History of Kossuth, Hancock, and Winnebago counties, Iowa; together with sketches of their cities, villages, and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 99

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 950

USA > Iowa > Kossuth County > History of Kossuth, Hancock, and Winnebago counties, Iowa; together with sketches of their cities, villages, and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 99
USA > Iowa > Winnebago County > History of Kossuth, Hancock, and Winnebago counties, Iowa; together with sketches of their cities, villages, and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 99
USA > Iowa > Hancock County > History of Kossuth, Hancock, and Winnebago counties, Iowa; together with sketches of their cities, villages, and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 99

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in Allamakee county, he was elected to the office of superintendent of the public schools, which he filled with due credit. Ile is an honorable member of the Masonic lodge, of Forest City. In 1877-8-9, Mr. Ransom served as prosecuting attorney of Winnebago county.

C. L. Nelson, attorney at law, Forest City, was born near Christiana, Norway, March 13, 1846. In 1852 he emigrated with his parents to America. They settled in Rock Co., Wis., and in 1856, with other company, removed to Winnebago county. Mr. Nelson settled on section 22 in Norway township. IFere he made his farm. The country being sparsely settled, they were compelled to go to Decorah to mill. The wheat was hauled to McGregor, making the trip in two weeks, receiving about fifty cents per bushel. The following spring the land sales commenced at Osage, and the snow being deep, they made the trip on snow shoes to secure the claims. The winter of 1856-57 will be remembered, by the early settlers, as one of deep snow and much suffering from cold, and the scarcity of provisions. The subject of this sketch was reared on this farm, and received his early education in a small frame school house. Ile afterwards attended the De- corah Normal Institute and Upper Iowa University. For a number of years he taught school, then commenced reading law in the office of Ransom & Olmstead, and with Prof. J. E. Anderson. In 1876 and 1877 he was deputy sheriff under Pe- ter Lewis. Ile was admitted to the bar Sept- 9, 1878. In 1870 he was mar- ried to Anna Olson, who was born in Norway, but who came to this country

804 HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.

when a child. Mr. Nelson has been iden- tified with the county for many years, and has seen its many changes.

William H. Fisher, attorney at law, of Forest City, was born in W. Va., July 24, 1850. When a small boy his parents emi- grated to Kane Co., Ill., where they remained a short time, removing to Fay- ette ('o., Iowa, where he grew to manhood. He located in Winnebago county in June, 1869. In 1877 he entered the office of Ransom & Olmstead, and was admitted to the bar, in May, 1878, since which time he has followed his profession in Forest City. He was married in 1870 to Martha J. Howard, who died in 1876. In 1879 he was again married to Florence A. Steward, a native of Maine. This union was blessed with three children-Ray mond E., Robert S. and Bessie. Mr. Fisher is a Master Mason, and a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge. He is a young man who has lived in the county for a number of years, and by close attention to practice has gained a position of which he can well be proud.

J. F. Thompson, banker, was born in Hancock county, Sept. 3, 1848. He is the son of Matthew and Martha (Spaulding) Thompson, his father a native of Ireland, and his mother of Vermont. They were married in Ohio, and were the parents of nine children, seven sons and two daugh- ters. In October, 1857, Mr. Thompson located in Clayton Co., Iowa. The sub- ject of this sketch was reared as a farm boy, receiving his early education in the common schools. In July, 1863, he en- tered the service, enlisting in the 4th lowa Battery, serving until the elose of the war. In 1865 he was wounded in the

leg at Thibodeaux City, La. At the close of the war he returned to Clayton county, and attended school an. MeGregor. In the fall of 1873 he entered the lowa State University, graduating in the law depart- ment in 1875. In the fall of the same year he was appointed deputy register of the State land office, which position he held about two years. On May 1, 1877, he established the Winnebago County Bank, and Jan. 1, 1880, sold a half inter- est to James II. Easton, and continued un- der the firm name of Easton & Thomp- son. In the fall of 1883 his brother, J. Thompson, purchased the interest of Mr. Easton and the firm is now Thompson Bros., the bank having been re-organized with a paid up capital of $25,000. Mr. Thompson was married Dec. 22, 1875, to Julia Clark, a daughter of Judge Clark, the founder of Forest City. She was born in this city Sept. 19, 1857. Four children bless this nnion, three of whom are living-JJ. Clark, Clyde C. and Merle M. Mr. Thompson is, in politics, a stanneh republican, and is now the mayor of For- est City, having been elected by a large majority on the temperance ticket. He is also a member of the Masonie frater- nity, heing passed to a Knight Templar.

