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 16
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The most southerly exposure of the Kin-
161
HISTORY OF IOWA.
derhook beds is in Des Moines County, near the mouth of Skunk River. The most northerly now known is in the eastern part of Pocahontas County, more than 200 miles distant. The principal exposures of this formation are along the bluffs which border the Mississippi and Skunk rivers, where they form the eastern and northern bound- ary of Des Moines County ; along English River, in Washington County ; along the Iowa River, in Tama, Marshall, Hamlin and Franklin counties, and along the Des Moines River, in Humboldt County. This formation has a considerable economic value, particularly in the northern portion of the region it occupies. In Pocahontas and Humboldt counties it is invaluable, as no other stone except a few boulders are found here. At Iowa Falls the lower division is very good for building purposes. In Marshall County all the limestone to be obtained comes from this formation, and the quarries near Le Grand are very valu- able. At this point some of the layers are finely veined with peroxide of iron, and are wrought into both useful and ornamental objects. In Tama County the oolitic mem- ber is well exposed, where it is manufact- ured into lime. Upon exposure to atmos- phere and frost it crumbles to pieces ; consequently it is not valuable for building purposes.
The Burlington limestone is carried down by the southerly dip of the Iowa rocks, so that it is seen for the last time in this State in the valley of Skunk River, near the southern boundary of Des Moines County ; it has been recognized in the northern part of Washington County, which is the most northerly point that it has been found ; but it probably exists as far north as Marshall County. Much valuable material is afforded by this formation for economic purposes. The upper division furnishes excellent com- mon quarry rock. Geologists are attracted by the great abundance and variety of its
fossils-crinoids-now known to be more than 300.
The Keokuk limestone formation is to be seen only in four counties : Lee, Van Buren, Henry and Des Moines. In some localities the upper silicious portion is known as the Geode bed; it is not recognizable in the northern portion of the formation, nor in connection with it where it is exposed, about eighty miles below Keokuk. The geodes of the Geode bed are more or less masses of silex, usually hollow and lined with crystals of quartz; the outer crust is rough and unsightly, but the crystals which stud the interior are often very beautiful ; they vary in size from the size of a walnut to a foot in diameter. This formation is of great economic value. Large quantities of its stone have been used in the finest structures in the State, among which are the postoffices at Dubuque and Des Moines. The principal quarries are along the banks of the Mississippi, from Keokuk to Nauvoo.
The St. Louis limestone is the uppermost of the subcarboniferous group in Iowa. It occupies a small superficial area, consisting of long, narrow strips, yet its extent is very great. It is first seen resting on the Geode division of the Keokuk limestone, near Keo- kuk; proceeding northward, it forms a narrow border along the edge of the coal fields in Lee, Des Moines, Henry, Jeffer- son, Washington, Keokuk and Mahaska counties; it is then lost sight of until it appears again in the banks of Boone River, where it again passes out of view under the Coal Measures, until it is next seen in the banks of the Des Moines, near Fort Dodge. As it exists in Iowa, it consists of three tolerably distinct sub-divisions : The mag- nesian, arenaceous and calcareous. The upper division furnishes excellent material for quicklime, and when quarries are well opened, as in the north western part of Van Buren County, large blocks are obtained. The sandstone, or middle division, is of
162
HISTORY OF 10WÀ.
little value. The lower, or magnesian di- vision, furnishes a valuable and durable stone, exposures of which are found on Lick Creek, in Van Buren County, and on Long Creek, seven miles west of Burlington.
The Coal Measure group is properly divided into three formations, viz .: The Lower, Middle and Upper Coal Measures, each having a vertical thickness of about 200 feet. The Lower Coal Measures exist eastward and northward of the Des Moines River, and also occupy a large area west- ward and south ward of that river, but their southerly dip passes them below the Middle Coal Measures at no great distance from the river. This formation possesses greater economic value than any other in the whole State. The clay that underlies almost every bed of coal furnishes a large amount of ma- terial for potter's use. The sandstone of these measures is usually soft and unfit, but in some places, as in Red Rock in Marion County, blocks of large dimensions are ob- tained, which make good building material, samples of which can be seen in the State Arsenal, at Des Moines.
