USA > Iowa > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 44
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JACOB SKINNER
Jacob Skinner died June 24, 1882. He was born in Orange county, New York, January 31, 1809. He was married to Polly Winters in October, 1833, and for some years the family made its home at Great Bend, Pennsylvania. In 1846, Jacob Skinner was admitted to the bar in Pennsylvania and in 1847 settled at Palmira, Wisconsin, where he practiced law and became a member of the Wisconsin legislature from Jefferson county. He moved to Webster City in 1857 and commenced the practice of his profession. At the time of his arrival here, he had the best law library in this part of the state, and his fame as a lawyer soon spread, and his practice extended over the northern half of the state. He erected a fine residence on West Bank street, and for years the Skinner home was one of the finest in the city. About a year prior to his death, he was thrown from a carriage and the injuries then received resulted in hasten- ing the time of his demise.
His wife, Polly Skinner, and several children survive him. His children were Med Skinner, Charles Skinner, Mrs. A. S. Bonner, Mrs. W. I. Worthing- ton and Mrs. May Legg.
F. Q. LEE
F. Q. Lee died at Hammond, Louisiana, April 15, 1894. The following tribute was written by his steadfast friend. Judge Isaiah Doane:
F. Q. LEE
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
'F. Q. Lee is dead!" was the startling announcement that followed the first greeting as neighbors met on the streets of this city last Monday morning. It will be generally remembered that Mr. Lee removed with his family to Ham- mond, Louisiana, last fall, with the hope of recuperating his declining health. It seems that his hopes in this regard were not realized. He had been worse for several weeks, but his friends hoped he would rally with the advent of spring.
Flavius Quincy Lee was born and reared in Ohio, where, after completing his school education, he engaged in teaching for awhile and studied law. Came to Hamilton county, Iowa, in 1873, and practiced law for a few years, but his tastes were for literary and journalistic work; accordingly, about 1880 he bought the Advertiser, a weekly paper published in this place. This he subse- quently sold to Capt. G. W. Bell, and after some two years repurchased the paper then called the Graphic, which he owned and edited until about two years ago, when, on account of failing health he sold the plant and went south to winter, moving his family last fall as above stated. He was at the time of his death about forty-eight years old. His wife, five sons and two daughters sur- vive him, all of whom were with him at Hammond except the oldest son, Jesse W. Lee, who resides here. Mr. Lee was an advanced thinker, and as a result, was among the pioneers in many of the moral and political reforms of the age. In fact, it was his ardent zeal for what he deemed to be right that formed his strongest incentive to embark in newspaper work, that he might make his in- fluence felt in the work of educating public sentiment to his ideas of right. F. Q. Lee was in many respects a remarkable man. In nothing did he stand out in stronger contrast with most of those about him than in his unselfish devo- tion to the interests of those whom he recognized as his friends. He was for several years state secretary of the Iowa Knights of Labor and was thoroughly in sympathy with the principles and purposes of that order, which he practically demonstrated by being "ever watchful for an opportunity whereby a brother might be benefited." On going south Mr. Lee proceeded at once to found the Hammond Graphic, which he continued to edit with marked ability until his career was cut short by that dread disease, consumption. The light of his brilliant intellect went out and his great heart ceased to throb for humanity, on the night of Sunday, April 15, 1894, in the very meridian of life. Tupper is responsible for the declaration that
"The life of most men is such as makes their death a gain !"
If that declaration be true it is equally true that F. Q. Lee was one of the conspicuous exceptions that prove the rule. Like most men of strong con- victions, and outspoken opinions on popular reforms, he went through life not fully understood or appreciated.
G. B. PRAY
G. B. Pray died at lowa City, Iowa, February 28, 1909. He was born in Michigan City, Indiana, April 27, 1846, and came to Hamilton county in 1857 and his boyhood days were spent in Webster City. He enlisted in Company D, Sixteenth Iowa infantry, at Boone, Iowa, November 23, 1864, and served until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged. After the war, he entered the law office of D. D. Chase and was admitted to the bar in 1868. He practiced law in Webster City until 1882, when he was elected clerk of the Vol. 1-24
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supreme court of lowa, which office he held for twelve successive years. He was twice selected chairman of the republican state central committee. In 1886, he assisted in the organization of the Royal Union Mutual Life Insurance Com- pany of Des Moines, and was interested in the affairs of that company until the time of his death. He was appointed surveyor of Alaska in 1897, but de- clined to serve and was soon afterward made special agent of the Indian bureau, which position he held for several years. At the time of his death, he was treas- urer of the insurance company he helped to found. For years after his busi- ness called him to Des Moines, he maintained his home in Webster City, and it was one of his keenest pleasures to return to that home and spend a day among the trees and shrubs he had planted and tended with his own hands, and it was his oft expressed desire to eventually return to Webster City to spend his declining years.
