Progressive Men of Iowa
1899

BLOODGOOD, Freeman H., B. S., county superintendent of schools of Fayette county, lives in West Union, and was born in Linn county, Iowa, in 1867. He has the reputation of being an active and progressive educational man who has kept up with the times. He attended a graded rural school in Linn county until he was 13 years old, when his parents moved to Huron, S. D., and he went to school there until 1885, working on a farm between times, thus getting physical strength as well as mental culture.

In 1885 he entered Upper Iowa University, from which he graduated in 1890 with a creditable record.  He was a member of the Zethegathian Literary society, and gained a high reputation for oratory. He represented the college in the state contest in 1890. Immediately upon his graduation he was elected to the principalship of the Fayette public schools, which he filled satisfactorily for two years, and then resigned to enter Harvard university for post graduate work. He returned to Fayette in the fall of 1893, and was elected county superintendent as a republican.

December 19, 1893, Mr. Bloodgood was married to Miss Ethel Hulbert, a charming and accomplished lady, one of his classmates in college and a resident of Fayette. They have since lived in West Union. Mr. Bloodgood is now serving his third term as county superintendent.  He believes in encouraging teachers to cherish the ambition to be professional educators instead of making teaching a mere makeshift. The schools of Fayette county have been given a close supervision and have been much improved by this energetic young man. He has demonstrated the result of his work at the State Teachers' association in Des Moines, where Fayette county for three consecutive years, beginning in 1895, won a prize for the greatest number of miles traveled by teachers in attending the association.  In December, 1898, he was chosen president of the Iowa State Teachers' association at Des Moines, and has unanimously been chosen as city superintendent of the Vinton schools for the year beginning September, 1899.

He is universally recognized among educational workers as a man of ideas, who has something to say and knows how to say it. He takes a leading part in the several educational associations to which he belongs, and was elected president of the Northeastern Teachers' association in 1895, and president of the Iowa County Superintendents' association in Des Moines in 1897.  Oratorical ability and the genius for teaching combined cause him to be in general demand as a lecturer and institute instructor. In these capacities Mr. Bloodgood has been employed in various counties in the state, and also in cities outside the state. His success in educational work and the other qualities which make a popular man have often suggested the fact that he is available for the office of state superintendent of public instruction.

DICKMAN, John William, professor of German and pedagogy in Upper Iowa university at Fayette, is one of the rising young educators of Iowa. He was born in a log house, live miles north of Defiance, Ohio, April 22, 1863, and was brought up on a farm. His father, William Dickman, was born in Ohio also, where he learned the cooper's trade. In 1857 he came to West Union, Iowa, but after remaining five years returned to Ohio, and was married in 1862 to Martha Ann Schott, a native of Germany, who came to America when 3 years of age. Coming to Iowa again in 1865, Mr. Dickman became a farmer, and was very prosperous. He now owns a farm of about 600 acres, in Fayette county, and is worth from $40,000 to $50,000. 

J. W. Dickman began attending district school when he was 8 years old, but was never able to go more than about four months each winter, for his services were always in demand on the farm. But he im-proved his time, and did not leave the country school until he was 18 years old, when he entered the preparatory department of Upper Iowa university at Fayette.  From this institution he graduated in 1888, with the degree of Ph. B. While in college he was a leader among students, and was very prominent in social and religious circles. While in his senior year he was elected class president, and in 1886 was chosen by the Y. M. C. A. as a delegate to Mr. Moody's Summer school at Mt. Hermon.  He won a prize of $20 in a debating contest, and an honorary prize in a military contest.  He was a member of the Philomathean Literary society, and of other college organizations. He helped pay his way through school by doing farm work during vacations, and in his senior year was employed as a tutor in history and mathematics. Immediately after graduation he was chosen by his alma mater as a member of the faculty, his position being that of professor of mathematics and German.  Here he remained until June, 1894, when he resigned his position in order to settle up and dispose of his interest in a lumber business at Sumner; for it was the intention of Professor Dickman to take post graduate work in an eastern university after spending one year in Sumner. But during that year he was so urged to accept the position of principal of the Sumner schools that he finally yielded, and his school work, with his business, proved so enjoyable and lucrative that he deemed it best to postpone his post-graduate work. This determination was more fully confirmed by his election June, 1898, to the chair of German and pedagogy in the Upper Iowa university, and his re-election in June, 1899, to the same position, and also as treasurer of the university and a member of its executive committee.

The professor is a republican, but does not wish to be counted as a blind enthusiast for that party, for he realizes that, though it suits him better than any other, it is still far from being perfect. He belongs to three secret orders: The Knights of Pythias, the Masons, and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a very active member of the Methodist church in Sumner, at present being president of the board of trustees, superintendent of the Sunday school, and chorister.

