USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc. > Part 114
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126
G. R. WEST, retired, Bluff street, West Hill, Dubuque ; is a native of Cayuga Co., N. Y., and was born April 21, 1809 ; he grew up to manhood there, and removed to Huron Co., Ohio, where he was engaged in the mercantile business for some years; in September, 1844, he came to Galena and bought an interest in a mining claim with a Scotchman named Gilbert; Mr. West came over to Dubuque one Saturday, and dur- ing that night his partner was murdered in his cabin ; upon the return of Mr. West on Monday, he was advised for his own safety to give up his claim and not return to it ; he came over to Dubuque and bought an interest in diggings here, and engaged in mining, which business he has continued more or less ever since ; he engaged in the forwarding and commission business, and built up a large trade, and was also steamboat agent. When the war broke out, Mr. West was actively engaged in securing recruits for the army, and was appointed recruiting agent ; he afterward enlisted in the 37th I. V. I., and was elected and commissioned Captain, and was in the service about three years ; after the war, he returned, but since then has not engaged in active business, except buying
896
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :
grain at times when the market is favorable. Capt. West was united in marriage April 12, 1832, to Miss Phebe V. Mortimer, a native of Locke, Cayuga Co., N. Y .; they have two sons-Orlando L. and Orville T .; they have lost one daughter-Lizzie W.
H. WHEELER, of the firm of Fischer, Wheeler & Co., dealers in pure lake icc, corner Third and Iowa streets, Dubuque ; is a native of Fitchburg, Mass., and was born May 23, 1837 ; he grew up to manhood in that State; he came to Iowa and located at Dubuque in 1865 ; engaged in the ice business, and has been connected with the present firm for the past fifteen years ; the business was established in 1857; it is the oldest firm in the business, and they have always done the largest trade, Mr Wheeler having the management of the business; he is prominently connected with the Order of the Knights of Honor, and is now Grand Dictator of the Order for the State of Iowa ; he is also a member of the Order of I. O. O. F., and the United Workmen ; he was a member of the State Central Committee at the Presidential election in 1876, and was Chairman of the Dubuque County Central Committee. In 1859, Mr. Wheeler was united in marriage to Miss Orinda S. Slocumb, a native of Vermont ; they have two children-Flora E. and Abbie S.
C. A. WILBER, architect, No. 240 Ninth street, Dubuque; is a native of Columbia Co., N. Y .; when 17 years of age, he went to West Stockbridge, Mass., where he learned his trade ; he lived in Massachusetts and New York, and studied architect- ure; in 1854, he went to Canada and remained five years, and came to Dubuque in March, 1859, and engaged in his business here. During the war, he enlisted in the 8th I. V. I., and was commissioned Lieutenant of Co. G ; he was in the severe battles of Franklin and Nashville. After the war, he returned here, and since then has been engaged in contracting and building, and architectural work, and has carried on a large business. In November, 1853, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Armstrong, a native of Geneva, N. Y .; they have five children.
S. C. WILCOX, practical watchmaker and engraver, No. 622 Main street, Dubuque ; is a native of Kalamazoo Co., Mich .; he grew up to manhood in that State and Illinois ; he began learning his business in Coldwater, Mich. Upon the breaking- out of the rebellion, he enlisted in the 1st Michigan Light Artillery ; he was in the bat- tles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Stone River, Knoxville and Nashville, and many others ; he was in the service four years, then returned to Michigan and was engaged in the jewelry business in Coldwater and Grand Rapids; he came to Chicago and was con- nected with the Elgin National Watch Company over four years ; he came to Dubuque in 1878, and engaged in business for himself in January, 1880. Mr. Wilcox gives special attention to repairing fine watches, and has had a large experience in that class of work ; he gives special attention to fine engraving, and has few equals in this branch of the business.