HARRISON G. CULP
H. G. Culp had only been a member of the bar about two years at the time of his death, which occurred in November, 1896, and therefore had done little to distinguish himself as a lawyer. He had a magnificent physique and a com- pelling, persuasive manner, that would have made him powerful as an advocate had he lived to fulfill the life he had planned for himself. His mind was logical in its operations and he was gifted with unusual powers of concentration, coupled with energy and endurance almost without limit. He was one of the most un- selfishi men that ever lived in Webster City.
CHAPTER XXIII
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION
TIIE FIRST DOCTOR-PIONEER PRACTICE-DOCTORS OF TODAY-DENTISTRY-MERCY HOSPITAL.
THE FIRST DOCTOR
The first doctor in the county was Hampton Corbin, who commenced prac- tice in and about Homer in 1854. A few years later he became county judge. Judge Doane, who was well acquainted with him, describes him in the following language :
Dr. Corbin located at Homer, I think, in 1854, where he practiced medicine for several years with marked success, although he never held a diploma from any medical college. So great was his popularity among his neighbors that it was difficult for him to get away from the practice even after he had positively decided to do so. Dr. Corbin was in several respects a remarkable man. His leading characteristics were great firmness, candor, conscientiousness and un- bending integrity. He was possessed of sound, and almost intuitive judgment. He was pre-eminently a positive man and had decided convictions upon all questions of the day, whether social, scientifie, religious or political. His posi- tiveness and firmness bordering almost on obstinacy, caused him to maintain his convictions with great persistency and force. His neighbors generally looked upon him as a counselor whose advice was always deemed safe. In politics, Judge Corbin was a republican, with decidedly independent and liberal views in his later years. He was an adherent of the Campbellite (or Christian ) church, and one of the main stays of that denomination in this section of the state. After retiring from the judgeship he served one or two terms as a member of the board of supervisors, and was one of the three who built our present mag- nificent courthouse. It is sufficient to say of him, that in his sphere he was a good and true man.
The first doctor in Webster City was Dr. A. C. Baum, but soon after him came Dr. J. R. Burgess, Dr. Benedict, D. H. Jewell, Dr. 1. Soule. Dr. Burgess came to Webster City in 1857, and practiced until April 21, 1862, when he was appointed additional assistant surgeon in the Second Iowa cavalry. January 7, 1863, he was promoted assistant surgeon. He served until 1865, when he was mustered out of the service. He returned from the war, broken in health and died in 1874. Dr. HI. N. Crapper came to Hamilton county in 1862, and was in active practice here until late in the seventies, when his health failed and he moved west. Ile died early in the '80s.
Dr. H. E. Hendryx and Dr. H. N. Curtis were contemporaries of Crapper
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
in the sixties. J. R. Compton located in Webster City in 1869, and during the seventies, Doctors J. N. Medberry, O. A. Hall, J. Koehe, C. H. Whitney, H. A. and C. I. Eberle. J. P. Williams, T. K. Ross and S. Robbins located at Webster City, while Doctors A. W. Chamberlin and A. H. Stewart, practiced in the vicinity of Hook's Point and Lake Centre.
Dr. Medberry located in Webster City in 1875. and practiced about ten years, when he went into the drug business. He resided in Webster City until the time of his death a few years ago.
Dr. O. A. Hall commenced practice in 1876, and is the oldest active prac- titioner in the county. Dr. A. W. Chamberlin opened an office in 1877. He and Dr. Hall attended school together, but sickness kept Chamberlin out of practice for a year after he had graduated. He commenced practice at Hook's Point and for thirty-five years he has practiced medicine in the vicinity of Homer, Stratford and Stanhope.
About the year 1880. Dr. Hall went to Nebraska for a few years, but soon returned and is still in active practice in Webster City.
C. 1. Eberle came to Webster City in 1879 and continued in active practice here for over thirty years. He moved to the state of Washington in 1910.
In pioneer days, practicing medicine was indeed a strenuous life. In those days doctors were expected not to prevent disease, but to cure it, and usually the doctor was not called until the case was desperate. When the patient first began to "complain." home remedies were first exhausted. If they failed and the case became serious, a member of the family was dispatched on horseback, across the prairie to the nearest town for a doctor. No matter how bad the roads, how severe the storm or how unseasonable the hour, when the doctor was called, he must go and go at once. Sometimes he took a team, but if the roads were too bad for a team, he went on horseback, and of all the pioneers, none can relate such a varied experience with mud, darkness, blizzard, snow, swamp and flood, as the pioneer doctor. He could not choose his time to travel and often could not even wait for daylight to guide him.
