C L Lucas

LUCAS

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/10/2009 at 12:00:45

C L Lucas, no history of Madrid, Iowa would be complete without the history of C L Lucas, so actively and efficiently has he been identified with the work of progress and improvement here. He has left the impress of individuality upon its commercial circles and is still identified with business affairs here as a dealer in real estate and insurance. Numbered among the early settlers of Boone county, he dates his residence within its borders from October 1853.
The Lucas family is of English lineage and was founded in Virginia at a very early day. The grandfather of our subject was there born, while Hiram Lucas, the father, was a native of Kentucky, in which state he was reared. In Indiana he married Susan Payne, also a native of Kentucky, He has become an early settler of Indiana, there opening up a farm in Putnam county, where he made his home for many years. Seven children was born unto him and his wife in that county, including Mr Lucas of this review, whose birth occurred November 19, 1838. In 1853, Hiram Lucas removed with his family to Iowa, Boone county being his destination. He located in Worth township, where he purchased some land, and also entered a tract from the government. With characteristic energy he began the cultivation and improvement of his farm of 160 acres and in the course of time the fields brought to him a splendid return for their care and cultivation. The station of Gracon is located upon his land. He still lives upon the old home place and is now a venerable man of eighty-seven years, while his wife, who has been spared to him through all these years, has reached the age of eighty-four. They have long traveled life’s journey together, sharing with each other the joys and sorrows, the adversity and prosperity which checker the careers of all.
C L Lucas was a youth of about fifteen years when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Iowa. He had attended the common schools, but is largely a self educated as well as a self made man, and although he is now well informed his knowledge has been largely acquired through reading, experience and observation. He remained with his father, assisting is the development of the home far, until he had attained his majority, when he began farming on his own account purchasing land near Belle Point. There he engaged in the tilling of the soil for twenty years and as time passed he prospered, gradually adding to his capital until he had acquired a fair remuneration for his efforts. He then came to Madrid and for the past twelve years has been engaged in real estate and insurance here, prosperity attending his efforts in this direction, the only interval that has occurred during his business connection with Madrid, covering a period of four yeas, during which time he served as postmaster from 1893 to 1897 under the distraction of President Cleveland.
Throughout his entire life Mr Lucas has been identified with the Democracy and cast his first presidential ballot for Stephen A Douglas, the “Little Giant of Illinois,” in 1860. He take quite an active interest in local politics an has been elected and served in different offices. For ten years he was justice of the peace and has also been township trustee and township clerk for a number of years. He was Madrid’s first mayor and filled that office for one term and several yeas later was again elected to the same office which he filled for two terms, discharging his duties in such a manner that promoted the welfare, progress and improvement of the city. He has also been a delegate to the county and state conventions and in every office in which he has served he has efficiently and faithfully performed his duties. In other ways he has taken an active part in public improvement here. In 1860, in company with his brother, H M Lucas, he became one of the editors of the Boonesboro Herald and for one year he was editor of the Granger’s column in the Boone County Democrat. He has been almost constantly a correspondent of the county press for many historic sketches and articles of pioneer times which were read with much interest and which were copied by many papers in central Iowa. He purchased what was known as the Anderson second addition to Madrid and is now known as the Lucas addition. H has made improvements upon his property and it is now a desirable residence section of the city.
On February 9, 1862, Mr Lucas was united in marriage in this county to Miss Nancy Sturdivant, on of the old settlers of Boone county who arrived here in 1851. Unto our subject and his wife have been born four children, but Pandora died at the age of six years. John W is engaged in the real estate business in Madrid, is married, and has one child. H D is married and is engaged in business in Madrid, J G is a young man at home, and is a printer by trade. Mr Lucas and his family are connected with the Christian church of Madrid. Almost half a century has passed since his arrival in this county and the history of its development and improvement is therefore very familiar to him. He can remember the building of the railroad and the introduction of many business enterprises which have contributed in a marked measure to public advancement and improvement. He is widely known as a man of integrity and worth and he and his estimable wife have a large circle of friends throughout this portion of the state.

1902 Boone County History Book