USA > Iowa > Cedar County > A topical history of Cedar County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 43
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"For years Judge Bissell might have been seen walking the streets with his cane under his arm." He was known as the "old war horse." But as one hus put it :
"No longer seek his merits to disclose or draw his frailties from their dread abode."
"Wells Spicer began his career with the rising city, and was school teacher, lawyer, county judge, editor, being identified in many ways with public affairs." Upon the books in the office of county clerk his signature frequently appears
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during the years of 1856-7. He went to the far west soon after and was asso- ciated in the trial of John D. Lee, for the Mountain Meadow massacre, the noted Mormon event. "He became interested in mining and going out into the moun- tains he disappeared from the sight and knowledge of the living."312
"H. C. Piatt came from the east with classical and legal learning, but as he himself has said, 'with only money enough to get him here.' He came to Iowa in 1853 and walked from Iowa City to Tipton. Elected treasurer of the county, he served in that office from 1856-59. At the time of his death he was a member of the legislature.
"It was not an infrequent custom of the legal lights, especially in the earliest times, after the business of the court was finished and something of the day yet remained, but not enough to warrant the starting by carriage to Muscatine or Davenport, to constitute themselves a legislature or lyceum to discuss such ques- tions as 'the right of habeas corpus,' of 'trial by jury,' or some question relating to the structure of the government. A wondering boy was sometimes an inter- ested listener."313
In the first cases tried in the county Judge Williams was the presiding officer, a man very popular with his associates and afterwards a member of the supreme court. R. P. Lowe was prosecuting attorney and appeared in the county at stated intervals. He was governor of the state 1858-60.
There was Wm. H. Tuthill, whose name is mentioned on almost every occa- sion in which the public affairs were concerned. He was judge of the district court from 1855-7. One name among the attorneys who came to practice here and who served the people of the county in the railroad bond case, has become a name that stands for authority in the study of jurisprudence, that is the name of John F. Dillon. He began his career as a physician and practiced about two years, when he turned his attention to the law and this study he began in the office of Hon. J. P. Cook in Davenport. He reached a very high place in the courts of the country, being a member of the supreme court of the state and then in 1870 was appointed by President Grant judge of the United States Circuit Court.
J. H. Rothrock came to Tipton in 1860, from Ohio. The very next year he was elected to the assembly and became speaker pro tem of the house. At the special session called during the beginning of the war, Judge Rothrock took his seat, but before the session closed volunteered and was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Thirty-fifth Iowa Infantry. On his return from the field he became a partner in the practice of law with W. P. Wolf. In the fall of 1866 he was elected to the position of district judge. He was twice reelected to this office, and without opposition. During his third term he was appointed to the supreme bench, where he served for twenty years after repeated re-elections.
W. P. Wolf began teaching in this county in 1856. Later he studied law with Rush Clark, of Iowa City, and after being admitted to the bar he opened an office in Tipton, where he continued to reside until his death. He served in the senate and house as mentioned, and was elected judge of the district court in 1894 where he served until his death. Tributes were paid to his memory at that time by W. R. Boyd and Judge Rothrock.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
Sylvanus Yates was the only member of the bar to be elected to the office of Circuit Judge, which position he held during the years 1869-72. He held several other offices in the course of his career as a practicing attorney.
Judge W. N. Treichler is the present occupant of the district bench from this county. He served in this position one term, commencing in 1899, and closing in 1903, and was reelected in the fall of 1906 to the same position. He has prac- ticed in the county since 1880.
E. M. Brink, at the time of his death in 1907, was the oldest member of the Cedar County Bar, having been admitted by Judge Rothrock in 1868. He held the office of county auditor.
John T. Moffit graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan after his preparation by a college course at Cornell. He was granted the degree of M. A. later by the Iowa College. He began the practice of law here in 1887 and has continued it to the present time. His military and legislative records are found under those topics. He has served as county attorney.
Colonel Rowell, as he is now known, began the practice of law in 1896 and soon after formed the partnership which now exists in the firm of France and Rowell. The military record of this firm has been mentioned and their law his- tory is part of the court record at every session. J. C. France is the present county attorney.
Robert G. Cousins began his practice here in 1882 and soon after was elected to the assembly. Was chosen prosecuting attorney in 1888. His service in Con- gress for the long period of seven terms has been mentioned.
