USA > Iowa > Ringgold County > Biographical and historical record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa, vol. 1 > Part 10
USA > Iowa > Union County > Biographical and historical record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa, vol. 1 > Part 10
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November 21, 1872, General Arthur was appointed Collector of the Port of New York by President Grant, and he held the office until July 20. 18;8.
The next event of puaninence in General Arthur's career was his nomination to the Việc Presidency of the United States, under the influence of Riceve Conting, at the National Republican Convention he'd at Chicago in June, 19% when James A. Gar field was dared at the head . the ticket. Both the convention and the cure nihat followed were mesy and & king. The friends of Grant, constituting_ nearly boh
the convention. were exceedingly persist- ent, and were sorely disappointed over their defeat. At the head of the Demo- cratic ticket was placed a very strong and popular man : yet Garfieldand Arthur were elected by a respectable plurality of the popular vote. The 4th of March following, these gentlemen were accordingly inaugu- rated ; but within four months the assassin's General Garfield, whose life terminated September 19, 1881, when General Arthur, ex officio, was obliged to take the chief reins of government. Some misgivings were entertained by many in this event, as Mr. Arthur was thought to represent espe cially the Grant and Conkling wing of the Republican party; but President Arthur had both the ability and the good sense to allay all fears, and he gave the restless, critical American people as good an ad- ministration as they had ever been blessed with. Neither selfishness nor low parti- sanism ever characterized any feature of his public service. He ever maintained a high sense of every individual right as well as of the Nation's honor. Indeed, he stood so high that his successor, President Cleve- land, though of opposing politics, expressed a wish in his inaugural address that he could only satisfy the people with as gool an administration.
But the day of civil service reform had come in so far, and the corresponding re- action against "wird-terran" had en- crouched so far even upon "secon 1-t em" service, that the Republican party sur f.t in 1844 to nominate another man for Presi- dent. Only le this means was Gone ! Arthur's tomme of office closed at Wash- ington. Since his retirement from 10- Presidency in March, 1885, car go - et- President les con ineed in the practice of his chosen profession at New York Com.
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GROVER CLEVELAND.
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ROVER CLEVE- LAND, the twenty- second President of the United States, 1885 -- , was born in Caldwell, Essex County, New Jersey, March is, 1837. The house in which he was born, a small two-story wooden building, is still stand- ing. It was the parsonage of the Presbyterian church, of which his father, Richard Cleveland, at the time was pastor. The family is of New England origin, and for two centuries has contributed to the professions and to busi- ness, men who have reflected honor on the name. Aaron Cleveland, Grover Cleve- land's great-great-grandfather, was born in Massachusetts, but subsequently moved to Philadelphia, where he became an intimate friend of Benjamin Franklin, at whose house he died. He Ich a large family of children, who in time married and settled in different parts of New England. . 1 grandson was one of the small American force that fought the British at Bunker Hill. He served with gallantry through- out the Revolution and was honorably discharged at its close as a Lieutenant in the Comisontal antov. Another grands in, William Cleveland ia son of a second Aar m
Cleveland, who was distinguished as a writer and member of the Connecticut Legislature) was Grover Cleveland's grand- father. William Cleveland became a silver- smith in Norwich, Connecticut. He ac- quired by industry some property and sent his son, Richard Cleveland, the father of Grover Cleveland, to Vale College, where he graduated in 1824. During a year spent in teaching at Baltimore, Maryland, after graduation, he met and fell in love with a Miss Annie Neale, daughter of a wealthy Baltimore book publisher, of Irish birth. He was earning his own way in the world at the time and was unable to marry: but in three years he completed a course of preparation for the ministry, secured a church in Windham, Connecticut, and married Annie Neale. Subsequently he moved to Portsmouth, Virginia, where he preached for nearly two years, when he was summoned to Caldwell, New Jersey, where was born Grover Cleveland.
When he was three years old the family moved to Fayetteville, Onondaga County. New York. Here Grover Cleveland Bved until he was fourteen years old, the rillen!, healthful lite of a country boy. His fran'., generous manner made him a favorite among his companions, and their rest et was won by the good qualities in the gym which Is manhood developed. H. at tende ! the district school of the village and
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was for a short time at the marcas father, however. believed the: 3 be taught to labor at an early den un ! fore he had completed the course of stuff at the academy he Decau ti work: i .. !!.: village store at $55 for the first year. ani :ins promise of Stoo for the second year. His work was well done and the promise ? il. crease of par was granted the school for.