GEORGE WILDE (deceased) was a native of Yorkshire, England, and was born May 14, 1821; he came to the United States in 1829, and settled in Pottsville, Penn .; in the spring of 1834, he came West to Galena; in 1835, he went to Mineral Point, Wis., and, in March, 1836, he came to Dubuque; in 1847, he engaged in smelting, and continued until 1864. He was united in marriage, Dec. 6, 1854, to Miss Mary Warmouth, a native of England; she has lived in Dubuque since she was 10 years of age. In 1850, Mr. Wilde went to California, still retaining his interest in the smelting business ; after his return, he built the store on the corner of Main and Second' streets, and was engaged in the mercantile business, the firm being Coates & Wilde ; he afterward was engaged in the livery business; he was the first Alderman elected in the Third Ward of the city. Mr. Wilde was actively identified with the interests of the city ; a man of strict integrity and great kindness of heart, and beloved by all who knew him; he died Aug. 20, 1876, leaving a nice property ; they had ten children ; only six survive-John T., Fred M., George, Sarah W., Albert and Mary E. Mrs. Wilde resides with her family in her pleasant home, corner Dodge and Wilde streets, Dubuque.
JAMES WILKINSON, of the firm of Rawson & Wilkinson, dealers in fresh and salt meats, No. 156 Fifth street, Dubuque; is a native of England, and was
MI 1. 7 Floyd CONCORD.
899
DUBUQUE.
born Aug. 7, 1843; he came to the United States in infancy, and grew up to manhood in Grant Co., Wis .; he came to Dubuque in 1874, and associated with Mr. Rawson and engaged in his present business ; they have built up a good trade. He was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Rawson, a native of England ; she died July 5, 1874, leaving two children, one of whom survives-William.
V. J. WILLIAMS, of the firm of V. J. Williams & Co., dealers in agri- cultural implements, 136 to 146 Main street ; is a native of Meigs Co., Ohio, and was born Feb. 13, 1832; he grew up to manhood in that State; he came West to Iowa and arrived in Dubuque June 18, 1852; entered the employ of Rouse & Treadway as pattern-maker in their foundry; in 1858, he was admitted as a partner in the busi- mess ; in 1860, he established the business of the present firm V. J. Williams & Co. Upon the breaking-out of the rebellion, he re-enlisted in the 1st I. V. I., Co. I; he par- ticipated in the battle of Wilson's Creek and was slightly wounded; Capt. F. J. Herron. who was in command of Co. I, in his official report of the battle, says, " The men behaved with great courage, and advanced on the enemy under a heavy fire like veteran soldiers. I am glad to mention the name of Corp. V. J. Williams, who behaved throughout the entire engagement with such coolness and bravery as to deserve special mention." Mr. Williams afterward re-enlisted in the 6th I. V. C., and was com- missioned Captain of Co. M; he remained in the service until 1865. Mr. Williams held the office of Postmaster four years; he was elected County Treasurer in 1873, and was re-elected in 1875 ; he is a Director in the Dubuque County Bank ; is Director and Treasurer of the Fire Association, and also Director of the Building and Loan Association, and is actively identified with all the public interests of the city. Mr. Williams was united in marriage, Jan. 12, 1864, to Miss Mattie Dean, from Fulton, Oswego Co., N. Y .; she died Dec. 11, 1877, leaving five children, four of whom are living-Alice D., Helen E., Mary L. and Arthur R .; lost one son-Freddie J.
