USA > Iowa > Monona County > History of Monona County, Iowa; containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 12
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the year 1874, at the advanced age of eighty-two years.
The only son born to Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Gear was J. Il., afterward the distinguished Governor of Iowa. As above stated the birth occurred in 1825. In 1843, when still a young man, he came West to Burlington, where he has since continued to reside, her most distinguished citizen. Shortly after his arrival in the young city, he embarked in his mer- cantile career, engaging at the time with the firm of Bridgman & Bros., in the capacity of a clerk. Remaining with this firm for a little over a year, he left them for an engagement with W. F. Cool- haugh, who at one time was President of the Union National Bank, of Chicago, and who at that early period was the leading merchant of Eastern Iowa. Ile served Mr. Coolbaugh so faithfully, and with such marked ability for the following five years, that, when desirous of a partner in his busi- ness, the wealthy merchant could find no one in whom he could place greater confidence and with whom he could trust his extensive business rela- tions that pleased him better than the young clerk. Accordingly he was associated as a partner under the firm name of W. F. Coolbaugh & Co. Under this arrangement the firm did a prosperous busi- ness for the following five years, when Mr. Gear purchased the entire business, which he carried on with marked success until he became known as the oldest wholesale grocer in the State. Ile is at present, besides filling other prominent business relations, President of the Rolling Mill Co., of Galesburg
148
JOHN H. GEAR.
Mr.Gear has been honored by his fellow-citizens with many positions of trust. In 1852 he was elected Alderman; in 1863 was elected Mayor over A. W. Carpenter, being the first Republican np to that time who had been elected in Burlington on a party issue. In 1867 the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railroad Company was organ- ized, and he was chosen as its President. His of- forte highly contributed to the success of the enter- prise, which did much for Burlington. Ile was also active in promoting the Burlington & South- western Railway, as well as the Burlington & North- western narrow-gange road.
He has always acted with the Republican party, and in 1871 was nominated and elected a member of the House of Representatives of the 14th General Assembly. In 1873 he was elected to the 15th General Assembly. The Republican eau- eus of the House nominated him for Speaker by acclamation, and after a contest of two weeks he was chosen over his opponent, J. W. Dixon. Ile filled the position of Speaker very acceptably, and at the close of the session all the members of the Monse, independent of party affiliations, joined in signing their names to a resolution of thanks, which was engraved and presented to him. In 1875 he was the third time nominated to the Assembly by the Republican party, and while his county gave a large Democratic vote he was again elected. He was also again nominated for Speaker by the Re- publican canens, and was elected by a handsome majority over his competitor, Hon. John Y. Stone. lle is the only man in the State who ever had the honor of being chosen to this high position a sec- ond time. He enjoys the reputation of being an able parliamentarian, his rulings never having been appealed from. At the close of the session he again received the unanimons thanks of the House of Representatives for his courtesy and impartiality, and for the able and satisfactory manner in which he had presided over that body.
In 1877 he was nominated for Governor by the Republican convention which met at Des Moines, June 28, and at the election hekdl the following October he received 121,546 votes, against 79,353 for John P. Irish, 10,639 for Elias Jessup and 38,- 128 for D. P. Stubbs. His plurality over Irish
was 42,193. Ile was inaugurated Jan. 17, 1878. and served four years, being re-elected in 1879 by the following handsome vote: Gear, 157,571 Trimble, 85,056 ; Campbell, 45, 139 ; Dungan, 3,258, Gear's majority over all competitors, 23,828. IIis second inauguration occurred in January of the year 1880.
Gov. Gear's business habits enabled him to dis charge the duties of his office with marked abil'y Ile found the financial condition of the State at : low ebb, but raised lowa's credit to that of the best of our States. In his last biennial message he was able to report: " The warrants out-standing, but not bearing interest, Sept. 30, 1881, amounted to $22,093.74, and there are now in the treasury ample funds to meet the current expenses of the State. The war and defense debt has been paid, except the warrants for $125,000 negotiated by the Executive, Auditor and Treasurer, under the law of the 18th General Assembly, and $2,500 of the original bonds not yet presented for pay . ment. The only other debt owing by the State amounts to 8245,435.19, due to the permanen? school fund, a portion of which is made irredeem able by the Constitution. These facts place Iowa practically among the States which have no debt, a consideration which must add much to her repa tation. The expenses of the State for the last two years are less than those of any other period since 1869, and this notwithstanding the fact that the State is to-day sustaining several institutions not then in existence; namely, the hospital at Inde- pendence, the additional penitentiary, the Normal School and the asylum for the feeble-minded chil- dren, besides the girl's department of the reform school. The State also, at present, makes provision for tish culture, for a useful weather service, fo sanitary supervision by a Board of Health, for cu couraging immigration to the State, for the inspec tion of coal mines by a State Inspector, and liber- ally for the military arm of the Government."
