USA > Iowa > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Iowa; Volume I > Part 74
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It may excite some surprise that the messages and other documents issued from the executive office in his day were drafted by one who had received only a common school education, but it is understood that the final polish was given by his private secretary, Fredrick Bangs, a lawyer, and like the governor himself, a graduate of the printing office.
It is a matter of congratulation that the good sense and the good taste of those in charge of the preparation of this memorial chose, not polished marble, nor somber bronze, but the enduring granite of his native state to commem- orate the homely virtues and the sturdy manhood of the rugged first governor of Iowa.
This monument itself will fitly indicate to coming generations the character of the man. It is right and proper and most befitting, that the State of Iowa should in this manner acknowledge his services and commemorate his life. The state officials have well performed their part in this service, and it only remains for me on behalf of those who were in his lifetime the friends and associates of departed worth, to lay this chaplet on his last resting place. Good neighbor, true citizen, a faithful officer, wise legislator, upright executive, kind husband, loving father, good man, hail and farewell.
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ADDRESS OF STATE SENATOR J. A. DE ARMAND OF SCOTT COUNTY.
Fellow Citizens :
I want to thank the committee of arrangements for this opportunity of adding my mite to this auspicious occasion, and of paying tardy justice to the memory of an Iowa pioneer and an Iowa governor. It has been said of George Washington that he was first in war, first in peace, and last to get a monument, but I am in- clined to the opinion that Ansel R. Briggs can go the father of his country one better on the monument matter. But all things come to him who will but wait, so the saying goes, and all's well that ends well. We have met in this beautiful town in this grand old county today to dedicate this monument to the memory of Iowa's first governor. I have been asked to say a few words regarding the effort that has been made in order that the dust of this old pioneer might be again placed in Iowa soil and the spot marked so that future generations might know that in our rush for place and power and glory, we had not forgotten those who laid the founda- tion of one of the greatest states in all the galaxy of states.
It has been my good fortune to be a member of two sessions of the Iowa legis- lature and during both of those the honored and able representatives of Jackson county labored in season and out with that never give up spirit to the end that this day might be more than a dream and a hope.
But let it be not forgotten that Iowa is a great state; the calls and demands upon her exchequer are numerous and varied. There is ever that fear of estab- lishing a precedent, and so it has happened that while admitting the justice of the claim and endorsing the worthy cause, the appropriation was withheld, and so session after session passed and new men went to the legislature and took up anew the battle with the final result, the fruition of long cherished dreams.
It is not necessary for me to tell this audience of the faithful efforts of the men who guided the measure through both houses ; of the final assault upon the appropriation committee, which with its care and discretion gulped down at one swift swallow a bill for one hundred thousand dollars to build a grand stand at the state fair grounds, while Iowa's university, the pride and glory of us all, stands almost alone in the need of a woman's building, among the universities of the West. When we think of this we well may be proud of the work of Jackson county's members, for their very enthusiasm bore fruit in creating interest in others, and thus we have reason to be more endeared to our grand old state, even though this duty has been tardily performed.
I take it that no state or nation can be thoughtless of the memory of those who give the best that is in them to make for posterity, greatness and renown. "The king is dead, long live the king" is the cry of the present living, while mem- orable regard for the doers of noble deeds establishes a citizenship of highest and best courage and glory.
The man whose memory we commemorate today builded better than he knew, for from his wise and conscientious labors we today reap the harvest of a united, happy and prosperous people. May the lessons of this day and this occasion in- still in the hearts of all the people of our loved commonwealth the great truth that they who would live in the hearts and minds of the ages must forget self and remember that strict devotion to duty brings its reward, and in the fullness of time justice is done.
SENATOR FRUDDEN, OF DUBUQUE, SPEAKS.
