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Rev. Reuben Gaylord
Rev. Reuben Gaylord
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Born: 28 APR 1812 at Norfolk, Litchfield County, Connecticut
Died: 10 JAN 1880
Buried: Prospect Hill Cemetery at Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska
Married: (1) 13 OCT 1838 to Sarah Burton at Round Prairie, McDonough County, Illinois
Born: unknown
Died: Abt. 1840
Buried: unknown
Children:
Sarah A., b. abt 1839 at Iowa, d. unknown, bur. unknown. Married 17 JUL 1862 at Omaha, Nebraska to Sardius Clark Brewster, b. 23 OCT 1833 at Mexico, NY.
Married: (2) 8 NOV 1841 to Mary M. Wells at Danville, Des Moines County, Iowa
Born: 1814 at Connecticut
Died: 20 JAN 1899 at Irvington, Douglas County, Nebraska
Buried:
Children:
2 unknown
Ralph E., b. 8 SEP 1849, d. unknown, bur. unknown. Married OCT 1879 to Mary Timmerman.
Georgia (adopted?), b. abt 1856 at Vermont, d. unknown, bur. unknown.
Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska
REV. REUBEN GAYLORD, the first Congregational minister, and one of the early settlers of Nebraska, was born at Norfolk, Litchfield Co., Conn., April 28, 1812. He was one of eight children, and his parents were of the genuine Puritan stock. His early boyhood was passed on his father's farm, where he enjoyed the benefit of a strictly Christian home. In 1830 he entered Yale College, at New Haven, Conn., where he took a high position as a scholar and a Christian student. In Greek, Latin and mathematics, his scholarship was of a high standard, and among the first he graduated with honor in 1834, having taken a full college course. Among those who were present and heard his graduating oration, was Prof. J. M. Sturtevant, who at once sought him out for tutorship in Illinois College at Jacksonville, Ill. After consulting his parents and friends, he accepted the offer, and in the spring of 1835 went to Jacksonville to enter upon his labors as instructor. He remained there until September, 1837, and while performing the duties of tutor, studied theology under Dr. Edward Beecher, who was then president of the institution. In the fall of 1837 he returned East, and entered Yale Theological Seminary, where he graduated in 1838, and soon afterwards came West to Iowa. There, at the age of twenty-six, he commenced his chosen work of preaching the gospel, a work he dearly loved, and which he lived and died. He was the second Congregational minister in Iowa, coming into the Territory a few months after Father Turner. Many of the churches were gathered by him, and he was also one of the founders of Iowa College, and was for many years numbered among its trustees. He was one of three who formed the first Congregational Association of that State. Beside performing much missionary labor, he preached to the churches of Mt. Pleasant and Danville, and was settled Pastor at the latter place more than eleven years. Needing rest after years of constant labor, in September, 1855, he crossed the State of Iowa to the Missouri River with a horse and buggy, a distance of 300 miles, spending a part of a Sabbath in Omaha, then in its infancy. He was invited by Gov. O. D. Richardson, a gentleman who was once governor of Michigan, and an intelligent Congregationalist, to come and labor in Omaha. After returning to Eastern Iowa, and conferring with his family and brethren in the ministry, he asked a dimission from his pastorate, and as soon as practicable took his little family of five and started on the long journey to Nebraska. After many hindrances and much hardship, caused by encountering storms and fording streams with steep, icy banks, they reached Omaha on Christmas Day, 1855. In the post office he found a commission to labor in Nebraska, forwarded to him here by the Am. Home Missionary Society. There was then no church organization of any kind in the place, but about this time a small Methodist class was formed by Rev. Mr. Collins. The only place for holding religious service was the State House, and in this Mr. Gaylord preached every Sabbath afternoon. The one hotel in the town was kept by G. M. Mills, and was always more than full. The best Mr. Gaylord could do was to go into a small, unfinished house where he and his family were compelled to wage a constant warfare against the intense cold by day and by night, often afraid that some one of their number would literally freeze to death. The winter of 1855-56 will not soon be forgotten by those who were called upon to endure the privations and bear the hardships of pioneer life in Omaha. The thermometer was often down to 28°, and more than once stood at 30° below zero. The following winter was perhaps equally severe, but the new settlers had in the mean time gathered some comforts around them, and endured its severity with less suffering. The next spring, on Sabbath, May 4, 1856, he organized a church of nine members, and about this time a church edifice was commenced, which was so far completed by the following October that the basement was occupied for holding meetings. The building was completed in August of the next year, 1857. It was a neat, substantial edifice of brick, and the audience-room was rendered very pleasant and attractive by the ladies, who furnished it from the proceeds of a fair--the first ever held in Nebraska, and which netted $400. On the Second Sabbath in May, 1856, Mr. G. organized a Congregational Church in Fontenelle, Neb., forty miles northwest of Omaha, situated on the east bluff of the Elkhorn River. This place, for beauty of scenery and healthfulness of location, can not be surpassed in the State of Nebraska. It was named