History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882, Part 53

Author: Johnson Co., Ia. History. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Iowa City, Iowa.
Number of Pages: 980

USA > Iowa > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882 > Part 53

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PETER H. PATTERSON

was born in 1795, in Pendleton county, Virginia. His father was Scotch- Irish, and his mother German. When he was quite a lad his parents removed to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he grew up to manhood, and was here married to Miss Elizabeth Bausman. Immediately after mar- riage they started for the wild country of Indiana, where he first located in Rushville. After a short time he changed his location to Covington, Indiana, where he lived and pacticed law for many years (until 1841), when he started for Iowa, with his large family, consisting of his wife and the following children: Lorina, married to Judge James P. Carleton ; Ema- line, Antis H. Patterson, now a practicing attorney in Washington, Iowa; Lemuel B. Patterson, a practicing attorney at Iowa City; Onias A. Pat- terson, now a resident of Sioux City; Hester Patterson, now Mrs. Carrol, of this county; Eliza E. Patterson, and W. W. Patterson.

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On his first arrival in Iowa City, he for a short time was a law partner of his son-in-law, the late Judge James P. Carleton, but afterwards was engaged in farming adjoining to Iowa City. In 1850 the California excitement induced him to go, with many others, to explore the golden shores of the Pacific, with the intention of removing his family as soon as he could make a proper selection of a place to settle. He landed in Sacramento, California, where he suddenly died of cholera, on October 27, 1850.

He was a self-made man, without the advantages of early education; a strong mind, full of determination, energy, and pluck; of unbounded generosity ; a zealous friend of every public enterprise. The causes of religion, temperance, and education found in him a man ever ready to champion and defend their interests. To him must be awarded the first conception of the location of the Iowa State University at Iowa City. On the 18th day of February, 1847, the legislature, then sitting in Iowa City, passed an act to re-locate the seat of government of the state. Our citi- zens were depressed and exasperated over this action. He conceived of the idea to ask of the legislature the location of the University in Iowa City, as compensation for the removal of the capital. He immediately drafted a petition for that purpose, and started out amongst the citizens for their signatures. To his great surprise he met much opposition from our own people, some of whom were bitterly opposed to it. They were

mad at the removal, but cherished the delusive hope that if they did not get the location of the University fixed here, they should be able to have the act for the re-location of the capital repealed at the next meeting of the legislature. He, however, persisted in his effort for signatures to his petition, and procured the names of 225 persons; and on the 19th day of February, 1847, he placed it in the hands of Smiley H. Bonham, the rep- resentative from Johnson county, who on the afternoon of same day, pre- sented the petition to the House of Representatives. On the 20th, Mr. Bonham introduced a bill in accordance with the prayer of the petition, and the bill finally passed both houses on February 23, 1847, thus locating the University here.

:_ Mr. Patterson was in religion a devoted Methodist. His home, where- ever located, was a free inn for all the travelers of that denomination. In the latter part of his life he was a local preacher, and frequently supplied the pulpit for destitute congregations.

His wife, who survived him many years, was loved and respected by all the old settlers with whom she came in contact. A woman of retiring dis- position, and possessing in a rare degree all the qualities of a loving mother and steadfast christian.

FREDERICK MACY IRISH,

was born in the city of Hudson, Columbia county, New York, March 13, 1801; died in Iowa City, February 16, 1875.

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

Shortly after the close of the Revolutionary war, a colony left the island of Nantucket, and settled at Hudson, New York. They were all of sea- faring families for generations beyond their exodus.

With this colony came Jonathan Irish with his wife, Ruth, the father and mother of FREDERICK MACY IRISH, and of five other sons and six daughters. From Hudson they moved back into the wild wilderness, and made a pioneer home in the deep forest land, away from sea sights and the tempting sail. Here their family of twelve all grew to be men and women.

But how futile the forest refuge against that long hereditary passion for the sea. First, an older son went out from the fireside, and was a sailor; years went by, and he never came back. A few leagues out from Java, homeward bound, the soft sea was his sepulcher, and there is his resting place.

Upon Frederick the sea spell was strong, and before his majority he found his way back to the island of his ancestors, and realized a dream that had been the very companion of his infancy, by going on the same pathless way of his forefathers.