Senator A. F. Frudden, of Dubuque, was introduced. The senator "told leg- islative secrets" regarding the securing of the passage of Mr. Ellis' bill for the Briggs appropriation. He told how Mr. Ellis had camped on the trail of the measure-the first house bill introduced at the last legislative session-through the committee on appropriations, how the minority report won over the opposition majority report on the floor, how he had followed the measure into the senate,
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through the committee rooms, how it had been taken in hand by Senator Wilson of Clinton county, and how, after much buffeting on the legislative seas, it emerged intact, and how as the final act it had been signed by the governor. "And I am informed," said Senator Frudden, "that Mr. Ellis stood over the governor and watched him place his signature on the bill and then demanded the pen with which it was written."
The senator stated that Jackson county always had a peculiar significance to him. It was in June, 1871, that as an immigrant lad of sixteen years he landed in Iowa. He was proud to be present at Andrew and have a part in the exercises. "It is meet and proper that the body of Ansel Briggs be returned to Iowa to be laid among those of the people who knew him and loved him so well, and in a community where so many tender memories of him still exist. It is fitting that Governor Briggs should be laid to rest amid the scenes where he achieved his greatest successes and beneath a monument hewn from the granite hills of his native state," said Mr. Frudden.
ADDRESS BY REPRESENTATIVE BOETTGER, OF DAVENPORT.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen :
I desire to thank the arrangement committee and Mr. Ellis for their kind in- vitation to be present today and pay homage which has been delayed so long to a man who so richly deserves it. I appreciate the invitation very much, and I assure you it is a pleasure to be present among you today. My colleague, Mr. Balluff, has told you of the efforts of your worthy representative, Mr. Ellis and Senator Parshall. How, after the committee on appropriation had reported House File No. 1, for indefinite postponement, it was resurrected and finally passed. Little do you, my friends, realize how closely house file was hovering to the waste basket. It is therefore all the more honor that is due Mr. Ellis that he did not permit it to enter there and perish, for once in the basket there is no return.
We may sing the praises and stand here and tell you of his untiring efforts, but words and music cannot express what Mr. Ellis endured until the bill so dear to him and you was finally signed by the governor. You may and should be proud of the man whose untiring efforts made it possible for you and I to pay homage to our first governor, Ansel Briggs, and to have so beautiful a monument erected which marks the spot of his last resting place.
I am proud to have been one who voted to give you the thousand dollars, as it was little enough you asked. In conclusion let me say that what has been said of Mr. Ellis by the preceding speakers I desire to corroborate. I can see him now sitting in his seat all attention to business, and now and then a member com- ing to him for advice on a bill up for consideration.
ADDRESS BY REPRESENTATIVE BALLUFF.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen :
I had not been informed until a very short time ago that it was expected of me to make any remarks on this occasion, hence did not come prepared to do so. If I should attempt to say anything about Ansel Briggs after the extended remarks of Governor Carroll, Mr. Gregory and others, who had made investi- gation for this purpose it would be only a repetition of their remarks and would have to be taken entirely from what I remembered from their statements made this afternoon. It was my intention to say a few words as to the method of legislation in so far as it applied to house file number one, which is the bill under which the appropriation for this monument was made, but Senator Frudden has so fully covered this subject that there is nothing to add. I, however, do desire to emphasize Senator Frudden's remarks as to the hard work that was done by your representative, Hon. Jas. W. Ellis, for this bill.
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He never lost an opportunity to impress upon the members of the house, the justice of the state making an appropriation to return the remains of Governor Briggs to Iowa, and erect a suitable monument to his memory at Andrew, which was his former home. It is just to say that there were those who at first honestly doubted the advisability of the state disbursing money for this pur- pose. Many of them were won over by the arguments of Mr. Ellis and some saw the necessity of voting for this appropriation when one was made for the Allison monument. Personally, I always felt that it was a duty of the state to make this appropriation, and that this was a duty that had long been delayed.
A monument of more magnificent proportions would without question have been erected by the citizens of his former home to the memory of Gov- ernor Briggs, but this would have meant nothing in comparison with the fact that the State of Iowa has recognized its obligation.
