pgs. 248-252 (Picture on pg.
250)
DELAWARE
AND BUCHANAN COUNTIES.
E.M. CARR, lawyer and editor of Manchester, Iowa, is a native of Cattaraugus county, N. Y., and was born June 28,
1850. John
Carr, his father, was born in County Cavan, Ireland, November
25, 1821,
and in 1835 came to America with his parents, who first located
in Canada, near Kingston. This voyage caused John to fall in
love with a sea-faring life, and, although but a lad of fourteen years of
age, he longed to assist the crew at every opportunity in the navigation of
the great ship. Even his new home had no charms for him, sufficient to keep him
away from salt water, and on the first occasion that offered he availed himself
of-it and put off to sea, following it for many years and visiting nearly every
country bordering on the great oceans. He rounded Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope and spent some time in Australia and the adjacent islands. His parents
having removed from Canada to New York, Mr. Carr, at the breaking out of
the Mexican war, enlisted in the United States navy and was assigned to duty on
the United States frigate Savannah, but was afterwards transferred to
the sloop-of-war Warren. His ship had several engagements
with the better class of war ships of the Mexican navy, which were quite
powerful, but few in number. Before and after the
successful bombardment of Vera Cruz, he, with a number of shipmates, several
times volunteered to assist the land forces, and it is a well known fact that
the "tars" proved to be an efficient aid to the military, especially
in the training of heavy ordnance. At the close of the struggle Mr. Carr
returned to the home of his parents, and the year after, on the tenth day of Decetnber, 1847, was united in marriage with a highly
educated lady, Miss Anna Keane, who bore him ten children, of whom seven are
still living, namely—Edward Michael, our subject; Peter, who lives at Lamont,
Iowa; Margaret, wife of Henry Thompson, a resident of Norden,
Nebr.; and Joseph, John, James and Ellen, living at Lamont. Soon after
marrying, John Carr bought a farm near Franklinville, N". Y., on which he
resided until the summer of 1856, when he came to Iowa and settled at Lamont, and there,
with the exception of a couple of years spent in Manchester, he passed the remainder of his
days, which ended August 10, 1887. Mr. Carr had led a strictly
temperate life, having never used liquor nor tobacco, a most unusual thing to
men who pass many years at sea. He cared nothing for personal enjoyment, in the
sense in which the phrase is usually understood, but preferred
to use
his means and energies in promoting the interests of his adopted country and
the pleasures of his family and friends, and
in sustaining those things which he ought to be right. An Irish patriot as well as an American, the wrongs inflicted on
his native country were to him as personal grievances, and he was
altogether a true type of that sturdy race that has kept alive Ireland's right to nationality through fight
that has lasted more than a thousand years. Throughout his whole life he was a
most devout Catholic.
The mother
of E. M. Carr, Mrs. Anna Keane) Carr, now living at Lamont, was born in the
town of Athlone, Ireland, in 1826; is a daughter of
Joseph Keane, and is a highly educated lady, having attended an Irish college
for eleven years. Joseph Keane, her father, was an English officer, and his son
Joseph, a
younger
brother of Mrs. Carr, was comnmander for twenty years
of the British avenue cutter Euphrates, and his sons are also officers in
the British navy, holding rank as captains and lieutenants.
E. M. Carr,
subject proper of this sketch, was brought by his parents to Buchanan county,
Iowa, in 1856. Here he received his preliminary education in the common
schools, and this was supplemented by an attendance for two years at the high school of Independence, after quitting which he taught
school for while. After relinquishing school teaching he entered the University of Iowa, at Iowa City, spent a time in the academic
department, then attended the law department, and from this successfully graduated
in June, 1872. Coming at once to Manchester, he formed a law partnership with
Ray B. Griffin, which lasted three years, following which he practiced alone
until July 21, 1884, when he formed a partnership in the
law business with Charles E. Bronson, which has been continued till the
present time. But this was not the first business connection Mr. Carr had with
Mr. Bronson, The Manchester Democrat was established in January, 1875, by a
stock company, of which Mr. Carr was secretary, and in which Mr. Bronson was a
large shareholder. In April. 1878, Mr. Carr and Mr.
Bronson together bought the publication, and together have since continued to
issue it, raising its circulation to 1,600 copies. It is a ten-column folio, is
all "home print" is published every Wednesday, and is considered to
be the best exponent of democratic principles in this section of the state.
Mr. Carr
has always taken a most active part in politics and is a recognized leader of
the county and state democracy. For the past twelve years he has been a
delegate to nearly every county and state convention held by the democratic party and has been a most able assistant in
managing its campaigns. He is looked upon as being one of the shrewdest politicians
in the state, and under no circumstances would the managers of the party take
a step, even of the slightest importance, in matters relating to his locality
without consulting him and taking his advice as to its wisdom and probability of
success. Mr. Carr is now, and has been for the past ten years, commissioner of
insanity. He organized the militia company at Manchester, was for three years its commander,
and was appointed, by Governor Gear, judge advocate, with rank of major. He
also assisted in organizing the First National Bank of Manchester, of which he is a director and has
been since its organization. He has always exerted his best efforts in
advancing every project intended for the promotion of the benefit of his town,
county and state. With Mr. Bronson he owns four hundred acres of choice land in
Coffin's Grove and Richland townships, stocked with thoroughbred
and graded cattle and improved with every modern convenience. His industry is
untiring and his enterprise without limit, while his standing as a gentleman,
lawyer, editor and political manager is unexcelled by any other man of his
years in the county or in the state.
The
marriage of Mr. Carr took place October 18, 1873, to Miss Emma Preussner.
This lady was born in Cook county, Ill., in 1853, and is now the happy mother
of two children—Edward and Hubert.
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