USA > Iowa > Lee County > The history of Lee county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 66
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DANIEL F. MILLER, SR.
Miller, the last of the pioneer lawyers, is a native af Maryland, and studied law in Pittsburgh, Penn. He arrived in Lee County on the 15th day of April,
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1839, and immediately commenced the practice of his profession at Fort Mad- ison. . From that time to the present, he has hardly ever been more than a week at a time out of some court house, or without being engaged in examining law-books. While he was a student in Pennsylvania, he frequently represented his legal preceptors before Justices' Courts and referees ; so that when he came to Iowa, he brought with him considerable experience in trials at law.
Mr. Miller possesses strong and rugged natural powers, great will-force and powerful perseverance. He has been a hard student all his life in law and lit- erature, and is the author of a number of beautifully-written poems and essays, that have attracted admiration and attention.
Few lawyers in this region have had as large a practice in the courts. He possesses admirable powers of analysis and discrimination ; and while he cannot be called technically eloquent, he is wonderfully forcible in argument. He readily discovers the weak spot in his opponent's armor, and never fails to strike home with all the force of his strong nature. He is full of work, and never forgets his clients, in or out of court. He is full of resources, and, if thrown, always alights on his feet. He is an admirable judge of men, and is famous in the selection of juries, and very dangerous in his closing speech to a jury. He is as true to his clients as the needle to the pole, and a hard worker and a hard hitter.
The last homicide case in which Miller was engaged was in January, 1879, in Ringgold County, this State, and made the forty-seventh homicide case in which he has been engaged, either in the prosecution or for the defense. The other criminal cases in which he has taken an active part are so numerous as to be counted by thousands. Miller loves the law, because its practice gives him pleasure ; and he declares it to be his cherished purpose, if Providence is pleased to spare his life and health, to continue its practice until he is eighty years of age.
POLITICAL PARTIES.
When Lee County was organized, the political parties of the country were the Democratic and Whig parties. The Democratic party was first organized under the leadership of Henry J. Campbell, about 1834 or 1835. He was an enthusiastic political disciple of Gen. Jackson, Thomas H. Benton, Silas Wright, and other representative Democrats of that period. He was a good organizer and manager, and to his political shrewdness in planning the founda- . tions, the Democratic party of the county owes much of its success in maintain- ing the supremacy.
Henry J. Campbell removed from Lee County to Texas. He was not suited with that country, and, after a year or two, removed to California. From San Antonio they went overland in company with some Government teams, Mrs. Campbell, a Winnebago women, riding the entire distance on some sacks of flour. She had grown to weigh 300 pounds, and the flesh of her nether limbs to hang down over the tops of her shoes. After a year or two in California, Mr. Campbell and his eldest son started to Central America, and when they were far out at sea, the father sickened and died, and found a grave beneath the waves. Mrs. Campbell is thought to be still living, and residing near Stockton. John Campbell, one of the sons, visited his birthplace, Keokuk, a few years ago.
Isaac R. Campbell represented the Whig party, and mustered under the political banner of Adams, Clay and Webster. Locally, Campbell was pitted against Campbell as political leaders, in early times.
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
Party lines were strictly drawn and well defined, not only in Lee County, but throughout the Territory. Gens. Dodge and George W. Jones, Hons. Edward Johnstone and J. C. Hall leading the Democratic party, while James W. Grimes, George G. Wright, H. W. Starr and Judge Viele were the recog -* nized leaders of the Whig party. Hon. Philip Viele, of Fort Madison, was Chairman of the first Republican convention held in Iowa after the organiza- tion of that party.
Lee County was Democratic in politics from its organization, and rarely failed to elect Democratic candidates ; but local questions, of which there were many in the early history of the county, would sometimes enter into the cam- paign and carry the election for the candidate who favored the local issue, with- out regard to the party to which he belonged.
During the late civil war, the county became Republican ; but soon after its close, the Democratic party regained the power it had seemingly lost, and, for the past twelve years, has carried the county by majorities ranging from four hundred to eight hundred votes. But notwithstanding the admitted strength of the party, there is scarcely an election at which there are not one or more opposition candidates elected.
Each party has able and efficient workers, and no election is allowed to pass without a thorough canvass of the county by able " stumpers."
OFFICIAL REGISTER.
The first election in Lee County under the jurisdiction of Iowa Territory, was held on the 10th of September, 1838, under proclamation of Gov. Lucas. The county was entitled to one member of the Council and four mem- bers of the House.
Councilman, Jesse B. Browne. Councilmen served two years, and were thereafter elected biennially.
