USA > Iowa > Hardin County > History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 41
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110
G
312
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
them leave the work, to be replaced by an- other ephemeral class, and so the proto- plastic condition is continued .
"A second and very important drawback is the lack of classification in the country schools resulting in an excessive number of recitations, with all the waste of valu- able time involved and the inefficient habits of study induced to meet short and hasty recitations. Thirty, thirty-five, and even forty recitations a day are not un- common. School boards do not and will not take up this matter and attend to it, however much urged by the superintend- ent, and each teacher is left to adopt his own methods and programme, if he has a sense of order, or go on without any sys- tem if his mind is chaotic.
"He may, or he may not, adopt sugges- tions of the County Superintendent; and in case he does adopt and try the sugges- tion, he is liable to be immediately un- nerved by the objections of some patron who is wedded to the past. The lack of an adopted and enforced list of text-books naturally increases the inefficiency referred to.
"It should be made the duty of some authority to secure without fail the best organization attainable as regards classifi- cation and text-book uniformity. Success- ful handling of anything by topic is evi- dence of the good teacher. Ability to handle by topic is, or should be, the final stage reached by every pupil in all the subjects studied.
"Extra care should be taken in country schools against those mistakes, in the development of the child's mind, which continue to mar its mental power and beauty through life. The teacher who
has never learned the value or necessity of system in study will not teach much, nor well by the topical or any other method; but a teacher who can instruct without the book is one seldom found in country schools, and under the present conditions we cannot expect much im- provement.
"Let the Superintendent be relieved from the duty of visiting every school house each term, and visit those only which most need his attention. Let him be required to hold teachers' meetings at least once a month in each township, and carry on through the year the work began at the institute, and thus forward the in- terests of the graded course of study now inaugurated. The teacher should be re- quired, in his contract, to attend such meet- ings. Preparation on the part of the Su- perintendent for the labor can well be made office work, and belongs naturally to school supervision. As a consequence, there will be an awakened interest in dis- tricts now lethargic; as the people can be. more directly reached, teachers will be changed less frequently, and will work with an incentive to meet the requirements of the new order of things; they will stay in the work longer, because more alive to the importance of their calling; after a time their scholarship will advance, their pay will be better, and the people will be far better repaid.
"In writing this criticism on the short- comings of our schools, I will say that I yet regard the work of our schools as con- siderable. We have not gone back, but forward. Under proper conditions we will go much faster, and do our work more thoroughly. A year ago I raised the grades
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY. 313
required for certificates. This has worked well, though often taxing my firmness. Teachers have since, as before, been re- quired to come to examination, and show work for their license. Juvenile appli- cants are not so numerous, and wages are advancing perceptibly. But we need more knowledge of the teacher in his school- room work, more supervision, and the co- operation of patrons."
Edwin Fuller, the first Superintendent of Public Schools, was a native of Ohio. He came to Hardin, county in the fall of 1857. By profession he was a physician. In 1858 he was elected Superintendent of Common Schools of Hardin county, and served one year. In that time he laid the ground work for future Superintendents. In 1860 he left Eldora for Nevada, where he remained for a time, and then went to Kansas, were he died.
J. M. Comstock, the second Superintend- ent of Public Schools of Hardin county, was born in Northern Ohio, and came to Hardin county in the spring of 1858, and located in Steamboat Rock, where he was employed as a clerk in a dry goods store. In 1859 he was nominated and elected to the office of Superintendent, and served one term. He subsequently moved to Grundy county, and was there elected Clerk of the District Courts.
R. F. Ripley succeeded Mr. Comstock in 1861, and was re-elected in 1863, and served two terms.
Elias Jessup was the successor of Mr. Ripley, and served from 1865 to 1867.
