Posts Tagged ‘Dolliver’

1
Jul

Historical Society to Hold Annual Meeting

   Posted by: admin    in Organizations

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 1, 1907

Historical Society to Hold Annual Meeting

Annual Reports Will be Made by Officers and Paper on Pioneer Life Read by Mrs. J.F. Duncombe

The Webster County Historical Society will hold their annual meeting at the Library association rooms at 8 o’clock Tuesday evening, July 9. Annual reports will be heard from the President, Mrs. J.P. Dolliver; from the secretary and treasurer, Mrs. C.B. Hepler, and curator, H.M. Pratt. The rest of the program will consist of a report of the state historical meeting at Iowa City in April to which Curator H.M. Pratt was a delegate.

Mrs. John F. Duncombe will give a paper on early reminiscences of Fort Dodge and several historical documents will be read.

Election of officers will take place at this meeting. It is also planned to have a few musical numbers.

The members of the society and all others interested in the work are cordially invited to be present.

Tags: , , , ,

25
Feb

Victor B. Dolliver Dies While Sleeping

   Posted by: admin    in Death, obituary

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 25, 1907

Victor B. Dolliver Dies While Sleeping

The Shocking Occurrence Was Entirely Unexpected – Natural Causes

Probably Had Heart Weakness

He Had Been Ill With a Cold for About a Week, But Seemed To Be Better. Was Found in His Bed Several Hours After Death.

Quietly reposing in slumber of life, Victor Brown Dolliver passed into eternity’s sleep at his residence room at the W.B. Moore home, 217 south 12th street. Death came without warning sometime Saturday night or early Sunday morning and no one knew of it until about half past five o’clock Sunday afternoon. Natural causes for death were assigned by the coroner’s jury which held an inquest over the body.

The news of Mr. Dolliver’s death rapidly circulated about the town and at first seemed incredible to his many friends who had seen him apparently well in health and robust in strength, but a few days before. Many of them went direct to the dwelling that was his home to see if there was not some mistake in the rumor. The facts were found to be as follows:

Discovered Hours After Death.

Mr. Dolliver had been rooming with the Moore family since last November. He took his meals at down town restaurants and was away from the city a good deal of the time looking after business matters. for this reason his habits of life were not intimately known by the family and they did not pay close attention to his coming and going. That is the reason his death was not sooner discovered.

Sunday morning before church time the door of Mr. Dolliver’s room was tried and found locked. It was supposed he was still asleep and would not want to be disturbed. After 12 o’clock the door was again examined and it was thought Mr. Dolliver had gone out. He usually locked his door at night, but left it ajar when he left the house and it was commented on as unusual that he should have gone away and left his door locked. Some uneasiness was felt over the unusual proceedings, but it was dismissed as an act of forgetfulness.

Mr. Moore went to the men’s meeting of the Y.M.C.A. on Sunday afternoon and returned about five o’clock. He went at once to Mr. Dolliver’s room and was determined to make certain whether he was there or not Looking through the key hole he was able to see the key in the lock on the other side. He called and there was no response.

A door connected Mr. Dolliver’s room with the adjoining vacant room. A large trunk was set against the door, but with the help of his son, Ezra, Mr. Moor forced the door in. They found Victor Dolliver lying in his bed like one asleep, but it was the sleep that has no waking.

Had Been Dead Ten Hours.

Doctor Evans was the first physician to reach the scene. He said Mr. Dolliver had been dead from ten to fifteen hours, judging from the condition of the body which was cold and rigid.

Coroner Lowry was summoned and a jury composed of Messrs. J.B. Hine, J.W. Campbell, and W.F. Maher was summoned. They inspected the deceased and the condition of the apartment and adjourned to meet at the court house this morning at nine o’clock.

Conditions of Body and Room.