Henry L. Huber read law with Wolf and Landt and commenced the practice of his profession in 1886. At one time the firm was Treichler and Huber. He has held the office of mayor.
One of the promising young attorneys of the county, who had won his own way through the University after a hard struggle and commenced his practice in 1884, was the son of Wm. and Barbara Coutts of Red Oak township. He was of a character that stands the test of prosperity and yet is not afraid of adver- sity, and his future outlook upon life was most favorable when that rude reaper of youth, death, came to take him away. He was of a keen mind and strong personality, lovable in disposition and popular among all friends. Early in life he had a definite purpose, a high respect for his chosen calling and fitted by nature and preparation to succeed. William Coutts was a young man when called, having begun his life in 1856 and leaving it in 1889. Such men are to be remembered for their examples of true endeavor. His gift of speech, his high ideals in thought, his calm submission leaves a life for fine remembrance.
W. G. W. Geiger began the study of law in the office of Wolf and Landt, afterwards continuing it in the office of Blake and Hormel of Cedar Rapids. He had been admitted to the bar before this last study and opened an office in Tipton in 1881. He is a graduate of Carthage College, holding the degree of M. A. from that institution. He has been nominated for county attorney and judge of the district court, losing the first office by a small vote in a county where the majority is usually much greater.
C. O. Boling, a member of the bar of the county for some years, holds the office of city solicitor. T. B. Hanley was a former member but has removed to
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
Des Moines in the interests of the fraternity he represents. F. J. Casterline is in active practice and holds the city office of superintendent of water works. Hamiel and Mather are a new firm in the county seat, although both the indi- vidual members have been active in the county in separate offices. They main- tain an office in Clarence. The former firm of Wright, Leech and Wright has been dissolved and R. R. Leech continues the practice. Isaac Landt has been referred to many times as the partner of Judge Wolf, and it was in their office that several young attorneys began their study. S. S. Crittenden of Clarence is the only resident attorney of the place. C. J. Lynch of Mechanicsville was the former county attorney and is one of the two attorneys in the town, the other being W. H. Smith.
Geo. C. Hoover is the only attorney in West Branch, while Springdale has two in the persons of C. E. Mather and Tillman Todd. Lowden has but one member of this profession in the person of D. D. McGillivray.
In connection with the old-time history John Huber was mentioned in the office of assistant prosecuting attorney in the Switzer case. John L. Fyan was the member who was buried by the Tipton guards before they went to the field. J. W. Bagley announced himself an attorney in 1858.
Among the earliest physicians to come to the county there appears the name of Harvey G. Whitlock, whose name figures also in the court records to an alarm- ing extent when one gives them a careful examination. "He was a frontier prod- uct, a doctor without skill and a man without character. He lived on Cedar street, Tipton, between Sixth and Seventh. He soon disappeared."
"Then Dr. Swan, a real physician, came on the field. He lived in a frame house with a large green lawn. The Drs. Chambers, father and son, followed soon after and the latter lived in the brick house opposite the reformed church, now owned by Mr. McBurney. He carried saddle bags and rode 'Old Fox, a loping horse.' He might have been the model for the faithful and excellent physician described in the 'Bonnie Brier Bush.' He served as surgeon in the Civil War and afterwards removed to Cedar Rapids for a more remunerative field."314
Alexander and James Turner were among the earlier members of this pro- fession and Turner and Carpenter are a firm of 1858. The method of getting about then was on horseback and some of these men were swift riders. Mr. Henry Hecht gives an illustration of this on the occasion when he came for Dr. Chambers, and having difficulty in awakening him on account of his sleeping so heavily after long service; the doctor once aroused put on so much speed that the messenger had hard work to keep up, such was the gait of the "loping horse."
Dr. J. F. Kennedy came to practice in Tipton in 1858 and had his office over C. L. Chambers' drug store. He was for twenty-five years the secretary of the State Board of Health and in this position did much for the sanitary conditions of the city, the county, and the state. During the Civil War he sent frequent letters from the hospital where he was on duty.
The first physician to come to Durant, Dr. E. B. Bills, was also the first justice of the peace to try a case in that town, and he did public service, as men- tioned, in the senate of the state.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
One of the county judges, W. P. Cowan, was by profession a physician and surgeon. It is a little difficult to understand, just now, how he filled both these duties at the same time.
