USA > Iowa > Page County > Biographical history of Page County, Iowa, containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state; engravings of prominent citizens of Page County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families; and a concise history of the county, the cities, and the townships > Part 14
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HISTORY OF IOWA.
the good people of Iowa were more than willing to respond to the call. Party lines gave way, and for a while, at least, party spirit was hushed, and the cause of our common country was supreme in the affections of the people. Peculiarly fort unate were the citizens of Iowa at this crisis, in having a truly representative man, Samuel J. Kirkwood, as executive of the State.
Within thirty days after the date of the President's call for troops, the first Iowa regiment was mustered into the service of the United States, a second regiment was in camp ready for the service, and the General Assembly of the State was con- vened in special session, and had by joint resolution solemnly pledged every resource of men and money to the national cause.
The Constitution of Iowa limited the State debt to $250,000, except debts con- tracted to " repel invasion, suppress insur- rection, or defend the State in war." The General Assembly authorized a loan of $800,000 for a war and defense fund, to be expended in organizing, arming, equipping and subsisting the militia of the State to meet the present and future requisitions of the President. Those in power looked to the spirit rather than to the letter of the Constitution, and acted upon the theory that to preserve the nation was to pre- serve the State, and that to prevent in- vasion was the most effectual means of repelling it. A few, however, in both branches of the General Assembly were more careful of the letter of the Constitu- tion. Three votes in the Senate and sev- enteen in the House were cast against the loan bill. These bonds were at 7 per cent. interest. Only $300,000 were ever issued, and they were purchased and held chiefly by our own citizens. At this crisis James W. Grimes and James Harlan were in the United States Senate, and General Samuel R. Curtis and General Vandever in
the House of Representatives. During the first year of the war, Iowa furnished sixteen regiments of infantry, six of cavalry and three batteries,-in all, 22,000 soldiers. Iowa had no refuse population to enlist as " food for powder." Her cities contained none of that element found about the pur- lieus of vice in the great centers of popu- lation. Her contribution to the armies of the republic was a genuine offering of manhood and patriotism. From her fields, her workshops, her counting-houses, her offices, and the halls of her schools and colleges, she contributed the best muscle, sinew and brain of an industrious, enter- prising and educated people. The first regiment of Iowa soldiers fought the bat- tle of Wilson's Creek after their term of enlistment had expired, and after they were entitled to a discharge. They were citi- zen soldiers, cach of whom had a personal interest in the struggle. It was to them no question of enlistment, of bounty or of pay. When the gallant General Lyon placed himself at their head, and told them that the honor of Iowa and of the nation was in their hands, he addressed men who knew what the appeal meant, and to whom such an appeal was never made in vain.
At the fall election of 1861, party spirit had revived; and the contest for the control of the State administration was warm and earnest. Dissensions arose in both parties but the election resulted in a majority of 16,600 votes for Kirkwood, who was this retained as Governor of Iowa. In 1863 the Republicans elected their candidate for Governor, William M. Stone, by a ma- jority of 29,000.
Meanwhile the General Assembly had passed a law authorizing the "soldiers' vote," that is, citizens of the State in the volunteer military service of the United States, whether within or without the limits of the State, were authorized to open a poll on the day of the election, and to make re-
13
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HISTORY OF 10WA.
turn of their votes to the proper civil au- thorities. In the Presidental contest of 1864 the popular vote at home was as follows: Lincoln, 72, 122; McClellan, 47,- 703. The soldier vote returned was: Lin- coln, 16,844; McClellan, 1,883.
The General Assembly did all in its power to encourage enlistment and to pro- tect the soldiers in the field and their fami- lies at home. Statutes were enacted sus- pending all suits against soldiers in the service, and all writs of execution or attach- ment against their property; and county boards of supervisors were authorized to vote bounties for enlistments, and pecuni- ary aid to the families of those in the serv- ice. The spirits of our people rose and fell, according to the success of the Union armies. One day the bells rung out with joy for the surrender of Vicksburg, and again the air seemed full of heaviness be- cause of our defeats on the Peninsula; but through all these dark and trying days, the faith of the great majority never wavered.