DAVID S. WILSON, attorney at law, corner Main and Fifth streets; is a native of Steubenville, Ohio, and was born March 18, 1825; at the age of 14, he graduated from the high school of his native town, and immediately came to Dubuque, Iowa, for the purpose of studying law with his brother, Hon. Thomas S. Wilson, at that time Judge of the District Court; after reading law a short time, he was invited to enter the field of journalism ; in 1841, he bought an interest in the Miners' Express and became its editor, and conducted it with ability and success for several years; in 1845, having sold his interest in the paper, he returned to the study of law with his brother ; in April, 1846, when he had arrived to the age of 21, he was elected to the Legislature of Iowa as a member of the House from Dubuque County ; this was dur- ing the Mexican war; Gov. Clark, of Iowa, desired to raise a company of volunteers, and commissioned Mr. Wilson Lieutenant, with authority in conjunction with Capt. Morgan, to raise the required company ; the company was raised, one-half by Capt. Morgan and the balance by Lieut. Wilson, and they proceeded to Fort Atkinson, where they remained in the service two years ; during this time, they removed the whole tribe of Winnebago Indians from the reservation at Fort Atkinson to Long Prairie, above the Falls of St. Anthony ; returning to Dubuque, Mr. Wilson was shortly admitted to the bar, and was immediately elected to the office of Prosecuting Attorney and held that office two terms ; in 1857, he was elected to the State Senate for four years ; after the breaking-out of the rebellion, Mr. Stanton, Secretary of War in 1862, without the solicitation of Mr. Wilson, commissioned him Colonel, with authority to raise the 6th Iowa Cavalry, and he raised the regiment by his own personal exertion, and just prior to being mustered into the service, the Sioux outbreak occurred in Minnesota, and Col. Wilson with his regiment was ordered to Sioux City, and there joined by another regi- ment, both being under the command of Gen. Alfred Sully ; in the battle of White Stone Hill, which occurred Aug. 3, 1863, Col. Wilson had his horse shot under him ; he instantly mounted another and kept up with the charge on the enemy; in the fall of 1863, Col. Wilson built Fort Sully on the Upper Missouri ; he resigned his commission and returned home in June, 1864; on the Ist of August he went to California and practiced law with his brother, Hon. S. M. Wilson ; remained there two years and then
GG
900
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :
returned to practice in Dubuque and Washington City; after returning to Iowa, in 1872, he was appointed Circuit Judge of the Ninth Judicial District to fill vacancy caused by the death of Judge Barker, which office he held until the following August, when he was appointed District Judge to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Brayton; in the fall of 1874, he was elected by a large majority, irrespective of party distinctions, to the same office for four years. In 1850, Judge Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Henrietta E. Sanford, of Erie, Penn., and by this marriage has four children-three sons and one daughter, the latter, Mrs. Henry W. Brock, resides in Chicago; the Judge's oldest son, Henry, is engaged in the practice of law.
HON. THOMAS S. WILSON, attorney at law, one of the original Judges of the Territory of Iowa, and of the District Court for many years, was born at Steubenville, Ohio, Oct. 13, 1813 ; he graduated at Jefferson College, Penn., in 1832, and, after studying law two years, was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of Ohio in 1834; after being admitted, he began practice with Gen. Stokely, at Steuben- ville ; soon after, contrary to the advice and wishes of his friends, he determined to come West; having a brother-Capt. George Wilson, of the 1st U. S. I., under com- mand of Col. Zachary Taylor-at Prairie du Chien, he went there with his wife, and remained there until he could select a place of settlement; deciding to locate at Dubuque, he removed there in October, 1836; in the spring of 1837, he was elected President of the Board of Trustees of the town of Dubuque; Iowa was then a part of Wisconsin Territory, and contained two counties-Dubuque and Des Moines ; he prac- ticed law in Dubuque, Mineral Point, Lancaster and Prairie du Chien, until July 4, 1838, and was engaged in almost every suit up to that time; in June, 1838, he was nominated a delegate to Congress by the northern counties of Iowa; at the same time- he was appointed, by President Van Buren, Judge of the Supreme Court of Iowa ; he had made no application for the appointment, and it was made without his knowledge ; his appointment was renewed by Presidents Tyler and Polk, and he continued Judge of the Supreme Court until a year after the admission of Iowa into the Union as a State in 1846; when the first Legislature met and went into joint ballot, he came within one vote of being elected United States Senator ; the first court ever held in Iowa Territory was held by Judge Wilson at Prairie la Porte, now Guttenburg, on the second Monday in November, 1838; he resigned his office as Judge of the Supreme Court in 1847, and practiced law in partnership with Platt Smith, Esq., and his brother, Hon. D. S. Wilson ; in April, 1852, he was elected, without opposition, Judge of the District Court, and, by successive elections, held the office until Jan. 1, 1863, serving over twenty years as Judge ; he held the first courts in the counties of Clayton, Delaware, Allamakee, Jones, Winneshiek, Black Hawk, Chickasaw, Bremer, Fayette and Clinton; it is stated, on good authority, that Judge Wilson never had ten cases reversed during all the time he was on the bench. Judge Wilson was elected two consecutive terms to the Legisla- ture, in 1866 and 1868; at the session in 1866, he was tendered by the Democratic members the nomination of United States Senator, which he declined. Judge Wilson has been twice married ; his first wife, whom he married in Ohio before he came West, was Miss Anna Hoge, daughter of David Hoge, Esq., of Steubenville ; he married Miss Mary Stokely, his present wife, in 1864, and has had five children.
