USA > Iowa > Clayton County > Portrait and biographical record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton counties, Iowa. Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 13
USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > Portrait and biographical record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton counties, Iowa. Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 13
USA > Iowa > Jones County > Portrait and biographical record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton counties, Iowa. Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 13
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Mr. Michel is a native of Germany, his birth
having oeeurred in Hessc-Darmstadt on the 12th of October, 1824. His parents were Johannus and Catherine (Nonkassar) Michel, and they too were natives of Germany. Their family numbered six children, four sons and two daughters. The fa- ther was a farmer by occupation and followed that pursuit throughout his entire life. Our subject attended the public schools of his native land until his fourteenth year, when his father died, and a week later his mother passed away. He was thus left an orphan. After the death of his par- ents he began learning the shoemaker's trade, serv- ing a three years' apprenticeship to the same in Offenbach. After completing his term of service he traveled through southern Germany, and in France and Switzerland, working as a journey- man, but did not find a plaec which scemed to him to offer the attractions and advantages which were attributed to the New World. This led him to seek a home in the United States, and in 1847 hc took passage on a westward bound sailing-vessel, which a few weeks later dropped anchor in the harbor of New York. IIc went at once to St. Louis, Mo., where he spent two years working at the shocmaker's trade, and in 1850 he eame to Du- buque, where he has since made his home. Here hc embarked in the manufacture of shoes on his own account. He began operations on a small scale, but as time passed his business increased and he employed a force of twenty-five workmen. The work was all done by hand until 1859. In that year Mr. Michel added a stock of ready made boots and shoes, and as his business increased he enlarged his facilities until he was at the head of a lucrative trade. In this line he continued until 1893, when he retired, having in the meantime ac- quired a comfortable competence. He owns two good store buildings, which he rents out to other parties, and in addition has other valuable city property.
Turning from the publie to the private life of Mr. Michiel, we note that in the year 1852 he was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Krakow, of Dubuque. To their union were born the follow- ing children; Katie; Sophia, deceased; F. Will- iam, who now resides in California; Henry, a well known attorney of Dubuque; Benjamin, who is
GEORGE W. JONES.
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engaged in the practice of medicine, and Philip, who is a salesman. In his political views Mr. Michel is a Republican, and is a member of the Universal- ist Church. His life has been well and worthily passed, and all who know him esteem him highly for his sterling worth. It was a fortunate day for him when he sailed for America, and his brightest hopes have been realized. He has found not only a comfortable home, but has also made many friends and gained a handsome competence, which supplies him with all the necessities and many of the luxuries of life.
6,
EN. GEORGE WALLACE JONES makes his home in Dubuque, Iowa, but his naine and facc are familiar throughout the state, and his well spent life is one worthy of emulation. He was born in Vincennes, Ind., April 12, 1804, and when quite young went to Ste. Genevieve, Mo. Between the years of ten and eleven he served as drummer boy in Capt. William Linn's company, organized at that city for service in the War of 1812. His cducation was acquired in Transyl- vania University of Kentucky, from which he was graduated in July, 1825.
While in the university, our subject first made the acquaintance of Henry Clay, who at the re- quest of the General's father became the guardian of the young man. In November, 1823, at Lex- ington, Ky., he was Sergeant of the body guard to General Jackson at the time of his first election to the United States Senate from Tennessec. In somewhat of royal splendor that statesman made his first trip to Washington as United States Sena- tor. His coach was drawn by four blooded horses, with a negro slave as driver, another negro as postman and a third on horseback as outrider. He was escorted into Lexington by tens of thousands of enthusiastic Kentuckians, who delighted to do him honor. When tired, he would find recreation in getting out of his coach and mounting the horse of the outrider, and it was while so doing that General Jones became acquainted with him,
In May, 1824, our subject acted in the same capa- city on the occasion of the reception tendered Marquis de La Fayette at Lexington.
His literary studies completed, General Jones commenced to read law, and was later admitted to the Bar; he became Clerk of the United States District Court at Ste. Genevieve, Mo., but im- paired health forced him to seek a cooler climate. In 1827 he settled in the lead regions seven miles from Dubuque, at the celebrated Sinsinawa Mound, now in Wisconsin, then in what was known as Michigan Territory. He became a farmer, mer- chant, miner and smelter. With others he discov- ered the Karrick Mine, two miles from the center of Dubuque.