Shipping with the famed captain Ray, on the good ship "Stonington," whose stout timbers rest now on the bottom in the Straits of Magellan, he entered the whaling service, and followed it for several years.

But finally homeward he came, to find the family scattered, as in nature's order; brothers and sisters married, new homes made and new faces in them. So he too settled down: the waves wooed him no more, and having profitable engagement with the old Dry Dock Company, in service in New York harbor, where his sailing knowledge availed him, there came into his life the tender longing, out of which homes grow up and firesides come, in which men and women reach their best estate; and on December 12, 1826, he and Elizabeth Ann Robinson, of the village of Mamaroneck, West Chester county, New York, were married, and blessed with more of health and manly and womanly attractions than fall to the lot of many, they entered upon that long companionship that lasted until its fiftieth year was but a little further on.

Here a son was born and died in infancy, and a daughter came to pass away in her sweet childhood, and another son was born. Ere many years the past fever for the sea was supplanted by a passion for migration to the new country west of the mountains. Leaving wife and children under the family roof, he came to Indiana, where at the village of Terre Haute, he built the first foundry and machine shop in the Wabash valley, and entered upon the task of introducing Jethro Wood's new iron mold-board plow upon the prairies; for our grandfathers turned the glebe with a wooden mold-board. When the home was ready the family journeyed to it by slow canal boat and mountain stage.

Here he prosecuted a large business, going with steamboats and flat-

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boats through the network of rivers, for the coal of Pennsylvania, and the iron of Tennessee; but here, after the expense of vast energies, came busi- ness disasters; and the young pioneer lost all that he had so stoutly built, and found a shelterless family in his arms and no hope of fortune again, only in the wilderness.

Farewell to the grave of the little girl, who had died meantime,-and with the family, which now consisted of Charles and Gilbert, the former born in New York city, and the latter in Terre Haute, sent with their mother to a temporary home, he invested all he had in a horse, and mount- ing it, followed the sun.

Iowa was then much talked of as the rising new frontier of civilization, and here he came in 1838-stopping first at Burlington.

Congressional action was then had, or pending, whereby the capital was to be set back nearer to the Indian line, and soon Iowa City had a place on the map and was the capital. Here he came, and with sturdy Walter Butler, Henry Felkner, McCrory, Philip Clark, and the long list of pioneers, made ready for the seat of government, which came to the town in 1840, and rested here until 1857.

Here then, after the suns of every latitude had bronzed his face, and many trials had come to him, he came to stay. In life's very prime he entered in earnest upon the making of a home. A fortunate entry of land from the government, in the course of years brought him affluence Here his three youngest children, Thomas Myrick, John Powell and Ruth Elizabeth, were born.

The last twenty years of his life were passed in total blindness, a sud- den attack of neuralgia having destroyed his vision. But let it be writ- ten that the sorest trials of his life came through loyal adherence to the bruised fortunes of his friends, from whom no service in his power was ever withheld.

Largely self-cultured, he had a wide acquaintance with literature. But a few years before his death, assisted by his daughter, as amanuensis, he prepared for the "Annals of Iowa," a history of Johnson county-a well written and entertaining sketch.

The manner of his death, while intensely distressing, was as near a real- ization of his often expressed wish as was possible. He kept a careful boy to drive a trusty horse, and so was accustomed to ride at pleasure from his home to the city. At one o'clock on Tuesday, February 16, 1875, while coming as usual down Dubuque street, through the cluster of teams at the wood and hay market, his sleigh ran athwart a team which was moving west. As soon as they saw each other both drivers checked up, but too late to save a fatal collision. He was immediately brought to the private room of the Press office, where, despite the earnest profes- sional efforts of Dr. Graham and Profs. Peck, Shrader and Clapp, he died in two hours. There was no complete reaction from the shock, and the

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apparent suffering was so inconsiderable as to go no farther than the vague uneasiness which is the usual accompaniment of such complete paralysis.

Obsequies were conducted at the residence, on Rose Hill, by Rev. Mr. Judd, rector of Trinity Church. So closed a long and active life.

DR. WILLIAM VOGT.

It is wonderful how thoroughly this gentleman of foreign birth and education won the affectionate esteem of the people where he chose his American home. From the Iowa City Daily Press of August 25, 1873, we quote upon the occasion of his funeral:

For twenty-seven years Dr. Vogt has been of this people. Pioneer with them in the early days, a generation born since he came, had learned each gentle, manly way that recommended him to the generation of which he was, and with which he has gone the silent journey.