Gov. Gear is now in the sixty-first year of his age, and is in the full vigor of both his mental and physical faculties. He was married in 1852 to Harriet S. Foot, formerly of the town of Middle- bury, Vermont, by whom he has had four children two of whom are living.
THE NE 7 PUBLIC
. CTC
B. R. Sherman,
GOVERNORS OF IOWA.
15:
Buren
Me. Sherman.
-
NE of the most distinguished gentlemen who was ever honored with the position of Chief Executive of the State is Buren R. Sherman. the eleventh Governor of Jowa, who is a native of New York. It was in the town of Phelps, in On- tario County, that he was born to his parents, Phineas L. and Eveline (Robinson) Sherman, on the 28th of May, 1836, and was the third son of a distinguished family of children. IIis parents were likewise natives of the Empire State. Buren R. attended the public schools of his neighborhood, but was subsequently given advantages of the schools at Almira, N. Y., where he acquired a very thorough knowledge of the English branches. Ilis father, who was a me- chanie, advised him at the close of his studies to apprentice himself to learn some trade. lle ac- cordingly made such arrangements with S. Ayers, of Almira, to learn the trade of a watchmaker. In 1855, however, he left this position and joined his family on their removal to the then new State of lowa. They settled upon a piece of unbroken prai- rie land on what is now Geneseo Township, Tama
County, his father having previously purchased land from the Government. Ilere Buren R. labered diligently in developing his father's fields, devoting. however, leisure hours which he was granted, to the study of law. Before leaving his Eastern home he had decided upon that profession and began its study while yet in Almira. Hle soon secured a po- sition as a book-keeper in a neighboring town, and with the wages earned there, materially assisted his father in the development of their home farm. In the meantime he had applied himself diligently to the study of his books, and so studious had he been that in the summer of 1859, he was enabled to pass a creditable examination and to be admitted to the bar. The following spring the young attor- ney moved to Vinton, hung out his shingle and be -- gan the practice of his profession. He was associated with IIon. William Smyth, formerly District Judge, and J. C. Traer, under the firm name of Smyth: Traer & Sherman. The new firm rapidly grew into prominence, building up a prosperous practice, when Mr. Sherman withdrew to tender his services to the Government in defense of her integrity and honor.
It was early in 1861, directly after the enemy had assaulted the American flag on Sumter, that the young attorney enlisted in Co. G, 13th lowa Vol.
r52
BUREN R. SHERMAN.
Inf., and immediately went to the front. Il℮ entered the service as Second Sergeant, and in February, 1862, was made Second Lieutenant of Company E. On the 6th of April following he was very severely wounded at the battle of Pittsburgh Landing, and while in the hospital was promoted to the rank of Captain. Ile returned to his company while yet obliged to use his crutches, and remained on duty till the summer of 1863, when, by reason of his wound, he was compelled to resign and return home. Soon after returning from the army he was elected County Judge of Benton County, and re- elected without opposition in 1865. In the autumn of 1866 he resigned his judgeship and accepted the office of Clerk of the District Court, to which he was re-elected in 1868, 1870 and 1872, and in December, 1871, resigned in order to accept the office of Auditor of State, to which office he had been elected by a majority of 28, 125 over J. M. King, the " anti-monopoly " candidate. In 1876 he was renominated and received 50,272 more votes than W. Growneweg (Democrat) and Leonard Browne (Greenback) together. In 1878 he was again chosen to represent the Republican party in that office, and this time received a major- ity of 7,164 over the combined votes of Col. Eiboeck (Democrat) and G. V. Swearenger (Green- back). In the six years that he held this office, he was untiring in his faithful application to routine work and devotion to his special share of the State's business. He retired with such an enviable record that it was with no surprise the people learned, June 27, 1881, that he was the nominee of the Re- publican party for Governor.
