1903 Index

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

W

Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.

Charles A. White, geologist and author, was born at North Dighton, Massachusetts, January 26, 1826. He came to Iowa in December, 1838, the year Iowa was organized into a Territory, stopping first at Burlington. He received the degree of M. D. from Rush Medical College in 1863 and the degree of A. M. from Iowa College at Grinnell in 1866. He was made State Geologist of Iowa in 1866 by act of the Legislature, working in that field until 1869, publishing his report in two columns. He was chosen Professor of Natural History in the State University of Iowa in 1867, serving until 1873, when he was elected to the same position in Bowdoin College where he remained two years, when he received the appointment of Paleontologist to the Geological and Geographical Surveys, in charge of Lieutenant Geo. M. Wheeler. In 1875 he was Geologist and Paleontologist to the United States Survey of the Territories, in charge of Major J. W. Powell. From 1876 to 1879 he was holding the same position in the Geological Survey of the Territories, under Dr. F. V. Hayden. He served as curator in chare of the Paleontological Collections of the United States National Museum at Washington from 1879 to 1882 and was detailed to act as chief of the Artesian Wells Commission in 1881, under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture. He was Geologist and Paleontologist of the United States Geological Survey from 1883 to 1892. In December, 1899, he was elected foreign member of the Geological Society of London. During this period Dr. White published by the Smithsonian Institution a large number of scientific works in his specialties.

Frederick E. White was born in Prussia, in 1844. He came to America with his mother in 1857, making his home on a farm in Keokuk County. At the beginning of the War of the Rebellion he enlisted in the Eighth Infantry but was rejected on account of being under eighteen. In February, 1862, he again enlisted, this time in the Thirteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, serving until the close of the war. In 1890 he was nominated by the Democrats of the Sixth District for Representative in Congress and elected over John F. Lacey, Republican. He served but one term, being defeated in 1892 for reelection by his former competitor. He was the Democratic candidate for Governor in 1897 and again in 1899 but was defeated by L. M. Shaw the Republican candidate.

WILLIAM G. WOODWARD was born at Hanover , New Hampshire , May 20, 1808 . He was a graduate of Dartmouth College and chose law as a profession. In the fall of 1839 he emigrated to the new Territory of Iowa , locating at Bloomington where he entered upon the practice of law. He attained high rank in the profession and in 1848 was one of three commissioners chosen by the Second General Assembly to prepare a complete code of laws for the new State. His associates were Charles Mason and Stephen Hempstead. Their work when completed was approved by the Third General Assembly and Mr. Woodward was selected to prepare marginal notes, arrange it in divisions, index and superintend its publication. When published it was known as the "Code of 1851." In January, 1855, Mr. Woodward was elected by the General Assembly one of the judges of the Supreme Court. He served six years and in 1861 was elected to the State Senate from Muscatine County . In 1863 he was appointed Clerk of the United States Circuit Court. He died on the 24th of February, 1871 .

GEORGE F. WRIGHT was born in Warren, Vermont, December 5, 1833. He was reared on a farm, and when eighteen years of age attended West Randolph Academy. He came to Iowa in 1855, locating at Keosauqua where he began the study of law in the office of Judge George G. Wright, and was admitted to the bar in 1857. At the beginning of the Civil War he helped to raise a military company of which he was chosen first lieutenant. Later at the request of Governor Kirkwood Lieutenant Wright organized a company of State militia of which he was commissioned captain. In 1868 Mr. Wright removed to Council Bluffs where he became a law partner with Judge Caleb Baldwin; the firm ranked high and became attorneys for several railroads. In 1875 Mr. Wright was elected to the State Senate from the district consisting of the counties of Mills and Pottawattamie, serving in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth General Assemblies. In 1879 Mr. Wright was appointed by Judge Dillon United States Commissioner, and later held the same position under Judge Woolson for the Southern District of Iowa. In 1896 he was chosen vice-president for Iowa of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition at Omaha. Mr. Wright was one of the organizers of the company which built the bridge across the Missouri River between Council Bluffs and Omaha.

"Of his learning as a lawyer and merits as a judge, no difference of opinion, so far as I know, ever existed among the bar and the people of Iowa. The verdict of the bar on this subject is that, take him all in all, he had no equal among the State's Chief Justices or Judges in her judicial history. Some may have had in special and exceptional lines superior gifts, or superior learning, but take him all in all he easily stands conspicuous and foremost. He was a living digest of the legislation and decisions of the State. He carried in his memory every important case that had ever been decided, and thus kept the lines of judicial decisions consistent. As a presiding officer he was without an equal. He had remarkable executive ability. He presided with dignity, maintained the utmost decorum in his court, and yet no member of the bar, I believe, ever felt that he was oppressive or that he in any way encroached upon their legitimate rights or privileges. He had almost in perfection what I may call the judicial temperament. He showed absolute impartiality, had great patience of research and above all a level headed judgment and strong, sure footed common sense.

"Combining these merits and qualities with ample learning in his profession, it is no marvel that the bar of Iowa hold him and his memory in such deserved honor."