Meanwhile his father and family had moved to Clinton, the seat of Hamil: . s College, where his father acted ass rout to the Presbyterian Board of Home Missione, preaching in the churches of the vicinity. Hither Grover came at his father's vong ist shortly after the beginning of lis seen! year at the Fayetteville store, and resulted his studies at the Clinton Acaden.v. Atter three years spent in this town, the R.v. Richard Cleveland was called to the vil- lage church of Holla.i Patent. He had preached here only a month when he was suddenly stricken down and died without an hour's warning. The death of the ather left the family in straltered circun. stances. as Richard Cleveland had spent all Fis salary if $1,200 per year, which was not required for the necessary expense of live ing, upon the education of his children of whom there were nine, Grover beins the fifth. Grover was ho, ing to enter II. s.i .. ton C Me, but the death of His father made i. n.c.
th - 1 .- chini
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Me Here. He com: bosted his plans toNi. Alien, who de .parared the idea of alle Wed and Shally Induced the Enthusi- asthe top of seventeen to remain with him nol idiprima prepared catalogue of flooded short-imen cattle, knog was " Allen's Amer- icon Herl Book " a publication famiillar to al Bree ders of call. In August, 1955. he chter. I the lowy biffos of Rogers, Bowen & Rogers, at Bufale, and after serving a few months without pay, was paid $4 a week -- an antounit barely sufficient tomeet the necessary expenses of ilis board in the fn ... Es vd a fellow-student h. But!,, with glidit he took lodgings. Life at this time with Grover Cleveland was a stern battle wid. the world. Hetook his bronidast by candlelight whil. the drovers, and went at uncs to the office where the whole. duy iras spent in work and study. Usualiv he re- turned again at night to restane reading which hal been interrupted by the duties ofthe . v. Gradually his employers canie to reunichide the ability. trust worthiness and capacity for hard work in their young empleve. and by the time he was a limited to the bar 1359 he stood night in their con- Adence. A year later ht was n ... !! conf. dential and managing clerk and it. the course of three years wort his salant had Heute fred to Store In weg he was ap.
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GROVER LETKAND.
party Grover Cleveland consented to be The firm war strong and populair, and soon the Democratic candidate for Supervisor, commanded a large and lucrative practice. Ill lcalth forced the retirement of Mr. Bass in 1879, and the firm became Cleveland & Bissell. In 1881 Mr. George J. Sicard was added to the firm. and came within thirteen votes of an elec- tion. The three years spent in the district attorney's office were devoted to assiduous labor and the extension of his professional attainments. He then formed a law part- In the autumn election of issi he was elected mayor of Buffalo by a majority of over 3.500-the largest majority ever given a candidate for mayor-and the Democratic city ticket was successful, although the Republicans carried Buffalo by over 1, 000 majority for their State ticket. Grover Cleveland's administration as mayor fully justified the confidence reposed in him by the people of Buffalo, evidenced by the great vote he received. nership with the late Isaac V. Vanderpoel, ex-State Treasurer, under the firm name of Vanderpoel & Cleveland. Here the bulk of the work devolved on Cleveland's shoul- ders, and he soon won a good standing at the bar of Erie County. In 1869 Mr. Cleveland formed a partnership with ex- Senator A. P. Laning and ex-Assistant United States District Attorney Oscar Fol- som, under the firm name of Laning, Cleve- land & Folsom. During these years he The Democratic State Convention met at Syracuse, September 22, 1882, and nomi- nated Grover Cleveland for Governor on the third ballot and Cleveland was elected by 192,000 majority. In the fall of 1884 he was elected President of the United States by about 1.coo popular majority, in New York State, and he was accordingly inaugurated the 4th of March following. began to earn a moderate professional in- come; but the larger portion of it was sent to his mother and sisters at Holland Patent to whose support he had contributed ever since 1860. He served as sheriff of Erie County, 1870-'4, and then resumed the practice of law, associating himself with the Hon. Lyman K. Bass and Wilson S. Bissell.
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HISTORY OF IOWA.
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IOWA STATE HOUSE AT DES MOINES
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HISTORY OF ZONA.
History of lowa.
ABORIGINAL.