The deceased was in night attire with the bed clothing covering him and undisturbed. His eyes were closed and countenance was composed. He lay on his right side in easy position with hands carelessly thrown across his breast. The room was orderly: shoes placed with care side by side, clothing he had taken off for the night hung up in its place. Fruit had been placed on the table and the clock with the alarm signal set at eight o’clock on the trunk near and facing the bed was ticking along, showing it had been wound the evening before.

Every circumstance indicated that painless and unexpected death had taken away life.

Had Sore Throat.

Mr. Dolliver returned from a two week’s trip to Oklahoma and Texas a week ago last Saturday. He complained of having gotten a cold while away and last Tuesday he went to Doctor Ristine and said his throat was very sore. Examination by the doctor showed an inflamed condition and a gargle was prescribed. This is the last time the doctor saw him. On last Wednesday his sister Margaret Gay Dolliver came from Sioux City en route to New York and she spent the day in nursing and caring for Victor with simple, old-fashioned remedies. He said that he was better and she left for the east on Wednesday night and was in Washington today.

Ill, But Up and Around.

On account of his illness Mr. Dolliver gave up an engagement to deliver an address at Morningside college, Sioux City, on Washington’s birthday and asked Reverend Fort to go in his place. He was up and around all of last week, but it was evident to his associates that he was not well and he so stated.

The Inquest.

The facts concerning the last few days of Mr. Dolliver’s life as brought out at the inquest this morning shed considerable light upon the sad affair. It was shown beyond doubt that the deceased had been quite ill with a cold, but was better and in his usual jovial spirits. No foreboding of this sudden fate could have entered his mind.

Mr. Bennett stated that he had been with Mr. Dolliver for two weeks in Oklahoma and as far south as Galveston. They had splendid weather all the way but Victor said on his way back from Kansas City to Omaha that he had taken cold. Mr. Bennett had not seen his companion since their return a week ago.

Mr. J.B. Butler called at Mr. Dolliver’s office in the Mason building Friday afternoon. His forehead was covered with moisture and he said he was not well.

Mark Hopkins, a barber in the Reynolds shop, shaved Mr. Dolliver Saturday night at a quarter of eleven and gave him a shampoo. Mr. Dolliver joked with him and said if he caught cold after the shampoo that was given him it would be worse for him (the barber).

Mr. A.W. Lewis said Mr. Dolliver stopped in his drug store on his way home from the barber shop Saturday night and conversed for about half an hour. He mentioned his cold and having gotten a shampoo and Mr. Lewis advised him he might add to his cold.

Mr. W.G. Moore, in whose home Mr. Dolliver lodged, stated the details of the discovery of the death substantially as told above. He said that the family were sitting in the parlor Saturday night when Mr. Dolliver came home after eleven o’clock. He heard him at the door and let him in. He thanked Mr. Moore for saving him the trouble of getting out his key in the dark. He paused on his way upstairs to say to Mrs. Moore that his cold was better and he thought he would get along all right.

Undertaker Scott embalmed the body at about nine o’clock. He judged death had taken place twelve to fifteen hours before, as the rigidity was relaxing as it does that long after death. He thought there was fatty degeneration of the heart and  produced specimens of the blood as evidence, but the physicians who saw it said it was the fibers of the blood settling that gave the appearance.

Doctor Ristine had prescribed for Mr. Dolliver he said, at various times in the past and had let him have a room in his house for two years before he went to Mr. Moore’s. He had prescribed a gargle for him last Tuesday. In the past the medicine he had given him was for rheumatism which he complained of often being troubled with, but never was laid up by it and he had not thought it of a serious enough character to affect the heart. He thought from the indications and information given he had died of heart failure. Such cases occasionally happen with people with weak hearts, when if there were some one at hand to administer restoratives the heart could be started to work again and the patient would not die.

Doctor Evans told of his finding Mr. Dolliver dead in bed. He could not way what he died of but was certain from the peaceful condition of the body that no unnatural cause either external or internal had been present

No post mortem was held, the coroner’s jury being satisfied, and so stated that death was the result of natural causes.