Hon. J. E. Anderson is a native of Swe- den, born in 1846. In 1852 his parents emigrated to America, and after remain- ing three years in the city of New York, removed to Whiteside Co., Ill., and settled on a farm. In 1855 they removed to Lyons, lowa. In 1860, they settled on a farm in Winnebago county, where Mr. Anderson has since resided. He received a common school education, where he re- sided up to 1866, when he entered the Up-

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.

per Iowa University, where he spent three years. He then entered the State University, where he took a full course of scientific and classical studies, and graduated with the class of 1872, and in 1876 graduated in the law department of the same institution. Mr. Anderson is honorably distinguished as the author of a work on "calculations," and in having from 1872 to 1875 visited some 300 col- leges situated in nearly every State in the Union, and delivering lectures on the sub- ject before those institutions. In the fall of 1881, Mr. Anderson was elected to the State Assembly from the 77th legislative district, composed of the counties of Worth, Winnebago, Hancock and Wright, receiving a majority of 3,000 votes, being the largest majority by which any mem- ber of the House was elected. This may be accepted by our readers as an evidence of his personal popularity, or of the in- telligence of his constituency, or both, or neither, according to their individual po- litieal bias. Mr. Anderson is nearly six feet in height, of fine figure and presence, wears a full beard, and is in a word if not the best looking-at least among the few best looking men in the House. Every work of true reform has had him among its unflinching advocates. He speaks with great ease and energy, and his argu- ments are always to the point and uni- formly enlist marked attention. He is chairman of the Library committee and member of those on Judiciary, Schools, Claims, Compensation of Public Officers, State University, Constitutional Amend- ments, and Senatorial and Representative Districts. He was married in 1875 to Martha A., daughter of Nelson and Anna

Johnson, by whom he has had three chil- dren, two of which are living-Randolph M. and Horace E. Mr. and Mrs. Ander- son are members of the M. E. Church of Forest City, at which place he now re- sides, engaged in the practice of law, to- gether with loaning of money and sale of lands. "True and upright in all his du- ties, he has a name truly honorable, and a character worthy of emulation." A local writer thus speaks of him in reference to his labors in the General Assembly : "Hon. J. E. Anderson, although he made no attempts at oratory, made for himself a very excellent record. Ile was a thorough worker, and, during the entire session, did not, I believe, miss a single roll call. He was always to be found in his seat, and gave the strietest and closest atten- tion to business. As many committee meetings as he could find time to attend, he attended, and shirked no duty imposed upon him. His genial and social disposi- tion gained for him hosts of friends, and to illustrate this I will only mention one instance of which I took partienlar notice. I think it was the day immediately pre- ceding the last of the session, when the regular order of business was being striet- ly followed, and the House, for some cause or other was in an exceedingly bad hu- mor, and had refused several members to take up measures out of their order; it was on this day, and while this feeling was upon the House that Mr. Anderson asked leave to take up out of its order the bill for funding county indebtedness, and his request was granted without a dissent- ing voice, and this, alone, speaks better of his standing among the members than if I devoted a whole column to him. The

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.

district he represented has no cause to re- gret having elected him, for I assure you their interests were in safe and good hands."

George A. Franklin, of the firm of Lat- timore & Co., attorneys and real estate agents, Forest City, was born in Rockford, Ill., April 2, 1855. He is a graduate of the State Normal, of Illinois, in the class of 1877. In 1878 and 1879 he was em- ployed as principal in the Butler schools, Montgomery Co., Ill. In the spring of 1881 he came to Winnebago county, where he engaged in stock growing. In the spring of 1883, he purchased an interest in bis present business. They make the col- lections of slow and doubtful claims, and the foreclosures of mortgages a specialty.