HE race or races who occupied this beau- tiful prairie country before the advent of the whites from Eu- rope had no litera- ture, and therefore have left us no history of themselves. Not even tra- ditions, to any extent, have been handed down to us. Hence, about all we know of the Indians, previous to explorations by the whites, is derived from mounds and a few simple relics.
the arts of life than their successors during the middle ages. Most people have their periods of decline, as well as those of prog- ress. The Persians, Hindoos and Chinese, although so long in existence as distinct nations, have been forages in a state of de- cay. Spain and Italy do not improve, while Germany, Russia and the United States have now their turn in enjoying a rapid rise. Similarly, the Indians have long been on the decline in the practical arts of life. Even since the recent days of Feni- more Cooper, the " noble" red men have degenerated into savages, despite the close contact of the highest order of civilization.
Nearly all modern authorities unite in the opinion that the American continent was first peopled from En tern Asia, either by immigration across Bebring's Strait or by shipwrecks of sailors from the Kalet- schatkan and Japanese cost. If mankind originated at the north pole, and sist. qu atly occupied an Atlantic confident. now submerged, it is possible that the American Indians are relies of poker or Atlantic rates.
The mounds were erected by a people generally denominated Mound Builders, but whether they were a distinct race from the Indians is an unsettled ques- tion. Prof. Alex. Winchell, of the Michigan State University, as well as a number of other investigators, is of the opinion that those who built mounds, mined copper and iron, made elaborate implements of war. agriculture and domestic economy, and bunt houses and substantial villages, etc., The ancient race why I built the town. and chips of Music and the Weten were no other than the ance. tons of the present Indians, who, like the ancient Grecko and Roman, were my TAM Lin of Mentei sandy ading Known & ve 10
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HUISTURE OF IOR'A.
what can be learned from their bupred structures. The few inscriptions that are found seem to be meaningless.
Indian mounds are found throughout the United States cast of the Rocky Mountains, but are far more abundant in some places than others. In this State they abound near the principal rivers. They vary in size from a few to hundreds of fect in diameter, and from three to fifteen or more feet in height. They are generally round, or nearly so, but in a few notable exceptions they bear a rude resemblance iu their outline to the figure of some animal. Their contents are limited, both in quantity and variety, and consist mainly of human bones, stone implements tobacco pipes, beads, etc. The stone implenuts are axes, skinning knives, pestles and mortars, arrow points, etc. The human bones are often found in a mass as if a number of corpses hadl been buried together, and indicate that their possessors were interred in a suiting posture. Judge Samuel Murdock, of Ellader, this State, who has made this subject a special study for many years, is of the opinion that these romains are not of subjects who were inhumed as corpses, but of persons who, under the influence of a savage religion, going a burial when alive.
The first member of this race to discover the Mississippi River was Ferdinand De Soto, a Spariard, who explored the region of the Lower Mississippi in 1541, but come no farther north than the 35th paralel. He founded na settlements, nor was be ever followed by others of his country to make settlements, and heave Spain lo't her tidl. to the country which she had carned by discovery through her spojen. The Soil. At a subsequent perio la Finalevan re discovered the really took me sind it in the name of France, and His father
countrymen soon followed and effected actual settlements. Accordingly, in 1682, France claimed the country, and, accord- ing to the usage of European nations, earned a proper title to the same. There- salt was a collision between those two na- tions, success finally crowning the efforts of France.
In a grand council of Indians, on the shore of Lake Superior, they told the Frenchmen glowing stories of the " Father of Waters" and of the adjacent country, and in 1669 Jacques Marquette, a zealous and shrewd Jesuit missionary, became in- spired with the idea of visiting this re- gion, in the interests of civilization. After studying the language and customs of the Illinois Indians until 1673, he ma le prep- arations for the journey, in which he was to be accompanied by Loms Jolict, an agent of the French Government, The Indians, who had gathered! in large numbers to wit. ness his departure, endeavored to flis rade him from the undertaking, representing ; that the Indians of the Mississippi Valley were cruel and bloodthirsty. The great river itself, they said, was the abod of terrible monsters which could swallow men, chocs and all. Bat the shrewd missionary. shody voluntarily sacrificed themselves by under- , aware of Indian extravagance in de crip- tion, set out upon the contemplated jo ir- CAUCASIAN. ney May 13. With the aid of two Mami guides he proc. lol to the Wisconsin River, an ! down that strewth to the Mis. sissippi. Floating down the latter hedlis- covered, on the 25th of June, traces of Indians on the west bank, and lamiel. This was at a point a little above the mouth of the De Moines River, and thus a Euro. pean first trod the soil of Iva. Afteri. naining a short time anl becoming ac- quintet with the rolerings he then .. ! the etshiite Him , Na pross ale 1 20. :
to the month of the Minois, thence up that riven and My Lake Michigan ty ... French. of Rents.
