USA > Iowa > Chickasaw County > History of Chickasaw and Howard counties, Iowa, Volume I > Part 41
USA > Iowa > Howard County > History of Chickasaw and Howard counties, Iowa, Volume I > Part 41
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CHESTER BANKS
The German Savings Bank of Chester, Iowa, was organized in July. 1896, as a state bank. The incorporators were: E. O. Greene, president ; L. L. Zann.
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BOHEMIAN SAVINGS BANK, PROTIVIN
COMMUNITY HALL, PROTIVIN
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cashier ; T. C. Beatrud, H. A. Murray and E. D. Capper. The present officers are : H. S. Luhman, president ; C. Madsen, vice president ; E. D. McWilliams, cashier ; and V. J. McWilliams, assistant cashier. The capital stock in 1917 is $10,000. The bank building was erected in 1916, is of brick and two stories in height, costing $8,000.
The Farmers Bank of Chester, Iowa, was organized in November, 1913. The first officers were: W. W. Cray, president; and J. B. Cray, cashier. The present officers are: W. W. Cray, president; W. G. Marshall, vice president ; and Winfield Cray, assistant cashier. The bank building was constructed in 1913 and is built of brick, one-story.
ELMA BANKS
The Farmers' Bank of Elma was established in 1889. The officers in 1917 are : M. Despres, president ; S. B. Despres, cashier ; and Irving Despres, assistant cashier. The capital stock is $10,000.
The First State Savings Bank of Elma was organized in 1905 and incorporated by W. G. Shaffer, A. H. Shaffer, H. L. Spaulding, F. D. Elwood, D. J. O'Donnell. J. J. McFaul, E. E. Overfield, J. W. Klemme, B. F. Klemme and T. K. Young. The first officers were: H. L. Spaulding, president ; D. J. O'Donnell, vice presi- dent ; and J. J. McFaul, cashier. The present officers are the same with the ex- ception of C. J. Garman, cashier, and P. H. Cashman, assistant cashier. The capital stock of this institution is $20,000 ; surplus and undivided profits, $13,000 ; and deposits $340,000. The bank building was erected in 1888 and is a two-story brick structure.
The Elma State Savings Bank was organized in 1913 and is now officered by the following: R. Cunningham, president ; C. Foley, vice president ; and F. E. Silver, cashier. The capital stock is $15,000; and the deposits are $60,000.
PROTIVIN BANK
The Bohemian Savings Bank of Protivin, Iowa, was incorporated May 21, 1910, by J. F. Pecinovsky, F. J. Klimesh, John Bouska, Rev. R. Lakomy, Henen Lukes, Ole Natvig, Jr., Ferd Lukes, Charles Pergler and J. M. Huber. The present officers of this bank are: J. F. Pecinovsky, president; John Bouska, vice president ; J. A. Dostal, cashier ; and W. C. Dostal, assistant cashier. The capital stock is the same as at the start, $15,000 ; the surplus and undivided profits, $1,600 ; and the deposits. $138,000.
RICEVILLE BANKS
The Farmers' and Merchants' Bank was organized in 1898 by S. R. Ure and W. G. Shaffer. Its working capital is now $30,000 and its recent statement shows that its surplus and undivided profits amount to $30,000. It is a private bank conducted in a safe business-like manner, though in an up-to-date style and along advanced and progressive lines. Its patrons have the benefit of any good financial method that should be granted to the patrons of a bank in these times. .
The First National Bank was established in 1906 by James Hendricks. The
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first officers were: James Hendricks, president; R. T. St. John, vice president ; C. E. Adams, second vice president ; B. N. Hendricks, cashier ; E. R. St. John, assistant cashier.
The capital ever since its organization has been $25,000. Its recent reports show deposits amounting to $288,000. This bank is a member of the Federal Reserve System and its 1917 officers are as follows: B. N. Hendricks, president ; R. T. St. John, vice president ; E. R. St. John, cashier ; A. G. Dunton, assistant cashier. The directors: C. E. Adams, Fred Lebow, B. N. Hendricks, R. T. St. John, and E. R. St. John.
The first president and founder, James Hendricks, held the office until his decease in November, 1914. when vice president B. N. Hendricks was elected to succeed him. This institution is enjoying a first class business and the entire community has the utmost confidence in the management of the same. Owing to an increase in business banking rooms and offices had to be enlarged in the autumn of 1916.
