OF IOWA | 221 |
In the little book published in 1846 by Mr. Newhall are found many items of interest, showing the condition of Iowa when it became a State. He enumerates the principal towns as Fort Madison, Keokuk, West Point, Montrose and Franklin. In a directory of each of the chief towns are found names of men who became prominent in its history and development. In Fort Madison at this early day can be found in the list of lawyers: Edward Johnston, Hugh T. Keid, John F. Kinney, B. S. Roberts, Philip Velie and D. F. Miller. C. H. Perry kept a hotel. There were six churches and one weekly newspaper, the Lee County Democrat, published by R. W. Albright, with T. S. Epsy, editor. Thomas A. Walker was postmaster. In Bloomington (now Muscatine) were R. P. Lowe, W. G. Woodward, Jacob Butler, J. S. Richman and S. C. Hastings, lawyers; D. C. Cloud was a carpenter and a magistrate; T. S. Parvin also magistrate and lawyer. There were five churches, and one select school taught by Miss Sherer. William E. Leflingwell was a boat builder. The Bloomington Herald, a weekly paper, edited by M. T. Emerson, was the only paper published in the little city. Dr. James Weed had an extensive nursery of 100,000 fruit trees near the city. Joseph Williams, judge of the Supreme Court, lived there.