USA > Iowa > An illustrated history of the state of Iowa, being a complete civil, political, and military history of the state, from its first exploration down to 1875; > Part 73
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He was elected three terms succes- sively on the reform ticket, as judge of probate of Lee county, and gave universal satisfaction in the perform. ance of his duties. In 1852, he was nominated by the whigs as candidate for congress for the 1st congressional district of Iowa, but running in a party garb, was defeated. Judge Viele is a very highly valued citizen of Fort Madison, and in addition to various places of responsibility and trust, has been four times elected mayor of the city.
Gov. Robert Lucas. Robert Lucas, the first governor of Iowa, was the fourth son and ninth child of William and Susannah Lucas, and was born April 1, 1781, in Jefferson valley, at Shepardstown, Jefferson county, Vir- ginia, a few miles from Harper s Fer- ry, where his ancestors settled more than one hundred years ago. His father, who was descended from Wil- liam Penn, was born Jan. 18, 1743, and his mother, of Scotch extraction, Oct. 8, 1745. His father, who had served as a captain in the continental army during the revolutionary war, and had distinguished himself at the battle of Bloody Run, emigrated with his family to Scioto county, Ohio, at the beginning of the present century. In leaving the slave state of Virginia for the free embryo commonwealth of Ohio, which had not as yet been ad- mitted into the union, the elder Lucas generously freed every one of his adult slaves who wished to remain in Vir- ginia, and provided for the younger ones till they became able to support themselves. The early education of Gov. Lucas was obtained chiefly before
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leaving Virginia, from an old Scotch | of a spy, though we find him acting teacher named McMullen, who taught in various capacities. By the terms of his commission as captain in the regular army, he took rank from the 6th of July, 1812, and resigned his commission as such, Jan. 2, 1813, be- cause of its accompanying duties being incompatible with affairs he had undertaken as a military officer of Ohio, in which capacity he thought he could render the country better service. His resignation was accept- ed, but he was very soon afterwards appointed a lieutenant colonel, and subsequently colonel, in the regular army, but again receiving orders which he conceived to be inconsistent with higher duties, he again resigned. The civil appointments to which Gov. Lu- cas was called by the executive, or the people of the state of Ohio, were many, and some of them the highest in the gift of that commonwealth. At the time of his second marriage, in 1816, he was, and had been for some time, a member of the Ohio legisla- ture, serving successively in one or the other branch of the general as- sembly, and in the course of his legis- lative career, presiding over first one and then the other branch. In 1820, and then again in 1828, he was elected one of the presidential electors of Ohio. In May, 1832, at Baltimore, Md., he presided over the first demo- cratic national convention. In 1832, he was elected governor of Ohio, and reelected in 1834, and declined a third nomination for the same office. him mathematics and surveying, the latter affording him remunerative em- ployment in the new country of Ohio. On the 3d of April, 1810, Gov. Lucas was married, at Portsmouth, the coun- ty seat of Scioto county, to Elizabeth Brown, who died Oct. 18, 1812, leav- ing an infant daughter who still sur- vives, in the person of Mrs. Minerva E. B. Sumner, of West Liberty, Mus- catine county, Iowa. He was remar- ried, March 7, 1816, to Friendly A. Sumner, by whom he had four sons and three daughters, of whom two sons and two daughters are (1870) liv- ing, namely: Edw. W. Lucas, late lieutenant colonel of the 14th Iowa volunteers; Robert Lucas; Mrs. Su- sannah F. Smith and Miss Mary Lu- cas. The first office held by Gov. Lucas was that of county surveyor of Scioto county, in 1803, and Dec. 16, 1805, he was commissioned a justice of the peace for Union township, for three years. His first military ap- pointment was that of lieutenant of militia, and dated Nov. 14, 1803. His commission, issued subsequently, was as lieutenant of the third company of militia in the county of Scioto, first brigade, second division, and was dated the 24th of May, 1804. He was subsequently promoted through all the military grades to major general of Ohio militia, which latter promo- tion was conferred on him in 1818. The breaking out of the war of 1812 found Robert Lucas a brigadier gen- Under an act of congress "to divide the territory of Wisconsin, and to es- tablish the territorial government of Iowa." approved June 12, 1838, the subject of our sketch