Enos P. Stubbs was born in the town of West Elkton, Preble county, Ohio, in 1834. His parents were members of the Society of Friends. £ He was educated for a
teacher, receiving special training for that profession. He began teaching at the age of nineteen, and followed that business for many years. He came to Hardin county in 1862, and bought a farm in this township, on which he lived for eight or nine years; he then resumed teaching, was elected to the office of County Superin- tendent of Schools in 1869, and served in that capacity two years. He has always been deeply interested in the cause of edu- cation, and during his term as County Su- perintendent several normal institutes were held, the first held in the State. These were productive of a largely in- creased interest in the cause of education in Hardin county, and also served to intro- duce advanced methods of imparting in- struction. Mr. Stubbs was one of the committee who planned the academy build- ing at New Providence. This academy is still in successful operation. He was County Surveyor of Hardin county for several years ending January 1, 1882, when he resigned that position. He has been engaged in the sale of farming implements for several years. Mr. Stubbs married Mary H. Hunt in December, 1855. They have six children, five sons and one daughter.
Frank A. Moon is a native of Maine. He came to Hardin county when a young man. He is a self-made man, with great natural abilities as well as acquired. He made a good Superintendent. He now re- sides in Oregon.
L. S. McCoy was first elected to the office of Superintendent in 1875, and re- elected in 1877.
L. S. McCoy, a native of Ohio, was born in Ganges, Richland county, February 28,
4
314
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
1837. He is the son of John C. and Le- vina (Ayers) McCoy. In 1839 his parents moved to Morgan county, Mo. He received his early education from his mother, and was instructed by his father, who was a physician, in Physiology, Chemistry and Latin. In 1855 the family moved to Liv- ingston county, Mo. In 1858 he became editor and proprietor of the Utica Times, a paper whose sentiments partook consid- erably of Unionism. His office and con- tents were destroyed by fire in 1860, the origin of which was always a mystery. In 1861 he enlisted in Company E, Regiment of Merrill's Horse, so named by J. C. Fre- mont. He soon after returned to his home, and there fulfilled a promise made to an old colored woman belonging to his father. He bought her freedom and liber- ated her. He was always loyal to the Union, and let no opportunity pass without expressing himself. He made the first abolition speech ever made at Chillicothe, Mo. In 1858 he began the study of law, and in 1863 wes admitted to the Bar. In 1863 he made a study of military tactics, and was soon after appointed to the cap- taincy of a company, from which he was honorably discharged at Baton Rouge August 15, 1865. After the war he was engaged in journalism at Kingston, Mo. He started a paper devoted to universal suffrage. In 1869 he lost his first wife; she was Miss Catharine G. Newman, to whom he was married May 3, 1860. He then attended Washington University at St. Louis, and in 1872 he was married to Mrs. Sarah L. Roberts, and came immedi- ately to Eldora, and was appointed Deputy County Surveyor, and afterward elected to that office. He was afterward elected
-
County Superintendent of Schools, which office he filled with credit to himself and entire satisfaction to the county, for six years.
Howard G. Fuller, the present Super- intendent of Common Schools of Har- din county, is a lawyer by profession. He was born in Warren county, New York, January 5, 1850. In 1846 his father, Gar- rett Fuller, came to Iowa and located a lot of land in Jackson county and then re- turned to New York. Shortly after Howard's birth the family came out and settled upon the land Mr. Fuller had located, Howard had but few advantages for securing an education when a boy, and it was not until he had attained nearly to manhood, when the value of an education became apparent to him, that he put forth any great effort for mental culture.
He came to Eldora in 1871, and attended for a few weeks what was known as the Eldora Academy. In the winters of 1872- 3, he engaged as teacher of the primary department of the school at Xenia. His success may be inferred from the fact that he was soon made principal of the school, a position ho held for six years. He was afterward principal of the school at Union for three years, and was elected County Superintendent of the schools of Hardin county in the fall of 1881.
Mr. Fuller is a self-educated man, a thorough, practical teacher, and a popular and successful superintendent. He has also found time to devote to his favorite study, that of the law, and was admitted to the Bar in March, 1881. His wife was Maria E. Leonard, a former teacher of Hardin county. They have three children: Thaddeus L., Arthur L., and Harry L.
.
315
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.
On the 22d day of February, 1858, a number of the teachers of the county met at the school house in Eldora, for the pur- pose of organizing a teachers' institute for Hardin county. Samuel R. Edgington, who was then School Fund Commissioner for Hardin county, was elected President; George P. Griffith, who taught the first school in Hardin township, Vice-Presi- dent; Robert Allison, who subsequently lost his life in the United States service, Secretary.
This was the first teachers' institute in Hardin county, and it goes to show that even at that early day the teachers here were alive to the importance of their work and designed to perfect themselves in their profession.
NORMAL INSTITUTES.
In the spring of 1870 the first Normal Institute ever held in the State of Iowa was held at the school building in Iowa Falls, under the general management of Prof. E. P. Stubbs, then Superintendent of the Schools of Hardin county. Two eminent educators and Prof. Jerome Allen, of Monticello, Iowa, and Mrs. Annie T. Randall, of Oswego, N. Y., were engaged as instructors on this occasion. Prof. Sea- man, then principal of the school, also ren- dered efficient service. This institute was pre-eminently a success. It continued for six weeks, and 150 teachers were enrolled. Superintendent Stubbs is entitled to much credit for the success which attended the first Normal Institute held in Iowa. One year later, another institute was held at the same place, the same conductors being present, and was equally successful as the
first. It was in session four weeks, and 175 teachers were enrolled.
Sessions of the institute were doubtless held in the years 1872 and 1873, but no records are to be found. In 1874 one was held; a record of the enrollment is given, but no mention of the time or place at which it was held, or names of instructors.
In 1875 a term was held at Eldora, be- ginning August 2 and closing August 27. Frank A. Moore, county Superintendent, was the conductor. The first day there was an enrollment of 25. Total enroll- ment during the term; 48.
The seventhi annual institute was held at Union, commencing August 21 and closing September 15, 1875. L. S. McCoy, the County Superintendent, was conduc- tor, with J. W. Stephens and others as teachers. There was an enrollment of 61 the first day, and a total attendance of 113 during the term.
The eighth annual institute was held at Steamboat Rock, commencing August 13, to September 7; L. S. McCoy, County Su- perintendent; J. W. Stephens, conductor; Joseph Wallace, teacher. The first day's attendance was 48; total attendance, 133.
The ninth annual institute was held at Iowa Falls, commencing August 12, and closing September 6, 1877. It was con- ducted by J. W. Stephens, with L. S. McCoy, County Superintendent. There was an attendance the first day of 65, and a total attendance of 142.
In 1879 the institute was held at Alden, commencing August 18, and closing Sep- tember 12; L. S. McCoy, County Superin- tendent; J. W. Stephens, conductor. The total attendance was 135, and an enroll- ment the first day of 52.
316
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
The eleventh annual institute began at Ackley, August 16, and closed September 10, 1880. L. S. McCoy, County Superin- tendent, was conductor, with A. A .. Weaver and W. A. Doran, instructors. The at- tendance the first day was 66, and a total attendance for the term of 149.
The twelfth annual institute was held at Eldora, commencing August 15, and closing September 9, 1881; L. S. McCoy, County Superintendent; J. W. Stephens,
conductor; A. A. Weaver and B. E. Cana- van, instructors. The first day's attend- ance was 60, and the total attendance 143.
The thirteenth annual institute was held at Union, commencing August 7; and closing September 1, 1882. H. G. Fuller, County Superintendent, was the conduc- tor, with W. N. Hull, W. A. Doran, C. S. Trowbridge and G. A. Garrard, instructors. The first day's attendance was 105, and the total attendance 161.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
In all ages of the world, among civilized and uncivilized people, the medical pro- fession 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.
The medical fraternity of Hardin county have, with few, if any, exceptions, been an honor to the profession. They have ever been ready to respond to the call of duty. The winter's cold, the summer's heat, or the rains of spring and autumn, could not keep them back when the cry of distress reached their ears. Not a physician in the county, especially among those who settled here at an early day, but has ex- perienced sufferings that would have de- terred those in any other profession, in response to a summons to attend the bed- side of a sick and suffering one. They
317
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
have been compelled to cross trackless prairies, to face blizzards from the north, often with no hope of fee or reward, but only, if possible, to relieve those who pleaded for their care. All this has been done by the physicians of Hardin county without complaint. If the good deeds of the profession are not remembered by those who have received aid, a time will come when they will be remembered. When the names of such men as Drs. Simonds, Cusack, Foster, Underwood, and scores of others whose names are here mentioned, ale recalled, it is hoped that the hearts of the old settlers will be touched, and that all will respond, "May God bless them."
