Shelby  County  Indiana
Biographical  Sketches

George  James  Thomas  O'Brien  Gwynne

          George James Thomas O'Brien Gwynne,  late of Carthage, this county, was born near Strabane, County Tyrone, North Ireland, February 20, 1820, and was the son of  John and  Catharine Gwynne,  of whom the latter died when he was very young.  His boyhood was chiefly spent at the home of his brother,  William Gwynne,  whose partner he afterward became in the extensive manufacture of linen goods, and in the banking business.  Their manufacturing interests were of such magnitude as to give employment to 500 operatives.  In 1847, Mr. Gwynne came to America, and during the two years which followed, he resided at Shelbyville, Ind.,  In 1849, he came to Rush County, in which he resided until the date of his death, September 4, 1884, and in which he became familiarly known as O'Brien Gwynne.  Locating at Carthage, he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, and for probably more than a quarter of a century he was a member of the firm of Gwynne, Johnson & Co., who conducted a large general store.  He was very successful in business, and when he died he left an estate valued at $100,000.  He was very kind to the poor, and his charitable deeds were many.  He took great interest in the improvement of his town, and there is probably no one to whom Carthage is more deeply indebted for its present neat and cleanly appearance than to Mr. Gwynne.  Full of wit and good humor his genial nature won for him many friends.  In politics, he was formerly a Democrat and continued to be such until the outbreak of the late war.  From that time to the date of his death, he was an ardent supporter of the Republican party.  He served as Trustee of Ripley Township for fourteen years and also served for a time as Treasurer of the Carthage School Board.  He died a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
History of Rush County, Indiana,  Brant & Fuller, page 572-573.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

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