S. S. WINALL, of the firm of Palmer, Winall & Co., blank-book manufact- urers, printers and book-binders, corner of Sixth and Iowa streets, Dubuque ; is a native of Ohio, and was born in the city of Cincinnati March 29, 1834; in 1843, his parents came to Galena, and he grew up to manhood there, except one year spent in Dubuque; he came to Dubuque and located permanently in 1864, and associated with his present partners, and since then they have carried on their present business, doing the largest business in their line in Dubuque; they built the large and commodious building which they now occupy, in 1879. Mr. Winall has been a member of the I. O. O. F. for twenty-five years, and has been prominently connected with the Order, having filled all the offices, and has been Grand Master of the State and Grand Patriarch ; he is a charter member of the Order of Workmen, and also of the Legion of Honor. Mr. Winall married Sarah J. Wallis, of this city, in 1875 ; he has two children by a former wife.
901
DUBUQUE.
JOSEPH WITTMER, dealer in wines and liquors and selling lime, No. 264 Eighth street, Dubuque; was born in Switzerland Nov. 10, 1826; he came to America in 1849, and came to Dubuque in April, 1855; he worked at the furniture business and kept boarding-house and hotel, and was also engaged in the grocery bus- iness. He belongs to Dubuque Lodge I. O. O. F., and to Humboldt Encampment, the United Workmen and to the Dubuque Sharpshooters. He married Miss Johanna Shoemaker, a native of Switzerland, Jan. 13, 1855 ; they have five children-Joseph W. (attending College of Pharmacy, St. Louis), Leo (clerk in store, and attending commercial college). Bertha, Hortensia, Hilda.
A. WOLCOTT, of the firm of Farley & Wolcott, proprietors of the Key City Bakery, corner White and Sixth streets ; is a native of the State of. Vermont, and was born Feb. 9, 1835; he grew up to manhood in that State and in New Hampshire ; he came to Iowa in 1869, and located in Dubuque ; he was engaged in railroading for seventeen years ; in 1878, he associated with Mr. J. P. Farley, one of Dubuque's oldest and most substantial business men, and established their present business ; the Key City Bakery is one of the best arranged and complete establishments of the kind in the West ; Mr. Wolcott has the management of the business, and they are building up a large trade. In 1856, he was united in marriage to Miss Lucy A. Woodruff, from Chelsea, Vt .; her parents came here in 1869; they had been married and lived together over fifty-eight years at the time of her mother's death, which occurred recently. Mr. and Mrs. Wolcott have two children-Edwin H. and Carrie Louise.
S. A. WOLCOTT, Assistant Superintendent of the Chicago, Clinton, Dubuque & Minnesota Railroad, Dubuque; is a native of Orange Co., Vt., and was born Sept. 8, 1824 ; he grew up to manhood in that State, and went to Boston and engaged in railroading for fifteen years ; in 1857, he came West to Iowa and engaged in farming for a short time, then returned East and engaged in railroading ; in 1863, he came to Dubuque, and the following year was appointed trainmaster on the Dubuque & Sioux City Rail- road, and remained with that road and the Illinois Central until the spring of 1871, and since then has been connected with the Chicago, Clinton, Dubuque & Minnesota Rail- road as Assistant Superintendent. In 1850, he was united in marriage to Miss Louisa A. Morey, a native of Chelsea, Vt .; they have five children-three sons and two daughters.