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HISTORY OF 101.1. 125
Nine years later, in 1682, Rene Robert Cavelier La Salle descended the Missis- sippi to the Gulf of Mexico, and in the name of the King of France took formal posses- sion of all the Mississippi Valley, naming it Louisiana, in honor of his king, Louis XIV. The river itself he named Colbert, in honor of the French minister. Soon afterward the Government of France began to en- courage the establishment of a line of trad- ing posts and missionary stations through- out the West from Canada to Louisiana, and this policy was maintained with par- tial success for about seventy-five years. Christian zeal animated both France and England in missionary enterprise, the former in the interests of Catholicism and the latter in favor of Protestantisia. Hence their haste to pre-occupy the lan J and prose- lyte the aborigines; but this ugly rivalry dis- gusted the Indians an I they refused to be converted to either branch of Christianity. The traders also persisted in importing whisky, which canceled nearly every civ. ilizing influence that could be brought to
Comparatively few Indians were perma- neatly located within the present bounds of the State of Iowa. Favorite hunting grounds were reported to by certain hands for a time, and afterw und by offers, subiect to the varying fortun. . of their lith wars. The tribes were principally the Minot, lowas, Dakotas, Sious, Pottawatoinies and finally the Sacs and bones.
In 175 the Miami confederacy was con . posed of four tribes, whose total member
of warriors was estimated at only 1.050 men. Of these about ago were Twightwees. or Miamis proper; 330 Weas, or Oninte- nons; 325 Piankeshaws and 200 Shockeys; but their headquarters were along the Maumee River, in Indiana and Ohio.
From 1688 to 1697 the wars in which France and England were engaged re- tarded the growth of their American colo- nies. The efforts made by France to connect Canada and the Gulf of Mexico by a chain of trading posts and colonies na !- urally excited the jealousy of England and gradually laid the foundation for a struggle at arms. The crisis came and the contest obtained the name of the French and Indian - war, the French and Indiens combining against the English. The war was termi- nated in 176; by a treaty at Paris, by which France coded to Great Britain all of North America cast of the Mississippi, except the island on which New Orleans is situated. The preceding autumn France coded to Spain all the country west of that river.
In 1765 the total number of French fan.i- bear upon the savages. Another character- . hes within the limits of the Northwest Ter- istic of Indian nature was to listen atten- tively to all that the missionary said, pre- tending to believe all he preached, an I then offer in turn his theory of the world, of re- ligion, etc .; and, not being listened to with the same degree of attention and pretense of belief, would depart from the white man's presence in disgust. This was his idea of the golden rule.
ritory did not probably exceed 600. These were in settlements about Detroit, akeng the river Wabash and the neighborhood Fort Chartres on the Mississippi. The colonial policy of the British Government opposed any measures which might strengthen settlements in the interior of this country, lest they should become self- supporting and consequently independled of the mother country, Hence the settle- ment of the Northgeest was still further retardel. That short-sighted policy co- sisted mainly in holding the lands in the possession of the Government, and wol allowing it to be subdivided and sold to those who will bedealt settlers. Att : the establishment of America inde dence, and c pe cially under the a ? nincs .. tion of Themme Jo Hore, KadIngs Gove of Virginia and President of the Unio. l
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MASTORY OF FUTA.
States, subdivision of land and giving it to actual settlers rapidly peopled this portion of the Union, so that the Northwest Terri. tory was formed and even subdivided into other Territories and States before the year 1820.
For more than 1oo years after Marquette and Joliet trod the virgin soil of Iowa and admired its fertile plains, not a single settle- ment was made or attempted ; not even a trading-post was established. During this time the Illinois Indians, once a powerful tribe, gave up the entire possession of this " Beautiful Land," as Jowa was then called, to the Sacs and Foxes. In 1803, when Louisiana was purchased by the United States, the Sacs, Foxes and lowas pos- sessed this entire State, and the two for- mer tribes occupied also most of the State of Illinois. The four most important towns of the Sacs were along the Mississippi, two on the east side, one near the mouth of the Upper Jowa and one at the head of the Des Moines Rapids, near the present site of Montrose. Those of the Foxes were- one on the west side of the Mississippi just above Davenport, one about twelve miles from the river back of the Dubuque lead mines and one on Turkey River. The principal village of the lowas was on the Des Moines River, in Van Buren County, where lowaville now stands. Here the list great battle between the Sacs and Foxes . and the lowas was fought, in which Black Hawk, then a young man, commanded the attacking forces.