Representatives-William Patterson, Calvin J. Price, Hawkins Taylor and James Brierly. Representatives served one year, and were elected annually.
1839 .- Representatives, Edward Johnstone, Alfred Rich, Joshua Owens, William Patterson.
1840 .- Under a re-apportionment, Lee County was entitled to two Council- men, and Jesse B. Browne and Edward Johnstone were chosen. Representa- tives, Daniel F. Miller, James Brierly and John Box.
1841 .- Representatives, Henry J. Campbell, William Patterson and E. S. McCulloch.
1842 .- Councilmen, William Patterson and Robert M. G. Patterson. Rep- resentatives, William Steele, E. S. McCulloch and James Brierly.
1843 .- Representatives, James Brierly, William Steele and Joseph Roberts.
1844 .- Delegates to first Constitutional Convention, Charles Staley, Alex- ander Kerr, David Galland, Calvin J. Price, James Marsh, John Thompson, H. M. Salmon and O. S. X. Peck.
1845-May Session .- Councilmen, James Brierly and John Thompson. Representatives, Jacob Huner, Charles Stewart and James Anderson. Reg- ular Session .- Councilmen, James Brierly and John Thompson. House, Jacob Huner, William Patterson and Jesse B. Browne.
1846 .- Delegates to second Constitutional Convention, David Galland Josiah Kent and George Berry. Constitution adopted and State admitted. The State Senate succeeded the Territorial Council.
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
1846 .- Senate, James Spratt and Jacob Huner. House of Representatives, Jesse B. Browne, Josiah Clifton, William J. Cochran, William Steel and Reu- ben Conlee. Conlee died before his term expired, and at a special election, held in January, 1847, Daniel S. Baker was chosen to fill the vacancy.
1848 .- Senate, James Spratt and Thomas S. Espy. House, William C. Read, C. J. McFarland, M. H. Walker, Samuel Norton and Isaac W. Griffith.
1850 .- Senate, Thomas S. Espy and Nathan Baker. House, E. S. McCul- loch, John Thompson, R. P. Wilson, Smith Hamill and Adolphus Salmon.
1852 .- Senate, Calvin J. Price, James M. Love and Salmon Cowles. House, S. G. Wright, H. Washburn, J. S. Gilmore, J. M. Anderson, F. Hesser and S. W. Sears.
1854 .- Senate, James M. Love, E. S. McCulloch and W. A. Thurs- ton. House, George Newsom, William Damon, J. Hinkle, H. Dewey, Samuel Boyles and R. P. Creel. Hon. James M. Love having been appointed Judge of the United States District Court, David T. Brigham was elected in his stead.
1856 .- Senate, E. S. McCulloch and W. A. Thurston. House, John Van Valkenburg, Thomas Sawyer, J. B. Pease, J. H. Sullivan and W. G. Gris- wold.
1857 .- Delegates to third Constitutional Convention, Edward Johnstone and William Patterson.
1857 .- Senate, J. W. Rankin and John R. Allen. House, C. C. Bauder, W. W. Belknap and J. A. Casey.
1859 .- Senate, John W. Rankin and V. Burchel. House, E. S. McCul- loch, T. W. Clagett, N. G. Hedges and Calvin J. Price.
1861 .- Senate, Frederick Hesser and George W. McCrary. House, C. W. Lowrie, T. G. Stephenson, Godfrey Eichorn and Martin Thompson.
1863 .- House, Ferdinand Meissner, B. S. Merriam and Washington Gal- land.
1865 .- Senate. N. G. Hedges and Joseph Hollman. House, Webster Bal- linger, P. M. Lowdon and W. G. Buck.
1867 .- House, Gibson Browne, William Werner and C. C. Bauder.
1869 .- Senate, E. S. McCulloch. House, Patrick Gibbons, Christian Herschler and D. S. Bell.
1871 .- House, Webster Ballinger, Conrad Schweer and E. M. Stewart.
1873 .- Senate, H. W. Rothert. House, E. A. Layton, Absalom Anderson and Isaac Hollingsworth. Layton died, and at a special election in January, 1874, Conrad Schweer was chosen to fill the vacancy.
1875 .- House, Wesley C. Hobbs, John Gibbons and John N. Irwin.
1877 .- Senate, J. M. Shelley. House, J. D. M. Hamilton and J. H. Lessenger, who are the present incumbents.
