History of Cass County, Iowa; together with sketches of its towns, villages, and townships; educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, and a brief review of its civil, political, and military history, Part 49

Author: Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 918

USA > Iowa > Cass County > History of Cass County, Iowa; together with sketches of its towns, villages, and townships; educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, and a brief review of its civil, political, and military history > Part 49

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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.

He was educated at the Wesleyan Uni- versity while in Connecticut, and after his removal to Portland entered the law office of Strout and Holmes for the purpose of reading law, where he remained about three years. IIe was afterward admitted to the bar, and practiced some time in that State, prior to his removal to Iowa. Ilis father, John P., was engaged in the mercantile business at Sac Rapids, near Portland, for a number of years. Mr. Pennell was married in 1878, to Miss May Kidder, a resident of Kennebec county, Maine. They have a family of three chil- dreu -- Iva II., Harry H. and Zina M. Mr. Pennell is a member of the Knight Tem- plars; is an enterprising business man of energy and tact, and has acquired consid- erable property.

Hiram A. Disbrow, of the law firm of Brown and Disbrow, of Atlantic, is a na- tive of Ohio, and was born March 11, 1844, his parents being Perry and Clarissa (Langdon) Disbrow, the former being Welsh and the latter French. When Hiram was thirteen years of age his parents re- moved to Cass county, Iowa, arriving in Lewis, May 17, 1857. At the age of six- teen years, he attended school in Grove City, but acquired the most of his ednca- tion by his own exertions. July 27, 1862, he enlisted in company I, Twenty-third Iowa Infantry, and was engaged at Vicks- burg, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; in Texas; Port Gibson, Raymond, Champion Hill, Black River Bridge, Spanish Fort, and many skirmishes. He entered the service as a private, was promoted ser- geant, and was honorably discharged at Harrisburg, Texas, on the 25th day of August, 1865. He then returned to his

home, attended district school, and spent six months in the Tabor schools, and dur- ing the winter of 1866 taught school near Atlantic. In the spring of 1867 he en- tered upon the study of medicine with Dr. Findley, which he continued for four months, when he concluded to return to Tabor and enter upon a classical course, graduating in the June Class of 1873. While attending school he was called to Colorado by the sickness of his brother, and remained there some six months, dur- ing which time he was engaged in mining and teaching school. After his gradua- tion he returned home and entered upon the study of law with Brown and Church- ill, in Atlantic, and was admitted to the bar six months later. In the winter of 1874 he went to Council Bluffs and entered the office of Montgomery and Scott. A short time afterwards he returned to At- lantic and opened an office for himself, and was elected that fall as county super- intendent of schools, which office he held for two terms. Mr. Disbrow was married in Sheffield, Ohio, to Miss Marietta Day, a daughter of Judge Day, formerly prin- cipal of the ladies' department at Tabor. He was appointed postmaster, and served until June, 1883.

Dick Harding, although a young man, is one of the prominent attorneys of At- lantic, Iowa. He was born in Marion county, Ohio, on the 10th day of July, 1860, being the son of Newton and Elea- nor (Johnston) Harding, the latter now being the wife of James Allman, of At- lantic. Dick spent his early life on a farm. He removed to Crawford county, Ohio, where he taught school, after grad- uating from the high school in that county.

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In the spring of 1880 he came to Iowa and was engaged for a time as store keep- er in the Atlantic and Great Western lo- comotive works. In the fall of 1880 he entered the Iowa State University, at Iowa City, where he graduated in June, 1881, and has been practicing his profession in Atlantic ever since. Ile was married in Iowa City, on the 8th day of September, 1881, to Miss Mary C. Clark, a daughter of George Clark, of the law firm of Clark Bros., of the law department of the State University. Two children have blessed their union-Nellie C. and James. Mr. and Mrs. Harding are members of the Presbyterian church, while Mr. Harding affiliates with the Republican party, and takes an active part in politics. By ener- gy and ability he has acquired a good practice which keeps constantly increas- ing. His office is located on the corner of Fourth and Chestnut streets.

Isaac Hopper, of the law firm of Wil- lard and Hopper, is one of the most enter- prising young business men of whom At- lantic can boast. Coming here in 1875 with no capital save his dauntless energy and integrity of character, he to-day han- dles a business amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans, is the rep- resentative of thirteen insurance compa- nies, has a fine law practice, and holds the responsible position of secretary of the Western Loan and Trust company. He was born in Adrian, Michigan, April 2, 1850. Ilis father, Isaac IIopper, Sr., was a native of Albany, New York, and went with his parents to Adrian, in 1819, and resided there until 1872, when he came to this State, where he died, Janu- ary 1, 1874, at the age seventy-seven years.