The medical ethics of pioneer days were not as refined as at present. It was not unusual for the doctors to be at war with each other. If a doctor failed to cure, in what was considered a reasonable time, another doctor was called. He was usually a rival. After inquiring into the treatment of his predecessor. it was not at all unusual for him to assume a worried expression and destroy in a dramatic manner all the medicines left by his competitor. Sometimes, he even went so far as to express himself quite strongly regarding the knowledge and qualification of his professional brother. Citizens of thirty years ago, will remember the "Doctor war" between Compton and Eberle and how intense the partisan feeling grew. But the telephone. the automobile and the medical asso- ciations have changed the conditions quite materially. Today, in case of serious illness, the telephone furnishes instant communication with a doctor, the auto- mobile furnishes quick transportation, while the medical association is respon- sible for a more fraternal feeling between members of the profession. Today, doctors' wars are a thing of the past except perhaps in some of the smaller communities.
In the eighties, Dr. Knight, Dr. W. N. Greene, Dr. I. F. Ingersol. (). D.
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
La Grange, D. L. Hurd, Syrena Andrews Perry, F. E. Whitley and A. H. Hull located in Webster City, while Dr. F. J. Will, Dr. J. G. Wheat. Dr. Morrison, Dr. Lewis, Dr. Rogers, Dr. Paul, Dr. Robertson and Dr. Tedrow practiced in the smaller towns of the county.
Among the doctors who have practiced here during the last twenty years are E. Willson, A. M. Pond. Belle Conrad, T. F. Desmond, F. J. Drake, G. L. Pray, C. W. Rummel, F. A. Taylor, O. G. Tremain, George Wingart, E. E. Richardson, R. W. Homan, R. S. & L. A. Dysart, Mary Nelson Hotchkiss, G. T. McCauliff, W. W. Wyatt, E. F. Stephenson, Ray Hall, F. F. Hall, A. F. Fraker and Dr. W. Hannah.
Dr. W. N. Greene, one of the most scholarly and accomplished members of the profession, died in May, 1895. He was afflicted with appendicitis and never recovered from the effects of the operation.
J. R. Crompton died August 20, 1895, while J. N. Medberry and C. W. Rum- mel have passed away in recent years.
An important branch of the medical profession is the practice of dentistry. In pioneer days, the doctor pulled teeth with a villainous looking pair of "pinchers." It was a painful, crude operation and it is little wonder that the people endured bad teeth rather than face those "pinchers." Our first regular dentist was E. T. Holt, who practiced in the seventies and early eighties. His principal business was making false teeth and clearing out a place in the custo- mer's mouth to receive them. Besides being a dentist, he was an enthusiastic lover of a fine horse and was the subject of the following little poem, which appeared in the Freeman in the late sixties :
"E. T. Holt has a colt Which suits him very well But which is Holt And which is Colt, The Devil couldn't tell."
Later, Dr. G. T. Ritenour did the principal business in dentistry. He came here from Hardin county, where he had assisted in capturing the famous Rains- berger outlaws. He had a long and honorable business career in Webster City.
Among the later practitioners in dentistry were Dr. A. Kellogg, Dr. Boysen, Dr. Giffen, Dr. Berg, Dr. Mahood, Dr. Shultz. Dr. Lundell, Dr. Pote.
There has been great advancement in the practice of dentistry. Today the methods are almost painless and the practice is directed almost entirely to keep- ing the teeth in repair. Today, the dentist is considered as much a public necessity as a physician.
CHAPTER XXIV
THE NEWSPAPERS
THE FREEMAN-THE INDEX-THE ARGUS-TIIE ADVERTISER-THE WILLIAMS STANDARD-THE CALLANAN HERALD THE CALLANAN REGISTER-THE JEWELL REVIEW-THE STRATFORD REGISTER-THE WEEKLY REVIEW-THE JEWELL RECORD -THE GRAPHIC-THE WEBSTER CITY TRIBUNE-THIE WILLIAMS HERALD-THE WILLIAMS REPORTER-THE WILLIAMS REVIEW-THE WEBSTER CITY HERALD STRATFORD COURIER-THE GRAPHIC-HERALD-THE STANHOPE NEWS-THE JOUR- NAL-THE STANHOPE MAIL-THE JEWELL CLIPPER-THE WILLIAMS WASP-THE HORNET-THE ELLSWORTH CHRONICLE-ELLSWORTHI NEWS.