Heart Was Weak.

Today several instances have been mentioned when Mr. Dolliver had told of having a weak heart and in one case he was temporarily prostrated by this ailment.

His Immediate Plans.

Ed. Thompson, manager of the Dolliver farm west of town, said this morning that Victor Dolliver had proposed to him right after his return from Oklahoma a week ago that the two go into partnership in the livestock business on the farm. He had made a similar proposal one year ago but the arrangements had not been made then. This time, whoever an agreement was reached and Mr. Thompson had taken an inventory of all the live stock now on the farm. He had been in Mr. Dolliver’s office last week Tuesday, Thursday and Friday to complete the plan and the contract between them was to have been signed today (Monday).

The Funeral.

Telegrams were sent out Sunday night and today many message of condolence have been received. A message received today from Senator Dolliver and Miss Gay Dolliver say they will leave Washington today and are due here Wednesday morning at half past three o’clock. If they arrive on schedule time the funeral will probably be held on Wednesday afternoon. It cannot be stated for sure today.

Besides his brother, J.P., and sister Miss Gay, there are left a brother, Reverend R.H. Dolliver and sister, Mrs. E.R. Graham. Both live in Illinois and will probably be here very soon.

Rev. J.J. Dolliver, Victor’s father died two years ago and his mother died about fifteen years ago. Both lie at rest in Oakland. It cannot be stated at this time, where the interment of Victor Dolliver will be. An expression of his wishes may be found in some of his papers.

Mr. Dolliver’s father-in-law, Governor Larrabee, Mrs. Larrabee, and Frederic are in Florida and it is not known if it will be possible for them to be at the funeral. The services will be under the auspices of the Methodist church, of which deceased was a member.

Victor Dolliver’s Career.

Victor Dolliver was born in Morgantown, West Virginia in March 1862 and came to Fort Dodge with his parents twenty-seven years ago, his brothers having preceded the family here by two years. He was for a time a student of the high school here and later taught school in Webster county. He received a college training at Cornell college, Mount Vernon, and later graduated as a lawyer and was admitted to the bar.

The marriage of Victor Dolliver and Miss Augusta Larrabee, eldest daughter of Governor and Mrs. Larrabee, occurred August 18, 1896 at Clermont and the couple moved to Minneapolis where Mr. Dolliver opened a law office in January 1897. The happy life that was promised was not to be fulfilled for Mrs. Dolliver died in March of 1897. She was buried in the cemetery at Clermont and her husband’s life since that time has never regained its former hopes and ambitions. He pathetically said he had never rally had but one wish and that had been taken from him.

Since the death of his wife Victor Dolliver had devoted himself unselfishly to the welfare of his brothers and sisters and they are inconsolable at his loss. The little children of the family especially have felt his affectionate attentions and his heart was always warm for them.

Since Miss Gay Dolliver became dean of the women’s department of Morningside college Victor has turned his attention to the welfare of that institution with all the loyalty that he had for anything his sister was interested in and last summer he made a donation of ten thousand dollars (about $231,000 today) to endow a chair in that institution.

Although Mr. Dolliver has not followed the practice of his profession he had through his excellent business judgment made a good-sized fortune by investments in land and the estate that is left is estimated at about forty thousand dollars ($924,000). He was a half owner with his brother J.P. in the Dolliver farm of about five hundred acres west of Fort Dodge and was planning to spend a larger share of his time there assisting in the management of the place.

An Orator of National Fame.

Victor Dolliver acquired a national reputation as a campaign orator and has stumped the country during most of the hot presidential and congressional campaigns of the last ten or twelve years. Over six feet in height, robust of form, with piercing voice and eloquent tongue he was a striking figure wherever he spoke.

No one would have believed that so powerful a specimen of physical manhood could have had his life ebb away, gently as the breath of a little child.