The campaign was an exciting one. The General Assembly had submitted to the people the prohibi- tory amendment to the Constitution. This, while not a partisan question, became uppermost in the mind of the public. Mr. Sherman received 133,- 330 votes, against 83,244 for Kinne and 28,112 for D. M. Clark, or a plurality of 50,086 and a major- ity of 21,971. In 1883 he was re-nominated by the Republicans, as well as 1. G. Kinne by the Democrats. The National party offered J. B. Weaver. During the campaign these candidates held a number of joint discussions at different points in the State. At the election the vote was:
Sherman, 161,182; Kinne, 139,093. Weaver, 23. 089; Sherman's plurality, 25,089; majority, 2,000 In his second inaugural Gov. Sherman said :
" In assuming, for the second time, the office of Chief Magistrate for the State, I fully realize my grateful obligations to the people of lowa, through whose generous confidence Ham here. I am aware of the duties and grave responsibilities of this ex- alted position, and as well what is expected of me therein. As in the past I have given my undivided time and serions attention thereto, so in the future I promise the most earnest devotion and untiring effort in the faithful performance of my official re- quirements. I have seen the State grow from in- fancy to mature manhood, and each year one of substantial betterment of its previous position.
" With more railroads than any State, save two; with a school interest the grandest and strongest, which commands the support and confidence of all the people, and a population, which in its entirety is superior to any other in the sisterhood, it is not strange the pride which attaches to our people. When we remember that the results of our efforts in the direction of good government have been crowned with such magnificent success, and to-day we have a State in most perfeet physical and finan - cial condition, no wonder our hearts swell in honest pride as we contemplate the past and so confidently hope for the future. What we may become de- pends on our own efforts, and to that future I look with earnest and abiding confidenee."
Gov. Sherman's term of office continued until Jan. 14, 1886, when he was succeeded by William Larra- bee, and he is now, temporarily, perhaps, enjoying a well-earned rest. Ile has been a Republican since the organization of that party, and his services as a campaign speaker have been for many years in great demand. As an officer he has been able to make an enviable record. Himself honorable and thorough, his management of publie business has been of the same character, and such as has com :- mended him to the approval of his fellow-citizens.
Ile was married, Aug. 20, 1862, to Miss Lena Kendall, of Vinton. Iowa, a young lady of rare ac- complishments and strength of character. Their union has been happy in every respect. They have two children-Lena Kendall and Oscar Eugene.
YORK LIBRARY
A IJR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.
W Lw
15
GOVERNORS OF IOWA.
William
Larrabee.
ILLIAM LARRABEE, the present able Governor of Iowa, and the twelfth gen- tleman selected by the people as the Chief Magis- trate of the great Com- monwealth, is a native of Connecticut. His ancestors were among the French Huguenots who came to America early in the seventeenth on century and located in Connecticut. At that time they bore the name of d'Larra- bee. Adam Larrabee, the father of Will- iam, was born March 14, 1787, and was one of the early graduates of the West Point Military Academy. He served his country during the War of 1812, with distinction, hokling the position of Second Lieutenant, to which he was commissioned March 1, 1811. He was pro- moted to the Captaincy of his company Feb. 1, 1814, and on the 30th of the following March. at the battle of Lacole Mills, during Gen. Wilkinson's campaign on the Saint Lawrence River, he was severely wounded in the luing. lle eventually re- covered from the injury and was united in mar- riage to Hannah G. Lester. This much esteemed lady was born June 8, 1798, and died on the 15th of March, 1837. Capt. Larrabee lived to an ad- vanced age, dying in 1869, at the age of eighty- two years.
As above mentioned, William, our subject, was
born in Connecticut, the town of Ledyard being the place of his birth and Jan. 20, 1832, the date. He was the seventh child in a family of nine chil- dren, and passed the early years of his life upon a rugged New England farm, enjoying very meager educational advantages. Ile attended, during the winter seasons, the neighboring distriet schools until he reached the age of nineteen years, when, during the following two winters, he filled the posi- tion of schoolmaster. He was ambitious to do something in life for himself that would bring fort- une and distinction, but in making his plans for the future he was embarrassed by a misfortune which hefell him when fourteen years of age. In being trained to the use of firearms under his father's direction, an accidental discharge resulted in the loss of the sight in the right eye. This conse- quently unfitted him for many employments usually sought by ambitious young men. The family lived near the seashore, only two miles away, and in that neighborhood it was the custom for at least one son in each family to go upon the sea as a sailor. The two eldest brothers of our subject had chosen this occupation while the third remained in charge of the home farm. William was thus left free to chose for himself and, like many of the youths of that day, he wisely turned his face West- ward. The year 1853 found him on this journey toward the setting sun, stopping only when he came to the broad and fertile prairies of the new State of Iowa, lle first joined his older sister, Mrs
156
WILLIAM LARRABEE.