He was married August 22,1889, to Miss Adella G. Maltbie, preceptress of the Upper Iowa university, and a graduate of Northwestern university, of Evanston, 111.

DUBBERT, Bernhard, director of the conservatory of music in Upper Iowa university, at Fayette, la., is one of the finest musicians in the northwest, and has spent the greater part of his life in studying the art he so much loves.

He is a German, and inherits much of his talent from his father, August Dubbert, who was a skilled musician, and played the pipe organ in the Evangelical church of his native village for many years. He was also a public school teacher of no ordinary ability, and taught for over fifty years, forty-eight of which were spent in the town of Sonneborn, Germany, where he died December 9, 1893. He was born January 24, 1824, in Elbrinxson.  Professor Dubbert's mother, Christine Wieneke, was born in the village of Sonneborn, January 17, 1820, and died there June 12, 1889. She was an intelligent, cultivated woman, and took an active part in the education of her five sons, all of whom grew up to be useful, public spirited men. 

Prof. Bernhard Dubbert is the youngest of these five sons, and was born December 19,1861, in Sonneborn, the little town where his parents spent most of their lives. This village is situated in northern Germany, in the little principality of Lippe Detmold, which is a part of the province of Westphalia, or as the Germans call it, Westfahlen. Here, at the foot of the mountains known as the Teutoburger Wald, and near the banks of the beautiful Wesser river, he attended the school taught so well by his father; and until he was 15 years old he had no other instructor. While very young he exhibited a marked degree of ability in music.

Under his father's enthusiastic supervision, young Bernhard rapidly progressed in music, as well as in his other studies. In 1877, at the age of 16, he came to America, where a brother and cousin had preceded him in 1871. For several years he worked on a farm in Grant county, Wis., improving what few opportunities he had to attend school. During this period, his love for music never grew less intense, and many a spare moment was spent in practice and study. In 1884 he left the farm and for two years gave lessons on the piano and organ at Fennimore, a town in the county where he had been working.

He came to Iowa, in 1886, locating at Laurens, Pocahontas county, near where his brother had purchased a half section of land. Here he continued as a music teacher with the greatest success, and also dealt extensively in musical instruments. He gained a high reputation as one of the most thorough instructors and musicians in northwestern Iowa, where he was widely known. He spared no time nor opportunity to make visits to Chicago for further study and bearing some of the greatest musical works performed, and also such leading pianists of the world as Dr. Hans Van Bulow, I.  Paderewski, Eugene D'Albert and others.  In short, the subject of this sketch is termed a musical enthusiast. In December, 1894, he was offered a position as director of the conservatory of music at Upper Iowa university at Fayette, which he accepted and has since remained there. By faithful, conscientious, enthusiastic work, he has not only won the admiration of those about him, but has succeeded in building up the musical department and creating such an interest in it that the attendance is now nearly twice what it was before he came to Fayette. 

Professor Dubbert was married August 18, 1893, to Miss Minnie E. West, of Lake Park, Iowa, whom he met as a teacher in Sutherland, O'Brien county. She, too, is a musician, and has a voice of rare sweetness.  She was a pupil of the professor's for some time previous to their marriage. They have two children, Ruth Christine, who was born at Laurens, June 15, 1894, and a little son, Rudolph August, born September 13, 1897, at Fayette, Iowa.

FULLER, William E., of West Union, former member of congress from the Fourth District of Iowa, is a descendant of the Fullers who were original members of the Plymouth colony that landed from the Mayflower in 1620. Dr. Samuel Fuller was a deacon and physician to the colony.  Dr. Levi Fuller, father of William E., has been a leading citizen of Iowa since 1853.  His father, Elijah Fuller, was born and lived in Surrey, N. H., and his mother, Matilda Newcomb, was born in Massachusetts. The Fullers were soldiers in the revolutionary war and one of them was shot at the battle of Bennington. Dr.  Fuller has been identified with all the leading events in Fayette county for more than forty years, and has given generously of his means for the building of railroads, churches, universities and other public institutions. He is now president of the board of trustees of the Upper Iowa university at Fayette, and is also president of the board of education in West Union.  Since coming to Iowa he has been mostly in the real estate, banking and brokerage business. He was commissioned as a surgeon in an Iowa regiment by Governor Kirkwood, but before entering the field was appointed United States revenue col-lector for the Third District of Iowa, by President Lincoln, and accepted that office.  He was a member of the Iowa legislature and has done his full share in developing the state.