The Emancipation Proclamation of the President was to them an inspiration of a new hope.
In the Adjutant's department at Des Moines are preserved the shot-riddled col- ors and standards of Iowa's regiments. Upon them, by special authority, were inscribed from time to time during the war the names of the battle-fields upon which these regiments gained distinction. These names constitute the geographical nomen- clature of two-thirds of the territory lately in rebellion. From the Des Moines River to the Gulf, from the Mississippi to the Atlantic, in the Mountains of West Virginia and in the valley of the Shenandoah, the Iowa soldier made his presence known and felt, and maintained the honor of the State, and the cause of the nation. They were with Lyon at Wilson's Creek; with Tuttle at Donelson. They fought with Sigel and with Curtis at Pea Ridge; with Crocker
at Champion Hills; with Reid at Shiloh. They were with Grant at the surrender of Vicksburg. They fought above the clouds with Hooker at Lookout Mountain. They were with Sherman in his march to the sea, and were ready for battle when Johnston surrendered. They were with Sheridan in the valley of the Shenandoah, and were in the veteran ranks of the nation's deliverers that stacked their arms in the national cap- itol at the close of the war.
The State furnished to the armies of the republic, during the war, over 70,000 men, and 20,000 of these perished in battle or from diseases contracted in the service.
We append here a brief notice of each regiment :
The First Regiment was organized under the President's first call for three-months volunteers, with John Francis Bates, of Du- buque, as Colonel. It comprised various independent military companies that had been organized before the war, who ten- dered their services even before the break- ing out of hostilities. They were mustered in May 14, and first saw service under General Lyon in Missouri.
Second Infantry; Samuel R. Curtis, of Keokuk, Colonel. This was the first three- years regiment, and made a most distin- guished record throughout the South, go- ing with Sherman to the sea, returning through the Carolinas, etc. After the battle at Fort Donelson, the unenthusiastic General Halleck pronounced this regiment " the bravest of the brave."
Third Infantry ; Nelson G. Williams, of Dubuque County, Colonel. Veteranized in 1864, but before the new officers received their commissions the regiment fought itself out of existence at the battle of Atlanta !
Fourth Infantry ; G. M. Dodge, of Coun- cil Bluffs, Colonel. Engaged in the prin- cipal battles of the South.
Fifth Infantry ; William H. Worthington, of Keokuk, Colonel; 180 veteranized in
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HISTORY OF IOWA.
1864 and were transferred to the Fifth Cavalry.
Sixth Infantry ; John A. McDowell, of Keokuk, Colonel. Engaged faithfully in many of the prominent battles.
Seventh Infantry ; J. G. Lauman, of Bur- lington, Colonel. It lost 227 at the single battle of Belmont.
Eighth Infantry ; Frederick Steele, of the regular army, Colonel. Most of this com- mand suffered in rebel prisons for eight months. Was on duty in Alabama nearly a year after the collapse of the Rebellion.
Ninth Infantry ; William Vandever, of Dubuque, Colonel. Was in almost every Southern State, traveling altogether 10,000 miles ; marched more than 4,000 miles !
Tenth Infantry ; Nicholas Persczel, of Davenport, Colonel. Fought mainly in Mississippi; losing half its number at the battle of Champion Hills alone !
Eleventh Infantry ; A. M. Hare, of Mus- catine, Colonel. Served mainly in the in- terior of the South, doing as valiant service as any other regiment.
Twelfth Infantry ; J. J. Wood, of Maquo- keta, Colonel. In rebel prisons eight months. Veteranized January 4, 1864, a larger proportion of the men re-enlisting than from any other Iowa regiment. Served for several months after the close of the war.