was appointed by president Van Buren, governor of the territory of Iowa; a position which carried with it, ex officio, the addition- al duties of superintendent of Indian affairs. His commission, transmitted to him by John Forsyth, then United States secretary of state, bore date the 7th of July, 1838, and reached him at his residence in Piketon, Pike county, Ohio. ten days afterwards. Gov. Lucas, with characteristic promptness, wrote his letter of acceptance the same day, saying that he would start in a few days for the new territory. A journey however, from the interior of Ohio to the banks of the Upper Mississippi, was then a matter of weeks instead of eral of Ohio militia, and as such he had much to do with raising troops and encouraging enlistments for Gen. Hull's northwestern army, then organ- izing for its disastrous march to De- troit and 'Canada. About the same time he received notice of his ap- pointment as captain in the regular army, and afterwards (July 6, 1812), was commissioned and assigned to the nineteenth infantry, but in the meantime he had obeyed the com- mand of Gov. Meigs, of Ohio, to turn out of his brigade twelve huudred men to march to Detroit, and for him- self, with a company of men, to re- pair to Greenville to watch the move- ments of the Indians, and subsequent- ly to visit Detroit previous to the army marching. His chief employ- ment during that campaign was that
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hours, and it was not till nearly the middle of August that he reached Burlington. The political history of Gov. Lucas' times has already been referred to in the early part of this volume, and cannot be dwelt upon in this connection. In person, he was tall, active and wiry. Though stern in camp and council, in private life he was exceedingly gentle, pleasant and kind, an indulgent father and af- fectionate husband. All who knew him, even those who differed from him on questions of public polity, ac- corded to him native ability of a high order, incorruptible honesty of pur- pose, and unswerving patriotism. From early youth, Gov. Lucas had been a devoted and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His death was not the result of dis- ease, but from exhaustion and the weight of years. He died Feb. 7, 1853, at the ripe age of nearly 72 years.
Gen. John Edwards. Gen. John Edwards was born Oct. 24, 1815, in Jefferson county, Kentucky, almost within the present boundaries of the city of Louisville. His father was one of the earliest pioneers of that vicini- ty, had acquired a large and valuable property both there and in Lawrence county, Indiana, which last he gave his son when 18 years of age. Shortly after his removal to Indiana, young Edwards was wed to Miss Eliza, daughter of Marcus Knight, an early pioneer of Lawrence county. Soon after his marriage, Gen. Edwards re- moved to Bedford, and was for several years engaged in the shipment of cat- tle and produce, by flat boat, to New Orleans. Finding it unprofitable to carry on his farm and live at the coun- ty seat, he soon after removed to Law- renceport, within one mile of his farm, where he resided till 1849. In 1849, he took four young men, fitted them out, and went with them to Califor- nia, where he arrived with the first ox train that reached the El Dorado that year. He remained in California, performing the functions of a judge, or in law practice with his partner, Ellis, until 1852, when he was called home to Indiana by the illness of his wife, which, continuing, prevented his return to the Golden State. The same year that he returned from Cali- fornia, the whig party in Lawrence
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county nominated him for the state senate, and he was elected. Previous- ly to his going to California, he had been elected to the lower branch of the Indiana legislature. In 1853, Gen. Edwards removed from Indiana to Iowa, and established his home in Chariton, Lucas county, and in 1856, was elected to represent the ninth senatorial district in the constitution- al convention, which met in Iowa City, Jan. 19, 1857. Gen. Edwards also served three terms in the legisla- ture of Iowa, and was speaker of the house at the breaking out of the war. In June, 1861, Gen. Edwards received a commission as aid-de-camp to Gov. Kirkwood, with the rank of lieutenant colonel, his chief duties being to keep the rebels on the southern borders of Iowa in subjection. So well did he perform this difficult task, that a year later he was made a full colonel, and given him command of the 18th Iowa infantry. His ervice as colonel of this regiment was mostly performed in Missouri, where he rendered valuable assistance to the Union cause. Com- manding a brigade, he took a valiant part in many of the affairs fought in Arkansas in 1864, in recognition of which he was made brigadier general.