H. E. Samson announced himself as a botanical physician in the later fifties, who one supposes to be in ordinary language an "herb doctor."
At this same time I. Smith was practicing in Rochester.
Mrs. Campbell of the town of Tipton announced herself as a hydropathic physician, which is a commendable method of curing a good many things.
J. M. Long of Cedar Bluffs (Gower's Ferry) issued his card in 1859.
Other physicians that may be mentioned among the members of the profes- sion that have practiced in the county are Drs. H. H. Maynard, W. H. Axline, G. S. Focht, S. Ensign, Dr. Sansom of Tipton, Thomas Coats, E. D. Yule, William Hills, and Mrs. Dr. Williams of Clarence, J. C. Batdorf, Samuel Keith, N. S. Hubbell, E. H. Lockwood, and Scott Russell, of Mechanicsville, the latter one of the oldest physicians in point of practice in this county ; Drs. E. W. Savage, H. J. Minthorn, J. F. Houser, and J. I. Bailey, of West Branch. The latter has just closed his earthly life and at a well-advanced age. He came to the state in 1851, locating in this county, moving to West Branch in 1874. He served for a time in the Forty-sixth Iowa Infantry. Dr. H: C. Gill located in Springdale in 1850 and was once a member of the Board of Supervisors of the county.
Of the present county medical association Dr. Runkle of Lowden is the presi- dent and Dr. P. M. Hoffman of Tipton the secretary. The members include the present practicing physicians of the county. From Lowden, Dr. Kelling ; Clarence, Drs. D. T. Nicoll and J. E. Smith; Stanwood, Dr. C. W. Baker; Me- chanicsville, Drs. Scott Russell and C. G. Stookey; West Branch, Drs. L. J. Leech, recently representative, as mentioned before, and J. C. McGregor ; Tipton, the secretary of the association, Drs. Van Metre, Hender, Peters, Griffis, and W. M. Furnish, the only osteopathic physician in this county ; Bennett, Drs. H. R. Chapman, the present senator from this district, and Rohrig, a young man just commencing his practice ; Durant, Dr. E. B. Bills, the son of the first physi- cian in the place, Drs. Meyhaus and Schumacher.
Of the dentists who have practiced here Dr. N. H. Tulloss advertised to do such work in 1858. He had an office in the old brick hotel built by John Bireley, which is now standing on Third street in Tipton. Mr. R. A. Davidson, one of the early comers to the county went to this office for treatment which resulted in the extraction of his tooth. Mr. Davidson relates his experience today since they are still fresh in his memory. The office of Dr. Tulloss was later over Childs' grocery. Dr. Tulloss was president of the State Dental Association in 1864 and 1865, or at the time it was first organized. Drs. Garber and Lattig were a firm in Tipton established in the seventies. Dr. Gould came here in 1877. In 1869 Dr. P. T. Smith of Tipton was the vice-president of the state associa- tion. Dr. Garber was the president in 1885. Dr. E. T. Rigby was secretary in 1875. Dr. Bandy was the president in 1903. Other members of the associa- tion in the county are Dr. W. A. Grove of Tipton, who has been chosen mayor of the town; Dr. Bessie S. Casebeer, who has recently returned to her former practice, and Dr. Pitman.
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Dr. Shuck of Clarence is one of the long-time dentists in the county, his card appearing in the early seventies. He does not now attempt an extensive prac- tice. Dr. G. W. Hageman has recently opened an office in Clarence. His col- legiate work was taken in the University of Missouri, and he was a teacher in the high schools of Iowa. Dr. Davis is also a member of the profession prac- ticing in Clarence. O. L. Whitson and M. J. Reidy are the dental surgeons of Mechanicsville. Dr. W. E. Haller is alone in Durant. Milo W. Munger has pleasant offices in West Branch, in the new bank building.
Dr. F. A. Neil is the resident dentist at Lowden.
SECTION XV.
MISCELLANEOUS.
