1903 Index

History of Iowa From the Earliest Times To The Beginning of the Twentieth Century
Volume IV, Iowa Biography, B. F. Gue, 1903.

I

Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Becke Dawson.

HARVEY INGHAM, journalist, was born at Algona, Iowa, September 8, 1858, and was educated in the public schools and the State University of Iowa. He graduated from the Law Department in 1881, and returning to Algona in 1882 he purchased an interest in the UPPER DES MOINES. Taking editorial charge of the paper he developed into an able journalist. He served as postmaster of Algona from 1898 to 1902. In 1892 he was elected regent of the State University, serving until 1902. Upon the consolidation of the IOWA STATE REGISTER and the DES MOINES LEADER at the Capital, Mr. Ingham was selected by the owners as the managing editor and at once entered upon the duties of the position.

WILLIAM H. INGHAM was one of the pioneer settlers in northwestern Iowa, having lived in Kossuth County nearly fifty years. He was born at Ingham's Mills in the State of New York, November 27, 1827. He received a liberal education in the schools of that section. In 1849 he made a trip through the eastern part of Iowa, and was so charmed with the new country that in 1851 he located at Cedar Rapids where he engaged in surveying and locating lands for incoming settlers. In 1854 he traveled through a portion of northwestern Iowa, which was then almost entirely unsettled. He determined to make his home in Kossuth County and in January, 1855, selected a claim near where Algona stands. As soon as the business of the new town would support a banking house he began to do business in that line. In 1870, in company with Lewis H. Smith (another pioneer), a bank was organized which three years later became the Kossuth County Bank. In 1862, after the Minnesota massacre by the Sioux Indians had begun, Governor Kirkwood authorized Mr. Ingham to organize a military company for the protection of that part of the State, and sent him a commission as captain. Other companies were raised and all were united in the Northern Border Brigade, which effectually checked the incursion of the Sioux into northern Iowa. Captain Ingham has been an active force in the development of northwest Iowa for nearly half a century.

JOHN P. IRISH was born in Iowa City on the 1 st of January, 1843. He received a common school education but at the early age of seventeen had made such progress as to become a teacher. When he had reached the age of twenty-one he assumed the editorial management of the IOWA CITY PRESS and developed such ability both as a writer and public speaker that he was soon recognized as one of the leaders of the Democratic party of the State. In 1867 he was elected to represent Johnson County in the House of the Eleventh General Assembly and was twice reelected, serving six years. He had, as a teacher, seen the harm of electing members of school boards on a partisan ticket, and was the author of the law changing the time of electing school officers from the general to a special election, thus taking their election out of partisan politics. His bill also authorized the directors to choose a president outside of their own number. This salutary change in the law destroyed the partisan character of school boards. The reform was commended by the National Commissioner of Education and is referred to at length by Professor Parker in his ‘History of the Public School System of Iowa.' While a member of the Legislature Mr. Irish secured an addition to the endowment fund of the State University and having been elected one of the regents of that institution, was largely instrumental in securing the establishment of the Law and Medical Departments. In 1868 Mr. Irish was the Democratic candidate for Congress in the Fourth District but the Republican majority was too large to be overcome. In 1877 he was nominated by the Democratic State Convention for Governor and made a vigorous campaign but was defeated by Governor Gear. Mr. Irish was long one of the trustees of the Soldiers' Orphans' Home. He removed to California, where he was for many years president of the board of directors of the State Home of the Adult Blind of which institution he was one of the founders. In 1896 Mr. Irish was one of the National leaders in organizing the political movement which resulted in the formation of the ‘Gold Standard' Democracy, which separated from the regular, or Bryan Democratic party, and supported another candidate for President. He was actively engaged in the campaign as a public speaker in several States and was a member of the executive committee of the Monetary Congress organized in 1897 to promote the permanent establishment of the gold standard. In 1894 Mr. Irish was appointed Naval Officer of Customs at San Francisco, which position he held at the close of the Nineteenth Century.

JOHN N. IRWIN was born in Ohio, in 1847. His early education was secured in the public schools of that State, and later he attended the Miami University. After the close of the Civil War he went to Dartmouth College where he graduated in the class of 1867. He came with his father's family to Iowa, making his home in Keokuk where they engaged in mercantile business. At seventeen years of age he enlisted in the Union army. In 1875 he was elected Representative in the House of the Sixteenth General Assembly, serving one term. In 1883 Mr. Irwin was appointed by President Arthur, Governor of Idaho Territory. After returning to Keokuk he was elected mayor. In 1890 he was appointed by President Harrison Governor of the Territory of Arizona. In 1899 President McKinley tendered him the position of American minister to Portugal which he accepted, resigning after about a year's service, returning to his home in Keokuk.

NORMAN W. ISBELL, lawyer and jurist, was a native of Ohio, born in about the year 1818. He received but a common school education, before entering upon the study of law. He came to Iowa in 1842 when it was a Territory, locating at Marion, in Linn County, where he opened a law office. He served as a county judge at the period when that officer had almost supreme financial power in conducting the business of his county; a most efficient system, when the judge was competent and honest, but a most dangerous system when occupied by an unscrupulous man clothed with despotic powers by law. Judge Isbell was of the best class and rendered most excellent service. He belonged to the old Whig party in early days but when the slavery issue sent that neutral party out of existence, Mr. Isbell became a Republican. In 1854 he was a law partner of N. M. Hubbard and from 1857 to 1860 the partnership was renewed. Under the old Constitution, he was in January, 1855, elected by the Fifth General Assembly Supreme Judge, resigning in 1856 on account of failing health. In September, 1862, upon the resignation of Judge Wm. E. Miller of the Eight Judicial District, Governor Kirkwood appointed Judge Isbell to fill the vacancy. He was elected at the expiration of the term but after serving until August 31, 1864, resigned and removed to California, where he died of consumption the same year. Judge Hubbard, his former partner, pronounced Judge Isbell to have been an able jurist, thoroughly equipped in all that makes an excellent judge.

CHARLES J. IVES of Cedar Rapids is an illustration of a class of citizens of Iowa, starting in boyhood with only an inheritance of intellect, energy and a laudable ambition to accomplish something worth living for, has attained a high position in one of the great industries of the age. He was born in Rutland County, Vermont, October 4, 1831. He had but a limited school education, working on his father's farm until grown when he went with the crowds of gold seekers to the mining region of Pike's Peak. Returning to Iowa he obtained a subordinate position in a local office of the Burlington Railroad Company. Obtaining a knowledge of the business, in 1871 he was appointed freight agent of the first division of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railway Company. From this position he gained more knowledge of the growing railroad system and business then in the process of rapid development and developed the qualities required by that great industry and arose rapidly and steadily from one position to another until he had mastered the exacting problems of successful management and attained the control of the complicated business, holding the positions of president and general superintendent of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway. When he first entered its service, the entire length of the road was forty miles. Largely owing to his executive management and enterprise the system now has lines over the State aggregating 1,500 miles in length.