(Editor’s note: Here’s an article from another newspaper of the same era. Also, Victor Dolliver was mentioned in the Fort Dodge papers on other occasions.)

The Carroll Herald: March 6, 1907

Victor Dolliver Could Have Been in Congress

Washington, D.C., March 1. – Senator C.W. Fulton, of Oregon, for many years a resident of Iowa, was one of the sincere mourners when news came to Washington of the sudden death of V.B. Dolliver. He had been a close friend of Mr. Dolliver for several years.

“Vic could have gone to congress from Oregon as easily as not,” said Senator Fulton. “He went out there in 1902 and captured the state by a great speaking campaign. Nothing like it was ever known by our people. He spent several weeks with us, and in 1904 went again. That time he spent a month, speaking all over the state and then liked it so well that he remained two or three months, ans we thought he was going to settle, He was urged on all hands that he could go to congress if he would live among us long enough to get a residence; but he said he had interests and attachments in Iowa, and little taste for public life, and he refused to stay. He was the best stump speaker I ever knew, and everybody in Oregon will indorse (sic) me in saying it.”

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

26
Dec

Santa Claus Held Sway

   Posted by: admin    in Church news, Holidays, Home and Society, Merchants, Railroad

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 26, 1906

Santa Claus Held Sway

Yesterday Given Up to The Observance of Christmas Day.

Good old Saint Nick, the knight of the sock, the reindeer and the big pack, reigned supreme yesterday and received his full share of homage in Fort Dodge. The day was given up to Christmas rejoicing, merrymaking, feasting and holiday celebrations all over the city.

Business was suspended, except such as had to be carried on through necessity, all over the city when the stores closed Monday night after the busiest day of the year 1906.

The Christmas sun rose radiant and the day continued throughout one of the most beautiful for the time of year that could have been wished for. Christmas gatherings, family reunions and church programs formed the main events of the day. The happenings are chronicled in part below:

At St. Mark’s.

One of the prettiest trees on Christmas eve was that of St. Mark’s Sunday school. Prior to the distribution of the gifts a program of recitations was given by Misses Grace Chantland, Ellen Clark, Elizabeth Wheeler, Martha Fransen, Evelyn Roper, Myrtle Drake and Katahrinee (sic) Francis. In spite of the fact that regular church is not being held the Sunday school has been suprintended (sic) very ably by Mr. Frank Griffith and the school teachers.

Dolliver’s Family Reunion.

At the Senator Dolliver home a family re-union was indulged in. Miss Gay Dolliver of Sioux City was present to enjoy the festivities of the day. “Uncle Vic” rigged himself up in fur coat and flowing beard to impersonate “Saint Nick” and succeeded in scaring a year’s growth out of the baby, George Prentiss Dolliver, and so confused Francis and Margaret that they were not sure of their bearings. They exhibited the same symptoms that a (shy?) colt does the first time he meets a steam roller and it took considerable assurance from the older heads before they could be brought to think that the impersonator was not a wild man who had invaded the home for the purpose of committing some terrible deed. After the youngsters had been quieted the program was carried on with merriment and the occasion made one that will linger long in the minds of those who were present to participate. The genial “Vic” succeeded in carrying out his part without destroying his borrowed plumage by fire or enacting any of the tragedies incident to the occasion. The younger member of the household has recovered from his scare but still retains an aversion to anything with long shaggy whiskers that speaks in muffled tones.

A Christmas Tree Fire.

A Christmas tree at the J.W. Amond home Christmas eve caused quite a little excitement by catching fire. No serious damage was done although the carpet was burned and Mr. Amond received a slight injury to his hand.

Remembered The Employes.

Among the most generous and most appreciated Christmas gifts were those received by the clerks of the Sturges company from their employer, Mr. L.E. Sturges. The gifts consisted of sums of money which were presented with the compliments of the season on Christmas eve.

Methodist Christmas Eve.