Thirteenth Infantry ; M. M. Crocker, of Des Moines, Colonel. Fought in the South- ern interior and made the famous round with Sherman to the sea, being the first to enter Columbia, South Carolina, where se- cession had its rise.
Fourteenth Infantry ; William T. Shaw, of Anamosa, Colonel. Nearly all captured at Shiloh, but were released after a few months. Engaged in some of the severest contests.
Fifteenth Infantry; Hugh T. Reid, of Keokuk, Colonel. Served three and a half years in the heart of the Rebellion.
Sixteenth Infantry ; Alex. Chambers, of the regular army, Colonel. Bravely served throughout the South.
Seventeenth Infantry; John W. Rankin, of Keokuk, Colonel. Served in the in- terior of the South.
Eighteenth Infantry; John Edwards, of Chariton, Colonel. Much of its time was spent in garrison duty.
Nineteenth Infantry ; Benjamin Crabb, of Washington, Colonel. Served mainly in Mississippi. Were prisoners of war about ten months.
Twentieth Infantry, comprising five com- panies each from Scott and Linn counties, who vied with each other in patriotism; William M. Dye, of Marion, Colonel. En- gaged mainly on the Gulf coast.
Twenty-first Infantry ; ex-Governor Sam- uel Merrill, Colonel. Distinguished in val- iant service throughout the South. See Twenty-third Regiment.
Twenty-second Infantry ; William M. Stone, of Knoxville, since Governor of the State, was Colonel. Did excellent service, all the way from Mississippi to old Virginia.
Twenty-third Infantry ; William Dewey, of Fremont County, Colonel. Its services were mainly in Mississippi. At Black River but a few minutes were required in carry- ing the rebel works, but those few minutes were fought with fearful loss to the troops. The Twenty-first also participated in this daring assault, and immediately after the victory was gained General Lawler passed down the line and joyfully seized every man by the hand, so great was his emotion.
Twenty-fourth Infantry ; the "Iowa Temperance Regiment," was raised by Eber C. Byam, of Linn County. Engaged mainly in the Lower Mississippi Valley.
Twenty-fifth Infantry ; George A. Stone, of Mt. Pleasant, Colonel. " To the sea."
Twenty-sixth Infantry; Milo Smith, of Clinton, Colonel. Took part in many great battles.
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HISTORY OF IOWA.
Twenty-seventh Infantry ; James I. Gil- bert, of Lansing, Colonel. On duty all the way from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.
Twenty-eighth Infantry ; William E. Miller, of Iowa City, Colonel. Service, in the region of the Lower Mississippi.
Twenty-ninth Infantry ; Thomas H. Ben- ton, Jr., of Council Bluffs, Colonel. Sta- tioned in Arkansas.
Thirtieth Infantry ; Charles B. Abbott, of Louisa County, Colonel. In the thickest of the war, coming home loaded with honors.
Thirty-first Infantry ; William Smyth, of Marion, Colonel. Returned from its many hard-fought battles in the interior of the South with only 370 men out of 1,000 en- listed.
Thirty-second Infantry; John Scott, of Nevada, Colonel. Engaged in a number of battles.
Thirty-third Infantry ; Samuel A. Rice, a popular politician of Central Iowa, Colo- nel. Served from Arkansas to Alabama.
Thirty-fourth Infantry; George W.Clark, of Indianola, Colonel. Traveled 15,000 miles in its service !
Thirty-fifth Infantry ; S. G. Hill, of Mus- catine, Colonel. Served bravely in a dozen ' battles, and traveled 10,000 miles.
Thirty-sixth Infantry ; Charles W. Kitt- redge, of Ottumwa, Colonel. Suffered a great deal from sickness-small-pox, measles, malaria, etc.
Thirty-seventh Infantry, the "Gray- Beard Regiment," being composed of men over forty-five years of age, and was the only one of its kind in the war. Garrison and post duty.
Thirty-eighth Infantry ; D. H. Hughes, of Decorah, Colonel. Most unfortunate of all in respect of sickness, 300 dying during the first two years.