NEWSPAPERS
As we have already seen, the first newspaper was established in Hamilton county by Charles Aldrich in 1857. The Hamilton Freeman at once took first rank among the newspapers of the state and has held its position through all the succeeding years with the exception of two years during the war, while its editor was away at the front.
The Freeman suspended in 1862, but was revived in 1864 by V. A. Ballow. In 1866, J. D. Hunter bought the Freeman and continued to operate it until 1874, when it was sold to T. E. McCracken. But a year later Mr. Hunter again became the owner and publisher, in which capacity he continued until the time of his death. In 1894, the Daily Freeman was launched. In 1899 the Freeman and Tribune were consolidated by the Freeman-Tribune Publishing Company, the controlling stockholders of which are D. L. and W. F. Hunter, sons of J. D. Hunter. Since then the paper has appeared under the name of the Freeman- Tribune.
THE INDEX
In 1871, the Index was started by Raber Bros. It was a democratic paper and an exponent of "up town" ideas. It continued to exist until 1874, when it suspended. During its brief career, J. C. Ervin, M. Y. Todesman and Isaialı Doane were its editors, though the paper was the property of Raber Bros.
THE ARGUS
In 1874, the Argus issued its first number. It was started by C. D. Auyer and E. T. Edwards, and was democratic in politics. After a few years it sus- pended. In the spring of 1880, it was revived by W. A. Hutton.
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
In August of that year, Will L. Clark and C. D. Hellen leased it, and ran it for one year, when it was purchased by G. B. Pray and D. C. Chase. In the fall of 1882 Mr. Pray was elected clerk of the supreme court and Mr. Chase pur- chased his interest and took the sole management. He was a writer of marked ability. In politics the paper was now republican, but the two republican papers did not agree upon the policy of county management then in vogue and a some- what bitter contention arose between them. The Freeman sustained and de- fended the county officers in their proceedings, while the Argus protested most vigorously and demanded reform. The Argus was striving for the position of leading republican paper, the Freeman to hold that position. About this time the prohibitory question arose and the Argus opposed prohibition. This posi- tion settled the question of party supremacy in favor of the Freeman. About 1884, Mr. Chase sold a half interest in the Argus to G. M. Blair, and a year later Mr. Blair bought the remaining interest of Mr. Chase. Under the manage- ment of Mr. Blair, the paper rapidly declined in patronage and the paper, after a vain struggle for some months, suspended. Again Mr. Hutton appeared upon the scene, purchased the material, and again set the craft afloat. But now the Freeman, Tribune and Graphic were in the field and there was no mission for the Argus. It struggled along for a couple of years, until about June, 1888, when it suspended. The name and good will were purchased by the Freeman. The plant was moved to Minneapolis, where in a few months it was used in publishing the Herald, a local paper.
THE ADVERTISER
The Advertiser was established in the spring of 1877 by J. R. Riblet. It was at first a small monthly paper devoted to advertising. In the fall of 1877, J. D. Sutton became a partner in the enterprise. A fine steam printing outfit was ordered and the Advertiser appeared as an eight column quarto and was the exponent of the greenback party. In about a year, Riblet retired and Med Skinner became a partner, but he soon retired, and Sutton being unable to pay for his fine steam outfit, had to give it up. Sutton managed the paper alone until 1881, when C. D. Auyer leased it and managed it until January 1, 1882. Then F. Q. Lee bought the outfit and edited the paper until October, 1883. when he sold it to Geo. W. Shaffer. Early in 1884, Shaffer sold the outfit to Geo. W. Bell, who discontinued the Advertiser and started the Graphic.
THE WILLIAMS STANDARD
In January, 1877, the Williams Standard, a seven column folio, was started at Williams by H. II. Johnson, but in about two years the paper suspended and the plant was moved to Callanan.
THE CALLANAN HERALD
In January, 1879, the Callanan Herald was started, but only appeared "occa- sionally" and finally suspended.
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
TIJE CALLANAN REGISTER
In December. 1879, the old Herald plant was taken charge of by H. H. Johnson and the Callanan Register started, but it only existed for a few weeks.
THE JEWELL REVIEW
In May, 1881, W. A. Hutton, whose eye was ever keen for an opportunity to start a paper, commenced the publication of the Jewell Review, but it only lived a short time.
THE STRATFORD REGISTER
In August, 1881, the Stratford Register was issued with S. W. Groves as editor and publisher. The paper was non-partisan in politics. After a few years, it too, suspended.
