Trails to the Past
Iowa
Boone County
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Biographies
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Progressive Men of Iowa
In
June, 1846, he began his long career as a newspaper man and printer,
entering the office of Clement & Faxon, publishers of the Western
Literary Messenger, in Buffalo.
Jesse Clement, of that firm, was editor of the Dubuque Times during
the war, and another companion printer was H. L. Rann, afterward editor of
the Manchester Press. Having learned the trade, young Aldrich worked as a
compositor in the villages of Attica and Warsaw, N. Y., and Warren, Pa. In
June, 1850, he established his first paper, The Cattaraugus Sachem, a
weekly, at Randolph, N. Y. He conducted this paper one year and then
established the Journal, in Olean, N. Y., and remained in its control for
nearly five years, when he removed to the home farm in Little Valley and
remained there until he came west in 1857. When Mr. Aldrich set up his modest little printing outfit in
Webster City, Hamilton county, Iowa, and began to proclaim republican
principles with that courage and tenacity which have marked his whole
life, the village had but 200 inhabitants and the county, with all its
patronage, belonged to the democrats. The new editor was not only a
vigorous writer, but an organizer as well, and with the fire of
en-thusiasm burning in him, and the energy and tact to meet pioneer
conditions, he soon had a strong following and his office became the
political headquarters of the district. The political complexion of the
county and district soon changed and The Freeman had no insignificant part
in bringing it about. It was considered a valuable ally, demonstrating its
good judgment by its support of James W. Grimes for senator in 1857. Mr.
Aldrich was subsequently, for a short time in 1864, editor of the Dubuque
Times, and for three years, beginning in 1866, published the Marshall
Times, now the Times-Republican, of Marshalltown. He has since been editorially
connected with the Waterloo Courier, Council Bluffs Nonjtareil and the
Chicago Inter-Ocean. In 1862.
with characteristic devotion to principle, Mr. Aldrich locked up his
printing office in Webster City and went into the union army as adjutant
of the Thirty-second Iowa infantry, commanded by Col. John Scott. He was
afterward post-adjutant under Col. Wm. T. Shaw, at Columbus, Ky. He
returned in 1864. In 1860, 1862, 1866 and 1870 Mr. Aldrich was chief clerk
of the Iowa house of representatives. In 1872 he became interested in
the river land settlers' troubles, and was a member of a commission
created by the legislature to attempt righting the wrongs of the settlers
on the Des Moines river lands. Later he was appointed by President Grant
as a member of the commission to investigate the matter and recommend some
course of action. The relief bill reported by this commission passed the
house but failed in the senate. Mr. Aldrich was a member of the United
States Geological survey in 1875. His contributions to the literature of
this subject attracted wide attention and are of permanent value. In 1881
Mr. Aldrich, who had returned ten years before from Marshall county, was
elected to the house from Hamilton county. He originated the custom of
printing a house calendar, and previously had been the author of the bill
that abolished the county judge system. He has always been a champion of
the harmless and useful birds, whose destruction he has tried to prevent
in every way. Much of the state legislation on this subject is due to his
efforts. He has been a member
of the American Ornithologists' union from its foundation. In founding and establishing the
historical department of Iowa Mr. Aldrich has rendered the state a most
valuable service. The great
building now being erected will stand as a monument to his unselfish
devotion and energetic persistence, for without him the historical
department would not exist. He began to collect autographs when he was a
boy, and as he grew in knowledge of the world and into wider opportunities
for obtaining interesting and instructive specimens, he acquired a
reputation as a collector, and by the time that he and his wife suggested
its presentation to the state, it had become both interesting and
valuable. In 1884 the legislature ac-cepted the gift of Mr. and Mrs.
Aldrich, which was conditioned upon its being kept in suitable cases, by
itself, in the state library, and that they might make additions to it.
This was continued until 1892, Mr. Aldrich devoting a large amount of time
and much money to making additions to, and caring for, the collection,
which was an object of universal interest and instruction. In 1892 the
legislature, upon the showing made by Mr. Aldrich, established the
historical department, with an annual appropriation of $6,000, and
as-signed it to rooms in the basement of the state house. Since then its
growth has been rapid. It long ago outgrew its cramped quarters and Mr.
Aldrich set out to get a building. The legislature was at first slow to
provide for the work, but as the people began to see its importance, and
to receive benefits from the small beginning, the legislature, in response
to popular de-mand, made an appropriation in 1897 for a small building, to
cost $25,000, including grounds. The ground was purchased, but the
executive council considered the amount too small to commence building, so
it was decided to wait for the next legislature, in 1898, which provided
for the present wing, to cost $50,000, and by the sale of another piece of
property a better site was secured, plans for a $300,000 building adopted
and work commenced in the fall of 1898. The corner stone of the first, or
west, wing was laid with imposing ceremonies May 17, 1899. Governor Shaw,
James Harlan, John A. Kasson Theodore S. Parvin, A. B. P. Hildreth,
Dr. Salter, Rev. T. M.