He was a mechanic by occupation. IIe had been a member of the Masonic order for fifty-six years. Ilis mother, Alice (Austin) Hopper, is now living with Isaac in this city. She is a native of Monroe county, New York, and is of English- German descent. At the age of nine years our subject commenced the blacksmith's trade, and after having acquired it worked at it and at farming until he had reached the age of twenty years. At this time he came to Iowa, and located at Adel, where he commenced the study of the law with E. Willard. Devoting all his energies to the study of his chosen profession, one year found him so far advanced that he was capable of being admitted to the bar, and his membership in the profession was duly entered into before Judge Mitchell, of Des Moines, 1871. In 1873 he entered the law firm of Willard, Calvert and Ilop- per, the Willard of the firm being Mr. E. Willard, his present partner. The part- nership continued until 1875, when he came to Atlantic, and commenced loaning money in the office of Phelps and De Lano. After eighteen months, he commenced at the new location, and the progress made since that time may be gleaned from the mention of his present business. In the year 1879 he loaned $400,000, and since that time has placed nearly $2,000,000, most of it to the farming classes. He did the law business for McDaniels bank for five years, and is now the attorney for the Atlantic National bank. He was married at Iowa City, June 23, 1874, to Miss Jessie L. ITayden, daughter of Dr. John B. Hayden, of Cincinnati, Ohio. They are the the parents of four children, whose names are-Luverne H., Winona,

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Bella, and Jessie. Mr. Hopper has a handsome residence on the southeast cor- ner of Linn and Sixth streets. The office of the law firm of Willard and Hopper is over the Atlantic National bank, and here the loan and insurance business is trans- acted.

Daniel M. Reynolds of the firm of Rey- nolds and Dolan, attorneys, was born in Orange county, near Port Jarvis, New York, on the 23d day of May, 1853, being the son of Patrick and Mary (Muldun) Reynolds. Daniel's father was born in county Longford, Ireland, in 1812, and emigrated to this country while yet a young man. Daniel's mother was born August 15, 1818, in county Leitrim, Ire- land, and emigrated to this country when eleven years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Pat- rick Reynolds were married in New York City, after which they moved to Orange county, New York, where Mr. Reynolds followed the trade of stone-cutter and builder, working on the Hudson and Del- eware canal. In 1855 he moved to Mus- catine county, Iowa, and was one of the first settlers of West Liberty, and after working for a time at his trade, abandon- ed it and engaged in farming. David M. the subject of this sketch, was reared up- on a farm and received a common school education. When sixteen years of age he entered the Literary Department of the State University of Iowa, but at the end of three years he was compelled to give up his studies on account of failing health, but finally graduated in the class of 1880. In May, 1882, he moved to At- lantic, where he formed hiis present part- nership. Mr. Reynolds takes an active part in politics, and is a Republican.

Messrs. Reynolds and Dolan are both pop- ular young men, and have built up an en- viable practice.

James J. Dolan, the other member of the firm of Reynolds and Dolan, is a na- tive of Iowa, having been born in Daven- port, on the 8th day of June, 1859, his parents being John N. and Elizabeth O'Connor, both natives of Roscommon, Ireland. Mr. Dolan, Sr., came to this country when he was only nine years of age, and located in Ohio, hut afterwards came to Iowa, as a carpenter and builder. He was quite successful and acquired a comfortable property. The subject of this sketch, James J., received his educa- tion in St. Anthony's and St. Marguerite's school at Davenport. After leaving school he learned telegraphy, and was em- ployed at Davenport, in the office of A. R. Swift, superintendent of telegraphy, of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad, and at the age of fifteen years was receiving $50 per month. During his leisure hours he studied art and law. He started an art gallery in Davenport, but finding it was not a lucrative busi- ness, he abandoned the same. He after- wards read law under Congressman Jerry Murphy, Roderick Rose and George E. Hubbell, all of Davenport. While with the latter he was admitted to the bar. He taught school one term in Clinton county, and then went to Atlantic, when the pres- ent partnership was formed. He is an active Democrat, and gives some attention to stumping the district.