W. A. Chapman, a prominent attorney of Lake Mills, was born in Kalamazoo Co., Mich., in November, 1842, his par- ents being Willard and Polly (Weller) Chapman. Ilis father was a native of Massachusetts ; his mother of Vermont. While W. A. was quite young his parents removed to Canada, where he was reared on a farm. Ifis widowed mother is now living in Brooklin, province of Ontario. Mr. Chapman left home when he attained his majority and for a number of years engaged in teaching. He spent one year in Buffalo, N. Y., also about two years in and about Chicago, teaching school, and in 1873 came to Iowa locating at Lake Mills. Fortwo or three years he was engaged in teaching school and in studying law, and in 1876 was admitted to the bar by Judge George W. Ruddick. Since that time Mr. Chapman has applied himself wholly to the practice of his profession and has built up a lucrative

practice. He held the office of county superintendent of schools for four years, and proved a very efficient officer. Hle was married, in 1875, to Mary E. Clark, a native of Canada, who has borne him two children-Mina L. and Clara M.

E. F. Thompson came to Lake Mills from Minneapolis, in 1876. He had been in practice in the latter city for some time, in partnership with a law firm, and had met with very good success.

In 1869 J. E. Howard came with his parents to Forest City. Early in 1876 he commenced the study of law and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1878, by Judge C. T: Granger, at a term of the circuit court. Mr. Howard was born in Fayette Co., Iowa, Aug. 31, 1855, his parents being Samnel and Jane (Alcorn) Iloward, na- tives of Pennsylvania. He is not in ac- tual practice at present, but is engaged in land and collection business. Mr. How- ard is one of the rising young men of Forest City.

J. T. Lattimore came to Forest City in the spring of 1877 and opened a law office. Mr. Lattimore is a native of Pennsylvania. He studied law in Mason City with Judge Wilbur, and on being admitted to the bar he came to Forest City. He is now con- nected with the Forest City Bank, and his time is chiefly occupied in attending to land sales and collections.

The law and real estate firm of Picker- ing, Hartley & Harwood, of Northwood, established a branch business at Lake Mills, in 1879, and W. C. Harwood took charge of the business. Messrs. Pick- ering and Hartley are the lawyers of the firm, Mr. Harwood, attending to the other business of the firm.

HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY. 807

David Secor was admitted to the bar in 1879. He was register of the State land office for two terms, and a sketch of him is given in the chapter on "National, State and County Representation."

Col. A. H. Chase was admitted to prac- tice, on certificate from the State of New York, in 1875. Mr. Chase is the present editor and proprietor of the Winnebago Summit.

J. T. Kean located at Lake Mills, for the purpose of practicing law, in the fall of 1880. After remaining two years he went Washington, D. C., to accept a clerkship in the adjutant general's department. Mr Kean was a young man of fair ability and gave promise of making a good lawyer.

J. D. Leland located at Forest City in 1880, and practiced law with W. H. Fisher for about two years. lle is now located at Lelandsburg, where he is now post- master. Ile is still in practice.

CHAPTER XI.

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

It is the general impression that no com- | pains, lessening danger; is also there at munity could well get along without physicians, and the impression is well founded, although in one sense a little exaggerated. Yet it would be trying and sorry work for any community to attempt to get along entirely without the aid of those who have made the work of healing, curing and administering comfort to the afflicted, and allaying their suffering, a life study and a life object. Their worth, when they are needed, is not measured by dollars. Their long years of study, pre- paring for emergencies where life and death are struggling for supremacy at such times, are above value.

The physician, associated as he is with life and death, is a subject for study. He is present when members of the human race are ushered into existence, allaying

! the bed of the child as it grows upward, and expands toward manhood or woman- hood, warding off disease, sustaining the health, and conquering deformities; at middle age he is present, for, along life's pathway are strewn for all a large share of the ills that flesh is heir to; and while old age has set in, and the once rosy youth or maiden passes rapidly down the plane of declining life, as grandmas and grandpas, the physician is still at bis post; and again, as the steady tread of approaching death is heard, while the eyes dim, and the elammy mantle of that awful messenger covers its victim, carry- ing the humble life into the great blaze of eternity, the physician is still there, exerting his utmost knowledge to prolong the spark or to ease the suffering. God

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.

bless the physician-if honest and sincere he is a blessing to the world.

