The Harris Centennial
Harris --The past 100 Years

"G" Biographies
Garloff, Gibson, Gilbert, Groff

Garloff, Henry Family

Henry Garloff and Emma (Iserhout) Garloff were married in 1900. Henry was a farmer and operated a threshing machine.

There were ten children in the family, Wilma and Paul died in infancy; John, Round Lake, Minnesota; Herman, Lake Park; Ervin, Lake Park; Arnold, Abbotsford, Wisconsin; Harry, Spirit Lake; and Norma, Lake Park, are deceased. Leona (Mrs. Hans Siemers) lives at Harris, and Evelyn (Mrs. William Pooley) lives at Boise, Idaho.

Henry Garloff came to America from Germany, when he was about 12 years old. His father died on the way and was buried at sea. His mother later married John Dettman and they lived in the area of Clarence, Iowa. Emma also came from Germany with her parents from Rehna Mechlenburg Schwerin. Emma’s mother died at the age of 36 years so she and one sister and three brothers were raised in different homes.

Henry and Emma were married and lived in Clarence. During this time several children were born and attended school there until they moved to farms near Big Rock and Lowden. After that they all attended country schools and when the boys finished the eighth grade they had to help at home. The older ones worked out. In 1928, the family moved to the Harris community bringing their possessions in cars and an international truck. Two of the boys came on the train with the livestock to get them fed and watered during the trip. The family dog got loose somehow and was lost along the way.

When they got to Harris the three girls, who were the youngest, were taken to Rudolph Zierkes where Bob Crist Jr. now lives. Henry had gotton acquainted with Paul Zierke and others when he was up earlier to do fall plowing.

When the livestock arrived the family drove them to the farm south of Harris, where Grant Gilmore now lives. Henry also farmed where Hans and Leona Siemers now live, as well as Hope and Verl Graham’s farm. The girls went to the Harris school which seemed pretty big to them at the time compared to the country schools, and to be picked up by a bus. Sometimes it was a sled pulled by a team of horses and needless to say there were times it upset when going over the snowdrifts, dumping everyone out from under their blankets.

Gibson, Charles Family

Charles H. Gibson was born at Rockford, Illinois, in 1880. His Irish parents had migrated through Canada, and down through Wisconsin, or on Lake Michigan. They then migrated through Iowa and South Dakota by covered wagon in 1884 and 1885.

In 1900, Charles Gibson went to Des Moines, Iowa, to work and go to school. While there he worked for aa produce house. While working he was riding an elevator loaded with butter and the elevator fell two floors. Charley was knocked cold. His partner thought him dead.

Whether that decided him to travel north I do not know, but shortly thereafter he headed out on a bicycle. He always called it a wheel. It had no brakes. To slow down, he put the toe of his shoe between the front wheel and the frame. Quite a maneuver I would say. Anyway he came up through the Iowa lakes area and Arnolds Park was operating. I think it was about 1902.

He ended up at the new town of Harris, Iowa, and worked for various farmers. He evidently liked the area, and one gal by the name of Mary Forbes especially. In 1906 he married her.

The George Forbes family, who were Scotch-Irish, had migrated to the Harris, Iowa, area on about the same path as Charles Gibson family as far as Iowa. They first settled at Rembrant, Iowa. In about 1891, George Forbes homesteaded one mile southwest of Harris. Mary Forbes was the oldest of nine children. At nine years of age she drove a team on a sod breaking plow.

Mary Gibson was the valedictorian of the first graduating class of Harris High School, which at that time had two grades only. It was a big two story building that stood on the east side of the present City Park. I came along much later but I remember when that building was torn down.

After graduation Mary began teaching country school. I don’t know where or really how long. I do know that grandfather gave her a beautiful driving and riding horse to use. I remember the same horse as my playmate as a child which is entirely another story. Old Nelly died at age 25 and almost broke my heart.

In 1906, the Gibson-Forbes courtship reached agreement and Charley and Mary were married. I have an office chair that my mother gave dad on his 25th birthday. I have a beautiful pendulum striking clock that was given to Mary and Charles on their wedding day by a Dr. and Mrs. Hamilton. I just read the above off the gift card that has always been in that clock, located in the southwest corner of every dining room I remember.

The Gibson family started in a home in Harris, but soon moved to a rented farm five miles northwest of Harris, where son Chelsea was born. Another move took the family to three miles straight north of town where son Lawrence was born. Another move was to a farm two miles northwest of town where son Lyle was born.

Gilbert, Harrison Family

Harrison Gilbert (born March 3, 1879, at Coon Rapids, Iowa) and Grace Kness (born October 22, 1880, at Audubon, Iowa) were united in marriage in January, 1901, at Audubon, Iowa.

They started farming in Audubon County and then moved to Minnesota, on a farm near the Spafford Store in Jackson County. In 1914, they moved to Halsted, Minnesota, and farmed there. In 1924, they moved to the Harris community. They were influenced in coming to Harris as Grace’s parents (Mr. and Mrs. Enos Kness) lived in the community.

Harrison, more commonly known as Harry, worked in and around the Harris community. He drove school bus a number of years, worked at the elevator and at the Purviance store. He retired in Harris, and stayed until his death in 1958.

Grace Gilbert stayed in Harris until she and Mildred Gilbert moved to Sioux City living there until her death in 1960.

Their family was—Virgil (deceased); Ida (Craun) (deceased); Mildred (deceased); Gordon (deceased); Merle of Sioux City (left Harris in 1942, went to school in Omaha and then started work in Sioux City); Iris (deceased); Eileen Brumley, Roseville, Michigan; Donald (deceased); Vernon, Anchorage, Alaska, left Harris in 1942, went to Sioux City and then to Alaska in 1946,

Mildred, Merle, Donald and Vernon graduated from the Harris Consolidated School. Gordon, Iris and Eileen attended the Harris school but left before graduating.

Groff, Edwin Family

Edwin Groff and May Lorch were married January 1, 1907. Edwin came from Elmira, Ontario, Canada, and May came from Listowel, Ontario, Canada. The Groffs farmed for many years in the Harris community. They went to the Methodist Church in Harris, and were members of the Farm Bureau.

Edwin Groff died August 31, 1968, and May Groff died February 18, 1978.