The Upper Coal Measures occupy a very large area, comprising thirteen whole counties, in the southwestern part of the State. By its northern and eastern bound- aries it adjoins the area occupied by the Middle Coal Measures.
The next strata in the geological series are of the Cretaceous age. They are found in the western half of the State, and do not dip, as do all the other formations upon which they rest, to the south ward and west- ward, but have a general dip of their own to the north of westward, which, however, is very slight. Although the actual ex- posures of cretaceous rocks are few in Iowa, there is reason to believe that nearly all the western half of the State was originally occupied by them; but they have been removed by denudation, which has taken place at two separate periods.
The Nishnabotany sandstone has the most easterly and southerly extent of the cre- taceous deposits of Iowa, reaching the southeastern part of Guthrie County and the southern part of Montgomery County. To the northward, it passes beneath the Woodbury sandstones and shales, the latter passing beneath the chalky beds. This sandstone is, with few exceptions, valueless for economic purposes.
The chalky beds rest upon the Wood- bury sandstone and shales. They have not been observed in Iowa except in the bluffs which border the Big Sioux River in Wood- bury and Plymouth counties. They are composed almost entirely of calcareous ma- terial, the upper portion of which is exten- sively used for lime. No building material can be obtained from these beds, and the only value they possess, except lime, are the marls, which at some time may be use- ful on the soil of the adjacent region.
Extensive beds of peat exist in Northern Middle Iowa, which, it is estimated, contain the following areas: Cerro Gordo County, 1,500 acres; Worth, 2,000; Winnebago, 2,- 000; Hancock, 1,500; Wright, 500; Kos- suth, 700; Dickinson, 80. Several other counties contain peat beds, but the peat is inferior to that in the northern part of the State. The beds are of an average depth of four feet. It is estimated that each acre of these beds will furnish 250 tons of dry fuel for each foot in depth. At present this peat is not utilized; but owing to its great distance from the coal fields and the absence of timber, the time is coming when its value will be fully realized.
The only sulphate of the alkaline earths of any economic value is gypsum, and it may be found in the vicinity of Fort Dodge in Webster County. The deposit occupies a nearly central position in the county, the Des Moines River running nearly centrally through it, along the valley sides of which the gypsum is seen in the form of ordinary
163
HISTORY OF IOWA.
rock cliff and ledges, and also occurring abundantly in similar positions along both sides of the valleys of the smaller streams and of the numerous ravines coming into the river valley. The most northerly known limit of the deposit is at a point near the mouth of Lizard Creek, a tributary of the Des Moines River and almost adjoining the town of Fort Dodge. The most southerly point at which it has been exposed is about six miles, by way of the river, from the northerly point mentioned. The width of the area is unknown, as the gypsum be- comes lost beneath the overlying drift, as one goes up the ravines and minor valleys.
On either side of the creeks and ravines which come into the valley of the Des Moines River, the gypsum is seen jutting out from beneath the drift in the form of ledges and bold quarry fronts, having al- most the exact appearance of ordinary lime- stone exposures, so horizontal and regular its lines of stratification, and so similar in color is it to some varieties of that rock. The principal quarries now opened are on Two Mile Creek, a couple of miles below Fort Dodge.
Epsomite, or native Epsom salts, having been discovered near Burlington, all the sulphates of alkaline earths of natural origin have been recognized in Iowa, all except the sulphate of lime being in very small quantity.
Sulphate of lime in the various forms of fibrous gypsum, selenite and small, amor- phous masses, has also been discovered in various formations in different parts of the State, including the Coal Measure shales near Fort Dodge, where it exists in small quantities, quite independently of the great gypsum of deposit there. The quantity of gypsum in these minor deposits is always too small to be of any practical value, usually occurring in shales and shaly clays, associated with strata that contain more or less sulphuret of iron. Gypsum has thus
been detected in the Coal Measures, the St. Louis limestone, the Cretaceous strata, and also in the dead caves of Dubuque.
Sulphate of strontia is found at Fort Dodge.