In the Historical Department of Iowa at Des Moines there is an old Gazetteer which is called, "Iowa as it is in 1855 ;" a handbook for immigrants embracing a full description of the State of Iowa, by W. Howe Parker. Under description of counties it says :
"Cedar County was organized and settled in 1836 (dates a little early-Ed.). The county seat Tipton was laid out in 1839 (little early again). Present popula- tion of the town 583 (1855) and of the county, 7605.
"The towns and settlements in the county are Tipton, Woodridge (Wood- bridge in other places), Cedar Bluffs, Pioneer P. O., Cedar P. O., Massillon P. O., Red Oak P. O., Inland P. O., Springdale P. O., Padee P. O. (Pedee), Lacton P. O., and Rochester.
"Three churches in Tipton, Presbyterian, Congregationalist and Methodist, society very good. Churches of different denominations throughout the county, but the precise number of edifices cannot be ascertained. Four schools in Tip- ton, two public and two private, average number of pupils in each 30.
"One steam gristmill, doing but little business owing to lack of water.
"The Lyons R. R. is projected through the center of this county and mostly graded as far as Tipton and we understand the suspended work on the line will be resumed energetically by the new company this season.
"The county is made up of very excellent soil adapted to all kinds of farming purposes, and well watered generally. Timber is less abundant than in some other counties. Yet taken as a whole Cedar holds out strong inducements to the farmer and mechanic to locate within her borders."
In the chapter on "Banking Houses," nine cities are mentioned as having them, Tipton being the last, the chapter concluding as follows:
"At Tipton, W. H. Tuthill, banker and dealer in exchange and land warrants. At each of these banking houses interest is paid on special deposits, bills of ex- change on all the principal cities of the United States and Europe are bought and sold; gold and silver are bought and sold, loans effected and all other banking business transacted, save the issue of bills.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
"As land agencies they buy and sell warrants, select and enter vacant lands, examine titles, etc.
"One species of coin is not current in this state ; we allude to the cent and half cent, while even the three cent piece is barely tolerated and is seldom seen except in church plates and at the postoffice.
"During the Civil War all expressions of opinion concerning that contest which were made by the Iowa State Teachers' Association were intensely union- ist. The first official utterance on that subject was made in its behalf by its President, C. C. Nestlerode, of Tipton, and while the state was making up its quota of the first three hundred thousand volunteers called for by President Lin- coln. Inasmuch as neither this first paper can now be found on file nor the reply to it on the governor's books, I send both for a place in the publication of the State Historical Society."315
"Tipton, Iowa, October 3, 1861.
"S. J. Kirkwood, Governor of Iowa
"Dear Sir : I have read with deep interest your proclamation urging the loyal men of the state to enlist in the service of their country. I address you on behalf of the teachers of Iowa that we assure you that every member of our profession that is able to bear arms, stands ready to lend a helping hand to crush this cursed rebellion. We have no traitors in our ranks. If one should attempt to enter, may the Almighty brand the mark of Cain upon his forehead.
"Not a few of our number responded to the first call of the president; many have since enlisted, and if in your opinion, we who are engaged in school room duties can serve our country better by administering lead and steel to traitors than by guarding the unprotected children of our state and preparing them for future usefulness, you can draw upon us for the remainder and your draft will not be dishonored.
"With feelings of high regard and sincere desire for the triumph of the right, I am,
Truly yours, "C. C. NESTLERODE, "President State Teachers' Association."
"Davenport, Iowa, October 10, 1861.
"C. C. Nestlerode, Pres. Iowa State Teachers' Association.
"Dear Sir: I am happy to acknowledge the receipt of your noble offer in behalf of the teachers of Iowa with the accompanying patriotic sentiments. Such sentiments do justice to your heart, and I am sure represent the feelings of those you represent. If we cannot look to the teachers of Iowa with their intelligent and superior means of information, for correct judgment in this war and all the issues involved, and for patriotic action when the necessity occurs it would be idle to look to the masses.
"But as patriotism alike burns in the hearts of the intelligent and the ignorant, so at the present unhappy crisis a noble response is being made by all our citizens, with but very few exceptions, to the country's call.
"This response in our own state is at the present time so hearty that it does not seem necessary now to withdraw from their great field of usefulness the teachers of Iowa.
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"I shall however remember with pleasure your noble and patriotic offer in the name and at the suggestion of the teachers of the state and if the necessity should arise, would unhesitatingly call upon your services.