Gen. James A. Williamson. James Alexander Williamson, a brigadier general of volunteers from Iowa in the war of the rebellion, was born in Columbia, Kentucky, Feb. 8. 1829. There were no incidents of special moment connected with his early life. He grew up as most boys of "poor but respectable " peo- ple grew up, having considerable work to do, and getting such rudi- ments of education as the schools of the times afforded. By great per- severance and industry he succeeded in giving himself a course of classic- al and mathematical study at Knox College, and having completed his collegiate studies, he went to Lancas- ter and studied law. Mr. Williamson was admitted to practice in Lancaster, but removed shortly after to the pres- ent capital of the state. With the question of removing the capital from Iowa City to Des Moines, Mr. Wil- liamson had much to do. Mr. W. practiced law with success at Des Moines, taking less part perhaps in politics than is usual with members
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of that profession. He continued in [ ed as clerk in a dry goods store. fellowship with the Democratic party till the breaking out of the rebellion, when entering the army, he eschewed for the time the subject of politics, but in the course of a year or more be- came a radical republican. Not long after the firing on Fort Sumter, Mr. Williamson volunteered as a sol- dier of the union. The fourth Iowa volunteer infantry was at this time be- ing organized, and Mr. Williamson became the adjutant of the regiment. Not long after the battle of Pea Ridge, Col. Dodge was promoted to the rank of brigadier general, and the lieutenant colonel of the regiment re- signing about that time, Adj. William- son was promoted to that rank. He was still further promoted in a few weeks, receiving the commission of colonel. From this time forth un- til near the close of the war, he served with his regiment commanding first it, then a brigade, and then a division, of which the fourth Iowa formed a part. It was one of the most dis- tinguished of the distinguished regi- ments which the state of Iowa sent to the field. The life of Gen. William- son is interwoven with the record of his famous regiment, to which refer- ence has been made in another part of this volume.
Col. John A. Garrett. John Alex- ander Garrett, was born Nov. 15, 1824. on a farm adjoining the town of Car- lisle, in Sullivan county, Indiana. He had all the advantages of an early ed- ucation that the country could afford, his parents sending him to the best schools of the section. In November, 1841, he was sent to Hanover Collge. Here, among his teachers, was Prof. Jacob Ammen, a West Pointer, a noted mathematician, an accomplish- ed drill master, a general in the late war. Here Col. Garrett received that severe military training in a college company which laid the foundation for his future reputation as company and regimental commander in the war of the rebellion. In 1847, he was pursuing his studies at the university, when the sound of the recruiting drum enticed him away for the war against Mexico - the only student en- listing - in company G, 4th Indiana volunteers. In July, 1848, he returned to his native town, and for a time act-
Thence until 1852, he was engaged in business with Peter Hawk and his brother. In 1852, the Garrett brothers went to California shipping cattle. While in California, James H. mar- ried the oldest daughter of Orson Willard, and Feb. 17, 1857, at Terre Haute, Ind., John A. was married to the youngest daughter of Mr. Willard. The day following his marriage, he started for Iowa, and April 18, 1857, landed at Burlington. In February, 1859, he moved to Newton, and went into the dry goods trade. In August, 1861, he raised a company in Jasper county, which on Sept. 6, and 7, was mustered in as company I, 10th Iowa infantry, Col. Perczel. While at Jacin- to, Mississippi, in September, 1862, Capt. G. was promoted to the lieuten- ant colonelcy of the 22d Iowa. While on the way north to join the 22d, he learned of his appointment as colonel of the 40th Iowa, then form- ing in Iowa City. The history of this regiment is one of heroism and en- durance, and Col. Garrett's record is one of great gallantry. Space forbids a detailed account of his military his- tory. During the winter of 1864-5, Col. G. had most of the time com- mand of a brigade. In February, 1865, the regiment moved to Fort Smith. Here Col. G. again command- ed a brigade numbering 5,000 men. Shortly afterwards, Maj. Gen. Blount having been relieved from the com- mand of south Kansas, Col. G. was assigned to the command of that dis- trict, and in the administration of its affairs won golden opinions from those around him. Col. G. retained this command, embracing all of the In- dian territory and part of Kansas, un- til Aug. 2, 1865, at Fort Gibson the regiment was mustercd out and started for home.