The surprise program of the Methodist Sunday School was one of hte most interesting and novel Christmas eve celebrations in the local churches. The church was decorated with two trees and festooned evergreen and strings of colored lights. In the centre (sic) of the choir loft was suspended a large star.

Nine classes took part in the evening’s celebration. Superintendent Dr. Money called upon each one in turn to give some literary or musical feature. Here are the classes:

Senior Bible Class – Scripture reading.
J.F. Nelson’s class – Piano solo, Miss Myrtle Parsons.
J.G. Early’s class – Album characters.
Miss Martin’s and Miss Houk’s classes in primary department – Sixty children in motion song.
Young men’s class, Mrs. J.G. Early, instructor – Cornet solo. Harry Sultzbaugh.
Miss Ruth Cummings’ class – Duet, Misses Sauerbrunn and Gregg.
Mrs. J.F. Monk’s class of boys – Recitation and chorus song.
James Sultzbaugh’s class of girls – Recitation – Miss Corenlia (sic) McBurney.
Miss Jeanette Early’s and Miss Phoebe Sultzbaugh’s classes – Chorus of 30 little girls.

The favorite number on the program was the album given by the young men and women of Mr. Early’s class. Here were shown pictures of members of the Early faily (sic – family?) in early days.

West Side M.E.

A Christmas program was held by the Sunday school classes of the West Side M.E. church Tuesday evening. A large crowd was present. A beautiful Christmas tree which held a gift for everyone present, and a fine program constituted the entertainment of the evening.

Railroad Offices Closed.

Yesterday there was not a railroad office in the city, with the exception of the Illinois Central dispatcher’s office, open. The railroad men one and all were making merry. On the Great Western freights 85 and 86 and the stucco special were annulled. On the M. and (S)t. L. the wayfreights were pulled off for the day. Business on the Illinois Central did not stop because of the holiday. The switch engines were busy in the yards all day and the traffic was as large as on any other day.

At Corpus Christi and Sacred Heart Catholic churches three morning masses were said. The first ones were at five and six thirty o’clock. They ended with the usual high mass at ten thirty. Sermons appropriate to the occasion were preached by the pastors.

Bring Back Gifts.

In almost every store along the street people can be seen today bringing back gifts to exchange them for a different design or size. Especially where the articles are gifts of clothing and a misfit resulted, is this to be noticed.

Merchants Invoice.

Now that the busy Christmas season has practically closed, many of the merchants along the streets are beginning to take their yearly invoice and perparing (sic) for straightening accounts, which always comes at the close of the year.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

5
Jul

Miscellaneous notices

   Posted by: admin    in Miscellaneous notices, Society news

The Fort Dodge Messenger: July 5, 1904

The family of Mr. and Mrs. James Kincaid, of this city, was increased on Saturday night by the arrival of a bright baby girl.

Tom Joyce, who has been suffering from an attack of pneumonia, is now regarded as on the road to recovery. His physicians this morning benefited him and it is now thought that he will recover, being so strong and robust no fear is entertained of his not making good progress from now own.

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Pearsons were host and hostes (sic) to a jolly Fourth of July picnic party at their home just north of the city. It was more in the nature of an old-fashioned Fourth of July. The hospitality of the host and hostess made the day one long to be rememberes. The families there were those of D.K. Lincoln, J.P. Dolliver and Geo. R. Pearsons.

Invitations are out for the wedding of Harry Emmett Peterson, of this city to Miss Ella Lorena Hanson, of Lehigh. The event will take place on the 14th of this month at high noon, at the home of the bride’s pahents (sic), in Lehigh. The groom is well known throughout the city, being one of the partners in the newly formed coal firm of Collins & Peterson. The bride is one of Lehigh’s most popular young ladies and is also well known in this city.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

26
Jun

Historical Society Organized Last Night

   Posted by: admin    in Organizations, People

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 26, 1906

Historical Society Organized Last Night

Shall Be Called Webster County Historical Society – Meeting July 10th.

