Corydon L Lucas

LUCAS

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/11/2010 at 14:03:51

Corydon L Lucas of Madrid, Iowa, is very successfully engaged in the real estate and insurance business, but he is of greater importance to his community than a merely well to do man, for he has been connected with many public spirited enterprises. He was instrumental in organizing the Madrid Historical Society and has always taken the deepest and most helpful interests in preserving valuable records to posterity. Mr Lucas moreover served as the first mayor of Madrid, was the postmaster of the community under Cleveland and has now been two twelve years a justice of the peace. He also acts as notary. Corydon L Lucas was born in Putnam county, Indiana November 19, 1838, a son of Hiram and Susan (Payne) Lucas. The father was born in Estill county, Kentucky, April 9, 1815, and in 1835 made his way over land to Indiana, whence he came with his family to Boone county, arriving here October 8, 1853, where the town of Madrid now stands. At this early period there were but two houses in Madrid, surrounded by unbroken prairie, and but one set of farm buildings could be found between Madrid and Belle Point. This farm was located along the Des Moines road. The town of Boonesboro had been laid out but two years previously and settlements were sparse and far between. The father won an honorable place in his community and acquired a competence. He died at Grayson Station, October 4, 1906. His wife, Susan (Payne) Lucas, was born in Spencer county, Kentucky, February 6, 1819. Her parents made their way to Indiana in 1834, and in that state Hiram Lucas and Susan Payne were married in 1835. She came with her husband to Boone county in 1853. The Payne family were originally Virginians and were among the pioneer settlers of Kentucky. Mr and Mrs Lucas were the parents of eleven children: William H who died in North Dakota, Corydon L of this review, H M residing at Woonsocket, South Dakota, Mrs Nancy Mace of Oklahoma City, P J of Boone county, Mary A of Ames, Iowa, Mrs Ellen Zenor who died in 1911, Anna deceased Mrs Matilda Williams of Worth township, Zylpha J residing in Ames, and Florence who died in December 1913. The seven older children were born in Putnam county, Indiana and the younger ones in Boone county.
Corydon L Lucas remained in Indiana until 1853, coming with his family to Boone county and arriving on the site of Madrid in October of that year. There they remained over night, continuing the next day northward and locating where Grayson now stands. The township is now called Worth. The Lucas family were among the pioneers of Boone county and experienced all the hardships of primitive frontier life, Mr Lucas attended the early common schools and subsequently taught for some time in the county. He always has taken a deep interest in historical records of his community, which he has carefully preserved, and in collections and the deductions made there from are so important that the publishers of this work have intrusted him with the compilation of two important chapters. His wide acquaintance and extensive reading well qualify him for this undertaking.
In 1862 Mr Lucas moved from Grayson to Belle Point, where he located on a farm which he improved and developed until he retired from agricultural labors in 1883 and took up his abode in Madrid. He embarked in the real estate business and has since given his attention to this line of work, also acting as notary and doing a considerable business in insurance and collections. He is considered one of the best judges as regards local realty and his straightforward, honest methods have won him a large clientele. Mr Lucas purchased the Anderson Addition to Madrid, consisting of thirty-five lots, all of which he has sold but one lot. He was the prime mover in organizing the Madrid Historical Society, which has the honor of being the pioneer society of its kind in this part of the state. Mr Lucas has one of the finest and largest collections of relics, documents, mound curios, elk horns and other interesting objects that are to be found in any county, It contains the first land deed in Bone county. There are also stone hatchets, peace pipes, early firearms, and works, and he preserves a broad-hatchet which blasted the first road into Boone county. He also preserves an inscribed tablet referring to Lieutenant R S Granger and bearing the date of December 10, 1845.
On February 9, 1862, Mr Lucas married in Douglas township, Boone county, Iowa Miss Nancy Sturdivant, who was born in Clay county, Indiana, March 17, 1839. She came by the overland route to Boone county in 1851, the family settling on a farm in what is now Douglas township. Her father, John Sturdivant, as born in North Carolina in 1790, and died in Douglas township, Boone county, Iowa July 6, 1866. He was among Boone county’s pioneers. Her mother Mary (Green) Sturdivant, born in North Carolina, died in Douglas township in 1889, aged ninety-four years. The parents were married in their native state and in 1830 made removal to Indiana. In their family were eight children: Rainey, deceased, Mrs Dora Cagle, deceased, Mrs Elizabeth Jenkins, deceased, Mrs Melinda Payne, deceased, Mrs Diana Cunningham, who died in Worth township, H C who passed away in Boone county, John who died in Madrid, and Mrs Nancy Lucas, who is the only member of the family to survive. The three eldest in this family were born in North Carolina and the younger members in Clay county, Indiana.
Mr and Mrs Lucas have had four children: Pandora, who was born November 12, 1862, and died January 29, 1869 John who was born September 2, 1869, a successful real estate dealer, rice farmer and lumberman of Arkansas county, Arkansas, H D born October 15, 1872, and J G born January 8, 1879 of whom further mention is made in another part of this work. These children were born, reared and educated in Douglas township, Boone county. John Lucas was for three years editor of the Madrid Register and then spent a year with the Platte County Argus of Missouri. Returning to Iowa, he remained in this state until March 17, 1903, and then removed to Arkansas county, Arkansas, where he is at present successfully engaged as realty dealer and also follows rice farming and is engaged in the lumber business. H D Lucas attended the common and public schools of Madrid and is engaged in the hardware business here. J G who is further mentioned elsewhere, is the editor of the Register-News of Madrid.
Corydon L Lucas gives his allegiance to the democratic party and has always supported this organization and taken a deep interest in its progress. His counsel in local affairs is highly valued, and he has been an influential leader in many movements that have proven of value to his community. He was the first mayor of Madrid and during his administration he was postmaster of his city and earned during that time the high encomiums of all who had to transact business with the post office. For twelve years he has served as justice of the peace and his fairness and impartiality is readily recognized. Mr Lucas is a man of high ideals, always actively interested in all things that affect the material, intellectual, moral and religious improvement of Madrid and Boone county, He is a member of the Christian church and devoted to is work. His handsomely furnished home in Madrid is a hospitable meeting place for his many friends. Besides his many other interests he owns two city lots and also holds title to 300 acres of land in Missouri, He has secured a place of trust among his fellows on account of his faithfulness to all tasks imposed upon him and he is beloved by all because of his genial and pleasant disposition, which expresses itself into the helpfulness which he is ever ready to extend to all those who find themselves in situations where a lifting hand is welcome or needed.

1914 Boone County History Book