CLIMATE.
The greatest objection to the climate of this State is the prevalence of wind, which is somewhat greater than in the States south and east, but not so great as farther west. The air is purer than either east or south, as indicated by the bluer sky and conse- quent deeper green vegetation, and is therefore more bracing. By way of con- trast, Northern Illinois has a whiter sky and a consequent more yellowish green vegetation.
.The prevailing direction of the wind is from the west.
Thunder-storms are somewhat more vio- lent here than east or south, but not so furious as toward the Rocky Mountains. The greatest rainfall is in the southeastern part of the State, and the least in the north- western portion. The increase of timber growth is increasing the amount of rain, as well as distributing it more evenly through- out the year. As elsewhere in the North- western States, easterly winds bring rain and snow, while westerly ones clear the sky. While the highest temperature occurs here in August, the month of July averages the hottest, and January the coldest. The mean temperature of April and October nearly corresponds to the mean temperature of the year, as well as to the seasons of spring and fall, while that of summer and winter is best represented by August and Decem- ber. Indian summer is delightful and well prolonged. Untimely frosts sometimes oc- cur, but seldom severely enough to do great injury. The wheat crop being a staple product of this State, and not injured at all by frost, this great resource of the State continues intact.
15
164
HISTORY OF IOWA.
CENSUS OF IOWA.
COUNTIES.
IS50
1 860.
1870.
ISSO.
Adair.
984
3,982
11,199
Adams.
1,533
4,614
11, 188
Allamakee ..
777
12,237
17,868
19 791
Appanoose
3,131
11,931
16,456
16,636
Audubon
4.54
1,212
7.448
Benton ..
672
8,496
22,454
24,888
Page.
551
4,419
9.975
19,667
Black Hawk
135
8,244
21,706
23913
Boone.
735
4,232
14,584
20,838
Bremer.
4,915
12,528
14,081
Buchanan
517
7,906
17,034
18,547
Buena Vista.
57
1,585
7,537
Pottawattamie
7,828
4.968
16,893
39.846
Butler.
3,724
9,951
14,293
Calhoun
147
1,602
5 595
Carroll.
281
2,45 1
12.351
Cass ..
1,612
5,464
16,943
Scott ..
5,986
25,959
38,509
41,270
Cedar.
3,941
12,949
19,231
18 937
Cherokee.
58
1,967
8,240
Story
8
5.285
16,131
21,585
Clarke ..
709
5,427
8,735
11,512
Clay. .
3,873
20,728
27,771
28,829
Clinton
2,S22
18,938
35,357
36,764
Crawford
383
2,530
12,413
Dallas.
854
5,244
12,019
18,746
Davis.
7,264
13,764
15.565
16,468
Wayne.
340
6,409
11,287
16,127
Decatur.
965
8,677
12,018
15,336
Delaware
1,759
II,O24
17,432
17,952
Des Moines
12,988
19,611
27,256
33,099
Dickinson
130
1,389
1,901
Dubuque
10,841
31,164
38,969
42,997
Emmett.
105
1,392
1,550
Favette.
S25
12,073
16,973
22,258
Floyd.
3,744
10,768
14,677
Franklin.
1,309
4,738
10,248
Fremont.
1,244
5,074
11,174
17,653
Grundy.
793
6,399
12,639
Guthrie.
3,058
7,061
14,863
Hamilton
1,699
6,055
11,252
Hancock.
179
999
3,453
Hardin.
.....
5,440
13,684
17,808
Harrison.
3,621
8,931
16,649
Henry ...
8,707
18,701
21;463
20,826
Howard.
3,168
6,282
10,837 6,341
Ida ...
43
226
4,382
Iowa.
822
8,029
16,664
19,22 [
Jackson
7,210
18,493
22,619
23,771
Jasper.
1,2So
9,883
22,116
2 5,962
Jefferson.
9,904
15,038
17,839
17,478
Johnson
4,472
17.573
24,898
25,429
Jones .:
3,007
13,306
19,731
21,052
Keokuk
4,822
13,27I
19 434
21,259
Kossuth.
