Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-10-15
FLOYD COUNTY TO CELEBRATE
EDsoN oAYLoRp's ami.
vERsARY.
HOME COMING OF OLD
sETTLERs Is PLANNED
Pioneer Settler Reaches Eighty eighth
Milestone Of Lifs-Ersetsd First Ca.
bin. in County sixty Years Ago
Bought Floyd County Land At Sew.
snty five Cents an Acre.

Special to Times
Nora Springs. Oct. 15.-Oct. 10 10 the
eighty eighth anniversary Of the birth
Of Edison Gaylord, one. IL not the nrs'
settler in Floyd county, andFit will be
made the occasion Of home coming
Of all the old settlers Of early days
turnout this section Of the state. One
Of the unique features Of the event Is
the celebration Of the sixtieth ami
versary Of the erection Of the log cabin
built by Mr.. Gaylord, the nrst log OF
which was cut on Dot. 81. 1858. AND
which 10 still standing on the Gaylord
homestead well preserved and cher
ished for its many happy memories.
Edison Gaylord Is a native Of sus-
] sex county. New Jersey. whore he grew
to manhood and at the age Of 81. with
| his small earnings, set out to find q
homo in the west. He tramped on foot
| over much of north Iowa and southern
Minnesota and early In October finally
settled on land now the town site OF
this place. where he has lived since.
Ssvsnty-Fivs Cent Land.
His home 10 called Gaylord Glade
and the family now reside In a hand
some brick house. the brick made from
tho old fashioned brick yard operated
by Mrfl. Gaylord for years. He bought
the land on which he now resides from
squatter for IS cents per acre.
The log cabin, besides being the
pioneer dwelling Of the family. served
AZ meeting house for religious pur-
poses for years. It was built without
q saw or a nail and its chinking is
composed Of mud.
First things will be in evidence 0Il
the occasion Of the "home coming"
Mr.. Gaylord himself claims no small
part in the accomplishing Of first
things. He built the hrst road In Rock
Grove township, which Is now a part
Of the north Iowa pike. He burned the
first lime in this section Of the state
and made the first brick In north Iowa.
On Nov. 81. 1853. he cut the first log
which went into the first school house
erected In north Iowa, was the first d.
rector Of the school, AMI Sarah Griffith,
still living. was tho first teacher.
incidents Of Pioneer Days.
In 1856 he returned east for his pa
rents. who accompanied him here and
the winter Of 1856 the little log cabin
was the home Of sixteen persons. An
incident Of this trip he relates. He Of
fered the ferry man at McGregor a IS
bill to get him q cross the river but the
ferryman was afraid Of the money but
was content with a jacknife which was
left in his possession till Mr.. Gaylord
returned months later.
r An Incident, of pioneer days Mr.. Gay
lord relates "A land sale was sched.
uled In Des Moines early In 1855. A
check Of 500 had come into possession
Of Edison Gaylord but could not be
cashed because he lacked identification.
He set out for the home of a cousin
then in Wisconsin. secured the money
in gold then demanded by the govern
ment In payment Of land. He walked
the entire distance to Des Moines car
rying the money in q buckskin belt
about his waist.
Mr.: and Mrs. Gaylord are in good
health despite their age. Plans are
made for big occasion. Only resi-
dents Of Iowa prior to 1875 are in
vited.