USA > Iowa > Delaware County > History of Delaware County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 19
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".A. E. House was a natural lawyer. If he had had energy in proportion to his ability. he would have made one of the best attorneys of the state. for he was highly successful. House was a major in the Sixth lowa Cavalry and fought the Indians in the Northwest for three years. He returned to Delhi but never practiced after he got back and died three or four years ago in the insane asylum at Independence.
"Col. N. L. Ingalls came from Jefferson County, New York, two or three years after Colonel Peters, and located at Delhi. Col. S. G. Van Anda appeared about the same time. Ingalls was a finely edneated man and successful law- yer. Van Anda was also a good lawyer. The latter died in an insane asylum at Independence. Ingalls went to Kansas on a visit, which was coupled with a business matter, took siek, died and was buried there.
"William Crozier stood high at this bar and was a very fine lawyer. He only praetieed a year or two, however, and then went into the army.
"Wesley A. Heath had a natural legal mind and I think was as fine a draftsman of legal papers as any lawyer in Delaware County, but he was ex- tremely modest. We practiced together for years. He would prepare a case so thoroughly that I could take his brief and try the cause as if it was my own. He spent his last days in Delhi and was buried there.
"George Wattson and his brother John were both fairly good lawyers but intemperate habits got the better of them, so that they failed to prove a success in their chosen profession.
".J. M. Brayton practiced under the firm name of House, Brayton & Wattson. He was elected to the bench in 1871 when this county formed a part of the Ninth Judicial Distriet. He had not the judicial mind of an order that fitted him for the bench, so that his friends prevailed upon him to resign from the position he had attained.
"Jerome B. Satterlee was one of Delaware County's able lawyers. For some years past he has been in the land department at Washington.
"Samuel Hussey and Eli C. Perkins early began practice at Delhi and the latter is still enjoying a good legal business.
"Ray B. Griffin was a good lawyer but had only a limited practice, as he devoted most of his time to speculation in real estate, in which he was very successful and became a large landowner. His practice was confined mostly to real-estate matters. Mr. Griffin served the county both as treasurer and re corder. He died some years ago while attending to some business matters at Dubuque.
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"Charles S. Crosby was a very good lawyer and at one time was attorney- general of New Hampshire. He was a large hearted man and was well equipped with a thorough education. He lived in Manchester but has long since passed away. He was a brother of a member of the firm of Washburn-Crosby, the great millers of the Northwest.
"Simeon L. Doggett located in Delhi about 1858. He was a good man, a leader in the Congregational Church and was justice of the peace while he lived here. He had no force, however, and was not a success as a lawyer. He moved away some years ago and is now deceased.
"Charles Husted had a natural legal mind and was well versed in the prin- eiples of law but did not succeed in practice. He was a soldier in the Twenty- first Iowa Infantry and died some years since. One of his daughters, Mrs. Robert Denton, resides in Manchester.
"Dennis Ryan was admitted to the bar at Delhi, having read in the office of Griffin & Crosby. He practiced but very little here and finally removed to one of the Dakotas, where he continued in practice with more success. IIe is still living."
Of the present members of the Delaware County bar but little will be said in this place, as sketches of many of the more prominent ones ean be found in the second volume. Col. John II. Peters is the nestor of the bar and is enjoy- ing the shady side of life in retirement. IIe came to the county about the year 1852 from Freeport, Illinois, to which place he had removed from Hartford, Connecticut. He was one of the leading lawyers of his day and is the only living member of that body of men who gave to the State of Iowa its present constitution, which was adopted in the year 1857. Colonel Peters made a bril- liant record in the Civil war.
. Charles E. Bronson was born at Lee Center, Oneida County, New York, November 21, 1841, came to lowa City with his parents in 1855, studied law with the firm of Fairall & Beal, was admitted to the bar in 1866, and came directly to Manchester, where he practieed law until his death. In 1868 he married Jennie E. Shelden, who still resides in Manchester. Unto this worthy couple were born five sons, four of whom are still living and one of them, Henry. is practicing law in Manchester. Charley Bronson was elected to the State Senate in 1877 and made a valuable member. One of the prominent business men of Manchester was asked the question why he always consulted Charley Bronson. He replied, "because he is a good lawyer and an honest man." When Charles E. Bronson passed away Manchester lost one of its best citizens. For many years he was the senior member of the law firm of Bronson & Carr.