The Iowa State Bank is the oldest banking house in Riceville. It was established in 1882, and has been of great value to the business men of the town and surrounding country. It has pulled through the days of hard times in money matters and always paid out dollar for dollar. One of the reports issued in 1917 states the capital to be $25,000; surplus and undivided profits, $11,000; amount of deposits, $151,000; loans and discounts-stocks and bonds-$164,000.
Its present officers are as follows : C. F. Bartlett, president ; Nelson McCook, vice president ; O. C. Potter, cashier.
The careful, business-like manner in which this bank is carried on assures those who patronize it of safety and promptness in all that may be entrusted to their care.
CHAPTER VIII
MEDICAL AND LEGAL PROFESSIONS
ORIGIN OF MEDICAL PRACTICE AND THERAPEUTICS- HOME REMEDIES-THE PIONEER DOCTOR - EARLY HOWARD COUNTY DOCTORS - PRESENT PHYSICIANS - THE BENCH AND BAR- TERRITORIAL COURTS- COURTS AND JUDGES-THE EARLY HOWARD COUNTY BAR-THE PRESENT DOCKET.
In an elementary form at least the practice of medicine is almost as old as the human race. When the first man was afflicted by some bodily ailment, he sought among the plants for one that would relieve his suffering. If a remedy was found the information was imparted to a neighbor and perhaps a supply of the plant was garnered for future use. Other plants were added as they were discovered and thus, step by step, a pharmacopoeia was built up and the practice of medicine developed into a science.
A Chinese tradition says that the practice of medicine was introduced in that country by the Emperor Hwang-ti in the year 2887 B. C. In India the practice of medicine is very ancient, the physicians coming from the upper caste, and demonology played a conspicuous part in their diagnoses and treatment of diseases. Among the ancient Egyptians there were specialists as early as 1600 B. C. The Hebrews originally held to the theory that disease was a punish- ment for sin, but after the two captivities they had their regular practicing physi- cians and surgeons. Aesculapius was the god of health in ancient Greece, and Galen the Greek taught medical classes in Rome soon after the beginning of the Christian Era. He was the first physician to lay special stress upon the study of anatomy as an essential part of the physician's professional educa- tion. Hippocrates, another Greek, who lived from 460 to 377 B. C., has been called the Father of Medicine. He required his pupils to take an oath in the name of "Apollo, the physician, Aesculapius, Hygcia, Panacea, and all the gods and goddesses ; to reckon him who teaches me this art equally with my parents; to look upon his offspring as my brothers; to share with him my substance and to relieve his necessities if required ; to pass my life and practice my art with purity and holiness ; and whatsoever in connection with my professional practice -or not in connection with it-I may see or hear, that I will not divulge, holding that all such things should be kept secret."
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There was a revival of the Hippocratic oath among the doctors of the Middle Ages, and in more modern times a few medical schools required a similar obliga- tion of their alumni. Some of the principles laid down in the oath of Hippocrates form the basis of the professional code of ethics among the physicians of the present day.
It was not until the year 1315 A. D. that a systematic study of human anatomy by dissection was commenced by an Italian physician named Mondino. When the populace learned that Doctor Mondino was actually cutting up the dead body of a human being he was compelled to apply to the authorities for protection against the mob, and Hart says, "that protection was granted somewhat reluc- tantly." Yet by a careful study of the intricate mechanism of the human body through the medium of dissection the science of surgery has been developed. This incident is only one of many the profession has had to encounter when science has come in conflict with the preconceived notions of the conservative multitude. When Doctor Harvey announced his discovery of the circulation of the blood. and declared the passage of the blood through the arteries and veins of the body to be the source of life and health, he was scoffed at by the ignorant. Some priests even went so far as to charge him with blasphemy, asserting that man was kept alive "by the grace of God." Voltaire, the famous French author, defined a physician as a "man who crams drugs of which he knows little into a body of which he knows less." That may possibly have been true of a certain class of French empirics at the time it was written, but since then the medical profession has made almost marvelous progress and through the intelligent and concerted action of the physicians themselves the practice has been elevated to a higher plane.
Modern medical progress dates from the closing years of the Sixteenth Cen- tury, Soon after the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, was established in 1582 a medical department was added. In 1765 Dr. John Morgan and Dr. William Shippen, of Philadelphia, opened a medical school that afterward became the medical department of the College of Philadelphia. That was the first medical school in what is now the United States. At the present time nearly every state university has its medical department, and there is not a large city in the land in which there are not one or more medical colleges. With this wonderful increase in the facilities for obtaining a medical education, it is not surprising that the profession has made great strides within the memory of persons yet living, or that the physician of the present day is, with rare exceptions, a man entitled to the honor and respect of the community, both for his professional ability and his standing as a citizen.
