Moses W. Gunn is probably one of the best known and most highly respected residents of LaSalle county, where he has passed his entire life and been prominent in religious work, and is a farmer of intelligence and great executive ability. He was born in LaSalle, Illinois, March 31, 1839, and is a son of Aaron and Nancy (Winters) Gunn, who were closely identified with the growth and prosperity of this community and who will be remembered for their many kindly deeds long after they have passed to their reward.
M. W. Gunn grew to manhood in LaSalle, attended select schools until seventeen years of age, then entered the public schools and supplemented this education with a year at Franklin College, at Franklin, Indiana. His education has been broadened by extensive travel in different parts of the United States. Mr. Gunn had a natural and inherited taste for farming and was a valuable help to his father in running his farm. He served ten months as a private in the Eleventh Illinois, Company K, enlisting in the infantry during the year 1864 and being mustered out July 14 of the following year, at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He took part in the battle at Fort Blakely, April 9, 1865, and was in the engagements that took place around Mobile. As a farmer he has won an enviable reputation by reason of his advanced views and modern methods employed by him in conducting his work. He has lately patented a combined fence-wire stretcher, mender, splicer and staple puller, which he is now having manufactured and will meet a ready sale as it will supply a need long felt by the builders of wire fence. He is at present trustee of his father's estate.
Mr. Gunn was united in matrimony May 14, 1889, to Miss Emma J. Richards, of Bureau county, this state. She is a daughter of David and Mary (Althouse) Richards, the former a native of Wales, whence he came to America when a lad of fourteen, and the latter a native of Pennsylvania and a descendant of Holland ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. Gunn are the parents of four children: Wilmer, who died in March, 1893, at the age of three years; Frances Ivy; Carrol; and Emory Loyd. In politics Mr. Gunn is a Prohibitionist, and in religion a Baptist, having united with that church at an early age and been reared in a home whose atmosphere was one of true religion. He began preaching in the fall of 1872 as a lay preacher, and has continued the work since, doing a great deal of missionary work among the churches and accomplishing a vast amount of good. He is a speaker of power and influence and is well and favorably known for his untiring devotion to the cause. Personally he is genial and pleasant, an interesting converser, devoted in his friendships, and liberal in his charities.
Extracted by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois published in 1900, volume 1, pages 285-286.
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Kendall |
| Putnam | Grundy | |
| Marshall | Woodford | Livingston |