In the early history of Lee County, the records of elections were not pre- served in such a manner as to enable the writer to present an absolutely cor- rect list of officers. Allowance must be made, therefore, for omissions. No attempt is made to record the names of the incumbents of minor offices.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
The first Board of County Commissioners was elected in 1837, and was composed of William Skinner, William Anderson and James D. Shaw. The names of their successors, down to 1851, when the office was abolished, are as follows : Stephen H. Graves, S. H. Curtis, William Pitman, John Gaines, Peter Miller, Jesse O'Neil, Mathew Kilgore, Samuel Brierly, Johnson Meek,
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John Bryson, Timothy Fox, Thomas J. Chenowith, Amos McMillan, Joshua Gilmore, H. W. Hughes, William Skinner and John Griffin.
COUNTY JUDGES.
Edward Johnstone, the first County Judge elected for four years, entered upon the duties of his office in August, 1851. He was succeeded by Samuel Boyles in 1855, who was re-elected in 1859. Robert A. Russell was County Judge from 1862 to 1866. Edmund Jaeger held the office from 1866 to 1870, when the office was abolished.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
In 1860, the Board of Supervisors was created, consisting of one member from each township, which took from the County Judge the management of county affairs, but leaving probate business, the issue of marriage licenses, etc. The following-named citizens have been Chairmen of the Board of Supervisors : Daniel McCready, H. M. Salmon, J. W. Goodrich, E. S. McCulloch, J. P. Hornish, W. A. Donnell and William Davis.
A Board of Supervisors, consisting of one member from each township, did not work to the satisfaction of the people. It was too cumbersome, and after a trial of ten years, an act of the Legislature was passed in 1870, by which the number was reduced to three members. The law was so framed, however, as to allow the people to increase the number to five or seven members, as they might determine by election. The number named in the enactment has never been increased in this county.
COUNTY AUDITOR.
The office of County Auditor was created on January 1, 1870. Edmund Jaeger, the first holder of the office, has been succeeded by J. C. Walters and J. C. Blackburn, the present incumbent. Blackburn's first term began January 1, 1874.
COUNTY ATTORNEY.
Philip Viele was the first County Attorney by appointment, but not giving the office that attention the County Commissioners thought necessary, the appointment was revoked July 5, 1838, and Alfred Rich appointed in his place.
SHERIFFS.
The first Sheriff of Lee County was Joshua Owen, with the following suc- cessors : B. W. Gillock, Hawkins Taylor, William Stotts, James L. Estes, Peter Miller, Israel Anderson, Alexander R. Wheat, C. B. Turner, William H. Leech, H. M. Griffith, N. G. Hedges, Israel Anderson, John A. Bishop, R. P. Creel, J. A. Pease and George T. Higgins.
CLERKS OF THE DISTRICT COURT.
The first Clerk of the District Court was John H. Lines. Successors : O. S. X. Peck, J. C. Walker, R. W. Albright, P. H. Babcock, Samuel A. James, Erie J. Leech, Charles Doerr, D. H. Le Sueur, Charles Doerr, J. A. McDowell, William Wilson, W. P. Staub and S. L. James.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
The first Treasurer was George W. Howe, followed by Peter Miller, J. C. Parrott, Thomas Fitzpatrick, John G. Toncray, Samuel B. Ayres, H. C. McMurphy, Robert A. Russell, Robert McFarland, T. H. Allyn, Timothy
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
Lowrie, A. C. Roberts, A. L. Courtwright and Herman Welsing, the present incumbent.
RECORDERS.
The first Recorder was John H. Lines. The following have also held the office : Henry O'Neil, Orrin Dodd, H. C. McMurphy, Robert A. Russell, Robert McFarland, T. H. Allyn, Timothy Lowrie, Noble Warwick, Henry Bank and Roswell J. Smith. Warwick was the first Recorder after the office was separated from that of Treasurer.
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
The following have been Superintendents of common schools: John A. Nunn, R. Hubbard, W. W. Jamison, H. K. Edson, Z. B. Bowers, W. G. Kent, James Pollard, W. C. Hobbs and W. J. Medes.
CORONERS.
The first Coroner of Lee County was Lewis Pitman, elected in 1837. Robert Stephenson succeeded him the next year.
MISCELLANEOUS. DR. ISAAC GALLAND.
Dr. Isaac Galland was one of the oldest of the pioneers of Lee County. He was born at or near Marietta, in the State of Ohio, in 1790, and received a very limited education, but such was his native power of intellect and love of education, that, when he died at Fort Madison, in 1858, he was a tolerably good physician, a tolerably good lawyer, was deeply learned in ancient, as well as modern, history, and had few superiors in the West either as a speaker or writer. He had a finely-developed forehead, and piercing black eyes, and in manner was gentle and polite, except when excited, when his rage seemed to know no bounds. In early life, he, with other venturesome young men, wandered off to New Mexico, where he and his comrades were seized by the Spanish Govern- ment on suspicion of their coming there with evil designs against the Govern- ment, and were confined for one year in Santa Fe, in the adobe prison.