Lenehan and Mr. Aidrich participated in these exercises. The man to whose
efforts all this achievement was due has the rare satisfaction of seeing
his work for the people fully appreciated during bis lifetime. The
educational value of the department is now recognized by everyone, for it
is collecting and pre-serving from destruction and making accessible the
historical materials of the state. Mr. Aldrich took a deep interest in the monument to the victims of
the Spirit Lake Indian massacre of 1857, which was built in 1894, by a
legislative appropriation. He placed a tablet in the Webster City court
house to the memory of the rescue company that went to the relief of the
settlement, and he gathered the data and prepared the inscriptions that
went on the monument, including the names of all the members of that
heroic band of pioneers. Mr. Aldrich was a member of the commission
appointed by Governor Jackson to have charge of the erection of the
monument. In July, 1851, Mr. Aldrich was married to Matilda Olivia Williams, in Knowlesville, N. Y. She was born in Dansville, Livingstone county, N. Y., August 8, 1836, and died in Boone, Iowa, on the 18th of September, 1892. Her grandfather was a revolutionary soldier. She.was an ideal companion for her husband. She sympathized with him in all his ambitions, and was his most valued and kindly critic and counsellor. In the love and protection of animal and bird life they were especially united, and their home was always the paradise of numerous pets Her death was a very hard trial for her husband and he has devoted some of his best efforts to memorials to her. Mr. Aldrich was married a second time, November 12, 1898, to Miss Thirza Louise Briggs, of Webster City, who had been the most intimate friend of his first wife, and their closest companion for many years. They live in Boone, where they have an ideal home. The historical department publishes a quarterly known as the Annals of Iowa, in which is collected important historical papers, liberally illustrated, and short obituaries of the noted men of the state who have passed away during the three months previous. To the editorship of this publication Mr. Aldrich gives his best thought. As a writer he has been successful, because he wrote from conviction and upon thorough information. He is a many-sided and well informed man, versed in science, literature and politics, having had a part in all. He has been a welcome contributor to periodicals, and is the friend and intimate of many distinguished men and women, who have been glad to lend their aid to his work for the state of Iowa. No man has a greater pride in his state than he, and none has done more to demonstrate it.
His father, Calvin Brown, was one of those highly respectable
farmers who, while their holdings are not large, yet from their thrift,
probity, and general sterling qualities, take a very high rank. He owned a
small farm near Verona, N. Y., on which he lived for nearly fifty years,
raised and educated his large family. At the time of his death, in
September, 1896, he was one of Oneida county's oldest inhabitants, and his
portrait with sketch of life appears in the history of Oneida County and
its people as published that year. From the standpoint of ability, he was
prepared by nature for a broader field of action. He gave considerable
attention to fruit growing, gaining a state-wide reputation for the
excellent varieties of pears, apples and grapes which he produced. He
figured prominently in the agricultural and horticultural societies of
both county and state. Later he drifted into the dairy business most
successfully, and owned at one time what was called the Banner dairy. His
wife and the mother of Ernest C., was Mary Jane Morton, daughter of Samuel
Morton, of Rome, N. Y., and a descendant of the Mortons so prominent in
the history of New England, and in the line of descent from Sir George
Morton, who fitted out the Mayflower for its famous voyage, but who,
through the intrigue of the British, was arrested and not allowed to sail
with the expedition he had formed. The Mortons, however, came to
Massachusetts the following year in the ship "Speed-Well." The Browns were
also from the best of old New England stock, coming from Connecticut to
New York in 1796, and located on a farm which has ever since remained in
the Brown family. The doctor's ancestry on his mother's side, the Mortons, and his
grandmother Brown's side, who was a Talcott, trace well back into the
early English history; the Talcotts to the earl of Warwick, and the
Mortons to William the conqueror.
Grandfather Brown was a captain in the war of 1812, and
Great-grandfather Morton was with Ethan Allen in his revolutionary
exploits.
The doctors early education and home training were looked after by
his father, who was always very kind and indulgent, and by his older
sisters. After leaving the district school, he attended the Rome Free
academy for two winters, working on his father's farm during the summer
seasons. At the age of 21 years, he left the farm and entered Fort Edward
Collegiate institute, at Fort Edward, N. Y., pursuing the classical
course. Leaving this, he went to Michigan, working for a time for B.