Enthusiastic Meeting Held

Committee Appointed to Draw up Constitution and By-laws – it will be Affiliated With the State Historical Society at Des Moines.

A small, though very enthusiastic crowd of people interested in the organization of a local historical society met at the Baldwin studio last evening to discuss the feasibility of the venture. Captain H.M. Pratt acted as temporary president and chairman of the meeting and H.O. Baldwin as secretary. During the evening a motion, which all present were in favor of, towards exploiting the scheme, was passed and an organization was affected.

The early part of the evening was devoted to the discussion of the various plans as suggested by those present, a committee composed of the following members being appointed to draw up a constitution and by-laws:

Mrs. Johnathan P. Dolliver, Mrs. S.C. Carpenter, Rev. R.L. Breed and Captain H.M. Pratt, who was made chairman of the committee.

Arrangements for the next meeting which will also be an open one, on the evening of July 10th, were made. The meeting will again be held at the Baldwin studios, talks, illustrated by steroptican (sic) views preceeding (sic) the enrollment of the charter members of the organization.

The name decided upon for the society is the Webster County Historical Society, and membership to it will not be confined to the city, but will be granted to any resident of the county who is interested and willing to lend his or  her assistance in the interest of the society.

There are at present but eight societies in the state outside of the two state historical socities (sic). They are: Lucas and Decatur counties which were organized in 1901; Linn and Jackson counties organized in 1904; Washington and Poweshick (sic), organized in 1905; and Scott county organized about two months ago.

All these county historical societies are affiliated with the old state historical society, whose head quarters is at Iowa City. The Webster County Historical Society will also affiliate its organization with that of the state society, and will become an auxiliary member, at once, which will entitle it to one vote on all matters before the state board, and all historical publications issued by the state society.

At the close of the next meeting of the historical society five officers will be elected: A president, a vice president, a secretary, a treasurer and a curator.

Tags: , , , , ,

2
Jun

President Roosevelt Visits Fort Dodge

   Posted by: admin    in People, Railroad

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 2, 1903

President Roosevelt Visits Fort Dodge

Nation’s Chief Spend an Hour in the City and is Greeted by Thousands of enthusiastic People Who Had Come for Miles to Meet Him

Passing thru thousands of cheering people, who lined every foot of the route which he traveled, President Roosevelt made his long expected visit to Fort Dodge this morning. No man was ever given a more enthusiastic greeting than was tendered by Fort Dodge people to the nation’s president. It was “Roosevelt Day” in very truth. Stores and places of business were closed. Busy machinery all over the city was at rest, and the employes (sic) of all local business enterprises were set free to greet the president and to hear his address.

President Roosevelt and party spent just one hour in Fort Dodge, but it was a busy hour. The president was kept constantly on the move to fill the program which had been arrange for him, but the route was covered successfully. The president reached Fort Dodge at 11:25. At 12:25 he waived his hat in farewell from the rear platform of his outgoing train.

The arrangements for the day were perfect, and too much credit cannot be given to the committee which had the exercises in charge. There was no hitch at any point, and even the weather, altho not all that could be desired, was acceptable. Even if it had rained, the program would have been carried out as outlined, but it was a source of gratification to all loyal Fort Dodgers that even tho the skies were gray, the president was able to carry out his visit without the down pour of rain which had been so greatly feared.

Hundreds of people crowded every point of vantage about the Illinois Central station, when the president special drawn by a great engine, decked with hundreds of flags, with Engineer James Wheeler at the throttle pulled in from Denison, where the last stop had been made. The president was greeted by the members of the reception committee, who were on the platform and went at once to his carriage. The procession started as soon as the guests had taken their places in their carriages, marhing (sic) directly thru the depot to the park, and on over the route out lined. Everywhere it passed thru dense crowds of people, who crowded against the ropes which marked off the streets included in the line of march. The president was continully (sic) doffing his silk hat in answer to the cheers for “Teddy,” which rose all along the line.