A. P. WOOD, retired, Dubuque ; is a native of Little Compton, R. I., and was born in 1817 ; at the age of 12, he began working in a newspaper office in Fall River, Mass., and, with the exception of some time afterward spent in school, he continued to be so employed until he reached his majority ; subsequent to this he worked at printing, and during most of one year read law, with a view to entering the legal profession ; early in 1841, he was invited to become the editor of the Iowa Standard, a Whig paper established at Iowa City, then the seat of government for the Territory of Iowa; he accepted the invitation, and continued in that position about four years. The Whig party being steadily in a minority, the Standard failed to receive sufficient support ; Mr. Wood determined to remove to Dubuque ; this purpose was carried into effect in the fall of 1846, and he established the Dubuque Tribune; in 1848, a rival journal was established, and the rivalry continued about two years, when the opposition paper became absorbed in the Tribune, which from that time held the position of the leading Whig paper of Northern Iowa; in 1854, on account of impaired health, brought about by excessive application to business, he relinquished the management of the Tribune to other hands ; after retiring from newspaper business, he became somewhat largely engaged in real estate operations, which were brought to a sudden and disastrous close in 1857 ; during several months of 1857, he became editor and publisher of the Dubuque Repub- lican, a daily and weekly paper, devoted especially to the advocacy of the present Con- stitution of the State of Iowa, which was adopted in the fall of that year; soon after that, the Republican was discontinued; soon after this, Mr. Wood entertained the pur- pose of writing a history of Iowa as a Territory and State, but gave it up in favor of a history of the part taken by the State in the war of the rebellion, and to the prepara- tion of this work, which is now completed, he has given years of time and valuable research.
902
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:
In the spring of 1844, Mr. Wood was united in marriage to Miss Mary S. Murdcy, from Ohio ; they have had six"children-four survive.
GEORGE D. WOOD, senior member of the firm of Wood, Crocker & Co., dealers in dry goods and notions, No. 831 to 835 Main street ; is a native of Franklin Co., Mass., and was born Jan. 7, 1829; when 17 years of age. he removed to Little Falls, N. Y .; in 1849, he came West to Chicago ; the following year, he went overland to California; remained there three years, and returned in 1853; in the fall of the same year, he came to Iowa and located in Dubuque ; engaged in the dry-goods trade, the firm being Wood & Luke, which was succeeded by the firm of Wood, Luke & Co .; they had two stores, one wholesale and the other retail ; they continued till 1864 ; the following year, the firm became Sheffield, Wood & Co., and continued until 1869, when it was changed to Wood, Crocker & Co., and afterward to George D. Wood & Co., and Wood, Coates & Co., which was succeeded by the present firm. Mr. Wood has been engaged in the business longer than any one here except John Bell; in 1872, he built the " town-clock building," which they now occupy. In 1856, Mr. Wood was united in marriage to Miss Emily M. Baker, a native of Conway, Franklin Co., Mass .; they have three children-Nathan, George and Winnifred.
JAMES WOOD, engineer on the Illinois Central Railroad, residence 372 Bluff street ; is a native of Schoharie Co., N. Y., and was born Nov. 7, 1834; he grew up to manhood in that State,. and began railroading on the Eastern Division of the New York & Erie Railroad in 1852 ; he came West to Dubuque in 1855, and was civil engineer under B. B. Provoost on the Dubuque & Pacific Railroad, and remained with that company until 1864 ; then went South, and ran a train for the Government from April until July ; then came North again, and was engineer on the Chicago & North- Western eighteen months; then entered the employ of the Illinois Central Railroad, and since then, for the past thirteen years, has run a passenger engine on the Iowa Division of this road. In 1855, Mr. Wood was united in marriage to Miss Ann Smith; she was born in County Cavan, Ireland, April 4, 1836; she came to New York in March, 1851 ; Mr. and Mrs. Wood have six children-Francis J., Maggie J., Marion L., Harrict E., Charles A. and William T.
W. J. WOODS, brickmason and contractor, Bluff street extension, Dubuque; is a native of Steubenville, Ohio; he grew up to manhood and learned his business there ; he came West and located in Dubuque in April, 1856, and engaged in building, and since then has carried on his business here; he is one of the oldest builders and contractors in Dubuque. In 1847, he was united in marriage to Miss Ann E. Staple- ton, from Ohio ; they have three children-Jolin J., Elzda V. (now Mrs F. W. Brown, of this city) and George F., at Menominee, Wis.
