G.A.R. Star 1861-1865
PVT, Co. G, 2nd Kansas Cavalry and Co. F, 9th Kansas Cavalry, Civil War.

John Gere was the son of Horatio Nelson and Juliana Gere.He came to Table Rock with his parents and two of his siblings in 1858, brother Chester staying behind to continue his education.

When the Civil War broke out John volunteered to serve in the Kansas Cavalry on November 28, 1861. Serving until January of 1865.

John and Lydia Giddings were married in 1866 and were the parents of two children: Giles Henry and John Nelson,Jr. In April of 1870 he left his family in Pawnee City, Nebraska and went to northwestern Kansas to stake a claim on Solomon's Fork, in Mitchell county. He was killed by the Indians, along with two other men, near Glen Elder, Kansas. His belongings and body was brought back to Nebraska, he was buried in the Table Rock Cemetery.

In 1883 a post of the G.A.R. was formed in Table Rock, in his honor that post was named after him, he was the first Union veteran buried in the Table Rock Cemetery.

NOTE: For a detailed account of the Gere Family story, go to the Table Rock Historical Society web site, by Sharla Stizman Cerra.

Here is an obituary for his wife from the Table Rock Argus.

Table Rock Argus, Dec. 18, 1941.

MRS. LYDIA HOLMES DIES AT AGE 98
Was Former Resident

Lydia Adelia Giddings was born in New York March 24, 1843, and died at her home in Kansas City December 13, 1941. She moved to Pennsylvania at the age of six, and came to Nebraska with her parents, the Rev. and Mrs. C. W. Giddings, in 1858, where the family established a home at the present site of Table Rock.

She was married to John N. Gere at the close of the Civil War and to this union two children were born, Giles Henry Gere and John Nelson Gere, both sons and her husband preceding her in death.

In 1872 she was married to Aylwin A. Holmes. Surviving this union is one daughter, Laura C. Holmes.

During her early residence in Kansas City, she was a member of the Walnut Street Methodist church. Later she went with her husband and family to the Washington Street Methodist church, where she was an active member until 1893, when she transferred her membership to the Methodist church in Honolulu, where she spent several years with her sons.

In 1909 she moved with her daughter into the neighborhood of the Westpoint Methodist church, where she was active until her death.

Surviving are her daughter, Laura C. Holmes of Kansas City, eight grandchildren, John L. Gere of Bartlesville, Okla, Mrs. Marg McCandlers of St. John, Kansas, and Lieut. Giles H. Gere of Ft. Leavenworth, and five living in Honolulu; 16 great grandchildren, and 15 nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Holmes was well known here as her father, Mr. C. W. Giddings, was the founder of Table Rock and gave the land to the city for the park. Her first husband, G. N. Gere, was a Civil War veteran and was killed by the Indians in 1870.
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TABLE ROCK ARGUS, Oct. 6, 1904.(pg.5)

Hon. Charles H. Gere, editor and founder of the Nebraska State Journal, died at his home in Lincoln, on Friday evening. Mr. Gere was a brother of John N. Gere for whom the G.A.R. post of this city is named and whose remains are buried in Table Rock cemetery, as are also those of his parents. Mr. Gere began the practice of law in Pawnee City, and represented this county in the legislature in an early day. He was greatly interested in the education interests of the state and did much to place them on the high plane they occupy today. He abandoned the practice of law, and has been editor-in-chief of the State Journal since the establishment of the paper. Mr. Gere was past 66 years of age at the time of his death and leaves a widow and three daughters.