NORTHWESTERN IOWA ITS HISTORY AND TRADITION VOLUME II 1804-1926 G. H. Eastman George H. Eastman, now of Long Beach, California, was one of the venerable citizens of Storm Lake, having been a resident of this community for more than a half century and his labors were a valuable element in its development and progress. He rose to a position of leadership in financial affairs and his work in the field of public service has been of much importance and value. He was born April 1, 1846, in North Amherst, Massachusetts, and in both the paternal and maternal lines is descended from Puritan families of New England. His parents were Austin and Mary Haskell (Spear) Eastman, the former of whom was born October 5, 1812, in North Amherst, and the latter at Shutesbury, Massachusetts, April 19, 1814. Mr. Eastman supplemented his common school instruction by three years' attendance at the new London academy of New Hampshire and in October, 1867, entered the first class of teh Massachusetts Agricultural College, in which he was a student for two years. In May, 1870, he came to the middle west and for three years was identified with building operations, residing successively in Elgin, Chicago and Maywood, Illinois. He came to Storm Lake, Iowa, in November, 1873, and taught school for two years, ringing the first bell in the first permanent school building in the town. In August, 1875, Mr. Eastman turned his attention to commercial pursuits and for three years engaged in real estate, insurance and abstract work. In January, 1876, he entered the Storm Lake Bank as bookkeeper and assistant cashier and in January, 1882, became assistant cashier in the First National Bank, of which he was cashier from 1883 until 1886. For six years he was connected with H. S. Ballou & Company and the Ballou Banking Company as secretary and manager and in 1892 returned to the First National Bank in the capacity of vice president. He was afterward elected president of that institution and filled the office until 1898, ably and successfully directing the operations of the bank. Afterward he engaged in insurance and abstract work and when he had reached the eightieth milestone on life's journey was still active in business here, retaining both physical and mental vigor, but on the 1st of October, 1926, removed to California. On November 6, 1871, at Chicago, Illinois, Mr. Eastman was united in marriage to Miss Kate Agnes Dewey, who was born May 11, 1843, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and passed away December 1, 1917. Mr. Eastman is a stanch adherent of the republican party and has ever been actuated by an unselfish spirit of devotion to the general good, serving his city with rare fidelity. He was city recorder for three years and for a similar period was township trustee. He acted as county supervisor for three years and for eight years was a member of the city council. He was park commissioner for fourteen Years and for a like period was treasurer of the Storm Lake independent school district. Mr. Eastman has a high conception of duty and honor, caring little for the artificialities of life, and through the bonds of loyal and progressive citizenship and the ties of enduring friendship has attached himself closely to the residents of Storm Lake. Debbie Clough Gerischer Iowa Gen Web, Assistant CC, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ IAGENWEB: Special History Project: http://iagenweb.org/history/index.htm Gerischer Family Web Site: http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/