1858 he married Rhoda, daughter of John and Elizabeth Jenkings. Five years later he came to Maiden Rock, Wis., and enlisted from there June 11, 1862, in Company A, Twentieth regiment Wisconsin volunteer infantry, and served nine months, and then was honorably discharged on account of disability. In 1863 he came to Pierce county and took a homestead, and his was the second family in the township. He farmed during the summer and was engaged in lumbering some during the winters, but being quite a hunter he would hunt deer and bear, selling part to Carsen & Co. He was a mill-wright by trade and has served as surveyor two terms. When he came here provisions were very scarce and high, pork costing twenty-four cents per pound, flour $16 per barrel. Now he has a comfortable home with his children near him. He has four children, namely: Amanda M. (Mrs. Smith), Rebecca J. (Mrs. Rima, deceased), Willis W. (deceased), and Laura (Mrs. Layman), who lives in Warren, Chippewa county, Wis. Politically Mr. Gossett is a republican and has been constable of the township for a number of terms. He is a member of the G. A. R. and is widely known and respected by all. --Taken from the "Historical and Biographical Album of the Chippewa Valley Wisconsin.
GRIMM, Jay H., a practicing attorney of River Falls, was born November 14, 1878, and received his early education in the common and high schools of his native place. After graduating he read law under Nils P. Haugen and afterwards with MacAusland & Smith at Superior, Wis. He passed his examination and was admitted in December 1900, at Milwaukee, Wis. He began to practice his profession at once with Nils P. Haugen at River Falls, Wis., and continued with Mr. Haugen until he retired form the practice of law, since when Mr. Grimm has practices alone with good success. He is a son of John and Mary Grimm. His father was born in Ohio and settled at River Falls about 1877, where he followed the trade of a blacksmith and is now living a retired life. The subject of this biography has a general practice besides doing a general mutual fire insurance business, managing the business in Pierce and St. Croix counties for all the city and village mutual companies which do fire insurance business throughout the state. He is the secretary of the River Falls City Mutual Fire Insurance Company and Northwestern Mutual Fire Insurance Company, of Wisconsin. He belongs to the Masonic order and is a member of the Congregational church. Mr. Grimm married Bernice Whitcomb, a native of St. Croix County, a daughter of Colton and Belle (Wilson) Whitcomb. Mr. Whitcomb is the owner and manager of the Prairie Mills and an early settler. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
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