In the Black Hawk War Gen. George Wallace Jones served as aide-de-camp to Gen. Henry Dodge, and was afterward elected Colonel of Militia. At the termination of the Black Hawk War, he was waited upon by a committee from Iowa County, Mich., and importuned to become a candidate for Colonel of the militia, which he emphatically deelined. Ile was, however, without his consent run against Capt. William S. Hamilton, a son of the celebrated Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the United States Treasury, who was killed by Aaron Burr in a duel. He was commissioned as Colonel and successor of Gen. Henry Dodge, whose aide-de-camp he had been through the Black Hawk War and duly commissioned by Gov- crnor Porter, of Detroit. A short time afterwards he was waited upon by a committec, appointed by a large meeting of citizens, and informed that he was unanimously recommended to Governor Porter for the office of Chief Justice of the Court of Iowa County, the next highest eourt in the ter- ritory. He went to the meeting, and after tender- ing thanks for the honor conferred on him, de- clincd to accept the compliment on the ground that he already held the most important office in the county, that he was no lawyer and had more business to attend to than lic could perform. Ad- dresses were made to him by thrce personal friends and able attorneys-at-law, Messrs. Charles S. HIcmpsted, Benjamin Mills and John Turney, of Galena, Ill., and he was urged to accept the recom- mendation offered him. But he persisted in declin-
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ing it; James Murphy was substituted and recom- mended to Governor Porter for appointment and a committee was appointed to send the proceed- ings of the meeting to the Governor of the ter- ritory. In due time his commission as Chief Justice was sent to him by the Hon. Stevens T. Mason, the Secretary of the territory, with an earnest request that he would accept the office. Secretary Mason had been a college mate of Mr. Jones at Transylvania University, in Lexington, Ky., and so Mr. Jones accepted the appointment. Mr. Jones continued to fill the office of Chief Justice until October, 1835, when he was unani- mously recommended by a very large meeting of the people as a candidate for Delegate to Congress from the territory of Michigan. He accepted the nomination and was elected by a large majority over his three distinguished competitors, Hon. Messrs. J. D. Doty, Morgan L. Martin and W. W. Woodbridge.
In September, 1836, General Jones was again elected as the first Delegate to Congress from the new territory of Wisconsin over the Hon. James D. Doty, of Green Bay, and Thomas P. Burnett, of Prairie du Chien.
General Jones, under the advice of his life-long friend, Dr. Lewis F. Linn, afterwards for three times U. S. Senator in Congress from Missouri, was induced to abandon the study of law, luxurious living and confinement and to follow his half brother, Gen. Henry Dodge, to the Fever River lead mines in the then territory of Miehi- gan, now Wisconsin. He had lost his health whilst reading law, and suffered for two years with dyspepsia, and nervous and bilious fevers.
General Jones' father was the Hon. John Rice Jones, who was born at Malwydd, in Merionth- shire, Wales. Ile was graduated at the great Uni- versity of Oxford, England, where he took three degrees from the university, viz .: A. B. and M. D. and afterwards L. B., Bachelor of Laws. He was first married at Breeon, in Wales, to a Miss Eliza Powell, by whom he had two children, Rice and Maria. He practiced law a short time in London, Great Britain, and then came to Phila- delphia, Pa., where he became the warm friend of Benjamin Franklin, Myers, Fisher and other
eminent men. He soon emigrated to Louisville, Ky., where he practiced law and became the law nember of the army of General George Rogers Clark and followed that great General in his acqui- sition of the Northwestern Territory. He then settled in Vincennes, Iowa, and became the first lawyer at that place. He lost his first wife at Vincennes; Miss Mary Baryer became his second wife, by whom he had eight children. His first son, Rice, was assassinated at Kaskaskia by a Dr. Dunlap, who immediately fled from the eoun- try and has never been heard of since. John Rice Jones was a very learned man, understanding per- feetly the English, Latin, Greek, Welsh, French and Spanish languages. He was a member of the convention of Missouri from Washington County in 1820; he drew the first draft of its Constitu- tion and was made a Justice of the Supreme Court of the state and continued to occupy that station until he died in St. Louis, Mo., on the first day of February, 1824. He would have been sixty-five years of age had he lived to the 11th of that month. General Jones' mother was born in Pennsyl- vania and was regarded as a beautiful young lady. She died at the age of about seventy-two years. She was a Spanish. English, French and German scholar and died a devout Christian at Potosi, Mo. Three of General Jones' brothers emigrated to 'Texas. The eldest was twiee Postmaster General of Texas under its first President, Gen. Samuel Houston, who afterwards served as a brother United States Senator with this same George W. Jones and was a warm personal and political friend. The other two brothers were John and Augustus, and his two brothers-in-law were, Hon. John Seott, for ten or twelve years delegate in Congress from Missouri State and Territory, and Andrew, one of the Supreme Judges of Arkansas, who organized that territory in 1819.
