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Iowa Historical
Record T Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Richard Barton. v. III, p 479: Walter Terrell, a native of Virginia , died at his home near Iowa City , January 30th, 1887 , aged eighty-two years. After following for some years the occupation of a surveyor in Indiana and Illinois , about 1840 he came to Iowa , and selected for a home the place where he died, on the east bank of the Iowa river , about a mile above Iowa City . Here, in 1843, he completed one of the first flour mills built in Johnson County . His wife and one daughter survive him. He took an interest in public affairs, but abstained from the discussion of politics, and courted seclusion. v. XII, October, 1896, p 529: WALTER TERRELL The subject of this sketch, Walter Terrell, the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Terrell, was born in Caroline County , Virginia , April 14th, 1805 . His father was of English ancestry. His mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Harris; she was a descendant of the Huguenots. Mr. Terrell was placed with private instructors until 1822, when he entered the private academy conducted by John G. Nelson, in Richmond , Virginia . In that institution he devoted his time wholly to the study of mathematics and the classics. After leaving the academy he entered the high school of Wm. Nelson, in Louisa County , Virginia , where he perfected his knowledge of Latin, Greek, and the French language and higher mathematics. In 1827 he became principal of Washington Henry Academy in Hanover County , Virginia , which position he occupied until 1829. In that year he left Virginia and made a complete tour through all the southern States, traveling upon horseback. From Louisiana he traveled up the valley of the Mississippi river and explored its principal tributaries, stopping at the Grand Rapids of the Wabash in Illinois . There he remained for some time, engaged in land surveying, civil engineering, and teaching school, for the latter service his notes of the time show that he received corn in payment at ten cents per bushel, it being worth in that locality six cents in the field. In 1836 Mr. Terrell received the appointment of Senior Assistant Engineer in the Southern Engineering District of Illinois, William Gooding being his chief. While in this service he was engaged upon the Illinois and Michigan Canal and other internal improvements centering at Alton , Mt. Carmel , and Shawneetown , Illinois . The money earned during several years was entrusted to a friend who became bankrupt by the crash of 1837, and closed his life and his accounts by suicide, leaving Mr. Terrell penniless. In 1838 he made a tour on foot through the Territories of Iowa and Wisconsin . His health much broken by close attention to his duties was improved by his extensive exploration of the western wilds, and for a short period he traveled in the South and formed the determination to make his home in Iowa . Having fully regained his health, he resumed engineering work in Illinois and remained there until 1840, in which year he came to Iowa and procured a charter to erect a dam upon the Iowa river . This was probably the earliest charter of the kind granted in what is now the State of Iowa . In the following year he returned to Louisiana and having closed his business there he returned to Iowa City in 1843 and began the construction of a flouring mill which was soon completed. The use of wool having increased beyond the capacity of the old fashioned hand card he procured a carding machine and for many years its fleecy products could be found in almost every household in the State. Mr. Terrell devoted himself to the operation of the mill until 1867, when he retired from active work. In October, 1850, Mr. Terrell married Margaret T. Crew, of an old Virginia family. She died in 1853 leaving an infant daughter, Mary; now the wife of Euclid Sanders, living at the old homestead.. In 1854 Mr. Terrell married Jane T. Crew, (an elder sister of his first wife) who survived him, dying August, 1888. The death of Mr. Terrell occurred January 30th, 1887 . Possessing a highly cultivated mind Mr. Terrell was the peer of Carleton, Folsom, Dodge, Mason, and other professional men whose names will adorn the pages of Iowa 's early history. Always refusing public office he chose to take his place with Felkner, Cyrus Sanders, McCrory, Phil. Clark, Calkin, and other pioneers of this county, among the people laboring for the good of all mankind. Having acquired a thorough knowledge of the various interests of his county and State his advice and counsel were widely sought and invariably accepted as correct. Liberal in all his ideas his intelligence acknowledged by all, social, warm hearted and true he lived as became a fine old Virginia gentleman, and passing away has left as a heritage the record of a useful and spotless life.
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