Judge Blair eame to Delaware County from Huron County. Ohio, in 1858, his parents locating in Delaware County in 1855. Here the father, David .J., died in 1861, and the mother followed him some years later. Judge Blair re- ceived a collegiate education in the Buckeye state and read law at Norwalk. Ohio, where he was admitted to the bar in 1854. He was a lawyer by nature as well as by adoption and has been very active in the profession. He traveled the circuit in early days and became what is known as an "all around lawyer." While actively engaged in the profession, he had a large practice, many of his
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cases being of more than ordinary importance. He was elected to the bench and served as judge of the District Court from 1894 until 1906, opening the first term of court held in the new courthouse at Manchester in 1894.
Calvin Yoran, senior member of the firm of Yoran & Yoran, came from his native state, New York, to Delaware in 1870. Ile began the practice of law in 1871, at Manchester, at which time he was admitted to the bar. He is still in practice here and is one of the leading men at Manchester in his profession.
E. M. Carr is not only one of the leading members of the Delaware County bar, but also is recognized as an editorial writer of force and fluency. Ile is a native of New York and of Irish parentage. Mr. Carr immigrated to lowa with his parents in 1856 and located in Buchanan County. His entry at the State University culminated in graduation from its law department in 1872. Locating at Manchester that year, Mr. Carr formed a partnership with Ray B. Griffin, which continued until 1884, when the firm of Bronson & Carr was formed. Since Mr. Bronson's death he has practiced alone and at the same time given attention to his newspaper, the Manchester Democrat.
William HI. Norris has been a very successful lawyer at this bar, coming with his parents to lowa from Massachusetts in 1861. Ile received a common- school education, spent a short time in college, taught school, and in 1881 grad- nated from the law department of the State University. He removed to Man- chester in 1882 and began the practice of his profession. The next year he formed a partnership with A. S. Blair, which continued four years. In 1888 the firm of Blair, Dunham & Norris was formed and continued for some years as the leading law firm of the county. Mr. Norris is not only prominently identified with this bar, but is also largely interested in several banks of the county.
E. B. Stiles is the present county attorney. He is a son of E. R. Stiles, a former pastor of the Congregational Church. E. B. was superintendent of the Manchester sehools for several years. He then read law, was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice in Manchester. He is not only an able law- ver but a Christian gentleman and one of Manchester's reliable citizens, having before him a bright future.
Those practicing at the Delaware County bar at the present time are: E. B. Stiles, W. H. Norris. R. W. Tirrill, Henry Bronson, Arnold & Arnold (II. F. and Floyd HI. Arnold), Carr & Carr (E. M. and Hubert Carr). J. H. Peters, Hugh Clemans, Fred B. Blair, A. M. Cloud, Yoran & Yoran (Calvin and Melvin J. Yoran), at Manchester: P. M. Cloud and W. I. Millen, Earlville: E. C. Per- kins, Delhi.
Vol. I -11
CHAPTER XII
THE PRESS
DELHII ARGUS
Not many years were permitted to pass, after Delaware County got out of her swaddling clothes, before the newspaper man made his appearance "to supply a long felt want." Ile came in the year 1853, in the person of Datus E. Coon, who founded the Delhi Argus at the then county seat. Editor Coon published the Argus about one year and then sold the paper to G. W. Field. At the outbreak of hostilities between the northern and southern states, Coon entered the army and rose to the rank of brigadier-general. J. L. Noble, who handled the roller and applied the ink to the forms of the Argus, under Coon's regime, also went into the volunteer service and gained the rank of captain. Field continued the editorship of the Argus until the fall of 1856, when he gave way to Charles F. Hobbs, who soon sustained a loss of part of his plant by fire. Hobbs continued the paper under its old name until 1858, when he changed it to the Delhi Democrat. Enlarging the forms for a seven-column paper, Mr. Hobbs gave his patrons the local and foreign news and prospered in his endeavors to "make good." Finally Hobbs sold out to C. L. Hayes, and later the firm name became Hayes & Corbett, who sold to Rev. L. S. Ashbaugh. Then came Dr. James Wright, eounty elerk, as part proprietor and later J. L. McCreery purchased an interest.
DELAWARE COUNTY JOURNAL
On January 1, 1859, James L. Noble secured the interests of L. S. Ash- baugh in the Democrat and later transferred them to J. L. MeCreery who, now being sole owner, changed the name to the Delaware County Journal, and continued the publication until January, 1864, when he removed the plant to Dubuque. In the following month of March the material was sold to Edward Burnside, who moved it to Manchester and it became a part of the Delaware County Union outfit.