All along Central Avenue the windows were crowded, and porches and every point which would command a view of the procession all thru the residence districts helds (sic) its throng of eager sight seers.

The president was driven first to the Lincoln school grounds, where the school children of the city were gathered by the hundreds to see him. The stop there was brief. In answer to the cries of welcome which arose to greet him, the president rose in his carriage, “I am very glad to have seen you,” he said, “and as I have six children of my own, I take particular interest in all that pertains to you.”

The president made his drive thru the residence districts of the city, unattended save by  his body guard, dressed in khaki uniforms, and composed of W.T. Chantland, B.J. Price, Dan Rhodes and Frederic Larrabee.

On his return to the business portion of the city, he joined the remainder of the procession, which proceeded down Central avenue to the park where the speakers stand had been erected. President Roosevelt, and the distinguished visitors who had accompanied him, with the members of the reception committee took their seats on the platform. as the president mounted the steps he stopped for a kindly handshake and word with a veteran of the civil war, who was sitting there.

Without any delay, Senator J.P. Dolliver advanced to the edge of the platform and looking over the crowded thousands who filled the park said “My fellow citizens: it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the President of the United States.”

President Roosevelt came forward, and was again forced to doff his hat in response to the enthusiastic cheers which greeted his appearance. His address was punctuated with ringing applause, as he touched upon some theme which brought an instant response from his thousands of eager listeners.

The president’s address, in full, was as follows:

“Senator Dolliver and you, my fellow Americans, men and women of Iowa:

“It is a great pleasure to have the chance of saying a word of greeting to you this morning. I have come from a trip to and fro across the continent, and I want to say that of all things the thing that has struck me most in that trip is the essential unity of our people. A good American is a good American anywhere in this land. (Applause.) And, gentleman, I don’t think that until one has traveled a little one get a real idea of how purely relative a matter the east and west is. I recollect in the old days when I lived in the cow country. (Applause and laughter) I had a cattle ranch myself and it was out west of here on the Little Missouri in North dakota, and at the end of one summer, one of the cow-hands came to me and said: ‘Boss, I’d like my time. I’m going to spend the winter in the far east.’ I said, ‘That’s all right. Whjat (sic) do you mean by far east, Norway or Nubia?’ and he answered, ‘Duluth.’ I found that I had gotten into the country where Duluth represented the eastermost (sic) verge of the horizon. (Laughter.)

“But now, seriously, I cannot say what a pleasure it has been to me to go from the Atlantic to the Pacific and find everywhere men and women to whom I could appeal in the name of the same ideals and who were responsive ever to that appeal, and we owe that especially to the men who in ’61, when Abraham Lincoln called, answered the call, and in greeting all our people I greet with the greatest pleasure those to whom we owe it that we now have a common country, that we now have a country thru which a president can travel to meet his countrymen. And these men, the men of ’61 fought not only by what they did, not only established the union, not only left us a heritage of honor forever, the deeds they did, but they left us the memory of how these deeds were done, the memory of the spirit in which they were done. They taught us for all time the two good lessons: The lesson of appreciating what is really important in life and the lesson of brotherhood. The lesson of appreciating what is really important in life – It is not important to have an easy time, it is, however, unimportant to try to lead a life of mere pleasure. It is vitally important to see what is worth doing and then to try to do it at any cost. (Applause.) And here today, as everywhere thruout this union, as in every meeting of Americans, you, the men of the Civil War are given the place of honor, forever and always, and your deeds shall live to be told by our children’s children on and on thru generation after generation as long as there shall be a country to have a recorded history on this continent. They shall be told. Why? Because in ’61 and the years following, you chose not the easy places, but the places that led across the stony slopes of greatness to the goal of triumph for the age and the nation. When Lincoln called, the easy thing was not to answer the call. You did not choose the life, you did not choose the life of comfort, you did not choose the life which was easy, you did not walk silently in earth’s soft places, you did not pay heed to your own material well being, on the contrary, the men of the Civil War abandoned for the time that they were in battle the hope of all material gain. The faces suffering by cold in winter nights, suffering by heat in summer days of the march, the knowledge, the practical experience of great fatigue, of hunger and thirst and the ever present chance of death in battle, death on the fever cots of the hospital, and they did all that gladly because they had in them the lofty things which go with generous souls; because they had in them the spirit that bade them distinguish between the things that are essential in life. It is unessential to have an easy time. It is vitally essential to do well your duty, to do well all things worth doing. That is the essential thing and these men had in them to see what was essential and to do the essential thing. That is one lesson they taught. The other one, the lesson of brotherhood. Brotherhood – the recognition of each man as a man, of seeing what is important in his character and disregarding the individual. To each one of you as you moved forward into the battle it made a good deal of difference whether the man on your right hand or on your left had the right stuff in him. That was the essential thing. You wanted to know that when he moved he would move the right way. That is what you wanted to know. It was absolutely of no consequence what the creed was in accordance with which he worshipped, his social position  or his birth-place. You cared nothing whether he were a capitalist, or wage-earner merchant, farmer, lawyer, business man, what you wanted to know was whether when the crisis came he would stay put. (Laughter and applause.) That is what you wanted to know exactly.