I also wish to say a deserved tribute to your able representative in another direction. You, as his neighbors, acquaintances and constituents, are well aware that he has no bad habits and therefore had little occasion to spend his time in the cloak room where those who were users of the weed spent a con- siderable part of their time enjoying the fragrant "Havana" or "stinky pipe." He could always be found in his seat paying strict attention to the proceed- ings, and his ability to determine the right and wrong of the pending bills was remarkable. It was quite noticeable that such members as were either en- joying themselves in the cloak room or otherwise often engaged-yes, very often-made inquiry of Mr. Ellis as to the status of matters pending or the desirability of supporting or defeating the same, and I have heard it said that his judgment was uniformly right.
If Jackson county desires to be well represented at Des Moines, it should keep Mr. Ellis in the harness, and the question of politics is never considered at Des Moines after the organization is perfected.
I am very glad to have been able to be here with you today in performing this long delayed act of justice to Iowa's first governor. I wish to say further, that your historical society has done wonders with the limited amount of money at their command in procuring the splendid shaft which we are today dedicating. The large assembly demonstrates to me that it is a matter in which the citizens of Jackson county have taken a deep interest.
I thank you for your kind attention.
ADDRESS OF STATE SENATOR JOHN L. WILSON, OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen :
It is rather embarrassing for me to be called upon to address you after lis- tening to the able speeches just delivered to you by these distinguished gentle- men. I will not attempt to make a speech, however, I wish to say I am de- lighted to be with you today and take part in these exercises. It is an honor that any man should feel proud of. I also am pleased to say it was my privilege and honor to be a member of the state senate appropriation committee that passed house file number one, introduced by Hon. J. W. Ellis, your worthy representative of this county, of whom every citizen in this county (especially) should be proud ; the man who is more responsible for this appropriation you have secured than any one man, to mark the grave of the first governor of Iowa.
Mr. Ellis worked earnestly and faithfully for this bill from start to finish, and success rewarded his efforts. I doubt very much if another member of either house or senate could have secured the appropriation at this time as there was a greatly increased demand made for money for all the state in- stitutions, and at times it seemed to the committee as though there would not be funds enough to go around, and Mr. Ellis was asked to withdraw his bill and wait till some future time. But he would not become discouraged, and
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by his winning way and constant work, success crowned his efforts, and we are here today to do honor to the departed ex-governor, and celebrate the vic- tory of the gentleman from Jackson. I thank you.
THE STORY OF THE APPROPRIATION BY THE LEGISLATURE FOR THE BRIGGS'
MONUMENT.
Hon. J. W. Ellis, of Maquoketa, representative of Jackson county in the legislature, is the father of the Briggs' monument project. It was due largely to his efforts that interest was inspired in it in Jackson county and the move- ment started there. He fostered the bill for the necessary appropriation in the legislature and secured its adoption. He personally superintended the removal of the remains from Omaha and has been the moving spirit in the proceedings which were crowned with such signal success in the unveiling exercises Wednesday.
Mr. Ellis' interest in the movement was inspired by his grandmother, who had made her home with his family a greater part of the time between 1886 and 1898, and had lived a near neighbor of the Briggs family in the territorial times, and had known the family since 1838, thought it a disgrace to the county and state to allow the old governor to lie in an unmarked grave, just across the border of the state, when his wife and children were buried in the town that had been his home for more than thirty years. After his grandmother's death in 1898, Mr. Ellis thought a great deal about the old governor, and tried to think out some plan by which the remains could be brought back to Jackson county.
In 1904 he conceived the idea of erecting a pioneer monument in Maquoketa by persuading the representatives of the old pioneer families of this vicinity to form a small sum of money and a block of granite, polished on one side and marked. these blocks to be built into a monument under which the remains of Colonel Thomas Cox and Governor Briggs would be placed with a bronze statue of the governor surmounting the whole. He soon found that the plans were impracticable so far as the governor's remains were concerned as the relatives thought the state ought to take these steps for the removal.