Coming back to the United States, he stopped for a time in Indiana and practiced law, and then came to near Oquawka, Ill., where he practiced medi- cine for several years. He there put his family and goods in a pirogue (a large canoe) and came down the Mississippi River and landed first at the lower end of Fort Madison, where Atlee's mill now stands. He dropped down the river from there to where Nashville is now situated, and there opened a trade with the Indians, which he pursued for a number of years successfully. When the Black Hawk war broke out, he removed to Illinois. In 1839, he met Jo Smith, the Mormon Prophet, and became a convert to the preachings of the Prophet, and acted as his amanuensis for a year or more. While with Smith, he witnessed many of his trances, when the Prophet pretended to receive and reveal revelations, and Galland penned them as the words fell from the mouth of the Prophet. He had been converted to Mormonism because he saw Smith possessed certain mental powers he could not comprehend, but while with him he became impressed with the conviction that what he had supposed to be pro- phetic gifts of Smith, were simply a reflex action of Smith's mind, or some peculiar psychological state of his intellect which Smith sincerely, though ignorantly, supposed to be heavenly ministrations. He accordingly deserted
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the Mormon faith about 1842, and came to live again in Lee County, and lived successively in Keokuk, Nashville and Fort Madison, in which last place he died in 1858.
Afterward, when Spiritualism developed itself in New York, in 1848, and spread over the country, he compared Smith's powers with that of so-called spiritual mediums, and found Smith to have been, in Spiritual language, a clairvoyant, and clairaudient, with strong magnetic or healing gifts. The Doc- tor, before he joined the Mormons, had been inclined to Methodism, and, on several occasions, filled pulpits in the absence of the preacher. For the last ten years of his life, he was a firm and zealous believer in Spiritualism, and was often heard to say that Jo Smith was the dupe of his own impostures ; that Smith was simply a so-called spiritual medium, but, not knowing anything of Spiritualism, he inferred he was a prophet, and that now, since Spiritualism began to be understood, there would be no more prophets of the stamp of Smith and Mahomet and Buddha.
Dr. Galland was a man of undaunted courage, and when, in border days, knives and pistols were as common as watches now, the pointing of a pistol at him seemed to give delight to his frontier life and border nature. He never shrank from a conflict but once, and then he was unarmed. Afterward, he armed himself, sought his assailant and made him, on his knees, beg pardon. At one time, he rushed on a steamboat, where he saw a United States military officer who had previously offended him, and compelled him to run into his cabin and lock him- self within it. He was thrice married, and had several children. He was an affectionate husband and father, a most hospitable neighbor, hated an enemy with all the malice of an Indian, and stuck to a friend to the death. In 1840, he got D. F. Miller to attend to some legal business for him, which led him to form a marked friendship for that legal gentleman.
In 1854, Dr. Galland went to California, under pecuniary embarrassment ; but soon after he arrived in California, his friend Miller secured the compro- mise of a claim he had against the New York Land Company, by which he received $11,000, after paying costs and lawyer's fees. In 1855, he came back to Iowa, and bought a residence in Fort Madison, that he might be near, as he said, to his friend Miller the balance of his days, and there he remained until his death, in 1858. During his residence in Fort Madison, he was much respected by the people of that city. He was buried in the cemetery near the place where he landed in Iowa in 1828, and his son Washington G lland, who, about the close of the late rebellion, represented Lee County in the Iowa Legis- lature, caused to be erected a beautiful marble monument over his remains, and the remains of his (Washington Galland's) mother, who had been previously buried at the same place.
Dr. Galland was a perfect type of an American frontiersman, with the edu- cation and manners of civilized life, intermixed with all the audacity, boldness and peculiarities of Indian and border life. He had lived a great deal among the Indians, spoke their language fluently, and had made their character and habits a study. At the time of his death, he was engaged in writing a book on Indian life, manners and customs of the West.
OLD SPURLOCK, THE COUNTERFEITER.