416
3.351
6,179
Lee
18,861
29,232
37,210
34,859
Linn.
5,444
18,947
28,852
37,235
Louisa.
4,939
10,370
2,877
13,146
Lucas.
471
5,766
10,388
14,:30 1,968
Madison.
1,179
7,339
13,884
17,225
Mahaska.
5 989
14,816
22,508
25,201
Marion.
5,482
16 813
24,436
25,III
Marshall.
338
6,015
17,576
23,752
Mills .. .
4,481|
8,718
14,135
.
148
2,199
8,567
Pocahontas
103
1,446
3,713
Polk ..
4,513
11,625
27,857
42,395
Poweshiek
615
5,668
15,581
18,936
Ringgold,
2 923
5,691
12,085
Sac ...
246
1,411
8,77+
Shelby
818
2,549
12,696
Cerro Gordo.
..
940
4,722
11,461
Sioux
Taylor
204
3,590
6,989
15,635
Union.
2,012
5,986
14,980
Van Buren
12,270
17,081
17,672
17,042
Wapello.
8,47I
14,518
22,346
25,282
Warren
961
10,281
17,980
19,578
Washington
4 957
14,235
18.952
20,375
Webster.
2,504
10,484
15.950
Winnebago.
168
1,562
4,917
Winneshiek.
546
13,942
23.570
23.937
Woodbury
1,119
6,172
14,997
Worth.
756
2,892
7.953
Wright ..
653
2,392
5.062
Total.
192,214
674.913 1,191,792 1,624,463
TERRITORIAL OFFICERS.
Governors .- Robert Lucas, 1838-'41; John Chamber, 1841-'45 ; James Clark, 1845.
Secretaries .- Wm. B. Conway, 1838, died 1839; James Clark, 1839-'41; O. H. W. Stull, 1841-'43; Samuel J. Burr, 1843-'45 ; Jesse Williams, 1845.
Auditors .- Jesse Williams, 1840-'43; Will- iam L. Gilbert, 1843-'45; Robert M. Secrest, 1845.
Treasurers .- Thornton Baylie, 1839-'40; Morgan Reno, 1840.
Judges .- Charles Mason, Chief Justice. 1838; Joseph Williams, 1838; Thomas S. Wilson, 1838.
Presidents of Council .-- Jesse B. Brown, 1838-'49; Stephen Hempstead, 1839-'40; M. Bainridge, 1840-'41; J. W. Parker, 1841-'42; John D. Elbert, 1842-'43 ; Thomas Cox,
COUNTIES.
1850.
1860.
IS70.
1880.
Mitchell.
3,409
9,582
14,361
Monona.
832
3,654
9,055
Monroe
2 884
8,612
12,724
13,719
Montgomery
1,256
5,934
15,895
Muscatine
5,731
16,444
21,688
23,168
O'Brien .
8
715
4,15,5
Osceola ..
Palo Alto.
132
1.336
4,131
Plymouth.
4,051
11,651
16.966
Chickasaw.
4.336
10, 18(
14,534
Tama.
IO
570
5,426
52
1.523
4,248
Clayton.
Greene.
1,374
4,627
12,725
...
Humboldt.
332
2,596
Lyon.
221
2,2:9
/
165
HISTORY OF IOWA.
1843-'44; S. Clinton Hasting, 1845; Stephen Hempstead, 1845-'46.
Speakers of the House .- William H. Wal- lace, 1838-'39; Edward Johnson, 1839-'40 ; Thomas Cox, 1840-'31 ; Warner Lewis, 1841-'42; James M. Morgan, 1842-'43; James P. Carleton, 1843-'44; James M. Morgan, 1845 ; George W. McLeary, 1845-'46.
STATE OFFICERS.
Governors. - Ansel Briggs, 1846-'50 ; Stephen Hempstead, 1850-'54: James W. Grimes, 1854-'58; Ralph P. Lowe, 1858- '60; Samuel J. Kirkwood, 1860-'64; Will- iam M. Stone, 1864-'68 ; Samuel Morrill, 1868-'72; Cyrus C. Carpenter, 1872-'76; Samuel J. Kirkwood, 1876-'77 ; J. G. New- bold, 1877-'78; John H. Gear, 1878-'82 ; Buren R. Sherman, 1882-'86 ; William Lar- rabee, 1886.