Ax to progress, the medical world has mide wonderful strides, and, in the fu- ture, will undoubtedly keep up its onward march. In this respect that able man, Prof. I. II. Stearns, health officer of Mil- wankee, and for many years surgeon of the Soldiers' Home at that place, once said: "It is doubtful whether it is won- derful that medical science has advanced the way it has, in the past fifty years, or stupidity that the advancement was not

made years ago. * * * For instance, years ago-but while the practice of medicine was as old as Rome-the dis- covery was made that boiled oil was not good for gun and pistol shot wounds. What a discovery! It is handed down to us that on a certain battle field the sur- geon ran out of boiled oil, and so as not to discourage his patients he used cold water, pretending it was oil. It is not strange to us that the water patients speedily recovered with little pain, while the oil patients, if they recovered at all, did so in spite of the oil. ** * Prof. Stearns continned at length, relating the present method of treating fever, the giving of plenty of water, which, but a few years ago, was absolutely forbidden, and many other scientific items in regard to present practice which would be of in- terest, but space forbids.

In all ages of the world, among civil- ized and uncivilized people, the medical profession 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 ac-

tnal 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 hitman 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 every expression of countenance for a ray of hope.

The members of the medical fra- ternity of Winnebago county have, with few, if any exceptions, been true to their work and an honor to the pro- fession. They have ever been ready to respond to the call of duty. The win- ter'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, has escaped the experience of sufferings that would have deterred those in any other profes- sion, in response to a summons to attend the bedside of a sick and suffering one. They have been compelled to cross track- less prairies, to face the dreaded blizzard from the north, often with no hope of fee or reward, but only, if possible, to relieve those who plead for their care. All this has been done by the physicians of Win- nebago county withont complaint, and if the good deeds of the profession are not remembered and appreciated by those who have received their aid, a time will come when these acts of kindness will be remembered and rewarded.

In the following review of the medical | profession, those who have practiced only

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.

for a time will be briefly noticed first, and then in regular order will be taken up the representatives of the profession in 1883.

REMINISCENCE OF EARLY PRACTICE.

[By W. H. Jones, M. D.]

The writer of this article, after due consideration, left his home in DeKalb Co., Ill., on the 18th day of December, 1869, to seek a location in the then fron- tier of Iowa. Arriving in Forest City on the 23d of the same month that the Chica- go, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad had its terminus at Mason City. On inquiring of some of the old settlers in Mason City about this town (Forest City), there were very few who knew the place by its proper name, it being universally known by the name of Pueker Brush, and I was fre- quently told that it was madness to think of going there to practice medieine, as all there was there were muskrats, mink, deer and a few hunters. However, I was not daunted by their statements, and here I am.

My first work was to form the acquaint- ance of the leading men of the town at that time, and, by the way, they are the leading men to-day.

I might mention some of their names, Hon. David Secor, Eugene Secor, J. W. Mahoney, B. A. Plummer, and others. Some have passed to that bourn from which no traveler returneth; some have moved farther west, and others have taken their places.

Well for my first experience: The people, hearing that a young physician had or was about to locate in Forest City, called a meeting to take into considera- tion the feasibility of organizing a ceme-

tery association. Of course, I was invited to attend. After the formality of an or- ganization had been gone through with, i. e., appointment of a chairman, secre- tary, etc., the object of the meeting being announced, a number of the citizens were called on to give their views on the mat- ter. One of the oldest inhabitants being called on, made his speech as follows: "Mr. President, fellow-citizens, ladies and gentlemen :- I calkalate that my idees is that we have lived here nigh on to fif- teen years, and have had no use for a burying ground. But I have hearn tell that there is a doctor here now, and I think we had better have a grave-yard, as I recon we will need it."

I, of course, thought this a severe drive at me, but I took the joke and enjoyed it as much as the others present.

My first patient: One of our esteemed citizens was suffering with an abseess, and was under the care of a spiritualistic doctor, and when I was called excited the wrath of Mr. Spirit, who very indignantly inquired of me what I had given him. I told him that I had used iron. This was a good thing for the doctor, and it was not long before all the people had heard that Mr. W. had a boil, and "that fool of a doctor was giving him irou." Some took the trouble to inquire if such was the case, and I told them it was, but that I had given it in a very concentrated form, i. e., that I had opened the abseess with my lance, and the patient was doing well. Then the spiritualist said that my "reck- less interference would be the death of some one yet."