IOWA NEWS
The Iowa News came into existence at Delhi in 1860 and lived about one year. The founder and owner, Charles L. Hayes, sold the material, which was taken to Anamosa.
DELAWARE COUNTY RECORDER
This paper was established Mareh 24, 1871, by J. A. Cole, as the Earlville Sun, at Earlville. C. Sanborn purchased it in June following, removed the
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plant to Delhi and named it the Delaware County Recorder. In August, 1872, J. B. Swinburne became its owner and brought it out as the Delhi Monitor. IJe continued its publication until some time in the '80s, when it was suspended.
THE DELAWARE COUNTY UNION
The Journal, at Delhi, suspended publication in the winter of 1863-64. The material was purchased by Edward Burnside, $300 of the purchase money hav- ing been subscribed by Manchester people, who greatly desired a newspaper. The plant was removed to Manchester and with it the first issue of the Dela- ware County Union appeared March 25, 1864. Mr. Burnside died in 1866 and in January, 1867, the paper passed into the hands of L. L. Ayer, who enlarged the sheet to a seven-column folio. The Union became the official organ of the republican party, but that did not save it from starving to death. On December ber 3, 1872, the Delaware County Union gave up the ghost and the body, being dismembered, was divided between II. L. Ran, of the Press, and J. B. Swin- burne, of the Delhi Monitor.
EARLVILLE'S DEFUNCT PAPERS
The Nottingham Observer was started at Earlville in the spring of 1859, by Ed Stanton, and ceased to exist six months later.
The Earlville Sun already has been mentioned. Two other papers later were published in Earlville and finally submitted to force of circumstances. The Gazette was established by W. A. Hutton, December 31, 1875, who soon sold to N. Rose & Son. The latter changed the name to The Commercial, the first number of which appeared May 26, 1876. In April, 1877, the last paper was published. The Earlville Record was another unfortunate that was born on December 19, 1877, J. V. and J. A. Matthews being its sponsors. The Record long sinee has passed away.
THIE PHOENIX
C. Starr Barre founded the Earlville Graphie in 1882 and this publication flourished under Barre's efficient editorial and mechanical management up to 1887, when the Graphie plant was destroyed by the fire that devastated the entire business section of the town. It was but a few months. however, before there was another printing office ready and equipped for newspaper work and the new publieation was appropriately named The Earlville Phoenix. Mr. Barre later sold the plant to Albert Knowles, who was succeeded by a company that published the paper under the firm name of the Phoenix Publishing Com- pany. In 1889 the plant was purchased of Charles E. MeCannon, who was suc- veeded in 1890 by Miss Christie Seroggie. After two years Miss Seroggie sold the plant to Charles A. Durne. In November, 1894. J. B. Swinburne became the owner of the plant and The Phoenix under his management became a news- paper of wide circulation and for a few years five papers were printed each week at the Phoenix plant. The extra editions were named The Colesburg Clipper, The Delhi Monitor, The Greeley Graphie and The Worthington Watch-
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man. In September, 1901, R. V. Lucas, of Bedford, lowa, purchased the plant and suecessfully eondueted the paper until 1905, when he sold the business to P. M. Cloud and James Rogers. Mr. Lucas resigned from his position as post- master at Earlville after disposing of the newspaper property, and P. M. Cloud succeeded him in that position. Cloud & Rogers secured the service of Albert Voit as manager and editor of The Phoenix. Mr. Rogers severed his interests in the paper in 1907, and in 1909 Mr. Cloud sold the plant to Albert Voit and he conducted the paper until January 1, 1914, when a partnership was formed with Arthur J. Rogers. The plant has been refurnished, new maehin- ery and material added and the paper inereased in size. It is well edited, has a large circulation and is well patronized by the advertising public.
THE HOME PRESS
A quite newsey, neatly printed local paper is the Home Press, published at Greeley. It was established March 5, 1897, by Vietor E. Dow, present owner and publisher, and is a six-column quarto, with four pages home print.
THE RYAN REPORTER
E. E. Coakley, a Delaware County boy, is editor and proprietor of the Ryan Reporter, a well edited and readable weekly paper, that gives its large list of subscribers the local and foreign news. Mr. Coakley established his paper in one of the best trading points in Delaware County and issued its first number January 19, 1899. It is a six-column quarto, with two pages home print.