Lieutenant-Governors .- Oran Faville, 1858- '60 ; Nicholas J. Rusch, 1860-'62; John R. Needham, 1862-'64; Enoch W. Eastman, 1864-'66 ; Benjamin F. Gue, 1866-'68 ; John Scott, 1868-'70; M. M. Walden, 1870-'72 ; H. C. Bulis, 1872-'74; Joseph Dysart, 1874-'76; Joshua G. Newbold, 1876-'78; Frank T. Campbell, 1878-'82; Orlando H. Manning, 1882-'85 ; John A. T. Hull, 1886.
This office was created by the new con- stitution Sept. 3, 1857.
Secretaries of State .- Elisha Cutter, Jr., 1846-'48; Joseph H. Bonney, 1848-'50; George W. McCleary, 1850-'56; Elijah Sells, 1856-'63; James Wright, 1863-'67 ; Ed. Wright, 1867-'73 ; Josiah T. Young, 1873-'79 ; J. A. T. Hull, 1879-'85; Franklin D. Jackson, 1885.
Auditors of State .- Joseph T. Fales, 1846-'50 ; William Pattee, 1850-'54; Andrew J. Stevens, 1854-'55 ; John Pattee, 1855-'59; Jonathan W. Cattell, 1859-'65; John A. Elliott, 1865-'71; John Russell, 1871-'75 ; Buren R. Sherman, 1875-'81; Wm. V. Lucas, 1881 ; John L. Brown, 1882-'83 ; J. W. Cattell, acting, 1885-'86.
Treasurers of State .- Morgan Reno, 1846-'50 ; Israel Kister, 1850-'52 ; Martin L. Morris, 1852-'59; John W. Jones, 1859-'63 ; William H. Holmes, 1863-'67; Samuel E. Rankin, 1867-'73; William Christy, 1873- '77 ; George W. Bemis, 1877-'81 ; Edwin H. Conger, 1881-'85 ; Voltaire Twombly, 1885.
Attorney-Generals. - David C. Cloud, 1853-'56; Samuel A. Rice, 1856-'60 ; Charles C. Nourse, 1860-'64 ; Isaac L. Allen, 1865- '66 ; Frederick E. Bissell, 1866-'67; Henry O'Connor, 1867-'72; Marcena E. Cutts, 1872-'76; John F. McJunkin, 1877-'81 ; Smith McPherson, 1881-'85 ; A. J. Baker, 1885.
Adjutant-Generals .- Daniel S. Lee, 1851- '55 ; George W. McCleary, 1855-'57; Eli- jalı Sells, 1857; Jesse Bowen, 1857-'61 ; Na- thaniel Baker, 1861-'77; John H. Looby, 1877-'78; W. L, Alexander, 1878-'84.
Registers of the State Land-Office .- Anson Hart, 1855-'57 ; Theodore S. Parvin, 1857- '59; Amos B. Miller, 1859-'62; Edwin Mitchell, 1862-'63; Josiah A. Harvey, 1863-'67; Cyrus C. Carpenter, 1867-'71 ; Aaron Brown, 1871-'75 ; David Secor, 1875-'79 ; J. K. Powers, 1879-'82 .*
Superintendents of Public Instruction .- James Harlan, 1847-'48 ; Thos. H. Benton, Jr., 1848-'54; James D. Eads, 1854-'57, Joseph C. Stone, 1857; Maturin L. Fisher, 1857-'58; Oran Faville, 1864-'67 ; D. Frank- lin Wells, 1867-'68 ; A. S. Kissell, 1868-'72 ; Alonzo Abernethy, 1872-'76; Carl W. Van Coelen, 1876-'82; John W. Akers, 1882-'84.
This office was created in 1847 and abol- ished in 1858, and the duties then devolved upon the secretary of the Board of Educa- tion ; it was re-created March 23, 1864.
