Recollections and Sketches

Author: Edward H. Stiles

This book documents recollecitons and sketchs of notable lawyers and public men of early Iowa.

The United States Land Offices during the territorial time were located at Dubuque, Burlington, and Fairfield. The Registrars at Dubuque were successively: B. R. Petrekin, Henry Harrison, and Warner Lewis. The Receivers were Thomas MCKNIGHT and Stephen Langworthy. At Burlington, the Registrars were A. C. Dodge and William Ross. The Receivers were Ver Plank Van Antwerp and Joseph C. Hawkins. At Fairfield, the Registrar was Bernhart Henn; the Receiver, Ver Plank Van Antwerp, who, as above indicated, had before been Receiver at the Burlington Office.

On the 26th of October, 1846, two months anterior to her admission into the Union, Iowa held her first State election. Ansel Briggs, of Jackson County, was chosen Governor over Thomas MCKNIGHT, of Dubuque County; and Elisha Cuttler, of Van Buren County, Secretary of State. Shepard Leffler and S. Clinton Hastings (Democrats) were elected to Congress over G. C. R. Mitchell, of Scott County, and Joseph Hedrick, of Wapello County (Whigs).

The opposing Whig candidate of Mr. Briggs was Thomas MCKNIGHT, of Dubuque County. The election was held on the 26th of October, 1846. The entire Democratic ticket was elected. The small majorities indicate how closely the parties stood. Ansel Briggs received 7,626 votes, his competitor, Thomas MCKNIGHT, received 7,379, giving Briggs a majority of 247. The administration of Governor Briggs, the term of which was then four years, was a successful and commendable one. He kept in accord with his Party, and committed no act which could justly subject him to censure. It was peaceful, comparatively harmonious, without any startling events save that which grew out of the dispute as to the boundary line between Iowa and Missouri, which created a considerable war spirit, but was afterward peacefully adjusted.

William MCNETT was for many years, one of the leading lawyers of Iowa. He was born in Illinois in 1845, where he was educated and admitted to the bar. He came to Wapello County in 1869, settling first at Eddyville, and shortly afterward in Ottumwa. He is still living, and for forty-five years has been actively engaged in a wide and successful practice. In addition to being a gifted man, he was a fine student, and early rose to prominence at the bar. He has represented many great interests in the courts. For many years he was the Attorney of the White Breast Coal & Mining Company, and after my removal from Ottumwa, that of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company. His practice was lucrative, for his clients for a time represented more wealth, I think, than that of any other Ottumwa lawyer, and is sustained to the present time. He is now an old man, whose years and burdens--some of them sorrowful--have not been able to subdue his courage or quench his natural ardor. This seems remarkable, for he was a man of slender frame, of a highly nervous organization, and apparently rather delicate; but I never remember of his being sick or away from his business. If he ever took any considerable vacation, I never knew it, and the amount of work he accomplished continually, year in and year out, was extraordinary. He was the most unremitting worker, plodder, if you please, within my knowledge, save and except John F. Lacey, of Oskaloosa, who very much resembled him in these respects. They were of a wiry, stub and twist make.

Personally, he was one of the most agreeable and accommodating of men; always pleasant and approachable to those of every grade; a most affectionate husband and father, and a citizen above reproach.

To his accomplishments as a lawyer, he added those of a self-made scholar. He had a decided taste for literature, and there were few books of the better sort that he had not read. He was a ready and fluent speaker, and his thoughts were conveyed in clear and often, elegant language.

He was a liberal Republican in sentiment, but in no sense a politician. He would have made a judge of high order, and there were many times in his career when he could have had the nomination of his party for the judgeship of his district, had he sought it, but he could not afford to relinquish his professional income for the salary attached to that position. I know of but one instance when he offered himself for political preferment, and that was when the appointment of United States District Judge was made, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Woolson. For this position he was strongly endorsed, and but for the greater political influence of Judge Smith McPherson, would undoubtedly have been appointed.

In the outset of his professional career at Ottumwa, he and the highly gifted Eugene Fawcett formed a partnership, which continued, with a slight intermission, until the removal of Mr. Fawcett to California. After practicing alone for some years, he formed a partnership with W. D. Tisdale, which continued until the election of the latter to the bench. He later formed a partnership with his son, Walter MCNETT, which has continued to the present time.