HOPKINTON LEADER
The Leader, one of the best edited and printed newspapers in Delaware County, was established at Hopkinton in 1888. The Leader reflects the opin- ions of the neighborhood, has a good patronage, and its editor and publisher, W. S. Beels, has made a splendid success in the journalistie field of the college town.
THE MANCHESTER PRESS
The Manchester Press, the oldest paper in the county, in point of continuous publication, was established in June, 1871, by the late II. L. Rann, father of the present publisher. Mr. Rann got the paper well on its feet and in 1874 sold it to the late C. Sanborn, going to St. Louis to engage in the job printing business. Finding the St. Louis enterprise of doubtful value, Mr. Rann returned to Manchester after an absence of two years and bought out Mr. Sanborn. He continued the publication of The Press until his death in May, 1897, when the paper came under the management of his son.
The Press was started as an eight-column paper of four pages and later increased to eight pages, four of which consisted of what was known as the Kellogg "patent insides" service, later taken over and developed by the West- ern Newspaper Union. As time went on, the demands of the business made necessary reduction of the ready-print pages to two, and in June, 1914, the
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paper was converted into a twelve-page edition of six columns to the page, printed entirely at home.
The Press has always endeavored to keep fully abreast of the times with respect to the modernity of its equipment. It boasted the first power press in the county, the first type-setting machine (the Simplex), and the first lino- type (the Junior). In January, 1913, the paper moved into a handsome new home on the corner of Main and Madison streets, a brick building designed with especial reference to its needs and equipped with every convenience and utility. The plant now consists of a Model 8 linotype, a Cottrell drum cylinder, two jobbers, Omaha folder, power cutter, and other equipment in keeping with modern ideas. The machinery is operated by individual motors, and the build- ing has its own steam plant.
With a view to further modernizing the business The Press is one of the few weekly newspapers of the state maintaining a thorough and accurate cost system and a cash-in-advance system of subseription settlements. There is not a delinquent subscriber on its list, which is well toward the three thousand mark.
The Press has educated or employed nearly all of the pioneer printers of the county, such as Frank B. Gregg, "Joe" Thompson, "Ente" Fisk, "Wood" Jewell, Edward Andrews, and others. For a time, in its earliest days, it was published in quarters on the third floor of what is now the Globe Hotel, later removed to offices over the A. C. Philipp pharmacy, then to the first floor and basement of the Thorpe Building on the corner of Main and Madison, from which location it was definitely removed to its present home.
The Press has always been a staunch and uncompromising republican news- paper, and particularly under the management of the late H. L. Rann, its founder, established a high standing for the clarity and strength of its editorial page. It has sought to serve its people faithfully and well, to what effect can best be judged by those who have so long given it their support and confidence.
THE MANCHESTER DEMOCRAT
The Manchester Democrat was established and its first number was issued January 13, 1875, by F. B. Gregg, proprietor and publisher. L. L. Ayres was editor. Politically the paper was democratie and has so remained ever since. After a few months Mr. Gregg retired and the paper passed into the hands of the Democrat Publishing Company, a corporation, of which the late Nixon Denton was president, and E. M. Carr, secretary. This company continned the publication of the paper until the 3d day of July, 1878. L. L. Ayres con- tinued as editor until the 17th of April, 1878, from which date until the 3d of the following July it was edited and published by the Democrat Publishing Company. The late Charles E. Bronson and E. M. Carr became sole owners of the newspaper and dissolved the corporation, and the firm of Bronson & Carr commenced the publication of the Manchester Democrat on July 10, 1878, and continued to publish and edit the paper until March 22, 1905, when the part- nership was enlarged by Hubert Carr and Henry Bronson becoming members of the firm, and thereafter and until the death of the senior member, which took place on the 18th day of November, 1908. the newspaper was published and edited by the firm of Bronson, Carr & Sons.
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After Mr. Bronson's death the newspaper was published and edited by the firm of Carr, Bronson & Carr, a copartnership consisting of E. M. Carr, Henry Bronson and Hubert Carr, until the 24th day of October, 1912, when Henry Bronson sold his interest in the paper to Wade E. Long and Fred W. Herman, and since that date the newspaper has been published and edited by the firm of Carr, Carr, Long & Herman, a copartnership consisting of E. M. Carr, Hubert Carr, Wade E. Long and Fred W. Herman.
The publishers of the Democrat during all the years of its existence have strived to make it a clean, reliable newspaper; a paper that would not contain anything that could not with propriety be read in any company ; a paper that would not contain anything that any man would not be willing for his wife and children to read. The paper has at all times enjoyed a good patronage and it has been a financial success. It is now one of the best country newspapers in the state.
DELHI PRODUCES AN IMMORTAL
With her many ups and downs, Delhi, first seat of justice of Delaware County, still glories in that intangible treasure, Fame. Lost to her is the erst- while proud eminence as a county seat and no longer remains to her the prized privilege of entertaining judges, lawyers and disputations litigants. Her capitol building remains standing, silent and alone, in its beautiful park; but its walls echo no longer forensic speech of jurist or counsellor. The days for all such have passed away and now the historic pile is headquarters for a fast dwindling remnant of the Union's defenders in the Civil war. But, Delhi is proud of her past and still retains an illustrious position in history, for in her younger days a poet was given to the place, whose one sweet song preserved, will live down into the ages. The writer of the poem which follows, the late J. L. McCreery, was a resident of Delhi from 1861 to 1865 and edited the Journal during that period of time. He then went to Dubuque and attached himself to the Times of that city. McCreery was a man of more than ordinary accomplishments and was rather versatile in natural abilities. The poem, "There Is No Death," was written while he was doing newspaper work in Delhi in an humble way. It received instant attention and was generously copied by publications in this country and in Europe. The authorship was given to many, among whom was the great classic, Lord Lytton of England. It might be here stated, by way of parenthesis, that Mr. McCreery was also superintendent of schools when he gave to the world the beautiful words preserved in the lines below. He is the author, and the compiler of this history only renders him due credit by preserv- ing the poem for future generations in this volume:
THERE IS NO DEATH
There is no death ! the stars go down To rise upon some other shore, And bright in heaven's jeweled crown They shine for evermore.
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There is no death! the forest leaves Convert to life the viewless air ; The rocks disorganize to feed The hungry moss they bear.
There is no death! the dust we tread Shall change, beneath the summer showers, To golden grain, or mellow fruit, Or rainbow tinted flowers.
There is no death! the leaves may fall, The flowers may fade and pass away- They only wait, through wintry hours, The warm, sweet breath of May.
There is no death! the choicest gifts That heaven hath kindly lent to earth Are ever first to seek again The country of their birth.
And all things that for growth or joy Are worthy of our love or eare, Whose loss has left us desolate, Are safely garnered there.
Though life become a dreary waste, We know its fairest. sweetest flowers, Transplanted into paradise, Adoru immortal bowers.
There is no death! although we grieve When beautiful familiar forms That we have learned to love are torn From our embracing arms.
Although with bowed and breaking heart, With sable garb and silent tread, We bear their senseless dust to rest, And say that they are "dead."
They are not dead ! they have but passed Beyond the mists that blind us here Into the new and larger life Of that serener sphere.
They have but dropped their robe of clay To put their shining raiment on ;
--
OLD HOME OF J. L. MCCREERY, IN WHICH HE WROTE THE NOTED POEM, "THERE IS NO DEATH. "
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They have not wandered far away- They are not "lost" or "gone."
Though disenthralled and glorified, They still are here and love us yet ; The dear ones they have left behind They never can forget.
And sometimes when our hearts grow faint, Amid temptations fierce and deep, Or when the wildly raging waves Of grief or passion sweep,
We feel upon our fevered brow Their gentle touch, their breath of balm : Their arms enfold us and our hearts Grow comforted and calm.
And ever near us, though unseen, The dear, immortal spirits tread ; For all the boundless universe Is life-"there are no dead.",
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CHAPTER XIII
RAILROADS
The first railroad built into and across Delaware County was the Dubuque & Pacific. In close connection with this company was the Iowa Land Company, which provided for the right of way, secured building sites and laid out towns. Construction on the road began in 1855, between Dubuque and Dyersville, and was nearly completed to the latter point in December, 1856. In the following spring, trains were running to Dyersville, and in December, 1857, the road was in operation as far as Earlville. The rails were not laid to Manchester until the fall of 1859. The depot was built on the west side of the river. The road subsequently passed into the hands of the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad Company, and, in 1870, was leased for a period of twenty years to the Illinois Central. That corporation now has full control of the line and it forms one of the important branches of the great Illinois Central system of railroads.
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