State Printers .- Garrett D. Palmer and George Paul, 1849-'51 ; William H. Merritt, 1851-'53; William A. Hornish, 1853 ; Den-
*Office abolished January 1, loo, and duties devolved on the Secretary of State.
166
HISTORY OF IOWA.
nis A. Mahoney and Joseph B. Dorr, 1853- '55 ; Peter Moriarty, 1855-'57 ; John Tees- dale, 1857-'61 ; Francis W. Palmer, 1861- Cy; Frank M. Mills, 1869-'71 ; G. W. Ed- wards, 1871-'73 ; Rich. P. Clarkson, 1873- '79; Frank M. Mills, 1879-'81; Geo. E. Roberts, 1881.
State Binders .- William M. Coles, 1855- '58 ; Frank M. Mills, 1858-'67; James S. Carter, 1867-'71 ; J. J. Smart, 1871-'75 ; H. A. Perkins, 1875-'79 ; Matt. Parrott, 1879- '85 ; L. S. Merchant, 1885.
Secretaries of Board of Education .--- T. H. Benton, Jr., 1859-'63 ; Oran Faville, 1863-'64.
This office was abolished March 23, 1864.
Presidents of the Senate .- Thomas Baker, 1846-'47; Thomas Hughes, 1847-'48; John J. Selman, 1848-'49; Enos Lowe, 1849-'51; Wm. E. Leffingwell, 1851-'53; Maturn L. Fisher, 1853-'55 ; Wm. W. Hamilton, .855- '57.
Under the new Constitution the Lieuten- ant-Governor is President of the Senate.
Speakers of the House .- Jesse B. Brown, 1846-'48 ; Smiley H. Bonham, 1848-'50; George Temple, 1850-'52; James Grant, 1852-'54; Reuben Noble, 1854-'56; Samuel McFarland, 1856-'57; Stephen B. Sheledy, 1857-'59; John Edwards, 1859-'61 ; Rush Clark, 1861-'63; Jacob Butler, 1863-'65; Ed. Wright, 1865-'67; John Russell, 1867-'69; Aylett R. Cotton, 1869-'71 ; James Wilson, 1871-'73; John H. Geer, 1873-'77; John Y. Stone, 1877-'79; Lore Alford, 1880-'81 ; G. R. Struble, 1882-'83; Wm. P. Wolf, 1884; Albert Head, 1886.
Chief Justices of the Supreme Court .- Charles Mason, 1847; Joseph Williams, 1847-'48; S. Clinton Hastings, 1848-'49 ; Joseph Williams, 1849-'55; George G. Wright, 1855-'60; Ralph P. Lowe, 1860-'62; Caleb Baldwin, 1862-'64; George G. Wright, 1864-'66; Ralph P. Lowe, 1866 -- '19, John F. Dillon 1868 '70; Chester C.
Cole, 1870-'71 ; James G. Day, 1871-'72 ; Joseph M. Beck, 1872-'74; W. E Miller, 1874-'76; Chester C. Cole, 1876; Wm. H. Seevers, 1876-'77 ; James G. Day, 1877-'78; James H. Rothrock, 1878-'83 and '84; Joseph M. Beck, 1879-'80 and '85; Austin Adams, 1880-'81 and '86; Wm. H. Seevers, 1882.
Associate Justices .- Joseph Williams, held over from territorial government until a successor was appointed ; Thomas S. Wil- son, 1847; John F. Kinney, 1847-'54; George Greene, 1847-'55; Jonathan C. Hall, 1854- '55 ; William G. Woodward, 1855 ; Norman W. Isbell, 1855-'56; Lacon D. Stockton, 1856-'60; Caleb Baldwin, 1860-'64; Ralph P. Lowe, 1860; George G. Wright, 1860; John F. Dillon, 1864-'70; Chester C. Cole, 1864-'77; Joseph M. Beck, 1868; W. E. Miller, 1870; James G. Day, 1870.