A native of the city of Dusseldorf, the capital of Rhenish Prussia, the oldest of a family of four sisters and two brothers, his childhood, youth and young manhood were passed amid the ministrations of art and cul- ture which cluster around the old city, and he grew into that sound schol- arship and classic mould of mind, which marked him the wise counselor through life, in the classes of the best of those great institutions which have projected German thought and German influence to the remotest outpost of civilization.

His duties to the State discharged, the home, where he had filled the full station of first born, being now sheltered by the younger hands that had been deftly trained in his dutiful example, he came to America in 1846, a stout-hearted man of twenty-eight years, to follow that destiny which led him to first rank in his profession, in the confidence of the worthy and in the love of all.

Reaching New Orleans he penetrated the continent by the only high- way, in search of newer land and larger opportunities than were offered by an effete population, and so came to us; came so long ago that with most of us who have seen his eye grow dim with the shadow of the valley, his coming lies away upon the horizon of memory, and his death is the fall of an autochthon.

Here a loving family grew around him, reflecting in their lives the great- ness and goodness of his soul, in their tastes the excellent proprieties which were the habit of his life, and here clustered closely around him the relations which outlast the life that was their source and are a monu- ment to his memory more beautiful than design can fashion.

His professional labors were intense; worn by them he sought rest six years ago by a European tour. Appointed a commissioner for Iowa to the World's Exposition at Paris, he crossed the sea, accompanied by his eldest son, Charles, and spent nearly a year abroad. Visiting the old home and native land, he penetrated the Orient, saw Italy and Greece with the loving vision of a scholar and artist, and returned, renewed and strengthened for his labor. That labor was almost utterly without rest. Intensely sympathetic, no call was unanswered, save where delay was born of their very multiplicity. Amongst the students of the State Uni- versity, he was always the favorite physician, and many a young man and woman has gone back to study, clad not only in restored health, but

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stored with his rich thoughts and sage suggestions. A gentleman long connected with the University, in whose family for twelve years the doctor had practiced, sends us a note to say, that it was his unvaried custom when treating a student to enquire of the faculty as to the pecuniary con- dition of the patient, and if told that it would not warrant a fee, that the student was perhaps laboring as a teacher or manually, for means to finish the curriculum, in his peculiar way he would say, " All right, all right," often saying, "I am glad to see young people striving for an education, and am glad of an opportunity to help them;" and our informant, Prof. Parvin, adds, " such unnumbered kind acts, while remembered by their recipients, should be now mentioned to the credit of a noble soul, passed to its reward."

Dr. Vogt was an active promoter of the interests of the medical department of the University, and was always a wise counselor in its behalf.

His connection with public affairs was limited by an always absorbing interest in his profession, but when duties were imposed upon him he dis- charged them with all fidelity. Many times and for many years he served on the public school board of the city, always to the benefit and advance- ment of education. When called to the public advocacy of a policy or principle, he brought to it the rarest felicity of expression and most effec- tive eloquence.

On Sunday, August 24th, from far and near came the mourners to pay the last dues of affection.

The obsequies were held in St. Patrick's Church, Rev. Father Rice officiating. After the usual and impressive service of the Catholic Church, the Rev. Father delivered an eloquent address from the text, "It is appointed unto man once to die."

The funeral cortege was formed on Dubuque street. The pall was borne by Hon. Peter A. Dey, P. P. Freeman, Alden Fletcher, A. J. Rider, F. H. Luse, Michael McInerny, R. B. Saunders, and Wm. Crum. The hearse was followed by the doctor's team attached to the empty vehicle, draped, and led by Messrs. Kimball and Shafer, students of the University Medical Department; the family carriages were followed in order by the members of the medical profession of the city, and by Dr. W. F. Peck, of Davenport, Dean of the University Medical Faculty, and Professors Shra- der and Clapp, members of the Faculty, and Mr. R. W. Pryce, its Ana- tomical Demonstrator. On the right was the German Benevolent Society, in column, with banners furled and draped. Thousands of people were there and Cemetery Hill was occupied by a dense assembly. As the cor- tege moved on through the streets the sick people who were the objects of his care, could be seen supported at their windows, adding their tears to the libation in his memory.