F. Johnson & Company,
publishers, of Richmond, Va. In the fall of 1890 he entered the
Homeopathic Medical college of the Michigan university at Ann Arbor,
Mich., and graduated with the degree of M. D. in June, 1893. In August,
1893, he came to Iowa and entered at once upon the practice of his
profession. For a few months he was associated with Dr. Martin, the leading
Homeopathist of Boone, and in October, 1893, came to Madrid, Iowa, and
opened an office for himself, where he has since resided. By his honesty
and integrity of character, and his professional ability and skill, he has
built up a large and very successful practice. He is health physician for that
city and for Garden township. In the spring of 1898 the doctor went east
for some post-graduate work in surgical obstetrics and gynecology, and his
most marked success has been in obstetrics and diseases of women and
children. In politics he is a democrat, going home from Fort Edward, when at
school, a distance of over 150 miles to cast his first vote for Grover
Cleveland, and David B. Hill, in that memorable New York struggle of 1888.
He was the democratic candidate for coroner of Boone county in 1896,
running on the Bryan ticket, and though far ahead of his ticket in his
home county, he met the same fate as the great champion of free silver. He
is a member of the American Institute of Homeopathy, and attended its
session at Omaha, in June, 1898; also a member of the Hahnemann Medical
association of Iowa; examining physician for several life insurance
companies. In religion he is a Methodist, and is a member of the First
Methodist Episcopal church of Madrid, and one of its board of
trustees.
Richard attended the city schools of Dixon, 111., until he was 10
years of age, and after that attended the country district schools of
Boone county until he was 17 years of age. In March, 1874, he entered the
State Agricultural college at Ames in the regular course as freshman, and
continued there until November, 1877, when he graduated with the degree of
bachelor of science. He stood second in the markings of his class and was
selected as one of the ten to participate in the graduating exercises.
While in college he was a member of the Bachelors' Debating society, and
in general took an active interest in all college class matters while
there. During his vacations and for a short time after graduating he
taught country schools. In August, 1878, he entered the Iowa Law school at
Des Moines, which was a department of the Simpson Centenary college. There
he completed the course in the study of law, receiving the degree of
bachelor of law, and was admitted to practice in the supreme court of
Iowa, June 9, 1879. During the time he was in law school he also read law
in the office of Miller & Godfrey, in Des Moines. He has always been a
student, keeping abreast of the times, keeping himself posted in all the
new changes in the laws of our country and in the decisions of the supreme
court. He has been successful and has advanced in his profession by simply
sticking to his work, giving his best efforts to his profession and
treating all with whom he deals in a fair and honorable manner-a firm
believer in the old proverb: "Honesty is the best policy." In 1879, he
formed a partnership with M. K. Ramsey, which was dissolved in 1882; he
then formed a partnership with G. W. Crooks, which continued until the
first of January, 1891, when another partnership was formed with O. M.
Brockett, which continued until October, 1896. Mr. Jordan has had active work in his
profession ever since he entered it, and in the last ten years has been
interested on one side or the other of all the important cases which have
arisen in Boone county. On
obtaining his majority, he affiliated himself with the democratic party
and has been a democrat ever since. He was a delegate from the Tenth
congressional district to the democratic national convention in 1896. He
has never held any public office other than that of member of the school
board for three years, city solicitor for nine years and member of the
library board of his city at the present time. He was at one time the
candidate for senator from his district, but was defeated on account of
the strength of the republican party. Mr. Jordan was married May 23, 1882, at Des Moines, to Martha H.
Lynch. They have three children: John W., Frank and Helen. He belongs to
no secret society or club. The information on Trails to the Past © Copyright may be used in personal family history research, with source citation. The pages in entirety may not be duplicated for publication in any fashion without the permission of the owner. Commercial use of any material on this site is not permitted. Please respect the wishes of those who have contributed their time and efforts to make this free site possible.~Thank you! |
ALDRICH, Charles, founder and curator of the Iowa State
Historical department, and a pioneer newspaper editor of northwestern
Iowa, where he founded.
BROWN, Ernest C., a practicing
physician and surgeon of high standing, now a resident of Madrid, Boone
county, is a native of New York state, having been born in Verona, Oneida
county, N. Y., August 24, 1867.
JORDAN, Richard Francis, is a
leading citize n,
successful lawyer and influential democrat of Boone county. He was born in
Queensburg township, Warren county, N. Y., not far from Glen's Falls,
March 19, 1856. His parents were John and Ann (Donnelley) Jordan. The
father was a farmer in easy circumstances, who retired from active life in
1889. Both Father and Mother Jordan were natives of Ireland, coming to
this country in early youth. It is understood in the family that his
people originally came from Holland, as soldiers under William of Orange
in one of his campaigns in Ireland, and that they settled in the city of
Waterford, Ireland, and eventually became as children to the manor born.
Mr.