My Genealogy Hound

PROF. J. H. GANS, of Red Bud, who for many years has been devoted to the work of instruction, and is well known as an educator, was born in Fayette County, Pa., in the year 1831, and is a son of John and Jane (Holmes) Gans, who were also natives of the Keystone State, the father’s birth having occurred in Fayette County, while the mother was born in Carlisle. Their family numbered seven children: George, who was a prominent lawyer and served as Judge of the Court at Eaton, Ohio, for nine years; Amanda, who died in childhood; Joseph, a practicing attorney of Richmond, Ind.; J. H., of this sketch; Harriet, who is the wife of Dr. Tuttle, of Eaton, Ohio; David, who joined the boys in blue of the Thirty-fifth Ohio Infantry, was made captain of his company, and died in the service; and Esther, wife of Capt. John R. Cook, a prominent resident of Irontown, Ohio. The Judge was a man of more than ordinary ability, who won a prominent place in his profession. He wedded Miss Maria Morris, a highly educated lady of Fayette County, Pa.

In his youth Professor Gans attended the common and academical schools of his native county, and in 1854 entered Washington College, of Washington County, Pa. Previously, however, he had engaged in teaching school in both Pennsylvania and Virginia. He was graduated from Washington College in 1858, and then resumed teaching, and also took up the study of law at Sullivan, Ind., where he was afterward admitted to the Bar. Locating in Eaton, Ohio, he there continued his law studies with his brother, Judge Gans, and was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Columbus. Continuing his residence in Eaton, he in 1863 became chief clerk under Captain Denny, in the Quartermaster’s department, in the Army of the Potomac, and when the war closed he located in Logansport, Ind., where he engaged in practicing law for about four years.

In October, 1865, Professor Gans married Mrs. S. A. C. O’Brien, nee Colburn, a native of Boston, Mass., and a daughter of Marcus and Catherine (Hubbard) Colburn. Her father was a native of Rindge, N. H., and was a son of Josiah Colburn, who traced his ancestors back to the early Puritans. Members of the family fought in the Revolutionary War. The grandparents located in Boston, where their son received a fine education. He became a teacher of music, and was a leading member of the Handel and Hayden Musical Society. His family were also fine musicians. He located in New York, where for thirty-two years he taught music in the city schools. He had a son, John, who was a finely educated man, and one of the first to leave New York for the gold fields of California. The vessel on which he sailed was wrecked, and he was picked up by an English vessel and taken to Australia. He became connected with a large commercial company, and located on the Sandwich Islands. He there married, and at his death, which occurred at the early age of thirty-three, left a family of two sons and a daughter. Mrs. Gans was the second of the Colburn family. Marcus died in childhood, and one died in infancy. By a former husband, Mrs. Colburn had one son, George C. Rexford, who succeeded Mr. Colburn as a teacher of music in the schools of New York City. He held that position twenty-six years. He is a very fine singer, and an accomplished man. In his social relations, Mr. Rexford is a Knight Templar. He has one son, George H., who is a fine actor, and by his second wife he has a daughter. The Colburn family were all originally Congregationalists. They were energetic, high minded and noble people, who won positions of prominence, and in the musical world especially they were leaders.

Like the other members of her family, Mrs. Gans was highly educated in music in Boston and New York, and under Madame E. Seguin, she studied Italian opera. She has taught music in the Potapsco Female College, near Baltimore, Md., where she had formerly been a pupil two years, was Principal of the musical department of the Ontario Female College of Canandaigua, N. Y., was Superintendent of the musical department of the Ohio Female College at College Hill, Ohio, and afterward was employed as music teacher in the Presbyterian College, in which both male and female students were received. It was there she met and married Professor Gans. She afterward accepted a position in the Methodist Female College of Springfield, Ohio, and later engaged in teaching with her husband in St. Louis.

By a former marriage, Mrs. Gans had two sons. The elder, Oswin J. O’Brien, is connected with the Riverside Printing Company of St, Louis, as foreman. He is married and has five children: Blanche, Oswin, Mabel, Julia and Sybil. The other son, Ignatius, died at the age of fourteen years.

On leaving Logansport, Professor Gans went to St. Louis, and for eight years was Principal of one of the public schools of that city. He afterward served as Superintendent and Principal of the schools of Columbia, Monroe County, for five years, and then came to Red Bud in 1883, where, with the exception of one year, he has been engaged in teaching continuously since. After leaving St. Louis, he was employed as a teacher in the Salem Academy, at Salem, Ark., for about eighteen months, and at Frederick, Mo., for one year. While in California, in the winter of 1891-92, he taught at Los Gatos, Santa Clara County. In February, 1892, his wife went to Honolulu, and the Queen of the Sandwich Islands favored her with a reception. While there she made a special study of the natives of that country, their customs and habits, and since her return has delivered a number of lectures concerning them.

In his political views, the Professor has been a Republican since the organization of the party. While in Arkansas, he was appointed County Superintendent of Schools. In the fall of 1890, he was the candidate for that office on the Republican ticket in Randolph County. Socially, he is connected with the Masonic fraternity and with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. Culture, education and more than ordinary ability have made them prominent people in literary and social circles, and Professor Gans and his wife are among the leading spirits in the circles of society in Randolph County.