Gilbert, George D.

GEORGE D. GILBERT, of Corry City Iron Works, Corry, was born July 23, 1848, in Pomfret, Chautauqua Co., N.Y. where he spent the first ten years of his life. His grandparents on his mother’s side were early settlers of Erie County, Penn., coming here from Vermont in 1825, and on his father’s side, his grandparents settled in Chautauqua County, N.Y., in 1810, coming from Connecticut, all being farmers, and of the whole family our subject is the only one who has chosen a profession. Mr. G.D. Gilbert well remembers the first locomotive that went to Dunkirk, N.Y., as it led to his being a mechanical engineer. He continued the study of this profession five years, beginning when fourteen years of age. He obtained his education in the district school of Chautauqua, which he attended six years; in the district school of Concord, where he was one year; in Erie County, Penn., where he was another year, and in the public schools of Corry, Penn., which he attended seven years, finishing when eighteen years old. He spent two years civil engineering in Middle Tennessee, a portion of his time in Erie, Crawford, Warren and McKean Counties. In 1873, he became a member of present firm, with P.I. Lynch, and erected the first boiler shops. In 1882, the capital of the company was increased by admitting C.L. Covell and D.A. Cypher. During the summer of 1882, Mr. Gilbert invented and put into use the first Gladiator agricultural engine and boiler, to which he had devoted about four months, and which he claims to be superior to anything of time kind in use, being from one-third to one-half lighter. In the summer of 1883, he made sixteen, which are in use in different localities. Our subject was married in Corry, Penn., April 4, 1877, to Corn M. Gates, born in Silver Creek, N.Y., November 13, 1860. Two children have resulted from this union— Velma E., born June 19, 1879, and Mattie M., born January 13, 1882. Mr. Gilbert spent two months in the fall Of 1880 in the West, working successfully in the interests of the Novelty Iron Works. He is a member of the Board of Trade, which he joined in the fall of 1881, a few weeks after its organization.