My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM A. GEST was born in Clermont County, Ohio, November 10, 1843, and is one of three living children born to Joseph M. and Sarah A. (Hageman) Gest, both natives of Ohio and of English and German descent, respectively. Joseph M. Gest, at the age of fourteen, went to Cincinnati, where he attended school for a time. After this he was employed in his father’s store in the city, and afterward in the country for some two years. After this he was engaged in agricultural pursuits in Ohio, until 1846, when he moved to Louisville, Ky. Here he was engaged steam-boating and flat-boating for some four years. In 1850 he removed to Cannelton, Perry Co., Ind., where he was engaged in merchandising for some ten or twelve years, and during this time was clerk of both the common pleas and circuit courts for four years. In 1862 he removed to Columbus, Hickman County, at which place and at Hickman, Ky., and Cairo, Ill., he was in the United States revenue service some three years. He then engaged in merchandising at Columbus until 1869, when he removed to Ballard County, Ky., where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1883, when he returned to Columbus, where he has since lived a retired life. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity, and was W. M. of his lodge in Indiana for several years. William A. Gest, at the age of eight years, went into his father’s store, and with the exception of two years spent on a packet line plying between Louisville and Memphis, and a short time at school, he has been constantly engaged in mercantile pursuits. In 1864 he opened a grocery store at Columbus, and has since continued that business, to which he has also added hardware, agricultural implements and harness. He is the oldest grocer in the city, and the oldest business house but one. Mr. Gest was a member of the city council for several years, also city clerk two terms and city collector one year. He is and has been for the past two and a half years city treasurer. He was married, in 1876, to Miss Mary E. Parks, a native of Tennessee, who departed this life April 3, 1883. She was a devoted and consistent member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Gest is also a member of the same church, and of the K. of H.