Biographical History of Pottawattmie Co., IA

ILLIAM GUSTIN, one of the intelligent and progressive citizens of Grove Township, Pottawattamie County, came to his present location in January, 1881.

He was born in Brown County, Ohio, May 1, 1846. His parents are Alpheus and Polly (Edington) Gustin, both natives of Ohio. The Gustins are of Scotch extraction, and grandfather Gustin was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The Edington family trace their lineage back to Ireland, their ancestors having lived near the Rhine. Mr. and Mrs. Gustin reared eight children, five sons and three daughters, William being the fourth. Six of them are residents of Pottawattamie County, namely: Edward and A. B., Waveland Township; A. J., Isaac, William, and Eveline, wife of Crawford Cary, Grove Township. Two sisters, Sarah and Massie Ann, live in Mills County, Iowa.

When William was a lad of nine years his parents moved to Illinois, remaining in that State one year. From there they removed to what was then called the far West, Mills County, Iowa, and settled near where Emerson is now located. The Gustins were among the early pioneers of that district. There the parents spent the remainder of their lives, the mother dying at the age of fifty-six years and the father at sixty-three. William was ten years old when the family went to Mills County, and in that frontier district he grew up, inured to hard work and received only a meagre education in the common schools. He there engaged in farming until 1881, when he came to this county and settled on 120 acres of wild prairie land. On it he built a comfortable frame house and barn and made other improvements, fencing, etc. He also acquired more land and now has 200 acres in one body.

Mr. Gustin was married March 20, 1865, to Miss Phoebe Jane Hutchings. She was born in Delaware County, Indiana, and was ten years old when she came with her parents to Mills County, Iowa. Her father and mother, William and Nancy (Cicle) Hutchings, both natives of Ohio, were among the first settlers of Mills County, where they still live. Mr. and Mrs. Gustin have reared six children, two sons and four daughters: Emma Olive, wife of John L. Bradley, Grove Township; Rose Ann, wife of W. L. Holliday, of Montgomery County, Iowa; Nancy Eveline, Theodosia Adella, William Otis and Abraham Sirvetus. They lost two children by death in infancy -- Edward Iven and Artie Clifford.

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This page last updated: Friday, 01-Jan-1999 08:53:24 MST.