HOME REMEDIES
In the early settlements of the Middle West the pioneer followed the example of his primitive ancestor and was his own physician. Each family kept on hand a stock of roots, barks and herbs to "make medicine" and all common ailments were treated by the administration of home-made remedies. Old settlers of Howard County can doubtless recall the boneset tea, the burdock bitters, the decoctions of wild cherry bark, or the poultices and plasters that were prepared. There were two potent reasons for the use of home-made medicines. First, the
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physician was frequently miles away, and second, very few of the early settlers had much money and therefore could not afford to employ a physician except when it became absolutely necessary.
THE PIONEER DOCTOR
No addition to the population of a frontier settlement was more welcome than the physician. Yet the life of the pioneer doctor was no sinecure. Money was a rare article and his fees, if he collected any at all, were many times paid in such produce as the pioneer farmers could spare and the doctors could use. The old-time doctor was not always a graduate of a medical college. In a majority of cases his professional education had been obtained by "reading for a year or two with some older physician and assisting his preceptor in practice." In the professional and technical knowledge of his profession the pioneer doctor was limited; his stock of drugs, medicines, surgical instruments and appliances was equally limited .. A generous supply of calomel, some jalap. aloes, Dover's powder, castor oil and a few other substances constituted his principal stock in trade. Sulphate of quinine was rare and was too expensive to be used indis- criminately, so in cases of malaria the doctors relied upon heroic doses of Peruvian bark. In cases of fever the orthodox treatment was to relieve the patient of a quantity of blood, believing thereby that the tenement of the demon disease would be destroyed. Permit a pioneer woman to state her views: "Of the pests we endured there were three in particular-the 'shakes,' the Indians and the doctors." Duncan, in his "Reminiscences of the Medical Profession," says that "the first requisite was a generous supply of English calomel. To this were added jalap, aloes, Dover's powder, castor oil and Peruvian bark. If a cruel cathartic, followed by blood-letting and a fly-blister, did not improve the condition of the patient, the doctor would look wise and trust to the sick man's rugged constitution to pull him through."
The old-fashioned doctor must be commended, even if his methods were crude. In the face of biting winds, chilling rains, in the darkest hours of the night, crossing sloughs and pushing his way across the trackless prairie the doctor made his visits. His method of locomotion was almost entirely by horseback,' with a lantern to light the way. His pill-bags, consisting of two leather boxes joined by a strap, were slung over the saddle. But even as his art would be considered primeval and practically useless today, just so much did his labors and sacrifices pave the way for all the splendid wonders of the profession now ; without him they could not have been created.
EARLY HOWARD COUNTY DOCTORS
The first physicians in the vicinity of Cresco were N. H. Knowles and J. J. Clemmer. The pioneers of this profession at Lime Spring were Drs. John W. Reed and Joseph N. Medbery. O. N. Hoyt began the practice of medicine in the late '70s at Cresco.
Dr. J. J. Clemmer, mentioned above, was a Pennsylvanian and a graduate of the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati, Ohio. He came to Howard County in 1856 and in 1860 established the first drug store in the county, the same Vol. 1-29
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located at New Oregon. He removed his stock to Cresco in 1866, when the town was first started on the railroad.
A. A. Eddy began practicing in Cresco in 1880, after graduating at the Chicago Medical College. Charles Gorst, a graduate of a medical college at Keokuk, Iowa, came to Lime Spring in 1879 and began practicing. At Vernon Springs in 1859 J. H. Bowers was practicing medicine.
According to the Iowa State Gazetteer for 1916-17 the doctors practicing in Howard County are: William Connolly, Elizabeth A. Almond, William T. Daly, William C. Hess, J. W. Jinderlee, George Kessel, George A. Plummer, Charles D. Roome, of Cresco; Franz J. Epenter, James W. Mulick, of Elma ; L. W. Clark, of Chester ; and J. M. Dresher of Protivin.