The Sons had the northern portion of this State and Southern Minnen's. They were a fi ree and war like nation, who often disputed pressions with the rivals in savage and biobyly warfare; but nadl; a
them by the Government of the
tween the trile as each trespassed, or Mas thought to trorpass, upon the other's side of the line. In 1830. therefore, the Govern- ment created a forty-mile nehtral strip of land between them, which poli y proved to be more successful in the interests of peace.
Soon after the acquisition of Louisiana by our Government, the latter adopted meas- ures for the 'exploration of the new terri- tory, having in view the conciliation of the numerous tribes of Indians by whom it was possessed, and also the selection of proper sites for military posts and trading stations.
The Army of the West, General Wilkin- son commanding, had its headquarters at St. Louis. From this post Captains Lewis and Clarke, in 1805. were detailed with a sufficient force to explore the Missouri River to its source, and Lieutenant Zebulon J. Pike to ascend to the head of the Missis- sippi. August 20 the latter arrived within the present limits of Iowa, at the foot of the Des Moines Rapids, where he met William Ewing, who had just been appointed Indian Agent at this point. a French interpreter, four chiefs and ffteen Sac and! Fox war- riors. At the head of the rapids, where Montrose now is, Pike held a council with the Indians, merely for the purpose of stat- ing to them that the President of the United States wished to inquire into the needs of the red man, with a view of suggesting remedies.
On the 23d he reached what is supposed from his description to be the site of Bu :- lington, which place he desigrated for a post; but the states. probad'y by some mistake, wa. afterward placed o Port Madi- son. After accidentally separating from his men and losing his way, suffering at on . time for six days de want of A Mandate: many other nothing took the Ichai mg of the partone there 0
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HISTORY OF IOWA.
Julien Dubuque, a Frenchman who held a ing, and what they intended. On being mining claim under a grant from Spain, but "informel" that those structures were merely trading-posts, they were incredu- lous and became more and more suspicious. Black Hawk therefore led a party to the vicinity of Fort Madison and attempted its destruction, but a premature attack by him caused his failure. was not disposed to publish the wealth of his possessions. Having an old field piece with him, however, he fired a salute in honor of the first visit of an agent from the United States to that part of the country, and Pike pursued his way up the river.
At what was afterward Fort Snelling. Minnesota. Lieutenant Pike held a council with the Sioux September 23, and obtained from them a grant of 100,000 acres of land. January 8 following (1805) he arrived at a trading post on Lake De Sable, belonging to the Northwestern Fur Company, whose field of operations at that time included this State. Pike returned to St. Louis the fol- lowing spring, after making a successful expedition.
In IS12, when war was declared between this country and Great Britain, Black Hawk and his band allied themselves to the British, partly because they were dazzled by their specious promises, but mostly, perhaps, be- cause they had been deceived by the Amer- icans. Black Hawk said plainly that the latter fact was the cause. A portion of the Sacs and Foxes, however, headed by Keo- kuk (" watchful fox"), could not be per- suaded into hostilities against the United States, being disposed to abide by the treaty of 1804. The Indians were there- fore divided into the "war" and the "peace" parties. Black Hawk says he was informed, after he had gone to the war, that his people, left on the west side of the river, would be defenseless against the United States forces in case they were at- tacked ; and, having all the old men, the women and the children on their hands to provide for, a council was held, and it was determined to have the latter go to St. Louis and place themselves under the
Before this country could be opened for settlement by the whites, it was necessary that Indian title should be extinguished and the aboriginal owners removed. When the Government assumed control of the country by virtue of the Louisiana purchase, nearly the whole State was in possession of the Sacs and Foxes, at whose head stood the rising Black Hawk. November 3, 1804, a treaty was concluded with these tribes by which they ceded to the United States the Illinois side of the great river, in consider- ation of 82,234 worth of goods then de- livered, and an annuity of St,oco to be paid ""American" chief stationed there. Ac- in goods at cost : but Black Hawk always cordingly they went down, and were re- ceived as the " friendly band" of Sacs and Foxes, and were provided for and sent up the Mis ori River. maintained that the chiefs who entered into that compact acted without authority, and that there for the treaty was not binding.
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