" Old Spurlock, the counterfeiter" was a noted character in the early history of Lee County. There is no evidence that he ever manufactured the "queer," but he encouraged the belief among the people, and made money by it. He generally carried some pieces of bright new silver coins, which he
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
showed as samples of his own manufacture ; and, proposing to return double the quantity of any amount of genuine coin furnished him, he found many whose cupidity led them into the trap. After securing possession of his patrons' money, he found friends to personate officers of the law, and the victim was frightened out of the county, leaving old Spurlock richer, in some instances, by many hundreds of dollars. He secured in one instance $1,500 from a man named Adams, of Burlington; but his propensity for gambling left him without. a dollar in a few hours. He loved gaming, but rarely won. He was always traveling about the country engaged in nobody knew what, and a favorite mode of attracting attention in a new place was to announce a religious meeting, at. which time he would preach to the people. On such occasions he would intro- duce himself to the congregation as " Old Spurlock, the counterfeiter." He was a man of fine presence, six feet two inches high, with a ready flow of lan- guage, and people who heard him say he could preach a good sermon.
Mathew Spurlock was born in Virginia, but was brought up in the mountains of Kentucky, in the neighborhood of what is now Breathitt County, where he was known as " the counterfeiter " as early as 1826. He removed to Alabama about that time, but, becoming mixed up in some disreputable transactions, he left and came to Augusta on Skunk River. Here he made his home for several years, when he removed to Schuyler County, Ill., near Rushville. It was during his residence here that he met " the bravest man he ever knew," and the only victim who ever got the better of him. The story is related as Spurlock gave it to a citizen of Fort Madison, shortly after the occurrence.
A young Kentuckian of good family and well educated, with his lawyer's parchment in his pocket, and $600 given him by his father, had recently arrived at Rushville. On one of Spurlock's excursions into the town in search of. a victim, the two came in contact. The young man's desire to increase his pile twofold with such money as the severest test failed to prove of less value than that issued from the Government mint, led to a bargain, and $500 of young " Kaintuck's " store was transferred to Spurlock. Claiming to be out of ma- terial, he explained that it would be necessary for him to go to St. Louis before the queer could be manufactured. The young man was not disposed to trust. Spurlock too far, and, much to his chagrin, proposed to accompany him, stating that he desired to see St. Louis, a place he had never visited.
There was no help for it, and the two proceeded to St. Louis, where they put up at a hotel for the two or three days necessary to procure the supplies. Spurlock, explaining that he could procure the material at but one place, and that there must be no witnesses, left the young man at the hotel, made a bee- line for the levee, where an Illinois River boat was about starting out, and went. home.
The next morning he was sitting inside the open door of his house, reading a newspaper and resting from his travels, when, hearing a footstep on the porch, he looked up and there stood young " Kaintuck " with a cocked pistol in one hand and a bowie-knife in the other. Spurlock was startled. He expected to hear from the young man, but little did he think to see him so soon. Kain- tuck spoke first. "Now, you d-d old villain, I've got you, and I'm going to kill you right here." Spurlock attempted to parley, but Kaintuck drew a bead on him, threatening instant death if he moved. Said Spurlock, "I saw he meant business. There was blood in his eye. I saw death pictured in his countenance, and I was afraid to turn my face for fear he would shoot me through the head." Calling to his wife, who was in the next room, he directed her to bring the bag of silver, and it was handed over just as
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
he had originally received it. "Now," said Kaintuck, "I've a notion to kill you anyhow. Give me $25 to cover my expenses to St. Louis, and I'll let you off." "And," said Spurlock, "God knows my honest heart, John, I gave it to him."
Spurlock moved from Illinois to Jefferson County, Iowa, about 1843, and settled at Abingdon, where he died about 1858. He and his wife are buried in one lot, the graves surrounded by a high brick wall. Several of his children are still living in that vicinity, and are good citizens.
ANECDOTE OF SHERIFF B. W. GILLOCK.
It was in 1843, while he was Sheriff of Lee County, that the steamer " Oak," of St. Louis, Capt. Lusk, landed at Fort Madison one day, on her downward trip. About thirty soldiers, who had been out selecting lands, got aboard to return home for their families and goods, and most of them took deck passage. Shortly after she had rounded out into the stream, Isaac McPherson, son-in-law of Dr. Isaac Galland, the clerk of the boat, went below to collect fares. He approached three or four of the new passengers for their fares, each one telling him that he had already paid. McPherson's ire began to rise, and he demanded of one to be shown the man to whom they had paid. The pas- senger accompanied the clerk up-stairs, where, sitting at a table, deeply engaged in a game of poker, sat Gillock, to whom he pointed as the man who had collected his fare. McPherson was well acquainted with Gillock, and now, thoroughly exasperated at the trick, he demanded what he meant by it. "Oh, it's all right," said Gillock, laughingly, "I had no money, and I wanted a stake. I'm ahead of the game now, and here's your money." McPherson accepted it, with a warning that the trick must not be repeated.
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