United States Senators. - Augustus C. Dodge, 1848-'55 ; George W. Jones, 1848 -- '59; James Harlan, 1855-'65 ; James W. Grimes, 1859-'69; Samuel J. Kirkwood, 1866; James Harlan, 1867-'73; James B. Howell, 1870; George G. Wright, 1871- '77 ; William B. Allison, 1873-'79; Samuel J. Kirkwood, 1877-'81; Wm. B. Allison, 1879-'85; James W. McDill, 1881 ; James F. Wilson, 1883.
Present State Officers (1886) .- Governor, William Larrabee; Secretary of State, Frank D. Jackson; Auditor of State, J. W. Cattell, acting ; Treasurer, Voltaire Twom- bly ; Superintendent Public Instruction, John W. Akers; Printer, George E. Rob- erts; Binder, L. S. Merchant; Adjutant- General, W. L. Alexander · Librarian, Mrs. S. B. Maxwell.
Supreme Court. -- William H. Seevers, Chief Justice, Oskaloosa; James G. Day, Sidney, James H. Rothrock, Tipton, Joseph M. Beck, Fort Madison, Austin Adams, Dubuque, Judges; A. J. Baker, Attorney- General.
Governors of lowa.
9
OUR
LIBERTIES
AND OUR
RIGHTS WE
WE PRIZE
WILL MAINTAL
James Clarke
John Chambers
MotReccos
1
ROBERT LUCAS.
*ROBERT LUCAS.+
OBERT LUCAS, the first Governor of Iowa Ter- ritory, was the fourth son and ninth child of William and Susan_ nah Lucas, and was born April 1, 1781, in Jefferson Valley, t Shepherdstown, Jefferson County, Virginia, a few miles from Harper's Ferry, where his ancestors settled before the Rev- olution. His father, who was descended from William Penn, was born January 18, 1743, and his mother, of Scotch extrac- tion, was born October 8, 1745. They were married about the year 1760, and reared a family of six sons and six daughters. 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, early in the present century.
At the time of this removal Robert was a young man. He had obtained his educa- tion chiefly in Virginia, from an old Scotch schoolmaster named McMullen, who taught him mathematics and surveying. The latter afforded him remunerative employment im- mediately upon his entrance into Ohio.
He was married at Portsmouth, Ohio, April 3, 1810, to Elizabeth Brown, who died October 18, 1812, leaving an infant daugh-
ter, who afterward became Mrs. Minerva E. B. Sumner. March 7, 1816, he formed a second matrimonial connection ; this time with Friendly A. Sumner, who bore to him four sons and three daughters.
The first public office held by Robert Lucas was that of County Surveyor of Sci- oto County, the commission from Governor Edward Tiffin, of Ohio, appointing him such being dated December 26, 1803. Decem- ber 16, 1805, he was commissioned by Governor Tiffin justice of the peace for three years. His first military appointment was that of Lieutenant of militia, by virtue of which he was authorized to raise twenty men to assist in filling Ohio's quota of 500 volunteers called for by the President in view of possible difficulties with the Spanish. He was subsequently promoted through all the military grades to Major Gen- eral of Ohio militia, which latter rank was conferred upon him in 1818.
He was a Brigadier-General on the breaking out of the war of IS12, and had much to do with raising troops. He was appointed a Captain in the regular army, but before his commission reached him he was already in active service, scouting, spying, carrying a musket in the ranks and in other useful capacities. After Hull s surrender he was paroled and returned to Ohio. He was in the course of time made a Lieutenant-Colonel, and then a Colonel, from which position he resigned.
He served in numerous civil offices in
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GOVERNORS OF IOWA.
Ohio, and at the time of his second marriage, in 1816, he was and had been for some time a member of the Ohio Legislature, serving Successively for nineteen years in one or the other branch, and in the course of his leg- islative career presiding over first one and then the other branch. In 1820 and again in 1828, he was chosen one of the Presidential electors of Ohio. In May, 1832, at Baltimore, Maryland, he presided over the first Democratic National Con- vention-that which nominated Andrew Jackson for his second term as President, and Martin Van Buren for Vice Presi- dent. In 1832 he was elected Governor of Ohio, and re-elected in 1834. He declined a third nomination for the same office.
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