Obed Gaines b. 1820

/ Kirstin Miller

Obed Gaines 4th great uncle on RootsMagic Tree 

Obed was the son of of Obed and Leydia Connable Gaines. He was a triplet with Abigail and Leydia Gaines, they were all born in 1820 in northern New York. This Gaines family moved west steadily and by 1840 they were in Lagrange, Indiana. In 1856 on the Iowa census Obed, siblings William and Leydia, with their dad are in Bremer County, Iowa where Obed married Lucretia Cross on February 16, 1859. Obed and Lucretia stayed in Iowa for awhile. Both Obed and his younger brother William were postmasters in Bremer County. “Along about 1857, during the Buchanan administration, a postoffice had been established in the township, called Polk. Aug. 13, 1861 … succeeded by W. N. Gaines, who distributed the mail from his residence on section 18. At this time the name was changed to Syracuse. Gaines retained the office of postmaster until succeeded by his brother, Obed Gaines, who lived on the same section and kept the office at his home” from History of Bremer County, Iowa. Obed registered for the Civil War on July 1, 1863, he was not drafted. On the 1880 census Obed and his family were in Wadena, Minnesota near nephew William Gaines Jr, son of Obed’s brother William.

Obed and Lucretia moved out to Salem Oregon in March 1903, a daughter Minnie was already living there along with Obed’s brother William and 2 of William’s daughters. Obed was a widow in 1904. On the 1910 census he was living with his daughter Minnie and grandson also named Obed. Obed died in May 11 1910, both he and Lucretia are buried in City View Cemetery in Salem, Marion County, Oregon.

Gaines, Obed obituary newspaper clipping

Sources

  • Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49904426
  • 1860 Us Census Polk, Bremer County Iowa
  • U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865, Iowa 3rd Vol 3 of 3 page 149 penciled in image 300 of 935
  • History of Bremer County, Iowa: a record, Page 203 Post Office
  • Salem, Marion County, Oregon US Historical Postcard screenshot, source on Ancestry, undated probably 1910 or so.
  • A shared source on Ancestry, Statesman Journal newspaper snapshot, Salem, Oregon, 13 May 1910, Fri, Page 5