Thirty-ninth Infantry; H. J. B. Cum- mings, of Winterset, Colonel. One of the most distinguished regiments in the field.
Fortieth Infantry; John A. Garrett, ot Newton, Colonel.
Forty-first Infantry was not completed, and the three companies raised for it were attached to the Seventh Cavalry.
There were no regiments numbered Forty-second or Forty-third.
Forty-fourth Infantry for 100 days; Stephen H. Henderson, Colonel. Garrison duty in Tennessee.
Forty-fifth Infantry, for 100 days ; A. H. Bereman, of Mt. Pleasant, Colonel. Garri- son duty in Tennessee.
Forty-sixth Infantry, for 100 days; D. B. Henderson, of Clermont, Colonel. Garri- son duty in Tennessee.
Forty-seventh Infantry, for 100 days; James P. Sanford, of Oskaloosa, Colonel. Stationed at the sickly place of Helena, Arkansas.
Forty-eighth Infantry (battalion), for 100 days; O. H. P. Scott, of Farmington, Lieu- tenant-Colonel. Guarded prisoners on Rock Island.
First Cavalry ; Fitz Henry Warren, of Burlington, Colonel. Served for three years, mainly along the Lower Mississippi.
Second Cavalry; W. L. Elliott, a Cap- tain in the Third Cavalry of the regular army, Colonel. Fought faithfully in many important battles in Tennessee and Missis- sippi.
Third Cavalry ; Cyrus Bussey, of Broom- field, Colonel. Distinguished in war.
Fourth Cavalry ; A. B. Porter, of Mt. Pleasant, Colonel. Participated with zeal : 1 judgment in the hottest of battles in Tennessee and Mississippi.
Fifth Cavalry, only in part an Iowa regi- ment; William W. Lowe, of the regular army, Colonel. Distinguished in the hotly contested battles of Tennessee and vicinity.
Sixth Cavalry ; D. S. Wilson, of Du- buque, Colonel. Served against the In- dians.
Seventh Cavalry ; S. W. Summers, of
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Ottumwa, Colonel. Served against the Indians.
Eighth Cavalry ; Joseph B. Dorr, of Du- buque, Colonel. Served faithfully in guard- ing Sherman's communications, etc.
Ninth Cavalry; M. M. Trumbull, of Cedar Falls, Colonel. Scouting, guard and garrison duties in Arkansas.
First Battery of Light Artillery ; C. H. Fletcher, of Burlington, Captain. Served in Arkansas and Tennessee.
Second Battery ; Nelson I. Spoor, of Council Bluffs, Captain. Engaged at Farm- ington, Corinth and other places.
Third Battery ; M. M. Hayden, of Du- buque, Captain. Engaged at Pea Ridge, and in other important battles.
Fourth Battery ; on duty most of the time in Louisiana.
Iowa Regiment of Colored Troops ; John G. Hudson, of Missouri, Colonel. Garrison duty at St. Louis and elsewhere.
Northern Border Brigade; James A. Sawyer, of Sioux City, Colonel. Protected the Northwestern frontier.
Southern Border Brigade ; protected the southern border of the State.
The following promotions were made by the United States Government from Iowa regiments: To the rank of Major-General -Samuel R.Curtis, Frederick Steele, Frank J. Herron and Grenville M. Dodge ; to that of Brigadier-General-Jacob G. Lauman, James M. Tuttle, W. L. Elliott, Fitz Henry Warren, Charles L. Matthies, William Van- dever, M. M. Crocker, Hugh T. Reid, Samuel A. Rice, John M. Corse, Cyrus Bussey, Edward Hatch, Elliott W. Rice, William W. Belknap, John Edwards, James A. Williamson, James I. Gilbert and Thomas J. McKean ; Corse, Hatch, Belknap, Elliott and Vandever were brevetted Major- Generals; brevetted Brigadier-Generals- William T. Clark, Edward F. Winslow, S. G. Hill, Thomas H. Benton, S. S. Glasgow, Clark R. Weaver, Francis M, Drake,
George A. Stone, Datus E. Coon, George W. Clark, Herman H. Heath, J. M. Hed- rick and W. W. Lowe.