J. W. Brown, one of Atlantic's prosper- ous attorneys, is a native of Muskingum county, Ohio, where he was born in 1824. There he spent his boyhood days, and as

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soon as he had arrived at proper age, be- gan attendance at school. Among the schools he attended in Ohio was Denni- son University. He also studied for the legal profession in Ohio, under Judge James, of Zanesville. In the spring of 1848, he removed to Indiana, where he remained eight years. For seven years of this time he was clerk of the court in Grant county. While in Indiana he also attended the law department of the State University, at Bloomington, where he graduated in 1857. Leaving Indiana, he traveled by team to Southwestern Mis- souri, locating for a short time in Spring- field. From there he came to this county, having traveled in all twelve hundred miles by team, with household goods packed in the then almost universal prairie schooner. When he first located in Lewis, there was but a scant foundation of the town which afterward grew up on the site. Ile bought four hundred acres of land. For the first two years his farming operations were carried on under consid- erable disadvantages; wood had to be hauled seven miles, and other necessaries like uncomfortable distances. In 1860, he went, like most of his neighbors, to Pike's Peak. While on this trip he was cap- tured, on White river, by the Indians, but was afterwards released, and he arrived at California Gulch, now Leadville, in an al- most . starving condition. Finding no prospects of making money out there, he returned to Lewis, where he resided till 1862, when he removed to his farm. In 1869, he came to Atlantie, and was elected mayor in 1872, and made his residence here until 1876, when he again returned to the farm, on account of ill health. He

has now one thousand acres of splendid stock land, most of which is sown to grass. The place has many valuable im- provements. In 1883, he came again to Atlantic, with the determination of mak- ing this his future home, and was chosen city solicitor for that year. January I, 1884, he opened a law and collection office in the Copeland block, where he still con- tinues to transact business. He was mar- ried in Indiana, in the spring of 1849, to Miss Hannah A. Gregg, a niece of Colonel Steel. They have had seven children: Martha J., J. A., Preston (deceased); Lewis C., now employed on Des Moines Daily News; Frank E., Ida Russell, and Mary B. Mr. Brown was the second law- yer in the county, having located in Lewis in April, 1856. He was also the first county superintendent of schools, having been chosen to fill that position in 1858. The residence, on Chestnut street, which he now occupies, is the same one he built when he located in Atlantic in 1869, and during the entire time, Mr. Brown has lived in Cass county, he has always been active in all the reforms of the day; county before party, has always been his motto .:

James B. Bruff, was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, May 29, 1853, and is the son of Joseph and Anna M. (Ogden) Bruff. Ile spent his early life on a farm in his native State, attending the academy at Damascus, and Mount Vernon College at Mount Vernon, Ohio, and graduating from the latter in 1876, with the degree of B. A. He received the degree of Master of Arts in 1881. In 1876, he be- gan the study of law, and in 1880, came to Iowa, and attended the law depart-

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ment of the State Univesity of Iowa, graduating from thence in June, 1881. The following winter he caine to Atlan- tic, and bung ont his shingle. He was married to Miss Jessie II. Cortland, May 30, 1883, and they have one child- Joseph C.

ATTORNEYS OF LEWIS.

S. M. Tucker was the pioneer attorney of Lewis, and was the only one for several years, as J. W. Brown, the next to locate in the town for the purpose of practicing law, did not come till 1856. He was not admitted to the bar till the October term of court, 1857, when, on motion of John Leonard, he was enrolled upon the list of attorneys. L. W. Ross came in 1856, and commenced practice. Henry Tem- ple was the fourth attorney to locate in Lewis. He came in 1858.

The bar of Lewis, at present, has but one representative, Frank J. Macomber.

Frank J. Macomber, attorney at law and real estate agent, at Lewis, was born at Boston, Massachusetts, January 31, 1853. His parents, K. W. and Martha S. (Alexander) Macomber, removed, in 1855, to Cass county, Iowa, and settled one-half mile north of the site of the present city of Atlantic, where they resided till 1860. In that year they moved to Lewis which has since been their home. Frank J. Macomber was educated in the high school at Lewis, then entered the Agri- cultural College at Ames, and graduated from that institution in 1875. He then assumed the position of principal of the Lewis schools, which he held two years. In the fall of 1877, he entered the law school in Iowa City and graduated in June, 1878. He began the practice of his

chosen profession at Atlantic, but in the spring of 1880, removed to Lewis where he has since remained. October 7, 1884, Mr Macomber was united in marriage with Miss Clara Ilill, of Grinnell, a daugh- ter of Henry Hill, of that city. Mr. Macomber's office is located on Main street, npon the south side of Market square. He is doing a flourishing busi- ness in the line of real estate, both in Cass and Pottawattamie counties. As a lawyer he is possessed of much ability, and other qualifications which fit him, in an eminent degree, for the practice of that profession.