E. II. Williams, who was at that time living at Garnavillo, Clayton County. It was this circum- stance which led the young boy from Connecticut to select his future home in the northeastern por- tion of Iowa. He resumed his occupation as a pedagogne, teaching. however, but one winter, which was passed at Hardin. The following three years he was employed in the capacity of foreman on the Grand Meadow farm of his brother-in-law, Judge Williams.
In 1857 he bought a one-third interest in the Clermont Mills, and located at Clermont, Fayette County. He soon was able to buy the other two- thirds, and within a year found himself sole owner. Ile operated this mill until 1874 when he soll to S. M. Leach. On the breaking out of the war he offered to enlist, but was rejected on account of the loss of his right eye. Being informed he might possibly be admitted as a commissioned officer, he raised a company and received a commission as First Lieutenant, but was again rejected for the same disability.
After selling the mill Mr. Larrabee devoted him- self to farming, and started a private bank at Cler- mont. lle also, experimentally, started a large nursery, but this resulted only in confirming the belief that Northern Towa has too rigorous a chi- mate for fruit-raising.
Mr. Larrabee did not begin his political career until 1867. He was reared as a Whig and became a Republican on the organization of that party. While interested in politics he generally refused local offices, serving only as Treasurer of the School Board prior to 1867. In the autumn of that year, on the Republican ticket, he was elected to represent his county in the State Senate. To this high position he was re-elected from time to time, so that he served as Senator continuously for eighteen years before being promoted to the high- est office in the State. He was so popular at home that he was generally re-nominated by acclamation, and for some years the Democrats did not even
make nominations. During the whole cighteen Years Senator Larrabee was a member of the prin- cipal committee, that on Ways and Means, of which he was generally Chairman, and was also a member of other committees. In the pursuit of the duties thus devolving upon him, he was indefatigable. It is said that he never missed a committee meet- ing. Not alone in this, but in private and public business of all kinds, his uniform habit is that of close application to work. Many of the important measures passed by the Legislature owe their ex- istence or present form to him.
He was a candidate for the gubernatorial nomina- tion in 1881, but entered the contest too late, as Gov. Sherman's following had been successfully organized. In 1885 it was generally conceded be- fore the meeting of the convention that he would be nominated, which he was, and his election fol- lowed as a matter of course. He was inaugurated Jan. 11, 1886, and so far has made an excellent Governor. Ilis position in regard to the liquor question, that on which political fortunes are made and lost in Iowa, is that the majority should rule. Ile was personally in favor of high license, but having been elected Governor, and sworn to up. holl the Constitution and execute the laws, he pro- poses to do so.
A Senator who sat beside him in the Senate de clares him to be "a man of the broadest compre- hension and information, an extraordinarily elear reasoner, fair and conscientious in his conclusions, and of Spartau firmness in his matured judgment," and says that "he brings the practical facts and philosophy of human nature, the science and his- tory of law, to aid in his decisions, and adheres with the earnestness of Jefferson and Sumner to the fundamental principles of the people's rights."
Gov. Larrabee was married Sept. 12, 1861, at Cler- mont, to Anna M. Appelman, daughter of Capt. G. A. Appelman. Gov. Larrabee has seven ehil- dren-Charles, Augusta, Julia, Anna, William, Frederic and IIelen.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC L BhAni
ASTOR LENOX & TILDEN FOUNDATION -.
Haran Baias
GOVERNORS OF IOWA.
159
Horace
oies.
ORACE BOIES, Governor of Iowa, is a lawyer by profession, and a resident of the city of Waterloo, of this State, where he has been in active prac- 0 tice since April, 1867. Governor Boies is a son of Eber and Hettie (Henshaw ) Boies, and was born in Aurora, Erie County, N. Y., on the 7th day of December, 1827. His father was a farmer by occupation, and in moderate circumstances, and Horace was reared under the healthful and moral influences of farm life. Hle attended the public schools, as op- portunity afforded, until sixteen years of age, when being inspired with an ambition to see more of the world than had been possible for him within the narrow limits of his native town, with the added variety of an occasional visit to Buffalo, he per- suaded his parents to consent to his departure for the West. Passage was secured on a steamer at Buffalo, which was bound up the lakes, and in due time he landed at the little hamlet of Racine, Wis. This was in the spring of 1843, while Wisconsin
was a Territory and but sparsely settled. The total cash assets of the youthful emigrant amounted to but seventy-five cents, which necessitated strict economy and immediate employment. Not finding a favorable opening at Racine he struck out on foot in search of work among the farmers, which he secured with a settler near Rochester, and some twenty miles from Racine. His employer proved a hard task-master and kept the boy hard at the la- borious work of ditch digging, while he stinted him at meals. After a month spent in a half- starved condition, and over-worked, the subject of our sketch received the sum of 810 for his services, and broken down in health, moved on a few miles, where he luckily fell in with a family that had moved from the neighborhood of his home. They proved true friends and kindly cared for him through a long illness, that was the legitimate con- sequence of his previous month of hardship and starvation.
On recovering his health, young Boies continned at farm work until a year had elapsed since he had left his home. Ile then returned to his native town, having learned the useful lesson of self-re- liance, which in after years enabled him to more easily overcome the difficulties that beset the way
160
HORACE BOIES.
of him who has to hew out his own road to success.
On his return to Aurora, Mr. Boies pursued a course of study at the Aurora Academy. and later spent one winter in teaching school in Boone County, Ill. Returning to New York, he was mar- ried in Aurora, on the 18th of April, 1848, to Miss Adela King, a daughter of Darius and Hannah King. Mrs. Boies was born in Erie County, N. Y. Three children were born of their union, of whom only one is now living, a daughter, Adela, who was the wife of John W. Carson, now deceased. Mrs. Carson resides at Mt. Vernon. lowa.
In 1850 Mr. Boies began the study of law in Au- rora and pursued it in that place and also in Bos, ton, of Erie County ; and was admitted to the bar at Buffalo, at the general term of the Supreme Court in November, 1852. He pursued the prac- tice of his profession in Buffalo and vicinity with marked success, and in the fall of 1857 was chosen to represent his district in the New York House of Representatives, for the session of 1858.
In the autumn of 1855 Mr. Boies was called to mourn the loss of his wife, who died in November, of that year. He was married again in December, 1858. in Waterloo, Iowa, to Miss Versalia M. Bar- ber, a daughter of Dr. P. J. Barber. Mrs. Boies was born in Boston. Erie County, N. Y., and had removed to lowa six months prior to her marriage. She died in April, 1877, leaving three children, a daughter and two sons. Earl L., the eldest, was graduated at Cornell College, studied law with his father, was admitted to the bar in 1886, and is now his father's partner. Jessie, the only daughter, is her father's companion and housekeeper. Herbert B .. the youngest, is a law student, reading law in his father's office.
Mr. Boies after pursuing the practice of his pro- fession at Buffalo and vieinity for fifteen years, re- moved to lowa, and settled at Waterloo, in April, 1867. Hle at once formed a law partnership with II. B. Allen, and for a time the firm was Boies & Allen, then Carlton F. Couch, the present district judge. was admitted to membership, and the firm name be- came Boies, Allen & Couch. That connection was continued until 1878, when Mr. Allen, on account of failing health, was obliged to withdraw. The firm continued under the style of Boies & Couch until
1884, when Mr. Couch was elected Judge of the Ninth Judicial District. Mr. Boies was then alone in business for a short time, until joined by his eldest son, E. L. In 1886 Mr. James L. Husted was admitted to membership in the firm, which has since continued under the name of Boies, Husted & Boies, and which is widely known as a leading law firm of Eastern Iowa.
Gov. Boies was a Whig in early life, and on the disruption of that party and the formation of the Republican party, he joined the latter. But he was never ambitious to serve in official positions, and with the exception of one term in the New York Legislature and one term as City Attorney at Wa- terloo, he held no office of consequence until elected Governor of Iowa in the fall of 1889. He main- tained his connection with the Republican party until 1882, since which time he has alfiliated with the Democrats. Gov. Boies enjoys the distinction of being the first Governor of Iowa elected by the Democratic party for a period of thirty-five years, and was the only successful candidate of his party on the State ticket at the late election. Consider- ing the fact that the State was carried the year pre- vious in the Presidential election, by a majority of thirty-five thousand in favor of the Republicans. the success of Gov. Boies may be said to have been a marked compliment to him as a man and a leader. without disparaging the splendid campaign work of his party managers, or ignoring the effect of the evi- dent change in popular political sentiment in lowa.
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