IOWA SINCE THE WAR.
The two principal events of political in- terest in this State since the war have been the popular contests concerning woman suffrage and the liquor traffic. In the popular elections the people gave a ma- jority against the former measure, but in favor of prohibiting the sale or manufact- ure of intoxicating liquors.
A list of State officers to date is given on a subsequent page. The last vote for Governor, October 9, 1883, stood as fol- lows: For Buren R. Sherman, Republican, 164,141 ; L. G. Kinne, Democrat, 140,032, and James B. Weaver, National . Green- back, 23,093.
STATE INSTITUTIONS.
The present capitol building is a beauti- ful specimen of modern architecture. Its dimensions are, in general, 246 x 364 feet, with a dome and spire extending up to a height of 275 feet. In 1870 the General Assembly made an appropriation, and pro- vided for the appointment of a board of com- missioners to commence the work of build- ing. They were duly appointed and pro- ceeded to work, laying the corner-stone with appropriate ceremonies, November 23, 1871. The structure is not yet completed. When finished it will have cost about $3,500,000.
The State University, at Iowa City, was established there in 1858, immediately after the removal of the capital to Des Moines. As had already been planned, it occupied the old capitol building. As early as Janu- ary, 1849, two branches of the university were established-one at Fairfield and one at Dubuque. At Fairfield, the board of directors organized and erected a building at a cost of $2,500. This was nearly de- stroyed by a hurricane the following year,
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HISTORY OF IOWA.
.
but was rebuilt more substantially by the citizens of Fairfield. This branch never received any aid from the State, and Janu- ary 24, 1853, at the request of the board, the General Assembly terminated its rela- tion to the State. The branch at Dubuque had only a nominal existence
By act of Congress, approved July 20, 1840, two entire townships of land were set apart in this State for the support of a university. The Legislature of this State placed the management of this institution in the hands of a board of fifteen trustees, five to be chosen (by the Legislature) every two years, the superintendent of public instruction to be president of the board. This board was also to appoint seven trus- tees for each of the three normal schools, to be simultaneously established-one each at Andrew, Oskaloosa and Mt. Pleasant. One was never started at the last-named place, and after a feeble existence for a short time the other two were discontin- ued. The university itself was closed dur- ing 1859-'60, for want of funds.
The law department was established in June, 1868, and soon afterward the Iowa Law School at Des Moines, which had been in successful operation for three years, was transferred to Iowa City and merged in the department. The medical department was established in 1869; and in 1874 a chair of military instruction was added.
Since April 11, 1870, the government of the university has been in the hands of a board of regents. The present faculty comprises forty-two professors, and the attendance 560 students.
The State Normal School is located at Cedar Falls, and was opened in 1876. It has now a faculty of nine members, with an attendance of 301 pupils.
The State Agricultural College is located at Ames, in Story County, being established by the legislative act of March 23, 1858. in 1862 Congress granted to Iowa 240,000
acres of land for the endowment of schools of agriculture and the mechanic arts. The main building was completed in 1868, and the institution opened the following year. Tuition is free to pupils from the State over sixteen years of age. The college farm comprises 860 acres, of which a major portion is in cultivation. Professors, twen- ty-two; scholars, 319.
The Deaf and Dumb Institute was estab- lished in 1855, at Iowa City, but was after- ward removed to Council Bluffs, to a tract of ninety acres of land two miles south of that city. In October, 1870, the main build- ing and one wing were completed and occupied. In February, 1877, fire destroyed the main building and east wing, and dur- ing the summer following a tornado par- tially demolished the west wing. It is at present (1885) manned with fifteen teachers, and attended by 292 pupils.
