Sunday, January 22, 2017

Early Days in Lyman #27

EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster


Continuing . . .
W. T. Gourley came to Ford County from Indiana in 1866 when about seven years of age.
He was left an orphan when two years old. He lived with an aunt until he was seven years of age. He then came to Ford County and made his home with a cousin until he reached the age of 18 years of age. He used to heard cattle on the prairies. There was quite a lot of government land and individually owned land that could be rented at that time. He continued herding in the summer and attending school in winter until he was about eighteen years old. He was a very industrious lad. When eighteen years of age he bought a team and a few farming tools, rented some land and was master of the situation. So successful was he that he felt that he ought to put his cash into a small farm. Accordingly he purchased forty acres of land about one mile east of the Wagner schoolhouse. He felt he was a real farmer. He tilled his own soil.

In 1880 he (W. T. Gourley) married Miss Margaret Thomas, the daughter of Lewis and Elizabeth Thomas, of Onarga. Onarga was her natal home. She was one of a family of four children. Her father was a soldier in the Civil War. He was captured and confined in that awful Libby prison. He was never released. He, like so many others, died in prison.
Mr. and Mrs. Gourley had one daughter and four sons, Gertie, Wilbur, Roland, Walter and Arthur. All are living except Gertie. She married William Eshleman. They moved to Indiana several years ago. She died about one year ago. When she was about six years of age in 1888, she was my pupil in school in the Wagner school.
The boys are all married. Mr. and Mrs. Gourley are living on their farm in the northwest corner of Section 2, Town 25. I have known Mr. Gourley for many years. In all his success he has had many misfortunes in machinery. I have seen him when it was much of a task to walk and yet he had a smile. We hope that he will be blessed with health the balance of his life.
The farm that Mr. Gourley owns on Section 2 was occupied by Justin Wyman when we came here. He moved to Chatsworth and ran a general store. His son, Arthur Wyman lives in Chicago. Arthur Wyman's grandparents and uncle Charles and aunt Martha lived one-fourth mile east. The house has been torn down. Charles Edward Wyman practiced law in Roberts in the early days of the town. He attended school at the old schoolhouse in District No. 36 when I started to school. I think he lives in California.
Stephen Lesch lived on the Gourley farm just preceding Mr. Gourley. He sold the farm to Mr. Gourley. The Lesch family came from Chicago to the farm in about 1882. Mr. Lesch was a good farmer and hard worker. He had a nice family. They were my pupils. Mr. Lesch moved to Ridgeville, Indiana. Florence Lesch, the oldest girl, married Edward Jones of Thawville. They moved to Chicago. She died while on the operating table a short time ago.


--Roberts Herald. 18 September 1935. Bela Foster.

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