THE BENCH AND BAR
Civil law made its appearance as soon as men began to realize that they were dependent upon each other, and that some system of rules was necessary for the protection of person and property-rules that would promote the general interest without trampling upon the rights of the individual. The legislator and lawyer therefore made their first appearance with the very dawn of civilization. Of the history of law little can be said within a work of this scope ; many and compendious volumes have been written upon the subject without exhausting it. Law itself, however, had its beginning in tribal customs, the shaping of the individual's course of action for the benefit and safety of the community. In that most archaic of countries-China, there were definitely propounded laws before Justinian wrote. American law, as understood at present, is largely based upon the Roman and English statutes, with lesser statutes compatible with the needs of each state, county and city. "To establish justice" was written into the Federal Constitution by the founders of the American Republic as one of the primary and paramount purposes of government. To establish courts through which the safety of person and the rights of property shall alike be safely guarded. The founders of the republic also showed their wisdom in separating the functions of government into three departments-the legislative, the executive and the judicial-the first to enact, the second to enforce and the third to interpret the nation's laws. States have copied this system and in every state there is a legislature to pass laws, a supreme and subordinate courts to interpret them and a governor as the chief executive officer to see that they are fairly and impartially enforced.
TERRITORIAL COURTS
When the Territory of Iowa was organized in 1838, Charles Mason, who lived in Burlington, Iowa, was appointed chief justice; Joseph Williams, of Pennsylvania, and Thomas S. Wilson, of Dubuque, associate justices. Upon these three men devolved the duty of holding court at such places as their presence might be required, anywhere in the entire territory. It would be an arduous task for three judges to attempt to hold court and settle all the disputes in Iowa now, but in 1838 there were only a few settlements along the eastern border. All three of these judges continued on the bench until Iowa was admitted into
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the Union in 1846. Judge Mason was the first chief justice of the State Supreme Court until he resigned in June, 1847, when he was succeeded by Judge Williams.
COURTS AND JUDGES
The first term of the District Court was held at Vernon Springs in June. 1857, Samuel Murdock being the judge. The court was held in a hall rented for the purpose. At this term of court the first naturalization papers in the county were issued to Joseph Schafer.
In 1854, prior to the holding of the first term in this county, Howard was a part of the Fifth Judicial District, with Winneshiek. Allamakee. Clayton, Chicka- saw and Fayette counties. Samuel S. Murdock of Clayton County was elected judge in the fall of that year. He was followed in 1859 by Judge Elias A. Williams, who served until 1867. Milo McGlathery, of Fayette County, followed for two terms. He proved to be an unpopular judge and in the election of 1874 was defeated by Reuben Noble of Clayton County. Noble served until late in 1879. when he resigned, and E. E. Cooley of Decorah was appointed by Gov. John H. Gear to fill the vacancy, and was elected to succeed himself in 1880. In 1882 L. O. Hatch of McGregor was elected to the bench. also re-elected in 1886 and 1890., With the abolishment of the Circuit Court in 1887 an increase in the num- ber of districts made Howard County a part of the Thirteenth Judicial District, where it has remained until the present. Judge Granger, who had been the presid- ing officer of the Circuit Court. became the associate of Judge Hatch on the District Court bench. In 1888 he was nominated by the republicans as a candidate for judge of the Supreme Court and as a nomination was equivalent to election he resigned from the District Court bench. L. E. Fellows of Lansing was chosen to fill the vacancy, but in the election of 1889 he was defeated by W. A. Hoyt of Fayette. In 1894 L. E. Fellows and A. N. Hobson were elected and after serving one term were re-elected. Judge Fellows died June 17, 1912, and W. J. Springer of New Hampton, Chickasaw County, was appointed to fill the vacancy.
While the Circuit Court was in existence from 1869 until 1887 M. V. Burdick and C. T. Granger were the judges having to do with Howard County. Burdick served from 1869 until 1873 and Granger from 1873 until the finish.
THE BAR
The law is a jealous profession. It demands of the judge on the bench and the attorney at the bar alike a knowledge of the law, a respect for the rights of the litigants, and a conscientious effort to interpret rightly the laws of the land. Within recent years the courts have come in for some severe criticism because of what seems to have been needless delays, and a great deal has been said in the public press about "judicial reform." The lawyer has been made the butt of ridicule by some of the great novelists, but it should be borne in mind that many of the really great men in our national history were lawyers. John Marshall, one of the early chief justices of the United States Supreme Court, was a man whose memory is revered by the American people and his opinions are still quoted with confidence by members of his profession. Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe, who negotiated the Louisiana Purchase and gave to their
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country an empire in extent, were lawyers. Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, Thomas H. Benton, Salmon P. Chase, Thomas M. Cooley, Stephen A. Douglas and a host of other eminent Americans wrote their names on the pages of history through their knowledge of the laws. Their loyalty, patriotism and love of justice cannot be questioned. And last, but not least, stands the name of Abraham Lincoln, self-educated and self-reliant, whose consummate tact and statesmanship saved the Union from disruption.