It is a singular and extraordinary circumstance that General Jones has never had one single day's sickness sinee his first six months' residenee at Sinsinawa Mound in 1827 and he is now in perfeet health, showing the wisdom of following the medical advice of his devoted friend, Dr. Linn. He went down the Mississippi River in his own large skiff, rowed by ten hired men, to whom he
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paid $4 per month. He went back to Ste. Gene- vieve, Mo., and married Josephine Gregoire there on her seventeenth birthday; she departed this life at Dubuque, on the 29th of April, 1888. They had nine children born to them, four of whom are still living.
Among his friends General Joncs numbered many of the most prominent nien of the country, including every president from James Monroc down to and including Cleveland. In 1821 he was a schoolmate of Jefferson Davis in Transyl- vania University, and the friendship there formed lasted until the death of the latter. Afterward when Davis was Second Lieutenant in the United States army, he stopped, while en route from Ga- lena to Ft. Crawford, at Prairie du Chien, and visited his former schoolmate at Sinsinawa Mound. He found him living in a log cabin in the midst of his mincs and smelting establishment and tarried with him several days. At other times he visited him, both before and after the marriage of Gen- eral Jones. When he became Secretary of War, he gave one of the General's sons a position in the army as Second Licutenant in the United States Cavalry.
When Mr. Davis became President of the South- ern Confederacy, our subject was in South Amer- ica, having been appointed minister to Bogota by President Buchanan. He wrote to his friend ex- pressing his warm friendship and high regard for him personally, but added, "Dear Jeff, do not go to war and attempt to destroy this great Union." The mails were interdicted, and the letter fell into the hands of his old time friend, William H. Se- ward. When he returned to the United States af- ter three years spent in Bogota, the Civil War was at its height. He was tendered and accepted a diplomatic dinner by Seward, who ten days after, when our subject was visiting in New York, had him arrested and sent to Ft. La Fayette Prison. One of the first official acts of his friend, E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, was to release the Gen- eral from the prison where he had been confincd sixty-four days. In releasing him, he also told him that he was blamcless, and completely exoner- ated him from all complicity in the attempt to overthrow the Government.
July 4, 1838, Mr. Jones organized Iowa Terri- tory, which he named, and aided in securing its admission into the Union. He enjoys the honor of having been elected its first United States Sena- tor. Ile was a friend of Ulysses S. Grant, whom he first knew when the war hero was a tanner. He was a trusted friend of Lewis Cass. In fact, he knew all of the prominent men of the nation who were political leaders prior to the war. Fidelity to his friends has been one of the marked char- acteristics of his life, for when his confidence and estecm have once been given, he has always been faithful and true to the recipient of his regard. He has been called the godfather of Iowa and Wisconsin, and throughout the country he is hon- ored for what he has done in opening up the northwest and bringing it into prominence. He is now living quietly in Dubuque and his ninety years rest lightly upon him.
General Jones was first elected as delegate to Congress from Michigan Territory in October, 1835, having Hon. James D. Doty, United States District Judge for Michigan Territory west of Lake Michigan, and the Hon. Morgan L. Martin, both of Green Bay, and the Hon. W. W. Woodbridge, United States District Judge of Detroit, as his three competitors. Those thrce gentleman were afterward elected to Congress from Michigan and Wisconsin, the latter being elected to the United States Senate from the state of Michigan as a Whig from that state.
General Jones served three years as Chief Jus- tice at Mineral Point in the then territory of Michigan, now Wisconsin. The Hon. John Quincy Adams, ex-President of the United States, was a warm personal friend of General Jones in the House of Representatives, and Mr. Jones' brother- in-law, Hon. John Scott, of Missouri, gave the vote of the state of Missouri that elected Mr. Adams President of the United States by the House of Representatives in February, 1825.