My next call was on the morning of Dec. 28, 1869. I was called in great

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.

haste, the messenger informing me that the man was about dead or he thought dying. I hastened to the house and found the man dead with a large piece of fat pork in his month. The friends informed me that he had gone to the table as usual, but on taking the first mouthful, fell from his chair dead. I gave it as my opinion that disease of the heart was the cause of death. This did not satisfy some of the curious people, and they freely stated that, in their opinion, there had been some foul play. Well, my friend of grave-yard fame came to my aid and said: "Now we have a doctor, we had better adopt the customs of civilization and have something scientific," and he suggested a post mortem.

The autopsy proved my opinion to be correct, and the man wasinterred with all the customs of a civilized country, and thus the first subject for the new ceme- tery was furnished.

I presume all doctors pass through about the same experiences. I had not been here long when an esteemed lady was free in expressing her opinion as to the worth of the new doctor. She stated that she "would not have that young fel- low doctor any thing for her unless it was her eat." This was at that time some- what annoying. but now, amusing to me. However, I did not have long to wait be- fore this dame called on me. She was taken suddenly sick and I of course re- sponded to the eall. On entering the honse I laid off my coat, hat and gloves, took a seat, and very submissively told the lady to "bring on her cat," as I sup- posed that was what she wanted me to treat. Iler reply was: "Oh! you wicked

thing, I have changed my mind now, and wish you to give me some medicine to ease my pain." This I did and the lady to-day is one of my best friends.

Another very amusing thing occurred. A young couple who had obeyed the divine command to "multiply" ete., called on our spiritualistic friend. I presume he thought it strange, but on entering the house he turned his face heavenward and remarked-"stuck in the inud, eh." After a few more similar remarks, he was es- corted out of the house and the "young doctor" was called, and thus another friend was secured. All this was very en- couraging at that time. Again, in the spring of 1870, on a Sunday afternoon, as I was on the way to make a visit about three miles north of town, I met a mes- senger coming after me to go to the ex- treme north part of the county. After traveling along by-paths, over grubs and across sloughs, I arrived at the place of destination about 11 o'clock, P. M. I found the family in a log cabin, living in the full style of frontier life. There was no table or chairs, and the only seats were a block of wood and a log bench. The bedstead was a very crude affair, made by boring holes in the logs and driving in pegs, upon which poles were laid. The people were very hospitable and invited me to partake, but their bountiful repast was too much for me, so I declined with the plea of not being hungry. On ac- count of the darkness, and there being no road to travel, I was compelled to remain until morning. They had no extra bed, and there being nothing to recline on, ex- cept the long bench, I conceived the idea of making a bed of it. From being aceus-

J. m. Hull M. D.

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JIISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.

tomed to four years of army life, this was no great task, so I placed a sack of grain on end for a pillow and turned in for the night. I had not been asleep long, before I was awakened in great torment. On casting my eyes over my shirt sleeves, I discovered, to my horror, a swarm of those little aminalis that were so plenti- ful in the sand around Ft. Wagoner, S. C., that credited so much disturbance of our peace and comfort, (not by bit- ing as you may suppose), but by jump. ing up and sitting down so quick and often. But these things, like the noble red man, deer, prairie chicken, beaver, otter, etc., have gone toward the setting sun beyond the pale of civilization. Well, I passed the night as comfortable as pos- sible under the circumstances, and at dawn of day prepared to return home When I was about to start, the good mai inquired how much I charged. On look ing everything over, I thought the people very poor, and told him the usual fee was $25, but under the circumstances, I would charge him $10. You can imagine my sur prise, on his pulling an old chest from under the bed, and taking out an old wallet, from which he took a roll of green- backs that did not contain less than $400 or $500. I began to wish that 1 could hire some small boy to gently brush my coat tails until I got home.

To return to our spiritual friend, he had, what was called at that day, a drug store. He had on his shelves some bot- tles labeled after his own idea, as follows: "Spt camp fire," (camphor); "blak hash," (black cohosh); "worm fuge,"(vermifuge); "powderd robbarb," (rhubarb); and a full pound of calomel, properly labeled,

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History of Kossuth, Hancock, and Winnebago counties, Iowa; together with sketches of their cities, villages, and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 99

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 950

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 950