Hon. Charles Negus. Charles Ne- gus, the author of the articles written for the "Annals of Iowa," on the Early History of Iowa, is a native of Massachusetts, and was a boy of con- siderable genius- marked out his own course of life, and is indebted to no man for his fortune. Charles, when an infant, was left without paternal care, and lived most of the time in the families of one or the other of his grand parents till in the ninth year of
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his age. This year was a sad one for | him, for during that year, his father's mother and his mother's father died, and both of the families of his grand parents were broken up, and his mother was married again. Charles, no longer having a home with his grand parents, went to live with his stepfather, and his relations with him were not altogether pleasant. His stepfather was desirous of keeping him at home for the services which he could perform, and by the laws of the state, had the right to control him till he was fourteen years old, when at that age, Charles chose a guardian and left his stepfather. From that time he managed his own affairs, and shaped his own course. The example of his stepfather, and the associations thrown around him, were not such as to improve the morals of a youth. When in his seventeenth year, there was a great religious revival in the neighborhood where Chartes lived, and many hecame converted. Among others he joined the church, and a great change was noticed in his life. From that time he became a hard student. He attended the Wesleyan academy at Wilbraham, Mass., a little over two years, and hy dint of teach- ing, etc., worked his way through college, graduating in 1838, from the Wesleyan university at Middletown, Conn., with honor. After leaving col- lege, his first intention was to become a teacher, and he engaged in a high school in New London, Conn., but soon changed his plans and com- menced the study of law. In 1840, he was admitted to the bar. He started for the west and came to Iowa when most of the present territory of the state was Indian country, and the population only forty-three thousand, and settled in Fairfield in the spring of 1841, where he resided permanently, and was identified with the growth and prosperity of the state.
Gov. John Chambers. John Cham- bers, the second governor of Iowa territory, was born October 6, 1780, at Bromley Bridge, Somerset county, New Jersey. His father, Rowland Chambers, was born in Pennsylania, of Irish parentage. According to a tradition in the family, their remote ancestors were Scotch, and belonged to the clan Cameron. Having refused
to join the rebellion of 1645, they mi- grated to Ireland, where, by an act of parliament, on their own petition, they took the name of Chambers. Rowland Chambers espoused with enthusiasm the cause of American independence, and was commissioned a colonel of New Jersey militia. At the close of the war, reduced in circum- stances, he immigrated to Kentucky, and settled in Washington, then the county seat of Mason county. John Chambers, the youngest of seven children, was then fourteen years old. A few days after the family settled in their new home, he found employ- ment in a dry goods store, and the following spring was sent to Transyl- vania seminary, at Lexington, Ken- tucky, where he remained for less than a year, and returned to his home. In the fall of 1797, Mr. Chambers became deputy to Francis Taylor, Esq., clerk of the district court. The duties of . his office being light, he devoted him- self to the study of law. In Nov., 1800, Mr. Chambers was licensed to practice law. In 1803, having now entered upon a career of uninterrupted professional prosperity, he was mar- ried to Miss Margaret Taylor of Ha- gerstown, Md., a sister of the gentle- man in whose office he studied law. She lived but about three years, and in 1807, he married Miss Hannah Taylor, the sister of his first wife. In 1842, Mr. Chambers was chosen to represent his county in the legisla- ture, and would have been returned at the next session but declined. The war with Great Britain had begun, and Gen. Wm. Henry Harrison, then governor of Indiana, was invited to take command of her troops, then being organized to defend Ohio from the forays of the British, aided by their savage allies. After the defeat of Winchester, Gov. Shelby offered Mr. Chambers a place on his staff, which he was compelled to decline, having previously promised Gen. Har- rison to accept a position ou his staff. Being summoned by the gen- eral to the front, he joined him about the first of September, at Camp Seneca, on Sandusky river, and was announced as aid-de-camp to the commander-in- chief, with the rank of major. He remained with Gen. Harrison until the close of the campaign, rendering efficient service.
