McCULLA, Thomas - 1914

MCCULLA, MCCRAITH, CHICK, CLEAVES

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/9/2009 at 03:22:59

HISTORY OF
Cherokee County
IOWA
VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY
1914
by Thomas McCulla

THOMAS McCULLA.

Thomas McCulla, a prominent and successful lawyer of Cherokee, has here practiced his profession continuously for more than a third of a century and for a number of years was also identified with journalistic interests as owner and editor of the Cherokee Times. He has served as county attorney for three terms and held the office of mayor of Cherokee for six consecutive terms. His birth occurred in Hamilton, Canada, on the 29th of November, 1855, his parents being John and Sarah (McCraith) McCulla, who came to the United States from England at an early day. They established their home at Buffalo, New York, and went from there on a business trip to Canada, where John McCulla passed away before the birth of his son Thomas. When but two years of age our subject was brought to Iowa by his widowed mother, who resided in Muscatine until 1880, when she removed to Nebraska, there spending the remainder of her life in the home of a daughter.

Thomas McCulla obtained his early education in the common schools of Muscatine and subsequently attended the Wilton Collegiate Institute at Wilton, Iowa. He then read law at home and in 1878 was admitted to the bar. To further prepare himself for the practice of his chosen profession he pursued a course in the College of Law of the State University of Iowa at Iowa City and was graduated therefrom in 1879. In March of that year he located at Cherokee and has here remained continuously since in the active practice of law. For a period of six years, from 1884 until 1890, he was connected with journalistic interests as owner and editor of the Cherokee Times, selling the paper in the latter year to a Mr. Kneedler. In 1903 he again bought the journal and successfully edited the same until the ist of May, 1912. As a legal practitioner he has also won recognition and success, being honored by election to the office of city attorney and for three terms ably serving in the important position of county attorney. He owns a valuable farm of eight hundred acres near Spirit Lake, in Dickinson county, Iowa, and there spends much time with friends during the summer seasons. The property is well improved in every particular and is stocked with fine cattle and the land surrounds a beautiful little lake called Diamond lake, well stocked with fish and in the season a gathering place for wild fowl, affording good fishing and hunting, which adds materially to the happiness of Mr. McCullas vacation trips to the farm.

On the 2jth of June, 1895, Mr. McCulla was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Ellen Cleaves, a native of Cherokee and a daughter of Dr. R. L. and Carrie (Chick) Cleaves, her father being one of the pioneer physicians here. Mr. and Mrs. McCulla have two sons: Laurence C., who is seventeen years of age and attends high school; and Royal Thomas, a lad of eight.

In politics Mr. McCulla is a stanch republican and a leading factor in the local ranks of the party. For six consecutive terms he served as mayor of Cherokee and gave the city a progressive and businesslike administration, installing the waterworks and also the electric light system. He was likewise active in securing for Cherokee the State Hospital for the Insane, representing this city in the notable contest at the capital. In Masonic circles he has also become well known, having for several terms served as master of Speculative Lodge, No. 307, A. F. & A. M., and being exhigh priest of the Burningbush Chapter, No. 90, R. A. M. He has likewise been active in the work of the commandery, holding several offices. In the local organization of the Ancient Order of United Workmen he has filled all of the chairs. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Congregational church, to which his wife and children also belong. He is a man of marked strength of character, genial disposition and genuine worth, and has the unqualified respect and good-will of his fellowmen.