Dr. R. L. Parker came to this county in the spring of 1851, and was, without doubt, the first physician in the county. He was a son-in-law of Jonathan Conger, and came with the family from Illinois. He was not a regularly educated physician, but read a few books in the office of his father, who was also a physician. The doctor obtained but little practice in this county, and gave but little attention to his profession. He remained here until 1863, when he went to California, return- ing in 1866, and in 1868 made a trip to Pike's Peak, but returning the same sum- mer. He then went to Kansas, where he remained until 1872, and then again came back to Eldora. In 1874 he removed to Oregon, where he now resides.
ELDORA.
Eldora, the shire town of Hardin county, has had several physicians of some note residing there. Among those who have located here were Drs. R. L. Parker,
John R. Lord, J. H. Cusack, O. F. Hall, Myron Underwood, O. G. Fisher, O. F. Hixson, A. P. McKinley, A. E. Smith, Nelson Donaldson, N. C. Morse, Henry Fritcher, F. J. Kallmarten, J. E. King, B. E. Dodson, B. E. Strickler and Geo. L. Marshall .
Dr. Lord was from Maine. He located here in 1855. He was a man of good ability, and secured a fine practice. He died in the fall of 1860 at Eldora, leaving a wife and three children. He was a regular and a graduate of Medical Col- lege at Concord, New Hampshire.
One of the most prominent men that have ever lived in Hardin county was Dr. J. H. Cusack, well know as a physician . and surgeon, and who held many offices of honor and trust. John H. Cusack was born May 1, 1820. He was a native of Ballymena, county of Antrim, Ireland. He received his education at the Belfast University. His parents were old Cove- nanters, and designed John for the minis- try. His early student life was conducted with this end in view. As he grew to manhood he found his taste and prefer- ence were for the profession of medicine rather than theology. He therefore entered the medical college at Belfast, where he pursued his professional studies under accomplished preceptors, and find- ing his thorough classical training in the theological school of great benefit to him. He was an excellent Hebrew, Latin and Greek scholar.
At the age of twenty-three he came to New York, and from there he proceeded to Pittsburg, where he was employed as a teacher in a classical school for three years, during which time he was thoroughly post-
-
318
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
ing himself in the profession of his choice. In 1846 he removed to Logan county, Ohio, where he began the practice of medicine. Two years later he married Jane Wilson, a resident of the place where he located. After six years' residence in Ohio, he re- moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa, in 1852, where he remained three years, coming from thence to Hardin county, and locating in Eldora. The family of Dr. and Mrs. Cusack consisted of three children: An- giletta, born September 14, 1849, who died in Oskaloosa when but five years of age; William, born September 14, 1852, who died just as he reached manhood, in Eldora; Effie L , wife of George A. Wilcox, now residing in Eldora.
From his first settlement in Eldora, Dr. Cusack became identified with its inter- ests, and was a leader in all public en- terprises. He had few prejudices, and was liberal in all his views, and generous in his judgments. As a citizen his counsel was sought, for he was a tower of intel- lect and had a fund of strong common sense. Positions of honor and trust were always at his command. He was County Judge and Treasurer of the county for two terms, and was an able and faithful officer. As a physician he stood high in the profession. He was cheerful and careful, yet very courageous. He was 1 always ready to minister to the rich and poor alike. No needy family ever called on him for medicine or pecuniary aid in vain . Raised among the strictest class of Presbyterians, the Scotch Covenanters, he acquired some of their religions rigidity, but was respectful to all denominations of Christians. His sympathies were with the Presbyterian church. In health he was
a man of prodigious strength and weighed over three hundred pounds.
Dr. Cusack, while on a professional visit in Oskaloosa, died Sunday, May 27, 1877. His remains were brought to El- dora, and interred by the Odd Fellows, of which order he was a member. The death of no man in Hardin county was ever more sincerely mourned.