"I hope you will convey to those you represent my kindest regards, with the most respectful consideration for yourself.
"Very respectfully, "SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD, "Governor of Iowa."
July 6, 1857, left on record in this county one of the most remarkable floods ever known. On that morning those who lived near Andrew Crawford's place were aroused by a hoarse rumbling sound as of distant thunder, and on investi- gation as to its cause a wall of water seemed coming down the stream, rolling everything before as if moved by some unseen power. It filled the space be- tween the hills on the sides of the stream, presenting the appearance of a lake that had broken away from its bounds. As the flood came on it formed a series of tidal waves, not reaching a given point all at once but moving farther and farther back from its usual channel until the whole creek basin was filled. A member of the Crawford family in attempting to save some utensils near the edge of the creek found himself pursued by the water and finally had to escape as best he could. The bottom lands seemed a moving sea, covered with foam, logs, grass, long strings of fence taken away bodily and countless forms of debris from various sources. No freshet within the recollection of the oldest inhabitant had ever furnished a parallel to it in height and body of water.
When seeking for the cause the ordinary explanation does not suffice for such a thing would have happened before. Rain had fallen heavily, it is true, but only under peculiar conditions could such a fall affect the little valley in such a way. The waters of the two forks must have come together simultaneously at great height and thus caused the tremendous rise called now by the old settlers, "The flood."316
But this first flood at Sugar Creek was more than matched in 1890 when a cloud burst came over the county and water is said to have fallen at the rate of four inches an hour when estimated in a crude way, when Rock Creek forgot its customary mild way of conducting itself for the comfort of the public and went wild in flood and torrent sufficient to carry away almost all the bridges spanning it then. One who knows of this describes the circumstances in a complete way. "It was about three in the afternoon when the rain fell for less than two hours. In plain language the 'bottom fell out,' and the water came down in a body. No one remembered such a fall of water. The train for Stanwood was just leaving and it did not return until the next day. The crew worked all night to repair breaks in the main line, when the trains were delayed for eight hours."
The storm center seemed along the basin of Rock Creek for the old settlers found it "beating the record in a single night." No life was lost, but bridges and fences were wrecked beyond any description. Out of ten county bridges across this stream only one was entirely untouched. Out of ten bridges only the one nearest Cedar could have been crossed the next day. The one nearest Beltz's Mill-a new iron bridge then of sixty feet in length-was torn from
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
its stone abutments and broken up. The water came pouring down the old mill race and cutting its way back to the creek, struck the east abutment in the rear and carried it away bodily. Mr. Beltz thought the water five feet higher than he had ever seen it.
The bridge at the stone mill, safe enough on most occasions, was not dam- aged much, since as those know who look upon the map the high water would cut across the bend and leave an island here. The race at the stone mill was built on that supposition and under some conditions no water would flow at all under this bridge. And so the story goes on to tell of all the bridges known along the stream-the same story of destruction and rapid call upon the county supervisors for their repair.
Mr. Wm. Dean was nearest to the disaster, and as a county official he was in great demand until repairs were made.
At this time also Sugar Creek made a record but nothing equal to the Rocky stream. Mr. Henry Walters was the only one then who remembered of the previous high tide of flood. Complaints came from the north part of the county in every section of the damage to roads and growing crops.
On Sunday, June 3, 1860, a great calamity fell upon Cedar County, through the northern portion particularly. About five o'clock in the afternoon the citizens of that part of the county noticed a curiously shaped cloud to the north. It had the appearance of a water spout, and such in fact it proved to be. It seemed to suddenly dip down and rise again.
The first evidence of its ravages appeared one mile north of Mechanicsville, and the oldest citizens of that community tell at this day of its awful appear- ance. The storm here destroyed many homes in its course and it is said nine persons were killed in that neighborhood.
From this point it passed eastward in a narrow path until it reached Onion Grove, a mile or more north of Clarence on our map at the present time. Here the storm was severe, indeed-the home of John Baker was destroyed, the wreckage being scattered in all directions. Mr. Baker was killed almost in- stantly ; his family seriously injured. Mrs. Baker's parents, living near, were badly hurt. In the same neighborhood Samuel McMacken's house was demol- ished, and the owner killed. His wife escaped with serious injury. A son had his arm crushed between falling timbers.
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