from the Indian Chief Logan Fontenelle, of whom the land was purchased. A colony had settled there from Quincy, Ill., late in the year of 1854. Many of these were Baptists, and wishing to locate a college which would grow up with the young State, procured a charter to that effect, but becoming discouraged, made proposals to the Congregationalists, which were accepted, and the charter was assigned to them. A college building was erected in 1856-57, and for many years a flourishing school was maintained, which sent out teachers and others whose influence has been widely felt for good. To establish this institution on a firm foundation, Mr. Gaylord raised considerable money, and for twelve or fifteen years gave to it much thought, time and effort. But it finally suffered some reverses from injury to the building by fire and wind, and a majority of the Congregational ministers wishing it removed to some other place, it was given up, and Doane College, located at Crete, Neb. took its place. The financial reverses of 1857-58 were a heavy blow to the prosperity of the youthful city of Omaha. It took away many valuable young men, and others, who had come hither to engage in business, and especially hindered all those church enterprises which were begun with so much hope and courage. Mr. G. continued to minister to the church in Omaha, and in the mean time visited other settlements, preaching and gathering other churches wherever there was sufficient encouragement to do so. In 1864 he was appointed agent for the A. H. M. Society, his field embracing the two western tier of counties in Iowa, and the whole of Nebraska. He accepted this appointment and after giving up his special care of the church in Omaha, entered upon these labors with the zeal and enthusiasm which characterized all his efforts. He resigned this work in 1870, the resignation taking effect in the spring of '71. During the summer of 1871 he was sent out by the A. H. M. S. to explore on the line of the U. P. R. R., and find openings for missionary labor. He visited Salt Lake City twice, and afterwards Colorado on the same errand. From this time for more than four years, while he still resided in Omaha, he constantly preached at LaPlatte, Papillion, and other places, where good needed to be done. About the close of the year 1875, he was requested to go to Fontenelle, as the church there was without a minister. This place had always been dear to him, and his love for the people had ever been reciprocated by them, and year by year for four years they invited him to remain with them. Much of this time he cared for the two churches of Jalapa and Fontenelle, holding three services and riding twelve miles every Sabbath. On January 2, 1880, soon after the commencement of his fifth year of labor in Fontenelle, and during the week of prayer, he was suddenly stricken down with paralysis, and after nearly thirty-six hours of apparent unconsciousness, passed away from earth. His remains were taken to Omaha, and on Tuesday, the 13th, were interred in Prospect Hill Cemetery. Two weeks later, by special request of Rev. Mr. Sherill, and a large number of Omaha people, a very interesting memorial service was held in the Congregational Church, which was participated in by many of the leading citizens and clergymen, who had gathered for that purpose. Mr. G. was married twice. First in October, 1838 to Miss Sarah Burton, of Plymouth, Ill, who died in less than two years, leaving an infant daughter. In November, 1841, he was again married, to Miss Mary M. Welles, of Newington, Conn., who still survives him. Of five children, only two are living. Mrs. S. C. Brewster, of Irvington, Neb., and Ralph E. Gaylord, of the law firm of Webster & Gaylord, Omaha, Neb. Mr. Gaylord, at the time of his death was sixty-seven years and eight months old.
Nebraska: the Land and the People: Volume 1:
The futile proceedings of the Fourth Legislative Assembly had made it necessary for Governor Richardson to issue a call for an extra session, to meet September 21, 1858, and the two houses assembled accordingly. The permanent officers elected in the Council were: L. L. Bowen, of Sarpy County, president; S. M. Curran, chief clerk; J. G. Tredway, assistant clerk; John McA. Campbell, sergeant-at-arms; John Reck, doorkeeper, and Rev. Reuben Gaylord, chaplain. In the House the permanent officers elected were: H. P. Bennet, speaker; E. G. McNeely, chief clerk; Hugh McNeely, assistant clerk; J. D. N. Thompson, sergeant-at-arms; E. H. Rogers, doorkeeper, and Rev. Mr. Smith, chaplain.
Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska
RALPH E. GAYLORD, son of the late Rev. Reuben Gaylord, attorney and counselor of law. He began the practice of law in Omaha in 1876, having been admitted to the bar of that year. He was born in Danville, Iowa, September 8, 1849. He entered the Iowa College at Grinnell, Iowa, in 1869, and entered the Sophomore class. Graduated in 1872, and took the A. M. degree at the time of graduating and the A. B. degree in 1875. He taught two years in the Omaha High School as assistant principal, after which he began the study of law in the law-office of Ambrose & Briggs, and was admitted to the bar as above noted. He has been connected with the schools of the city, either as a member of the Board of Education or in other capacities, for a number of years. He was a member of the Nebraska Legislature in the winter of 1879-80. He was married in Grinnell, Iowa, in October, 1879, to Miss Mary E. Timmerman, who was born in Buffalo, N. Y.
Source: Ruth Moss, Washington County Genealogical Society
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