General Jackson as President of the United States, recognized his young friend Jones as the Sergeant of his body guard, at Lexington, Ky., in November, 1823, and never refused to grant him any favor that he asked as delegate in Congress, and he accorded to him the honor of naming all the
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men to fill the offices created for Wisconsin Terri- tory, the first time such an honor was ever given to any delegate in Congress, those offices having been always before given to citizens of the states. Presi- dent Van Buren conferred the same honor upon him at the organization of the territory of Iowa two years thereafter, on the 4th of July, 1838. No such honor was given to any delegate in the United States before Wisconsin was created, through the influence of delegate Jones, nor since, and General Jones gave the name to Wisconsin as he did to Iowa. Every President of the United States, with perhaps one exception, was the personal friend of General Jones since the administration of Presi- dent Monroe to the present time.
In 1825, whilst a law student under his brother- in-law, Hon. Jolin Scott, thie Hon. James H. Peck appointed him Clerk of the United States Dis- trict Court at Ste. Genevieve, Vice Hon. Thomas Oliver, deceased, although nearly every citizen of that city had recommended Col. Joseph D. Grafton for the place, amongst them being his brother-in- law, Mr. Scott, Gen. Henry Dodge, the Marshal of the state, afterward General in the Black Hawk War, delegate and United States Senator from Wiscon- sin, Hon. Lewis F. Linn, afterward for three terms a Senator in Congress from Missouri, the Valle families, his afterward father-in-law, the Judge say- ing that he witnessed the commencement at Tran- sylvania University, when young Jones was grad- uated, and that the office of Clerk would aid him in his studies of the law and put money in his pocket.
In 1839 President Van Buren voluntarily ap- pointed Jones Surveyor-General of Wisconsin, at Dubuque. But on the 4th of July, 1841, Jones was removed from that position under the admin- istration of President Tyler, because of his con- nection with the Celley-Graves duel in February, 1838. He persistently refused the importunities of his warm friends, Gen. Franklin Pierce, after- ward President of the United States, and others, believing, as he said at the time, that his constitu- ents would object to the samc. He twice sug- gested and demanded a suspension of the duel, but to no purpose. At the accession of President Polk, his warm personal friend, whilst the delegate from Michigan and Wisconsin Territories, as Speaker of
the House of Representatives, he restored him to the office of Surveyor-General, at Dubuque, Iowa, and in December, 1848, he was elected as Iowa's first United States Senator, and in December, 1852, he was again re-elected for six years as Senator.
In 1861, whilst United States Minister at Bogota, United States of Colombia, through his influence with Gen. T. de Mosquera, he procured the com- mutation of a Mr. Arangurin, of Venczucla, who had been condemned to death for his participation with his opponents in the then Civil War in that Republic. In like manner he secured the commu- tation of the sentence of death upon President Ospena, his brother and his Secretary of Foreign Relations, Bartolome Calvo. The four were sent into prison instead of being shot to death. They returned to their homes and in time died natural deatlıs.
On General Jones' return home from Bogota on a leave of absence from his mission, he was magnifi- cently received, on the 27th of July, by the Hon. Henry L. Stout, as Mayor of Dubuque, and a com- mittee of reception appointed by a large mecting of his fellow-citizens, when the Attorney-General of the state, the Hon. Fred E. Bissell, delivered to him an eloquent and pathetic address of welcome in the presence of several thousand of his fellow- citizens. Similar addresses were also made to him by the Hon. Thomas Rogers, Col. William J. Barney, and each of the captains of four military compan- ies, who participated in doing him honor.
On the 4th of April, 1894, at the suggestion of his Excellency, Governor Jackson, to the Legisla- ture of his state, a splendid ovation was given to General Jones in the House of Representatives. He was first met at the depot by the Chairman and Committee of Reception, and conducted to the hotel cscorted by military companies and a large number of his fellow-citizens. After partaking of a delicious dejeuner a la Fourchette, he was again escorted in like manner to the Capitol, and into the House of Representatives, when the Lieutenant- Governor, as presiding officer of the two Houses of the Legislative Assembly in joint convention, de- livered to him an eloquent oration and reception address. The President of the joint convention was followed by the Speaker of the House of Rep-
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resentatives. He was followed by his Excelleney, Governor Jackson, and he by the Secretary of State, and he by the President of the Indiana As- sociation of Iowa. That funetionary was followed by the Hon. George G. Wright, ex-United States Senator in Congress, and ex-Chief Justice of the state of Iowa. The Hon. J. K. Graves, ex-State Senator, followed Hon. Judge Wright in a carefully prepared sketch of the life and public services of General Jones, as the organ of publie meetings of the eity of Dubuque, held in the eity, when it was resolved that the General should be eseorted to the seat of Government by the Governor's Greys and his fellow-eitizens. Four of the members of the Legislature of Iowa who participated in the eleetions of General Jones in 1848, and also in 1852 addressed the large assemblage in highly com- mendatory terms on the occasion. They were suc- eeeded by the Hon. Daniel F. Miller, a member of the then House of Representatives, who in an ad- dress said that he had the honor of serving as a inem- ber of the House of Representatives as a colleague of Senator Jones, and knew that he was fully en- titled to all the honors which were being conferred upon him.