William E. Fuller, the only son of Dr.  Levi and J. E. Tipton Fuller, was born in Center county, Pa., March 30, 1846. After a brief residence in Stephenson county, 111., the family came to West Union in April, 1853. The son received his literary education in the Upper Iowa university and in the State university. He held a position in the interior department at Washington, resigning in 1867, and in 1869 entered the law department of the State university, where he graduated with honors as the valedictorian, in June, 1870. He immediately commenced the practice of his profession in West Union, continuing it with marked success up to the present time. 

Mr. Fuller has been interested in politics from his earliest manhood, always identified with the republican party. He has been chairman of the county committee, member of the district and state committee, and in 1875 was elected to the Sixteenth General Assembly, where he was an active member of the judiciary committee. He declined a re-nomination. In 1884 he was elected to the Forty-ninth Congress in a district which had been carried at previous elections by the democrats by more than 700 majority. The district was regarded as a forlorn hope from the republican standpoint, but energy and organization, which included fifty speeches by Mr. Fuller, overcame the odds and the democratic candidate, L. H. Weller, was defeated by 241 majority. Mr. Fuller was an industrious and influential member of congress, being a member of the committee on coinage, weights and measures and committee on the revision of the laws, taking an active part in the consideration of the silver question. He was re-elected to congress in 1886 by 1,931 majority, and served on the judiciary committee. He favored free lumber and free sugar in the tariff discussion and made several speeches on the Fitz John Porter, silver, lumber, sugar, interstate commerce and pension bills, and the Nicaragua Canal bill. The laboring people of the country were especially pleased, and commended Mr. Fuller for his watchful care of their interests.  He was also attentive to the business of old soldiers at the national capital. Mr. Fuller remained in Washington during the long session of the Fiftieth Congress, the longest in the history of the country, and declined to return to Iowa and canvass for a third term.

Mr. Fuller is in constant demand as a speaker and is often called upon to deliver Fourth of July speeches and to speak on Memorial day and at county fairs. Since his retirement from congress he devotes himself to his professional duties, but has often given his services to his party, on the stump. In 1897 Mr. Fuller's borne friends presented his name to the republican state convention as a candidate for governor. There were nine candidates and the contest was a spirited one. Mr.  Fuller's candidacy was well received and he had the solid support of his congressional district, which, considering that his name was proposed but a few days before the convention, was very creditable. The favorable impression he made then is likely to be to his advantage in the future. 

Mr. Fuller was married in Kossuth, Des Moines county, Iowa, January 1, 1868, to Miss Lou J. Harper, the only child of William and Harriet (Heizer) Harper. She is a native of Des Moines county and was educated in the State university. Her parents were among the early settlers of Des Moines county, where her father has been a prominent resident since 1842, and was a member of the legislature in 1850 and again in 1870. He is now, at the age of 80 years, still active in business and is president of the State bank of Mediapolis.  Mr. and Mrs. Fuller have been blessed with a family of nine children, of whom seven are now living, four sons and three daughters. Levi Harper was born December 10, 1868, and is a practicing lawyer in Chicago; he is married and has two children; Harriet May, born May 23, 1871, is married to C. W. Holbrook, a lawyer in Cedar Rapids; Stella, born February 2, 1875, married Rev. M. P. McClure, pastor of the Presbyterian church in Kilbourn City, Wis.; Clara Augusta, born March 6, 1877; William W., born January 28, 1880; Howard T., born September 13, 1884, and Robert E., born December 6, 1888, reside with their parents in West Union. Mr.  and Mrs. Fuller are members of the Methodist church and the older children are all identified with some one of the evangelical churches. Mr. Fuller is deeply interested in educational affairs, serving on the board of education in West Union for a number of years and also being identified with the management of the Upper Iowa university.  He is also a practical farmer and has two fine farms near West Union. His home farm of 370 acres adjoins the town of West Union and is well stocked.

HOBSON, Alfred Norman. In a study of the lives and character of the men who have been chosen to administer the laws of Iowa, it is pleasant to note the recognition of the younger men at the bar. It is gratifying to find instances where such recognition is based on solid merit combined with modest demeanor, as in the case of Hon A. N. Hobson, of West Union. Judge Hobson is a native of the state of Pennsylvania born in Allegheny City. His father, Hon. Joseph Hobson, moved to Iowa with his family in 1855, settling at Fayette, where he entered upon the practice of law.  In 1858 he was elected county clerk and moved his family to West Union. After five continuous terms as clerk, he was elected to a seat in the house of the Thirteenth General Assembly, serving with ability during his term. At the close of it he was appointed assessor of internal revenue, in which position he served until the office was abolished. Mr. Hobson was a man of great force of character and enjoyed the respect and confidence of all who knew him. His wife was Miss Elizabeth Baker, who was an ideal wife and mother, presiding over the home with dignity and tenderness, giving the best of care and counsel to her children.