The College for the Blind has been at Vin- ton since 1862. Prof. Samuel Bacon, himself blind, a fine scholar, who had founded the Institution for the Blind, at Jacksonville, Illinois, commenced as early as 1852 a school of instruction at Keokuk. The next year the institution was adopted by the State and moved to Iowa City, with Prof. Bacon as principal. It was moved thence, in 1862, to Vinton. The building was erected and the college manned at vast expenditure of money. It is said that $282,000 were ex- pended upon the building alone, and that it required an outlay of $5,000 a year to heat it, while it had accommodations for 130 in- mates. At present, however, they have accommodations for more pupils, with an attendance of 132. There are eleven teach- ers. The annual legislative appropriation is $8,000, besides $128 per year for each pupil.
The first Iowa Hospital for the Insane was established by an act of the Legislature approved January 24, 1855. It is located at Mt. Pleasant, where the building was com-
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HISTORY OF IOWA.
pleted in 1861, at a cost of $258,555. Within the first three months 100 patients were ad- mitted, and before the close of October, 1877, an aggregate of 3,684 had been ad- mitted. In April, 1876, a portion of the building was destroyed by fire. At this in- stitution there are now ninety-four superin- tendents. and assistants, in charge of 472 patients.
Another Hospital for the Insane, at Inde- pendence, was opened May 1, 1873, in a building which cost $88,114. The present number of inmates is 580, in the care of III superintendents and employes.
The Soldiers' Orphans' Home is located at Davenport. It was originated by Mrs. Annie Wittenmeyer, during the late war, who called a convention for the purpose at Mus- catine, September 7, 1863, and uly 13 fol- lowing the institution was opened in a brick building at Lawrence, Van Buren County. It was sustained by voluntary contributions until 1866, when the State took charge of it. The Legislature provided at first for three "homes." The one in Cedar Falls was organized in 1865, an old hotel build- ing being fitted up for it, and by the follow- ing January there were ninety-six inmates. In October, 1869, the Home was removed to a large brick building about two miles west of Cedar Falls, and was very prosper- ous for several years ; but in 1876 the Leg- islature devoted this building to the State Normal School, and the buildings and grounds of the Soldiers' Orphans' Home at Glenwood, Mills County, to an institution for the support of feeble-minded children, and also provided for the removal of the soldiers' orphans at the Glenwood and Cedar Falls homes to the institution at Davenport. The latter has now in charge 169 orphans.
The Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children, referred to above, is at Glenwood, estab- lished by the Legislature in March, 1876. The institution was opened September I,
following, with a few pupils; but now the attendance is 215, in the care of four teach- ers. This asylum is managed by three trus- tees, one of whom must be a resident of that county, Mills.
The first penitentiary was established in 1841, near Fort Madison, its present loca- tion. The cost of the original building was $55,934, and its capacity was sufficient for 138 convicts. At present there are at this prison 364 convicts, in charge of forty-three employes.
The penitentiary at Anamosa was estab- lished in 1872-'3. It now has 239 convicts and thirty-four employes.
The boys' reform school was permanentl" located at Eldora, Hardin County, in 1872. For the three years previous it was kept at the building of the Iowa Manual Labor In- stitute at Salem, Henry County. Only boys between seven and sixteen years of age are admitted. Credit of time for good conduct is given, so that occasionally one is discharged before he is of age. There are now (1885) 201 pupils here.
The "girls' department" is at Mitchell- ville, similarly managed. Inmates, eighty- three.
The State Historical Society is in part supported by the State, the Governor ap- pointing nine of the eighteen curators. This society was provided for in connection with the University, by legislative act of January 28, 1857, and it has published a series of valuable collections, and a large number of finely engraved portraits of prominent and early settlers.
The State Agricultural Society is con- ducted under the auspices of the State, and is one of the greatest promoters of the welfare of the people among all the State organizations. It holds an annual fair at Des Moines, and its proceedings are also published annually, at the expense of the State.
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