THE WEEKLY REVIEW
In December, 1881, W. A. Hutton, who was now quite generally known in newspaper circles as "Doodle, the Starter," commenced the publication of the Weekly Review in Webster City, but lack of patronage made this enterprise a failure.
THE JEWELL RECORD
The Jewell Record was established in October, 1884, by Savage & Savage. It first appeared as a six column folio. In 1886 it came under the management of Lon G. Hardin, and it became a factor of influence in the southern half of the county. In November, 1891, Hardin sold the Record to Clint E. Myers. In June, 1894, Clint Myers sold to W. E. Taylor and soon D. A. Hindman pur- chased an interest. During the summer of 1895, they sold the paper to Sage & Igo and in August, 1895, W. H. Hellen purchased the Record and became its editor. Hellen sold to W. S. Hoon and at present, the paper is under the effi- cient management of Claude Campbell.
THE GRAPHIC
March 1, 1884, Geo. W. Bell started the Graphic. It was a democratic paper and continued under his management until August 10, 1886, when the plant was purchased by F. Q. Lee, and he became editor of the Graphic. In 1890, J. W. Lee became associated with his father in the business and the paper now appeared under the management of F. Q. Lee & Son. October 1, 1892, the Graphic was sold to a stock company that consolidated the Graphic and Herald, under the name of The Graphic-Herald.
THE WEBSTER CITY TRIBUNE
The Webster City Tribune made its first appearance July 22, 1885. It was published by C. D. and W. H. Hellen, and by reason of its neat appearance and newsy local columns, it at once became popular and was a financial success. In November, 1894, The Tribune appeared as a daily and was so published until 1899, when the paper was sold to the Freeman-Tribune Publishing Company.
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In April, 1886, W. 1I. Hellen sold his interest in the Tribune to C. D. Hellen, and the latter continued as publisher until the paper was sold as above stated.
THE WILLIAMS HERALD
In August, 1887, the irrepressible W. A. Hutton started the Williams Herald, but it suspended the following December.
THIE WILLIAMS REPORTER
WV. R. Pooley commenced the publication of the Williams Reporter in Janu- ary, 1891. In 1890. it was leased by O. W. Hicks, but in 1897 it was discon- tinued.
THE WILLIAMS REVIEW
was established by T. LeRoy Evans, in 1894. In 1896, it was sold to A. E. Brad- field and in 1897, it, too, was discontinued.
THE WEBSTER CITY HERALD
In the summer of 1891, W. A. Hutton returned from Minneapolis with the old Argus outfit and attempted to revive The Argus, but as the Freeman had purchased the name and good will of that institution, Hutton was compelled to change the name of his paper to The Herald. In October, 1891, W. S. Weston assumed control of the Herald and commenced the publication of the first daily in Hamilton county. The Daily Herald was a morning paper and the work of getting out the paper was performed during the night. In Novem- ber, Lon G. Hardin purchased an interest in the Daily Herald. Later it was changed to an evening paper. In October, 1892, the Daily Herald was sold to the Graphic-Herald Publishing Company.
TIIE STRATFORD COURIER
In 1892, the Stratford Courier was founded by C. E. Jordon. After some time, Jordon sold the paper to Fred Olander and March 1, 1899, it was pur- chased by C. P. Peterson and was managed by him until the time of his death. The paper then became the property of L. M. and C. E. Peterson, sons of C. P., and they are still conducting the Courier as editors and managers.
THE GRAPHIC-HERALD
In October, 1892, the Graphic-Herald Company was formed and the pur- chase of the Graphic and Herald resulted in the establishment of the Daily Graphic-Herald. At the start, F. Q. Lee was the editorial writer and W. S. Weston, local reporter. In a short time, however, Mr. Lee retired from the paper. It continued to be published as a daily until February, 1893, when the daily was abandoned as unprofitable and the Graphic-Herald became a weekly journal. It was democratic in politics. During the winter of 1893-4. the Graphic- HIerald was sold to O. W. Hicks. Hicks was a good writer and a hard worker, but he was without means and the heavy mortgage he had been compelled to give, caused him to lose the plant. The Evans Publishing Company assumed
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control in 1895. In August, 1897, Jesse Gouge and T. LeRoy Evans leased the paper and conducted its business for about a year, when Gouge retired. The paper was sold to W. J. Pilkington in February, 1899. He sold to Platt in 1901 and Platt abandoned the paper. It was conducted by the old Graphic-Herald Company as mortgagees for a while and finally sold to W. F. Hunter. He sold to H. P. Robie, Robie after several years sold to Hoffman and Richards and in 1910 Richards sold to D. C. Chase and the name Graphic was dropped and the paper now goes under the name of the Webster City Herald.
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