BAR OF ANITA.

This is represented at present by J. E. .Bruce and C. M. Failing.

James E. Bruce, was born in Poweshiek county, Iowa, on the 14th of April, 1860, and is the son of John and Sarah (Brock) Bruce. His father, was a native of Ohio, and enlisted in Company H., Twenty- eight Iowa Infantry, and died at Helena, Arkansas, on the 14th of May, 1863. James attended the common schools and graduated from the law department of the Iowa State University, in June, 1881. He immediately came to Cass county, and began the practice of his profession in the town of Anita. He was united in marri- age in October, 1882, with Miss Luella Voorhees, a daughter of Peter and Han- nah (Hoffman) Voorhees, a native of New Jersey, but at the time of her marriage was a resident of Anita. They have one child-Clarence W. Mr. Bruce is a young man of much ability, having at- tained a good reputation from everyone in the county. He has an increasing

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practice, and is doing a large business in his profession.

BAR OF GRISWOLD.

The present Bar of Griswold is ably represented by W. F. Rightmire and C. S. Patterson.

W. F. Rightmire, of the firm of Right- mire and Patterson, was the first attorney of Griswold. He is a native of Ithaca, Thompkins county, New York, born March 23, 1849. His father was from the same State, and his mother was born in Connectiont, her ancestry being easily traced to the passengers who landed from the Mayflower on Plymouth Rock. Her grandfather, George Palmer, was a sol- dier in the War of the Revolution and in the War of 1812. IIer father, William Franklin, was own nephew to Dr. Frank- lin. Mr. and Mrs. Rightmire, Sr., were married in Thompkins county, New York, September 20, 1842, and are the parents of six children, three of whom are now living. Mr. Rightmire, Jr., was reared upon a farm, and his father being in lim- ited circumstances, he worked at varions occupations, and thus was able to attend, after a time, Ithaca academy, and obtained sufficient education to enable him to teach school. He afterward attended Cazenovia seminary, in Madison county, New York, and engaged in teaching a graded school in Pennsylvania and in other localities, following that profession some time. Meanwhile he read law, and fitted him- self for the legal profession. In 1872 he went into the local ministry of the Evan- gelical association. In 1873 he was ap- pointed to what was called the "Jersey shore circuit." He was married March 3, 1874, to Margaret Cahran. In June of

the same year, he came to LeClaire, Iowa, and engaged in keeping books; thence in the fall went to Hampton, Rock Island county, Illinois, and taught school. In the spring of 1875 he went on the river, acting as clerk on a raft steamer, and as agent for the Chippewa lumber company. In the fall of that year he went to Ca- manche, Clinton connty, Iowa, and took charge of three schools. In 1876 he went to Sabula, Jackson county, and took charge of the Sabula schools, where, on account of failing eyesight, he resigned. In the fall of 1877 he tanghit school near Maquoketa, and in the spring of 1878 went to Red Oak, Montgomery county, where he was unfit for business all summer on account of sickness. In the fall, with his health somewhat improved, he tanghit school near there through the winter, and the winter following. He was admitted to the bar at the April term of the dis- trict court, in 1880. Upon the first day of May, 1880, he came to Griswold, opened an office, and commenced the practice of his chosen profession. He has been emi- nently successful, and has a lucrative and rapidly increasing practice. Politically he is a Republican, and takes an active part in the dissemination of the principles of that party, canvassing the ninth con- gressional district under the auspices of the State Central committee, in 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Rightmire are the parents of three children now living: Robert A., born March 12, 1875; Clande Hg, born May 2, 1882; and John S., born August 18, 1884.