“It is just so in civil life. (I wish there were more of me and I would turn all around.) I have just got one moment more now.

“I believe this country is going forward to rise to a pitch, not merely of power, but of high and true greatness, such as no other country has ever shown, because I believe that our average citizen now in peace has profited and will profit by the lessons taught in the Civil War by the men of ’61, and thatwe shall apply practically the two lessons of which I have spoken. That we show show as a nation that what we seek is not mere ease, not mere comfort, not mere material well being – important tho that well being is – but that we shall try to do in our lives individually and collectively as a nation the things worth doing and to do them well and finally that we shall retlize (sic – should be realize) so far as in human power it can be realized, the brotherhood in fact as well as in name and shall continue to treat this government as it was meant to be treated by those who founded it and by those who preserved it: as a government not of license, but of liberty and by and through the law of liberty, the liberty of good government both social and govermental (sic), as a system under which, so far as finite human ability to reach us, to reach that knowledge and system, under which each man is treated, not with regard to his wealth or his possessions or occupation, or his social position, but with reference to his fundamental qualities as a man among his fellows.

“Now, I thank you all for having listened to me. I thank you men of the Grand Army: I thank my comrades of the lesser war and the men of the National Guard, for let us remember that exactly as we pay honor to the men of hte greater war, so the man Regular or Volunteer Regular or National Guardsman, who wears the uniform under the fltg (sic – should be flag), has a peculiar claim upon all Americans.

“Good-bye and Good Luck.”

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

19
Mar

Vic Dolliver Gaining Fame as Corn Husker

   Posted by: admin    in Farm life, People

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 19, 1903

Vic Dolliver Gaining Fame as Corn Husker

Proving to Washington Legislators the Falsity of Reports That he is Not an Iowa Farmer.

Victor Dolliver, during his stay in Washington is actively engaged in demonstrating the falsity of the reports which are being circulated derogatory to his fair reputation as a son of the soil. Frank J. Stillman, in one of his Washington letters has the following which will be of interest to Vic’s Fort Dodge friends:

Victor Dolliver in mingling with and engaging senators and officials in conversation, occasionally drops remarks indicating that he is a farmer and actively engaged in tilling the soil. Such remarks invariable (sic) call forth humorous observations and suggestions of incredulity. At this point Dolliver reaches into his h ip pocket and produces a regulation corn husker well worn and bright, and the Cincinnatus leaving his plow story fastened upon Victor by an Oregonian, has been succeeded by the corn-husking incident.

(Editor’s note: Victor Dolliver was the brother of J.P. Dolliver, an Iowa senator.)

Tags: