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JOHN T. GASKINS. This well-known gentleman, one of the proprietors of the leading clothing and gentleman's furnishing goods store of Gaskins Brothers, at Harrisburg, Illinois, and a representative thorough business man and wide-awake citizen of that place, deserves prominent mention in this volume. He is a son of George W. Gaskins, one of the well remembered business men of this city, who was born in Harrisburg June 10, 1842, and died June 10, 1881, a son of Thaddeus Gaskins, a brother of Howard Gaskins, whose life review will be found in the sketch of Wilson Gaskins, in another part of this volume.
George W. Gaskins spent his entire life in Harrisburg, and was elected to positions of public prominence, serving as constable, justice of the peace and in other offices, and carrying on a number of successful business ventures. He was married when young to Mary Jane Ingram, daughter of Mrs. Sally Ingram, a widow, and she survived him about ten years, being fifty years of age when she died. Both were active members of the Baptist church. They had a family of ten children, of whom the following survive: John T. and George T., who are partners in the clothing trade; Edgar T., who is with his brothers in the store; Theora, the widow of Theodore Parish, of Chicago; and Maude, who married William Brown, of that city. Theodore T. and Frank T.
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Gaskins died in young manhood, while the others passed away in infancy.
John T. and George T. Gaskins have been associated in business for about twenty years. In 1905, with about five other far-sighted business men, they organized the Egyptian Coal Company and sunk their first shafts, known as "Number Two" and "Number Three," developed them, and sold them to the O'Gara Coal Company, which has retained the same numbers. Since 1891 Mr. Gaskins and his brother have carried on the clothing and gentlemen's furnishing business in Harrisburg, where they have the finest store of its kind, and it must be taken into consideration that the city of Harrisburg has reached the limit in up-to-date ideas in clothing, in fact is more modern in this than in any other line. It is no wonder that the brothers have succeeded, when is considered their energy, perseverance, industry and general business qualifications. They attend strictly to business, buy strictly for cash, and are strictly correct in all their dealings. Both are stockholders in the First National Bank of Harrisburg and the First National Bank of Eldorado; John T. is a director in the State Savings Bank of Harrisburg, and both are stockholders in the McClure Wholesale Grocery Company and the Wasson Coal Company. John T. Gaskins is vice-president of the Ford Lumber Company, has been a member of the school board for nine years, and is a popular member of the Hayti Hunting Club. For six years he was a member and Senior Warden of the Harrisburg Blue Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and also belongs to Oriental Consistory and Medinah Temple of the Mystic Shrine, Chicago.
Mr. Gaskins was married in Harrisburg, to Miss Nelia Mugge, sister of George Mugge, the well known merchant of this city, and three children have been born to this union, namely: Louie J., Mary J. and Gertrude J.