RUSH CLARK,

of Iowa City, was born at Schellsburg, Bedford county, Pennsylvania, October 1, 1834; received a common school education at his birth-place, attended the academy at Ligonier, Pennsylvania, and was a student at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, graduating there in 1853; studied law, was admitted to the bar at Iowa City in the fall of 1853, and commenced practice there; was a member of the general assembly of Iowa, 1860-'64, serving the last two years as Speaker of the House; was on the staff of

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the Governor of Iowa in 1861 and '62, aiding in the organization of volun- teers from Iowa; was a member of the board of trustees of the Iowa State University 1862-'66; was re-elected to the general assembly of 1876; and was elected to the forty-fifth congress as a republican, receiving 19,274 votes against 11,154 votes for N. Worley, democrat, and 1,200 for G. W. Rutherford, greenbacker. He was re-elected in 1878, the following being the vote in the district: for Clark, republican, 14,205; Carter, democrat, 12,011; Brown, greenbacker, 697. [It is proper here to explain that Rush Clark was not related to Ezekiel Clarke, as many have supposed, (they spelled their names differently), and hence he was not a relative of Gov. Kirkwood, although very highly esteemed by him.]-HISTORIAN.

Mr. Clark died at Washington City, very suddenly. One of his eulo- gists remarked, "The going down of the sun on the evening of the 27th of April, 1879, found him busy with the cares and activities of this life. The setting of the sun on the evening of the next day found him a dweller in the spirit land."

Memorial addresses were delivered in Congress, by Congressmen Price, of Iowa; Coffrath, of Pennsylvania; Sapp, of Iowa; Manning, of Mississippi; Neal, of Ohio; Thompson, of Iowa; Bennett, of Dakota; Carpenter, of Iowa; Henderson, of Illinois; and Senators Allison and Kirkwood, of Iowa; Hereford, of West Virginia, and Platt, of Connecti- cut. A joint committee, of seven Representatives and three Senators was appointed to take charge of the funeral and accompany the remains for the burial at his home, Iowa City. This committee consisted of Rep- resentatives Hiram Price, of Iowa; John H. Reagan, of Texas; Wm. H. Hatch, of Missouri; Henry S. Neal, of Ohio; Thos. J. Henderson, of Illi- nois: Mark H. Dunnell, of Minnesota, and Philip Cook, of Georgia; and Senators Kirkwood, Platt and Hereford. Nine thousand copies were ordered printed of the memorial proceedings and eulogies in Congress.

Mr. Coffrath represented the district in Pennsylvania where Rush Clark was born, and knew the family when Rush was a boy. In his remarks Mr. Coffrath said:

His father, John Clark, was of Scotch-Irish family, and was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. His mother was born near the line between the States of Pennsylvania and Maryland, opposite Hancock. His parents were among the early settlers of the lovely valley in which Rush was born, and they were universally respected and beloved far and near by all who knew them, for their hospitality and upright Christian walk.

Rush Clark was the sixth son of John and Mary Clark. His deep and fervent love for his father and mother made him linger long around the threshold of his childhood's home. * *

A relative, who loved him and knew him well, writes me, " If I were called upon to pass a eulogium ever so brief, it would be that Rush Clark loved his mother, and lived for the good he might do to others." What more need be said in praise of our deceased brother? He will live in the memory of all those who knew him.

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Congressman Manning, of Mississippi, in the course of his eloquent and touching address, said:

Those who knew him upon this floor knew how faithfully and promptly he responded to every duty that devolved upon him, and it is not strange that his generous impulses, strong mental faculties, pure private and pub- lic character, and love of country's honor and welfare, secured for him a warm place in the hearts of his constituency, whose interests he ever guarded and protected with so much zeal and efficiency. An exalted public spirit ever animated his breast; and every movement, whether originated in the legislative halls, or elsewhere, which in his judgment tended to the benefit of the country in large or small degree, and might bring peace and fraternal relations to the whole people, received his utmost aid.

Now that his life is finished testimony is cheerfully borne by all who knew him, without regard to party affiliations, that he left to his family, friends and country a name without a stain.

CHAPTER VII .- PART 3.

SLAVERY DAYS IN IOWA CITY.

A Negro Boy Sold-Two Black Girls Kidnapped-Old John Brown's Night Escape from an Iowa City Mob.