C. S. Patterson, of the firm of Right- mire and Patterson, is a native of Wood county, Michigan, born July 16, 1859. He is a son of Rev. Wm. Patterson and Frances

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(DeLong) Patterson, of French descent. William Patterson was formerly engaged in the lumber trade, and in 1861 enlisted in the service of bis country. The sub- ject of this sketch came to Iowa in 1866, and located at Charles City, where he graduated in the public schools. He re- ceived an academic education at Malvern, in Mills county, Iowa. In 1878 he com- menced reading law, at the same time teaching school. He entered the class of 1880, at the Iowa City University. The following winter he taught school, then

returned to Iowa City and graduated in the class of 1882. He began the practice of his profession at West Liberty. In March, 1883, he came to Griswold and formed a partnership with Mr. Rightmire, and has since continued the practice of law. In July, 1884, Mr. Patterson was married to Miss Vesta D. Morris, daughter of John Morris, of Harrison connty. Mr. Patterson is a young man of much ability, and has already earned for himself an en- viable reputation.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

Voltaire has said that a physician is the most unfortunate of men, as he is expect- ed to cure men, and keep them well, when they violate the very laws of their exist- ence, every hour of their lives. Hence the life of the active practitioner in the healing art is no sinecure, at the best, as any one who has followed the profession can testify. Twenty-five to thirty years ago it was rather a serious matter to be a physician and to make the long and toil- some rides, through this then newly and sparsely settled country, when there were scarcely any roads, and no bridges, and the adventurous disciple of Galen was frequently lost on the wide prairie, and

often floundered through sloughs. Often in the muddy days of spring or fall, he found, on emerging from some particular- ly miry place, that his girth was broken, or some equally important part of the harness damaged, and alone on the wide expanse of wind swept prairie, with night coming on, he must stop and repair it, with fingers numbed with the cold and energies exhausted by a hard day's labor.

The medical profession is an honorable one if conducted in an honorable manner. John Quincy Adams called it "the most honorable of the professions." And one of our eminent physicians in speaking of it, uses the following words:

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"The doctor certainly feels proud to re- lieve the pain and distress of his patients; to soothe the dyingpillow, and to comfort the afflicted friends. But the people are sometimes imposed upon by pretenders, who claim to cure all the "ills flesh is heir to," and to raise the dead, but we think the days of miracles have passed- are there too many doctors, or has the profession lost all honor? The people seem to be growing weaker and wiser, but at the expense of vigorous health-the system of cramming in school does not fit the young man for a useful life, nor the young woman to be a good staunch help- meet. Was the boy bright and clever, that was sufficient reason for the foreing and cramming him-so far however as that goes, the boys have a certain con- servatism about them that prevents them from committing suicide by excessive brain work. The poor girls, with their finer organizations are the unfortunate victims. How often does the doctor have interesting lady patients, who talk beautifully, as they recline upon the sofa, but who, when married and mothers of a single child, probably are unequal to the task of a household, or the care of a family.

"Our great grandmothers got their schooling during winter months, and let their brains lie fallow for the rest of the year. They knew less of Euclid and the classics, than about housekeeping, and about how housework should be done, but they made good wives and mothers, and bore sturdy sons and buxom daughters and plenty at that.

"From the age of eight to fourteen our daughters spend most of their time, either

in the unwholesome air of the recitation room, or poring over their books, when they should be at play. When released from school, within a year it may be she becomes engaged to some unwary youth, who, bewitched by her face, and charmed by her intelligence, sees not the frail body, and butterfly down, he weds her to find she has brought him a dower of ill- health, with a large outfit of headaches, and spineaches. Unequal to the task,she at first tolerates, and then loathes the domestic ties; the trouble follows, both are unhappy whether they remain together or not, or obtain divorces, and change mates, the doctor being a perpetual witness to the vices and follies and their fatal results. Some may say doctors are op- posed to education. Not so. But we do not believe in educating the mind at the expense of the body, thereby producing a weak and effeminate race of people. Therefore less cramming in school, more out-door exercise, and riding on horseback and walking, also invigorates the body, develops the muscular system, strengthens the nerves, promotes the health, and ap- petite, and is a great pleasure to the per- sons so inclined. Planting trees, shrub- bery, and otherwise beautifying our homes, than which nothing can be more pleasing and satisfactory to ourselves and to those who admire such things-and who does not?"

The people owe certain duties to the physician, and the physician owes certain duties to the people, and the way these duties are performed stamps the standing both of the practitioner and the commun- ity.

In all ages of the world, among civil-

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ized and uncivilized people, the medical profession has been held in high esteem. Whether it be the learned professor, who has studied the science of medicine in all its branches, or the "great medicine man" of the untutored savages, who from actual experience, has made discoveries of the healing powers of herbs and roots, honor awaits him upon every hand, while the life and death of every human being is virtually placed in his keeping. The weary patient lying upon a bed of pain, and the no less weary watcher by his side, wait anxiously for the coming of the "good doctor," and, on his arrival, note his every movement and every expression of countenance for a ray of hope.

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Author: Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co. Number of Pages: 918

Author: Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 918