Myron Underwood was born at Mont- ville, Geanga county, Ohio, August 7, 1833, where he lived until he was twelve years of age, when he removed with his parents, Jonas and Mary Underwood, to McHenry county, Illinois. His literary education was received in common schools and. at Mount Morris. He began the study of medicine with Dr. Hager, of Marengo, Illi- nois, in 1855, and continued his studies with Dr. Miller, of the same place. He then entered the office of Dr. J. W. Green, also of Marengo, and also attended three full courses of lectures at Rush Medical College, Chicago, graduating therefrom, February 14, 1859, In May following he came to Hardin county, and located at Steamboat Rock, in the practice of his profession. He remained at that place until July, 1860, when he removed to El- dora. In a short time he secured a fine practice, but when the war commenced he considered that it was his duty to be in the field, and therefore offered his professional services. He was commissioned as Assist- ant Surgeon of the 12th Iowa Infantry, and went with the boys to the front, serv- ing until final discharge, in October, 1865. From the spring of 1863 till the close of the service he acted as Surgeon of the regiment, Dr. Sanford W. Huff, the regu- lar Surgeon, acting as Division Surgeon.
Impon Underwood ba, .
321
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
On his discharge he returned to Eldora, and resumed the practice of his profession, in which he has been eminently success- ful. At the present time his practice is very extensive, his professional services being called into requisition by the people not only throughout Hardin, but extend- ing into Grundy and Franklin counties. Dr. Underwood has a warm heart, and his sympathies are easily aroused. The call of distress never falls unheeded on his ears, and at great inconvenience to himself he responds to the calls of the afflicted. He often has to ride one hundred miles in twenty-four hours in a professional way. As a citizen he is enterprising, and ever ready to do all in his power to advance the interests of his town and county. No man enjoys the respect and confidence of the people in a greater degree than Dr. Under- wood. He was united in marriage, in 1861, with Sophia A., daughter of John Ellis, who located in this county in 1856. They have four children, Ada L., Myron A., Asa B. and Robert E.
J. E. King, homeopathic physician and surgeon, is a native of Ohio, having been born in what is now Mahoning county, in that State, in 1825. The doctor spent some time in seeing the world when a young man. He went to California in 1851, where he passed about three years, and also spent about the same length of time in South America. He began the study of medicine quite young, but did not complete his course of study till after he came to Eldora. He came here in 1861, and graduated at the Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, in 1863, and has been in practice here since that time. He is the only homeopathic physician that has lo-
cated at Eldora since the town was organ- ized. Dr. King has a large and lucrative practice. Mrs. King was formerly Miss Mary Tillettson, a native of England. They have six children, four sons and two daughters. J. A., their oldest son, was a sergeant in the 9th Iowa Cavalry during the rebellion; he now resides in Nevada. George H. resides in Illinois; Ina C. is now the wife of Mr. J. P. Musser, of Minneap- olis, Minn .; Lizzie M. is now Mrs. George Brookins, of St. Paul; Oliver J. and John E. are now in St. Paul.
Israel Snyder was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, in 1807. His father, George Snyder, was a native of Pennsylvania, of German descent. When quite a youth, Doctor Snyder obtained such education as the institutions of the early days of Ohio afforded. He engaged in teach- ing and in the study of medicine. In those days medical colleges were not as numer- ous as they are at the present time, and the doctor did not have the advantages that the modern medical college affords. He is bound by no school of medicine, but pursues that course in the practice of his profession that is dictated by long experi- ence and close study and observation. He began practice in 1835, in his native State; he afterward removed to Pennsylvania, and thence to the State of New York. On the death of his father, in 1847, he returned to Ohio, and settled at Ravenna, where he lived till 1862, when he came to lowa and settled at Cedar Rapids. In 1869 he came to Eldora. The doctor has for many years devoted his attention to the treatment of chronic diseases. IIe has attained to suc- cess, both in his profession and financially. He has been twice married. His first wife
322
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
was Mary A. Betts, a native of Ohio; his present wife was Margaret Wilson, a na- tive of Pennsylvania. He has four chil: dren by his first marriage and two by the second.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.