A SLAVE SALE IN IOWA CITY.

In 1841 President Harrison appointed O. H. W. Stull to be secretary of the territory of Iowa, John Chambers being the governor who had suc- ceeded Gov. Lucas. Gov. Chambers was an ex-congressman of Ken- tucky, and had his negro waiter with him here at the Iowa capital. Sec- retary Stull wanted to be "in style," and have a body servant, as well as the governor. There was a man named Chaney who owned a saw-mill near the mouth of Dirty Face creek in Penn township, opposite Butler's landing, or the place now known as the boat house. This Mr. Chaney was originally from Virginia, and had a mulatto boy living with him, and this boy he sold to Secretary Stull for $250. This sale of a mulatto youth into slavery was transacted in Chauncey Swan's hotel, which then stood just north of the University grounds, on the northeast corner of Capital and Jefferson streets. Our informant was there at the time and saw the sale made and the boy delivered to his new master. When President Tyler came into office Stull was removed from the secretaryship and went to Burlington, taking his Iowa slave boy along; and there he gave him or sold him to his son-in-law named Cassell, who took the boy to Alleghany county, Maryland, and there kept him as a slave.

TWO NEGRO GIRLS TAKEN FROM IOWA CITY AND SOLD INTO SLAVERY.

In 1859-60 a man named John L. Curtis, who had a farm in Fremont township, was then living in Iowa City. He came here from Tennessee,

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but claimed to be a native of New England. Two negro girls formed part of his family, and early in February, 1860, he took them in a carriage and started off south, with the intention, as was generally believed, of selling them into slavery to raise a little money for his immediate necessities. He was followed by constable A. T. McIlvaine, who overtook him at Fair- field in Jefferson county, and arrested him on a charge of kidnaping, and he, with the black girls, was brought back to Iowa City. Rather than stand trial on the charges, which were decidedly " bad medicine" here about that time, he agreed to give the children his formal and legal adop- tion. The following official document explains the case further:

M. f. Morsman, Mayor of Iowa City, to f. L. and Nancy R. Curtis .-- Deed of Adoption.

This indenture witnesseth: That I, M. J. Morsman, Mayor of Iowa City, State of Iowa, for and in consideration of the covenants hereinafter mentioned, and the love, regard and affection entertained by one John L. Curtis, Nancy R. Curtis of Iowa City aforesaid, for two minor children, named respectively, Mary Old, aged thirteen years, whose parents are not living, and Versa Old, aged ten years, whose father is dead and whose mother is living, but has abandoned said Versa Old; which said children are now residing in Iowa City, State of Iowa, aforesaid, and who have no survivors or relatives in said State of Iowa, doth by these presents con- sent, covenant and agree, to and with the said John L. Curtis and Nancy R. Curtis aforesaid, that the said John L. Curtis and Nancy R Curtis shall adopt as their own, and take into their family the said minor children aforesaid, with the exclusive custody and charge thereof, hereby conferring upon said children all the rights, privileges and respon- sibilities that would pertain to said children if born to the said John L. Curtis and Nancy R. Curtis in lawful wedlock; also conferring and allot- ing to said John L. Curtis and Nancy R. Curtis all the rights, duties, powers, control and relation towards and over said children hereby adopted, as the parent by law and nature has over his or her lawful child.

The names of said children are hereafter to be Mary Curtis and Versa Curtis, respectively. That such children are hereby given to and are adopted by said John L. Curtis and Nancy R. Curtis, for the purpose of adoption as their own children, and to be by them controlled, educated and cared for as children to them born in lawful wedlock. All indentures, bonds or instruments in writing heretofore executed to the contrary, not- withstanding.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this 13th day of February, 1860.

CITY SEAL.

M. J. MORSMAN, [SEAL.] Mayor of Iowa City. J. L. CURTIS, [SEAL.] N. R. CURTIS, SEAL.]

In a few months after this " adoption " dodge, Curtis again took the girls off south, being accompanied this time by David Lopp, of Fremont township, and sold them in Memphis, Tennessee-one for $500 and the other for $800.

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History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882, Part 53

Author: Johnson Co., Ia. History. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Iowa City, Iowa. Number of Pages: 980

Author: Johnson Co., Ia. History. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Iowa City, Iowa.
Number of Pages: 980