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In 1815, Mr. Chambers was again ; he entered upon the duties of his of- elected to represent his county in the fice. His success in his administra- tion of the affairs of the territory was well attested by the approbation of the people, and by the hearty commenda- tion of those in authority in Washing- ton, especially for his management of Indian affairs. In 1844, his term of office having expired, he was reap- pointed by President Tyler, but was removed in 1845, by President Polk, for party reasons. Gov. Chambers' infirm health forbade his engaging in any regular employment after his re- turn to Kentucky. His latter years were spent mostly with his children, whose affection and respect were the chief conditions of his happiness. During a visit to his daughters, in Paris, Ky., he was taken sick at the house of his son-in-law, C. S. Brent, Esq., and, after a few weeks, breathed his last on the 21st day of Sept., 1852, in his seventy-second year. state legislature (lower house). He did not enter political life again until 1828, when he served out the unex- pired term of Gov. Metcalfe in con- gress, but refused to be a candidate for reelection. From 1830 to 1832, lie was again called to serve in the state legislature. In 1832, he was offered a seat on the bench of the supreme court of Kentucky, but declined it. Again, in 1835, he was nominated by the governor to the senate for the same office, and confirmed, but was obliged to resign before he had taken his seat, because of his health. In 1832, he had suffered the loss of his wife. She was a lady of cultivated mind and elegant manners, and had made his house a happy and attractive home. In 1835, he was again elected to rep- resent his district in congress. He was reelected in 1837, and served until the close of the 25th congress, in March, 1839. It is a sufficient compli- ment to his ability and industry as a legislator to say that he succeeded the Hon. Elisha Whittlesey, so long and favorably known in that position, as chairman of the committee on claims, one of the most laborious and respon- sible positions in the national legisla- ture. Between 1815 and 1828, Mr. Chambers held, for several years, the office of commonwealth's attorney for the judicial district in which he lived. He was, during that period, at the zenith of his reputation as a lawyer and advocate. He met the giants of the Kentucky bar in important civil and criminal trials, and his efforts were attended with great success. Mr. Chambers closed his congression- al career in 1839, with the purpose of resuming the practice of law, but. at the earnest request of Gen. Harrison, be accompanied him throughout that memorable canvass during the presi- dential campaign of 1840, and pre- sented the claims of his old command- er. He afterward accompanied the president elect to Washington, and temporarily performed the duties of his private secretary. While in Wash- ington, Mr. Chambers was urged by President Harrison to accept some office requiring his residence there. This he declined, but afterwards ac- cepted the appointment of governor lof Iowa. On the. 13th of May, 1841,
Prof. D. Franklin Wells. D. Frank- lin Wells was born in Oneida county, N. Y., June 22, 1830. Conceiving his mission to be that of an educator, and resolving to make this his life work, he entered the State Normal School at Albany, N. Y., from which he was graduated in 1852, and entered at once upon his chosen profession. In 1853, through the agency of Prof. T. S. Par- vin, he was induced to come to Iowa, and assumed the principalship of one of the public schools in Muscatine. After organizing and grading the school, he conducted it most success- fully until 1856, when he was elected principal of the normal department of the State University, which position, together with that of professor of theo- ry and practice of teaching, he held for ten years; aud, to quote from a biographical sketch in the Journal of Education, " his success was most re- markable; clearly demonstrating that such a department, wisely conducted, can accomplish the professional train- ing of teachers as well as an independ- ent normal school." Prof. Wells has been closely and intimately identified with the educational interests of the state for twelve years, and it is but simple justice to say that the labors of no other of our educators have been crowned with more marked success, and productive of more lasting benefit to the race. He was active in organ-
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izing and conducting teachers' insti- tutes, and in lecturing upon educa- tional subjects. He was a member and officer of the first state teachers' association, and was elected president of the present association in 1855, and again in 1859. On the resignation of Prof. Faville, causing a vacancy in the office of superintendent of public in- struction, Prof. Wells was appointed to the position by the governor. A little later the people ratified the ap- pointment by electing him to the office. It was while engaged in the duties of this position that he contracted the disease of which he died. His funeral occurred Friday, November 27, 1869.
Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood. Samuel Jordan Kirkword was born Dec. 20, 1813, in Hartford county, Maryland, on his father's farm. His father was twice married, first to a lady named Coulson, by whom he had two sons, and, after her death, to Mary Alexander, by whom he had three children, all sons, the youngest of whom is the subject of these notes. The father of Gov. Kirkwood was a native of Maryland, his ancestors having settled there previous to the revolutionary war; his mother was born in Scotland, and both parents were strict members of the Presbyter- ian church. When ten years old, young Kirkwood was sent to Wash- ington city to attend a school taught by a relative named John McLeod. He remained at school four years, when he entered a drug store at Wasit- ington as clerk, in which occupation he continued till after reaching his majority, with the exception of' about eighteen months spent in teaching. In 1835, Gov. Kirkwood left Washing- ton, and settled in Richland county, Ohio, where he assisted his father and brother in clearing a farm. In 1841, he entered, as student, the law office of Thomas W. Bartley, after- ward governor of Ohio, and in 1843, was admitted to the bar by the su- preme court of Ohio. He there en- gaged in the practice of law with his former preceptor, Mr. Bartley, forming an association which continued for eight years. Gov. Kirkwood in the meantime attaining a high standing at the bar of Ohio. From 1845 to 1849, he served as prosecuting attorney of his county. In 1849 he was elected to
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