He called the historical society together and it passed a resolution request- ing the members from Jackson county in the thirty-second general assembly to work out an appropriation for that purpose. Senator Lambert introduced a bill in the senate for an appropriation of one thousand dollars, and Representative Dunne introduced a similar bill in the house. But neither gentlemen, we are in- formed, was ever able to get even a subcommittee of three to recommend their bills to the appropriation committee for passage, and the bills were indefinitely postponed. He was discouraged but still felt that the project had merit, and in a conversation with Mrs. John S. Briggs in Omaha in May, 1907, he promised to send a representative or senator from Jackson who would work for an ap- propriation to honor the memory of Governor Briggs.
In 1908, about the time that candidates began announcing themselves for the various offices, Mr. Ellis received a letter from a member of the Briggs family which incidentally reminded him of his promise. He knew of no one likely to be a candidate for the legislature that he could hope to interest in the work. After pondering the subject over night, he went to the auditor and got nomination blanks and sent them out for signature and declared himself a can- didate for the office of representative. He made no secret about telling the people that he was going to work for an appropriation to honor the memory of his old neighbor and fellow citizen. After election he felt that he had un- dertaken a big job, and when he reached Des Moines he realized more than ever that it would take hard, patient and persistent work to get a bill through the two houses that Senator Lambert with an experience of four years in the house and nine in the senate could not start in either house.
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His first move was to get one hundred cards with the picture of the old governor on one side and a sketch of his life and service to the state on the other, and make the acquaintance of the members in the following manner: The first Sunday after the legislature convened, one of the papers had pictures of nearly all members of both houses, taken from cuts made from photographs, and were fairly good pictures. He kept one of these papers in his desk. Each portrait had the name under the picture and he studied these pictures every spare moment. For instance, he would look at the picture of McDonald of Carroll, then he would locate Mr. McDonald and fix his name and face indelibly in his memory; then take Berry of Henry county and locate him, and so on until he had all the members in the northeast corner located the first week, for the reason that he was in the midst of them.
After getting a number of representatives' names and faces fixed in his mem- ory, he would watch for them in the big hotels in the evening. When he saw a member that he could name, he would approach him and call him by name and introduce himself, get a few minutes of his time and tell him the story-the pitiful story-of the first governor of Iowa being buried in a foreign state in an unmarked grave under the shadow of a fifty thousand dollar monument to the first governor of the other state. He had a list of the members of both houses and a list of all the standing committees, but was chiefly interested in the com- mittees on appropriation of the two houses.
He got an interview with the Hon. Ernest R. Moore of Cedar Rapids, chair- man of the house committee on appropriations. He told him the story of Ansel Briggs, the pioneer governor, and tried to excite his sympathy, but found him as cold as a stone. He said he was opposed to special appropriation and should present a resolution the next morning that no bills carrying an appropriation should be considered until the state institutions should have been provided for, but said if there was anything left in the treasury after the state institutions had been taken care of, he did not see why this bill would not be all right.
Ellis was determined to get the first bill in if possible and succeeded in getting it in under title of House File No. I, the assembly adjourning soon after. It was introduced several days before any other bill, and got a week's advertising all over the state, as every paper mentioned and commented on the bills. Each member read about it in his own home later.
After the second meeting of the house appropriation committee, Chairman Moore sent him a note by a page, telling him he could have a hearing if he so desired the next day at 2 o'clock. When the time came he was on hand and loaded. He had the benefit of years of study of Governor Briggs. He was in- troduced to the committee by a gentleman from Linn, and was treated very cour- teously by all and listened to with close attention. He never talked to an au- dience that he thought he had right with him as he did to that committee.
At the conclusion of his address Chas. W. Miller of Bremer made a splendid talk for the bill and moved that it be recommended for passage, but the chair- man announced that a rule had been adopted that no bill should be considered the day it was presented and before he got out of the room the chairman referred the bill to a subcommittee, consisting of Anderson, Derrough, and another whose name he did not catch.
He has always felt that if he could have got a vote at that meeting he would have saved lots of trouble. However, the situation was by no means discour- aging. The next morning Anderson and Derrough told him they would report favorably on the bill and had no doubt about its passing the house committee.
That afternoon the committee met again, and it was announced by Chairman Moore that the meeting was for the purpose of giving the members of the board of control a hearing, hence it was not expected there would be any other matter considered. John Cownie talked to the committee for three hours on the great needs of the institutions and told them approximately how much would be needed. By the time he finished nearly half the members had been excused, there being
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but twenty-three members of the thirty-nine present, when Mr. Ellis' friends made the report recommending his bill for passage, and of the twenty-three members Kendall, of Clinton, and the two members of the subcommittee were all that there were that cared anything for Briggs. Kellogg, of Harrison, moved that the bill be indefinitely postponed. The motion was seconded, and a secret ballot taken that resulted in putting the bill to sleep, thirteen voting for indefinite postponement and ten against.
Mr. Ellis did not sleep any that night, but lay awake and planned on how to recover the lost ground. Next morning he was at the state house early and re- ceived many expressions of sympathy and got George Koontz to prepare a form for a minority report and had it signed by the members who had voted against indefinite postponement. Ward, of Woodbury, told Chairman Moore that he would present the minority report and Moore promised to give him a chance for a hearing.
The next day being Lincoln's birthday anniversary, it was generally concluded that there would be an adjournment over to Tuesday as the Weaver picture would be unveiled on Monday. Consequently Mr. Ellis and many others went home Thursday night. Tuesday morning he was back to the capital and at his desk early, feeling fine.
His house journal for Saturday was brought to him and he read the fol- lowing with feeling that can be imagined better than explained :
"Mr. Speaker, your committee on appropriations to whom was referred House File No. I, a bill for an act to make an appropriation for the removal of the re- mains of ex-Governor Ansel Briggs from Omaha, Nebraska, to Andrew, Jack- son county, Iowa, and for the erection of a monument in the cemetery at that place in commemoration of his memory, beg leave to report that they have had the same under consideration and have instructed me to report the same back to the house with the recommendation that the same be indefinitely postponed. Ernest R. Moore, Chairman 'Adopted."
That seemed to settle the question as there was the bill indefinitely post- poned. But Mr. Ellis was determined not to be defeated in this great and noble undertaking and again bobbed up as serenely as Banquo's ghost, and was im- mediately surrounded by such friends as Koontz, of Johnson; O'Connor, of Chickasaw; Schulte, of Clayton, and Crozier, of Marion, who offered sympathy and assistance.
A committee was appointed and waited on Mr. Moore, who, at the opening session of the house the next morning, explained that when he presented the majority report that he did not know Representative Ellis was absent, and as he desired to be fair with the friends of the bill he asked the unanimous consent of the house to withdraw his report, which was given. Mr. Moore asked that it go over until the next day.
Mr. Ellis then selected five members to speak in behalf of the bill. The next morning Holmes of Kossuth, called up the Allison monument bill, made a talk on it and put it to passage. The bill received a constitutional majority, and at the instant its title had been agreed upon, Mr. Ellis arose and received recogni- tion and asked unanimous consent to consider House File No. I. The House Journal, February 18, page 56, shows Moore moved that the report of the com- mittee be adopted. It was moved by Ward of Woodbury, to substitute the mi- nority for the majority report and a roll call was demanded. Representative Ellis spoke in behalf of the bill and was followed by O'Connor, Crozier and Schulte, each one presenting good arguments. The roll call showed ninety-seven ayes and four nays. Thus the minority was substituted and Moore moved its adoption. Thus the bill passed the house on Friday, February 18th.
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