R EV. FREDERICK WILLIAM PAPE. In- separably associated with the religious history of New Vienna is the name of the rector of St. Boniface Church. A gentleman of the highest eulture and loftiest principles, he has been instrumental not only in promoting the spiritual welfare of his parishioners, but also in advancing the religious progress of the eommu- nity. Moreover it has been one of his chief am- bitions in life to elevate and educate the people, but especially to aid young men in preparing for the priesthood and thus give to the people earnest, well educated and eonseerated Christian leaders.
The biography of a gentleman of so . mueh prominenee will contain for our readers more than ordinary interest. He is of German birth, the city of Buern, Westphalia, having been the place of his nativity, and January 27, 1844, the date of his
birth. The family of which he is a member eon- sisted of four sons, and his mother by a previous marriage also liad four sons. Of the latter, one is a retired farmer of Dyersville, another an exten- sive agriculturist of New Wine Township, the third, deceased, and the fourth, Rev. Aloisius Meis, a prominent Catholic priest. Our subject's own brothers are, Herman, a farmer in Carroll County, Iowa; Henry, an agriculturist of Nebraska, and Conrad, of whom mention is made on another page of this volume. The father of this family, William Pape, eame to America with limited means, but at the time of his deatlı, in 1878, left a large estate.
In 1851 our subject accompanied his parents to the United States and with them settled on a half- section of Government land near New Vienna, Iowa. His early years were spent on the home farm, and his time was devoted principally to ag- ricultural work, though in the short intervals dur- ing the winter seasons he was a student in the neighboring school. This was a primitive build- ing eonstrneted of logs, and was utilized both as church and school. In 1858 he entered the en- ploy of Moreland & Morrissy, merchants at Dyers- ville, Iowa, and after serving a year's apprentiee- ship with them, became their clerk, remaining thus engaged until 1861.
The death of his mother somewhat changed the course of our subject's life. The father, dis- couraged by the loss of his noble and devoted wife, resolved to retire from active business and to di- vide his property among the four sons still remain- ing at home. Frederick W. had promised to re- main at the old homestead with his parents, but the death of his mother and the division of the estate left him free to choose for himself. It had been with him a long cherished dream to travel and see the world of which he had heard and read so much. He was, however, detained a while from the consummation of his plans by the urgent re- quest of his half-brother, Rev. Aloisius Meis, then pastor of St. Bonifaee Church at Lyons, Iowa, that he act as assistant teacher in the newly organized parochial school of that congregation.
After spending a very pleasant year in that oe- eupation, and Father Meis being now transferred
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to St. Mary's Church at Dubuque, our subject, in company with several friends, started on a tour of the east. After spending some time in New York he took passage on a steamer for Cuba, then went to Matamoras and other places in Mex- ico; from therc he journeyed through Texas and along the Rio Grande to Bagdad, situated at the mouth of the river. After a six months' sojourn, he returned home via the gulf to New Orleans and thence by steamer up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers to Cincinnati. At last he reached Lyons again, after an extensive tour that was of ines- timable value to him in learning the character and habits of people and the eontour of the country. At Lyons he engaged for a time in the general mercantile business, which in the year 1867 he sold to a brother, and settling all his business affairs prepared to enter the priesthood. Having thor- oughly studied the subject and after thoughtful deliberation he resolved to devote the remainder of his life to the service of God and the welfare of mankind. To this holy office he had been ealled in childhood, and his decision had been strength- ened by personal experience, and especially by the wise counsel and good example of his brother, Fa- ther Meis.
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