Associated with the early bar of Howard County as pioneers were W. R. Mead, M. V. Burdick and C. E. Berry. Mr. Mead entered the newspaper field shortly after the birth of the Town of Cresco, so practiced law but a short time. In 1867 H. A. Goodrich came to New Oregon and entered the practice of his profession. He was educated for the law in Buffalo, New York, and remained in active service in Cresco until his demise in January, 1907.
Much of the legal business of the county during the early days was conducted by outside attorneys-such men as R. Noble, L. O. Hatch, and John T. Stoneman, of McGregor ; G. R. Willett and Levi Bullis, of Decorah, Winneshiek County ; John T. Clark of Waukon ; and L. L. Ainsworth of West Union. The early '70s, however, brought quite a number of attorneys to the county, prominent among whom may be mentioned H. T. Reed, afterwards judge of the United States district and circuit courts for the northern district of Iowa. Others who then made a name in the Town of Cresco were C. F. Breckenridge, Henry Wagner, Sayre & Woodward, S. L. Smith, Jeremiah Barker, W. K. Barker, H. C. McCarty and G. W. Hawes. After the 'Sos many others were admitted to the practice here and enjoyed success in the Howard County courts. Some of these were C. W. Reed, William Wilbraham, C. C. Upton, W. L. Converse, John McCook, W. L. Barker, P. F. McHugh, A. E. Barker, A. J. Barker, E. A. Church, D. L. Grannis, N. A. Blackburn and J. A. Cutting. H. L. Spaulding and Joseph Griffin were attorneys of Elma and C. A. Chapman of Chester.
In 1859 at Vernon Springs F. Belfoy was known as a lawyer, though it is not known how great was his practice nor the extent of his ability as an attorney. The first lawyer in Forest City Township was G. M. Van Leuvan, who located in the old Town of Lime Spring in the '50s. A. M. Leuvan also practiced at Lime Spring. D. E. Mills was an early attorney at New Oregon.
The bar docket of Howard County at the time of this writing is as follows : John McCook, C. W. Reed, W. L. Barker, A. E. Barker, J. A. Cutting, E. A. Church, N. A. Blackburn, Charles Pergler, Joseph Griffin and Gerald Lyons, of Cresco; H. L. Spaulding, Lee W. Elwood and Reed Elwood, of Elma; in all thirteen members.
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FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, CRESCO
FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, CRESCO
CHAPTER IX
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS
METHODIST-CONGREGATIONAL-CATHOLIC-BAPTIST-EPISCOPAL-GERMAN LUTH - ERAN-NORWEGIAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN-PRESBYTERIAN-CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST-FREE METHODIST-EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN.
METHODIST
The first settlers of Howard County brought religion with them, and although no organized societies or specific denominations were evident until after a few years, meetings were held in the various homes and prayer said by some member of the community. The Methodist denomination was the first of the various church organizations represented in the county. Something of Methodism in general may be said as a preface to its advent in Howard County.
The name of Methodism was given to the religious movement inaugurated in England by John Wesley. The name has been given subsequently to all the churches which have sprung from that movement, whatever nationality they may have been. Other churches, although not bearing the name of Methodism spe- cifically, may be safely identified with that denomination. It dates from the year 1739. The religion of the Methodists was introduced into Ireland in 1747 by the organization of a society in Dublin by Thomas Williams. English troopers carried Methodism to Jersey about 1790, after which the mainland of France was invaded. C. G. Miller, a youth from Württemberg, went to London in 1805, was converted, and in 1830 returned to South Germany, where he preached the doctrine of that church. In Italy the Methodists first took hold in IS52, when the French sent M. Rostan into the Piedmont Valley.
The first Methodist society in the New World was formed from German refugees to Ireland, who had been expelled from the Palatinate by Louis XIV. Philip Embury and Barbara Heck were converted in Ireland and upon landing in New York in 1760 began preaching their faith. Thomas Webb, a captain in the army, also preached in New York and elsewhere about the year 1766. Robert Strawbridge, also a native of Erin, began the work in Maryland, assisted by Robert Williams, the apostle of Virginia. In 1769 Wesley dispatched Richard Broadman and Joseph Pilmoor, and two years later Francis Asbury and Richard Wright, to help the cause in America.
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