M. C. WOODRUFF, editor of the Dubuque Times, Dubuque; is a native of the State of New York, and was born in Aurora, Erie Co., March 21, 1831; he grew up and attended the common schools there, and also attended Aurora Academy ; when 19 years of age, he went to Buffalo, and was connected with a wholesale house in that city for several years ; he came West to Illinois, and taught school in Boone Co. for three years ; he came to Iowa in 1855, and located in Hardin Co., at Iowa Falls ; in 1863, he purchased the Sentinel newspaper at Eldora and managed it there for two years, then removed it to Iowa Falls ; in May, 1870, he disposed of the Sentinel, and, with Charles Aldrich, purchased the Waterloo Courier, of which he was editor four years ; in February, 1874, he disposed of his interest in that paper and purchased one- half interest in the Dubuque Times, and since then has been editor-in-chief of that paper. Mr. Woodruff was Chief Clerk of the Iowa House of Representatives of the Twelfth General Assembly, and held the office of Postmaster of Iowa Falls; in 1878, he was appointed Railroad Commissioner for the State by Gov. Gear, and still holds that office. Mr. Woodruff was united in marriage, April 7, 1861, to Miss Eliza E. Weller, of Norwich, N. Y.
W. B. WOODWARD, foreman machinist for Rouse, Dean & Co., Iowa Iron Works, residence 1767 Jackson street; is a native of England, and was born April 5, 1846; he came to Canada in 1851, and came to Dubuque the same year and
CHRISTIAN G. WULLWEBER (deceased), was born at Hagenow, in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany in the year 1806, on the 15th day of October. Loosing his father when a boy of ten years, it made such an impression on him that he ripened into earnest manhood at a very early age and took charge of the large estate left by his father before he was twenty-one years old. With indomitable energy he went to work and surmounting all obstacles with his iron will, brought the estate consisting of a bakery, distillery and broad farming lands to the highest state of perfection. Although loaded down with work and care of his own he always found time to give a helping hand to the poor and friends in need, and many are living to-day, on both sides of the Atlantic, who have loved him dearly and cherish his memory. In 1828, he married the friend of his early childhood, Miss Doris Brandt; they had eight chil- dren, of whom six : Hon. Christian Wullweber, Mrs. W. Klingenberg, Otto L. Wullweber, Mrs. Frida Saner, Chas. W. Wullweber and H. G. Wullweber are well known in the City of Dubuque and highly honored members of society. Being a warm hearted man, Christian G. Wull- weber loved the people and seeing the suppression under which they were suffering, through the despotic form of government, he exerted all his influence by pen and speech to wrench from said government such con- cessions which were demanded by justice and necessary to ameliorate the condition of the people; he succeeded step by step, when the reaction of 1850 tumbled his fond hopes of making his fatherland a pleasant home for its children into the grave. Nothing daunted however, he resolved to carry out his ideas in another land and with a number of his friends he agreed, that they would emigrate to the "Land of the free and the home of the brave," and start a colony, in which each should be educa- ted for what he was best adapted, but give the product of his labor or education to the colony, which in turn should give him a pleasant home, garden and all the pleasantries of life ! In September of 1850, he landed in New York, with his family, and after a short stay in St. Louis, proceeded np the Mississippi river and landed at Dubuque, Iowa. Struck with the beauty of the country, he proceeded inland and found in Clayton county, just where the Volga empties into the Turkey river, a beautiful location, where he determined to found his colony, "Liberty!" He at once proceeded and bought one thousand acres of those rich and fertile lands from the Government. Leaving his family in Dubuque, the noble man, not wishing that his work be delayed any longer, than he could help, at once proceeded to brave the severest storms of winter and with ten other colonists, commenced to build two large log houses, barns, etc. In the mean time, two other colonists, Dr. Carl Brockman, once his dearest friend, and one Behnke, had gone back to Germany with instructions to induce more to join the colony, but with the special understanding, that none should be asked to come, who were not wealthy enongh to support themselves at least for one year, after arriving at the colony, as the careful mnan well knew, that it would be impossible to pro- vide for all. until after a harvest, and that the success of the colony de- pended on this. Notwithstanding these instructions and entreaties, which were repeated by letter, and responded to rather sarcastically by the learned, but impractical Dr. Brockman, who thought if he only brought plenty of people, matters would come out all right, the latter
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.